The first thing that came to Jon’s mind was to look for Junwata. Maybe he would know what to do with Mercy.

He had started to take a quick look over his shoulder when he heard someone call his name.

“Jon!” Mallory ran over to Jon’s side. “Are you okay?”

Jon turned to his friend and nodded. nodded.

“You moved! I mean... “ Mallory looked between Jon’s body and the chair. “You… How long could you do that?”

Jon opened his mouth before he knew what to say.

“Never mind!” Mallory dropped to his knees in front of Jon, meeting him at eye level and grabbing his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Mallory asked him.

“I… Mercy…”

“I know,” Mallory said, “Don’t worry.”

“And Hector-” Jon began.

Mallory shook his head. “I asked, are you okay?”

Jon paused and really took in Mallory’s consideration, still trying to decide how much he should worry about his friends.

Jon took a quick glance over to Hector, who was still slumped in his chair in shock, watching the applause happening in front of him.

Hector needs more help than me.

Jon didn’t feel like he needed help at all, but Mallory was here, so he figured he should dignify him with an answer.

“I’m fine,” Jon finally answered, turning back to Mallory. “Help Hector.”

“I’m already on it,” Mallory reassured, “but I need to make sure you’re situated first. Besides, what you did back there… with Mercy...”

Luther’s large form loomed over the two of them, interrupting Mallory as the two of them looked at the man.

He had brought Jon’s wheelchair with him.

“...Best be attending to my son now,” Luther told Mallory. “Once he gets over the shock, he’ll probably start wanting to roast the entire room.”

“But sir,” Mallory began to explain, “Jon-”

“I take care of the boy,” Luther said. “You take care of Hector, or else I’ll do it. And I don’t think either of us are in a good enough state for it to be resolved without some trouble.”

“...Right…” Mallory grimaced. “Don’t hurt him.”

“Boy’s already crumbling on the inside,” Luther said. “Now skedaddle.”

Jon and Mallory exchanged looks. Jon gave an assured nod, wanting Mallory to get to Hector’s side quickly. He felt safe around Luther.

Mallory didn’t seem convinced. He continued to try to argue.

“But-”

“Mallory!” King Harris beckoned Mallory over to the celebration. “Come and officially announce the winner! You have to-”

“Chill out!” Mallory snapped back. “I’m trying to do something over here!”

Mallory gasped once he saw the stunned expression on Harris’s face.

“...I’ll get on to Hector now,” Mallory muttered before he quickly stood up and walked away.

Before he got too far, he waved his hands.

Several tendrils reached out from the wheelchair and pulled Jon back into its seat, disappearing upon the completion of its job.

“...Lazy kids…” Luther muttered. “Come on.”

He grabbed Jon’s chair and carted him off towards the side door and away from the noise. Jon noted the firmness of Luther’s grip, as the chair had usually ricketed and had to be forced to keep forward. Under Luther’s hand, it stayed firm and still.

Jon was hoping to see Mercy pass through the door into the empty hallways, but he was disappointed when he saw that she was nowhere in sight.

Still, he was at least grateful to be away from the excess noise.

He was also relieved to be out of that dreadful room in general. It let him know that things were just about done.

Luther shut the door hard behind him and continued pushing Jon through the hallways.

They rolled past the stone walls until they were in a large empty circular area with hallways that seemed to branch into other areas of the castle. Jon had never been here before, as most of the hallways he traveled in were all connected by right angles. He assumed this meant that they were closer to the center of the castle.

Luther let go of Jon and walked in front of him so that they could see each other properly.

He peered down at Jon without words for several seconds before finally making his point.

“You stopped that girl. Right before she hurt the princess too seriously.”

Jon barely nodded. He did. He didn't mean too. He didn’t know what he meant to do. All he could think about was how he wanted to help Mercy. He wasn’t trying to stop her.

But what was he trying to help her with?

Now that he had the time and space to think, it really began to sink into Jon what he had just done.

He shot Mercy. With his gun.

Oh.

“You actually managed to keep your people under control, Luther exclaimed, “Just like I said you would have to. They get too ambitious, and then they get caught up in what they’re doing, so it’s up to you to stop them before they hurt other people or themselves.”

Jon thought back to the conversation he and Luther had before. Whereas before he didn’t understand what Luther was saying, now, he could see how it all came together.

