Please read this
IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS, GUN VIOLENCE IS A HOT BUTTON ISSUE. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS FIC IF THE TOPIC UPSETS YOU! I have given you my tumblr link on my bio so that you can contact me privately. In case you missed it in the summary section, it's gititgurl52. This doesn't mean you can ask me questions about how I personally feel about guns themselves. I will NOT bring politics into my writing, so I will NOT answer questions like that. I'm just here to tell stories, not to be an activist. Part of the suspense of this fic is questioning weather or not certain characters will survive. If the prospect of Gladio, Regis, Clarus, or Cor dying upsets you and you NEED to know the truth before you feel safe continuing, feel free to message me on Tumblr and I'll be more than happy to tell you. Also, if this looks familiar, it has been previously posted to my AO3 account under the same name.
"And that's checkmate," Noctis says with a smug grin as he moves his knight in place to block his opponents kings only means of escape. His opponent, who just so happens to be the King. The King, who folds his hands on the ornate dark oak desk and smiles.
"Well done, my son," Regis congratulates Noctis.
The smugness fades from the Princes face leaving a small but sincere smile. "I learned from the best."
Regis chuckles. "Oh, I'm am by far not the best. In all my years, I have yet to defeat Clarus." He reaches to retrieve his cane, but is interrupted by a buzzing from his desk drawer. He opens it to find his cell phone face up with a message from the aforementioned Shield. He swipes the screen and reads:
Clarus: Get yourself and Noctis to the safe room NOW, no time to explain. I'll come to you as soon as I am able
"What's wrong, Dad?" Noctis asked, noticing the way his fathers eyes light up in alarm.
Regis re-trains his expression to show full composure. "Apparently there has been some sort of security breach. I haven't the details, but we must go to the safe room at Clarus' behest, surely just as a precautionary measure." He then stands more quickly than his ailing knee is happy with and he represses a wince of pain.
Noctis stands quickly as well, otherwise doing well to mask his mild panic. In his pocket his own phone chimes. He pulls it out to read:
Gladio: Get 2 thsafe room Don worry about anyone else and don't as questions I'll get 2uwhen I cam
Noctis' concern mounts upon reading his Shields message. Gladio, having an immense respect for the written word, does not often send such jumbles messes and never types in short hand. "I just got a typo ridden text from Gladio saying the same thing Clarus did."
"We mustn't take their warnings lightly then. Let's hurry."
"Yeah." Noctis grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and, not taking the time to put it on, slings it over his shoulder.
Noctis is the first out the door of the Kings personal study. He holds the door for his father and, wasting no time, they run. Noctis makes sure not to get too far ahead of his father who moves much slower relying on a cane.
"You go on ahead, Noctis. This old man will catch up."
"Not a chance."
Just then they hear running footsteps coming down the hall towards them. In two identical flashes of blue light, they both draw their swords, preparing for a fight but hoping against one. They are relieved to see a young Crownsguard, newly enlisted judging by his insignia, running towards them. Their relief gives way to horror when they notice he is spattered with blood.
"What has happened, young soldier?" Regis asks in alarm.
"There's been an attack, Your Majesty," the recruit answers, out of breath. "Gladiolus Amicitia sent me to make sure you and His Highness make it to the safe room."
"Where is my Shield!" Noctis demands.
"He's-"
Gunfire erupts in the hall, and the recruit falls to the ground; a pool of blood forms around his body.
Regis drops his cane and puts up a magic barrier a split second before two assailants armed with automatic handguns round the corner. They fire repeatedly at the barrier, but the bullets simply ricochet off. Behind the transparent blue wall, the King and Prince both hold their swords at the ready.
"If neither Clarus nor Gladiolus can make it to us," Regis says, voice strained, "Then we will have to fight."
Noctis nods. He watches one gunman load a new magazine into his gun before continuing to fire. "Next time one of them has to reload, let down the wall just enough to let a warp strike through. I can get them both if I'm quick."
"Well then be quick, Son. Here comes your chance."
