{The currents of time strum along to the voices of the Void.}

Altissia was breathtakingly gorgeous.

She's been to Altissia a few times before but her memories of the Walls of Water could never be as crystal clear as the sights before her. The architecture, the oceans, the easygoingness of the people, it was something she wasn't really used to seeing but something she could definitely indulge in. Especially since everyone was doing their own thing today, a rest day Ignis called it, Reveria took the opportunity to explore with Ragnarok by her side and become entranced by the ambience the city carried. For a sentient weapon, Reveria found it adorable when Ragnarok realised his favourite food was ice cream.

But even as they lavished in the beauty and wonderment, a pit shop at a nearby cafe had Reveria drowning in her thoughts again: during the boat ride to Altissia, she kept out of conversation and closed her eyes in meditation, all the doom and gloom clouding her thoughts of a better future. Trying to go up against one of the Six, Bahamut no less, wasn't really the brightest idea but seeing Lunafreya's gorgeous wedding dress almost made her cry. Some vessel of destiny, being the havoc that wreaked around everyone. Ragnarok was sitting parallel to her, frowning at the sight of her tapping the base of her fork on the table with a disappointed look on her face. She didn't have to say a word, because he already knew.

"It's not fair," she broke out and dropped the fork in her empty plate. "I was supposed to see that wedding dress on Luna, not hung up in a store and shown off to everyone. Makes it seem as if there's never gonna be a wedding…"

"It is a shame. This dress can only look so beautiful on a mannequin, but on Lady Lunafreya it would be nothing but stunning."

She sighed, "At least she's safe in the hands of Accordio. I'm more worried about Noct. If he knew my real mission, he'd actually fucking kill me."

"Do you intend to tell him?"

"Yeah. I just hope he forgives me when I do." Reveria sighed as she leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed tight on her chest in annoyance as she relished in the memories of King Regis welcoming her into the Citadel and her noticing his handicap as he stood in respect of her holding an audience with him. The Old Wall was grand but siphoned away life in exchange of protection for millions. If she wasn't so ignorant back then, she would've used her Keys to strengthen the foundation of the Old Wall and maybe King Regis would still be... She took in air through her teeth and realised where she was, with Ragnarok's eyes completely locked in hers. She smirked, "Not gonna eat, Ragnarok?"

"Not hungry."

"That's a first. What's up?"

"Izunia." Reveria widened her eyes and pushed herself out of her chair with force enough to knock her glass, but reality stopped just as it began its helpless descent towards the stone patio, and everything was frozen in its place. The steam from the meals the waiters and waitresses served to tables, the crystal ocean and the glitters of rays that danced upon it, Ragnarok's gloved hand reaching out to catch her falling glass. And that was when her eyes met the Niflheim Chancellor just as he walked up the stairs to the open cafe.

With a sort of cold aura emanating around him, his dark flowing coat alongside his hooded mantle that swayed in step, and who would forget the leather wing that stretched down his arm? It was him, no denying that, and the fact that time stood still while she remained animate made her question why he wouldn't just kill her now like he tried to do the last time they encountered each other. Just as he was on the wooden patio Reveria was already marching towards him, and he raised his arm to gently pluck his fedora off his head.

"Ardyn," she growled and flicked her hand beside her, blurring out of his sight and leaving a wispy purple haze in the space she had vacated, and he hummed in confusion before he felt something sharp pressing at his back. "You shouldn't be here."

"No hello? I'm not here for you, sweet Reveria," he cooed and peered over his shoulder to meet her fierce eyes once again. "I have other business to attend to, so ours will just have to wait."

"And what the fuck does that mean?"

"Naughty. A lady such as yourself shouldn't be speaking such profanity―"

"For the last time, I'm not royal. I'm Arsenal. So I'll say again: you shouldn't be here."

