Final Fantasy XV - Kingdom Hearts
Part 91
Summary: Two warriors of Light, the Chosen King and Keyblade Master, face an unseen Darkness.
Of all the people he had hoped to never see again, after everything he had done to them, the very man who had almost destroyed their world and damn near brought the end of the guardians, stood before Noctis.
Ardyn saunters up to them with a casual but disgustingly friendly smile. He walks past them and approached Aera, who was now smiling softly at the usurper. "They have come to visit me", Ardyn explained, "My deepest apologies for not informing you". The lookalike of Lunafreya kindly nodded in acceptance to her healer's words and says: "I wish you had told me though, perhaps we could offer some tea?". "I'm certain they'll enjoy it", he assured.
He turns to the two "visitors", addressing Aera. "This is lady Aera Mirus Fleuret, speaker of the gods and our Oracle". Eyes widened with realization and shock, Ravus stares at the woman who was the first of his family line while Noctis stared at Ardyn before the man before him introduces the two by name and nothing more. He hadn't dropped their last names nor even hinted how they were linked to Ardyn, portraying them as nothing but good friends from another land. "I should return home and start the tea…please do not be too long", she requests.
"Of course not", Ardyn assures. She pecks him on the cheek (and every fiber of Noctis' body fought the urge to vomit) and leaves the trio behind. Only when she reached the end of the long road of grass did Noctis and Ravus turn their gaze back to Ardyn and see the malicious look that often adorned his face come straight back, though it was lesser than his usual look. "Well, it seems that our paths have once again crossed", Ardyn mused with a smirk. Immediately Noctis' keyblade is called and Ravus pulls put his saber.
Both aimed their weapons at him, yet Ardyn barely bats an eye at them. "Oh come now…wouldn't you prefer to know why this is happening? How I, of all the people your dear Oracle chose, came here?", he asked with a sigh. His voice sounded strangely different compared to his usual sneaky yet charismatic tone like he sounded so weary of all the fighting that's taken place for gods knew how long. Ravus remains fixed on his stance yet Noctis lowers his keyblade, though kept a stern eye on the true founder of the Lucis line.
"Talk then…", Noctis growls. Then instead of a witty line or more of his mysterious talks, Ardyn's smirk just…disappeared. Instead, there is this look of equal confusion and even…loss. "Your guess is good as mine, truth be told", he mused, "I found myself here by chance". "By chance? What, you just decided to walk around wherever you went after I took you down and poof, here you are in the past?", Noctis mocks. "Hardly the past…more of…an illusion, as it were", Ardyn says with a shrug and roll of his eyes.
"But do tell me, where exactly are we supposed to be?", Ardyn questions. "…I'm looking for Luna's heart", Noctis confessed, dismissing his keyblade to Ravus' shock and even growled his name. This made the chancellor smirk cruelly. "Oh? So she perished? Ha, what a twist of fate", he mocks, "Your efforts only delaying her demise despite everything you've done, what a tragedy". Ravus snarls and nearly lunges towards him, only to have Noctis raising his arm to stop him. He snapped his head to the king but Noctis' face was passive and at best controlled. "But we have a way to save her. I just need to find the shards of her heart", he reveals.
Ardyn raised a brow at him, possibly wondering where he learned of such a thing but Noctis marched towards him. "You're somehow connected to that shard, so you're going to help me find it", he commands. This time, Ardyn's smirk changed to one of that looked insulted that someone lower than himself would dare order him around. "And why would I do that?", he asked, glowering at the king. "Because we both know you're in less than a good state to fight, aren't you?", challenged Noctis. This made the older man's smirk fade and now take on frustration, making the king smirk.
"You can't use the Armiger anymore here, whatever connection you had to our magic is gone", points out the king, "Me on the other hand? I've still got everything I need to kick your ass and then some". He then gestured Ravus with his thumb and commented that Ravus might not be as strong but in the current state Ardyn was in, even he'd be too much for the man of no consequence. With a scoff, Ardyn waved a hand in the air and begrudgingly grunted: "Fine, fine…". With a smug smirk dancing on Noctis' face, the king turned back to Ravus who, after one more intense hate-filled glare back to Ardyn, sheathes his blade.
