I'm back! Sorry this update came later than I was hoping it to. Thank you all so much for the response this story has gotten so far! I'm so glad to know you all are enjoying it. I've definitely enjoyed writing it! Anyways, on with the story!
I still do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.
Roy had to fight the urge to fidget in his seat. Everything about this situation felt wrong. He shouldn't be here. Ed should be. Instead, he didn't know where the kid was or what was going to happen to him. Hell, he didn't even know what was going to happen to him or his other two subordinates.
None of them should even be in this position.
Jeremiah had led them back to the room he had been interviewing the children in. He didn't say a word on their trek through the Sanct. He didn't say a word when they entered the room. He sat across from them, his hands resting on the table.
"I'm sorry you all were being deceived for so long," he said, finally speaking up. "You three have been guided by the Darkness until now, but that's over. You are away from Edward's influence, so you may speak freely." He paused as his brothers entered the room. "Can you begin with telling us who you really are?"
After a moment of hesitation, Havoc answered.
"I'm Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc, and these are Second Lieutenants Elizabeth Hawkins and Wren Elkin," he said as he gestured to his comrades.
Much to the relief of the three military officers, they seemed to buy Roy and Riza's fake names. The Flame Alchemist and Hawk's Eye were fairly well known after the war in Ishval. If Jean had said their real names, there was a good chance their situation could get much worse than it already was.
However, it seemed as long as they were away from Edward, the brothers seemed to believe them.
"Jean, were you aware that Edward ordered Wren and Elizabeth to come to the Sanct?" Absalom asked.
Havoc shook his head. Feigning ignorance was probably his best option.
"Did Edward explain why he wanted you two to come to the Sanct?" Absalom directed his next question to the two other military officers.
Just like the Second Lieutenant, Riza shook her head.
"He just told us to come with his gloves," Riza lied smoothly. "We don't know what he found to make him believe your congregation was behind the murders, but we weren't really in a position to question him."
"I see," Jeremiah commented. "Why did the guards find microphones on the two of you?"
Roy determined he should probably speak up.
"The military is genuinely concerned about the safety of the children due to the recent murders. Since we were ordered to come here, our superiors told us to interview the children. They wanted to listen in on the conversations Elizabeth and I had with them."
Corinthian shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Roy didn't even have to think about why. His subordinates back at the warehouse had overheard Corinthian's confrontation and "creative" methods he used to determine who the state alchemist was. The man was concerned about how the military was going to react to that.
The Colonel was quite curious about that as well.
It was obvious the other two brothers were thinking the same thing, but none of them were willing to talk about it. At least as long as the three military officers were present in the room with them.
"Anyways, we are delighted to have you three in our congregation!" Jeremiah continued, "I know that everything will seem a bit odd to you at first, but you must believe us when we say that this is a blessing! Elizabeth, I will introduce you to my wife. She'll show you to your bed and find a dress for you. Jean, you can find some proper clothes for Wren. He can have Edward's old bed after the barracks have been completely expected."
Jeremiah stood up, as did the three military officers. Corinthian and Absalom stayed behind as the others left the room. The First Lieutenant glanced at Roy when Jeremiah started leading her down a separate hallway and away from her comrades. The Colonel gave her a very slight, but encouraging nod. Within seconds, she was gone.
Roy had to stop himself as he unconsciously drifted off in the direction Jeremiah was leading Hawkeye. He followed Havoc as his subordinate briskly walked through the halls. The Second Lieutenant looked back and was relieved to see that the two weren't being followed.
"What did he say to you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You wouldn't have let those guards just take you away from him unless you were distracted. I know he said something to you."
The Colonel flinched. He didn't like being reminded that he had gotten distracted and dragged away from Ed. He was supposed to protect his subordinates and he failed.
"He said to play along."
Initially, Roy was confused. He would be lying if he said he still wasn't. A grim smile formed on Havoc's face.
"That kid still never ceases to amaze me," he muttered.
Roy's eyes widened.
"He knew the Jones brothers would truly believe we were being deceived, didn't he?"
