To Heal the Wounds of the Heart
Chapter 10: Elixir
The skies were unusually cloudy, which in turn meant that there was considerably less sunlight due to its being blocked by said clouds. As a result, down below, it was depressingly dim and oddly cold for a spring day in which the time had hardly passed midday.
The timing could not have been more perfect. The click of a turning knob and a soft wheeze indicated the opening of a door. Al entered the Rockbell house with clear eyes and a smile on his face. He swiftly journeyed upstairs, and hard knocks sounded from his boots with each step. He made his way to the room that he and his brother shared and swung open the door with intentions to awake Ed, instead finding him fully clothed and standing on the far side of the room.
Ed grinned at his brother, and turned, making his way to the center of the room. Al was quick to note that his shoulders were relaxed, his movements fluid and his actions unhurried. All signs indicated that Ed was feeling quite refreshed.
"Hey Al. Everything work out okay?" he inquired, not looking at his brother as he tended to various things around the room, but still paying attention all the same.
Al smiled back. He allowed his shoulders to slouch slightly, feeling eased by the fact that Ed was well.
"Yeah. I managed to find a cab that would come out this far," Al replied, leaning back against the wall on the left side of the door, "Because I figured that you were tired of riding trains. It's big, so it should fit all six of us."
It was true: in the past several weeks alone, they had been passengers on more than their fair share of train lines. Realizing this, Ed lobbied an appreciative smile at his brother, although his back was turned to him.
"Thanks, Al. That's real considerate of you. I'll be ready in just a few minutes."
Finding the one piece of clothing he had yet to throw on himself, his brown coat, hanging neatly in the closet in the room's far corner, Ed removed it from its holder and held it out, allowing himself to slip his right arm through its sleeve, then the left. Tugging on it to make it slightly more comfortable, he withdrew a pair of white gloves from its right pocket and quickly pulled them onto his hands, flexing his fingers when the job was done. His hair having already been pulled back into its thin ponytail, he appeared ready to go. Edward bent slightly to pick up a brown, medium-sized briefcase with his right arm, then moved himself over to the window.
"What's in that?" Al questioned, indicating the briefcase.
Ed's reply was nonchalant. "Nothing, really. A few things I wrote down while I was cooped up in here, and--" he glanced sideways over his shoulder, "--a few things we might need."
He turned back and gazed at the landscape that lay before him for a moment in thought. What little light there was struck him at the perfect angle, creating a moment that made him overwhelmingly reminiscent of his late father. Satisfied, he turned to Al and raised an arm in a slight shrug.
"I guess we're ready, then."
"Seems that way," Alphonse answered, "If you go downstairs and make sure everyone else is ready, I'll get Rose."
At the mention of the woman's name, Ed averted his eyes with a look that blended remorse with worry. He nodded his understanding to his brother and departed the room, stopping to take no more than a fleeting look down the hallway towards where Rose resided before pivoting the other way and descending the stairs to the foyer.
The brothers had a long day ahead of them. As Ed strolled through the empty kitchen and into the living room, he muttered to himself.
"I guess we can't think much about it, now. This is the way Al and I have always done it, and this is what we've already decided. It's for the best."
He quieted himself upon arrival, seeing Roy, Riza and Winry all dressed and ready to depart. He nodded to Mustang and smiled at Hawkeye, before turning to Winry.
Their eyes met, and Ed needed no gesture or salute to impart his greetings to his old friend. The mutual look that connected them was more than enough; it was as if the soft passion of their moment by the bedside had carried over into the current time.
Regardless, Edward couldn't keep himself from smiling, even though he knew what he was ready to do, and even though Winry would be the most affected.
Because it was the way he had always done things.
The car sped along routinely, although its length gave the optical illusion that it was traveling slower. It was large enough to fit six people and a driver, which didn't make it small by any means.
The clouds were beginning to clear up, and without any sign of rain. Bit by bit, the air became slightly warmer and the light slightly brighter. They had been traveling for approximately an hour, moving by virtue of a deserted road in the country that offered the scenic view. The car clanked as if aggravated every time a wheel hit an uneven patch of road, which was quite often.
In the front row of seats, Ed sat on the left side with Al beside him and Rose on the right. It hadn't made Winry happy, but the brothers had decided to seat her with them because her silent despondence would most likely make the General and the Captain uneasy.
