Chapter 21: Academic

{Citadel: February 20th 2005, 8:30am}

A heavy huff left a now thirteen-year-old Noctis as he laid against the floor of his room, letting the heat of the fireplace nearby and the icy coolness from the glass of his window mix and slide across his form through his thin long-sleeved shirt and black pants as he let the silence continue to reign over him. Tired midnight-blue eyes looked up through slightly long raven-colored bangs as the thirteen year old watched Cari as she chewed on a bone he had nicked from the kitchen when Ignis wasn't looking. The last two years had gone by rather quickly and soon, he would be starting junior high school; however, despite that not much had really changed.

Noctis had watched as his training had grown twice as grueling, his trainers slowly growing a bit older in the case of Gladiolus and Ignis who were now fifteen and fourteen. The boy groaned, rolling onto his back as he closed his eyes and continued to ignore the world around him for just a moment. While the others had slowly become older, or stronger and life had continued on, Noctis had noticed other changes within his world. Luna had been ordained as the youngest Oracle in history last year on her birthday and she had sent him a letter asking for his prayers as she set off for her first task as the new Oracle while she also would pray for him as his birthday came and went.

His hand flexed a bit, glancing at the black leather band with crescent moons and stars woven in with white and silver thread made from what Luna said was stardust. He had thanked her for it in his letter, and it made him feel better when she told him that the band was what she had gotten him in the market, but hadn't had the courage to give it to him. The boy sighed, turning his head towards the window where snow still fell, coating the streets in a blanket of white. Noctis had turned thirteen on February fifth and while he had supposed it was just another birthday, it had snowed.

Smiling ever so slightly, he recalled the image Luna had sent him with Umbra – one of her wolf pups that was grown up now – of the girl dressed in winter attire holding a crystal made from the stones in Acrylia that she had sent with instructions on how to assemble the sun-catcher in his window. Now when the sunset showed through just right the entire room would light up with the colors reflected from those crystals. The boy continued to watch the snow fall as he remembered the picture he had managed to take of him and Cari in the height of Insomnia with the snow covering it and the two of them bundled up against the cold.

"That's right….I need to text Prompto…" the boy muttered in an aloud thought.

Prompto Argentum was a boy he had met a few years ago when he was much younger; however, the boy and he had only just become friends within the last year and he had been the one to take any of the pictures of Noctis that he had sent to Luna over the last two years. A smile graced his features as he considered Luna's enthusiasm to see that he and Prompto were becoming such good friends. However, despite all the upsides to the recent years, there had been a few oddities to come with it.

Three days after his birthday, Noctis had summoned a weapon to his hand when he had been disarmed by Gladiolus during training. It had quite honestly scared the living daylights out of the teenager and had forced Marshal Leonis to call the training session. Now though, he was developing more powers that were starting to spook him a bit. Just yesterday, Noctis had warped – as Cari had called it – across his room and into the nearest wall, having phased through his bed like a ghost would have a wall before meeting the solid surface on the other side of it. The boy tisked, opening his eyes as he looked up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh as Noctis considered what these strange new powers could potentially be and why he had felt so incredibly exhausted for the days that followed. As he considered these factors though, Cari trotted over to him and sat down near his head.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"These new powers….what are they?" Cari scratched her ear a bit.

"Do you remember in the Dreamscape when you aged up? How you could use all those abilities and move like you did?" she inquired.

"Yes, I remember….." he sighed and Cari looked to him.

"You're getting older, and I think that the older you are the more likely you are to begin developing those powers. Your warping, phasing, and weapon summoning are just the beginning, not to mention you've already started to display the abilities with magic as well," she explained.

"I figured….guess I was just hoping I was wrong…." The Carbuncle shook her head.

"Nope, I guess you should have probably figured that out, huh Noct?" she probed.

"Guess so….Cari, what am I supposed to do about these powers? They cut up all the time and I kind of…." Cari chirped.

"Don't know how to explain them so you can get help? Maybe you should just do some training on your own," she advised.

"How so?" he sat up a bit and Cari tilted her head.

"Well, you could always get over the Citadel gates and go into the park or just outside the wall," she suggested this and an expression akin to horror overcame the boy's face as he looked down, shaking his head as he sat all the way up.

