BOOK 2: THE TALE OF THE CHOSEN KING
CHAPTER 19 – EPISODE IGNIS
"Noct! Do you read me!"
His desperate calling went unanswered. Struggling to keep his balance when the ground shook once more, Ignis kept his hand to the intercom, but nothing came through.
"Do you know if he's okay?" Prompto asked, nearly out of breath. They had been running a long distance and it was the first time they stopped.
"The trial should be over by now, right?" said Gladio.
"I can't tell a bloody thing from here," Ignis lost his composure for a moment. "Let's make for the Altar."
They had stopped inside one of the covered footbridges connecting the streets of Altissia over the canals. Through the walls, they could hear the rumbling of the imperial warships.
The ground shook again and they heard the unmistakable roar of Titan, as he summoned the rock walls to deflect one last tidal wave from Leviathan. However, the shockwave threw several airships astray, sending them crashing down into the city. One of them smashed through the footbridge they stood in, splitting it in two. Gladio only had time to scream a warning and shove Prompto out of the way. When the dust cleared out, they saw that both Ignis and the footbridge had disappeared.
They searched frantically and tried contacting him, but there was no response.
Ignis had fallen with the bridge, but he was merely unconscious among the flotsam and jetsam. When he opened his eyes again he saw more airships rushing towards Titan. Swimming to shore, he tried contacting his friends.
"Iggy!" Prompto answered. "I thought you were a goner."
"I'll take more than a little seawater," Ignis said, trying to keep a few stray bangs off his face. The water had washed out almost all his hair gel. Thank the gods he hadn't lost his glasses too. "I'm more worried about Noct. I'll find a way to the altar, but I need you to keep the enemy distracted."
"You got it," said Gladio. Ignis could almost see the grin on the warrior's face.
With no time to lose, Ignis ran to an upper level to have a vantage point. Countless buildings were in ruins, rendering the city's map he had committed to memory useless. He had to assess the situation from scratch.
MTs patrolled the streets already. The empire had lost no time in taking control of the city. Felling them would be more difficult for a lone man, but with a combination of nimbleness, magic powers and strategy, he slowly carved a path through the imperial forces.
Titan fought against the imperial fleet in the distance. Ignis prayed that the Archaean's efforts were aimed to defend Noctis and Lady Lunafreya but, as things were, debris could still harm both humans.
One of the MTs he had just deactivated wore a modified arm with an extensible hook. It was a matter of tinkering with it to detach the hook piece and adjust it to his arm; that way it would serve as protection and a way of quick transportation. The first time he used it to reach a roof it felt as if his arm was being ripped out, but it was a matter of adapting oneself to the situation.
From his vantage point he witnessed a nightmarish scene: Titan batted away at the imperial ships as if they were flies, but the side effects of his overzealousness could prove fatal to both Noctis and Luna.
The imperials, in turn, fired heavily, further enraging the Archaean and, for every ship Titan fell, two came as replacement.
Ignis saw the column of golden light at the foot of the now destroyed altar, which meant that, at least, Lady Lunafreya was still alive.
"Be safe," he murmured, silently offering a prayer for Noctis.
Looking down to the street, he could also see that the imperial forces had taken the city districts, compromising their chances to reach Noctis and the Oracle and lead them to safety.
Retaking the first district he had to cross was hard, with MTs troopers and MA war machines, and he hoped that altissian troops could do their part in other districts. Prompto and Gladio were also lending their help and creating a safe route to the port for the civilians.
When the last trooper fell on that street, he realized someone tried contacting him. Weskham's deep voice resonated in his ear.
"Weskham here. The empire has the Archaean surrounded… Until he smashes their ships, that is."
"And I need to get to the altar before that happens," said Ignis, already searching for a route.
"You could try crossing the eastern bridge," the older man offered. "If it's still standing."
"Here's to hoping," Ignis was already running in that direction. "I'm heading that way now… wish me luck."
"Fingers crossed."
As he hopped and climber over the debris, he called for Mrs. Claustra.
"Madam Secretary, come in!"
"What now?"
"I need your help: I fear Noct is in danger."
"As is the entire city of Altissia, in case you havent' taken a look around. He and his girlfriend are probably long gone."
"No," he answered, trying to keep his frustration in check. "I made a promise to keep him safe… a promise I intend to keep!"
"How noble. I'll see what my men can do… but I won't promise anything."
Through Ignis could understand the Secretary's concern about her city, her cold words felt like a slap in the face. Even so, she seemed to at least be willing to spare a few human resources.
