Dangerous Doorstep

The following day was a 'normal' day, or what had passed for a normal day since Ed had been in the city. It was the day after that when Rashad took him to the Temple to meet the High Priest again and Ed could start reading what was in the Library. When they got there, the High Priest was waiting, and relieved Rashad of the boy so he could go about his own duties while the elderly man guided Ed through the lower levels of the Temple. Soon, they came to a room which was very large and had very little light, other than around the tables near the door.

Facing him, the High Priest said, "We have found the texts and scrolls keep better in darkness, so we keep this chamber as such with that intent. The air flow is also limited for the same reason. I would not advise you to sit and read in this room. As such, you would take one of the low-sitting lamps to find the text or texts you wish to read, gather them, return the lamp to its place, and find another room to sit. Once you have our two oldest—as far as we are aware—I shall show you to those areas. Come."

The High Priest moved into the room to follow his own earlier instructions, collecting a lamp, heading into one of the rows, taking the two large scrolls he meant (though he handed those to Ed), and returning them to the doors so he could return the lamp. Ed was thankful to see two lamps low enough to be in his reach, even in a six-year-old's body. Lamp returned, the High Priest led the boy up to an area Ed had noticed on one of his many visits, where the rooms weren't really 'rooms' and the longest outer wall was a series of very well-hidden windows. Light spilled into the room, and of the several acolytes there, one (or more) had obviously decided to open some of them for a breeze.

The acolytes all looked up as they came in, giving small bows but keeping silent—until one of the teenaged boys asked suddenly, "Lord High Priest, could we ask if the boy is a new acolyte?"

The others stared at him in horror, but Ed just smiled (in place of a snort) and chose a table to sit at as the High Priest replied in his gentle voice, "You may. He is not. However, he has proven to be an Avatar of Ishbala, and so he now has time here to read, study, and discuss topics of great importance to our people."

Most of the boys looked thoughtful, but the first one asked curiously, "There is a way to know for certain that he is an Avatar?" While he did, Ed unrolled the first scroll (or maybe it was the second in actual order)—and began giggling.

"How can you be so rude?" one asked darkly. "In the presence of the High Priest no less!"

Ed looked up at him with mirth in his gaze. "I'm six years old, and this scroll just gave the answer to your question, if you'd like to look?" He tapped it as he made the offer, and curiosity got the better of the teenaged acolytes, so they gathered around his table to look at the scroll. "These are artifacts Ishbala has given us," Ed said, then tapped the image of the one he'd been given. "After those sudden lights in town a few days ago, the High Priest gave this to me. It grew a mini-forest and started dripping lots of water."

"Really?" one asked in amazement as the others gave startled murmurs. "That would be a sign of an Avatar for sure."

"Yeah," Ed agreed, settling to start reading, but then he blinked again and looked up at the High Priest, who just looked amused. "Um, I guess it's been a very long time since you've read this one?"

"It has," the elderly man agreed, and the others looked between them in surprise.

"It says in one of the first lines written about this artifact that all Ishbalans should be given it when they've begun to ponder the work they would like to do in our community," Ed told him. "Funny, but I was just talking about that with my family a couple days ago, too."

At his wryly amused expression, the elderly man chuckled and asked, "Do you know why we do not?"

"Why's that?" the boy blinked in surprise.

"A few of our number feared being controlled or manipulated, or forced into a task they did not want. Others—many others—had decided their eldest sons must follow in their footsteps, and this artifact most often gave no such indication. And so, since many, many generations ago now, we have not been testing anyone but some very unusual people," the man explained.

"Why did the Priests back then allow that?" the boy blinked in utter confusion.

"Because they were amongst those who wished their sons to follow in their footsteps," the High Priest informed Ed, who just stared. "And it did not change because that is still how the majority of Priests feel now."

"Then maybe they should be tested with it, because I'm pretty sure dictators won't be shown they should be Priests," Ed answered flatly, and the High Priest chuckled.

