It took some getting used to.
To be honest, I didn't want to put the leg braces on to begin with. But the Ring began wearing on me sooner than I'd expected it to.
Other than my limp, though, I still feel like I'm in good shape. In fact, I think I've aged rather gracefully, all things considered.
At the very least, that's what Ignis, Prompto and Gladia keep insisting on. Personally, I still struggle to get over the fact that my youthful looks may be gone for good. You truly never know what you have until it's gone.
In any case, it's time to follow up on our lead.
The four of us ascend the stairs of what used to be a major shopping mall in Insomnia. Like almost everything in this city, it was razed to pieces during the Niflheim invasion ten years ago. Even with everything I've been through, that day remains fresh in my mind.
When I discovered what my father had done. When I had to kill Noctis just days afterward.
And all the people who lost their lives. All the beauty in this city, gone forever. And me, powerless to stop any of it.
This is a burden I will carry until the day I die. But I won't die until I've earned another chance for my country. I won't die until I've ensured that Lucis will rise again.
Even though I'm still technically the princess, still the one with the mark of the Queen, I know that I will never have a kingdom to rule.
And that's okay. As long as there's still a kingdom to save, it's okay even if I don't live to rule it.
"He's been operating from down in that bunker over there, hasn't he?" Ignis says, pointing to what looks like a caved-in kiosk.
"Yeah. Hiding in plain sight." I reply. "He was the first one to try on this Ring after they took it from Regis."
I examine the Ring, still on my finger. It's become a part of me by now.
"And it didn't go well for him, so Aldcercapt and co. abandoned him like a bag of damaged goods, right?" Gladia says.
"Yeah." I reply.
Gladia and I grab one end of a collapsed board, with Ignis and Prompto handling the opposite end.
"Ready? One, two, HEAVE!"
We successfully flip the board over, and I take a look at what lies underneath.
"He's been getting complacent." I say. "He didn't even bother to conceal the entrance."
"I don't know if he's been getting complacent, or if he's simply lost his mind." Prompto says. "He's spent all this time as a pariah, with no one to fight for him. That's enough to drive anyone mad."
"Nonetheless, we'll find out soon enough." I say, heading down the stairs. "You all keep watch."
"You think he might call for reinforcements?" Ignis says.
"We need to be careful." I reply. "I doubt he has anybody on his side, but if these years have taught us anything, it's to never take any chances."
"Understood." she replies.
I head down towards the doors, and push them open with ease.
I then enter the hallway. It's dimly lit, and it takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust. I can hear a man's voice in the distance. It's quiet, but fervent. He's completely absorbed in his task. Hopefully he won't notice me until it's too late.
As I turn the corner, the room gets brighter. And there I see him.
He's clad in white, and has a hood over his head. There are lights and symbols surrounding him.
I am familiar with this kind of magic. I know what he's trying to do.
We may have stumbled upon our much-needed breakthrough after all.
I take another step forward, and this time, he stiffens up.
"Don't move." I say.
He doesn't listen. He hurriedly stands up, his hood slipping off in the process, and turns around.
I quickly summon a barrier, expecting him to attack. And attack he does. I am faced with multiple swords, their pointed edges right at my face.
"I told you not to move!" I scream.
"Why?" he says, facing me. "Why should I ever listen to anything you have to say, Stella?!"
He looks horrible. An old, wrinkled face. Eyes sagging with the weight of desperation and abandonment. And yet he is still blinded by enough rage to attack me, even though he should know by now how utterly futile it is to do so.
"Killing me isn't going to do you any good, Ravus. Put down your weapons."
"NO!" he screams, and I can feel his swords inching closer. However, I came prepared for this. He won't be able to scratch me.
Ravus Nox Fleuret, the prince of Tenebrae, and one of the turncoats who played his part in the invasion of Insomnia. It's thanks to his selfish and cowardly actions that his own comrades, and his own family lost their lives.
Luna and Noctis used to be his companions. I would often see them playing together as kids. But then he and Cynthia allowed their desire for revenge to cloud their judgment, and ended up sacrificing the very people closest to them.
She remains at large, still a high-ranking member of Niflheim's inner circle. But he's a different story.
He took the Ring of the Lucii and tried to lay claim to its power. He was rejected, and lost his entire youth in the process. I've heard rumors of how Aldercapt, Izunia and Cynthia laughed at his terrible fate, and left him to perish along with Insomnia.
