The last preparations filled the house and light house with a flurry of activity. Noctis helped as best he could, but found he was more likely to get underfoot. He got out of the way and sat looking at the sky as it grew pinker. Sunrise.
"Come on, Noct!" Prompto was by the entrance. Noctis took one last look at Lucis. His homeland. He'd be back; he had a promise to keep, after all. Noctis walked into the lift and rode it down.
"Well, the Regalia's all loaded up," Iris said.
"Take care and if any more imperial air carriers come near here, get Talcott and get to Meldacio. Dave owes us more than a few favors," Gladio said.
"I'll keep that in mind," Iris said. As soon as Noctis reached the last step, he heard the faintest sound of footsteps.
"There's something I've got to get off my chest." Cor. When had he gotten back?
"What's that?" Noctis asked.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for your father. I swore an oath to protect the King and when the time came, I let him down."
"Ain't nothin' nobody could have done to stop what happened." Cid walked into view.
"Yea. I realize that," Noctis said looking to the side. He'd already been watching his father die the slow death of maintaining the Wall.
"But you need to realize just what you mean to the boys by your side."
"I do," Noctis said.
"Even if they can't solve your problems. You can't hide what's goin' on from 'em. It hurts like Hell. Remember—those ain't your bodyguards, they're your brothers. Trust in 'em. Always." Cid nodded to them and Noctis swallowed back a lump. He was definitely more emotional like this.
"One last picture before we go?" Prompto asked. Everyone nodded. He set up the tripod and the timer before he joined the group shot.
"You Majesty, you are going to come back soon, right?" Talcott said. This was the most formal Talcott had been since Noctis had been turned into a kid.
"Of course. I promised, didn't I?" Noctis said.
"What're you waiting for, an invitation? Get your asses on board!"
"Got to go!" Noctis said catching up with the others. Iris and Talcott ran to the edge of the loading dock and waved to them as the ship finally left the hanger bay. They were finally going out to sea. Finally on the way to get it all about and set things right. Finally on the way to see Luna.
Noctis laid down on a seat and looked up at the sky.
"Next time we step on land, we'll be in a foreign country!"
"Yes, the anticipation is certainly a foreign emotion," Ignis said.
"So next on the docket—Leviathan!" Prompto flopped down on the seats behind the one Noctis had laid on.
"What sort of deity are we dealing with here?" Gladio said.
"One that is said to embody the rage and roar of the sea," Ignis said.
"I guess we'll have to "sea" for ourselves," Noctis said.
"Can't let Lady Lunafreya do all the heavy lifting," Prompto said, "Though, I guess we're going to need to see her sooner rather than later if you want to stand a chance against Leviathan."
"We'll have to make sure she's ok before anything else," Noctis said.
"I don't like this going down on imperial turf. It'd be bad even if Noct wasn't cursed but now? If they realize—."
"They won't. It's not like this curse is common or anything," Noctis said sitting up, "If it were, maybe there'd have been a remedy or something for it."
"Do you guys really think Lady Lunafreya's in danger?" Prompto said.
"They did invade Lucis for the Ring, so it stands to reason," Ignis said, "I have no faith that their ruthless ambitions will stop short of harming the Oracle."
"Without the Ring, the Crystal is nothing more than a rock," Gladio said.
"How'd she even get the ring in the first place, you think?" Prompto said.
"His Majesty likely entrusted it to her at the Crown City," Ignis said.
"The ring's important, and so is Leviathan, but Luna comes first," Noctis said.
"I was thinking back to our encounter with Ravus," Ignis said. Noctis looked up at Ignis. "Do you recall that apparatus in place of his arm?"
"Yeah, I remember." Gladio looked over at Ignis.
"It seems he lost his old one during the invasion and gained a new power," Ignis said.
"Power?" Noctis said.
"That would help explain how a son of Tenebrae suddenly came to command Niflheim's army," Gladio said.
"Now that you mention it, his strength did seem sort of…supernatural." Prompto paused in his photo taking, "I just chalked it up to the Oracle lineage."
"His ancestry might be part of it, but that alone doesn't account for his freakish strength." Noctis nodded. Gladio had a point.
"There's a disturbing rumor about: It says that Lord Ravus has taken to brandishing about His Majesty's blade."
"My dad's!" Noctis had wondered what might have happened to the blade. Now he knew.
"Now whats the big idea behind that?" Gladio was just as upset.
"That his power is the same as the power of kings?" Prompto said.
"I cannot say for sure, but I have my doubts. Ravus wears the sword, but does not wield it," Ignis said. Noctis rolled his eyes. That's because only a Lucian royal can use the royal arms. With his father's death that sword had become one, just like his own blade would upon his death.
"For all his new found powers, he's still the chancellor's lapdog; holding on the the enemy king's sword like some badge of honor," Gladio said.
"It might help if we knew what he was after," Prompto said.
"Who can say," Noctis said.
