Chapter One – Slave 23

When the tides of fate break against the shores of life, the result can be catastrophic. That was what it had been like for Xerxes, a tsunami of destruction and death. The once-thriving desert city was left as silent as a ghost town. No animal moved or crawled along the streets or within the alley ways. There were no longer dust clouds billowing from the hustle and bustle of the lively city streets. A Nobles litter lay over on its side, the colorful silk banners around it moved gently with the soft breeze of evening. Horse-drawn carriages had halted as the horses once pulling them had fallen lifeless to the ground.

And people.

Dozens, perhaps thousands of people, lay scattered upon the cobblestone. A child lay dead next to its mother's body; one small hand clutching at her robs for comfort that never came.

The silence was absolute. A dead silence.

Envy remembered. He remembered staring out upon the city that once thrived. He remembered his mouth going dry at the sight of the bodies and the stench of them. He remembered the silence. Then, he remembered Father calmly speaking to him as if nothing had happened.

"They are a part of us now. They will give us the strength we need to accomplish our goal."

Your goal, Envy thought bitterly. He felt his heart tear open at the sight the dead. He wanted to die with them. He felt the desire to lie down on the marble floor of the senate house, along with the bodies of the senators and his King and wait for death to take him.

"You are stronger now, Envy," Father continued, "You should be grateful for the favor."

Envy could not look at the monster that had done this. Could not bring himself to admit he was an accomplice of this destruction. He had gone into this for other reasons of his own, but he would never become a monster, a murderer. He was not proud. He was angry, furious. Despair enveloped him as he closed his eyes and tried to forget the faces of the dead that haunted his memory. They were burned into his mind as a curse. He knew they would forever remind him.

"I…" his voice came unnaturally from his throat, coarse and unlike his own, "I did not sign up for this… My King, what have I done?"

"You seem to think you have a choice in the matter," Father replied as indifferently as always, "but you will learn that obeying me will keep you alive. You have a debt to pay... Now, bow to me."

Envy's face contorted with anger. Grey eyes that were now violet narrowed as he turned to glare at the monster before him. Fists balled tightly, he could feel the burn of the Ouroboros in his skin.

"You will disobey me?" Father's amused tone was slightly higher pitched than usual. Envy winced at the threat implied there.

"Even as a human I bow to no one!" Envy snarled, "I will never bow to the likes of you!"

Father did not seem angry. His face remained passive. "You seem to forget you are no longer human. You are my creation, my child. You will call me 'Father' and you will obey me without question."

Envy gritted his teeth. The fiery words seemed to roll off his tongue without his control, but he meant every syllable, "Fuck you."

He froze, a bit out of fear of punishment, a bit out of excitement that rebellious statement had on him. His violet eyes scanned Father's face for a hint of anger but found none.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps walking slowly behind him. The sharp sound of heels in particular made him spin around in surprise to find a tall, slender woman dressed in a sleek, black dress coming towards him. She stopped and flipped her long black hair off her shoulders gracefully. A seductive smile curled her red lips up slightly as her violet eyes landed on him.

"He's sure a feisty one, Father," she said. Her voice was smooth and seductive just as her appearance. Envy was struck still by the sight of her.

"He is Envy," Father introduced unnecessarily, "I didn't expect him to obey immediately after his creation. Lust, you will be working with him much of the next few decades. Show him how to respect his Father."

Lust's eyes landed on Envy once more with a sly smile as she replied, "Of course, Father."

Envy shivered at the look she was giving him. He felt trapped within her violet orbs. He had to admit, she lived up to her name well. He forced himself to push the feelings aside and raised a hand to point shamelessly at her.

"You stay away from me," he snarled, threateningly. He was surprised how easily anger came to him. When he looked at her looking at Father, his blood boiled.

Lust smiled softly at him. She held him in her eyes again as she said, gently, "Poor, Envy. You're one of us now. We are your only family."

All Envy could do was stare at her. It was all he could do. Any movement he made he knew he would have rampaged at her. The fury was so powerful. It overwhelmed him to no end. The way she looked at him as if he was some sad animal… He didn't understand why he couldn't push away his anger, his envy.

That's when he realized. He was envy. Father had tainted his soul with it.

The once grey eyes met violet. Lust's lips curled up in a sneer. Envy still remembered what it was like to be human, to feel human. He remembered what he used to do when he felt out of control, when he had no control.

The fire in his eyes blew out like a gust had moved the embers away. The slow tide brushed his emotions and pushed them behind a wall build by grief and despair. His face, framed between curtains of unruly black hair, fell placid. The moon lit his pale, inhuman skin so that he seemed to glow silver. He looked down at his body, really looked for the first time since he had turned immortal and saw himself for what he was.

