-1Episode 53: Wrath of an Immortal

By SoulfulZen

The second, and long-delayed chapter. Hope you lot like it.

Disclaimer: How many times do I have to say this? I DON'T OWN SHIT!

"You thought that after all I've been through, you could take me down that easily?" Out of the fog stepped the much-taller Fullmetal Alchemist. "Now, it's time to pay for what you've done!" His eyes, once golden, now glowed red with the fury of those who died. His hair whipped around in an ethereal gale. Ephemeral shades of the dead appeared all about him, visible only to the homunculi. Dante attempted to run, but was caught by a cage that erupted from the floor. Ed flicked his wrist, and the cage went flying into the gate, where the reaper accepted her long-overdue soul with glee.

Gluttony, crazed by the curse of his eternal hunger, dashed at Ed with ravenous hunger in his eyes. Ed grabbed him by the face and flung him onto the floor. A spike burst forth from his chest, carrying the imperfect philosopher's stone with it. At a glance, Ed shattered it. Immediately, Gluttony turned into a pile of dust. Wrath, in a fury over the death of Sloth, jumped at Ed. He landed, throat first, in Ed's right arm (which, by the way, was flesh and blood now).

"I'm sorry that your mother had to die. All I can do to make it up to you is send you to her." the alchemist said as his left hand burst from the young homunculus's back, carrying his stone with it. Ed shattered this stone as well, and went on to Envy, the one who killed him. His half-brother. Envy cracked his knuckles.

And what better time to explain the nature of Edo-kun's new powers? It's simple, really. At first, Ed could only do alchemy with circles. After he saw the gate, he could do alchemy without a circle, but still needed contact. Now, all he needs is will and line of sight, due to the massive influx of the souls of those who died for him. Also, his body has reached its potential for growth and physical ability at his current age. Finally, because he had seen the source of all alchemical energy (the other side of the gate), the law of Equivalent Exchange has been reduced, similar to Father Cornello's ring, but like the ring, he can't get something magnificent for nothing (meaning he can't get the souls of those he cared for back). If you'll remember, it took human sacrifice to create the philosopher's stone, and all those peoples' souls converged in Ed's body, so you could see him as kind of like Al in this state.. I can only hope this makes sense to all the Otaku who memorize the laws and principles of alchemy and of the reality in FMA, as well as the casual fans. And so, with new understanding, dear readers, I send you back into the plot.

"Let's do this." Ed said, with more than a hint of ice on his tongue. His anger had materialized in the form of a large wooden statue of him killing the homunculus in a violent and gore-filled way. Envy glanced at this new eyesore, and shook at the sheer brutality of it.

"I see that you're pissed. I wouldn't kill you any other way." Envy grinned widely, knowing that he was probably going to die here. Ah well, always time for trash talk. Besides, a flustered Ed made mistakes, and that might be his downfall. Envy dashed towards the blond alchemist. Ed grinned. He materialized two swords out of the ground into his hands. Envy attacked mercilessly, but Ed fended off every attack effortlessly. The sin knew he was being toyed with. He tried everything he could think of, but couldn't hit Ed with anything, physical or psychological.

Edward Elric, newly resurrected, decided to end this little fight. With but a glance, Envy was caged tightly. A confident Fullmetal strode over to his helpless enemy. "C'mon chibi… well I can't really call you chibi anymore. You've grown quite a bit. But seriously, Edo-kun, you wouldn't kill your own brother?"

"No. Brothers don't kill each other. But then again, what kind of brother are you? You've been trying to kill me for years. You did so not even fifteen minutes ago. No, you were never much of a brother. But you're still my brother, and I will not kill you. But what I will do to you may well be worse than death. I will bury you deep within the dirt, too close to die, but too far to escape. I'll dig you up in a century or two and make you into a brother, be it by using you as a vessel for Al or reeducating you. Then maybe you'll be a brother to me. But not now." Envy gazed in terror, his eyes as wide and horrified as Wrath's had been. With a clap of his hands, Edward Elric sent his enemy a thousand feet into the ground in a perfect case of dirt and rock.

Pride sat content in his office, grinning. Dante's victory would be complete soon. Suddenly, something felt wrong. Something subtle, but he felt that it would be his doom to overlook it. He calmed down as his second sight scanned the area. Suddenly, his door burst open. A cold glare faced him when he turned. The ice-cold glare of Edward Elric. "Fullmetal. Good to see you. Have you heard about your friend Mustang's insurgency? It ended rather badly. We were forced to… terminate the troops loyal to him, as well as Lt. Hawkeye, two blonde brothers impersonating you and your brother, a few minor officers, and a butcher's wife by the name of Izumi Curtis. Also, I believe there was a little town he was using as a military base out east. I believe it was called Rizenbul or something. Either way, we found the entire populous preparing for a battle, so we were forced to erase it from the map. I hope this doesn't affect you too badly."

Ed's eyes glowed a bright red, as his fury deepened. "It hasn't. Even though you're a homunculus by the name of Pride, even though you ordered my death, even though you murdered everyone I ever loved and cared for, it hasn't affected me badly. All it's done is fuel the fire inside of me that drives me ever forwards towards your death. Homunculus Pride, prepare to meet your death." Pride grinned. Before Ed could do anything, Pride drew a pistol and shot him in the face. He smiled in satisfaction. But his smile lasted for little more than a moment. Ed blinked, and he was healed. He glanced at the safe that Pride kept behind his desk. He transmuted it to glass, revealing the sin's supply of Red Stones. Edward grinned as he transmuted the safe and its contents into a fine dust, which the Fuhrer soon became.

Throughout the next few weeks, Edward Elric was traveling the countryside, wiping out any traces of the homunculi or the government. He was also digging many graves for those whom the military had hurt. Passing through many small towns, he saw the true scope of Pride's destruction. It was far more horrific that he could have thought. The travesty wore many faces in many towns, sometimes racism was the cause of destruction. Edward also found many ruins and abandoned towns that all told the same story. The men, elderly and the children were tortured to death while the younger women were raped and left to starve. Crops were burnt, homes were razed, and only empty houses with the occasional starving girl left half-dead. Ed's alchemy saved many, but even a god has his limits.

END OF EPISODE 53

Reviews. Okay, yeah, this is a first for me, so don't expect too much.

To everyone: Yes, I know what went down after that episode, and no I haven't seen the movie or OVAs. Just work with me. It's an alternate ending now.

AnimeBaya: Thanks for the compliment. And yes, the next episode cleared a lot up.

Sango76: I know that now. And thanks for the compliment.

Thyana: Yes, it's dark. That's the way I write. And yes, the "extra" episode ended happier. And also, I have heard about the movie.

Sidhe3141:Will they come back at the end? Only I know, so ha-ha. But if they do, Ed will have to sacrifice something massive to bring them back.

Allyofthevoices: I'm honored. I will never write crappy, undone stories.

Crysania Fay: Funny? You found it funny! Well, cool. It's good to find someone so sadistic. And if you're not? Well, I'm not going for a humor fic here. But hey, thanks anyway.

Preview:

"My time here is done. I have given a century for every year I have lived, and now I must sleep."
Coming Soon: Episode 54: Sleep