Deep into the darkness
We all got lost
Caught out in the rainstorm
Bullets falling fast

Calling to the afterlife
Can you hear us when we cry?
Call out to the after life
Can you show us how to fly?

It's all gone wrong
Heaven hold us
We've lost the sun
Heaven told us
The world was strong
Heaven hold us
Where do we go
When it's all over?

**********

Aiden and Maes rushed past the scientists of the Third Laboratory, guns drawn as they neared the iron door in sight. She looked to the nearest scientist.

"Do not let anyone else down here," she commanded. There was no chance of someone walking in, but there was also no harm in taking extra precautions. The scientist nodded quickly and the two bounded down the steps, taking two at a time. "Left, Maes," she said to the man in front of her.

Maes immediately turned down the left side of the hallway and she followed closely behind. They ran for a long while and Aiden cursed at herself for having been delayed too long. A light shined at the end of the long hallway and the two soldiers skidded to a stop to stare at the ash and burns that littered the ground.

"God damn it!" Aiden cursed, kicking a piece of rubble in frustration. It flew and skidded across the floor, settling to a halt a fair distance away. "We're too late, he's already taken off on his vengeful fit."

"Come on then, let's see if we can catch him."

Maes led the way past the large door, both soldiers not sparing a glance at the transmutation circle carved into the rock. Silence overcame them and the only thing to be heard was the sound of their breathing and footsteps. She glanced at every doorway that could possibly lead to their friends. Suddenly he stopped and whipped his head to the right.

"Did you hear something?" he whispered. She shrugged and shook her head in the negative. Maes frowned, "Listen closely."

Aiden took a deep breath and closed her eyes to focus on her hearing, but she could hear nothing aside from her heartbeat and their breathing. She opened her eyes and shook her head once more to which Maes sigh. He could've sworn he heard something.

Gunshots rang out and they ran in the direction of the loud bangs. The sound stopped only to be replaced by an explosion, multiple following the first along with screams. Aiden gritted her teeth and pushed her legs faster. The sounds stopped once more and they paused yet again. Voices. She grabbed Maes' sleeve and charged down a dimly lit hallway.

"Ah, Fullmetal, I'll be taking that," a familiar voice growled.

The two stopped short when they came across another intersecting hallway. Aiden glanced to her left and stared at the backs of Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. Ed held Envy in the palm of his metal hand and Scar was at his side. Only Scar noticed their heads looking around the corner. He glanced at her for a moment and then returned his gaze back to Mustang when she shook her head. She didn't want their presence to be announced.

"Give it to me right now," Roy commanded. She shivered at the dangerous tone.

"No, I won't."

Aiden waved Maes back and gave a look telling him to stay put. He shook his head and pointed at the Colonel. She glared and shook her head in return, then pointed to the ground, her watch, and held up five fingers. He needed to stay where he was, she only needed five minutes. Maes sighed and ran a hand over his face before nodding in agreement. Five minutes, but no longer.

"That thing deserves the worst death possible."

Aiden slowly crept around the corner and stepped toward them. Once again Scar was the only one to see the movement and if Edward noticed he didn't show it.

"No," Edward denied. He truly felt like Envy didn't deserve to be burned to death.

"Give him to me! Or I'll burn up your hand along with it!"

Without caring about keeping quiet Aiden dashed forward and grabbed his hand. In a sudden movement she felt her world be turned upside down and she tried to right herself only to end up staring at the ceiling with a flaring pain in her back. The wind was knocked from her lungs and she grimaced and stood up between Edward and Roy, leaning on the wall for a split second to regain her balance and breath. Had Roy just thrown her? Riza and Edward stared at her before looking back at Roy. He turned to Aiden and she stared blankly into the dark eyes filled with rage and a darkness she'd never seen before.

"Roy," she panted, "you have to stop."

"Like hell I will!"

As her breathing began to settle, her beating heart kept up speed and she took another long look at him. Roy didn't look like the caring and smart-ass person she knew and loved. He wasn't the man who would joke around with a grin and make sly short jokes about Edward. This man was completely a different person. This version wouldn't hesitate to burn a child to get what he wanted. He wouldn't stop to exact revenge on the homunculus.

