It was a cool night. Noctis had sensed a powerful presence.

Ever since the war began, the crystal of Tenebrae had been under the prince's constant supervision. If his kingdom lost the crystal, Tenebrae would fall.

After a few minutes, the prince arrived on the steps of the crystal shrine. Looking out, he saw not an army or a group, but a man. He was about average height, steadying a large sword on his soldier. His hair was a shocking blond, styled in a series of high spikes. The man was wearing a black turtleneck, with a single long sleeve, matching pants, a leather side skirt, and black shoulder pad with a silver wold emblem.

The man looked with his piercing blue eyes at the dark cobalt eyes of the prince.

Noctis walked down the steps, eyes fixated on the figure. He finally reached the last main landing to the ground. Noctis and the stranger remained silent. All they could hear was the howling wind.

"Got a name?" Noctis asked.

"Cloud," the stranger replied as he raised his enormous sword.

"Very well Cloud," said the prince. "I suppose you won't make this easy, will you?"

"No."

"Any reason why you are entertaining me Cloud?"

"Just a promise from a friend."

At that point, the prince summoned his great sword. He then steadied himself in a fighter's stance, preparing for the first blow.

Cloud then ran up the stairs, his great First Tsurugi gripped in his hands. He then jumped into the air on the last step

The prince smirked. This was a move he had seen one too many times. And just as often, he had learned with skill and ease how to block it.

As the sword neared Noctis, the prince simply looked into Cloud's eyes. Instantly a spinning field of weapons surrounded the prince, easily stopping the attack by Cloud.

As the blond's sword hit the barrier, his eyes went wide with fear.

"What?" he murmured to himself.

Noctis then grunted, and made a pushing motion with his hands. The weapons around him obeyed the command and pushed Cloud backwards. He went flying into the air.

In response, Noctis disappeared into thin air, leaving only a few glitters from the area where he was originally. He then reappeared in the air along side Cloud. With a swing of his sword, Noctis slashed the blade across Cloud's chest. The attack pushed his opponent down to the ground.

Somehow Cloud recovered from the fall by forcing his feet to lad first then push his lower body into a ball and roll a few feet after the impact.

Noctis was suprised that the blond had made it out of his attack. Grunting, he once again teleported from the sky, to the ground just behind Cloud. Noctis then swung his sword around in an attempt to hit Cloud again.

But Cloud's expereince had taught him well, and he blocked the prince's attack with a quick parry.

The two swords locked togethor, each man pushing against eachother trying to

The fight descended into a series of dodges and parries as the men moved up and down the steps of the shrine. Noctis would swing his sword and Cloud would block it and Cloud would take a chance against Noctis.

After a particulary hard blow, Noctis was slammed against one of the building's pillars. Grunting, he came to connclusion the the needed more weapons to defeat this stranger. Focus his energy, he summond his other wepons and grabbed a middle sized bronze dager.

Ducking his head as he avoided another swing from Cloud's sword, the prince threw his own swords at his opponent. He was certainly suprised by the appearence of the second sword, but did not panic. Instead, he simply grabbed a part of his sword's blade and removed a part it. In his hand was another, smaller sword.

Within a second, Cloud swung the two swords around, block each attack Noctis threw at him.

This needs to end, Cloud thought to himself.

Summoning all of his strength, Cloud pushed Noctis a few feet back and then unleashed a final attack. With a quick slash, he cut across Noctis's body. The force of the attack blew Noctis back and threw him to the ground.

The prince remained on the ground, his breathing shallow. He then saw the edge of Cloud's blade touch his neck.

"I guess you won," Noctis managed to say, his eyes still focused on the blade.

"Yeah," replied Cloud. "I guess I did."

The prince then took a deep breath, preparing for the killing blow, but none came. Instead, Cloud placed his sword on his back and extended his right hand toward the prince.

Noctis looked at the hand in confusion.

"Aren't you going to kill me?" the prince asked.

"No," repled Cloud.

"Why?"

"Do I need a reason?"

Noctis relented and grabbed Cloud's hand.

For Ena on the FFXIII forums. Hope you enjoyed it.