There was no denying that Edward was worried about her, but the passionate kiss under the stars was bothering him constantly, as was another thought that tugged on the back of his mind.
But Ed saved it for later.
"Ed, where did you say we were going, again?" Winry questioned from her seat behind him.
"A town about halfway between Central and East City," he replied, without bothering to look over his shoulder.
For a while, the ride carried on in silence. The Elrics had spoken beforehand about their plans, in order to avoid bringing them to light in the presence of everyone else.
As the car continued to push forward, everyone was held in simple ignorance.
Every person in the car knew that Resembool was in the southeast, and it would simply take a bit of northeastern travel to reach the city Ed had described.
But only Ed and Al knew that the cab was traveling slightly north and far west.
A clank.
A screech.
And then automated double doors slid open, bidding passage to the one standing between them. With a smirk, he stepped into the large room and took several hesitant steps forward, scanning the scene before him, until he located the object of his intentions and began to move quicker, making his way to it.
The room was exquisite. Shiny, polished, chestnut brown hardwood lined the floors, stopping where beige walls extended upwards. Each wall was lined with tall pillars that contained large lights on top, almost like enormous lamps. A large desk sat in the middle. It, too, was well polished stained a light brown and well taken care of. The padded chair that matched it was unoccupied. Lying open on its surface was a manila folder containing several papers. He stopped to pick it up, glancing at the sheet on top.
"Fullmetal Alchemist, Major Edward Elric. Youngest State Alchemist ever selected by the Amestris State Military. Name refers to artificial limbs, automail. Born 1898. Hohenheim of Light, Father. Trisha Elric, Mother. Season of birth, winter. Shares date of birth with daughter of Brigadier General Maes Hughes. Short. Sensitive about height. Blonde hair with golden eyes. Agile. Formidable fighter. Once right-handed. Currently left-handed after replacement of right arm. Kind and easy-going, yet cynical and adept at holding grudges. February 1910, harnessed human alchemy in attempt to revive dead mother. As a result, performs alchemy without a transmutation circle. Left leg taken in transmutation. Right arm taken in payment for brother's soul. Familiar with the Gate. Killed by Envy. Revived by power of Philosopher's Stone. Gave life once more for brother's body. Also given in part of equivalent exchange: four years they spent together (supposed). Killed Greed. Killed Sloth. Spent two years on other side of the Gate. Currently in Central.
"Alphonse Elric. Brother of Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric. Born 1900. Hohenheim of Light, Father. Trisha Elric, Mother. Season of birth, unimportant. Blonde hair with golden eyes. Spent four years as soul attached to suit of armor. Body lost to the Gate in failed human transmutation. Calm, optimistic, kind. Receiver of the incomplete Stone from Scarred Ishbalan. As result, became the Stone. Used every ounce of the Stone's power to revive the killed Edward. Resurrected in 10-year old body with no memories beyond the night of the attempted human transmutation. Has alchemical ability to transmute parts of soul into inanimate objects, animating and controlling them. Recovered lost memories after passing through the Gate with Edward. Sacrificed Gluttony to open the Gate. Sacrificed Wrath to open the Gate. Currently in Central.
"Noah, surname unknown. Roma woman from world beyond the Gate. Appearance disputed. Analog beyond the Gate of Rose Thomas in this world. Rose Thomas, in attempt to find Edward (after professing her love before he died) beyond the Gate, discovered that the Gate in each person's soul can be opened when weak connection is established between one's mind, body, and soul. Also discovered that this is only possible in babies and in death or near-death. Rose Thomas starved herself to near death and, with help of many texts, opened the Gate in herself. Dying body was left in front of the Gate while her soul inhabited Noah's body. Rose Thomas searched for Edward for days until she realized that he and Alphonse had returned to Shamballa. However, her body died while in front of the Gate, taking her mind and soul with it. This strange event caused Noah's soul to be pulled from her body and back to the Gate, where Rose's body was now unoccupied. Noah's soul inhabited the empty body and she returned to Shamballa. Important to note that, theoretically, Rose Thomas' mind and soul are still lingering somewhere within the Gate, without a vessel, and she is not technically dead. Noah, surname unknown, seems to have inherited Rose Thomas' life, including her pre-existing feelings. Currently in Central.
