Wow, the amount of reviews and follows that I've gotten for this so far is simply astounding. Thank you all so much for your patience and support! I meant to finish this chapter a few days ago, but as I kept writing, it there was more stuff I wanted to put in until this became the finished product. I hope y'all enjoy this first chapter.

Summary: When the Oracle falls, so does the King.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XV


The once-grand city of Altissia was unrecognizable; the sights on the waterways that left Noctis breathless- he was to get married here? – were now in ruins, destroyed and submerged by the very waters it rested on. Leviathan threw her head back and roared, rearing on her long neck before the Hydraean's eyes focused on the Crown Prince- King. Noctis grit his teeth, pulling at his magic and summoned a lance, the polearm lighter than the broadsword and deadlier than his blade. He pulled his arm back before throwing his weapon as hard as he could, warp-striking to meet his target. Again, and again, and again he struck Leviathan, but despite the blue blood seeping from her wounds, the Astral wasn't slowing. As soon as he landed the last hit, she slammed against him so hard in midair he landed on his back on the stone altar, pain reverberating through his body and paralyzing him.

Breathe, he thought desperately. The quick breaths that usually helped dull the pain seemed to only agitate his wounds further; the King felt as if his bones had all been shattered. In fact, he was a hundred percent sure a couple of his ribs were broken. Grunting, he turned his head to where he last saw Luna, trying to find a ray of hope amid this seemingly-hopeless battle, trying to gather his resolve, the resolve that he felt every time he saw her on television during their long years of separation, every time he received a note from Umbra she had written in their notebook, the resolve that whispered with a will of steel.

I will save her.

Instead, his searching eyes found his fiancé only to see Ardyn Izunia crouch down to where she had been lying on the ground, exchange a few words with her, and then- a flash of steel, a soundless scream that was ripped form his broken body- drove a short knife into her abdomen. Then, as if he was standing next to him, Noctis heard his voice.

"Oh, Prince! Your bride awaits!"

I will save her.

The King willed himself to get up, to move his body and muster the strength and magic he needed to warp-strike to where Luna was, but his body wouldn't obey him.

I will save her.

It was then he felt a strange warmth enveloping him, a light surrounding his body as he was lifted into the air. Power surged through him, pushing away the paralyzing pain he felt only moments before. Noctis didn't have to ask; this was the Oracle's power, given to him by Luna, calling out to the power of Kings, and his own power had responded. He could feel their joined forces twisting, melding inside of him as they became one, calling forth the Armiger. The Oracle's Trident joined the ranks of the weapons surrounding him, confirming what he already knew, and Luna's soft whisper, carried by the wind into his ears-

Defeat Leviathan. Bring down the Empire. Restore the light. I believe in you.

I will save her.

Noctis opened his blue eyes and narrowed his gaze at the roaring Hydraean in front of him. He didn't hesitate. As the power coursed through him, he drew his broadsword and swung it toward the Astral, impaling it over and over, pulling at another short sword to slash at her. Leviathan howled in pain as she attempted to block his attacks, using her serpentine body to try to slam at him, but he phased out of each attack, warp-striking to counter. His magic acted of its own accord as the weapons of the Lucii flew at the goddess, attacking relentlessly. Each hit connected with the Astral, whose blue blood poured forth and mixed with the waters below. The goddess was weakening; he was sure of it.

With one final cry, Noctis summoned Luna's trident, gathering all his power before thrusting it right into Leviathan's neck, slashing all the way down to where the Hydraean's body met water.

It was finished. Breathing heavily, the King pulled weakly at the magic he had left, warping to the small platform he saw Luna on and landed next to her on his knees, crashing to the floor after. He struggled to lift his head, but the sight of his fiancé burned through his pain and exhaustion, and he half-crawled, half-dragged himself to her side. The wet ground was soaked with her blood, and gods, there was so much blood. Noctis gathered Luna into his arms, frantically feeling for a pulse.

