"You are out of time." The scientist said, and snapped his fingers.
Roy could only watch in horror and the soldier restraining Hawkeye ran his sword across her throat. Blood flew from the cut, and Riza fell forward with a cry, a look of sheer terror on her face.
"LUITENANT!" Roy cried. Hawkeye lay on the floor, twitching occasionally as the puddle of blood spread from around her neck. "NO, RIZA!"
"The choice is yours." The scientist said calmly, a smirk on his face. "You could just let her die, or you could try to bring her back before she passes completely through the gate. Once that happens, it is all over."
"Shit, SHIT!" Mustang spat, panicked. He shook his head to clear it, his face still a mask of anguish.
"Fine, fine! Tell me what to do!." Roy pleaded, not taking his eyes of Riza's dying form. Her hand moved slightly, extending itself a centimetre towards him.
"That's better." The scientist laughed cruelly. "Now, take this stone, and bring the girl into this circle. The soldiers will act as sacrifices, and the stone will serve as enough toll to keep the gate open. If you are lucky, the truth inside the gate will allow for your precious subordinate to return to life."
Roy hastened to do as he instructed. He gently cradled Riza in his arms, her body becoming cold. Her eyes stared into his, but the was no life left in them. He put her down gently in the middle of the transmutation circle that was painted onto the floor, the sight of her lifeless eyes burned into his.
The soldiers shuffled their feet brainlessly, arranging themselves around the eight points of the array. Mustang kneeled at the edge of the circle, his breath panicked as he stared at the philosophers stone imitation in his hand.
"Now!" the scientist barked.
Roy squeezed his eyes shut. In one quick move he threw the stone to the side and slammed his hands onto the line.
"No! What have you done!" The scientist shouted angrily, his voice faint against the sound of the circle being brought to life.
"Take the soldiers." Mustang thought. "Take them, and take my limbs as the sacrifice for Rizas life."
As though in answer, black hands appeared and dragged Mustang into the abyss, as well as Hawkeyes lifeless form and the mindless soldiers.
********
Roy flew through the confusing realm, past bands of information before finally arriving in the golden world Fullmetal had described to him. He stared for a moment, confused as to how he had come to be in that place before catching sight of Hawkeye standing in front of one of the doors. His memory came back instantly.
"Riza!" He shouted, scrambling to his feet just as the doors in front of her burst open as she turned to look at him. "No, STOP!" he cried.
Surprisingly, the gate did. The hands paused in midair, allowing Riza to run to Mustang and to be embraced.
"Roy, what are you doing here!" she cried into his shoulder.
"I'm here to save you." he murmured. Part of him acknowledged the lack of formality between them, and he realized that he loved her.
"And just how do you plan on that?" a voice asked, the sound echoing throughout all around them.
A being appeared in front of them, featureless except for a broad smile on its face.
"You must be the Truth that Elric spoke of. Mustang said.
Truth paused in thought. "Ah yes, the young boy. The one who gave me these. And this." As it spoke one of its arms and legs shimmered and there appeared each of Edwards' missing limbs. Then another being appeared before them.
It was a young boy, with completely outgrown hair and was so thin he was practically a skeleton. He was also completely naked, and surveyed the two of them with a hopeful expression that soon turned to disappointment.
"Alphonse…" Riza breathed in disbelief. "This is Al's body, I recognize it from the pictures we saw when we first met the two boys."
"Yes, this is the brother. Doesn't this show you two fools that there is nothing you can do to defy me?" Truth said, the same smirk on his face.
"But Riza wasn't completely through the gate. With enough toll, couldn't you let us back?" Mustang asked desperately.
"I suppose you are right. But I'm afraid that the eight men you sacrificed isn't enough for that." Truth grinned. Mustang felt a flare of anger, it was having a kick out of making them squirm.
"Then take my limbs!" Roy said. "Take my arms and legs, just let us back with Riza whole!"
"No Roy! You can't!" Riza cried, panicked. Roy shushed her by holding a finger to her lips.
"Hmm…interesting." Truth said thoughtfully, and instantly its two stolen limbs disappeared from sight. "Fine, I accept."
Roy suddenly felt a terrible nothingness spread across his arms and legs, and he looked down to see it being decomposed then reconstructed onto Truths body.
As the black hands burst forwards to drag the two through the gate, Roy gazed at Alphonses' body while clutching a distressed Hawkeye.
"Ed will be back for you. Soon." he said evenly, and the body nodded to him with the hopeful expression again. That was the last thing Mustang saw before he closed his eyes and accepted his fate.
*********
"NOOOOOO!" Mustang cried as he writhed on the ground. He stared with horror at the stumps of where his arms and legs should be, and at the puddles of blood spreading from them.
"Roy!" Riza cried, trying to calm him.
"You stupid brat! Do you know what you have done?!" the scientist roared at the two of them, pulling a gun out of his jacket in disgust. Out of pure reflex Riza quickly drew hers, firing a shot right at the mans forehead. Of course it hit its mark, as the scientist used all the guards he had as sacrifices.
"Dammit!" she cried in frustration. "Roy, don't give up! Don't fall asleep!" She quickly took off her jacket and dismantled her belt and the straps on her gun holsters, using them as tourniquets. She draped the jacket over her commanding officer, and with strength she didn't know she had, picked him up and ran him to the surface to find help.
"I love you." she heard Roy murmur in her ear, in-between shuddering cries and moans.
"I do too, Roy." Riza responded, tears springing to her eyes and picked up the pace of her sprinting.