Aiden felt what he did when she attacked Envy for what he did to her subordinate, for what he did to Jack. Rage, bloodlust, the need for vengeance... If he hadn't slipped away that night there was no doubt Aiden would have either killed him or died trying. When she left Central and had time to process, all she felt was horror at what she'd been able to do, what she was capable of in fits of anger. Roy didn't deserve that.

She gritted her teeth and stared into the black eyes. "You think it'll be all better when you kill that thing? You think things will go back to normal when he's gone - it won't! You'll have taken revenge and eventually you'll get so used to it that you'll be unfit to lead this godforsaken country! You think I'll follow you - that any of us will? You will be nothing more than a shadow of whom you once were," she spat bitterly. "A tyrant, a monster, just like Envy."

Blue lightning zapped from Roy's fingertips as he glared at her. His hand wavered ever so slightly and Aiden shuddered in time with the movement. She was getting to him.

"You are becoming nothing but a beast," Scar said. "I won't stop you from giving in to revenge." He crossed his arms and Ed turned to glare at Scar.

"Hey!"

"What right do I have to stop someone from taking vengeance?" Edward had no answer and looked away. "But still, I shudder to think what kind of world a man held captive by his own hate would create, once he becomes its ruler."

"Envy doesn't need to die," Riza announced.

His hands clenched. "But I did it, I finally ran him down!"

"But it wasn't me!" the small creature squeaked.

"Killing Envy won't help anybody, not the country or your friends. This hatred you have for him... it will destroy you!" Aiden shouted over him. "And I don't want to see that happen, I refuse to let it happen! You're better than this. I know you are." Her voice softened to a whisper and she looked at the ground, away from the man who held a very deep place in her heart. "I can't lose you like this."

His breath was heavy as memories of his friend surfaced. Hughes barging in and dropping by whenever he wanted, the time he told Roy to lay low when Scar was running around, their time in Ishval when he made fun of Hughes for bragging about his girlfriend. And then Hughes' funeral and his wife and daughter's reaction.

"Please, sir," Riza pleaded.

Roy yelled and snapped his fingers, a column of flame tearing down the hall to his right. "What kind of madness is this? Scolded by a child, lectured by a man that has been my enemy, I've forced the woman I consider a sister to threaten my life." He looked up at Aiden and glanced at the hand holding her shoulder, her shuddering breaths easily seen. "I promised myself I never would, but I've hurt you again. How foolish can one man be?" He stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. "Please forgive me."

"Always," she whispered as she clung to him. She turned her head to look at Riza and mouthed a thank you. Thank you for stopping him until I got here.

Riza nodded in response. There is no need to thank me.

There was a moment of silence and Envy broke it. "Let me go! I didn't kill Hughes!"

Roy's glare returned, though nowhere near as vengeful as it had been. "You already confessed to it. Why go back on that now?"

"Because I felt like taunting you!"

"If you didn't do it then who did?" Edward asked, frowning deeply at the green thing.

"Some woman in a mask."

"Describe it to us," Roy snapped. "Now, Envy."

"There's no need."

Roy whipped around to stare at the very alive figure of Maes Hughes. He choked back a gasp and took an unsteady step backwards while Aiden smiled and waved the man closer. Roy kept glancing between Maes and Envy, trying to figure out how his best friend could be standing before him, but the homunculus looked just as lost as him. He'd lost it. The time had come and he finally lost his mind. There was no logical way to explain why his best friend was standing before him.

Envy squeaked and shook his little green head. "No way!" There was no mistaking that gunshot or the body left behind. The coroner confirmed the body to be Maes Hughes's.

Roy glared furiously at Maes, and Aiden grabbed his arm, anchoring him in place. "Roy I need you to calm down," she said.

"What the hell is going on here Aiden? Why is-"

Maes held up a hand and silenced him. "I had to go into hiding because Envy tried to kill me. Aiden saved me and has done her best since then to keep me in the loop of the happenings over the past year. We both agreed that today would be the ideal time for me to come forward."

