Tag: ardyn izunia

Another AU I was thinking about to music.

What if Ardyn and Somnus were twins? Like, fraternal twins. Ardyn was older by only a few minutes, but didn’t want the throne. Just like my last AU, they have magic without the crystal, but this time around Ardyn kind of gives into the temptation of running off for a year when they turn 20 and exploring the world before he has to come back and step in as his father’s heir. Somnus encourages this, and in the dead of night he takes off. 

Problem is that the gods, like in the last AU, were planning on gifting them the crystal and putting the same plan in action. Ardyn is the only one who can heal people, because that’s what he wanted to study with his magic. Somnus learned how to wield the elements instead. And as Ardyn runs around and see sick people, healing them without the tie to the crystal enabling the scourge to seep into his soul, it just starts floating around and binding to the gods instead of him. 

So they’re a little cross with Ardyn for ruining their plans already. (Except Ifrit, who is not at all on board with sacrificing his favorite humans.)((The god of light was his favorite fellow god, until he decided to become mortal, after all.)) So they issue Somnus an ultimatum, to save their own hides; Find your brother so he can begin his work for the gods and heal the scourge away.

He’s like, bummer, Ardyn just wanted a year of freedom, but okay. So he starts trailing after his brother with Gilgamesh, (slowly mind you) and starts learning that, hey, Ardyn can already heal the scourge, and two, he knows that I’m looking for him the little shit. Because Ardyn doesn’t know about the god’s proclamation, and is just like, whoops, dad must be super cross with me for taking off if he’s sending my brother and Gil after me, and leaves little clues around spots he’s been indicating where he’s going next. Very obvious clues. Like, literally, he draws on a map at one point that says ‘X marks the spot’ with a huge X on it and a silly looking drawing of Gil and Somnus following a trail to the X. 

Occasionally, they spend nights in the same town and never even realize it. Or at least Ardyn doesn’t. The more Somnus learns about his brother, the more he realizes the gods are kind of full of shit. And when he does catch sight of him, he distracts Gil and they go a different direction so they don’t ‘catch’ him. (Gil legit does the same thing though, and knows that Somnus does it too, but he’s amused, so he keeps quiet.)

Eventually Ifrit, seeing that Somnus is now doubting Bahamut, sees his chance. Even though he’s getting sick from the scourge as well, he’s willing to step down as a god to save humanity, and has almost convinced Shiva as well. (He’s been secretly trying to make his fellow gods see Humanity’s worth and how they barely need to watch over them.) Ramuh is already on his side, because he delights in humanity more than he lets on. Leviathan is up in the air constantly changing her mind, but he can’t fault her, its her nature. Titan is behind Bahamut, and set in his way. 

Anyways, he appears to Somnus and reveals the false prophecy that Bahamut intends to enact on humanity. Which causes him and Gil to freak out, and honestly try to find Ardyn to warn him away from going home. At the same time, the Draconian grows impatient, and honestly a little corrupted from the scourge that’s been binding to him for months now, and sets literal demons after Ardyn to drag him back to what will be Insomnia, and chain his magic to the scourge by force if he has to. 

So eventually, it’d turn into a race against time, with Somnus and Gilgamesh trying to catch up to Ardyn, who is seeing more and more of the infected daily and feels obligated to help. And it turns into him actually being on the run from his brother, because it’s not just fun and games anymore, people are dying and will die if he doesn’t help them. Eventually, though an odd parallel, it would turn into Somnus trying to save his brother, like how Noctis tried to save Luna. 

…But I’d want it to have a happier end I think. (Heck, might as well go completely self indulgent and have weird time shenanigans happen because of Somnus’s desperation and magic, and he accidentally yanks Noctis and co into the past to help.)

*edit: Also since one of my head canons is the Noctis looks exactly like Somnus, hilarity ensues once Ardyn sees them together. “Uh….are we triplets or was I adopted?!” 

Just an AU I’m playing around with.

