Prompt: #37 Beam
Summary: The final confrontation is here.
A/N: This is the 4th and final part of the story started in Chapter 35: Caecus. It was originally supposed to be 3 parts but has turned into 4. Inspiration is the movie LadyHawk.
Nitor is Latin for "glow, splendor, brilliance".
Nitor
After the way the morning had started, it hadn't been a surprise when Captain came bustling through the camp in as grouchy of a mood as he'd ever seen him in before. Captain had never really been grouchy, gruff yeah, but not grouchy and he was downright grouchy that morning. He'd understood, which was why he'd kept his trap shut the entire time Captain tore up their meager campsite looking for something. Even though he'd known all along what that something was, he hadn't uttered a peep in help. Priest and he'd been so miserable and cold at that point anyway that they'd just huddled closer to the fire and let the Prince tear stuff apart in his anger.
"Just tell me this," Captain said, after he'd searched through everything, three times. "Where is my broad sword?"
Well yeah, he had known what Captain had been searching for but that didn't mean he couldn't act clueless. Captain was out for blood after he'd just seen what he was forced to live without and he'd been beyond pissed off about being reminded of it now. He'd felt guilt at being responsible for being the one to shove it in his face like that too. It was them that had dug up that hole just so that he could see the Princess and she him within those brief seconds before they had both changed. That had been the point, but now he knew that'd been a stupid plan cause it'd only given Captain more impatience to get to Nihilsomno before they should. He'd looked angry enough to take on the entire Nihil army.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he'd grumbled unhappily as he'd huddled in his hooded cape.
"My broad sword, Mouse," replied Captain through gritted teeth. "The one I always leave for you at night."
"It slipped," he'd said as nonchalantly as he could. "You're going to have to do without it."
"You knew," growled Captain. "You knew why I needed it and you let it slip... on purpose."
"You'd only be going to your death, Captain," he'd cried back, turning to look at him finally. "You're no use to her dead."
"That is exactly why I need all my weapons," growled Captain again as he'd grabbed him by the cuff of his collar and pulled him bodily to his feet.
"You kill the Overlord before it's time you'll kill her too!" he's accused cause he'd be the one who would have to console the Princess when there was nothing that would if Captain died. "You might as well kill her and yourself because that's better than dying a meaningless death!"
Captain had been so angry at him within that moment he was sure he'd smack him into the next century. Fortunately, he'd lost his balance in the next moment and fell heavily onto his back. The impact was not a happy thing to begin with but this time, it was even more so since he'd been pretty cut up by Wolf the night before. He'd almost expected Captain to kick him but when he looked up, Captain was frowning at his chest. It was only then that he'd realized that his cape had fallen open and his fresh, red angry slashes were clearly visible.
"Where did you get those?" asked Captain, still frowning. He'd suddenly looked protective, even though he'd been about to hand him his hide a moment ago.
"He got those last night when he saved your life," grumbled Priest pointedly.
It was clear in that moment that Captain didn't remember things that happened in his wolf form, but he'd known from experience that even when they were in animal form, there was enough of themselves in there that they were equally protective of the other. They'd also been protective of him too since they'd recognized that he was a friend and not a foe. Captain was a fast thinker so it wasn't long before it looked like he had figured everything out. He must've realized then that he'd been lying in a pathetic version of a wolf trap that morning when he'd found himself lying next to Stella. The only logical explanation being that he and Priest had been behind the totally back fired plan that morning. There was no doubt that he'd put that much together when he'd looked at the both of them accusingly. As if they'd stabbed him by doing that and reminding him of something that's never left his mind to begin with. His look had been a little resentful and totally understandable. Taunting him with the reminder that the woman he loved was there, only he could not really have her as much as he wanted her.
That infinite compassion that he admired so much in Captain, was evident in the next instant when Captain had offered his hand to help him off the snowy ground and lifted him up again. Instead of giving him the smack he knew he deserved for torturing him has he had, he'd grabbed him by the ear none too gently and smiled. It wasn't painful, but it was enough to let him know he shouldn't do something like that ever again. But that he still liked him enough not to hit him for it. Noble man that he was and he couldn't help grinning in response to how easily he'd been forgiven.
"I owe you my life then, Mouse," Captain had said and then ruffled his hair. "I will show you idiots how to properly catch a wolf."
