Dark Clouds.

As Cauthess crumbles, the imperial chancellor swoops in to usher the four friends to safety, but their reprieve is only temporary, as Duscae's skies tell of trouble on the horizon. With the Regalia missing and the roads closed, the four friends find themselves stranded. Several days later, imperial soldiers conducting inspections of civilian vehicles at roadway blockades.

While that was going on, a Newscaster spoke on the radio "High Commander Ravus Nox Fleuret issued the following statement regarding the imperial blockades across the region".

"We believe the insurgents behind the Citadel attack have taken refuge in Duscae. The blockades shall help us root out the criminals. I realize the inconvenience imposed upon the citizenry, but we must each do our part for the good of all" Ravus said.

"The high commander also stressed the imperial army would continue its recovery efforts in the Crown City" The Newscaster spoke again "The frequent quakes which rocked the Duscae and Cleigne regions in recent days have finally quieted. In response, the empire provided the following comment".

"The cause of the tremors was the Archaean, who had awakened in a fit of rage. The imperial army took swift action and laid the unruly giant to rest, thus averting disaster" Ravus said.

"Eyewitness reports confirm Titan has disappeared from the Disc of Cauthess" The Newscaster said.


While all that was going on, the gang were gathered at Wiz Chocobo Post, discussing their next move.

"I still can't believe it. I mean, shouldn't the car have turned up by now?" Prompto asked.

"We should wait until Cindy's done asking around the local garages before we despair" Ignis said, trying to keep everyone calm.

"Let's not fool ourselves. The empire has it" Gladio said, it was obvious that their car had been impounded.

"Then maybe we could ask Ardyn to help us out again, right?" Prompto asked.

"No way!" Asuka said sharply. After the grief that man put her through, she never wanted to see him again.

"Asuka is right. He represents a problem, not a solution" Ignis said.

"Oh, sorry Asuka. That was thoughtless of me" Prompto said, feeling bad that he even suggested speaking to Ardyn, after he made Asuka break down by telling her about her dead mother. It took two days before Asuka had recovered enough to speak normally.

"No, it's ok. I need to get over it" Asuka assured, but the others weren't to convinced that she would get over it any time soon.

"So where does that leave us?" Prompto asked.

"Stranded, awaiting word from Hammerhead" Ignis answered.

"In the meantime, we'll have to hoof it" Gladio said.

Prompto suddenly noticed something "Look, it's Umbra!".

The others turn to see the canine Messenger a few feet away; as Noctis approaches him, the dog runs off.

"Someone's sending us a message" Ignis.

"Well, better see what Umbra wants to show us" Asuka said

The group chase after Umbra and catch up to him in the tree line just outside the chocobo ranch; there, a beautiful woman is waiting for them.

"Gentiana" Noctis said, remembering having met the woman before.

Gentiana had her eyes closed as she spoke "Hear me, O King of the Stone. By the Stormsender's blessing will the path to the Stone be opened. The Oracle goes hence in her King's name".

Noctis reacted to Luna's name "Luna, where is she now?".

"The eye of the Storm. When the covenant is forged, the Oracle and ring shall await their King at the Walls of Water. Stray not from the path" Gentiana said before she looked at Asuka "I can see great sorrow within you. But your heart is strong. You will face your destiny with in time. And you will face it with a brave heart".

"What?" Asuka asked, but Gentiana vanished "No wait! Come back...".

Ignis explains to Prompto, who looks confused "She's a Messenger, a spirit faithful to the Oracle".

"For real?" Prompto asked.

"We're going beyond real now, pal" Gladio said.

"But I don't understand. She spoke like she knew me, but I have never met her before" Asuka said.

Ignis thinks for a moment "Perhaps it's connected to what Ardyn told you".

"Maybe..." Asuka said, wondering if what Ardyn said held more weight that she thought.

