Conviction

"You haven't been behaving properly, Ethan." Thump...thump...thump. James feet pounded as he walked towards him. "I heard that you're giving the KGS entrance exams. I was really disappointed." He clicked his tongue. "Douglas is the pride of Centin. He's going to get into KGS by representing all of us. So why are you getting in his way?"

Huff...huff...huff. "I...I wasn't getting in his way." Ethan's voice shook. "I...I want to get into KGS too. It's my dream." He stuttered. He was scared. Why was he afraid of this lackey, this third-rate villain? "You...you want to get into KGS? Hahahahaha!" Everybody laughed.

"So let me get this straight. You were going to go to Dragopolis so that you could get into KGS? Hahahaha!" Ethan frowned. "What's wrong with wanting to get into KGS?" "Hey buddy, the jokes going too far." A fat boy glared threateningly at him. The same one he had beaten up the other day.

"Look Ethan." James sighed as if Ethan was making the biggest mistake in the world. "We all know that the only reason you're going to Dragopolis is so that you can be near Douglas. He's going to be a star in Centin! Why else would you waste your time going there?"

"What do you mean? I'm going there because I want to get into KGS." "Hahaha! Are you serious?" James stopped smiling. "Alright then. Cancel your ticket." "Huh?" "Cancel your ticket to Dragopolis." James dropped his friendly pretense immediately.

"Why," asked Ethan. "Dragopolis is a big city. We don't need a shit stain on Douglas' reputation when he goes there. Imagine what'll happen if they find out that he went to school with somebody who's potential is F rank."

Dragopolis was a dangerous place. It was a place where the best and the worst of people gathered. Strength didn't dictate anything here. What mattered was connections. Who you knew and which faction you were a part of mattered a lot. Someone like Douglas, who was a big shot in Centin, was nothing in a place like KGS.

Ethan had to agree- if the fact that he was in Douglas' school got out, he'd have a tough time. Other people wouldn't hesitate to put him down and snatch his place from whatever faction he was in. But the thing was- Ethan didn't care.

"So what," he muttered. "What'd you say?" James looked dangerously at him. "I said so what?" Ethan shouted. "Douglas is a piece of shit who doesn't deserve to go to Keystone. If going to Dragopolis will give him a hard time, I'll gladly go there!" Huff...huff...huff. Everybody was silent. "I see," said James.

"Bring her here," he commanded. Tap...tap...tap. Slam! Two boys threw a girl in front of him. "Ethan? Etan, is that you? Ethan! Help me! They tied me up. They told me that you got into an accident." Ethan was shocked. It was his sister-Estelle. Her hands were bound together and her black hair was messy. Her wrists were injured and her face was swollen, as if somebody had hit her.

Ethan felt weak. This was it. This was just what he had feared. "Do you know what's going to happen to us?" James stepped forward. "Nothing. Literally fucking nothing." He grabbed Estelle's hair. "Let go of me you asshole!" Slap! James smacked her face. "Please! Not my family. Please don't hurt my family," mumbled Ethan.

Huff..huff..huff. "We're backed by the Head of Centin. Douglas is backed by Stella Corp. What the hell can you do?" James acted as if he hadn't heard Ethan. "You're dad works in Stella, right?" He threw Estelle forward. "Ow! Please help me! Why are you doing this?" she screamed. "One word and he gets fired. You guys become homeless and get kicked out of Centin." He smiled evilly. "Still going to Dragopolis?"

Ethan closed his eyes. This wasn't real. This was fake. It was a dream. It had to be. Huff...huff...huff. "Don't listen to him, Ethan. You've worked hard for this. You can't give up right now!" Slam! He could hear somebody hitting his sister. Why couldn't he do anything? Why couldn't he protect her? Why couldn't he protect his family?

Huff..huff..huff. "Make a decision. This isn't like the other times. One wrong word and your life's over." Why did he have to bend to these people. Why did Douglas deserve to go to KGS? Why not him? Why did Crookie have to get hurt?

Huff..huff..huff. "Speak quickly! Or you'll be responsible for what happens to your sister." Responsibility. Yes. He was responsible for what happened to Crookie. If only he'd gone with him that day. If only he could rescue his sister.

Huff..huff..huff. "Hey weakling! Can you hear me?" Hear? Yes, he could hear him. He could hear his ragged voice. He could smell his sweat. He could feel his pressure. But...he couldn't breath. Huf...huff...huff. Just like that day, he couldn't breath.