An empty magazine clatters to the floor. Regis relaxes his hold on the magic protecting them and the light from it dims and flickers but does not go out entirely. Noctis quickly raises his sword and thrown it like a javelin. Noctis and the sword seem to disintegrate into a shower of white-blue sparks, only to reappear in a cracking flash across the hall as the spectral weapon pierces the gunman's chest. The second enemy turns on his heals and takes aim at the Prince. His shot goes past Noctis' head, and in one swift motion Noctis pulls his sword from the dead enemy and slashes at the second enemy, cutting him deep across the chest. In a matter of seconds both assailants are down and Noctis stands there in the center of a sort of triangle formation of three bodies in shock. The only dead body the sixteen year old Prince had ever seen was at the funeral of Lilly Amicitia, wife of Clarus Amicitia, who had lost a battle with postpartum depression after Iris was born and taken her own life. He had only been four years old at the time. Now he had witnessed a murder and taken two lives.
"Noctis..." Noctis turns to his father, who stands stiller than a statue staring straight ahead, not directly at Noctis. "Well done."
Noctis nods, unable to speak...until he sees it. A growing patch or red on his fathers lower abdomen. "DAD!" he screams and runs to him just as the King collapses onto the ground. Noctis drops to his knees and presses on hand to the wound and supporting his fathers head with the other. "Come on, Dad. Stay with me, the safe room's not much farther."
"No, Son," Regis' voice trembles and cracks. "Go. Get yourself to safety."
Noctis shakes his head. "What did I tell you before? Not a chance. I'll drag you if I have to, come on!" He places one of his fathers hands on the wound. "Keep pressure on it. There's a store of potions in the safe room, you can make it 'till then." He hooks one of his arms around the older mans waist and hooks his fathers arm around his neck. It is a struggle, but he manages to haul them both to their feet.
The two limp their way to the throne room, and Noctis grunts as he shoulders open the heavy doors. "Not much farther," he assures Regis, "Just hang on." He almost looses his grip on his father as he carries half of his weight on one side to the North wall, but miraculously he reaches the place where a hidden piece of panel serves as the entrance to a room encased in concrete and a mytheral-steel alloy that it is said nothing can penetrate. Knowing he will need both hands free to open the panel, he gently sets his father down and props him up against the wall.
"End of the line."
Noctis hears the unfamiliar voice spins around to see a woman step out from behind a support pillar. She is bleeding from a deep gash on her upper left thigh, and she limps as she steps. She also has a gun pointed at them. Noctis freezes.
"River?!" Regis gasps.
"Oh, so you remember me? Good. Then I you already know why I'm about to shoot your baby boy in the head and smile while you cry and bleed to death."
"I don't," Noctis says, surprising even himself.
River cocks her head and takes a few steps closer to them. "You don't what?"
"I don't know why you're about to shoot me in the head." Noctis silently hopes that, in coaxing River into some sort of clichéd villain monologue he can buy time either to figure out how to take her down, or for one of their Shields to find and rescue them.
River shrugs, the malicious smile never leaving her face. "I suppose there's enough time to fill you in. My buddies should have taken care of your and Daddy Dearests Shields and I shot that cocksure Martial myself, so it's not like there's anyone coming to rescue you."
Noctis focuses on keeping his expression impassive. He thinks back to Gladio's erratic text from earlier and hopes with a churning deep in his gut that those were not his Shield and dear friend's last words.
"My parents brought me to Insomnia when I was just a little girl," River begins. "My family was from a little town on the coast and were afraid the war would reach there. I grew up idolizing the Kingsglaive, wanting to be one of them. When I turned eighteen, I tried out and made the cut."
"So you served my father as one of his Glaive and now you want to kill him?" Noctis interrupts. "Why?"
River huffs and rolls her angry eyes. "I'm getting there. Damn, you stuck-up royals don't know how to listen. Just like your Daddy never listened to the pleas from my hometown, begging him to send them defenses, to protect them from the Empires onslaught. But what did he do? What did he give us!?" River steps closer and shakes the gun at Noctis. "NOTHING! He did NOTHING! He sat here in his cozy palace while my home was annihilated! There were NO survivors! After I knelt before him and swore fealty to him, swore my LIFE to his service, he let my home burn."
"What happened to your home was indeed a tragedy," Regis said, struggling for breath. "But taking your anger out on my son will do nothing for you."
"It'll damn sure make me feel better," River argues.
Noctis does not even realized there are tears welling up in his eyes until he feels one trickle down his cheek. "I...I'm sorry."
River's eyes widen in shock and disbelief. "Say what, now?"
Noctis takes a shaky breath and lets another tear fall. "I'm sorry," he repeats. "I can't even begin to imagine how hurt and betrayed you must feel."
