CHAPTER 1: SIMPLY MYSTERIOUS!

I sat back in my chair as the men around me was in deep conversation. How incredibly boring! Listening to their mindless dribble. It was too easy, these mere puppets have done everything I needed them to do. My plan was falling into place. Just over a week ago Insomnia had fallen as too had their beloved King Regis. Alas! One more king had fallen, just one more to go. And then the wretched bloodline of the Caelum would disappear.

"Chancellor, I would much prefer yourself to take upon this mission. I believe only you can discover what the reason is behind this anomaly."

I would like to point out I was paying attention to the five men before me, over these many, many years I have come quite exceptional at listening to mindless dribble while looking interested and all the while I'd be deep in thought.

"If the great Emperor of Niflheim wishes me to go I shall go beyond yonder!" I replied dramatically I have a flare for the dramatics.

"Good. Then take your leave. I will not be providing any of men as we need all the power we have here." Croaked the old Emperor.

Listen to me calling the Emperor old! I'm old but physically speaking these long years had been much kinder to me. Before I could stand that blasted Verstael "creator" of the magitek infantry spoke up.

I say "creator" as the magitek indeed was not this idiots creations, I had learnt and created many things these long years. All I had to do was spoon feed this idiot and allowed him to think it was all him.

"With all due respect you majesty we cannot expect the Chancellor to go alone. What is happening up North is more than just a anomaly. I should go with him as I have much expertise in the abnormal."

"My dear Verstael has no need to worry for myself! Our people need you! With so many so sick and yet we have no idea why? What does his majesty say?" I knew full well Verstael had no concern for my well being he just wanted to get out of the city as many of the population was now infected and it was doomed.

"The Chancellor shall be fine. He defeated the glacian by himself and furthermore you're needed here as wasn't you saying yesterday that you was close to a cure? So many people have disappeared and countless demons have shown up. Making it unfortunate for the Chancellor to have to travel alone. As all my men are needed here." The Emperor said angrily and shot an accusatory glare at Verstael.

I smiled to myself. The horde of demons I had infested the city and those that had managed to survive the demons, I infected them with the very thing that I used to heal the inflicted from and yet to my amusement the fools had not realised which seemed to me incredibly obvious that no one had realised yet that the missing people was not missing they had become demons themselves. Which the empire was endlessly fighting against, a foolish battle that would be the empires demise very soon.

"I shall take my leave." I stood took of my fedora and bowed to the Emperor. As I begun to walk away. Ravus stared at me as I walked past him.

"I expect you to find and to bring whatever back that is keeping away the demons Chancellor."

I turned and bowed once more to the emperor and I left the great room. I had every intention of finding out what was happening and destroying it.

It had taken two days to arrive north and it hadn't taken me long to find where the strange occurrences where happening as there was no demons. And it was dark. I stood around waiting nothing. The snow lay on the ground, yet it wasn't cold and I know the cold doesn't affect me but I feel it and it truly was not cold. It was shockingly warm. I walked around hoping to find something. After over three hours of travelling around on foot and no encounter with those pesky demons. The snow deserted land I found a glistening light in the sky beckoning me to come forth. As I walked towards it. There lay a cave. I walked in.

Hmm this seems arrogant doesn't it? The many, many years of life and the countless battles. It takes a lot to shock me. The last time I was genuinely shocked was when my dear brother betrayed me but listen to me pouring out my demonic tainted heart! Back to the story and to see yours truly be genuinely shocked.