"Right…", sighed Noctis, "Now then…where exactly are we?". Ardyn stepped forward and says: "If memory serves me well…". He doesn't finish in time before the world turns and melds into nothingness, the three men stand on the spot and watch as the world is changing all around them. The world around them changed into what looked to be a room with a flight of stairs leading up to the crystal hover above the throne with the room being filled with people dressed in robes with red sashes going from shoulder to waist. The trio looked and spot Ardyn standing before the stairs while behind him was none other than the "Founder" king, Somnus Lucis Caelum.
Aera was standing on the sidelines with a large warrior standing beside her, clasping his hand tightly on her shoulder. Somnus called for what looked to be the Blade of the Mystic and declared: "The gods have spoken, and I, Somnus Lucis Caelum, am king!". The Ardyn from the past turned to him, asking him what if he objects to the bold statement. To Noctis' horror, Somnus makes a wickedly and evil grin and charges towards Ardyn of the past, his blade colliding with Ardyn's Rakshasa Blade. A dual between brothers for the throne, but Noctis couldn't cast his eyes from the fight without feeling sick.
"W-What's going on? Why are you two fighting?", he whispered. For the first time, Ardyn spoke without any sharp wit or malice. "The crystal was meant to choose between us. When the blight first came, there were two ways we choose to deal with it". He watches the fight continue, witnessing the same determination he once carried against his brother, the reason he defied him. "My brother went on a purge, killing any who shown signs of transforming into daemons…I followed another road. I tried to heal them by absorbing the blight into my body", he explains, "Aera was then told by the gods who were chosen… and brother didn't like it".
Watching the battle continue, seeing the Ardyn of the past having the upper hand for a while with what looked to be greater experience and control, while his brother was more bloodthirsty and ruthless with his attacks. The more he saw his face, the more sickened Noctis feels within his stomach. No wonder Ardyn despised him so much, his ancestor was a near-perfect replica of himself. Even his frantic warp attacking pattern was the same as his usual go-to tactic. "My brother believed I was short-sighted, that my idea was foolish…and he used the very people I tried to save to trick me into thinking I was chosen", Ardyn sighed.
"And he baited you here, so he could show everyone who was the true king…", Ravus huffed. The battle finished with Somnus tossing a spear at Ardyn, who catches it before it could tear his flesh. Cleverly, Somnus warp struck the older sibling and with the momentum, he plunged the spear through Ardyn's chest, forcing the blood to erupt from his chest in a geyser of red. Ardyn gasped in pain and staggered back, spear still plunged in his chest, while his little brother calls for his sword and charged to him for the kill.
"STOP!".
But his blade claimed another life…
Slashing Aera's back, who raced in between the two to stop their fight, a gush of blood explodes from her. Both Ardyn's looked at her in terror, the past is frozen in place while the Ardyn of the future clenched his teeth and hisses a breath that Noctis swore sounded like a sob tried to escape from him. Not that he'd blame him if he did, watching Aera fall into the arms of the Ardyn of the past, clutching her as they fall to the ground. The people screamed in terror at the sight of their beloved Oracle perishing, many calling her title.
Noctis couldn't believe the actions that were happening before him, the very same man who started the line of Lucia had struck down the Oracle. The same man his people hailed as a hero, the Founding King, someone his father used to look up to like someone to replicate as a king, nothing more than a backstabbing murderer. Even as Ardyn wept for his lover, his brother callously insulted the woman and resumed his attempt to murder Ardyn, claiming he had to fulfill his calling as the king. Noctis grits his teeth as his knuckles go white with hot anger, calling as king?
"What sort of calling justifies murdering the Oracle…?", Noctis questions quietly, "And why did the crystal not do anything to stop him?".
His answer comes from a cry of rage and anguish, a burst of darkness erupts from Ardyn's body. The past Ardyn turns on his brother, clutching the woman he loved in his arms as he roars at him, eyes darkened with the blight with trails of inky darkness leaking from his eyes. The people ran away, screaming in terror whilst calling him a monster, even his own sibling "laments" that he was the monster he made him out to be. His words burned into Noctis' anger, he was the one who pushed his brother to this form, his selfishness and jealousy caused all this.
Even as Somnus and his "shield" Gilgamesh attacked him, Ardyn turned to the crystal, and even as they slashed and tore his flesh apart, he marched to the crystal with Aera cradled in his arms. The future Ardyn faced this brutal memory, re-telling his thoughts. "I wanted to know the truth…was I truly the king they chose…or was my brother the righteous one?", Ardyn whispered, and as the past Ardyn reached the top of the stairs, his corrupted hands touched the crystal, "And I got my answer".
