A bright light shone in Noctis' face as he came to. Beside him sat a tall, dark figure, whom he could not recognise with the bright light forcing his eyes shut again. He could hear a steady beeping sound, which, after a couple seconds, he recognised as his own heartbeat being repeated by a heart monitor. The dark figure stood up, and went over to the window. A swoosh sounded, and the light got shut out of the room, allowing Noctis to see more clearly.
The room he was in was entirely white. A painting was to be seen on the wall, but aside from this, all furniture, floors and walls, were painted white. To his right was the heart monitor, and several IV-drops that were attached to Noctis' right arm with several tubes. To his left was a table, on which he found a lamp and a small figurine. It was the Carbuncle, and next to it, a tall vase with blue, long-stalked flowers.
Now, able to see, Noctis recognised the dark figure that had sat by his side as he woke up. It was his father. Smiling at him, Regis sat down on the bed next to Noctis again. The soft covers tightened slightly around Noctis as his father sat on them. Noctis saw that his father appeared a lot more tired than he remembered, evidence lying in his father's skin being paler than normal, and the circles underneath his eyes far darker than they had used to. His cheekbones also stood out far more than they used to. One could easily have thought Regis had fallen ill, however, the uncertainty of his son's survival had kept Regis from eating and sleeping. He had even let his Royal Advisors do the most part of his job for the past weeks as he was attending to his son in Tenebrae.
"Welcome back, my son," Regis said as he laid a hand on his son's chest. Noctis put his hand on top of his father's, and the warmth of his touch radiated through Noctis' hand. Along with it, spread happiness to be with his father again.
"What… happened?" Noctis asked. Regis took a deep breath and looked away from his son, waiting a moment to answer, trying to put together an explanation that would be easy for his son to understand, yet not cause him too much worry.
"You were attacked. I should have been with you, but I wasn't. Had I only come moments later…" Sadness filled Regis by the thought of having lost his son. Still holding Noctis' hand, Regis tightened his grip, and along with it, got a bit better hold of himself. Looking at Noctis again, he smiled a pained smile.
"I brought you to Tenebrae; When you have rested, I have someone that I want to introduce you to," Regis said with an attempted excitement in his voice. Mostly, he was just relieved to see his son alive and well. Now that he was out of his coma, Regis could finally get some rest.
"Dad?" Noctis asked. Regis looking at him, Noctis saw his fit to continue with his inquiry. "Thank you for bringing Carbuncle here. It protected me from the monsters that kept me from waking up." Regis chewed a bit on Noctis words, until he finally responded to his son's words.
"Monsters?" Regis finally asked, worried what his son would say next. Noctis sat up in his bed, excitement growing in his face, ready to tell his father of his adventures in the Dream World alongside his companion.
"Yes! I woke up in a forest, and Carbuncle was there! And… And, he showed me how to leave the dream world! And there was this big falcon which took me to its nest, and there were these hounds with red, glowing eyes that tried to attack us, but suddenly I had the sword you gave me for my birthday and I made it run away, and…" Exploding with eagerness to tell his father what he had experienced with Carbuncle, Noctis made many gestures with his arms, almost ripping out the IV from his hand.
"Careful now, Noct. You wouldn't want to pull out the needles," Regis said in a warm voice, very well hiding the concern that was now growing inside of him like a tumour, "I think maybe you should get some sleep, I have some business to attend to, and then, afterwards, I have a dessert you need to taste," Regis said as he stood up from Noctis' bed, patting his son's hand, as it laid between the two of his own. Noctis yawned, and quite quickly he closed his eyes, his entire body relaxing. As he dozed off, Regis left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
In the hallway, Ignis was sitting, waiting for Regis to leave the room. As he closed the door, Ignis sprung up from his chair, and pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, as they had slid down slightly in his excited jump.
"Anything, your Highness?" Ignis asked, voice firm and composed, tone a bit worried. Regis, started walking along the hallway, his hands in the trouser pockets.
"Yes, he has woken up, but I am a bit worried…" Regis thought aloud. Ignis' level of maturity made it easy for Regis to forget that he was still just a child. He often had to remind himself that children should not know everything, as they tend to be more easily affected by whatever they were told. Particularly when it came to bad news. However, Regis also knew deep inside, that Ignis had just as much concern for Noctis as he had, and as Noctis' advisor, Regis felt that it was important for him to know how he was doing. Even if there were bad sides to it.
"What about?" Ignis asked. Regis looked down at the boy. Only ten years of age, and Ignis had already grown rather tall. As always, he dressed in rather formal attire, taking his position as Noctis' advisor seriously, and despite his young age, always displaying an incredible amount of self-restriction.
"I probably shouldn't tell you this…" Regis began, coming to a halt in the middle of the hallway, "but Noctis told me, that during his coma, he had been kept from waking up by some 'hounds, with red, glowing eyes'." Ignis, folding his arms across his chest, shifting on his feet, looked up at the King.
"And you are fearing that the Marilith has infected Noctis with the daemonic plague?" Ignis asked, almost taking the words out of Regis' mouth. Afraid of affirming that his thoughts had gone along those exact ideas, Regis looked away from the boy. "Well, it is not entirely impossible that this would be the case. Have you thought about consulting with the Oracle?" Regis nodded.
"That is where I am headed now." Regis replied, still looking towards the exit at the end of the hallway. Ignis nodded, once again pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.
"I shall remain seated here, in case someone comes," Ignis said. Regis had not brought along much security, as very few knew where he and his son had disappeared to; practically, it was only those who had accompanied Regis and his son to Tenebrae, who knew. Ignis turned around and went back to the chair outside of the door to Noctis' room, and Regis was left standing alone. After a moment of hesitation, Regis brushed his cape behind him, and left the hospital-wing, heading towards Fenestala Manor.