"Winry Rockbell, close friend of Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric. Born 1898. Sarah Rockbell, Mother. Pinako Rockbell, Grandmother. Provides automail for Fullmetal Alchemist. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Parents, doctors killed by Roy Mustang in Ishbal War. Frequently travels with the brothers. Optimistic. Outgoing. Attractive. Tends to disregard rules when excited. Intelligent. Extensive knowledge of technology and mechanics. Very emotional. Now in Central."
The smirk that had never left his face widened. He snatched a pen from a small container on the desk and made a few marks, correcting several points of interest, and then returned the tool to its holder. The doors on the opposite side of the room slid open; he closed the manila folder and began moving once again, walking through them.
On the other side, he found himself in a room quite similar to the previous one, with the exceptions that the room was occupied and there was a large mirror in the corner. Four others inhabited the area.
Without giving three so much as a look, he strolled over to yet another desk, where the last was sitting. He handed it to the fourth without a word and waited.
Just as he had, the fourth surveyed the paper and made a few marks. After a small glance at the other papers, he was quietly dismissed.
"Thank you, Wrath."
By the time that anyone realized they were in Central, it was far too late. Roy displayed a knowing grin, realizing the brothers' intentions, but said nothing. As an extension of Mustang's actions, Hawkeye, too, showed almost no response to the fact that they had been lied to. Rose didn't even seem to notice.
Winry, on the other hand, was less than thrilled.
"Ed! Al! What's going on? This is Central!"
"Yeah, it is," Ed answered quietly.
"Why?"
"It's..." Ed was carefully trying to formulate his words, delicately attempting to avoid the mine he was about to step on, "It's something we have to do, Winry."
As he spoke, the cab that they were traveling in began to gradually slow. On either side of them were suburban houses, many with two stories and freshly cut lawns. The street was beginning to seem oddly familiar. Without warning, the car suddenly came to a halt, stopping in front of a single house. Yellow paint adorned its outside. A single window stared out at the road from the second story room, and down below, a small brick path led to a normal wooden door. On either side, perfect grass flanked it, and on the opposite sides of that grass, other houses similar to it stood. It was a house that all present knew, and all too well.
Rose slowly exited the car with Al's assistance, and Ed followed behind them. In the same manner, a dutiful Captain Hawkeye helped out a resisting Winry while Roy Mustang slipped quietly out afterwards. Ed paid the driver, but instructed him to wait for a few moments.
They approached the house with mixed feelings--Winry's, that of confusion and anxiety; Al's, that of quiet conservation; Ed's, that of silent remorse.
When the brick path ended and they found themselves standing on the doorstep, Ed lowered his head and reached out his right arm. After a long pause, he leaned forward and knocked three times. Within seconds, the door slowly opened, as if someone had been beside it the whole time. The house's owner stepped forward, out of the shadows, to greet the guests, and Ed's sad expression spread to Al's face.
They both lowered their heads even further, ending between a hunch and a bow.
"Oh! It's so good to see you all! Come on in," she exclaimed, moving to allow passage into the house.
"I hope you've been well...Mrs. Hughes," Ed breathlessly whispered.
The living area, usually empty and deserted save for the modest tribute to Maes on the dresser to the room's far side, was suddenly crowded and full; there was, however, not a thing said. The silence was almost disturbing. No one said a word. Edward, who slouched forward and stared at the floor, desperately avoiding eye contact with Gracia, set the tone. Al tried his best to smile, but he himself didn't feel any happier.
"I don't know what I can say to console you boys, but your lives are never going to be happy if you keep blaming yourselves," Gracia said quietly. "I still miss him more than anything, but I've been able to go on living. You two should as well."
As if he hadn't even heard her, Ed bowed his head and muttered, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Hughes. I'm sorry."
She sighed exasperatedly, as if she had given up, and looked to General Mustang, who was stretched out on the couch with both arms spread wide as he leaned back. He gazed at her with a blank face from under his mop of black hair and eye patch.
Neither of the Elrics had any intentions of staying for long. Ed stood suddenly and made his way over to Mustang, reaching out a hand. Roy shook it with confusion evident on his face, but questioned nothing. He bent over Winry, who was leaning forward with her hands in her lap, and embraced her softly. It lasted only a single moment, and then he withdrew.
"I'm sorry, Winry. We want to protect you," he whispered, then turned and strode over to Gracia. "I hate to burden you, but I was hoping that the two of them," he stated, indicating the girls, "could stay here for a while."
