Metal Vs Storm

Attack!

"A worldwide transmutation?!” Edward gasped “That’s what those bastards plan to do.”

“We cannot allow this to happen under any circumstances.” The Commander managed to keep her calm despite the fire raging within her eyes. Currently the Captain and Toshiro were sitting near a transmutated table made by Edward while said brothers in the Commander hung over their shoulders.

Suddenly Storm’s head raised as a gasp was torn from his lips. “What is it!” the Captain stood, unable to hide his concern as he stared at the ice-storm alchemist’s eyes. They were purely teal, no black or white within them.

They all turned their head at the sound of gunfire that tore through the tense silence, “We need to leave, NOW!” they jumped at the loudness of Toshiro’s voice. The surrounding soldiers snapped into attention as they moved to block the direction of the tunnel where the sound came from.

“What is it?” the Commander demanded. Toshiro moved swiftly, he tossed the map to the Captain who immediately started tearing it to pieces, they grabbed their equipment.

“Pride is coming.” Were his simple words. “Men we need to move, we must keep the Commander and the brothers alive at all cost!” the ordered men yelled in agreement. Gunfire rang loudly and men screamed, it was coming and it was coming fast.

Suddenly the entire area seemed to grow darker. Toshiro turned in time to see a black knife-like shadow form near one of the lamps in the soldier’s hand. He pulled the gun from his waist and shot the lamp, effectively putting it out, the soldier gasped. “Everyone put your lights out if you want to survive.”

“Storm are you mad?!” the brothers screamed, “That thing will kill us!”

“Do as he say.” The Commander ordered. The men began cursing but followed the order anyway.
The ice-storm alchemist immediately grabbed the Commander’s hand and began running in the direction they came. “Everyone follow the sound of my voice.” The others began following.

“Why did you make us put out the lights?” One of the soldiers yelled.
“That thing is called Pride, a creature that feeds of the light.” He yelled back as they turned a corner, “He needs the light to create his shadows to attack, without it he cannot do anything, he can follow by he is harmless as a shadow. I need you all to listen, the moment we reach the ladder and open the hatch, he’s going attack, I’ll hold him off, in that time frame I need all of you to get out, understood?” a confirmation was returned. It was now or never.

Suddenly he turned, the men ran past him, he let the Commander’s hand go and put them in front of himself as blue light surrounded himself and the area around him. They were by the ladder and had only a small window space to do this, it had to be just right.

The hatch opened and light entered the area, the shadows pounced, the Commander reeled back in shock and then a wall of solid ice stood between the shadows and the soldiers. “Go now!” they scrambled up the stairs. Finally, the last man made up the ladder.

The shadows pounded mercilessly against the wall and it began to crack. Toshiro glanced at the hatch and then again at the crumbling wall. He breathed in deeply, this was going to hurt. He swiped his hands downward and then outward. The wall shattered into an explosion, it gave him a small window time, but at a price, he grasped his left hand as pain from hairline fractures lanced up the limb.

He immediately rushed up the ladder, at the last rung, a whip grabbed his right ankle and twisted, damaging the limb, determined to pull him back under. He lost his grip on the rung, he closed his eyes in anticipation as to what was to come.

Suddenly hands were on him as the Commander and Alphonse grabbed him. They grunted at the strength of the hold that Pride had on him, “Fight him Storm!” Alphonse yelled. Toshiro gritted his teeth and kicked out his legs, he swiped his right hand out at the whip around his leg and snapped his fingers, the whip made of solid shadows was covered in ice and he easily shattered it with his automail leg. Slightly in shock from how near death he was, he limply allowed himself to be pulled out of the hatch and rested by the Captain’s and Edward’s legs. The remaining soldiers dragged a heavy crate over the hatch and sealed the homunculus in.

“-rm, can you hear me Storm?” It took him a minute to realise that Edward was kneeling next to him and snapping his fingers to get his attention. He looked at Edward, but before he could respond the Briggs wall siren when off. Intruders within the area.

“Now really!?” the Captain and Commander cursed. “I apologise but I need you and you two to help me hold off the attack until I could get my men ready.” The Commander pointed to the brothers and Storm. She looked particularly concerned about Storm, it was only then he realised he was still shaking slightly from the amount of adrenaline running through his system.

“Well that’s the job of the alchemists, don’t worry we’ll handle it.” The brother’s nodded in confirmation. “You guys take the East. I’ll take the west.” With that they split up.

Toshiro took the most short-cuts he could think off as he thought of what just happened, his ankle and left arm still pained but he ignored it for now, he could deal with that later. Right now, he had a particular scar faced person to meet up with.

“Right on time Vadim.” He chuckled at the man as he slowly walked up to him. Soldiers flocked around them with their guns trained on Vadim, better known as Scar.

“You look worse for wear.” He stared at the dirt stains on Toshiro’s coat.

Toshiro rolled his eyes, “Let’s just give them a show shall we. The two suddenly raced each other in a hand-to-hand combat that to the untrained assassin eye would look like a real fight but was no more than a rehearsed training session that the two combatants knew by heart. Blows were traded and knees made near misses as the two danced but the soldiers were unable to get a clean shot at the speed at which the two moved. Then Vadim spoke lowly in Isbalan to Toshiro, “What plan have you in mind?”

“We need to get to the Elric brothers, they are on the other side, in the  old equipment parking area.” He yell out, to the soldier, it sounded like a challenge or a defending statement but they understood not what they said.

“Fine, I’ll lead the way, let’s try to lose them.” With that the Isbalan soldiers raced off to the East, in the direction of the Elric brothers.

“At least try not to kill them!” he yelled out before following behind him. It was surprisingly not that hard to lose the soldier on their tail and find the brothers with the amount of noise the two made.

The two took in the sight before them, of the ground lay two defeated human-like chimeras dressed in uniforms, Alphonse at the side looking sheepish and Edward who seemed to be…. hugging himself. “I want to ask, but I have a feeling that knowing would be more mentally damaging than most of what I can think of.” Toshiro muttered as he walked slowly to Alphonse.
“Trust me, you may have no idea when it comes to Ed.” The suit of armour scratched his head. Toshiro opened his mouth to ask about the chimera when he was suddenly glomped from behind by Edward. His eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh my gosh!” Edward’s voice gave way to a fangirling… boying tone, “Why didn’t you tell me about Northern auto mail before, it’s so light!”

“We need to create a distraction to get out of here.” Vadim’s voice cut clearly. Toshiro attempted to detach Edward from his back with no success, he sighed.

“We could create an explosion with that hand of yours, just enough to demolish the building and create enough dust to get all of us out of here and under the radar.”

Vadim nodded, he cracked his fingers in preparation when a voice suddenly rang out, “I’m sorry but I can’t let you monsters do that.” Another man in uniform walked out, Edward became serious despite still slinging on to Toshiro’s back. “You and my chimera’s must die, think of it as a betterment of the world.” So this was the Leader of the chimeras on the ground, possibly a friend of Officer Quinn too.

Everyone’s eyes widened, the man raised his hand that contained a bomb. “Wait, we can sort this out, put the bomb down.” Storm tried to reason, a uncontrolled bomb like that could kill a lot of soldier’s in the surrounding area even create and avalanche from the shockwaves.

“Too late.” The bomb exploded and the world turned white.