Disclaimer: Hey everybody its Phoenix! Hope you're looking forward to more Sanctuaire. As promised, this one starts where the last chapter left off. Also we will be introduced to some new characters again. I know, right? About time too!

Happy reading!

SANCTUAIRE

Chapter XXXVI: Disturbance

While everyone had become pleased that Lightning no longer seemed to be hiding in the shadows, they were still deeply shocked when Noctis seemed to trail her every move and the young queen did not protest. Of course they knew better than to assume anything, still it was odd how the prince just stood close to Lightning while she ignored the fact that he was closer than usual.

Fang was the first to throw the prince a suspicious glare, but as always, Vanille made sure the huntress did not do anything brash.

Serah had been just as surprised though she had the feeling her sister was merely trying to ignore the prince's presence, though it seems Noctis is, for some reason, now vying for some sort of attention from the young queen although it did not seem obvious.

Cloud watched everyone in the room carefully and he was certain Tifa sensed the same thing he did. Aside from the fact that they had now seen Prince Caelum in his true human form rather than his wolf guise, it seems the tension in the room was directed at either him or his little actions such as glancing at the queen of Bodhum.
Lightning glanced towards Cloud and his queen, nodding in acknowledgement. "I apologize for my…" She paused to find a proper word for it, "…for my absence these past hours. I'm afraid I…overestimated the limit of my health." Cloud and Tifa exchanged glances before nodding at her reassuringly.

"I trust you had a good rest…?" Tifa said, looking at the young queen carefully. Lightning placed a hand on her hip. "I believe I rested enough."

Tifa watched the younger queen as she went on to discuss matters she may have missed with Cloud and the others. Tifa had known Lightning since she was merely a child and she saw the potential in her right away. Lightning had been curious and eager to learn and was a fast learner.
The queen of Nibelheim still remembered the days when Lightning was younger; she had taught her all she knew about combat and soon Lightning developed her own fighting style, and though she preferred using the sword, Lightning showed impressive skill with hand-to-hand combat as a last resort.

The older Lightning grew, the more impressive her skills became and soon she began seeing Tifa less and less. Tifa did not doubt that the younger queen knew how to continue her training, but to abruptly stop the visits without warning was rather concerning. It was not typically like Lightning, unless there was something she did not wish to discuss.

"So tell me, Cloud, have you made contact with the others of the Alliance?" Lightning asked after Cloud had brought her up to speed with the events during her little rest.
Cloud nodded. "Yes, just a brief exchange of letters; no more no less. Already King Leonhart is waiting for you to arrive next. I let him know you have reached here, so I assume your next stop is Balamb…?"

Lightning nodded. "Indeed. Also I need you ready your soldiers as soon as possible; brief them on the current situation and let them know what they may be dealing with. The Cruor Mucro currently resides in my kingdom. As much as I wish to storm in, I believe it best for them to remain oblivious to the fact that I am alive."

Cloud thought for a moment. "An element of surprise? Catch the enemy off guard?" "Indeed, that is the intention," Lightning said. Fang crossed her arms and sighed. "So, say we gather every kingdom of the Alliance… How do we truly face the Cruor Mucro? They always manage to somehow be a step ahead of us. Now that they had occupied Bodhum, they have one more fort to add to their collection. Even if they are caught off guard, they will find a way to surprise us in return."

Cloud, Tifa, and Lightning understood the concern; it was true that the dark kingdoms were known for somehow foreseeing their enemies' next move. It would not be the first time that the Cruor Mucro did something unexpected when the Alliance felt it now had the upper hand.
It was one of the many things that made the dark kingdoms notorious; they always had something to hide, only to reveal it on the battlefield in order to destroy their enemies. They were merciless and brutal; but despite their ruthlessness, they were indeed calculating and cunning. The rulers of the dark kingdoms, though arrogant and lusting for power, knew how to think ahead of their enemies and read into whatever strategy was made by the Alliance.

Lightning rubbed her temple and sighed. "Can you think of a better idea?

