Nox Caelum Too Much is Never Enough, a final fantasy xv fanfic

Welllllll, this chapter wasn't quite as long as I was hoping to be. It won't end up breaking 100k in just story words (excluding A/Ns) =[ DARNIT! But that's okay. Gotta decide in the end what's best for the story without adding so much filler and fluff. I have the Caelus Aeternus series for that ;)

For those of you who didn't catch it, I actually went back a day after posting the last chapter to revise Luna's dialogue. While writing, I wanted it to be canonically accurate, but after some feedback and more thought, I decided that Luna's lines should have been more intentional and practical rather than just accurate according to Noctis'. Please go check it out, I actually like it a lot more than what I had first posted.

This is the final "big chapter" for Nox Caelum! The story is quickly coming to a close, with two more chapters after this. Thank you all SO much for sticking with me for so long on this absolutely crazy adventure. I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this story, but it's been such an amazing journey with you all.

ChrysalisBluem: No worries! There's going to be a teensy bit more after this chapter :) thank you so much for your encouraging words! I'm so glad you're loving this story :) it's honestly one of my favorite works too, not to mention one of my longest.
Wolf Strife: Thank you! And thank you for having been here since the beginning of this fic. I hope the ending will do it justice!
SaRan1999: Thanks so much for sticking with this story too :) I actually kind of hated Ardyn in canon, but as I'm delving more into his character, the more interesting it gets, and yeah, I do feel really sad for the guy. Don't worry, this isn't the finale yet ;) still a bit more to go!

Summary: The crown it weighs heavy, 'til it's banging on my eyelids
Retreating in cover and closing the curtains; one thing's for certain, oh
A year like this passes so strangely somewhere between sorry and bliss

Oh, who decides from where up high, I couldn't say, "I need more time"
Oh, grant that I can stay the night, or one more day inside this life

Too much, too much, too much, too much, too much
Never enough

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XV

The soft sound of the rain hitting hot asphalt, of dripping into puddles, could have been sledgehammers knocking against church bells. Her heartbeat was thunder, her breaths were hurricanes ripping their way through her body when Luna looked at her friends stumbling down the steps of the Citadel. With a great sigh, she made her way toward them, doing her best to not limp despite her exhaustion, and met them right where the landing met the first step.

"Is it over?" Ignis immediately asked, holding his head as Gladio's trained eyes swept over Luna's tired form, ever the vigilant bodyguard, taking stock of her injuries. She offered him a worn smile in assurance.

"Ardyn is gone," she affirmed, looking back at where his body was just moments ago.

There was silence then, each listening to the rainfall as they processed the information and refused to say the words that needed to be said. Each one could see the heartbreak in the others' eyes, never sure if the shine was from the reflection of the lights, or if they were tears waiting to be shed, or were already falling; the rain took all of their pain and made it its own as it slipped down their faces. It was no surprise that Luna was the first to move; her amber-tinged blue eyes gentle as she looked at her friends, a soft smile on her face acting as a peace offering when she walked past them and up a few steps before turning back around to face them.

There was a huge lump in her throat as she took in the sight of her friends, her family, worn and tired, her spirits lifting in the thought that in just a little while, just a little more, she would be able to give them the peace that they so sought after, the one they deserved at the end of it all. Their road together was quickly coming to an end, the reality of it finally sinking in in this final moment, the last few minutes they would have together.

"So this is farewell," Ignis said, his voice gruff with emotion.

The smile Luna had on her face didn't diminish in the slightest, even as he spoke. Instead, she slowly looked over them, one after another, as if carefully memorizing each detail about them.

"Prompto. Gladio. Ignis. Aranea."

Their names came out of her mouth like a gentle touch, letting them know without words how much they were appreciated, how much they were loved. She let the rain wash away her fears and her burdens, pushing aside her knowledge of what lay just ahead of her for a few precious moments. The coolness of the water soothed her burning skin, gently holding her heart in its quiet currents.

"I can never say thank you enough," Luna started. "Journeying with all of you, learning all the things you have taught me- it was a life that I could never have asked for."

