Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

'He's getting harder to wake,' Gladiolus said, frowning as he tapped the prince's cheek harder than he ever would have dared a few weeks ago.

But times had changed, and so had the prince. Since the invasion of Lucis the prince had been getting sleepier and sleepier, and harder to rouse each morning. And harder to keep awake once he was up and about. More than once he'd fallen asleep halfway through his meal, and once he'd even managed to fall asleep in the few seconds the party had turned their backs to decide which fork in a path to take. The prince had simply leaned against a rock and fallen asleep. And woken up quite sharply when he slipped to the floor.

Ignis shuffled closer to the sleeping man, and shook his narrow shoulder gently. Then roughly. 'Highness. We really must be getting on with our journey. We're nearly done, then I promise you can sleep all you want.'

Prompto finished playing with his hair and crawled over too, completing the team. He poked Noctis in the ribs. 'C'mon, buddy. Rise and shine.'

Finally Noctis groaned, but only managed to half roll over and swipe a lethargic arm at his friends in an attempt to make them stop trying to drag him into the waking world.

With a collective sigh his friends sat back on their heels. 'Well we're going to be driving anyway,' Prompto pointed out. 'Gladio, can't you just carry him to the car?'

'It would be nice for him to actually see part of the day though, I'm getting worried about how much he's sleeping. We really don't want to risk him slipping into one of Etro's sleeps, not when we're so close to Niflheim,' Ignis said.

Gladiolus folded his arms across his broad chest. 'At least he'll be rested for when we take down Idola and get the crystal back. Better for him to sleep now than in the middle of the battle.'

'He could probably manage both, he's really good at sleeping,' Prompto said.

In the end they didn't really have much choice but to transfer the sleeping man into the car, as it proved impossible to wake him up. The three men then packed up the tent and started back on the main road toward Niflheim. As the day wore on and they got closer to the capital, Ignis began drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. As they crossed the border into Niflheim the road surface became bumpier, less well kept. Houses down in the streets below the highway were in disrepair, and imperial army aircarriers crossed the grey sky with the low drone of hover units.

Finally Ignis pulled off into a service area, then drove further past it into the clearing of a small woodland.

Prompto frowned. 'You have not reached your destination. You screwed up, so turn around at the nearest opportunity,' he mimicked the satnav voice, and turned to his friend. 'Why are we here?'

'We're in Niflheim; there will be imperial troops and drones everywhere, along with security cameras. And we're about to come up to the first checkpoint. The three of us may be able to pass through without raising alarm, however the prince is rather well known.'

'Ah, good point,' Prompto said, turning in his seat to look at the dark haired man. 'We could stick him in the trunk?'

'Prompto!' Ignis said sharply.

'He's asleep, he wouldn't know. It would only be until we passed the checkpoint.'

'We are not stuffing the crown prince into the boot of this car,' Ignis said.

'Could stuff him in the footwell?' Gladiolus suggested. 'He's small enough, I could lay my legs across him to hide him.'

Ignis rubbed his temples. This was why he usually devised the plans and never asked for input. 'That won't work either. We can't take the Regalia. It's plastered with signs of Lucis; the number plate is rather conspicuous. As soon as a guard gets a look at it we'll be questioned thoroughly. And they'll check both the boot and the footwell and either execute us on the spot or imprison us and execute us later.'

'I'd like to vote for an option that doesn't involve execution,' Prompto said nervously. 'As much as I love this car, it ain't worth dying over.'

'Indeed. We need a new automobile,' Ignis said.

Gladiolus groaned. 'How many behemoths are we going to have to take down to pay for that?'

'We don't have time to raise the funds. I was rather hoping that perhaps Prompto could put his old skills to use.'

'Iggy I love all your plans, but I'm really not sure how tying a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue is going to help us out here,' Prompto said.

Ignis resisted the urge to slam his head against the steering wheel. 'I meant for you to hotwire a vehicle for us.'

'Oh. That. Sure!' Prompto turned back and looked at the available cars in the service station car park. There was an attached restaurant and inn for travellers to rest, so there were plenty of unattended cars to choose from. 'We definitely still need a convertible. But that's one's blue and I don't like blue cars. I want a red one. Maybe with racing stripes?'

