Happy and safe Memorial Day weekend to my fellow Americans. Happy and safe Bank Holiday weekend for any UK folks, and happy weekend to everyone else :) Here is the next installment. Hope people like. Feel free to follow/fav/review-you know the drill ;-)
She was a wuss, Delenda decided. It took a God to throw overwhelming power at Noctis before he was sick and weak, and here she was, lightheaded from being grazed by a spear that wasn't even aiming for her. The team decided that Prompto and Gladio would return the chocobos to the nearest chocobo trading post, while Ignis and Noctis took Delenda to Lestallum for treatment.
The one advantage of this approach was that there was plenty of room in the car. She was able to lay down in the back which meant she could faint without injuring herself further. She didn't want to faint. She was feeling waves of it, a receding of reality, the feeling that everything around her was slowing down. It flat out terrified her and she didn't want to go to the dark oblivion it threatened.
"You still with us back there," Ignis asked, sharply.
"Yes," was all she could manage, but even that was a struggle.
They were back in Lestallum.
"Noct, you go to the potion shop and buy the highest grade potions you can get and bandages. Meet us at the hotel after."
Noctis ran off to do just that.
"Sit up slowly, Delenda" Ignis commanded. "Can you walk, or do you need me to carry you?"
She doubted he could. She was no lightweight, but then again he was stronger than he looked. And the thought of being carried by him was disturbing. She would rather crawl in than be carried. "I can walk, if you can lend me your arm?"
He put his arm around her waist and guided her into the hotel. She was only managing to keep herself upright. He was the one moving her, for all intents and purposes carrying her anyway. Iris met them in the lobby. Noctis had already briefed her apparently.
They rushed her up to Iris's room. The stairs up were Delenda's undoing. After that, she had no more strength, and couldn't keep the oblivion away. She fainted.
"She's not dead, is she," Iris asked Ignis nervously.
He didn't reply for a moment, too busy with depositing Delenda gently on the bed then taking her pulse.
"Her pulse is weak, but steady. She's just unconscious. But we need Noct here right now."
Ignis flipped Delenda gently on her stomach so he could see the wound. Her shirt was matted around it, so it was hard to see how bad it was. There was quite a bit of blood on her shirt though, which alarmed him.
"How bad is it," Iris asked, peering over his shoulder.
"I'm not sure yet. I need to remove her shirt to get a better look at it, proprieties be damned." He took out a dagger to cut her shirt away from the wound.
"Um, maybe I should do that. She might be less freaked out to know I did it."
"Are you handy with a dagger? We don't want to accidentally stab her."
She glared at him. "You forget my brother is 'big sword' Gladio. I can wield any kind of blade you throw at me."
"Point taken. I will get some wet washcloths for us while you take care of this."
The wound, when sponged, wasn't as bad as Ignis feared. It was shallow, but was still oozing. Even a small trickle could kill if it went unchecked, though.
"Do you think she's lost too much blood," Iris asked.
"I don't know yet. I will know more once we've used the potions and bandaged her up."
"That's my cue," Noctis said dryly, entering the room with a bag of medical supplies.
"And how long were you waiting to announce your presence that way," Iris snarked at him.
"I just got here like a second ago," Noctis replied defensively. "Is she ok?"
Ignis ignored them both, examining the array of potions Noctis had brought. Any of them would work, he thought, but he used the strongest one. He flinched as he heard the hiss as it made contact with her wound, killing all germs and cauterizing the wound. It was a good thing she was still unconscious. This would have made her faint, anyway. After that, he deftly applied the bandages. Iris was watching him like a hawk, as if she expected him to take advantage of the situation somehow, he thought resentfully. She's known him for years. How could he think he was capable of something like that at a time like this?
"Well, I've done what I can," Ignis said, adjusting the blankets more snugly against Delenda's shoulders. "If she is still not improving in a couple of hours, she may need blood."
