Noctis hated this facility. Hated Ardyn's taunts. At least he had his dad's sword back. He'd just finished off yet another daemon when he heard screaming and pounding nearby. High pitched screams. Children. That sick fuck was tormenting children! Noctis found the door and tested his keycard. It opened and up against a wall were two kids being terrorized by a rogue MT, who was bizarrely enough tethered to the floor by a chain. The pounding was its weapon slamming into the grate as it tried to harm the kids. Noctis charged and slashed the MT to size.

"It's ok now," he said and his eyed widened once he got a good look at the kids. Was this another of Ardyn's sick tricks?

"Who are you?" the Luna-Clone asked. Six, she was even dressed like Luna had been at twelve. Same white dress. Same white flats. The kid with her was dressed sort of like how Prompto had when they were kids. Looked like a skinnier kid Prompto as well.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Noctis snapped.

"Diana. That's Mercury," Diana said. Mercury was looking at him funny too.

"He kind of looks like Sidus," he said.

"Who's Sidus?" Noctis asked.

"Our friend. We were captured by that magenta haired loony and we woke up in these strange clothes and he was missing," Mercury said. So, it was partly a twisted move on Ardyn's part.

"He didn't do anything else to you?" Noctis asked. Diana shook her head.

"No. Just left us those short swords and chained that MT into this room with us before driving it mad," Diana explained.

"Driving it mad?" Noctis asked. They nodded.

"He-that loony also taunted us about Prompto," Mercury said.

"You've seen Prompto!" Noctis was relived. Prompto was really alive.

"He rescued us from the lab and then…I dunno. We were supposed to wait for his friend to take us somewhere safe but that loony got to us first. Prompto was really worried about his friends and just wanted to get back to them," Mercury said.

"He's here. Ardyn….that "loony" has him in here somewhere," Noctis said.

"Let's get him out!" Mercury was too eager with that short sword he was clumsily swinging about. Wait a second. Those were…kukris.

"Where did you get these?" Ncotis asked.

"Ardyn left them in here for us. Said their owner didn't have much need for them any longer. You're one of Prompto's friends, aren't you?" Diana looked him in the eyes. It was so like Luna, it was scary.

"Yeah. I'm Noctis."

"Oh! You're the guy Sidus was cloned from!" Mercury said.

"Wait—What?"

Sidus opened his eyes in the darkness.

"I was wondering when you'd awaken. You seem as prone to sleep as your genetic donor." Sidus scrambled to his feet and Ardyn just seemed to melt out of the shadows.

"I must admit, I had some misgivings about cloning Noctis, but now that I view the results, I suppose having a back up, just in case he fails, should prove….beneficial if not interesting, but in order for you to be a proper back-up, you're going to need the right…tools."

Ardyn summoned a glowing sword and set it in front of Sidus, making it seemingly lose its red tinge.

"Reach for it," Ardyn said. Sidus held his hand in front of him before the weapon turned to crystalline light and slammed into his chest making him gasp a little. Ardyn summoned a massive ax.

"Again." Sidus looked at Ardyn for a few moments.

"No."

"If you don't, I'm afraid your little friends might suffer a…mishap," Ardyn said. The tone was casual but the threat was received. Sidus repeated the process. It hurt. It felt like his body just….wasn't ready for this.

"Again!"

"You're a clone of Luna?" Noctis said pointing at Diana. She nodded.

"I was….intended to be used for….breeding. They tried to accelerate my aging, but it didn't work," Diana said griping her skirt.

"And you…were supposed to be an MT?" Noctis pointed at Mercury.

"Yeah." MT's were made from people. He'd—he'd killed so many…. Can't dwell on that right now.

"…And they had a clone of me to try to control the Crystal?" Noctis asked.

"Sidus, yes," Diana answered.

"You're really touchy about names, huh?" Noctis said.

"Until Prompto, we didn't have names. We….weren't deemed worthy of one. Why waste a name on a tool," Mercury explained.

Noctis wanted to hunt down those…sickos. Bad enough he was cloned…that was a violation he had never even dreamed possible outside really cheesy sci-fi, but to treat those clones—those children like that. It made his blood boil.

