Hagane no Renkinjutsushi - Volume 1 - Chapter 1

GOLDEN HAIR

“YOU SURE THIS IS the right place?”

“Pretty sure …”

“It doesn’t look like the right place.”

“It doesn’t, does it …”

The two boys hunched over the map spread out between them.

“This has to be it!”

“Well, the old geezer at the station said we’d find it at the end of these rails.”

They looked down at the rails stretching out in a perfectly straight line from the toes of their boots. Straight. Not even a hint of a curve. There was no way they could have gotten lost.

“Across the carpet of green, to the mountains of hope, and the tall peak shining of gold,” recited Edward, scanning the land ahead of them. “This sure doesn’t look like Xenotime—like a town of gold.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Alphonse agreed.

Edward Elric was dressed in black, save for a pair of white gloves and a red coat. A long braid of golden-blond hair hung down his back. His eyes were the same color as his hair, and they shone with a steely confidence and resolve. Though he seemed a bit cocky for his age, Edward carried the burden of a troubled past—one that had left him with a right hand and left leg of automail.

His companion, Alphonse Elric, was his younger brother.

Alphonse was entirely encased in a suit of bronze-hued armor so large that it was hard to imagine the boy inside was a full year younger than Edward. And in truth, there was no boy inside. The suit of armor was empty. The only thing that made him a person instead of a heap of metal was a single letter written in blood on the inside of the armor that bound Alphonse’s soul inside it.

In comparison to the giant suit of armor, Edward, who was already short for his age, looked even smaller, and few who saw him believed he was the elder of the two.

“We’ve been walking so long, I can’t believe we haven’t seen any people!” Edward turned and gazed at the rails stretched out behind them. He could see the station they had departed from, far off in the distance. Ahead of them, the rails continued on until they were swallowed up by the town. The entire time they had been walking, they had seen no one, nor had anything come down the tracks.

Xenotime, the Town of Gold. The two brothers were well versed in the legends of this town whose mountain had held extraordinarily rich veins of gold. Never at a loss for raw material, the town’s goldsmiths were unparalleled, and Xenotime goldware sold for a premium price. Once a green agricultural town, Xenotime was said to be a paradise where gold glittered between every swaying blade of grass. The brothers knew the first gold rush was long gone and that they were arriving well past the town’s peak. Still, they hoped for at least a glimpse of the glory that was Xenotime, land of plenty.

They saw nothing but a land of sand.

The rails that had led them there were coated with rust, and the wooden ties beneath were rotted and splintered. When the wind blew, the dust rose and hid the far-off houses beneath a haze. Beyond the town loomed a bizarre hulk that must once have been a great mountain. Cut to bits and dug out, it was a husk of its former self. All that remained was countless piles of rock like stacks of firewood.

Abandoned mining carts, rocks, and sandy gravel—barely contained by rusted iron fences—lay by the tracks. It was a desolate scene.

A small iron crane was set into the brown earth nearby. A lone pulley on a chain hung from it, rattling in the wind.

“Looks like none of this has been used in a long time.” Edward pointed at the crane, red with rust. “This tower looks like it would fall over if you poked it with your finger.” Edward laughed and leaned on one of the rusty supports. The crane lurched to the side.

“Yikes!”

He hadn’t meant to knock the crane over, and now it was too late to stop it. It collapsed with a long, weary shriek of metal. Edward was speechless.

“Looks like you’re right, Ed.”

Edward stared at the crane sprawled on the ground. The thought occurred to him that the people of the town might have need of it.

“It’s so rusty, it’s got to be abandoned, right?” Edward asked hopefully, his face grim.

Alphonse shook his head. “Hear those sounds from the town? They must still be excavating.”

They stood absolutely still and they could hear sounds carried on the wind, sounds of machinery moving and of rocks being piled. Edward sighed. It seemed likely that the town still used that rusted crane, and it was a sure bet they wouldn’t look kindly on the ones who had wrecked it. In his travels, Edward had found that it wasn’t a good policy to make trouble upon arriving at your destination. Trouble was sure to come later, as it was.

“You really need to be more careful, Ed.”

Edward’s shoulders slumped. Bad enough that his little brother towered over him—now he was scolding him. “Guess we ought to fix it,” Edward muttered, passing his traveling trunk to his brother.

“Why can’t you ever learn to look but not touch?”

While his brother grumbled, Edward stood in front of the fallen crane and swiftly brought his hands together.

For a moment, it looked as if the air around the crane contracted. An instant later, the atmosphere around them snapped and vibrated, and light streamed everywhere.

“Good as new! Let’s go, Al.”

The light dissipated. Edward retrieved his trunk and began walking again. Alphonse hurried to catch up with him. Behind them, the crane stood exactly as it had when they arrived.

THE BROTHERS finally reached the town. Only a few dilapidated houses awaited them. The windowsills and foundations had turned the same dusty brown as the ground on which the buildings stood. At first Alphonse and Edward thought the place was abandoned, but when they reached the town center, they sensed activity. The sound of people’s voices and breaking rocks echoed between the buildings. “Open” signs hung in shop windows, and they caught glimpses of rich goldware hanging on the walls inside.

“I was hoping this was the place.” Edward’s eyes followed a slow-moving rail cart. “So much gold was found here, I thought maybe … But this place looks pretty run down.”

“Think we should move on?”

“No.” Edward’s eyes shone with determination. “We promised ourselves we’d check out every lead, every ‘what if’ and ‘maybe,’ and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Alphonse nodded. “Okay.”

“All right then.”

They glanced at each other, then headed toward a building that stood in the middle of the town square. Its sign read “TAVERN.” It had been a long journey, and they needed a rest.

The tavern held ten tables. A few grimy miners were drinking coffee inside. The brothers seated themselves, acknowledging the stares with a nod.

“Look, Al—goldware designs!” Edward pointed at inked schematics hanging on the walls. “Some rich guy somewhere must have the real things.”

“Wow!” Alphonse exclaimed, genuinely impressed.

The designs were elegant and highly detailed. Edward imagined the finished objects must be priceless works of art. Though these were only the blueprints, they were enough to impress the travelers with the skill of the town’s craftsmen.

“Whoa! Check out the price! That’s one … No, ten …” Edward leaned closer to one of the pictures and studied the record of sale at the bottom. Slowly, he counted off zeros on his fingers. “Five million cens! For real?!”

While his brother counted off prices, Alphonse examined the designs. There were large bowls with fine detailing and small tables with short legs. To think that each of those black lines represented solid gold! Alphonse had no desire for such luxury, but the designs were exquisite. He looked over the largest one. Even without seeing the finished product, he could tell it was a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

“I guess I’ve always written off goldware as just some gaudy luxury for the rich.”

“But it’s a real art, isn’t it?”

Alphonse turned to see who had said the words that had been forming on the tip of his tongue.

“What can I bring you, gentlemen?” continued the speaker, a rather tall man with a whiskered chin. He wore a cooking apron. Alphonse concluded he must be the tavern’s proprietor. “Welcome, travelers! Those goldware designs are certainly something to look at, but if it’s food you’re after, my herbed chicken is a work of art in its own right!”

The man laughed easily, and the other patrons joined the conversation. “Better order the chicken! Can’t rightly recommend anything else on the menu!” someone shouted, and the room filled with laughter.

“That stew the other day tasted like sawdust!”

“Ha! I tried it too—nearly lost a tooth!”

The man grinned. “I’ll put together a few more recipes, just give me time.” He plopped a coffee cup on the table. “So, you want the herbed chicken or what?”

Edward nodded. “All right. Does it come with bread?”