"Admittedly, no." Cloud said, shaking his head in frustration. Serah stepped in, "But is there a chance, though a slim one, that maybe we could take them by surprise? Maybe they grew too confident because to them, my sister is as good as dead. Maybe they decided to allow themselves to let their guards down, even for a moment."
Everyone in the room remained silent for a while, taking in Serah's words; it was possible and it could be true. But what were the odds of the dark kingdoms would decide to let their guard down after the death of one enemy? They could also become cautious, in case the Alliance decides to strike back in retaliation.

Noctis remained silent, watching carefully and debating whether he should include his own thoughts and opinions on the matter. However as he looked at the entire room's expressions, he thought better of it and kept silent.

Lightning seemed to feel troubled the most; it was, after all, her own country that was being occupied by Caius Ballad. Any monarch in their right mind would feel troubled and concerned for the people.
Cloud glanced at his queen and Tifa stepped up. "All right now, that is enough for a while. Cloud and I will do our best to think of a better solution. In the meantime, everyone please just try to calm yourselves and use the palace to your liking."
Cloud then exited the room with his wife trailing behind. Fang watched them and Vanille waved at the retreating monarchs.
Lightning sighed loudly and left the room as well, unsure of what to do with herself in the meantime. Noctis' eyes followed her until he noticed Fang's suspicious glare. However, before insults could be traded, Serah spoke quickly. "I think this went better than anticipated. I think both Cloud and Tifa will know what to do from here on and that may go similarly with the others in the Alliance."

Fang shrugged. "If you say so." Vanille, still bounding with energy, skipped towards the door while pulling Fang along with her. The huntress allowed herself to be pulled along, leaving Serah alone with Noctis.

The prince glanced at the younger suster who looked back at him. "Is something wrong?" She asked after what felt like an eternity of silence. Noctis cleared his throat. "I assume you suspect something of me," He said, not bothering to explain his strange accusation. Serah, however, did nod at him. "I am not suspecting any ill of you. But I am getting curious about why you seem to be eyeing my sister while at the same time insisting you wish to stay as far away from her as possible."

Noctis scoffed but looked away, feeling heat rise up his neck. Indeed he was aware of his sudden shifts in mood when Lightning was involved.

He was unsure about how he truly felt, but he knew he craved the touch of someone real, someone living and warm. And the only one who dared face him despite his many threats and warnings was Queen Lightning Farron. Perhaps it was her stubbornness, her quite rebellious nature… He feared of ever coming close another woman again but Lightning made it immensely difficult for him to abide by his own rules.
She was like her namesake; a lightning storm that sudden cast itself upon him despite how many times he tried to escape from it. She also managed to overpower him at times yet she seemed to imply she sensed more from him; that he had more potential in a fight.

Why would she say such things to him when she was clearly trying to show she would be able to assert dominance over him?

Surely the queen did not try to encourage him in her own way. Was she? Why would she? What would she gain? He did not even need encouragement from her or anyone. He knew his own power and he knew how to control and use it well.

"Well at any rate, if you do have any sort of intention with my sister you best be honest with her. She hates it when people act as if she were fragile because of her health; that's another reason why not many know about her condition," Serah explained. Noctis frowned. "That's being rather reckless in my opinion." "Oh? How so?" Serah asked, tilting her head slightly. The prince huffed, "Hiding something so crucial and forcing herself to manage it on her own… Such pride and arrogance" He grumbled and Serah could not help but giggle. "Doesn't that sound familiar to you?"

Noctis raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

Serah paced the room a bit, her eyes never leaving the prince. When she finally decided to answer him, her face broke in a grin. "You are both so similar to each other; my sister and you. Neither of you wish to ask for help because it hurts your pride and people will see you as being arrogant but inside, you're just hurting."

Noctis scoffed. "You have no idea what you are saying, Serah! Lightning and I…have nothing in common." He crossed his arms; just what was Serah thinking? He was nothing like Lightning and she had nothing in common with him.

Despite his scowl, Serah continued to smile knowingly. "So you say, and yet you continue to lust after my sister." Suddenly, the usually gentle expression in Serah's eyes turned into one that resembled her sister's cold expression. "While I am not like my sister when it comes to choosing a life partner, but if you ever hurt her in a way that could never be forgiven or redeemed I will come after you. It's only natural after all."

