Hello, all! Been a while, huh? Sorry about the long wait. I've had a lot going on, and I've been working on this on and off but had a hard time finishing. Now, it's here though! This chapter starts with a bit of dialogue from the game itself, but after that it moves into original content including not only Noctis, his buddies, and Ravus, but Ardyn and Lydia as well! So I hope you get some enjoyment out of it. :)

Thanks again for your follows and reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own FFXV.

Chapter 23: Accursed Phone Call

The Regalia was a sight for the sore eyes of Noctis and his retainers as the sunrise graced the horizon, turning the sky bright shades of orange and red. It was the first time Lucis had seen the sun since Ramuh dragged the continent under cover of clouds and rain. Not a sound could be heard nearby but the faint chirping of birds in the distance now that the group had made quick work of the forces at Aracheole Stronghold. And in a moment that had become all-too-rare, Noctis felt particularly pleased with himself.

"Inadvertently though it was, we dealt the Empire a crushing blow tonight," Ignis said when they approached the vehicle. He gently rubbed a gloved hand along the hood, seeming every bit as glad to see the car unscathed as Noctis was. "The Marshal will be pleased to hear about this."

"Pretty sweet busting up this base!" Prompto said, jumping back-first into the uncovered car and landing on the seats. Then, abruptly shooting back up into a sitting position, he gasped, "'Bust-a-base!' I like the sound of that. There's a base—then we go in and bust it up. Bust-a-base!"

Noctis looked over at him and scoffed while Ignis was busy pulling out the car key. Prompto saw his face and shrugged. "Whatever. I'm calling it that. You don't have to."

"I won't," Noctis said, trying to hold back laughter.

"It does seem a bit—flippant," Ignis pointed out.

"Why don't you go with something more epic?" Gladio asked.

"Because I thought of it first," Prompto said in the tone of a twelve-year-old. "So that's the name. Get used to it."

And just like that, the light-hearted mood within the group died. Prompto, who was the only one facing west, noticed him first and subtly shrank back. "Um..."

When Noctis turned his head, a tightness formed in his chest at the sight of a tall, blonde man headed their way. Sword in hand, he looked as imposing as ever and equally repulsive to Noctis, who saw him as little more than an enemy. Nonetheless, the man's name fell from the Prince's lips effortlessly: "Ravus."

The High Commander's reply came as swift and cold as his footsteps. "Long has it been, Noctis. You receive the Stormsender's blessing." Noctis stood his ground as Ravus continued to move closer, refusing to step aside even when the end of a long, thin blade was lifted to his chin. "And yet you know nothing of the consequences."

Gladio was the first to come to Noctis's defense, preparing to put himself between them—but Ravus quickly turned his blade to the side and blocked Gladio's way. "Be still," Ravus ordered as Prompto and Ignis took defensive positions. Then, with a chilly smile on his lips, he turned his attention back to Noctis and sneered, "Heir to a crown befitting no other. Witness his splendor and glory. All hail the Chosen King."

Noctis scoffed, not taking kindly to Ravus's mockery. "Yeah, awful high and mighty for an Imperial rat, serving the enemy to hunt down Luna!"

Fury flashed in Ravus's eyes before his metal arm shot out, gripping Noctis by the throat and shoving him back. "I do not serve—I command!"

The sudden attack took the wind out of Noctis, and he found himself stumbling back, with only the Regalia breaking his fall. Prompto immediately came to his aid, pulling him up while Gladio stepped in front of them both. Of course, Ravus was not the least bit impressed. "A weak shield protects naught," he snarled, bringing his blade down on top of Gladio. Noctis's brutish friend summoned his own sword to block the blow, but his strength proved less than Ravus, who threw him back with immense force.

While his friends attended to Gladio, Noctis took to their defense and summoned his Armiger, ready to protect them if he must. "You wanna go?" he challenged. Ravus gripped his weapon more tightly, sending a wave of thrill through Noctis. Even after a long night infiltrating this base and going up against hoards of MTs, he couldn't imagine a greater pleasure in that moment than having the opportunity to wipe the smug expression off Ravus's face.

"I'd say that's far enough."