He's not sure if it was because they were stupidly transparent in their half baked plan to try and trap him as a wolf that Captain had put everything together so quickly. Even though he'd clearly not liked having to stall another day to at least give Priest's plan a chance, he'd still helped them figure out how to trap him in his wolf form. It made it possible for them to carry out said plot. Not that it'd been easy to trap Wolf even after Captain had explained everything but it'd been easier than it had been before. No dangerous collapsing ice which meant no freezing their fannies off after everything was said and done. Once Wolf had realized that Princess was coming with and she was not in any danger herself, he'd been pretty mellow in the small cage that they'd set him in on the Priest's cart. Not that he hadn't been alert cause he had. He'd just hadn't been growling at them every other second something fierce. Acerbus was tied to the side but neither beasts paid much mind to the other.
When they reached the outer gates of Nihilsomno, he'd slipped out of the cart from the side to reenter the way he had escaped the city before. It felt like things were coming full circle and to say he was a jumble of nerves was totally not enough to describe it. It wasn't the chill or smell of the sewers that had him shivering either. It was that, if anything went wrong they were all dead. A mouse did not respond well to threats, but he'd told himself he'd manage somehow. Worrying would just cause him to mess up and then they would really be dead then. So, he was determined not to start worrying. Besides, this time he had a lot of things to do and he figured, if he didn't get over his nervousness Captain would do more than clobber him. In any case, he had to make sure that he remembered just what Captain had instructed him to do so he didn't screw it all up.
Pure stroke of genius that Captain had chosen the middle of the thirteenth peace conference to exact his revenge upon the Overlord. He'd forgotten all about it until he'd worried out loud about bringing a live wolf into the city. Border patrol would've had a fit about bringing in such a dangerous live animal. Captain, endless amount of self control that he was, hadn't been able to answer before Priest had konked him on the head and yelled the reminder of the peace conference currently in session. How the heck was he supposed to remember it when he'd been a tad busy breaking out of the joint and high tailing it out before he got caught. Priorities after all! Captain had snickered at that and Priest had grumbled and he'd scratched his head where he'd been smacked. It smarted!
Then he'd mentioned that doing what Captain had bade him was going to be next to impossible when there were cameras everywhere. Not to mention within a building as important as the castle! Again, Captain had told him not to worry but to make sure that he made a motion with his hand right in front of the first camera he came across. Captain knew where all the cameras were so he made sure to tell him the exact position and exactly what signal he should give the camera. The signal which, to a cad like him anyway, looked like the old archer's way of telling the other side to frak off. Which was perfect since there was no love lost between him and the Nihilsomno guards. He figured Captain felt the same way himself and hadn't even thought to question it. He should have.
Getting inside the city was easy for any mouse and even though he was a tad bigger than the norm, he found the exit he'd used to get out undetected. Being back inside the dungeons below the city wasn't something he'd wanted to ever relive. It was only the hope that he'd be helping two people that had to be together that gave him the motivation. That and the prospect of actually being a hero instead of the coward for once. Something strangely appealing event though he'd never wanted to be brave before. He'd always been happy being the coward. Not anymore. Heck, he'd already gotten scars for them already so he could do something like this. He kept telling himself that all the way to the bottom service entrance. Then he'd almost had a panic attack before smacking his forehead to get his marbles back and picked the lock.
According to Captain, the first camera was at the top right as soon as he crossed the doorframe. So he'd taken a breath, slapped on a cheeky grin and posed the way Captain had shown him. Then made his way down the hall. He'd been expecting the alarms to blare and make him deaf at that point but it was still so quiet that he thought maybe he was in the wrong place. Not that he had time to really let the fear get to him cause Captain had been very clear about instructions. Don't stop, keep going until … well Captain hadn't exactly been clear about that part but, well. He'd gotten to the other end of the hall when he'd been grabbed up by one beefy arm and pulled bodily into a hidden doorway that he hadn't noticed before.
"What the… where…?"
"And who are you?" a rather calm voice asked from behind the giant of a man that'd grabbed him.
"What's it to you?" he asked snidely.
"What are you doing here, Grunt?" growled the man towering over him.
He'd blinked rapidly as he tried to adjust to the darkness and realized that the other guy was sitting in front of various monitors that were obviously linked to the cameras all over the city.
