It was dark and suffocating despite the well ventilated underground corridors and pale blue lights that hung at intervals. For Havoc it was the knowing what was hidden, what could jump out of nowhere to kill them that caused the suffocating nervous tension.
After a while, Mustang's determined gait slowed to a more normal cautiousness. It was quiet; too quiet. It wasn't at all like Elysia described; the constant echoes of people having their souls ripped from their bodies.
Mustang continued leading the way like he knew where to go and Havoc wondered about that. He finally had to ask.
"Do you know where we're going?"
"Kind of," Mustang said. He pointed up at the ceiling. It was a tangle of tubes, wiring and pipes. "See those tubes?" Havoc nodded. "It's just like it was in Central. They led straight to the homunculi army underground there."
They continued on down narrow passages following the tubes and wires. Eventually the tubes turned a corner. Mustang followed, stepping through an opening that led into a wide corridor. Beyond it there was a metal walkway with a railing that looked over a large chamber. He put a hand up to stop Havoc from following.
"Stay here," Mustang whispered. "Don't come out till I say so."
Havoc moved to protest but Mustang shot him a dark look that meant he expected his orders to be carried out without argument. Havoc did as he was told, thinking sarcastically to himself he was nothing but a loyal attack dog. He leaned against the wall next to the opening listening to Mustang's footsteps as he went along the corridor, keeping a trained eye on the Fuhrer as he peeked around the corner.
Mustang was now near the metal walkway. His boots clanked loudly against the metal grating as he stepped onto it. His footsteps reverberated throughout the wide open chamber the walkway surrounded. He thought he heard something else joining the sound of his echoing footsteps. He looked down over the railing and saw nothing but a sea of darkness. There were dim lights lining the wall behind him but they didn't penetrate any further than the walkway.
About five feet to the left there was an opening along the railing. Metal stairs led down into the dark chamber below. Mustang was tempted to snap and light his way down the stairs but didn't bother. Why did he need to see when he knew he wouldn't be alone once he reached the bottom?
He stepped off the last step and ducked, though barely just in time. He felt a firm, strong fist graze the top of his head. He swept his foot, hoping to knock the homunculus off balance but his foot was firmly planted and Mustang fell back, losing his balance instead. His head and back hit the edge of the stairs behind him.
"My, my, someone is showing their age," Envy laughed. "I was expecting Fullmetal. Poor, Kimbley. He's a little disappointed right now," Envy whispered in a conspiratorial manner as he drew close to Mustang's face until their noses were nearly touching.
Mustang could barely distinguish Envy's outline in the dark but he could smell the homunculus' foul breath. Suddenly the odor disappeared and Mustang was dragged off the stairs, his head hitting the last two steps. Before Envy could do anything else he snapped his fingers and a fiery flame burst out, consuming the homunculus.
Mustang scrambled away, the room lit up with the flames that ate away at Envy. His nostrils were stung with the smell of burning flesh.
Envy just laughed as the fire began to die down. Mustang snapped again, aiming for Envy but the homunculus jumped out of the way, still burning in places while his flesh healed in others. Envy began to circle Mustang, crackling and smoldering. Then he attacked and Mustang attacked as well. Flashes of flame burst here and there, always narrowly missing the homunculus who was too fast. Mustang felt his calm breaking. Envy was toying with him, driving him back; into what he had no idea and didn't want to find out.
Another flash of fire, Envy ducked, the flame scorching his back. As he came up Mustang snapped again but Envy still avoided it, as he jumped out of the way. He landed directly in front of Mustang, his raised hand ready to snap his fingers again but Envy was quicker and grabbed hold of the glove, yanking it off. Mustang reached into his pocket for his spare but Envy grabbed hold of his other arm. He was spun around, both arms now trapped behind him by the homunculus.
He struggled, tried to flip Envy over but the homunculus was too heavy. Envy lifted his foot and stomped down hard on the back of Mustang's calf. The bone snapped, ripping through his skin, and Mustang went white as a terrible agonizing pain shot up his leg and gripped his body. He cried out in pain as Envy let him drop and walked away.
"That's for keeping me in that jar for over twenty years," Envy said with bitter resentment as he went to the end of the room and hit a switch. Pale yellow lights came on.
Mustang lay on the ground, panting, trying to collect himself. He turned his head and watched as Envy changed form. The last time Mustang saw Zolf Kimbley was during the Ishbal Rebellion. The man hadn't changed much though he looked more disgruntled and the wild crazed look in his eyes was more intense than he remembered.