Still, he didn’t want to accept things as they were.

Jon’s mouth opened and closed until he found a response.

“I didn’t mean to,” he finally said.

“Even if your brain didn’t mean to,” Luther said, “your body did. It came down to instinct. You wanted something so badly, your body fought every which way in order to make sure it happened. It means you’re becoming a real soldier.

Luther went around to the back of Jon's chair and grabbed onto the handles.

Jon figured that Luther would push him to another area of the castle again.

Instead, the seat of his chair started rising high in temperature. The arm of the chair burned Jon’s hand.

“Ah!” Jon lifted his hand up from the pain. He started to panic.

“I’d start moving if I was you, or you’re gonna end up like a frog in a-”

Jon dived from the chair, bringing his gun with him. His left leg being the only one to push out as he did, so he ended up face first on the stone floor just a few feet away.

“Everyone’s been babying you, letting you fall asleep in the middle of the room!” Luther yelled.

“So it’s up to me to light a fire underneath your ass!” he roared.

Jon turned over his shoulder as much as he could to look at Luther.

“Come on!” Luther yelled, beckoning towards himself. “I saw you use your legs back there! You need to stop acting so weak!”

Jon was terrified, but he also knew that Luther had a point.

His legs did work.

“I… can’t…” Jon responded, his legs failing to respond to his thoughts.

“Wrong answer!” Luther punched to the ground, a wave of fire blowing down in front of him.

He started walking towards Jon. It became so hot Jon turned over and used his arms to push himself away.

“Walk!” Luther yelled. “Don’t crawl!

Jon wanted to say that he couldn’t, but he knew that would be useless.

He eventually ended up with his back against the wall. Luther wasn’t as close as he seemed.

Jon put his hands against the wall and tried to pull himself up.

Work...

His thighs began to tremble. He didn’t know if it was because it was reacting to his thoughts, or if it was because of fear.

“Tell me, boy?” Luther asked. “What is it you want?”

“I want my chair back,” Jon said, breathless.

“No!” Luther responded. “What do you want from your life?”

“...I want to help others,” Jon replied quickly.. He didn’t yell, and yet, he felt exhausted.

“You want to help others?” Luther asked. “How can you do that when you can’t even help yourself?”

Jon stopped shaking.

Luther was right.

Here he was, stuck on the floor, needing someone else to come in for him. He couldn’t help others like this. People were stuck needing to help him.

At this point, Jon felt that his body was heating up, and that he was sweating. At first, he thought it was Luther burning the floor around him, but Luther was still watching from the center of the room.

He then realized it was because he was straining to try to stand up.

“Your body’s recently just went through shock,” Luther explained after watching Jon struggle. “After whatever hullabaloo you encountered on that renegade missionary whatever the other day. You think you can’t walk, but it’s just a safeguard your body has put on you to stop you from hurting yourself. It’s scared.”

Scared?

“You need to fight it,” Luther continued. “You need to fight it and force your body to accept the proper flow of mana back into your body.”

Jon wanted to groan. He felt his forehead burning.

But he didn’t want to show weakness. Not to Luther.

“What’s wrong?” Luther asked, sounding more incredulous than concerned.

Jon wanted to say that it was his legs, but he knew that wasn't the answer that Luther really wanted.

“I… can’t do it,” Jon said.

“Do what?”

“Stand-”

“Do what?” Luther repeated, harsher that time.

“...Help others...

“And what do you need to be able to do that?” Luther pressed.

“...I need to be stronger…”

Jon strained his legs even more. His right thigh started to burn as he brought it closer to his chest.

Finally, Jon began to push himself up the wall. It felt like his thighs were gonna implode.

Aw, screw this...

Jon pointed his gun at the floor to let the strap fall on the floor and readied his gun.

He forced himself up to a stand, landing back on his feet. It felt like a sudden weight had dropped on his legs.

Jon still struggled to stay fully standing. He wobbled back and forth, trying not to fall over.

I…

He started making short breaths to help his body feel lighter. He didn’t know if it would help, but he would take anything that he could get.

I…

Through all of his sweat, he forced himself to look up at Luther. He was staring without a hint of concern on his face.

“Let me give you some motivation.”

Luther brought his fist to the side of his hip.

Jon recognized the position and raised his to his hip in response.