The dying man and dead woman were blasted away by the crystal's divine light, tumbling and bouncing down the stairs before coming to a halt a few steps from the stairway, a trail of blood and blight leaking behind them. As the past Ardyn lied there looking at the crystal as his life faded from his mortal coil, the future versions spoke darkly: "I was…unworthy". And thus, Somnus put an end to his brother's life by plunging his sword into his chest, expelling the blight and ending his life.
The world fades away into nothing again, leaving the three men to drink in the scene that played before them. Ravus shook his head and looks away, another memory of his family being cut down like filth now burns in his memory forevermore, while Ardyn growls as his shoulders shake with newly rekindled hate and fury to his brother. Noctis could only stand there on the spot, his mind running that image repeatedly of his ancestor committing the ultimate crime. Betraying his brother, killing the Oracle, and plunging Ardyn down this path of vengeance.
Lies…his family legacy was built on lies and betrayal, painted in the blood of innocent people. The family legacy his father had strived to uphold, the prices they had to pay to sate the Draconian, the number of lives lost because of the prophesied destiny he was supposed to take on. Lunafreya's death at the hands of fulfilling her calling, a mockery repeat of her ancestor while he'd throw his life away to save the world because the gods played favorites and left Ardyn to rot. Rewarding his murderous ancestor because he wasn't tainted by the blight.
"…after all that…I was left in darkness, time became meaningless for me", Ardyn resumes, "Until the empire found me and Verstael's men found me and brought me to Niflheim". More memories played out for the party, Ardyn's discovery of the time he was now part of, the world has changed so much. From learning of his power to corrupt and daemonify people he touched, learning of the current state of the world and Lucis line, discovering he was ripped from the pages of history. He was even able to corrupt the Astrals themselves, the Infernian was no match for his power of darkness, courting him, and even learning to speak their language.
And through his memories, Ardyn discovered he WAS indeed chosen to be the Founding King. Aera had told this to Somnus and stated it was her fault that the two brothers came to blows and even begged him to punish her for the pain she caused him. "Even in my mind…my brother found ways to hurt me…found ways to make me hate him even more", he explained darkly, "And that I gave into the Starscourge and began my war on the line of Lucis".
More memories came forth, showing the day he and the Infernian attacked the Crown City. Killing so many of the royal guard, the death toll was staggeringly high, and he even fought king Regis in his youth and soundly won. Only because of the ring of the Lucii did his brother in Lucii form came out to stop him from killing another Lucis. The fight itself was disgusting to watch for the newest king, hearing Somnus try and explain his actions to his brother, and even having the nerve to beg him to understand why this had to happen. All those words just burned into Noctis' heart with anger, even after everything, all the pain he caused, he had to nerve to ask Ardyn to understand?
Even after Ardyn cursed his brother, reminding him that he had taken everything from Ardyn, he still wished him peace before he faded away. Just as he wanted to finish off Regis, Bahamut came and intervened by bringing him to the Astrals' plane of existence and reveal they have a new purpose for him. The Draconian commanded him to cover the world in darkness, and then be slain by the Chosen King as a sacrificial lamb. Only by doing that will he find peace at long last and his vengeance. Not even the gods Ardyn used to serve held any mercy for him, nothing more than a tool to be used and discarded.
Noctis shakes his head at all this, wondering why Lunafreya was showing him all this and how was she doing this as well. When did she know about Ardyn's past, who told her this and how is it possible for her to do this within her heart? "Luna…what are you trying to tell me?", he whispers as Ardyn's final memory comes a close at long last. "Well…that was an interesting trip down memory lane…", the former chancellor mocks with bitterness, "Your grace has such a lovely sense of humor". Noctis grunts, clenching his fist in confusion and dismay.
Then as his heart twists in pain, a door appeared before them, one that was white as snow with powerful light emitting from it. Feeling it, Noctis knows it is Lunafreya's light, and beyond it lied the truth. No hesitation, Noctis strides towards the door even as Ravus opens his mouth to stop him, but he yanked open the door and marched through it, Ardyn following closely behind him. Through the door, they find themselves in a room within the Secret Forest.