"Don't patronize me, Prince. It won't save your life."
"I'm not!" Noctis protests. He feels genuine sympathy for River, sorrow for her loss, and understanding (though not forgiving) of her wrath. He raises his hands defensively. "I'm not patronizing you, I swear. I may be sheltered, I may be a spoiled royal brat, but believe it or not, I know what grief and anger feel like. The Empire attacked a convoy I was riding in on a trip to Outer Insomnia with my governess. She died, right in front of me. My dad didn't get there in time to save her, barely got there in time to save me and I spent the next year re-learning how to walk. I screamed for him to go back for Luna and Ravus when Tenebrea was attacked, and he didn't, he COULDN'T!" Noctis is near yelling now, a steady stream of hot, angry tears flowing down his face. "I was pissed at my own father for not being able to save anyone I cared about, but once I got over that I realized who the enemy REALLY was! My father is not the enemy, River. I'M not your enemy! Nifleheim is OUR enemy! And I can't bring back your home, but I can promise you right now, I can swear on the lives of everyone you loved who was slaughtered that when I'm King, I'll be better. I'll do a better job to protect Lucis. ALL of it, not just Insomnia." Noctis breaths heavily, and a weighted silence falls on the throne room. "Please, River," Noctis pleads, near a whisper now, "Please give me that chance."
It is only now that Noctis notices that River is crying as well. Her eyes are red and her face glistens with sweat and tears. "I can't-I can't just let you-" River sobs and her hands waiver. Noctis notices this and taking advantage of River's distraction, slowly creeps forward and reaches for her hands.
"NO!" she screams and re-levels the gun. Noctis steps back and raises his hands again.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry! Listen, I can get you life in prison instead of the death penalty you're looking at right now, so you can still make this right. Do right by your people, do right by yourself, River. Put the gun down. Please."
"I...I failed them...I let my people down!" River walks backward, stumbling from her injured leg. She looks at her gun instead of Noctis now. "Years of dreaming of this day and now...I can't even shoot a damn royal piss-ant! I..." she looks back to Noctis and raises the gun to her own head.
"River, NO!"
"I can't..."
A gunshot and the sickening crunch of lead tearing through skull, and River's body slumps to the throne room floor.
Noctis stands in shock, watching the red pool around Rivers head widen.
"N-Noctis-" Regis strains. Noctis spins around, panic mounting when he notices the unusual pallor of his fathers face. "We don't know...how many…there are left," he pants. "We...need to…hurry."
Noctis swallows hard. With no time to process the situation, he nods. "Right." With some effort he slides open the panel in the wall revealing a dimly lit hall. It takes more effort than before to lift his Regis back to his feet, and Noctis hates knowing that it is because his father is no longer able to hold his own weight; he has lost too much blood and is lucky to still even be alive, much less conscious. Despite having to nearly drag his father, Noctis moves as fast as he can until he reaches a metal door equipped with a key pad.
"I don't want to have to put you down again. Can you punch in the code?"
Regis nods weekly and enters an eight digit number, eliciting a beep from the pad and a clang of metal from within the door. The door slowly creaks open and lights begin to turn on inside the safe room. Finally, Noctis pulls Regis into the place where they will finally be safe.
The safe room walls are lined with bunk-beds and cabinets containing food, water, first aid supplies, weapons, bedding, and other assorted necessities for being confined to a room just slightly smaller than the throne room. In the center is a control panel that allowed those within the impenetrable walls to monitor security footage.
Noctis gently lays Regis in one of the lower bunks. Regis wearily points to a nearby cabinet. "First aid...there..."
Noctis rushes to the cabinet and grabs a random black bag and an armful of high potions and elixirs. He drops it all ungracefully as he kneels beside the bed. With shaking hands, Noctis gingerly peels back the blood-soaked fabric from around the bullet wound. He cringes at the sight of bloody, angry red skin and the gaping hole in the left side of his fathers lower abdomen. He has to tear it open further to gain full access. He reaches for a potion, but stops.
"Dad," he says, terror apparent in his voice, "I can't close the wound with the bullet still in you, can I?" Noctis immediately thinks of so many movie scenes where a character must extract a bullet without anesthetic, usually resulting in a lot of screaming and even more blood. His stomach lurches.
"I'm not the one to know those kinds of things, I'm afraid."