He was near the bridge now. Only one more district to clean before he could reach the altar.
"Ignis here. Do you copy?"
"Loud and clear," Prompto answered.
"What's your status?"
"Um, preoccupied?"
"And probably will be for a while," Gladio intervened. It seemed like they also had trouble on their end.
"…Understood."
He had to do it alone, then.
"What about…" Prompto's voice suddenly cut.
"Prompto? Prompto! Do you copy?"
Probably the empire had jammed their communications. He didn't want to think about the alternative and kept fighting. That district had more forces and it took far more time for him to clear out.
When he finally reached the bridge, Ignis saw two MA machines stationed there. The first one he finished off with a surprise attack with his lance, falling from one of the rooftops and sinking it on the "head" of the machine, disabling it for good.
The other proved to be more difficult with the surrounding MTs constantly firing at him. The hook gizmo showed its own usefulness there, allowing him to launch himself towards any enemy far from him. It wasn't the same as Noctis' warping, but Ignis wasn't about to complain.
Once the soldiers were disabled he ran as fast as he could towards the bridge, but he hadn't reached the middle section when he heard the whistle of an approaching missile. The bridge crumbled and sunk in the sea before his eyes. Had he been one second faster and he would have been hit.
Returning to the plaza, he stopped suddenly and hid behind a column: The High Commander and General Caligo were there, supervising the damage.
"Have you located the Ring yet, Commander?" said Lord Ravus. "And what of Lunafreya?"
"Both, High Commander, but our forces are unable to extract either at present. We've no way of approaching the altar so long as the Archaean stands in our way."
"Even the gods are on his side…" Lord Ravus grumbled in frustration. "Neither the King nor the Oracle will escape with their lives if the fighting continues. Order a full retreat. I'm going in alone."
"B-but, Sir…!"
From his hiding place, Ignis could see how Lord Ravus walked away, but he then turned around at his stammering subordinate and showed him his magitek arm.
"I assume you are already familiar with how I got this arm?"
"… Yes, Sir."
"Then you must also know the Ring is worthless without one who can wield it."
With that, Lord Ravus went away.
"How dare he address me with such impudence," Caligo grumbled, but only once he was sure the other was out of hearing range. "Has he forgotten his place entirely? Or is he too concerned about his sister to care?"
Dissension inside the empire: those were good news, indeed. Ignis kept himself out of sight, observing how Caligo boarded an assault craft and went away, not without first deploying more soldiers.
Taking them down was costly. Each fight wore him down a bit more. Soon he would need some rest if he wanted to stand a chance.
Through his communicator, he heard the voice of the altissian commander issuing orders to the troops. The empire kept intensifying its attacks.
"Attention all units: assemble at the docks and prepare for withdrawal immediately. We depart in three minutes."
"Wait…" he said, already running for the docks. "I'm headed to the altar. I need a boat!"
"Have you lost your marbles?"
"No… but we'll lose the King if we don't act!"
"Give him what he wants," the Secretary's cold voice mediated.
"Understood."
"You have my thanks."
"Keep them," she said. "I'll take gil instead."
Such a cold, calculating woman. No matter. If she didn't want to cooperate directly, at least she didn't throw a spanner in the works.
Prompto's voice reached him as he made his way over the rooftops.
"Do you copy?"
After some seconds, Gladio's angry voice boomed through the radio.
"Ain't a hard question, Iggy. Do you copy… yes or no?"
"Yes, I copy!"
"Then speak up next time!" the Shield yelled. Then he seemed to check himself. "Look: I'm just as worried as you are, but we can't go losing our heads. If we wanna save Noct, we've gotta keep it together."
"Yes… I suppose you're right."
"We'll keep moving," said Prompto. "Hang in there, Iggy!"
"I will… thanks."
He had to cross one last district until he could reach the docks. This one wasn't as populated, being far from the altar, so his fighting didn't take that much time.
The docks were overcrowded with scared civilians, all waiting for the boats to sail away. Everywhere he looked he saw fear but, most of all, sadness. Probably the same feeling every insomnians had the day of the treaty. He took a brief rest there and then asked the altissian commander to brief him on the situation. After issuing more orders, Ignis finally took the speedboat they had prepared for him.
As he sped through the bay, dodging falling debris, he saw Titan punching his way into a dreadnought, tearing off one half of the propulsion motors and using them as a projectile against other dreadnoughts. Paradoxically, the safest place was at the Archaean's feet, and so Ignis steered the boat towards the god, near the column of golden light.
