The Winged Alchemist: Blood Lines

Chapter Seven: A Final Farewell

"Bradley…" Edward looked at the beast before him with a somewhat angered, yet bored expression. The homunculus wasn't who he was worried about. It was Lee. She was a demon, after all, with the strength to destroy everything he held dear, beginning with his little brother she was crushing under her putrid boot.

"Oh, Edward. Did you really think you would come this far without having to go through me?"

"Going through you will be easy enough, you bastard." Ed spat, his eyes falling on Envy's ashes. Bradley followed his gaze and his face fell slightly at the sight.

"Well, look at that. But don't expect me to go down so easily. I am Wrath! You will feel me until your last breath!" He lunged forward, sword drawn and poised for Ed's heart. Lee remained standing, watching with her arms crossed and keeping Al pinned down to the ground. Ed remained still and waited for Bradley to get closer until he was just inches away when he reached out and shoved his hand through the man's heart. Bradley choked on blood, clutching at Ed's arm in horror when he realized he wasn't healing. "What is this?"

"Me proving my point." Ed pulled his arm from his chest, clutching his heart. Bradley looked at him with terror in his eyes until they rolled up into his head and he fell dead to the floor, his body becoming ash as Envy's had. Ed turned his attention to Lee. "Your turn."

"Ah, yes. Saving the best for last I see." She rolled Al under her foot. "You've certainly come a long way, Edward. From a snot-nosed brat to the great Dark Angel. I never would have guessed you the type to actually gain all this power. I'll have to give Hughes some credit." She sneered, the name sending a pain through Ed's heart. He glared at her.

"Let Al go, Lee. This is between you and me. Two immortals after each other's soul."

"Brother, no! Just grab Winry and leave!" Ed looked at his brother.

"And how could I do that? You should know by now that I would never leave you behind! It's either I save you both or we die together!" He looked at Winry and frowned, watching as she mourned over Envy's ashes still, her sobs hysterical and unlike her.

"Don't worry, Ed. She should be dropping dead any moment now."

"And why's that?"

"Because you killed her one and only lover. Which means you broke her heart and left her with nothing to live for."

"What?" Ed faced Winry and felt his eyes widen as she reached under the bed and pulled out a .45 semi-automatic hand gun. She looked him in the eyes and shook her head, pointing the end of the gun to her temple, her hand trembling.

"I have to go see my Paul. He needs me. He needs me…"

"Winry, NO!" Edward darted forward, grabbing the gun as it went off. Winry screamed, hitting her head on the floor and knocking the wind from her. When she opened her eyes, she gasped, Edward having landed on top of her. She began to beat his chest, terrified.

"GET OFF ME! MONSTER!" She cried, managing to pull herself away from him. Ed gripped the pistol and threw it out the window, facing Lee with more anger than he ever thought he could feel. Lee was already poised, her nails sharp and dripping with venom.

"Let's do this, Dark Angel. One on one." And demon and Dark Angel collided.

. . .

Al felt himself become free as Lee attacked his brother. He quickly pushed himself up, scrambling to a very distressed Winry. The girl watched mortified as claws and teeth ripped at flesh and spilled blood all around her. "Winry!" He called to her as he found his head and stuck it back on his shoulders, his eyes glowing through the holes in the helmet. She shrieked at him, curling up into a ball and shaking uncontrollably.

"How do you know me?" She shouted, covering her head with her hands. Al kept one eye on the fight as he made his way closer to her. I have to get her out of here fast. There's no telling what could happen in here. He reached for her.

"Winry, it's me…Alphonse. We grew up together, you, me, and brother. We played together. You fell in love with brother and he protects you…"

"Paul was my lover! I don't even know who this Ed is. All I do know is he killed grandma! And you! Who do you think you are feeding me these lies?" She shouted, looking at him with an incredulous glare. She clutched her head and screamed out, becoming overwhelmed. Her thoughts kept telling her to listen to him, but her clouded judgment kept holding influence. Al scooted closer to her.

"Winry, please. You've been brainwashed. There is no Paul. It was Envy. He tricked you, used you, and played you. Please, you have to believe me." He pleaded, watching her face twist with confusion and self-doubt. "Winry, you know Ed. He would never hurt granny Pinako. She practically raised us after mom died. You have to remember."

"Edward." His name on her lips brought comfort to her, but she shook with renewed fright as she watched Ed and Lee battle. "He tried to save grandma that night…he couldn't make it in time, but he saved me…he saved me." She looked at her hands with disgust. "What have I done?" Al came into arm's length from her and opened his arms to her. She looked at him and met his waiting embrace, tears running down her cheeks. "I feel so wrong, Al. I've done so many bad things. I let myself become…" She stopped, her voice choking up with emotion. Al held her a tightly as he could without crushing her against his metal chest.

"It's not your fault. Come on, we've got to get out of here."

"No! We have to help Ed! He'll lose!"

"No, he won't. He has us as his motivation. Lee won't stand a chance." Al pulled her up and began to run from the battle, which came dangerously close to them. He looked at his brother and saw blood running down his face and gashes all along his chest and arms. Lee looked just as bloody, but a smile was plastered on her wicked face.