"Okay, hold on just a sec..."
Noctis springs to his feet and once again rushes to the cabinet and searches for what he had seen before. He finds it: an emergency first aid manual. He checks the table of contents then flips to the page about bullet wounds. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his Ignis muse is berating him for getting blood stains all over the book. He does not take the time to listen to said muse, and instead reads aloud.
"Um, okay this says, 'In most cases you do not want to remove an implanted bullet. It is almost impossible to find without ex-ray and it may be preventing massive bleeding by corking up a blood vessel.'" Noctis returns to Regis' bedside with the book and continues to read. "'If the wound is open and you can see the intestines, the person needs immediate medical care. If they do not bleed to death, they may die of...' blah blah blah, okay, potion's safe."
Noctis tosses the book aside and takes up a high potion. He holds it over the wound before warning, "I'm pretty sure this is going to sting at first." He does not waist any more time before breaking the flask over the wound and letting its wave of magic rush over the torn skin. Almost immediately the hole begins to close, causing Regis to groan in pain.
"Sorry," Noctis mutters and continued to watch the curative do its job. He is not satisfied when the hole does not close completely, so he repeats the process with a second high potion. The wound now closed and the bleeding now stopped (nothing can be known yet of any internal bleeding, but Noctis was counting his blessings) Noctis breaths a sigh of relief. "How do you feel now, Dad?"
Regis does not answer. His breathing is slow and his eyes are closed.
"DAD!"
Regis' eyes flutter open. "Noctis...Thank you..." Then they flutter closed again.
Noctis watches the steady yet slow rise and fall of his fathers chest and knows his father is alive but resting. Knowing he has done all he can, he rests his head on the edge of the bed and at long last lets himself begin to process everything that had happened in the short span of fifteen minutes. He thinks back to the text message from Gladio. He begins to tremble and fresh tears spring up in his eyes. Is he okay, he wonders. What about Clarus? He knows River shot Cor. Could he be dead? Could they all be dead? What about Ignis, who Noctis knows is somewhere in the citadel, most likely the library. Was he safe? The citadel is most likely on lock-down, but does the public know what has happened yet? Could the media be on the steps, broadcasting the horrors as breaking news? Is Prompto watching in the break room at his part-time diner job sick with worry?
Noctis cries into the bloody sheets. His body shakes and he feels sick and exhausted. He does not know how long it takes, but eventually he cries himself out and numbness settles over him. He does not fall asleep, but he closes his eyes and tries to think of anything but the four bloody deaths he had witnessed, two of which he had caused himself, and the unknown many more outside.
The acoustics in the halls of the citadel are perfect for echos. If such was not the case, Ignis would never have heard the gunfire in time to take cover. As soon as he steppes out of the library, having finished reviewing reports in the peace and quiet there, he heard the reverberation of gunfire and shouting. Immediately he ducks back in and closes the doors as quietly as he can. His first thought, after the initial shock is Noctis. He knows his friend and charge is in His Majesty's personal study for the father and sons weekly bout of chess, which is several floors up. He reaches into his pocket for his phone, but before he can swipe the screen open, it chimes with a text message.
Gladiolus: stay in tth library. I already text noct to go to the safe room protocol 88d
Ignis' eyes widen. Protocol 88-D means that the citadel has been infiltrated and for all personnel not required to fend of the attack to shelter in place if possible. The haphazard style of the message instantly alerted Ignis that Gladio was either in a rush or in distress. Possibly both.
"Bloody Hell," he swears under his breath. Ignis rarely swears. But he is useless if he dose not remain composed, he tells himself. He begrudgingly reasons that for now he must follow procedure, keep a level head, and hope that His Majesty and His Highness make it to safety unharmed. His phone chimes again, and the message there makes the advisers blood run cold.
Gladiolus: shit, think Cors dead he was on his way to check on Noct and Regis. No idea where my dad it can u get to the study? Be careful they armed with guns
Ignis taps out a quick reply.
Ignis: I'm on my way to them now. Where are you?
Ignis does not wait for a reply, desperate to get to Noctis and Regis as soon as possible. He quickly and silently slips out of the library. The quickest way to His Majesty's study is in the direction which he had heard the gunfire. He hears nothing anymore, but deems it best not to risk encountering the enemy. He turns the other way, taking the longer but safer rout. He runs, summoning his favorite lance from the armiger mid stride. In his other hand his phone chimes again. He slows just enough to read Gladios reply.
