Greetings Everyone! Here's another chapter for ya. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading.

Ardyn sashayed down the path, lantern still in one hand, sword in the other, daring Mystios to make his move. And Ardyn had no doubt he would. Mystios may have failed to garrote him, but he would come up with another tactic to try again. Mystios wasn't about to hit him head on. The man used stealth ambushes to get what he wanted.

Some would call that cowardly, but to Ardyn, he couldn't fault the approach in battle. If someone had to be killed, the methods didn't matter. And indeed, getting somebody from behind without a fuss was so much easier than a drawn-out battle. Still, Ardyn had no intention of being ambushed.

Mystios may have speed, silence, stealth, and parkour, but Ardyn could match him with speed. His earlier skirmish had proved it. The mercenary would not find him an easy mark, even if he could hide where Ardyn couldn't.

There was no point in hiding. Mystios knew where Ardyn was going. Ardyn would follow the path that would no doubt lead to Reynardo, and Eostre. And once he tracked them down, Reynardo was dead. As for Eostre, well, Ardyn was torn by unease and annoyance. If she hadn't been so foolish as to leave Lux's side in the first place, she would have been safe and alert in the Levelle. If she had deigned to listen to him for once, none of this would have happened.

When he finally caught up with her, he wasn't sure if he wanted to take her into his arms to comfort her and reassure himself that she was ok; or if he wanted to tear her apart for her idiocy.

She owed him big time for this, his dark inner voice stated. As to what she owed, or how he would extract payment, was still an open question though. He pointedly ignored thinking about it.

It was amazing what the power of suggestion could do, Ardyn thought ironically. Even if he hadn't believed Weskham's assertions that this island was cursed due to its past, he still felt as though he were being watched. Well, he no doubt was being watched by Mystios, but it was a different sort of feeling he was experiencing as he strode down the path.

It felt like the dark forest surrounding him was closing in, oozing towards him, intent on killing him more thoroughly than Mystios ever could. In fact, the forest was moving. Hadn't the trees been farther from the path the last time he looked?

He waved his lantern towards one edge of the path and watched the linear boundary where the paved path met the grass. Yes, the tree trunks were indeed encroaching. The path was becoming narrower, and the trees were closing in.

He didn't know how it was happening, but he knew what he was seeing. He had dabbled a little bit with it himself a year or so ago when he had set up his little stage set for Noctis in the throne room before their final battle. Displaying Luna, Nyx, and Regis's bodies hanging from the ceiling had been all he could accomplish though—merely as an extension of his shapeshifting abilities.

He could not manipulate the entire environment around him like he was seeing now. If he could have, he could have made his fighting arena with Noctis something much more epic than the night-shrouded streets of Insomnia it had been. This encroaching illusory forest was something else entirely.

It didn't take much to guess who was pulling the strings. The conclusion clicked in his brain the second before Mystios warped from the shadows, dagger out and ready to strike. Ardyn parried the blow and leaped out of range.

"Well, done, Mystios. It appears you can generate illusions. You are truly a master ninja."

"Yes," Mystios replied emotionlessly. "You are indeed trapped in my illusion. I am in control of everything at the moment. You will not escape it alive."

The flat tones, devoid of pride, triumph or regret seemed to echo all around Ardyn. He couldn't pinpoint where Mystios's voice was coming from. Mystios was not taunting or gloating. Everything he was saying was a cold hard fact, in Mystios's eyes anyway.

Ardyn grunted as he felt a sharp pain in his back, the dull clink as the weapon hit the ground informing him that it had been a shuriken. Yet, he could see Mystios's shadowy form in front of him. Ardyn lunged to take the offensive, aiming to strike Mystios head on. Ardyn felt the dagger give way before his blade as he struck—air. Mystios's form was suddenly gone.

It too had been an illusion. Ardyn grunted in pain as another shuriken struck him in the shoulder from behind. Now this was getting annoying. Those things better not be poisoned, he thought with a flash of unease. Even as he took stock to see if he felt anything, unusual around where he had been hit, he felt the rush of air of another one approaching. He twisted aside, observing the shuriken flying past him to land into one of the approaching tree trunks. The tree disappeared after impact, "popping" out of existence just as Mystios's form had.

"Was the moving tree effect really necessary," Ardyn taunted. "If you had picked something realistic, I never would have known I was trapped."

"How did you know," Mystios called out, again voice thrown so Ardyn could not tell where it was coming from. "This forest is close enough to the real thing that you shouldn't have figured it out so soon."

"I'm not about to reveal my secrets to you," Ardyn replied smugly.

"No matter, you will be dead all the same," Mystios growled again.

