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"You can't go forward if you forget to watch your back." - Gladiolus Amicitia.
"Nox!" Ignis screamed her name in hopes of reaching her before he plunged his dagger into her abdomen.
But no sound came from him as he spoke and he heard the sharp metal slide in through the flesh with ease. He heard the weak gasp that came out of her mouth, and he could see in her eyes that she wasn't even shocked. He could see her as he took her life. He could see her amethyst eyes start to glaze over and the quick flare of fire inside of them. He dismissed his dagger and felt the warmth of her blood pouring out on him. He fell to the ground as he was unable to catch her weight leaning into him. He could hear voices echoing, but his eyes could only see her as he scrambled to his knees and held her.
His heart broke as he looked up her. He was talking, others were talking but their voices were distant and far away. Even his own that sounded from his lips did not sound close to him at all. He watched the scene as she bid her farewells to all of them. How she gingerly placed her hand on his cheek and focused as much as she could. He watched his own eyes change and repair the damage done. And then finally, he watched her disappear from his very hands. It didn't get any easier to see, and now he saw it from a different angle entirely. It hurt as much as the first time, if not more.
He didn't stay at the scene though. He was being brought with her body that had disappeared out of Zagnatus Keep. He wiped the one tear that escaped his eye as he was traveling. He rose high into the sky, knowing that this was some sort of dream or memory. Even still, his heart was heavy as he was pulled through Eos and back towards the desert. It was still frozen, the ice beginning to melt now that Shiva was no longer there to maintain it. He recognized the giant form of the Iifa tree, even if it was encased in ice. So, this is where her body returned to.
He was in awe as they passed through the ice and into the the shelter beneath the leaves. The trunk was still open, revealing the crystal that shone brightly within. Ignis was pulled towards it along with the shining blue that remained of Noxima. His eyes widened as he approached the ancient relic. He wasn't sure what would happen to him, given that he wasn't of the right blood. But his anxiety was set to ease as he came through the magical barrier without conflict. This had to be a dream, there was no other way he could have done that.
Inside the crystal was purely white aside from the blue sparking lights that was supposed to be Noxima. He felt a calm come over him, almost like he truly was no longer in Eos whatsoever. This is where she went after he had killed her. Is this were they all went? Into the crystal to contribute their power to the ring? Would Noxima be able to add her power to Noctis and help him free the world of the Starscourge? It was hard to know without actually talking to her, and he would never actually get the chance. The blue lights began to shine brighter, and he had to shield his eyes from them. The light had disappeared and he removed his arm from his face.
His heart sank at the sight before him. Noxima's from was restored before his eyes. She was herself, that same long navy hair with a slight wave to it. She wore a red tank top with those black tights that had the pink line around her hips. Her most worn boots that laced up to her knees with a very noticeable zipper. Her phoenix tattoo on her left shoulder as visible. She wore a sad smile on her lips as she looked at him. She was looking directly at him, but the first thing he noticed was that her eyes were no longer amethyst They were the same sapphire blue that she usually donned as Enelya.
"Ignis," she smiled warmer at him as she reached out to touch his cheek.
He gasped, feeling her cold hand on him. This was definitely a dream. She rubbed her thumb along his cheek absently as he was locked onto her face. His breath was almost shaky as he regarded her with sorrow and disbelief. She wiped a tear that fell, one that he didn't even notice. He could feel her every movement but he was afraid to move. What if he couldn't touch her? This wasn't even real.
"Are you doubting my magic?" she smirked.
"I beg your pardon?" he asked confused.
"This is real, Ignis. No dream."
He was still disbelieving. But she removed her hand from his cheek and grabbed his wrist, gently lifting it so that it was right in front of his face. She then moved so that her fingers intertwined with his own and held onto his hand firmly. His breath caught in his throat as he lightly traced his thumb across her skin. She was real. It was a different feeling than when he interacted with her during a memory. Still, he couldn't believe it. He turned back to her face, which was only still smiling warmly at him.
"Nox..." he didn't know what to say.
He had been living with the guilt of what he had done to her for years. He accepted that he probably wasn't going to see her again. But here she was, right in front of him after he had once again witnessed her death. She didn't have a mark on her and her eyes... they weren't the same. He observed the sapphire blue that did look genuinely happy to see him. However they weren't the same colour he had known since he first saw her. But she had said it was real, he could feel the difference for himself. Still, how was this even possible? Was this truly her own magic at play?