"He must have," Havoc said, nodding. "If he was coherent enough to understand what Absalom was saying, that's a reasonable conclusion for him to make. Considering none of the brothers are following us, I would say the kid was right. If we play along with their delusion, that buys us time to figure out what's going on with these murders."
"But we don't even know that these people are going to do to him," Roy countered. "We need to focus on getting him out of here. Hell, we all need to get out!"
A chuckle escaped the Second Lieutenant, but there was no humor in it. It sounded dark and bitter.
"I'm pretty sure him telling you to play along was an order, sir. That was his way of telling you not to worry about him."
Roy didn't know what to say, but a part of him knew his subordinate was right.
They walked in silence until they reached their destination. Havoc opened the door. Various fabrics and threads greeted them as they entered the room.
Havoc shut the door and walked over to a cabinet to retrieve a white shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. He practically threw them at the Colonel.
"You can leave your other clothes here. That's what Absalom told Ed and I to do."
Normally, the Colonel wouldn't tolerate such a sharp tone from a lower ranking officer, but he knew Havoc was just worried about Ed. He was probably wanting to hurry and find who was committing these murders so they could all leave the Sanct.
That's exactly what Roy was wanting. However, there was something he still didn't understand, and it was bothering him. He tried not to show it, but the Second Lieutenant obviously noticed.
"Something's eating at you, Boss," he said softly. "What is it?"
The Colonel sighed.
"Why would he give himself up?"
"He trusts you."
The Second Lieutenant nearly laughed at the look on Roy's face. Havoc might as well have told his commanding officer that he finally got a steady girlfriend. The Colonel's face would probably look the same.
"Ed trusting you isn't that far-fetched of an idea, sir," he continued. "Neither one of you should have been in the position to make that decision. He knows that. He probably figured we would have the best shot of solving the murders if you and Hawkeye could remain involved. Aside from that, he trusts you to get him out if things take a turn for the worse, and rightly so. You shielded him from Corinthian. He knows you won't let him get killed. I know he would probably rather die than say it out loud, but he has faith in you."
Roy could only blink in response. A part of him knew that his youngest subordinate trusted him, but hearing it sounded almost like a foreign language to him. The two military officers remained silent as he quickly changed into the black slacks and white shirt. He was putting on the shoes when there was a knock on the door.
Roy and Jean smiled at Jeremiah when he walked in.
"I know you two must be hungry by now," he said, looking at Roy's new clothes in approval, "If you two will follow me, we can get you both some food. Don't worry about taking extra clothes now. The barracks are about to be inspected. You can get more after the evening service."
The Colonel and Second Lieutenant nodded and followed Jeremiah.
Roy had to suppress a smirk. He couldn't believe he was actually following orders from a teenager.
*break*
A chilling drizzle from the quickly darkening sky showered the Disciples of the Moon as the members migrated from the courtyard into the sanctuary. The Colonel tried his best not to express his discontent. He already hated the rain, but he absolutely despised it today.
The dark, suffocating energy he had felt when he arrived at the Sanct seemed to amplify along with the storm. Could it have been his imagination? Possibly. Either way, it didn't stop the dread pooling in his stomach.
He and Jean caught a brief glimpse of Riza while they walked through the courtyard. She now wore a white dress and practically blended in with all the other women in the cult.
Neither Riza nor Roy knew what to expect as they were herded into the sanctuary with the rest of the congregation. Jeremiah had escorted the Colonel and Second Lieutenant inside, but he now joined his brothers on the stage as they waited for the entire congregation to enter and be seated.
Riza noticed her comrades sliding into a pew. Her first thought was to join them.
"Elizabeth, we would love for you to sit with us!"
She looked up to see Sharon and Miranda, Jeremiah and Absalom's wives respectively, waving at her. She gave them a friendly smile and moved toward them when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.
Despite the sea of people flooding into the sanctuary, she would know that blonde hair anywhere.