Ardyn felt the rush of air above him this time. He rose his sword above his head, only to feel it bend with the weight of a person. Mystios was attempting to drop down to attack Ardyn from above. Ardyn struck upward with all his might, just be rewarded with Mystios disappearing yet again. This was evidently not his true form either.

Curse his own mortality, Ardyn thought in frustration. Had he been immortal, how fun this little game would have been. Instead, he found himself at the mercenary's mercy. And Mystios evidently knew it. The little swipes with the shurikens told Ardyn that. If he had really wanted Ardyn dead right away, Mystios would have tossed kunai instead of those little toys. A kunai hitting his back and shoulder would have caused much more serious injury.

Mystios was toying with him, knowing he had the upper hand. And Ardyn hated it. Ardyn was used to being the big fish in the big pond, and here he was, nothing but a minnow in Mystios's puddle. He had to even the odds somehow.

How far did Mystios's little illusion go, Ardyn wondered. Mystios couldn't control everything. He had to have a fixed diameter around himself that he could manipulate things. If Ardyn could break past that barrier, he could escape and become the ambusher.

He had been sticking to the path simply because those oozing trees were unknown quantities. It was also hemming him into Mystios's kill zone too much. Ardyn switched to his dagger, a much more subtle weapon, and stabbed the trees within the path itself (the ones he was reasonably sure were illusions). They disappeared the instant he stabbed them, just as the one previously struck by the shuriken had. There, he thought—that was the difference between real and fake in this arena.

It was time to see how well Mystios could handle the forest. Ardyn slipped into the shadows of the trees, poking each one to see if it "popped" out of existence. As soon as he found one that didn't yield, he knew he had a real tree. He put his back against it gratefully. If nothing else, at least he couldn't be attacked from behind at this point.

The forest was pitch dark. He had lost his lantern long ago. However, darkness (if it were real) would serve his purpose better. He made his way forward (at least according to his best guess), continuing to poke trees. It seemed as though the mix between real and fake trees was becoming more in favor of real. His diameter theory seemed to be correct, and his distance from Mystios was increasing.

Just when he thought he was clear of the illusion, the shadowy forms appeared. Ardyn noticed the red glowing eyes surrounding him.

"Conjuring up horrors now, Mystios," Ardyn taunted, only for the forms to begin hissing.

The hissing was emanating from the forms themselves, Ardyn noticed. The sounds didn't have the "unable to pinpoint" nature that Mystios had had on his illusory forms. He felt ice trickle down his spine as he realized these beings were not illusions.

"Ah, my apologies. You are indeed real," he stated affably to the advancing horrors.

"Tressspasssser," they all hissed in unison.

"Indeed, I am. And I apologize for that," Ardyn said smoothly, back in his Chancellor political mode. It didn't matter if he was speaking to humans, creatures, or monsters—any could be negotiated with if you knew and had what they wanted. "Indeed, I'd like nothing better than to leave you all to, whatever you were doing. However, I was pursued into this forest. If you can assist me, er, handle the pursuer, I will be out of your hair."

"Get out," the shadows demanded again. They were mere feet away from Ardyn now, so close that Ardyn could reach out and touch them if he wanted to.

"Do you expect me to cower in fear from you," Ardyn demanded. "I am no longer afraid of the dark. 2000 years immersed in it tends to do that to a man. I would like nothing better than to leave here, however, I do not know the way. If you can kindly point it out to me, I will do as you bid me."

The creatures stopped. Ardyn saw the red eyes turn away a second as though looking at each other.

"He, is not afraid of this place," one of the creatures rasped.

The others hissed in agreement.

"He, may be able to defeat the Defiler," another hissed.

"I hesitate to interrupt, but would this, Defiler, be Reynardo by any chance," Ardyn asked.

"Yessss," they all said. "He, took our souls, bound us to this place. He, will do the same to that woman who came before. She, ran from us before we could warn her."

So, they seemed to want to scare people away to protect them, not harm them, Ardyn thought, bemused. Who was the woman they had tried to help? Was she Eostre?

"How long ago did you encounter this woman," Ardyn asked sharply.

"We, don't know. Time has no meaning for us," the creatures replied unhelpfully.

Ardyn made a resigned sigh. "I shall dispose of Reynardo for you, if you kindly direct me to his lair."

The beings looked to each other again, evidently seeking to make some sort of collective decision.

One pair of eyes moved even closer. Despite himself, Ardyn tensed. He could sense the, unnaturalness of the being from this short distance. The red eyes glared into his, as though testing his mettle, or stealing his soul, Arydn couldn't tell which.

"Follow us. Do not use the path. That is walking on our bones," it said, leading the group onward through the woods. One entity always kept its gaze fixed on Ardyn, using the lights of its gaze as a guide for Ardyn to follow.

