Author's Note: I wrote this story on behalf of my very first entry from a contest at DeviantArt. The Story takes place on Brotherhood and at the manga, when Colonel Mustang was forced to do human transmutation and got sent to the gate of truth. Then I had him undergo a made up challenge I thought that might have been cool if it happened so I did this.

This story has also been slightly rewritten, just added a few scenes and corrected some misspellings and fixed some grammatical errors. Setting that aside, it's still the same story and it might still have some mistakes, but still, thank you for taking the time to read this and if you can, I'd love to receive a review.

Warning: This story contains themes that may be inappropriate for young readers, this contains blood, violence and death. But don't worry, It's only mild and just clarifying, this is not a Death Fic. Still, I rated it M to be safe.

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA nor it's characters. This is only fan made.

" Is this really how it's going to be? " Roy thought as he glared at the man pinning him down with his two swords. " Be forced to do Human transmutation... How is that even possible? " He added, but soon groaned down in pain as the swords dig deeper in his hands.

Then he struggled to look at the smaller Homunculus, " This must be his doing. " He thought as he eyed the ceiling and closed his eyes. He could feel them talking, but their words were inaudible as he felt himself loosing consciousness.

For the first time in his life, he felt absolute fear for he doesn't know what's going to happen later, all he knows is that he had felt so much need to open his eyes, and with all his efforts, he vainly tried to open his eyes like he couldn't see any light after.

His sight became blurry as he managed to open his eyes and tilted his head to where his comrades were. His eyes slowly stared to focus and he could somewhat see the pained expression on their faces.

As his sight finally cleared, he finds himself looking at her. The moment he saw her teary eyes and felt the anxiety, concern and worry in it's depths made his own eyes feel heavy with tears that were threatening to fall.

" Lieutenant... " He thought as he stared at her, trying his best to keep his eyes open despite the pain he's feeling. He could barely think any more, but he knows that he will get through this and return, yet he can't help the gnawing on his heart; why does he feel like he wouldn't have the chance to see her again?

But before he could give more thought to it, he felt shadows starting to bound him and felt the swords weighing him down left his hands. He tried to move, but the shadows grip on him tightened and before he could do anything else, a sudden burst of light engulfed him, sending electrifying pain through his veins.

" Colonel! "

And that was the last thing he heard before he lost consciousness.

" Inner Demons "

Chapter One: The Test

- Roy's P.O.V. -

When I came to, I felt pain all over my wounded, trembling body. It seems like my hands were bleeding profusely, I could feel my blood slowly leaving my hands and fall.

I don't remember what happened to me. My memory was a bit fogged but I tried to remember, as my head kept pounding and it hurts so much to the point that I almost lost consciousness.

The last thing I remember was the feeling of being torn apart and I could still remember the distinct feeling of its pain.

Then as I let my mind wonder... I remembered what just happened, " That I was forced to open the gate and forced to do human transmutation by..." I jerked my eyes open.

" Selim and King Bradley! " I uttered as I forced myself to sat up. My hands felt numb and fell back down. I groaned as I tried again with all my remaining strength, I managed to do it after a few more tries.

My vision became blurry so I closed my eyes and held my head with my hands to try to relax my pounding head. I could barely moved, It felt like all my strength has left me and I'm only moving by will.

Then I just realize something, I opened my eyes again and looked around, " Where... W-where am I? " I thought to myself and let my eyes wander.

What greeted my eyes were... nothing. I couldn't see anything... However, it wasn't dark nor were there any shadows. The whole place was lit. the whole place was shrouded by a deep white void.

Still, I've never seen light feel so cold and heartless... filled of anxiety and deceit.

" Just where is this place? " I said as I tried standing up and gathered whatever strength I have left inside of me. As I got up with my own two feet someone spoke from behind me.

" In the place where you see the truth. " It echoed ominously on my mind, hearing it's voice made me cringe.

" The truth? " I repeated as the voice spoke back. " Didn't you want to know the answers? "

I could feel something was opening from behind me. Anxiously I turned to glance at it and looked back.

Then I saw the Truth, his smile sending shivers to my veins. Soon my eyes gaze something from behind him, there was a large gate opening.

I just kept on staring. I could only watch the gate slowly opening and eyed the truth as it spoke again.

" Then I will give it to you... The knowledge of the world, the hidden and buried realization... The whole truth... "

As he said that, the gate behind him was now fully open and it turned my full attention back to it. Surprisingly, my eyes grew wide as I saw eyes staring back at me on the other side.

