The Adventures and Research of Alphonse Elric
Chapter 1: Blazing Sun
Alphonse kicked up sand as he walked keeping his hand to protect his eyes from the sun. He stumbled up a sand dune still a little unstable from getting his body back. Once on top of the sand dune he scanned the horizon and spotted the Xerxes Ruins. He took a quick swig of water from his canteen and realized he was running out, hopefully he would find some water there.
He walked on for a few hours until the vast ruins of Xerxes loomed in front of him. He stared transfixed in awe at something so technologically advanced, but destroyed in one night. They had markets, stores, libraries, restaurants, etc. Most buildings were reduced to rubble but some stood completely whole as if nothing had ever happened. He walked through the winding streets for a short while until he came across a well. Alphonse stopped to fill his canteen then searched through the ruins and took notes on artifacts and murals. He stepped into an atrium and saw a ruined wall depicting the process of the making of a philosopher's stone. He studied it for a moment clapped his hands and the ruined wall was reduced to shrapnel and debris and the writing was now unreadable.
Satisfied he walked away, and continued on with his research for several hours. Alphonse found himself standing in front of the palace and walked to the throne room. He found a really old transmutation circle covered in dusty dried blood drawn on the floor much like the one used on the Promised Day. He stood there thinking about the fate of the people and felt rage and grief because their lives were thrown away to strengthen the homunculi. Alphonse left the horrible scene behind him as he continued on his journey to the edge of the Xerxes Ruins.
Alphonse's feet touched sand as he resumed his journey across The Great Desert to Xing. He continued on for miles in the blazing heat until the sun started to set in the distance behind the sand dunes. Alphonse clapped his hands and a makeshift tent erected from the ground. Alphonse placed his pack inside and threw some wood down in front of the tent and plucked some dry grass from a nearby sand dune and tossed it on the firewood he used alchemy to create some sparks and a fire started to grow on the firewood sending smoke into the sky.
Tired from the day's journey, Alphonse retired to his tent and fell asleep beneath the starry sky. Visions of the Promised Day interrupted his dreams, Wrath attacking, Greed being sucked out of Ling, and Alphonse returning to his body flashed through his head. Alphonse remembered the look on Winry's face when she saw that Ed and Al had returned to the Rockbell's house in Resembool. She had baked Gracia's apple pie recipe as soon as they had returned, he had loved it and couldn't wait to taste her quiche. In the morning, sunshine leaked through the mouth of his tent snapping Al out of his slumber.