[ Hector's mind is a swirl, trying not to lose his grip on the situation, but scrambling to recall a moment whenever anyone from Dragon's Watch called him up just to chat, not only because they wanted something from him; there's a sinking in his chest as he thinks that maybe, the shadow is--

But the clash of sword on sword, coupled with the yell of his name has his eyes snap open and suddenly pull back into focus. ]

Huh?

[ Despite Albedo standing in the way, the shadow--though its features are obscured--seems to stare straight at Hector. He can't--he can't put Albedo in harm's way like this. So he leaps to the side, draws an arrow a little too far, letting the extra tension collide point-blank with the shadow, and the figure goes flying backwards, tumbling to the ground.

Albedo is safe, but-- ]

"̱̱̣͌̈́͛Ḧ̰̟̪́̕͡e͙̫̐̋c͓̜̹̻̈́̀̀̌͜t̟̟̾̊ö̜͍̖́̓̅r"̢̹̯̿̋́ ̨͍͈̘̆͌͌̿͜͞d̥͉͓̤̾̓̑͊o̗͚̝͑̍͐̉͟e̗̰͒̓̂͑͢ͅs̪̃ ͇̞̪̲̿̑͆̒no̟͛ť̨̮̳͎͇̒̂͆͝ ̭͝ȅ͍̭̻͊͌̂̔͟͢v̟̙͑͑͆̕͟͜e͖̍n̖͍͋̋ ̯͇̞̩̳̽̈́̉͝e̤̝͇̪͛͋̅̿x̦̃͊̈́ͅͅi̖̲̍̂̂̿͜ͅs̱͂t̥̕ ̗̯̃̎a̧̘̼̮̜͒̌̔͘̚n̮̮̎͘y͇͛m̲̻̈̃̅͢ò̩̱̝͓͛́̀͘ͅr̡̐̈́͢e̦̞͑͛̚͜.̙͌

[ The figure slowly gets back to its feet; Hector holds another arrow at the ready, but...doesn't move. ]