Ohh, myyyy… The tension…
"If I may… are you entirely certain of where Lord Ravus' true allegiances lie?"
"I am not entirely certain he knows where his true allegiances lie…"
As far as tense car rides went, this one by far surpassed any previous ones he'd endured, and Ignis' final words with Lady Lunafreya before they'd parted earlier hadn't instilled an abundance of confidence.
Ravus wasn't even trying to mask the fact that he was staring at him from the passenger seat – something the new High Commander had been doing since they'd left the caravan. Ignis was being scrutinized by a glare so deep he could almost feel it piercing his skin, and he wished now that he'd taken the time to retrieve his Kingsglaive jacket from the caravan.
"You are not Kingsglaive," Ravus concluded, speaking for the first time.
"No," Ignis confirmed curtly.
"A Kingsguard, then – one quite close to the Prince, I imagine, since you borrow his magic."
"Indeed."
"And what do you make of the Chosen King?" The way Ravus spat the words made his opinion on Noct very clear.
Ignis didn't care for that tone in reference to his Prince. "Noct will take his rightful place, of that, I have no doubts."
"Noct?" Ravus repeated, and Ignis realized his error too late. "You don't strike me as one to drop formalities so easily, and that's hardly proper for a member of the Kingsguard. What exactly is your role in his sheltered life?"
"I'm his butler," Ignis said dryly.
"What? And you've been protecting my sister?"
Ignis stomped on the brakes, curving sharply onto the side of the road and parking. "Well, it would appear we have arrived." His tone was causal, and he pretended not to notice how Ravus was clutching the edge of his seat for dear life.
"This is not town," Ravus seethed. "Surely you can park closer?"
"If you wish for our transportation to attract unnecessary attention, then yes."
Ravus looked on the verge of exploding as he shoved open his door and stepped out before slamming it.
Ignis doubted Ravus had forgotten about their pervious discussion, but at least he'd distracted him from it for the time being.
Three hunts later and they barely had half the funds Ignis estimated they would need.
"This is getting us nowhere," Ravus groused as they walked into town once more. "Can you find nothing that will shorten the duration of this mundane and trivial task?"
Although Ravus' presence was grating, Ignis empathized with his words. They spent more time getting to and from the hunts than fighting the beasts, particularly since the animals were hardly a challenge. Their combat limits were most definitely not being tested – which was probably best considering their lack of cohesiveness as a team. Ignis had never felt so on his own while another was fighting alongside him.
"The higher paying hunts are for daemons – they only surface at night."
Ravus grunted, stalking ahead of him and into the diner.
Ignis sighed. Yes, the appearance of the High Commander of the Empire's army wasn't going to spread around at all. Brilliant.
Why was Lady Lunafreya the only one who ever listened to him? Perhaps Ravus intended to threaten the diner worker into silence.
Ignis headed in after Ravus.
Against Ignis' advice, Ravus had selected them a night hunt. So after three hours inside the diner, a plate of salmon that Ignis scribbled down the recipe for, a soda, and a lot more aggressive staring in silence for Ravus, they returned to the car once more.
"I would be better prepared for the fight ahead if you would allow me the knowledge of what we're facing," Ignis said once they were back on the road. Ravus had kept the paper with their information tightly clasped in his normal hand, only allowing Ignis a glance at the map earlier so he could get them there.
"Ereshkigals. A pack of seven."
Ignis 'hmm'ed thoughtfully. "Those could prove to be a challenge with numbers so high."
"Are you saying you're not up to the task?"
Ignis was hardly going to be baited in such a way. "There is a thin line betwixt bravery and stupidity."
And thus commenced another extended period of silence between them.
As the sun slipped fully out of sight and the daemons surfaced from the pits they slept in, Ignis found himself glad Ravus was by his side. Figuratively speaking, that was. Ravus was not one for a calculated approach even on tougher enemies, evidently. He rushed in the moment their targets were in sight.
Ravus' confidence was well earned – however foolish his choices made him seem – and several of the Ereshkigals were knocked over by the first arching swing of his sword. Ignis flicked a couple of daggers at the daemons before pushing his glasses up and letting the familiar golden magic glow around him as he focused.
"Would you care to assist at all?" Ravus snapped, dodging out of the way as the Ereshkigals all began to surround him.
