Cecilia jabbed forward with her épée, which Macy quickly pulled back her shoulder to dodge.

Macy continued to lean into a backward walk, moving around from side to side while trying to prepare for Cecilia’s next attack.

“You’re too slow, babe!” Macy said as she bobbed and weaved in place as a taunt. “Maybe you wanna step it up a notch?”

“It’s not all about speed!” Cecilia retorted.

Despite Cecilia’s protest, she herself stabbed forward at a speed that could barely be caught by Jon's eye.

It was a blow meant for the body, but Macy dodged it by leaning her stomach to the side.

“Stop…” Cecilia began jabbing forward even more in her irritation.

Macy stopped weaving and instead started to parry all of the strikes with her fists, punching and slapping away each poke of the épée, all with a large smile on her face.

She suddenly took a step forward and punched Cecilia, who saw it just in time to move out of the way.

Before Cecilia could retaliate, Macy quickly turned and crouched, bringing her heel around and sweeping Cecilia’s legs off the floor.

When Cecilia landed, she received a horizontal kick to the face, knocking her body over towards the line.

Hector grunted at the kick, but he tried not to say anymore. Jon could see the pain on his face, but he didn’t prod at Hector for his feelings.

“Why is she playing around?” Hector finally muttered.

“I think she’s trying to give me time to recover,” Mercy responded, slouching in her seat from her exhaustion.

Cecilia pushed herself with her arm and ran that to the center of the circle.

“That’s not gonna save you, honey!” Macy called out while watching her run, “I’m still tossing your ass out of the arena.”

“It’s my duty to give you as much of a fight as I can!” Cecilia said, readying her épée.

Macy laughed before punching down at an angle, shooting a fireball at Cecilia’s feet and making her flinch.

“...I know you’re not as strong as your sisters,” Cecilia continued, trying not to appear scared. “So it’ll be a challenge for you to remove me from my spot.”

“You think you’ll be a challenge,” Macy asked. “Hah!”

Macy punched another fireball at Cecilia’s feet.

This time, Cecilia swiped it away wight her épée, dispersing it.

Hector pushed himself into a stand.

“It’s not a game!” He yelled.

“We know!” Both women yelled from the circle.

“Have you not heard of the art of the shit-talk?” Macy asked, making a wide-flowing gesture with her hands. “An act of intimidation against your opponent?”

“Hector doesn’t duel!” Mercy responded. “I only just now figured that out.”

“I know, right?” Macy yelled back. “He’s such a punk! He only fights-”

“Watch your guard!” Cecilia stabbed at Macy. A quick invisible flash of energy shot from the tip of Cecilia’s épée as she stabbed forward.

Macy moved out of the way in time, bending backward before turning back to Cecilia.

“Oh, trying to strike me when my guard’s low?” Macy asked.

“You should be focused on your match!” Cecilia began stabbing repeatedly, shooing out more bursts of energy.

Macy had to deflect with both hands, before punching forward her own fireball.

Cecilia dodged the projectile and swiped at the ground.

A long sliver of energy traveled across the ground, causing Macy to dive out of the way.

“Damn, sister!” Macy yelled. “That might have hurt!”

She punched another fireball out, hitting Cecilia and knocking her down.

Cecilia scrambled to stand back up before more fireballs soared in her direction.

She ran across the circle until she reached the end, then doubled back, just narrowly missing the mass of fireballs Macy had started to continuously shoot out.

“Stay still, will ya?” Macy asked. “I wanna go home!”

“Take this seriously!” Cecilia yelled. She swiped at the air.

A blade of energy, this time parallel with the ground flew across the air in Macy’s direction.

Macy did a split, letting the energy pass over her head.

“What made you think I wasn’t?” Macy asked.

She put her palms on the ground and began to spin around on her hands in a dance-like maneuver, shooting fire from her feet as she did.

She suddenly kicked out a side blast of fire.

Cecilia cut it in half as she jumped over any residual energy, but she wasn’t prepared for the follow-up blast, hitting her in the front.

