Ereni is puzzled by both Jonathan and Lir.  Did I  just send things sideways as I have before with the Infantry?  A sniper shooting early... But the King attacked!  And gave no indication of cooperating.  Do we not stick together as a band when attacked?

Ereni also has a hard time understanding Lir's indulgent self-pity, choosing to place value on the well being of an awful ruler and his own preferences over the misery of all those he rules over.  There is no Joy in Hagsgate and that is largely because of King Haggard.  But the Prince regards his own comfort and solace as more important than that of all of his people?  Not for the first time, Ereni realizes how little she understands of nobility.

Continuing to back up, invisible in the darkness, she switches her Hunter's Mark to the Armored Skeleton and begins firing arrows at the Armored Skeleton followed by the Skeleton Warrior.  (Sharpshooter ignores cover and range penalties.)

Attack 1:  (Against Armored Skeleton)
To hit:  25 (30 minus 5 due to Sharpshooter)
Damage:  23 (with +10 due to Sharpshooter)

Attack 2:  (Against Armored Skeleton, or if they are now down, then against the Skeleton Warrior)
To hit:  23 (28 minus 5 due to Sharpshooter)
Damage:  23 (with +10) - or 22 if against Skeleton Warrior as she would not be able to switch Hunter's Mark again, which did 1 damage.

     The king is dead, the skeletons broken and the prince a weepy mess.  Nodjeim feels himself losing the rhythm of the dance yet he feels their is still danger all around.  Trying to maintain the rhythm and weave of the Blade Dance, Nodjeim takes the unusual step of stowing one of his axes as his movement brings him to the one called Schmendrick.  Once in front of this person, Nodjeim shoots out his free hand into the other's chest attempting to Shove him off his feet.

Athletics check vs Schmendrick's Athletics or Acrobatics:  22

     "You know more than you tell," Nodjeim insists.  "Tell us where to find the unicorn that was to wed the kind or lose your head!"

Kaede grabs the small mirror from Ward, and awkwardly speaks into it:

"Mr. Gandalf?  Are you there?  Helllloooooooo?"

And after a short pause, she continues (a little too loudly, as if she were speaking to someone deaf):

"Gandalf...King Haggard has been neutralized.  Earlier, you told us that Haggard controlled the Red Bull.  Do you know exactly how he controlled the beast?  Is there a way we could take control over it?  Command it, as it were?"

There is a sputtering cough that can be heard through the mirror.  It sounds like someone behind a wall.  

-=You what?=-  The voice says.  There's literally one second of reflection before the voice continues.  -=The Bull is tied to him magically!  It does his bidding when he asks!  Without him, it is essentially a free agent to do what it wants!  Unless one of you intends to sell your soul to some archfiend, the Bull is free on the world!=-

Kaede holds the mirror at arms length, looking at it with confusion and wonder in her eyes..."Simply astounding!"  Looking baffled for a few moments, she collects herself and realizes that she is, in fact, talking to Gandalf.

Again, talking in an overly loud voice, "I think we've angered the bull enough such that it's on its way here.  Have no fear, Mr. Gandalf, we're on it.  And we understand that all priority must be given to saving the unicorn above all else.  Over and out."

She hands the mirror back to Ward, gives him an affirmative wink and nod, and then whispers "Any bright ideas, my friendly construct?"

And then turns to address Nodjeim..."And you, master of strategy...any strategic initiatives you've got in mind?"

Amitola slightly flinching at how loud Kaede spoke at first. After watching her face change once she realized the mirror was working, Amitola chuckled to herself softly. "Kaede I believe you have a very possible point about us angering it enough to want to track its way here. And yes, before something comes busting through again and chaos erupts once more, we should devise a plan, and not only that has high chances of working, but one that will be ready for the unexpected and whatever decides to try to kill us."

Pausing to look upon the others, she speaks once more, "So, what are we thinking?"

”Firstly, here.” Ward says, taking a rolled carpet and throwing it to the ranged members of the group.  “Winds lashing is the word. If we fight the bull stay up high and safe.” Then taking the mirror. “Gandalf, tell Schmendrick we’re on his side. After that I’ll be teleporting in with Schmendrick, The Mare, and possibly Prince Lir although he is reasonably distraught. The king struck us first, however this archer Ereni is, quite a shot. It wasn’t the goal.” Ward looks down sadly at the body of the king, and the prince above it. “Get Stephen Austin and whoever wishes to join this fight to the hall of celestials. I’ll be in and out. We’re currently going to hold back the skeletons and if the bull doesn’t show we will start cutting down the skeleton army or leave. The bull shall die tonight. We know it’s resting location so by nightfall we will engage the bull before it leaves.” Ward finishes, keeping the mirror near Scmendrick so he can see and hear Gandalf.

