16

The guys walked out of the safe room with a new fire and a spark of reignited determination inside of them. Noct kept glancing over to Prompto every few seconds, still admittedly worried about him. But with the treatment he so desperately needed, even a fraction of it that they could provide, he was stronger and in better shape than the three had seen him in since before his body left the train that fateful day. Prompto could walk again, he could stand and reclaim his rightful place alongside them again. That was what was important. They were all back and all together again and Ardyn wasn't going to be able to take that from them again, they would make sure of that.

Ardyn wouldn't take anything from anyone again. They would make sure of that too.

All they needed was to get the Crystal back.

Feeling Noct's eyes on him, though, Prompto took a step closer to his friend and nudged him with his elbow, grinning just a little.

"Hey, I'm okay, really." He said, admittedly amused that he was the one reassuring Noct for once. "Thanks to you. My hero, Noct."

Noct wasn't sure if he laughed or scoffed at that, but he couldn't help but smile either way, shaking his head at Prompto's often used line. The cheerful familiarity was comforting, after all they'd been through lately. After everything Ardyn had tricked him into putting Prompto through... it was comforting to know that despite it all, his friend was still the same. That he hadn't managed to ruin him completely by falling for Ardyn tricks... it was comforting.

Prompto just smiled at him, bumping shoulders with him and folding his hands behind his head, walking along as nonchalantly as if nothing had happened at all. Just like his old self.

"Yeah, okay." Noct said, daring to let himself actually believe everything was and was going to be okay. Nodding, he reached over and patted Prompto on the back, shoving his hands into his pockets, casual, on guard but not actively in position for a fight. "If you say so, Prom."

"You bet I say so!"

Smiling just a little, Noct nodded back at him with caution, yet unwavering trust.

"Okay."

"You know the way to the Crystal, don't you, Noct?" Ignis asked from behind them, walking close to Gladio's side as to pacify the shield's never-ending worry over him even now. "We shouldn't linger here any longer."

"Yeah, I have a pretty good idea." Noct answered, glancing back at him. "And don't you worry, I'm right there with you on getting the hell out of here as fast as possible."

"No kidding." Gladio huffed. Now that Prompto was safe and sufficiently healed enough to finish the mission there was nothing he wanted more than to get Ignis out of this godforsaken fortress. He wasn't about to forget what happened while they'd been separated from the younger members of the party. How this place warped Iggy's mind, made him act so strange and caused the advisor to nearly strike him with his cane. Ardyn was going to pay for all of this if Gladio got the chance to make it so, but even more important was getting Ignis and the others safely out of harm's way. "Crystal's gotta be locked up tighter than a drum, though. Could be tough to get our hands on."

"Well then, lucky for us, somebody has keys to the whole fortress." Prompto chirped with a mischievous grin, however the awkward, almost uncomfortable laugh that followed caused the other three to look at him with loving sympathy. "Hey, don't look at me like that. Like it or not, it's true, you know?"

"Of course. Our apologies, Prompto." Ignis spoke, ever the mother, thinking of the wellbeing of his children first. Whether they thought this was something to joke about or not, he recognized Prompto's need to make light so that he could cope with even his own existence. Especially in the wake of all that had happened to him these last days.

The group continued cautiously down the corridors, felling a few odd daemons that crossed their path with synergistic ease. It felt so good to be back. But their mission was still so close yet so far from being over. They hurried along, on their way to the elevator up to the hangers. If Noct was correct, that would be the way to where the Crystal was being kept.

"Almost there." Noct said, mainly for Ignis's benefit than anything else. The sooner they could get him and Prompto out of this place and as far away as possible, back home where they could be safe, the better. They could both take care of themselves, Prompto was far more capable than anyone gave him credit for, and even without his eyes, Ignis had been managing just fine since Cartanica. But even so...

"So, when we get the Crystal, how are we gonna get out of here?" Prompto asked, tilting his head at the group. "Any ideas?"