It was only because they both knew he wouldn't stay behind while she went to war. Either he went with her, or he left to find Gracia and Elicia. Talking to Roy before he found Envy had been the plan but they'd been delayed by traffic blocks and skirting around patrols and Briggs soldiers.

"You've been alive all this time?"

"Yes."

"I see," was his curt reply. "And you couldn't contact me in any way?" He threw a scathing glare at Aiden who let go of his arm and looked away, taking a step back to distance herself.

"Don't blame her for not telling you I was alive. There was too much at risk."

Silence reigned and once more Envy was the one to break it. "Hold on. You're saying that the person in the mask that night was you?" He pointed at the Lieutenant Colonel.

Aiden wordlessly pulled the mask out of her pocket and held it out face up. Sure enough, there was the grinning hell-dog mask Envy had seen that night. Some stared at it in interest while others, namely Maes, shuddered. "I knew you could shapeshift and I couldn't take the chance of you recognizing me at some point. It was only luck you didn't recognize my voice or stay behind to make sure I killed Maes. I was counting on your ego getting the better of you."

"So you humans really are just pathetic worms," Envy scoffed. "Risking your own life over another's." He turned to Roy and gestured to the Ishvalan. "Colonel Mustang, have you forgotten how Scar here was going to kill you? And now we see how Wilson and Hughes kept Hughes' life a secret! And Wilson! Colonel Mustang has physically hurt you twice. Once when he almost strangled you to death and just now!"

Aiden stared impassively at the small green creature. It didn't surprise her that Envy knew how she almost died that night. He didn't, however, know that she'd long since forgiven Roy for his mistake and that she'd never blamed the man since.

Envy turned around to look at Edward when the woman didn't reply. "And what's more, wasn't Scar the one to kill the parents of the Pipsqueak's girly friend? Oh yeah! And what about that little girl who became a chimera? He was responsible for her death too." He pointed to Scar and started off again. "And as for you. Have you completely forgotten your hatred for what they did to your Ishvalan countrymen? And then this woman!" He gestured at Riza, "She has the arrogance to claim the sight of a hawk! She shot your buddies left and right! You'll never get another chance! This is the perfect time, the ultimate opportunity!

"Hate and weep. Kill and be killed. Fight each other, grovel in the dirt! How could you four hope to team up? You're way beyond the point of kissing and making up. Right, Pipsqueak? Right, Hawkeye? Wilson? Mustang? Scar? Hughes?"

When no one answered him Envy looked at each one of the humans in front of him. It just couldn't be. Humans were simple-minded, arrogant creatures. Nothing more!

"There's no way. No, no you can't," Envy's voice wavered and for some reason, Aiden felt her heart go out to the little creature. "Never, never. It's impossible! How could you? How could you do it? How?" he screamed, breaking into sobs.

"Now I see," Ed spoke softly, staring down at the tiny form. "You're jealous. You're jealous of humans, aren't you?" The question was more of a statement and when Envy didn't answer he took it as a confirmation. "We humans, according to you, we're supposed to be nothing when compared to homunculi. And yet, when we're beaten down, when we stray and fall, we face the challenge again and again. Our loved ones are always there to pick us back up. And you're jealous. You envy us because of that."

Envy was silent for a moment and then he glared and began wriggling out of Ed's grasp. "Hey! What do you think you're you doing? Hold on a second! Idiot, where are you going?" He tried to grab Envy with his other hand and received a bite for his efforts. "Ow!"

Envy dropped to the ground and stood up the moment he could. Riza aimed her gun at the dying homunculus and Scar spoke up. "Wait. He won't last long."

"Humiliating, ending up so pathetic like this. Trampled on by humans, those loathsome beings, wee, useless people." Envy's whimpering voice was shaking and he sounded on the verge of tears. "What's worse, out of all the scum out there, you just had to be the one, didn't you Pipsqueak?" Envy broke out into sobs and no one could do anything other than stare in pity at the poor creature. "Damn it. Damn it, damn it. I've been humiliated, humiliated. Me, Envy, jealous of you humans? I'm a homunculus. How could this Pipsqueak kid see through me? It's the ultimate humiliation." Envy sat down and his sobs became laughs. "I guess we'll see how long this adorable little alliance of yours will last. Oh well, best of luck with that, Pipsqueak."

