#ff13 lore

A blooming light, a scream of pain and crystal shards burst out from his back, a form emerges. A chrysalis for a goddess, an ephemeral phantom. Her form grows, a giant crystal figure much like the one Regis had broken as a young child he thinks. A faceless form with an armless hollowed torso and curling pieces from her spine, a mockery of wings. A disjointed bulbous lower form with Prompto entombed in the crystals of her womb. This was Etro looming before them. The All-mother of Eos, Guardian of the Beyond and what remains of her, but still nothing less then gorgeous splendour.

( Regis desperately tries not to think of the same Prompto nearly 20 years ago, a babbling, happy baby munching on his favourite chocobo plush dozing off in his lap. Now instead, lays asleep in the hands of the Goddess of Death. )

Cor is uncontrollable as he takes his katana and runs forward to attack, Nyx warping close behind, each with thundaga and firaga ready but another protect and a Tsunami pushes the fathers back in line as Regis and Clarus quickly supports them. Regis took his child back from fate but in exchange for his friend’s son… is there no avoiding of this spiral of death?

“Eos is saved from the Starscourge! The line of royals are forever free from the will of Gods. Humanity will continue to thrive even without my crystal. Balance is restored. Things are as it should be.” Etro’s melodious voice rings, while retaliating Noctis, Gladio and Ignis’ assault. A Judgement Bolt falls, making them pull back.

Regis doesn’t like this, Etro has clearly acquired similar powers of the Astrals.

“Bullshit! We didn’t do all this just so you can take him! Prompto…h-he hates being alone and I’m not leaving him behind!”

“Unfortunately, young prince. This was the price Prompto himself has agreed upon.”

“What?”

“Long before all this, was a man who had lost all that he have held dear to the light of the new dawn. When he found a chance, he took it! Thus, a contract was forged. Each and every one of your lives and happiness and in exchange, for my own wish. He has paid the price repeatedly and endlessly yet you would disrespect it?” 

Regis can’t help but find her phrasing unusual.The King can’t put a finger where, yet Etro’s revelation got Ignis to halt his attacks.

”What-Unless…No.”

“What?!Specs!”

“This is not the first time Prompto has done this, I presume.”

”No.”

”How many times?!”

”Too many! To change the fates of all. All of your deaths, all of your destinies, rewritten! For the better.”

“Why! Prompto?!” Cor snarls at the goddess looming before them as she throws a Diamond Dust to push the Marshal back, the light of the dead endless dancing like a dream still.

”Before this all began, there was no one who weren’t in close view of the ‘Astrals’ I can use. Yet down in the depths of Shiva’s doomed land…there were plenty to choose who were able to contain and hold my power, yet I saw only Prompto survived in every one.” Gralea. The lab. The experiments. Regis sees Cor and thinks back of the report of the other children, the other clones in that lab and dares not breathe.

“And when he finally found my tomb, I made an offer. He made his choice.”

Nyx has enough and warp strikes again, only to narrowly miss a Hellfire in the face. Luna strikes with her pole arm but narrowly avoids the Judgement casted at her as Ignis sharply pulls her to safety.

Etro sighs again,”If you won’t see reason. Then at the very least,I shall let you see how beautiful he can become as my successor!”

The crystal womb pulses dimly and they see Etro bowing forward, merging into her chosen. Crystal pieces adorns his hair, a broken crown piece.Her marks also manifests on his face and skin, the Eyes of Etro awakens, the eye mark tattoo has fully replaced that cursed barcode, pulsing eerily, crystal claws gleaming.

Then, he warps.

Prompto was faster now, summoning crystal shards to fly at his command, his aim as fatal as he is with a gun.His spells sing effortlessly, the bursts of Slow and Stop ambushes them, the barrage of Flare and Meteor aimed at them with intent, a flick of Mega Death blows them back relentlessly. The party can’t attack, won’t attack, because, how could they? Gladio can’t bring himself to do anything but defend them from his Ultima casts. Clarus is busy countering the relentless barrage of crystals while Regis pulls up protect to defend them.

