Alchemist of Metals

Lisanna Zoldyck

Julian stood frozen, his eyes pale as he stared at the dead children surrounding him. The pools of fresh blood and gore reflected the ceiling lights, mingling with tears, urine, and vomit near the drainage grates. 

The air reeked of foul stench, so thick it choked his lungs. Right in front of him, the boy he had just shot remained dead with terrified look over the table, a thin drool dripping from his lips. Julian’s hands still shivered as the look of terror in the boy's eyes stuck in his mind.

With a clack, the glass boxes hissed open. The children scrambled out in panic, desperate to escape. Julian forced his trembling legs to move, stepping past the horror.

The examiner with the long coat walked back into the room, his boots clicking like gunshots against the bloody floor.

"Children of Zoldyck, congratulations on passing the first trial of the Trial of Metal," his angry voice echoed. "You'll be moving on. This trial was made to forge strength for the new age of Zoldyck and Brimstone. And if any of you think this is just for the lower branches, you're wrong. Even the main head's children are here. No one is treated special."

A tense ripple lingered through the crowd. Julian looked at the survivors. The main family children stood out, their eyes hollow and expressionless even after a room full of corpses. 

Julian, with his mixed black and white hair and lower branch bloodline, looked out of place.

"There will be nine trials," the examiner continued the explanation. "The highest ranking survivor will become the heir."

Heir. The word ignited ambition across the room before guards moved in to clear the bodies like trash.

As the children moved forward, there was a grey corridor with flickering lamps, and the children moved into the rooms they had been assigned to. Over eighty isolated cells awaited them.

The moment the door clicked shut behind Julian, he rushed to the bathroom and collapsed in front of the toilet slowly with a pale gaze. He vomited everything, clutching the tap as his stomach twitched in pain.

He stared into the mirror above the sink. His pale skin, cheeks, and dark eyes stared back like a stranger's. 

What were those memories? My past life? He muttered to himself, trying to steady his breathing. I need to calm down…

Then, footsteps tapped sharply behind him. It was more than one pair.

He turned around. A group of five teenagers blocked the exit. At the front, there was a girl with snow white hair and pale eyes, emanating the high-line royalty.

"That's him," one of the boys sneered, pointing a finger.

Julian blinked. "What's going on? Why is there a girl in the boys'—"

Wham!

A strong fist smashed into Julian's cheek, snapping his head sideways into the mirror with a crack. A follow-up kick to the chest made him kneel, wheezing on the tile floor. Someone in the background whispered in terror, "That's Lisanna… from the Higher-line…"

The blood dripped down from Julian's forehead, stinging his right eye as he coughed up blood too.

Lisanna folded her arms, her voice was sharp. "The boy you killed… he was my brother."

Julian's stomach dropped down. "Wait… I didn't know, I was just trying to survive…"

"Let's just kill him," a red-haired boy muttered, grabbing Julian by the collar and thrusting another punch into his stomach. "He's just trash."

"Choke him in the toilet," Lisanna ordered, clicking her tongue.

Two boys yanked Julian up, dragging his shoes across the floor as he gasped desperately for air. His vision faded to black as they pinned him down. So this is it. I'm going to die again.

"Enough."

The deep voice of a female guard cracked through the room, freezing everyone in place. She stepped into the doorway, her broad shoulders and stern expression showing sheer authority.

"No fights are allowed after a trial. What's going on here?" she asked, her voice booming.

Lisanna forced a mockery smirk. "Just taking out the trash."

The guard's gaze turned to anger. "Release him. Now. Unless you want to test the punishment rules for Higher-line children."

Lisanna twitched, her arrogance flickering. "…Let him go," she muttered.

Dropping Julian roughly to the floor, the group moved out from his room. The guard stared down at Julian. "Be careful, brat."

With his body aching and legs shaking, Julian helped himself up, moving step by step through the room under the guard's watch until he slept on his bed. And the guard left, locking his room.

The second the latch clicked, his knees gave out, and everything went black.