Across The World I Will Follow:
Chapter 15: Maribel Revolt Part III
It was a little after dawn; parts of the city were up in flames as the Military marched upon the rebel scourge. Screams could be heard throughout the city as no one was shown mercy. The plan was to take everything for what it was worth. Scar was the main priority, he had to be caught or killed. Edward and Havoc were still waiting for the men to prepare the storm of the City Hall. It had been an hour since the complete battle for Maribel had begun. The two continued to huddle in their hidey hole waiting for the moment to infiltrate the Hall.
Moments passed and the city was still falling victim to the militaries Scourge. Alchemy was ruling the cities landscape. Though the two greatest weapons the Military had at the time were still not in the battle. Back at the command center Alex Louis Armstrong awaited the call to blow down the gate. "The Strong Arm Alchemist" was not going to be used until his powers were absolutely needed. He was the second strongest in the army compared to Edward Elric here on the battlefield.
He watched as the battle ensued. All across the war-zone fires burned children screamed as the city was ripped apart. No one was getting out of their alive as long as Scar was still alive. As long as he lived men would still flock to his cause. Everyone in this city was willing to die for the reasons scar had set forth. He remembered the night the battle had begun he heard the voice yell out across the city. He hadn't recognized it then a week afterwards it all made since who it was.
A week earlier,
A crowd had gathered on the edge of the city. Hundreds of men and women in arms gathered around a truck that had recently entered the city. A dark skinned red eyed man stood on the back of the truck surrounded by men in black. There were around 100 men decked out in full military garb guns swords and all the like. They had come from the south. Many figured already that the rest were of Ishbalan decent as well but no one cared they brought hope and that was all that mattered. "People of Maribel, the time has come for retribution! It is time for war! The State does not care for the sake of its people! War is coming already Neuruvia is on the maps. Another Ishbal is coming and your husbands and children will be drug into this war. It is coming!" he raised his fist in the air and the crowd cheered. "Who will stand and fight? Who will come with me to first take Maribel and then the country! The only way freedom can be won now is by usurping the throne and destroying the State Alchemists who have ruined our lives! Your lives mean nothing to them. Will you stand by and watch your children's children live in a world controlled by rampaging tyrants? Will you stand to see the war destroy your homes and rip apart families for the State's gain? It is now or never who is with me!"
Many men, women, and even some children stepped forward to take the stand. They stepped forward and had their names given so that one day if they died they could be remembered for their Patriotism to the cause. After a few moments they stepped into line armed and ready behind the Ishbalan trucks. He raised his hand to silence the crowd. "Lior and Ishbal may have begun to be rebuilt but it is too late! The scars have been set in the skin. Hatred runs through our veins. No more can we stand and see the world taken agape by the war and blood that has been dripped across our nations. Our brothers and sisters have been killed at the expense of this so called 'greater good!' Today will be the beginning of the great revolution. This country will be recreated in the image of the people!" the crowd once more screamed out to Scar. He was their hero. Scar stood there giving hope to this small town that had been ravaged by the draft those many years ago at the first Ishbal Massacre. "The revolution is beginning! From here on out September 9th 1918 will be remembered as the night the people First, Stood up against the empire of the state!" The crowd began to roar with approval. The clapping and yelling had started to attract military eyes. Scar lifted his hand for silence, "Anyone who is not fighting get in the trucks so we may take you to safety and the others wait here to begin the charge on City Hall!"
The elderly and women and children who had not taken up arms boarded the trucks after a few moments of scattered yelling Scar went to the front of the line to begin the revolution. He raised his hand to the air. "Today, We are taking back what is rightfully the peoples! CHARGE!" He watched as the battle began.
That was seven days ago. His army had most of the city under his control. Scar watched from the safety of the camp as the men fought for their freedom of the Military Scourge. The Scarred had begun their revolution, and it so far was in their favor. Some of his precious special trained Military were already in the heat of battle controlling the fighting from inside city hall, but his closest companion was Annabella. He had met her 4 years ago as a young 12 year old girl in Lior. She was abandoned as a child. Her eyes were a piercing redish blue. Her pitch black hair was tied back in a bun. Her face was that of a powerful Military woman she was only 16 but she had the military experience of a full grown general. She was wearing the tight black military duds that scar had special made for his men.
"Sir," she saluted as she came in from behind.
"Annabella information from the Hall?"
"Sir we have reports that Fullmetal is in the fighting. The Military is fighting back and we believe they are going to take back city hall though contact was lost because the city is blockaded. They so far have us cut off from our men. They can hold off a siege for the longest a week. We also have reports that they are planning on an attack to our camp. The heads of the enemy know your hear master."
Scar didn't look surprised. He turned to look at her. "Elric knows my style to well. I made sure he knew I was here. The camp is in the shape of the Grand Arcanum, like you know the same transmutation circle that destroyed Lior 4 years ago. I wanted Elric to plan to find me, Armstrong will get himself out in the open, and I want you to make sure that he doesn't make it out of this battle alive."
Annabella saluted and then bowed. "As you wish sir." She pulled her hood back over her face and walked back into the shadows of the forest.
