Part Five

Day broke as the Golden Archer Alchemist made it to the camp where all of the Amestrian soldiers were rising. Her heart was filled with rage as she approached no man's land. "Archer will die. This is his fault."

Her eyes filled with malice, she pulled up her hood, and buttoned her long coat. Being the only albino to become a State Alchemist in Amestris, she would be easy to spot. While walking past one of the tents she saw Colonel Mustang and ducked.

Kicked up the ranks I see. Now, he's a colonel. She thought to herself. She heard footsteps behind her. Turning around she saw Colonel Frank Archer standing there.

"Well, well, what do we have here? How did you sneak past all of these men?" He stood there looking down at her kneeling on the ground.

She held her breath. She knew she had to wait. Now wasn't the moment. It was too open. Standing up, her bright red eyes gleamed from underneath her hood and she faced him. "I'm just that good, Archer." The hatred rose in her voice but she kept her body calm. Striking now would be a fatal mistake.

"What's your name girl? You have me curious." He stepped forward. "Why don't you take that hood off? I'm sure you're getting warm under there."

"I'm just fine but I'm flattered by your concern for me."

He swiftly grabbed her arm and forced her fist open so he could see the transmutation circle. "There's only one person I know with two of these on her hands." He forced her hood off and laughed. "Aurelia! How ever did I know?!"

She struggled against his grip but he was strong. Much stronger than she thought. "Let me go you bastard!" She snarled at him.

"You're wanted you know that? I could get rewarded for you." He grabbed her other wrist holding her there.

"Yeah, I know. That's exactly what Kimbley said before he died!" She struggled and kicked at him.

"Died? Kimbley's dead?" She saw his face change and took her opportunity to break free.

She twisted her wrists toward his thumbs and broke his grip. She stepped back and transmuted her bow and quiver. "Yeah, and you're to blame!"

"How am I the one to blame? I didn't murder him did I?" He looked at her trying to make her see his logic.

"No, but you sent him out there. You let him go alone. You gave him the orders. You indirectly killed my fiancé! You left a child fatherless!" She fired one arrow hitting him in the shoulder. "Now, I'm getting my revenge!"

He lurched as the arrow pierced his shoulder. Reaching up to hold his wound he said, "This makes no sense! I had nothing to do with this!"

"You have everything to do with this, Archer. It's you're fault he left. It's your fault I raised our son on my own. It's your fault he's dead!" She took aim again but she heard a voice behind her.

"Drop the weapon!" Colonel Mustang and a few other men stood behind her with guns pointed at her. "Don't do this, Teaghan. You're already wanted for deserting your battalion. You don't want to be wanted for murder too, do you?"

She turned around to look at Mustang. "Ah, I see you've be promoted a few time, eh, Colonel."

"This isn't the time to catch up. Not when you have guns pointed at you with a single word standing between you and death."

With her back turned she didn't see that Frank Archer had pulled the arrow out of his wound and had it in his hand. He took a few steps forward and quickly grabbed her shoulder stabbing her in the back with her own weapon. "You can blame me all you want but I did none of those things." He lied through his teeth. "I was under orders and so was he. Now...go join your 'love', Aurelia." There were shouts as she fell to the ground.

"Archer!" Roy Mustang ran forward and grabbed him. "What the hell did you do?! That was my officer! You just killed a State Alchemist!" He threw him aside and noticed that Teaghan lay on the ground trying to get up with the arrow sticking out of the right side of her chest.

"God damn it. You think you can get rid of me that easily?" She coughed and a pool of blood appeared on the ground in front of her. "I don't die that easily!" She touched her hand to her thigh and held out her palm toward her attacker.

"Teaghan, stop!" Mustang shouted as a fiery explosion enveloped Colonel Frank Archer, killing him instantly.

She laughed and put her hand back on the ground coughing. "I can die in peace now."

Mustang ran over to her and grabbed her coat hoisting her up. "What did you do?!"

"I got my revenge, Roy. That's what I did." Blood dripped from her wounded back onto the ground at Roy's feet. "Now, I'm gonna die. That's inevitable. Just make sure my son and little brother make it out of the country alright. Or better yet, take care of them. I don't want them to suffer if they stay here in Amestris. Just take care of them, Roy, you know where they are. I'm going to go see an old friend and this time, I won't be coming back." Her body shook and she looked up at the sky as her albino eyes glowed red in the sunlight. "Who knew dying would be so cold?" Taking her last breath she whispered, "I'm right behind you, darling." Teaghan Blair Aurelia, the Golden Archer Alchemist, died in Roy Mustang's arms.

He removed the arrow from her back and carried her body to the med tent where she was pronounced dead. Later on, Kimbley's body was also brought back. They were sent on a train back to Central where they were buried beside each other in the graveyard.

Arryn and Ezra stood there with Colonel Mustang behind them. "Don't worry Arryn, Teaghan put up a good fight. She died for what she believed. She told me to protect you boys and that's what I'm going to do. The both of you." He was still keeping the secret of who Teaghan really was from them and he wasn't sure if there would ever be a good time to tell them.

We'll cross that bridge at another time, Teag. Just rest now. You're family is safe with me. Roy thought to himself as he let out a heavy sigh.

Ezra read her headstone to himself one last time before turning to leave. "Teaghan Blair Aurelia-Kimbley The Golden Archer Alchemist. Wonderful wife, mother, and soldier. 1890-1918"