The Cure To Insomnia

It was on their way back to Lucis that Noctis truly understood the meaning of the expression "the long road home". They had travelled all over the world, collected Royal Arms, gained the blessing of the gods, saved friends and beaten enemies, and were finally returning to reclaim the Crown City.

Admittedly, they could have travelled much faster with Aranea's airship, but Noctis was reluctant to call her up again. She had a search-and-rescue business to take care of and besides, he was pretty sure Aranea would get mad at being asked to fly them all across Eos again so soon.

Instead, they took the train from Tenebrae through Cartanica, past Fodina Caestino, back to the coast, where they met up with Cid and boarded the Royal Vessel to cross the ocean. Stopping at Altissia would have meant a considerable detour on their way to Lucis, which was why everyone opted for spending more time at sea so Cid could land their ship directly at Cape Caem. They stayed overnight at the light house and headed towards Leide by car the next morning. There was no way all seven members of Noct's growing party could have fit into the Regalia, and so they drove off in a convoy with Ardyn.

At Hammerhead, they stopped once more for food and rest, and while Prompto seized the opportunity to chat with Cindy, Noctis and the rest came to a decision on how to approach the Imperial blockade between Leide and Insomnia. By the afternoon of the same day, they had taken the blockade and checkpoint by force. As expected, there had been no commanders present, only magitek soldiers in larger numbers, and with the Royal Arms swirling all around him, Noctis cleaved through an entire squad in a matter of seconds, no help needed. It had really become that easy.

They travelled on, across the bridge connecting Leide with Insomnia, and entered the city through one of the wide-open gates in the remaining, non-magical wall along the city perimeter. At first glance, it seemed as though Noctis' home had been largely unaffected by the invasion. The houses, public gardens and streets on the outskirts were still intact, even if they were no longer bustling with life. It was strange to see Insomnia, this once so lively metropolis, devoid of human presence. The sound of the Regalia's engine reverberated through the empty streets. As they got closer and closer to the centre of Lucis' Crown City, the more the destruction showed. Some of the buildings had sustained heavy damage, possibly from the Imperial artillery. Burnt out cars and debris were blocking increasingly more roads the further they travelled, eventually forcing them to leave the Regalia and Ardyn's convertible behind and continue on foot.

The towers of the Citadel stood out on the skyline of the city, sparking hope in Noctis' heart that the building had, indeed, withstood the assault during the invasion. Still, with or without the Citadel, he hardly recognised the heart of Insomnia. Many of the skyscrapers that used to dominate the image of the innermost city had been reduced to heaps of rubble, underneath of which, more often than not, entire roads or smaller buildings lay buried. As they searched for a way further in, Prompto pointed out to Noctis a neon sign sticking out of the debris. It belonged to the arcade they used to visit after school, yet the area looked nothing like Noctis remembered it. Neither the arcade nor the sushi bar or the convenience store next to it were still recognisable as such. The multi-story high building had caved in as though something extremely large and heavy had collapsed on top of it.

Thankfully, Ignis managed to navigate them through this maze of rubble Insomnia had turned into, by searching for certain landmarks that had survived the invasion, like underground stations or memorials.

In some areas, monsters had settled in. In passing, Noctis saw a pack of the starved-looking, dog-like Voretooths digging through the remains of a building for scraps of food. From the distance, he even spotted a Bandersnatch, and an adult Behemoth. Even though he was confident that his party could handle even the worst of monsters, it was still a worrying sight. As a general rule of thumb all across Eos, the daemons that rose from the darkness at night were stronger than any monster spotted during the day.

"Let us make haste to reach the Citadel while there is still daylight," Ignis suggested, who was walking ahead through a narrow passage between two heavily damaged buildings to bypass another blocked street. "I'm afraid Insomnia can no longer be considered free of daemons."

"Not with him in it, it can't," Gladio pointed out, nodding to Ardyn, who seemingly took no offence at his remark.