'Prom, just pick a damn car,' Gladiolus said. 'One with decent leg room. It's alright for you guys under six foot, but sitting around with your legs scrunched up all day isn't fun.'

'Alright, alright.' Prompto slipped out of the car, and discreetly made his way into the car park. He moved purposefully as if he had every right to be there. As if he had every right to open the door of the red car he had walked up to. It wasn't a convertible, but it would do. Especially as there was no blinking red light on the dash to indicate an alarm system. Prompto glanced about casually, then jammed a little piece of wire from his pocket into the key hole. Newer cars were harder to pick the locks of, but he'd had plenty of practice. The door clicked open and he quickly slipped into the driver's seat. He had the steering column apart in seconds and identified the wire bundle he needed. Working quickly he picked out the two battery wires, stripped insulation from them and twisted them together. He twisted them to the ignition wire and grinned as the dash board sprang to life. The radio was set high, though, and he scrambled to turn down the volume. Then he took a deep breath; the next part was the dangerous part. He found the starter wire and held it in a shaky hand, while the other hand held the other wires. Slowly, carefully, he touched the two together. The engine sparked to life, so he revved the engine to stop it from stalling, and then tucked the wires away safely in the steering column.

'He's in,' Gladiolus said from the Regalia, having been watching the blonde work. 'I never know whether to be impressed or to arrest him when he does stuff like that.' He was proud, though, the tone of his voice was clear.

'Today we'll count it as a blessing. Can you try and wake the prince?' Ignis asked.

'I can try,' Gladiolus said as he shook the sleeping man. 'Come on dark lord, time to get up.'

This time Noctis was a bit more amenable, having had plenty of sleep. He groaned and protested, but his eyes opened and he yawned as he took in his surroundings. Then he paused. 'Didn't I fall asleep in a tent?'

'This is what you get for being lazy,' Gladiolus said, clapping his shoulder. 'We're switching cars, come on.'

'We're…what? What's going on?' Noctis asked, but he got out of the car anyway, and carried the bundle of supplies that were handed to him. They transferred them quickly to the new red car and then all climbed in. Ignis and Prompto swapped seats.

'We still have the minor problem of having a celebrity in our backseat,' Gladiolus pointed out.

'Very true,' Ignis mused. 'We need a disguise. Something dignified. Something sensible. Something that will actually work.'

'I've got it,' Prompto said confidentially.

-

'Where are you headed?' the guard asked in a bored tone as they drove up to the checkpoint. The queues were horrendous, and they'd been crawling along a car length at a time for over an hour just to get to the booth.

'Capital city,' Ignis said easily, disguising his accent to that of a dialect from Altissa.

'Business?' the guard asked, tapping something on his computer.

'We're visiting friends,' Ignis kept a mental note of the lie. Their plates would have been scanned at the checkpoint, and would be again at the next. If his story was different, or if they didn't really go to the capital, they'd be flagged on the system and brought in for questioning. Niflheim's military was efficient and something Ignis really didn't want to get on the wrong side of.

More tapping, then the man glanced over at them, doing a mental head count. He typed three adult males. 'Proceed.'

'Thank you,' Ignis said.

'Nice accent,' said the blanket lump next to Gladiolus. 'Can I come out now? It's hot under here.'

'That was the riskiest plan ever devised,' Ignis muttered.

'I didn't hear you coming up with anything better,' Prompto said. 'And it worked, didn't it?'

'I'm honestly surprised that it did,' Ignis said.

'Relax, we're through,' Noctis said.

'The first check point, yes. There are four others before we make it to the capital. And then we have to get close to Emperor Idola, who is always heavily guarded. You can't hide under a blanket the whole way to his side.'

Noctis frowned. 'We're never going to make it.'

'Don't say that. Not after we've travelled all over the world. I'm not giving up at the last hurdle,' Prompto said.

Noctis shrugged. 'I didn't say we should give up, just that sneaking in isn't going to work.'

'Well it's the only viable plan we have,' Ignis said. 'Checkpoint coming up, you may wish to don your disguise again.'

Gladiolus grinned and tossed the blanket over the prince. 'Don't fall asleep under there.'

