Ok firstly, I am really sorry this has taken so long to get up. However what I will say is thank you everyone for continuing to show your support with your comments and continuing to favourite. So it's actually been a whole year since I started this story, that's pretty cool. I will hopefully be able to finish this within the next few months.
Also I thought I was going to be nice in this chapter but then I decided to not.
As always please read and review if you enjoy it, your comments are what keep me going with this. Similar to last post I'm writing this for fun not for scientific accuracy so I would appreciate it if there is a problem with the "medical" side of things I am doing my best with it, that and Google search.
How can two minutes feel like an eternity, when nothing feels right, like polarity is reversed, up is down and instead of keeping me on this earth gravity is compacting and crushing me until there will be nothing left. We turn him gently on his side to keep his airways clear. Gladio is very gently supporting his head, Prompto lightly grasps his injured arm trying to minimise the damage while I support his torso and keep an eye on my watch, counting the seconds.
Finally it ends with Noctis again going limp but not in the same terrifying manor as before, the tremors in his limbs have stopped and his muscles have loosened to a normal tension level but he's panting as if he'd run a marathon. My eyes trail over Noct's face which is contorted into a mask of exhausted agony, rivulets of sweat trailing down his face which is pale apart from the two ruby flushes high in his cheeks.
I turn to my companions all of whom are in a similar state, panting and sweaty faced their eyes find mine and we all share a hollow look. They look like death warmed up, pale and wan, dark rings encircle their eyes and their mouths are set in a grim line and I know I can't look much better.
"We must make haste." I say, my voice cracking with the strain but both Prompto and Gladio nod in response. "The Regalia can't be far from us." I can hear the hopeful note in my voice as Gladio kneels down and again scoops Noct into his mighty arms, Noct whimpers and moans piteously and I move forward intent on soothing him but Prompto beats me to it, making small noises of comfort and brushing the sweat soaked bangs off his face.
The next few miles are torturous, even carrying a wounded man its slow going as we keep having to stop every half hour or so and go through the same agony of watching Noct suffer. Even when the seizure ends there is no respite for him as each breath continues to be a struggle. It is all I can do to keep my eyes straight ahead, its times like these I am thankful for my near perfect memory and innate sense of direction, getting lost at a time like this would cost Noct his life. We say very little to each other as we walk, each person lost in their own thoughts.
The fiery light of the setting sun had begun gilding the tops of the trees when the woods began to thin and in the distance I can see the road but what makes my heart rise even further was the glint of sunlight on the windows of the Regalia. Quickening my pace slightly I can hear the others behind me make noises of excitement as their stride lengthens. Suddenly we emerge from the tree line, the blood red sun low on the horizon makes my eyes water slightly before being able to focus properly.
A few strides later and we are at the Regalia and although this doesn't instantly fix everything I am a lot happier to be at the car than stuck in the middle of the woods. Opening the door to the backseat I move around to help Gladio manoeuvre Noct inside.
"Prompto why don't you get in the back too and help hold his head while we drive." The kid looks up, pleased to be given something to do to help and quickly moves around and gets in the other side where he sits ready to receive his injured friend. Together me and Gladio gently hold Noctis and lift him into the backseat, while I try to banish the image of this being similar to pallbearers at a funeral from my mind. Finally Noct is settled with his head cushioned by Prompto's lap, the rest of his body able to lie across the backseat. We secure him as much as possible, knowing if he starts to fit again he would likely do himself a lot of damage in such a confined space. Preparations now complete I straighten up and wipe my brow closing the back door behind me. The day is ending and twilight is truly here.
"Do you want me to drive Iggy, I know you don't like driving at night." I'm not sure what expression passed over my features I only know that Gladio took a hurried step back, his hands coming up in a pacifying gesture.
"If you think for one second that my dislikes would affect me at a time like this, when Noct's life is on the line ... you are wrong!" That last sentence comes out like ice, behind it the rage and helplessness I have been battling since he fell. "This world means nothing to me if it means losing Noct!" My voice cracks and my hands shake but I remain upright eyes boring in Gladio. I know I'm not angry at him, I know this fury should not be aimed at my companions but I have no softness or compassion left inside, this anger is all that is sustaining me at the moment. I can see he understands and gives me nothing more than curt nod as he retreats to the passenger side and clambers in. I can see Prompto's strained face looking at me through the glass but there's nothing I can say and in any case there is no time for delays.