"Of course, Edward," she replied, delivering a soft smile that Ed could see still had Hughes' spirit in it. "Winry knows she is always welcome here."
"Thanks."
The two brothers proceeded to the door without another word, their anxiety to leave evident. As Ed swung it open and Al walked out into the open air, Winry quickly stood and dashed over to them, tears forming in her eyes.
"No! You can't leave me again!"
"We'll be back soon, Winry. I promise." As if he had suddenly remembered, which was most likely the case, Ed's eyes widened, and he stuffed his hand into his coat pocket. Withdrawing a small, folded piece of paper, he handed it to Winry and pointed at Rose, the look on his face quickly darkening. "Give that to her for me. Don't look at it."
"See you soon, Winry!" Al shouted as the door shut. Moments later, car doors slammed and an engine roared as the cab sped away. Winry looked at the paper and shrugged. She returned to her spot and handed it to a mostly unresponsive Rose, who took it. Her expressionless face stared at the scrap as she unfolded it.
Then she screeched in horror and dropped the note, holding her head in her hands.
As it fell to the floor, it remained open.
There was a single sentence scrawled hastily on it.
What happened to your son?
It was unbeatable. Absolutely unbeatable.
There was no point in trying, and so Alphonse resigned himself to defeat with a small sigh and leaned back in his seat, throwing his arms behind his head.
Edward had won again.
Al smiled, his hazel eyes watching his brother but avoiding direct contact, and declined to bring up his suspicions about Ed's good luck.
At least they were happy.
"Kind of reminds you of the good days, huh?" he blurted.
"In a way, yeah," Ed answered, dropping his hand of cards and stretching, "It is nice to relive the few good memories we have every now and then." He let his head slump onto a white-gloved fist, which supported him as he gazed out of the window.
Al shook his head. "Don't say that, Ed. We've had plenty of good experiences."
"I dunno, Al."
"Well...we always stuck together. That's what's important."
Ed's gaze focused, and his eyes opened wider. He picked his head up and returned his arm to his side, then looked at Al. They stared in silence for a few moments, before both grinned and Ed returned to his vantage point by the window, in a visibly better mood.
"Yeah...that we did."
They were on a train once more, although this one was a noticeably quieter and more enjoyable ride. They were approaching a lake, whose water sparkled brilliantly as the sun reflected off of it. There was a soft bump, and the cars made a transition onto a white bridge suspended thirty feet in the air by supporting pillars that descended all the way down into the water below. To the left was the shining lake, and to the right was a stunning view of a lush forest. Al rubbed his head and grinned apologetically at his brother.
"Sorry we just ended up riding a train again," he commented.
"No big deal," Ed reciprocated, without ever moving from his position by the window, "There's no other way to get where we're going than by train, anyway."
Al began to wonder out loud. "Yeah...but why are we going there in the first place?"
"Well, to be honest, it really seems like the only place we haven't been lately, and..." Ed's gaze darkened, "This whole thing with the Homunculi is starting to seem vaguely familiar."
There was another clunk as the train made the move back to regular on-ground rails, and continued onward.
A loud, piercing whistle and the halting of a continuous shuffling accompanied the train's coming to a stop. The doors were opened, and left open for several minutes, but only Edward and Alphonse Elric disembarked. Ed lifted his briefcase and removed his coat, slinging it over his shoulder, before looking around questionably.
"Hey, Al, what's the deal? This place used to be a huge magnet for tourists."
Al stared quizzically in all directions as well before turning to his brother. "I'm not sure, but it has been nearly five years since we were last here...maybe things just progressed like they were supposed to." Ed raised an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah...I forgot about that."
They both looked ahead, where, among other things posted on a large bulletin board, a wide sign welcomed them to Aquroya, the City of Water. To the left of the wall with the board hanging on it was a small arch, composed totally of white brick, which served as a gateway into the once majestic city. Two pairs of boots padded loudly as they crossed through and found themselves staring at a dismal, if not depressing, scene that more than assured them of the fact that their assumptions were true.
The once splendid and glittering water that had run throughout the entire city was now murky and violent--it had become like an ocean, in that large waves were constantly breaking. Every building, walkway, and dock, although still intact, was missing some fundamental piece of its structure; in the case of many, windows were blown out, leaving shards of dirty glass in their wake, doorframes were empty, walls were cracked, and inhabitants were nowhere to be found.