She clasped her hands together, holding them up to her chin and bowing her head, closing her eyes as if in prayer, before she looked back at them. "I am…happy, here, now," she said, dropping her hands in front of her, resting where her blouse and skirt met at her stomach. "To have and to have had you all by my side. Though not one step had been easy, you all stood by me even when you had nothing but Noctis' wishes to go on, nothing but faith to look to in the distance. You have all given too much, and you have all lost too much. It is my prayer that after I am gone, you will still have one another, that as this world is being rebuilt, you would also build each other up as well."

At this, Luna could see Prompto trying his best to hide his tears in the rain, but the way that he was biting down hard on his lip and the way he began to sniffle, and definitely not from the cold, gave him away. A warm fondness rose in her chest, blanketing the heartbreak she would have otherwise felt in full at his reaction. Prompto was undeniably the closest to her out of the group; if it wasn't for his bright personality and outlook from the very beginning, his constant support, she would never have made it this far. The weight that he felt, they all felt, she knew, but Luna willingly took it all, carried it all with a gracefulness that would have made her mother proud.

Aranea had the least attachments out of all of them, but the woman wasn't without grief either. Luna could see the way her shoulders were slumped even as she lifted her chin high, knowing that it was Ravus who first had been her motivation to help, knowing that this strong-headed woman saw things through even in the heart of the enemy at the expense of both her life and her men's. Tenebrae would be in safe hands, she knew, if Aranea were to remain there. And if after this, she wanted to return to Niflheim to rebuild the Empire? Aranea Highwind would not allow a repeat of history, that much Luna knew, of the powerful, stubborn woman who stood before her. This woman who hadn't even known her for very long, but still stood by her and fought with her, protected her, and was there for her.

She wondered and wondered, if Stella had more time, if she had more time with her, would she have turned out that way too?

Ignis, the ever-wise, ever-faithful advisor and friend Noctis had. True, he had been callous in the beginning, but grief worked in funny ways, Luna thought. That they could both put aside their differences in mourning and then in fighting for the man they both cared for and loved his whole life was one of the things that kept her going, kept them going, throughout the entire journey. With Ignis watching over them, they would have few problems. He would make sure everything ran smoothly afterwards. And, Luna prayed with all her heart, that when the light broke over the horizon, he would be able to see it just as beautifully as the others would, even with his hindered sight.

Luna turned her gaze to the last person in their group, her staunchest protector. With Gladio as their support, they would not fall, and they would not fail. Gladio bore the burdens of everyone else, picking them up when they fell, knocking them down when they needed to be. He was their shield and sentinel, as he had proven so many times over since they first started their journey together the first time they departed from Altissia. It was thanks to him that she held her own in battle, and that she had made so much progress in the little time she had under his guidance.

She cleared her throat. "After I…am gone, dawn will break. The Astrals will be no more. The time to worship and pray to them will have passed. There will be no more need for them, no place for them in the new dawn; the lines of both Caelum and Fleuret will have ended, the purposes given to them by the gods fulfilled. It will be your world."

Luna couldn't help the smile that slipped onto her lips then. "Make it a good one."

Was it any surprise that Gladio was the first to respond? He was the one who always charged into battle because it was his duty, facing the worst of circumstances head-on because no matter what it was, his loyalty to the Crown came first. He was their first line of defense and first line of attack, and now, Luna knew with a crumbling heart, he would be the first to say goodbye. Her Shield shifted his stance to attention and brought his left hand up to his chest, bowing to her in the ultimate show of respect. Ignis, Prompto, and Aranea followed immediately after, all of them straightening and looking at her after a short moment, giving her time to push down the lump in her throat, the choked-up feeling of her friends' reassurance of their faith in her until the end. In one simple motion, they let her know just how far they had come together, of what she had meant to them throughout the course of their journey, and now, at the end of the road.

She brought her right hand up, the hand that bore the Ring of the Lucii, and placed it over her heart, giving them one last smile. There was a twinkle in her eyes, one that looked so much like Noctis'.

"We leave it to you."

Behind them, daemons rose from the earth, Iron Giants hauling themselves up with one enormous hand as their other grasped their cleavers, ready to render anyone asunder. Now that Ardyn Izunia was dead, there was no one to control the rampage of the daemons. It was time, Luna knew, and forced herself to turn around, trusting in her friends as they did their duty- to give her time as she ascended, the first and last Oracle Queen of Lucis.