"Let Luna know… I'm okay, and she won't have to wait much longer we'll be together soon" Notctis told Umbra who barks before running of. Noctis could hear Gentiana talk to him, and only he could hear her.

"So what's our next step, Noct?" Asuka asked.

"Gentiana told me I need to follow the light. I think she is talking about the lightning bolts in the distance" Noctis answered.

"Lady Lunafreya has done well to keep the ring from falling into enemy hands" Ignis said.

"All we need to do is hit Altissia" Prompto said.

"That entails passage aboard a ship. Caem may serve us now as it did them then" Ignis said.

"The hidden harbor… Hmph, just might work. I'll have Iris set it up" Gladio said.

"So, in the meantime…" Prompto began.

"We head into the Storm" Noctis finished.

"Another day, another deity" Prompto said.

"With any luck, we don't have to fight this one" Asuka said.

With a destination set, the group decided to hire some Chocobos, much to Prompto's delight. Since they didn't have a car, they needed to find other ways of traveling, and Chocobos were still better than going on foot.

While traveling to their destination Gladio decided to ask something "Lady Lunafreya doing alright?".

"Probably. She pasted in a little nature stamp" Noctis answered.

"A stamp?" Prompto asked.

"She's opted for simpler modes of communication to indulge our indolent prince" Ignis said.

"She usually sends pictures and flowers. I send back stickers and stuff" Noctis said.

"Ah, how sweet" Asuka said with a smile.

"Sounds like you two have some riveting conversations" Prompto said.

Noct hears Gentiana's voice again, something Ignis took notice of, though he couldn't hear her voice himself "What is it?".

"Apparently all this is taking a toll on Luna, and I should go to her" Noctis said.

"In dealings with the gods, life is often the currency" Ignis said with a hint of sadness.

"Let's hope Luna don't hand over her whole life" Asuka said in some concern.

After a while, they reach the first runestone, Noctis touches it and gains a flash back "I remember… Back in Tenebrae with Gentiana…".

He touches his head and Prompto looked concerned "What is it? Another headache?".

"I heard her, Gentiana" Noctis asnwered.

"Divine voices in your head again?" Gladio asked.

"Hopefully it won't amount to the same headache it did with the Archaean" Ignis said.

They headed out again, but as they did Gladio looked concerned "The hell? I can't get a hold of her".

"Iris?" Noctis asked.

Gladio looked at him "She call you?".

Noctis checked his phone "No messages".

"She didn't call me either. Gods I hope she is safe" Asuka said in worry of her younger sister.

They reach the second runestone. Noctis reaches out to touch and is engulfed in lightning, he hears Gentiana's voice once more. After a few moments of listening to what she had to say, he looks at the others.

"The last one's in the cave" He explained.

"Let's hurry up and get this over with" Gladio said.

"Finally! Time to meet with the Stormsender!" Prompto said in excitment.

"You'd better look your best" Ignis said.

"Eh, doubt gods care much about mortal fashion" Asuka said.

They headed for the last runestone. Along the way both Asuka and Gladio tried getting in touch with Irirs. But she never picked up... this caused the two older siblings to grow more and more worried. They needed to take care of this quickly so they could go back and check on her. Once they got close to Fociaugh Hollow, a lightning bolt strikes the ground a short distance ahead of them.

"That one was pretty close" Gladio said.

"Which means we must be as well" Ignis added. Soon enough, they arrive outside Fociaugh Hollow.

"Look, over there. I bet that's the place lightning struck" Gladio said.

"And we're supposed to go inside?" Prompto asked.

"Damn, I hate caves. I swear if any of those tiny freaks are in there, I will crush all of them" Asuka declared, still remembering how she nearly had her clothes torn of. She still wanted to vomit when she thought about what those creatures would've done to her "And before anyone says anything. I am not waiting outside this time. I am coming with, no matter what you say".

"Well not going to stop you, we will all be needed for this" Noctis said as they enter the cave.