"No, most likely not," the High Priest agreed. "However, the majority refuse to be tested because 'it is not a requirement' of being a Priest. Some, like Priest Ishan, volunteered to be tested, and was shown to be a Priest in truth, and those who have similarly been tested are the most open-minded of our number. Those who refuse the test are closed-minded and prefer current tradition to the way Ishbala intended we live."

Looking back at the scroll with a sad expression, he sighed and said, "So that's how they took advantage of the barrier keeping Ishbala back from everyone...And that same barrier prevented him from being able to fix it."

"Indeed," the High Priest agreed. "Now, will you be fine to read those in their entirety while I return to my work for a time? You will be able to ask more questions later today. One of the acolytes will be able to show you to my workspace once you have finished reading."

"Yes, I'll be fine now. Thank you, Lord High Priest," Ed agreed, giving the man a nod which could pass as a small bow.

The elderly man gave the acolytes nods, then left the room—and as soon as he was gone, one boy asked harshly and almost desperately, "Do you mean that by Ishbala's own will, I don't have to be a Priest unless that artifact shows I'm meant to be one?"

Looking up at him, Ed told him, "If you don't want to be one, it won't show you should be one. And you shouldn't be one if you really don't want to be one, because that will just make you miserable and it'll mean you won't try very hard to help anyone coming to you for help or guidance. That's not fair to you or to the worshipers. If you actually hate this position, go to the High Priest on your own and ask to be tested. That's still allowed if you asked for it yourself. Do you have anything you already know you really wanted to do with your life?"

"I like to fix and make things," he said, sitting across from the younger boy. "I liked visiting with the Amestrians because they would show me devices they'd made and how they were put together, and that could easily hold my interest for hours. Even a whole day sometimes. The Priests banned me from visiting them other than on my time off because I'd forget myself so easily."

Ed grinned. "That sounds just like my friend Winna. If my father's right, the artifact will show you something you'll find fascinating. And I still say you should go ask the High Priest to be tested." He then looked around at all of the teenaged boys there right then and said, "Actually, it might be best if you found all the other acolytes and all of you asked to be tested. Those of you who truly want to be here will stay, I'm sure of it, but all the rest would be free to do what they were intended to, and possibly some others who very much wished to be here and were turned down due to all your space being filled would be able to become Priests themselves."

Some of the acolytes leaned over to read the section of the scroll on the artifact they were discussing, then stood back and traded looks. One said hesitantly, "If this is true, then making people aware of what it is and does so they can request the test is actually the best way to do things. Especially if the High Priest is right about why it changed. We need to change it back."

"Some of our families won't be happy about that, and we might be disowned," one of the others commented. "That's probably true in other families, too. If this wasn't an issue anymore, I'd do it in a heartbeat—but to be left with no home and no family..."

"Then tell that to the High Priest, too. Maybe he'll have an idea to get around it," Ed offered.

"But what if it shows that we should be using something evil like alchemy?" one asked, expression almost terrified.

"You do realize your soul stays in your body because it's being held there by an alchemic array, right?" Ed asked with a cold smirk, and they gaped at him. "Alchemy is a scientific study in Amestris, and even they don't know that yet. But it's a science which is the basic building blocks of our entire world, and everything is based on it, whether we're openly aware of that or not. That same science is also the only way to free Ishbala, so it's only those of your community who chose to study it who have any chance of freeing Ishbala. According to the High Priest, there's a text here which cautions us to be careful with it, but it doesn't say we shouldn't use it, that it's unnatural, or that it's evil. And if you thought it was evil, truly, then the artifact wouldn't give it as your actual place in this society."

After a very long silence, they began trading looks, then looking at Ed or the scroll, then trading looks again. Finally, one of the acolytes said, "I'm a Priest and have always known it. If any of the rest of you have any doubts at all, you should be tested first. Now. And like Jed said, you should find the others and tell them about all this so they can be tested, too. I'll stay here to guide him to the High Priest once he's done his task for today, since I can wait to have my place affirmed."

"You know his name?" several of the others gaped.