The prince felt a shiver run down his spine. Serah was indeed Lightning's sister; the look proved it, and he could hear the seriousness in her voice.

Serah's expression softened and played with her hair. "I meant what I said though; you and Lightning may be different but you also have something in common." She walked towards the door leading outside. "Maybe if you got to know her in a proper way instead of the way you are now, then maybe you might just see."

Once Noctis found himself alone in the room, he allowed his form to mold back into that of a beast. The black wolf growled in irritation before bursting out of the room, startling the passing servants. He wandered to the gardens, desperate for some free, wide spaces.
Serah knew nothing about him or what was on his mind; true he felt he needed to be gentle with the younger sister since she had a much more innocent demeanor, but at the end of the day she proved to be just as strong as her sister in her own way.
It bothered Noctis how she just assumed he had common ground with Queen Farron; in the times spent with her, it was nothing but arguments, perhaps a few friendly spars but that was where the courtesy ended. They were too different and while it may be true that opposites indeed attract, Lightning was too much of a difference from him.

"Is she really?"

Noctis shook his head. Damn his mind for going against him. True, he had been staying close to the queen lately, but that was only because she gave off an aura that made him feel comfortable, similar to what he had felt a long time ago. The feeling was like an addiction but he had no other reason to stand close to Lightning aside from that. Perhaps it was his long-neglected lust for human contact, his loss of a lover's touch… That may explain it.

The wolf stared at his own paws. Was he seriously considering Serah's words? No matter how much he tried to shake off what he heard, he could not get rid of the thoughts that had entered his mind; why exactly did Serah tell him such things? Was there a reason behind it all? If so, then what could she gain from it? And by Serah's words, it sounded as if she was implying that Lightning may have felt affection for him.

Preposterous, he thought. Lightning has shown anything but affection. Yes, she did return the physical contact he gave to her but he knew it was for the same reason he did it to her; for the physical contact, for the heat and the need for the touch of another human.
No, Lightning felt nothing for him just as he felt nothing for her. Serah had been reading too much romance, and Noctis had learned never to believe in those. He knew firsthand that it was all a lie. But it was a lie he could not let go of. To this day he cursed himself; he was like a living contradiction. He felt one thing but at the same time he went against his own feelings and beliefs.

Was he truly doomed to never escape this inner turmoil and suffering? Was there no way for him to be rid of the pain? Did he truly want to be rid of it when he had subjected it on himself in the first place?

Lightning rode Odin out into the plains of Nibelheim. As usual, taking her steed out for a run would clear her mind. She still had heavy thoughts on her mind about Bodhum. She kept reminding herself about being patient. The young queen pushed back thoughts of Caius Ballad harming her people. She had to act but she had to be careful as well; her supposed death would be the ultimate surprise to her enemies. She could not afford to ruin the chance.
As if sensing her thoughts as usual, Odin slowed to a trot and snorted. Lightning pat his neck comfortingly and encouraged him to trot a little faster again. "I'm fine Odin… I just have a lot on my mind as always. I cannot seem to get rid of them."

Odin snorted and Lightning stared at him; they always had this strange connection to each other despite the…language barrier.

"I am not thinking about the prince. When are you going to realize that, you old mule?" Lightning said with a frustrated sigh. Her steed whinnied in protest to her words, shaking his head left and right as if trying to contradict her.
The young queen flicked her horse's ear. "Why are you so insistent that I am?" Again, Odin seemed to disagree by slowing down again and this time refusing to go faster even when Lightning urged him on. The queen sighed in frustration at her usually loyal steed. "Odin, please. I am in no mood for this, so please…"

Her stallion huffed and raised his rump suddenly, as if trying to buck his mistress off his back. Lightning glared at him in disbelief. "What is wrong with you Odin?"

The great beast huffed and snorted then began trotting in a circle. Perhaps he was trying to say something to his master, or perhaps he was scolding her for always running off when something stressed her. Odin flailed his head about and neighed loudly while Lightning struggled to keep a grip on the reins.
At last the young queen fell off her steed with a loud grunt. She stared up at the stallion as he walked over to her, towering over her form like a magnificent sculpture that had a show of pride and strength while people looked upon it. However, Lightning was far from impressed. She stood up and dusted herself off while Odin kept staring at her.

