Chapter 2 – Supernatural Mayhem
Edward's golden orbs suddenly snapped open. There was silence; it seemed as though he wasn't even breathing. He quickly sat upright and looked around the room, whipping his head around in all directions. His frayed, golden-blonde braid flying about with every whiplash-inducing movement. Still silence, nothing but white sunlight pouring in through the nearby window illuminating the dancing dust particles passing by. He took in a long breath and released it slowly with a relieved sigh.
"Good morning brother!" Alphonse's friendly voice echoed from behind the young alchemist.
"Gahh!" Edward jumped rather suddenly, frightening Alphonse, "Al! Don't do that!" "You scared the hell out of me."
"Heh… Sorry, brother." Al laughed slightly, amused by his elder brother's reaction.
Ed sighed once more, following that up with a yawn. Finding himself uncomfortable, he looked down only to find he'd fallen asleep in his clothing. He shook his head slightly, then stood up and stretched.
"I'mma get a shower, mm-k?" Ed walked on over to the small closet near the bathroom door and pulled out a towel.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Al Began.
"Hmm?" Ed turned his attention to his younger brother.
"The Colonel called. He said he needed you in his office ASAP. Something really important."
Ed quirked a brow and scowled slightly. He shrugged and retreated to the bathroom.
"Well, Mustang can wait a few minutes. Hygiene first."
"You're just stalling, aren't you?" Alphonse tilted his head to the side.
"I am not…" Ed retorted before closing the bathroom door.
Ed turned the taps of the small shower, adjusting the temperature to warm. He grumbled to himself remembering the intense cold outside and turned up the hot water. He jumped in and in a split second, jumped back out nearly tearing down the shower curtain. This followed by a string of curses and terrible words and a second adjustment of the taps. Perhaps he should have just stuck with the 'warm' water.
As he finally found himself comfortable, his mind drifted into a deep pondering. The strange yellow gem, the even stranger creature. It just doesn't make any sense. The urgency in Mustang's message must have meant something. Perhaps, he though, he'd found something in relation to those strange things. Ed's eyes widened as the reality of the thought sank in. The taps were quickly turned off; sadly, in his rush he turned them off one at a time. This time the cold water had him. His frantic, angered swears were heard by his brother whom was looking over a few books. He laughed to himself. Suddenly, the bathroom door burst opened, and out stormed Edward, half-dressed and fighting with the rest of his gear.
"Ed? What's going on?" Al asked, rather confused.
"We're going to see that bastard Colonel." Ed replied whilst fighting with a boot.
"What? Why the sudden change of heart."
"You remember that gem and the freakish beat that attacked us?"
"Yes… But…"
"I think Mustang might have found something."
"You think so?"
"Damn it, I'm sure!" Ed finally threw on his red coat, "Now let's go! Before I change my mind."
" Right." Al quickly followed his brother out the door.
0o0
The two brothers found themselves at the door to mustang's office in close to no time. Ed raised a brow, unsure as to whether the Flame Alchemist was even in there or not. He had to admit, it looked a little dead in there. Ed placed one gloved hand on the doorknob and attempted to turn it. He drew back in disappointment, and he certainly wasn't shy about expressing said disappointment.
"Shit!" the young alchemist cussed.
"Locked?" Al asked, all attention on his brother.
"Yeah… Where the hell did that bastard go?"
It was then, the quick paced clicking of footsteps echoed down the hallway. The two brothers turned their attention to the approaching person, awaiting the chance to identify them. From around the corner appeared none other than the sharpshooter herself. Riza Hawkeye stopped abruptly after spotting the two brothers at Mustang's office door.
"Good afternoon, Ed, Al." She greeted politely.
"Hey, Riza." Al replied to her greeting. She smiled slightly.
"So, what brings you here? Colonel call you up or something?"
"Yeah, and left us here…" Ed grumbled.
"I see…"
"Would you know where he might be?" Al asked politely.
"Well, actually, he was in quite a hurry a moment ago. Something apparently going on at the old, old welder's place to the western half of central."
"You mean, the old run down area? They haven't torn that down yet?" Ed sounded surprised.
"Apparently not. But, he dragged all of the other men with him. Havoc, Breda, Falman and Feury.
"Great…" Ed grumbled again.
"Why didn't you go?" Asked Al.
"He told me to stay here… though I offered to go. He insisted."
"I wonder why that is…"
"C'mon Al! When I find that bastard, I'm gonna kick his ass!" Ed shouted as he took off through the front doors.
"Brother! Ugh… Thanks for your help." Al sighed.
"Wait, I'll come with you. Something tells me something bad's happened."
The two hurriedly rushed out the door after Ed. The Far Western part of Central was known well as the dark and dreary part of the city. It was built long ago, filled with old stone buildings that were falling apart. The gangs and the drunks all hid there because it was often avoided due to the fact it was practically deserted. Many of the buildings looked as though they could collapse any day now. The three walked cautiously through the empty streets, taking extra care when walking past a dark alley. Finally, after a half-hour of wandering, searching and coming up empty handed, Edward found himself rather impatient.
