#yeet!!!

Caelan nearly hopped on one foot making a beeline away from one of the citadels various chambers. She pressed her back to a wall after exiting the room and turning a corner. She tried her best to appear inconspicuous, blending in with the array of artifacts littered within the main hall of the palace. Caelan closed her eyes, ignoring the warm trail of blood that carded down her forehead from a previous altercation. Whatever was listening, be it gods or the universe, Caelan prayed she wouldn't be found. She needed time to recoup after her latest battle.

The footsteps grew more in prominence then suddenly came to a grinding halt. Caelan's body tensed while she ceased her movement, allowing little oxygen to come in and out of her nostrils. She couldn't risk the noise of her irregular breaths setting the crownsguard off. Caelan gulped, her pulse quickened while her eyes remained shut. She braced herself.

“She couldn’t have gotten far! Search the higher grounds!”

“Forget about the female intruder. We just received new orders from his majesty’s counsel. All hands on deck in the audience chamber!”

“What for?”

“Escorting the king’s body and that of his assailant.”

Caelan’s eyes shot open. She turned her head slightly around the corner, observing the guards with a keen eye. The men and women were firing off so much information to each other that Caelan was finding it difficult to keep up. It didn't help that her wounds were a distraction. The pain ebbed and flowed with great annoyance.

"Does anyone know who attacked the public forum?"

"No, we have yet to be announced of the person's identity. There's already rumors it was some sort of monster, not a man."

“Is the king dead?” The utter concern in the guards voice could be felt by Caelan as she swallowed, thinking about Ardyn.

“No, he’s gravely injured nonetheless. The king and queen are being ushered to their chambers for medical attention!”

“We have to hurry!”

“As do I.” Caelan murmured to herself. She waited until the guards were out of range, then crouched down to assess and mend her injuries she sustained in combat. Pieces of her clothes were torn, used as makeshift rags to wipe away blood and sweat. She did have the hindsight to bring a potion, but it was near empty. It wouldn’t be enough to heal her in full nor allow her to regain the endurance she had long lost.

Caelan had never been so exhausted in her life. She was dumbfounded that she managed to fight off so many men and women within the span of a few hours. Caelan didn't want to think about how many people she reluctantly had to kill in the process. She tried her best to avoid bloodshed, only going for the throat when alternatives had been exhausted. She decided not to dwell on it. Regret could come after the dust settled.

As she finished cleaning the stab wound to her hip, Caelan sent a silent thank you to the Einherjar. If she didn’t have the experience of getting chased down by a large group of people that wanted her dead for so many years, Caelan doubted she would’ve been able to make it this far protecting Ardyn via distraction. The tricks she had built up over time for evasion and escape greatly benefited. Though she had mixed feelings about being a coward, Caelan couldn’t help but feel as if fate saw to it that she had these experiences under her belt for this day. Or perhaps she was blowing smoke up her own ass. Either way, she felt lucky to be alive considering what she had been up against.

Once she finished, Caelan winced while staggering onto her feet. The commotion throughout the palace was ever growing. Officials, the public, troops, and glaive were all running amok trying to make heads or tails of what was happening. An array of rumors were starting to spread. Everything from a terrorist attack, to assassination attempt Caelan heard among scared voices while she ran through the corridors; shoving people out of the way if they so happened to be in her path. Gods, she felt tired. She wanted nothing more than to rest, but her legs despite feeling they were on fire, kept moving. The only directive Caelan latched onto, that kept her body from wanting to slump and give into exhaustion, was finding Ardyn and getting them both out of here.

Caelan traversed through the palace with no direction other than following her instincts and the occasional citizen that shouted to their associates where they were heading. Through the chaos of it all, she arrived at the audience chamber after several minutes. The large room looked like it had seen better days. Everything was shambles. From the large windows that overlooked the city and palace gardens, to the decorum ransacked, there were tell tale signs that something awful happened here. She could feel the foreboding presence that still lingered from the duel, slowly fizzling out like the life force of an insect trying in vain to clutch onto something for dear life.

