Chapter 1

Beautiful Stranger

"Looks like this isn't my lucky day."

"To our listeners out there, please remember to drink a lot of water while you're out and about. Stay hydrated and stay out of the sun if you can. Although temperatures are expected to gradually drop, it'll only be for just a few degrees and will remain well above average. We had some breezy days this week, a much welcomed relief to all, I'm sure, but don't take that for granted or you'll risk getting a heatstroke—"

From inside the tackle shop, the radio announcer's voice faded into static noise, the volume dipping and spiking as Bert the shop owner turned the frequency knob on his old radio in search for a more entertaining station. The static was then taken over by an old classic song that sounded familiar to Noct's ears. It was the money song Prompto liked to sing whenever he was feeling confident taking down beasts while on hunts.

The song mingled together with Noct's soft sigh as he stood at the very edge of the pier built on the Vesperpool's east bank, his fishing rod warm and damp in his sweaty hands, his eyes roaming around the still water, hoping to catch a glimpse of tonight's potential dinner.

"Come on…"

The fish really weren't biting today.

Noct had been camping on the pier since morning in his mission to catch something big for Ignis to cook tonight, but it seemed it was all for nothing. It was already an hour past noon and he hadn't even caught a single fish. This was just absurd.

He had woken up extra early for this too, eagerly getting his sleepy ass to the fishing pier while pointedly ignoring Ignis's mildly surprised gaze as he sipped his coffee. Noct hardly looked in Gladio's way, knowing there'd be a barely concealed smirk on his face as he did his morning push-ups.

Noct grumbled, sitting himself down on the pier. He dropped the fishing rod at his side, groaning in disappointment as he stared at the mirror-like water with some contempt.

Where the hell are the damn fish?

Sweat rolled down his back and the sides of his face as the sun beat down on him. He took his jacket off with a huff, feeling suffocated by the dark garment and dumped it to the side along with his tackle box, his red-soled boots and fingerless glove that he had taken off earlier.

That man on the radio was right on the money about how hot it was these days.

The past couple of weeks were hell, literally. Being anywhere not inside an air-conditioned building was like being in a furnace, and that didn't help Noct and his friends one bit with their hunts. Running around the terrain stalking deadly beasts, trying not to get clawed or ravaged to shreds while also trying to kill them in the sweltering heat was a whole new level of nightmare.

Noct had almost cried in gratitude when Ignis suggested that they put a hold on their hunting activities until the weather turned a little cooler. He'd been on the verge of fainting from the scorching heat during one of their hunts last week, and truthfully, he didn't think he could will himself to stay on his feet for the next rounds if they had kept going. Gladio would never let him hear the end of it if he had passed out while hunting some damn saberclaws.

And he knew he wasn't the only one who was glad to take a break from the hunts. Prompto had actually fainted when they were out hunting sahagins a few days ago. And boy did he get an earful from Gladio for being 'defeated by the heat' and getting reminded aggravatingly by Ignis to drink some water every few seconds.

Now that he thought about it, where the hell was Prompto? He'd wanted to tag along to the pier when Noct had bumped into him while he was out on his morning run earlier.

"Wow, Noct. Rare to see your royal face gracing the morning this early. Going fishing?" Prompto had asked when he was done rubbing the surprise out of his eyes and was sure he wasn't hallucinating Noct standing in front of him.

"Yeah. Wanna come?"

"Sure. Been thinking about snapping some wildlife at the lake anyways. Hope it's gonna be cooler today."

That was hours ago when the sun was still shyly peeking from below the horizon and the sky seemed to be a little cloudy. Noct had thought it was going to be a cooler day like Prompto had hoped. But he was dead wrong.

He looked up at the clear bright sky where the sun had already travelled past its zenith, no clouds whatsoever in sight. He then turned around to look behind him, his blue eyes searching past the little dirt path beyond Bert's tackle shop and up the slope where clusters of huge rocks dotted the landscape.

Except for the chirping birds and the sound of the radio drifting out from the shop, the pier was quiet and deserted.

He squinted a little, peering at the brown curtains of swaying dead leaves hanging from the towering trees, at the stalky, leafy green palms, at the yellowing tips of the forest ferns wavering softly in the mild breeze. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of blond amidst the greenery but Prompto was nowhere to be seen.

It was around ten in the morning or so when Prompto had tapped him on the shoulder saying he was going to take some pictures somewhere a little further away and that he'd return to the pier around noon. But it was already well past noon, and he wasn't anywhere nearby.

