FFXV: After the Fall

Chapter 21

They eventually parked up near the canyon in question, and went the rest of the way on foot as it was a warm, sunny day.
Inside that canyon's arcing walls, several torn-down buildings loomed overhead that sported many holes and no glass in any of the cracked, grey windows. Banners and streamers had been hammered into the structures at various places, the bright colours distracting the eyes from all the concrete grey, and in the middle of all the devastation, several rustic-built houses and shacks of all sizes could be seen. The streamers hung down and bowed over the top of them, gently sashaying in the breeze, and many people of all sizes and ages were weaving inbetween it all as they went about their daily routines.
The friends all stopped and stared at the sight for a while. Despite being crude in places, it still easily drew the eye thanks to the warm, Autumnal colours everything was made of.
   "...wow." Noctis said. "I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I sure didn't expect this. Looks amazing."
Nyx smiled. "Always gotta make the best of it. No idea who lived here before in those other buildings, but they're not that great to live in so my people built all this instead."
   "Why here, though? What if some of that stuff falls over? I'd have thought that they'd build well away from it."
   "Sometimes hide in it if anyone hostile comes knockin'. Handy for that- but really? Guess it was like a challenge. Can you live here, when others couldn't? Could you build a life, where there was none?" He grinned. "We sure love our challenges."
He started walking towards it. "C'mon, let's go say hi."

They passed through part of what looked like a marketplace and were closing in on a park at the centre of the area, then were surrounded by dozens of people, also wearing the many shades of Autumn in their clothes and jewellery. A middle-aged man came out of that crowd to meet them, holding a long staff made of dark, knobbled wood and a string of Amber beads at his neck.
Nyx recognised him, and walked towards the man to get pulled into a rough bear hug as the two conversed excitedly in their own unique language. At that point, several others in the crowd cheered, and a few even sang with a peculiar sort of harmony.
   "I'm glad they remember." Gladiolus smiled.
   "Me too." Noctis said.
   "As if they'd ever forget that guy." Prompto laughed.
   "I get the feelin' that this'll be a party to remember as well."
   "Unless we get too wasted? Yeah, I'd say so too."
Helena saw Nyx half-turn to point at her while still talking to what appeared to be the village Elder, and he saw that man's eyes become very wide...looked like it was time for her to meet him.
The man rushed forwards, then slowed down at the last second and took a few very slow steps towards Elaine, staring at her necklace and then her face as the rest of the crowd followed and hovered very close-by.
   "...you are...the High Magister?" The Elder asked hesitantly.
Helena smiled and nodded. "Yes." She said. "I am Helena."
   "Can you tell me, why have we not been blessed for so long? What have we done to the Divines to warrant it?"
   "You've done nothing. None of us have been able to travel far until very recently, the repeated wars took their toll on us, too. But as soon as I heard of you, I've come. I can't make up for all those years, but I can definitely bless you all now."
The Elder beamed at her. "You honour us- Bahamut honours us, too. That you have even come at all...is enough."
   "I fully insist. You've gone far too long without knowing that they're still there for you. In addition, I shall also bring you the Divine known as Shiva, so that she may know you personally."
Several people were heard to gasp as well as the Elder.
He reached out with his free hand, and she took it with a smile.
   "You..." He said in a voice thick with emotion. "We cannot thank you enough. Please, stay here in our village tonight, your friends also. Our house is yours, as it is with all of our people. We also gift you in return with that of our champion, if you so wish it."
She nodded. "That is very kind. Thank you."
   "Were I not wed, I'd have considered it myself. You do us honour beyond measure, Daughter of Bahamut. Unless you need time to recover from your journey, we can perform the blessing within the next hour. We shall also plan a great feast tonight for all of us. I hope you shall attend?"
   "We'd be honoured to join with you."
He nodded. "It is well. Please, make yourself at home." He then departed with a huge smile on his face, giving orders to people further back in the crowds seemingly at random, then the other people slowly started to make preparations.
She looked at them all, then saw Nyx standing a few metres away from her with a very warm smile on his face.
He started walking back towards them at the same time that Prompto leant forwards to get closer to Helena's ears.
   "...did I hear right?" He said in a hushed voice.
   "Hmm?" She almost didn't hear him, she was looking at Nyx.
   "Does that leader guy...I dunno, want you or somethin'?"
Helena turned round to face the others. "No, not really, it's just a figure of speech. It means that he's that bowled over by the visit and all that, y'know."
   "...oh. Okay. And who's the champion of this place?"
Nyx reached them, staying behind Helena to briefly sneak out a hand that touched her back for a couple of seconds.
   "Do you really have to ask?" He said with a grin.
   "It's Nyx, you idiot." Ignis said. "Do you know any other heroic Galahdians that you've met lately?"
Prompto laughed. "...point taken, heh."
   "Elder's not gonna forget today for a long time." Nyx told them. "Let's find us a place to stay before the blessing starts."