He reached into his mouth and pulled out a small red object attached to veins. A Philosopher's Stone, the core that kept him alive. Edward gasped as Envy destroyed what was basically his heart. The little homunculus began to disintegrate into ash.

"Goodbye, Edward Elric," he said. And then he was gone.

They stared at the place where the homunculus had disintegrated, each with their own thoughts on the matter. For Aiden, while she was glad he was gone, there was pity that he'd been driven to such a state and relief that the person responsible for Jack's death was gone. Wordlessly the group set off down the hallway, Edward and Roy leading the way, Aiden and Maes taking up the middle, and Riza and Scar at the rear.

There was no conversation to address the issue of Maes' liveliness, in fact they actively ignored it and focused on the mission at hand. There was no time for a discussion no one wanted to have. The only conversation that happened was a small thank you from Riza to Scar due to his involvement in talking Roy down from burning Envy.

Aiden studiously ignored them and paid attention to the ground beneath her feet. Roy had said nothing to her or Maes, the only sound that came from the man was a few quips to Edward. It almost felt like she was being ignored and she couldn't blame him. She and Maes had lied to him over Maes' supposed death... they let him suffer thinking his best friend was gone.

But Aiden sincerely felt that it had been for the best because if Maes hadn't died or faked his death, Roy would've had no reason to check up on the senior staff for foul play more than he already did. His death was a fixed point in the timeline. The only way to play a game with unfair odds was to level the playing field, and an external factor such as herself did just that. Roy Mustang's determination to find Maes' killer was the object that did so and there was no denying it. An angered Flame Alchemist was dangerous.

In his own mind, Roy didn't know how to react. He felt betrayed that his best friends didn't share their secret with him, and with that betrayal came too many feelings. Hurt that they hadn't trusted him, shock knowing Maes was still alive, and not to mention the confusion, devastation, and irritation... He was practically overwhelmed by the rush of emotions. There had been so much trust between them and yet... they'd gone behind his back.

Edward stopped walking and the rest paused as well, looking to the teen for answers. "What is it?" Aiden asked.

"This place feels wrong," Scar spoke from the back.

Edward stared at the doorway in front of them, "Let's go."

The group continued forward, each with their own wariness of the room in front of them. In the center of the room was an old man in glasses and a white lab coat was hunched over, drawing a transmutation circle. The second she laid eyes on the man Aiden drew her gun and aimed down the barrel. Maes did the same, guessing correctly who the man was and knowing exactly how dangerous he was; everyone's senses were on high alert.

The old man stood and placed his hands in his pockets. "Well now. I wasn't exactly expecting an audience. You're gonna give me performance anxiety." The man grinned and a gold tooth glinted in his mouth.

While the rest of the group tensed and readied themselves for a fight, Maes and Aiden were waiting for Edward to disappear for a chance at killing the old doctor.

After Aiden arrived back in Central they'd planned their actions. When Edward was summoned to Father they'd attack. If Aiden was summoned as well due to having been in Truth's domain and going through the gate, then Maes would carry on alone. They both agreed that one upside to Aiden being summoned was Roy not being forced to commit the taboo and losing his eyesight. They would have all the sacrifices they needed. The Elrics, Hohenheim, Izumi, and Aiden.

"Who the hell are you?" Edward asked, his automail in its familiar blade-like shape.

"How should I answer that?" the doctor hummed. "You might know me as the one who created King Bradley." The shock must've been the reaction the doctor was looking for. "That is my most proudest accomplishment.

"You created the Fuhrer?" Roy narrowed his eyes and gripped his ignition glove. "So it's safe to say you're working with them!"

The doctor's grin widened and he leaned forward. The reflection on his glasses receded to reveal eyes looking in opposite directions. "I didn't realize that was you. Here I thought you were at the radio station but in fact you've come here to meet me in person! I can't tell you how much trouble you've saved me, Colonel Mustang!" He raised his hand and several older men dropped from the hole above him. "Why don't you boys keep them out of my hair for just a few minutes."

