Gladiolus Amicitia

After fighting their way through the daemon clogged streets of Insomnia, still overrun by the last remaining factions of the still-clinging Niflheim Empire, the area around the felt Citadel shockingly untouched. If it weren't for what they'd all just been through, the struggle it was to reach these gates again, and the darkness that still surrounded them, it would almost feel like it had been, those ten long years ago, when they'd approached those steps for the last time to meet with Regis in the throne room to see Noctis off on his fateful journey.

And, of course, someone was already there, waiting, though he moved toward them as they approached, his steps slow and steady on the concrete beneath his feet.

( Ifrit! The Infernian. He doesn't share the Glacian's fondness for mankind. )

And with those words, Ardyn thrust out his hand sharply, sending out three bursts of dark purple light. They went sailing straight past Noctis, each one finding and smashing into the chests of his friends; with started grunts, they went flying back, fighting against the magic as it surrounded them with a black fog.

Fighting against it, however, proved futile.

They had no place in this, a battle of kings.

And so Noctis would have to move forward....alone.


[[ taken from the absolute mess of Final Fantasy XV's Chapter 14: 'Homecoming'. NFB, NFI, TBC! *inserts anticipatory heavy breathing* ]]

All the traveling had almost made all the camping last week seem not so bad; at least they were able to linger and enjoy themselves a little while waiting for transportation. Now, the transportation was fine, and the chocobros were dragging themselves all over Leide because of it. The drive had been a long stretch up north to the Hunter outpost, with the added difficulty of avoiding Imperial troops patrolling the way, and news of the dire attack on Insomnia and the presumed deaths it had cause pouring out of the radio.

"Across the land, sylleblossoms from Tenebrae can be seen displayed in memoriam. With no remains to mourn, throngs have gathered in Altissia to pay their respects, many offering prayers at a vigil held before the wedding dress Lady Lunafreya was to wear. While some hold out hope the Oracle still lives, a grim silence continues to linger."

( Once they reached the outpost... )

Noctis hung up the phone with a sigh, cocking his head back toward the outpost. "No rest for the exiled, apparently," he explained. "Looks like we've got a base to crash."

"After some rest," said Ignis, turning his eyes toward the darkening sky, "I should hope."

"Yeah," Prompto sighed, miserable, exhausted, glad to be out of the tunnels and the darkness but feeling every bit of that long, arduous search and the stress that had gone along with that fun little reminder that he was, in fact, very afraid of the dark and extremely claustrophobic. He wasn't even sure he had it in him to even try calling Liz again that evening. He just wanted to sleep and maybe, in the morning, once his head was clear again, he could try again. "I'm beat."

"I think we all are," Gladio agreed, and when Gladio agreed that it was time to turn it in, you listened, and the four of them dragged themselves back to the outpost, back to another night of camping, and the realization that this long, long trek to redemption was only just beginning.


[[ light one today! Still all the usual alphabet soup: NFB, NFI, TBC, OOC welcome, heavily cribbed from Final Fantasy XV Chapter 2: No Turning Back ]]