CHAPTER 15: ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
They were surrounded by nothing but the emptiness of white space. Standing out in the blank canvass like a sore thumb, was the daunting and imposing structure of the Gate of Truth. It stood eerily quiet, silent in its beauty yet able to intimidate even the sturdiest of souls just by its presence alone.
"What do you hope to accomplish by bringing me here?" The grotesque and gruesome Baldwin asked. The mutated combination of flesh and Philosopher's Stone stood with the Gate at its back, and both towered over the four men that showed no fear despite the sights before them.
"This ends here Baldwin." Gabriel, hurt and bloodied said with unwavering determination. "You will pay for what you've done. I'll make sure of it."
"Colonel, if you are so desperate to join your lover in the afterlife…" Baldwin's face formed a menacing grin. "Then I will send you to her!" The beast lifted one of its arms, and the limp stretched and shot out like a cannon. Gabriel grunted in pain as he narrowly managed to jump out of the way of the large fist which slammed hard into the ground next to him. The monster roared with laughter, clearly enjoying this. "You are almost out of time!"
"Then we'll just have to finish this quickly." Ed gritted his teeth, and he leapt up onto the extended arm that Baldwin had used to attack Gabriel. The short alchemist clapped his hands as he dashed up the long limb towards the beast, and turned his automail arm into a blade.
"I will crush you like the pesky ants that you are!" Baldwin bellowed, and he swung a second arm to brush Ed off the first one. But Ed saw it coming, and severed the first arm as he jumped off with both feet. He timed it perfectly, landing on the second limb just as it swept beneath him. Baldwin immediately shot out two more arms towards Ed, but one of them was cut off by the blast of a small fireball.
"Go Full Metal!" Roy yelled, who was rapidly snapping his fingers. Several more quick explosions consumed the other arm that threatened the young alchemist who charged the remaining distance up to the creature's head. Baldwin couldn't react fast enough, and Ed jammed his blade deep into his face. The deep cut caused more red energy to flood out, and Baldwin gurgled in agony. Suddenly, a dozen machinegun barrels emerged from the shoulders of the beast, and they started spewing a hail of bullets at Ed.
"Brother!" Al called out, just as Ed pulled his blade-arm out and jumped off. Al instinctively clapped his hands, and knelt down to the ground so he can do something to help his older brother when the realization dawned on him. There's nothing here for me to transmute!
The Allied forces were in full retreat, being driven away by the numerically superior German army who now turned their full attention on the handful of Amestrian soldiers and tanks.
"Hurry!" Colonel Armstrong motioned one of his tanks into position, lining it up with the others to form a wall of armour in front of the ruined base. Falman jogged up to Armstrong, and gave him a salute.
"Everyone who is in condition to fight has been called up from the reserves." He reported, behind him about a hundred or so military soldiers were running towards the make-shift line to man the defences. Armstrong nodded in approval, but knew that they were heavily outnumbered and outgunned.
"This is where we make our stand." Armstrong said, looking at the looming German juggernaut lumbering towards them.
"We'll fight to the last man sir." Falman replied, just as the Panzers in the distance started firing their cannons. One of the Amestrian tanks exploded in flames, as more shells started falling around them. Armstrong punched the ground with both fists, causing yellow sparks to jump about. A solid rock wall arose in front of the Amestrian tanks, providing some protection without obstructing their guns. Falman ran to join his compatriots on the front lines.
"Fire!" Armstrong commanded with his thunderous voice. The Amestrian vehicles responded with the roar of their cannons. Not too far behind them, were more military personal scrambling to arm and equip themselves. Major Riza Hawkeye was sitting on the grass, with her back leaning up against some munitions crates, as Winry knelt beside her putting some finishing touches on a cruelly improvised splint.
"Okay, hang on… this is going to hurt." Winry warned the older woman, who nodded her readiness. "One… two… three…" Winry counted down, Riza braced for it but still let out a yelp as Winry used all her strength to set the Major's arm back in place. Riza's face was covered in sweat from the intense pain.
