''Pedal to the floor, Noct!'' Kiara yelled as they had abandoned the train for the Regalia. Daemons had infested the engine and with Kiara being the only one able to use weapons, the only option was the flee.
Luckily enough, the Regalia was in the holding car of the train and they managed to drive away but only had a limited time to reach their destination before it was locked off. Imperials tried to blow them from the tracks, though Noctis seemed to do well in avoiding the explosions.
But finally... finally, they made it through the gate. ''That's all she's got.''
''It'll do.''
''Are we seriously marching into the capital emptyhanded?''
''And with no assurances, the crystal can beat back the daemon hoardes.''
''Then we'll do it the hard way,'' Kiara interjected, annoyed that the mission had turned to such a situation. ''We've been doing it so far, a little more won't kill us.''
Noctis nodded in agreement, the two of them walking on, both as eager as the other to hopefully find Prompto in their journey to the crystal; and the two it became when Gladio and Ignis were separated from them by a falling train car.
''Look at you, All by your lonesome.'' Ardyn's voice filled their heads.
''Oh i hate this guy!'' Kiara growled, grabbing ahold of Noct's hand and pulling him through the hoardes of demons, swinging her weapons to push them out the way.
''I'm sorry, Kiara.'' Noctis apologised to her as they ran.
''for what?''
''Pushing Prompto.'' He explained. ''It was an accident. Ardyn had made an illusion and i thought-''
''Save it.'' She cut the king off ''I never blamed you anyway.''
Noctis stared at the back of Kiara's head as she pulled him, running faster than he could ever hope to and he tried to keep up. Snaga after Snaga kept appearing and chasing until there were just too many to keep pushing away.
''Fuck.'' She cursed to herself, stopping her run and turning to Noctis. Pushing one her blades into his hands. ''Take this. Go and I'll find you in like...fifteen minutes.''
''Where am I supposed to go-'' A slight scream left his throat, cutting off his sentence as Kiara quite literally lifted him and threw him over a train car. ''Kiara!''
Even she was surprised with the strength but had no time to dwell on it as she led the large group of Snaga's away from the direction Noctis was going, disposing of them all before heading back to find her king.
A million daemons and a few trip-ups later and finally, Kiara had found her way into Zegnautus keep. ''How nice of you to join us, My lady.'' Ardyn's voice rang out through the corridor. ''You must feel so lonely. You must miss your dear Prompto.''
''Where is he!''
There was no answer, but Kiara kept on walking, trying to find her way through the maze that this keep was built in. Through daemons and MT's, she did only wish that the boys were here to keep her company.
''Wouldn't you like to know?'' Ardyns voice said again as she walked into a room. ''I know you're curious as to what dear Prompto is hiding. Go ahead. Take a look.''
There was nothing in the room except for a file, a document that spoke about clones being made a while ago to keep up the numbers of the MT's so the imperial's army wouldn't falter. She flipped the loose page over to find another.
''Prototype numbering instructions?'' She spoke out loud, eyes scanning the picture of a barcode. The same one she could have sworn she saw on Prompto's wrist. ''Clones of Verstael for demonification?''
''So now do you see?'' Ardyn's voice seemed as though it were remorseful that he had to show her this, but Kiara knew better. ''I wasn't lying. He truly is the enemy''
Kiara closed and dropped the file, it let out a resounding slap when it hit the table it was resting on. ''Where is he!?''
''You want him? Find him.''
Kiara punched the wall beside her in anger, he was trying to turn her against Prompto. In all her hate for Niflheim and everything related, Ardyn thought he could simply turn her away from Prompto by telling her how he came to be.
He grew up in Lucis. She knew this.
She did not hate him.
Yes, it was a surprise, she thought about it in all her running through the halls of the keep, every time she killed an MT. all she could think about was Prompto, if he hadn't been in Lucis, he would have been one of the things she kills without remorse.
It broke her heart.
It was when she leaned against the wall, stopping her search for a moments rest that her summon returned. Giving a squeak to announce her return, the fox nudged Kiara's hand ''Did you find him?''
