Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 8

Ignis froze, eyes wide and Gladio turned to him in concern, seeing his Dad straighten up from where he'd been relaxing. "Ignis?" Gladio called, gripping his shoulders, please not Noct, not when they had confirmation he was alive…

"Noct….he…" Ignis whispered dazedly.

"Ignis? What's wrong? What about Noctis?" he demanded and Ignis blinked, swallowing.

"No Gladio, he's okay," Ignis told him and Gladio relaxed.

"Then what?"

"He…added someone to the Armiger."

"What?" Why would he do that? Who could it be? He distantly noticed his Dad grabbing his phone, probably calling the King to let him know.

"Think it's whoever saved him?" Clarus asked and Ignis nodded slowly.

"Who else would it be?" Ignis asked and yeah, okay, that made sense…except he was only meant to add human Retainers.

"Wait, you mean he's been travelling with a human this whole time?" Guess that answered the question of how he'd been feeding. Did that mean he'd been with a human the other night? Not that there was anything wrong with humans, but they were rather….breakable.

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Noctis grinned as Prompto called his gun to hand in a flash of blue and the blond grinned back. They had decided to stay in camp for the day to give Prompto time to get comfortable with accessing the Armiger. Noctis had recalled all of his things to let him store them so that he would be able to access them himself in the future. Watching him learn was so different to when Ignis had, there was an almost innocent amazement and excitement where Ignis had been solemn and honoured. Every day the spent together, the more it hurt to think of leaving Prom behind.

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He stared at the map, plotting potential routes. With Leonis watching so closely there was little he could do to assign the Glaive to areas where they were unlikely to find the Prince. He had been able to confirm the boy lived so now it was a race to see who would find him first. He never should have been able to escape the first team, not when they had been given his exact location and a sedative strong enough to keep him out for a week or more. Never trust a monster to do a humans job. He wished he could be the one to capture him, to see the horror and betrayal but he could not risk his position yet.

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Noctis slid a hand into wild blond hair, leaning closer, happy when Prompto leant in as well, kissing back. He let his other hand settle on Prom's hip, fingers slipping under his shirt to caress warm skin. Eventually he lay back, pulling Prompto with him so the human was on top of him, seeing his cheeks colour slightly, making his freckles stand out even more. This was their last night of any kind of safety, tomorrow they would leave the hills for the dry, arid plains and valleys of Leide.

He felt a cautious hand slip under his shirt and he pressed up into the touch, feeling Prom become bolder as his warm hand explored Noct's cooler skin. When they parted to let Prompto breath Noctis reached for his shirt and wriggled out of it, not like Prompto hadn't seen him naked before. He saw bright blue eyes widen, taking in his bared chest, and he let him look and then touch before pulling him into another kiss. The next time they stopped, Prompto shyly pulled his own shirt off as well. Noctis reached up, running his hands over warm skin, feeling muscles quiver under his fingers.

"Want you," he whispered.

"Noct?" Prompto asked, unsure what he meant by that.

Noctis reached up to brush some stray hair back from Prompto's face. "I want to show you what it's like," he admitted. He could be Prompto's only chance to ever experience it, the odds of him ever finding someone else who wouldn't care what he was were very low. He saw Prompto's eyes widen slightly, darkening, and he smiled, flashing fangs.

"Really?"

"Yeah," he kissed him again, letting his hands move to stroke over Prompto's back, one dipping down to let his fingers slip under his belt, just under the waistband. "Let me show you," he whispered in his ear, nibbling it gently, careful of his fangs and Prompto shivered against him at the sensation, moaning softly.

"Please, Noct…"

He grinned and carefully undid Prompto's belt and pants, tugging them down and Prompto helped him before Noctis shimmied out of his own. He had to remember that Prom was mostly human which meant he had to watch his strength and…that Prompto's body couldn't adjust like his own could. He could work with that; he didn't really care either way. He spread his legs a bit to let Prompto's body settle, hoping he wasn't too cool but Prompto didn't seem to care about that. They kept kissing and touching each other, Noctis occasionally guiding Prom's hands to a really sensitive spot, helping him learn.

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Ignis closed his eyes, feeling Noctis again but this time he got an echo as well…the new addition to the Armiger was the same person Noctis was sleeping with. That was good, right? He wondered who it was, what had made them step in to help Noctis. How would the addition of a newcomer, a human, change things between the three of them?

