hello again! thanks for your continued support, again dont own any sort of final fantasy content.

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"The only kind of good enemy is a dead one." - Aranea Highwind.

.*.*.

Ignis had some free time, which was odd for him. When he wasn't at school gathering his education, he was learning to take care of the Prince or how to fight. But Noctis was with his dad this evening, and Ignis had finished all of his previous work. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself, so he wandered the citadel looking for Nox. He wasn't sure what she was up to, knowing that she had just come back from extensive training with Cor. It seemed that the immortal had taken a very keen interest in her and her abilities, and Ignis hardly saw her anymore. He was a bit sullen, though, he knew that it was only temporary.

After finding no trace of her in her room, the kitchens (she liked to sneak food), the pool, the training room nor the terrace, he was about to give up. He actually stumbled across a stable accidentally. Curious, as no one in the city had chocobo's. But this was recently built, he could tell. He came to the door, and there he saw Noxima with a baby chocobo. So this is where she was hiding. He was about to call out to her but stopped suddenly, listening instead. Nox was standing a few feet away from the bird, as it stared at her curiously.

"Come on Ceres," she cooed at the bird, crouching down, "Come over here."

"Kweh," the bird, Ceres, peeped back. She preened her feathers before looking back at the girl. Ignis noted that the bird has curious pink feathers on it.

"Just run!" Nox held her arms up.

"Kweh!" Ceres flapped her wings.

Nox giggled, "Run! Run like the wind!"

The bird just tilted its head as she watched Nox run backwards a couple feet. Ignis smiled, studying them. Ceres peeped again, jumping once and flapping her little wings. Nox giggled again, holding out her hand to the bird.

Run like the wind just leave your cares behind

She sang the line, and the bird looked at her curiously. Ignis was stunned, having never heard her sing before. Ceres, however, chirped happily and then ran on her little legs towards her owner.

"That's it," Nox encouraged. She pet the bird, then ran another few feet back, "Over here," The bird chirped, jumping in the air again and flapped its wings, "Come on then, don't be shy," she smiled at Ceres, holding her hand out again.

Take us around the world and back again

She sang the next line. The bird peeped, jumping and then running to where Nox stood, "Perfect!" Nox ran another few feet back, and the bird tilted her head again, "Oh come on," Nox laughed.

Promise together we will chase the sun

And the bird ran towards her again. Nox laughed, leaning down and picking up Ceres, "You like this song?" the bird peeped happily. Nox put the bird down and then ran back a few feet again. She held out her hand towards Ceres. The bird ran towards the girl. Nox smiled in a way that Ignis had never seen before, and he couldn't describe the feelings it gave him as he watched her. She began to run around the stable, singing, dancing, the little bird following her everywhere she went, chirping happily.

Run like the wind just leave your cares behind

Take us around the world and back again

Promise together we will chase the sun

And make some green to share the ride in store, for you and me

Let's go find gil and fame

Dig a little, stake our claim

Take a chance, trust in me

You will see

We will find them

We will find them

We will find them

Ignis smiled as he watched them. She began her song again, the sound of her voice putting his mind at ease. He wanted to dance with her, but didn't want her to stop singing. He decided just to remain where he was until her song was over. When she was about to start it over, he walked away slowly, humming the tune as he walked down the corridors.

.*.*.

The illness that took over Lestallum was finally over. The quarantine was lifted, and people were allowed to come and go as they pleased. It was a huge sigh of relief, as there were more survivors looking for refuge. The soldiers were restless, and it was with relief that Aranea left to go back to daemon hunting. Ignis had gotten to know her a lot more with the time she spent helping out. He definitely saw why Nox had taken a shining to the dragoon knight, and was happy that she was on their side. Iris set out under Gladio's orders to Hammerhead, while Cor made true on his promise to help Ignis learn to control Nox's power.

Two weeks and Cor was satisfied, which made Ignis feel particularly good about himself. He didn't return immediately to Lestallum, he was actually on his way to a royal tomb. In the Shield of the Just was the strange symbol in Nox's book, and he wanted to study it some more. Now that he knew parts of what it was, he thought maybe seeing the original image might help him unlock some more secrets. It was the first time he had opened it since all of the trouble they had lately, though he was sure he might make some headway with it.

So he just had to think about why this symbol was here and not the other tombs. He still hadn't been to the others, but something was nagging at him. It was no accident that this symbol was here and not in the others he saw. What did he recall in his studies about the other Kings? That they were just that, Kings. The Queen of the World set in prophecy was thought to be the one that held the shield. She was born and then they all thought she would heal. A Queen devoted herself to peace as she was brought up to, and this was her shield.

