Noctis Lucis Caelum soared pass a Nifflheim ship like a bullet.
Pain racked his entire body, his vision was spotty, his mind spun in a dizzy manner. He was wet and miserable. He felt like hell and he just wanted to take a moment to go to the nearest bed, flop down on it and sleep there for a few days.
Gods was he tired.
The dark hair young man's body suddenly exploded in pain the moment his body crashed into solid ground. The air was knocked out of his lungs, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body tensed. He felt his black coat ripped and tear through the debris as he slid on the wet and rocky surface of the small pier. He finally came to a stop and just let his body laid there. His eyes closed, he truly didn't want to go on with the day any longer. Water splashed on his body from the ocean below and from the impossibly high waves of waters that almost touched the skies themselves.
An angry and unforgivable screech made him opened his eyes.
The water goddess, Leviathan glared down at him. Her reptile eyes full of disdain and fury. The ocean that surrounded the serpentine body of the goddess rumbled and rippled with its movements. The water started to rise, an attack that would mark the finale of the royal line of Lucis was imminent.
Noctis looked away from the goddess, aside from the fact that his defeat under the power of the Astral, he disliked the goddess. Even before he reached the area where the covenant was to be forge, he had heard the angry and snarling grumblings of Leviathan. Even though he hadn't understood what the goddess had said fully, he had caught and understood a few of the words she had thrown at the Oracle. And because of that, he found himself both dreading in anticipation at the confrontation between him and a god that wasn't handicapped or friendly and sorely disappointed by how petulant the water Astral sounded.
Was Luna even aware of how dumb the idea of god acting like a brat was?
Luna…
Noctis desperately searched for where the Oracle was. The chaos around made it difficult to see, buildings fell towards the ocean from the skies, the ocean splashed like violent explosions, the winds roughly batted against everything and anything that stood in their way. Also, being the target of an Astral's ire was not something that helped him concentrate.
But he managed to locate her. Luna was down on the ground on her knees tired and hurt right on what was left of the altar where she had communed with Leviathan…with a Niflheim ship docked on the altar…and someone sauntered comfortably towards Luna…
The Chancellor of the Niflheim empire, Ardyn Izunia walked with casual ease towards Luna with his hands behind his back. The young man caught sight of the shine that escaped from one of Ardyn's hands…
Ardyn had a knife and he was walking towards Luna.
Noctis felt his heart stop at the sight. The image of Ardyn as he approached Luna froze in his mind.
It was like something straight out of a nightmare.
He tried to move his body desperately, but the excruciating jolt of pain made him stiff and stop his efforts.
He tried to scream, but the air choked on his throat from the attempt.
He looked back to where Luna was, his breath hitched up.
The honeyed brown eyes of the chancellor looked down at the young king's blue ones in amusement at his effort being all for naught.
He reached in to tap into his powers and summoned his Engine Blade, but it just felt limply beside him. He gritted his teeth and summoned the other blades he had bought or found back in Lucis, but much like the Engine Blade they just felt limply beside him and disappeared.
He reached even further in him, for the power of Kings and attempted to draw out the power of his Armiger. But found nothing, the power refused to meet his reach. His eyes widened at the fact.
Why weren't the Kings helping him?!
Ardyn smiled at and turned around, his knife poised and ready to stab Luna.
"—!" A silent roar tore through him as he tried to get up but fail.
He tried again and failed again.
He screamed in pain, but it felt to deaf ears.
He glared but there was no one there to acknowledge the heated stare.
Luna couldn't die! She couldn't die now! Hadn't they talked about how they would banish the darkness that was supposed to plague the world?! Hadn't they promised that they would do it together?!
So why was that magenta hair bastard getting so close to Luna!
He slumped down, desperation oozed out of him when he failed to get up. His thoughts became a hazard mess.
…No, please not her too…! I already lost dad…I can't lose her too…!
It's not fair…
It wasn't supposed to be like this…
It's not fair…
It's not fair…
So why…
Dad…please…
Dad…Dad…
Dad…
Noctis's body burst into an explosion of light. He gasped as a surge of power coursed through his very being. He felt a familiar weight on his right hand. He looked at his right hand and saw it, the answer to his desperate plea.
