Who Needs Magic in a Fantasy World Anyway?

Chapter 9: A Family's Torment

David's P.O.V

"You damned coward!" David yelled, now pushed well past his limits at just the thought of his school rival assaulting his seven-year-old sister. And as he yelled, he grabbed the hilt of his sword, ready to face the consequences of killing this man himself rather than seeing his sister die.

"David, that's enough!" Benson suddenly snapped, though David wouldn't have been able to do anything anyway as Shell suddenly appeared beside him and grabbed a hold of his sword arm.

"But father! He-"

"David, I said that's enough. The decision has been made." Benson sided before he turned towards Ernie. "If that is your decision, then we'll meet you at the capital in a week's time from now."

"That sounds perfect." Ernie said before standing and nodding to David and heading towards the door. "Oh, pardon me."

Walking out the door, David followed Ernie past a shaking and pale Teya before he walked outside, just in time to see Ernie mount his horse and nod towards them in a friendly manner.

"I'll see you all in a week!" Ernie shouted behind him, and David clenched his fist as the man rode away, wanting more than anything to mount a horse and run the man down.

"I'm sorry... I didn't know of anything else I could do." David looked behind him to see his father kneeling down and embracing a stunned looking Koko.

"Mom, this... this can't be real, right?!" Teya ran from the house and and clung to Shell with tears streaming from her eyes. "Koko can't fight him! I- I'll fight, just don't make her!"

"We can't substitute her, not without breaking the law of the trial." Benson sounded broken as he spoke. "All of us would be executed after that."

"No..." Teya almost whispered before letting go of Shell to join their father in embracing Koko, only for the small girl to somehow slip away from both them and start running away from the mansion.

"Koko!" David yelled now, beginning to chase after her before he felt something holding him back, and he only realized that it was his mother after turning his head to find her clasping his shoulder.

"Let her go, David." Shell said in a whisper herself with tears beginning to slid down her cheeks. "I think we all know where she's going."

"But..." David started before tears of his own started collecting in his eyes and he looked in the direction where his little sister had ran, having a horrible feeling as if he was never going to see her again. "Koko..."

Koko's P.O.V

"A level thirty knight? How the heck am I supposed to beat a level thirty knight?!" Koko yelled at her training post in frustration as she struck it again and again, more furiously than ever before. There was no time to sleep, eat or drink, she had to train. She had to train herself so that she could somehow win... no, forget winning, she would be lucky if she would even survive this encounter at all.

"Did you really hate Ninja Clash 7 so much that you're doing this to me when I'm only seven?!" Koko cried, still striking the training post again and again while she spoke to the goddess. "I didn't like it either, so please stop this!"

Continuing to rain blow after blow on the training post, Koko couldn't even feel her limbs anymore as they were all numb both from overuse as well as pain. The knuckles of her gloves had long ripped away and currently had blood pouring from them. Blood was also dripping down both of her elbows with her knees and feet thankfully only being swollen.