Save your ghost.

With powerful legs, you leap with all your might--not a Bunny Hop--into the air and towards the magically bound banshee above. The intense magic radiating from the cage is holy, which makes sense, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt a regular person as well, just not as much. That isn't your plan anyhow. As you reach it, instead of swinging with your sword, you reach out with your empty fist and slam your magic ring directly into it. To most, it would look like you just shattered the spell with a punch, but of course, you actually managed to absorb it instead. You pass right through Mela and land on the ground right in front of the cleric.

The whistle of a dagger whizzing right over your shoulder and pangs into the cleric's breastplate. When she reaches up in defense with her censer in-hand, another dagger knocks it out of her grasp onto the floor. Then, leaping over your head is your own party's redhead, and not only does she grab onto the cleric, but she wraps her legs completely around her face, squeezing her between her thighs as she topples the foe down to the ground between the couch and a chair.

Even Meti seems surprised. She stands up and something flashes a few times in her hand, but you can't see what she's holding.

"Get the others!" the ALICE commands with her sword now pointed towards you. While they run off, she bolts forward and swings her blade, though thankfully you're able to raise Lauo just in time to parry it away.

Your next attack is dodged, but so is hers as she tries to thrust the point into your stomach. Something you've begun to notice is that while all the ALICEs look effectively the same, they all act and move slightly different from each other. This one is noticeably faster than the last you fought, and she uses a different weapon as well. You think about this as you meet blades with the golem, who is surprisingly difficult to keep up with.

All the while, you hear a rumbling. On second thought, it's more like a series of slow impacts that cause the floor to vibrate.

Rose fights the cleric. You fight the ALICE. Meanwhile, the three ants scurry towards Mina, Vivi, and Lynx. Mela remains hovering above, still rather shocked by what happened before.

"Don't think so," Vivi says with a cocky grin, perhaps with boosted confidence from this sudden turn-around. She slaps her palm against the wooden floor and says the magic word, "Sinkhole!"

Suddenly, a wave of magic creates a perfect circle around where the ants are about to cross, over towards the window, by the hallway entrance where the party still stands. Then the floorboards begin to change. They crack and splinter as they soften and brown, and as the three stumble overtop, it all gives way. In that area of the room, it's like a swamp was suddenly created. All three of the ants begin to sink into mud. They splash around, getting absolutely covered as they flail. Mud runs down their bodies--over curves barely covered by skimpy outfits. One grabs out in panic at the other, snatching and accidentally snipping the back of her top. The poor girl stumbles forwards with her breasts popping out before she falls face-first into the mud. On the bright side, when she comes back up, at least she's covered up again, just not by what she wishes.

Meti finally makes her move. She hurls a series of marbles from her hand, and as they hit the ground, they poof into sparkling white clouds, each leaving behind a different monster contained inside--two white slimes, two green slimes, and one black slime, listed from smallest to largest. The black slime is something you haven't seen before, and it's nearly up to Meti's waist as it jiggles menacingly.

Another dagger flies by, though this one was sent by Lynx. Due to them having an opening from the muddy ants still trapped, she strikes at your opponent, though the ALICE turns to deflect it.

This gives you a brief window to leap back and touch you hand to your weapon. "Flare Blade," you mumble as your magic sword now comes to life with lashing fire.

The sound you heard before continues.