A/n
I have combined the prologue with chapter 1. I have also added things here and there to clarify and enrich stuff and hopefully create a better picture! Now the story begins. Just want to say that right now so don't say that Matthew and Maria are copies, they are not as you will see. Edward and Alphonse do come into this story at a later point but not yet. Now I don't own any of the Full Metal Alchemist characters or any of the other stuff from the said universe. I do claim ownership to my characters and my inspiration. Thank you for reading and enjoy. Please review.
Chapter 1: A Lead Gone Awry
-Prologue-
My name is Matthew Selvess and I am fifteen as of three weeks ago. It is early morning as it is 8:30 a.m. I opened my eyes as I felt morning sunlight hit my face. Locks of my long tan colored hair laid over my face, but not over my eyes, just on the sides and between my eyes. That said hair of mine went down to my mid-back, so it was long for me being a boy. I have had people tell me to get my hair cut, though I have a tendency to ignore them; due to the fact that it is my hair and I will have it as I see fit. My eyes were unusual, in the fact that they were an orchid shade of purple; a very rare color. They had originally had been a striking silver color, yet due to an illness I had when I was younger my eye color changed; it was a side effect of the cure. Anyway, I stretched to help myself wake up, a quiet creek echoed through the room as I did.
I glanced over to my left arm where the creek came from. The familiar sight of the automail left arm that I for about four years now; well I should say that an automail arm is familiar. This one I got a mouth and a half ago from my mechanic. The point is I wake up to it every day was now and has come to be a somewhat comforting thing. The automail I have and the ones before this one were custom made pieces that are truly one of a kind!
It was built by a… 'friend'… yeah that's what you can call her, I guess. My mechanic is what you might call an extreme machine nut that's a little on the violent side. Well, I would consider her violent since at my check up last month she chucked a wrench at my back! I was sore from that for a solid week! Now don't get me wrong; she is an amazing mechanic! Still one of the best I have ever been around. That's the reason that I tolerate her using tools on me, whether it is to hit me or to tune the automail. I have to admit I am proud of my mechanic for what she built for me! As I said my left arm is a custom job and along with my right leg; both well worth the things she has put me through.
Most automail I have seen is either too bulky or brittle and thin. Whichever way you go either is impractical and you're screwed over when it comes to finer movement. I grant that's better than no limb at all, still you would think there had to be a more efficient way to go about replacing a limb that is close to what the original can do. My arm is what I can say a good step in the right direction. Let me give you a couple of the points as to why starting from the shoulder going down. The port that is set as a part of my left shoulder and partial side is encased such that I can submerge the arm with no worries of the mechanized parts or fluid being affected in the slightest. That is almost unheard of in automail… as far as I know. Water may not affect the inner workings for a time, but the less that gets in the longer and better the automail works for.
Where my shoulder used to be, is of course the shoulder rotator bearing. The innovative part of that is the arm connector my mechanic came up with. She scoffed at the normal way of small connection… um… plug I suppose it is, would receive and translate the signals from the brain. Yet she tends to do that when it comes to conventional methods and ways of doing things; at times that's what can get incredible results. However, the other time it doesn't get incredible results… it ends badly and painfully! Back to the connector plug, so since she looked down on the 'normal' connector; she put together a two and a half inch rod, with expanding conduction receivers… I think that's what she calls them, to do the job. Anyway… her idea proved to conduct the signals my brain is still sending wonderfully. It feels near identical to how my original arm would react. Unfortunately, the drawback to me, which my mechanic ignores by saying to quit being a baby… is that means when the automail is disconnected and then later reconnected hurts so much more!
My upper and fore arm of the automail have smoother movement than other automail limbs I have observed. My mechanic says it is her genius idea to do the cabling differently so the 'cables' don't interfere with any of the movement at all. She also says it is more efficient that way. I'm glad she didn't forget the protective covers on my automail joints with all of these 'improvements' she does. I need some of the basics still with the things she changes. The shoulder shield plates stretch down to my upper mid arm which is a mercy to me. For whatever reason that I can't figure out, lots of things I get into end out doing damaging my rotator bearing so the shield plate there gets banged up so that doesn't happen.
I like what she did with the wrist, it isn't just cylindrical hinge. She somehow made a kind of rotator type bearing there so I can move my wrist like I did with my real arm! My hand and fingers are nothing out of the ordinary to me even if my mechanic says otherwise. She argues that she has made the speed better… Fast reaction time my a**! They work and that's good for me!
Next I my right leg was similar to my left arm as it was also a custom made limb. Yet wasn't a whole leg since it connected at my mid-thigh and not my hip. The connection plug was built with the same concept in mind as the one on my left arm. It is meant to read signals more sensitively… The knee had a wide cross shaped cap over it. Why my mechanic chose that shaped when she knows I don't do the religion thing is beyond me. I don't think she is either, if she is she doesn't live it that's for sure.
The lower section that was below the knee was like my arm built to very specific calculations. Four metal plates were used in covering the section. The first was a guard on the front where the shin would be and it had a rounded oval shape to it; ending an inch above the ankle rotator bearing joint. The second and third were set on the sides at the mid-shin going down and partially to the back side of the leg. They met and fitted closely together at the center on the back of the automail leg. The final piece sat above the second and third, going up to just below the back of the knee joint.
My ankle and foot were two independent parts which isn't normal for automail. The ankle was made of two different joints that worked in sync with each other. Both of the joints were rotation types, yet where one did the circular motions moving the foot in and circular arc while the foot is flat. The other joint is the one that allows movement up and down of the foot and side to side. My foot though it had metal casing was operated with some kind of steel wired cables that acted very similar to real ligaments and muscles.
Well I had needed automail due to a previous incident I was in that had happened years ago, so I was used to them with the years that had passed.
"Saber you had better be up and getting ready. If you are not brother I will come up there and get you up, we need to catch the train to central for your exam tomorrow."
That was my sister Maria calling for me. It was just Maria and me these days, ever since dad died from an unexplained illness. She was the responsible one of us, especially after dad passed. It is surprising, since she is two years younger than me, yet she is as mature as me if not slightly more so.
However, what she said sunk in to my mind; first the fact of her reminding me of my state alchemist qualification exam tomorrow. Second I really, really didn't want her to come up and make sure I am up, her chop to my head with her hand would give me a splitting head ache, something I want to avoid.
I jumped out of bed and quickly got dress. I quickly put my hair in a ponytail, tied it to keep it that way. I then raced down the stairs into the kitchen to grab breakfast. I passed my sister as I raced to the kitchen.
Now my sister is for a lack of better terms 'different'. You see Maria is in a suit of armor all the time. No, she isn't wearing the armor she is in. The suit of armor is her body! I know that is pretty unusual, but that's how things came out in the end. She became like that from the same incident that had resulted in me getting an automail arm and leg.
