The road to the forest ended at a fork - one that would take them south towards Pallareth Pass, and the other that would take them to the very edge of Mendacium, a wall of dark, tall trees that were thick with greenery.

As the foursome climbed out of the car, Nyxia immediately felt an uneasiness wash over her. She had to admit, she was glad she hadn't made this trip alone. Having the company of the Chocobros made her realize she might not make it far any other way.

She had no problem with leading the way, at least. Daemons were nothing to worry about here, especially with the lift of thr scourge, but there were plenty of other beasts to be concerned about, particularly those of a creepy-crawly nature.

"We need to find the heart of the forest," she said. "It should be a big gazebo with a tree growing inside of it." As she explained their objective, they came across a fork in the earth.

"This place has to be huge. Shouldn't we split up to cover more ground?" Gladiolus suggested.

"It sounds like a logical plan, but we should travel in pairs, at the very least."

"Alright. Nyxia, it's probably best you tag along with me. Prompto, you got Iggy?"

"Sure thing, big guy."

As they split up into two parties, the princess followed Gladio deeper into the woods and towards the a winding path. The other two would take the other route.

Nyxia allowed him to lead the way, seeing as he tended to be more of a fanatic of surviving the outdoors. "This is like a vacation for me, believe it or not."

"The fresh air is nice," she agreed, smiling up at the sunlight as it tried to penetrate the emerald canopy above them. However, the further they followed the trail, the thicker the foliage would be, making it harder for the light to shine through.

"Sure is," he said, ducking under the branches of a fallen tree. She did the same, though didn't have to bend down as much, being significantly smaller than the man that led the way. She could understand why he had been chosen to be Noctis's Shield - after all, he may as well be an impenetrable, buff wall of meat. His build made him look quite intimidating, much like the male version of Thage, just...with tattoos stretched across his torso and arms.

Nyxia's steps slowed for a moment. She felt as if a source of magic was luring her away from the beaten path and away from Gladiolus. She didn't say anything. She wouldn't go far. Just keep him in sight, and she could regroup with him if she didn't see anything of interest.

As her boots kicked through the leaves, she trekked over an uprooted tree trunk. Hanging moss draped in front of her, and she needed to push it to the side to bypass it. So many earthy smells stimulated her senses - Cleigne fir, flora, even the earth under her feet. There was something else, and at first, she couldn't determine what it was, but it was oddly familiar.

Her heart rate began to quicken.

No, it couldn't be...

Amberwood?

She kept walking, her steps hurried as if she was chasing the smell. She even stumbled a couple of times, ignoring what thick roots were protruding from the soil.

She gasped, her eyes fixing on the gazebo she had been searching for. Inside of it, a vibrant tree had grown up and through its roof, almost as if the two structures had become one. At the base of the tree was what appeared to be a dark chasm leading into darkness. This was where she needed to go, but by now, she questioned whether she should continue or not. No one else had stumbled across this finding, and going in alone might not be the brightest idea.

Move forward. He is there...

A woman's voice whispered, seeming to come from every direction of the forest, or was it all inside of her head? Nyxia looked around, unable to see no reaction within the foliage around her.

"He?" she asked, looking back at the tree. She hadn't come here to look for someone - she was here to find the caecus plant.

He that loved you. He that bled you. He that both created your world and destroyed it.

It really should have been no mystery, but Nyxia couldn't make sense out of how it could be possible. She stared ahead, feeling frozen in her steps. "No... there's no way." Why any small fraction of her might have desired this to be true, she couldn't understand. She shook her head, taking a step back. "He's dead..."

Like a perennial, not all that withers is dead.

Nyxia wanted to believe it. Maybe things could change in a world where light had returned. Maybe he could prove to her that she had always been right to believe in his better side.

Come.

The voice beckened, and as Nyxia came closer, she stepped onto the stone, passing through the pillars. Then, she saw him. He was partially coated in the shadow of the tree. Nyxia felt knees weaken. The sight of him made her want to break down and cry, but at the same time, she wanted to destroy him.

Yet, his honey eyes held a look...the same look he gave her when they first found each other again after the tragedy in Tenebrae. The look that told her he would do everything in his power to protect her and keep her.

