Chapter 9
"Won't Back Down"
Song by: Fuel
Hello everyone! I've turned over a new leaf and I've decided I'll continue this story no matter how many reviews I get! Read and review please! God Bless!
/Yeah, yeah/
Ed took his brother gently by the shoulders and spoke softly yet his words were determined.
"Al…you know what we have to do…" he said. Al nodded silently then finally whispering sadly.
"I know…..We have to do it or they'll never leave us alone…"
"Al…you don't have to do this with me…I don't want anymore blood stain on your hands….." Ed whispered gently to Al, he never wanted Al to experience the pain of killing someone or the blood stain that would never wash away. The wind started to pick up and the rain that fell hid the silent tears that were cascading Al's soft cheeks.
"Brother…." Al said trying to keep his voice steady. "We've been through everything together….why would that change now….?"
Ed gave a smile only meant for Al and hugged him tight.
"We're going to beat them Al…..I promise, no….I swear to you…we will beat them for good"
The determination in Ed's voice never wavered as he swore to his brother, all he had to do was to make sure what he swore came true.
"D-mnit! Lust must be torturing them to death!" Envy said his dark eyes narrowing.
"Well at least their gone for good." Greed said. (He had been watching the entire time)
"Where's Lust?" Gluttony asked as a long trail of drool slid out of his mouth.
"Who cares." Wrath said not even the least bit concerned for his fellow homunculi. "I'm going to go and get my arm and leg from the fullmetal alchemist's dead body." Wrath finished walking out of the warehouse to claim what was 'his'.
Suddenly there was a commotion outside of the warehouse.
"What the-!" Envy tried to finish but, Wrath was thrown into him causing them to fall into a heap on the cold stone floor.
"No… it can't be…." Dante screamed shocked. Her voice echoed throughout the halls of the abandoned warehouse eerily. In through the doors stepped Ed followed closely by Al.
"It's impossible!" she shrieked suddenly afraid. "Envy kill them for good!"
"Well, well" Envy said pushing Wrath roughly off of him and standing. "You two little b-st-rds just won't die now will you…." Ed stepped forward ready to fight, Al started to follow but, Ed held his hand up.
"Al, stay back…I'll handle this…."
"Are you sure you can do that fullmetal? Do you really have what it takes to kill me?" Envy snarled at Ed.
/I know what darkness means
(And the void you left for me)/
Without hesitation Ed replied coldly.
"Yes…." Al looked down fighting to control his emotions; he didin't want his brother to kill anyone but, he knew that this is what they had to do….it was the path they chose.
"The coldness in your voice….your really planning to kill me…and right in front of your little brother." The last line Envy sounded like he was scolding Ed in a mocking way.
/The isolation stings
(So think it wants to bleed/
Fear and shame clouded Ed's golden eyes. Millions of voices echoed in his head. You have to kill him; this will haunt your baby brother; it's the only way; what kind of older brother are you; you have to stop him for good; it's all your fault Al has to be exposed to this.
Suddenly the good started to lesson and the bad came on full force. It was your fault from the beginning; you destroyed his life; he never had a chance; it's you fault; you're a cold blooded killer, YOUR FAULT!
/The echoes in my brain
(Of the things you said to me)/
"STOP IT!" Ed cried out falling to his knees and covering his ears. He had to block the voices…he had to make them stop….he didn't want to face the truth.
"Brother!" Al yelled running towards Ed but, not before being grabbed by Envy.
"Not so fast little Elric, your brother is now realizing what kind of a life he's made for you and what a failure he's made it. Envy said his face triumphant and evil.
"No! Brother, listen to me!" Al cried out struggling from Envy's tight grasp. "Your not a failure! And you're the best brother to me! Your not perfect…..and..niether am I…but, we can fix all of our mistakes together! You can't keep beating yourself up over the past and every mistake! And your not the one ruining my life…Envy is!" Ed's eyes widened as a new voice filled his head…the voice of his brother, stronger and more powerful than all the rest. In that very moment something awoke inside of Ed….a fire of hate stronger than the hate for his father…a hate……for his father's creation.
"Shutup you brat!" Envy yelled roughly pushing Al to the floor. Al tried to get up but he was pressed down by Envy's foot. Suddenly, Envy was slammed right in the jaw with such a force that he was sent flying into the wall. "What the-!" Envy said looking to see who punched him. Helping Al sit up was Ed.