It grew worse for Caelan when she saw the last bit of the king disappear into another corridor with Prompto at his side. She couldn’t hear the orders Prompto barked at his associates, other than register he was a mess emotionally. Desperately trying to keep it together and be strong. He looked utterly broken. Then her eyes focused on the lone body lying across the floor among the clutter. Air and reason began to leave Caelan's thoughts. Her heart dropped.

Ardyn’s red wine hair was disheveled and littered with debris. A mess that was unbefitting of his usual unkempt locks. Head to toe, he was covered in bruises and blood. There was no telling where one injury started and the other began. His clothes were in shambles. His head lolled to the side. Had circumstances been different, Ardyn would appear to be sleeping and maybe amongst a mid toss during slumber given his position. His pale skin and the lack of rise and fall from his chest from afar had Caelan knowing better. Ardyn--from the sight alone--was dead. He was gone.

Caelan started to heave, not able to control her eyes as she began to tear up. Her body forced itself to keep going, she had to see him. She had to feel for herself if Ardyn was truly lost. Her mind wouldn’t bend to reality so soon. That’s when Caelan stopped, seeing both the retainers she had fought earlier, Ignis and Gladio bending down to look Ardyn over. There was chattering among the two men, but Caelan only heard static ringing deeply in her ears. Despair and grief violently mixed as Caelan summoned her blade to her left. She found in herself a strong will to cut both the men down by whatever means necessary.

Caelan ignored her wounds, and every sound logic known to man. Her natural instincts to protect took over and she was seeing red.

“Stay away from him!” She screamed out.

“You again?! Damn!” Gladio exclaimed. He was the first to step in the line of fire, summoning his long sword to block Caelan’s oncoming attack. Caelan locked her eyes with Gladio’s, enraged to the point where she nearly missed Ignis coming at her from the side. Feeling a sudden call, Caelan gestured out with her right hand. Rakshasa blocked Ignis’s attack while Caelan gripped tightly onto the hilt. Caelan countered, side swiping Ignis and trading another strike with Gladio. So began the deadly dance between the three while Caelan dual wielded both her and Ardyn's weapons. Had she been in a normal state of mind, Caelan would've been ecstatic at such a feat.

"Cease your attacks!" Ignis pleaded. Caelan wouldn't let up. She didn't say a word and continued to rush, only responding with grunts and yells.

"I don't know who you are, but it's obvious you and Ardyn must be working together! Let us talk!"

"Negotiation won't get us anywhere right now, Ignis!" Gladio shouted back to his comrade and friend. "She seems set on hacking our heads off!"

"Damn!" Ignis grit, letting out a hiss upon making contact with Caelan's blade. His left leg throbbed with a painful sting.

Counter, parry, kick. Counter parry, kick. Rakshasa. Warp strike. Kick. Horizontal slash. Kick. My blade. Warp strike. Forward thrust. Parry. Stab. Repeat. Caelan followed the patterns of their three way dance, finding herself in a flow where she could best both Gladio and Ignis. Everyone's movements were like pawns in a game of chess quickly trying to take the other out before allowing the other pieces advancement across the board. The desperation between the three parties could be felt throughout the audience chamber as they fought for what seemed like hours compressed into minutes.

Caelan avoided every hit thus far, yet it wasn’t long until she figured out Gladio and Ignis were purposefully attempting to trap her. With every counter move she made, Caelan ended up several paces back from Ardyn. She could practically feel the wall against her legs as both her arms worked double time to keep the men off her. Her limbs were growing weak. The weight of both her sword and Ardyn’s began to zap away what little energy she had left.

I can’t do this! Caelan felt her mind betray her. In the midst of her crisis, Gladio managed to nick her left arm followed by one of Ignis’s blades exploiting her right wrist. Caelan cried out, refocusing her strategy and changing up the pattern of her counter attacks. Eventually it all came to a stop as the three locked their weapons together. Gladio and Ignis grit their teeth as did Caelan while each of them attempted to use their weight to throw the other off their game. Together, these two men were strong. Far stronger than Caelan knew she was, and they had more experience with strategy. It was clear as day they were going to be the victors if she kept fighting them back. Caelan had to retreat. It was the only way she’d survive and yet she internally panicked.

“Why are you acting this way?!” Caelan tensed, letting out a pained growl. “I can’t do that! Warp striking is limited to your bloodline, I know that for sure!”

