Hello, friends! Welcome to Frozen Heart, Chapter 6. This is the longest chapter in the story so far! And it's mainly Noctis and Lydia focused. This chapter goes into their characters a bit more, and I had fun with the interactions here - not just with them, but with the other guys as well. I feel like the ball is really going to get rolling on story from here on out, so that will be fun.

I know I also promised Ardyn, guys. And I assure you, he is coming. But I feel it's very important for Lydia's character that she develop a relationship with Noctis and his friends first. This is going to set up some pretty crucial dynamics for later. So Ardyn will be along in due time, don't you worry. As things are, I'm planning for him to appear within the next chapter or two, most likely.

Anyway, hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Disclaimer: I don't own FFXV.

Chapter 6: Lost in Costlemark Tower

The group lost almost half a day of travel thanks to Ignis's untimely poisoning. He apologized more than once for causing the setback, but no one really blamed him. If anything, Noctis still blamed himself for the incident—and he had a hard time thinking about much of anything else for the rest of the trip.

Prompto suggested they just stay at the campsite one more night to let everyone recover their strength, but Ignis wasn't having it. He insisted that he was well enough to travel just two hours after receiving Lydia's antidote. And Noctis finally relented after deciding that he would give Ignis a break and take the driver's seat for the day.

So around 1 p.m., the group finally finished packing up and they headed out, with Specs looking better every minute but still a little under the weather. "You sure you're feeling all right?" Lydia asked when they were in the car. "I have to say, you're bouncing back very fast, but you probably don't want to push it too much."

"I'll be fine," he said, "But thank you. I just need a bit of time to recuperate, that's all. I can do that here as easily as anywhere else."

"Well," Lydia added, "Sometimes—at least to my understanding based on what I've read—higher doses of the antidote are necessary depending on the severity of poisoning. So let me know if you're not feeling well, since I packed extra."

Ignis nodded. "I appreciate it. It's quite extraordinary that you have such an in-depth knowledge of curatives and their properties. I'd be interested in learning about that antidote myself if you ever had time to impart some wisdom on a fast learner."

Noctis could hear a smile in Lydia's voice as she spoke. "I highly doubt I'd be a good teacher for you. I'm impatient, and I'm bad at explaining things."

"I'd be grateful enough if you simply provided instructions. I enjoy experimenting."

"Hm, I suppose I could. Maybe in exchange for one teensy favor."

"And what might that be?"

"You give me the recipe for that omelet you made us this morning."

"Done. I'd be glad to share any recipes you would like. Just say the word."

Noctis glanced back at them through the rearview mirror and saw Lydia raise an eyebrow. "How generous. I may have to take you up on that offer."

"How does one meal recipe for one curative recipe sound?" Ignis asked.

Lydia laughed—yes, actually laughed—for the first time since since she joined them. "Oh, so he does know how to play, after all! And here I thought I was about to swing a massive discount on all your secrets."

As the two of them chuckled in the back and continued their conversation, Noctis wondered when the hell they had time to become such fast friends. Had everyone in the group now figured out how to connect with her in some way—except him?

Not that it really mattered. He had bigger problems to deal with, and making new friends was relatively low on his priority list. But seeing Lydia in the backseat engaging with his friends like it was the most natural thing in the world—it made him wonder just how much he was lacking in the social department. He couldn't exactly rule an entire kingdom if he couldn't even figure out how to establish trustng relationships.

Gods, why did everything always come back to that? Just shut up, brain, and focus on the road.

And so Noctis tried his best to follow his own advice and, in fact, focus on the road. The next few hours were mind-numbingly dull, and even the rest of their trip to the Fallgrove where Costlemark Tower was said to reside turned out to be uneventful.

They ended up making camp again that night so everyone, especially Ignis, would have time to rest before they took on the next challenge. The very next morning, Noctis found himself standing in the middle of an ancient set of stone ruins.

"Well," he murmured, looking around at the crumbled stone walls surrounding them, "We finally made it."

Gladio walked past him and knocked on one of the walls as they stepped through the old ruins. "Gotta say, I'm a little underwhelmed so far," he said dryly.

