At Tostwell Grill located in the back corner of the marketplace, Ignis and (Y/n) sat across from one another. They ordered two bowls of offal stew and chatted about their time with Jasper and Luca until their food arrived. They were enjoying their alone time together, but it didn't last long.
"Well, well, well," a gruff voice chuckled. Gladio sat down beside Ignis while Noctis and Prompto sat on either side of (Y/n). The shield grinned, "You two on a date?"
"We are simply enjoying a meal together," Ignis replied before correcting himself. "Were enjoying."
"Ouch, Iggy."
"You two were gone this morning," Prompto pointed out. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing of the sort. (Y/n) and I decided to have a chat with Jasper and Luca," Ignis answered. He left out some major details, but still told the truth nonetheless.
"Anything good to tell us?" Noctis asked.
"There are a couple of things, actually," (Y/n) spoke up. "I asked Luca about Costlemark. According to the rumors he's heard, the daemons that inhabit Costlemark Tower have a royal arm in their possession. Hunters believe they ransacked a royal tomb and took the sword back with them to Costlemark."
"Oh, wow! Talk about a coinkydink," Prompto chimed in. "Talcott told us about a legend that mentions a sword behind a waterfall. Noct thought it'd be a good place to check to see if there's a royal tomb."
Noctis turned his head in (Y/n)'s direction as he leaned back in his seat. "What's this other thing you learned?"
She had almost forgotten what else she wanted to tell him. "Oh, right. Luca knew about the conduit. He told us they're a spirit chosen by Brahma to be his vessel."
"Who the hell's Brahma?" Gladio inquired.
"The forgotten Astral," Ignis replied, recalling the ancient text he read many years ago. "The seventh god, known as the Creator. Unlike the other Astrals, he no longer has a presence on Eos. Not many scholarly texts mention him by name, only title."
"Aaand how do we find this conduit? Did Luca happen to know how?" Prompto wondered.
"We are still on our lonesomes in those regards."
The blonde huffed out a groan. "Too bad Luca or (Y/n) isn't the conduit." His head then snapped in the girl's direction. "You're...not the conduit, are you?"
"I don't think so, and I doubt a god would choose me as his vessel," she responded. "I'm pretty sure his standards are very high."
Gladio leaned forward, folding his arms atop the table. "Trust me, munchkin, you're as top-shelf as they come. I'm sure we all agree on that."
Prompto nodded his head with a smile. "Oh, definitely!"
She glanced between Gladio and Prompto. "What makes me "top-shelf" material?"
"You're completely selfless, kind, and can kick some serious ass. Your looks are just a bonus. You're the embodiment of purity," the shield stated as if everything he was saying were facts from a textbook.
Her brows furrowed together. "I think more than one of those things you listed has nothing to do with purity..."
"You know what I'm getting at."
"Well, when everyone's done eating, let's get this show on the road. We've gotta visit the waterfall and Costlemark," Noctis said.
"Before we depart, I do wish to browse the marketplace. We are in need of more ingredients and curatives," Ignis spoke up.
"Do what you wanna, Specs. Just keep the vegetables to a minimum. The less we have, the better."
The tactician was going to buy what he needed for his recipes whether that be vegetables, meat, or grains. Of course, he would need tons of vegetables for the dishes he wants to try cooking, but that would be his secret. "I will see what I can do to...lessen our vegetable count." That was a lie.
After everyone ate, even Noctis, Gladio, and Prompto, the group left Tostwell Grill and browsed the marketplace. It wasn't until a few minutes in that Ignis and (Y/n) had taken the lead and wound up in their own little world while exploring the marketplace. They were walking side by side, Ignis having slowed his stroll due to her stride being smaller than his due to their differences in height.
Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio lagged behind, deciding to leave the shopping to Ignis and (Y/n). The marksman was taking pictures left and right. One of his pictures ended up being of the tactician and guardian. Realizing he took their picture, he examined it closer. Ignis and (Y/n) were looking at each other, smiling as they seemed to be chatting about what to buy next. The blonde looked back and forth from the picture to their forms as they browse the marketplace. He began pouting like a child and groaned, which caught the attention of Gladio and Noctis.
"What's with the weird noises?" The shield questioned.
"Why...?" Prompto muttered, eyes falling to the screen of his camera. "Why do they look so good together? It's not fair!"
"The hell're you talking about?" Noctis looked over his best friend's shoulder and saw the photo of Ignis and (Y/n). "Oh..."
Gladio noticed the prince's bland expression and also took a glimpse at the camera. He smirked when seeing the rarest thing Ignis did-genuinely smile. Smacking Prompto on the back, he chuckled. "You're jealous."
The sharpshooter wouldn't deny it because his jealously already slipped out without him knowing. "So what if I am? This is totally unfair! Just look at them!"
"What's unfair about two good-looking people who care about each other? It's not their fault you can't get a girl. And besides, Iggy and (Y/n) aren't together."