"You old mule…" She growled at her steed, and Odin neighed loudly in response. He pawed at the ground, sending dirt flying.

The young queen glared at him and moved to a safe distance. Odin continued to stare while letting out loud cries; he was not allowing her to walk away, nor was he letting her mount his back again. The stallion was clearly in some bad mood.
Odin suddenly stood on his hind legs and reared. His front legs pawed at the air but never touched his master—he would not dare harm her in any way no matter what. But at this moment, he needed to deliver his message clearly.

"What do you want from me?" She snarled, not in the mood for such shenanigans. Odin went back down on all four hooves and began circling his master.
Lightning watched him as he walked around her in a trot. Clearly he was trying to knock some sort of sense into her. The queen knew what he was trying to do but she had no intention of giving in to her horse's prompting.

Odin noticed the strong denial his master continued to cling. He snorted and shoved his snout against Lightning's shoulder roughly. The majestic stallion huffed and snorted again then lifted his head and shook it. His mane flew about as he did so and Lightning could only look at him. Her faithful companion stared back at her with a glint shining in his eyes, as if he were trying to tell her something that was of the utmost importance.

Lightning placed a hand over her face in frustration. "What do you want me to say Odin? How do you expect me to act?" She paced for a few moments before running her fingers in her hair from frustration. "Why him? Why must it be him?"

Odin calmed down and watched her with sympathy in his eyes. He leaned forward and nuzzled his master comfortingly; understood the plight she keeps to herself, the one she would never tell anyone about. She would only allow herself to talk about her concerns for Bodhum, her people…
That was understandable but Odin knew, deep down there was another concern she had, but it was something she always tried to deny, tried to refuse.

He loves his master, so seeing her act this way was so concerning. His master was strong, independent and determined; but even she could fall down and stumble.

The stallion lipped Lightning's hair gently and the monarch stroked his face in response. "I'm sorry my friend. I know you can see what I am going through, but I cannot deal with it right now. There are more at stake here and I am sure you are aware of it."
Odin huffed gently, disagreeing with her entirely. Lightning frowned at the gesture. "I'm sorry but…it's not as important as the other problems we have at the moment."

Odin neighed and shook his head again but the queen just sighed and mounted his back without another word. The stallion lowered his head slightly as if in disapproval. Lightning stroked his neck lovingly. "Come on old friend, let's return to the palace."

Lightning led Odin to the stables and placed him in one of the vacant stalls. The chocobos greeted the equine with a welcoming "Wark!"

The young queen entered the palace, feeling the need to rest herself. The ride did not help clear her head like it usually does so; it irritated her that she still felt so conflicted and stressed.
She needed to clear her head in another way. Perhaps a cold bath would help; she felt like she needed to awaken from a nightmare and being soaked in cold water usually assisted with that.

She made her way to her given room and entered the washroom. She needed a clear head or she might just snap at everyone she sees, and that kind of mentality was not something she wanted to have when the time for urgency came.
Lightning got the bath ready then turned to the mirror to look at her reflection; her eyes had no shine, and she looked tired. Her untamed hair was slightly disheveled from her ride with Odin, by the wind. All in all, she looked a mess not because of her hair being messed from the wind, but because of how dull she felt and looked; she seemed as if she would collapse at any moment.

The young queen seemed so exhausted and almost lifeless, but that did not stop her from moving and going against anyone who insisted she stay back and rest. She did not need it; she felt fine.

Once the bath was ready, she stripped herself and stepped into the warm water. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Her shoulders that had been tensed were now slumped. Lightning lowered her head and closed her eyes. It was rare that she allowed herself such pleasures like a bath that took longer than the time she usually took to bathe herself.

With a long sigh, Lightning leaned back against the tub and lifted a hand to rub her temple tiredly. Had she somehow worn herself out without realizing it? It would not have been the first time, but still, she did nothing too strenuous. A ride outside did not count as strenuous to her unless she had been on a long journey or had been outside for the whole day.

