3

Prompto had given up on struggling by now. Not that he had submitted to his situation, but it had been long enough that his arms had grown heavy and sore from trying to pry them from the sturdy grip of the metal hands clamped around them, unceasing as Ardyn practically paraded him through the fortress. No doubt bringing him to a cell or some kind of torture chamber, or at least something of that nature.

"That would be just like him." Prompto thought, glaring at the older man as his back was turned to him. "I mean, he's probably just using me to get to Noct. But I mean really, I've gotten myself in some pretty deep shit regardless, haven't I?"

"Let me be the first to welcome you to Zegnautus, my young friend." Ardyn said, a little too chipper for the young blonde's taste. Ardyn turned around to face the young man, continuing their steady pace, proceeding to walk backwards so he could properly speak with the blonde for a moment. "I do hope the accommodations will be to your liking."

Prompto turned his gaze up to the chancellor, offering another glare once he heard the feigned sincerity in Ardyn's painfully mellifluous voice. Mocking him with the reality that the situation was not nearly as simple and innocent as he was attempting to make it sound, if only to further entertain himself.

"I do so love to have guests." Ardyn said, his voice lowering once again as he turned back to face away from Prompto, leading the MT's still restraining him farther along towards their destination. "It's much more fun around here that way. The imperial army can be so dull, you understand."

Prompto sighed quietly to himself, turning his gaze back to the cold metal floor while he was practically being dragged farther down the hallway. He had a feeling he knew what that nuanced 'fun' meant...

"I guarantee you and I have different definition's of fun." He thought as their movement stopped.

Looking back up, Prompto saw that they were halted before the door to a room in the farthest right corner of the hall. As soon as Ardyn opened the door, Prompto craned his neck around him and the few MT's escorting them to see what laid before him.

The interior was quiet minimal, as the room was completely metal just like the rest of the fortress. But his heart quickly sank as he saw what rested within the chamber.

The room was filled with a bunch of strange looking contraptions, and what looked like tools or weapons of some sort. In Prompto's mind, it really was shaping up to be some sort of torture chamber. Though he'd never actually seen one other than in video games and movies, so he couldn't exactly be sure if there was actually any real sense of accuracy there. But even so, the fear began to slowly sink in once again.

Admittedly afraid of the thought of what Ardyn might do to him with whatever all that stuff was, Prompto began to struggle again. Desperately trying to tear his arms free from the grip of the MT's, but sadly to no avail. His arms were simply too weak and hurt from trying to free himself before to be of any real use to him now.

"Oh come now, Prompto, don't be so skittish." Ardyn said, chuckling to himself beneath his breath as he entered the room.

Closely followed by the MT's dragging Prompto along, the chancellor elegantly turned on his heels to face the younger man, a clearly visible smirk coming across his face as he gestured to the room around them.

"After all." His voice lowered as he came closer to the blonde, stopping inches away from his face. "You're going to be spending quite some time here. You had best get used to it."

Prompto's eyes widened once more as his fear had finally finished sinking in with the reminder that he was in the clutches of a madman, completely alone, and with no idea his friends knew where he was, or were even really coming at all...

"Y-You'll never get away with this!" Prompto stuttered out, trying to avoid direct eye contact with Ardyn, despite the fact that the man was still right in front of his face. Which made avoiding eye contact extremely difficult.

"Oh, won't I...?" Ardyn asked. Chuckling quietly, he moved away from the blonde, gesturing for the MT's to continue their previously given orders for the young man's transportation destination.

Prompto, in turn, struggled against the MT's once more as they brought him over to one of the many devices filling various parts of the decently sized chamber.

"I believe I will be the judge of that."

Prompto did his best to stifle his quickened breath and steadily increasing fear levels as the MT's carried out their orders, holding his arms outstretched and iron grip resolute against his struggling while they fastened them to the tight metal restraints of his new confinement.