The man disappeared into the kitchen and returned to set their table. “You in the armor—anything for you?”

“I’m fine. Not hungry, thanks,” Alphonse answered awkwardly. He couldn’t eat even if he wanted to. He turned back to the designs. “These designs … Are they yours?”

The proprietor smiled. “Lemac’s the name.”

“Did you make these, Lemac?”

“Most of ’em. It’s been a while, though. The bigger designs we made together.”

“Wow! They’re amazing!” breathed Alphonse.

“Thanks. Only rich folk can afford these, so most people think of ’em as indulgences. But one look at the designs, and most people agree they’re art!”

Lemac brought a bowl and spoon and laid them on the table.

Edward pointed at the designs on the wall. “You just display your schematics in public like this?” The complexity of the designs defied belief. Wouldn’t the goldsmiths want to keep them secret? Hung in the tavern like this, anyone could steal their patterns.

Lemac seemed unconcerned. “I didn’t learn my craft in a day,” he said with a grin. “Seeing isn’t the same as smithing.”

“Well, they’re very beautiful. I didn’t know people could work metal with such detail.”

Alphonse’s praise made Lemac blush. “Well, that was a long time ago.”

“You don’t make these anymore?”

Lemac’s expression darkened. “You walked here from the station, right? Did you see any mining carts in operation?”

“No.” Alphonse shook his head. They had seen plenty of mining carts on their way in, but they were all rusting away.

Lemac turned to the window, a glass jar of herbs in his hand, and gazed out at the mines. Before the broken mountain was a wide plain. Several people crouched there, picking rocks from a pile and carefully examining them before tossing them aside.

“You can see we don’t have enough gold or goldware to fill up even one mining cart these days. The rails to the station are all rusting. Used to be, you’d hear the sound of trains and blasting and digging all day long. The town was full of craftsmen and customers come to buy their work. It was an exciting place to be.” His voice trailed off wistfully.

“Did the gold run out?” Edward asked.

“Appears so. There’re signs of a fresh vein a ways down, but most folks will be long gone before we reach it. You can’t grow crops on rock and sand.”

“Uh-huh.”

A palpable silence fell on the tavern. Lemac waved his hand as if to brush it away. “Well, I’ve got plenty of training left to do with my cooking arm if I ever want it to match my goldsmithing arm. Keeps me out of trouble all day.”

A customer chimed in, “And by the time your cooking improves, we’ll have found that gold!”

“That’s right,” another added. “And before we find that gold, Mr. Mugear’s research is bound to pan out!”

“I sure hope so …”

“What do you mean by that? We’ve just got to be patient! You want to craft gold again, don’t you?”

Edward had been absentmindedly admiring the designs on the wall, but now his ears pricked up.

“Who’s Mr. Mugear?”

“The owner of the mine. See that mansion up there? That’s his place.”

Just their side of the mountain, Edward saw a high wall with a large gate, firmly shut.

“That’s a big house! He must make a fortune!”

“Mr. Mugear was the first to make a business venture out of the mine. But now that the gold’s run dry, he’s just as bad off as the rest of us. Things will turn around for all of us if his research works out, of course.”

“Research?” Edward asked, trying to sound casual. He didn’t want to appear too interested, even though the word “research” alone had started his heart racing.

“He’s finished digging gold. He’s trying to find a way to make it! As much as we want! He’s manufacturing some kind of ‘Philosopher’s Stone.’”

Edward and Alphonse glanced at each other. This was the information they had been seeking. They were eager to ask more questions, but they were afraid of arousing suspicion. Reining in their curiosity, they listened attentively as Lemac talked on.

“You’re not too young to have heard of alchemy, are you? Rumor has it if you’re a good enough alchemist—the crème de la crème—you can make one of these stones. It’s pretty high-level alchemy. Nobody knows if it’s even possible.”

“It is,” asserted a man at the next table over. Several people nodded. Edward could see the hope in their eyes. They were all counting on this Mr. Mugear’s success, that was clear.

Suddenly a dark voice sounded from a table in the corner. “It’s impossible.”

Everyone cast withering looks in the new speaker’s direction. The man in the corner was spooning soup into his mouth. He looked as old or older than Lemac, and was sturdily built. He put his spoon down. His fingers were thick, and the face he turned to them was deeply tanned.

“How long have they been researching that ‘Philosopher’s Rock,’ anyway? While they’ve been holed up in that laboratory with those alchemists-for-hire, our town is going to rack and ruin. Are we that obsessed with gold?”

A few people stood up and protested, their voices shrill in comparison to his deep baritone.

“We used to make goldware that was the rival of any in the land! Everyone knows the name of Xenotime! We can’t just throw all that away!”

“That’s right! We know there’s another vein of gold out there. And a brilliant alchemist has joined Mr. Mugear’s laboratory! They’re bound to succeed! Belsio, you were never much of a craftsman yourself. Maybe you’re willing to throw it all away, but we aren’t!”

The man called Belsio slowly stood up. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense as he spoke in a soft voice. “Go on. Keep looking for your gold vein. But all we’re doing is breaking up rocks and throwing them away. If they want to play mad scientist up at the manse, let them. But we don’t have to keep funding their games with money we don’t have.” Belsio took a long look around the room. Then he placed the payment for his meal on the table and walked out, leaving the other patrons to digest his words.

“These are bad times for all of us! That’s why we’re scraping our money together to fund Mugear’s research. That Belsio’s just a naysayer.”

“Mugear’s collaborating with lots of alchemists. If anyone can make a stone that’ll turn rocks into gold, it’s him. And then we can all go back to trying to outdo each other’s goldware again!”

“But shouldn’t we at least consider some alternatives?!”

“What’s wrong with you? You’d throw away goldsmithing just like that?”

“I don’t want to throw anything away. But my son’s not well, and I’m thinking of moving and taking up a new profession. I’m stagnating in this town.”

“But if you stay, eventually—”

“Now, now,” broke in Lemac, “talk won’t solve anything. We’ve just got to keep busy. Norris, you’ve been searching for an expert to help find that gold vein, right? How’s that going? We’ve got to get back to mining! Delfino, don’t you have an order for goldware to fill?”

Lemac worked his way around the room, clapping several people on the back. The man he spoke to last had been Belsio’s harshest critic. “You’re right,” the man said, rising from his seat.

Lemac turned to Edward. “Delfino is the best craftsman in town. He’s got some smaller pieces that aren’t too expensive. You should take a look. There’s not much else to see here.”

“Thank you,” Edward said, “but what I’d really like to see is Mr. Mugear’s laboratory.”

Lemac and the others, many of whom were on their way out the door, stopped in their tracks. They laughed at the boy’s serious tone.

“You’re barely older than my daughter!” Lemac said, tousling Edward’s hair. “Are you really interested in all that nerdy alchemy stuff?”

To Lemac, Edward was nothing but a boy, and alchemy was an impossibly technical science. The townspeople’s hopes all rested on it, but they never dreamed of comprehending it.

“The laboratory is off-limits. Not even we are allowed inside,” one of the men said. “First time I’ve met a kid interested in alchemy,” he added. “Your dad get you started?”

Everyone looked at bronze-armored Alphonse, who was standing beside Edward.

“Huh?” Alphonse sputtered, not following their point. Edward gave him a dirty look. This was a new one. “What?!” Alphonse glared at his brother.

“Sorry,” Edward said. He laughed. “It’s just, that’s the first time someone’s mistaken you for my dad!”