The City of Water had sunk.
Ed took each step forward slowly, arms swinging in rhythm with his feet. His head was on a constant swivel, looking nervously around at the remnants. Al, just as anxious yet slightly more calm, remained in his spot, choosing instead to survey the environment without moving. The sky was dark, not as a byproduct of incoming rain, but simply because that had become the standard in Aquroya. He called out to Edward.
"Hey, Ed, why did we come here again?"
Ed grunted and stopped pacing just long enough to scan the ruins once more. "To be honest...I'm not sure anymore. But I'm starting to get a bad feeling."
For minutes after that, there was silence...
Another wave broke, and Ed's head jerked up with a gasp.
"Al, duck!"
Both brothers dropped like rocks, and immediately after, the air shattered with a resounding boom. Ed tried to yell over the sound of the impact, but it was to no avail. A large piece of stone slab came hurling at them, seemingly out of nowhere, splitting the pair up as they cartwheeled to avoid it. It smashed into the building behind them with a loud crunch, bringing the first three floors to the ground quickly; the top floor barely managed to stay intact, falling atop the crumbled remains of the first three.
"Damnit!" Ed yelled, "It seems like we can't get enough of this crap!" He slammed his hands together and wiped his left one over the top of his right. The energy of the other world's deaths was circulated from the Gate and into him, and his trademark blade extended from the automail on command. When the blue sparks had subsided, he crouched and took off, sprinting in the direction that the projectile had come from.
There was an almost undetectable zip in the air in front of them as a red and black form quickly rose from the water beyond the walkway wall in front of Ed. It landed and flashed to its right.
"Not this time!"
Edward planted his right foot and pushed off with his left, masterfully changing direction and springboarding himself onto a direct collision course with the form. After three long strides he let his feet slip from under him, propelling himself into a feet-first slide. The flashing object stopped and changed its path once more, this time shooting straight up. When realization slapped Ed in the face, it was nearly too late. He dug his automail hand into the cracked bricks of the walkway, halting on a dime. He craned his neck to the left just in time to avoid the impact that destroyed the ground where his head had been, and, reacting quickly, whirled and swept his legs, causing what had attacked him to leap back.
The dust settled, and the air current returned to its usual flow.
"I'm too smart for that trick, Avarice," Ed growled, automail blade held out front and ready.
The Homunculus' blind eyes closed momentarily, and a grin spread across its gruff face.
"Are you really?" he bellowed in his low-pitched growl. Al, who had slowly been inching back during the duration of Ed's tussle, now rejoined his brother and they stood side-by-side in defiance of the creature before them.
Al quickly dropped to one knee and clapped his hands, attempting to transmute. Avarice launched from his position precisely as Ed did; they hurled at one another at a frightening pace. Seconds before impact, Ed halted and suddenly fell to his knees, clutching his head. Al, remembering that odd action, realized with a start what was happening. He quickened his pace, creating two armor-shaped cases made from the stone that the walkway was composed of. Simultaneously, Avarice utilized his opportunity to barrel into Edward and land a fist on him, sending the alchemist smashing into what was left of the collapsed building.
Alphonse halted his transmutation and blazed to his feet, whirling in the direction his brother had taken. "Ed!"
After extended scuffling, Ed managed to work his way out. He was covered in dust, stumbling, and in serious pain, but he was okay. Blood dripped sluggishly from the left corner of his mouth. He dragged himself back to his previous position and took up a stance once more, holding the edge atop his automail out in front of him, ready to continue.
"You're just as stupid as I'd expect, Greed!" he hissed with a smirk, emphasizing the homunculus' true name. Avarice stared blindly over Ed's shoulder.
"Am I?" he spat back, unfazed.
"That hit was all it took...for me to figure you out. It was just an idea before, but now...I'm sure." He looked over to his brother. "You know, too, don't you, Al?"
Alphonse suddenly remembered one of the papers that Ed had shown him on the train, something he had carefully written that was smudged with side-notes and erase marks. His eyes widened, and a grin etched itself across his face. He nodded over to his brother.