The fox opened her mouth in reply. 'I really love her'
''I didn't know you could do that.'' She chuckled, her heart swelling at the sound of Prompto's voice. ''Did you show him what I said? Is that why he said that?'' The summon gave one simple nod before dissipating in her place.
She made sure to observe each MT she encountered before she killed it. Anyone of them could be under an illusion from Ardyn, she didn't want to accidentally stab one of her friends. She saw hide nor hair of any of the boys, at least, until she found herself in a large room filled with screens and buttons.
She was pushing every button, watching every screen for a glimpse of any one of her boys when she really only had to turn to the door. ''Kiara!'' Noctis exclaimed happily.
''Noct! Gladio, Iggy. I'm so glad to see you! I've just been pushing buttons with no clue on what I'm doing.''
''There's the big red one...'' Noctis said, raising his eyebrows and pushing down on the big red button which opened a nearby door.
''.....Shut up. It seemed far too obvious.''
Gladio gave a chuckle, slapping Kiara on the back in good faith, glad to see the short-tempered lady. ''Oh, I knew you'd go that way.'' Ardyn's voice said as they turned into a room, nothing seemingly in it. ''Not going to take a look in the cabinets, Kiara?''
The boys stopped, all sharing a glance. ''You go. I'll be fine,'' she said, curiosity getting the better of her. Wary to separate again but nevertheless did Noctis nod and turn to continue going.
Kiara rummaged through the cabinets, file after file on everything they did, every clone they made. Even a file on one of the clones being stolen, data points and diary entries from Verstael himself, She wanted to read them all, if only there time.
''Kiara!'' Noctis called, his voice distant. ''Guess what we found!''
Hope and excitement filled her whole being immediately as she ran from the room, dropping all folders in her hands and almost slamming against the wall as she tried to turn without stopping her sprint.
They had gotten closer than how far she thought they were from Noctis yell, but at least she didn't need to go far when she saw the familiar head of blonde hair she loved so much. She wanted to cry, by god did she just want to drop to her knees and cry with relief that he was okay.
''Hi pidge.'' He smiled at her, relieved to see her as well. Kiara laughed with absolute joy as she ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck.
''Sweet thing, you had me so worried!'' Prompto nervously laughed, placing his hands gingerly on her waist as she pulled back to look at him. ''Oh, you're hurt.''
'' It's nothing.'' He assured, only to feel her hand gently stroking over the cut on his left temple. There were more little injureies on him but that was the one she chose to focus on. He watched as she concentrated, watched as her own skin on her left temple started to open and bleed as well as the other little injuries appear on her skin as well. ''what did you do?''
'' It's my wound now.''
''Did you just....take his cut?'' Noctis asked, shock written all over his face. ''Is that one of your powers?''
Kiara nodded. ''I can transfer any wound to myself. I can either display it on myself...or give up something of equal value to get rid of it altogether. I don't know how to do with eyes yet Iggy. I try to do it everytime you sleep, but I just can't grasp it.''
''It's truly remarkable.'' Ignis smiled. ''Shall we push on?'' She smiled widely and nodded, giving a hum as she pulled away from the hug she was still with Prompto. entwining her fingers with his and pulling him along, not removing herself from his side.
''Noct, do you hear that?'' Ignis spoke as they walked. ''I've heard this sound before -- on the train just before your weapons failed you. It's nearby and it may hold the key to restoring your power.'' Just a little further on to a large rounded area in the middle of an even larger room and Iggy spoke again. ''It's here!''
''Door's Locked,'' Noctis said, pushing his hand against the steel door.
''It's coming from within, Is there no way through?'
''Doesn't look like there is,'' Kiara replied, angling herself about so she could look but still without walking away from Prompto.
''There's a way,'' Prompto said, letting go of Kiara's hand and going to stand by a panel on the wall. Slowly, Prompto lifted his wrist to the panel, the red light on it turned green and the door opened without complaint. ''So.. MT's. they've got those codeprint's...just like I do.''
''Do they? Never looked.'' Noctis dismissed it, knowing where Prompto was going with it already. Hard not to realise.
''Yeah. So...as it turns out... I'm one of them. Not exactly something I could tell people growing up in Lucis. Still, you guys are like... the only friends I've ever known. I only hope that things can stay the way they were.''