Keeping his gaze upon her, he brought his other hand to tentatively graze her cheek. Her skin was soft as he took a bit of a firmer hold. He could feel tears well into his eyes, the pain he felt over the years starting to dissolve. Her smile grew as she leaned her head into his touch. He couldn't hold it anymore. He released her hand and pulled her into a fierce embrace. The hand that was on her cheek had tangled into the silky navy locks on the back of her head. His other arm held her tightly to him just under her shoulders. He felt her own arms around his back, pulling him close as well. His head was leaning against the top of hers, burying his face into the smell of her hair, of orchids with a hint of vanilla. It was all the same as he remembered and he felt the tears leave his eyes.
"Nox..." he said it a little more firmly as he kissed the top of her head.
His voice sounded broken, filled with emotion. She only hugged him tighter, wishing to soothe his pain. He breathed out hard, probably trying to keep in his tears that she could feel on the top of her head. She didn't move, didn't want to rush him from anything. This wasn't exactly something that could be done every day, but somehow she had finally pulled it off. She just wished that it wouldn't hurt him when it was over.
He loosened his grip on her and put his hand back on her cheek, looking down at her. She was choked up with the look he was giving her. But he pulled her towards him, crashing his lips upon hers for the first time in years. It was her turn to tear up, the pain of separation from him taking its toll on her. He pulled back slowly in the most agonizing way, both of them breathless as he leaned his forehead against hers. His eyes were still closed. He was afraid that if he opened them then she wouldn't still be here in front of him. Because she had once told him that it was better to feel than to see.
"Forgive me," his voice was broken as he almost whispered at her.
"For what?" she was whispering.
"For taking your life."
She only smiled, "Ignis, shut up."
She kissed him again and he seemed more sure of himself this time. He held her close, firmly against him so that she wouldn't have a chance to slip away from him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and another tear rolled down her cheek. He finally opened his eyes to look at her when they broke apart. Instinctively he wiped away her tear and then hugged her close again. His cheek was resting against the top of her head and for the first time in years he felt content. They stood like that for a while. Neither of them wished to move, craving the other like a drug. But as the dust settled his curious mind became active again. He once again loosened his grip to look down at her smiling face.
"How is this possible?" he asked her finally.
"I wish I could tell you," she replied.
He smiled down at her, again noting her eyes, "Your eye colour is different."
"Because this is the original colour. The amethyst happened after I was taken, part of whatever they had done to me."
"I never knew."
She shrugged, "No one could have really," she lowered her arms so that they were loosely around his waist, "You look older," she stated gently.
"Well, it has been seven years, Nox."
She frowned upon hearing that, "Seven years? Seriously?"
"Indeed."
"Wow... And no sign of Noctis?"
"None as of yet, no."
She sighed, "And it took you this long to find the Iifa tree?"
"I've had some delays."
"It should have taken Aranea about a year to find the book."
"Four, actually."
Her sapphire eyes widened, "Four?"
"Things weren't exactly calm when you and your brother left us."
"I guess they wouldn't be. I thought Noct would have come back by now."
"We still await his return. Judging from your reaction I doubt you know how long?"
She shook her head, "He absorbs the power now. Just as I do in this crystal."
He frowned, "You've been here this entire time?"
"Well yeah, where else would I be?"
"Nox, I killed you."
"Yeah."
"Then how is it you've been inside of a crystal absorbing power?"
It was her turn to frown, "Haven't you read the book?"
"Not entirely."
"Well that's your problem then! This wouldn't be much of a shock if you actually finished it," she raised a brow, crossing her arms over her chest and smirking at him.
He sighed, feeling that all too familiar "Nox" headache sink in, "You haven't exactly made it all that accessible."
She scoffed, "What good is it if I make it easy?"
"Nox..." he groaned.
She giggled at his exasperation.
"You haven't changed at all, have you?" he said in a light voice.
That tone never failed to turn her bones into water. That loving smile he often wore when he looked at her returned to her face and she gravitated towards him once more. Her arms dropped from her chest and she snaked them around his back, pulling him in for another kiss. He had never let her go, so he only had to tighten his hold on her. She laid her head to rest on his chest while his cheek came to sit atop her head.
"Don't even act like you didn't miss me," she retorted gently.
"With every breath," he told her seriously in that same tone.
She smiled, "Still a smooth talker."
She eased his tired soul with her connection. He didn't wish to let her go so again they sat wrapped up in each other. She had a content smile on her face and her eyes were glazed over as they swam with some of her favourite moments. She thought of the time they were in the Crown City, dancing together in the ballroom. Just as the thoughts appeared, the surroundings began to change in order to mimic that night. Her clothes changed into that same dress she wore, the red and black one. Her hair piled itself into that half up ponytail with perfect ringlets cascading down passed her shoulders and stopping halfway down her back. The songs of old began their tune.