The group scattered and paired off to defend themselves against the men. Roy and Riza, Edward and Maes, Aiden and Scar.

"Who are these guys?" Edward shouted.

"More dummies?" Roy guessed.

Aiden waited for the old man to make the first move. "No, that's not it!" she shouted. "They're too quick!" She dodged a sword swipe and fired the gun, only for the man to jump back and dodge the bullet. "If I were to guess then I'd say they're just weapons left over from when they created the Fuhrer. They'll be loyal only to that man over there!"

The doctor grinned and resumed his work on the transmutation circle. "You've got a smart one there, Colonel Mustang. Better make sure she doesn't die. After all, these men are skilled warriors."

A figure moved in her peripheral and she yelled, "Duck!" Scar followed the command and she shot the old man that had snuck up on him. One down, several more to go.

The two were forced apart and Aiden fought her way to a wall so one of the men couldn't take her by surprise and stab her in the back. One rushed forward and she flipped him over and shot him, taking up his sword in time to block a blow from another man. The force of the blow knocked her arm away and the sword sliced a narrow cut below her left eye, the man's fist striking the area above it. Half blind she shot him and made her way back to the center, rubbing at her eye.

"I get it," Edward gasped. "These guys are all superhuman. But come on! This is just ridiculous!"

Something pressed up against her and she froze for a split-second before whirling around to face Roy. She lowered her gun and turned back around, but not before she saw him deck one of the doctor's men. Aiden grinned.

"I'm sure you're thankful for all those lessons now." She reloaded her gun and tossed a spare cartridge to Maes who nodded in thanks.

"Well I've had worse teachers," Roy smirked and threw another punch before dodging one.

"I'm flattered."

"Flirt somewhere else children, we're busy," Maes scolded lightly.

Aiden rolled her eyes and took off to get to Maes. A man blocked her path and she skidded to a stop, but not before he took a swipe at her. Pain registered in her mind and she jolted back, firing her gun and clutching her right cheek. It wasn't deep and the blood slowly ran down her face. Two more men appeared in front of her and she raised her weapons, daring them to move.

"Well then, I guess we should get started," the doctor said.

Before she could blink Aiden watched as Riza turned and shot at the man, two of his men taking the bullets for him. Every person in the room stilled and waiting for the one who would make the first move. It was the doctor. He called men to his side and they took up position around him.

Edward grunted as he shoved a man away. "What's he doing?" He gasped as he caught sight of the transmutation circle.

"Now then, here goes!" The doctor slammed his palm on the ground and activated the circle. A blue alchemical light flooded the room, causing many of them to squint to see their surroundings.

"What have you done?"

"This? This right here is just the beginning. You seem like a smart boy. Do you know how many military operated alchemy laboratories there are here in Central?"

"The last I heard they've only got four operating labs in the city." Edward gasped as something registered in his mind. "No. The Fifth Laboratory. You've got five!"

"It's a transmutation circle!" Aiden announced. The wind blew and her hair struck her face as she gritted her teeth. Damn, they hadn't had time to kill the doctor! "They turned the entire city into one big transmutation circle!"

No one spoke in favor of watching the alchemic reaction. Then the blue light disappeared and a purple one replaced it. A feeling of uneasiness washed over the group as black hands rose from the ground and deconstructed the doctor's men.

Suddenly Edward gasped as an eye appeared beneath him. Aiden rushed forward to pull him away but one of the men intercepted her. Edward screamed in pain as he was deconstructed.

"Oh no," Roy gasped in horror. "Fullmetal."

"Edward!" Aiden screeched in alarm. Though she doubted he could hear her over his own screams.

"You bastard!" Edward yelled just before he disappeared completely.

"Fullmetal!" Roy yelled again. They all stared at the spot where he'd been deconstructed, eyes full of horror and shock.

"He disappeared," Riza whispered as if she didn't believe what her eyes had seen.

The doctor had narrowed his eyes at Aiden, "And yet she didn't."

