AN: Sorry about the long, long wait, guys! But here's chapter 10. Spellbound is drawing to its end, only two left after this. And as you can see, the name's paying a little homage to Fenrir appearing throughout the FF series and in the folklore, too.

So thanks again, everyone, who's been reading this so far! The little witch girl in me has been so excited to write this. Like, simultaneously I'm playing this World of Darkness supernatural larp campaign, and that has given me so much boost to work on this. Although my beta can justify for me that I've been close to a breakdown with it more than once, haha. Nonetheless, it's getting done. I'm almost done with chapter 11, too, so it should be relatively soon.

The whole thing beta read by Elillierose. I realized I've forgotten a couple of credits. But she's helped me throughout here, so thanks again.

Now, let's hit it! Who's excited to hear what's really going on?

Kimya's eyes shone with genuine warmth as the four men strolled closer. The prince was in the lead, the others following him with various degrees of reluctance; however, the only one notably staying back, as if to avoid the meeting for as long as he could, was Gladiolus. Looking like a gathering stormfront, the warrior tried to busy his eyes with anything else but the sight of the woman. This had been his idea, he knew. But, it didn't mean that he was particularly looking forward to it. Bearing in mind the remnants of the previous, downright disastrous encounter not three whole days ago, Gladiolus was less than eager to meet the woman again – ever, and not to mention, quite this soon. He swore, if they hadn't been desperate…

"Welcome, dears. Back so soon, I expected you not," she smiled sunshine at them.

"Yeah, well, neither did we," Noctis uttered, halfway talking to himself. Deciding that it was probably the best to just get to the point, he took in a breath before speaking, "Listen, uh, we kinda need your help?" The woman looked positively surprised.

"Help you, I will, if I can. Tell me, my dear, what is it that troubles you?"

The intense blue traveled to the silently seething brute, and the lady followed his gaze to meet the blazing ambers; her brows rose, and the gentleness in her expression faltered, the look taking a sharper edge. A knowing edge.

"Something you bear, there is, am I right?" The question was rhetorical, but the man gave a stiff nod anyway. "Tell from your eyes, that much I can." A sharp hiss slithered between clenching teeth, and the man bit back a flare of vexation. They had come here to get answers, he reminded himself. 'Play it cool.'

"You know what it is?" he asked, managing a neutral tone, if a bit harsh. If the woman took note of it, she didn't show it, however. Instead she eyed him in a studying way, a soft hum sounding from her. She nodded, gravely, and something about the motion made him gulp. Something about it told him that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

"I do, indeed. And great pain it brings me, to tell you this. For blight will it bring, to those who surround you," her gaze went through the others, briefly resting on each of them before returning to meet the amber. "A curse there resides in you, one of most cruel."

The shock was apparent in the unguarded gasps. Widened eyes went back and forth between the two; the men were stunned for a moment, the news like a slap in their face. Even though it was something all of them had pondered in their hearts, hearing it spelled out like that, flat-out and unembellished, the reality hit them with all its destructive gravity.

The prince stammered a little, "A-A curse?! Wha' kinda curse?!" Kimya's now piercing gaze turned to him, and the prince found himself taking a subconscious step back.

"Yourself, you should ask. Seen it, you have, that which lies beneath," her eyes trailed to his left shoulder, "Met it first-hand, if I may."

The midnight eyes had widened. "How do you know that?" was a whisper, voiced thoughts slipping out unguarded. The woman's lip tugged up, but the smile no longer held the warmth nor the gentleness. It was a sorrowful look, one of empathy. Then, her attention snapped back to the shield,

"Hear me, Fenrir!" It was like she had spoken from the bottom of a well. A hollow echo had wrapped around her voice, the words coming out like an odd incantation, a deep sound from the netherworld, and yet all-consuming. It stole the breath from their lungs, leaving behind a layer of rime that chilled them from the inside.

But finally, it was his reaction that sent their spirits spiraling down.

Gladiolus had gone stiff, his back muscles rigid with the hunch of his upper body. His arms had lowered to the sides, the nails in the bent fingers seemed to have elongated, looking like claws more than anything. His breaths came in slow heaves, underlined with a low growl. And beneath the piercing eyes now wholly consumed with amber, they could clearly make out the pointed teeth behind the snarl.

Noctis' heart crumbled. "Gladio…?!"