You are Queen, a voice full of wisdom that sounded almost like Ignis said gently in her head. One cannot lead by standing still. A queen pushes onwards always, accepting the consequences and never looking back.

Luna didn't want to hear the sounds of battle that carried through the empty air of Insomnia, the city itself dead and devoid of light for too long. Would they rebuild this place and restore Insomnia to its former glory, as the crown jewel of Lucis? Would they knock down the Wall, inviting any and all in to build new lives together? Or would they leave it untouched as a testament to history? Would it be nothing but her tomb- and countless others- for ages to come?

It was as if the gods had heard her (final) wishes- as soon as the Citadel doors closed behind her, there was nothing but a still silence. Stopping in her walk, Luna took in the quiet, the stillness, despite the war still raging outside. She heard every breath, could feel every thunderous beat of her heart, blood pulsing in her ears, and she couldn't help but start counting down the number of heartbeats she had left.

The crown it weighs heavy
'Til it's banging on my eyelids
Retreating in cover and closing the curtains
One thing's for certain, oh
A year like this passes so strangely somewhere between sorrow and bliss

Oh, who decides from where up high
I couldn't say, "I need more time"
Oh, grant that I can stay the night
Or one more day inside this life

Too much, too much, too much, too much, too much
Never enough
Too much, too much, too much, too much, too much
Never enough
Too much, too much, too much, too much, too much
Never enough
Too much, too much, too much, too much, too much
Never, never, never enough

A thousand and one thoughts flitted through her mind, slipping through her fingers and shattering to pieces as she steeled herself to continue walking, retracing their steps just a mere hour? Two hours? Three? Before.

If it was Noctis in her place here, now, would he be ready to ascend the throne? Would he have been ready, knowing that he had been raised- that she had known, his father had known- and groomed, not to become King one day, but to die? Would the Crystal have taken him too, like it did her? He knew now, yes, but if he had been the one to survive Altissia, if he had been the one to kill Ardyn Izunia, charged with this task that he had been born for- he wouldn't have known the truth until so much later. Would he have carried it with betrayal? Or would he be like her, knowing it was for the greater good and pushing aside all else for it?

Her anger flared for a moment as she reflected on the year that it had taken from her, the year she had no recollection of. Why? Why? She still couldn't answer. Had it been an act of grace or an act of cruelty? Bahamut never said. He never told her. No one told her. No one told Noctis, either. No one told them of the weight they would have to bear one day, two children trying to make their way in a warring world. Would they have said no, chosen another fate if they had the choice?

The sound of her boots clicking loudly against the marble floors became louder and louder, calming her in the middle of her anxiety, giving her an anchor as her thoughts and emotions swirled around her like a hurricane. This time, walking through the building, Luna allowed her thoughts to wander through half-forgotten, false memories, remembering times when the sunlight would shine through the windows, her daughters' laughter in the air. She allowed her body to remember the way it felt when Noctis took her hand or kissed her ever so shyly that first time on that one night after everyone had fallen asleep and he had taken her stargazing via warpstrikes on the Citadel roof. She allowed the memory of her sister's voice wash over her, the exact shade of her brother's eyes to come back to life in her mind. She closed her eyes, and for one second, just one, she could see the laughing faces of her family at dinner, together, without the weight of Eos on their shoulders.

Oh you wondrous creature
Coming up who we are
'Cause I'm retreating in covers and closing the curtains
One thing's for certain, oh
A year like this passes so strangely somewhere between sorrow and bliss

Oh, who decides from where up high
I couldn't say, "I need more time"
Oh, grant that I can stay the night
Or one more day inside this life

The silence around her slowly became stifling, terrifying, even, as she took the elevator back up to the throne room, her memories, thoughts, and emotions boiling over. Luna clenched her hands; she would not stop now. Her footsteps were no longer hesitant when she stepped out of the elevator and into the grand lobby that lay just outside the throne room. Luna looked up at the enormous mural on the wall, this time not in awe, but almost in defiance, almost as a challenge.