“Another lie you fell prey to! You can and you will if you want to live!” Ardyn hissed.

The words from Ardyn and Caelan’s sparring match hit her like a train. It was enough to fan the flames of war back into her after being snuffed out. Caelan blocked a series of attacks, watching close for a certain movement to transpire, and in a matter of seconds; she locked onto it. While both Gladio and Ignis raised their arms up with their respective weapons, there was a gap created between them. Caelan focused and performed a warp strike through the center, avoiding their weapons crashing into her body. The two men stumbled forward, taken aback while Caelan used the last of her strength to sprint towards Ardyn.

“Stop!” Ignis hollered after catching himself before a fall. He limped towards Caelan’s direction with Gladio tagging close by “Please, we urge you to--!”

Caelan crouched down, grabbing a hold of Ardyn’s body as if she was pulling him into a hug and shut her eyes. They both fizzled in and out of time then disappeared. A plethora of curses left Gladio while Ignis was beside himself.

The area around Insomnia's check point gate in Leide was calm. A gentle wind carded through the desert, offering relief to creatures big and small enduring the heat. There was a particular group of Anaks enjoying themselves while they lazily lounged under a group of trees. Some of the young calves were munching on rare greens whose roots ran deep into untapped reservoirs. A few of the older stags were butting heads while females watched on in wonderment.

A young Anak stopped digging at a rock with its hoof and smelled the air. There was a dense scent that was approaching fast. Before the creature could make the call to signal the herd to be cautious, a booming explosion carded through their immediate vicinity. A shock wave followed suit that knocked many of the animals over. They screeched and brayed, trampling over one another. None of the creatures wished to stick around and find out what had become of their sanctuary.

Lying in the middle of where the Anak herd once stood, Ardyn and Caelan tumbled against the ground, rolling over themselves several times until at last they came to a stop. Caelan winced, having landed several feet away from Ardyn. She forced her upper body to rise up. Her eyes blinked several times while she coughed, tongue feeling dry from accidentally swallowing dirt during their fall. She managed to produce enough saliva to get rid of the rest, then rapidly looked around. Caelan made a face. This wasn't where the Scepter was located. It seemed that her desires were lost in translation while she teleported. There was no danger present, minus the rising sun and it's hot rays. She counted her blessings and focused on what mattered most.

Caelan’s eyes landed on Ardyn’s body. She didn’t have the strength to rise on her two legs, and resorted to crawling. It was an agonizing journey. Many tiny rocks and unpleasant prickles from cactus nicked away at her clothes and flesh, but Caelan ignored it. Vowing not to stop until she arrived to him.

At his side, Caelan grunted while she adjusted Ardyn. She managed to hoist him into her arms, pulling the upper half of Ardyn’s body into her lap. She cradled his head like one coaxing a babe to rest, and allowed herself to finally catch a breath.

“I got us both out of there, you idiot. You---owe me twice the fee, now.” Caelan croaked with a faint chuckle. Her eyes carded over his bruised face. No response was given. Caelan's right hand fell upon the left side of Ardyn’s cheek, knuckles gently stroking his cool flesh.

“Ardyn, did you hear me?” Caelan’s voice broke. The corner of her eyes were filling to the edge with tears while she felt his forehead. His skin was so cold that not even the heat of the desert could break through.

“Ardyn?” Caelan sniffled, shaking her head. She felt for a pulse. There was rhythm to be found. No life struggling to hang onto what little hope it had. Caelan shut her eyes tightly and she cried. She pulled Ardyn fully to her chest, rocking him against her quaking body. Caelan shook her head, feeling denial running strong.

“No, no--no.” Caelan lied him back down against her lap. Her left hand that was cradling Ardyn's head gently tugged at his long locks while her right hovered above his chest, much like she had done when she healed him from the Behemoth attack. She was going to bring Ardyn back. This had to work. The healing magic still had to be there. She wasn’t going to give up so easily.

Minutes passed and nothing arrived. Caelan's fingers trembled, hand and nerves tensing up as her teeth grit, doing everything possible to prevent herself from losing control.