Ignis looked around stunned, as his attire was the same as that night. Everything was exactly as he remembered it, down to the very last detail. He noted the smile on her face at the scene. She bit her lip a little as she was looking at him expectantly. Who was he to deny her? He moved his arms from her back and grabbed her hand, leading her in the familiar steps.
"You seem unaffected by this," he noted, spinning her and pulling her back towards him.
"This happens a lot," she replied.
"You often visit your old memories?"
"I guess so. There's really nothing else for me to do here while I wait."
"What's the last thing you remembered?"
Her face contorted into a thoughtful frown as she allowed him to dip her, "I think it was... When my dad told me he was my dad."
"As I suspected," he replied as they both began to spin, keeping their hands connected while they were back to back before facing each other again.
"What do you mean?"
Their hands were in front of them, layered upon each other as they kept their connection while stepping opposite of one another, "In the years of your death I have been witnessing your memories. It seems now I have an explanation as to why."
"You've seen my memories?"
"Indeed."
"That's interesting."
"They become more frequent as time goes on. I've also found that I can summon them. They have intruded upon my everyday living."
"I am getting pretty restless in here."
He spun her again before continuing, "I've also retained your healing gift."
She raised her eyebrows, "That's definitely a twist."
"None of that was your intention?"
"No. Have you used mimic?"
"No I hadn't the opportunity to experiment."
"Scares you doesn't it?"
"This wasn't part of some obscure plan I wasn't privy to?" he ignored her.
"I just wanted you to be able to see. I know how much you need to. I couldn't have you fumbling around the dark world without some sort of protection."
"So you knew what would happen once Noctis reached the crystal?"
"Well yeah I've been going through the same process since before I met up with you in Altissia."
He stopped then, processing everything she was saying. He kept her hands in his own while wearing a thoughtful frown. The music stopped as everything returned back to what was considered normal inside the crystal. Even their clothes was back to their original stature. Somehow gaining this information only seemed to raise more questions as to what actually happened to her that night in Zagnatus Keep.
"I don't understand, Nox," he said finally.
"Noctis and I were born the same time with two very different purposes. I have to do something different than he does which is why I'm in an entirely different crystal. It's why we're reacting differently," she explained.
"Noctis is unable to leave until he absorbs the power, correct?"
"Yeah."
"But you had arrived before Altissia and left?"
"Yeah."
"Nox I'm afraid I don't understand anything you're trying to communicate."
"In order to fully absorb the power of this crystal I had to die."
As soon as she spoke the words, the scene inside of Zagnatus Keep appeared. They were fighting the daemons while Ravus began his descent upon Ignis. The look on her face was one of anguish as she struggled to make her decision.
"Please Nox, I cannot bear this again," he spoke, nearly out of breath at the pain it caused him to see this.
"Sorry," she squeezed his hand, trying to think of something else.
Everything dissolved before his eyes. What reappeared was his apartment back in Insomnia. It was untouched by the devastation the city suffered, obviously a memory from before that happened. It seemed like a lifetime ago. There wasn't a spec of dust to be seen anywhere. Everything was exactly as he left it before he left that fateful day. There was no one here. The lights were a bit dim but the radio was playing on the station he usually left it on. They stood hand in hand in his living room just before the couch.
"Which memory is this?" he asked curiously.
"None, I just thought of my safe place," she replied.
"My home?"
She smiled, squeezing his hand and gaining his attention, "Not necessarily. You are my safe place."
"Nox..." he wasn't sure how to respond to that.
"Your face didn't turn red!"
He let out an exasperated sigh, starting to feel heat on his cheeks at her words.
"It's probably because I didn't do this," she let go of his hand and swiftly laid a small pinch to his left buttock.
"N-Nox!" he cried, his face turning an interesting shade of crimson.
She giggled, "There's the man I love," she said, her sapphire eyes shining brightly as she looked at him.
He was utterly speechless at her words. He could only pull her towards him for a kiss, suddenly reminded again of the all the time he had spent without her. It wasn't easy for him at all and he could only wonder how she was coping.
"I love you, Nox," he told in a voice near a whisper, "I've never stopped," his hand was again on her cheek as he pressed his forehead against hers.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, "It'll be over soon, I promise. I will fix this."
"You cannot hope to fix everything."
"That's why I was born, Ignis."
