Chapter Summary: Noctis and Ignis face a nightmare from the past.
Notes: This chapter is based off the marilith encounter featured in the Brotherhood anime and gives a little more insight into Noct and Iggy's backstory for this AU. I actually wrote most of it quite some time ago, back when the idea for this story was still relatively fresh and new, though I severely underestimated how long all the editing would take. I just can't help but agonize over fight scenes as they feel like my personal Achilles heel. But this really wound up being one of my favorites so I'm beyond pleased to finally be sharing it now!
They were headed back to Caem when they ran into the blockade.
Uninvited interference from the Empire was old hat by this point and Ignis wasted no time in doling out instructions for taking down the platoon of MTs lined up neatly across the highway, being sure to grant Noct his favored role as the distraction. A warpstrike in from the front was sufficient to garner the mechanized soldiers' attentions and allow for a successful flanking maneuver.
With a sound strategy in place the rest of them moved in without much issue, most of the MTs too absorbed in chasing after Noct's ephemeral shadow to notice the retainers dismantling their fellows until it was too late. For once all seemed to be going as well as planned – at least, until reinforcements arrived.
Ignis picked out the distinct rumble of the magitek engine moments before a second dropship crested over the nearby outcropping of rock. "We've got more incoming."
"Whoa, do ya think they knew we were coming?" Prompto fumbled with his handgun, looking on worryingly as the Imperial vessel approached.
More MT units stepped off the ship while it was still suspended well above the ground, touching down with axes and firearms at the ready. They were followed by a large, metal crate: an oddity for the Empire's usual pattern of engagement, at least in Ignis' experience. He suspected another trap designed specifically with Noct and the rest of them in mind was far from outside the realm of possibility.
He was further set on edge by a vile sensation pervading his senses. Reminiscent of rot and decay – so alike to the tainted stigma the dragon had come to associate with the terrors that skulked in the night – it emanated from the sole occupant of the mysterious containment unit. Ignis couldn't help but curl his lip in distaste. "Be ready, they've dropped a daemon."
"A-a daemon?" Prompto stammered.
"Empire's been usin' them as weapons for years now." Gladio hefted his sword into position, prepared for trouble. "Probably be seeing more of these guys."
"Whatever, we'll plow right through 'em." Noct summoned his engine blade into his waiting grasp.
"It is rather suspect that we've not encountered them in this manner before. We best exercise caution." It was also getting late Ignis noted with more than a hint of concern, glancing toward the sinking sun as it dipped down toward the distant mountains jutting up from the dry plains. They'd been fortunate thus far to have mostly avoided the roads at night, but if they didn't finish up this bout quickly there was going to be more than one daemon out for their blood.
With little fanfare one side of the crate fell away, revealing what at first appeared to be a giant serpent slithering out into the waning light. The daemon hissed menacingly, uncoiling its long body and glaring out at them with unsettling red eyes.
It was a marilith: a particularly unpleasant amalgamation of human and snake. She towered over the MTs, extending her six arms, each firmly gripping a unique broadsword, and unfurling her scaly lower half to display pasty, blue-gray skin and a face Ignis was quite sure he'd never forget.
It couldn't be. But it was. The very same beast responsible for countless nightmares – the end of innocence for his prince, and perhaps himself as well – had been dropped off at their very feet as if gift wrapped by the Empire itself, evidenced by the diagonal scar carved across her face by the king's own ire. There could be no mistake.
Ignis felt the sudden rush of cold hate bubbling up through the bond, signifying Noct's own recognition of the daemon, and the dragon couldn't help but allow his own deadly intentions to bleed through as well, an age old fury overriding any reasonable calm he might have worn otherwise. This fight just became something entirely personal.
Ignis could still recall with vivid clarity the first time he locked eyes with this particular marilith. At the time he'd never expected the limitations of his new bond to be strained so severely nor irreparably.