"Al, she's gonna kill him." She said calmly, realization coming over her. She knew what she had to do. Escaping from Al's grip, she jumped out the busted window and fell to the ground, landing next to the gun. She picked it up and reached for the ledge, her hands falling short. "Al!" Al's head appeared looking down at her and he grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled her back into the chaos. When she was back inside, she watched Lee grab Ed by the throat and hoist him into the air as he growled at her. She pointed the gun at the demon and fired a shot, hitting her in the hip. Lee looked at her.

"Winry, dear. You should know better than to shoot at me." Winry pulled down the hammer and fired again. The bullet passed through the demon's throat, making her head go limp. But she regenerated with a fresh look of hate. "Shoot that gun…one more time." She egged on, making Winry's hands shake. The girl thought frantically.

I have to create a big enough distraction so that Edward can strike. This is my last chance! She pulled the trigger, the entire room becoming silent.

. . .

"Why can't I get a leg up on her? What's going on?" Edward shouted out, waiting for Sabina to answer. Lee was advancing faster upon him and he flew into a wall, sliding down to the ground with a sickening thud. Sabina's voice filled his mind.

You must accept the inevitable. It is slowing you down and clouding your mind.

"What do you mean?!"

Let what must happen take place and you shall win. Ed didn't understand, but as Lee hoisted him up off the ground in a choke hold, he heard Winry fire off a bullet. Lee looked at her. "Winry, dear. You should know better than to shoot at me." He looked at his childhood sweetheart and wanted to cry out to her.

Winry, no! She'll kill you! He felt helpless as another shot was let off and Lee gave her another warning. But Winry paid no mind and took her third shot when everything seemed to slow down. As the bullet whizzed through the air, Lee threw Ed to the side and reached for the girl, her mouth open like a wild predator hunting prey. Ed whirled around and reached for her as well, hoping he could make it in time.

Time sped back up and Ed stood motionless as he stared at Winry. He had reached her first and pulled her away and into his arms, but something was wrong. She looked up at him and smiled peacefully, the life fading from her eyes. He pulled away from her to see blood absorbing through her shirt and he shook his head. "No…no, no, no!"

"It's ok, Ed. I'm ok. I can see granny now." Somehow, Lee had reflected the bullet, Winry's stomach taking the hit. Ed watched her grow pale and her body went limp in his arms. He cried out in despair and hugged her to him, her blood covering him.

"Don't forget, Edward, this is a fight!" Ed picked his head up and watched Lee appear next to a terrified Al, her hand going straight through his blood seal. His body froze up and his eyes faded, the helmet falling to the ground first before his body caught up. Lee withdrew her hand and smiled. "All is fair in war, my dear. Now, fight."

Ed laid Winry down and stood up, his face darkened by his bangs. His insides felt like liquid metal in fire and tears ran down his cheeks. He clenched his clawed fists and felt a power surging inside him, making its way out. Lee rushed forward, her teeth bared and her claws outstretched. He looked up at her and met her eyes, watching as she noticed the change in him. He reached out with one hand and grabbed her by the skin on her chest and held her up. She screamed, frantically trying to loosen his grip, but he pulled her closer to him, his teeth grazing the skin on her neck as he spoke. His voice was low and deadly, the sound sending a chill down her spine.

"This is the end of you." With all of his strength, Ed bit down into her throat and ripped it apart, taking in her blood and tissues. He tore away at her bone, clawing his way into her body with his hands. He shredded her to pieces, devouring as much of her as he possibly could. When he could no longer bring himself to dig into her, he dropped her now headless body to the ground. The room was silent and he looked at the empty armor and Winry's dead body.

"She won. She took everything from me." He said aloud. He looked at himself, frowning at the blood that covered him from head to toe. "And now I remain the monster, having killed everyone else."

"It is not too late to save them, Edward." Sabina stepped up to him, emerging from the shadows. He gazed at her, his eyes void of any care for life. His heart seemed to slow down and he felt his body grow numb.

"They're dead, Sabina! And I'm not a god!" He shouted at her, wishing she would go away and leave him to die with his family. She grabbed his bloodied hands and squeezed them, the gore disappearing completely. He looked at her and his shoulders drooped.

"But you are gifted with life. You must choose at this moment who to give life to, and who to send to receive their wings."

"What do you mean?"

"The immortality the Dark Angel carries can be shared with another, but only one other. But the power to give someone eternal peace is endless. Choose, Edward. Before they cross into an afterlife that is unfair for any soul." She pulled him to the empty armor and the corpse of his love and he fell to his knees, unsure of what to do.

"Having to choose between my brother and my Winry…nothing is fair in this world." Tears welled up once more and he took a deep breath, knowing he had to do something. "Only one will live…it seems I failed to change that." He put one hand on Winry and the other on Al's armor, closing his eyes. Focusing, he searching for a sign of their energy. For a moment, he feared both had already moved on past the gate until a feeling similar to that of a heart beat made him open his eyes. "I know what to do."

