A/N: A week after I posted the last chapter, I heard my grandfather had died. We had to travel interstate for his funeral and, well, I didn't exactly feel like writing after that. That was probably a couple of months ago. I had this half written when I heard. I am sorry; I know this was probably the worst place to stop- pretty much at the end of the story.
To those people who've PM'd me about a sequel… I won't be writing one. When I first started, I was planning one, and I even left space for it (such as lack of information about Hughes, his anger with lust, and stuff about the Clan) but I think I should end it with Night Eyes. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, so enjoy.

Chapter 28-

Hawkeye rushed down the path with Mustang and Al behind her.

"We have to find Edward. He was ambushed by one of the homunculi and I lost him down a cliff when I was fighting Gluttony," Hawkeye said, her eyes tinged with concern.

"I know Brother knows how to handle opponents just fine, but I still want to be there to help," Al stumbled a little on the downward path before regaining his footing.

"The old Edward knew. This new Fullmetal seems to get injured a lot when he fights," Mustang commented. Hawkeye frowned and increased her pace.

The trio reached the end of the descending path and looked around. They were now quite a distance underground. Off to their left were some steel automated doors that appeared not to have been used in quite a while. Mustang decided to leave those and gazed around to his right. Locked rooms lined the walls, and in the centre of the clearing was a huge dome-like structure made of sheer rock with a hole in the top. Al was about to ask the colonel which way they should go when the three heard a noise. It sounded like someone beating a punching bag.

Then came a sound that made the three of them shiver; the sheer screech of steel on stone. Mustang's eyes widened and he set off in the direction of the dome, where the sound had come from.

"Fullmetal?" he shouted, pulling on his other glove. His eyes smouldered with anger as he snapped with both hands, sending a condensed ball of fire hurling into the rock. The sheer heat of the attack managed to slightly disintegrate some smaller stones, which then fell through the remaining gap; and bigger rocks followed. Soon an entire section of the dome had collapsed, and the rocks on the edges of the gaping hole were so hot they were white in colour.

A pained shout originated from within, and Hawkeye's sharp sight caught Greed's silhouette stumbling from the wall, his back terribly burnt. He vanished deeper into the dome, shadows falling over him.

"Brother!" Al cried, overtaking Mustang and scrambling over the unstable rubble from the improvised entrance. Mustang increased his pace.

Edward was lying face down on the ground, unmoving. The hole in the dome provided some shadowy light, which was just enough to estimate to damage of his condition. He was splattered in crimson, blood pouring from wounds that were far too many to count. His limbs lay at unnatural angles. As Mustang approached, Alphonse turned his older brother over and pulled the unconscious boy onto his lap, clinging to him tightly.

"Heal… heal… come on brother, heal!" Al trembled. There came no response, but all three humans had somehow known that already. Hawkeye, who had her gun out watching for Greed, put her hand over her mouth in shock. Her aim never wavered from the dome, but her shoulders shook all the same as the force of the circumstances hit her. Alphonse, the sweet, kind, unfailingly joyful boy they all knew, began to cry. Mustang realized he'd fallen to his knees, his shocked body no longer bearing his weight. This couldn't be happening! After all they'd gone through, all they'd done… But Edward never moved. Mustang dropped his head, staring unfocused at the ground. He had never really given much thought to the possibility of Edward dying… it had never seemed like a feasible outcome, something that would never happen. Mustang just sat there for a moment. He didn't even know how vampires could be killed.

The Colonel paused, thinking over that. Killed. Fullmetal hadn't just died… someone killed him. He began to shake. Hawkeye put her hand comfortingly on his shoulder, thinking he was mourning. But Mustang was not crying. His shoulders trembled in an incontrollable rage, his fiery wrath all rushing back to him from his fight with Pride. All his wounds and weariness seemed to disappear.

"GREED!" he suddenly yelled, bursting into a standing position. Hawkeye stepped back, eyeing him. Something was wrong.

Mustang snapped his fingers, sending his arm in a circle over his head. But his flames did not fade like usual. The blaze followed him in a trail, and before Hawkeye's very eyes, the Colonel formed a whip of living fire. He sent it hurtling around the circular edge of the giant dome, lighting up the place with unexpected clarity. Greed, who crouched off to his right, stood as well. His back had healed.

"Well now, if it isn't the Flame and his-" Greed was cut off as a whip of flame sent him hurtling along the rock wall, the rough surface grating his arm. He coughed as smoke filled his lungs, and managed to half stand up before the flaming whip slashed across his torso and wrapped around him. Greed actually screamed as he began to writhe, burning into nothing.

Mustang slowly walked forwards, his grip tightening as his eyes narrowed. This monster had killed his youngest subordinate. Despite appearing to hate each other, Mustang secretly respected Fullmetal's sheer determination, honesty and guts. He promised himself that he would give the boy every chance he could to fulfil his goals. But Greed had murdered him. The homunculus screeched, trying to heal, but to no avail.

"Wait, I know what you think-" Greed writhed in his prison of flame. "But the brat ain't dead! I didn't kill him!"

Mustang scowled, his dark eyes flashing. "You monster… How can you speak such lies when he is clearly-!" Mustang choked, unable to finish his sentence.

"He's just paralysed cause his soul's round here somewhere," Greed spluttered. Mustang paused, and Greed continued. "You know about that, right? Well, I know where it is. If you kill me, you won't be able to find it!"

Mustang scowled. Fullmetal certainly looked dead, but if there was even any chance he was alive… "And why would you tell us this when you went to such trouble to find it?"

Greed blanched as the fire died down slightly. "Because I want it all!" he suddenly threw back his head and laughed, smoke pouring out of his mouth. "I want all the life I can get- all the money, all the women, all the fame, everything! I can't get that if ya keep killing me!"

Mustang cast Hawkeye a wary look and she nodded to indicate she though he was telling the truth. Roy made up his mind quickly, and the fire surrounding Greed melted into nothing. Greed opened his mouth to make a smartass comment, and Hawkeye shoved her gun in his mouth. If she fired, it would not be pleasant at all.

"I wouldn't if I were you," she whispered, forcing him to his feet. Greed scowled, hating the humans right now- but Mustang got pretty powerful when he was angered. He'd already killed other homunculi already- Greed knew that for a fact. So he started walking towards the large metal doors Mustang had noticed earlier. Hawkeye followed threateningly.

Mustang went to Alphonse, who had inevitably heard the conversation. The two gazed at each other for a moment before Mustang offered Al a hand up. The younger boy took it, realizing it was a gesture of support. He dried his eyes and nodded at the Colonel, who leant down and carefully picked Fullmetal up. He didn't want anything happening to Fullmetal while they were gone, and he couldn't very well drag the vampire along.

Alphonse regained his composure as he and Mustang went through the metal doors, following Hawkeye with Greed at gunpoint. Al hardly dared to hope that not only would his brother live, but would get his soul back and be the older brother he'd always been. The trio had no idea how close they really were to Al's goal.