"How is it?" Riza asked a little weakly. Winry double-checked her work, and then wrapped the splint she had made around the Major's arm.
"It's broken in several places, and it's going to hurt a lot if you move it." Winry replied with some concern, and tightened the splint. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes." Riza smiled at her. "They're fighting for us, so I have to keep fighting too." She referred to those who had gone through the portal earlier, as a soldier came by and handed the Major a rifle. Riza carefully cradled it in her arms, and Winry helped her back to her feet. The Major took a step forward, before pausing to glance back at Winry to give her another comforting and reassuring smile. "No matter what, you can't give up." Then she turned and headed to join the battle.
Ed had to strafe hard to avoid another attack from Baldwin who was shooting at him with the machineguns embedded in his body; the bullets only missed Ed by inches. Roy knocked the beast around with a couple more fireballs but they had little effect.
Gabriel ran up to Baldwin and leapt up to grab one of the barrels hanging out of the monster's torso. Baldwin reached out with one of his arms to grab the Colonel, but a timely fiery explosion from Roy stopped it. Gabriel used the barrel to swing himself up to the shoulders, and pulled out his holstered pistol and started pumping lead into Baldwin's face from point blank range.
Baldwin heaved his body about, turning and twisting this way and that until Gabriel could no longer maintain his balance and was thrown off. The beast quickly turned to where the Colonel had landed hard. Baldwin transmuted a large steel javelin from his body, grabbed it with one arm and whipped it at the fallen Gabriel.
"Damn!" Gabriel cursed, as he struggled to get out of the way but his wounds were slowing him down. But at the last second, Al appeared, flying over the hurled spear. He clapped his hands, and touched the weapon in mid-air, turning it into a huge fluffy pillow that smacked the Colonel in the face.
"I'm going to be sore in the morning." Gabriel muttered as he tossed the pillow aside and slowly got back up on his feet. Ed charged Baldwin yet again, as Al joined in beside him. They skilfully and smoothly dodged the fists, spikes and bullets that Baldwin was throwing at them. Al even managed to get a hold of one of the javelins that he side-stepped and turned it into a shield so him and his brother could get closer.
"Al… now!" Ed called, and they both screeched to a stop about twenty feet from the monster. Al dropped the shield, and cupped his hands, locking his fingers together. Ed hopped onto his brother's hands with one foot, and Al swung his arms up with all his strength launching Ed high into the air. Baldwin adjusted one of the guns on his body and aimed it at the alchemist who was soaring towards him but Roy quickly obliterated it with another fireball.
"Take this!" Ed screamed as he collided with Baldwin, using the force of the impact to sink his arm-blade deep into the creature's flesh. Then Ed dug his arm in, and let gravity pull him downwards, sliding down the front of Baldwin's torso as the blade sliced open a massive gash. Gabriel alternately swung both arms to fling the last of his knives into the wound Ed had just created. Ed landed on the ground and rolled out of the way as Roy snapped his fingers, mustering a wall of fire to ignite the knives which exploded with spectacular fury. The beast fell on it's back, the front portion of it's body in pieces, scattered all over the place.
"We can't keep this up." Gabriel said as he and Roy ran up to Ed and Al. "We've got to get him inside there." He locked his eyes at the Gate that was far away.
"I've got an idea!" Al exclaimed. "Brother, I need your help." Ed saw the look on Al's face and grinned, knowing exactly what his brother was thinking.
"Right." They ran to the pile of objects that Baldwin had used as projectiles against them. The monster was rising back to its feet as it's body regenerated. Ed and Al clapped their hands, knelt down and touched the debris. They were bathed in blue light for several seconds as all the bullets and spikes merged.
"Is that…" Gabriel's face lit up in amazement. The Elrics had transmuted a cannon with a large harpoon sticking out of the barrel. Below the hooks of the harpoon was a thick metal chain that was attached to the second item that they created. A rocket, pointed squarely at the Gate.