He fired in anticipation, dissipating Luther’s fire blast before it even left his hand.

“There!” Luther cried. “Do it again!”

He flicked his fingers, and another blast of fire left his hand.

Jon shot it, stopping it’s advance halfway across the floor.

“Let’s see how good your aim is!” Luther punched his arm out to the side.

A stream of fire shot out and curved it’s way back towards Jon, who angled his gun off the wall and fired.

He stopped the blast from reaching him just in time.

“You got a sharp eye,” LUther growled loudly, “but let’s see what happens when I get a little bit closer.”

He started marching forward.

No! Jon brought his gun to his hip again and fired.

Didn’t even shake as the blast dispersed over his body.

Jon pulled the trigger as many times as he could, sending out a number of mana blasts one after another.

Luther walked through everyone until he was finally standing over Jon.

Jon had stopped shooting, since he knew it was pointless at this range if it didn’t work the other times.

Luther grunted.

“...You only get stronger in times of conflict and pain, you know?”

Luther gave a sharp kick in the side of Jon’s shin.

Jon bent down and held his leg where it was in pain.

“And now that you can actually feel pain again, you’ll truly be able to start getting stronger.”

Luther turned and walked away from Jon.

Jon started to chase after Luther. He stopped when he realized that he had taken several steps on his own.

His first instinct was to thank Luther, but Jon didn’t think that Luther wanted a thanks from him.

“I want to get stronger,” Jon said to Luther’s back, “but I don’t want to be scared.”

“Well, get over it,” Luther said gruffly. He eventually stopped walking.

“Everyone’s scared!” Luther declared.

“Even you?” Jon asked.

Luther didn’t reply right away. Jon couldn’t see the look on Luther’s face to tell how hard he was really thinking. He just waited for the answer.

Luther finally did answer after much consideration.

“I’ve seen too much to be scared,” Luther told him. “After you get enough experience, you’ve seen everything happen at least twice, so...”

“Ah…” Jon felt small in Luther’s supposed wisdom.

“...You should see my daughter,” Luther suddenly said, breaking the silence. “I think she likes you, but don’t let her get too close. She can be…”

He gave a single shoulder shrug. “Unless you like that stuff, I suppose… I’ll give my daughter a good word about you…. And thank you for saving the princess, and saving my ass from a whole lot of political drama.”

Luther resumed his walking away.

He… thanked me?

“Jon!” Jon wanted to walk after Luther, but Mallory had caught up with him.

“You’re standing!” Mallory said as he got close. “How’d that happen so quickly?”

“Why are you walking away?” Hector yelled as he ignored the two boys and went after his father.

“I’m going to make sure everything doesn’t go to hell!” Luther called back. “You should go see your sister-”

“Like you care what happens to her!” Hector responded lightly, stopping and awaiting his father’s response.

Luther ignored him and kept walking.

Hector balled up his fist. “Don’t… ignore-”

Mallory grabbed Hector’s arm. “Please, Hector, there’s been enough fighting today. Maybe we should go see your sister, and…”

He backed up in fear when Hector turned and growled at him.

“I mean… we should visit the girls…” Mallory said.

“...I can’t…” The scowl disappeared from Hector’s face as he spoke. His look of self-pity had returned, and his shoulders dropped at his sides.

He looked in Jon’s direction.

“At least something good happened to someone today,” Hector remarked.

“...Oh.” Jon looked down at his legs. He shook his leg with curiosity.

“Yeah…” Jon mentioned. He didn’t really think he was good. There was an entire list of things he wished had happened instead of his legs working again.

“...Where’s Mercy?” Jon asked, not wanting to focus on himself more than he needed to.

“I dunno,” Hector said simply.

“She probably won’t be found until she wants to be found,” Mallory answered. “Doesn’t mean we couldn’t try… but we should visit the girls in the hall. We have a lot of people to check up on.

Jon understood what Mallory meant. Liz and Tallow and whomever else had been carted away.

“Yeah,” Jon replied.

Hector didn’t answer, but by his body language, it looked as if he was ready to follow Mallory wherever he led him.

Jon and Hector followed Mallory back through the hallways. Along the walk, Jon noticed that Hector felt colder than he usually did. Almost as if he was afraid to get close to anyone, whereas normally he would just walk without care or concern for who was near him.

