a/n: I wanted to try my flexibility when it comes to writing different characters/personalities. So here it is, my first Noctis x OC fic. Please read and review. I'd like to know what my readers think. Thank you! :)
Disclaimer: Versus XIII isn't mine, capeesh? ^^
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BY HER DEMISE
-rorudesu-chan-
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A soldier of an enemy kingdom peeped through the miniature telescope of his missile launcher. The red dot, intersected by two digital lines, aimed directly at a figure cloaked in a golden robe. Even with a ten-meter distance, it was a sure shot.
Hidden beneath the hood of the cloak was a girl who still seemed to be in her late teens. Her deeply shaded bronze eyes fixed upon the image of a man, who stood at a distance from her, carrying a huge missile launcher on his right shoulder. Thoughts paced quickly in her head. She knew that if she didn't run away now, she would die. But clenching a fist, the girl rebuked the option. No more running, she told herself.
The soldier lifted a finger onto the trigger. This was a battlefield; there had always been that choice to run from an enemy or not. But apparently, the figure before him chose the latter. And so with no hesitations, the soldier pulled the trigger with ease. His body heavily winced backward at the pressure of the missile being launched from its chamber. Through the cloud of dusty missile smoke, the soldier watched as the enormous explosive hurled swiftly toward the still, petite figure.
The girl suddenly took the hood off her head, revealing her long, straight silver hair. Raising her left hand, her palm tried to hold onto something in midair. A red mist quickly seeped from her body, concentrating together to form an ethereal crest with an intricate symbol on her back. She fisted her hand, but there was no weapon for her to hold. The girl felt her eyes moistening up. Then she recalled something: she was a healing l'Cie. She was not like her husband whose crystal power gave the night sky the purpose of being protected. All she could do was heal and restore a dead human back to life—the latter, being a power she has recently acquired.
"Noct," the girl whispered. She shut her eyes and the last thing she saw was the enemy's missile flying closer to her at a deadly speed.
But when the young l'Cie thought that all hope was vanquished amidst this war, a heavy force pushed against her, throwing her into the cracked asphalt. She moaned loudly in pain as she felt her back and her elbows skidding roughly upon the ground. With its target saved, the missile hurled instead toward the first floor of an abandoned building. Realizing that it was a miss, the soldier dropped his missile launcher and ran as far away as possible before the building could crash down due to the impact of the explosive.
"C'mon! Stand up! Hurry!" an alarmed voice said.
Unable to recognize the person who shoved her to the ground before the missile could hit her; the l'Cie took the hand that stretched out to her through the thickening cloud of smoke. Grasping the hand tightly, the girl pulled herself from the ground and began running quickly, disregarding the pain that ache throughout her limbs caused by the fall.
Rushing swiftly hand in hand with the stranger who saved her, the l'Cie glanced behind her and saw the building crashing down like a tower of playing cards and engulfing at them like a tsunami wave. She screamed out of fear. But the stranger clutched her hand tighter and began dragging her for dear life.
"This way!" the stranger commanded. The l'Cie felt her legs weakening, but another glance of the tumbling infrastructure quickened her pace.
The pair ran rapidly as the building collapsed into rubbles. Finally, they were safe. The stranger who saved the l'Cie guided her into an alley where they could both rest and at the same time, hide from any other life-threatening circumstances. Letting go of the hand, the girl slumped against the alley's wall. She opened her mouth and tried to inhale as much oxygen as she could—no matter how dusty the air around them was. She felt her arms tremble after their near-death experience; her legs felt as if they were about to come off. After partially recovering, the l'Cie looked to where her lifesaver rested, only to discover that that person was a 'he' and that his chest was covered in blood.
"Are—gasp—you—gasp—okay, Miss?" he asked, falling on the ground on his back.
The l'Cie was startled and crawled beside him. "What happened to you?" she asked worriedly, checking for any other injured parts of the boy.
"I'll be… fine." He replied, coughing his words. "You shouldn't worry too much. I'll be done… soon."
"Don't say such a thing! Let me help you."
"You can't." the boy mumbled, knowing that the wounds on his chest were far too deep for a simple First Aid.
"I can," she replied sternly. "I'm a l'Cie."
Looking immediately to his right, the expression on his face gave the l'Cie the signal to confirm what she just said.
"My name is Nova. I'm a l'Cie," she smiled weakly. "I can help you if you just—"
"A l'Cie?"