'No promises,' Noctis said, squashing himself as flat as possible as they slowed down to queue for the checkpoint booth.

The woman at the next booth was a bit sharper than the first had been, and wasn't satisfied with simply repeating the questions her colleague had asked. 'Where are you from?' she asked.

'Altissa,' Ignis replied in his Altissan accent.

'Dark clothes you're all wearing,' she pointed out. 'Her eyes trying to make out the symbols on their buttons

Ignis discreetly turned away from her slightly. 'A friend passed away, we'll be going to their funeral later this afternoon.'

She wasn't swayed. Her green eyes flicked over the three men. There was a suspicious light in her eyes, but it was clear she couldn't find any other reason to deny them access. Her finger hovered over the key to raise the barrier for them when the blankets next to the large man in the back seat moved. She leaned forward and was forming words on her lips when a man appeared from under them. And not just any man; the man whose picture was taped next to the computer screens of every checkpoint officer and state security worker in Niflheim. She'd found the elusive prince of Lucis.

'I…I'm going to have to have to ask you to stay in your car,' her hand slammed down on the emergency button as she pressed it several times, hoping that would alert the army faster. Any passing aircarrier or infantryman would be alerted to her signal.

Ignis was livid, and he turned in his seat. 'What are you doing?' he hissed.

'I told you; we were never going to sneak in. So why go to the trouble of trying when they'll take me right to him?' Noctis said.

'And what if they kill you on the spot?' Ignis asked.

'Then we consider my plan a failure,' Noctis said calmly, as the drone of hover units filled the air.

The aircarrier touched down on the road beyond the checkpoints, and a dozen soldiers in full body armour carrying rifles stormed out and surrounded the car. Noctis made a show of smiling and raising his hands in surrender. 'You got me. I'm all yours. These guys had nothing to do with it, I sneaked into their car when they stopped for petrol.'

Nobody seemed to care. The door was opened and he was roughly pulled out of his seat. Someone slammed their gun into the back of his legs and he went down hard on his knees. 'Silence.'

'Okay, being silent. Just take me to Idola and I promise to do whatever you say.'

'Orders were dead or alive,' the soldier said, aiming his rifle.

'Well lucky for you I'm alive, so we don't have to worry about that. Take me to Idola.'

The soldier looked up, as if seeking permission. Noctis dared to glance up and noticed the gun in his face. His heart skipped a beat and his pulse raced. Perhaps this had been a terrible idea? But then the gun lowered, and the soldier grabbed him by the arm and dragged him toward the hover unit.

'What about the others?' someone asked from behind him.

'Kill them,' someone else said.

Noctis's blood froze. 'No! No, don't…I'll-'

'You're not in a position to make demands,' the soldier restraining him pointed out.

Another voice spoke: 'But he has a point, don't kill them yet. The emperor might want to question them. Cuff 'em and bring 'em with us.'

Noctis breathed a sigh of relief, and turned his head in time to see his friends being rough handled out of the car too. He felt sorry for their treatment, but it was a million times better than being dead. He was shoved into a seat and his hands and ankles were cuffed to the arms so that he couldn't move. A few minutes later his friends were with him, all strapped in.

Ignis caught his gaze. 'Brilliant plan.'

'We're alive, aren't we?' Noctis pointed out.

'Yes, but for how long? I'm hoping there's a second part to your plan that involves escaping from these restraints.'

'Uh, yeah?' Noctis said uncertainly. In truth there wasn't. He was winging it. And he was certain that Ignis knew it.

The plan may have been risky, but the aircarrier took them right to the heart of the garrison state. Everything was grey and dreary, even the sky as they were ushered off the aircarrier and into a large square building. Handcuffs were placed around their wrists and there were a dozen guards surrounding them as they were brought through the secure facility to an empty room. A few minutes later a woman walked in, dressed in a sharp white uniform. Slowly she walked over to Noctis, and placed a cold finger under his chin to make him meet her hazel eyed gaze.

'So this is the dead Prince of Lucis. I thought he'd be taller.'

A guard snickered.