Cecilia landed face forward, grunting as she did. She pushed herself back up.

“I don’t think you’re the one taking me seriously,” Macy said. “Or wouldn’t have even picked a fight with-”

She tried to kick Cecilia in the face, but Cecilia caught her leg and spun her whole body.

Macy was forced to spin around as well but kicked Cecilia before she landed on the floor.

Both of the girls stood up again.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Last chance to walk out of the circle,” Macy said, “before you won’t be able to walk anymore.”

“I’m not without honor,” Cecilia said, bracing her épée.

“Throw her out!” Hector yelled from the chair.

“I’m working on that!” both women yelled.

“I wasn’t talking to…” Hector groaned as he crossed his arms and sunk into the chair.

“Fine, then,” Macy said, putting her hands up once more. ‘Try not to eat too much dirt on the way down!”

She took a large step forward, punching as she moved.

Cecilia coerced herself with her scabbard in preparation.

Macy’s punch turned out to be a feint, blowing a small fan of fire that disoriented Cecilia long enough for her to lower her guard.

“Hah!” Macy’s fist exploded with fire as it connected with Cecilia’s face.

Cecilia was launched above, her body aflame as it spiraled high into the air.

“Cecilia!” There were cries of her name from her family’s table as she landed hard on the ground.

The flames dispersed as soon as she touched the floor. She didn’t seem to be in much danger.

“One punch!” Macy yelled. Yeah!”

“Yeah,” Mallory said unenthusiastically. “Macy wins”

His downtrodden expression suddenly changed to panic. “Macy! Macy!”

“What?” Macy asked. She looked down at her stomach.

She was bleeding profusely from a wound in her abdomen. Blood was dripping down from her armor onto the floor.

She reached down in surprise and covered her stomach with her palm.

“Son of a bitch, she did get faster,” Macy exclaimed calmly.

“Macy!” Hector ran from the chair to his sister.

Jon wanted to move forward too, but this time, he only saw himself getting in the way with his chair.

Stupid chair… He turned to Mercy.

She didn’t seem to say anything, nor want to say anything.

She looked at Jon.

He grimaced. He knew Macy would be taken care of by Mallory, but that didn’t mean he felt any better from it.

Mallory ran inside of the circle, catching Macy as she dropped to her knees.

“Oh, hi Mallory,” she said with a weak smile.

“Shut up!” Mallory said, pushing her in the forehead with two fingers.

She fell limp.

“Nurses!” Mallory yelled.

Cecil, who was kneeling next to his own sister, stood up.

“Why don’t the nurses come help my sister first?” Cecil yelled. “I’m sure she’s taken plenty of injuries-”

“Cecil, shut up!” Hector yelled. She stood up, but Mallory grabbed him by the wrist, trying to stop him.

“Hector, Hector, it’s almost done,” Mallory said. “Focus on helping your sister.”

Hector released his hand off of his sword and knelt back down.

The nurses were already on their way with the stretcher. They picked up Macy’s body and prepared to carry her away.

Hector stood and let them leave.

“...Can you go with her?” Hector asked.

“I have to stay here,” Mallory said. “And you do too.”

Hector growled and turned to Luther, who was still watching from his spot.

“Anything else you want to say?” Hector yelled. “No smart retort? No ‘I told you so?”

“I told you so,” Luther responded. It was missing a lot of the angry snark that his voice usually carried, but he still seemed to stand by it.

“Are you going with her?” Hector asked.

“I can’t,” Luther answered. “I don’t think anybody can leave here yet.”

“We’ll see about that,” Hector muttered. He stood up.

“You see what happens!” Hector yelled out to the tables.

“Hector…” Mallory began, but Hector ignored him, walking up to the front of the circle so that he was closer to the tables of spectators.

“This is what happens when none of you clean up your own shit!” Hector yelled.

Jon shook in his chair from Hector’s shout. He wasn’t used to Hector being so obscene at such a loud level.

He was about to push himself forward but Mercy grabbed his arm before he could start.

