maiora premunt
Humid air clings to Noctis as he trudges uphill through the forest, already missing the few days break they had taken after they had infiltrated Aracheole. Noctis wipes the sweat from his brow with his shirt, ignoring Ignis's eyes as they bore into his back.
Noctis could only blame himself - he was the cause of Ignis's worries, after all. It certainly didn't help that he had snuck off with Gladio to meet Titan, returning immediately after and instigating a fight with Ravus.
An annoyed frown pulls at the corner of his mouth. It didn't matter to Ignis that Ravus started it.
The cut on his cheek had completely healed over, his skin showing no signs that it had been damaged at all. When Ignis had looked it over, Noctis couldn't read his expression.
Noctis hoists himself over a log with difficulty - it wasn't always a bad sign that he couldn't tell what Ignis was thinking, but this time felt different.
"Gaah," Prompto drones, disturbing him from his thoughts, "We've been walking forever and I'm hungry, when are we going to get there?"
Noctis looks over to see Prompto fanning his shirt, "Gentiana said it was in Fociaugh Hollow."
"You just had breakfast," Ignis starts, switching topics when he realized there was no point in telling Prompto that, "There should be a haven we can stop at to rest and eat lunch. I imagine reaching the Fulgurian's runestone is going to be an all-day event."
"Probably." Noctis nods. He silently thanks Gentiana for showing up when he was alone - it allowed him to point their group in the next direction without seeming suspicious.
Much like in the last timeline, her voice was a guiding light. The morning he had planned to gather the runestones she had keyed in helpfully - The Chosen King need only the final to gain the Stormsender's Mark. Noctis sends up a prayer of thanks to the Astral and bats a branch out of his way.
"What is for lunch anyway?" Gladio asks, jacket tossed over his shoulder and bare of a shirt to try and combat the muggy heat.
"I can have some sandwiches worked up in a jiff." Ignis barely gets the sentence out before Prompto begins groaning exaggeratedly.
"We still have some behemoth tenderloins leftover." Noctis says. No one refuses his suggestion, and they fall into a momentary quiet.
"Behemoth meat is kinda weird, don'tcha think?" Prompto voices. Sweat beads at his forehead.
"How so? I thought they tasted fine." Gladio asks, eyebrow quirking.
"Well... if you think about it, behemoths are carnivores." Prompto looks up, eyes looking oddly focused as he ponders his words.
"And...?" Gladio prompts.
"How do we know Deadeye didn't eat people?"
A very uncomfortable silence falls on them.
"Noctis hasn't been fishing for a while, we should see what the waters here hold." Ignis says abruptly, bringing out the map to check for local ponds.
"You know, that sounds like a good idea - broaden our culinary horizons." Gladio adds.
Noctis snorts and mutters, "Leave it to Prompto to be the first one who make things weird on this trip."
"Hey!" Prompto throws an arm around Noctis, "Hey, buddy, you already missed out on that - that moment goes to that Ardyn guy."
Noctis struggles to peel Prompto's sweaty body off his, grimacing at the contact and at the mention of Ardyn.
"Ehh." Is all he can work up.
"Don't be like that, I can tell you're excited to go fishing anyways." Prompto jibes, a knowing smirk narrowing his eyes.
After what seemed like hours of walking through the stifling heat, they finally come across a large pond, trees and large rocks providing them a reclusive place to relax. A dock lays snug against a tall boulder, indicating to Noctis that he could fish here.
He sets to fishing, taking a moment to just relax in the situation. The others busy themselves with their own entertainment while he lets his mind go free.
The fish bite slowly - but if anything, Noctis is patient. The sun creeps higher, and cicadas buzz and humm, unaware that their cries are the loudest ringing through the trees.
Listening to the sound of someone splashing their feet in the water, he quickly loses track of how many fish he's caught and how much time he's spent catching them. He grumbles at that idea, resigning himself to packing up when a massive splash catches his attention.
Gladio emerges from the water, having jumped off the massive boulder next to the dock.
"Woohoo!" Prompto cries, clad in only his boxers, as he runs and jumps off the rock to join Gladio in the pond. Prompto wipes his hair out of his face as he surfaces, looking over expectantly at Noct and Ignis.
