The white plain of everlasting, stretching and shifting as far as one would not hope to reach. The lone God, sat watching the world play its story... Over and over. Alone. For an eternity.
How many times had this event taken place? How many times had this 'father' tried to overtake the power within, to become 'god'? How many times must I watch until I've had enough? How many times must I watch this event occur the exact same over and over again? When will these stories tire me? Taking the forced toll once more, how many more times must I take these tolls? Must I watch the two irregularities fight? Why must I give these humans power to fight? Must he damage my gates and taint the creations of the world and watch the children call in desperation? Must he take a portion of myself from its resting place? Must he block the source I provide? I always am impressed by humans imagination, but really is it a surprise anymore? Must I take the soul of a dreadful being? Must I watch the pitiful Homunculus fail?
It does seem I have lost my patients with this foolish Homunculus.
I shall come to your aid, for the first time in a millennium... or ten, I've lost count...
I shall aid you in this battle for the first time, Mr alchemist, Edward Elric.
Like I should have all of those years ago.
It happened so quickly. He was just rising from the 'basement' of 'Fathers' lair. He'd not even seen 'Father' for five seconds. Then it just happened.
It was bright white. It was painful. It was over in a blink of an eye.
He was in such shock. Wide eyed on the ground before his brain court up and he began to sit up. His automail wasn't in a nice form and he was hurt. But he could move. That was all that mattered. He could move and fight.
His eyes sliding to his right. There she was bloodied and unconscious.
"MASTER?!" Stumbling over to her, past the pain. "Master?!"
Her eyes fluttering open as she lifted herself onto an elbow "I'm alright... Hohenheim..." Losing her words as her eyes landed on something none of them hoped to see.
His eyes drifting to the figure that stood before 'Father' and untimely Hohenheim and themselves.
The two were quick to their feet, not knowing what to do, to say, to demand... was the word he ended up using.
Before chaos decided to commence, Van collapsed into the quick-footed arms of the two. Their eyes never straying from the figure before them.
Truth.
Horrid memories rushing back, echoing in his head. His experiences withTruth never will leave him.
A young girl, only a year older than himself. Long golden braided hair, tied tightly back. Golden eyes to create a matching set of three siblings. Smiling and jumping along a river, carrying back all the food they lugged from the market.
"You're so slow! Bet I'll bet you both!" She began to sprint.
"You wish!" Ed and Al wailed back as they commenced running.
The house in close range, all three sprinting they hearts out while carrying their cargo.
"Come on! Slowpokes!" The girl yelled
"You wish!" The middle child yelled in praise as he sped in front of her.
The youngest behind them all as the older two ran ahead of one another as they reached the house.
"I win, Eddie!" The girl proclaims.
"No fair!" The middle one complained
"Was too!"
"Was not!"
"Come on you two!" The youngest intervening "Mum'll get mad!"
The two folding their arms around the bags of food tighter as the huffed air. The eldest opening the door into the badly lit kitchen, stepping over a dropped tomato.
"Mum!We're home..." The last words barely dripping from her mouth. "MUM!"
"Eddie! Stay back! It's dangerous!"
"NO! Don't do it alone!"
"It's too late so step back- AHH..."
"BROTHER!"
"REBOUND!"
"...Alphonse?! Give him back!"
"Mr Alchemist... Your toll."
"Dwarf in a flask!" The echoed voice erupted "You attempted to acquire God-"
"-Take me-" As the foolish creation of man spoke, Truth raised their hand and once he spoke two words black hands grabbed 'Father' and encased him as the God backhanded him, only leaving above the eyes visible.
"You foolish beast! You ask of me to become something impossible!" Truth letting out a sigh. "You humans amaze me. You reach for things set in stone to be impossible. It is amusing... But! Homunculus! I have let this 'plan' play out too many times! I am finished watching you suffer within my gate! I dismiss your soul, pitiful creation of mankind! Let your soul be no more!" The black hands engulfing the man into nothing but dust in the wind.
The soldiers, sacrifices and every being were left stunned. God had just evaporated their common enemy and the battlefield fell silent. Greed coming from behind, attacking the God from above. Only to be court, twisted around to land on his ass. Arm held up to the Gods' shoulder, its other hand on his chest.
"GREED! NO!" He wailed
Truth just sighed, plunging its finger into Greeds chest. After a long sharp scream, the red stone was pulled out. Ling threw to the ground, who quickly got up, only to catch the stone that was dropped into his hands by Truth.
"GREED?!"
