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Truth, contrary to popular belief, did in fact understand the concept of mercy. Truth, by definition, understood everything.

Truth understood mercy. It just did not feel the need to be merciful.

There are laws. Laws should not be broken. People who break laws should be punished. There is no room for mercy.

And yet...

There had been occasions when it had tried to be merciful.


It took its payment from the younger boy, and from the elder it took a leg as passage fee before shoving him into the Gate. Truth gave him its knowledge and then it let him go, missing a leg and a brother, but alive.

The punishment had been meted. The agreement every alchemist makes- every time they draw a circle, every time they activate an array- the agreement to follow equivalent exchange had been honoured by the boy's death. It was over.

Or at least, it should have been.

Truth felt the elder boy's mind reach out towards the Gate. It felt the crackle of alchemy.

"He's my brother- give him back!"

Truth knew the laws.

In exchange for his brother's soul... his own. That is equivalent.

It knew the laws. But for some reason...

It hesitated.

It is equivalent. Take the soul.

Truth could feel the boy's desperation, as it always could. When an alchemist came to the Gate, the alchemist became part of it, and Truth could feel their minds- their anger, pain, hate, sadness, fear...

He is very young.

He is very afraid.

He is very... alone.

The arms of the Gate reached out.

People are often more merciful to children.

Many humans had passed through the Gate. Perhaps humanity had rubbed off on it.

But there must be equivalence...

It took the boy's arm in exchange for his brother's soul.

Equivalence enough, I think.

Truth closed the Gate. Thousands of purple eyes stared unblinkingly at him from the darkness, thousands of fanged mouths grinned knowingly.

Mercy, Truth told them. And that was that.