Hey, I'm back! Just like I said I would be. I figured I would upload both the prologue and chapter 1 on the same day since the prologue was so short. In this chapter, we get our first introduction to Noctis in the story - some of which is comprised of dialogue and character beats from the game. But this was kind of fun, as I got to delve further into Noctis's emotional state and self-doubt, as well as some of his first interactions with Lydia. Hope you enjoy.

I'm not sure exactly when chapter 2 will be out, but hopefully within the next week if I don't get too busy. Most of it is written already, so I may just have to do some polishing and tweaking here and there.

Thanks, and happy reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own FFXV.

Chapter 1: No Turning Back

Noctis entered the garage in Hammerhead, heart racing so fast that his chest felt like it might explode from the pressure. Despite his best efforts to fight back the panic and crushing sense of despair, it was settling in quickly and leaving him with few defenses. He had hoped Cor would be a welcome sight for sore eyes—but instead, he saw only Cid—and a strange-looking woman leaning in the corner, with a purple jacket and long black hair tied back in a low bun.

"Cid," Noctis said, rushing toward the old man. "The city, it's-"

"Oh, I heard," Cid said, groaning as he leaned forward. "I'm pretty darn sure everyone has. It's looking pretty bleak for your Dad, too. I'm sorry, kid."

"Nevermind that," Noctis said, shaking his head to push the feelings away. He had to be strong—couldn't afford to lose his head. Not now. What would his Dad say if he were here? "We have to—focus on the issue at hand. Move forward."

"Spoken like a True King," the woman in the corner said softly, lifting her head to meet the crew's curious eyes. "I admire the attempt. The Prince, I presume?"

"Uh—yeah," he said, watching her cautiously as she pushed off the wall and approached them.

"Was she there before?" Prompto asked, baffled. "I didn't even notice her."

"She was rather quiet," Ignis noted.

"What business do you have with us?" Gladio added.

The woman smiled a little, but it was not a warm smile, or even a mischievous one. It was cold and polite—fully deliberate. "You don't seem very trusting. Not that I blame you, after the events you've undoubtedly witnessed today. But you don't need to worry—I came here with the Marshal. And I stayed behind because I've been asked to protect you, Your Highness."

Gladio scoffed. "Oh, what, are three body guards not enough?"

"I'd say at this point, you boys could use all the help you can get," Cid offered, raising an eyebrow. "Cor left her here with me. Y'all can trust her."

Noctis looked her up and down discretely, not sure what to make of her delicate movements and melodic voice. There was something almost otherworldly about her—but he couldn't quite put his finger on the cause of that feeling. She looked ordinary enough. Pretty, yes. But not in an inhuman sort of way. There was something else—a feeling at that stirred within him when he had his eyes on her—that made him second-guess his own powers of perception.

The woman, either not noticing his gaze or just ignoring him, turned her head and nodded at Cid. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. But now you guys have bigger problems. Niflheim has seized control of not only Insomnia, but the Crystal."

Cid lowered gaze gaze to the floor. "So the Crystal and the King's Ring. That's what they've been after all this time."

"Then all the talk of peace was no more than a pretext," Ignis said grimly. Noctis clenched a fist, tearing his eyes away from the woman next to him.

"It was clear from the beginning," she said. "Niflheim's intentions have never been pure. They seek only power—and they're drawing it from the Gods and—well, according to rumor, the darkness itself."

"Then my father was played for a fool," Noctis said bitterly, all but forgetting his attempt from earlier to keep a level head. What the hell had his father been thinking?

"Don't be ridiculous," Cid snapped back, pulling one of the tools off the table next to him. "Reggie wasn't born yesterday. Niflheim dealt him a losing hand, and he played it the best he could. I bet he saw this coming a mile away and wasn't about to go down without a fight. Guess it—just wasn't enough." Then, shaking as he put his tool back down, said in a tired voice, "Anyway, you better head on out and find Cor. He's waitin' for ya." Tears pricked in Noctis' eyes as Cid pulled himself up out of the chair.

"Damn it... I can barely even remember the last time I saw Reggie," he added before shuffling past them to head outside. "Feels like a lifetime ago."