“Why aren’t you working?!” Calean's right hand formed into a fist and pounded the ground beside her out of frustration then tried again. “C’mon!”

After several attempts, Caelan let out a defeated scream. Her head fell forward while she heavily sobbed. In a blink of an eye, Caelan was among the rubble of Insomnia after the Niflheim attack years ago looking down at Hector as the crownsguard drew in his last breaths. Her mentors face merged with Ardyn's while Caelan fought to remain in the present. The past couldn't win. Not now. Not when she couldn't give up on another person she loved.

“Ardyn--don’t do this. Please. Don’t do this.” Caelan’s hand reached for his face once more, her fingers rapidly stroking over the stubble against Ardyn's cheek. Her entire being felt as if it was shattered into a billion pieces. Caelan's spirit was dying, and she was powerless to stop it.

“Do you feel me? I’m right here. I’m right here!” Her words were becoming incomprehensible as the crying grew worse. “Ardyn--I’m right here! I got you! C’mon---you’re all I have left!"

Caelan bent her head forward, pressing her warm face against his cold flesh. Her tears fell upon Ardyn's skin, and there was no reaction other than the silence she was slowly growing accustomed to. Once more she pulled Ardyn close to her chest, rocking him back and forth. Her fingertips combed through his hair, smoothing out his messy locks while she pressed several weak kisses to his forehead as he lay right below the crook of her neck.

“You idiot---you stupid idiot---” Caelan muttered between cries. “No one’s going to harm you. I'll keep you safe. I’m not gonna leave. I’m not going to leave you alone. I love you. Do you hear me? I got you. I'm your shield, I got you.”

Caelan nuzzled her face against Ardyn's in between fits, kissing where she could and hugging him so tight she was certain if he was alive Ardyn would’ve complained. It didn’t matter. Nothing did. The worst of it was, Caelan didn’t know if Ardyn succeeded in battle against Bahamut. For all she knew, this has been a waste. All for naught. The thought trampled upon her broken soul, and to make matters worse, she wasn’t at his side having chosen to fall back. There were so many what ifs that began to plague Caelan that she lost count and drowned in the misery of it.

An hour passed and Caelan remained in place. She was so wrapped up in her mourning for the person she loved most, that Caelan didn’t register the crownsguard and Accordo troops that descended upon them. As they cautiously approached, Caelan’s grasp against Ardyn tightened. They would have to pry her off his body, violently if necessary. She wasn't going to leave him alone again.

“Caelan Zamfir, come with us.”

“N-no.” Caelan forced herself to look up and away from her beloved. Her face was red, stained with tears and blood while she shook her head in defiance. There was not a single look of empathy granted her way, only a a series of firm presences devoid of emotion.

“You can’t remain here! Let’s go! On your feet!” One of the Accordo Troopers tried grabbing her arm that was continuing to stroke the side of Ardyn’s cheek. She shoved the  hand away.

“I said no!” Caelan shouted.

"Grab her!" The trooper commanded.

Before Caelan could summon her blade, she was yanked away from Ardyn. A set of Accordo Troopers flung her body flung to the ground, her face pressed firmly against the dirt. Caelan struggled and yelled while her arms and hands were being tied behind her back. Helplessness traveled across her features while she watched Ardyn's body being confiscated by Lucian officials. Caelan recalled conversations she had with Ardyn about the loneliness he felt at Angelgard, being locked away for 2,000 years. How the Lucians he once loved would never let him rest in peace. How Niflheim and it's scientists took the helm soon after. Caelan couldn't help but feel Ardyn was once again being stripped of a basic human need. They'd never leave him alone. Not even his corpse. What more did people wish to take from him?

"Let him be!" Caelan pleaded. "He's dead--just let him be!"

"Shut up!" A woman barked. The female trooper grabbed Caelan by her hair, violently jerking her head up and forced Caelan to stand. Caelan's body was in too much disarray from her wounds during the battles she fought to fight against the new set of foes. She cried out and went through the motions, wanting alleviation from the pain her captors inflicted while they jerked her around like a ragdoll.

"Start walking!" The female trooper commanded, not before giving a shove to Caelan's shoulders. Caelan nearly tumbled, catching herself from a fall.