A falling assault craft fell near the boat, capsizing it. Ignis swam with all his strength and emerged, to see another ship approaching. This one opened its doors to reveal a MA-X type bipedal machine and at its feet, General Caligo.
"Well, well," the General gloated through the MA-X's speakers, no doubt recognizing Ignis. "Look who it is! What could one of His Majesty's royal retainers be doing here of all places?"
Before Ignis could say anything, the airship shoot at him.
Bloody hell…
He swam, praying that Titan's movements affected air currents enough to destabilize the airship and make it err its aiming, as it seemed to be happening.
"I must thank you for your visit to Fort Vaullerey. Do allow me to express my gratitude!"
This bodes ill…
Half swimming, half diving, he reached the speedboat at last.
"Surrender now," Caligo said. "And I'll ensure your end is as painless as possible."
Ignis could almost see Gladio giving that general the finger. He, however, wouldn't bestow that effort on that man.
"Never!" he yelled, starting the boat and dashing past the airship.
Caligo wasn't slow, and he boarded his own MA-X to pursue him through the bay.
One of the very few things Ignis admired of that general was that he wouldn't keep quiet. As annoying as his taunts were over his war machine's speakers, he gave away precious information, like the fact that he intended to keep the Ring for himself.
Ignis navigated the boat inside the city canals to mislead Caligo, but what the general lacked in cunning he made it up with brute force and ammunition. One of the missiles finally hit too close to Ignis' boat, the explosion launching the retainer into solid ground.
"The Ring will never be yours," Ignis declared, getting to his feet and throwing away the busted communicator. "I'll make sure of it!"
"You shall rue the day you defied the Niflheim Empire!"
They had landed on a taken district, and the soldiers instantly took aim at him. As he dodged their attacks and delivered his own, he could hear Caligo taunting him.
"Go on, Beg for your life… just like that pathetic old servant did back in Lestallum."
There was no way Jester would have supplicated for his life. Ignis knew that all too well, but Caligo's words still fanned his already altered nerves. There had been enough delays without rampaging gods, headstrong Secretaries, bothersome imperial soldiers and now this ranting madman.
Caligo wanted his taunts to make him blunder, but the only thing he achieved was making Ignis sharper, as every time he was under high pressure. The general saw with horror and surprise how that royal retainer, without any help, made short work of the MTs, and later came for his MA-X.
It was his turn to blunder the machine's movements and aim, and he felt with dismay how all systems failed before it collapsed.
The impact threw him into the controls and, despite his armor, he felt something breaking inside his torso. Laboriously climbing down his magitek armor before it could explode, he gritted his teeth as he staggered his way to the ground.
What Ignis could see while he tried to catch his breath was Caligo emerging from the wreckage, limping away one moment, the next a saber thrust from behind through his stomach. The general turned around when his attacker pulled out the blade, and was slashed across the face. He fell heavily on the ground and didn't move anymore.
Ignis mustered his strength to stand up again when he saw Caligo's killer slowly stepping out from behind the machine. Lord Ravus spared a brief glance to the fallen general, and made a slight grimace of disgust before centering his attention on Ignis.
Seeing the High Commander slowly approaching him, blade still unsheathed, Ignis invoked his own daggers, and adopted a fighting stance. MTs surrounded them, all pointing their guns at him.
More delays.
He saw through the corner of his eye an MT Axeman lifting his weapon to attack him. At the same time, Ravus lunged forward. Ignis tried to cover himself, but he could only decide which side he would protect. To his surprise, Ravus sidestepped him at the last second and stabbed the axeman, disabling him in one hit.
Ignis didn't abandon his defensive stance, despite the unexpected development. There were still MTs surrounding them.
"I've no quarrel with you, boy," Ravus said, stepping to stand back to back with him. "Join me. I can secure us a way to the King and the Oracle."
"How do I know I can trust you?"
"Have you any other options?"
"You have a point," Ignis conceded, throwing a blade towards an MT.
That was the cue for the battle to start.
It was a strange feeling to fight alongside a man who had previously antagonized them and, in addition, obeyed the chancellor without so much as a protest. Ravus was, indeed, a very skilled warrior, no doubt after intensive training at Tenebrae as a child, and then under imperial tutelage. But, despite his strength, he was as graceful as he was deadly. MTs stood no chance against him, and before Ignis could notice it, the battle was over.
"You might be of use after all," Ravus offered a thin smile as he cleaned his sword before sheathing it. "Follow me… if you're ready."