"Just takin' a stroll," he'd answered with his best clueless face.
"Where is the Prince?" asked the man sitting in the chair.
"Heh?"
"We know who you are, Mouse," the smarty in the chair said. "So don't bother lying. The only reason you'd be back here is because the Prince sent you."
"Don't know what you mean," he's said with his chin up.
"How do you think you really escaped the dungeons?" asked Smarty.
He'd blanched at that. It couldn't have been helped.
"We let you," Giant added unnecessarily. "So don't try to con us cause we know better."
"Only the prince knows that signal," commented the man again, who was now crossing his arms. When he'd gotten a chance to get a better look, he realized that the guy was young. He looked roughly the same age as Captain and he wore glasses.
"Do you know the plan?" growled the man closest to him.
"Are you trying to trick me?" he asked crossly.
"Is the Princess here too?" asked the man in the chair.
That got more of a reaction out of him and both men saw it. Smarty Pants did that on purpose!
"He's here to take revenge," the other man stated and it wasn't a question. What he could seen of the man's face, he'd guessed the man looked like he didn't like that idea.
"He can't," the giant answered and there was something about the way he'd said it that immediately got him thinkin' these two were not working for the Overlord. As if that hadn't been obvious before! "He wouldn't do that to her."
"He doesn't have a choice," he found himself saying and both men stopped to stare at him.
"Why?" the man with glasses asked.
"Priest is going to try and break the curse before he kills the Overlord," he explained.
"That man is here too?" the scarred and yes he noticed the scar too now, almost shouted in that growling way of his.
There was no doubt now that these two were friends of the Prince.
"He's here to help them," he defended heatedly.
"He didn't before," retorted Smarty.
"And he feels awful for that, but he's already saved the Princess's life and the Prince is trusting him enough to bring him here."
"As a wolf?" the man asked in surprise. But they'd all known it was the only way.
He nodded and gulped the knot that'd been lodged in his throat.
The two men exchanged looks.
"What were you supposed to do?" Smarty asked, looking at him again.
"I'm supposed to let him in, in the morning when the conference starts."
"He's going to kill the Overlord in front of everyone," Giant said to his pal.
"Nothing the bastard doesn't deserve," Smarty muttered with hate.
"Would you mind tellin' me who you guys are?" he demanded then.
Both them looked at each other before turning to look at him at the same time.
"We're the ones who are going to make sure you get Noct in tomorrow morning," Smarty said with a smile.
It was a genuine smile that somehow had reassured him that their crazy plan was going to work afterall.
Before he could say or ask anything else, the guy had swirled around in his chair and clicked away at the displays. What a way to end a convo! He sure was a friend of Captain's. They had the same mannerisms.
"We have to find where they are and make sure that nobody interferes while Noct's in his wolf form," Smarty explained while typing away into the computer.
"After so long, we're finally going to see the end," Scar said with a mixture of relief and fear.
Five years was a long time to wait. All while trying to make it seem like you had changed allegiances. He'd never have the patience for such a thing so these two guys were something else. They weren't normal to him either, but then normal to him wasn't actually normal either. These two were obviously loyal to Captain and Captain had obviously trusted them enough to let him come in here. That signal that he'd taught him was their signal that he was sent by Captain. Otherwise, the two of them would've probably killed him outright. They'd spent the rest of that night in silence, mostly. He'd tried to be friendly and get to his usual chatter when Giant had glared at him with a clear intent on knocking his teeth in, so he'd decided he'd just try to catch some shut eye instead.
The next morning he'd woken up with a quick jerk from a nightmare where they'd failed and he'd watched as Captain's blood flowed onto the cold stone floor of the throne room with the Princess being dragged away from his dead body. Not a pleasant way to start a day! Giant had looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity while Smarty merely stared when he'd realized that he wasn't alone in the room. Then things got interesting pretty fast. The Peace Conference was about to start and he needed to get into position. Giant and Smarty seemed to already know what it was they were supposed to do. Apparently, as smart and in control as Smarty was, he couldn't unlock the doors that would let Prince Noctis inside the conference room to confront the Overlord in front of everyone. That was his job. So Smarty told him the quickest and sneakiest way to get into the room to get the job done. Since there were so many different faces inside, it wouldn't be too much of a problem for him to blend in either. Yet another reason Captain was a genius. He was a mouse afterall. He had to live up to his name for sure.
