The stairs ended abruptly at the edge of a pool of inky black water. The chamber was dark, so the prince conjured a dim marble-sized star in his hand. The cool light of the orb didn't reach the far wall or permeate the black water; it only just touched the walls to his sides.

"Do we swim?" he asked.

Sheila glared at him. "That is one option, we have a few others, but we're going to move the submerged blocks around to make a path with you here. Chalco, you put them together. I'll take them apart."

The dhampir laughed. "Sounds like a plan if I ever heard one. But, Firefly, how long will that light last if you put it down?

"Something like an hour, I could reinforce it for longer or make it brighter too."

"No, no, an hour is plenty enough. So put it in a corner and watch for anyone comin. If we get surprised, we're fucked."

Velwrith did as told and bound the tiny orb of light to a corner of the ceiling; anyone walking through the doorway would cast a long flickering shadow onto the water. But, before he could finish, Chalco had already maneuvered five platforms into a path and begun wading forward. Velwrith followed suit, and Sheila took the rear, scattering the block with apparent effort.

The party was fifty feet away when the first enemy entered. The unidentified person immediately leaped onto a block and began forming their path. When they came close enough, they began a relentless barrage of daggers. Each attack swooped around again for a second try before returning to their master.

Sheila was the first to react, drawing her new mithril knife and leaping towards the assailant. Instantly he swiped at her, but the woman effortlessly stepped behind him. With two quick jabs and a hard kick, the enemy was bleeding in the water.

However, the fighting was not over, two more rivals had entered, and a bitter chill accompanied by the sound of metal soles on stone began to emanate from the stairs.

"I'll cover your backs, just get up those stairs FAST." her thoughts echoing in Velwrih's mind. 

Velwrith didn't bother with his dagger, thrust into his belt with the hilt in his ribs. Instead, he shouted. "You're outnumbered; you'll get yourself killed."

"Aye, he's right. But, unfortunately, we still got a dozen oh them fuckers to contend with."

She gave them an amused grin. "I wasn't asking permission." vanishing entirely in a swirl of shadow.

Then the stranger entered, his swords glowing red and steaming, his coat singed, and he was no longer smiling. With one motion of his arms, he hurled his blades into the other two visible enemies, both turned at the last minute, but only one was able to dodge. Irrespective of the results, both swords snapped back to their master the instant the strike was over.

Velwrith looked away, and towards the far side, Chalco had doubled his pace, and they could only make out the doorway a hundred or so feet in front of them.

Without thinking, the clergyman began to summon another star. He'd managed to stun his Valdrath opponents with a bright flash twice; why not a third time. 

Waiting just a moment for his opponent to be facing him, he hurled the star in the general direction of the fighting. The little orb traveled sixty feet split into a myriad of tiny dots, then scattered before all exploding at once. The stranger fought on, laughing at the bright flash around him.

Sheila burst from thin air, swinging her knife. He dodged left, barely dodging a second knife held by a second Sheila. The stranger straightened and hurled the scalding blades. The swords spun harmlessly through the illusions but did not dispel them.

The third copy of Sheila shot from the shadows, a punching dagger in lashing hands. The stranger reacted with a  palm thrust, losing a wave of heat potent enough to make the third illusion flicker and reveal a disjoined floating dagger blade.

Then the man grunted loudly, a red stain spreading down his left side and leg. He spun and smacked downward with a crack that echoed over the din of combat. Sheila, and all three pieces of her dagger, hit the water. Her mithril blade still sticking from the man's back. 

Chalco had nearly reached the door, but at the sound of the smack, he froze. He stood utterly still, his face downcast. When he spoke, it was in a voice hard as steel. "Firefly, you're gonna have to swim the rest."

Velwrith blinked off the shock. "I.. uhh... Alright then…" The other man's tone bore no argument. 

Chalco turned and fired his hand again, pulling himself away. Velwrith looked forward, took a deep breath, and dove. His gambeson soaked up water, making the swim both slow and challenging, but he managed with only one person a few steps ahead of him.