Ignis sighed. He'd never complained about Noctis' orders in battle, but now he was certain he never would. "Now that I know their weaknesses, certainly."
Summoning his lance, Ignis charged into the fray, catching one of the Ereshkigals off guard as his struck from behind. The next closest monster noticed him and lashed out, but he dug his lance into the ground and used it to vault himself over the daemon. His lance disappeared, and he slashed the Ereshkigal's vulnerable neck open.
Nearby, Ravus finished off the one Ignis had struck with his lance. Well, at least they were somewhat working with each other.
Ignis' next thrown dagger found one of the daemons' eyes. Excellent. That was three down through their combined efforts.
Only a few more.
This was no team, Ignis thought as he and Ravus finished off the last two daemons while fighting on opposite ends of the battlefield. They were both functioning almost as though the other man wasn't there. They truly were fortunate that nothing more serious had attacked them, or that lack of companionship may very well have been their end.
Ignis started walking in the direction of the car but stopped when he realized Ravus was still busying himself with cleaning his sword on the grass.
"We shouldn't dwell here." Ignis hoped Ravus would listen to his reasoning. "Other daemons are bound to be traveling about."
Ravus leisurely wiped his sword again. "Then I'm certain we can handle them as well."
"And what would be the benefit? We will only receive payment for these."
Ravus' perpetually withering glare turned on him once more. "Tell me, butler, do you try to make all the decisions for the Prince as well?"
Ignis didn't get the chance to reply.
A sick, squelching sound to his right sent dread pooling into Ignis' stomach, a groaning like that of a rusty metal door burrowing into his ears soon after.
The Giant was crawling from the ground between them and where they'd left the car.
Ravus swore, readying his blade. "I assume you can spot its weaknesses like with the others?"
Ignis had already dropped into a fighting stance, his brow knit in focus and the golden magic buzzing around him.
A bright orange light cut through the night's darkness as the Red Giant lifted its own flaming sword from the ground.
"Weaknesses?" Ravus pressed as the giant readied its sword.
Swords? No. Lances? No. Daggers? No. Fire, Lighting, Ice–
"Weaknesses?"
"It has none!" Ignis backflipped out of the way as the massive, fiery sword swiped at them both. He flicked a few daggers at it, but they barely scratched its thick skin.
Ravus dragged his sword across the underside of the Giant's arm and had more success, but not by much.
The daemon let out a bellowing roar that seemed to shake the leaves on the bushes around them. Ravus – being closer – staggered back with his metal hand uselessly pressed to his ear.
Ignis shot forwards, conjuring his lance and leaping into the air to defend his vulnerable ally. The blade made a mere dent on the Giant's shoulder, but it was enough to draw its attention away from the High Commander for the moment. Ignis twisted under the Giant's sword once, and then again as it swung back. The third sweep nicked his shoulder as he ducked, knocking him off his feet so he had to roll to avoid the next strike.
There was an enraged yell from Ravus, and the beast actually staggered as he rammed into it with a duel-handed sword strike. The High Commander followed up with several more quick strikes, pushing the Giant back even further with the fury of his attacks.
Ignis easily pushed to back to his feet and rejoined the fray, hurling several daggers as he charged forward and then re-conjuring his lance once he'd reached Ravus' side.
Neither of them saw the oncoming danger in time.
The daemon wildly lashed out in pain, and Ignis felt the breath escaping from his lungs in a swift whoosh as he went airborne. The collision with the ground was no less painful, his shoulder taking the blunt force of his landing. A flame-hot pain spiked through his left side – a buzzing feeling of the prick of a thousand needles following in its wake. Ignis grunted, spitting out the iron tang that was quickly filling his mouth.
Where…?
His vision was doubled as he located Ravus' white coat on the ground. Even blurry, Ignis could tell the High Commander was worse off than him, a large bolder having broken his flight instead of the ground. It was a wonder he was still alive, but he'd probably hit the bolder with his metal arm, given the cracks in the rock. Even so, Ignis doubted Ravus would be back on his feet any time soon without assistance.
The ground shook again as the Giant lumbered in their direction.
Ignis dragged himself towards Ravus with his good arm, his other fumbling with the pocket that contained their only chance.
If ever he needed a last resort, this was the time.