Luna then cries out, hoping her voice reaches Prompto. And for a moment he seems to almost falter, before he turns to attack another target.

“Unbelievable.You would actually have us pull a bloody Somnus.” ( somewhere in the back of their heads the Kings faintly hears a grunt from one of the rulers of yore ) Ardyn summons his sword and trudges forward towards the new Etro.

”What the fuck do you think you are doing?!ARDYN!!”Noctis tries to intercept his psychotic ancestor and the ancient King scoffs.

“Putting an end to all this farce as was intended!” He slams Noctis away while Gladio tries to pull Ardyn back, only to have him warp away from Regis and Clarus’s blocking his way.

Nyx tries to stop the mad king in a warp while Prompto throws an Apocalypse, forcing Nyx to pull back and Ardyn dodges, getting close enough to attack. Cor appears and swings his blade to get Ardyn away but not before Rakshasa hacks Prompto on his shoulder down. Prompto screams and slams his crystal claws on the nearest foe in retaliation. The crystalline nails landing into the Immortal’s side. Cor winces but manages to grab onto his son’s arm in a death grip, nails digging into Prompto’s wrist. Nyx close behind, preventing Prompto from warping out of their grasp.

“Prompto?”

Blood flows from Prompto’s shoulder freely, as Prompto stops, looking back at Car with an empty gaze and heavy breaths. He trembles and struggles, before swiftly summoning a crystal shard into his palm and brings it down.

Cor stills.

The crystal digs in deep, Prompto had stabbed his wrist where his barcode once was, now a growing tattoo reaching across the skin of its bearer like vines, cutting right into the middle where an eye like mark resides. Etro’s voice screeching across the void of the Astral Plane. Before her Phantom bursts from his back shrieking in pain while Prompto growls, pushes the fragment in further, his lips bitten and bleeding as the 2 beings split in a violent burst of light that nearly blinds Nyx. “Now-!” He chokes out in cold sweat while leaning onto Cor and as realisation sinks in.

This is the Astral Plane.The space without time existing between the living and the dead. Etro does not exist in the living plane…but here, they can kill the Gods. They can hurt her already fragile spirit.This was their only chance.

Cor releases Prompto and quickly force himself to slice his katana into where Prompto’s back and Etro’s spectral form meet, severing the the connection. Cor quickly pulls back his blade as Nyx grabs hold of Prompto while Etro’s spirit bursts away, dissolving into light that streaks across the void.

”N-not done-” Prompto gasps, choking on his coughs as the group hurry over to his side. The goddess’ voice then resounds in the hollow void.

“They tore me apart, taking my heart, leaving me in pieces, I became a restless soul neither living or dying between realms, with only the dead by my side for so long. Unable to do anything but see the deaths of many. I was so tired.“ Etro’s voice surrounds them in darkness. Her feeble attempt to become whole again in order to intervene with the Astrals’ mess and desire to give humanity hope finally coming to fruition.

.

.

.

“You may become lost in Time. Your soul forever doomed.”

“I want to believe.”

“You’ll die.”

“I trust them.”

“You’ll hurt them.”

“…I know. And even if it seems impossible. I must try, for them.”

Etro’s sign etches and sears into his skin like a second brand sealing Prompto Argentum’s fate in the flow of time.

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.

.

Etro is as cruel as she is merciful. Ardyn was the first one to know of it first hand in his madness.

He finds a dead Aldecapt on the ground and the entire Zegnatus Keep massacred by someone else other than the daemons. That was when the darkness in him began to rebel. The little chocobo Niflheim had caught and he had locked in a cage now sits casually on the throne twirling his gun. Until her cold gaze falls onto him as the hunter becomes the hunted, as she lures her intended target towards the Crystal.

”Ardyn Lucis Caelum.” The goddess’ voice rings clear.

”How-“

”You may have salvation O’ fallen King. Though all you need to do in return is fairly simple.“Etro lays her hand on his face as the pain sets in, the Starscourge in him screaming and dying.

”When the time comes. Kill me.”

“And h-how do I even know if you aren’t unlike the damn Astrals-!?”A pause and he feels mortality creep deep into the bones.