A resignation began to settle at the front of Caelan’s mind. She could only watch on while Ardyn’s body was being hauled away much like her to a series of vehicles. The crownsguard from afar carefully placed Ardyn on a stretcher, his right arm hung off to the side while two women carried the front and back respectively towards a med unit truck. She was so caught up in making sure they were handling Ardyn with care that Caelan didn’t register the onslaught of questions the Accordo Troopers and the crownsguard had for her. Caelan couldn’t comprehend anything other than the tremendous loss of losing Ardyn. These people already pried her away from him, and she refused to let anyone block her eyes from looking upon Ardyn one last time.

“C’mon, we need to get you transported to Galdin Quay.”

Somehow through the thick of Caelan’s misery, the words came tumbling through the deep recesses of her mind.

“Excuse me?” She coughed.

“Ah, so she can speak!” The head Trooper scoffed.

“No, where are you taking me?”

“Galdin Quay. If you were paying attention, you are being detained and transported first class to Accordo. On crimes for genocide within the provinces of the country under Madam Secretary’s command and in accordance to the truce between Lucian and Accordo authority. ”

Caelan shook her head. Her morose features paved way for shock as the last bit of adrenaline she had left at her disposal flared throughout her body.

“N-no, no this isn’t right. I’m a citizen of the Lucis Kingdom, if I am being detained for a crime regardless of where it took place, I should be taken to Insomnia! Even with the damned truce, I’m to remain in my homeland! The crownsguard should be processing me, not you!”

“Well, look who studied law! Orders are orders from the top. Now lets go.”

“Who’s orders?!”

“Classified.”

“You can’t do this! I have the right to--”

“You have no rights! Genocide is the highest of treasons! You must be judged!”

As soon as the Trooper was within striking range, Caelan headbutted him. There was a crackling sound that reverberated against her own skull as she stumbled forward, then ran towards the medic truck that was about to house Ardyn within it’s dwelling. Caelan fully intended to run past the stretcher, and head off into the deeper parts of the desert to escape her arrest; following her instincts to flee. Nevertheless, from the corner of her eye Caelan caught sight of Ardyn’s body and stopped. She couldn't leave him. No matter how much her mind screamed at her to get a move on.

Caelan was no more than six feet away when she saw Ardyn’s mouth part. There was subtle movement in his chest. Her eyes widened. Her heart pounded erratically in her chest, trying not to get her hopes up. For all she knew, these were the final throes of death making it known there was no spirit in the body, or it was a cruel tease from the Astrals. Whatever the case, Caelan was tearing up again. She was violently grabbed from behind, and before Caelan could dodge an attack, she felt something heavy hit her abdomen. The impact knocked the wind out of her and she collapsed on her knees. Once again Caelan was dragged by the scalp of her hair. She screamed out, flailing to not make it easy for her captors.

“On your damn feet!”

"Fuck you!" Caelan coughed, gasping still from the strike.

The world shook behind Caelan’s eyes. Even while she was being manhandled and forcibly guided back to the troopers, Caelan fixated her gaze on Ardyn’s body. When she was approaching near a detainment vehicle, that’s when Ardyn let out a deep and pained gasp. His body slightly rose from the stretcher before falling back. He rolled onto his side, facing Caelan’s direction. His eyes remained closed yet pulses of weak breath could be heard. Even at this distance, Caelan could see Ardyn's complexion was slowly regaining color. The rise and fall of his chest grew as did the relieved grin that invaded Caelan’s face.

“Ardyn! Ardyn, I’m right here! Ardyn!” She shouted. There were no words that could express the joy she felt radiate throughout the core of her being. He wasn’t dead. He wasn’t gone. He made it. Gods be damned, she needed to get Ardyn out of here. Caelan felt another weight to her chest and back. Before she knew it, her body was tossed into the back of the detainment truck like a ragdoll. The steel door was shut and locked soon after.

"N-no! No, no, no!"

Caelan coughed several times, wincing painfully while she forced herself to her feet and ran towards the end of the truck. The cuffs on her wrists jingled as she grabbed a hold of the bars of the truck leading to the outside world. Her breathing quickened while she watched the med team from the Lucian side tend to Ardyn.