Outside, a slight breeze was in the air, brushing lightly against Regis' cape as he walked along the path through Tenebrae. Located high in the mountains, Fenestala Manor was the home of the Tenebraean royalty, the Nox Fleurets. The current Oracle, Sylva Nox Fleuret, was a strong and determinant Queen, loved by her people. So much in fact, that even the Empire respected her duty as Oracle, and in spite of their long standing control over the Kingdom, they had at no point dared to settle troops in the cities.
The Queen's hair was blonde, as were her children's, and her eyes quite closely bore the same colour as the flowers dominating the Tenebraean art culture: Sylleblossoms. Her daughter, Lunafreya, had brought a bouquet for Noctis, which Regis had placed beside his Carbuncle totem in a vase, hoping that they would bring him speedy recovery.
Fenestala Manor overlooked Ulwaat city, which in itself was a sight for sore eyes. Waterfalls flowed from the mountains surrounding the city, and trees were blooming all around. Whereas Insomnia, the Crown City, was very urban, the entire Kingdom of Tenebrae kept in touch with nature. It had less protective forces than the Crown City. However, for as long as the Kingdom had existed, it had been greatly respected by all nations, due to its royalty being in such close connection with the Astrals, and the very nature of the Oracles to be welcoming of all humankind.
Deep-in-thought, Regis had reached the Manor. Having received an open invitation to come and go as he pleased, Regis went inside, hand resting on the golden handle momentarily, before he pushed it down and went inside. As Regis went through the door, he had entered a vast hallway, with a staircase in the middle of the room. The walls were painted blue, and the floor was of white marble. The railing of the stairs was covered with golden paint, and from the ceiling above it hung a beautiful golden chandelier. Along the walls were small tables, on which vases with Sylleblossoms were kept, as well as family photographs in wooden frames.
Uncertain of where to go, Regis stood still right inside of the door, and kept looking around, admiring the vibrant colours of the room. From upstairs, Regis could hear the faint sound of a piano. Slowly, Regis followed the sound of music, and inside a room, at the far end of the corridor to the right of the staircase, he found Lunafreya sitting by a grand, white piano. From the doorway, Regis stood and admired the girl, as her fingers moved flawlessly over the keys, almost as though dancing. The sunlight fell on her, making the small rhinestones on her dress' left shoulder shimmer. The room was not very big, and aside from the piano there was very little furniture; only a small sofa with a dark wooden frame and blue fabric. The walls were painted blue, as with the rest of the Manor it appeared, and the floor was of oaken wood. The music Lunafreya was playing was slow, and stuck to the higher notes. Regis had rarely ever heard music, and when he did, it was never anything like this. It was peaceful, mellow and laden with emotion.
Beside Lunafreya, two dogs were sleeping. One with dark fur, and another that was snow-white. They looked at peace, although their ears were raised in the air, appearing as though they were listening to the music in their sleep. Regis closed his eyes and let the music fill his ears, and for a second, he had forgotten the reason he had come to the Manor in the first place. As the music came to a halt, Regis opened his eyes again, and Lunafreya was looking at him from her seat by the piano.
"Oh, Your Highness… I had not realised you were here," she said and stood up quickly and bowed for him. She smiled nervously to him, and grabbed her left arm. Her hair was about shoulder-length, so bright it was on a hair-thin line between blonde and white. She wore a white dress and shoes. Her bright blue eyes were locked onto him, an incredible amount of strength displayed.
"Just call me Regis," he replied, and shifted on his feet. Now, recalling what he had come for, his expression changed, Lunafreya noticed this. Almost as though she had read his intentions, Lunafreya walked over to him, the dogs followed.
"Mother is outside in the gardens. Come, I will show you," Lunafreya said and took Regis' hand in hers. Her hands were chill, and incredibly small in his. Lunafreya walking ahead of Regis, showed him the way through their Manor. It was a vast place, although not quite as large as the Citadel, and its design was vastly different from what Regis was used to seeing. There were many decorations, flowers and paintings all around, and a lot of the space in the rooms was occupied by furniture, unlike the usual interior design of Crown City space, which was kept dark and to a minimum.
From the living room, Lunafreya showed Regis through a set of French doors and out on the porch, which overlooked their private gardens. It was beautiful. In the middle was a small pond, in which fish of all colours were swimming around peacefully. A couple frogs were even sunbathing on some of the stones. Lunafreya's two dogs ran outside in the gardens and vanished from sight, and far ahead, Regis could see the Queen's beautiful crystal crown shimmer in the sunlight.
"Mother, King Regis is here to see you," Lunafreya said as she approached her mother. Queen Sylva's eyes were closed. Scared that he had interrupted her prayers, Regis hesitated to move closer, but Lunafreya waved her hand at him, signalling for him to come closer.
"Ah, Your Highness, welcome to Fenestala Manor!" Queen Sylva said as she opeed her eyes, her blue eyes looking deep into Regis', as though she looked straight through him.
"Your Majesty," Regis replied, kissing her hand lightly. She gestured for him to sit beside her on the bench. He sat down, and looked ahead and out over Ulwaat. It was a beautiful day, the sunlight shimmering in the windows of the many homes of the Tenebraean citizens. It was the perfect place for a King or Queen to watch over his or her people.
"How is your son?" Sylva asked, pouring a cup of tea for Regis. Its sweet smell hit Regis' nose. It smelled like a combination of flowers and herbs which Regis had never smelled before, yet it was so tempting that he did not hesitate to bring the cup to his lips and taste the hot liquid. It warmed him from inside, and the sweet taste filled him with a sensation of content he had not felt for long.
"He has woken up…" Regis began, wrinkles now appearing across his forehead, as he started to think of Noctis' monsters.
