Ezra opened his eyes slowly. His whole body felt stiff. Sweat covered his skin, mixing with dried streaks of blood from the small cracks on his arms. He lay still for a moment, staring at the grey concrete ceiling.
His breathing came rough. His throat felt dry.
I've been fainting too much since this trial started, he thought. The thought made him chuckle weakly, though his ribs hurt when he did.
Then…
BAAAWH!!
The horn blasted through the room. The sound felt like needles inside his skull. Ezra winced and covered his ears before slowly rolling onto his side. It took him more than a minute and thirty seconds to push himself off the ground. His arms shook. His legs felt heavy. But when he finally stood, he felt it—something new inside his body. A strange clarity. A deeper strength running through him like warm water. Not much, but enough to notice.
He flexed his hand. His fingers cracked. He stretched until his back popped.
"Arg… this hurts more than when I trained myself almost to death," he muttered, but a faint grin pushed onto his face.
He closed his eyes and focused. Inside his mind, he saw it—the half-formed star he created. Cognis flowed around it. Some of it leaked into his veins, moving slowly like warm threads under his skin.
"From what I read… I can't call myself an Alchemist yet," he whispered. "But with the elixir… I should reach a full star."
He clenched his fist. His grin faded.
A sharp smell hit his nose.
He sniffed the air, confused. Then he lifted his arm and smelled his armpit.
Cough. Cough.
"Damn… that's awful." He fanned his shirt. "I need a bath fast or I'll be late." He looked at the stained floor where he meditated. "I should clean this too… I hope I don't get killed for being late."
His stomach growled loud.
"Great… I also need to eat." He held his stomach and limped toward the door, each step stiff from the remaining pain.
***
The hall buzzed with noise. Students rushed in, trying not to arrive late. Some stood tall and confident. Others hugged themselves or rubbed their hands together, whispering about the level they needed to pass.
Vera stood at the center of her group. Nina and Zack stood on each side of her like guards. The rest of her members surrounded her in a loose circle. They walked close to her, almost like puppies staying near their owner.
They spoke in quick whispers:
"Today's the big day."
"We awaken Cognis…"
"What if one of us doesn't reach the cutoff?"
"Don't jinx it."
"Vera will definitely get the highest."
"Yes… only she can stand at the top."
Vera didn't react. Her eyes scanned the hall slowly. Her face stayed calm, almost bored, but a small twitch in her eyebrow showed she was looking for something—or someone.
Then another group approached.
A girl stepped out from the front of them. Her steps were slow on purpose. Her smile smug.
"I'm hearing things," she said loudly. "Is your group really this delusional?"
Several heads snapped toward her.
Priscilla stood with her hands crossed, chin lifted, showing every bit of her arrogance.
"To think your dogs believe you could get first place," she said to Vera. "When Veda exists. And also, me." She chuckled.
"How dare you!" Nina stepped in front of Vera, blocking Priscilla's view. Nina's voice shook, but she still spoke. "Lady Priscilla, you can't talk to my Lady like that!"
Priscilla looked at Nina as if she'd stepped on something filthy.
"And who are you to talk back to me… Nina." Her glare made Nina flinch.
Nina stepped back fast and hid behind Vera. Her body shook, but she grabbed Vera's arm tightly, forcing herself to keep eye contact with Priscilla.
"It's yo…u I'm t…alking to," she shot back, voice cracking.
Priscilla's eyebrow twitched.
The audacity.
"Vera, why can't you train your dogs?" she snapped. "And look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Pamela walked out from Vera's side, looking irritated.
"Stop yelling, Priscilla."
Priscilla smirked. "If it isn't the goon girl—Pamela."
Pamela's face tensed. "Who are you calling a goon girl?"
"Well… aren't you the one who likes…"
"Priscilla!" Pamela's face turned red. "Don't bring that up here!"
Everyone stared. Some tilted their heads. Pamela froze like a cat caught hissing at nothing.
"What are you all staring at?!" she snapped. Everyone turned away instantly.
