The Angel of Hope performed a grand spell of protection over Bolorton, and conjured forth a dome, shielding it from the artillery shelling that had rained over town, like an umbrella. However, after multiple large spells of protection as well as restoring Eliana’s affliction, she started to feel the wear on her enhanced magical power, having lost a third of her mana reserves. Eliana in turn assisted AoH by bolstering the barrier with one of her own, reinforcing the barrier and giving it evasive protection in addition to mitigation.

Meanwhile, Gaia continued directing the potent payload of the transformed sunflower towers to lay suppressive fire on the hill, which now began to gather with more and more tanks, until nine of them could be counted. Two tanks on the hill shot their cannons towards a sunflower tower, dealing major damage to it’s trunk despite Gaia’s enhancements; while still standing, it was now lopsided, close to collapsing. In return, the corncob missiles blasted one of the tanks to smithereens, as well as some nearby soldiers, causing the rest to retreat behind other tanks as they came up the hill on the other side. They shot with their rifles, primarily aiming at Penny, Mayra and Kiyome down at the burning field. 

This attack, despite the overwhelming numbers, proved mostly ineffective due to the distance and the cover of the smokescreen pouring from the fire, with exception to Mayra, who had been distracted by Kiyome and Penny long enough to have incurred a couple of shots on her back, stopped by her scales. However, while the fire proved beneficial to the frontline trio, it also began to cause damage to Kiyome in the form of slight burns on her forearms and legs. In addition, it also spread towards the sides, beginning to char Gaia’s trap flora.

In return Penny unloaded a hail of bullets from her newly acquired arsenal of rifles. First, she shot with fused weaponry, their dark gems having corroded her mentally in the process. However, she then switched to ejecting the gems out and using the weaponry as intended, pulling on their triggers manually. Using two enchanted guns in her hands and more mundane guns with extra limbs, she shot down the rest of the advancing club soldiers in the field; as their helmets were blown away, they were reduced to aimlessly shambling pseudo-undead.

The flying squad of fairy dust-sprinkled Spade soldiers, who also began to apply cover fire towards the trio: another rocket was launched towards the three, scattering them as they dodged, followed by a hail of minigun bullets in Penny and Kiyome’s direction, and loud bangs of an anti-tank sniper rifle at Mayra, while attempting to advance towards Bolorton.

Of course, Gaia-led sunflower towers immediately took aim at the flyers, disrupting their fire as they flew around, avoiding the corncob missiles. The two soldiers carrying the egg creature were less agile, however, and one of them was blown up with a corncob missile, causing them to drop the egg on the field. As the egg fell down, it began to rhyme with a high-pitched, shrill voice:

“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a GREAT FALL!”

The moment the egg made impact and shattered, it’s magical payload was released in the form of a massive magic circle that manifested on the burning field. Out of the magic circle, four monsters teleported in, each one unique in size and appearance. 

The most imposing one was a gargantuan [url=https://i.imgur.com/YgjeQvX.png]metallic man[/url] wielding an equally large woodsman’s axe. It stood as tall as a sunflower tower, and it’s chest had a closed hatch with a heart-shaped lock on it, wrapped in chains. From the seams of the hatch, multiple sources of red glowing could be faintly seen, like many warm hearts. 

The second was a huge [url=https://i.imgur.com/qTHCg7p.jpg]leonine beast[/url] with curved blade-like extensions that jutted out from it’s elbows. The beast snarled as it appeared, drool dribbling down it’s maw.
The third was a [url=https://i.imgur.com/4dPos7Q.png]bloodstained scarecrow[/url] with farming implements for hands and a straw sack for a head. It cackled as it hopped in place with it’s single wooden leg. The final and smallest monster was an [url=https://i.imgur.com/F50WsuI.png]armless little girl[/url] who hummed a little song.