"Well, I should think the train will be most certainly inaccessible to us, with the way we left things.." Ignis supposed aloud. They hadn't had much time to think about their escape, all things considered. It was actually a rather opportune question for the blonde to raise. Though he sighed, remembering. They hadn't made their way through Niflheim alone. "I do hope Biggs and Wedge made it out safely."

"Uh, who and who?" Prompto asked, tilting his head even further.

Oh, that's right. Prompto had never met them before.

"Allies." Ignis clarified for him. "Regrettably, we were forced to leave them behind when we arrived. And our train was attacked by daemons."

"I'm sure they're fine." Gladio dismissed, though not callously by any means. "If Aranea trusted them enough to send them out with us, then they can handle themselves."

"Yes, Gladio, I suppose you're right."

"A-Aranea...?" Prompto asked, the memory of the First Magitek Production Facility and the frozen wilderness rushing back to him. It was awful, he'd never been so alone and scared... not before this place, anyway. He was sure he would've been strong enough to make it out of there without her help...

"We ran into her in Tenebrae." Noct nodded, throwing his hands onto his pockets as they walked. Though he didn't let his guard down for even a second. "She and her guys agreed to help out with the other train passengers, and she sent Biggs and Wedge to drive the train for us the rest of the way here. We owe them all big for that."

"Guess that makes four of us." Prompto said, feeling all of their eyes turn his way expectantly. They didn't even need to ask for an explanation for him to know that's what they were waiting for, it was fairly clear. "After the, well... incident,"

Noct cringed away at that.

"I ended up in Niflheim. It was freezing, I was all alone, no supplies or anything. I remember passing out in the snow, thinking... that was it. That I was gonna die out there..." Prompto continued to explain, unconsciously stepping closer to Noct as he recounted the basics of his misadventure. They could have a more in-depth chat about that after this was all over. Needless to say, now that he'd opened that door, the others weren't going to let him close it so easily. "I probably would have, too. But I think the Niffs showed up, because next thing I know, I woke up in a Magitek facility. That's where I found out... you-know-what. For sure, anyway. I always... kinda had a feeling."

"Prompto..." Noct whispered soothingly when he realized his friend was growing more distressed. "You can stop if you want to, we... we don't have to talk about this right now."

"Yeah... y-you're right, I just..." Prompto sighed, shaking his head. "Aranea. She came, and she helped me, that's all. A lot, actually."

"I see." Ignis said. He seemed almost skeptical, he didn't remember anything indicating she would go to look for Prompto, nevermind actually locate and aid him. But his lips turned upward into a kind smile nonetheless. "Well then, in that case, we owe her our thanks."

Nodding in agreement, Ignis could feel Noct and Gladio's eyes turn to him. They were thinking it too, they'd never asked her to look for Prompto. It was entirely possible she'd just gone on her own, she was fond of Prompto, so they supposed it wasn't entirely outlandish. But their suspicion was still there. They'd have to ask her about this the next time they saw her.

Frowning, Noct reached out his hand, entwining his finger's between Prompto's. Securing his hand around the blonde's as he narrowed his eyes at the path before them. He felt Prompto flinch beside him, baby blue eyes turning to him, wide with surprise, but he pushed on. Squeezing Prompto's hand protectively. Whether Aranea really came to help him or not, that didn't matter right now. He was here. He made it, he was still alive. That's what was important. But now they had another mission to complete, and they would do it together.

"You sure this is the right way?" Gladio asked as they walked into a large open room, a hanger by the looks of it. Raising his guard, he picked up his pace to move in front of Ignis. The man could take care of himself, even in this state he was proving that. But the Crystal was near, they could all feel it. And Ardyn wasn't just going to let them take it back.

"Positive." Noct nodded, pointing to the large doors at the back of the hanger. "Through there. The Crystal's close."

"Which means Ardyn won't be far behind." Ignis said what they were all thinking, pushing his sunglasses back into place. "Stay on guard, all of you."