Gladiolus: locker room, 2 gunmen shot up th trainin hall. Bullet in my leg. Think they already got taken out but not before killing a bunch of cadets. Teres at least 3 more so watch yourself
Grateful to at least know the threat at hand, Ignis continues onward. He opts to take the stares rather than the elevator. It would be slower going, but if the enemy managed to interfere with power, or if the facility was placed on full lock-down, he would be trapped and unable to perform his duty.
It takes much more time than Ignis would have preferred, but eventually he makes it to the hallway between the study and the gallery outside the throne room. What he sees there makes him stop in his tracks. He swallows down the rising panic and surveys the sight before him in attempt to re-create in his minds eye the scenario that must have played out. A Cownsguard cadet lays dead, apparent from multiple gunshot wounds to the back. To men in civilian cloths lay dead as well, guns in hand. One was obviously run clean through while the other is cut open diagonally across abdomen up to his chest. Five or so yards away is what truly fills Ignis with dread: His Majesty's cane next to a pool of blood.
Ignis shakes and breathes in deeply.
"One of them, most likely Noctis carried out a warp strike and felled the enemy," Ignis thinks aloud, "While the other, most likely His Majesty, was..."
Ignis tries to remain calm and rational, but he can not help himself thinking the worst: that the King was dead. He runs faster now. He swings open the door to the throne room and his heart jumps when he sees yet another body. He holds his lance at the ready and surveys the room for any sign of danger. Judging the coast clear, he advances, albeit slowly. Relieved he sees that the body is neither the King nor the Prince and only a fleeting thought is given as to why the woman appears to have shot herself in the head. Relief also comes in seeing the panel open, indicating that at least one Lucis-Caelum is in the safe room. Knowing this, he allows himself a moment to catch his breath. Two gunmen in the hall, and one in the throne room accounts for the three Gladio had mentioned. However, not knowing if their could possibly be more that Gladio was unaware of, Ignis takes his pause for only a few seconds before continuing down the hall, following the trail of blood. Not caring that his gloves will now be soiled with the blood smeared across the keypad, he enters the code and pushes through as soon as the door begins to open.
An enormous weight is lifted from Ignis when he sees the King on one of the many beds, obviously severely injured but alive, and Noctis kneeling beside the bed, the Prince himself barely conscious.
"Noctis?"
Noctis lifts his head and opens his eyes. "IGNIS! Thank the Six!" He jumps to his feet and rushes to his friend and adviser throwing his arms around his shoulders.
"I can say the same for you. When I saw the hallway I was..." Ignis returns his friends embrace, but does not allow himself to say anything resembling "worried sick" or "panicked half to death." Instead he asks, "Tell me what happened."
Noctis sniffles and pulls away. "Well, I got the text from Gladio..."
Once Noctis has related the full account, from the text to the potions used on Regis, including River and her suicide, Ignis simply nods at first. He approaches Regis and gently feels the Kings forehead. "He's feverish. There should be something to remedy that here," he says and kneels by the bed. He opens the black bag Noctis had left their earlier and produces a syringe. He reads the label and nods. "Here it is."
Ignis places his hand on the Kings shoulder and nudges just firmly enough to get his attention. "Your Majesty?"
Regis groans but does not open his eyes. "Ignis?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. There's a syringe of antibiotic here. With your permission, I will administer it to you now to prevent any bacteria that was in the wound before it closed from causing infection. It should bring your fever down as well."
"Do as you see fit. I trust you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Noctis," Ignis pointed to the bag, "There should be a tourniquet, scissors, and iodine swabs there."
Noctis nods and searches the bag. Finding the items Ignis requested, he hands them to the adviser.
"Good." He takes the scissors and cuts the sleeve off of Regis' shirt and pulls it off of his arm. He then takes the tourniquet and ties it an inch or so above the elbow. He holds out his hand. "Swab."
"Is this a prime-time medical drama now?" Noctis jokes half-heartedly.
"Ha." Ignis takes the swab, uncaps it, and cleans a small area on the Kings forearm where he knows from medical records (Yes Ignis knows both the King and Prince' medical records better than they do) stated was the easiest vein to locate. He uncaps the needle and is careful to clear it of any air bubbles before feeling for a vein. "He's lost so much blood, I fear this is going to be a bit difficult."
