#like even if i make it nobody actually cares so whaty the point

[chocolate-cream-soldier]

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[thechocobros]

“SEE LUNA SAFE TO ALTISSIA” - part 12

Pair: Nyx Ulric / Lunafreya Nox Fleuret

Previously: message me as always, I’ll give you the AO3 link

Words: 7341

Summary: Defending each other took Nyx and Luna to a shocking plot twist and now Shiva is dead because of them. How will the future be safe now that one of the Six was killed because of the Oracle’s Trident? And how will Luna and Nyx accept their feelings and face it all? 

Personal Comment: I’m preparing things for the ending already. I am “almost” sure by now that this fic will be 17 chapters long (maybe 18) and … I’m actually proud of Luna’s and Nyx’s journey. And also about plot consistency. I hope you guys like it as well. I change the rate for this chapter, because it’s going a bit more ‘mature’, but don’t worry, it’s never going to be explicit xD thanks to: @loveiscosmicsin <3

To be honest, neither Luna nor Nyx could say that killing the Glacian was exactly the best choice of action. Surely there were other ways to prove themselves worthy of carrying the weight of the world. It wasn’t what they planned all along either. It was just something that occured as a consequence of choice.

So when they realized the gravity of where their actions led them, an obvious sentiment of uncertainty grew within them, mingled with a growing fear of letting down people who were counting on them. How would they have guarantee a future to the world now that the only option they knew as guarantee had vanished? 

They had doomed Eos, once for all. Maybe there was no alternative, exactly like Shiva affirmed.In spite of this, in the deepest of their hearts, they didn’t regret it.

 When Nyx plunged the Trident in Shiva’s bleeding chest and the goddess’ spirit started to fade into the air like the fumes of a warm breath in a cold night, Luna felt the lethal grip the gods wielded on her waver.

And in that moment, Luna knew it for certain: she had been slave of a destiny, the divine dictated the path and her fate was sealed in stone. Even if she had always suspected it, she never thought the weight of it would have been so…wrong. It never felt wrong until until Nyx opened her eyes by daring the unimaginable.

Luna looked at the Glaive, covered in dirt and blood, jawline clenchedtightly, and thedisgruntled crease on his forehead she was too familiar with now. The night when they first talked, under the fireworks of the eve of the treatise, he looked handsome and a bit mysterious, totally different. At that time, he seemed just a serious soldier who needed to be teased a bit, someone good only for an interesting talk during a dull reception. She would have never thought they would grow so close. She would have never expected to be him the one who set her free from cruel fate’s strings. 

And now, invigorated and empowered by the surging power emanating from the Glaive, Luna raised her chin and watched imperial airshipsdescend and the hatches flew open. She knew that she must keep calm for whatever came to pass.

And she knew also that she had what it took.

When Nyx helped her to get on one, they found a bunch of Tenebraen soldiers with mouths wide opened and shocked expressions on their faces. Tenebraens people were known for their religiosity and they must have been outraged in seeing their dear Oracle rebeling and killing Shiva - the Goddess they worshipped the most. They all sensed something huge just happened and nobody of them was already able to figuring out what side should they be on.

Nyx and Luna understood their confusion, it was obvious. Actually they were confused as well. However, they kept up a straight face as they walked along the human corridor in the cargo area.

Luna showed a slight sign of hesitation when she turned around to check if Nyx was still close, but after that she raised her shoulders and displayed her famed confidence, figuring she had to show some determination in order to reassure everyone that things being under control.

Ravus came out from headquarters, running towards them stunned beyond belief.

“You two…!” He said, actually addressing to Luna only. He rested the hands on her shoulders and pored into her eyes, not able to ask about her welfare, but clearly worried about it.

“I’m fine.” She whispered, enjoying the warmth of his caress, such a rare gesture of affection coming from him. It was like taking a stand against the Gods was a step in towards restoring her relationship with her brother.

“Gentiana aimed to avenge. She wanted to use you to wake all the Astrals to rouse the Infernian out of the Crystal and finally execute him. No matter how grave the traitor’s punishment was, it must not be at your expense.”

Luna immediately fit her brother’s words in the larger picture and understood the gist of what he was trying to say. 

“What if the Darkness intensifies because of my choices? What will Noctis do without the deities’ blessing?” She whispered to the nobody in particular.