"I very much doubt that any of the daemons you encounter at night will be as well-disposed towards you as I am."

The passage led out onto the main street towards the Citadel. Only a multi-lane crossroads still separated them from the gate to the Citadel's courtyard. Noctis raised his head to look at the towers of his home looming large before them. Some damage had been dealt to the upper parts of the small main tower in the centre, more specifically the floors where the Crystal had been kept and the council room was located, but the three surrounding towers looked to be entirely undamaged, which meant that, at the very least, all the offices and living spaces were still accessible.

A bright orange glow on the horizon heralded the end of day as they passed the gate and the unmanned checkpoint in front of the courtyard. Grief welled up in Noctis' heart as he remembered walking down the large staircase from the main entrance to the Regalia and waving Regis good-bye. It had been the last time he had spoken to his father, and he felt stupid and ignorant, not being able to remember the exact last words they had exchanged. At the time, it had seemed unimportant. He had not expected the invasion, though maybe Regis had, which left him to wonder what had gone through his father's head that day. Noctis stopped at the foot of the staircase, looking up to where Regis had once stood, watching him and his friends depart. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He would have never imagined to find himself standing before his home with such a weight on his soul.

Luna placed a hand on his arm, offering support in silence. She knew, perhaps better than he did, what had happened at the Citadel. There was a shimmer of unspoken grief in her eyes as well. Noctis gently removed her hand, signalling his gratitude and understanding before he walked on, determined to seize his destiny and end the cycle of suffering their families had gone through once and for all.

A man with silvery white hair stepped up to the top of the staircase. He wore a white coat, a sheathed sword at his hip, another tucked through the loops of his belt, and an expression so stern it probably made children cry. That was Ravus, all right.
The Imperial High Commander stood there, stiff as a board with both of his hands behind his back. His shoulders slanted to one side, which seemed odd for someone who always minded his posture like Ravus did.

Noctis had barely climbed the first five steps of the stairs when Ardyn pushed past him and raised his arms in a theatrical greeting. He was beaming with joy at the sight of Luna's brother, or perhaps he just pretended to, because this was Ardyn, after all. "Oh, Hello!" he called out, waving at Ravus. "Hello, hello!"

Ravus' face twitched in anger and disgust. "O great Ramuh, smite me now or I swear, I will kill that man," he said, just barely loud enough for Noctis to hear. His glare moved from Ardyn to Noctis before discovering Luna, and his expression softened ever so slightly. "Though maybe not today," he added.

One by one, Ardyn, Noctis and Luna reached the top of the staircase. The rest stayed behind on the steps, waiting to see how the conversation with Ravus was going to unfold.

"Brother," Luna addressed him with worry in her voice. "You're wounded."

"T'is but a scratch," Ravus replied and adjusted his posture, even though he was clearly struggling to maintain it.

Ardyn clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Oh my, whatever have they done to you in Gralea?"

"You should have been left to rot in that facility." The High Commander practically spat the words at him, though Ardyn remained unimpressed as ever.

"I told my friends just the same thing, but little goody-two-shoes that they are, they simply wouldn't listen. If it's of any consolation to you; My dearest nephew will handle the talking this time. You may see for yourself how much he's improved since our last encounter." With a sweeping gesture, he directed Ravus' attention back at the Prince.

Sighing, Noctis crossed his arms. "Does it have to sound so insincere when you say it?"

"Noctis," the High Commander began, sounding no less threatening than before. "I have come here to …"

Before he could finish the sentence, Luna strode briskly past Noctis and Ardyn, grabbed Ravus by his left upper arm and pulled him down to her eye level. A cry escaped Ravus as she provoked his injury. Gone was his intimidating demeanour. In a futile attempt to free himself, he tried to twist his arm out of her grasp, but only ended up wincing in pain.

"This is not a scratch!" Luna told him harshly.

"Are you out of your mind, sister?" he hissed through clenched teeth. "Why would you expose my weakness in front of my enemies?"