" But everything has a price... I wonder what will you give in return if you have succeeded in achieving the truth? " The Truth spoke once more as I saw jet black hands emerged from the gate and those small and long hands were reaching out to me.

I wanted to run... run and get away from here... but I couldn't, my body denied me from doing so. Completely paralyzed, I could only watch as those tiny hands surrounded me, bounded me from moving then pulled me inside with it.

I tried to resist it... But with my current strength... It was impossible. I couldn't do anything, I felt useless and I just let those hands dragged me inside the gate.

" You're different from the other four. True, you may have done a lot of mistakes with you power but that's not enough to be conceited. Nor have you done it willingly, For that you will undergo a test... What is it that you seek? Will you make it to the very end? " He said as I tried to turn and looked back at him.

Once I have done so, I saw him smile treacherously at me, " What are you fighting for? " He asked as the darkness of the gate have completely engulfed me.

I tried pulling myself out and reached out to the Truth to ask why is this happening. But it was all so surreal. Everything was happening too fast that I find myself practically immobilized.

" Can you conquer your memories? Memories of your past that you long buried deep inside you, the painful past that you wish to never happen and to never be repeated, right in front of your eyes...? " He added as the gate slowly close.

Then I saw him walked near and looked into my eyes, " Can you conquer your fears and face your Inner Demons? " He said with a ominous smile as the gate close and I was forced to looked forward.

The hands were pulling me towards some light... Then as I got there, my head started pounding harder. All of the knowledge of the world was being forced into my mind at an incredible speed, at such a pace that I thought that my head will burst.

Then I could feel that time was halting and it did eventually came to a stop, I could not contain it any more, my eyes were slowly closing and I felt like fainting.

" Just... What is happening? " I thought before I lost consciousness.

When I came to again, I was shocked... The first thing I noticed as I opened my eyes was the fact that I was facing the grassy ground as I lay facing the land.

I shook my head and tried to stand up... Still weak and out of strength, I forced myself to stand on my two feet.

Once I was back on my feet again, I looked at the unfamiliar scenery, " Where is this? Where am I? " I thought as I continued looking around.

It was nearly dark, then a cold breeze passed by around me, because I was near the ocean, I could also see the sun set...

" Is this a dream...? " I thought as I continued looking around, then out in the distance, on a high cliff, I saw somebody staring at the setting sun.

I saw his gaze was lifeless, like a man who gave up all hope. He was on a wheel chair and with one glance, the man looked so distinctly like...

" Havoc! But was is he doing here? It's impossible that the man is him! Am I just be imagining things? " I thought as I used my hands to rubbed my eyes.

I felt something wrong as I did, my hands... It felt like it became smaller than usual... I opened my eyes and gaze at them.

Then my eyes grew wide as I saw them, these hands... This are hands of a young child.

" Just what is going on around here? " I uttered. Then I got startled as I heard my voice... It was different. My voice change to someone much younger.

With that, I became really confused... I saw water nearby and thought that I should view my reflection so I went towards it and looked down.

Shocked to find out that I was right... I looked like a young child, a seven year old child... Or rather, when I was a seven year old child...

" What is going on...? " I said as I glance at the man who looks like Havoc again. I wanted to ask him where I am.

But before I could even make a move towards him, I heard him yell, yes this man is Havoc... His voice was the same as his.

I could barely understand his words due to the distance, but it seems like he said, " Since I'll never be able to stand and walk again... What the use in living? I'd rather end my life... Here and now! "

I was shocked and petrified as I heard him say those words. Havoc wouldn't say such words. But here he was, standing at the edge of a cliff attempting suicide.

" Havoc! Don't! " I said, yelling at him. He didn't heard it and ignored me. Or maybe he was already blind and deaf towards everything around him.

I was about to run and stopped him from doing so, but I stopped as I realize something. I realized that I was turned to a young child. There was no way that Havoc will listen to me...

I didn't know what to do, I saw Havoc standing up from his wheel chair. " Is he really planning on jumping off the cliff..? " I thought, panicking.

Then I looked around, desperately looking for someone to ask help from. But I saw nobody. It was already dark outside so this place is isolated, But I continued searching.

Then out in a distance, I saw a telephone booth. I quickly ran towards it and continued to sprint, ignoring the pain I'm feeling,

When I was half way there, I saw that somebody was already using the phone. Even at a distant I could hear his voice. A voice that was distinctly familiar." The Military is in danger! "

" The military is in danger. " I repeated his words. Then my eyes grew wide as I remember why it was familiar. " This...words... " I uttered as I ran faster towards him.

