Philosopher's stone rebirth

21: being manipulated

benkira: I don't like where this is heading...

roy: what do you mean?

benkira: the smells of many air flows, rust, ground. If I were to guess... its probably a complicated base with many pathways. And... not all connect to where riza is. But...

roy: what?!!!

benkira: all these tunnels do connect to one similar place and she isn't there.

roy: don't tell me what doesn't need to be known. Where do we find her?!!!

Benkira opens his eyes taking a deep breath after using alchemy to such an extensive " she's underneath us. "

Ed/al: what?!!!!

Suddenly a shadow flashes right before their eyes as if asking them to chase. A suspicious shadow, who wouldn't give a chase? They run after the figure now to be seen wearing a black cloak. Only a back figure and no face to see. 

Nikojin chases up easily since she's the fastest among them. She runs up onto the wall and lands in front of the mysterious man. Her eyes widens at what she sees letting off her guard. The man takes out a blade to slice her. She bends backwards falling onto her back. Benkira runs to her "nikojin!!". The rest gave chase leaving a few behind.

nikojin: that man... he only has an eye...

eliza: a puppet?

may: it can't be... his aura felt like a human.

nikojin: so the man.... really only had an eye?

"stop running !!! " ed creates a long arm made out of stone and grabs his body. The man touches onto the stone arm and it disintegrates into sand. Al than immediately creates a hand from under the man using the ground below him and raised the man up. The stone hand closed its hand but as soon as that happened, the hand disintegrates into sand.Than the man touches onto the floor as he lands. A hole was made as he hand touches the ground and disintegrates it into sand and jumps through it.

May threw a dagger onto him sticking it into his body before he jumped down. may cause the dagger into exploding. A sound and smoke came out of the hole. Apparently the explosion succeeded. They all jumped down the hole. he had disappeared.

may: I guess he didn't get hurt.

al: I guess so, there's no blood.

kia jumped down the hole " hey, don't miss me out where there is fun!"

ed: where were you all this time?

kia: hungry. Bread. Eat. Baguettes with spreaded seafood mix is really yummy. You guys should try some time.

Roy and the others jumped down the hole " seems only two ways but one tunnel."

benkira: for now.I won't be wrong. And the smell is proving me right.

They walked a bit further down and they were met with four tunnels. The tunnels were each carved with their names on top.They each paired were up in twos. Roy with eliza , al with ed, may with kia, lastly... benkira with nikojin.

roy: looks like we were being lured in.

al: its been since a long time we have partnered each other.

ed: um. I agree.

roy: what if its a trap not that I want to spoil it. But we should approach this with caution.

kia: well I don't mind anything.

eliza: I agree with you, it might be a good idea to just swop around a little.

Than a voice echoed the tunnel " hi. Elric brothers. Please allow me to say one sentence. Try not to get caught. I do need you. "

kia: zihein...

Everyone looked everywhere for something that looked like a speaker. but instead al spotted something similar, a transmutation circle " over there."

zihein: ah. Kia you too. I promise suffering and disasters if you let me catch you that easily. Please don't send yourself up to me. It wouldn't be fun.

kia: I'm not as weak as you think I am.

zihein: says the one who got stabbed by me.

kia: did you die or not?!!!

Everyone turned to attention at that question. Because there is a chance he never did die in the first place. Or at least that's what the question is about.

zihein: aren't you impatient? We will talk when you find me.

"you bastard !!! " she sends a slash across the tunnels. The tunnels vibrates violently and the ceiling starts to crack a little. The tunnels collapse and the openings start to close.

roy: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!

" URUSEI. " she claps her hands and touches the ground. Two arcs form from the ground to connect. Now there was only one tunnel.

zihein: as violent as usual. Please, have fun.

Than the ground start to vibrate. There were signs of alchemy on the ground. Walls start to form quickly and almost everyone was separated. Nikojin managed to run to benkira before the walls could conceal to separate them apart. May shouted towards al who was right beside in another tunnel " can you hear me?"

al: may !!

Al makes a door by clapping his hands and touching to the door. Al opens the door and hugs may "daijobu?"

may: um.

Suddenly the tunnels all opened up to only leave one that was in plain sight. Only one exit.Or rather... one entrance.

roy: what an annoying man, playing us like that in his hand.

ed: wait... where is kia?!!

eliza: nee-chan... looks like she went down there....

kia pov:

The walls that form a tunnel closed on me... and suddenly a hole opened below me and I was free falling all the way down. To where I don't know. The hole was too big for me to even touch the wall. I couldn't even get my blade to reach a part of the wall. Tsk... I slashed the wall in attempt to destroy it. What...?? Alchemy reaction? A barrier? DAMN IT.

I had reached the ground finally. Wow. A soft landing of sand...

*clank*

"hi kia. "