"Then you know what to do!" Ed shouted at him, and took a step back. Al raised his arms and, in a sweeping motion, brought his hands forcefully together, then stepped forward and pressed them to one of his two armor cases. Various strange marks flashed on it in a blinding, blue light, and then it began to move. Al leaned slightly forward, focusing all of his energy, and the armor began to run. It slowly gained speed until it was sprinting with all its might towards Avarice, quickly closing the distance between them. A cocky grin spread across his face; without his eyes ever moving, he dodged to the left and swung a fist, colliding head-on with the armor.
Nothing happened.
Shocked, he jumped back, but his reaction was much too slow, and a wide kick from the armor sprawled him out in the center of the old walkway.
"What was that?" he grunted at both brothers, who were now standing mere feet from each other. Al grinned. Immediately, the homunculus sensed the armor's presence behind him. Again, he connected head-on with a punch, and again, there was no reaction save an elbow knocking him back.
"You're completely clueless, aren't you?" Ed yelled from where he stood with his arms folded over his chest.
"Tell me what's going on! Or I'll kill you!" Avarice shouted, getting to his feet.
"You really wanna know? No problem! Al!"
Al nodded. "It's simple, really. Those shells are hollow--stone walls and an empty inside."
When the new Greed's unseeing eyes creased in frustration, Ed knew he had hit gold.
"I know exactly how you work now, don't I? And you just realized you're beat." He stepped forward and pointed a finger confidently, blonde hair swinging. "I know how you leave the wounds you do, bruise-like injuries that drastically weaken the victim and cause them to lose large amounts of blood. It's so simple. Normally, when something connects with a human body with enough force, it causes pain and leaves the skin red or bruised, nothing more. A bruise is really just a sign of a tiny bit of internal bleeding--nothing major enough to hurt anyone. When you swing, your fist has that same force. However, you take that force and contract it to a microscopic size; when your hits connect, you take that force and amplify it at the point of impact, allowing it to slide through the skin. Instead of it landing squarely on the victim's surface, it passes through the first layer of their body in that small form, then grows stronger and expands, allowing it to slam into their internal organs with that same amount of strength, damaging those organs enough to immediately rob the person of their strength and force them to cough up blood. Those cloudy marks that look like bruises are really the visual effects of severe internal bleeding. That's your secret, Greed, and as long as you're fighting something that has no insides, you're completely powerless!"
"Just as smug as ever, aren't you?"
Another large projectile was flung at Ed, who dodged it by such a small margin that the sweeping wind following it nearly blew him over. From the same general area by the water that Avarice had emerged came another, a homunculus just like him, with an evil grin plastered on its face.
Al scowled darkly. "Pride...I knew it..."
Ed slowly got to his feet, albeit swaying carefully--a clear sign of disorientation. When he was fully settled and balanced again, he raised his arm and pointed his blade directly at Avarice, who stood twenty feet away.
"That's not all I've learned," he growled, "not by a long shot. How about the supposed fact that homunculi can't use alchemy. Who made that up? I used to accept that as an easy truth, but I'm older now, and you can't fool me that easily."
Both homunculi leveled curious glances at him.
"Envy's ability to change into anything...Lust's fingers extending...Greed altering his body's makeup...Sloth and her aqueous body...now you, able to contract the energy in your blows...it all adds up. Maybe you monsters can't use alchemy on the things around you, but I know you sure as hell can use it on yourselves!"
Al clapped his hands together and pressed them to the ground, using more stone to make yet another armor shell. Three stood in total, all ready. He touched the final shell and all three turned, sprinting at Avarice. Ed, too, took off, dashing for the homunculus. A piercing yell emitted from his throat as he leaped and swung his arm. Avarice caught it, but as he did, the suits caught on to him, latching on to his arms and torso, holding him in place. Veins bulged from his body, rage in his blind eyes, as he managed to throw one to the ground. Ed smirked confidently and swung a metal leg. It connected soundly with the homunculus, knocking him over the ruined walkway and into the dirty stream from which he had come with a towering splash.
The echo of the plummet resounded throughout the empty city, a cascade of invisible water, until it slowly died out. Edward turned his newfound anger to the stream, fully prepared to follow in pursuit of the new Greed.
He looked ready to spring into action, and nearly did, before he was inexplicably brought to his knees. Pride took a step forward, a malevolent look of glee contorting his features, and stared pointedly at Ed. "It's not so easy with me around, is it?"
Ed didn't need to answer.
A gray-tinted stone arm wrapped swiftly around Pride's upper chest and lifted him effortlessly into the air. The armor shell's arms tightened, then turned quickly, snapping the homunculus' neck with no resistance.