The unlikely pair of a short boy and a giant suit of armor had been mistaken for a variety of things by a variety of people. It was only natural to assume that the taller one in the armor was the older of the two. And if they didn’t introduce themselves as brothers right away, people leapt to all sorts of conclusions. They had been taken for wandering troubadours, a legendary pair of rogues, a boy from a royal estate and his knightly guardian—but never before for a father and son.

“He’s not your father?” the man asked. He seemed taken aback by Alphonse’s response. He glanced at Edward, who smiled.

“We’re brothers,” Edward said, enunciating clearly.

“‘Brothers’?!”

“Really?!”

“It’s true,” Alphonse said. “We actually look a lot alike.”

“I guess your voices do sound similar.”

“Sorry!”

“No problem,” Alphonse said, waving away the apology with his armored hand. “Happens all the time.”

“Well, I’m still sorry I called you his dad!” the man said, reaching over to slap Alphonse on the shoulder. “You’ve probably got enough to worry about watching out for your little brother without being taken for your father!”

A long silence.

Finally Edward said—a little too loudly—“He’s my little brother!”

The crowd was surprised again.

No matter how many times this happened, it never failed to get on Edward’s nerves. Alphonse gave him a sidelong glance and sighed. Having compounded misunderstanding upon misunderstanding, the townspeople didn’t know what to say.

“Daddy, I’m home!” A bright voice cut through the tension.

“Welcome back, Elisa!” Lemac spread his arms and a little girl flew into them.

“This is my daughter, Elisa. Elisa, say hello to our guests.”

The girl turned around. “Hello!”

Edward waved, and Elisa’s eyes grew big. “Hey, it’s that alchemist boy!” she shouted. Once again, the townspeople were startled.

“What did you say, Elisa?”

Elisa turned to her father, her eyes sparkling. “He knocked over our crane, but then he used alchemy to fix it! I saw the whole thing. There was a big flash of light. It was so pretty!”

Lemac looked at Edward, the doubt in his eyes plain to see. “You’re an alchemist?”

It wasn’t something Edward had to hide, but he was suddenly wary of revealing too much. “Sort of.”

“And that’s why you’re interested in the lab?”

“That’s right,” Edward replied. Quickly, before anyone else could say it, he added, “I know it’s hard to believe someone so young could be an alchemist.” He’d told people of his abilities a hundred times, but most adults didn’t believe him. To his surprise, however, no one in the tavern seemed to doubt him at all. Instead, hope shone on their faces.

“Really? You’re an alchemist? Then you should go to Mugear’s lab right away!”

“Huh?” Edward was stunned by their sudden change in attitude.

“You can help them make the Philosopher’s Stone! Do you know how? That’s okay, even if you don’t, you might be able to nudge them in the right direction!”

The townspeople took turns shaking Edward’s hand.

“To think you can perform alchemy at such a young age. You know what they say about a youthful imagination, though! You should go!”

“Please! For us!”

The men continued to urge the two to go to the laboratory as soon as possible. They seemed to respect them now.

“Well, Al? What should we do?”

“I guess we better check out the lab!”

Finding the Philosopher’s Stone was the goal of their journey, and if this team of researchers was working on creating one from scratch, there was no question of their eagerness to see it. They would have found a way to sneak into the lab, if necessary. To be openly invited was a stroke of luck.

“All right,” Edward agreed.

The men smiled warmly, perhaps in response to the gleam of excitement in Edward’s eyes.

“I’m sure a fresh perspective will do those researchers a world of good.”

“There seem to be a lot of young alchemists these days,” Lemac said. “There’s one up at the laboratory right now.”

“Really?” Edward said, his curiosity piqued. Alchemists as young as himself were few and far between. “How old is this one?”

“How old are you?”

“Fifteen. My brother, Alphonse, is fourteen.”

“You’re kidding!”

Everyone looked Edward up and down from head to toe. He knew what they were thinking. Alphonse looked on anxiously, hoping the townspeople wouldn’t mention his brother’s height.

“Fifteen! You look so much younger!”

“Aye! Seems alchemists are getting younger and younger these days. The one up at the laboratory is around the same age, isn’t he?”

“He’s my age? Really?”

“So tell us, boys,” Lemac said, refilling their coffee cups, “what are your names?”

Edward nodded his thanks for the coffee. “Our name’s Elric. I’m Edward, and this is Alphonse.”

Everyone stiffened. The atmosphere in the room shifted.

“What was that?”

It was a surname that anyone who knew anything about alchemy was bound to have heard before. Edward was used to the look of shock when he introduced himself and Alphonse as the famous Elric brothers. This time seemed no different, so without a second thought, he repeated himself.

“I’m Edward Elric.”

This time he was greeted not by surprise, but peals of laughter.

“You’re Edward Elric? Do you really think you can impersonate him?!”

“Aren’t you a little old to be telling fibs, boy?”

Edward stuttered. “ ‘B-boy’?!”

“It’s understandable that you’d envy him. Master Edward is a State Alchemist, after all.”

The townspeople said his name—“Master Edward”—as though they knew him!

“What do you mean by that?”

“You gave us a good laugh, lad,” Lemac said. His voice had suddenly grown a little cold. “Now tell us your real name.”

Nobody believed Edward. He repeated himself until the townspeople looked as though they’d heard enough.

Lemac scowled, gazing down at Edward as if he were a recalcitrant child. “I understand why a boy would want to emulate his hero, but there’s such a thing as going too far. If you were any older, I’d knock a little sense into you right here and now.”

Elisa looked sadly at the two brothers.

“What’s your problem!” sputtered Edward.

Lemac ignored his outburst. “Look, you think on this son, and come back when you’re ready to tell us your real names.” He pointed toward the door. When they didn’t move, he guided Alphonse and Edward out of the tavern, and tossed their traveling trunk out onto the street after them.

“I told you my name! My real name! I’m Edward Elric!”

“And I’m Alphonse Elric,” added Alphonse meekly.

No one listened.

A voice drifted out from the tavern. “I thought there was something strange about those two from the start!”

“What?!” Edward shouted. “What’s gotten into you people?! We aren’t lying! I’m Edward and this is Alphonse. He’s my brother! Why won’t you believe us?”

“Ed, wait!” Alphonse held his brother back. He knew Edward was spoiling for a fight, and that was the last thing he wanted.

“Let go of me, Al!”

“Wait,” Alphonse repeated. He turned to the small crowd gathered at the tavern door. “Listen, this is all a misunderstanding. We really are the Elric brothers. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true.”

It was a noble effort, but Edward grabbed Alphonse’s arm and yanked him back. “Let’s go, Al. I don’t want to talk to these idiots anymore.”

“Ed!”

“What do you expect me to do?” Edward continued, not caring who heard him. “We’re telling the truth, and they don’t want to hear it! We’ll just go on our way. If we want to go to the lab, we’ll go to the lab.”

“Was that it, son?” Lemac asked. “You lied to us so you could see the laboratory? If you’d just told us your true names, we’d have let you go.”

Edward glared at him. “We told you our true names. It’s not our problem you won’t believe us.”

As Edward picked up their traveling trunk, Alphonse handed money to Lemac. “For the food. Thank you.”

Lemac sighed. His disappointment was palpable. He had hoped these boys could provide a breakthrough in the town’s alchemy research.

“I wish you’d had a better lie,” Lemac said. “But claiming to be the Elrics … ?!” He pushed the other customers back inside.

“Why are you so convinced we’re lying?!”

Lemac turned around. “Because the Elric brothers are already at the laboratory.”

He quietly shut the door and left them standing in the street, dumbfounded.

EDWARD AND ALPHONSE sat under a withered tree on the outskirts of town. They looked at each other, and Edward scratched his head.