" Hughes...? It can't be... " I thought to myself as I continued running. Then as I ran, I saw someone wearing our military uniform, went towards him. From the stature, it was a female soldier. Then it change it form to someone very familiar to him.

" Envy..." I uttered and clenched my fists, I watched him raised the gun and pointed it at the man who looks like Hughes.

Unconsciously, I raised my right hand towards them when I was just a few meters away.

" No! Stop it! " I screamed desperately. Then a shot was made.

As I got there, I felt like all life within me just vanished. I became weak as I saw Hughes dying body. I saw his uniform got drenched with his blood and dyed it crimson red.

I knelt down on my knees, I couldn't help but stare at my old friend's dying body, his own death being repeated right in front of my eyes, It was very painful.

Tears have unconsciously flooded and left my eyes as his blood was forming a crimson puddle moving towards me outside the booth.

I saw one of their family pictures that he always brings and boast about with him, get caught up with his own blood. Seeing that made the pain I felt burn from within me.

But what made me feel like choking was his last words. " Gracia... Elysia... I'm sorry. But I won't be able to keep my promise... " he said as his head fell down. I felt my heart skipped a beat.

Then he vainly tried to look back up and looked into my eyes. He smiled and reached out his left hand towards my face.

As soon as he held my face, he looked at me earnestly. " Roy... you'll have to move to the top without me... I'm s-sorry... " He said weakly as tears fall from my eyes, " Hughes! "

Then his hand fell down and his eyes lost all life. I cried in vain and as I watched his lifeless body. After awhile of silence, I close his eyes with my hand to make me feel that he's just sleeping. But the gnawing pain in my heart lingered.

Soon, I felt his killer from behind me, " Humans are really foolish... Risking their lives for something so low... something pathetic"

I clenched my teeth in frustration as I reached out for Hughes knife. Once I got hold of it, I stood up and spoke.

" You're the one who's pathetic... Using tricks like this... You're only deceiving yourself! " I exclaimed as he laughed.

" Then why are you humans falling for it? Really... How idiotic can you humans be? " Envy said as I gripped my hands tighter on the knife.

" You have no right to say that! " I said and turned back to looked at him and assault him. But what greeted my eyes rendered me useless.

Though I know this was Envy... My eyes grew wide as I saw her. My hands felt numb. I... I could not bare to attack the person who I see right in front of me.

" Lieutenant... " I said as I was petrified.

" So what are you waiting for, Human? " He said with a wicked smile, using the same voice as the Lieutenant.

I know his ability, I know that I wanted to attack him and end this. But I couldn't... I don't have the guts to do it.

Unconsciously, I let my hands fall and put the knife behind me as Envy raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

Once the shot was made, I coughed out blood as the shot hits my lower abdomen. I could feel blood creeping out from it as I lost balance. Then I could feel my life slowly seeping out from me as I lost my strength and fell back down to the ground.

As I lay on the cold, hard ground, I vainly watched as Envy, still using the lieutenant's body, placed the gun his holding beside his head.

" D-don't...T-tell m-me... " I uttered softly as Envy grinned. "That's why humans are foolish... " he added as he pulled the trigger.

Despite knowing that this wasn't true... That it was Envy and not the Lieutenant... Seeing her body fall lifelessly beside me, Seeing her fair face covered with blood, her blonde hair dyed crimson red... The fact that seeing her dead like this...Her face showing pain and distort... Lifeless... Dead...

Proves to be the most difficult and painful ordeal for me.

Then I feel like I'll be following her soon, my vision was getting blurry and my mind was fogged as I slowly closed my eyes.

But from the very last seconds, I saw someone looking back at us. It was a homunculus, the homunculus named Lust.

She was grinning maliciously as she went near us, slowly turning to ash as she did.

" I've longed for this day, when those honest eyes of yours... Shows pain and anguish... are close. " As soon as she said that, she turned completely to ash and vanished into thin air.

Then with all my last strength, I glanced at the Lieutenant's bloody face once more. Then I let my own eyes fall lifelessly beside her.

" Is it... Is it all over? " I thought as I lost all life from with me as our dead bodies lay lifelessly, drenched at the pool of our crimson blood.

After all of this things that has happened, what now?

Is this just a dream, a nightmare that I will wake upon soon? Or is it the end of everything I've worked so hard for?

Are this all just my fears?

" End of Chapter One "

~~~ The Test ~~~