So I’m sitting here listening to music and thought of an idea for an Ardyn focused AU. Don’t get me wrong, I love him as a villain, but also, I want to see him just break the prophecy before it started.

Like, just imagine for a moment the reason the royal family has magic is because they’re related to the gods, but chose to walk a mortal life. But as time went on, the reason they had magic was lost. That long before Ardyn was born, the knowledge was lost to them. The gods remember though.

Then the scourge is introduced, and people in Ardyn’s time start getting sick. The gods could have eradicated it themselves, but at the cost of also becoming mortal and losing their magic. Why should they do that though? It would take time, but eventually, they could restore one of the blood line of Lucis to godhood and let them end the scourge by giving up their godhood and magic for good this time. The brothers would serve for this. One would be king, while the other would fall into the scourge.

So they put a plan into action. They appear to the Lucis Caelums and give them the crystal, something that will slowly start siphoning the magic from each successor of the line and storing it until the one they deem ‘the king of light’ is born. They tell them it is the soul of their world and that it must be guarded by the Lucis Caelums, that their magic is divine and was the best fit to over see it’s safety. Which of course they readily agree. The rite to tie the crystal to their line is planned for the next day, and each member will offer themselves up to the crystal to be judged on who will be it’s first protector.

But like, alright, through time shenanigans, imagine that young Ardyn goes to bed that night and dreams of thousands of years. He sees everything. The rise and fall of himself. His brother being tricked by the draconian into ‘killing’ him. Years of isolation in the prison on Angelgard. Getting free and walking into a world where the people have forgotten him. Learning early on that isolation was better than watching people he grew attached to die while he still lived. Hearing the plans the god had for his family. Growing hopelessly entrapped by the chains of the ‘prophecy’ and trying to change it. Being beaten into submission by the gods through the passage of years. The gods won’t let him die until he accepts that he’d to die on their terms. And when he accepts it, Noctis is born.

This part of the dream is the most vivid. Imagine him seeing Noctis, seeing that he has the face of brother, and his chest hurts. But he plays the roll of the villain and gets lost in the thought that soon, it’ll finally be over. He’ll die finally. He’ll have peace and…

Then he wakes, and he screams. He screams and cries, and REFUSES. With his heart beat in his ears, he runs to the crystal. He knows the truth. That it’s a shackle to the god’s will. His magic has always been HIS, and is not tied to the crystal. Not yet. He hasn’t received the order from the crystal, the gods really, to heal the people and allow the scourge to infect him down to his very soul. He knows what he is, and the crystal is at it’s weakest then. The only magic that has touched it has been from the gods that made it. 

His brother and father run through the door the moment he places his hands on the surface of the crystal. And upon touching it, he’s in the Draconian’s realm, standing before a god. And he screams at him, accuses him, and firmly states that he refuses to let his family be used. The Daconian’s roars and an argument for the ages ensues. But the god doesn’t have a leg to stand on. 

And before the Draconian can make a physical move, to stop him from foiling their plan, he’s back outside the crystal and forcing all his magic into it’s surface, splitting and cracking it apart with his fury. As it cracks, magic rips through the air. Flashes of the future, projected from Ardyn’s mind, echo around him and his family. And when it breaks apart, he collapses. It shatters, and when it does, it rips the magic from the gods, and kills the scourge before it can even really get a foot hold in the world. 

chocobroness:

Here’s the one-shot I promised!

Prompto is like…8 In this. Can’t really decide.  

I’m gonna leave this here before my anxiety tells me no.

—

He could always hear the singing, no matter what. He didn’t hear them that well but, sometimes when he was sad, or when it was night time and he was scared, the singing got just a bit louder. Like it was trying to make him feel better.

He liked the singing. Even if he didn’t know what the singing was. Even if he couldn’t hear what was being sung. He tried to explain it to him mom and dad, but they would only look at him oddly and say they couldn’t hear anything.

No one could hear it, and eventually he stopped talking about it. But he didn’t mind. Because it made him feel special, like the singing was just for him.

No matter where he went or how alone he was, the singing stayed with him. he liked that.

he liked the feeling of not being alone.

