Iserlohnn - continued

The White-Haired Man

Edward was determined not to lose sight of Kimbley. Although the White-Haired Man and Kimbley were almost a block ahead of him, Edward was closing fast. He was small and nimble; an asset when having to maneuver though a crowd, and for once his lack of size was working to his advantage. As much as he complained about being short, he was actually a little grateful at that moment that he wasn’t as tall as Al.

The last image Edward caught of the duo was of them entering what looked like a shop of some kind. When he made it to where they had been he saw the shop was actually a tavern. The structure had windows but they were colored glass so he couldn’t see inside. However, that flaw was easily rectified as he changed the composition of the leaded glass via Alchemy. Once he could see inside he saw both Kimbley and the White-Haired Man seated at the bar having a drink. They both seemed to be oblivious to the fact he was watching them.

The familiar sound of clanking steel made Edward turn. Alphonse and the others had made it to the tavern. Now that the group was back together they could plan their next move.

“Where’s Kimbley?” Tenshi asked.

“In the tavern at the bar with the White-Haired Man,” Edward told them.

Tenshi looked in through the clear spot in the window Edward had created. Something about the White-Haired Man was familiar to the little Alchemist. He didn’t know why he looked familiar but he was sure he had seen him someplace before. He ducked away from the window when he saw Kimbley rise and start heading in his direction.

“What is it Tenshi?” Edward asked.

“I think Kimbley is coming out!”

All of them ducked in to he shop next door. Tenshi stayed by the door to peer out. Kimbley did step out of the tavern but he didn’t stay there long. Tenshi saw him holding a gold disk similar to the message disk he had seen back in the Colonel’s office and the Crimson Alchemist charged the metallic circle. It glowed and he glowed and then both it and he were gone in an eye blink.

Tenshi turned back to the others saying, “Kimbley’s gone. He vanished almost like he did back in the library.”

“Did you see how he did it?” Edward asked.

“He used a transmutation circle inscribed on a gold disk, like the one the Princess sent the Colonel,” Tenshi explained.

“That was a Portal Key,” the Princess told him. “The Portal itself is somewhere else in this city.”

“Are you sure he’s even still in Iserlohnn?” Edward inquired. “Theoretically you can use a Transfer Portal to go anywhere.”

The Princess looked at Edward. “I am not sure where else he would want to go. He came here for a reason and he has not accomplished the task he had set out for himself.”

“He’s still trying to use Iserlohnn as fuel to create a Philosopher’s Stone,” said Edward. “We have to stop him.”

“What of the man with him?”

What indeed? Edward wasn’t sure who the stranger was and what his connection to Kimbley was either. This was a matter for further investigation. With Kimbley gone the group left the shop they had momentarily invaded and were back on the street in front of the tavern. Edward checked through his clear spot in the glass and noted their quarry was still at the bar.

“Maybe I should talk to him,” suggested Tenshi. “He might not mind answering if I ask him nicely.”

Tenshi’s too big for his face lilac eyes looked up at Edward hopefully. Edward could not resist those eyes. He sighed. “Okay,” he said. “Just don’t get too close and be careful. We don’t know anything about this guy.”

Tenshi nodded and went into the tavern. Edward and the others watched by the window and waited. They saw Tenshi approach the man making sure to stay out of arm’s reach and start talking to him. The man put his drink down, turned and surveyed the little Alchemist with an appreciative eye. He answered Tenshi but no one, not even Edward could tell what was going on. The White-Haired Man’s expression was unreadable. Tenshi looked a little nervous. He got scared when the man suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him into a close embrace. They all watched in surprise as Tenshi shocked his would-be assailant with a charge of static electricity but it had no effect.

When the windows went black and the door to the tavern vanished that was when all hell broke loose. Edward made a door where the window had been and leaped through it changing his Auto-mail arm to a blade on the fly. Al, the Doctor and the Princess followed but, as usual, Edward was the one to get first blood. His surprise attack distracted the White-Haired Man long enough for Edward to get Tenshi away from him. However, it seemed he had not arrived in time to save his Kohai for little Tenshi collapsed in a motionless heap the moment the White-Haired Man released him.

“What did you do to him you bastard!” Edward demanded hotly.

“He will live. Which is more than I can say form you,” the White-Haired Man stated calmly as he moved away from the bar so quickly Edward’s eyes and brain couldn’t register the action. He surveyed Edward for a moment then said, “So, you are the Fullmetal Alchemist I’ve heard so much about. Well, little man, let’s see what you can do besides look good in leather.”

