The Flame Wolf Alchemist [Fullmetal Alchemist]

Chapter 11: Almost

The place was small, but not too small. We went into the kitchen to find a square table with four seats and a big medicine cabinet and a desk right next to it.

Armstrong and Edwards sat down while Alphonse was put on the floor. I leaned against the wall along with Kat, and Trevor rolled up to the table in his wheelchair. I closed my eyes for a minute and let my head droop down to sniff inconspicuously.

There were no other scents within a five foot radius of the house besides our own. Good, that means we weren't followed. I can never trust anyone these days. I just hope he has something on the Philosopher Stone or else this stop was for nothing.

"I can't believe that the military found me so quickly." Marcoh said exasperated.

I picked my head back up and looked at him before speaking my mind.

"Just because we're State Alchemists doesn't mean that we're here to take you back to the military. We wanted to get some answers. Why did you run away and where are the research notes?"

I could see him visibly tense up. Marcoh let his head droop and his hands shook in his lap.

"I couldn't stand it anymore...having to obey their orders...dirtying my hands to research the things I did...and then seeing it used in the Civil War to slaughter hundreds of thousands of people. It was an awful war, so many innocent people died. I couldn't make up for my actions if I payed for them for the rest of my life. But still, I try to do what I can...that's why I work as a doctor in this place."

Armstrong sighed and had a sad aura about him., probably remembering the war himself. War changes people, no doubt about it.

"What were you researching before you left? What did you take with you?" Armstrong asked as softly as he could.

I waited for Marcoh to answer Armstrong, but he didn't. Instead, he  nodded and got up, walking towards the cabinet. He took out a small vial of a red liquid and set it on the table as he sat back down.

Is this the Philosopher's Stone? Why is it a liquid?

"The Philosopher Stone goes by many names. The Red Stone, The Red Elixir. They all refer to the same stone."

He uncapped the bottle and I furrowed my brow in confusion.

None of us are immediately injured, do why-

He tipped the small vial over, letting it spill onto the table.

There was a collective gasp around the room. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at it in amazement. The supposed "liquid" was neither a liquid nor a solid. I can't believe we finally found the Philosopher Stone!

I walked closer to take a look at it. I poked it gently, but it still reformed into the tiny little pebble. It's amazing!

"Just as there are many names for the stone, it seems that it might not even be a stone at all. The stone an incomplete compound. But even so, compounds like these were used secretly throughout the war, and they were tremendously successful." Marcoh murmured quietly.

I backed up and watched Edward poke the stone as well, and I walked over to Trevor and gripped his shoulder.

Trevor looked like he could burst into happiness, but kept a stoic face. I could feel him mentally tapping my mind, wanting to speak to me, so I put down the barrier to let him into my mind.

'Can you believe it Alexis? We've finally found it after all these years! Even if it's incomplete, we could make it complete with some research.'

I smile softly down at him and let him grab my hand.

'Yeah. It's amazing, after all this time.'