Kimya took in the sight with a sad sigh, and nodded, and it was with a deep breath that the man seemed to come back to his senses. The whites of his eyes cleared again, and he blinked rapidly to chase away the sudden feeling of dizziness. "What the..?" he muttered. "'The hell happened?" The lady just smiled sorrowfully before turning away. "Hey?!"

"The binding of Fenrir," Kimya said solemnly before the old eyelids opened again, casting a look akin to pity at the burdened man.

"The what?" Gladiolus retorted, raising a brow. "What's that we're talkin' about here?"

The woman regarded him with irritation before starting,

"In these parts, a story is told, from the days of the old. Of a guardian of the thicket, that is. 'Fenrir', they called him, the townsfolk of the day." The men had fallen deathly quiet, drawing in each word like a priceless clue. "Walking in the form of a great black wolf, watch over the forest, he does. Rights the wrongs, upholds the balance." She fell quiet as if to offer them a chance to speak, but no-one said a word. Captivated by her words, the men were spellbound by the myth, eager to hear more.

"It is for the fear of the beast that the folks of the old, untouched this forest, they left. Dared they not wander into the thicket as long as the guardian dwelled, for feared they his wrath, should they ever lay a foot onto this sacred land. For stories are told, of men being driven into madness, haunted by visions and wretched ill luck should they have once crossed the meadows of the divine."

"The wrath…?" Noctis mouthed, but the woman heard him anyway; she ignored him, though. Color had drained from Gladiolus' face a little, the shield looking a bit like he was going to be sick.

"Feel him, you do, don't you?" He tried to reply, but his voice stuck into his throat as a painful lump of fright. What came out was just an affirmative sound, high-pitched with creeping terror. She nodded her understanding before turning to talk to all of them, "Said, it is, that to his will, Fenrir binds them who bring unbalance. Challenges them, tests them," she spoke monotonously before she fixed the shield with a look that held something the man couldn't quite place, but it was enough to make him gulp. There was a promise of suffering underlining the wisdom. "And if unworthy he deems them, kills them."

"Wha-?!" Noctis' heart skipped a beat. No, no, this wasn't right! Gladio hadn't done anything! "But why Gladio…?"

"Yeah," the shield grunted, although the new worry had festered into every fiber of his being, coating his voice with fear of the end. "'The hell does it want with me?!"

Kimya sighed, "For what exactly, I cannot say. The answer to that question, you yourself must unveil. But this, I know: in your heart, a weakness there lies that invites the darkness." His mouth hung agape, lips moving a little, but no sound was heard. She averted her eyes as if to look at someone that wasn't there, "The lost men, dark thoughts, they harboured. Dreams of power, lust for dominance. A chance, he offers. Grants them their wish if they should triumph. If not…" she fell silent, delivering the other alternative in a stern look.

Next to him, Ignis' gaze went from one to the other before he cleared his throat and asked, although he knew he wouldn't like the answer, "And, if not?"

Kimya glanced at him. "If not, if fails he, to impress the guardian, succumb will he, to the beast's nature forever," she had gone back to speaking to Gladio, the shield looking dumbstruck to say the least. If he had said that the woman's words were something he hadn't thought himself, Gladio would have lied, but… laid bare in all its horrifying whole, it just made the mere thought all the more terrifying. Endless shivers ran along his spine, the amber almost gobbling up the woman as if he was a lost man and she held all the answers. And, in a lot of ways, she did, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear them. He was scared.

But damn him if he was to go down quietly. "Well," he forced a humorless chuckle. "Sounds like a deal breaker to me," he put on a tense smirk and snorted, "So, how do I tell this guardian thing that he can go suck it?" And despite the gravity of the situation, the raven couldn't help a snort at the man's crude choice of wording.

Kimya was less amused, however; eyes narrowed, her lips were a thin line as she glared daggers at the brute. And maybe it was the obnoxiousness, the tease to add insult to injury that made her next words sear and carve, sink in like a hot knife to butter, "Once formed, the binding is irreversible." She took quiet delight in the way his face fell, smirking inwardly before continuing, "Tied, you are, to the guardian's power 'til the end. A chance, he offers you, but only one. If fail, you should, your mind, lost forever, will it be. Conquer the beast, or it will conquer you. Such is your destiny. Make it what you will."

Gladiolus' breaths came in shallow pants. "How, how the hell you know all this?! Just who're you?"