"What are the odds the imperials will crash the pool party with Leviathan?" Prompto asked.
"Consider it a guarantee." Ignis said, "They felled a god to prevent Noctis from getting his blessing, they're likely to do so again."
"But we beat 'em to the big guy thanks to our friendly "guide."" Prompto said.
"Never know which way that one's gonna move next," Gladio said.
"The chancellor has an agenda all his own," Ignis said.
"Sometimes it helps—like when he called of his army and let us all escape," Prompto said.
"But he was still a creep about it," Noctis pointed out.
"Sometimes it feels like he's only helping us out because he wants something, but I just don't know what," Gladio said.
"Reckon we'll see him again?" Prompto said.
"Certainly hope not," Ignis said.
"Not your type?" Prompto said.
"No love lost for phonies," Gladio said.
"As Gladio said, his actions are motivated not by altruism, but by self-interest. And when he does come to our aid, I see only condescension in his eyes," Ignis said.
"Yeah, can't argue with that," Noctis said.
"Ever think you think too much?" Prompto said.
"It certainly beats the alternative," Ignis said.
Noctis dozed off while the others were ribbing Prompto.
"Asleep again," Ignis said.
"Yeah, but I can't blame him. It was an early start for him while he's like this," Gladio said.
"Think that Lady Lunafreya can fix him? Carryin' that ring ain't easy even for an adult. I'd hate to see how heavy that thing would be for a small fry to carry," Cid said.
"We can only hope Lady Lunafreya will be able to so something," Ignis said.
"Hope. Well, at least that's better than nothin'."
"Noct! Wake up, buddy, we've got a signal!" He opened his eyes.
"Delivering the address will be Lady Lunafreya, who was previously reported dead. This will mark her first public appearance since the violence that befell the signing ceremony."
"Lady Lunafreya's going to give a speech?" Prompto said.
"Sounds like it," Gladio said.
"Lord knows this world could use some wisdom," Cid said.
"It won't be much longer, Noct," Ignis said.
"Yeah," Noctis said. Altissia was beautiful. Like something out of a dream. The boat came to a stop near a guard stationed on the edge of the entry canal.
"Does this vessel have an entry permit?" he said. The group exchanged looks.
"Entry permit?" Prompo said.
"Relax. I got one," Cid said pulling out an old piece of paper.
"That's as old as they get, but it's in order; you may proceed." After they'd pulled ahead Cid looked back,
"What, you boys didn't think you can got from place to place without some papers did ya?"
"Prepared in advance?" Ignis said.
"Could say that, thirty some odd years ago," Cid said.
"So that's what he meant by "old."" Gladio said. They reached the entry docks.
"Admittance paperwork," A man said.
"More?" Noctis said.
"How much you boys got?" Cid said after a moment. Ignis handed Cid the gil once it dawned on him what was actually going on. It had cost 12,000 gil, but they were free to enter Altissia.
"Your best bet is to head to Maagho. Weksham, one of Reggie's former buddies, runs the bar there choosing to settle here instead of retuning to Lucis all those years ago. Well, all of y'all except Noctis. It's a bar, and kids can't be seen running around one of those," Cid said.
"How about if I stick with Noct, and you two go do your thing at the bar?" Prompto said.
"I'll be ok on my own," Noctis said.
"A kid just can't wander around without an adult. That looks odd," Gladio said.
"I'll really be glad when this is over," Noctis said. They split from Cid. Once they were further into the city, Noctis had to stop and stare after a couple of kids in black and white darted past.
"They're dressed up like—."
"Me," Noctis said.
"And Lady Lunafreya," Ignis said. There were a few pictures of Noctis in his Crownsguard fatigues here and there alongside Luna in her usual single-sleeved white dress. A few more steps down and there was a booth selling the costumes. The replica of his fatigues was so exact. Noctis didn't even realize he was staring at them until Ignis handed money over to the vendor.
"It's ok!" Noctis said.
"We have more than enough gil to spare, even after our earlier expenses," Ignis said as he took the clothes from the vendor and presented them to Noct, boots and all. "Do you know of anyplace he could change?"
"I have a stall behind me," the vendor said.
"Thank you," Noctis said inclining his head after Ignis shot him a look.
Noctis had to fix his hair after changing, but he almost felt like he was back to normal.
"Looking good!" Prompto said before he promptly snapped a photo.
"Almost back to your old self," Gladio said. Noctis smiled.
"Your spikes are wrong!" it was a passing kid, who was also wearing a replica of the fatigues, whose spiky mess of hair was nothing close to how Noctis styled his hair.
"They are not!" The laughter that erupted made him huff and cross his arms, which made it louder. Prompto was on his ass, Gladio was doubled over, and Ignis was barely keeping his dignity despite also laughing hard.
"Let's just get all of this done," Noctis grumbled.
MP: Any familiar dialogue is from the game and belongs to SE. Can anyone spot the very blatant reference to a cartoon in this chapter? :D