The others nodded, moving to stand closer together. The air in the hanger was growing heavier the further in the went, stiller. It was unnerving, though not any less unnerving than any other room in this godforsaken fortress. But as the brothers approaches the large doors at the back, leading further into the hanger, Noct felt a chill run down his spine.

Raising his right hand, he stopped them in their tracks.

Gladio placed a hand on Ignis's shoulder, letting him know they had stopped moving, and looked over to Noct with a probing look in his eyes.

"What's up, Noct?"

"Something's not right here." Noct cautioned, instinctively taking the subtlest step closer to Prompto to shield him from the undetermined threat as his eyes scanned every inch of the hanger.

"Oh, how right you are, Noct."

Practically launching into action, the brothers drew their weapons, looking in all directions, standing back to back searching as Ardyn's low laughter echoed around them. They hadn't seen or heard hide nor hair of the man since they'd gone to rip Prompto out of his cold, twisted hands. They'd been relatively safe since then, daemons not-withstanding, but needless to say not a single one of them had let their guards down for even a second.

"I dare say, I like the look of this at all."

Turning to the hanger doors, Noct narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his father's sword as Ardyn's figure appeared before them. Prompto tried to stile a frightened gasp beside him, but Noct's anger flared at his all too apparent fear being in the man's presence again. And from behind, Gladio's fury radiated off of his very skin. How dare Ardyn show his face again after everything he'd done? All the people he'd hurt? After everything he had done to them!

The chancellor just laughed under his breath, taking off his fedora and bowing to the band of brothers.

"A please to see you all again." Ardyn said, straightening up again with a twisted smile on his face. His eyes scanning the four, he stopped when his gaze reached Prompto. "And would you look at that? It seems dear Prompto is back on his feet again. No doubt thanks to you three. Such love and devotion you must share to nurse him back to health!" Slowly, as Noct Stepped further in front of Prompto's lightly trembling form, Ardyn's smile began to fade. "Beautiful. Truly beautiful."

"Say the word, Noct." Gladio said, gripping his hands tighter around the hilt of his sword, his body compelling him to move and strike their foe without even a moment of hesitation or mercy. So long as Noct gave the word. "Say the word, and he's as good as dead."

Noct just stood there, glaring at the chancellor with more hate in his eyes than he'd ever thought possible. He was right there, they could kill him right now and be done with it. Get revenge for the people of Insomnia, his father, Jared, Luna, Ravus, Prompto, everyone. The man who wanted him to see everyone he loved most broken and dead at his feet, what irony would it be if they killed him first? He wanted to. Noct wanted to end it more than anyone. But something was wrong, something screaming at him not to do it, that if they tried to kill Ardyn now, they wouldn't make it out of this fortress alive. All of the effort they'd gone to to get this far, to rescue Prompto, to have the Crystal literally so close he could feel it calling to him from beyond those doors. All of the people who'd helped him, who'd given their lives to keep him on this path.

He couldn't let it all be for nothing.

"Steady, Gladio." Noct said low, only glancing back at his shield for the shortest second there ever was before returning his gaze to Ardyn just standing there across from them, playing innocent, as usual.

"Come now, there's no need for hostility." Ardyn sighed, gesturing to Prompto. "Your little friend is quite safe, I assure you. From me, at least. I've had all the fun I could ever get out of toying with him. The daemons, on the other hand... I'm not so sure about."

Prompto pressed his mouth into a tight, nervous line, anxiously biting at his bottom lip, though he kept his stance firm and his aim true. He couldn't let Ardyn get into his head, no matter how afraid he was. Beside him, Noct, Ignis, and Gladio stood strong, ready to defend him and each other from any threat this mad tried to throw at them. They would be okay, this wasn't the time to choke under a superficial threat. No matter how much power they knew he had to back it up.

"Out of my way, chancellor." Noct snarled at the man, not about to let his taunting get to him. They all knew what was going on here, and where this was headed. The man was baiting them, he wasn't going to fall for it this time. And Noctis had had enough of this psycho's games. "We're getting out of here. And we're taking the Crystal with us."