A sad smirk rose to the aged lips. "The tales speak of others. Men, who ventured into the thicket, a burning desire in their hearts, unafraid of the divine. Blinded by their pride. Driven mad by the curse, doomed to become animals. Feared and hunted down by the townsfolk. Only as the beast laid dead at their feet, would the people know of their folly."

The dumbstruck silence was strangling and raw, disturbed only by the sounds of their breaths, sharp and shocked and shuddery, until a stammering voice spoke after so long that Noctis visibly twitched. He had almost forgotten about Prompto being there, "A-and… how many of the others… made it?" The blond's voice was pained, ridden with anticipation. The blue oceans were darkened with ominousness; his teeth sunk into his lip.

Kimya sighed again, looking like she didn't want to answer that; it was with a pitying shake of her head that she deadpanned, "None. Not one of those men proved worthy to Fenrir."

"What?" It was Gladiolus. And it was devastated. Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, the shield's shoulders trembled. His gaze trailed slowly to look at his hands, then back to the woman. His lips moved, but nothing came out. There was a storm raging inside, and yet his mind was wiped white, deaf to anything but the shrill screeching sound in his mind, like knives scratching against a plate, an ear-piercing, hair-raising sound that made him dizzy. "But…" he managed. "How… my darkness…?" he trailed off into silence, lips moving with nothing on them, his voice betraying him as his heart, racing high in his throat, suffocated all sound from him, leaving behind only a hollow echo.

"Gladio…" Noctis mouthed. The prince felt shattered, heartbreak clenching his chest with crippling force. Then, his eyes snapped at the lady at breakneck speed, "But, there must be something, right? Something we can do?!" He took a couple steps closer, panic written all over his face. "Please, if there's anything we can do…!" He stopped maybe a step in front of her, desperate eyes nailed onto her age-dimmed eyes, his chest heaving a little with the butterfly exhales. A thought crossed his mind, and it was with a sharp intake and a soft clenching of teeth that Noctis hesitated for a second before he slowly lowered himself to sit on one knee, his head bowed, "Please…"

"Noct-!"

The woman regarded him with a mixed look of surprise and impression before it was replaced with compassion again, and she brushed his hair gently, the fingers running down his cheek and stopping beneath his jaw. Noctis didn't fight it when his chin was raised and the softened blue met the ashen grey; she smiled down at him, "Rise, Your Highness." Gulping a little, he did, a bit more shakily than he would have preferred, a flush tint slowly rising onto his cheeks. She didn't remove her touch before she had guided the prince up, but as she did, she lowered the hand onto his shoulder to linger there for a moment before averting the touch. "Something, there is, that might help your friend in his struggle." She held a pause, as if to almost wait for the prince to make a demand. "Remove can I not, the curse laid onto his shoulders. But to restrain the beast, I can help you."

"Re-restrain…?" the words tasted bad in the raven's mouth. It felt… wrong.

"Told you, I have, that very special, they are, the potions that I brew. The Oracle's blessing, my potions strengthen," she spoke as she walked to a small cupboard and took out a glass bottle far larger than those vials they were used to. The content was pearlescent white, cloudy liquid that seemed to shimmer in the brisk light of the morning. "Before the nightfall, pour this onto the runes of a haven. Heighten, it will, the holy powers of the blessing. Help, it will, to contain the beast, even if not suppress it."

"Runes…?" Noctis looked a bit lost as he took the bottle, carefully, eyeing the frailness with distrust.

"Yes. Make no mistake, save your friend, my aid will not." She looked at Gladio again, something akin to apology in her gaze, "His fight, this is. Himself, he must, face that which must befall. But should he succumb, hold him back, the sacred power of those runes should." Then, her face morphed into one of severity as she again turned to look at the others, meeting each pair of eyes briefly before settling to talk to no-one in particular. "One more warning, I leave with you, though," she started, gravity and desolation in her voice they had never heard before. "If he should fail, the rest of you must run. For no more will he know a friend from a foe; no longer will he recognize where his allegiance once lied. If the beast takes over, do what you must to save yourselves. For there is no way, to bring back your friend."

"But what about…?!" Noctis started, but was interrupted by a single shake of a head. Knowing what he was about to ask, not needing to hear it, Kimya gave him his answer.

"So," came a low, gruff voice. Gladio's. "It's a do or die, then."