The armor was a full plated armor suit that was silver in color. The torso section of the armor was fairly obvious that it was meant to be used by a woman. I say that since the breast plate has space on either side of the upper chest for a well-endowed ... *clears throat* woman's chest in the breastplate. There was a strong leather belt that surrounded the waist and sat on the hips. From the said belt hung a length of cloth a foot wide and fell to her knee level. The torso and waist were an hourglass figure, again confirming the point that the armor was for a women. There were oval steel plates connected on the hips and went down to mid- thigh with the length. Between the plates of armor in the torso section of armor was black leather material that held that area of the suit together.
The arm pieces of the suit were interlocking plates in the shoulders and upper arms. In the joints at the elbows and armpits was made up of a red scale mail. The gauntlets were silver as well and had tight interlocking joints in the fingers, wrist and hands. The palms and small spaces between the joints in the fingers was thick grey leather material. Thankfully the fingers didn't have claws on the end, for my sake. The Cuisse or upper leg armor pieces were nothing very fancy still they had a look of beauty. The greaves and the poleyn connected to it, which are the lower legs and knees armor plates; were simple yet elegant. The gaps around the knees were covered by red scale mail like was found in the arms. Then the boots or Sabatons, the boots had a slight heel to them making them look kind of like high heels to a degree. The Boots also had a small plate in front of where the ankle would be.
To top all this off; the helm on this suit was different from what you would normally expect. The top half was shaped like a fox head with holes where the eyes would normally be for a fox. It was silver color, though a lighter shade then the rest of the suit of armor. The bottom half was a dark metallic grey color almost black visor that would cover the mouth. Also there was some kind of round cylindrical protrusion on the lower back side of the helm. I have no idea what purpose it serves. Finally the neck had a long red scarf that went over the shoulders and down the back. Now I have always wondered where our father exactly got this suit of armor?! Nonetheless he never said where it came from, just said he got a very excellent deal on it. Our Dad had a habit of collecting odd things when he was still alive as this suit of armor is a prime example of.
Anyway I was scarfing down breakfast as fast as I could safely do without choking. Maria walked into the room and stared at me. I stopped stuffing my face for a moment and looked at her. Her eyes glowed magenta through the eye holes in the helm of the armor. It had taken a few weeks to get use to that at first when she had be in the armor, though now it is totally normal to me. I looked down at the plate of food in front of me and then frowned.
"I am sorry Maria, here I am stuffing my face and all you can do is watch since you're not able to eat as you are."
Maria jerked in surprise and then shook her head. Although she can't do facial expressions anymore as the metal armor can't move, she is still easy for me to read what she is thinking.
"No, it is not that... well maybe a little. But it is 8:30, doesn't the train leaves at nine for Central?"
My mouth was stuffed with food; still I nodded my face managing a look of horror at how late I was running.
"So Matthew, you need to finish eating and get your stuff. That is if you weren't going through dad's books all night."
I swallowed the mouth full I was on hard, before I answered.
"No I wasn't up ALL night studying, just until 1:00 a.m. maybe 2:00… The point is I pack for today, I'm not that irresponsible! Don't worry we will be fine, we will make the train, I promise."
I returned to shoveling the food from my plate, which I was holding right next to my mouth; to my open mouth. Once I finished my breakfast I put my dishes in the sink, ran upstairs grabbed my things and was at the front door within thirteen minutes. Maria and I left and lock the house and headed to the train station.
When we got to the station and bought tickets for Central. Maria did get some strange looks as she does on occasion, her being a suit of armor and all. Most people just think she is just wearing the armor all the time. Maria and I have agreed to let most other people thing that is the truth. The difference isn't a commonly known fact and we would like to keep it that way. We get too many questions of how she ended up that way otherwise and… I would rather not recount that event! We boarded the train without further trouble and found seats and when we had sat down I let out a sigh.
"What did I tell you, we got here and still have five minutes to spare."
I awoke as the train jerked while it moved along. I had been having the dream about the day before my state alchemist certification test. It was the day that things had started to change. A lot had changed since then. I was older of course, but not all of growing up is easy, especially with me being a state alchemist during some of those growing years.
I sat up and straightened my dark navy blue shirt that had been rumpled during the time I was sleeping. I also adjusted the gloves I wore on my hands, mostly to cover my automail left hand. It was easier to do that than to have to explain or come up with a reason of why I have an automail arm. It just became awkward with people when they asked why Maria and I are in the condition we are. I then looked over at Maria who was staring at me with her magenta eyes.
"Brother, are you okay?"
I finished straightening up and nodded.
"Yeah, just dreaming about the day we started down this path and began this journey of ours."
"The day before your state alchemist exam, that was four years ago."
I chuckled a bit at that. Maria didn't need to remind me of the time that had passed. I was now nineteen and was five foot eleven. My hair was now down to stopping an inch below my waist. I just don't find the time to get my hair cut… okay I didn't make the time to get it cut would be more accurate. I have now fully physically matured and with that said my face had girls who saw it calling me 'pretty boy' and handsome. I have even had a few girls faint after staring at me when I wink and smile. I have inherited my father's very handsome and good looks, sometimes that works to my detriment.
"Has it really been four years since then? It doesn't seem like it."
The four years had gone by fast from my perspective and those four years had brought some harsh realizations with them for Maria and myself. I may be a state alchemist, yet that means I'm also a part of the military when I was called to be. I have little against being an 'attack dog' of the military; our father had been a state alchemist as well before he retired. I quickly discovered why he 'retired' and left the military; doing the dirty work that soldiers do from time to time, is horrible. I have numbed the sick feeling that comes with killing someone, still that doesn't stop the nightmares that follow.
"I wonder how everyone is doing back in Leirith."
I glanced over at her, brought out of my dreary thoughts.
"Back home huh, it really has been a while since we have been back in the hometown, over a year at least."
Maria snickered, one of my eyebrows rose.
"What is so funny?"
"I was just thinking about how Candice will react when she sees you next."
I flinched at that comment. Candice was a girl we had known since childhood, she had and still is our neighbor… to our house at least. She was about a year younger than me and a year older than Maria. She was a nice girl to be around... most of the time and lately, if you weren't me. We didn't hate each other or anything; in fact we use to get along really well. That is until she became an automail mechanic like her dad! Then I swear the girl I knew was replaced with some sort of devil!
The thing is Candice's father is, or rather was an automail mechanic and he ran a shop in Leirith. I'm grateful that the old man did; as he was the one who did the surgery for both of my automail limbs. However, he is slowing down now and so Candice had been learning to take over the shop and business early on. So she became my automail mechanic and she was a genius engineer added to that which was a plus. My automail arm and leg haven't failed me yet, though I seem to get a new model every other time I go back for a tune up. Something about new improvements that she has made; they would revolutionize automail engineering standards as we know it! Candice always has gotten excited and passionate about her engineering designs.