"Oh?" Ardyn asked, tilting his head back just slightly, looking down on the young king. "Is that so? It seems you've forgotten just whose domain this is. See, I don't recall giving you permission to borrow my Crystal."

"Oh, and we gave you permission to 'borrow' Prompto from us?" Gladio countered, seething with a controlled anger, ready to tear the man to shreds in a single breath without even a thought. All Noct had to do was say the word, and Ardyn would be history.

"Come now, Gladio." Ardyn shook his head like a disappointed parent. "Grudges really are such ugly things. And after all, it was Noctis himself who handed the dear boy over to me on that train. Isn't that right, your highness?"

"You know damn well what happened!" Noct shouted, cursing himself for indulging the man's taunts. "You know what that was. What you did!"

"Funny, I don't seem to recall heartlessly pushing your precious little chocobo off of the train?" Ardyn wondered aloud, tapping his chin with his finger as if he actually needed to think about it. But snapping his fingers, he pointed back at Noctis. "That's right! Because it was you."

"Shut up!" Prompto shouted, shaking his head with eyes tightly closed. Raising his weapon he pointed the firearm straight at the chancellor, ready to fire at any second. "It's your fault, you tricked him into pushing me so just shut up!"

"Calm yourself, Prompto." Ignis said in his usual calm but firm tone, though his dead eyes never once left the chancellor. His tone becoming more accusatory. "Enough of this pointless taunting. You think you can manipulate us time and time again, without consequence. But you couldn't be more wrong! Your reckoning is nigh, chancellor. The moment you instrumented the attack on Insomnia. The moment you murdered Lady Lunafreya. The moment Prompto left that train, using him as leverage against Noct, against us over and over, you made eternal enemies of us, and you will pay for all the people you have hurt!"

Ardyn looked at the advisor, but he said nothing. He frowned, eyes dark and cold as Ignis spoke again.

"Now. Stand aside."

The tension between the five men was palpable. No one moved a muscle, weapons trained on Ardyn while he, in turn, simply stood there. Watching them, smirking as if he'd just won a nonexistent battle. Taking a step, Ardyn turned to the left, looking over his shoulder at the boys with the same dark look in his eyes that could only be associated with their loved ones' deaths and misery.

"I really must apologize, Noct. It seems I've failed to deliver my best gift to you." Ardyn said, raising his right arms slowly, eyes listing from Noctis to Prompto as one of the gunner's spare firearms appeared in his hand. "Allow me to remedy that."

The shot rang out through the hanger, sending the world into slow motion as the brothers sprung into action. Prompto flinched, gravity shifting with great force as Gladio's strong hand grabbed his arm, yanking him aside and wrapping a protective arm around him. Summoning his shield, Gladio held the blonde close and shielded him from the gunfire, shouting at Ignis to get behind him as well.

The shot rang in Noct's ears, reducing everything else to distant, muffled echoes as his heart pounded in his ears. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see Gladio pull Prompto to safety. It infuriated him just how much he'd expected something like this to happen. As if the man wasn't aware just how glutton for punishment he was. Narrowing his eyes, Noct was sure if he could see himself now, they'd be magenta, not their regular deep, cool blue. His body grew warmer, barely holding back an angry snarl as threw his father's sword at the chancellor, leaving a blue sparkling shadow of himself where he stood as he launched himself at Ardyn, wanting nothing more than to run him through and end this once and for all.

But the moment Noct's blade was meant to pierce the chancellor's skin, he disappeared. Vanishing into thin air through a deep, black and purple mist not unlike that of a daemon upon appearing in the darkness of the night.

Noct landed on his feet on the ground, eyes wide for a moment as he looked around for any trace of Ardyn, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Dammit! He's gone!" Noct spit out. Growling under his breath, he turned back to the others behind him who were poking out from behind Gladio's shield now that it was quiet and still. "You guys okay?"

"Yes Noct, we're alright." Ignis nodded, stepping out into the open, though he could feel Gladio's protective hand threatening to grab him if he strayed too far. "What happened?"

