Five Minutes
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Woo! My second story in 2 (or 3) weeks! This will most likely be the longest chapter cuz I have exams soon *cries*
Come to think of it, this is probably the most I've written O.o well there's not much to compare it to. I only have one other story XD
Anywho: Names for the unnamed: Laris = Shotgun guy, Marcus = Scar-face guy and Cato = Driver guy; I hope people don't mind I borrowed the names :P
Warnings:
May be OOC and AU. I mean the game's not out yet...
Rated T for language and destruction of...stuff
Pairings? Tbh I have no idea at this point :P
Summary: Noctis and his friends are driving home one night when a man calls Noctis and threatens to blow up his car if he doesn't give up the crystal. Noctis refuses and narrowly esccapes as a big explosion that engulfs his car. Now, he needs the help of an ex-soldier and a princess in order to find out who exactly is this person and where he is hiding.
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy. I own 4 black pens, 2 red pens and 2 erasers, but no final fantasy. How sad *cries*
Chapter 1:
The mansion's room was large, only a big, glass chandelier brought light to the area. It had four grand windows; each covered by silky light-blue curtains with golden hems, and the scent of cleanliness filled the air. In the middle of the room sat one large wooden table and two wooden chairs. Both seats were occupied by men of royalty.
King of Tenebrae, Aureous Caelum (A/N Aureous means Golden in Latin and Caelum means sky so basically his name means Golden Sky) gazed through his glasses at the boy, no man, which sat opposite him and he allowed a pride-filled smile to form on his old lips.
"I am proud of you. Do you know that?"
There was a slight pause from the man opposite him.
"Yes I do." He answered finally, "But I think you overestimate me, milord."
The King's grin grew wider. He was so fortunate that his only son and heir did not consist of just intelligence, charisma and strength.
"You are too modest. But really, I do want you to know I am proud of everything you do for our kingdom. You'll make a fine King."
The son did not answer this time, he merely shrugged.
"I presume you are going back with your friends?" he asked, immediately knowing the answer
The man smiled and nodded, "As I always do, your majesty."
King Caelum frowned, "You know you don't have to call me that. I am your Father, after all."
There was a slight pause before he replied, "Yes…Father."
The King stood up and smiled, "You are expected at home, Noctis."
"Indeed I am." He replied politely
Aureous Caelum chuckled and ushered his son to follow, "Come with me."
Noctis smiled and stood.
The king led him out of the room and down a staircase.
"How are you going? Any girlfriends I should know about?" the king teased and winked
Noctis rolled his eyes, "No Father. I don't really bother anymore, protecting the crystal and all that."
King Caelum chuckled, "We'll see. A king needs a queen, after all."
At this, the prince raised an eyebrow, "I won't be King until a long time."
"Noctis," the King sighed, "I am growing old. You are soon to become King and rule Tenebrae. Our ancestors have long ruled this kingdom, and its people. Many have tried to steal the crystal in the past but were stopped by a Caelum heir. Each Father passed down the crystal to his son, as I have already done so. I want you to pass it on to your son and rule Tenebrae with pride."
Noctis paused before he answered, "I will make you proud."
The old King smiled, "That's my boy."
As they went through the hall and out the door, Noctis saw his three friends and his shiny midnight-blue BMW waiting to take him back.
Saying one last goodbye to his father, Noctis stepped in the backseat of the car.
As Laris, the blond man who was in the front seat next to the driver, turned on the radio, Noctis looked back at the shrinking figure that was his father, the King…
.
1 hour later....
.
The dark blue car was ice-cold because of the air-conditioner. The small windows were closed off from the chilling air outside and the slightly muffled radio was on. The car smelt like pine-trees and the smooth leather seats had that new-car smell. The single glow of the moon from outside illuminated the dark car, also bringing light to the surprisingly crowded road around them.
The car's inhabitants were deathly silent as they listened to the voice that echoed throughout the dim, hushed vehicle.
"There is nothing either good or evil; thinking about it makes it so." Said the voice on the radio
Marcus looked at his friend and prince beside him in the backseat of the car. He smiled as he looked at the Prince's distinctive eyes. Those amber eyes were unique. That was for sure. They changed colour, depending on his mood. Most of time Noctis's eyes were golden amber, but sometimes they turned cobalt blue or a crimson blood red colour. His eyes were the first thing Marcus had noticed about Noctis. He had only seen his eyes crimson once, and it was something he didn't want to remember.
Marcus shuddered at the thought. Noctis's eyes turned scarlet only when he was seriously ticked off. The damage that was done when that boy's eyes turned blood red…it was horrendous. But it needed to be done.