Nova nodded. "Please. This is my way of thanking you for saving my life just moments ago."
"A l'Cie, huh." The boy grimaced as he reached into the left pocket of his battle garment. "Can… can you do me a favor, Miss l'Cie?"
Nova was surprised and she protested. "But I have to heal your wounds! You can ask me for a favor later. Right now, I must—"
"Here," the boy reached his bloody hand to her. "Take this."
Nova saw at the center of his shaking palm was a silver ring, studded with three diamonds. She glanced back at the blonde-haired boy and realized that his emerald eyes had the same kind of depth she loved in her husband, the l'Cie King who was also the same age as her, nineteen.
"Take this ring… and bring it to her."
"Who?"
The boy parted his lips slightly, but no words came out. Nova waited and understood that he wanted her to come near him. The boy then whispered 'her' name for the last time.
The l'Cie withdrew from the boy's face. With both hands open, Nova received the silver ring that the boy dropped as his hand fell on the ground, lifeless.
"Are you sure…" Nova asked sadly. "You don't want me to cure your wounds?"
The boy felt his body going numb. Slowly, he also found it hard to breathe while talking. But knowing that his time would soon come anyway, he chose to speak his soul out.
"I… was meant for this destiny anyway. I had been cursed the moment I fell for a l'Cie."
"But we can change that destiny," insisted Nova. "I can cure you back to normal. It's my gift, my power. It's the only thing I can do. I'm always the one being saved. In these kinds of times that could I only make up for the things that people like you have done for me."
The boy laughed so weakly that it only seemed like he exhaled a breath. "If you badly wanted to make-up for what I did for you, then you go find her for me. Give her that ring. Tell her… tell her that I'm sorry for not coming back. I intended to marry her after this war but I…" he paused briefly, trying to catch his scarce breath. "Miss l'Cie… I still… want her to be happy."
Nova wiped the tears that were forming at the corners of her eyes. She stared with grief at the boy who lied down before her, awaiting his time. He seemed a little bit older than her. His spiky, disarrayed hair reminded her of Noctis—except that this boy was blonde and his hair didn't have her husband's bangs which crept halfway his cheeks. Oh how Etro caught up with this boy, she said to herself. Nova speculated that the wound on his chest must have been caused by an attack which he got earlier even before she was saved by him. Nova thought that this dying boy must have also been one of the enemies of the five kingdoms which were fighting against each other in this war—an enemy of her kingdom, Lavierna. The royal blue emblem marked on his gloves was a sure proof of her speculation.
Nova continued to look at the boy who was laying half-dead in front of her. His eyes gazed blankly straightforward, as if asking for someone to help him but at the same time not to do so. Healing him would be a piece of cake for her—it was what she was fated to do. But knowing that no matter how much she insisted on helping the boy, she would remain denied of her help.
The l'Cie swallowed hard. "What is your name? So the girl whom I'll give this ring to shall believe me."
"Alair."
"Alair," Nova mumbled, folding the ring beneath her palm, grasping it tightly. "I'll give this to her no matter what. I promise."
The l'Cie watched Alair grin at her vow as he slowly closed his eyes. A tear ran from his right eye as his chest rose and fell for the last time.
"Thanks…" he whispered softly.
Nova felt her heart burst. Even though she has only met Alair for no more than a day, she felt as if she had already known him for a long time. Bowing her head, Nova muttered a prayer, hoping that it would reach the ears of the Goddess Etro.
A few seconds passed by and Nova stood on her feet, veiling her silver hair with the golden hood. She walked past Alair's cold body, knowing that there was no moment to lose.
The second Crystal War had begun this morning, just a few hours after her wedding with the prince of the Lavierna kingdom. She was now officially the l'Cie Queen, the other guardian of the crystal that Etro gave to mankind as a gift to use and protect. As Lavierna's l'Cie Queen, her duty was to keep safe the people of the kingdom which now held the last crystal. Nova was fully aware that the soldier whom she made a vow to was not from Lavierna. But knowing that Etro would want her l'Cies to obey her will of living harmoniously with humans, Nova decided to keep and fulfill her promise to the human named, Alair.
The l'Cie Queen poked her head out of the alley and glanced to her right and left. Seeing that there was no sign of any enemies, Nova cautiously moved out and went ahead with her plan of fighting the other kingdoms alongside her husband. But it seemed that fate would not rather have the possibility of the l'Cie Queen dying beside the King. Fate rather had her die the moment she stepped out of the alley.
