#uncle ardyn au

[sparklecryptid]

@hamelin-born said: Ardyn snatches him from your arms. "Mine, thank you."

And that’s how I get into a fight with the former accursed about who has dibs on Ace while Ace stands there and desperately wishes his life wasn’t this weird

[ffxvreversebang2022]

Today’s team: @shea-parfait & @ezra-blue

The Prince, His Uncle, and The Dark Forest was written for the FFXV Reverse Bang 2022 and can be found on AO3 here.

Rating: Teen & Up

No Archive Warnings Apply

Description: Noctis has been warned all his life never to stray into the dark forest path past the boundaries of his kingdom.

When he stumbles in and meets a strange smiling man who lives within the gloom, he finds the truth may hit closer to home than he could have imagined.

[uncleardyn]

ardy,n :]

[a-world-in-grey]

You might not need another au but do you want it?

Think of how much fun it would be, Sola and Ardyn snarking at each other in the middle of the throne room and before the entire court.

The resemblance is uncanny.

You can track which of the nobles noticed it by how much they pale, their polite masks turning a little bit tense.

You. Are an enabling gremlin.

Plopping this in the Combined Retinue Nox/Sola au, because this is what my brain finally decided to spit out at 2 in the morning.

@secret-engima have an early Christmas present, I guess?

.

“If I have to dress up, Uncle,” his niece tells him fiercely, “then so do you.”

Ardyn raises a brow from the bench he’s languidly lounging on, watching his Tailor circle Sola with sharp eyes as she tugs on the black fabric of the dress she’s wrangled Sola into wearing for her upcoming Coming of Age, unfazed by the equally black scowl on the princess’ face.

Beside him, Nox is firmly pretending to nap on his Shield’s shoulder. Axis has his gaze glued to the book in his hand.

It seems he’ll have no allies from that quarter.

Admittedly, Ardyn had perhaps been enjoying Sola’s irritation too much, and hadn’t bothered to smother his growing amusement with every dark mutter Sola had made about protocol and where the court could shove said protocol.

He gives Sola an indulgent smirk. “I highly doubt I’m on the guest list, my dear. Given the current state of international politics.”

Not that he’d let the lack of an invitation stop him from attending his niece and nephew’s birthday party.

From the glare Sola levels at the mirror, and the minute stiffening of Nox’s spine, Ardyn has the feeling his niblings will ensure he is invited, regardless of anyone else’s feelings on the matter.

Nox’s eyes actually open a sliver when Sola’s magic abruptly curls, all mischievous glee with an edge of bared teeth. His nephew warily eyes his twin and the grin growing on her face.

Ardyn does not share Nox’s apprehension. He rather thinks his niece should smile like that more often.

“A suit for your Uncle, then?” Penelopeia asks archly.

“If you would be so kind.” Sola replies before Ardyn can protest. Sola’s blue eyes narrow on him through the mirror. “Black for the shirt, instead of the suit, I think. Gold as an accent color, but otherwise I have full faith in your judgment.”

To Penelopeia’s credit, his Tailor pauses for but a moment. “Of course, Your Highness.”

Ardyn gives Sola a long look. His niece knows very well protocol prohibits him from wearing black. He is neither a (known) member of the royal family nor in sworn service to them. Sola cares little for protocol and tradition, especially when it gets in her way, but even she can’t get away with flouting such an old and respected tradition. Not like this. “Niece.” He warns.

Sola raises her chin, defiant. “Do you trust me?”

Ardyn sighs. Smiles reassuringly at the fierce girl who’s been Nox and Ardyn’s staunchest supporter these past near three years. “Yes.”

Sola nods, and that is that.

.

Copia Egestas adores her Queen.

Sola’s last minute changes to the twins’ Coming of Age gave her a solid week of extra work to do - with help from Ignis, who volunteered on account of her being nearly six months pregnant - hunting through the Archives and preparing her arguments before she and Sola sat down in front of the King and finally told him exactly who would be presenting his daughter at her Coming of Age. Presenting both his children, in fact.

Unsurprisingly, Regis was not pleased. But between Sola’s staunch refusal to change her mind and Copia’s presented precedents, he reluctantly conceded.

Now, eyeing everyone as they wait to enter the ballroom, Copia can only feel a vicious anticipation.

Nox and Sola make a striking pair in black and gold. Both of them have their hair carefully pulled back, decorated further with gold. Nox still wears his usual earrings, the only silver on him as he’d declined the offer for golden versions, and Sola has mirrored him with a set of earrings arranged in the opposite ears. Not the same earrings, but the studs and climber are similar enough in shape to achieve the desired effect.