"C'mon, my dudes!" He says, pushing away from Gladio as the other tries to dunk him, "Hurry up and get in!"
Ignis pulls his shirt away, glancing down at the sweat-stains. He looks to Noct, "Couldn't hurt. Care to join us?"
Noctis looks back down at the water, barely suppressing a frown. It would still be another few hours until they reached the haven outside of Fociaugh. They couldn't afford wasting too much time.
Noctis considers calling Gladio and Prompto back out, both watching him expectantly. He shifts his weight as he ponders, and before he can make a decision Ignis steps up to him.
"Noctis, all I ask is that you pretend." he says, "Just for a short while - pretend and forget. Everything else can wait for just a few hours." Ignis pleads. Noctis takes a moment to really look at Ignis - to take in his tired appearance, to meet his tired eyes.
Ignis needed this as much as Noct did.
"Care to join us?" Ignis asks again.
His fight drains away in a sigh, muscles and expression loosening a fraction. Noctis pulls two sets of swimming trunks and a beach ball from the armiger with a lazy smile, "Good thing I stored these away then."
"Hey!" Prompto cries as Noctis hands one of the trunks to Ignis, "No fair! How come you didn't give us shorts?"
Noctis steps back as Prompto splashes at them, "You didn't ask?"
A bush provides him with cover as he changes, and he wades out to join the other three. The water is warm, and fish dart away as he kicks up mud from the bottom of the pond.
He smiles lightly as his friends invite him to play.
For all his sweet-talking, Ignis is the first to get out at the first sign of a water drop hitting his hair. He uses the excuse of leaving to make lunch, and Noctis summons the food supplies for him to make sandwiches.
They eat lunch on the boulder, Noctis and Prompto finishing first and returning to the water to play with the beach ball. Gladio joins them shortly, jumping off the boulder and landing far too close to them. Ignis remains on top of the boulder under the guise of 'sunbathing' and 'keeping an eye out'.
Noctis doesn't push him, and returns to tossing the ball back and forth with Prompto.
Gladio suggests Marco-Polo, all too eagerly wanting to be 'it'. He's not fooling anyone, Noctis thinks, Gladio just wants a good excuse to dunk someone. Noctis looks over to Prompto and knows the same thoughts cross his mind.
They begrudgingly agree, and start the game. That's when the action really starts.
Gladio catches Prompto almost immediately, simply out of luck and vicinity. Noctis makes sure to keep his distance as Prompto flails wildly.
They carry on for a while, and Noctis learns quickly that Gladio, for the most part, is targeting him. Noctis wades back as his Shield draws nearer, hands eagerly extended. Noct's impassive eyes follow his movements, there was no way he was going to let himself be under Gladio's mercy.
He ducks out of the way as Gladio lunges, feet digging into the muddy floor of the pond. The distance between them increases comfortably.
Prompto cheers from the background, and unexpectedly, Gladio inhales deeply and ducks underwater. Noctis suddenly feels fingers brushing his leg, which not only freaks him out but sends him instinctively warping up and against the wall of the boulder.
Noctis grabs onto the stone ledge, looking back as Gladio cries out "Cheater!"
The wall is slippery against Noct's feet as he struggles to pull himself up, he kicks at it as Ignis comes over. Ignis kneels to grab his hands.
"I'll make breakfast for you tomorrow if you toss him back!" Gladio pleads.
Ha! Noctis thinks, as if his most loyal adviser would betray him like that! Ignis secures his grip around Noct's hands and leans forward, mouth coming close to Noct's ear to whisper.
"Long live the king."
And he drops him.
Oh. Okay. That hurt.
It's almost as if he is falling in slow motion, with Prompto's bloodcurdling "Nooooo!" drowned out as he watches Ignis's self-satisfied smile.
Betrayed - by his most trusted adviser. It honestly almost brings him to tears.
He hits the water and Gladio is instantly upon him. Noctis doesn't even care at this point if he is drowned, at least it would be less painful than the sting of Ignis's treason.
Soon enough though, he can hear the vicious chuckles of Gladio muffled through the water.
His eye twitches and he brings raw ice elemency to his hand. The ice chills the water - sending Prompto shrieking as he races for land and Gladio stumbling back.
