Axel hid behind a column, debris from part of the Lucis castle that Idola's men destroyed. His hands were shaking so much that he was having a hard time reloading his gun. Axel's breath was set at a fast pace and made it a priority to concentrate on his breathing so he could stay in this for longer.

The sound of gunshots rang through Axel's head as he tried again and again to load his gun. His hands just wouldn't work right. "Goddammit!" He yelled. A light tap on his head made Axel halt for a moment and look back. A gun barrel was right in front of his eye. The man holding the pistol to his head had a giant smug smirk on his face. Axel sat with his back against the column and his head hung low. Off the corner of his eye, he could see the man's finger move to pull the trigger. Axel closed his eyes, waiting for death.

But it never came. Axel felt alive. He could still feel his hands moving and he could still hear his breath. A scream and the sound of someone choking made the redhead bite his lip and open his eyes again. Blood had gotten all over his hands and battle suit. Then he looked up to the man to see a shining blade protruding from his stomach.

The blade retreated and the enemy fell to the ground, dead as a doornail. Behind the death of the man was a certain raven-haired warrior by which Axel simply called Nox. A small smile was managed on his face as he reached up to grab the hand that Noctis offered him and pulled himself to his feet.

The smile was quickly replaced with the face of determination. To finish this battle and restore everything to its state before the battle. Axel could finally reload his weapon and continue the battle alongside his friends.

All went well, it seemed. Only a few people left and they were sure to retreat. And as the few on the side of the Heir to Lucis, they were correct. The men retreated in a small group and Axel looked up over cover to watch them leave in a small group. Axel jumped up and pointed his gun up in the air in happiness.

"Guys, we did it! We really did it! They're gone! I bet they're never gonna come back!" Everyone took turns shouting and screaming in happiness. It was a battle well fought, but they would come back eventually with more people. Axel knew that, but the idea was a nice one. The soldier could help but to smile in happiness and run over to Noctis, giving him a celebratory hug.

Axel heard another noise and figured it was just another scream. But then suddenly pain overtook his entire body. He couldn't feel a single thing and he went completely limp. Noctis caught his body as he felt it start to let go and fall back. Blood was suddenly spilling from his head and trickling down his neck. How…?

Noctis looked around for a suspect and immediately saw the perpetrator, holding a gun up at his shoulder. Noctis grit his teeth and he rushed to put Axel down and take out his gunblade. He rushed in and took a couple shots at the man. But he didn't move. One got him in the shoulder while the other got him in the stomach. The prince ran up and stabbed him in the chest. The man fell to the ground, blood pouring onto the cement. It was almost like he welcomed death, that he was finished after taking that shot.

The prince stood there, for a second, gritting his teeth with fury. But the man was dead. His eyes grew wide and looked back. He ran over to the man on the ground, the ground around him the same color as his hair. It took Noctis a moment to comprehend the situation. His friend…

Noctis fell to his knees next to Axel and put the other man's head in his lap. "Axel, it'll be alright. I'll get you to a hospital and it'll be okay." The raven shook Axel's shoulder to make sure that he was still awake. His eyes were open and still looked liked they were full of life. Those turquoise optics were always full of life even in the worst times. Even now. "A-Axel?"

The man lay there, unmoving. He didn't blink or speak back to Noctis. He just lay there and looked up at Noctis' red eyes.

The raven quickly put his head down to the other male's chest. Looking for a heartbeat, some sign of life besides the lie behind his eyes. Noctis grabbed his body tight and took off one of his gloves as well as a glove from the other. He put two fingers to Axel's wrist, looking for a pulse - but to no avail.

"Axel!" Noctis screamed at the top of his lungs. Prompto, Gladiolus, Cor, and Ignis stood around with frowns on their faces. Neither of the three had really known Axel too well, but they all knew that he was a close friend of Noctis. The man continued to cry out, cradling his dear friend's body in his arms. Cries may have come out of his mouth, but tears could never find their way out from his eyes since they had dried so long ago.

Noctis sat in his new garden, enjoying a cup of tea. The place had been completely rebuilt, but it still looked exactly like it used to. He smiled as he finished his own cup of tea and looked down at a stone in the middle of the gravel. He tilted his head while staring at the tombstone. There was something that he was never able to tell the man. Something that Noctis would regret for as long as he lived. But if he went up to his grave every day and told it to his tombstone and shared a cup of tea, that would count, right?

Noctis shook his head with a smile and walked over to the stone, getting down on one knee and almost bowing to the stone as if it were actually Axel standing in front of him. Then he returned to his feet and simply said two words. "Amo tu."

The prince continued on with his day, but would always return every morning to share his tea and tell his dead friend that he loved him.