#could see cahl and aera hitting it off

[savage-rhi]

I hope this isn't too...weird? If Aera was alive, what would the relationship dynamic between Ardyn and Cahl be? Would they even be together?

Polycules/triads are a thing.

[savage-rhi]

Immortal Shield  Chapter 11: Obscura Materia

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Tagging: @seradyn

“Ardyn…” A familiar voice called out to him while he slept. Ardyn’s body tossed and turned on the bed, his eyes desperately trying to keep shut. Alas the repetitive call of his name compelled Ardyn to groggily rise from the mattress, his eyes blinking while he yawned and stretched. He wanted nothing more than to retreat back into the mattress, yet a drive within himself urged Ardyn to investigate.

The guest room at Florens residence was rather small, but comfortable. The scenery a much welcome change compared to the woods. Much like the rest of the house, it had trinkets and other items on display. Ardyn briefly looked upon a wooden chest, sitting atop were some neatly folded clothing. There was barely light in the room but Ardyn could make out the signature colors of Niflheim. Red, black, whites, and gold. He had a feeling the clothes belonged to Kurt. His mind traveled to Caelan, wondering how she was fairing on her trip to find the old man.

"Ardyn..." The voice called him again. Distracting Ardyn away from the chest.

“Cahl?” Ardyn muttered, wondering if perhaps the voice was coming from his companion. Even in his exhausted state, he knew it couldn’t have been Florens. The pitch was off. He was second guessing it might’ve been Caelan given how she had been gone for two days. Nevertheless, Ardyn ventured out of the room and into the hallway. His brows furrowed wondering who this person was.

The voice started up again and Ardyn picked up his pace, eventually standing in front of a door that was pitch black in the middle of the living room. Swallowing, Ardyn gently shoved the dark object open and he was welcome by a burst of light. The impact was too much on his eyes as his hands went to shield himself immediately. Gasps poured from his mouth as the light settled, and he found himself in a familiar place.

It only took a few blinks for Ardyn to realize he was at the citadel. A part of the castle that belonged to his family. His old residence from 2,000 years ago. There was no mistake about it. From the porcelain pillars to the pre-industrial scents, he was home.

“How in--” Ardyn became starstruck when he saw Aera walking to the chambers of the crystal. On impulse he chased after her, a burst of endearment radiated through the core of Ardyn’s being as he went to her. He must've been dead for certain. For how could he see her so vividly? By the gods, he had missed her so much.

“Aera!” He called out, his hand reaching through to touch her only for his body to fade out like a mirage. She kept to her mission, not regarding anyone nor anything. Ardyn could feel his heart stammer knowing she didn’t see him.

“Aera! It’s me! Look at me!” Ardyn desperately ran around her personal space, only for Aera to walk right through him like he were a ghost. Ardyn looked down at his hands, felt over his chest, and realized he was nothing but a shadow. A being meant to bear witness and nothing more. Though the hurt was beyond compare that Aera didn’t see nor hear him, Ardyn followed her. Determined to find out why he was seeing such things.

Aera gathered her strength, praying in front of the crystal to hear the plead of the Astrals and who was to become the chosen king. Her body quaked as the visions came to mind. It was clear as day who the Astrals selected as their champion, and as she heard a commotion from behind the doors to the crystal, a maiden begging Somnus not to intervene with the ritual, she felt a somber resignation pass over herself. One way or another, Somnus would know the truth. Whether he liked it or not. It didn't matter if the Astrals beseeched her not to speak of their communion until the time was right. Somnus would get it out of her by force if need be. She had seen several visions of how the altercation could potentially spiral. Taking in a deep breath, Aera closed her eyes and began her prayers once more. Determined to finish taking into herself the voices of the Astrals before further interruptions could beheld.

Ardyn blinked and in a split second the scenery changed. Aera was standing in a field of white flowers in the courtyard of his home, Somnus lurking in the shadows with his back to a pillar and arms crossed.

“Hail, Oracle. What say the gods?” He muttered, waiting for a response. He was met with Aera’s silence. His fingers tensed into his arms as he tried yet again to tempt her with a response.

“The Crystal then?”

“The Crystal has no will of its own.” Aera said firmly, knowing full well that Somnus was attempting to disregard the powers that be and their decision. His subtlety didn’t go unnoticed.

“Nothing, then?” Somnus scoffed.

“Very well.” Aera sighed, closing her eyes as she steadied herself. Whether he heard it from her mouth or someone else, Somnus wasn’t going to like the answer. It was best he learn to live with it now and to hear it from someone that still cared about him regardless of the hurt he had inflicted.

“If you desire it Somnus, you shall have my trust,” Aera began, turning her head to the direction of his voice. “And their decision. Come from the shadows so I can see you.”