She unfortunately hadn't only inherited the automail engineering genius, but also some of her old man's habits! Those habits namely being; a really short temper and unerring aim when chucking or swinging a wrench! I had painful memories of her hitting me with a wrench. I learned very quickly not to underestimate Candice when she had a wrench in her hands no matter the size or weight! In fact it was better to run for the hills, but she would still find some way to hit me. You would never think a girl could be strong enough to knock you out when they are eleven, but Candice sure did and she was only getting stronger.
"I would rather not think about what she will do to me right now."
There was a silence for a couple minutes, but then Maria spoke up again.
"Matthew do you think this lead will pan out? I mean what do we really know on this lead?"
Maria did make a valid point in this trip we were making. We had heard a rumor about an alchemist that our dad had work with and was friends with. I was hoping to get his help and assistance in aiding my research. I interlocked my hand behind my head and thought for a second.
"Well we are looking for a man by the name of Kurt Isen, who knows about a specific area of mineral alchemy. The man is an old friend of dad's. By what I found reading dad's notes he worked with the man we are looking for. The rumor is that a guy with the same description as Isen was seen in the west near the town of Vinary."
Maria sighed at the information.
"That is not much to go on."
I frowned in response. There was no need to tell me, I knew she was right.
"I won't deny that you're right about that. Still we have nothing else at the moment to go with in helpful ways to advance my research. When my research is fully complete we can get our bodies back to how they're supposed to be. The faster it gets done the sooner we get your body back to normal. So we go with this lead."
Silence once again settled between us. I don't like silence unless I am studying new material, reading a book or am engrossed in an observation. I was getting annoyed by the silence and decided to break it.
"Well Maria since we have got the time why not review the fundamentals of alchemy. Why not start with the laws?"
"Okay sure, the law of equivalent exchange states that 'in order to obtain or create something, something of equal value must be lost or destroyed'."
I nodded in response.
"Good and the two laws that make up the law of equivalent exchange?"
"The first is the Law of Conservation of Mass that states, 'energy and matter can neither be created from nothing nor destroyed to the point of elemental nonexistence'. Simply put your input must equal your output."
I nodded again to signal she was right and to continue.
"The second is the Law of Natural Providence which states, 'an object or material made of a particular substance or element can only be transmuted into another object with the same basic makeup and properties of that initial material. In other words as an example, if what you were transmuting was made of mostly water it could only be transmuted into something that is also made of mostly water."
"Yes very good, nice to know you still remember dad's lessons."
"Like I could forget with the way dad would drill the information into us."
"Right then next, what are the three stages of transmutation?"
"They are comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction. In simpler terms, understanding what you are transmuting, then next breaking the material down, followed by rebuilding the material into a different shape."
I nodded again and looked out the window.
===around an hour later===
The train stopped at the station. We finally had arrived in the western city of Vinary. We stood up from the seats. I stretched to get the cramps that had been building because of sitting for most of the night.
Maria and I had been doing some work up in northern Amestris. It was also there we had heard the rumor that this lead was based upon. So we had boarded the next train we could get, which happened to be one that left at 9:00 pm. It had run along the tracks throughout the night, so it had been a long ride and I had dozed for some of it.
I glanced down to check my appearance. I saw my black pants looked okay, or at least it didn't have too many wrinkles. My shirt was fine and my gloves were covering my hands. Appearances are important; I really should look my best when coming to a new place for first impressions. I tapped the toes of my brown boots that ended right above my ankles, to make sure my feet were settled in my boots so that walking long distances would not hurt later. I got up and grabbed my light grey ankle length over coat and put it on. My grey over coat had over the last four years become a symbol that got people to know me as 'The Mythril Alchemist'! My grey over coat had the Flamel cross and the Silver crescent symbols one beside the other on the back.
I grabbed my rolling case that held my things I traveled with, which was a fair bit. We filed through the train car and got off the train. On the platform of the station we looked around though I really didn't expect anyone to be there to meet us.
The light of the morning sun caused a flash of silver as it hit my pocket watch that hung on a personal custom made chain that I had made myself, that attached to my belt. The said pocket watch proved I was a State Alchemist, but my over coat covered it. It wasn't that I was ashamed about being a State Alchemist or anything. Dad was one before he retired and a good one too, so I intended to be the best State Alchemist I could be. It's just, thing go smoother with people when they don't know I'm a state alchemist. People get nervous around me when they know I can use alchemy.
"Well shall we go find this Isen?"
"Do you know where he is?"
I shook my head.
"Not a clue! I figure we can ask around town. I would assume someone has to have seen him at some point."
I used my right hand to shield my eyes from the bright sunlight of the morning. As I said my face was many might call handsome. Yes I have had girls swoon over me and men jealous of my looks. I however, really didn't think about my looks much as they did. My looks didn't make much difference to me on how I did a job. Maria nodded and we started into town. The town of Vinary isn't a huge city like Central but it wasn't small like our hometown of Leirith. There was a lot more shops than I had expected and of all different kinds as well. The town appeared to be very prosperous as I looked around.
We didn't get all that far into the town when I stopped and I heard Maria stop next to me. The reason I had stopped could be answered by the sight before us. There was a group of five Amestrisan soldiers and they were trying to pick up a young woman. The key word being 'trying' and in reality they were harassing the young woman! I get very ticked off at such a sight. I am in the military like these soldiers; you can even call me a 'dog of the military'. Nonetheless, I have a really big pet peeve about soldiers or people in general abusing their position and power to force others to get what they want. I couldn't stand people like that, people that were the complete opposite of my dad and myself! I looked from left to right only to see people of the city looking the other way at this scene. Okay so by that reaction, this happens rather often most likely. Well that will change today; I wouldn't stand for this! The soldiers were still at it as I started forward.
"Come on beautiful, you know you want to."
The girl was trembling in fear. I spoke up at that point unable to stay silent.
"Hey you stupid lowly mutts!"
The street went dead silent. No one watching made a sound; they just stared at me and then the soldiers. The soldiers stopped at my voice for a second.
"Yes I am talking to the five of you dumb mutts of the military!"
The soldiers turned to see me as I kept coming.
"Even dumb wild mutts like yourselves can see she doesn't want to be around you!"
The soldiers just stared at me as I stopped around ten feet from them. You would hear more noise in a graveyard then in this street at this time.
"But who can blame her, you idiotic mutts are being really pushy like you are in heat or something! What a lack of manners, have you no shame?!"
The soldiers were getting rather angry at what I was saying. I didn't care that they were getting mad, I was saying the truth.
"Looks like you dumb mutts need to be retrained and I am more than happy to do that retraining personally!"
"Move along kid this doesn't concern you."
I didn't move but just glared back at them.
"Well one of the misbehaving mutts is barking with disobedience! You lot can't even be properly called dogs at this point! What idiotic mutts to cause such a scene. Really have Amestrisan soldiers fallen this low, bullying the people they are supposed to protect? And you wonder why I call you mutts!"