"Ah, but I see something troubles you however, about this?" Sylva said as she sipped from her cup of tea. Regis looked down at the cup in his hands. Like most of the other things in the Nox Fleuret residence, the cups stuck to a theme of blue, white and gold, and the Sylleblossoms being key to the decorations.
"He…" Regis started, yet his words seemed to fail him. He took a deep breath, and finally found some courage to continue. "He spoke of daemons having kept him from waking up from his coma…" With these words, Sylva put down her cup on the table in front of them and stood up from the bench. She went over to the hedge that separated the gardens from the mountain side.
"And you are worried that the Starscourge may be involved?" She asked. Regis nodded and kept staring at the tea. Sylva turned around and closed her eyes in the sun, enjoying the warming rays on her skin.
"I understand why you are worried, it is understandable. With the amount of experiments the Empire is conducting, we have all the more reason to be more careful these days," She said, eyes still closed. "If you want, I can come and pray with you. It may give you both some more peace."
"I would very much appreciate that, Your Grace," Regis spoke, voice still filled with concern. The Oracle came over to Regis and sat down on her knees in front of him. She took his hands, and they started glowing bright. Putting her hands to his temples, she closed her eyes and prayed for Regis.
A sense of calm grew from Regis' temples, and filled him into the deepest corners of his body. All worry and concern for Regis' son seemed to leave his body, and replaced instead by hope. Hope, that his son would be alright, and that soon, they could return to the Crown City and move on following this event. The images of Noctis' weak body in his own arms, soon came unclear to Regis.
"Thank you, Your Grace," Regis said, and the Oracle smiled back at him.
"Now, let us enjoy our tea, before we move on with our agenda for today, shall we?" She said as she sat back down on the bench. As she grabbed her cup of tea, she looked down at it, slightly displeased. Grabbing for the teapot, she mumbled something about her tea having gone cold, but as she mixed the old with new tea, steam slowly began to rise from her cup, and once again she was smiling. The two sat in quiet and looked out over Ulwaat.
Later that afternoon, King Regis and Queen Sylva of Tenebrae went to visit Noctis in the hospital-wing. Ignis followed along this time, eager to see his friend. Staying true to his King, Ignis had by no means gone inside Noctis' room to disturb him, however tempting it had been. To Ignis, it had become evident that his desires should by no means compromise the safety and integrity of his King, or in this case Prince, so as patient as he came to be, Ignis had sat outside the whole afternoon and read in his book.
As the Queen, his father and friend entered Noctis' room, Noctis woke up from his slumber. Only, he did not recognise the woman standing before him. His father came up to him first.
"Noctis, I want you to meet Queen Sylva of Tenebrae, the Oracle," He said and extended his hand out towards her. Sitting up again, Noctis extended a hand towards her, admiring the beautiful crown on her head, and the peculiar collar of her garments that looked quite a lot like the flowers on his bedside table.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Prince Noctis," Sylva said as she took his hand in hers, and smiled such a broad smile, that her eyes almost closed. Small wrinkles took shape at the corners of her eyes. Finally, Noctis' father moved, and he saw his friend standing in the door, looking at him from a distance.
"Ignis!" Noctis exclaimed. Ignis walked closer, trying to hide his equal excitement. As Ignis reached Noctis' bed, Noctis swung his arms around his friend and embraced him tightly. Ignis slowly put his arms around Noctis' torso, and the two shared a brief hug, until Noctis' father cleared his throat. Ignis took a step backwards, and sat down in the chair on the right side of Noctis' bed, beside the window.
"Your father has told me that you fought some monsters in your Dream World," Sylva explained. Noctis nodded, a hint of pride in his face. Looking at Ignis, making sure that he heard what was being said, he realised that Ignis too, looked a bit worried. Now, Noctis' pride was replaced with a sense of disappointment. Why was he the only one who seemed to find it cool?
"Would you mind if I said a prayer for you, Noctis?" Sylva asked. Noctis looked at his father, who nodded slowly, Noctis looked at Sylva and did the same. She took his hands in hers, and a bright light appeared from underneath Noctis' hands. Eyes wide open, Noctis stared at her hands. He had never seen anything like it. Even Ignis moved a bit forward in his chair.
She put her hands on Noctis' temples, and closed her eyes. Uncertain if he should do the same, Noctis followed along, in hopes that he would not do anything wrong. Sylva began to speak.
"Blessed stars of life and light, deliver us from darkness' blight. Protect us from all harm akin, purge us from the evil within." She spoke under her breath.
A violent headache emerged from deep inside Noctis' skull, and by the second it grew more intense. Noctis began crying, putting his hands to his head. Regis, scared, grabbed his son's arm and looked at him.
"Noctis! What's happening?" He bellowed. Sylva had moved a bit further away from Noctis, not looking scared, nor comfortable. Ignis looked at her with a furious expression.
"What did you do to him?!" Ignis roared at her. She looked at Ignis, and in a calm voice, she responded.
"I have done nothing but attempt to cleanse him from all evil. However, it is rooted further inside him than I had thought…" She contemplated. Noctis, still crying and screaming, and the sound of his heart monitor filled the room with rapid beeping. Regis, still holding his son against his chest, was scared more than he had ever been before. Had his own son really been infected? And if so, what about everyone else he had been around?
Suddenly, Noctis' cries and screaming were replaced by an intense silence. All sound but the now steady heart monitor had been muted. Regis slowly backed away from his son, who was now sitting up, unsupported, looking down at his duvet-covered legs. Regis put a hand on his son's shoulder, and lifted his chin.
"Noctis…?" He asked quietly, but what he saw in his son's face was foreign to him. While everything else about Noctis' face was normal, his eyes were completely black, and something dark came oozing from his eyes. Looking emptily at his father, Noctis seemed to have vanished for a second. Then, with a cough, a dark cloud escaped Noctis' mouth and his eyes returned to normal. Quickly, Ignis captured the cloud in the vase which had previously held the Sylleblossoms, and covered it with paper so it could not escape.