A few seconds of silence passed by as Noctis did his best to hold himself together. Meanwhile, Ignis turned his attention to the mysterious woman among them. "So—asked to protect Noct, you say? In that case, I think it would be appropriate to introduce ourselves. I'm Ignis—and this is Gladio, and Prompto."

"Lydia," she responded coolly, next to no emotion showing on her face.

"Don't think I've ever seen you around the citadel before," Gladio said, crossing his arms. "What relation did you have to the King?"

"We struck a few bargains. I offered him my services in return for something precious. He delivered. And he did me a few solids along the way—which is why I decided to honor his last request." Her eyes flickered toward Noctis. "You have a big responsibility ahead of you, Prince. Like your friends here, I'm prepared to help if you'll let me."

Cid was right before. They did need all the allies they could get. Noctis had no idea who this woman was, or what value she could bring to their group. But he didn't see any harm in bringing her along—at least for now. "Well, I guess if Cor trusts you, we can trust you," Noctis said with a nod. "And we do have room for one more in the car."

"Yeah, baby!" Prompto rejoiced. "The more, the merrier, I say."

"Yeah, because it'll be so fun squeezing into the back with you guys," Gladio said dryly.

"I don't take up much space," Lydia said. Noctis glanced at her. Not untrue. She was what, 5'3", 5'4" at most?
"All right, then it's settled," Ignis said, leading the newly formed quintet out the garage door. "If we're all in agreement—we should get going while we still have a few hours of daylight left."

"Cor said he would be waiting near Prairie Outpost, just a few miles north of here," Lydia said. "If you don't have a map, I could point us there."

"We'll be fine," Ignis replied. "We went past the outpost a few days ago on the way to Galdin Quay. If I forget, I'll just have Prompto feed me directions from the right."

"Man, you know I suck at reading the map!" Prompto complained.

"Then perhaps you should sit in the back with Noctis and Lydia, and I'll have Gladio be the navigator today."

"My pleasure," Gladio said, sounding relieved not to have to squeeze in the backseat.

And so as planned, Noctis, Lydia and Prompto climbed into the backseat of the regalia while Ignis took the drivers seat and Gladio took shotgun.

As the car found its rhythm, Noctis turned off his ears for a few moments and stared out the window, watching the world go by in a blur. In the silence, the weight of his loss began to settle. His father, his home, gone in the blink of an eye. He couldn't believe he never saw it coming. He couldn't believe his father did and hadn't said anything. Even if they met up with Cor—where the Hell were they supposed to go from here? Knowing that nothing would ever be the same again?

Noctis came out of the dark recesses of his mind at the sound of Ignis's voice. "They'll have sealed off the city by now," he said.

"What—what do you think it's like inside?" Prompto asked hesitantly.

Noctis didn't even want to know. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Sure we'll see for ourselves eventually," Gladio murmured.

Pause. "I just can't believe the Crystal's gone," Prompto said, the grief evident in his voice.

Gladio barred his teeth. "The bastards took it all."

A wave of resolve came over Noctis, inspiring him to add, "And we'll take it back."

"Yes," Ignis agreed. "This is far from over."

Silence fell for a few more minutes, only breaking occasionally when Gladio checked the map for Ignis. Noctis dared a glance over at Lydia, who was sitting with her back flush to the seat and her head leaned back toward the sky. All at once, he felt compelled to ask, "Hey—uh... you said you knew my Dad."

Slowly, she lifted her head and turned to look at him with clear blue eyes. "Yep, that's right."

"And—you talked to him? I mean, before he died."

She nodded.

He was probably going to regret this. "Did he—did he say anything? Anything I should know about, I mean."

There was a short pause, and then she shrugged. "He just said he knew what you'd be up against and that he wanted you to have a great support system on your side. He wanted to give you the best chance he could."

Noctis lowered his head. So everything was going to be up to him now, huh? A few days ago, he thought there was no doubt he would be ready to take the throne when the time came. But now, it all seemed so overwhelming—he wondered if he was even cut out to be King at all.

Lydia sighed, seeming to notice his doubtful expression. She looked around to everyone in the car, bidding them all to listen. "Look," she said. "I know this is all pretty scary and sudden—and even devastating for you all. But rest assured, I'm not here because I'm one of the King's crazy big secrets. We weren't close. But if it means anything for me to say it..." She glanced directly at Noctis. "It's pretty clear you meant the world to him. So if that—helps or comforts you in any way, then... that's great."