One of the Soldiers rushed forward a fist raised to strike me. I easily stepped out of the way and evaded the punch. Maria and I had been sparring with one another since we were kids. Our father had taught us that you need to be strong in body as well in mind. So we were no amateurs, when it came to fighting. Maria was better at fighting than I was. I have still through the years, had never beaten her, not that I was embarrassed about that.
The soldiers seemed to only get angrier when I dodged their fellow soldier, so they all came at me. The first one to reach me tried to grab me, but I slipped out of his reach. I quickly countered by sliding around to his right side and hit him in his gut with my right knee. This forced the soldier to his knees wheezing for breath. Two of the soldiers rushed me at the same time one from behind and one from the front. I struck the one in the front in the face with my right fist, dropping him to the ground. The soldier behind me grabbed me by my over coat, which I immediately slipped out of and followed up with a roundhouse kick that sent the soldier flying.
At some point during the fight my pocket watch caught the light again and flashed. Then from my right I heard a voice of one of the town's people, an elderly man.
"The young man… is a State Alchemist; he has the pocket watch that State Alchemist carries."
The soldiers didn't miss that comment, as they stared at me.
"Just who are you?!"
Well so much for trying to keeping the fact of me being a state alchemist quiet. Oh well since that is the case I see no reason to be fair by not using alchemy.
"Well since you asked, my name is Matthew Selvess. Or perhaps you have heard the name that the state gave me; the title of 'the Mythril Alchemist'!"
The two remaining soldiers looked afraid at what I had said and by this time both of them had pulled out their guns. I clapped my hands together and a ringing resounded in the air, and then I put my hands to the ground. Blue lightning appeared in front of me, then the ground three feet in front of me rose up in two separate columns of earth and formed into hands. The earth hands moved forward each of them grabbing one of the soldiers and held them tight. I strode forward to the soldiers who were struggling. My eyes were cold and were scaring the soldiers.
"Now I think it is high time you unruly mutts run along. I will retrain you later of how manners should work. Now Heel!"
I snapped my fingers and blue lightning appeared again and the earth hands opened and the soldiers fell to the ground. The soldiers looked back up at me before they got up and ran away. I shook my head at their actions. These Soldiers were cowards, even left their comrades behind. I clapped my hands again and put them to the ground and changed the ground back to the way it was before. I sighed, but then noticed the awkward silence around me. I look around at the town's people who were staring at me. I chuckled nervously.
"Umm sorry about the ruckus all."
The silence continued; I was starting to worry about how this would end. Then suddenly all the people started to cheer. I just felt shock; I hadn't expected this reaction. I have had many people wish to thank me for the things I do to help people on the travels Maria and I have been on. Yet the people here have been oppressed by the military I am a part of. Still, the people came forward surrounding me, patting my shoulder and slapping my back. They were treating me as a hero, and I really don't know why they would at this point.
"Well done young man."
"Thank you sir for your help."
"You showed those soldiers."
"So you are the Mythril Alchemist."
"You helped us more than you can know."
I laughed quietly. I knew I had been becoming famous over the last four years; though apparently soldiers here had been really causing trouble to the citizens.
"Glad to be able to help out here."
The crowd of town's people pressed in around me. The next thing I know, I was lifted off my feet and the said crowds of town's people were carrying me down a side street that went off the main street. I struggled at first, but saw it was impossible to get out of this. So, I let the people carry me to wherever they were taking me. I caught sight of Maria with my rolling case with her as she followed the crowd. I silently thanked her for grabbing my rolling case. I sighed in acceptance and relaxed into the carrying hold of the town's people. This reaction should no longer surprise me as this has happened before.
In the last four years after I was certified as a State Alchemist and given the title of 'The Mythril Alchemist', much had happened. I had traveled a good majority of the time and done a lot of things. During those travels I had acquired the reputation of an alchemist that is for the people, serves the people and protect the people. So my title and description of my appearance had spread far and wide, so I was pretty well known with non-military people. People had a tendency to wish to thank me and so is the reason why I am in this situation. It was difficult being as famous and as popular as I have become!
The crowd brought me into a tavern and then set me down. Many of the people took the seats throughout the tavern. Happy conversation was heard everywhere in the tavern.
"Wow got to say you folks sure have some amazing hospitality."
Many people kept thanking me for me dealing with the soldiers. The tavern owner even treated me to a meal when I said I had not had a meal since last night. I tried paying for the meal but the owner would not take it saying that what I had done for them was more than enough. After a while I decided to ask the people if they had seen Isen. I waved the tavern owner over and he came.
"Say the meal was excellent, by the way have you seen a man by the name of Kurt Isen?"
The tavern owner thought for a moment, but shook his head. I pulled a small notebook out of my back pocket. This notebook was where I wrote down any facts of interest. I had a bigger and thicker notebook in my rolling case that I transferred the facts and research notes I had to. I had four full volumes at home ... at least the last time I counted them I had four, but it had been a while. Dad had always told me that taking note is a great habit to develop, especially for an alchemist. I flipped to a particular page that had a sketch drawing of a man and put it on the counter and showed the picture to the tavern owner.
"He may go by a different name, but I believe he looks like this."
The tavern owner looked at the picture, shook his head slightly but continued to gaze at the sketch.
"He does look kind of like someone I saw once. You know you should ask old man Cooly, this guy looks like someone he would know."
"Where might I find this old man Cooly?"
The tavern owner pointed to an elderly gentleman over sitting at a table by himself. I nodded in thanks, got up and picked up my notebook, then headed over to the table with the man that was called old man Cooly. When I got to the table I cleared my throat and the older man looked up at me.
"Mind if I sit here my good man?"
He nodded to me with a smile. I took the seat opposite of him.
"So what is it I can do for you youngin?"
I smiled at the question.
"You don't beat around the bush sir; I was wondering if you have seen a man that looks like this?"
I slid my notebook that was still open to the page with the picture I had shown the tavern owner. Old man Cooly looked at the picture for a minute, before setting my notebook down.
"Yes I have seen a man that looks like this sketch. He goes by the name of Simon Bloss. He lives on the northern outskirts. May I ask why you are looking for him?"
"I need to ask him some questions that could help me with my research. Plus he is an old friend of my Father."
He nodded.
"Well fair warning he is not really fond of visitors. Many would say he is paranoid, but war does that, since he served in the Ishbalian war."
I looked at him seriously.
"Do you think he is paranoid?"
Cooly shook his head.
"He lets me in and talks to me. The first time was more than enough to prove to me that he is not paranoid. His mind is sound, he is a researcher. It is more like he suspects someone is coming for him, hunting him."
I nodded and thanked Cooly and signaled Maria. I bowed to the people and told them we need to go. When we had exited the tavern I turned to Maria.
"You learn anything interesting?"
Maria shook her head from side to side in a quick motion… or her helm as her body was armor. Her head wobbled as she did. I stifled a laugh at the motion. No matter how many times she does it, such a sight is funny to me.
"Well I think I might have found where he could be, but first we should stop by Headquarters on our way."
