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secret-engima · 4 years ago

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Beneath a Bed of Stone (We’ll be Carried Home)

(I’m actually here and I’m actually doing this. Lemme just- *drops 7k words of angst fic into ya’ll’s laps* there. *gently hands fic into the raccoon hands of @rayearthdudette * *Also tagging @dogsanddigimon @a-world-in-grey @hamelin-born and @ean-sovukau for good measure*. ALSO ALSO before we really get rolling I binge wrote this to This Song but it was This Song that truly slayed me and insisted on a cameo at the end of the fic. Just if anyone’s curious.)

Once upon a time, there was a woman of Tenebrae who didn’t want to meet her soulmate. She didn’t want to be a Second, to be regulated to the stepmother of a child she had yet to meet, a child who would not be her own. So she ran from fate. But fate is not so easily denied, and when the world burned and the wilds closed in, she was the only guardian standing between death and children who were not her own.

And perhaps there was an instinct there not so easily denied, a knowing of the wilds and the dangers that hounded after little feet. Because the children under her care did not die, but were instead shepherded to the city of Insomnia, where Galahdian refugees waited with open arms, and a Captain swore loyalty in his heart, and a king who doted on the son that was born from a union without a soulmate.

So she came to Insomnia, and there she met a sweet little boy who had a destiny too large for his little shoulders, and there she met a soulmate who was the Father and who was endlessly kind. And that was her beginning, for every story has one.

But some stories, like that of the little Chosen King, do not have only one beginning, but also a second that starts long, long before the first. The story of Lucina of Many Braids is another such story, that had not just one beginning…

But also the beginning of an end.

That second beginning, which was really the first, took place long before Lucina of Many Braids found her soulmate through the innocent wanderings of a child, long before she made for the safety of Insomnia’s Wall with children following under her watchful eye, long before she fled the fires of Tenebrae’s burning. It started far, far before any of those things, before there was a Wall of magic and blood over Lucis, before there was even an Empire to wage war.

The first beginning of the story started with a simple peasant girl, an unwanted child born out of wedlock and kept only for property…

And a plague.

Kore’s life wasn’t an easy one, but it wasn’t a bad one either, and she didn’t really mind. It was a good life for a child who was born out of wedlock —worse, out of wedlock between two non-soulmates who were married to their soulmates already—. Father made sure she was never idle, but to be honest, Kore liked being a shepherdess. It was lonely to spend all day from dawn until sunset in the hills outside the village, but the wilds were beautiful and the chocobos never looked at her with scorn like some of the village did. She had plenty of time to herself, plenty of time to make up songs to sing to her little chocobo herd or weave flowers into her hair and imagine they were fairy crowns. When travelers passed through, sometimes they would sit down and talk to her a while, and through them she learned of the world outside the wilds and her little village.

From the traveling healers she learned of kindness and medicines, from the traveling minstrels she learned of heroes and kings and great monsters to be slain. From the traveling merchants she learned the value of her herd’s discarded feathers, because if she pierced the feather’s shaft just right and added some little beads of engraved wood, they made good jewelry to trade for things like extra food or even a blanket or two. From the wandering hunters she learned how to wield more than just the spear she used to fight off predators looking to kill her herd. One of them, impressed when she helped him fight off a voretooth pack at her young age, gave her a little bow and quiver of arrows and taught her how to shoot straight and true. Another laughed at her spear, calling it a pointy stick, and traded her a batch of her finest feathers in exchange for an old, larger spear with a rusty head that she spent hours upon hours restoring as best she could.

Sure, her father still treated her with a much rougher hand than his wedlock daughters or sons, and her father’s wife made no effort to hide how shamed she felt by Kore’s existence, but she only had to deal with them in the evenings so long as she got up earlier in the morning than the rest of them, and Eldest Brother was kind to her. He was the one who first let her toddle after him into the hills and taught her how to mind the chocobo herds in the first place.

She was around eight years old, just a few months away from nine, when she first heard of the plague. A traveling healer passing through with fearful eyes and dire stories of an illness no tonic seemed to cure, a plague that cursed men into monsters and turned their blood black. It was terrifying things to hear, and the healer must have repeated his story in the village, because the normally peaceful atmosphere gave way to tension. Travelers began to be treated warily, in case they were sick, and countless talismans of good health and protection dangled from the rafters of every hut. She didn’t put too much stock in it herself, though she did stop waving at travelers to stop and talk to her, instead lurking in the tree line to watch them pass in silence. Just in case.

“Just in case” didn’t save her. “Just in case” didn’t stop one of the young chocobos, just out of chickhood, from wandering off from the herd. “Just in case” didn’t help shorten her hours-long search for the wayward cockerel, or keep the sun from setting by the time she had found it and was leading it back to the pen where the rest of the herd already slept.

“Just in case” did nothing to stop the monster that surged out of the shadows to attack her before she reached the village.

It was like no beast she’d ever seen, small as a child younger than her, fast and screaming and angry. It was wearing clothes like a man, and a pointed little cap, but there was no friendliness or mind with which to bargain. It did not even respond to the waving of her torch or the strikes of her spear, like pain was just an afterthought to it. It slipped past her guard, knocking her over with a ball of something that glowed eerie pink-purple, then rushing in close to rip out her throat. It got her arm instead, sinking sharp teeth into her forearm while she screamed and ran her spear through its heart at long last. When it died, it withered, turning to mud and dust that dripped down her bleeding arm and onto the ground before disappearing entirely.

Kore ran all the way home, too frightened to even care that the cockerel had fled into the dark again.

Eldest Brother helped her treat it, and even her father and his wife were concerned over her tale. She had never been one to tell fanciful stories to anyone but her chocobos, and for all they did not like her, they did not doubt her honest. A daemon, they whispered, from the old tales. What could have attracted it?

“She’s a child born of unmatched souls out of wedlock,” muttered one of her elder half-sisters, “It could probably tell she was as unnatural as it was.” Eldest Brother snarled at her for it, but the words still made Kore flinch.

Eldest Brother smiled at her as he smeared tonic on the bite and bandaged it, “Don’t listen to them. Everyone knows daemons only go after the purest and brightest of souls. You must be very beautiful indeed, and strong too, to survive. You’ll be just fine.”

Kore smiled and hugged her Eldest Brother for his words, ignoring the twinge of her arm. It would go away. Just like the pain from her other animal-made scars.

Only it did not go away.

The wound scabbed over black and ugly, and no amount of reopening it and applying hot water and tonics would make it heal correctly. When it finally did close, it left an ugly purple-black scar of teeth-shapes on her arm. She wore a little bandage to hide it after the villagers started to talk, but even after it had scarred, it did not get better. Her arm hurt all the time, a low, aching throb that sometimes flared to searing agony when she least expected it. The scar’s ugly color began to spread up her veins and turn her skin white-pale and the more it grew, the worse her pain was.

She hid it from all but Eldest Brother, afraid of what her father and his wife would do if they found out. Eldest Brother smiled a shaky smile and discreetly asked any healer passing through, but none of their remedies or talismans or prayers helped slow the spread. Light began to hurt her eyes and her head and her skin, and she started to lose her appetite.

She lost her temper too. Sudden and uncontrolled, without even realizing it was at risk of being lost. One moment she was bringing in the herd, the next she was screaming and pounding her little fists into the face of one of her other half-brothers for his snide remarks (remarks she’d dealt with as long as she could remember, remarks that had long since lost their bite until now).

Eldest Brother dragged her off and she screamed at him too before bursting into tears, confused by her own wrath. Father took the cane to her rump to teach her better, but it didn’t help, her temper just got worse and more unpredictable.

Nightmares started, driving her screaming from her sleep.

It didn’t take long for the nightmares to follow her into the waking world. Making her lash out in terror at what she thought were monsters, but a blink later proved to be normal people. The village tied her up in a shed and outside she could hear them arguing over what to do with her. Over if they should kill her before the plague spread from her to other people.

She had the plague.

She had … the plague.

That daemon had given her the plague. The plague that travelers said cursed men into monsters.

Oh. Oh no.

She was turning into a daemon too.

A decision was made that day, but it was late, so the result would be carried out in the morning, and that night she couldn’t sleep. Her skin was burning and fear ran its claws constantly down her spine. Fear of dying, fear of herself and what she was turning into (and how had she not realized it, how had she not realized why her skin was paling and why the sun hurt and why her teeth sometimes felt sharp-).

Eldest Brother ducked into the shed and she warned him away with a sob, afraid any minute she would transform and strike him, any moment her uncontrollable rage might rise and burn him. He cut her ropes with a knife, heedless of her warnings. He smuggled her out past the night watch, gently pushed a sack of food, a knife, and her bow and arrows into her hands and told her to run. If she stayed then she would be dead by tomorrow afternoon, and even if she was sick with a plague, she was his baby sister and he couldn’t let that happen.

Terrified of death and herself and the sudden loss of her whole world, Kore ran away without looking back.

She never saw Eldest Brother again.

She ran into the wilds, away from the roads where people travelled, away from the hills her chocobos had lived on all their lives. She ran the other way, into the woods. Deeper and deeper until she couldn’t run anymore from exhaustion. As soon as her limbs stopped shaking, she got up and ran again. She ran for days, then when the sun became true torture, she started running at night.

The dark didn’t stop her from seeing where she was going anymore.

Her pack of food was left behind somewhere along the way. She was hungry, starving even, but not for anything in the bag. Even the little berry pastries Eldest Brother had slipped in —the ones that had always been her favorite— were tasteless and revolting.

The nightmares got worse, and they followed her. Sometimes they were her half-siblings, taunting her and spitting on her, sometimes it was her father’s wife, raising her ladle to strike and calling her a stain on the family. Sometimes it was the monster that had done this to her, but she knew it wasn’t really that monster, because instead of screaming, it spoke and when it spoke it was with Eldest Brother’s voice, twisting it into something spiteful and poisonous. It called her monster. Coward. Unnatural. She tried to scare it off, but none of her screaming or angry swipes of her knife would make it go away.

Her skin became white as snow. Her veins turned black as coal and her teeth became sharp enough to cut her lip if she wasn’t careful. Time slipped away. She couldn’t remember what day or night it was, or how long she’d been gone. Her legs itched-itched-itched and it got hard to put one foot in front of the other when really they just wanted to move together as one, often leaving her sprawled on the ground, caught for hours-years-ages between nightmarish rage and exhausted reality. Eventually she stopped being able to tell the difference of even that.

Everything hurt. She was hungry-hungry-hungry-angry-hungry-where-was-food-where-was-somethingtohurt-.

There. Road.

She was in the branches of the trees, burning light was setting-setting-almost-gone-safe-enough and below was dirt and stone and food.

Food was sitting on the feathery thing that kwehed-kwehed-kwehed. Feathery thing could sense her, it was afraid yes-yes-good-good. Better-better that Food was still unaware, patting feathers and making noise-noise-noise that grated at her ears and made her angry-angry-hungry-angry. She breathed and smelled blood. Fresh blood. Pumping-pumping-pumping away under thin skin and she wanted it. She wanted to bite it she wanted to eat it she wanted to hurt it.

She lunged out of the trees and down-down-down. Screamed as she missed and tumbled off the hindquarters of the screaming feathery thing because her legs were wrong and half fused into the tail they should-have-been-would-be-too-slowly. The food fell off the feathery thing too and she lunged for it, mouth open for biting and blood and hurting-.

Impact. Pain. Tumbling end over end until she hit a tree and she screamed in agony and fury because feathery thing had kicked her, feathery thing had kicked her away from her food. She would kill it too she would rip it apart and smear it’s insides on the dirt as it screamed she would-.

Food came closer, long stick-staff-stick in frail little bitable fingers, making more noise and she lashed out at it, struggling to get back up when her legs wouldn’t move right and her middle throbbed from the kick and her bones were still scraping back together. Food pushed her down with the stick and she howled in fury at being weaker than food, held down as it flaunted itself so close she could smell its blood just out of her reach. The noises took on a different note and she didn’t care because she hated it, she wanted it dead she wanted it to die.

The stick pulled away, then struck before she could recover. The crack of wood against her head was sharp and loud, filled with power that sticks shouldn’t have and as the blackness swallowed her up and the twisted nightmares of the things-she-didn’t-remember laughed at her, she heard Food made another soft noise.

“Oh little one, you’ll be alright now. Let me help your suffering…”

...

Kore woke up with a sluggish blink, then squinted at the sunlight poking her eyelids. Had she … been doing something? Where … where was she? If the sun was already up, then who was taking care of the … herd…

Memory crashed back, blurry and disjointed and terrifying and she sat up with a gasp. Hands caught her, warm and much larger than her boney shoulders, “Easy there, you’re going to be shaky for a while. But you’re alright now.”

Kore flinched away from the touch, because she was sick, she was sick and going to turn into a monster at any moment and she might hurt this person if she stayed. The hands holding her steady didn’t falter, not even when she stumblingly told him she had the plague. Instead, they squeezed her shoulders in comfort, “You’re alright now child. You’re not sick anymore.”

Kore stopped. There was a surety in those words, a faith she couldn’t deny. She blinked and really looked at the man holding her still. He smiled at her, blue eyes bright and kind, his red-violet hair a flyaway mess that glowed in the sun. He was dressed in simple healing robes, and there was a healer’s staff nearby. He looked tired, like he had spent the whole night watching over something (someone. Her?). She licked her lips, “You … healed me?”

The man nodded and sat back, finally letting go of her shoulders, “I did. I found you just in time. Or,” he laughed softly, “you found me. But it is the same in the end. See for yourself.” He gestured gently at her arms. She looked, and a moment later she started crying, because her arms were pale but not deathly white, and there were no purple-black veins winding up her skin. The bite that had started all her troubles was a faded, nearly gone scar the same color as all her other ones, and when she reached for nightmares and rage all she found was exhaustion and relief.

“You healed me,” she whispered hoarsely, voice cracked from disuse and memories still foggy past that night she ran away from the village on Eldest Brother’s order, “You saved me.”

“It was my pleasure and honor-, oh.” The healer hesitated, then his hands came to rest on her back as she clung to him and sobbed from relief, “It’s alright, child. It’s alright now.” He held her and soothed her until she had stopped crying, then he fed her a thin, easy soup. When she was settled, he asked softly, “Do you live nearby? In the next village perhaps? I can take you there.”

Kore shook her head. These woods were a stranger to her, and even if she knew where she was … she couldn’t go back. The village had decided to kill her. What if she went back and they killed her anyway out of fear she wasn’t really cured? She couldn’t go back. She didn’t want to go back. “I don’t have a family,” she whispered, “Eldest Brother was- he was the only one-, he told me to run. So I did.”

The healer looked at her with sorrow in his eyes, “I’m so sorry. I … I can still take you to the next village, I am known there, I can ask them to take you in-.”

She shook her head, and an impulsive desperation filled her bones, “Take me with you.” She looked up, desperate and pleading, “Take me with you, please! You saved me, I owe you a debt-.”

He wavered, “I really don’t think-,”

“Please,” she whispered, “I don’t have anyone else. Or anywhere else. I want to stay with you.”

The silence settled for so long she started crying again, sure he would say no. Then he sighed and rested a hand on her head, “If you are going to travel with me, Little One, then I need a name to call you by.”

She sobbed in relief and leaned into his touch, “Kore.”

“Well, Kore,” he murmured as he stroked her ratty hair, “my name is Ardyn, and you may travel with me as long as you like.”

...

Ardyn was not just any healer, he was the eldest son of House Caelum. A healer blessed by the Astrals with the ability to take away the plague people called the Scourge. He was kind, and skilled, and stubborn, and Kore traveled with him without hesitation. He showed her how to make tonics, and how to tell when someone was just starting to be sick with the Scourge, and she watched in wonder as he cured them. Cured anyone he could find no matter their state of mind or status. He was endlessly kind and loving to his people, and he doted on Kore in a way only Eldest Brother ever had. She learned at his side, and though she couldn’t heal anyone like he could, she learned to help in other ways. Like comforting and distracting the children with stories and songs and gentle touches while Ardyn healed whatever ill relative was tied down inside the hut this time. She held babies so mothers could embrace their spouse and cry for joy, and she comforted little ones until the maddened screaming softened to gasps of relief and awareness. When they were done, Ardyn would smile at her, proud and kind and pleased, and they would move on, leaving stories in their wake of the Sage and his little shadow, and to his people, Ardyn was unshakeable. A rock for all their hopes when the Astrals seemed to have turned a deaf ear.