The bath was helping her immensely and soon she felt like a new woman. She sighed as she ran her hands up and down her arms.
It was unlike her to be so distracted, and again it was not something she can afford. Her first priority was to liberate Bodhum, free her people from Caius' oppression. Once everything was back to normal…then what? What else there to do after everything was over?

Her mind drifted to Noctis again and she shook her head; he made his own decision to remain alone as an animal. She had nothing to do with it or what he decided to do with his life. If that was so then why did she feel terrible?

-XIII-

After her bath, she decided it was time to speak with Noctis for a bit. She needed to know he would not do anything reckless once he had his life back on track as a wolf. She was unsure why she wanted to speak to him about his life plans anyway; good intentions be damned.

The prince was worth more trouble than was considered acceptable but that did not stop misfortune from dogging his footsteps at almost every turn. What kind of life was he subjecting himself to? And all for a lie, a promise that never existed.

Lightning approached the prince's given room and knocked. A long moment passed and there was no answer. She narrowed her eyes and knocked again, only to receive the same result.

Rolling her eyes in annoyance, the young queen grasped the knob and opened the door. It seemed empty but the sound of water told her the prince was merely freshening up. She looked around the room, not particularly interested in anything. She closed the door behind her and moved to stand in the center of the room.
She crossed her arms in irritation. What was she even doing here? Of course she came to talk with Noctis for a little while, but why did she bother? Why did she always bother? Nothing would change him or the way he thinks; he had been far too damaged to go back now. Lightning shook her head; was that the right way to think? Or was she stooping lower than dirt when she thought that. The young queen felt confusion settle in again. When will it all end?

During her deep thinking, the door to the washroom opened and Noctis stepped out with a towel in his hand. He was wet, clean, and gloriously naked.

The prince's eyes widened at the sight of Queen Farron in his room and he froze on the spot. Lightning then turned, hearing the door to the washroom opened. The queen looked at him for a long moment, both of them frozen with shock.
Both Lightning and Noctis looked away swiftly; their faces were bright red with embarrassment and their hearts were pounding in their chests. This situation was something they always wished to avoid, but life seemed to despise them both with a passion.

"Does the queen not know how to knock?" He growled as he wrapped the towel around his waist hastily.

Lightning glared at the floor. "I did knock! Twice! You were too busy in the washroom to even hear me! And by the by, you could have locked your damn door!" She argued. Noctis sighed in exasperation, knowing she did have a point.
The young queen sat down on the edge of the bed, relieved that he was at least covering his male pride; it was not something she wished to look at whatsoever. Damn him for being quite easy on the eyes. No doubt he must have been vain once, during his adolescence…

Noctis carefully sat beside her, still slightly wet from his bath. He kept a decent distance but there was only so much distance they could put between them on a single bed.

Lightning sighed deeply before starting, "I…wanted to talk to you about…what happens after." Noctis looked at her and raised an eyebrow. The young queen rubbed the back of her neck. "After we manage to liberate Bodhum…everything will be as it was before. I assume you will be returning to the life of the wolf…"

Noctis only nodded, but inwardly, he wondered if he really could go back how he was before he encountered Lightning. He had thought about it so many times already but now that she wanted to discuss it, he wondered if he truly could or wanted to go through with this plan of his. Was it even a plan, and did it even make sense to him anymore?
Lightning glanced at him, noting his expression. "You don't need to talk about it. I don't even know why I came in here in the first place, or why I bothered."

As she began to rise from the bed, Noctis grabbed her wrist before he could stop himself. He did not want her to leave; he was not sure why but lately every time she turned to walk away, he wanted to go after her, as if she may disappear. But the more he thought about it, the more began to realize that it may happen one day.

For one thing, he always expressed his desire to return to being a beast of a wolf, and then there was Queen Farron's failing heart. It suddenly pained him to think of one as young as Lightning would have to stop living before it was her time. And if it was her time, then it hurt him to think she was not allowed to live longer.
In the past he had wished misfortune to befall her just as he did to every living being because of his own despair. But whenever he looked into Lightning's eyes, the very eyes that had intrigued him when they first met, only to see them lose their shine day by day… It was as if a sword had buried itself into his heart, and it only went in deeper the more Lightning lost a spark of life within her.