To Ignis's intense relief, Delenda started improving. She went from unconsciousness to a fitful sleep. Her color was looking a lot better, and her pulse was more the thing as well. Barring any sudden disasters, the potion seemed to be working.
Gladio and Prompto returned, the former thrilled to have gotten rid of the chocobos. Prompto was already missing "Chocomoogle," as he had named his during the trip. After checking in on Delenda and getting Ignis's cautious ok, they went down to the hotel bar, taking Noctis with them. Iris has obviously decided Ignis was not a threat to Delenda, or was just too exhausted to care anymore. She was asleep in the other bed.
Ignis hovered like a mother hen, looking for any change in Delenda's color or breathing. He was switching from concern to anger. How could she have been so foolish? Didn't she know the number one rule of healers: heal yourself before healing others? Any idiot could kill. Only a select few could heal. They needed the potion before a warrior any day. The whole time she was standing there watching them carefully for injury, her back was bleeding out. They had faced Aranea, Ravus, and Ardyn, and she had still said nothing. It took that snake of an Ardyn to even notice she was ill. Why hadn't he noticed? He could have done something much faster if she had said something, or if he had known earlier.
He knew she was paranoid about her "comparative weakness" compared to the rest of them (her words not his). But enough was enough. If she was going to keep silent about every injury, he would have to set her straight. Her foolishness could have killed her today, as well as them. When she woke up, he would make her position quite clear.
It was dark when Delenda awoke. Her back, while still sore, was no longer dripping icicles of blood. She supposed that was an improvement. She reached back to gingerly feel it. She felt layers of bandages, but also realized at the same time she didn't have a shirt on. She looked around, slowly. She saw Iris was asleep on the other bed. Ignis was seated in a chair by the window on her other side.
"So you are awake," he commented.
She looked quickly down to make sure the blanket was covering her fully. The look wasn't lost on him, and he rolled his eyes.
"I tended your wounds. I was kind of forced to see you," he said matter-of-factly. "But if you have hangups about that after all this time, I am very disappointed in you. You should know me better than that by now."
She flushed with embarrassment. He looked at her sharply, wondering if she had some kind of fever now.
"You will be relieved to know that Iris was the one who took care of your shirt, not I. Although, I had no qualms about doing it myself if need be. You were bleeding out, Delenda, no thanks to your own actions, I might add. You should be grateful you are still alive instead of whining about your shirt, or lack thereof."
Delenda just started back, shocked at his cold condemnation. He could be as nasty as Gladio, she thought.
"Any girl who wakes up stripped is going to have some questions, Ignis" Iris volunteered, the tirade having woken her up.
He raked his hand through his hair, frustrated. "Thank you for the advice, Iris," he returned sarcastically.
He surged up and stood, hovering over Delenda. "I'm tired of you overcompensating for your 'supposed weakness' by holding things in and hiding things from us. The next time you get hurt, use a goddamn potion, even if it's the last one. And tell us you're injured. I'd rather hear it from you than that bastard of an Ardyn. Now, go back to bed. The potion should have taken care of most of it, but your body still has to heal itself."
"But, you guys needed them…"
Why did she always want the last word? He leaned down, his hands pushing down on the bed on either side of her. His face was close to hers, his green eyes dark in the scant light.
"Don't push me. You might not like what you get back."
And with that provocative threat, he strode out of the room.
Iris was even staring after him, aghast. "I have never seen him lose his cool like that," she mused. "I wonder…" she looked back at Delenda, speculatively.
"I'm going back to bed," was all Delenda said. She had managed to piss Ignis off big time, she realized, with a pang of guilt. But even now, she could tell he was holding back. What would happen if he really lost his temper, she wondered.
She had made a mistake. If she had passed out during battle from her injuries, what would have happened to the rest of them? Even if they had run out of potions, she could have used the last of their magic flasks to buy them some time and retreat. She had thought healing them was the priority, but it was very short-sighted. Ignis was right, she thought resignedly. She needed to take care of herself first from now on.