Copia’s sleeveless black dress is cut to flatter her pregnant figure, a gold shawl for her shoulders because six months pregnant and she gets uncomfortably warm now that the summer months are upon them, which also why she’s elected for an updo instead of letting her thick curls tumble loose. Unlike Sola, Copia is in comfortable flats instead of heels, again on account of being pregnant.

Axis is in a black suit jacket with gold details, and his Clan’s purple and green tartan. His hair’s been styled back from his face, but otherwise remains free.

Axis isn’t the only one wearing purple and green. Nox has the shifting purple-green galahdite in his ears, hair, and decorating his cufflinks. Sola’s chosen a selection of amethysts and emeralds to decorate her gold jewelry, while Copia had been gifted a pair of ebony hair sticks topped with amethyst and emerald carved cabochons.

(Copia knows just enough about Galahdian culture to know to tell Penny the goal, and follow the woman’s instructions on how to support Axis without overstepping cultural boundaries. The result, she is told, is a careful blend of Lucian and Galahdian color codes, but Copia has never seen Axis struck speechless before so she makes a mental note to commend Penny and her recommended jewelers for their hard work.)

With Ardyn, however, Penny has evidently decided to take refuge in audacity.

The suit is a lovely shade of dark purple, decorated with an intricate pattern of - much to Copia’s amusement - peacock feathers. At a glance they could be mistaken for phoenix feathers, certainly, but Copia knows her birds, and those feathers belong to the phoenix’s non-magical dramatic cousins. Studded at the eye of each feather are small galahdite stones to match Nox and Axis.

Under the suit, Ardyn’s shirt is black, which will no doubt give the Court conniptions and the press a field day, despite them following protocol to a T. Instead of a traditional tie, Ardyn’s kept his usual scarf, but in a rich green. How it doesn’t clash with the purple, Copia doesn’t know, but she knows Ardyn’s vest is a matching shade of green. Ardyn has a gold and galahdite lapel pin, linked by a fine gold chain to a paired piece on the front of his breast pocket.

The master of ceremonies glances over at them, expression half-expectant, half-despairing.

It turns to resignation when Ardyn and Sola gift him identical smirks.

Nox sighs.

Copia hides a grin behind her hand. Oh yes, tonight is going to be so very entertaining, with uncle and niece actively working together.

She wonders how many people will notice the family resemblance before the end of the night?

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

In white mage au, when Noctis introduced Ardyn as an uncle to Ignis and Gladio, did they think it's just a courtesy title for a family friend (kind of like calling your parents' close friends "aunt/uncle")? Or do they suspect they are actually related?

At first they do actually think it's a honorary thing. In a 'this guy helped Noctis while he was in trouble and they became like family' way.

But then they slowly start to notice the actual resemblance, which isn't very obvious at all, bbut still there. Especially if you know that red hair and light golden-brown eyes are uncommon colouring in a Lucis Caelum, but not unusual. Especially both at once.

Sometime they will catch Ardyn performing magic and then the active theory becomes that he is a bastard fathered by Mors.

When Ardyn, Regis and Noctis hear that theory, they wear very identical expressions of horrified disbelief. Which makes the resemblance just more obvious.

[savage-rhi]

Somewhere in an AU, Ardyn got to be the 2,000 year old cool wine (uncle) aunt for Noctis.

Og link here

[charlottedabookworm]

In au where everyone can see the LC ghosts, Nyx Ardynson makes sure to never ever be in the same room as Somnus, because Ramuh fucking beard the resemblance is uncanny.

His mother is two thousand years removed from the era when Somnus was born, how did he end up looking so much like his uncle?

nyx, a perfectly even blend of his parents, staring at the photo someone took of the Founder King's ghost and posted on social media: mum dad what the fuck

he's just-

yeah okay the dude is his uncle but really?

nyx who has his mum's colouring and his dads nose, his mum's forehead and his dad's jawline, staring at this man who could literally be his brother and how

if he was the mirror of his dad he'd maybe understand it a little but nyx looks more like somnus lucis caelum than ardyn does

so yeah anyway nyx has alerts being sent to his phone and a group of friends who very carefully shuffle him around so that nobody ever sees nyx and somnus in the same room together and it is half nyx would totally throw hands and half yeah no it'd be so obvious it half a heartbeat

[radioactivepeasant]

This Week's Prompt Poll:

[unknown-lifeform]

