Chapter 4: Blind spot

Writer's note: thanks you so much for everyone who's reading, and reviewing. I got a very generous review from an Anon, and unfortunately there's no way for me to respond to it here. I just wanted to say thank you for your words, you really got what I was going for.

The night brings you little relief as you struggle to catch sleep. The bed is too hot, your ears are buzzing, and every time you seem to be drifting off, your mind won't let go and you wake up alarmed, clenching your fists, gasping for air. The dreams that come in between are dark and frightening. You find yourself in the middle of the cheering crowd again, running towards the parade, but when you look up, all you see is darkness. You fall into it, trying to swim for safety. A strange voice you don't recognise is whispering in your ear, mocking you. You won't make it. You're too weak. You're not the one.

A loud bang on the door pulls you out of your dream. It's morning, although you feel like you've barely had a glimpse of rest.

"Miss! Wakey wakey, miss!" the voice banging on the door calls.

You drag yourself out of bed, and look out of the peephole on the wooden frame.

"Who are you?" you ask through the door.

"It's Mr. Callux, miss, but you can call me Wedge! The Chancellor sent to let you know we're heading out in 'alf an hour. 'Please get ready, and wear some comfortable clothing' he says. Oh, and 'take your camera,' that's right. We're leaving 'soon as you're ready, miss."

"Heading out where?"

"He says to come down and talk to him first, miss. I'm just here to wake you."

"Thank you, Wedge. I'll get ready now."

The man behind the door leaves and you rest your head against the doorframe for a brief moment. Forcing yourself on autopilot, you go through the motions of the morning routine: wash your face, brush your teeth, get dressed and ready. Why can't he ever just tell me what he's up to?

Descending the stairs into the hotel lobby, you see Ardyn talking to a tall handsome looking woman, accompanied by a man who you recognise as Wedge, and another man in a Niflhiem uniform. Seeing you, the Chancellor drags his gaze up and down your body, nearly making you trip over on the last step of the stairs.

"Good morning, dear."

You haven't even had a chance to figure out what last night was about, and seeing his face makes you feel like a naughty school girl, being caught by a teacher, doing something bad. Last night, those lips were all over me. Last night, that tongue... You snap out of it.

"Good morning... everybody," you respond, giving a little nod to the woman standing next to Ardyn, wearing a strange looking leather uniform with metallic shoulder guards. Ardyn introduces you to the woman, who is supposed to escort you today on your "scouting mission." Aranea Highwind, Captain of the Niflheim Third Army Corps 86th Airborne Unit, you repeat in your mind as he says her name in the theatrical style he so enjoys.

"Nice to meet you, madam."

"Don't call me madam," she responds. "So, this little chick, eh? All right then, you better look sharp and better keep up."

"Where are we go-?" you start, only to be interrupted by Ardyn.

"And please do look after her. She is very special to me," he emphasises. They're talking about you as if you're not even there.

"Alright, leave it to me," she responds confidently, turning to you and smiling. "Come with me then, doll. This way." With that, she turns around and walks out into the plaza, faithfully followed by Wedge and the other man. You turn to Ardyn, your whole body asking a confused question.

"I shall see you tonight," he responds before you have a chance to put it into words. "Better hurry up now, good girl."

"Right..."

You have no further words, so you turn and follow Aranea into the plaza. She gives you an examining look as you reach her, scanning your physique. "You fight much?"

"No, not really."

"You willing to if need be?"

"I... I think so."

"I can do my best but I can't do miracles. A bit of common sense and alertness will go a long way."

"Ok, I'll try my best." You notice yourself swallowing loudly, feeling like a total featherweight next to her. She looks tough and proud, ready to take on anyone or anything. "So... where are we going again?"

Your first time flying is not as glamorous as you'd hoped. The Niflheim aircrafts are bleak and echoey, with the engine humming unnervingly all around you. You sit next to Aranea as the aircraft ascends and accelerates towards it's destination.

"So what's your story then?" she asks, crossing her left arm and resting her right elbow on top. "How'd you end up snapping photos for the Empire? I heard you're from Insomnia?"

You take a deep breath and let the air out slowly.

"Yeah... I've been asking myself the same question."

"Is he paying you well?"

"I – uh, yes..."

"He better, it's a damn dangerous job snapping photos of daemons."

You give a nervous nod, trying your best to appear brave.