"No?" he chuckled. "But I want you to take a seat. That's it. Nothing more but your eyes to witness Ardyn Izunia play the role of hero." Reveria dropped her guard when he said this, easing the pressure of her blade on his back. "Maybe then you'll realise that you're the villain." He spun on his heels right after he finished his sentence, and blinked in surprise when she wasn't there. "Your magic is...quite something. Definitely the Voidwalker's taste. If I didn't know what it was, I would have believed you were a Lucian princess."

"Could say the same about you," she spat as he turned to face her. "Being able to manipulate the space-time continuum is some feat, but I know you're just doing it for fun. The Void knows of you and your rotten magic, how it feeds and infects those possessed by it."

"And to have the Voidwalker politically involved would mean Vaeza is in trouble. You've come all this way to have your precious nation destroyed." Her body tensed at the indirect threat and she flipped backwards as a silver sigil appeared under her feet on impact, the blade she was once wielding being reconstructed around the hilt still in her hand, and Ardyn smiled in fascination as glowing swords shuddered around her. The mark on her cheekbone pulsed, Reveria dismissing the rotating sigil and pointing her blade at him.

"And soon, the Void will know of you no longer." He was in awe, there was no incantation, no need for exaggerated movement, just a thought and oh look a barrage of floating swords waiting for her command. She was impressive, more impressive than three years ago, and it brought him to raise his palms in defeat. Reveria was just as shocked that the blades actually shrunk back in empathy.

"You've grown a lot, Inkheart," he stated casually. "I could use someone of your talents―"

"For Niflheim? You must have incredibly low expectations for even attempting to ask me such a stupid question, Chancellor." And just like that, everything she summoned shattered like glass and fuzzed away from reality. "Of course, I could end it now. But that would ruin the fun, no?"

"Oh, Reveria...you sound like you believe in destiny."

"Whatever you believe is entirely up to interpretation. But I promised King Regis I'd do everything to keep Noctis safe."

"How endearing. But I must apologise that I cannot entertain you any further, I've got a ceremony to watch." The sound of glass smashing made her realise time was restored to its normality, and she spun quickly on her heels to see Ragnarok frozen in surprise as the glass he knew he was capable of catching was instead on the floor in pieces. She rushed over to aid him but was halted halfway by his dismissal as a waitress heard the commotion and reacted accordingly, so she ran her fingers through her hair and peered at the people peacefully going about their lives.

"He's here. Why the hell is he here?" She glanced around just in case Ardyn was hiding in plain sight but he was nowhere to be seen; damn, his time-warping trick came in really handy at the best of times and it pissed her off.

"Taunting you as always," Ragnarok added as he thanked the waitress and moved off his chair, flattening the creases in his attire and adjusting his scarf so it rested properly on his shoulders. "But, seeing the look on your face, he said something else."

"He did." Something clicked and Reveria suddenly moved into a dash towards the hotel, almost knocking over an unaware waiter had she not ducked under his tray of dishes, and had to slip through a couple more before leaping down the whole flight of stairs. She rolled on impact, not even caring if her dress fluttered a bit too high, and transferred into a halting jog when she spotted Prompto taking pictures at the peak of the bridge. She cursed under her breath and fixed her clothes and hair before slowly walking up to him but suddenly stopped when the lens was pointed straight at her.

Click.

The shutter went off and a memory that never existed flashed a horror before Reveria's eyes, and she found herself patting away tears from her cheeks. What...what was that? She looked up to see Prompto scrambling towards her, swinging his camera around his neck before hesitantly placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Rev?" he asked. "Are...you okay?"

Then she remembered, "I need to find Noct."

"Why? What's going on?"

"I…" Reveria sighed and tried for a smile. "Didn't mean to worry you, I...I'm sorry."

"...you can talk to me."

"I know...but no, I'm okay." She sniffed once and smiled wider. "So you found yourself a hobby, huh?" Prompto, still reeling from her sudden outburst of tears, stared at her with a confused look until it finally clicked and he made a sound in realisation.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah…" After a few seconds of awkward silence, Reveria tilted her head as Prompto kept his eyes averted, fiddling with the camera strap.

"I didn't disturb you, did I?"