"Iggy?" Gladio called sleepily and he kissed him gently.

"Go back to sleep," he murmured.

"What's it?"

"Just Noct and his new Retainer," he answered absently and that woke Gladio up further.

"So it's the same person?"

"Seems so, I can feel a slight echo."

"Any closer?"

"Than the other night, yes."

"Good, try to sleep." Gladio settled back down and Ignis tried to force himself to ignore what was being transmitted.

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Prompto woke slowly, finding they'd swapped their normal positions and he was half on top of Noct and then he remembered why, unable to help blushing slightly. He'd….he'd been inside Noct's body and it had felt so much better than anything he'd felt before. He'd even let Noct bite him again, sharp fangs sinking into his throat and that had felt good too! From Noct's reactions, being in his position felt really nice too and he wondered what it was like but they had to get moving today. It wouldn't be safe for them to be that distracted once away from the hills; Havens only kept daemons out after all.

He know understood why people were so eager to get some privacy. He also knew he'd never be able to trust anyone but Noctis, not with the audible hum from his core, the way cool fingers had slipped over his arm port.

He wished things could be different, that he could go with him to the city, but it was only a dream.

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Noctis kept every inch of skin possible covered as the birds moved at a steady trot across the barren landscape. He hated how exposed they were but there was nothing they could do about it. hopefully they were far enough from the roads that there would be no patrols. What if the bandages weren't enough extra insulation and a ship picked up on Prompto's code? At least running into some Anak meant he got a fresh meal and Prompto had some meat to roast at the Haven that night. They slept lightly, both on edge, waiting to hear the tell-tale sound of a dropships engines above them.

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They ducked down behind an outcropping, watching as MT's marched on by, obviously searching.

"Think they know?" Crowe whispered and Nyx nodded.

"Why else would there be so many?" So much for hoping the funeral would convince everyone that Noctis was dead. Then again, the Empire wasn't stupid, why else send them out into Leide in force and have them attack the blockades?

"So what do we do hero? Take 'em out and hope the Prince sees the fight? Try and sneak around?"

Nyx glanced at Pelna and Libertus where they crouched, they could take the MT's easily but it would alert the Empire to their location. Then again, maybe they already knew? What were the odds of a random squad being dumped so close to them? "Take them," he whispered, reaching for his blades, fangs flashing and Crowe grinned, closing her eyes, calling up the magic and the sky darkened in response. That would be visible for miles, hopefully the Prince would see.

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Noctis lifted a hand to shade his eyes further, frowning and Prompto turned to see what had caught his attention.

"A storm?"

Noctis smirked. "That's no natural storm, that's Crowe."

"Crowe?" what did a bird have to do with a storm?

"A Glaive, she's causing the clouds."

"Ah, well that's one way to show us where to go," Prompto offered and Noct laughed.

"Probably why she's done it. Come on!" he urged his bird faster and Prompto did the same, racing across the dirt.

They rode quietly for a while before Prompto pulled up. "Noct stop!"

He pulled up and turned to frown at him. "What is it?" he asked, seeing Prompto rub at his chest….his core. "Prom?"

"I…I don't….something's not right," he shook his head, eyes searching the landscape.

Worried, Noctis summoned his sword, looking for any sign of danger, not liking that Prompto didn't seem to know what was happening, that he was rubbing at where the biggest bit of Magitek in his body was located. He caught a flash of light near a rock and squinted. Was that… "Down!" he yelled, lunging off his bird and Prompto followed, bullets hitting the dirt nearby as the Chocobos bolted for safety. They could defend themselves though he'd heard MT's usually left them alone.

Prompto rolled into a crouch, calling his rifle to hand, taking aim and firing. The world around them suddenly seemed to explode and suddenly they were surrounded on all sides by droves of MT's. Noctis swore but called out some spell flasks, tossing the blizzards at the enemy, hoping Crowe would see or sense the magic and realise they were not only close but in serious trouble. The rifle vanished, Prompto moving to his handgun since they were so close, his shots sure. Noctis began warping, trusting Prom not to accidentally hit him.

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Crowe and Nyx suddenly looked to the southwest. "There!" She called and they saw a small flash. "Magic…blizzard spell."

