Chapter 6: The Light of Expiring Souls

The next day, Ardyn had now forged a sworn group of very small Lucians, particularly Iris, Gladiolus, Clarus, Prompto, Crowe, and surprisingly Libertus. Particularly, given his last role as Adagium, the Daemon of Daemons who attacked Insomnia, it wasn't easy to gain their trust. But since showing his ability to take the Daemons that inhabit the bodies of their victims into himself, as well as telling them his story as Ardyn Lucis Caelum, he had achieved their trust and began a new legion as his calling stated him to do. Of course, there was the matter of keeping up appearances. Which is why Ardyn told most of them to act as though Iris and Crowe had ceased their breath of life.

It was a but of a cruel blow to the people who admired them so dearly, even Noctis, but it was necessary to fulfill the Prince and the Princess' calling. And so, as it rained over the graveyard, Regis, Drautos, Nyx, Luna, Gladiolus, Ignis, Prompto, Libertus, Stella, Clarus, and even Noctis gathered by the tombstones of Iris and Crowe. It was a tragic day, yes, but this memorial service was held in private, so as not to draw the wrong attention to the public in an attempt to preserve the potential peace from the treaty if such a possibility existed. As they stood in the rain with umbrellas over them, Drautos gave his eulogy about the two young Glaives, each time he paused spent shedding tears.

"When I first met these two young people, I saw their circumstance. Each of them were different, and yet... they were so much alike. From the beginning, they cared about their home more than they did about their lives. And as they became our Glaives, they showed more and more of that determination... and put the lives of their people ahead of their own. And that... that was how they spent the rest of their lives. Fighting for others. For the peace they truly wanted to see. They were good soldiers... taken away from us too soon. One can assume that Niflheim might have been a part of it. And in some way, maybe it was. But they've died to keep this peace alive. And so, if we're going to honor them, we must do everything in our power to keep this peace. And if Niflheim tries to retaliate against this in any way... we will fight for that peace as hard as they have. One way or another, their deaths will not go unanswered. Thank you."

With that, the service has concluded, and after a half-hour later in the midst of rain, only Noctis and Stella remained, watching over the tombstones of Iris and Crowe. The very idea of how Iris passed on didn't sit well with the former of the group at all as he recalled the time he helped her home. And where was he when she needed help? As the very idea twisted a knot of guilt in him, Noctis couldn't understand why it happened as he spoke softly, trying to contain the hurt in his voice.

"Why didn't I see it coming?"

This made Stella curious as she looked to him.

"Excuse me?"

"My eyes... they should've let me know when it was going to happen. But they didn't...! I should've... I should've stayed here!"

As Noctis began to sob, surprised as she was to hear about what he could do, Stella could tell how heartrending it was on him and tried to comfort him.

"It wasn't your fault, Prince Noctis. They fought for their hearth and home to the very end. You didn't tell them to do that."

"What does that matter? One of my best friends is—"

"Going to be so proud of you. Like he said, we'll honor their sacrifice by keeping this peace. It's what she would've wanted you to do."

"Yeah? How do you know?"

"I was there when we had to say goodbye."

Hearing of this, Noctis became surprised and was about to demand why she didn't help them in the time she spent with them before she interrupted him.

"Before you even ask, I didn't have any healing powers like Luna, so what could I do? All I could do was foretell when someone is gong to die. And the worst part is, I can't— I couldn't do anything to change it. No matter what I try to do, it always happens. What could I have done to save them? It's out of my power... it always has been. And I hate it."

Pretty soon, Stella began to sob at the thought of her helplessness in spite of her own training in Niflheim, much to the notice of Noctis as he tried his best to comfort her with a hug, despite his surprise about Stella's ability being identical to his before he spoke.

"I... had no idea. But, take it easy. When you're right, you're right."

"About what?"

"About trying our best to keep this peace. The sooner we do that, the sooner they can rest in their own."

Feeling the comfort from his words and his touch, Stella leaned closer to him as she spoke softly.

"Thank you, Prince Noctis..."

Meanwhile, Ardyn was in front of Insomnia's capitol building under Aldercapt's orders as the latter spoke to him.

"So, Prince Noctis has returned?"

