BOOK 2: THE TALE OF THE CHOSEN KING

CHAPTER 15 – MARSHES AND MINES

The landscape slowly transformed from the bright greenery of Duscae to the earthy tones of the Leide region. It offered a stark contrast with the rainy marshes of the Vesperpool, and a welcome change for the four friends.

According to the Hunters, there was an ancient Tomb south of the Vesperpool, deep into the forest. The information was accurate, except that said tomb was deeper than they had anticipated. Being an uninhabited zone all manner of savage creatures roamed through the forest and, far from being shy towards the travelers, all the species seemed to have put behind their natural differences for that day and agree that the four humans traversing their lands looked quite appetizing.

If wild beasts weren't enough, they had been seriously warned about overstaying past dusk, for there was an especially vicious Daemon which appeared in that area, and which seemed to prey only on male travelers.

It wasn't a king the one interred in such remote place, but the only Queen who ever sat at the Lucian throne: Crepera Lucis Caelum, who saw herself inheriting the crown after her father and older brother perished. Far from favoring either swords or lances, Crepera used a giant four-points star which she threw with the grace of a dancer. She never showed her face in public once she ascended to Queen due to the time's distrust about having state affairs in the hands of a woman. Despite this, she led her nation through a grave crisis, and her success was praised for years to come.

But the friends didn't tarry too much on that tomb, never mind that Noctis had always been curious about that Queen. He claimed the ancient weapon, they made haste back to the Regalia, and then they were more than glad to leave the Vesperpool, its muddy shores, its mosquitoes and its poisonous fauna behind.

The nearest cluster of civilization was the Meldacio League HQ, beyond the northern Vesperpool gate. There was a haven near the fishing spot at the western side of the lake, but the constant rain would have guaranteed a soaked, cold tent and the impossibility to cook anything. Even Gladio agreed in that it was better to step on the gas and risk the incoming darkness if that meant having a hot shower, a warm dinner and a dry bed at the end of the road.

Now they were on their way to Leide, once again and, as Noctis expected, Prompto was acting more energetic than usual, which was quite the feat.

Soon they saw the familiar shape of the Hammerhead, shining with warm colors under the last lights of the day.

Their next destination would be the abandoned mines of Balouve. Decades back those mines had been the main source of ore for construction material in Insomnia. However, when daemons appeared and made their nesting ground there, the mines had to be abandoned for good and, with that, all the settlements around them became ghost towns.

But before venturing into the depths of the earth, they would make a stop for the night. Not at the Hammerhead, much to Prompto's chagrin, but at a haven on their way to the mines.

Despite the setback, the gunslinger had his plans. That night, while Gladio and Ignis busied themselves preparing dinner, Prompto approached Noctis and begged the prince to accompany him the next morning.

What the prince didn't know was that the following day his friend would wake him up well before dawn, just when the light was strong enough for the daemons to go back to their lairs.

"What's this thing you've got, anyway?" he yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, it's not a thing," his friend said, leading the way to whatever it was the place he wanted to go. "It's a picture."

"Uh-huh…"

"In honor of the grease-monkey goddess…"

"Huh? Who?"

"Cindy!" Prompto exclaimed, as if his poetic description had been a dead give away. "I wanna express my love on film."

"Dude!"

"No, no, no… not like a stalker or something," he waved his hand. "Just an innocent display of affection."

"Innocent," Noctis echoed I a deadpan tone.

"So," Prompto continued, completely ignoring his friend shaking his head in disbelief. First we find a spot overlooking Hammerhead. Then, we bow our heads in deference to the Garage of Our Goddess."

The prince had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. He could have sworn he heard the capital letters on that title.

They were walking northwards until Prompto led Noctis to a small hill overlooking the road and, at the other side, the Hammerhead station. That was their destination.

"Why don't you just ask her for a picture?" Noctis asked.

"No way! That would be creepy!"

Once they climbed the hill, Prompto stepped forward to the edge of the promontory.