'My squadron was at the forefront of the attack on Lucis,' she continued. 'You may not remember me, but it was myself and my second in command that set off the first explosions where you were hiding. I was given accolades by Emperor Aldercapt himself for my part in your death. Imagine how bitter that victory was when I learned that you had survived.' Her lips quirked into a cold smile. 'Not for much longer.'

'What do we do with them, ma'am?' asked a guard.

'The prince is to come with me. The others can be locked up. Let them rot.'

Noctis breathed a silent sigh of relief. He cast a glance back at his friends, none of whom seemed as happy with this as he was. But he didn't care what happened to him; he just needed to know that his friends weren't going to be hurt because of his actions. Once he was finished with Idola they'd be free to go. Because Noctis had every intention of taking Niflheim down; he'd burn it to the ground just like they'd done to Lucis.

The woman's grip on his arm was like iron as she marched him through the facility. He was locked up in a cell of his own on the ground floor, then kept waiting for hours. He had no watch, and there was no window to see the sky with, so every minute felt like an eternity. Noctis found himself pacing, and worrying that somebody might take the law into their own hands and hurt his friends after all. Or Idola might get wind they were here and order their death.

The door opened, and the woman reappeared. 'Hands where I can see them.'

He held out his bound hands.

'Good. Follow me. Nothing funny; I know you have that wicked magic at your disposal and I assure you there are a dozen guards here that will tear you to pieces if you start to glow.'

Noctis assumed he was to be interrogated, so was surprised when he was led out of the facility and shoved into a waiting car. He cast a nervous glance back at the facility as it disappeared around a corner, and prayed that his friends would be alright. He could almost hear Prompto's pained voice insisting that he was too pretty for prison, and that gave him a little strength. Even if they weren't physically with him, his friends were always there.

The drive was in silence. A beefy soldier sat either side of him, squashing him in tightly so that any chance of escape was impossible. Not that Noctis wanted to escape; the whole point was that he wanted to see Idola. No - that he wanted to kill Idola.

The car drove up the long driveway to the imperial buildings, where Idola kept his council. It was nothing like as grand as the palace of Lucis, and Noctis felt a pang of longing for his old home. The utilitarian square grey building with the huge flags of Niflheim just fuelled his anger. When the car drove up to the entrance he was marched inside, and all eyes were on him. He expected to be taken straight to Idola, but instead he found himself in a small office, sat down on a chair beside a huge oak table. The two guards from the car flagged either side of him, and the woman that wanted to kill him stood by the door. And then they all waited.

'This is getting really boring,' Noctis said finally. 'I've come a long way to see Idola, he could at least hurry his ass up.'

One of the guards smacked the back of his head hard enough that his teeth knocked together.

The woman spoke. 'You're not speaking with the emperor, he is far too busy for such trivial matters as a ghost from the dead. His second in command will receive you, and extract any useful information. Then you will be put to death.'

Noctis groaned. 'So is Idola actually here even?'

'That is classified,' she said.

'Fantastic,' Noctis muttered, and tugged at the cuffs on his wrists. They were solid. His plan had gone to hell, he wasn't even going to see the right person. Frantically he tried to think of a way out of the situation when the door opened and a slimly old man crept in. Noctis recognised him as one of the people Idola always kept by his side. Suddenly the plan didn't seem terrible; Noctis could kill him too. Anyone that had been at that damn peace treaty signing was fair game in his mind; they had all played a part in the destruction of Lucis, the war that had killed so many innocent people, and the death of his father. They all had to pay. So Noctis sat calmly while he waited for the old man to take his seat behind the desk.

'Noctis Lucis Caelum,' the man said, regarding him with watery grey eyes.

'Sup?' Noctis asked.

The man chuckled. 'Yes, they warned me you were unique. Although not very smart, trying to sneak into Niflheim. Or by broadcasting your survival. If it had been me I'd have relished the chance to have been counted as dead, then changed my name and lived out my life in a peaceful country. By advertising your survival we've had to go to great lengths to track you down.'

'Yeah and you didn't do a very good job. I had to come to you,' Noctis pointed out.

The elder man's smile slipped. 'You play a very dangerous game, your highness. Is that still accurate? Does Lucis still technically exist?' he lifted his gaze to the woman by the door.

She nodded once. 'For now. Niflheim will assimilate it into the new empire shortly, after the ceremony.'