The sound of a pulled trigger broke the stillness of the air. Nova was too preoccupied thinking how to safely teleport to the eastern border gate that she didn't realize she had once again fallen on the cracked asphalt. Struggling to get up from the ground, Nova felt an ache on her left side. She looked down and saw blood spreading across her cloak. She had been hit. But by who?
Nova began breathing heavily. She looked around for the perpetrator and finally spotted a figure walking toward her. Nova recognized that small, curly brunette from one of the balls that she usually attended with Noctis. That brunette looked so innocent in her party couture that Nova never thought she could hold a pistol, much less shoot a l'Cie with one.
"Why?" Nova asked.
Stopping on her feet, the brunette replied, "Because the world would be a better place without humans like you."
Nova wanted to refute the girl. She wanted to say that a l'Cie was still a human being, except they have been both blessed and cursed by the Great fal'Cie. But as she opened her mouth to speak, she collapsed heavily on the ground. The bullet of the brunette's pistol had been shot on her left shoulder.
The brunette bent down and turned the wounded Nova on her shoulder so she could lie with her back on the ground. Hearing the l'Cie groan helplessly in pain, the girl dug her hand inside the robe and slipped her way toward Nova's neck. As she felt a metallic wisp, the brunette immediately snapped it off and pulled her hand out, revealing a golden necklace with a single crystal pendant.
"Who would've known," the brunette flashed a smug. "that I have shot down the l'Cie Queen of Lavierna. How tragic… But that doesn't matter now. Tenebrae is currently fighting to take control over the last crystal."
The girl continued to gaze upon the necklace. The symbol of Lavierna engraved on the round pendant's surface was indeed the earthly proof that the young woman she had shot was the l'Cie Queen of the last crystal.
Nova began to weep silently. She lay again on the ground, helpless, just like before. But she knew this time that Noctis wouldn't be here to save her, just like before as well. Because when a l'Cie dies, the only one saving them is Etro. Nova hoped that she could do more as a l'Cie Queen but the situation bluntly draws an impossibility for her wish.
But just when the l'Cie was about to drift off into an eternal slumber, the goddess fal'Cie worked her magic. Nova shut her jade-like eyes gently, not to meet Etro yet, but to foresee who the next l'Cie Queen would be—a sign of a dying l'Cie Queen who has fulfilled her earthly task.
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A hand vigorously drew the engine sword out of the enemy's cold, lifeless body. The blood which stained the weapon was flicked away before it returned into its crystal-like arsenal. A young man with a tall lean physique examined the battlefield with his dark golden eyes: enemy corpses, concrete rubble and overturned tanks covered the road which led to the gates of his kingdom. A sadistic smile curled on his lips as he turned around, victorious.
The man was about to teleport himself away from the place when he heard a voice shouting his name in anxiety. He halted on his feet, looked behind and saw that it was one of his commanding officers.
"Prince Noctis! Prince Noctis!" The man stopped running as soon as he arrived before the kingdom Lavierna's prince.
"What is it Commander Timaeus?" Noctis asked. He didn't like the sound of the old officer's voice nor did he like the fearful look the man had on his face.
"Lady Nova," he replied, trying to catch his breath. "Lady Nova, she's—"
"What happened to Nova, Commander?" the prince tightened his fists.
"S-she's gone, Your Majesty!"
"Where did she go?" his voice rose. "Didn't I give orders that her room be guarded at all costs?"
"Yes you did, my Prince! But you must understand! She's a l'Cie like you, Your Highness! When the maids checked on her, she was gone."
Noctis glowered, brushing the officer aside. "Position your troops here in the eastern border gate. The enemy might've called for some reinforcements."
"Where are you going Prince Noctis?"
"To find Nova."
Before the commander could offer his assistance in locating his wife, a shade of white light flashed and the prince quickly vanished. The old man smirked and recalled that the l'Cie King would of course know where his beloved was, whether it was love or the crystal's powers that lead him to her.
Noctis teleported himself around Lavierna's lush green borders where Nova could've been: north, south and west. But to his heart's disappointment, the prince of the royal Caelum family did not even spot any sign of his wife nor did any of his soldiers witness her escape from the mansion.
Drained from the continuous battles just earlier, the prince felt that he had used most of his energy that he could no longer properly summon the power of the crystal. He decided to walk back to the eastern border where Commander Timaeus remained after informing him of Nova's disappearance. Perhaps it was now time for him to seek some manual assistance.
