A/N: Verse 2
Regis waved at the crowd as he walked to the podium to speak. The plaza is full of his citizen but he wonders how many are there willingly. The streets are lined with MTs as are the rooftops and many balconies. He worries about their presence, worries what that might mean for the Resistance then remembers the look in Cor's eyes. It will be fine.
He waits for the crowd to grow quiet before speaking, the speech one written by approved writers from Niflheim's propaganda department. Regis hates every word but he speaks them nonetheless. They mean nothing to him, and he trusts his people to see past the lies.
It helps that Titus and several of the surviving glaives have a well known and listened to radio station exposing the propaganda for what it was. Regis doesn't listen to it, can't really, but someone does have to make a transcript of it for Niflheim and that transcript finds its way on Regis' desk every week.
Regis keeps talking, on auto-pilot more than anything as he watches the crowd again. His eyes keep coming back to a young boy, probably no older than 16, with shockingly Niff features standing alone in a corner of the plaza. The youth was taking countless pictures but not of Regis. No, he was looking at…
BANG!
Regis staggered backwards as the sound of the gunshot echoed among the skyscrappers. He is tackled to the floor by Clarus before the sound fades completely. His leg and hip protest with a flash of pain that blinds him to the world for several seconds before he can push past it. The crowd is screaming as MTs are suddenly inactive, several falling from the rooftops and balconies where they had been stationed.
The human soldiers try to enforce order but they are vastly outnumbered by the surging and panicking crowds. Regis hears Cor's voice suddenly shouting orders and more gunshots echoed through the plaza. Clarus grabs Regis, "Are you injured?" Regis shook his head. "Stay by my side." Regis nods, too breathless from the pain to say anything.
Clarus fights his way past a few Niflheim human soldiers and a few of the older generals. There is too many bodies moving around, in Niflheim white; in Lucian black, to see what was going on clearly but Regis has enough experience to feel the way the battle is going. Taken by surprise, off guard and without their MTs to provide the bulk of their troops; Niflheim is unable to fight back effectively.
There is something else there. Regis knows it, feels it even but he can't put a finger or word to it. Before he know it, Regis finds himself back in the Citadel with Cor and Clarus by his side. Gladiolus is there with Titus, grinning as he bows towards Regis, his King, and extend to him an object he'd thought locked up somewhere in Gralea.
"The Ring of Lucii." Regis slipped it unto his finger without hesitation. The price it asks is nothing compared to keeping his people safe. The Kings of Old agree as they answer his call. With them joining the fight, it ends within the hour.
Regis learns, after the fighting was over, that the assassination of Ardyn Izunia and Aldercapt had not been part of the plan. Cor asked if they should try and find the assassin, Clarus jokingly adding they could give the person a medal for their action. Neither of them add the fact the assassin was able to kill both of the highest ranking members of Niflheim's governement in the middle of a platoon of MTs all geared to prevent such things.
"See if you can find anything. If anyone saw anything. Be discrete about it. If there are traces to be found then we can decide how to follow them after that." Regis finally said. It felt odd, to give orders once more after a decade of following them. It felt odd to be able to stand with Cor and Clarus together without fear of retribution.
The next few days were spent resting, breaking down after being so tightly wound for so long, and getting reacquainted with the surviving members of the Kingsglaives and Council. There was still much to do before Niflheim was truly kicked out of Lucis' borders but they had a good start. Regis would have to find a way to regain the Crystal but for now that could wait.
Until it couldn't. Until rumors began to spread of the Daemons disappearance. Of nights without fear and of longer days. Until Sylva Nox Fleuret arrived at his doorstep with her family and told him the Prophecy had been accomplished despite Noctis' death at the tender age of 8.
Until Cor burst into his office one afternoon and showed him two things that shattered his world. One, a website belonging to an offshoot Resistance group in Duscae. On it were several picture of the very moment of the assassination of Ardyn Izunia and Aldercapt. None of the bodies or of the ragged holes left behind by the bullets but the expressions of stunned surprised were clear. As were the shots of their corpses falling unto the podium.
The second, a blurry video from a home security camera showing a flurry of blue lights shattering and forming the vague shape of a youth wearing a hoodie. Another youth, blond hair being the only distinct feature captured by the poor quality video, approached with hand raised. They high five before leaving the area.
Regis wastes no time, "Find them Cor. Find them and tell me who they are." Cor's grip on his sword is telling, as is the sharp bow he give Regis before leaving. Cor would find them, find their names and who they were. And then… And then, if the sudden yearning hole in Regis' heart held any truth to it, Regis might have a grandiose announcement to make.
A/N: Please let me know what you thought of this au and which version you prefered (if any!)