Chapter Summary: The boys find a helping hand beneath the waves of the Vesperpool.
Ignis learned much in his time at the Citadel. The well of the Lucians' knowledge ran deep and he had been eager to partake, soaking up lesson upon lesson of their culture, history and etiquette. Steeping his claws in the high society that comprised the foundation of his new home.
As time wore on and his studies broadened he became curious of his own lineage – an inevitability perhaps with no living point of reference. And, secretive though they were, the Lucians were not so reticent with records of their kingdom's past expansions across Eos. As it turned out, dragons had played no small role in many such territorial conquests. It was here, fleshed out within the sprawling footnotes tucked between recordings of the rise and fall of rival nations, he pieced together the legacy of his kind.
Depicted as a noble race of formidable warriors, dragons were most prominently noted as military assets capable of turning the tides in times of great struggle. While not all kings were bestowed such a bond, nearly all monarchs associated with matters of warfare could be linked to a dragon companion. Ignis didn't have to wonder what that meant for Noct and himself. Lucis was at war, that much was apparent even from within the safety of the Wall. Their fate seemed obvious, so Ignis had poured over battle strategies, keeping an ear out for news from the front and working tirelessly to master his own budding magic and strength, all while encouraging Noct to do the same. Except… neither of them were ever so much as called to step foot on the battlefield.
Ignis had suspected, of course, that his role as Noct's protector may have taken precedence. King Regis seemed sentimental enough to believe so at any rate. But as he grew older and stronger and Lucis' position grew weaker he began to question that logic. Wouldn't Noct be much safer free of outside threat? And was not another among the humans charged with his physical safety? Gladio quickly proved to be a competent shield, more than capable of watching Noct's back within the confines of Insomnia.
Ignis was not a shield so he must have been a sword, crafted to drive terror into the enemies of Lucis just as his ancestors had again and again for centuries. So why then was he secretly sheathed away, even as Noct was allowed a life beyond the sheltering walls of the Citadel?
Over time, he began to theorize that he was seen as something of an antiquity – evidence of a bygone era of prosperity and prominence for Lucis – of value, certainly, but breakable. Finite. A relic to be handled with care lest his worth diminish.
He hadn't expected to encounter another, not even in a place of relics.
The reaper's scythe swung in a deadly arc, ripping the air with its haste to rend flesh from bone. It sounded as but a whisper of malice in the cacophony of chittering skeletons and the wrenching gurgle of daemonic miasma bleeding up from the floor, and Noct's attention was elsewhere in the fight – back turned and unguarded.
A potentially dire slip of awareness on Noct's part, one that could later be attributed to mounting stress and a certain preoccupation over their latest arrangement with the chancellor. As it was, none could feign deaf to the echoing thunder snap of bone under steel as it ricocheted off the ancient walls of the underground chamber.
Were Gladio there, he might have parried the incoming strike off his shield – perhaps utilized force to beat back the danger to his liege.
But Gladio was not there. In his place, their imperial escort made no suck move to deflect or otherwise redirect the threat. Instead she came down with all the brutal efficiency of a sledge hammer, neatly obliterating the skeletal daemon's arm at the elbow.
"Gotta watch yourself there, pretty boy." Aranea vaulted over her lance to stand back to back with Noct, who muttered out a dazed thanks.
"Impressive." Ignis found the praise escaped him unbidden as he followed up the crippling blow with an attack of his own, lodging his lance deep into the reaper's hollow rib cage and shattering bone to dissolve back into the darkness.
"Not too shabby yourself, four eyes." Ignis didn't think he imagined the appreciative glance Aranea sent his own handiwork before she moved on to the next daemon.
It was surprisingly easy to fall into a steady rhythm after that, one Ignis would not have expected to experience with outsiders to their close knit group, let alone one who by all accounts he should consider a natural enemy. Not that much of anything seemed to be lining up with his expectations as of late.
