The way through the woods was dark and cold. The moon hid behind a large dark cloud and the stars seemed so far away. The wind nipped at the two travelers, piercing through their outer layers and making them feel colder than it actually was. And, it was silent. So silently eerie in fact that they both felt like they were walking through an old ghost story.

Riza didn't know why she casually went along with Roy's plan. Or better, she did, but as the walk got longer and the brush thicker, she wished she had the balls to put her foot down with that man. Perhaps she knew she already had that power and didn't want to abuse it. More likely, she was curious as to what Roy was chasing. To be fair, she was always curious about what Roy was chasing from the moment she had been assigned to him. He had such passion that no one else in the entire Kingdom seemed to have. Riza often felt like she was living in a world where people lived one day so they could be ready to die the next. But, not Roy. That man was abandoned by his parents, adopted by a brothel owner of all people, and worked his way up to become one of the Court Mages. And, each time he managed to lift himself another step on that ladder, he still had his hand stretched out for the next one. There was no settling with Roy Mustang.

And, Riza often wondered, when Roy finally made it to the top of the ladder, when there were no more steps to take, what he would do. But, it was a far-off daydream, because no one truly believed back then that someone could go from being a poor orphan boy to King of Amestris. Now, as they stumbled through the woods trying to find clues about a secret plot within the Kingdom, Riza wasn't sure how far-fetched that dream was anymore.

"How far out did those kids go?" Roy whispered as he fought his way through another large bush. Riza thought to suggest that they themselves might have gone the wrong way, but she didn't feel like invoking Roy's ire, especially with how aggravated he was now. "I could light this whole place on fire and then we'd find the cabin for sure!"

"Yes, and then we would be found, arrested, and likely destroy the cabin in the process of doing so," Riza said dryly. "Sir, have you considered turning around?"

"No!" Roy replied with firmness in his voice. "I know where we're going. In fact, it should be right about-" He stopped suddenly and Riza caught up to him. They had reached the end of the forest, but the cabin was nowhere in sight. Instead, they found themselves at the edge of a cliff that had quite a drop down into the river below. It looked similar to the one they had fallen off before, but that one was further west.

"You were saying?" Riza asked with a teasing smile. Sometimes Roy got so wrapped up in his ideas that he failed to take even a short pause. And, as usual, this had brought them to a dead end.

Roy grumbled and kicked some stones off into the water below. He turned and began to lead the two of them back into the trees, but made a left where turning right would have brought them back on the path to the village. Riza caught the sigh in her throat. She wanted to go back to the inn and get some sleep, but she was also loyal to the mage, who had it in his head that they needed to find this cabin right now. And, admittedly, she felt bad about the snarky comment she had made when they reached the dead end. Roy just wanted to find the person who hurt those boys, and that goal was nothing to be ashamed about.

In another few minutes, they found themselves in a decently sized clearing. Had the moon been shining, it would have looked lovely, but unfortunately, it was just as gloomy as the rest of the forest. Roy stopped, gazed up at the sky, and then turned back to Riza with a defeated look on his face.

"You think this is stupid, don't you?" He asked. Riza met his gaze, but her lips were pursed. She could tell this was important to him, even if they were chasing down a lead that went nowhere. "I just have to figure this whole thing out," he continued as he balled his fists. "Those kids… the villagers… all the citizens of Amestris. They deserve better. I can't just sit back and do nothing while the King continues to abuse his power. And those Edward. I can't believe someone would take advantage of him like that. Whatever is going on in this country, however these things are all connected, I have to find out. I have to fix it."

Riza's face softened and she took a step towards her friend. Friend, she considered for a very brief moment. Roy had indeed become her friend. Long ago, in a lifetime nearly forgotten, they had been friends. And then, more recently, he was her boss, her commander. But now, as they stood in the deserted woods chasing down clues and trying to bring peace back to the land, Riza realized that they were both reaching for the same thing. And, all the while, as they traveled to Risembool and then to this tiny village, and then out to these woods, they had done so as equals. Roy never commanded her anymore and, though Riza followed him, she knew she had the power to rebuke him, which she did more freely now. Yes, they were friends.

"Roy, I-" Riza started, but she was suddenly pulled away from her thoughts by a flash of lighting that whizzed over her head and crashed into the tree behind her. She immediately sprung into action, her hand on her bow as she backed away from the direction the bolt came from. Roy was also jumping back with his hood up and his hands outstretched, ready to call upon his fire magick.

