Listen to the report.

Everybody gathers around their Demon King. Peony lingers adjacent to the throne while Alice stands directly in front of you. She holds the papers up and casts her magical cyan gaze down upon the words her herself had written. "This is all we have heard from our spymaster Lynx so far, Kyle. Please, everybody. Listen. There is news, both good and bad. She has been doing much in Tolis during the short time she has been gone. I will read what she said to me verbatim from the beginning to now."

You lean in and listen closely. Good. Lynx has been busy. But it sounds like she figured out something bad too.

Alice begins. "Hey, Alice. The first thing I've done is make contact with Shadow Garden. Rose and Mina are doing great. I've been talking to them about where to find some nifty magic items we could use. They don't know much about how to contact the Circle, though. I'll keep in touch." She pauses for a moment before continuing. "Wow! So Rose managed to put me in contact with a seller for, you'll never guess, some manga! Apparently this one's pretty old. Crazy how things have been coming from Kyle's home for a long time now. I wonder if this goes back to ancient times too." Once again she takes a pause. "I might have a lead on how I can speak with someone from the Circle. Not sure if I can find Candy again or not. It might be Eva's dad... or maybe that dwarf guy? We'll see." Another pause. "So I can't confirm anything or not, but I feel like Lord Vraelion has been planning something. I don't know what, but I'm going to keep my eyes more specifically on his estate from now on."

You stare at Alice during an especially long silence, wondering for a moment if she's already done. She really did read it verbatim. It sounded strange hearing Lynx's cadence from through Alice's tone, though she even put emphasis on sentences with exclamation marks.

But she continues. "I don't know what's happening! I followed a lead, and I found Lord Vraelion himself leading what I can only call an army. It's all happening a ways outside of Tolis. They're getting ready to march. He must be trying everything in his power to get his daughter back, Alice. This is bad. I thought we'd have more time. Is Kyle back yet? Oh yeah, I guess you can't respond. Just get ready! Even with their power and speed, I feel like it's gotta take them two or three days to get to Castle Phoenix, so please prepare! I'm staying here. I'll try and find ways to help. Maybe the Circle can do something. Tell Kyle that he better not end up like Demon King Sa'dis. We're stronger than that guy ever was!"

You leap abruptly to your feet. "So war was declared." Shit. All right, we have the Shard of Draconax, and he might not know that. We could have a huge advantage. But we don't know exactly what we're facing either. There's no way this army isn't bolstered by Elok Daven, especially after we just raided one of his bases.

Lalarin, already dressed up in her bright green spandex, steps forwards. "What do we do, Kyle? Give the word and I'll fight. Nobody is taking this castle from us."

"Damn straight!" Fang grabs the bunny from behind and jostles her by her hips. "Look at the cuties we have here to protect!"

"S-Stop shaking me," Lalarin mutters as her eyes spin.

The sound of heels tapping against stone approaches your throne from behind. Like a ghost in the shadows, Cat the vampire looms with a piercing crimson stare. "They're fools to attack us. Let them come, I say. If their army consists of mostly golems and magical beasts, they may attack after nightfall. All the better. If they try to strike under the cover of darkness, I'll make them suffer."

"Kyle." The voice is from Vivi. She steps forward through the crowd and approaches the throne, stopping adjacent to Alice. There she places a hand upon her chest, and she bows formally before you. "I apologize for everything. While I know I'm not my sister, but Breiah the puppet-master is a large reason why we're in this position to begin with. If she shows her face here, I just want you to know that I won't hesitate. Just because we share blood doesn't mean that I'm loyal to my family. You come first. She will not get past me."

"Remember. We don't know who threatens us yet," Lalarin comments. "It could be just Lord Vraelion with his own connections. It could be a massive army by Elok Daven himself. we shouldn't assume, but we need to keep an eye on the horizon."

"Indeed," you reply. "And hopefully Nyllia hears about the marching army before it gets here."