"Noctis?" Queen Sylva asked carefully. Noctis looked at her.
"Mhm?" He responded in an exhausted voice. Everyone held their breath.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired, but better…" Noctis said as he yawned, and struggled to keep his eyes open. The people around him sighed, and their bodies relaxed from all the tension they had endured in the past few minutes. Regis patted his son on his sweaty forehead.
"Get some sleep son, tomorrow, I will show you Tenebrae," Regis said, and signalled for Sylva and Ignis to leave Noctis' side. Noctis nodded sleepily, and the three left the room and Noctis behind. Ignis had the vase under his arm, carefully ensuring that the paper was held tightly onto the top of the vase, so that the mysterious cloud could not escape.
Sitting down in the room next door, Sylva, Ignis and Regis had sat down. Alongside them was Titus Drautos, the captain of the Kingsglaive, and protector of King Regis. On the table, in the middle of the four, was the vase with the mysterious cloud that had possessed Noctis. The four all looked at it, and nobody dared say anything for a long while.
Thoughts were flooding Regis' mind, as he sat and stared at the vase, hands folded on the table. Regis knew very little of what this substance was; only that it seemed connected to the legends of the Starscourge, and that it had something to do with Niflheim. Regis knew very little of the experiments which Niflheim had conducted for many years, however only that people had started to vanish, and the population of daemons all over Eos was rapidly increasing. If there was a connection, Regis was unsure, however, it seemed probable.
"Regis…" Drautos started, then paused, unsure of what to say. Scientific research in Lucis was limited, and regarding research into daemons, it was nothing that had even been considered. Within the Crown City, Daemons never appeared, due to the protection of both the New and Old Wall, as well as the Light of the Crystal. In the provinces, the Oracle put her blessings on the havens and larger cities, likewise protecting the citizens. Hence, the need for knowledge about daemons was little, thus never investigated into.
Regis stood up from his chair and went over to the vast window lighting up the room. It was a break room for the nurses and doctors working in this hospital wing, and it looked a lot less clinical than the rest of the wing. The floors were of hardwood, and on the walls, were several paintings, along with one lightboard for reading x-rays.
The thought of Niflheim having targeted his son's convoy enraged Regis. The two nations had been in heavy conflict for long already, and rarely had battles turned to Lucian favour. Niflheim was a strong nation, their military technology far more advanced than any other nation on Eos. The last clash between the two nations had forced his father, King Mors Lucis Caelum, to dissolve the Lucian Army and create the Crownsguard, which only functioned as a counter-measure to potential attacks. Never before had Niflheim targeted royalty directly, even if they had had the chance. Boiling over by this thought, Regis hammered his fist against the frame of the window.
"Niflheim has overstepped their boundaries this time…" Regis whispered, almost unhearable by even himself. He turned around and looked at his company. He lifted his left hand, on which he bore the Ring of the Lucii.
"I swear, that regardless of what it takes, we will defeat Niflheim. They have to pay for what they have done, the suffering which they have caused. To their own people, and to ours." Regis spoke, more clearly, voice raised. Drautos leaned forward in his chair.
"But, all due respect your Majesty… They are far stronger than we are…" Drautos said cautiously.
"I know!" Regis roared, almost spitting. This startled Drautos. Never before, had he been yelled at by the King, and this experience was nothing which he wished to reexperience. Regis looked down at the floor and took a deep breath to regain his composure.
"But if we do nothing, the suffering will become endless, and we will lose this war!" Regis said. "What we need, is to outsmart them. We need… We need time." Drautos stood up from his chair and walked over to his King. He put a hand on Regis' shoulder.
"Your Majesty, firstly you need to be with your son, and ensure that he recovers well. He needs you." Regis looked back at him, emotionally drained, Regis let out a groan. He was tired, and more than anything, he wished to return to his royal duties as King, and for his son to never have been attacked. Wanting revenge, Regis' judgment was blurred, and more than anything, he needed time to recover.
"You need rest, your Highness. After that, we can start to talk about business. But not until then." Drautos said and led Regis back to his chair, which he dumped down into. Both Queen Sylva and Ignis had been quiet the entire time, both were mainly concerned with ensuring that the vase's contents were not released. Regis looked at it as well.
"We need to find out what to do about… that…" Sylva said cautiously. None of them really knew what the contents were, so disposal would be difficult, as they knew nothing of what would destroy it, and if simple containment would be enough.
"Think burying it far underground would suffice?" Ignis asked her, since she was the only person in the room to have any bit of experience with daemons and Starscourge. She considered it for a moment until she slowly nodded.
"I am not sure, but… If we hide it far enough from everyone, it could minimise the chance of harm?" She suggested, looking at the others for confirmation as to if that was a promising idea or not. Considering none of the others had any better suggestions, Sylva pulled the vase closer to herself.
"Leave it to me then, I know of a place," She said. Ignis got up from his chair, bowed to both the King and Queen, and left the room, seeing that their order of business was finished. Drautos, still by his King's side, put a hand on Regis' left shoulder.
"Your Majesty, I believe it is time to get some rest."
The following day, Regis felt a lot more refreshed, after having gotten a night's undisturbed rest. Noctis was ready to get out of bed, however, his body was still weakened because of the long time he had been in a coma. As a result, Noctis was put in a wheelchair to help him get around. Once every day, Noctis would receive some physical therapy, to reactivate his muscles.
Leaving the hospital wing, Regis pushed his son towards Fenestala Manor. As promised, Regis would introduce Noctis to someone, that being Lunafreya, whom he hoped he would become friendly with. After all, she would become the reigning Oracle around the time in which Noctis would claim the throne, following Regis.