I walked into the cave. How fascinating! The cave entirely was emerald green. No fascinating objects lay in here apart from strange writing on the wall. And I knew many, many languages but not this one and I couldn't even decipher any of it. I begun to feel strange, not like when the silly glacian had frozen me but I felt younger this may sound strange to tho but having countless of demons in within your body can be quite draining. I felt a little uneasy but continued to walk. As I went further down the cave, the writings on the walls begun to shine, I truly wished I knew what it said. I wanted to stand and try and decipher the writings but something was beckoning me forward. So I continued down, the cave seemed to become an incredible brighter green of emerald. Not so far a head a small brightly blue pond. I went further to inspect and as I looked down into the water I stepped back in shock at my reflection. My hair had turned back to its original colour, black and I looked younger. I know this may come a surprise to you but I was much better looking before my fall from grace. I used to convince myself that the healing and purging the demons had taken a toll on my looks but deep down I knew over wise. My body felt stronger.

"Ardyn! Ardyn you're here!" Said a deep well spoken voice. I looked a head of me and scrunched my face in puzzlement.

Across the lake sat what looked like a cat. It was small, its ears and eyes were much larger than a normal cat but this isn't what I found abnormal about it. It's long silky fur was dark purple and black that glistened and it had two tails. I knew it wasn't demonic.

"Well don't just stand there gaping! We've been waiting for you. Come!" The cat said and ran off. I shook my head in amazement and ran after it. As I caught up with it. I saw strange pictures depicted on the wall. One that I took notice off was a meteor falling into the ground where some people were fleeing and the other healing the land.

"As amusing I find this feline, what is going on? Are you the one purging the demons?"

The cat continued to run and said "Me? Purging the demons? Do you know how ridiculous you sound?"

I did want to say that the very notion of having a conversation with a two tailed cat was ridiculous in itself but we had come in a cave that was covered in green crystal. There in the middle of the cave was a woman chained to what looked like a crystal. I stood in amazement as it looked the exact same one as the crystal I needed Noctis to become one with. However I knew that one was in the heart of the empires city. The crystal looked like it was bleeding a thick black consistency oozed from the crystal. My attention turned to the woman. She was not conscious. I moved forward to look at her. Another oddity I had found. I couldn't make her out clearly as the crystal light was so bright. But I knew it was a woman, I could tell by the cuvuture of her body and her large breasts. I realised she was the one purging the demons. I drew my sword and as I did my body felt much weaker and though I couldn't see I knew my hair had turned back to purple red.

"Ardyn!" The cat ran forward then flames erupted around us. The flames didn't bother me nor did they seem to bother the cat or the woman.

"ENOUGH!" Bellowed the voice.

"I don't answer onto you Ifrit."

Ifrit walked towards me and said "This woman must not be harmed"

"Have you lost your nerve? My fiery friend?" I walked past him and my sword hit the chains releasing her I caught her in my arms and realised she wore no clothing I put my coat around her. I stared down at her flawless skin. Her blue hair cascading over her large breasts. She remained unconscious.

"This woman is healing you and therefore your true power is resurfacing."

My body felt warm, it felt stronger. As I held her in my arms effortlessly. I smirked to myself, you have no idea how good it felt to have my former strength retuned to me! My leg was no longer slightly bent or still. I felt young again.

"This woman is truly alike of our beloved mother Eos." Ifrit said solemnly.

We had both been staring at the woman mesmerised by her mystery and beauty that we had forgotten that damn feline. That had been quiet up until now that had burst into an extreme high pitch of laughter, the noise rang through my ears and as it laughed small rocks from the caves ceiling fell onto the ground.

"Ankhesenamon?Like Eos? Teehee! She's nothing like her* hiccup* Teehee! Firstly she's not even from this wretched planet."

Ifrit becoming frustrated with the two tailed cat, fired a fireball at the cat and yet it didn't run. It became engulfed by the flames but I knew that it wouldn't kill the damn thing. The flames burnt out and there it stood with a huge grin on its face.

"Are you trying to tell us your both aren't from Eos?"

"When's the last time you had a conversation in Eos with a cat, Ardyn?"

I clicked my tongue in annoyance and looked down at the woman in my arms and she still showed no sign of waking up. "How do you know my name?"

"Calm down your fire dog astral and I shall reveal all but first get me somewhere more comfortable, you will not believe the ordeal we have had."