Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XV or any of its characters. I also don't make any profit from this piece of fanfiction. If I did I would have a lot more time to write more chapters instead of going to work…

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The room was dark when Noctis opened his eyes. His whole body ached and trembled when he tried to move, despite the fact that he was enveloped in soft white sheets topped with a thick woollen blanket. He was sweating, but couldn't bear to take blanket off of him. Taking a piece between his fingers, he hugged it closer to his body and closed his eyes. He felt awful.

The room was unfamiliar and it made him feel even worse. Not only did he feel so unwell, he also felt unsafe. When he glanced under the sheets he discovered he was wearing a white tunic and white cloth shorts. These weren't his and he certainly didn't remember putting them on. His friends would die for him, he knew that, but he doubted that they would have undressed him unless his clothes were on fire or doused in acid.

Come to think of it, he couldn't remember what had happened at all. He remembered the hunt, the creatures, Prompto's head was bleeding and then Ignis got hurt. Gladio also got hurt and then…

He found his hand holding his shoulder, where he had been stabbed. He pulled the neck of the tunic down and found a faint red scar, almost completely healed. How long had it been since the hunt? It felt like it was only a few hours ago, but the wound couldn't have healed that quickly. It just wasn't natural.

Worry started to creep into his mind and he decided that he needed to get out of there and find the others. He sat up very slowly and found his black prince fatigues folded on the end of the bed. He picked up his t-shirt and examined it. Freshly washed. Not wanting to waste anymore time, he forced himself out of the bed and changed into his own clothes, dumping the white garbs on the floor.

Before he could do anything else he needed to take a break. He fell back and perched on the edge of the bed, pulling hard for air and wiping the sweat from his brow.

The floor was made of old stone, like it had been there longer than the planet itself. Covering the walls were woven tapestries and intricate artefacts, hung up by thin rope and tiny rusted nails. Everything looked so old, like it was seconds from crumbling away into dust.

Noctis pushed himself back up to his feet and focused on making it to the door, trying not to knock the dusty old bottles of unknown liquid off of the worn wooden table as he stumbled across the room. He grabbed hold of the door handle and rested most of his weapon upon it, taking a brief rest before trying it. It wouldn't budge. He was locked in.

He banged on the door with the bottom of his fist, "Hey!" He shouted, his throat sore and his voice hoarse, "Let me out!"

No one answered.

"Heyy!" He shouted louder and banged harder, fuelled by anger over being trapped, "Let me out! Now!"

"Fret not, my child." A voice spoke to him from within the room and he jumped back against the wall in fright.

"Who's there?" He summoned his sword, but was barely strong enough to hold it off the ground.

"You are safe here. With me. Forever."

The words made him squirm and he raised his blade. "Show yourself!" the prince demanded.

The room suddenly fell cold. Noctis could see his breath dance out in front of him like smoke from a fire. A figure bathed in golden light appeared before him, clothing flowing around her like clouds. Her eyes opened and fire filled the sockets. She reached out a ghostly hand towards him and he felt the hairs on the back his neck stand up under her gaze.

Without warning she charged towards him, soaring across the room in the blink of an eye and taking hold of his throat in her hand. The spirit lifted him from the ground with ease and he lost the ability to breathe, kicking out at her body which wasn't there. She was a spirit, but her hand was very much tightening around his neck.

She looked up at him now, flames reaching from her eyes to his until it bore into his head like a red hot drill and he let out a pained scream.


"Noct!" Prompto ran at the door that the scream came from and yanked on the handle. It was locked, obviously. "What are they doing to him in there?" he yelled at Sister Achaiah.

"There is no one in there with him." She confirmed solemnly.

"Then what's going on? Noct! You okay, buddy?" He shouted, still pulling on the door handle.

"You must go now." Sister Achaiah pulled him from the door and pushed him away. "Before it is too late!"

"Too late for what?" Ignis asked, standing behind them with his arms crossed.

"Iggy! Something's going on in there. It's Noct, they're doing something to him." Prompto reported.

He stormed forward and took the door handle in his hand. "Noct, can you hear me?"

"Get out!" Noct shrieked from inside the room and Ignis shifted into emergency mode.

"Open this door." He ordered Sister Achaiah. "Now."

"I cannot." She shook her head, backing away. "It is too late. She has come."

"Who has? Who's come?" Ignis pressed.

"Lady Garneria. She has come to claim what is hers."

Ignis grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her closer, not letting her escape. "You had better start making some sense. Tell me what is going on, right now!"

"What took place yesterday. It was not a healing ceremony."

"Then what was it?"

"A sacrificial ritual." Prompto covered his mouth with his hands.

Ignis' face dropped, "Open this door," His voice was low and gravelly. "Now."

Sister Achaiah looked down at the dagger at her stomach.

"Iggy…" Prompto breathed in disbelief.

With trembling hands, she retrieved a set of keys from a belt tucked under her draping robes and made her way to the door. They key turned in the lock with a deep thunk and Ignis pushed the door open from over her shoulder, charging into the room.

Noctis was stumbling on his knee and Ignis and Prompto rushed to him, "Noct, are you alright."

He groaned and pushed them, "Get away," he said, clutching his chest.

"Noct, it's okay," Prompto took his arm, "We're here to help,"

"No!" He cried, shoving Prompto to the ground, "Get out of here."

"Noct, look at me." Ignis put his hands on either side of Noct's face and turned his head to face him. He looked at his face; the skin on his cheeks was scorched, pink and painful and flames loitered in the blue of his eyes. "Oh, Noct." He sighed.

"What do we do?" Prompto looked to Sister Achaiah who was cowering by the doorway. "How do we stop it?"

"It is already done." She shook her head. "I have never seen it undone."

"There has to be a way."

"Only Lady Calleja has the power to command the Gods, and only with a human sacrifice as payment."

"Payment for what?" Ignis asked, "What has she commanded of Lady Garneria?"

"To claim the prince," She admitted, "And take the throne."