"Gladio...!" Ignis eyed him in bewilderment at the preposterous words.

The shield simply gave him a hard look, one that forced the other to calm down, but didn't say anything. His attention was back on the woman, his instincts screaming. This woman. This snake wearing this harmless appearance. There was so much more to her than just that. Gladiolus' teeth clenched. Every single cell in him was alert and on the edge, something about this lady just rubbing him wrong. And yet he had no choice but to trust her. With nothing else to go with, he had to swallow the warning bells tolling unpleasantly in the back of his skull and pretend that he could trust her. For the wretched presence – the foul feeling that never left him nowadays – it was getting stronger, he could feel it. It was almost like constant brushes against his consciousness. Threatening whiskers and lingering malice, just beneath his psyche. The beast. Fenrir. He could feel it, the power within that wasn't his own. A gulp slid down his throat at the sensation of awakening at the recognition, and it was with a determined shake of his head that the man forced his mind from the gutter. His eyes narrowing a little, he said, "Don't fuss. I have zero intention of failin' this. If it's a gamble, then let's roll 'em."

"Gladio…?" Noctis uttered; the said man threw him a timid smirk.

"You heard the lady. If those are my options, Noct, you know damn well which one I'm takin'. Now, if we're done here, how 'bout we move it? Don't know about you guys, but I've heard enough." With that, he started towards the path leading them back towards the haven; the rest of the men were left staring at his distancing back until Ignis and Prompto exchanged a look before both turned to Noctis with perplexion and question in their eyes. The raven heaved a sigh, shaking his head at the brute's adamant behavior.

"I guess we'll go then," he muttered before turning to the woman again, raising the vial a little, "Hey… thank you."

"You're welcome, my dear. Hope, I will, for the best for your friend."

"Yeah. Thanks," Noctis said a little awkwardly, not really sure how to take the woman's compassion. He was already going before the voice stopped him.

"Your Highness?"

"Y-yeah?"

Kimya looked serious as she gazed into his eyes, and for some reason Noctis felt kinda hot suddenly. For some reason, it was difficult to hold her gaze. It was like the woman saw right through him, like she was looking into his very soul. "What I said, the truth, it was. Brace yourself, you should, to let go. If he fails the trials... if to the beast, should he succumb, nothing there is, that you can do for him, Your Highness."

Noctis' heart skipped a beat, a lump rising to his throat at those words. However, he forced it down with a deep intake, and a small smile that was only partially forced rose to his lips, "He won't. I know he won't." With a small nod, he then turned his back to the lady again, and together with Ignis and Prompto, headed after the shield.

The lightly rust-colored contents swirled around, the rays of the slowly lowering sun dancing on the oily concoction, creating a hypnotizing vortex of fall colors and light. The fervent movement eventually came to a still as Ignis tapped the spoon against the edge of the pot rather fiercely before taking in a healthy sniff of the aroma; a dissatisfied grunt was let out under the exhale. A deep crease forming between his brows, the man glared daggers down into the reducing curry, like it had been the dish that had done something to violate him. Trying to steer his mind back into his task at hand, Ignis fell back to his mantra of going through the endless lists and notes in his mind. The meat, the onion, the tomato. The garlic, the ginger, the turmeric…? Goddammit, had he added in the blasted damn turmeric yet or not?! A soft 'tsk' sounded from between clenched teeth; the spoon was slammed onto the fold-up table with noticeably excessive force.

"Uhm, Ignis…?" Prompto's confused voice sounded, and Ignis didn't need to look to feel everyone's eyes on his back. "Everything okay, man?"

"Yesss, Prompto. Everything is absolutely peachy," he snipped back over his shoulder, long fingers lifting his glasses enough to pinch the bridge of his nose. Massaging it gently, the man drew in a long breath, and sighed, "Apologies."

"Uh-hunh," the blond just shook his head with no offence taken. Seeing the exasperation practically pouring from the adviser was enough of a warning not to venture any further down that road.

