July 10th, 1897
Dublith, Amertis
"AHHHHHHGH!"
The sounds of screaming could be heard in the small town as the local butcher's wife was giving birth. The screaming was heard all through the town as everyone prayed that both mother and child lived through this.
Sig was holding his wife's hand and wiping her forehead while mentally sobbing as her monstrous strength crushed poor hand. Izumi was currently covered in sweat and her face was scrunched up in pain.
The complications were making themselves known has the child was turned around inside of her womb. Luckily the midwife knew how turn correct this and make sure the child came out safely
Izumi was screaming bloody murder as she tried to push the child for the better part of a year and half she and her husband had tried to was more painful than she thought, she would rather be stuck back in Briggs dealing with bears and blizzards than this! First she had gotten sick which had almost killed her unborn child then he had been born a month early.
"Come on Izumi, he's almost out, one more push!" The midwife shouted to the screaming mother to be.
"Agggghh!" With a great heave of effort, she gave one final push and felt the weight of her child leave her. But she had heard no crying or noise came from the newborn. Izumi looked at the saddened face of the midwife, as she wrapped the silent in a blanket.
"No, no, no, no please tell he's not-" The look on the midwife was the only answer she needed. She just gently grabbed her child and held him close to her chest as she sobbed. The strong arms of her husband wrapped around mother and child as he too silently cried.
Alchemy is the ancient metaphysical science/mystical art of manipulating and altering matter by using natural energy. This act is known as Transmutation and its sequence is usually described as three separate yet connected parts
Comprehension , understanding the inherent structure and properties of the atomic or molecular makeup of a particular material to be transmuted, including the flow and balance of potential and kinetic energy within.
Deconstruction - Using energy to break down the physical structure of the identified material into a more malleable state so as to be easily reshaped into a new form.
Reconstruction - Continuing the flow of energy so as to reform the material into a new shape.
All alchemy follows the rules of Equivalent Exchange or in layman's terms "In order to obtain or create something, something of equal value must be lost or destroyed."
In standard practice, Equivalent Exchange is separated into two parts:
The Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that energy and matter can neither be created from nothing nor destroyed to the point of elemental nonexistence. In other words, to create an object weighing one kilogram, at least one kilogram of material is necessary and destroying an object weighing one kilogram would reduce it to a set of parts, the sum of which would weigh one kilogram.
The Law of Natural Providence, which states that an object or material made of a particular substance or element can only be transmuted into another object with the same basic makeup and properties of that initial material. In other words, an object or material made mostly of water can only be transmuted into another object with the attributes of water.
But there is an unspoken rule among alchemist, that the act of experimenting or trying to revive any human being is to be considered taboo and forbidden, for what is worth one human soul.
In small cabin in the woods, alchemy's ultimate sin was about to be committed by a desperate mother trying to bring back her child.
Izumi's body and subconscious were screaming at her to walk away and bury her dead son. That this goes against nature itself and she would be punished. But she couldn't walk away, not from this, she had to try dammit!
She drew the circle and placed the ingredients on each corners of the symbol. She held her child, kissed his forehead and gently placed him in the center. She looked upwards and closed her eyes and did something she has never done before, she prayed.
"God, forgive me for this sin, but I'm letting him go just yet."
With her small prayer of forgiveness said, she slammed her hands on the circle and with a bang the transmutation circle lit up with white/blue lightning centering around her silent child. It looked to be working, but before she could end it her vision began to go black and she was forced into unconsciousness.
Izumi came to and all she saw was a white, she behind her and saw a large stone slab decorated with what appeared to be mountains and alchemic symbols. 'What is this place? Where am I, did it work?', it ran through her head all at once.
"Well, now what have we here, a mother trying bring back her child, how touching. But still a person who doesn't know her own place" Izumi heard what sounded like her voice combined with several others, she turned and saw what looked to be a person with no color, just a white body and fuzzy black outline. It appeared to have the body of a young woman, with breasts and curvy figure, It had no facial features other than a large grinning mouth.
