It was the greatest pain he ever felt. He knew that soon he'd be dead. The black creatures had entered his body after all and if Ed's leg was any indication…
Ed screamed and screamed Alfonso's name over and over. They were simply terrified at what may soon happen. Was Al really going to die?
Edward pushed himself toward Al. He forced all the junk in their room out of his way, His leg leaving a bloody mess behind. He came across an old toy, his old water gun.
Why didn't I listen to him Edward thought. Why didn't you try stopping us?
Why didn't you try stopping me forcefully?
"Ed, I can't really stop you but…" His father had said.
Hoenheim told his son he wouldn't be back for awhile, that he was ashamed to see his son even thinking of attempting this.
Probably out to see his girlfriends or something. Getting drunk most likely, damn it why the hell aren't you here for us. You knew what would happen.
"AL!" Edward yelled at the top of his lungs.
"BROTHER, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Alfonso screamed in a terrifying pained voice.
"YOU BASTARDS! DON'T YOU DARE TAKE MY BROTHER AWAY…"
Edward quickly cut his right thumb spilling blood out to initiate another spell. He grabbed Al by the leg and started chanting.
Some of the black snakes escaped from Al and entered Ed's right arm. He lost his arm during the struggle with another explosion of blood. He wanted them all to take him instead but he had failed.
He could only look on in horror as his brother died in an explosion of a truly gory sight.
Chapter 4 – Sin
"Winry…Al's…he's…he's…" Edward began coughing up blood.
"What?"
"He's dead…" Edward finally managed before fainting.
Mother…? Mommy…Al looked around in a state of confusion. Where was he?
It was a warm place that felt somehow familiar. He felt a presence unlike he had never felt before. He felt like he had come home but it wasn't his home. It was a place he had been before but yet not…
Mother is that really you?
The woman who seemed to be his mother smiled warmly at him.
Did I die…?
Of course he knew the answer. His mother had died years ago. This truly was heaven, life after death.
Then his mother frowned at the sight of her son. The black creatures were eating away at him…no at his very essence. It was his soul; they were feasting on his soul!
"Al…?" A familiar voice asked.
"Al, are you awake?" It asked again.
"He's waking up," A voice he did recognize stated.
He opened his eyes. At first he was confused, his sight was full of gray.
"I can't feel…" He started. "I can't move…" finally noticing Winry looking up at him.
"That's quite normal, after all you've lost your entire body," the unfamiliar voice said.
"What? What's going on?"
"EDWARD, What about Edward," Al asked in a panic, remembering his last sight had been of Ed letting the snakes enter his right hand.
"He's fine, just sleeping right now. He should be glad to see your not lost," the unfamiliar voice explained.
"I should tell you…your new body will take some getting use to," the unfamiliar yet noticeably female voice continued on.
"What do you mean…?"
"Your body was lost during that witchcraft incident, I've never seen a spell react that violently," She said. "Our special radar picked up the activity and we found you in a gory mess. We gathered up what was mostly left of your brother. Your soul was almost lost to the other side," the unfamiliar but motherly voice finished.
"My body…what is it?" Al asked in fear.
The woman finally walked into view. She was blonde and seemed to be in her late twenties.
"Your soul has been attached to the state of the art government machinery," She started. She looked down at Winry trying to explain it to her as well.
"You're residing in one of our top notch robotics masterpiece. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lt. Lisa Hawkeye, please to meet you," She said.
"Just who are you guys, anyway?" Al asked still confused. It was a lot to take in.
"As of right now, that's none of your concern," A new male voice entered.
-
Meanwhile Ed was dreaming away haunted by visions of the black snakes. Everything that he had always feared came to his psyche. Lost memories were invading the sanctity of his mind.
Nooo…MOTHER!
Hoenheim killed her, explaining to Ed that it wasn't really his mother. Of course it was, Hoenheim was just a bastard.
The hands of Ed slaughtered Winry. He looked down in horror at the sight.
Edward thrashed about violently in his dreams. Was this nightmare a foreshadowing of the darkness that loomed his future?
I killed them…I killed them all…Mother…Al…Winry…
He opened his eyes rising quickly in a cold sweat. He breathed deeply realizing it had been a dream.
However what he had done was not. He clenched his right shoulder in pain.
"Damn it" He cursed at himself. He had not only lost his limbs but his brother too.
He didn't even seem to wonder where he was. He just started crying. He let out all of the emotion trying to make sense of what he had done wrong.
No one had the right to anyone's life he had thought.
However it seemed as if he'd been the one who took his brother's life.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it," he said over and over again. He punched his leg with the rhythm of his cursing.
"Relax…he's not dead. At least not entirely," an unfamiliar black haired man walked into the room.
Edward looked up at him.
"You two are quite the warlocks. I'm general Hues," He said pushing his glasses back up on his nose.
"Ed…" answering back trying to push his tears back. "What do you mean not entirely? Where am I," Ed asked.
"All in good time and I already know who you are. Your Hoenheim's kid…" He finished.
"How do you know my father?"
The calm man only smiled at Ed.
-
"You can walk around now," Lisa said.
"Umm…Miss Hawkeye, can I see a mirror?" Alfonso asked politely.
"Shortly but I think you and your friend over there should see your brother first," She ordered.
"Al…is that really you?" Winry asked in fear of the giant robot. It had his voice but…
"It's me alright, I remember that cake you baked for Ed," He said.
"What happened? I found Ed messed up real bad and he said you had died," Winry explained.
"I'm not entirely sure myself…" Al finished.
"Here we are," Lisa stated.
"EDWARD!" Winry screamed running up to the now bandaged Ulrich.
"Ow, hey easy," Ed warned but smiled at her. "Where's Al?"
"Right here…" A metallic looking thing spoke.
"Seriously, where's Al? Al is that you speaking through that thing?"
"Uh heh heh, kind of…" Al said.
"His soul is now attached to this, you were lucky we got there as fast as we did," Lisa explained.
"Yeah but I can't feel anything any more, I'm scared brother," Al finished.
Ed looked up at him relieved and yet not relieved. He looked down in sadness.
"So many things have happened I'm confused," Al stated.
Another unnamed unfamiliar voice spoke up.
"I am your superior, Ron Mustang. I will explain everything in a moment and here on out you're all under government arrest," He said in a cold voice.
-
Meanwhile miles away Hoenheim was visiting Trish's grave. He knew that it had started the very instant Ed made up his mind. He wish he knew what to do but no answers ever came.
"Well hello lover," a woman clad in black with long black hair to match walked from behind.
"Sloth…" He replied in sadness.
---
I do not own the rights to Full Metal Alchemist. Please review as always?
Oh, Looks like Ed and Al are going to be government agents. Who's this black haired being? Well pretty easy to guess if you've seen the anime. Quite a satisfying chapter don't ya think?