Noctis grabs Gladio's foot and the other cries out as he falls - his scream cutting off into a gurgle as he lands face-first into the cold water. Drenched, Noctis lets his defeated Shield slink away and turns his focus back to Ignis.
Slush forms in his hands from the combination of ice and pond water, and he molds it into a sloppy snowball. He doesn't hide his ire nor his intentions as he stares down Ignis.
And Ignis watches him - his eyes so very trusting of Noct - believing that he won't actually go through with it despite having betrayed him.
Noctis hesitates for only a second before hurling his slushball through the air straight towards Ignis's backstabbing face.
"You betrayed me for breakfast!" Noctis cries as Ignis is hit - knocking his glasses off and completely undoing all the hard work Ignis had spent on his cockatiel-hairstyle.
Noctis stands, slack-jawed at what he had just done. Ignis wipes the murky water from his face, slowly leaning down to grab his glasses and move them somewhere safe.
Hair blocking his eyes, Ignis looks down on Noct, looking very much like a drowned puppy.
Noctis laughs.
Agonizingly side-stitching, it feels so very, so blessedly true. Tears blur his vision as he gasps for breath, and he doesn't stop even as Ignis jumps from the boulder to pounce him back into the water. He hears Ignis chuckle and Gladio and Prompto coming to his aid.
If he drowns here because he was open-mouthed and laughing - he thinks then, that it would be okay.
...
Fociaugh Hollow, even as they emerge into full daylight, leaves behind a dark taste in their mouths. The daemon - the one who had broken-heartedly called out for her baby, even up until her dying breaths - had set them all on edge. Despite knowing in advance that it could talk, and even keeping Prompto from being shortly abducted, the hair on the back of Noct's neck stood on edge as he struck her down.
She had not been human for a long time.
Noct had to remind himself of this with every daemon he slew - the only console was that his friends would remain oblivious.
There were certainly worse secrets he was keeping that they would hate him for. He sighs and trudges down the hill, his friends following him quietly.
Fatigue fights against their movements, and he wasn't the only one dragging.
"Think we can make it to Lestallum's hotel tonight? I want a nice bed rest before we go to that play." Prompto groans.
"Iris said our tickets were for Friday's play, we still have a day or two to waste." Gladio replies, tired eyes narrowed against the bright sun.
"Yeah, but can't we spend it in -" Prompto squints his eyes, "Whoa, what is that?"
Noctis doesn't know where his friend gets his energy as Prompto bounds off towards some thick bushes and trees. Noctis cranes his neck, spotting a shed hidden among them. Light flashes his eye as he walks closer. Wincing, he rubs the stars from his vision.
Prompto gasps.
Noctis looks back up, finding the sunlight had been reflected off of the side-mirror of a car. A black car.
Quickly shoving passed the brush and pulling back its foliage, Noctis reveals the Star of Lucis - his car.
"Well, I'll be..." Ignis breathes beside him.
The black Audi R8 lays partially covered under a shed, the exposed rear half of it camouflaged with branches and leaves. Someone had worked hard to hide the car.
"Luna!" Noctis rushes around to the drivers-side door and swings it open. There are no signs of damage on the inside of the car - no broken glass, no rips in the leather, and no bloodstains.
No notes, either. Noctis exhales and leans against the open door, uncaring of how it creaked. Despite how he worries, all clues lead to Luna leaving it here.
Which means she must be with Ravus now.
"What do you mean Luna?" Ignis asks, coming over to inspect the inside of the car as well. Stepping between the bushes, Gladio comes over to open the trunk and inspect the engine.
Noctis steps back, holding the door open further to allow Ignis better access. "Luna escaped Insomnia in the Star."
But she hadn't had it with her last time. Noctis pries his memory, had he walked passed this spot before and found it empty? Before he can start second guessing himself, he recalls that Luna had time to escape with Ulric thanks to the Galahadin driving the Star. Folding his hands over the door, Noctis closes his eyes and rests his head on them.
Last time, she had been alone.
He opens his eyes and looks back up. "She had two men with her - one was in critical condition."
"T-then where is she now?" Prompto steps closer, worry pinching his brows. The sound of the trunk slamming closed forces a flinch from him.
"Ravus. Probably." Gladio says, squeezing between the car and the shed to open the hood. Noctis nods.