The Sword of the Father was within his grasps. The weapon that had once belonged to his father was there with him. It was translucent, it shone brightly and with power. Even though it looked crystalized and empty, he could feel his father's comforting presence on the blade.
But his hands refused to clench around the weapon that came to him, his body still too weak, too much in pain and his resolved had been shaken to violently for him to make sense of things.
But…
A ghostly hand firmly grabbed his hand, enclosed his fingers around the weapon and made him hold it tight.
"Dad...you…!" Noctis muttered in surprise.
Regis Lucis Caelum was there beside him. His father, his dad, smiled sadly at him and mouthed something at him. The son's eyes widened and unconsciously nodded. He didn't need to hear, for he understood his father's words.
"Stand tall, my son."
And with that, the spirit of his father pulled Noctis arm back and with great strength, threw the crystalized sword of the Father towards Ardyn's back. The son stared at the weapon in fascination as the strength of father and son would defied all expectations and the impossible.
The Sword of the Father sailed perfectly through the air. Anything that stood on its way was slashed apart as it made way for its target.
Noctis looked back, exalted, happy, confused and sad at the sight of his late father. But the son found that his father wasn't there anymore, the only prove that the former king of Lucis had appeared to his son aid was the blade that had just reached the altar.
"You got it dad."
Noctis answered the final words his father had repeated to him. But unlike last time, when those very words had failed to reach him, now they had burned deep inside him like a star.
With that the current king of Lucis disappeared in a spark of blue.
And reappeared with the Sword of his Father firmly on his hands right behind Ardyn just in time to see the older man pulled his arm back to stab Luna.
Noctis wouldn't let that happened!
"AAADRYYYYYN!" Noctis screamed with all his might as he charged forward in mid-air. The roar from the young king caught the chancellor off guard, the older man turned around with a surprise expression. The young king's aim was true and stabbed the older man right in the chest.
"Guoogh?!" Ardyn let out a surprised grunt when the blade pierced him. Noctis let out a roar escaped him as the momentum of his warp-strike carried them forward, pushed both men over a surprised Luna.
The Sword of the Father started to burn blue with power under Noctis hands. The king's hold over the handle of the blade grew in intensity and stabbed deeper into Ardyn's chest.
The sword was released from its grip, the blue energy around the blade pulsated and unleashed multiple powerful and violent slashes that ripped the chancellor's torso to sunder. Black ink-like substance exploded from his body and splashed the altar as the man's body tumbled on the floor with the blade still impaled.
Noctis fell face first and grunted in pain, his injured body cried at the abuse. The young king looked up and saw Ardyn's body had stopped and laid there limply on the altar floor, mere steps away from the Magitek ship. The king let out a relieved sigh escaped him.
He had made it!
"Noctis..." The surprised voice of Luna beckoned Noctis attention away from the dead chancellor and towards the astonished Oracle. The young king pushed his body up to greet her and check if she was okay. He tried to ignored pain through his efforts, but failed with a surprised yelp as he felt backwards. His body hit the altars floor and he laid there with a grimaced on his face. He almost blacked out from the pain.
Blacking out at that very moment seemed so comforting.
Soft and gentle hands grasped his face, the sudden touch snapped the king from falling into oblivion.
He opened blue eyes and met hers.
"Luna…" A tired grin spread on his face at the sight of her. Luna looked down at him worriedly, her trident laid securely beside her.
"Noctis are you…?"
"Luna…I did it…I saved you…"
Luna's blinked in bewilderment at the words, but then her features softened as she nodded and smiled at the king.
"Yes…you have, Noctis."
The young king let a small laugh escaped him. Joy filled him, the fact that he could see Luna up close, safe and smiling was enough to make him forget about the challenging day he had.
Amidst the chaos, the fury of a god or the wrecked body the chancellor both Luna and Noctis smiled at each other. The two happy to be in each other's presences after twelve years of being apart.
"Goorh…I did not expect that, Noct." The voice of Ardyn broke the atmosphere between the king and oracle, the two young adults flinched and sharply turned to look at the chancellor. The older man stood up with shaky legs, stretched his body and turned around slowly.
Luna and Noctis winced at the sight, the man's upper body was a complete wretched mess, it was more than obvious that the chancellor of Niflheim shouldn't be alive at all. Especially by the fact that the crystalized blade was still embedded deeply into the man's destroyed chest. It was even more unsettling thanks to the black ooze that just dripped profusely like a water fountain.
