#when it comes to ulixes we just simply do not know

[weepylucifer]

sometimes i think it would actually be kind of funny if Ulixes is from a relatively well off family and he gets all "ougghbg my working class boy 😩💦" about Steban

[luxandauroris]

Thus the Journey of the Vessel Begins.

[ “You were born a child of light’s wonderful secret— you return to the beauty you have always been.” ― Aberjhani ]

“You want to what now?” Prompto asked in disbelief.

“I want to go and investigate the fort to the east of here.” Delphine said, sat around the dwindling campfire with her four companions. “It’s not one of Aldercapt’s units, but I swear I’ve seen that symbol somewhere before.”

Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose. “We really should make haste for Caem, Cid is waiting for us and-“

“I know, Ignis.” Delph interrupted. “I wouldn’t have even mentioned going if I wasn’t sure it was worth investigating.”

“Hey,” Noctis said, turning to Ignis. “It could be useful for working out any Nif secrets…”

Delphine turned to Noctis and flashed him a grateful smile, one which he returned eagerly.

“You would side with her…” Ignis muttered. “Fine, I know better than to argue with you when you have your sights set on something so deeply. We’ll leave at nightfall, but you’re the one who has to incur the wrath of Cid when we eventually get back to Caem.”

“Fine by me.” Delph agreed, causing Gladio to chuckle beside her.

Three hours later, and the group were preparing to head out as the sun set over the lands of Lucis. As Delph was sharpening her spear, she felt a presence behind her, turning round to see a familiar blond head of hair settling down beside her. He rest his head on her shoulder, as he had come to do so often since they had departed on this crazy journey.

“Do you ever think about the people from back home?” Prompto asked, looking over the horizon.

“Sometimes.” Delph replied, voice quiet. “The usual been on your mind again?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I… really miss her.”

The dark-haired woman had to hold back tears which were threatening to spill. Miel had been on her mind a lot since she had finally received a reply to the text she had sent a few days ago. She was fairly sure Prompto had cried when she showed him the messages, seeing Miel not believing that he wanted to see her…

“You really love her, don’t you?” She asked.

“More that I can say.” Prompto chuckled.

“Next time you see her, tell her.”

Prompto turned to face his friend, wide eyed but nodding all the same. Delph didn’t know if he would actually do it, but the thought being in his mind was enough for her for now. She hadn’t gotten the guts to tell Miel how she felt all those years ago, and the last thing she wanted was for Prompto to go through the same anguish she had. He was so much more open with her, so much more suited to her than she was, and the way he looked at her, it made Delph’s heart sing, seeing her two closest friends so happy.

“Didn’t you love her… once?” Prom asked, eyes full of curiosity.

Delphine laughed. Not a malicious one, an airy one, looking back on a past memory that she was extremely fond of. “I’ll always hold her dear in my heart, Prom, but… she’s yours. I accepted that a long time ago.”

Prompto nodded, pulling Delph to him in what could be seen as an act of thanking her. He valued Delphine and her friendship so much, she was what kept the boys from constantly being at each other’s throats, what kept Gladio from being too overbearing during training, the only person Ignis trusted to cook other than himself, and Noct - well, Noct was another matter entirely when it came to Delphine Auroris. Not that she knew, or that she would ever know.

Before either of the two could ponder their thoughts further, a cough came from behind them. They separated, seeing Gladio stood there, all prepped to head over to their mission. “We’re ready, let’s go.”

The pair nodded, standing up and gathering their gear. Delphine took a deep breath, mentally readying herself for another infiltration, unaware of what awaited she and her friends on the other side of the tall, looming walls.

The plan of action was simple enough – infiltrate, explore, extract. The group had gotten past the first line of defence pretty swiftly (thank the lord for warp-kills), were now making their way through the facility. Prompto, Noctis, and Delphine stuck to the left, heading for an office building, whereas Ignis and Gladio scouted out the weapons area.

Delphine still hadn’t been able to identify the fort flag, the symbol was striking up a memory within her, she just didn’t know which one. There had been no names anywhere, either, so she was at a loss. She shook the thought from her mind as her group reached the building, Prompto granting them entry with a keycard he’d swiped from one of the guards.