"Yes. And the wedding is, of course, on schedule the day before the treaty."

Hearing of this, Aldercapt was walking down the steps alongside the Magitek Troopers as he spoke.

"Good. Your hard work hasn't gone unnoticed, Chancellor. And soon, you will bear the fruits of your labor. It is high time to sever the line of Lucis once and for all."

As Aldercapt walked away, Ardyn got out his umbrella and opened it as he stood in the rain, knowing how Aldercapt was right about bearing the fruits of his labor even if he had no knowledge as to what his labors were for as he smiled and spoke.

"It will be a grand occasion. That much, we can agree on..."


Play Yoko Shimomura Music: "Somnus (Versus XIII Version)

Later that same day, Aldercapt, Ardyn, Ravus, Stella, Luna, and the 3rd ranked of the Niflheim Empire, Safay Roth accompanied Regis, his Glaives, and Noctis at the top of Caelum Via, a hotel and resort for Insomnia as Nyx stood on his guard, watching as the Niflheim officials walked upward as fireworks were set they walked, Ravus was now seen in a hooded attire, having caught Stella's eye when they arrived at the castle as she had never seen Ravus wear that sort of outfit. As Stella noticed the painting of Etro in the aquarium, to her surprise, she felt as though she was drawn to it, recalling that face crystal clear in her memories as she didn't expect to see it. As Stella looked at the painting, Noctis was looking around at the people, his eyes locking into a Niflheim official before his eyes glowed red, showing him a vision of him somehow falling off of the building and into a giant sea creature's mouth before it went away. However, Noctis didn't quite feel attached to that person as his red eyes faded to their sapphire color.

"Goodbye. Whoever you are..."

At that moment, Noctis looked upstairs to see Stella looking at the picture of Etro where Stella currently was before he walked up to her. She must've seen it coming as she spoke out to him.

"Prince Noctis, you can see the light, right?"

With that, Stella turned to see him before smiling, happy with the comfort he gave her earlier.

"So can I."

As Noctis went over to Stella, Aldercapt had an audience with Regis as he spake first to His Majesty.

"A most grand reception, King Regis. You honor all of Niflheim."

"Oh, the honor is ours, Emperor Aldercapt. You have ventured far to grace us with your presence."

"It was the very least I could do. Tomorrow will be a historic day for both our nations. And your Insomnia is truly a marvel. My cities pale in comparison. I pray we are able to take away much from this visit."

As the two faced each other, Ardyn held his glass of champagne to Stella in her honor from where he stood at the balcony, taking her notice as she blushed before she spoke to Noctis again.

"So, is that what you were looking at from downstairs all this time?"

"Pretty much. When did you first notice it?"

"When I was a child."

"Near-death experience, right?"

"Yes. Was it the same for you?"

As Stella asked him this, he remembered the time when a Daemon has attacked him and left him with a broken leg, reducing him to a wheelchair for some time as he spoke to her.

"Yeah. It's not really my fondest memory."

As the two walked away from the painting to be up on the upper balcony around the aquarium, Stella spoke onwards about Etro's role.

"I get what you mean. And... I don't think I've mentioned it to you this morning, but... It's been said that the Goddess Etro will open the gate, welcoming the souls of the departed. When that happens, a bright light is said to shine from the land of the dead. Any who witness that light are rumored to receive great power. Or that's how the legend's supposed to go. The one from Tenebrae, at least."

"Same legend here."

This made Stella think about what Noctis said about not seeing Iris and Crowe's deaths coming as she spoke to him.

"So, how about it? Did you receive any power?"

This gave Noctis pause for a moment, remembering his Royal Arms that he'd recently found before he gave his answer, knowing that its strength would aid him well enough.

"I... don't think I'd want anything like that. I'm fine the way I am."

"That's what I thought! No matter the power, if it's at the cost of someone's life, it would—"

Before she could proceed, Stella gave a slight shiver at the very thought of it.

"It would give me nightmares."

"Me, too. Good thing it's just a fairytale. But, I wouldn't tell anyone else about the light. Not even Gladio, Iggy, and Prompto know about it."

"How come?"

"Being too different from others... only causes problems. I don't know anything about Etro's light honestly, but I don't like that I can see it."

