Well here it is, the first chapter of Kristallnacht: Night of Broken Glass. This takes place after the movie and follows the tide of WWII from the Elric's point of view. I'm not usre how well this will turn out but I hope it's pretty good.
Warnings: Character death towards the end
Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist nor do I own the song at the beginning.
Note: please don't read if all you're going to do is flame. Constructive criticism is most welcome however!
"In Our Solemn Hour"
Sanctus, espiritus
Redeem us from our solemn hour
Sanctus, espiritus
Insanity is all around us
Sanctus, espiritus
Sanctus, espiritus
Sanctus, espiritus
In my darkest hours
I could not foresee
That the time could turn so fast to this degree
Can't believe my eyes
How can you be so blind
Is the heart of stone no empathy inside
Time keeps on slipping away and we haven't learned
So in the end now what have we gained?
Sanctus, espiritus
Redeem us from our solemn hour
Sanctus, espiritus
Insanity is all around us
Sanctus, espiritus
Is this what we deserved can we break free
From chains of never-ending agony
Are they themselves to blame
The misery the pain
Didn't we let go
Allowed it let grow
If we can't restrain the beast which dwells inside
It will find it's ways
Somehow somewhere in time
Will we remember all of the suffering
Cause if we fail
It will be in vain
Sanctus, espiritus
Redeem us from our solemn hour
Sanctus, espiritus
Insanity is all around us
Sanctus, espiritus
Is this what we deserved can we break free
From chains of never-ending agony
Sanctus, espiritus
Sanctus, espiritus
Sanctus, espiritus
Redeem us from our solemn hour
Sanctus, espiritus
Insanity is all around us
Sanctus, espiritus
Is this what we deserved can we break free
From chains of never-ending agony
Sanctus, espiritus
Redeem us from our solemn hour
Sanctus, espiritus
Insanity is all around us
Sanctus, espiritus
Is this what we deserved can we break free
From chains of never-ending agony
Kristallnacht: Night of Broken Glass
chapter eins (1)
Screams ripped through the air as the shattering of glass reached his ears every now and then. Swiveling around, blond hair occasionally fell into golden eyes. He wouldn't lose him. Not again. Not after he'd just gotten him back.
"AL!" He called, again looking in every direction. All around him windows were breaking, blood was being splattered, and people were falling to the ground after being struck. Fire blazed through buildings and some people were crying out, begging for mercy or over their lost lively hood. He didn't have time to feel for them or pity them. He needed to find Al.
"Alphonse! Where are you!?! Al!" He nearly screamed out, trying desperately to be heard over the roaring of the flames and screams of their friends.
"Edward!" He turned to see Gracia running over to him, soot covering her face and Maes following her. The ex-Nazi was wide eyed and worried.
"Gracia! Hughes! Have you seen Al?" He asked, running over to meet them half way. Gracia cried and wrapped Ed into a hug. Hughes nodded.
"He's at our house. Follow us." He ordered, grabbing Ed's wrist and dragging him after them. He followed, racing through the crowds of people and mass confusion. Tears started blinding Ed's eyes, but he ran on. He watched as one German walked over and killed a child because it was born of a Jewish family. Blinded by rage, Ed struggled away from Hughes and ran at the man.
The German went down and Ed struggled to regain his balance. (1) A hand reached out and some one slugged him in the side f the head. Ed stumbled once again and turned to counter the attack, but Hughes got him first.
"Edward! Come on!" He yelled, dragging him off. Ed remembered so vividly, a pair of sapphire blue eyes gazing back at him with a fire of hate.
Ed's footfalls were perfectly in time with his heart beat. He was surprised at how quiet the neighbor hood was that they had just entered. It was hard to fathom that just five blocks down an entire neighbor hood was being destroyed. He could see the lights of the flames glowing against the blackened sky. Stars gazed down, watching the incident without hindrance. It wasn't their problem. Why should they help?
The small group of three quickly made their way down the dark, empty streets. The only lights guiding their way were the street lamps on the corners of every street. Here it was quiet, peaceful, yet the air was heavy with fear and tension. He just hoped that Noah had made it out alright.
The gypsy had left with a group of refugees headed to America. She'd been hopeful and saddened to leave yet relief had taken over and soon she had been eager to leave. Ed was just glad she'd gotten out when she had.
"Hughes... what the hell is going on?" Ed finally asked, unable to wait any longer. The older man glanced at him and frowned.