“What’s going on?” Alphonse asked after a long silence. “How could we already be here, Ed?”

“It’s obvious. The laboratory needed alchemists. Someone must have pretended to be us to get in.” Edward picked up a dry stick. “People know me because of my title, but they don’t know my face. It’s the perfect cover if you want to sneak into a lab.” Edward began to scribble on the ground with the stick.

Alphonse watched. A simple diagram, surrounded by a list of everything they knew about the Philosopher’s Stone.

Glows red.

Incredibly dense.

Unlimited alchemical power.

The words were randomly arranged. This was all the information they had gathered on their journey. For all their dreams of the Stone, they had never seen the real thing.

Alphonse knew well what his brother was thinking. “Ed, you’re going to break into Mugear’s lab, aren’t you?”

Edward stared at the diagram he had drawn in the dirt. “We’ve been searching for so long …” His voice was quiet and steady. “I’ll get you back your body.”

The Philosopher’s Stone was like the diagram he had drawn: a dream, a thing of the imagination. A light wind blew across the sand, and slowly, the drawing of the Stone faded away.

“I’ll get the real thing,” Edward said with determination. He stood up. “After it gets dark, we’re going, Al.”

“What about the other Elric brothers?”

“We leave ’em be.”

Edward didn’t think much of the impostors. He began searching for a vantage point from which to view the Mugear estate. Winning the title of State Alchemist had been only one step toward his ultimate goal: creating a Philosopher’s Stone so he could return his brother to his human form. Compared to the Stone, some jokers posing as him and Alphonse were of little concern.

“Just … leave them be?”

“Sure. Doesn’t sound like they’ve done anything bad in our names.” Edward pointed at a nearby rise. “Hey, we might be able to see better from that hill up there.”

“Don’t you think impersonating us is bad enough?”

The two walked toward the hill. As they approached, they realized it was artificial—just a pile of unearthed stone. In fact, all the hills surrounding the town in every direction were just heaps of stone, left over from years of mining. When the brothers reached the crest of the heap they were aiming for, they looked down at the town. From their position, they could see that of all the town’s buildings, the Mugear mansion was the largest by far. Furthermore, it was the only one surrounded by a wall—and a high one at that.

“Looks like there’s only one entrance. There are guards, too. We’ll have to go over the wall,” Edward declared.

“The other side is fenced off too. Looks like barbed wire.”

They strained to get a better look until they heard a rock falling below them. They looked down to see a man squatting at the bottom of the mound. He picked up a heavy-looking stone and placed it in the mining cart beside him. It was Belsio, the man who had questioned the townspeople’s dependence on the outcome of the alchemy research.

“You’re Belsio, right? What are you doing?” Edward called from atop the rock pile.

“Clearing rocks. What’s it look like?” Belsio answered gruffly without pausing. He lifted another and placed it in the cart. “You know, it’s not safe up there,” he added, without looking up. “Never can tell when there’s going to be a rockslide.”

The two heeded his warning and carefully made their way down until they stood beside him. Edward peered into his mining cart. It was already half full of stones.

“What are you going to do with all these stones?”

Belsio pointed to a small, neatly fashioned stone wall nearby. “There’s a little pond over there, but the dirt keeps sliding into it. I’m going to make a rim like that around it with these rocks.”

“By yourself?”

“Yep. I’m the only one using that now.” He indicated a lone waterway trickling out from the pond towards a small field bordered with stones.

“A vegetable patch,” Alphonse said. He noticed several small, red objects amongst the greenery. “Tomatoes! So you’ve given up goldsmithing, Belsio?”

“With no gold to work, I can’t live by my craft anymore. Had to find something else to do. I’m only providing for myself now, but eventually I’ll grow enough vegetables to sell. It wasn’t an easy choice to make, mind you.”

Belsio raised his head and looked the brothers in the eyes for the first time. “A long time ago, the soil here was rich and fertile and the water was clear. There was even a river. It wasn’t much, but we had a good, quiet life. But now … Look at this place! Once they found gold, everything changed. The town was going to buy the rights to the mine so everyone could have a share in it, but Mugear bought up all the mining rights for himself.

“He piled the cut rock and sand right up to the borders of his land. The dust from his rock piles blew into his neighbor’s fields and ruined them. They couldn’t make a living off the land anymore, so they sold it all off to him, and he piled more rocks on it. Eventually, there wasn’t any arable land left anywhere. With that and the gold money pouring in, prices went through the roof. Eventually everyone had to work in the mines to survive. They called in top artisans to teach goldsmithing. We took our craft seriously, and we got good at it fast.”

Belsio had a far-off look in his eyes as he recalled the days of the gold rush, but when he turned once again to face the rock pile, his expression turned bitter.

“It went bad in the blink of an eye. No matter how many times you clean up a piece of land, sand just blows back onto it from that mountain. My orchards won’t grow. So now we don’t have gold or green. And still people can’t see what’s happening. They’re betting everything on a dream—that Philosopher’s Stone.”

Edward looked out at the dry, dusty land. As Belsio had said, there was nothing green or gold as far as the eye could see, except for Belsio’s tiny vegetable patch. “So everyone’s counting on the Philosopher’s Stone to save your town?”

“They say it’s a miracle maker. That it can turn these cold rocks lying here into pure gold. We know there’s more gold deeper down, but it’ll take a long time to get to it. Mugear is desperate to keep eating until then—and to be as rich as he used to be. He’s got everyone throwing money at his fool’s plan.”

“Why would they invest in something that might not even be possible?” Alphonse asked.

“When they built the lab, they had a real big-shot alchemist working up there. He was the student of some famous alchemist from the Central labs. When they came to town looking for investors he made gold for us, right before our eyes.”

“What?!”

Belsio waved Edward’s amazement off.

“It was just temporary. The stones glittered like gold for a few seconds, then crumbled to dust.”

Edward was silent.

“Still, it was enough to give everyone a shred of hope,” Belsio continued. “The alchemist told everyone he was on the verge of perfecting his technique, and they came up with the money he asked for. Mugear is in the same boat as we are. He won’t sell out to competitors who put offers on his mansion and the mine. He won’t let go of our golden age.”

“Where’s that alchemist now?” Edward asked eagerly. Although his experiments had ended in failure, they might provide him with valuable clues. If they could talk to this scientist, they might get some solid leads. The Central alchemical labs were known for their talented researchers. But what Belsio said next dashed Edward’s hopes.

“He’s not here anymore. He just took off one day. To hear Mugear tell it, he was ashamed of his failure. ’Course, I think he just got sick of Mugear pushing him around.”

“Oh,” Edward said, disappointed.

“When he left, the research screeched to a halt. It would have been better for everyone if we’d just given up then, but someone came along to pick up where he left off, someone with an incredible reputation. He came trotting into town and made friends quick, fixing broken tools and the like. Real popular, that one.”

The false Edward Elric.

Belsio looked at Edward. “You’ve got the same name, is that it?” he asked bluntly.

“He’s an impostor,” Edward sneered, certain Belsio wouldn’t believe him.

Belsio seemed unfazed. “Folks are on edge these days. They’re good people, really—not the type who’d normally get so up in arms against a kid. Listen, if you can’t stay at the tavern, you’re welcome at my place.”

“Do you believe us, Belsio?”

“Hey, I figure everyone’s got their life to live. You’re responsible for yourself and your business isn’t any of mine.”

It seemed he did believe them or, at least, that he didn’t care if they were lying. For what it was worth, he wasn’t leaving them to sleep on the street.

