I wanted to get this out last weekend to make up for my long pause but life had other plans. But nonetheless I do hope you enjoy!


Shy of two hours had passed without Lunafreya moving from her position. Crowe had paced around the haven multiple times before asking the others to games of cards, which was slowed by their pauses to tend to their current round of King's Knight on their phone. After an hour of watching them play she agreed to install it onto her own device and was pleasantly surprised to find she actually enjoyed the game. When the Oracle stood the others turned their heads in her direction, not entirely sure what to expect.

"Welcome back Sparkles, how's those knees?" Crowe asked, everyone's posture relaxing.

"Stiff, nothing a bit of walking can not clear." She answered. "To the west we'll find an area with forests, near the edge of the mountains." She explained.

"How'd you know that?" Crowe asked. Lunafreya opened her mouth and closed it, shaking her head.

"A bit difficult to explain. As Oracle I am gifted with being able to commune with the Astrals, though they sleep it is as if I can hear an echo from when they spoke generations ago." She explained.

"So time to head to the car?" Noctis asked her, and she nodded in reply. The others got up, glad for the chance to get away from the haven and the mounting boredom. She frowned slightly at having encouraged them to pack up earlier, the prayers having taken longer than she initially expected. She could not help a cursory glance at the scorched rock where the bomb had exploded before catching up to Noctis who waited for her to walk beside him, her Shield taking rear guard several paces behind. Noctis reached out and lightly brushed Lunafreya's hand with his fingers before grasping her hand, smiling when she didn't pull away and let him link his fingers with hers.

They all gathered in the Regalia, Crowe on her motorcycle again taking rear guard as Lunafreya gave directions to Ignis once they set onto the road. Gladiolus reached forward and played with the radio stations until he found something he liked and settled back against the seat to open the book he had removed from his camp back prior to placing it in the trunk. Ignis complained that he should have thought of keeping a book in his bag, lamenting the fact that he had brought all of his books to Altissia.

"This is a pleasant song." Lunafreya remarked quietly, her focus on the landscape out the windows. They passed by a tree she was concerned was clearly dead, its branches devoid of green, some sparse grey leaves remaining on limp branches.

"Huh? Yeah. Was pretty popular back in Insomnia but I can never really remember the name. Never paid attention." Noctis admitted. She replied with a shrug, and Noctis asked for Gladiolus to tune the volume up, the song becoming clearer with the increased volume. Noctis could see her small smile in her reflection off the car's tinted window. It brought a grin to his own lips and he slouched in his seat to fold his hands behind his head and close his eyes for a few moments.

"Noct… wake up. Hey…" Noctis groaned as the world strained to come into focus, his body trying to demand he simply close his eyes again and drift back. "Noct… come on." She shook him. "Perhaps that cold coffee was not enough." She chuckled, and her voice became dimmer for a moment, "Ignis, perhaps your suggestion to prepare more coffee was not without some merit." She chuckled, and the delightful sound was enough motivation to drag himself away from the call of sleep.

"I'm getting' up." He moaned, sitting up and rubbing the back of his neck, aware of the ache from the prolonged awkward position he had been in. "Where are we?"

"After a bit of driving I realized we were entering a region of Lucis I recall Wiz's chocobo ranch was located, and began to see road signs for it."

"Hell yeah! Chocobos! Come on, we gotta see the chocobos!" Prompto pleaded.

"We really gotta make this covenant." Noctis yawned, "But I haven't seen Wiz since I was a kid… I guess we could make a quick stop. Plus I'm starving!" He answered.

"Go for a chocobo ride, watch the races, maybe-"

"After the covenant." Noctis interrupted. "I just want to get this done. Before dark… I don't want to feel so damn helpless again." He explained. Prompto muttered a half-whimpered but chocobos and cleared his throat, admitting Nocits was right in a low tone.

"After though?"

"Yeah. Can't really argue with that." He was dragging his friends all over Lucis in this mad quest to help the Oracle save the world. The least he could do was let his friends check out the places they wanted to see. He looked around, and was surprised to see how green it was. He was used to the grey and black world of metal and stone back in Insomnia, save for the Citadel gardens. It almost reminded him of Tenebrae in a way with how filled with life it appeared this region was. Lucis wasn't large enough for simple climate to account for this change, and something nagged at the back of his mind but he pushed it away when he saw a flash from the corner of his eye, turning sharply to see Prompto snapping pictures.