She harnessed a shield to defend the world. But in the end, she wasn't the one the prophecy spoke of. That symbol... The Phoenix, the Iifa tree, and a shield? He looked at it closely. It could very well be a shield, he supposed. He turned the book around, just as Iris did a while back. Yes, he could see a shield. Now, what did the three things have in common? Phoenix was rumoured to be asleep in the Iifa tree, though school studies never told the story. It was always about the Six. But Noxima had gone deeper, so now they knew that there were more. Which meant that the Iifa tree and Phoenix should actually exist. But what would that have to do with the Shield of the Just? His thoughts were interrupted by a very badly timed headache.

.*.*.

Noxima knew that there was only limited time. She was in the research lab of Zagnatus Keep. Chaos was ensuing everywhere, Ardyn had gone berserk. But while he was busy going after the pawns, she was going to take her moment. She had been waiting for this for years, hating every minute of standing by unable to do a thing about it. She destroyed every piece of equipment she could find. The MT's had also gone berserk, and she called her double bladed and double sided lance to slash at them swiftly as she made her way towards her destination.

Her jaw set, her amethyst eyes hard and her hair swept out of her face, nothing stood in her path. She erected a shield to stop any bullets from getting through as she followed the maze towards her target. Things were only becoming more hectic as time passed, but she had finally come to where she needed to be. Verstael Besithia was frantically gathering papers and shooting down daemon and MT alike. Nox's nostrils flared in anger as she saw him, finally able to act on her emotions. He turned around, sensing her presence, and looked confused.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She didn't answer, simply let her anger fly away with her, warping behind him and knocking him to the ground. He grabbed a gun and fired, but she kept up a shield around her. He got up, running towards her, but she electrified the shield and he was sent flying backwards. She warped to where he was, knocking him back to the other side of the room before he could hit the wall.

"How could you?" her voice was menacing, filled with nothing but hate.

"What are you talking about?"

"He was your son," she went on, not hearing him, "You were going to harvest him into another soulless."

"What?"

Nox grabbed him, punching him as hard as she could in his face. He flew back, crashing into containment pods and shattering them, "Your own son," she spat, grabbing him again and throwing him away in disgust, "You are a monster," she told him, calling her daggers and throwing one at his foot, pinning him to the ground so he couldn't run away.

"Who are you?"

"You don't remember?"

"I've never seen you before in my life!"

She was face to face with him, and head butted him, "Try 20 years ago at the magitek research facility. Ring a bell?"

"I saw lots of specimens at that facility."

She stabbed him with her other dagger, "I am not one of your specimens you bastard. Your son was born there, shortly after I was delivered to you by my enemy. You ruined my life, you were going to turn your own son into a soulless creature for your own amusement."

"Who are you?!" he demanded.

"I am Noxima!"

Verstael's eyes widened, finally recognizing her, "Noxima? You can't be... you're dead!"

"You tried."

"What do you want you pathetic girl?"

"Justice," she said. She called her other dagger and crisscrossed them against his neck. He was sweating, her eyes hard and cold. In a swift movement, her arms were apart, her sharp weapons slicing Verstael's throat, "For Prompto," she spoke, dismissing her weapons.

She watched as Verstael clung to his life, choking as his blood sprayed all over her. She felt nothing as she watched him die. She kept her cold amethyst eyes locked with his, and still felt nothing for him as she watched the life die out within him. He wouldn't hurt anyone else ever again, and only did that thought make her feel good. She heard clapping behind her, turning around on the defensive. She growled slightly as she saw Ardyn walking into the room.

"Well done!" he praised her, "I never really liked him, but I definitely couldn't have killed him any better than you did."

She tried to call her weapon, but gasped as nothing happened. She looked at her hands, her eyes widening. Her magic was gone.

"Ah yes, I thought that maybe you would be a touch hostile. It's so hard to have a decent conversation when someone is trying to kill you," he spoke, walking up to her. Her gaze hardened as she took a defensive stance, "Now, now, I'm not going to kill you. Though it's satisfying, isn't it? Taking another's life, especially one that deserves it. You liked it, didn't you?"

"Not sure, let me kill you and see how it feels," her voice was riddled with malice.

"Now, princess, there's no need for that. That hatred you felt for Verstael I'm sure isn't the same as me. You have such a gift and I'd hate to see it go to waste."

"Again, I'll use them on you and be rid of you and then we'll see how good it all feels."

"Noxima, that's no way to talk to me after all the help I've given you these passed few years. I let you walk into this empire, build your way up. I even helped you gain the strength to kill Verstael, and pave the path for your rescue from him when you were a babe. I've taken care of you so well, I think of you as my own daughter."