No, everything was not alright. Everything was far from alright, to be exact, Ignis thought with an inward snort. Never in his life had the man felt such hopeless worry. Not even when the news of the fall of Insomnia had reached them – their homes, their families, their loved ones, all of it, in ashes. Even then, Ignis' melancholy hadn't been quite like the abyss the man was fighting right now. Back then, Ignis had been able to do something about it. He had been able to focus on his duty: to protect and guide Noct. He had dedicated his being to his task, it had become his sole reason to exist. Now, now they were told that there was nothing they could do, just… just wait and hope for the best. Ignis' teeth clenched; he wasn't like that! It wasn't in Ignis Scientia's nature to watch idly from the sidelines as others put their lives on the line for something that mattered to them. He was one of those men, too, men of honor. Men who risked their lives to protect all that they held dear. Gladio mattered to him! And there was nothing he could do to help him. He was being ushered back, told to save himself before his friend. To abandon him!

Ignis had never heard such bullshit in his life.

No, everything was not alright. Everything was going cosmically down the drain, was what Ignis wanted to say, but held his tongue. It wouldn't help. Forcing the collected façade on again, the brunet turned off the gas and slowly made his way over to slump into the nearest unoccupied camping chair. Leaning forward, his fingers quickly found the familiar rim of his glasses before they were confined tightly, crossed over each other and his chest. With a huff, the adviser snuggled against the flimsy fabric of the chair, an uncharacteristic pout on his features as the emerald traveled through his company.

Noctis wasn't doing much better. Sitting precariously with elbows on his knees, the young man gazed at nothing with a tight expression on his face; his left foot tapped the ground idly, frantically. A subconscious gesture Ignis had noted him picking up when he was deep in thought. Next to him, Prompto fiddled with the barrel of his gun, the subtle tremble in his hands almost concealed by the nimble way he cleaned each nook and cranny, despite the part looking as spotless and shiny as if he had cleaned it thrice already. As did each of the parts sitting on a camping tray next to him, but nonetheless Prompto, once satisfied with the piece currently undergoing his tending, still picked up the already meticulous-looking slide and started to work on it, going through each nick and corner with painstaking precision. Under any other circumstance, Ignis would have appreciated the zealousness greatly. Now it just made him more nervous. Nervous because it was so forced, so fake. A front, a façade, a diversion, an excuse, a fabrication, a cover-up. A denial. A straight-forward goddamn lie.

Ignis thought he was going to be sick. His breaths growing shuddery, his gaze went astray, his head was swimming, he was going to be sick…! Feeling like he was about to faint, Ignis panted quietly, cold sweat rising over his brow, until his wandering eyes caught the sight of the other's eyes. And, the familiar sternness of amber, the silent demand reached out to him through his moment of unclarity, the shield's demeanor pulling him back from the freefall he had been slipping into.

Sitting across from him, Gladiolus eyed him with an odd aura of acceptance and serenity, a look so calm it almost puzzled him. He seemed eerily prepared for this. How did the man manage that, Ignis wished he was yet to find out one day, but for now, he gladly accepted the solace the man's conciliating look brought. Smirking a little as a thank you, the brunet eased his hands to rest on the handles, fighting the urge to grip them, though. His skin shone a little with the light sheen of sweat as his heart rate slowed down to a more reasonable pace.

Seeing the cracks in his friend's cool, the oldest huffed a breath and rose to stroll over to sit next to him. He didn't say anything at first, one glance communicating silently his appreciation for the man's worry but simultaneously said, 'get a hold of yourself'. Looking like something was stuck in his throat, Ignis had to avert his eyes. He feared what more he would see in there if he kept looking.

Sensing the need to shift the atmosphere, Gladiolus tried to sound casual as he asked, "So, what's for dinner?"

"Uh, it's, vegetable curry, actually," Ignis coughed lightly to clear his throat. "With a side of rice and pickled plums."

"Hngh. Doesn't sound too bad – for a last supper," he snorted.

"Gladio, please," Noctis threw him an incredulous glare.

"Relax. Just kiddin'. And by the way, you guys would do well to pull yar head outta yar asses already."

"What's that?" the prince retorted, raising a brow.

"You heard me. We need a plan. There's only so long until nightfall, and this thing has only happened in the night, right? So, I think we can count on it happening again."

"Right…"

"So, what'd we do?" An otherworldly silence came to rest above the men, not disturbed even by the soft sounds of a washcloth rubbing against metal or a foot thudding into the dirt. It was a heavy, tangible silence that they had almost grown accustomed to over the past few days. Gladiolus snorted, "Geez, don't yall start shoutin' at once…"

"Well, it goes without saying that we'll be using the potion provided by Ms. Kimya," Ignis started, avoiding everyone's eyes as he pushed his glasses up. "Should you… transform, no aid should be wasted as naught."