Tagged by @ryal-is-reading

current time: 22:08 pm

current mood: Tired

current activity: I wrote something for the first time in a couple weeks so shoutout to me

currently thinking about: When will I ever start to post this WIP, how I want to sleep for two days straight but I have plans tomorrow, oh shit I have laundry to put to dry

current favorite song: Rusalochki by Go_A

currently reading: Uuuuh fanfiction? No real time for reading

currently watching: Random youtube horror mini series I come across, also Prehistoric Planet because I love dinosaurs so much

current favorite character: What, like, singular favorite? I mean there's Genesis always, also I just got this beautiful Ardyn zine delivered and I'm remembering how much I love the problematic uncle

current WIPs: *eyes wip folder with fear*

Ok so there's the big extra self indulgent canon divergence ff7 fic I'm writing and I said I would start posting when I had wrote enough chapters in advance so that I wouldn't lose motivation two chapters in if I got no feedback. I'm at chapterrrr 27. I mean done it's 26. I'm writing 27. Maybe that's enough to start posting? I don't know lmao I don't want to disappear on hiatus

Oh and a Sefikura pokemon au. I've been touching that on and off for a year so whenever I get the motivation for it

Oh and this big ff15 daemon au - by which I mean daemons in the HDM sense, not the ff15 monster sense - that it's been sitting there since forever and I have to finish it some day. It's so damn long

And then a lot of random assorted one shots with extremely inspired wip titles such as "nursey nurse" or "tids"

Tagging @howdoistormspirit @duttfisch @jacko-shadow and whoever else wants to do it

[sparklecryptid]

Wings AU where everyone has a pair of wings. Unfortunately they are useless for anything more than gliding down or aiding in jumps, because physics.

Not that it stops people from repeating all those legends about how everyone in Solheim could fly like a bird and pointing to fading murals in ruins, despite all the historians agreeing that's it's just an artistic license.

(It's not)

(The secret to flight is magic and with less than dozen people worldwide having it, it's not surprising that the knowledge was lost)

(Enter one Ardyn Izunia, born barely handful of years after the Fall, whose mother made sure to give him a thorough education in all kinds of magic)

(Ace still doesn't like being thrown off of cliffs. Even if flying is awesome)

Ace eyes his uncle warily. It has been three years since Ardyn had begun to teach Ace how to properly control his magic but the relationship between the two of them remains on rocky ground. Ace is unable to forget what he had seen in his first life and Ardyn reluctant to let any affection form for someone descended from Somnus.

"Why are we here?" Ace eyes the gorge behind Ardyn suspiciously. "I hope you're not planning on throwing me off there. This part of the gorge is too high for me to survive the fall."

"Don't you and your friends go cliff diving all the time?" Ardyn's voice is too cheerful. "Just think of it like that."

"No," Ace says, "I don't think I will."

"Shame," Ardyn says, "This would be much easier if you did."

Ace takes a step back the same Ardyn takes a step forward.

They eye one another.

Ace bolts.

Ardyn throws a dagger at him and finishes the warp before Ace can get too far. With Ace in his clutches Ardyn then warps them directly over the gorge.

Ace takes a moment to realize that they aren't plummeting to their death before Ardyn smiles.

"Fuck you," Ace manages to hiss out before he's unceremoniously dropped.

(It takes seconds for Ace to figure out how to reinforce his wings with magic. It takes another instant for him to harness the energy of the petty bitch he is and swoop upward to crash into his uncle.

"That was unnecessary," Ardyn says as he stares into the gorge his hat got knocked into.

"I could set you on fire again," Ace threatens, "Don't test me."

"But dear," Ardyn's smile is sly and slightly unnerving, "It's so much fun.")

[ronkeyroo]

Know what I think is both sad and hilarious? If Verstael hadn't set Ardyn on the path of vengeance as well as absorb Infrit's memories.....he could have been a 2,000 year old hottie just roaming the world with the expression of "i'm so done with this shit". Just this cocktail of depression and a slight lack of empathy with a dash of "fuck off".

Like, "Oh, YOU think you go it bad?! Yes, tell me how you were literally backstabbed back your own brother who also killed your fiance and then turned everyone your ever helped against you to the point they threw rocks and crap at you before being dragged off onto an island where you were left in total isolation for CENTURIES only to be rescued by this short little blond shit speaking gibberish who won't stop poking and proding you in the name of science and war?"

"Ummmm....."

"That's what I thought." The proceeds to just down a bottle of wine before going out to sleep in his car.

He'd be that cynical uncle who has ptsd, depression, and conspiracy theories. Which is ultimately sad and just horrible but like...can you imagine the dialog with other people?!? 😂 Just this whole attitude of, "Oh we're in an apocalypse? Shiiit, drink up and smoke 'em it you got 'em. This is going to be one hell of a ride."