One other said in amusement, "We know his name, and that he's Warrior-Priest Rashad's son, because we're invested in being Priests and knowing our people. That means all of you need testing, because you all aren't nearly interested enough in the people you'd need to guide one day. Go ahead. If it means you'll be able to do something you truly love, that's the better option."

The others paused, then nodded and left, and Ed looked at the two who remained to comment, "I'm a little surprised you do know me, though."

The two chuckled and the second one said, "You're notable just for the fact that you managed to break the ice around Rashad's heart. He's a good man, and to have lost his wife and child in childbirth was very hard on him. Other than his brother, he largely separated himself from others, which was also how being the Warrior helped him. Since he brought you back here, he's been far better able to be a Priest as well because he isn't trying to pull himself away from others anymore. Now, we all have reading to do, so shall we?"

All three turned to their reading as Ed found out about their artifacts and some of the first things Ishbala gave them as instructions. Honestly, though, he felt a lot like he was reading instructions Minerva would have given to the Cetra. No gender differences appeared, and many age-related things weren't noted. The rules were simple and straight-forward, and if they'd kept using all of the artifacts the way they'd been meant, their society would have been shockingly cohesive and peaceful, without complicating issues. But, he was sure these were as close to Ishbala's words as they could be.

When he was finished and had rolled them both back up, the acolyte who had offered to show him to the High Priest when he was done asked, "Have you finished reading, then?"

Looking up at him, Ed agreed, "Yes. I should have thought to bring my own paper and pen so I could write down archaic words, though." At the last, he gave a wry grin.

The acolyte chuckled. "Can you find your way back to the Library, or would you rather a guide until you've been there a few times?"

Pausing, Ed thought about that for a minute, then realized, "Even though I probably could find my way, it would be harder and take longer until I know that area better. Maybe for now a guide would be good, if it's not too much trouble?"

He smiled and nodded as he rose, then said, "That's fine. Let's go." He had his own reading materials in hand. Ed followed him down to the Library, where they both put away their respective materials, then the acolyte led him to what was effectively the High Priest's office and left him at the door.

Ed looked in and saw several acolytes there, and the High Priest said to him, "Come in, Jed." When Ed stepped into the room, the elderly man told him, "We are waiting on a reaction to the artifact just now." His eyes were sparkling with mirth. "Did you have questions about your reading?"

"Not really, though there were a few words I didn't know. These two were mostly very simple and straight-forward," the boy offered. "Though, I forgot to take writing materials with me to note the words."

"I am certain I know the words in question—I had asked my own mentor their meanings once. Let me define them for you before you go," the man said. Ed nodded, then listened intently as the man defined them. None of the definitions changed what he'd read, either. By then, the artifact needed to be switched off to another person, so Ed left the room to find Rashad.

On the way, he found his way to the front entrance near the top of the steps—and blinked as he faced outward and saw a long line of tents denoting the Amestrian camp. It hadn't been that large days ago, and he hadn't looked when they'd been on their way in, too excited about the Library.

From beside him, Rashad said quietly, "I think we're running out of time to free Ishbala." The man's large hand rested on his head, and he was suddenly reminded of Rude and how the man had been like a father to him more than once.

Biting his bottom lip, Ed thought on the words for a minute before saying, "It's odd, though. Why are they doing this now? Unless...It was a reaction to Lust's vanishing..."

"Why would it be?" Rashad asked in surprise. "If she was never actually registered in their military—"

"The Führer is a homunculus, too," Ed answered flatly. "Lust's younger brother, Wrath, to be more precise. I think the only one who may not be formed as a human yet is Pride, and that's because they stuck him in a child's body—who was a child of about ten when I was sixteen. So, I guess he might get that body sometime this year, or he gets it when he would have been...around six years old, I guess? Otherwise, he's actually the first and oldest of them."

The man was silent for a long minute, then asked, "So, how long do we have before they attack?"

