Check in briefly with the others.

Firstly, at Castle Phoenix.

The hobgoblin captain sprints forward with a terrifying war cry, aiming her mace up above her head while her shield is held forward. Her army follows behind, almost to the second, as a wave of destruction floods in through the front gates of Castle Phoenix. Though Mistress Dajy does the same, and she leaps directly at the one in charge. The two meet in fearless combat--mace swinging, claws jabbing. The high succubus snarls as she slashes her sharp nails across her opponent's shield with enough fury to scrape the steel. By them, the rest of her army runs on by to meet with the others.

Two larger creatures fly above. They appear like hulking insects with long, needle-like proboscises protruding from their faces--beelz demons. The buzz of their wings is enough to fill the air with a terrifying thunder. However, they're met with a defense of four harpies ready to fight.

Chula leads the charge. Their dark-feathered, tomboy leader strikes down against the back of a beelz's neck with her spear of a leg--talons clenching into the creature's hardy demonic flesh. She's immediately backed up by Chila, her violet understudy. It's enough to at least send the demon careening to the side as it begins to lose its balance in the sky. Patricia joins them next. She may be newer to being a harpy, but she soars through the sky as if she's been one her entire life. First, she attempts to blind and disorient the demon with her wings, and then she strikes out with her talon towards its eyes.

The second beelz, however, is coming up behind her. As it does, the bubbly pink harpy Chini knocks into it from the side to then join Patricia in fighting the first.

It doesn't last long. Suddenly, the other beelz stabs its proboscis into Chini's back. She screams aloud as the life swiftly begins to drain from her body. Chila leaps forward to help, but is knocked aside by the demon's buzzing wings. Patricia leaps ahead and slams down against its back, though it isn't enough to stop it. During this, Chula is still struggling to fight the initial one she struck, which will certainly pierce one of them the moment she falters.

"Nooo!" cries a voice from below. A figure is running along the rooftop of the castle. "W-Wait for me! I can help!" Jelly is there, and she's about to leap.

"Don't!" Chula calls down from above. "We've... g-got it," she mutters out in struggle.

But Jelly pulls herself down into a squat in much the same manner as you do when you Bunny Hop. Her jiggly, gelatinous body builds up momentum, and then she springs up into the air as high as she can. This bouncy-ball of a girl is sent into the air, though not quite enough to reach the battle in the sky. At the apex of her jump, she throws her arm towards them, and as she does, it stretches outward. It continues over a dozen feet ahead until she's able to grab the proboscis of the beelz impaling Chini. Then, like an elastic band, she snaps upwards and sends the impact of her body right into the creature's underbelly.

Immediately, Chini is send tumbling away as she's spit out like a piece of gum. Patricia soars over and catches her out of the air.

While both Chula and Chila, black and purple, do battle with one beelz, Jelly sits atop the other unsure of what to do.

She ponders to herself, and then suddenly swings her slimy hands down to once again wrap around the needle protruding from its face, though this time, she grabs it tighter, and with it now grasped with both her mitts, it can't shake her off. She giggles as she reels back, shouting, "So this stupid thing is the problem, huh? Well, you can't drink my blood. I don't have any! In fact, maybe I'll drink you instead!"

The beelz sweats. It tries to buck her off, but she begins wrapping her legs around it like a parasite.

Jelly then flips and leaps over its head. She carries her momentum downward, forcing the demon into a nosedive towards the courtyard. She looks down at those below and calls out, "Look out from above!"

Mipa is nearest. She stares up at the incoming enemy and her face twists into a terrifying grin. In both her hands, she grips an axe. "Bring it! Bring it! Oh, I'm ready."

As they plummet, the beelz freaks out. It doesn't remain afraid for long, however, is it's soon removed from this plane of existence. Before it hits the ground, Mipa leaps and slams her axes right into its skull. It then collides with the ground in a devastating impact as Mipa recovers, but she does so swiftly. Like a tornado of steel, she spins back into battle and hacks it apart, all while Jelly tumbles away, entirely unscathed by the fall.

"Phew. That was scary," Jelly mumbles as she sits back up.

Mipa wipes her brow. "Good job, funny slime girl!"

She smiles and gives a thumbs-up in response.

Yin appears in a plume of black smoke behind them. "Are you all right?" she asks with concern.

Jelly bounces back to her feet. "I am! Are you?"

"Yes. But I was just inspecting the area. Our Shard of Draconax is still active, which does dissuade monsters from coming close, but not so much when they're being led into battle in an army such as this. But I do wonder what would happen if their leadership faltered. The power of the Shard may encourage their retreat."

Next, at Front A.

You scry upon Snow. She continues to ride alongside Yaera Tedrilui as well as with an army behind them. However, as you look around, you hear and then see an army ahead. You turn and notice Avana in the near distance, and the invading **** is splitting. They've arrived, forcing a flank upon them. More and more troops are pulling out of Avana as you watch to deal with the threat behind them. Amara's mother especially, as she shines a beacon of light which seems to instill hope in those fighting for their lives.

If that's the case, then Lynx and the others...

Lo and behold, those beneath the Empire are nearly as Avana as well. Rose, Mina, Lynx, and the rest of Shadow Garden have not only distracted much of the underground forces, but they've nearly made it through as backup. They aren't without bruises and scratches, but it doesn't stop them.

Scraps of smoldering copper line the tunnel behind them, as well as plenty of knocked-out insectrin. Ahead, they spot an ALICE holding a glaive, and while she stands alone, she seems more than willing to stop them.

"Leave it to me!" Mina suddenly shouts. She perches her foot against the back of the riding lizard's head as she aims some sort of small cylindrical device at their opponent. With a push of a button, something is fired at the ALICE blocking the way.

It collides with her neck. After it wraps around, it begins to electrocute her until she both drops her glaive and falls to her knees. As she grabs at the impromptu collar, she blushes a hint of cyan across her face as she whimpers to herself.

Rose turns an eyebrow back at her while they ride past. "... Let me guess. You made a shock collar that makes people cum."

Mina looks up at her from her lap. "No. All it does is shock you. Nothing else. Why?"

"Oh."

But with that, they're nearly at Avana. It won't be the original Front B they meet up with, however, if all things are going right.

Speaking of which, Front B.

Lady Nyllia Tesgella leads the charge through the tunnel. Behind her is Koblix, Fang, Summer, Tom, Candy, Lord Barkis, Lord Beela, Rabbit's Foot, and Sir Imaeris. The rest of her party, Bill and Phil as well as Zazra stayed behind to help fight the remaining army. They're already making a beeline towards the underground laboratory. All you need to do is get in as well, and you'll be able to bring everyone together.

Lastly, over at Front D.

Eva places a card down in the grass from her hand. "Two pair," she says.

"Ugh. This is boring," Niki groans before falling into her back.

"I lost?" Eva asks. "I g-guess I'll have to remove something," she mutters as she tugs on the buttons of her blouse.

"We aren't playing strip-anything, Eva. I keep telling you that."

"I am certain Kyle is doing well, and we will soon be joining him," Amara says.

The Lady of the Lake smiles from behind. "You have much faith in him. Because of that, you will surely be correct... but I am sorry that I have little here to offer besides something involving water. I cannot even play strip games, as I wear no clothing myself."

"For the last time, we aren't stripping..." Niki springs to her feet. "We need to be ready at any moment!"