Aera was surprised he did as she asked. The cold look in his eyes wasn't overlooked by her as she stood tall and kept her eyes on him. Not wanting to demonstrate she was intimidated by his stature in the slightest.

Somnus walked towards Aera with conviction as a serious gaze blossomed over his features. He was mindful to give Aera her space, though he was close enough to where if needed, he could reach out to her. His heart steadied as he sighed.

“Speak. It’s only the two of us in the garden.”

“It’s Ardyn,” Aera said straightforwardly. “Ardyn is the chosen king. As it was decreed from when you two were children. Despite your propaganda, and turning more than half the kingdom against your brother, the gods have decided Ardyn is still worthy.”

Somnus went quiet. His eyes betraying his feelings despite his body barely making a flinch when Aera laid it out for him. He blinked a few times, the news settling within himself as he let out a sigh.

“I figured as much,” Somnus began as he made a face, offering a gentle smile to Aera. He saw her confusion and simply mused to himself before continuing. “Though, there seems to be a predicament. I still have the entire Lucian army at my command. Ardyn has the people, but the common folk are not warriors. Nor are they as brave as their messiah willing to sacrifice his life for their own. I’m afraid even if I bow out with respect to the gods and their decision, there will still be war.”

“You can call them off,” Aera said firmly, her brows knitting into a pained glare as she implored her brother in law. “Somnus, you spent years at conflict with Ardyn and now, you know the truth. Stand next to your brother and I, and let’s tell the people together. You are a great leader in your own right, Somnus. The people will listen to you no matter how much you poisoned them against Ardyn.”

“You’ve always had a heart bigger than either him nor I.” A faint smile graced itself upon Somnus’s lips as he looked Aera over. A tenderness he had carried long since they were children played out in his heart as he briefly let his guard down.

The actions weren't ignored by Aera as a morose smile crossed her features, and a glimmer of hope shined her eyes. Peace could only be seconds away and both men she had grown up alongside and cared for would cease their fighting. She had to hope despite her own misgivings.

Somnus closed his eyes, letting out a content sigh. “I am willing to bend the knee to my brother, on a condition that you yourself comply to.”

“What is it then?” Aera asked, observing the shift in Somnus’s demeanor as he opened his eyes and smirked.

“Relinquish your rights as my brother’s wife and come to my side.”

Aera’s eyes widened, shaking her head. “You can’t be serious.”

“Yet I am,” Somnus paused, letting his words sink in as he could see the deep conflict resonating within Aera. She visibly shuddered, causing him to chuckle.

“Ardyn was always the favorite. Our parents doted on him. Your parents loved him. Even now, the Gods have made it known their light smiles upon his spirit. Ardyn has taken everything from me. Our parents named us both heirs. I have every right to claim war against my brother, knowing that with every soul he saves from the starscourge, he’s becoming weak. A powerful Oracle such as yourself deserves someone stronger. You and I were betrothed until I made one mistake. I regret it everyday that I had endangered you to prove a meaningless point to my father. There must be a part of you that still loves me yet.”

“I love your brother,” Aera proclaimed as she swallowed. There was so much sadness and anger in her voice that even Somnus was taken back. “There was a time, Somnus, where I looked upon you fondly but things changed. My place is by the side of the king as Oracle. I will not abandon him.”

“Then you forsake the people of Lucis,” Somnus said coldly. “I may stand side by side with Ardyn and you, and proclaim the words of the Astrals to the kingdom, but unless the Gods themselves descend from the heavens and tell the people themselves, everyone has already picked a side. The years of war between Ardyn and me have grated down morale. And as but a humble servant of the people, if the army and its allies decide they want Ardyn’s head when he is crowned, I won’t demand they stop. I will speak in silence.”

“Somnus,” Aera breathed, feeling her pulse rise at how cruel his words were and at the startling actions he was willing to take. It was even worse, knowing that Somnus was right. The war between the two brothers had become so ingrained into the culture of Lucis, causing instability. Aera knew even if she spoke the true will of the Gods, there’d remain causalities. The hypothetical visions she received from her communion showed there would be blood no matter the path. She wasn't naïve to the harsh realities of their world. Everyone was at a breaking point. The question now for her as Oracle was determining how much blood could she handle spilling upon her hands in this conflict.

“Aera, if you dissolve your right as queen to my brother and unite with me, I’ll ensure no harm will come to Ardyn. This, I pledge not to him, but to you. I will forsake my cause to the throne, only for you. We do not have to begin the process right away. Once Ardyn seats the throne, I will give you time to break it to him.” Somnus softly spoke. There was a sincerity in his gaze he hadn’t shown in years as Aera’s eyes started to tear up.