It was ironic. After fighting tooth and nail to get their car back, they were unable to use it in Altissia. The city had canals, not roads, so the Regalia would not be usable. They had to leave it with Cindy. At least Prompto got some "quality time" in with his intended in the process. Even if that quality time involved him being tongue-tied and awkward the entire time.
The ferry was running. Ardyn had been right about that. Delenda watched the Lucis coastline recede with mixed feelings. She had a lot of bad memories there, to be sure, but it had also become a home of sorts to her. In fact, it felt more like a home to her than Gralea had since her father died. She looked around at her comrades, sitting at various points around the boat. She suspected they were the reason why it felt like home. She had formed a bond with them—they had made her feel like she belonged. Gladio, in his gruff way, treated her like he did his own sister, Iris. With his general good nature, Prompto reminded her of how her brother had been before getting swept up into his research.
Noctis was awkward at times, but he was a dependable comrade, and a good friend. And Ignis—well she didn't want to get too much into her relationship with him. It was too complicated. She looked over at him. He was scanning the ocean as they sailed by, eyes on the horizon. He was probably already thinking of their next move. They had resorted to distant formality since his tirade. She wasn't sure if he was still angry or if planning for Altissia was keeping him serious.
If Delenda had been awestruck at Insomnia the first time she had seen it, it was nothing like her reaction to Altissia. The city was downright gorgeous. The bay, flanked with gigantic statues, held the harbor, teeming with life. The stately buildings, so many of them, lined up along the canals. The canals were as busy as the roads in Gralea—except this traffic was all gondolas.
"This city is so romantic," Prompto exclaimed. "Too bad we couldn't bring Cindy here with us."
"Yeah," Noctis said coyly. "But at least you have your bros here," he added with a wink.
"Delenda isn't…"
"Yeah, but I don't think she will want to be your date, either," Noctis responded.
Delenda took pity on Prompto's crestfallen expression.
"It may not be a date, per se, but I'd be happy to explore the city with you, Prompto," Delenda responded with a smile.
Prompto beamed, but glanced at Ignis warily. "That would be awesome, if you are ok with it, Iggy."
"Hmph. Why do you think you need my permission? It is up to Delenda," he said tersely, and made his way to the customs line.
Any plans they were making to play tourist were cut short once they reached the customs booth. A troop of guards, weapons at the ready, surrounded them.
"King Noctis of Lucis. You and your entourage are coming with us. First Secretary Claustra would like to speak with you," the lead guard said brusquely.
"If I go with you willingly, will you leave my associates alone," Noctis asked cautiously.
"Don't press your luck. All of you are coming," the guard responded.
There was nothing for it. All were led to the stately Government House. The only consolation was that they weren't handcuffed or restrained in any way.
Delenda tried to remember what she knew about Altissia. It kept a careful neutrality, providing a safe haven to both the empire and Lucis. Or at least it did. The fact that they were being taken in under guard made her wonder if their allegiance had changed. Why not, she thought cynically. There was no Lucis left, so why would they care about the dredges of it? Like a vulture, Altissia had waited to see who the stronger party of the 2 kingdoms was, then would toss aside the weaker one to keep themselves protected by the strong. It was a diplomatic game worthy of Ardyn, she thought with disgust.
But then Ardyn had wanted them to come here already. What was going on?
The 5 of them were led to an opulent reception room to the cool their heels while the guards "informed the First Secretary of their arrival."
"So what now," Ignis asked Noctis.
"I see what First Secretary Claustra wants," Noctis replied.
"And if she wants us dead?"
"We never signed the peace treaty, right? That means we never ceded our lands to the empire. I am still King of Lucis. I'm not totally without power or influence."
Gladio looked at him with a new respect. "So you are finally beginning to man up, huh? About time."
They were interrupted by the guard coming to take Noctis to Claustra, leaving the rest where they were.
