The training ended with Hector and Mercy fighting each other while using some of their mana reserves. Tallow stood aside silently, observing their training. Jon had an idea that she was standing there in order to make sure Hector and Mercy didn’t go overboard.

They still resisted using weapons, Hector occasionally punching fire and accentuating his strikes with small fire tails while Mercy added to her own offensive movements with her mana-assisted maneuvers.

Soon, Mercy dived from the air with a streak of light energy trailing from her foot.

Hector blocked it by swinging out his forearm, meeting it in the air and dispersing the energy.

Mercy landed and began striking more.

Hector started to deflect more blows until he suddenly bowed over in pain, holding his stomach.

“You okay?” Mercy asked, crouching to hear him.

“Yeah.” Hector held himself on his knees. “I’m okay.”

“We’ll call it a day, then,” Mercy said, standing up. “We have to save our mana for tomorrow."

“Right,” Tallow nodded. She still had the razorgrip on her hip. Jon wondered if she would ever return it, but he decided not to ask. That was between her and Mercy.

They grabbed Mallory, who was still practicing his spells nearby on his own, and then they went back to the house. Inside, dinner was already prepared. Stewart and Helia had fallen asleep in their chairs, in front of their empty plates on the table.

“Aw, look at that,” Mercy said. “They waited for us.”

“You’d think they’d been the ones training,” Tallow remarked.

“They’re stressed,” Mercy said. “Even if it’s just mental, their lives are on the line, and they’re trying to hold it together."

Tallow didn’t respond, but Jon could see that she had solemnly accepted the statement without much push back. Her face didn’t snarl like usual when she had heard something she didn’t like.

Mercy and Hector each took a patron on the shoulder and carried them up to the rooms.

When they came back down, the group started on the dinner the twins had left behind for them.

“How can you spellcasters use so much mana and not worry about running out?” Tallow asked Mallory across the table.

“Oh, I run out,” Mallory explained. “We all run out. It’s just that spellcasters can recover mana faster after using it. But in exchange, we often use larger amounts of mana. Well, I don’t, but the point is, due to the large amount of world mana we combine along with our personal mana, it’s very easy for a spellcaster to drain themselves dry and kill themself from mana deprivation. You can accidentally overcast your own body mana since your natural body instincts don’t kick in in time to stop you.”

“Which is what happened to you,” Mercy said.

Mallory nodded. “Even if I personally get exhausted, a spell could take the rest of my mana away. That’s why spellcasting takes a large amount of mental fortitude in order to do it successfully. That’s also why a lot of spellcasters carry spellbooks around. It helps ease the burden of having to monitor your own mana levels.”

“Then why don’t you have a book?” Tallow said.

“Spellbooks are like magical weapons,” Mallory explained. “They don’t always match up with everyone’s mana. And also, you can’t just use one right away. You have to become bonded to it. Some people can make their own as well, but I can’t, since that would require too much mana all at once. There’s still the threat of overcasting, but…”

“We’ve offered him a spellbook,” Hector said, “but he always refuses. The same with my older sister. It drives my father insane.”

“Bonding to a spellbook is weird,” Mallory explained. “I like to read books. Having to stick to one and use all my magic in one… is weird. At least when it comes to spell diversification.”

“That’s why not all spellcasters use books,” Mercy determined.

“Yep.” Mallory nodded quickly. “Certain types of spells, much like the ones I do, don’t necessarily get more or less better if you use a book. Plus, training without one can mean that you’re not at a disadvantage. At the same point, a lackluster spellcaster with a book can resemble an amazing one.”

“Right.” Tallow said. “We don’t have book guys in my town.”

“Most of the Vindhazi have basic spellcasting abilities, don’t they?” Mercy asked.

“Uh… ya see, well, they’re supposed to,” Tallow said, “but most of them are too lazy to keep up the practice. Even if you learn in the beginning, no bothers to keep up their training. So, no.”

“Heh.” Mallory chuckled. “That’s fair.”

“Alright.” Hector stood up. “I think we should continue fortifying the house.”

“The house is fortified,” Mallory said. “You checked everywhere. Your sister made every as tough as she could-”

“Forget her!” Hector said. “We-”

“Stop!” Tallow stood up.

Everyone waited for her to say something, but she didn’t.

Hector furrowed his eyebrows as she approached him.

She raised her hand to his face and brushed his cheek.

He blushed. “What… are you doing?”

“Nothing you’re think of, you pervert,” she said. “Mallory?”

Mallory, who had been slowly standing up behind Hector, brought his hands against Hector’s temples.

Hector collapsed, Tallow quickly crouching down and turning so that he landed on her back.