Ravus heard it anyway and squeezed her shoulder. “If he’s the True King, he will find a solution. We all will. In the meantime you should have some rest, the signs of your fatigue won’t disappear only because you killed the Glacian.” 

Luna swallowed and nodded. “Just tell me one more thing. This is what you were planning when you entrusted Gentiana to give me back the Trident? You wanted me to use it to kill her, knowing it was the only efficient weapon against her?”

Seeing her sister alive and ready to finally take care of herself, Ravus sighed in relief and shook his head. “You overestimate my shrewdness, sister. Giving you back the Trident was just a way for me to stop forcing you to obey to my decisions, a way to give up on hope. I spent too many years trying to protect you by whatI thought it was right. I never understood that the choice was actually yours to make. You willingly undermined my authority despite my best efforts.” The humility in his tone surprised not only Luna, but the High Commander himself. He sounded proud of his sister. He was never accustomed to expressing his feelings openly and even if he didn’t like admit when he was mistaken, knew he couldn’t stay still. “Your alarm is understandable, I cannot fanthom it myself, but this man got it instead.” He said, pointing at Nyx. 

The Glaive distanced himself. He didn’t want the merit of anything because he did nothing more than believe in Luna and unconditionally loving her, which never felt like a decision but more a involuntary instinct. So he just hid himself in a bow, kneeling down like he always did when he was in front of Regis. Because now he was in front of his queen. Luna turned to watch Nyx in that humble position and felt her heart cracking down in pieces. She didn’t want him to kneel after all he had done for her own sake but in the moment she tried to say something, all the other Tenebraen soldiers on the airship kneeled down in the same way, one after another, in reverant silence.  The Oracle stayed still, mouth open, touched by that intimate devotion – the most powerful act of support she ever received.

“Come what may, you’re not alone in this. After all you did for people, they care for you and will support you no matter what, wishing only for your happiness.” Nyx said, the image of the perfect soldier on his face, the zealous ardor in his eyes. He spoke for all but nobody blamed him for that, on the contrary. He didn’t even finish to speak that a soldier in the back screamed out loud: 

“Long live the Oracle!” 

“Long live the Queen!”

Luna closed fists, tears welled in her eyes, touched by the newest of all feelings in her heart: the one telling her that for the first time in her life, she wasn’t alone.  This time she wasn’t supporting others in their decisions, she was supported in her own.  Ravus - strangely enough - almost smiled when he delicately pushed his sister to the headquarters, barking this simple order to the left soldiers:

“Back to the palace.”

While the princess was taken away, she turned to check if her bodyguard was coming too, but he wasn’t. The glaive stayed back with the rest of the troop, controlling every soldier one by one to see if they were ok. 

“Nyx?” she asked. 

“He will catch up later, once his duty is done and his wounds treated.”

“I can heal him.”

Ravus expressed his disbelief in a bemused grunt. “Do you think he will allow it?” 

But Luna had to say something to him first at least. She turned around and called his name. Nyx raised his chin and his radiant grey eyes met hers. There was so much love in both of their glances, they didn’t really need to say more.

“Look for me as soon as you are able, would you?” 

Nyx pressed his lips together and nodded. Luna smiled, noticing how sweet could be even his most serious expression. Then Ravus pulled her away, bringing her out of sight.

————

It took a lot to Nyx to perform all the military procedures Ravus nonchalantly left to him. The Glaive - being a mere soldier of a besiged kingdom - didn’t actually have any obligation towards the Tenebraen troops under the imperial control, yet he was permitted to regroup the soldiers, assign medical staff to tend to the wounded and given the confusion revolving the death of the Glacian, there were little complaints about his orders. Also, handling the daemons was something easier said than done. That took all night and all morning, in which he didn’t take a single moment to rest. 

When noon arrived, he left all the responsibility to the first officer who looked at least vaguely able to handle the situation and sneaked away. He saw enough blood and was in fact still covered in his and that of the Glacian’s, therefore he only wished to finally take a shower and catch some shut eye. He informed Ravus about it via earpiece device and the answer he got was:

“Oh, is that so? Your participation on the battlefield must have slipped my mind. You are dismissed.”

Nyx didn’t believe for a second Ravus could forget about having three-fourths of his troops under an immigrant’s command back in the spot where the goddess was killed and so he understood that the High Commander was probably taking a little revenge on him to admiting of kissing his sister.

That crazy, witty bastard. 