"Your foolish stubbornness has always been your greatest flaw, brother," Luna said and let go of his arm, so he could clutch his wounded shoulder with one hand. "We are not your enemies and have never truly been. If you needed help, you only had to reach out."

"I do not desire your help."

"Then help yourself," Noctis chimed in. "The Ring gave you the Power of Kings, right? I saw you use an armiger of your own. Many drinks gain healing properties if you keep them in there long enough. The healing is nowhere near as good as Luna's, but it's something, at least."

"Ah, if only you had asked …," Ardyn added and received another glare from Ravus in return.

"I do not care for either of your advice. Every time I speak to one of you Lucis Caelums, my life ends up being ruined in one way or another. I'm done with all of your lot." From a pocket on his coat, he produced the fabled Ring of the Lucii and presented it to Noctis. "Here, take what is rightfully yours."

Despite of all the magical power contained within, it was still just an unassuming, black ring with a white stone set into it. Remembering all too well what had happened the last time he had put on the Ring, Noctis hesitated before accepting it.

"And take your father's glaive as well." From his belt, Ravus drew a familiar Royal Arm and gave it to the Prince. It was the Sword of the Father, Regis' signature weapon, that Ravus must have picked up during the invasion.

With a twinge of sadness, if not nostalgia, Noctis took it and held the sword in front of him. Regis had used it when Noctis had been a kid, to save him from the Marilith daemon and defend them during their escape from Fenestala Manor, but with advancing age and weakness, retrieving weapons from the armiger had become increasingly difficult for his father. Noctis was still regarding the patterns adorning the blade as Ardyn reached out to touch it. Before he could so much as brush the metal with his fingertips, Noctis dropped the sword into his armiger. It felt wrong, to let the man involved in his father's death, who had not once shown any respect for the late king, draw an image from the weapon.

Ardyn looked at him, puzzled. "You're keeping this one for yourself?"

"This one is … special," Noctis replied for want of a better explanation.

The former Chancellor's voice shifted to that sincere, quieter tone. "I have no desire to take it from you. I merely wished to acquire its soul."

"I know and I'll let you, just …," Noctis paused, searching for the right words, "Not yet. Later."

Judging by his expression, the former Chancellor was studying him intently, possibly trying to figure out if he was being honest or not.

"Ardyn, there is a king who still needs to be mourned," Luna added, to which Ravus scoffed, showing his disdain for the late king.

At least, Ardyn had gotten the hint and took a step back. "Do what you must, then."

A moment of silence followed, but with Prompto around, those never lasted long. "So, uh … The High Commander surrenders?" he asked the others of Noct's retinue, quietly, but not quietly enough.

"I do not surrender," Ravus insisted, glaring daggers at the gunner before turning back to Noctis. "With the prophecy in shambles, my goals have become moot. This is a twilight age that you have brought on, Noctis. An age of chaos and uncertainty."

Luna shook her head at him. "No, Ravus. It is an age of dawn, of possibilities and future. A new day is born from light and dark in equal measure."

"I no longer care how the darkness is driven back, as long as it is done, and the only one who can do it is Noctis, for the souls within the Ring accept none other than the Chosen."

"That means you've spoken to Somnus, right?" Noctis asked.

"I have, and I was able to come to a temporary agreement with him. He granted me further use of the Ring so that I may bring it to you, but no more than that."

Out of the corner of his eye, Noctis noticed Ardyn creasing his brows in contemplation.

"You don't happen to know what he's after, do you?" Noctis continued to ask Ravus.

"We spoke only briefly, but it seems that he, too, wants to see a change in the prophecy. Namely, to see his lineage survive."

Now, that was unexpected. Based on what Noctis remembered of the words Somnus had whispered into his ear, he had assumed that Somnus wanted to see the prophecy fulfilled in the same way as Bahamut did. If he wished for Noctis to live, then they had one common goal at least. Still, Noctis could not help but worry, that, if he put on the Ring, Somnus would try to take control of his magic again to lunge at Ardyn and rekindle their feud.

