Helga slouched closer to Anaya, her snout sniffing the air as she growled at the dark magical girl; it seemed that she also considered her a threat for contributing to her distress and frustration now that she was only directed by pure instinct. However, before the dragon girl managed to lift her claws, Amber intervened, causing her to blink and stare in shock, like a deer in the headlights. Anaya only nodded once at Amber's advice, her gaze also unmoving. Helga took a step closer, and sniffed at Amber, her snout nearly prodding at the pirate girl. "...L..."
She managed to speak between growls. "...Lady..." She slowly lifted her arms, and caught Amber in her hold as they wrapped around her. Amber then realized she was successful in calming Helga down, and the golden scales rippled off her like dust, returning her back to her previous state. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her face tucked on Amber's shoulder. "I got so mad, I...It brought out bad habits."

As the two shared in their tender moment, Penny groaned. 
[color=9e0039][b][u]”Ugh, save the mushiness for later! We gotta get going already!”[/u][/b][/color] the mechanical monster girl went right up to the Gorelion's carcass, and bent down to tuck her arms under it.
[color=9e0039][b][u]”NRGH! Of course I gotta be the one to clean up the mess from my ship! YAAAHH!”[/u][/b][/color] She lifted the dead abomination, and lobbed it over the deck, making a thud as it landed on the ground.
She wiped her hands, grinning pridefully. [color=9e0039][b][u]”Now, get your booty back at the helm, captain, or I'll keelhaul yar!”[/u][/b][/color] Libby Bibby watched on the sidelines, and giggled at Penny. Then she bounced over to Eli, and doubled over, grinning. "Heehee! Eli's more smushy, like pudding!"
As this was happening, Scout followed Alicia inside the ship, rubbing her eye.
[color=skyblue]"I think I'll take a break too. I'm so tired I'll pass out."[/color]
And so, once the entire crew of the Earth Bastion was back inside, the vehicle charged ahead at full steam, leaving the bloody battlefield behind.

[hr]

[hider=Evening Shower, The Place I'm Concealing With You][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClP8oHdRygE[/youtube][/hider]

The mighty ship rolled forward undeterred, passing by the strange, dreamlike world that was the world of Overcity. They passed by ruins built around a massive, seemingly bottomless pit, as well as a forest that sung a beautifully ethereal song, and even a rainbow that led to a metal cooking pot full of gold coins. However, there was no sign of magical creatures one might have expected to see, such as leprechauns or unicorns. Instead, they could only see an occasional Gorelion or two lurking in the darkness; they did not dare approach without an outside incentive, and simply watched as the ship rolled by.
After about half an hour, the crew could see, far in the horizon, a gothic structure:

[hider=Visceral Castle][img]https://i.imgur.com/M2a8s5B.jpg[/img][/hider]

It was a grand feat of architecture, standing tall and ominous, lighted in a red hue against the [url=https://i.imgur.com/dDQMoMv.jpg]blood moon[/url] that shone behind it. However, they soon realized that the castle was surrounded on all sides by a vast lake of murky water, eerily still. "That's the place," Helga commented, leaning against the railing with her claws raking across it. "She's gonna be expecting us, since I'm sure she was the one who sent the hounds at us. And it's already half moon...We need to hurry."
Earth Bastion stopped at the lake shore, and Helga hopped out. "If I remember correctly..." She reached out towards a dead tree near the shore, and pulled down on a branch; it was actually a lever, and opened up a secret passage, with stone stairs leading down into darkness under the lake. "This should lead down to the dungeons. While our main group of fighters storm the castle with one group on the ship, and the other with flying girls, a third team could infiltrate and rescue the captives. However, I think Justine may have Sonia guarding them. What do you think, everyone? Should we split the party to three? And if we do, who goes where?"

While Helga was discussing their plan of action with the others, Libby Bibby turned to look at Eli, now mostly healed thanks to the healing effect that Alexander had bestowed on the ship. 
"Ellieee! Let's go together the sneaky peaky way! Libby can play hide and seek really well! and Libby knows you can too!" As she said that, she flashed a big smile, her red eyes staring intently. She leaned over a bit, and Eli and Anaya caught a glance of something resembling a spiky red tattoo peeking from her neckline, exposed due to her collar still opened from the previous fight. Then, something strange happened: as the sight of the mark came to their consciousness, both of them realized how familiar it was. And then they realized, thanks to their close affiliation with their respective Patrons, that the cheerful girl was....

[hider=Gradus Prohibitus][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-TrWQSJiEo[/youtube][/hider]

....A servant of a Horror. In addition, they could gather from the subtle, previously undetected magical aura, that she had a Bane; it was something related to emotion.

"Huh? Is something wrong, Ellie?" She asked, leaning over even closer, smiling. Eli could feel Libby's breath on her as she giggled softly, her lips parted. At that very moment, she saw them: in the faint crimson glow, in the looming shadow of a dark fortress, she could not mistake the very same fangs that had taken her twin sister's life.