Zodiac (Final Fantasy XV)

|•XLVII•|

"I are terribly sorry for taking her away from you, Ignis. The zodiacs knew of her tainted heart and could not allow the Arcane to come forth once again. The rage it seethed could not be tamed by blood."

Ignis remembers Virgo's words in Altissia, the zodiac telling him how the second outbreak would suffice its hunger and dispel the creature. Pollux could read his expression before he could ask a question.

"Virgo spoke the truth in Altissia. What we did not intend to transpire was the Talmoruth. Due to its influence on Zodia's body, the Arcane festered inside her heart like a plague. The second outbreak was forced because of Zodia's link with all twelve zodiacs. She freed it on purpose, knowing her body would crystallize after its release. The crystal is a purging effect of the zodiac bloodline. Now, the Arcane will vanish from this world and only the rightful King will be able to free her from her incarceration."

Gladio stepped in, replaying Pollux's words in his head to understand. "You're tellin' us that due to bein' trapped inside that daemon for so long, it fed the rage of the Arcane?" Pollux nods and lets the shield continue. "And now, she's paying for trying to keep everyone around her safe?" Gladio's tone was full of rage. Castor nudged past Prompto and stared at the brute.

"She did this of her own accord. We informed her of the purification process and she did not argue. Zodia knew the full consequences of forcefully releasing the Arcane by her lonesome. She did this to protect all of Eos. If she kept the creature at bay, the malevolence would grow even stronger and the second outbreak would take years to calm. Simple bloodshed would not suffice the Arcane's hunger."

Gladio's rage vanished at Castor's revelation. Prompto glances between the two wolves once he saw the shield had calmed down. "So, this means the Arcane is gone?"

"Yes."

"That's good to hear. Once Noct returns, we'll see her again!" Prompto chants.

"Do be careful with her body. The crystal is very fragile."

The twin wolves bow and vanish in the blink of an eye. Prompto sat on the bed while Ignis and Gladio stared at the spot where Gemini once stood. Glancing from the corner of his eye, the brute looked at Ignis. "Wish I had your levels of calm. If I knew the woman I loved was crystallized, I'd be pissed off to high heaven at the zodiacs."

"Zodia was aware of the consequences. She did what she must to protect Eos. I could never vex for what she did. We will be reunited once Noctis returns."

"What should we do with her body?" Prompto inquired.

"She's not safe in Lestallum. There's too many people that'll get curious, especially the refugees," Gladio states.

"There are, indeed, too many prying eyes in the city. Our best option is to deliver her to Hammerhead," Ignis said.

"Yeah, Cid and Cindy could protect her in this state. When should we head out?" Prompto questioned.

"Now. We must depart before the sun sets."

"Which is only an hour away. We need to hurry." Gladio got to his feet and headed to the balcony with Ignis. "You want me to carry her?"

"Yes."

Gladio carefully lifts the crystallized princess, realizing how heavy she was due to the crystal. It felt as if he was carrying a heavy weight in his arms. Ignis was worried every time the shield took a step. He desperately wanted to keep Zodia in one piece, which Gladio was able to pick up on. He made sure to carefully maneuver the girl through doorways and down stairs without touching anything around them.