Just before he'd taken off to do his part of the plan, Smarty had pulled up the live feed of where Prince Noctis had told Priest to stay the night before. Watching them on the screen was a little weird after hanging out with them so long. From what he could see, everyone was safe though, which he hadn't even realized had bothered him until then. They had already done the change and LadyHawk was perched on Captain's arm like always. He was staring towards the castle with a determined look on his face with Priest beside him. Maybe it was the look that'd been on Captain's face but he'd been sure only dark thoughts had filled Captain's mind in that moment.
"Now we wait," said Priest.
"Now, I make ready to go," corrected Captain.
"You must wait! If you'd just be patient, you could face the Overlord together!"
"I am going into the meeting chambers and I am going to kill the Overlord for all to see," explained Captain. "If the bells atop the conference hall ring in warning, then you will know that I have failed."
"You can't fail!" cried Priest with a broken look on his face.
"He can't," whispered Smarty in agreement as they all watched.
"What will I tell Stella?" asked Priest, the crestfallen look still on his face. He's sure his own face had looked the same.
It was nothing compared to the look on Prince Noctis' face at the mention of the Princess though. He'd never thought he was a girly man before, but the look almost made him want to get teary eyed for the other man's sake.
"I must beg you, to end her life then," the Prince answered very slowly, even though it was obvious he didn't want to ask such a thing. Such a horrible thing! A travesty! "Ending her life if I fail would be better than condemning her to live for the Overlord to find her. She would not want that."
"I can't do that!" cried Priest.
"You must!" hissed the Prince. "Or the Overlord will find her and you know what he would do to her."
Pretty much every man, the three watching and the two having the actual conversation, looked revolted at that thought. It was the stuff of nightmares.
Before Priest could even try to respond to that horrible image, Prince Noctis held up the Princess' rapier.
"Quick and painless," Prince Noctis instructed. "You know how to do it as she is now."
Priest gulped but he had no choice but to take the rapier.
Prince Noctis looked at LadyHawk almost as if he wanted to say something to her. There'd been so many deep emotions flying across his face then, but shook his head instead. It would've been fruitless anyway since she wouldn't have heard him and he knew it. Still, it wouldn't been better than leaving words left unspoken. Especially when they hadn't exchanged words in five years!
"Take her," he ordered Priest with his eyes closed, like he didn't think he could let her go afterall.
"You're making a mistake!" cried Priest as he watched the Prince straighten and turn to walk away. "If you'd only listen!"
"Listening to you is what got us into this in the first place," came the too calm to actually be calm reply.
Following Smarty's directions had been a relative piece of cake. It took him longer because the patrolling guards were more on point than usual, given the circumstances. Fortunately, Smarty had also given him an earpiece so that he could be warned to duck and hide with enough time to not be seen. Both friends of the Prince, hadn't been too talkative in general but it would've been nice to tell him their names! Maybe they'd just forgotten. Maybe it just hadn't been important considering. Who knows. They were obviously very loyal and that was all that had mattered really. He found himself trusting them as much as the Prince had to have. It was about fifteen minutes later, that he found himself within the very chambers where all the important people were gathered to talk peace. There, in the middle of the room was the Overlord himself. Man, but he was the scariest lookin' thing he'd ever seen in real life. Not a lot of people were crowded around him and he's sure that was because of how diabolical the guy looked. Talk about unfriendly! As cautiously as he could, he'd inched his way towards the outer doors to position himself.
By their calculations, it would take Captain about ten minutes to be on the other side of the doors. So, he'd gotten crackin' as soon as he was able to. It had taken five minutes to get to the darn doors and then he realized that it wasn't a normal kind of lock. Tricky was putting it lightly. Obviously castle security had gotten an upgrade since he'd been gone cause for a moment he'd just stood there, staring blankly at the thing. It was a combination lock that was both electrically complicated and physically simple. There was a hole for a key, but it looked like the key turned once clockwise and then counterclockwise. He'd happened a glance towards the large group of leaders and realized that the guards had spotted him and were coming fast. Not a lot of time left after that. He'd needed to get those doors open! Taking out his trusty foamer, he'd shoved the mouth of the bottle into the lock and filled it with the quick solidifying foam. A quick turn, and the thing did turn, it just got stuck in the number two stage of the unlocking process.
