Halfmetal Alchemist: Chapter 31

The Battle Is Nigh

"Are we ready?"

After countless days of searching, there was only one new addition to the Blood Stone collection: The stone of earth, a powerup that only Ed found particularly useful. Leroy was apprehensive of the upcoming raid; and who wouldn't be? Roy had decided that Leroy was better off with the fire necklace than he was, and had given it to him instead. Faris squeezed his hand and watched the skies, as if looking for something. "I wonder if... my brothers are watching me."

"Maybe they are, Faris."

Riza was double checking her ammunition, and it had been decided that on Ultimus's next attack on the country, they would strike. Al and Alley loaded everything they had and Alphonse gave them a reassuring nod. "Don't worry, you can help too. I'll infuse some of my light energy into your weapons, you'll do plenty of damage."

"Are you ready, Ed?" Fulllmetal asked. Ed thought for a moment, then shook his head. "To be honest, I'm not; what will the Homunculus have up their sleeves, Dad?" Fullmetal shook his head as well. "I honestly can't tell you, they'll have probably changed their tactics, and Ultimus is one Homunculus I didn't have to deal with..." he face clouded over. "If I had had to, I wouldn't be here; he a deadly strong Homunculus."

Ilia stood beside her brother and watched him. "Do you think this will... end badly Leroy?"

"It might, Sister. It just might, but we can... hope that it doesn't. Dad is so strong... we can't possibly lose!"

Anri waited by Roy and Riza, fiddling with his automail and allowing Winry to examine and fine tune it, appreciating her automail skill, so like his own. "Don't you worry, Roy, with all of us working together, those Homunculi will have one hell of a fight."

"I sure hope they're not thinking the same thing, Uncle. If they are, then we'll be sorely disadvantaged, and then..." he paused.

"If we don't stop them, Amestris is doomed to be destroyed; the whole world will be under the fingers of the Homunculi, an eternal tyranny, unless we stop it now."

"Are you ready, Ultimus?" Lust asked. He inclined his head. "I am."

"Then go; go to Central City. We'll wake them up, I'm sure." Envy laughed pitilessly. "Make sure you do it right, Ultimus."

"I will," he said, sweeping out of their base.

That had been hours ago, and now he was overlooking Central City, calculating. He shed his shirt and cloak onto the ground, revealing a transmutation circle that seemed as if it had been tatooed on his chest. It was a circle, with a diamond inscribed into it. Inside the diamond was another circle that branched out into wings and extended from the upper right and left of the diamond, peaked at his shoulders, then dropped downward near his stomach and ended in points. On these two wings were inscriptions of closedeyes, one on each wing. A dagger-like inscription dropped down from the diamond and ended in a point on the same level as the point of the wings, in it was another closed eye. In the center of the circle was a large closed eye, and on each vertex of the diamond was drawn four elements: fire at the top, lightning on the bottom, water on the right, earth on the left. In the dip formed by the wings near the top of the diamond on either side were two more elements: Light on the left, Dark on the right.

He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. The mark of fire glowed yellow and the eye on the dagger opened, revealing a crimson, bloodshot eye. His automail arm glowed a bright crimson red and he held out his arm over the city, held it for a moment, then lifted upwards.

The ground shook and rocked, and he heard people scream from below him; then the earth parted and spews of red hot lava surged forth into the air. The sky blackened as ground began to burn and he continued to hold his arm aloft, amber eyes scanning the city, before throwing his arm down and clenching his fist tightly. The magma formed a wave and rushed onto the bustling metropolis of Central City, burying and burning it in a flood of red; the smell of burning flesh and stone assailed him and he turned his head away.

A littleboy was running up the hill towards him and he stopped dead, almost horrified, experiencing an unpleasant wave of deja vu. The little boy collapsed in front of him, slightly burned and crying, when Lust appeared at his shoulder. "What should I do, Lust?" Lust examined the crying boy in front of them, then smiled. "Kill him."

"You've gotta help! Auntie Gracia, Auntie Gracia, she's gone, and Elysia...!" Ultimus stared at him, then at Lust. She gestured impatiently. "What are you waiting for, kill the brat." Ultimus lengthened the fingers of his left hand and tapered them into points, staring at the boy, wide-eyed. "Do it!" Lust commanded, and he turned his face away, closed his eyes, concentrated, and shot his fingers forward into Maes Mustang, and screams filled his ears.

This is where the fun really starts, this is it people, the final chapters of Halfmetal Alchemist, the finale draws near! -T A