Ethan opened his eyes. His sharp blue eyes. "Hey Ethan! I'm running out of patience." He wasn't the same guy who'd been beaten up by Douglas. He wasn't the same guy who'd lost his only friend. He wasn't Ethan Miller. He wasn't the boy. No. He was both of them. He was their strengths combined.

"James," he spoke. "Don't ever touch my family." He glared at him. Those two blue eyes seemed to bore into James. They unnerved him. They made him feel as if he wasn't in control. "Seems like you've still gotten some spunk in you. Get him."

Slam! The fat boy was blown away as Ethan punched him. Every stopped moving. "You've made three mistakes today," he said. Whoosh! The wind whistled as he rushed towards the boy. "One. You're associated with Douglas." Slam! Ethan slammed his elbow into the boy's face. "Two. You interfered in my business." Punch! Ethan's eyes were focused on James. They never left him, even as he beat up somebody else. "And three. You messed with my family." Crack! "Aaaah! My arm!" Ethan broke the boy's arm.

The boy was a bloody mess. His nose was bent at an odd angle. His arm hung limply and his breathing was ragged. Kick! Ethan stepped on his face. He was still staring at James.

"You...you think this changes anything?" James stuttered. Ethan's display of strength has terrified him. "You're making things tough for yourself. You're dead now." "That may be," said Ethan. "But for now, you're the one who's in danger."

"Dammit! He's just one guy! Get him!" The boys rushed towards him as they drew their weapons. Swords. They had drawn swords. Well, if they were going to play with weapons, he wasn't going to stop them. Shing! He unsheathed his knife as he rushed at them. "Yaaah." A bully screamed as he rushed at Ethan with his sword held above. Whoosh! Ethan ducked underneath his swing as he moved to his left. Slash! He slashed to his right. "Urk"

"Together! Together! Attack him together!" Three bullies attacked him at once as their swords headed towards him. Clang! Clang! Ethan parried them with his knife. Slash! "Urk," he groaned as a sword cleaved at his arm. His eyes glowed.

Schwop! "Aargh! Help me!" Ethan plunged his knife into the bully's shoulder. He couldn't kill them. Frustratingly, he couldn't. But that was ok. He'd only beat them up right now. Consequences came later. "He...he's crazy!"

"Who were the ones who drew their blades first," he shouted. Slash! Slash! Slash! He slashed violently as four bullies appeared in front of him. The light was reflected in his black blade as he attacked mercilessly.

"Taste blood assholes. I need to repay the favour. After all, you've let me its taste know very thoroughly for the last three years." Forwards. Stab! Backwards. Slash! "Get it together! He's only one guy!" James was practically screaming as his entire world collapsed around him.

Slash! Slash! "Aah!" The last round of bullies fell to the ground clutching their chest. Ethan oddly reminisced about the goblins as looked at them with disgust. This felt good. Really good. The feeling of punishing these pieces of trash with nothing but his strength made him feel good.

Ethan walked towards James. "Stay...stay away from me," he stuttered. "Not so tough now, are we?" Slam! James flew back as Ethan punched him in the face. "Hahahaha!" He was crazy. He was getting beaten up, and he was laughing. Slash! Ethan freed his sister as he cut the ropes binding her.

Tap...tap...tap. He walked towards James. "You...you may have beaten me up. Cough...cough...cough. But there's nothing you can do." James spit out blood. He was clinging to the little power he had as he was losing everything. "You...urk...your dad is in trouble. They've...cough...sent men to your house. You can't do anything." He smiled. He was missing teeth.

Ethan froze. His father. They were targeting his father as well? Smash! "Where is my father? What have they done to him?" "Cough...cough. I don't know. I've already told them that you...urk...didn't listen. Enjoy living on the streets, Miller." Huff...huff...huff. Ethan's feet shook. They were going to attack his father.

Punch! Kick! Punch! He vented his anger on the human sandbag in front of him. "Aaah! Aaah! Aaah!" James screamed in agony as all of his bones were broken. "You....goddamn asshole" Punch! "You're always putting me through hell!" Crack! "Fuck you! Fuck you Fuck you!" Punch! "Just leave me alone!" Punch Crack! Splat! "Fuck you James! Fuck you Douglas. Fuck you!" Slam!

He didn't believe James. James was somebody who enjoyed power and abused it. He'd do anything to feel like he was in control, even if he was dying. Smash! Crack! But Ethan had had enough. He wouldn't buy his lies. Crash! James crashed into the wall as he fainted. He lay still. Huf...huff...huff. He had messed with the wrong person. Today, Ethan wouldn't bend. He'd finish the job. Slam!