hHH, oKay this took forever to write and finish, bUt, itâs finally done~
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He ran as fast as his trembling legs would take him, even after getting shot in the calf. The adrenaline making him almost completely immune to any sort of pain. He kept running, his hair matte from the blood dripping down his head. His ears rung almost painfully. This was supposed to be one of the best days for him and his dear comrades. He found prompto and smiled before stopping dead in his tracks. Someone was behind him. He widened his eyes when he realized who was behind him and sprinted to the oblivious blonde.
âPROMPTO!â The prince screamed, jolting off the bed and clutching his heart. His hair was covering his face, he was ghostly pale, eyes wide and glassy. Prompto ran into the room, tripping, âwhat? Are you okay?â The blonde yelled, worry slapping the sleep out of him. Noct looked around. He wasnât in the citadel anymore. He was in bed. Safely. Noct shook as Prompto walked up to the traumatized prince and held him close, feeling Noctis shake uncontrollably. Noctis cried and clutched onto Prompto's shirt, afraid of letting him go, even for the slightest second. Prompto held Noct just as close, his heart pounding just as hard as his breathing.
âYouâre okay⌠You- Iggy. Whereâs Ignis? A-and Gladio?â The prince asked, jumping off the bed and tripping on his way out, desperate to find his fellow companions, hoping it was all just a dream and not another vision. âIt canât be.. Can it..?â he thought to himself, his heart racing. âIgnis! Gladio! Where- Where are you guys?â He yelled as he ran around the main hallway. His head spinning with only the worst thoughts. He was abruptly brought back to reality when someone held his shoulders firmly, shaking it. The prince screamed, widening his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks unknowingly. What the prince saw would surely haunt him for years. There, in that moment, he saw Ardyn, in his daemon form. That wasnât what stuck fear to the young prince. What paralyzed the poor Noct, was his deformed face and mangled, ripped body. One of his amber eyes bloodshot, the other a pastel, almost grayish amber tone. His wretched sneer more twisted than ever. He wore a sneer only a mad, sane man would carry, a man so sane, that itself, caused him to go mad. Ardynâs body was almost completely split in half, deep, deep gashes of his internal body showing, the smell of a dead corpse filling Nocts nose. He dropped to his knees at the sight of the daemon. âThis canât be happening. This canât be happening. I killed hi-â âNoct, what are you doing here? You have an announcement to make at the citadel laterâ Ignis said, the cursed daemon now gone. Noct looked around to find his fellow friends, looking down at him worriedly. What was happening? Didnât they see Ardyn? âWha- What? But Ardynâs here- hereâ He stuttered. Gladio sighed and pressed his hand against the delusional prince, checking his temperature, âSeems fine. Maybe he hallucinated from jumping out of the bed right after he woke up.â The big man said quietly to Ignis. Prompto looked at Noct concerned, âA-Ardyn? Like evil spooky daemon relative Ardyn?â Prompto squeaked out, looking around on high alert, ready to summon his gun. Ignis shook his head, âif he was here, we wouldâve all known. No one would be able to even resemble him, so we would know. Weâll look around to make sure everythingâs clear if itâll ease your nerves.â Ignis said, holding the princes shoulder. The prince tensed, the visual of his ancestor embedded into his brain, forever remaining there to haunt him. Noct nodded, tears silently rolling down his fair cheeks. He stood up and made his way outside the citadel to get some fresh air. He was still in a state of shock, numb to the core. Prompto followed the man before him, helping him walk out with small words of encouragement and reassurance, shaken up a bit as well, but nothing compared to what the prince had witnessed.
Once Noctis was settled and calm, he went to the citadel to discuss about the death of Ardyn and the new era of peace. He wore a dark blue suit with a pendant he had received from his father days before he was killed. He wore his casual boo-
âNoct, why are you wearing your boots..?âthe advisor asked the prince, now king of Insomnia, âYeah man, they donât even matchâ Prompto pointed out, holding back a snicker, only to be hit in the back of his neck by gladio âNo oneâs gonna see his shoes, let the boy be.â Gladio laughed, his laugh sounding more like a roar than a laugh. Noctis sighed. He had a bad feeling something was gonna happen. Something thatâs gonna have to do with that nightmare, or vision- whatever it was. The young king shook his head and walked out, cheers filling his ears, smiles all around him anywhere he looked.
âJust like the way it was with dad..â He thought to himself, a sad smile on his face. He took a deep breath, indicating the beginning of his speech. The crowd went silent.