Today he had been a little excited, he was going on a trip to Galdin Quay with his parents, its been so long since they spent time together as a family and anytime spent with them was a treasure he did his best to cherish.

They had gotten there early morning to check in and had spent the day enjoying the beach and the yummy food. By night time, he had taken lots of photos with his camera, planning on sharing his photos with them later that night, like he used to when they were less busy with work.

Or he would have, had they not run into a business associate of theirs and soon been left to his own devices.

So here he was, hidden within the cover of night, sitting far away from the pier and watching the waves hit his bare feet.

He was told to be careful at night, because of the daemons they said, but he didn’t care, maybe his parents would notice him if he was in the dark long enough.

He closed his eyes. Paying attention to the soft singing that never leaves him, letting himself relax as it grew just a bit louder than normal.

“Now this is curious.”

“Ah!” He jumped and spun around, his heart pounding so hard against his chest. His eyes immediately landed on the one that frightened him.

His was really tall, taller than both his parents. his hair was kinda purple-lish red, and his eyes yellow but not really. The man was smiling as he walked closer to him.

“My apologies, I had no intention of startling you. Merely curious as to what a young boy like you was doing sitting alone at such a dangerous time.” Prompto ducked his head, hiding his face in his knees.

“Quite brave of you to be here.” The man continued, having now crouched down beside him, uncaring of the fact that his pant legs were getting wet.

“But bravery can also become foolish with enough quantities.”

“…M’sorry.”

“Quite alright child.” The tall man looked out to the sea, where the moon was large and full, almost touching the ocean line.

“Might I inquire your name?” Name? Oh, that’s right, he hadn’t given the man his name, mom would be mad if she heard that he was rude.

“I’m Prompto, nice to meet you.”

“A pleasure young Prompto, you may call me Ardyn” The talking stopped for a little while after, but Prompto didn’t mind, he just listened to the singing in his head, and he didn’t feel as lonely as usual with the strange man, Ardyn, next to him.

He closed his eyes and lost himself to the sound of the waves and the songs,

Songs that were surprisingly louder than normal.

He could almost make out words. Words he didn’t understand, words that seem so different than what he heard spoken by everyone around him, words that spun such pretty sounds.

And the man next to him was humming along to the very tune of the songs.

He looked at him, never having met another person who could hear the singing like him. Did that mean he wasn’t alone? That there was a reason he could hear the singing?

Ardyn glanced at the boy next to him and noticed him staring.

“Curious about my humming?” He smirked when Prompto seemed to realize what he was doing and turn red in embarrassment. But he nodded in response to his question.

“Well, its a special melody, not everyone can hear it. ” He seemed to be amused by his own words. “Not everyone gets a chance to hear it for long.”

“Is…"Prompto tried to figure out how to word it. “Is it special when you do hear it for a long time?”

Ardyn tilted his head, seeming to ponder the boy’s question.

“In a way, ” He started slowly. “There once was a time, that people knew of those who could hear the melody, many searched for those who could, but none could be found. Or rather, none wanted to be found.”

Prompto was now curious, not realizing that the singing grew louder, more possessive in a way.

“Why wouldn’t they want to be found?”

“They were very special. So special, the gods themselves were envious of them.For it was rumored that the songs they heard were connected to an entity that was more powerful than the combined power of the gods we worship today.”

“Woooow!” Ardyn chuckled at the look of amazement being shown by the boy.

“Indeed, But the gods were not pleased by the melody and demaned that no one listen to it again. Those that could, would not abandon the entity on the jealous whims of the six, so they hid, and the melody hid with them.”

“And no one heard about them again?”

“Indeed, lost to the seas of time and history.” Prompto couldn’t help but look down, thinking about what he heard. Why would they hide? Was it bad? Was a dangerous to be able to hear the singing?

“Oh no, They simply wished to be hidden, forgotten by the world.”  Prompto blushed as he realized he spoke aloud.

“S-so that means no one could hear the singing anymore?”