Smiling at the absurdity of the situation, Nyx found a ride back to the palace where he avoided all the servants and reached his room without being noticed.  He wanted to see Luna so badly, he missed her even if he saw her just the evening before, but he really had to clean up and sleep before, otherwise he would have faint pretty soon.

The fight against Shiva left him with a broken rib and multiple bruises, and her silver blood left his skin raw and swirled down the drain.

He fell in a deep slumber even before the pillow.

———————-

Luna waited for him since the very first moment she found herself alone in her rooms. She had plenty of subjects to talk about in her mind, but in the end, Nyx was the only one she wanted to focus on. Maybe because she couldn’t think about facing any of those subjects without her bodyguard by now.

The nights were growing longer and the days shorter. After being being excessively coddled and chastised by Maria for the morning, Luna asked to be left alone. The Oracle looked to the stars above as she waited for her Glaive, lost in the bittersweet memories of her childhood when those stars were all she had to avoid boredom. 

She was on the balcony, hands joined together when he arrived. 

Hidden by floating white curtains, Nyx stared at her for a long minute before entering in her private sphere. He was just enchanted by the profile of her body illuminated by the moon, he could watch her the entire night. He admired the light sweater wrapping around her waist, the skirt brought out the beauty of her hips, making him swallow because of the way she was poetically and involuntary sensual with little effort. He smelled the perfume of her in the wind and when he felt that short distance becoming too painful, finally decided to get closer.

“The door was open.” He said, clearing his throat.Luna boggled and turned around, in time to see Nyx smirking, “I hope it was because of me.”

That look. So pure and so malicious at the same time. He would have been the death of her but Luna’s eyes softened as she took in his powerful and cleaner visage, words of what she wished to say were lost to the wind.

“Nyx…” 

“Were you praying?”

Luna entwined her fingers and lowered her gaze.“What would be the point? Who would listen now? The Gods?” She whispered such a statement with the most delicate voice and Nyx couldn’t help but smiling because of the paradox. “They must be frightened that their Chosen Oracle have disobeyed them.”

“Yeah. They’ll be right to be. Scared.”

“I am, too. Something strange is happening to me. I can’t hear their voice anymore, the grip they had on my heart had abated.”

“Good news…?”

Luna sighed.“My destiny may have been cruel but it provided a guide to adhere to. It’s harder to deal with uncertainty. I do not know what would become of the future.”

“At least you’re not alone this time, Princess.”

Lunafreya raised her chin again, taking a deep breath as she attemptedto read his expression.

“Still I wonder what will be our next move. If all this will end with the my death and the death of those I care about.”

Nyx went back to a very serious mood, triggered by the sadness in her voice. “Regrets, Your Highness?”

She shook her head. “No. We did what we had to. Besides, I am… more than aware about Gentiana’s manipulation. My only issue is that Darkness will soon conquer this world and deities were the only ones offering us hope with their prophecies and omens. Now that they are proven to be a curse and not a blessing, where do I stand now? I still am the Oracle, I am the one who has to find an alternative path. I have to inspire hope to others. My duty goes on.”

Nyx could understand what she meant. “So does mine.”

Luna watched him for a second, feeling inside her so many things she wanted to say, apologies she wanted to offer, explanations she wanted to give. But in the end, nothing came out and she figured her pride was more consistent than she initially thought. She turned around, resting her hands on the railing. 

“I … think I have to set off for Altissia anyway. The Hydraean lies there, in the depths of the waters, ready to be awakened. Noctis awaits me there. I don’t know what I will have to do in order to defeat Darkness, but whatever it is, it places me at great risk. Will you truly come with me despite this?”

The Glaive’s mouth quirked in a smile. “Damn your suicidal instincts. Keeping you alive was extremely hard since the day I met you.” Nyx murmured, frustrated in seeing that his personal battle against her stubbornness still wasn’t won. He opened his arms. “Is it that wrong not wanting to give you up to nothing in the world, not even to gods?” That sentence broke her, because there was bitterness and sadness in it.

“Nyx…” Her head was half-turned around, her eyelids closed.

“Maybe it is then. But even so, you must know by now I would follow you anywhere.”