Two guards roughly brought Ed in and kept him at the back of the large room. His hands were restrained behind him, and the guards kept a tight grip on his arms. Her eyes widened when she saw the dried blood staining the front of his shirt. More blood was caked on the side of his head. Without even realizing what she was doing, she moved closer to the beaten alchemist. The closer she got, the easier it was for her to see the bruises that already formed on Ed's face as well as a massive bruise peeking out from under the collar of his shirt.
"Oh, Ed," she mumbled under her breath.
Ed looked up and saw her approaching him. She noticed him shaking his head. He apparently didn't want her getting any closer to him.
That was too bad. He was hurt, and nothing was going to stop her from checking up on him. Once the First Lieutenant was close enough, the teen finally spoke up.
"I'm fine," he tried to assure her.
The guard to his left slapped him. Riza couldn't help but wince at the harsh sound.
"Quiet!" he ordered. "You've already done enough by deceiving her for so long. Sister, I'm sorry for what he's done to you and our two brothers. He won't be able to misguide you anymore. I promise you that."
Riza felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her to see Sharon, a sympathetic smile forming on her face.
"Let's go sit down," she said as she steered the First Lieutenant away from the young alchemist.
She glanced over her shoulder to see Ed slightly nodding at her, his silent way of telling her to go and he would be fine. She sat down in between Sharon and Miranda. Miranda rubbed her arm in an attempt to comfort her.
"I know that was difficult for you to see," she said, "You will soon understand that he deserved it."
The First Lieutenant couldn't get herself to make eye contact with either woman. She knew that they only knew what their husbands told them, but that didn't do anything to quell the anger bubbling within her.
Whether they truly believed that Ed brought the Darkness into the Sanct or not, Riza couldn't believe that they wouldn't even question the abuse of a teenager. She didn't have much time to dwell on that since Corinthian approached the front of the stage to start the service.
"Brothers and sisters!" The chattering throughout the sanctuary ceased instantly. "Tonight will not be like our usual evening services. I'm sure most of you are aware that the Darkness has tried to infiltrate the Sanct. I know that many of you are probably afraid. The Darkness is what we pride ourselves in evading. The Darkness wants to destroy everything the Moon has created and prevent us from reaching the heavenly afterlife the Moon has promised us. The Moon has spoken with Brother Absalom. He will now bless us with the divine message!"
Corinthian stepped to the side as Absalom came forward.
"I can assure you, my brothers and sisters, that this is not a time of fear. This is the time to be brave! The alchemist tricked us and tried to destroy us from within, but he failed. This was no mistake. The Moon has brought us two new brothers and a new sister, from the military no less! The military has been corrupted by the Darkness, but at least three of them will find eternal peace along with the rest of us!"
At this, nearly all eyes in the room turned to the three military officers. Mumbles of welcome echoed throughout the sanctuary. Roy did his best not to look uncomfortable. He stared at the stage, trying to seem intrigued by Absalom's message.
"Despite the Darkness he has inside him, the Moon brought the Fullmetal Alchemist to us," Absalom continued. "Brothers, would you please bring Edward before the congregation?"
Roy's breath hitched in his throat when he saw two of the guards dragging his struggling subordinate down the aisle dividing the sanctuary. He was relieved that Ed still had plenty of fight in him. After the beating Corinthian gave him, he wasn't sure if the kid would be in any physical condition to resist. He was glad to see he was wrong.
That relief soon diminished when he looked around and saw the looks the other people were giving Ed. A mixture of disdain, anger, and fear emitted from the congregation.
Whatever was happening, it wasn't going to be good for Ed.
The guards roughly pushed the kid up the steps to join the Jones brothers.
"I can still see fear among a few of you," Absalom said as Corinthian shoved Ed to the ground. "That is understandable, but I must say it again: this is not a time to be afraid! The Moon has sent him to us to make the perfect sacrifice! However, his blood is unclean. It's going to take the power of the entire congregation to fix that."
Corinthian stepped on Ed's flesh leg, right on his ankle. The young alchemist squirmed as the man applied more pressure on it, but Jeremiah kicked him in the side to put an end to his struggling.