Gladiolus snorted at the mention of the woman. "Yeah? And if that doesn't work?"

Ignis fixed him with a dark look, "I do have… another idea, as a matter of fact."

"You do?" Prompto perked up a little, sounding almost hopeful.

"Yes, although I would rather we didn't need to result to that. I'm afraid you're not gonna like it," the adviser glanced at the gunner before returning to talk to Gladio.

"So? You think I'm particularly fond of the flea bag option, either? Le's hear it."

Sighing with disdain, the adviser pushed himself up and went to shuffle through their camping supplies. As his hand closed around the item he was looking for, Ignis had to repress the shudder of detestation that he even considered something like this. That he was forced to. As he walked back to them, the series of shocked gasps were like consecutive slashes onto his pride.

"No way…!"

"Ignis… you serious?!" Noctis exasperated.

"Iggy… don't tell me this is your idea," Gladiolus uttered disbelievingly as he eyed the rope held in the adviser's hands.

"No," Noctis stated. For some reason, this seemed to go too far. Was Ignis seriously suggesting that they would tie him up?! What was he, an animal?!

Oh, yeah. Right.

"Believe me, this is something I would rather not have to go through," Ignis' tone, combined with the sour look on his face, told exactly how much the thought about what would have to be done pleased him. Tossing the rope in the middle of the circle of chairs like it was something filthy, the man eyed it darkly. He didn't want to result to this, but what other choice did they have? All of them knew this, really knew it, and thus no-one, not even Noctis, kept their protests up for long. Throwing dirty looks at the pile of rope sitting on the ground, the men both waited and feared for the approaching nightfall, knowing that it would only lead them deeper into this nightmare.

As the sun descended close to horizon, it was with an apology wrapped around his words that Ignis asked, "Are you ready, Gladio?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," he shrugged, but it was obvious that the man was just trying to cover up his creeping panic with nonchalance. Ignis saw through it; he knew him better than that. But he decided to not say anything about that, to allow the man some dignity at least. "Noct?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Ms. Kimya said that that potion should be applied by nightfall. Would you mind doing that with Prompto?"

"Sure. You, uh, you guys ok?" he asked, wishing he didn't sound so awkward, but he couldn't help it.

"Yes, thank you, Noct. I believe we're fine," Ignis nodded, managing a tone close to normal as he ushered the younger men on before turning his attention to the shield. Already sitting on a large rune, shirtless and his shoes removed, the man eyed him expectantly, with an inkling of challenge in the flaming gaze. Ignis gulped; could they really go through with this? They had no choice, he reminded himself before crouching next to the shield.

"I'll have to tie you from all limbs, Gladio, so you should lie down," he instructed. "Now, I cannot cut you any slack with the tightness of the binding, obviously. But I'll wrap some cotton under the ropes. I don't wish this to hurt you any more than it must."

"Don' worry about it, Iggy. If this really happens… if I'll become that thing… Fenrir… some rope burns are the least of our problems," he tried to chuckle, but it fell short. Soulless and strangled with his deepening fear, Gladiolus fell quiet as he allowed the man to start working on tying the rope first around his ankles, then the left arm and finally, with a mixed look of apology and reassurance, Ignis tied his right arm and pulled the last rope tight, then tied it thrice around a boulder, effectively pinning the shield down, spread-eagled and helpless. The man tested the bindings, only to realize that Ignis had done a pretty damn good job. The restraints allowed minimal room to move, merely shifting his weight around rather than actual movement. He felt the rope digging against the cotton cushioning at a mere jerk of his arms or legs. Taking a deep breath to get the initial panic under control, Gladiolus fixed the other with a dark smirk. "Well, Iggy, gotta say, this escalated quickly," he chuckled. "I don't usually do stuff like this before the second date…"

With a half-amused snort, Ignis crouched by the man's head, "Are you alright? Does anything hurt?"

"I can take it," he glanced away dismissively. It was uncomfortable but not exactly painful, not yet, and he didn't need Ignis fussing over him. He wasn't his mother!

