BOOK 2: THE TALE OF THE CHOSEN KING

CHAPTER 21 – IN THE DARK

"Feels good to ride the rails," said Ignis, lightly patting the table they were sitting at. They were waiting for their companions at the dining car.

"Sure does."

"Eager to drive once we're in Gralea?"

"If they'll let me."

"We're fortunate to have the Regalia at all. We owe the first secretary our thanks."

"She'd get more thanks if she gave us a discount."

"Those transceivers are top-notch," his retainer pointer out. "I recall when the Hydraean raged… In the midst of the empire's retreat, one conspicuous craft remained behind: the chancellor's. The last thing I remember seeing was his ship, heading for the altar. I… fell unconscious… and was powerless to stop him."

"I'm just glad you're alive," Noctis sighed.

"Is someone else there?" Ignis turned slightly to his side. He seemed too eager to change the subject, but Noctis guessed that losing his sight wasn't something he would want to discuss.

"Gladio… he just came back. Where did he go anyway?"

"On a brief reconnaissance. Something caught my ear."

"Hey captain, mission complete," the Shield announced, coming to sit with them at their table.

"Splendid."

"So what caught your ear?"

"Rumors of longer nights."

"They've been growing longer, day by day," Gladio exposed.

"There was talk of it back in Lucis, but recent days have shown an unseasonably sharp change. Should this trend continue, before long…"

"There won't be daylight," Noctis finished the sentence for him.

"Well, it's not out of the question. The empire's already slain half of the Six," Gladio mused. "No wonder the whole world's in disarray."

"I… guess."

"And longer nights mean more daemons," Ignis pointed out.

"Seen that with our own eyes."

"I happened to overhear a fellow passenger discussing this very same phenomenon," Ignis admitted.

"So he sent yours truly to seek 'em out."

"Nice police work," the king complimented them.

"Well, don't wanna keep 'em waiting," Gladio said as a signal to Ignis.

"No, we don't," the retainer stood up, following the Shield. "Back in a moment."

"Sure."

The landscape had changed slowly, and now Noctis was gazing at green pastures and snowy mountains beyond. Then suddenly the pasture turned ashen grey and the mountains were almost obscured by electricity towers, wire fences and what looked like a power plant. Beyond the power plant there were countless buildings, but even at that distance one could see they were half dilapidated. However, what really caught his attention was the gigantic storm over and beyond the mountains. It looked like a wall of solidified clouds, reaching to each side of the mountain range.

He heard someone running and then skidding to stop behind him.

"Whoa! There you are, buddy! Did you see this? It's unreal!" Prompto exclaimed.

"Yeah. Doesn't make any sense."

Noctis felt something weird at that moment. It was as if something tugged at his insides, like when he was about to initiate a warping. He looked around and sprung up from his seat. Prompto was nowhere to be seen.

The train seemed to be slowing down, but they still hadn't reached the station. The other passengers didn't move, didn't budge from where they were. Conversations had been cut, and the bartender seemed frozen as he gazed at something beyond the windows. In fact, several passengers were already raising their arms to protect themselves. Something was coming from the left side of the train, but he couldn't see what it was.

"What's going on?"

"It's a real mystery," said a voice behind him.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He had come to know and hate that voice.

He spun on his heels. There he was, smiling as if nothing was happening.

"I'm not liking that snow cloud," Ardyn said casually, not budging when Noctis stomped his way towards him. "Kind of gives me the chills. Like, who comes up with this stuff?"

Noctis threw a punch at him, but the chancellor dodged his fist.

"Whoa, what's going on!?"

"What are you doing here?" Noctis barked.

"Easy there, buddy." Ardyn let go a sigh of relief at seeing that his face was still intact. "Didn't see that coming. You all right?"

This time he would hit that smarmy imperial, Noctis thought, forget the passengers being scared of weapons. He summoned his sword and swung at the chancellor.

"Shut up!"

"Be careful there!" Ardyn screamed, then his eyes widened in fear. "Wait… is this for real?"

He turned tail and ran away. That cowardly scoundrel!

Noctis reached the sleeping car just in time to see Ardyn skidding to a stop and hiding in one of the cubicles. The king tore open the compartment's door.

"Show yourself!"

It was empty.

"Uh… Noct?"

