Hector walked swiftly to the wagon, heading directly towards the back where everyone but Helia was sitting.

“Listen,” Hector said, looking up to the others. “If it looks too bad… I want you to run.”

“Nonsense,” Mallory said. “We’re not leaving without you.”

“I don’t think these guys are anything to talk about,” Hector replied, “but I want to avoid any more fighting. At worst, deliver the twins to the safe house, then come back. I can only imagine that they’ll take me ransom and force my Dad to pay out.”

“Or, they could kill you, you know?” Tallow said. “Maybe? Did you think of that while being so forward thinking and morbid?”

“I don’t think they want to kill me,” Hector said. “Even if people may or not like my father, killing someone like me would leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouths. Bad for their business. However…”

“Beating your ass will be a good story to everyone,” Mallory finished. “Makes sense.”

“Does it?” Hector asked with a hopeful face.

“Could be workshopped a bit more,” Mallory said, “but overall, good effort. I wouldn’t exactly be happy about that, but...”

“Thanks,” Hector said. “Remember, leave-”

“We’re not leaving you,” Mercy said, sitting up ever so slightly.

“Remember the mission,” Hector said, after a slight pause. “That’s more important. Even if what we did was false, we opened up a collaboration between the Kingdoms and the clans. With some forward momentum, we might even be able to make open paths between the two entities. And Mercy, you’ll be able to come back and forth as much as you want. And they’ll be relying on us to fulfill this. Plus…”

He looked at Helia in the front. “And there’s the small things we have to look out for as well.”

“Spoken like a true king,” Mallory said, glumly.

“Yeah." Hector sighed. He began walking to the open field.

“This idiot,” Tallow mumbled.

“Brave idiot,” Stewart added.

Helia dropped out of the front of the carriage and ran to Hector, hugging him.

She reached up for his face, but he pushed her away before she could get any closer.

“I’m ready,” Hector yelled. “Bring out your best warrior!”

“I don’t even think you deserve that!” Jack said. “But, I’ll honor that request. Get ‘em, Dot!”

“My pleasure,” Dot said with a smirk. She stepped forward to meet Hector in the field.

Hector had to stand at the bottom of the slight hill between himself and Dot. He looked at her with a solemn face.

“I’ll be the referee,” Jack said, “so that you don’t have to worry about any foul play.”

Dot hopped with anticipation a few feet in front of Hector.

“Why don’t you fight me yourself?” Hector said to Jack.

“Cause I’m trying to leave a legacy for my kids!” Jack cried. “It’s not all about me.

Both Hector and Dot lowered their stances as they prepared for battle.

“No armor?” Hector asked.

“No armor,” Dot repeated.

Hector looked at her open hands, which were in distinct positions. Her right hand was lowered, in a fist and matching up with her waistline. Her other arm was bent at the elbow, completely vertical, with and open palm near her face.

“No weapons?” Hector said.

“Your face,” she blew a kiss.

“That’s not original,” he replied.

“Alright, you can start swinging at each other!” Jack called out.

Mallory frowned. “You can’t just start a match like-”

Hector quickly deflected a kick to his chest with the flat of his sword.

He swung left in right in rhythm, defending more and more of the kicks Dot sent his way as he moved backwards.

“Why doesn’t he just chop off her leg?” Stewart asked.

“She’s too close, you idiot,” Tallow answered. “She’s on his ass, and he can’t get a good swing. Besides-”

Hector finally batted away her leg with enough force to push her back and off balance.

“Well, come on, then!” Stewart yelled. “Go on! Get her!”

“Would you shut up, Stewart?” Helia yelled.

“Come on, Helia, don’t you wanna cheer him on?” he asked. “You would get more out of it than anyone!”

Helia frowned, then returned to the battle.

Jon could see that Hector was already taking a breath from his multiple blocks. He was still able to move forward before Dot could challenge him again.

Hector made wide strikes as he stepped forward. Dot was now on the defensive, but she had no trouble backing away from the blade.

“Certainly, he’s better at swinging than that!” Stewart remarked.

“Stewart, he’s trying to gauge her range and attacks,” Mallory said in a rushed whisper. He didn't take his eyes off the fight. "Come on and get with the times.”

“Well, is he gauging her?” Stewart pressed. “He certainly doesn’t look like he knows what he’s doing.”