“Well…not completely true. After all. I can.” Prompto perked up, the man’s face showing amusement.

“Really?’

"Of course, it would be useless to know of such people if I myself could not hear what they were known for.”

He could feel his heart pound heavily against his chest, because here was someone who could hear the same thing he could, that could tell him more about why he could hear them.

“I…”

“Hm…?”

Prompto was nervous, but his curiosity towards the subject was strong at this point.

“I…you..do you know how you can find out if someone can hear the singing too?” Ardyn stared at him,  a moment of silence passed by them, Prompto fidgeting under his eyes.

”…Close your eyes”  Prompto blinked in confusion, before doing so. After a moment of nothing, he felt of hand rest itself on his head.

“Huh?”

“Relax child.” Prompto took a deep breath and let it out, trying to do as he said.

He paid attention to the singing. listening to strange words that seemed so otherworldly.

He listened to them as they became louder than ever before.

Heard as the voices singing seemed to realize that they were becoming clearer to his ears. Felt as his being was flooded with their joy and pleasure at finally being truly heard.

So loud, the singing, it was as if he was surrounded by thousands and thousands of people, all wanting to be heard by him and him alone.

He never had anyone feel that way about him, not even his parents.

And here was this strange man, giving to him something he had wanted for so long in his short life.

He felt the hand leave his head, felt himself panic for a moment as the singing grew quieter, but immediately calming down when he realized he could still hear them clearly, still could make out different voices, and different words. So very different

but seeming to fit perfectly well within each other.

“Are you alright child?” He opened his eyes and looked at them man, gentle concern in his eyes. Prompto slowly reached up to touch his own cheeks.

They were wet, he had not realized he began crying, overwhelmed by such potent emotions.

“I’m glad I met you.” Was all he could say to the man, his voice hoarse as if he had cried greatly for hours.

“Oh?” The man seemed surprised at that, Prompto felt that he wasn’t surprised easily. But that didn’t matter to him.

“I’m not alone anymore.” He smiled at him, big and bright, and so very genuine.

“I can hear them now.” Ardyn didn’t seem to register what the boy was saying for a moment, having not felt this unaware in such a long time.

“I’m so happy. I could never hear them so clearly before! And it’s all because of you! All I want to do is sit here and listen to this singing forever!”

The man stilled at the child’s words.

“You can… hear them…truly.” But Prompto wasn’t paying anymore attention to him. Closing his eyes and focusing on the beautiful singing that was so wonderfully clear to him now, humming along to them, feeling the rush of joy that surged through him as the singing matched him tune for tune.

Ardyn watched the child slowly sway to the unheard song. A song no one else has heard since the fall of Solheim. Since he had walked down the path of immortality. He reached out. Gently grasping the boy’s head and pulling him close. Pressing his lips against golden locks with a tenderness that he had not used since those days so very long ago. When all that matter were him, his brother, and the future ahead.

“My dear, precious rarity.” He murmured quietly, closing his now bright golden eyes, the scourge exposing itself and listening alongside the boy to the songs and whispers of the daemons and souls beyond and within.

“The gods that damned me may not have planned for your birth, or for our meeting, but it seems Mother Eos and Lady Etro have granted me a gift i shall not take for granted.” He felt the daemons within, countless, separate from him yet all connected to one being, roar in what seemed to be agreement. As if placing claim on the boy themselves.

‘Somnus, if you could be here now.’ He thought, holding the boy close. ‘If you could be by my side and see this young child.’

“You won’t be alone Prompto.” He whispered in the language of old, the words slipping from his tongue as if he never stop speaking them. “Not anymore.“

—

(I would most certainly like if you told me what you thought of this. Please and thank you!)

Three Brothers – Imagine

Imagine for a moment that, though Noctis is the child the crystal chose, he is not Regis’s only child. 

Rather there was a young Galadian girl, with eyes that were the envy of Leviathan and hair the color of raven’s wings, the strands even changed in the sunlight light much like the feathers of the creatures. A hunter and fighter, fluid as the sea and no less forgiving. 