'Ah yes. The ceremony,' the man said, turning back to Noctis. 'So good of you to come for that.'

'Wouldn't miss it for the world,' Noctis said. 'Just to be clear, which ceremony are we talking about?'

'The revival of Niflheim's crystal, of course,' the man said, spreading his bony fingers wide in an exaggerated gesture. 'Niflheim has been working on the crystal we borrowed from your kingdom, and we have found a way to use it to power our own. With its own crystal back Niflheim will be unstoppable.'

Noctis felt his heart drop like a stone. That ceremony had to be stopped. But how?

'With the power of the crystal behind us Niflheim will create a new world order. Peace will reign over our world once again, and a new empire will be born, with Emperor Idola Aldercapt as our leader. He will deliver us from the darkness that has hung over us for too long. Lucis's reign is over, your highness, and unfortunately there's no place for a prince of nothing in the new world. You understand that such sacrifices are necessary, for the greater good.'

'I wouldn't want to live in a world where Idola ruled anyway,' Noctis said.

'Then this is a very fortunate decision for us all.' He clicked his fingers and glanced over to the woman by the door. 'Executed him. He…no, wait.'

Noctis's head snapped up, and he found himself staring into those grey eyes again. He didn't like the smirk on the old man's face.

'Perhaps you will attend the ceremony. What greater symbol than for the emperor to put you to death as the new world is created? Yes. Yes, I like that. Take him to a cell, but I wanted him heavily guarded. The Caelum family are tricky bastards, I don't want him slipping away. The ceremony is this evening so we don't have to hold him long.'

He was being dragged again before he knew. Each of the muscled guards had taken an arm each and practically lifted him off the ground while they marched him through the sterile grey corridors. Every corner they turned Noctis hoped to see Idola. If the old man was there he was sure he'd find it within himself to break free of the handcuffs and fight his way out, but as it was as much as he struggled there was no way he was getting free.

A door was opened and he was shoved into the room. By the time he turned around to try and escape the door was slammed in his face. He kicked the door for good measure, but nobody said anything from the other side. With a huff Noctis surveyed his room; a small bed bolted to the wall. A lavatory on one wall. And that was it. Fantastic. Oh well, at least he was going to die tonight. He sank onto the uncomfortable bed and stared up at the grey ceiling. He wondered how his friends were doing. His chest tightened as he thought of them, and he hoped they were going to be okay. They'd been through so much on this stupid journey, all because of one madman's thirst for power. So many people had died…Noctis closed his eyes and tried to block out the golden light of the dead. He didn't need to see them right now. He knew they were there. And he would avenge those killed by this senseless war. Tonight he would kill Idola, even if it meant his own death too. That was a price he was willing to pay to keep safe the people he cared about.

As tired as he was sleep came easily, and it took hammering at the door loud enough to make the hinges shake to wake him. He groaned and rolled over, intending to ignore the deafening noise, when he remembered where he was and what he needed to do. Suddenly he was very awake. And not alone in the room. He'd seen the goddess of death once before, outside of the oil paintings and sculptures, but he was always taken aback by her beauty.

It is time, she said, her voice silky and smooth, but sounding as if it were spoken directly into his head. Her lips never moved.

'Time for what?' Noctis asked, sitting up on the bed so his feet dangled in the air.

The final sacrifice. The Caelum family has always protected Lucis's crystal, now it is your turn. You will save it, and save Lucis, and be forever marked down in history as the hero that stopped the greatest war this world has ever known.

'How? How do I do it? How do I stop Idola?'

When the time comes you will know. And always remember that what I do, I do for our kingdom. For Lucis. For the people we are sworn to protect.

'I don't understand,' Noctis said, but the banging on the door was getting louder. 'Wait a minute-'

There's no need to be afraid. You'll save them all.

And then she was gone. And the door was open. A guard looked at him as if he were a piece of dirt on his boot, and stormed over to the bed. 'Get up, it's time.'

I'll save them all, Noctis thought, Etro's words ringing in his head as he was dragged down the corridor. He found that strangely reassuring, and hoped that "all" included his friends. It would be his gift to them. He felt calm.