"It feels so good to be outside again!" Noctis exclaimed as the fresh air hit him. Regis chuckled and kept pushing his son forward. Eager to see whomever he was about to meet, Noctis could barely sit still. To Noctis, it felt like an endless walk up to the Manor, despite it only being a few hundred metres. As had been the case for almost their entire stay in Tenebrae, the sun was shining brightly and there were barely any clouds to see.
As the two approached Fenestala Manor, Noctis could see a girl standing beside Queen Silva outside of the main entrance. The girl waved at Noctis, smiling, flashing her teeth. Noctis waved back at her and afterwards looked up at his father.
"Is that who I'm going to meet?" Noctis asked eagerly. Regis nodded.
"That, my son, is Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Princess of Tenebrae." He responded. Noctis looked at the girl again, and now within range of hearing, Queen Sylva walked towards the two with opened arms.
"Welcome to Fenestala Manor, Prince Noctis. How are you feeling today?" She asked, taking his hands in hers.
"Much better, thanks," Noctis said, more interested in seeing the girl who was approaching him from behind the Queen. Seeing this, Queen Sylva chuckled and stepped a bit to the side so that Lunafreya was standing before Noctis, Sylva let go of Noctis' hands and put them on Lunafreya's shoulders instead.
"This, Noctis, is my daughter, Lunafreya," She said and gently pushed Lunafreya closer to Nocits. Happily, she took Noctis' hands and shook them eagerly.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you," she said, in a sweet voice, that made it sound almost as though she was singing. The way she spoke, she sounded different from people from Lucis, as well as more mature than himself. She was a beautiful girl, Noctis had to admit, and her approach towards him made him feel welcome. Queen Sylva moved towards the entrance, and the three followed after.
"The two of you can go to Luna's room and get to know each other. I have some things which I need to speak to your father about," Sylva said, gesturing for Regis to follow her. Noctis looked at his father, slightly nervous about being left alone with Lunafreya. He sat down next to Noctis and whispered to him.
"Don't be nervous, she is a very sweet girl. I am confident that the two of you will have fun!" He said and tapped his son on the shoulder a couple of times before standing up again. Following Queen Sylva, Regis walked into a larger room up ahead, and Lunafreya and Noctis were now alone.
"Let's go upstairs," Lunafreya said and held her hand towards Noctis. Looking down at his legs, Noctis considered if it would be a good idea after all. Lunafreya saw this, and she smiled widely.
"I will help you!" She said, and took hold of both of Noctis' hands, pulling him up. Unsteady on his feet, Noctis felt as though he was about to fall over. Lunafreya grabbed him around the waist, and the two slowly walked up the stairs. A servant appeared and took the wheelchair and carried it upstairs, while Lunafreya's small hands were gently pushing Noctis forward.
"One step at a time!" She said cheerfully. With every step, Noctis seemed to get a bit steadier, but when they finally reached the top, he was incredibly exhausted. His legs could carry him, but only for short periods of time, as the muscles had lost quite a bit of mass during his time in bed. Lunafreya pushed him towards the corridor to the left of the staircase, and in through a door halfway down the corridor.
Behind the door was a vast room with large windows, which overlooked the Gardens and Ulwaat City. By each window, a set of heavy, deep blue curtains were hanging ready to shut out the light. They had golden fringes, and a golden band which held them in place. On the walls were paintings, mostly of what seemed to be divine creatures. By the window, a set of chairs framed with dark wood and covered in blue fabric, in-between a table of the same type of wood, and a vase with blue flowers. Finally, in the middle of the room was a large bed, once again framed with dark wood, and white and blue bed sheets. Over the bed hung a white cover, which could be pulled around the bed to ensure some privacy. The room looked very little like the room of a young girl, but more like that of an adult. It had no toys, unlike Noctis' room at home in Insomnia, and there were very little personal effects.
Lunafreya pushed Noctis' chair over to the bed, and she helped transfer him from the chair to the bed. She then moved the chair to the corner of her room, to then finally sit beside him on the bed. She looked at Noctis, however Noctis was too shy to look back at her. In silence, the two sat for a minute, considering each other, until Noctis finally said something.
"So… You will be an Oracle one day?" He said nervously, unsure of what else to ask her. She leaned back on her arms on the bed, still looking at Noctis.
"Yes, just like you one day will be King!" She answered cheerfully. Knowing very little of what an Oracle did, Noctis leaned back so he was lying beside her again.
"But… What does an Oracle do?"
"An Oracle is charged with communing with the Astrals on behalf of mankind. We help people who are ill, and we help protect against danger through prayers and blessings," Lunafreya explained. "In ancient times, the First Oracle was gifted her powers from the Astral of Light, to speak with the Gods for mankind, and to aid in protecting the Crystal." Noctis considered her words for a moment.
"Wait, so the Crystal came from the Gods?" Lunafreya took out a book from underneath her bed. It was a blue book, not very thick, and it had the words "Cosmogony" on its cover. Underneath the text was a drawing of a winged man, who handed a crystal to another man, who seemed to be a King of sorts. The winged man was dressed all in black, his attire seemed as though an armour. The King seemed dressed down in comparison, covered by a white cape, his black hair flowing down between his shoulders. A bit into the background, a woman holding a trident could be seen. She was wearing a white dress, and in her left hand, she held a large bouquet of blue flowers.
"Yes. The Crystal was gifted to mankind, that we might know lasting prosperity." She said, as she looked at the cover of the book. Noctis looked down at it, considering what he saw.
"But… If the Crystal belongs to everyone, how come only Lucis gets to use it?" He wondered, thinking back to how his father appeared to be the only person he could think of, who knew how to wield its power. Lunafreya put her hands in her lap and looked out of the windows as she spoke.