He’d come back for her as he’d swore to do, but he was too many years too late. She had burned in the fires of war with a girl that looked too much like her, and much to young. He’d only been able to save her son, one who’s hair didn’t change color with the light, but was a dusty black. 

Regis could recognize it from the mirror. 

(But those eyes were not lost to him no. Her eyes still stared back at him from behind a Kingsglaive mask, and every time he saw them, he’d offer a silent prayer to the woman for forgiveness, for turning her son into his weapon.)

The second great love of his life was a retainer of his. Her wit was sharper than anyone in the room with her, and her composure was second to none. Fair of hair and with eyes as green as the Duscaen forests. He was married, but his wife had been friends with him and only friend before this, and both had their romances on the side. 

But then she had to end it and married a lord, another retainer of his, and stepped down as a retainer. The timing of their first child was off. “Premature by a month” they’d claimed. Part of him always wondered if the hurried wedding had anything to do with the fact that his hair, though fair like hers, was dusty like his.

(And as the child grew, with her sharp wit, sharper even, but with the face he’d had when he was young, he knew. For the first six years of the child’s life, he watched over him, and decided that this one, this one at the very least, would be kept as close to himself as he dared.)

The third came when the friend, seeing age and stress killing her king, offered her heart to him. She was the one who could stay. Who he wouldn’t have to leave behind. He accepted, loving her until her last breath when illness took her away. And the loving their child enough for the both of them, a child with his hair, and the blue of the crystal in his eyes once he was chosen as the crystal’s heir, but her face in his cheekbones, and an innocence that held onto him even into adulthood. 

(How he’d cried when the crystal chose him for another fate. Was he cursed? Couldn’t he keep at least one of them safe? Couldn’t he hold at least one of the close?)

When death came to him, he welcomed it, sending a young girl with his first son, praying that they’d live. 

When death came for the first son, he didn’t regret it. He’d always had a connection with the king’s magic, and knew in the back of his mind that’d he be worthy of the ring, for only long enough to get it and Luna to safety. But he never knew why he was worthy until he was dead, and the kings had to deal with a stubborn ghost of a man, hell bent on cursing them in the after life for destroying the men that could have been his family. 

Death couldn’t take the second son. No. Ignis couldn’t see the spirit of Nyx holding his left wrist, keeping the kings from taking his younger brother’s life, holding the burning at bay. He could at least save one of them, now that he knew. But it still took it’s price, leaving the second in the darkness forever, even when the light would return. He had his guesses why it didn’t take him, from having seen a picture of the former king when he was younger. And it made the vision from the messenger almost too much to bear. 

How he’d wished Noctis had agreed to stop their adventure, to refuse to go to his fate. 

When it was time for Noctis to enter the crystal, Bahamut told him all. The god did not offer him pity, but rather begged for understanding. The gods made a mistake with Ardyn, one that he’d pay for. They were too weak to help him, they hadn’t meant for him to fall. And Noctis, with the compassion of his mother aiding him, forgave Bahamut and the gods. He forgave his wayward uncle.

He was family too. 

Lucian Theif

3846 words ~ General

Note: So this happened. I saw this post and just…this happened. Then I got about half way through and was like…Shit this got stupidly long. One of these days I should have someone beta for me. 

Anyhow, it’s just a thing with Cor being the one who snuck in and stole Prompto. Threw in an OC to move the story along. Funnily enough, I almost changed the story completely and had him steal two of the clones instead. But I managed to talk myself out of that. Anyways, enjoy.


It was frigid in the hallway, and the dimmed lights only
added to a feeling of being out of place. And he was very out of place since he
was neither one of Niflheim’s scientists, or one of their experiments. Such was
the nature of Cor’s mission though. Infiltrate the facility, find any useful
information, don’t get caught. 

Being out of place wasn’t anything new.