"We can't miss this shot!" Roy stated, as he helped the Elrics aim the harpoon cannon. Baldwin rose back on his feet, almost completely healed.
"Fire!" Ed yelled, and the cannon roared. The harpoon burst forth with tremendous speed and force, the monster had no chance and the large metal hook slammed into it, penetrating its flesh through to the other side.
"Now!" Al ordered next, and pulled a switch that brought life to the rocket's engines. It's nozzle spit out intensely hot flames as it launched and took off. It quickly passed the startled Baldwin, and the slack in the chains suddenly tightened, jerking the beast back to the ground and dragging it. As the rocket screamed towards the Gate and neared it, the double-doors swung open to reveal a blackness that was broken by hundreds of pairs of eyes.
"Come on…" Gabriel muttered, as they all watched the rocket pulling the monster towards its oblivion intensely. But the creature wouldn't give up so easily, and the stones dotting its body lit up with a crimson glow.
"No!" Ed yelped angrily. The hook, chain and rocket glowed brightly and exploded, sending thousands of sharp, steel needles flying towards them.
"Damnit!" Gabriel cursed as he jumped out in front of them. Before anyone could react to his actions, the Colonel was showered with red light also, and he extended one of his arms outward unleashing a wave of energy from the red stones within him, deflecting most of the darts away. But a few still made it through, impaling Gabriel repeatedly. One of them sliced a long cut on Ed's face, and he, Al and Roy were also struck by a few of them.
"Impressive." Baldwin spoke loudly as he walked towards them after regaining his balance. "Truly ingenious, I would expect nothing less from the likes of you." He lit up again, and chuckled. "But you will never win." And he hurled a blast of red energy towards them.
Gabriel gritted his teeth and concentrated with all his might, ignoring his broken body and summoned every ounce of power he could from the red stones and let loose. The two blast of crimson energy met with tremendous force, creating a massive shockwave that knocked the four off their feet and sent them sliding back. Baldwin's huge frame absorbed the shock. When it had passed, he looked, and saw his opponents sprawled on the ground, bleeding.
"Yes, yes." Baldwin boasted gleefully. "Now, it is over."
"We will never yield!" Armstrong blared. "Behold the beauty of alchemy!" He tossed a chunk of rock in the air, and then punched it hard as it came down, turning it into a spike. It struck a German cannon with precision, jamming its nozzle. The crew of the vehicle fired and the barrel exploded. Another tank though fired a round, annihilating the Amestrian tank next to Armstrong, many of which had been reduced to smoking hulks.
"Colonel!" Breda yelled, and pointed to their flanks where more German tanks were rumbling in from the sides. "They're surrounding us!" Riza was busily sniping at the few exposed German soldiers marching behind the cover of their Panzers.
"Incoming!" Fuery gestured to the sky where several flights of Stuka dive bombers were coming straight at them. Some of the soldiers turned their weapons upwards to shoot at them futilely. Armstrong hit the ground, as more chunks of rock burst up hitting some of the planes. A few crashed, the others rattled their machineguns and dropped their bombs inflicting considerable damage.
"This isn't good." Armstrong noted the grim situation. Their defensive line had been all but smashed, and the survivors were crumbling under the extreme pressure. Behind them, Winry was directing the military mechanics, and assisting them in repairing the few vehicles that hadn't been totalled.
"Sir!" Fuery, covered in dirty ran up to Armstrong. "What are we going to do? They're going to overrun us any minute now!" Before the muscled figure could reply, a shell that landed only yards from them sent them flying.
"Colonel!" Breda called out with concern. A bullet whizzed by his ear, and a second nailed him in the shoulder.
"Medic!" Falman yelled out from beside Breda, who was bleeding but still alive. Winry looked at the scene, at all the people dying, at their impending doom and wished more then ever that Ed was there with her. Another shell landed near the back, showering her with dirt, mud and grass. The Luftwaffe flew overhead and German soldiers swarmed over the Amestrian's improvised fortifications.