Schmendrick falls to the floor as Nodjeim shoves him.  He doesn't even try to resist the shove.  He cowers, throwing his hands up and around his head.  

"What unicorn!?"  He says, his voice cracking.  "The unicorns are all in the Inlet of Sorrow!"  

Two more skeletons shamble in through the clock, one with axes for hands, the other carrying a sword and shield.  A third skeleton appears through the door from which Schmendrick entered earlier.  

When Lir lays his father's body on the floor, there is no warning for what's coming next.  He rises with the speed and strength of a typhoon, a living storm as he brings his sword around on Ward.  

"YOU caused this!"  He shouts, lashing out at Ward with the massive sword.  He sinks the blade into the Warforged with fury.  The blade rises, arcs, falls, cuts heinous wounds as the Prince surges with four attacks.  "I will drive you into the afterlife, and I will send anyone else who wishes to join you!"

The Traveling Ward goes down hard.  The mirror clatters away as he drops it, and Gandalf's voice is muffled from the other side.  

Lir's chest heaves as he squares up, ready to take all comers.

"I won't ask again!" 

“All right, King Lir. We’re leaving. You’ve said your peace, and made your desires quite clear.”  She grabs the mirror off the floor, calls to Gandalf “Get us out of here!” and then goes to pick up the fallen Ward. 

Johnathan listens to the wizards pathetic attempt to lie and spends a moment wondering what to say. He notices Ward get knocked down by Lir but can see other party members going to his rescue. He turns to Schmendrick. I know you wanted to save the unicorn and I appreciate that you have kept them save so far. But the red bull is coming and the unicorn will have no one to marry anymore. He gives a glance to the body of the king. They are not save here. We don’t want to hurt them, we want to save their kind. He goes up to the wizard and whispers in their ear.

 After that he turns to the prince. Very well. I’m sorry it came to this your highness. We will go, there doesn’t need to be more violence today. With that Johnathan will go to the door and wait for the others. Let’s not use the mirror, we will need that for later. I have a way to keep us safe for a bit but we have to run. Now.

King Lir squares up with Kaede, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword like it's all the anchors him to the world.  He almost attacks.  

Almost. 

He listens to the back and forth between Schmendrick and Johnathan, and his brow furrows as he deciphers what is happening.  

"What is this unicorn business?"  He demands.  It's the only thing that stops him from bringing his wrath down on Kaede.  Lir's chest heaves as he takes a breath...

And then more skeletons pile into the room.  

One skeleton simply falls through the grandfather clock at the back of the room, raises up, and targets Amitola.  It swings its shortsword, and the weapon glances harmlessly off the Dragonborn's armor.  

Schmendrick casts his eyes up at Johnathan as he moves toward the door, but he doesn't reply to anything Johnathan said.  

Ward's Berserkers, finding themselves in a sea of targets, set to work as they spread out to dominate the room.  One group begins attacking skeletons coming out of the clock, while the other group attacks skeletons at the door.  Bones clatter across the floor as axe swings find target after target, more than a couple of skeletons falling, but now a swarm is pouring out of the grandfather clock.  

There's a scream far off in the castle...

Lir turns his attention to the skeletons...

Ereni stays all the way back, invisible in the darkness behind the door, just within the 90' range of her own darkvision and Hunter's Mark, which she switches to one of the swarming skeletons as a bonus action.  She attacks before responding to Lir.

Attack 1: (on skeleton)
To hit:  25 (30 minus 5)
Damage:  24 (including Sharpshooter and Hunter's Mark)

Attack 2:
To hit:  9 (3d20s rolled a 1, 2, 2, literally one in a thousand chance of rolling so low... so 2+12 =14 minus 5)
Damage:  (assume not needed).

To Lir:  "Open your eyes and ears, King.  Your people and all Hyboria are in peril.  We came here to kill the Red Bull and rescue the last unicorn mare.  And maybe this blue buffoon too if he would stop lying to us.  Was that her screaming just now?  Did you turn her into a human to protect her?"

Having gotten distracted by Schmendrick, she focuses on Lir once more:  "Vader's orcs did for my parents.  Since then, I kill every orc I can.  So I feel your rage.  I killed your father.  Only when he attacked my companion - a far better reason than the orcs had for killing mine.  Still, after this is over, if you need to take my head for it, you are welcome to.  But in the name of the Empress, help us redeem this day.  We seek to save the unicorn and destroy the Bull, who the forces of darkness seek to merge with to become unstoppable in their conquest of Hyboria.  EARN YOUR HONOR.  DO THE RIGHT THING."