And yet, she had read it wrong.

"Why...?" she asked, her voice shaking, and her body shattering into a thousand pieces. "Why are you here now?"

"I could never truly leave you." Ardyn's voice ripped a giant hole into her chest. She choked back a sob, fists clenched at her sides. "Just as before."

"I don't understand..."

His gloved hand reached out towards her, fingertips stretched in such a way that asked her to take it, but did not demand it.

Nyxia stepped forward before she could stop herself. Despite everything, she wanted to forgive and forget. He had been a good man once, even before her. Two thousand years ago, he had been a healer, right? He made a difficult decision to save Eos from the plague of daemons, and while he did it with good intentions, it destroyed him.

Warmth enveloped her as her hand fell into his. Soon, he was embracing her, and it was the most enlightened she had felt in days.

"I love you," she whispered. It seemed so long ago since she had last uttered those words to him. His other hand brushed through her hair before it would press against her cheek.

Then, as his lips claimed hers, Nyxia felt she could simply melt into him. She returned the kiss, her hands searching him before they would lace fingers into his hair.

She wanted to hunt down all the monsters that touched him. She wanted to destroy the ones who twisted his stars into shadows. They made him into a nightmare. She wished she could bring back the daemons so that she would become theirs.

She felt his grip on her waist, and his tongue parted her lips. Nyxia moaned softly, and as her hands trailed down, she continued to feel soft locks.

Her eyes opened, and she sounded a muffled cry of alarm as she saw a pair of bright, green eyes staring back at her, seeming to pierce her soul. She tried to pull away, but the creature that held her grabbed the back of her head.

I will grant your wish. From the void, Nyxia summoned her sickle, its blade alight with fire as she sliced at the creature. It released her, howling angrily as it fell back a bit. Once Nyxia regained herself, she was able to get a visual on the temptress that had tricked her. She looked like a tree all her own, a nude woman made partially of bark. Even her breasts seemed prominent enough, but barren branches sprouted from the top of her head like giant antlers, and she was rooted to the ground.

"And what do you think I wish for?" Nyxia demanded, her weapon ready to strike again. However, the dryad didn't look as though she wanted to fight.

You wish to be with him. I can feel it. Her lips didn't move, but the voice most certainly seemed to emanate from her. It was clear that while she didn't seem to be violent in nature, that she only intended to bring the princess death.

Nyxia hesitated. "I do, but...not like this."

The wood nymph gave her a solemn look. You are here to aid another... one you do not love.

"That's because there's other important things in this world than what I want."

The feminine figure made of earth and foliage reached down, and from her roots that seemed to be coated in a darker shade of green moss, she used humane hands to peel it off in a strip.

The caecus moss. Collect it for your remedy.

Nyxia was reluctant, unsure of whether this might be another rouse or not. So, she decided she may as well ask, at the very least. "Are you tricking me?"

I knew a love such as yours once. I knew betrayal, and I knew loss. Yet, we forgive.

"So, why were you trying to kill me just now?"

Death is the only certainty that brings us back to those we've lost.

"You're permitting suicide," the princess scowled. "Maybe you've come across women too weak to go on because they loved someone...but I can't just accept that kind of fate. I want to see this beautiful world in the sun again. Don't you?"

The creature seemed to smile. Indeed, you speak truth.

Taking the foliage from the woman's hand, Nyxia took a few steps back in caution. "Thank you...for at least letting my last memory of him be somewhat nice, even if it wasn't real."

It may not have been real, but there is nothing more true than the words you spoke, and his adoration mirrors that of his mourner.

She felt her stomach flip. "I... I know." Nyxia watched with a torn spirit as the forest nymph disappeared into the tree's trunk. As she did, the chasm closed in, removing the evidence of her, save for the moss in her hands.

"Nyxia!"

The voice could be heard behind her, and she turned her head. It seemed Gladio had found her, though he seemed pretty frustrated.

"You can't just run off like that." She held up her hands, showing the messy clump of moss that had been gifted to her. Somehow, she couldn't quite find the words to speak up, still trying to absorb what had just happened. He growled, oblivious to her lack of words meaning any personal struggle. "We need to find the others."