Final Fantasy XV - Kingdom Hearts

Part 40

Summary: Two warriors of Light, the Chosen King and Keyblade Master, face an unseen Darkness.

*Insomnia, Citadel*

Walking through the ruined city of "his" land, taking in the dissolution and lifeless streets devoid of sound. Buildings that once touched the skies are nothing more than rubble, the lights that once shined brightly to give the citizens that false sense of hope and security had long lost their power.

Ardyn took in the ruined sites of his brother's city, reveling in the decay and destruction caused by the empire's lust for power and conquest. It certainly wasn't as bright and cheery when he last visited, but the darkness that surrounded it was far more acceptable for him. His walks were lonely at his request, not that he needed permission from that fool of an emperor to visit this fallen city. Xigbar gave his blessings to his goals, and after he made sure the boy was locked away "safely", he relayed the last piece of information for him.

The final piece to achieve what he had sought for so long.

On his middle finger glowing in a darkish red aura, the ring of the Lucii hummed dully. The man could not hold grin from appearing on his face, a sense of victory and smugness, unlike any other time, had utterly consumed him. The first time he felt joy in so long thanks to this victory, the power of kings coursing through him along with the newfound gifts he exploited from his curse. Altissia had played back in his mind, he couldn't help being relish in that memory of seeing the Oracle's face fell to utter despair.

To know everything she had done, the pain she endured, the sacrifices she had to make to help her beloved Chosen King fulfill his prophecy, the gods she slaved to appease, all for naught. The ring she had kept out of the clutches of the empire had so easily fell to his hands, her brother's sacrifice doing nothing more than bother the man. If only he had blondie take a picture of it, it would be the perfect reminder of the day her world fell apart.

The advisor though, truly Ardyn felt a small semblance of respect for that man risking his life for his liege, a shame he wasn't in service to Ardyn. Yet giving up his eyes for him, another pointless sacrifice performed by those following Noctis.

He did ponder what exactly Xigbar had planned for the boy, surprised he took him as opposed to the redhead or the boy who was touched by the darkness. Certainly, the child was easily the best fighter among the warriors of light and likely his true potential had yet to be explored. Did he have plans to warp him like he did to Ravus? Shrugging indifferently, those thoughts could be discussed at later dates, he had a long reunion to attend.

He stands before the Citadel gates, impressed that the building has stood against the destruction of his empire's wrath. Ardyn closed his eyes as he inhaled through his nose, trepidation somehow held him back from waltzing into this place. He wondered if he was just feeling a sense of apprehension or worse doubts of this plan bearing fruit. He lifted his ringed hand to look at the ring that burnt his hand yet feels no pain from it.

Staring at this parasite of a ring with contempt, those feelings of hesitation were crushed when he recalled this ring was supposed to be his, his rightful place on the throne denied. How he was misguided by the gods who gave him this curse, how he just wanted to help others who bore that scourge, used as a puppet. And how could he forget, the one man who took everything from him…

Somnus Lucis Caelum.

'After all that had been done…all your "righteous" acts…and you branded *me* the monster', Ardyn chuckles mirthlessly as he stared up to the building. 'These ignorant people, hailing you as a hero, a chosen champion, shielding those in need…yet blissfully unaware of your true character'. As his blight slithered through his form, dark miasma surrounding him, he lifted his hand and fired a force that destroyed the gates.

'You've had a good kingdom in the long run, brother dearest, but with every kingdom that rises', he monologues to himself, walking to the entrance to the building.

'Every kingdom falls'.

*Throne room*

Walking through the emptiness of the Citadel felt close to walking through an abandoned graveyard, not a sound or soul within. It feels like Ardyn is treading through forgotten lands that haven't had a visitor in centuries, yet the fall of this city was only nearly a year ago by this point.

There high above him as he stood in the center of the room, the night from outside looming through the broken walls as the wind whistles past them. The throne that was stolen from him, a throne he would never have gotten a chance to sit upon and lead his people as he should. Everything was taken from him, his birthright to become king, his sacrifice was turned against him, his brother taking his throne and painting him as a monster.

Even taking…her…

He paused his march when he recalled the Oracle within his mind, a strange sensation swelled up into his chest as he felt something clogging his throat. Ardyn placed a hand on what he believed was his heart, thinking to Lunafreya…no, not Lunafreya. Strangely as he tried to think of that fool woman, he saw someone else in her place who looked like her yet there was a light to her, something warm and it brought weakness to his stance.

Why? Why was her name hidden within the darkness of his heart? That name he loved to use, to hear, to speak with emotion he couldn't feel for so long. All he can properly remember without blanks and gaps within his memory is her death.

Her unfortunate end caused by none other than the man he called his brother. It wasn't enough to label him a monster, to steal his place on the throne, no, he had to take her from him as well. One final slap to the face before he took his life. And did he pay for his crime? No, that bastard of a sibling not only took *everything* from Ardyn, but he was hailed and chosen by the astrals and crystal themselves. Truly the man asked who indeed was the monster?

He scoffs, shaking his head and climbs the stairs to the throne. Gently rubbing the armrest attached to the throne, he smugly settles into it and with the ring glowing more intensely he could feel the pull to the place where he must go. The final resting place he was denied, the peace that was out of his reach. But unfortunately for some, he wouldn't be gone for long. Lifting his ringed hand and calling upon the weapon bestowed to him so many years ago, a weapon that was dreamed to be wielded alongside its brother.

