"I'll be ok," Noctis said to the others as he stepped forwards. The Guard seemed confused but opened the gate and allowed Noctis entrance. At Noctis's heels was Carbuncle.
"The creature won't cause trouble?" the guard asked.
"Carbuncle's well behaved," Noctis said.
"From the way you're dressed, are you a fan of the King of Lucis?" the guard said. Noctis felt his cheeks heat up.
"Y-yeah, you could say that," he said. The First Secretary was waiting for him at the top of the staircase.
"I'm Camelia Claustra, First Secretary of Accordo," she said.
"Pleasure to meet you," Noctis said bowing at the waist.
"This is certainly a unique case, isn't it, Your Majesty?" she said. Noctis froze. Who didn't know at this rate! "It took a little bit of digging to figure out why it was your three retainers entered the city with a child that looked exactly like you. Then I heard tell of a daemon spell that had turned two Lucian Hunters back into children. I assure you, it's not a common rumor that you too are cursed, instead your cursed appearance has sparked rumors of a royal bastard your father accidentally sired."
"I had no intention of avoiding you, Madame Secretary," Noctis said.
"I understand. This condition isn't something you'd want an enemy to know about; and while we're not officially controlled by the empire, we're not free of their influence either. I will take you to the Oracle now," Secretary Claustra said. Noctis bowed his head in thanks and followed Secretary Claustra up the staircase and down the hall to where there was a pair of Altissian Guards. The stood down at the command of Secretary Claustra and she nodded to him before she walked away. Moment of truth. He opened the door.
"Are you the hunter—Noctis!" Luna was as beautiful in person as her portrait. No, she was far more beautiful in person and he….he was trapped in the form of the eight year old child she'd last seen him as. Carbuncle trilled and wound around Luna's ankles.
"Hello, Luna," Noctis said rubbing the back of neck, "I need your help."
"Think things are going well inside?" Prompto said as he leaned against a wall.
"One should hope," Ignis crossed his arms, "It's not like Noctis is completely without manners. He knows them, but he usually chooses to not use them."
"Or if he does use them, it's sarcastic," Gladio said.
"Since we are in foreign territory and are in need of aid, I am sure he will behave himself like the adult he should be," Ignis said.
"Otherwise all those lessons on diplomacy were a waste of time," Gladio said.
Luna knelt down in front of Noctis just staring at him. She raised her hands, they glowed a little but the glow died out quickly.
"This curse is unlike anything I've ever seen," Luna said, "I'm not sure if my powers can break it." Noctis looked down but Carbuncle hopped over with a chirp. Noctis's phone buzzed and he showed the message to Luna.
I can boost your magic, if that will help! Luna looked at Carbuncle with a gentle smile on her face.
"That's kind of you, but I have yet to figure out how to even go about getting the spell to break," Luna said.
I helped Noctis by boosting his magic enough overcome the curse, but it only lasted five minutes.
"That would be a way of trying to remove the curse, sheer brute force, but if the results are temporary, I'm not sure if that will help," Luna said.
"It might, though. My magic isn't mean for healing on its own; it's suited to fighting. Your magic helps people, and heals them," Noctis said.
"You may have a point, Noctis, but I've never seen such a strong daemon spell. We can try it, but I cannot promise that I can break it," Luna said.
"If you can't, we can't proceed with the rite. There's no way I can face Leviathan like this," Noctis clenched a fist and looking away.
"This is not your fault," Luna said. Noctis looked up sharply. "I doubt you went up to this daemon and asked it to curse you. No matter what happens, you will fulfill your destiny. I'll help you, just as I promised when we were small." Noctis felt some tears well up.
"Thanks," he said wiping them off. Carbuncle chirped and Luna took a clearing breath. "I'm ready," she said.
Carbuncle leapt up into the air glowing brightly. The glow transferred to Luna and Carbuncle gave a bow before disappearing in a burst of glittering lights. Luna held her hands out; Noctis copied her. She gripped his hands and focused. Golden light surrounded them both as a dark energy crackled and danced across Noctis's skin. The light grew brighter; the crackles began to make arcs between Luna and Noctis. Noctis reached for his own magic to try to help. The magic grew brighter and brighter until it flashed. Noctis looked down at himself and he was an adult again! He was also wearing his adult sized fatigues. Thank the Six. That could have been awkward.
"Luna, are you alright?" He asked checking on her. She nodded and allowed him to help her stand.
"I'm a bit tired, but I will be fine. Here, before you go, take this," Luna slipped something into his palm and closed his fingers over it. The Ring of the Lucii. He nodded and slipped it into a pocket.
"Are you going to be alright for tomorrow?" Noctis asked, "Really. You look pale."
"I am fine. I promise," Luna said with a weak grin. Noctis pulled a potion out and offered it to her.
"I'm afraid only rest will help me, but I appreciate the gesture," Luna said shaking her head.
Noctis exited the room nodding to the guards who did a double take whenever Noctis walked past them. Secretary Claustra appeared as he reached the entrance to the estate.
"It would appear Lady Lunafreya was able to fix your condition after all," she said.
"Yes. Thank you for allowing me to see her," Noctis said bowing at the waist.