"The bastard up and vanished, that's what." Gladio frowned, scanning the hanger for any sign of him. Only he noticed that he wasn't comforted by the fact that there was truly no sign of him anywhere around. Somehow, at this point, that only made him more unnerved. An unseen threat was far more worrying than one that was right in front of their faces. How could he protect them if he couldn't see what he was protecting them from?

"Yeah, but knowing him we won't have much time before he makes another move, so let's go." Noct said, gesturing for the others to follow as he turned to the hanger doors. The crystal was so close. So close.

Nodding, Gladio took stock of Ignis and Prompto, nudging Prompto along and grabbing Ignis's arm gently but firmly.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Gladio said, moving with haste to rejoin Noct's side.

But as the brothers crossed the hanger towards Noct, the sound of Ardyn chuckling on the loudspeakers overhead stopped them in their tracks. Just as they suspected, it wasn't long at all before the chancellor made another move.

"Honestly, boys. I really thought we could handle this little dispute peacefully." Ardyn said with a sigh, though they all knew that was far from true. "But it seems you're all too eager to continue squabbling."

A chill ran down Noct's spine, looking around as black smoke arose from the ground all around them, daemons spawning from the fog in gurgling, gross scourge slime. Prompto whimpered at Gladio's side as the shield drew Ignis between them, drawing Noct's attention, but steeled himself and drew his gun. This was no time to get scared.

"What a shame. But then, I suppose I couldn't let you take my Crystal without a fight, could I?"

"Bastard!" Noct shouted at the ceiling, warp striking into a daemon before it could even fully arise from the floor.

The brothers battled on, dispatching foe after foe. But for all their efforts, the daemon horde seemed to only thicken by the minute. Noct was exhausting all of his power to protect his friends, war striking all across the hanger, calling on the power of the ring, everything he could. At this rate, he'd stretch himself too thin and he wouldn't be able to make it to the Crystal. Growling as he brought his greatsword down into the head of another daemon before it could catch Ignis from behind, Gladio made his decision. Turning to Noct, he called over to him.

"Noct!" He said, his voice cutting through the daemon screeches and Prompto's gunfire. "This isn't gonna work! You've gotta go on ahead!"

"What!?" Noct shouted back, eyes wide. How could he even suggest that? "No way! I'm not leaving you guys!"

"You must!" Ignis called in agreement, masterfully throwing a dagger in Prompto's direction, spearing the eye of a daemon he could hear swiftly closing in on the blonde, giving him an opening to put a bullet in its brain. "The daemons aren't going to stop coming. But if you were to obtain the Crystal's power, we may be able to stop them and escape!"

"But Ignis-"

"-Noct, there is no choice to be made!" Ignis scolded, moving out of the way as an Iron Giant creaked and twisted up through the ground. "If you don't reclaim the Crystal, then none of us will make out of this fortress alive!"

Noct's heart was pounding in his chest. What Ignis was saying made all the sense in the world, but somehow, he couldn't make sense of it. How could he come so far with his friends at his side, just to leave them now? Noct looked at Prompto, fighting for his and all of their lives when Ardyn had left him on the verge of losing his own. How could Noct leave him to fend for himself yet again? He made that mistake already. When he'd left Prompto's side to find Ignis and Gladio, to bring them together so they could help him, Ardyn had snatched him from under his nose just like on that godforsaken train. How could he risk losing his best friend again? How could he risk losing his brothers?

"Iggy's right." Gladio said, without any hesitation. "It's the only way, Noct! Go!"

"But what about you guys?" Noct asked, deflecting a daemon's attack, glancing out of the corner of his eye as the central elevator appeared. His opening to move ahead.

"We'll be okay, Noct!"

Prompto.

"We won't let you down, I promise!" Prompto said, flashing a bright, reassuring smile at his best friend. He meant that. He meant what he said. Prompto hadn't fought so hard to survive long enough to be reunited with his friends and brothers just to die now.

If Prompto said so, they'd be okay.