Ironically, it would be doing the very opposite of what it was made for. It would be the axe that executes the line of Kings.

'Kings of Lucis', Ardyn calls. 'COME TO ME!'.

Ardyn grips the weapon with both hands and stabs it into the ground before him. Instead of the blue light associated with the Lucis line, Ardyn's dark red crystal light took its place. The ten kings of yore arrived, all in the same red light as Ardyn's weapon. Manically grinning at the corruption of his ancestors, or descendants really, Ardyn waited eagerly for them to aid him in their destruction. His grip on the sword didn't loosen as the kings picked up their weapons one by one.

Anticipation ran wild within in him with excitement, the day had finally come. The day he would get the justice he deserved, to pay back to those who have wronged him in his past. Two thousand years of agony have finally paid off.

The kings struck Ardyn one by one, with each blow their souls were absorbed into the ring, laughing away with each one being consumed by the ring only feeling the force of the strikes and nothing else, slowly destroying the lines one by one. The last blade to bring him down, the final nail in the Lucis coffin was his very own brother's sword. His smug looks to turned unadulterated hatred to him, the blight showing on his face as his brother charged forth to finish the prophecy.

As the ring absorbed Ardyn, he feels his soul leaving his body…

*In the Beyond*

When he first came to this, it gave him memories he would have done anything to be free from. Now, however he cherished it, the last time he could look at those memories with contempt, now he would laugh about it in the long run.

Standing in the space of the beyond, the beautiful color of this place would have granted him peace surely. Not now, not ever. This would only serve him to be the place where he would settle it, where every moment of agony he endured, where everything that was taken from him would finally feel the full brunt of his hatred and rage. Because if there was anyone Ardyn Lucis Caelum hated more than his brother, it was the very God who changed his purpose.

The God of War, Bahamut.

He looked up to see the armored astral before him, as big as the Citadel itself with his wings made from fifteen swords outstretched, glaring down at the mortal before him. The god glowers to the Accursed while Ardyn clenched his fists with contempt, the last time he had stood before this "benevolent" god flashed in his mind. The torture of seeing his fiancé striking him down, cursing him to this new path the gods ordained for him, seeing her death replay over and over in his mind like a never-ending reminder of what he had lost.

'Been a long time, hasn't it, Draconian?', Ardyn spits with venom, gazing up at the god.

Bahamut stares at the spec of a human before him, concerned as to why he carried the ring and why the Chosen King was not present. Ardyn must have figured he had questions, but unlike the god who was so cruel as to deny Ardyn answers, the man was kinder. 'Oh? Wondering why your "Chosen King" isn't here? Why I've returned to this forsaken place?', he teases. 'Well, let us just say someone shared the same mindset as I and we both came to a mutual agreement that I should reclaim my throne'.

Lifting the ring of Lucii, now corrupted into black and red steel with a terrifying red light surrounding it as the darkness of the heartless and blight began to grow, cloaking the Accursed man in darkness unseen by even the Draconian. Slowly behind him, the kings of yore rose up from nothingness, all corrupted by the blight and Ardyn's darkness influencing them. Slowly the red dark cloud of the blight began to corrupt the sacred place, the light growing dimmer and dimmer as even the God of War himself senses the true power behind their chosen Accursed.

'A fool…you know not what you have started', boomed the god's words, his swords glowing in light. The giant blades spins behind the god, then rocketed towards Ardyn and his corrupted guards. Ardyn smirked however as Crouching Dragon King and Dynast King's corrupted armors fly to the swords, their weapons twisted and tarnished by the darkness from Ardyn. Together the combined might of the Lucis members destroyed the blades that flew closest to the party of the darkness.

Ardyn merely aimed his hand and the rest of his servants charged to the weapons the Draconian threw at him. The royal guard that would die for him, and likely will, using the corruption to power their weapons to make the garnish and ugly imitations of the purity they once carried. The light within them smothered and swallowed by the darkness of Ardyn's powers, so enough their hearts will be swallowed by the heartless and who knows? Perhaps Xigbar's boss could make use of them.

Bahamut's swords had not reached even close to Ardyn, his death guards destroyed his weapons like they were made of glasses. When no more divine blade could be called upon, the Lucis warriors hovered in the air as the last glimmer of light within this place had been swallowed. Bahamut lets out a roar that shook the very realm itself, it could have even shaken Eos for all they knew as his body shines in a beautiful light that reminded Ardyn of the crystal.

The Draconian draws forth the most powerful weapon within his arsenal, the legendary blade that could split the very planet in half, the Ultima Sword. The God of War grabbed his weapon of choice and swings at his previous servants with the power to split the planet and the speed of a comet racing down to the planet. The former rulers of Insomnia dodged and weaved from his mighty sword as Ardyn watched with interest, wondering if the Draconian is powerful enough to slay his legion of corrupted rulers.

The Crouching Dragon King and Dynast King with the Winged King and Lion King all brought their weapons to meet the Draconian, their weapons clashing so loudly it could have shattered the entire populace of Altissia's eardrums and annihilate buildings. Their joint effort managed to halt the giant's blade as the rest bar the Mystic all joined in to clash with the God of War. As Bahamut struck again, the entire legion of rulers all met his gigantic sword with their own.