"Enough of this! Where the hell is the bastard?" Edward shouted, stomping his foot.
"We have to keep looking. The welder's can't be far." Riza stated taking a quick glance at nearby buildings.
Suddenly, a gunshot was heard, then another, and another. Finally, a brilliant light and a loud bang followed by a swirling stream of smoke rose up from a nearby alley. The three quickly sprung into action, sprinting toward the nearby chaos. They skidded to a halt as they took in the mess before them. The old dilapidated welder's alley, littered with debris, and none other than the Colonel bastard standing amidst it. Next to him, what seemed to be an injured Havoc, his gun in pieces and scattered about the area.
"Colonel!" Riza called out, running to him with her gun in hand. Edward followed.
"What the hell is… whoa…" Ed stopped himself, staring into horror itself.
"What is it, Brother…" Al was also cut off by the scene as the smoke of the recent explosion settled.
"It's… those things…" Ed began, "Dozens of them."
Before the crew stood a hoard of savage creatures. Yellow glowing eyes and yellow glowing gems implanted in each metallic skull. Fangs exposed, dripping with crimson. Dagger claws painted with blood.
"Sir, should I ask where the others are?" Asked Riza.
"It's fine… They're all alive. I decided it was too dangerous and ordered a retreat, but Havoc here was caught."
"Time to stop smoking." Havoc chuckled slightly.
"Shh… don't make any sudden sounds or movements." Ed stated, the rest nodded.
That theory died rather quickly as one of the strange creatures let out a ferocious, growling roar. The rest of the hoard followed in was seemed like a simultaneous, twisted call. The first one lunged forward for a direct attack on the injured Havoc. The said creature also found itself pumped full of lead in an instant. Riza fired six shots into the torso of the twisted creature. Just as the one Ed and Al destroyed, its body began to disintegrate and out popped an ovular, yellow gem.
"Nice shot." Roy complimented the sharpshooter.
"Thank-you, sir." Riza replied, reloading her handgun.
Another horrid being lunged forward, the group split up. With a resounding crunch and a horrible hiss, the creature drew back. It had wrapped its massive jaws around Ed's automail arm and broken all of its teeth. Violet black fluid now dripped from it's broken jaws.
"Didn't see that coming did you?" Ed smirked.
The Alchemist quickly transmuted his automail into his trademark blade and lunged forward. He made an attempt to stab through the face of the creature but found he could not. The skull of the creature was indeed made of pure, hard metal. Ed had no time to step back and prepare, as another of the creatures sped over and grabbed hold of Ed's flesh leg with its dagger like fangs.
He screamed out as the creature's fangs dug deeper into his flesh, so deep it cracked the bone. He fell to the ground, still stabbing at the creature but to no avail. The previous creature, who's teeth had been broken from its own mouth had raised its massive claws, ready to bring them down onto Edward's head.
"Brother!" Alphonse screamed as he ran over, kicking the horrible creature sending it flying through the air.
The creature landed amidst the hoard of others like it. This created absolute mayhem among the creatures as each of them snarled and began to attack. Riza fired another four shots at the being with its jaws clamped tightly around Ed's right leg. It immediately released him, hissed and fell to the alley floor while Ed's leg continued to gush blood.
Al grabbed his brother quickly before anymore harm could be done to him.
"Alphonse, get him out of here!" Riza ordered.
"Take him with you, try to find the source of where these things are coming from!" Roy shouted, "We'll take care of these ones here."
"What about me?" Havoc shouted.
"You're fine…" Riza handed him one of her own handguns, "Now start shooting."
"B-but…"
"No buts, it's just your ankle Havoc." Roy raised his hand to snap his fingers.
With a great fiery explosion, a wall of flames grew before the group. Each creature caught in the inferno let out a blood-curdling screech as it practically melted in the intense heat.
0o0
Alphonse raced through the empty, dirty streets in the western part of Central. His brother, bleeding profusely from his leg wound. He turned many a corner before he felt he was far enough away. Safe from the chaos.
"Brother…" Al began, speaking softly, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, Al… I'm fine…" Ed took in a breath, "Just hurts. That's all."
"Do you think you can make it? Should we go to a hospital?"
"No, I'm fine." Ed replied abruptly.
"But the blood, it's…"
"Al… We have to find the source. These creatures are dangerous. They have to stopped or they'll kill more people."
Al nodded at his brother, knowing deep inside that he was right. Those creatures had to be stopped.
"But I don't even know where to start… or what to look for…"
"Anything," Ed replied, " It's likely back toward Mustang and the others. There were so many. It must be near there, what we're looking for."
"R-right, but…"
"No buts… let's go."
"R-right…"
With that, Alphonse bolted out, back toward the danger. He'd had his brother climb carefully inside of his empty armor for protection first. He could see the flames the Colonel had set rise about the worn-down, dusty-gray rooftops. He took this as the sign, directing him toward what he was looking for. The source of the horrific creatures.