The royal vessel hadn't been ready when they'd reached Caem. A special ore was needed to complete the repairs and Cindy had sent them to retrieve it. Gladio hadn't accompanied them. His abrupt absence easily felt in the tangible gap left behind in their ranks, one that was difficult not to stumble over now and again as they adjusted to the temporary loss.
Ignis found himself hard pressed to relax in the interim, especially given the Empire's most recent advances. Simply allowing Noct and Prompto out of his sight for more than a moment's time seemed an exercise in tempting fate. Needless to say, sleep was not a luxury he had entertained much since their near miss in Lestallum.
His extra vigilance seemingly came to naught when they arrived at Steyliff Grove and found the Empire waiting. Of course, Ignis picked up the chancellor's foul stench long before they laid eyes on the man and had strongly considered insisting they turn back. It was with much caution that they approached Ardyn, only to find that he was interceding on their behalf once again, this time granting them access to the Empire's own mythril deposit – the very ore they so happened to be in need of. His only stipulation being that they were accompanied by a single escort. And thus, they were introduced to Commodore Aranea Highwind, who's fluid yet powerful combat style evened out their party fabulously as her biting wit and good humor lifted their spirits in the murky dungeon beneath the Vesperpool.
"Dang, you're badass, Aranea," Prompto enthused after they finished off the last of the daemons. "Don't think I've ever seen anyone with moves like yours before."
"You wouldn't. Kind of a dying art if you know what I mean." Aranea smirked, breezily omitting what said art actually was.
Prompto didn't seem to notice, sounding much more subdued at the admission. "Oh, uh, sorry to hear that."
"Don't be," Aranea waved off his sympathy, unbothered. "Being one of kind just means I get to charge whatever I want for being at the army's beck and call."
And that had been another unexpected surprise, finding a dragoon affiliated with the Empire. The "art" as she'd called it having seemingly died out right alongside the age of dragons, and yet it was impossible to avoid the classification. The commodore met the history book stereotype to a T, down to her dragon themed armor and the red sparks of magic that glinted along her lance as she mowed down daemons with an inhuman grace. Ignis merely hoped that the antagonistic history between dragons and dragoons would not come to rear its head as well.
Noct likely had similar thoughts if the way he kept sending the woman probing glances was any indication. But Aranea gave no hint that she held more sinister motives or even suspected Ignis' true nature, easily taking up with Ardyn's cover story of training "new recruits" with no more than a sarcastic roll of her eyes behind the contemptible man's back. It made Ignis hesitant to broach the topic and potentially oust himself in the process. After all, with the lengthy absence of dragons in the world perhaps she simply wasn't looking.
Whatever the case, their thoughts were soon occupied by other matters as they delved deeper into the ruins and happened upon a tall door embellished with golden carvings. Prompto whistled sharply at the sight of it. "Whoa, think there's something important behind there?"
"Only one way to find out." As soon as Noct approached the door began a slow accent from the ground, allowing them passage.
"Huh, who knew prehistoric people living underground had automatic doors," Prompto wondered aloud as he followed after Noct, nearly bumping into him when he drew up short just on the other side of the threshold.
Noct hardly noticed. His head was craned back, gaze turned heavenward. "Yeah. That's, um, not all they figured out apparently."
Ignis felt the swell of Noct's awe roll over him like a weightless veil before stepping forward and experiencing the emotion firsthand. The space beyond the doorway opened up into a vast atrium serving as the crumbling support structure for a network of ancient tree roots that had woven itself into the stonework. Some of them looked to be as thick as Ignis was tall, rising up to the room's most unexpected feature.
High above their heads moonlight spilled down through the lake's surface, seemingly suspended in place over the atrium ceiling and making it appear as though they were standing submerged beneath the gentle waves. The effect was indescribable.
Ignis found himself approaching the edge of the walkway with the others, nearly in a daze. "Beautiful beyond words."
