The cries of agony echoed through the house and bounced mercilessly off the walls for the first half hour of the procedure. Then, it became quiet, though whimpers could be heard if you ventured too close to the door. Riza paced nervously, finding her stomach in knots for a child she barely knew. When she grew tired, she laid down in bed, but nothing could quell the nervousness she felt.

Roy fared no better, spending all of his time pacing outside the operating room door like a worried father. Though he and Riza exchanged glances, neither spoke. Alphonse and Winry went into town for the day. It was for the best. Winry was too young and sensitive to be around for this, and Alphonse didn't need to hear the agonizing screams of his own brother.

The sun was just about to set when Dr. Knox came out of the room, sweat dripping down his stoic face. Roy and Riza were in the kitchen within eyesight of the hallway and glanced up when they heard the gentle click of the door. They both fought the urge to run to the man. Rather, the pair stayed put until Knox heavily fell into a chair next to Roy.

"How is he?" Roy asked in an unusually small voice when a few moments passed in silence. Knox took a deep breath, sighed, and leaned back towards the ceiling.

"Alive," he said to the sky. "Better than expected."

Riza let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "He'll be alright?"

"No telling what he'll be. We'll see what happens through the night. Kid's tough, though."

Riza stood and went to the stove where she poured the doctor a cup of tea for his troubles. "So, you consider yourself a doctor?" she asked as she set the chipped white teacup down beside his right elbow. "Not a mage?"

Knox gave her a curious look and took a sip of the hot liquid. "Yes," he replied. "It's dangerous now to call yourself anything else. Always was, really."

"Being a mage was dangerous?" Roy asked, the topic peeking his interest, though he had no background in healing magick.

"'Round these parts, yeah." Knox set the cup down and sat forward in the chair. "People don't trust what they can't explain. But yes, I do practice magick. And I assume you do too?"

Roy opened his mouth to respond, but realized that Knox wasn't looking at him. His gaze was fixed expectantly on Riza, whose brows were furrowed together. "Me?" she asked. "No, I don't practice magick."

"Oh? I apologize. I noticed your bow when I was passing your room and thought otherwise."

Roy and Riza exchanged a look before Riza turned her attention back to the doctor. "I'm an archer. That's why I have a bow."

"Hmm." Knox took another sip of tea and then stared thoughtfully into the light brown mixture. "Can I see it again?" he asked without looking up at her.

Riza hesitated, unsure of whether or not she should. Her bow was her life and she was extremely protective of the old family heirloom. But, Knox was a genuine person, if a little standoffish. So, she walked to her room and returned with the old wooden bow and laid it on the table for Knox to examine.

He looked over the bow for a long while before he spoke again, and when he did, his tone had changed to genuine curiosity. "Do you know what these runes mean?"

Riza's eyes glanced to the intricate ancient runes that lined the side of the bow. It was a question she had often asked herself, but no one else had ever questioned. "No," she said. "It was passed down to me. No one ever knew what those runes meant, at least not anyone who was alive at the same time as me."

"That figures, they're difficult to read."

Riza's eyes widened and Roy lurched forward. "You can read them?"

Knox scoffed. "Our land doesn't have many folktales," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "But trust me, I think I remember the few it does." He looked at Riza. "These runes tell the story of a prophecy that will lead to the rebirth of the kingdom."

"Oh." Roy relaxed a little. He chucked and looked over at Riza. "That's cool, a story book and weapon in one, huh?"

She smiled at him, but Knox shook his head. "It would be a 'cool story,'" he said seriously. "If everything that's written on that bow wasn't happening as we speak."

"What do you mean?" Riza asked. "What's happening now?"

"The outlawing of magery, the restrictions on travel the Crown is placing on citizens. Those boys." Knox's eyes flickered to the door he'd come out of minutes before. "It's all there."

"Can you read them to us? Tell us about the prophecy?" Roy questioned, unsure if he really believed what the doctor was saying.

"Yes," Knox said. "But they have to be activated first."

"How?"

His eyes flickered over to Riza and she shifted uncomfortably when he held his gaze on her. "I can read the instructions written on the runes." He pointed to the first one and traced his finger down to the second. "The person in possession of this bow will be a talented archer thrown into turmoil through no fault of their own." He touched the third rune. "The student of a decedent of the creator of this bow will possess a gift more powerful than has been seen before. That student will use that gift to recreate these runes on The Gate which will open a Truth."

Silence fell on the table again. It was a long few minutes before Roy spoke. "So, am I the student?"

"My gut says so, yes. You're a mage, correct?"

"Fire Mage."

"Ah. Yes, this may be you."

Riza looked at the runes, as though she expected them to suddenly make perfect sense. Rather, they continued to look like old pictures carved into the ancient wood. "Then where is The Gate?" she asked.

Knox traced a finger down to the fourth rune. He looked over at her, his lips pursed in a thin line. "The Gate?" he repeated. "The Gate is you."

So I'm dumb as hell and didn't mark where the last chapter ended and this one began, so I accidentally reposted last chapter + a bit of this. So, I wrapped this up to another cliff hanger and will continue from here. Sorry this chapter is so short, but I couldn't let the alert email go out and not have anything to show for it. Thanks for following!