“Somnus,” Ardyn’s voice was seething with unbridled rage. Though the two somewhat made amends when Ardyn decided to be the sacrifice for the ring of the Lucii, there was remaining contempt Ardyn hadn’t yet navigated regarding his brother. Now, he could feel an explosive anger wanting to leech from himself and latch onto every bit of his brothers flesh; rip him to shreds and cast whatever was left to rot.

“You promise you won’t hurt him,” Aera sounded resigned as Ardyn’s eyes widened.

“No, no, don’t you dare. Don’t you--” Ardyn murmured, his voice hitching as he painfully swallowed.

“I swear to the Astrals, I swear on the graves of both mine and Ardyn’s parents, and I will swear upon the blood of your family. I swear to you.” Somnus went so far as to get on his knees, his hands presented to Aera palms facing up as she gasped.

“Aera, I fall before you.” Somnus proclaimed. It was one of the most powerful apologies one could give in Lucis at the time and considered unbreakable. No one would dare to put themselves in such a vulnerable position if they didn’t truly mean they were sorry.

Ardyn could feel his heart beating faster and faster. He felt like it would explode from his chest when he heard Aera in between sobs murmur a faint yes. As soon as the words poured past her lips, an onslaught of memories latched onto Ardyn’s mind. Rapid fire it all came and went. His ascension and Somnus announcing it had all been a trick. Aera’s startled exclamation at Somnus’s decree, and then the fight. Pieces of an unfortunate puzzle began to stitch themselves together and Ardyn desperately wanted out.

A startling flash of vivid colors and sounds caused Ardyn to fall on his knees. Suddenly transported through time to the present. He saw Noctis stumbling forward, falling onto the ground as Lunafreya attempted to aid him. Grisly and monstrous roars escaped the king of Insomnia while a draconic arm snaked its way out from his abdomen and shot for Ardyn's throat.  He screamed. He screamed so loud his lungs might as well have been ripped apart like paper. And then, he woke up.

Ardyn rose quickly from the bed, his face and body covered in sweat as he felt a sharp pain in his upper chest. Wincing, his right hand reached for the bandages on his wound. He looked down and noticed it was starting to bleed through.

“Damn,” He muttered and immediately got up for the bathroom after grabbing his clothes from a chair nearby. Flicking on a switch near the sink, Ardyn looked on the counter top and noticed Florens had left out some bandages and other medicinal tools. He was quick to change the bandage, looking at where the gash once was upon his flesh. It was almost healed, but there was a spot that remained sensitive and was prone to breaking apart if Ardyn heaved too harsh. While cleaning, his fingertips briefly crossed over the scarred flesh where Caelan’s hand had been. Looking at himself in the mirror, his gaze remained on the spot for a time. It was a soft comfort letting him know he had been dreaming.

Ardyn left the bathroom an hour later, stepping out he could smell that Florens had been cooking. He followed the scents to the kitchen, seeing Florens had already set up a plate for him along with something to drink. It wasn't Ebony this time around, and he briefly appeared disappointed.

“You don’t need to trouble yourself on my behalf.” Ardyn said aloud, startling Florens as she turned around from the sink.

“You shouldn’t sneak up on the elderly. It’s not good for their blood pressure.” Florens teased as Ardyn smiled and shook his head.

“I’ll try to be more mindful.” Ardyn said tiredly as he sat down. A sigh of relief escaping him. He had thought his back and shoulder pain would subside sleeping on a regular mattress. Come to find out, it had gotten worse. He hated to admit it, but Caelan might've been right that the ground of Eos was better for the back. An annoying fact she'd point out regularly on their travels.

“You had a nightmare last night?” Florens spoke as she brought her plate over to the table, sitting across from Ardyn. "I heard you running around like you were in a panic."

“I get them often.” Ardyn responded simply, trying his best to ignore what he had experienced. He felt numb now if anything after what he witnessed. Though most could easily dismiss such nonsense as a mere dream, Ardyn knew it was real. There was something to it all that he felt on an instinctual level that it was a message for his eyes only.

“Have they been about your shield?” Florens asked, the worry in her voice not going unnoticed by Ardyn as he was quick to shake his head.

“Cahl is more than capable of fighting for herself,” Ardyn began. “I don’t think I’ve had any nightmares regarding her. If I did, it was of no consequence or she was never a threat to begin with.”

“Sounds like something Kurt would’ve said about me. How long have you two been together, Adrian?” Florens asked with a wide smile. Her tone told Ardyn enough to what she was implying at and he sighed.

“Cahl and I are not a couple,” Ardyn paused. He felt like he had been shoved under a spot light. Shame briefly took hold of his features before he continued. “I was married long ago. My wife passed away.”