âToday is the dawn of a new era.â He started, raising his posture up, a firm look in his eyes. âAfter ten years of my absence, Ardyn has stripped you all of light and peace. I will admit, we lost countless soldiers, but they will be remembered from now on. They did not die in vain. Ardyn is dead as of now to the end of days!â The crowd cheered, men throwing confetti, women throwing roses and beautifully colored petals. âFrom now to the end of days, we will have nothing but peace! No more having to fear of the daemons that haunt us or our childrenâ he said, memories flashing before his eyes, making him widen them by just enough for it to go unnoticed by those other who didnât know him as close as his fellow brothers. He smiled, dismissing the quick flashbacks and shaking his head, âAnd from now and so forth, I will protect insomnia with my life!â He stated finally before an earthquake-like rumble erupted. The king looked around furiously, his breath hitched. âNo.. this isnât what I think it is..â he muttered to himself, shocked, his blood running cold. He didnât wanna believe what was unraveling before his eyes. âNoct!â Ignis yelled, grabbing Nocts attention. There, laid an unconscious Gladio and an injured Prompto, coughing up some blood. Noct couldnât believe his eyes. He ran towards the group, his heart racing. âCountless acts left you in vain~â a voice said, clearly in his head. He stopped in his tracks. That voice was clear as day in his head. Only one person had a voice so sickly sweet and toxic.
âArdyn..â The king muttered to himself. As he ran towards his team, he noticed them getting farther and farther away from him. âNoctis!â He heard Ignis scream out. He ran to the sound of Ignis, his heart and head pounding, his legs aching, his stamina reaching its limit. The king pushed forward, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Flames engulfed his lungs, causing Noctisâ eyes to sting, ash gray tears slipping out of his
eyes. He finally made it to Ignis, who looked just as bad as Noct, if not worse. âWhere-Whereâs Prompto and Gladio?â He stuttered out, his stomach churning to knots, his breath still heavy from the running and the smoke. Right at that moment, Noctis heard a gunshot. He turned behind him, only to hear a certain someone fall on him. âIg⌠Ignis!â He screamed out, his eyes wide and glassy. Someone had shot him, someone had shot his advisor- no, his brother. The king frantically tried to cover his bleeding, breathing heavily, his thoughts racing, âI am not afraid to dieâ he heard Ignis strain out, holding the kings hand close to him, âGo find the rest⌠kill Ardyn once more..â His final words stuck to him. Noct shook his head furiously, âno, no no, donât worry, Iâm gonna find the rest, and- and Iâm gonna make sure youâre- Ignis!â He screamed as his fellow companion started to glow and turn to dust. His eyes widened, shock coursing through his veins. Noctâs knees buckled underneath him and he dropped to the cold concrete floor. He couldnât let this happen to the others. âI have to find the rest before something like this happens to the restâ He thought to himself, slowly dragging himself up, suddenly feeling a wave of adrenaline pump through him. He went inside a building and found a cloak to disguise himself from whoever had been attacking. Noct warped to the top of the said building and heard a familiar cry. He smiled as he realized it was none other than Gladio. âHm, heâs in a fight I guess. Better go check on him, heâs probably with Prompto.â He thought to himself, dropping from the building and running, the grin on his face never leaving his bloody, cut face. The king didnât know why, but a rush of excitement washed over him, the thought of fighting those who caused him so much pain and so much grief giving him joy. He let out a chuckle, seeing the soldiers falling, theyâre last breath being taken before him as he slashed at them, nothing but happiness and pure adrenaline pumping in through his veins as he let out a loud laugh. A laugh some might think of as nothing but a happy man with those he loves, while others know that laugh. Oozing and dripping with nothing but pure insanity. So much insanity and just sanity, it could cause one to go insane with the laugh itself. Itâs definitely a laugh thatâll scar those who hear it.
As Noct went after the magiteks with the grin of a mad man, Prompto was frozen in place, helping Gladio up. He started to tremble, feeling his knees buckle underneath his weight. âN-noct..?â He muttered, confusion and fear evident in his tone. He widened his eyes after hearing the laugh, collapsing, tears starting to stream down his dusty face. The laugh.. That laugh was the exact laugh that still haunts him. The laugh he heard when Ardyn had endlessly tortured him. Prompto started to sob, holding his head tightly, quietly begging for him to stop, praying itâs all in his head. Noctis slowly started to finish his spree, turning and running to Prompto and what seemed to be an unconscious Gladio, a small smile on his face âAre you guys- Prompto, whatâs wrong?â He asked, the smile disappearing from his face almost instantly. Prompto hesitated, resting his hand on the kings shoulder, âYou okay?â Noctis nodded, looking at him, a puzzled expression evident on his face, âYeah, why?â He questioned, catching his breath. âHm.. nothing..â he shrugged. Noctis nudged Gladio, shaking the amicitia, âOi, Gladio, buddy, wake up.â He said, the big man not moving. Prompto laughed nervously, kneeling down to him and checking for a pulse, staying still for a moment before widening his eyes, âGl..GladioâŚ? Come on man, get up big guy, youâre the shield!â Prompto choked out, holding back tears. Noctis watched as the blonde wailed for the Amicitia. Noct leaned down to the big man. He looked at peace, like nothing could harm him anymore. As if he was finally happy. His hand now cold and loose around his giant sword, an indicator that he wasnât where Noctis and Prompto had hoped he would be.