"Well, now, we just want to fix everything, don't we?" came a soft, velvet voice that seemed to echo through the trees. Both Roy and Riza looked frantically around, but they couldn't see anything in the darkness of the night.

"Who are you?" Roy shouted when the following silence became too unbearable. There was a deep, mocking laugh in response to his question.

"That's not important," the voice replied, closer this time. "What is important is that you want to fix everything, right? Well, then don't I have the deal for you."

"What kind of deal?" the mage found himself asking, his curiosity overruling his instinct to run for his life. Riza glanced sharply at him, though she tried not to take her attention away from where the voice was coming from. Her bow was poised with an arrow ready to shoot.

"One I'm sure you can't resist, Mister Mustang," came the answer. Roy bristled.

"How do you know my name?"

"I just know things. I'm good at knowing things. And I also know about your ambitions, your dreams." They could hear the smirk in her voice, the absolute confidence that she had them trapped right where she wanted them. It was unnerving and infuriating. Both Roy and Riza needed to be in control of their situations. Right now, that control was slipping from their grasp and it angered them. "I know you're a mage. I can feel the energy from your magick. So, I know you're on the run, trying to get away from the King. But you're too kind to just go into hiding. You want to save a few people. Dare I say, you also want to assume power, right? Because who could be a better rule for this Kingdom than Roy Mustang? Who would be more just than a little orphan kid who understood what life was like for those less privileged? Yes, Mustang, I know all about you."

There was a long silence where Roy couldn't bring himself to reply since everything the woman was saying was completely true and that scared him. He was not this open with most people. In fact, there were parts of this that Riza was hearing for the first time. How in the world could this one random person in the middle of the woods know so much about the mage?

"I have my ways, you know," she said in answer to the question he never asked. "I know more about you than you probably do about yourself. And, I know how to help you get the power you seek."

"You do?" Roy questioned. Riza sent him another sharp look that, again, went unnoticed. She was becoming more worried, more frantic. She didn't understand why Roy was humoring this person with his questions. There was certainly no good that could come from making a deal with her.

"Oh, yes I do. I have more power in myself than you could imagine. But, for me power is boring. It's watching what you people do with the power that amuses me." Beyond the trees, further back than the voice sounded, a figure began to emerge. Riza pulled her string tighter and Roy was a millisecond away from lighting the forest on fire, but they both contained themselves.

And then the woman showed herself. She was tall, curvy, and extremely beautiful. She looked like someone had drawn her. Her hair tumbled in loose black curls down to the middle of her slender, curved back. Even in the darkness, both Roy and Riza could make out the ruby red smirk that was painted on her pale, perfect face. What was extremely odd was the dress she was wearing, a tight deep purple sleeveless one that seemed so out of place in the cold night.

"Who are you?" Roy asked again, his voice gaining a bit of a bite. He didn't appreciate the cryptic games this woman seemed to be playing with him.

"Someone," she shrugged. "No one. It's all the same, really. But I can offer you that power, Mustang. And, oh what a great power it will be."

"What is it, then? The power?" He couldn't help it, he had to know.

"Roy." Riza's voice rang crisp across the clearing, neither too loud nor too soft. But in it, it carried a warning for the mage. He was dancing too close to the edge there. At least, too close for Riza's comfort.

"Oh, hush, girl," the woman remarked in a dismissive tone, as though she was both bored with Riza's presence and exasperated that she was speaking at all. "Roy knows what he wants, don't you? You want to be King. You want to run this godforsaken piece of shit country don't you?"

"Hey!" Roy's eyes narrowed. "This country might be a mess right now, but it's my country."

"Nationalistic, aren't you?" she hummed. "See, you're also the right man for the job. What do you say, Roy? You and me."

"I don't even know your name."

"Like I said, not important. But you can call me Lust if you really insist on calling me anything."

"Alright, then Lust, how do I know you can get me this power at all? And why me? Do you just go running around offering people who wander this far into the woods their wildest dreams?"

Lust laughed and the deeply mocking tone made Riza want to put an arrow right through her head. She wished Roy would stop egging this woman on so they could either fight or leave.

"No, just those I know will use what I offer them well. Just like those boys." She stepped forward again so now they could see the evil look shining in her eyes. Riza's heart leaped into her throat. "The ones from outside Central who wanted their mother back. You know them, right? It's a shame, really. They had so much potential, but they were caught up in some fairy tale that would never happen. Not like you, Roy. You know what's real and what isn't, what's possible and what's child's play."