"According to texts I've read," Ignis said softly, "The outer part of Costlemark has fallen into disrepair over the years, but the inside has held up remarkably well. However, few have dared ventured inside in the last few centuries. The Kings of Lucis stopped entombing their predecessors here long ago due to the dangers that lurk below."

"That sounds really reassuring," Prompto said, not sounding convinced. "I'm sure this'll be a piece of cake..."

"Oh, absolutely," Noctis said with an uncomfortable chuckle. Even the breeze here felt ominous as it tickled his bare arms.

Noctis found a set of steps leading down into an alcove, where he assumed the entrance was located. It was a long walk—which is why he found himself thoroughly confused and disappointed when he came to a dead end at the bottom of the stair case. All he found was a stone wall with light from the morning sun shining down on it. No hint of an entrance nearby.

"Is this it?" he asked. "It sure looks like it should be an entrance to me."

Gladio crossed his arms. "Maybe it was sealed off for some reason."

"That doesn't make any sense," Noctis whispered, placing both hands on the wall in frustration. "Cor—he didn't say anything about this. There has to be a way in."

"Let me see," Lydia cut in, appearing beside Noctis and putting her own hand out to touch the cool stone wall. She looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said, "I'm not sure, but—it's possible that the entrance is magically sealed. Years ago, it wasn't uncommon for ancient structures to be sealed with magic so they would only open during certain times."

"Well, that sounds kinda—pointless," Prompto commented. "How do you even know about all this stuff?"

Lydia shook her head. "It's all hearsay. But it's the only answer I can think of. In which case, I have no idea when it may open."

Everyone groaned in frustration, and Noctis tapped his head on the wall. Who knew how long they would have to wait?

A few seconds of silence went by as he tried to formulate a new plan in his head. But Ignis caught him by surprise with an insightful comment. "I wonder if it has to do with the light."

Noctis turned around to look at his friend, who had his gaze cast up at the sky. "Well—we can see that the light is hitting the wall right now. And from where I'm standing, it appears that this entrance is positioned so that the sun hits it a certain way throughout the day. At twilight, the sun will disappear. Perhaps that's when the door will open."

Noctis folded his arms across his chest, impressed with Ignis's thinking as usual. "I say it's worth a shot."

Meanwhile, Prompto sighed and plopped down on the steps. "Great—but, does this mean we have to wait here all day?"

"Afraid so, bucko," Lydia replied, sitting herself down next to him.

"And after all that," Gladio said, "What if it still doesn't work?"

"Then we think of something else," Noctis said. He had come too far to turn back now—even if he still wasn't sure he was ready for this.

And so the group waited... and waited... and waited. They didn't dare leave for fear that they might miss their window of opportunity. And the hours dragged on before them mercilessly, even as they tried to occupy themselves with games, talk, and nearby exploration.

They also didn't bring much food with them aside from light, protein-packed snacks. This meant that by the time the sun started to go down, they were already grumpy, tired, and hungry—and they had no idea how deep they would have to venture in order to find this royal tomb.

Just as Noctis was starting to question whether their efforts were worth it, the sun disappeared over the horizon. Everything was quiet, aside from the faint chirping and buzzing from wildlife in the Fallgrove. Darkness began to descend, and for some reason, Noctis was once again afraid to breathe.

They waited for a long moment, and nothing changed. Noctis's heart sank as the fear set in that they'd all just wasted an entire day for no reason. He wished Cor had given more specific instructions—but then again, maybe he didn't even know there was some kind of magical seal on the place. It didn't seem to be common practice these days, as far as he knew.

Just as Noctis's hope began to fade, the sound of the stone shifting caught his attention. "Whoa," Prompto murmured, hopping to his feet so he could step back. This provoked a similar action from everyone in the group, and they watched mesmerized as the stone pulled away, revealing a dark entrance into the ruins below. Noctis leaned forward to look down, and shuddered when he realized he couldn't see more than a few inches inside.

"Iggy, have I ever told you you're a genius?" Prompto asked from behind.

There was a smile in Ignis's voice as he replied. "You could stand to say it more often."

Lydia cleared her throat. "Um, don't mind me—just came up with half of genius idea here."

"Oh, come on now, of course I couldn't forget about you!" Prompto said, throwing an arm around Lydia's shoulders. "You are undoubtedly the smartest, the most capable, all around awesome, and this is kinda weird, isn't it?" He pulled his arm away slowly as he seemed to notice her critical expression and slightly recoiled position.