His arms were outstretched at his sides as if measuring his wingspan, shackled to a small but sturdy metal frame by iron clasps around his wrists and upper forearms. He was placed somewhat centered in the room, and despite the strong restraints on his arms, the rest of his body was exposed, with nothing even behind his back for support except the bar running across which held his arms.

All in all, a very simple prison for a not so simple jailor.

"Oh, I know it's not much now." Ardyn began, taking long and graceful strides towards the young man. His voice sounding almost as if he pitied the simple restrains in which he had been placed in comparison to the rest of the contraptions scattered about the room. "But I'm sure you don't mind."

Ardyn chuckled quietly under his breath, his demeanor changing in an instant, his eyes narrowing and a stark frown now replacing the conniving smile he had had the entire time before. And with almost the speed of lightning, delivered a complete backhanded smack to the blonde's left cheek.

"After all, I have my own plans for you, dear boy." He chuckled to himself. "And I highly suggest you behave yourself during your time here."

"Y-You're going to regret this!" Prompto asserted, gaining back a small bit of his courage as he fixed his narrow-eyed gaze on the older man, glaring as he attempted to remain resolute despite his previous fears. "When Noct and the others get here you'll-"

"-Ah yes! Your precious friends." Ardyn interrupted, snapping his fingers as if he had just made an important discovery. "But are you really so certain they'll come?"

"Of course they will! They're gonna come for me, I know it! And when they do, Noct's gonna stop you!" Prompto said, already beginning to struggle against the restraints, determined to make it out of this place in one piece.

"But... wasn't it Noctis who put you in this position?" Ardyn asked, tilting his head slightly to the right as he began circling the blonde, raising an eyebrow at him as he inquired.

"That... that wasn't his fault." Prompto wavered, remembering those times when Noctis had attacked him. Those were some of the worst moments of his entire life... "You made him do it!"

"Did I?" Ardyn asked, a painfully fake air of surprise overcoming his voice. Pressing a hand against his chest, he leaned forward slightly towards Prompto, tilting his head to the right. "Or did your dear friend simply realize he doesn't need you anymore?"

Prompto tensed at Ardyn's words, his expression quickly making the stark change from anger to worried disbelief.

"N-No way...!" He said, making an attempt to collect himself. "Noct would never..."

"Oh wouldn't he?" Ardyn inquired, taking another graceful stride, crossing back behind the young man, discreetly grabbing something off of one of the tables he passed by. "Such are the bonds between friends. But what of it, when your dear friend finds out who you really are? What you are."

Prompto's body stiffened once more. It was true, he was worried about how Noctis and the others would react, and if they would still accept him for what he really was. He had always feared anyone discovering his true origins, and the reality that it would soon come to light was a terrifying thought...

"You... are going to tell them, aren't you?" Ardyn circled Prompto again. Making his way back around to the front, he stopped. Ardyn reached towards Prompto and took the blonde fringe loosely into his hand, letting the brightly colored locks filter through his fingers before looking back into the younger's terrified eyes. "You told Ms. Highwind as much."

"H-How did you-"

"Did you honestly think that I didn't?" Arydn interrupted, raising an eyebrow at the blonde. "Are you really so naïve?"

Ardyn chuckled to himself, crossing behind Prompto one more time, placing a hand on the younger's shoulder as he stopped behind him. Prompto's slender frame stiffening once again at the former's touch, his breathing hastened slightly as well as his heartbeat.

"Just hold it together, Prompto." Prompto thought, taking a deep breath to try to calm himself down, though not having all that much luck as his heart was still racing from his fear. "Noct… Noct is coming, I know it!"

"Perhaps he will." Ardyn said, interrupting Prompto's thoughts as he squeezed the blonde's shoulder slightly tighter, moving up closer to the young man so he was able to speak into his ear. "And in that event, I'll see to it he safely recovers his precious friend."

The man chuckled to himself again, ever so sinister, not helping Prompto's uneasiness in any way with his dark, malevolent tone.