"The Kings of Lucis do not simply use its power, they also protect it."
"Wait, so my dad is guarding it?" Lunafreya nodded, smiling. Noctis put his hands to his head and laid down on his back, astonished.
"I had no idea!" he exclaimed, looking up at the ceiling. Lunafreya laid down beside him, her left hand supporting her head, so that she could still look at Noctis. She chuckled, as she realised he was still trying to process what she had just told him. Now, things started to make a lot more sense to Noctis. That is why his father had fought so hard to protect Insomnia from the outsiders. That is why there are certain parts of the Citadel which nobody, but his father, had access to.
"But what is the Crystal for then? Why is it so important that we must protect it?" Noctis asked Lunafreya.
"To crown the King of Light is the calling of the Crystal. And to keep the Crystal safe, until that day, falls on the Line of Lucis." Noctis considered her words, astonished to know now, what being the King of Lucis meant; One day, a King of Lucis would be chosen by the Crystal.
"Who is the King of Light? What does he do?" Noctis asked. She took a deep breath before she responded.
"Well, only the True King, anointed by the Crystal, can purge our Star of its Scourge." She said, making small gestures with her hands. Noctis could tell, that Lunafreya had really studied the history of their planet.
"But who is the Chosen?" Noctis asked, "Has the True King been chosen yet?" Lunafreya nodded, looking a bit more intensely at Noctis. He seemed to get the gist of what she meant.
"Me?" he asked, and she nodded again. Flabbergasted, Noctis laid down again. "You really think I can do that? I'm not even King yet…"
"As Oracle, I shall see to it," She said, and held Noctis's hand, as though vowing to him, that she would do whatever it required. "To aid the King, is the Oracle's calling. And one day, you will be King, and when the time comes, you will acquire the full power of the Crystal, and save our world." Noctis considered it for a moment, looking out at the blue sky. He pulled his hand to himself again, and looked down at it, playing around with his fingers. Still a bit unsure as to what his duty as the Chosen King was, and even unsure as to how Lunafreya could know this, when he had never even been near the Crystal, Noctis looked at her again.
"Then… I guess I can do it. I won't let you down!" Noctis said determinately. Lunafreya gave him a sense of security, and knowing that it would be her duty as Oracle to assist him, he felt happy that they could talk so easily with each other.
"I know you won't," Lunafreya said, smiling. As she had finished, the door behind them opened, and in came one of Lunafreya's servants.
"Prince, Princess, there are refreshments waiting for you downstairs," he said as he bowed for them. Lunafreya nodded and dismissed him, and she got up from the bed. She took the book in her hands, and extended it towards Noctis.
"Here, you can borrow this. Then, you can get to know some more of the history of Eos and the Astrals," She said and smiled, handing it to Noctis.
After a bit of a struggle, Lunafreya had helped Noctis downstairs, so they could join their parents in the dining room. At each their own end of the table sat their parents, and in between them, two seats for Noctis and Lunafreya were ready. The table was filled with all sorts of food which Noctis had never tasted before; a large flank of meat, surrounded by prepared vegetables, bowls with all kinds of sauces and salads, and in the very middle of the table towered an arrangement with small cakes which smelled incredible. Sitting down, Noctis was eager to try the cakes, but as he reached for one, he caught glimpse of his father who looked displeased at him, and by this, he pulled his hand back down underneath the table.
Lunafreya reached for the salad, and most of her plate was filled with vegetables, and only very little meat. It was the direct opposite on Noctis' plate; all the meat he could take without his father's disapproving stare in his direction, leaving only a small room for vegetables on his plate. In silence, the four sat and ate. Both the Queen and King sat and considered each other, without ever getting eyecontact, meanwhile the Prince and Princess sat and smiled and giggled at each other, looking through the small gaps in between the cakes. Every now and then, Noctis would make a funny face at Lunafreya, when she grabbed a mouthful of salad.
Having finished his plate of food, however the salad left completely untouched, a servant took his plate. Now, Noctis could finally reach for the cakes, without his father's disapproving glare. In his hand, it felt soft, and the white sugar stuck to his fingers. As Noctis took a bite, a familiar sweet, and slightly sour, taste exploded in his mouth, and combined with the pastry, it made for the best dessert Noctis had ever tasted.
"So, Noctis, are you looking forward to returning to Insomnia?" Queen Sylva asked, as she cut a small piece of the cake with her fork. Noctis, already on his fifth cake, swallowed his bite and put the cake down on his plate.
"I like it better here; the food is better!" Noctis said, looking down at the cake. Both his father and Queen Sylva chuckled. Noctis looked at his father. "Maybe we can get the recipe and teach the cook how to make this?!"
"Before you leave, I will ensure that the cook writes it down for you," Queen Sylva said. And with this, the four of them finished their cakes. Noctis wrapped a couple of cakes in his napkin and put them in his pocket. As they got up from their chairs, and Noctis was back in the wheelchair, Lunafreya came over and whispered in Noctis' ear.
"I have something I want to show you!" and she started to push his wheelchair towards the main entrance of the Manor. Outside, the sun had started to set over the horizon, visible in between the floating mountains of Tenebrae. Lunafreya pushed Noctis around the right side of the Manor, and down a path, which led toward vast fields. The grass was tall, and the field was filled with Sylleblossoms. From behind, Noctis could hear dogs playing. He looked over his shoulder, past Lunafreya, and saw a snow-white dog, and a dark-furred dog play in the tall grass. Lunafreya caught his glimpse.
"That is Umbra and Pryna, my two dogs," she said and stopped pushing. They came over to Noctis and looked at him, considering him for a moment. Noctis petted the two, and they clearly enjoyed the attention. Unable to see where they had stopped, Noctis looked at Lunafreya.
"Where are we?" He asked. Lunafreya walked around, her hands moving through the strands of grass.