Noct took a breath, nodding to his friend, though he took in every centimeter of his face. Just in case his fears came true, and this was the last time he saw him.

"Don't you dare die!" Noct ordered as he tore off toward the elevator. This was it, they wouldn't get another chance like this. If he got the Crystal back, they could defeat Ardyn and restore the waning daylight, they could wipe out the daemons and save everyone! And once it was over, Noct was going to keep his promise. He'd get Prompto out of this place and take them all home! His father, Luna, Ravus, Jared, everyone who died and sacrificed so much to get them to this point, they would all be avenged.

But still, Noctis's hands shook as he entered the elevator, watching the caged doors close. It was then, he remembered his father's and Ignis's words once again.

A king cannot lead by standing still. A king pushes onward always. Accepting the consequences, and never looking back.

Push onward.

Noct watched as his friends battled for their lives without him.

Never look back.

"Dammit!"

Push onward.

The elevator reached its destination, opening the doors. Noct took a deep breath, gripping his father's sword in his hand and ran from the safety of the steel cage into the hoard of daemons that was spreading to meet him there. Running forward, pushing his way through a swarm of imps rushing at him, a computerized, female voice sounded overhead.

"Hanger gate closing. Please stand clear."

"Shit!" Noct said to no one in particular, slashing through the imps with relative ease, running toward the slowly closing doors. He didn't have much time. Sprinting as fast as he could, Noct dodged the daemons that appeared in his path, ducking under scythes, swerving away from the path of razor sharp claws. As he approached the doors, about to close, two Iron giants rose from the ground on either side of him. Gasping, he ducked under one sword, and leapt over another, taking his last seconds to throw his father's sword through the gap in the hanger doors and warp safely to the other side.

Noct took a deep breath, centering himself and catching his breath, turning around where he could see his friends still fighting and standing strong in the distance. His eyes locked on that beautiful mop of golden hair in the distance, feeling his heart seize in his chest, unconsciously, anxiously chewing at his bottom lip. He trusted his friends, he trusted them more than he trusted himself. He believed in them, he believed they would be alright. But something inside him still feared that this would be the last time he would see them. That whatever was waiting for him when he reached the Crystal somehow wasn't going to save them.

"Don't you dare die." He said again, though he knew they couldn't hear him now. "Just hang on. I'll come back for you. I swear it."

Noctis took a breath as the elevator door opened to a long, lit corridor. He could feel the light of the Crystal reaching out to him, calling to him to come forth. It was there, at the end of this corridor.

He took off running, not wasting a second. It was so close. It was so close now, the Crystal was in his grasp. The salvation of his friends, his people, the world was in his grasp.

"Ah, there is is." Ardyn's voice sounded above as Noct crossed the threshold of the Crystal's holding chamber, beholding its mythical splendor. It's power. "At long last. Your journey is over, Noct. Rejoice in that."

Noct didn't even dignify him with a response, verbally or otherwise. He just stood there before the Crystal, taking in the sight, basking in the light and the warmth and the power staring back at him. This was it. Everything they worked for, everything so many people had died for. It was here. The shards of blue and purple and light and dark transfixed him. With this one thing, he could save his friends. He could save his people. He could save the world. Avenge his father, Luna, everyone. The weight of that was insurmountable. But there in that light, it almost began to lift.

Raising his right hand, Noct spoke directly to the Crystal.

"Please." He said, bearing his soul. "I need your power. Please, help me save them. Help me stop the daemons."

The Crystal seemed to respond to his words, emanating an impossibly bright white light, warmth washing over Noctis's body. But staring at the Crystal, Noct gasped, feeling a great pull on his arm, dragging him into the Crystal itself.

"Wha-!?" He exclaimed, desperately trying to pull his arm free of the force that was trying to draw him in, but there was nothing he could do. No matter how he tried, the light of the Crystal all but locked him in place. "Why!?"

"I see."

Ardyn.

Great. Just the person Noct wanted to deal with right now when he couldn't possibly fight back. Perfect timing.