Noctis startled at the sound of another voice nearby. And much to his surprise, he turned his head to see none other than Ardyn Izunia approaching—devious smile ever on his face. Noctis would have liked to ruin that expression as well.

"A hand, Highness?" Ardyn asked. And coming from anyone else, it might sound reassuring.

But from Ardyn, it all sounded meaningless. Like he was making fun of them, and no one else was in on the joke. He couldn't stand it, which is why instead of providing a gracious or even a civil answer, he gritted his teeth and hissed, "Not from you."

"Oh, but I'm here to help," Ardyn said, casting a knowing glance at Ravus.

"And how's that?" Ignis asked.

Ardyn chuckled. "By taking the army away, of course."

Gladio made a low grunt of disapproval. "And you expect us to believe that?"

Noctis couldn't take it anymore. "You really think we're idiots, don't you?" he snapped. "What kind of game are you playing?"

But Ardyn was not the least bit affected by Noctis's frustration, and simply sighed before asking, "Now, is that any way to speak to someone who's come to your rescue?"

"Rescue," Noctis scoffed. "And you're just doing this to be nice, are you? Is that what you told Lydia?"

At that, he saw glimmer of surprise reach Ardyn's eyes. He hadn't expected Noctis to mention Lydia—which means he hadn't expected the group would know he was chasing her.

Luna provided scant details in her letter about her location or what brought her and Lydia together—but she told him Lydia was in danger and implored him to help her if he could. She also told him he was more than he seemed. A dark entity who was an enemy to Noctis—although he was not yet at a point where he fully understood the gravity of her brief and admittedly vague explanation. However, the fact that Ardyn was targeting people he cared about was enough to make him hate the fedora-wearing Chancellor.

"Lydia?" Ardyn asked, keeping his cool effortlessly as Ravus averted his gaze in the background, looking disgusted. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb," Noctis demanded. "We know you've been after her, so tell us—what do you want with her?"

"Now, this is intriguing," Ardyn said. "What, I wonder, gave you the idea I want anything with her?"

"Just answer the damn question," Gladio ordered in a gruff voice.

Ardyn's eyes flickered to his, and his expression darkened. "Such bold demands—I seem to recall you in a compromising position just moments ago." When Gladio tightened his jaw in anger, Ardyn glanced back to Noctis and said, "It's very noble indeed that you want to protect her. Alas, I'm afraid I'm not apprised to her whereabouts at the moment. And beyond that, I hardly think my business with Lydia is any of your concern."

"Lydia is our friend," Ignis pointed out. "I daresay she wouldn't say the same about you."

"Oh?" Ardyn asked. "But of course, I'm sure you all have a crystal clear picture of the kinds of people she associates with—especially given your long, frought history together."

"Enough!" Noctis said through his teeth. He had no patience for sarcasm today. "You're trying to twist the subject, but we won't let you. Just give us an answer—because I promise, if she gets hurt because of you—"

"You'll what?" Ardyn asked. "Use your godly powers to destroy me? Oh dear, I'm simply trembling."

Noctis ground his heels into the pavement. "You really want to try me?"

Ardyn made no move to attack or defend himself. "Actually, I'd really rather not," he said. "Defeating you now sounds tempting, but I fear it might feel a bit hollow in the end."

Once again, Noctis felt there was some joke hidden in Ardyn's speech—but only he knew the punchline. The fury rose quickly in Noctis. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Ardyn shook his head. "So many questions. I think more will become clear to you when we next meet, across the seas."

"Altissia?" Prompto murmured in a soft voice.

Noctis didn't know what business Ardyn had in Altissia, but he had no desire to wait and find out. He'd be damned before letting this jackass anywhere near Luna.

"Bold of you to assume you're walking out of here," he said, preparing himself mentally to fight. A few seconds later, he thought he heard Ignis say something, perhaps in an attempt to dissuade him from doing anything rash. But Noctis wasn't listening anymore—and when Ardyn raised his hand and beckoned him gently, he could no longer bring himself to hold back.

"Come, if you dare," he said quietly, prompting Noctis to surge forward. But instead of launching a full attack, Noctis summoned his Armiger and his weapons fly forward until they surrounded Ardyn, hovering just inches from his body. Still, Ardyn seemed completely unfazed.