The attack had come unannounced in the night. Noct – a mere child of eight years at the time – had been brandishing a jar of fresh caught fireflies, Ignis' one contribution for the outing, and jabbering excitedly from the backseat of their transport about releasing the luminescent insects into the Citadel's gardens. The prince's enthusiasm was catching and the young dragon had only a moment to be distracted by the sudden foreboding presence ahead before the lead car exploded into flames. Their own vehicle swerved sharply in an attempt to avoid a collision but then the world had churned, completely upending as the car was flipped into the air. In the moments of free fall, held captive in suspended gravity along with glittering shards of broken glass and the lose contents of the backseat, Ignis had lunged for Noct and curled around the boy protectively, taking the brunt of the impact.
He had lost time after that, vaguely aware of being dragged over metal and loose rock at some point and the distant cries of the guards. All the while the presence remained, creeping steadily closer, until all he felt was a searing pain unlike any he'd ever experienced. He jolted back into awareness, numb with agony. Not from any harm inflicted on his own body, but from a raw wound deep within, interwoven with his very soul – Noct.
His vision cleared and sharpened, beyond what was possible through the dulling fog of his human mask as his protective illusion bled away. He scrambled to get to his feet but slipped on the slick gravel. There was so much blood; the air was charged with its coppery scent, making it difficult to concentrate. His left wing was bent oddly. It pained him when moved, but nothing like the all-consuming ache he was experiencing on the inside.
He twisted his neck, eyes wide and searching for Noct. He found him lying prone on the ground with the still body of his governess draped over him in a final, desperate attempt at protection, and a creature – ripe with the same foul presence Ignis had felt before the crash – lurking over them both, its many swords poised for the killing blow.
The very sight overwhelmed Ignis with horror and something so potently fierce he couldn't quite contain it with simple words. The emotion rolled within him. He refused to let Noct die here alone on the cold ground. Not to some unfeeling beast of death and malice. No matter the cost, he would protect him.
Something inside the dragon cracked and broke lose. Power sparked and expanded in his veins, and Ignis wrapped that power around Noct as he would pull his wings in close to stave off the bitter chill of the wind.
A wall, like he'd seen cast by the glaives in the Citadel's training halls – but not – rose and curled around the prince. It burned and crackled, lighting up the surrounding darkness. The monster's swords could not penetrate it; her heavy blows ricocheted off the barrier that remained indifferent to the creature's mounting frustration as Ignis watched on transfixed.
Then the monster hesitated, pulling back and away before she swung her enormous tail around and attempted to crush the prince. The barrier held, burning away at the creature's scales and skin. But Ignis himself was not so fortunate and the strike sent him tumbling horns over tail until he forcefully met something solid and immovable, a sharp pain taking up residence in his side. His focus wavered, blurring his surroundings and shattering the temporary shield.
Ignis felt pure dread grasp him by the heart. Already the monster was coiling her body around Noct, blocking him from view and preparing to snuff out his life. The dragon struggled, clenching his teeth hard as he tried to pull himself up off the torn metal that had him pinned. If he could just reach Noct or get the creature's attention – the edges of his vision were fading. He dug his claws into the dirt, desperately dragging himself forward and ignoring the way each breath rattled his insides.
He needed to move. He had to. He didn't want to fail apart from Noct in this dark place.
Then Light sparked into being in the sky.
Two flashes of flying silver whipped past the daemon like bullets. The blurs of condensed light halted in midair before zipping back the way they'd come, shredding into the monster's defenses and sparking against her blades.
The king, aglow in the halo of the Crystal's sovereignty, was here. Ignis became nearly overcome by the primal urge to meld with that exhilarating power and submit to its tempest song, but he had to resist – he needed to protect his friend. The connection with Noct was thready and losing strength fast. Ignis tore his eyes away from the spectacle of the king's wrath and pushed as much energy as he had to give down their shared bond, trying to coax a healing edge into the magic. But healing was difficult on the best of days and without Noct Ignis found his finesse lacking.