“Is he...alive?” She could hear one of the guard holler to a medic who had been summoned. Caelan was thankful they were loud enough to where she could listen into what was being said about Ardyn. Her pulse skyrocketed. Not knowing his fate had her mind in turmoil.

“Yes, but barely. Should he be given attention from personnel?”

“Until the king says otherwise, yes. Bring him back to Insomnia!”

The king? Did the king command Ardyn to be taken care of? Where are they taking him? There were many questions that started to flood Caelan’s mind, and so many things she wanted to ask the crownsguard. If she were allowed to talk to one of her fellow citizens, maybe she could convince them to negotiate with the Accordo Troopers. Caelan started making plans on how to best appease a trooper to where she could persuade them to let her speak with a Lucis official. That is, until the detainment vehicle's ignition started. Caelan's blood ran cold. In seconds, Ardyn would once more be ripped away from her. She couldn't fathom it.

“Son of a bitch!” Caelan screamed, violently shaking her hands against the bars. She slammed her body to the door several times over. Like an animal that had been trapped in a cage, she viciously punched and kicked every surface that came into contact with her skin. Growls morphed into savage screams. Caelan ignored the blistering pain her knuckles underwent from being bust open. She ignored the calls of her body that pleaded with her to rest. Her stamina was beyond low. She couldn’t perform a warp strike against the steel of the truck, nor could she teleport her way out and to Ardyn. She barely had enough energy to conjure her blade. This was indeed a losing battle.

The truck had taken off and little by little, the crownsguard, the medic unit, and Ardyn were becoming small in the distance.  Caelan took one last glance out through the bars, and shouted Ardyn’s name so loud her throat quaked. Caelan’s weakened body pressed against the right side of the truck and she slouched down. Her head bowed while she sobbed. Caelan felt so powerless as a human being, as a shield, and as a lover. Someone stronger would’ve broke free and taken Ardyn away from this mess. They would've disappeared with him, and never again be found. The thought haunted her for a long time as the truck drove off with her in tow.

Whatever was to happen, Caelan reminded herself Ardyn was alive. Barely, but he remained. As she worried about her own fate, Caelan hoped that Ardyn would recover and he’d find a way out of the mess they both created. One of them had to survive this. She'd rather it be Ardyn than herself. If anyone deserved another shot at life, it was him. Caelan knew she got to run away for years without paying her dues, and now came time to pay up.

She wasn't going to make it out of this alive. From the tone of her captors earlier, Accordo would be her coffin and grave. With great reluctance, Caelan allowed the intrusive thought to take hold. She hoped if it was said enough, she could face her death with dignity and not fear. Not like before when Ardyn and she took down the rest of the Einherjar. Caelan held onto her memories with Ardyn, all the way to Galdin Quay and she would continue to do so when it came time to cross over into Accordo.

Time was an unfamiliar concept to Ardyn as he stirred in his sleep. He knew he was alive, but his consciousness was having difficulty registering it was once more in a body and not floating among the cosmos. His eyes fluttered open, pupils shirking back upon seeing a bright light come through a window nearby. As his five senses slowly began to return to him, Ardyn could comprehend he was laying on something soft. He also noticed how dry his lips and mouth felt too, his tongue on instinct darted out to wet them before he began to raise the upper half of his body up. It was an agonizing process. Everywhere ached. Ardyn's muscles tightened and twisted, causing him to falter from time to time while he planted his palms against the mattress for support.

A series of pained groans left him. Ardyn looked down his chest, seeing he had bandages as far as the eye could see and his arms had tubes and needles going into his veins. His eyes darted up the structures, seeing the several IVs that were near his bedside. That’s when Ardyn turned his head quickly, taking in his new environment. He was in a rather large room. The architecture reminded him of the Via and their endless suites, but there was an old world charm to the place he had been residing in. A distinct floral smell permeated the room, and from afar he could see someone had been keeping tabs on a fire running in the hearth.

“This is--” He swallowed, recognizing why things felt so familiar and warm. He was in what was once the chambers of his late mother. Now modernized. Of all the places Ardyn had expected to end up due to his trespass, this was at the bottom of the list. He should’ve been cooped up in a cell as far as he was concerned. Most would’ve done such a thing considering he point blank attacked the king. It didn’t matter the good intentions, Ardyn knew how people worked and how outraged the public could become especially if a serious situation were to be misinterpreted.

