Chapter 12: Conjure

{Dreamscape: Unknown}

"You can't escape me!"

Noctis turned to run from the Beldam with Cari by his side, through the streets of the lost town. The two of them had managed to wound the Beldam; however, that had enraged her even more now that they had cut one of her legs off and were having no choice but to run. Noctis had been certain by this point in the fight that he was facing nothing but pure evil incarnated into the most nightmarish thing he had yet to see in this twisted world that he had been thrust into. Taking in a few deep breaths, Noctis looked to Cari as she nodded her head while racing forward as the Beldam came to them in a swift pace to only seconds later be burned as Cari shot a fireball at the monster as it howled in pain.

"Good job Cari," he said as he kept his sword at the ready while the Beldam clutched her face as Cari turned in a swift motion while a whirl of wind came from her tail as she waved it at the Beldam who was knocked backwards at that moment.

"We need to lose her and get to the door, but you haven't told me how you intend to open it…." Noctis nodded as they turned down an alleyway.

"I think I might be able to open it by myself," he muttered as the Beldam scuttled by them.

"By yourself? How?" he shook his head.

"I don't know how, I just know that I might be able too," Noctis stated.

"Found you!"

The two of them dodged the Beldam as she came down from above them while Noctis tumbled out of the way as Cari shot another gust of wind at the Beldam, but this time it did nothing which caused the Carbuncle to look onward in shock as the boy stared onward while the Beldam knocked Cari out of the way herself and then turned her gaze towards him. Instantly, Noctis started backing away as Cari shook herself out and turned her gaze towards the sight of her Master being closed in on by the witch. A snarl rent the air as Cari leapt onto the back of the Beldam and sunk her teeth into the monster's upper arm, growling as she jerked it, hoping to stop her as Cari held on for dear life while Noctis grabbed his sword once again and pushed it upwards, stabbing the Beldam in the abdomen as she let out a horrific howl and the two of them took to running again.

"We gotta find the exit now!" Cari stated as Noctis continued to rush through the city, seeking the door as they went.

"Do all the doors look the same?" Cari nodded as they turned several corners and went up three flights of stairs, running the entire length of it.

"Yes, they do. Every single door except for the final one that will lead us out of this Dreamscape, it's what makes you feel safest: the place that you're unafraid," she explained as they continued to run.

"Alright….but we're…." Noctis stopped running and looked around, the rain starting to come down harder once again as he took note of something.

"Noct?" Cari asked as she looked back to him.

"Cari….we're running in circles…" the Carbuncle felt a shock of terror go through her.

"Oh no….she looped the area! Noctis, we're in her web!" Cari said sharply as she ran to his side and her large form appeared as he crouched by her.

"How do we get out?" she looked around as Noctis took in a few steadying breaths, trying to remain calm in the face of their situation.

"We have to find the door…" she told him as he tightened his grip upon the guard of the Airstep blade. As he did so, Noctis took note that he was still holding the satin tied necklace that bore the crest of his family on it. Without a secondary thought, he pulled the tie out and reached around Cari's throat before tying it in place, causing the Carbuncle to stare at him in questioning as he finished tying it into a knot.

"Why did you…." He smiled just a bit as he looked around.

"I guess to make it official," he stated as his gaze landed upon the door that went right past the statue of the Tide Mother.

"Noct….she's there, right above it…." Noctis nodded and then took in a deep breath.

"Right….we're gonna have to put a stopper in her plans…..but how?" Cari glanced to her Master and then to the Beldam who currently couldn't see them because of where they were positioned.

"A diversion could work, but there's not enough of us to cover one another's backs….so should we just attack outright?" she inquired. Noctis glanced her way and then slowly nodded.

"Yea, I guess that's going to be our best option….huh?" the Carbuncle looked to him.

"Yep…..are you ready for this?" the boy fixed his grip upon his sword.

"I would like to say I was born ready, but I don't think I've had enough battle experience to say that just yet," he stated.

"Just being ready for now will be enough, okay Noct?" he smiled to her.

"Thanks Cari, I've got your back if you've got mine," he said.

"You bet'cha…."

Noctis and Cari took in a deep breath, steeling themselves before stepping out into the open where the Beldam could see them clearly. She turned her gaze to them, the eerie, black-button eyes causing them to feel unease, but not waver in what they knew they had to do as the two of them started close towards her as she crawled down the side of the building as she kept her gaze upon them. Noctis looked her over, and to his horror found that the injuries he and Cari had given the Beldam were gone. Tightening his grip upon the Airstep blade, Noctis prepared for a battle that he was certain would put those few months of training with Marshal Leonis, Ignis, and Gladiolus to the test. He only prayed that it would be enough to help Cari and him out of this situation.