"That is pretty neat," Aranea agreed, equally absorbed in the ethereal sight. "But if that's the water's surface..."
"Wait, what? Does this mean we're underwater?" Prompto leaned over the questionable remains of the safety railing. Ignis had half a mind to pull him back by his shirttail. "Whoa, there's even fish."
Looking back up, there were indeed fish – swimming freely near the surface and perfectly unbothered by gravity it seemed. It was as bizarre as it was mesmerizing.
Noct breathed out audibly, disbelief straining his voice. "The hell is this place?"
Ignis couldn't help but question that himself. Given the assumed age of the ruins and the level of sorcery at play it was very likely they were dealing with a product of Solheim engineering. They were a people well known for technology beyond their time as well as possessing a deep connection to the Hexatheon. If anyone could have created such a marvel thousands of years ago it would have been them.
"Gladio's seriously missing out." Prompto snapped a quick photograph as he scrambled after Noct onto the large balcony jutting out toward the center of the atrium.
Noct shrugged. "Probably not his thing."
"Now, now, you can never tell," Ignis gently chided. He for one expected Gladio would have been just as intrigued as the rest of them, if perhaps less concerned with the mechanics behind the phenomenon.
"So, I take it your merry band of misfits has a missing member?" Aranea probed, stepping around a small trickle leaking down from the water ceiling.
"Ah, for the moment, I'm afraid. He had matters of a personal nature in need of attending." Matters of which he hadn't been very forthcoming in the details, Ignis couldn't help but note. He was not particularly worried per say; Gladio was more capable then most. But he was hardly the only one a little curious about what their friend was getting himself into.
Prompto hummed in thought, returning his camera to the armiger. "Wonder what the big guy's up to."
"Eh, probably chatting up girls." Noct smirked when that earned him an outraged squawk out of Prompto.
"I'm sure it's more serious than all that." Of that, Ignis felt reasonably certain. Gladio wasn't one to shirk his responsibilities easily. "And even if it isn't, there's little we can ascertain from speculation alone. Perhaps Gladio will divulge the details on his return."
"I guess." Prompto let out a dramatic sigh. "Man, why's he have to be all secretive?"
"Sounds like a private guy," Aranea observed.
"Not really." Noct frowned, like he didn't quite like the feel of the idea.
Prompto, however, seemed to take the comment in an entirely different context. "Yeah, he's, uh, not cool or mysterious or anything like that. Super boring. You so wouldn't want to meet him."
"Uh huh." Aranea nodded along with his rambling, amusement clear in her eyes.
"Totally. Not everyone can be the silent stoic type, you know?"
Prompto's case might have been a tad more convincing had he not followed it up with a high pitched screech as several gelatin-like daemons fell down to the balcony around them.
"Yeah, you'd know plenty about that, all right," Aranea teased, flipping her lance before hurtling it into the daemonic ooze.
Prompto groaned in embarrassment and Noct patted his shoulder consolingly before breaking off to warp after his share of the daemons.
Together they cleared the way quickly enough, but the dark creatures persisted in dogging their steps, popping up again and again to ambush them. Thus far it was nothing the four of them couldn't handle without too much trouble, but Aranea seemed displeased by the steady daemon presence here all the same. It was surprisingly easy to get her talking on the Empire's reasoning for being in the area, namely their interest in harvesting daemon specimens to weaponize.
"Weapons?"
"Yeah, I'm sure you've seen your fair share by now."
"Something not quite right with the Empire lately."
"It's not just lately."
The idea of leaving the imperials to toy with the darkness didn't sit well with Ignis but there was little to be done about it now. Even if they destroyed this place the Empire would have no difficulties in finding another daemon infested pit to suit their purposes, though the further they wound their way forward the less Ignis thought it would actually take to bring the ruins of Steyliff Grove down around their heads. The damage to the aged architecture was extensive, forcing them to detour though passageways branching off the main atrium. Though they hardly found more stable footing there – having witnessed the collapse of one of the walkways on their entry into the space.