"Envy was right," Kimbley said smiling at him evilly. "I am disappointed you came instead of Fullmetal. Unfortunately I'm stuck here," he added bitterly. "My only hope is Greed will do something about him. Preferably making him suffer the same way I did while trapped in the Gate. But in the meantime you'll get a taste of what I had in mind for Fullmetal."
Kimbley kneeled, placing his hands on the ground. He closed his eyes and a bright strip of glowing light raced across the floor, twisting and turning at different angles. He had activated a transmutation circle that had been invisible in the dark. Mustang realized too late he was in the middle of it.
Panicking, he hurriedly began to drag himself out of the circle. The alchemical light brightened and he froze. He'd only managed to pull himself a half foot but something was holding him. Not physically but mentally, internally… something was being torn from him and his body fought to keep hold of it. He tried to yell for Havoc but before had any energy to spare to even say his friend's name he heard gunfire.
Kimbley fell sideways, three bullet holes in his chest and one through his temple steaming but already closing up quickly.
"Get your ass out of there, Roy!" Havoc shouted firing off a few more rounds before Kimbley could recover enough to try and stop either one of them. He would have gone down to help Mustang but he had the advantage and a great aim. He wondered if he had enough ammo to keep firing until Kimbley was no longer able to regenerate.
The transmutation was disrupted and Mustang no longer felt his body fighting to maintain whatever it was it was trying to hold onto. He slowly made his way towards the wall under the walkway. It was excruciating as he dragged himself, leaving a trail of blood from the open wound.
Havoc kept firing, the gunshots echoing loudly, making their ears ring. Kimbley's body was a bullet riddled mess, blood pooling on the ground seeping everywhere, the wounds coming too fast for his healing abilities. Havoc looked down through the metal grating and could see that Mustang was out of the circle now. He fired off more shots then headed for the stairs. Quickly going down he spotted Kimbley struggling to get up so fired off a few more rounds, getting him in the back. Skipping the last two steps he jumped, ran to Kimbley then grabbed him by the ankles. The homunculus was still weakened as Havoc dragged him onto the circle. Mustang knew what to do next.
He waited for Havoc to run off and kneel beside him, gun at the ready. Kimbley staggered to his feet but Mustang activated the circle this time. The bright alchemical energy threw Havoc back as he put his arms up to protect his eyes instinctively. Mustang bent his head against the force, feeling himself pushed back as well but fought to stay where he was.
It felt like hours before the light storm of energy finally died down. Havoc picked himself up and found Mustang lying forward on his stomach, breathing heavily, his broken leg twisted uncomfortably under him.
"Jean, help me up, please?" Mustang panted.
Havoc helped him into a sitting position. Mustang was white with pain and exhaustion but his focus was on something in the middle of the room. Following Mustang's gaze Havoc flinched. Lying in the middle of the transmutation circle was a nasty, pathetic looking creature with an oversized head and several little legs that were propelling the thing towards them. He moved to stop it but Mustang held him back.
"Let it come."
The thing tried to growl but instead it just sounded like a furiously squeaking mouse. "Mustang! Why did you do this to me?" Envy hissed angrily. "You should have broken me down as well. You still haven't learned have you? I can still acquire a body even like this!"
"I know," Mustang said.
"You fool," Envy said then began to cackle delightedly. "That's it, isn't it?! You can't bear to let go of the knowledge of my power. I'll tell you this time if you give me another body."
"No, that's not why I've kept you around," Mustang said evenly.
"Then why?!" Envy screeched. "What do you want?"
"Revenge!" Mustang growled. "To dispose of you the way you disposed of Maes Hughes. He had no chance against two homunculi. Now it's your turn to feel what it's like to see death coming for you," he said digging in his pocket for his spare glove. He pulled the glove over his hand and paused, ready to snap his fingers. "You will not go as easily as the transmutation would have done."
Envy stopped, his round eyes on the side of his head widening. "Look, Mustang," he said consolingly. "It was orders. I had nothing against the Lieutenant Colonel. He was just too smart for his own good."
"Maybe not so much for helping a fool like me," Mustang said sadly. "Now I can finally make it up to him. I should have done this a long time ago."
He snapped his fingers. A tongue of flame flicked out, licking then swallowing Envy greedily.