"Or at least... what's left of him."

Suddenly, Prompto was overcome by a hot, searing pain almost stabbing into his spine. Ardyn smirked as he jammed the small electric device he held harder into Prompto's back, sending powerful shock waves through the gunner's slender body.

Prompto tried hard to suppress the screams and cries making their way up his throat, not about to let Ardyn have the satisfaction. But as the shocks grew and the volts shot and surged through his entire body, he could feel the electricity in his bones and could see the lightning as if it were just one of Noct's spells. The pain was overwhelming, he leaned backwards as far as he could, writhing in pain as the screams broke through, crying out in agonizing strife before it stopped, but only to come again as hard and merciless as the first time. Prompto's screams rang out through the chamber as Ardyn practically cackled behind him while he pressed the electric device over and over again into Prompto's back.

As soon as he finally stopped, Prompto dropped. His body hung there limply as he half fell to his knees, unable to go very far due to the restraints holding his arms. His breath was ragged and quick as he tried to recover from what he had just experienced.

"Aww... such a pitiful sight."

Prompto glanced up at the older man, lifting his head only as much as his newfound lack of energy would allow him. His whole body burned from the shocks, using much of his slowly draining strength to hold his head up.

Ardyn knelt down to look the younger in the eyes, his malevolent gaze sending shivers down the blonde's still internally burning body.

"His majesty's nearest and dearest friend, all alone and suffering..." He grinned once again, relishing in the latter's distress. "And with no friends around to save him. Oh, it's just so sad..."

Ardyn reached out, cupping Prompto's chin in his hand, forcing his head up to look him in the eyes.

"How do you suppose his highness would feel if he arrived to find your cold, lifeless corpse?" The man chuckled quietly as Prompto's strength returned just enough for him to begin struggling once more, refusing to die at the hands of a deranged madman. "Oh, what a show that would be. The emotion, the despair!"

Ardyn sighed, offering the struggling blonde a slightly softer glance of pity as he gripped the boy's chin slightly harder, keeping his head in place as Prompto offered his own tired glare at the older man.

"But fortunately for you, dear boy. I don't plan to kill you."

"T-Then... what...?" Prompto asked, taking a few deep breaths to try and stabilize his breathing, just as Ignis had always instructed him to do if he should ever have a panic attack due to his serious claustrophobia while they were in a cave, going through a small space, or just having a panic attack in general. "What do you even want me for...?"

"Why else, than to leave you broken and beaten at his highness's feet." Ardyn answered, narrowing his eyes at the young man and offering a deep frown before pulling back his fist and quickly ramming it hard into the blonde's ribs, knocking the wind out of him.

Prompto's eyes widened as his head lurched forward out of Ardyn's grasp, crying out from the sharp, powerful blow to the chest.

Prompto hardly had even a single moment to recover.

As soon as he looked back up from the ground, Ardyn's knee collided hard with Prompto's face as he stood again before the blonde, who cried out once he felt the unmistakable break in his nose. Ardyn grinned as blood streamed from the younger's now broken nose, flowing into his mouth and dripping onto the floor below him.

"I say, that is a good look on you." Ardyn chuckled, placing a hand on his hip, tilting his head as he inspected the bloodied face of the young blonde. "I do hope your friends appreciate my generosity in showing their companion my hospitality." He smirked, grabbing a small knife off of the table next to him.

Kneeling down next to the blonde again, grabbing his chin again to stop him from moving away. Raising the knife to his face, Ardyn administered the cold steel to Prompto's warm flesh, slowly carving a gash into the left side of his forehead. Smiling as Prompto cried out in pain, struggling against him as best he could, but only making the pain worse.

"That is... if they come for you at all."