Nyx courageously stepped ahead on the prestigious marble of the terrace and delicately caressed her arm, from the elbow to the wrist, the lightest feather touch, sending shivers down her spine. Luna craved for his touch since they parted before but now gasped, somehow taken by surprise. She turned around, founding him closer than she thought. His eyes immediately clutched hers, his arms slipped around her waist, closing thedistance between them. “You knew that, didn’t you?” He asked, letting the fingers of his free hand rest on her chin, promptly lifting it up when she tried to escape to that moment of truth. “Just… Look at me.”

Luna did and she understood why she didn’t want to. His eyes had the strangest effect on her, they pore deep into her soul with a single glance. They were small, witty, passionate, beautiful, so beautiful. Once she was ensnared, she just wasn’t able to take her own eyes off him anymore. “Tell me, is it the same for you?” 

They stared for a long minute, holding each other like it was their last moment but she couldn’t answer. She pressed her finger in his biceps though, getting up on her toes, not caring if the weight of her body was entirely on him. She wanted to be kissed so badly she felt that desire like a basic instinct need. She leaned in for it.  But suddenly, Nyx snorted and back up.

“You’re still not ready.” He said, turning his back to her and heading himself towards the sofa.He left her there, mouth open, flushed and starry-eyed. 

“W-what?”

“I understand that you spent all your life being manipulated for one reason or another and you learned how to deal with them in your own way.You’re smart, avoiding to answer if it wasn’t convenient to you, you let them think what they wanted to. But I am not asking you to be honest only for me, Your Highness. You could start being more honest with yourself.” He sat on the sofa, palms up, resigned expression on her face. “If you really need me or at least want me, you need to say it out loud. It’ll give you some peace of mind. And yeah, I need it, too. I need to know if you really care, because I am perfectly aware that I’m a simple immigrant with no title and no right to be around you, but I killed a goddess for you and I would do it again to save you. This is only a hint of how far my stupid devotion can come to, Princess. You can take advantage of me again, if you want to. But please, please…” His voice cracked and he had to close his eyes, joining fists in front of his nose. “Please, just be honest about it and tell me. Are you really using me for your own pleasure or there is something else?” 

Luna’s eyes colored of the shades of pain seeing him struggling in finding the right words to let her understand how hard all this was for him. The Glaive has always been sincere with her but she rarely was with him. Yet, he always supported her anyway. Even when he found out he was deceived. Even if he didn’t agree with anything she was doing. She sprinted ahead, stopping by the sofa, sitting next to him in her usual shy position. The way she entwined her fingers made her look like she was praying again:

“Nyx, I am so sorry for…” She didn’t know where to start, there were so many things she wanted to apologize for. “For what I put you through.” Then she stopped a long minute, thinking about how to go on.

Nyx craved for her continuation and wasn’t bothered by the waiting. He used that time to contemplate how beautiful she was in the light of the candles and to enjoy the painful spell she cast on his heart, which made him loving her so much.

“And thank you. Because of you, I started to understand how I had lived my life. I cannot conceal my feelings about you… And I do not want to dismiss what we have.” She lifted her eyes, watching his face being surprised by those words. “I still have to figure out my future, Nyx, and I know that my choices will influence the state of our world. How I live my life from now on may not be to your liking, but it will be of my choice. Even so, I wish… This may be egoistic and foolish but I personally wish for you to stay with me, until the end, wherever the end is.” The first strands of pain started to leave Nyx’s heart, but still it wasn’t enough. Luna took a deep breath before talking again and when she did her words came out broken by the big tears wetting her eyes, tears she didn’t even notice until they rolled down her cheeks. “Not because intimacy is a convenient desire, it’s because I care. I stupidly, utterly, madly care for you. When you told me you’d leave me, I fell apart like a broken glass and when you came back…” 

Nyx grabbed her cheeks with both hands and kissed her lips to silence her, he heard exactly all he wanted to hear. There was no need to color it up with more sentences, the basic gist of emotions were enough and understandable. 

He didn’t kiss her like he already did twice, being simply loving and warm. He was thirsty this time, slowly burned by the last days of devastating and chaotic twists and he needed to feel her on his own body, every fiber touching him. He was the one looking for a long yearned intimacy, his cells in a mutiny against his brain and logic. He handled this like the growing up man he was, forgetting for a second that she still was untouched and his mature kisses we’re something she couldn’t be prepared for. Even so, Luna trusted him. She stood like paralyzed, hands on his forearms, lips parted by his tongue, ready to accept whatever he would do to her, because she clearly lost control of herself everytime they touched. He opened his mouth and licked her lips, bit them, savoring the flavor of her tears, which even if they were salty, tasted sweet.That moved a knot in his stomach and he took a breath, choosing the sweetest moment to wipe away her tears with his beard. A new emotion replaced the pain in both of their hearts. Finally they were physically and emotionally touching each other like they both craved for and this calmed their ached spirits, sore by all the hidden truths and wrong words. 

