Lance drew and fired, putting an arrow into the gnoll pressuring Neil. The Bloody Thorns of their erstwhile tank seemed to be bothering the gnolls the most, the scratching across their faces, palm of the hands and other unemntionables not covered by their coarse fur. Even their fur was not sufficient to cover them from damage from the thorns which had grown larger with each use.

Clutching its side where Lance’s Conjured Mana Object had landed in his body, the gnoll backed off. Unlike other monsters, these creatures seemed to know well enough when to back off – at least half of them. All of which meant that there was a back line of monsters ripping out arrows, wiping away at bloody lines and generally, recovering.

In the meantime, a new gnoll would take their place, attempting to take down poor Neil. On the other sides, more monsters slipped pass the hastily put up Entangling Roots that grabbed at creatures, only to be assaulted by Mana Bolts and more arrows.

Looking from side-to-side, Lance drew another arrow, firing it almost directly upwards so that the Splitting Attack could drop down into the backlines and annoy the monsters hunkered behind their friends.

“Fall back!” Lance roared, after firing his latest attack. Sarah, holding her weapon one-handed was jabbing at one of the gnolls that had snuck pass the obstructions, the monster batting at the badly held weapon. Only a Fire Bolt to its face caused it to falter, long enough for Sarah to stab it in the face.

The team filtered backwards through the doorway, making their way to the staircase with Neil holding the line. He was staggering backwards, hurting with each movement as the monsters tore at him. Armour kept the majority of claws from catching, but it didn’t stop them all and did nothing for the impacts that slipped through, bruising and battering the man.

Crouching low, a trio of arrows held between his fingers, Lance called out to Neil. “On three, back off fast. We’re closing the door.”

All that Neil offered was a grunt in reply.

“One. Two. Three!”

The man fell backwards, an unlucky attack catching him in his chest as claws drove straight into his breastplate in a tearing strike that nearly pierced his armour. A hand reached backwards, grabbing hold of him by the backend of his breastplate, yanking him the rest of the way through the door as Sarah snarled.

“No falling yet!”

Green and white light flashed over Neil’s body as healing spells impacted, even as Matt pushed against the door, nearly slamming the entire thing on Lance’s arms. The archer had taken a few seconds, waiting just long enough to see the doors begin closing before he released the bowstring.

Three arrows meant the attack could not go far or even be well targeted, but it didn’t matter. The point was for the explosive arrows, all three of them, to explode and keep the monsters back. Shards of broken metal went spinning through the air, causing monsters to fall back and snap and snarl as they were hit. Enough time that even the one monster that had lunged forwards, stepping pass its own friends was forced back as an arrow took it in its hip, the majority of the detonation sending shards of metal into its side.

The door slammed shut, clipping Lance’s hand as he pulled back. Then, Matt threw himself against the door, pushing himself into it as Keeley grabbed the pitons she had bought from the Shop and slammed them into the bottom of the door, wedging it close.

One after the other, first the bottom and then going higher, handing a couple off to Lance to do on his side. The door, wedged shut, creaked and twisted a little but the pitons held. At least for the moment.

“Neil, you good?” Yanesh asked, hands held out as he threw his channeled healing spell on the man. His own face kept growing paler, almost turning it white as he struggled with the spell. After a second, he had to stop and lean back against the staircase banister.

Neil on his side was breathing easier, pushing at a tickle of blood that had crept down the side of his head from under his helmet. A moment of concentration and the feeling of energy and thorns brushing against their body disappeared as the man turned off his upgrade.

“Been better. Much better…” Neil said. “They hit like a wrecking ball, and some of them have claws that seem to go through armour.”

“Shit.” Matt said, jerking back as the door, rather than being pounded upon was beginning to be torn down. Claws, strong enough to tear through metal began to rend the firedoor apart.

“Plan? We got a plan, now right?” Keeley said, falling back. “Because I’d like a plan!”

Everyone looked at Lance who was looking at the door and then down at his hand, then back at the door and railing.

“Yeah, I got a plan.” He grinned, holding a hand up. “Give me a moment. Keep them busy on the other side will you? And head back, the way we came.”

Now, he just had to concentrate and figure out how to make what he was thinking of.