Noctis did not sleep much in the astral plane. There was no need for food, sleep, or any other physical dependence that came with living. Instead there was silence, a lonesome abyss, and Izunia standing before him in the same eerie stillness for the past century. This was the first time Noctis slept since the brief slumber of his death, yet unlike then, he was not surrounded by the screams of nightmares or the prying hands of demons trying to devour the light of his soul. Instead, there was the smell of flowers. He could feel warmth, light, the grass beneath him and the occasional tickle of flower petals against his cheek.

Noctis recognized this scent. He recognized the air, sweet and light, as well as the feeling of warmth that emanated around him. Slowly, Noctis opened his eyes and found himself staring at the blue eyes of Luna. She smiled sweetly at him though her attention was focused on a laurel of sylleblossoms in her hand which she wrapped and twisted into an intricate crown of blue. The tiny white petals becoming a stark contrast against the more pronounced cobalt and dark green.

He watched her for a moment longer as she continued to weave the stems together. Her fingers only stopping momentarily to thread through Noctis' hair as he became fixated on her face. It had been a long time since the two had seen each other, in dreams or otherwise, so Noctis took the moment to re-memorize every contour of her smile before relaxing against her lap. "I'm sorry," he finally said breaking the peaceful silence with a heavy tone of sadness. She only laughed quietly, almost reprimanding him for his guilt. "Whatever for?" she asked though Noct's heart only clenched at her words. "For making you wait," he responded after a pause though she only continued to smile at him softly. There was a quiet laugh, more like the rustling of wind against the grass than an actual sound before Noct felt warm hands close the lids of his eyes. His true words unspoken through their touch. There was the brush of warmth on his forehead before she whispered back, "If that is all, then you have nothing to apologize for."

Noctis awoke to the harsh sunlight streaming through the open windows of the room. The curtains drawn back as Noctis stared at the shadows of passing birds in the reflection on the floor. His mind still remembering Luna's touch as he fought to remember every last detail.

Habitually, Noctis felt for the pain of his thigh, testing his legs, before getting up. His faster healing rate aiding in the almost painless rise. He then tested his muscles, mentally searching for some faults as his fingers grazed against the bandage wrapped neatly against his chest. It was only when he paused in his analysis that he could smell the sweet, faint scent of a flower drifting towards the bedside. Turning his head, Noctis saw a bright blue sylleblossom on the nightstand held only by a delicate, pale gray vase. He walked towards it, grazing its petals with his fingers as if afraid to break it.

And that was how King Regis found him.

The king entered the room with a quiet knock before entering with Clarus trailing behind. Noctis did not look up, choosing instead only to listen to their approaching footsteps. The two did not walk far, trying to give Noct privacy before Regis spoke. "I am glad to see you are awake."

Noct did not respond and only ignored their presence. The flower seeming to bloom under his unwavering gaze. Regis did not seem offended, despite Clarus' scoff of annoyance, as the king only smiled at Noctis' wondering face. "A florist from Tenebrae gave them to us. It is a beautiful flower isn't it?" Noct's gaze did not falter though his hand dropped to his side. Then there was only silence before Noctis turned to the two. His stare piercing their own with eyes that had seen the world and beyond. It was eyes haggard by sadness and grief, weighted with age that caused Regis' own to soften with sympathy.

"Tell me who you are," Regis asked kindly while sitting down and offering the opposite chair to Noct. Clarus remained standing behind his king with eyes still weary and shoulders tense. Noctis paused in hesitation before sitting down himself and leaning back. The feeling of soft down against his back suddenly unfamiliar from his long forgotten past.

"I am Noctis Lucis Caelum."

Neither men looked surprise. The glowing armigers attested to that, yet there was a sudden change in mood as the room became tense. The confirmation of his bloodline seeming to aggravate their fears. "Where have you come from? There are no extended Lucis heirs that I know of," spoke Regis first. At least not ones that could control the royal weapons of old. Noctis felt the accusation more so from Clarus than Regis as the king's shield dared to call out any lie. "I came from the astral planes with Izunia."

"The man from before?"

"Yes."

"What of these astral planes?"

"I hale from a different time."

"Then you are my ancestor," Regis said in awe as he too relaxed into the cushioned chair, staring at Noct in some new found reverence. However, Clarus was quick to step forward with nothing but scorn. "You lie. There is no one of the name Noctis in the ancient archives." His tone was angry, resilient and cautious all at once as, despite his words, he could not deny what he had seen. The glowing armigers, the royal arms, were all real and impossible to conjure through mere child's play. Yet his words also spoke truth.

"Is this why my room is surrounded by guards?" Noctis asked softly as he watched the two before him. He could feel the souls standing in the hallway, their magic tense in preparation, just as he could feel the roaming eyes of the guards that were stationed at his window and would pass on fleeting occasions. "Is this also why you stabbed me?" he continued when neither answered, yet this evoked anger from Clarus. "You endangered the king with that stunt!" he retorted though Regis was quick to raise his hand in warning, placating the other into silence. "I apologize for that," Regis spoke softly as his eyes glanced towards Noct's side. "He meant well, and your sudden appearance surprised us both. You must excuse us for believing you were the enemy." Noctis understood, yet his heart ached for Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto all the same with the knowledge that they would have intervened in a similar manner.

The silence resumed. Noctis staring down at the intricate patterns on the ground and tracing it mentally with his mind. The familiar tiles shaping into the same helix drawn over and over again in repetition from the haze of his childhood. "Why are you and Izunia here?"

Noctis looked up, gazing into King Regis' eyes as the man looked back. Their eyes locked on briefly before Noctis turned his face towards the light of the window, feeling the warmth of sunlight on his skin and watching the gentle swirls of dust that stirred as they breathed. "It is my duty to maintain the astral plane at which we reside. Yet Izunia broke through my barriers and brought us here. I can only speculate he wished to kill you and stop the Lucis bloodline from its source." There was a heavy pause as Regis' seemed to age further with the knowledge. Finally, his voice cut through the silence. "Is there some dark future ahead?" he asked. Noctis did not look at the other.

Met with silence, Regis could only sigh before getting up. "It was nice meeting you Noctis Lucis Caelum. Perhaps another time." The king than sauntered towards the door, took one last glance at Noct's direction, and then paused. "I suggest you hide that ring before anyone gets suspicious," he added before exiting the room with Clarus behind. Indeed, Noctis thought deeply as he stared at the ring still nestled on his finger. Even here the infernal thing had followed him. Yet, even then, Noctis could hear their voices echo softly through the empty halls.

"The boy must be lying."

"Perhaps his name had been erased from history. The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence."

"But if his name is not in the archives, perhaps he had been erased for a reason, some sin he must atone for."

"You are thinking of what Izunia said."

"One is a lunatic, the other is delusional. The real question now is who do you trust more?"

But there was no response back. Their voices drifting softly away into the dark abyss of Noct's world. It seemed being alive again had changed nothing. There was still the bitter loneliness in Noct's heart and the weight of loss that crushed solemnly against his shoulders.

AN- Thanks to anyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! Also thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the next installment.