"Let's move!" Nyx barked, they were covered in dirt and dust but they began to run. They sounds of a massive fight soon reached them, gunfire and swords and then they came to the crest of a hill to see a writhing mass of MT's, the blue trails of someone warping and…someone shooting back at the soldiers. There was no way two people could take on that many, even with one being a Lucis Caelum. The magic and the sun would be weakening the Prince every second the fight went on. They couldn't see much of his companion, just a flash of bright blond hair as he moved from cover to cover while thinning the ranks with excellent shots.

"Nyx…"

"I know," he whispered, not making Libs say it, there were too many even with their team thrown into the mix. He grabbed his phone and dialled but Drautos didn't answer. He skipped Luche and went higher up the chain. "Marshal, have eyes on Sleepy and friend. Small problem, there's about a hundred or more MT's between us and them, sending our coordinates. Captain's not answering."

"Their condition?"

"Giving the Niff's hell, whoever that is, they're the best shot I've ever seen. Sleepy can't last too long in this weather though, he's warping like mad."

"Can you get to them?"

"Doubtful," he hated admitting it but even if Crowe threw out the biggest spell she could manage alone, and Libertus snuck down invisible while he and Pelna played distraction. He swore softly. "Two dreadnaughts inbound." Not dropships but the massive troop carriers. "They knew we were here," he hissed.

Silence met him and then the Marshal grunted. "Do what you can, I've alerted the other teams. Use a phone and start recording. If they grab them we need the flightpaths."

"Understood," he hung up and Crowe nodded, closing her eyes and focusing on calling up as much magic as she could. Before she could cast the ships opened, dropping out not only MT's but the big Magitek armours.

"What the hell is up with the massive overkill?" Libertus demanded.

"They knew we were out here, they need the numbers to keep us from grabbing them and getting clear," Pelna answered, for once deadly serious.

How had they known exactly where their team was, unless…no…but how else? Why hadn't Drautos answered and what had made him skip calling anyone else to call the Marshal himself? "We're compromised," he whispered but then took a deep breath. "Now," he snapped and the biggest thunder spell he'd ever seen lashed down into the mass of soldiers, but well clear of the two fighting for their lives. Libertus vanished from sight as Nyx and Pelna threw themselves into the battle, Crowe hanging back to support them and record everything.

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Prompto yelped at the sight of the spell but kept firing, very glad for the unlimited supply of ammo. Help had arrived, but would it be enough? They'd walked right into a trap. He had to make sure Noct got out alive, even if it cost him his own life to do it. He could tell Noctis was beginning to slow, the sun taking its toll on top of the continual magic use. He could recharge his magic with an elixir but that didn't help the need for blood.

He screamed, body convulsing, guns dropping as he collapsed. He tried to get a hand up, to pull the leads free but another set hit him and all he could do was lay in the sand, body flailing out of his control as the jolts of electricity surged through him.

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"Shooters down!" Crowe called over their comms. "Still moving but they fried him good." She'd seen him get hit twice, no human was getting up after that without medical help or a lot of time and he had neither. So she was utterly shocked to see him push to his knees and begin shooting again. "We sure Sleepy's friend is human?"

"Supposed to be," Nyx answered. "Why?"

"He's up, on his knees, but still up."

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Noctis heard him scream and spun, eyes searching for him. Please…there! He saw Prompto drunkenly climb to his knees and begin shooting again, saw the broken lines coming from him and grimaced. Too much of that and it'd fry his core, could Prom survive that?

He barely dodged an attack and then froze, eyes wide. General Glauca…he couldn't beat him, even his Dad hadn't been able to. He could still remember seeing his Dad block him with his Armiger, hit him with spells, but still he had come, forcing them to run. He summoned a blade and warped towards Prompto, seeing MT's falling in the distance, saw the distinctive hooded black of the Glaive but not even they'd be able to beat the General, escape was the only option.

He stumbled the landing beside Prompto to end up with a gun in his face which was quickly re-aimed elsewhere. "We have to move! Glauca's here!" he yelled over the noise of the fight and Prompto blinked dazedly at him. He got an arm under him and hauled him to his feet. "Come on!" thankfully, Prompto moved with him, though his legs were unsteady.

"The Emperor commands your presence, Prince Noctis," the cold voice stated and Noct turned to find Glauca had caught up.

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"Nyx! It's Glauca! He's got them cut off!" she all but screamed, terrified. None of them were a match for that…thing.

