Ignis parked the Regalia just by a large swamp, where Iris could recognize the outline of some ruins.
The four friends walked through the swamp, Prompto the only one speaking to complain about the amount of bugs buzzing around.
Halfway to the ruins, they were met by none other than Chancellor Ardyn Izunia himself, his usual sly smirk on his face.
As he had done other times before, the mysterious man working for the Empire offered to help them by letting them in. Iris followed the others, wondering why that man, who was supposed to be their archenemy, was so willing to help them.
She didn't like him one bit, and she almost yelled at Prompto when she saw the blond photographer speed up to walk side by side with Ardyn. The guy trusted others way too easily, and Iris bitterly thought that habit might get him in serious troubles someday.
They arrived at the entrance to the ruins, blocked by some Imperial guards and a beautiful woman with silver hair. To her surprise, Noctis and the others seemed to know her.
She introduced herself as High Commodore Aranea Highwind, and announced she would be the one escorting them through the dungeon for their "special training". Iris supposed Ardyn had come up with some kind of story to convince the rest of the soldiers the four friends were not fugitives from Insomnia that they had been so desperate to track down and kill.
"If you're looking to get inside, you'll have to wait" she said suddenly when Ignis began walking toward the entrance door. The spectacled man turned around to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Aranea simply smirked.
"There's a way in. I can sniff it!" Prompto intervened, while turning his head left and right to locate the entrance.
"The Empire sniffed it out ages ago. Wait 'til nightfall, shortcake" the Commodore retorted.
Iris almost laughed when she saw Prompto frown and mutter "shortcake?"
It was still relatively early, so they all sat on some large boulders, either discussing their chances to find the legendary mythril, or playing King's Knights.
Iris didn't interact much: she simply observed while Noctis and Prompto played on their phones and Ignis and Aranea discussed a plan, before the couples swapped so that Noctis and Ignis were left talking, and Prompto grabbed his camera to snap his first selfie with Aranea.
"For the love of the Six, that guy's got trust issues!" Iris thought angrily.
Time went by slowly, but finally Iris could see the sun setting over the horizon. Aranea stood up first, leading them to the tall stone door which was indeed opening as darkness fell over them.
They all stepped in, descending the many staircases leading deep down the dungeon.
"Man, how far does this go?" Prompto complained at the sight of one more flight of stairs "The people that lived here must have been fit".
"Yup, take example" Noctis mocked him.
They made their way through the dark dungeon, their path illuminated only by the flashlights they were carrying.
"Hey, look up!" Prompto suddenly shouted, startling everyone. The others did as the gunslinger had told them to, and were marveled at the sight of…
"Water! Wait, does this mean…. we're underwater?" the blond photographer continued in disbelief.
"The hell is this place?" Noctis was just as surprised and fascinated as the others.
"Whoa! There's even fish! Gladio is seriously missing out" Prompto exclaimed cheerfully.
Iris missed the rest of their conversation as she was too compelled staring at Prompto: the waves of water flowing above them were mirroring their soothing movement on his face and in his eyes, which now looked brighter than ever as they were projecting the color of the waves.
"Onward!" Ignis' voice brought her back to reality, and the party kept moving forward, eventually fighting their way through Daemons. Iris could only watch as the four of them fought, impressed at Aranea's unbelievable style. Had she not been the Imperial Commodore, Iris would have loved having her as a permanent member in their group, as she seemed to work perfectly with the rest of them and even jumped in front of Noctis, Ignis or Prompto multiple times to intercept an attack and effectively saving them.
Aranea gave the younger girl a weird look, as if wondering why someone like her, obviously not trained to fight, was on such a dangerous journey with the prince and the Crownsguards, but the woman didn't say anything. Iris's sixth sense was telling her Aranea was not who she seemed to be, and many times the young girl was surprised by the other lady's distaste for the Empire's methods and plans.
At a certain point, Iris could swear she'd heard the Commodore say she was considering quitting the army and going back to being a mercenary.
They eventually arrived at a spacious room at the very bottom of the dungeon, mirroring the water still hovering above their heads.