“Shut up,” Tallow said, although it lacked her usual sting. She was also heavily invested into the battle.

Jon could see Stewart's point. Whether on offense or defense, Dot had been smiling the whole time.

Jon didn't like how much fun she seemed to be having.

Hector made his last horizontal attack before swinging the sword above his head and leaping forward.

He swung down hard with both hands, this attack coming down with twice the speed as the others. Dot predicted this well and juked out of way.

“Ha!” Dot yelled out in glee as she went to the side. But Hector was already vaulting to her position, having predicted her maneuver.

His smashed Dot in the face with a flying elbow. As soon as he landed he kicked at both of her feet. Dot dropped tot eh floor still holding her face from the hit.

He pointed her sword down at her while she was still on the floor.

“Don’t move,” he said.

“Rightie-o!” Stewart screamed, pumping his arm up.

“This idiot," Tallow muttered. She then screamed. "Stab her!”

Jon was bewildered by Tallow’s bloodthirst. It made sense when Dot reached up and grabbed onto Hector's leg.

She tossed him to the side with ease. Hector soared through the air before crashing into a nasty roll.

Jon cringed. Even the floor seemed to be beating Hector up.

Hector barely had any time to stand before Dot ran up and kicked his sword out his hand. It spun high into the air.

She leaned her weight onto one leg, raising the other into the air before delivering a quick succession of kicks to his entire upper body.

“Oh!” Stewart clutched his chest in pity.

Hector stumbled away from the attacks, holding on to his own abdomen. Still, he reached up, catching his flailing sword by the hilt.

From the high catch, he made a quick slice at Dot's extended leg. She spun around on the other leg still carrying her wight, bringing her leg away and giving Jon the image of a dancer.

Out of the spin she gut checked Hector hard.

There was a large thud of the fist hitting the armor and Hector bowed over with an audible groan.

He forced himself back up, but Dot chopped at the back of his neck. Upon hitting him, the armor split open into a jacket again.

She grabbed Hector’s wrist from behind and twisted it, forcing him to release his blade. This time, straight to the floor with little to no fanfare.

Hector, still undeterred, threw his head back, hitting her in her face.

Dot's head was knocked back, but she held her grip. She brought Hector closer to her, bringing her free arm around his neck and holding on tight.

Hector was trapped in a hold, struggling to get out.

“He can’t get out of that?” Tallow asked. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Mallory answered, though it was in a whisper. “Unless...”

“Guess the armor didn’t matter after all,” Stewart said with a shrug.

Jon noticed Mallory was staring intently at the fight. He could obviously see something that the others hadn't.

Hector reached up with his own free hand and got ahold of Dot's arm. He pulled hard, her arm slowly unfurling.

“Just kidding!” Dot quickly brought her arm back to Hector's neck, now with his hand trapped as well.

Jon could tell Dot was strengthening her body using mana. Yet, Hector didn't seem to be doing the same. He was clearly struggling.

“Pass out… pass out… pass out!” Mallory muttered, pounding his thigh with a fist.

"Why doesn't he just burn her!" Mercy yelled from beneath the wagon.

Dot suddenly pushed in the back. Hector stumbled forward, coughing hard. He bent over, holding himself on his thighs while he still coughed.

“Lame,” she said casually. “You really are nothing underneath that armor.”

Hector was breathing hard. He slowly turned around and brought his hands up to his face.

“I’m trying not to hurt you,” he said in between breaths.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Tallow stood up and yelled at him. “Kill her! She’s not your friend, or your sister!!”

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“You’re still standing!” Jack called out. “Keep going!”

“Relax!” Dot called back to her father. “I don’t wanna kill the weakling! Isn't that the point?”

“You didn’t let me go ‘cause you were bored!” Hector called back to her, getting her to look back at him. “You let go 'cause you were scared.”

“Scared of what?” Dot asked.

“Getting burned.” Hector punched forward.

A giant wave of fire launched towards his fist and in her direction.

She ducked and leaned to the side, allowing the wave to pass by her.

Hector kept punching forward, alternating between left and right fist traced her movements.

“Good control,” Mallory complimented, nodding along.

“He’s always shooting fire like that,” Tallow said. “What’s so different?”

Jon knew the difference. Here, Hector was steadily controlling streams of fire with his hands. He stayed calm and was carefully following the movement of his opponent.