"No, I don't want to go outside the wall right now. I'm not strong enough…" she nodded.

"You've gotta point there….besides, King Regis knows about me and he'll be angry if he finds out I didn't try and stop you, but coaxed you into it instead," she muttered.

"What about just the gate?" she looked to him.

"Can you do that?" she inquired. He shrugged at her question, not certain himself.

"Well….the way I see it; I won't know if I don't try…." He looked out the window and Cari purred a bit to get his attention.

"When do you wanna go and give it a shot?" he hummed in thought momentarily.

"Tonight, after dinner. My dad will be too busy afterwards to take note of whether or not I go into the park near the Citadel or not. We just gotta get over the gate," he stated.

"And you're going to warp?" he shrugged again.

"Might as well…" he said. Cari frowned at the statement.

"Where do you intend on going to get that high up?" Noctis looked to the balcony.

"Well, the windows here are almost level with the gate so…." He trailed off and Cari sighed.

"Alright, up and over we go tonight. Let's just hope nothing happens," she said.

{Training Hall: 4:05pm}

It was the final training session of the school's snow break – the snow had gotten rather harsh this year and made the roads to risky, therefore, the school had granted a snow day or five until it cleared up – however, right at the present time, Noctis was more concerned with matching Gladiolus's speed as he was struck clear across the back and he narrowed his eyes before jumping out of the way as quickly as possible while Gladiolus struck outwards again, narrowly missing the boy as he slid across the ground and managed to land in a crouch before looking towards him in faint anxiety.

"Keep going, you're doing well," Marshal Leonis stated as Noctis stood and took in a deep breath before dodging another attack as he cut a flip and landed in a crouch once more while Gladiolus swung at him.

"Stop running you coward…" midnight-blue eyes narrowed.

"I'm not a coward!" Noctis snapped.

"Then prove it…" Gladiolus swung in a broad movement and then, seconds later, the boy had cartwheeled out of the way and summoned a sword to his hand before blocking the blunt blade that Gladiolus had been given.

"Don't antagonize him Gladio, remember what he can do," Marshal Leonis stated as the young Lucian Prince attacked with the Airstep sword before knocking Gladiolus's feet out from under him just as Ignis walked in, causing the blonde to sidestep the sword that the other had been previously using as it went careening across the floor.

"Job well done there Noct…." The thirteen year old took in a few heaving breaths as the sword in his grasp slipped to the floor and he looked in time to see Gladiolus glowering at the boy who took in another breath before looking to Marshal Leonis who smirked ever so slightly.

"You did well Noctis, there are still some moments where your timing is too lax and you let your guard down, but do try and remember when to time things correctly," Marshal Leonis said as the boy nodded.

"Alright, I will…I just need more practice…." The Marshal hummed a bit in thought.

"I think it may be a better idea to consider that some things cannot be taught, but must be learned through experience. Noctis, you have a natural skill, but it is very rough and because of that you'll have to go through it piece by piece. When you become a member of the Crownsguard and find yourself and your team in the midst of a battle you'll learn new skills you didn't believe you once possessed," Marshal Leonis informed him as he nodded slowly.

"Okay, thank you Marshal Leonis…." The boy stood, stretching a bit before Ignis came to him.

"You're getting stronger, that much is certain. Gladio, it would seem our young liege is becoming quite the fighter," Ignis stated as the taller teenager huffed.

"If you keep running, you'll get yourself killed kid. What? You got some kind of secret that you can use to avoid the attacks?" the boy stepped back a bit, tensing as he looked at Gladiolus in faint questioning and fear.

"N-No! Why would you think t-that?" he questioned in a stuttering manner that caused the three other people in the room to give in a suspicious glance.

"Noct? Are you okay?" the boy nodded.

"Yea, just hungry I guess….I'm gonna…go and see if everything's ready….see ya!" the boy bolted from the room at Ignis's question causing him, Gladiolus, and Marshal Leonis to look towards one another.

"He's acting kind of jittery," stated Gladiolus.

"Well, he is at that age…." Ignis looked to Marshal Leonis.

"Are you assuming he has his mind on something else?" Gladiolus nodded.