The glow along the horizon dimmed and night slowly settled in.

"May we head inside, Ravus?" Luna asked her brother. "It's getting rather dark, and it's been a long journey."

"Of course. Come." He turned around, walked over to the three entrance doors to the Citadel and opened the middle one for his sister. The rest of them did not receive such service.

For the most part, the reception hall looked just as it always had. The reception desk to the left was in a bit of a disarray, but appeared to be otherwise intact. Black floor tiles with gold ornaments led to the corridor in the back, where the elevators leading to the press hall, council room and throne room were located. To Noctis' surprise, the light fixtures were all still working. He was no expert on energy, but the Citadel could draw power from the mere presence of the Crystal, so perhaps it had something to do with that.

Ravus sat down on one of the black visitor couches, and Luna joined him to take a look at his shoulder. An injury that had already begun healing on its own was, probably, much harder to patch up properly. While his friends spread around the room and settled on some of the other couches, Noctis' gaze was drawn to the old paintings along the walls. Their sight had become so familiar that Noctis had stopped thinking about them years ago, but the knowledge he had gained on his journey put the images into a new perspective. The paintings showed scenes from the book of the gods, the Cosmogony. There was Ifrit's betrayal, the War of the Astrals, the Founder King receiving the Stone and the Ring from Bahamut, the King and the Oracle travelling the world, and the prophecy, of course. Very few of the depicted figures actually looked like their real-world counterparts, but it was especially the image of the Founder King that struck Noctis as flawed. The man with the long, brown hair and the white robe resembled Ardyn's former self far more than Somnus. The truth behind the kingdom's founding might have been right before their eyes all this time.

Noctis' thoughts were in turmoil. The Citadel stirred too many emotions. His eyes fell on the Ring in the palm of his hand. "I have to make a call," he announced to his friends and turned to walk back outside. "In private."

Ardyn's gaze followed him as he strode past to the doors.

"Shout if you need us," Valyria called after him.

A chill wind embraced Noctis when he stepped out. Night had not fallen completely yet, but two red giants had already emerged from the shadows on the road leading up the courtyard – walking heaps of muscle armed with red-hot broad swords, and some of the strongest daemons known to Eos. Just in case, Noctis stayed at the top of the staircase. He held up the Ring with one hand, ready to put it on the other, whilst mentally preparing himself to face his ancestor.

"Whatever are you doing, Noct? You're not seeking an audience with my brother, are you?"

Although he had recognised him by the sound of his voice, Noctis still startled at the sight of Ardyn standing in front of the closed entrance doors. "Do you have to sneak up on me like that?"

"I could have kept quiet and let you carry on, but I'd prefer if you didn't do something both of us are going to regret," Ardyn said and walked up to him. To see him wearing such a serious expression was rare and did not bode well, but Noctis held his ground.

"I need to talk to him. We can't enter the Crystal without the Ring, and if Somnus doesn't approve of what I'm doing, he'll either try to reject me or use the Ring's magic to attack you."

A fleeting smile crossed Ardyn's features. "And your boundless consideration for others is just the reason why I cannot allow it to happen. More than one son of house Caelum was gifted with great cunning. Though Somnus' methods differ from mine, make no mistake: He will try to take advantage of you." He held out his palm to Noctis, seemingly expecting him to drop the Ring into it. "If you absolutely must talk to him, let me have a word first."

Noctis balled his fist around the jewel. "Sorry, but part of the reason why the world's in this mess is that Somnus and you weren't able to make up. Honestly, with that much bad blood between you, I don't think giving you another chance to talk is going to change anything."

Ardyn blinked at him in surprise. "A convincing argument. So you possess some diplomatic prowess, after all."

"Told you so."

"Still, how will you achieve what I could not? At the very least, allow me to offer my advice."