"A little bit, yeah," she said, sounding like she was on the verge of laughter. "Appreciate the sentiment, though."

"You guys are ridiculous," Gladio said in a low voice. "You ready to get going or what? Looks like we'll have a long night ahead of us."

Noctis sighed. "I'm not looking forward to it," he murmured, even as he took his first step inside the Costlemark entrance. He turned on his light, illuminating the area within a few feet of him so he could see the steps headed downward. "Watch your step, everyone," he added before venturing down into the long darkness.

The architecture was like nothing Noctis had ever seen, and the large stone steps glowed with a faint blue aura as they made their way down. As the legends indicated, the inside was still very much intact despite the obvious wearing outside. Intricate designs adorned the walls and archways, and the stone still looked incredibly sturdy in most areas. He could see why, once upon a time, the Lucians might have thought this a worthy place to entomb the Kings of the past. Apparently no one even knew what this place was originally built for—and given the strange structure of Costlemark and what appeared to be some sort of magic technology preserving it—that's a story Noctis would have been interested in hearing.

"It's too quiet," Ignis said softly when they finally reached the bottom of the staircase. It seemed that danger might lurk around every corner, and Noctis, in an abnormal twist, wasn't feeling too keen on taking unnecessary risks.

"Isn't that what everybody in horror movies always says before they get axed?" Prompto asked nervously.
"Yeah," Gladio said. "But luckily, we're not in a horror movie."

"Let's hope not," Lydia muttered.

Everyone followed Noctis further into the bowels of Costlemark Tower, minding the twists and turns until they came to a large circular room. It appeared they were still on one of the upper levels, as Noctis could see the darkness far below as he peered over the railing at edge of the platform. "There must be some steps around here," he murmured, deciding to try going right first.

They walked around the circle for a little while, until Noctis came to a gap. At some point or another, the stone holding up this second-floor platform had fallen apart, providing no easy way to cross. Noctis stepped forward carefully, hoping to see if it was possible to jump the gap. But then he felt something shift under his feet. "Whoa," he said, pulling back as some stone gave way and tumbled down to the floor below.

"Huh," Gladio said, referencing the widened gap between them and the other side of the platform. "Maybe not so sound, after all."

"Despite the excellent quality of the architecture," Ignis said, "I suppose it's not unbelievable that there might be a few places looking worse for wear. Best to exercise caution."

Noctis pulled away from the edge and turned back around. "Doesn't seem like we're gonna get very far going this way, so let's head back."

Everyone followed his lead as he went back around the circle in the other direction. He watched carefully for for weak spots or gaps in the floor, but the stone felt relatively sturdy on this side. Finally, they came across a ramp that took them downward—and Noctis couldn't help but feel they were descending into Hell itself.

The bottom floor of the circular room was looking a lot worse for wear than the second floor. Cracks in the stones forced them to watch their step as they explored the area. And Lydia, who was the lightest on her feet of all of them, took the lead into one of the next corridors.

"This place is built like a maze," Noctis murmured. "I was really hoping it'd be more of a straight-shot."

"Do you think the architects who built the tower thought while they were working on it, 'Hey, I bet we could confuse the hell out of some excavators in a few thousand years by making this place as freaky as possible?'" Prompto asked.

"If so," Ignis replied, "They had quite interesting senses of humor."

The corridor went on and on, but over time it seemed the sturdiness of the walls and ceiling were starting to degrade. Noctis looked up as they approached a pile of debris, where part of the ceiling must have caved in at some point. Lydia gingerly climbed over the debris, followed closely by Noctis and the rest of the group. He could hear pebbles falling as they made their way through the dusty hallway, and their walkway was so unsteady that Gladio slipped and nearly fell.

A piece of stone debris shifted, and Noctis gritted his teeth in discomfort. They kept going.

A moment later, they heard a crack. And everyone stopped. He glanced up at the ceiling above Lydia's head, and another crack signaled the stone breaking away from the wall above. "It's coming down!" Noctis shouted. He thought he heard Ignis and Gladio call his name, but he acted before taking much time to think, performing a quick warp strike that made him slam into Lydia. He hit her with so much force that they both flung forward, and the sound of hard stone falling echoed through the chamber as he crashed to the ground.