Cheek to cheek, they pulled closer, Nyx grabbing her knee around his waist, Luna passing her arms around his strong neck, sinking her face in his hair and braids. He smelled like the forest but was warm like the fire burning it and she wished never abandoning that safe shelter. She would have gladly spent the rest of her life in that position if she needed to, now more than ever. 

“It’s fine. I’m your man until the end.” Nyx whispered in her ear, goosebumps appeared on her arms and neck. Luna rubbed her cheek on his shoulder, felt the muscles of his back stiffen under her touch and knew it was true: he belonged to her, like nobody ever did.  She shrieked back a bit to watch him in the eyes, while her hand was searching for his. When she found it, she placed it on her hip, not answering when Nyx inquisitively look at her with incredulity. 

“You… know what are you encouraging me to do, right?” He whispered. She kept staring at his lips, caressing his wrists with the most exquisite softness. She was so gorgeous, Nyx couldn’t believe he was actually hesitating in doing what he had the possibility to do.

Nyx wanted her. He wanted her so badly, especially now, with her walls down, with her heart bared only for him. 

He bent down, taking her lips in his, breathing her breath like it was the last and smelling her delicate rose perfume. He let his fingers greedily explore her hips, squeezing and caressing until they reached the hem of her white and thin sweater. There they stopped to lift it up and quickly slipping under, touching the skin beyond. He didn’t notice immediately. He first thought it was just a normal scar caused by their recent adventures, but the more his hands explored her lower back the more he realized something was off. He shrieked back, moving her a bit so her stomach was finally under the candlelight.

Luna immediately gasped and tried to pull down the sweater, but it was too late. This time, Nyx saw it clearly. He saw the dark spirals on her womb, covering her skin from the abdomen to her hips and even lower, and there was no way to hide them anymore. She raised her eyes up to the ceiling, biting her lip in the attempt to stifle invasive sniffles. And in the meantime, the Glaive kept staring at the black scars like he was hypnotized. He gently feather touched them, trying to line the pieces of the puzzle up. 

“What are these?” He asked after one long minute of contemplation, when the utter silence had become unbearable. Luna swallowed and passed her long fingers on her eyelashes, wiping away her own tears. 

“The price of the covenant…” She whispered, cheeks burning red with the shame investing her. “The price I already paid to gods.” Nyx stared at her, attentive. He didn’t push her to continue but he was clearly waiting for her to say more. “I’m so sorry, Nyx. My heart may be yours now but my body… still bears the wounds of this illness.”

He understood. 

He wouldn’t allow her to feel sorry for all she did in the vain, and yet brave attempt of saving the world.

Taking her wet fingers away from her face, he kissed them one by one, determined to worship both the selfless Oracle and the human woman beyond it and he took his time for that. 

He moved a lock of hair away from her cheek and then let his hand down on the shoulder, gently pushing her on the sofa until she was lying under him.  Luna forgot how to breathe as she watched him leaning down on her, brushing his beard and lips on the bare skin of her abdomen. She tried to protest at his ticklish gesture, but she renounced immediately when he pressed her hips on the soft material of the sofa, big hands covering her tended muscles, sending vibes of pleasure upon her spine.  Empty mind, she couldn’t do anything but arching her back to facilitate him during the process. Nyx stopped at her navel, kissing every spiral on her stomach with intense care, a soft gentleness unusual to find in a man who used his mouth with such fierceness and tenancity in the face of danger.

Though he could have simply go on in the exploration of her body, indulging on the desire echoing in his veins, he opted to go back to her lips.  In the end, there were more important things than the mere satisfaction of his manly desires. The day for that would have come, but it was not now.

“You’re so beautiful” he whispered instead, straight to her ear, in the most tender leap of love he could show. 

By truly believing it, he magically swept away the Princess’ deepest fears and healed the bruises on her heart.

