Reunion.

Things hadn't gotten any easier. After arriving in the Imperial Capital of Niflheim, the group of heroes had been separated, with Noctis ending up on his own. Being alone in the heart of their enemy's territory was an very dangerous situation to be in, so Asuka, Gladio and Ignis had to find Noct as quickly as possible. But even that a proven far easier said than done as many Daemons got in the way. But they were lead on by Ardyn... they didn't trust him at all, but if they didn't follow his guidance, they would be stuck running around this huge place blindly and that would waste a lot of time, which they already had very little of.

Luckily, Ignis seemed to have heard Noct's voice in the distance, so Gladio and Asuka just had to follow him. Despite being blind, he was still able to lead them well. They just had to trust him now, and hope his instincts are right.

As for Noctis himself, he had just finished destroying a wraith and many magitek troopers. Allowing him to pass through a door into a new hallway, where Ardyn's laughter is soon heard; from here, Noct enters a room filled with control panels; on the other side of this room is the entrance to a hallway littered with the bodies of magitek troopers. But during his lonely trip through the building, he knew that there was a big chance they were still functioning.

As Noct enters the hallway Ardyn's voice was heard "In case there was any doubt: it's a trap".

Translucent, electrified doors close at either end of the hallway and begin closing in on Noctis; the magitek troopers also rise and begin attacking.

"Didn't see that coming!" Noctis said as he began defending himself.

"A little pain never hurt anyone. On you go. Hurry. While you dawdle, people are dying" Ardyn said..

"I've really gone and done it now" Noctis said as despite being weakened, he was able to take down the attacking enemies.

But the electrified gates were closing in on him, and at this rate, he wasn't going to make it. He needs to find a way out of here and quickly, or he's toast. But how? There was no way out, and the gates were getting closer and closer.

Ignis's voice suddenly calls out from the other end of the hallway in the direction Noct had been going "Noct? Is that you?".

"Hey! Noct! Can you hear us?" Came Gladio's voice.

"Noct! If you can hear us, say something!" Asuka said.

"Ignis, Gladio, Asuka!" Noctis called back.

"Where are you?" Ignis asked.

Gladio is able to see through the doors at the other end of the hallway and take stock of Noctis's situation; the doors have almost finished closing in on him now "Noct's in trouble!".

"Gladio, Asuka! There ought to be a kill switch nearby, find it!" Ignis instructed.

"How do you know that?" Gladio asked.

"I believe it's the reason we were brought here" Ignis answered.

With no other options, the two siblings began searching for the kill switch. Gladio finds the switch and is able to open the doors for Noctis; he leaps into the room with them and lets himself fall backward on the floor.

"That was close" Gladio said.

"The hell'd you get here?" Noct asked.

Gladio holds out his hand to him "You're welcome?".

"Thanks" Noct said as he takes Gladio's hand, and Gladio pulls him to his feet.

Asuka gave him a hug "Never thought I'd be so relived to see you again. Glad you're alright".

Noct smiles and pets her back "Same to all of you. But how did you get here?".

"After we were separated, we received "help" from the usual suspect" Ignis explained.

"That bastard's playing with us. But at least we're together" Gladio added.

"All but one of us" Ignis reminded.

"Prompto... if he's here, we need to find him" Asuka said, her worry for her boyfriend growing stronger by the second.

Then Ardyn's voice was heard again "Reunited with your retainers at last. How very touching. Must be a fine feeling, having friends. Look how happy you are! I pray you find your dear Prompto soon".

Asuka growls, she was so fed up by him. But they continued on, they came across a locked door, which Noctis opened. It lead to several prison cells... and Prompto was in one of them, restrained by some kind of device.

"Prompto!" Asuka called out as they hurried to get in to the cell.

They free Prompto from the device he was being restrained to, and he falls in to Asuka's arms, who kneels down with him. Noctis bends down next to them. Prompto has multiple bruises across his body; seemingly, he has undergone some degree of torture.

"Hey, you alright?" Gladio asked in concern.

"Are you hurt? Do you need help?" Ignis asked in the same tone.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Noct" Prompto said as he manages to sit upright "Tell me. Were you worried about me?".

"Of course I was. What kind of question is that?" Noct asked.

Prompto smiled "Of course. That's why you came, like I believed you would".

"Prompto…" Noct said quietly.

"That's why I told myself I couldn't die. Not until I could see you and hear you tell me I'm not a fake, that I'm the real me" Prompto said.

Noct looked down "I'm sorry".

"Don't be. Everything's alright now" Prompto said before looking at Asuka, who had remained silent this whole time "Asuka?".

He heard a sob, before she suddenly hugged him hard. He was surprised until Asuka's sobs turned in to all out crying. Seeing Asuka cry like this was an very rare sight... she must've been so scared. Now Prompto felt a little guilty that he was more concerned with what Noct was feeling than the girl he loved.

"Hey... hey... No need to cry" Prompto said.

"I was so terrified! I was worried I was going to find you dead! I still can't believe you are really here!" Asuka cried out.

Prompto gently pushed her back so he could look at her face, which was wet with tears, it was a really painful sight "Asuka... I'm sorry you had to go through all that. But do you want to know what else helped me stay alive? What kept me from giving up? It was you, Asuka. While I was on my own, I kept remembering your face, and I knew there was no way I could die before I've had the chance to see your beautiful face again... And hey, I can't die until I've put a ring on you".