She trailed off and then stared forward, as if unsure what else to say. Noctis didn't even respond, as grateful as he was for her attempt at reassurance.

It was Ignis who spoke first. "I am sure his Majesty had his reasons for what he did. All we can do is move forward and not let his death, or the fall of Insomnia, be in vain."

"Huh. No turning back now," Gladio said.

Prairie Outpost was almost upon them, so everyone shut up and let Gladio give Ignis a few quick directions until they reached the destination. When they pulled in, Noctis was thought about how small and run-down the buildings and vendors looked. It was a far cry from what he'd grown accustomed to in the city.

"Hey, look, there's the Marshal!" Prompto said, pointing to the gruff-looking man sitting on a bench outside. Ignis parked the car, and everyone got out. Cor stood up and nodded to them all.

"I see you all met up safely with Lydia," he said as he approached.

"A little beat up and broken, but still in one piece," Lydia commented, stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets.

"Do you know who else made it out of the city, Cor?" Gladio asked.

The older man nodded. "Your sister Iris, she's safe. The Crownsguard escorted her out, along with others. They're on the way to Lestallum as we speak. Many of the civilians and guard made it, but some are still unknown. Things are too chaotic right now to know much for certain."

Noctis allowed himself to feel a small wave of relief for Iris, knowing she would soon be safe in Lestallum. Despite his own better judgement, Noctis chanced another question. "And... Luna...?" He could hardly bear the thought. What was she even doing in Insomnia last night, anyway? Noctis had expected them to meet in Altissia in a few days, and for some unknown reason, she was in the city the whole time. Was this some kind of sick joke everyone was in on except him?

But Cor looked grim, to his dismay. "No one knows. There were reports of sightings of her within the city last night. Supposedly she was with someone, but we have no way of knowing whether she made it out alive."

Pause. After a few seconds, Prompto cut in. "Well, I'm sure whoever was with Lady Lunafreya kept her safe. She's probably looking for us right now as we speak."

"We mustn't lose hope," Ignis said.

And they were right. Noctis agreed—he had to have faith. Despite the long years that had passed since the last time they met, he knew one thing. Luna wouldn't be defeated so easily. She was smart and brave, and she undoubtedly had a fierce protector by her side. They would find each other in time—somehow.

Still, in the meantime—not knowing for sure would be hell.

"I'm sure we will learn more in the coming days," Cor said, interrupting Noctis's sea of conflicted thoughts. "But for now, we need to focus on the issue at hand. Now that his Majesty has fallen, it's up to you to take your place as King."

Noctis remained silent, even as his friends looked at him expectantly.

A few seconds of awkward silence hung in the air between them, until Cor finally continued, "Come inside. I want to show you something." And so the group followed the Marshal into what appeared to be an old barn that had long-since been repurposed into a shelter and weapons storage unit for monster hunters. A table sat inside with a map spread out on top of it. A map of Lucis.

"Now that you're to take the throne, you need the power of Kings on your side. As such, I've located your next destination." He pointed to a spot he had marked on the map, far south of here and west of Galdin Quay. "Costlemark Tower. Site of some of the Kingdom's most ancient ruins—and resting place to the souls of ancient Kings who have lended power to their descendants for centuries."

"Power?" Noctis asked in a tired voice, staring at the map location.

Cor nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. The power of Kings, passed from the old to the new through the bonding of souls. To claim your forebears' power is your birthright and duty as King."

"My duty as king of what?" he asked coldly, sick of hearing everyone use that word.

With a stern expression, Cor said, "Now is not the time to question your calling. A King has a responsibility to protect his people."

"Oh, really?" Noctis scoffed. "Is that what my Dad did when he chose to forsake the masses—just to protect his own son?"

"And how long will you remain the protected? Your father entrusted the role of protector to you."

"Entrusted!" Noctis snapped, his voice shaking. His hand gripped the edge of the chair, knuckles going white as he put pressure on them. "Then why didn't he just tell me that? Why did he stand there smiling as I left? Why did he..." His voice broke as tears welled up in his eyes again. But he refused to cry. Not in front of all these witnesses. Instead, he simply added weakly, "Why did he lie to me?" as his hand went limp against the chair.

