A/N: I think I'm on a roll. I've updated 3 times in 3 days, and Chapter 31 is already written, so I'll be posting that tomorrow night. Also, I've upped the rating to T, thanks to a reviewer reminding me that the rating was still K+. Thank you all again for the huge rush of support I've recieved on this!
Just two more chapters to go after this one. Enjoy, this is the chapter you've all been waiting for!
Chapter 30-
The glow surrounding Edward flashed and changed to a menacing dark red. As it did so, he was released from the sheer dread holding him motionless. Edward's eyes narrowed and he grabbed the object nearest to him. It happened to be an ancient spear, which was in marvellous condition for its age. He had to destroy his soul. Edward held up the deadly spear and swung it down, intending to slice the golden mist in half. His weapon never even reached the table.
Mustang had stepped in front of Edward and grabbed the head of the spear with his bare hands. Blood trickled down his wrist from the cut on his palms.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mustang yelled, shoving the blonde back. "Choosing to be a vampire? Destroying your own soul to do so?"
Edward's eyes flashed with an emotion Mustang couldn't place. "It is my choice, and that is my decision."
"You're just scared of change!" Mustang shouted back. "You can't remember being human, and you're afraid that your life will go even more downhill than it already has!"
Edward scowled and swung at the officer. "Don't make stupid assumptions, bastard! Vampires are much stronger than humans; nearly invincible, in fact. And we have the support of the whole clan! Why would I throw that away?"
Alphonse, who was standing motionless to the side from shock, noticed Edward was acting differently than usual. He seemed more like his old self. He'd even called the Colonel a bastard like before!
Mustang was so frustrated with the boy's stupidity that he actually took a swing at Edward. "But you don't have the support of the Clan. We've heard it all from Hughes, Heath and Ricky- they hate you down there, don't they?"
"That will change once that damned thing is destroyed like it should have been!" Edward glared at his soul, which Mustang stood protectively in front of. "Then I will be accepted into the Clan."
Mustang paused. "So that's the reason for your choice. You want acceptance."
Edward scowled at him. "It's not that simple, dumbass!"
"Of course not!" Mustang was about to hit his head against the wall at Edward's stubborn idiocy. "Don't you understand? They won't accept you, Fullmetal. Even with no soul, you'll still be an outsider." Mustang's tone softened slightly.
Edward stopped, frustration evident on his face. "I…" The Colonel lowered his injured hands from his fighting stance, relaxing. Instead, he pointed across the room to where Alphonse stood. Edward stared at the younger boy momentarily.
"This young man has already accepted you, Full… Edward. As have I. And the same goes for the Lieutenant, Havoc, Falman, Fuery, Winry Rockbell, Maria Ross, Denny Brosh, Armstrong, Sheska, Gracia and countless others." Mustang stared Edward straight in the eye. "If you did this, every one of these people would be terribly affected. They would miss you and grieve for you, even. Because the determined, passionate, humane young man they had come to know and love would be dead. And a cold, heartless vampire could never fill his place."
Edward gazed at Alphonse as his certainty that this was the right choice wavered. "But…"
Mustang frowned. "But what?"
"If I don't destroy… that, then the Clan will kill you. All of you." Edward suddenly looked away, glaring at an innocent wall. "Not that I care about annoying, pestering humans like you!"
Al felt a feeling of warmth surround him at the words. "Brother…"
Mustang stepped forward, manoeuvring so he looked Edward straight in the eye. "You can't live according to someone else's actions, Edward. We can look after ourselves. After all, it's been several long weeks since I first ran into you that night at the alley. Since then, we've faced vicious Homunculi, a mindless zombie army, a Clan of murderous vampires, resolute Hunters, trap tunnels, car accidents, and much more. And we're still here." With every word he spoke, the menacing red glare surrounding Edward faded, and the blonde no longer tried to attack his soul. Mustang slowly reached out and placed his hand on Edward's shoulder.
Edward slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me, bastard." He passed Mustang, shoving him back as he went. The Colonel watched as Edward threw the ancient spear away carelessly and walked up to his soul again, slamming both hands down on the table. He scrutinized the golden mist for a long time. There was a lengthy moment of silence.
"I… I can't!" Edward shook his head violently, looking away. "I can't become human again, not after all this…"
Al stepped forward as if to place a hand on his brother's shoulder, but he stopped. "Yes you can, Brother. It will be different from the life you're living now, the only one you remember… but you enjoyed being human. Despite all of the troubles and pain, and our quest… you were happy." Al finally leaned against Edward, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please…"
Mustang didn't know exactly what made Edward finally decide. It might have been his own lecture which influenced the blonde. It could have Alphonse's words, or his comforting touch. It could have been the fact that Edward acted and thought like his old self when he was close to his soul. It may have been a combination of the all three things, or even something else entirely. But whatever the reason, Edward hesitantly reached out to his soul and shakily brushed the golden mist with his fingers.
The room exploded in light, wind and sound. Al was blown away forcefully, knocked off his feet by the sudden blast. Mustang skidded back a few steps, his jet-black hair blowing around wildly. He unsuccessfully shaded his eyes and squinted through the onslaught of light.
Edward stood in the middle of it all. The golden mist of his soul had floated up in a sudden movement and now poured into Edward like grains of golden sand falling through someone's fingers. The soul spread through the blonde, from the top of his forehead down to the tips of his fingers and toes. And throughout it all, Edward screamed. Al covered his ears, unable to stand the sound of his brother in complete pain. Mustang tried to reach his subordinate, but the whirlwind originating from Edward pushed him back.
Edward had lived for months without his soul. And now, with the golden substance filling every part of him, the teenager could feel himself being… cleansed. As cheesy as it felt, the pain was unbearable- worse than having his automail reattached, worse than being disintegrated by the gate. Edward's eyes flew open. He remembered. He could remember everything.
Then the banshee-like screaming stopped. The light withdrew and the whirlwind slowed and eventually halted. Edward stared at the ground in the centre of the room, trying his best to stay awake; but his body, his human body, couldn't take all the sudden change and stress. His eyes slid shut, and Edward collapsed.
"Brother!" Al gasped, and reached over to his older brother from his spot on the floor. Then, everything began to vibrate.
Hawkeye burst into the room, dragging Greed by his collar. "What's happening?"
Suddenly Hughes walked in behind her, Winry unconscious in his arms. "Geez Roy, what did you do now?"
Mustang tried to speak, but the vibrating accumulated into violent shaking. The edges of the room, which was already in a complete mess because of the unexpected whirlwind earlier, started to fade to white.
"What is this?" Al whispered, leaning beside Ed protectively.
"The Gate has been opened," said a calm voice from the doorway. Hawkeye, Mustang, Alphonse, Hughes and Greed all looked around to see a short elderly woman with greying chestnut hair standing by the doorway, her hands folded in front of her.
"Who the heck are you?" Greed looked puzzled.
Hughes' eyes widened, and he stared at the mysterious woman. "It's you…"
The lady bowed her head. "The Gate calls for the seven of you. I will be waiting when you return." As she spoke, a distant clock chimed once.
Her words were muffled, and the five conscious people could no longer see her as the world faded to white.