Lunafreya's brother led him through a series of bridges and passageways. Ignis thought he recognized the layout, but with so much fallen debris it was difficult to fathom which street they traversed at what moment.
They finally reached a plaza surrounded by fallen buildings. It was bustling with soldiers and magitek machines. Ignis was about to lunge forward, but he noticed Ravus stopping and sitting down on the stone steps, just behind a balustrade.
"You needn't waste your time," the High Commander said. "I've ordered a full retreat. They'll be gone soon enough."
Ignis followed his example and sat down with him, waiting. "Why turn against the empire?" he asked. "Why now?"
"My sister's life is at stake," Ravus' eyes flared. "Is that not enough reason? The paths we tread may differ, but the blood coursing through our veins is one. So, too, is our calling. I must protect her."
At that moment, Ignis noticed that Ravus wasn't as he had seen in pictures. Ignis remembered him as blond and blue-eyed, while the man before him he saw had now silver hair, and his left eye had acquired a violet tone. Could that be the side effects of the Ring? Or maybe the magitek prosthetic?
"What of it?" Ravus asked defiantly. He surely had noticed Ignis staring at the artificial arm.
"I have doubts that you were born with a prosthetic."
"Your doubts are correct," he answered, gazing at his left hand. "I once believed it was I who was destined to dispel the darkness. This is proof I was wrong."
Airships rumbled over their heads. While Ignis looked up with concern, Ravus paid them no heed.
"…is it safe to assume this means you'll lend Noct a hand?" Ignis asked cautiously.
"Don't be asinine," Ravus scowled. "Our interests may have aligned in this moment, but I have not allied myself with him."
The way he spat that last word meant more than any barrage of obscenities. Ignis saw that there was no reasoning with Ravus, and remained silent as the two men watched the imperial army retreating.
"The empire is after the Ring of the Lucii," Ravus said as the last airship departed. "If the Ring falls into the wrong hands, I fear there's little hope for either of them."
"Then we must hurry."
Though the main forces had retreated, there were still magitek armors patrolling the area. The two unlikely allies had to work together to take them down silently, lest they would give out their position.
With Ignis disabling their legs and Ravus jumping on top of them to deactivate the main control, they could pass undetected.
"Don't get on my way," Ravus said when Ignis had thrown his spear towards the third MA, which was about to shoot Ravus point blank.
"So long as you stay out of mine."
They followed the path Ravus had pointed out before. It was impossible to even think there had been a city full of people and bustling shops just hours before.
"Tell me," said Ravus at one point. "Do you truly believe Noctis is the one True King?"
"I believe it goes without saying."
"Yet when the flames of war enshrouded Tenebrae, his father spared us nary a second thought," Ravus said through gritted teeth. "No savior king could possibly be born of such cowardice."
"To aid the King is the Oracle's calling, is it not? Or have you simply forgotten the pledge sworn by your forebears?"
"I have not forgotten… nor have I forgiven."
Ignis said nothing. He recalled the tragedy at Tenebrae, and how the news reached them, days after the events. More days had to pass by until the King returned, aided by the Hunters, with the prince in his arms. After that, Noctis would never be the same again.
It had been too much for such a young child to witness. At that moment, Ignis remembered that Ravus couldn't have been more than twelve, old enough to start training with weapons, yet still a child. All those years must have been extremely trying for the young Lord of Tenebrae, having to live under the tutelage of his mother's murderers, unable to fight back. He then directed his anger towards the ones who, according to him, had attracted the empire's attention and caused his mother's death.
The retainer knew how flawed Ravus' logic was. He also knew better than disagreeing with him: A heart so full of rage knew no reason.
They reached a district near the altar, according to Ravus, and more MTs and magitek armors were waiting for them. Fighting was far easier with a companion, even if it was under a shaky alliance.
"You alright?" Ravus asked Ignis when the last MA exploded.
"Well enough."
"You're resilient… I'll give you that," Luna's brother conceded, then his face became grim again. "If Noctis is the True King, he still has much to prove. The darkness will not wait for his ascent. It will consume our star and all upon it."
"I know… He may not yet grasp the gravity of his calling, but once he does, he will rise to the occasion and fulfill his destiny!"
"One can only hope you're right," Ravus said impassively, impervious to Ignis' vehemence.
They could see already the altar and the column of light, and no more enemies guarded the path ahead. Upon Leviathan's departure, heavy clouds had covered the sky and a persistent rain made the ground dangerously slippery.