Aiden was staring at her boots in shock. She hadn't been taken and pulled to Father. Why? Was it because his summoning circle was set for those who had committed the taboo and not those who could transmute without circles? A quick glance at Maes told her that he was just as clueless as her. Worse yet they didn't know how to proceed; they hadn't predicted Aiden not being summoned.

"What did you do?" Roy snarled.

Their response was laughter from the doctor and the men surging forward once more. Aiden growled and fired again, two shots to one man who dropped dead and then clicking. She cursed and dropped the weapon, taking her chances with a sword rather than her own two hands.

A sword came in close proximity of her neck and she parried the blow, grabbing the blade and redirecting the momentum toward its source. The old man grunted in pain before dropping. She took up his sword as well and ignored the sting of her palm where the sword had cut. A blazing heat flushed against her back and she paid it no mind when she felt the familiar feeling of being dropped and the cold ground beneath her. Her head smacked the hard surface and her vision blurred ever so slightly.

"You bastards, let her go!"

Aiden glanced up and found Riza and Roy being restrained by four men. Maes and Scar couldn't stop the old men with only the two of them so they had to stop their resistance and the men forced Roy to the ground with his subordinate.

The doctor applauded the men. "Alright, good." He grinned and folded his hands behind his back. "Here we are, Colonel Mustang. I'm afraid we're out of time. At this point, you've no choice but to cooperate with us. I would like you to perform some human transmutation and open the portal for me." The deranged man said it like he was discussing the weather over coffee with a friend. Human transmutation wasn't meant to be talked about so flippantly. "Although I would like to know why this lovely little lady wasn't summoned to Father. I was told she could transmute without circles. Care to explain?"

The doctor leered close and Aiden spat in his face, earning a slap from one of the men. She growled and glared at them, "Piss off. I don't answer to you."

The delusional man only laughed and wiped away the spit. "Either way, we need another sacrifice. Either one of you will do, though Wilson is preferred over you Mustang, we can settle for you. Now, who's ready for some human transmutation? It doesn't matter who. A parent you've lost, a lover, a friend. Or that man you were so close to. I forget, what was his name again? Hughes, wasn't it?" Aiden glanced at the man in question. Apparently the doctor had never seen Maes' face or he never would've mentioned him. "He'll do just fine. I'll get things set up for you right over here."

Roy's anger at the doctor turned to surprise. "You mean, I'm a sacrifice?"

"Not yet. But as soon as you open the portal you'll certainly become one!"

"Is that why the Elric brothers were chosen?"

"Yes, it is."

If the lunatic was telling the truth, then so was Aiden when she said she'd never performed human transmutation. But there was still no telling how she could transmute without using circles. She said she was born that way which prompted a good few questions as to why and most importantly how. When the war ended they'd talk more about it. Among other things.

"They told me human transmutation couldn't be done! Why would I even try to do it knowing it would fail?" he barked out.

The man chuckled. "You're right there. But all I really need you to do is open the portal and then return."

"No! Not a chance! I won't be your puppet!" His body was shaking in anger and even from a distance, she could see him bearing his teeth at the old fool. "Open it yourself!"

The doctor adjusted his glasses and spoke with a low voice much different from the cheery one he'd used moments before. "I told you. We've run out of time." He reached into his white coat and pulled out a vial of red liquid. "Come on, I promise I'll heal any injury you sustain with my Philosopher's Stone."

Aiden tried her best to get out of the man's grip and ignored the events around her in favor of her thoughts. If Roy performed the transmutation, then he'd lose his eyesight. She could save him that pain or she could take it upon herself and take his place. But they would need his flame alchemy when they made their final stand against Father, and she didn't know how to manipulate fire alchemy. At least, not to the expertise he did. She gritted her teeth. Damn it!

From the corner of her eye, she saw movement in the hole above the doctor. A laugh bubbled up her throat and she rolled her head to stare up at the psychopath. Before he could command his men further, the doctor disappeared up the hole, startling their opponents. The old man that had been at the doctor's side look around for any sign of him.

"He vanished," Scar whispered in shock.

Maes grinned. "Not quite."

The small jar holding the Philosopher's Stone dropped from the hole above the old man. It hit his head and then clinked on the floor. The moron looked around the room again before looking up.

