Double update for the long wait! Same as last chapter: REVIEW FOR MORE CHAPTERS! -- I'm totally serious.

Disclaimer: Same as last time. I won't be dominater any time soon...

I tried to make this a little more Al centric. I hope it worked!

WARNING: Some OOC for Edward at end, but it's a dynamic moment, I thought I'd add it... he can love his brother, right?

Chatper 6- Crimson Butterfly- Inside the Mansion

Alphonse dashed forward, not worried about the noise he made. If something wanted quiet, then they'd come to the wrong zombie-infested village. Plus, he didn't want the bridge to give out again. And, he was kind of scared of whatever had thrown him from the water.

He made it across the bridge without further trouble. Soon, he was on his way again, following his elder's tracks.

Unfortunately, the time he had made up would soon be lost yet again, and added onto, when he reached another point when the steps stopped… well more so they met a gate. And it was locked. Al groaned to himself. Just my luck, isn't it? He thought, pulling his body back away from the door and preparing to smash it down.

"Don't! Someone will hear you!" A voice called from behind Alphonse, causing the armor to jump. Al turned quickly, and then saw a small platinum blonde haired boy behind bars in a small hut. He tensely worked his way toward the boy. "Yae! What are you still doing here?" he cried out, his eyes in shock.

Al recoiled, wondering why he thought his name was Yae. "Yae? I'm not-!" "You need to leave before the ritual starts! If they find you, they'll kill you!" the male interrupted, worry in his eyes.

"Ritual?" the suit mumbled. "Uh, did you get knocked over the head! The Crimson Sacrifice Ritual! The one that sacrifices you and your sister to the gods? You've got a death aura around you and everyone can tell! I'd get out as fast as possible if you want to live!"

Al gasped. Sacrifice? I wasn't told about a sacrifice by Brother… he thought, looking at the gates that guarded his brother. "Oh, no." he whispered, knowing that something was going to happen to his brother if he didn't do anything soon.

"Hey, how do I get into the gates? My broth- I mean, my sister's trapped inside!" Best go along with the crazy guy then say "Hey, I'm not Yae and I'm not going to die here. I'm just here to save my brother!" Who knows? He could be the sacrificer… he said mentally.

"What? How could you get so careless! The keys are scattered by the Twin Maidens around the village. There are only two keys and two maidens, so it shouldn't be too difficult. One's up by the graveyard and the other is just around this corner. Hurry before they begin!" the blonde urged Al away, waving his arms in protest.

"Wait," he said. "First, can you refresh me about what they do in this ritual?"

The boy groaned. "Alright…

"Two twins are taken, females preferably. They bring the two into a small room below the ground past those gates. After that, the children kneel on a small futon. In the ritual, one child kills the other to appease the gods. When the one is killed, she is tossed into the abyss below, sending her to the gods of the underworld. The other is killed and hung above the ground, to please the gods of the earth. This happens every year or so, and you're next! So like I've said, you'd best get out while you still can! Run and keep running! Once you've left, you can't come back because of the spell protecting the village, but they can't chase you down! You'll be safe! So collect Sae, Yae, and get outta here!"

Alphonse stood, shock in him. Someone would have to kill their sister, or in his case, brother? There was no way he'd go through with that.

The suit of armor turned and sprinted away, turning the corner the young man had pointed out and looking for the stone of the Twin Maidens.

It was so small that he almost missed it. In fact, he did the first time, but upon closer inspection, he noted the small twins etched into the plant infested rock. His hand searched the rock and its surroundings until he found a small wooden piece of wood with a scratched into it. "Huh, this must be it." He murmured, turning tail to leave.

"AH!" he yelled, as he ran from the ghosts that had popped up behind him. He then stopped, slapping his helmet. "What am I doing?" he asked the air, turning around once again, pulling out his camera, and firing a few shots. The monsters screamed in agony then melted away into the ground.

A scream erupted from the mansion, filled with the pain of a knife stabbed though Al's heart. "Brother…" he whispered, recognizing the voice.

Alphonse dashed ahead, this time headed for the gate once more. He prepared to launch himself at the doors in his way. "Didn't I just tell you not to do that or is this some game of yours?" the boy shouted from his cell, pulling on the bars in frustration.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you." Alphonse said offhandedly, still not caring about the noise. "My brother's in danger and I have to help him!" Al pounded into the door, bursting its metal barriers. Al clapped his hands in delight and zoomed away, leaving the boy to gape lamely at the fact that 1: Yae had just called Sae her brother and him and 2: that a little girl like her could smack down a wall that easily.

Alphonse flew down the pathway, entering the large house in the middle of the lot. "Brother!" he called out. "Can you hear me? Edward?" He continued to run madly around the building. Finally, he came to an opening. Blood drops lead the way down the wood flooring, showing signs that life had been here. "Well, if that's Brother's blood that would explain the limp, somewhat…"

Al tore down the path, taking all its twists and turns in search of his brother. The blood was nigh invisible in the moonlight, but to Al's expert eye, it might as well have had a neon sign that said, "I'm right here! See?"

The suit of armor barreled down the hallway. He turned the last apparent corner, and continued his mad charge…. And nearly running over a small girl in white. He skidded to a halt about ten or so feet in front of her. Her head remained bowed as she crept slowly toward Alphonse, shoes making eerie tapping noises on the wooden flooring. Soon, she began to speed up.

Al pulled Camera Obscura in front of him, ready to make a fatal shot and be rid of this new ghost. Now she was in a quick jog, right upon him. The younger Elric pulled up the camera, focused it, and made the shot, throwing the predicate for a loop. The young girl recoiled, putting her hands protectively in front of her eyes, but not disappearing like the ones before. She merely shook off the attack and began for a new one.