Jon kind of missed that. He wanted Hector to be clumsy again.

Mallory took them to an open room that resembled the King’s Guard. Like said room, two rows of bed were lined up across the walls, leaving space for people to walk through the center.

Unlike that room, many of the beds were full of people who had participated within the Period of Power.

Lysenthia sat up at the first bed, with her father and brother standing over her. She seemed to be the only girl in the room who was conscious.

She had a large scar across her chest, exposed by the part of her dress cut by Mercy’s blade.

Across the aisle from Lysenthia was Jacquline, who laid unconscious and now had a bandaged arm with a sling around her neck.

On the bed next to Jacquline was Tallow, who looked more like she was napping rather than being unconscious. She was snoring loudly, and also had a bandaged arm that was slung around her neck. All of her weapons and gear she usually wore underneath her cloak were placed on a small table next to her.

Across from Tallow and adjacent to Lysenthia was Cecilia. She was laid on the bed just like the others but she was the least visually damaged, aside from a large purple bruise on her cheek and a black eye. She also seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

Next to Cecilia was Liz, who still wore the bandages given to her by Junwata around her head.

Her large robe was removed, but despite that she still retained her large stature in bed.

And a few beds down away from Tallow and the others was Macy, who was sleeping, but also had two large straps tying her down to the bed.

Sleep-fighting, Jon thought. He wondered if there were any he could use for when sleeping next to Tallow again.

Once Lysenthia’s father noticed the men standing at the front of the room, he stood up and moved in front of his daughter, putting himself between her and the men.

“Calm down, father!” Lysenthia said, pushing her father to the side. “It’s not like you would put up much of a fight anyway.”

“It’s not! You shouldn’t be moving!” Her father said, forgetting the men and turning back to his daughter with concern. “You-”

“This was your idea!” she remarked. She groaned as she pushed herself onto her feet.

“Steady…” her brother came to her side, wrapping her arm around his neck and holding her up.

“Thanks, Gerald,” Lysenthia said. “You’ve always been useful.”

“I try, Sis,” Gerald said. “Dad’s just worried.”

“I said not to push yourself!” her father cried.

“It doesn’t work like that!” Lysenthia rolled her eyes. “I pushed myself and I got this large scar. Imagine if I didn’t push myself.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “Just say I suck at fighting, okay? I can take it.”

She finally turned her attention to Hector.

“Right, Hector?” she asked him. “Your girlfriend, however, was amazingly strong. There was nothing that would have been able to prepare me for that. I hope that you-”

“Well, she lost,” Hector said quickly.

“Oh.” She blinked curiously. “To who?”

“...Amalia…”

“What?” Gerald chuckled uncomfortably. “Amalia? That’s…”

Lysenthia hit Gerald in the stomach.

“Oh… wow… I guess…” Lysnethia nodded very slowly as her brother grippedin his stomach in pain.

“You don’t have to make any excuses,” Hector said. “You did well. You…”

He made eye contact with her father quickly before breaking it.

“You could work a little more on your form,” Hector continued. “Not that it’s bad… you just need to cover yourself more, keep your guard up, even when your opponent is further away from you. Or else, they can use it against you.

“Like how she tricked me… ‘cause I let my guard down.” Lysenthia nodded. “I understand. I will keep that in consideration.”

“You-”

“I wish I had a great instructor like you to show me what to do in that fight,” she added.

“Right…”

Hector nodded in acknowledgement before stepping aside to make room for the family.

“Good-bye, Hector,” Lysenthia said.

“See you, bro,” Gerald added.

Gerald and their father led Lysenthia out of the room.

Hector sighed.

“It’s not that bad,” Mallory said. “I don’t think anyone hates you after this.”

“I wish they did,” Hector muttered. “That would make this all more easier.”

Jon and Mallory stood awkwardly, both not knowing what to say in response. They waited for the other to come up with the more encouraging words.

“Uh, excuse me…”

The three of them turned around and saw Shelly behind them at the door.

“Shelley?” Hector asked.

“I… want to get through… to Cecilia-”

“Right.” Hector stepped aside once more, making more than enough room for her to walk through the center.

She didn’t move immediately.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“You shouldn’t be asking me that,” Hector said. “Especially in the hospital wing.”

“That’s especially why I’m asking you,” she asked. “You tend to keep inside everything to yourself.