The doctor screeched and pulled at the saliva holding him. "No! Let me go!" The man's whimpering and pleading fell on deaf ears. Aiden grinned from the floor, noticing how the old man above her had his attention split between watching her and waiting for an order from the doctor.

"Let everyone down there loose right now, or that's the end of you," Jerso threatened.

As if on queue Mei Chang, Shao Mei, and Zampano, fell from the hole. Mei threw her kunai and Zampano shot his quills at the old men. Scar freed himself, as did Maes. Aiden grabbed the sword she'd dropped earlier and in one quick movement, beheaded the old man and threw the sword into one of the men holding Roy. He was visibly shocked but took the chance to escape the other man's hold by grabbing the man's hand and making him stab himself. Riza took down her men with little help.

There was another explosion as she turned and punched another old man. How many were there, holy crap! A kunai suddenly made its presence known when it dug into the side of the man's skull. She whipped around ready to thank the little girl responsible only to find Maes.

"You ran out of ammo and throwing knives so you pick up the only other ones you could find." Aiden nodded thoughtfully. "Not bad."

"Well, when you ran out and picked up a sword, I figured I had to adapt as well," he shrugged. "Duck."

She did and looked over her shoulder as another one of the kunai hit one of the men dead center. Another man was sneaking up on Roy and she didn't hesitate to throw her last sword at the man. He was skewered just before another large body dropped from the hole and kicked him away from Roy and Riza. She was able to recognize it as one of the other chimeras Edward had befriended. Darius, the gorilla chimera, her mind supplied.

Without a weapon she clapped her hands and transmuted a bō staff in time to watch Zampano shoot down the last old man standing. As the last man fell Aiden could take a breather.

Roy smiled at their new allies, "Thank you for your help."

"Sure," the gorilla chimera acknowledged. "It was no problem at all."

"Still though, we owe you one," Aiden added, holding a hand to her side, very much out of breath. Was she getting sloppy?

Riza walked over to Maes and spoke quietly with him. In the meantime Roy made his way over to Aiden and put a hand on her shoulder. "You alright? You look pretty banged up."

And she did. The sword cuts on her cheeks and the bruise below her left eye were very prominent against her pale skin. Drops of blood darkened the blue fabric of her uniform. Aiden looked him over, noticing his bruises and bloodied lip and chin. There was a cut on his arm but thankfully whatever sliced it only tore away part of the blue jacket, his white shirt visible beneath. Though if she had to wager a guess, it was only a really bad scrape when considering the drops of blood slowly seeping into the white.

"We've looked worse," she shrugged. Her eyes were drawn to the severed cloth on his hand. "You need me to fix that?"

"Uh, sure." He handed her the transmutation glove and with a quick clap and zap, it was back to normal. Then she slipped it over her own hand, her eyes narrowing.

"I don't get how you can wear these all the time."

"You get used to it."

Echoing footsteps reached their ears and the group all turned as one to watch as Fuhrer King Bradley approached them. He paused to pick up the stone from the floor, his glower never wavering.

"King Bradley," Roy hissed in distaste, stepping ever so slightly between him and Aiden. She gripped his arm in warning, he shouldn't let his guard down to even a wounded Fuhrer.

The Xingese girl cowered back in remembrance of what he'd done to Lan Fan. The group observed the blood on his torso and shoulder. His wounds showed no sign of stopping anytime soon, cementing the idea that he was different from the rest of the homunculi.

"His wounds aren't regenerating," Riza said.

Bradley narrowed his eyes. "It's been quite some time, eh, Colonel Mustang?"

"Indeed it has sir," he replied tersely. "I'm afraid I'd be lying if I said you were looking as good as ever."

Bradley's eyes shifted over to Aiden who tightened her grip on Roy's sleeve and silently dared the man to make a move. "Knowing that weakling heart of yours I thought if someone dear to you fell you would do anything to save her, even if it meant human transmutation."

"There was a time when I might have. But that time is behind me. Luckily, I have people by my side now who will stop me from being reckless. And keep me headed down the right path."