Mallory had also grabbed Hector’s arm to stop him from falling completely, although he was clearly straining.

He saw Jon and Mercy’s astonished faces.

“Do you remember when I told you that Hector can inadvertently cancel out my spells, especially when he’s fighting?” Mallory asked. “Well, that’s how tired and broken up inside he is. He couldn’t even react to little old me.”

She stood up with Hector on her back. She was struggling a lot more than Mercy did, but she kept moving forward.

Mercy tried to stand up and help, but Tallow ignored her.

“That means you better get some rest too!” Tallow said. “Or else, I’m gonna have to put you to sleep, and it’s not gonna be anywhere near as graceful.”

Mallory chuckled. “I’m more concerned about what he’ll do when he wakes up. But yeah. I’ll be sure to rest.”

“Right… I’m gonna put him in the same room with the twins.” Tallow groaned. “For security reasons."

Tallow carried Hector to the stairs and started to carry him upstairs.

“Right…” Mallory turned to the table. “Should we get everything arranged?”

Jon nodded.

The two of them lifted the table and moved it to the side of the room so that there was enough space on the floor for all of them.

Tallow and Mercy brought down enough blankets and pillows for the four of them to lay on the floor. In order to be prepared for any attack. Hector would be on the top floor in case anything happened there.

Everyone chose a spot to lay down. Mercy laid next to Jon and they looked at each other as they slept at their pillows.

“You know,” Mercy said, “I like being level with you, but I kinda miss the bunk bed.”

“I don’t,” Jon responded. “I miss my brother.”

“Oh.” Mercy leaned over and kissed Jon on the forehead.

Jon didn’t know why he said it. He just knew that he had fallen asleep.

A sudden sound woke him up later that night. He sat up and looked around for the source.

He saw Stewart sleeping nearby. He was making a loud snore, probably the one that woke Jon up.

He then heard another snore. He turned to it.

Hector and Helia were laid out and covered in a sheet. Hector slept with his back on the couch, facing upwards and snoring away at his own rhythm. Helia had fallen asleep on top of him, her head buried sloppily in his chest.

They came down…

Jon turned to Tallow. She wasn’t snoring at all. She laid quietly on the ground, not even tossing and turning. He also saw that she had removed her headwrap. Jon didn’t realize how long it had been since he had seen her whole red hair.

Satisfied with his discoveries, he turned over and went back to sleep again.

The next time he woke up wasn’t so peaceful.

There was a pounding on his chest as he sat up and experienced the daylight shining through the windows.

Fight…

He sat up and grabbed his gun next to him. Hector had his hand on his forehead, and he was looking out the window.

“Get ready,” Hector said. “Tallow’s doing recon, and hopefully, they’ll come before then, but who knows what’ll happen then.”

Jon nodded. He looked around the room.

Stewart and Helia were waiting anxiously on the couch. Stewart was tapping his foot repeatedly.

Jon didn’t see where anyone else was, but he assumed they were busy. So, he just stayed ready with his gun.

He watched the front door with Hector until there was a knocking on the door behind them.

“Who’s knocking?” Stewart asked.

Hector and Jon turned to the back door in concern. Jon didn’t even realize there was a back door.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I’ll open it,” Hector said. He turned his body fully around and walked up to it.

He hesitated, then leaned over to the window to see who it was.

A familiar bald head and heavy mustache leaned over as well and gave a huge grin.

Jack.

“What the hell does he want…” Hector muttered as if he actually didn’t want to know the answer to the question.

“I just wanna talk!” Jack yelled through. “Promise!”

“Watch my back,” Hector said.

“Always,” Jon said.

Hector walked up and opened the door.

Jack had moved back to give Hector some room.

Jon moved so that he stood in the open doorway as Hector walked outside.

“What do you want?” Hector asked more pointedly than before.

“I just wanted to talk!” Jack said. “No trouble! Unless you want some!”

“I don’t want trouble!” Hector said. “Now leave before I slit your throat!”

Jack laughed.

“Just hear me out,” Jack said. “I’m a man of my word, aren’t I?”

“Fine,” Hector said.

“From what I heard,” Jack said, “you have not one, but two pretty pieces of parcel with you.”

“How do you know that?” Hector asked threateningly, already reaching for his sword.

“Word gets around quick,” Jack said. “Especially after the future King of Resden gets into a rowdy street brawl and loses.”

“Is that what you want?” Hector asked. “Go away! We’re busy!”

“I know,” Jack made another toothy smile. “I’m getting so much out of this. Gettin’ rich. Gettin’ my reputation up.”

“I will go back inside now,” Hector said. “The only reason I’m not here is that you don’t have any of your kids around to protect you.”