"I want you to stay away from me and my friends," Noctis growled, grinding his fingernails into his palms as he fought to control his newly acquired power. "And I want you to tell me what Lydia is to you and if you've done anything to her."

Ardyn let his eyes wander around to observe Noctis's royal weapons. Then, with a toothy yet equally icy grin, he asked, "Is that all?"

Before Noctis had the chance to express his confusion, Ardyn had bypassed his weapons and appeared directly in front of him. It happened so fast and so unexpectedly that he was caught off-guard when Ardyn jammed the heel of his shoe into Noctis's abdomen, sending him flying backwards. He phased himself out of harm's way at the last second, landing unsteadily on his hands and feet. The response from his group was quick, and they all jumped to defend him as he sank to his knees in shock.

"So, I think that settles that," Ardyn said. Then, turning to Ravus, he added, "Let's head out. We both have business to attend to, and these boys have a long trip ahead of them."

Ravus, who had become surprisingly quiet since Ardyn entered the scene, nodded in agreement and murmured, "Very well," before falling into step beside the Chancellor.

"Congratulations on retrieving your automobile," Ardyn said, giving them a mocking friendly wave as he turned to leave. "Oh, and don't worry—if I happen to see Lydia, I'll be sure to let her know you've all been asking about her. I'm confident she'll be touched by your concern." And with a menacing chuckle, he and Ravus were off. Noctis and his friends made no move to stop them.

"Well, that was a bit more than we bargained for, I think," Ignis observed, crouching down to place a comforting hand on Noctis's shoulder. "Are you hurt, Highness?"

Aside from being a little winded, Noctis was unharmed. Or at least, that was his estimation at the time. It was difficult for him to think about his physical well-being while staring down at his hands, unable to shake the feeling of dread washing over him.

"Ardyn..." he said quietly with a catch in his throat. "Just who is he?"

Ardyn could sense Ravus's disdain and frustration long before the boy and his friends were out of sight. It was clear he'd been hoping to let off a bit of steam by tussling with the royal crew—but Ardyn wouldn't have it. The man was strong and quite ruthless, but he was also wild and prone to making emotionally charged decisions. Something Ardyn could not afford.

In fact, the only reason Ravus remained alive was because he needed someone to look out for Lunafreya—at least until she could fulfill her role in this tale. Once Ardyn had cemented his own place in the narrative, he would dispose of the High Commander and turn the wretched Empire into ash.

"Rather reckless, aren't we?" Ardyn commented, casually turning to face the Commander as they approached his dreadnought. "Antagonizing the young Prince and his friends all by your lonesome. And so soon after receiving your new prosthetic, no less."

"Don't pretend to care," Ravus said dryly. "I have no fear of that whelp. And I suspect, neither do you. Which makes me wonder why you insist on protecting him."

Ardyn reached up to tilt his hat down slightly, uncomfortable as the light of the sun made his nose and eyes sting. "I protect him as far as he suits my needs," he said simply.

Ravus then looked away with a scowl, clearly knowing better than to ask. When he remained pensive and silent, Ardyn added, "I think it would be best for you to focus on your own affairs. Don't you have an Oracle to look after?"

"She's safe—for now," Ravus replied. He stood tall and proud as he always did, as though he fancied himself a hero and the world simply didn't know it. Yet he remained reserved and wary while Ardyn was near because he was keenly aware that any word or action could be used against him. "I'm going to assume our agreement still stands and you plan to honor it."

Ardyn smiled. "Oh, your secret is safe with me."

"Good," Ravus said, turning to board his aircraft. "Then I hope you got what you wanted."

Ardyn could tell Ravus was tired of their conversation and readying himself to leave, but the Chancellor wasn't quite finished yet. And leaning his hand lazily on the warm metal of Ravus's machine, he said, "Unfortunately, she managed to elude me. It turns out that she has friends in high places." The High Commander stopped moving while halfway up the ramp, but didn't turn around. "I regret to say I'm having a bit of trouble tracking her down," he continued. "You wouldn't happen to have any knowledge about her whereabouts—or where she's going. Would you?"

Ravus glanced back to regard him with a cold stare. "No. Why should I?"

"You spent time with her," Ardyn pointed out.