A shockwave so powerful that even Ardyn felt like his entire body would have been ripped apart from the force alone. He fell to one knee as the shock washes over him while his corrupted Mystic stayed by his side like a loyal dog. The Accursed smiles in malice when he stands up, the ring practically covering his entire right arm with dark red shadows as it burned into his skin and burned his sleeve. Slowly he orders his "brother" to do his part at long last.

The Mystic flew to the air as its brethren all strike at the Ultima Sword. Ardyn raised his hand aiming the ring to Bahamut and with a cackle, he allows the ring to slither with two violet lines trailing to the giant god. Busy with fighting the pesky rulers of yore, the Draconian could not predict that Ardyn would master the ring's power so quickly nor take advantage of the fact that the ring could burn him all it wanted yet the Accursed was immune to such pain.

Bahamut's chosen Accursed had ultimately become his greatest mistake.

The Draconian was struck by the parasitical lines that connected with his chest plate, slowly spreading along his torso as it burned him. The rulers of the past all combined their darkness to land their final Armiger upon the very being that bestowed upon them that power. Together like one arrow of the darkness, they all charged and perfectly landed strikes upon the weapon at once.

Ultima Sword cracked and then burst into shards, shattering into pieces as Ardyn drained Bahamut's life force, absorbing his power onto himself. 'NOW! FEEL MY VENGEANCE! KINGS OF YORE! STRIKE DOWN THE GOD OF WAR!', cried Ardyn as loud as he could. Like obedient soldiers, the rulers of the past rained down upon the defenseless god, striking him with the fury of a thousand storms. His armor broke apart thanks to the might of the Lucis line, the light he used dwindled and faded with each tainted weapon poisoning him.

All but the Mystic struck him, he merely waited for his master to order him to do what he must.

The Dynast King split open Bahamut's chest piece exposing his crystal heart, and for Ardyn, this is exactly where he planned to mark his vengeance. He drew his Rakshasa Blade, the very sword made for him to wield alongside his brother. He channeled all the powers of the blight, darkness, and power of Kings within the blade, turning its red crystal light into pure violet flames that extended into the length the silver-haired samurai used.

Ardyn laughs cruelly as his minions tore apart the Draconian, relishing in the thought of how agonizing the being must be in. Not only to be picked apart like a dead carcass by vultures, not only to have his most powerful weapon be reduced into nothing more than broken shards that would forever mark his failings but to know all this was because of his arrogance and disinterest in the lives of mortals he played with.

Any doubt he had, hesitation or remorse within him, had all perished when he sees the being who forced him into this role of the Accursed finally taste his pain, his humiliation, and losses. Even as the woman he once loved flashing in his mind, in a desperate vain attempt to stay his vengeance had failed. There is nothing else to live for, no other purpose for him to keep existing, then to finally have the revenge he had been craving from the very day it had all began.

Ardyn flew towards the Draconian, laughing madly as his Mystic pawn summoned his corrupted blade nearly identical to Ardyn's. The Mystic grasped the blade with both hands before it falls to deliver the second last strike to the Draconian as Ardyn plunged the dark blazing sword within Bahamut's heart. The sword pierces Bahamut's crystal heart just as the Mystic's blade sunk his sword into the God of War's helmet.

Ardyn's sword pierces through the Draconian, the pillar of black flames erecting behind it and burning the metal armor it dawned, slowly darkness begins to swim and wrap around the fallen god's body. Corrupting the god's body in darkness while it begins to fade away into nothingness as the rulers flew behind Ardyn like dutiful soldiers as Ardyn takes in this sweet victory, all those years in captivity had brought him to this point.

Here he finally achieved his goal, putting the god to rest and destroyed the line of Lucis. As Bahamut begins to fade into nothingness, he gasps: 'Y-You fool…the scourge will swallow this world…'. Ardyn cackles as he buried the sword deeper into the Draconian, earning a gasp of pain from a god. 'As well as the "gifts" you have granted us will be taken away, the crystal, the ring, all of it will be a thing of the past', Ardyn states. 'Meaning, this world will be consumed in darkness without a glimmer of hope to cling onto'.

Ardyn flew up to the dying god's head and grabbed the helmet and lifted it upward, just so the Draconian can see who it was that not only killed him but rob him of his world. The same fate he had for Ardyn, but in Ardyn's way, he was granted mercy. He'd be dead before he could watch his world darken and give in to despair. 'Oh, fret not, Draconian, take joy in the knowledge you won't go alone', assured the Accursed with a wicked smile. 'Do say hi to the Glacian for me?'.

With that Ardyn uses the ring of the Lucii one last time to disintegrate Bahamut's head, ridding the world of the Draconian for the final time. As he felt his soul being pulled back into the realm of living, Ardyn allows himself to float away as the ring disappears from his finger. Laughing in victory as he loses consciousness.

*Eos*

Ardyn awakens to see Xigbar standing below his throne with a smirk. 'Oh? Ya done already?', he asked sarcastically as Ardyn gets to his feet, rolling his shoulders. He looked to his finger and as expected, the ring was no more. Strangely, however, he did not feel any different, anymore before he ventured to the beyond. Curiously, he flicked his hand and to his utter delight, he resummons his sword in all its blighted glory. How could this be? Accursed or not, with the Draconian dead he shouldn't have this power surely?