But Ardyn, she knew, was also clumsy, and absentminded with himself, and he disliked fighting to the point of being a bit of a pushover, and Kore had been a shepherdess of silly chocobos for too long to ignore his need for a protector. She begged him for a spear, her own weapons long lost, and when he looked at her in confusion, she told him that he had saved her life, so now she would protect his. Even from his own stupidity. He laughed and ruffled her hair, told her that he would be in dire straits indeed if he needed a tiny ten year old girl to protect him, but if that was truly her wish, then he would train her to be the finest Shield that House Caelum had ever seen.

And he did. He gave her a spear from his armiger, and then later gave her access to his magic itself, settling it in her soul, setting light to her blood with power that let her call her spear or bow and arrows from thin air, that let her wield the elements as easily as the fairies from the stories. She took her self-appointed role seriously, guarding his back from wild animals, or bandits, or Scourge victims too far gone to save —the ones already turned fully into monsters, the ones that could not be held down long enough to cure—, making him sit and eat when he forgot, making him rest before he could fall over from his driving need to help his people. Eventually, when she was thirteen, he wandered back to the capital, and there she met his younger brother Somnus and Somnus’s Shield, Gilgamesh.

Somnus’s eyes were very cold toward them both, scoffing at Ardyn’s mercy and at the little brown haired, brown eyed peasant girl standing at his side with a spear and skin bare of any soulmark despite her age —she didn’t know if being so close to turning into a daemon had barred her from getting a soulmate, Ardyn just insisted that some people did not have soulmates and that it was just as natural as having one, or that perhaps her soulmate was just too young for a mark to form yet—. Gilgamesh laughed at her outright, calling her small and weak, less than half the height of her own spear and surely too tiny to lift it. Let alone use it in battle.

He stopped laughing when she knocked him onto his back and shoved her spearpoint under his chin during a spar, too angry and determined to feel her own split lip and sprained ankle and bloody side until later when Ardyn tutted worriedly over her.

Somnus and Ardyn often fought over what to do about the Scourge. Somnus was in favor of killing them, saying there was no choice but to contain and eradicate the scourge with fire. Ardyn said there must be mercy, there was a cure and it should be found and until it was, he would be that cure. Neither would budge, and the topic made Kore’s skin crawl —she would have been one of those slain and burned, she could have been one of those Somnus called mindless monsters—. Ardyn’s trips to the capital were already few, and they got fewer as the years went on and the rift between brothers got larger.

As Ardyn got sicker.

Kore was horrified when she learned the price of Ardyn’s power, even if she didn’t stop him, didn’t even suggest it. She had been one of those victims, and she knew how desperately people needed the hope of a cure. She also knew Ardyn wouldn’t stop even if she did beg him to. Instead, she got Ardyn a cloak with long sleeves to help him with the sun, and when they visited his lover Aera, Kore kept watch from afar and prayed for healing while his Oracle soulmate tended to Ardyn in body and spirit.

She was eighteen when everything fell apart. Fast and wiry and strong, small but mighty and protective of her Healer King, her Sage. They had been on the run from Somnus’s soldiers for months by then, and Ardyn’s sickness was getting worse —so much worse. Thousands he had cured, the sickness of thousands he carried, and yet there was always more to find and it hurt her heart to see him suffer, it hurt her knees to spend all night praying for a different cure to be found so he would be spared—. Then the soldiers came and instead of violence, they knelt and declared Ardyn king. The Astrals had finally decided on who was to sit upon the throne, and they had chosen Ardyn.

As well they should, Kore scoffed in Ardyn’s amused ear, Somnus certainly wasn’t the one working himself to the bone to fix this mess.

Ardyn chuckled tiredly, but there was a darkness in his eyes. He held her hands and asked her to do something for him. He’d heard rumors from one of the larger towns that the Scourge was appearing there, and he had planned to go there next. He needed her to go check, so that after the coronation he would know whether or not he had to go straight there or if there would be time to consult the Astrals on creating a larger scale cure.

He had sent Kore to scout ahead before, and she thought nothing of agreeing to this. She promised to be there in time for the coronation, to stand at his side as his Shield —as his adopted daughter, claimed in secret by rites long held secret by the scions of House Caelum—.

But there were bandits on the road home, and during a fight on her way to the capital, she sprained her ankle, drastically slowing her pace.

She did not make it to the coronation.

She was too late to save Ardyn and his soulmate from Somnus’s treachery.

The common folk warned her on the city outskirts, turned her aside with mixed stories. Ardyn had become daemon, said some, the Sage was betrayed, cried others. All of them said the same thing. Both Ardyn and Aera were dead, and Ardyn’s corpse was locked away on Angelgard.

Kore had thought she’d forgotten what fury felt like since being cured of the Scourge, but now she felt it, hot and thick, burning in her bones and carving tear tracks down her face as she fled. She wanted to kill Somnus and his traitor Shield, but they were surrounded by ignorant nobles and soldiers who didn’t know the viper they guarded and she was only one.

Her only hope was her magic. She still had it, still had red crystals that came to her call, and she knew that so long as they remained, Ardyn lived. Ardyn lived, though Somnus claimed him dead, and she had to find him.

She went to the shores overlooking Angelgard, she stole a boat and sailed for it only to be turned back by the brutal storm winds. She tried again, and again, and again but was turned aside each time with unnatural accuracy —like the Astrals themselves barred her way even though she could feel Ardyn, feel him on the island from this close, feel his pain and his grief— until her ship was smashed against the rocks and she screamed her rage at the sky. With a broken heart and bitter words, she turned away from Angelgard. She took to wandering the lands, a sellsword and a healer, a mercenary and a killer of the men Somnus sent to round up entire villages of people for the illness of just one.

Gilgamesh tried to hunt her down, but she was small and fast and the woods at night had stopped being scary long ago. He never found her, but if she had ever seen him alone and without his army, she would have let him. She would have killed him. Burned him alive with the magic in her veins that proved Ardyn —her Healer King, the true king, her father of the heart— was still alive.

She was twenty-seven when Somnus’s men caught her and dragged her to him in chains. She looked into the face of a kinslayer, a brother killer, a pretender and saw a broken man looking back. “You still have his magic.” Somnus said after dismissing everyone, even his seething Shield, from the room. Kore snarled at him, low and feral like the daemon she had once almost been. Somnus stared at her, and she watched in a mix of confusion and vindication as he sagged onto his stolen throne like a man tired of life, “I was wrong.”

She stopped snarling, more out of surprise than anything else. He laughed and the sound was bitter, filled with a self-loathing that matched her own hate for him, “The Astrals showed me what I had done after I put on the crown. I have doomed generations. Worse, I have doomed my own brother to an existence of torment until the new Chosen King is born.”

She breathed in hate, exhaled poison, “You murdered the Oracle. You imprisoned your own brother all for a throne that wasn’t yours. What did you expect.”

Somnus rubbed a hand over his face, and when she demanded why he hadn’t just let Ardyn free, Somnus told her he couldn’t. He had sent ships there to retrieve him, but the way was barred by storms, and the entrance to his cell was walled up with thick stone. Kore was horrified, because surely her king would have a slow, starving death, then grew more horrified when Somnus told her that Ardyn couldn’t die. Not by any mortal means. Not until the new Chosen King was born and set him free.

Unless.

“You traveled with him most,” Somnus told her as he knelt before her, a man in chains of prophecy and sin where hers were iron, “you saw his methods and his magic. Help me find another cure. Help me bring him back.”

She stilled. She stared.

In the end, there was no choice for her but one.

“I hate you,” she hissed, “and I always will. When Ardyn is free and well, I will kill you for what you’ve done to him.”

A twist of his wrist and her chains dissolved into blue magic, “And I will let you do just that. After we find a cure.”

“After,” she agreed and could already imagine his blood running down her spear.

And so the Pretender King and the Shield-Daughter searched, and invented, and searched more. A hundred medicines they created, both magical and mundane, a thousand maladies they learned to turn aside, even to the point of reviving someone from a newly dead state —the Phoenix Down, named after the stories, not able to save everyone, only those who had died mere seconds before, yet still unable to cure the Scourge—. Gilgamesh watched them and seethed. He did not trust her, he blamed her for Somnus’s guilt and nightmares and regret, she bared her teeth at him and hoped he suffered for his role in Ardyn’s fate as well.

Somnus gained a wife, and then two healthy, boisterous sons, and Kore watched him with sharp eyes as he told them obliquely of his sins in the form of a fairy tale and a monster he called Adagium. “Tell them the naked truth.” She hissed in the shadows of his study.

“When Ardyn returns, all will know the naked truth.” Somnus promised. Then he paused and whispered with a voice that showed the age beginning to silver his hair, “Spare them when I am gone. They do not deserve to pay for my sins.”

“I will spare them.” she promised and meant it. Because his children were innocent of their father’s sins, and Ardyn would never have let her do otherwise. Even if the eldest son listened too much to Gilgamesh and watched her with wary, scornful eyes.

Somnus was hailed as king. As wise. They named him the Mystic and built statues in honor of his magical and medicinal prowess, and in the dark of night, Kore and Somnus drank bitter wine in a sarcastic toast to human folly and forgetfulness.

When he died, she was forty years old and there was still no cure.

There would never be a cure and both of them knew it. They had known for years, yet never stopped looking.

She stood at his bedside as he died, in the place where his wife would have stood had she not passed three years prior. As his last breaths shuddered into sobs that wracked his old frame, Kore didn’t blink. Didn’t speak.

“Find him,” Somnus ordered, though in truth it was a plea, “Set him free.”

“I will.” She replied, “No matter what it takes, I will be there when he is cured, I will welcome him back into the sunlight that you took away.”

“Tell him,” Somnus whispered, too tired to speak louder, “that I am so, so sorry and that … I … love…” He exhaled.

He didn’t breathe again.

“I will,” she promised quietly, because even though she hated him, he was still Ardyn’s brother, and even at their lowest point, Ardyn had loved him. Then she turned and left out the window. Gilgamesh would come in from training with the guards hours later to find his king had passed away without him, seemingly without any witnesses, without any company or comfort.

The world would remember that Somnus died alone.

They would never know that his brother’s Shield, the woman who hated him with every fiber of her being, had still possessed enough kindness in her soul —kindness taught and put there by Ardyn, her king, her adoptive father— to hold his hand until he died.

...

Kore roamed for three more years, searching for a cure she knew would never be found. Gilgamesh hunted for her, as did the eldest son who blamed her for his father’s “weakness” in his later years. But Kore was old herself, and she didn’t trust her body, scarred and battle worn as it had become, to last much longer anyway. With the last of her coin, she purchased the sturdiest little ship she could afford, and one more time, she sailed for Angelgard’s shores.

The storm lashed her, tore at the sails and chewed on the keel, it clawed at her and screamed for her to turn back, and into the wind she screamed right back. This time there was no turning back, this time she would make it to Angelgard’s shore or die in the attempt. The mast shattered, the hull broke. She plunged into the frothing, roaring water and swam.

It was late when she dragged herself onto the grey, lifeless shores of the holy island. Or possibly early. She couldn’t tell. There was blood running down into her eyes, and she could no longer feel one of her legs. Her lungs burned with each breath, and copper coated her throat and turned the water she vomited out to red. She had one of the potions Somnus had created with her help years ago, but when she took it, all that stopped was the bleeding on her head, and some feeling returned to her leg. Well. She had said she would reach the shore or die in the attempt. Now here she was. She staggered to her feet and followed the winding path through the black rocks as the rain stopped and the storm cleared. When her leg gave out again and would no longer work, she crawled on her hands and knee. When her other leg gave out and her head swam from copper-tasting air, she dragged herself with her hands.

She reached the prison. The wall of stone was just as thick and sturdy as Somnus had despairingly described. His masons had done their jobs very well.

She hauled herself upright using the lines in the stone, and the armiger in her soul sputtered from her pain as she dragged out her spear and mindlessly dug at the masonry with the head. I’m here, she tried to shout but had no energy to, I’m here, father. Dad. The spear broke off in her hand, she pounded at it with her fist until her grip grew too weak and she slid bonelessly down to the ground. Rolling over to sit with her back against the stone, she sighed and spat out a wad of blood. “I’m sorry,” she whispered hoarsely, “I’m sorry I can’t get you out. But I’m … here. I’m right here.” She blinked back tears at the sunrise creeping over the mainland mountains, “I’m staying right here.”

She didn’t know if he could hear her. If he could sense her through the stone. She couldn’t reach out with magic like he could to her, and she didn’t know if in his pain and sickness and darkness he could sense how close she was. She didn’t know. But she could pretend.

She closed her eyes against the sunrise, felt it warm her ocean-chilled skin. She could pretend. And if he really could hear her … she could sing.

Ardyn- Dad- had always loved her singing. He’d loved the ditties she made up as a child shepherdess on the lonely hills. He loved the ones she’d made up as they travelled and saw so many things. There was one that had always been his favorite, they’d sung it together many times on the road, and it had never sounded sweeter than when they had taught it to Aera and sung it together in a three way chorus. The only voice left now of that group was hers, and her voice was hoarse from the blood in her throat and the struggle to get here, but … she could pretend. She could still sing.

“Stay … in my shelter,”

“Beneath … a bed of stone.”

“Though tides pull me under,”

“I’ll be carried … carried home.”

Her breath rattled, she spat out another copper clump. With a shaking hand, she pressed her palm against the unmoving stone door, squinted at the sunrise like if she concentrated hard enough, he would be able to see the sunlight through her eyes.

“Grey shorelines … break the silence,”

“With songs … of rivers flow,”

“And I … see you … cross the ocean…”

“But I … will never go, I will … never … go…”

Her hand slipped to the ground.

The sun shone soft and warm across Angelgard’s grey and black stone as the Shield-Daughter of the Sage stopped breathing, her back still pressed against the cell door that held her father and king.

And so the first beginning, was also the first end. But not the only one. Because souls are stubborn, stubborn things, and she had never gotten anywhere in life by giving up. Because she had made a promise, and promises were things to be kept. One way or another.

“No matter what it takes, I will be there when he is cured, I will welcome him back into the sunlight that you took away.”

In the darkness between life and death, the soul called Kore walked. She walked and walked until eventually she reached the border. She reached for it, and she was found. “Mortal. Turn back. Your time has ended.”

“I can’t. I have promises to keep.”

“Those are for naught. The one you have sworn to is beyond your reach. Turn back, Shield of the Accursed.”

“The Sage. His name was Ardyn and he was your chosen. He was my father.”

“Once, yes. But he has fallen into darkness. He is now Accursed, and his end will usher in the end of the Starscourge. Go back to your rest, Mortal.”

A silence that was heavy, resentful and stubborn.

“Well? Do you dare disobey me?”

“I’m sorry, Great Draconian.”

“Return to your rest, Mortal, and all will be-.”

“But I didn’t get this far by lying down and letting go.”

“Wait-! Cease!”

Great claws tore her as she ran by, peeling away the name of Kore, the memories of things long lost. Stripped of purpose save the need to run and fulfill a promise now taken away, she kept running, kept moving even as the pounding of great wings drew ever closer.

Ice and cold. It curled around her like the breath of winter and in it there was judgement and amusement, “You should turn back, Mortal. You have displeased him.”

“I can’t. I promised.”

“And this promise means that much to you?”

“Yes.”

Frost caressed her shoulders in the shape of slender hands, “You should have been one of Ramuh’s children. Stubborn as you are. The Prophecy must be fulfilled and the darkness banished … but…” Ice firmed beneath her feet, snow crunching along the invisible path, “The magic that governs this world is older than the Dragon of Steel or any of us, and there is no interfering in those strong enough to Walk Twice.”