"Very little, I might add," Ravus said. "And she wasn't especially loquacious. All I knew is that she was running from you."

Ardyn held Ravus's gaze for several seconds, silently observing him for any signs of dishonesty. While the High Commander feared him, Ardyn had little doubt that he would lie to him under the right set of circumstances. Although, to put himself and Lunafreya at any measure of risk seemed unlikely. Ravus was not a noble man, though he often pretended to be.

That's why when Ravus's expression gave away nothing, Ardyn released his gaze and shrugged with his hands. "Very well," he said, pushing away from the dreadnought. "I'm sure you're a busy man, so I'll let you get on with your day."

The High Commander said nothing and instead simply nodded before continuing to ascend into the airship. The ramp started to raise, and Ardyn held his hand up with a smile. "If you see Lady Lunafreya, please give her my regards!" He was rewarded with a death glare before the Commander disappeared from view.

Ardyn had arrived in his automobile, so after Ravus departed, he pulled out his car keys and made his way back to it. He imagined that other reinforcements would be arriving soon, considering Noctis and his retainers annihilated the entire base. And he had no interest in being present when that happened.

The Chancellor exhaled heavily, some unidentifiable exhaustion weighing on him as he slipped into his driver's seat. He didn't fully understand it—while he could eat and sleep like a normal man, he didn't require such actions to sustain himself. His body could quickly rejuvenate itself in the event of any injury, no matter how severe. And yet unexpectedly, moments like these came, where he felt undeniably thin and overextended. As if something inside him was brittle and ready to crack at any moment.

If destiny came to pass and Noctis did indeed purge him of this darkness, he wondered what might happen to him. He wondered how it might feel to take his last breath—to fade away into darkness.

His thoughts were broken by the sound of a phone ringing. Ardyn's brow furrowed as he reached into his trenchcoat, pulling out Lydia's mobile device and staring down at the name on the screen. Rosella, it read.

Rosella...

Ardyn let the call go to voicemail. He waited a long moment before putting the phone to his ear and listening to what the caller had to say.

"Lydia," a woman with a clear, young voice said. She sounded anxious—almost panicked. "Listen, I don't have a lot of time. Imperials are here in Lestallum. I-I'm trying to stay out of their way, but I think they're looking for you and your friends. I know you don't want me involved in all this, but please please please, just call me and tell me your safe. Gods, I don't even know if I'm safe. Just call me when you get this."

The line disconnected. Ardyn pulled the phone away from his ear smiled. So, the Empire was looking for Noctis in Lestallum—and that just so happened to be the location someone Lydia was close to. He had initially hoped to avoid entangling himself in what little personal life Lydia had. But now, he wondered if this wasn't an opportunity to solve his current dilemma.

Lydia had to be controlled, or she had to be eliminated. It was as simple as that. And he wouldn't underestimate her again.

A part of Lydia hoped she would hear from her Mother again soon after she left, but her hopes turned out to be in vain. She traveled alone until after the rain stopped—and much to her dismay, was forced to travel through most of the night due to a lack of safe places to stop and rest. It was only by sheer luck that she managed to make it through the night without encountering any daemons.

At dawn, she finally came upon a gas station and stopped there to fuel up her rental. She also bought a large cup of coffee in hopes that it would keep her alert enough to drive until she came upon a place she could rest her head. It was still a few hours until she would reach the Imperial base where Ravus's vessel was waiting. At this rate, she had serious doubts that she could make it to Altissia without a decent night's sleep, so she would have no choice but to pull over somewhere eventually—despite the obvious risks.

Later that morning, she found herself driving along the highway, at times startling a bit when she realized she hadn't been paying attention to the road for a while. Fortunately for her, it was a low-traffic day, and there wasn't much movement to take note of aside from the occasional vehicle passing by. But the hills still sparkled from the rain the day before, and everything the sunlight touched seemed more beautiful than before—as if the sun wanted to show the world it was still here, that it would keep fighting to come back every day.

Sometimes Lydia mused about the end of the world—there were moments in her life she'd even fantasized about the ways it might happen. A great flood, a plague, another meteor. But perpetual darkness? If she had to spend the rest of eternity on this planet, she lamented the thought of never seeing the sunrise again.