"Stay for a while… Please." He said softly, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. Lightning blinked, puzzled at this odd request. But since he did ask politely, she supposed it would be rude to deny him.

When she sat back down Noctis took a good look at her again. His heart began to jump as his eyes gazed into hers. Lightning felt slightly awkward but he was not doing any harm to her. Still, she wondered why he was suddenly feeling the urge to be near some company when he clearly disliked everyone in the world. Again she wondered; what changed?
"What are you after, Noctis?" She asked in a low voice. He looked lost, not knowing the answers any more than she did. "I do not know… I have been so lost for a long time. I am not sure of anything anymore."

Lightning remained there for a while before sighing and standing up. "Be prepared, Prince. We will be having a meeting with Cloud and Tifa later today." With that, she left the room.

Everyone gathered in the throne room later that day. Cloud took a good look at everyone before stopping his gaze on Lightning. "I am having my soldiers ready for when they are needed… However I am sure my army would not be enough."
Lightning nodded. "Sadly no. The others are needed. So I assume you had…sent a message?" Cloud smirked, "Of course. The others of the Alliance and now most likely well informed about our current state."

"You plan to call the rest of the Alliance? That might delay things a bit," Noctis said suddenly. "If all were to gather, it might take a little time considering each kingdom and their army need to prepare…"

"What you say is true," Cloud admitted, "but that is also why we're going to make the most of it. Even though it might take a while for the others to prepare and assemble, we should do what we can now instead of just waiting."

"And what do you suggest?" Lightning asked, trying not to seem impatient. She was tired of waiting and pacing and thinking too much. She wished to merely return to actions, and perhaps a battle or two. It may seem reckless and brash but she was restless.
Cloud noticed this. "Well since I can see you are eager to do get something done, why not accompany me on a little errand? You and your companions," He said to Lightning. The young queen sighed.

"I suppose we can lend our assistance with this…"

Lightning's companions exchanged looks, knowing this would be better than remaining idle, and it would certainly keep their queen from becoming anxious.
This could mean some activity after nothing by travel. She could not resist the pull of a potential fight, one of her guilty pleasures, after not giving her skills a try. It has been too long. Far too long.

"If you will have us, then we will be glad to accompany you on patrol," Lightning said. Fang smirked, feeling glad to have some action brought back into their lives. She needed a proper fight now, and Etro knows Lightning needs it as well. They cannot afford to get rusty.

Cloud nodded and glanced at his wife. Tifa chuckled, "Welcome on board then. We will leave as soon as possible." She saluted Cloud, her husband and king, before heading off to gather enough men to go on the patrol.

-XIII-

Mounted on chocobos—Lightning's steed remained Odin as always, while Noctis preferred to travel as the enormous wolf—the party headed for the source of the disturbance.
The black wolf looked over his shoulder too see how far they were from civilization. Not too far but far enough for the need to run and perhaps exhaust one's self.
Lightning stroked Odin's neck and her steed shook his head in reassurance. His mane flowed beautifully as it always did.

Noctis snorted and trotted on ahead, catching Cloud's eye, but the blonde king said nothing. He glanced at Tifa and the soldier-queen nodded at him as they closed in on their destination.

Lightning raised an eyebrow. "This is…close to the sea. What disturbance could possible emerge from here? Cloud stopped his chocobo and dismounted. The others followed while the soldiers waited.

Noctis lifted his head and sniffed the air. There was something foul in the area but it was hard to pinpoint it. He snarled and bristled, alerting his companions. Lightning readied herself; her hand was set to summon her blade. Cloud reached for the sword strapped to his back and Tifa clenched her fists. Fang and Vanille, as well as the soldiers of Nibelheim, tensed for a fight.

Cloud stepped forward carefully until his boots touched the shore and the light waves licked his soles. His hand gripped the handle of his blade. For a long moment, there was nothing. No sound, no movement.

