Roy leaned up against the brick wall and slumped to the ground, clutching his injured arm. He had to think up a plan and quick.
He was already down one glove, and unless this battle turned in his favour the blood loss he'd incurred from his multiple wounds would kill him before Bradley could.
Or maybe not.
Last he checked, Bradley wasn't too far behind. He'd find the blood trail, eventually. It was only a matter of time.
"Fuck me!" he muttered.
His plan had been foolproof; sneak in, lock himself and the Furhur in the wine cellar, then take out him, and (possibly) himself in one fatal blow.
And the Furhur had undone all that work with a single slash of his sword and a smile.
Why didn't anyone tell him Homunculi were so hard to kill?
Why didn't he even think to ask Ed's father when he had the chance? If he'd done that, he could've avoided this whole mess!
All he really did was give that thing the chance to become the predator, making him…well, frightened prey.
"You can't hide forever, Mustang."
Roy gasped. He heard footsteps coming down the hall, growing louder with each second.
"Damnit," he cursed.
Looks like he didn't have as much time as he hoped he would.
"What's wrong? Nothing to say? I thought you liked showing off?"
Roy said nothing.
He'd already given the Furher enough entertainment for one night, the last thing he'd do is let the Furher's schoolyard taunts get to him.
"You're feeling light headed, aren't you?" said Bradley. "Why don't you be a good boy and surrender, unless you want to bleed to death?"
Roy snorted. "Don't make me laugh," he muttered.
"I don't think you'd want to worry that woman of yours."
Roy's eyes widened at the mention of his Lieutenant, Riza Hawkeye.
"Why I wouldn't be surprised if she was on her way here, right now, just to make sure you're still alive."
Roy growled. He could practically feel his blood boiling at- "Don't!" he told himself. That's exactly what Bradley wants him to do.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and relaxed.
"You don't know Lieutenant Hawkeye like I do," he said. "By the time you make it back to Central, she'll be long gone."
Bradley laughed.
"You don't really believe that, do you?" he asked."She's a dog of the military, just like you. And you should know by now that a dog will always remain loyal to her master."
Roy felt his blood boiling, again.
"She won't come!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Have I upset you?" he taunted.
Roy remained silent.
"Don't worry; I'll make sure her death is quick and painless."
Roy poised his fingers. "If you think she won't even put up a fight-"
"Oh, I know she will. But I doubt she'll be in any shape to fight when she finds out what's happened to you."
His eyes widened.
"Yes, I think when I'm finished with you, I'll go back to Central headquarters and tell her that I killed you and how. I'll watch the colour drain from her face as I tell her in excruciating detail how you died slowly, painfully, like the treacherous rat you are until every last ounce of hope she has leaves her."
Roy grits his teeth.
His mind's eye makes him see the devastation on Riza's face.
The horror in her eyes.
He sees the tears that stream down her face, he hears her screams of agony. She's already blaming herself, he realizes, wondering out loud why she left him to die alone?
The very thought of that, of her anguish at the mere mention of his death…it was just too much to take.
"Why, I think I'll even throw your dead body at her feet and watch her cry at the loss of her General…before I send her to Hell with you!"
Roy let out a loud, animalistic growl as he poised his left hand.
He stood up.
He aimed into the hallway…and snapped.
All at once, the corridor lit up with fire. Soon, a giant explosion engulfed the hallway in a brilliant orange blaze.
When the dust finally settled, Roy gazed at his handiwork. A good two thirds of the brick walls had been destroyed in the blast, and there were a few fires still blazing.
But Bradley, it seems, had all but disappeared.
Roy let out an exhausted sigh and sat himself on the floor. At long last, it was over-
"AHHHHHHH!"
Roy felt a sharp pain run through him. He opened his eyes to see blood flowing from his thigh, his last glove ripped and…a blade?
Roy felt his heart go right into his stomach. He looked up just in time and see Furher King Bradley.
He was still alive, still smiling despite the burning flesh on his face and arm…flesh that was quickly healing itself.
"Thank you, General."
Roy was silent, transfixed on the inhumanly sight happening before his eyes.
"What's wrong? Nothing to say?"