"Don't tell me he fainted somewhere…"

Noct tugged at the collar of his damp t-shirt, flapping it swiftly to cool himself down as he pulled out his phone.

There was a text message from Prompto sent about an hour ago. He must have been too busy being angry at the lake that he didn't notice the beep when the message had come in. He tapped it open.

"Dude, sorry. I know I said I'll come back before noon but I kinda lost track of time taking photos over here. The place is so damn pretty I gotta take as many shots as I could, you know? Anywaaays… let's just meet up at camp, okay? Be sure to be back before lunch. I really don't wanna hear Ignis lecturing about punctuality while we eat."

Shit.

He'd forgotten he was supposed to be back at camp for lunch. He should hurry. The guys would worry unnecessarily if he didn't show up fast enough. He didn't want to listen to Gladio griping about him being obstinate or Ignis lecturing about punctuality while having lunch, either.

Noct put his phone away, getting ready to pick up his stuff lying about the pier when he caught the sad sight of his empty fishing bucket.

I've been fishing since morning but have absolutely nothing to show for it.

This was just great. Another point for Gladio to harp on later. He'd totally have something to say about his empty bucket.

Noct sighed loudly as he ran a hand through his sweaty hair.

"Looks like this isn't my lucky day."

He only realized how eerily quiet his surroundings had become when the sound of his disappointed voice seemed to hang and echo in the air.

The lake was stiller than ever, no ripples of water radiating around the circular lily pads, the white water lilies hardly swaying on their long, slender stems. Even the birds and bugs usually perched or buzzing about the logs sticking out of the water were gone.

Noct didn't give it much thought as he opened his tackle box to store away his fishing gears. It was a hot day, after all. Maybe everything was trying to stay out of the sun, including the damn fish.

He glowered at the water bitterly, fighting the sudden urge to just jump into it to see where all the fish were hiding.

But then he realized Bert's radio was silent, too.

"Hey, Bert? Is everything alright in there?" Noct called out over his shoulder, his hands busily removing the lure from his fishing rod.

Bert usually had his radio on all the time to stave off boredom, switching it off only when he had to leave the shop to attend to other things. But Noct didn't think he heard him leave. Bert would usually say something to him if he was stepping out for a while.

"Bert?"

The shop owner didn't answer but there were footsteps coming up from behind him, loud and distinct on the old wooden pier, the stride measured and even.

Noct turned around to look and immediately stopped whatever he was doing upon seeing who it was coming up to him.

It was a tall woman in a grey button down sundress, a dark wide-brimmed sunhat positioned fashionably on her head, the clack of her black heeled sandals was the only sound breaking the silence as she approached Noct.

Noct stood still, entranced by the woman's gaze on him, her striking amber eyes seemed to glow in the shade of her sunhat like a cat's, her wavy burgundy hair shone in the sun, cascading softly over her slender shoulders. In her right hand was a small leather suitcase; black, shabby and peculiar. It was at odds with the woman's prim and pristine appearance.

She was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful people Noct had laid eyes on.

He could tell just from the way she looked and carried herself that she was someone sophisticated and refined, a woman of elegance and grace, one who was much older than him, probably in her mid or late thirties. Curiously though, she reminded him of enchantresses in old fairytales Ignis used to read to him when he was little.

The woman stopped just about an arm away from him, her red-stained lips parting to reveal pearly white teeth.

"Hello, there," she greeted with a smile that sent Noct's heart fluttering a little, her deep musical voice ringing clear in his ears.

"H-hi…" he mumbled uncertainly, his eyes darting here and there avoiding eye contact, his clammy hand absentmindedly went to rub the back of his neck.

From under the fringes of his hair, Noct eyed the woman as discreetly as he could.

This… was strange. This woman was strange.

What was she doing out here at the Vesperpool? She looked so out of place standing there on the dirty old pier in her pretty sundress and sunhat. And what's with that little suitcase? Was she on a damn vacation or something? Sure, the Vesperpool was beautiful and scenic and all that but it was no place for a luxurious holiday. The only people Noct had seen hanging around the place were anglers and hunters, not exquisite holidaymakers.

He shifted on his bare feet, strangely feeling a little self-conscious about his sweaty appearance. He was all sticky and gross. He was a prince, but at the moment he couldn't help feeling like a peasant having an audience with a queen. Why couldn't this lady show up when he was showered and refreshed, looking smart in his three-piece suit?

"Uh, can I help you?" he asked after some deliberate throat-clearing.

The woman's perpetual smile widened at his query.

"Certainly, if you have time to spare."

Time to spare? Like hell I have any.