Lydia awoke on the cold rock floor of Costlemark Tower. At first, everything was a blur—and she couldn't quite remember where she was. But she knew she could hear someone saying her name.

"Lydia. Come on, wake up, Lydia."

Her eyes fluttered open and slowly came into focus as she blinked. It was Royal Pain himself, looking down at her with genuine concern in his eyes.

Her body felt stiff when she tried to move, but she nonetheless put down her hands and pulled herself into a sitting position, grasping her throbbing head. "What—the hell happened?" she asked. Then, as the details came flooding back, she glanced up at Noctis. "Did—you body check me?"

He laughed humorlessly. "You say that like I had a choice. You'd have been crushed if I hadn't."

Pause.

"Well, I guess I should thank you, then."

With a groan, Lydia placed her head in her hands as if that might ease the pain. It didn't, and she raised her gaze again so she could look at their surroundings. They were in an empty circular room with an open corridor on one side—and what looked like the corridor that had just caved in on the other. The doorway was now entirely sealed off by stones and rubble.

"Where are your friends?" she asked, eyes glued to the wreckage in hopes that they weren't buried in it.

Noctis sighed, pulling himself to his feet while brushing dust off his clothes. "Trapped on the other side," he said solemnly. "I called to them while you were out. But at this point, there's no way we're getting back through there. All we can do is keep moving and hope they find another way down."

Lydia did her best to rise to her feet, wobbling a little bit along the way. Her head still felt a tad fuzzy after the impact. She realized her body was taking quite the beating this week, and it was probably time for her to start being more careful if she wanted to make it through to the end.

"This tower is massive," glancing around them and up at the ceiling, which was exceptionally high in this room. "I'm guessing there can't only be one way to the tomb. I'm sure they'll find another way."

He gave a faint smile and said, "Well, if you're optimistic, that sounds like a pretty good sign."

Walking past him with a light shrug, she said, "I don't really believe in optimism. But whatever works for you."

"Are you sure you're good to go?" he asked, stopping her before they ventured into another long dark corridor. "We could rest if you need to."

Lydia didn't need to rest. She just wanted to get this over and done with. "I'm fine," she said. "Let's go, Noctis."

As she started down the hallway, footsteps tapping quietly on the stones, the Prince made a sound of surprise behind her.

"What?" she asked.

There was a short pause. "It's just—I'm pretty sure that's the first time you've ever said my actual name."

Lydia hadn't even realized she said it. And when she stopped to give him a sidelong glance, she said, "I've said your name plenty of times."

"Not to me," Noctis retorted. "You always call me, 'Prince' or 'Highness.'"

Well, I was calling you 'Royal Pain' in my head, but...

"Is that what you'd prefer?" she asked.

"No, no!" he said quickly, as if to reassure her. "I mean, you can—call me whatever you want, I guess. I just..."

"Just what?"

"Well, I got the feeling you didn't like me very much."

Suddenly unsure what the appropriate thing to say might be, Lydia continued on down the hall and said, "I don't particularly like a lot of people."

Silence fell between them for a moment, and Lydia and Noctis came to a fork in the road. She hopped back in mild surprise as a small creature ran past her. It didn't seem to take notice of their presence and just kept going, but she recognized it immediately as a goblin.

"Guess there are daemons living down here after all," Noctis said quietly. "Let's hope we don't run into more of them."

He led them on the left path, and Lydia followed on without question. She didn't understand the layout of this place any better than he did. There was no way of knowing what might come next.

Lost in Costlemark Tower, and no knowing if we'll ever make it out. Great...

The halls seemed to go on forever, and there was a point where they rounded a corner and ended up tustling with a few goblins and flans—but nothing that gave them a fight they weren't able to handle. Lydia found that she and Noctis had become quite a good team. His quick, powerful attacks complemented her magic well, and they had little issue taking out whatever enemies appeared in their path.

After what felt like hours of walking endlessly, the two of them decided to stop for a bit and rest. Luckily, Lydia had some water stashed on her so they could take a drink during their downtime. They were both drained and exhausted after going so long without a solid meal.