"Oh sorry dude. Just making memories!" Prompto cheerfully proclaimed, and resumed taking photographs of the surrounding foliage, and the sign for Wiz's chocobo post. Noctis smiled when he looked around, recalling the man who taught him how to ride the birds as a child and was happy to see he lived in such a lush environment and could picture nothing but happily kwehing birds.

"Hey Ig, do you remember Wiz?" He asked. Ignis chuckled, nodding, recalling how he had cried the first time Regis had tried to lift him onto one of the birds, only to be soothed once he felt soft feathers and heard the bird almost purring when he pet it. The pair exchanged stories, leading the group up the worn dirt path. The smell left Ignis wrinkling his nose, and Lunafreya couldn't help wrinkling her own nose as well.

"The smell never really bothered me." Noctis commented after noticing the expression on her face. Her cheeks grew pink and she tried to relax her expression and folded her hands together, trying to avoid kneading them.

"I… I never spent much time around animals as a child. Outside of Pryna and Umbra that is." She commented, trying to keep her eyes locked on the path before her. Despite the practical shoes she kept expecting a heel to snag and send her tumbling. Her ankles and knees ached slightly, but they lacked the burn she had come to grow familiar with from her heels. Old blisters on her feet were rubbing inside of the sneakers, and she made a mental note to ask Ignis later for advice on how to avoid the aged callouses from blistering open.

"My dad figured learning how to ride a chocobo would help my rehab after we got back from Tenebrae." Noctis explained, keeping his eyes focused ahead of him to keep his memory from drifting deeper into detail and clinging to this happy feeling he had associated with the giant birds. "Wiz brought his birds to the Citadel just to teach me. Man did that piss off the staff… we didn't' exactly have proper stables and had to turn some of the parking areas into a stable for them." Lunafreya chuckled at that, trying to think of how the Manor staff would have reacted to the same.

"I've never ridden an animal before. My mother would tell stories of people riding anaks or other creatures. But I suppose it wasn't very becoming of a Princess." She explained.

"Well we should learn once we do this covenant. Prompto's dying to ride the birds anyway." Noctis offered.

"Hell yeah I am! I love chocobos!" he exclaimed, and his voice turning sing-songy "I wanna ride my chocobo. All. Day!" He had been frequently finding himself many meters ahead of the group, pausing to let everyone catch up with him and was currently trying to match Noctis's pace to stop from getting ahead of himself. Noctis kept the conversation about the birds, swallowing hard to avoid the taste of bile in the back of his throat and the way his stomach was roiling within him. Beside him Lunafreya was alternating between kneading her fingers, and lacing them with his with a grip that was firmer than usual.

"Will you teach me?"

"Wiz would be a better teacher but I bet he's retired from lessons so you'll have to settle for me." Lunafreya chuckled, shaking her head slightly,

"Oh tisk tisk. Whatever shall I do now? I suppose I will just have to learn to settle for what I have." She sighed, placing her hands on her hips and shaking hear head. Noctis nudged her with his shoulder, the pairing wearing matching smiles. "I kid, Noct."

"It'll probably feel all weird me teaching you something."

"Not so odd. You've taught me more than you think." She smiled, choosing not to elaborate when he quirked his brow at her. The site of the post made Noctis's smile broader, looking every bit the ranch Wiz had described to him. He saw an older man with a familiar, if aged, face wandering about some tables where people were sat enjoying a meal. The scent of the cocobos was mingling with that of food, the kwehing of the birds punctuating the quiet hum of conversation.

"Well now! I musta gone 'n had a stroke, 'cause I've got to be seein' things!" The voice was deeper, and a bit more gravely, but it was the same voice that had chuckled and soothed Noctis the first time he was thrown off his chocobo. The one who taught him the commands, how to hold and tug the reigns. The one who had childed Gladiolus for laughing at Noctis's enthusiasm and sent his Shield to clean the stables for being a smartass as he had put it.

"Been years." Noctis smiled.

"What's bringin' y'all way out here? Heard on the radio y'all were… anyhow, what I heard clearly ain't true." Wiz hesitate a bit, blinking hard and clamping a firm hand against Noctis's shoulder. "Glad to see you." He turned, brows lifting when his eyes fell upon the blonde woman travelling with the group. He knit his brows, trying to find the recognition behind the fog in his memory. Lunafreya had her hair pulled into a low ponytail, had upon hear head. "Why… it can't be. The Oracle?" he whispered.

