It's About That Time Again

This is joint-written.

Glide growled, rubbing his temples. "Gods, that's wonderful as hell. Another f*****g demonic invasion... I swear, the first demon I see, I'm gonna do somethin' horrible to 'im."

"H-he said Gasteria, didn't he?" Shetani asked, still looking somewhat pale.

"Who's Gasteria?" Ambree asked, getting up from the sidelines and mingling with the group already in the middle of the arena.

"... My mother..." Shetani responded after a moment. "An elder goddess..."

Niqi rose her eyebrows. "Your mother? Oh God, now begins the family feuding."

Glide silently walked away from the group, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"This isn't going to turn out good." Shetani said.

"At least we know what the 'something big' I was told about is..." Micah murmured. "Boy, the goddess is right, this might not end well."

"Someone always wants to f****n' take over," Niqi growled. "Alright, what can we do? Rally the troops? We know enough people to put up a hell of a fight."

"Who's there to rally?" Shetani asked. "Everyone's here. If you know someone else, now's the time to speak up."

"Everyone? You sure?" Niqi asked. "We've got newcomers; surely someone knows others that can fight."

Glide slipped his phone back into his pocket, returning to the group. "I know a few people that are willin' to lend us a paw. They'll be waiting for us in the Nexus."

"Let's go, then," Ambree said; she already had the Arena door open to the Nexus.

Glide nodded, walking past Ambree and heading into the Nexus.

Three fighters were waiting for them in the Nexus, two of them familiar to most of the group. Yasya and Gatari. "We heard you guys needed a little help." The cabbit grinned.

The third was a little blue bat, dressed for combat, a pair of daggers sitting in sheaths at his waist. He looked to Glide. "You owe me a favor."

"Dude, Icarcti?" Niqi asked, and then grinned and swept him up in a bearhug. "Iccy! We haven't actually met, but I feel like we have." She set him down. "Nice to finally meet you."

Icarcti leveled a glare at her. "Don't call me Iccy."

"And don't f****n' touch him." Glide added.

Niqi snickered and backed into the main group. "Ah, you two."

"Anyone have an idea where we should, y'know, 'set up shop'?" Yasya asked. "I vote here."

"I'm with him." Gatari said.

Niqi shrugged. "Sure. Easy access for everyone."

"We'll need to use the Children Of Oblivion's headquarters." Glide stated. "It'll give us enough room for everyone."

Therali nodded. "When we get there, Fisnal and I will start looking for areas where the demons are most likely to surface."

"Good." Glide said. "Niqi. You, me 'n' Icarcti will look around the old-fashioned way while those two use magic."

Niqi nodded. "Sure. Where to?"

"We've gotta start somewhere crowded. We're going to Hygeia." Glide replied. "Ambree, you and Micah will be comin' along, too."

"I can't get away from that damn planet," Ambree sighed, smiling. "Although, now that I remember everything - can I visit my parents while we're there?"

Glide nodded. "Sure. Y'know, maybe we should bring them back here. They'd be safest with the main group."

Micah located the door to Hygeia, pulling it open. "Come on, folks, let's get going."