"Ed…" She whispered as the remaining Amestrian troops scrambled and retreated towards their rear line. "I know you can do it…"
Ed's eyes popped wide open, and he snapped awake. Winry… He could have sworn that he heard her voice, calling out, beckoning him back to consciousness. He turned his head to the left, and saw Al lying there, and to his right, Gabriel and Roy. They all seem to be passed out. Then the ground shook, vibrating under the footsteps of a giant creature.
"Ugh." He grunted painfully as he lifted himself up. He saw the four needles sticking out of his arms and body, and with considerable effort, pulled them out. His clothes were bloodied and torn, his body was battered, but he wasn't dead, and he stood back up on his feet.
"Edward Elric." Baldwin paused in mid-stride, the Gate behind him still open. "You continue to amaze me." He stared at the alchemist who was breathing heavily.
"They don't call me the Fullmetal Alchemist for nothing." Ed jested with a forced smile.
"Indeed." Baldwin chuckled. "But tell me, before I destroy you all. Why do you resist me so?" He mused. "If you had cooperated, I would have granted you more power and riches then you could ever fathom."
"Because what you're doing is wrong." Ed answered immediately. "Science and alchemy exists for the benefit of the people, not at their expense for the individual." He glared at the beast in front of him.
"Is that why you keep fighting?"
"I fight for what is right." Ed's voice grew stronger, and he didn't release his hard stare. "I fight to protect my world, and the ones I love."
"Me too." Ed was startled, and he turned his head to see Al rising up to his feet, pulling the needles out of this wounded body also. "And I fight for my brother." Al smiled meekly at him.
"I fight for those who have given their lives to support me." Roy spoke up, as he too stood up and removed the darts in him. "Those who watched my back and those who I care for."
"And I fight, to right my wrongs, to atone for my sins." Gabriel said as he weakly climbed to his feet, but with a voice that was not lacking strength. "And to ensure that no one else will ever make your mistakes again."
"Mistakes?" Baldwin burst into laughter. "If you insist on continuing your delusions, then go on." The beast grinned widely. "This is the end."
"You're right, it is." Gabriel's determined look did not waver. "But for you." Then he glanced beside him. "Edward! Do it!" Ed nodded. He clapped his hands as he took the few steps towards the Colonel and pressed his palms onto Gabriel's back.
"What?" Baldwin said in surprise. Gabriel and Ed were surrounded by a crimson light, as the alchemist harnessed the power of the red stones in the Colonel's body. A massive storm of red sparks and lightning engulfed the entire void. The sparks gathered, encircling the beast as all the debris and objects made and used during the battle glowed bright white. They transmuted, into black, explosive knives that had iron tips, lining up along the half-sphere around Baldwin. First there were dozens, then hundreds, and then thousands but they kept coming. Ed was utilizing the maximum extend of his alchemy abilities and the red stones.
"Useless! Useless!" Baldwin taunted. "I will demonstrate true alchemy!"
"Not yet!" Baldwin glanced down and saw Al, who had used the distraction to get up close, at his feet with both palms pressed up against his flesh.
"What? No!" The crystals protruding from his body flared as Al used the Philosopher's Stone to transmute a giant magnet inside Baldwin's body.
"Now brother!" Al yelled as he released his hands and dove to the ground. Ed stopped the transmutations, and the red light faded leaving hundreds of thousands of knives in the air surrounding the monster. The powerful magnet attracted the iron tips of the weapons, and pulled them all in, impaling into the creature's flesh until he looked like a gigantic pin-cushion.
"Useless!" Baldwin roared repeatedly, and he prepared to transmute.
"Too slow!" Roy smirked, as he snapped his fingers. He manipulated the oxygen in the air, to create a fierce firestorm around Baldwin so large it covered him completely. The explosive-laden monster blew up with a force that resembled a miniature nuclear device. The four had to fight to stay on their feet. A mushroom cloud puffed over head, and the flames cleared leaving behind only a disgusting pile of flesh and stone that was still pulsating and bleeding energy.