The battlefield sunk into the vail of silence once more. Until Truth create a sound to break the seal.
A laugh. A female laugh. He hadn't taken into account until now the form Truth had taken. It was a female, a female child, no older than 11. It sounded and looked female. Long braided hair. "You humans never see what must be done in this world!"
He was furious with the form Truth had taken. "WHY?! WHY THAT FORM?! WHY KILL GREED?! WHY WOULD YOU STEAL HER LAST IDENTITY?!" He marched up to truth and stood face to face. "WHY?! ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!" His brother calling warning as he continued.
"Why?!" Laughing once more. "Why? I only do what I must! So..." Truth just smiled. All once again, silent. "Why. Not?" Smirking its face at his.
He went to punch Truth square in the cheek. His fist court and twisted behind his back, forcing him to double over. Hearing his brother and another wail for his safety.
He felt small hands on his shoulder and knee ports. Hearing screams of his fellow sacrifices, bar his father. All echoing closer. Though Ed couldn't see them due to his position he could tell they were dragged close by the black hands of the Truth. "You all played God! You toyed with my domain! You all are an example! You will lose everything to gain everything! Am! I! Clear! Humans!" Stopping like it would get an answer. "This really will hurt." Truth stated to the audience of sacrifices.
White pain erupted and the next he knew he was on the ground gasping for air. Free of any hold. His shoulder and knee aching with white pain.
They hurt... His arm and leg hurt! He had an arm and a leg!
"Let these not be an example of how your story would end if you attempt to 'play god'! I have been merciful! Let it be known I am not a merciful being!"
His eyelids shooting up with his head to see Al. Alphonse the human, not armour. He was filled with amazing emotions. Everything was back. His teacher, his superior... but... she was still gone...
He stood up. "WHERE IS SHE?! YOU RETURNED EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING BUT HER! WHERE IS OUR SISTER?! WHY IS SHE ANY DIFFERENT?!" Tears threatening to escape his eyes.
"She played God far too well." Smiling at him with sorrow
"WHY?! Why do you play with us?!"
"It is my job!" The longer Truth stayed with them, the more humanity it gained, anger littering its words.
"Why take the job?!"
"I had no choice!" Outlines of eyelids forming on its face.
"Why?!"
"I CAN'T ANSWER THAT!" As the eyes opened, the white replaced with colour.
"WHY NOT?!"
"Because I can't! I just can't, Eddie!" The hair golden, the eyes matching the set.
"No! NO! NOT YOU!" He ran to the figure before him. Embracing on impact.
"Please..." It whispered. "Please don't, Eddie..." Her face only uncovered, tears coming from her eyes. Falling to her knees.
"Victoria?!" His father screamed from behind him.
"Please... Please... I can't stay..." She sobbed, the echoes melted away.
Feeling tears leak out of his own eyes. "Why?..."
"It's been thousands of years... I have forgotten..."
"You left us... Please stay..."
"No. I'm sorry." She pulled away and stood, helping him up. "I need to go..." Turning her face to the side, he whipped the tears off her face.
"Do you really?"
"Who else would filter through all the souls of every living being? Everyone else who has tried has died. I'm sorry. I took the job from a dying man who was pleading for death... That's why I took the job." Her face resetting to its white setting of origin.
"At least see Alphonse." Putting a small smile on.
"You corrupted me already. I must purify myself quickly and leave. Humanity is a weakness as a God. I have shown too much." Her voice once again full of the echo of a million-billion souls.
"It's been too long."
"Longer for myself."
"Then why not stay?!"
"I TOLD YOU I CANNOT!" Silence eloping the pair. "I-I just can't... I have a job..."
"Then let me take the job. Have a life. I've already done enough."
"No. You really haven't yet. You need peace after all of this horror."
"And what about you?"
"The job has grown accustomed to me. Just let me do my job."
"I'm sorry... Victoria." Their father said from behind her.
She gasped for air as his hand entered his chest.
"STOP!" She wailed "STOP! IT WILL KILL YOU! OR WORSE!"
"STOP!" He attempted, only to be sent flying back from the force of the two fighting.
"STOP!" She pleaded, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Scrapping at her father's hand which stuck out of her chest.
The white draining from her body, eloping Hohenheim.
It all happened so quickly.
Everything was over.
Everything that shouldn't have happened that day happened.
All the worst had occurred.
And there was worse to come.
She was...
He was...
So many were...
They all ran. Ran so quickly. Ran carefully. Ran strategically. Ran for their lives. All at the same time.
They were all going to die.