The desert breeze had an unusual bite that evening. It chilled him. He saw the Ouroboros in crimson stained into his thigh. He was aware of Father and Lust watching him silently.

So silent.

Dead silent.

Bodies of the dead lying all over.

Peoples faces forever frozen in eternal fear and pain.

He would never forget it. Never.

Violet eyes stared forward, empty and forlorn, at the destruction ahead; cracked cement, bits of the ground had been kicked up in the fight. In some spots rock and debris lay in tall, sharp piles. In other parts, the ground seemed to have been smashed away by some powerful force. Small craters had been left in their wake. The remnants of transmuted weapons and barriers lay broken and eroding. Within this chambered place, surrounded by tubes, upon tubes of Father's forgotten dream, Envy sat against the cold stone. Weariness had enveloped his body as he leaned against a tilted pillar, half crumbling.

Here he had watched Father die. Be defeated by those he called insects by comparison. Mere humans stood around one massive crater, staring in awe at where Father's immortal body had once been before the soft breeze had scattered him like dust. His death was just like any homunculus. Once the stone was used up the shell disintegrated. Ashes to ashes…

Only Envy had remained. He had witnessed his Father die at the hands of humans.

Edward Elric turned to gaze down at Envy. Envy was sure he was thinking the same thing as he was. "Why am I still here?" The gurgled words came out in a gasp from his throat. Blood streamed between his cracked lips and down his chin. It was warm, it felt almost human. He was comforted by the thought that he could die like one.

The humans were watching him now; Edward Elric and his unusual brother, Izumi Curtis, Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, the rice girl from Xing and her cat… Envy could almost name them all. He could almost admire the way they had banded together against their odds to protect the little life they had left.

A sound over to his right made Envy remember Van Hohenhiem. He let his head roll over onto his shoulder so that he was staring right at the man whose image was so close to Father it was unnerving. Anger burned in Envy's violet eyes at the sight of him.

"He never… kept his promise…" the words were thick and heavy. More blood dripped off his chin. He felt his throat tighten. A heat surfaced in his eyes.

Four hundred years, and Envy now knew he had lost what he had longed to protect. Four hundred years…

Hohenhiem knew too. He knew more than he let himself believe. Violet met gold for a brief moment and they both knew the emptiness inside them. For a moment, Envy thought he saw pity flash behind his eyes.

404 years earlier…

He threw stones, two by two, his eyes murkier than the muddy water. His clothes were cleaner than this blood. A dark leather property tag hung around his neck and faced outward on his flat chest. His robes fell in pools around his feet, the trim of the bottom slowly being soaked by the water he played with. He sat on the steps of a grand villa. Its tall marble walls shut out the light from that side of the street. On it, ornate carvings were crafted into the stone.

William Theissen ran his hand along the wall of it to feel the slight grooves. They were cold to the touch, pleasing to his fingertips. The slave's hummed tune brought his eyes up to the doorway. He passed the man wordlessly and entered.

The villa on the inside was just as richly decorated as the marble walls had suggested. The main entrance opened up to the sky letting the warm sunlight pool in onto a small court of a well groomed garden in the shape of a long rectangle. Bright colors and designs were painted along the walls and pillars, mostly in red and gold but some in dark blue and white as well.

His sandals made sharp clipping sounds against the tiled floor and he was immediately met by another slave. He was dressed more finely than the other, cream-colored robes hung from his shoulders as well as a dark colored toga, folded carefully over his right shoulder. He also wore a property tag. He had long golden hair which he took care to tie back and eyes of the same color, though Will had not seen much of them as the man was currently staring at the floor.

"Where is your master?" Will asked him.

The man replied without standing straight, "In the library, sir."

"Stand up, man," Will chuckled, "I don't need to be bowed to like some over-decorated wretch. How many times have I reminded you?"

The slave stood up and his golden eyes softened as he let go a small smile, "One time too many, sir."

They started to walk slowly toward the library at the back of the property. Will smelled the peace tree as they passed and resisted the urge to pluck a ripened one off the branch. He would have to remember to ask his old friend first. Instead, he addressed his assistant slave.

"How goes your studies, 23? I heard you were pursuing the art of alchemy," Will commented. They brushed passed the center garden. The main hall opened up to another large, well decorated room. This one was cooler than the other, not open to the sky like the first. Potted plants were spaced out along the walls and the same vibrant colors edged around arched openings. The cool breezes drifted through from the stable yard and surrounding gardens. A few doorways led off from this room, but they continued straight forward to the one at the far end.

