This is a companion fic to Obscurum. I honestly think you can read them as Luminarium and its sequel, or Obscurum and its prequel. If you disagree, tell me and I'll give them a definite order.
**
One would think it was a difficult task to be caught not paying attention in class eight times in the course of one week, but Ed and Al managed it. They'd been engrossed in one of Hohenheim's alchemy books, and to be honest, really couldn't be bothered to listen to their history teacher explain Amestris's relationship with Xing over the past century.
Winry, being Winry, was desperate to know what the brothers had been doing. "What is it that's so important that you can't pay attention in class?" she demanded after class on Friday.
Ed groaned. "Winry, you sound just like Ms. Hetherington."
"What is it?" she prodded.
"Sorry, it really isn't your business." Ed began to run towards the house. "See you later, Win!"
Winry pouted; she wanted to know what Ed and Al were up to all the time. Alphonse smiled at her apologetically before chasing after his brother. Giving up for now, she called after them: "Dinner's at six thirty! We're having spaghetti!" She could easily hear Ed's groan, even though he was already far away from her.
*
The transmutation was beautiful. When Edward touched his hands to the array, he felt the energy crackling through his palms, the power surging through him. He saw flashes of blue and yellow, pulsing. It lit up the room, illuminating his little brother's face, emphasizing the pure joy written across it. It doesn't get any better than this.
The power enthralled him. Here was a transmutation of titanic proportions; one more incredible than anything the two of them had ever done before. He'd been prepared for the gravity of what he was about to accomplish, but not for a second had he considered the thrill.
The lights flashed red. Alphonse was gone. Dark hands reached out for him.
*
He came back screaming because his leg was gone and it hurt so badly and there was blood everywhere and where was Al? Then he saw the thing, and it wasn't Mom, it was so horrifying…how had he let this happen?
He would fix it though. It was his fault, and he would bring Al back because they were brothers and it was what he had to do. If only…if only his body wasn't so heavy… He was tired, and he could barely keep his eyes open, but wasn't that a good thing, because if he wasn't looking he wouldn't have to see his abomination and the blood…
He had to help Al…but he couldn't move he was so tired, and when he felt himself slipping away he was relieved, because he wouldn't feel the pain anymore.
**
Edward and Alphonse never did show up for dinner. Winry was worried, but Pinako told her they were probably just boycotting the spaghetti. Winry wasn't fooled, though, because the Elric brothers (especially Ed) never missed a meal, and by the time eight forty-five rolled around Granny had called their house. Winry listened to the faint, steady ringing of the telephone (she was eavesdropping on the other phone), and even after Granny hung up, she stood there listening to the dial tone for a full five minutes.
Pinako sent her over to the Elric house, and she practically ran down the well-worn path, wrench in pocket. She knocked on the door, but there was still no answer. The kitchen light was on, so she started shouting. "Edward and Alphonse Elric! If you don't answer right now, I'll take my wrench to your heads and you'll regret not eating your spaghetti!"
That didn't get a response, and she was getting tired of waiting outside (it was dark and chilly), so she let herself in and stomped into the kitchen.
Ed and Al weren't there. She wondered if this was some sort of joke, so she yelled again, that if they didn't cut the act right now they'd wish they were dead by the time she was through with them!
When she was shouting, she felt a little braver.
She went down the basement stairs, because that door had been open and there was a light on down there too, and she figured they were engrossed in some stupid alchemy project. She opened her mouth to admonish them for missing dinner and for making Granny worried.
The words never left her lips.
She was too busy screaming.
*
Edward had been lying there, on the edge of a giant transmutation circle. He'd presumably died from blood loss (Wasn't that obvious? Winry thought. He'd been amputated above his left knee. Loss of limb is usually accompanied by loss of blood.). Alphonse had never been found.
Like most in Risembool, it was a quiet funeral. Really, it was only Winry and Pinako, and a few neighbors. The funeral was for Ed only: Al had been declared missing and was being searched for by the police. Winry wasn't fooled though. She knew he was gone too, she just knew it.
Ed and Al had always done everything together. Grown up together, played together, studied together. Without her. It was simple, Winry decided. The ultimate thing, the final task: they would die together.
To die is a terrible thing. The only thing worse is to die alone.
At least they'd been spared that.
**
A/N: Join me on my quest to finish all of the unfinished fanfics dying slowly on my computer.