The Beldam grinned in a fiendish manner as Noctis prepared himself for the fight while Cari did as well. She started towards them and the Carbuncle shot a blast of ice and snow at the monster, startling her momentarily as she screeched while Noctis used it as a screen to attack her. The boy struck a blow on the side of the Beldam's torso, causing her dark, sticky blood to ooze out across the ground as she turned, scratching him across the back as he slid upon the ground and Cari came in behind him, use another wind spell to toss the Beldam backwards as Noctis cut another one of her legs free.

"You should stop trying to get to the door child. I am the Queen of this domain, of this world! And you shall never escape me!" she stated as Noctis turned, crouching upon the ground as he narrowed his gaze.

"I will get to the door, Cari and I are leaving!" the Beldam drew herself to full height, looking up the boy and the Carbuncle as if they were the root of all evil in the world.

"I'm afraid you will never see the waking realm again, Prince Noctis," she stated.

Noctis started to move, Cari circling the Beldam as she kicked and clawed at them and they dodged the strikes until Cari felt something blind-side her as the Beldam smiled in her sinister fashion as she snatched Noctis up by his front, her sharp fingers digging into his upper arms as he hissed in pain and she stared into his eyes, taking note of something being different about his eyes as she smirked once again, holding him firmly as he tried desperately to get free while Cari looked at the dark shadowy creatures that surrounded her as she tried to get to her Master.

"Noctis!" Cari called for him and he glanced towards her, fearful of what would happen now that he was caught by the Beldam.

"You will never see your precious world again. This is the place where you will stay now….Prince Noctis of Lucis, where you will be placed upon my shelf, forever within my grasps. This will please my employer….to see you remain in an eternal slumber, a sleeping beauty left by the ages as your waking realm crumbles in the midnight hours….." Noctis turned his gaze down, his mind trying to find a means to stop the Beldam from winning this battle. Another deep breath and Cari snarled at the monsters surrounding her.

"Don't surrender! Noctis! Please! Don't give up!" she called out to him and the Beldam laughed.

"I don't know why you would believe that you could win this. Look at you, you're such a meek, pathetic little thing. Who would want someone as different and out of place as you? A child who isn't even loved by his father…." The boy looked up from under his bangs.

"My father loves me…..and I'm not afraid of you…..so don't you dare think for a second that I will ever stop fighting you!" the Beldam laughed.

"What will you do? Your little helper is surrounded by my minions, and you are in my clutches…what can a little thing like you do?" Noctis gritted his teeth.

"WHATEVER IT TAKES!"

The Beldam felt a sharp pain rip through her as Noctis clutched the grip of the Airstep blade with both hands and ran the monster through the chest, causing her to let him go as the shadowy creatures vanished and Cari raced towards him as he looked towards her and landed in a crouch upon the ground while the Beldam screamed in agony before Noctis took off running with the Carbuncle towards the door as the Beldam dragged herself after them, her metallic legs and hands scraping across the ground as Noctis took a quick glance at the Beldam and vanished his sword before Cari took off and leapt into the door with him right behind her.

The two of them rolled out onto the floor of a seemingly impossibly long hallway done out in fine marble and golden detail. The marble was black and warm bronze with white accents and gold trim. There were heavy, thick mahogany double doors and intricate paintings on a few of the walls. Midnight-blue eyes turned to look around the area as the door behind them closed and Cari shook herself out as she looked to Noctis and went right to him, cuddling up to the boy as he smiled and pet the Carbuncle as relief flooded them while they continued to consider what would come their way next as Cari licked a cut on Noctis's cheek before looking around the corridor they were in.

"We survived….how did we do it?" Noctis asked as Cari rubbed up against him.

"By working together. But, where are we?" the boy looked around the hall and then, a sudden moment of clarity overtook him as he realized exactly where they were.

"This is the Citadel…." Cari puffed a bit.

"As in….your home?" she probed.

"Yea, I know this hallway. It's one of the ones that leads to the front gates," Noctis explained as he looked towards her while standing as she continued to look around.

"Noct, this is the final length of the journey, once we exit this hallway….we'll be dealing with the last fight to wake you up…" the boy took in a deep breath at the notion.

"Do you….wanna take a second to get our breath?" Cari sneezed at his question.

"That might be a wise choice, but we don't know what's at the end of this hall. Someone is going to pull out their best attack to keep you from waking up; whomever that is won't be playing around this time," she stated.

"And the Beldam was them playing around?" Cari shook her fur out again before shaking her head.

"No, but it was just a taste of what they'll do to keep you from waking up. Just remember Noct, I've got your back," she told him.

"Thanks, Cari…" the Carbuncle fluffed out her tail, waving it a bit as she did so.

"Any time Noct. Now, shall we start walking to our final destination?" she inquired as the boy turned his gaze towards the light at the end of the corridor.