As Lydia continued on, she felt her eyes getting heavy and took a huge drink of her now-cold coffee, praying for the caffeine to work its wonders. From here she could see Lestallum in the distance, and knew she had to be getting close to her destination. She wasn't planning on stopping there, expecting it was too high-profile for her to stay under the radar.

But something gave her pause.

Far away, three dreadnoughts appeared in her line of sight, and it didn't take her long to see where they were headed. Lestallum was the only logical destination based on their trajectory. But it was the "why" that concerned her.

Immediately, her mind went back to all the people who had likely spotted Noctis in the city—Noctis and his friends... and her.

They were looking for him.

Lydia had no emotional attachment to the city of Lestallum, but her hands hardened against the steering wheel as the magitek engines descended nonetheless. She had no way to reach out to Rosella and make sure she was safe. Would the Imperials connect the dots and realize she had been with them?

The thought of just driving by seemed impossible now. And yet Lydia wondered if she'd be putting her sister in danger just by being close to her. Both options were less than ideal, and her exhaustion made the situation more frustrating and stressful for her than it might have been otherwise.

Before Lydia had even made a solid decision, she'd already made the turn that would lead her directly to the city. She took a deep breath.

"Just to check on her, just to check on her," Lydia murmured as she stared at the road. No matter what happened, she would keep as low a profile as possible and avoid attracting attention. All she had to do was stop in to do a health and wellness check, and she'd be on her way.

Of course, when Lydia pulled into town a short time later, she noticed that the streets were almost completely deserted. This was almost unheard of for Lestallum, which was typically bustling with people 24 hours a day.

To avoid catching any unwanted eyes, she parked at the local gas station away from the main part of the city. She headed up a back alley she knew would take her to the street Rosella lived on. Then she used a ladder from a nearby fire escape to reach the top of a roof so she had a better vantage point. While remaining hidden, she could see that soldiers were approaching homes and questioning civilians. She clenched her teeth, about ready to go in for the kill, when a man knocked on her sister's door.

Rosella opened the door slowly—warily. "Can I help you?" she asked in a polite tone.

"Hello Miss," the soldier said. "As you may very well have guessed, this city is now property of the Nifhleim Empire. Currently, we're on the lookout for multiple fugitives, and we're surveying citizens to uncover any relevant information."

"I see," Rosella said with a dry, passionless tone. "Well, I'm sorry to say I haven't seen any of your fugitives. I've been listening to the radio though—you're um, after the former Prince and his retainers, correct?"

"That's correct, young lady," the man said. "Could you please tell me your name and how long you've been here in the city?"

She held onto the door tightly, but kept her cool. "Rosella Starset," she said. "And uh, I've lived here for six years. I work at the power plant."

"Seen anything unusual the last few days?" the man asked without missing a beat.

"Other than the earthquakes earlier this week, can't say that I have."

The man prepared himself to ask yet another question, but an abrupt scream but the query short. He and Rosella both turned to the direction of the noise. Even from her angle, Lydia couldn't see what was going on, but in the direction of the Leville she could hear the buzz of people yelling and crying. She wondered if someone had been hurt.

"I have to go see what's going on," the man below told Rosella in a serious tone. Before taking off in a rush, he said, "I'll be back shortly."

Few people on the street dared venture out of their homes on this street, even amid the sounds of screaming. Rosella, on the other hand, was curious or concerned, and started down her porch steps. Lydia ejected a frustrated huff and raced back down the fire escape with abandon, and only briefly checked her surroundings before darting across the street.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Lydia whispered, grabbing her sister's arm and spinning her around.

"Hey!" Rosella gasped as she tried to resist Lydia's attempts to push her back toward the porch. "Lydia, someone could be in trouble!" she hissed.

Lydia half-pulled and half-pushed Rosella up the steps, while glancing around frantically to make sure no one was watching. "I don't care," she muttered in response to the younger woman's protests. She had to strain to reach out and open up the screen door, and took one last look back and forth across the street before shoving her sister inside.

"Ow, what is with you?!" Rosella snapped, rubbing her shoulder where Lydia had grabbed her too hard. "What if someone's hurt out there?"

"And if they are?" Lydia threw her hands up in the air. "What are you going to do about it?"