"Come by tomorrow morning and we will discuss things before the speech. Bright and early," Secretary Claustra said. Noctis nodded politely despite his hatred of mornings.
"Would seven in the morning be good?" he asked.
"Seven would be excellent. I bid you good night, Your Majesty," Secretary Claustra said.
"Good night, Madame Secretary," Noctis said. He exited the front doors and walked through the yard to the gates where Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio still waited.
"Dude! You're you again!" Prompto said.
"We have to be here tomorrow at seven for negotiations with Secretary Claustra," Noctis said.
"I will make sure we are ready to go," Ignis said.
"Does it have to be early?" Prompto whined.
"If we want her help, it does," Gladio said.
"I don't like this either, but the less people we have to fight, the better," Noctis said.
Noctis didn't want to wake up but Ignis was persistent. So, Noctis rolled out of bed and went about a morning routine and barely remembered to grab the adult sized clothes, even though he'd only been a kid for just under a week.
"Your suit, Noctis. This is a negotiation with a head of state not a cup noodle vendor," Ignis said. Noctis rolled his eyes. He'd have to change later, then. Once he was fully dressed, Ignis attacked his hair with a comb and set about taming it.
"You're going to have to forego your spikes for now," Ignis said, "Or it'll clash terribly." Great, something else to do later. Noctis bolted down some of the room service from the Leville Gladio had ordered when he'd been up at the ass-crack of dawn. The trek to the First Secretary's estate seemed to be less crowded than before, likely due to the fact it was six thirty in the morning. They didn't stick out much and the guards were expecting them. Noctis was lead to an office where Secretary Claustra was waiting for him.
"How did it go, Noct?" Ignis asked.
"We've got her blessing and her help, but you three have to be on evacuation duty," Noctis said as he unbuttoned the jacket of the suit, "You three are to head to the Estate in an hour to be sent to your areas. I'm supposed to be there too so I can get apprised of where I'm needed to be for all of this. Luna's speech is at 9, and she's going to start the rite afterwards."
"Looks like we have our marching orders. Will you be ok without us?" Gladio said.
"I'll handle it," Noctis said. The others gave him a look. "Some of the tactics I had to learn whenever I was turned back into a kid are probably going to be useful for fighting Leviathan."
"That was actually fairly intelligent of you," Ignis said. Noctis gave Ignis a withering stare. Once they reached the Leville, Noctis made a beeline for their hotel room's bathroom and was out five minutes later, hair spiked and fatigues in place.
"Glad I snapped a pic when I had the chance," Prompto said. Noctis rolled his eyes and checked over their inventory. Everything was in order.
"Noct, you in position?" That was Prompto.
"Yeah. You guys too?" Noctis asked.
"Of course." Ignis, concise as ever. The crowds were large in front of the Cathedral. Had circumstances been different, there would be a very different ceremony he'd have been taking part of here. Instead, he had to deal with reality and the hand dealt to him. So, he began to push his way through the crowds, largely unknown by the people there, but a few kids dressed as himself and Luna looked up with wide eyes. A quick finger across his lips kept them from making a scene. He made it closer to the front as the cheers rang out. Luna had emerged and approached her podium.
"Dear friends, I stand before you today with little hope these words I speak shall reach beyond these walls. For slowly but surely the Light fades from our world and as it does, the shadows loom every longer until all succumbs to the darkness. Darkness that evokes terror, hatred, and sorrow in the hearts of men. The ashes of Lucis…A dream of peace twisted into a nightmare of death and destruction, claiming innumerable lives, and leaving a myriad of souls to suffer."
"Luna…." Noctis had almost forgotten that Luna had been there the day Insomnia fell.
"Yet I beg you, do not surrender to despair. Have faith for our gods watch over us. By their blessings, by the Stars that light the heavens above, our world will be delivered from the perils of the dark. I stand before you here, in Altissia, to call upon Leviathan, Goddess of the Seas, spirit of the Deep. By the sacred rite, I will commune with the Hydraean. But first I offer you my solemn vow. On my honor as Oracle, I will not rest until the darkness is banished from our world and the Light is restored. Bless you all." They made eye contact. She nodded at him and he nodded back. It was time to get into secondary positions. Noctis had to find his way as close to the altar as possible so that he could try to get to Leviathan first. Before the Nifs ruined everything. There was a wetness on his face. He'd been crying? He wiped it away. Time to move.
"But Mommy! I really did see Prince Noctis!"
"I'm sure you did, dear."
"But he's right there!" Noctis glanced over and saw it was a the little boy from yesterday who'd told him his spikes were wrong. He kept going, though the whispers spread like wildfire.
"Prince Noctis? Here? But why?"
"Could it be, Lady Lunafreya is doing the rite because he's here?"
"Prince Noctis in Altissia!"
"I thought I saw someone whose costume looked a bit too good. It must be the real Prince Noctis! He's probably here to reunite with Lady Lunafreya!"
"It's so tragically romantic!"
Noctis had better things to dot than stand and listen to the people, but at least there weren't any lines as ridiculous as that one from yesterday. Chances were he'd have burst out laughing at it. Again.
MP: Hello! I didn't forget but I didn't update earlier today because I got sidetracked by life (kittens refusing medicine).
Up Next: Noctis vs Leviathan