The Price of Life [Fullmetal Alchemist]

Chapter Five

After The Rain

now you've hit a wall and it's not your fault,
my dear, my dear, my dear
now you've hit a wall and you've hit it hard,
my dear, my dear, oh dear...
-bastille.

•

The rain beat harder on the pavement, like a marching band. Thunder and lightning accompanied it. The sky boomed like cymbals hitting one another.

"I shall grant you a moment to pray," Scar said, not bothering to notice the rain hitting him.

"Sorry to say, but I don't think there's a god that wants to listen to me. I'd just-" Ed wheezed, "-waste my breath." Scar huffed at his response. Edward rose from the ground and came over to Sonia. He stared at her for a minute and was relieved to see her breathing. She was barely, though. If she didn't get help soon, she would surely bleed to death. He leaned down and checked her pulse on the side of her neck. Slow. Tired. Practically lifeless.

With two fingers still placed on her neck, Ed asked, "Am I the only one you're after?" There was a slight pause as he caught his breath. "My little brother, Al... Are you going to kill him? A-and Sonia, if she lives, will you be the one to someday kill her, too?"

"The girl got in my way. You should be grateful I gave her a chance to live. But she will die by my hands one day. If your brother interferes, I will have to kill him as well. My main priority at the moment is you, Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Alright then." He stood up. "Promise me this. Promise me, you won't touch my brother, or Sonia."

"I cannot promise for her. She is a State Alchemist. She is planned to die by me eventually. But for the time being, I suppose I won't hurt either of them more than I have."

Ed took note of how he had said, 'for the time being'. That meant not at the moment, but sooner or later. Still, that was good enough for him. He didn't want Sonia to die, not when he could do something about it. He was basically helpless without one of his arms.

"So you will leave them alone?"

"Yes. You have my word."

"Ed! What are you doing?! Run, get out of here!" Alphonse yelled, trying to get his brother to snap out of it. "Don't kill him, please!" he begged.

Scar did not listen. His hand was coming down quickly, and onto Edward. It seemed there was no hope.

Then a gunshot overpowered the rain.

"That's enough." Colonel Mustang had arrived, along with the rest of his team. "That was pretty close, Fullmetal." He smirked at the blonde.

"This man is the same man who has been killing off State Alchemists. He was a suspect before, but after seeing this, he is guilty."

"You killed Tucker, too, didn't you? And Nina?!" Ed exclaimed. He shook with rage.

"All alchemists don't deserve to be in this world. They sin by defying god."

"You use alchemy as well by deconstruction," Mustang pointed out.

"God created me to kill alchemists. I am following his words. We are all sinners. I do this for god. Alchemists working for the military do it just to protect whatever pride they have. If you insist on stopping me, I'll eliminate you as well."

"Oh, really?" Colonel challenged, sliding on his gloves. He tossed his gun to his Lieutenant.

"Colonel!" she protested.

"Stay out of this," he ordered.

"The Flame Alchemist?"

"Yours truly," Roy smirked. "I, Roy Mustang, am the Flame Alchemist." Scar approached him, not even a bit hesitant. "You realize I am the Flame Alchemist, yet you still chose to fight me? You're more of a fool than I thought!"