WHILE EDWARD AND ALPHONSE talked with Belsio on the rockpile, a crowd of people were gathering in front of Lemac’s tavern. They carried broken tools in their arms.

“Can you fix this, Master Edward?”

“Please look at my pick.”

“Master Edward!”

In the middle of the circle of men stood a blond boy. He waved his hands for silence. “Don’t worry. Everyone will get a turn.”

He placed a broken rock pick on a table before him and spread out his hands. There was a bright flash of light, and the pick was as good as new.

“Thank you, Master Edward!” gushed the man standing on the other side of the table.

The boy smiled and handed him the pick. “Take care.”

This was young Master Edward. His wavy blond hair was cut short and hung over eyes of a nearly transparent blue that shone silver in the light. He was clearly in his teens, but his strong physique and the ease with which he spoke to the grown men around him made him seem much older. The townspeople were grateful for his help and treated him with great respect as he used his alchemy to fix one tool after another. This charismatic youth fit their image of a child prodigy and State Alchemist far better than the real Edward ever could have.

Towards the rear of the line of supplicants waiting to have the impostor examine their broken tools and machinery stood another boy inspecting a broken chisel. He was shorter than the other, but similar in appearance, with the same golden hair, silver-blue eyes, and short hair. This was the boy who called himself Alphonse.

“Ah, this is just bent here. Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn soon.” The false Alphonse glanced worriedly at the crowd. “Please be patient just a little longer.”

The owner of the chisel grinned. “I’ll wait as long as it takes. I’ve had this fixed quite a few times already, actually. The spot I’m digging at is hard bedrock, and it keeps breaking my chisel.”

“I see … Sorry I’m not much help myself.” Alphonse returned the chisel, casting a glance at his busy brother.

“Nonsense, Master Alphonse. You assist Master Edward with his work. We don’t all have to be alchemists to be useful, you know.”

Suddenly, the false Edward noticed him holding the chisel. “Alphonse,” he called out, “don’t touch that. You’ll hurt yourself.”

It was meant kindly, but it made “Alphonse” jump.

“Bring that over here.”

“O-okay.”

The chisel was fixed in a moment. “Edward” checked it over carefully with sure fingers and returned it to its owner.

“Sorry for the wait. I know you’ve got lots of mining to do.”

“You’re doing the best you can. We’re honored you take time out of your research to help us fix our tools.”

“Unfortunately, this is all I can do without the Stone.” Edward turned back to the crowd. “Next?”

The man named Delfino approached and handed him a small bag.

“Master Edward, this is from all of us. It’s not much, but I hope it’ll help you with your research.”

Coins clinked and jangled as he laid the bag down softly on the table.

Edward frowned. “I know times are hard for all of you …”

Delfino brushed away his protest with a gesture. “Please don’t worry about us, Master Edward. The research you’re doing is for our benefit. It’s the least we can do to support your work.”

“Well, thank you, then. I’ll be sure to let Mr. Mugear know about your contribution. And just you watch—once we make the Stone, we’ll return your investment a hundredfold!” Edward put away the bag. “It won’t be long now. We’re giving it our all.”

“Take care to pace yourselves, Master Edward, Master Alphonse,” Delfino said, nodding to each of the brothers in turn.

“Thank you,” Edward replied.

“We’re all counting on you.”

The townspeople shook his hand and Edward ducked his head humbly to acknowledge their words of thanks. Watching him, Delfino whispered to Lemac, “Master Edward is a wonderful boy. I can see why those travelers would be tempted to impersonate him.”

Lemac nodded. “I agree.”

Edward overheard them. “What’s this about some travelers?”

Lemac and Delfino laughed, recalling the scene in the tavern.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Lemac said. “Two travelers—boys, really—came into town today, and when we asked their names, they said they were the Elric brothers!”

“Two boys?”

“Yes, but the one who said he was Edward was much younger than you, Master Edward, and the one who said he was Alphonse was hidden inside a big suit of armor. To think they’d pretend to be the famous Elrics! They don’t even look like brothers. You must get that a lot, though. I suppose you have a lot of starry-eyed fans.”

Lemac and Delfino laughed. They missed the ripple of tension running across Edward’s face.

“Did they know alchemy?”

“Elisa claims she saw them use it, but I doubt it. She must have been mistaken.”

Lemac picked Elisa up and held her in his arms.

“It’s true!” Elisa said, pouting. “I saw a light flash when he fixed the crane. Just like when Master Edward rescued me!”

Patting his stubborn daughter on the head, Lemac smiled ruefully. “It seems both of them are interested in alchemy. I’m afraid all their talk must have gone to Elisa’s head. In any case, they gave up their pretense and left. I guess they just wanted to play at being their heroes. Boys will be boys!”

“Yes …” Edward trailed off.

“I think they’re still in town,” added Lemac. “I told them to come back when they were ready to tell us their real names.”

Edward put his hand to his chin, apparently deep in thought.

Delfino raised an eyebrow. “Something wrong?”

“No,” Edward said, his easy smile returning. “I was just thinking what an honor it is to be considered a hero.”

The men laughed.

“Well,” Edward said nonchalantly, “I guess we better get back to the lab. If you see those two posers again, don’t pay them any mind.”

The impostor of Alphonse gave the impostor of Edward a worried glance, but said nothing.

As they headed back toward Mugear’s mansion, Alphonse, walking behind his brother, broke the silence.

“Isn’t this going to be a problem for us?”

“How so?” Edward asked, smiling as he waved to passersby.

Alphonse started to say something, but nothing came out.

The boy who called himself Edward turned around. “You want to tell them we’re the impostors, is that it?”

Alphonse nodded.

Edward put his arm around his younger brother’s shoulder and gave him a hearty shake. “Listen, what’s our goal?”

“To create the Philosopher’s Stone and save the town.”

“Right. And we’ve already managed to make a prototype!” He patted his chest pocket. “We’re so close! We can’t give up now!”

“But—”

“But what? Look, no one suspects we’re anyone other than the real Elric brothers.”

“But if Mr. Mugear hears about this, he’ll look into it. What if something goes wrong? What if we get arrested and prosecuted?!”

“That’s why we have to make sure the real brothers don’t meet Mugear. They must be after the Stone … or us. Either way, they’ll try to get into the lab.”

“So what do we do?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He patted his chest pocket. “I’ll fight them. With this.”

THE NIGHT WORE ON and the patrons drinking at Lemac’s tavern shuffled home. One by one, the lights of the town went out.

Around midnight, when most of the townspeople were sleeping quietly in their beds, two shadows cut across town.

“Al! This way!” Edward whispered. He was crouched beneath the wall that ran around the Mugear mansion. Alphonse ran over from the other side of the road, and they sat with their backs to the wall.

“Well?”

“The front entrance is a no-go, like we thought. There are three guards.”

“Well, I didn’t see any other entrances,” Alphonse said. “I guess we’ll have to go up and over.”

They gazed at the wall, bathed in moonlight. It stood about fifteen feet high. Edward stepped out a few steps into the street and turned to face it. Alphonse held out his hands, his fingers joined. Without a moment’s hesitation, Edward ran full speed toward him. Stepping onto Alphonse’s outstretched hands, he launched himself into the air. At the same moment, Alphonse thrust his hands upward, sending Edward soaring.

This was a familiar maneuver of theirs—they’d had many opportunities to perfect it. Most of the time, they were sneaking into someone’s house, like now, or trespassing at some facility. It wasn’t something they were proud of, really, but rather a testament to the hard road they traveled that made this the best-honed stunt in their repertoire. Still, as practiced as they were, it was a difficult maneuver to pull off, and they sometimes miscalculated.