"What do you think will be out there?" Cari started walking and he followed, taking his time as she did her best to figure out what to do.

"Who knows, but whatever it is….I don't think we should be worried about it. Between the two of us I think we can match whatever this person keeps throwing at ya," she said.

"I hope so….the Beldam was pretty intense…" Cari kept on walking with Noctis following her as she considered what was happening.

"Noct?" midnight-blue eyes looked to her.

"What?" he asked.

"I just….hope that you'll let me stay with you once you wake up. If you allow me to come with you….I can go into the waking world and stay with you there…." Noctis looked down at the Carbuncle in surprise.

"Cari, why wouldn't I bring you with me? You're my familiar…..I gave you a name, I formed a contract with you," he stated.

"I'm concerned….that you'll decide that you don't need me because you're getting stronger." The boy crouched down beside her and picked her up into his arms, holding her close to his chest where she could hear his heart beating loud and clear. His embrace was warm and comforting, lulling her into a sense of peace as she closed her eyes and he placed a gentle hand upon her head. Noctis, for all his intensity could be remarkably kind and had a gentle touch which gave her some peace of mind as the boy held her in his arms.

"Even if I'm stronger, I still need someone to watch my back. Choosing to rely upon those you consider friends isn't a weakness in combat….it's a strength and you're my friend Cari, I've trusted you to have my back all through this since I met you and now I need you by my side once again. So, when I get ready to walk out of this place….you're coming with me," Noctis stated as he looked into her eyes.

"Promise?" he nodded.

"Of course, I don't break my promises," he told her with a smile.

"Thank you….Noct…" the Carbuncle nuzzled up to him, and he returned her affection before Cari licked the wound on his cheek again as he sat her back down and looked to the exit of the hallway.

"This is going to be really hard, but like you said….we can do it," Noctis stated as Cari chirped.

"And once we get out, I'll always have your back."

"Okay, let's go!"

{Insomnia: Citadel: May 30th 2002, 11:01pm}

King Regis sat by the bed of his son as the boy continued to sleep. It had been eight days since Noctis had been attacked by a Mirilith, leaving him in a state of shock, and forcing him into a coma. Marshal Leonis, Clarus, Ignis, and Gladiolus had all sought to help him out by getting the boy moved to his room as opposed to him being stuck in the hospital room and with him stable, the boy had no need for being in there now. Taking in a deep breath, the King looked to the full moon that shone down from the satin black sky as stars twinkled in and out of view with very little cloud coverage. It was a beautiful night, the kind of night that the King knew his son would sleep the best, even if it was by lying on the floor near the window. King Regis glanced away from the sky and back to his child as tears threatened to overtake his sense of calm as he took his son's hand and steeled his nerves once more.

"Noctis, when you wake up, I will be here….my dear child…I will always be by your side. I love you dearly, and I have something for you…" the King reached into his pocket and pulled out a pale blue and white totem of a Carbuncle with a red ruby horn and eyes before settling it on the bedside table. A small smile graced the King's features as he reached up and brushed the child's hair from his eyes before returning to clutching his child's hand.

"Regis? Are you in here?" Clarus asked as he entered the room and looked at the man.

"Ah, Clarus….how are you?" the King asked his friend this and the man entered the room.

"I'm well….but how is Noctis doing?" the King looked down as he returned his gaze to the child.

"He still hasn't woken up…." Clarus nodded his head.

"I wouldn't worry, Regis…that boy is strong and he will wake when he is ready. Do not fear…" he placed a hand upon his friend's shoulder.

"That much I am aware of….thank you friend, just keep having faith in him…." Clarus nodded as a smile graced his features.

"Is that a Carbuncle totem?" he inquired. King Regis looked to it with a smile upon his face as he continued to hold his son's hand.

"Yes, and I was about to tell Noctis something important….Doctor Acrux encouraged us to talk to him…he said that he can still hear us even though he may not respond to it." The man nodded.

"I merely wished to check up on the two of you. I will see you later, have a good night," Clarus said as he left.

"To you as well….." the door shut and the King looked back to his child before a small sigh left him as tears burned his eyes once more while he looked at the child.

"This here will guide you in your darkest dreams, but remember Noct….in the world of your dreams: you are the King."

{….}

That's when something wild calls you home, home…..

{…}

Author's Note: We're at the final leg of the journey when it pertains to Noctis and Cari being trapped in the Dreamscape and soon we'll be off to Tenebrae. As I'm sure you've noticed, this entire mini-arc is based upon the Platinum Demo, which I think myself and my beta-reader have probably played through about fifty times by now. It is kind of cute to see a younger Noctis and Cari interacting together admittedly.

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying the story and having a good day or night wherever you are.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.