The windows he passed showed that night had fallen, and the buzz of activity was a stark contrast to how quiet it had been when he had first been brought there. They were heading toward the heart of the huge building complex, and when they came to a huge courtyard Noctis couldn't help but be awed. Not at the volume of people there to watch, but at the two crystals sat side by side. They towered above everyone, one glowing with life, another dark and cold. Noctis felt his body reacting to being so close to his crystal again, felt the magic swimming through his veins and giving him strength. He just hoped it would be enough, and that Etro's faith in his wasn't misplaced.

People gasped as he was brought through the crowds toward a stage that had been set up by the crystals. There was a high backed chair, and an elder man with a sick smirk on his lips watchied him as he was dragged by the arms and thrown at the feet of the throne. Someone slammed a hand onto his back to keep him bowed.

Idola leaned forward in his seat. 'Caelum. Such a dirty name, one that I will erase once and for all tonight. There's no place for your family anymore.'

'If I have to die then I'm taking you with me,' Noctis spat out, struggling to sit up but unable to.

Idola chuckled. 'I knew that you'd be difficult, and that your presence here could be either a magnificent symbol for me, or else a spectacular disaster. So I've taken the liberty of acquiring some collateral to ensure your cooperation. Please, allow the prince to sit up, it's so pathetic seeing him on his knees like this.'

Noctis was finally let up, and he followed Idola's gaze. The crystal - Lucis's crystal - was glowing brightly. And in the light it cast he saw his three friends being held at gun point. His breath caught in his throat, and suddenly everything fell to pieces. He couldn't lift a finger to Idola without sacrificing his friends. Etro's words repeated in his mind: the final sacrifice. She wanted him to let them die.

'There we go,' Idola said, watching him carefully. 'Much more obedient.'

There were murmurings in the crowd, so Idola stood from his seat and moved closer to the microphone on the centre of the stage. He touched a gnarled old hand to Noctis's shoulder as he passed, gripping tightly. Noctis just stayed where he was, staring out into the dark of the night, and the gold of the spirits of the dead. He tried to picture his friends among them. Was he cursed to see their faces after they died? What would they say to him? Would they be angry spirits, vengeful ones that took out their pain on him for letting them die? Noctis hoped so. It would hurt more if they forgave him for what he was going to do. Because no matter what the price Idola had to die tonight.

'Ladies and gentleman, I welcome you,' Idola was saying.

Noctis blocked it all out. The old man was crazy, talking about Niflheim's inevitable rise to power once their crystal was restored. And how Idola was going to destroy the Lucian crystal as a symbol of defiance, after he had destroyed the Lucian prince and his supporters. Slowly Noctis turned his head to the crystal, pulsing with power that was just begging for him to reach out and take it. And there in its bright shadow was his friends, all watching him. They were too far away for him to make out their faces properly in the poor light of the night, but he knew them well enough to imagine their expressions.

Someone grabbed his arm and dragged him to his feet, then dumped him down again. Idola had a small gun in his hand; the same gun he had drawn on Noctis's father, he realised. Somehow that angered him further, that he was staring down the barrel of the instrument that had taken his father's life.

'Any last words, prince?' Idola asked, smirking as he pronounced the title.

'You can try a million times, but Etro will never let you use the crystal's power. She sent me to stop you, and I'm not going to let her down now. A world ruled by you would be a disaster for everyone.'

Idola laughed. 'Deep words. I almost feel threatened. But I happen to know from experience that Caelums aren't immortal to bullet wounds to the head. Goodbye, prince.'

'Goodbye, Idola,' Noctis said, and closed his eyes, establishing the connection to the crystal. Being so close amplified his powers, and the rush of magic felt as if it was tearing his body apart. The surge allowed him to flip out of the way of the bullet before Idola had even finished pressing the trigger, then he materialised a sword and slashed down one of the guards. Another rushed him and he somersaulted over the man, then slammed a heavy sword down to silence the guard. Allowing that sword to dematerialise Noctis spun around, just in time to crouch down low to avoid another of Idola's bullets.

'Guards!' Idola cried angrily, aiming again and shooting only air. 'Little maggot, I will end you. Tell them to shoot his friends, that'll distract him.'