It appeared his fight with Mystios was, deferred. With his boss dead, Ardyn wondered if Mystios would still want to bother him at all.

Mystios dispelled his illusion. There was no point now. The instant Ardyn had set foot in the "real" woods, he was a goner. The creatures within would either drive him mad or destroy him. He felt a flash of regret for his fallen foe. The foe he had not been able to defeat despite pulling out all the stops.

Well, not all of them. He should have used kunai instead of shurikens on him. Then Ardyn would have been dead. However, Reynardo didn't pay Mystios enough to use his kunai. Shurikens he could make himself—discarded vending machine beverage cans were a handy and readily available source for materials.

Kunai were another story. Shops around here didn't sell them. Only the higher paying gigs were worthy of the stronger weapons, and worth the time and cost of travel to a supplier. Mystios had already wasted one on Ardyn. He wouldn't risk another until he could strike Ardyn at point-blank range. However, Ardyn hadn't let him get close enough.

Mystios shrugged. It looked like the creatures of the woods had taken care of Ardyn for him. While he wanted nothing better than to have done it himself, sometimes shit happened. However, he could still say that he ran Ardyn into the woods to be disposed of by Reynardo's denizens of the woods. That should net him at least some gil from his boss.

Now he just had to make sure Reynardo's client made it through safely. He still thought it was a bad idea, consorting with him, but Reynardo wasn't listening. Despite what Reynardo thought, he'd be no match for the King of Lucis.

Lux huddled gratefully by the fire, the heat doing much to warm him up from his recent dunking in Leviathan's waters. Lux didn't want to think about where he was. He had simply followed the woman named Donatella, the man called Loqi, and their guards through the labyrinthine back streets of Altissia until they reached what seemed to be a brick wall. At least until the woman hit a random brick to reveal a secret doorway.

"So this is how you hide the contraband," Loqi had commented to Donatella. "I take it you have many more like this around the city?"

"What makes you think I will reveal my methods to you," she returned, leading them into the dark space.

With ease of familiarity, one of her guards, or whatever they were, grabbed a lantern, advanced across the room, and lit the fire. Lux and the guard he had accidentally knocked in the water were given the seats closest to it to dry off.

Lux still knew next to nothing about these people. They claimed they were on Ardyn's side, and therefore his, but he wasn't about to trust them. Although, what they had said about Miss Eostre was unsettling. Even more so when they summarized the situation.

"So, let me get this straight: Miss Eostre is on a cursed island, and Ardyn is going to rescue her," he asked his newfound self-identified allies.

"I wouldn't give him too much credit if I were you," Donatella replied. "He is going to, er, beat up the man who took her since I ordered him to for, other reasons. Rescuing her is a bonus."

Lux blinked, knowing bullcrap when he heard it. "You obviously don't know Ardyn very well if you think that of him," he lectured to his captor/companions. "He would travel to the ends of Eos to save her. I know he would. And don't pander to me with this 'beat up' crap. I'm not a kid. I know he's going to kill this guy."

Loqi gazed at Lux with respect. "He got you good, Donatella! You are no doubt Ardyn's son, and have evidently seen more than other, kids—er people your age. I cannot confirm or deny your first assertion. I have no idea why he'd want to bother saving, that woman, but I can confirm your second statement about the true objective."

Donatella merely huffed in annoyance at Loqi's comment.

"So, you don't like Miss Eostre," Lux demanded, detecting the dislike in Loqi's voice when he referenced her. "Is that why you haven't sent any guards to the place yourself? You've got four of them here. Why aren't they there?"

Loqi looked sheepish.

"Out of the mouths of babes," Donatella commented ruefully. "That place is dangerous though. Everyone who has gone there has either not come back or come back, changed. That is why we don't send anybody there."

Lux felt cold thinking about two of the people he cared about being in such a place. "But, you would send Ardyn there," he asked incredulously.

"You know he's a special case," Loqi replied. "If anybody can handle things there, it would be him."

"But, with no backup," Lux stated. "How can you," he broke off, thinking. If Lux was Ardyn's partial clone, and they thought Ardyn could handle that island…

"Nevermind. I'll go and help them out," Lux stated firmly.

Donatella and Loqi looked at each other in horror. "I can't allow that," Loqi blustered, trying to sound firm, but the shock at the comment was still there. "Our job is to protect you, not put you into harm's way."

"Why not? I'm Ardyn's clone after all. If he can handle it, so can I. I won't stand by and let Miss Eostre and Ardyn handle it on their own," Lux replied.

Loqi raked a hand thorough his cropped hair in frustration. "As much as I hate to remind you, the fact remains that, even if your status as a child is in doubt, you are still younger than Ardyn. He has more combat experience than you. I cannot in good conscience allow you to go there. In fact, I have the means and authority to imprison you to prevent it. So, I would advise stepping back from this line of thought immediately."