"Watch your step," Aranea advised unnecessarily.
Prompto gulped audibly as they started across the remaining walkway. "Wait. Maybe we should find another way."
"We'll be fine," Noct reassured just before the stone gave way beneath them.
The fall wasn't a bad one and Ignis managed to stick the landing, as did Aranea he noted. She gave them all a cursory glance as the dust settled. "How's everyone?"
"Oh yeah, just fine." Prompto threw a deadpan look at Noct, who sighed but did help heave him up off the ground. "Uh, how about you?"
"Just chipper," Aranea answered with a touch of snark, her attention already returned to their surroundings. "I'm starting to think this joint is in rougher shape than I thought."
Now that they'd fallen to the lower level and could see the abysmal state of the pillars supporting the walkways above it was no small wonder they hadn't held. Most were out of alignment, some not even connected all the way to the top. To say the ruins had seen better days didn't quite begin to cover it.
They had to backtrack from there, pushing through more daemons and climbing more stairs until they arrived in the same room with the collapsed walkways. Ignis was just considering if Noct warping across was their best option when the walkways began to reconstruct themselves, broken pieces floating up from the rubble below to return to their proper place.
"Um." Prompto gestured toward the heavy chunks of stone levitating off the ground like magic. "You guys are seeing this, right?"
"I'm seeing, just not so sure about believing." Noct stepped forward, gingerly testing his weight on the walkway. "Hope this holds."
The repaired walkways did, in fact, hold this time. Whatever sort of enchantment they were dealing with affected the room after that as well, rebuilding fallen passageways as they went. It made Ignis wonder what other magic might be lurking in the depths of this place.
They fought their way back to the atrium, entering from a lower floor this time, a bridge connecting to the other side presenting the only way forward. It appeared sturdy enough but getting across still held its challenges.
"Oh, great, more company," Prompto complained as the first daemon spawned in their path. It was quickly joined by others.
"Just think of it as the next round of King's Knight," Noct tried to encourage.
"Dude, I always pretend I'm in a videogame when the nasties come out. It's my way of coping." Prompto didn't hesitate to strike a pose, one that Ignis vaguely recognized from an old advertisement for the app game he and Noct were so obsessed with.
Aranea eyed the display with a look that could almost be described as pitying. "How exactly have you kept them alive all this time?"
Ignis sighed, bringing his daggers to bear and trying not to think about all the occasions he's found his charges' self preservation skills infinitely lacking. "It has not been easy. But a worthwhile endeavor I've found." And it wasn't as if Ignis could claim all the credit… most days.
Aranea scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're an inspiration to single parents everywhere."
Before Ignis could manage a reaction to that tired comparison she'd already turned back to the others. "Hey, you two, look sharp. We've got more incoming."
The bridge became rather crowed after that as more daemons arrived, all too eager to bloody their fangs. Ignis concentrated on thinning the horde and keeping track of the others, letting the odd conversation retreat to the back of his thoughts. He knew he sometimes allowed his protective instincts get the better of him and that perhaps they did appear closer than was expected, seeing as Noct was their king. Ignis' experience was limited, of course. But had he to guess, he'd venture that their kinship more closely resembled that of brothers.
Despite the number of daemons the battle didn't take long with Aranea's aide and soon they found themselves in winding narrow halls leading deeper into the ruins. They kept an eye out for more peculiarities but mostly only encountered the red patterns that lit up around some of the doorways, similar to what they'd witnessed at the entrance after the sun had gone down. There were also golden runes, one at the end of every hallway and decorated with the same curious symbol. Ignis wished he knew what it meant.
When they left the maze-like hallways behind them they found the base of the atrium, along with the mythril ore. However, it was not unguarded.
"Don't suppose that's, like, a long lost cousin of yours or something?" Prompto whispered hopefully, eyeing the quetzalcoatl lounging on a low bridge directly above their objective.