"No, but they sure as hell are clearly made for each other! Just...look!" Prompto shoves his camera into Gladio's face. "Not once have I've seen Iggy smile like that! I want someone to look at me the way he looks at (Y/n)! Why is it so hard to get a girl?"
Noctis shook his head with a sigh. "Definitely jealous..."
"Little guy's got it bad," the shield grumbled, placing his hand on the camera to push it out of his face. "Maybe you should try talking to girls. They're not just gonna fall into your lap. Be a man and make the first move, pipsqueak. That's what I'm tryna get our uptight advisor to do."
The prince scoffed at the idea of Ignis with a woman. "You seriously think Speccy will actually hook up with a girl on this trip?"
"Hell yeah I do, and the perfect girl is standing right beside him. He just needs a shove in the right direction and I think I know just how to do it."
Prompto, who had calmed down after taking a few deep breaths, questioned him. "Really? How're you gonna do that?"
"By pissing him off."
Ignis and (Y/n) finished shopping a few minutes later. They carried a few bags, which they took to the Regalia with Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio close behind. They placed the bags in the trunk with the rest of their stash before climbing into the vehicle. Leaving Lestallum, they venture to where the waterfall was located.
Ignis drove the Regalia all the way to Burbost Souvenir Emporium, a small outpost near Callatein Falls. He pulled over and parked the car in front of the gas pumps. Because of no direct route via road, the car wouldn't be able to carry them all the way to the waterfall. Wandering down the road on foot, they located a stairwell leading to a dirt path along the river's edge.
As they were about to descend the stairs, Prompto suddenly shrieked at the top of his lungs. "(Y/n)!"
Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis all turn around at the sound of his shrill cry. They saw the blonde, but what had their attention was the guardian that was aimlessly wandering down the road. Her heels clacked against the asphalt as she paid no mind to the boys as if they didn't exist.
"Shit, it's happening again," Noctis commented.
"Think we should let her walk and follow her?" Gladio suggested.
"A plan such as that is far too dangerous," Ignis said.
"Then let's snap her out of it," Prompto stated. "You did it before, didn't you, Iggy? Do it again!"
Ignis caught up with (Y/n). He placed himself in front of her and grasped her shoulders to stop her from walking any further. She did just that and froze. Slowly, he removed his hands from her shoulders. Peering into her eyes, he saw her slitted pupils were blown out just like the night prior. She also wasn't blinking and her eyes were slightly narrowed. "(Y/n), can you hear me?" He repeated himself from last night. Unlike then, his voice wasn't reaching her. She stood on the side of the road, her dilated pupils focused on something in the distance.
Prompto hesitantly approached, eyes scanning over her body. He saw she was still breathing, which was a good sign. "This is really freaky. It's almost like she's a doll. Any idea what might be doing this to her?"
Ignis' eyes trailed off slightly in thought. Should he tell the others about the voice (Y/n) hears? Or should he keep it a secret? Would she be mad at him if he told them? Seeing as she was in need of help, he decided not to remain silent. "Since our departure from the city, (Y/n) claims to hear a voice on occasions. She spoke of hearing this voice last night before falling into this stupor."
"And we're just learning about this voice now?" Gladio asked, scowling. "Why the hell were you two keeping this a secret?"
Ignis glowered at the shield for his snappy behavior. "She did not wish to worry you all and I respected her decision to remain silent on the matter."
"Is this voice the reason she wants to go to Costlemark?" Noctis pondered.
He nodded. "Indeed, it is."
"And you think whatever is talking to her is doing this?"
"There is no other plausible rationale."
All of a sudden, (Y/n) collapsed to her knees. Her upper body was slumped forward, her head hanging. It was like someone had snipped the strings used to control a marionette. Prompto has taken a step back as he was startled by her sudden collapse. Ignis was the complete opposite. He kneeled down and reached out to touch her. He hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her head upward to peer into her eyes. Her pupils were still large with no sign of returning to their normal slitted appearance. He wondered if the voice was still talking to her as he idly touched her.
"She won't snap out of it. What do we do?" Prompto clearly was concerned about (Y/n). His tone of voice was slightly higher-pitched than usual and held a worry tone to it.
Ignis removed his finger from her chin, her head falling limply against her chest. He then carefully maneuvered her body into a position where he could pick her up in his arms. "We wait." Once she was safely in his grasp, he walked back to where they parked the Regalia. With Gladio's help, he put her in the passenger's seat where she usually sat. Her head lulled to the side and allowed everyone to see her blown pupils.
"Are you sure waiting is a good thing to do? We could try a potion to see if that'll help," the brute said.
"It would be a waste of a curative for she is uninjured."
"Think we should give her a little shock? That'll probably snap her out of it," Noctis suggested.
The advisor hated the idea and showed it in the glare he sent towards the prince. "Harming her is out of the question."
"Chill, Specs. It was just an innocent suggestion..."
"How about we throw some water on her? That usually wakes people up," Prompto said.
"She's not asleep," Gladio remarked.