"Almost there," she said out loud, her voice ringing in the cavernous, empty room. Just another few minutes, and it would be morning. Just another few minutes, and the people, the gods, can rest.

She stopped right before she opened the throne room door, patting her leg where her skirt had a pocket to make sure that the pictures Prompto had given her hours earlier were still there, safe and secure. Raising her hands, Luna pushed open both the heavy doors, letting them fall close behind her with a loud bang reverberating through the empty Citadel.

It was just as she left it before the fight with Ardyn- broken and empty, the Crystal chained above the throne, the throne itself lying in wait.

There was a strange sort of stillness in the air, disrupted by the clicking of her heels as Luna forced her feet to move, one after the other toward the throne. Anticipation thrummed in the undercurrent of the silence; waiting, always waiting, for what was the come next. It pushed her onward, the Queen making her way across the room to the steps with her head held high and shoulders back, climbing one after the other, not stopping, even at the middle landing, until she was right next to the throne. Luna brought her hand up to run her fingers gently against the cold marble, the gold inlay still untainted and intact.

"I'm here," she murmured, unable to bring herself to sit on the throne yet. It was wrong, all wrong. King Regis should have been sitting there. Noctis should have been in line for the throne. Her mother and brother shouldn't have died. Stella should have had more time. Nyx should have been here, guarding the King. The Glaive that he couldn't bring himself to talk about- the one who had been sent to escort her from Tenebrae- she should have been here with Nyx. "It took longer than I had hoped…and yet…not quite long enough. Noctis…thank you. For giving me the chance to live. For the companions that you kept. I'm here now."

Taking a deep breath, Luna stepped onto the dais, and lowered herself onto the rich red velvet. Power was stirring now, faster and stronger. She banished the small voice inside of her that began to count her breaths, counting down until she breathed her last. Instead, her mind wandered, thinking of all those who had gone before, all who had given up and sacrificed everything for the war. They had all given all they could, given too much, but it could never, would never be enough. Her magic stirred as her emotions heightened, and if Luna could have looked into a mirror, she would have seen that her blue eyes were completely amber then, responding to the last call of the Oracle's Powers and the Power of Kings.

Crystal shards began to form as Luna closed her eyes, pushing aside her memories, her thoughts, her mourning to make way for power that was rising and cresting all on her whim, her magic beckoning forth her end.

"Oracles of Tenebrae," Luna quietly began, feeling the power shift and gather. "Kings of Lucis."

Both light and power reached their peak at the same time, causing her eyes to snap open, and she gave them her first and final command as she summoned the Engine Blade and rammed it down into the ground, the sword striking clean through the marble.

"Come to me!"

Who cares about the thing I did that night
Who cares if I'm coming back alive
So what, at least I have the strength to fight

Phantom weapons struck the ground in a circle around the throne, all facing her as the ghostly figures of the Kings of Lucis rose to claim their arms, all in their elaborate armor, ready to finish their work once and for all, their deaths coming to fruition, and not in vain. The Oracles of Tenebrae appeared next to them, each dressed in flowing robes of ghostly blue flame, and Luna was more than shocked to see her mother, the regal Queen Sylva of Tenebrae, amongst them. It was too much to just see her, after so many years. She couldn't help the small whimper that sounded at the back of her throat, the pinprick of tears in the back of her eyes. Luna missed her mother so much. She didn't have the chance to grow up as Noctis did, as other children did; she had been beaten and tossed to the floor like a rag doll after the Empire killed her mother so many times over the twelve years she spent in captivity. Having this last chance to see her again, to finally finish what had been started so long ago…

Luna stilled her tears, her fears, her heart. In that moment, in the eye of the storm, peace settled on her like a gentle wave. The Kings and Oracles hovered there, waiting, ready. She tightened her grip, both hands on the hilt of her sword, and gave a small nod.

"I'm ready."