“There’s no place like home~” The armless girl giggled, and clicked it’s heels together with a little jump; a road made of golden bricks burst out from beneath her feet and through the burning field towards Bolorton. However, the golden road did not move straight, and curved haphazardly around; it turned a few seconds after going straight, then again as it went past Penny, Kiyome and Mayra, and even looping in on itself before continuing, like a drawing made by a child who dragged the pencil through the paper as it pleased. Once it reached Angel and Eliana’s barrier, the gold road momentarily stopped, before a golden archway rose up from the road, magically lifting the barrier like a curtain, just enough that a passage big enough for the armless girl to pass through opened up. The archway, while too small for a regular Mahou to walk through, can be crawled under. The gold road then continued past the barrier once it created the archway, curving a bit around the plaza, and stopped at the central fountain, turning the landmark gold as well. 

“There’s no place like home~” Once the road was complete, the armless girl repeated herself, clicked it’s heels again with a jump, and then began moving down the curvy gold-bricked road with a merry skip as it hummed a happy song, seemingly ignorant of the battlefield it is located in. 

Meanwhile, the scarecrow cackled and pointed with it’s sickle at the woodsman, who nodded with a metallic groan like a rusty ship, and began walking slowly towards Bolorton, having lifted it’s axe; it was clearly going to attack one of the sunflower towers. The scarecrow then cackled and pointed a rake at the lion, who roared in return; the scarecrow followed the woodsman, taking cover behind the giant, while the lion ran past and straight at the frontline trio, intending to pounce and swipe at them with it’s blade.

[hr]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/72bEcUi.png[/img][/center]

Lily had just arrived from another trip to the shelter when Alex had caught up with her, calling her name. 
[color=fff200]”Huh? What is it, Alex?"[/color] She asked, and then listened as Alex explained his idea, running in place out of anxiety. She first blinked in hesitation, but then bit her lower lip, and nodded.
[color=fff200]”Ok, I’ll give it my best shot!"[/color] She answered, and took hold of the hourglass on her costume. As the clones channeled magic into her, she closed her eyes, and the hourglass began to slowly glow spin, the sand inside it shifting. When she opened her eyes, her irises had turned into clocks with spinning hands.
[color=fff200]”Chronos Crosser!"[/color] She yelled with an outheld hand. A blue-and-yellow beam shot out, covering the streets of Bolorton; they were visibly enchanted with alternating arrows of blue and yellow, much like speed-boosting floor panels in video games.
Afterwards, Lily returned to normal, slightly shaken by the spell she performed.
[color=fff200]”I did it…Oh, I feel a bit dizzy…"[/color] She slapped her cheeks and shook her head, getting focused again.

[color=fff200]”It won’t last long, but this should buy us more time!"[/color] She informed Alex and the twins, and saw as Connie slid down to provide her assistance to their efforts. She didn’t know why, but she knew  had no time to wonder, especially when Lily realized that shells have stopped falling and AoH placed a protective barrier to protect them. She wouldn’t let either of their kindness go unreciprocated.
[color=fff200]”Connie, go to those houses!”[/color] She pointed, and headed off. 
[color=fff200]”Let’s get to it!"[/color]

Another artillery barrage was shot out, but the double dome endured the blasts, cracking slightly from the damage. With no artillery shells to impede their progress, two new members to the evacuation squad, and with Lily’s boosting roads further picking up the pace, the number of emptied houses rose to ten houses on the east row, and twelve houses from the west row. As a result, their efforts left fifteen and thirteen houses, for a total number of 28 remaining houses.

[hr]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/K2ssvzh.png[/img][/center]

Justine nodded in confirmation at Iron Mouse’s question.
[color=bc8dbf]”Since we have to be tucked into the backseat, I might as well make it slightly more comfortable,”[/color] she said, and smiled a bit once the latter tried it, seemingly amused by her caution.
[color=bc8dbf]”Don’t worry, it’s not going to pop or stain your clothes. The outer layer is like plastic.”[/color] Just like Mac had thought, it was like a waterbed in it’s malleability. She then rolled her eyes at her cheeky comment.
[color=bc8dbf]”I wouldn’t dream of it.”[/color]

“Ooh, I wouldn’t mind a little pinch from a cutie like you~” Nefer spoke up, and afterwards turned her head to look at Oliver.
“Nice ride, right? Tune it all up myself, you know. Had to order some custom parts when my own skills weren’t sufficient, but it turned out like a beaut.”