Time froze. Roy sucked in a breath through gritted teeth and Riza gasped. It took all her strength not to loose her arrow, but if this woman knew about the boys, there was no telling what other information she had. If she was dead, they would never find out more from her.

"How do you know about them?" Roy asked in a steely voice, but all he got in response was a laugh. And, God, that laugh infuriated him to no end. He snapped his fingers and a small spark of flame danced along the forest floor, lighting up his taut, angry face. "I mean it, you witch! Tell me! What's the matter with you? Taking a little boy's arm and leg? Trying to kill him!"

"I have no use for the weak," she replied indifferently. "And being a child is no excuse for being weak." She placed a finger to his chin as though lost in deep thought. "Alive, then huh? Well, maybe he's not so weak after all. Still, I have no use for him."

And then time sped up.

Roy rushed towards the woman. Riza, determined not to put an arrow through Lust's head quite yet, lowered her bow and ran forward, calling his name out. A tree burst into flames at the same time another was struck by a whizzing lightning bolt. Riza kept running, though she was further back than Roy was from the woman and had more ground to cover while still carrying the heavy bow. The darkness acted as a thick fog, but soon it began to clear and Riza saw Roy still rushing towards Lust who had not moved from her spot near the edge of the clearing.

They began to spar. Riza hung back as Roy and Lust fought. Trees burst into brightness around them, fiery ashes falling through the air like a hellish snow. They kept getting pushed back further and further until they were no longer in the clearing, but now back into the thick of the brush. Riza kept her bow steady, unwilling to kill Lust quite yet, but Roy aimed fireballs at her head. Each one missed by such a narrow margin, Riza began to wonder if this witch was actually real.

And then there was the cliff.

Riza heard the waterfall first before they broke through the brush and knew immediately that it was too late to turn themselves around. The witch had pushed them so far back, there was nowhere to go but forward. They would either have to kill her or survive yet another cliff fall, and Riza was sure neither would be able to do that. She propped her bow up, her string pulled back and her fingers ready to let loose so it would fly right into her skill.

Then, she was frozen. Her legs stopped moving, her breath slowed, the bow came loose of her fingers and clattered to the ground. She looked down, finding herself floating maybe an inch, no more than two, above the dark forest floor. Riza couldn't move, she was forced to float there while Roy stopped and watched her, dumbfounded by what he was seeing. And the witch, who's magick now surrounded Riza in a hazy purple glow, began to bring her forward.

"Riza!" Roy shouted, rushing forward, only to be stopped by an invisible wall of magick that surrounded him on all sides. He pounded against the air, which lit up the magick force with the same purplish hue, but he wasn't able to continue forward. All he could do was watch as the blonde woman was brought before the dark witch.

"I'm sick of this," Lust said in a tired, childlike tone. "If you're not going to take me up on my offer, then I might as well just take the information I need and be on my way. Now, Miss Hawkeye, let me into your mind. Come on, it won't hurt."

Riza hated the mocking sound of her last name on the lips of this evil woman, but she was also focused on the strange sensations around her. It felt like someone was trying to open her mind, like there was a door she couldn't see or touch and someone was knocking on it, trying to get inside. The knocking became more and more forceful and Riza knew she couldn't let them in, so she diverted all her strength to keeping that door closed.

"Stubborn, aren't we?" Lust commented, "To be suspected, I suppose. I mean, you disguise yourself as a man to make a living and followed this…" She glanced at Roy and waved him off dismissively. "Man, I suppose, around Amestris. There has to be a stubborn streak in you to account for not giving up on him."

"I don't… give up on people," Riza replied, her voice strained. She regretted speaking immediately. The energy it took to give the witch a reply took away from the energy she was trying to focus on not opening the door to her mind.

But, that was just the in Lust needed and the doors of Riza's mind burst open. She felt violated, exposed. She wanted to cry and scream and thrash around, but she was frozen as she continued to float in the grasp of the witch's magick. It didn't take long for Lust to find what she was looking for, and when she did, she dropped Riza to the ground. In that moment, the box around Roy was lifted and he ran to her.

Even though it was just a few inches, the fall felt like an eternity and hurt quite a bit. Riza felt exhausted and she had no idea why. That thick consciousness of her mind like a room one could enter was something she had never known about, but it took so much of her energy. That, and speaking while under the witch's influence made her feel like she hadn't slept in days. Still, determined as ever, she reached forward and grabbed her bow and an arrow and weakly pointed it at the witch. Roy placed a steady hand on her shoulder, his other outstretched and ready to light the whole forest on fire.