“He took my memories.”

“For a time. They will return. Your soul is still marked, and that bond is not something so easily unmade. You are a strange soul. Oh,” A low laugh that sounded like the first snowfall of winter, “it would seem you more stubborn than even you realize. There are very few that Walk Twice, and even fewer content to wait until their second journey to find their other half.” Fairy lights, refractions of starlight on snow lighting a path through the void, “Very well, little Saepio. Continue onward and keep your promises. May you find the end of your journey worth the path to get there.” Hands of ice and blizzards pushed her on and she stumbled through the fairy lights, slipped and fell-.

In a small town in the land of Tenebrae, a child wailed her first breaths to the sky. Her parents laughed for joy, held her close and named her Lucina.

The child fell asleep, and a year or so from then, the black smudges on her arm would solidify into the words, “Thank you for looking after my son. But why did you not tell anyone he was here?”

Inside her soul where scars from dragon claws lingered and memories sank too deep to touch, red magic waited. For years and years, until Lucina was adult, and married, and strong. Until the Marilith loomed, and she pulled her son into her arms and hunched her back over him and reached for power with one thought and one thought alone.

I am a Shield, and I will protect you.

And magic like blood and promises bloomed.

#Secret Engima Rambles #Melodies and Manuscripts #Didn't Know He Was the Prince verse #long post #tw: body horror #but it's minor #it's the starscourge what do you expect #YOU ALL WANTED TO KNOW HOW SHE HAD ARDYN'S MAGIC #WELL NOW YOU KNOW #>:D

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savage-rhi · 2 years ago

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Immortal Shield Chapter 30: Insomnia

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Tagging: @seradyn��

Caelan's eyes fluttered open and shut while the Scepter rolled through the check points, and down the long land bridge that crossed over the Lucinia Sound. She was slouched in the passenger side, bundled up with blankets Ardyn had pickpocketed from the caravan. Caelan let out an exhausted grunt, forcing herself to rise.

“Cahl, you should rest.”

“Your magic, are you sure no one’s going to recognize us?” Caelan asked, trying to redirect the subject.

“I’m positively certain,” Ardyn furrowed his brows. “We will look like ordinary folk to everyone around us. Four hours at most. You really should take it easy. I’m worried about you.”

Ardyn’s voice was distant in Caelan’s mind. Her eyes were locked on the bridge, and the water below. Up ahead she could see the borders of the city, at least what used to be a section of wall. There were various crews at work deconstructing the barriers, just as the king proclaimed would happen. She couldn't believe it, that Noctis was true to his word on the matter.

“I haven’t seen Insomnia since I was young,” Caelan finally replied to Ardyn, addressing the concerns. “I need this, Ardyn.”

“I understand.” Ardyn softly smiled, glancing between Caelan and the road ahead. He wasn’t as sentimental towards the city given his past, yet he could feel the weight of the experience this had on Caelan. He carried a concerned glare as he thought of the day of the fall. How she had been in the middle of it. Ardyn's fingers gripped on the steering wheel. If he knew then what he knew now, Ardyn would’ve hit himself a thousand times over for playing a hand in the demise of Insomnia.

Ardyn decided to observe Caelan when he could to take his mind off his own selfishness. His heart told him that taking her home was a good apology as any. Not full repentance, but he felt good knowing he could do this for her and be present. He reminded himself too that Caelan had forgiven him long ago for his trespasses here.

Caelan held her breath when they finally crossed over past the massive gates, and the concrete jungle she had grew up in presented itself in full. She didn’t combust into flames. Not like when she had nightmares about returning. Her initial anxieties dissipated.

A wave of nostalgia overtook Caelan. There was a look of awe in her eyes as she leaned close to the windows of the car, observing familiar monuments she used to stare at in wonder. New buildings and structures made their presence known. There were many spots Caelan hadn’t recognized. It literally felt as if the past met the future and Insomnia found itself in a strange middle ground that somehow worked. The cohesion was absolute.

Caelan rolled down the window on the passenger side, enough to where the breeze picked up and she was able to catch a whiff of the smells. It had a cocktail of everything. Flowers, gasoline, dust, smoke, food, and something sweet akin to caramel. The bizarre textures danced around her nose before it became overpowering. Caelan rolled the window back up, and continued to witness the changes of her home.

Insomnia was as grand as it ever was. Though it had been ripped apart, the city hadn’t lost its soul. Caelan could only imagine how it would all look at night. Each light from every building would act like a single star upon the earth. A city of constellations. That’s what Aila, her mom had told her many times before she’d sleep. They lived in their own universe.

Caelan eventually passed out on the way to Caelum Via. As much as she wanted to look at everything, her body needed to recoup. Ardyn and her had stayed at the caravan near Keycatrich for several days, and he managed to heal her up more. His powers nevertheless couldn’t expel the fatigue her body felt from the gunfire. She was so out of it, that Caelan didn’t register Ardyn carry her all the way to their room after the Scepter was parked.

When he reached the room with Caelan in tow, Ardyn pulled up the blankets from the bed and nestled Caelan against the mattress. He was careful to cover her up. His right hand carded through her hair, feeling along her scalp before pressing a gentle kiss to her head.

“I’ll be back in a while,” Ardyn murmured against her. He doubted she could hear given how exhausted she was. The soft moan she gave during sleep had him smile. Ardyn sighed. He didn’t want to leave her side, yet there was much that needed to be taken care of.

It was approaching 9am. Ardyn knew he needed to take advantage of being unrecognizable to scout. They were supposed to do this together, as part of their agreement not to venture without backup. Nevertheless, Ardyn was willing to bend the rules if it meant when he’d return, Caelan would have the energy to help later on when night would fall.

Ardyn turned around from the door, taking in the sight of Caelan upon the bed before he left. If he stayed any longer, there was no way he’d be able to get work done.

Caelan woke up several hours later. She was groggy, her head had difficulty moving about. Nonetheless, she forced herself to get out of bed.

“Ardyn?” She yawned, calling out to him. When there was no response, her concern grew. She began walking around, rubbing the sleep from her eyes then stopped and did a double take. The large windows nearby, leading out to the cityscape was breathtaking. The Via made the hotel in Lestallum pale in comparison with just the view alone. She was eager to look around further and explore. Her eyes and head turned in every direction, taking in that this place was much larger. The room Ardyn and she shared at Lestallum was the size of a large apartment, but this could’ve been a house. Caelan shook her head. Whatever Ardyn paid for them to be here, she didn’t want to think about it despite the guilt that creeped into her chest. It was his idea, and he already booked it in advance.

“We gotta have a conversation on luxury,” Caelan murmured to herself, rubbing her forehead while she woke up further. She knew Ardyn meant well going the extravagant route, but it was overwhelming at times. A culture shock if anything despite how thankful she was. There was much imposter syndrome occurring that Caelan acknowledged. Talking it through with Ardyn would help.

Speaking of which...Caelan thought to herself as she traversed the room, there was no sign of him. She dug into her pants pocket, pulling out her phone to see if he left a call or anything. Sure enough, there was a text that she quickly opened.

Ardyn: You looked at peace and I didn’t want to wake you. I’m surveying the city and I’ll be back before dusk. If I bump into trouble or cause any, you’ll know…

Ardyn: I love you

Ardyn: 💕

Caelan smiled big, then texted back.

Cahl: Be careful. Snap some photos maybe? ;D

Ardyn: I’m not a professional photographer, but I can easily picture us together ;P

Cahl: whhyyyyyy (ಡ 艸ಡ)

Ardyn: I couldn’t resist…😈

Ardyn: Love you <3

Cahl: Love you back <3

Gods, he’s a sap...Caelan grinned widely. Her free hand that wasn’t holding her phone covered her own mouth out of embarrassment. Not at his affections, but at her body going on the fritz because of it. She honestly didn’t believe Ardyn had it in him to behave like this, given how he was naturally intimidating. Minus when he was feeling aloof.

As much as Caelan wanted to be upset he left without her, she couldn’t stay mad for long. She let out a defeated sigh, then set her sights on the bathroom. She was curious if the tub was going to hold up to the one at Lestallum and was eager for a bath.

“Cahl?” Ardyn knocked on the door leading into the room before welcoming himself inside hours later. He let out a sigh of relief being back. Though he enjoyed the city, it could be overwhelming at times. It didn’t help that his body felt tired after using up his magic to keep the disguise afloat.

“I’m in the living room!” Caelan hollered back. She swallowed the last bit of take out from the box she had on her lap, sitting the tray down on the coffee table in front of the couch. She wiped her mouth with her arm. Her gaze traveled to Ardyn as he smiled. She was surprised to see him grimace shortly after.

“What’s wrong?” Caelan laughed.

“I’m a little disappointed you ate already,” Ardyn began. He had a small bag on him that he presented with a shake. He walked over and placed it on the table, then joined Caelan on the couch. Quick to pull her into an embrace.

“I was hoping to treat you to dinner. Oh, and I bought you a present. I remember you telling me about those orange cakes in the Pax District and I got us some. Hence the bag.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Caelan said sincerely, then pressed a kiss to his cheek. The chuckle that rolled from his body had her shudder, especially when Ardyn returned one back.

“Would you be open to cutting back a bit on buying me gifts? Until I’m used to things. I'm grateful, truly, but I won't lie I'm struggling with acceptance."

“I apologize for being old fashioned as I am. Gifting is my main love language,” Ardyn shrugged. He smirked at her. “I can honor your request. Though I suppose since you wish for me to stop indulging you, I can simply take these back for a refund.”

“Take what back?”

Got her... Ardyn thought to himself. The curiosity in her voice was enough of a win. His smirk remained as he conjured two tickets from the pocket of his vest he was wearing, handing them to Caelan. The way her eyes lit up and jaw dropped had him laugh.

“No way! They’re here?! In the city?!”

Ardyn nodded. “Yep. Considering you and I both are fond of them, I thought why pass up the opportunity? Seems fate would have it we see their performance.”

“We’re gonna see Vote Abandon?!”

Ardyn chuckled, nodding. “Yes. Yes we will tonight.”

“But what about your magic?” Caelan furrowed her brows. “You were already out for most of the day. Aren’t you tired?”

Ardyn hummed then offered a nonchalant shrug. As far as he was concerned, he could care less. Seeing Caelan brimming on the edge with excitement after what she endured from the Einherjar had him smiling so big it hurt.

“I have my ways of keeping up a performance.”

The salaciousness of his tone didn’t go undetected by Caelan. She blushed and shot him a playful glare, pointing at him accusingly.

“Was that a double entendre?”

“Maybe.” Ardyn snickered. “Are you enticed?”

“I suddenly forgot how to flirt. I got nothing.”

Ardyn let out a hearty laugh. Caelan following suit. Her face couldn’t get any redder than it had been. Ardyn, glanced over her fondly. His head nuzzled against hers before he grabbed a hold of her chin, holding Caelan steady in his grasp while he kissed her cheek several times over.

“You’re absolutely adorable.” Ardyn murmured. He was about to say something else when Caelan’s lips found his. Ardyn's eyes widened in surprise before they shut, then he smiled. He could only focus on how soft her mouth was. The warmth of her tongue teased his bottom lip for access and Ardyn instinctively groaned out as he allowed her inside. His arms wrapped around Caelan’s waist. He could feel her fingers rummage through his hair with slow stride. Ardyn felt his heart stop when Caelan moaned his name quietly during the passes their lips took. He was quickly becoming devoured and hadn’t noticed she was lying underneath him on the couch until he was reminded of the time.

“We should leave soon,” Ardyn breathed out, pulling back from her face before he reached the point of no return. He could feel his nerves getting the better of himself. 2,000 years was a long time go without intimacy. It felt new again.

Caelan nodded. Her eyes glanced over Ardyn's face, right hand tucking away some locks of his wine colored hair. “You’re trembling.”

“Ah,” Ardyn let out a shy laugh, averting his gaze. “I’m--not used to this. I don’t mean to startle you.”

“Neither am I,” Caelan chortled, her head canted against the material of the couch. “You going to be okay?”

“Hmm hmm.” The expression on his face made Caelan melt like putty right then and there. She leaned up when Ardyn planted a final kiss to her mouth then got off of her.

“C’mon,” Ardyn gestured his hand, then helped Caelan to her feet. “I’d very much like to take you to dinner before we parade off to the concert. If you have the stomach for food that is.”

“I have the stomach for lots of things.” Caelan teased.

“You’re terrible.” Ardyn smirked. He ventured to the bathroom with Caelan following close behind and they both got ready together.

Occasionally, either of them would teasingly grab and shove the other out of the way in front of the mirror. Their playfulness amped up both their excitement for tonight's outing. Before they finished, Ardyn had Caelan turn and face him. He rested his hands on either side of her face, channeling what energy he had left to give Caelan a proper disguise based off some random citizen he had seen within Insomnia.

There was a cold sensation that traveled all throughout Caelan’s body while Ardyn performed the feat. It felt as if she had been submerged in freezing sea water. She’d never get used to the near painful goosebumps caused by it. When Caelan turned to face the mirror, staring back was another woman with striking brown eyes and black hair. The startling differences had her jump as Ardyn laughed at her expense.

“You look like your bones are about to leave your flesh” Ardyn commented, wrapping his arms around Caelan’s waist after he used the magic on himself to change.

“I won’t lie, this is probably your most scary power.” Caelan mused, tilting her neck to the side so Ardyn could plant a few kisses to her throat. “Do you think it’ll last the night?”

“I believe so, yes.” Ardyn nodded after retreating his head away from her, giving himself one last look over before he let her go. He smiled at her. “Let’s go have fun.”

Whatever second guesses Caelan had about venturing into the night, Ardyn had squashed it all away. They spent hours combing through the city, visiting places Caelan could recall seeing as a kid and establishments Ardyn wanted to experience that he missed out on when he last visited. He couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Gralea and Zegnautus Keep, explaining to Caelan how different Insomnia was to those respective places at Niflheim. In the end, and as much as he hated to admit it, Ardyn had to give Insomnia full props. The layout was certainly easier to maneuver and access. Even the poorer of the districts within the larger than life metropolis had better accommodations than the low ranks within Gralea’s slums.

They grabbed dinner at local restaurant that had been around since Insomnia’s founding, The Nook & Cranny. The place was a nighttime hot spot, with several people going in and out. As much as Caelan wanted to dine in, she could tell Ardyn was overwhelmed. She suggested they order and leave with their food, and head somewhere private. He immediately took to her offer and they did just that. In one of Insomnia’s parks they found a table near the center plaza and ate in peace. Not many were out and about here, which they both were thankful for.

“I meant to ask you earlier, did you find anything interesting when you went out?” Caelan asked, finishing off the last of the steak she ordered.

“I may have found us an in to the palace,” Ardyn began, reaching for the small wine bottle he purchased and took a long sip.

“There will be an open forum in the coming days, where the public can go directly inside the citadel and speak with Lucian officials about their woes. Noctis will be making an entrance from what I’ve gathered from eavesdropping. The guards nearby the gates mentioned something about keeping the public calm about his health. I’m not surprised his majesty will have to indulge his people's curiosity.”

“You sound irate,” Caelan pointed out, smiling upon hearing Ardyn huff at the remark and laughed. “You’ve had personal experiences with such circumstances I take?”

“Oh yes,” Ardyn mused. He handed the bottle to Caelan, offering that she could finish the rest of the wine off which she gladly partook. “During my early years as chancellor, I had difficulty handling the scourge. Sometimes I was bed ridden after daemonification and had to call out from work. The public would grow concerned with my long absence, and I’d have no choice but to go in front of the camera, say some flowery remarks about my ailment, then Aldercapt or Verstael would shut them up from there.”

Caelan chuckled. “Hey, in their defense, the imperials cared about you.”

“I’d argue against that notion,” Ardyn smiled, his brows knitted into a concerned look. “They simply cared about a powerful figurehead making their country appear weak. Nothing more.”