"Where do you think he's keeping…Sidus?" Noctis said.

"I'm not sure," Diana said. Noctis looked out the doors and the coast was clear for now.

"Keep close to me," Noctis said. He led them to the dormitory he knew was nearby.

"No." Diana and Mercury crossed their arms.

"But it's dangerous out there!" Noctis said.

"This whole place is dangerous," Mercury said.

"No matter where we are in this place, we would be in danger by ourselves," Diana said.

"Plus, we need to find Sidus!" Mercury said.

"Fine. If I tell you to run, you'd better listen, ok?" Noctis said.

"I promise. Mercury?" Diana looked at him.

"Promise!" Mercury said.

So far, not many daemons or Rogue MT's had attacked Noctis since he'd picked up Diana and Mercury. They'd reached another elevator.

"Tragedy could strike at any moment," Ardyn taunted. Noctis chose to ignore him. Diana shrieked. Noctis turned to see a winged daemon land behind him. It was a classically formed devil figure.

"Whatever the Hell that is, I don't want to mess with it," Noctis said. It lashed out forcing him, and the kids to dodge. The daemon could teleport and make delayed explosions!

"Stay back. It's after me!" Noctis yelled. Diana and Mercury barely avoided another blast. Damn it! At this rate the kids would…that ding sounded heavenly. The elevator arrived.

"Go! Go!" Once he saw the kids were inside he dodged away from the daemon.

"I'll take a rain check," Noctis said as he closed the doors, "Are you two ok?" Mercury was bent over panting, Diana had a hand on her chest,

"We'll be fine. How about you?"

"Peachy."

They took a few steps out just before the power went out. Mercury let out a startled squeak.

"Power must have gone out." Noctis let out a sigh. No power, no doors.

"First keys, now power. What next?" Diana and Mercury let out shrieks. Oh, the MT's on the floor.

"It's not dangerous…I think. Just stick with me, ok?"

"What was that noise? Is it scary being without your friends?" Noctis kept finding already closed doors, doors that needed power to open, so when he spotted an already open door, he knew Ardyn had, once again, guided him to his own twisted designs. Probably another trap.

"Stay out here," Noctis said. Upon entering the room, some Snaga attacked him. Knew it! Noctis took them out. Diana peered in with Mercury.

"It's clear," Noctis said. He found that it was the power grid. So, the glowing power switch seemed to be what he needed to flip. The power came on, the lights weren't bright.

"Ain't much, but it's better than nothing, right?" Noctis looked down at the two kids who nodded. Diana shrieked again. That red daemon was back!

"We need to run," Noctis said. Diana and Mercury nodded.

"Go!" Noctis took off.

"I love surprises!" Ardyn just wouldn't shut up. Noctis dodged to the side right into the teleporting monster's attack.

"Oh, you'll fall for anything!" Noctis guided the kids as he barely avoided more swipes. He was bleeding but it was better than the kids getting hurt.

"This thing just won't give up," Noctis snarled. The glowing MT's were barely dodged and he spotted stairs!

"Go!" Noctis ordered. Diana and Mercury darted ahead of him as he looked around behind them before he bolted to join them.

"Spider-lady!" Mercury yelled. Noctis spotted it. It looked like an upgraded aracnea, Goody. Noctis held up his hand. The kids might be traumatized, but it was time to use the ring. Noctis focused and pulled drawing energy from the daemon until she exploded.

"What-what was that?" Diana gasped.

"The Ring of the Lucii," Noctis said.

"Your arm was burning!" Mercury said.

"That happens," Noctis said. He tried the door ahead. Not working. The other barred doors. Open. As much as Noctis didn't want the kids tagging along, there was no where safe on this floor to live them.

He'd returned more power and that daemon returned and the MT's activated.

"Stay against the walls!" Noctis ordered. He kicked the MT off before it exploded. Its ax skidded across the floor as the red daemon kept attacking him. In their flight, Noctis found another stair case, at the end of the stairs, another elevator!" They leaned against the walls panting.

"It really doesn't like you," Mercury said.