We started off towards the center of the city where Western Headquarters was located.
===scene change===
Maria and I finally arrived in front of Western Military Headquarters. As we approached the front entrance there was a pair of soldiers standing in front of the gate, most likely on guard duty that ordered us to halt and stopped us.
"Sorry, this place does not give tours kid, go home."
I sighed at their response. It was times like this, my age was a disadvantage. I reached into one of the pockets in my coat and grabbed my booklet that had my military credentials and held them out to one of the soldiers. The other soldier rolled his eyes at this no doubt thinking I was just being troublesome. The soldier that had taken my papers opened the booklet and glanced at it before his eyes went wide. I kept a straight face still I gave a little wave as he looked at me and then back at the papers and started to sweat. He instantly snapped to attention and saluted me.
"I… I apologize sir! We didn't mean to delay you Brigadier General Selvess. Please go right on in sir!"
In the military, state alchemist had ranks equal to commanding officers pretty much the second they are certified. I currently held the rank of Brigadier General. No, I didn't start with that rank, I earned it. It was extremely rare and odd for someone of my age to hold that rank really it is unheard of. All I could say on that matter is having a grateful Fuery can do a lot of things. I still didn't understand the reason the Fuery gave me that rank, but I won't complain without a reason to. The rank did come in handy on occasion, not that I used that rank often only when it was necessary. I am what you might consider more laid back. In other words I didn't really see much need for formality for myself or others very much. Because of that, I don't exactly value authority very highly and so don't use it often either.
Maria followed behind me as I went through the front gates of headquarters. We walked through headquarters until we came upon a strange yet comical scene. The two soldiers I had humiliated earlier were talking to most likely a superior officer. I watched the two rapidly trying to explain something to the man in front of them. I cleared my throat loudly to get their attention. The soldiers turned to see me as I smiled and waved at them.
"Well if it isn't two of the disobedient mutts from earlier."
One of the soldiers pointed at me and shouted.
"Major that is the rabble rouser!"
I looked at their superior officer and smiled. The officer started forward. The Major was for lack of better terms a giant bear of a man. He stood at least 6'8" if not more. He could easily intimidate people with the size and build of his body. His body was for the most part pure muscle, not a gram of fat anywhere on his body. He had short thick brown hair and grey eyes. In simple terms this man who was a Major was a human tank! I could feel the floor shake with each of his steps. His name was Major Martin Lisk and he was an old friend I had met slightly after I had been certified as a State Alchemist. He stopped in front of me and looked down.
"Caused trouble huh?"
I grinned at him as I looked up at him.
"Oh I would say so."
"Hey he wasn't talking to you. You are in trouble now; not even saying you're sorry will help you now."
I rolled my eyes. I was attempting not to collapse to the floor and roll around laughing! It was time to settle this once and for all. I faced Major Lisk and crossed my arms.
"Major Lisk tell me, I just got here so I am not very aware of how things work here at western headquarters. So what is the punishment for… let's see; not following orders of a superior officer, attacking a superior officer and let us not forget too, add badmouthing to that list. I am well aware of what would be in store for them in the North, yet it may be different here. So Major what is the punishment for such things here?"
"Minimum of a month's latrine duty and reprimand, usually more, Brigadier General Selvess sir!"
I glanced over to the soldiers who had gone pale by this point and smiled.
"Well you two how lucky, you now know what you have earned for yourselves. Much less severe than what is handed out in the north! Now move along!"
The two soldiers ran off. I shook my head as they left.
"Good Golly that was a pain to deal with."
"Indeed sir."
I looked over at the man, my eyebrows raised and smiled. Martin Lisk may look intimidating, but when he wasn't a soldier, he is like a giant teddy bear.
"I told you before Martin, when it is just us I prefer you call me by my name. We are friends after all, are we not?"
"I am sorry Matthew it is habit. So what brings you out here?"
"Oh a little business that has to do with my research, the usual; but first Major now is it! When did you go up in rank Martin?"
Martin Lisk smiled.
"About three months ago."
"It may be a little late, but Congratulations. Oh by the way Martin there were three other soldiers with those two and they are now in the custody of the town's people, just for your information."
Major Lisk nodded.
"I'll have them picked up. Is there anything else that I can do for you while you are here?"
I shook my head.
"Not at the moment, we need to get going. We are seeing someone today and I would like to do so as soon as possible."
Major Lisk nodded and then turned to Maria.
"It is nice to see you as well Maria."
"You too Martin, you are looking as overly fit as always."
Martin laughed at Maria's comment. Martin was an exercise fanatic. His build is proof of that hobby his does religiously. We waved as we left.
===scene change===
We were on the road that leads out of Vinary to its outskirts. The road that had been a street was now just a dirt path. The stone laid streets ended a little ways back now that we were out of the main city.
"Brother do you think that Mr. Isen can help us with his research?"
I glanced back at Maria and thought.
"I don't know Maria, but I think it is worth a shot to try. Reading his notes may provide some help for our situation. Who knows?"
"What about your talk with that other alchemist, the one you went to see months ago?"
I frowned at that memory.
"You mean Dr. Marcoh the 'Crystal Alchemist'. … Oh I learned what I needed from him! What he told me was absolutely correct as much as it was twisted and evil. It is why we have been looking for Kurt Isen."
"What do you mean twisted and evil?"
I waved my hand in dismissal to her question. I couldn't tell her the truth, hell I wish I didn't know the truth I had learned. It was horrible!
Months ago we had tracked down an alchemist that had disappeared along with his notes at the end of the war with Ishbal, by the name of Dr. Tim Marcoh. It took me a day and a half to get him to talk to me about his work. I am normally very good and adept at getting people to open up about things, but Marcoh had been harder than those previous. I could usually break people's resistance in hours. When I had gotten him to talk about his work I learned many things.
===flashback months previous===
"I can't tell you about my research, it is the 'Devil's Work'!"
I just sat there not budging an inch as I stared at him. This went on for twenty minutes before Dr. Marcoh sighed in defeat and nodded.
"Your eyes and stubborn determination are exactly like your father's. Very well I will tell you. Maybe you will be able to understand like your father did."
I nodded enthusiastically as I took out my notebook and a pen, ready to take notes. It was a heavily engrained habit for me that my father had encouraged. That's why I always carry my notebook and pen everywhere I go.
"First, what do you know about the Philosopher's Stone?"
I was surprised at the question. Why would Dr. Marcoh bring up an old fairy tale?
"Um… it's an old legend. If I remember correctly, the legend is about a stone that can amplify alchemy without limit. Originally it was the method supposedly gave a person that used it to turn lead into gold. It also was a key to creating the so called 'grand elixir of life'. The liquid that would give a person immortality. At least that is how the legend goes, but it is just an old legend I read in one of my dad's books."