Ignis scrutinized the creature. In the loosest sense he supposed he could see how it would be mistaken for a dragon. It was largely reptilian, stood on four legs and possessed prominent wings and horns. But despite the resemblance Ignis could sense within it none of the Crystal's light. "I think we best not expect friend of this one."
"I hope you two are whispering up a plan over here?" Aranea joined them at the entryway, sizing up their latest obstacle with interest. "I get the feeling big 'n scaly over there isn't gonna be too keen on visitors."
Noct pushed past them, sword already in hand. "I got it."
Ignis reached out and snagged his arm just before he could toss the weapon and warp out into the open, leaving himself completely exposed and the rest of them too far away to offer effective support. "Noct."
Noct ducked his head at the warning tone but didn't relent fully. "Come on, Specs. It'll be a quick warp and grab."
"The distance is too great for you to go unnoticed and you'll be without proper backup for the same reason. At the very least, a distraction is in order." Ignis eyed Noct a moment longer before releasing him, knowing full well that any remorse he was shown had less to do with the unnecessary recklessness and far more with being caught out.
"As much fun as witnessing dinner and a show would be, four eyes has a point. No sense in going in alone," Aranea thankfully provided another voice of reason. "Still, gonna have to be some distraction."
"Oh, I still got a couple star shells on me." Prompto pulled his flare gun free of the armiger and gave the contents of the chamber a quick check.
"That should be enough to acquire the beast's attention," Ignis allowed.
"Right. Think you guys can keep it busy while I go for the mythril?" Noct nodded his head toward the quetzalcoatl.
"Aw, yeah – making a scene is what I do best." Prompto snapped the gun back together, deftly spinning it between his fingers in a practiced move full of bravado.
Aranea huffed, transferring her lance to a more ready hold. "Like killer said, I think we can handle it."
It didn't take much to alert the quetzalcoatl to their presence. Only a few steps out into the open and it reared up from its perch, immediately sensing a threat and hardly wasting time in laying out a heated welcome. With an angry snarl the beast took flight, large wings pumping the dormant air. It closed the distance between them with impressive speed, swooping in low over their heads and causing the floor to quake with the impact of its landing – incidentally closing them off from their exit.
"Welp, I'd say we got its attention," Aranea helpfully provided. "Do your thing, blondie."
"Right, here goes!" Prompto fired the flare straight up, lighting up the murky atrium with blinding intensity.
All of them took care to look away. Meant for deterring daemons, the shell's searing light wouldn't do much harm to the quetzalcoatl, but it was so bright that even if your eyes weren't made for seeing in the dark it still tended to leave behind a glaring afterimage that could swallow one's vision whole for valuable moments in any confrontation.
The quetzalcoatl cried out, shaking its head and scraping claws over its face – as if dislodging some unseen assailant could restore its vision. It was easy to see the flare had its intended effect and Noct was quick to take advantage. He took off for the ore as the rest of them settled in to keep the recovering quetzalcoatl from taking notice.
"All right, boys, hope you're ready for this." Aranea made the first move. She leapt high into the air, utilizing the impressive space lent to them in the middle of the atrium and demonstrating just how much she'd been holding herself back during their brief acquaintance. When she came down her lance was driven into the creature's shoulder, breaking through thick, protective scales.
Summoning his own lance, Ignis couldn't help but wonder if the altitude of her jump was augmented by the magitek armor she'd doubtless acquired from the Empire, or if it was accomplished through more magical means. Humans didn't normally achieve such heights on their own after all. But before he could think to ask he noticed something else off.
It was static he decided. The air was choked with it – so much so that the hairs at the back of his neck stood on end. It was then he caught the play of lightning along the quetzalcoatl's body, coalescing at a single point between its parted teeth. "Watch out!"
His warning came not a moment too soon as Prompto and himself were just able to roll clear of the blast. The blast that continued on toward the center of the atrium where the mythril laid still unclaimed.