“He needs this,” she told him.

Jon grimaced again.

“I’ve been cleaning up your shit for way too many years!” Hector continued towards the large number of flabbergasted faces looking his way.

“You stop this nonsense!” Luther started.

Hector turned and pointed a sharp finger at his father.

“You shut the hell up and let me talk!” Hector said. “I fought in your stupid tournament! I dealt with all of this political shit!”

He turned back to the spectators.

“How many more of your daughters are you gonna send in the arena before you’re satisfied?” He continued. “Just so that I can end up fixing whatever political mess you’re gonna make me deal with anyway.”

Cecil stood up from his sister as the nurses carried her away on the stretcher.

“You should be grateful we even give your father as much power as we do!” Cecil yelled, approaching Hector. “How about you-”

Hector punched Cecil in the face hard, knocking him unconsciously immediately. Cecil dropped to the floor.

“How about instead of yelling at me you go help with your sister?” Hector asked loudly.

He stared at Cecil’s limp body in front of him.

“...Oh… He’s not awake.”

Hector stepped over Cecil’s body.

“No more fighting!” Hector yelled. “After this, you all need to leave me and my family alone! I’m declaring it now! This period of power is over!”

“Over!” Hector looked over as he saw Duranny mimicking his words from his father’s side.

“Duranny?” Hector looked puzzled. “Where did you come from?”

Jon was surprised too. He hadn’t seen Duranny since he had first come to the castle.

“Oh no,” Mercy muttered.

Oh no?

“Amalia, what are you doing?” Harris suddenly yelled, “Get out of there!”

“Amalia?” Hector turned back to the circle. “What?”

Sure enough, Amalia was standing in the middle of the circular arena, holding on to her red tool.

“I, Amalia Nelson Harris-”

“Cut it out, Amalia!” Hector called out to her back. “Get out of there!”

Amalia turned to him.

“You dare talk to me like I’m a child?” She asked. “I’m tired of taking orders from you!”

“So, you’re gonna try to marry me?” Hector yelled back. “Can you not see the… insanity! How does that make sense?”

“Aw, Hector,” Amalia shook her head in shame. “Ever the tactician, but can’t even see the truth in front of his face.”

“Mallory, don’t-”

“Mallory does what is commanded of him!” Luther said, holding back Harris with a calm palm. “Isn’t that right?”

“...She can fight,” Mallory said.

“There is no one left who wishes to challenge you,” Amalia called out to Mercy, who kept watching from her thone. “So, our deal has been kept.”

“So, it has…” Mercy responded. She pushed herself from the chair.

She struggled to stay standing.

Jon pushed himself to block her path.

“You’re tired,” he said. He wasn’t sure what he was gonna do next.

“It’s fine, Jon,” Mercy said. “This’ll be over quick.”

She walked over her large discarded skirt and went inside of the circle across from Amalia.

“Come on, then,” Mercy said, extending her blade. “Let’s get this over-”

“Mercy!” Junwata uttered his first shout of the evening. His tone was sharp as ever.

“What?” Mercy asked, annoyed.

“...Calm your heart,” Junwata said from his seat at the side of the arena. “Remember your mission.”

“Right, whatever.” Mercy readied her blade again. “Count it, Mallory!”

Amalia awkwardly

“Oh, right.” Mallory stood up. “Uh, 3-”

“Don’t do it!” Hector said, running to his side.

Luther stepped in front of him.

“You better not be startin’ something,” Luther said to his face.

“Watch me,” Hector yelled.

Fire started bellowing from each of the men’s feet. In opposite directions.

“2!” Mallory’s counting drew Hector’s attention.

He was watching the both of them with concern.

“Mallory!” Hector yelled. “Please!”

He reached out, but Luther grabbed his outstretched arm and pulled it close to his chest.

Hector drew back his other fist.

“1, go!” Mallory said quickly. “I mean, I mean, start!”

The match had already begun with Mercy swinging her blade high and wide toward’s Amalia’s head.