Noctis Lucis Caelum, prince and heir to the Caelum throne, sat quietly on the leather seat. Smart and heroic; Noctis was the image of the perfect polite Prince, even around his friends. Strong and handsome, everyone loved him but sometimes Noctis thought it all got a bit too overwhelming.
Noctis shifted his gaze from his friends Laris, Marcus and Cato to out of the window. It was now deep into the night and his friends and he was going back to Noctis's palace. As the car passed another road sign, Noctis noticed the moon was full and quite bright in the night's starry yet dark sky.
"Ah yes. The words of William Shakespeare. That means that we all do wrong." another radio man replied "Just as we are all good."
"That is true." agreed the first man "But is it possible to resist this immorality? That is the quest-"
Laris sighed as he lazily turned off the car's radio. The blond man looked to his feet where his beloved gun lay and sighed once again. How he loved the smell of gunpowder...
"Isn't there anything on ay all?" Laris whined
Marcus looked at the blond man and shrugged.
"There's never anything interesting on this time of night." He said, in obvious boredom
"No." Laris groaned, "There's never anything good."
"I don't know why you two are complaining." Cato said, keeping his eyes on the road, "We've only been on this road for an hour! Only 2 more hours to go."
"So? I still hate these 3-hour trips." Laris complained
Noctis rolled his eyes at the blond man. They had gone on longer trips than this and yet on a measly 3-hour journey, he still whined like a 6-year-old. Though today seemed abnormally longer than usual…
Suddenly, a mobile phone rang. Everyone looked around to see whose it was.
Turns out it was for Tenebrae's very own prince; Noctis.
Fumbling, Noctis took out the phone from his pocket. He pressed the green button and lifted the cell to his ear.
"Uh…Hello?" he asked into the phone
"Hello, Noctis Lucis Caelum." The voice belonged to a male, although it was no one that he knew.
It was deep and breathy, prolonged to emphasize each syllable.
"Excuse me? Who is calling?" the prince asked in annoyance
"What have you been up to Noctis? How are you going? I understand you are quite well, considering you are the Prince. I hear you are soon to be King. How nice."
Noctis blinked in confusion. Who was this again?
"Uh…well I…I'm sorry but I don't think-"
"That you know who I am?" he interrupted, "Contemptible, foolish boy. It really does not matter whether or not you know me." Pause. "I know you." Another Pause. "In fact, everyone knows you of course. But I'm different. You could say I'm your shadow, following you wherever you go…"
Ok this is getting way too out of hand. Noctis thought
"Look. I don't know who this is, but if you want to meet me then you need to call my assistant and get an-"
"I don't think you seem to understand." the voice interrupted, taking a sharp, scratchy breath, "You see, you have something that I want; I desire. Something that belongs to me and me only. You know what this is? I'm sure you do. You only carry it around with you everywhere."
Noctis ran his fingers through his soft, spiky dark-blue hair. Who was this person? Only a select few had his number; his father made sure of that.
"Can you please tell me who you are?" he repeated
"You like power...don't you Nocty?" the voice said contemptuously
There was no way in hell anyone he knew could sound this condescending. Whoever this was, they'd better have a good reason for talking to him like that. He was the prince, and people needed to treat him with respect.
"Okay now this is getting plain-."
"Plain what?" he interrupted again, "You see the show is just starting. Would the real Noctis Lucis Caelum please stand up? I need to know if he is willing to perform? For I have plans for you, Noctis."
"So your 'planning' on killing me then?" Noctis said bitterly to the man
At this, Noctis's friends looked at their Prince in surprise.
'Who is it?' mouthed Marcus
Noctis shrugged an 'I don't know' and the voice on the other end of his cell continued.
"No. I plan to do worse. Much, much worse. Oh this…this, my dear friend, will completely and utterly annihilate you." the man sighed in glee
Noctis blinked in surprise and shock.
"Now as for my name, my name is Atrum Vir. This is the role that Atrum wants you to perform. Do you like explosions? I hope you do. Surrender the crystal, or in five minutes your oh-so-shiny BMW will turn into a pile of scrap metal."
So that was what he wanted. Noctis clutched the clear-blue crystal in his pocket. There was no way he would let it go. He had promises to keep.
Noctis growled, "You will never get your hands on the crystal!"
"Is that so? Trying to sound heroic? Then I suggest you get out of that car…" Atrum breathed cynically
"I don't believe you!" hissed the prince, "You're bluffing!"
"Bluffing? Ha! You think I am bluffing? Let me tell you here and now Princey, I am not bluffing. Still don't believe me? Open the glove-box of your car…"
Noctis glanced towards the front seat where Laris was.