Until he looked to Xigbar, sporting a smug grin. 'The darkness kinda took over that whole Lucis exclusivity garbage for ya, just in case old dragon head got the idea to take it away from ya', he explains. Ardyn smirks wickedly as he looked at his sword, even in the wake of the death of God who bestowed this power to his royal chosen ones, he still carried his gifts to hell and back.

Somehow, he doubted Noctis could say the same thing.

Together he and Xigbar stood at the broken wall to overlook the city below them as the darkness spreads in the sky, the Eternal Night had begun quicker than either had hoped. Xigbar chuckled. 'A world where the darkness rules forevermore so long as night reigns, without the crystal or ring the Chosen King can't complete his Ascension and purge this star', Xigbar narrated, voicing the prophecy Ardyn told him.

'Correct, the legacy of the Lucis ended with Noct', Ardyn says with glee, 'Without the Draconian, he has no power. Effectively Noct has become redundant'. Xigbar crosses his arms as he clicked his tongue. 'And the other astrals go with the big boss too?', he asked. 'Indeed, even the most powerful ones all perished alongside the God of War', Ardyn says. Then he turned to Xigbar with a malicious grin. 'Now then, I believe I owe you a thanks, is it?', Ardyn questioned.

'Or you could do me a favor', Xigbar suggested. 'I'm gonna need an assistant in my sessions with the kid, and with your special "touch", I think things will go smoother'. Ardyn grins as together they turn to see floating behind them, the corrupted ruler of the past, corrupted with the blight and heartless to create the new breed of guardians. Ardyn gives Xigbar a callous grin.

'When do we start?'.

*Altissia*

Dry heaving as his body feels as though something was pounding him from within, gagging from the pain of feeling like he was stretched apart with a hollowness taking shape within him. Noctis dried to control whatever convulsions that ran through his body, this horrible agony that tore into him. Not even his fight with Leviathan could hold a candle to this pain, like a part of himself had been taken away.

Gently rubbing his back as he heaved was Goofy, whispering gentle words of encouragement as he waited patiently for the prince to finish up. Noctis waved him off, signaling he was for now done, turning onto his backside and leaning against cupboards of the bathroom. His bangs stuck to his face in sweat, pale skin and dark circles around his eyes, to say Noctis looked like death was slowly coming for him would be an understatement.

'Do you want to get Donald or Aqua?', Goofy asked, kneeling before Noctis. The prince shook his head weakly, swallowing weakly. 'No, they've got their hands full with Riku and…Kairi', he said, weakly speaking the latter's name with dread. The princess had still yet to join them in the waking world, still sleeping in fits and obvious nightmare tainted sleep. Only halted by Aqua's magic to help counter them but even the master was on her last bit of nerves.

The prince looked to Goofy's fallen face as he got to his feet. 'Well…if ya need me, or the others, just holler, okay?', he asked softly before turning to the door. Noctis reached for the captain, opening his mouth to say something to provide a form of comfort to him, but words failed him as the captain exited the bathroom with a soft click behind him. Sitting there in the bathroom alone with the light flickering, Noctis just rests his head against his knees as his breath hitched, mind swimming with the new information Lunafreya had told them.

Gentiana's disappearance was not her leaving them to continue her tasks, she was dying right before their eyes and apparently, she was not the only astral to perish. Lunafreya had revealed to them after the Messenger had vanished, that the astrals had all perished. Because she could speak to the gods, the Oracle felt their life force disappear moments ago, all starting with the Draconian, the God of War and the strongest of the astrals.

She revealed that is why she panicked when Ardyn stole the ring from them, he would parody the prophecy of the Chosen King by ascending the throne himself to battle Bahamut. With the ring absorbing the souls of Noctis' ancestors who sat upon throne all those years ago. Using the ring to enter the place between life and death where he could confront Bahamut. Slaying him, meant the death of not just the other astrals, but more. Ardyn's actions had destroyed the link of the Lucis line's source of power, the crystal would fade into nothing as the ring would have by now.

The crystal gone, means Noctis' powers would go with it. To everyone's horror, her words of prophecy had come true for Noctis couldn't summon a single royal arm, not even his weapons blessed by his Armiger. None of his companions could do so either, rendering them all defenseless and worst of all useless. Next came one final slap to their faces, courtesy of Ardyn's vengeance, the Starscourge had run amok more quickly and wildly than it had ever had before. The days would end and night would reign forever eternal, and the Oracle would feel the full brunt of it all.

That is if she was given this power from another being.

It was Bahamut who gave the world the Oracle, to begin with after all, and like Noctis' powers, Lunafreya loses her own. The woman had fallen gravely ill because of this, nearly on death's doorstep had Aqua not expend more of her mana to preserve the former Oracle until she received proper medical assistance. Whether it was the exhaustion of calling upon the Tidemother or without some power from the Oracle keeping her going, he didn't know.

Running his hand through his hand, he willed himself to get off his butt and exit the room. The room he stayed in is the same one he woke up in but now darkened from the night. No less then two in the afternoon yet it was as if they were late in the evening times. Looking outside to see the ruins of Altissia, now under the ugly eternal night sky that colored the world in a hue of sick browns and sickening greens.