"No," he nervously chuckled, throwing a hand to emphasise. "You could never."

"Can we...can we walk and talk? I could really use a friend right now. If you don't mind me calling you that. It's been so long."

"No, Reveria, we've always been friends. We can talk. Walk and talk." Reveria's face softened into a smile and started the slow pace through Altissia with Prompto in time with her steps, the latter marvelling at the small, thorned headpiece nestled in her hair. It reminded him of the one that King Regis would wear, only dipped in purple and possibly a magical relay of some sort for her missing gauntlet. The Voidwalker was known in many cities, Prompto imagined, that even the sight of her gauntlet would warrant unwanted attention. It was a smart move on Reveria's part but he knew she felt uneasy without it. "So," he finally started once they entered the street leading to the Leville, the familiar sounds of beckoning vendors and the chatter of hotel-goers filling the air. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"It's about Noct...the only other person that knows is Cor but the mission is mine and mine alone."

"Your mission to help Noctis?"

"You could say that." She stopped in front of the florist vendor and gazed at the variety of flowers in their respective vases, even gently caressing a rosy petal between her fingers. "It's a lot more complicated and by that I mean Bahahut and myself are involved. Long mission short: I'm supposed to help Noctis ascend the throne."

"You don't sound convinced," Prompto frowned as Reveria decided on an olympia vase and quickly paid the vendor, showing him the bouquet of white and blue gentiana beautifully arranged and she held the vase close to her chest as they continued their walk.

"It's because I...I just want the best for him. We all do. With everything that's going on, Noct deserves a break. All I ever wanted was for Noctis to be happy. All his life, he's been swept up by nothing but misfortune. His mother losing her life in an accident, him being bound to his wheelchair, his father killed because he was only fulfilling his duty. If it wasn't for Nyx, we wouldn't even be here."

"Iggy told me about him and what he did."

"While I stayed behind in Insomnia, it was Nyx that kept Luna safe during Niflheim's attack. I felt, in the Void, that he actually sacrificed his life. He used himself as a vessel to channel the power of the Crystal. Nyx wore the Ring of the Lucii."

"But I heard that only those deemed worthy can use it."

"Yes, but Nyx proved to the past rulers of Lucis exactly why he became a Kingsglaive, why he was worthy. And it's that proof alone that brings us here with Luna safe in the hands of Accordio."

"Oh," Prompto frowned. "I'm sorry about―" She placed a hand on his chest, stopping their walk.

"You don't have to apologise. It wasn't your fault. Nyx was stubborn to a fault but he believed in King Regis as we believe in Noctis. Even you, you've been the best support system for Noct and my thank yous wouldn't be enough to express my gratitude."

"You don't have to do that, Rev. I'm his best friend, I'll always be there for Noct. Always."

Reveria sighed softly. "That's all I needed to hear." Then she tilted her head, "I haven't forgotten."

"Forgotten what?" Prompto was adorably oblivious when Reveria dropped her hand from his chest and took a step towards him, but by the time he realised what she was about to do she had already planted a small kiss on his freckled cheek. He froze in his place, Reveria averting her eyes and holding the vase with both hands before looking back at him.

"We were kids with silly ambitions for the future...but I couldn't forget about what I told you. A promise sealed with a kiss. That when my fight ends, we can...we can start over."

Prompto was still in shock, his cheeks and ears tinted red and a hand up to rest on Reveria's kiss, even to try and talk his words stumbled over one another, "What...what was―" She tucked a flower in his breast pocket and let out a satisfied hum.

"Yeah, something about moving in together, get a pet dog, all that cheesy, cheesy goodness," Reveria teased him. "Ragnarok."

"Understood," her weapon responded as he fizzed beside her mid-step, plucked the vase out of her hands and fizzed away. Prompto, who was still caught in the moment of the Voidwalker kissing him and adorning his dark attire with a white gentian, blinked in surprise and Reveria put a finger to her lips.

"When our fight ends, Prom, we'll start over. Properly, no more hiding behind Averissa. We'll start over."