However, what was new was all the luck he’d been having once
he was inside the building. The first door he’d managed to sneak through lead
to what appeared to be a staff lounge of sorts, giving him a chance to catch
his breath after being outside in the cold. Not only that, but there had been a
map of the facility with a note on it, labeling a recent add on as where the
Deathless project would be stored.

He’d figured that just the map would have been the Astrals
smiling upon him. But the note? That sent red flags up in his head considering
Project Deathless was precisely why he was here. Could someone have leaked
that? Was it a trap? But trap or no trap, he’d have to check out the location
marked on the map anyways. It’d be a good starting point. And on the off chance
it wasn’t a trap, he’d be that much closer to getting the information he needed
and getting out.

So, he’d left the room and embarked down the hall, making
sure to memorize the way back for a quick escape. Occasionally, there was one
of the Magitek soldiers ambling through the halls on a patrol. They weren’t
very good at it though, considering that hiding behind the occasional box or
around a corner seemed to be enough to keep himself out of trouble.

But then he’d stumbled upon a small shelf with papers on it.

He’d grabbed the top most paper on the stack and frowned. A
memo with an all access pass code to the facility. Ironically, it stated that
the employees needed to stop leaving the passcodes laying around. If he wasn’t
careful, the frown on his face would become permanent. This was entirely too
convenient, the enemy must have known he was coming, and he was probably dead
the moment he’d walked through the doors. No. The moment he’d left Lucis

…That, or he’d done something that’d pleased the Astrals
astronomically.

He could guess which was more likely.

But it had him curious. Just what kind of trap was he
walking into? So, he’d continued to the room, which was, predictably, locked
with a keypad. Warily, he punched in the code from the memo and stepped to the
side as the door opened with a pressurized noise. He drew his blade and waited
until the count of five before stepping out from his cover and rolled into the
room. He landed in a crouch and was ready for a fight, tense and waiting. His
focus was on the area around him, and his intuition ready to tell him where any
strike may come from.

So, it was something of a surprise to find nothing popping
out to attack him.

Cautiously, he lowered his blade and rose to his feet, eyes
scanning the room. Nothing. There were no guards, none of the magitek, or even
any scientists.

“Just what kind of security are they running over here?” He
muttered under his breath and he sheathed his sword and started to look through
the room.

It’d been quiet for almost half an hour as he perused the
documents laying around, hoping to find something of use. Since it was so
quiet, when lights turned on behind him suddenly, he’d been startled. He spun
around quickly, hand already on his hilt when he ended up freezing.

His heart clenched. The documents had mentioned infants he
recalled. He’d assumed that had been for a study of some sort. Assigning case
numbers and such. Instead, he was face to face with an unspeakable act. The
light that had startled him was emitting from seven tanks, and inside each one
floated an infant. All of them drifting in their tanks, unware he was there.

Each tank also had what appeared to be paperwork attached to
it. Perhaps holding what he was looking for. Though he hoped not. Slowly, he
made his way over, and with every step his morals were screaming out that
everything about this was wrong. He approached one of the tanks, picking up its
papers, and slowly inhaled before reading. As he read, his face slowly paled,
and his eyes widened by the slightest of margins.

The realization that this was what he was looking
for almost knocked the wind out of him. He looked at the baby in the tank,
floating inside, eyes closed as if it was sleeping, blond hair floating freely
around him.  He’d never been an emotional
kind of man. No. But seeing a child’s face, and knowing what their fate would
be was one of the hardest things he’d ever experienced.

This was Project Deathless.

He dropped the paperwork before he thought better of it,
needed a moment to adjust to the reality he was in. How had Niflheim allowed
this to happen? To let infants be raised for war and nothing else. To be
twisted by demon blood and changed from human to machine.

His hands slightly shook as he picked up the papers to take
them with, recalling just how many of the magitek he’d slain over the years. If
the papers were to be believed, they’d all started out as this. Just a child,
robbed of any other life they might have had.

With a heavy heart, he turned to leave. He had what he
needed. But as he got to the door he paused and looked back. He felt tired and
knew that making decisions when he was tired wasn’t the wisest of choices. But
as he gazed back into the room at the child, he made a choice. He crossed the
room quickly, recalling what he’d read and pressed three buttons.