Crossing his arms, the boy eyed the camp for a minute before saying, "I think they're still setting up, but they should be almost done. Maybe as early as tomorrow? They might not attack first, though—they might send people to talk with you, on the premise of 'following protocol' so their own people don't get mad at them. If they decide to follow it, you'll gain yourselves some extra time. Maybe up to a week, or longer, depending on how the first visit goes. I don't have much hope of you getting more than the week, though, not after what happened last time. If they want to 'investigate' the area where she disappeared, let them. They can't track what happened to me. Of course, they won't call her Lust."

He sighed. "All right. Let's head home. I'll let them know in the morning. By the way, shouldn't you have been with the High Priest longer?"

"The first two were easy, so I didn't have much to ask about. And he's got acolytes to help sort out now."

"Does he?" Rashad asked, lifting Ed into his arms to carry him.

"One of the scrolls talked about the artifacts. As it turns out, everyone was supposed to be tested by the one he gave me. A lot of the acolytes are only here because their fathers wanted them to be, not because they want to be. So, most of the acolytes have gone to the High Priest to be tested so they can get out of here and clear space for people who actually want to do the job," the boy explained.

Rashad laughed at the words, truly sounding amused. "And you seriously think you're only an Avatar of Ishbala because of your blood?"

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're following Ishbala's premise even when he's not talking to you—you're just reiterating to us how we should have been living, entirely of your own accord."

Ed twisted to stare up at him in surprise for a minute, then blinked and looked away. "I hadn't thought of it that way before. It must just be a quirk from how long I've lived."

"Maybe," Rashad agreed.

"Well, it's not because I always thought like this," the boy replied in amusement. "When I was actually six, I had no clue anything was wrong in the world, and when I was sixteen, I never thought anything was wrong with society forcing things on people. I didn't even realize money is a societal flaw, a huge one. If my life hadn't gone on for so long, I'm pretty sure some of what I've learned I'd never have known."

"I can't argue that, Little Avatar," Rashad replied, clearly in a teasing tone.

"Aw, come on..." Ed sighed, and the older man just laughed.

FoWD-HC

The next two days were calm, for which everyone was thankful as they watched the Amestrian military camp warily. Finally, on the next day Ed was supposed to go to the Temple with Rashad, they walked up the steps and into the main room—only to see several of the Priests and the High Priest standing in the middle of it with Führer Bradley and several of his generals. A number of Ishbalan citizens were against the walls, gazes wary and apprehensive.

Bradley was just saying, "—have every right to question your people about one of our Privates' disappearance."

"Not while an army of that size is on our doorstep," one Priest answered bitterly. "That's a threat, not an investigation."

"Rashad, stop them!" Ed said softly to the man.

Rashad glanced down at him as the Führer's hand moved to his sword hilt—then the Warrior-Priest moved forward and said, "Excuse me. Forgive my late arrival, Lord High Priest." As the High Priest nodded at him calmly, gaze flashing over to Ed for a moment, the Amestrians turned to face him. Rashad bowed slightly to them and said, "I can show you the location where the soldiers were in town that day. If you wish to choose a specific party of investigators, I can also inform the people who I know were there that those Amestrians in particular have valid reason to ask questions of them." He then paused and looked at Ed, saying, "My son was there that day and witnessed it, so you could ask him some questions about what he saw, if you like, while some of your party arranges your investigation team." His gaze then moved back to them calmly.

While Jed was annoyed about that offer, he was also glad the sense of pending threat had dropped nearly completely at the words. And it was true that offering them someone to question would way-lay some of that, too, so he just looked between them worriedly, like any other child who was aware something was wrong but not knowing exactly what.

The men all blinked in surprise, then the Führer turned back to the Priests and the High Priest to ask in puzzled amusement, "If you had arranged all this already, why in the world were you effectively taunting us?"

The High Priest chuckled and replied, "While my Priests are normally fairly mild, many are not pleased with the size of the army outside now. I actually could not have stopped some of their anger from showing, so I chose not to bother. And Warrior-Priest Rashad's timing was very good this time, as it let some of my Priests vent before providing a distraction." Bradley's lips twitched in amusement as his hand lifted off his sword hilt (Ed sighed faintly in relief at that), and the High Priest nodded and said, "You may use my workspace to speak with young Jed. If you would arrange what you need, then follow me?" His gaze then turned to Ed as he called, "Come, child." With that, he offered his hand, so Ed moved over to take it.