“Then that does make me trustworthy.” Jack threw his hands open and gestured at the forest around him. “None of them are subtle enough to hide in the trees, you should know that by now.”

“Talk,” Hector said.

“I wanna make another deal with you,” Jack offered, “if you’re interested. Add some more to our profitable enterprise.”

“Now?” Hector asked.

“Of course. When you’re hard-pressed for options? That’s the best time to make a squeeze.”

“We’re not pressed-”

“I can help you out,” Jack offered. “Beat these dogs off for you.”

Why?” Hector asked. “Why not work with them?”

“I know how these dogs operate,” Jack said. “They hire you to do a job, then they take all the credit. Me? I want me and my family to get the credit.”

“Still don’t see how that concerns me,” Hector responded.

“You see, after yesterday… Dot’s been feeling a little… off.”

“From winning?” Hector asked.

“Yeah. She doesn’t feel like she had a good fight, and she wants a rematch.”

“I don’t think me or her are ready for a rematch,” Hector said. “We just had a big fight yesterday.”

“Oh, but she is ready,” Jack said. “And she did me proud yesterday. So, I was wondering… in exchange for helping you, you give her a good match again.”

“No!” Hector said. He started to look over his shoulder. “This is a horrible time! I’d rather you join up with the other mercenaries and fight you there.”

“Okay,” Jack shrugged. “Just keep in mind, if you don’t fight us now, then you’ll have to fight us later. And my whole family will be there.”

“I’m not abandoning my friends,” Hector replied. “And I’m not scared of you and your family. None of us are.”

"You seem pretty resolute in your position,” Jack said. “So, how about another offer.”

“I don’t want-”

“Offer two!” Jack raised his hand. “You pay me the amount that the engaged girl has a bounty for now, and I let you go free.”

“What?” Hector turned red. “Really?”

Despite his tone, Jon could tell that Hector was considering it.

“We wanna get paid,” Jack said. “Come on. It doesn’t matter if we do the job or not. If we never accepted the bounty, then it’s not our fault for losing it.”

Hector looked down in thought. “I can’t do it now… but I can do it when I get back to Resden. Is that fair?”

“I can wait,” Jack said. “I’mma have to charge you for time, though. And don’t try to trick us into fighting an entire army, though I doubt we would have to worry about Resden.

“We don’t have to go in Resden,” Hector said. “Not even within the castle walls. Just a few miles outside of it. I can get you your money there.”

“You not even gonna ask how much it costs?” Jack asked.

“No,” Hector said. “Just tell me later.”

“Hmmm…” Jack nodded. “Okay. If you try to run away, I’ll hunt you down. Castle or not. Deal?”

“De-”

“And what of the other parcel?”

Stewart had stepped past Jon and walked calmly out of the door.

“Stewart, get back inside!” Hector told him.

“Don’t do it!” Stewart’s walk got more aggressive towards Jack, but Hector ran up to him and stopped him by the shoulders.

“What are you doing out here?” Hector asked, not allowing him to move past.

Even if he couldn’t push through, Stewart still spoke to Jack as an audience.

“Just because you’re a man of your word doesn’t mean your word’s good!” Stewart said. “Especially because, like you said, we’re being squeezed!”

“I think I’m being honest!” Jack said with his trademark smile.

“I know a shady deal when I see one,” Stewart said. “Who’s to say after you pay the amount worth my sister, whichever amount is definitely too low anyways, you aren’t just gonna kidnap her and bring her back anyways. For three times the payday. Then maybe, you’ll bring her back and swindle the rich man back at home anyways. It’ll never end for you.”

Stewart pointed at Jack. “I’ve met many a men like you in my line of work. You’re gonna keep squeezing him over and over until he’s gotten every last drop to you!”

“Stewart, not now,” Hector said. “Don’t-”

“He’s using your concerns about your friends as barging chips,” Stewart said, looking at Hector, but still speaking loud enough for Jack to hear. “He’s using your pride in order to run you dry. He knows it’s what you’re willing to give up everything for. Your job and your mission. If you give in to him now, he’ll keep going.”

“We can’t keep going on like this!” Hector replied. “We’re fighting a battle on too many fronts!”

“And you can’t see,” Stewart said. “He’s gotten to you. You’re still pretty shaken up after yesterday’s battle, aren’t you?”

Hector stammered.

“I mean… I-”

“You’re still experiencing pain and hurt,” Stewart said. “This man’s daughter has hurt you once, and even if you’re okay with that pain, you’re trying to protect the rest of us from that pain, aren’t you? Aren’t you?”

Hector strained to respond.