“I think you’re wrong about that,” Caelan shrugged. “From what little I heard about that side of Eos, you were spoken highly of. If it makes you feel any better, my dad even complimented your political career. You gave this speech about ensuring resources in Niflheim weren’t wasted. He gave you credit for having the charisma and gall to call out Aldercapt for not focusing on the issue. He still hated you with a passion, but said you were smarter than you let on.”

“Why, I’m quite flattered.” Ardyn chuckled. “Maybe the old fool wouldn’t have tried to kill me after all just for being an imperial.”

“I wouldn’t be so certain there,” Caelan laughed. “You’re dating me. That would justify it enough for him to blow your brains out.”

“So you admit it then,” Ardyn teased.

“Admit to what?”

“We are dating.”

“I never said we weren’t,” Caelan teased back, her face blushing. “Earlier at the Nook & Cranny, I said I was getting used to it, that’s all.”

“So you aren’t ashamed we are a couple?”

“Why are you saying such things?”

“Maybe I want to hear you say it aloud. That we are paired. You know, for reassurance. I'm quite weak.”

Caelan wanted so badly to reach up and slap the smirk off his face, but she relented. The playful pout he put on too didn’t help things. Her gaze averted. A playful growl left her before she sighed in defeat, a quiet laugh following suit.

“You’re my partner, and I’m your lover, are you happy now?”

“Very much so,” Ardyn rewarded Caelan with a tender kiss to her cheek. A soft nuzzle was exchanged between them both while he rest his forehead to hers. “We should’ve done this much sooner.”

“I agree with you,” Caelan smiled. “We’re both idiots.”

“I’d argue we are both heavily misguided, but no. You’re no such thing.”

“You’re too kind.” Caelan laughed. She couldn’t resist pulling him into a longing kiss, enjoying how his stubble tickled her face with each pass.

“Cahl, you should quit while you’re ahead.” Ardyn murmured in between, his voice was growing husky by the minute.

“Why?”

“We’re going to miss the concert, and its difficult for me to keep showing restraint towards you.”

Caelan felt a pleasurable shiver transcend down her spine and arms hearing how alluring his tone became in the final half of his sentence. She parted from his mouth, sighing sadly but nevertheless nodded in agreement. They both smiled at one another, eyes carding each other’s lips. They focused on finishing up their meals, tossed their garbage into a bin nearby, and headed out of the park a half hour later.

“I’m taking it we’re going to be crashing the public forum?” Caelan asked, walking at Ardyn’s side as he nodded.

“If we can follow Noctis away from the crowd after he makes his appearance, we have a shot at confronting him. Nevertheless, I anticipate this will be quite a dangerous feat. He will be well guarded. I don’t know what will come of us meeting either. The heavens could rain down vengeance for all I know.” Ardyn furrowed his brows, then looked to Caelan as her eyes met his.

“The most I want you to do, is keep the guards distracted long enough to where I can have a conversation with the king. If I tell you to fall back, you go. If you have to leave me behind, I insist on it. You won’t be a coward in my eyes, and I will find you once the dust settles.”

“That might be difficult for me,” Caelan admitted with worry. “But I promised you I wouldn’t do anything stupid, so I understand.”

“Good,” Ardyn smiled with a nod. “That does put my fears to rest. Now, with that settled, let’s enjoy the rest of the evening and the week.”

“You don’t want to talk about the plans further?”

“Not now. Not when I’m enjoying your company so much.”

Caelan leaned against him as Ardyn pulled her close. The two ventured back into the heart of Insomnia taking a cab to the night club where the concert was being held. It wasn’t long before they entered the realm of the Languida district and were walking straight into the venue where Vote Abandon would perform for the night.

Entering The Solstice was like being welcomed to another world. Caelan had heard about such places as a kid from her mother. Aila used to frequent clubs and galleries before she met Julian, enjoying performances by up and coming artists and unknown figures. The emotional connection to this establishment was already brewing within herself as memories of her mom surfaced while she walked down the main hall. She could imagine the excitement Aila felt blending into the local night life of Insomnia.

The club was a large building, once upon a time an old fashioned theater that had been repurposed into a modern hub of different talents and tastes. There were many people from different walks of life that frequented here from what Caelan could see. Some characters mysterious and dark, and others lively and jubilant. Of course there were dancers and local drunks too. The Solstice was a hodge podge, and Ardyn and she had fit right in. They weren't the most wanted and the Adagium. They were just another pair of faces in a crowd.

While they moved through the hordes, observing the sights and taking in the smells, Ardyn kept Caelan close to his side. Although he was enjoying himself immensely being here, the neon lights, and gothic aesthetic punched by ancient chandeliers and decorum from several millennia's, set the tone that this place was unpredictable as were the locals. Ardyn didn’t foresee any problems since everyone was obviously coming to enjoy the show and were passionate fans, yet his protective instincts towards Caelan couldn’t be helped. He only let up when Caelan assured him she was quite comfortable.

It wasn’t long before the last of the audience ventured down the halls and into the main theater room. Ardyn and Caelan commented heavily on some of the bizarre things they witnessed. An improv theater show was occurring on one side of the establishment, and there were dancers performing in the opera boxes. Quite the spectacle to say the least. There was a presence like this in Niflheim, but Ardyn himself never gave it an opportunity to win him over.

“You ever seen anything like this before?” Caelan raised her voice so Ardyn could hear. He shook his head and laughed.

“No, but I quite like it!” Ardyn exclaimed. “Reminds me of night festivals we had 2,000 years ago. Aera and I used to frequent those when we could sneak away from our respective houses.”

“You think she would’ve liked this?” Caelan asked, smiling from ear to ear seeing how taken Ardyn was with it all. He nodded at her question.

“Oh yes, she would’ve.” Ardyn looked at Caelan, his eyes carded over her features before he pulled her close, leaning his head upon hers. “I’m thankful you and I get to share this together. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“You really are quite the romantic, aren’t you?” Caelan laughed.

“I’d like to think so,” Ardyn mused then made a face. “It’s not too cliché for the times now, is it?”

“No, you’re perfect.”

When he thought he couldn’t get pulled in any further by Caelan, Ardyn felt another tug to his heartstrings that hadn’t been tampered with for years. If neither of them were excited to see the show, he would’ve taken them back to the Via and let whatever happen. His mind ran away at the thought, until the crowds began to applaud and the band came forth from the shadows and onto the stage.

The chatter of a noisy, cheering crowd could inexplicably be heard lurking in the background throughout the first song Vote Abandon played. The sounds that reverberated from instruments and other tech caused a pleasant echo to shake the entirety of the theater. At times it was overwhelming in the best of ways while the crowd let loose. Eccentric hollers, dancing, and uniform singing all confided as a single entity. Strangers from different paths melted into a pot of passion for music. The atmosphere was electric, and alive in the greatest sense of the word.

Ardyn and Caelan joined in where they could. As the concert progressed throughout the night, they were both transfixed by it all and of each other. They sang offkey like they did in the Scepter, watched with amusement as the band would throw random objects into the crowd while their rabid fans tried to get a piece of memorabilia, and every so often went to the lounge to buy drinks before jumping back into the ocean of people. They’d dance for a time, and then find themselves sitting on one of the various couches littered throughout the building to rest while the music carried on. It was safe to say they were both drunk off the high of being a part of the collective that adored the band and their music.

At the intermission, Ardyn and Caelan retreated away from the main floor after dancing for a time with themselves and strangers. When they approached the bar and lounge area, Caelan froze when she noticed two crownsguard venture through. They had their sights on someone whom they were looking to arrest.

“Ardyn,” The concern in her voice had Ardyn drop everything and stare in the direction Caelan was looking towards. His hand at her waist tensed.

“No one can see us,” He reassured in a hushed whisper. “I promise you.”

Caelan nodded. She could feel her heart rate picking up in speed. The squeeze to her shoulder had her calm down while Ardyn smiled.

“I’m going to eavesdrop on their conversation, and see if I can pick out anything of use to us. Wait near the bar for my return and we can go back to enjoying the merriment.”

“Okay,” Caelan wanted to argue against it, but in comparison to the dangers both of them had faced, this wouldn’t be too big an issue. “Be careful. Come right back if you think your cover is blown.”

“But of course,” Ardyn gave her a peck on the cheek then traveled away from her side.

Caelan watched as Ardyn disappeared into the crowd. She let out a deep breath, already missing his presence. The secondary band for the intermission switching between music was a welcome distraction from her worries. Caelan found herself applauding with several others, hollering praises to the members of Vote Abandon as they waved and gestured at the crowd while they went about their break. She felt euphoric. Not since Lestallum had she felt this excited to be among other people enjoying something together.

“Cae, is that you?” The feminine Southern drawl immediately drew Caelan out of the warm space she was in. Her eyes widened and she quickly examined herself. There's no way...she thought to herself.

"Cae!" It hit her like a ton of bricks: she had been recognized and spotted.

#immortal shield #ardyn lucis caelum #ardyn izunia #ffxv ardyn #ffxv #final fantasy xv #fanfic #fanfiction #chapter 30 #original characters #im on a fucking roll tonight #one of those chapters i have mixed feelings about #but it is what it is #fuck yeah we in insomnia baby

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smorgasbordofobsessions · 3 years ago

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liveblog: kingsglaive final fantasy xv

some absolute king put the movie to the internet archive - thank you. of course, i hope i'm watching the right thing haha.

regis honestly just so -chefs kiss-

it's crazy how long the wall around Insomnia was up

love when the niffs fuck up a royal gathering

young ravus! love it

ravus yelling for regis to help them :(

wow this flashback is different than the one in the anime

luna's clothes are different

but the acitons are te same

so not that different

getting some lotr the two towers vibes from this battle scene and i'm here fo it

and i LOVE this dude's invisible power nice

nyx's voice sounds so familiar!

nyx: i'm worth the wait

loving him already

but i'm liking seeing the way all these warriors are interacting with each other. can definitely tell they've spent plenty of time in each other's pockets

oh the cerberus!! i really liked that entrance

oh wait, no, what fun daemon is this?????

in love with the way nyx is using the warp

now i can ask the question: where the fuck are they? clearly not in insomnia, unless this is set during noctis' rest? but it can't be since this is 12 yrs after lunafreya became a prisoner...

hm, it'll get explained to me

nyx is nothing without the king. please remember that nyx

hm, yes, we love king regis

an envoy from niflheim????

oh it's ardyn!!!!!

god, yes, yes, yes, we love ardyn

oh he's delicious i loe his grandstanding

oh he mentioned noctis, that's a no-no

oh??? ardyn proposed noctis and lunafreya to get married??

oh this is so fucking great wow thank you ardyn

hm so this one insomnia soldier doesn't like nyx, how nice

oh shit night life in insomnia??

whatever the music is is banging

i missed his name but the dude makes sense

but where did these kingsglaive soldiers come from if they're outsiders?

i love a strategic meeting

especially because of how you can see regis actually tremble from weakness

also, gotta say, it's amazing that regis has the strength to support the wall and the kingsglaive

hm regis accepted the truce

who the hell is clarus?? i know who he is, but more like where is he, so who is he in regis' little posse

commencing operation: infiltrate tenebrae

lunafreya looks GREAT

oh hello ravus

"whatt you believe does not concern me"

god, knowing what i know about ravus, it must've hurt him hearing his own sister call him a lap dog to the empire

they have cartoons????

going back a bit, wonder what was up with the van that crow saw. bit suspicious

mm what a sexy car

i fucking KNEW it was an audi

"what good will you be without the king's magic?"

oh that IS clarus okay

yo they really just came in and said "we'll take lunafreya thanks"

hm.. i have suspicious feelings about lunafreya

like maybe she's ardyn??

"my duty is my destiny, your majesty. i'm prepared to accept whatever my come to pass"

goddamn

oh so crow's defintiely dead

i keep missing his name, but this dude is so torn up over crow's death he ripped off the kingsglaive insignia

hm, so the dude is going rougue, and wow, that was overheard by three other glaives

eve of the signing ceremony...

doesn't that mean that noctis and co have left already, actually?

yes, it must, because regis wanted freya to meet noctis

so, yes, the freya in insomnia is absolutely... not ardyn

crutch dude has now joined a rebel group - i just hope he did some vetting and isn't about to talk to niffs

who is that general in the armor?? hm, interesting

oof nyx with that round bubble butt

lunafreya is missing, how nice and convenient when the treaty signing is about the happen

regis ordered the kingsglaive to go save lunafreya, nice

god, one of regis's last acts as king :(

"for hearth" "and home"

that's actually a nice call and response

god, i'd love to be a legilimens so i could read regis' thoughts. he must know what this is probably gonna be his last day on eos

the hoods are very asassin's creed and i like that inspiration

hm what fun whisper was that to the niff ambassador

oh wait that dude is the niff emperor my bad

hm, yes, we love double talk

mm sexy kills yes

god, yes, the game's afoot!

octopus in teh airship? kinky

we love traitors

oh wow the crystal has been deactivated :(

honestly though, humungous props to niflheim for diong this. like this is a BRILLIANT politcal move, it really is

yes we fucking love regis and clarus fighting together!!

"then let us once more into the fray, old friend"

WE ARE HERE FOR THAT!!!

so sad the outcome though :(

ouch, clarus!!

"we have broken the wall. all that remains is the break the city"

100% correct emperor

nyx is so exasperated by lunafreya

yeah this dude in the vest - like he thought he was gonna somehow be great under niff rule??

oh hello there ravus

ravus put on the ring and, hm, he wasn't found worhty

nyx is fighting the super souped up general

and it JUST occured to me that the reason why nyx sparks when he uses magic is because it's not his

so this is how luna got the ring okay

we love parallels

regis's last stand :(

:'(

oh so the crutch dude didn't do any vetting at all because he only found out that the other refugees were working with niflheim

slacking bro

but, now yo can do what you want and bring refugees into the city

idk why any one would that that niff would keep its word, but that's besides the point

hm, no airbags?

"true power is not something that is found by those who seek it. it is something that is found by those who deserve it."

crutch dude being called 'hero' = irony

haha this traitor put the ring on, idiot.

though lunafreya baited him a bit but i support that

wow this ring got passed around like a hot potato

I WANT TO KNOW THE CONVERSATINO IGNIS HAD WITH THE LUCII KINGS!!!!!!!

nyx has been found wothy - until dawn

crutch dude's name is libertus

libertus threw away the pills, good job!

oh ehll yea the statues are moving!! i iked seeing that in thhe game

caught way caught up in watching the movvie

i absolutely loved the fighting. all the moving parts were done amazingly well and the effects and graphics were stunning

honestly a great fight. truly enjoyed that.

though, both libertus and luna know what nys is definitely come with morning's light, it's nice of them to be optimistic

luna doesn't fit in with the other people but separate paths yes

okay nyx was aaron paul, regis was sean bean

i knew nyx's voice was familiar

what a good movie! i really enjoyed that

love that it helps flesh out what happened prior to signing day, and also showed us how good the kingsglaives are in combat

i liked that everything was so tense and there weren't too many motivations for why people turned traitor or fighting - everything came down to fighting for home (minus niff as a whole but that's an empire so given)

also, liked seeing how the ring got passed around,and seeing ravus try it on, though it was told to us in game he had

overall, good! the backstory provided was great and really does help develop the game more

#ffxv #liveblog

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ooc-but-stylish · 3 years ago

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freezedive:

I think I said it in one of your other beautiful posts, but I thought I’d mention it again. All of the ridiculous cutscenes did give us a golden nugget of information on Luna that most of us who are brutally critical of her (like you and me), suspected all along: Luna openly admits to Gentiana that she doesn’t think she has anything to offer Noctis outside of being an oracle. And Gentiana makes it worse by speaking in fancy words by saying some bullshit about her being the oracle is her being human or something and that she is fulfilling her true calling and that is what Noctis needs? Idk but it reeked of emotional manipulation.