"Amalthea!"  Lir calls, at first ignoring what is happening around him as the feminine scream filters into the...the what?  Throne room?  "I'm coming!" 

The Prince...King...swings his sword around, cutting the the forearm from one of the skeletons that's body has been fused with axes, trying to clear a way to the door leading into the castle.  

Ereni's arrow zips by him, nails a skeleton that looks like it's working on some sort of spell, and its head shatters, pieces of skull flying across the room.  Lir looks into the darkness of the hall with a hateful glare, finally remembering the archer he'd seen before, but doesn't answer as he works on getting to the doorway leading deeper into the castle...

-=You lot have the mirror!=- Gandalf finally answers through the small mirror that Kaeda has picked up.  -=If you need to get back here, use it!=-

A skeleton carrying a battleaxe swings for Lir twice.  The Prince sidesteps the first attack, but the second sparks on his armor.  

Kaede calls out to her team…”Almathea?!  Who might that be?  Possibly the unicorn bride we’re looking for?”

     “The king is dead,” Nodjeim says matter of facy.

     “Long live the king, eh?” He says a lot louder, almost with a wry joviality.  As he does so he finds the steps to his dance once more and it brings him besides King Lir.  Nodjeim swings out with first one axe and then the other, hacking at the forest of bones in front of them.

     “Whatever else is going on, one must always save the fair maiden, m’lordship!” He says to the king with a bit of a wink…

(Rolls done on sheet, should be in game log - Reckless attacks vs skellies)

Attack 1 is 22 to hit, 15 Damage 

Attack 2 is 15 to hit and 15 Damage

Two skeletons are shattered as Nodjeim works his way into the mess of targets.  Lirs attention suddenly seems redirected to getting deeper into the castle.  He moves like he is meant for one purpose, has one true calling; war.  His sword slashes through two skeletons in one blow, spilling the two of them onto the floor.  

Stepping forward and pulling the sword from its place over her shoulder upon her back, Amitola gets into fighting stance. "Well, here we go again." She can't help but mumble/chuckle under her breath. Whether the chuckle was slight panic or purely ironic, she doesn't know. Taking a swing to the first poor son of a... bone closest, the sword clashing with bones brought a slight smirk on the Dragonborn's face.

Ward lies face down for a moment before rolling over and spitting out an almost electric blue liquid. Slowly standing up. “Oh now you listen cause there’s a screaming maiden.” Ward mumbles. “Thanks for the assist guilty spark.” Ward says, patting a small sphere on his shoulder before putting his hand to the blade wound, a light green aura of magic surrounding it for a moment. ”Viking! With us, cover our backside, all other melee fighters move with Lir. Find this woman and we figure it out later. Two Vikings stay on me in case I go down again.” Ward says, then finding the nearest group of skeletons he levels his right arm toward them and fires his shotgun. 
Shotgun: Attack: 21 Damage: 7

Heals from Balm of the Summer Court: 21 and 6 temp HP

Ward's shot goes wide, missing everything he's aiming at.  Across the room, a skeleton with fused arms lashes out at one of the Viking Berserkers and misses.  

A skeleton near the door begins firing a bow.  Spectral arrows scream across the room, one striking Kaede, another hitting Schmendrick.  The wizard goes down screaming in terror.  Another one of the arrows shatters on Lir's armor.  The Prince, already closing the distance, throws his pauldroned shoulder into the archer skeleton and knocks it to the floor before hacking it to splinters with his greatsword.  

More skeletons pile out of the grandfather clock in a wave, while the corridor beyond the door to the right seems congested with knocking bones.  One skeleton in the hall is mounted on a skeletal warhorse...

Still a little stunned at how the battle is rapidly unfolding, Kaede shakes her head to clear it, and quickly notices the oncoming skeletal warhorse with a mounted skeleton rider in the hallway.  She quickly unlatches her bow from her back, swings it around, nocks and slings two special arrows (given to her by Pyromaniac Ward...) at the warhorse itself (versus the rider):

• Explosive Arrow Attack #1: 13 Damage: 10
  • If that arrow hits the warhorse, all creatures within 5 feet (including the rider, the horse, and any additional skeletons) suffer an additional 1 fire damage from the exploding arrow.
• Explosive Arrow Attack #2: 25 Damage: 12
  • If that arrow hits the warhorse, all creatures within 5 feet (including the rider, the horse, and any additional skeletons) suffer an additional 1 fire damage from the exploding arrow.

Next, she stows her bow and chases after King Lir, knowing that he'll lead her right to Almathea (who she's guessing is the unicorn in humanoid form).