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"This damn Door. It's gotta be this Door again." Rei took another breath, making the tendrils turn rigid like spears. "Madriana came from it. Leander probably came from it. It'd be surprising if that reptilian b***h didn't." Rei took another breath, closing his eyes as the air filled his lungs.

"This Door is the cause of all of our problems!" Rei pointed his hand at the door as the tendrils moved in front of it. He clenched his hand into a fist. "Make it GO AWAY!" The tendrils erupted in a faint screech as they began slashing the door.

Alihi felt almost rooted in her position as the others appeared to help the druid out. She didn't know what to do to help out anymore, for before she could react, someone else was already doing that job. She sighed lightly and rose to her feet again...

... And then, she heard Amelia's shouts. Curious and worried, she made her way down the stairs, running and nearly stumbling.

Amelia's grip tightened on Rei's shoulder, her breath coming in a panicked gasp. Something in Rei seemed to have snapped, and her heart pounded at the sudden fear she felt. "You--" she started, barely whispering, but before she could get much out of her mouth, one of the gooey vines of dark magic wrapped around her chest. The sudden combination of the magic assaulting her body (and she had never been well-suited to resist magical threats) and sharp pressure against her ribcage made her lungs seize up. Then, almost as suddenly as it was there, the grip snapped loose, and Amelia vaguely felt herself hurtling through the air before there was a deep thud.

Amelia's entire body crashed into the stone wall, the brunt taken by the back of her head and her shoulders, before she fell onto the floor in a crumpled heap. She let out a pained breath. Her eyes blurred before she let them close against the sharp stabbing pain at the back of her skull and between her shoulders, radiating outwards in both areas to a steady, dull throb.

[[OH SURE WORRY ABOUT THE DOOR XD]]

". . . Oh, Goddess," Renault murmured, hurrying in through the doorway. A person couldn't exactly expect to make a huge amount of magical energy anywhere near him and not have him come running. And. . . Amelia! The bishop's attention was immediately diverted from the now-calmed shaman to his adopted daughter, and his face took on an immensely worried look. "Oh, Amelia. . ." He rushed over to her, staff coming off his back and the other hand coming down to touch the side of her throat gently. "Good, still breathing. Then. . ." The staff came down, and a gentle light cascaded across the girl's body, healing and fixing damages.

The bishop looked across at Alihi and smiled, then nodded. "It's all right. . . I'll take care of her." He glanced over at Rei and his face grew cold. "Idiot. Don't bother coming back upstairs until you've recovered your senses. If you do, I'll knock you out myself." He picked up Amelia gently, not seeming to be all that affected by her armor. "Don't worry, little one. I'll take care of you." Turning, he started towards the stairs, holding his burden.

Rei stayed on his hands and knees, losing the will to respond to Alihi's remarks. ...I didn't mean to do that... His arms and legs shook more, and his pupils dilated again as he coughed up more black blood. Then, his eyes turned a pale blue.

~Internal Stuff~

Rei found himself standing in the dome where he fought Asami, face to face with her. It took everything he could to just stay standing, let alone move or breathe.

Your mind is like a puzzle. Our fight took it apart, and now it's being put back together. Just accept it, boy, it's over. I just need to put this last piece in place...

~End Internal Stuff~

The druid stood up, completely rejuvenated. A stretch of his arms led to the cracking of his elbows, and movement of his legs cracked his knees and ankles. A gesture of his hands caused a tendril to shoot out in front of the door, coated in spines. A wave of the hand dismissed it, and he turned around, facing Alihi.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here. Did a sheep get separated from the herd?" He sadistically chuckled, letting bolts of dark purple energy bound between his fingertips. "That just won't do, now will it, strategist? I'm sure you know what happens to stock that strays from the group..." A twisted grin swept his face, and he did nothing but glare at Alihi, waiting for a response. All the while, he cautiously listened for Ashnard. A hulking warrior like that was less than subtle, and could be dangerous.

[[Amelia's not actually wearing armor right now. But it's a minor detail, so oh well. xD]]

Amelia lay with her eyes closed, listening half-heartedly to the sound of her blood pulsing in her ears. So odd, being able to hear your life rushing back and forth... eerie. Her heartbeat seemed slow and heavy, but she vaguely decided that was because her head hurt too much. The thick, pulsing ache continued outwards. There was swishing cloth and tapping feet, rapidly drawing closer before falling silent with the introduction of a familiar voice.

"Amelia!" she heard someone say next to her as if from far away. Who was that...? It was so familiar... She could hear the same person speak again. "Rei!! Are you satisfied yet?!"

I got it... it's Alihi, she thought. Before she could try to react, eyes fluttering open before shutting again, there was more footsteps. This time, she recognized the voice almost instantly, though she took in a strained breath at the touch to her throat. Amelia relaxed just moments later, letting the light fall over her, and the ache in her back and head dwindled to a dull pain. "Don't worry, little one. I'll take care of you."

Amelia's eyelids flickered a little. Her head felt a lot better now. It was as she was being carried up the steps that she heard a strange noise, and then Alihi saying something... she sounded scared... "S-Something's going on down there," she said, squirming a little. She still felt disoriented. But she could almost feel it, hear that cracking noise. "Something's happening..."

Renault quickly deposited Amelia upstairs, smoothing the girl's hair back from her forehead. "I'm sorry, Amelia. . . I should have gotten there sooner. Maybe I would have-" A moment later, his head snapped up with a growl. What the hell was that kid doing?! There was no possible reason for him to be doing something like that. . . and Amelia's soft voice said the same thing. "I'll be right back," he told the girl. "I have to go help them." He rushed back down the stairs, switching staffs quickly. He didn't have much time.

Pushing past Ashnard, the bishop swung the staff forward, towards the little tactician. "REI, DAMNIT!" he roared, as a blue glow came from the staff and formed a Barrier around Alihi. "What the hell are you doing? We're your friends!"