Final Chapter: Retreat/ The end of the journey.
The battle was intense; dust, smoke and blood spread in the atmosphere. Envy, who once proclaimed to be a pacifist, was fighting in such a bloodlusted way as if he had just changed the father's soul shard that is supposed to be his own soul. Every second that passed, Envy fighted crazier, as the three attackers had already managed to Kill five of the 10 humanoid tumours that surrounded his body.
The three of them, were just too tired, but they couldn't just desist there, they were in half way to win.
- SIX! -Ling shouted; he managed to climb through Envy's face, while scar destroyed part of the floor where Envy was standing, making him to lose its equilibrium, and May Chen grabbed three of his six feet with "retanjutsu". Ling had just stabbed his sword in one of the tumours, making envy to make a scream of pain
- SEVEN! – Scar shouted; he jumped and made another of the tumours explode with his alchemy, Envy managed to free from May Chen's Prison, but too late.
- EIGHT! – May Chen Shouted. Enormous spikes impaled Envy, and although most of them shattered at the contact of his hard skin, one of them destroyed another of the tumours.
- Envy changed his behaviour; he wasn't wrathful anymore, now he have fear, he started fearing of his life. He retreated, searching for the exit, but the three attackers noticed the last tumour, and attacked at the same time – NINE!
It was almost over, the last life. They were covered by their own blood, with all their bodies aching and twitching, but they were moved by the thought that they could put at end to that bastard, responsible of one of the most horrible massacres of all times.
But the Tenth tumour wasn't on its body, but they realized that his body had became soft and weak, so they started to cut him in all parts they could. Envy started to bleed from all parts.
Ling spotted one point where he thought there should be some organ that could work as the heart (if that thing really had one) and he was going to pierce that point, but the ground started to tremble.
- Oh! Seems that reinforcements have come – Envy said, transforming into his normal humanoid form, panting and covered with his own blood – I would love to stay here and to cut you into very tiny pieces, but I've to tell father about this, so Farewell, have an horrible death
Then he transformed into a tiny mouse and escaped through the gate.
- WAIT YOU SON OF A…- Ling shouted, but the ground shook even more, and from all the places lots of hungry chimeras appeared, seeing them as their lunch.
As tired as they were, the possibilities of winning were few, it seemed that…that was the end.
Envy ran as fast as the pain caused by his injuries let him. Being difficult to be fast converted in a mouse, he returned to his usual humanlike form.
- DAMN BASTARDS! – Envy shouted to himself – I need to ask father for a few souls and then go to be sure that even bones be left of them…but then was stopped by something that he thought it was a nightmare. A man dressed in the Führer's military uniform, with a big stain of blood on one of his shoulders showed in front of him. But he didn't have a tanned skin or a patch on his left eye; he has a pale skin and was looking with both eyes, with an expression of surprise and anger.
- Hmm… so you're the one who can change your appearance at will – Mustang asked to the bleeding homunculus
- WHAT…WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE! WHY ARE YOU WEARING FÜHRER'S UNIFORM!
- I'm starting to understand how Lvt. Maria Ross could have killed BG. Hughes – his eyes showed a vicious and incommensurable wrath.
Envy tried to attack him, but he was too tired, and failed all of his attacks, Mustang only had to grab one of his arms, twist it and then gave him a powerful kick, which launched him to the horribly hard orichalchos' wall. He couldn't move then.
- You don't have any idea of how much I wanted to do this– Envy felt the end. The only thing that was heard was a horribly loud scream full of pain and fear. Lots of flames started to cover the room, leaving the one that one time was Envy, reduced to a mountain of ashes.
- How shameful "niisan", aren't you able to recognize your own brother?
Ed felt as if he was dragged from hell to heaven in matter of seconds. He turned and he saw the prize of all his struggles, injuries and suffering; Al was standing in front of him, but the cold steel armour was lying in one side, and a 14 years old boy was standing naked in front of him, grinning from ear to ear, and golden eyes closed.
Taken by the joy of the moment, he rushed against his brother, hugging him with tears provoked by the trauma of some seconds before. Al's reaction was logical.
OUCH, OUCH, OUCH! – Al shouted, trembling because of his brother's contact – too hot…too cold.
- Oh sorry…am I hugging too strong? – Ed asked, quite worried.
- Uhm well, I can't say…maybe it's just because I'm not used to touch. Even this breeze is tickling me. – Al answered, with a cut voice.
- Well, maybe because you're completely naked, too – Ed replied, doing one of his most kind smiles – At least I think I can give you this.