Ignis bit back a scream as he blindly hurled his only magical flask with his shaking arm. The gust of chilled wind washed up his back, and he stretched his good arm out, yanking on the magical tether that connected him to Noctis as his hand landed on Ravus' shoulder.
He'd never tried magic on this level without Noctis present, but the Glaives had never had a problem with distance when it came to the King. He could only hope this would work the same.
Another cold rush – one of healing this time – blossomed in his chest and surged outward, green sparks spreading to wash over Ravus as well. Ravus jerked when the energy flowed through him, and Ignis climbed to his feet with renewed energy. Knowing the Giant was slowed by the icy air still biting at the back of his arms, he took the time to offer his hand to Ravus. "Now's our chance!"
Ravus had apparently set aside his sneering disapproval for Ignis' existence of the moment, because he grabbed Ignis' hand without hesitation. "Then let us finish this!"
The Giant was nearing.
Ignis called upon his daggers once more. "Target the antecubital fossa!"
"The what?"
"…The elbow. The crook of the elbow."
They moved as one this time, feet crunching through the frosted grass in perfect rhythm until they both rolled under the slowed strike of the Giant's blazing sword. Ravus went directly for the exposed antecubital fossa, slamming the joint with a powerful strike of his sword. Ignis followed up the attack, dragging his daggers across the same spot and digging in deeper until the daemon was hollowing in pain.
This time, they were prepared for the retaliation of the other arm, and they both dodged back in time.
"One last push should suffice to finish it off!" Ignis yelled over the daemon's screaming, shoving his glasses up.
"Then let us deliver it!"
Once again, Ignis yanked on the cord that tethered him to Noctis. This had to end. Now, while they still had the advantage.
He crossed his daggers in front of him, and they ignited with magical fire more powerful than he'd ever used before.
Taking care of Noct's nightmares had never been Gladio's department. He was Noct's Sworn Shield, all right, but that was against physical dangers. Did he have to keep the kid focused at times? Sure. But that wasn't the same thing as nightmares.
Nightmares were Iggy's department. Had been from the earliest days of Noct's childhood.
Gladio sighed, squinting through the darkness in the tent at the twitching, asleep prince. Losing Ignis was still a fresh wound for Gladio, but it was only going to get even worse for Noct and Prompto the longer they held out hope.
Gladio had accepted that the man who'd been his unsaid best friend for all these years was dead, much like he had accepted the death of his father. If the King was dead, there was no doubt in his mind that his father was too, and Ignis was the same, duty-set type. He wouldn't have thought twice about giving his life for Insomnia.
So here he was, wondering how to fill the gaping hole left by the man who had always been Noct's greatest source of stability.
Noct groaned softly in his sleep, head tossing and eyes widely darting around behind his eyelids. Gladio swore under his breath. The Prince was drenched in sweat now, despite the cool night air.
"Noct," Gladio whispered, but made his voice firm. He wasn't stupid enough to touch Noct's shoulder. One never woke a trained fighter with touch, especially when they could magically summon weapons from the air.
Gladio's voice didn't seem to break through, and he swore again. How had Iggy always done this?
"Noct," Gladio tried again.
Behind him, Prompto stirred. "Mhggg, wha's goin' on?"
"Prince Charmless is having another nightmare," Gladio muttered, hoping the beginning of his comment would keep the kid from getting too worried.
Kid. It was actually getting harder to think of Prompto as that lately. He'd matured so much since they'd left Insomnia.
"Here, try this." Prompto hurled his pillow into Noctis' face.
…Or not.
Noct jarred awake, the pillow smacking into the tent wall as he shot upright, a hand pressed to his chest. Not his heart, Gladio noted, but the direct center of his chest. Sweat streamed down his neck with the sudden directional change, his breathing heavy.
"Noct? You okay, bro?" Prompto's gaze flickered over the Prince, his gaze not even the least bit clouded with sleep.
Noct stared straight ahead. "I felt… something. I don't know what…" He seemed to have to force himself to blink. He shook his head, dropping his hand. "I… never mind. It's nothing."
Nothing. Right. That's why Gladio could feel magic radiating from the Prince.
Just FYI, guys, Ignis is an OP as crap mage, m'kay? Use that. I've been able to get Sagefire up past 180k against the Adamantoise, and I've gotten his magic up another 600 since then. I'mma try it again soon. Hehehe. I'll let you all know the results.