"Noct!" Ignis yelled when they reached the stairs leading to the base of the altar.
"Lunafreya!" Ravus rushed forwards without waiting for an answer.
Ignis followed him, but stopped suddenly when he noticed a white dog limping from behind the rubble.
It was Pryna. As one of Lady Lunafreya's guardians, she had been defending the Oracle from any harm. The effort had drained all her strength, and now she collapsed at Ignis' feet. A bright light engulfed her and in the next instant, she was gone.
He ran after Ravus, and found him standing at the source of the golden light, now a mere beacon instead of a column. Ignis made to rush for his friend, but stopped when he saw Ravus' expression. Following his gaze, he saw Noctis lying on his back, as if sleeping, while Lady Lunafreya held her hand to his shoulder. The spell she had been casting had been the source of the light all along. While Noctis breathed normally, the Oracle didn't stir, though a sweet smile graced her lips.
At that moment the light died out: Lady Lunafreya had spent all her remaining life energy on saving Noctis' life.
"No…" Ravus whispered as tears ran down his cheeks.
The High Commander staggered towards his sister, his voice trembling with rage.
"First, the Lucians stole from me my mother…" he hissed, unsheathing his sabre. "And now they make a sacrifice of my sister!"
Ravus lifted his blade, but Ignis put himself between the blade and Noctis.
"Get out of my way!" the High Commander thundered.
"What are you doing?"
"What I should have done long ago: ridding us of this menace!"
Ignis shoved Ravus away from Noctis and into the previous section of the bridge.
"Stand in my way and you, too, shall meet the same fate: death!" Ravus roared, charging his sabre with lightning magic thanks to his artificial arm.
"Come to your senses, man!"
Ravus was incredibly strong and quick. Had it been the first time he saw him fight, Ignis would have been in serious trouble, but having fought together gave him enough information to, at least, keep up with him. The high commander's unrestrained fury, however, was an unexpected handicap.
"I understand the pain you must be feeling, but Noct isn't the one who did this to her!"
"Oh, yes, he is!"
"Lady Lunafreya came to her King's aid in his time of need. She was fulfilling her calling!"
"Don't try to justify this!" Ravus accumulated power with his artificial arm before unleashing an electrical discharge. "She didn't need to die!"
Ignis barely dodged the lightning strikes, and yet he felt a jolt on his leg; the wet ground only served to power Ravus up.
"Kill him, and her sacrifice will have been for naught. Kill him, and you kill her hopes for the future!"
"What hope is there in a future that my sister will never see? Step aside now, or I'll cut my way through!"
"Noct didn't choose to become King; his ascension was ordained by the Crystal! It wasn't mere happenstance!"
"It was a mistake… one that must be corrected!"
"You of all people must understand how Noct feels: bereft of both parents, and forced to carry on despite losing those you love. You both feel that pain!"
"I feel nothing!"
Ravus' attacks had become desperate and he was making small mistakes, some which Ignis could exploit despite his own tiredness. Little by little, he wore the High Commander down, until the later slipped and fell to the ground. That was the moment Ignis was waiting for: with a tremendous effort, he drove one of his daggers through the artificial arm, pinning it down to the ground.
The two young men remained there, breathing heavily after the fight. The drizzle was now a heavy rain and the day had almost died. Visibility would be a problem in a matter of minutes if they didn't find a light source.
Slowly, Ravus staggered to his feet and limped towards his sister, Ignis' dagger still stuck on his arm. He knelt at Luna's side and pulled her into his embrace, cradling a body which was quickly growing cold.
"I always knew," he said softly. "That you would face your fate without fear, fulfill your duty without regret. But… part of me always hoped… that I might see you happy one day. Your burdens lifted, free to live and love as you please."
His human fingers brushed some stray golden locks away from her face.
"You would have made a beautiful bride," he lamented, pulling her close to him as a golden light surrounded her body. Ignis watched Ravus' sister disappearing in that light, to be reformed at a distance, over the still restless sea.
"Even in death, the Oracle does not rest," Ravus continued, gazing at the phantasmal figure of her dear sister. "Only once the darkness is dispelled is her calling truly fulfilled. And, as in life. I know she will confront that challenge with a smile on her face."
She looked as she did when she was alive: beauteous and pure, her blue eyes gazing at her brother, and smiling sweetly at him before disappearing.
"Oh, Sister… Please don't go," the High Commander begged, stretching his human arm towards her, uncaring of someone else witnessing that moment of childish weakness. "Please," he whispered, tears bathing his cheeks. "Don't leave me."