Loqi's tones were pure arrogance. They were enough to send Lux's earnestness into defiant determination. The innate rebelliousness he had inherited from Ardyn was out in full force. He would warp out of here, escape these guys, and make it to the island his damned, er darned, self.

Donatella made a sharp nod to her guards. All four strode over to the exit to guard it, nipping Lux's plan in the bud.

"I can tell what you're thinking, kid," Donatella commented affably but firmly. "I get that you want to help them, I really do. It's really brave of you to want to try. However, in this case the line between bravery and foolishness is overlapping. It's simply not practical to go haring to their rescue."

Lux's shoulders slumped. Loqi's domineering attitude may have set his teeth on edge, urging him to defy. However, Donatella's mix of compassion and practicality was different. It reminded him of Aranea, his mother, before she had been turned. He suddenly missed his mother something awful. He felt a lump in his throat. Why did things have to be like this?

But then, he was also partially Aranea's clone. He too possessed that practicality. "They might need a ride back," he said after he could trust himself to speak. "If they are injured, they might not be able to row a boat. Even if you can't send guards there to fight can't you at least, send a boat to pick them up?"

"He's right," Donatella said. "I doubt either Ardyn or Mystios got something better than a gondola for the crossing. Motor boats are tougher to come by on short notice these days, thanks to those antipollution laws you put in place," she addressed Loqi.

Loqi rolled his eyes. "Would you prefer to have a canal or an oil slick outside your window," he said scathingly. "Fueled vehicles pollute so need to be properly regulated."

"Your lofty ideals aren't exactly helping now," Donatella returned.

"Fine, I get it. I will take a patrol boat out there,' Loqi said firmly.

"You," Donatella replied in disbelief.

"If there is a danger out there, I'd rather handle it myself than send my subordinates into it," he stated.

"With all due respect, Sir," one of Loqi's guards replied. "The safety of the Captain of the Guards is much more important. From a security perspective, it would be better if you stayed here, and sent us out." He gestured to the other three guards. They didn't appear very enthusiastic about the prospect, or that their comrade had volunteered them.

Loqi looked down his nose at the guard who had spoken. "What rank are you again," he stated with silken menace.

"Er, Sargent Sir," he replied uncomfortably.

"And, what rank am I," Loqi replied leadingly, cold anger palpable.

The guard hung his head. "Forgive me, Sir. I was, impertinent. It will not happen again."

Loqi's demeanor softened by a fraction, a very tiny fraction. "Your concern for the office does you credit. I will note this positively at your next review. However, my orders stand. That being said, if you wish to come along to make certain the office is protected, I shall allow it. However, it is your choice and yours alone. I will not force you into doing this."

The Sargent stood at attention. "It shall be my honor to escort you to the cursed island Sir," he intoned, clicking his feet together to punctuate his duty.

"I will go too," Donatella spoke up. "I was the one who catapulted Eostre into this mess. The least I can do is help in this."

Loqi growled in annoyance. "What about 'cursed island' do you not understand, Donatella? We have no idea if even sitting just offshore of the island is safe. I can't protect you."

Donatella gave a catlike smile. "I didn't realize you wanted to protect me," she said coyly.

"Let's just say it does me no good for you to be killed or, changed," Loqi replied calmly, although he was blushing.

"You know Lux is going to force his way on that boat," she stated. "Let me keep an eye on him for you so you can focus on the, 'guardy' things."

Lux had indeed been planning just that. The lady was pretty savvy, Lux had to admit.

Loqi growled again in defeat. "Fine. Come along. However," he turned to Lux. "In exchange, you need to tell me what happened with the Hydrean, and what she told you.

"She didn't tell me anything—" Lux started defiantly.

"And I know you are lying through your teeth," Loqi returned coldly. "Now, do we have a deal, or do I toss you and Donatella in jail to keep you out of the way?"

"I'd like to see you try," Donatella replied, evidently goaded by his arrogance just as Lux had been.

Loqi gave her a grin that was positively feral. "Challenge accepted," he said, voice dark and low.

Lux had no choice. If he wanted to stay out of jail and be there to help Ardyn and Miss Eostre, he had to toe the line.

"Wait! I, will tell you everything when we are on the boat," Lux promised earnestly.

Loqi made a cool nod. "I rather thought you might. I ought to imprison you on principle, Donatella," he sneered over his shoulder to the infuriated woman behind him. "However, if he is willing to play ball, I am trusting you to do the same."

"Fine. I keep my bargains," Donatella replied tightly, following her nemesis out of the warm safehouse to the cold damp docks.