Jon saw the wince in Hector’s face again.

“I-”

“There’s not enough beds in the room to destroy,” Mallory quickly said.

He covered his mouth in shock.

“I… Yeah, it’s fine.” Hector answered in a solemn tone, not paying much attention to Mallory.

“Make sure to talk to your friends,” Shelley replied. “You know, talking about your emotions can be very healthy-”

“Thank you, Shelly,” Hector said. “I get it.”

Shelley took a look at Mallory. He grimaced and shrugged.

“Be well, then,” she said. She made her way to Cecilia’s bed and sat down next to her.

“...Do you think they’re a thing?” Hector asked, watching them.

“...Since when do you care?” Mallory replied in shock. “You don’t even know what a thing is!”

“I don’t care,” Hector replied, “I just wanted to know! I heard that Shelley-”

“Dude, that’s like asking if we’re a thing,” Mallory replied.

“...I don’t get it,” Hector said.

Mallory looked at Jon.

Jon shrugged.

Mallory sighed.

“Hector!”

“Shit,” Hector turned around to see that Cecilia had sat up in her bed.

She obviously had trouble doing so, as Shelley was trying to support her.

“You shouldn’t be up!” Shelley said.

“I’m just trying not to… not to…”

“Cecilia, get rest,” Hector said at a barely audible level.

When she didn’t lay back down, he sighed and walked down the aisle.

Mallory clicked his twice to get Jons attention and gestured towards Hector with his head.

Jon understood the sentiment, so he and Mallory followed after Hector.

Along the way, they passed by Tallow’s bed.

Jon figured if they left her alone like the others, she would eventually come to wake up herself. He wanted to let her get all the rest she needed, even if his heart ached to hear her snappy witticisms again, even if he didn’t understand what half of them meant.

It had only been half a day without her, and yet, even that seemed too much for Jon to have to deal with.

Hector came to Cecila’s bedside and sat down across from Shelley in an unusually cool and collected manner. Cecilia had been brought back down to the bed, and was laying with her eyes closed.

“Why would you do something so stupid?” Hector asked softly for such a harsh question.

“Are you gonna ask every girl in the tournament who fought that question?” Cecilia asked, her eyes still closed. “Even you can’t be that tacky, Hector.”

Hector grunted.

“...I did for a lot of reasons,” Cecilia replied. “Many of which involve you, Hector, but many of them involve me too. As well as my father and my family and other political issues.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Hector said firmly.

Cecilia opened her eyes and sat up in the bed.

“I mean, it doesn’t if you lack many of the details!” She cried out to him..

Hector seemed too taken back to come up with a good response.

“...Maybe you could ask,” Cecilia added, rolling her eyes.

“Uh… what other reasons?” Hector said, just barely following along.

“...I don’t think I can answer now…” Cecilia tried to stand up, but Shelley stopped her.

“You’ll have all the time to do so,” Shelley said, keeping her eyes on Hector.

It’s was Cecilia’s time to groan.

“Why did I have to be so weak?” she asked.

“You’re not weak,” Hector reassured. “A little foolish, sure.”

“I just wish I could have given Macy at least one good hit before she got me out,” Cecilia muttered. “Taken out by the trash, how ironic.”

This time, she pushed herself off of the bed fully with Shelley unable to stop her.

She stood and brushed the skirt of her dress off, which still had some dust from the makeshift arena.

Despite the large bruise on her cheek and the black eye, she seemed okay.

“Good luck with everything, Hector,” Cecilia said.

She reached out to his hand that was still on the bed and held it.

Hector didn’t fight it.

“Shelley, take me to my family,” Cecilia said. “They must be fretting.”

“Actually, your brother’s unconscious, and your father’s in shock,” Shelley explained.

“Oh… what happened out there?” Cecilia asked, confused.

Shelley and Mallory shared looks.

“...I’ll tell you later,” Shelley said. “Til next time, Hector?”

“Right,” Hector said. “Next time.

Shelley grabbed Cecilia’s other hand and led her to the door. After Cecilia’s hand left Hector’s, Hector held up his own hand and began to observe it, as something had been left behind.

“...You did better than you think,” Hector called after her.

“Thank you Hector,” Cecilia said as she was dragged to the door. “That means a lot... coming from you.”

The two girls exited the room.