He lifted his human hand in rage to strike at the ground, but checked himself. Harming his only good hand wouldn't do any good. His wrath spent, the High Commander and Lord of Tenebrae wept.
Ignis said nothing, understanding that he was seeing a man who had lost everything, and for whom nothing mattered anymore. He, on the other hand, had saved Noctis, but a heavy weight had set on his chest.
His friend was asleep, spent after his own battle with the Hydraean, but aside from that, he was unharmed. Now it was a matter of calling the others to take him out of there.
"Iggy!"
Gladiolus splashed his way towards them.
"Gladio! Are you alright? Where's Prompto?"
But the Shield seemed to ignore him and spared not a single glance towards Noctis. Instead, his eyes fell on the grieving form of the High Commander. With slow steps and a grin slowly creeping up his face, he approached him.
"Well well," he gloated. "Look what have we here?"
Without a second thought, Gladio brandished his greatsword and swung it at Ravus, who already had his sabre on his hand to parry his attack.
"You…" Ravus hissed when he repelled the attack. "Ardyn!"
The other chuckled, shaking his head.
"Oh, dear," he said in a theatrical tone. "Was I that transparent?"
Gladio's hand passed before his face, and it was Ardyn Izunia standing on his place. As if waiting for their cue, MTs stormed the place, effectively knocking and pinning down both men. His face pressed against the wet floor, Ignis could only see the chancellor's heavy footwear approaching him.
"The game's up, my boy," he said.
The next thing Ignis saw and felt on his face was Ardyn's boot.
xxxxXX-0-XXxxxx
When he came to his senses, the chancellor was still there, like in a bad dream you cannot wake up from. This time he squatted in front of him, holding a dagger on his left hand. Ignis tried to fight back, but the MTs' grasp was unyielding and his glasses had been no doubt smashed and discarded somewhere else.
"Come now," Ardyn mocked him. "Why not follow your liege's lead and stop resisting?"
"…Never!"
"You risked life and limb to safeguard the King of Kings," Ardyn stood up and sauntered towards the fallen Noctis. "Only to witness him fail so spectacularly. You must be so disappointed."
"Unhand him!" Ignis roared when he saw the chancellor grabbing Noctis by the back of his neck, exposing his throat. Ravus was just beyond them, also struggling to free himself from his restrains.
"Oh, what good is a world that only ever lets you down?" Ardyn kept taunting him. "Why not end it all right here?"
"No… You can't…"
Ignis yelled Noctis' name as the chancellor raised the dagger, ready to strike.
At that moment a glitter of steel flew over the chancellor's head, catching his hat and pinning it to the ground. It was the dagger Ignis had struck Ravus with. The High Commander had come free from his restrains, and was now gazing defiantly at the chancellor.
"My, you two certainly have become fast friends," Ardyn sneered at him as he stood up, unceremoniously dropping Noctis' unconscious form on his face. The movement opened the king's hand, and the Ring rolled free towards Ignis.
Ardyn caught his hat but, instead of wearing it again, he put it on one of the MTs, patting it as if it was a dog. He silently swaggered towards Ravus, who stood boldly among the MTs. Then, from the chancellor's right hand sprouted a dark flame; the dark spell hit Ravus square in the chest, sending him flying towards the stairs where he crashed and fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Permit me to make a suggestion," Ardyn told Ignis, playfully waving the dark flame around. "Rather than follow this flotsam and float away to a watery grave, why not come with me? What do you say?"
Treason. Of course, that was his game. He surely wanted him, who was very close to Noctis, to surrender his will to him.
Ignis' mind raced as his green eyes gazed at the hand Ardyn extended on his direction. He could play along to see what he was planning but, what assured him that whatever intelligence he could extract from this man could be safely delivered to Noctis? What if it was the other way around? Ignis' had faith on his own resilience and will power, but there were chemicals to override every barrier in the brain.
Then some memories surfaced. Back at the Meldacio HQ, where they had sought refuge, he heard about the Hunters working hand in hand with what remained of the Kingsglaive. One story stood out in particular for him: the Hunters told him about the last Glaive to evacuate the Crown City, who told anyone who would listen about his comrade, who used the Ring of the Lucii to save both the jewel and Lady Lunafreya, and the man who, after the magic of King Regis died, asked the Kings of Yore for their power, and fought alone against the empire.
The price had been that Glaive's life.