"I can't have you stick around. At the Altar of the Tidemother, I got caught up in your stupid feud and the two of you weren't even talking directly to each other."

"Come now, we're all grown-ups here. I know when to fight with words instead of arms."

Noctis gave him a look of disbelief. "Oh, right. In the city that Somnus founded? Where nearly every monument has been erected in his honour?"

In a mix of annoyance and anger, Ardyn furrowed his brows.

"Yeah, I don't think so," Noctis added. "Trust me, Ardyn. I'm on your side. Somnus is not just gonna sway me."

There it was again, the doubt in Ardyn's eyes. It had to be ironic for him, to hear someone with Somnus' face speak to him about trust. A moment of silence passed, before Ardyn put a hand to his forehead and shook his head as if trying to clear his mind of the hatred. "Pretty bold of you to assume I had any trust left to give. Nonetheless, since it's you who's asking, I shall try to find it within me to trust you, if only for the time being." He bowed respectfully before returning to the Citadel's entrance. In front of the door, Ardyn stopped to look back at Noctis. "I pray your resolve remains unshaken," he added, and disappeared into the reception hall.

With him gone, Noctis was back to where he had been minutes before. This time, he no longer hesitated to put on the Ring. Once the jewel had slid into place on his finger, the Crystal's magic became accessible again, flowing from the Ring into his hand, arm and body. It was a connection that could easily go both ways, either filling him with magic or draining it from him. The hushed voices of the Lucii surrounded him once more.

"Show yourself, Somnus," Noctis demanded. "You wanted to talk before, and I've got something to say this time, too. Let's have this chat."

The ruins of Insomnia, blanketed by the dark of night, served as the background in front of which the barely visible image of a man appeared. He was a bit taller, and perhaps five to ten years older than Noctis, wearing a black robe and a cape, and looked overall surprisingly much like he had in Ardyn's memory, which led Noctis to wonder if Somnus, like many others of his ancestors, had died at a young age.

"Your form of address leaves something to be desired, though I am glad to speak to you again all the same," Somnus said. A quiet, otherworldly echo accompanied his words. "Will you allow me plead my case?"

Noctis crossed his arms. "I know your case. You've been trying to convince me that your brother's a monster, I'm stupid for trusting him and if I don't change my mind we're all doomed. Did I get that right?"

"Yours is a crude summary that lacks the most important pieces of information. Ardyn sent you on a quest to slay a god when it is the scourge you should be fighting. To banish the darkness is the calling of the Chosen. Over a hundred kings gave their life to protect the Crystal and strengthen the Ring, so that you may wield its power to overcome the Adagium's immortality and deliver our Star from its blight. Will you truly let their sacrifices be in vain?"

"I hate to break it to you," Noctis began his counter-argument, "but my ancestor's sacrifices were pointless. Mankind's got a cure for the Starscourge that's just about ready to be distributed all over Eos. It'll stop people from turning into daemons and then this eternal night or whatever it's called in the prophecy won't even happen."

"You cannot compare the scourge to a common cold," Somnus objected. "It is a blight, a curse on this world, not something to be treated with herbs and a night's rest."

"I wasn't done yet." Noctis kept his gaze firmly locked onto Somnus' face. "There's something else that doesn't add up. How is Ardyn's death going to rid the world of the Starscourge? Sure, he's got a lot of the stuff, and I guess he used it against a bunch of people, but daemons have been around for over a hundred years, way before Ardyn was released from Angelgard. There just weren't as many of them. That means he isn't the sole source of the scourge, and if his death really does cleanse the world, then it has to be the gods' doing, and nothing to do with him."

Somnus did not look pleased to listen to his arguments, but Noctis was not talking to him to make friends. "It will work because it has worked in the past. When I struck my brother down on that fateful day, it was the last of the scourge I had seen for the rest of my mortal life. Trust me when I say that I did not do it because I wanted to, but for the sake of the kingdom as a whole. My brother did a lot of good back then, but he was so concerned with each and every individual that he failed to see the greater picture. The gods chose him to be the embodiment of darkness, and as such, his fate was preordained."