"Probably a girl," he said. Ignis fixed his glasses and looked at the other teenager.

"The only girl he has on his mind would be Lady Lunafreya." Marshal Leonis nodded slowly, smiling as he did so.

"Oh, I'm certain seeing as they are still friends. Now, shall we get ourselves cleaned up and prepare for dinner?" he inquired as Ignis nodded.

"I shall be preparing the feast for tonight. Shall we celebrate our young Prince's deft defeat of Gladiolus?" the fifteen-year-old shot up at that.

"He did not deftly defeat me Ignis!" he said.

"Shall we not continue to dispute the facts of reality Gladio?" the taller teenager groaned.

"Whatever Iggy, whatever," he said as he started to leave and Ignis smiled while fixing his glasses.

"Indeed, it does seem that whatever I say goes on this matter; wouldn't you agree? Marshal Leonis?" the man smiled, laughing a bit as he walked out of the training hall with Ignis behind him.

"I suppose so…"

{The Prince's Room: 9:50pm}

Cari watched as Noctis tugged on a vest over his long-sleeved shirt as he laced up his boots and tugged on a pair of fingerless gloves before beginning to check that he had everything he would need on his person before he went to the window and opened it up as he stepped outside while Cari nodded to him as he slowly moved to where he was standing on the balcony ledge before keeping his gaze upon the wall. Thankfully, living in the Citadel meant that the entire area was lit up well enough for him to see exactly where he was going before Noctis took in a steady breath as stardust blue and silver lit up around his body and he propelled himself forward.

It felt as though his entire world melted away and for a split second, vertigo overtook him before he started seeing the world melt back into place; however, this time instead of a wall greeting him inside his room, it greeted him outside of the palace walls and directed him into a torch holster. Suddenly the sense of flying and vertigo was reinforced by his being caught by it as he flipped upside down and yelped, alerting the guards as he scrambled to get lose and over the wall. Noctis groaned in defeat as he found himself unable to get his bootlaces untangled from the screws upon the black iron holster. Thus, he hung there, much like a bat would with an irritated expression as the guards came over and all too soon he saw a familiar face – or several faces – in the group of guards that were being pushed aside.

"This just keeps getting better and better…"

Standing before him was none other than Marshal Leonis and General Clarus who were both giving him rather confused expressions as they took note of his position and tried to figure out how on earth he had managed to find himself in such a position. Noctis was certain that a part of them found this highly entertaining; however, he much rather would have taken help over randomized questions. Midnight-blue eyes narrowed as the guards were shooed away and the two stepped forward as he glanced up to the distance and saw none other than his father appearing from the interior of the Citadel.

Fifteen seconds later, King Regis had joined the General and the Marshal to see the sight of his thirteen year-old son hanging by one leg from the holster of a torch with an annoyed expression upon his face while they tried to contemplate how he had managed such a feat. It took all of three seconds for Marshal Leonis to begin laughing as the boy narrowed his eyes before looking at the General and King Regis who also seemed quite amused by the boy's current state.

"My, Prince Noctis….fancy seeing you out this e-evening," Marshal Leonis quipped as he did his best to hide his laughter.

"Marshal…." There was warning in the boy's tone, but General Clarus merely laughed.

"How does one….hahahaha….get into such a position?" he inquired. Noctis narrowed his eyes, the dark color glowing in the late evening moonlight.

"Don't ask, but please….get me down from here…." King Regis shook his head.

"My troublesome son," he said as the three adults set to getting the boy out of the torch holster before settling him onto the ground.

"T-Thanks…." He walked a bit drunkenly first before looking towards them.

"You seem quite confused as to how you managed that feat," stated Marshal Leonis.

"Yes, I am…." The boy wobbled again before the King came forward to steady his son.

"Noctis, I believe it's time to have a discussion about your escaping escapades," he said as he looked at the Prince who swallowed thickly.

"What are you talking about?" the King sighed.