The suit of armor stood at ready, prepared to run past her if need be. But, he thought. The more I get rid of, the less to deal with in our escape. He snapped it again, tossing the female in the white kimono back a few more feet. This time, it was Al's turned to approach. He continued firing shots at her until she sat upon the ground, tears springing to life in her eyes.

Al looked at her while she bawled, and he lowered his camera, wondering if she actually was human. "Yae," she whimpered, looking into Alphonse's eyes. "Why? Why did you leave me? No matter, I'm glad you've returned. Now, we can finish that ritual…" She stood up again, any traces of remorse from before lost on the girl, whom Al now assumed was that Sae the male had talked about.

Sae held out her hands, walking toward him with new resolve. Her hands cupped around Al's neck, and, even though he was made from metal, he could almost feel her warm hands ready for the kill.

Now was his chance. He pulled the camera up from where it had been resting and put it into the spirit's face before snapping off a shot, throwing the girl back almost a three yards from where he was now. She stood and wiped herself off. "The ritual must be done. It is our fate. You can't deny fate."

With that, she disappeared, leaving Alphonse to himself. He opened the door at the right of him and strolled in, the search for his brother still playing out. It wasn't long until he saw a small light shine from his hip, where he'd now hung Edward's pendent. "Huh?" Al pulled it up to his face, looking closely at it.

He quickly decided to investigate, pushing the pendent into the radio when he placed it on the floor next to him. Ed's voice rang out yet again, though weaker and with something new to say.

Al… where are you? It's Sae… She wants me…I can hear her call…

The ritual is going to start soon… we need to get out… now.

If they get you…

I wouldn't be able to help…

Nothing I do will change it…I've got to warn Alphonse… before Sae gets to me…

She'll hurt you, Al… she wants the ritual completed… and there's nothing we can do…

Not yet…

We would be… given to their gods…

That pit… we'd end up like… the others… like that man…

DAMN YOU ROY! If we get out… I'll kill him first thing… for all he's put us through…

(A voice now intrudes, lapping over Edward's own, layering it with a malicious sound of enjoyment, regret, sorrow, and anger.)

One of us will have to… kill the other… to save ourselves…

Maybe…

It's for the best.

Alphonse stared dumbfounded as the connection faded, leaving the silence as too much to bear. "That girl…" he whispered. "What does she want with my brother?"

Mist now clouded the floor, though its origin had been unknown before now. Al stood, putting the radio back within his armor.

Heavy breathing began behind him, followed by a shriek of annoyance. Al spun on his heel, gasping as he saw what the cause of it was.

A demon now floated- yes, floated- before him, spirits of the village surrounding him en masse. His face seemed as though it were melting from his skull from burns, his body a silver misty color.

It reached its bony hand for Alphonse, who stood in awe of the beast before him. "The Kusabi…" he breathed, taking a step back. The Kusabi was a mythical creature he'd read about in the military library: it rises from Hell when it's been defiled, spreading darkness across the land that insulted it, killing those around. This process was called the Repentance, and it sent a town into turmoil, making the location relive the day it dared cross paths with the Kusabi. Anyone who actually lived through it was called the Remaining. But they were soon killed by the Kusabi and his loyal partner.

Alphonse assumed that this partner was Sae. They both wanted to finish the ritual … and they both wanted him and his brother dead.

Al turned and ran, knowing of the monstrosity's immortality. There was only one thing that could kill it, and Alphonse hadn't found it yet. But when he did, he'd do his best.

He tore open the door and jetted down a new path, still sprinting up the many flights of stairs when he realized that the Kusabi had stopped following him. He slowed down, trying to calm his nerves. Hopefully he hasn't gotten to Brother… he thought, forlorn.

Alphonse opened a new door to his right, seeing a set of dolls sitting on shelves. "Well, someone had quite a collection…" he said, admiration in his voice as he inspected the small Dresden dolls and momentarily losing his train of thought. He snapped back to his senses. "Brother." He reminded himself. "I've got to find Ed."

The suit of armor willed himself to go on, looking for his blonde elder. He scoured the home, finally coming to a small room with a curtain hanging off a rack in the back of the room. Books sat gathering dust on their shelves. Tables stood sound, though a few were flipped in a panicked frenzy.

A shadow was cast on the curtain. A young girl sat behind it, it seemed from the shadow, holding… something. Al shivered as he thought of how much it reminded him of a head.

"Yae…You said… that we'd always… be together. That we'd be one… but everyone… died…"the girl whispered to the item, a hint of depression buried in her voice.

Al quickly treaded over to the curtain, peering carefully behind it. He pulled out the camera, holding it at ready, in case it was Sae yet again trying to eliminate him.

He wasn't exactly prepared for what he found, though.

"Brother!" he cried, stooping low to pick over his sibling's weakened and limp form. His face was pale and his breathing labored. "Oh, Brother… what happened to you?" Alphonse whispered, pushing Edward's bangs out of his face.

Ed's eyes opened slowly, though only to half mast. "Alphonse?" he whispered.

Al sighed with relief. "Oh, thank goodness you're alright. Yes, it's me." He smiled inside.

Edward sat up the best he could. Then, he wrapped his arms around the suit of armor, which sat in surprise. He could have sworn Ed wouldn't hug him… at least, not at a moment like this.

"Al," he mumbled, his voice holding the same hint of sadness the girl's had. "Yes, Brother?" he replied, holding his brother's shaking body against him for comfort.

"Please, don't leave me again. I don't want to lose you."

With that, the two boys sat together, holding onto their one moment of comfort and happiness in the night, for they would probably not get the chance to have one again.

Oooh! I told you! Lol! I'm still workig on that... I'm not good at this, am I? 00 Lol!

Please Review!

---Hikari---