The Niflheim Captain explained your mission to be scouting a new location to harvest daemons. Your role as the photographer is to capture samples of the specimen found in the location, for the chancellor to evaluate later. He's definitely trying to get me killed now, you deduce, as you anxiously look around at the Captain's men.

"Don't worry," Aranea shoves you in the shoulder with a reassuring laugh. "Me, Biggs and Wedge will do our best to see you through."

"That's right, miss!" Wedge confirms enthusiastically. "It's all in a days' work!"

The humming of the engine and the gentle rocking of the aircraft is starting to make you drowsy, and you allow your eyelids to get heavier.

"Getting sleepy, huh?" Aranea checks in.

"Yes..."

"Better get some rest, then. I'll wake you when we're there."

You let your eyes close and soon you feel your body slowly falling into the warm waters of unconsciousness. The dark blanket of sleep wraps around you and you slip away.

"We're here." A cold piece of armor touches your shoulder, and you're awake. What felt like mere seconds turns out to be nearly three hours, according to Aranea. It's time to move out.

"This tower only lets us enter in the night-time," she explains, as you follow a long uphill path towards a tall temple ruin. "Lucky for us, the days are growing shorter, so we can get this done nice and early... I guess..." she continues. The sun has already started it's descent, and it's eerily quiet in the grassy open outside the tower.

"How long are we going in for?" You ask the Captain, starting to feel the nerves take control.

"Only as far until the first daemons appear. No need to push it today."

You try to imagine what kind of daemons the tower houses. You've never even seen a daemon, only read about them in books. Living inside the Citadel, you were never exposed to the perils of the night, and having only entered the Kingsglaive three months ago, you never made it to the field.

"Hey, you ok?" Aranea asks you. She looks concerned.

"I'm fine."

A low, howling noise echoes from within the tower.

"Miss, the entrance is opening!" Biggs calls out.

"Alright, here we go." Aranea nods at you, and you nod back, following her into the darkness of the ruins.

You stare at a picture of a short, impish looking figure, with a long nose and pale purple skin all wrinkled around it's crooked grin. The dark, hollow eyes send chills down your spine. They stare right at you, and you can't bring yourself to look away from the photo.

"Nice one," Aranea chuckles, leaning over to look at the picture. "They're so damn ugly. Great shot, though."

"Thanks."

Biggs and Wedge emerge from within the temple ruins. "All clear, miss! Ready to go!" Your small crew starts tracing back the steps down the hilly path towards the airship, grounded about half a mile away.

"I have to say, for a newbie you're pretty brave." Your chest swells with pride, receiving a compliment like that from Aranea. Captain of the Niflheim devision... what was it?

"I didn't have a choice," you laugh.

"Fair enough. How did you and the Chancellor meet?"

"We met at the celebration, the night before the Peace Treaty was supposed to be signed."

"Uh-huh. That didn't go too well, did it?"

You shake your head. "No..." Suddenly you remember Nyx, how he risked so much to get you there, stealing a dress from the royal guests' closet for you, sneaking you in to the party. Did he make it out in time?

"Do you know what happened to Lady Lunafreya?" you ask Aranea.

"Well, the radio's saying she's dead, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was just some propaganda propelled by the Empire. I wouldn't lose hope if I was you. Were you close?"

"Not really," you reply. "But someone I knew well was with her the last time I saw him."

You look down at the grassy path beneath your feet. It looks strange, almost like your every step is sinking deeper into the ground. Rubbing your face with your hand, you try to focus your gaze. The white flashes are back, followed by hundreds of little glares, floating around your vision, forcing you to stop.

"Sorry!" you call out to Aranea, who's walking ahead. "Just a moment..."

She stops in her tracks and turns to look at you.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing... I... I'm just so tired," you respond, your head feeling heavy.

The Captain's eyes flash with determination and she approaches you, swiftly but gently grabbing your jaw and lifting your head to face her.

"Did he touch you?" she asks, with a pressing tone in her voice.

"...No."

"You paused," she looks worried. "Look at me," she continues, placing her thumb on your cheek and pulling your eye more open, examining it as you look at her, then look away. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah..."

She draws back her hand, placing it on her hip, taking a long look at you.

"I'd be careful if I were you," she says, with the same concerned tone. "I mean it. Don' play with fire."

"I know..."

"Come on, then. We'll get you home in a few hours and you can rest."

"Thank you..."