"Yes," she smiled, nodded her head at him and clasping her hands before her. "It is a pleasure to meet you." The man bowed his head and she quickly reached out, shaking hear head, "please. No such formalities." She insisted, smiling again when he met her gaze.

"Well hell, my day sure just got brighter. What brings y'all out here?" he asked. Noctis stated they were tending to Lucis, and had come to the post for something to eat since they were in the area. He gestured to the nearest table, and promised that the meal would be on him and to order whatever caught their fancy. Normally one to protest such an offer, Noctis was hesitant to accept the free food from one of his people but Ignis stepped up, expressing the groups gratitude before Wiz left them to enter the post proper.

"I don't like handouts." Noctis sighed.

"He's one of your people who had previously thought you dead. It is polite to accept his offer, and bodes well for our limited finances." He explained. Noctis sighed and sat down, Gladiolus barking how he would never say no to free food and Prompto saying to come gather him once the food came, that he wanted to go pet the chocobos telling Gladiolus to order him anything, he really didn't care.

"I should order him a chocobo sandwich." Gladiolus chuckled.

"Oh that seems… a bit cruel." Lunafreya frowned, then quirked a brow, "Oh… it's not actually chocobo."

"Huh?" Gladiolus looked down at the menu and swore when he realized the name was a joke. The food item was a veggie-burger covered in gysahl greens and served with a side of roasted sweet corn and leide peppers. "I'm gonna order it for him anyway just to see his face when I tell him what it's called."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Noctis commented. Lunafreya ordered the same thing, Gladiolus a steak, the others all getting the club sandwich which Noctis's picky palate approved of the lack of vegetables on it.

"So being me up to speed on this covenants thing." Crowe inquired. Noctis lifted a brow, a bit taken aback that the people tasked with protecting his family wouldn't have been brought to speed regarding this topic. Lunafreya kneaded her hands underneath the table and Noctis reached over to clap her hand, giving her a gentle squeeze when she neither pulled away nor returned his gesture.

"The Astrals have been asleep for hundreds of years. As Oracle, I am tasked with waking them for the Crystal's Chosen King," she spoke, her tone level and eyes locked with Crowe's. When she inquired as to why this was necessary, she explained that together they were destined to fight back the Scourge.

"The fuckin' Gods, who build this little rock we call a star, need two little humans to do their work for them?"

"It is not that. They do not have the ability or the power to purge our Star. This Scourge… it is not of our world, nor is it of theirs. The Crystal came to our world, chasing the Scourge and gifted the line of Oracle with the ability to cure it, and it fell asleep as the line of Lucis watched over it until the day it felt it was ready to bless a King with the ability to purge it for good." Lunafreya explained. Crowe rubbed at her temple with two fingers, knitting her brows staring down her charge.

"The fuck did it wait so long for?" She asked, with a confounded open-palmed gesture.

"The Crystal is not of our world, and is beyond our understanding. I simply know that I can hold the bight at bay, cure those that I encounter, and awaken the Astrals for Noctis so he can get rid of it for good. To heal the wound, rather than merely bandage it." She continued. "And only with the power of the Astrals will the Crystal's Chosen be able to purge our Star when combined with its blessing."

"I wonder where the blight came from in the first place." Gladiolus interrupted, both Noctis and Lunafreya shrugging in reply, and offering no theory on the subject. He glanced between the royals, then to Ignis. "Specs knows everything. What's up with the blight?"

"There is little available on this topic." Ignis answered, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"And these daemons that really wanna kill us?"

"Even less." Ignis sighed, stiffening and shifting in his seat, folding his hands on top of the table. Crowe blew out a breath, leaning back in her chair, pushing against the leg of the table to tilt her chair and rocked back and forth a bit, ignoring Ignis's words of caution.

"So we go wake Ramuh, make a covenant, then go harass the others?"

"I need more royal arms first. Prove I'm worthy of the Astrals." Noctis explained.

"So you think just two will be good enough for Ramuh?" Crowe asked. Noctis shrugged, repeating his concerns about the daemons they'd fought and the nightmares he'd had all night. He felt too helpless, and hoped that Ramuh would accept Lunafreya's words.

"We're beside you Noct." Ignis stated in a low tone after a thick silence hung in the air. "We promised the King to be your Crownsguard. To stand by you."