I hold little to no regard for Ravus because there’s evidence Luna was being brutally beaten right under his own nose while he was busy being the Emperor’s lapdog thinking it could maybe give him the power to save his sister? The man should have opened his eyes and defended her against the men that kept them jailed

I happened on this reply to roxainn’s post while trying to recapitulate all my other FFXV critical posts and reblogs on the way to making new ones.

Crawling back to find anything about this point, I find that it was posted 3 years ago. But at least I reblogged the reply to it.... and missed that it was literally @ ME. Goddamn did I slack.

But here’s my reply, 3 years late, which should elaborate on where I stand on this.

Yes, the flashback that gets triggered by a random creepy little girl in Tenebrae is about Luna and Gentiana. Somehow the little girl knew about that conversation even though she wasn’t there to witness it first-hand? Or maybe Noctis was imagining what the conversation would be like between Gentiana and Luna off of the vague suggestion from the girl, and it’s just him telling on himself that his imagination of Luna says all that? Otherwise the not-altogether-tinfoil-hat theory says it’s Gentiana in the form of a little girl, telling Noctis something that IMO should piss him off but just makes him sad and guilty because Luna loved him so much, don’t you see. She loved him so much that after wrapping her entire life around him, she’d just want to keep that going for the rest of their lives!

Gentiana opens the conversation with, “At first, the father had mourned the fate of his chosen son. Yet in Tenebrae, the two found solace. It was not the Oracle who assuaged their fears. But the girl…she holds…the true power.”

Then Luna replies, “I have little to offer a king, other than the voice afforded the Oracle. Nevertheless…” She turns to look at the wedding dress. “And—I’m afraid he might find this foolish… But…to be together with Noctis again, even if only for a short while… It…would mean the world to me. I do not seek to guide him, merely to stand beside him.”

The exchange is all types of fucky.

First off, she was twelve. What comfort could she have offered Regis and Noctis? What comfort was she capable of when Sylva was right there, an adult with experience of an Oracle and a personality thanks to a presumable full life not hampered by grooming of the gods?

Second, every other scene of Luna as a child is of her telling Noctis his duty, and that it was her duty to see it through. Did that assuage his fears-- the fears he didn’t have at the time since he never knew the entire meaning of his fate and was being told a saccharine, embellished version of it by Luna right there? Did that comfort Regis, knowing a little girl would also die to protect his son if the gods wanted it, but that she wouldn’t have the will to avert their fates whatsoever?

Third, even she thinks Noctis would think her desire to be with him is foolish. So... was she expecting that Noctis himself didn’t have feelings for her or want to spend time with her of his own volition for reasons outside of her job? She was looking forward to a marriage with no emotional security, where her desires are one-sided and unreciprocated, and the man she cares for think she’s worthless outside of her powers? She would’ve been willing to put herself through that, given a choice?

We know what we know and think what we think, but the fact that this was placed right in the vanilla game and no one thought that was wrong, and instead they doubled down on it in patches, is pathetic on their part.

Moreover, what does The Girl have, that was separate from The Princess and The Oracle? Every facet of her being wrapped around Noctis since age 4. She was nothing but her duty by the time Noctis met her; they had no scenes where they acted as children would. Even supplemental/promotional art for other XV media and related locales cement that. Little Luna serves Little Noctis pastries, she’s not seen eating with him. Luna teaches Noctis how to play piano, she’s not playing with him. Dawn of the Future came out with its own art, and Noctis is afforded the liberty to sit in a chair, and his son(?) sits on his lap, while Luna and her spitting image child(?) are both on their knees, looking up at the dudes.

In most of their art together, Luna and Noctis are either not meeting each other's gazes, she's bending or kneeling to him, or he's supposed to be holding her close but he hover-hands her, or there’s that one time where they took a selfie and the picture was of their Pocket Edition versions. They’re still not looking at each other in that one. And it’s not canon.

Anyway yeah, any conversation Gentiana has with Luna about Noctis is emotional manipulation on Gentiana’s part, but the writers manage just enough to make everyone involved seem creepy and reprehensible in their own way.

In DOTF, Luna has a death soliloquy that confirms she sunk into the water at the end of the game’s Chapter 9, but the soliloquy is about how she was prepared to die even at the age of 12, and she put on a smile and resolved to be strong for Noctis’s sake, so that he wouldn’t remember her having a look of despair. There’s a line there about how she would cry herself to sleep but Gentiana would wipe her tears. Gentiana does nothing else except allow her to cry and wipe her tears afterward, and makes no effort to save her from her fate or at least take her out of terrible situations so that she would cry fewer tears. But there is cut dialogue from the game, and used in the novel, where Gentiana revealed herself as Shiva when Luna was <16 (probably still 12 at the time), when she thought she was being held back from forming the covenants, so there’s that. And Luna still somehow ignored that this meant Shiva allowed Sylva to die, and thanked this useless goddess for her nonexistent generosity.

For whatever reason they had to add a passage where Luna superimposes the image of an eight-year-old Noctis onto the adult version-- quote, "the image of him as a child, burned into my eyelids, overlaps with his now-grown face"-- even though Noctis has canonically sent her photos of him as a teenager (15-16, around the time he met Prompto in high school, see: Brotherhood). Granted, that's a translation from Luna's voice actress reading an excerpt as if it were first person POV. The English version says she sees the child image first, then the adult version is superimposed. Then not much after that there's a passage where Noctis smiles as his child self and it was "that smile she loved that had been in her heart all these years, giving her strength, always and forever".

So she was groomed and turned into a shell since age 4, believes she has no value outside of her job and turned her grooming on a similarly vulnerable child, and her strongest image of him, the one she fell in love with and kept in her heart, is of the helpless boy that promised her the world without knowing the cost. The smile of the carefree boy that didn't know his journey would end with his soul annihilated. It couldn’t have been that hard to have her see an image of him as the 30 year old True King of Light that he would become. At least she'd sound a little less like a weirdo who continually places herself (and is placed by the narrative) as below him, unworthy of him, etc. but also has strong feelings and memories toward a goddamn child.

Re: Ravus: you already got a reply to that, but for real? Ravus was also shafted by the plot and beaten down by terrible, amateur writing. The narrative shits on him as if it’s written by a high schooler or otherwise emotionally arrested adult trying to push a Mary Sue Protagonist. The modus operandi for those stories is that everyone who disagrees with the protagonist in any way has to suffer tremendous humiliation including but not limited to death, because the Protagonist Is Just So Good And Perfect And Always Right.

Nothing Ravus does justifies his treatment in-game or in-fandom like he’s a one-note out-and-out villain who wanted nothing but to kill Noctis and disrespect his sister, to the point where his corpse is defiled multiple times in Chapter 13 and he’s twisted into a perversion of himself that begs to die.

Chapter 13 has Noctis land next to Ravus’s corpse and all his letters to Luna, and Noctis has piss all to say about it, either out loud or to anyone. He looks at the Sword of the Father, glances at Ravus, and without a word takes the Royal Arm and lets the Magitek arm-- still dripping, still gross-- fall onto Ravus’s body and doesn’t even move it.

He had no way of knowing beforehand that Ignis and Gladio knew of Ravus being killed. WE didn't even know they saw security footage until Ch13V2 was added in. Noctis happening on his late fiancée's dead bro sounds, I don’t fucking know, like something you’d want to tell everyone else about later. Along with the letters he wrote evidencing that he intended to return the Sword of the Father to Noctis!

An aside: The Letters from Ravus are just weird to behold; it isn't 100% clear whether Luna ever received all of those letters. She had to have received the first one, at least. But the idea that Ardyn intercepted even one other letter so that Luna never heard from her brother between Tenebrae and Altissia is farfetched. He shouldn’t be able to intercept those messages as if they were delivered conventionally. Luna has a pair of magic space-bending Shiba Inu that send letters instantly across continents. If she’s sparing their use to send Noctis one-liners and stickers but can’t afford that for Ravus to send her discrete updates on Noctis’s status, she’s a piece of shit.

They do meet in Tenebrae as Ravus wanted her to, and they have the conversation where he gets on her case about her “throwing [her] life away” for Noctis. So chances are higher that Ardyn only got a hold of all three letters after Luna received them and no sooner, but then he shouldn’t be tossing letters from Ravus at the dude’s body when it makes more sense for him to toss down letters to Ravus, since the writers wanted to make a point of Ardyn having a vicious streak. It makes way more sense for Ardyn to deprive Ravus of Luna’s writing, then insult him with them post-mortem, unless Ravus’s notes were really all he could acquire, meaning Luna never once wrote back to her brother.

The Doylist explanation is that the writing team sucks and couldn't be assed to think of anything for Luna to say because they didn't think of her at all. The Watsonian explanation is that Luna’s a piece of shit and that tracks with her in Kingsglaive watching her brother burn alive in response to the Ring, but ignoring him and running to Regis’s aid instead, but then the rest of the plot presents her as morally pure through her white clothing and “unconditional, self-abnegating love” for Noctis.

Back to the topic: I don’t know, maybe I’m being old fashioned, but Noctis should’ve given more of a shit that his dropping the Magitek Arm on Ravus’s body was probably what turned him into a mutated abomination begging to die, and he thought so little of Ravus that the dude isn’t even in the glimpse of "people who helped me get this far" in the Beyond. Ravus doesn’t even get a spot to wish Noctis and Luna well on their afterlife wedding, not that it makes any sense for any of them to have words to say since Noctis is already dead, no one was there with them, and none of the bros expressed any sign that they knew that Noctis was bound to get married after his sacrifice (he sure doesn’t mention it in the final campfire scene and that’d be a better place than any). But anyway, Regis is in the Beyond at Noctis’s side even though he never told Noctis a damn thing and still never spoke to him from within the Ring, but Ravus? Nah, he’s the real asshole somehow and doesn’t deserve any recognition whatsoever.

The only other characters I know of that have a remotely similar dynamic to Noctis, Luna, and Ravus (lovers, but the girl has a straight-edge protective brother working for the bad guys) is Nero, Kyrie, and Credo (see: Devil May Cry), but as much as I think the writing in that series is hokey as fuck, at least the writer(s) for DMCs 4 and 5 had enough sense to make the love story simple and based it from a line from Amagasaki City-- “I love you, so I love the city that you love.”-- and opted against portraying Credo as an outright villain because if Nero killed him, Kyrie would resent him for it even though she knew Credo was working for the same Order that threatened her life.

Shouldn’t Noctis care about the shit Luna cares about even if he has no personal investment in it or it’s inconvenient to him? Shouldn’t he care about Tenebrae and its prosperity? or about Ravus? Nah, it’s okay, Noctis doesn’t have to respect Luna’s love for her brother or her kingdom because for all intents and purposes, she doesn’t care for Ravus or for Tenebrae as much as she loves Noctis. Her love for Noctis and her looking forward to the wedding is what matters here.

The yaaaas queen vicious clapback from Kingsglaive!Luna about how Ravus is the Empire’s dog is especially rich coming from her when she’s fellating the gods all through the game even though Eos’s equivalent of The Holy Bible says the Hexatheon’s Revelations destroy cities and that undoubtedly means people are killed by the gods, and their summoner is complicit, because there’s no such thing as a perfect evacuation. See: "Revelations left great devastation in their wake, with entire cities being laid to ruin," noted in the Cosmogony long before the True King even exists.

Luna herself didn’t see a problem with this and helped in the effort, with no regard to the collateral damage she would cause with the summoning: bonus points for the part where Leviathan is hostile to humanity and threatens to eat every living being if Noctis fails! She had even less regard to the damage Niflheim would cause in their attempt to kill the gods even though she was first-hand witness to them sacking Insomnia. Waking and defeating Titan deprived Lestallum of the meteor they derived power from. Waking Leviathan destroyed Altissia. Luna’s refusal to leave Insomnia when told to by Regis led to her being used as bait and taking the whole of the Kingsglaive out of Insomnia in time for their Face Heel Turn and Insomnia being destroyed. Everything else leads to the eventual World of Ruin where people also die.

All because she killed herself prematurely from the covenants and didn’t hold back the longer nights as she promised to the public’s face and on her honor as Oracle she would do. Her dying words in Chapter 9 were her being completely satisfied with her fate because “[her] prayers were answered, [her] calling fulfilled”, even though the calling requires that she dies and she should’ve known better than anyone that her death, even if it was for Noctis’s ascension, would endanger the rest of the world for 10 years and helped the Starscourge spread. But instead of fighting for her own life to stem the plague for as long as possible, she let herself die under the belief that "Noct can handle this" to give him the chance to be the revered King of Light. She also didn’t make a single appearance on the world of the living in her spirit form during those ten years until Noctis needed help with a piddly imitation of the Magic Wall, only then does she come down in her ghost form with seemingly all of her power intact, and summons five of The Six as if Noctis can’t easily do it himself.

But Ravus is the lapdog? Luna’s the one with her “ends justify the means” behavior and what looks like general neglect for actual human beings.

Anyway, Ravus stabs Caligo in the back and kills him, and that move only makes sense in light of the idea that Caligo was manhandling Luna as seen in the Dawn trailer. Ravus was 16 when Tenebrae was overrun, and there’s no reason to believe he was magically immune to institutional abuse, so there’s a high chance that he was abused by the Empire too, held resentment of that, and waited for the time he’d be able to retaliate with no repercussions. Gentiana as a goddess is 1000000% more on the hook about letting Luna be beaten than Ravus is, since he saw his mother die in front of him while Regis ran away. Regis had the power of the Ring and could have used elemancy to put out that fire, or void magic to banish Glauca and his MT army, didn’t do that, but he totally spares enough magic during the treaty signing to toss around Thunder spells straight from his hand, cast barriers, and summon some Royal Arms straight at Iedolas, and that’s bad enough. Gentiana who’s been the Fleuret family attendant since Luna was born and also is Shiva who can freeze people with her fingertip had even less excuse to let that fire rage, to let Sylva die protecting her son, and to stand by and allow her ward(s) to get thrown around by some random Imperial soldier.

#freezedive #ffxv critical #ffxv criticism #lunafreya critical #gentiana critical #regis critical #lunafreya nox fleuret #ravus nox fleuret #regis lucis caelum #ravus deserved better #long read

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kristyana · 4 years ago

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Untethered

Chapter 2/?

When he stepped into that throne room, Noctis had accepted his fate.

The ongoing war with Nilfheim, his father's slowly deteriorating life-force to power the force field protecting their city from daemons and magitek troops, their trip throughout Eos to collect the Royal Arms, the trials he endured from the Astrals to prove his worth for their cooperation when it was they who issued that condemning prophecy in the first place.

The sacrifices of all his loved ones.

It all led to that final moment in that throne room.

His death in exchange for the return of the dawn.

And when he had finally — finally — vanquished the Accursed along with the plague; battered body floating through the void as it slowly crumbled like shattered glass, he only hoped to see his father and sister one last time — to see his father's gentle smile and his sister's proud grin — before darkness embraced him.

So imagine his surprise to find himself waking up in a bed. Alive and well, as if a sword hadn't plunged itself right through his sternum.

He thought he had failed.

That all of their precious efforts were for naught and Ardyn was still alive.

That was when the door to his room opened revealing an exhausted Prompto who froze on the spot when his eyes landed on him.

They stared at each other for a full minute before Prompto broke down crying and launched himself at Noctis, clinging for dear life. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever.

Prompto was the first to pull away albeit reluctantly, saying he needed to tell the others and it didn't take long before they heard frantic footsteps outside getting louder. The door banged against the wall as Gladio practically shouldered his way into the room followed by a disheveled — and no longer blind! — Ignis.

"Ignis! Your eye—“ Noctis wasn't able to finish when he was engulfed in another hug by his advisor and Shield.

They tell him they'd won — after a second round of crying which he will forever deny ever happened — that the Starcourge was no more and that the sun was shining on Eos again for about a month now. People were making their way towards the city and that plans for restoration were being made as they speak.

"But why am I still alive?“ Noctis asked as he stared at his hand, noticing the Ring of Lucii wasn't there. "I'm pretty sure I died on the throne."

His friends winced at that.

