Takuma sees Cruciaus falling behind, he runs back to him, then grabs his arm with one hand and places the other on his back and begins pushing him along. "Come on! We have to move!"

((Bumpo))

((:P))

((Sorry guys, been trying to think how to go about this. Every time I go to post something distracts me!))

Selren curses when he sees that the others have opted to disregard the lord's orders and go towards the stairs in the hall, rather than the garden. He tries to think quickly but not all of the ghouls were reacting to the sword. A great many were pouring in through the broken windows and launching themselves at Karthus, and some probably harming him. But they were only headed for unimaginable pain. If they could feel it at all.

The spirits of the dead circled Karthus who held his tome in one hand, and a sword in the other. And for a brief, stupid moment Selren thought to himself, "I never knew Karthus had a sword." But even so, whether he did befre or not. He did now. And the spirits ofthe dead were ravaging the material creatures that threatened to tear Darkeye Manor to pieces. It was then that Selren felt a sudden nausea. His knees buckled, hairs on the back of his neck stood as he fell to his knees.

"Ugh..." He tried to get up, to look up and see if he was in inniment danger, or to grab his bow and aid the lich. He couldn't. Yet, as he tried to will his body to do these things. It began to act, and at first he was grateful. Until he realized, he was not acting on his own, or in the way he wanted. "kehehhehe... dance, dance, dance!" Selren heard the cackling voice of someone or something, he fought to look and see where it came from but his body had strange strings attached to him. He stood, bow in hand, notching one arrow after another until he had 3 and summoned his arcane arrows. "What is this! Un...hand.... me!"

"Ooooh keheheheh...! Do not fight me, puppet! Do not fight! Dance for me. Let your beautiful arrows fly" The voice commanded. Selren was able to momentarily restrain the urge to do so until it spoke in a deeper, far more menacing growl. "NOW PUPPET!" The arrows flew forward towards Karthus and the area around him, ready to explode.

((I am not in you guys' party. I've been left behind so you guys are on your own for this brief time until I weasel my way back in. Enjoy.))

Lizzie quickly sprints through the halls of the second floor, clearing a path where there were relatively fewer ghouls. She remembered the direction of the garden, taking a corner and seeing the glass.

A door is broken down as a ghoul strays into Lizzie's way, the abominable creature baring its teeth at her- Lizzie extends her weapon into a staff, and rather than fight, trips up and tosses the ghoul into the group behind her, the undead being landing flat on its face. She finds a side window that showed the garden outside. She opens it up, and gestures everyone to hurry and climb down the vine trellis.

((bumping for more before I reply.))

The mercenary reached up at the ghoul that Lizzie threw over and slammed it downwards. With a strong kick downwards, her heel crushed its skull, "I vill go ahead of you'se, to see if zere is any more guests at ze bottom!"

Shadows wrapped around the woman, and in a moment she melded to the floor. The dark presence that was her quickly flitted out the window and wormed its way down the trellis. Once she touched the ground, she would re-emerge and scan the scene about her.

Takuma looks at Cruciatus, "Think you can make it down? Or do I need to carry you down?"

Cruciatus cracks his knuckles, one at a time. Instead of answering Takuma, he strides up to the window and vaults smoothly out of it, grabbing on to the trellis with one hand. He drops down to the ground beneath, legs flexing as they impact the ground. He turns, looks back up at the window, and grins.