And chapter 8! Crazy turn last chapter eh folks? Will Ed learn magic? What will his theme be? When will this pitiful excuse for a romance finally get into swing?
For the first two, we'll find out. For the third, well, I'm not sure when they should have their first kiss. SEND REVIEWS WITH YOUR ANSWER!
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story.
On with the story.
Ed and Medusa walked through the city of Moscow. The cold weather was making the automail ache a little more than usual.
They were walking through a more rundown industrial district, keeping to alleyways and deserted streets.
It wasn't until they walked down some stairs to what looked like a shady bar did Ed stop.
"You've got to be kidding me," he deadpanned, glaring at the sign. It held different words, but the design was the dame.
"What? Something wrong?" asked the witch.
"In my world, this place was called the 'Devil's Nest,' not the Witches Roost." Medusa nodded, not really sure what he meant.
The two proceeded into the bar, going down the stairs for a while until they reached the main bar area.
It was very old, very unclean, very unused and very empty. It looked like no one had been here for a while.
While Ed just looked around, Medusa seemed to know what she was doing. She walked over behind the bar and pulled on a beer dispenser. The picture was, oddly, of a cat.
In the middle of the floor two doors folded upwards, revealing an elevator. Three guard rails slid up, leaving one side open.
"Won't you gentlemen have a Pepsi," quoted Ed. He walked over and stepped on the platform, Medusa following. When she got on, the fourth rail slid up.
Right before the lift started, Ed quoted once more.
"Two Pepsis to go."
The lift descended into the depths of the earth, heading for the witches bunker.
Unlike the movie, it was fairly slow, yet still quite a distance. While they were on the lift, Ed decided he'd ask some last minute question.
"So, Medusa, what exactly happens when I look into this book?"
"Well, it's different for everyone. Usually something regarding an important turning point will appear in your mind's eye, and whatever that thing is it will present you with your 'theme.'"
Ed nodded. He was a bit worried at what it might be. As the lift descended, the two talked a bit more, mostly going over what would happen, what he could expect, were they going to use some 'emergency' funds to get first class instead of cattle class on the plane. You know, fairly strait forward questions.
Finally, it ended, a set of gunmetal grey doors in front of them. With a swishing sound they opened, revealing the witches enclave.
The design was somewhat different than what you would expect, (or like from Spies like us) It was mostly a medium length hallway, leading to a massive room. The room was hundreds of floors high, the main room being lit with giant balls of magical fire every 50 floors. It was circular, with rooms around every level. Small lifts were spaced every 80 feet for those witches that couldn't fly. In the center of the room was a pedestal with what looked like a box of some kind in the middle.
Medusa gestured towards the center of the room, no particular altitude in mind. "The construction was made so that if this place was ever breached, we could use spells to defend ourselves, while being able to have a line of sight to almost anywhere." As Ed took a closer look, there were quite a few men in Russian military gear stationed at every column supporting the floor above.
"What's with the guards?" asked Edward, pointing. Medusa frowned.
"I don't know, they can't all be magically capable, witches are rare, and wizards are rarer. I don't know why they might be here. Keep in mind I haven't been here in about 600 years, last time I was here it was white marble, not this gunmetal grey." Ed nodded, accepting the explanation. It was certainly weird, but hey, things might have changed. Who knows.
Ed and Medusa hopped onto yet another lift, this time heading down to the ground floor. It was maybe fifty floors down and the lift was slow.
The unfortunate thing was that it gave time for other witches to take notice of the presence of Ed, who was most clearly not dressed as Russian Spetznaz, instead wearing a black traveling coat with a white shirt and black slacks underneath. Obviously the coat was thick, automail hurt in the cold. Even more so in Russia.
Meanwhile, Medusa was deep in thought. Sure, for years witches had been a force in Russia, helping guide the government. Except with that stint with communism. Last time the witches take a break. Certainly they had great influence with the Russian's in general, but nothing had ever been declared to the point of the Russian special forces taking up what appeared to be heavy deployment to the witch enclave.
When the lift stopped, the duo exited the platform, Ed not oblivious to the various stares of witches from across all the floors in the building.
"Now, when you step on the platform, it's going to lower. The reasoning being that only the possible student and teacher may see what happen, not for anyone else. Call it a personal thing." Ed nodded, following her to what looked like another lift in front of the book. He sighed, what was it with these people and lifts?
When he and Medusa stepped on, the whole central platform, book and 5 feet outwards, descended, falling into the further depths of the enclave. After it was maybe twelve feet in, the floor closed, sealing Ed, Medusa and the book inside.
"So, what now?" asked Ed, his face lit by the small magical flames flashing into existence around them.
"Just open the book, look inside. I can't aptly describe what happens, but suffice to say you'll know." Ed nodded, a bit hesitant.
He walked up to the book, observing the cover.
It was made of what looked like leather, aged for hundreds of years in an old book store. There was a hand print on the one cover. It looked like it might have been imprinted by countless hands gripping the edge. The title was simple, looking like when it was made it would have been brilliantly pressed into fresh leather. Sadly, time, even if it was treated carefully, had ruined the cover, making the title illegible.
Cautiously, his flesh hand moved towards the cover. When it brushed, something brushed against his mind. It was like the gate, yet... he couldn't place it, but if he had to name it, he'd place it as friendly.