"Noticed," Noctis replied.

"Why?" Diana asked.

"Not sure. Maybe the Ring draws it?" Noctis said.

They emerged onto another floor. Only one door was lit up.

"The empire made considerable inroads into the science of daemons. Well, after I showed them the way, of course. We'd manage to create daemons … right here."

"Like how you made MT's?" Noctis muttered.

"It would appear you little friends have filled you in on some of the facts of life. How…quaint."

"I think this area's mostly secure," Noctis said looking around. He tested the doors. Locked.

"Your head can do more than wear a crown. Use it." Noctis rolled his eyes.

"So, you're really royalty?" Mercury asked.

"Yeah. My kingdom lost everything to the empire," Noctis said.

"Prompto said that," Diana said.

"He talked about that?"

"He really missed you," Mercury said. Noctis looked off to the side. He looked over the panels below the circuit grid. He tested one.

"Key Card B required." Noctis went to the next panel and tried it. The results were nearly identical but he needed "Key Card C." He went to the panel to the left of Panel B and pressed a few buttons. Something beeped and daemons appeared. Before he could move. Mercury and Diana stabbed the snagas with their kukris and killed them.

"We'll be ok waiting for you. Go!" Diana said.

Noctis fought his way through more MT's and more of Ardyn's taunts about the origins of daemons. Card "B" was easy to find, now he was on the search for the other card: Card "C."

"Shut up! I know!"

"You know that little defects, like that one you're shepherding around, were usually used to power his betters? That is, once they were properly harvested. Perhaps you should go check on your pets."

Noctis raced back to the control room, after finding Card "C" to see the kids were alright.

"Ok, you'd better come with me this time." Noctis activated panel C, only for it to shutdown.

Circuit Overload.

Noctis tried Panels B and C. The paths lit up led somewhere new.

"Ok, you need to stick with me."

After more fights with more monsters, they reached a new room. A paper caught Noctis's eyes,

"All the patients disappeared?What's up with that?" Noctis shook his head. Mercury's eyes alighted on something.

"Look!" it was a vending machine. Noctis was starting to feel really worn out. He finished out the gil to buy the energy drinks that would become elixirs and phoenix downs. He handed the kids an elixir a piece. Diana smashed hers and sighed in relief. Mercury tried drinking it.

"This is amazing!" Noctis quirked an eyebrow. Just like Prompto, the kid liked the taste of the energy drinks even just as energy drinks. The similarities were just too uncanny.

"You're a clone too, aren't you?" Noctis asked. Mercury nodded.

"Ok, we need to keep moving," Noctis said.

The new area was just as dark as the rest, but he found a dormitory. They entered and the kids flopped on the nearest beds.

"Ok. I need you two to wait here. I'll be back, I promise," Noctis said.

"Ok," Mercury said.

"Security clearance raised to level Five." Noctis looked around the room before he backtracked to the dorm.

"Ok, we need to keep going," he said to them. Diana and Mercury nodded and followed close behind him, kukris out. They jumped at every sound. The next area….they were all creeped out.

"What are they keeping in there?" Noctis mused.

"MTs," Mercury said.

"What? They're kept like things?" Noctis said. Mercury nodded.

"Sick." Before them was a very obviously important door.

"It leads to something, so of course it's locked. But every lock has a key," Noctis said. He wandered around and saw a toggle to flip. Instead of it opening the door, it raised the platform.

"That was unexpected, but at least things are looking up," Noctis said. Diana and Mercury giggled a little.

Intruders detected. Activate inactive MT units.

"Oh crap!" The units rained down on them. Noctis fought to keep the troopers away from Diana and Mercury.

"Where have your friends gotten to? Surely they haven't run off without you. You haven't found Gladio yet? It's only a matter of time before Ignis bumbles into a trap and oh, that third duckling isn't looking so good."

Mercury stuck the kurkri in a belt loop grabbing an ax off the ground before spinning around and chucking the ax right into an MT unit's chest.

"Nice one, kid," Noctis said once the last MT was down. The lift had stopped. There was a walkway ahead.

"Access not authorized."

"Damn it." Noctis looked down.