ANON YOU ARE SO RIGHT IT MIGHT AS WELL BE CANON holy FUCK.

Dude his past hurt and resonated with me so fucking much, im still heartbroken. He's been through such unjust shit,,i want to give him everything from the life that was stolen from him to therapy and self care and the meanest- heart cleansing bj for real

i CRINGED SO BADLY when Verst' found him, tortured and alone, after all those years, and literally used Ardyn's pain against him like that. Like If i were Ardyn, i'd still be hot on revenge even if i wasnt manipulated into it, especially after the unforgivable shit somnus pulled out of his ass, but verstael just threw gasoline in those wounds man. Motherfucker literally used him as a weapon for his own gain and I wish someone better was there to find him first...Imagine the POTENTIAL, muah, delicious.

This HC of Ardyn you shared with me is SO well fleshed out and accurate to his character that i can see it ANIMATED and HEAR IT IN HIS VOICE HGGHFNF. Like imagine that half drunk, half spiteful chug of wine at the end of his rant followed by a tipsy head tilt and a dissatisfied, squinting glare before turning away with a "hmph". UGH i love him. I love him in any way. I love him when he's trash jesus and when hes hobo man. Its awful that he suffers in like most of those AU's but i will love him through it all ANYWAYS.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS WONDERFUL BIT, I SHALL BE THINKING OF IT FOR TIME TO COME

[uncleardyn]

FFXV for the ask game :]

the main cast for this game is super strong and their friendship feels so genuine! there's a reason that despite the game's flaws, people still adore our boy band roadtrippers to this day, me included. i think the appeal of the game wouldn't be nearly as strong, nor the tragedy as great, if the four of them didn't have the energy of Guys Wanting To Hang Out.

also ARDYN IZUNIA THE GUY EVER HE IS IN THIS GAME AND I HAVE EXTREMELY NORMAL FEELINGS ABOUT HIM AND HIS ROLE AND HIS EVERYTHING I AM NORMAL ABOUT HIM. WHAT 5TH PARTY MEMBER UNCLE ARDYN AU I DONT HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT

[a-world-in-grey]

Sola/Little Nox Dissidia au

@raven-6-10 @secret-engima

The promised trainwreck under the cut!

The Citadel's been a wreck of tension ever since Spitfire and the prince went missing. Abyssus yowling fit to wake the dead brought the on-duty glaives running to find Sola's bed empty, phone still on her bedside table and all her shoes still in her closet, all signs pointing to an unwilling departure despite a clear absence of any sign of a struggle.

They'd raised the alarm, checking on the rest of the royal family and their retinue-

-and found Prince Noctis' bed as empty as his sister's.

Then, while Citadel security was swarming like a kicked anthill, spearheaded by a blackly furious Marshal and King's Shield looking for their godschildren, those guarding the Crystal had sounded the alarm.

Which is when they'd found their missing royals, via the Crystal putting out a hologram of the two like something from a bad science fiction movie.

Tredd hasn't gotten a decent night's sleep in four days.

If it's not the palpable worry radiating from the King racking up the tension, then it's the fact that the royal children have been summoned to a desolate world to participate in what's essentially a glorified death match on opposite teams, during which Prince Noctis is in nothing but his pajamas.

No one is ever again calling Sola's insistence on keeping her deployment bags in her armiger frivolous.

Though, if Tredd has to be completely honest, Sola's younger brother's lack  of proper attire is only a fraction of what's causing the tension. No, the bulk of it goes to Spitfire's newest Uncle and now youngest brother. The once-Chancellor of Niflheim and Captain's kid. Captain's kid who's apparently the Crown Prince's clone, created from a sample Niflheim stole how knows how many years back.

Luche had dipped out to make a phone call to Axis, because those are Arra braids in Ardyn and Nox's hair, and Axis had completely neglected to mention that his recent adoptees were Lucis Caelums, leaving Tredd to watch Axis' clansmen on this fucked-up version of reality TV.

Nyx has been teaching Spitfire the Ulric Dance ever since her Rage a few months back clued them all into the fact that Spitfire's as Sky-born as anyone can get without being an actual dragon - and seriously, Tredd is this close to shaking Nyx, the idiot needs to adopt her already, for Ramuh's sake - so he's in the room whenever he's not sleeping. Which means Libertus is also here, making sure Nyx does take the time to sleep because the last thing any of them need is the twitchy Ulric doing something Dumb, aided by Abyssus literally carrying Nyx out of the room when it's time to catch some shut eye.

