Tentative Steps -Chapter One

H-hey guys...! :dodges flying objects:

I'm very sorry that I haven't updated anything since October... But now I have found the time to start rewriting Broken Light, now renamed Tentative Steps. I hope you enjoy it!


( 1 )

-[ Infliction ]-

Now and again we try
To just stay alive
Maybe we'll turn it all around
'Cause it's not too late
It's never too late


It wasn't like the guy was that strong. In fact, the more Edward Elric traded blows with him, the more obvious it became that the man was a mediocre warrior, if he was one at all. However, the fact that he was still conscious told tales of something hidden. The question was, what was it? It just might be-!

A new fist hit the Elric in the side, momentarily distracting him from his train of thought. Even if he couldn't figure out the leader, the groupies were creating quite a problem.

"Hey pipsqueak, getting tired?" A -quite tall- man asked tauntingly, grinning in the alchemist's direction as more groupies flowed around their leader.

He got unintelligible screams and a broken nose for his efforts.

Ed spun back around, facing his enemy, and who should have been the only one there. Damn the Bastard Colonel and his faulty information. As much as he'd hate to admit it, the taunt was true (not that he was short, damn it!). His breath was starting to come in small pants, and he could feel his ports getting sore from the amount of acrobatics he'd been forced into to dodge the oncoming attacks.

He blocked with his right forearm, the force of the blow pushing the port away from his side and sending him back a few steps. The Elric struck back with declining accuracy, sometimes his blade hitting a body, sometimes not.

"Brother!" Al's call was music to his ears, though he didn't dare to turn towards the echoing voice, or even to answer, for fear of becoming too distracting to defend against the onslaught. There were definitely less of them than there had been in the beginning, but it was still too many.

Al was making a path through the circle of enemies; an exit route for his trapped brother. Ed happily took the chance for freedom, diving behind his partner for a small respite.

His brother was like a column, not letting a single person pass behind him and slowly picking them off, one by one.

Ed gasped, taking in precious lungfuls of air and trying to retain lost energy. He knew he didn't have long when Alphonse's feet started to shuffle away from him.

It was time for some major ass-kicking.

The time spent as a victim had done some good after all. Experiencing a fighter's offensive firsthand could help you understand and predict their moves. They had all fought the same way: brute strength. Their defense was severely lacking; practically the only thing protecting them was their strength in numbers.

Now that they had dropped drastically, there would be no problems.

Edward quickly fell into a haphazard pattern of blocking and slashing, huge meaty fists flying around him, but not doing any damage anymore. He saw Al in the fray occasionally, but other than that, it was just him and the faceless people that were standing between him and his goal.

And then, suddenly, it was over. He dropped out of his fighting stance, golden eyes hardening as he turned to the leader, Kane. Terrorist and potential owner of the philosopher's stone.

Then, the lights switched off.


Alphonse knew that his brother had been outnumbered. He also knew that, even though he had been helping, his strength was dropping throughout the battle. Even though the familiar flame in his gold eyes still held strong, Al could see the small changes in his fighting style showing that he was exhausted, but refusing to believe it himself.

He'd just earned himself a reprieve, when they're all plunged into complete blackness. It was midday outside the confines of the abandoned fort just outside of Central, but the wood and steel surrounding them blocked all light from the outside.

"Brother?" He called, partially for guidance, and partially just to let him know that he was fine.

The pattering of uneven footsteps answered his call. Al listened for a few moments, before realizing that the footsteps were running perpendicular to the path needed to get to him.

He was confused, until he remembered.

Kane.

Silence had fallen. It seemed that all of the fighters were at a standstill.

It hadn't occurred to him that the lights had absolutely no reason to suddenly shut off, and that, maybe, it had been on purpose.

He caught on as Ed's startled yelp cut through the peace. Then, the only sounds were those of his armor clanking, and of metal cutting into skin.

Alchemy flashed, and with the small glow it had created, Alphonse saw his brother -wait, was that blood on him?- create a small box of earth around himself. Kane circled the box, his messy fighting skills from earlier seeming to disappear with the light.

Al was almost upon the man, when more alchemy flashed -red this time- and the rock protecting Ed came crashing in on him. He heard his brother swear as he struggled out of the rubble, trying to shake off the rock holding him down.

If he had been paying attention, he would have noticed that Kane's alchemy was different. If he hadn't been so preoccupied before then, he would have seen Kane draw what looked to be claws out of his thick gloves. And, if he hadn't been so damn tired, he would be winning.

Sadly, he was not.

He could hear the metal of his left leg creaking as the heavy earth pressed down on it. He had made sure to make the barrier thick, strong enough to withstand most attacks. In his panic, he hadn't considered that this could quite easily work against him. Thus, he was stuck.

Edward could hear Al's armor clanking as he tried to fight, but no sounds of metal hitting flesh followed. Just the screech of Kane's "claws" as they raked uselessly across the armor. The cuts in his arm burned just thinking about it.

But, no, he had to focus. This pain was nothing.

With a grunt, the alchemist brought his hands together and twisted behind him to slap a palm onto the rock pinning him to the ground. Lightning ran along the surface as the rock broke apart and became a familiar spear.

Trying to figure out where Al and Kane were, he shifted nervously, focusing on the retreating sounds of battle. Right...? No, left. He faced where he thought the fighters were, and opened his mouth.

"Al!" He called, "Go find the lights! I'll deal with Kane."

There was peace for a few seconds, then Kane was upon him. Ed swung his spear in the direction of the footsteps, wherever they were, trying to get a hit in before he was within striking distance.

He didn't hit anything, but his attempts kept the attacker away, a small comfort. He could only hope that Al found the lights soon...

That was the last thought he was able to make before Kane's now bare hand slammed into his face, and the crackle of alchemy rang through the silence.

Everything stopped.