"Large room… There's sooo gonna be a big nasty here" Prompto said with a knowing expression, before turning to Iris with a smirk "I've played way too many video games to be fooled by this. Lots of space equals big, bad guy".
Indeed, Iris heard the roaring sound of a dragon, flying straight toward them. And it looked angry.
"Told ya" the photographer grinned while summoning his guns and running to the center of the room with the others.
"Iris, take cover!" Ignis ordered from afar.
She could only do as she was told, watching the others fight the majestic creature from the top of the stairs. She observed how Noctis teleported around the room, trying to find a weak spot, Aranea and Ignis fighting close to each other, and Prompto running around, jumping and rolling on the stone floor while shooting at their foe.
She desperately wanted to help her friends but knew that, even though Aranea seemed nice enough, she was not to be trusted for she remained the Imperial High Commodore and, therefore, the young girl could not use the power of the Quicksilver.
"Hey, Blondie!" Noctis shouted.
"Ehm, that's… me, I guess?" Prompto replied frowning confused, but put himself in position and aimed his right gun at the dragon, which had now targeted Aranea. He carefully watched the monster's movements before pulling the trigger, hitting it straight in the back of its head.
"Nice work, Prompto!"
"That was incredible!"
Prompto was so overwhelmed by his excellent shooting that his eyes went wide and he asked incredulous "Did I do that?"
The dragon had fallen to the floor, not dead yet but so stunned that it was impossible for it to put up a fight as its body was now completely exposed to a deadly attack.
The four of them finished it off quickly, and were rewarded with the mythril ore in its full glory.
Iris was so happy she ran toward them all, a huge smile on her face and, without thinking, jumped on Prompto and put her arms around him in a tight embrace.
The gunslinger was so surprised by her sudden gesture that he froze for a few instants, without knowing what to do. He sent a desperate look for help in Noctis's direction, and the prince smirked slyly and nudged him in the side to encourage him to hug her back. He shyly obliged, wrapping his arms around her waist. Iris's heart felt like exploding at the touch, not caring about three more pairs of eyes fixed on them.
When Prompto tenderly let go of her, Aranea was smirking contentedly.
"Heaven knows we need some love in this world".
When they emerged from the ruins, the sun was up in the sky: they had been in the dungeons all night, and the daylight made the five of them wince in discomfort as it blinded them after hours spent in the dark.
"Listen, Commodore"
"Aranea"
Prompto knew she was working for the Empire, he knew she was to be considered an enemy despite the fact she had been extremely friendly and cooperative. But so was Ardyn, and he was the damn Chancellor! And yet, the gunslinger couldn't help but trust her somehow. She had kind eyes, and seemed to like him back. And so, he thought this was his only chance to ask someone close to the Empire the question he had been willing to find an answer to since he was a small child.
"You said the Empire uses Daemons to make "weapons"?"
"Listen, you've seen Magitek troopers, right?" Aranea replied, somewhat expeditiously.
"MTs" Noctis joined the conversation, interested in the topic. Iris and Ignis were also listening intently.
"They're born from Daemons, in a lab" Aranea explained, her expression turning serious.
"'Born from Daemons'…" Prompto quoted in a whisper. Iris didn't miss how he seemed to be deep in thought now, his expression turning dead serious.
"Darkness is coming. If I were you, I'd watch my princely ass… ugh, kingly ass!" Aranea continued, while walking back to the Imperial soldiers still patrolling the swamps.
"You may have been hired under false pretenses, but your assistance was invaluable all the same" Ignis told her.
It was so strange to hear Ignis compliment someone, particularly the Imperial Commodore, that his friends couldn't help but turn to look at him in disbelief. Ignis chose to ignore them, putting on his impassible mask as usual.
"Hmph. Tell me something I don't know. You can spare me the pleasantries" Aranea commented but, even with her helmet on, Iris could tell she was flattered. Blushing, even?
"Noct, I have just received a message from Cindy" Ignis said when his phone buzzed "She said we are to head to Lestallum first. There is a friend of hers working at the power plant who can help us with the mythril".