"And you're sure the scourge subsiding had nothing to do with the number of people you burned? Or the ones Ardyn healed? Why does everything have to be the gods' doing?"

"Because it simply is. Mankind is at the mercy of the gods. If you had met Bahamut, you would know that we can twist the chains that bind us, but we cannot break them."

All this talk of fate. If Noctis had to listen to any more of it, he was going to hit someone. Not Somnus, though. Trying to hit his ghostly apparition would probably just send him tumbling down the stairs. "I haven't met Bahamut yet, but I have met five other Astrals and they didn't seem almighty to me." Perhaps two thousand years ago, people lived in awe of their gods, but this was the year 756 in the modern era. Most of Eos' mysteries had been unravelled by science, while the gods – with the exception of Bahamut – had been slumbering for ages up until Luna had roused them. Someone who had been dead for two thousand years was probably just too stuck in his beliefs to understand.

With crossed arms, Somnus paced a few steps along the top of the staircase. "Your thoughts have been more corrupted than I thought. This conversation is going nowhere."

"Now, here's something I can agree on."

"Why did you summon me, then?"

"Because I want to use the Ring to enter the Crystal with Luna and Ardyn, and I don't want you to interfere."

"So you intend to drag Ardyn with you into the beyond?" Somnus asked and continued to walk along the uppermost step. It was funny to see, how Somnus grew more restless the more he contemplated a matter, while his elder brother usually grew still and quiet when lost in thought. "This was not foretold, but it could work just as well," Somnus mused aloud. "The prophecy asks of you to give your life to move on to the beyond after the Adagium has been slain in the mortal realm, so that you may relieve him of his immortality from the other side. But the time for the final battle has not yet come. Neither of you are as strong as you should be by then."

Noctis gave him a confused look. He had the Ring of the Lucii, fourteen Royal Arms and five Astrals willing to help. How much more powerful could he even get?

"If you fought him directly in the beyond, you might just be able to put him to rest without sacrificing your own life."

"We've just been over this. It's not gonna happen."

"Then you really will doom this world," Somnus stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't think so."

Shaking his head, Somnus switched to a softer tone of voice. "Noctis, why even take the risk when there is a guaranteed way to cure our Star? Your wish to save my brother is noble, and I honour your intention, but even if …" He sighed as if he struggled to speak of what he deemed to be impossible. "If you would find another way to stop the impending night eternal, Ardyn will never be relieved of his cursed existence. Ask him about his plans for the future, and I promise, he will not know what to do beyond getting his revenge on the gods. A shadow such as him will know only suffering in an age of light."

Doubts were creeping into Noctis' thoughts. Somnus might have a point. Not once had Ardyn contemplated what happened after their victory. In fact, he had never seemed so optimistic to begin with. Remembering his promise to Ardyn, Noctis pushed the notion aside. "His future will be for him to decide. I've got no say in it."

Somnus' expression grew steely. "In this case, we shall meet again when you arrive in the beyond. If you will not banish the darkness, then I, – nay, we – as the Lucii combined, will have to try."

Funny that he mentioned the other Lucii, because Noctis had yet to hear them talk. "Can I get a second opinion on that?" he asked.

"What other opinion do you need? I speak for all of the Lucii."

"Then you won't mind if I talked to another one, right?"

"Fine. Call and they shall answer, but hurry. If this conversation drags on any longer, you will force the Ring to draw upon your life to sustain our presence in this world."

Noctis raised the hand with the Ring to his face. "Dad, are you there?" He waited for a response, one second, and another, and as time crawled on, he was beginning to doubt that Regis' soul had been tethered to the Ring of the Lucii at all.