Ardyn just gave the two an amused smile as he wobbled towards Noctis and Luna.
The young king reacted fast. He scrambled quickly to his feet, but the pain in his body made him cried out and fall on his face once more. He looked up and glared in disbelief at the very much alive Ardyn.
"How the—?!"
"So far has your own corruption taken you, chancellor Izunia?" Luna asked with a strong and determine voice, her face set into a steady and firm expression. Noctis looked up at her in awe at how compose and in control she looked, despite the chaos that surrounded them.
"Hmhmm…oh Lady Lunafreya…" Ardyn said slowly, his right hand reached for the crystalized sword in his chest, gripped the handle tightly. "You cannot possibly imagine how far my corruption has taken me. Not. One. Bit."
He then pulled the blade out, the sound was wet and grotesque as he ripped the sword out of his own body violently.
"…!" Noctis watched the entire scene unfold in morbid fascination as Ardyn held the blade casually and studied it.
"What a magnificent sword this is…ah, it is only right I return it to its wielder, right?" The chancellor asked, a smile spread on his face and gave Luna a coy look. The man's arm blurred into motion and he hurled the crystalized weapon towards Noctis with a smirk. The young king tensed and moved quickly into action, the pain that screamed from his body was ignored as he readied the Engine Blade to be summon on his hands and parry away the sword that his father had lent to him.
But the action proved unnecessary as the blade shatter into small crystal particles and disappeared.
Noctis let out a sigh of relieved, he fell onto one knee and glared at the man. Ardyn gave an embarrass smile at them.
"Well now…quite the unfortunate of events are occurring now, hm?" Both Luna and Noctis tensed at the words. The young king put a protective arm in front of the blond, his eyes never wavered away from Ardyn's, who's eyes began to fill out with the very same black substance that his body exuded freely and his skin grew pale.
"Luna stay behind me! I'm gonna end this guy right now!"
"Noctis…I don't think you should be worrying about him…" Luna's voice sounded distant and hesitant. Noctis narrowed his eyes at the words, unsure as to what she meant and why she sounded like tha—!
"UNWHORTHY!"
The loud, powerful and fury filled roar brought clarity to the young king's confusion. Noctis winced and turned his gaze upon Leviathan, he cringed a little at the murderous glare the goddess gave. Luna stood up unflinchingly, her back turned towards the king and chancellor and her trident held firmly and straight.
"The chosen King is worthy! Now cease the senseless tirade!"
"UNWHORTHY—! PATHETHIC—WHOTHLESS HUMAN!" Leviathan screeched in fury, her words barely being picked up by the king as he stared up at the colossal Astral.
"The King of King's as proven himself as everything but unworthy!" Luna defended Noctis passionately and with determination. The young king just watched her in awe once more, captivated by her straight and proud posture as she glared down at the massive Astral. "The King has overcome all and every obstacle that had stood before him to stand firm before you! He has arrived to fulfill the destiny brought by you and your ilk!"
"PATHETIC SPEC OF DUST!" Leviathan roared, her words became a little more understandable to Noctis's ears. "YOUR ARROGANCE KNOWS NO BOUNDS—RETRIBUTION SHALL BE BROUGHT ON—GHAAA!"
Leviathan suddenly stopped and recoiled back, her reptilian eyes focused beyond the Oracle and Chosen King.
"What th—!" Noctis started but cut off and forced to covered his ears as the goddess let out a the loudest and most harmful screech yet. Luna took a few steps, hands on ears too as the powerful roar pushed her back painfully.
"CHOSEN KING—! DEFEAT IT—! KILL IT—! THE ACCURSED STANDS THERE—!" Leviathan screeched frightfully and recoiled back.
"Accursed?!" Noctis asked loudly through the chaos, Luna's eyes widened and looked back towards the chancellor who was still drenched in the black substance.
"It was you…?"
"CHOSEN KING—! SACRIFICE YOURSELF—AS IT WAS FORETOLD! KILL YOURSELF FOR US! Kill YOURSELF! DO IT!"
"What?!" Noctis screamed out in shock, what the hell was the Astral screaming? Sacrifice himself? As it was foretold? Could it be…that the prophesy of the Chosen King was about that…?