"So, you broke through the voices…" Envy said standing unfazed and calm, wiping the trickling blood from his mouth. "I was hoping you'd die from the truth…"
"Some of it may be true….." Ed said standing once he made sure Al was ok. "But, most of it was lies created by you so, you could destroy me with my own guilt….but, it's not going to work…." Ed continued quietly walking towards Envy. "But….there's something that is true…you've been ruining Al's life by hurting him and taking him away from me…and now… IT'S TIME TO PAY!"
/You took my everything
Now I'm coming for you/
Ed ran forward and slammed Envy even further into the wall. Ed lashed out punching Envy as hard and as fast as he could with everything he had. No longer was Al going to suffer.
/I won't back down
I will not bow
I've come to bring you to hell/
Envy finally dodged one of Ed's attacks and slammed him in the stomach with his fist. The pain was excruciating as Ed fell to his knees coughing up spit and struggling to find his breath.
/I can't forget
The things you did
I've come to bring you to hell/
"Brother!" Al cried out standing and running towards his fallen brother. Envy smirked and dashed right in front of Al cutting him off from his brother. "I know what haunts you little Elric…" Envy said circling around Al like a wolf to its prey. Suddenly, Envy's body began to take on a different form. Envy started to grow to almost 7 feet tall, large spikes came out oh his shoulders, his skin turning metallic and grey, and his face became a helmet…a helmet with no emotion. The armor…the one that held Al as a prisoner.
/The shadows that you see
(In the places that you sleep)
Are memories of me
(Better pray your soul to keep)/
"Remember me…?" the armor spoke evilly; the once kind voice of the armor was gone, now replaced with a colder and crueler voice. Al tried to put on brave face and block out all the memories but, they came swarming into his head taking over his thoughts and breaking him down. Al closed his eyes and fell to his knees; four years of tears of pain and regret flowed down his cheeks.
"There, there….there's no real reason to cry….." the armor said with fake concern. "Just to make you feel better I'll give you something to really cry about." The armor grabbed Al by the collar and shoved him into the wall forcefully.
"Al!" Ed yelled finally catching his breath. He stood up and ran towards Al but, was tackled by Wrath and Greed forcing him to the ground holding him down tight. Al cringed in pain as the force of the wall surged through his aching body. He felt a liquid running down the calves of his legs; blood seeped to the floor making a large puddle.
Oh no.. Al thought. I don't think my legs can take much more of this…
Suddenly, Envy's body was morphing again this time he became much shorter with blonde hair, blazing gold eyes, and an automail arm and leg; it was Ed.
"Hello dear brother." Ed's mocking voice said letting go of Al and watching as he slid to the floor into the ever growing pool of blood. "You're so pathetic…" Ed said disgustingly. The words stung Al as he weakly stood up leaning against the stone wall for support. "People shouldn't be praising me for restoring you to your original body your such a failure…and look at you…your missing bones from your legs…your not worth displaying anymore…"
"No…" Al said pushing the thoughts of Envy's cruel words about Ed earlier. "I'm not a puppet….." Ed laughed evilly.
"You really are a failed creation! You still don't get it do you?" he asked. "I never loved you! I never cared about mom! I just wanted to try to bring her back because I knew it wouldn't work and then I would be able to do something great and people everywhere would know me….and you just helped me do that you were a great help…for once."
/The truth behind your eyes
(You know the place you never see)/
Al fell on his hands and knees shaking. The truth had finally came out. He doesn't love me…he hates me…he hates me…
The real Ed watched helplessly as his brother started crying believing every word that Envy lied.
"No! Al!" Ed called out struggling against the hold of Wrath and Greed. "Don't listen to him he's a fake! I love you and…..I loved mom…you should know that…."
"Shutup!" Greed yelled punching Ed in the jaw. Al looked over at his real brother.
He really does love me…? Al asked himself silently.
"Don't listen to him!" the fake Ed roared grabbing Al's chin and forcing him to look into his golden eyes. "he's the liar…not me…"
"A-al…no…." the real Ed whispered, his heart starting to shatter into to unfixable pieces. "I-I can't lose you too….I-I'll die…." Al's eyes widened in realization at these words, he had to make a choice…who was telling the truth….and who's the liar.
"Al…listen to me…" the fake Ed started.