"And walk tall." Noctis parroted his father's words. Lunafreya squeezed his hand then, giving him a nod and a smile when he looked at her. Another silence hung in the air and she looked up, asking Gladiolus about the book he had been reading in the car. He hesitated before admitting it was a fantasy novel, giving Noctis a rude hand gesture and quickly explaining that it was, in fact, about a swordsman who traveled through the country to slay every member of an assassin's guild that had made an attempt on the King's life.

"I enjoy fantasy, though sci-fi is more my favorite." Lunafreya answered him, "perhaps I could borrow that book once you finish?"

"Yeah. Wouldn't have pictured you as the sci-fi type, kinda thought you'd be all into romance books or something."

"Historical fiction is really my favorite. There's this awesome book about a Lucian Knight in the old days who wanted to prove he was a badass and went to steal a crystal from the meteor, but areas of Lucis were occupied by another country at the time so it was considered an act of war."

"Now you got him going." Noctis commented, though he was drowned out by Gladiolus carrying on about the story, and Lunafreya responding in kind with a brief synopsis of her own favorite novels. The food was brought out while the pair discussed books, Noctis talking Ignis into a round of King's Knight. With the food at the table Gladiolus called over to Prompto who came bounding back,

"Man these birds are fluffy! I can't wait to ride them. Did you know they have a race track? We should check it out. So. What did you order me?" he asked.

"Chocobo sandwich." Gladiolus answered him quickly. Lunafreya flushed and looked down at her food, taking a bite of her food.

"Har har."

"I'm serious," he grabbed the menu off the table, tapping at the picture of the word, trying to keep it far enough away that reading the fine print stating it was a vegetable dish would be impossible.

"th… they eat chocobos? But… they're so cute! And smart! That's messed up man!" He stood up, the other patrons of the post looking their way.

"Prompto sit down, and please read the description."

"Ruin my fun!" Gladiolus complained. Prompto frowned, snatching the menu away from Gladiolus and reading it.

"Oh. It's a joke." He laughed, sitting down in his chair. "You suck!" he shouted to Gladiolus, who laughed. "Huh… never actually had a veggie burger before." He curled his lip a little, picking up the sandwich and giving it a sniff. "Smells okay."

"It's quite good." Lunafreya assured, and couldn't help feeling a bit defensive. Prompto shrugged, taking a small bite. It was quickly followed by a second.

"Why have I never had these?! It's like all the taste of a taco mashed together."

"I think it's a black bean burger they labeled as a veggie burger."

"Either way, s'good! Good call man." The group ate, sipping at the sugary drinks they had ordered with their meals, with the exception of Ignis who was satisfied with a glass of water. With bellies full and moods elevated, they bid farewell to Wiz with a promise to return shortly if only to prevent Prompto from spontaneously combusting.

A path led away from Wiz's Chocobo Post and Lunafreya led the way towards where she needed to be to awaken Ramuh. Crowe stood beside her, Noctis on her other side. They talked while they walked, until Lunafreya eventually pointed ahead of them,

"Down there." She stated, "that small clearing with the black rocks. That is the place where Ramuh returned to his slumber from our world." Noctis took a deep breath, letting it out slowly through his nose and reaching for Lunafreya's hand. She gave it a light squeeze, cheeks flushing and fighting with her instinct to pull her hand away and her desire to keep it tightly clamped in his. They approached the area in silence, Prompto's few attempts at engaging his friends in conversation ending in brief replies and he eventually gave in to the quiet.

Lunafreya halted her steps when she saw Gentiana approach, though none could have told from where. She nodded her head to the woman, the pair exchanging smiles before Gentiana placed a hand on Lunafreya's shoulder. The others halted their approach, startled by the sudden apparition. Crowe cursed under her breath, Ignis whiserping A messenger. Loyal to the Oracle. In response to Gladiolus's what in the hell? The women exchanged quiet words before Lunafreya turned to the others, looking from Crowe to Gladiolus. She let out a slow breath,

"I fear you may not like how things may appear as I call to Ramuh to awaken him. Please do not interfere."

"If you insist I'll sit my pretty ass down and watch the show." Crowe replied, her tone lacking her usual edge, brows knit. She bit her bottom lip, clamping a hand down on Lunafreya's shoulder. She nodded at her, taking a step back and crossed her arms, shifting her weight to her left leg.

"Noct, please, I plead with you as well to not interfere."