Noctis' ear twitched and his snarl grew louder. His fur bristled even more and his tail stood upright. His claws dug into the ground. Beside him, Lightning summoned her blade and gripped it tightly. "Something's there," The wolf growled a deep rumbling version of Noctis' voice. Lightning nodded in agreement. All who were present scanned the area for any sign of movement. Odin snorted then neighed loudly, catching everyone's attention. Lightning followed her horse's glare and her eyes widened.

The ocean seemed to be bubbling, as if something was about to emerge. "Everyone get back! Get away from the water!"

Cloud and Tifa felt puzzled until a gigantic form rose from the ocean. Its long serpentine body rose to the heavens, its scales and fins shone under the light of the sun, looking smooth thanks to the wetness of the ocean.
A mighty roar filled the air, and disoriented the party present. Everyone yelled in pain and tensed at the loud screeching roar. Noctis' eyes widened at the sight of the titan beast, Lightning placed a hand on his back.

"Leviathan!"

The Nibelheim soldiers hurried to position themselves to attack. Cloud unsheathed his sword and was joined and signaled for his men to attack. Tifa charged along with them, her fists glowing, armed with magic that was ready to be unleashed upon her foe.

"How is this possible? I thought Leviathan was a myth!" The wolf snarled. Lightning shook her head. "Leviathan is very much real. But it was supposed to be slumbering! Had no idea this beast decided to slumber in Nibelheim territory!"

Noctis growled and charged forward before Lightning could stop him. He pounced and dug his fangs into Leviathan's hard scales. The sea beast roared at the annoyance and began to swerve its body back and forth, trying to dislodge the wolf from its serpentine body.
"You fool!" Lightning yelled at the black wolf as he clung to the long body of Leviathan. The young queen unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning, striking Leviathan and causing it to roar in immense pain, however it seemed that it still did not do much damage to the beast.

The serpentine beast lifted its tail and swatted at the large wolf, knocking him into the water.

Noctis did not stay down for long as he leapt out of the water. The wolf pounced again then avoided another swat from Leviathan's tail and in an instant he was a man again. The power of the crystal began to flow through him as he summoned his blades. They surrounded him, shielding him and attacking whatever came close to their master.
Leviathan felt the stinging pain from the summoned blades of the prince. The enraged beast of the sea dove into the depths of the sea and then rose again, attempting to dive again and bring the prince down with it. Noctis narrowly avoided the attack.

Cloud charged and leapt into the air, hacking at the tough scales of Leviathan. The serpent of the sea turned its attention to Cloud and roared at the new disturbance.

-XIII-

"Leviathan is certainly an excellent beast. A marvelous show of power…" Seymour Guado smiled sadistically as he watched the fools from the Alliance struggle with the beast.

It had certainly been no challenge to get Leviathan to do much of the work for him. All he needed to do was cause some disturbance until the beast rose from its slumber to destroy whoever dared to disrupt its sleep. Seymour cackled and placed a long, sharp nail against his lower lip in thought. So, the Queen Farron was still alive, and her new dog was the prince of Lucis. Such a pity they could not just lie down and die, make things easier. But then, where would the challenge be?

"Oh Lord Sephiroth… You and Lord Caius are losing your touch if you both cannot destroy just one helpless little girl who had been placed on the throne as queen." Seymour shook his head then licked his lips as he continued to watch the scene unfold before his very eyes.

They were all putting up a good fight he had to admit, but Leviathan was all-powerful, the lord of the seas. Nothing can claim victory over it, whether they be on land or sea. However the sea was where the serpentine beast shone the most.

-XIII-

They could not afford to be tired now, they had to stay on their toes; one wrong move and the beast would destroy them all.
Fang rolled out of the way before the serpentine tail came crashing down on her. She gripped her javelin tightly and prepared to charge until she heard an annoying cackle. She turned, looking up on one of the cliffs close to the shore.
Fang called out to her queen and Lightning stopped, wondering what was causing a distraction. She followed Fang's gaze and the young queen felt her blood run cold. "Seymour Guado!"
At the sound of the name, every one froze just as Leviathan decided to dive into the depths once more.

Noctis skidded to a stop as he too looked upon Seymour Guado who looked down at them, a mocking glint in his eyes.