The Colonel tensed. He didn't like what he was seeing in the slightest. What got on his nerves the most was that the entire congregation didn't seem the least bit disturbed by the brothers' actions. Before them was a beaten fifteen-year-old, and none of them even cared. They just listened intently to Absalom, as if they were starving for his words.
Ed's teeth dug into his lip as he tried to contain his pain. Corinthian must have been adding even more pressure on his ankle. The kid was trying his hardest not to show his discomfort, but he was miserably failing.
"Edward must pay for his sins against the Moon!" Jeremiah announced. "Pain and suffering is the only way he can atone for his sins and purify his soul. Once his soul has been purified and his blood is clean, his sacrifice will bring us to our destiny!"
Suddenly, a loud crack resounded through the sanctuary followed by a cry of agony.
Roy wanted to jump out of his seat and rush the stage, but was too shocked to even move. Jean winced beside him, his knuckles turning white as his hands unconsciously curled into fists. The Second Lieutenant took deep breaths, trying to control his anger. Looking across the aisle and a few pews in front of them, the Colonel saw Riza staring down at her lap, unable to even look up.
The bastard had broken Ed's ankle.
And applause and affirmations arose from congregation.
"As all of you are aware, tomorrow night is a full moon," Absalom shouted over the roar of the crowd, causing them to quiet down again. "Usually, two of you are called to go out into the world and spread the teachings of the Moon. When the Moon spoke to me, he revealed that he wants our sacrifice to be ready. One of you will help my brothers and I with the sacrifice tomorrow night. Zachary Hendrickson, someone we all know and love dearly, has demonstrated great faith. He has served to protect the Sanct very well. The Moon has noticed his faith and dedication. He will join my brothers in making the sacrifice.
"That is not to say the rest of you have been unfaithful. We need the prayers of everyone in the congregation as my brothers and I cleanse his blood and soul. Brothers and sisters, remember what we have taught you. We need everyone's help so we can finally reach the Moon. We all will be a part of the journey to reaching the afterlife the Moon will guide us to!"
Crazy. Absolutely crazy. That was the only way the three military officers could describe this entire congregation. Roy knew his subordinates back at the warehouse were thinking the same thing. Jean told him that he had hidden a few bugs throughout the massive room. His subordinate was confident that the guards wouldn't be able to find them if they searched the sanctuary.
That brought the Colonel a little relief. At least they would still have some way to contact their comrades in Freyvale.
Jeremiah gestured to the two guards that had brought Ed forward. Obediently, the dragged Ed off the stage. The young alchemist couldn't help but let out grunts of pain as his ankle hit each and every step on his way down. He was taken back down the aisle and out of the sanctuary with Jeremiah following right behind them.
Corinthian addressed the congregation yet again.
"Everyone is dismissed for the evening. I suggest you all get some rest. Tomorrow will be an exhausting day for all of us. The sanctuary will be open for the entire day for all those who feel the calling to pray here. May the Moon be with us all! May the Moon guide us all! May the Moon save us all!"
"May the Moon be with us all! May the Moon guide us all! May the Moon save us all!" the congregation echoed back.
Jean and Roy stood up along with the rest of the Disciples of the Moon. They made their way out of the pew. The Colonel glanced up to see his First Lieutenant being led away by the women she had been sitting with. She looked at him, making eye contact for the briefest second before following the women out the side door of the sanctuary.
He couldn't help but be grateful. He hadn't had a chance to talk to her since the Jones brothers questioned them, but she intuitively knew to play along until he ordered her otherwise.
"Zayne!" Jean said, snapping Roy out of his thoughts.
The Colonel turned to see a brown-haired boy standing just behind Havoc, the same one he had seen Ed with just a few hours earlier. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail, just like Ed's.
"Is your brother excited to take part in the sacrifice?" the Second Lieutenant asked.
He tried to seem as enthusiastic as the rest of the congregation, when in reality his blood was boiling.
