Sorry for the wait guys, just kind of uninspired for this story, at the moment, but the conclusion is near so I'm going to get these last few chapters out.
I thought I could wrap it all up by next chapter, and I can, but I added another chapter as the epilogue so now it'll be ending by the 26th chapter.

(Please note I changed the tense in this chapter to past, mostly cause it's faster for me to write and with less mistakes so be aware of that)

SORRY AGAIN FOR THE WAIT

Chapter 24

And Prompto did, he did explain everything to Regis, Clarus and Cor. He sat in a room his hands un-cuffed, but guards closely watching. He told them about his upbringing and how he'd been born his father's child, but how he hadn't been wanted. How he was supposed to become an MT soldier and had been trained from birth but was far too weak. He then explained how he was put up for experimentation, and he was seen as useless. Except Ardyn had the plan to use him, to turn him into the fake Prince so their country could attack Insomnia.

Right now Niflheim was on Lucis borders, patrolling, sending MT's through cities and roads. They were making their way to the barrier; the crystal was what they wanted.

"There's a ch. . .anc. ..e," Prompto said, his voice stuttering. "That when I die, I could cause a chain reaction, deactivating the crystal." He crossed his fingers together.

Prompto wasn't sure on the accuracy of this point, but he knew that that was a possibility, that the chance the emperor wouldn't use his body for just simple experiments, there had to be more from that black pill. And Prompto knew there was.

Regis leaned back, he sat down, and stroked at his chin. He seemed to be taking everything in, how everything had been planned from the get-go, how Niflheim had probably never wanted any treaty. They were only after the two countries, wanting to devour the bright land for their own. A land with prominent sunshine.

Gripping his knees Prompto could feel the area around him stumble. He'd taken the pill today, but after the momentary comfort it had made things worse. He was worse. He didn't have long left. So maybe explaining everything now was for the best.

"Prompto," Regis said, he didn't use a title this time. "Thank you for telling us everything."

The blonde looked up, his eyes locking with Regis. He looked less like a king now and more like a father, it seemed justifiable. Maybe he was seeing Prompto more like he saw Noctis, or maybe like the teenager he was supposed to have been before he'd gotten involved.

Regis crossed his hands over one another. He offered a sigh. "This is certainly a precarious situation."

Clarus nodded. "Indeed, but I don't believe that the boy is lying."

Cor coughed, "Sir if I may," he said interrupting. "I don't believe that Prompto would lie, not in the state he is in now."

Prompto felt Cor gently touch his shoulder. It was strange having the man be on his side, take his defense, and want to help him. Like a friend.

"That indeed Cor, but there still remains the fact that Prompto is an enemy combatant. Whether this be unintentional or not—we can't afford to just sit here."

"So you'll kill him?" Cor said, his voice sounding a little furious. "Don't you get that's what the Nif's want, they expect us to kill Prompto and that it in the process will lower our defenses."

Sighing Regis tapped scooted back, getting out of his seat. He walked over to the window, he looked out on the city. "You see this city Prompto," Regis said, his voice was calm. "I need to protect it, and all of Lucis—my son Noctis does to, the crown prince."

"I understand," Prompto said.

Regis turned. "I don't think you do though, you willingly came into Insomnia with the knowledge of what was about to happen. You did not warn, you did not try and even stop yourself from entering inside. It's as if you wanted to let yourself die coming here. To fulfill Niflheim's wish."

Biting his lip Prompto took a deep breath. "I just wanted to see Noctis again," Prompto said, he let his voice drift off a bit. "I just. . .he's my only friend, and I was going to die anyway. It was selfish I know, but I. . .I didn't have anywhere else and I. . .wanted to see Insomnia."

Regis tapped his cane. "And in the process you risked all of Insomnia! All of Lucis!"

"Your highness," Cor interrupted, he slammed his fingers down lightly. "You're being too harsh on the boy. He's only a child."