He and Prompto both called out in alarm but he was uncertain if it would do much good. Noct was nearly to the ore now, solely focused on eating up the distance between himself and his prize. It was a toss-up as to whether he suddenly veered off course due to their distant yelling or if he'd picked up on the sharp prick of Ignis' kneejerk panic at seeing the crude ball of lightning careening straight for his person.
Either way he barely managed to avoid the attack, dropping and pressing himself flat to the floor just as the lightning sailed overhead and slammed into one of the central support pillars. The whole atrium rumbled in disquiet on impact, dust and tiny bits of debris raining down from above. Odds were not favorable that the ruins would survive another hit like that.
"Heads-up!" Aranea warned before Ignis could worry further about it. He folded into a backwards handspring as the quetzalcoatl lashed out, its bird-like claws raking the ground where he had stood but a moment before. And it kept on him, easily tracking his movements and trying to catch him in its fangs. Safe to say the effects of the flare had all but faded already.
The beast remained determined, even after Prompto open fired – shots absorbing the remaining silence of the once peaceful space. Quetzalcoatl were territoriality minded by nature and it couldn't have helped that it likely saw right through Ignis' disguise, deeming a dragon the greatest danger and acting accordingly. But fully focusing all attention on only one opponent was always a grave mistake.
"Wow, this thing's not too fond of you." Aranea struck down on the creature's back this time, once again breaking through the thick hide.
"The feeling is rather mutual," Ignis decided as he took advantage of the opening the commodore had so graciously provided. He launched into a high jump of his own, aiming for the same vulnerable patch of broken scales Aranea had left behind and his blade sunk in deep.
With a roar of outrage the quetzalcoatl unfurled its wings and Ignis gripped his lance tightly as they lifted off the ground, several stories of the atrium passing them by in a blur of water lit grays and stark shadows. Shouting could be heard from below, doubtless encouragement that he return to solid ground. Unfortunately, Ignis wasn't able to spare much thought for how he'd be accomplishing that particular feat without the use of his own wings before static sparked in the air once more and he knew he'd have to do something if they didn't want the entire atrium coming down on them.
Not born of the Crystal, the bolts of electricity that coursed along the scales beneath his feet stung with a blistering edge of numbness that bloomed from any point of contact, especially along the conductive metal of his lance. Ignis dismissed the weapon, kneeling low to keep his balance. He took a quick breath to consider the quetzalcoatl's known weaknesses, then coated his fist in ice elemancy and punched down. This proved effective.
The lightning that had pulsed about his heels all but fizzled out as the quetzalcoatl recoiled, creeping fractals of hoar frost spilling over the outer edges of the wound at its back and gaining ground as Ignis fed his energy into the attack. So preoccupied with its own agony the beast hadn't a chance at anticipating Noct who must have already succeeded in reaching the ore.
A flicker of blue afterimage was the only warning before the quetzalcoatl began to pitch forward, wings stuttering and a neat gash sliced open across its neck. With little life left to cling to it swayed in a drunken spiral and Ignis was giving serious thought to his landing options when Noct zipped back in to finish the beast off.
What Noct hadn't noticed in his haste to end things quickly was that lightning was still held pinched between the quetzalcoatl's jaws. His warp strike knocked its head aside and the bolts dispersed outward – not as powerfully as the initial burst of lightning but plenty potent enough to inflict shock.
Muscles locked in a fit of acute paralysis, Noct began to plummet toward the atrium floor and without hesitation Ignis jumped off the quetzalcoatl's back after him. A fall from this height could be deadly and Ignis was not about to take that chance, even if it meant discovery. He discarded his human form and called on his own wings, pinning them tightly to his sides as he dove for his charge.