On the other side of the door, he could see the rapidly approaching clunks of Acerbus' hooves coming closer and the hairs on his neck were standing from the guards with deadly intent at his back. Well, sometimes it's the simple things, he'd reasoned at that moment. Before he could think it through properly he'd swung his fist at the knob, nearly howling in pain as his hand connected with the metal but the key finished its second turn and the knob twisted. Within a blink, he'd unhooked the bolt, just as Acerbus kicked open the doors. He'd hung on for dear life at that point and swung with the door as it nearly collided with the opposing wall as the doors burst open to reveal Captain upon his noble steed. Blue light and the sounds of shattering crystals filled the air like a beacon of hope against the evil that already resided in the room. Turning his head quickly, the Prince turned to look at him with a nod of thanks and he'd saluted him before the dark man faced the Overlord and the guards who'd been coming.
He hadn't had time to stay to watch cause he'd had his own side mission to get done before Prince Noctis could kill the Overlord. There were the unmistakable sounds of a fight behind him though and he was sure those guards didn't stand much of a chance. As fast as his little feet could take him, he'd sped through the halls of the castle, heedless of the servants and guards he raced past. Fortunately, Priest had parked his little car at the front and he'd gone into a swan dive underneath it. With a sigh of relief, he'd reached up and taken out the hidden broad sword he had concealed there. It'd been his last ditch effort to try and stall the Prince, but now was the time to get it to its rightful owner.
The sounds of battle were heavy as he'd dashed back towards the meeting room. Even before he could see what was going on inside, he could hear the queasy sounds as swords met flesh and flying bullets. He skidded to a halt at the entrance and saw that the Prince was surrounded by guards. Not just any guards either, but the elite ones that were supposed to be his guards. Shards of crystal were swirling around the Prince as he fought each one in turn. The look on the Overlord's face was a mixture of fear and smugness. Did the man have no sense of self preservation! Not that he cared if the guy was suicidal cause it'd do a lot more good if he just died already. The man obviously had guts since he didn't try to make a run for it.
Pushing through the throngs of stunned spectators, he'd tried his darndest to get closer to the Prince to give him back his special broad sword. When he'd gotten close enough, he elbowed his way to the frontline and flung the sword, causing it to slide towards the Prince's feet. Only, the Prince hadn't been looking at the time and was too busy to anyway.
In a final act of desperation, the kind that demonstrated an almost supernatural kinda strength, one of the guards who'd fallen to his knees threw something large and heavy towards the Prince. The Prince, who'd been standing over the guy, had just enough time to duck and the clunky looking thing flew past him and smashed into the glass panel of the ceiling. The sound of splintering glass was deafening and everyone seemed to throw their arms over their heads to protect themselves from the shards that started raining down on top of them. When he'd peeped out from between his arms, he spied the Prince staring at the sky with a mixture of surprise and awe as the strangely weak beams of light shone all around him like a spotlight. Something about the beams had seemed kinda off and he hadn't been able to figure out why until he'd looked up himself to see what the Prince was staring at. Then his jaw dropped.
An eclipse! Night and Day together. Priest had been right! He'd never seen one before. There hadn't been one in ages since the creation of the Crystals. Nobody knew why they had stopped happening so long ago and now, it was back to break the curse!
"Priest! Wait!" cried the Prince as he'd started to run towards the outer doors, only to be blocked by another onslaught of guards.
He's not sure who was more frustrated at that point. Try as he might, he couldn't get past the throngs of bodies to get back to the door himself to tell Priest to hold off on killing the Princess. That didn't mean that he hadn't tried like a madman to shove those useless people aside. The Prince tried too but he was a bit more blocked off with mean lookin' swords and huge guns in his way. He guessed it was a good thing that all high officials wore bullet proofed clothing no matter where they went these days cause he's sure that a lot more people would have died that day. Bullets were everywhere.
At his vantage point, pushing through the crowds of gawking and ducking dignitaries, he hadn't been able to see what was going on, on the second level. Apparently the Prince could because one moment he was clashing blades with one man before a small dagger appeared in his hand and he'd flung it at something above. The bells! The idiots were trying to alert the rest of the army that something was wrong by ringing the darn bells early! Then Priest would kill the Princess! The Prince had just thrown another dagger upward when two guards attacked him on the ground floor at once. He dropped his sword trying to deflect their blows and had to roll away before they could stab him. His weapons began swirling even faster around him as he got to his feet again and another, thinner sword appeared in his hand. The sounds that came next stopped everyone at once.