Ardyn closed his eyes while he rubbed the side of his head, attempting to self soothe while he retraced his steps. The fight with Bahamut was fresh in his head, as was his final conversation with the glacial goddess herself. Everything leading up his final showdown with the draconic entity was a blur. Save for Caelan telling him she had the world of the living covered while he faced fate again.

His eyes immediately opened up. Caelan was nowhere to be found. Logically, there were many places she could be at considering the circumstances that brought them here. Ardyn didn’t like not knowing, and his fears towards her safety became visible on his face. He needed to talk to someone. He needed to figure out what the hell happened down here while he had been in the Astral Plane.

There was a soft pitter patter of feet that took Ardyn off guard. His voice hitched in his throat, eyes trying to zero in on where the noise came from. There was someone in here with him. That much he was certain.

“Come out! I’m not in the mood for games!” He raised his voice, and was met with several rounds of heaving coughs. Best wait before I yell…Ardyn thought while he composed himself. He closed his eyes, trying to calm down. For all he knew, he was getting worked up over a palace rat. The pitter patter returned, and Ardyn looked up. From behind one of the navy couches in the room, he saw a small blond girl poke her head around the corner of the furniture piece. Little by little, she coaxed herself out of her hiding spot.

Ardyn squinted his eyes, she couldn’t have been more than five years old. Maybe going on six. There was a sense of familiarity the child possessed he couldn’t place a finger on. He noticed how scared she was. Even hearing the little swallow she made upon being caught. Ardyn knew he looked like a mess, probably scary too to someone so young. He was determined to not come across as menacing from this point forward.

“Who might you be?” His voice became gentle, not brash like before. Head canting some to the side as Ardyn softened his features.

“Ser-ah-fee,” The girl spoke quietly. She visibly shuddered, walking a bit closer to the bed. Her eyes would glance between Ardyn and her feet. He could hear her little voice mutter the number of spaces between them both, repeating a safety rule no doubt her parents taught her. Ardyn couldn’t help but smile at what he was witnessing. He hated having a soft spot for kids, but alas here it was.

“My name is Seraphii.” She repeated.

“A beautiful name.” Ardyn complimented.

“Thank you.” She smiled big at that, looking at him with big dark blue eyes.

Ardyn could feel the tension die down and sighed in relief. “Seraphii, can you tell me where I am?”

“Hmm hmm,” She nodded. “You are in my papa’s palace.”

Ardyn’s warm expressions faltered. He nearly did a double take as he studied the girl. He couldn’t believe it. That he was staring at Noctis’s and Lady Lunafreya’s child. He was visibly confused, recalling Luna was pregnant last he was around. He scared himself into thinking that perhaps several years had passed and he had been in a coma, but as Ardyn looked to his right he could see a digital clock nearby with the date and time. The year was the same, but a week had gone by.

“I'm not supposed to be here. I’ll go tell my papa you woke up.” Before Ardyn could get a word in, Seraphii was already out of the room. He had forgotten how quick kids could be, and envied her to an extent. Ardyn wanted nothing more than to get out of bed and run far away from the citadel. His body wouldn't allow such a feat, perhaps never again. He was beginning to second guess the choice he made with Shiva. Thus far, being a mortal man after becoming virtually indestructible for thousands of years downright sucked. Ardyn had felt downgraded in power and strength when he was first resurrected, but now it felt much more real. There was a relief though. Like a weight had been lifted from the very shoulders of his soul. A peace at not having to carry the gift of immortality.

“Cahl, help me make sense of it...” Ardyn breathed out. "You'd understand this nonsense better than I."

He was feeling too much strain in his back and decided to lie down again. Ardyn's heart and mind traveled to Caelan and his final words he had with Shiva before returning to the world of the living. There was so much he needed to tell Caelan, so much good to share, that Ardyn could already feel impatience take hold. He couldn't wait to touch Caelan again. The memory of her devotions to their relationship motivated Ardyn to try and wake up further. He needed to see her soon. For the sake of his mind and heart.