Noctis caught the threat, and glanced over to where someone was pushing through the crowds to the crystal. With a slash of his sword Noctis brought down another guard, then threw his sword at Niflheim's dead crystal and warped to it.

'Noct!' Prompto said, but there was no time for a reunion. The guards over by the crystal had figured out they were supposed to shoot and were all taking aim. No time to fight them; Noctis concentrated hard and a wall of phantom swords appeared, deflecting the bullets and shielding his friends.

'Love that move,' Gladiolus said.

'Your highness, leave us. Take down Idola, that's the reason we're here,' Ignis said.

'I'm not leaving you guys,' Noctis insisted, generating more swords as more bullets rained down on them. But he couldn't win if he stayed defensive. He needed to act.

The final sacrifice, Etro's voice rang in his ears. With a shaky intake of breath, Noctis looked at his friends. They were on their knees, cuffed at the wrists and unable to use and conjured weapons or magic. They were sitting targets. Perfect sacrifices; he had to leave the imperial army to kill them while he was free to kill Idola. It made sense. So why the hell wasn't he doing it? Why didn't he leave them busy with the other men, and warp back to Idola, who currently had no guards by him? The old man was watching him from the stage, looking smug and self assured in his absolute victory.

The final sacrifice.

'The final sacrifice,' Noctis muttered, as bullets slammed into his swords, picking them off one by one. He materialised more to shield his friends. He needed to keep them safe for a moment.

'What are you doing?' Ignis asked, twisting round as far as he could and trying to watch Noctis.

'I've got a plan,' Noctis said, and threw his sword into Niflheim's crystal again, near the bottom. He closed his arms and drew magic from Lucis's crystal, feeling the magic build within him. The tingle of electricity in his body made the hairs on his arms stand on end, but he drew more and more, using himself as a conduit, until electricity buzzed around his skin. Then he pushed the magic out toward the sword. It slammed hard, and the huge sword was shoved hard into the crystal. The electricity slammed into the rock too, and shattered the base. All it took was the momentum of the spell to have it toppling over, and the crowds started screaming and trying to push each other out of the way as the shadow of the dead crystal loomed over them. But the crowds were packed too tightly; and the crystal was on a collision course. It landed with a huge crunch, on the stage and surrounding area.

In the confusion the soldiers had stopped shooting. Some had gone to Idola's aid and were lying crushed beneath the crystal. More were stood still in shock, unsure what to make of the scene.

Gladiolus body slammed a gawping soldier and stole keys for the cuffs, unlocking Prompto and Ignis, then allowing his own to be taken off. The three of them hurried over to where Noctis was on his knees, but none of them could get close. The prince was screaming in pain as the magic tore through his body; he'd never used so much at once, it was pulling him apart.

Noctis coughed, and there was the metallic taste of blood his lips. The power was too much for his body to handle. No human should be able to harness the power of the gods like this. He looked up as a gold light appeared before him; Etro was smiling.

The final sacrifice. You saved them all.

Noctis coughed again, then collapsed on the ground, shivering violently as the magic destroyed his body. His blurred vision caught sight of his friends, and the horror on their faces as they watched him dying. He tried to smile for them, but he was just in too much pain.

Your sacrifice was pure, and you have fulfilled your focus. You have done well, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum. You are not destined to die here today. Your sleep can begin now. Your eternal reward.

Eternal reward? Noctis had no idea what that was but right now a bullet through the skull would be brilliant. He was in so much pain as his organs failed, as blood filled his lungs, as his brain shut down. A golden light consumed him, and suddenly he felt calmer. His body stopped shaking and he actually felt at peace.

His friends came running over and someone pulled him into their lap. Ignis; the man was calling his name, shaking him gently. Prompto held his hand, and there were tears in his bright blue eyes. Gladiolus was there too, supporting his head and yelling something. Noctis couldn't hear the words, but he was able to close his eyes with a smile. They were alive. They were going to live.

'Live. For me,' he whispered to them, as he felt his body falling into the darkness.

'Don't go! You can leave us,' Prompto choked out. 'You can’t die, Noct, we've won! We've got the crystal back, we've done it. You can't…you can't…'

'Dammit. This wasn't the plan,' Gladiolus said. 'You're not supposed to leave us. Who's going to be our king now? Who's going to spar with me? Who's…Noct, open your eyes. Please Noct.'