Asuka managed a smile before kissing him on the lips. Noct and Gladio looked away to give them some privacy. The kiss lasted for a full minute before Asuka helped Prompto to his feet. With the gang back together they continue on. As they make their way back toward the central area of this level of Zegnautus Keep, Ignis heard something.

"Noct, do you hear that?" He asked.

Noct looked at him "Hear what?".

"I've heard this sound before on the train, just before your weapons failed you. It's nearby, and it may hold the key to restoring your power" Ignis explained as they make their way across the catwalk leading to the central area of this level of the Keep "It's here".

Noct stops at the large closed metal doors in the center of the enormous room "This thing? Door's locked".

"It's coming from within. Is there no way through?" Ignis asked.

"There's a way" Prompto said.

The others look at him as he hesitantly steps up to the door's scanner and raises the back of his right wrist to it; the doors slide open. Prompto stares off into the room, unable to make eye contact with the others.

"So, MTs… They've got those codeprints…just like I do" He said.

"Do they? Never looked" Noctis said.

"Yeah… So, as it turns out…I'm one of them. Not exactly something I could tell people growing up in Lucis" Prompto said as he is fighting back tears, but continues speaking "Still… You guys are like…the only friends I've ever known. I just hope that things can stay the way they were".

"Whatever. Who cares where you were born?" Noct asked.

"I don't see you turning against us. Not now, or ever" Ignis agreed.

"Thanks, guys. Still…I can't change where I came from. What I am" Prompto said.

"Oh get over yourself already. Gods when are you going to stop putting yourself down?" Asuka asked, playfully annoyed

"Since when does where you come from matter to you? You never once treated me as a prince" Noct said as he playfully punches Prompto's shoulder.

Gladio smiles "He's got you there".

"Never so much as a Highness" Ignis said with a smile of his own.

"So why would we judge you for being from somewhere else? I'm not from the Crown City either, but non of you ever looked down at me for that" Asuka said before she smirked "And besides, would I still be dating you if I couldn't handle some surprises?".

Prompto blushed a little "Well...".

"We're done here. C'mon, crown citizen" Noct ordered.

Gladio steps over to Ignis to help guide him into the room; he gives Prompto's shoulder a friendly smack as they walk past "You're one of us, right?".

Ignis stops and turns back toward Prompto over his shoulder "Unless you'd rather not be".

"And you better be. I still want that wedding ring" Asuka said with a wink. Prompto smiles, nods, and follows them.

Inside the room Prompto opened, they find the emperor's abandoned clothing laying upon the throne; he, too, has become a daemon, they also find a large bank of computers, the cause of Noctis's lost powers. Noctis rams his father's sword through the machines.

"So…did it work?" Prompto asked.

"With the device down and out, Noct's power should be up and running" Ignis said.

"Go on, try it" Gladio said.

"Alright. Moment of truth" Noct holds out his hand and conjures a sword, making Prompto clap in celebration.

Gladio smiled "We're back, baby".

"Let's roll" Noctis said.

As the fully reunited and re-empowered team leave the emperor's throne room an gargantua daemon suddenly lands on the platform in front of them, it's quickly joined by other daemons, who begin manifesting.

"Not you again" Noct said in annoyance.

"New friend?" Prompto asked.

Gladio dead panned "You really need to pick 'em better".

As they battle Noct's new friend and the other daemons, Prompto looked at Ignis.

"Iggy! Can you see again?" He asked.

"'Fraid not, but that doesn't mean I can't fight" Ignis asnwered.

Prompto shot a smaller Daemon "Well, just don't overdo it, okay?".

Asuka dodged a strike from the massive Daemon's blade before running up it's arm. She then leaps towards it's face and delivered a hard punch. The Daemon staggered back a single step before using it's free hand to grab Asuka and began crushing her... Until Prompto shot it several times in the face, forcing it to let go of Asuka.

"Only I get to have a crush on her!" Prompto declared.

"Never thought I would miss your lame puns" Asuka said with a small giggle, despite the danger, she was in a good mood.

"Focus!" Gladio ordered as he struck the large daemon's legs, causing it to stumble.

Asuka began building power in to her fist, before delivering a powerful punch to the Daemon's chest, which made it wall over the edge and plumited to the dark below. With the biggest threat out of the way, Noctis used his ring to take care of the remaining daemons.

"I see you decided to rock the ring" Prompto noted.

Noct nods "Had to. No weapons, no friends, no choice, really. Y'know, somebody here's got to fight to rescue the Crystal… …not to mention rescue all of your asses".

"Spoken like a true king. About time" Gladio said.

"The ring represents a great burden, but you don't bear it alone" Ignis said.

"You can say that again. Especially now that you all have your weapons back" Noctis agreed.

"And now we are all back together. Which means we are back at full power. So time to show our enemies once and for all what happens when you mess with us!" Asuka declared.

"Yeah!" Prompto agreed.

And with that, the reunited group continued on. Ready to fight their way through anything that tries to get in their way. Because nothing can stop them when they are together. Nothing!

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