Chapter 6
Oriana's face was now boiling, for an all different reason. Ignis's gang and the other hunters were struggling with the Adamantoise. Strategies or not, things were not going well.
The group had wounded one of its legs and tried to focus on its other leg. This Adamantoise had taken a liking to shaking the earth what seemed like every other minute. Oriana had clung on to her Chocobo for dear life whenever her camera wasn't pointed at the lumbering beast.
Noctis was a sight. Out of all the men in the group, he was the most agile. Every time Noctis launched himself high up in the air, Oriana gasped in awe. He might've been used to acrobatics with monsters, but she sure wasn't used to seeing so many flips and twists in the air during fights. Oriana might have been far away from Adamantoise action, but she snapped pictures like mad.
The Adamantoise kept shaking the earth and the hunters' attacks slowed as a result. Eventually, success came. One of the hunters sliced a line into the Adamantoise's thick skin at the base of one of its huge feet.
Ignis landed near the wound. He raised one of his dual daggers to gouge the cut further in hopes to drop the huge beast, or make it stumble, at least.
As Ignis was about to thrust the sharp blade into flesh, a plume of green smoke washed over him and the area he was in. Another hunter nearby had a different plan with the Adamantoise's injury and sent a wave of some kind of gas into it.
The spell was cast much too close to Ignis, Oriana could see. He knew it too and tried to back away. Ignis stumbled, coughing.
Ignis jumped well behind the hunter who used the magic, attempting to catch his breath as the others kept the Adamantoise at bay. His daggers dispersed in the air.
Ignis dropped to his knees, clutching his chest.
Oriana felt her heart stop. Everyone was too occupied with Adamantoise to help Ignis. Fear tightened her stomach, but Oriana had to go.
She hopped on her Chocobo's back, took some steadying breaths and whipped the reins. Chocobo reacted instantly, racing towards the downed man.
Ignis lifted his head at her, seeing her nearing. He wanly shook his head to deter Oriana. She was getting much too close to the raging of battle.
Oriana didn't care. She had to get to Ignis.
A massive shockwave tumbled everyone standing on the ground. The previously airborne Noctis crumpled onto the packed dirt face first.
"Noct!" Ignis shouted fearfully.
Oriana's Chocobo leaped in fear and her grip on the reins slackened. Thrown off her saddle, she shouted when she thud onto her back. Her head whacked the ground.
Ignis turned to her, then to his friend. He forced himself to his feet when she went down. He struggled to make it to Noctis, running a short couple paces before he succumbed to pain again. He sunk to a knee.
Flashing lights and darkness pricked at the edges of her vision. She felt herself on the verge of passing out. Damn it.
She forced her eyes to stay open, to ground herself in consciousness, but the incoming blackness invading her mind was gaining. The dizziness was overwhelming.
Voices were shouting in the cacophony. Oriana barely made them out. She thought she saw Noctis phasing through the air. Snatches of conversation met her ears.
"…mustn't be reckless…"
"…fine! How can…"
"…prince can't endanger himself…"
Oriana's eyes fluttered shut, her mind fogging. Noctis, he was…
The last thing she heard was terrified kweh, kweh, kweh.