Drawing in a deep, shaky breath, Somnus stared at the stone steps, spiraling into a dark abyss with only a few torches to light the way. His legs refused to move, knowing full well the beast that resided down there. A dry lump caught in his throat as he mulled over his choice of words. Ardyn was the eloquent one – always maintaining the delicate balance of choosing the right words for the situation, a flawless deliverance, and the charm to captivate his audience. What would he say if he was in this predicament?
But this was not Ardyn's burden. Closing his eyes, Somnus exhaled. His fingers lightly brushed against the hilt of the dagger sheathed against his hip. With each step, crisp clicks rang in his ear. Stepping closer and closer, the echoes began mingling with soft, enchanting hums. Somnus paused, recognizing the hymn that his brother used to sing for those crossing from the mortal realm to the great beyond. Holding his breath, Somnus wondered whether he could lay in wait within the shadows until Ardyn lulled himself to sleep. Then the humming abruptly stopped, leaving Somnus with the sound of his own pulse throbbing in his ear.
"Come now, dear baby brother. It is quite unbecoming of a grown man to hide in the dark as if hiding behind Mother, unwilling to release her apron strings. Please do join me. Or would you rather that I rot in this damp cell, all alone with only the rats to keep me company?"
Stitching his brows together, Somnus straightened his back and puffed out his chest. Reaching the bottom of the stairwell, he walked past a few empty cells before stopping in front of the cage imprisoning his elder brother. He clasped his hands behind his back as if the act would fortify his authoritative façade, but it almost crumbled as Ardyn turned his head to peer through the bars. Ardyn's amber eyes locked onto Somnus, trying to read deep into his soul, searching for his intentions.
"How rude of you for keeping me in wait for so long. And now you stand before me with no salutation offered."
Guilt gripped his heart. It was not in his nature to disrespect his elders. However, instead of displaying remorse, Somnus reprimanded himself with a concealed pinch on his wrist and maintained his stern demeanor. Though it unnerved him that Ardyn's piercing eyes almost seemed to glow yellow in the dark, much like a cat's. Those eyes scanned him over until they landed on the dagger, earning Somnus a menacing chuckle.
"Was it not enough to figuratively stab me in the back that you came to finish the job?"
"It was not like that, Brother."
Somnus wished he could wince at how whiny he sounded yet managed to refrain.
"How was it then?" Ardyn sneered back, challenging Somnus to enlighten him. But how could he when Ardyn refused to hear the truth?
. . .
He didn't mean to; he didn't even know how he did it. Somehow touching the crystal awakened it. Legends spoke of the divinity that resided within the stone. Ardyn even confirmed it, having conversed with the astral being, but it had been nothing more than a disembodied voice – one only Ardyn could perceive.
Dark clouds blotted out all traces of the blue sky. Lightning streaked across with thunderous booms following soon after. Before him stood the armored giant – the one Ardyn called "The Draconian" - Bahamut. Clasping a single large sword in front of his body with both hands, the Draconian's stance conveyed regality, whose majesty was only enhanced by his outstretched wings with feathers that appeared to be made of steel blades.
Somnus only sought guidance to help his only brother. Blessed with magic bestowed to their family, the two brothers manifested their skills to serve different yet complimentary purposes. Somnus' incantations suited him in combat, especially once he mastered harnessing elemental attributes. Ardyn on the other hand abhorred destruction, and thus focused on healing. The people loved Ardyn for his kind heart. Ardyn traveled far across Lucis to not only purge the cursed illness but to hear the woes of the people, to feed them, and even aided in building shelters. It came as little surprise that the crystal chose Ardyn to lead the kingdom as the founding king. Visits to the crystal became frequent as the Draconian slowly groomed him for his destiny. In between these sessions, Ardyn still performed healings – only he stayed closer to home while people across the land made pilgrimages en mass to have the scourge extracted from their bodies. However,with each passing day, Ardyn grew less familiar. First was the fatigue that hit only after a few sessions, no longer holding the stamina he had for large crowds. Then it was the loss of appetite. Some days Somnus was not certain whether Ardyn had even a bite to eat. When approached with the concerns, Ardyn's temper flared to violent levels at the offense. The brother whom he loved was now a stranger he feared.
Somnus dropped to his knees and began imploring, "O King of Astrals, please hear my plea. The burden upon my brother has grown more than he can bear. The affliction of many weighs heavy on him. He no longer sleeps nor eat yet he continues to work beyond his capability. The love for his people greatly outweighs the love for himself; he cannot rule effectively in such state. I beg you to please help The Chosen see reason for he will listen to no other."
"The Chosen has fallen." The deep voice rumbled louder than the thunder, causing Somnus to cower at the power. "Though he has healed many the burden has cost him his mind and body. The vessel has filled with the scourge, darkening his soul. With each taste he craves for more. A vile use of his gift. Should he continue down this path, he shall walk the lands like the plague itself, inflicting suffering and death, ruling as the King of Ruin."
Somnus felt his blood drain from his face. A chill sent shivers down his spine. How could everything have gone so horribly wrong? Ardyn was to be the light of hope and heal all of Eos. Now the Draconian has deemed him the harbinger of darkness. Somnus looked up, ready to beg for some other solution, but his words caught in his throat as he found an object floating in front of his face – a ring.