"If he had told you the truth," Lydia said suddenly, causing Noctis to lift his head in mild surprise. "Would you have left?"

"Of course not," he murmured.

"Then that's why he lied. It's like I told you on our way here. He wanted to give you your best shot. What good would you be to the world dead? It wasn't just about saving you, kid—it was also about saving the future."

As Lydia's words clicked in Noctis's head, he came to a stunning revelation. A revelation that his father had left everything to him. The throne, the power, the Ring, his legacy. In his own way, he had passed over the metaphorical baton and said, "Your time has come," with a melancholy smile on his face. Now the weight of the world was own Noctis's shoulders. How the hell was he supposed to deal with that?

Was he even worthy of the throne? Did it even matter at this point, now that Niflheim had taken over?

But despite the doubts weighing heavily on his mind, Noctis let out an uneven sigh and said, "Well, I guess he's left me with no choice."

Cor, satisfied with Noctis's answer, said, "It's a long drive, so I suggest stocking up on whatever you need before you go. I also wanted to give you this." Noctis raised an eyebrow and Cor pulled an ancient key out of his pocket. It was clean, but looked worn from years of use. "It's the key that will allow you to open the royal tomb in Costlemark. Don't lose it. It's one of a kind."

Noctis took the key with some hesitance and then placed it in his own pocket. "Then we have our destination," Ignis said, speaking gently as he often did when he knew Noctis was in low spirits. "Shall we settle down here for the night? It's nearly sunset, and I'd rather not be caught out after dark with so many daemons running loose."

"Yeah, probably a good idea," Prompto chimed in. "What do you say, Noct?"

Noctis was only partly listening, but managed to respond with a half-hearted, "Yeah—yeah, you're right. We should get some rest." Not that he was about to get any.

"You boys be safe," Cor said. "I'm only a call away if you need anything."

But Noctis couldn't let his personal feelings make him forget—he had a question for Cor. As all his comrades and their new recruit exited the building, he approached the Marshal and asked in a quieter tone, "One more thing." He looked away, ashamed by his outburst and knowing full well he wasn't up to this task. But he had to bite the bullet and speak—for his own sake and that of his friends. "Who—who is she? Lydia, I mean? Can we really trust her?"

Cor sighed, folding his arms across his chest. "I wish I could give an unequivocal 'yes,' but that woman is a tough nut to crack. Showed up a few months ago looking for some kind of artifact. I don't know the details. The King brought her in on a few pretty high-level missions because of her—unique magical capabilities."

Noctis only wanted a straight answer. "So you at least don't think she's a threat, right?"

"No," Cor said. "I don't think she's a threat. But I wouldn't expect her to be your best friend, either. One thing I've learned about Lydia since we met is that she's usually not the type to do anything if she has nothing to gain from it. So just keep that in mind."

Noctis nodded in understanding, but something about that seemed off to him. If that were true—that Lydia didn't do anything if she had nothing to gain—why was she here, now? Was it really just to "honor" his the King's last request? Or did his father have something to offer in return for her compliance? He wondered what "artifact" Cor could have been referring to,,, but he supposed there was no way to know without asking her himself.

Yeah. As if that was going to happen.

An hour later, the Prince and his bodyguards sat down in the caravan to play some silly card game, while Lydia sat outside on a patch of grass crushing up some ingredients in a bowl to make a few curatives. She figured since she had a little downtime, she might as well stock up.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, traveling in a pack for a while. She couldn't remember the last time she had companions. At the very least, it might give her something interesting to do for while. Although she had to admit that she was rather eager to get back to her own mission—something she probably couldn't do until she at least helped these guys make it to Costlemark (since Altissia was pretty much blown out of the water now). She'd never ventured in there, and she typically didn't envy the poor people who did.

Whose idea was it to lay a bunch of Kings to rest down there, anyway?

Lydia glanced up briefly from her work as the door to the caravan creaked, and the Young Prince stepped outside. She was going to ignore him, but he ruined that plan by slowly walking up to her. "Uh—" he said awkwardly, halted in front of her—and to her annoyance, standing in her light. "What are you doing?" he asked.