He changed to kicks. His fire attacks became quick, wide arcs that sailed across the ground.

Dot had to work harder to evade the rapid pace of this attack. Hector began alternating between quick shots of fire magic from both his hands and feet.

“He’s fighting like Macy!” Mercy exclaimed quietly, now having sat up to peek from the wagon.

Jon saw it too. Macy was much quicker and aggressive, sticking with short, hard attacks. Hector, while not as fast as his sister, still mimicked her furious movements, in his still slower and tactful movements.

Dot seemed to be caught in between attacks, not being able to left or right without getting hit. She was trapped in between the barrage of blows.

Hector clenched his fist and made a hard straight punch, shooting a larger wave of flame.

Dot's look of panic turned into a smile, and she struck out at the blast with her fist.

The flame dispersed upon attacking.

“Look at that!” she cried. “I don’t know even know what I was scared of!”

Hector's face showed deep concern, the first real sense of fear Jon noticed in his face.

He looked at his fist as if it was a broken tool, observing it.

"I think he did too much at once," Jon heard Mallory mutter.

Hector could only ready himself for the oncoming Dot, steadily moving back with his hands near his face.

She came in with a roundhouse kick to the temple. Hector covered his face with both of his forearms in anticipation.

Her foot connected with the side of his guard. Even if it was blocked, Jon knew that Hector had taken most of the blow to his head.

It was made more so obvious when Hector dropped his guard, revealing an exhausted expression.

Dot made a short hop forward and made a sharp kick up. She nailed Hector in the chin, tossing his head back.

She made a wide hook. Hector ducked returned with an uppercut to her own chin.

“Return that hit!” Mallory yelled suddenly, to the surprise of everyone around him.

Unlike Hector, Dot stumbled back from the hit, leaving Hector to try to sweep her legs again under again.

Dot wasn't as disconcerted as Hector assumed. She snapped back and grabbed him by the shoulders.

She dropped her weight backward, bringing him down with her before tossing him over her head with her feet.

Hector went higher than Jon thought he would. There was a collective held breath within the group.

Hector crashed hard onto his back.

Dot jumped as high as Hector went, aiming to land on top of his body.

Hector rolled out of the way, just before Dot hit the ground. Large chunks of dirt exploded where Hector's body would have been.

“Well, she’s trying to kill him!” Tallow cried. She reached for her dagger, but Mercy was ahead of her, grabbing the dagger from its sheathe before Tallow could grab ahold.

Hector was still on the floor, defenseless as Dot ran to his side and kicked him in the ribs.

"He's fine!" Mallory cried. "He braced himself!"

Jon didn’t know that was true. Still, after Hector reeled over from the kick, he pushed himself back up ready for more action.

He punched fire once more, but Dot simply weaved past it and checked Hector in the gut again, her hand striking him past his jacket.

While he was bowled over, she reached up and slammed her elbow on his back. He lost his footing and dropped onto Dot's raising knee.

Hector landed hard onto Dot's leg. While he hung on her knee, she folded her hands together above her head and slammed it on his back, sending Hector to plummet straight to the ground.

“Hector!” Helia cried.

Jon looked to Mallory for reassurance.

“Are you looking for reassurance?” Mallory asked. “Nah, he’s screwed. That look like it hurt."

“Are you serious?” Tallow asked. “He can take that! He's taking worse."

“I don’t think he can take it,” Mercy said, shaking her head.

Hector hadn’t moved from where he was in an alarming amount of time.

“Let me…” Mallory climbed out of the wagon and jogged towards the fight.

“Hey!” Jack called as Mallory made his way. “You can’t stop the fight!”

"Can't stop it?" Mallory stopped next to Hector's body and gestured down at it. "He's clearly not standing back up!"

“Is it true?” Jack gruffly conferred to Dot.

“Don’t ask her!” Mallory yelled. "She's the one who put him there!"

Still, Dot nudged her food into Hector’s side. “Nah, he’s faking. I can smell the self pity.”

“I'm… not faking,” Hector groaned from under her foot. He swatted it away.

“Good!” She pulled her foot back and kicked hard, flipping him over.

“I told you,” Jack called, following Hector after the flip. “You fight 'til you can’t fight anymore!”