"Here we are, Fociaugh Hollow!" Prompto said.

"No telling what waits inside" Ignis said.

"Stay sharp" Gladio ordered.

Noctis nods "Always".

"We're drifting into the deep end" Prompto said as they descend down the tunnel.

"I can't quite make out how deep it runs" Ignis said.

"Only one way to find out, right?" Gladio asked.

"Into the unknown we go" Asuka said as they proceed. Then a colony of bats come forth, startling them "Whoa! Damn bats! I hate it when they fly out of nowhere like that!".

"Never knew you were scared of bats" Gladio teased, earning a small glare from his sister.

They exit the first tunnel into a wider room, Prompto looks around a little nervous "I've got a bad feeling about this place".

"As if danger lurks 'round every corner" Ignis agreed.

"Avoid all corners. Got it!" Prompto said.

Gladio found a narrow passage in the rock wall "Should be able to slip through".

"Let's see" Noctis said as they make their way through.

"Tight squeeze" Gladio said, his large size being a bit of a hindrance in such a narrow path.

"Maybe for you. Pretty easy for me, though" Prompto said with a smirk. But as they keep going, he begins grunting "On second thought…maybe not!".

"You guys think you have it hard? At least your chest is not sticking out!" Asuka grunts as she pretty much had to drag her breasts across the stone wall. Sometimes she really wished her breasts wasn't so big.

They proceed further into the tunnel on the other side of the tight passage. All of them being relived to be able to breath a little easier. But there was still something of about this cave.

"Shhh. Keep quiet" Gladio said.

"Who? What? Where?" Prompto whispered.

"I don't know, but I don't like it" Gladio said.

Ignis narrowed his eyes "Stay alert, everyone".

As they continue, they come to a small opening requiring them to crouch to proceed; they do.

"I guess we could crawl through" Gladio said.

"Don't lose your head" Ignis said.

After they got through, they got ambushed by some daemons. It didn't take long to deal with them, and they began moving on into another tunnel.

"It never ends…" Prompto said.

"It will, at some point" Asuka assured.

Before long, the tunnel opens into a path diverging to the left and right. They pick a path and soon thereafter, they arrive at another narrow opening in a rock wall.

"Think we can fit through there?" Gladio asked.

"Gotta try" Noctis said.

As they begin their attempt, imp daemons begin crawling through the narrow passage and began swarming them. Prompto screams in surprise as everyone backed away from the Imps.

"Seriously?" Gladio said in annoyance.

Noctis growls "I hate these things".

Gladio's large sword wasn't the best weapon for such a small space "There's no room to swing a sword in here".

"Just don't hit me" Noctis said.

The Imps moved closer, and just like last time, they focused on Asuka, eyeing her body with hellish lust. The mere sight of them made Asuka very angry.

"Oh hell no! You are not touching me!" She shouts as she slams her fists together with such force that it creates a small shock wave that was strong enough to send the imps flying back.

The team took advantage of the imps stunned state to attack, and with their combined assault, the disgusting little creatures. Asuka took her time to beat them to a bloody mess, she just wanted to see them being erased from the face of the planet.

"Finally..." She said as she calmed down.

"Wow babe. When did you learn to create shock waves?" Prompto asked.

"Oh that? I just reacted out of instinct" Asuka admitted.

"Well, at least it worked" Gladio said.

After killing the daemons, they proceed to squeeze on through the passage; as they make their way through the long tunnel ahead, they hear a heavy breathing. They were not alone in these caves. Not just the little critters... something else was in there.

"Guys, wait! Wha…what was that sound?" Prompto asked in fear

A deep female voice speaks "My baby…".

Asuka move on ahead, keeping her guard up... but she hears slithering sound. She looks around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. She heard it again, and before she could react, something wraps around her.

"WHAT THE!? AAAAAAH!" Asuka screams as she was pulled away.

"Asuka!" Noctis calls out as he and the others hurries in her direction.