He threw a punch to the voice behind him but his fist swung through thin air.

"That son of a bitch…" he growled.

Noctis resumed his pursuit. Ardyn was at the end of the next car, looking as scared as before.

"C'mon, Noct. You're scaring me!" The chancellor kept talking as he ran away. "Seriously man, cut it out! It's not safe. Plus, you're causing a scene."

"You think this is funny!?" Noctis yelled, swinging at him with his blade.

"Dude, are you seriously trying to kill me!?"

"Why wouldn't I!?"

He had finally backed the chancellor into a corner. They were in the first car and the access to the engine was closed.

"What're you after, following me around this whole time? It's all YOUR fault…" Wrath choked the words on his throat. Furious, Noctis slammed Ardyn against the wall, pressing his forearm against the other's throat.

"What are you talking about? Do you really mean that, Noct?" The chancellor pleaded. Why that saddened expression? What was he trying to do? Did he think that Noctis would take pity on him?

"Of course I do!" The king yelled. "You can't talk your way out of this!"

"You won't even let me!" Ardyn protested. "Noct, please. Can't we talk for a sec?"

"Never."

At that moment the train lurched as if it had started moving again. Noctis lost his balance and fell on his back, hitting his head and blacking out.

xxxxXX-0-XXxxxx

Someone shook him.

"Noct! Are you okay?"

It was Prompto. Noctis sat up with a jump.

"No," he gasped. "Where's Ardyn?"

"Wait… he's here?" his friend asked in astonishment. "If he is, that would explain all this weird stuff happening. I bet he's behind the train stopping. Ignis and Gladio went up to inspect the engine room. I say the two of us go check out the rear."

As Prompto said, the train had stopped and all passengers tried to see through the windows what was happening. Some started to panic already, fearing an ambush from imperial soldiers.

The two of them hurried to the back car. An explosion shook the train, cracking the glass on the windows.

"Did they bomb us?" Prompto yelled, covering his head as he ran. "Noct, we have to protect the people!"

Reaching the sleeping car, they were knocked aside by a group of passengers fleeing in panic. A MT axeman had crashed through the window and was taking aim towards whoever was near. Noctis defeated it with ease, but if the soldier cornered a civilian, they wouldn't stand a chance.

"So much for a safe ride," Prompto quipped. "More of'em might be on board. Let's check the rear!"

"We need to get the train moving again."

"I'm sure Ignis and Gladio will come up with something."

"Hope so. Let's go."

They kept running while they heard the enemy shooting at the train. This time crystal shards flew everywhere with the shockwave, and they could heard gunshots already hitting the cars. When they were reaching the last one, an explosion blew up part of the wall, sending Noctis to the floor. They realized it hadn't been a missile.

"Crap," Prompto swore. "The MTs can self-destruct."

They were trying to blow up the entire train. Surely after the first attack had knocked Noctis out, Ardyn had gotten off and sent the army to get them, without caring about the civilians.

Only Prompto and Noctis could fight that time, with the other two busy trying to get the engine working again. It wasn't especially complicated, but the self-destructing soldiers were a first for them. Prompto fought valiantly this time instead of cowering at one side of the battlefield. Maybe having a whole train of innocent people to protect had spurred him on.

When they thought they had the upper hand, tanks showed up. While Prompto kept the bombing MTs at bay, Noctis had to deal with the bigger fishes. Thankfully, when Noctis was dealing with the last tank, the train started moving again.

"C'mon," Prompto yelled from the freight wagon. "We're leaving."

He warped to the roof of the rear car, only to discover that they had sent assault crafts full of MTs to board the train. Noctis warped towards them, destroying as many as he could, but he was tiring out. When he dealt with the last one, he returned to the train's roof, to see Ardyn holding Prompto at gunpoint.

Noctis reacted on instinct. Swinging his sword, he knocked the gun from Ardyn's grasp. A second swing and he unbalanced the man out of the roof and into the rails.

It was Ardyn falling off the car's roof one second and, in the next, Prompto flailed his arms desperately as he fell with a shrill scream.

Noctis' blood ran cold. What was happening?

"How long were you in the dark?" Ardyn asked behind him.

Before the king could turn around, the chancellor hit him in the base of his neck, knocking him out.