Chapter 13: Failure

Raeloph released his grip from Henmer and looked to Alphonse, then walked out. "You didn't have to Henmer..." Alphonse said quietly.

"You don't deserve what he does to you. He doesn't have to be so harsh..." Henmer paused for a moment. "He used to be different, but ever since that battle nearly five years ago..." Henmer stopped. "Sorry, didn't mean to talk your ear off... I'm going to go grab a snack..." Henmer said as he walked off. A loud thud came from the top floor and Alphonse ran up to find out what it was.

"Ow, ow... That hurt..." Cedra said as Alphonse entered the room.

"Did you hit your head while coming in through the window?" Alphonse asked. Cedra nodded a little as she looked away.

"Well, I finished my job." Cedra said as she got up, still holding her head.

"You should go talk to Aila then..." Alphonse said as he left the room, relieved that Cedra is home. Cedra left the room soo after Alphonse and headed to Aila's room. Alphonse entered the dojo and went back to where he was before as no one else had seemed to enter the room while he was gone.

(5th moon, 1st day, 456 Lu.)

A knock was heard on the front door and Raeloph went to open it. "Raeloph, we would like to speak to you." Mr. Tatsumi said.

"Give me a moment." Raeloph said as he closed the door. Raeloph walked back into the dojo. "Come with me." Raeloph said to Alphonse who was currently practicing the horse stance. Alphonse followed Raeloph down to the basement, where he was told to stay. Raeloph walked back up and locked the basement. "Come in." Raeloph said after opening the door again, and ten people walked in.

They walked into the living room and sat in different seats. "Do you know why we are here?" One of the men asked. Raeloph shook his head. "We've heard about certain... Misdeeds, you've done."

"And what have you heard?" Raeloph said as his mind went on guard.

"Don't play dumb, we know you've used the awakening and lost your sanity." Another man spoke up. "After that, you even began to beat your children to near death and call it training, though the main victim of this is your second youngest.." He finished. Raeloph looked at him.

"Yaiko is fine, I can call him here if you would like." Raeloph responded. "Oh, Jian Zi, has something hit you in the head?" He asked the man who made the previous claims. "Jiyomu, why don't you clear this up." Raeloph said as he looked to Mr. Tatsumi.

"Chief, where is Alphonse." Tatsumi asked. Raeloph didn't react.

"Who?" Raeloph asked.

"Your second youngest, Cedra's twin." Jiyomu Tatsumi said. (Technically Tatsumi Jiyomu if we are going by the eastern tradition of referring to someone as their last name and spelling their names as such.) Cedra walked down the stairs and saw the group in the living room.

'Tatsumi's here?' She thought to herself. Raeloph looked towards the stairs.

"Ah, Cedra, great timing come here for a moment." Raeloph said. She did as she was told and fidgeted nervously as she was unsure as to what was about to happen.

"Cut the crap Raeloph, don't bring a child into this!" One man said. Ignoring this Raeloph continued.

"Does Alphonse exist?" Raeloph asked Cedra. Cedra looked to him, knowing what he wants her to say. She took a step back and noticed Raeloph's grip on her dress.

"A-A-Alphonse... Uhm..." Cedra said as her voice and body began to shake. "Alphonse... Alphonse is..." Cedra said as a tear streamed down her left cheek. "He is my brother, please help us!" She yelled. Raeloph's face turned to one of anger.

"Wrong. Answer." He said as he picked her up by the back of her dress and threw her into the dojo. "I'll deal with you later." He said sternly.

"Raeloph, where is Alphonse?" Jiyomu asked again.

"You won't just leave and tell no one, will you, Jiyomu?" Raeloph asked. Jiyomu shook his head. "Henmer!" Raeloph yelled. A few moments later Henmer was running down the stairs.

"Y-yes father?" He asked. Raeloph went down and whispered in Henmer's ear so that only they could hear what was said. Raeloph walked back to the living room and sat in his chair. Jiyomu walked back in as well and pulled his sword.

"Tell me now, or you die." Jiyomu said as the other men stood behind him.

"I guess I could use you as a warning to the nine fellows behind you..." Raeloph said casually. Jiyomu raised his sword to Raeloph's throat and threatened to pierce through it. Mere moments after Jiyomu's actions the front door opened and several guards entered. "the traitors are these ten, but I'll let the other nine off, the one in front of me will receive their punishment for them." Raeloph said.

