A satisfying crack rang out as the end of Loid’s spear collided with Roy’s skull. The red-haired man was sent stumbling back, dizzy as the dimly-lit world spun in his vision, and quickly he lost his footing and crashed onto the floor. He groaned in pain, a light trickle of blood seeping out from the side of his head.

Seeing this, Alistair rushed out of the building, leaving the task of dealing with Roy to the others. Loid narrowed his eyes, brimming with determination. He held his spear in front of him like a club. As pissed as he was with Roy, he didn’t want to kill him—not yet, at least; he’d answer for what he’d done, first.

Loid began to carefully approach Roy, who rolled over in pain, clasping at his head as he groaned. For just a moment Loid faltered, lowering his weapon, and it was then that Roy sprang up for a counterattack.

Roy threw out an arm, flinging a dagger at Loid. It struck him in the left shoulder—a sloppy hit, the wound shallow enough that the weapon bounced off and clattered to the ground, but it was enough to make Loid flinch, staggering back in pain. Roy leapt up to his feet and towards Loid, instantly closing the distance between them as Loid recoiled.

Loid made to swing his spear again, but he was too slow. Roy raised one leg in a hasty kick, slamming it into Loid’s left arm, twisting it and digging his boot into his side. He gasped, the wind knocked out of him from the hit; Roy pushed the offensive, swinging his arm forward.

Loid leaned back, the dagger clasped in Roy’s hand whizzing just an inch past his head. But before that attack had even fully passed, Roy shot his other arm forward, driving a firm uppercut into his chin. The strike sent him staggering backwards, collapsing to the ground just as Roy had a moment earlier.

Roy almost seemed to growl as he stepped forward. Loid swung his spear down, smashing its end into the ground from his low position, but Roy easily sidestepped the attack, raising one leg and slamming yet another kick into Loid’s side. He cried out as the hit threw him into a sideways somersault, his head smacking against the stone wall of the ruin as he rose from the roll.

Roy: “Damn it, Loid! You traitor! I wouldn’t have to do this if you hadn’t shacked up with this worthless woman!”

Choking out those vulgar words with venom in his spittle, Roy began to close in on Loid again, only stopping short as a dagger whizzed by in front of his face. The metal crashed against the wall, clattering to the ground.

Roy slowly turned to direct his scowl at Jacqueline, who’d risen to a crouch. Blood cascaded down from both ends of the deep gash in her arm, outstretched after throwing the dagger back at its owner. Her other arm held the crying Jackie tightly to her chest. Her defiant red eyes stuck out in the darkness, almost appearing to glow.

Roy ground his teeth at the sight of her, his fist shaking as he clenched it. “Sit down, bitch.”

Jacqueline: “Make me.”

His breath shook, his teeth chattering against each other. “I told you to get the fuck down, woman. Don’t test me!”

Jacqueline: “Oh? Am I meant to be scared of you?”

Roy: “DAMN RIGHT, YOU SHOULD BE SCARED OF ME!” He howled, throwing his arm out to the side and stamping his foot into the ground. “I got your arm so bad, you couldn’t even hit me. I kicked Loid’s ass. Don’t you get it?”

A drop of blood slipped past his teeth as his voice gradually rose again, “You’re looking down on me! Every last one of you treat me like I’m nothing! Well, who’s laughing now!? I won! I beat both of you! You’re gonna fucking die, and I’m gonna come out on top!”

His chest pounded as he shouted, continuing even as he was out of breath. “I hate you. I’ve always hated you, do you understand that? You arrogant, haughty little bitch and your stupid kid. Everything started going wrong when you showed up. It’s all your fault, isn’t it?”

Jacqueline: “You sure it isn’t just that you’re a piece of shit?” She replied, her voice and expression remaining neutral, though she couldn’t hide the sweat rolling down her cheek.

Roy: “There it is again! You think you’re so much better than me! Well, YOU AREN’T!” He roared, bulging red veins carving into his face, his eyes nearly bloodshot. “I get it. I get it now, I understand. All this time, you’ve been sabotaging me, haven’t you? You tricked everyone. Made them hate me.”

Gritting her teeth, Jacqueline remained silent, unable to even muster a response.

Roy: “I knew it! I knew it, you damn…” Trailing off, his voice finally sank down to a reasonable volume. “But, it doesn’t matter now. You’ll be out of my way. Forever. You’ll get what you deserve.”

With that, he turned back to Loid on the ground. Jacqueline grunted, rising up to pursue him, but he whirled back around, his expression contorting as he waved his dagger around and shouted,

Roy: “DON’T YOU FUCKING MOVE! Stay right there, or I’ll put this right between your eyes—no, even better, I’ll skewer that worthless sack of shit in your arms! You understand me!?”

Jacqueline’s breath shook, and she closed both arms around Jackie, hands shaking with fury. She let out a slow hiss of a breath and raised her head to Roy, glaring at him with the same defiant eyes as before.

Jacqueline: “Well then? Do it.”

Roy’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a response, and Jacqueline pushed further, suddenly rising up to her feet.

Jacqueline: “Do it! I dare you, asshole! Kill me or my kid right now, if you’re so pissed with us.”

Roy: “You think this is a game, Jacqueline!?” He tightened his grip around the hilt of his dagger, his whole body shaking in anger. “I will! Don’t fucking test me!”

Jacqueline: “You really will? Then why are you still yelling at me instead of doing it?” She cocked her head, mocking him. “I guess you aren’t dumb enough to try, are you?”

Roy: “You insulting me!?” He barked, sputtering through his words, “You—I ain’t, you, you’re tricking me, aren’t you, damn woman!?”

Jacqueline: “Me, trick you? Why, I would never.”

Roy: “I’ll kill you, damn it!”

Jacqueline: “Then do it.”

With an exasperated growl, Roy clasped his head in his free hand, digging his nails into his skin, yanking at his own hair, drawing blood from sheer anger. His eyes bulged out, shaking and unfocused.

Jacqueline: “Well? What’s the hold up, coward?”

Roy: “I SAID, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!!!”

Slamming one foot into the ground, Roy lurched towards Jacqueline, flinging his dagger forwards. Clutching Jackie in her arms, she whirled around, letting the blade strike her back.

Roy: “THERE! I warned you, you STUPID WHO—“

For the second time, a satisfying crack rang out. Loid had leapt up to his feet, this time slamming the spear into Roy’s side, breaking a rib.

Roy stumbled and swung a hand at Loid, but his attack fell short. In attacking Jacqueline, he’d left himself unarmed.

Loid raised his spear and brought it down on Roy’s shoulder, causing him to crumple to the ground.

Loid: “That’s for kicking the shit out of me.”

Howling in pain as he crashed to the ground, Roy desperately kicked out at Loid, but he slammed the spear down on his leg, smashing it into the ground.

Loid: “That’s for calling Jacqueline a bitch.”

Roy shrieked in rage, shoving one elbow into the stone floor to brace himself, throwing his body upwards to claw at Loid. He swung his spear again to bat Roy’s arm down to the ground. Stepping forward, he then placed a foot down on his arm before he could raised it again, lifting the spear up in both hands before thrusting it straight down, impaling the palm of Roy’s hand.

Loid: “That’s for threatening to hurt Jackie.”

Roy screamed out in pain, writhing helplessly, slinging curses up at Loid. The lanky man looked down at Roy with an almost pitiful expression as he adjusted his glasses, then taking a deep breath as he raised one leg. He slammed it down, crushing Roy’s head underfoot, a broken, bloody tooth spilling out of his mouth along with his choked wails.

Loid: “And that one… is for being a piece of shit.”