Fullmetal Alchemist: The Way To The Top

Chapter 3: Brothers

Ed was also thrown away with the explosion. A few metal wands pinned him to a wall. He heard Hoheinheim screaming: "Run, Edward!" and Al's: "Run, big brother!" But he wasn't able to run because of the wands.

Al thought about what he could do to help his brother. Then he found out... "May..." he said, "I have a favor to ask you. My brother sacrificed his right arm to pull my soul back from that place. If that's an 'equivalent exchange', then it should be possible to reverse it." May thought she understood what he was trying to say but she didn't want to admit it. "Mr. Alphonse, what are you planning to do?"

"I just need you to create a path for me." he explained, "You can do that, right?"

"If you do that, Mr. Alphonse, you'll...!" "There's no more time. Time is... Please... You're the only one... I can ask this favor of."

May started to cry. She liked Al, she couldn't hurt him. And this would kill him. He would be taken forever. Mr. Edward would never forgive her. Nobody would ever forgive her. She would never forgive herself. But there wasn't choice for her this time. She had to do that. It was the only way to save Amestris. The crack in Al's armor was very close to the blood mark which bound his soul to the armor. As soon as it would be reached, he would be lost forever. With tears in her eyes, May threw arrows to the wall where Ed's arm was supposed to be and then around Al's armor. Ed watched the scene with terror in his eyes. "Al, what are you...? No, no you can't. Al... Don't do it!" "You better win, big brother" Al answered and clapped his hands. The last thing he heard was Ed's scream: "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

At the Door of Truth, he picked up his body and waited for his big brother to come to him. He was sure Ed will come. Ed has always found a way to do anything, he will find a way to do this. Al only hoped Ed will not sacrifice himself.

On the fighting field, Ed's right arm was returned to him. "YOU STUPID BROTHER!!!" he screamed, clapped his hands and attacked the Father. The attack was strong and unexpected. Everyone watched him and waited if he will succeed. It showed some effect for the first time. "You can do it..." the Major said. "Go for it boy! Get him, little man!" the Chimeras screamed. "Edward!" the Lieutenant said. There was "Ed" and "Edward" coming from everywhere.The soldiers, Ling and Greed, May and Xiao Mei, Van Hohenheim and Izumi, Lan Fan, Roy Mustang... All of them waited how it will end.

The Homunculus fell to the ground. "Get up, you third rate fraud. I'll show you, there's no comparison between us!" Ed said angrily. The Homunculus was almost defeated. Then he put his hand into Ling's stomach. Though Ling tried to prevent it, Greed was taken by the Father. Ed hit the Father in his stomach. A hole stayed there. He fell to the ground. The Father of the Homunculi was dead.

Everyone gathered around Al's armor, lying motionless on the ground. Ed knelt beside him, tears running down his face. May cried. The Colonel asked: "Wha... What happened? Did we win?" The Lieutenant answered with a broken voice: "Yes Sir, but... Alphonse hasn't come back from the other side." The Colonel said with an unsure voice: "There must be a way" They stood up and walked to Ed. The Lieutenant hissed with pain. The Colonel didn't like it, but she could walk normally and he knew it had no sense to worry now. She was too worried about Al.

Ling offered Ed his Philosopher's stone. Ed refused. "I promised Al that I wouldn't use a Philosopher's stone to get our bodies back!" he explained. Everyone cried. The Major asked the Colonel whether there is a way to bring Alphonse back. The Colonel thought about it for a moment, then he answered: "To perform human transmutation and open the portal, a toll is required. The last time he tried, Fullmetal sacrificed his right arm and was only able to bring back Alphonse's soul. But bringing back an entire human being is another matter all together." The Lieutenant asked with doubt in her voice: "You don't think Edward is planning to sacrifice himself..." "No" he calmed her, "He's already experienced the terror and despair of being left behind, alone. He would never subject Alphonse to that."

Ed thought very hard. He wasn't ready to let go. Hohenheim was ready to be sacrificed but Ed answered: "Stop talking nonsense! You're useless, dad! And don't ever bring it up again!" Hohenheim smiled: "You finally called me dad." He was sad he couldn't do anything for Al. He wanted to be their father. He had never had a chance to do this much for them before. Ed looked at the people who were standing around him: "May... You really are broken up about Al, aren't you? Mr. Gori and Zampano... You Chimeras got sucked into all this, but you stuck with us till the end. Everyone from Briggs... You're not the friendliest bunch, but we couldn't have made it without you. The Major's crying again. Ling and Lan Fan... You have your own country to worry about, yet you told me to use your Philosopher's stone, you guys are too nice. Master, I can't remember how many times you scolded me... The Colonel and Lieutenant... That's right. We said we'd never give up, and they believed in us." 'I knew I will have to do this again,' Ed thought, 'It's gonna be okay. I can do it! It's gonna work. I know it.'

"May," he said at last, "I need you to stay back." Ed picked a stick from the ground and drew a transmutation circle. The Lieutenant whispered to the Colonel: "Sir, he is drawing a transmutation circle. It is the same we found in their house on the day we met for the first time. I believe it's for the human transmutation!" "No need to fear," the Colonel said, "I think I know what he is going to use as a toll. It should work."

Then Ed clapped his hands and disappeared. He found himself in front of the door of Truth. Ed decided to sacrifice his alchemy in exchange with his brother. The Truth was surprised: "Will you really fall to the level of an ordinary human, unable to use alchemy?" Edward answered: "Fall to  their level? I've never been anything but an ordinary human. I'm nothing but a hopeless human being who couldn't even save one little girl who was turned into Chimera. Ever since I saw this thing called Truth, I got suckered in by its power. I became overconfident, making mistake after mistake. It was a wild ride, all right." "Are you sure you can manage without it?" The Truth asked. Ed answered with a smile: "Even without alchemy I'll still have all my friends." The Truth smiled too: "That's the correct answer, alchemist. You've beaten me. Take him. All of him." Ed let go his Portal of Truth. Then he went to Al who was sitting behind the door. "I'm here to get you, Al. Let's go home." Al was weak from not moving his muscles for a long time. Ed helped him to walk out from the door to where everybody was waiting for them.When he woke up, everybody looked at him. They cried with joy.