Steel bound Alchemist

Prologue (2)

As I opened my eyes, I was met with the harsh bright light of the sun. I clenched my eyes shut and snuggled deeper into the warmth surrounding me.

'Wait...wasn't it raining last night?'

I bolted upright in alarm, ignoring the lightheaded feeling that rushed over me from the sudden movement so I could look at my surroundings. I was in a bed, the blankets partially crumpled as they draped across the bed, one close to falling completely off. The room I was in was simple, a light was sitting on a small table to the left of me, a door in the far left wall, another door was across from me and a bookshelf stood beside it, decorated with a small collection of books and pictures.

I quietly slid out of the bed onto the hard wood floor, walking closer to examine one of the pictures. It depicted three people, a girl my age with short blonde hair, blue eyes and a hat that looked a little too big for her smiled proudly between a man and a woman. The woman to the right had striking blue eyes and long wavy blonde hair, a gentle smile and a hand tenderly placed atop the girl's head. The man to the right was bent down to fit in the frame, his eyes were blue, but soft and gentle, he had his blonde hair combed back, but a few stray strands hung above his eyes. I focused more on the man and woman, my eyes drawn to them.

"I've seen these two before," I spoke softly to myself, "Where have I seen them?"

The sound of muffled voices followed by footsteps up the stairs startled me from my thoughts. Someone was coming. I put a hand to my face, my eyes! They're still red! If they find out I'm Ishvalan, what would they do to me? Turn me in to the military, the State Alchemists, or would they just kill me themselves? I frantically scanned the room for my bag. 'No good!' I thought, 'It's right next to the door, I won't have enough time to even draw the circle!' Heart racing and breath shallow, I grabbed a heavy metal decoration from the shelf and dove under the bed, quietly shuffling my body to face the door, if all else failed, at least I had something to defend myself with. I took a deep breath as I heard the footsteps stop and saw the door in front of me open slowly. My body wouldn't stop trembling as I feared for the worst to come in through the door.

"Hello?"

My mind blanked for a moment as a young girl's voice filled the silence. Small pale feet appeared from behind the door, "Huh? But Granny said she was in here, where did she go?" The girl said to herself as she approached my hiding place. I shrunk further back away from where she stood as the sound of metal sliding on wood followed by the clink of something being set down on the table reached my ears. Her legs shifted slightly where she stood, "Her bag is still here, so she couldn't have gone far, right?" I held my breath as I watched the girl walk towards the other door, opening it carefully. "Are you in here?" She called out.

'I wouldn't respond even if I was,' I thought to myself fearfully. The click of the door brought me out of my thoughts, I watched as she walked towards the door she came through, hoping that she would leave. She paused, almost as if she heard my thoughts, and turned towards the bed. No no no! I'm not here, get out! Go away!!!!

"Maybe..."she said in thought. I shrunk back against the wall as she slowly approached the bedside. My body tensed as she slowly sunk down onto all fours, I clenched my eyes in fear, fearing the worst as I knew she could see me.

"Hi there!"

I flinched as my eyes flung open, startled by the friendly greeting. My head hit the frame of the bed, the dull thud echoed in my hiding place and into my skull. Refusing to cry, I let out a stream of air through my teeth as I reached up to rub my now throbbing head. I slowly opened my eyes, meeting the same blue eyes of the girl from the picture. Her eyes showed no malice, no disgust, only innocence. 'Of course she wouldn't understand the hatred her people have for mine,' I thought, 'she's just a kid!' I glared at her, white knuckling my weapon as I watched her, waiting for her to attack.