Just as he wrapped his claws around Noct's prone form a deafening crash sounded off above them. With the breath gone from its body the quetzalcoatl had blindly slammed into the row of support pillars lined up along the center of the atrium. And, already damaged as they were, the pillars gave easily, buckling under the force of the impact and sending shards of broken stone tearing into the adjourning pillars like shrapnel.
Ignis' shoulder caught a piece of the collapsing column and it sent them to the ground much more rapidly then he'd intended. He tried to further protect Noct by holding him close as he rolled with the landing, but it wasn't enough to save them from being pinned by more falling rubble. The whole place was beginning to crumble.
A large chunk of the upper floors fell across his hind legs, pressing down on him with what would have undoubtedly been a crushing weight had he been human. Another trapped his left wing tight against the floor. It shouldn't have been too heavy for him to lift but it limited his mobility and placed him in a difficult position to manage the necessary leverage.
He parted his claws to check on Noct, still twitching at random from the lingering status effect but otherwise seemingly intact. He met Ignis' assessing gaze with a challenging one of his own. Ignis didn't have to feel the snap of his defiance prickling at the back of his mind to know Noct would be unlikely to make his way to safety should Ignis be unable to free himself.
"Just hang tight, guys!"
Ignis looked up to find Prompto sprinting toward them, weaving through the mess of fallen debris with a concerning disregard for the obvious danger. "No, Prompto! Stay back!"
His warning was swallowed up as a particularly sizable piece of the atrium walkway above broke away, bursting through the wall and into the maze-like hallways beyond. And according to the pattern Ignis had observed on their way down a golden rune would be directly beneath the site of the collapse.
The crushed rune let loose an unnatural shriek that manifested itself in a thick red haze, flaring out like a field of static, and whatever enchantment had allowed them to breath and walk about as though they were standing on dry land was removed. The water's chill swept in straight away, the weight of the tide pressing down on them on all sides and stealing their breath. What was once a semblance of an underwater fantasy had become reality.
Now truly submerged, the atrium continued its collapse but at a slower pace. The broken fragments of this ancient civilization sinking down to crush them at the bottom of the abyss. It was not a fate Ignis was prepared to resign himself to and he began to struggle in earnest, heaving against the weight across his legs. Noct was already at his side and Prompto was close by. If he could just get free…
His thoughts faltered at the flash of red in his peripherals and he realized how careless he'd been to lose track of Aranea in the chaos. She was an imperial and former mercenary, a descendant of dragon hunters no less. And now he was exposed before her.
But the blast didn't strike any vulnerable target he might have expected. Instead the mass of rubble pinning his wing to the floor was blown to bits and he didn't waste a moment at marveling over why. No longer trapped awkwardly with his spine flush to the floor it was easy enough to kick free from the rest of the fallen debris blocking his freedom. Prompto and Aranea both were scooped up in a blink before he made for the open skylight at the ceiling of the atrium, surging through the water with powerful strokes of his wings.
They broke the surface in a rush of crisp, moonlit sky and gasping breath. Mindful of the others still clutched in his arms and the nearby imperials keeping watch over the entrance to the ruins, Ignis flew low, claws skimming the lake's choppy waves until they reached the shallows and he pulled his disguise firmly back in place.
"Oh man, that… was insane." Prompto immediately slumped onto the muddy bank, panting like he'd just run a marathon.
"You said it," Noct agreed crouched down beside his friend.
"Ugh, remind me why we didn't just send out Ignis first in full dragon mode."
Aranea chuckled a bit breathless at Prompto's sulk. "Yeah, I'm guessing you've got little ol' me to thank for that one. Dragoons and dragons haven't gotten along so well the past few centuries."
Prompto pushed himself up to his elbows at that, a bit of trepidation creeping up over his exhaustion. "Oh. Wait, weren't dragoons, like…"
"A legendary sect of dragon slayers?" Noct finished, pushing himself up to stand in front of Ignis now that their cover was effectively blown.
"Aw, don't be like that, pretty boy. That gig's ancient history now. I know I can certainly think of more profitable uses for my time." Aranea nodded as though the matter were settled and busied herself with ringing out her hair.