Ignis had scoffed at such tale, for in times of need is when the most fantastic stories are created. But later, when he commented it to Noctis, the prince confessed that he already knew the story, and that it wasn't just a legend. During that secretive reunion with the marshal, Noctis had come into contact with the very man the Hunters had talked Ignis about, and the prince could even give the full name of both the surviving Glaive, and the one who used the Ring.
Now the Ring sat quietly in front of him and he had been given a choice, but it wasn't the one the chancellor proposed.
The price was his life.
For Ignis, it was a small fee.
With a lurch, he shook away the MTs' restrains. Ardyn, always curious about what would a cornered rival would do, ordered the soldiers to stand back and let that young man do.
"I'll take that as a no," the chancellor smirked, preparing his spell.
"I swore and oath to stand with Noct and keep him safe," Ignis declared. Those words made the spell on Ardyn's hand die out, as did his smirk, but the chancellor's gaze was aimed at the small jewel the retainer displayed on his hand.
"Whatever it takes, I will protect him!" Ignis proclaimed, putting on the Ring.
The chancellor snickered at the younger man's foolishness.
"Ah-ah-ahhh!" he tut as he saw the Ring's light engulfing Ignis, who started screaming in pain. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Then his chuckle turned into open laughter.
"I… may not be of royal blood," Ignis gasped through the pain. "But if a Glaive can harness its power, then so can I!" He raised his face to the heavens and shouted: "Kings of Lucis, lend me your strength!"
He felt the power overflowing his system: the pact had been made. The last thing he saw before his eyes burned away was the motionless form of Noctis on the ground.
Ardyn waited patiently for him to finish, perhaps expecting his to burst in flames. All the better for him to reap the Ring from a heap of ashes. But instead, that young man stood upright, his hands and eyes glowing with a borrowed power. Ignis warped to the place he and Ravus had fought, and Ardyn followed him.
"Well, They've shown you their favor after all," the chancellor hissed, very unamused, at least for the moment.
Ardyn launched a wirlwind of dark energy at him, but Ignis was protected by the power of the Kings. And even if his eyes had been taken, the Kings had bestowed a temporary sight for this battle.
"Well?" Ardyn taunted him. "If you're so keen on keeping him safe, I'd like to see you try."
MTs joined the fray, as Ardyn dodged his attacks instead of defending himself.
"No time to waste, now," he taunted Ignis. "If you aren't quick about it, you're the one liable to wind up dead!"
The chancellor was infuriatingly quick, and Ignis understood why he walked around unarmed: he was as adept with his fists as Noctis with his sword, and once or twice Ignis had to duck his blows.
But Ardyn was right; the power of the Kings was limited and, once it ran out, the pact would be over. He would be blind and powerless while the chancellor would still have the upper hand.
"How lucky to be surrounded by such skilled advisors," Ardyn jeered when a squad of MTs fell from a transport ship and surrounded Ignis. "What a pity they're all too soft to show him the tough love he needs."
He was talking about Noctis. Why the obsession with him?
The Ring's powers quickly drained his energy, and that was a side-effect he didn't foresee. So much for the Kings' help to defend the Chosen One.
"Why not cease this futile charade?" Ardyn asked, dodging a fire spell. "Your appeals to hope and loyalty will all come to naught in the end."
"No… You're wrong!"
He used lightning, and then ice, but the chancellor merely brushed them aside. Ignis felt his strength waning. Time was up, and Ardyn knew it. His sight started to blur, and then to fade. When he blundered through some attacks, he heard the chancellor chuckling in delight.
"Whew! Wasn't that exhilarating? I think that's enough for one day."
Ignis fell to his knees, powerless once more. He could barely see forms now. Shadow figures walked past him with metal clanging, and Ardyn went away without so much as a coup de grâce.
"Noct…" he murmured, feeling his way towards the broken stair to the altar.
He stumbled and limped until he fell, rolling on his back to face a sky he couldn't see anymore. But he could feel the hard, wet ground on his back. The coldness and weariness were now creeping on him, and he started shivering.
Footsteps coming from the stairs' direction. Rustle of cloth and metal.
"That was rather reckless," Ravus' voice sounded near him.
"Where's Noct?" he could hardly articulate. "Is he… alright?"
"More or less… all thanks to you."
"Thank goodne…" a fit of cough caught the words on his throat.
More footsteps. These ones of people running, coming from the other direction.
"Iggy!" that was Gladio. "Where are you?"
"Noct! Iggy!" Prompto was there too.
"Be still," Ravus told him. "Conserve your strength. You've a calling to fulfill."
