#ardyn hell

Vedrixia began to feel ill and she didn’t know why as they approached the man. Maybe there was something wrong with Ignis’s cooking, she wondered.

The stranger turned and approached them.

Vedrixia immediately began to take in the man’s appearance and assess him for any threats, as one does.

He had an imposing, yet nonchalant presence as he approached them. His red wine hair shifted slightly along with his coat.

“I’m afraid you’re out of luck”

She wondered why he wore so many layers.

“Are we?” Noctis was already riled up.

The man looked at Noctis, “The boats bring you here.”

Prompto stepped forward, “What about ‘em?”

His gaze flicked between the four men, “Well, they’ll not take you-” 

He finally glanced at Drix’s emerald gaze and his ember eyes widened ever so slightly.

“-forth.”

Drix had a pounding headache and felt as if she might vomit or faint at any moment, or both simultaneously.

“And what’s your story?” Gladio finally stepped forward in all his testosterone.

Drix broke their intense gaze and took a few staggering steps back and to the side of the group and held her pounding head.

Ignis was the only one to take note of her small departure and glanced back and - what is that glow around her hands?

However, his attention was quickly ripped away from her as the stranger walked through the group, only to begin speaking again.

“I’m an impatient traveler ready to turn ship,” He said innocently. “This ceasefire’s getting us nowhere.” He turned around to face the group again and tossed a coin at Noctis, only for Gladio to block its path.

“What’s this?” Gladio ground out. “Some sort of souvenir?”

“Wait, they make those?” Prompto mumbled with his effervescent childlike wonder.

“Consider it your allowance.” 

“Yeah?” Gladio took a few steps towards the man who was thoroughly grating on his nerves. “And who’s ‘allowing’ us?”

He threw his arms out with a flourish, “A man of no consequence.”

And with that, he was gone.

“Yeah, right,” The young prince scoffed.

“You believe what that guy said about the ports being clos- whoa, what’s wrong with Drix?” Prompto asked, already making his way over to the suddenly sickly pale woman in the chair.

The group made their way over to her, Ignis immediately dropping to his knee beside her and checking her over. 

“Vedrixia? Are you alright?” He questioned gently, taking off his glove to touch the back of his hand to her forehead. “She’s burning up. Gladio, go fetch some water from the bar, please.”

He rolled his eyes but did as he was told.

“Eh, I’m alright,” Drix said with a shaky breath, rolling her head to the side. “I’m just a little woozy is all. In fact, I think I’m gonna lie down.” 

With that, she fell out of the chair and fainted. 

~~~

Drix opened her eyes as she felt the cold, damp stone beneath her.

“I’m in a cave. Okay, cool. Yeah, why am I in a cave?” She mumbled.

Drix slowly got to her feet and walked towards the mouth of the cave. When she reached it, she was met with the ocean.

“Huh. How about that,” She stood with her hands on her hips for a moment, then turned on her heel and headed back into the cave.

As she walked through the cave, she noted the fact that there were no tracks except her own. No one had been here in a very long time. 

She continued her trek, listening to the musical water as it dripped from stalactites until she saw the tiniest spark of light. Drix picked up her pace, thinking this was her way out, or rather someone who could get her there. However, the near run she picked up came to a skidding halt as she took in the sight before her. 

It was a man bound and chained. But not only were his wrists and ankles bound, but chains ran through him as well. 

It was the same man she had just met at Galdin Quay. 

“Back again, are we?”

She gasped, entirely unprepared for the man to speak, much less be alive. 

“You’re alive?!” She shouted. “But - but there are chains running through you! How can I - can I get you down?” She ran up to him, trying to find some mechanism to release the poor man.

“I’m afraid not, my dear.” 

“But how are you alive!” Drix began to pace under the stress. “No human body can withstand that-”

“You know this body isn’t human.”

She froze. 

She turned to look at the man. During their conversation, he raised his head to watch her pacing. 

He had the same ember eyes. 

The breath left her lungs at the sheer amount of emotion held within the man’s eyes. There were years, no, centuries of pain in his eyes. She felt drawn to him, like there was some invisible string pulling them together.

She felt the need to comfort him. 

She shook her head, “This isn’t real. This is some sort of fever dream brought on by food poisoning.”