"Ravus likely found her, with his own transport she would no longer need my car."
What about those who had been travelling with her? Would Ravus kill anyone who had been hiding his sister?
Ignis pulls his head from the car, "Well. Whatever happened, they left no trace."
Gladio slams the hood back down, "Didn't find anything wrong here either. At least we know they didn't rig your car to blow."
"We should take it somewhere safe - it'll get damaged out here in the elements." Prompto tosses. Noctis nods, checking to see if the keys had been left behind before pulling his spare from the armiger.
"I can follow the Regalia to Lestallum in the meantime," Noctis slides down into the driver's seat, "That is...if it starts."
Noctis holds his breath as he turns the key, instantly sighing in relief as the engine roars to life. Leaves scatter from the car as it rumbles, and Noctis relishes in the way his friends laugh when he revves the engine.
Prompto woops and jumps, "Dibs on riding with Noct!"
Noctis smiles, "Don't be like that Prompto," he jokingly chastises, "we can let them have the front seats at least until we reach the Regalia."
Noctis instantly regrets giving his two larger friends the comfort of the front as he is forced to squeeze into the back. Prompto squirms in the seat next to him when Gladio tilts the front seat back as he gets in.
The brush behind them removed, Ignis sets to carefully backing the Star out. Noctis cringes as he hears branches rubbing at the sides and rocks flicking at the undercarriage. Prompto does the same in beside him.
"We're almost to open road!" Prompto cheers. Leaning over he whispers to Noct, "Bet this baby is faster than the Regalia, huh Noct?"
Before Noct can respond to Prompto's not-so-subtle request to race, Ignis quips in from the front.
"Thought the idea was not to stand out."
Prompto shoves forward, biting back a squeak as they bounce and he hits his elbow. He puts on a smug face regardless.
"Can't get attacked if they can't catch us."
...
"I can't believe you guys won't give me the chance to drive the Star!" Prompto whines as he tightens his tie, "And why do we have to send it back so early?!"
Ignis tuts as he flattens the lapel on Noct's suit, "There is no way I am letting you chauffeur us on the last night that the car is under our care."
"Besides, Monica is taking Dustin and Talcott in it to Caem tomorrow. They need it. And they can keep it in storage there." Noctis adds. "Two birds with one stone."
Noct turns, showing off his dress suit. Ignis nods and Prompto sends him a deadpan look.
"We look like we are going to a funeral rather than a play."
"Hey." Noctis says. He did have to agree though, their almost entirely black outfits were more suited for pews than the nosebleed section.
"If Gladio can stand wearing a dress shirt for a few hours then I don't want to see either of you complaining." Ignis says, brushing non-existent wrinkles from Noct's shoulders.
"Let's just hope he saved us some seats." Noct comments.
The three make their way to the Star, piling in as the setting sun paints the sky red. Ignis drives them down the back roads into the thicker part of the city passed the power plant. Children play along the sides of the street and couples eat dinner outside on their porches.
"Nice night." Noctis idly comments, resting his chin in his hand.
Ignis hums in agreement, turning on his blinker and driving down an alley. They parallel park a short walk from the theater, and Noctis gets a face full of product-heavy hair in his face in return for helping Prompto climb out the backseat.
Gladio greets them at the door, pulling them in and away from the crowded entrance. He taps at Prompto, pulling his attention away from taking pictures of the fancy layout.
"Thought you guys would never show up." Gladio huffs, leading them up a set of red-carpeted stairs.
"Ignis took too long preening." Prompto snorts.
"Preening the two of you." Ignis tosses back none too pleasantly.
Noctis watches the back of Gladio's head - the other's hair is tied up neatly, reminding Noct of his 33 year-old self. Gladio pulls Noct out of his deja-vu by opening the door for him. Noctis ducks passed him, coming into a balcony overlooking the entire theater.
People sit around tables, with some groups standing and chatting around marble columns.
"This is where you will be sitting." Gladio says, pushing the three of them forward.
"Wait, what? Where are you going?" Prompto squawks.
"I upgraded Iris's and the Hester's tickets to get closer seating." Gladio points over the railing to a row close to the front of the stage, "We'll be down there if you need us."
Noctis gets the hint that that means 'don't bother us'. Smiling, Noctis waves him off, "Don't worry. Have fun."