"I got this! First, to pay my respects," Prompto bowed deeply, looking towards Hammerhead. "O Great Garage, Home to Our Goddess of the Gears, thank you-"

"That the prince I see?" said a cheerful voice behind them.

Noctis spun around to see Cindy, who had snuck up on them.

"C-Cindy?" Prompto stammered from his worshipping spot.

"You're not supposed to-"

"Just on one of my early mornin' hikes," she said, ignoring the young men's surprised expression. "Girls' gotta stay fit, y'know!" the she looked around her. "Ain't it beautiful up here? One of my favorite spots. What're y'all doin' here?"

"Us all? Oh, yeah, w-well… you'll see…" Prompto began stammering an excuse. As quick as he was with his guns and his mind in the face of peril, he would always become tongue-tied when trying to talk to a girl, though with Cindy it seemed to be a specially bad case.

Remembering how every case had ended in the past, Noctis stepped up and whispered an excuse for him.

"We're on a hike, just like you," he said. It could have been a perfect excuse, hadn't he delivered it with such a stiff demeanor. But what can you do when anxiety gets the better of you?

"Well, I'll be," she beamed at him. "Couple of early birds, ain't ya?"

Noctis decided then and there that Cindy wasn't oblivious: Prompto's way of acting had to be so common each time a young man interacted with her that she must have assumed that being inarticulate was just part of their normal conduct.

Another excuse, hurriedly whispered. This time, thank the Six, Prompto could add something of his own.

"Oh, y-you know! I'm an avid photolog. When I get the chance, I'm off hiking and taking pictures!"

That was better. Talking about photography seemed to loose his tongue a bit. His voice kept quavering, though.

"Fancy that. What're ya snappin' today, Mr. Cameraman?"

Noct intervened again, hoping that his friend didn't misheard and ruin everything.

"Wanna catch your ol' Paw-paw taking a nap-nap?" Prompto said, perhaps not very convinced. It was Noctis' gamble that a bit of humor might work.

And it did. Cindy laughed, quite prettily, the prince had to admit.

"That sounds funnier'n a moogle in a chocobo race. Lemme see!"

The girl went for the camera, but Prompto had to admit that he was yet to take the picture.

"Bet it'd look even better with the two of you in the shot," said Noctis aloud. "What do you say?"

His friend stammered something, but Cindy clapped her hands.

"That's a mighty fine idea!" she said, and gave Prompto a light slap on his arm. "C'mon, the light now's perfect!"

Noctis had to bite his lips lest he would laugh out loud: Prompto's hands trembled when he gave him the camera.

It was difficult to get the two of them together, but Noctis did what he could, directing his friend to step closer, and praying Prompto's knees didn't give in. Cindy obliged, stepping so close her jacket grazed the gunslinger's arm. Noctis shot the photo just then, when his friend's face blushed to the roots of his hair, and he was flashing the happiest smile Noctis had ever seen on him.

Cindy thanked them and returned to the garage, reminding them that they were welcome any time they wanted to visit. Prompto didn't say a word: he was still blushing and grinning and waved enthusiastically as the girl went away.

Then he sighed.

"To think the goddess graced us with her presence…" he said dreamily.

"And what an honor it was," the prince remarked.

They made their way back to camp in silence, through Noctis noticed Prompto's steps were lighter and quicker, and the prince shook his head when he heard his friend humming a happy song from time to time.

"All right," he glowed once they were near the camp. "Mission accomplished!"

"Thanks to who?"

"My hero, Noct!" he laughed.

Gladio and Ignis were occupied with preparing breakfast, and to their questioning, Noctis offered an excuse about doing exercise. Gladio didn't seem to buy it but said nothing.

Once their bellies were full, Ignis directed them to entrance of the mines, towards the south.

Following a dirt road with the Regalia, they saw rails coming out from the mine's entrance. Atop the rocky walls and lumbering over the entrance, metal structures which served back in the day as platforms to manage machinery that no longer existed and, in the entrance, over the fence which served as access door, giant gas pipes slowly eroded with the desert winds.