He was supposed to be back at camp right about now eating lunch. But he couldn't be rude to a lady by refusing to help her, right? Maybe she was lost or something and needed to find her way out of the Vesperpool. He couldn't just leave her there. Besides, he was technically king. He should help his subjects when they were in trouble.

"Yeah, I have time to spare," he lied, an awkward smile plastered on his face. "What can I help you with?"

The woman took a few more steps towards Noct, erasing the gap between them, the scent of her heady perfume wafting about him. It was ingratiatingly sweet and intoxicating. It made Noct feel slightly giddy and light-headed, or maybe it was just the heat.

The woman caught Noct's wavering gaze on her, those amber eyes leaving him feeling unsettled, like there was something creeping along the inside walls of his stomach, just the way the woman's long fingers were carding through her hair.

Noct unconsciously took a nervous step backwards and started flailing for balance when his foot stepped onto nothing but air, his body already halfway off the edge of the pier. Just as he thought he was going to royally embarrass himself by falling into the water in front of this beautiful lady, Noct felt a cool hand wrapped around his wrist and was pulled away from the edge.

"Careful, now. You don't want to get yourself wet, do you?" the woman cautioned with a wry smile.

Noct's face was a furious shade of red. He was too mortified to even look at the woman.

Great job, Mr Calm-and-Collected.

"Sorry. Guess the heat's getting to me," he mumbled. It was maybe partially true because his head was starting to throb and spin a little, his skin suddenly too warm.

The cadence of soft laughter coming out of the woman's mouth couldn't be any sweeter. She was laughing at him, but not unkindly.

Is it weird to be captivated by someone's laughter like this?

Probably yes, but Noct didn't care. He smiled sheepishly, somehow enchanted by her mirth. He was feeling a little better already. Maybe making a fool of himself in front of such a goddess wasn't so bad.

"So, how can I help you?" he asked.

"Oh, I ask for nothing much. Just lending me an ear will do," the woman purred.

Noct arched an eyebrow. "You just want to talk? I mean, you just want someone to listen to you? O-okay, I can do that."

"That's wonderful. Thank you, young man."

The woman smoothed down her sundress before proceeding to sit on her folded legs. Noct was mildly surprised that she wasn't bothered by the dirt-covered pier. He followed suit out of awkwardness and settled himself next to her, making sure there was a wide enough space in between them.

"Nice weather, isn't it?" the woman said, tipping back her sunhat to look at the sky.

Noct shot her an incredulous look as his head started to throb again.

Nice? The weather is hell.

"Yeah. In a way, I guess," was what he said instead.

He tried not to squirm when the woman's disconcerting gaze settled on him.

"Let me guess, you are an avid angler," she said after taking in the fishing bucket and tackle box on the pier.

She continued to study Noct, tilting her head this way and that to get a better look at him. Her eyes roamed his face, then slowly travelled down to his shoulders, his well-built arms and chest, and then to his callused hands.

This time, Noct did squirm. He felt so uncomfortable being appraised like that, like he was some kind of display in an exhibition.

"You are of slight build, but your body is strong. Are you perhaps a hunter instead?"

Noct breathed out a small sigh of relief when the woman finally looked away. He really didn't like the way her eyes were studying him.

"Can't I be both?"

The woman clasped her hands in delight as if that was the most incredible thing she'd ever heard.

"That's marvelous! A hunter who fishes. My nephew would love to be you."

"Your nephew?"

"Yes, my nephew. I'm actually on my way to Lestallum to visit him. Haven't seen him in years. It must have been over a decade now. He was just a wee little boy when I last saw him," the woman said with a faraway look in her eyes.

"You must be excited to see him."

"Oh, very!" she said. "He would be around your age now, I think. He loved fishing. He was always telling me how he was going to catch the legendary Liege of the Lake here at the Vesperpool. He admired the hunters, too. He once told me he couldn't wait to grow up and become a hunter who fishes because hunters are 'so cool and strong' and 'fish are the best.'" She laughed, the peals echoing throughout the pier.

"But poor boy, he got into an accident one day and hurt his back. He was already a frail boy to begin with, but that back injury cost him to give up a lot of things, including his dream to become a hunter."

Noct blinked, suddenly feeling the old scar on his back prickling. This tale sounded familiar, something that he could definitely relate to.

"Is… he okay now?"

"Oh, he is fine and dandy from what I hear, running around doing whatever boys your age do. Nothing to worry about."

Noct smiled, feeling somewhat glad. "That's good to know."