His concentration was further broken by the arrival of more men – guards from the Citadel, Ignis concluded fuzzily. At first none touched him. He thought he might have caught a glimpse of polished steel reflecting the harsh glare of the surrounding flames, but his world was growing steadily darker.
There was shouting; it sounded like the marshal's gruff bark. "No! He's not to be harmed. Load him with the prince. Go now!"
He was being carried. The hold wasn't comfortable. A wound pulled excruciatingly at his side and getting enough air was becoming a problem, but these people must be here to help. Their scents were familiar, down to the floral undertones of the liquid cleaner the Citadel staff favored for the marble tiles that clung to the dark fabric of their uniforms. The small reassurance was enough to lull Ignis into letting go.
He would later regain consciousness curled on a bed in his shared chambers at the Citadel with his uncle hovering close at his side. But even these proofs of safety couldn't ease the sudden panic blooming in his chest. Not when Noct's fate was still unknown.
Alitus attempted to calm him, speaking soothingly and gently brushing down the unruly tufts sticking up along the small of the dragon's back, all the while taking care not to jostle his left wing. Said appendage was constricted by a wrapping of some sort. The same wrappings were also secured tightly around his ribs. Soot and dirt had obviously been removed from his feathers at some point but the stench of smoke and wrongness still hung heavy in his nose, a stark reminder of the night's horrifying end.
But he was unable to speak with his uncle, his words no longer fitting the understanding of man and were instead heard as rumbling growls his uncle could only quiet with news of the prince who'd yet to awaken.
The grievous injury Noct received from the marilith had become infected with the Scourge and the blight held him captive in sleep. Now under constant care and observation from the best physicians Insomnia had to offer, it was up to him whether he would rouse from his slumber.
The following months proved to be difficult times. With the aid of medicine and curatives both dragon and prince were physically healed for the most part, but it took days more before Noctis would again open his eyes. While a tremendous relief, no time was allotted for celebration.
The prince's awakening marked the return of Ignis' voice but also revealed the extent of the damage done. Noctis could no longer walk. The taint of the Scourge had impaired his legs along with the natural flow of the Crystal's magic.
Ignis keenly felt this deformity along with the prince's own mounting sorrow and fear, yet he was barred from visiting his friend. Their bond was stretched taunt, too paper thin for more than the barest measure of magical energy to pass between them, and as consequence Ignis was unable to conjure his false appearance. He was kept isolated to maintain his cover while Noct was spirited away to Tenebrae where he would undergo treatment from the oracle herself. It was the longest they'd ever spent apart.
It was also the most arduous experience of Ignis' life. Remaining on task had been a constant struggle. His condition had limited his exposure to only the most trusted of Citadel staff and it became commonplace to spend days locked away in his rooms halfheartedly attempting to study.
He did not hear from Noct. The bond was near silent, only murmurs of emotion and whispered sentiment managed to slip through. It was very lonely – but it was not without end.
Noctis returned from the home of the oracle healed and capable of standing under his own power. But he was not the same friend who Ignis had gone to capture fireflies with. The curious fire had gone from his eyes and he was markedly quiet, his smiles no longer easy and free. Ignis would never again see the excitable child that begged for just one more story even after he could no longer keep his eyes open or bombarded him with eager questions about the world around them ever again. Instead, Noct became more sullen and rebellious, resenting his father's absence in his life and Ignis' every attempt to steer him toward his imminent responsibilities.
There came the point where their bond might have splintered entirely – when Noct had set his eyes on his aged father's failing health and Ignis felt pressure on all sides to encourage results – had Ignis not known the festering pain leaking out beneath the cracks of Noct's perceived apathy. The depressive cycle continued to escalate until Ignis decided on a drastic move, dropping all pretenses of the human-given veneer he presented to the world and following his instincts as he should have done in the first place. It was a choice he'd never regret. After all, the king had asked of him to take care of his son, to stand by him should he stand still – and Noct was certainly standing still now.