———————

Nyx’s chest was made for Luna to sleep. That’s what they both thought when they decided to not separate and just spent the whole night on the sofa of the Princess’ chamber.  They napped a bit, then they woke up, taking all the time they needed to enjoy the long craved - and almost always forbidden - proximity. Nyx actually passed a good portion of the time asking himself why they had to sleep there when they had a huge and soft bed just in front of them but seeing Luna getting so much comfortable in his arms, cuddled and safe, he didn’t dare to say anything. Maybe he didn’t want to wake her up, or maybe he didn’t want to have her more distant than that. 

“In Altissia, my call will be fulfilled. I still don’t know how, but it will. Will you take me there?”

When Luna whispered such a out-of-the-blue sentence, she was resting supine, head on his right bicep, fingers playing with his left hand. They lost the track of time, but it was probably past midnight and all the candles were off. Only the moon shined on their relaxed profiles.

“Are you saying this because you thought I was sleeping or it this a serious question?”

Luna smiled in the darkness, stopped caressing the palm of his hand. “It was supposed to be serious.”

Nyx kissed her hair, smelling the perfume he found himself addicted to. “I told you I was going to follow you everywhere.”

“Even if it meant watching me die?”

“That’s… Not gonna happen.” 

“You must understand that saving Eos at the cost of my life was and still is my priority and my choice, Nyx.” He smiled, not surprised by her strong tone of voice now. She was so layered and complex, she was able to switch from the human and accommodating person she was to the most determined lass he ever met in a matter of minutes. 

“Yeah, you said that a thousand of times already. I’m not questioning your right to do what you want with your body, Princess. I know better than that. But are you ready to see me die trying to save you as well? Don’t think for a second that I won’t hesitate there.”

Luna understood his point of view. Like her, he was ready to die for what he cherished the most. Luna shook her head, amazed. “Well said, you earned this victory. You are far more stubborn than I.”

He smiled, raising her hand and pressing it against his lips. There was no way for him to get enough of kissing her in every possible way.“Let me say it was not an easy victory.”

“Maybe Noctis will come up with a brighter idea.”

Even if Nyx didn’t like much the Prince’s name coming out in their moments of intimacy, he nodded.“I hope so. Saving his back is one of my priorities too.”

After two minutes of thinking, Nyx pointed at the mannequin in the other side of the room, with the wedding dress on it. “In case of success, are you going to use it for the prince?”  Luna was surprised to hear him asking about Noctis because it rarely happened before that moment. She had herself to blame for bringing him up in the first place. But Nyx wanted to know, because he could figure by all the hints he got that the Prince was extremely important to Luna and he really wished he didn’t have to consider him a rival because it wouldn’t have end well for him in any case.

“I highly doubt it. For more reasons than just one and you would be surprised in not being in the top three.”

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow, protected by the darkness of the room.

“My dear Noctis … I always cared deeply for him, but I didn’t accept to marry him because of a particular affection. It simply was one of the terms of a treaty that i knew it would fail.”

“What if it didn’t fail? What if you really had to marry him?��Luna didn’t seem too bothered by the idea.

“In that case, there was my sickness. Starting to awake the gods, I would have died before the wedding or during the honeymoon. And even if I did see myself as a married woman… it would have been a terrible marriage for a King in need of heirs because I … Cannot bear children.” She pointed at her womb, the saddest expression on her face. “Because of the price I paid to the gods… It is impossible.”

Nyx smoothened, swallowing at the sight of her melancholia. He caressed her cheek with the thumb.

“I’m so sorry, Lunafreya.”

She faked a smile. “It’s fine, I was probably never made for marriage anyway.”

But Nyx knew she was lying. A girl who didn’t wish to get married wouldn’t have chosen a wedding dress with such a deep care and put it on a mannequin in the center of the room. Nyx turned on his side, kissing the corners of her lips, caressing the womb she was incriminating of stealing the joy from her future. 

He didn’t have the right words to help her out in such a delicate subject, he didn’t have empty promises to make, but as their breaths mingled, they didn’t feel the need to explain any further. 

They curled up in each other again and fell in a tender sleep, trying to forget for now the menace hanging on them, now throwing shades on the intimacy they just found.

“Tomorrow we’ll set off for Altissia.”

———————

Waking up at Luna’s side wasn’t as comfortable as Nyx hoped. She clung to him like a second skin and having so little space on the sofa she literally didn’t let him move all along. His legs were asleep and almost hurt, his ribs still ached because of the battles of the days before and the muscles of his neck knocked in pain as he tried to raise his chin.