"I wonder how far we'll have to go before we find this tomb," Noctis murmured, leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor. "I get the feeling we'll be coming up against something scarier than a few goblins once we get there."

Lydia sighed, thinking of the possibilities. Daemons? Maybe. They hadn't seen anything truly formidable so far, which surprised her. She assumed a dark, otherwise uninhabited ruin would be crawling with daemons in this day and age. But if they were so scarce—she had to think there was a reason for it. Perhaps there really was something more powerful lurking down here and keeping the riffraff to a minimum.

At last, she let out a huff and sat down next to the Prince. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we can manage it."

He looked over at her, although it was heard to see his face clearly with nothing more than the dim light on her chest. "Are you sure you're ready for this? You hit your head pretty hard back there, and I'm wondering if..."

An annoyed sigh escaped her lips, cutting him off. Then she said, "I'm fine. Just quit asking."

There was a moment of silence. But his eventual reply caught her off-guard. "Why do you do that?"

She blinked, and then glanced at him incredulously. "Do what?"

"Act all dismissive whenever someone wants to help you—or thank you—or be real with you in any capacity."

Okay, well, that was unexpected. She certainly hadn't thought Noctis would be so direct with her all of the sudden. And after being called out like this, she realized she had no idea how to respond.

"I mean, you're entitled to your space," Noctis added quickly, looking away. "And I know we've only known each other a few days. But we're still a team here. I just—I've realized I don't get you, and—"

He stopped. After a few seconds of nothing, she prompted, "And?"

"And I want to, I guess," he said heavily. "It's fine—just forget about it."

Lydia turned away, contemplating Noctis's words. A little while ago, he'd said he thought she didn't like him, but she didn't take it seriously. She wondered if she had somehow hurt his feelings without realizing it. Then, she wondered whether she cared enough to do anything about it.

"I'm not good at relationships," she said quietly, prompting his attention. "It's nothing personal. I just—I don't get close to people. I'm better off that way, okay?"

"That sounds—really lonely," Noctis murmured.

"That's just the way it is." Another moment of silence passed. "For the record," she added, "I don't dislike you. In fact, I think you're very brave."

"Really?"

She nodded. "You lost your home and your father all in one day. You could have crumbled or run away, but you didn't. You're still here, doing what you need to do. That's admirable." Then, with a laugh, she said, "Gods, you're a lot stronger than I am."

Noctis also laughed, resting his elbow lazily on his knee. "You figure?"

"Oh, I know it," Lydia said, suddenly feeling strangely heavy and tired. She shook her head to stave of the haziness. "I just—I suppose I get attached to people too easily. That's why I can never stay in one place for too long. It's easier not to care about anyone than it is to care about someone and then lose them.

"Anyway," she continued as she pulled herself up off the ground. "It doesn't matter. After Costlemark, I'll be off and you guys will be on your own."

"Already?" he asked.

"I've put off my own mission for too long. I promised your father I would get you to Altissia, but it seems like that isn't happening anymore, so... I'll help you find the Royal Tomb, and that's it."

She pushed off the wall, heading toward the doorway in hopes that Noctis would take that as the end of their conversation. But while he followed her willingly, he clearly wasn't finished.

"So, what exactly is your mission? If you don't mind me asking."

Her eyes narrowed into slits as they headed out of the room and down the hallway. "Well, you just asked anyway, so..."

"Uh—sorry."

Another sigh escaped her lips. She supposed there wasn't any harm in telling him. "I'm looking for my Mother," she admitted. "We were separated when I was very young—and I'm afraid she could be in trouble."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's hard to explain," she said. "But your Dad gave me something I'm planning to use to help me find her." She tapped the coin in her pocket to make sure it was still safely in place. Thankfully it was, despite the abuse she had put her body through over the last few days. "She and I are—closely connected. So I know she's still out there. I just need to find her, and then maybe she can help me figure out some things about myself as well."

"Sounds like you have your hands full," Noctis said. "I appreciate you helping us get this far, despite all that."

"Eh, no big deal," she said. "I'll put it on your tab."

She meant it as a joke, of course, since she wasn't expecting anything in return for this venture. She and Regis were already even as far as she was concerned, and she couldn't imagine there was anything in the world Noctis could give her that she would want.