Scar continued to watch the city. Fires were burning in the early morning. He watched the borders and saw a black figure jump from a tree onto the roof of one of the buildings at the border. "Good luck Annabella."
"Major Armstrong,"
Armstrong went over to the radio. "This is Armstrong,"
"We are in position."
"Good I will be there in a few moments. Tell the Magician and The Mole to infiltrate quietly."
He hung up the radio transmitter and grabbed his gloves and walked from the room. Armstrong walked among the ruins of the city he arrived at the gates to City Hall as the battle was still ensuing. It was nearly noon. The sun was high above their heads. Now all they needed was the call from the Infiltrators that the control room was under their control and that no one was left to lead the insurgence within the city.
Inside the city Hall,
"Come on Havoc." Edward Elric was running through the hall as he knocked out one of the enemy soldiers that had spotted them as they entered through the back door. Sirens were wailing inside the building as they knew intruders had made it inside. "Edward I better get a big promotion for this!"
Havoc was sacrificing his life for this mission. He followed in suite behind him his rifle at the ready. They slowly crept through the hallways trying not to get caught by the enemy. After moments of trekking the halls they found a door that was heavily guarded. Ed stopped him and then clapped his hands on the wall creating a cannon out of the floor. He jumped out and yelled. "Cannon Ball!"
They looked at him and yelled they started running in the other direction but were hit with the ball and knocked to the ground. Ed quickly tied them up and had Havoc watch them as he went to deal with the control room. He opened the door and found a man in black at the desk watching the screens making orders and commands. Ed snuck in behind him and transmuted a cage to trap him unawares. He punched him and knocked him out before he could say a thing. "Havoc bring them in here!"
Havoc drug their captives into the room and forced them to join the man in black. He quickly grabbed the radio and called the command center at the front of the gate. "Charge it now!" Then Ed and Havoc locked the door and waited for them to clear the rest of the building.
At the gate,
"Charge It Now!" Armstrong heard the order he took his shirt off and stepped forward flexing his muscles as he walked. "Stand back!" all the soldiers stepped back and headed for cover. He punched the ground and rocks began to fly at the gate. As this happened a hole broke in the wall and a black clad woman stepped forward.
"Armstrong, you have been marked to be terminated. In the name of the Holy Lord for your damnations in Ishbal Alex Louis Armstrong prepare to be returned to where you came. May Ishbala Have Mercy." She jumped forward slamming her fist into his head he quickly tried to grab her leg but she did a back flip easily evading his large arms. "What are you waiting for don't wait for me! Charge the Hall!" He grabbed a large boulder and threw it into the air, but before his gargantuan fist could find it in the air the assassin rolled across the ground and dropped kicked him to the cold hard Earth. Armstrong slid backwards against a building leaving a trail of Havoc as he slammed into the wall. The assassin stepped forward and stood above him as he slowly tried to gain his balance. She took her hood off and let him see the face of his defeater. "Ishbala will finally take you Armstrong!"
He looked up at the face of his attacker. "Annabella?"
Annabella looked at him as the realization sat in.
"Yes Armstrong, I said it so long ago as a child, as I watched you murder my family."
Armstrong looked into her piercing eyes as she pulled out her Katana. "It's been so long Armstrong, and finally I will get my revenge for my Brother, My Mother, and I will find My sister that you Dragged away from Me!" She raised her sword and lowered it upon Alex Louis Armstrong. She stabbed him in the same place that her Mother was he had shot a rock straight through her mother's right arm.
"Annabella, You don't understand, I was a soldier I had no choice, and I wasn't the one who dragged Arianna away from you!"
"Liar, it was your entire fault Armstrong You took away my mother my brother. You murdered them YOU MURDERED THEM, And Then you walked away with my sister! My only sister, my own flesh and blood my baby SISTER!" tears were falling from her eyes as she pulled out the 9mm dart gun from her holster. "I will make you suffer for what you did, Now tell me! WHERE DID YOU TAKE ARIANNA!"
Armstrong held his arm and looked up at her. "Arianna is still alive. They, they took her somewhere in Central, she is about 12 now. I've seen her, My family is the one that has kept her out of the camps. She has a family that has been watching her but they would not let me know where they lived they always came to us. You must realize I felt horrible!"
"All Lies All Lies, You didn't do it out of sympathy You did it to try to grace Ishbala so that you would be saved by his Loving Embrace!" she pulled a dart labeled Scorpio and placed it in the gun. "Now that I know where she is I do not need to keep you alive any longer Armstrong!"
She lifted the gun and aimed at his throat. She stared at him as he looked at her he muttered one final word. "I'm sorry." She fired. The dart hit and Armstrong began to shake and his eyes closed. He continued to breath but the poison had been a mixture of Scorpion and King Cobra venom. He would die a slow horrible death, and their was no antidote.
"Retreat men return to the Forest!" Annabella called out and men that were not fighting began to escape the city. Edward Elric had watched the whole fight between Armstrong and the assassin and now watched as he saw him crumble and die his killer escaping and he could do nothing about it. Tears streaked his face, How many more were going to die in the wars to come. How many that he cared about. He slammed his fists down and Yelled into the air. "NO!"