She stopped and glanced up at him, taking in his rugged appearance and very unprince-like posture. He vaguely reminded her of someone, but she couldn't quite put her finger on who it was.

"Making elixirs," she said dully, tapping her bowl. "You're kind of in my work light, though."

Noctis stiffened and then moved off to the side quickly. "Oh, sorry," he said. Then with another swift motion, he lowered himself down next to her. He turned and glanced into her bowl of crushed ingredients. "Wow, so—you can do that?"

Lydia chuckled dryly. "Uh, yeah. They don't just pop out of the ground like potatoes. Anyway, I like to make them from scratch when I can. Makes it easier to travel when I don't have to stop in cities to stock up all the time."

"What's in these things, anyway?" he asked.

"Mostly plants—monster parts, stuff like that. Sometimes I add a little extra flavoring to make them taste better, but they tend to be pretty precise, recipe-wise."

"Where'd you learn how to do this?"

She shrugged. "Mostly just experience. I'm, um, older than I look."

"That's pretty awesome," he said. "You—think you could make some for us?"

Lydia glanced down at her bowl, considering options. "Well—sure, but it'll cost you."

"How much?"

"80 gil for regular potions. 200 gil for elixirs. 40 for antidotes."

He recoiled in horror, and she fought the urge to smile. "Are you kidding? That's way more than they charge at normal vendors!"

"Hey, this is a lot of work," she insisted. "I have to gather all the ingredients myself. And I'd have to get my hands on several times my usual amount with you four in tow. So you can take it or leave it—non-negotiable offer."

He grimaced. "What if we helped you buy and collect the ingredients?"

She hadn't expected him to ask that. This kid used his brain a little bit more than she originally guessed. Still, she wasn't about to let him have his way that easily. After settling on a short, "I'll think about it," she went back to her mixing.

"Okay, then" he said, looking away with clear discomfort. "Anyway... the guys and I were talking before, and we realized it might be a little cramped in the caravan with all five of us—especially for you, you know? So, I wanted to offer that one of us could stay outside so you can get some rest and maybe feel more comfortable."

With a smile, she said, "That's really sweet of you, but it won't be necessary. The outdoors and I are good friends. I'm not afraid of a little midnight breeze. And I'm sure you guys would all feel safer together, anyway."

"Yeah, but—"

"Listen," she interrupted, both as gently and as firmly as she possibly could. "I'm fine. You don't have to take care of me. And I'd much rather you didn't try to."

There was a long pause as Noctis seemed to try to muster up something to say. For a Prince, this guy sure lacked in the social grace department.

Finally, he nodded his head slowly and said, "If that's what you want." A few seconds of silence passed, and Lydia went back to what she was doing. It took a moment, but it seemed he finally got the hint that she just wanted to be left alone. And he said, "Goodnight, Lydia," before quietly standing up and heading back to the caravan.

Well, at least he knew how to accept rejection.

She knew it was the fault of her small and delicate-looking appearance that everyone always wanted to coddle her. Maybe once they got a taste of what she could really do, they wouldn't be so tempted. Lydia didn't need anyone. She didn't want anyone. All she wanted was to get on with her mission and maybe—just maybe—get the answers she was looking for.

When she was sure no one was watching, Lydia reached into her pocket and pulled out the coin Regis gave her. The low hum it emitted mesmerized her as she turned it over in her fingers. Then, she pressed the artifact into her palm and clasped her hands together, closing her eyes. Silence enveloped her for what felt like an eternity, although it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

Her eyes opened abruptly when a vaguely familiar voice came to her from a distance. The sound echoed in the distance, prompting her to stand up and walk toward it. She could see nothing in the murky darkness ahead of her, but in that moment she had a desperate urge to head west as fast as physically possible. Her mother was out there somewhere, waiting for her.

"I'm coming," she whispered, letting her voice be carried away in the swift evening breeze.

Keep in mind that the "tampering" I spoke of in the prologue begins here. I couldn't exactly write a cohesive story if Noctis needed to visit 13 locations to unlock his power - so I consolidated everything into one location. Hope that doesn't bother anyone. Don't ask me why I decided on Costlemark Tower... it just seemed like the most interesting place to write about. Plus, I think describing a fight with the jabberwock might be a fun time when we get there lol.