Stand by You

XXIV

"Ling!" Alphonse cried as Ling collided with the ground. "What's going on?"

I sat up from where I was, brushing the rocks off of him. "He can perform transmutation without making any motion at all!" I panted.

"This is a waste of time," Father sighed. He took a step forward and a red bolt emerged from his head as it flew up to the ceiling in a jagged, linear motion, lighting the entire room up in red. Once the light show was over, Edward and Alphonse tried to attack using alchemy but nothing happened as they clapped their hands and slammed them on the ground.

"My alchemy doesn't work!" Edward yelled as Envy brought down his front paws on the both of them.

"Ed! Al!" Ling yelled as Gluttony tackled him, making his sword go flying and Gluttony opened his mouth wide and swallowed it whole.

"YOU GUYS!" I screamed as I drew my sword, as alchemy doesn't work anymore apparently but Father lifted his hand and the concrete understand me shifted, creating an appendage made of concrete around me, holding me there with only my arm with the sword in it free from the binding.

"What did that bearded bastard do?" Edward demanded.

"Why can't we use our alchemy?" Alphonse asked as he stared at his hands.

"Really, I can't get over you lower lives," Envy laughed. "As soon as you gain a great power, you get carried away with it, not even knowing what it is. Did you think you brought about the prize you now have all under your own power! That's a laugh! You fools!"

"What is this?" Edward demanded. "You promised once we got back, you'd tell me everything!"

"Huh?" Envy taunted. "I don't remember promising anything to you worms!"

"Why, you!" Edward seethed.

As Edward began yelling, I wiggled through my retrains. I have to get out somehow! I thought as I glanced at my free arm. Could I perhaps use my sword to cut my way to freedom? I glanced down at the concrete. No way, it's way too thick. I'll break my sword before I even get to that point.

"You talk too much, Envy," Father sneered.

"Okay, okay," he sighed.

Father eyed Ling, examining the teenage boy trying to squirm underneath Gluttony's enormous weight. "You may not be such bad material," he muttered. "I might be able to increase the number of pawns I can use."

Father tapped his forehead and a slit appeared and it opened, revealing a purple eye that was sideways. At the corner of the eye, a red liquid seeped from it. "That's...a Philosopher's Stone!" Alphonse cried.

"What?" Edward gasped.

"You're planning to do that?" Envy muttered.

"'That' what?" Edward demanded.

"Create a Homunculus," Envy smirked. "A Philosopher's Stone is poured in.  If it goes as planned, a human-based Homunculus is created."

The tear dripped from the giant eye and Father caught it in his hand. He ripped off the bandage off Ling's face, causing him to grit his teeth at the sudden sting of the bandage being ripped off. Underneath the bandage there was a slit that began to bled from the bandage being ripped off.

"Although, they usually are unable to withstand the Stone's power and end up dying," Envy continued.

"I won't let you do that!" Edward and Alphonse began to squirm underneath Envy's grasp but Envy laughed as he applied more pressure to his paws, anchoring the brothers down.

"Let us go, Envy!" Alphonse begged.

"Damn it!" Edward cursed. "What's going on? Why won't our alchemy work?" Edward desperately clapped his hands together and placed them on the ground but nothing happened once again.