Autumn Twilight – Part 09
The trolley rolled slowly down the hill, with Ragas bracing it from the front and Prompto guiding it in the back. Ragas was really doing double duty as he was also charged with carrying Terin on his back, a task that would have fallen to Caleb. Ignis was able to walk, one hand holding the side of the trolley for guidance, but that was it.
Another person dead, and another injured.
"Iggy, what happened to Caleb wasn't your fault. We all knew the risks of this mission," Prompto said.
"Yeah, besides if anybody it's my fault. I told him to head off alone like that," Ragas explained. He let out a pitiful sigh. "He was just a kid. I shoulda gone with him."
"I suppose," Ignis said, trying to master himself. He could wallow in self-pity later. They were one a very sensitive time table. "We are far enough away now to light the decoy."
"I put it on a timer," Prompto said. "It should go off in the next minute or so."
Sure enough within a handful of seconds the bright flash of the decoy burned high upon the hill as every spotlight in the Imperial Base powered on once again. A few had their bulbs destroyed – leaving only ominious sparking and popping, and others were uselessly covered by protective cloths, but there were still enough beams to signal anything within several dozen kilometers. The flash was so bright even Ignis could still make out the general direction of it, his dark grey blur becoming a dim white blur.
At once behind them was the sound of another trolley, careening wildly out of control down the hill leading into Old Lestallum. It rushed past them only stopping when it reached the very bottom of the hill, slamming against the metal walls of the outpost.
"That was filled with meteorshards," Prompto said.
"Hey!" Gladiolus shouted from behind them. "We gotta move, now!"
Ignis could only sense the mass migration behind him, but he caught the gist of it. The Taelpar Crag excavation team had returned quite a bit ahead of schedule, and behind them was an army of daemons. Several had begun moving towards the decoy, but there were still a few ugly characters chasing them down.
Ignis felt himself being lifted up by Gladiolus and a few seconds later their trolley of scrap rolled down the hill as well. There was a stampede of survivors charging down the path with Ignis being dragged along like a piece of scrap.
There was a loud clang – their trolley hitting the wall – and the sound of the west-facing spotlight starting up. A small electric popping followed by an even brighter white burning in Ignis's eyes.
"Get in!" shouted Cor's voice through one of their emergency hatches.
Gladiolus shoved Ignis through, handing him roughly to Cor who pulled him out. Gladiolus himself stayed behind until everybody else who was still with them made it through. Ragas handed Terin to Cor before helping Gladiolus push in the two trolley worth of material. Gladiolus was the last in, slamming the hatch shut and securing it with the scrap iron trolley.
"What happened?" Ignis demanded. He stood up and almost tripped, but Prompto was there to support him.
"Ran into daemons in the Taelpar Crag, had to make a quick exit. We got around 3,000 useable shards which isn't bad for a day's haul," Gladiolus said. He took a look around the group. "Casualties?"
"We lost Caleb. Daemon in a pantry got him," Ragas replied. "It was my fault I should of stuck with him."
"Also Terin took a few hits from an MT but he'll live," Prompto added.
Ignis waited for Cor's lamentation, but there was nothing but resolve in his voice. "Well, you completed your task. We know Caleb didn't die in vain at least. But we have to make sure everything else goes to plan otherwise this entire expedition will have been for naught."
"How has Talcott been with the beacons?" Gladiolus asked.
"They got back about an hour ago. All of them are set. They spaced them out, two dead beacons to one working beacon. As soon as we get some of the juice up and running to the power line they'll all light up. They secured the river as far south as we could, and a few protective beacons up north to play it safe," Cor explained.
"So what's next on the agenda?" Prompto asked. "I wasn't really clear on your intentions for this phase of the plan."
"It may have been possible to secure Old Lestallum with a bit more scrap iron and a few more meteorshards. But that's not an option and I can't realistically expect you to do another expedition like this under the circumstances. We're abandoning Old Lestallum, but we're not going to leave it to the mercy of the daemons. Prompto's decoy will keep most of the daemons in the area occupied for now while he puts our remaining power stores into the beacon generator."
"So after all that, we can't hope to defend the outpost?" Cor asked.
"We have to abandon it for a time. We secure the river and then head back to Lestallum proper. We use that time to start regrouping and reforming the Kingsglaive," Ignis said.
"The king is missing. His power is sealed away," Cor explained.
"A piece of the king's power is sealed away in each of the Royal Tombs. All we need is a Sigil, and that should suffice to return the power of the kings to this world," Ignis said.
"And how do you know that will work?" Cor asked.
"Did I ever tell you how I went blind?" Ignis asked.
"You said you got injured in the attack by Leviathan," Cor replied.
"That is technically true. But that's not the whole story. I haven't told any of you this because I find it difficult to believe myself," Ignis sighed. "During the attack, Ardyn attempted to kill Noctis. I was overpowered and alone. But Noctis had with him the Ring of the Lucii. With no other option, I bore the burden of wearing that terrible ring. The Old Kings granted me strength beyond strength. I fought with a vigor only known to the royal line. But the Old Kings never give power freely. They demanded a sacrifice."
Ignis removed his sunglasses, revealing the terrible raw scar that covered both of his eyes, the burning that he still felt even to this day mirrored in the hideous deformity.
"They made you blind to save Noctis?" Prompto asked horrified.
"The Old Kings must view it as a way to keep balance among the mortals," Gladiolus cursed. "If you're not a king and you wield a king's power, you will suffer for it. Ravus lost his arm. Ignis was blinded. I even heard about a Kingsglaive member who wore it to protect Lunafreya on her way out of Insomnia who died from using its power."
"I no longer have the Ring," Ignis said. "I'm certain wherever Noctis is, he still has it with him. But I learned much in my time with the Old Kings. And I know how to restore the power of the Kingsglaive. So I say again. We light up the beacons, and return to Lestallum. And then I would ask another favor."
"Let me guess," Prompto said. "You want me and Gladiolus to drag you to some dusty old Royal Tomb right?"
"And Cor too, if you are willing," Ignis said, turning in the general direction of Cor.
"If there's even a chance at bringing back the might of the Kingsglaive, it would give us a fighting chance against these daemons," Cor nodded. "Okay. I'm with you Ignis."
"Alright then. Prompto, get the generator up and running. Cor, Gladiolus, Ragas, get everybody prepared to evacuate. If we can get one vehicle working that should suffice. We take only what we can carry," Ignis said.
"We have one truck left in working condition. Most of us should fit in in that along with some basic supplies and weapons. A few of us will just have to cling to the roof and pray," Cor said.
"Well, let's hope the prayers are heard then, because I really don't want to walk," Prompto grunted, as he pushed the trolley of meteorshards over to the generator on the far side of the compound.