All she wanted now was to find her mother—not that she had any idea what she might say once she did. A part of her wanted to look Mother in the eyes and ask, "Why did you never come for me?" But then again, she supposed that would sound a bit too clingy and desperate.

"What are you guys planning on doing after this, anyway?" Lydia asked, eager to fill some of the silence now that her head was starting to fill up with unpleasant thoughts.

He chuckled, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "You think I've gotten that far? I guess, more than anything, I just want to track down Luna—I still don't even know for sure if she's alive. That probably shouldn't be at the top of my priority list, though."

"You want to know she's safe," Lydia said. "Nothing shameful about that."

"Yeah," he murmured. "But she could be anywhere, and there's so much to do. I'd have thought Umbra would have found me by now and given me some sort of message, but..."

He trailed off, and Lydia fell into silence. She didn't know who the hell Umbra was, but their conversation did give her an idea. All of the sudden, she stopped in her tracks, catching Noctis by surprise. He had to stop quickly as she turned around to prevent himself from bumping into her.

With some reluctance, Lydia pulled the Astral Coin out of her pocket and held it in her palm.

"Before he died, your father gave this to me," she said softly. "It has the power to guide you to anyone, anywhere in the world."

"You're serious?" he asked, looking unimpressed as he stared at the coin.

With a short nod, she added, "I'm not giving this to you. Right now, this is more precious to me than anything I own. But... the funny thing I understand about the Astral Coin is that it can't guide you to anyone who isn't alive. So—take the coin in your hand."

She held out the artifact to him, and he hesitated. "Um... right now?"

"Yeah, it'll only take a minute," she said. "Just hold it in your hand, and think of Lunafreya. Picture her in your mind. If she's out there, the coin will give you a sign."

Noctis took the coin from her hand and folded it into his palms. He didn't look convinced, as if he didn't dare himself to hope that he would get results. Or maybe he was just afraid of what the alternative would mean.

A few seconds passed as he waited for the coin to respond to him. A smile tugged at the corner of Lydia's lips as his brows furrowed and he drew in a sharp breath. And she knew at that moment that he must have heard his loved one's voice in his head, just like she heard Mother's.

"What was that?" he asked a little breathlessly, looking back up at Lydia.

"That was your sign," Lydia replied. "Your Lunafreya is alive."

He didn't say anything at first, and simply handed the coin back to her slowly. As Lydia pocketed it again, Noctis let out a low sigh of relief. "I'm so glad," he whispered. "I was afraid..."

At first, she thought he would finish that sentence. But he didn't and instead said, "Thanks—you have no idea how much that means to me. I don't know where she is... she could even be in danger now for all I know. But at least—I know she's still out there."

Lydia smiled genuinely and turned away, continuing down the hall. "I hope you two find each other," she said. And she meant it.

She wasn't particularly one for romance—in fact, most of the time she found it repulsive. She had only ever truly loved one man, and he was long gone from this world. She knew how fragile and fickle such relationships could be, and she knew how easy it was to lose them.

Maybe that's why she wanted to give Noctis a glimmer of hope. He deserved it, especially since his future didn't look that bright at the moment. The darkness was growing, and who knew what kinds of sacrifices he would need to make if he wanted to stop it? The Astrals certainly weren't going to get off their asses and do anything about it. They were two busy either fighting amongst themselves or manipulating people for kicks.

Finally, Noctis and Lydia came to a dead end. Or at least, so it appeared. It was a small room that looked very much like all the others in Costlemark Tower—only there was no way out but the way they came in. The only thing that looked out of place was the massive stone in the wall that, like the steps on the way inside, glowed with a faint blue hue.

"Did we take a wrong turn?" Lydia wondered, glancing around the room in confusion.

Meanwhile, Noctis stepped forward and studied the strange-looking stone. "I'm not sure... maybe this—somehow..." He reached out and touched the center of the stone with his bare palm. For a few seconds, they were only rewarded with silence. But then the sound of stone shifting vibrated in Lydia's ears, and she watched in mild awe as the stone slowly began to descend. After a long moment, the stone came to a halt when it was level with the floor. And the path forward lay ahead of them.

"Well—that was pretty damn cool," Lydia admitted, casting a smile at Noctis before they pressed on.