Edward leaped at him pissed off at being called little and even more pissed off by the fact that the guy was staring at his crotch the whole time he was talking to him. He made contact slicing open the man’s shoulder with his blade but when he did so the man caught his sword arm. His grip was like steel and Edward could not break free without ripping off his Auto-mail hand. He shoved Edward against the wall, twisted his arm around so the blade was pointed at Edward’s own midsection and forced Edward to stab himself through the gut with his own sword. The blade went clear through his body and impaled him on the wall.

Princess Katarin screamed in horror. The Doctor was equally shocked by what she saw. Only Alphonse managed to keep it together enough to do something to save his brother’s life. He grabbed the White-Haired Man from behind and literally tossed him like a sack of flour across the bar. He landed hard against the wall and the sound of bones shattering was audible. The man lay motionless on the floor. Edward sighed with relief.

“Nice work, Al,” he said weakly. He looked over at Tenshi. He could see the boy was still breathing and said, “Al, we have to get him out of here. I think that creep did something to him.”

“We need to get YOU out of here,” Alphonse told him.

“I’ll get myself out,” Edward said with a wry grin as he reverted his Auto-mail arm to normal, which instantly freed him from the wall. It also left him with a gaping hole in the middle of his back that missed his spine by inches and another bigger one in the front that was bleeding. Edward clutched the hole in his gut saying, “God, that hurt!”

Seris had no idea how Edward was still up and moving after taking a hit like that. The boy had the constitution of an elephant. She tried to get over to him to bind his wound and staunch the bleeding but she never got the chance. The White-Haired Man got up from the floor snapping himself into place as his did so and he cast his silver eyes on the two brothers.

“Impressive,” he said to Alphonse. “You move well for something so large.” He noticed Edward was free and added, “And you look like you want to play some more.”

Edward took a step towards him. “I’m though playing. This time, we get serious.”

The man chuckled evilly. “Do you worst, boy.”

“Edward no!” Alphonse called but his warning came too late. Edward had leaped, clapped his hands to charge his circle and struck the White-Haired Man full in the chest with his open palms. The last time Alphonse had seen Edward do an attack like that the individual he fought was left in pieces. Edward rarely used a deconstruction attack but when he did the aftermath was always brutal, bloody and the stuff of nightmares.

The White-Haired Man exploded. His head with most of the neck still attached landed a few feet away from Alphonse. Al backed away staring at the head in horror. Edward just killed this guy in cold blood. What the hell was he thinking? Alphonse was about to chastise Edward when the eyes in the head opened, looked down and around and then at Al. The White-Haired Man’s head laughed and then from out of the neck eight spider like legs sprouted and the head got up and then moved across the floor to seek out the rest of the body. The other body parts had also either sprouted appendages to allow them to move or became ooze that slithered across the floor to where most of the legs were lying against the wall. As all of them watched in morbid fascination, the body of the White-Haired Man slowly began to reassemble itself.

It was at this moment that Edward had reached his weirdness limit. He had seen enough. He backed away from the reforming body saying in a voice shaking with a combination of fear and pain, “Let’s get the hell out of here!”

No one needed a second invitation. Alphonse scooped up the unconscious Tenshi and Edward grabbed the Princess and the two brothers with their respective bundles hastened out the doorway. The Doctor was right behind them. They were almost to the train station when Edward’s body gave out and he collapsed almost dropping the Princess on her head. Katarin had enough dexterity to keep herself from landing badly. Edward’s consciousness was fading from the blood loss and the sound of the train whistle in the distance momentarily revived him.

“We have to get on that train,” he told them. “We have to go back and get reinforcements. We can’t do this alone.”

“You are going to the place where Flame is?” the Princess asked. Edward nodded and she continued, “Good. Then I am coming with you!”

She reached down and lifted Edward to his feet by his Auto-mail arm. He looked at her saying, “You don’t have to carry me. I can walk.”

“Then walk!” she said and began moving at a fairly brisk pace making it hard for the wounded Edward to keep pace. He forced himself to keep up with her; even though doing so was so painful it made spots appear before his eyes.

When they reached the train station, they found they were just in the nick of time to board. By the time they had found their compartment the train was already moving. Once they were safely in their seats, the Doctor bandaged Edward’s wounds so he would stop bleeding and make it back alive and she used what Alchemy she knew to stop the spread of the poison coursing through Tenshi’s little body. Tenshi also would survive the trip home but for how long afterwards depended upon them finding anti-venom. Seris was certain the researchers they had back at Central’s base hospital were savvy enough to know of a cure for the little Alchemist.

Tenshi and Edward shared one bench while the other three had the opposite one. The ride home was quiet since everyone was buried deep in their own thoughts. Al was worried about his brother and Tenshi. He sensed the others were too but he knew they had no idea how devastated he would be if lost Edward. His brother was the only real connection he had to the physical world. If Edward were to perish, then Alphonse would really have no reason to continue his existence…
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I\'m NOT leaving it Here! There is more to come!!