A guest room that Aqua left as an "alone time room" for those who needed a place to clear their thoughts, where Lunafreya was on the hands and knees, heaving and shaking like she was about to throw up. Near her, the ethereal Naminé was rubbing her back as best as a being with no physical touch could do to soothe. Lunafreya clasped her mouth and shudders, a low sob escapes her clutched mouth. "This…this can't be true…", she whispers through her tears, "Lies…they must be lies".
"Luna? What happened?", Naminé begged as the woman rests on her knees, her face contorted into a look of absolute despair. "Naminé…this prophecy…Noctis' calling…it is…", she whimpered. Her face then changed into a rage, fury one of the four who was witnessing her ever seen nor believed she could carry. She shoots back onto her feet and paces around the room like a wild beast trying to escape her cage. "Luna, what are you talking about?", Naminé asked worriedly. Her question isn't answered immediately, because the woman lets out a shriek of rage and spins on the spot and too everyone's shock, shoots a bolt of light at one of the dressers and utterly obliterates it into nothing.
Naminé lets out a shriek of surprise and nearly stumbles onto her backside, eyes fixed on the destroyed furniture and nearly broken wall before shooting her eyes back to Lunafreya. "Curse you…", she whispered darkly, "Curse you Draconian and curse you Somnus!". Naminé races to her and stands in her way, eyes pleading for her to stay calm and remind her of where they were. "Luna please! You'll end up startling the others! You promised me you'd silent if I agreed to this!", Naminé squeaked.
"Let them hear my anger!", snapped the Oracle, "Noctis' destiny is nothing more than just a scapegoat for the Draconian! My life is NOTHING but a useful tool for the God of War!". Her eyes bore into the smaller girl with incomprehensible rage, making Naminé shrink in fear of the woman's newfound wrath. Her anger slowly faded away when she stared at Naminé, realizing who she was directing her fury at. "Naminé…oh gods, I'm sorry", she whispered, bringing her in for a hug, "I…I should not lash out at you for this".
"W-What, did you see?", she asked slowly. "…everything", was all the Oracle revealed. Here she told Naminé everything from Aera's gift of light. To Noctis' shook, during their time within the forest, Lunafreya was still mulling over the information about the Founding King and what Kairi had told them, even revealing she had Aranea go back to the outpost and bring back the information about Ardyn's imprisonment. Then thanks to Naminé's powers of memory, the ones she discovered could connect the hearts of those from beyond the realm of light to the final world.
Questions burned in the Oracle's mind about the details of the Founding Kings' ascension, and through the chains between her and her ancestors, she was able to see Aera's memories. Everything that Ardyn had gone through because of his connection to her heart, his life being taken, his rightful place as king snatched away, and the Draconian's ruthless nature and cruelty knowing no limit. The fact that all of it could have been prevented had Somnus' jealously taken over his heart, and if the Draconian had helped, Ardyn wouldn't have plunged the world into darkness.
Noctis' destiny was forged out of deceit and betrayal, his death nothing more than a by-product of favoritism.
"Noctis…was going to die for something that could have been prevented…", Lunafreya sighed resting on the bed. "B-But he didn't! He's here now", Naminé reminds. "Not because of the gods, but because of Ardyn's vengeance and the guardians", Lunafreya reminded. She lets out a scoff and clutched her arms, digging her nails into them and looking heatedly at the ground. "I cannot believe it was partially thanks to Ardyn we're alive…to owe that man…", she said with disdain. Then her glare softens as sympathy takes hold of her heart. "Yet…the gods betrayed him, and his brother tore him out of the pages of history, painting him a monster".
"So he wasn't always a bad guy…", Naminé hummed, "Still doesn't excuse what he's done to our friends". Lunafreya nodded firmly and says: "I doubt anyone among us would forgive him for nearly killing Kairi even if they knew what happened to him".
"Can't say I blame them", Noctis said, glancing back at Ardyn. He shrugged and muttered, "nobodies perfect".
"…are you going to tell Noct about all this?", Naminé asked, "I mean, he knows Ardyn's the true founding king but doesn't know why he was cast aside". The Oracle clasped her hands and lets out a sigh. "…for now, no. I need Noctis to focus on his training before he discovers the darkest parts of his family's legacy", Lunafreya explains, "Knowing him, his heart may waver when he crosses blades with Ardyn". "Do you think he'll be able to handle it? I mean, after all those years of trying to live up to the standards of his family legacy, this is going to hit him hard", Naminé wondered.
"He will be in pain…but he will surmount it", Lunafreya says strongly. "After all…he has proven he is ten times the king Somnus ever was…". She placed a hand on her necklace, thinking back to the trials the chosen king had faced and triumphed, the feats he's gained, and how he defied his destiny against the fallen gods. "But…what about Ardyn? I mean, I know what he's done was awful but…doesn't he deserve a LITTLE bit of…mercy?", Naminé asked. "He deserves justice for the crimes that befall him, that we can agree. However, his actions beyond that are of his own choice. The number of deaths that he caused, the destruction he wrought and now he lends aid to a man who would see all worlds perish".
"…okay fair point, he's a jerk", Naminé quipped.
Both Ravus and Noctis turned to Ardyn with a smirk, while he casually shrugged. "She's being overwhelmingly generous", he confesses, "Though I'm not sure why we're watching this". He may not know why, but the chosen king does. Those flashes of Ardyn's past, she had seen them herself and discovered the truth behind the legends of the Lucis family legacy. She wanted to defy the gods' plan for him and maybe even her own, but she never wanted him to stray from his path. Learning of his ancestor's crime and how easy it was to rid the world of Ardyn's presence, she believes in her king.
The question weighed on his mind too, looking at his hand as the light from his Armiger glowed around it. One final reflection on his family line only confirmed his choice, but before words could leave his mouth, the world vanishes before them and suddenly they find themselves back in the tower. Except there were wasn't the people who witnessed the murder of the Oracle or the birth of the Accursed, not event he remains of Ardyn or Aera.
But there was one who stood before them, Somnus Lucis Caelum.
Narrowed eyes bore into the man before them, and before words could escape them, the first "king" narrows his eyes at them. "So…is this the will of the gods?", he barked. Not even Ardyn could keep the shock from appearing on his face, even Ravus couldn't help but gasp. "What? H-He knows we're here…?", he questions, "How is this possible?". Noctis stares at him, and much to his frustration, he sees the fragment embedded within this man's blackened heart and senses much like Glauca, this is no more than a fragment.
But unlike the former foe, Somnus acted as if he were here in the present time where's Glauca didn't even speak nor recognized Noctis, not even Ravus. Somnus stares at Ardyn with a sickening smirk and spat: "Brother…it's been too long". Ardyn growls at him, taking a step towards him, fists clenched in fury at the man. Even in the afterlife, this backstabbing worthless excuse of a brother still taunts and haunts him wherever he went. "I wasn't aware we've traveled to hell…but you're here…", Ardyn grunts in anger. Indifferent, Somnus turned to Noctis and even held a proud look in his eyes.
"Ahh, so this is my legacy? The Chosen King, yes?", he asked completely disregarding Noctis. The current king stepped forward to Ardyn's side, his blue eyes alight with fire. "Tell me, how fares our kingdom? Have you finally rid the world of the Starscourge at last?", Somnus asks casually yet there is an expectation in his voice like he expected nothing less from his descendent. Noctis casually placed a hand on his hip and says: "Oh, I did way more than that".
"I saved our home, without the crystal…and more importantly, without backstabbing my brothers or getting the Oracle killed", bragged the king. Somnus lets out an exasperated sigh and rebukes: "Is that so? What happened to Aera was-
"Don't you dare speak her name", growls Ardyn, baring his teeth. Somnus chuckles at him, but Noctis takes a step closer to him, his body shining in blue light. "You were someone we hailed a hero…somebody my father, my ancestors strived to match in courage and heroism. People called you our savior, our founding king…even I used to look up to you", lists Noctis. "But the truth? You're nothing but a lying, jealous backstabbing loser who turned his brother into a monster, murdered the Oracle, and wrote history to make you look good".
Somnus' eyes darkened at the accusation, and like his great descendent, his first response to those who dared attack his pride was to call his weapon. "You dare mock me? I am the crystal's chosen! I fulfilled my calling and saved our world!", he roared as his Blade of the Mystic shined with Lucis light. In response to his challenge, Noctis simply waved his arm across and called upon every royal arm within his arsenal, and in his hand appears his keyblade. Somnus lets out a gasp of shock, and evidently, he must have sensed the immeasurable gap in power between himself and Noctis. Not even his shield could compare to him.
"And I was the supposed Chosen King, to die for our lying gods for the sake of Providence. Yet because of those who stood by my side, I managed to give the royal finger to Bahamut and save not just my world, but the Oracle too", revealed Noctis, "And now before me, stands the liar". Somnus curses the boy, and even if he was a thousand times more powerful than he, Somnus still readied himself for the fight. Just to save his pride, or rather to show up his brother yet again.
Except, Noctis dismissed almost all his weapons. Only the Blade of the Rakshasa hovered in the air around the true king, and as he manifested it into physical form, he looks at the blade. He nodded to himself and called for Ardyn. The Usurper looks to Noctis, now turning to the man who had taken so much from him and even near destroyed him more than once since their first meeting. The very same man who he almost had grown to hate so much, was offering him his old weapon.
"You said you wanted revenge against the line of Lucis? Well…tell me, who better to get revenge on that family line than the very guy who screwed you over all those years ago?", he asked darkly. Ardyn looked to his "brother", then to Noctis and then his old blade, the very one his parents made in the hopes he and Somnus would wield together for the prosperity of the kingdom. But instead, they crossed swords against each other and tasted each other's blood. And now…history was about to repeat itself.
"…for once, Noct…we agree", Ardyn glowers as he approaches the king, and grabbed the weapon. Both hands on the sword, the two enemies who joined in an uneasy alliance to find answers glared at each other for a while before Noctis releases his grip on the blade and walk past him. "Not worried I'll stab you in the back?", Ardyn asked as Noctis joins Ravus' side. This makes the younger king chuckle and coldly rebukes: "Isn't that your brother's thing?".
Ardyn coldly cackled as he turns on his brother, his body glowing in red light. Even as purified as the weapon was thanks to Noctis' Armiger, it is still the weapon that belonged to the Accursed, his old power glowed within the dark blade as old remnants of his power began to surge and reconnect with his darkness, his anger. Like the Kings of Yore, his weapon only had one true master. He aimed his returned weapon at his brother and with a sickening smirk, declares: "This time, brother dearest…I'll taking your head", warns Ardyn.
Somnus roars as he performs the same warp-strike Noctis was able to do with his blade, firing three projectiles of blades at the Accursed One. Ardyn warps through the projectiles and reappears behind Somnus from above, firing a dark firaga at him. With amazing reflexes, Somnus turns around and splits the ball of dark fire in half before leaping towards the older sibling with his body shining in the Lucis light. Together in the air, their blades exchanged blows once more in the same place but now for different reasons.
Vengeance vs superiority.
Knocked further into the air, Ardyn warps to the left to evade a thrown spear from his brother. The polearm stabbed into the ceiling of the tower while Somnus warps to the true founder king with roars, slashing at him wildly. Their swords birth sparks in the air as their steel dual, loudly clanging in the emptied tower before Ardyn vanishes before his brother's eyes and then appeared behind him. He stomped on his back and kicks him back to the ground with incredible power behind the kick.
Somnus bounces off the ground and quickly warped away from a hurling ball of fire that almost cooked him alive. He warps a few meters from the flight of stairs and fires off more projectiles from the very first royal arm at his brother, who responds in kind by shooting his projectiles from his cursed steel. They both collided and broke apart upon impact, stopping the attacks and without missing a chance to grab the advantage, Ardyn warps to his brother. He stands before him and with furious cries of hatred, he starts to strike at him with every fiber of rage and power mixed into his swings.
Each swing towards his brother's steel, every time he saw those glimmers of shock at his brother's ruthless display of might and ferocity, every time he thought Ardyn could be caught off guard or struck but to be cruelly rebuked by another strike, this was nothing like their last battle. It dawned on Somnus that his brother was indeed holding back when they first fought, the day where he plunged his brother into the pits of hell and murdered the Oracle. Were Ardyn as cruel as he was on that day, perhaps Ardyn would still fulfill his role as the founding king while brother would have been labeled as a monstrous traitor.
Their blades locked into a deadly clash that slowly begins to waver to Ardyn's side as the Usurper began to overwhelm his brother. Somnus managed to create an illusion of himself using the Armiger and after Ardyn tried to tear him apart, his sword phases through a hologram of his brother. He reels on his feet and sees his brother levitating astral forms of spears, seven in total. He tosses all seven of them at Ardyn, their speed at a completely new level compared to the day those cursed weapons killed him.
But Ardyn raised his hand and forms a dark red mist of fire six feet from him, encasing the spears and because of the corrupting power, they fizzled away to nothing but air. Ardyn then commands the mist to fly to his brother, likely to force him to wither away like a husk. Somnus jumps over the mist and while in the air, he conjures up more spears and flings them at Ardyn. Three blue apparitions of spears flew towards the oldest sibling, but Ardyn uses his blade to fire off two projectiles and destroys the two. He grabbed the third one with his free hand and then tosses it back at Somnus with twice the strength and speed.
Not even someone with amazing reflexes as Somnus could have dodged the spear without being torn aside. His side was slashed by the sharp weapon and he lets out a cry of pain before forcing himself to warp back to the ground, his robes stained with red. He raised his head too late however to stop Ardyn from plunging his blade into his stomach with all the enraged vengeance within his heart. A silence falls upon the tower floor as crimson liquid spilled from Somnus' back and onto the ground, the man who betrayed his brother was now on the receiving end of his revenge.
He gurgled and gasped as blood leaks from his mouth, dropping his sword with a clatter as he staggers to try and stand on his feet while Ardyn holds the blade. There is silence in the room, and what baffled Ardyn the most was he felt…nothing.
Not the satisfaction of seeing the man who had taken so much from him bleed out like lowly scum, not the justice he rightfully earned for everything he endured, nor did he even take pleasure in seeing this happen in front of him. Instead, he feels empty and even lost. In this very moment, there was no throne to squabble about, there was no crystal to decide which brother was more worthy of the throne, nor was there even an audience who was watching all this happening before them. Ardyn couldn't even hear the voices of those he had corrupted and all the blight within him were silent as the dead.
For once in two thousand years, he could only hear his own heart and thoughts.
"You…got what you wanted…", Somnus spat bitterly, hate burning in his eyes even as he bleeds. Yet Ardyn's victorious angry looks turn into one that screamed weariness and genuine remorse of all things. "…why?", he asked, low and soft, "Why did you do this brother?". Somnus glared at him as Ardyn's blue eyes, no longer corrupted by the darkness that consumed his heart and soul. "We…we were supposed to rule together, we could have found another way to save our home…but you threw it all away for the throne…", Ardyn cursed, "Aera didn't deserve to die because of the crystal's stupid will…and you knew that".
"Does it matter…? You have your revenge", Somnus dismissed as the strength in his legs fades and he nearly falls. With a hiss and anger, Ardyn dismissed his sword and in an act, he had never performed in two thousand years since he was cursed, he held his brother in his arms and stared down at him. "It does matter! Two thousand years I was locked away! Haunted by visions of you and Aera! Two thousand years in darkness, cursed to remain as a monster while your name was praised as a savior!", listed Ardyn as he cried out in anger and hurt, "Tell me why! Why did you condemn me to such hell!?".
Somnus stares up at his brother as Ardyn's eyes searched his for answers, nearly pleading for the truth. Yet Somnus doesn't speak, instead, he scoffed and looked away. "You were an idealist…your methods to "save" our people. You were choosing who lived and who died…willing absorbing the blight into your body slowly turned you into the creatures we fought against", he explained, coughing blood, " Healing " that one more person" again and again, twisting your mind until even I couldn't recognize my kin…".
Ardyn looked down, the words so clear to him now than they were all those years ago. He, in a desperate attempt to save people through peaceful methods, used his body to home countless amounts of darkness while his brother exterminated those who were infected. Peaceful or extermination, neither worked in the end. "I told you…years ago, I envied how loved you were by the people…how you, the foolish naïve sibling were beloved while I was the one who strived to cleanse our home", Somnus confesses.
"…but I…wished, I had been wiser…".
Ardyn faces his brother as tears run down the dying sibling's eyes. "I sat on the throne…yet I had none by my side. My brother and future sister in law were gone because of my hand, I had condemned you to a hellish existence, and cut you from the pages of history", he laments, "I did what I believed was righteous…even if I regret labeling you as a monster…". Ardyn hissed in pain as for the first time in so long, he could feel the stabbing pain within his heart as his eyes fought to keep back the water within.
This…wasn't supposed to happen, he shouldn't feel regret for killing him, he shouldn't be wishing he didn't give in to his hate and give his brother the same treatment he got. He…shouldn't be wishing he could save him.