Noctis strode past huge concrete chunks of what used to be a building when it once stood. A battle between a country and another one, possibly his, must've taken place. The prince walked further in the area while taking note of all damages created as if he was walking through a huge art gallery full of exquisite paintings and finely carved sculptures. But he soon paused when his deep ochre eyes stumbled upon a figure cloaked in a golden robe, lying on the ruined street. He slowly approached at first but when he recognized those soft strands of silver hair wisped on the ground, he quickened his pace.
Noctis kneeled beside his unconscious wife and scooped her up in his arms. He noticed her wounded shoulder and immediately scanned the place for any trace of his wife's perpetrator. But seeing only a street full of rubble, Noctis thought that he or she must've escaped already before he got to this part of the kingdom.
"Nova," the prince whispered. His heart felt half of his worries melt away. He ran a gloved hand across her cheek, causing emerald eyes to slowly flutter open.
"Noct," Nova whispered back. She wanted to tell him how happy she was that he found her but her voice was gently fading away and she only had enough energy left to talk to him before she could no longer do so.
"I'm glad you're still alright. Who did this to you?" Noctis paused and quickly dismissed his inquiry of the culprit. Finding the person whoever did such thing to Nova would be simple as soon as he was strong enough again to use his crystal powers. And once he does find the person liable for her wound, mercy could be the last option he'll have in mind.
"Let's go Nova." Noctis grinned. "I'm bringing you back to the mansion so the doctors may attend to your wound.
Nova smiled back. Who would've known that Noctis was also aware of her only incapability of healing her own wounds? She didn't want the smile on his lips—which she seldom saw—to falter before her very eyes. How heart melts at that kind of sight! But there wasn't enough time and Nova frowned at this fact.
"It's time, Noct."
The prince was about to stand up and carry her back to the Caelum mansion when Nova's sad soft voice prevented him from doing so.
"Time?" Noctis asked. At the back of his head, he knew what she was about to say. But he feared and hoped that Nova be wrong.
"The prophecy."
"No." he grimaced. "Not now, Nova. Not yet."
"My king," Nova's lips trembled. "When Etro gives the prophecy, she gives it. To have birth, there must be death… Be it like heaven or hell, fate pushes itself through everything… What must be done… will be fulfilled for the sake of this world…"
Noctis watched as tears cascaded down Nova's once rosy cheeks. He had always known that his queen wore her heart on her sleeve, even long before they were married at such a young age. But whenever Nova cried, it was always for a reason.
No, Nova wasn't sobbing right now because too much blood loss from her wound might be the only recognized cause of her death.
No, Nova wasn't weeping at the moment because she would no longer live to be Noctis' wife for more than a day nor more than a year to raise a child of their own.
Nova, the l'Cie Queen, was crying because she had to witness Noctis' heart slowly get ripped into pieces in front of her. She knew that her death would be too much for her king to handle. She knew it because Noctis loved her very much—even if he had never spoken of it. But it was alright. For Nova knew that he wasn't the type of person to express his feelings by words. Through actions, they were already enough.
"Nova," Noctis' voice quivered as he pulled her closer with his arms. "You can't go now. I need you beside me. I'll need you always. Nova, I… I… I love you."
The l'Cie Queen felt her ears deceive her. But as she looked past his golden eyes and deep into his soul, Nova knew that what he was saying was true. He loved her. But he was only able to say it now when she was about to die. If she wasn't about to go into the next world, would he still be able say those three words?
This troubling thought rushed inside Nova the moment Noctis said the word, 'love'. Nova wanted to ask him about it. But she knew that there was so much to say before she returns to Etro. Perhaps, in the next life she would know what was inside the heart of the Caelum Prince, the prophesized l'Cie King. But for now, Nova knew that in this lifetime, she had always loved him more than he ever did.
"Noct," Nova reached out caress his face as he pressed a hand against hers, knowing that he would long for its warmth.
"I have always longed to hear those words from you."
"Then stay with me. And I'll repeat them to you every day."
Nova shook her head sideway. "Listen now, my king. I must tell you the prophecy before I go."
Noctis' heart ached on her last two words. But knowing his duty as the l'Cie King, he leaned close to her lips to make sure that he hears every single word of Etro's will.
