Chapter Fourteen:

Elia gasped steadying herself using a metal rail to steady herself. She gulped in fresh air clutching her left breast feeling her racing heart. She groaned, "Never…again…" she gasped in-between words, "run up….three…flights….of stairs…!"

Focusing her metallic blue eyes back to her objective she inhaled deeply. She was thankful for growing up in the slums to prepare her body for running. Elia walked listening to her lone footsteps as they bounced off the colorless walls, "Left." She remembered turning the nearest corner. She flicked her eyes around staring at the short corner. Two doors. Her eyes scanned around her then went to staring at the numbers engraved in its surface. Cautious by the silence, she pressed her ear to the door to listen. She let out a yelp as the door suddenly swung aside making her stumble back. The door then slid closing its self.

She groaned and approached another door. It slid open as she predicted revealing a dark, unused room. Elia gasped as the hallway curved revealing more doors that stretched, to her, endlessly. How many doors were there in this place?! Her eye twitched irked rolling her neck and cracking her knuckles. She could picture Myles's teasing smile when she returned making her annoyance grow.

As she moved forward, she froze during mid-step as a faint glow began to envelope from her crystal. She stared at the glow beneath the shirt. What was going on? With a wary glance around her perimeter she slipped out the crystal and placed it on the precise center of her palm. She gasped as it floated to her eye level and the tip pointed towards one of the furthest doors. For a moment, her limbs were numb in shock.

A compass? Elia wondered.

She gasped as suddenly she felt something coil around her waist making her stumble as the force tugged her towards the door. Elia's feet slid against the ground trying to stop but then a thought pricked her consciousness making her efforts fruitless. Is my crystal…leading me?, she gazed back behind her, seeing no one she sighed. The invisible rope was unaffected by her resistance and kept pulling her towards middle end of the hall and stared at the door. The door swished open as if it was beckoning her in. Her chest stilled then glanced down towards her crystal. The familiar tug of the cord led her through and with a final tug the anonymous pull vanished. Elia stared around the training room revealing to be just a giant arena. With quiet footsteps, she walked towards a glass window and peered down. She gasped.

The buildings, the concrete streets…the entire center of the city…was all in here. Her metallic blue eyes gazed towards the lone body standing in the midst of it all. Noctis stood, his face angled towards the corner as if expectant. Suddenly armed men stormed towards him, their rifles gleaming in the lights.

They're in the castle! She gasped. She moved towards the door and banged against it for it was locked. Elia ran towards the window to watch.

Noctis vanished, reappearing behind one of the men. The soldier's body not even fell before he moved towards the others in unearthly speed. With every soldier down, he had teleported somewhere else taking down as many men as he could. She heard his sword swing followed the sound of armor being pierced incessantly. And here she was, up here helpless! Not if I can help it!! She snorted as she gripped her sword from her sheath and with a single swipe the door open allowing her to jump down to the ground. She watched as a soldier moved to strike him down.

With a wordless cry, she sliced the man down and rushed to take down another. She slid over the ground stabbing and twirling meeting steel against gun with every step of her body.

"Elia." She didn't turn to him yet, taking another opportunity to bring down another man, "Elia!"

"I'm kind of busy here!" she shouted back at Noct.

Something snapped. Was it his fingers? Whatever happened, something wasn't right. Panting, her metallic-blue eyes glanced around. Everything was still; she lowered her blade wary of the frozen bodies.

His large hand suddenly gripped her upper arm, "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I'm here to save your butt." She replied holding her blade steady eyeing the still men uncertainly.

"Plus I came to fetch you. We'll need all the help we can get so then we have all the supplies." She added turning to meet him.

His back meet her eyes instead of his eyes. He shook his head, "It was a mistake coming here, leave." Something was urgent about his voice, "I'll catch up with you…later"

He's hiding something, she decided, "Noct, what's wrong?" Noct didn't answer but his gloved hand tightened on the handle of his blade. Fearful, she moved towards him placing her hands on his shoulders, "Noct? I know you're hiding something."

"You have to leave; I don't want you to see." His voice was softer now, more begging then demanding.

"See what?" Again, no reply. "I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere. Just show me. I'm not afraid." Carefully, her hands touch the sides of his face to adjust him to face her. He didn't budge, "Don't you start hiding things from me again." She whispered.

Noctis sighed, his shoulders loosened in silent defeat. Smiling she tilted his head to look at what made him feel guarded. His face was the same, flawless and emotionless as always. Just as she was about to ask what he was so concerned about, his eyes flickered open staring into her eyes. Elia stared shocked.

His eyes...they were red…like blood.

Man, this took me awhile. PLEASE NOTE THAT I DID SOME MINOR CHANGES TO CHAPTER THIRTEEN!

So what do you think. I realized that may original plan was going too fast so I decided to slow it down a bit.

So again sorry for the hold up, it's just I've a busy life too you know?!

~Animangame02freak