“What exactly is it that we’re looking for?” Noctis asked, rooting through a cabinet.

“Anything which gives us an idea of who these guys are, and what their plans are.” Delphine replied, heading over to what looked like the main desk in the room. She tried each drawer, but it wouldn’t budge no matter how hard she pulled. She didn’t want to break it, otherwise whoever owned this place would know someone had been in there.

Instead, she moved to what appeared to be a tray of folders. Opening one, she saw mission details for a raid on Galahd, effectively planning to destroy the place, with ‘MISSION SUCCESSFUL’ stamped across the top in large, red letters. She scanned the page with haste, looking for a name, a group, anything that would tell her who was responsible. She turned page after page with no luck. On the final page in the document, however, was a photo. It was specifications for a catapult, extremely intricate and bound to destroy anything it set its sights on. The name on the side, however, caused Delph’s stomach to drop.

No.

No.

Not him.

Please.

No…

“H-hey, Delph?” Prompto asked, voice shaking as he studied the folder in his hand. “What were your parents’ names again?”

Oh no.

“Carina and Amanitus.” Delphine replied, tone void of emotion.

“Wait…” Noctis interjected. “I know those names, they were two of Dad’s most skilled Glaives.”

“They were, yes.” Delph replied. “And I’m guessing that Prompto is currently holding the report of the raid they were involved in on General Ulixes twelve years ago, the night they died.”

“Uh, yeah. I-”

“The same general, as it would happen, who I would guess runs the very fort we’re stood in.”

“Delph, wai-”

She was out the door before Prompto could finish, eyes alight with a flame which had been burning for twelve years too long.

“DELPHINE! FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS WOULD YOU WAIT!” Ignis cried, sprinting to catch up to her as she stormed through the area.

“I’ve waited for twelve years, Ignis, that’s more than long enough.” She replied, voice harsh as she stormed ahead.

Ahead of her was a large courtyard, where she hoped to get a better idea of where the bastard might be. And if he wasn’t here, well, she could tear up his shit instead. The boys were clearly concerned and scared simultaneously, but she pushed them to the back of her mind for the moment as she charged forwards. That is, until a firm grip pulled her back.

“Get off, Gladio.”

“What exactly are you hoping to do here?” He growled. “We have no plan of attack, no back-up for if things go wrong, it’s a death trap.”

“I’ll be fine.” Delph protested, moving to walk again.

At that moment, a large spotlight flashed into life, glaring down onto the group. Delphine squinted as her eyes adjusted to the light, before spotting a figure perched on the top of one of the nearby towers.

“My my my, what have we here?” An unsettling voice shouted. “Could it be the heir of Lucis, in MY fort?”

Gladio moved to stand in front of Noctis. “Who are you?” He roared.

“Why, I am General Velinus Ulixes. General of the Niflheim forces and weapons contractor.”

He had whispy black hair which hung around his hollowed face, making him look like a ghost. His face was set into a permanent sneer, spindly fingers gripping the barrier of the balcony he was stood upon. His uniform was decked in platinum metal, shining under the harsh lights above. Delphine growled, readying herself to summon her spear when the situation presented itself.

“What’s this? You brought a pretty girl along with you?” He asked, leaning over the railing slightly. “She’ll make for plenty of fun later, looks like the type to enjoy that sort of thing.”

“HEY.” Noctis and Prompto yelled, getting themselves into their own combat stance.

“Trust me, old man, I want nothing to do with you.” Delphine retorted, seeing more red with each second that passed.

The sounds of soldiers approaching didn’t go unnoticed by the group, all conjuring their weapons simultaneously. Delphine gripped her spear tightly, ready to launch it at a moment’s notice.

“Oh but why so aggressive, beautiful one?” He chortled. “It doesn’t suit you.”

“Why would I want anything to do with the man who killed my family?” Delph snarled. At a lack of response from the General, she continued. “You don’t even remember them, do you?”

“I’ve killed a lot of people in my time, sweetheart.” He shrugged. “But I’m bored of you now. Attack!”

Guards came at them from all sides. Bullets flew, swords clashed, it was chaos. Delphine utilised every skill she had learned throughout her fighting career, her training, everything came together to eliminate as many of these guards as she could, while keeping an eye on Ulixes to make sure he wouldn’t escape.