But what was a fault quickly turned into a quality when Nyx looked at the bright side of it: yes, Luna was clingy. This meant he woke up with her body sticked to his, her legs entwined in his, her beautiful chest pressed against his. The grimace of pain turned into one of inner joy and pleasure in a blink of a eye. 

He sank his nose in her hair and breathed deeply, pulling her even closer with the only free arm he had. He lingered on a lot of thoughts, without stopping on one in particular. He thought about all the crazy events of the last days which lead them there, about what was in store for them in the future, about what would have Ravus thought if he entered in the room in that very moment.

Luna woke up later. Nyx noticed by the change of pace in her breathing. 

“Morning,” he whispered in her ear and in the attempt of indulging in her drowsiness she got even more clingy. Nyx moaned. “I can get used to this.” 

Luna smiled, her arms wrapped around his large chest. “You’re still here.” She said it like it was a surprise and this somehow hurt him.

“Told you.”

For Luna, there was no better feeling of being certain of his. She cuddled in the sensation for long minutes, taking her time to acknowledge the statement, to become aware of not being alone against the world anymore. 

Unfortunately, they couldn’t take a day off just to cuddle. In the end they had to leave the sofa to face the reality again.

Luna got mad when she noticed that Nyx didn’t tell her about her broken ribs and she healed him immediately, ignoring his protests which sounded something like: “If it’s because of your hugs, I will bear the pain.” Such a sentence almost led to Nyx having another broken rib, which was promptly healed anyway. 

When Luna decided to have a shower, Nyx thought it was the right moment to leave the bedroom, not of course before stealing another kiss from her gentle lips.

“I’m just so glad I killed a deity for you.” He whispered, delicately caressing her neck in adoration.

“Who would have knew, back at the time when Regis chose you as my personal guard.” 

“Oh, I kinda knew you were trouble before even meeting you.” He smirked.

“Really?”

He loved her voice being so playful and teasing. It made him bite his down lip.  He remembered pretty well the days before the signing of the treaty, all the turmoil surrounding the event and more specifically the Princess’ arrival. The dramatic change was in the air, nobody could deny it. It was like they all knew tragedy would have strike on them soon… But Nyx didn’t want to talk about that now, it only brought up terrible memories, so he simply said:

“See you later.”

He could swear his heart melt when she glanced at him with those big blues, sad of seeing him go. When did he got so lucky that the most beautiful creature on earth was missing him already? 

He opened the door to exit and closed it behind him, still smiling for the pure bliss. When he raised his chin, the terrible sight of a shocked and upset brother was waiting for him.

Nyx let his smirk fall down off his face immediately.

“That’s totally not what you think it is.” He tried to say in his defense, raising both hands in the air. Ravus was deathly still when he affirmed:

“You wouldn’t be the first man I’d kill when I hear a line like that.” It didn’t sound like a lie, but surely was arrogant. “And like them, nobody would care of their fate.”

“Nice to know, but sorry for bringing you down. I’ve seen worse than you and anyway, it’s not this the point. I just did not …!”

“Nyx!” 

Luna’s voice screamed from inside the room, alarming both bodyguard and brother. The two of them immediately let go their small argument and rushed in the chamber, slamming the door open. 

They somehow expected the worse but found Luna in front of the mirror, with the sweater rolled up, her stomach under the morning light filtering through the crystal windows. The girl turned around, not ashamed anymore to show what was on her skin, big eyes touched by a surprising emotion of joy. 

“Lunafreya! Pull down that sweater immediately!” Ravus ordered but his sister ignored him and pointed at her womb. 

Nyx nor Ravus understood what was the cause of such an excitement so they both stand still, looking at her in an inquisitive way.

“It’s healing!” she explained, too agitated to not scream.

“Is it… ?” Nyx asked, tilting his head to observe more attentively. The spirals on her abdomen were still black like a tattoo, somehow extremely gracious on her white skin. “It looks the same of yesterday to me.”

“The same of yesterday? What yesterday?” Ravus’s voice increased and got high, sounding like a doublet. His expression would be consider hilarious from a stranger point of view but Nyx only rolled his eyes and raised a hand. 

“Once again: not what you think and not the right moment either.” 