''Whatever, who cares where you were born,'' Noctis replied, not bothered about the information Prompto just gave them.
''I don't see you turning against us. Not now, or ever.'' Ignis stated a certain softness to his voice.
''Thanks, guys. Still... I cant change where I come from. What I am.''
''Since when does where you come from matter to you?'' Noctis asked his own question. ''You never once treated me like a prince.''
''He's got you there.'' Gladio laughed.
''Never so much as a highness.''
''We're done here,'' Noctis said, ending the conversation with a smile. ''Let's go, Crown citizen.''
Gladio moved forward to help Ignis walk without bumping into a wall, slapping Prompto on the shoulder as he passed .''You're one of us right?''
''Unless you'd rather not be.''
Prompto looked so happy, not so much on his face but in his eyes, he felt so lifted. This great weight had just fallen before realising that Kiara hadn't said anything the entire time he'd been pouring his insecurities out. Prompto eyes immediately fell onto her as she stood there waiting for him to look at her ''Oh! I already knew.''
Prompto's eyes widened, ''Wha- how!?''
''Ardyn told me - well, more like left a folder to show me.'' Kiara smiled, walking forward and sliding her right arm around his left. ''Something about trying to turn me against you or whatever. But we both know that would never happen...Right?''
Prompto was frozen as Kiara once again started walking, her arm sliding away from his, she continued to look at him with a smile that borderlined on flirtatious. Though Prompto didn't want to jump to conclusions thinking she was flirting with him, at least until Gladio leaned down to his hear and whispered. ''That was obvious flirting.''
Prompto's hopes lifted, perhaps, despite being from Niflheim, he had a chance with her. Noctis found the machine blocking his powers and ran a sword through it to destroy it. ''Or!!'' Kiara suddenly exclaimed, all eyes falling on her ''We could have pushed the off button.'' She pushed a little matte red button with a small power symbol on it even though the machine was now dead.
Noctis didn't reply, just inhaled and exhaled loudly giving the impression that he was trying not to laugh. ''so... did it work though?'' Prompto asked, wondering if it worked.
''With the device down and out, Noct's power should be up and running.''
''Moment of truth.'' Noctis outstretched his arm, summoning one of his many weapons and when it appeared, there were a few quiet cheers.
''We're back, baby.'' Prompto was the most excited for some reason, bouncing on his feet and slapping his best friends backside. The peace was short lived as demons arrived in near enough every five-minute intervals.
As they tried to find the crystal, catch Prompto up on everything that happened when he was gone and fight demons at the same time...was rather annoying. Not mention the fact that all Kiara wanted to talk about was what Prompto said to her fox summon.
They were intercepted by what they assumed to be a demonetized Emperor of Niflheim since he wanted the Ring of Lucii that Noctis now wore proudly on his finger. Kiara hadn't moved very far from Prompto since reuniting with him and the boys had seen it immediately; as well as their sudden silent connection on the battlefield.
''One Helluva hangar.'' Gladio stated as they jogged through it.
''Look at all this space.'' Prompto was looking around the hangar, enjoying the space no doubt. Kiara still didn't want to move too far from him, just in case, he got grabbed again. Things just loved grabbing Prompto.
''So the Central Elevators through here.'' Noctis led them through.
''And out of the loading bay.''
''your majesty, your precious crystal awaits you.'' Ardyn's voice echoed across the hangar as the door in front of them slid open. ''To liven things up I thought I'd take you on a stroll down memory lane. Of course, Memories decay with time.''
''Kill me...end it.''
''Is that Ravus?''
''Or what's left of him.''
Kiara stared at Ravus with sadness, the man who still loved his sister. That much was obvious since Ardyn had no problem making the man a pawn to play with. Poor Ravus was halfway cooked to becoming a full demon, the entire left side of his body was covered in the shiny goop that was transitioning him from human to Demon. It looked horrid and painful.
''So we do what he asked,'' Kiara spoke, her voice firm with resolve. ''Ravus wants us to end him before he completely turns. Let's do it.''