"But-"

"You know as well as I that we must forge these pacts with the Astrals if we are to purge our Star. So no one will ever again writhe with the blight or watch a loved one die."

"I-" he looked at her, how she stood tall with her shoulders squared. Her hands remained motionless at her sides, and her eyes locked with his. "Okay."

"Gladiolus, I must ask of you. Please, ensure that Noct keeps his word. It is not that I doubt you," she added, gaze shifting back to Noctis, reaching a palm out to his cheek, thumb grazing his cheekbone. She licked her bottom lip as they held each other's eyes for a moment longer before she turned, left hand reaching out and in a flash of light her trident appeared in her hand. She stepped forward with long strides and held her arm out and slammed the bottom of her trident into the ground, the sharp clang of the metal on rock echoing through the clearing.

She opened her mouth, from which came a song of haunting beauty. The others shivered, eyes fixed on their Oracle as the foreign words came forth in her voice, the gentle song ringing out through the trees. Noctis felt a chill run through him, and couldn't help the thought of why had he never heard her sing before? Her song continued, and a gentle rumble and dimming light snagged their attention, looking up at the sky where roiling grey-black clouds were forming and twirling around a common center above where Lunafreya was speaking in the tongue of the Astrals.

"Ramuh!" the sudden shift made Noctis flinch, his eyes snapping back to her. She gripped her trident, looking up into the swirling mass of clouds and called the Astral's name again. Lightning spiderwebbed across the sky, echoed nearly immediately by a crack of thunder so loud he felt it deep in his gut. Lightning struck the ground, a flash of violet so bright they were forced to cover their eyes, a powerful pain shooting through them and resounding through their heads. Noctis felt the hair on his his arms, the fuzz on the back of his neck, standing on end with the static in the air so thick he was afraid to touch anything in fear of being shocked. He could hear murmured curses from beside him, but his eyes were trained on Lunafreya and he couldn't focus on anything but her.

Her hand gripped her trident so tightly her knuckles flushed white, and there was a tremor in her limbs. He could see she too had some of the fine hair on her head standing on end in places where short or broken strands were, and she adjusted her stance with a slight sway. She called to him again, and another crack of thunder accompanied more lightning streaking across the sky. Another sound echoed this crack, and when he opened his eyes to recover from the latest flash he saw Lunafreya on the ground, back arched and limbs reaching out as she convulsed on the ground. Gentiana knelt beside her, having run up to her after the last flash. She was whispering quickly to her, though her words were drowned out by a deep throbbing hum that punctured the air. Lunafreya came to a rest, save for an occasional twitch, her mouth working quickly making sounds that could not be made into recognizable speech.

"Luna…" Noctis gasped, fists balled, staring at her and fighting with every instinct he had to run towards her. Was this the cost of waking an Astral? How the hell was he supposed to watch her endure this five more times? How was she expected to endure this five more times? He cursed, blinking hard to try and chase away the tears that burned his eyes. Nails dug into his palms, hands trembling as the muscles stood out on his arms, and he felt Gladiolus grip his shoulder,

"Keep it together man… you gave her your word."

"Yeah." He snapped, flexing his fingers by his side. He looked up at the roiling clouds and cursed under his breathing, and began to pray that Ramuh would just wake up already, shifting his weight between his legs and fighting the urge to begin cursing aloud at the sky. Lunafreya's wide eyes stared up into the clouds, and the sight of her tense muscles caused him to bite down on his tongue. After another minute her form finally stilled. Her head rested in Gentiana's lap, the raven haired woman gently stroking her hair before looking up at Noctis and smiled. "Is she okay?" Noctis asked, taking a hesitant step forward unsure if the God had been awoken.

Gentiana nodded and he rushed forward, tripping over his own steps in his haste and slid into the grass, crawling the last half-meter to Lunafreya's side. He leaned over, pressing a hand against her cheek. Her chest rose and fell in slow breaths, eyes closed, and skin somehow paler than her norm. Her lips were moving, though no discernable sound came out. He whispered her name, echoing again in a louder voice hoping she would sit back up and tell him she was a bit tired but okay, using her usual flowery language.

"The Oracle lays the path for her Prince to walk. The Fulgurian again walks this plane without dream-filled eyes. Chase this storm, and Ramuh shall bestow his task upon you." Noctis could hear his friends finally approaching, Crowe's voice calling how's Sparkles? but his attention was still focused on Lunafreya, and he forced himself to look up at the clouds and see what Gentiana meant about chase the storm. Further in the distance he could see lightning strike, echoed by the slightest delay by thunder. Another bolt repeated shortly after, and he decided to trust his gut.