“I memorized every single scar and I know for certain.” Luna continued again, decided to not give credit to their markings, “A part of these disappeared during the night! See here?” She showed a particular point on her hip, causing a dramatic sigh from Ravus, who seemed more worried for his sister’s decency than for her illness. “There was a spiral here and now is not there anymore.”

Nyx couldn’t tell because he only acknowledged those scars’ existence the night before, so he watched in silence and then spent more time in considering the possible meaning of such a miraculous healing. He scratched his beard, sure that he wasn’t quite able to put his fingers on something. He had to make some more questions.

“Princess, you didn’t personally wake up Shiva, right?”

Luna turned to watch him, puzzled by his curiosity. She shook her head. “And the other two … What’s their name … Bahamut and Ifrit. They are awake too, prisoners of the Crystal?”

“Yes, it is so.” By getting those answers, the Glaive understood he was getting close to the right solution.

“It can’t be the awakening of the Gods itself the thing that brings this disease on you then. I mean, you only woke up two gods until now. Two of six. Why should you be so sick already and die? The proportion doesn’t correspond.”

Luna frowned. The men could almost see the wheels rotating in her head. 

“That is… what Gentiana always told me: the energy I spend for waking up the deities would have leave me a husk of my former self, granting me this illness.”

“Of course she told you that.” Ravus frowned too, but not in confusion, “That would be the perfect excuse to justify something else.”

“Something what?”

Nyx and Ravus looked at each other for some reason, trying to figure a possible answer. 

“Probably the Gods are stealing your energy on daily basis for their selfish purposes.”

“Or her magic” Nyx hypothesized, certain of getting closer and closer. “After all, her magic is so powerful she was able to kill one of them when no other weapon could have.”  Ravus nodded, the rarest smile on his lips. He didn’t know hope since far too long so he let the feel overwhelm him. 

“Yes. Sucking her white magic away, they get stronger and she gets sicker and sicker. So it’s not the ritual of the awakening. It’s not the covenants. It’s THEM. They are destroying her every day.” His expression turned sharp again. “We have to kill them. Find them, wherever they are, in the Crystal, by Noctis’ side, still sleeping, it doesn’t matter. We have to kill them all.”

Luna wide opened her eyes, staring at her brother in shock.

“Like I asked you yesterday, how could we do something like this? We need them for Noctis to defeat the darkness, I don’t think we –” Ravus made a weird sound, similar to a laughter, but not funny at all.

“Really? Do you think we really need them? You know better than me that the darkness of the prophecy it’s not a matter of the gods. It’s a Lucian King’s affair. They deceived you all along, telling you they were indispensable when their blessing is merely a small help.”

Nyx listened to Ravus’ words very carefully and moved his attentive eyes to Luna, taking note how hurt she was in realizing that the prayers she offered all her life were addressed to ambiguous creatures which in substance didn’t care for humanity at all. He could barely understand how hard it was for her to have suffered so long for a lie’s sake. Lunafreya Nox Fleuret was the youngest Oracle, the intermediary between the humans and the gods and of course she felt guilty for participating in all this, being almost like a partner in crime with the deities.

Nyx watched her now and waited for her reaction. He didn’t want to plan a line of action, it had to come from her. Every decision she would have taken, he would have followed. 

And Luna decided.

Because she was the former Princess of Tenebrae, ready to be queen.  Clenching her teeth, she raised the chin, those beautiful eyes of her burning like a blue fire. 

“I have to talk with Noctis. This is something that concerns him as well, not only me. I’ll go to Altissia to meet him.” She lowered her tone, murmuring with narrowed lips: “Even if I don’t want to die, i would have gladly to it to save the world. But now, if taking gods down will facilitate the darkness’ defeat, I will have no problems in personally slit the Draconian’s throat and stand by Noctis side in front of the Usurper.”

The inner bodyguard inside Nyx, worried only about his Princess’ safety, internally screamed in seeing her ready to throw herself in danger once again. But Nyx himself, the man who lost his mind over that reckless girl, couldn’t be more proud of her.

He slightly bowed, trying to hide a smile.

Ravus also nodded, lips stretched and grudge up.

“My men will give you a safe ride to Altissia. I have a specific person in mind, the only one who can do me this favor without involving the Empire or inform it. Let me have it my way, is that clear?” he ordered. He was a High Commander after all and even he wanted to respect his sister’s will, he had to try to keep the situation under his control. But it was fine, as long they would have arrived to Altissia, where their destinies would have been settled.