"We know. Wait here, right?" Mercury said.

"Right. Keep each other safe and scream if you need me," Noctis replied. He explored the other area. There were pathways down on narrow-rickety steps, but he wasn't risking it. One fork in front of the locked central section led to nothing. The other, a card clearance machine. Bingo! Noctis swiped the card.

"Level Six security clearance granted. Now authorized to access all Level Six areas." More MT's attacked and as if on cue, he heard screams.

"Can you reach the poor wee lambs in time?" Noctis grit his teeth and held his hand in the air calling upon the power of the ring. Ripping a hole in time and space he banished all the MT's near him to wherever the hell Alterum sent them. He arrived at the central platform to see a wraith as well as more MT's. He cracked an elixir and repeated Alterum. He dashed around and slashed the MT terrorizing the kids. Noctis saw aside from a few scrapes, which a potion soothed away, the kids were fine.

"Alright, let's get going."

One quick nap at a dormitory later, they were ready to keep going in the new area.

"In case there's any doubt, it's a trap," Ardyn said as soon as they passed a control room into a narrow hallway. Doors snapped shut at the other end electifying and the MT's on the ground sprang to life. Noctis used Alterum again. That took care of three MT's.

"Hurry. While you dawdle, people die."

"I've really done it this time," Noctis said.

"Noct? Is that you?" Ignis!

"Hey! Noct! Can you hear us?" Gladio!

"Ignis! Gladio!" Noctis yelled back.

"Noctis is in trouble!" Gladio's voice said.

"There ought to be a kill switch nearby—find it!" Ignis said.

"How do you know that?"

"I believe that's the reason we were brought here," Ignis said.

"Got it!"

Noctis and the kids tumbled out once the doors stopped.

"Mercury! Diana!"

"Sidus!" A dark blur charged at Diana and Mercury and pulled them into a hug.

"We're ok. Noctis kept us safe," Diana said once the hug ended.

"Noctis?" if looking at a younger Luna and a younger Prompto was uncanny, a miniature of himself was down right eerie.

"Are you ok?" Gladio asked.

"How the hell did you get here?" Noctis asked.

"You're welcome," Gladio replied holding out a hand.

"Thanks." Noctis used it to get up.

"After we were separated we received "help"—from the usual suspect," Ignis explained.

"That Bastard's playing us, but at least we're together," Gladio said.

"All but one of us," Ignis said.

"Where'd you find mini-me?" Noctis asked.

"He was on the run from a rather nasty daemon with only a short sword to use for defense. Gladio's reaction to him was enough for him to describe him to me," Ignis said.

"How come you're not more surprised to-oh," Gladio finally got a good look at Diana and Mercury.

"Yeah. They're…clones. Actual clones," Noctis said.

"Fascinating," Ignis said.

"Reunited with your retainers at last, and look you even found the last little duckling. How very touching."

"Must be a fine feeling, having friends. Look how happy you all are."

"Something he doesn't know anything about," Noctis grumbled. There was a strangled sound.

"…I hope you find your dear Prompto soon."

"Can he hear us?" Sidus asked.

"Probably," Ignis said.

"You're a purple haired psycho!" Sidus yelled.

"He really is your clone," Gladio said. Noctis shrugged.

They entered a control room and this time, it had monitors flickering on the walls.

"What's that?" Sidus ran into a side room which was revealed as a war room where a hologram of a large ship was on display.

"Bastards…" Gladio growled. They went back and the door was locked.

"If it's locked, someone's behind it," Noctis said messing with the only active control panel. The lights changed to green. Open.

"I knew you'd go that way."

"All in favor of finding the speakers and smashing them?" Gladio said.

"Aye!" it was unanimous. The next hall was dull and led to an inactive control room. The next set of rooms were prison cells with daemons inside the bars? They looked ahead. Through two sets of bars was—

"Prompto!" They rushed through and Noctis and Gladio started pulling at the restraints.

"Use something for leverage to get him loose!" Ignis ordered. Noctis managed to find something to snap the cuffs off and snapped open the clamps holding his chest in place, allowing Prompto to fall to the ground.

