After a few minutes of traveling in the wagon without a word, Stewart broke the silence with a question.

“What was that about,” Stewart asked. “Those guys with the colorful costumes.

“Oh, those guys?” Hector asked, not annoyed by the question. “They were professional grabbers.”

“Grabbers?” Mercy asked. “I never heard of them.”

“They’re a particular type of bounty hunter,” Hector explained. “Low-level headhunters. They grab who they need and run off. They’re particularly strong and efficient at times and can put up a fight if you’re not careful.

“They didn’t try to grab Helia, though,” Stewart responded.

“...I think Ultimare might have misjudged their use,” Hector responded. “He probably thought he could take us all out with them and himself.”

Hector looked at Mercy. “In fact, I thought that maybe your father would send professional grabbers after you. But in hindsight, I realized that would never work on someone like you. They’re better sent off after weaker people and less security.”

“So, they had to send the great and powerful Hector?” Mercy asked sarcastically.

“No! I mean, yes! I mean…” Hector turned back to his path, embarrassed. “It’s whatever.”

“Oh yeah.” He quickly forgot about his embarrassment and turned over his shoulder to Mallory.

“I apologize about being mad at you,” Hector said. “For trying out a new spell in the middle of the battle. That’s what you did back on the farm, and it’s saved all our lives. I guess I assumed that you weren’t very pragmatic about-”

“It’s fine,” Mallory said. “I understand. I’ll try to test things out in more appropriate-”

Mallory stopped himself, and Jon watched a small grin crawl over his face.

“That was you.”

“What are you talking about?” Hector faced forward again. Mallory pushed him on the shoulder.

“It was you! You casted a-”

“No, I didn’t!” Hector replied. “ You must be mistaken. I just used my mana as I always did.”

Jon wondered why Hector was trying to hide what he did from Mallory. In fact, Jon thought what Hector did was perfectly normal, so normal that Jon was able to adapt to it quickly without realizing that Hector was indeed capable of casting spells.

“What type of spell?” Mallory asked. “I know it was fire!”

Hector grumbled but didn’t respond.

“What’s wrong with Hector?” Mercy asked. “Why is he so against spellcasting?”

“Same reason everything’s probably wrong with him,” Tallow muttered. “Either his father or his sisters.”

“Sisters,” Mallory said. “At least I assume.”

Hector grumbled again.

“Tallow casted a huge spell,” Mercy said. “And I beat someone in hand-to-hand combat with an uppercut.”

She made a wide smile. “I think we all did something new.”

“I shot someone,” Jon said, aware that he didn’t really add anything new to the table this battle.

“Jon, you shot someone new,” Hector corrected. “That always counts for something.”

After some more traveling, the edge of the forest was starting to become clear.

Hector stopped the wagon.

“What’s up?” Mallory asked.

Hector turned to the rest of the wagon.

“...I think we should rest for 5 minutes,” Hector said to them. “We all just went through a major battle, and Hellia’s in danger, but…”

“...She’s a bargaining chip,” Mallory concluded. “So, they don’t have incentive to hurt her, unless she really tries to get away.”

“More likely to happen,” Stewart theorized. “Knowing my sister.”

“But it’s up to Stewart,” Hector said.

“...Take your moment,” Stewart said. “We’re so far, and we only have but so much to do next.”

“I could talk about the incoming forest,” Mallory said. “But, we could take a moment of silence first.

The moment of silence was taken. Jon tried to steady his breathing before he was

“Tell us about this… forest,” Tallow said. “And how it’s exactly not like the last forest.”

“It’s not,” Mallory explained. “It’s closest to the clans. So, this forest actually mimics what’s actually on the other side of the mountain.”

“So, it’s like home,” Mercy said. “Huh. I guess the mountains are only really part of the barrier.”

The wagon started moving again.

They exited the forest once more.

Jack was standing afar, waiting for them along a new hill. He was wearing Hector’s golden armor, which had adjusted to fit his larger frame perfectly.

“Look how happy he is to be wearing that, the dodgy bastard,” Tallow muttered on sight of him. “Looking like a golden turd.”

“Was he just waiting there the entire time?” Stewart asked.

“Where is she!” Hector stood up before the wagon even finished stopping.

“She’s in the forest!” Jack yelled back. “Come here and I’ll tell you the terms!”

Hector reached for his sword, but Jon hopped out of the wagon and jogged ahead.

“Jon!” Hector called out. Jon!”

He turned over the side of the wagon, dropping off and landing on his side.

Jon ignored Hector’s calls and slowed down in front of Jack.

“Where is she?” Jon asked him.

“In the bladed forest behind me,” Jack responded. “She’s participating… in a bit of a scavenger hunt.”

Jon leaned over and looked past Jack. Several yards behind him was the forest in question. There seemed to be a vague white light emanating from it.

Hector finally caught up to Jack and Jon, Stewart following right behind.

“Where is my sister?” Stewart asked, out of breath.

“Where’s Helia!” Hector yelled.

“You’re gonna give me a migraine,” Jack muttered. “Just-”

“I’ll give you a migraine alright!” Hector drew his sword,

“Uh-uh,” Jack wagged his finger. “You hurt me, and that girl of yours gets a hurting as well. Anything you do to me, my kids do to her.”