So, stocking up on enough food to last a siege, he barricaded Noct and himself inside Noct's ill-kept apartment and refused entry to anyone who dared approach. He did not bother to hide himself as he did so. The look on Noct's face when he discovered the dragon poised in front of his door and growling out a warning to the Citadel personal on the other side had made the resulting anxiety from such bold actions more than worth it.
The impasse lasted only until the unusual behavior garnered the attention of the king. It was then that Regis and his son had a long and well overdue talk.
Things got a little easier after that. It still took time to rebuild their bond to a close approximation of what it had once been. Noctis remained more distant and reserved, only breaking from this new convention for the rare bout of mischief. These became the times Ignis saw the most of the old Noct in his friend and found he couldn't help but encourage these instances, even as they inevitably brought them uncomfortably closer to the perils outside the Citadel walls where they had already come so very close to death.
But those times were long in the past now. No more were they children to be found helpless and vulnerable. No, this daemon would immensely regret ever crawling her way out of whatever hellhole she had been hiding in.
"Never thought I'd see this stupid snake again. Guess it means the Empire was behind that too." Noct's icy fury was already building off Ignis' own, doubtless made more potent still by reminiscing old wounds.
"Undoubtedly, shall we show them the folly of dredging up their past transgressions?" Ignis was want to give the creature the grisly death it deserved with his own bared claws, but it wasn't wise to lose himself now, not with the Empire so active in the area and not with Noct depending on him to keep a level head. Despite Noct's reassurances, Regis had reason for concealing his dragon nature, and besides, the four of them were perfectly capable of bringing about quite the reckoning. It was high time this marilith received a demonstration.
"Yeah, let's show 'em who they're dealing with." Noctis hardly waited for any sort of direction, warping straight into the daemon's guard in a near blind rage. The assault didn't do much other than anger the marilith and she easily batted Noct aside, nearly skewering him with her mismatched blades in the process.
Ignis frowned. With so many sword arms to contend with it would be difficult for them to make any sort of dent in her defenses. "Prompto, we must divide her attention!"
"You got it!" As soon as Noct was clear Prompto fired off a volley from his revolver, managing to distract the marilith.
Ignis and Gladio were quick to take advantage, weaving in between the fresh waves of MTs to slice into what they could reach of the daemon from the ground, but even Gladio's greatsword seemed to do little in way of damage against the marilith's snake-like hide. However, Ignis suspected the flesh higher up would prove more vulnerable.
They both had to fall back as the marilith spun about, sword arms flailing wild to deflect another warp strike from Noct. Ignis took the opportunity to imbue his daggers with fire elemancy and sent them flying. The blades sunk home into the marilith's abdomen and shoulder, having a more noticeable effect and pulling the daemon's enraged eyes down toward him.
She hefted one broadsword high over her head to retaliate. But Noct was quicker. He used the opening to drive his engine blade deep into the daemon's uppermost right arm before completely severing the limb. The marilith wailed in outrage, convulsing her body in a dangerous tantrum and pulverizing the surrounding MT's, blind to both friend and foe.
"She's out of control." Prompto stumbled back, tripping over one of the dismantled MTs.
"Prompto, get down!" Gladio tackled the gunner out of the way when the marilith sent the crate she'd been transported in flying.
In the midst of the daemon's manic episode the MTs continued to press in on them. Ignis ground his teeth as he focused on keeping the nuisances at bay to buy his friends time to regain their footing. "This is getting us nowhere fast. We should regroup –"
"No, you guys hang back!" Noct shouted from overhead, his words edged like cold steel. "I'm ending this now."
Ignis watched as Noct called on the power of kings, surrounding himself in the ethereal glow of his forebearers' glaives. His strength had only grown since they'd collected more and more of the royal arms on their journey, and now that strength burst forth to meet the marilith blade for blade. Fueled by anger, the blows came fast and brutal. Strobing in and out on the barest glimpses of fractaled light. In a bright flash one of the glaives slashed down at the daemon's head. The metal ornament that had dangled over her forehead wrenched apart. Another flash and Noct flitted out her reach, her broadswords swiping at empty air. The next and the incorporeal blades tore through the marilith, shearing off limbs and armor alike.