Noct shared an incredulous look with Ignis. "So you're not going to try to turn him in?"
"I mean, I could. But there wouldn't be a single Gil in it for me, and this girl doesn't work for free." Aranea glanced over Noct's head, meeting Ignis' eyes for the first time since they'd surfaced. "Gotta admit though, never pictured meeting a dragon would go quite like this. You're pretty mild mild-mannered for a ferocious killing machine."
Ignis huffed. If a brainless beast had been her expectation he was more than happy to break it. "I think you'll find I can be quite ferocious should the need arise."
"Yeah, you totally haven't seen him when the Ebony's running low," Prompto spoke in an exaggerated stage whisper.
Ignis was not above admitting that his patience was perhaps less formidable than could normally be expected the last time imperial blockades had held up the supply chain for his favored beverage – one of the few comforts still afforded to him after the Fall. Not to the extremes Prompto liked to suggest, of course, but as long as they aided in preventing a repeat experience Ignis saw no harm in the exaggerated recounts.
Aranea scoffed. "Trust me, if I was in his shoes and somebody shorted my coffee supply, you two wouldn't make the first half hour."
Prompto sputtered, "Uh, rude!"
Noctis shook his head at the antics, trying unsuccessfully to smother the beginnings of a smile. As if a switch had been flipped he relaxed his guard and Ignis found himself following suit. "I think we could last the whole hour, at least."
"Don't get over confident there, Highness," Aranea teased before her words gained a more sober edge. "You've still got a hard path ahead, but don't let anyone tell you how to walk it."
Maybe they shouldn't have taken Aranea at her at her word, but she'd already professed to having no love for the chancellor or the Empire's own ever darkening road – and Ignis had the strangest notion that he could trust her. "You may have been hired under false pretenses, but your assistance was invaluable all the same."
"Hmph. Tell me something I don't know. You can spare the pleasantries. It's somehow weirder than you threatening to eat me or something," Aranea muttered the last bit to herself before her eyebrows shot up as if she'd just remembered something. "Oh, and before I forget – if you got somewhere to be you're welcome to a lift. His Excellency instructed me to give you boys a ride back."
An odd request from the chancellor, but so long as it further spared them from his presence Ignis was willing to consider it. "You have our thanks… take care walking your path, Aranea."
"Oh, right. Thanks – I will," Aranea said a bit haltingly, as though caught off guard by the sentiment. "We'll be shippin' out shortly. Give us a holler if you decide to come with."
When she stepped away afterwards, doubtless to check in with her men, Noct spoke up in the lingering silence, "Well, Sania will be jealous, at least."
Ignis' answering sigh was both pained and long suffering, and likely just what Noctis had been aiming to hear as he and Prompto snickered at his reaction.
"Dude, I just can't wait to tell Gladio he lost out on watching Ignis punch another dragon!" Prompto made a fist and jabbed it in the air in an exaggerated uppercut.
"What, seriously? Can't believe I missed that," Noct practically whined, as Ignis' protests that the quetzalcoatl was not, in fact, a dragon went largely ignored.
The discussion then devolved into arguing over which points of the excursion were the most thrilling or cool, and therefore worthy of relaying to Gladio. Their meeting and fighting alongside Aranea unquestionably wound up among the top highlights of the list and Ignis found himself glad they'd decided to risk the venture at all. It had been dangerous, yes, but they'd acquired more than a rare ore beneath the waves of the Vesrperpool.
Allies, it seemed, could be found in the most unlikely of places.
*crawls free of the abyss*
Man, it feels like it's been so long since I've been able to update this story. This chapter in particular has given me so much trouble it's unreal. Hopefully it doesn't show and is enjoyable anyway. I would love to hear from you if you thought so. :D
Also, to all who celebrate, hope you're having a happy Halloween with tons of safe, spooky fun!