"I cannot wait to see how much he has grown. I even got him a present, you see," the woman said, placing a delicate hand on her shabby suitcase sitting at her side. "But I am worried that it might not be to his liking."

Noct frowned, glancing at the suitcase. "I'm sure he'd be happy with anything you got him."

"Oh, I don't know…" she said softly. "I haven't seen him in so long. I don't know his likes and dislikes anymore. I just hope he doesn't find my gift… distasteful."

Noct's frown creased even deeper.

Distasteful? What's that supposed to mean?

"What did you get him, if you don't mind me asking?"

The woman caressed the suitcase like it was a lovable pet.

"Oh, it is a game of sorts."

"A game? What kind?"

Noct must have blinked a tad longer than usual because there in the woman's hand was suddenly something he didn't think she had anywhere to keep on her person before, like she had conjured it out of thin air.

She was holding a strip of something sleek, straight and black, like a ruler wrapped in leather the span of Noct's forearm.

She brandished it like a sword, the leather-like material glancing off the midday sun.

"Have you ever had the privilege of playing with this, young man?" she asked.

"What is tha—"

Noct almost jumped out of his skin when the woman slapped the strip of band onto his unsuspecting wrist with a loud thwack, and in a flash, the band curled, wrapping itself possessively tight around his wrist.

He stared at it, bewildered.

"A… slap bracelet?"

He remembered these things.

There was a time when he was in elementary school where these slap bracelets were a fad. The kids in his school would slap each other on the wrist, on the ankle, on the neck even, just for the heck of it. It was fun too, watching the teachers being driven up the wall from the thwacking sounds coming from the back of the class every few minutes. But none of the kids had ever slapped Noct with those ubiquitous bracelets. He was the Prince of Lucis. Who would dare slap King Regis's precious son with anything?

Noct had wanted one so badly.

He remembered begging his governess to get him the bracelet only to be told he wasn't allowed to play with such a dangerous toy. He didn't understand what was so dangerous about it. One evening, Ignis had strolled into his room and slapped him with one on the wrist, and he was shocked to find that he didn't like it, at all.

He didn't like the sensation of something so innocuous suddenly wrapping itself around his wrist so tightly, like a little venomous snake squeezing itself around its prey. He never begged for a slap bracelet again after that.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" the woman said as if reading Noct's mind.

She unwrapped the band from his wrist and let it stay curled in her palm.

"The gift for my nephew is something like this, but better, of course."

Noct stared at the curled black band, his heart still racing from being caught so off-guard by it.

What? Did she get her nephew a premium slap bracelet or something?

He wondered how old this nephew of hers really was. She did say he was about his age, and to still be interested in a piece of bendable steel at twenty was a little strange.

To each his own, I guess. Maybe he's big for nostalgia.

"Do you care to see it?" the woman asked, swiftly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked at Noct expectantly.

Noct didn't want to see it. But he felt like he was obliged to say yes.

"Uh, sure," he said without much excitement.

The woman lifted her suitcase and placed it in between them. She unlatched the two tarnished brass clasps with a couple of clicks and opened the lid.

Unlike the outer appearance of the suitcase, its inside was like new, the scarlet velvet lining shone in the noon sun.

Noct had expected to see clothes and other relevant necessities in it, but none of that was in sight. Instead of one big rectangular space, the suitcase was divided into ten square compartments, each filled with some kind of black material somewhat similar to the slap bracelet, all coiled tightly like little whirlpools in a sea of red.

"You're giving your nephew ten slap bracelets?" Noct couldn't help blurting that out.

"Oh, what are you saying, young man? I am not so unimaginative as to gift my dear nephew such pedestrian presents," the woman chided.

She stroked one of the black swirls in the suitcase lovingly.

"At a mere glance, these may look like ordinary leather bands. But you see," she picked one out from its compartment and started to uncurl it until it had straightened out to its full length of about three feet. It remained stiff and rigid in her grasp.

"This is more than just a toy of flexible steel. This may look like a strip of steel wrapped in leather, but really, it is made of special metal, able to bend, twist, wrap, coil and warp all at just a mere touch. It is like the metal is aware and alive, if you will."

Noct stared at the black band dubiously.

He realized it was not the same as the slap bracelet that had encircled his wrist earlier. That was obviously a toy, a leather-wrapped bendable steel. But this, this was something else. It looked like a strip of hardened liquid metal. It was wider than the slap bracelet, about four times the width of his thumb, and half as thick as his little finger.