"I never planned on quitting!" Hector yelled even as Mallory helped him up.

"Bruh, I don't know about you," Mallory said, "but from my point of view I don't think you can fight any-"

“Go,” Hector said. “It’ll be fine.”

“That’s not fine!” Mallory said. “She’s hitting you hard. Too hard. She’s not holding back. And your armor-”

“I’m fine!” Hector yelled. “Back off before I lose!”

Mallory stepped back as quickly as he could.

Hector jumped up and down and place. Mallory retreated to Jon's side.

"Fool's gonna get himself killed," Mallory said, shaking his hands.

Jack had retreated as well. It was jsut Hector and Dot in the center field again.

“You not gonna armor up?” Dot asked.

“Like you said,” Hector remarked, readying his hands. “you hit too hard, so it wouldn’t matter anyway.”

Dot smiled. “He gets it!”

She danced on her feet just out of reach of his arms.

“Go, sis!” Jules yelled from the side.

“Go show ‘em!” Juniper called out.

“They’re cheering for you,” Hector said. “You know what that means?”

“What?” Dot responded.

“They’re getting overconfident,” he said. “Are you?”

“Am I?” Dot laughed. “I’m overconfident as-”

Fire flew from the bottom of Hector's feet, just launching him just far enough forward.

He struck her hard with a flying elbow again, hitting her in the nose and knocking her back.

“You left yourself open,” he said, still hopping side to side as she caught her footing.

"Good move!" Tallow called. "More elbows! Less gimmicks."

"I don't know if he can keep that up..." Mallory said. "He's tired, and-"

Dot charged, winding up another strong gut punch.

Hector shifted to the side out of the way of her attack and kneed her in the gut as she closed in.

She was forced upright by the knee before Hector made a side chop at her neck.

Dot couched as she moved backwards and held her neck.

“You stole my move!” she yelled, but she just received a fist to the face.

“Neck chops have been a storied technique for years!” Hector cried. He ran to her and jumped up, kneeing her in the face.

He grabbed onto her head after the hit, falling down and dragging Dot with him. They rolled down to the bottom of the small hill together, Hector not letting go.

Hector had the advantage with his legs wrapped around her neck.

“He’s using the hill!” Mallory yelled, nearly pushing Tallow aside. “That mad bastard!"

Mercy stood up a little more, and they all watched the two roll together until they came to a stop. Hector had landed on top of Dot, holding her arm back.

She tried to turn and reach up, but he twisted her arm and she screamed.

“Aw, shut up!” Hector yelled. She pulled hard, bringing him over her body and to the floor. He grabbed onto her arm again, slamming his heel onto her face before also wrapping his leg around her arm.

“You have no form!” he cried.

Dot tried to break free, but Hector threw his weight, rolling the both of them twice over. He still kept her in the hold.

He freed a hand and chopped her on the face while she was disoriented.

“You just throw your strength around!” He continued. “You're just trying to make up for your lack of form with brute strength!”

“Break her already!” Tallow yelled. “She’s not your sparring partner!”

“I don’t think he can...” Mallory said carefully. "She's strong, and he's tired."

Hector flipped himself and Dot over the ground again.

“My sister can get out of this a hundred times better than you," Hector called out, and she’s half as strong…”

“Get… off!”

Dot groaned until she was fully standing back up, Hector still hanging on her arm.

Whoa, Jon thought.

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him hard, head-butting him. His head and body went limp.

Dot then turned and tossed Hector at the wagon.

Hector’s body went high. So high, the group raised their heads to see him. Mallory raised his hand to the sky.

A large tentacle reached up, catching Hector in the air before his body flew over and past the wagon.

“My turn!” Tallow lowered into a crouch before a burst of wind erupted from the group.

Tallow had disappeared, running off to Dot. Her dagger was missing from Mercy's hand.

"Damn it!" Mercy cried. She got ready to run, but Jon was already on it. Knowing Mercy and Tallow's history, it might have been better if he went instead.

"I got it," Jon said quickly. Knowing he wouldn't catch up by running, he fired the blunderbuss from his hip, shooting himself forward. He dropped to his knees, sliding down the hill on his knees before shooting again.

He slowed to a stop next to Tallow, who was already trying to take on Dot.

“Come on, cheap shot!” Tallow yelled. “Come and take me on!”