The door fence was wide open, and many posters warned of "varmints" and daemons to the occasional explorer who dared to approach the place.

Following one set of rails led them to another fence, also open, which led them to the entrance. The rails died some meters into the cave and an old lift was the only access to the levels below.

"It's up and running," Noctis announced, when he pushed a button and the lift's gears squealed as if in protest.

"This thing's ancient," Prompto protested, as he looked warily at the lift. "You sure it's safe?"

Truth be told, the rusted metal encasing the whole machinery didn't do much to assure any user of it's security. When the doors slid open, they did so with such a high-pitched screech they had to cover their ears.

"Only one way to find out," Gladio said, confidently striding inside.

The inside wasn't much better. The walls weren't solid, but made of thick fence which left the cage open. This prevented suffocation in case of accident, but also gave a measure of how deep down the tunnels went, as one saw layer after layer of solid rock passing by.

"All aboard, huh?" Prompto quipped nervously. Pearls of sweat had begun to form on his brow.

"What? Afraid it can't take our weight?" Gladio smirked mischievously.

"More likely to become stuck," Ignis commented, observing how some segments on the mountain walls had loosened. Any small boulder could wedge itself along the shaft and stop the lift for good.

"I can live with stuck," the gunslinger said stubbornly.

"This thing's been around a while," Noctis said casually.

"I can only guess when they began mining here," Ignis touched the rusty fence. His gloved became stained in red.

"Know what sorta place is this?" Prompto asked, trying to divert he conversation from the lift.

"The sort that's infested with bloodthirsty daemons," Gladio quipped. "Am I warm?"

"Red hot, I'd say," Noctis answered.

"Gimme a break!" Prompto exclaimed.

The lift finally stopped with a final creaking and, after the doors opened with a loud screech, all was silent. The four friends stepped lightly along the tunnel. Despite al the years it had been inactive, the walls were almost in perfect condition. Mining carts stood there, empty and discarded, and metal container lined up alongside the rails. Their torchlights did little to see ahead, and they strained their senses to avoid being ambushed.

The tunnel made a slight curve to the right. Light entered through giant ventilation shafts, whose fans were now motionless.

As soon as Noctis stepped into the light, the fans began to move. Prompto gave a brief yelp before he covered his mouth.

"Anyone heard that rumbling?" he asked, his fright suddenly forgotten.

They could hear it now over the noise from the fans. It was approaching.

"Something's coming our way!" Ignis warned.

They jumped out of the rails just in time for a mining cart to pass by at full speed, to then crash noisily against far ahead. After some moments, they resumed their march, but with even more care this time.

The tunnel ended abruptly as they reached another lift like the one at the entrance, but instead of taking it, they found a small tunnel which wound its way to the level below. Unlike the previous one, the tunnels there were raw, with no rails and water dripping constantly from the ceiling.

All their senses were focused on what would lie ahead. From time to time they could hear what they though as the shuffling of small feet, but their flashlights couldn't help them locate the source of the sound.

Following the rails, they reached what looked like a bridge over a chasm. More giant fans recycled the air there, somewhat alleviating the oppressing heat.

Prompto suddenly yelped and pointed ahead.

Under the flickering light, a humanoid figure approached them from the other side of the bridge. As it approached, they noticed with alarm that it was unnaturally tall. A rumbling sound came from behind it, and it didn't seem to affect the stranger, until the creature stepped at one side.

"Move aside!" Gladio warned.

The humanoid sidestepped just in time for a cart to pass by at full speed. This time they could see imps riding the cart, but they were more focused on not falling off the bridge.

Noctis jumped back to the center of the rails, and summoned his sword just in time for the creature to slash at him. For it was a powerful daemon what had appeared before them, the one who had taken residence in the mines so many decades back, and the one who lorded over the imps.

The prince parried the sword, but the attack had been so sudden and so strong that he lost his footing for a moment. Another slash and he was sent tumbling backwards and into the abyss.

