(A/N: Hello, all! I just rediscovered this particular story path while poring over the interactive and thought, "Wow! This is an awesomely well-plotted story! I simply HAVE to continue it!". And so I am! Be aware, though, that my ideas for continuing draw from the manga/Brotherhood, in addition to the original series [which this seems to have been written during the time of] and some stuff I just plain made up to maintain consistency [mainly finding a way to remove Father from the origin story]; I always wanted to crossover anime and manga elements in an FMA story, and this seems like a fine opportunity for it. That said, let us return to our regularly-scheduled story~)

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"It all started hundreds of years ago," Alzorja began, his eyes glazing over as memories flooded his mind's eye. "I and my brother, mere slaves at the time, were citizens of the great, ancient civilisation known as Xerxes. We were in the employ of a powerful alchemist who worked for the King of Xerxes. This alchemist, contracted by the King to concoct a means of granting him immortality, delved into the deepest and darkest of ancient texts, immersing himself in his studies for days on end...when he emerged, he claimed to have seen 'the very face of God,' from whom he learned the method to create a Philosopher's Stone--"

"Wait, wait, stop!" Alphonse interjected. "Did you say 'Xerxes'?! The ancient, lost city of the East, that disappeared in one night? Teacher always told us that was just a fairy tale..."

"Oh, it was very real, my nephew," replied the elder giant. "'Was' being the operative word..." Alphonse and Winry could only stare in disbelief, while Lucia retreated to the corner of the chamber and sighed, clearly a bit overwhelmed at the dredging up of old memories. Without any further interruptions, Alzorja continued.

"As I was saying...our teacher told the King about how to create the Philosopher's Stone, saying that it required the creation of a massive transmutation circle that would encompass the entire nation of Xerxes, transmuting its very citizens into raw material for the stone. Your father and I were naturally horrified upon learning this, but to speak out against our master or the King was suicide, so we were forced to comply."

At this point, Lucia cut in, continuing where her lover had left off. "All the while," she said, "I was caught up in all of this against my will. The two brothers had been attempting to court me at the time, you see, and I was unaware of their knowledge of what was going to happen to Xerxes. When it came time for the giant array to be activated, they helped me escape to the neighbouring country of Lebis, so that I would be safe from the transmutation while Alzorja and Hohenheim set out to stop their master."

"But," said Alzorja, taking over again, "When we arrived at the capital, it became apparent that the King had been deceived. Our master had the circle constructed in such a way that the King would be consumed, while he himself would be safe. At the final moment, we attempted to stop him from activating the array, but failed, only succeeded in trapping him within the reaction..."

Lucia stepped in once more. "At that same moment, I had foolishly returned to Xerxes, hoping to save my friends, but the transmutation had started already...the King, the alchemist, and everyone else were simultaneously consumed and destroyed, but our proximity to the ensuing alchemic blast had had a profound effect on Alzorja and I..." Al and Winry glanced knowingly at each other; they knew exactly where this was going.

"When the Philosopher's Stone was completed, it fused with our very beings, endowing us with godlike powers of alchemy and transforming us into immortal giants. Alzorja's brother, on the other hand, fled from the blast and was not affected. When he became aware of what had happened, he swore to find a way to restore his brother's and my humanity, fleeing the remnants of Xerxes and heading west in search of alchemic knowledge. Alzorja and I, in turn, moved to Lebis, where the citizens took us in and cared for us until their own civilisation collapsed, at which point we retreated to the centre of the great desert and created our sanctuary."

Her partner spoke again once she finished. "I heard very little from my brother after that. I knew that he took on the name Van Hohenheim and settled in a city far to the west of Xerxes, but no more than that." He turned to Alphonse, gazing thoughtfully at his nephew. "In fact...I'm actually baffled to know that his son could be alive in the present day. As far as I knew, Van Hohenheim was not immortal like myself...unless he managed to get his hands on another stone, I can't adequately explain how I'm talking to you right now..."

Al and Winry were at a loss when confronted with this knowledge. It was amazing enough to learn that Ed and Al's father was related to this legendary giant, but that he was apparently over 400 years old and came from a land spoken of only in legend? It seemed unthinkable...

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Meanwhile, outside of the desert fortress, three strangers watched silently from the top of a nearby sand dune; after Al and Winry calmed the sandstorms, the area had been left exposed. Two of them wore black cloaks and colourful masks, while the third, a young man with shifty eyes and long, black hair in a ponytail, gazed at the immense building through a spyglass.

"Amazing...I wouldn't believe it if I weren't looking at it with my own two eyes..." said the man, folding up his collapsible telescope. "The home of the ancient sorcerers who conquered death...and here it is, ready to be claimed for Xing! Lan Fan, Fu?" His two cloaked servants turned to face him. "Head on down there and scope the place out; make sure the path ahead is safe. I'll catch up in a few minutes."

"Yes, my Lord!" they responded simultaneously, bounding down the side of the dune and heading toward the entrance, leaving their master to contemplate what awaited them within...

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Meanwhile, Roy and his crew were feeling rather miserable as they stepped off of the armoured military train they had been riding, the harsh winds of the snowy Briggs Mountains smacking them in the face. Sure, they had managed to have a bit of fun at their little promotion party before leaving, but any semblance of joy left in their hearts was quickly evapourating at the sight of their new assignment.

"Jeez..." muttered Havoc, struggling to keep his cigarette lit in the middle of the snowstorm. "I know they said the weather in the North was bad, but this is freakin' brutal!"

"Steel yourself, Havoc," said Armstrong, sounding unusually sombre. "The worst...is yet to come!" Mustang raised an eyebrow at this; he had noticed the normally-unflappable Lt. Col. acting strange throughout the entire trip to Fort Briggs, and was determined to get an answer.

"Armstrong...what's gotten into you?" he asked, lowering his voice before continuing. "Are you worried about our plan? I know things look bleak, but we need to keep it together long enough to--"

The Strong Arm Alchemist suddenly cupped one hand over his companion's mouth, pointing in front of him with the other. "No, no, it's not that...it's far worse!" As he finished, a convoy of armoured vehicles trundled into view, and three uniformed figures disembarked from the lead tank. The group consisted of a dark-skinned, fair-haired officer, a menacing man with a mohawk and a giant Automail claw for an arm, and a somewhat short woman, with hair and eyes the same colour as Armstrong's and a frighteningly icy look on her face.

"Atten-TION!" she yelled, instantly forcing Roy and his men to stand up straight and salute. "Ahem...greetings, new arrivals! I am Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong, your new commanding officer! From now on, you will address me as 'Ma'am', or preferably, 'Sir'-- and absolutely nothing else!"

Havoc's face twisted in disbelief at the sound of her name. "You had another sister all this time, and she's in the military?!" he whispered harshly to Alex, who merely trembled slightly as he remained at attention.

"Is there something you have to say, grunt?!" barked the Major General, getting right up in Havoc's face and scaring him half to death.

"SIR, NO, SIR!"

"Hmph! I didn't think so! Now, as you maggots know, our enemies to the North are mobilising against us, and..." Mustang tuned out the rest of Olivier's speech, instead brooding over his newfound realisation at just what was going on.

'So this was Bradley's plan?' he thought, gritting his teeth in anger. 'It wasn't enough to send us North to die, but now he's put us under a new commander who's not only loyal to him, but whom Armstrong and the others would hesitate to raise a hand against? Dammit! I have to admit, he's good...but still, there has to be a way to salvage this...there's too much at stake for us to give up now!'