"Right this way…"

The four of them went back towards the Citadel and then directly into the training hall where Noctis was left to stand alone at the center of it as the three adults waited to see what the boy would do as Marshal Leonis stepped forward and the two others glanced to one another whilst the King nodded to the Marshal who summoned his weapon with ease – an ability taught to the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive via Alchemy, but not the bloodline magic of the Caelum family – before he looked towards Noctis and drew the katana he used. In a matter of seconds, the Marshal charged the boy who reacted, drawing his weapon in the blink of an eye as he blocked the attack and parried it before cartwheeling away from the man who merely charged him again.

The two standing on the sidelines watched and waited as Noctis continued to dodge and strike out against the Marshal that kept striking at him until he finally slid to the ground, moving back as he did before landing firmly upon the ground as he tried to prepare himself for the fight that would soon come. Marshal Leonis charged him once more and he blocked the strike, moving it aside before striking himself as the King and General watched in questioning while the Prince kept running around, dodging and striking against the Marshal until finally, a singular strike came to close and in the next second, Noctis had disappeared, sliding across the training hall, rolling out of the way as he landed in a tangled mess as he laid there gasping for breath as the warp took him by surprise.

"My Gods…" muttered Marshal Leonis as Noctis took in a swelling breath and tried to find his ground again after the rush of vertigo overtook him.

"What in the name of mighty Rahma just happened?" Noctis shook himself out and looked at the others in questioning.

"I did it again, didn't I?" he questioned as King Regis came to him.

"Are you alright?" the boy nodded slowly.

"Yea, just a few bumps and bruises. But, this is….warping….that's the name that Cari came up with for it. I can phase through things if I'm in control of the warp or if I'm going to ram into something, but most of the time it doesn't matter…I'll still run into things…" he stated with a sigh.

"Come, let's get you up." King Regis helped the small teenager to his feet and the boy vanished his blade, having learned how to do so after quite some time. General Clarus frowned as he looked at the weapon as it vanished.

"In order for us to summon our weapons we have to use a metallic cuff that allows us to do so. You're doing this without any requirement for it though," Clarus stated as Noctis nodded slowly.

"It took me a lot of practicing, but I finally managed to get it right…" the boy watched as the General looked him over while Noctis continued to keep his gaze upon him.

"You're most certainly interesting, well what else should I expect from your child?" inquired Clarus as he laughed just a fraction.

"Marshal Leonis, please further Noctis's training so that he can learn control over these abilities. Am I clear?" King Regis looked to Marshal Leonis who bowed.

"Yes, your majesty," he stated as Noctis sighed.

"I'm in trouble…aren't I?" he looked to his father who shook his head.

"No, not this time. Noctis you will be undergoing extensive training; therefore, I find this punishment enough. Now, off to bed," King Regis said as he pushed the boy towards the doorway.

"Hmm…goodnight everyone." With that the boy left the room and the three looked onward at the door in evident concern. Clarus took in a steadying breath as he slowly came towards King Regis and looked him in the eye as the King placed a quivering hand to his head, evident frustration meeting his gaze as he tried his best to contemplate what was ahead of his son.

"Regis, old friend…." The King of Lucis nodded.

"We are running out of time….it has dwindled to only three years that are upon us until the time comes for him to know the truth of this world," he said.

"Noctis is strong and becoming stronger every day…." The King took in a deep breath and looked at the two before him.

"His powers are still underdeveloped. Cor, please, train him thoroughly teach him how to survive this war that will be waged….don't leave anything to chance if you can. Clarus, you must instruct your son that he will become my son's shield and to accept his fate as an Amicitia despite the fact that I know he isn't fond of Noctis….Cor, I leave Ignis Scientia to you," King Regis stated.

"We will not fail you, King Regis…" they bowed and the King looked back towards the door.

"We must hope that Noctis will prove to withstand the trials that will come to him. Whatever plight it may be, we must pray that he will endure, as the Chosen King of our World, and of what will come to pass," he said.

{…..}

Chase the sky into the ocean…..

{….}

Author's Note: This chapter is really just showing what Noctis has been up to since he came back over the last two years. Now at age thirteen, Noctis is starting to develop the abilities he has in the game and from the Dreamscape. We'll only be having about two chapters a piece now where Noctis is thirteen and fourteen. After that, we'll be seeing some things from Kingsglaive and onward. Hope everyone is loving the story! You can find this story on Kindle World now!

Have a good day or night!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.