In fact, until a short while ago, I thought he'd died in the invasion. To my relief, however, I was proven wrong just a couple of days ago.
Somehow, he's been getting by within these ruins, and has been conducting divinations to find the Crystal. If he's had any success, I'll find out soon enough.
"Goddamit!" he screams. "Why won't it work?! GODDAMIT!"
"You've been spending ten years in this wasteland, barely keeping yourself alive. How have you any hope of putting up a fight?"
"I...I have to! I swore, I swore I'd...I'd avenge...!"
He's starting to pant. He won't be able to hold out for much longer. And given how I haven't received any alerts from Ignis, Prompto or Gladia, it seems my suspicions were correct. Ravus is completely, and utterly, alone, with no one to come to his aid.
"Ah...heh...heh...GRAAAAH!"
His swords clatter to the floor and dissipate. He himself is on his knees, desperately gasping for air. All I had to do was block his attack for a few seconds, and I've already sapped him of all his energy.
"No...no...it can't...it can't end like this..." he mumbles.
"And just how did you think it was going to end, Ravus?" I say, approaching him. "You're an old man, now. You don't have many years left to live. Niflheim is done with you, and you're a traitor to everyone else. What were you expecting to happen?"
"If I...if I just found the..."
"The crystal, right? What would you do then? How would you have used the crystal, Ravus?!"
He simply stares at me, fury and hatred etched across his face.
"I would've destroyed you! And your friends! Everyone who did this to me! I would've ended you!" he screams.
"Pathetic." I chuckle. "You know, I was hoping you might actually be of some use to me. But you're such an unbelievable failure. I'm done wasting my time with you. You are nothing, Ravus, and you will remain nothing until the day you die."
I turn away from him.
"Wait." he says, his voice flat and resigned.
"Why should I?"
"I...I can help you." he says.
I turn back to him.
"How?"
"Just...just promise me one thing..." he says.
"What?"
"If...if you can take Cynthia alive...I'd like to see her...before I die."
"I'll see what I can do." I answer.
"I'm sorry." his voice starts to crack. "I...I don't know why I did it...I knew I was being dumb! I knew it was stupid! But Cynthia and I...we just couldn't turn back after a point. The way she looked at me after the Ring..." he's sobbing now. "That's not how she used to be! That's not how we used to be! If I can just see another glimpse of the Cynthia I used to know...please, let me have that at least..."
"Cynthia is a servant of Niflheim. She's an enemy. I would prefer to take her alive, but I cannot make any guarantees."
"O...okay..." he says, and slowly his sobs cease. "I know where you need to go next."
"What do you mean?"
"I've spent a lot of time...learning how to trace it...the Crystal. I can sense its aura. It's left a trail."
"So where does the trail end? Where do I need to go?"
"This is where it gets...complicated." Ravus continues. "I can't discover its exact location. I feel as though I'm being thwarted. Pushed back. Something is conflicting with the aura."
"Could it be..."
"Yes. It's a guardian. I can show you where to find the guardian who's thwarting me. If you deal with, I may..."
"I understand." I say, and grab his hand. "Get up. We'll take you someplace safe."
Ravus obeys. I slowly guide his frail body out of the bunker, and find Ignis, Gladia and Prompto waiting for me.
It doesn't take too long for us to get the information we need.
It's hard to breathe.
I don't know if this is another effect of the Ring's toll, or if the air is simply that horribly noxious. All I can say is that I'm the only one openly struggling to stay upright.
Ahead of me is an infernal blaze. It is in the midst of this blaze that the guardian awaits. The guardian we must vanquish to get closer to the crystal.
Prompto, Ignis and Gladia are already facing the monster, holding off its attacks while trying to find any opening they can. I muster my resolve and run straight for the flames.
And then they erupt and blind me.
I feel someone grabbing hold of me and patting my back.
"Keep cool!" Prompto yells. A closer look reveals she's extinguishing the flames on my back. "We'll play hide and seek with him!"
"Stella!" I can see Ignis screaming from the corner. "Over here! Quickly, before he strikes again!"
As I get up, Gladia grabs me and rushes to the others, who are crouching by a low wall.
"Get down! Here it comes!" Prompto yells, as another barrage of flames blind me. However, I know that I'm protected by the wall, and my friends.
"Alright, time to go on the offensive!" Gladia yells, as she pops out of cover.
I nod in agreement. "Let's go!"