"My father is dead," she spat at him, rage building within her.

"Your biological one perhaps, but where was he? Busy taking more of an interest in your brother, isn't that right? You left to the shadows where no one knew you, sent away by those who claimed to love you. Face it, Noxima, without my anonymous gifts you wouldn't be the strong and independent young woman you are now. I can break your chains, give you the recognition you always deserved," he held out his hand to her, "Follow me, and taste for yourself the sweetness of victory."

Nox stared at his hand, and then again at his stupid face, and then at the door behind him. She let her defenses fall, taking a step forward. He smiled, and then she grabbed his hand. But he hadn't won, she pulled him closer, kneeing him in the gut and then sending an elbow to his head. She then kicked him square in the chest and he stepped back a few. He was angry, using his power to push her back. She felt pain course through her body, but she wasn't going to stay down.

"I'm not your enemy, Noxima, I am the key to gaining your true power," he told her.

Her face hardened as she lunged at him, going for a kick but he blocked. Her fists were in a blur as she dueled him, though she didn't land any hits. He was faster than her, and she was working with no magic currently. But her stamina was doing okay, and she wouldn't give up. Ardyn, however, knew how to fuel her rage by simply laughing at her. Finally getting annoyed with her, he caught her limps and threw her hard against the wall. She hit her head, feeling blood alongside her face. She was dizzy for a moment, trying to regain her thoughts. She couldn't heal, and so she vomited. Concussion, perfect timing.

She put it aside as best she could, getting ready to battle Ardyn again. But with her head injury, he was able to hurt her right arm, the dominant one as she was thrown back again. She vomited once more, trying to push passed her wounds and defend herself. She was having trouble focusing on him, but had managed to kick him back so hard he took a few steps back. She then saw a blade protrude from the middle of his chest. Ravus took his sword back and came to her side, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the scene.

"He won't be stunned long, I have to get you out of here," said Ravus.

"I can't leave yet," she said weakly as most of her energy was focused on getting her legs to work.

"You have to, Nox, he'll kill you."

"Not yet," she protested, "I have to kill the program, I can't let anymore monsters be created here. I have to clear the path to the crystal. This ends once and for all."

"Noctis isn't here."

"He's on his way, I told him I'd meet him here."

"Nox!"

"It has to be done or we're all screwed," she said.

Ravus looked uneasy but finally stopped. She used that opportunity to vomit again, before letting him lead her towards the central elevator. He threw her inside, and she felt her ankle twist in the wrong way. Just perfect. He pushed a button, but did not get inside.

"What are you doing?!" she was suddenly alert.

"I'll hold him off, you finish what you started," he told her. He stood in the elevator doors, grabbing the King's sword and holding it out to her, "Give this to Noctis."

She was shocked, looking at Regis' sword. But she shook her head slightly, "I can't touch it, remember? You have to deliver it. The last gift you can give your sister."

Ravus looked angry, but nodded at her. He moved from the door and sent her on her way, hoping that she could complete her mission.

.*.*.

Ignis rubbed his head, realizing that he had fallen over this time. For Prompto? Verstael was his father? Did Prompto know? Probably not... And if Nox hadn't shared that information with anyone then he wouldn't either. He felt her rage as if it were his own, the memories becoming more vivid and frequent. He was hoping that this would pass, as he couldn't be out fighting and have this occur. Back to his thoughts

Justice. The Shield of the Just. The only female born in the generation to be Queen thus far. He turned a few pages, seeing from basic memory that Justice and Queen could unlock some more of the mystery. Sighing, he left the tomb and went back to the Star of Lucis. He drove it towards Hammerhead, deciding he needed to stay away from Lestallum a bit longer. Besides, after his last memory, he had a burning desire to see Prompto.

Cindy was not present, she had traveled to Lestallum herself to see Cid. Not that Ignis could blame her, given she was forced to stay out after all the commotion. He was, however, happy to see that Prompto hadn't gone with her. The gunman was in the shop, cleaning his prized pistol. Ignis made himself known as he approached his friend.

"Iggy alright! Long time," said Prompto cheerily.

"Well, as you know I was otherwise occupied," said Ignis, sitting down on the other side of the table.

"Glad you made it out alive."

"Well, I had a bit of help from an old friend," briefly, Ignis explained how Nox's healing powers seemed to flow through him.

"That is so cool. You think you'll learn mimic next?" hie blue eyes brightened.

"I certainly hope not."

"Yeah I guess it wouldn't really be your thing..."

The two of them spoke for hours, Ignis mostly listening to Prompto's stories. He smiled at his friend, happy to be in his company and extremely happy that he was spared the fate his father had planned for him.

...

thanks guys, much love!