The Oracles stepped forward in front of the Lucii, and after a heartbeat, rushed at her, one by one, joining their powers with hers. As soon as their phantom forms came in contact with her body, they disappeared, melding into one inside her. Luna fought back a scream as the weight of their power burned her, burned through her, each Oracle's magic more powerful than the last. She had her sword in a death grip, her knuckles white from clenching it so hard, trying to ground herself in the midst of the pain, the fire that was eating her alive. There was a slight pause before the final Oracle rose to bless Luna with her power- there was no need for her to look to know that it was her own mother, waiting, giving her a chance to pull herself together. Luna breathed in deeply through her short pants of pain, letting out a small sob before she allowed herself to look up, and Sylva struck, her daughter gaining the full powers of the line of Fleuret.

Luna's grip on the Engine Blade completely slackened, causing her to nearly black out as she slumped to the side of the throne, but she knew it wasn't over. Not yet. Not yet.

Weakly, she propped herself upright, once again using her sword as an anchor.

There was more work to be done.

"Kings…of Lucis," she panted, gritting her teeth and steeling herself. Her sharp tone left no room for doubt or fear or pain. "Come to me!" Luna repeated her command.

Nothing could have prepared her for or spared her the pain. As soon as she gave the order, the first of the Kings took up his weapon and struck her, running her through with his ghostly sword, his phantasmal body disappearing like the Oracles' had. The bonding of souls was cemented as the Ring of the Lucii glowed brightly on Luna's finger, its light containing the soul of the King who had joined with her. It was like the sharp pain she felt every time they found a Royal Arm on their journey, but now it was as if it was a real sword, a real weapon, as if she really had been stabbed, run through, a thousand times more painful than she could remember. Her world spun on its axis, her mind trying to work its way through the pain.

There was no mercy. They were at the end of the road; the Kings were eager to finish their work, to rest. Each King took up his weapon and ripped completely through her. Luna's throat was raw with screaming, her vision completely blurred as flickering flame of their figures meshed together as one light in the darkness of the throne room. It consumed her, completely overpowered her after the Oracles had given her their power. It was too much all at once, all the power, all the magic that they forced into the single vessel that was her body.

As each King took their turn, their weapons joining with her powers as one, Luna's breath was expelled from her lungs when she heard King Regis' gentle voice inside her head.

Dearest Luna, he began just as another King, another Royal Arm ran her through. Luna tightened her grip on the Engine Blade, but it did no good- she was barely hanging on, barely conscious through the onslaught. You have done well, you and Noctis.

Another King. Another weapon. When will it end?

Wayward, though my son may indeed be…he has made me proud. And so have you.

Weakly, Luna pulled herself up with the hilt of the sword, her hand shakily wiping away the tears that were in her eyes, only to recognize the form of King Regis in full armor, resembling his kingly raiment, holding his sword out at her. He, like her mother, paused for just a moment before he too thrust forward, his sword and form dissipating into nothing as the light of the Ring took his soul in.

May you two know happiness.

There was no way to stop her sobs now; they wracked her entire body, Luna's grief and pain overflowing as one in her last moments. She couldn't even reach for the Engine Blade to steady herself- that had been taken from her too, just like everything else had been mercilessly torn away. Her trembling hands found their way to the arm rests on both sides of the throne, slowly pushing her body upright.

One more. One more. It was almost over.

She almost didn't want to look, not wanting to see the one King of Lucis that hovered in front of her at that moment, but she knew it was time. Luna fought to pull in one breath after another, gathering her last scraps of courage and control to look up and acknowledge the final soul she would bond with, through the light of the Ring of the Lucii, and to finally, finally bring the dawn back to Eos.

It was strange- Luna expected it to be sadder, somehow. She thought that she wouldn't be able to recognize him, to see past his armor, past the rippling blue flame of his outline. No, Noctis Lucis Caelum was every bit the King that he had ascended to be when he gave up his life to save hers, and she could see him, really see him.

His armor was fashioned following the tradition of the Lucii, heavy spikes, big plates, and a long, black cape that rippled behind him. His shoulder pads were spiked upwards, his arm guards and shin guards resembling swords. His gauntlet, the ones that were lifting up the Engine Blade, were coated in spikes along each knuckle. The Lucian crest was on proud display on his breastplate, the swords of Bahamut flanking the crest. His helm, like his predecessors, covered his face; there was no way to look into those big blue eyes of his, the ones she had fallen in love with so long ago, had clung onto the memory of the past twelve, thirteen years now in her darkest moments. A strip of metal was laid in a V-shape over where his helm opened to darkness, right above his eyes, as if it was crowning him as the Chosen King. Four horns protruded from the top to the back of his helm, resembling a true traditional Lucian crown, with interlocking spirals of metal curling and bending in between each horn, weaving them all together.

