Crystallis Knight

So the FE cipher revealed a card showing Chrom as a Risen King…

He stopped himself, he didnt want to remind himself of his decision. The choice that took away the one who gave him life. He sighed, his eyes closing momentarily as emotional thoughts began filtering in and out through his mind. His heart cowering at the remembrance of the familiar agonizing pain that had dwelled within him during all his time away from Moogletown.

“Serah, forget about me please,” he then said, his azure eyes now on Serah. He watched as her expression morphing as her despondency became more apparent, “I…you…no,” he struggled, his words now lost in his throat, “I’m sorry, you can’t—we can’t,” his hands clutched into a firm fist as persistent tears began fighting through.

Her voice was monotone and she forced a sad smile across her lips, “You’ll always be in my heart and you deserve more than I could ever give you in this world or the next.”

She remembered their last moments together, curled under his arms and feeling his breath slow so that she knew he had fallen asleep. He was her lover, her friend, her protector from another world. That was their end…

"Serah, enough," he said firstly, his tone mistakenly cruel, "You know deep down, it is I who is unworthy of you. Everyone knew it, I am nothing more than a broken prince from a withering kingdom," his eyes fell to the ground sullenly, "When you pass on, rid me from your memory just like I will with you," he nearly regretted every word that left his mouth but he didnt have the courage to take it all away.

“I don’t know how long I plan on staying,” he confessed, his voice husky and soft as if his throat was sore, “But…” his eyes wandered elsewhere, he focused them anywhere, as long as his gaze avoided Serah’s, “You deserve an explanation.”

She did, he knew that much, and she would recieve one whether she desired it or not, “I needed to leave here. I needed to…reevaluate,” he pondered the word for a moment before nodding in acceptance of it, “Reevaluate everything.”

Many nights after he left, she dreamt of his reappearance and his skin with hers and all the things he had left behind when they were together. He had practically proposed to her and yet he left and the dreams always left her calling out to him in her sleep. Mog had grown worried so he gave her ethers to sleep soundlessly and quietly.

He stopped himself, he didnt want to remind himself of his decision. The choice that took away the one who gave him life. He sighed, his eyes closing momentarily as emotional thoughts began filtering in and out through his mind. His heart cowering at the remembrance of the familiar agonizing pain that had dwelled within him during all his time away from Moogletown.

"Serah, forget about me please," he then said, his azure eyes now on Serah. He watched as her expression morphing as her despondency became more apparent, "I...you...no," he struggled, his words now lost in his throat, "I'm sorry, you can't--we can't," his hands clutched into a firm fist as persistent tears began fighting through.

Noctis knew it all too well. Pausing for a moment, he then lifted his eyes regrettably, instantly wanting to hide away in his own self made darkness, “I…” he began, his voice failing him as his gaze remained longer on the one before him, “Serah…” her name fell difficultly from his tongue, unlike on the past.

He turned away almost immediately after speaking, holding back the apology that was sitting in his throat. Did she even want to hear that? After returning disappearing for a second time, would she believe him if he confessed he was sorry? He doubted it, but he couldn’t just keep silent, despite wanting to—he felt he had to say something.

It felt like a weird dream, he was in her bed and then… gone when she woke. Had he fallen to the grave Etro’s tricks on the beach. Giving him his mother only to lead him to his doom? Was he even real? Maybe this was just… Her hand reached his face and felt his cold pale skin with the tips of her fingers flinching at the temperature.

"I don't know how long I plan on staying," he confessed, his voice husky and soft as if his throat was sore, "But..." his eyes wandered elsewhere, he focused them anywhere, as long as his gaze avoided Serah's, "You deserve an explanation."

She did, he knew that much, and she would recieve one whether she desired it or not, "I needed to leave here. I needed to...reevaluate," he pondered the word for a moment before nodding in acceptance of it, "Reevaluate everything."

Approaching the familiar ornate gate, the dark haired prince ceased to a stop. He gazed up, hesitating just for a moment, deciding whether or not he should flee once more. Moogletown, he spoke only in his head, his azure irises reflecting the gate’s name, his mind and heart still conflicted on if he should enter.

He had disappeared yet again, leaving those closest to him here behind, giving them no hope of a definite return. He exhaled softly to himself, cringing at the thought of those who would be angry or upset at his decisions nearly causing him to turn and walk the opposite direction. But he didn’t—he couldn’t—instead, he just walked in, bracing himself for any negative confrontations.

The streets were less crowded, a bit different than how he last remembered them, but the scenery hadn’t changed. The same stores were still in business and the same merchants still stood in their usual spots. However, Noctis kept his head down and his eyes low, he wanted to remain unseen but he knew he stood out—a dark shadow amongst the brightness of Moogletown.

Ack!

“My apologies!” she squeaked out, knowing that her thoughts on a return of Lightning had distracted her from the path she was one.

Noctis knew it all too well. Pausing for a moment, he then lifted his eyes regrettably, instantly wanting to hide away in his own self made darkness, "I..." he began, his voice failing him as his gaze remained longer on the one before him, "Serah..." her name fell difficultly from his tongue, unlike on the past.

He turned away almost immediately after speaking, holding by the apology that was sitting in his throat. Did she even want to hear that? After returning disappearing for a second time, would she believe him if he confessed he was sorry? He doubted it, but he couldn't just keep silent, despite wanting to--he felt he had to say something.