"Still, it's better than Noct's idea. All she'll get is wet."
"And possibly sick," Ignis retorted. "Her body temperature is already abnormal. With the addition of water, it could drop even more."
"Maybe we should just leave her here for the time being. Once we're done with this waterfall business, we can check on her," Noctis said.
"Bad idea. What if the empire shows up or if she wanders off again?" Gladio glanced at the prince, wondering why he ever thought that was even a plausible thought in his head.
Ignis cupped his chin between his index finger and thumb, delving into his mind to search for a solution. He began pacing back and forth, desperately trying to come up with an idea to help (Y/n). However, he was torn from his thoughts the second he heard her melodic voice.
"Wait, weren't we just...?" (Y/n)'s pupils returned to slits as she sat up. She looked around in puzzlement. "When did we get back to the car?"
"Iggy carried you back here. You were in that weird trance again," Prompto answered. "He tried to snap you out of it, but it didn't work."
She pressed a hand against the side of her head. Her (h/c) locks gently blew in the breeze. The cool, crispy air allowed her to think clearly. "The voice said there's an altar I must visit in Costlemark." She gasped, realizing what she said. "I-I mean..."
"You don't have to hide it anymore, (Y/n). Specs already told us about this voice you hear from time to time," Noctis said. "Is this person or thing hurting you?"
She shook her head, denying it rather quickly. "Not at all. I think whoever the voice belongs to is desperate for me to visit Costlemark. It somehow takes over and tries to guide me there. I...can't remember what happens when I'm in that state, though. It's...blank."
"Then maybe we should head to Costlemark first."
"No," she denied, climbing out of the car. "We're already here and the entrance to the tower doesn't open until nighttime."
"Are you sure you're up for this, (Y/n)?" Prompto worriedly asked. "We'd understand if you wanted to stay behind. You're looking pale."
"I'll be fine. It'll pass soon."
"If you feel even a diminutive bit of ailment, do speak up. It would be unwise to proceed if you feel ill," Ignis said.
She smiled weakly. "I will."
"Then let's be off."
Returning to their task at hand, they returned to the stairwell and walked down to the dirt path below. They followed it all the way down to the water's edge, where they came across a midgardsormr. It slithered along the rocks, its scales reflecting the rays of the bright sun above. Its low hissing and flickering tail sent a chill down Prompto's spine. "Th-That's a big snake..."
"Tread lightly," Ignis advised. "We shall sidle alongside the cliff to avoid drawing its attention."
Noctis took the lead and quietly snuck around the midgardsormr. He was then followed by Prompto, (Y/n), Gladio, and Ignis. They were successful in not engaging the large creature, but they had no choice in the matter when they stumbled upon a group of shieldshears. The guardian was the first to react. Feeling an unfamiliar surge of power in her body, she held out her hand and casted a simple ice spell. What happened shocked her and the boys.
Her simple spell was magnified and killed the shieldshears instantly. She lowered her hand, gaping in surprise at her handy work. The large ice spikes shattered and the shards danced around them before disappearing.
"Dude, talk about overkill!" Prompto slightly yelled. "Are you sure that voice didn't do anything to you?"
"I'm positive. I don't understand what came over me." She then looked up at the waterfall and noticed the side path leading up the cliff and behind the cascading water. "Unless..." She hastily made her way up the cliffside path.
"What? Unless what?" Prompto quickly chased after her, wanting to know what she was going to say. He caught up to her, but forgot why he pursued her when he saw what was hidden behind the waterfall. "Wouldn't you know it-an entrance!"
Gladio, who had follow them up, was somewhat surprised that there was a hidden entrance. "Looks like the legend checks out."
Ignis and Noctis caught up. All five of them stopped at the entrance, feeling a frigid breeze gingerly blowing from the cave. (Y/n) inhaled deeply at feeling the coldness and felt the same surge of power course through her body. Taking a few steps forward, she stood in front of the boys with her back facing them. She peered inside the entrance to the cave as she felt another frigid breeze blow across her body. It was an invigorating sensation and she could feel her connection to the mana flowing through Eos coursing through her blood with a buzzing sensation. The sensation was enticing and almost made her addicted to it, but she pushed the thought aside.
Taking another step forward, (Y/n) stood inside the cave. The ground underneath her feet was beginning to freeze. The ice crept towards the boys, causing them to back away.
"Hey, (Y/n), can you try not to freeze us?" Noctis asked.
She turned around and saw the ice on the ground. She didn't realize what she was doing, but she immediately stopped. "Sorry. My powers become magnified in cold places and sometimes can go out of control."
"Y-You're not gonna skewer us on icicles, are you?" Prompto fearfully questioned.
"What? No, my powers never get that far out of hand. Just...be careful where you step near me to avoid slipping on any ice."
"Whew!" He wipes his forehead with a relieved smile. "That's a relief. Being skewered on an icicle would totally be a terrible way to go, and probably really painful."
Gladio nudged the blonde forward. "Enough about icicles. Get movin', pipsqueak."