Alphonse grimaced. Edward was only barely hanging on to the far edge of the wall, holding himself up with one leg hooked over the top.

“Al, you threw me too far,” he hissed.

“Sorry! You didn’t eat dinner.” Alphonse grabbed onto the wire that Edward lowered to him. He was being nice. If Edward weren’t his brother, he would have told the truth—that Edward was just too light.

Both atop the wall now, they surveyed the situation on the inside of the estate grounds. When they were satisfied no one could see them, they used the wire to lower themselves to the ground. They had successfully infiltrated the grounds. They sat motionless. No guards were forthcoming.

“Looks like we pulled it off.”

“Yeah.”

They breathed a sigh of relief and took a look around. The courtyard they found themselves in was very wide. Trees filled the premises, a rich green that contrasted sharply with the parched foliage outside. Perhaps the high wall protected them from the choking sands that had claimed the rest of the town’s vegetation. Beyond the shadows of the leaves they could make out the large mansion.

The brothers set off, weaving through the trees. Soon they came to the end of the trees and the three-story mansion became visible.

“I wonder where the lab is,” Alphonse whispered.

“It’s hard to imagine they’d use a regular room. They probably need chemicals and fire for their experiments. They’d want a place where they can control the temperature.” 

Edward studied the building. From where they stood, they could easily grasp the layout of the place: a four-cornered box with a large, open corridor cutting into the front and windows set high in the walls. On the back wall the windows were evenly spaced, perhaps indicating a row of similarly sized rooms. On one corner, a room protruded from the rest of the building. It seemed to have only one small window.

“There! Found it!” Edward pointed.

“Look at that room. Someone added it on after the rest of the building was finished. It’s pretty big, but there’s only one window. And look at that chimney. Everyone must be asleep by now, but there’s smoke coming out of it.”

Alphonse nodded.

“Makes sense. You’ve got to run experiments night and day when you’re doing alchemy. Come on, let’s go see how far they’ve come!”

The two moved around to the far side. A light shone from the small laboratory window.

“Someone’s still up?” Alphonse wondered.

“I doubt it. I bet it’s just a fire they’re burning to keep their experiments at a constant temperature.” Edward turned to Alphonse. “If someone’s in there, we’ll lure them out. And then you can take them away.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere away from here.”

Their voices low, the brothers plotted their strategy.

“And if no one’s home,” Edward went on, “we pick the lock or break in. Once we’re inside, go for the research data first. Even if they’ve got a prototype stone in there, we’ll never know how they’re refining it just by looking at it. Better to review their notes.”

“And if they do have a Philosopher’s Stone?”

“I doubt they’ve completed one. But even if they have, we leave it. If we steal something that valuable and they trace it to us, we’ll be in big trouble.”

“But if we just read their notes, they won’t have any proof and they can’t track us, right?”

“Exactly. All we need to do is get a list of their materials and a grasp of their alchemical process. Then we can make one ourselves. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth to steal the Stone the townspeople have been waiting for all this time.”

“Me too.”

The boys wanted the Stone so badly it hurt, but they couldn’t steal the town’s only hope. Even if they broke a few rules sometimes, they never intended anybody any harm.

“Run fast …” Edward said.

“Open the door …” Alphonse continued.

“Find those research notes …”

“… and read ’em all as quick as we can!”

“Right!”

“Very interesting,” observed a voice from above.

The brother’s heads whipped up. Someone was looking down on them, his arms folded across his chest.

“I see,” he said. “A bold plan, yet low impact. I approve.”

They hadn’t noticed their observer, and he didn’t seem the least bit concerned that they were intruders. Now they could make out a smaller figure standing behind him—a boy. Edward and Alphonse looked at one another. Slowly, they stood up and stepped back. Their observer stared at them calmly.

“So,” Edward said in a low voice, “who the heck are you?”

Their observer guffawed. “You’re the ones who are trespassing. I’d like to ask you the same question.”

Edward studied him. On closer examination, he didn’t appear to be that much older than Edward himself. And the fact that he didn’t seem surprised to have discovered Edward and Alphonse could only mean that he had been expecting them. Silver eyes with the faintest tinge of blue studied Edward in return. This must be the one they had heard about, the alchemist around Edward’s age who worked at the laboratory.

“You’re the impostor who’s pretending to be me!” Edward declared, daring him to deny it.

“It’s hard to get into a lab when you’re as young as I am. We needed names. Big names. As luck would have it, a certain Edward Elric became a State Alchemist at a very young age. Your hard work did wonders opening doors for us. We owe you our thanks.”

“ ‘Thanks?!’ ” Edward couldn’t believe it. He had admitted to it—and worse, now he was politely thanking him! “People are treating us like liars because of you! Look, your game is up! Tell everyone the truth!”

Edward was the one who had said they were there for the Philosopher’s Stone and that they should forget about the impostors, but now that those impostors stood right in front of him, he was furious.

The impostor smiled. “Sorry, but that’s not going to happen. I still need your name.”

“What?!”

“Just keep playing the part of the impostor for me for a while, okay?”

“You’re the one who’s gonna be in parts, buddy!”

Compared to steaming Edward, the impostor remained cool and collected.

“Listen,” he said, still smiling, “I’ve conducted myself in a manner befitting a State Alchemist. We’ve been careful not to tarnish your name. Why, you might say I’ve got a better reputation than you do!”

Edward was speechless.

“In fact,” the impostor continued, “when I first used your name, the townspeople wondered if we were those ill-mannered rapscallions they’d heard tell of!”

“Yeah, because they knew you weren’t the real thing!”

“What I’m saying is, don’t worry. I’m going to improve your image!”

“What?!” snorted Edward.

Behind them, Alphonse rolled his eyes. “Ed, he’s playing you. Calm down, will you?”

From behind the false Edward, the smaller boy spoke.

“Why do you always do that to people … say things to make them mad?”

In mirror image, both older brothers had been chastised by their younger siblings. They fell silent. This was no time to start a comedy routine.

The two Edwards glared at each other silently, until the real Edward finally remembered his goal and took off his jacket. This impostor stood between him and vital research on the Philosopher’s Stone. And, more importantly, Edward really wanted to hit something.

“I’m Edward Elric, and this is my brother, Alphonse,” he said, emphasizing the I’m. “I’ll make you confess to your real name in front of the whole town if I have to make you crawl on the ground first.”

The impostor didn’t quake. “Now there’s no need to resort to violence if you want my real name. It’s Russell. And this is my brother, Fletcher.”

“You are a bold one, aren’t you?” sneered Edward. “I’ll be sure to pass those names on to Mugear and the townspeople.”

“Go ahead. No one will believe you.”

“Wha—?!” Edward stammered.

“After all, I’m more like the real thing than you are.”

“What?!”

“I’ve got character, I’ve got compassion, I’ve got the confidence of a genius alchemist, and I’ve got style.”

“‘Style’!” roared Edward. “Says who?!”

Behind him, Alphonse groaned. It was true—no one would ever mistake his brother for an elite State Alchemist. In fact, if someone had to choose between the real Edward and the impostor, they would probably pick the fake.

Edward was aware of this too. His anger at the impostor only grew because he played the role better than Edward himself.

“I’m not going to get this out of my system without getting in a good punch. Alphonse, we’ll find the research data after we deal with him.”

“I was afraid of this …” Alphonse swallowed and took a few steps back. When things came to blows, Alphonse usually felt it was best to get out of the way.