"No…" Al said coldly standing. "Everything you've ever told me…was a lie…and I was stupid enough to believe it… but….no more….I'm going to be the one to destroy you for good…"
/Your darkest little lies
Are coming for you/
In a last minute attempt to get Al back into the mind set that he was in Envy's transformed himself into the armor once more.
"Remember all those years of being trapped inside me! You were my prisoner!"
"No…..I wore the armor…the armor didn't wear me!"
/I won't back down
I will not bow
I've come to bring you to hell/
Envy morphed back into his original form and dodged Al's oncoming attack.
"Too slow!" Envy yelled punching Al in the stomach sending him reeling into the shattered mirror. Al weakly opened his eyes blood seeped through the back of his shirt. Ed struggled desperately to get to his brother but Wrath and Greed held him down tight. Al knew he had to do something quickly but, his head was spinning and it was hard to think. Then, something caught his eye. It was the fragments of glass from the mirrors. Hesitantly he picked up a long sharp fragment and looked at it. Holding out his right hand Al carved his transmutation circle into it; he did the same with the other. Praying to himself and God he clapped his hands together and slammed them on the ground. Nothing happened.
"Ha! You actually thought that was going to work your such a-" suddenly the ground rumbled. "what the-!" Before Envy could finish his sentence with 'hell' a large stone figure rose up out of the ground and wrapped its arms around Envy's neck choking him unto he was no longer moving. At the same time to large hands came up and grabbed Wrath and Greed off of Ed and pinning them to the wall. Getting up quickly ignoring the pain from his wounds during battle, Ed ran to his little brother. Ed kneeled down in front of Al, taking off his coat and wiping the blood from Al's wounds.
"S-sorry…" Al apologized weakly, his skin becoming deathly pale from the loss of blood.
"What are you sorry for…?" Ed asked in disbelief. "You did nothing wrong….I'm very proud of you buddy." Ed said taking Al's hand and giving it a light squeeze of reassurance.
/I can't forget the things you said
I've come to bring you to hell/
Dante walked slowly to Envy….her son. She hesitantly reached out her hand to him. Inches from touching him Envy's head shot up the fire's of hell burning through his lavender eyes. Ed looked over at Envy their eyes connected and the tension in the air surrounded the room like a cloud of smoke from a never ending fire.
"Al…you rest here…I'm going to end it this time….." Ed said beginning to stand.
"No!" Al cried out weakly gripping his brother's arm stopping Ed.
"Al what are you-?"
"We've both tried to fight him on our own….." Al interrupted. Ed became silent as he thought about Al's words.
"So….we should fight….together…" Ed said helping his brother stand.
Envy brought his arms together and swung them out breaking the statue into fragments of stone.
"I will kill you both and make sure you suffer!" Envy yelled taking on a transformation. Ed and Al watched in horror as Envy became a large fanged dragon. "SEE MY TRUE FORM!" Envy yelled his voice shaking the warehouse. Then Envy took off towards the two brothers with lightning speed. Ed and Al both looked at each other, it was the moment of truth if their plan worked they could finally be able to live peacefully and rebuild their lives but if it didn't work….they would both die.
"Brother if this doesn't work…I just wanted to let you know-"
"Al stop worrying this will work" Ed said giving a reassuring grin.
/All the scars that never heal
All the wounds that will not seal
I will not forget the day
These memories never fall/
Envy was drawing nearer with every passing second. The brother's looked straight at Envy and clapped their hands together. And together they slammed their hands on the ground. Blue electrical light illuminated the room causing all the electricity to blow out. The blast of alchemic light headed towards Envy.
"No!" Dante screamed rushing towards her son. Envy roared as the blast drew nearer to him. Just as the light was about to consume him Dante threw herself in front of Envy her body disintegrating into nothing all except her alchemic necklace. It hung in the air causing the alchemic blast to turn into many vibrant colors, until finally it changed to a solid blood red.
"Oh God…" Ed whispered. "Al we've got to get out of here!" Ed tried to help Al as best as he could but his brother was too injured to go fast. Even at the slow pace they made it only a few inches from the door until the warehouse exploded and the roof caved in covering everything leaving only a cloud of dust.
end of chapter
Halloooooo so sorry for the wait! my computer had a freaken' virus i'm really sorry! hope i haven't lost any reviewers! love to everyone!
love,
Audrianna!
Next chapter: Gifts and Curses by yellowcard (my rewritten version)