One to drain the tank, the second to turn off the vital
monitors, and the third to lower the glass.

This wasn’t his best idea, and there was also no way he
could rationalize saving one life, and he knew that this wasn’t atoning for the
countless he’d taken. But his damn conscience wasn’t going to let him walk away
from this child. It was screaming for him to take them all in fact.

But he couldn’t.

Once the glass had dropped, he picked up the child as it
coughed up the liquid and cradled it to his chest. Once the child had finished
coughing, he breathed normally, and his pulse was strong. Considering that the child
had just been submerged in what he assumed was liquid oxygen, his mind turned
traitorous and wondered if the infant was used to switching between air and the
liquid. If so, how many times had the infant been taken out and then placed
back into the tank?

A huff of disgust left him before he could stop it, and he
glanced around the room for anything to cover the child with. If he was taking
him with, he’d need to be covered with something to protect him from the cold. It
was then he noticed the shelves sitting just outside the light of the tanks.
Upon them were heaped what looked like blankets and supplies for the infants.
Bags, food, clothes…

Convenient. Again.

But he didn’t care. For all he knew the child could be a red
herring with false information attached. If that was the case he’d gladly
accept that he’d failed the mission in exchange for saving one of these
children. He quickly packed a bag and filled it with what he could for the
child. Supplies that he’d probably need considering there was no way in hell he
was prepared to care for a child on the way back to his extraction point. Once
a bag was packed and he had it situated on his back he turned his attention to
the baby sleeping in his arms.

As Cor pulled the clothes on him, that was when the child
started fussing. Its eyes popped open and immediately turned watery. Cor
hurriedly finished dressing him and bundled him into a blanket.

“Shh,” Cor scooped the child back up from where he’d lain him
and lightly bounced him, thanking the astrals that he’d seen Regis with the
prince more than once, “Hey now. It’s alright.”

He spoke quietly to soothe the child, and watched the door.
No one was coming so far. But the crying did make him second guess his choice.
Only now did he remember that there were Magitek throughout the halls. Could
the child be quiet enough to make it through them all? Did he dare risk an
alternative route?

But then the baby quieted, and looked at Cor.

Cor without thinking really, offered his pinky to the child.
The baby’s hand grabbed onto him, and cooed, but not happily, no. Rather, he
just wanted to make noise it seemed. Cor kept his face neutral as he studied
him.

Bright blue eyes stared into his and this time a happy coo
did leave the baby’s mouth. Almost as if he was just happy to be looked at.

Cor inhaled slowly and then sighed, knowing this was the
right choice, and turned his attention back to the door.

Back the way he came then. He could make in one shot if he
ran maybe… Wait, shit. Running with a baby. Bad idea. He’d have to go as slowly
as he came, if not slower. Plus, how was he going to explain that the mission
might be a failure? Technically, this was…project Deathless. There was the
paperwork, and he didn’t have to put in the report that he’d pretty much been
guided here… They didn’t need to know he didn’t look anywhere else, right? And
it might not be a red herring!

…

He was so fired.

But, he figured as he looked back down at the baby, it’d be
worth it. If he could get them out of the facility and back to his extraction
point that is.

“What do you think little guy? Can you manage to be quiet
for that long?” He muttered.

The child squeaked rather loudly, but with a smile. Another
slow sigh left Cor, followed by the child reaching up and hitting his nose
lightly.

But that was when he heard footsteps at the door.

His head swiveled up and he froze, as did the woman who’d
began to walk inside.

For a moment, they just stared at each other. Sizing each
other up. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have been a problem. She was clearly an
academic. He could have incapacitated her within seconds of seeing her.
However, the child in his arms posed a problem.

Her face, one of shock and fear, slowly turned into narrowed
eyes and a hardened gaze.

“You…You’re Lucian…no?” Her voice was quiet and the words thickly
accented. The woman sounded like she’d hardly spoken a word of Lucian until
this point. But he still understood, and nodded slowly, his own eyes
scrutinizing her, trying to figure out what she was doing.