Dr. Marcoh then, closed his eyes and took out a bottle with a blood red substance in it. I just gazed at it with curiosity. I couldn't comprehend the connection to the question Dr. Marcoh had just asked me and the substance in the bottle. Dr. Marcoh poured the contents of the vile out on the table. As he did I noted with fascination that the substance wasn't a liquid as I had first thought, but thicker than a liquid, still not solid substance. When it was on the table it formed into a stone shape. It was seconds after observing this that the facts clicked into place and I figured the connection. I looked back to Dr. Marcoh with shock as I began to understand what this substance actually was.
"You're telling me that this red substance is the Philosopher's Stone!?"
"Yes and no, it is called a Sage Stone, because it is an incomplete Philosopher's stone. This substance doesn't necessarily take the form of a stone. It also has limitations; it can only do so much before it breaks."
I felt excitement for the first time in years. Finally a possible way to get Maria and myself back to how we were before, and it was no more than feet away. I glanced up at Dr. Marcoh's face and my excitement was short lived when I saw his expression. I looked at Dr. Marcoh's face trying to read his expression. He was mortified by this stone, but I couldn't figure out why. If the legends were true this liquid was fantastic!
It was then my scientific mind caught up with me and asked the question. With that kind of power and ability, what is the exchange that is made for it? Such power wouldn't be gained from nothing; nature doesn't work like that! This substance itself can defy the laws of nature and that wouldn't be possible through normal means that I could come up with. I had a horrible thought come to my mind as I kept turning things over in my brain. One so sickening to me I almost couldn't ask about it, but I had to. I had to confirm or disclaim my guess! My voice gained a cold emotionless tone to it as I spoke.
"… Answer me one more question Dr. Marcoh… I have never had a reason to doubt my dad's teachings. One thing he taught is there is always a price for everything period, no exception! So, my question is; what is the price for this stone or liquid on your table? Or better yet what is the catch or price to make a Philosopher's Stone? Because I seriously doubt it can be done for no price or charge! Things don't work like that! You can't bypass laws of nature very long or in the end! The laws of life and nature are absolute and can't be denied for very long!"
Dr. Marcoh grimaced at my question.
"You are truly your father's son. You have seen what the stone really is, what it's made up from. Why it is known as the 'Devil's Work'! You are right the Philosopher's Stone does come at a price and a very steep one at that. It is due to the main ingredient that this is so. The ingredient is one that's powerful. It's readily available and unlikely to run out any time soon. Something we often take for granted. … I believe you can answer what idea or material some might call it, can be described with the qualities I have just stated."
I felt my blood go cold as I realized what that ingredient was, of course! The Philosopher's Stone was made by and from cruelty. It required taking human life and not just one life, but many, many lives of people to serve as the fuel to create a stone and sustain it. I had been absolutely correct on the price, just off on the magnitude. I held my head in horror as I realized the truth.
It was at these thoughts, when I recalled what he had said to me. The one who I had grown to hate so much over the years since I had met him! He had said a phrase to me so long ago that never seemed to leave! A line that would forever haunt me!
'That is the conundrum about truth. Once you know it you can never be ignorant of it again. That is why truth is such a wonderful yet so horrible thing. Isn't that right young Alchemist!?'
Truth had said that to me as he smiled at me! When I had just come out of the gate after having gone through it I had seen him smile, and only smile at me. My experience inside the gate was an unforgettable thing. … The things I had seen… it had been so much! Even when I had wanted the information to stop pouring into my head I had been forced to keep going. I had closed my eyes yet something had held them open making continue. I had learned things… that were so amazing and others that were so horrible! Then for all of that 'ride' as Truth had called it, he had taken my right leg as the 'price' of my newly acquired knowledge.
Dang it, once again he was completely right and I hated it that he was! I wanted to scream until I couldn't scream any more, but I knew that would do nothing. I got up from the chair I had been sitting in, now weighted with the truth of the Philosopher's Stone. I could not use an object like the Philosopher's Stone knowing the cost to make it. I couldn't live with myself if I were to try. I would rather stay the way I was then stoop to that level. I knew Maria would feel the same if she ever found out.
"Thank you for your honesty Dr. Marcoh. Well back to square one it is then."
I sighed and left Dr. Marcoh in his chair. I walked outside and turned at the corner of the house before I grabbed the corner of the house and threw up. I then howled in despair at the knowledge I had now. I knew a truth I didn't want to know and now I couldn't pretend I didn't know.
===end of flashback===
"Brother are you okay? You look really pale."
I snapped back to the present and looked up at Maria.
"It is nothing to worry about Maria. I am just..."
I stopped dead, when the scent hit me.
"Matthew what is it? What's wrong?!"
I held up a hand to get her to stop. I took a deep breath, taking in the scent again. There was no mistaking it now I could smell blood and it was fresh no question. It was in the direction that we were heading! I broke out into a sprint. I heard Maria right behind me with her metal footfalls. I spotted the last house on the outskirts and determined that it was the source of the scent of blood. It was then I got a sickening feeling and came sliding to a halt. Maria slid to a stop right next to me. Both of us settled into a fighting stance, prepared for anything.
It was then two figures came out of the house talking with one another. The two 'people' were different.
"But why Lust, why can't I eat him?!"
"Because Gluttony he would give you indigestion."
One of the figures, the taller of the two; I identified as a woman with long black hair and red eyes. She was around the same height as me. She was wearing a dress that... well honestly left little to the imagination. It was hard to know where to look with her! She also had an odd tattoo on her chest that look kind of like a snake or serpent eating its own tail. She seemed to be the one that was calling the shots between the two.
The other figure was male... at least I think it was male. It looked like some kind of short or stout legged… Okay a short and an extremely fat guy that was bald and his eyes were white with no black. His arms were as long as his body and they were thick. It was freaky! The both of them were freaky in my opinion! I have seen really weird things. So I would have a very extreme definition of freaky!
The woman noticed us first. She turned to face us, mild surprise on her face. That is before she smiled. I didn't like how she smiled! It sent chills down my spine and that was just to start at the many things I get from her!
"Well, well Gluttony. It would appear you will be getting a snack today after all."
I get the hunch that a fight is about to start. I grabbed one of the silver colored metal rods I had on my belt with my right hand, preparing for the fight that was coming. Maria settles into a martial arts fighting stance, readying herself as well.
"Yea I get to EAT!"
The fat man rushed forward his mouth opened impossibly wide! Be that as it may, Maria and I were ready and moved out of the way. I had to say for a fat guy, he could sure move fast. That was unexpected!
"Whoa Fat Boy coming through! Make way!"
I rolled into a ball to evade the Fat Boy… Gluttony I think the other had called him. I recovered from the attempt. I came out and was back on my feet. I looked over to Maria and saw to my relief she was okay. I glanced back to where the fat guy had gone. I noticed the fat guy had already turned around and was about to charge us again in the same way as he had before. He shot forward again and once again we dodged.
"Obesity Stampede on the move!"