"I can take you there with my ship, but no further" Aranea offered, indicating a large, red ship hovering over them.
They all boarded it, together with the Regalia and, a couple of hours later, they were landing in Lestallum, the city silent in the night.
Gladio was waiting for them at the power plant, a new and larger scar on his forehead. However, he refused to explain how he had gotten it. He was busy talking to a woman wearing an ugly suit. Cindy's friend and ore expert.
She gladly offered her help, saying she owed Gladio one, and so the newly-reunited friends were ready to go back to Caem.
However, they decided it was too late and too dark to head straight back to Caem, and so they rented two hotel rooms and collapsed onto their own beds.
Iris had been half asleep during most part of their car ride back to Caem, where they were welcomed by Talcott as always and, to everyone's surprise, Cor.
The former Kingsglaive looked haunted, as if he desperately needed to get something off his chest, but remained silent during most part of the day.
Cid had immediately offered to work on the boat, now that they had the mythril ore with them.
So each one of the five friends resolved to kill some time by either playing cards (Ignis and Gladio), or napping (Noctis), or taking pictures (Prompto) or twiddling with the Quicksilver (Iris).
It was around lunchtime that they heard Cid's voice call for them. They all walked to the basement where Cid had established a small workshop. The old man was sitting on the couch, Cor standing not too far behind him, and both men were staring at an old picture of King Regis and his best friends on their road trip, all those years ago.
"Something I gotta get off my chest".
Everyone's attention turned to Cor, who suddenly spoke looking straight into Noctis's eyes.
"I'm sorry. Sorry I wasn't there for your father".
It was so heartfelt that no one managed to say anything to comfort the marshal. He had evidently been keeping it inside for too long, trying to deal with the loss of his best friend as well as failing his most vital task.
"Ain't nothin' nobody could've done to stop what happened" Cid suddenly commented "But you, prince Noctis, need to realize just what you mean to the boys –and the girl- by your side. Remember, those ain't your bodyguards. They're your brothers and sister"
Cid's tone turned somewhat bitter, but it was firm and determined to make the message clear for the prince. "Trust in 'em. Always".
Those simple words definitely had a huge impact on Noctis, who turned to his friends and gave them a silent "thank you".
They only had time to eat a sandwich for Ignis had insisted they departed as quickly as possible.
Iris wasn't too hungry anyway: she was way too excited to travel to a whole new continent. She had heard Altissia was incredibly beautiful and different from Lucis.
She climbed on board with the help of her brother, while Cid went ahead and sat in the front to take control of the boat.
The weather was perfect for sailing: the sun was shining bright in the clear sky, and the sea was calm and peaceful. Iris watched as Prompto eagerly took pictures of the wonderful view all around them, apparently as excited as she was to explore a totally new place.
It was a long boat ride to Altissia but enjoyable indeed. They all sat, enjoying the warm breeze and chatting cheerfully about the upcoming wedding. Iris noticed how natural it now felt to talk about Noctis' and Luna's wedding, and how it didn't seem to hurt anymore. Noctis, who had initially been so unwilling to discuss it with the others, could barely hide his excitement to finally meet his soulmate after ten long years.
When Cid finally announced Altissia was just around a tall chain of mountains, they all stood up and rushed to take the first glimpse of the city. They weren't disappointed as the sight awaiting them was breathtaking.
The whole city, which was maybe as large as the crown city, was built on water, surrounded by waterfalls and mountains. Cid let the boat naturally follow the course of water until it stopped at the harbor.
They were so lost in the city's beauty they barely noticed they had arrived at the customs clearance point, and needed to declare the reason of their stay.
Once Noctis was done taking care of that, the five friends were finally free to step into the bustling city.
There were so many flights of stairs, kiosks, shops and people that it was impossible to take it all in. They stared in awe as residents and tourists moved from one place to another on gondolas, ate colorful ice-creams and sat at the tables enjoying a drink or an exotic-looking meal.
