flower) onto Edward's right hand, and Alphonse's shoulder, increasing their alchemic abilities. They sought out the Guardians of Ice, Wind, Earth, and Fire to get closer to solving the mystery of Verda. During this time, they progress through an ancient castle, where on the balcony, Sophie experiences strange pulsations accompanied with voices that make her scream. A strange transmutation circle is inscribed in the ground right by a rock-like platform that has handcuffs hanging down from chains to suspend someone. Ahead, the balcony overlooks the mountains. Sophie and the Elric brothers are surprised by Romeo Craigin, who are then taken into Custody by Venus Rosemaria and her subordinates Izzy Trigger and Boris Hammer. Edward yells for Sophie to escape. Alphonse is strapped to an Electrical machine for testing, and Edward stripped and locked in a cold jail cell with nothing but his boxers to stay warm, but Edward finds a way out and they escape the military base together. Upon fighting and defeating three of the four guardians twice, the brothers discover that they lose their power, and wither away into dust. Sophie saves Leonid who has been lifted from his curse, but is only shot and killed by Romeo Craigin moments after the trio leave the area. The brothers' journey finally comes to a close after reaching the highest level in the Shrine of Verda, where they find Sophie who has been possessed by Verda because of the red rock that Zelgius placed in her chest, and break her out of the trance. They fight Verda as a hideous, enormous monster with a skull for a face. Upon defeating Verda, she gets sucked into the ground but re-emerges again in a human form with glowing eyes and covered with blood, creating a massive vortex of wind and red light in her rage. Sophie approaches her, and despite the fact that Verda attacks her twice, she still survives almost unharmed (except for some bleeding on her forehead). Sophie then wraps her arms around the angry Verda, crying, and her words cause Verda to calm down, and she hugs her in return. Her eyes are shadowed out, but a tear falls and lands on Sophie's face where she begins to wither to dust. Her gentle eyes are revealed for a split second, and her last word being a "thank you" before vanishing for good. Afterwards, all of the monsters that were