“Oh,” Florens furrowed her brows, clearing her throat after she took a drink of tea she made for herself. There was regret in her eyes as she met Ardyn’s glance. “I’m sorry for the assumption and for your loved ones passing. How long has it been since she died?”

“It’s been years,” Ardyn admitted, though he refused to go into further detail. If need be, he was more than prepared to change the subject. He was surprised at how deep the conversation between himself and Florens was becoming and he hadn’t been up for long. He felt himself becoming irate, and did his best to compose himself; not wanting to take his frustrations out on an old woman.

“Does it get easier, the loss?” Florens asked. Her tone was solemn as if resigning herself to fate as Ardyn hesitated. He could tell the question was in regards to her husband, the man Caelan was on the search for.

There was so much Ardyn wanted to tell her. So much depth he wanted to convey regarding the loss of Aera and how it still impacted him, but he didn’t feel confident nor comfortable enough to acknowledge it in full. The dream from last night wasn’t helping his feelings either.

“It ebbs and flows,” Ardyn said honestly. “Some days are better than others.”

“I figured as much,” Florens said with a half smile, shaking her head. “To go through that when you’re old is hard, but I can’t imagine what its like for a young person such as yourself.”

“I’m--” Ardyn stopped himself short. It never ceased to amaze him how it never registered with folks he was several lifetimes ahead of everyone.

As the years ticked on while Ardyn worked for Emperor Aldercapt and Verstael in Niflheim, it humored Ardyn to no end how they aged and time never once kissed his flesh yet he was still treated as lesser in situations. Ardyn knew he had himself to blame. Everything back then was a joke. The political games and intrigue, even the manner of which officials addressed others, all a farce. And he played into it like a kid who found his fathers gun. The bullets could leave at anytime if he twirled the weapon around long enough.

“Before I met Kurt, I had married another.” Florens began to share as Ardyn was taken back. He wouldn’t have expected such a thing given how much Florens seemed to dote on her current loved one. His thought about his life as chancellor diminished.

“Is that so?” Ardyn watched Florens nod to his question.

“Lionel was his name. We had been married for five years. He was killed in the war.”

Ardyn was suspicious as to why Florens was sharing something so personal with the likes of himself. Contemplation crossed him as he remained silent for a time, debating about whether he should indulge himself further of the old woman’s personal affairs. It wasn’t everyday he had conversations like this. There had been something biting the back of his subconscious as he thought about his dream. Aera and Somnus in the garden invaded his mind.

“Is it ever the same?” Ardyn asked solemnly. “Do you love one more than the other?”

“Goodness no,” Florens shook her head, her motions indicating that she respectfully disagreed with Ardyn’s assessment as she took in a deep breath. “No love is ever the same, but it’s not because any of them are greater. I figured out quite early in life that you can really love more than one person deeply, and feel understood and connected on that level multiple times. There’s never just ‘the one’. It doesn’t make anybody less important.”

Ardyn knitted his brows, his confusion ever present as he sighed. “If Lionel were alive, would you choose Kurt over him?”

Florens chuckled, shaking her head as she looked over Ardyn thoughtfully. “Y’know, I’ve thought of that countless times before Kurt and I tied the knot. If ever such a blessing were to come my way, I’d have them both. If they agreed to it of course.”

Ardyn’s eyes widened, a look of disbelief plastered on his face as he let out a nervous laugh. “You are most progressive in that line of thinking.”

Florens shrugged, giving a playful chortle. “I’m a realist, Adrien. Both Kurt and Lionel are different people. Lionel may have been my first, but I know Kurt is my last.”

“I feel as though you are dodging the primary question, would you choose one over the other?” Ardyn couldn’t help but circle back and he could see Florens appeared disheartened. There was a part of himself that felt like he had ‘won’ at something, but what it was Ardyn didn’t fully know.

“To me, love is a choice you continuously choose to make. I love Kurt, and I choose to be with him. If Lionel were alive, it may be different. Who knows. He’s gone and if I waste time thinking of the ‘what ifs’ I can’t enjoy the present. What I take from my experiences is I’ve had the honor and privilege of being loved by two completely different people, and I adore them both for the time we’ve shared. As it should be.”

Though Florens answered his questions to the best of her ability, Ardyn felt there was something amiss. That he wasn’t understanding a bigger picture. Frustration crossed over his mind as he repeated certain things. He took pride in being able to understand the deeper meanings of life. Being an immortal, Ardyn felt he should’ve had more wisdom yet it seemed he was outclassed in many ways. It stung more than anything as his brain digested what he had been told.