"This is who you would call?" Somnus asked, looking unimpressed. "The burden of the Father was greater than most. He had to sacrifice everything for you, despite knowing that you were fated be the last of our line."

"He knew?" Noctis uttered, slightly confused by what he was hearing.

"I sacrificed everything because I had no other choice."

In a soft glow, another ghostly apparition appeared next to Somnus. Regis looked like he had the day Noctis had departed from Insomnia, old and tired. He still wore the pinstriped suit with the short cape and the knee brace, but he stood straight, seemingly free of the pain that had forced him to use a cane to lean on.

"Dad!" Noctis exclaimed in a breath of relief. It was good to see him, just one more time, even though there was an ache in Noctis' heart, just knowing that his father could not return to the world of the living, not really.

"It is true what he says." The late king nodded at Somnus in recognition of his remark before turning to Noctis with eyes full of regret. "When you turned five, the Crystal did not just bestow upon you the title of the Chosen. It showed me the fate of the world – and yours."

Noctis opened his mouth, but found himself at a loss for words. He had always assumed that Regis had known no more than him or the general public – that the True King, with the help of the gods, would ascend to banish the darkness. Not the parts about his sacrifice, the Oracle's hardships, the spread of daemons, the scourge or the many years of never-ending night.

"There was never any doubt in my heart that the prophesied darkness would come and that it would take any less than the life of the Crystal's Chosen to prevent the world's destruction. By the time the Oracle told me there was a way to oppose fate, it was far too late to save myself."

"The Oracle?" Somnus asked.

"Yes, indeed."

"Who else have you got under your influence, brother?" Somnus muttered to himself and began pacing again.

"Noctis, it is not too late for you yet," Regis continued. "Your achievements thus far prove that great good can come from your cooperation with the dreaded Adagium. The Long Night has not descended yet, the Oracle still lives, and even your men remain unharmed."

Somnus crossed his arms in front of his chest. "All of which are negligible victories in a greater war. You choose your side based on emotions, not reason."

"As I should," Regis replied with his head held high and walked up to Noctis. "I was given the role of the father, and what kind of father would I be if I did not stand by my son's side?"

"I refuse to partake in this pointless discussion any longer. Meet me in the beyond, Noctis, and I shall test your resolve one last time." With that, Somnus turned around and purposefully walked down the staircase. With every step he took, his visible form grew more and more transparent until he had disappeared completely, leaving Noctis to talk to his father, alone. Some of the tension in the air dispersed immediately.

Regis turned to his son once more. "Will you forgive this old fool for keeping your trials from you?"

"How could I not?" Noctis replied. "I should be the one apologising to you, for not being more grateful. You've done so much for me, and I …" It dawned on him what kind of weight Regis must have carried, just so that he could have a carefree, happy childhood in an already ill-fated family loaded with responsibility. How hard it must have been for him to see Noctis off to Altissia, knowing that his son was not meant to live to his twenty-first birthday. What Noctis had seen in his father's eyes on that day had not been worry, but sadness, if not grief.

"Please, harbour no regrets. It is not the duty of a child to be grateful, but the duty of a parent to care for them regardless."

"Still. Thank you, dad. For everything."

Regis placed a hand on his shoulder. Even though Noctis could not feel its weight, the gesture alone spoke louder than any words. "Walk tall, my son," his father said as his ghostly apparition faded away.

Noctis looked down on the Ring on his finger. When the flow of magic subsided, it felt like a weight crumbled and fell from his soul. He was glad to know, that, even though Somnus and most of the Lucii were against his plans, there was at least one who would always support him. Noctis neither needed, nor cared about anyone else's blessing but Regis', really.

The silence reigning in Insomnia was broken by the screeches of daemons roaming the streets. Clouds had gathered in the night sky overhead, blocking the light of the stars. Lightning crashed in the distance, and Noctis felt a single drop of rain on his head. When he turned around to head back inside, he thought he heard the neighing of a Mesmenir or Spiracorn resound through the city.