Crowe's anxiously watching her girlfriend fight off various monsters and champions, fingers plucking at the rubber band Crowe's worn on her wrist ever since the Burning. This hadn't been how Sola and Crowe had wanted Sola's family to find out about that particular relationship, but Crowe had adamantly refused to be barred from the room for a second until Sola came back.

Luche, like Tredd, is there as Axis' braided brother, leaving the rest of the Fourth Regiment to attend in shifts depending who's on break, with Pelagia and her Third Regiment counterpart running everything because Captain is also busy watching this clusterfuck.

The Marshal's not left since the whole thing started - has he even slept? - but the King and Shield have to leave for short periods to make token appearances lest the entire country learn the royal children have disappeared into the ether. Gladiolus and Ignis have to be forced out of the room for their studies, which has apparently resulted in temper tantrums worthy of a Raging Sola, but the two young teens have yet to convince the King, Shield, or Marshal otherwise so the process repeats every day without fail.

Sola latching on to her new uncle and brother isn't a surprise. She's Sky-born, they do that. Especially because for all that the ex-Chancellor is clearly missing more than a few lines to his sails, he equally as clearly cares for and is protective of his niece and nephews, despite his distaste for Regis and Mors.

Were it not for the danger to her brothers, Sola would probably be having fun. The chance to cut loose against other skilled fighters? No one looming over her shoulder, scrutinizing her every action and deeming anything not up to their standards as 'monstruous'? Sola would have loved that in any other scenario.

But Spitfire has two brothers to protect, and Tredd swears under his breath when Sola assigns herself to Noctis and Nox's guard team, instead letting Ardyn join the strike team. The self-sacrificing dumbass.

"Care to explain that?"

Whoops.

Tredd cringes away from the Marshal's displeasure, silently thanking the Storm-Father that the King and Lord Amicitia are off in an unavoidable meeting with one of the Councilors.

"Sola is better suited on the strike team, sir." Luche says politely, before Tredd can stick his foot further in his mouth. "She's not usually charged with guard duties in the field."

The Marshal eyes them both severely. "Izunia is stronger than Sola." He says sourly. The revelation of the former Chancellor's heritage and all it's unpleasant implications hasn't been fun for anyone. "He can take a smaller strike team, freeing more people to guard Noctis and Nox." Unsaid is the fact that neither Sola nor Ardyn will leave the princes alone with strangers.

"Yes, sir." Luche demurs. That had been the argument Sola used to convince Ardyn.

(Tredd hadn't thought anyone could be more protective than Sola of her brothers, but Ardyn has her beat by a mile. Ifrit have mercy on whoever tries to harm either of the princes in the future, because Sola and Ardyn sure as Pyre won't, and Tredd doubts there'll be enough of the moron in question afterwards to scatter their ashes.)

Tactically, the assignments have merit. As Tredd exchanges a glance with an equally grim-faced Luche, he knows tactics aren't what they - or any of the glaives - are worried about.

Spitfire doesn't do defense. It's not a matter of skill. Tredd wouldn't be worried if it was, skill they can compensate for.

No, the issue is that Sola's a damn dragon of a Sword. Her first, second, and third instinct when dealing with threats is to kill it. She can't do that on defense - her priority has to be Noctis and Nox's safety, even if it means letting her target escape.

It's not impossible. Not when she's got help.

And yet Tredd can't shake the feeling that this isn't going to end any way but badly.

.

Tredd's right.

Two days later, everything goes to Ifrit's Pyre in a gift basket.

The strike team is away, trying to complete whatever the objective is that will send them all home.

(Ardyn is a force of destruction to contend with, tearing through enemies like they're tissue paper, making the King pale with an anguished epiphany he refused to share.)

The ambush catches everyone off guard. The strange dragon-like creatures swarm the protective detail. The healers push Nox and Noctis behind them, the champions better suited for close quarters combat struggling to keep the creatures off their more vulnerable companions.

In the commotion, Tredd doesn't see what sparks it, but he sure as Pyre sees when Spitfire loses it.

A low snarl rips from her throat, gaze and focus narrowing down on the threat in front of her.

Crowe swears. "Pyre-damn it all, someone back her up-"

But none of the other champions are watching Sola's back. They're too busy with their own battles, too busy keeping the kids safe. They don’t notice how Spitfire's been drawn away from the rest of the group, don't see the blind spot left vulnerable without a glaive or Abyssus there to cover her.

If Sola's family hadn’t known before, they've sure as Pyre realized it now. It's impossible to miss the glaives' reactions - Luche's grim certainty, Libertus' hand a physical restraint on Nyx's shoulder, Nyx's hands clenching and unclenching as he resists the useless instinct to grab his kukris and throw, Crowe's snarling at people who cannot hear, the way every muscle in Tredd's frame coils as he fights off the Fury rising like a wave-

-and crests, as Spitfire staggers, the attack she doesn't see ripping through her. Magic erupts throughout the room as Sola's eyes widen and her face twists in an agonized cry that has no breath to voice.

