Vlaakith!

Heading up the double staircase, they were spotted at the bottom of another staircase by the two Duthka'Gith guards at the top. In an interesting tactical moves, Kuppies raced forward, cast Arcane Portal, and stepped through, arriving on the far side of the room, and within Vlaakith's necrotic aura.

Leenia and Rudy quickly followed while Alexander gave them the tactics necessary to advance, and Ekeraath stayed behind to finish off the guards. Unfortunately one of the guards also used the portal.

This was a knockdown, epic battle. It ran for 2.5+ hours. The heroes did an excellent job of locking Vlaakith down inside a wall of fire. This limited her ability to move and her line of site. She still inflicted a fair amount of damage to the heroes, as did her two shadow companions that were hiding nearby.

One of the shadows even managed to reduce Leenia to zero hit points, rendering her unconscious, until Alexander could come to her aid with an inspiring word.

As the battle dragged on, the heroes continued to burn power after power and healing surge, after healing surge, until the Lich Vlaakith was reduced to dust at their hands.

With her defeated, the remaining guards quickly fell, leaving the heroes, exhausted, but in good spirits. The question of her phylactery had not been addressed, but for the moment, she was destroyed.

Now, how to escape?