"Keep them off me Pelna! Libs, move!" Nyx called over the comm.

"It's suicide," Pelna answered but he still moved to keep Nyx as clear as he could.

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"Now boys, you wouldn't be leaving would you?" a new voice asked and Noctis shifted to try and see them both.

He saw an oddly dressed man and something about him….he heard Prompto whimper, eyes locked on the man in fear. "Prom?"

"No…please no…." he whined in distress and Noctis saw the man smile.

"Well, well, aren't you a surprise. Whatever are you doing with stolen property little Prince?"

"Prompto isn't property."

"It even has a name, how quaint."

"Chancellor," Glauca spoke up.

The Chancellor of Niflheim was here? How? He glanced down at Prompto, summoning a hi-potion to break over his skin, glad he'd stocked up on ones safe for humans. He felt Prompto shift as the magic worked, taking his own weight fully.

"Yes, of course, we are pressed for time." The Chancellor nodded and then Prompto was pulled away from him, fighting wildly against the group of MT's. Prom was stronger than a human his size but he was outnumbered and MT's were even stronger and he was soon forced to his knees, unable to move.

"Noct go!" he screamed, staring at Glauca in horror and Noctis looked at him, blanching as he saw what he was holding. No…

He looked back at Prompto, he couldn't leave him. Prom shook his head, tears falling silently.

"Run…please…"

"I won't leave you!"

"How touching. The Prince and the MT. didn't you know, that thing is no more human than those you've been slaughtering for the last ten minutes. You can't bear to think of leaving it though, can you?"

"It doesn't matter what he is, I already knew. You can't make me doubt him."

"Him? It's nothing more than an imperial machine made to draw you in. I must admit it's done an excellent job," the Chancellor smirked and reached out to tug on Prompto's hair, pulling his head back.

"No, he ran away as a kid, he's free!" Noctis kept moving, not letting Glauca close with the collar in his hands, mind spinning as he tried to figure out how to save them both.

"Do you really believe that?"

Blue eyes met, Prompto's silently pleading with him to save himself. Yes, he believed Prompto was free, he wouldn't let them make him doubt his friend.

"How do you think we found you so quickly dear Noctis?"

No…no, he was lying. He saw Prompto shake his head weakly, as much as he could with the hand in his hair, his eyes wide. He knew Prompto, no matter what they'd done to him, he was human enough Noctis could influence him, they couldn't control Prompto. But…could they have tracked him if they picked up on his presence? Even if they had, that wasn't his fault. "Prompto would never betray me," he stated firmly and then he screamed as he felt the pinch of leads digging in, electricity surging through him.

"NOCT!"

They were on him in an instant, forcing him down, to drop his sword, holding him as his body jerked from the current. He could see Glauca approaching, collar open in his hands but he couldn't get his limbs to cooperate.

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"Glauca has a collar!" Crowe choked out. "Get there now!" she could see the blond trying to fight free but he was held down far too tightly.

"What are they saying?" Pelna asked, panting.

"Chancellor called the blond an MT, Sleepy said he knew, that the blonds free," Libertus breathed, the only one close enough to hear anything. "His trying to get free looks really genuine. Hurry up cause I can't take Glauca and there's no way to get Sleepy out without stopping him."

Crowe reached deep, for any spare scrap of magic, if she could hit the bastard with one spell, knock him back for even a second.

She heard Libertus cry out in pain, suddenly becoming visible not too far from the Prince but the he was having to fight as well. They weren't going to make it…

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"Noct…" Prompto whispered, unable to look asway as Glauca closed in on the now restrained Prince, the collar in his hands gleaming evilly in the light. He could see the tremors in Noct's muscles from the jolt, the way he was struggling to get free. He heard the commotion nearby but whoever it was, they weren't going to make it in time. "NOCT!" he screamed, straining against those holding him.

Dark blue eyes locked onto him and he could see the terror in them, saw Noct's lips move and then the collar snapped around his throat.

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He heard Prompto scream for him and looked at him. He was terrified, he knew what was coming, but he was too weak to break free. "Love you all," he whispered; Ignis, Gladio…Prompto, Dad…. He stared into tear filled blue eyes, wanting them to be his last sight, not the enemies around him, he felt cold at his throat and then everything vanished.

TBC….