"We're not sure of what happened either." Ignis replied, his arms crossed and face contorted in concentration. "All we could remember was fighting against those horde of daemons and then the princess showed up to help—"

Noctis cut him off. "Princess?“

"Your sister." Gladio inserted.

Nostic perked at that. "What?! She was there?! What happened to her? Is she—“

Prompto placed a calming hand on his chest. "Dude, take it easy. Like Iggy said, we don't know what happened. One moment we were fighting daemons with the Princess, next we woke up underneath this huge ass tree with you in it still in a coma."

Noctis couldn't help but stare at him in disbelief but also with hope. “But she survived, right?” If the four of them survived then she surely would have too.

Prompto's sad smile was answer enough.

The room was quiet after that except for the Prince's quiet sobbing.

The very next day, after a thorough examination from a hunter medic and several reassurances that he was fine, Noctis pleaded with his friends to show him where they'd found him. And they did, but the tree he had in mind wasn't the behemoth in front of him where the Citadel was supposed to be.

Calling the tree tall would have been the understatement of the century, it completely dwarfed all the city's skyscrapers. It's trunk was probably as wide as the Disc of Cauthess and it's canopy stretched far.

"How did this get here?“ He questioned, gaping at the giant.

“You guess is as good as ours." Gladio grunted as he and Ignis cleaved their way through the dense underbrush surrounding the roots of the colossal tree.

It took them a while before reaching a decently sized clearing, a large expanse of green grass forming a ring around the tree's ridiculously thick roots.

Looking around them, Noctis took notice of the details that indicated this was no ordinary tree; besides its unusually large stature Noctis can see white gold veins starting off thick along roots which then thinned and branched out as it goes up. Crystals of various shapes, sizes and color were embedded, faintly glowing in beat with the pulsating veins. And the leaves — Noctis picked up a fallen leaf — it was a luscious shade of emerald green with beautiful rainbow like iridescent when caught in the light.

"Noct!" Prompto called.

Looking up he saw them pointing to a large hole created by the tree's roots forming into some sort of doorway. Stepping inside, Noctis scanned the makeshift compartment. It could probably fit five people, plenty of flowers sprouted out of the somewhat undisturbed ground as if the tree purposely avoid this little patch of area.

Ignis and Gladio stood guard at the entrance while Prompto went to the very back of the area and sat down with a heavy sigh. He leaned against the tree and patted the space beside him. “Found you here, we woke up just outside... ”

Noctis paused for a moment, staring at the space beside his best friend before plopping down and leaning against the tree as well.

He could feel magic emanating from the tree, familiar but at the same time different. He sensed it reaching out towards him and unconsciously meet it halfway, it was then he felt it envelope him in a warm and comfortable cocoon, much like being swaddled in his amazingly soft bed for a nap. Unable to stop himself, he just closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Seeing their friend having fallen asleep, the other three followed suit, resting against the tree and be lulled by its comforting magic.

It was at that moment the four companions felt they could actually rest easy. No more fighting, no more daemons, no more duties (they'll get to that later), and no more prophecy. Just them and the sound of rustling leaves.

But with this sleep brought a dream to Noctis.

He was standing beside the very throne where his father would sit during council meetings, and right infront of him was his radiant older sister in her simple black dress standing in front of him with a smile. She reached out a hand and gently placed it against his cheek.

"You've done well, baby brother. Eos is saved and the Dawn shines upon the land once more. I'm sure you have a lot of questions but the answers will come to you in time."

Noctis clutched at the hand against his cheek as tears slowly trailed down his face. "Rosie, I—"

She shushed him with an exaggerated raised brow, as if daring him to interrupt her. The familiar action brought out a laugh from the siblings. Noctis quickly wrapped his arms around his sister and hugged her as tight as he could, praying to whoever gave him this boon that this moment be stretched on longer.

The siblings stayed like that for a while, basking in each others presence before he felt his sister speak. "I'm afraid I don't have much time, Noct. I came here to warn you."

Noctis paused at that. What? Warn him?

"You've fulfilled your task but the fight is far from over. Danger still lurks in the land and has masked its presence among the people. You need to find it before it'll overrun the whole continent.”

Noctis tensed as his mind went reeling at the message. He just killed Ardyn barely a month ago and now he's hearing there is still more?! It's as if his last quest wasn't bad enough!

A hand cupped the back of his head and Noctis felt some tension bleed out of him. ”I know. Gods, I know how unfair it is, Noct, but I wouldn't be here if it wasn't so urgent. Rest assured though that you'll have plenty of help this time around, they'll come to you soon."

His sister pulled away to look at him with teary eyes and a sad but proud smile. "I'm sorry for not being there for you as much in the end but know that I love you with all my heart, little brother. Now, be the King I always knew you were meant to be."

At those words Noctis' vision started blurring at the edges and he panicked.

No! It was too soon! He wanted her to stay! He'd be all alone if she disappeared!

As if reading his thoughts his sister gave him an incredulous look. "You'll have your friends with you, brother. They'll be with you every step of the way — and I'm not just referring to Gladio, Ignis and Prompto." Her expression softened back into a smile. "And remember what I always tell you, little brother. Physically, we may be apart,"

Noctis felt his chest tighten at the thought that this might very well be the last time they'll ever do this little ritual. "…but distance means nothing when it deals with the heart.” He whispers brokenly as he felt her place a kiss on his forehead.

Then everything fades to black.

But before he completely loses consciousness, he hears his sister and several other voices proclaim as one, "The Allmother has returned to Eos and has gifted the people the Guardian Tree, her conduit, through which to provide her protection and her bountiful blessings."

A furious beating of wings.

"King Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV, with the Allmother’s grace, lead your kingdom to a new era of peace and prosperity."

In a softer tone but no less crystal clear his sister whispers, "Walk tall, my brother."

#ffxv fic #ffxv #ffxv oc #noctis lucis caelum #prompto argentum #gladiolus amicitia #ignis scientia

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sparklecryptid · 2 years ago

Note

More then that, you owe us an *implausible fix-it ending*

That I can do!

Ace did not plan on dying this way. He especially did not plan on having to listen to his grandfather rant about how Regis is a failure of a father while being unable to say anything in his blood fathers defence.

Said father did kill him after all, it’s hard to say something kind when it hasn’t been even a day since he’s been killed.

“-I raised a complete imbecile! I sorely hope the Accursed teaches him a lesson!” Mors rants as Ace nods and absentmindedly wonders if Ramuh is going to be pissed about this.

Ace is Galahdian after all, more than that he has a convent with Ramuh. He is decidedly not supposed to be in the Ring with his forefathers.

But he is which means someone has to answer for sending Ace into the Worst Family Reunion ever.

“The Accursed also plans on turning our kingdom into a ruin,” Somnus’ spirit points out.

“Yes, well maybe if you hadn’t been such a bastard he wouldn’t have such a grudge against us,” The Rogue’s voice is polite and beside her the Clever snickers.

“She has a point,” The Clever says just as their surroundings turn a vibrant purple.

Everyone turns to look at Ace who smiles.

“I’ve had a horrible time,” Ace begins, “And I never want to see any of you ever again so I’m going to be leaving.”

Lightning strikes, thunder rolls across the space like an earthquake.

The Clever laughs.

Ace disappears.

So waking up in a morgue in the clothes he died in is not where Ace expected to wind up. But Ramuh has apparently decided Ace has to go and stop his fathers from attempting to murder each other and shoved his soul back into his body.

Fantastic.

Ace grimaces at the dried blood that trails down the front of his shirt and shoves himself off the - hm - is this an autopsy table or just storage? Ace spends a moment wondering about it before he decides it doesn’t matter and begins to drag himself through the Citadel.

Which is predictably in chaos.

Which means that he runs into Luche and a bunch of other Glaives he knows before he even gets to the fucking throne room.

Luche stares at Ace with a complicated expression on his face as Ace uses the wall to help himself stand.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Luche finally asks as Sonitus finally realizes Ace is there and does a double take.

“What the fuck happened?” Sonitus says and automatically moves to help Ace stand. Ace appreciates it and makes a note to bake Sonitus so many cookies if they all survive this.

“My dad killed me,” Ace says blandly, “And now my uncle is trying to kill my dad for killing me. Don’t ask how I came back. Ramuh pulled some bullshit God Move. Point is that I need to go stop my uncle from killing the king and turning this kingdom into a fucking ruin.”

“You said it was your father that killed you. Your father is the fucking king?”

“Yes. Did I not make that clear?”

“You did not!” Luche sounds like he’s about to set everything in a three mile radius on fire. Ace does not blame him.

Then Luche sighs and stares at Sonitus. “Get him to the throne room and for Ramuh’s sake do NOT let Nyx or Libertus see you.”

Sonitus smiles.

It is not a nice smile.

“You’re not allowed to commit regicide,” Ace says and turns his gaze to Luche, “Neither are you.”

“We will talk about it later,” Luche says and Ace doesn’t get another word in before Sonitus is picking Ace up and hauling him away.

“Uncle you asshole,” Ace calls from his spot in Sonitus’ arms as the doors to the throne room open easily under the pressure of Ace’s magic.

Sonitus walks in with Ace still in his arms and Ace is treated to the shitty sight of Noctis attempting to gouge out Ardyn’s throat while Clarus and Regis are heaving on the ground.

Ace debates setting his brother on fire. He doesn’t because it Regis went after Ardyn the way Ardyn assuredly went after Regis Ace would also attempt to rip out Regis’ throat.

Ah, family.

“Your family is fucked up,” Sonitus says and everyone’s gaze turns to the two of them.

Ardyn shoves Noctis into a wall and is hovering over Ace in moments.

Sonitus grins at Ardyn - all sharp teeth and silent threat.

“Careful,” he says, “Sparky here just woke up.”

“Fuck you,” Ace hisses and makes an effort to wiggle out of Sonitus arms. It does not work. Sonitus merely tightens his grip on Ace.

Ace stops wiggling.

“At least pass me to him dumbass.”

“Will he hurt you?”

“He’s the one attempting to destroy a kingdom for me so no Sonitus I don’t think he will.”

Ace is handed over to Ardyn who handles Ace like he is a particularly heavy but fragile piece of glass.

“You’re alive.” A statement uttered in disbelief. “You’re alive.” Said again more fiercely with an undercurrent of desperation.

“Yes, Ramuh got pissed at Bahamut for poaching me so he shoved my soul back into the mortal realm. Surprise.”

“Are you hurt?”

“The wound has healed but healing from rigor mortis is a bitch.”

Ardyn laughs.

“It always is.”

“Right. I’m ignoring the implications there because if I think about anything serious I am going to lose it.” Ace peeks over Ardyn’s shoulder at Regis who is now standing with Clarus and Noctis by his side.

Regis looks devastated.

Ace is satisfied at that.

“You’re an asshole,” Ace tells him, “That fucking hurt.” He turns his attention back to Ardyn without waiting for a response. “Hey can you take me back home? I need to shower and change before anyone -especially Nyx and Lib - finds out.”

“Oh,” Sonitus says cheerfully, “Luche already told them that you were severely injured by the King and Libertus is threatening treason.”

“Fuck.”

#royal bastard au #the Glaives upon hearing their favourite barkeep was injured by their king: *squint*#The Glaives upon learning their favourite barkeep was not only injured by the king but also is the kings son: hm. Treason sounds nice #There is so much damage control ace has to do #So much #ace: please don’t treason because I died thanks #His friends: YOUR FATHER KILLED YOU?#Ace: ah. I made a mistake #Plus given that family is very important to the Galadhians no one is happy with Regis #Whoopps

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a-world-in-grey · 2 years ago

Note

Well, since you said it's okay :)

Nox verse crossover! Specifically, Sola and Nox being summoned to Dissidia sometime before the entire Marilith incident.

Sola was not happy to be dragged into some weird fighting tournament, so she is more than happy to derail the entire thing to talk to her New Brother. Now if only he would stay still! Please stop running away, Brother, she has Questions!

Sola also has Questions for her Papa, once she gets back to Insomnia. Starting with how many ooops babies did you have, Papa? She wants to know if there are More Siblings out there.

(Yes, Regis, how many kids do you have running around? says Clarus while Glaring at his King. They saw the entire thing through Crystal-vision.)

Absolutely okay to keep sending in asks! Can't promise I'll get to them right away given it's finals season atm, but the asks are fun!

Putting this under a cut because I got clocked in the head with a bat by the damn plot bunnies while writing this and it got stupidly long.

Not gonna lie, this is great - Sola would lose her entire mind because brother? New brother?

New brother who has definitely not been taking care of himself properly, sit down so Sola can feed you, Pyre damn it all.

Meanwhile Nox is more than a little surprised to come face to face with a girl who looks so much like mom but with Ardyn's hair and magic and Cor's scowl. His new sister - who claims him as a brother despite giving his surname as Izunia, only blinking once at the name of Niflheim's Chancellor before she promptly calls him her little brother - fights a lot like Cor as well, which is how Nox learns that Sola's been apprenticed to Cor since she was ten, after she foiled an assassination attempt on their younger brother, Noctis.

(Nox has to swallow around a lump in his throat at how easily Sola accepts him as family, calling Noctis their little brother instead of just hers.)

Actually though, Sola has a blast while she's in Dissidia. How could she not? She got a new brother - who is definitely a Little Brother, she doesn't care that he can kick her ass with both hands behind his back, his personal care habits are atrocious and she will do her duty as Older Sister and remind him to eat Pyre damn it - got to cut loose and fight a bunch of people and creatures, and didn't have to deal with the snobs on Papa's Council.

Best vacation ever.

Sola comes back from Dissidia grinning ear to ear - she convinced Nox to exchange numbers, and even if he's bad at remembering to text or call her, Sola will remember if it means badgering her newest brother into taking care of himself better - and cheerfully asks Papa if she's got any other siblings hanging about. Regis chokes on his spit, Clarus looks like he'd also like to know the answer to that question, while Cor looks like he can't decide if his birthday's come early or he wants to preemptively break out the alcohol.

So yeah, this is great. Maybe even better than original Sola and Nox and Noctis get pulled into Dissidia while Sola is pregnant, because teenaged Sola is having so much fun.

But.

Consider.

Little!Nox 'verse.

Specifically the version where @secret-engima dropped Nox and Noctis on Materia's side and Ardyn on Spiritus' side, with Sola joining Ardyn in this case. Post-Marilith because otherwise Nox would be like, three and Noctis eight and even I'm not that mean.

So instead Noctis is ten (Materia did try to call for champions that weren't literal children and had at least some combat experience. Normally Noctis wouldn't count, but he's since got the same soul as Nox, things got kinda mixed up. Not that that excuse will save Materia from Sola and Ardyn's wrath). Nox is five, and Sola is seventeen and newly outed as a Kingsglaive to the media, and newly realized by the Galahdians as being a half-feral Sky-born instead of just a short-tempered magical teenager.

Sola arrives at the tower before Ardyn and learns from one of the less-asshole villains who may have done this whole dog-and-chocobo show before that she’s to fight her counterpart. Which makes her immediately suspicious because she doesn’t have a mortal enemy like these people. Well, most of these people. Apparently one of them is fighting his sister-in-law and former comrade while another is fighting his own son, and if Sola goes off that pattern that means her counterpart is-

Oh Pyre no.

At which point Ardyn arrives in all of his furious-terrified-where-the-fuck-is-my-nephew Scourge-magic-faced glory. Which neatly derails Sola’s impending Rage as she stares at the man that looks (and feels, and Sola never realized how lonely she was until she met another with her magic) more like her than her own father and brother and it feels like she’s been sucker punched. Because that’s the missing Chancellor of Niflheim putting the fear of him into the other champions through the sheer strength of his magic that Sola’s doesn’t have a snowball’s chance on Ifrit’s Pyre of matching.

And yet-

“Uncle?” Ardyn’s not sure how he hears it past the sheer terror and rage pounding in his ears, past the red and gold shards of magic swirling about him in a physical manifestation of come-near-me-and-die, but somehow the soft word gets his attention from where he’s seething at Spiritus. Or maybe it’s just the barest brush of hesitant-surprise-hope that has him turning to the young woman looking at him with wide blue eyes framed by achingly familiar red hair.