"We gotta go where that lightning is so Luna didn't go through this for nothing." Noctis stated, finally turning to look up at his friends. Gladiolus appeared as if he was smelling something foul, Ignis had his arms crossed before his chest, and head tilted down, glasses partially obscuring his expression. Prompto was fidgeting in place, and repated Crowe's queary about the Oracle's state. "I think she'll be okay. If they wanted her to wake all Six why would the first one put her out of commission?" he answered, trying a jovial tone but instead found his voice wavering. Gladiolus cursed, shaking his head and tapping his fist against his thigh, offering to carry her back to the car.

"I can do it." Noctis replied, but felt his friend grip his shoulder.

"You need your strength for the covenant. I promise I won't drop her." He managed to grin down at Noctis and gave him a wink, the Prince hesitating for a moment before giving a slight smile and nodding. His palm remained against Lunafreya's cheek for an extra moment before he stood, letting Gladiolus bend down and pick her up. For a moment Noctis almost expected him to throw her over his shoulder like he would have done to him, or tucked under his arm like he had seen him carry Iris around too many times to count. But rather, he proved to be capable of being gentle and led the group back towards the car. Noctis took a few steps before he felt a small cool hand against his shoulder, causing chills to shoot down his arm and he flinched with surprise.

"I wish to join you, to watch over the Oracle." Gentiana whispered. Noctis's brows lifted, and he looked over towards Gladiolus's retreating form for a moment and turned back to Gentiana.

"Oh. Uh, yeah. Though it'll get pretty cramped in the car. We're full up as it is." He answered, not wanting to tell the Messenger no and wondering if Ramuh would strike him down for even posing a doubt.

"If Crowe can handle that bike with a passenger I can ride with her." Prompto offered.
make things a little less uncomfortable"

"You know how to ride bitch?" Crowe asked, to which Prompto nodded and explained he rode on the back of a bike before and managed not to kill the driver by being an idiot. She waved at him in a come on gesture. They all walked back to the car, Noctis sliding into the back first so they could slip Lunafreya's unconscious form in the middle seat, sliding hid arm around her to hold her against him and Gentiana climbed in the other side,

"I cannot recall had I ever ridden in such a device before." She marveled.

"Please mind your head, I do fear that these clouds shall open into a deluge at any moment." Ignis advised, and Gentiana smiled with a quirked brow as she watched the top come back over the Regalia and click into the place while the initial roar of the engine quieted down after a few seconds of being on. Gladiolus sat in the passenger seat and pulled the door shut hard enough to leave both Ignis and Noctis groaning in disapproval. "Gladio…"

"Yeah yeah. I shut the door too hard. Sorry, force of habit." He answered, grimacing at himself feeling bad about possibly harming the old car. Behind them Prompto was climbing onto the motorcycle behind Crowe, sitting up strait and placing his hands on her hips. She mouthed something to him and he leaned forward a bit more and wrapped his arms around her waist and Noctis smirked, taking a picture through the Regalia's rear window and promising himself to harass Prompto later.

"So, Noct. Where exactly am I taking us?" Ignis asked, drawing his attention back to his task and his smile dropped. He looked out the windows and gave Ignis a monosyllabic sound to mean wait as he looked for the lightning strikes. It only took him a few more seconds to see a flash and a crack and the Regalia pulled back onto the road to follow the storm.

Lunafreya was still unconscious when they pulled over to the side of the road. The rain began after they had driven only a few hundred meters, Ignis commenting on the timing, and after a kilometer the rain grew too heavy for him to feel safe driving. The man felt immediately foolish for suggesting waiting the storm out until Noctis pointed out this was not simple weather, and he needed to chase Ramuh's lightning.

"I assure you, the Oracle shall remain safe" Gentiana soothed him when Noctis lamented leaving Lunafreya behind in the Regalia, but carrying her unconscious form through the rain was impractical and cruel. He nodded to the messenger and thanked her, stepping out into the rain. The cold water clashed spectacularly with the hot humid Duscae air. Crowe agreed to stay behind with Gentiana to keep watch over Lunafreya and the Regalis. Noctis blinked through the water sliding down his face, wiping the back of his hand over his eyes and tried to regain his bearings to walk towards the lightning strikes.

