THE WATERS OF LETHE
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, I just like to play around in it's world and torture Ed for awhile.
Author's note: post series and slightly AU. Some movie events will happen, but differently
Warning: movie spoilers, also violence, death and maybe sex.
Beta: Jedimasterwithapen
61. The Puppet Alchemist (Der Marionette Alchemist)
It took Dr. Mengele just over two weeks to break Edward completely. But break him he did.
Freshly bathed, his hair washed and dressed in clean clothing, Edward sat quietly on a high-backed wooden chair. His gloved hands were folded neatly in his lap and his eyes were closed. Only the slight rise and fall of his chest showed he was alive, because he was so still.
The two men assigned to guard Edward had taken great pains with his appearance. The ends of his hair were trimmed, and set in a high ponytail tied with a black velvet ribbon. The clothes were ironed and the nap of his long brown coat was brushed free of any fuzzies or stray hairs. They stood behind the chair and critically examined every millimeter of their work.
The Puppet Alchemist sat still as a statue and awaited fresh orders from his master.
/
This was going to be a great day.
For the Thule Society.
For Germany.
But most of all, for Dietlinde Eckart, director of the Thule Society.
She had dressed with care for this day in a ceremonial uniform rich with gold braid. Over it she wore a purple velvet cloak that swept the dirty stone floor behind her. At her heels, but careful not to tread on the cloaks hem followed her loyal subordinates: Haushofer, and Hess.
Even Himmler and Goebbels had come from Berlin to witness this great triumph.
The vanguard, Eckart in the lead entered the Great Hall and the presence of the Array. Dietlinde smiled to herself at the sight of the Shambalan, now brought to heel and completely obedient. The two soldiers clicked their heels and snapped to rigid attention.
The pressure around Dietlinde's heart eased. Everything was going perfectly, and she could relax - a little.
She halted in front of Edward and whirled around to face the others. "Gentlemen, and honored guests, behold!" she extended her left hand gracefully. "My puppet, the key to Shambala!"
Himmler's fat mug split in a wide grin, and even Goebbels's cadaverous face looked alive with mirth. The former man chuckled,"He's a bit - small - isn't he, Fraulein?"
Dietlinde's face darkened slightly. These men were from Hitler's inner circle and had to be treated with respect, but they were still arrogant fools. They didn't believe a mere woman could pull this off. Even the great Fuhrer said good German women stayed in their place - haus,kinder,kirche.
She would show them all what a woman really was capable of.
Dietlinde thought and acted quickly, "Looks can be deceiving. This Shambalan was cunning and difficult to capture. But as you can see, he is now completely under my control, thanks to Dr. Mengele," she bowed her head in the doctor's direction and he flushed slightly, as if pleased. "Inside his mind, he holds the secret knowledge needed to open a portal to his world. I am able to tap that knowledge and he will obey without question."
She pointed theatrically and barked, "Awaken!"
Edward's eyes snapped open and gasps ran through the crowd. His golden eyes, the pupils constricted to small dots, seemed too large for his pale face. They blinked regularly, but otherwise were devoid of any expression.
He was a puppet and Eckart pulled the strings taut. "Stand up!"
They'd had a dry run yesterday when Eckart ordered Edward to complete the Array. After he'd finished, men moved in with special tools and incised all his chalk marks deeply into the stone floor. The Array could not be erased or changed.
Eckart nodded at Hess and he called out, "Sargeant! Bring in the sacrifices!"
Doors on the far side of the Array groaned open and a large mass of people came filing in, at least two hundred of them. Hitler had ordered their collection from mental institutions and nursing homes around the country: the physically and mentally handicapped parasites that drained the new German society of its energy. If not sacrificed, they would be herded into windowless buildings and gassed anyway. The fact most of them were also Jewish made the decision easier.
Herded by soldiers with submachine guns, the people shuffled slowly into the middle of the Array. Just in case of trouble, Mengele drugged their final meals with a mild tranquilizer. They would not know what was happening until it was too late to resist.
Once the sacrifices were all in place, Dietlinde issued her next order: "Trigger the Array!"
The Puppet Alchemist also walked slowly, as if he wasn't sure of his footing, until he reached the first incised line. He sank down to his knees and paused.
Eckart knew what he needed. Blood.
When she questioned him after the fourth dose of Puppetmaster, the Shambalan had revealed the role of blood in alchemy. She approached Edward as he held out his left hand and she took hold of it before pulling a small knife out of a pocket of her uniform.
The blade flashed and a small round dot of blood welled up on Edward's middle finger. Eckart hated to mess up the snowy white glove, but this was for the glory of the Fatherland. The Puppet Alchemist stared at the blood as if fascinated before he touched the blood with the fingers of his right hand.
Once a little blood was smeared on each finger tip, he was ready.
He reached down to the Array.
"Fraulein Eckart!? What is going on here?"
Dietlinde whirled around to see the rocketeers, led by Alfons Heidreich had entered the Great Hall. They stared in open mouth amazement at the Array, the sacrifices, and the Puppet Alchemist. The latter was frozen in place, as if waiting for the interruption to cease.
Damnation! Eckart looked down and gritted her teeth, and then re-arranged her face into a dazzling smile before she looked back up at Alfons. "I am sorry, Herr Heidreich, but as you can see, we are quite busy."