He remembers hearing about the Regis of this alternate world (and hadn’t that been a shock on top of everything else) having a daughter older than Noctis. He’d simply been too busy caring for Nox to look more into it. Now he wishes he had.

Noctis may look almost exactly like Somnus, but clearly his older sister takes after Ardyn.

“Niece.” He greets. He cannot muster up the effort for even his most insincere smile right now, not when he doesn’t know where Nox is.

Sola steps fearlessly into the magic swirling around him like a storm, shards of red and gold shattering harmlessly against her skin-

Is she, is she hugging him?

She is. Even though she’s old enough to know who he is, her arms are circling his torso in an encompassing hold that is nonetheless so gentle that he could break out of it with a single step.

Ardyn… doesn’t. It… feels nice. His niece is warm, her magic (so like his, he never thought anyone would ever inherit his magic) contained such that only hints of it brush up against his, and yet Ardyn can feel clearly how his niece has no fear or disdain of him.

Ardyn isn’t sure what to make of that. He awkwardly pats her shoulder.

“Who did they take?” His niece asks. “Your counterpart.”

Ardyn’s hand involuntarily tightens on Sola’s shoulder. She doesn’t flinch. Ardyn wavers on whether to tell her, because he’s been trying to keep Nox secret and he can’t do that if anyone from the royal family knows.

But this is Sola, whose reputation for being so fiercely protective of her younger brother managed to reach even the furthest reaches of the Lucian outlands. And Sola’s magic is radiating her honest desire to help him, simply because he’s family.

Ardyn prays he’s making the right choice. “My nephew.”

From where she’s clutching him like Nox does with his stuffed chocobo, Sola stills, before looking up at him with shocked blue eyes. Underneath the worry and fear for the others taken with them, hope and affection blooms. “I have another brother?”

“Nox.” Ardyn hesitates, then adds. “He’s five.”

It’s like flipping a switch. Sola’s delight is buried under a wave of protective fury that doesn’t touch him, and she bares her teeth in a snarl. “They summoned. My five year old brother?”

Ardyn hasn’t seen this kind of fury since the mother coeurl chased off a voretooth pack that had gotten too close to Nox and her other cubs. He’s darkly eager to see how much violence his niece will dish out. If he deigns to leave her anything to kill, that is. “Most likely.”

Sola whirls on Spiritus, seething. “Where are my brothers?”

Meanwhile, Noctis is Absolutely Not Panicking.

He’s ten now, and if Sola was able to protect him from assassins without panicking at ten then Noctis can protect his baby brother without panicking, especially because he’s got so many people looking out for him. He’s a big kid now after all.

(Noctis doesn't know that Sola very much did panic when she saved him from that assassin seven years back. That the whole incident was one blur of Kill The Threat By Any Means Possible of panicked Sky-born instincts.)

Noctis is trying so very hard to be brave for Nox, but then they’re attacked and Noctis sees the attack coming for them and he knows he can’t get his sword up in time and he wants his sister-

And then there’s magic ripping through the air, familiar-but-not even as Sola appears out of nowhere to scoop the both of them up in her arms and raise the strongest barrier she can around them, her magic quivering in relief and protective fury, reassuring them that she’s got them, they’re safe and Uncle is just outside taking care of everything, they’re safe.

Noctis bursts into tears. Nox follows in short order. Sola holds them both, rumbling low in her throat like how she used to soothe Noctis after a nightmare, and keeping her shield as opaque as she can because like Pyre she’s letting either of the kids see the absolute carnage happening on the other side. Bad enough they can hear it. Sola would rather be tearing someone apart, but someone needs to protect her brothers and Uncle is so much stronger than her. So she sits on her cranky Sword instincts and goes about comforting her brothers.

When Ardyn finally knocks on her shield, the screaming has finally stopped, and both her brothers have cried themselves to sleep. Sola’s still making that rumbling sound in her chest, a self-soothing technique she hasn't used in longer than she can remember.

In a mirror of last time, Ardyn fearlessly steps past Sola’s bristling magic and hugs her, long arms wrapping around her and the boys with ease. He doesn’t say anything - he’s never gotten the hang of comforting words, even after two years of caring for Nox - but cautiously wrapping his magic around Sola and the boys has all three of them relaxing in his arms. At which point Sola dissolves into tears, silently sobbing into Ardyn’s shoulder in an effort not to wake Nox or Noctis, but Astrals, she was so scared and they nearly didn’t make it in time and Sola doesn’t want to have to contemplate living without her brothers. And Ardyn doesn’t know how to comfort, but he can just sit there and hold his niblings while his niece cries.

Sola and Ardyn only met hours before, but looking at how they act with each other no one is able to tell. Because those two get along like a house on fire.

(What is this overkill you speak of? We only know keeping nephews/little brothers safe. With extreme prejudice.)

Sola is monstrously protective of her newest brother and uncle. Nox’s Sick Day has Sola and the rest of the mages capable of healing and Ice Elemancy tending to Nox around the clock, struggling to keep his temperature down, Sola once more making her rumbling approximation of a purr to try and comfort both her family and herself. Which prompts Y’shtola to actually purr whenever it’s her turn to watch over Nox because the rumbling/purring helps Nox sleep through it all.

The reveal of Ardyn’s scars sends Sola into a towering fury that she makes sure to keep away from Uncle and her brothers, and Mors is lucky he’s already dead because Sola would gut him and leave him to bleed out on the floor.

(Ardyn is surprised by Sola’s fury and grief on his behalf. He’s not surprised by the love she has for Nox, but for him? It’s been millennia since he’s received that kind of immediate and unconditional care from anyone, much less family.)

So when Sola later sits by him that night after Nox and Noctis are fast asleep, burrowing under his arm for a half-hug Ardyn can easily escape from, Ardyn doesn’t expect the soft, “You’re safe? Wherever you are?”

Ardyn looks down at his niece’s red hair in surprise, wondering what’s prompted this inquiry. But it’s easy enough to answer. “Yes.” As safe as one can be living in the outlands, which is safe enough with Axis and his family helping and Ardyn being the most powerful being on the planet short of an Astral.

Fingers tighten their grip on his coat. “…will you call?”

“Call?”

“After we go home.” Sola clarifies. “I want to know you’re both okay.”

Ardyn stills. Because she can’t mean what he thinks she means. “You won’t try to take Nox?” Not that Ardyn would let anyone take his nephew.

“You don’t trust Papa.” Sola says. Which, yes, but Ardyn didn’t expect Sola to pick up on that when he’s been keeping a lid on the vitriol he feels for most of his family, for Nox and Noctis’ sakes. “Nox is my baby brother, but he’s your nephew too, and he loves you.” A quiet sniffle. “I’ll miss you.”

“I will call.” Ardyn promises, resting a hand on Sola’s hair. “Both of us will.” He’s gotten a lot better at managing time, he can absolutely make a reminder on his phone to call his favorite niece once a week. If not, Titus can remind him.

#ffxv #Shadow of Heaven's Light #fusion #Nox verse #Little Nox verse #imagining the sheer panic that's happening back in Insomnia with Crystal-TV #both of Regis' children gone from their beds only to find that Regis has an even younger child no one knew about #and on top of that Niflheim's ex-Chancellor is actually Regis' half-brother #frankly they're not sure how this situation could get any worse #which means of course it does #>:)

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ffxvficrec · 4 years ago

Text

World of Ruin Big Bang Round Up - Week 2

A couple of call outs -

- We have listed relationships and Archive Warnings only

- With that in mind, please tread mindfully! Remember to look at the tags before reading.

You can also check out the AO3 collection here: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Worbb/works

A Light for Tired Eyes by acesdesire

No Archive Warnings Apply

Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum

As his blurry vision focused on his former companion, Prompto had to remind himself that this wasn't a dream. Gladio was here—flesh and blood and scars. “Hope you won’t fall asleep on the job,” Gladio teased, but his effort to do so was meek. He was too preoccupied with how exhausted Prompto must have been to doze off for nearly the entire ride. Life in the World of Ruin hadn’t been kind to any of them, but Prompto… He seemed different—a far cry from the young man who used to sing at the top of his lungs, and joke until he had everyone in stitches.

Darkness Can't Last Forever by roshytsunami

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Major Character Death

Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum

Prompto wipes his eyes and steps back, “you…is this real?”

Noctis only offers him a grin walking to stand right before Prompto barely a foot apart. He smirks leaning closer to the trembling Prompto blue eyes gazing into Prompto’s own violet ones. “Real as you want. Now come on let’s go play some games before I get too sleepy.”

Prompto has been hunting in darkness for years when he gets hit by a rare status effect.

Seeking a fiend for the end of the world by halfwingangel

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Ravus Nox Fleuret & Reader

Everyone took Ravus for dead but, apparently, there was something about daemons we didn't know. Fortunately, you, a lonely hunter abandoned in a foreign continent trying to get to Lestallum in the middle of the eternal darkness, were there to help.

You had nothing better to do anyway.

Sola Fide by rolerei

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Years into the long night, Ignis is struggling alone with the loss of his sight - and a recurring vision of Noctis' grim future. Determined to stop the vision from coming true, he leaves the safety of Lestallum for the ruins of Insomnia, where he is ambushed by an end-of-the-world cult group calling themselves the Crusaders. The violent encounter starts a chain of events that leads Ignis to question everything that he knows.

Is the Crusaders' King of Light really Noctis, who's finally returned to sacrifice himself and save the world?

But most importantly: will Ignis be able to save him before it's too late?

when flowers ceased to bloom by DKTakes12

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Major Character Death

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Aranea Highwind

Aranea Highwind cannot let go of the past. Three years after Luna's death and she still mourns as if it was yesterday. She is stuck in a haze of indifference, hoping that something 'out of her control' will take her too. Nea is stuck between hating the fact that she's alive, mourning Luna's death, and training Iris without Gladio's knowledge in the vain hope that it will make up for all the wrong she's done and the woman she couldn't save.

not wasted (if it's on you) by freosan

Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia

Ardyn Izunia & Noctis Lucis Caelum

“Look at us,” he says, pulling himself up to sit on the desk. “I’m not even thirty yet. It’s a good thing I’m not supposed to be King long, I wouldn’t even last.”

“Noct,” Ignis says, reproachful.

“What? C’mon, Specs. Denying it isn’t going to make it easier.” He leans forward, and reaches out to touch Ignis’s face.

Ignis holds Noctis’s hand in place. “Are you not angry?”

Noctis could be. There’s a lot of reasons to rage at the gods. But when he reaches for it, the injustice, the unfairness, there’s nothing there. “Not anymore.”

Separate Paths by whisperedmemories

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia

Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum

Prompto Argentum & Ignis Scientia

Ignis Scientia & Talcott Hester

Prompto, Ignis and Gladio all try to deal with the darkness and the daemons in their own way, and through it, they learn that they might be better off together.

In the Shadow of Death by KageYuuki

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Major Character Death

As the nights grow longer, magic returns to the former Kingsglaive. A chance to redeem themselves, according to a vision of Bahamut as they sleep. “Protect the people so they may see the dawn’s return.” Plunged into the dark and chaos of the World of Ruin, it isn’t long before the glaives discover their magic’s return wasn’t the only change wrought by the Astrals.

#world of ruin big bang #worbb round up #ffxv fic #final fantasy xv

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xylune · 3 years ago

Text

Daemonic and Divine preview

I’m not sure when this chapter will be finished. The muses are going strong but these days, it can bounce from feast to famine. Here’s a preview of the next horrors I have in store for the chili pepper. I think that’s my new nickname for Ardyn.

"Ardyn. Ardyn, come to me. Our time is short, my love. Ardyn..."

He tossed and turned fitfully in his bed, plagued by scattered memories that interposed with one another. Some from the far distant past, some from the present. She was in all of them, trying to tell him something important.

"The summons, Ardyn. Our covenant. The circle must complete or else we lose one another again."

"Aera," he groaned, sweat beading on his forehead, "what do you mean? I don't understand."

There was no verbal answer forthcoming, no sweet whispers into his mind. Instead, Ardyn saw his beloved in a field of flowers. She turned and smiled at him, with the sun shining on her platinum hair and white skin. He could see the delicate lilac powder accenting her eyes as he drew near, smell her perfume.

The wind picked up and clouds blotted out the sun, darkening the field. Aera parted her lips and spoke his name, but he couldn't hear her voice over the sound of thunder and wind. Lightning cracked the sky, and Aera's visage began to change.

She was withering before his eyes. Her skin was starting to age and sag, her eyes to hollow out. Her hair thinned and started falling out, and Ardyn struggled to reach her. His limbs felt like lead. He saw his own outstretched hands before him and he called out to her, begging for her to hold on, to wait for him.

By the time he reached her, the white robes she'd been wearing had gone gray and tattered, hanging off her skeletal form. She had sunk to her knees, reaching out to him. Ardyn caught her up in his arms, calling her name urgently. Her eyes were filmed over, but they focused on him, agonized. He could again hear her voice—not with his ears, but in his mind.

"We must...be joined. You must speak my name, before it's too late..."

Her body crumbled to ash in his arms, leaving naught but chalky bone, ash and the remnants of her decayed robe. He shouted for her in anguish, begging her to come back...

...and that was when Ardyn woke from his uneasy sleep with her name on his lips. The sound of him crying it out bounced off the walls, testament to how loud his preternatural voice could actually get when not restrained.

Gasping and wild-eyed, Ardyn sat bolt upright. Blinding pain immediately assaulted his head, lancing through it from eyeballs to the back of his skull. He crumpled forward with his hands on his skull, and his ears rung. When he opened his eyes, his vision had shifted to the daemonic color spectrum. He could see the outline of everything more clearly in the darkened bedroom, and there was a hazy purple glow.

He shut his eyes again, waited for the pain to subside and finally took a deep breath when it did. He couldn't think straight, couldn't make sense of anything. Ardyn seldom dreamed when he managed to fall into a deep sleep. Not until lately, that was. Now he kept seeing her, and he'd first assumed it was because he'd found her reborn and she was constantly on his mind.

Now, with these re-occurring headaches and the accompanying ringing in his ears, he began to wonder if there was something else going on. He'd taken a long time to come back to the flesh after the victory against Bahamut, longer than he'd ever taken before. Depending on his strength and energy level when his body took on too much damage, Ardyn's wounds either healed themselves immediately, or he would effervesce for a while and regain flesh again between hours or a day.

Noct said he'd been gone for months before he appeared in the throne room, and ever since his return, things hadn't been quite right.

The exiled king swung his legs over the side of the bed, took another moment to get his bearings, and then got unsteadily to his feet. He stumbled to the bathroom to splash some cool water on his face, flicking the light on its dimmest setting so as not to hurt his eyes.

When he saw his reflection in the mirror, he went still.

"So...there you are."

His daemonic countenance was back, manifesting on his face for the first time since his return. Ardyn had wondered if he'd somehow lost some of his daemon abilities, but it seemed they were merely slower to awake than he was.

It only took a bit of concentration to ground himself and seal it back up, and then he was seeing his natural face again in the mirror. He winced and rubbed his forehead with remembered pain, and then he turned the tap on. He splashed some water on his face, dabbed it with a towel and then returned to the bedroom.

He regretted it almost immediately when he opened the drapes to look out the window. It was mid-afternoon by his reckoning, and the sun was unbearably bright. His eyes watered and his skin itched where the daylight landed on it. He hastily closed the inner, semi-transparent drapes to mute the light without completely darkening the room, and he stepped away from the window.

Ardyn mused to himself as he stripped out of his pajama bottoms and began to change into the clothes he'd set out. His sleep was even more broken than ever now. He caught a couple of hours here and there, but he never made it through more than three hours before waking up again. His thoughts were racing too much, and even when they were quiet enough, the daemons inside of him stirred and woke him up.