“I’ll see whether you’ve got what it takes to call yourself a State Alchemist!” Edward shouted. He pressed his hands together. It looked as if he was about to perform alchemy, but then he stepped forward.

Russell kept his eyes on Edward’s hands, ready for the alchemical attack that was sure to come. He was so focused that the fist that swooped up nearly caught him. As it was, he dodged the blow by a hair.

Edward smiled. “It takes strength to be a State Alchemist. You didn’t think I’d rely on my alchemy alone in a fight, did you?” The hard journey and daily sparring practice with Alphonse had polished his fighting arm. He was confident he had the upper hand. Russell looked frail and unprepared for a fistfight. But he laughed and patted his ear as if to erase the sound of the near miss.

“Fine. I’m up for a fight, and I can’t stand being made fun of.”

It didn’t look like Russell was preparing himself, but when he kicked, the foot came flying at Edward’s head faster than Edward could have imagined. Edward blocked with his arm. The kick was stronger than he could have imagined, too.

Edward shook the numbness out of his arm. That hadn’t gone as expected, but lots of guys seemed stronger than they really were on the first strike, and he took Russell for one of those. Besides, after his kick, Russell was off balance. Edward lunged forward and grabbed Russell’s arm with his left hand. Curling his empty hand into a fist, he thrust at the impostor’s chest. If the blow landed, he would momentarily knock the wind out of Russell. That would buy him time to land two or three more punches to finish him. Or so he thought … For once again, Edward underestimated his opponent.

Russell twisted his pinned arm quickly and freed himself, then swung a fist at the side of Edward’s face. At the same time, he caught Edward’s fist in the palm of his other hand—just as Edward caught his.

Edward bit his lip and glared at Russell. His opponent was slender, but he was strong, that much was clear from his grip. Edward never thought he’d meet his equal in a boy his own age.

Gripping one another’s fists, the two boys stood glaring at each other at point-blank range. Neither would yield, and their strength was nearly even. Russell looked at Edward’s left hand, which was closed around his fist.

“Your hand’s cold. I see you’ve had your share of problems.” Russell had evidently noticed that the hand was automail. A glance at Edward’s left leg was enough to tell him that it was automail, too.

Edward grimaced. “Yeah, but you didn’t get this strong lying around on some beach your whole life, either.”

Even as they talked, little by little, Edward’s fist was being pulled upward. With the two standing so close, it was clear that Russell was more than a head taller than Edward. They had both swung their fists straight, but while Russell’s was aimed for Edward’s face, Edward’s was aimed at Russell’s chest. If Russell pulled his fist any higher, Edward would be reaching, and the balance of strength would tip against him.

Russell’s methods weren’t showy, but they spoke of plenty of hands-on experience. What’s more, it seemed he had strength to spare. As he saw Russell smiling down at him, Edward realized for the first time that he was at a disadvantage.

“You’re not the only one who’s had a tough life.”

“So it seems.”

Though it irked them, they had agreed on something, and with that as a signal, they both let go.

Edward stepped back and brought his hands together. It was alchemy time. “Time to take this fight to the streets!” he shouted, suddenly thrusting a hand onto the stone tiles of the courtyard. “I want to see this lab of yours, and this is how I’ll do it!”

It looked as though the very air around the tile twitched and hardened. In an instant, the material of the tile broke apart and reformed. When the invisible twisting stopped, a wall grew from the ground, pulled upward by Edward’s rising hand. He pulled until the wall was as tall as he was, then slapped his flat palm against it, causing the opposite side to bulge. The bulge formed the material of the wall into several conical shapes—spikes that shot toward Russell with the speed of Edward’s thrusting hand. As they shot towards him, the wall grew smaller, like a living thing that had undergone a metamorphosis into hard, stinging tentacles.

“Fly!” Edward shouted, sending the continually elongating spikes at his opponent. Russell was no newcomer to such battles, so he would dodge—which was why Edward made sure he sent a few extra spikes for insurance.

“Impressive! You didn’t even need to draw a transmutation circle!”

Russell was genuinely impressed. But although his eyes shone with amazement, he didn’t seem flustered. “You really are a State Alchemist,” he observed as he put his hand onto the courtyard.

Now it was Edward’s turn to be surprised. Just as Edward had done, the impostor drew a wall of material from the courtyard tiles. The spears that erupted from his wall struck the ones Edward had propelled towards him, and as they collided in midair, they splintering into nothing.

The battle ended in a matter of seconds. However, it had been more than long enough for each combatant to gauge the other’s strength.

Edward fixed Russell with a steady gaze.

They used the exact same methods. Their strength was evenly matched. Neither used a transmutation circle of power. Both had performed a feat far above the ability of the average alchemist.

This was no run-of-the-mill dabbler in alchemy Edward was facing. He had talent, the strength to rival an alchemist many called a genius … Or else … 

A light dawned in Edward’s face.

Russell laughed.

“You have it, don’t you?”

In answer to Edward’s half-whispered question, Russell put his hand into his breast pocket. His fingertips reached inside and dug around, searching. Under Edward’s steely gaze, he drew something out and held it between his thumb and index finger.

A red shard.

It was small and so translucent it seemed it might shatter at any moment. It was a beautiful thing, sparkling in the moonlight.

“The Philosopher’s Stone …”

This was what Edward was searching for. The legendary Stone, able to break the laws of alchemy. The real deal.

“You completed it?”

“Merely a trial version.”

“And that’s how you can fight me like this?”

Russell’s rudimentary alchemical abilities had been magnified by the power of the prototype he carried. He glanced at Edward. “Like I said, it’s just a trial stone. You want it?”

“Of course!” Edward didn’t have to think about his answer. Just imagine the clues he could wring from that Stone, with a little luck!

“Of course you do. Too bad I’m not gonna give it to you.” Russell put the Stone back in his pocket.

“I’ve made a bunch of these, but they’re of limited use. They’ll have to be much, much better before I can make gold that will last instead of crumbling to dust. That’s why I have to continue my research. And that’s why you need to leave. Now.”

“Not going to happen.”

“Really? Linger any longer, and Mr. Mugear might begin to suspect something.”

“Sounds like your problem,” Edward spat.

“Too bad.” Russell sighed. “I suppose this calls for more forceful tactics.”

Edward braced for action. “I’ll take that Stone, and I’ll make you confess in front of the whole town!”

“I won’t give you the Stone, and I’ll prove I’m better than the real thing!”

Simultaneously, each boy grabbed courtyard tiles that had broken off during the previous fight. Light from alchemical reactions sparked in the air as massive stone swords formed in both of their hands.

“I’ll beat an apology out of that big mouth of yours!”

“I’ll have you crying for mercy long before that!”

“Hah!”

“Hah!”

An instant later, they flew at each other and struck.

Alphonse watched, all the while gauging the distance between himself and the lab. He had hoped to slip by while his brother fought the impostor, but the chances were looking slim. Russell fought with his back to the laboratory, and if Alphonse passed him, he’d be sure to take a hit. Even if he got lucky and made it, he’d be right in Edward’s line of fire, making it more difficult for his brother to attack. No, with things in such close quarters, it was best for him to just stay out of the way. Apparently, Alphonse wasn’t alone in his thinking, for when he took another step back, he ran into Fletcher.

“Oh, sorry,” Alphonse apologized automatically.

Fletcher stepped meekly aside.

“Sorry.”

“It was my fault.”

The boy who was posing as Alphonse Elric was quite small, shorter even than Edward. He was slender and, unlike his short-tempered brother, had a sweet, gentle look to him. Alphonse could well have been mad at him for stealing his identity, but the worried look in Fletcher’s eyes as he watched his brother fight made Alphonse hold his tongue. He could see Fletcher didn’t want to be here either.