0o0
Al surprisingly didn't have to go far at all. One interconnecting alley behind the miniature war taking place led to a clearing amidst buildings. Gunshots and even the Colonel's compulsive swearing could be heard from behind the tall stone wall. He'd kept running until he came upon something he'd never seen before. He stopped, dead in his tracks.
"Al, Alphonse? What's going on?" Ed's voice called from within Al's armor.
"I'm not even sure… what is this thing?" Al replied, he voice evident of overwhelming confusion and fear.
Edward was desperate to see what had been found, so he opened the compartment from which he had been hidden to take a look. He wasn't near ready for what he was about to see. There, set against the far corner of the clearing was a giant ring. It was no ordinary ring though, oh no. It appeared a shining brassy color, with symbols the two had never seen in any alchemy book before. Within the ring was a shining violet-white core, surrounded by sparks and swirling energies.
Edward's eyes widened as he stared at the foreign object before him, flashbacks of his nightmare earlier came to him, "Wh-What is this?" He managed to stutter.
"I-I don't know… Do you think it has anything to do with those creatures?"
"I don't kn…" Ed had stopped, interrupted by loud crackling and sputtering of static from within the ring. The brothers' attention quickly turned.
Out from within the glowing core came two of the metallic beasts. They were large in size, carrying large staffs, red gems mounted upon them. They walked on their hind legs. Thankfully, Al had taken quick refuge behind an old dumpster. The creatures sped off out of the alley, hissing and screeching the whole way.
"I suppose that answers our prior question." Al spoke up.
"Yeah," Ed nodded, "And that thing needs to be destroyed."
"How though? How are we going to do that?" Al asked sounding slightly frantic.
"Just bring me over to it. I'll know what to do from there."
"Alright." Al nodded and stood up.
Al ran up beside the ring, being careful to avoid being near the glowing center. Ed leaned out from his brother's armor and clapped his hands. Alchemic sparks flying from his hands, he brought them to the brassy side of the ring.
"Once this is over, I'm going straight to Mustang, rubbing this in his face and demanding a raise." Ed smiled.
"Brother, don't be like that. Besides, you've never cared about money anyway."
"Al, be quiet, you're ruining my moment."
Finally, the brilliant blue alchemic light grew, shrouding the alley in an unnatural wonder. But something had gone horribly wrong. The electricity, the sparks were all returning, being absorbed by the rings reactive core. It grew bright with each passing second. Ed pulled back, shouting out as the intense light had heated the metal of the ring, burning his left hand. The light grew even brighter, like a white-hot fire at the center of the ring.
"Al, we have to get out of here! Something's not right!" Ed shouted.
"I'm way ahead of you there, brother!"
It was far too late. The ring rose from the ground, the light was so intensely bright that even Mustang and the others could see from their place in their alley. The creatures drew back, retreating in fear of the skyrocket of energy levels in the air.
"What have they done?" Mustang had trailed off, his words fading. He turned to Riza and Havoc, ordering them to find their way out of the alley. They had to leave.
"What about Edward and Alphonse?" Riza shouted to Mustang over the thundering sound of the erupting energy.
"I'm on that, you just leave here, now!" Roy commanded.
"What are?" Riza was cut off. Roy had blasted a giant hole in the stone wall blocking his path into the other alley.
"I'll be back…" He finished, and with that, disappeared into the intensely illuminated alleyway.
The severe light blinded the brothers. They couldn't see anything. They felt so at a loss, as though this was to be their end. Finally, the light dimmed, sadly for only a moment. Just when the brothers though they could be in the clear, the ring exploded. Metal debris was flung everywhere, a rather large piece flew through the air into Al. He was knocked backward and Ed fell out of the armor.
"Alphonse!" Edward cried out in despair.
Edward clamped his eyes shut, partly to block out the intense light, and partly to keep himself from shedding tears. He was so afraid of what was to come. Roy could see a fading, fallen silhouette on the alley floor, but as he approached it disappeared. The core was expanding outward, and Edward curled himself into a ball before the electrified core took him. He though he was going to die, he saw it, the nightmare, this was it. Finally, it took him and the core retracted quickly into a pinpoint. It then gave a final explosion and many buildings fell with it. Mustang dove to the ground.
The thundering noise stopped, the dust cleared. Roy Mustang opened he eyes and lifted himself unsteadily to his knees. The dust was settling, and there was no sight of the brothers. He knew he had failed to save them. They were gone, and Roy cursed himself for it. He punched the ground and held back tears. The Colonel, the mighty Flame Alchemist was in despair and on the verge of tears.
0o0
A/N- Wow, that was sort of angsty… heh…heh. Ah well I finally updated it! It was forever, because I'm a lazy ass bitch, but yes! It is done, and I'm already working on chapter 3! Woot! Okay, review, review. Need reviews. I like em. Love, hate whatever
Comments, constructive criticism is good.