Regis frowned. "He is the son of our bitter enemies, and despite the trauma, Prompto could have acted differently." Regis turned to look toward the group. "And now we are on the brink of war."

Pushing back his chair, Clarus walked over to Regis. "There is a solution to this." All four men looked at one another. "We simply save the fake prince."

Prompto sat silently, his eyes glued to the looks the two Insomnia citizens were giving each other. Cor inched closer in. "Save Prompto, save him from death and they lose their reason to attack."

Clarus nodded. "Niflheim intends to take Insomnia with no resistance from its citizens, with the help of others proclaiming us as the bad guy. However if we find a way to not let Prompto die, if we can save him from death and have him make a public appearance, then maybe just maybe we can get the forces to fall back."

Regis frowned. "Even if the boy makes an appearance, and we hand him over as soon as he leaves the city it's possible he could die or disable our crystal barrier."

"So we save him," Cor said. "We save Prompto, and in turn give Lucis a fighting chance. We stop the war before it even starts."

Prompto hated the fact they were all speaking like he wasn't in the room, but he also saw the general hope for him if things continued.

"It will be costly, and will have to move quickly. There's no guarantee the boy will survive either." Regis tapped his cane to the ground. "However, I do believe you get a small say in this Prompto."

Pushing his chair back Prompto wished he could make himself grow smaller. But he'd lost that opportunity, in fact right now he had to do what was right. "If I stay as I am, I'm going to die." Prompto clasped his hands over one another. "Either I pass the crystal barrier and die, or I let this poison seeping through me kill me." Prompto squeezed his hands. "At most I probably have a few days, the number of pills I have though, have already started shutting my body down, so even I can't rely on those."

Prompto frowned. "My death will give Niflheim the all clear to attack Insomnia, and it will deactivate your crystal barrier— but I don't want that. I don't want Noctis's city to be taken over by a country who believes murder and child experimentation is an end goal." Jaunting his heel down, Prompto gave a sigh. "So please no matter what you must do, find a way to prolong my life long enough so I can be handed over to Niflheim." Prompto heard the sound of rain starting outside. It seemed the sun disappeared even in this country sometimes.

"Are you sure Prompto, our scientist will have to go to efforts that could be painful," Cor said, those his voice echoed the truth. That there was no other option.

King Regis came forward toward Prompto. Prompto got out of his chair, realizing when he stood up he was a little taller than the king. "It seems you're giving us control over deciding your fate."

Going on one knee Prompto bowed his head. "Please King Regis, I want to make this right. So allow me to at least record a message of sorts, a backup plan in case I perish within the coming days." Prompto gripped his knee. "So even if the barrier falls, the country of Lucis knows it is Niflheim in the wrong."

The king nodded.

Prompto kept his head bowed. "And if you would, I'd like to see Noctis one more time. . .one more time before you start experimenting with finding a way to fix me." And perhaps die.

Prompto knew the truth though; the odds of the scientist here finding a way to help him were slim, slim indeed. They would try, but Prompto knew he'd probably die soon. He'd always accepted that, he'd accepted the idea coming here, but Regis was right. Prompto should have stopped himself; if he knew he was going to die he should have done the honourable thing. Or at the very least, told Luna and gotten her help. Instead things had grown far too bad.

"I will allow one last visit with my son before we begin the experiments. But he must be under watch by both Gladiolous and Ignis, along with Cor— as I do not trust you alone with him." King Regis turned to Clarus. "I do hope that satisfies your safety measures."

"Yes my king," Clarus and Cor said bowing.

"Well then let's prepare the doctors and scientist at Insomnia's disposal, Clarus you and I will be meeting with an advisor to begin writing a speech for young Prompto." Regis sighed. "Cor why don't you go lead Prompto to my son, we're working on a tight timeframe so explaining things now would be for the best."

"Certainly," Cor said returning from his bow. His eyes focused on Prompto. Prompto nodded. He knew what had to be done.

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

While Noctis waited in his room quarantined, Prompto ran through his head. Was he okay? And what had happened to him. Had it been right? Noctis had never heard the whole story.