"Where do we go?" Prompto asked, obviously tempted to start snapping away but too confused to know where to start.
No one could answer his question, as they got distracted by a radio plying from inside a nearby bar, and which was broadcasting the latest news. They could faintly hear the newscaster's voice announcing Lady Lunafreya soon making a public appearance to deliver a speech.
"Boys" Cid's voice chimed in "…and girl" he added, when Iris gave him an annoyed look "I'ma gonna head back soon. Make sure y'all hit my buddy Weskham's bar, he'll give ya more instructions".
Cid bid them goodbye and good luck, and the five friends started exploring the huge city, marveling at its narrow alleys, the different types of flowers decorating the walls, the architecture… It was so incredibly romantic, particularly when dusk began to fall over them. In the evening, with all the cozy lights on, the city looked even prettier. Iris blushed at the thought of taking a walk around with Prompto alone, but she would never dare to ask him.
Ignis and Noctis were speaking to a gondola worker to rent one, so that they could cross the river and reach the part of the city which was only accessible by water. The man merrily accompanied them and, soon, they found themselves at a small, but cozy open-space with a restaurant and bar service. The man running its business, Weskham, recognized them immediately and greeted them warmly, even offering them one of his finest dishes.
They listened as Noctis asked Weskham about the Empire which, apparently, was now eager to conquer Altissia too despite its independence.
They eventually changed topic to eventually discuss about Luna's fate. The Oracle was hiding somewhere in the city, preparing herself to summon Leviathan.
"I wonder: if the Empire knows the Hydraen will wreak havoc, why would they allow the rite to proceed?" asked Weskham "Oh, my dear Camelia".
They all turned to look in the same direction as Weskham just in time to see a middle-aged woman approach them.
"Good evening, everyone. My name is Camelia Claustra, First Secretary of the Accordo Protectorate" the woman introduced herself, before turning her attention to Noctis "You should know we have Lady Lunafreya in our care, and the Empire demands we surrender her. Yet, I am loath to acquiesce unless we stand to profit. Hence, I've come to discuss terms with the King of Lucis. If you've a mind to talk, come to my estate tomorrow".
With that, the woman turned on her heels and left with her guards, leaving them wondering what that was all about.
"She can be oblique at the best of times, but I assure you her heart is in the right place" Weskham said with a smirk "I suggest you all go to bed now. You must be weary after your journey, and you can think about what to do tomorrow morning".
"Yeah, we'll do that" Noctis agreed.
They all headed back to the other side of the river, discussing about their recent encounter with the First Secretary.
"Do you think Luna is in good hands with her?" Prompto asked worried.
"She looks authoritative indeed, but I have a good feeling about her" Ignis replied "I am quite sure she's not too fond of the Empire herself".
"Who is? They're trying to take over Accordo too!" Gladio intervened "Those bastards!"
"Language, Gladio! You're in the presence of a lady!" Prompto teased him.
"She's my sister"
"So what? She's still a girl"
"Yeah, 'cause girls never curse"
Iris rolled her eyes at the friendly bickering and smiled.
When the gondola finally stopped, Noctis was yawning soundly.
"I could fall asleep right here" he said.
"Better not" Ignis retorted "You'd wake up all dirty and with a backache. Let's head to the hotel".
"But I'm not tired yet!" Prompto protested "I wanna take more pictures of the city at night!"
"Then you do that" said Gladio "Just make sure you don't get lost".
"Can I come too?"
Everyone turned to Iris with a look of surprise on their faces which made her blush.
"I-I'm not tired, either!" she justified herself. In reality, she could sleep immediately, but she desperately wanted to enjoy the sight of the romantic city with Prompto, and that sounded like the perfect opportunity.
"Ehm, of course you can" Prompto said, sounding a bit unsure.
Ignis, Noctis and Gladio all bid them goodnight –Gladio eying Prompto suspiciously, making the younger boy cringe slightly, before leaving- and Prompto and Iris began walking in silence.