"Hey, you alright?" Gladio asked.

"Are you hurt? Do you need help?" Ignis was hovering.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Noct," Prompto said.

Mercury, Sidus, and Diana rushed forwards hugging him. He hugged them back, when he let go he was shocked to see them.

"Prompto!"

"Aren't you three supposed to be with Aranea?" he said.

"…Ardyn got to us first," Mercury said.

"Of course he did," Prompto said sitting back, "Tell me, Noct, were you worried about me?"

"Of course I was! What kind of question is that?" Noctis said.

"Of course. That's why you came like I believed you would." Prompto struggled to his feet.

"Prompto….—."

"That's why I couldn't die. Not until I could see you and hear you tell me I'm not a fake—that I'm the real me," Prompto said.

"I'm sorry," Noctis said.

"Don't be. Everything's alright now," Prompto said, "Where did you find the kids?"

"I found Diana and Mercury after I got my father's sword back," Noctis said.

"We found Sidus on our way to find Noct," Ignis said.

"Noct, do you hear that?" Ignis said.

'Hear what?" Noctis asked.

"It's the sound I heard on the train the moment before your weapons failed you. The source is nearby," Ignis said. They followed Ignis out to the platform.

"This thing?" Noctis said.

"It's coming from within. Is there no way through?" Ignis said. Noctis tried it. Failed. He shook his head.

"There's a way." Everyone turned to look at Prompto.

"So…MT's, they've got those code prints, just like I do," Prompto said. He opened the doors.

"Mercury told me—What?" Noctis said.

"He told you about his code?" Prompto said.

"I told him about where MT's came from," Mercury said, "I…didn't tell him about you or the codes." He removed the wristband revealing a code.

"So, you're not a clone of Prompto?" Noctis said.

"Turns out, we're clones of the same guy," Prompto said, "I'm one of them. Not exactly something I could tell people growing up in Lucis. Still you guys are like…the only friends I've ever known. I just hope things can stay the way they were."

"Whatever. Who care where or how you were born? I'm not bugging out over the other clones," Noctis said.

"I don't see you turning against us. Not now, or ever," Ignis said.

"Aren't you—." Sidus and Diana covered Mercury's mouth.

"Thanks guys, I can't change where I come from. What I am," Prompto said.

"Since where does where you come from matter to you? You never once treated me as a prince," Noctis said lightly tapping his chest.

"He's got you there," Gladio added.

"Never so much as a "Highness."" Ignis said.

"We're done here. C'mon, crown citizen," Noctis said.

"You're one of us right?" Gladio slapped him gently as he guided Ignis into the interior of the room.

"Unless you'd rather not be." Ignis turned his head towards him. Prompto stiffened his lip a little and nodded.

"Us too?" Mercury asked. Gladio and Noctis looked back.

"Please. I promise to feed them and take them out for walks," Prompto said crouching over the three clones giving Noctis and Gladio puppy eyes. Mercury looked up and then it was two sets of puppy dog eyes.

"Fine. But, you can only have one. I think I want my mini-me," Noctis said crossing his arms.

"Leaving me to take care of the girl. I do have a little sister," Gladio said.

"Always wanted a little brother," Noctis said.

"Brother?" Sidus asked.

"Genetically speaking, you'd be Noctis's identical twin, even if you are younger," Ignis said.

"So, we're really sort of brothers?" Mercury looked up at Prompto with big eyes.

"Sheesh, this kid is just like you," Gladio said.

"Damn right!" Prompto pulled the kid close.

They explored the room. There was a throne in there. This was the imperial throne room? Talk about a guy with an ego trip.

"This must be it. Green's meant go throughout this whole cursed place," Noctis said before he summoned his father's sword and slammed it into the device destroying it.

"So…do it work?" Prompto wondered a loud.

"With the device down and out, Noct's powers should be up and running," Ignis said.

"Go ahead and try it!" Gladio said.

"Moment of Truth," Noctis summoned a different blade and they cheered.

"Back in business!" Prompto said.

Sidus held up a hand and to everyone's shock he summoned the Sword of the Mystic.