"Oh my. My sincerest apologies… I should have introduced myself sooner, but I suppose we will have to make due. I suppose by now you all of you have met with the lord of the sea. Leviathan is a magnificent creature, is he not?"

"Guado! Why are you here? We all know your fight and your grudge is with the royal family of Besaid and Zanarkand!" Cloud yelled, gripping his sword tighter. Tifa's fist began to glow again, ready to aim any magic at the demented Guado.

Seymour cackled again. "True… But that does not mean I can limit myself to just one enemy. In short, the Alliance as a whole is my enemy. I am sure my…allies of the Cruor Mucro agree with me." He then looked at Lightning, "Lady Farron. How wonderful to see you…alive again. All this could have been avoided if you had just accepted death. Oh but what does it matter? I have always wanted to know what it felt like to kill you and have your blood on my hands. I wonder how Lord Caius and Lord Sephiroth felt…when they struck you down with their magic, and impaled through your flesh with their blades."

The Guado king released a loud and insane laugh; his body shook as if he had heard the funniest thing in the world.

Noctis grit his teeth and ran at him; the wolf took over again as the young prince charged at the Guado. Black fur bristled and fangs bared and claws dug into the dirt as he made his way up to his foe.

Seymour looked amused by this. Despite the bulky clothing he wore, he easily stepped aside to avoid the wolf's jaws. "My, my… You truly are reckless, aren't you? Lady Fleuret always did say you were a childish little boy. And until now you still are one. Oh do not worry, what I say is true. She once came for a visit to let us know of her…results with softening you before taking your precious crystal. She found it as amusing as the rest of us did."

The insult struck Noctis deep, provoking him into attacking again.

Lightning cursed under her breath. She had to stop that fool of a prince before he fell pray into Guado's clutches! She ran towards them but was stopped when a large tail struck the sands, and blocked her path. She looked up to see Leviathan had resurfaced and was coming back for more.
Fang ran at the tail, stabbing it with her javelin.
The beast roared and lifted its tail, giving Lightning just enough time to move forward while the rest of the party focused their attention on Leviathan.

Noctis was busy trying to grab any part of Seymour in his jaws. The Guado only laughed at the pitiful and reckless attempts, easily dodging out of the way.
"Noctis stop!" Lightning called, but the prince was now blind to reason. He could now only see red. He wanted to kill Guado, lick his wounds and pride.

The Guado soon grew bored of him and snapped his fingers. Leviathan snarled and leaned its neck over to him. Seymour stepped onto the beast's head and was soon out of reach as Leviathan began to swim off with him.

Noctis was not done. He ran after Guado and Leviathan. The wolf turned into the prince as he ran towards a pier, running along it until Leviathan's huge tail smashed the wooden structure, sending Noctis falling into the sea.
Lightning's heart began to pump faster as she ran faster, towards the spot where the prince had been tossed. "Noctis!" She dove right in after him.

She found him easily enough and grabbed him by the shoulders. Noctis' eyes widened slightly at the sight of Lightning as she pulled him back up to the surface. He pushed her aside and swam up by himself.

He gasped once he broke the surface, followed by Lightning. He noticed Leviathan swimming away with Guado on his head. The beast was taking hits from Cloud and Tifa's magic attacks, but the beast was unfazed as it continued to make a hasty retreat.
Noctis smacked his hand harshly against the water and turned to glare at Lightning. She looked back at him, panting slightly to catch her breath and regain some air. His gaze softened slightly, but before he could speak, the waves crashed into them, sending them far from the shore, away from their companions.

They could barely hear the sounds of their friends calling out to them and panicking as the prince and queen were swept away by the waves.

FINALLY!

After all this time I finally have finished this chapter! Damn it has been too long! Even for me! College is truly a killer to my mental state! Believe me I felt terrible for not writing for so long so I hope this was worth the wait.

Thank you to all those who still decided to stick with me and Sanctuaire despite all the delays and the long wait. I hope to finish this fic soon and get on with a new project as well! You guys are a great support and I appreciate that! Again thanks for sticking around!

Now if you will all excuse me; my mother and I will be watching Frozen (on DVD) for the first time! Hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter!

Until then…