The measure of his reach.
Rain obscured the world like a glass curtain. His visibility was poor against his trademark thick Amicitia lashes. Tin suits fell beneath his sword as he cleaved through them but the swarm was never ending. Cutting Niffs down was second nature; it was the raw panic he wasn’t used to. Against it all, Gladio swung repeatedly, almost a machine himself in the way he used his strength to combat the enemy.
In the distance, the city began to break apart and Leviathan’s full power was wrought. He had limited time now but he had got Noct this far. Just a little further. Then home, whatever that even meant now. Everything his ancestors had fought to preserve was a stones throw away from them. Coming up to a rocky enclave, the Niflheim soldiers dissipated and he at last found himself alone.
Scanning the area, he saw no threat, no plot, no gun pointed at him, just eerie silence right before Leviathan’s scream broke it. He almost cried out as he looked to the distance. Someone was there, amid all of the chaos, a very blonde slender someone. So she was with him. Noctis wasn’t alone.
He wondered briefly where Prompto was. Keeping his sword out, he took a set of white stone steps two at a time, looking around for any signs of life. Debris had been flung everywhere. The romantic city they had strolled in was in tatters. All the fairy stories of summoning that he mother had read to him when he was younger had mentioned of places being brought to ruin but seeing it with his own eyes? Felt very different
Searching high and low, he made his way around a place not too far from where they had been separated. It had gardens and would’ve been a beauty spot he might’ve appreciated had they not come to start a war. There were hanging baskets full of violets and well groomed rose bushes that he tore past, becoming increasingly more scared of the prospect of knowing he would have to leave soon. They had two minutes, if that.
Then beyond some of the broken rubble, he managed to see something. A huddled lump left on the floor. Part of him didn’t want to go over. It wasn’t moving at all.
“Iggy!” Gladio cried, ignoring his selfish thoughts. The man was a friend and a trusted ally who needed him.
Rushing to aid him, he knelt by the man’s side and noted the pompadour hairstyle had come apart, his glasses were broken and his profile had gashes too. Stroking through his hair, the muscular man attempted to wake him before checking his pulse. It was strong.
“Iggy, open your eyes!” He commanded. Time was running out now.
Slinking a hand under his head, Gladiolus took a vial of Mega Potion from his pocket and poured some of it into Iggy’s mouth, healing himself in the process too.
“Wooohooo!” A voice came from above them. “Room for two more!”
Looking up, he blinked through sheets of rain to see Prompto on one of their flying machines and was temporarily relieved at the blond’s sudden appearance. “Come on! This place is about to blow!” He cried.
Picking Ignis up in his arms, he waited for Prompto to land.
“Wake up.” Gladio urged in a low tone. The last thing he needed was their excited friend realising there was something wrong.
A small murmur startled him. “Noct?” The voice came, small but sure.
“Yeah, we’ve gotta go, Iggy. He called Leviathan.”
As he reached the craft, Gladio helped Ignis onto it because he seemed almost limp, like he wasn’t working properly somehow. Getting on behind him, he managed to sandwich the royal advisor between himself and their blond friend.
Prompto took off but not before asking, “what’s wrong with his eye?”
Gladio took a moment then as Ignis turned to look back at him, he saw his face was scorched on one side. Ignis groaned when his eyes opened too. The irises were a sudden, different pale blue.
Oh god no, the Shield of the King thought, dread and fear filling him. /Please no/.
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