Sola hits the ground, and Nox s c r e a m s.

Ghostly weapons tear through the remaining creatures, a constant stream of light and steel that is nothing like any armiger they've seen. Champions startle as weapons pass through them harmlessly only to shred the creatures around them, until nothing remains.

The healers rush to Sola's side, but even from here, Tredd can see that it's bad. Really bad - he doesn't know if Spitfire's going to make it even with three healers and her own regeneration trying to save her life.

There's another burst of magic and Ardyn arrives, terrified and protective - Nox's magic must have alerted him, but Tredd doesn't know what the ex-Chancellor can do that the healers can't, Lucis Caelum magic just doesn't heal…

Ardyn takes in Nox, boneless with exhaustion and sobbing in Noctis' hold. Noctis, trying to keep it together. The champions doing their best to shield them from where Sola is laying on the ground between the healers.

(None of them can see it in the blue of the Crystal's hologram, how Sola is too pale against the shock of red hair haloed around her face, nearly indistinguishable from the blood staining the grass.)

Something in Ardyn's spine steels. He strides forward, ignoring the champions' attempts to keep him back, shedding his upper layers before he kneels and gathers Sola against his bare chest.

(The scars hit Tredd like a sucker punch. They've all seen some gnarly scars, no one survived the Burning unscathed, but these… these are torture scars. Torture scars and death blows and the glowing sigil of the royal family that can't be anything other than a brand.)

(The King is white as a sheet. Tredd wants to throw up. Parents are supposed to support you, not… not this.)

(Six, no wonder Axis kept Ardyn and Nox's heritage a secret. That Ardyn is able to trust and care for any of his Kin is astounding.)

It's not until magic rises from Ardyn's skin that Tredd realized what's happening. That he realizes what the tint of the Crystal's magic had disguised. But he's seen Spitfire heal others dozens of times out in the field, he recognizes this shaping of magic, and Ardyn is so much stronger than Spitfire-

It doesn't make it any easier to watch as Ardyn's skin splits, his blooding pouring out to join Sola's painting the ground. Doesn't make it any easier to watch as his wounds close, Ardyn gasping and trembling from more than just pain as he curls over his healed but unconscious niece, even as Noctis and Nox barrel in to comfort him.

Tredd's almost relieved when the Marshal turns to them and demands, "What the fuck just happened?"

As one, every glaive turns to Nyx. He's the only Chief present, he's the only one who can make the decision to share Galahdian lore with Outsiders as he has been with Sola.

Nyx stares a few moments longer at Sola's too-still form, hands flexing. Finally, he turns to face the Marshal and the King, expression dark as a thunderstorm. "We call it the Draconian's Rage."

"We?" The King's eyes are sharp. Tredd thinks he sees something of the warrior the King must have been when he visited Galahd twenty years ago.

"Galahd. The Draconian and the Infernian weren't the only Astrals to Bless humans. The magic disappeared long before the time of the Founder, but we still Remember." Nyx glances back to where the healers are fussing over Sola and Ardyn and Nox. "You have the Draconian's Blessing. But the Draconian isn't human."

Nyx turns back to the King, storm-blue locking with armiger-blue. "The Astrals aren't human, and sometimes their Blessed aren't either."

The King's lips thin. "You're saying my daughter isn't human." Treading on dangerous ground - the King's never taken kindly to the rumors painting Sola a monster.

"Physically, she is." Nyx says, steady as the cliffs against the storm-swept tides. "In her soul? Her instincts? She's no more human than I am."

That startles the King. "You are-?"

"Ramuh's. Storm to Sola's Sky."

There were rumors that the Ulrics were Ramuh's Blessed. Coeurl-Kin. Shape-changers and Wind-Walkers and as Black as the storms in their souls.

Tredd never thought he'd hear the rumors confirmed. This is Clan History. Private Clan History only ever shared with Clan Allies. If that.

"We thought you knew." Tredd says, trying to buy some leeway for Nyx. Tredd can't reveal that he's also not-quite human. Not without his Chief's permission. He might be able to get away with telling Sola - it's only a matter of time before she joins the Clans - but King Regis? Tredd would be in serious trouble. "You have thousands of years of history. Family customs as unique as any of ours." Customs catering specifically to those non-human instincts, Tredd doesn't say.