“Adrien, thank you for being honest with me. I pray you find peace again.” Florens said, breaking Ardyn out of his thoughts as she addressed him by his alias.

Ardyn’s eyes briefly glanced over Florens skin, much like he did yesterday. She had no idea how truly young she was, and how she had seen so little of the world. There was an envy Ardyn had for the old woman as he watched her eat.

They didn’t say anything else to each other during breakfast. Their presence was enough to get through the heaviness that lingered in the kitchen.

Ardyn spent most of the day in town, having decided to get supplies and other material early on in the week so by the time Caelan returned they could easily get back on the road. The bag he carried wasn’t too full, and the walking seemed to be doing his body good. Despite a bad habit that tended to pester.

Out of all the things Ardyn found peculiar about himself, having a limp in his left leg after 2,000 years bothered him to no end. The leg was no longer crushed as the Lucians left him to rot in Angelgard, having been healed when Ardyn was under Verstael’s care, but he’d still fall into the old habit every once in a while. Catching himself going into a limp, Ardyn took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. He concentrated on the area where he felt the most tension, then allowed the leg to relax. In no time, he was walking normal.

For a brief moment, the image of Somnus came to mind. His cool blue eyes staring right back at Ardyn as he gave the final order to have Ardyn chained, not without ensuring he couldn’t escape by breaking said leg all the way to the hip. The pained memory added further insult to injury because of the nightmare. Ardyn had to stop in his tracks and center himself once again. He continued on after getting his anger under control. His sights set for a truck with an array of weapons on display.

“Do you have anything that’s custom?” Ardyn asked as he approached a Culless truck parked near a motel and Crows Nest diner. He briefly admired all the weapons on display on the outside of the truck doors. Normally, Ardyn wasn’t one for places like this to purchase weapons, but he wasn’t in a city like Niflheim nor did he see any flaws on the ones presented to the public.

“Not on hand, but if you have the right material, I can make you something. Turn around is three days. Pick up time is early in the morning.” The owner said as Ardyn nodded. The seller watched as Ardyn put his bag down and crouched, taking out some rather rare material and scraps he had no doubt found while traveling and putting it off to the side. He watched Ardyn rise back up, bag once more over his shoulder.

“This should suffice,” Ardyn said as he took out a small pouch of gil from one of the pockets of his long coat, handing it off to the seller. He observed the man glance through the coin, murmuring as he counted.

“That’s--an extraordinary amount of gil. Are you sure?”

“If the sword I want commissioned holds up, it’ll be worth it.”

“I guarantee it!” The man huffed with enthusiasm, handing Ardyn a form. “Write down the specifics you want, your name, all that, and I’ll get to work.”

It didn’t take long for Ardyn to finish writing down the specifics. Occasionally he was stumped, trying to recall certain features and measurements, but he quickly handed it off to the seller. The man looked over the fine print, furrowing his brows.

“I take it this isn’t for you?” He asked.

“Correct,” Ardyn said simply. “It’s for a friend.”

“Must be a damn good one.” The man said aloud amusingly.

“You’ve no idea.” Ardyn said to himself, shaking his head at his own words. He was beginning to feel thirsty, and eyeballed the Crows Nest. With a sigh, Ardyn decided to pop in for a little bit before heading back to Floren’s place. As much as he disliked fast food, Ardyn had to admit it was handy having places like this when he needed a last minute thing.

Suddenly, Ardyn stopped dead in his tracks as he watched a familiar face come out of the establishment. A chill softened down his spine as he made eye contact with the man. An employee Ardyn used to work with during his pre-chancellor days. The only difference being that the young scientist was now an old man. Memories of the young man assisting him when he was getting his bearings post-Angelgard played through Ardyn's head. Out of most of Verstael's men at the time, the lad had been a reasonable companion. He'd actually give Ardyn time to adjust mentally before the series of grueling tests Verstael ordered would begin, keeping his sanity at bay. Whatever was left of it.

Once the initial shock wore off, Ardyn took a step forward.

“Serpo?” He said aloud, not able to help it.

“Chancellor?” Serpo responded back. He swallowed and hesitated before approaching Ardyn, though respectfully kept his distance. “I haven’t seen you since the days we worked in the lab together! Have I gone senile? By the six you’re still--!”

“Shh!” Ardyn put a finger to his lips for emphasis. “Keep your voice down. We don't want to draw unnecessary attention. Could we perhaps move this elsewhere?”

“C-certainly!” Serpo stammered, taking a moment to cough. He murmured a few apologies under his breath then gestured for Ardyn to follow. “We can pop by the caravan I’m renting. There will be more privacy.”