"Sis! Are you ok!?" Gladio shouts.

"Asuka! Where are you!?" Prompto shouts in terror.


Said girl was dragged deeper in to the cave by snake looking creature with a woman's head. It was called Naga, and it must be one of the freakiest Daemons Asuka had ever seen.

"Wh-what the hell do you want!?" Asuka demanded.

"My baby… Where…" Naga said silently.

"Baby? I'm afraid I don't know who you are talking about" Asuka said.

"Must... have... baby..." Naga spoke again, sounding desperate.

"Sorry, but I can't help you" Asuka said.

"Oh, you can…by becoming mine!" Naga shouts.

"Wait what? WOW!" Asuka yelled before having to dodge a bite from Naga.

With no other choice but to fight, Asuka activated her metal gloves and got ready. Naga charges at her, but Asuka avoids her attack and hits the snake lady several times in the body, only for the tail to hit her in the side, sending her flying before she did a flip and landed on her feet. Naga unleashed green mist, which Asuka had to avoid, since she remembered magical mist cloud turn someone in to a toad. When Naga moved in for another bite, Asuka punched her right in the face, successfully sending Naga back a bit. Naga let out a loud screech.

"I WANT MY BABY!" Naga screas before she burrows in to the ground.

Asuka listened, trying to figure out where Naga would appear next. Naga comes back up underneath her, knocking Asuka to the ground. Naga opens her mouth as she brings her head down on Asuka, who had to use both her hands and feet to hold the snake woman back. Naga's tongue licked all over Asuka, much to her disgust before she managed to force Naga's mouth shut and rolled to the side, making Naga hit her face in the ground. Naga looks around, trying to figure out where Asuka went... then she heard a battle cry. She looked just in time for Asuka to punch her hard in the face, sending her crashing head first in to the ground.

Naga was stunned, and Asuka took full advantage of this. She grabbed the end of Naga's tail before letting out a scream as she used most of her strength to swing Naga around. After a few swings she threw Naga in to a wall. Not giving her time to recover, Asuka cries out as she charges the snake woman, her body began glowing white for a second before she punched Naga so hard it left a large crack on her head.

"Bring back…my baby…" Naga said before her body turned in to nothing.

Asuka bends over, taking deep breaths "That... was... to... close".

"Asuka!" She looks and saw the others run towards her.

"Guys!" She called back before she jumps in to Gladio's arms, who lifts her up for a moment before putting her down, after he did, Asuka goes on to hug Prompto "You finally made it".

"When that thing dragged you away, we got really worried. Are you ok?" Prompto asked.

"I'm fine... I took care of her" Asuka assured.

"You beat it all by yourself? Damn Asuka, you are tougher than I thought" Noctis praised.

Asuka smiled a little "Thanks. Still, she kept talking about her baby. No idea what she meant".

"If it's anything like her, I ain't going near it" Prompto declared.

"Agreed. Still it worked out in the end. Look" Asuka said as she points towards a light.

"Yes, she dragged you right to our destination. Good job Asuka" Ignis said with a friendly smile.

Asuka smiled back and they continued on and after having to find a key to unlock a door, they finally reached the last runestone. Noct touches it and, as lightning swarms around him, sees a flash in his mind of Luna forging the covenant with Ramuh.

"This is it…the power of the Storm" Noctis said.

"Eh, I expected more fire and brimstone" Prompto said.

"Some gods are friendlier than others, I guess" Gladio said.

Noctis looked down "But not all of 'em. Poor Luna…".

"Perhaps you had better console her in person" Ignis said.

"Just a boat ride away!" Prompto said.

"Lose that scowl along the way" Gladio said.

Noct smiled "Will do".

"Good, now let's go. I never want to visit another cave again" Asuka declared.

With that, they could finally leave the cave... little did anyone know, Noctis wasn't the only one to get a taste of a new power today.

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Tell me what you think, every review helps.