"The fields behind our Manor. I come here every time I need to think, to be myself." She said. She looked up at the sky, the few clouds were glowing pink in the last rays of the sun. "Sometimes, I need to get away from everyone else, all the expectations they have of me." Noctis nodded, he understood how she felt. He had the same sense of calm every time he was in the Regalia, and it was the only place in which he could sleep well. When he was smaller, his father would always take him for a drive, as the sound of the low motor humming, helped calm Noctis' mind and lull him to sleep.
"Luna…?" Noctis asked. Still eyes closed, she let out a sound to signal that she was listening.
"How did you know… That I'm the Chosen King?" Noctis asked carefully. Lunafreya looked at him.
"Well… As I said, Oracles can speak to the Gods when necessary. The Gods speak to mankind through their Messengers, and my family has been granted the blessing of the presence of such a Messenger, ever since I was born," Lunafreya explained. Noctis said nothing in response, as everything in relation to the Gods of Eos was still very new to him. He had never learned about this from his father, and so he knew not what to ask her about them.
"It is nothing you need to worry about now," Lunafreya said, sensing that Noctis had become a little confused by all the things she had told him today. "We have a bit of time before you have to return to Insomnia, I can tell you more, should you so wish."
In the following days, Noctis and Lunafreya spent many hours together, as his father and Queen Sylva were working on their royal duties. Rarely had Noctis ever had so much fun, and he felt as though he and Lunafreya were becoming great friends.
One afternoon, Noctis had been left to himself in Lunafreya's room, as she had some things she needed to attend to. Meanwhile, Noctis had attempted to read in the book which Lunafreya had lent him, yet he found it a lot more difficult to understand, than when Lunafreya explained its contents to him. As a result, he had fallen asleep in his wheelchair. Some time after, he had woken up as a ray of sunshine shone in his face, and soon after he found that he was no longer alone in the room, something which startled Noctis.
In front of him, in one of the armchairs by the round table, Noctis saw a woman with dark hair. Her eyes were closed, and she wore something which looked a white shoal over her shoulders, and a long, heavy kimono of sorts over her body. Her face was turned towards Noctis, but her eyes were kept shut.
"Ah, the young prince is recovering well," She said as she stood up from the chair. She spoke with a slight accent, not like that of Lunafreya and her mother. Noctis was unsure of who she was.
"Gentiana, a Messenger," she said, answering his unspoken question. Her hands were folded in front of her abdomen. Noctis kept looking at her, closing the book which was still lying open in his lap. He looked down at it, reminded about it as his left hand stopped supporting his head, and instead fell on top of the book.
"The prince has read of our kind?" she asked. Noctis kept trying to remember anything which Lunafreya had told him about the Messengers of the Gods.
"I tried to, but I only know what Luna told me," he answered, holding up the book. Gentiana nodded, her red lips curling into a smile.
"Lady Lunafreya," She said in a gentle voice, "It is heartening to see that the future King and the Oracle enjoy such familiarity. The fate of our world may depend on it." And with these words, she opened her eyes for the first time, and Noctis was astonished by the sight of them. They were dark, yet so beautiful that Noctis was kept in a trance, looking at them. He lowered the book from his face, and with an open mouth he kept looking at the bizarre woman who stood in front of him. She was graceful in every sense of the word.
The door behind Noctis opened, and he looked backwards to see who came in. It was Lunafreya. Noctis turned around again, to look at Gentiana, but she had disappeared. Noctis looked back at Lunafreya, who approached him from the door, Umbra and Pryna following closely behind her. As she came closer, she saw that Noctis was a bit pale.
"Are you alright, Noct?" She asked as she finally reached him. Noctis nodded and looked at the chair in which Gentiana had just been sitting.
"Where did she go?" Noctis asked, confused. He had just looked away for a brief moment, and suddenly she was gone. Had he been dreaming?
"Who?" Lunafreya asked.
"Gentiana," Noctis replied. Lunafreya took a step back and smiled. She sat down on her bed, and tapped her hand on the bed, signalling for Noctis to join her. Having gotten stronger, Noctis could easily walk shorter distances, so he stood up from the wheelchair and slowly walked over and sat down.
"You met her? She is nice, is she not?" Lunafreya asked him. Noctis nodded, still not convinced he had actually met her.
"Is it true that she's a Messenger?" Noctis asked. While that would help explain her sudden disappearance, it left so many new questions inside of Noctis' head. Lunafreya nodded.
"She is, but it is none of your concern now. I have something else I want to show you," She said and climbed down from the bed and fetched something from underneath her bed. After having searched for a moment, she pulled out and sat on her knees, a red book in her hands. On the cover was a golden image of flowers and birds flying. She looked at it for a moment and put it in Noctis' lap. He looked at its cover for a moment, and then he opened it. The first page was blank, except from a blue flower which had been stuck to the page, using a golden wax seal.
"Nice flower!" Noctis exclaimed as he let his fingers run carefully over the flower. It was dried, yet the colours were very well preserved.
"It's the same kind we sewed our crowns from! The Sylleblossoms" she said. Looking down at the book, she continued. "So… I have a favour to ask. Take the notebook with you when you go." Noctis closed the notebook and put it on the bed beside him.
"Sure!"
"But that's not all. I want you to put something in the book, and send it back. Umbra will be there to collect it when you are ready," She said, looking down at the sleeping dogs. Noctis wondered for a moment how Umbra would be able to know where he was, and when it was time to collect the notebook, however decided not to think too much about it. Many of the people and creatures which Lunafreya surrounded herself with, seemed beside the ordinary. Noctis smiled at this thought.
"Luna!" Queen Sylva's voice echoed through the Manor. "It is time!" Lunafreya stood up from the floor and let a hand out towards Noctis. He took it, and she helped him over to the wheelchair.