This time as the fat guy missed he went crashing into a large boulder, stopping for the moment due to the impact. Maria and I were back in fighting stances facing the strange woman. She had yet to move or do any action. This worried me more than the attacks of Fat Boy!
"I guess that's an unorthodox way to go about weight loss! I would guess that's why it isn't very successful though?! So who are you lady?"
She simply smiled at me more. Her smile was seriously starting to put me on edge as well as creepy my out further. It was getting way too creepy1
"I must say you are an intriguing one."
Is she… hitting on me?! That's just sick and wrong! It makes me feel nasty!
"Yeah not interested in your implications. First you aren't my type and second your taste in guy stinks if you hang around the Fat Boy!"
There was a boom followed by a cloud of dust. When the dust cleared I saw the fat one and what's more he looked perfectly fine. What the! ... Something was wrong here! Slamming hard head first into a rock normally causes injuries of some kind or at least does something. Yet the rock has more damage than him!
The fat one looked rather angry now as he looked at me. He screeched and shot in my direction, but I was ready for him. I had my silver rod in my right hand held by my thumb. I clapped my hands together, a ringing resounded through the air. Blue lightning appeared around the rod. I started to pull my hands apart from one another, so that I could control my alchemy I was using to reshape the rod. The fat guy was still coming at me as I used my alchemy. I stayed calm and cool as he got closer. When he was about six feet from me I had finished transmuting the rod of metal into a katana like sword. I swung the blade around over my head, at the same time I moved to the right to avoid the fat guy. As he passed me I brought my blade down hard and sliced through his arm cleanly just below his shoulder. The fat guy screamed as he noticed his arm had been cut off. I had avoided Fat Boy, though he had tried to take a bite at me and that was something I wasn't going to just dismiss without repercussion!
"Hey, You Tub of Lard! I am not on the MENU! Try to take a bite again and I will start slicing and dicing you into so many pieces you will not be able to find them all, let alone count them!"
"STOP CALLING ME NAMES! I AM GLUTTONY!"
"No… you are an overly fat idiot that has eating issues! You seriously needs to work on losing weight!"
The lady started to clap, which somehow forced Fat Boy to stop.
"That was impressive, so you are an alchemist? You get more interesting all the time. My name is Lust; it is a pleasure to meet you."
Oh… what a fitting name for her. With the body she has! I can practically feel lust oozing out of her. My problem is that said lust appears to be directed at me! I don't like that at all. I'm not interested in her advances! The lady then turned to the Fat Boy.
"Gluttony we're leaving you can eat later."
The Fat Boy moaned with a finger on his remaining arm in his mouth and then followed the lady. However, before he got to her I saw the stump at his shoulder begin to glow and become surrounded by red lightning. The arm I cut off then, regenerate to perfect condition like I had done nothing to him! Oh that's just peachy! That complicates things to an extent. I think I will need to reassess the strategy for these people, if Maria and I are to be able to survive the next encounter that is!
The woman turned to me once more, smiled and blew me a kiss in my direction. I felt a freezing shiver run through me at her action. She was seriously irking me! Lucky me!
"I look forward to when we meet again. Maybe I will get your name next time handsome."
There was a flash and after it stopped I saw they were gone.
Well I certainly didn't look forward to the next time, whenever that will be. This is perfect… I officially now have a stalker. How great, I say again lucky me! My life can really suck sometimes. Why did I have to inherit dad's good looks?! It is in things like this such inheritance is a disadvantage. I turned to where Maria was.
"Maria, you alright?"
"Yes, but who or what were they?"
I shook my head in confusion. I was wondering the same thing.
"I have no idea. … By the way did you notice they both had the same weird tattoo on them?"
Maria nodded.
"Yes the woman in her chest and the fat one on his tongue. Have you seen anything like it?"
"I don't know. I want to say no. Yet there is something about it that is familiar, I can't place why though."
Maria hummed in response. I just sighed and then smiled.
"The only other thing I can say is; I'm once again thankful I carry Mythril rods with me."
"They are your work, so I would expect it to be good. You were never one to settle for anything less than the best quality work."
I nodded and then strode forward to the house and went inside. The scent of blood slammed into my sense of smell in stronger force than before! I covered my face to try to block it to a degree though such action didn't really help. I looked around the house with growing horror and an urge to throw up. I was in what appeared to have been some kind of sitting room. If I were to say it looked like a bomb had gone off in here, it would be an understatement. There was wreckage and rubble everywhere. There was glass shards spread everywhere, I glanced to the windows and saw they had been shattered. Blood was splattered all over. It was clear that there had been a fight in here. I took a step further inside, glass crunching under my feet.
"Kurt Isen, are you here?!"
There was no reply to my call. I took a moment to study the front room. By first glance; the damage and the amount of blood in this room there was a high possibility that the fight had started in here. I heard Maria step through the door and gasp.
"Maria just be thankful at the moment that you can't smell! It is horrendous! Let's search the place and see what we can find out."
Maria nodded and walked through the doorway at the right side of the room. I stayed in the sitting room still taking in the scene. I decided to study a sample of blood just to say that I had done the best I can, for an investigational stand point. I knelt down and ran a finger through the blood, brought it up and sniffed. I was surprised when I had, for the blood wasn't human. I then went into what Maria calls my observational research mode. Maria calls it that because she says I become so focused on taking in the facts around me that I block out everything else. It is probably true knowing myself.
I sniffed again, now able to confirm that the blood was animal blood and not human. I looked around the room again only with a keener eye this time. The way the furniture and other rubble were spread, to an untrained eye would look like there had been a fight in here. However, the spread wasn't random; it was methodical and thought out. In other words the room was staged to look like a fight had happened when in reality it had most likely not.
I got to thinking about what I was seeing. It was clear someone was going to an extensive amount of trouble to convince someone else that they were dead. That presents two questions: Who are they trying to fool? And then why are they doing so?
I walked to the far side of the room glass crunching under my boot as I went. I passed through the doorway into a hallway with rooms on either side. There was a doorway of the left and two on the right before the hallway turned to the left. I glanced into the room on the left which was a bedroom for I would assume guests as it was kind of small. I found much the same scene I had seen in the sitting room. In fact the scene in the bedroom looked too much the same to be natural. This mess and spread was getting too methodical. It was almost as if... Kurt Isen or whoever had been here, knew they were going to have unwelcome visitors. Could they have known it would be that pair coming?
I looked into the other two rooms and saw the same mess of rubble. I turned left at the end of the corridor and continued down. At the end of the hallway I came into the master bedroom, and instantly saw, this room was different than the others. This room was where the odd pair had found what they had been searching for. There were spikes of earth still protruding out of the ground from someone using alchemy. I knelt down again and got a sample of the blood on the floor and sniffed. I froze, this was human blood, no doubt about it and it was still fairly fresh. I looked around the room very carefully. The bedroom furniture was thrown everywhere in no order like the previous room. The fight that had happened, had taken place in this room alright.