His hand retracted immediately, shocked at the feeling. Steeling himself, he moved his flesh hand and grabbed the edge, feeling the... feeling... against his mind even more. He realized his hand was gripping the leather. Now he knew where the hand stains came from. When he opened the book, the most incredible thing happened.
White light filled the room, blasting forth from the book. When it hit Ed, red lightning spread around him, mixing with the light. The light branched out into what could be called watery ropes, flowing across Ed's form towards his chest. They slithered into him, a cooling sensation overcoming him.
Unseen to him, the light flowed into the philosopher's stone inside him, changing it. Where once it was a vessel of angry tormented souls, some of which were no longer like that, thanks to Ed, the light purified the souls, calming them and making them feel at peace. It was like the light was making everything good.
In Ed's perception, while this was happening, he saw things far differently.
He was standing in a field, clad in black slacks with his regular shoes, yet was shirtless. He noticed with shock his arm was not metal, but flesh, flesh that was covered in tattoos.
The ethereal wind whipped around the endless expanse, the waist length grass brushing his legs.
"Where am I?" wondered Ed, looking around.
"The magical equivalent of the Gate."
Ed spun around, looking for the source of the voice. When he did, he gaped.
There, looming before him in all its glory, a beast strait from legend and myth itself, was a dragon.
It was black, standing on four legs as thick as tree trunks. It's talons were long and sharp, light glinting off the exposed surfaces above the grass. It's body was armoured with enormous black scales, overlapping each other at least three times before ending. It's wings were dozens of meters wide, the leathery hide of the wing itself looking just as strong as the rest of it. The tail was long and barbed, swishing through the grass. It's neck was covered in thinner scales, but still just as strong. The head was rounded near the muzzle. What little teeth were showing were long and pearly white. It's eyes were molten gold, burning with a fire the likes of which burned inside Ed. The second joint of the wings had single hooked claws, maybe for grabbing stuff or assisting with grabbing.
Ed froze, mentioning the gate was a bad thing, especially when a big black dragon said so.
"As you have heard it, I am your 'theme.' The best representation of you is a dragon. We are both wise beyond measure, quick to anger and defend, wit that rivals gods, and have seen so many things, many of which should not have been seen. As for this place, magic and alchemy were not always separate."
Ed dumbly nodded.
"You have looked into the book of magic, you have seen the Gate of Alchemy, you fight not for yourself, but for your brother. For this, unlike those before seeing the book, you will be truly great with magic. Never stray from the path you choose."
The dragon closed its golden orbs, taking a deep breath. The grass around Ed swirled around him, flowing towards the monstrous nostrils.
When it breathed out, golden liquid fire swirled around Ed. It didn't burn, instead feeling revitalising. With a start, he was shocked that his automail leg was now gone as well, replaced with a flesh leg. The only evidence that a leg was not there was a scar in a perfect circle. His right arm stayed flesh, the tattoos spreading to the other arm. They wrapped around his palms and wrists, looking almost like metal gauntlets had been burned into his hands.
The fire continued, washing over Edward. It left him revitalized, energized, every kind of 'gized' that exists was coursing through his veins.
After a minute had passed, the liquid golden fire had stopped. Ed opened his eyes, unaware that he had been keeping them clenched shut.
"There, you are now bonded with me and I am bonded with you. Learn the magical art well my brother, for your battle will become all the harder in the coming time You serve a purpose greater than what you might think."
The dragon reared itself up onto its legs, stretching the wings out to their full extent.
"A word of advice my brother, I would not do this if I were you." Then, with a great thunderous roar that echoed across the field for unimaginable distances, the dragon beat it's wings, taking off. The light glittered off the scales, small diamond like reflections dancing across the field. It circled once before flying directly at the sun, causing Ed to follow the path. When he looked directly at the sun, everything grew brighter before the land changed.
The area just outside his vision became stone, the light receded, revealing a pedestal where a glowing book was.
The light faded to nothing, leaving blank paper. With a shaky movement, he closed the book, adding his own flesh imprint onto the cover.
The images in his head form the experience were flashing, overwhelming his mind. To add to that, his senses were... enhanced. He could see the micro cracks on the wall, smell Medusa standing behind him and to his left. Now that he thought about it, it was a bit weird, smelling her.
A jolt of memory caused him to pull the sleeve on his right arm up.
It revealed a tattooed arm. A flesh arm. A quick check told him his left was the same, tattooed as well. A light tap with his leg revealed his left leg was flesh as well.
His right hand went up to his head, fingers running through it.
"Edward?" called Medusa. Ed winced, it was a bit loud. He'd have to work on toning that down.
"Yes?" he asked, not turning to face her, instead running his hand along his now flesh arm.
"...What happened?" she asked. Ed grinned.
"You owe me some lessons," was his reply.
[A.N.] There you go, a bit late but... I had to get this right. I rewrote it a dozen times, trying to get it to how I liked it. I finally got it how I want it when I got a review from... METABOLICA! PROPS TO YOU FOR ACTUALLY GIVING ME SOME INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY! AND MY VALUED READER IN UKRAIN! I LOVE YOU! I'm dead serious, I have a dude who reads my stuff in the Ukrain. Dude, if you can, review saying your that dude. It would make my day. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter, I'm currently working now on the weekends right now and I have various things going on with school so I don't know when the next chapter will be coming out. Enjoy.