Prompto cried out again, feeling the blood beginning to cake the side of his face, and dripping into his eye as his head was tilted in Ardyn's grip. He had never felt pain like this before, it was overwhelming for his fragile body and it just didn't stop. Just as Prompto thought he would have even a moment of reprieve, he was once again jabbed in the back by the electric hell that was like a magically infused taser, the lightning shooting through his slender frame, aggravating the new cut on his face, and his freshly broken nose.

Prompto cried out as loud as he could, almost as if he hoped someone would hear him. That someone would come and deliver him from Ardyn's clutches.

"Noct… help me..." He thought, weakly hanging in his restraints as the electrocution stopped.

He couldn't quite get low enough to rest on his knees, the restraints pulling on the blonde's arms while he couldn't support himself only making it worse. He felt like if he couldn't re-balance himself his arms would come off, but Prompto also feared he would lose consciousness before that happened. Already he could see the sides of his vision cloud over and darken, the multiple massive shocks were finally starting to get to him, along with the blows to his chest and head.

"Giving in so quickly?" Ardyn asked, tilting his head sightly, inspecting the blonde's bloody face. "I wonder how could a boy this weak could journey alongside the chosen prince and his royal retinue?"

The chancellor scoffed to himself, letting go of Prompto's chin, his head lowering so his chin was resting on his chest, effectively bloodying his shirt.

"In any event, there is something I would like to discuss with your dear king-to-be." Ardyn rose up from his knee to his feet, looking down at the barely conscious boy before him. "Do behave yourself in the meantime, Prompto. I would hate to have to change my mind about killing you. Although, the idea is growing in appeal."

The man turned on his heel, making his way to the door to the chamber, motioning for the two remaining MT's in the chamber to stand guard until he returned.

Not that Prompto would be going anywhere anyway.

"N-Noct…" Prompto whimpered quietly, small tears finding their way through his beautiful blue eyes while he fought his draining strength to keep them open. "Ignis... G-Gladio…"

Prompto's vision faded, his consciousness quickly slipping away as he felt his body go limp around him, no longer able to support himself, as he lost his battle against the darkness of unconsciousness.

"Please... h-help..."

Noct sighed, taking a moment to process everything that had just happened before continuing on wards through the empty train. This was all too much for him to handle all at once.

First Ardyn was there, and then only to find out that Gentiana was really the Glacian. And on top of it all, after receiving the Trident of The Oracle from her and waking Ignis and Gladio, he was visited by what he could only describe as Luna's ghost.

It was an overwhelming encounter for him after all he had already experienced.

Noct's head was spinning from the amount of things that had all happened at once all around him, and it wasn't like he had the time to sit around and think it all through and sort it all out for himself. He had to keep moving. There was no time to be confused, though unfortunately he was failing miserably on that front.

Noctis took a deep breath before exiting the car, knowing full well that Ardyn wasn't truly dead, and dreading his inevitable reappearance. He took in this moment of reprieve, for as soon as he entered the next car, the air suddenly changed, to a far more sinister feeling.

"I feel I've earned the right to call you Noct." Ardyn said, tilting his head just slightly as he appeared before Noctis once again, just has he had feared, causing Noct to take a step back, letting out a quiet gasp as Ardyn spoke. "For a moment I felt death's chill wind. Such is the might of the gods. But then, I remembered I'm immortal. Such is my blessing, and curse."

He looked away from Noct, reaching into his pocket for a moment, before looking back to the younger man with a hard glare burning on his face.

"Your attack hurt me nevertheless... my feelings at least." Taking a moment to reassert his grip on the item he had claimed, Ardyn raised his arm slowly, pointing the familiar object towards the raven-haired man. "And after all the memories we've shared. Remember this?"

Prompto's gun.

Noct's eyes widened at the sight of his best friend's possession, new worry for his lost companion quickly rising above the current.

"Ah, I should have asked if you remember him. Truly a blast from the past, nay?" Ardyn asked. Taking a stride over to Noctis, he pressed the handgun onto Noct's chest.

