Chapter 3: Bullied
As Sid walked home, lost in thought, he suddenly felt a rough hand grip his shoulder from behind. He turned around and saw his bully Zion grinning at him with malicious intent.
"Zion"
Before Sid could even react, Zion had him pinned against the wall of a nearby alleyway.
"So, little Sid, did you enjoy watching me outshine everyone else today?" he sneered.
"What's the matter, Sid? Too much of a wimp to join the test?"
Sid tried to push him away, but Zion was too strong.
"I didn't want to join, I don't care about becoming a knight." Sid protested.
Zion laughed cruelly. "Of course, you don't. You know you'd never make it. You're weak, you're weird, and you're never going to be anything in this world."
Sid felt a flicker of anger, but he pushed it down. He knew Zion was wrong. He might not be strong, but he had other qualities that Zion didn't - kindness, compassion, and empathy. But he also knew that he couldn't beat Zion in a fight.
He gritted his teeth and waited for Zion to let him go, hoping that the bully would get bored and walk away. But Zion wasn't done yet.
While being pinned to the wall, he noticed that a crowd had gathered around them. He could see people staring at him, but no one stepped forward to help. They were all too afraid of Zion and what he might do to them if they intervened. A future Knight was not someone they can afford to mess with.
He felt a sense of hopelessness wash over him. He was all alone, with no one to turn to for help.
As Zion continued to taunt him, Sid realized that he needed to find a way to escape. He mustered all his strength and tried to get back on his feet, but Zion kicked him back down.
Sid felt a wave of pain shoot through his body as he hit the ground. He knew that he couldn't take much more of this.
But how? he racked his brain, searching for a way out of this nightmare. He knew that he couldn't just lie there and take it forever. He needed to find a way to fight back.
"What are you doing to my grandson ?" As soon as Old man Ray saw Sid's pitiful condition, he ran towards them, his wrinkled face contorted in anger.
But before he could reach them, Zion quickly turned and delivered a swift kick, sending the old man tumbling to the ground.
Sid's heart raced with fear as he struggled to stand up. With all his strength, he lunged forward and bit down hard on Zion's foot.
Zion yelped in pain and stumbled back, giving Sid enough time to help his grandfather up and run away as fast as they could.
But their escape was cut short by the sudden appearance of Zion's gang. They had been waiting for them, and there was no escape.
Sid's heart pounded with fear as he looked around at the gang of boys, all much bigger and stronger than him.
Zion stepped forward, a cruel grin on his face as he looked down at them.
"Thought you could get away, huh? You should know better than to mess with me."
Sid stayed silent, but his grandfather spoke up, his voice shaky but determined.
"Leave my grandson alone. He's done nothing to you."
"Maybe not, but he's weak and pathetic. And that's enough for me to mess with him."Zion just laughed.
Sid felt a surge of anger rises up inside him, but he tried to keep it in check. He knew that fighting back would only make things worse.
"Please, young master, spare my grandson. He has done you no harm."
The boy sneered down at him, enjoying the power he held over the old man.
"Why should I spare him? He's just a weakling, like his grandfather."
Old man Ray's heart sank, realizing there was nothing he could say or do to change Zion's mind. But he refused to give up.
"Please, have mercy. We will never trouble you again. Just let us go in peace."
Zion considered his words for a moment, relishing in the fear he saw in the old man's eyes. Finally, he spoke.
"Very well. You can go, but if I ever see your faces again, I won't hesitate to teach you both a lesson you'll never forget."
With that, Zion turned and walked away, his gang following closely behind him. Old man Ray breathed a sigh of relief and helped his grandson to his feet.
Inside their small shack.
"Be still, my boy. I'll put this salve on your bruises and you'll be as good as new," said Old man Ray as he carefully dabbed Sid's wounds.
"But Grandpa, when will this stop?" Sid asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Old man Ray sighed deeply before replying,
"I don't know, my boy. But Zion will leave the village once he became an official knight apprentice"
Sid felt a jumble of emotions after hearing his grandpa's statement. He didn't know what to feel. Should he be happy that Zion would be gone, or should he be sad that his bully would be able to walk the path of knighthood?
As he contemplated this, Old man Ray looked at him with a tender expression.
"Don't worry, Sid," he said.
"Whatever happens, know that I will always be proud of you. You have a good heart, and that is worth more than any amount of power."
Sid felt a warmth in his chest at his grandpa's words. He knew that they were true. He may not be the strongest or the most talented, but he was a good person. And that was something to be proud of.
As the sun began to set, grandfather Ray sat in silence, lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly, a loud knock at the door broke his attention.
"Who could it be at this hour? "
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone