Disclaimer: not mine

I have now collected all 13 royal arms, twice. I cannot get Armiger Unleashed and the trophy for collecting all the arms still isn't coming up. Why doesn't mine like the Royal Arms?

Is anyone getting PM's on ffnet? I haven't gotten any email alerts for them since early December or around then. I've emailed support twice but no answer or fix to the issue. I know I'm not the only one with this issue so maybe if we all email support they'll fix it?

Chapter 15

He stirred, looking up, sensing….something had changed. He didn't know what or why it had caught his attention. Nothing did that anymore, he hadn't been interested in anything for a very long time now. How long had it actually been? How long had he been sealed away in these caverns with only the dead for company?

He closed his eyes, trying to just stop thinking and it came to him. It was…death, death on a large scale though mostly far away….a clan leader was dead and had taken most of the clan with them.

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Regis and Cor turned as the door opened and the four boys entered. Ardyn stood from where he had been sitting to joining them, all eyes on young Prompto who shifted nervously at the attention before bowing.

"Your Majesty," he murmured.

"Prompto?" Cor stepped forward as Prompto straightened up, searching bright blue eyes for any sign and Prompto grinned at him, not the innocent happy grin of late, but a pure Prompto grin.

"Sorry you've been worried about me Cor," he offered and Cor walked forward, yanking him into a hug filled with relief at hearing him truly speak again. "Can't breathe," he whined and Cor let go, studying him closely. "I'm okay," the teen promised softly.

"You truly remember then?" Regis asked and Prompto nodded.

"At least I think so? How would I know if there was stuff missing?"

He had a good point. Thankfully, it seemed at least the majority of his memory had returned, but how? Ardyn had looked him over while he was sleeping and had admitted something about him had changed during his death, though that could just be the severing of his clan bond. There had been no tests they could run since the body was Prompto's, it was the mind and soul they were concerned about. "What do you remember of what happened?"

"You mean dying?" Prompto asked and Regis was surprised he knew he had died but he nodded. "I remember the Crystal Chamber, seeing Noct in the water and panicking for a bit until he convinced me it was really him. I lay down next to the pool and I could feel him, in my head, the cold of the link…I could hear Him as well, screaming at me to attack…but Noct was there, calming me down, so much I…fell asleep?" he looked at Noctis who nodded.

"You were mid-transformation and I wanted to stop it so I helped you calm down." The guilt for putting him under was obvious on Noctis' face but Prompto reached out and squeezed his hand.

"Hey, you did the right thing. I…I don't think I could have held Him off much longer with how scared I was of what was going on," Prompto was quick to reassure Noctis, another point in favour of this truly being a restored Prompto, somehow. "I remember pain…so much…" he took a shaky breath and Ignis stepped forward, gently grasping his shoulder in support.

"It's alright, take your time," he soothed the younger male who nodded unsteadily.

"I don't know what happened but I was on an icy mountain…naked," he blushed slightly at that and Cor smirked at him. "I had wings and I wrapped them around but I wasn't really cold. I was confused but then I remembered. I knew who I was, who you all were, coming to Insomnia, the attacks, everything. Then there was this voice on the wind and she was there," he shifted nervously.

"Who Prom?"

"Shiva," he answered, shocking everyone. "Just like the pictures of her. She was…incredible and scary but kind of…motherly? I can't remember exactly what we both said but I asked her if I was dead and she said death had touched me but it didn't have me fully or something. But because of what I am…was…I don't know, but because of that the magic being used couldn't bring me back?" he looked at them and Regis nodded.

"Several phoenix downs were used as well as Noctis, me, and Ardyn attempting to call you back."

"Oh," Prompto stared at them with wide eyes, shocked. "I told her I didn't want to be a harpy," he looked away and the three boys shifted closer to him, offering their support again. "I remember exactly what she said for the next bit. 'Fickle is my sister, goddess of the seas. Yet in the deepest waters, the cold can be found.' That was really confusing but I remember you telling me about Leviathan. She asked if I would stick with Noct forever, I said yes and….she said something…then she kissed me. It…it felt like I was being frozen and then everything shattered. Next thing I remember is Noct calling my name."

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Shiva…when had the Glacian last reached out to anyone? Her physical body had been slain by the Empire, but he knew it took more than that to kill a god. That would explain the difference he sensed in the boy. Why would she send him back, save a child of the people who had killed her? To spare Noctis a lifetime of pain? Perhaps he should pay the Oracle a visit and see what she or the Messenger that visited her knew. She had gotten a promise to remain with Noctis forever from the boy, just how binding was that?

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"Does that mean you aren't a harpy anymore?" Noctis asked carefully. He didn't care, Prompto was Prompto no matter what but it would make his life easier.

Prompto frowned, considering before shaking his head. "No…I can still feel it," he admitted, rubbing absently at his chest. "She did…something. I don't know," he shrugged.

"You're back, that's the important thing," Cor offered.

"Is it easier now that your clan head is gone?" His Dad asked and Prompto blinked, head tilted to one side, considering.

Prom looked at him and then the others, before smiling. "My clan's here," he stated. It had been one thing, to pick up the stray though but to hear him say it was better than anything. Noctis couldn't help it, he yanked Prompto into another hug, smiling when it was returned without hesitation. He could feel it, the bond with Prompto strengthening and settling further at his words, could feel something in Prom relax too. The itching feeling went away and Prompto relaxed physically…his instincts! They'd settled, accepting them as clan?

"Noctis?" his Dad called, obviously seeing something.

Noct grinned at him and then nuzzled at Prompto's throat, getting a laugh.

"Noct, that tickles," he complained but didn't try to pull away. "Your hair's spiky." That got everyone laughing even as Prompto lifted a hand, not to push hm away, but to try and shove his hair away from where it was tickling him.

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Ardyn watched as Noctis offered the greeting and the boy…he really should get used to using his name, Prompto just laughed because his nephew's hair tickled. There was not even a flicker of fear, no tension, nothing. Had he really managed to latch onto them as his clan once the link was severed? Had Shiva helped with that too? He was wary of any intervention from the Astrals, even her. As Prompto had said, there were times she could be almost maternal and he thought it came of her relationship with Ifrit…could Astrals have children? No! Mind off that topic immediately, he really did not want to know.

He reached out with his own magic, testing the waters so to speak, and there it was, the four boys were tightly bound together. Only Prompto could be their Fourth which meant this truly was Prompto, returned to life by an Astral. That was one less worry. Now that the issue with Besithia was dealt with, he could turn his attention to the Council and their plans for his youngest nephew. He would remain in the Citadel after though, sooner or later someone would find out about Prompto's heritage and they would need his support to ensure no one tried anything drastic.

Would the bond grant him an aquatic form as was usual? Or would that be blocked by his own heritage. There was still the Unknown aspect too, though when he had looked at the report something about it seemed familiar. The problem with being so old was far too many memories to sort through. He'd figure it out eventually, hopefully before it could bite the poor boy, he'd been through enough already.

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Ignis woke and reached for his glasses, slipping quietly form the bed only to realise he wasn't the first up. A quick check showed the bathroom was empty and he left the bedroom, looking around only to spot the balcony doors were open. He walked towards them and felt his heart stop in terror. "Prompto," he called very softly, dreading what would happen if he startled the younger male.

Prompto looked over at him and smiled. "Hey Iggy," he greeted as if he wasn't sitting on the railing, legs over the edge.

"What are you doing?" he asked, stepping closer.

"Thinking, enjoying the fresh air," he shrugged and then cocked his head to one side. "What's wrong?"

"Do you think you could come down from there, please?" he asked, offering his hand and Prompto blinked before shrugging and taking his hand, letting Ignis tug him back onto the safe side.

"Are you okay?" Prompto asked, squeezing his hand.

"I'm fine…other than possible heart failure from you sitting on a thin railing twenty stories above the ground."

"Oh…sorry? It just…felt right?" Prompto shrugged, looking away.

Ignis took a deep breath and then pulled him in close, nuzzling his throat, assuring himself Prompto was fine. "I'm sorry," he offered. "It is only natural for you to seek the sun and moving air and we forgot to consider that. Until we have seen you manage flight though, I do not think any of us will like seeing you in such precarious positions."

Prompto stared at him, eyes going wide. "I can fly?"

"That is the point to wings," he pointed out dryly, ushering him inside.

"I suppose but…I didn't think they'd be big enough to support my weight?"

"They will. I don't know if you'll need to train or if it will be instinctual. We can book a training hall at some point for you to try."

That got a grin as Ignis moved into the kitchenette and Prompto went with him to help. Ignis watched his reactions to the various items of food, ones he knew he liked, wanting to see if anything had changed. He hadn't had the chance yet to investigate the normal harpy diet for himself. Prompto had eaten Noct's vegetables for him since they had started sharing meals…now he was eyeing them, unsure. Perhaps harpies were purely carnivorous? He would have to wait and see. Eventually he sent Prompto back to the bedroom to wake the other up, they had a lot to do and talk about.

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Prompto walked into his apartment, looking around. It was weird but…it didn't feel like his anymore.

"Okay?" Noct asked from his chair before shakily moving to the couch.

"Yeah, it just feels weird."

"It's partially the bond, there's a reason the others end up sleeping in my room so often and when they don't they're usually in Specs. Gladio rarely goes back to the Amicitia Estate."

"But what about your Dad and Lord Amicitia?"

"They've been bonded a lot longer than we have so they can handle separation a lot better, plus he had a wife and kids to care for so that helped," he explained as he began gathering up everything that had been left on the table or floor near the couch.

Prompto was officially moving permanently into the rooms he'd been using since his attack and release from the doctors supervision. The door opened again to admit the others, armed with boxes and packing material so they got to work. It took a good portion of the day but in the end he was officially moved into the Citadel, some of his things to Noct's room and others to his own.

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Iedolas snarled as he read the reports, Besithia was dead, the facility gone with him, and every clone that had not been converted to an MT had dropped dead all at once. Their deaths were the only proof there hadn't been some sort of catastrophic accident, if he had died in an accident they would have lived, one or more of them becoming clan head. Honestly, it likely would have been the one in Insomnia, despite having only just Awakened. The others had been practically living machines, with no will of their own, not fit to lead themselves let alone all of them.

Which meant the best placed assassin they'd had in centuries was dead too, though he likely had been before the facility went up since there had been no destruction or death at the Citadel reported, in fact the Prince had been spotted by a spy since the forced Awakening. Oh well, there had never been the best chance of success in using the clone, it had none of the training or enhancements of its 'brothers', he'd checked the report himself, very little had been done to it, although it had been infected so really, it was a miracle hit had lived so long in the first place.

So who had killed his chief scientist and oldest ally? Had it been a team sent by Regis in reaction to the clones Awakening and death? Had they actually cared for the thing? Or had it been simple retribution for attempting to kill his son? There was the slim chance of some rebel faction being responsible, especially with young Ravus seeking vengeance for the death of their Mother. Anthousai liked vengeance and while he was male and therefore human, his sister had him wrapped around her finger. If only they had managed to take the children when they had killed the mother but that had failed, leaving Tenebrae locked down against all outsiders.

Without Besithia the MT program would be slowed, but others would need to be found to continue his work. They were very useful for keeping Lucian forces busy on land even if they weren't as useful under water. Sooner or later, Lucis would fall, and the world would be his.

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Prompto looked around the large hall, seeing how high the ceiling was. He was excited but also scared. Would his wings really be able to hold him? What if he couldn't' transform at will? He hadn't tried at all since coming back to life. Part of him dreaded seeing looks of disgust from his clan which was silly, they hadn't been disgusted when he didn't even remember them so why would they be now? He felt a heavy hand clasp his shoulder, squeezing in support and he looked up to see Gladio looking down in concern.

"We can come again another day if you aren't ready," he offered but Prompto shook his head.

"Then I'll never try," he admitted. He needed to work flying out because he kept being drawn to balconies and ledges and Iggy had been right, it was dangerous. What if he fell and didn't transform or couldn't fly? He stepped away and further out into the room, kicking off his shoes. He took a deep breath before yanking his shirt off, at least the Awakening had dealt with his body issues when it came to letting people see him. he reached inside for the fire that was his harpy side and he felt it happily surge up through him. it felt odd and then he felt his wings spread form his back, looked down to see claws and then grimacing as the rest of the transformation happened. He kept looking down, unsure if he wanted to see their reactions.

"Prom," Noct called and he couldn't stop himself from looking up, meeting his eyes, and Noct grinned.

TBC…

Anthousai = nymphs of flowers in Greek mythology. Thought it'd be appropriate consider Lunafreya's love of those blue flowers.