I searched the room and within a minute found the oldest and likely the first spatter of blood. I studied the blood trail and started following it. I used the blood trail and the damage in the room to replay what had happened in here.
The person had been hit first when they were in the center of the room. Then they and moved to avoid something… most likely the Fat Boy attacking. They then had used alchemy to fight back. The transmutation circle had been set before the fight. So the person had decided to make their stand in this room if it became needed. They definitely had some time to prepare however, I would guess from the way things were, the person had been found before they had finished their preparations. I found a second circle and another one that wasn't finished.
This only served to prove my original suspicion. Back to the fight, one of the spikes had hit its intended target, for it had broken off after it had hit. Then things went bad as there was a sizable pool of blood not too far from the circle. The person had gotten stabbed by something and most likely in a vital place. What the defender was stabbed with was a mystery. There was no weapon of evidence that could help me figure out what had been used. The defender had sunk to the floor for a time. In that time the odd pair had left the room and expected the defender to be dead. Nevertheless, the defender though seriously injured to be sure wasn't dead.
I kept following the trail of blood as I played the scenario out in my mind. The defender in their condition had crawled and dragged themselves across the room into the room that was off this one. The room was a study and it had been ransacked, yet whatever was the object of interest in the search hadn't been found. The defender had continued to crawl to one of the bookshelves on the left side from the door.
The blood trail stopped at the bookshelves. Something was wrong in this; I had to be missing something. The blood trail didn't just stop; it looked like it went beyond the bookcase. That would imply that there is something or a room behind it. I clapped my hands and put them to the ground and transmuted the bookcase, only to find a wall. The blood trail was still there, but... of course, an alchemic seal. I felt around the wall searching for the circle that was controlling the seal and keeping it in place. I located it on the inside part of the bookcase to the right. It was small so that it would be missed and most likely previously had a book hiding it as well.
I tapped the circle and snapped my finger. The wall I had exposed behind the bookcase suddenly began to change shape and ended out as an archway and stairs beyond. A basement behind the bookshelves, the oldest trick in the book! I descended the stairs and as I did I heard a soft sound of labored breathing.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs I found myself in a small stone room that I would surmise is a laboratory. I saw a man in sitting with his back in a corner with blood still flowing out of his wounds.
"Kurt Isen?"
The man grunted and turned his head to look at me. He stared at me for a couple of seconds as he squinted trying to get his eyes to focus. His face changed to shock when he saw me.
"Titus... Titus Selvess is that you?!"
He had a coughing fit after he finished the question.
"No, my name is Matthew Selvess."
Kurt Isen let out a sigh.
"I see so your Titus's son. *cough* To think that little boy from those many years ago has become you. *cough* You are the spitting image of Titus when he was your age."
Isen smiled a bit. I could see there was nothing that could be done for Kurt Isen now. He had lost far too much blood and his injuries were just too severe. Still, I needed information from him; I would need to prioritize what I ask.
"Mr. Isen, I need to know where you research notes are. I doubt that those who attacked you got them."
Isen nodded weakly.
"I think they will be safer in your hands. *cough* They are in a compartment beneath the center work counter... *cough* they are alchemically sealed. The cir *cough* circle is in the left cabinet above the door..."
I had already gone to where he had indicated and had found the seal. I undid the seal and the middle of the worktop counter opened up. I looked in to the box and found a notebook; I flipped through it and could see it was Isen's notes, written in his own hand. I turned back to thank him, but froze as I stared at him. His eyes had closed and he had stopped breathing. Kurt Isen, the former 'Earth Stone Alchemist' was dead. I bowed to him to give him my respects and then left the room going up the stairs.
I resealed the wall and restored the bookcase to its original form. But, it felt more like I was sealing a tomb. I went back through the house searching for Maria, only to end up finding her in the kitchen. As I entered the room Maria turned to me and saw my face. I walked over to a chair and sunk into it and sighed. I felt sick, though I had steadied myself to keep from throwing up. I had thought I had overcome this reaction to scenes like this, yet I had apparently not completely.
"You found Isen?"
I nodded somberly.
"Yes I did... he's dead."
Maria slumped slightly.
"Oh... I see, so what now Matthew?"
I rubbed my temples while I thought about my answer. I really had no clue what to do now. I may have Isen's notes, that don't mean I understand them!
"Well... did you per chance find a phone?"
"Yes, right over there."
Maria pointed to a counter that a phone sat on. I sighed at what I was about to do. The report had to be made and this… mess needed to be cleaned up; preferable before the town's people found it in the current state that it is.
"Well as much as I hate doing it, we need to report this incident to Headquarters. They will send people to clean this up. Then we need to actually think about going back to Central soon."
Maria looked at me.
"Why Central?"
I put my elbows on the table that had surprisingly survived and held my head.
"For one the end of my two year alchemist certification is almost up. So, I have my recertification exam in a few days. The other reason is Central is the best place to start to look for more leads."
Maria brought over the phone and I took it, dialed Headquarters and waited.
"... Western Amestris Headquarters, how may I direct this call?"
"This is Brigadier General Selvess, authorization cod 7. I need you to connect me to General Manthesis right away please."
"Of course, one moment sir."
I waited for around a minute before a voice of an older man came on the line.
"This is General Manthesis, to whom am I speaking?"
"This is Brigadier General Selvess, sir."
"Ah, I heard rumors you had come to town. So what can I do for you Selvess?"
"Sir I'm at the house of Mr. Bloss and it appears that he has been murdered sir. It is one hell of a mess!"
There was a short silence on the line after I had said this.
"I assume you are sure about that?"
"Yes sir, I am positive."
"I see, then I will send a squad out there to clean up the mess."
"Thank you General and unfortunately I will be unable to help in the investigations due to the fact I need to return to Central for business."
There was another period of silence.
"So I get to deal with the whole mess, Oh boy."
"I'm sorry to drop this squarely on your shoulders sir."
"That is how things go sometimes Selvess. Thank you for informing me."
The line then went silent and I put down the receiver. I sighed at this situation and the mess it had become. I really hate it when things go south!
"Brother was coming here worth it?"
I looked over at Maria.
"I don't know Maria. I think we find out more when we read through Isen's notes."
Maria stared at me.
"Wait you got his notes?!"
I nodded.
"Well Maria let's get moving. We have a train to catch back to Central. I really need to get away from this smell. It is… bringing up bad memories."
I stood up and headed for the door. Life can be extremely mean at times. We finally get a somewhat promising lead and then it blows up in our faces. Then there were those two odd people we fought. I had made sure to sketch their faces and also sketched down that odd tattoo in my notebook. I guess all I can say at the moment from this is 'One step forward and who knows how many steps back'.
End chapter 1
A/n
I hope all readers like the changes I made going through this. I have also done grammatical corrections and general enrichment to the "White Dragon Chronicles" If you have ideas or suggestions for either story feel free to put it in a review. Or if you wish it not to be seen by others, just PM it to me instead. Please review this story and thank you for reading. Peace out until next time.