"I'm not even a. . ."

Prompto's words ran through his mind. Noctis really wasn't sure on anything anymore.

Gladio stood off to the side. "I never trusted that kid from the beginning," he said, crossing his arms.

"You're not helping," Ignis input. He'd just gotten off the phone with another contact from the castle, things were in a panic, and Ignis's calm demeanour was beginning to crack under the pressure.

Sighing, Noctis rolled over. His eyes falling flat. He couldn't believe any of this. Prompto, the wonderful bundle of sunshine, was he truly the bad guy. Had all their adventures, their time together been a lie. Somewhere though, Noctis knew that wasn't true.

"What are they going to do to him?" Noctis asked, scared of the answer.

Ignis pushed up his glasses. "Well, the Nifs are threatening to invade if he's not handed over. The problem is, it appears if we do hand Prompot over it'll spell his death."

"Ignis," Gladio said, knowing the line.

"He has a right to know."

"Right to know what?" Noctis asked.

Ignis sidestepped over. "Well the thing is Noctis, if we do hand Prompto over; he's explained that that would mean his death."

Noctis sat up. "Death," he said to be sure that's what Ignis was saying.

Gladio undid his arms, shrugging. "The kids been poisoned by Nifs the last few years of his life. It was the plan from the beginning, if Prompto passes under the crystal barrier he dies. If Prompto is left in Insomnia he dies. If we do nothing he dies. From the moment Prompto entered Insomnia, he knew this was a suicide mission. And if Prompto dies inside the barrier, well he deactivates it with his death."

Suddenly Noctis didn't have the nerve to stand anymore. He fell back onto his bed, his feet falling underneath him. Had he ever really known the true Prompto? Was all of this from the beginning an act.

Ignis looked up from his cellphone. "Cor has just informed me the situation is being handled."

"Handled," Gladio said, not liking the word much like Noctis.

The man in specs coughed briefly. "After being locked up Prompto agreed to meet with the king, and from the recent information, the king and his shield have formed a sort of plan. I've been told you're to go meet with your father after Gladio." Ignis stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

"After what?" Noctis was the first to ask.

A knock came from the door. Without waiting to open it Cor appeared. "Hey Iggy, sorry for such short notice, but thought I'd come see you now." Two guards were positioned outside, and behind them was Prompto, his hands now in handcuffs. Despite everything that had happened it still made Noctis a bit sick.

Prompto took a few steps inside. "Hey. . .Noct," he said, his voice losing a bit of it's cool.

Noctis strengthened his fists.

"The king has allowed young Prompto to explain things, while preparations are being made as long as the three of us watch him." Even with Cor's words, Noctis didn't have time to listen as he went straight for a sucker punch knocking Prompto onto the ground.

"Noct!" Iggy was quick to jump in, but the hit had barely bruised Prompto's cheek as he's pushed to the floor.

Prompto found his own strength to stand. "It's fine Iggy," Prompto said casually, as if nothing had changed, but everything had changed Noctis knew. "I deserved it."

Noct let his fists slide open. "I don't care what my father says, allowing me to talk to you, and what's with this. One minute you're arrested and now you have free reign, all while Niflhiem knocks at our border." Noctis takes a breath through his nose. "And now I hear you're about to die." The prince's voice took on a soft tone with his last wording.

Prompto gives off a soft laugh. "So you've been told about that."

"There might be a way to save him," Cor jumped in. But for once Prompto was sticking up for himself.

"No! There isn't." Prompto stopped and went quiet. He took a breath. "Right now Lucis scientist will be attempting to extend my life long enough that I can proclaim a message to Niflheim and the people of Lucis. We'll use the hostage situation against my country." Prompto was quiet for a few minutes longer. "I never wanted this you know, I never wanted any of this. . .and I won't say I didn't have a choice, because in the end I might have had one. I crossed the barrier; I befriended you back when you first visited my country only because that was what my emperor wished."