Slipping into the driver's seat I pull my gloves tighter and start the engine, the purring rumble is at least comforting. Adjusting the rear-view mirror I tilt it so I can see Noct and Prompto, for a couple of heartbeats I watch Noct as he struggles to breathe while Prompto gently strokes his sweat soaked hair in an attempt to soothe him. I wrench my eyes onto the road and begin our journey, it will take most of the night to reach our destination.
The dark roads flicker before me, most of the roads are unlit and only the Regalia's headlights pierce the darkness and allow me to see a couple of metres ahead. I am pushing the car hard tonight, faster than I normally would but these are hardly ordinary circumstances. We have been going for a few hours now, Noct has continued the fits every so often which forces Gladio to reach around and try to secure him as much as possible and for Prompto to hold his head. Each time this happens its painful to hear and so tempting to turn around and help however I know the best thing I can do is to keep driving.
The small digital clock on the dash board tells me it's nearly midnight, for the moment the car is quiet beside the sounds of three people breathing and the fourth struggling. I can hear his breathing starting to escalate, we know the signs now far too well, and within a couple of minutes he is going to be consumed by another fit. Gladio sighs resignedly and turns in his seat ready to assist and Prompto sits a little straighter. This is the calm before the storm and we all are poised and ready, tense like a coiled spring.
Suddenly out of the ground a few meters ahead I see the black swirling magic create a portal in the ground and from its wide opening a huge red hand bearing a flaming sword emerges. The demon quickly materialises from whatever plane of existence it had previously been in. It was enormous its shoulders on par with a two story building, arms as thick as tree trunks and the evil aura that surrounded it was enough to chill the heart of even the most stalwart. I slam on the breaks as hard as I can, the tires squeal in protest as I try to avoid hitting the demon who inconveniently has just spawned in the middle of the road. Everyone is thrown forward in their seats, Noct tumbling to the floor his eyes flickering open as a scream is ripped from his throat as his wound is jarred. There is nothing anyone can do, the car is still going too fast and the breaks have locked, the back end is starting to spin out of control until finally we come to a stop. The rear of the car has smacked into the demons leg pushing it backwards and off balance. Noct is still laying in a twisted heap on the floor his screams have subsided into gurgling moans but the three of us are unable to move our seatbelts locked in place and restraining us.
"Iggy get us outta here!" Gladio shouts his voice coursing through me like a bolt of lightning and my fingers fumble for the keys. The Regalia has stalled and I attempt to restart the engine, all the while my heart is in my throat as I watch the demon struggle to regain its balance its large size working to our advantage. After four desperate attempts the engine finally roars to life, wheels spinning franticly I turn us back to the road, speed already at forty miles per hour I swerve around the demon even as it raises its blade. I can hear the crunch as its sword makes contact with the road but by now we have put a fair bit of distance between us, glancing back in my side view I can already see it has shrunk in the distance, putting my foot to the floor and it quickly disappears altogether.
"Noct ... Noct." This is Prompto I hear, his voice shrill with panic as he fumbles with his belt release and when he's finally free he attempts to reach down and pull Noctis back up. "Gladio help me." Despite the car moving Gladio quickly released himself and clambered around to help. Noct was still shirtless, his skin still as hot as a branding iron and the bandages that were wrapped around his shoulder had gone from white to scarlet. Trails of blood snaked across his chest where the wound had been ripped open it dripped slowly from his body and pooled on the floor of the Regalia. Gladio gently lifted Noct from his uninjured side as Prompto heaved as best he could. Finally after much effort Noct was back on the seat with his head in Prompto's lap. All three were gasping with the exertion and as Gladio pulled himself back into his seat Ignis called out.
"How is everything back there?" It was Prompto that answered him, his face strained and pale in the rear view mirror.
"Its ... It's not good Iggy. I don't know how much more Noct can take." These were not the words Ignis wanted to hear. A jolt of undulated panic rushed through him, like a lightning bolt from his head to his toes and the only way he could vent this emotion was to slam his foot down to the floor and drive.
The rest of the drive proceeded without further incident unless you counted Noct cooking in his own skin. It was four in the morning when they finally rounded the corner to Cape Caem, Ignis slammed on the breaks and came to a stop at the stairs leading up to the house.