She sighed and threw her hands up in response. Then, shaking her head, she said in a low breathy voice, "I don't know, I just..."

"You need to focus on yourself," Lydia told her. "That's what's important right now, especially if you want to stay outside their radar."

Rosella shook her head. "I don't think they know anything."

Based on the soldier's previous attitude toward her, Lydia agreed with that assessment. But she wasn't about to take any chances. "Let's just hope it stays that way."

Lydia then went around the residence, not only locking the front and back doors but also locking the windows and closing the curtains. Rosella turned on a lamp to counteract the darkness that fell as she closed up the apartment, but her body stiffened while watching her sister peek out one of the curtains. "You think he'll come back?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Lydia shook her head as she pulled away from the curtain. "I don't know. I'll stay to make sure he doesn't cause you any trouble, but I don't want anyone to see me."

"You didn't have to come here," Rosella said, folding her arms and moving in closer until they were about two feet apart. "I would have been fine on my own."

"I couldn't take the risk. Not when I knew they were looking for Noctis and the others."

Rosella sighed, and Lydia detected a notable attitude change. With a faint smile, she reached out and rubbed Lydia's arm lightly. "I appreciate you being here, I do. Although I wouldn't have expected you this soon."

Odd choice of words.

"Soon?"

"I mean since I called," Rosella said.

All of the sudden, Lydia stiffened. Her sister's brow furrowed as their gazes locked uneasily. Lydia couldn't put it into words yet, but this piece of news chilled her to the bone and admittedly, she felt a bit sick to her stomach.

"You called?" she asked softly, her gaze still hard as stone. "When?"

Rosella shrugged, not understanding. "I don't know, maybe an hour ago?"

It was then that Lydia tore her gaze away and stepped back. A feeling of near-panic came over her as she let her eyes pass over the door and windows again, just to make sure they were secure. Not that it would have made a difference. Nonetheless, she kept her voice small and unconfrontational in an effort to avoid frightening her sister. "I didn't get the message," she murmured. "What did you say?"

Despite her attempts to stay composed, Rosella noticed the tension and asked, "Lydia, is something the matter?"

"Just tell me what you said," Lydia ordered, putting both hands on her sister's arms. "Anything about what's happening here? Anything location-specific?"

Rosella stifled nervous laughter, likely incredulous that Lydia would ask such questions. And she shook her head as if she was somewhat at a loss for words before muttering, "I don't know—I might have mentioned Lestallum, but—"

"Oh no," Lydia cut Rosella off and turned around, dropping her head into her hands. All this time she had been hoping silently that Rosella wouldn't try to reach her while Ardyn had her phone. In fact, she had thought it was quite unlikely that she would given that they didn't tend to keep in close contact nowadays. This accursed phone call was the worst-case scenario, and she had to act fast or face the consequences.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit," Lydia mumbled under her breath as she tried to devise a plan in her head. It didn't help that Rosella was now asking questions.

"Lydia, what is wrong?" she demanded, trying to follow Lydia and catch her attention as she paced around. "Lydia—come on, would you just stop?!"

"Okay, we have to go," Lydia said. "Go grab a bag for essentials—only essentials. And we'll figure something out."

"You're not making any sense!"

"We have to leave! Would you just trust me?"

Rosella shook her head with a completely baffled expression on her face. "Lydia, I can't just pack up and leave. I have a job, I—I have—"

"Rose," Lydia said firmly. "Screw your job. Your life is in danger, do you understand that?!"

"No!" Rosella exclaimed. "No I don't, because you're not explaining anything! You show up out of the blue and just expect me to pack up and go—what the hell am I supposed to do with that?"

Grabbing her sister's hands, Lydia used her eyes to plead for her to listen. She didn't want to take any more precious time than she had to poring over details, but if that was what it took to get results, she'd have to compromise. "I don't have my phone, okay? I'm being chased by a homicidal maniac, and if he listened to your message, that means he knows where you are. You cannot stay here. Rose, I will explain everything. I promise. On the way. Right now we just have to focus on getting out of here. Please."

Any resolve Rosella had to argue seemed to die right then and there. At first, she opened her mouth to speak, but then seemed to think better of it and closed it again. "Okay, just give me five minutes," she murmured before running off to her room.