"He doesn't need a transfusion, does he?"
Ignis hums thoughtfully. "He would were we in a proper hospital, but unfortunately we haven't the means here to perform such a procedure. Even if we did, neither of us are a compatible blood type." If neither of the statements Ignis had made were true, Ignis knows he would drain himself of every last drop of blood for his King, but unfortunately he is unable give him any. Finally he finds a usable vein. He keeps his finger on it and angles the needle just right. "The injection site will burn slightly. If it doesn't pass in a few seconds, or if the pain is too intense, tell me." Regis just barely nods and Ignis depresses the plunger on the syringe, noting the Kings grunt of discomfort when the needle pierces his soft skin.
By a strike of luck or divine intervention, the injection goes off with out a hitch despite Ignis having no real first aid experience, his knowledge being purely academic. After removing the needle, Ignis sets is safely aside.
"I..." Noctis' voice cracks, "I'm sorry, I...I should have thought about the antibiotics I was just-"
"No, Noctis," Ignis interrupts and pulls him into another hug. "You did splendidly under such chaotic conditions. You kept your wits about you, you used all of your training, and you saved his life."
"Ignis is right, Noctis." Regis' voice is raspy and his eyes remain closed. "You struck down the enemy in both of our defenses, you carried me, you talked River down, you thought logically before treating my injury, even though you were surely distraught. There are no words to express how proud I am of you, Son."
Noctis takes his fathers hand in his and rests his head on the edge of the bed as he had before.
"Thank you, Dad."
"Stay by your fathers side, Noct," Ignis says softly. "I'm going to check the cameras and see if I can't get a better overview of the situation."
"Did you here anythng about Gladio?" Noctis asks raising his head. "What about Clarus or Cor?"
"Nothing of Clarus. Gladio is injured but it's nothing life-threatening and to my knowledge he's currently safe. As for Cor..." Ignis wonders how much he should tell the already distressed Prince, but settles on honesty as the best policy. "I'm sorry, Noct, but when last I heard from Gladio, he believed the Martial to be dead."
"No..." Noctis shakes his head and buries his face in the bed.
"There's hope yet. Gladio was focused on himself and the cadets, so he may not have seen all that happened. The Martial may still be alive. He's called 'The Immortal' for a reason, after all. Perhaps I can learn more from the surveillance."
When Noctis offers no further reply, Ignis turns his full attention the multiple screens of the control panel. He first checks on the feed of the training hall where he knows there to have been casualties. He sees what he would expect: people tending to the injured, canvassing the vicinity for more of the enemy, and searching the bodies of the two dead attackers. For obvious reasons there were no cameras in the locker room, so he could not confirm Gladio to still be there. From there he expands his search. In the hall outside, he finds what he had feared: Cor lies motionless on the floor, as does Clarus not far from him. He zooms in on Cor but is unable to asses where all the blood surrounding him is coming from. He shifts his focus to Clarus, who conveniently at this moment raises his hand to a wound the back of his head.
"I see Cor and Clarus," Ignis announces. "I fear Gladio may have been right about the Martial, but Clarus is alive, albeit injured." When he receives no reply, he turns his head and finds that Noctis has fallen asleep, still clutching his fathers hand. Normally Ignis would chastise the young Prince for napping mid-day, but today he more than needs his rest. He considers waking him long enough to move him to a bed least Noctis strain his back is such an awkward position, but doubts he could convince Noctis to leave his fathers side. Ignis considers eight years prior where their positions had been revered. He had not been there when the Marilith sent by the Empire had nearly killed Noctis, but he had geared from those who were that Regis sat up many sleepless nights by his sons bed.
As satisfied as he can be with the states of the King and Prince, Ignis turns his attention back to the camera feeds, watching as the events he laments he can not control unfold.
Clarus can barely see more than spots of light when he slowly blinks his eyes open. The last thing he remembers is the gunfire coming from the training room where he had gone to wait for Gladio in hoped of having lunch with him later, texting Regis, trying to get to him, and then... Then a shot and not much else. He groans and raises a hand to the back of his head, wincing when he feels the wound there. He looks at his hand to see his fingers covered in sticky, half dried his vision clears he sees Cor prone on one side in the middle of the hall, blood pooled around him.