Gladio nods back, the sincere look in his eyes all Noct needs. "Thanks."
They watch Gladio leave before turning to find a table. A waiter comes up to them, and while Ignis orders a drink he murmurs to them to avoid the food.
"It's obviously not fresh." He conspiratorially whispers.
Prompto scoffs, taking off his suit jacket and grabbing some cheese and crackers from the tray, "But it's free."
Ignis shrugs, turning his attention to the stage as the lights dim and conversations die.
The play begins - with the story being about a hero born from the blood of the Draconian and a mortal woman. Noctis pays more attention to the quips Prompto occasionally whispers, while the play was action-pack, he had read the fable as a child.
When the intermission eventually comes, Prompto spends his time in the bathroom and Ignis leaves to mingle in the atrium. Noctis, feeling lonely, moves to lean on the railing and look for Gladio and the others below. Spotting his Shield's broad back quickly, he watches their gentle interactions passively.
Prompto brushes his shoulder as he comes to lean with Noct.
"Dude." Prompto drawls, eyebrows pinched in irritation, "We lost our table."
Noctis turns to look, a groan rumbling from his throat.
Prompto continues, lowering his voice considerably, "Also, don't tell Iggy, but I think the cheese went bad."
"But it was free." Noctis smirks. Prompto frowns and goes slack in defeat. Ignis comes through the door right as the lights begin to dim again.
Table lost, they crowd around a column. Prompto leans against it, suit jacket draped over his crossed arms. Ignis quirks an eyebrow, opening his mouth in what was surely an 'I told you so' moment before closing it in mercy.
Roars echo through the theater, and Noctis feels a chill at seeing a stunningly realistic Cerberus prop roll across the stage. The three grow silent as they gain more investment in the actors.
Anxiety begins to pool in his stomach - the source originally unknown, Noct begins to associate it with the hero of the story as he slays one beast to the next. His muscles tense when the hero continues unquestioning of each task before him.
Finally coming to stand before a daemon, the hero raises his sword. Noctis sucks in a breath.
Sword piercing the figure before him, the hero cries out in agony as he realizes it was his wife. Tricked into believing his beloved was a monster, the hero holds her pale form. Knuckles white as he watches the scene, Noctis fails to notice the lights flicker. He fails to notice the thunder rumble in the distance.
No one notices, and suddenly, Noctis can't breathe.
"Gah!" Prompto cries unexpectedly and tosses his jacket over Noct's head.
"Ignis - his eyes!" Prompto hurriedly whispers. Before Noct can yank the jacket off his head, Ignis is moving it out of his face.
In the darkness of the theater, Noct's eyes glow with an unearthly red tint.
Eyes widening, Ignis puts his hand on Noct's head to lower it and keep it covered. He quickly pulls them out of the theater, hand a steady presence to keep Noct from looking up.
Prompto sends a quick text to Gladio, and Noctis keeps his eyes averted from the gazes of those in the lobby. Ignis unconsciously forces his head lower and quickens their pace.
People take cover from the sudden rain under awnings and in doorways as the three step outside. They hurry through the onslaught of rain back to their car, Ignis only allowing Noct to take off the jacket once he shuts the passenger door.
Eyes returning to normal, Noctis cannot bear to meet their gazes. The Star of Lucis sits silently in its spot, condensation fogging up the windows.
It's quiet for a long moment, only being disturbed as Ignis starts the engine.
"You almost summoned." He ventures.
Noct, feeling queasy, digs the heels of his hands into his eyes and tugs at his hair. "I didn't mean to." He pleads.
They fall quiet, the patter of rain doing nothing to drown out the awkward silence.
Noct's hands tremble the whole way home.
Thank you very much for reading!
I have really been looking forward to this chapter for a while- even though nothing of note really happens, it's the chapter that gets the ball rolling. Upcoming chapters will be violent with a dash of angst on top~
I'm starting full fledged on my thesis now, but I have less class hours. At the moment I would assume updates will continue at the same pace. But I want to thank you guys so much for the patience! I just got back from the excursion (found alot of cool stuff - Triceratops bones, teeth, ribs etc!) and it is very nice to come back to you guys!
I hope to see you guys again soon!
Thanks for reading, you guys are awesome!