Resting on his chair, silent and still like a statue is Ignis, tapping his fingers on the armrest. Goofy must have told him where he was going and likely offered to stay here to watch for Noctis. The prince slowly walked around his chair and sat across from him, holding his piece and lowering his gaze to his knees in defeat. The words he wanted to say to this man, the man who gave up so much for his king sitting across from him, yet now it was all for nothing.

Likely sensing his liege, Ignis leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and hands clasped together. 'Noct, are you alright?', he asks, merely out of courtesy. Noctis shook his head as a sound of frustration escaped his mouth, breath hitched. 'Iggy…', he gasped, trying to get the words out to express his struggles and fury. The sensation of uselessness, the internal burning of worthlessness that wrapped around his heart like a serpent.

'What am I going to do? I…I can't call the arms anymore', he breathes out, 'The ring is destroyed, Luna can't use her powers anymore, we lost Sora…and I can't do a damn thing about any of it!'. Noctis hisses as he feels tears burning in his eyes, shame, and dismay mixing into one horrible sensation of agony within him. Everything that those who followed him had done, the trials to obtain the arms, Cor's sacrifice to save his shield and friend, Luna enduring all the empire's cruelty and trials of the astrals, Sora fighting for his sake, all of it accumulating to nothing.

Each of them had paid the price for following him, and he had nothing to show for it. The burden of what is to expect of him once the ring is placed into his hands had been taking from him, his chance to finally convince himself he was ready to become the king they all believed him to be, stripped away. Now he was nothing, nothing but a poor excuse for a member of the Lucis bloodline, and a disgrace to his father.

As his self-lashing grew intense, he feels a hand gently resting upon his shoulder. He looked up to see Ignis facing him. 'Noct, I…cannot pretend to understand how you feel about this, that your birthright was stolen, along with us being rendered incapable for the moment and the concerns for her grace', Ignis says wisely. 'But what I do know, Noct, is that this circumstance is out of our hands, much like it was back with when the empire first invaded Insomnia'.

'That was different!', Noctis argued, 'We lost our home, not our strength!'. 'I know, but we have allies who can help us', Ignis counters. Noctis growled in frustration as he stood up, freeing himself from Ignis' hand as he started to pace in the room. 'And look what happened! They lost Sora to those bastards! Do you have any idea how Kairi is going to react to this!? Knowing we couldn't keep him safe!', he ranted.

Ignis clenched his fist and exhaled through his nose while his prince paced around more angrily. 'I know that, Noct. But Kairi won't blame you for his capture', he reasoned. 'No, but she has every right to!', Noctis cursed angrily. He grabbed the edge of the coffee table near him, shaking. 'And we can't even promise to help save him…', he laments, looking down in defeat as anger shifts to sorrow and misery. The room fell to silence as the two men composed themselves, lashing out against each other isn't going to help them, especially in their current conditions.

'…Ignis…I'm so sorry…', he whispers. 'What happened to my eyes was by my choice Noct', Ignis sighs softly, 'I'm certain you had no hand in removing my sight'. Ignis carefully feels around the area until he reached his prince, placing a hand on his shoulder, Noctis unable to face him as his tears ran. 'You gave them up for nothing Ig…I can't even ascend the throne without the ring…Luna did all this for nothing…', he lists.

'…no, Noct. Sacrificing my sight was not for nothing', the man replies strongly as he grips his friend tightly. 'I gave them up…to make sure you would live to see another day, and I would do it all over again if it means you're safe'. Unable to hold back his tears, Noctis turned to his brother, his most loyal and oldest friend who had given up so much for him. Gently Ignis smiled. 'I know we're not in the best of conditions, Noct, our situation is dire and without the use of the Armiger, we're at our lowest point', he says.

'But there is an old question that I am certain, you know the answer to. "Why do we fall"?', he asked. 'To learn…how to pick ourselves up again…', Noctis answers shakily. Nodding, satisfied with the answer, Ignis pats his arm comfortingly. 'You will figure it out Noct, I'm certain of it'. They shared a brothers hug, Noctis trying to hold back his pain for his brother's sake. Here before him, blind and rendered unfit for battle was his brother, yet somehow, he was even stronger than the would-be king. How could a prince falter in his duty where others faced a far worse fate than he was in, and somehow still retain that power to face the world.

'Get some rest, I'll be checking on the others shortly', Ignis instructs. 'Y-You sure?', Noctis asks as they broke the hug. Nodding, they approached the door as Ignis picks up his cane, saying: 'I'm trying to memorize my way around the estate, better to do it sooner than later'.

With a small farewell, Ignis leaves the room and Noctis basks in the silence before retreating to the bed. He would have gone to see the others with his brother, but after their talk, the faith Ignis still carried for his liege left him thinking. Laying down on his back as he stared into the ceiling, the prince looked at his hand, trying to summon or call an arm to his hand. All he manages to achieve was tiny faint mists of light dancing around his fingers, mocking his ineptitude.

Dropping his hand in defeat, Noctis looked to the darkness of the ceiling, taking in the silence of the room with only the lamplight on to accompany him. His mind trailing to Sora, fear clutching his heart with worry for the boy. As strong as his heart is, a monster like Ardyn is sure to find something to break the boy's spirit, however long that may take. He is strong, but the empire would do whatever it took to keep him in check, especially now knowing Noctis and his royal retinue, along with any surviving members of the Kingsglaive would be powerless to fight back.