"Cor!" he shouts to his friend, who does not respond. Not trusting his legs just yet, Clarus crawls across the marble floor to Cors side and turns him on his back. He gasps when he sees it: the gunshot wound low in his abdomen. "Cor!" he repeats louder, shaking his shoulder gently. "COR!" He touches bloodsoaked fingers to the Martials neck. Panic strikes when he feels the weak pulse beat once, twice, and stop. The Shield reaches out to the armiger and summons the one thing he knows can bring his comrade back from the brink of death. Praying to every Astral that it works, he wraps Cors hand around the soft glowing phoenix down. He releases a breath he had not realized he had been holding when ethereal fire spreads over the near-deadly wound, the feather dissipates, and Cor begins to rouse.
"You can't scare me like that, old friend," Clarus says when Cor slowly opens his eyes.
Cor does not aknowledge Clarus' concern. "That woman," he groans, "She's headed for the King and Prince. She means to kill them both."
"I alerted Regis to get himself and Noctis to safety. Hopefully they made it. Come with me to see to them? Are you well enough? Youre wounds are healed but you have still lost a lot of blood."
Cor notices the blood from Clarus' head wound trickling down the side of his face. "I could ask the same of you. Perhaps two injured old men can make it to them together.
Using each other for support, Clarus and Cor manage to find their footing. Clarus summons two swords, one for himself and one for Cor, as well as a potion for his own wound. "In case we run into trouble."
"Good idea."
Ignis watches the screans with relief as Clarus and Cor make their way through the empty halls. Upon checking other cameras, he finds no sign of more intruders. He wishes the walls of the bunker did not block cellphone signal so that he could contact someone who would have more information. Perhaps Captain Drautos or COrs second in command Monica.
He returns to Noct's side and combs his fingers through disheveled black hair. "Noct," he says gently.
Noctis opens his eyes slowly, a good sign to Ignis that Noctis was at least getting some much needed sleep. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. As a matter of fact, I woke you to tell you that I've seen Clarus and Cor on the cameras. They're both alive and on their way to us as we speak.
"That's great! Did you hear that, Dad?" Panic strikes when Regis does not respond or even move. "Dad?"
Ignis checkes the Kings pulse from his wrist. "He appears to be stable for now," Ignis assures Noctis. "He's a heavy sleeper. Must run in the family." Noctis chuckles in spite of himself and Ignis allowes himself a smile as well. "That, amung other things," Ignis added with a distinct note of pride.
"Ignis are we..." Noctis hesitated. "We're going to be okay, right?"
"Of course, Noct. Everything will be alright."
For the first time sense this entire nightmare began, they both actually believe that.
Five Hours Later
.
Noctis startles awake. He had dozed off in his waiting room chair again. He looks down at the phone in his lap.
Prompto: U sure you're ok tho? I've read stuff about ppl being injured and not even knowing bc adrenaline and stuff
It hadn't taken long after the first shot had been fired for the media to catch wind of the attack, and not much longer after that for Prompto to bombard Noctis' phone with massages. So after being extracted and escorted by Cor and Clarus, hearing Captain Drautos confirm that the citadel was clear, seeing that Gladio and his father were both in surgery, Noctis made quick work of consoling his terrified friend friend and assuring Prompto that he was, in fact, alive.
Noctis: The doctors checked me, Prom. Twice. I'm ok
Prompto: So ur dads in surgery, right? What about everyone else? Gladio? Iggy? Promise not to leak anything, lol
Noctis: lol, its cool. Gladio got shot in the leg but it missed the big artery so he'll be ok. Just gotta patch him up. Cor almost died but thank the Astrals for magic feathers yk
Prompto: Hu?
Noctis: Lol, nm. Anyway Iggy didnt get hurt at all and Gladio's dad got lucky, bullet grazed the back of his head
Prompto: STFU! Dude, I thought that shit only happened in bad action flicks!
Noctis spared a chuckle for that comment. He was about to reply when a nurse caught his attention.
"Your Highness?" she says with a subtle bow.
Noctis stands and slips his phone into his pocket. "Is my dad okay?" he asks, forgoing formalities.
The nurse smiles, setting Noctis' mind at ease. "His Majesty has been released from surgery. It looks like he'll make a full recovery."
Noctis feels a rush of relief. "Thank you."
"Of course, Your Highness. His Majesty is still resting, but you can go in if you'd like. I believe his Shield is with him already."