"Awe man, my perfect hair." Prompto pouted,

"Are you sure the Princess is the one in the car?" Gladiolus quipped, and got a rude hand gesture for his trouble. Ignis and Noctis chuckled, voicing their agreements with Gladiolus statement earning them each their own middle-finger in turn.

"Oh come on you take even longer on your hair than I do!" Prompto shouted defensively towards Noctis, trotting to make pace beside him. "The day we were leaving to meet your Lady Lunafreya you must have been in that bathroom for an hour trying to nail that perfect Emo look you have going." He shoved his elbow in Noctis's rib.

"The rain does suck." Noctis admitted, squinting up at the sky, too dark to see details and wished they had some damned flashlights. Ramuh truly wanted to test him it seemed. What would he do to him once he reached where the storm was striking the ground? Would he be left convulsing on the ground as Lunafreya had?

"How can you tell where we're going?" Gladiolus asked, shouting over the increasing deluge.

"Follow the lightning."

"We're gonna break a leg on this mud!" Prompto called out. But something was guiding Noctis. He could vaguely see the ground where he was placing his feet, and the lightning striking in the distance. He was sure Ramuh wasn't lighting the way for him, why would the God let him cheat his own test? He began to shiver within the minute, his friends in a similar state. Their clothes clung to them uncomfortably, Gladiolus complaining about the chaffing that was inevitable. The two kilometer walk to where Ramuh was calling to Noctis felt arduous.

"Do I have to train your asses again?" Gladiolus shouted at the other three who were panting for breath. Noctis and Prompto sat down, too soaked to care about adding a bit of mud to their discomfort, Ignis remaining standing refusing to join them, simply doubling over. The simple walk had felt like a half-marathon run but it took little time to be put back on track. Sound cracked across the sky to accompany the painfully bright flash of light. Noctis covered his ears, hearing a deep low voice within the thunder, and looked up to where the lightning had struck. A rock was glowing in the same violet hue as the lightning, a blazing rune etched into the stone in a symbol unfamiliar to Noctis and he could only imagine the lecture both Ignis and Lunafreya would have for him if he came to them and admitted that fact.

"I think I need to touch that rock." Noctis stated.

"The rock. Glowing with the Emblem of Ramuh, being struck by lightning. What the hell would ever give you the idea that it was important?" Gladiolus chided, Prompto laughing and wishing he could pull out his camera to take a picture of the strange sight. Noctis rolled his eyes at his shield, wanting to get this over with so he could get back to Lunafreya, and hopefully drive to somewhere warm. Another strike of lightning, another voice hidden in the thunder beckoning him forward. He took a step, the mossy ground beneath his feet feeling slippering with the deluge of rain. His palm reached the rock, pressed against it. He had expected it to feel cold, like the rain. But instead it was hot, almost to the point of pain but he kept his hand firmly planted and winkled his nose at the discomfort. The lightning struck, and the result was instant.

Noctis's muscles all convulsed at once. His legs locked straight and he crashed to the ground several feet away. Fire roared through his limbs, his nerves ablaze and settling to an aching numbness. Nerve pathways glowed purple for the barest moment, and he came to rest, panting for breath cursing and groaning on the ground, rolling onto his side and curling on himself, groaning and gritting his teeth through the pain as it slowly faded.

"Holy shit! Noct!" Prompto reached him first, Gladiolus and Ignis not far behind. Their voices were drowned out by Ramuh, this time his words clear through the pain through the rumbles and confusion.

One of Three.

Noctis groaned, the throbbing behind his eyes fading with the burning in his nerves. His friend's hands were on him, and he felt a metal can being pressed into his hand. Through the fog in his mind he realized Ignis must have pressed one of the energy drinks into his grip, and he tried to remember where his magic was to turn it into the curative he needed.

"Noct, you need a potion." Ignis stated, helping him orient himself. He groaned, rolling over so he was face-down in the mud, forcing himself up onto his hands and knees but his trembling arms gave out, collapsing back down and turning his head to avoid drowning. If the damn rain would just stop already. He sneezed, then coughed at the mud that was kicked back up into his mouth. "Noct! You need to focus!"