He didn’t move. He simply stood, watching. Waiting.

The guards were down to their last few. As Delphine plunged her spear into the heart of an MT, she noticed Ulixes had finally started to move, producing something from behind him. Was that a crossbow? It looked like it, and a big one at that. He perched the device on his shoulder, taking aim on the battlefield at the first person he set his eyes on.

Delph’s legs moved faster than she ever thought possible.

And then there was pain.

Blinding, absolute, pain.

Then nothing.

At the sound of an arrow right behind him, Prompto turned around just in time to see Delphine’s body hit the floor. An arrow was protruding from her chest, almost like an insult to the rest of their group. His mind went numb, the only thing he focused on was eliminating the last of these damned guards so he could get to her, so he could make sure she was okay.

Noctis raged, summoning the armiger and blasting through any guard he set his sights on. This hadn’t happened. This couldn’t happen. She was fine, she was fine… At last, the guards were down, laying in heaps on the floor of the courtyard.

And among them, lay Delphine.

The group sprinted over to her, Noctis laying her head in his lap while Ignis checked her pulse. Prompto looked to Ignis with hopeful eyes while Gladio gently tried shaking the woman, but to no avail. Ignis shook his head lightly. Her eyes were clouded, no longer sparkling with a lust for adventure, with the delight that she was so well-known for.

She was gone.

“You know, I think I do remember her parents now.” Ulixies sneered. “They died the same way, protecting people they cared about.”

“SHUT UP!” Noctis and Gladio yelled, tears pricking their eyes.

She couldn’t be gone. Their Delphine, their warrior, the cockiest yet sweetest woman they’d ever met… Noctis’ mind flashed back to memories of school, of hours spent at Delphine’s house working on stupid projects that wouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, of being entranced by her smile and her laugh, exploring Insomnia together and making places their own, knowing he could trust her no matter what, enjoying every moment he spent with her.

Gladio thought of her quick wit, how she was always able to find a silver lining in any situation. How she was hot-headed, but sensible (most of the time), the challenge she posed when the two duelled, playing off one another in order to work out the other’s weaknesses, emotional conversations under starlight, everything.

Ignis’ mind was blank. He was seeing red himself. One of their group had been taken in the act of trying to bring justice. His friend, his sister, was gone. His fists clenched at his side, this wasn’t how things were supposed to go. They were meant to meet up at cafés long into the future and laugh about this journey when it was all over, not mourn.

Prompto still had her hand in his. She was still warm, bittersweetly. He thought of the days the two of them and Miel would sneak out of school and head to the arcade, wasting the time but having the time of their lives all at once. Hours spent talking about life problems and helping one another to be their best selves, supporting her as she fought her way to the top. Oh god, Miel… What would she say? She’d be in bits… He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it gently before placing it on her chest, just below where the arrow still stood.

He rose slowly, drawing his weapon. “I’ll kill him.”

The others joined him, standing beside him. Ready to avenge the woman who brought them so much joy.

That is, until the light hit.

So this is death…

Delphine had never known what to expect when she died, few do.

It was so dark.

So empty.

She felt as though she was floating, drifting away to join her parents and godfather – wherever they were now. She could see a faint light in the distance, growing larger with each second. That must have been her final destination, she supposed.

She didn’t regret jumping in front of the arrow, no way. It saved Prompto. That was all she wanted, for those she loved to be safe. She just hoped that Ulixes was dead by now.

The light finally reached her, and she closed her eyes, embracing the warmth it brought with it. But there was no shift in consciousness, no sudden alertness. She still felt just as drained as she had done before. But now, she could feel… grass? Was she in a field? Opening her eyes, she sat up to find that yes, she was in a field. A field filled with delphiniums, conveniently enough.

She stood up, noting that she was barefoot now. Her clothes had changed, too. Instead of her tattered jacket and jeans, she was wearing a short-sleeved dress, white in colour which came to her knees. As she moved, the flowers seemed to part, forming a path for her to follow. Tentatively, she began to walk along it, taking in all the sights, smells, and sensations along the way.

Where was she?

Why was no one else here?