"It would seem that your task in this world has not yet been fulfilled, that's why Etro has allowed you to remain l'Cie King." Nova began stating the prophecy that the goddess had given her before Noctis found her. "However, I have fulfilled my task that's why the title of the l'Cie Queen will now be passed on."
Noctis remained silent, holding her wife tightly.
"The next l'Cie Queen is not of this kingdom, but amongst the four others. There are five conditions which will help you distinguish her… First, she looks fragile… and innocent on the outside but in truth, she is strong and full of spirit on the inside... Second, she has once loved a human… but the l'Cie's curse came across between them. However, she learned to forgive what fate has done… and has opened her heart again to a new possibility."
Noctis grimaced at the second condition. He didn't think that anyone would be strong enough to open their heart to love again once it lies their dying in their arms.
"The third condition… that l'Cie is prudent but," Nova weakly laughed at her next thought which made Noctis raise his eyebrows in confusion. "Like you, that l'Cie can be headstrong at times. Be patient with her, Noct."
Noctis continued to listen to Nova's prophecy since he didn't really know if he should be comfortable with the third condition or not.
"Fourth," Nova breathed heavily. "She is a daughter of one of the previous l'Cie Queens… and lastly,"
Noctis braced himself for the final condition which would aid him in finding the next l'Cie Queen of Lavierna.
"That l'Cie… is an enemy of Lavierna."
The prince became quiet upon hearing the vision's final condition. His next wife, the succeeding l'Cie Queen who would take Nova's place… is an enemy of his kingdom.
Nova continued to gaze into Noctis' golden colored eyes that were looking past her. She knew that he was slowly taking in the prophecy's conditions. But she also knew that he would be fine. After all, it had always been said that a dying Queen's vision is a vague yet powerful mystery that Etro bestows upon mankind.
"Nova …"
"Yes, my king?" the pain on her shoulder had become numb and so did her whole system.
"I'm sorry."
"Please, don't be. I'm not." Her emerald eyes gently shut.
"Don't go." He pleaded but only a faint smile responded to him.
Dark obsidian eyes locked at the two lovers from afar. The boy with black hair slicked back to perfection quickly ran past the rubble and toward them. At first, he was smiling in relief that his best friend had found Nova before it was too late. But as soon as he saw Noctis holding tightly onto his 'sleeping' wife, his wide grin faltered, realizing that he was wrong. Everything was too late.
The l'Cie King stood up, carrying his queen. All his emotions—sadness, anger, hurt and most of all, regret—he could no longer contain. He needed to find a place where he could let it all out in one cry. A place where he could be with Nova for the last time.
"Noct."
Noctis turned around. "You were right, Lucas. I should've said it to her before it was too late."
His best friend frowned in reply. "Where are you going?"
Noctis started walking away with the dead Nova cradled in his arms. "Etro's cave. All l'Cies must go to Etro when they die."
Lucas remained silent and watched as Noctis disappeared with his shadow—forever holding on to his great loss. The loss he can never reclaim unless he finds his new l'Cie Queen soon.
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a/n: Review, please? Suggestions to improve my writing are welcome with open arms! :)
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Trivia time~!
-This was supposed to be the prologue of a new Versus chaptered fic. But I decided to make it a one-shot instead since there has been changes regarding that chaptered fic's plot. I'm also currently deciding if I should shift the category where it belongs to. Maybe from Versus XIII to ******... -wink-
-The boy whom the l'Cie Queen encountered before her death, gave her a ring to bring to his girl who was a l'Cie too. Any guess who that girl could be? Clue! Her name starts with an 'S' and it rhymes with 'Ella'. Got it now? Oh c'mon. It's not that hard. Hahahaha :D
-From "Lianne" to "Rena" and finally to "Nova"... the name of Noctis' wife in this story went through shifts. Hehe :) Wanna know why I stuck with 'Nova' instead? That's because I was munching down on some chips while I decided to make this prologue into a one-shot. The brand name of the chips is 'Nova'. Sounds Latin-ish, right?
-The OC in this fic was designed the way she is--damsel-in-distress type, kind-hearted, wears her heart on her sleeve, etc--on purpose because I wanted to emphasize how I strongly do not want Stella's character to be 'that' in the game. I know I'm not Versus' creator and I can't control what'll happen once the game infos spills over. (I might actually hate Stella and become a Noctis/Lightning convert if her character becomes a Mary Sue or worse)... but, I'm crossing my fingers for luck that Tetsuya Nomura-san would introduce us to an FF chick who'll definitely stand out among the rest.