When Noctis arrives in Regis' hospital room (which is guarded by two Kingsglaive) Clarus is in face there sitting on the edge of the bed, the king's right hand held gently between his own. He smiled and nods to Noctis but does not move from his place; he knows Noctis does not expect him to bow.
"He'll be like this for a few hours at least," Clarus says. "You should find somewhere comfortable to rest in the mean time. You must be exhausted."
Noctis shrugs. "I'm always tiered, but I can sleep pretty much anywhere. Just ask Ignis."
Clarus laughs. "I suppose that chair in the corner would suit you then."
Noctis sits in said chair and pulls his phone from his pocket. "Not to bad for hospital furniture. It'll do." He taps out a quick message to Prompto before closing his eyes and dosing off again.
Noctis: Dad's out, gonna be ok gtg talk later
"… assures Noctis and me that all of the intruders were eliminated. They are not believed to be part of a larger terrorist organization at this time, but a full investigation is underway."
Noctis wakes up to the sound of Ignis apparently debriefing his father on the attack. Now awake, Regis nods slowly. "Thank you Ignis."
"Hey, Iggy," Noctis greets groggily and leans forward to stretch his back, cramped from being seated in an awkward position.
"Sorry to wake you, Noct. I'd meant to let you rest."
"'s okay. Have you gotten any sleep yet?"
"No, I haven't. Keeping up with the conditions of His Majesty, Gladio, Martial Liones..."
"...is not your job," Noctis interrupts. "Will you please rest? You need to take care of yourself, too."
Ignis, who is visibly exhausted with dark circles under his eyes, disheveled hair and a disconcerting pallor to his face, sighs. "I suppose you're right. It has been a trying day." Ignis bowed to the King. "Good evening, Your Majesty. As you can see I've been instructed to take my leave.
Regis nods with a small half-smile. "Rest, Ignis. And again, thank you for everything."
Once Noctis is alone with his father, he moves from his seat in the corner to the edge of the bed and sits where Clarus had been a few hours earlier.
"So how are you feeling?" Noctis asks.
"Groggy and sore, but alive thanks to you and Ignis."
For reasons he can not understand, Noctis is unable to look at his father and instead chooses a spot on the tile floor to fix his eyes on. "I… I didn't really..." He sighs heavily. The days stress and trauma wells up in him all at once, and tears sting his eyes. "I killed three people, and then you got hurt and I couldn't save River and I… I was so scared I just..." A single tear destroys the floodgates and Noctis sobs out loud. It is embarrassing, weeping freely on his fathers hospital bed but he was to emotionally exhausted to contain what had been building and welling up just beneath the surface of his composure for nearly seven hours.
"Noctis," Regis says softly, "it's alright that you were afraid. I was afraid, too. When River had that gun pointed at you I felt terror you cannot imagine. I've felt that fear before and I never want to feel it again. You are my child, Noctis. I feared for you, for Gladiolus, for Ignis, Clarus, Cor. So please, my son. Don't feel ashamed that you were afraid and don't feel ashamed of your tears. Cry them privately and be stronger for them."
Noctis sniffles and wipes his face with the backs of his hands. "I don't want to lose you, dad. I know I act like I'm mad at you all the time, but that's just because It makes me sad and it makes me scared to see you. I know what the ring and the wall are doing to you! I know guarding Insomnia is literally killing you and I hate it! I hate that I can't help you. But today I thought I could. Today I thought I could keep you safe, but I..."
They stay in heavy silence for a few minutes. "Son. I understand. You have a kind and gentle heart, and I believe that is one of the reasons the Crystal chose you. You can't bare to see those you love suffer. But the burden of the wall is the burden of a King. It is a burden I accept. And it is a burden that someday..." Regis took Noctis' hand and their eyes met. "… you will lift. Because you are the True King, Noctis. And if what I saw today is any indication, the future of Insomnia, Lucis, and all of Eos, will be very bright. For everything you are, and everything you are meant to be, I am proud of you, my son. And I love you."
Mindful of Regis's wound, Noctis leans down to embrace his father, who offers a week embrace in return with the arm not connected to IV chords. Fresh tears escape his eyes and soak the shoulder of Regis' hospital gown. It may be at an awkward angle and in the aftermath of a tragedy, but it it the warmest and safest Noctis has ever felt.
"I love you too, Dad."