Hector sighed and put his sword back in its sheathe.

“You want us to go chase her?” Hector asked, having calmed his tone down, but not having put back his sword.

Jack nodded. “Yeah. See if you can go find her.”

Hector grunted.

“...No secret tricks?” Hector asked.

“Nope!” Jack said.

“...Fine.” Hector turned away. Jon and Stewart followed.

“Why would he make a game out of this?” Hector asked Stewart.

“...Because it forces us to look for her,” Stewart said, surprised that Hector had even asked. “I think he knows we’re exhausted from the last battle. By we, I mean, you, of course, but…”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Now that they were at the wagon, they returned to their spots.

“I think he wants to take as much from you as possible,” Stewart said. “Including the rest of your armor.”

“He’ll have to kill me to do that,” Hector said. He went back into the seat and pulled on the reins.

Jon sat next to Mercy, holding his gun in his hand.

When they got near Jack, he gave them another offer.

“You could leave the wagon to me!” he said. “I can watch it for you.”

“...They don’t have a gun, right?” Hector asked. “Jon, can you shoot him?”

“Now, you’re thinking like a winner,” Tallow said.

When they passed Jack, Tallow leaned over and spat on the floor near him.

“Next one’s going on your head!” she called back.

The wagon moved slowly until it entered the new forest.

Jon could see why it was called the bladed forest. The leaves on the trees were green, but they seemed to have a shiny reflection which made them look sharp as they hung off the wood.

Jon looked at Mercy, seeing her be mesmerized by their surroundings.

“The trees…” she finally said. “These are the trees we have back from home. I notice some minor differences… but they’re the same.”

“The forest must extend past the borders,” Mallory explained from his end of the wagon.

“We’re so close…” Mercy said to herself.

Any other day, Jon would have considered this an achievement. Right now, the focus was on getting Helia back.

“...I should be collecting leaves from here,” Mallory said. “The amount of mana each one contains-”

“This isn’t a scavenger hunt, Mallory,” Hector said. “It’s a… I mean-”

“I know, not the time,” Mallory muttered. “But whenever is the time. I’m sure this stuff could help us in a tense moment.”

“How far do you intend to go with this wagon?” Stewart asked anyone who would listen. “There isn’t exactly space up ahead for it.”

“Far enough to where I can keep an eye on it,” Hector said. “I don’t trust anyone near it…”

He stopped when it was clear that the horses couldn’t move any further past the trees. There was enough space for them to move forward on foot.

“That’s it,” Hector said.

Everyone climbed out.

“Jon, you and Stewart stay with the stuff,” Hector said. “We can-”

“Didn’t you just say we should stick together!” Tallow said.

“..There’s four of them and four of us,” Hector said, “if we leave Jon and Stewart behind.”

“But Mallory’s not exactly up to receiving the same type of beating you got,” Tallow responded.

“He just learned that new spell, with the monster thing, right?” Hector asked. “Isn’t that sufficient enough?”

“I appreciate you paying attention, man,” Mallory said, “but it only works on other spellcasters, So, like, not yet. It’s still in the works..”

“But the explosion,” Hector continued.

“Yeah. That was a trap when Ultimare finally decided to use mana again. I conjured it, made it walk fabulously out of the house, and coopted his spellcasting, but this seems to be a family of punch-punch-kick-kick.”

“He did say Dot was his best fighter,” Mercy said. “They all must fight similarly, right?”

“A play on words,” Stewart added. “He said his strongest fighter. That could mean many things.”

Hector grumbled about how right Stewart was.

“Fine. Together.”

They walked forward.

“These are small compared to the ones at home,” Mercy said. “Probably because it’s so far from the others.”

She stopped.

“I should mention, guys,” she said when everyone else turned around, “that we’re nearing the border of the clans. There’s nothing physical here separating us this high.

“Aren’t their mountains?” Stewart asked.

“...The borders expand past the mountains,” Mercy explained.”The mountains lead towards the Highlander clans and whatnot, but if we go through this forest too far, we might step onto the territory of one of the other clans, then we’re at the mercy of whatever clan finds us.”

“Hah, Mercy.” Tallow snickered.

“I’m serious,” Mercy replied. “My father has some soft power over the rest of the clans. They can’t save us from something like this. And they’re much stronger than anyone at Resden. No offense, Hector.”

“None taken,” Hector said, glumly accepting of the fact.

“They take the strength of their warriors extremely seriously,” Mercy continued. “If they’re patrolling the borders-”

“Got it, avoid a political situation, don’t go too far,” Hector said. “Let’s go!”

He went ahead.

Mercy shook her head in disdain, but she followed along.

Stewart was about to leave when he slapped his head in frustration.

“Oh, darn it!” he said. “I forgot about my invitation,”

“...You mean to the clan?” Hector asked. “Don’t they know that you’re coming?”

“Yeah,” Stewart said. “But if someone does go and steal it, then we’re finished.”

Hector sighed. “Damn it. Um…”

He scratched his head. “Should we go back?”

“I’ll go back,” Tallow said. “It’ll be quick.”