"How did you get that?" Noctis asked.

"Ardyn. He…forced me to take on the armiger weapons. It really hurt," Sidus said. He let go of the sword.

"That answers the question of if the kid has Noct's powers," Gladio said. Noctis pulled out a short sword and presented it to Sidus.

"This will be easier for you because it's smaller and it doesn't fold like that busted blade you have right now," Noctis said.

"Thanks!" Sidus concentrated and it flashed away in light before came back, "Cool."

"Alright. Let's roll," Noctis said.

Noctis took a few steps out whenever the Iron Giant type creature slammed down in front of them.

"Not you again!" Noctis said. Alongside Gargantua appeared some snagas.

"If we take out the little monsters, will you guys take out the big one?" Sidus said.

"Yeah and catch!" Noctis tossed Mercury a couple of pistols who caught them, cocked them and began firing at the small fry. Diana picked up the discarded kukri and kept close to Mercury stabbing the snagas that drew to close to the mini-gunner. Sidus was clumsily war striking enemies while the guys focused on the big monster. Once it was down, as well as the snagas, Noctis looked over at Sidus.

"Who taught you how to warp?" he asked.

"Prompto did.! The…scientists tried but they didn't know how to explain it," Sidus said.

"Yeah. Kid's a natural. See you're rocking the Ring," Prompto said.

"Had to. No friends, no powers, no choice really. Y'see someone where had to fight their way to the Crystal and rescue it, not to mention saving all of your asses," Noctis said.

"Spoken like a true king. About time," Gladio said.

"The Ring represents a great burden. Don't bear it alone," Ignis said.

"You can say that again. Especially now that you all have your weapons back," Noctis said. They found a dormitory.

"I think we all need a breather," Gladio said opening the doors. The kids piled inside and flopped onto mattresses, out like a trio of lights.

"…So, Aranea and I had to out run Immortalis on a snowmobile and I had this gun with crazy amounts of ammo, and it was just like the end of some sci-fi spy flick! And I just let lose and I took him out!" Prompto said.

"That sounds insane, but my clone, your sort of sibling, and Luna's clone are asleep over there so, I guess that's not the craziest thing I've dealt with here," Noctis said, he sighed, "I'm sorry I fell for his trick."

"I know right. How could you have done such a horrible thing. Nah. It's ok. You weren't the only one who fell for his tricks," Prompto said.

"You know….after this is over, we should come together as one nation. I mean it doesn't matter where you were born."

"Heh, you're finally starting to sound like a King," Prompto said.

"Took long enough," Noctis said.

"So….what are we going to do with them?" Prompto asked.

"Well, I wasn't fully kidding about keeping Sidus," Noctis said, "He has my powers and I'm the only one who can really teach him how to use them. He's also family, technically."

"So are we," Prompto said. Noctis turned around and messed with Prompto's hair.

"You know what I meant," Noctis said.

"Yeah. I've sort of got a little brother now too. It's so…weird," Prompto said.

"You'll do fine," Noctis said.

After everyone had gotten some rest it was time to continue the search for the Crystal. The band of brothers arranged themselves with the kids in the middle and Ignis in the rear.

"So, where'd you guys park the Regalia?" Prompto asked after they managed to take down a slew of nasties.

"Outside though, "park" ain't the right word," Glaido said.

"She's broken down, alas," Ignis said.

"She took one for us, saved our lives," Noctis said.

"What's the Regalia?" Sidus asked.

"It was our car," Noctis said.

"Maybe we can steal an airship?" Mercury said.

"Can you even fly one of those, kid?" Gladio asked.

"No…," Mercury said.

"Heh, I like the spirit. We're going to need something to transport the crystal in," Gladio said.

"So, the Crystal," Ignis said.

"I'm guessing the way is locked," Noctis said.

"Well I guess it's a good thing somebody has the keys to the whole fortress," Prompto said.

"You're no better than a burglar," Noctis said. He had a crooked grin on his face as he looked back.

"Aren't I?" Prompto returned the grin, "Though, why didn't you try your code print, Mini-me?"

"Ardyn blacklisted it just before he threw me and Diana in the room Noctis rescued us from," Mercury pouted.