Iris could tell that Prompto was not particularly happy at the idea of being left alone with her once again, and the same feeling of being rejected and avoided assailed her. Why was he being so weird around her? Teasing her first, and then keeping his distance? He was changing his mind so fast, it gave her headache.
"If you'd rather be alone, I can go. It's ok" she said with a smile, to point out she wouldn't be offended.
"N-not at all! I enjoy your company!" the blonde said quickly, almost stumbling over his own words.
"Look!" he exclaimed after a few moments of awkward silence "They've got Chocobo-themed ice-creams! We gotta check it out!"
He was already running toward the ice-cream van and consulting the list of available flavors on the menu.
"I'll go for a coffee and chocolate one! Then you get a Chocobo-shaped cookie on top" he said happily "What do you want?"
"Uh? Oh, I-uhm…" Iris stuttered, before quickly reading the menu "Wild berries and lime".
Prompto nodded and placed the order, paying for both of them as it was his custom.
"You shouldn't always be the one paying" she protested when the photographer had promptly refused the money she was trying to hand over to him.
"It's nothin'" he shrugged his shoulders, before grabbing the ice-creams offered by the vendor.
They walked up and down several flights of marble stairs while enjoying their sweets and the warm breeze. Even at night, the city was bustling with people, all sitting at romantic-looking restaurants, bars or simply shopping.
"I suppose it's kinda like Insomnia here, eh?" Prompto said after a long while "Shops open all day and night and stuff".
"Yeah" Iris agreed "I could get used to living here. It's so incredibly romantic!"
"Knew you'd say that!" he chuckled.
"I'm a girl!"
"And I'm a boy. Still, I find this city very romantic too".
Iris blinked a few times. She had always imagined Prompto to be the romantic type, but it was weird to hear him admit it.
"It's getting quite late" Prompto hinted "But it's really appealing to stay up so late here in Altissia. It's better at night than in the morning, wouldn't you agree?"
"Absolutely!" Iris nodded enthusiastically "And there's so much to see! It's like you discover something new behind every corner!"
Prompto had now finished his ice-cream and proceeded to grab his camera, taking pictures of the city's beautiful scenery.
"I'll never get enough of this" he said softly, his eyes fixed on the starred sky "Had the circumstances been different, I'd probably never want to come back home".
Iris knew what he meant, because she felt the same way. It was appealing to explore new places and living an adventure, but the circumstances didn't make it feel quite as fun. And they were all worried about the fate of their friends and families back in Insomnia.
"Are you worried about your parents?" she asked softly.
"Well, of course! I do hope they made it out alive. Though I wonder if I'll ever see them again" he answered a bit sadly "But I am sure they're still alive, hiding somewhere and waiting for us to come and save the day!"
Iris admired Prompto for his optimism: even when all hope seemed to be lost, he still managed to muster a smile on his face and encourage the others. He was the most positive person she had ever met, and couldn't help but smile back at his enthusiasm.
They eventually decided it was best to head to the hotel. It was getting really late, and Ignis didn't like it when they woke up after the alarm clock had gone off.
It wasn't easy to find the way, as the city itself resembled a maze but, with some patience and asking some passersby, they managed to arrive safe and sound at a luxurious-looking hotel, where their rooms had already been paid for.
"Well, thanks for letting me join you on your little quest!" Iris smiled warmly.
"Hey, anytime! And thanks for keeping me company, I had lots of fun" he nodded, rubbing the back of his head. They both stood in front of each other, one hand closed around the handle of their respective doors.
"Right" Prompto said blushing slightly "Good night, Ir! See you tomorrow"
And with that, he quickly disappeared into his hotel room, leaving Iris with a strange sense of emptiness in the pit of her stomach.
Aha! I simply love when, in the game, Noctis calls Prompto "Blondie" and Prompto replies with that uncertain "That's me, I guess?" xD Cracks me up all the time, so I had to put it somewhere in my story! I do believe the English dubbing for this game is brilliant: hats off to the whole cast ^^
Next Chapter: Iris wants to learn how to defend herself in battle. Prompto agrees to train with her. The trial of Leviathan.