Luna figured that if the gods could take away their bloodline, their lives, could take away so much- if the world was so cruel, then she could be selfish this once and take those few, meager seconds for her last moments. They had all given up so much, and now, she was going to make the final sacrifice, the last one any of them would ever have to make in this damn war.

What could she say, in her last minute? What would her last words be, when the last time they saw each other, they both knew there was no need for words?

Four words came to mind, four that he had once given to Umbra to tell her, four words that had gotten her through the long, long days of being on her own after the fall of Insomnia, words that she had held on to for so long. With one, final smile, Luna fought against her tears, against the lump and the rawness in her throat to say her final words.

"We'll be together soon."

One other year, a hundred flags flying in a field
One day, felt it let go of me
One other year, a hundred flags flying in a field
One day, felt it let go of me
A hundred flags flying in a field
One day, felt it let go of me
One other year, a hundred flags flying in a field
One day, felt it let go of me

It happened almost in slow motion, and yet, too quickly for her to comprehend. Noctis lifted the Engine Blade, and with one swift move, the physical blade impaled her all the way to the back of the throne where it stayed even after he let go of it, cutting through muscle and tissue and nerves and veins and arteries, slicing open her lungs, and then the sword met her with enough force to completely sever her spine.

Luna felt it all, and her mouth opened in a slight 'o', a soundless scream escaping from her lips. Her amber eyes were wide open in pain, feeling the hot blood trickle from the wound down to her stomach, pooling on her thighs and staining her white skirt red. She felt her lungs struggle to take in air, her heart working desperately to find enough blood to pump through her, and then she slumped forward, her body no longer able to support itself to remain upright. At that point, she could even feel the part of her backbone where it had been broken off from the rest, until the shock of the impact wore off to give way to blinding pain, and yet, she was still unable to scream, unable to even whimper.

Whoever said death was bliss was probably right, because the moments before were pure torture. It wasn't an instantaneous death, it was excruciating; it couldn't come fast enough for Luna as she sat there, literally pinned against the throne like a butterfly on a pin board. Her upper body was hunched over her- Noctis'- sword, and she felt herself suffocating, drifting.

Waiting to die.

Luna didn't have the strength to lift her head, and she couldn't even if she wanted to- there were no longer physical bones there to support it. She could only watch on, giving herself to the agony, watching her own life blood trickle down her legs to the black marble dais below. Her eyes blurred, vision drifting in and out when a pair of boots- a spirit, she knew somewhere in her mind that wasn't at war with her body shutting down- appeared in her line of vision.

A pair of black, open-toed boots outlined with gold, its owner sporting black nail polish on their toes. From her vantage point, Luna could just make out a long gold zipper that ran to the edge of her vision, running all the way up to where she already knew the boot ended mid-thigh.

She wanted to say her name, but lacked the strength, the control over the torment, to even move or acknowledge their presence.

No, Gentiana spoke first, a final mercy of the Astrals.

"You have done well, Lunafreya Nox Caelum, Oracle of Tenebrae, Queen of Lucis," she whispered in that accented lilt that Luna loved so much, had always found comfort in. "Our time is over. Come, rest. There is more to be done. It is time to take our leave."

Maybe it was poetic justice to have had Gentiana by her side all her life, and even now, at the moment of her death.

Lunafreya breathed in once, and then never again.

FINALFANTASYXV

"AHHHH! CLAIRE, HOW COULD YOU?" - I know, I know. Sorry.

Although...I did have a lot of fun designing Noctis' armor though. Here are the links to some of the sketches I came up with :) and in case you didn't catch the symbolism, the four horns on Noctis' helm that were acting as crowns (like Regis' crown) signified the chocobros. There's a bit of angst trivia for you that my dark and macabre mind came up with. Heh.

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