Akhenaten grumbled with a nod. Nefer smiled. “Yep, that’s true, you also helped out” she responded, as if she understood the golem.

Once the passengers introduced themselves, including Iron Mouses’s bombastic one, Justine joined in.
[color=bc8dbf]”Elizabeth Bathory. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”[/color]

Nefer gave a little laugh. “Well, aren’t you a bunch of colorful characters. Especially you, little Mousey~” She seemed to blush a bit. “You’re so cute, I wanna take you home with me! But unfortunately I can’t fit you in my luggage. Such a shaaame…” She then perked up upon hearing Mouse ask about her wares.
“Yeah, I have knick-knacks and doo-dads a plenty.” She started digging through her handbag, and threw out various trinkets and thing-a-ma-bobs in the backseat. 
“Like an artifact that allows you to eat while sleeping, or a counter that when pointed at somebody tells you how many people they’ve kissed. Oh, and a tool hammer that gives inspiration when you hit yourself on the head.”

[color=bc8dbf][i]In other words, just a bunch of junk,[/i][/color] Justine thought to herself.

She then picked out a stone with a crack in it. “I also have this runestone that supposedly allows one to absorb a spell and use it for later, but it’s probably broken; haven’t gotten it working.”

Justine did not care much for the small banter, as her eyes were already focused on the scene of the battlefield that steadily grew before them. And soon enough, the car reached Gaia’s trapped fields.

“Hold on boys and girls, this is gonna be a bumpy ride!” She pulled on a lever, and a set of whirling saws popped out of the grill of the car, tearing through the thorny vines and venus flytraps that snapped at the car’s hull. The car ploughed through like a lawnmower, and turned with a screeching skid right into the central plaza of Bolorton. On their way, the passengers got a better look at the sunflower towers that bordered the town, and saw Connie, Gaia and angel near them, casting spells. They also saw Lily, multiple Alex-clones, Ronin and Miko, Connie, as well as a newcomer by the name of Eliana run around carrying civilians away.

“Now that wasn’t your garden-variety weeds, not to mention all the soldiers and fighting. What in the hay is going on around here?” Nefer asked as she and Akhenaten stepped out of the car., seemingly unaware of the invasion.

Justine was not going to stick around and explain, as she jumped out of the car once it stopped and flew towards Lily.
[color=bc8dbf]”What’s the situation?”[/color] She asked once she had reached the green-haired girl, who in turn stopped with a half-circle spin, and hoisted the man in her arms over her shoulder.

[color=fff200]”Not good. We still got more people to evacuate, but Wonderland’s gonna break through any second!"[/color]

Justine scowled. [color=bc8dbf]”...Great.”[/color]

[hr]
Marquis Harry’s polite smile cracked a bit when Jelena exclaimed she saw through his lie, but nonetheless, he acted like a refined man of society and took it in stride. “That is all I wanted to hear~” He said, before the academic had made his arrival and he excused the two of them.
Hatwington adjusted his monocle, looking appalled at Jelena’s insinuation. “Well, of course any established theorem will have its detractors, primarily in the uneducated and, well, unwashed masses. But Mister Pooh has legitimized his research by providing case studies and research data that supports his theorem. His work has also been approved and recognized by the Minister of Education by Her Majesty’s orders, so of course there is no room for doubt. Unless you intend to outrageously claim that the Queen herself is wrong…” He asked with a smarmy tone. He was sure he would silence Jelena’s protests…That is, if she were there to listen to him in the first place. In fact, she was not there anymore. “Uh, miss?”

Instead of staying and listening to the professor, Jelena had taken another chance to sneakily eavesdrop on Harry and his companion, gliding as gracefully across the floor as a professional ballerina. She ducked behind a potted plant, and heard a snippet of the conversation:

“...could bring an entire army by herself, you know? Are you sure it’s safe?” The hooded girl spoke, looking annoyed. Harry chuckled.