He was starting to take off his shirt, when a big chimera appeared, with the intentions to eat them, but a big flame appeared behind it. Roy Mustang walked through the door, greeting the young state Alchemist as soon as he saw him.
- Our paths for searching the truth crossed as we thought Fullmetal – He said, with a small smile.
- Colonel! – Both brothers shouted surprised. Roy kept looking at the taller boy who hasn't seen in all his life. Seeing then the lifeless suit of armour lying on the floor, he understood the situation.
- Alphonse! – He shouted, grinning now lively – so you finally achieved it; really too much surprises for one day. As I expected, you're taller than your brother.
Al only replied with a smile, but Ed was covered by angry marks as he used to do – you're the only one person in this world that can do that type of jokes in this moments.
- Well you just can't go around completely naked – he took off his Military coat and covered Al with it, who shivered at the contact – not used to touch?
- hum, yeah
- Ready to go? This place is very dangerous; there are a lot of those creatures lurking around.
- No, first I've to look for Ling, May Chen and…- He kept froze for a while, then he rushed towards the brashes where the TC was shouting "PRIDE!" the homunculus was covered with his own blood, trapped below the rocks.
- Just two lives left – he said, after feeling Ed touching his head – is he all right?
Al got closer to him so he could see him. Roy Mustang stood frozen where he was; not believing what he was seeing as one who seemed to be Ed's twin was lying almost lifeless on the floor.
- Just as I saw you in my dreams – Pride told Al, with a weak smile – Perfect. My life has reached the end as I expected; I don't have any regrets now.
- But why don't you regenerate yourself? – Ed said, looking very worried to the Homunculus- You said that you still have two souls, why don't you use one to heal your wounds?
- Yes, I only have two souls but I need one to do this – he grabbed Ed's right arm with one of his, and he freed one of his legs and tangled it at Ed's automail leg. Everyone in that room were shocked as they see Pride glowing in a white light and when Ed's metal limbs started to convert into flesh.
In less than a minute, the pain between the automail and the junction that Ed was used with started to disappear; in exchange, the sense of touch appeared in both limbs, after almost five years without sensing anything there. The next time they saw him, Ed had four limbs of flesh and bones, and without any visible scar; as if they had never done what they had done.
- Why? After all of this…– Ed asked, not believing the fact that he was complete again.
- It would be useless if both of the brothers don't recover their bodies at the same time – Pride interrupted, before he coughed a lot of blood, making both brothers escape a sound of worry – If just one of them is healed… he would try to do everything to restore the other too, and the sacrifice could be even bigger than the first time…I'm…already doomed, so I made that sacrifice for you…Now…now…your journey it's finished...you don't have to be in danger again, just keep safe and try to be happy.
- I'm sorry Pride, but we have to stop him. We can't just let him to sacrifice all the people in this country just to preserve his immortality.
- You know how powerful he is. He even didn't need to move to drag the most of my souls and let me die here. His wrath is unstoppable, but I think I can't say anything to persuade you. That can't be helped, just be very careful – he replied with a weak smile, just before he coughed blood again. The brothers also replied with a smile.
- I think…this is the time for farewell. Thanks… both of you… for allowing me to make my dream… -
- No, thank you…for putting and end to our struggle – Al said with his usual kind voice.
Pride smiled; a big and sincere smile for the first time in is life. He was going to close his eyes, when he abruptly completely opened them again and said with a desperate voice.
- BEWARE OF FATHER'S PLAN…HE…HE IS …TRYING TO …MAKE…THE UL…TI…MATE…HO…MUN…CU…LUS………………………- and after that, life abandoned Pride's body; Ed closed Pride's eyes, and stood up, with pain in his heart.
- this is just too much for one day – Roy said, touching his head – could you please explain what had happened?
- It's a large story for a place like this one, and why are you using Führer's uniform anyway?
- Also too strange and difficult to understand it now.
- Well, the explanations would have to wait for some time. Let's search for the others to leave this place.
Tired as they were, after their battle with the Homunculi; Ling, May Chen and Scar saw death when the swarm of chimeras appeared with the intentions to eat them. They were able to kill some, but after some time they fell tired to the floor, waiting for the inevitable. But thanks to some unknown force that was protecting them, fireballs started to fill the room, killing almost all of the Chimeras. From the entrance, a man dressed in military uniform and a short blond teenager helping to walk a quite tall teen, also blond appeared.
- Oh! You did it! – Ling exclaimed, seeing souls instead of bodies, and recognized that the other blond was Alphonse – Pride was the sacrifice, wasn't he?
But the brother semblance wasn't cheerful when he said that, so he changed fast of topic. – What is the Colonel doing here?