Sabina watched as Edward pulled Winry into his arms and hugged her close to him. Her body began to glow and within the light, her spirit lifted from her body and dissolved her once living shell. Ed looked at her and caressed her cheek and she smiled at him, laying her hand over his. He looked into her blue eyes with sadness in his own. "Forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive. You saved me." She said, her voice becoming light and otherworldly. A brighter light burst from her back and wings surrounded her. She leaned forward and kissed Edward gently as her body lifted towards the ceiling. Ed reached out to her and held her hand as she said goodbye and he saw her fade from view, a smile still on her face. When the light faded, he turned to the armor and cupped his hands. A ball of a different colored light, made of many warm colors, in contrast to the blue lights Winry had emitted, formed. He pulled his hands further apart and let the ball grow until he slammed it into the armor.

"Come on." Edward said under his breath as the light filled the armor and began to break it down. The metal grew into the normal size of a person and became flesh and bone. Ed watched as Alphonse Elric formed before him in his own body and opened his eyes, the ball of light breathing life into him. But it was a life that stood all on its own. Al stood, his own silver wings sprouting from his back. He surveyed them with shock and met his brother's eyes.

"Brother?"

"Al…I'm sorry. I'm selfish to admit that I made you just like me." Ed stood and looked at his brother with shame, but Al playfully punched him on the shoulder.

"I'm ok with that, Ed." He moved his wings slowly looking at them as they surrounded him. Ed watched him with wide eyes, realizing his brother was enjoying his new form, his new body. Sabina touched his shoulder and the oldest Elric searched her eyes and she smiled at him.

"You gave him a new beginning in a physical form, yet an afterlife he felt closest to. You made the right choice, Edward. Winry is safe with me, now." Sabina began to fade and Ed's eyes darted around her quickly with confusion.

"Wait, what's happening?!"

"You need me no longer, Edward. My time to return from whence I came is upon me, now. It is up to you now to protect all you can and to carry out your new fate." She caressed his cheek as her figure became nearly invisible. "Good luck, Edward Elric. Dark Angel of this world." And she was gone.

. . .

Roy Mustang stood over Edward and Alphonse Elric's graves and sighed. It had been a year since the night Ed went to search for Al and Winry. He found out the next morning that Winry was killed and Al had become a Dark Angel by Edward's hand. Ed had found him in his office curled up with Riza.

After Ed explained what happened, Roy was stunned. But it was what he said after that floored him completely. Ed had told him to tell everyone that he and Al were both killed along with Lee and the homunculi. And then he was gone with nothing more said.

So ceremonies were planned and held and grieving commenced. Graves were erected and life moved on. Only Roy and Riza knew the truth that Ed and Al were alive, they just didn't know where they were. Roy stared at the grave stones and frowned. "Where did you go, I wonder."

"Why should I tell you?" Roy whipped around and saw Ed standing with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. His silver wings were flailing around him and his silver eyes were piercing, but friendly. Well…friendly as far as Ed goes. He was wearing a black coat identical to his red one, the serpent and cross a brilliant crimson. His hair was mostly black now, the blonde remaining as mere streaks.

"Well, well, well! A whole year and you suddenly appear! What brings you to your grave?"

"I saw you mourning over me and Al and thought I would mess with you."

"You never change, even in death." Roy said with a scowl, earning a laugh. Ed tucked away his massive wings and sighed, shuddering at the sight of his grave alongside his brother's and mother's. His eyes fell upon Pinako's and then Winry's and the humor faded from his eyes. Roy followed his gaze and remained silent.

"I've never stopped thinking about her. Every day, I wonder what would have happened if I had chosen her. But then I look at Al and know that I would've been far worse without him. To imagine being in this world forever without my brother…" He stopped, his voice cracking. Roy put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ed…we all have to go through death. Whether its dying ourselves or watching those around us die. You of all people should know."

"I know." They said nothing more for a moment, and after a while, Roy thought Ed would just leave. But after the silence passed, Ed looked up at him and their eyes met. "Al and I are leaving. For good."

"What do you mean?"

"This world is balanced, but the world on the other side of the gate is threatening to break in and throw everything off. We're going to try and fix it."

"Demons?"

"Demons." Ed confirmed. Roy furrowed his brows and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"How is your brother taking his new legs…and wings?"

"Well. He's the one that discovered we could hop the gate."

"I see. Will you guys come back?"

"Hard to say. It depends on how much needs fixed. It could be years. It could be lifetimes." Ed said. Roy nodded and took in a breath. After a moment, he stuck out his hand.

"Well, Ed. Thanks for coming by to answer everything I asked your grave." He smirked, but it faded into a sad smile. Ed looked at his hand and swatted it away before hugging him, taking the Colonel off guard.

"Take care, Mustang." Roy returned the hug and closed his eyes.

"You, too Ed." They pulled away and Ed turned and began to walk away. Roy watched him without another word and watched as Al stepped out of the shadows of a nearby grouping of trees. The Elric brothers nodded at one another and Al's eyes met Roy's for a moment before wings burst from their backs and they took off in flight. When he could no longer see them, Roy turned back to their graves and let out a sad chuckle. "Good luck, boys."

.Le Fin.

. . .

I'M SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG! . Anyway, I hope you liked the ending regardless. Happy reading, my followers. You guys are all awesome and I love you!