Tredd suspected otherwise after Sola's Rage in HQ. Sola didn't know anything about her Rages, only that she'd get so angry she couldn't think beyond needing to kill something. She was terrified that she'd try to kill anyone near her, hence her retreating somewhere secluded until she could regain control over herself. When she'd come out of her Rage to find Nyx and Tredd at the end of her weapons, injured but otherwise in one piece, she'd been horrified that she might have tried to kill them.

She hadn't known that she wouldn't. That even in the deepest Rage, her instincts would recognize the difference between hers and threat. Sola would never harm an innocent bystander. Not on purpose. Not unless they provoked her first.

So Tredd had suspected. He didn't want to believe it - how could the Lucis Caelums not have any information of the Draconian's Blessed? He knows Mainlanders don't keep Tales like the Clans do, but they do keep records! Sola cannot be the first Lucis Caelum to be Skyborn!

But no. The royal family has no clue.

What a mess.

"What does that mean for Sola?" The Marshal asks while the King processes Nyx's revelation.

"She's protective." Crowe says. Tredd snorts at the understatement of the century. "She'll react violently to anything threatening her Claimed. Lethally, if she can - Skyborn don't like leaving threats alive to try again."

"Prince Noctis and Nox are her only vulnerable Claimed. Prince Nox has his uncle to protect and care for him, which will satisfy Sola's instincts." Because nothing short of an Astral will be able to get past Ardyn to harm Nox, and even then Tredd would still put his money on Ardyn. "But Sola's Sword to Prince Noctis, and the oldest and strongest of his Retinue. She's his primary protector. Not being allowed or able to kill anything threatening him will stress her instincts."

The Marshal grimaces, glancing at the King and Shield. Tredd wonders if he's thinking about how Sola came to join the Kingsglaive. She'd eventually told them the circumstances behind her joining their training, one night out on deployment. Knowing now that Sola's Skyborn, that was a really Stupid decision on the King's part, banning Sola from protecting her disabled brother. The King was lucky Sola didn't try to sneak out of Insomnia after them.

"When she's under a lot of stress, she'll lose her grasp of human language." Tredd tells them. Tredd's never had that happen to him, but he also knows that as far as Seaborn instincts go, his are fairly tame. Sola, unfortunately, is way out on the extreme end of the scale. "Sign language she can comprehend, and that empathic thing she does with her magic. She'll lose her words before she Rages, so if it's that bad don't bother talking to her. She won't hear it."

Another glance between Sola's relatives. Six, how many signs had they missed?

Tredd determinedly ignores it. "When she's Raging, either give her space to work through it or spar with her. Sola won't hold back, but she won't try to kill you. But if you need to step out of the fight, make it physically clear that you surrender. Weapons away, hands down and open, on your knees and throat bared if you have to."

The King frowns. "That seems… dangerous."

"Not with Sola." Nyx says before Tredd's temper leads him to say something snarky and unwise to the King. "She'll always recognize her own."

"Shit's starting up again." Luche suddenly says.

Everyone turns back to the Crystal, conversation tabled.

For now.

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

Out of curiosity - you've written Dreams au for Prompto and Ardyn kickstarting the Reunion, plus the Gladio version that became canon.

But what about Ignis? How would the verse where he finds Noctis first look like?

Not gonna lie. This one had me stumped. I never considered that Ignis might be the first to find Noctis (my mistake) and so didn't even have an incling about how it might happen. Until about half an hour ago, that is, when an idea fell from the sky. Or my shower head. Depending on the point of view.

(I wrote this really fast, so it doesn't fit stylistically into the Deep City verse. When I have time, I'll try to write a 'proper' version.)

***

You could say this starts around Noctis's 17th birthday. Ignis hasn't been doing well. Not at all. His friendship with Gladio is splintering like rotten wood and his uncle as been... distant lately.

Ignis does his best to bury his worries with work, but that's only helping so much. What with his work now being a glorified secretary for whatever ministry, board or committee will have him at the time. Still, Ignis does his best. What else can he do?

So, that one fateful day, on Noctis's 17th birthday, when the hurt is rubbed fresh and raw again and there is no work for him to do...

Ignis bakes.

He tries, once again his best, to recreate that one sweet pastry from Tenebrae Noctis liked so much and Ignis could never get right. Once he's done, he goes outside and somehow finds himself in a park in a working class area. Later, he will think is has been fate.

Right now, he doesn't care, strangely glad for being outside his usual haunts, and unpacks the pastries he has brought.

Their taste is warm and creamy and so sweet Ignis can practically feel his teeth rotting in his mouth. Was that the right taste? he wonders and hates that he will not get an answer.