"He's going to grow back." Gabriel saw that the regeneration process had already begun. The open Gate spewed out several dark tentacles that reached out towards what was left of Baldwin.
"The Gate's pulling him in." Al said with some relief.
"You're right." Gabriel nodded. "That means its time for me to go." The Colonel started walking forward.
"Huh… what?" Ed startled, and he jogged to catch up with him. "What are you doing?" He grabbed Gabriel's shoulder, causing him to stop and partly turn.
"Someone has to go in with him to stop him from getting out the other side." Gabriel smiled, and spoke quietly. "That's my job now."
"But…"
"We have to be sure that the Gate is destroyed right?" Gabriel asked.
"Yea." Ed replied slowly. "But you can't do it alone."
"Edward." Gabriel frowned slightly. "You can't always shoulder every burden by yourself. Let someone else do it for a change."
"We're in this together, we agreed on…" Ed protested still, but Gabriel wouldn't let him finish.
"This is my sin." Gabriel reminded. "I could've stopped all this before, but I let it happen." Then he smiled again. "This is the equivalent exchange for my atonement."
"I thought you said you're not living in the past anymore?"
"I'm not." Gabriel assured him. "But I still have to right my wrongs." Then he looked at Ed straight in the eye. "Let me do this, none of you have to sacrifice yourselves. You still have a world to go back to."
"What about yours?" Ed questioned, and Gabriel gave him a remorseful look.
"She died a long time ago." Ed was jolted by his words. "Go back to her Edward, stop making her wait for you."
"Colonel…" Ed sighed, then released his grip on him, and smiled lightly. "Thank you." Gabriel nodded. In front of them, Baldwin had sprouted some new arms as the tentacles pulled him into the gate. He screamed, grabbing the frame of the Gate, unwilling to let go.
"Brigadier General." Gabriel turned to Roy. "I apologize for what happened earlier, thanks for your help." Roy grinned, and nodded. "Al. Look after your brother and Winry, especially your brother."
"I will Colonel." Al smiled and waved. Roy saluted the Colonel in respect, and Ed just stood there with a sad grin. Gabriel gave them a thumbs up, then turned and started jogging. He was once again, surrounded by the crimson light, as he released all the power and energy that was left in the red stones inside of him. A black portal opened up behind Ed, Al and Roy as Gabriel broke out into a full sprint, still glowing red.
"Winnie…" Gabriel said to himself as he was consumed by the bright light and disappeared into it. "I'm coming…" The mass of light and energy crashed into the horrible pile of flesh and crystals that made up Arthur Baldwin, who struggled against being pulled into the Gate. But the force of the impact was enough, and the monstrous hands lost their hold and they both plunged into the darkness.
The Gate swung shut, and within seconds the whole place started vibrating and shaking violently. Cracks broke out along the façade of the Gate, and it begin to crumble and fall apart.
"Full Metal." Roy called to the despondent Ed.
"Brother." Al tried next. Ed turned to face them both and smiled.
"Yea, let's go." The three started towards the portal, just as the Gate collapsed in a heap, sending forth a blinding flash and shockwave that knocked them into their escape route.
The last of the Amestrian forces had fallen back to their final line of defence, behind some sand bags, some barriers made from alchemy and the ruins of their vehicles. Riza sat on top of one with Fuery, both still firing away. Falman had dragged an injured Breda back who is being tended to by some medics. Winry was also patching up a hurt Armstrong.
"Lady Winry, this isn't necessary." He said, as she carefully bandaged his bleeding arm. "You should get yourself back to a shelter immediately; I shouldn't have allowed you to come here."
"Don't be silly Colonel." She smiled at him. "Its not your fault, and I have no regrets. I got to see Ed one more time." Suddenly Fuery and Riza landed next to them, still emptying the clips in their rifles.