“I want to believe that, yes, but…” he paused, unsure how she would take the bluntness of his coming words, “We will be happy, just not…safe…” 

He pulled her closer, embracing her tightly. They were Etro's targets, the goddess will never rest until their fates were fulfilled, but Noctis wasn't going to surrender to her, he will never, "Wasn't it you who told me that we can defy our fate?" he asked, placing a gentle hand under her chin to lift her face up to gaze into her eyes, "I will not lose you because of Etro, Serah."

He smiled at her, pulling her closer, only to say, “I love you,” softly in her ears. 

He was truly grateful to have her in his life. She…did not force anything out of him and she loved wholeheartedly regardless. She was the weight that kept him grounded, without her, he’d be…lost. Wandering somewhere, searching for a purpose. 

"I want to believe that, yes, but..." he paused, unsure how she would take the bluntness of his coming words, "We will be happy, just not...safe..." 

But apart of him felt relieved seeing his mother smile at him again. It brought his heart to peace, and banished the regret and anguish from it. He’d been living his days, wallowing in pain and agony over her death and perhaps this was her way of saying its okay, everything is alright. 

“I’m…sorry, I left without word…” he then said softly, “I would’ve came back…I just…” 

He smiled at her, pulling her closer, only to say, "I love you," softly in her ears. 

He was truly grateful to have her in his life. She...did not force anything out of him and she loved wholeheartedly regardless. She was the weight that kept him grounded, without her, he'd be...lost. Wandering somewhere, searching for a purpose. 

Until, the figure before him halted her steps, her body turning to face him and immediately he was caught under the familiar gaze of the woman who gave him life, “Mother, I…” his words trembled as they fell from his mouth, and he felt his knees quaver to the sand.

“I’m sorry, I…shouldn’t had…I should’ve…” he regretted sacrificing her to Etro, she—had always been too kind to him. She did nothing to deserve such a fate. But she shook her head and smiled down at her son, his heart swelling with a nostalgic affection before she was…gone entirely again.

But apart of him felt relieved seeing his mother smile at him again. It brought his heart to peace, and banished the regret and anguish from it. He'd been living his days, wallowing in pain and agony over her death and perhaps this was her way of saying its okay, everything is alright. 

"I'm...sorry, I left without word..." he then said softly, "I would've came back...I just..." 

He sighed, welcoming Serah into his arms and watched her as she slowly drifted into slumber. He contemplated dozing off as well but couldn’t, he feared his nightmare would return. So instead, he sat there, he eyes venturing up into the orange sky. The sun was setting causing a sensation of uneasiness to spiral through him, he dreaded the night now. If he could, he’d stay awake through it and he tried that but…his mind and body couldn’t take it.

Gathering the blankets and food, he carefully carries Serah and everything back into the house, trying not disturb her from her peaceful sleep. He laid her down on the couch, bringing a small blanket from her to drape over her body. He smiled, even while she slept she was still so beautiful. He touched her face with a soft hand and bent down to kiss her cheek. If he was the one destined to end her life then so be it, he would end his own immediately after.

“Noctis?” she grew worried, maybe he had left her? Would he do such a horrible thing? “Noctis please?!” she looked off to beach seeing him run towards a woman…. was this another of his fated beings? 

Until, the figure before him halted her steps, her body turning to face him and immediately he was caught under the familiar gaze of the woman who gave him life, "Mother, I..." his words trembled as they fell from his mouth, and he felt his knees quaver to the sand.

"I'm sorry, I...shouldn't had...I should've..." he regretted sacrificing her to Etro, she--had always been too kind to him. She did nothing to deserve such a fate. But she shook her head and smiled down at her son, his heart swelling with a nostalgic affection before she was...gone entirely again.

But this time, it was different. His mother and Serah still present, as well as his father—King Caelum. His own falchion sword clutched in his father’s grips, the blood of his love and mother staining the steel blade. He smiled wickedly, whispering the words, ‘return back to me, my prince’, his voice distorted and emotionless. It couldn’t be the king, it could be…

He awoken by a pair of his own, Serah’s, and he returned the kiss with overflowing passion. He smiled, silently thanking a god above that his nightmare had ended, praying that she wouldn’t notice the hint of fear pulsating through his tired, sapphire eyes. 

He rose up, following her onto the beach once more, sluggishly falling back onto the blanket and smiled when Serah laid out the food. He shook her head at her comment, “No…you’re perfect,” he corrected, flashing her one last smile before taking a sandwich. 

“Serah, I…” he began, pausing from eating, “I love you,” he said, smiling down at his sandwich, “And this place is like heaven to me…” he told her, “I…don’t deserve any of this and yet you’re giving me everything I’ve always wanted…” 

“Are you okay? You seem tense…” she sighed and reached for his hand across the blanket, “You deserve more than this because you’ve struggled so much…”

Serah pulled back for a moment and nibbled waiting to hear his words, her appetite began to subside and soon she could not find the words to express her happiness him, “I don’t think I could be happier… This moment…. could last forever and I’d love it.”

He sighed, welcoming Serah into his arms and watched her as she slowly drifted into slumber. He contemplated dozing off as well but couldn't, he feared his nightmare would return. So instead, he sat there, he eyes venturing up into the orange sky. The sun was setting causing a sensation of uneasiness to spiral through him, he dreaded the night now. If he could, he'd stay awake through it and he tried that but...his mind and body couldn't take it.

Gathering the blankets and food, he carefully carries Serah and everything back into the house, trying not disturb her from her peaceful sleep. He laid her down on the couch, bringing a small blanket from her to drape over her body. He smiled, even while she slept she was still so beautiful. He touched her face with a soft hand and bent down to kiss her cheek. If he was the one destined to end her life then so be it, he would end his own immediately after.