He'd felt the blood freeze in his veins as his heart stopped. The Prince's face dropped and his already pale complexion looked ghostly as his head flew up to the bells.
"NO!" the Prince cried in agony. He felt that hollered plea deep in his bones. The magnitude of it was just jolting.
The attacking guards paused in confusion as the Prince looked almost blank and powerless as the bells continued to ring loudly above them.
"Do it quickly," he heard the Prince mutter quietly. Despite the low tone, his voice carried in the hollowness of the room. It sounded so broken. He'd been seeing his ultimate failure come to life.
For a moment the Prince closed his eyes and took a breathe. His lips moved but no sounds came out of his mouth as he bowed his head. There was a moment of stillness as the bells continued to ring above them. Nobody seemed to understand the significance but him and Captain. When the Prince's head came back up, his shoulders had straightened and his posture stiffened in resolve, before turning around and attacked the gawking guards. The two guards hadn't stood a chance after that. One met the blade in Captain's hand so deeply that wedging it back out again was pointless. The moment the last guard fell, the Prince had turned his head and finally caught sight of his own broad sword on the marble floor. His red eyes flew up and spied him in the middle of the crowd. The gratitude that he'd seen in the Prince's eyes had him feeling very much like a fan boy feels when his hero tells him he's done a good job. All smug happiness and then the Prince had nodded to him and turned to face the Overlord for the first time.
The Crystals still twinkled like stars around him as he stepped menacingly towards the Overlord, his intent pretty obvious to everyone in the room. As he got closer to the evil git, the Crystals seemed to darken more and more as he made purposeful steps towards his foe. He didn't think anyone envied the Overlord in that moment. It'd felt like everyone in the room had stopped breathing cause nobody moved a muscle as the Prince got just within striking distance.
"But kill me, my Lord, and the curse will go on forever," spat the Overlord with that defiant look that made you want to smack him. "You must think of Stella."
Okay, not only did he call the Princess by name, he could tell from the rigged set of the Prince's shoulders that it wasn't appreciated. The Overlord must have known his statement would have that effect and the bastard had actually smirked. Then got all confused when the Prince's expression totally changed.
The Prince tilted his head with a mocking smile on his lips. "Stella, is dead."
If there'd been any doubts as to the Overlord actually having any obsessive feelings towards the Princess, which he hadn't anyway, the look of horror that appeared on the man's face was a dead give away. The man totally blanched and turned a deathly pale.
The Prince actually managed to smirk at the look on the other man's face, before the resentment took over. His eyes had almost flamed with his need for fiery vengeance.
"Damn you," uttered the Prince in a low menacing voice. He raised his broad sword up to strike the Overlord and stopped in midswing when he heard the voice of the person behind him.
"Noctis?" the trembling voice echoed through the hall and everyone turned to look at the person who'd spoken.
The Prince swung around so fast you would have thought he'd heard a ghost. Well, he probably thought he had. Because standing in the light of the Eclipse was Stella in human form, wearing the dress that he had faithfully kept in Acerbus' saddle. Behind the Princess, he saw the two friends with Priest, each with smug looks on their faces. Satisfaction was written on all three of their faces. Thank goodness the two friends had gotten to Priest in time! The Prince and Princess didn't move for a long moment as they stared at each other. Both of their eyes glided over each other as if they couldn't get enough of the sight of each other. He saw the realization on the Prince's face as his jaw set and he whirled around and grabbed the Overlord by the collar and dragged his slimy form close.
"Look at her," the Prince growled hatefully, jerking the Overlord's neck as the man tried to cover his eyes from looking at the Princess. ".Her."
Almost as if he couldn't help himself, the Overlord peered at the Princess with a longing look that made your skin crawl. He hadn't been able to give her that gross look for long before Prince Noctis blocked his view with his own face.
