The bones rattled to that, scattered across the floor under the blows of the knights. But any skeleton that did not suffer major damage to its structure had already begun to rise again, pulling itself together and gripping its weapon to fight once more.

One such undead was greeted with the blade of Fanilly's sword, striking its skull, cutting into the bone and sending it stumbling before a followup with the pommel caved its head inwards, causing it to collapse to the floor once again.

Indeed, for Necromancers, the benefit of skeletal undead was the difficulty with which to permanently disable them. On the other hand, they were also quite easily knocked apart compared to their fleshier counterparts.

The numbers of the initial group of skeletons were dwindling. The burst of wind from Cecilia's arrow had caused many of them to collapse to the ground and tumble apart in pieces, forced to pull themselves together in order to rise once more. This made them easy pickings, and considerably cut the number of those that posed an immediate threat.

Even still, Fanilly found herself knocking another skeleton apart as it raised its rusted sword, cutting into its spine in order to make its attempt at rising just a bit more difficult.

"We're almost through!" she called to the other knights. But even as she spoke, another group of skeletons marched up the steps, brandishing their weapons as their jaws opened soundlessly.

That wasn't all, for alongside them was a large, grotesque figure. It was an undead of some description, but larger then any of the others seen before. Bloated was perhaps the best way to describe it. In one large hand it gripped a hefty, rough-looking black iron hammer, its head obscured entirely by a ragged hood. Aside from pants, it was without any further form of armor, but its bloated form would make it harder to cut apart. Its warped, decaying figure did not appear to be entirely human-like, but its exact nature was difficult to make out.

"Iron Roses!" called Fanilly, "Disable the skeletons and then cut down the giant abomination! Finishing the skeletons can wait until it's been slain!"

If they could disable all the skeletons, then cut down the massive undead, then that would make the followup far easier.

But beyond the skeletons, and the bloated undead, was another very much alive figure. A man clad in leather armor, appearing to be in his late twenties perhaps, several daggers on his waist and a gleaming red gem hanging from his neck. He was eyeing the Roses warily, using the skeletons and the massive undead as a barrier between himself and the knights.

That mush have been one of the other conspirators. It fell in line with what Tili had described!

But without finishing the undead off first, reaching him simply wasn't a possibility.

[@Creative Chaos][@Rune_Alchemist][@Crimson Paladin][@Psychic Loser][@VahkiDane][@HereComesTheSnow][@Erode][@Conscripts]

[hr]

As the knights assembled beyond the door, the Princesses both approached, trying to peer beyond it and see what was going on. The moment that Elisandre caught a glimpse, she swiftly grasped Maletha and covered her eyes.

Whatever was going to happen, she had guessed that it wasn't something she should be watching.

The moment the oils ignited, a hideous shriek seemed to arise from the very air itself. A hazy form appeared above the nem, its shape impossible to fully make out as it warped and twisted in the air. All that could be discerned was two long-fingered hands, wrapped around Tili's throat.

The screeching grew in volume, until the finger seemed to shimmer strangely and finally release the nem's through, leaving her sputtering, coughing, squirming on the ground.

The exorcism had been a success.

The hazy, misty figure was somewhat more distinct now. A skull-like face perched upon a long neck, a hunched, skinless figure exposing bone and sinew, a mane of hair stretching from its head and down its back. It was not much larger then Tili herself, but its hands were as wide as dinner plates and possessed long, thin fingers tipped in sharp nails.

"Then it was a wicked spirit," Adeforth's eyes narrowed, one hand placed on his blade, "It's lucky we had one of the clergy at our disposal. If no-"

The creature sprang into the air, suddenly hurling itself towards the princesses. Was this some sort of backup plan? If it wasn't intercepted in time...!

[@Krayzikk][@The Otter][@Psyker Landshark][@Raineh Daze]