"Though the scourge consumes his being, his powers will grow with each extraction from their host. Take the ring. Within it is a portion of the sacred stone. Purify the affliction and what cannot be cleansed must then be destroyed. Thus must The Accursed never roam Eos."
In a blink of an eye, the clouds dissipated, revealing a clear blue sky. No traces of a lightning storm remained. The whole conversation felt like a dream. It would have been easy to dismiss it all to a bout of madness. However, the ring that rested in his hand proved otherwise. Somnus had no recollection of reaching for the piece of jewelry. He stared at the small gem. Deceptive in its simplicity, Somnus felt the divine power resonating from within.
Thus must The Accursed never roam Eos.
Tears spilled down his cheeks. Wails rang out across the meadow as a clenched fist pounded the ground. Memories of their childhood flashed through his mind - the mocked swords fights, the tree climbing, the night time storytelling – that was all that remained of his beloved brother.
. . .
Ordering Ardyn's arrest was a delicate matter. On what grounds do you charge a man adored by the populace? No, the public at large could not know – not until compelling evidence mounted. So only a select few could know; from within those ranks one must be strong (or at least cunning) enough to overwhelm Ardyn. To add salt to the wound, Somnus only trusted the one man sensible enough rationalize the situation and would carry out the order – Gilgamesh, Ardyn's bodyguard, confidant, and best friend. It was the only viable solution. After all it was Gilgamesh who first alerted Somnus to Ardyn's peculiar transformation.
Ardyn's look of betrayal was etched deep into Somnus' memories. Now Ardyn's eyes held nothing but hate and contempt.
"This was for your own good, Brother. For the good of Eos as well. A king cannot overturn the will of the gods."
Ardyn's countenance fell to wide-eyed incredulity.
"You dare proclaim yourself king?!" he challenged, standing up. He walked to the bars and grasped the metal barrier in white-knuckled fists. "Have you been crowned yet? Have the people accepted you with undying fealty?"
"The Draconian has ordained..."
"The Draconian?" Ardyn spat, interrupting Somnus' feeble attempt to assert himself. "The Draconian chose me. Should that have changed then why did he remain silent as he continued to prepare me to serve as The Chosen?"
"You have changed, Ardyn, and not for the better. You are a danger to us all. The corruption has anchored itself to your soul." Somnus' eyes softened as if pleading to Ardyn to just make this ordeal easier. "If you love your people, accept your charge of treason and..."
"Treason?!"
"You have betrayed the trust of your people! You are no longer their savior!"
"So you shall have me die?! You would murder your own flesh and blood?!"
"To protect our people? Then yes!"
Somnus gulped back the bile that threatened to leap up his throat. Never before would he have yelled at Ardyn. Never would he have thought of such a fate.
Ardyn narrowed his eyes. Somnus searched for a way to read Ardyn's thoughts in that moment but nothing prepared him for Ardyn grabbing him by the neck and stealing the dagger at his waist. A mere few seconds of helplessness until Ardyn quickly released his hold on Somnus. Hunched over, Somnus gasped for air. Had Ardyn always been that strong? No, Ardyn was not the warrior. Somnus rode into battle while Ardyn nursed the injured. Even though Ardyn was proficient enough to defend himself if necessary, he never bested Somnus in a fight.
Turning back to the cell, Somnus found Ardyn removing his white shirt. After discarding the fabric, Ardyn inspected the blade. Then he shifted his eyes back to Somnus and flashed a taunting smirk.
"So the gods will me to die," he reaffirmed before thrusting the blade deep into his stomach.
Somnus' eyes bulged as he watch the blood trail out from the wound, soaking into Ardyn's trousers. He wanted to retch as Ardyn pulled the dagger back out and blood gushed out in giant cascades. Tears threatened to spill. His legs wobbled as the room spun around him.
This must be a dream! It can't be real! Please wake me up from this nightmare!
Somnus snapped back to reality as Ardyn's maniacal cackles echoed throughout the dungeon. Somnus' face paled as he witnessed a black mist hovering around what should have been a fatal injury, seeming to sew Ardyn back together.
"How do the gods expect an immortal being to die?" Ardyn's crazed features was exasperated by the hauntingly demonic voice that snarled at him. "Dearest brother, I suppose I am cursed after all. So how to we reconcile this paradox? An immortal king decreed to rule over none versus a usurper destined to succumb to the sands of time. How do you plan to best me and assert your rule, hm?"
Not able to find his voice, Somnus bolted out of the chamber and climbed the steps. The air grew thick, suffocating him. He barely heard Ardyn as he called out, demanding Somnus to return, mocking his lack of honor. Finally he reached the entrance and was greeted by cool, fresh air. Dropping to his knees, he filled his lungs. With each breath, long inhales turned choppy as he began sobbing for the brother he had lost. What he had stood face-to-face with was no man. Sitting back on his knees, Somnus faced the horizon as the first rays of dawn peeked, greeting the new day. As the darkness gave way to light, Somnus found no comfort nor hope as he contemplated on how to contain the monster that impersonated the first king of Lucis.