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As her words finished, a long black tentacle shot out of the void and Edward reacted quickly. "NO! NOT THAT THING!" he cried as he jumped in front of Lina. Clapping his hands together, sparks erupted from his hands and he slammed them against the floor.

A block of stone soon rose up from the ground soon after this and the tentacle smashed into it. "Alchemy!" he cried happily, "Lina, stay behind me we're about to be attacked by a creature that calls itself the 'Truth'. It's very powerful and will kill us and others if we don't close this portal behind us fast enough."

A giant fire ball headed towards the portal and Edward thought this might work to stop the creature, yet it did not. As the flames hit the fire tentacle ten more popped out and circled around Edward's wall grabbing him and Luna before dragging them towards the portal. Edward gripped at the floor, but try as he might his hands could not keep in contact with the floor long enough to use his alchemy. They were dealing with a god after all, and a god that really hated Edward for cheating death.

(I hope you don't mind me doing this. But the Truth literally is the single deity they have that is ever shown in the series, and practically no one has gotten away from it without losing something.)

(Yes, you can give up a power your character has, but it has to be something of equal value. So like, if we're going to have fifty children then probably losing one major destructive power will work for her.)

The tentacle arm she cut fell off, but as it did a voice spoke and Edward began quivering in fear. The horror was about to begin. If he was going to return home he had yet to figure out what he would give up.

"Edward Elric, I see we meet again..." the voice of Truth stated as he took on the form of a pure white humanoid being. "You have brought this upon yourself for trifling in my powers again. What is it that you seek?"

Edward gulped as he was suddenly dropped from the air onto the ground. "I seek to return to my home world, my country of Amestris. Someone brought me to another world and this girl dragged me back through your gate Truth." He pointed to Lina and then said, "Don't worry we both have something to give up though."

"GOOD, because I never you of all people would return here before your time. The exchange you seek from me will be a great one you realize." Truth voiced as he stepped towards Edward and raised his hand towards him. "You must agree to an equal payment, otherwise, you have no hope for your soul and I will take you into my madness." He pointed to a stone door behind him with strange and ancient etchings on it. Out of all the things in the place they were in now it was the only object that existed. Not on Lina or Edward's person.

"That wouldn't be fun..." the Truth stated with a wicked smile on their face. "You two, I see that you are far too similar to pass up, just like when you and your brother came here Edward."

Ed grit his teeth and said, "You're going to trick us."

"Maybe, maybe not... I've had a liking for odd things, especially things like this Giga Slave you have spoken of. It is a demon is it not? It will make my vastly infinite knowledge much more grand... Although, I cannot grant you the wish you've wanted little Lina. It's not a fair trade."

He looked towards Edward and said, "I can see into your eyes and heart and know you've not thought things through this time. You won't be able to blurt things out this time and let me trade them off with you. No, you've overstepped the boundaries of what you can trade. So I'll be kind to you for once and let you be in for a good deal..."

Truth sat down in a cross legged fashion and let his head slump down into his hands. He snapped his fingers and said, "How about you both go to Edward's war. It's a lovely little war filled place, yet has so many nice people. If you do, the sacrifice of Giga Slave will get you both there safely. My only condition is that you marry each other and forget about your past loves. Otherwise, I will curse you with one of the most painful and deadliest things in my vast base of knowledge."

Sweat began to flow down Edward's blond locks as he thought about the Truth's proposal and noted that he had no way out of this. He did not want to forget about Winry Rockbell. She had been his friend since childhood would it mean she still existed if he accepted this? Or would she disappear? If she did exist would he always be looked on as a friend or enemy? He really did not know.

"In that case, it sounds like you're ready to give this Giga Slave up." Truth stated with a laugh. "I want, I want it more than ever. How had I not gained such destructive knowledge, maybe I forgot it." Truth paused for a moment and rubbed their chin.

Edward looked at Lina and said, "Lina, you and I, we cannot go through this. If we give up our past lives and you give up such a destructive power have you considered what could happen?"

"Power sounds good... But then you'd lose what's so unique about you." Truth said with a smile on their face.

Edward looked from Lina back at Truth and said, "How do you know her?"

"I know many things in the universe, so of course I know Lina Inverse, but why would I tell a simpleton when someone's existence doesn't really matter to another until they meet them." Truth posed. The creature shrugged and said, "I'd really like to get something from Mr. Elric."

"I know..." He raised his hand and immediately a silver watch that Edward was wearing was torn off of him. "I'm taking your right to be a state alchemist. You may still know everything about what is in the state alchemy libraries, but never again may you join the ranks of their organization to increase your power or knowledge. They will know you and you will know them, but to them you will be an ordinary citizen who came across their secrets illegally."

Edward tried his best to run after the watch and jumped to try and grab at it, but Truth made it float high above his head. "You shall live like your father Van Hohenheimm, Izumi Curtis, and Scar for the rest of your life. This is my deal for the both of you."

Truth stood up and let the watch drop into their hand while they used their other hand to suck up Lina's power. They giggled to themself and said, "I think our contract has been set. I'll give you one final gift, but only to make sure Edward's position outside the State Alchemist organization is secure. From now on, you both shall be a criminal couple. Married and on the run because of what you will get from me."

Truth tore out a fang that jutted out of his mouth and said, "I give to you a philosopher's stone for our equal trade." The tooth morphed into a small silver of the stone and was placed in Ed's pocket. "This stone is different from other versions of the stone. I have limited its power to allow you to contact me, thus its small size. No one else can use it for anything else otherwise, despite its shape and form, this is not a complete stone."

Truth then walked over to Lina and said, "Women are fickle creatures, just like men, since you have given up your power to transport Edward home and become his wife I do not want you using your knowledge of magic to try and escape."

He placed his hand on Lina's abdomen and used his index finger to trace a circle on her with a pentagram mark. "If you so much as try to leave Edward Elric you give me the right to activate the curse I said I would on you two."

Edward wanted to shake with rage, wanted to call this monster out for who he was, but Truth was already taking away so much from them. There was a saying that the truth hurt. He certainly believed it now more than ever. He had already believed in it since had botched up his first attempt at difficult alchemy and had tried to revive his mother and save Al. Now he realized even more how dangerous it could be.

The light around the two of them began to fade and they were finally being pulled away from where they were back to Amestris. Where Ed and Lina would end up is a mystery, but he had a feeling he needed to go ahead and try to make up for what he did to her. After all, he now could only love Lina.