"Well... there's that. But if I'm being honest, the only thing I'm concerned about is why there are people who can see it and those who can't? For a while now, I've been thinking there must be some kind of special meaning to it."

"You mean like a calling?"

"Yes. Except I didn't know what it was exactly that I must do or accomplish back then."

"Back then, huh? And you do now?"

"That's right. But I'm still left with questions about it. Like this, for instance. If the legend really is just a bedtime story, what do you think the light really is?"

"Maybe its just something that's there. Why can't that be enough?"

For a moment, the two were standing silently as they watched the fireworks on the balcony before Stella looked to him.

"You know, Luna told me about you, Prince Noctis."

"Call me Noct."

"Okay. Well, she told me how the two of you were best friends at one point. How she helped you realize your calling."

"Yeah. She was the only one who made me comfortable with it. Until now, that is."

"Huh? Did something happen?"

Catching her worried tone, Noctis tried to relax her as he spoke.

"N-No! It's nothing bad like that. I mean... she helped me be comfortable with my calling, and right now... you're doing it, too."

"Really? Well, I'm glad to help with that."

With that, the two held their hands over each other's on the railing for a moment before they leaned into each other's faces and planted a kiss on the lips as the fireworks went off in the air. After a brief moment, they parted their lips with a smile before Noctis heard his father shouting for him.

"Noctis! Come on down here!"

At that moment, Noctis spoke up to Stella.

"Well, I should be going now."

Given the situation, Stella felt a bit of a blush coming on her face, realizing they've kissed in front of his father.

"I figured as much. I should take my leave as well."

As Stella nervously walked away, she stopped after walking a few feet, feeling the happiness walking up from being with him as she spoke.

"You know, I feel that I received something from that light, tonight. I was given a chance to speak with you."

"Well, then. Enjoy the nightmares."

Knowing what she said before, Stella made a light giggle before she spoke.

"You're a funny one, aren't you, Prince Noctis?"

"Just Noct."

"I'll call you that the next time we meet. And maybe you can call me Stells."

Hearing herself out loud, Stella became more embarrassed than usual as her blush got deeper before Noctis smiled as he spoke.

"Sure. I don't mind it."

Relieved that she didn't make a fool of herself, Stella sighed before she went on.

"Okay. So, when we get the chance, you should try coming to Tenebrae one day. And I can show you around. It must've been a long time for you, and I'm worried you might've forgotten it."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I haven't forgotten. And... it sounds fun. I'll consider it."

With that, Stella walked away with a smile as Noctis went the other way to head down to speak with his father, only to see an illusion of Somnus in front of him, smiling sadly at the moment they had together before he spoke.

If only moments like that could last forever...

"What are you doing here?"

I'm here, one last time, to ask you an important question. Who are you really, Prince Noctis?

"I've been asking myself the same thing."

With that, Noctis walked through Somnus, turning him into bright dust of light as he went over to his father.

As Noctis did so, Stella went over to Ardyn as the latter spoke to her.

"So, Stells, how was dear Noctis?"

"He's... nicer than I expected him to be."

"Is that so? What did you expect?"

"Well, honestly, I expected him to be... arrogant. He may look like him, but he's no Somnus. In fact, he's kind, caring for others, and... sad. Like he didn't want the power to begin with."

This intrigued Ardyn to say the least. Because as it happens, Ardyn was just the same way 2,000 years ago. He didn't want to be king at all, but he's prepared to accept it if it meant curing the star of its scourge. But then, Somnus set up a coup d'état to seize the throne for himself. Odds are, this almost identical circumstance would happen soon as he spoke to her.

"Ah, yes. Such is the curse of the calling meant to bring Lucis to a new age."

"Speaking of callings... do you know if he's the True King I'm supposed to clash with?"

As Ardyn noticed the look of curiosity and worry in her face, he sighed at this solemnly, remembering what he'd seen from his visit with Bahamut before he answered.

"There's no doubt about it. Why do you ask?"

As Stella looked closely at Noctis, she began to recall a darker complexion of him as she saw the Daemon who attacked Luna in her vision.

"I can't help but feel like I am going to have nightmares about him."

End Yoko Shimomura Music: "Somnus (Versus XIII Version)