Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Unknown Sacrifice ❯ Unknown Sacrifice ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Uniasus

Unknown Sacrifice

AU from Manga chapter 35

Chapter 9 - Unknown Sacrifice

Al was surrounded by white. White walls, white floor, white ceiling, or maybe a white sky. He really could not tell the difference. He turned a couple full circles, and still seeing nothing sat down. Quickly he got antsy. Why was he sitting when if he picked a direction he could get out of here?

Somewhere in his mind a voice hinted that there was no escape. He was property of the gate now and if it got a hold of you, you were not released easily. But that was promptly banished. Al had to get out. Ed needed him, last time he checked his brother was in extreme pain and he had to get back to help him. But if he was in the gate…could he find his body? Or Ed's arm and leg? The thrill of such possibilities urged him on. If would find what the brothers had been looking for, he would. For some reason the armor felt that his goal was behind him, he had been walking the wrong way.

Turning around he was met with a toothy smile by a bodiless person. No face, now leg, no arms; the only reason Al could tell there was a presence in front of him was the halo of shadow around the figure. But face it, a halo of light would not show up in a room of while light. Slightly unnerved, the alchemist took a step back. The smile opened, revealing the lack of a tongue. A thin, high laugh escaped it and at that moment, Al wanted to do nothing but run.

Scar was engulfed in white light, but if the holy glow meant that Isbala was pleased with him, where was the god to welcome him? Where were his ancestors, waiting with open arms to welcome him into their number? Was he not in the Blessed Plains? Maybe Isbala was not pleased, even though the teachings forbade alchemy they also spoke out against killing. Was he now doomed to wonder this white world forever?

And the Isvalan would gladly due such penance. His work in the world was necessary and he had done his part in making it a safer place. A sound from behind him startled him. It was high, and very thin. After a moment, recognition sparked in his red eyes that someone was laughing. And laughing at him. His beliefs were the butt of humor, and Scar was getting the sinking feeling that he was not yet dead but that would soon be fixed. Turning around, the dark skinned man found him self facing the younger Elric brother, the one who was not a state alchemist. The source of the laughing was coming from in between them, a floating mouth.

After much planning, teamwork, alchemy, and a deal of luck Mustang and Armstrong had managed to ensnare Lust. Cornering her, the fighting duo had encased her in a stone cage Armstrong had transmuted. Both fighters here huffing heavily, and Armstrong never took the time to commit on how his techniques had been passed down from generation to generation.

The much needed break was cut short when the trapped hot mamma extended her fingers and poked holes in one of the walls. Quick to react, the Flame Alchemist found himself at one of them and proceeded to snap. The interior of the box ignited, and Lust screamed as she died. The fire died and the raven-haired man looked inside to note the damage.

Lust was kneeling over, and quickly regenerating. Looking up the homunculus noticed that bastard alchemist peeping though one of her lance holes like a peeping tom. That guy did not know when to quit, did he. The gifted woman raised her hand to lengthen her fingers but she never got to release them. From the roof of her barred enclosure and the opposite side thin javelins of stone pierced her body. She screamed as another soul left the stone in her chest and returned to its place in the gate's keeping.

The next onslaught was continuous flame, leaving no time for the gorgeous woman to regenerate and therefore accelerating her deaths. It kept coming and coming, flame and spears, giving her no time to live. All she had wanted was to get rid of her cursed body, to become a normal human like she had been before the government had picked her up off the streets. Before the liquid Philosopher's Stone was forced into her vein and concentrated to reform the solid where her heart would be located. All she wanted was to live. But it seemed like her current form was doomed to die. Despite being "immortal" eventually her supply would end, for being a homunculus meant you were always hunted. People wanted answers, their own Stone. Other just wanted to rid the planet of all things unnatural, as Lust had to agree was her. Could she not just go back to the life she had had? The woman wanted to love, grow old with a partner, to not be chased anymore. Was she denied that because of some choice she did not even make?!

Lust opened her heart, her last scream of pain as she died, relief as she left the body, and despair at her place in the world.

Hearing another scream of such emotion Roy could not help but stop. She sounded like Ed had… Ed. Snapping his head around he noticed that Havoc had taken over caring for the blonde teen and Hawkeye was keeping the last horror at bay.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder Roy turned and looked up at Armstrong. One look was all it took and Roy nodded.

The Strongarm Alchemist returned the gesture and removed his palm from his superior. Turning to join the first lieutenant in her fight, the man of sparkles (all gone at this point) was stopped.

"Alex, do you think you could lower the walls?"

Who knew why Mustang made such a request, but he filled it. All that was left of the evil monster was a pile of ashes and…a Philosopher's Stone. Perhaps it could be used to heal Edward Elric, or bring back Alphonse Elric who was still engulfed by the light of the transmutation. The well-developed man watched his coworker pick up the Stone, or try to. At the light touch of a tentative finger it crumbled into a fine red dust to mingle with Lust's ashes.

Roy just stood there, not quite accepting what had just happened. With out the stone, he might lose Ed. And the way things were looking now; he might also lose the younger brother. That could not happen he had to do something to retrieve Al. If only somehow he could penetrate the light and get to the child. Who else would look after him?

A shot rang out and Roy looked over at Riza. Beautiful Riza, doing all that she can to protect Ed. Ed. He had almost given up hope on the boy. While there might not be anything he could do for his brother, there was no way both would be lost.

Alphonse and Scar stood facing each other, the laughing presence now serious between them.

"An exchange will be made, as well as a service fee charged."

