The alarm blared at 7 AM. Ethan groaned, slapping it off.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes. Something felt off…
Then it hit him.
"Homework!"
He scrambled to his desk. Books lay untouched, worksheets half-crumpled, and not a single essay in sight.
Ethan—King Aldric, Slayer of Armies and Commander of the Iron Legion— had forgotten the modern kingdom's most dreadful task.
Schoolwork.
---
At School – First Period
"Ethan, where's your assignment?" Mr. Davis asked, frowning as he scanned the class.
Ethan straightened in his seat. "I… was busy."
Mr. Davis raised an eyebrow. "Busy with what?"
"Leading a kingdom to victory." Ethan thought.
Instead, he said, "Training."
The class laughed.
"Outside. Now."
Ethan sighed and stood up. As he walked to the door, another student got up from the back.
Jay.
He smirked at Ethan as they stood outside. "Guess you didn't do the homework either, huh?"
Ethan crossed his arms. "It slipped my mind."
Jay leaned against the wall. "Slipped mine too—by about four days."
The two stood in silence for a moment before Jay broke it.
"So… what's your deal?" Jay asked, eyeing Ethan. "You've been different lately. Less… scared."
Ethan shrugged. "I just decided to stop letting people walk over me."
Jay grinned. "I like it. We need more of that around here."
---
Lunch Break
Ethan and Jay sat on the benches outside, discussing video games Jay played (which Ethan pretended to understand).
That's when they heard it—Lily's voice.
"Hey, stop!"
Ethan turned sharply.
Across the courtyard, Lily was cornered by three girls. The leader, Claire, smirked, tugging at Lily's backpack.
"Little Ethan's sister, huh? Maybe if he wasn't such a showoff, you wouldn't be in this mess."
Ethan's eyes darkened.
Jay nudged him. "Dude, you're not gonna let that slide, are you?"
"No," Ethan said, already moving.
---
After School
The girls were laughing near the school gate when Ethan approached them.
Lily trailed behind him nervously.
Ethan stood in front of Claire, his expression calm but cold. "Leave Lily alone."
Claire chuckled, flipping her hair. "Or what? You gonna write us a strongly worded essay?"
Ethan didn't flinch. He grabbed his water bottle, twisted the cap off, and—splash.
Water drenched Claire's face.
She gasped, shrieking as her makeup ran down her cheeks.
The other girls stepped back, horrified.
"You little—!" Claire stammered, glaring at Ethan.
The crowd around them erupted into whispers and laughter.
Ethan simply shrugged. "I warned you."
But as Ethan turned to walk away, a shadow loomed over him.
Tyler. Claire's boyfriend.
He was broad, built like a tank, and looked about two grades older.
Tyler cracked his knuckles. "You've got guts, kid. But no one messes with Claire."
Ethan sized him up. This guy was built for fighting.
But Ethan wasn't backing down.
---
The Fight
Tyler swung first. Ethan ducked, barely avoiding the hit. He countered with a jab to the ribs—but it felt like hitting a brick wall.
Tyler grinned. "That all you got?"
Ethan gritted his teeth. His punches were quick, but Tyler's sheer strength overwhelmed him. After a few minutes, Ethan stumbled back, breathing heavily.
Tyler advanced, ready to finish him.
Suddenly—Jay tackled Tyler from the side.
"Surprise!" Jay yelled, laughing as he clung to Tyler's arm.
"Jay, what are you doing?!" Ethan gasped.
"Helping!" Jay grinned.
Together, Ethan and Jay worked in sync. Ethan aimed low, sweeping Tyler's legs, while Jay distracted him from the top.
With one final push, Tyler hit the ground hard.
Groaning, Tyler rolled onto his side. "Alright… alright! I give!"
Ethan stood over him. "Leave Lily alone. And tell Claire the same thing."
Tyler nodded, defeated.
---
Later That Evening
Jay patted Ethan on the back. "Dude, that was awesome! We make a pretty good team."
Ethan smirked. "I suppose we do."
As they walked home, Lily grinned up at Ethan. "Thanks for standing up for me."
Ethan ruffled her hair. "That's what big brothers are for."
For the first time, Ethan realized—this wasn't just about battles anymore.
He wasn't protecting a kingdom.
He was protecting his family.