"It is not so difficult than I thought, sir," slave number 23 replied, "Though, I do fine the more advanced theories harder to understand than others. I'm sure an esteemed alchemist like yourself would have no trouble…"

Will grimaced. He didn't take comments as well as some would. "It takes time," he assured him, "And you are still yet young. You have plenty of time. I shall say, by the time you are my age you will have learnt over and above what I know already."

A slight blush graced the slaves cheeks, but he was not ashamed of it. He met Will's gaze straight on and gave a small, polite bow of the head. "I do not wish to outsmart you, sir."

"Ah, why not?" Will laughed, "One day, you and I will sit down as equals and we'll have ourselves a game of chess. I desire to have a challenge. Playing with plebs is not fun anymore."

A wide smile broke out around the slaves face. His golden eyes lit up with hope of one day becoming a free man. He bowed a few times as they walked, unable to contain himself, saying, "You are too generous, sir. I will learn as much as I can until that day."

They reached a wide doorway. The doors stood open on a circular room lined with bookshelves. A tall arched opening led out onto a patio nestled amongst the lush greenery of another garden. A small, plain table will only two chairs stood under the shade of the patio and a man sat on one of them with his face in a large book.

Will stopped in the doorway and turned to slave number 23. "How old are you, boy?"

"Thirty, sir," 23 replied.

Will blinked in surprise. "Thirty?"

"Yes, sir. Almost Thirty-one."

Will studied the slaves face from the roots of his golden hair to his strong chin. His head tilted as it sometimes did when he was musing over something. After a moment, he said, "You don't look an air of twenty-five. I thought you were much younger… nineteen maybe."

Slave 23 smiled softly and gave him a small bow again. Will shrugged and laughed, "I thought you young enough to be my son, but you might as well be my brother instead."

The slaves smile widened at his joke. It would seem they understood each other on levels deeper than a slave and a noble.

"Whose laughter is that I hear?" came a voice from the patio. Will turned to his old friend and walked into the library, away from slave 23, with his arms open wide and welcoming.

"Cassius! Old man! You're slave is holding his face better than you are," Will grinned. Cassius chuckled and stood to slap him on the back. He motioned for Will to sit with him and he did.

"How are the children?" Cassius asked as another slave brought them fresh, cold honey water.

"Healthy as always," Will replied, taking a quick sip, he continued, "Raiden is running the house as well as her mother."

"And little Gaius?"

"Quiet and growing fast," Will replied, "Only two years old and he already speaks better than some of our senators."

The two men laughed. A slave placed a silver tray of fruit on the table before them and silently disappeared. Silence settled comfortably on them as they picked grapes off of the tray and drank water under the shade. Slave 23 stood out bluntly in Will's peripheral vision. Since he became Cassius' assistant he was always present at their meetings, but it bothered him little.

"So, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Cassius said.

Will swallowed some more water and thought carefully about his next words. His continued silence seemed to put Cassius in stress as he leaned back in his chair and avoided his eyes to examine a signet ring on his finger. Will remembered when Cassius' father had given it to him before he had died. In his family, they told the tale of it being handed down from the gods of fortune to Cassius' great ancestors.

"I don't want to put pressure on you to break your vow of confidentiality with the senators," Will started. Cassius scowled and shook his head as if he thought Will was being over formal with him. Will continued, "But you are present for every meeting. I just need to know if something is… amiss."

"Amiss?" Cassius repeated. He chuckled, but his dark eyes told a different emotion. "They are same as always; old men bleating about gold and lack of it."

After a moment of thought, Cassius added, "Care to tell what has your mind spun up in a web?"

Will sighed. Grey eyes met dark ones in a moment's hesitation. The shade had almost gotten too chilly for comfort and the grapes too sour to enjoy. Slave 23 shifted awkwardly under the silence.

"I cannot say," Will replied almost in a low mumble, "For I still am not sure of where my musings lead to."

Cassius' lip turned up in a half grin. He leaned forward slightly and said, "As a friend to a friend I give you some advice: in times such as these, it is best to keep your suspicions to yourself. Sometimes a mind as sharp as yours has the habit of turning in on you."

Grey eyes narrowed. "Are you saying I cannot trust you?"

Cassius chuckled but it lacked his usual warmth. "You can trust me with anything, dear friend. I am merely giving you some advice. In fact, I am glad you came to me and not someone else, who knows who you can trust in times like these."

"And what times are these…exactly?" Will asked slyly. He sipped at the honey water, but his eyes never left Cassius' face.

"Hard as always," Cassius commented, "Must you twist my words so? Advice like what I have given you is good no matter what time it is."