"Yer usin' the wrong types of berry," an old, creaky voice says behind him.

Ignis whirls around and whom he finds fits the voice very well. It's an old woman, bent and with wrinkles deeper than he has ever seen. Her hands are bony and full of spots. Her dress looks more like it's been made from patches than proper fabric. The smell of freshly baked bread hits Ignis's nose.

"Excuse me?" he asks.

"Tha' pastry o' yer's," she says in the strangest accent Ignis has ever heard. "Them berries're too sweet. Yer'll need them from northern Ulwaat. T's colder there, so they need ta be more hardy. 'Too sweet' tha' prince o' yers would say."

Ignis feels ice cold dread creep up his spine. Does this woman know Noctis? Does she have soemthing to do with his disappearance?

"Now, now laddie. Get those thoughts outta yer head. Ah'm simply following the fire to where it'll lead me."

"What...?"

"Fire, laddie. It knows ye got to play a part in the storm ta come, and it likes ye. So Ah'll make sure ye know wha' ta do once the time is right."

"I'm afraid I do not know what you are talking about, Maselle. Excuse me, I have work to do."

Ignis turns around, intend to leave the obviously mentally unstable old crone behind him, but her next words make him stop.

"None o' tha', Ignis Scientia. There's no work waitin' for ye today. Yer uncle is teachin' yer cousin Paxil in the hopes he'll not be a disappointment, an' yer friend'll not get a diagnosis fer his sister t'day."

Slowly Ignis turns around. "Are you threatening me?" he asks, low and dangerous. One hand his inconspicuously reaching for the dagger he never goes without these days.

"Ye can leave tha' dagger where it is, laddie. Ah'm not threatening ye, simply sayin' things how they are."

"How do you know all this?" Ignis finds himself asking through the fog in his mind.

"The fire, laddie. Once ye know how ta listen, it'll never stop tellin' ye things," the crone says and waves her hand in a way that makes it clear that she wishes for him to follow. "Come," she says. "Ah'll show ye."

And against his better judgement - and the usually so large, but now tiny rational voice in his head baring warnings at him - he follows.

Nearly three years later, he stares at the fire burning between his fingers, and follows it's call deep into the ancient bowels of the city.

[andywinter16]

AU! Lost heritage part. 1

-  Aera and Ardyn had a child (his name was Cadfael), not even Somnus knew about him

-  due intervention of Bahamut, Ardyn still was trapped at Angelgard as Adagium and Aera died

- their son was raised in secrecy by their most trusted friend, who lived in place which would be a future Tenebrae

- so it´s placed in the modern day era of Eos around the time of Ardyn DLC when he´s going to Insomnia kill Regis

- there are descendants of those two - Miriam and her younger sister Brienne (both of them came from Tenebrae)

-  Both have a magical aptitude, Bri just showed it much sooner 

- Both sisters lives together in small flat in Lower Insomnia (Little Galadh)

- Obviously hiding their magic, because whoever showes inclination to it is tested for Royal Guards ( future Kingsglaive), and Miri doesn´t want to risk their lives for someone who doesn´t care. Also the training is brutal, it´s not uncommon that recruits often die.

- Miriam fully activated her powers when she healed Bri´s injuries from school (bullies, obvi)

- Ardyn accidentaly discovered them when he was trashing Insomnia (call it six sense or whatever)

- is intrigued by them, and stayed in Insomnia for some time (definitively went to Miriam´s job)

- befriends Bri, she started call him uncle Ardy after he helped her teach lesson to her bullies

- when Miri discovered that Ardyn went after her sister, she called him pervert and wanted to maul him

- driven by emotions it made her magic hayware and Crystal of Lucis started reacting (that´s how Regis figured out something is amiss and sends out remaining Royal Guards)

- Ardyn took both girls to safety and shared memories with them, because he wanted them  to understand

[charlottedabookworm]

Soooo, if Noctis and Prompto time-travelled because they died near/in the Citadel at approx. the same time, and Ardyn also died there at the time. . .

Well, I'm not saying that Ardyn found himself in the past, but imagine an AU, ok? Butterflies everywhere as Uncle Crazy wakes up and realises what happened.

sooooo

i can’t say much because plot

however i will say that prom and noct being in the citadel had very little to do with them being yeeted back

(the timing of their deaths waa very important though)

but yeeee slightly less insane uncle ardyn in the past with them would be very funny but it’d also drive these poor boys even more insane. oh we died and ended up in the past, great. except now shit is different (cos ardyn) so we’re worried we’re in a alternate universe fuuuuuck

prom and noct now have extra trauma to run away from instead of process