Incensed, the daemon's movements became less precise. More animalistic. She struck out viper quick with jaws opened grotesquely wide, unhinging like an actual snake's. Still, she fell short.
Noct kept ahead of the daemon's frenzied assault, phasing just out of reach of each deadly strike. But it wasn't to last. Even in his enraged state Noct couldn't keep this pace up forever and the daemon was too powerful to leave to Noct alone. Even his father had failed to defeat her without proper backup. Noct would not have the same handicap.
Ignis brought down his lance on a MT axeman using more force than perhaps was absolutely necessary. "Let's be done with this riffraff and turn all our efforts to cutting the head off this snake."
Gladio caught onto his concerns easily. "Yeah. Think it's time we remind Prince Charmless he isn't running a one man show."
He summoned both his greatsword and another, less familiar blade with its hilt wrapped tight in red cloth and glossy blue beads. Ignis recognized it after a moment as the katana Gladio had been gifted by the Blademaster at the end of his trial and it was evident the measure of his strength had grown in that time. With a series of decisive blows he made quick work of the remaining MTs, each strike sending palpable shock waves through the air that decimated the last of their number.
"Whoa! Nice one, big guy," Prompto cheered as he climbed onto the wreckage of the fallen MTs, brandishing an automated weapon he'd scavenged from the aftermath of previous encounters with the imperial forces. "And now it's my turn."
Though not as effective in clearing the battlefield, the rapidfire of the Rapidus SMG was disruptive enough that the marilith relented in her mindless pursuit, allowing Noct the chance to swan off and catch his breath.
Noct gasped, the royal arms shattering and fading back into the ether. "Guys?"
"You're not in this alone, y'know." Gladio switched out his dual blades for his shield and slipped between the marilith and Noct, fully braced to fend off the beast.
Prompto followed close in his wake. "Yeah, we got your back!"
"It's not over yet," Ignis reminded as he rushed the daemon from its other side, drawing its attention.
Seeing his friends form up around the marilith, Noct nodded in grim understanding. "Right. Let's do it."
Ignis called on the magic of his namesake. Hungry embers latched onto the blades of his daggers just as he dove under the first low sweeping arc of the marilith's swords meant to cleave him in half. Without slowing he rolled smoothly to his feet – flames eager to burn unfurling, racing up his hands and arms as the inferno fed off his own want for reprisal. The daemon's tail lashed out and he vaulted over its crushing bulk, twisting clear of the destructive path of her defenses to sink his daggers home. Scorching blades bit into tainted flesh and sage fire ignited in a potent maelstrom intent on consuming the corruption.
The marilith screeched in pained fury, so absorbed in her anguish she was powerless to stop what came next. Noct called on Gladio for a boost and the larger man swung him high in the air. Then, with a fierce roar of his own, Noct pulled a greatsword from the sparks of the armiger and relieved the daemon of her head. It rolled to the ground, leaving behind a bloody trail of gore and miasma moments before the rest of the marilith collapsed and began dissolving back into the shadows.
Noct staggered away from the body, eyes cast out toward the sea. Ignis tracked his unsteady gait but he did not follow. Bereft of their insatiable anger, the bond was all but glutted by grief and a bitter longing for what could no longer be.
He overheard Prompto begin some sort of victory cheer only to be cutoff by Gladio, who doubtless had no need of magic bonds to realize all was not as well as it may have seemed.
They had triumphed after all; one terror from their past was now forever gone. They had prevailed where they once were incapable, but with it came the solemn reminder of the loss of their home, of the kingdom – of the king himself. It felt a hollow victory.
The daemon may be slain, but as Noct choked on his first sob since the world came crashing down around their heads, Ignis couldn't help but wonder if it had truly been worth it.
And, with the burden of further struggles yet to come lain heavy on the horizon, how much steeper a cost would await them next time?