Ardyn knew it was risky to reveal himself in this fashion, especially to one that had a history with his previous life. Feelings of nostalgia began to overtake Ardyn’s logic, wanting to further use it as an excuse to push away the visions he had during the night. The last thing he wanted to think about was Aera, especially having bore witness to her giving herself away to Somnus to save his hide. He needed to drown in pleasantries for a few hours, pretend for a while like he had done in the past as chancellor.

As he and Serpo began their commute to the latter's residence, Ardyn knew it was pointless, but had there been anyway he could bring Somnus back to life, just to kill him all over again, he would’ve done it a thousand times over. Until every ounce of bone, blood, and atom in Somnus’s body would beg for death like Ardyn did for over 2,000 years.

Hours of conversation passed between Ardyn and Serpo once they reached the old mans caravan. The colors of the sky began to morph from deep blues into purples and pinks, signifying the day was almost at its end. The men reminisced of simpler times before they each fell in line with their professions. Ardyn took his time to explain his story, though he purposefully neglected some parts. Not everyone had the right to them no matter how much previous working history they had.

“I always knew Verstael was a cunt.” Serpo said begrudgingly, reaching over for the glass of mead he had poured for himself.

“I tell you the empires most dirtiest conspiracies I executed, and the first thing that pops into your mind is how Verstael was a cunt? The geriatrics truly don’t lose grudges to the test of time.” Ardyn huffed, shaking his head as he too grabbed his own drink and took a sip.

“Speak for yourself, immortal!” A bellowing laugh escaped from Serpo as he leaned back into his patio chair, the two men sitting outside under the protection of the caravan’s canopy while a light drizzle of rain came to pass.

“I can’t believe I missed out on so much after Verstael dismissed me from the primary lab,” Serpo began as he sighed, letting his lungs catch a break from the fit he had prior to. “Don’t get me wrong, I made a good living working in the clone labs, but nothing beats the time I got to assist Verstael and at one point you in your experiments.”

“How did you come to live in Lucis?” Ardyn mused, curiosity gripping him as he watched the old man let out a discontented sigh.

“Well, after you became chancellor and forgot about us has been researchers, I worked my way up in the secondary labs. I became chief of food division, and perfected Verstael’s cloning techniques on meat and vegetables. I’m sure this wasn’t talked about among the key political figures of Niflheim, but to Gralea and the empires many settlements, my experiments were a huge deal.” Serpo said with pride, looking over at Ardyn as he could see a brief smile cross the Adagium’s face.

“I wouldn’t have cared in the slightest since I had my own plans in the works. Nevertheless, you seemed to have done well for yourself.” Ardyn complimented. “That doesn’t explain why you’re in Lucis.”

“Getting to that,” Serpo began, licking his chapped lips. “As the war between the empire and Lucis grew more consequential, I was summoned by the army to assist in reinforcing magitek troops. Every few weeks, I’d be sent to a new region in Lucis. I did it all the way up until the Dark Decade. The daemons and other beasties you unleashed kept me from returning home. Then again, with the working conditions I was placed under, Niflheim can go fuck itself. Lucis and the empire, it's all the same. The same fancy ass kings and politicians moving people like pawns in their own drama.”

Ardyn was beside himself for a moment, recalling how after Noctis disappeared into the crystal, how he played a further hand ensuring darkness covered the entire planet. He felt some remorse for his actions. Though with how collected Ardyn was, it was more akin to a person announcing 'oops' and feeling pity when one accidentally squishes a bug. When he thought of Caelan's experiences during the Dark Decade, from what she would willingly share, he did feel more of a lingering pain when he tried to put himself in another's shoes. Ardyn couldn't help but express it in his eyes.

Serpo seemed to catch on as the old man waved at Ardyn, capturing his gaze.

“I don’t hold it against you,” Serpo said sincerely. His voice croaking towards the last words he said. “I’m too old to begrudge a creature that’s unlike the rest of us.”

“You have my thanks, though I don’t lose sleep at night over the things I’ve done.” Ardyn stated as a matter of fact while Serpo made a face.

“You’re a great liar, Izunia. Yet even I can sense deception within the self.” Serpo could see his comment seemed to have nerved Ardyn and decided to change tactics. “I can’t emphasize enough how excited I was the few times Verstael or you called me in to assist with side projects. Those were the highlights of my days within the empire. A true honor.”

Serpo’s smile was wide enough to where it made more of his wrinkles pronounced, though there was a youthfulness that seemed to be retained in his eyes as Ardyn watched him carefully.

“Did you continue any of them over here, in Lucis?” Ardyn asked.

“Yes and no,” Serpo admitted. “Mostly no. For one, we didn’t have the funding at the strongholds and secondly, the magitek troops took precedence over anything else.”