“Hector…” Helia came outside as well, Jon stepped aside to let her pass. “Don’t let this man use us as bargaining chips again! You don’t need to worry about us or any of your friends. You have to trust us, like Tallow said. You have to believe that we’ll endure any challenge together and that we’ll be able to work past it!”

“...Right…” Hector relaxed his grip on Stewart. He turned to Jack.

“...I have a deal for you.” Hector said.

Jack raised his eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

“You do?” Stewart asked.

“...I don’t know,” Hector whispered. “It seemed right to say.”

“...right…” Stewart nodded. “We are in a strong position ourselves to negotiate. He already sees you as a target.”

He nodded. “Okay… for passage to the clan. You’ll fight his daughter.”

“Okay.” Hector nodded in agreement.

Stewart and Hector turned back to Jack.

“Allow us passage to return the girl to the clans,” Hector said, “and then I’ll come back and fight your daughter.”

“You expect me to believe that?” Jack asked. “What reason would you have to come back to me?”

Hector took off his dark golden jacket and tossed it onto the floor in front of Jack. It landed in a pathetic heap.

“You want that, don’t you?” Hector said. “That’s the reason you kept bringing it up. You wanna take it and sell it. Probably was gonna make me bet it in a fight, weren’t you? But first, you sized me up with something you could walk away from winning regardless.”

“It comes in a set, doesn’t it?” Jack asked.

“...You’ll get the pants, later,” Hector said. “They don’t work without each other, so it’s just as much useless as it is to me.”

“How can I trust that?” Jack asked. “Why should I wait for you to come back?”

“‘Casue there’s something better to offer.”

Jon looked up and watched Mercy descend from the top of the house.

“You can fight for me instead,” Mercy said. “I’m more valuable than anything.”

Jack laughed. “There you are. I know I heard about someone who was jacking our style.”

“You stole my style,” Mercy started. “It’s not-”

“That’s not important!” Hector said quickly. “And besides, you need to what would you do with her?”

“That’s what I wanna figure out,” Jack said. “She’s definitely high value, but it would be a pain in the ass to try to sell her. Not worth the fight.”

“...I don’t believe you,” Mercy said.

“It’s true,” Jack said. “I don’t want that type of trouble on my plate. Politic trouble. Get’s in the way of business.”

“But,” Hector tossed his hands out in disbelief. “I’m-”

“Petty rubble.” Jack brushed his concerns aside. “However…”

He pointed to Mercy.

“I think my other daughter would love to take you on,” Jack said. “See how that works out.”

“She can fight me without making a deal,” Mercy said, making a fist.

“She’s not making a deal,” Hector said. “He is, exploiting his children for profit.”

“Hey, a man’s gotta make a living!” Jack said. “And they love fighting. No, I don’t need you, love. But you know what I do need?”

He pointed past the group to the door. Jon didn’t even realize he was pointing to him at first.

“What do you want with Jon?” Hector asked, quickly putting his hand to his sword.

“Farmer’s are a rare specialty in this land!” he said. “They also multiply like crazy. Always having big families and whatnot. I wonder what pretty penny they’d pay for Jon to get ‘em back.”

“You stay away!” Mercy tried to move up, but Hector stopped her.

“We can’t attack an unarmed man,” Hector said. He turned back and drew his sword finally.

“Not that I don’t want to cut him down where he stands.”

“And that Vindhazi girl!” Jack added. “She’d probably be a hefty profit. Foreign Treasure.”

Jack pointed to his own skull. “You see, you in my business, you gotta think out of the box! And I see so many opportunities! The weapons! The gear! The horses! That sturdy wagon! Oh ho ho… I’m gonna have so much fun waiting for you.”

He picked up the jacket. “Fine. I’ll accept your offer. If you can even survive the next encounter. Though don’t worry, I think I’ll come and scavenge the dead bodies afterward. It’s a win, win for me. You know, I’m surprised you don’t kidnap me and wait for my kids.”

“That’s cause we have honor,” Hector said. “Unlike-”

“If you come back before this is over,” Mercy said, pointing at him, “I’ll slit your throat. Kids or no kids.

“You think I’m scared of a warrior who lost to a bunch of pretty princesses?” Jack chuckled. “Yeah right. My kids will make short work of you, alright.”

He threw the jacket over his shoulder, turning around and walking away, his laughs echoing through the forest as he did.

“That guy is a dick.” Tallow watching from on the awning of the back door. She was sitting cross-legged, looking down at them. Jon didn’t even know when they had gotten there.

“I suggest you don’t run up to him and stab him in the back!” Stewart called upwards.

“I’m trying really hard not to,” Tallow said. “Trust me!”

She slid down before landing on the floor.

“They’re on their way,” she said. “Right now.”

“Alright, inside,” Hector said. Everyone followed after him.