Chapter 10: Broken Sight of the Beholder
And walah...Chapter 10.Finally. I hope everyone enjoys. And... I can't help but wonder why no one reviews this story...but..it gets quite a lot of hits,lol. PLEASE R&R.
The knocking continued to ring through their ears as Al scurries around the room trying to find an adequate hiding place for his once fallen mother. Ed just lay practically motionless at his mother's side since all his energy was drained from the unlocking chant that he spoke so calmly earlier. He slips away from his mother's embrace and hits the ground quietly beside her, his arm across her lap. With worry, she looks at him and places her hand atop his head gently. A weak smile slips across his lips and he nods slightly.
As the knocking subsides a loud shattering sound fills the air that was occupying Ed and Al's apartment. Many footsteps are heard scampering around the rooms, and things becoming upheaval and objects being tossed transversely through the hallways. These sounds all came suddenly and it instantly frightened the three of them.
Al couldn't think of what to do. There was nowhere they could hide their mother now. Soon enough the intruders will be barging into their small sanctuary and either tearing them to shreds or questioning them. He wasn't quite sure what was to become of them if he weren't to think fast, but he had to contain his saddened imagination and come up with something. Glancing around the room impulsively, he spots not even the slightest bit of hope. Was their life going to end within seconds of seeing their mother again? Is the Dorai Circle's only faulting reaction to send people after you? Was it even a possibility that familiar enemies were again chasing them?
The doorknob of Edward's bedroom twisted and turned recklessly before momentarily stopping and turning again. The door gently slid open forwardly revealing, through the crevice, a shadowy figure.
Ed jerks to his side and glances at the door with a defeated expression. He couldn't come up with anything with almost no time to think. His left hand drifts over the outer rim of the Dorai Circle and he groans quietly under his breath. He coughs gently and rolls onto his stomach. The door was gradually opening even more and the dull light from the kitchen was shining in. He still couldn't come up with anything; he'd drawn a complete blank.
Al crawls over to the door slowly and leans against the wall as it continues to creep open. He stands up and allows the door to hit him making it seem as if it had hit the wall. Clearly though, the person trying to open the door didn't take the slightest belief of this because the door was only open a few inches. Who could fit through that small spot? It was nearly impossible, but it gave Edward a few extra moments of time to concoct a plan, even if it were to not work.
The door swings open, full force now, and the doorknob slams directly into Alphonse's gut. He gasps for air, and then covers his mouth as an attempt to continue concealing himself.
Edward, the moment the door was completely open, swung his body around in a swift motion, and managed to tap his left foot on the edge of the circle, curl himself out of that awkward position, and launch himself at the figure. His hand hit the corner of a wall as he came at the person and an illuminating flash of light covers everything almost blindingly. The figure stumbles backwards instantly, rubbing their eyes within seconds. The other people that were inside ran around in circles like they were mice with their heads chopped off.
He falls to the ground with a loud thump and stares at the staggering figures that were now entering his room. Their arms were flailing around wildly and they all ended up hitting each other. There were three of them, all lying down on the ground now, eyes stinging uncontrollably. Edward couldn't understand how he had pulled that off, nor how it didn't cause any type of harm to the three members of the Elric family. It truly was an amazing sight, especially since the figures' couldn't see anything whatsoever.
As Ed staggers to his feet, he finds that his right arm his hanging more limply at his side then his real arm. When he lifts his left hand and slides it over the spot where the joining of the auto mail and skin existed, he allows his left hand to gradually slip into a large tear between them. He groans feeling one of his fingers tap against a nerve. Even though he wasn't harmed by that white, blinding light he had managed to injure himself in another way. Their sight was broken, and so was his arm.
Glancing at Alphonse now, Ed notices that he is tightly holding his chest and lying across the floor, just behind the door. "Dammit…" Ed manages to grunt out through all his pain. He looks at his mother hopefully, and there she sat, just outside of the Dorai Circle, completely safe. Weakly smiling at her for a split second, Ed stumbles a few times as he approaches Al's body. "I'm…so stupid." He mumbles under his breath as he kneels down beside his younger brother. Placing his right hand on Al's shoulder, he begins to gently shake him, hoping that he wouldn't have to wake him up any other way. When he sees Al's eyes flutter open a small grin crosses his face and he gathers Al's hand in his own left one, pulling him steadily to his feet.
"Brother…." Al winces as he feels a sudden rush of pain surge throughout his body. He lets out a gasp, hoping to gather air up so that he could breathe normally. "Are you okay?" he asks his brother curiously, trying to not pay attention to his own injuries.
"Al…. you shouldn't be asking me about my health…when it's just a loose bolt." His mother laughs quietly and Ed looks at her curiously with a soft grin. Looking back at his brother, he shakes his head and manages to place a large smile on his face. "You got hit by the door?" He repeats, knowing the answer is 'yes'. Al merely nods waiting for his brother to continue on. "We're all going back to Rizenbul…." His voice was quiet, but was full of seriousness. If they didn't go back there, then Ed's arm can't be repaired any time soon.
A soft smile crosses Ms. Elric's face and then she looks around the room, slowly getting to her feet. "Edward…. who are these people? Why are they after us?" Her voice was as calm as usual. Ed and Al turn around and look at the bodies that were now lying motionless on the floor. The only thing they were sure of about then, was the fact that they couldn't see anything; their sight was broken.