"Who-what are you!?" Izumi was getting scared how it looked her like that, despite having no visible eyes. It's grin seemed to get even bigger when she asked the question
"I'm glad you asked. Who am I? One name you might have for me is The World, or you might call me The Universe, or perhaps God, or perhaps the Truth. I am all and I am one, so of course this also means that I am you." The self named Truth finished its introduction by pointing at her.
"Why am I here? Where's my son!" Izumi wanted her baby with her right now!
"Don't worry about him, he's safe and sound. I'd be more worried about yourself. You know the rules, in order to gain something, something of greater or equal value must be given in exchange. Such is the law of Equivalent Exchange."
"So I've got give something up eh, well what is it?"
"Oh, that comes after." Truth had a smug grin on its face
"After what!?"
"After learning the truth" As Truth said that, the stone slab, opened up to reveal a massive ringed eye that bore straight into Izumi's soul. Several tendril like hands grabbed her and pulled her into the black void, she clawed the ground to escape but it was no use.
"W-What! The truth about what!?"
"Everything" With one final word, the slab/door slammed shut.
It felt like her skull was going to burst open from all the knowledge that was being crammed into her head.
"It's too much, I can't take much more!"
After she thought she was going to die, she felt herself standing on solid ground. she turned and saw Truth sitting there and grinning.
"So, it is possible then, but it's missing something, another round in and I can bring him back!" Izumi had learned so much through the gate, but the knowledge was missing a small but important part.
"That's not possible,"
"Why not!" If she could just get another look, she could complete the formula, she'd have her son back!
"You've already paid your toll."
"Wha-Ugrh!" Izumi tried to talk but she felt a searing pain in her lower abdomen, she looked down and a saw electricity spark from her stomach and bits of her began flake from the inside!
"This is the price you've paid to bring your son back, to never be able to have another again. Next time know your place and don't meddle where you don't belong." Truth spoke in a disappointed tone as it lost its grin as she began to black out again.
"Izumi! Izumi wake up!" Sig shouted at his unconscious wife. He knew something was wrong as he felt an uneasiness in the cabin they had gone to. It was to bury their dead child, they had named him Gabriel Bryston Curtis in honor of Izumi's father and Sig's grandfather respectfully, they had hoped find some peace and pray their child was in heaven.
While Sig didn't know alchemy as well as his wife even he knew what she had done had gone against every law nature and god had. He ran down and saw his wife vomiting blood while smoke and mist clouded the basement, he grabbed his wife and gently tried to shake her awake.
She finally woke up and looked towards the mist and cry. Sig held her tightly and cried himself , but they heard something they had been wanting to hear yesterday but were robbed of it, a child's 1st cry.
Sig put his wife's arm over his shoulder and half carried her to the center of the transmutation circle. It was their they saw what Izumi had given her motherhood for, their formally dead child.
He was wailing as loud his little lungs could allow. The transmutation had changed him, but only slightly. Sig knew he had some Ishvalan on his grandmother's side of the family. The revival had awakened his Ishvalan heritage slightly. Gabriel's skin was slightly darker than Izumi's and he even had a white strand of hair among his raven covered locks
Izumi leaned down and picked up Gabriel. He seemed to calm down at his mother's touch. The reborn infant opened his eyes and shocked his parents with his eye colors. The right was blood red while the left was Izumi's ebony black.
He smiled and giggled at his parents, melting their hearts. His laughter was almost like the tingling of bells to Izumi and Sig.
As Izumi held her baby, Gabriel reached up, grabbed Sig's beard and yanked hard. This action caused the new father's head to jerk forward in a comical manner. Izumi began laughing along with her son has his father rubbed his beard soothingly. The child had ripped out a few hairs.
"If he got anything from us, it's our strength!"
"I fear for the safety of the house and whoever pisses him off in the future."
All 3 members of the Curtis family laughed at the thought.