"Now look at me," he hissed again and the Overlord couldn't look at anything at his face anyway. Then, without pulling his blade away, the prince took a couple steps back so that the Overlord could see the both he and the Princess at the same time. "Now look at us." The Prince ordered and he'd held his breathe til he was blue in the face as everything got even more quiet. "Look at us!" He'd jumped and gotten goosebumps all over when that shout rang out around them.
He hadn't even known Priest had made his way to him until he heard the other man's sigh of relief.
"It's over!" Priest sighed in relief. "It's all over at last!"
He'd turned around to see the relieved faces of the two friends and Priest and knew that his face had a grin on it too. The curse was lifted. The curse was finally broken! Before he'd thought better of it, he'd thrown his arms around the old man and started crying. He'd gotten a peep as the Prince whirled around to face the Princess in stark relief. The look on his face was something that hit you right in the heart as he looked at the Princess as if she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Which she was! The Prince's legs gave out and he collapsed onto his knees before her as if in worship.
The sound of the Princess' longing sob echoed as she approached heedlessly towards the Prince. She looked devastatingly beautiful as she seemed to beckon him to touch her with an outreached hand. He caught her hand and pressed it to his lips. She ran her hand lovingly through his hair before lifting her head to glare at the Overlord. The Prince and Princess exchanged a look and he nodded to her. The Prince did not even turn around to see what she would do, completely trusting her and letting her do whatever she felt she needed to do.
There'd been a look of pure loathing on her face when she reached where the Overlord had been sprawled on his hands and knees. He'd looked at her as if he'd actually hoped for one delusional moment that she'd give him another chance. Hadn't last long because she slapped him so hard his head had snapped to the side. It'd been the most satisfying slap in the history of the world as far as he was concerned. Though he'd probably rather have had the bastard's head on a spike instead. She'd been turning to walk away when the nastiest, most demonic expression crossed the Overlord's face. He'd growled something like, "Then no one shall have you," and swung out a knife ready to stab her in the back.
"Noct!" Smarty shouted the moment the Prince whirled around and throwing his broad sword at the Overlord.
There was a sickening sound of crunching bones and punctured flesh as the sword imbedded itself in the Overlord before the momentum threw him back and impaled him on the podium that had been just behind him. As the Overlord choked on his own blood, he'd had the creepiest look on his face as he strained to keep his eyes open so he could keep staring at the Princess until the life went out of his body. Did he mention the man was creepy?
Nobody moved. Then, the Prince made a strangled cry of relief. It felt like the burden of the past five years had finally been lifted from his shoulders. He'd almost looked as if he couldn't believe it was finally over when the Princess touched his shoulder. Then he'd looked up at her and before anyone could blink, he was on his feet. Grabbing her around her waist and swung her into the air with a cry of triumph.
"Stella!" he shouted in relief. Almost as if saying her name made it more real. He lowered her back to her feet and pulled her into his embrace to kiss her hair as she wept into his chest.
She pulled away after a moment to tug on his shirt to lower his head and kissed him.
He had to admit, it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The two of them together were probably the most gorgeous couple in history. Their relief was so palpable, it felt like he could breath easier now too. It was like being brought back to life after being in a coma for so long. This story would definitely be told through the ages. This couple would become a legend, because Prince Noctis was nothing short of it. He'd bawled like a baby so shamelessly Priest had smacked the back of his head. To think that he had, had a part in helping them get back together made him feel as if maybe being a mouse wasn't a bad thing afterall.
Though I am most loathe to repost this here, I have to make sure that this person gets it into their head that: (1) No, I haven't forgotten; (2) No, what you're doing is STILL unacceptable; (3) No, I don't appreciate it; and (4) Yes, I really did mean it when I said I would report you if you did it again.
That said, I am reposting the message I have been posting so that this person realizes that this has to stop.
This is to the person who feels the need to review each of my prompts with 15+ different FFN screen names... STOP! You think I don't know that you are the same person reviewing over and over again? I am sure that you are not mean spirited and have only the best intentions but you need to stop reviewing each of my chapters as if you actually were all these different people. You have been doing this for quite awhile and I have been silent on the subject thus far but this has GOT to stop. Though it is flattering that you enjoy my stories so much that you are willing to make up all these different screen names to up my review count, it is cheating! So, please stop.
If this does not stop, I am going to list all the screen names that I believe are you and alert Admin. I really don't want to have to resort to that but if I have to, I will. This ridiculousness needs to stop.