Non est enim est ad astra flagello.
Aeterna nox ruit...
Eternal Night was coming. No escape. All will fall to the darkness... Ravus had known it was coming and only the true king would be the one to save the world from it. He had fought well, but death was so close now, slowly embracing him as his body started to fail him. How many monsters had he slain? How many magitec had been cut down by his now broken blade? There had been a reason for him to come to the keep on this fateful day. He knew execution would await him, but he would not embrace it like a coward without a fight, no. There was one last thing he had to do and he would not die, before he has finished his last task. He couldn't... die before it. His hand held onto the rail of the bridge he was on, his body beaten and exhausted from the onslaught of beasts and machines alike he had taken down. Their corpses surrounded him, the blade in his hand no longer Alba Leonis, but the Sword of the Father he had taken with him. This was his last connection to the world... the sword he has taken from King Regis. And today, he would bring it to the new king of kings and fulfill his fate in this game of the gods.
His breath was coming out in short wheezes, his vision starting to blur, his muscles protesting when he tried to move on. Keep on walking, he told himself. He pulled himself up more with his arm, his metallic hand almost clinging to the sword, unmoving as the firm grip seemed to stay around the blade, like the hand was completely stiff now, unable to be moved even by the mighty god of the earth, how it seemed. He pulled himself along the rail, taking shaky steps forward, before his knees would give away after two meters, his body sinking to the ground once more, his human hand holding on to the metal bar.
The sword was slashed into the ground in time, helping him keep his body upright, though tiredness was written all over his face. Get up. Get up, you fool!, he told himself again and again, but he just couldn't get back to his feet, no matter how hard he tried.
"What a sad display...", a dark voice would purr out of nowhere, the beaten man holding his breath for a moment. This all to familiar voice made his hair on his neck stand up, a cold shiver running down his spine. "Ar..dyn...", he hissed through his heavy breathing. The lord of all evil that has befallen his home was slowly making his way to the man from the other side of the bridge, a cocky smile on his lips, the chancellor tipping his hat.
"I already started to wonder where you went. It seems your execution has not been organized very well. You look rather alive to me, still. The question is.. how much longer will it stay this way?"
Ravus growled, trying to get back to his feet, but his body failed him once more, making him slump back down on his knees. "Curse.. you.. Ardyn..."
The other was suddenly in front of him, the back of the jesters hand making contact to Ravus cheek, sending him right to the ground with it's force. "Nah-ah. Watch your tongue, dear Ravus. You don't seem to understand what situation you are in, hm?" The man crouched down, grabbing the royal at his hair and pulling him up a little, Ravus groaning in protest. "Do you really want to die so desperately? Return to your sister and embrace her in the afterlife? The world doesn't work that way, my dear commander." Ardyn's hands dug deeper into Ravus' skull, before he would let him go again finally. Of course, Ravus tried to get up to his feet, but his body was just to weak, failing him once more. He gritted his teeth, reaching out to the sword of the father, but Ardyn caught his movements, stepping on the extended hand with his boot and pushing down on it, the royal gasping out in pain.
"You just don't learn. You were doomed the moment your family helped the kings of Lucis. First you get rejected by the ring, than you lose your sister and now.. you are not even able to get the sword to Noctis. You are... a worthless being." Ravus gritted his teeth, shut his eyes and tried not to listen to those hateful words of the other. Ardyn only seemed to be amused more by the attempt to ignore him. "The truth hurts, doesn't it? You have achieved nothing. All you did ended in disaster. You couldn't protect your mother, nor your sister or your home." The other moved closer to Ravus, whispering into his ear after grabbing Ravus' head once more and pull him closer. "You are... worthless." A kick to his side send Ravus tumbling over, the man now on his back, body shaking in pain. Ardyn pushed the sword out of the way, the metal clattering to the ground as he adjusted himself, his hand on Ravus forehead now, petting the commander like a child, a dead smile on his face.
"Don't worry, dear Ravus. There is still something you can do for me. The king is on his way and I need someone to guide him to the right path. You seem like the perfect candidate." He placed his one hand on the others torso now, pushing him down and making him unable to move. The hand on the others forehead moved down to his prosthetic, moving gently over the metallic surface and the engraved ornaments. Ravus was to exhausted to fight, all his movements being blocked by the man that had him pinned down. He breathed in and mustered the energy to actually spit in Ardyn's face. "... go... and die.. you monster..."
Ardyn didn't seem very amused by this act of disobedience, growling slightly as his face twisted into something disgusting, his daemonic blood showing as black veins crawled over his skin, eyes turning a terrifying yellow, sockets completely black and black liquid dripping down his mouth.
Ardyn grabbed the metallic arm with more force, a violet and burning energy illuminating his palm, the darkness immediately sinking deep into Ravus' aid. The connection's of his nerves to the object started to burn, Ravus screaming out in pain and trying to free himself from the other, wiggling in his grip.
"Stop resisting. It will be over soon.", the devilish man hissed, a wide smirk spread on his face.
What Ardyn did not see however, was the lance coming his way from the back, the sound reaching his ears a little to late as his back was pierced by the weapon, the tip of it showing out of his torso, stopping right in front of Ravus' face, black inky blood splattering on his body. Ardyn blinked, his hands immediately moving away from the royal, grabbing the spear sticking out from his front. "W...what... the... Who.."