"Back of man, he got struck by lightning!" Prompto's voice chided, and Ignis sighed, rubbing his face, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to repeat the order to Noctis with a more careful tone. The Prince was able to collect his thoughts, find his magic, and pour it into the drink in his hand. The can grew warm, then cold, and after a few moments was nearly indistinguishable from the other energy drinks. Gladiolus helped him sit up, and he drank the potion, dribbling it down his chin and coughing when he swallow one long sip wrong.

"Ugh Gods…" he wheezed between coughs, the magic of the curative coursing through him and he felt half-normal again.

"So we did it? We have like, an actual God on our side?" Prompto asked, smiling and bouncing on his heels. His grin vanished when Noctis shook his head, tilting his head back to finish off the last of the drink, letting out an undignified belch and not bothering to covrer his mouth, limbs too damn tired to do so.

"I think it was Ramuh's voice. He said one of three. I think I gotta do that two more times…" his voice trailed off and he tiled his head back, looking up at the dark sky. Through the edge of his vision he saw a bright flash and turned his head, and saw a new spot where lightning was beginning to repeatedly strike.

"Explains why the rains have not let up. It appears the Gods want you to earn these covenants."

"Help me up. I want this over with." Noctis grumbled.

"You need rest!" Gladiolus argued back, "Even I don't want to kick your ass this hard!"

"I'm feeling better with the drink, and I'll be back to normal by the time we get to the next one." Gladiolus helped his charge stand back up, said man rolling his shoulders and leading his friends on, each of them still shivering and Ignis mumbling under his breath that they best all rest proper after this misadventure or they'd be laid up with pneumonia.

The next two stones proved no different than the first. Each time, Noctis's muscles jerked tight and he would be thrown back to the ground, twitching and with his nerves blazing with agony. The pain would fade soon enough, as would the confusion. He felt sick after the second potion, and hardly had the coherence to refuse the third. His heart was racing from the lightning strikes and the caffeine that lingered in the curatives. Gladiolus carried the semi-conscious prince to the nearest road where they all sat down, thankful that the storm clouds had parted and the sun was out, drying their soaked clothing.

"I'll call Crowe and have her come get you Ig, then you bring the Regalia here. I'm a bull but I am not carrying Noct all the way to the damn car." Gladiolus requested, laying Noctis on the grass, who had succumbed to his exhaustion. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number, "Crowe? ….. yeah….. can you come get Ignis with the bike? No way in hell we're walking back…. What? No!... I know you're her Shield but we're a little low on options….. Noct is unconscious, the covenant kicked his ass like it did the Princess's, will you please come get Ig so he can get us with the car?" He argued with her for a few moments longer, the young woman protesting leaving her charge alone with a stranger. But she was reassured that the black haired woman was one to be trusted, and relented. After he ended the call Gladioolus lamented the inability to angrily hang up on a cell phone before shoving the device in his pocket. He rubbed his face roughly, glancing over at his own charge and cursing how damned helpless he felt in the face of this type of thereat. How the hell could he protect Noctis from the Gods?

"If Ramuh is supposed to be like, the nice one, what are the other covenants going to be like? And how do we even know Ramuh did it?" Prompto asked, sitting cross legged and mindlessly picking at the grass, tying longer blades into knots before flicking it away and plucking at the ground again.

"Noct was muttering something about voices after the third strike. We can inquire more about it once he has rested adequately. I do believe both Noct and Lady Lunafreya have earned a proper rest, I do not feel that tents will suffice." Ignis answered. He looked down at his friend, pushing his glasses back up his nose and sighed, staring off into the distant edge of road to wait the appearance of Crowe's motorcycle. The other two voiced their wholehearted agreement, and stated they were more than willing to give up their remaining gil if it meant the pair could rest in a bed and not on the ground.

"Prompto, wanna play a round of King's Knight?" Gladiolus asked, needing something to occupy this insufferable wait on the side of the road. His friend too eager to agree, flicking away another knot of grass to pull out his phone, glad the damn thing was waterproof. Ignis declined the offer to join them, and instead pulled out his phone to read an old book on it he had already read multiple times to pass the short time until the roar of Crowe's motorcycle cut through the now quiet air. The bike came into view next, and as she pulled up to the road she kicked the stand, pulling off her helmet and looking down at them,

"Wow you weren't kiddin' there big guy. You guys look like shit."


So we finally get to the first covenant. I took a little bit of liberty with it to make it more exciting, and to make it a more important event than in the game. The Astrals felt so anticlimactic in the game that I want to give it a bit more punch so I hope no one minds I strayed a bit from canon.