I will save her.

There it was, a faint flutter against his index and middle fingers. He felt his heart swell, the lump in his throat not going away.

I will save her.

The day Niflheim invaded Tenebrae, he watched from his wheelchair, from his father's arms as he was carried to safety, unable to do anything, unable to save anyone.

Noctis was helpless as he watched the magitek soldiers with their cold, never-living bodies and colder red eyes jump from their airships, opening fire on everyone and everything that was there. He was helpless as he saw the sylleblossoms he and Luna loved so much, made so many promises over, go up in flames. He was helpless as he watched Queen Sylva step in front of her son, impaled on the sword of General Glauca, whom he now knew as the traitorous commander of the Kingsglaive under his father. He was helpless as he saw Ravus on the burning ground, screaming for the Lucians to help when Glauca pulled the sword from his mother's body, causing it to fall in front of the young prince. He was helpless as he watched Luna pull her hand from his father's that day, as she stopped running and magitek troops surrounded her and took her captive for the next twelve years.

I will save her.

No more. He would not be helpless anymore. Noctis' right hand found Luna's, his left arm holding her against him, and closing his eyes, thrusted his magic out of him to heal her. That tug brought his attention all the wounds and injuries he sustained from the battle, the pain his power had pulled away before returning full-force. He grit his teeth as all of his bleeding wounds all over his arms, neck, a long gash along his side, felt as though salt water was being poured on them. The broken ribs he ignored before screamed out, the shoulder he didn't even notice was dislocated during his power high spotted his vision with the sudden burst of pain.

Feeling the short rope of his remaining power holding him back, the King bit down hard on his lip and forced the rest of his magic over Luna, not caring that blood was now flowing profusely from his wounds. His magic was all but drained, and he did the only thing he could think of- Noctis felt for the Crystal's power, felt for how it tied to his life force, and tore it out, the power flowing into the woman in his arms.

I will save her.

Lunafreya was taken hostage by Niflheim.

I will save her.

Lunafreya was suffering through her communion with the gods on his behalf.

I will save her.

Lunafreya was dying.

I will save her.

With a final push of magic, Noctis yelled out, and then everything was silent. The waters that were raging over Altissia froze, the droplets hanging suspended in the air. Leviathan's roar no longer sounded, and the wind stopped. Weakly, the King looked warily at the world around him, his heart pounding in his ears. He was completely powerless, both his magic and strength drained, if something, whatever caused this, tried to attack.

"Noctis Lucis Caelum."

A bright light shone from Luna's body and shot out in every direction, crystal shards forming in the air as transparent figures appeared, looming above him. Noctis tensed, but then went slack as he recognized the one that stood in front of him.

"Dad?" his question was a soft whisper of disbelief.

The spirit of King Regis nodded, fixing his blue-gray eyes on his son.

"Noctis. What's done is done. Lunafreya has fulfilled her calling. It is her time; she has passed the Oracle's power to you."

Tears of desperation, of heartbreak, formed in Noctis' eyes. Luna was dying. His father was here, and without having had a proper chance to mourn him, it was all too much for the King, his emotions overflowing.

"You are now the King of Lucis. You are the one destined to restore light to the world," Regis continued. His son shook his head, bowing his face when he lost the fight against his tears.

"No. No, please. Dad…" he said brokenly through gritted teeth. "I need to save her. Please, give me a way to save her. If Luna gave me her powers, can't I do the same for her? Can't I…can't I save her?"

Regis' spirit studied him for a moment. Exhaustion and desperation were written all over Noctis' face, heartbreak evident in his eyes.

"Luna is at Etro's Gate. She is about to pass," the late King murmured quietly. "Noctis, to bring back a life at death's door, a life must be given. Both you and Luna are tied together through the powers given to you. You must know the consequences. Her calling as Oracle was to help you attain the blessing of the gods to save this world. You are the true King of Light, tasked now to bring the world out of the darkness that is fast approaching. She gave her life so you could fulfill that destiny. Insomnia fell for you to achieve that."