"Yessir!" The guards yelled as they walked in. There is a total of nineteen guards who entered, making the space quite cramped.

"You're all making a mistake! Raeloph's become corrupt!" Jiyomu yelled.

"That's what all traitors say." One guard responded as he held down Jiyomu Tatsumi. Within a few moments, all of the so-called traitors were arrested and being funneled out of the building.

(5th mon, 6th day, 456 Lu.)

A large platform was placed in the center of the city earlier in the week, though no one was sure of the reason until the event started. "Today an execution will occur, it is the execution of a man who has betrayed our lord, Raeloph!" A man in fancy armor said as they pulled Jiyomu onto the stage with a black sack over his head. Many people stopped walking and viewed what was happening.

A few other guards walked up and brought a wooden basket and chopping block, as well as an axe. The guard handed the execution axe to the man in the fancy armor. "In just a few moments, the man will be revealed!" The man said. A few moments later a larger crowd appeared and the sack was removed to reveal Tatsumi. Tatsumi looked around for a moment.

"Raeloph's lost his sanity! You have to st-" Jiyomu began yelling as he was kicked down and his neck was placed on the chopping block. A few members of the crowd began to yell profanities at Jiyomu and a few told him how much dishonor he has brought himself.

The man in the fancy armor brought up the axe and prepared to cut off Jiyomu's head. "Any last words? And not the ones that'll make you seem even worse, I hate those kinds of last words." The man said. Jiyomu looked to the crowd.

"By killing me you're letting Raeloph's children suffer! Even his wife is suffering, and when you figure it out on your own it'll be too late!" He yelled. The man in the fancy armor swung the axe and chopped off Jiyomu's head at the base of the neck.

(Later that day)

Alphonse and Cedra were chained to the walls, facing each other as Raeloph asked them questions. "I reckon one of you will know who told them about what's going on, and someone is going to speak up." Raeloph said as he walked towards Cedra. "I can be very persuasive after all." Raeloph said as he grabbed a knife. Alphonse looked around the room towards his siblings who were lined up, each of his brothers, though none of his sisters.

"I told you both, no one will help you, they're too afraid." Raeloph said as he began to pierce Cedra's finger. Cedra let out a scream. "I know torturing you won't work, but you've always been rather attached to your sister, and if your sister knows, well torture is sure to work on her, two birds one stone, right?" Raeloph said maniacally as he fully cut Cedra's pinky off. Cedra began crying, unable to bear the pain.

Alphonse was about to speak, but Cedra looked to him and shook her head. Cedra mouthed the word, don't. "Still not talking?" Raeloph asked as he began to cut a different finger off of Cedra's hand. "four more before I cut the handoff." Raeloph said.

'I see... This is what Koyuki meant... A negative to the positive, and I resurrected twice, so it'll be twice as bad, or even happen twice...' Alphonse thought to himself as a tear went down his right cheek. Another one of Cedra's fingers were cut off, making her cry out with more intensity.

"I'm already bored of this, Elmer, come, continue this for me... That is if you do not want to be hurt worse than her." Raeloph said as he handed the knife to Elmer. Elmer reluctantly grabbed the knife and walked towards Cedra.

"Sorry..." Elmer said as he did as instructed. Cedra's screams became louder.

"Fine! It was me, I told them!" Alphonse yelled though it was a lie.

"If that was true then they wouldn't have beat around the bush and just entered the house, don't lie, it doesn't look good." Raeloph said as is face became even angrier. The pool of blood beneath Cedra didn't grow much as it seeped through the dojo mats. Raeloph grabbed a cleave and walked to Cedra. "You won't be needing this." He said as he cleaved at her ankle, cutting Cedra's foot off.

"Stop, please stop!" She yelled as her tears began to overflow.

"You know how to stop this, just tell me who told them." Raeloph said.

"Me! I-it was me! So please stop, it hurts!" Cedra yelled.

"No! She's lying, it was me! I told them!" Alphonse yelled desperately.

"Tell me, Cedra, who did it?" Raeloph asked as Alphonse continued to plead guilty.