The burning sensation on Ravus' arm stayed even after Ardyn let go of him, the man holding onto his shoulder the metallic piece was connected to, holding back his screams of agony. He didn't see a flash of red and black enter the bridge, jumping Ardyn and pulling the spear out, only to slash at him once more, sending him of the plateau with a strong strike. It was only when he heard the voice of a female, that his eyes would open again, making out the face of a woman he knew all to well kneeling in front of him, covered completely in her usual armor and lance on her back with black blood on it.
"Fleuret! Can you hear me?"
Aranea? What was she doing here... Coming here was a death sentence. Her slender fingers moved to touch his hand on his shoulder, the burning sensation in his veins still not having left. "Hey! Bare with me now!" She checked his body, seeming to take in his condition before she would put her visor down again, carefully pulling Ravus up, her arm supporting his back as she held him, her other hand placed on his torso.
"Fleuret! Answer me!"
Why... has she saved him?
"..Commodore...Highwind..", he breathed, coughing. "..what...are you..." "What I am doing here? Zegnatus Keep already was hell, but now it's going all the way to hell. I just made sure that the people of Tenebrea get out of their burning home alive, when I started to worry about the King and his little Gang. Thought I go to the Keep and help and what do I find? You and that chancellor having a moment?"
She was joking in a time like this? Typical for her, but her face softened only slightly when she saw the attempt of a glare of the weak and wounded commander in front of her. Carefully, she would pull him up, moving his arm around her neck, taking most of his weight on her body now. Ravus bit down on his lip, his metallic arm having gone completely lifeless from exhaustion and.. whatever Ardyn had tried to do it. "You.. leave... I am slowing you down, Commodore... the daemons are-"
The dragoon shook her head her a little at his attempt to tell her to leave him behind. "Sorry, but this is an order I can't follow. You are not my commander anymore, remember?" A smile spread on her face, the woman making sure she had a tight grip on him, her eyes traveling around, trying to make out if Ardyn was coming back soon or if any daemons are close by. "Listen, Wedge and Biggs are getting Blondie out of his prison right now. We are going to meet up in the airship harbor on the lower grounds. You have to bare with me, till we reach my ship, got it?"
Ravus opened his mouth, so many things on his mind he wanted to ask the woman. Why was she helping him? Who was Prompto again? What were her motives? But all he could do is groan, unable to get any words formed. Blood was dripping down from one of the more nasty wounds on his torso, Aranea moving up her arm around his waist a little to press on it, shortly after something was placed on his belt. When had the woman picked up the sword of the father? It was now hanging on his side, where Alba Leonis used to be. "Come on. Lets get out of this hell-hole."
...
The way down to the harbor was a long one, at least for Ravus. Aranea was partly running with him in her grip, doing her best to avoid MT's or daemons, having to let go of his waist now and than to grab her weapon and slice through a attacking enemy or throw them to the side. She was a great fighter, that was for sure. Ravus never question why Emperor Aldercapt had bought her into his army. He had seen her in action many times and she had proven her skills to him every time he had watched her in the training area. Ravus stayed silent throughout the whole walk, Aranea asking him a few times if he was still holding up enough to continue moving, once he got to quiet for her liking. As they reached the harbor, the red ship could not be overlooked between all the black and gray of the other ones. Biggs and Wedge were already getting ready to start the ship, blasting away a few approaching daemons with their guns. Seeing their commander, one could see the relieve on their usually stone like face.
"Commander Highwind! We have to leave NOW! They are getting more and more!"
Aranea moved down the stairs, making sure Ravus didn't slip or anything as she bashed down with him in her hold. The royal only growled in response, doing his best to keep his feet coordinated. His vision was blurred, sounds fading slightly before they returned. That he had pulled through to the harbor only showed his immense willpower, that was now slowly reaching it's limits. Aranea felt the weight on her shoulders getting stronger, realizing that Ravus wouldn't hold out much longer.
"The boy! Where is he?!"
"Inside, Commander!"
At that she nodded, entering the last few steps to the ship, Biggs moving to her side to cover her from any daemons trying to reach her and Ravus, Wedge raising an eyebrow at the commander she carried with her, but moved over to help, taking Ravus other arm and supporting him. They entered the ship, the sound of gunfire echoing through it, the commander and her friend putting the royal down on something fluffy and comfortable. Ravus wasn't sure, but it seemed to be some kind of bed. He could make out something in the corner of his eye on an other one, but the edge of his vision was so unfocused, that he didn't really care about it enough to check. He could hear people talking, voices mixing with each other as an other person seemed to come over, looking down at him. Aranea barked orders, guns were fired, machines started. It all mixed together as he breathed in and out in pain. The bed was like a soft embrace to his worn and weakened body, his limps feeling like they started to sink into a field of flowers and feathers. Someone touched his face, the image to blurry to make out who it was, his eyelids becoming so heavy. He wondered if he would even open them again, should they fall shut right now. Part of him didn't really care, to be honest. There was nothing left in this world for him, anyways. No Kingdom, no family...
You are worthless.
Even if Ravus despised that man with all his being, what he had said actually started to sound right to him. For a split moment, the man had the feeling that this hand on his face was that of his beloved sister, whispering to him with words of comfort and telling him everything would be alright. No, it wouldn't be. She was gone and with her were the last remnants of his soul. He let the darkness embrace him.
First Chapter out. And Ardyn is a creep.