The chasm wasn't too deep, and Noctis landed without any major injury, but he was quickly surrounded by a horde of imps. His friends didn't lose time and followed him, but not before Noctis was wounded and almost overwhelmed.

Once the imps were either killed or scattered, Ignis treated the prince's wounds and they tried getting their bearings.

The chamber they had landed into wasn't at the lowermost level. Following the tunnels led them to more stairs and more chambers. And more imps. Between the four friends they could make short work of the monsters, but the sheer number of enemies was worrying.

The level below the one with the chamber didn't have rails and the walls were crudely dug. Metal catwalks continued the path over the many chasms, but those were the only signs of human technology they could see. Imps were more numerous, and the almost total darkness made them more vicious than ever.

They found the lift at the end of one of the galleries, and they knew they were at the bottom level of the mines, and not the one where the daemon lived. Ignis suggested climbing up to the level where the monsters had ambushed them at the bridge.

There was a long tunnel at the other side of the bridge and, after twisting and turning they way through the tunnels, they came upon a pit. Metal platforms and stairs gave access to the walls around it and to the bottom of the chasm through several levels. The same generators which powered the fans also shed light around them. It was as if the daemons only switched them on so their prey could harbor some hopes before hunting it down.

As they made their way down, Noctis noticed that the figure stood at the bottom of the pit, as if waiting for them.

"Time to settle the score. Huh, Noct?" said Gladio.

"You bet it is!" Noctis prepared his sword. But instead of warping to strike at it, he waited until Ignis could take a glance at the monster, and also because he suspected that the imps were nearby, waiting for him to rush forward.

The imps didn't take long to appear. Frustrated that their prey was more clever than them, the little monsters jumped on them not sooner they had reached the bottom. Easy to kill as they were, they were the perfect distraction for the daemon swordsman to get the upper hand on the combat.

It was by chance that they discovered the daemon's weak point. Prompto threw a lightning grenade towards the swarm of imps surrounding the swordsman, and the monster fell to its knees as the energy arced around its body. Gladio then kept the daemon at bay while Prompto felled the imps and both Noctis and Ignis attacked with magic.

When the swordsman finally disappeared in a pool of black miasma, the prince looked around him. The remaining imps scattered, frightened that those humans had killed their boss, and they were finally left alone in the pit.

Ignis nursed a deep cut on his left arm. Blood soaked his clothes and Gladio had to tend to his wounds.

"You think he was guarding the tomb?" Prompto asked, rubbing his face after an imp had kicked him.

"The Hunters' intelligence left no doubt," said Ignis, still wincing despite the effects of the potion. "Let's have a look around."

Tired as they were, they started looking for some crevice or some access of any kind. Noctis found one, between two blocks of stone on one of the terraces. Squeezing their way through, they discovered another path ahead. This one didn't seem to have been carved with modern tools, and it branched off some ways ahead. There was a strange door to the left, much bigger than the ones guarding the tombs. It was closed and the key Noctis carried didn't fit.

Tracing their steps back and taking the path to the right, the friends finally found the door.

"Makes the hassle worthwhile," said Gladio.

The four companions all thought the same: What if after all that fighting there was nothing at the end. Thankfully that wasn't the case, and Noctis could claim the weapon from his ancestors: A ballista, which was said to have been the weapon of a king skilled both in intellectual and martial arts, thus called "The Clever".

Nevertheless, after spending the whole day running around an underground maze, not even Ignis cared much about historical notes, and they all made haste towards the exit.

There was a haven near the mine's entrance, but Noctis decided to travel instead to the Longwythe Rest Area, where there was a motel. None protested.

Dusk was already upon them, and the prince drove as fast as he could, his three companions with their weapons ready and an eye constantly on the road. When they saw the lights of the rest area not very far, a pool of miasma appeared in the middle of the road and an enormous arm emerged form it. Noctis stepped on the gas and veered to dodge whatever that thing was and didn't look at the rear mirror afterwards, not even when he heard Prompto yelling that the daemon was running after them.

