Author's Note: Still no job. No unemployment pay either, so, yeah, that's been great. I haven't been writing because of that, the game, and the Olympics. Sadly, I missed the last 2 games the men's Czech hockey team played, so I was not able to wear my Hasek jersey (National team from 1998 Nagano games where they won gold) that I'd worn for their other victories. Perhaps it would have helped. They did not get a medal. Still, Ester Ledecka became the only gold medalist in 2 different sports! How cool is that? I rooted for Americans, too, when appropriate. Anyway, the Games are over and the game is over. I finished it. I went back in time with Umbra and have done just about everything I can do. I killed the Adamantoise. I finished all the Vyv quests, all but one of the Sania quests (Really, if she's not going to tell me where to look, I'm not going to bother), all the Dave and Naveth quests. I caught the Noble Arapaima, I defeated all the Menace Beneath dungeons, and got all the Legendary weapons. Noctis is now level 100. The guys are 99. I don't think there's anything left to accomplish. So, I'm back to writing. Oh, job front: Had a video interview, a phone interview that led to an in-person interview, and have 2 phone interviews scheduled, one for tomorrow and one for next week. So possibilities.

Momentis
Part III: Beyond the Wall

In a New Light
by Philippe de la Matraque

Ignis got out of the truck with the others when daemons kept it from advancing. No one tried to stop him. Whether that had anything to do with his status or reputation, he couldn't tell. It could just as well have been Gladio's hulking presence. If he was okay with the blind man fighting, who were they to argue?

It was harder keeping track of all the other fighters and multiple daemons, but he and Cor had been working on just such scenarios for a while. Cor had actually been using Ignis in his continuing training for other fighters. Having new training partners, and several of them at once, certainly kept Ignis on his toes.

"That's new," Gladio said as they finished off a trio of spider-like daemons.

"Ah! A present from Cid and Aranea," Ignis told him, "for my birthday. She had the idea and he fabricated the parts." Ignis clipped his cane to his belt to show Gladio how it worked. "Allows me to have both hands free in a fight."

"Clever," Gladio commented.

"And quite practical," Ignis added, unclipping it again as they walked back and climbed into the back of the truck. The truck trundled forward again and they used the drive time to catch up.

"That reminds me," Gladio said as they settled in for the ride. "Did you ever figure out what B stood for?"

"Basilisk," Ignis replied. "I've actually read ten books by now, not including the children's books. I'm cataloguing them for the library."

"Cool. You haven't been out this far, have you?"

"I can't exactly walk to Hammerhead in a reasonable amount of time, no," Ignis admitted. "But Miss Cindy requested my presence this time. Besides, it's nice to be fighting alongside you again."

"I used to worry about you going out alone," Gladio told him. "I'm not worried anymore. You've come a long way since Cartanica."

Ignis huffed a bit. "Cor's training is paying good dividends," Ignis said. "Sometimes he has my training partners take off their shoes. Thinks maybe I won't hear them."

Gladio laughed. "He should know better by now."

"Indeed." Ignis thought he heard a groan from one of the other fighters. Perhaps they had trained together recently.

"Your birthday's coming up," Ignis said, changing the subject. "Any plans?"

"It's early yet," Gladio answered. "But it'll probably be more of the same. Might have dinner with my lady." "Are you not going to even give us a clue as to her identity?"

"She was at the dance, Iggy."

"I didn't see there, Gladio," Ignis reminded him. "And you didn't introduce her."

"Prompto saw her."

"He didn't recognize her," Ignis countered. "What is the point of this secrecy anyway?"

"Just how close are you and Aranea exactly?"

"Point taken," Ignis gave in, chuckling. He hadn't shared details of his relationship either. The truck turned and the darkness shifted.

"We're here," Gladio said. The truck turned again and stopped. Ignis could hear a gate closing behind them.

"Ya'll made in one piece," Cindy said in greeting. "Ignis, I don't think I've laid eyes on you since the world went dark. That don't hurt, does it?"

Ignis took no insult from the question. His face could be jarring to old acquaintances who hadn't seen him since before Altissia. "Did then, doesn't now," Ignis told her. "Though I can't lay eyes on you anymore."

"That's a right shame," she said. "Still, I hear your doing a bang up job in Lestallum anyway. Prompto tells me all about it. Not sure how he knows as he's here more than there these days."

They started walking. "Where is Prompto, anyway?" Ignis asked. "I thought he'd be meeting us here."

"Oh, he's with the Regalia. The old girl's looking mighty shabby but he wanted to see her anyway. I do hope to get her back to rights again but parts are scarce nowadays."

"That they are," Ignis agreed. He heard running footsteps coming toward them.

"You made it!" Prompto exclaimed when he reached them. "Good to see you again, Iggy. Hey, Gladio."

"How's the old girl?" Gladio asked.

"You weren't kidding when you said she was wrecked," Prompto replied somberly.

"No, but she saved us when we needed her," Ignis said. "And I hope she'll now save a good many more people."

"Right you are," Cindy said. "Always were sharp as a tack. That engineer you sent, Marla, is pretty sharp, too. She finally cracked it. We got one set up by the fence over here."

They walked a bit further and stopped. "Whoa!" Prompto said. "The daemons are going around the light from it, twenty feet out."

"They won't cross it," Cindy said. "We move it, they move. We put one on a motorbike Dave manage to scrounge up. He got all the way to Galdin Quay without stopping. Found a guy still holding out there. Can you believe it? Said he was a jeweler. Dave brought him back with him."

"Dino is here?" Gladio asked. "Wow, all this time and he's survived out here!"

"That is good news." Vyv could probably put Dino back to work as a reporter. Jeweler just wasn't the top need right now.

"Hey, makes me wonder if Wiz is still out there, too," Prompto said. "Maybe with some of his chocobos?"

"We shall have to mount an expedition," Ignis said, 'once we have these lights on a good sized truck, just in case."

"Sweet! I volunteer."

"This is all rather wonderful," Ignis exclaimed. "Now we need to make more."

"You help us with the parts and Marla and I'll make 'em up right here,' Cindy offered. "Install 'em, too, of course."

"Have you got the space for a small factory?" Ignis asked. "We have thirty-seven working vehicles, so we need seventy-four headlights."

"Seventy-six," Prompto corrected. "The Regalia?"

"I did say 'working vehicles'," Ignis countered. "She may yet work again, but I fear it will be a rather long time till then. I think it would be better if we made the lights in our factories in Lestallum. We can mass produce them. We'll take Marla back with us. She can get it started. We'll ship the finished product back to you and then send vehicles for upgrade."

"Alright, then," Cindy said. "It's settled. By the time King Noctis returns, we'll have safe roads to travel on."

"That we will," Ignis agreed.

P.S. I did write another story awhile back. Waiting and Worry takes place when Ignis is unconscious after the Episode Ignis. This is from Prompto and Gladio's POV. It's a Prequel to Revelations and a companion to this story.