”Thats just it.”Her smile upon Prompto Leonis’ face.

”You don’t.”

And he is released from his curse just as the calvary arrives.

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.

.

In the darkness of her temple, the memories of his failures and the deaths, all return to Prompto Leonis in a flood. A reminder of what another him in another world has set out to do in the beginning. Like a horrible deja vu and a bad trip.

”Your time is running out.”

”Still gonna give it my best shot.”

The mark of Etro burns.

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.

.

It also turns out that they had also narrowly escape destruction of timelines with how many times they have restarted. Etro becomes concerned. Griever’s appearance now was a paradox and meant Prompto was on his final run before he fails and turns into a daemon, forever damned in the crevices of time.

Her powers are waning, there are no more chances left. While his success means he becomes the next crystal of Etro, and she is free from her burden. But should they cut their ties at the very moment where Prompto can regain a hold of his senses…the child may stand a fighting chance.

The child may live while the God may die.

Essentially, Prompto and Etro each made a gamble for their own selfishness. And won.

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.

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”Whatever pieces of me that remain too lost to retrieve, gone like tiny grains of sand.They shall remain to keep Eos, my beloved star alive. Though the gift of magic granted to humanity shall leave with me, I shall never cease to exist! My ashes are in the soil, my breath with the winds, my blood in the sea. I shall remain in the beyond, awaiting to welcome you when the time comes, my children.”

“You have helped me regain my form, my vessel. From here on, you are free from me and the curse upon the Farseers. The weak shall obey the strong. Now. Sever my final link with the living! Lay the Gods to their intended rest.”

Her original form looms over them again, this time without Prompto encased in her womb. Now safely tucked by Nyx’s side, Noctis summons Quicksilver and hands his friend his weapon back. The gun gently laid back in his palm, a warm and comforting weight.

”Stupid.” Noctis’ words were without bite, endearing even. Gladios hand a comfortable presence on his shoulder and Ignis’ close behind. Prompto smiles sheepishly with Luna glowering at him in relief and angry disappointment as she caresses his face gently.

Prompto then turns his gaze at Etro sadly.The lonely goddess who sought to heal her star and bestow mankind her compassion. He remembers the same loneliness from another time, another world.

…Will you be alright? He wonders. After being together for so many different lifetimes, its hard to say goodbye. But he has made a promise to see to each of their chosen ends that they sought once upon a time.

They ready their weapons and gives the goddess the sending she sought now that she is whole again. When the last of her spirit fades into crystalline lights so does the Astral Plane that surrounds them in a melodious, comforting sigh.

The armiger and spells fizzles and fades out.The last of her light leaves Prompto like fireflies, and for a final time he reaches out for the fading fragments of the Goddess in farewell. The group then quickly departs from the disappearing realm through the fading portal, falling onto rubble and stone of Insomnia.

The orb then ebbs, the phantoms of the Astrals and their messengers bursts into sparks one by one into the orb, returning to the All-mother’s side. Their disappearance releases the light, the ball bursts into a harmless flare, a million stars. Or are they souls forever free? All racing across the sky and all of Eos before returning to Etro’s side with all the magic left on the planet.

And suddenly, warmth.

Dawn finally breaks. The sunlight burning delightfully on their skin. They are alive.

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- After making sure the Kingsglaive in Galahd are battle ready to protect the people, the Galahadians sends them off with a small dinner celebration as a small reprieve from the madness. If anything, they seem excited to find their goddess amongst them once more once they figure out their purpose in Galahd.(“Our festivals are full of light and people souls are bright! With the Kingsglaive back, the daemons will not dare!”) 

Ignis has never really been out of Lucis since his move from Tenebrae as a child.The new burst of sounds and culture makes him curious as the dinner goes on.

- Nyx and Cor amongst the people watching the people coo over Prompto (they gave them garlands and a sashes of galahd ribbons, to show they are welcome as family of their tribesman, especially Prompto now that he is seen as Etro’s beloved Farseer ). And he will be hard pressed to deny that the domesticity was absolutely sweet. 