The tires screeched when the Regalia swerved again, as they drove around the curve towards the resting area and into safety. They looked behind them, and they saw a gigantic creature lumbering just outside the circle of light; on its hand, a monstrous weapon almost as big as the daemon wielding it. Noctis didn't want to admit it, but his hands were so sweaty it had been hard to drive during the last portion of the road, and now he was glad he never looked at the rear mirror.

It had been a very long day, and Noctis needed some time alone to unwind and collect his thoughts. He climbed to the flat roof when his friend decided to go to sleep and closed his eyes, enjoying the fresh nightly air on his face.

He heard footsteps behind him, but the prince didn't turn around, for he knew who it was.

Prompto sat at his side without any protocol, after slapping Noctis on the back. Despite the gunslighter's smile, the prince knew something was nagging at him, and wondered if it had something to do with Cindy.

"So…" Prompto started timidly. "Pretty rough day, uh?"

"Every day's rough if you ask me."

"I guess," he chuckled. "But even though it's rough, it's still fun. Every day's a discovery, you know? I never imagined it'd work out like this. That I'd get to go on an adventure with you guys."

"Who would have thought, uh?"

"So, how long have we been friends now? Let's see… beginning of high school… so that's… five years?"

"Yeah, but we've known each other way longer than that. Ever since elementary school, right?"

"Huh? You still remember that?"

"Could hardly forget being gawked at."

"Well," Prompto blushed slightly. "Y'know, it isn't exactly easy being in the presence of royalty."

"And when we did meet in high school, you pretended it was the first time."

"Yeah, the first time I worked up the nerve to say something," Prompto sighed deeply. "Feels just like yesterday."

"You should've said something sooner."

At those words Prompto started stammering.

"Oh, Noct… You just wouldn't understand. Back then, I was…" he suddenly averted his eyes. "Actually, never mind."

"Hey, you can't just stop halfway."

"Yeah, I know," he said, laughing in embarrassment. Then his voice seemed to settle in a normal tone.

"I used to be super shy," Prompto kept talking. "Couldn't talk to people. No surprises, but I had no friends… at least not real ones. I was always alone. And there were times when I felt, well, worthless."

"That's what's been bugging you?"

"I mean, when you look at me you wouldn't think that I'm anything but a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky joker. But that isn't the real me. Behind all the quips and laughs, I'm a mess of hang-ups. I've always felt interior to you guys. I'm not royalty and I'm not strong. I'm nothing, really," he tugged at his armband. "Unlike Gladio, I'm not good with people. The way he connects with them, he's operating on a different level. Unlike Ignis, I'm not smart and I can't cook to save myself. But when we hang out, it's so much fun I forget what I'm not. Then reality hits me like a splash of cold water, and I remember that I don't belong. But I want to. Every moment, I'm desperate to earn my place… to prove that I'm good enough."

This was the first time Prompto had spoken like that. Noctis himself wasn't good with people either, but he had been able to connect with his three companions, especially with Prompto.

"Think what you will, but I think you're good enough for me," the prince assured.

Prompto seemed speechless for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

"So," he said, looking at him. "You really think I'm doing okay?"

"Yeah, I do. Anything else?"

"Uh, no. Nothing at all," he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry I got so real all of a sudden."

"You should know better by know," Noctis teased him. "You think I just make time for any old loser?"

"Huh? Why, you mad, bro?" he laughed. "Seriously, though, thanks for making time for this loser. Feels good to get that off my chest."

With that, Prompto returned to the room, leaving Noctis alone again. The prince didn't think much of that conversation. He already knew of Prompto's insecurities and why he was so shy as a kid. And he knew of his habit of, whenever he was nervous, fiddling with the bracelet on his right wrist. No matter how he dressed, he always wore one matching hos outfit, a custom he carried ever since Noctis could remember. Despite his quirks, he was glad that he chose Prompto for that travel. Weak as he might think of himself, he provided the moral support they all needed.

The following day Prompto seemed to have returned to his old self. Everything was well again.