Roy had to stop the surprised look that threatened to cross his face. He remembered Ed telling him that Zayne's father was one of the first victims. Now his brother was receiving a call from the Moon. The kid seemed slightly apprehensive, and Roy didn't blame him one bit.
He saw Jean's brow furrow.
"Is everything okay, Zayne?" Havoc asked.
From the past few days, he had only known Zayne to be a bubbly kid that was eager to learn about the Moon. He wasn't acting like himself at all.
"Jean, is Edward really the Fullmetal Alchemist?" the kid asked quietly, so quiet no one other than the three of them probably heard it over the low rumble of chatter from the rest of the congregation.
Havoc nodded.
"Are you two really from the military?" Zayne asked next.
Again, Havoc nodded. He gestured to the Colonel.
"We are. I'd like for you to meet my friend, Wren."
Roy mustered the warmest smile he could, trying not to make the teen any more nervous than he already seemed.
"It's nice to meet you, Zayne," he said as he stuck out his hand to the kid.
Almost cautiously, Zayne shook Roy's hand. Looking into the boy's eyes, he knew there was something he was wanting to tell the two military officers.
"Is everything okay?" Havoc asked again.
Zayne glanced around. No one else in the congregation was paying any attention to them, but the kid still seemed paranoid.
"I was wondering," he finally started. "I just…do you two know…never mind. I have to go."
He suddenly turned around and exited the sanctuary in a flash, not even glancing back at the two military officers as he weaved through the crowd. Jean stared in the direction the kid had gone, concerned.
"Maybe he'll talk to us later."
"Hopefully," Roy responded.
Havoc nodded in agreement. He led the Colonel toward the double oak doors at the back of the sanctuary. While they could reach the barracks without having to go out in the rain, walking this way was the best chance they would have to catch a glimpse of Ed or at least a sign of where he had been dragged off.
They were right, but neither of them were prepared for what they were seeing.
The drizzle had turned into a downpour, and a very cold one at that. Roy was nearly drenched the second they stepped outside, and his face stung as if it were being hit by an onslaught of needles. It was completely dark except for the light provided by the lamps spread throughout the courtyard.
Children were running around while their parents were sternly yelling at them, telling them to get back inside. However, the kids probably couldn't hear them over the sound of the rain. They were enjoying themselves, completely oblivious as to what was happening.
Roy clenched his jaw as he saw a few guards circled around one of the lamps. A guard was currently tying Ed to the lamppost, not missing the opportunity to kick at Ed's broken ankle when he was finished. He risked a quick glance at Havoc.
The man looked beyond furious.
The two jumped when a firm hand landed on their shoulders.
"This rain is a gift from the Moon," Absalom said with a tinge of excitement in his voice, "Keeping that abomination out in this rain will help purify his soul." He noticed that the two were remaining silent. "I'm sorry you were under his influence for so long. You can't even properly enjoy this moment and what it means for us as a congregation. Let me take you to the barracks. When you're away from his presence, he won't be able to influence you."
The Colonel wanted to strangle the man, but that desire faded the second Ed looked toward him. He barely got a chance to see those golden eyes before one of the guards struck him across the face, causing it to whip the other direction.
The kid had given himself up so they could solve these murders. Roy knew he couldn't do anything to ruin that.
He turned this back to Ed and faced Absalom.
"You're right, Brother Absalom. Thank you for demonstrating so much patience with us."
The words nearly made him vomit. That urge intensified when he felt two eyes staring at his back. He didn't need to turn around to know that Ed was watching them leave.
He had just turned his back on his youngest subordinate.
He knew he had to for the good of the mission, and the fact that Ed would probably kill him if he didn't do as the kid had asked.
However, the fact that he turned his back on Ed still remained.
Roy wasn't sure if he would ever be able to forgive himself.
And there's the fourth chapter! Team Mustang only has a day to figure out what's going on and how to get Ed out before he's sacrificed! What are they going to do?! Stay tuned to find out!
Again, my apologies for the later update. I kept having to rewrite certain parts of this chapter because I couldn't seem to get it right. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it! Until next time!