"I wonder if Luna is here," Prompto asked.
Nobody had an answer and didn't respond. Ignis was checking the windows. They were barred with decorative iron grills. "No exit from here if we need it," he commented. Gladio opened the door, just to be greeted by 2 glaring guards. "Sorry," he muttered gruffly, closing the door again.
"We'd better hope we can comply with what Claustra wants from us," Ignis said. "Our options seem limited otherwise."
They just about pounced on Noctis when he returned to them.
"Well, what did she want," Gladio demanded.
"She has agreed to allow me and Luna to confront the Hydrean. However, she has very serious concerns for its destructiveness. She would like the rest of you to oversee evacuating the city to keep casualties down."
"It seems too easy. What's her angle," Gladio asked.
"From what she told me, the Hydrean has been acting up lately and Claustra fears for a Starscourge."
Gladio scoffed. "Does she believe she will be abducted by aliens too?"
"I dunno, man, the nights have been getting longer lately," Prompto mused.
"It just means summer is over," Gladio responded.
"Hmm. If Luna believes that too, that might be why she is approaching the Astrals," Ignis said.
Delenda was tired of being in the dark. "What is a Starscourge?"
"It is the 'traditional' reason why we have the Oracle," Noctis responded. "Legends say that 1000 years ago, a 'great evil' befell the land."
"Great evil, really?" Gladio scoffed.
"I'm quoting my dad here. Anyway, this caused an endless night where Daemons wandered around, unchecked. The world was without hope until someone decided to do something about it. He went to the 6 continents of the world at that time and spoke to each of the resident Astrals. You know, Titan, Leviathan, Shiva, Ramuh, Bahamut, and Ifrit. By forming a pact with them and combining their powers they forged the crystal and bequeathed it to Lucis. Anyway, that person became the first Oracle and returned daylight to the world. We still keep an Oracle since tradition says if we don't, there will be no one to stop the darkness. The Lucian kings also pledge to guard the crystal as part of their coronation. This story is the lore behind those traditions."
"And that's all," Gladio returned. "It's just a bedtime story to tell people to stand up to evil or some crap."
"And why is the First Secretary so worried about this," Ignis asked.
"Altissia also has a legend about the endless night. Apparently, before it hit, Leviathan went on a rampage and created a tidal wave that destroyed the city. I guess the original city is now under the water in the harbor. Leviathan is acting up again, so Claustra thinks history may be repeating, if the legend is true. Since Luna and I are here anyway, she decided it wouldn't hurt to have us try to talk sense into Leviathan."
"So, we have the half-assed power of god number one," Delenda said. "But we can't do anything without that ring the empire wanted. How does that fit into all this?"
"I can only go off of what my dad told me, but from what he says the ring actually contains a piece of the crystal and is the only way to fully control the Astrals's powers. The Astrals didn't want to be beholden to any idiot who was able to get hold of the crystal, so they created the ring as a failsafe. They will only respond to the person who has both the ring and the crystal."
"No wonder the empire was tearing the Regalia apart for it," Delenda exclaimed. "If they have the crystal and it, they could control the Gods. And with the magitek, they are already attempting to harness Daemon powers as well. What the hell are they doing!"
"If the Starscourge exists, sounds like the empire could trigger it," Ignis responded.
"But how were we able to prevail against Titan? We didn't have the crystal or the ring," Delenda asked.
"Luna. I wish I could talk to her to figure out what she's doing," Noctis said. "Claustra is keeping her in custody 'elsewhere' until we confront Leviathan. I guess she doesn't want us meeting up with her then running off, leaving her in the lurch."
"Well, sounds like we've got some locals to clear out and a big monster to take on," Prompto said. "When do we start?"
I'm playing with the Starscourge/Astral lore a bit-I had trouble making sense of it in the game, so this is my attempt to fill in the blanks my way. Hope you are ok with this.