Delphine could see a throne in the distance, lined with the same delphiniums which lay along the ground. Atop the throne sat a woman, one of the most beautiful women Delphine had ever seen. She had long, blonde hair which fell past her feet, and a gown which was made from the finest silk, with two wings fanning outwards behind her. An angel? Her face was soft, kind, welcoming. She smiled as the young warrior approached, sensing her nervousness.

“Young Delphine, there is no need to be afraid.” She said, voice soothing.

“W-where am I?” Delphine asked.

“You are in a place between life and death, where decisions are made and fates aligned.”

Delphine’s eyes widened. Fates aligned? What did that mean?

“Allow me to introduce myself.” The woman continued. “For I am the Goddess Eos, Protector of the Planet and Ruler of the Astrals.”

Delphine immediately dropped to one knee, bowing before Eos. “Please, forgive me. I had no idea.”

Eos laughed. “Stand, my child. There is no need to bow before me.”

Delph nodded before rising slowly. She tried to appear composed, but internally her mind was screaming. What on Eos (ha, that was ironic now) was going on?

“If you don’t mind my asking, Goddess Eos,” Delph began. “What exactly am I doing here?”

“Ah yes, of course.” Eos said, rising from her seat. She began to circle Delphine. But she didn’t walk, she appeared to glide, moving with such grace and elegance that Delph found herself getting slightly light-headed. “You have heard the stories of the Vessels of the Astrals, correct?”

“I…” Delph said. “Yes, but I assumed they were just stories?”

Eos shook her head. “They are all true, dear one.” She moved to stand in front of Delphine, taking her hands. “I have brought you here to ask that you be my vessel, to bring justice and honour to a planet which is dwindling into extreme dismay.”

Delphine studied the eyes of the woman before her, there was no hint of malice, of deceit. All the stories were true, and here she was about to embark on one of her own. Her breathing sped up, panic starting to take over her as she thought about what this could mean.

“I, um, why me?” She asked, concern and fear clouding her features.

“You’ll know.” Eos said simply. “When the time comes, you will understand.”

“But- But what if I can’t do it?”

“You will, I wouldn’t have chosen you otherwise.” Eos said, smiling. “I have the upmost faith in you, Delphine Auroris. The light which you bring to the lives of so many must continue to shine.”

Delphine paused for a moment. If she accepted this offer, she could be reunited with everyone again. Prompto, Ignis, Gladio, Noctis, Miel… She could come back. She would have a job to do and a calling to fulfil, but she could come back.

“You will,” Eos said, interrupting her thoughts, “be granted all powers I have at my disposal. The elements will be yours to command, these wings yours to take to the sky. I will, essentially, meld myself with you.”

Delphine gulped, this was a huge responsibility. She took a few minutes to think about her choices before lifting her head to look at Eos again, face steady and determined.

“Have you made a decision, young one?” She asked.

Delphine nodded, sure that this was what she wanted to do.

A warm light began to fill her chest, and she closed her eyes once again. She felt… powerful, like she could do anything she put her mind to with ease. Energy flowed throughout her body, and she felt the world grow dark again, her spirit rising with each passing second. She thought of her friends, her family, willing her on, supporting her through anything and everything. A cold chill hit her face, wind. She could hear several voices shouting below her, four in joy and one in anger.

She opened her eyes.

Delphine Auroris, Vessel of Eos, was reborn.

She raised her hand, not quite sure what she expected to happen but willing it nonetheless. She would have to practice, she knew that, but for now, instinct was all that mattered. She aimed her hand at Ulixes, eyes stern, calculating, prepared. A blast of light shot out, hitting him square in the chest as he screamed.

Dead.

Gone.

Her family avenged.

His scheme, his glee at killing once again, foiled.

She slowly lowered herself to the ground, feeling two weights on her back as she adjusted to the feeling of wings present there. The air around her felt sharp, electric, and she breathed it in willingly. The arrow was gone, she noticed, all that remained was a scar.

Delphine looked up into the faces of the four men she had dreamed of seeing again, noting mixed emotions on their faces. Joy, disbelief, mild fear… all to be expected. But she was happy. So, so happy to be with them once again.

“Well,” Prompto said, mouth agape. “You certainly have some explaining to do.”