After a moment, the Führer nodded and turned to his generals to send about half of them to their camp with Rashad to arrange the team who would go to the site with their guide. The others, he asked that they wait for him to return after speaking with the boy. In turn, that led to the High Priest guiding Ed and Bradley to his office of a sort, then leaving them there as he returned to the other Priests and the worried civilians who had been in the main room.

In the room, the homunculus Wrath sat across from Ed and said, "I hear you saw a woman disappear some days ago now. She was an Amestrian soldier who came into town that day. Can you tell me what happened to her?"

Mentally, Ed had to blink at how he was actually being taken as a child, but didn't show it as his brow furrowed in thought—if he was being taken as a child, he'd do his best to play it up for once—before he said, "They came into town with a bunch of guns. I guess they were showing them off? I was playing in an alley nearby with my brother-cousin and heart-sister, and we were watching them." He paused and his brow furrowed deeper before he went on, "Then, there was a bright flash of light around her and—just a bunch of lights flying into the air everywhere. I didn't get to see much more because all the adults started grabbing us and running, but I don't think she was there anymore after all those lights started floating around." He then grinned (playing up his child side) and added, "But then, when we got to look later, the whole street was growing!"

The older man blinked and asked, "The whole street was growing?"

"Yeah!" Jed agreed, still smiling. "Mostly, it was grass, but Uncle Zahir and Aunt Nasima got to take some fruit trees home with them. I think some bushes grew, too—at least, there are still a few against the walls near there when there weren't before." Actually, it was tempting to do to Wrath what he'd done to Lust, but here, he really had no way to hide or cover it, so it was really not in his best interests to do just yet.

The man eyed him thoughtfully for a moment before asking, "Had anyone moved close to them—maybe just around or just outside the range to touch her?"

Ed had to keep up the child illusion, so furrowed his brow again as he thought about his best answer. Finally, he shook his head and said, "I think the only people close enough to have touched her were the other soldiers. All of the others were back—like, from here to the far wall." At the words, he pointed at the wall across the High Priest's desk from them, and because they were close to the entry door, that left at least five yards of space. It was true, too—even he'd been at a distance.

"Hmmm..." the man murmured thoughtfully, gaze towards the far wall. After a few moments, it returned to Ed and he asked, "Is there anything you can think of which was odd that day, before she disappeared and those lights appeared?"

Blinking, the boy shook his head. "I didn't see anything while we were playing. We only stopped to look at them when they were showing off their guns." That was a decidedly creative and decidedly ambiguous question to ask a child.

"Not even the presence of someone who normally wouldn't have been there at that time?" the man asked.

"Um...I can't think of anyone who wouldn't have been there for something," he offered. What did the man think he would gain by being that ambiguous?

The man looked exasperated for a moment before he decided to re-phrase to say, "Usually, people go certain places at certain times, on certain days. It's a pattern for them to...for example, shop for food on the weekend, but to go looking for other items on a specific day of the week. Most people keep to them once they start them. So, on that day, did you see someone you usually wouldn't have seen on that day?"

Again, the boy blinked as he realized what the man was getting at—and also realized Bradley knew nothing at all about Ishbalan culture—and said, "But almost everyone goes to the market almost every day because we mostly only get food for one day at a time. It would be weirder if someone didn't show up than if they did."

"I see," the man sighed faintly. "Thank you for your help, child. Go ahead and play...or whatever you would be doing just now." He rose and opened the door to the room, holding it for Jed as well, then pulling it closed behind the boy.

"Good luck," Jed offered, before almost running back to the main room to find the High Priest. It had been surprising on many levels, and that Wrath hadn't noticed anything odd about him...A sentience not Ishbala, who was still behind that wall, was shielding him?