Time slowed. All he could hear was his panicked breathing and beating heart that felt it would burst through his chest. He had dreamed about Edward's fall from grace. Once or twice he wondered what it would be like if Edward were actually dead but he never let himself fully dwell upon that prospect. It would have been enough to see the great Fullmetal Alchemist brought to his knees, to tear him down, to show the world he wasn't the great hero they all thought he was.

He held Edward with one arm, his other still lodged deep within his rival's stomach. So deep he could actually wiggle his fingers that poked out of Edward's back. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Edward's. He desperately wanted to. He had destroyed this man's life yet Edward didn't look at him with accusing eyes the way he deserved. They were glazing over too quickly, the once radiant gold fading to a dusty, light brown. He could feel Edward struggling, like he wanted to say something else but was choking on his words. His eyes closed and blood began to dribble from the side of his mouth and his head lolled back. Russell was in a state of shock. This was not what he wanted.

"Ed, I'm..." Russell stuttered but couldn't really say anything. There wasn't anything he could say though, knowing he had caused all this even though he no longer wanted anything to do with it anymore. He tried to stop Greed. He really did he told himself over and over.

Did you really?

'Yes!'

Then he heard something far worse than Greed's mocking laugh.

"Edward!"

Russell looked up, startled and afraid. He wanted to turn away, to run but he couldn't. He would have to accept responsibility at the hands of an anguished younger brother.

"Let him go." Al's face was twisted with grief, pain and the thirst for revenge.

He was breathing heavily; the air suddenly too thick and heavy. He stepped down off the last step of his stairway that led to the top of the brownstone building. All around the buzz of homunculi and firing rifles echoed all around from the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. But directly above Al, several soldiers stared over the ledge, pale and silent, unable to believe their eyes. There was no way the Fullmetal Alchemist lay down there dying.

Brigadier General Miles was at the top of the building. He was the first to snap out of the shock of seeing someone he'd fought with and respected taken down so brutally. After seeing the Emperor off with a couple of medics he sent several more men down the stairs. But Al clapped his hands together and placed his right on the wall behind him. The stairs melted back into the building and the soldiers who were making their way down had to scramble back hurriedly before they fell. Miles didn't know what Al had in mind. But he knew when to stay out of the way and it was obvious the younger Elric brother was taking full control.

Suddenly there was a slam somewhere behind him to his right. Miles turned to see the door that led to the roof from inside the building had burst open. Coming through was Richard.

"Somebody stop him!" Someone was shouting behind him. Richard looked around and went straight for the ledge. Miles went to intercept him pushing men out of the way his throat too tight to order someone to stop Richard.

But he was too slow. Richard was at the ledge and was looking down. Miles finally reached the young man and pulled him away. "Don't look, Richard," he said his voice hoarse. "Don't look."

The warning was too little too late. Richard struggled to break free from his tight grip. "Let me go! I'm going to kill him!"

Hearing Richard's anguish was just as heartbreaking as hearing Al's. Miles' own resolve to remain calm began to slip. He wanted to give in to the grief, grab a rifle and put a bullet between Russell's eyes. But it would be pointless. Russell was a homunculus. He would just heal. But down below he didn't look like some powerful, scary homunculus as he tried to explain to Al... rather pitifully.

"Al, I'm sorry, I tried to stop Greed."

"I said let him go." Al said calmly.

"He'll bleed to death if I move..."

"Let. Him. Go."

"But..."

"Are you fucking deaf?" Al screamed, his gold eyes flaring with rage. "I said let him go! I don't want your filthy hands on my brother!"

Russell stopped trying to argue. He gently placed Edward on the ground and squeezing his eyes shut, he began to pull his hand out of Edward's gut.

"Open your eyes," Al commanded. Russell obeyed.

His arm slipped out with a horrible squelching sound. As soon as his arm was out blood pooled under Edward spreading too fast for the ground to soak up, then Al was on top of him, wailing and throwing punches. But he didn't fight back. Instinctively his body reacted to protect himself but there was a sinister force within that made him lie still and take the beating. It was what he deserved. He would let Al get his revenge but he couldn't let it continue for too long. Not when there was still a chance.

"Al, you can... still help him...!" He said in between punches.

Al had his fist pulled back to swing but didn't follow through and stood up. His face was streaked with dirt and tears that he didn't bother to wipe away.

"So why are you suddenly concerned?" He asked disgustedly, standing over Russell.

"I was way over my head," Russell said sitting up, knowing it was a lame excuse. "I didn't realize... I didn't mean for this..."

"Oh, isn't it real convenient for you to feel remorse now?!" Al emphasized grabbing Russell by the shoulders and hauling him to his feet.

Al then proceeded to throw Russell head first into the wall on the left that had been created to provide safe passage from the collapsed building. Never before had he felt such a wild, rage. It blinded him from any emotion but the need for revenge. "Should I feel sorry for you?! Should I forgive you?! Am I supposed to show you mercy now?! Sweet, gentle Al would never hurt anyone who admitted to their mistake, right? Wrong!"

Each question was emphasized with a kick. He kicked Russell once more and he flopped over onto his back.

"There's more than one person you can save..." Russell panted. Al's attacks were swift and to the point. It was taking time for the stone to heal him.

"I wouldn't have to if it hadn't been for you!" Al pointedly out with another kick.

"I know," Russell said pathetically his face scrunching up in sorrow for what he did to Edward… and his brother. "I know..."

He looked so miserable, cowering on the ground crying. But something changed suddenly; a strange glint that flashed within the depths of Russell's blue eyes. Not really a glint... more like a shadow that passed over...

Al took a step back before Russell's warning was quickly cut off. "He's com..."

He stiffened, then Greed's shield came up and he made a leap for Al, who jumped away in time to avoid his swing. Clapping his hands together, Al put them to the ground. The walls on either side of him sunk back into the ground. Shallow grooves formed in the dirt, spreading from Al like spider webs, forming an intricate pattern along the ground, contained within the barriers he and Edward had created earlier. Greed's foot got caught in a groove. Several homunculi were thrown off balance too by the sudden uneven surface.

Greed looked all around him then realized what it was and turned to Al. "What are you doing?!" He actually sounded like he was scared.

"What should have been done a long time ago," Al said calmly as he kneeled and placed the stone he had in his pocket on the ground before him. Taking a deep breath he put his hands on the ground.

"No!" Greed shouted coming for Al but he was stuck, he couldn't move his legs. Looking down they had sunk into the ground. He began to claw at the ground, vigorously trying to dig his way out. But it was no use.

The large transmutation circle was activated.

The sudden bright flare of alchemical energy knocked the men on the rooftops backwards, tossing them several feet back. Miles could feel the intensity of the energy that washed over them as they were blinded by a bright blue light that flashed and flared angrily. It was so powerful Miles had to fight to pick himself up, keeping his arm up to shield his eyes, wishing he still had his sunglasses he had given up wearing years ago that once hid his heritage.

"Is anyone hurt?" He shouted over the whirling sound of wind and energy. He received assurances from up and down the line that everyone was unhurt.

"Was this supposed to happen?" Someone asked. There was a touch of awe and fear in their voice.

"I'm not sure," Miles said. He knew it was pointless to tell his men to stay where they were; to not leave the rooftops. Nobody dared moved for fear of being sucked into the flaring light of the transmutation. Miles knew this was no ordinary transmutation however. He'd seen Fullmetal's handiwork a few times and some other alchemists who weren't as powerful but were still quite impressive. None of those demonstrations had prepared him for this.

Richard was still on the ground next to him, trembling. He didn't know what to say to the young man. He didn't know what else he could do but wait and see.