"You are not just a mere vessel of the gods. You've deeply touched the lives of those around you. You're important to all of them, Nox... to me."
His words cut deep like a knife. She knew he was right but that didn't make it any easier. She kissed him again, only hoping to soothe any of the pain she could. It was unfair. He didn't deserve what she was putting him through. But there was no other way. She had a task and this was the only way she could have done it. He wouldn't understand until he finished her book. And from the sounds of things he still had a long way to go. She stayed in his loving embrace, her head once again pressed up against his chest.
"The reason I've come, its the magic of the Iifa tree, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes."
"The tree is dying."
"I know. I feel it's agony with each passing second."
"What happens if it dies?"
"So does everything else, including me and the crystal inside."
"Is that the reason you have summoned me here? Why I've retained your magic? To complete your task?"
"No."
"Nox please..." he needed answers, instructions. He needed to know what was expected of him.
"About a year after I was rescued and returned to Insomnia, I stumbled upon a room with a young boy in it. He was completely blind and I had no idea why-"
"You healed me. I saw it in one of your memories."
"Yeah, but let me finish," she looked up at him, "When I laid my hands on you and summoned my magic for the first time because it wasn't fair that I could see and you couldn't. But what actually happened is, when I fixed most of your problem I also bound a piece of my soul within you. From then on my fate was sealed."
"Indeed, your father was discussing the action with Queen Sylva."
She frowned, "He was?"
"I experienced it in a memory."
"Wasn't my memory."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Seriously dude, wasn't my memory. Was this when you made contact with the tree?"
"Indeed."
"Ah. Yeah the tree contains the memories of every living being on this world and the next."
"Are you certain?"
"Well yeah, how do you think I learned of the old gods? Or did you translate that yet?"
"I hadn't pondered how you found your information. You've always been a capable huntress in the pursuit of knowledge."
Her face lit up at his words, "You're such a gentleman."
He smiled as he looked down at her, "Nothing short of what you deserve, my Lady."
Her own smile only grew and she pulled him down for a kiss. She kept the smile plastered on her face as she pulled away from him, "Where was I?" her lips grazed against his with every word.
"You bound our souls," he replied gently.
"Right," she pulled herself further away, "Because we're joined you're able to communicate with me inside the crystal with the Iifa tree."
"Truly remarkable. You haven't actually crossed over to the lands of the dead?"
"Oh no, I'm not completely dead."
"This is the part I don't understand."
"Think of it as special sort of sleeping. Noctis is doing the same thing. But I'm starting to get restless waiting for him."
"Why do you need him before you can emerge?"
"He needs my power. I'm still a Lucian Princess and he needs my power along with the others in order to defeat Ardyn and free Eos of Starscourge."
"But how? If you're not dead?"
"It's complicated."
"Elaborate."
She opened her mouth but just as she did the world around them shook. They detached from each other and looked about in alarm. There was no actual attack coming their way so they relaxed a little. But his apartment melted away and the white of the crystal returned. Everything shook again and he looked to her for some sort of explanation.
"Your connection with the tree is being dissolved," she explained.
"I'm leaving," he replied in defeat.
She nodded, "Yes."
"Am I able to return?"
"No. This was a one time thing. The tree is going to seal itself off from all of you. You won't be able to see me again until Noctis completes his task."
"I don't suppose you have some sort of time frame?"
"Yeah right. Time isn't exactly the same as we perceive it."
He could feel his power growing weaker. He reached for her, not wanting to leave her just yet. Truth be told he didn't want to leave at all. She happily returned to his embrace, pulling him close. He kissed her forehead, before kissing her once more.
"There's so much left unsaid," his voice was heavy with his grief.
"I know. I wish there was more time. But everything you need to know is in that book," she said, looking up at him whilst staying in his arms.
"I do not wish to leave."
She smiled sadly at him, "It's only temporary."
He sighed heavily but nodded at her, "I miss you Nox. Losing you has been more than I can bear."
"I'm so sorry. I'll fix that to, I promise."
He kissed her, feeling himself fading away. He wanted to feel her as much as possible beforehand. When he pulled apart from her he studied her. She hadn't aged really at all while inside of here. But he finally saw her for the first time as Noxima, before she was kidnapped and tarnished. While he always loved her amethyst eyes, her true colour suited her much better. And then he was no longer substantial as he was on his way out.
"I love you, Nox," he told her.
The last thing he saw was her smiling face as he was forcefully ripped apart from her. The ghost of her words echoed within his ears.
"I love you..."
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