The shadow outlined disappeared, and the two of them were left staring at empty space. The next thing Al noticed was that his point of view had changed. It was if he somehow got shorter. Scar's gasp caused him to look up, and indeed he was now looking at the Isvalan's upper chest instead of looking down at him. In wonderment, the alchemist held out his hands and noticed that all though he could feel that he had hands, he could not see them. Surrounding his invisible body was a halo of shadow. Had he become the figure? Or a member of one of his race? Plus, Al could not help wondering what exchange was being made, what the fee was, and who was paying it. At this point…well let's just say things were not looking good.

Scar took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. The floating smile had left, and than the empty suit of armor turned into one. Was he seeing the younger brother's soul? He did not have much time to contemplate the thought as a tingling sensation began in his toes. Looking down he noticed that his feet were disintegrating. Small sparkles carried his broken up matter and landed…at the feet of his companion. There, they reassembled into bare feet of a pale color.

The man looked down again and noticed that he was soon to lose his ankles, and somehow despite not having feet he was still able to stand. Once again looking over to the alchemist Scar noticed the feet now were almost complete. All the boy needed was heels.

Riza continued with her slaughter of the large child in front of her, covering for Havoc who was treating Ed. Every time the blob got up and charged at them, the sharpshooter would knock him back the few steps he had gain. While the draw was buying them time, she knew that her ammo could not last forever. Something else had to be thought of to stop the homunculus. If not, then the group had to evacuate, and soon.

BANG! Havoc had gotten used to the rhythm of his partner's gun. Shot, 4 seconds, click, and bang! Every sixth shot was followed by Hawkeye picking up the next gun which Havoc reloaded for her when she emptied the other. But most of his attention was on Edward. The bleeding circles all over the youth's body were numerous and bloody. While the bleeding was now slower, hopefully stopping, Ed's shirt plus parts of Havoc's and Hawkeye's were soaked in blood. He hoped that the kid would pull through regardless of all the blood he lost.

"How is he?"

Havoc answer was the same as it was the last time.

"His breathing is still shallow, the bleeding's slowed, he's pale, and…he's getting cold."

Al could not believe it. He was witnessing the alchemist hunter in front of him lose his body while he himself was regain his old one. To have his body back was dream he and his brother had dreamed of for years, and now it was finally happening!

But the way it was happening. Al was glad when at Lab 5 Edward did not use all those lives to bring him his body. And yet, here it was happening. The transmutation was being fueled by the Philosopher's Stone, and the body lost belonged to Scar. He never wanted it this way! There had to be someway to stop it, to not use human life! Al tried to use his new feet and forming legs to move, get out of their and stop it, but he found that he could not move.

"Scar --”

"Hmm?" The question had dragged his gaze away from his dissolving body to the youth in front of him.

"I'm so sorry!" While having no eyes to cry with, it was evident that Alphonse was crying. "I didn't want to get my body back through other's sacrifices. I did not want anyone else to go through the pain of it. We wanted to fix our own bodies in our own ways. Not like this!"

Scar let the boy sob for a while before replying. "Alphonse Elric, I understand your pain. The thinking of using other lives to benefit your own is wrong. But you did not know this would happen, that I would be part of a sacrifice. But, you can not stop it now, and truthfully I do not mind leaving this world.

"My actions have brought harm to my own people. They are subjected to more racism because I am on the prowl. If one Isvalan kills State Alchemists, what's to stop the rest of the race from killing ordinary people? It is time for me go, and I'm happy that I could help you in some way.

"I'm sure the lives in the Stone are happy too. It can not be pleasant to have your soul trapped when you know there is somewhere else you should be. You are releasing them Alphonse Elric from their pain, and me too."

And now the tears were visible on Al face and the last strands of hair materialized on his head as Scar disappeared, the sun glasses he was holding clattering to the ground.

Roy Mustang and Alex Armstrong arrived just in time to hear Havoc report to the blonde woman standing guard. The raven haired went straight to the body on the floor; double checking what his officer said was true, hoping it was not. No luck, they had to leave soon.

"We need to get him to a hospital right away."

"Sir! What about Alphonse?"

"I know!" The colonel stood up quickly. He softened his voice, "It's just that...Edward…"

"Lust? Lust? Where are you Lust?"

All four heads turned their attention to the last homunculus. He was ambling around, calling for his lost partner.

"Lust! Have you seen Lust?" Gluttony looked toward the group and rushed forward, hope in his eyes that someone could help him.

He was answered with a bullet in his eye.

"Lust…Lust…" the large child lamented while he struggled to his feet. Since it was obvious the group behind him did not know anything, trudging toward the door. He kept looking around, as if she might pop up anywhere.

"Sir, should we just let him go?" Hawkeye asked.

"Yes, he is of no threat to us now. We'll leave in five minutes. The transmutation should be done by then."

"I have never seen such a long lasting alchemy," the Strongarm Alchemist remarked.

"Neither have I Major," Mustang answered back, hoping that the result of it was not drastic.

As if on cue, the light receded back into the ground and a topless figure was seen in the center of the array. It appeared to be about a 9 year old, blonde boy who was holding something in his hands. No other figure could be seen, meaning something had happened to Scar during the alchemic reaction.

Suddenly the boy's head shot up and he looked around franticly. Spotting the group of military personal, his eyes drifted down to the person on the ground.

"Brother! Brother!" Full sprint, the boy charged at them and Armstrong quickly got out of the way, pulling Havoc to safety too.

"Brother! Ed! Ed, wake up!" He was now shaking the blonde alchemist's shoulder's in attempt to break his sleep.

Roy quickly intervened by putting his hand on top of the boy's. "Al?"

The boy looked and nodded. "What happened to Ed?"

"You have your body back," Roy could only stare in amazement.

"Colonel," The sharp shooter's voice cut through, "we need to get him to hospital, and Al should get checked out too. You can ask question later."

"Here we go!" Armstrong bent down and picked up Edward from the floor. Mustang took the lead, with the rest of the group following.