"And you…" she pointed at Priscilla. "Better start worrying about yourself before looking for enemies to make when Bale wants you dead, and who knows maybe the next Trial might be your funeral."
Priscilla's confident posture faltered.
"You think I'm scared of him?" She stepped forward, stopping right in front of Pamela. The air around them turned tense—sharp enough for even Vera to look up.
"I don't play cat and dog with people who want to kill me and people I want to kill like you," Priscilla whispered coldly. She leaned forward, lips brushing Pamela's ear. "Your dead brother must be crying. How his failure of a sister failed to avenge him."
Pamela froze. Her hands trembled. Rage climbed up her neck.
"You—bitch!" Pamela swung her fist.
Thump!
Her punch stopped mid-air.
Vera's hand held it effortlessly.
Pamela and Priscilla both stared.
Vera looked at Pamela first, tilting her head slightly.
"Why so violent today, my cute Pamela?" Vera gently pushed Pamela back as if she were cleaning dust off her. Then she faced Priscilla. "Are you really this hungry for my attention?"
Nina grabbed Pamela's hand and pulled her back. Pamela kept glaring; jaw tight.
"Who wants your attention?" Priscilla scoffed, flipping her white hair.
Everyone in Vera's group thought the same thing at once:
Aren't YOU the one causing trouble?
"I was just teaching your dogs since their master does nothing," Priscilla said. "Your second in command even tried to hit me."
Vera's lips curved slightly—not a smile, but close. She rolled a strand of hair around her finger.
"Teach?" she said softly.
She took two small steps forward.
"At least my dogs know how to bite people higher than them."
She glanced at Priscilla's group.
"Unlike your puppies. They cry when they see someone above them, but what do I expect when their leader is just a glorified princess with daddy issues"
Vera's group almost exploded with laughter, most swallowed it back at the last second. Even some from Priscilla's group turned away, embarrassed for her.
Priscilla's face flushed red. "What… yo…"
"Sheesh." Vera raised one finger and pressed it lightly onto Priscilla's lips. "Didn't I warn you? Don't call Pamela goon girl again. A stalker like you has no right to give others nicknames." She tilted her head. "Mmm, I think we should start calling you stalker girl?"
"Yes!" Nina yelled. Zack quickly covered Nina's mouth and dragged her back.
Vera continued. "Also, you should really be worried about my little brother Bale and his lackeys. Unlike your puppies…" she glanced at them "…his own knows how to bite."
She was about to walk off when Priscilla shouted:
"I heard a rumor."
Vera paused; eyes half-closed.
"You met with Pamela's killer," Priscilla smirked. "People are saying you tried to seduce your fiancé's killer…"
"You really are an idiot." Vera didn't even turn around when she said it.
The two groups went silent.
Priscilla's eyes widened.
"Do I look like someone who cares?" Vera asked calmly. "It's Pamela's revenge, not mine. He didn't cross me, and this is the Trial of Steel. Everyone here…my followers, your followers, you…are all my enemies until the trial ends."
She brushed her hair back.
"If I spend time with my brother's killer, it's because he survived. Crossing me is another story."
She walked away; voice steady.
"It's honestly strange you're a mainline. You act more like a bastard child."
She signed
"Maybe you are one"
"Whhat!" Priscilla exploded and charged at her.
Her group grabbed her immediately.
"Lady Priscilla, please!"
"Stop!"
"Let me go!" she screamed.
"You'll get punished! Lady Priscilla"
"Let me go, let me beat this bitch down" Priscilla struggled to free herself "Aaaaahhhhhh!"
Priscilla's group pulled her back to their side leaving Vera's group back to where their remaining members stood.
Pamela watched Vera leave. A small breath escaped her, almost like a laugh at the line about revenge.
More of the children rushed inside. Guards moved to close the doors when from the left entrance, Felix's group walked in, laughing loudly and from the right entrance, Ezra stepped into the hall at the same time.
The hooded girl from Felix's group noticed him instantly.
"Ah!" pointing at him
Everyone turned.
Ezra stared back at them, stiff and awkward.