"And here I was under the impression you were all pathetic creatures who could never learn a lesson properly. But apparently there are those like you who can learn. Who can change. That's one more reason why I can't stand you humans. It infuriates me when I can't predict how you'll behave."

The group silently glared at the homunculus. He said he hated them solely because he couldn't predict their movements. For an ultimate eye and a person who relied too much upon it, that was a problem. However, a wise person would have contingencies when plan A failed. That was Roy's thoughts anyway.

"I'd say we're flattered, but I don't think it was a compliment," Maes snarked.

Bradley turned to him. "I see the news of your death was greatly over exaggerated, Brigadier General Maes Hughes."

"Yeah. It's almost as if he's allergic to it," Aiden retorted mildly.

"Your sarcasm is neither wanted nor needed Lieutenant Colonel," he snapped. "And if you're still here then we still need another sacrifice."

"And here I was thinking we were just getting to know one-"

A spray of blood pooled down from the hole the doctor and the toad chimera were in and they fell to the ground with a thud and a groan. "Jerso!" Zampano cried out, rushing to aid his friend. "Get up!"

Jerso groaned and looked at them. "Run. Get out of here."

Darius rushed forward to help them. "This is bad."

"Crap," Aiden said, unknowingly voicing everyone else's thoughts.

She shared a look with Maes and he subtly nodded. He was ready for Pride, he just hoped she was as well. There would be no time to ask. Not a moment later Pride, also known as Selim Bradley, descended from the hole in the roof.

Suddenly Roy was gone from her side and a far distance away. Bradley hovered above him and kept him pinned by stepping on his chest and nailing his hands to the floor with two swords. Roy screamed in pain and Aiden jolted but reigned herself in. It had to be done. It had to be done. She kept repeating the mantra to herself and firmly positioned her legs and feet.

"Colonel!" Riza yelled, rushing forward but Pride sent a warning shadow toward them and they backed off.

The doctor laughed and pulled the saliva off his body. "Very good. Job well done, Bradley," he praised as if it meant anything to the homunculus. "That's the kind of man I brought you up to be."

The group watched as Pride stabbed the doctor. The man coughed up blood as he was lifted into the air and shrouded in the shadows. Then the shadows parted and formed, slowly creating the familiar looking human transmutation circle, Roy and Bradley at the center and the doctor hovering above them.

"Well Colonel Mustang, looks like you're our fifth sacrifice," Pride's echoing voice insisted.

"That's right," Bradley agreed. "The last one."

Roy glared at them and gritted his teeth. They could both go to Hell! He would not perform human transmutation, even if it cost him his life! Blue alchemical light filled the room.

"I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to resort to this, but there is no choice. We've run out of time now."

"Whether you like it or not we're going to force you to open the portal. Prepare yourself."

Screaming met his ears and it took him a moment to fully comprehend that it was Hughes calling Aiden's name. His eyes shot toward her position and he watched as she charged Selim, staff in hand. He didn't get to shout at her and warn her off. There was no time for him to make her stop because before he could, a black shadow reached out and sliced its way through her stomach.

Aiden stopped short in surprise and stared down at the black shadow as if she didn't really believe it was there, piercing her and dying her blue jacket red with blood. Then she gasped and made a choking sound that echoed in his ears. Tears fell from her eyes and she glanced up to meet his gaze. She smiled weakly. All he did was stare in horror.

Pride pulled the shadow back with a squelching sound and she dropped to her knees before collapsing on the floor. The second someone made a move another shadow appeared to ward them off. But Roy didn't notice. The only thing he could do was stare at Aiden's limp form.

A black shadow wrapped itself around Roy's throat, arms, and legs. "Move back Wrath, now."

Bradley retracted his swords and moved out of the circle. He coughed and wiped away the blood coming from his mouth. "I wonder... What will be taken from you in exchange Mustang?"

What more could he possibly lose? They'd already taken his heart. Pride activated the circle and Roy screamed at the absolute agony he felt in every atom of his body. The last thing he heard was the screams of his subordinate and best friend. The last thing he saw was her lifeless form.

**********

Happy 1 year anniversary. Artwork done by laizy_boy04 on Instagram.