“I’m surprised the Accordo and Lucian alliance hasn’t caught up with you. They seem to be fairing well hunting war criminals. Many of the projects we've performed could've easily cost you a great deal.” Ardyn remarked.

“Even if they do find me one day, I’m too old to give a damn.” Serpo scoffed. “I made my bed and I am willing to lie in it. As should all of us that did the things we did to help the empire expand.”

Ardyn was quiet and contemplative for a time as he looked out to the woods, seeing the rain was picking up. He allowed some of the tension in his body to recede when Serpo answered him truthfully about the experiments. In hindsight, they were poorly executed and at worst, inhumane. Ardyn wouldn’t lie to himself, he took pleasure in many of the dirty elements of the jobs Verstael and he performed for the sake of science. It helped Ardyn release a lot of his anger, helped him channel it into something positive that could evolve alongside his yearning for revenge. Nevertheless, Ardyn knew it was a poor excuse. His old self from 2,000 years ago would be rolling in his grave seeing how far from grace he fell.

“I thought I saw you with someone else before at the pitstop, driving a Scepter, right?” Serpo’s question snapped Ardyn out of his thoughts.

Ardyn visibly tensed, but gave a nod. “Yes. That’s my shield and her vehicle. As I’ve told you earlier on, I’m traveling to Insomnia. I believe the king can help me with my situation.”

Serpo nodded, his voice inquisitive. “Does your shield know who you are?”

There was a gleam in the old man’s eyes that Ardyn didn’t like. “Yes, she knows enough.”

“Does she know about project Oraculum?”

Ardyn flinched as his demeanor took on a more serious tone. His eyes flashed over Serpo’s face, giving the old man a forewarning that this was not something he wanted to discuss.

“Ah, so she doesn’t.” Serpo chuckled. “Have you given any thought to using her to bring back your beloved?”

“That’s all in the past,” Ardyn said, his words empty and bitter. “It was a wasted effort.”

“Not necessarily,” Serpo said as he captured Ardyn’s attention in full. A small smile came to Serpo’s lips as he exhaled. “I never told a soul about what you and I did. Trying to find your oracle a vessel. Not even Verstael caught a whiff as far as I’m concerned. I remember the day you approached me about it. Having just lost my wife to sickness, I felt the pain of your loss. I thought that if I helped you succeed in bringing your beloved back from the dead, I could do the same thing. We had so many promising candidates, but they lacked a key element.”

Ardyn glared as he took in Serpo’s words. Yet he couldn't resist the curiosity that lassoed him into a dangerous web. The project had been born from his grief and loneliness during his early years working for Niflheim. Ardyn had an incredibly difficult time connecting with others before working his way to chancellor. Not having someone from his own time made the process of integration into the modern world complicated. He also yearned to once again spit in the face of the Astrals by having a power only reserved to them. It was futile and he quickly gave up on it after witnessing what the candidates experienced through daemonic absorption. He may had been too far gone to his darkness, but Ardyn managed to draw a line somewhere.

“And you somehow cracked the code I’m guessing?” Ardyn finally asked after much pause.

Serpo chuckled. “I’d knew you’d be curious.”

“Hardly,” Ardyn seethed.

“Hear me out,” Serpo interjected before Ardyn could get another word. The old man’s bright brown eyes turned dark as he spoke. “You know extracting a soul from the dead is no easy task. We could barely pull it off even with all the magitek at our disposal back at Gralea. When I was working at one of the strongholds in Lucis, I performed our experiments on an animal. I killed one, extracted its energy as it left its body, then looked for a member of its species to be the new vessel. Many attempts failed, until I found the perfect replica.”

Ardyn was growing more horrified and yet intrigued by the minute as Serpo continued.

“The original creature lasted twenty days inside it’s host before it was expelled and the vessel perished alongside it. What made this work compared to the hundreds before was a simple thing. Something you and I overlooked many a time: A commonality. Both the original and the host shared a mark upon their bodies in the same spot. It was never about blood type, intelligence, organs, anything of that sort that would create the perfect bond. It was something so damn simple it was right under our noses. I repeated the process, and sure enough, it works. I hypothesize that if a human trial were to be done, there’d need to be a stronger commonality besides a mere mark. Does your shield possess any magic pertaining to healing like your oracle?”

Ardyn was dead silent as he kept his amber eyes on Serpo. Whatever resolve Ardyn had to keep his anger and darker side in check was leaking at the seams as Serpo laughed in excitement.