As he worries grew, sleep called to him and despite how apprehensive he would be to allow his dreams to become nightmares, maybe some rest could help him. Strangely though as he starts to drift away into slumber…a forgotten memory begins to play out for him….

*Other Room*

Stirring and groaning from the dull aches that plagued her body, Kairi's eyes slowly fluttered open, blurry but she could feel the warmth of a bed and blanket protecting her from the cold. She lets out a small groan as she rubbed her eyes with her arm, rubbing the sleep and exhaustion from them. Slowly she sits up on the bed, but then when she hunched over, she hissed and accidentally placed a hand on her stomach too quickly and immediately hisses in pain again.

Opening one eye as the stinging pain subsides, the girl looked to see she wasn't in her usual bedclothes, but rather in an oversized t-shirt for herself, likely Gladiolus and a pair of night shorts. Slowly she grips the rim of her t-shirt and raises it to expose her stomach. There it is, a brand-new scar adorned on her stomach, jagged and still bright red with patches of faint blood. Mustering her strength to not throw up from that, memories of her acquiring the scar. A sickness to her stomach struck her when she thought on that one moment, for a while fearing that was to be her final resting place.

But she was saved by Sora again…and she, in turn, stopped him from becoming one with his anger and fall to the darkness.

She heard the door opening near her and glanced up to see Prompto entering the bedroom, carefully carrying a tray of what thought was his breakfast. When he turned to her, his blue eyes lit up with relief and surprise, nearly dropping the tray. Quick as he could he placed the tray on the table nearby and rushed to her side. With an exclamation of her name, the gunner wrapped her into a hug, carefully as to not open her scar.

'Oh man! We thought you wouldn't wake up for another while!', Prompto gasped, clearly relieved. Kairi weakly hugged him back as the blond shook, worried how long she had been inactive or how long she was in her comatose state. He leaned back to smile at her, but she sees pain in it like he had endured something terrible. Dark circles were under his beautiful blue eyes, he looked as if he hadn't slept in days and there is a sadness within them.

'Prompto…h-how long was I…wait', Kairi starts but then grabs his arm. 'What happened with Luna? Is she ok? Did Noct beat the Tidemother!?', she questions. 'Yeah! Yeah, they're…ok', he starts, but then falters and looks down in defeat, his brilliant sunny cheer disappearing. Kairi looked at him with worry, wondering whatever it is that's put this cheerful man into such despair. Did something happen while she was out? Before she could inquire, the door opened again with Aqua entering the room.

The master's face showed relief when she saw her student had opened her eyes, but much like Prompto, they were tainted by sadness and pain. 'Prompto, please be careful, her scar could still re-open if strained', she warns softly, not playfully. Prompto releases his friend from his hug while Aqua approached Kairi. 'Sorry, but I need to see if I can heal it', she instructs. Nodding and eager to be able to walk around with the fear of reopening her wound, Kairi lifts her shirt up to show the scar.

Aqua placed her hand on it and uttered "Curaga", bathing Kairi in green light. She feels her aches disappearing and that fatigue plaguing her leaving her limbs like she entered a hot bath. When the spell ends, they see her scar was fainter and silver, like it was an old wound from a battle long since fought. 'Thanks, it was starting to itch', Kairi giggled, gently patting her sensitive skin. Aqua formed a small smile but said nothing else, getting off the bed.

'Aqua?', Kairi says, seeing her master's face fall into a neutral one. Aqua stopped walking yet dared not to face her student. Her worries for whatever is causing this level of despair peaked in Kairi's heart as she clutches her necklace. 'Aqua? What's going on? Why are you all acting like we've just lost something?', she questioned. She then looked outside the window to see the eternal night clouding the world in shadows and darkness. There she feels a horrible darkness, unlike anything she had ever felt before, a suffocation that stole her breath when she looked.

Glancing at the clock on the bed, she was shocked to see it was only half-past two in the afternoon, yet the dark made it look like they were all up at midnight. 'What's happening? Why is it so dark outside? And what…is it?', she questioned. Aqua's shoulders sagged and dropped, turned to her student and said: 'Luna says this is known as the "Eternal Night",'. 'Eternal Night? What do you mean?', Kairi says, turning herself in the bed to face her.

'You know that daemons come out only at night, right?', Prompto says, wringing his hands, 'Well, it's going to be night forever now. Meaning, there's gonna daemons all over the world'. 'B-But how? How did this happen?'.

Aqua folded her arms and looked away. 'Ardyn. He stole the ring of the Lucii from us during the battle, and from what Luna told us, took Noct's ascension and slew the astral who gave the world the crystal, the powers Noct and Luna have. When he died…the other astrals went along with him, taking Noct and Luna's powers'.

Kairi shook her head in disbelief as Prompto just stood there quietly while Aqua closed her eyes. 'Now with them gone, the ever-lasting nights begin. Noct and the others can't fight the darkness without their Armiger', she continues. Kairi placed a hand on her heart as the knowledge sunk in, despair washing over her as her master tells her what else the Oracle had to say and explained, how now without the crystal and prophecy, there would be no way to remove the Starscourge from this world, that Ardyn had destroyed the two things that could have halted the corruption.