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He felt water droplets slowly drip onto his face, soon beginning to engulf him. âItâs raining..â He thought to himself, slowly looking up to the sky.
The king let out a laugh, tears streaming down his now bloodshot eyes. He couldnât hold back his laughter, a laugh that could scare even the strongest of them all. His laughter echoed through the new ruins of what once was the citadel and his home. âIs this all youâve got?â He cackled to himself,dropping to his knees, âKilling my family? Killing my people, and destroying my kingdom? I should really thank you Ardyn!â He grinned. âYou never seem to surprise me either! You coward, show yourself! Let me show you my gratitude you filthy daemon.â He chuckled, his eyes darkening to a sick maroon. His arms twitched once he held his sword, dragging it as he walked around his now broken down kingdom. âThis place was always a dump you know.. always the same shit going on.. nothing ever changed here. It was an endless cycle.â His voice Projected through the place. He heard a twig split and turned towards the sound, only to see his dear friend. The blonde shook to his core, his eyes bewildered and wide, with fear clear in his eyes. âN-Noct..? Buddy? Oh thank six I found-.... you..?â He stopped himself as the king stared right through him, as if he was some sort of daemon. A corrupted animal, thirsty for blood, his breathing uneven. Prompto shook his head, â Itâs only Noct. Heâs just shaken up.. right..?â He inches closer to his best friend, slowly regaining confidence and reaching his hand to his shoulder, âHey buddy, le-letâs go find Ardyn. I knew he was around he-â he stopped himself as Noct swung his sword upward and aiming right for the blonde. Prompto barely had time to comprehend what was happening before him and dodged Nocts swings. âNoct! Get a hold of yourself man! Itâs me, youâre best friend, Prompto!â He yelled. Noct let out a frustrated grunt, starting to warp and swing around the blonde, only for the blonde to dodge. âShut up..â Noctis muttered.
âShut up⌠shut up shut up, SHUT UP!â he yelled out, his eyes strained and bloodshot. He recklessly swung at Prompto, his eyes a furious red, âYou killed my FATHER, you killed my brothers! Whatâs next, huh?!â He screamed. Prompto widened his eyes, halting, letting out a small yell before dodging a swing right for his throat. âN-Noct, itâs me! Prompto!â He stuttered, his heart dropping. Noctis glared and let out a scoff, âYouâve got to be kidding me. Cut the shit out already, you pathetic scum.â He spat out, his eyes full of nothing but pure rage. Hatred. Prompto choked and looked down at his shaky hands. It didnât look like his own hand..? He gasped at the realization and looked up at Noct, ân-no! Noct, p-please, buddy, itâs Prompto!â He cried out desperately, falling to his knees. Noctis shook his head and pointed the tip of his sword right below Ardynâs heart. âGo back to hell you pathetic daemon.â He grumbled before digging his dagger deep into his chest. Noctisâ eyes widened at the sight of what he had previously seen as Ardyn, turn to his fellow brother, Prompto. His eyes furiously looked around before scampering to the dying blonde, âPrompto.,.Prompto, Prompto, please..â He cried out, desperation clear and strained. He killed his best friend. He heard a soft laugh. A familiar laugh. Why did he sound awfully like his mother..? He slowly turned and looked up, seeing his beloved mother facing away from him. He weakly smiled, defeated. âMotherâŚâ He whispers. He slowly reaches out for his motherâs hand, âMom, Iâm sorry!â He cried, hugging her. âIâm so sorry mom, I shouldâve been stronger, I shouldâve controlled myself, I shouldâve been stronger, Iâm sorry mom, mother Iâm-â he was interrupted when he felt his mother softly push his hair away from his face, showing the dirt and blood all over his face. She smiled âItâs okay Noctis.. Everything will be okay. Trust meâ she whispered.
Noctis nodded before going into complete darkness.