Will sighed, though he did not let himself be fooled. "Indeed."

Cassius folded his arms over the table top and gave him a studious look, saying, "Honestly, Will. We have known each other all our lives… I don't have to be cunning to know you are troubled, and I know you well enough that you know exactly what it is."

A smile graced Will's lips and he put his goblet of honey water down on the table. A soft breeze filtered in through the trees bringing with it the scents of jasmine and lavender. Though it soothed him, it still lacked its usual warmth.

"My wife," Will said, and paused reluctantly, "bears the child of another man."

Cassius choked briefly on the honey water and put his goblet down also. His dark eyes widened in shock at this news. His movements became jerky as he braced the table, saying, "I grieve with you. What a dishonor to bring upon her family. How are you handling it?"

"I am at a loss of what to do with her," Will replied, coldly, "She admitted it to me out of guilt alone. Perhaps, I should see the courage in her confession and be merciful. I do not desire to beat her, especially since she carries an unborn child. I could kill them both."

"Justice and honor demands she die by your hand," Cassius said, sternly, "I'm sorry, Will, but it is the only way to redeem yourself and the children. Think of Raiden. She cannot be wed to a noble if he knows of her mother's misdeeds. No decent man would want her."

Will let out a shaky breath. When he spoke his words trembled, "I know what honor demands. I had hoped there would be some other way. I love her dearly."

"She spit in your face and you kneel to her?" Cassius raised a judging brow. He slowly shook his head, "You are not weak or stupid. Do it quick and you won't have to think about it much."

Will abruptly stood from his seat and nodded to Cassius. "I will speak with you some other time. For now, I must go."

Cassius stood and shook his hand. His dark eyes were hard and soft at the same time. "Fortune be with you, old friend. Things will look up soon enough."

Will removed his hand from his friends embrace and turned to leave the library. Slave 23 stood in the doorway staring at the tile floor as if he had not overheard their conversation. Then, as if a thought had just struck him, Will turned back to Cassius from the doorway and asked, "May I pick some peaches on my way out? They'd make a nice gift for the children."

Cassius smiled, "Of course. Take as much as you want."

Slave 23 and Will walked in silence through the center room and into the main hall where the sunlight lit the garden. It didn't seem as bright as it had been before. They stopped at the peach tree and Will plucked a peach from the branch. He put it to his nose to smell its freshness. Slave 23 watched him with a sad look in his eyes.

"Good peaches these," Will commented. Slave 23 straightened when he was suddenly addressed and replied, "I haven't tried them."

"Well, that won't do," Will said, he passed one to him, "Here."

Slave 23 let a smile grace his features, but his eyes still looked saddened. Will studied him as he picked another from a branch. Slave 23 stared down at the fruit in his hand as if something else preoccupied his mind.

"You may speak plainly," Will allowed his curiosity to take over.

Slave 23 nodded slowly and as if his tongue was rooted to the roof of his mouth, he didn't speak for a few seconds. Reluctantly, he said, "The news of your wife… it was a distraction, wasn't it?"

Will smirked, "The news of my wife is true, but your observance may cost you dearly if you're overheard. Best take your master's own advice and speak only to those you truly trust."

Slave 23 dropped his gaze to the floor again. Will's grey eyes softened, as he said, "Enjoy your peach and keep up with your studies, alchemist. We will see each other in days to come."

With that, Will left him to stare after him. He left the villa with no intent on returning ever again.

"Van Hohenheim…" The name escaped Envy's lips. It felt unnatural to call him that. The golden eyes studied him as they had done so many times before, but this time they were soft with memory.

It shocked everyone when Hohenheim took a few steps forward and kneeled next to the homunculus. Violet eyes stared weakly up at him. A small smile warmed up Hohenheim's face. In the silence that fell on them, they seemed to share memories.

"We never did get to play that game of chess like you promised," Hohenheim said quietly.

Envy could not manage a smile. The despair of what time had done to the both of them was overwhelming. How much had changed since then… they had both become two completely different people.

"I had…" Envy's words were hard to make out through the blood in his throat, "almost forgotten…"

Hohenheim sighed, "Even when I saw you for the first time as a homunculus and I saw what Father had changed you into, I could still sense William was still there. You kept his soul strong and eternal."

"Cassius…" Envy mumbled, "That bastard…"

I was all Hohenheim could do to bow slightly like he used to, just tipping his head down a bit. Quietly, he sighed, "I know… I'm sorry I couldn't say anything to you before."

Leonahari: By now you've probably figured out that this story is going to be flashback based. I'm trying this out as an experiment. I hope you like it.