Life as Drace Metis

"Woe to your enemies, for they shall shudder at the mere mention of your name, Drace Abigor. Let the silent blue sky break."

With a single step, he appeared before the white door.

With another, he vanished into it, leaving behind the hall that had witnessed the dawn of a new era.

---

After Drace Metis' figure dissipated from the mysterious hall, he found himself submerged in a dense, fluid-filled space, as though he were drowning in a pool of water. He attempted to open his eyes but found he could not. Panic gripped him momentarily before he forced himself to calm down, relying on his sense of smell to gather information about his surroundings. To his surprise, he could breathe with ease, but an overpowering metallic scent assaulted his nostrils, a scent he instantly recognized as blood.

Strangely enough, despite the surreal nature of his situation, he felt a peculiar sense of comfort. Attempting to move his hands, he quickly realized something alarming, his arms were small and chubby, like those of an infant.

'Wait… Did I turn into a baby in an unknown womb?' he thought, as the sensation of the amniotic fluid surrounding him became more apparent.

A wave of worry washed over him. 'I hope I'm still human and not some other creature... My hands and legs feel human enough.' Testing his limbs, he wiggled both hands and feet, a sense of relief filling him.

'I'm not dreaming, am I?' A comforting warmth enveloped his small body as though something, or someone was reassuring him that everything would be okay. Before long, the memories of his past life as Drace Metis flooded his still-developing brain.

He had been born into the royal family of the Skyslayer Empire as the illegitimate son of the third royal prince, Brown Metis. His birth had been kept a secret because his bastard of a father had threatened his mother, warning her never to reveal their connection. If she disobeyed, he vowed to erase not only their child but her entire family as well.

Terrified by the threat, Drace's mother had left her family home and chosen to live in solitude, raising him alone.

She had every reason to fear Brown Metis. He was a man with the power to bring ruin to a duke's household and possessed a real chance at succeeding the throne. Compared to him, she was nothing, a commoner with no powerful connections. Her only crime was her beauty, which had briefly captivated the prince's interest. For a fleeting moment, she had naively believed that he loved her. That illusion was shattered the moment Brown learned of her pregnancy. He had abandoned her, never visiting again, except for the day she gave birth to Drace, and that was also the day he had delivered his chilling threat.

---

Years passed. In a small courtyard, three figures stood before a simple gravestone that bore the inscription: 'Beloved Mother, Cotti Rosslyn.'

A young boy, no older than four or five, stood motionless, his tiny fists clenched at his sides. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he gazed at the grave. Beside him stood a tall man with a handsome face twisted into an unnatural grin. The man's golden attire shimmered under the sunlight, a stark contrast to the somber scene before them.

Brown Metis. The bastard father.

To the other side of the boy stood a mysterious figure clad in a black robe, his face obscured by a mask. He remained silent, shrouded in an air of foreboding.

Five years. Drace and his mother had lived together in peace for five years. And then fate had played its cruel hand, taking her away from him.

"Oh, child, stop crying. Your mother is gone. Come with Father," Brown cooed, his voice sickeningly sweet, his fake concern barely concealed. "I will take care of you from now on. Your mother would be sad to see you like this in heaven. Do you want to make her sad?"

He knelt down and patted Drace's back, pretending to comfort him. The boy, his face now set with determination, wiped his tears away and nodded without meeting his father's gaze.

"Good boy," Brown said, pleased. "Uncle here will take you somewhere special, a place where you can train and grow strong. When you become strong enough, I will bring you to the palace to live with me. And together, we will ensure your mother receives the honor she deserves in the royal ancestral tomb."

He gestured toward the masked man, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Drace nodded again, his voice soft but resolute. "Yes, Father. I will train hard to become… 'stronger.'" He emphasized the word heavily, as if hoping his father would understand the hidden meaning behind it.

Brown smirked and gave him a gentle push toward the masked man, who placed a firm hand on the boy's small shoulder. Then, Brown accepted a parchment from the masked figure, scanning through it briefly. A smirk flickered across his lips—one he barely bothered to conceal.

"Mr. Black Bear, please take good care of my son, won't you?"

The masked man's voice, metallic and cold, replied, "See you, Prince Brown Metis. It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

With that, he vanished into thin air, taking Drace with him.

Brown let out a low chuckle, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Now that I have the support of that organization, I can proceed with my plans. Just you wait, Vettus Metis, I will ensure your downfall before you even realize what's happening."

He turned away, the courtyard growing eerily silent once more. 'Sorry, son. You are just a pawn I needed to use. Whether you succeed or die, it matters not. That place has no escape.'

And with that final thought, he too disappeared into the shadows.

---

Time passed. Everything seemed to be going well for Drace Metis. He had made new friends while training rigorously every day. The mysterious organization that had taken him in had been feeding him and others like him with special energy-infused nutrients, increasing their success rate in an ongoing experiment.

Inside a pristine laboratory filled with an array of advanced research equipment, three figures stood analyzing a digital screen. Their white uniforms marked them as researchers, their expressions tense yet intrigued.

A man standing to the left spoke first, his voice betraying his shock. "Mr. Ulvis, are you seriously telling me that Specimen B has successfully synthesized with the Mercuponiun Viter energy and gained its power?"

Mr. Ulvis, standing in the center, cast a sidelong glance at his colleague before replying in an emotionless tone. "Wasn't it expected? That little rascal has the bloodline of that..."

Before he could finish, the only female researcher, Cara, interrupted him with a knowing nod. "Yes, yes! Besides, that little monster knew the risks before he agreed to the experiment. And you know how that man treats those he considers his own. Do you really think he would have let his only beloved grandson go through with this if he wasn't ninety-nine percent certain of success?"

Mr. Black Bear, the researcher who had spoken first, nodded in agreement. "Miss Cara makes a fair point."

Turning her attention back to the screen, Cara narrowed her eyes. And then…

Her gaze hardened as tension thickened the air in the research room.

---