Ignis was silent. Perfectly silent, but when a warm tear fell on his cheek Noctis knew it was his. 'Sleep well, my prince,' Ignis said finally.

'Thank you. For everything,' Noctis whispered, and the last thing he remembered was the warmth of his friends holding him as he slipped away peacefully. And in that moment he knew that he was loved. And that was the greatest reward of all.

-

Two weeks later the crystal was back in its rightful place, at the heart of Insomnia. Repairs had begun in the capital city, and around the kingdom of Lucis. And the peace treaty had finally been signed; a new, revised edition with the seal of every country, including that of the newly elected emperor of Niflheim. The garrison state had been humbled by its intention to take over the world, and was currently undergoing an extensive reshuffling of government.

Ignis found himself as the head advisor of Lucis, and had been in charge of drawing up the plans. It had been a relief; something to occupy his mind with after the events. He'd worked from the crack of dawn long into the night every day, and there were dark circles under his eyes as he walked across the dais in the audience chamber.

Gladiolus and Prompto were standing either side of the single throne, and Cor was further to the back, but caught his gaze and nodded. Taking a deep breath Ignis sat in the throne, feeling the weight of hundreds of kings before him. True his role was temporary until a new king was chosen, but for now the responsibility of a nation rested on his shoulders. He suddenly had a new respect for Noctis, who had been thrown into the role during a horrifically stressful time. His friend had been so strong. Blinking back tears he adjusted his glasses, and stared into the camera in front of him. A woman to the right counted down from five, and he cleared his throat.

'Good evening. I am Ignis Stupeo Scientia, head advisor for the kingdom of Lucis, and interim regent. Firstly I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathies to those that lost their lives in the recent war, and to their loved ones in this dark and unsettling time. My apologies for the lateness of an official announcement, but tense negotiations have been underway and I wanted concrete answers for you all before I made a public statement.'

He shifted slightly in his seat, and took a deep breath. He had memorised the speech, but the words didn't come easily. 'His majesty King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII was killed during the peace treaty signing that broke down, and I can now confirm that his sole heir, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, is sadly also no longer with us. The prince fought bravely to retrieve the crystal and end the war, and paid the ultimate price to achieve a peace that will save tens of thousands of lives. In the coming weeks a new royal family will be chosen. I thank you all for your patience during this difficult time.'

He bowed his head slightly, and waited for the red recording light to vanish before he allowed his face to show emotion. A hand gripped his shoulder, and he looked up at Gladiolus whose amber eyes shone with tears. 'You did him proud.'

Prompto couldn't speak, but he slipped his hand into Ignis's and squeezed it tightly. His hand trembled.

'Shall we …go and see him?' Ignis asked softly. 'It seems the right thing to do.'

The three took leave of the audience chamber, and made a slow procession through the palace to the inner courtyard. Repair work was still ongoing, but the area by the crystal had been given priority. It was unthinkable that the crystal should be stolen again.

The room was guarded but the guards simply nodded the three through. In the dark of the evening the crystal glowed a bright silver, bathing the courtyard in pale light. And there, underneath it's glow, was a narrow bed where the sleeping prince lay. They knelt by the bed, and watched him sadly. Though Noctis had fallen into a coma twice before, nobody was in any doubt this was his last. His chest no longer rose and fell, his vital signs were nonexistent. He was by all accounts dead, but he looked as if he was simply sleeping. He was held in a perfect crystal stasis, an eternal sleep.

'If we hadn't been held hostage,' Prompto said, 'would he have found another way?'

'Don’t do that,' Ignis said, swallowing back the lump in his throat. 'Don't think things like that. What he did, he did for love. The same way we were willing to sacrifice ourselves for him, he gave his life for us. We can't take that back, we just have to accept that he loved us enough to save us. That's a gift we can never repay.'

'We repay it by carrying on his legacy,' Gladiolus said, his voice thick with emotion. 'We restore Lucis to what it was, and we support the new royal family. And we do it all in his honour.'

'And we do as he asked,' Prompto said, smiling sadly and reaching for Noctis's cold, lifeless hand. 'We live. For him.'