Ed got to his feet, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Al exhaled in relief.
No more than twenty seconds later, Pride pulled himself back up, the same grin on his face, just as Avarice returned from the murky, watery pits. Footsteps echoed as they moved toward the brothers. Ed yelled out to them.
"Hey, Greed! I know about the other one, the one that's with you. Why don't you tell him to stop hiding like a coward and come out!"
Avarice smiled. "If you wish, but I think the results will shock you."
"I already saw, back in Resembool! Nothing you show me can be shocking, not anymore!
The large homunculus stepped to the side, allowing yet another to emerge from its shadow. Its face was expressionless.
Al's eyes widened in disbelief, pupils dilating, and he fell to the ground with a gasp. Ed lowered his head and grimaced, for what he had suspected all along had just been confirmed. Whether he had known it or not, that did not make it any easier to bear.
Before words could be spoken, a crashing sound exploded from the city's inner area. Edward felt something hit him, although the feeling was mild and fleeting.
Instantly, his consciousness left him.
He awoke to the sound of harsh cackling.
Ed's eyelids buzzed, then slightly cracked open. Dim light flooded in, and he cringed slightly. He opened them again after a few moments, blinking slowly to readjust.
A circle was spread out before him. It was an array, a transmutation circle, and a very large one--nearly fifty feet in diameter, he estimated. It was drawn in black, very finely and in complete detail. With what, Ed could not deduce. His first notion was that it resembled a curved version of the Grand Arcanum array, with a few minor adjustments and a single large difference: abstract marks, much like the ones he had seen on the transmutation circle Al had used to open the permanent Gate during the Thule attack, littered its outer ring. There were five in total, each with strange symbols and dark ovals. Placed in the center of each were jars of crimson liquid--a liquid Edward immediately recognized as blood. He tried with all his might to settle his mind, but all efforts were lost when he glanced to the left and spotted the most shocking sight yet.
Next to the complex array, Al was tied firmly to a chair, head slumped in an induced slumber.
A chair rested behind his, their backs roped together.
Winry was bound to it.
Ed then realized that he himself was simply propped on yet another chair, completely unrestrained. He stood slowly and looked around, immediately recognizing the setting. They were no more then a few hundred feet from their previous position, slightly farther down on the old, ruined walkway and closer to the city's center.
The cackling resumed, causing Ed's head to snap towards its source with a snarl, hatred splashed on his face.
"What the hell do you want, Envy?"
"Nothing much, Pipsqueak. I'm about to tell you."
Ed growled. "And what makes you think I'd ever consider doing a damn thing for you, huh?" Envy's demeanor rapidly deteriorated to a serious one, displaying extreme agitation.
"And what makes you think you have a choice?" he snapped back.
The blonde alchemist's eyes widened, and he spun in a flash, staring at his brother and their childhood friend. A dark shape materialized in his vision; Ed cursed under his breath. Bright golden eyes met ones just as gold, though slightly darker. Edward emitted a small gasp when his eyes were drawn to the knife in the new homunculus' right hand.
"How did she get here?" he questioned Envy.
"Simple. We took her. It wasn't hard."
"And what about Rose?"
There was no answer. The new homunculus inched closer to Winry and Al.
"Nice try, bastard!" Ed screamed, darting forward and rushing towards it. An object flew into his range of vision, knocking him mercilessly to the ground. Envy placed a foot on his chest and morphed his arm into a blade identical to Ed's, pointing it at his throat.
"I'd reconsider."
"You wouldn't!" Edward yelled from his position, in the direction of the homunculus that he was positive had become the new Wrath. It turned to him, wearily stringing out words.
"Edward, this is beyond your control. I'm sorry."
"Shut up! You can't fool me! My old man was a phenomenally powerful alchemist! You can't even measure halfway!" the Fullmetal shouted, clapping his hands and transmuting a small pillar from the ground, knocking Envy off of him.
Indeed, the creature facing him was a perfect replica of his father, from his shaded blonde hair and golden eyes to the smallest details in the form of his ponytail and glasses. He donned a brown coat and vest and a world-weary face. It seemed that whoever had done the work hadn't left a single thing out.
Ed's rage was building. "What are you trying to pull?" he yelled in Envy's direction.