Aqua had also informed Kairi what happened to Ignis and Luna, making the princess nearly weep in agony while Prompto struggled to keep his tears in check, clasping his mouth with his shoulders shaking. Aqua exhaled when she finishes her summary before Kairi asked.

'And where's Sora? Is he safe?'.

The two older members of the party went silent, neither one of them facing Kairi. 'Guys? Where is he?', she asked again, more demandingly. Prompto looked away while Aqua kept her eyes hidden with her bangs, furthering the princess' fears and anger. Why were they stonewalling her? Did Sora get hurt more than her? Is he infected by the blight? Or worse? 'Guys! Answer me!', she demands. Kairi, frustrated, threw the sheets off herself and climbed out of the bed, darting for her clothes folded neatly on the chest.

Not caring if the others saw her in her underwear (not that Prompto would ogle), she threw on her adventure gear and stormed out of the room.

Kairi marches down the corridor of the estate, uncertain where she was going and even unaware of exactly where they were, but she didn't care. The one person she wanted to see more than anyone else right now, his location being kept a secret from her not only infuriated her but also felt like a slap to her heart from the others. Whatever happened to Sora, no matter how badly wounded he had gotten she knew he could, would bounce back from it like it had never happened.

Kairi's march stopped when she sees just the right boy, who would tell her where Sora is.

Exiting a room with Gladiolus nearby, she sees Riku closing the door behind him. 'Riku!', she called out, jogging to him. Gladiolus turned to greet her, like everyone else though she sees his face was scrunched up in pain and sadness although nearly hidden behind his resolute eyes. When she got close to Riku, he refused to turn around to face her, however. Kairi's smile evaporated into one of confusion and hurt. 'Riku?', she asked.

Gladiolus gave Riku a hard glare, possibly in the same mindset as the princess from this cold reception. The master says nothing as she sees him lowering his head, muttering something she couldn't pick up. Her desire to ask him the question she tried with Aqua froze on the tip of her tongue, like if uttered her whole world could shatter into pieces. Horrible thoughts about Sora began to swim in her mind, questions she didn't want answers to as her heart feels as if something was strangling it.

'Riku? Where is Sora?', she whispers. Riku says nothing, he just kept staring ahead of him and not face the princess. He even tried to walk away without a word, but Kairi grabbed his hand. 'Riku! For the love of light just answer me! WHERE IS SORA!?', she shouted. She didn't care if she woke up the entire floor of this place, she could've woken up what remained of Altissia for all she cared. Why was he acting like this? After everything that's happened to them, did she not earn to know what's happened to the boy who won her heart with his light?

In the end, Riku yanks his hand from Kairi's grip roughly, and then uttered: 'He's been taken'. Kairi's heart stopped for a moment hearing those words, the whole room disappearing. There was no eternal night that plagued this world, they were no longer in the corridor, Gladiolus was nowhere to be seen. In this dark place, Kairi and Riku were the only occupants here. 'Xigbar and Ardyn took him…along with the ring…', he revealed.

Quickly, Riku turns around and grabs her hands. Not looking at her, he placed something in her hands. Standing still, Kairi still frozen as Riku lowers his hands from hers, barely above a whisper, says: 'I'm sorry'.

Without another word Riku walks away down the corridor, leaving Kairi behind with Gladiolus watching him leave. Kairi looked at her hands to see the broken chain carrying the crown necklace that hung around Sora's neck. Her strength in her body disappeared, her will broke while she brushed her thumb against the crown that belonged to the boy who claimed her heart. The boy who has a smile that brightened her day, fill her with confidence and the will to keep fighting. Tears splashed on the chain as Kairi broke down, sobbing and falling to her knees.

She clutched the chain against her heart and cried in the corridor, letting her pain go and forgoing maintaining strength. The boy she had risked herself to find, the person she would go the ends of the world for, the boy who gave her so much since she had come to this world, was taken away from her.

And it was her fault…

Kairi feels a hand placed on her shoulder, making her turn to see Aqua with her glistening tears. Kneeling to her student, Aqua enveloped Kairi into a hug and allowed her to sob into her master's arms. Gladiolus looking away in guilt while behind Aqua, Prompto stood with his tears running down his cheeks, for Kairi's pain and Sora's capture. Wrapped in their misery and anguish, none had seen Riku's face contorting into absolute misery and shame. Tears running down his owns cheeks as listened to Kairi's painful cries.

And it was all because of him…

*Sometime later…*

Sitting on his bed in deep thought, the shield of the prince had sat there for what felt like hours, yet only minutes had passed him by. His hands clasped together tightly, anger trying to claw its way out of him, everything in the room looked perfect to just grab and smash until there is nothing left. All the while as he brood in this room, his mind kept going back to the altar, Sora's capture weighed heavily on his mind and soul.

They were all there, he and Aqua especially should have done something. Those heartless were nothing to him at this point, he should have run with Riku to rescue the boy. After all his training did, he still came up short when it mattered in the end, and now without Noctis being able to draw power from the Armiger, he couldn't even keep up his job as a shield of the prince. Effectively Gladiolus had become useless to his liege.

The door opened and Aqua entered it when he glanced at her Gladiolus sees the strain on her face. She looked so tired, and why wouldn't she be? The master had been spreading herself thin for everyone that had fallen into coma-like states or severe wounds, even the Oracle after Sora's capture couldn't stay up for long. Between maintaining a healing session with five people while assisting the Accordo guards and helping out in case heartless prowled too close to their breathing space.