Wedge comes over and takes your arm, trying to help you walk. You're feeling angry at how incapable you are in situations like these. You're not a soldier, you're not even a spy. Why are you pretending to be all this?

"I'm ok," you say to Wedge, pulling your arm away. "It was just a little dizzy spell."

Though the flashing lights have subsided, the dizziness remains.

When your boots finally touch upon the soft hotel carpet, all you want to do is fall into bed. Yet in the back of your mind, a small annoying voice is telling you that seeing the Chancellor is more important than anything else. The thought of his fingers touching your skin again makes your heart do somersaults. You're telling yourself to keep away from him, yet as soon as you hear him call your name from the top of the staircase, you want nothing more than to surrender over your body as you did the night before. Like a magnet, he's pulling you forward.

"Please, to my room," he ushers you as you enter the second landing. Following him, you catch a faint hint of his musky scent that you remember from when the seduction began on the first night of you meeting. Telling yourself it's a bad idea every step of the way, you curse yourself as you finally reach his suite and take a seat on the beautifully decorated divan upon his request.

All of a sudden, you're more awake than you have been all day. The aura of this man commands attention. His gaze rests on you once again, completely disarming. You can't pretend with him anymore. You have to know.

"Why?" you begin, stopping as he lifts his hand and gestures at you.

"My dear, I should be asking you the same."

You try to gather your thoughts, all the questions, all the confusion rushing around your tired mind.

"I see flashes. I see strange dreams. I see lights and glares, out of nowhere! Why?"

"Perhaps they're trying to tell you something." He speaks in a low, strangely calming voice. "Did you see the daemons today?"

You nod, taking your camera and handing it to him.

"In a moment," he says, placing it on the large coffee table in front of you, turning his back. "Are you unharmed?"

"Yes."

"Then perhaps it's best you get some rest now. We can talk in the morning."

You feel completely disappointed by his suggestion. You have to tell me. Or at least, you have to...

"No, please..." you hear your tired voice shake more than you intended.

"What is it? Do you need help getting to sleep?" he turns around, smirking at you, almost mocking. You bastard.

"No," you respond with resolution, "I want to talk."

"What about, my dear?"

"Why did you send me to shoot daemons?"

He lifts his arms into the air, walking to the large window, stopping in front to gaze out at the night sky.

"The days grow shorter as we speak. It's wise to get accustomed to daemons lurking in the shadows."

"That's not why..."

"How well do you know the lore of our world?" he enquires.

You scratch your head. "Not that well... I know of the Six, and of the Crystal."

"Ah, the Crystal," he repeats.

"Yes," you continue, "The chosen king will rid the world of darkness." You pause for a moment to reflect on the words you just said. "Do you... do you think that means Prince Noctis?"

"Indeed," he responds. "You're a bright one, aren't you."

You feel like he's constantly playing a game with you. Getting up, you approach him in front of the window. If I could only get through...

You turn to face him, feeling the fatigue in your body, yet your mind yearns for answers. His amber eyes turn to you, making you weak in the knees as they gaze down. The photograph of the daemon flashes through your mind. Suddenly you realize...

"Why did the daemons not attack me?" you ask.

"Ah..." he tilts his head, as if throwing the question back at you, why do you think?

You lift your palm to your forehead. It doesn't make any sense.You think through the short visit in the tower ruins, repeating all the steps in your mind. Aranea and her men were busy fighting off daemons, yet you were not harmed, not even a scratch, despite only pointing your camera at the devils.

"Don't worry your head, my dear" Ardyn says, gently taking your hand off your forehead. You look up at him, holding his hand in yours, as your eyes meet.

Turning serious, he looks unexpectedly vulnerable, confused. Narrowing your eyes, you study his face, his brow, his eyes, those cheekbones, those lips... I know you. You slowly lift your other hand to his cheek, touching it softly, trying to remember...

He turns his face away and pushes your arm down with one swift move. You can't help but feel hurt at the abrupt reaction.

"Don't get yourself in too deep," he asserts, facing away. "It would be unwise."

He doesn't speak after that, he doesn't really have to. The conversation has reached it's end. You feel your body finally giving in and demanding you to lay down to rest. Staring at the floor, you wrap your arms around your chest.

"Good night..."

You leave his room, dragging yourself down the hall to your own. Kicking your boots off your feet, you collapse on the bed, curling into a tiny ball, hugging the big, fluffy hotel duvet. Please, just let the me rest calmly tonight.