"The Nazi movement decided to make their move." Came the dark, foreboding reply. Ed watched the other for a few seconds before turning back to the road ahead. He remembered Hughes had been a member of said party until he'd married Gracia. If it weren't for Gracia, Ed might not be getting help from the man.
At last they arrived at the house. It was just like any other German house. Ed stopped and looked at it briefly, trying to puzzle out what was so different about this neighbor hood and the other. He was snapped back into reality when the door flew open and Alphonse launched out of the house and at Edward.
The wide honey brown eyes looked at Ed worried as he latched onto his older sibling. The short cut, soft sandy hair rubbed against Ed's face. Ed nearly fell backwards from the force of Al hurtling himself at his brother. He would have had it not been for Hughes catching him. A soft, "oof" escaped Ed's lips as well, making Gracia chuckle slightly.
"Brother!" Al cried near hysterics. "I was so worried! I lost you in the crowd and couldn't find you!" Ed sighed and wrapped his younger brother into a hug.
"Its okay Al... I'm here." then it dawned on him. 'Wait... Al, if Hughes and Gracia came to get me... then how'd you get here?" Gracia cleared her throat and bid them to enter the house. There was some she wanted Ed to meet.
The house was mainly lit, save for a few dark rooms. The wooden floors creaked every now and then when Ed would place his foot down. He glanced around, his almost cat like eyes scanning the house around him. The quiet demeanor of the house began to creep him out a little. Just the silence when only seven blocks away there was chaos and death. That's when something caught his eye.
He quickly turned to look at what it was only to find young woman sitting on a couch, reading a book. Shortly cut, almost boyish, red hair with bangs that fell into her black eyes. Her darkly tanned skin gave away the impression she was of mixed ethnicities. Upon hearing the footsteps of others, she snapped the leather bound book shut and looked up at the group. She smiled in greeting.
"Emilie, good to know you're still here." Gracia greeted, stepping into the room. The woman known as Emilie stood and set the book down on the small table near the couch.
"I wanted to make sure you arrived back safely. So this is the famous Edward Elric I've been hearing about?" She asked, turning her mesmerizing gaze on Ed. He blinked and then nodded.
"Yes, this is my brother!" Al said happily, once again hugging Ed. "Ed, this is Emilie. She found me out in the crowd." Al explained. Ed allowed himself to smiled and looked over to the woman.
"Thank you." She waved it off.
"It was nothing. With the way things are getting, we're going to have to stick together to get through this." The air in the room had been welcoming until a knock came at the door. Hughes paled and looked at Emilie.
"Hide." He said before walking down the hall towards the door. Gracia quickly ushered the three into a different room where she shoved a trunk to the side. The handle to a small trap door appeared. She motioned for Emilie to get in before turning to the Elric brothers.
"Edward, Alphonse. This is a door that leads to an exit just outside of the city. If I tell you to run, you go through here and run. Don't look back and don't come back. You got me?" she said, her eyes hardening over. Ed and Al exchanged glances before reluctantly nodding.
"Good. Emilie, I'm shutting the door now." She said. An affirmative grunt sounded and Gracia closed the door, sliding the trunk back in place.
When she'd straightened back up, Ed gave her a questioning look. Gracia smiled, knowing what he wanted to ask.
"Emilie is half Roma." Ed blinked and then nodded, now realizing where he'd seen that skin tone before. Shouting came from the entry and the three occupants of the kitchen looked down the hall. Gracia furrowed her brow in worry. She motioned for the two to stay put while she went to check it out. Seconds later, Gracia came running back.
"Run! Take Emilie and run !" she yelled as a gun shot rang out. Ed swore and grabbed Al, dragging him back over to the trunk. They got the door opened and Al slipped in. Ed looked over to Gracia.
"Gracia! Come on!" She shook her head.
"No! Ow go! I'll close it up after you so they won't follow! Go!" she demanded, shutting the door and forcing Edward into the crawl space. He heard the trunk slide over the door and slammed his fist onto the trap door above him.
"Damn it!' He growled. Emilie looked over at the two.
"What happened?" She asked, moving to make more room. Ed sighed and looked over to her.
"We have to leave... they came to the house and shot Hughes... I don't know about Gracia." Emilie shot up and over to the door, trying to open it. Ed pulled her back and shoved her further into the passage way.
"She said to keep moving. Now go. She wanted us to run." He growled, meeting Emilie's glare. The woman huffed and shook her head.
"Fine... let's go." a loud bang issued from above them as something heavy hit the floor. A few seconds later Edward felt the warm sticky liquid of blood fall onto his shoulder. They were close.
"Move!" he hissed, lowering his voice to an urgent whisper.