The same prophesy he had talked with Luna all those years ago?
He sent a desperate and confused look towards Luna. She met his gaze and looked away quickly, guilt and regret heavy in her eyes.
No…it couldn't be!
He was denied the opportunity to dwell anymore on his thoughts as Leviathan suddenly pulled back from them and let out another roar. The massive waves that surrounded the entire city of Altissia moved and began to collapsed right atop their heads. Leviathan's intentions were clear, whatever the Accursed was had her in a complete panic and ready to sink the entire city of Altissia without care of who was there.
Noctis watched in shock and fright at the power that was about to crush him and his fiancé. Luna herself looked around and then sent a glare at the water goddess, her grip on her trident tightened and began to glow with power as her patience with the gods reached its limit.
"Leviathan, if you will act like a petulant child and not perform your duty, then I shall leave it to the Chosen King to make you submit! The will of the gods should be all for the destiny they have imposed on us! Not for these senseless actions!" Lunafreya said firmly and with an air of defiance and determination. She grabbed her trident with both hands, closed her eyes and the holy weapon glowed bright with golden, divine light.
Noctis watched as the light of her trident shot upward in a steady stream. The golden light reached beyond the clouds and a then wave expanded serenely through the skies, as if it went out to call for something.
"Ah, yes…" The calm and amused voice of Ardyn brought the kings attention away from his fiancé's action and towards the chancellor who backed away into the Magitek ship behind him. The young man narrowed his eyes in disbelief at the sight of a heal and perfectly looking torso, the black substance from earlier nowhere in sight. "For a god who lords over the oceans, her temper burns hotter than any star…does it not, Noct?"
"Running away?" Noctis asked harshly as he stood up and glared angrily at the man. Ardyn just waved him off.
"I would call it more…taking a step back from a fail plan. Like I already said, you did surprise me with that wonderful stunt of yours earlier. I must admit that I greatly underestimated you." Ardyn said with a smile, then he waved his hand at the king as he mounted his ship. "But alas I must leave, my plans may have been slowed now...but, well I can always try next time. I have more than enough time. And anyways, I don't exactly feel like going out for a swim. You will not have to worry as you will be taking to the skies soon."
"What?" Noctis ask just as he felt his body start to float up. "What the—?!"
"Good luck, your Majesty." Ardyn said with an exaggerated bow, the ship took the skies and flew away from the chaos.
Noctis glared at the ship as his body ascended higher and higher. Bright and powerful light surrounded the king and then plunged into him. The young king felt empower and the presence of Kings became even stronger.
All the Royal Arms he had collected, the trident that Luna had carried and another he hadn't seen burst from his body. They all surrounded him, each ready to be use for combat.
Noctis look at himself and then at Luna, who stood down on the altar with a determine look in her face.
"Show her your worthiness Noctis…prove her wrong."
Noctis frowned at her words, what Leviathan had said still echo in his mind.
…CHOSEN KING—! SACRIFICE YOURSELF—AS IT WAS FORETOLD! KILL YOURSELF FOR US…!
He didn't know what the Astral meant by those words, but he sure as hell didn't like them.
Noctis hadn't paid much attention to what the prophesy of the Chosen King was. To him it was just that, a prophesy over him fighting a darkness that was supposedly going to cover the whole world.
He really regretted not looking more into it. In fact, there was many things he regretted as of late.
Not properly saying his goodbyes to his father.
Not taking his royal duties seriously.
Not being strong enough…
Not being mature enough to be trusted by his dad…
But if there was one thing he wouldn't regret, was what he was about to do.
Noctis disappeared into burst of blue and reappeared beside Luna, who jumped, startled at the young king's actions.
"No Luna…we'll show her our worthiness…together."
Luna looked shocked at the words. Noctis reached forward and grasped her hands and then began to rise from the altar, with Luna. The Oracle's eyes were firmly place on the Chosen King's own eyes.
She let a smile spread through her lips, satisfaction and unsure selfishness shone on her blue eyes.
"Then let's go, Noctis. Together."
The two turned, where Leviathan screeched in fury.
The Astral glared at the two, roared and charged forward.
Noctis Lucis Caelum and Lunafreya Nox Fleuret met the gods charge with determine faces.
Thank you for reading!
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Until next time!