The Frozen Throne

Dying Wish

Zephyr for a few days did not dream of anything, the dreams that tormented him every night finally began to fade. But this time it was different, he dreamed of the promise he made to Prince Noctis that night in the garden. That memory was the one he wanted to forget, a memory that showed his weak self.

That night he promised to always stay by Noctis's side to protect him, even though he was just a child who couldn't understand how dangerous the world is. At the age of eight, he wished to become a kingsglaive, the knight who will always be by the prince's side. However, when Noctis was attacked by the daemon Marilith, Zephyr couldn't help but feel helpless even as a young child.

Raiga told him that there was nothing a child like him could do to protect Noctis from Marilith, so he shouldn't blame himself for something that wasn't his fault. But it wasn't like Zephyr blamed himself for what happened to the prince, he just felt useless because he was still a child who couldn't protect anyone.

Due to this incident and the fact that Noctis stayed at Tenebrae recovering from his injury, Zephyr's depression grew as the days passed. He couldn't see his beloved friend, and no one told him if the prince was okay. Raiga, who was always by his side, was nowhere to be found, so Zephyr couldn't ask him about Noctis either.

Hoping to receive some sort of news, he waited day and night, hoping to see King Regis return to the Citadel along with Noctis. In those days he waited patiently, Zephyr's mind filled with negative thoughts, clouding the world around him. For a child as small as him to be left alone, with no one to relay on, was like throwing him out on the street on a rainy day.

He felt lost and afraid, thinking that the only family he had abandoned him and replaced him with someone else. The little boy was already depressed by what happened to the prince, now he sank deeper into his grief when everyone left him alone.

But as the days passed, Zephyr began to care less about the constant aching sensation in his chest, and it gradually faded. It was then that King Regis and Prince Noctis returned from Tenebrae, Raiga was there with them. That day Zephyr left his room to welcome them, it's the least he could do for the people who took care of him. But seeing them tired and covered with wounds, the boy knew that something bad had happened to them, that could be the reason why he never heard from the prince. And maybe that's why Raiga left the Citadel in a hurry without saying anything to anyone.

Zephyr chose to remain silent, hiding all the horrible feelings he felt those days he was left alone in the citadel. It's for the best, he thought. In order not to be a burden to those who are already suffering, I must stay strong and not crumble under my own weak self. From that day on, Zephyr made a promise to himself, to change his weak self into someone he can be proud of. Even if it means leaving the ones he loves behind, he will, for the sake of becoming strong.

From his point of view, staying in the Citadel by Noctis's side was the reason he couldn't get stronger, so he broke the promise he made when they were children. Zephyr's desire to become a Kingsglaive was no longer something he wished for, now all he could think about was leaving the Citadel to become stronger and change his weak self.

Before he could leave the Citadel, the crystal spoke to him, giving Zephyr the right to choose which path he wished to take. With the power of the crystal he could become a Lucii, if he accepts, he would definitely become stronger with the power to control elemancy. However, his life would be tied to the crystal, the freedom he once had will be taken from him. Chained to a mission for the rest of his life, with the fear of not being able to fulfill it and becoming a crystalline monster.

This is what it means to become a Lucii, the pawn of the crystal, a human sacrifice to fulfill wishes that the Crystal cannot fulfill with its own powers. But even though Zephyr knew the dark future of becoming Lucii, he accepted the crystal's offer and became Lucii for the sake of Prince Noctis.