Luna singing and dancing and thriving in life and joy among people, something denied to her for so very long. Noctis and Gladio trying to enjoy everything while not being too focused on the food. Ardyn in the corner being strangely subdued as he immerses himself in the feeling of festivity. Regis deep in discussion with Clan leaders and Clarus partaking in simple efforts in reconnecting with the common folk.There is hope it seems for a better future he thinks. 

- When they finally depart Galahd’s shores, they are re-energised to focus on strategy.When Prompto suddenly makes a request. He remembers that Gladio has already taken his trial with Gilgamesh (despite Clarus’s violent disagreement initially, that was certainly a trip that Ignis won’t be forgetting anytime soon.The old shield proved that even with one arm he is still a force to be reckoned with.) 

A land full of restless souls and one undead shield, he wishes they will answer her call, and seems almost rude to pull them into a battle to the death without asking. That’s just how Prompto is. Ardyn surprisingly volunteers, and after much discussion, Noctis, Gladio and Libertus are tasked to follow the ancient King on this errand. 

“Reuniting with an old acquaintance!How splendid, isn’t it, my dear nephews?I, personally, can’t wait!” 

(Noctis must finally face the music, and try to get along as Regis visibly tries to rein in his cringe.)

- Costlemark seems like daunting to take on with so little preparation.But they figured with Regis’ and Prompto’s magic and range, along with Cor and Nyx’s speed, Clarus’ strength(bless the Shields,they certainly Iive up to their name and and duty) while Ignis and Luna acting as support seem sufficient. (“We can also practice your new abilities while we are at it!”Luna beams at Prompto, who needs to get a hang of his new arsenal of spells.Luna looks delighted with her project.Good for her.Less so for sweet, dear, Prompto.)

-While waiting to arrive at their destination, the crew splits up for some personal time. Always a stickler for details (in Noctis’ words), Ignis seeks out Cor to relay some reports from the Insomnia Army, but stops when he realised Prompto and Cor are having a chat.At least, he thought it was Prompto.

-“Your Grace.”

”How did you know?”Etro smiles, her Eyes bright.Cor doesn’t give her an answer.

“Cor Leonis. I never thanked you for saving Prompto. You did well.”

”I would have done it with or without fate.It was only right.”

”Yet you have no idea how many times I have tried for this result.”

Ignis doesn’t like the implication. 

Silence befalls between them.

“Magic may not have remained in your bloodline any longer from one of my incarnations…but you became a guardian to your kingdom and your loved ones as your forebears once did with all the fierceness and heart you bear.I am impressed. Descendant of sorceress and knight, you are a worthy protector indeed.”

“I thank you for the kind words.” Cor does not acknowledge her revelation.At least not outwardly.

“As thanks,I shall gift you a premonition.A fair warning.When you reach the tower of my old castle… an old acquaintance awaits, he wishes to have a reunion with familiar blood.”

And with that Etro leaves, letting Cor catch Prompto as he collapsed. He was…asleep?

-Ignis seems stuck in revealing himself eavesdropping or helping his friend until he notices Nyx in the corner ( wait, when was he there? ), and gestures the advisor kindly to turn and leave.The report can wait a little longer.

-The advisor remembered how he had went to look up on Prompto’s file after seeing Noct hanging around this new classmate so much.It was his job.Yet he found a locked citizen file and made an enquiry to The King and Marshal which earned him a chuckle from his majesty and a sigh from the Immortal.Before he was dismissed with the order to not worry and they are aware.

”Let the boys live a little.” He should have known something was off there and then.A terrible oversight. But not a mistake. Prompto have proven to be one of the sweetest person to grace them, always thoughtful and keeping Noctis grounded but in a positive way. As Gladio liked to say “a walking sunshine”. 

-( Ignis will never find out that Regis had laughed in Cor’s face after they heard the boys were up to something innocent and stupid, told him it was what he got for removing the sweet innocent babies from their playdate so early on and never bringing ‘Pompom’ around for the prince anymore.New friends meant making trouble together and teen friends are much more troublesome compared to baby friends by Regis’ logic .“If only they had grown up together!Oh!The shame!Shame!””…”)

- They part ways after dropping the group off at the ruined tower, with plans to reconvene at Costlemark later.The last time they were here, they found a Jabberwock and the lost royal arm but soon after Prompto begun to have seizures…possibly from reacting to what’s under the tower now they think about it.