Now there was her, and he'd been questioning what remained of his sanity since finding her in that cafe. He didn't know what was real anymore, or what he was making up in his own head out of pathetic desperation. He couldn't be giving himself these headaches, could he? They, and the ringing in his ears, didn't start afflicting him until he ran into her. Now he was hearing her voice in his sleep, and he couldn't make sense of what she was telling him.

"Covenant," he whispered, putting clean trousers on. He secured them, and he took up the dark blue shirt he'd picked out to pull it on over his head. "What was that about a covenant? I am no astral, and neither is she."

He frowned. Eos on high, he hoped not. If she had somehow been reborn as one of them, and she wanted a covenant with him, then that would make him...what? An oracle, now?

Ardyn shook his head, scowling. It wasn't possible. Just a senseless nightmare brought about by his own obsessive thoughts and varied experiences. Humans couldn't simply become astrals, dead or alive, and there was no way he could suddenly be—

His vest suddenly caught on fire when he picked it up and started to put it on. Cursing, Ardyn shook it frantically, then raced for the bathroom to douse it in the sink. Fortunately, he moved quickly enough to put it out before it set off the fire alarm.

"What in blazes?"

Ardyn stepped back from the basin and held his hands up before his eyes. They were outlined in flames. Somehow, he'd summoned fire magic without consciously intending to.

The immortal clenched his fists, willed the magic to cease and decided that his gloves should be the next clothing article he put on.

#Final Fantasy xv #Ardyn #fanfiction #preview #spoiler #my writing #safe for work

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echoes-of-the-clockwork · 4 years ago

Text

Book Three: Pestilence (Ignis x Reader) Chapter Twenty-Four

After the events following Ardyn's deception, Noctis promptly called Ignis after regaining consciousness and told him how he was tricked by the man. He told him how he shoved Prompto off the roof of the train, believing it had been Ardyn. The advisor calmed him down, telling him what they had to do first and to rendezvous with him and Gladio.

Before Noctis could tell Ignis about finding (Y/n)'s staff, the train entered a tunnel and the call suddenly dropped. Looking up at the ceiling and sides of the tunnel, he saw myriads of daemons crawling around. The sheer number of them caused him to gape in shock. Tightening his grip on Pestilence's staff, he glared at the horde of enemies. "And things just got worse."

Daemons leapt off the ceiling and walls of the tunnel, landing on the train. Noctis watched the assailants for a few seconds before a faint glow caught his attention. Looking down, he saw (Y/n)'s staff was glowing faintly. The moment he lifted it up, lightning struck the daemons and killed them instantly. The boy gaped in awe when seeing his path was cleared and glanced at the staff once more before proceeding to regroup with Ignis and Gladio.

Noctis used his own magic and grinned when seeing how enhanced it was due to wielding the Horseman's staff. Once defeating another group of daemons, he chuckled. "I gotta get me one of these." He continues to fight through daemon after daemon as he makes his way toward the front car of the train. With every passing wave of enemies, he was becoming irritated and exhausted. "Where do they keep coming from?"

What felt like an eternal struggle, Noctis reaches the front car and realizes it's no longer broad daylight when looking toward the end of the tunnel. Night has begun to fall, which wasn't a good sign. He couldn't believe how quick the sun was setting. "What?! No light at the end of the tunnel?!" Then, he takes notice of many large spider-like daemons hanging from the ceiling ahead of the train. "What in the world...?"

The daemons drop onto the train, which emerges into the rapidly disappearing daylight. The train becomes swarmed as it reaches Tenebrae. Noctis looks toward the distance and stares with wide eyes at Fenestala Manor. His attention was soon redirected to the horde of daemons stalking toward him.

All of a sudden, Leviathan emerges from the valley below and begins unleashing waterspouts at the daemons, knocking them loose and shattering the train's windows. The Tidemother creates another water cyclone, which sucks in the daemons as they are knocked off the train.

Once all the daemons were gone, the Astral vanished. With the assailants gone, Noctis looks back at Fenestala Manor and realized it's burning. He kept his gaze focused on the blazing building until tearing his eyes away. He added (Y/n)'s staff to his arsenal and headed back inside the train.

<----------<<<<<

Arriving in Tenebrae, Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis climb off the train once it rested idly in the station. The raven-haired boy kept glancing at his advisor, wondering when to tell him about Pestilence's staff.

Ignis could sense the boy's jitteriness and looked up at him. While he could still only see shapes and colors, he knew exactly who he was looking at. "Noct, what seems to be the issue?"

"Yeah," Gladio spoke up. "What's the deal?"

A heavy sigh came from Noctis as he held out his hand and conjured (Y/n)'s staff. "I found this in one of the cars." He handed it to Ignis, who used his hands to identify the object when he wasn't familiar with the blurry shape.

The strategist's gloved hands traced the tip of the staff, eyes widening when he finally recognized it. "This is..." His hands gravitated back toward the middle of the weapon.

"Okay, so you found (Y/n)'s staff," Gladio stated. "But where's (Y/n)?"

"How should I know?" Noctis groaned. He pulled out the vial in his pocket and showed it to his shield. "Last time we talked, she gave me this before disappearing. It sounded like she was gonna leave. Maybe she left."

"She would never leave behind her staff," Ignis retorts. "You saw the chancellor, correct?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Ignis wrapped both hands around the staff, grasping it tightly. "I deduce the chancellor's involvement aboard the train is linked to (Y/n)'s disappearance."

Gladio folded his arms across his chest. "And why's that?"

"Upon the altar the day of the rite, he spoke of manipulating her. I fear his plans are coming to fruition." He hung his head, gritting his teeth in frustration. "I've failed in more ways than one..."

"Hold on, Specs," Noctis said. "You're really blaming yourself for all this? Because that's just ridiculous."

"Noct..."

"If that bastard has (Y/n), then we're gonna find her. We're already heading to Gralea to find the Crystal and I bet that's where he took her." The raven-haired boy combed a hand through his unkempt locks. "I hope we find Prompto before we get there, though."

"So we've got the Crystal, a chocobo, and Iggy's girlfriend to find," Gladio said with a brief chortle. "What a list."

<----------<<<<<

Inside one of the labs located in Zegnautus Keep, (Y/n) placed her hands against the glass tube she found herself sealed in. Glancing at one of the computers along the back wall, she noticed the time and realized she'd been trapped for a few days. She pressed her forehead against the frigid glass, praying to the Six the others were safe. Closing her eyes, she listened to the faint beeping of the machines and computers inside the lab.

Suddenly, (Y/n)'s eyes flew open as they traveled over to the mechanical door. It slid open, Ardyn sauntering through with his usual wicked smile plastered on his face. She spotted a few MTs following him, but they waited outside the door. She thought she saw another person among them, but the door closed before she could get a better look.

"Ah, you're awake." The chancellor waltzed over to the console in front of the glass tube. "Welcome to Gralea. Morosely, I will be incapable of giving you the grand tour."

"What possibly could you accomplish by bringing me here?" (Y/n) inquired.

As Ardyn held out his hand and clenched it into a fist, a surge of pain resonated from her chest. She fell to her knees and screamed at the top of her lungs. She tried to fight against it, but she felt her body growing weak and wasn't able to push herself up. It was even difficult for her to raise her head when she heard a small 'click' from the console. "Wh-What...?"

"Now, now. There's no need to fret." Ardyn lifted his hand up from the button he pushed. "This process will be rather equivalent to your time upon the seafloor. In the matter of days, your body and mind shall be mine to command as I see fit." He lowered his hand, the pain vanishing from the girl's chest.

When (Y/n) thought her suffering had ended and she could finally stand back up, another scream erupted from her throat as several needles attached to thick wires plunged into her back. Before she could yank at the wires in an attempt to remove the needles, metallic claw-like clamps pierced her skin to secure them in place. She leaned her body against the glass, glaring at the man on the other side. Her eyes darted down to the console when she saw his hand gravitate toward another button.

Ardyn's hand hovered over it just as they heard a struggle from the other side of the door. He hummed in curiosity as he turned his head before beckoning the MTs to enter the lab. The machines obeyed their master and entered the room, dragging someone along with them.

(Y/n) lifted her gaze from the console and glanced at the magiteks. Her eyes widened when she realized who was reluctantly following them. "Prompto?"

The blonde, who was being restrained by both MTs, looked toward the Horseman imprisoned in the glass tube with wide eyes. "(Y-Y/n)?"

The girl noticed the multiple scratches and bruises across his body. She could tell they were all fresh wounds and desperately wanted to heal him. She placed her hands against the glass, wondering why he was here and not with the others.

Unfortunately, she wouldn't be receiving any answers as she felt the needles in her back begin to inject a substance in her body. She wondered what it was, but it only took mere seconds for her entire body to become paralyzed and for her to receive her answer. Her body collapsed inside the tube.

Pestilence tried moving her fingers, but they didn't budge an inch. She tried to speak and found she could no longer talk. Seeing this, Prompto struggled against the machines restraining him. "Stop!" He bellowed, trying to kick and punch the machines. His eyes narrowed with a sharp glare as he looked at Ardyn. "Let her go!"

The chancellor chuckled at the boy's futile scuffle. "Apologies, dear boy, for I must refuse such a ludicrous declaration." He pressed the button his hand had been hovering over and turned to look back at the Pestilence as water began to fill the tube. "Ta-ta for now, my dear. When you awaken, the final pawn shall be in play."

Due to the paralysis, (Y/n) was helpless. Her body was lifted off the bottom of the tube as the water rose. When it reached the top, her mind relapsed as she remembered the ocean's cold embrace and the endless loop of death. Like before, she could feel the water filtering into her lungs. The last thing she heard before drowning was Prompto's angry and desperate wails as he was dragged out of the lab.

<-----------<<<<<

Inside the dining car, Noctis, Ignis, and Gladio are at one of the booths. After their encounter with Aranea in Tenebrae, she entrusted the train to Biggs and Wedge, who promised to deliver the three safely to Gralea.

Noctis stared out the window, his thoughts filled with his recent encounter with Ardyn and Gentiana. Now he knew for certain where (Y/n) and Prompto were. Looking toward Ignis, he noticed he no longer wore the protective visor and the scars, even the minor ones, were vanishing. He also no longer carried his cane around and now wore his normal glasses. "How're your eyes, Specs?"

"The right eye has mended. Eyesight has returned. Though I cannot say the same for the left," he replied. "While the scarred tissue is gradually receding, visibility is poor."

"Still can see shapes and colors with your right eye though, right?" Gladio asked.

"Yes." He crosses his arms, glancing down at the table. "(Y/n) informed me of the extent of damages to my left eye. It will take more time to mend."

Noctis pulled out the empty vial. "Hope you won't be needing another treatment. We're out."

"What truly matters is I am no longer in need of guidance."

"You sure you don't need the cane?" The brute questioned.

"Yes, Gladio." Ignis looked out the window, admiring the passing scenery with his newly healed right eye. While the blurriness of his left eye disrupted his right eye, he could still see what was what and who was who. Once he tore his gaze from the window, he looked back at his companions. "We should be drawing close to Gralea."

Noctis nodded. "Yeah."

"I can't imagine what it'll be like," Gladio commented.

"Swarming with daemons, but you knew that," the boy scoffed.

"Don't remind me."

"Once we arrive, we'll make for the Keep," the strategist informed the others.

"The Keep?" Noctis parroted.

"Zegnautus. An imperial megafortress said to be impregnable."

"With Prompto, (Y/n), and the Crystal inside it," he added.

"What goes in, must come out," the shield stated. The group fell silent for a brief moment before Gladio shattered it with his deep, gruff voice. "So, are we buying this story that the Crystal can purge daemons?"

"The proof is in the purging, but it does stand to reason," Ignis replied. "We've observed that as the nights have grown longer, the daemon hordes have grown stronger. If they are in fact averse to the Crystal's light, it could save not only Lucis, but the world."

"We'll find out once we take it back," Noctis said.

Suddenly, the train comes screeching to a halt. The group braces themselves to avoid any injuries from the unexpected stop. Gladio's brows furrowed in confusion as to why the train was no longer in motion. "The hell?"

"What is it?" The advisor asked.

"My guess? Something to sidetrack us."

The trio get up and move into the cabin car. As they walk past a series of large windows, the glass begins cracking and the train shakes violently.

"What now?" The brute hissed.

The group's attention was drawn to the train's loudspeaker as Biggs used it to contact them. "City's trying to keep us out...with the daemons." Small imp-like daemons, known as snagas, begin swarming across the windows. The trio saw the cracks beginning to spread as the daemons attacked the glass. They backed away from the windows as Biggs addresses the boys again. "Gotta run! Don't worry about us."

One of the daemons busts through the glass and lands in front of Noctis and the others. He holds out his hand to tell Gladiolus to move back, then attempts to conjure a weapon into his hand. "Let's get to work." When his sword didn't materialize, he looked down at his hand in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Gladio asked, noticing the boy's bewilderment.

"The weapons...they're stuck!"

The shield went I question him further but stopped when he noticed the snaga's movement. "Get back!" He suddenly shouted, pulling Noctis away from the enemy charging at him and kicks it in the face.

"Run!" Ignis bellowed, retreating away from the daemon.

Gladio pats Noctis' shoulder. "C'mon, move it!"

As the three make their way through the train and to the freight car, they were pursued by the daemons. "Only a matter of time before we run out of room to run!" The advisor hollered.

"Got a better idea?" Noctis asked.

"We trade the train for the Regalia!"

"C'mon!" The brute growled when noticing Noctis' slower pace.

"On my way!" The raven-haired boy yelled.

Eventually, the trio make it to the freight car and hop into the Regalia. Noctis gets behind the wheel while Gladio gets in the passenger's seat and Ignis climbs into the backseat. "Strap in," the ravenette said as he started the car's engine.

"Gun it!" Gladio shouted. Noctis drives the Regalia out of the freight car and onto the train tracks.

An electronical voice grabbed their attention. "Threat upgraded. Activating level 4 security measures. Sealing all gates."

The Regalia sped down the train tracks toward the entrance to Gralea. The daemons chased after the group as they tried to make it to the gate before it sealed and locked them out of the city. Noctis drives the car through a tunnel and across a bridge as an artillery shell suddenly strikes near the car, causing a small explosion. Ignis cursed from the backseat as Noctis swerved to avoid another shell.

"One clean hit and it's over," Gladio said.

"It'll take a bit more than that to stop His Majesty's trusty steed," Ignis stated.

The artillery strikes begin hitting their mark. An imperial drop ship can then be seen falling out of the sky. Gladio watched the aircraft as it fell. "Dodging one thing to run into another."

"The Regalia can take the punishment. Just focus on your driving," Ignis said to Noctis.

More artillery strikes the Regalia. Noctis was unable to dodge all the shells and soon the vehicle was on fire. He stared at the flames, clutching the steering wheel tightly. "You can do it, girl. You can get through this."

As the Regalia closes in on the gate, several more strikes land directly on the car. Gladio saw their entrance to Gralea was shrinking by the second. "It's closing! Floor it!"

"C'mon, old girl..."

Just as the Regalia makes it through the rapidly closing gate, another strike lands square on the royal contraption, briefly engulfing it in flame. Noctis brings the car to a screeching halt on the other side of the gate near the debris of a train car that stretches across the width of the bridge, one end propped up above the tracks. The Regalia now sits sizzling on the tracks, all its windows shattered.

"That's all she's got," Gladio said.

"It'll do," Noctis claimed.

The trio get out of the car and begin to walk away. Noctis turns to look back at the car with a somber expression, recalling a memory from childhood of his father stepping out of the car and embracing him. "Dad... Thanks for everything."

After a moment, Gladio speaks up. "Are we seriously marching into the capital empty-handed?"

"And with no assurances the Crystal can beat back the daemon hordes," Ignis added.

"Guess we'll find out the hard way. No turning back now, right?"

Noctis stared at the destroyed train. "No way in hell we're turning back. Let's go."

#ffxv x reader #ffxv #final fantasy xv x reader #final fantasy xv #ignis x reader #ignis scientia #prompto argentum #gladiolus amicitia #Noctis Lucis Caelum

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