Before anyone could argue, she dashed off, hopping between trees towards her goal.

“...I guess we’ll wait, then,” Hector said. “Shouldn’t be-”

“Ah!” Helia’s scream echoed away.

“Damn it!” Hector drew his sword and ran towards the sound.

“Hector!” Mercy ran after him.

“Aw, damn it all,” Mallory said, running after the two of them.

“...Just us, chap,” Stewart said.

“...Stop Hector from killing himself,” Jon said.

“You’re right.”

The two of them chased after the group.

Thankfully, Hector had stopped behind a group of trees, where, he and Mercy were spying on a clearing up ahead

Jon and Stewart crept up near them.

Once he was close enough, Jon could see that Helia had her hands tied behind her, and she was on the ground with her back to a tree.

The four Duckett siblings had inhabited the space nearby. Jules was leaning on a tree with his arms crossed, opposite his sister Dot. Juniper was sitting cross-legged, isolated from the rest of the group as she flipped through the pages of a book.

Gina was standing near Helia, bouncing a small ball of fire in her hand.

“Giddy up, horsey!” Gina said. She tossed the fireball in Helia’s direction.

Helia squealed like before and closed her eyes, ducking as much as she could. The fireball exploded next to her head without harm.

“Score!” Gina raised her hands.

Hector tried to go, but Mercy held him with one hand. Jon couldn’t tell if either of them was using mana to fend off the efforts of the other.

“Alright, that’s enough, Gina,” Jules said. “Save your energy for the fight.”

“I am saving my energy,” Gina responded. “And besides, you’re not the boss.”

Gina tossed up another fireball. She timed its descent before she kicked it at Helia and it exploded above her head once more.

She had conjured up another fireball, but Jules slapped it out of her hand immediately.

“You idiot,” Jules said. “You can’t hurt her yet! What if you miss?”

“You know I won’t miss,” Gina replied.

“...Whatever,” Jules said. “Stop being such a stupid bitch!”

Gina immediately punched Jules in the stomach, then wrapped her arm around his neck and brought him to the ground.

“Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!” Dot yelled, pumping her arms, watching the two of them struggle on the ground.

Jon looked at Juniper. She didn’t seem to mind, keeping his eyes on the book.

“...Maybe if we wait longer they’ll kill themselves,” Mallory mentioned.

“Or if we attack now-”

“Wait, for Tallow,” Mercy said, “Even you said it. She’ll be back soon.”

Hector grunted. Then he kept watching.

“...Tell me the plan,” Mercy said. “What do you want to do?”

Hector couldn’t take his eyes off the group.

Eventually, Gina let go of Juels, and they both were breathing hard, splayed out on the ground.

“Why are you fighting like that!” Helia yelled. “Shouldn’t you be trying to get along?”

“We get along just fine!” Gina said back. “Don’t worry yourself.”

Once she stood up, Gina held out her hand to Jules.

When he reached up for it, she drew her hand.

“Hah!” she said, walking away.

“Stupid bitch…” Jules muttered, pushing himself up.

“We’re just supposed to hold her like Daddy said,” Dot responded. “I don’t see why Gina can’t play around for a while.”

“Juniper should be saying something,” Juels said. “But she always reading her stupid book!”

“We got no downtime for stuff like that at home,” Dot said. “Let her keep up with her reading.

“Go around,” Hector whispered to Mercy. “Pincer attack.”

Mercy nodded, then crept slowly through the forest.

“Can you grab them all at once?” Hector asked Mallory.

“...I don’t know how strong they are,” Mallory responded. “Maybe. Even if I could, it might drain all of my mana too quickly,”

Hector groaned and turned back to the scene.

“She always reads the same book anyway,” Jules muttered.

“This stupid book will save your life,” Juniper responded, flipping through the pages. “Besides, you should be able to take Gina down.”

Gina walked up to Helia and made another fireball in her hand.

“Ready for more?” Gina asked.

Helia didn’t respond.

Gina threw the fireball. It exploded near Helia’s face, but she didn’t move.

“...It’s not gonna hit, right?” Helia asked. “So, I shouldn't be scared.”

“You’re right,” Gina said. “Maybe we should up the stakes.”

The fireball grew at least double in size.

“We’ll see if the next one kills you or not,” Gina said. “I’m betting on not, but it’ll definitely hurt a lot.”

“I’m not scared,” Helia said.

Gina raised her eyebrow in curiosity, extinguishing the fireball.

Hector looked at Jon and silently directed him to a position further away. Jon nodded.

“Why not?” Gina asked her. “You were crying earlier when Jules carried you off.”

“Because…” Helia shook her head. “I was worried about what my friends and Hector would think. They had just won their first victory. I didn’t want them to fret over me. I’m scared for them. But you…”

She shook her head. “You’re just a petty plaything for your father. Playing dress up and trying to relive his glory days.”

Gina sighed. “You see, now this next one’s gonna hurt.”

Gina grew the large fireball in hand once more.

Jon was pondering if he should shoot it when Hector stepped out and pointed his fingers at the large spell.

The fireball disappeared instantly.

“Amatuer,” Hector muttered. He then punched forward.