Ignis heard his friends approaching. More rustling of metal and cloth.
"As I do," Ravus said as he walked away. "May fortune favor us both. And you as well, Noctis."
Ignis could never see the Lord of Tenebrae crossing paths with his friends, how Gladio stopped to see him past for a fraction of a second before rushing to Ignis and Noctis. But he felt Gladio's fingers prodding his neck for a pulse, and he heard Prompto's urgent calling for medical help. However, the only thing on his mind was Noctis.
"Please…" he whispered, turning his face to where he thought Noctis was. "Forgive me…"
He blacked out. His friends carried him and Noctis to a safe place procured by the Secretary. It took him many hours to wake up, and some more time to be able to walk on his own, and when he did, Prompto wouldn't leave his side. It was a bit tedious, having someone walking you around, but the boy wouldn't budge. Thankfully, both he and Gladio were required to assist the altissians, and he would have some time to, at least, wait until Noctis was awake.
And, while he waited, he had plenty of time to reflect on all that had transpired.
Chancellor Izunia could use magic, no doubt with the aid of magitek technology. That would pose a very serious danger.
Ignis had always been quite good at not letting his emotions get the better of him, but during those days he had to make a conscious effort to keep his composure. Just when his friends and his king need him the most, he was wounded and in the way. With no other task to fulfill, Ignis sat at Noctis' bedside, and listened to the quiet, rhythmical breath of the young man.
Soon, memories resurfaced, like the first time he met the prince that was now king. Ignis was but a child at the time, but he already understood the gravitas of being a servant of House Lucis. One day, King Regis sent for him, something Ignis had never expected. He waited stoically for either a scolding or instructions but, instead, His Majesty gave him a lecture.
Ignis couldn't forget that morning: the sunlight bathed the throne room in a warm light and made the dark marble glitter like black ice.
"Listen well," the King said. "A king cannot lead by standing still. A king pushes onwards always, accepting the consequences and never looking back. That said, a king can accept nothing without first accepting himself." He stepped aside, to beckon a timid black haired boy, much younger than Ignis. With a gentle push, the kid stepped forward, unsure of what to do. "Should he stand still, I ask you stand by him and lend him a hand… as his friend… and as his brother. Please, take care of my son."
Ignis remembered stretching out his hand, and the kid taking it between his. His shy demeanor turned into a bright smile and, from that day on, they were inseparable. The now adult retainer couldn't help a slight, sad smile remembering how Noctis behaved very much like a rowdy little brother, and how many times Ignis had to cover up for the young prince's mischief. Except for that one time when little Iris got lost.
He would have wanted to keep protecting his King a bit longer. Ignis wasn't a man prone to fantasize, since the only things which really mattered to him were facts and the present moment. However, he sometimes envisioned a future where King Noctis reigned alongside Queen Lunafreya, and Ignis would be always one step behind His Majesty, yet one step ahead in terms of planning, until Noctis was old enough to retire and surrender the Crown and the Ring to his heir.
Now Lady Lunafreya had been murdered, something Ignis dreaded to disclose to Noctis. Prompto and Gladio seemed to hold up well, but he had heard the strain in the Shield's voice the few times they could talk. Now, the Ring was safe but, what course of action would be the correct one?
Finally, one morning, Noctis woke up, and Ignis had to deliver the grim news. The king took them rather poorly, as was expected. The retainer left him some time to, at least, try to come to terms with the new situation, and then Ignis would visit him again: There was something the retainer had been mulling over while Noctis was asleep.
"How are you feeling?" he asked when he entered the room, later that day.
The king answered with a half-hearted grunt. Tears had given way to bad-temperedness.
Ignis walked slowly until his feet bumped into a stool, where he sat.
"Noct. Perhaps it might be best if we brought our journey to a close."
"Why?" suddenly Noctis didn't sound lethargic anymore, but anxious.
"It's just that…" he sighed wearily. "We've already lost so much. Too much."
"Are you kidding me? That's exactly why I have to keep going… because if I give up now, their sacrifices would have been for nothing! And you… you, of all people… You should know better than anyone."
He couldn't see Noctis, and he noticed his voice sounded as if it was about to crack, yet the young man could control himself. The boy had taken many blows, but he was still the King.
Slowly, Ignis got up and walked to the door.
"The decision in yours and yours alone. But do remember we will stand with you always." And yet, his own voice sounded seemed to Ignis as drained and belonging to a much older man. "And help you bear your burdens. Don't be afraid to let us share the load."