-After gruelling puzzle solving and clearing the path of daemons, they reached the end where Regis seems awed by the old magitek for Solheim.(“Certainly an amazing tower!Bar the residents of course…Although I half expected a beast to great us,””There was one, your Majesty.””Ah.Pity we had missed the party then.””…”)

-It was dead end.At least until Prompto made a round and gathers energy in his palm.

”Get back!” 

The rest obeys the heads up as he tosses the spell into the ground.Ultima certainly is destructive, but achieves its purpose as a room of dim crystals greats them amongst some ruins and arches.

”Wokay, I nearly overdid it there, I think? Well…time to get to work!”Prompto hops down and reaches for the dim crystals and begun his rite in absorbing Etro’s power. Everyone else stays on guard and wait. Until Nyx realises something.

-“Hey…how are we getting out later? Our elevator has…poofed.”This has everyone’s attention. Except Regis, he shrugs and figure they can probably warp his way up.Probably?That was the idea…until the room began to quake.

(“That wasn’t me right??””Focus Prompto!”) 

A roar.

(“Oh dear, there really is a beast in this tower-”“Regis.With all due respect.Shut the fuck up.”)

And they hear a voice.

-“Who disturbs her rest?Who dares claim what is left of her brokenness lost in Time?”

-“It is Etro herself who seeks what is hers! Would you grant us mercy?” Dear Luna, blessed Luna, tries and pacify whoever had made the demand.There would be no reply for a long while.

-“You speak the truth.Very well.I will grant you passage but-“ of course there’s a catch.”-I ask you to indulge me.”

”What do you seek?”Regis asks. 

“A contest, of strength! I see amongst you…A knight?No you are neither…the blood diluted and long gone.Her incarnation has left nothing I see, even in another time.But nevertheless, a familiar soul since time immemorial.Will you, guardian, take my challenge?”

The hair on Ignis’ neck stands, he knows who that is. Etro’s warning ringing in his mind. 

-“Do you swear to provide us passage to safety regardless?”

”Certainly.On my honour as Guardian.”

“Cor!No!”Clarus hisses, this is like 30 years ago all over again damn it. 

“Cor, yes.”The Marshall readjusts his katanas.

(Ignis simply gives in and pinches the bridge of his nose here.This has Prompto written all over.) 

Regis and Clarus turns to Nyx in exasperation. 

-Their Captain simply offers his Kukris up to his husband.

”Stay sharp.”

”I will.” 

And in the corner of their eyes an archway glows, the sign is obvious. Cor strides forward without another word, while his two old friends sputters and hurry after their wayward brother.Nyx follows closely behind, because his charges are all reckless.Luna gestures for Ignis to follow, and that they will catch up since Prompto is done with his rite, just needing to gather himself together abit. 

He is hesitant but obliges.He trusts Luna’s judgement.

- Beyond the arch, was a different dimension, the atmosphere feels different.Its as if they are on the top of the tower in its original form in another time, amongst the stormy sky and clouds.The smell of ozone thick and unnatural. There was no one.

“Show yourself.” Cor calls out and a large shadow emerges and lands before them, rears back and r o a r s.

- Ignis will pay all the crowns and gil he has for Noctis and Gladio to see the gobsmacked faces of their fathers now.

After he finishes his own inner conundrum that is.

 A dark feline creature with a white mane and crimson crown with bladed feathery wings. The power it exudes is putting his senses on edge.This is no ordinary monster.Neither divine nor evil.

-“Will you not grant me your name, beast?” Cor and the creature begin to circle each other, calculating their foe. 

“I have no name.I am but one who grieves for what is lost…yes…I believe in what’s left of my memory, they had once called me…Griever.”

The legendary beast then lunges and Cor strikes. The Trial of the Guardian has begun.

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