"Yes, yes, you're stubborn, we get it," Lust droned, bored. "Don't worry, I'll be out of your hair, then. I have everything I need."

"What did you do?" Riza asked, her voice low and dangerous, and utterly exhausted, though she continued to point her weapon right at Lust's face.

"I looked into your mind. It's a rather easy thing to do if you know the trick. You shut me out pretty quickly, which hasn't happened in quite some time." The witch shrugged. "Either way, I just wanted to know where those boys were. We have some unfinished… business I need to take care of. Don't worry, I'll be taking my leave to Risembool now."

Riza let her arrow fly and Roy lunged forward. Lust ducked out of the way faster than it should have taken any normal human and she grabbed Roy's fist, stopping him before he could bring a ball of fire onto her. He was out like a match, Riza was grasping for her next arrow. Lust laughed.

"You're not going anywhere," Roy shouted, grabbing onto Lust's arm. "You're not going to touch those boys! I won't let you!"

"Hmm, yes, you do seem particularly attached to those twerps," Lust mulled, shaking her arm away from Roy. She glanced towards Riza, who had strung another arrow on her bow and was just about to let it loose. She did, and Lust froze the arrow in mid-air, then dropped it to the ground. She stepped forward and thrust her hand out, and her long slender fingers were shot out, extended into pointy knives all aimed right at the archer.

Riza didn't have time to get away. Roy shouted for her and started forward, but caught himself in case Lust started to run away. He was caught between wanting to stop Lust from harming those boys and protecting the one who had always protected him.

One of Lust's long finger knives pierced Riza's shoulder and continued on through her. She called out as blood began to trickle from the wound. Then, she was floating again and she couldn't even bring her arm up to grab at her shoulder so she could try to stop the bleeding. Roy watched in horror as she was sent further and further away from them.

"Well, Roy Mustang, the Fire Mage," Lust drawled, thoroughly enjoying this whole scene. "Looks like you'll have to choose. Chase after those boys, or your little girlfriend." Roy looked between the two of them, his hesitation heavy and thick on the silence that had fallen over the forest. "So indecisive, are we? That's unlike you. Oh well, guess I'll just make this choice for you."

And with that, Riza was thrown over the edge, the side of the cliff swallowing her. Roy shouted and ran forward, but all he heard was a splash below. When he turned back around, he saw that Lust was already gone, presumably on her way to Risembool to get the boys.

With every second that went by, Roy knew he was losing time on either end. Riza was drowning and the boys were in danger, and the further away he let Lust get, the less of a chance he had at finding the boys safe. But, the longer he stood there, watching as the waterfall flowed out and came crashing down into the river, the longer Riza was stuck underwater.

She could already be dead.

The thought hit him like a ton of bricks and took the air right out of his lungs. The thought, the mere idea that Riza Hawkeye was dead made him want to vomit. Riza was a good friend when they were kids, and then Hawk was the best bodyguard anyone could ever ask for. But now? Now they were friends, equals. He realized that he loved her. Romantically? He wasn't entirely sure. It felt weird to think of Riza as more than a friend, but something about it also felt so right. Still, she was his closest friend. He couldn't imagine going on this journey with anyone else. He would never have forced her to come with him, but he was beyond grateful that she had chosen to stay by his side, even with the rest of the capital turned against him.

Roy wanted to go after Lust and get to her before she got to the boys, but she had magick that he had never seen before. There was a good chance she was in Risembool right now, a two week's journey by foot. There was a chance that it was too late before the clock even started ticking.

But he wasn't too late to save Riza. He needed Riza Hawkeye more than he needed water to drink or air to breathe. He feared for her safety more than he considered his own. And he knew that if he didn't go in and get her, he would never forgive himself.

And so, he tossed his cape off, braced himself, and then dove right off the cliff and into the dark river water below.

And here is the fated encounter with Lust, the poor things. All the support you guys have shown me through this writing process has been so great, and I'm thankful for each and every review, fav, follow, kudo, etc I get. It means so much to me! Enjoy this last update before Christmas-I'll be away for two weeks and will try to write a little here and there, but most of my prose is done during downtime at work. Don't worry, though, I'll be back in the new year with more chapters!