It didn't strike him as something he would label as exciting, though. It was just a piece of steel. Like, even if it could change its shape or form or whatever the hell it was at will, what was so special about that? What would one do with such a mundane thing?

"I've never heard of a metal that behaves like that," Noct admitted, trying to sound interested.

"Oh, of course you haven't. It is a new invention of mine, after all."

Noct looked up at the woman, a little surprised.

"You invented this?"

"Why, yes. Is that hard to believe?"

Noct quickly shook his head, his hand rubbing the side of his neck.

"No… It's just…"

He stared at the rest of the coiled bands in the compartments. They all looked the same as the one in the woman's hand; same length, same thickness, same width, except for one.

The band in the top-most right compartment was only half the width and length of the rest, and it was actually two bands connected by a black tube about as thick as the handle of Noct's fishing rod and half as long as his hand. He almost missed it, but on one end of the band, there was a small black button barely raised from the surface of the band. It almost looked like it wasn't even there. On the end of the other half of the band, there were two thin metal tines protruding from inside the band like a two-pronged plug.

Noct swallowed. He didn't like the look of that thing.

He sneaked a glance at the black band in the woman's hand and warily eyed the rest still coiled in their little crimson squares. As he had suspected, they all had the small black button and those prongs at their ends like the one with the black tube. Those things didn't look like they were there just for decoration.

He didn't know why but he was starting to feel uneasy.

Noct shuddered when he felt something smooth and cool touched his skin. The woman had tapped his wrist lightly with the straightened band she was holding.

Like a live black snake, the band began to stir and writhe, somehow turning into a state of semi-liquid and solid gel, behaving like it was conscious and alive as it wrapped itself around Noct's wrist, adjusting its length until it was short enough to slot its two-pronged end perfectly into the two designated holes of the other end.

Within two seconds, the band had secured itself tightly around Noct's wrist. Any tighter, it would certainly cut off his blood circulation.

"What the hell?" Noct cried in a little panic, clawing at the band frantically. "Get it off me!"

He tried to find the groove, the line where the two ends of the bands connected. He wanted to tear the black thing off his wrist so badly. His skin had crawled watching how the metal changed its form. It reminded him so much of a black snake and a black slug both at the same time, slimy and writhing and nauseating. He didn't like that the band seemed to be alive and had a mind of its own.

"Hey, how do you get this thing off?" he demanded when he couldn't find the spot where the prongs had connected. Strangely enough, the whole surface of the band was smooth. He couldn't even see where the black button was. "Do I press the button? But where is it?"

Unperturbed by Noct's apparent discomfort, the woman took her time admiring the black band encircling his wrist for several long seconds, a big proud smile on her red lips.

"Ah, perfect," she said with satisfaction.

She took Noct's hand in hers and pointed to a spot on the band. After a few moments of staring, Noct realized that the black button was there. It was really hard to see.

The woman pressed the button and in an instant, the band came undone, the two prongs unplugging themselves from the other end and Noct felt blood rushing back through his veins. By the time the band hit the pier, it had already returned to its original length, neatly coiled and ready to be stored back into the suitcase.

"Impressive, isn't it? It contracts, expands, lengthens and shortens accordingly for a snug, firm fit, and it becomes seamless once the ends are connected. The only thing that indicates where the ends meet is the small black button."

Warily, Noct watched the woman pick up the coiled band and replacing it into the suitcase.

He wasn't impressed by the whole thing at all.

He eyed the band with the black tube again, the feeling of uneasiness getting stronger. He really didn't like the look of it, or any of the bands, for that matter.

"What are these things?" he asked, the disgust in his voice barely concealed.

Playing with these creepy bands is supposed to be fun?

As if reading his mind again, the woman said, "These are devices for a game. But having them wrapped around you without doing anything else wouldn't be as fun as when the element of danger is added to them."

Noct stared at the woman, unsure of her meaning.

"Element of danger?"

"Yes, my dear. It wouldn't be fun without a little bit of pain. Like the shocking zaps of electricity running through your whole body."

The woman raised a hand to cup Noct's cheek, her movement so swift he didn't have time to dodge her. Somehow, his head had started throbbing again.

Noct backed away from the woman, shaking his head slightly. His body was starting to feel numb and heavy. He should have realized this sooner, but it had only occurred to him that this woman might not be as harmless as he had initially thought.

"What do you mean?" he asked, voice hoarse.

The woman smiled sweetly at him, a smile that chilled Noct to the bone.

He was starting to regret ever talking to her.

"You will find out soon, Prince Noctis."

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Next chapter:

Breathing Corpse

"I really hope it's you in there."