"Heh…you're crying…", Somnus remarks. "Only because…you're dying quite easily", rebukes Ardyn darkly yet there is no malice in his voice. "Somnus…", Ardyn sighed, but his brother shakes his head. "I will return to the place…I must go…", he says, "I…wish you find the peace I had denied you, brother". Slowly Somnus' body begins to disappear into light, and even as Ardyn reached out to strangely try to stop him, his brother just gives him a cocky smile and bids him farewell for the final time.
Slowly shimmering shards of Somnus' body flutters to the air before vanishing into nothing, leaving only Lunafreya's shard behind. Ardyn stands on his feet as he watched the shard flutter to Noctis. The king stands behind Ardyn and once the shard connects with the other four, he makes it disappear before facing Ardyn. Calling his sword, Ardyn looks at it for the final time before he courteously holds it out before Noctis. "I have no more use of this", he sighed, "Perhaps, his majesty might find a use for it".
"Ardyn", starts Noctis but the old man gives him a smirk. "Come now, if you start to cry, I'll tell your ancestors", he taunts. For the first time, Noctis smirked at him and takes the blade, adding it to his arsenal for the last time. Once the weapon re-joins the king's Armiger, Ardyn's body begins to fade away into crystals, making him sigh. "I suppose this merry journey of ours if finally at an end", he comments sarcastically yet there is mirth within his voice. "I swear, I'll make things right", Noctis states.
"Oh?", Ardyn asked.
"Your name won't be forgotten, nor will the truth remain hidden in the dark", clarifies Noctis, "Eos needs to know the truth about the Founder King". Ardyn raised a brow at him, a begrudging sense of respect growing for the boy before him. "Go. Find peace in the next world, Ardyn Lucis Caelum", says Noctis.
"…Walk tall, King Noctis", says Ardyn before he disappears into the light, his heart returning to Kingdom Hearts at last.
As the world shifts again, Noctis holds out the shards in his hands as they glowed. "Is this everything?", Ravus asks, looking at the star-shaped pattern of the shards. "I don't think so…we're missing one piece", Noctis sighed, "But who else is connected to Luna?". His answer comes when he looked up to find himself in what looks to be the Citadel throne room. The two look around, confused, and at loss.
"Is this…Insomnia?", Ravus questions, his memory a little foggy. Noctis hummed in confirmation before he looks ahead of him and sees the throne was right ahead of him. The strangest thing about the throne room was it wasn't anything like his home, there is this darkness around it, a hollow sensation. He feels something that seemed familiar to him, a sense of loss warped into a great sense of resentment and bitterness. He frowned, wondering if Ardyn was part of this.
A set of footsteps caught his ear, along with a voice. "So…you're finally here". Both princes turned and Noctis' eyes widened.
Walking down the red-carpeted stairs, dressed in a black coat with sleeves only reaching just below the biceps, the collar above his chin, black gloves with black pants, a single black bag around his waist, and black boots. He carried himself royally like a king, his hair black as the night with his eyes so cold and dark blue it was like Noctis was staring into the eyes of a demon with bitterness and scorn for all who dared to breathe the same air as he.
"What the hell is going on here?", Noctis asked, taking a step forward, "W-Who are you!?".
Reaching the third step, the Chosen King stares down Noctis with contempt. "Can't you tell? You stand before the True Chosen King, a former slave to the Draconian, and slayer of the Niflheim army", boasts the king.
"King Noctis Lucis Caelum".
A/N:
…I literally was winging it throughout this chapter…if you couldn't tell.
With this out of the way, Noctis is now facing his second greatest challenge, and for those of you who are wondering, yes, this is Final Fantasy Versus XIII Noctis talking. This co-created by VashTheStampede0409, who truth be told has MORE knowledge of XV and Versus than I ever will.
Next time we're back to the other guardians before we get to Sora and Noctis, so look out for that!
Also, if you guys wanna get your Halloween fluff, I recently posted a chapter in FF X KH Shorts. In need of some cheer? Go there!
QUESTIONS!
Q1: Thoughts on this chapter?
Q2: How was Ardyn?
Q3: What did you think of his perspective?
Q4: Surprised to see Versus even mentioned at all?
Q5: What do you wanna see next?
Q6: Eager to be done with Remind?
Q7: Naminé and Lunafreya?
Q8: Naminé's powers being a little op here?
As always everyone, thanks for reading! Stay awesome but more importantly stay safe!