“So she does!” Serpo exclaimed, confirming Ardyn’s silence as an answer. “I knew it felt like fate brought us together again! All I wanted for everything I’ve done in this life, was for my work to mean something and now I may be able to finally bring back my loved ones! We can make this work Izunia! We just need to sedate her and then--”

Serpo suddenly felt a wave of pressure crash onto his throat. His eyes blew up as Ardyn’s grip around his neck tightened into a dangerous grasp. A pair of dark glaring eyes, sclera fully pitch black and irises molten gold bore into Serpo’s skull as his hands reached for Ardyn’s, desperately trying to pull his fingers off of him.

“You won’t touch a hair on her head,” Ardyn’s voice was inhuman, the tone like static and something sinister as he applied more weight to his fingertips, causing Serpo to cry out. “I spare you only for the sake of our previous working relationship. You’ll forget that we met, and if you even think of messing with me or who is mine, I’ll eviscerate you where you stand.”

Ardyn let go of Serpo’s neck, not before thrashing him into the side of the caravan, the chair tumbling down with Serpo's body. The old man collapsed onto his knees, heaving as Ardyn growled and walked away. The temptation to slaughter the old fool was growing by the second. It took every ounce of willpower not to turn around and finish what he begun, but Ardyn refused. He refused to stoop to that level like he easily had done time and time before.

Conflict brewed within Ardyn as he used his pent up frustration to teleport back to Florens house. He immediately dropped the back to the ground and headed down the hallway. Thankfully, Florens wasn’t around as he retreated to the guest room. Ardyn paced around for a time, falling to his knees when he tired himself out and repeatedly hit the floor over and over. Snarls and animal like growls escaped his mouth while the images of Somnus, Serpo, and Aera clouded his thoughts. His mind felt like it had been invaded by every possibility, and there were no words that could express how trapped and desolate he felt. His hands raked through his hair while his body trembled, trying to get a hold of itself as his daemonic nature flared through. He was disappointed and broken. Person after person failing him in some major capacity. He hated them. He hated the roles they played into what he would become. Yet he still loved them, even his petulant brother. Gods be damned, Ardyn wanted to rip himself apart right then. Spill his guts on the floor and meet the eternal.

Ardyn felt himself freeze when he heard a notification on his phone. A shaking hand with nails like claws covered in a darkened tar reached into his pocket to pick it up. He pressed his thumb to the screen, unlocking it to reveal a text from Caelan.

Cahl: I’m doing okay! I thought I’d check in before I start snooping around.  You better be resting up :p

A faint smile ran across Ardyn’s lips as he struggled to type back. He swallowed as another growl left him. He resisted the temptation to throw up despite his nerves being shot.

Ardyn: Are you threatening me??

Cahl: ….a little bit?

Ardyn: You should be careful…

Cahl: Why??

Ardyn: I could be into that :p

Cahl: Fuck you! D:<

Ardyn: i miss you

When Caelan didn’t respond right away as she did in the previous texts, Ardyn felt a tug in his stomach. Blinking a few times he sighed, picking himself up from the ground as he could feel his darker impulses begin to recede. The sound of a text ping captured his attention as he collapsed onto the bed, exhausted from the ordeal of his tantrum.

Cahl: Miss you too…are you good?

Ardyn: No but I will be. Stay safe?

Cahl: No promises :p talk later?

Ardyn: love that

Ardyn sighed, sitting his phone on the dresser next to the bed and closed his eyes. A pained grunt escaped his throat as he felt his claws recede along with the darkness of his eyes. It felt as if every nerve in his body was pinched, and in a flash it was soon gone. Exhaustion was an understatement to how he felt.

As his rage gave way to sadness upon calming himself and self soothing, Ardyn’s conversation with Florens replayed in his mind. He grasped onto one of the sheets. An epiphany came and went through his head. His mind going from Aera, to Somnus, back to Aera, then to Caelan, to the feelings of adoration that had begun to take root in his stomach regarding her. He cared for her more than he was willing to admit despite his attempts to not form bonds. There was a certain safety he had come to acknowledge being by her side. Somnus came back into his head, cutting down Aera and Ardyn quickly dismissed his feelings towards Caelan as he could feel the ravages of guilt.

Ardyn knew he wasn’t worthy of Aera’s love. Not after what he had become once he got a taste of blood and vengeance. Not after all that he had been. He’d make amends through his death. He was certain he could change the tide there.

Aera had given up so much to ensure he would be okay, even died for him, and now Ardyn felt that he was desecrating her memory letting his thoughts wander to someone else. The crimes and inhumane experiments Serpo and himself performed, further added fuel to a fire that was burning Ardyn from the inside out regarding his beloved. It didn't matter if Aera were to relinquish her marriage, it didn't matter if Somnus took her for himself after bending the knee, when they married the night of full harvest in the gardens of his home, Ardyn knew he would always be bound to her. He owed her that much.

When Caelan tried calling Ardyn a few hours later, he ignored his phone.