She had even forgone most of her armor, saying it felt heavier than usual and just wore the cloth of her gear. Her hair a messy and unkempt as if she suffered the worst case of bed hair, even her eyes looked dimmer. The shield had made sure she had at least eaten before this crusade of hers took over her body's needs and get some form of rest when her tasks were put aside, for now, least he could do. Here in the now, he sees the woman just looked utterly deflated and approached the bed without a word.

'Blue…', he started, but Aqua laid on the bed, looking at him to join her. With a restrained sigh nearly escaping him, Gladiolus joined her and lays with her, allowing her to lay her head on his chest. Together they laid in silence, neither had uttered a word as the gentle ticking of the old clock above their bed resonates in the room. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, feeling the tension in her body and stress radiating off her.

'…once we return to the mainland, we're going to Niflhiem', Aqua announced softly. 'And we're going to get Sora back'.

Gladiolus frowns softly at this, not that he was against rescuing the hero, but the condition the party was in, the fact they were down to three useless warriors and with Ignis losing his sight, did nothing positive for the morale. He glanced down to her as she faced him. 'Blue, not to be a pessimist, but we're not exactly at our best', Gladiolus argued softly, only for Aqua to shake her head. 'I know Gladio…but I didn't mean everyone'.

He sat up with her as she held his gaze. 'After we get Noct and Luna settled, I'm taking the others and we'll go alone', she explained. Gladiolus shook his head. 'What? Blue, you're going to try storming that place with just the four of you?', he said, incredulously, 'That place is the home of the empire's military, and there's probably gonna thousands of heartless, nobodies AND daemons!'. 'And what do you want us to do? Wait? You think we're just going to wait on our butts while Sora's in Ardyn's hands?', she accused.

'That's not what I meant!', he growled. He grabbed her shoulder and held her there. 'We're not going to let all of you just wander off to the empire like that! But we can't do anything yet to help!'. This helplessness he felt, the fact everything they had fought for was for nothing. Without Noctis' power, Gladiolus knew he'd be no more use to Aqua than a flesh shield. 'We can't afford to wait for a miracle, Gladio! I will not sit idly by while my friend is in the hands of those freaks!', Aqua said.

'And throwing your lives on the line like that is gonna work?', he challenged. No matter how strong Aqua is or with all of them, Gladiolus could only imagine just how warped and twisted Niflhiem had become with the darkness and eternal night reigning. With Xigbar and Ardyn running things over there, given how easy it would to turn even the emperor into a heartless or a daemon, that place could be the next hell on earth.

The thought of seeing those four people they've become close to just march to their deaths scared him in no way he felt before. Aqua faced the shield with steel in her eyes, the same eyes that faced down her darkness and triumphed, yet he could see something else in her eyes. Gently he lessened his grip on her shoulders as his face slowly melted into a gentler look. 'Blue, I get it, I'm worried about the kid too, hell we all are…', he starts, rubbing her shoulders as Aqua's face crumbled. 'But throwing ourselves to their walls won't save him…you know that'.

'I can't just leave him there Gladio…', she says weakly, looking down, 'To be alone in a place like that? Isolated from everyone you cared about while your worst nightmares become a part of your daily routine? Sora doesn't deserve that'. The shield cupped her chin to get her to face him, rubbing away the tear stains that adorned her cheeks. Among all of them, no one else would understand what Sora would be facing alone.

That desperation to spare him the agony she had to endure before, a boy like him who had done so much for others, carrying pain that no one should have to bear alone. In the hands of a monster like Ardyn and an unfeeling daemon of man like Xigbar, Aqua would prefer if he did fall into the realm of darkness. At least he'd be safer than there…

'I know that Blue…believe me when I say everyone one of us would tear the whole empire apart to save him', he assures, genuine. 'But do you think Sora would be happy if one of us died for him as opposed to all of us being there?'. She gave him a small smile, something he hadn't seen since before the battle. Small, but it's a smile none the less he believed. 'I dunno how Blue, but, maybe, there's a way to get us back in the fight…', Gladiolus says.

'Maybe, if we could create a link like the Armiger…I mean, it's how Donald and Goofy kept their weapons without Sora', Aqua pondered. Gladiolus hums in thought as they decided to lay down together, closer and basking in the warmth. As the darkness raises with power, slowly encompassing the world in a never-ending night with the light broken down to a mere flicker, hope wanes.

But what most seem to underestimate, is that within the light, there is more to it than meets the eyes…A/N: This was the trickiest chapter yet, and believe me when I say the original idea I had would have been way, WAY more clustered!

I was planning on showing how the group recovers from it, but that'd be suited better for next time.

Firstly: Hello to Shock17, thank you again for that comment on chapter 38!

Second: QUESTIONS!

Q1: How did you enjoy the fight with Bahamut?

Q2: Did you like how Ardyn took Noctis' role and came out even more powerful?

Q3: Do you think I'm a bit harsh on Kairi lately?

Q4: Are you excited for next time?

Q5: How do think things will play out from here?

So quickie question, but would you guys like a Christmas story from this? Just with slight changes to the canon of this for fun? Let me know!

As always, thanks for reading! Stay awesome but more importantly stay safe!