I expected the city to be on Jessi's back, considering this page.

Also, I'm not yet convinced this is speedrunning. Introducing so many of the friends suddenly could just be setting up the factions and drawing the heroes into the ongoing conflict. Alfur and Jessi are one team, Hona and Oz are the other, Dron and Flute were apparently just left out of the loop for some reason, and maybe Dalph and Tyren are undecided or something. It'll depend on how this arc ends, I think.