“Gladly.” Dot was bleeding a bit from her mouth. She wiped it with the back of her fist before readying for a fight.

“Dot!” Jack called.

She turned to him, ignoring Tallow. He tossed his head back as a gesture.

“He’s out!” Jack said. “Let ‘em go!”

“You lucky Daddy won’t let me beat your clock in," Dot said to Tallow. "We'll just have to leave it here.

“You couldn’t even count high enough to use a clock!” Tallow replied.

Dot's face scrunched as if she was concentrating. Jon held his gun ready, waiting to see if Dot would understand the insult.

From the movements of her lips, Jon realized she was checking around the inside of her mouth with her tongue.

She spit out a bloody tooth onto the ground. Slightly astonished, she knelt down and picked up the tooth.

“Hey!” she held it up and turned around. “He got a tooth!”

“Means you were slacking!” Jack responded. "Try not to lose any teeth the next time!"

“Yeah, well!” she gripped the tooth in her palm and started walking back.

“So, that’s it?” Tallow yelled with her arms open wide. “You just gonna listen to Daddy?”

Dot ignored her, still walking back to her family.

Jon was ready to bring Hector back, but Tallow kept egging her on.

“So, what next?” Tallow continued. “You gonna bend over and yet whatever guy have his way with you, just ‘cause Daddy told you?”

This made Dot turn around with interest.

“Yeah, come on!” Tallow said. “Where’s Mommy? Let me guess, she's not here because he told her to go to hell!”

“Tallow…” Jon muttered. He didn't think anyone liked hearing someone talk about their mother like that.

“You don’t talk about mama like that,” Dot responded. Her voice told Jon that this was the nerve Tallow was looking for.

Jon grabbed Tallow's arm, but she shrugged him off.

“Oh, I don’t get to talk about her like the whore she probably was?” Tallow asked. “Let me guess, she had all of you with different father's and then left them with-"

“Tallow, shut up."

He hadn't even spoken very loudly. The words left Jon’s mouth so quickly he didn’t consider what they were until Tallow turned back to him with a sense of disbelief.

She scoffed. "Did you just..."

“Hector’s hurt!” Jon blurted out again. He could already feel the tears burning through his eyes. He was tired just from watching Hector fight. He just wanted to bring his friend back.

“We have to -"

"Uph!" Tallow held up a clenched fist. Jon stopped talking.

Tallow looked at Dot.

"My friends want to leave this for another day," Tallow said, "but next time, you're gonna be losing a lot more than your teeth!"

"Looking forward to it!" Dot replied, her slight anger seemingly waning away.

Jon quickly turned and walked away before he had to deal with the consequences of what he said.

Luther's words were beginning the echo in Jon's head.

You have to control your people.

Jon didn’t want to control his friends. He wanted them to be happy. He wanted them to make decisions to keep themselves happy, even if it killed them.

He didn’t want their decisions to kill them, but he also felt like it wasn’t his right to decide that. It was their right to decide that. He had left the farm to live as a mercenary, and he could be killed, it was fine because he died doing what he wanted, and he felt like that was what he wanted to do, and it should have been everyone’s right.

Jon went to Hector's limp body, where Helia was already kneeling next to him.

Mallory patted Helia on the back. "Give him room," he whispered to her.

Helia stepped back.

Jon knelt down and put Hector's arm over his shoulder. Here, he could feel Hector's slow breathing. His eyes were closed. He was definitely unconscious.

Jon tried to stand, but Hector weighed him down. Even without the armor, Hector was heavy. He strained until Tallow came and put Hector's other arm around his shoulder.

“You're right,” she said calmly. "Let's get this lump of hormones back on the wagon.

Jon nodded with relief. Her free arm reached up and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him close. Jon could feel the pain in his chest.

“If you ever speak to me like that again!” she whispered, “I’m gonna chop off your manhood and shoot it out of your stupid gun and I don’t even care if it kills me!”

Jon nodded quickly. He didn’t know whether to believe her, but he knew to be scared.

“Fine, then.” She let go of his shirt and patted him on the chest. "Let's go."

Jon a small wisp of a smile. He was glad to have Tallow here, and he didn’t want her to listen to him all of the time. He needed her to be on her toes, and he always knew she would step up to protect him and his friends.

He was also glad to not lose his manhood to target practice.