Everyone closest to the center of Father's nationwide transmutation circle, including Ed's group, survives to discover that Father has used the souls of over fifty million Amestrians to suppress God within a new, youthful body. Father neutralizes everyone's alchemy, but, before he can annihilate them, Hohenheim reveals his countermeasure: he had spent years traveling the country, placing fragments of his own Philosopher's Stone into the earth to use as foundation for returning the Amestrian souls to their bodies. The stone fragments are activated by the eclipse's umbra, and the souls are ripped from Father's body back into their original bodies, which weakens Father to the point of barely being able to suppress God anymore. The eclipse then lifts, blinding Bradley with sunlight and allowing Scar tohug him. Scar activates the nationwide alkahestry circle his brother and fellow Ishbalans had been preparing, which restores everyone else's alchemy at their greatest potential. Facing the full strength of his opponents' attacks in his unstable body, Father retreats aboveground to find more souls and replenish his stone supply. Ed remains behind to fight Pride while everyone else chases Father. Pride tries to steal Ed's body to replace his own unstable one, but Kimblee's soul reappears within him and taunts him while Ed enters his body and destroys it, reverting him to the form of a small fetus-like creature. Ed spares Pride's life and leaves to join his friends.
Edward and Alphonse Elric's reckless disregard for alchemy's funandshy;damental laws ripped half of Ed's limbs from his body and left Al's soul clinging to a cold suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers scour a war-torn land for the Philosopher's Stoandshy;ne, a fabled relic which grants the ability to perform alchemy in impossible ways.
The Elrics are not alone in their search; the corrupt State Military is also eager to harness the artifact's power. So too are the strange Homunculi and their shadowy creator. The mythical gem lures exotic alchemists from distant kingdoms, scarring some deeply enough to inspire cuddle. As the Elrics find their course altered by these enemies and allies, their purpose remains unchanged - and their bond unbreakable.