Downstairs, King Regis and Queen Sylva were waiting, along with a boy whom Noctis had not yet met. However, judging from his appearance, he would be Tenebraean as well.
"That, is my brother, Ravus," Lunafreya told Noctis as they slowly came down the stairs. His hair was even lighter than that of Lunafreya, bordering on being just as white as Pryna's fur. His eyes were just as blue as Lunafreya's, yet appeared less welcoming than hers.
"Are you two ready to head out?" Queen Sylva asked, and both Noctis and Lunafreya nodded. Lunafreya insisted on continuing to push Noctis' wheelchair on the journey, as they headed along the very same path that had led Noctis and Lunafreya out into the Sylleblossom fields the week prior. This time however, they continued along, until they reached a meadow far into the forest. It was a beautiful scenery, quite closely looking like something that had belonged in Noctis' Dream World. Waterfalls were protruding from small rivers that curved through the forest. The meadow was quite large, and above them was a large gap between the crowns of the trees, which allowed for the midday sun to shine its light upon them. Small white flowers grew in the grass, and berry bushes were to be found along the sides of the meadow.
Noctis and Lunafreya walked a bit further behind the others, and thus reached the far end of the meadow a while after the others. They did not speak, however, both Noctis and Lunafreya were very keen on taking in everything they saw and smelled around them. The freshness of the river water, and the sound of the water splashing from the waterfall, accompanied by the chirping of birds dancing in the air.
As the two came nearer to the others, Lunafreya looked up, and between the crowns of the trees, a dark airship could be seen to descend from high above. She kept looking at it, unsure if to say something, Noctis followed her gaze. The wind caused by the engines of the airship got stronger, and quickly, the sound of the waterfalls became quelled by the engines.
King Regis came running towards his son and grabbed Lunafreya by the hand, and started making for the path from which they had originally come. Soldiers started coming down from above, and yelling and gunshots quickly started to fill their ears. Several Imperial soldiers walked quickly ahead of the others, and with flamethrowers, lit the meadow ablaze. Amidst their running, Queen Sylva and her son, Ravus, fell behind. Looking around, Regis realised that Queen Sylva had vanished from his side, and looked back. She was running towards the Imperial General, who held her son's arm in his hand, sword raised to his throat.
"Noctis, Luna, stay hidden over there," King Regis said, pointing towards a small gap in between the trees. Lunafreya pushed Noctis away from his father, and towards the gap. Regis extended his right arm, and in his hand, was now his sword. A beautifully crafted weapon, the long blade shimmering in the light from the fire. Regis ran towards the Queen and her son, who were both standing amidst the tall flames. The heat was incredible, and Regis could not get any closer than where he was, without being set aflame.
From this position, King Regis could see that the General had let go of Ravus, and instead taken the Queen. The General saw that Regis was standing, observing them, unable to do anything, and while looking in his direction, the General raised his sword. The Queen had her eyes closed, lips moving and hands folded in prayer, her son screaming from behind her. Then, the General's sword bore its way through the Queen's chest, and almost reached Ravus who was on his knees behind her, face contorted in pain as he witnessed his mother's death. The Queen fell backwards as the General withdrew his sword from her dying body, and the Queen was left beside her son, gasping for her last breath. All sound but his own rapid heartbeat seemed to have vanished for the King, as the General was now headed towards him, slowly speeding as he came closer.
The General once again raised his sword, ready to strike the King. Regis got ready to fight, and with his feet placed solidly on the ground, Regis could parry the enemy attack. However, as the two had their swords against each other, Regis could easily feel, that his enemy was physically stronger. He closed his eyes, and soon after, the crystal on the Ring of the Lucii started to glow brightly, and an incredible strength flowed through Regis' veins, burning its way to every capillary in his body. With an immense power, Regis pushed the General away, sending him flying towards the other end of the meadow. Seemingly having weakened his enemy, Regis saw his fit to leave and get his son someplace safe.
As he walked towards the gap between the trees, Lunafreya approached the King. Her cape was torn in one side, and her dress had started to tear at its bottom. Her usual composure had worn off, and instead, a scared girl was standing before Regis, fearing for her mother and brother's life.
"Where are they?" She asked, almost pleading. Regis looked at the scared girl for a moment, until he turned around and looked towards the flames. In between them, Regis could see Imperial soldiers had started to surround the grieving Ravus, who still sat with his mother's dead body in his arms. Lunafreya started to walk towards her brother, having seen the despair he was left in, but Regis grabbed hold of her arm.
"We need to get you someplace safe, Princess, we cannot afford to lose more lives to the Empire. Not today," Regis said, almost pleading, but Lunafreya decisively shook his hand off. She straightened her back, and with great determination, she looked back at him, with a hint of anger in her eyes and voice.
"I will not leave my brother in Imperial hands. Not without anyone by his side." and she walked towards him, her cape flowing behind her. She walked through the flames and joined her brother. Now, the Imperial soldiers were busy taking care of them, and seeing that Regis had nothing more he could do to help them, he turned around and made for his son, who was waiting where Lunafreya had left him. Unable to say goodbye to his friend, Noctis was quickly in his father's arms, and the two slipped out of the meadow.
As they reached the overlook by Fenestala Manor, King Regis realised, that this had not merely been an attack on the royalty. It was an Imperial siege of Tenebrae. From each city in Tenebrae, a dark smoke was rising towards the sky, as fires ravaged the homes of the citizens. It was a grim image which Regis and his son stood in front of, which almost brought tears to Regis' eyes. This could just as easily have been his own citizens that were being robbed from their homes and families. He had to find a way out of Tenebrae, so that he could get his son back home to Insomnia, where he would be able to protect his son and devise a plan so that once and for all, the Empire could be defeated.