• ❁Alchemic Scars [Editing]❁ •

Chapter 15 - Digging To Find the Truth

Chapter 15 - Digging to Find the Truth

The wind whistles softly as the crescent moon shines bright and the few street lights flicker softly. An eerie silence lingers in the air, only broken by soft clicking of feet on the cracked pavement. Three shadows scurry their way past old buildings of the quiet street, whispering every now and then to check up with each other. As these figures pass by a dully lit street light, they manifest into a couple of shady teens; Edward and Alphonse Elric, accompanied by myself, Elleah Hughes, commonly known as the Crimson-rose Alchemist.

"It's our fault that we got stuck with these bodies," Edward mutters with furrowed brows. "And it's up to us to find a way to change them back."

After more time of careful wandering, we end up in front of a large stone wall. The entrance is gated off with wood, barbed wire and signs saying 'KEEP OUT' in large, bold lettering. Next to the said gate is an ordinary looking door, a light illuminating it from above as an armed guard is stationed as it's watcher.

"That's odd," I whisper to no one in particular. "Why would a guard be protecting an abandoned building?"

"Very suspicious." Edward comments.

"How are we going to get in?" Alphonse whisper-shouts as he looks around for an accessible entry point.

We duck back around the wall corner that we were previously snooping around. I look up to the top of the wall. It's high I'll give it that much, but it's not high enough to keep someone from being thrown up and over. If you count the barbed wire on the rim, then it would be hard for an average human to get across, but sometimes having metal limbs and bodies really come in handy.

As the boys still discuss a possible way of entry, I rush my way over to Alphonse, going head-on at full pelt. Once the boy hears me coming, he turns around to see me coming at him. He panics and steps away, but before he can run I grab hold of his shoulder plate and heave myself up. I land on his shoulder with light feet before hoisting myself up onto the tippy top of the wall, using my right arm as support so to not damage my flesh arm.

The brothers stare in awe at my trick before Edward grows a devilish grin. He too - using Alphonse's hands as a booster - climbs up to the top. He and I collectively lower down a long string of barbed wire for Alphonse to take hold of and follow up after us.

We all jump down with quiet thuds and scout the area.

Edward groans loudly as we come across the building's entrance. "Sheesh... the entrance is blocked off, too?"

"Seems so," I grunt in response.

Edward looks around for a few moments at the decaying building before slapping my shoulder a few times to get my attention, looking up to a ventilation shaft above our heads. He points to it with his flesh arm and calls Alphonse over to us as well.

"Can you guys give me a boost?" He asks in a hushed voice, still remembering the guard stationed not too far away around the wall.

Alphonse and I nod as a response before helping the small boy up. He reaches the vent and inspects the mesh covering in securely, before ripping it off of its holdings and handing it down to us to place on the ground.

"Looks like it goes all the way in... Al, Elleah, wait here."

"What?" Alphonse halts the boy from proceeding. "You sure you'll be all right by yourself?"

"I don't have a choice. With your big body, you'll never fit through here. Same goes for Elleah with her -- y'knows?" Edward coughs awkwardly as he shimmies his way through the metal vent, leaving behind a gloomy looking Alphonse.

"It's not my fault I got big..." He sulks.

I look down to my body with a frown. "I didn't ask to be a girl. Jerk..." I mutter under my breath with a serious and somewhat bored expression.

-

Time passes, and Alphonse and I are still waiting outside of the large Laboratory. We sit in silence and listen with strained ears for any sounds of disturbance from inside.

After more time wasted, I stand up and face the youngest Elric. "I'm going to see if there's another entrance to this building," I state. "I'm tired of waiting around for that pipsqueak. I'll come back to you if I find anything overly important."

Alphonse grunts sadly in response as he watches me walk away without objection.

I walk around the building quietly, further and further away from the comfort of another human - the soul of one that is. I keep my guard up and tread carefully along the damp grass, letting its large leaves tickle my slightly exposed ankles.

Eventually, I come across a gaping hole in the side of the mangy lab. The gap is dark and eerie, looking almost as if someone attempted to bomb their way in years ago. Small vines are scattered up the cracked cement of the opening as they trail their way up and into all the nooks and crannies.

I step forward warily and inspect the entrance with care. I move closer after finding nothing out of the ordinary and wander my way inside.

Pitch blackness. That's all I can see - total and utter darkness. There are no lanterns or torches, no moonlight or daylight, nothing at all to guide me through this void of dark and dampness.

"Hehehe~..." A sadistically sounding, feminine voice giggles from the shadows. "Here walks in my little pray~... So let's have fun as we play~..." It sings slowly as the voice seemingly moves through the room. "There's nowhere to run and nowhere to hide~... Black is the colour of dark thoughts inside~..."

I clench my fists tightly as I follow the voice, taking in its words as I try and pinpoint its direction. "Who the hell are you?" I call out to the creature. "Show yourself."

"Little girly wants to play~" It giggles once again as it moves closer, the voice coming from my right. I turn to it as a faint blue glow comes from a small lantern atop a metal pole. It sways back and forth with a shrill squeaking sound. The light grows brighter as a metal glove turns a nob on the side of the lantern's base. From the blue light comes forth an armoured head, the metal of it rusted and old. A single, white, painted line stretches across the left eye and cheek. Where the eyes should be, a long black slit takes its place to allow the person to see. An extended mass of horse hair trails its way over the armour's shoulder from the top of its head, looking like a dishevelled ponytail. "Hello, girly~..."

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Hehehehehehe........ I had fun writing this one.

I hope you all liked this chapter. I know I went completely off of the storyline, but I didn't want to have Elleah follow Edward in the vent, so I created a new villain for Elleah to fight!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to vote, comment and follow me for more. So, until next time my storybook friends, bye~ 💕