- Not Colonel anymore, Führer now. Bradley is death and for some odd reason I was elected as the next.
He then looked at the others that were in the room, he stayed on attack position when he saw Scar.
-SCAR! You're under arrest for committing multiple murders against this country.
Scar looked with eyes full of hatred to Mustang, mumbling something like "this can't end here; I've to kill that monster first".
- Wait! He's our ally now.
But before Mustang could reply, another swarm of chimeras appeared from every place, and attacked them. But before any of them could attack, Al raised his hand, and after a strong glow of light, all the chimeras well lifeless to the ground. All of them looked Al with enormous eyes full of surprise.
- What…What have you done! – Ed said, with his mouth widely opened.
- Hmm, advanced truth knowledge, I guess – Al replied smiling.
But before anyone could say anything more, Scar stood up and said – Girl, I have paid your help – and then touched the ground and disappeared on a cloud of Dust.
-WAIT SCAR! – Mustang yelled, but it was too late, there was no sign of Scar around.
After some time, Mustang returned to normal and spoke again – its better that I return after they noticed that I wasn't there. At least I can say that military is now a safe point to hide for now. I'll call you for talking about this. Goodbye until then.
Mustang walked deeper in the maze, living fire at his pace, maybe killing chimeras. The other four headed to the exit of that place; with chimeras stepping on their feet.
- I never thought that the day that we recovered our bodies would leave this bitter taste– Al said, looking at the entrance of the underground maze sealed by an orichalchos wall made by Ed. As amazing as he was, he was able to copy Pride's technique by only seen it in use two times.
Ling and May Chen were waiting for them, some meters far from their position, he was talking her about the part of the Elric's story that he knew, as she was pretty lost about the last happenings.
They had decided to return to their military hotel to think about their next attack, as Mustang said that military was safe now. Ed looked to his brother after he said those words; eyes full of deception and sadness.
- I always thought he was a bastard, but not a monster. – He sighed deeply, as he took from his pocket some hair wrapped with a tiny red band, he showed it to Al.
- This was inside Pride's Orichalchos, as you know, Homunculi flesh became sand a few minutes after the homunculus had died. But it has passed more than an hour after he died and it haven't disappeared yet.
- So you mean that… -
- This is my hair! – Ed replied desperately – that monster used it to let him use advanced alchemy as his main ability, but any part of you have also the information about everything of you, your likes, your dislikes, your dreams…and your nightmares.
- I see, so what he really had done is to make a confused being that had the desires of another person, desires that were so powerful that made him go against his own nature.
Al said this last with a tone and a face that made Ed to instantly blush. Al smiled after seeing that reaction; he then continued.
- I'm agreed with you, he had made something horrible, and he will pay for that, but haven't you noticed what all of this means? This is the end, the end of our journey.
- The end of our journey? – Ed said, before a smile started to appear at his face – Yeah you're right, this is the end of our journey, but the beginning of our mission.
- And maybe the most difficult of all; but we are together and that would make the difference between us and he. We also have help – he then looked at Ling and May Chen, who answered with their head, before making a smile.
- Well but we can't just go around at the city at this way, come here – And he grabbed his brother's arms and in a matter of seconds, all the blood stains and dust marks disappeared from his body and the clothes looked as new. He then grabbed a rock and transformed it into a shoe equal to the one Ed had at the one who was until an hour earlier his only leg.
- Thanks Al – he said, putting the shoe at his once metal limb – walking shoeless started to feel horrible.
He then did the same with Ling and May Chen. She had already healed all wounds, so it was just a matter of cleaning and fixing clothes.
- And finally me, who is surely the weirdest, with only this coat – And then he touched the coat and it suddenly became black pants and a black T-shirt. He also transformed two rocks into shoes.
- Argh! Rough… I guess…..URGH! – He fell to the floor, touching his stomach.
- Al what's happening – Ed asked quite worried, approaching to help him.
- My stomach...-he replied before standing again – this is not the first time, I…I really don't know what it means…my stomach just feels so empty.
After thinking a moment, Ed laughed a bit and then said – Oh! Sorry Al, I'm such a bad brother for not noticing it before; you're hungry, obviously because you haven't eaten for almost five years. We better go and do a banquet to celebrate this; I only hope I don't have to teach you how to swallow.
- Hoho, how funny – Al replied grinning – You know niisan, there is someone that we have to call.
- Yes there is, but every of us should eat first. – Let's get moving.
And after this, the four went away from that entrance, knowing that no matter how tough Hohenheim could be as an opponent, they would have to stop him for good.
A/N: I think this is the best way to finish this, both brother had recovered their bodies as it should be. But wait, there is still something before finishing this!