"Laris?"
"Mmhm?"
"Can you…open up the glove box for me? It's urgent."
Laris raised an eyebrow but obeyed.
As soon as he opened the glove-compartment, his eyes widened, as did everyone else's in the car.
There, in suspension in the glove-compartment, was a shiny-yellow, crystal-looking ball. Said ball happened to be a magic-filled bomb with a timer that read 5:00.
"You do know what that is…don't you?" Atrum asked sadistically
Noctis was the first to speak out of the four. "Holy shi-"
"Believe me now? Hm? You need to have more faith in me. Imagine if I put it somewhere you couldn't see..." the man said menacingly
"Um..." Noctis didn't know what to say
"You have five minutes, Nocty. Time starts...now. The show must go on!"
The phone went dead.
"Shit man." began Marcus, "What did he say?"
Noctis looked up. "We have five minutes."
"What do we do?" Laris shouted
"Calm down, Laris." Noctis said coolly
"Calm down? Calm dowm?!? There's a freaking bomb that is about to go off right in front of me!" Laris waved his arms frantically
"Panicking wont help." Cato pointed out
"Guys! All we need to do is get of this road and head where no one can get hurt. We then get out of the car, and run for our lives. Got it? Now is there any place we can dump this thing?" Noctis asked calmly,
Cato thought for a moment. "I think there's an opening in about 5 kilometers that leads to an abandoned road…"
"Perfect." nodded the prince
Cato pressed the accelerator, and the BMW sped up. The prince put the phone back in his pocket and took a deep breath. He glanced up at the clock. 11:07pm.
Was this threat for real? Who would go to all this trouble for a crystal? The crystal brought lots of power and many wanted it, yes, but no one had gone this far! Maybe it was just someone trying to scare the shit out of him. If it was, they had been successful.
Noctis's thoughts spun crazily as Cato sharply turned right and off the highway.
"Hurry up!" Laris shrieked
"Stop being such a baby." Marcus smirked
"Shut up! YOU try having a bomb right in front of your face!"
"Nah I'm right here."
"GUYS!" yelled Noctis, surprising everyone with his sudden action, "Just…stop. Alright?"
Laris and Marcus nodded and Noctis rubbed his temples.
He looked at the clock. 11:10. They had a bit of time...
What if they didn't make it? What about the crystal? What about him for Etro's sake?!?
"Almost there." Cato said
Noctis could hear a hint of panic encased by his calm tone. Noctis glanced at the clock again, still 11:10. They still had time.
When they had gotten to a deserted spot, Cato pushed the brakes and the BMW's wheels screeched and halted to a stop.
Simultaneously, the four men unbuckled their seatbelts and did anything but shove the car's doors open. The four friends leaped out of the car and began running as fast as they could. They had no idea where they were going, it was still dark, but they continued to run.
"Noct? Now might be a good time to use that crystal of yours to bring some light." Laris hinted as they were running
Noctis nodded and cast a spell.
"Thanks." nodded Cato as a light appeared and the four could see where they were going
When they had got a safe enough distance, Noctis slowed down.
"Huff, what's, huff, the time?" Laris asked
Marcus looked at his watch. "It's 11:12pm."
Noctis raised an eyebrow. Wasn't it supposed to go off?
"Hey isn't it supposed to go off?" Marcus asked curiously, "I could have sworn the ti-"
Marcus's words were swallowed up by a loud, massive explosion. The car was engulfed by a massive ball of fire, making the air smell like smoke.
As smoke and ashes drifted into the atmosphere, all that was left of the prince's car was one busted tyre and a few bits of scrap metal.
The four friends looked at the remains of the car, dumbfounded and in silence.
Laris was the one to break it, "So how are meant to get home exactly?"
---------
"You have five minutes, Nocty. Time starts...now. The show must go on!"
He hung up and activated the bomb with a mere click of his fingers.
Atrum smirked as he put his phone into his pocket and put his white robe (A/N Atrum is the white-robed guy from the trailer) on and his white hood over his head.
If only he could see that stupid, spoilt prince's face right now.
Atrum was a master spell-caster. One of the last of an ancient line of spell casters that once possessed the crystal. They originally had the crystal until those dim-witted Caelums got their hands on it.
Atrum smiled as he thought of the crystal. All that power he could possess. He could almost feel the crystal in his hands now!
He wanted the crystal so badly, and he was willing to do anything to get it…
Playlist:
Hide - RED
Going Under - Evanescence
I cannot honestly believe I wrote that much O.o
I love reviews so please tell me what you thought plus any improvements you would like to see in this chapter :D