At those words, Noctis' head snapped up, his heart racing. "What…what do you mean?" he asked slowly, forcing the question out and dreading the answer. Regis' face showed no flicker of emotion.

"Lunafreya knew that communing with the gods would drain her life away. She was there in the Crown City during the signing of the peace treaty. Insomnia was handed over to Niflheim so you would be able to come to Altissia after claiming the power of the Kings."

Noctis' heart stopped, his stomach dropping as he realized the truth. "So many…" he forced his voice to work through the sick feeling in his stomach, the lump in his throat. "So many people in Insomnia, all of them died, tortured, taken to Niflheim…even you…just to make way for me." His voice was a soft whisper at the end. In the face of the truth, the helpless guilt that washed over him the past twelve years threatened to pull him under, to drown him in its raging currents.

His father didn't speak as he broke down, holding onto Luna like a lifeline. What his father told him he had already known, but to hear it from his own mouth made the truth a painful reality. Cor's words from the Tomb of the Wise rang in his mind.

"How long will you remain the protected? The King entrusted the role of protector to you."

"I had faith in you," Regis finally said after a moment. When Noctis looked up, he could see resignation in his father's eyes, and for the first time since the fight with Leviathan, he heaved a sigh of relief. The King gently put a hand on Luna's cheek, brushing her bangs back softly. He relished the feeling of her skin, of holding her at last; his blue eyes committed her to everlasting memory.

"Have faith in her," Noctis murmured. Another moment passed before he turned his gaze back to his father. "Cor told me that the power of Kings is passed through the bonding of souls. How do I…"

"Your souls are already bound." Regis interrupted gently. "The first day you met in Tenebrae."

To say he was stunned was an understatement. How could he forget that the first thing he remembered clearly after the incident with the Naha, besides his father's voice, was Luna looming over his bed? He had been taken straight there from the wreckage, where Queen Sylva healed him using her Oracle's powers.

"Luna was with her mother, an Oracle-in-training, when she healed you. You share the same soul; the gods have ordained it so."

How many times over did Noctis owe her his life? His father breathed in deeply, looking kindly at him.

"Noctis, if you give her the power of Kings, if you give her back her powers and bring her back to this world, you need to know the consequences. You will take her place, and you will die. She will inherit the throne, the first Queen ever to rule with the power of the Lucii. She will also inherit your destiny. You bring her back only to make her walk another difficult path."

He almost hesitated. Almost. Tucking her bangs behind her ear, Noctis gripped her hand tightly. "She deserves to live," he told his father's spirit before looking back down at her. "She was ready to die to help me fulfill my destiny. I need to…she deserves more. She deserves better. Luna has saved me so many times, it's my turn to save her."

There was no changing his mind now. Regis nodded, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Noctis."

With watery blue eyes, the King nodded, looking back at the face of his beloved and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I walked tall," he breathed, knowing his father could hear him. More crystal shards gathered in the air as more spirits- the Queens of Tenebrae, the Oracles of the line of Fleuret- joined the Kings of the Lucii, standing ready.

"Walk tall, Luna," Noctis said in a soft whisper. With one last glance at her, he looked at the spirits around him, gathering his power.

"Kings of Lucis, come to me!"

All at once, all the spirits summoned disappeared in a flash of bright light and shot through Noctis, illuminating his body. It didn't hurt much; it felt like he was merely adding another weapon of the Kings into his arsenal before a searing pain burst forth, tearing a scream from his lungs. Then, it was over. Dimly, Noctis heard Leviathan's roar somewhere in the distance, the waters of Altissia raging. His blurry vision offered no clues of anything happening around him, save for Gentiana's face coming into view. She gently put a hand on his forehead.

"Rest now, King of Lucis," she said, and Noctis was only aware of Luna's fingers threaded through his as he gave way to darkness.