Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Unknown Sacrifice ❯ Exchange ( Chapter 8 )

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

By: Uniasus

Unknown Sacrifice

AU from Manga chapter 35

Chapter 8 - Exchange

The result of banished the fear in the military personnel's minds and instead pulled their heartstrings to the point just shy of breaking. Out the light reached an ear splitting scream with such volume and force that had Al been in his rightful young body, his would have bleed. The rest of the group covered there ears against the sound, and even Scar down below grimaced and tried not to think that pain resulting in such a sound was coming from his own hands.

The scream belonged to none other than the blonde State Alchemist, Fullmetal Edward Elric. While it proved that he was not dead yet, relief did not settle in Roy's chest. The pain conveyed in that cry of anguish --- he could not help but turn his head away from the transmutation. At this rate, Edward would not last the hour. He would have failed another subordinate, another teammate, another friend. That thought launched the alchemist into action and Riza's cry of “Colonel” was unsuccessful in stopping his leap over the banister; though it did have the effect of jolting the others into action.

Landing on all fours Roy did the first thing that popped in to his mind - get Scar away from the transmutation in an attempt to stop it. He shouldered the Isvalan strongly as he lifted himself to his upright position and the force of the alchemist's assault landed him inside the circle that contained the one he was trying to kill. But by the time of the impact, the shriek of pain had ended.

Ed did not understand what was going on until the reaction started. It was then everything became clear, horribly clear. With the light came the dark, the little greedy, leech like hands whose goal was to bring to the other side of the Gate. He could not go, not yet. He still had so much to do! Al… The self hated he currently held, for being in this situation, and the pain caused by the Gate's minions erupted from his lips that while lamented his life, and seemed to last as long, was brief. For his body could not handle the pain that traveled through his veins and the last thing he saw was more tiny hands from the Gate coming to claim him.

Alphonse was half a step behind the flame alchemist, with even more disregarded to his own life. Being made of armor gave him a sense of defense, almost as if nothing could hurt him. That is, except water or a large explosion that might damage his brother's seal; but here there was no rushing river, no drip of water seeping in from outside. Honestly his only cause of worry was Scar, but his brother's superior was taking care of him. And while there was the threat of Gluttony…Al felt confidant in his abilities in dodging the blob's attacks. So, with no thought to himself Al charged into the light himself, straight for the small circle that held Envy.

Despite being hollow, he could muster up a lot of forces behind his charges. This one managed to throw Envy from the light-encompassed circle. Before Al could rejoice however, he found that his arm felt tight to move. It was as if someone had attached it to the ground via a string. Looking down the young Elric noticed the hand-like tentacles that belonged to the gate clinging to his arm, with more attached to his legs. They were what Ed attributed to the Gate as its arms. Glancing over his shoulder Al noticed more black lines wiggling their way towards him before the world turned to white.

Armstrong joined the fray, his target non other than the homunculus Lust. His initial attack, launched from the air as he jumped, held the essence of surprise and skewered her. Despite knowing she could regenerate from what Al told them of their group, his surprise was not any less. It was very different to hear about coming back to life rather than actually witnessing the event. Not very pretty.

She was quick on the rebound too. Even before completely healed she launched her attack, fingers extending to lance him. A quick dodge roll succeeded in preventing a fatal wound, but Armstrong was still pierced in the shoulder. His next attack she was expecting and efficiently dodged. This was going to be an interesting battle.

Havoc was nothing special. No fancy alchemy to help, just average shooting for a soldier, and not the greatest of close-range fighting skills. So he did what he could and aim for the big fat guy, Gluttony if he remembered right. Got him right in between the eyes too. His moment of joy was short lived as the mass, knocked over from the gun shot, rose like a zombie without a trace of blood on his face. In fact, he face held a very childish look; one finger in his mouth, a little drool in one corner, and a look of being completely and utterly lost. BAM! Before Havoc could even complete his allowed moment of being stupefied, the markswoman next to him shot a bull's eye. Two souls down and only God knows how many left in that creature.

Hawkeye did not waste a look at Havoc who had turned to look at her after her shot. These things had multiple lives, and to kill them they had to take everyone one of them. She certainly wished she knew how many though, she might not have brought enough ammo. Though is she and the other blond took turns shooting their target they could hold out longer. Ever scanning her surroundings, it was no surprise she was the first one to notice the results of Mustang's and Alphonse's actions and act. Firing once she too jumped from her sniper position and joined the majority of the group down below.

Ed's eyes snapped open at the next bout of pain he experienced. It was if he had been, while naked, completely mummified in strong tape which had just been ripped off all at once. He wanted to scream his pain, but no sound would ensue. His voice was gone, plus he did not have the energy to take the large breath needed or to open his mouth. His amount of strength did amount to enough to allow him to open eyes. To the alchemist's surprise, he was no longer in the subunit of the transmutation circle; something that displaced him. Well Ed was not going to complain, he was no longer at the mercy of the Gate, but still inside the larger transmutation circle he did not know for how much longer.

A sputter of indignation caused the teen to lift his up to see Envy too get displaced from his place in the array. His body was covered with round, bleeding wounds, which Edward suspected he too housed, and the green haired boy was not regenerating. Spying Ed, the homunculus snarled in his direction. A shot rang out and Envy fell over backwards. He did not rise. Ed felt himself sinking away, despite all the calamity around him that would normally keep a person awake. The young blonde closed his eyes and before he was completely gone he felt a hand on his shoulder and a voice call out “Edward!” He did not respond.

His first lieutenant's cry earned him a one way ticket into the wall. After knocking Scar into the array, Mustang joined Armstrong against the homunculus with breasts that would rival Aphrodite's. The sound had distressed him, causing the drop in his guard, but the enemy attack held some merits. Hawkeye was dragging Edward outside the transmutation circle's perimeter. Once there, she started ripping the teen's shirt and started treating his wounds as well as she could. Good, that meant Fullmetal was still amongst them. The colonel was also pleased to notice Maes's murderer living on his back, unmoving. In giving Scar his Philosopher's Stone Envy had lost his immortality trait. His attention was soon returned to the fight as Lust dodged one of Armstrong's projectiles, only to have it narrowly miss the alchemist's left shoulder.

Left alone, Havoc soon realized how quickly you can deplete your ammunition supply. Having an immortal enemy did not help matters either. After reloading and reducing Gluttony's life count the blonde descended and came to Hawkeye. He had about 17 shots left, but his coworker had brought as much ammo as she could. It also was lighter down on the floor, the light from the reaction illuminated the chamber.

Once in a crouch next to Hawkeye, and after another kill, Havoc chanced a look at the alchemic prodigy. He quickly turned away, pushing away the image and another one that could possibly come true involving a black car and a crowd of mourners. Ed could not die, they had come to save him from that fate, and Havoc knew that all of them would never live down a failure. And it may turn into more one, he told himself, for Alphonse had not exited from the wall of light surrounding Envy's place in the transmutation.

The tanned man was not expecting an attack; that was the only reason that damn alchemist managed to touch him. But that was done and over now, and his current attackers did not explore like past adversaries. Hoards of tiny, black, tentacles had clamped themselves to his body. They seemed particularly attracted to his brother's arm, which by some strong magic would not work against them. More and more attached to him, bringing extreme pain. The last thing Scar thought of as the world turned white, was that he hoped Isbala was pleased him.