Luckily, the brunet seemed to understand that, too, since he flashed him a brief look of encouragement before pushing himself up and making a move to get away from him. Before he left, though, he turned to toss over his shoulder, "We will all stay on guard tonight. Should you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Alright." With that, he was gone, the velvety voice saying something to Noctis and Prompto, something he didn't quite catch but that's fine. The odd position and the slowly seeping tension around his wrists and ankles was beginning to drift his senses from his surroundings, towards the discomfort and the strong heart beats that filled his ears. This would be it, then. In his mind, it was like something ran a hand down his cheek in a mock caress; Gladiolus let out a low, long hiss. "Get the hell away from me…!" he growled at himself.

"What's that?" Noctis sounded questioning; had he heard him right? Had Gladio been talking to him in the first place?

The amber eyes snapped back to focus, taking in the three faces above him. He snorted; had he actually said that out loud…? "Heh, hey. Nevermind," he shook his head a little. "What's up?"

"That's my line," the prince chuckled as he sat down where Gladio could see him without having to crane his neck. "So, uh… what's it like?"

"What? Waiting?"

"... Yeah, I guess?"

The shield sighed, "Like someone kept banging on your backdoor even though you're not gonna answer that? It's… like a second mind, but in my mind, you know?" he fell silent as his explanations wandered into such spheres where he wasn't able to follow them. The raven gazed at him, his eyes filled with fear and anticipation.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Gladio?" he asked, his voice just barely above a whisper.

"Nah. But got no choice here, do I?" Reading the desolation on the other's expression, he added sternly, "Hey. Listen, kid. This thing wants to test me, so I'll let it test me. I'll be fine. Whatever this test is about, I can take it."

"So, about 'conquering' it…?"

The brute shrugged the best he could, an odd jerk of his neck due to his strained limbs. "I guess I'll just hold it back or something? Can't really say before it actually happens. But I ain't gonna spend the rest of my life scratchin' fleas, you better believe it." Noctis spurted a mirthless chuckle. "You should get away from me, kid."

"I'm not goin' anywhere," Noctis stated.

"'M not kiddin', Noct. We don't know when it begins or what will happen. You should get back."

"He's right, Noct," Ignis said in confirmation. "This entity is beyond our control. We should keep our distance."

"But what about Gladio?!" the young man almost spat.

"Noct," the deep, demanding voice stole his attention, "do as we say. I'll be fine, trust me. This… this is something I gotta do alone."

"Gladio…" the blue eyes held a wish for the man to deny it all, and the man, for a moment remembered again that underneath the regal facade, the grandiose prophecy and the Crystal's magic, Noctis was just a young man. A young man who had seen so much pain, lost so much already. And that young man was scared. Scared and desperate, fearing that he was again about to lose someone dear him.

Gladiolus wasn't going to let that happen. His eyes softening, he tried to summon all his consolement into his voice as he promised, "I can do this. I'm the only one who can. Trust me. But I need you safe in order to do that. You follow me?"

And maybe the prince read something from those orbs that made his widen with understanding, but with a shaky nod, Noctis muttered an 'okay'. Then, with another intake came sturdier, "We'll be here for you, man."

"Yeap," Prompto winked with a genuine grin of encouragement. "And by the way, remember that time in Lestallum when you ended up a delivery boy to pay the bill 'cause someone had stolen your wallet? So that someone… might've been me." The shield's face fell, twisting with anger.

"'T was you-?!"

"Uh-uhn! You still need to get back to me about that! So, go on, big guy. Let's show that wolfie some boot to the rear and then come kick my ass," he chuckled, looking smug.

"Oh, trust me, I will," he started, a sinister snarl on his face as he glared daggers at the younger. "And when I do, there'll be no mercy for you, kid, so you'd better start runnin'," he eyed him with humored vehemence. The smirk on the blond's face faltered a little.

Ignoring the blond, Ignis cut in, "Are you sure you're ready?" The shield rolled his eyes, looking annoyed.

"How many times are ya gonna ask, Iggy? No, I'm not, but that's just too bad, now isn't it? Just, get outta the way. It's getting dark already." The adviser nodded.

"Alright." And with that, the man got up, motioning for the others to follow his suit, and with more encouraging looks and pats on the shoulder - and a heartfelt glare thrown at Prompto - the men sat down to wait by the fire. For what, they didn't know, but they waited, one of them checking on Gladio every so often in case he needed anything. As the dusk matured into velvety gloom and further into full-bodied darkness, a light curtain of fog rose to moisten the land and seeped into their clothes, leaving them shivering.

And then, it started.