“Of course. The wards we have placed allow only the holders of an invitation and their company to enter through. Anyone else who attempts space magic to traverse inside will end up in the dungeons, in a magic-nullifying cell.”

“Hmph. Well, Her Majesty may have trusted you as the head of security for the party to replace White, but I won’t be that easily convinced. The moment you screw up I’ll-” It was then that the hooded girl glanced past Harry, and noticed Jelena. “-Hello there.” She gave a soul-piercing glare at Harry, as if trying to stab her with her gaze, who then blinked and turned around. “Oh, what a surprise, haha! It seems you ditched poor Hatwington. Surely he did not bore you that much with his talk of theorems?”
He asked with a bright smile, though Jelena could tell he was certainly not feeling sunny.

Meanwhile, as Mariette reeled from the shocking revelation, the Queen had removed herself swiftly from her, having noticed the tentacles the girl had summoned. “Oh, my poor Alice…Have you forgotten your own mother’s face after all these years? Oh, woe is me! To be forgotten...” She clasped her hands together. “It was years upon years ago. We were so happy, the two of us…Mother and daughter, bringing joy and peace to wherever we went, battling evil by moonlight. But then, on that tragic day when I lost you beyond the looking glass, I swore I would find you, even if I had to traverse the entire multiverse to do it.” She picked up her mallet.
“It was a lot of work to build an entire dimension, but it was all worth it for this day. Of course, when I first looked at you, I wasn’t sure. Could this really be my darling Alice? I took my time watching after you. But then, when I saw you handing out all those gifts to your friends…Only my Alice is as kind-hearted.” She then swung at a ball, and it passed through a hoop. “Of course, it won’t be easy, with you having lost so many of your memories. But a mother’s love can fix anything, and I’m sure with enough time, you will remember everything. Then we can be a family again, Alice. So let’s take it slowly at first. Now then, it’s your turn, Alice~” She then waited for Mariette to take another swing.

[hr]
“Wonderland has acknowledged our announcement to give aid to the civilians.” Ishtar answered, though she averted her eyes. “As long as you carry symbols of Beacon on your person and don’t engage the enemy you have diplomatic immunity. However, should Wonderland ignore our treaty and stage a direct attack on you…” She sighed. “...You are permitted to defend yourselves. However, I sincerely hope it won’t come to that.”

She blinked in surprise once Alicia announced her selection of operatives for the mission.
“I expected Aurelio and Gabriel, but Hyun Long as well…Very well. I trust in your decision making, Paladin Seraph. Violette is assigned as mission control; she will keep you informed on our side.” She then nodded.

“Take the teleporter, and transport to the mobile teleporter that is primed at the Penrose border. Once there, pack it into the vehicle, and begin heading out towards Bolorton. Good luck, Paladin Seraph, and may the light of Beacon reach the lost in the darkness.”

As Alicia left the meeting towards the cafeteria, she could hear hushed voices there. Upon arriving, she noticed that other Beacon agent's stares seemed to linger on a certain arrival at the facility; Serenity. While magical girls could wildly vary in appearance even among the more conservative ranks of the organization, she managed to draw the attention of everyone, especially once Alicia was caught in her hug.

“Hey! Show some respect!” A voice called out, and Hyun Long stepped out from the gathered crowd. The former monster queen pointed a finger at Serenity. “That is the Paladin Seraph! You can’t go and hug someone like that out of the blue! Not to mention public decency…Well, not that our organization has any policies on that.” Once Aurelio had arrived, Hyun turned to greet Alicia with a salute. “Hyun Long, reporting for duty. I was just informed by Cardinal Ishtar via communicator that I have been selected for a mission.” On the other side of the cafeteria, they could see Gabriel running in with a toast in her mouth. “Gabriel also reporting in!” She also saluted seriously, looking a bit silly in the process.