Ravus's control over his body was slim to none, though his face conveyed his struggle to regain control, it wasn't happening anytime soon. Gladio was getting annoyed, as Kiara was small she had to use any method she could to get her hits in from above.
Prompto didn't mind giving her a boost since he could observe her actions and knew when she needed her boost, Ignis was hardly ever used anymore since losing his eyesight, unable to brace her weight without seeing.
Gladio, only ever got this by surprise when two feet plant themselves at his hips and then again on his shoulders before she pushed herself off the gigantic man to go in for her aerial attack.Gladio was the favourite, he was the biggest.
After finally defeating Ravus, they had little time to rest and catch their breath as Gladio warned them of more company, demons once again. They rose from out of nowhere and just kept multiplying. ''We're getting nowhere!''
''And they just keep coming!''
''Noct! You must go on alone!'' Kiara agreed with Ignis, trying to destroy her own band of demons to get to Noctis.
''What?''
''If you can obtain the crystals power, we may yet be able to turn the tide, Elsewise we are all likely to perish here.''
''Iggy's right. It's our only chance.''
''What about you!''
''Well manage somehow, Just get moving!'' All four of them agreed with Iggy, the sooner the crystal was in sight, the sooner the demons would be gone.
''You could still get to the crystal.'' Ardyn's voice appeared again. ''If you went on your own. Your friends will have to stay behind.''
Kiara grabbed Noctis's hand through the hoard of demons surrounding him, pulling him through quickly and pushing him towards the Elevator. ''Go!'' she yelled in his face, kicking away a small snaga whilst backing the King into the Elevator. ''We'll be fine you know us. Just come back, Noctis, okay? For hearth and home.''
The moment Noctis's feet entered the Elevator, the doors closed, Noct's last view of his friends fighting giant hoards of daemons. ''I hope he finds the crystal soon! We can't keep this up much longer!''
Daemon after daemon after daemon just kept showing up. Kill one and two would appear, kill none and more would still appear just to keep them all busy and away from Noctis. Kiara was covered in scratches from snaga who catch her as she dodges an Iron giant blade. Prompto tried to shoot them away but there was still only so much any of them could do, Even Gladio was getting tired.
It was ridiculous and she was getting annoyed.
Kiara still only had one hand fan, having given the other to Noctis and not asked for it back. The only other option was to use the powers she'd received on Vitacelare but she still hadn't yet mastered the bolts of light that she could shoot from her hands. But as she observed the sheer amount of daemons that surrounded them, it seemed she had no choice.
Kiara dropped her weapon to the floor, bracing her feet and outstretching her arm ''All of you hit the deck!'' Gladio, Ignis and Prompto, All at once in accidental synchronisation, dropped to the floor and out of the way just as the blinding white light appeared.
She turned as the power shot from her hand, trying to get every demon in the immediate vicinity eradicated by her light. Once it vanished, the boys looked up to find every demon they were fighting....gone.
''Shit.'' Was Gladio's only word when he looked up.
''No time.'' She said, trying to regain all the energy lost with that magic ability. ''We need to catch up to Noctis.''
Prompto lurched forward the moment he saw Kiara's knees buckle from under her. ''Whoa there! Took a little more outta you than you thought, huh.''
''Evidently.'' She replied, leaning against her favourite blonde ball of sunshine as Ignis was helped up from the ground by Gladio. ''Let's just get going please.''
Prompto only had to be Kiara's crutch for a little while before she could walk without her knees buckling from exhaustion again. They found the crystal soon enough, With Ardyn standing in front of it but there was no Noctis in sight.
''Where is he!?''
Ardyn waved his hand towards the crystal as he turned to face them. ''Why he's in there of course.''
Short tempered, Gladio attacked Ardyn with his greatsword, Prompto shot him in the back and it seemed to be that bullet that caused Ardyn to fall. He didn't stay dead though, disappearing as though he were a daemon, but the thing that annoyed her was the fact that he reappeared, looking like all hell had just been released.
He tipped his hat in farewell and walked away without another word, Leaving the four of them to look at the crystal, where their friend had just been sucked inside.
''So ...we'll just wait for him?'' Prompto murmured, staring at the crystal in sadness.
They would have no idea just how long they would have to wait for him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=)