"Simple. I have directions from my master. There's something you need to make."
Fear and confusion colored Edward's features.
"Your...master?"
"You bet. Surely you didn't think she was gone, did you, Pipsqueak? The master will never die."
"That evil bitch will never get anything from me!"
Once more, Wrath stepped towards the chairs, knife in hand, looking prepared to do the work. Ed's face contorted to pained agony.
"Okay! What?" he sputtered weakly.
"The master was almost certain that you would recognize her request, considering your work with the Philosopher's Stone."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, I think you do. And I think that, with enough persuasion--" he jerked a thumb in the unconscious pair's direction, "--you'll recall just perfectly."
"If she's really still alive, what else could she possibly need?"
Envy smirked. "A little thing called the Elixir of Life."
Edward's mouth fell open in shock; the color drained from his face. He suddenly felt as if his knees wanted to give out, but simply couldn't. Wide eyes with dilated pupils gazed from the homunculi to the array and the blood, and then to Winry and Alphonse.
"Yeah. I think I do remember," came the mumble.
"Good, then you can do the job here and now."
"No. You can't ask me to do that. I can't. I know what it takes to make the Elixir...and why she would need it. There's no way I can pull that off."
"What are you talking about? There's no denying your alchemic power."
Ed shrugged. "That's not what it's about, Envy. The Elixir...it's the liquid parallel to the Stone. While the stone takes hundreds, maybe thousands, of lives to complete...the Elixir...takes the full supply of blood--all five liters--from fifteen human bodies, plus some sort of unusual reactant, to create. I can tell...just by looking at that array...that you already have the blood from those poor people, whoever they are. But you don't have the reactant, and either way, I would never do it. How can I ever have the right to take what fifteen people were killed for and use it for those purposes?"
"Two problems with your little speech," Envy droned, "First, that you can't seem to wrap your head around the idea that you're going to make it whether you like it or not. Second..."
He reached for a large bucket that had Ed had not noticed by his side.
"...that we do have that reactant."
He tossed it into the center of the array, sloshing its contents out for all to see. It appeared to be a liquid, resembling regular water, but Edward instantly knew better. It was much more clear than Aquroya's water; in addition, it looked thick, unlike what water would normally appear to be.
"It's her, isn't it?" he whispered, the remorseful look he so often displayed once again resurfacing. Sloth.
"You mean your mother?"
"She's not my mother, just like that piece of shit over there isn't my father!" Ed shouted, throwing his shaking arm out and pointing a finger stiffly at Wrath with contempt and rage.
"She is the reactant that you need," Envy replied calmly, as if Edward's outburst wasn't happening, "A homunculus provides the proper components for the transmutation, although I don't know how. I'm telling you what the master told me. Now do it."
"But how...how is she still alive? She should have evaporated..."
"It doesn't matter. I told you to get on with it!" Envy was growing frustrated and impatient.
Ed lowered his head, staring with a blank face at the complicated array etched out before him, tracing the intricate lines with his sad eyes. His mouth was slightly open, his shoulders slightly slouched. He gazed at the clear jars of blood, at the thick liquid, and at the homunculi with a defeated air, disgusted by what he was being asked to do. His eyes slid shut, and he lowered his head even further, shaking it as if he was blatantly stating that he simply couldn't do it.
"Wake up, Al..."
Alphonse didn't move.
In a fit of anger, Envy stormed over to Wrath, snatching the knife from his large hands. It flashed as he raised it to strike.
"No!" Ed wailed; it made little difference.
The homunculus swung it, slicing open a large, deep gash in Winry's left cheek. She stirred, then screamed out in pain, her eyes flinging open as she glimpsed the thick blood streaming down her face.
"Ed!" she cried out to him, straining against her ropes to reach her arms out.
Ed shuddered, tears beginning to fall from his clinched eyes. He spilled to his knees in a mess, hurrying, and clapped.
"I'm sorry..."
Two hands, one of flesh and one of metal, tapped the edges of the large array.
A/N: Don't really have any A/N. I mixed up a few documents and accidentally deleted chapter 10, resulting in my having to repost it. All I really have to say is if you found something in the chapter you have a question about, leave it in your review and I'll reply with my best answer. It'd take too long to go through all seventy-five hundred words and pick out everything I thought needed clarification.
Chapter 11 will be a recap of the events between the movie's end and the start of HWH.
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