"As I thought." The man said, sauntering up with an almost blank expression. "You're not harmed by the Crystal's light. Chosen King indeed, it seems. How tragic for us all."

The man inspected the Crystal, amused by the young king's predicament, though his blank expression certainly wouldn't suggest as such.

"Allow me to regale you with a tale, if I may." Ardyn continued over Noct's grunts and cries as he struggled in vain to wrench himself free. "Long, long ago, in an age long since lost, a scourge ravaged mankind. Incurable, and terrible. Leaving those it touched cursed forever. Twisted into monsters, the likes of which, you know all too well. And in Lucis, lived a savior. A man who could cure the people of this terrible plague." Looking up at Noct, now halfway consumed by the Crystal, Ardyn's face softened. Almost sad, as he spoke further. "With this power, his body would become host to myriad daemons. Inheriting their suffering, that countless lives would be spared."

"Why are you telling me this..?" Noct grunted as he struggled endlessly, glaring at the chancellor.

"But there was another man." Ardyn continued, disregarding Noctis. "A king that had not yet been chosen by the Crystal. Jealous of the savior, the king ostracized him. Demonized this healer of the people. Making a true monster of him."

Noct's struggles died down if only for just a moment. he studied Ardyn, trying to get a read on him. What was the point of all of this? This was his chance, why wasn't the man just killing him and getting it over with? Just what kind of game was he playing this time?

"I must apologize for that business with your precious Prompto." Ardyn said, causing Noct's eyes to widen.

"What?"

"But you must understand, I needed you here. The boy was simply the best way. I know how dear he is to you, after all."

"Shut up!" Noct shouted, glaring a death glare at him. Right as he was, his feelings about his best friend were none of this bastard's business! Especially not now after everything!

"Now, if you'll indulge me but a moment longer. I've given you my name. But you should know, it was not the name given to me at birth." He said, the same slimey tone as always, but as he looked up, looking Noctis in the eye, the young king was given great pause. "Ardyn Lucis Caelum, is my true name. I'm sure that must be quite a shock for you, isn't it?"

Noct hated to agree, he couldn't believe it. How could he? All the man ever did since the moment they met was lie, why should he believe him now? But that was just it. There was no lie, in Ardyn's eyes. But how? How could it possibly be true?

What the hell was going on here!?

"I should kill you right now. It would be so easy." Ardyn thought aloud to himself. "You can't fight back, and there are no friends around to protect you. Nor can you protect them. If they even still live themselves, that is." Chuckling, he looked back to Noct. "But you see, if I killed you now, powerless as you are, now, where would be the fun in that?"

"You bastard-!"

"So go ahead. Claim the Crystal's power for yourself." He said, taking a step closer. "Only once King and Crystal both cease to be, will I know true redemption."

Noct kept fighting. He was nearly entirely consumed by the Crystal, but he just kept fighting. How could this be happening? There was no way this was happening, not now, not after everything they'd worked for, everything they'd been through, everything his loved ones and their loved ones had died for! This wasn't right, he couldn't understand it, why was the Crystal doing this to him? He had to escape, he had to fight, he had to save everyone!

Prompto's face flashed in his mind. Bright and smiling as he always did. Prompto was back there, fighting for him, Ignis and Gladio too. He couldn't just leave them to fend for themselves, he couldn't let them face this man alone!

And yet...

"Come back soon." Ardyn spoke yet again. His voice dripping in mocking condescension this time. It was over. "And don't you worry. I'll be sure to keep your dear friends company until you return."

"No...!"

Struggling with all of his might as the Crystal pulled him inside, light overtaking his eyes, he watched as Ardyn removed his hat and bowed to him. Anger and fear and desperation overwhelming him in his final moments, Noctis screamed out, reaching in his mind toward his friends. Toward Prompto. Roaring with such force he could've shaken the room. But as soon as he could think again, his vision became pure white, enveloped in the Crystal's light. And then, all too soon, everything was dark.

Nothingness.

There was nothing. No more fighting, no more friends.

Ardyn had won.

For now.