"Hey, another break room. I'm gonna see if they've got good drinks for potions and stuff!" Prompto said. He rushed ahead with Mercury hot on his heels.

"The smaller one likes them too?" Gladio asked. Noctis nodded.

"What are those?" Diana said. She'd been quiet most of the way up until this point.

"Energy canisters. Sidus, check this out. Can you feel the energies?" Noctis said. Sidus joined him and he could sort of feel it.

"Now pull until it feels like you can't pull anymore," Noctis said. Sidus nodded and reached for the tanks marked with flames. It felt warm. It was too warm so he stopped.

"Yeah, like that!" Noctis repeated the action drawing in the fire energy. He wandered around and repeated it with the snowflake canisters and the lightning bolt canisters.

"Got a bunch of good ones, Noct!" Prompto dashed over, though there was one being sipped at like the energy drink it normally was by Mercury.

"We ready?" Gladio asked.

"I think so," Noctis said looking at the kids.

"I hope Biggs and Wedge made it to safety," Ignis said.

"Who and who?" Prompto asked.

"Our train drivers," Ignis said.

"And soldiers. They can fend for themselves," Noctis said.

They progressed to a new room whenever a voice screamed at them,

"The ring….it's mine!" It was the red daemon that had been plaguing Noctis throughout the keep.

"Could that truly be….the emperor?" Ignis mused.

"Does seem keen on the ring," Gladio said, "Not to mention his creepy face routine he pulled just before we rescued the kid."

"So..we fight him?" Prompto asked,

"We take mercy," Noctis said.

"Why? He wouldn't show you any?" Sidus asked.

"That's why we have to, because we're not like him," Noctis said. Sidus nodded as he blocked an attack.

"Ungrateful tool!" Iedolas targeted Sidus, forcing him to summon one of the armiger weapons to block: the Sword of the Mystic. It was too unwieldy for him, but it blocked better than his other sword. Mercury took a few shots at the daemon before Iedolas tried to go after him too. Prompto promptly shot at him, drawing attention back onto an adult. Ignis and Diana were providing support by throwing spell spheres at the other, lesser daemons who'd spawned with the emperor. Sidus switched swords.

"Warp at him now!" Noctis ordered. Sidus nodded and complied, joining Noctis for a joint warp strike before he was forced to roll out of the way. He saw how Noctis was phasing out of harm's way and mimicked it, to great effect.

"Cool!" Mercury yelled before he shot a smaller fry who'd tried to take a chomp out of Gladio.

"Thanks kid!" Gladio whirled his blade around slamming it into Iedolas before he summoned a second blade, a large katana, and also smashed it into the daemonified emperor. This stunned him long enough for Ignis to finally lock onto him with Liberis Elementia.

"Noct! His weakness is Light Based magic!" Ignis yelled. Noctis nodded before he dismissed his weapon and focused on the ring's powers. He stood still which lured Iedolas in close before he cast a burst of light, usually known as the spell "holy." The light weakened Iedolas enough for the others to join in and land finishing blows. Even as he faded, Iedolas's madness was evident in his last words.

"The empire shall span all the lands. By the Crystal's light we shall flourish…. I shall arise as ruler of the world!"

"He couldn't even tell he was losing," Sidus said, "He…really did need mercy." Noctis placed a hand on Sidus's shoulder.

"Even after everything his people did to us, I do pity what he was," Diana said.

"You two are better than me, I guess," Mercury muttered.

"You're allowed to hate what he did, but what happened to him is something I'd have never wished on him, and he was my worst enemy," Noctis said.

There was some silence for a few moments.

"Let's see what we came for," Ignis said.

"Sounds good to me, let's move on!" Prompto dismissed his guns and eagerly led the way.

The elevator wasn't too far ahead, following the fight with the former emperor, and so far the kids were mostly unharmed. Yet, Diana's whole stance was terse and tense.

"Diana, are you ok?" Sidus asked.

"I….feel something terrible is about to happen," she said looking up.

"She has Luna's powers, doesn't she?" Noctis said.