Anger was growing quickly inside of Noctis as he was forced to listen to the man who had blinded Ignis, killed Luna, and kidnapped Prompto. There was no measuring the hatred he felt in his heart.

Noct quickly grabbed at the gun, hoping to reclaim it to return it to his friend when they were reunited, but Ardyn quickly snatched it away, turning away from Noctis before taking another few strides away.

"Ah, ah, ah! You mustn't take what's not yours."

"Where is he!?" Noct asked, the anger seeping into every fiber of his being. He wanted nothing more than to kill the man for what he had done, but if he did, it would be much harder to get the information he wanted. It was beyond infuriating.

"He?" Ardyn inquired, his back still turned to Noctis. Chuckling quietly to himself he turned back to face the latter, his arm outstretched, pointing in the direction of the prince's destination. "The little gunman's a short shot away."

"Where?" Noctis demanded, his eyes narrowing at the older man has he waited for his answer. He wasn't about to let him leave without giving up Prompto's location.

"Where else but Gralea, the seat of the empire? I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you. And you might even find your Crystal." A small grin appeared on Arydn's face as he took graceful strides towards the younger man, grabbing something else out of his pocket, different than before. "With all these deamons about, you could certainly use it."

Pushing passed Noctis, Ardyn brushed him aside with his arm, stopping just before he exited the train car.

"Off you go, then. I wouldn't want to keep you from your friend." Raising his arm to reveal a small device in his hand, Noct heard a small, quiet click behind Ardyn's malicious chuckles as he left the car. Leaving Noctis to his own thoughts.

"Dammit. So he is there..." Noct sighed, shaking his head as he thought about his missing friend. Alone in the capital of the empire, the nexus of all the evil and darkness devouring their world, with only Ardyn to subject him to whatever kind of torment he could imagine.

"Don't think about that." He scolded himself, giving himself a nice smack in the head before looking forward to the cars before him, where Ignis and Gladio were waiting for him. "We've gotta hurry... Prompto needs our help. Not to mention the rest of the world, too."

Taking a moment to calm down and collect himself after his encounter with Ardyn, Noct proceeded forward, hoping to quickly meet back up with his remaining friends. They didn't have time to waste. Not only was Prompto waiting for them, counting on them to save him. But every moment they wasted, another moment of sunlight was consumed by darkness, and soon there would be no light left at all.

But without his best friend safe and sound among their ranks again, Noct couldn't focus on that fact. All he wanted now was to save his closest friend.

The friend whom he had hurt, and betrayed.

"Sorry, but my duty is gonna have to wait a little bit longer..." Noct sighed, entering yet another car, this one containing his remaining companions. Feeling much better among his friends, Noct finally relaxed, taking a more leisurely pace has he approached them. "Hey, I've got some pretty big news."

Sitting down opposite Ignis, Noct looked back and forth between the two older men.

"And what would that be?" Gladio asked, raising an eyebrow, also wishing to know why he had taken so long to catch up.

"Did the chancellor say anything to you?" Ignis inquired, looking straight into Noct's face, quickly catching onto he reason for his late return. "Doubtless he returned."

"Yeah, he did." Noct answered, nodding as he relaxed in his seat. Feeling equal parts better and worse about learning Prompto's location, especially as the information had come straight from the man who had kidnapped him in the first place. "He told me where Prompto is."

"Seriously?" Gladio asked, his eyes widening slightly, not expecting to hear that Ardyn had been so generous with his information.

"Seriously." Noct repeated, thought sighing quietly, tipping the others off to what was clearly bad news. "He's in Gralea."

Gladio cursed under his breath, while Ignis merely shook his head at the news. Their friend was in the most dangerous place in the world, all alone with no one to protect him.

All alone, with Ardyn.

The three companions sat in silence, trying to find a silver lining that wasn't just that they were already headed there, but to no avail. The only thing that occurred to them then, was that rescuing their friend had just gotten that much harder...