Just then, Edward landed a lucky blow on Russell’s shoulder with his stone sword.

Fletcher gasped.

“Look,” Alphonse said, noticing his concern, “I’m sure your brother won’t lose too badly—he does have a Stone, after all.”

Fletcher said nothing until he was satisfied that his brother wasn’t injured. He turned to Alphonse.

“Why aren’t you pitching in, Alphonse? You can use alchemy too, can’t you?”

“A little,” Alphonse replied. “Nothing like my brother. How about you?”

If Russell could use alchemy and his younger brother was helping him with his research, it stood to reason that Fletcher would be able to perform at least a little alchemy. Fletcher seemed about to tell him something when Russell swung his sword directly at them.

“Whoa!”

In a blur of action, Alphonse grabbed Fletcher and dodged aside.

“Are you trying to hurt your own brother?!” Edward shouted at Russell.

Russell seemed flustered. “I-it’s just hard to hold back when I’m using the Stone! Fletcher, are you okay?!”

“I-I’m okay, thanks to Alphonse,” Fletcher said. “Thank you, Alphonse.”

“You’re welcome.” Alphonse put Fletcher down, noticing the scars of battle on the surface of the courtyard.

Smashed cobblestones from Russell’s attacks lay everywhere, perhaps due to his inexperience wielding the Stone. It had been a fierce competition. Edward’s shoulders were heaving with the exertion of dodging Russell’s attacks, and Russell’s legs trembled with exhaustion.

Alphonse figured it was about time they called a retreat. His brother was far too mad to fight with a level head, and if he kept on like this he might get seriously injured.

“Ed! Let’s go!”

“Huh?!”

Fletcher ran across the shattered stones to his brother. “That’s enough, Russ!”

“What do you mean?” Russell scowled.

Neither brother was ready to listen to his sibling, but with both of the younger brothers trying to put an end to the fighting, the tension eased. The battle was drawing to a close.

“Ed, if you get hurt, we won’t be able to get away. Let’s pull out for tonight.”

He pulled grumbling Edward towards the wall they had scaled. Back in the courtyard, Fletcher held Russell back from following them.

“If Mr. Mugear sees us, we’ll get caught. That’s enough for tonight.”

Russell swore softly, but let Fletcher lead him away from the fight by the hand. Edward, being dragged off by his own brother, called out to him.

“Hey! How old are you? I’m fifteen!”

Russell shrugged at the unexpected question. “What’s it matter? You’re leaving. And don’t come back!”

“Come on, Ed. Let’s get out of here,” Alphonse urged.

But Edward wasn’t satisfied. “Wait! Tell me how old you are!”

Russell sneered. “Fifteen, same as you. Satisfied?”

Alphonse finally dragged Edward, wailing, outside. “One second you’re raving mad, and now you’re crying like a baby!” he complained.

Once over the wall, the two headed toward Belsio’s house on the outskirts of town. They hadn’t gotten into the laboratory, but they had avoided getting caught by the guards, and for the time being, they could rest. Edward stared straight ahead as they walked. Finally, he spoke.

“Hey, Alphonse …”

“What?”

“What do you think?”

“Well, he is using a trial Stone,” Alphonse replied, reviewing the battle in his mind. “But he was still pretty good on his own. I think he knows a lot of alchemy.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Edward shook his head sharply.

“Huh? What, then?”

“How old do you think he is?! You don’t believe he’s the same age as me, do you? If he is, then how come …”

“Huh?” Alphonse looked at his brother with confusion. He had thought Edward was concerned about the Stone.

Edward stared into space, clearly distraught. “He was taller than me … ”

If he was pretending to be younger, fine, Edward could live with that. But if they really were the same age, then how could he be a full head taller? It wasn’t fair!

“Is he really fifteen?” Edward asked, half to himself. “If so, then why is he so much taller than me? Why?!”

After a pause, Alphonse sighed wearily. “I don’t know. Maybe he drinks a lot of milk?”

MEANWHILE, Mr. Mugear had called the Elric impostors into the main hall of the mansion. The town might have been feeling the strain of hard times, but Mugear’s hall looked anything but impoverished. To see the luxuriousness of the interior, one might wonder if Mugear really needed the money he borrowed from the townspeople for his research. The truth was, the loans were all part of his plan. Even if he managed to synthesize gold through alchemy, without the town’s craftsmen, Xenotime would never regain its former glory. He needed the craftsmen to work the gold he made, so they would get more orders for goldware, so he could make more gold to fill them. The wealth that followed would be uncountable.

Mugear borrowed money from the townspeople not to fund his research, but to keep the craftsmen nearby. Without gold, they might leave for better opportunities elsewhere, but few would go until they got their hard-earned money back. They had to wait for Mugear’s Stone.

“So you drove away some bandits, eh, Master Edward?”

Mugear strode up the hall stairs, his stocky profile cut-ting an imposing figure even from a distance. He had been eating well.

“It was no big deal. They’d gotten it into their heads to take a peek at our laboratory, but they ran with their tails between their legs. I’m just glad you’re all right, sir.”

“I accepted your suggestion to hide in the cellar. But given your power, I thought perhaps that wasn’t really necessary. I did so want to see how a State Alchemist fights!”

Russell bowed elegantly. “Alas, I am not perfect. Even in such an easy skirmish as tonight’s, there is always the chance that … Well, I couldn’t bear it if any harm came to you, sir.”

Mugear laughed. “Ah, yes. For if something happened to me, you wouldn’t be able to continue your research!”

Russell smiled. “Guilty as charged, sir. But I am an alchemist, and what alchemist would not long, above all else, to create the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“Yet you weren’t able to create it with the research funding that the military provided you,” Mugear pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

“If I made it with the military’s help, the fruits of my labor would all go to the military. That’s why I prefer to conduct my experiments in secret.”

Mugear grinned. He seemed to share Russell’s disdain for the military. “Then you have a friend in me. You may conduct all the research you desire in the sanctuary of my laboratory.”

“Thank you, sir. And on the dawn of the day when our work is complete, I will present you with the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“I look forward to it. Now, I’m going to bed. I’d like to see some progress soon … ”

“Certainly, sir. Good night.” Russell watched Mugear ascend the stairs, then turned and walked out. The smile had already faded from his lips. Fletcher hung back. He looked worried.

“Don’t look like that,” Russell said as they left the mansion and headed toward the laboratory. “I handled it well. Act nervous, and he’ll suspect something.” He turned to his brother and smiled.

The worry faded from Fletcher’s face. “But … the real State Alchemist was here tonight, Russ. How much longer can we keep our secret?”

“As long as we can keep those two away from Mugear. If we overreact or try to drive them out of town, we’ll only raise suspicion. We’ll just deal with them as the need arises. Luckily, Mugear doesn’t suspect a thing. Come on, we’ve got research to do.”

“You know what’s going to happen if we get caught, don’t you? Impersonating military personnel, conning the townspeople … We’ve even taken their money!”

Russell turned to face his brother. “Listen, to make the Philosopher’s Stone, we need money and the right equipment. We have that here now. We can’t leave. We’ll be done soon. We only have to keep up this act until then.”

“How long have you been saying we’re almost done? You know we can’t do this by ourselves!”

Russell sighed. “You’re right. We need more information. Be patient, just a little longer.”

“Russell!”

“It’s for the good of the town,” Russell muttered. He walked back into the laboratory, leaving Fletcher alone in the hall.

“I don’t want to lie anymore,” he said softly. But there was no one to hear him.