Hearth and Home

Chapter Twelve.

Yet another Imperial base to take down. It was long and it was tedious, especially after what Ignis had told her when she cornered him in the market of Lestallum. Iris had joined them up until a nearby outpost, at which she awaited their return from the imperial base. 

Kiara couldn't stop thinking about the answers to her questions. Since no kingdom was named, she had to go to Ignis to ask, who more than happy and a little confused to help his friend out. Queen Kasula and King Rivin had been the rulers of a kingdom that was long lost not too long after the loss of Tenebrae. 

The Kingdom of Vitacelare. 

According to Ignis, It lay beyond Accordo, which meant in order to get to Vitacelare, she would need to leave her friends behind. Kiara would need to snag the boat after the boys were dropped in Altissia, though she was sure they wouldn't like that. 

It was all she could think about during the battle against another entire imperial base. At least, until new enemy appeared, a woman with silver-blonde hair and wearing a red and black leather armour outfit. Kiara knew this woman to be Aranea Highwind. 

She entered from above, straight into a head-on attack and Kiara had to pull Prompto away from the blast radius. ''Stay away from her at all times.'' She ordered him firmly, knowing Aranea's skill in fighting with a spear was hard to avoid. 

She was a hard fight and the boys would admit that Kiara carried most of them like it was a co-op video game. She always came in at the last moment and pulled them out of reach of an attack if they weren't able to move in time and she moved as fast as lightning. 

Aranea couldn't focus on the boys as she was far too occupied with dodging Kiara, who always tried to attack from behind, but only to gain Aranea's attention from whoever she was focused on. 

''Kiara!'' Noctis had called from his position. ''Prompto's down!'' As soon as the words were spoken, the blinders were on, it was the reason Noctis had called to her instead of Ignis - knowing that if anyone would protect Prompto, it was her.

Though Aranea seemed to have decided to go for the downed blonde as well as she smirked and headed in his direction along with Kiara. When she saw Aranea headed towards him as well, it was as though something inside her had just clicked; as the enemy prepared for her aerial attack, Kiara - to the boys- had vanished in beamed of white light and reappeared by Prompto's side. 

She threw herself down, hovering over him but contorted so that her back faced him, right hand outstretched upwards as the same coloured light brightened the night sky, knocking Aranea out of her attack and falling to the concrete ground. 

The boys didn't have time to stare in shock over what just happened as Aranea continued to fight. ''Oh, is it that time already?'' She suddenly spoke, retreating out of reach and stopping the battle. 

''What time?''

''quitting time. Sorry but this girl doesn't work after hours. Well, I could but there wouldn't be a single Gil in it for me.'' She explained. ''We should play again pretty boy.'' And then she was gone. 

''Who the hell was she?'' Noctis wondered as Prompto let out a sigh of relief from beside Kiara. She heard only a slither of what Gladio said next, something about Iris but most of it was muffled by the overbearing weight of another headache. 

She followed the boys quietly to the car, having ridden with them on the way to Fort Vaullerey.  Sitting in the tiny space between Noctis and Gladio, it was a tense ride, all the boys were worried; this was the quietest that Kiara had ever been and she didn't even seem like she heard Prompto's question of 'are you okay?'