"Sort of?" Prompto said, "But I don't know how Oracle-ness works."

"We'll figure it out later," Noctis said, "but we should really be on our guards moving forwards."

The elevator ride was quiet and it let them loose into a huge hanger bay.

"On helluva hanger," Gladio remarked.

"Look at all this space," Prompto said.

"So, the central elevator's through here," Noctis said.

"And out of the loading bay," Gladio added. They were part of the way across when the doors opened and Diana let out a strangled gasp. In limped a twisted form. One side was an oozing daemon. The other Ravus Nox Fleuret.

"Your majesty, your precious Crystal awaits you. To liven things up, I thought I'd take you on a stroll down memory lan. Of course, memories decay with time."

The daemonified Ravus reached for them.

"Kill..me….End…it…" he gasped. Diana shrieked glowing golden and her light struck out at Ravus engulfing him. On the ground, collapsed a very near death Ravus whose daemon side had been blasted off.

"Well, that was anti-climatic."

"L-Lun-na?" Ravus gasped. Diana looked at the others helplessly. Noctis knelt next to him.

"I got my father's sword, Ravus. I promise I'm going to fulfill the prophecy. Rest in peace," Noctis said taking his remaining hand before he went still.

"A sorry end for the high commander. For anyone. He was a man with hopes and dreams," Gladio said.

"It's horrible," Prompt said after Noctis closed Ravus's remaining eye.

"What kind of person makes daemons out of men," Ignis remarked.

"Magenta hair loonies, that's who," Mercury muttered.

"We need to properly dispose of the body. We can't just leave it here to rot," Noctis said.

"A fire spell would be best," Ignis said. Noctis pulled out a spell sphere.

"Rest in place, Ravus," Noctis said. They cleared away and Noctis threw a fira spell at the body and it was ashes in a few moments.

"Who was he to my…to Lunafreya?" Diana asked.

"He was Lunaferya's older brother. He loved her dearly," Ignis said.

"Look alive!" Gladio bellowed. Daemons were everywhere. The kids bunched up by Ignis. Prompto and Gladio engaged more of the daemons, but it was no use, there were simply too many. Noctis was doing what he could.

"You could still get to the Crystal…if you went on your own. Your friends will have to stay behind.." Noctis looked at the others and looked over at the elevator.

I'll come back, I promise. He warped away.

"Why is he leaving us?" Sidus asked.

"He's the only one who can use that Crystal to get rid of the daemons!" Ignis yelled.

"Couldn't I do it too?" Sidus ducked a claw swipe from a snaga.

"Not without that Ring, which Noct has," Gladio explained.

"Hope he gets there soon!" Prompto said dodging away from more daemons, but they were getting their asses handed to them. Diana's glow-beam, as Prompto mentally labeled it, only managed to vaporize smaller deamons and seemed to draw even more to them.

"I can't do that again," Diana said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be!" Ignis said, "Your powers have limits. So do ours!"

Then, like someone turned off the water the daemon deluge stopped and they managed to clear their enemies. That was…highly suspicious.

"Let's catch up to Noct, ASAP," Gladio said.

"You go it," Prompto said. They raced into the returned elevator and followed the path to the central elevator piling in it together in a panting, antsy jumble.

They emerged and ran down the catwalk only to see the Crystal and Ardyn. No Noctis.

"What did you do to him!" Gladio demanded.

"I simply led him to his destiny. He's not here and won't be back for a while," Ardyn placed his hat on, and that's when Gladio lashed out and landed a blow that would have severed the arm of an ordinary man, but merely slowed Ardyn down. Pompto blasted him between the shoulder blades in a way that should have killed him. He was still for a moment as his hat rolled away, but the man, leaking daemon miasma stood as if Prompto had merely thrown a stone at his back, and put his hat on, but his true visage had been revealed as an oozing daemon with a mostly human face, black eyes and yellow irises.

"I bid you all adieu for now. Take care while leaving Graelea; the city can be perilous in the dark," Ardyn said.

MP: Part 2 of Clone-Verse.

I'm sorry followers of Lab Rat and Through the Eyes of a Child
I am severely blocked on them.