Prompto lets his chained hands slide further down. He stumbled a bit on his feet. "From the beginning I've known Noctis, that this was all a way to help my country, all a way to please the father that never loved me, that decided he'd use his experiment son to play prince."

"What are you talking about," Noctis finally cut in.

Bringing his head up Prompto finally looked Noctis in the eyes. "I'm saying Noctis, Prince Noctis of Lucis, that I myself was never really a prince, in fact I was never really a real person to begin with." Prompto looked toward Cor, he nodded his head, and Noctis wondered with a sinking feeling what Cor was going to do.

"Are you sure?" he asked. But Prompto simply nodded again.

Walking forward at first Noctis thought that Prompto's handcuffs were going to be taken off, but instead Cor moved the wristband covering Prompto's wrist up. Prompto walked a bit closer, all so Ignis, Gladio and Noctis could see the marking, his brand.

"What is that?" Gladio was the first to say. "It looks like a barcode."

Cor loosened the material covering Prompto's wrist fully off. Now the mark in the full open. "It's the brand of an MT, what I was supposed to become, if not for being so weak when I was born." Prompto took a long deep breath. "I am Verstael Besithias son, but I was never really a prince, it was an illegitimate title in order for the long haul plan to work for our invasion strategy." Prompto kind of looked like he was uncomfortable with his barcode so visible, but he kept his eyes low. "At first I was just a child experiment, someone to test drugs on for the other MT's."

"Hold on a second," Ignis cut in. "I thought the MT's were empty shells, filled with nothing but. . ." Ignis stopped himself.

"They each have a soul of sorts," Prompto admitted, "though after the process you can never be saved."

Gladio crossed his arms and leaned back, Cor looked like he already knew this knowledge first hand. Noctis felt in the dark.

Child experiment, not a prince. What was going on? Noctis remembered the scars on Prompto's back; even now his sickly complexion scared him. Why was he scared for someone who betrayed him, why did he feel such pity for a guy who literally pretty much stabbed him in the back. But even now Noctis felt sympathy for the Nif.

"I never met the full requirements so I was never made into an official MT, only an experiment—when I was born as a baby, they branded my wrist, I honestly don't remember it." Prompto's left foot played on the ground behind him. "But it's a mark to show I'm owned by Niflheim, I always have been."

Noctis could only stare. It's quiet. The barcode out in the open, the lines the marks that were embedded into Prompto's skin. Like he wasn't a person, like he was some sort of material to be bought at the store.

The prince's stomach churned angrily. Noctis tried to keep his cool, but even now his eyes were changing colour, he took a breath trying to hold back his emotions, the distress he was feeling. Why was everything so complicated, why was everything so awful, and hard to understand. What was Noctis supposed to feel?

"I'm sorry Noctis, for lying pretending to be a prince, I only. . .no, I can't lie anymore." Prompto covered the tips of his mark. "I could say I was trying to help my country, but I never wanted that. In fact even befriending you was a mission given to me by my emperor." Prompto stayed silent a second longer. "I really, just wanted to save myself. Or maybe make my own friend, I don't know. And I know that's selfish and stupid, but I. . ."

Prompto walked past the group, walked toward the window, and put his hand on the pane, his marked hand. The sky was now growing clear and beyond the horizon the sun had come back, the sun shining over the city ,the perfect view shown from their castle.

"To be honest, from the very beginning I just wanted to see the sunlight."

And when Prompto looked back Noctis saw, just who the other boy was. Just a boy, just like him, but someone who'd gone through much more pain and hardship.

"I'm sorry," Prompto whispered.

Noctis didn't stop him, didn't wait, didn't try and go after him at all, he just let Prompto leave, Cor guiding him out and Ignis and Gladio watching. At some point someone was trying to explain things to him, or talk about what was happening, but Noctis's ears were ringing, he was still staring at the door. He was stuck, his mind fogged over. He couldn't really understand anything.

All he knew for sure was, that he may have just missed his chance, to ever say anything to Prompto, ever again.