"Major?" Armstrong didn't expect her. "Report!" Riza didn't turn her attention away from her task.
"We can't hold them back anymore." She muttered.
"Grenade!" Fuery warned, Riza caught sight of the explosive device flying through the air and calmly raised her firearm and shot it causing it to explode. Everyone had to shield their eyes with their arms from the bright fireball. Their lapse was enough as dozens of German soldiers climbed over their fortifications and surrounded them. The soldiers were screaming at them in German, which none of them understood, with their weapons pointed at them. Riza stubbornly refused to lower hers, Fuery was unsure. A couple other Amestrian soldiers kept their rifles trained at the enemy defiantly and others surrendered.
"Ed…" Winry whispered.
"Look!" Someone yelled, and a bright flash caught everyone's eyes. They all turned and saw it emitting from the ruins of the base, culminating until it exploded, unleashing a tidal wave of white light that swept towards them.
"What is that?" Winry asked.
"I don't know, but brace yourselves!" Armstrong yelled, and he grabbed Winry to shield her just as the light washed over them. They were all buffeted by strong winds, blowing their hair and clothes. Anything that wasn't heavy, or was loose was blown away. Winry peeked, and saw that the Germans disappeared as the white light swept over them. It took a few more seconds before the shockwave had passed and the wind had died down. "Are you alright Lady Winry?"
"Yes." Winry nodded, as she got up to look around. She saw all the Amestrians along with their destroyed tanks. But the Germans were gone, vanished into thin air without a trace. Even the dead ones had disappeared, along with their tanks, planes and everything. It was as if they had been fighting an invisible enemy.
"They did it!" Fuery leapt to his feet, and the celebrations started. The survivors cheered, and hugged each other. Armstrong showed off his muscles by flexing them as Winry stood staring into the distance, at the shattered city.
"They destroyed the Gate." Riza spoke, as she walked up to Winry from behind while nursing her splintered arm.
"I know." Winry smiled slightly, it was a bittersweet moment for her. "I knew they would." Then she turned around, the base had vanished also, leaving behind a cloud of dust.
"Wait." Riza said, as she narrowed her sharp eyes.
"Huh?" Winry couldn't see anything.
"There!" Riza pointed, and Winry focused. She could barely make out the three faint silhouettes, and her eyes widened as her hope grew. The smoke gradually cleared, and Ed, Al and Roy emerged. Riza gasped, and she sprinted down towards them. Winry couldn't believe it as she watched the three walking towards them side-by-side triumphantly. Al waved his arms wildly at her, they were all beaming.
"Winry!" Al called out as he broke away from the others. Winry followed Riza down towards them, past the surprised and cheering Amestrian soldiers. Al met Winry, and he jumped into her arms, laughing happily.
"Al!" She cried, and then noticed his condition. "You're hurt!"
"Ah it's nothing!" He shrugged off. Beside them, Roy and Riza stood in front of each other, the Major unable to contain her tears of joy.
"Roy…" She said quietly.
"Riza." He grinned at her. "I told you I would finish this." She nodded, and couldn't contain herself any longer. She hugged him, and their lips met as they kissed.
"Winry." Ed started. Winry released Al and turned to the older Elric.
"Ed." She said softly, and then noticed something different. "Your arm!"
"Huh?" He moved his right arm in front of him and looked down, and all their jaws nearly fell off. The automail was gone, replaced by flesh and blood. He moved it, flexing the arm, hand and his fingers. Then he checked his left leg, it too had returned.
"Brother!" Al yelped excitedly. "You got your arm and leg back!"
"It must've happened when the Gate blew up, and we got caught in it." Ed stared at his hand, unable to express his feelings. Winry moved forward, and embraced him tightly.
"Ed." She whispered. "I love you. Please don't leave me again." Tears streamed down her face. He was caught off guard for a beat, but quickly relaxed and wrapped his arms around her too.
"Winry." He whispered back. "I won't, I promise." She pulled her head back and they faced each other. "This is where I belong."