“Yes.”

She glanced back at the door, giving him a moment of panic
at the thought she was going to go get help. But then she stepped into the room
quietly, and pressed the keypad beside it to shut the door.

“Quickly…The child… She said, turning back to him, her
expression pleading.

“You…want me to take him?” He asked, confusion running
across his face freely. He was anyways, but he’d expected her to have the
opposite reaction. Like trying to stop him.

She nodded and then beckoned him to follow her over to the
computer. He did, though slowly. She placed what looked like a jump drive into
the man computer and began to sort through files. Over her shoulder he watched
the screen. Data from the project streamed across it rapidly, and his grasp of
Gralean only allowed him to catch small phrases, or part of a word. Something
about demons? He frowned and tried harder to translate faster, but she moved
from file to file too quickly.

Eventually, after minutes of silence, she stopped, closed
all programs, and pulled out the drive. Her eyes met his as she handed him what
was probably the most information Lucis would ever have on the Magitek. He took
it from her, looking up with absolute confusion. She shrugged and gestured to
the tanks.

“Project…Deathless.” She scoffed. “Many die.”

She shook her head, “It’s… This is not what…”

She said something in Gralean, which he took to mean she had
meant to help the people. Which he understood how sometimes people could be
twisted against themselves. He could hear the regret in her words. Perhaps she,
like him, hoped to save at least one of the children from a life as a machine.

She gestured to him to follow her again and he did,
tentatively. At the back of the room, a secret hall opened, and she stepped
through. He peeked inside, and jumped when the child suddenly babbled. He’d
almost forgotten he was in his arms. Of all things.

The woman turned and looked at the child fondly, almost with
what Cor could call longing as well. But then she faced forward.

“This path leads to the…The-” She muttered what sounded
like twenty different curses in Gralean before snapping her fingers, “-the
entry hall.”

“No Magitek?” He asked, an eyebrow raised as he followed
her. He knew following her blindly like this was stupid. It was. But part of
him honestly wanted to believe that some shred of human decency could be found
in this facility.

“Some.” She said, and he stopped in his tracks.

But then she held up her wrist, a silver band with a small
red light going off every few seconds. “They won’t attack.”

“What is that?” He asked, starting to follow behind her
again.

She glanced back at him, and then gestured to another
doorway. “Electronic pass. They don’t attack.”

“That’s handy.” He mutters. Maybe if they had that in Lucis
as well…they could use the Nif’s tech against them.

Almost as if she could hear his thoughts she added, “Also
tracks. It… records our movement. We can’t leave.”

“We?” He frowned. Did she mean him and her, or her and
someone else?

“Scientists.”

She then stopped and pushed him into a room.

“Hey-!”

“Shush!” She stepped in front of the doorway and blocked it
from view. Rounding the corner was one of the Magitek security details. She
dropped her gaze to the ground, but held up her wrist. There was a moment where
it paused, but then it soon continued, not bothering to look inside the room
she was blocking.

They waited a few moments until it was out of sight before
she let him step back into the hall. They then continued at a fast pace.

“Hurry. The timing…” She shrugged as she walked, giving up
on trying to get what she wanted across to him.

He understood though. Kind of. He could only guess, but he’d
hoped she meant that if they timed it right, no further troubles would happen
across them. And it was true. They went down hall after hall, with her in the
lead, and came across nothing else. Soon enough, they were back into the lobby
he’d started in.

She’d then paused in the room, and turned to look back at
him. “May I…?”

She gestured to the baby and he nodded. So, she stepped
closer to him and placed a hand on the child’s head, who burbled at the
contact. Up close, he could see that she was about his age. Maybe a few years
older possibly, but still in her twenties. And there was a definite sadness in
her eyes as she looked at the baby.

Without meaning to, he asked, “Why are you helping me?”

The question, he thanked his lucky stars, didn’t offend her.
Instead, a small smile crossed her face when the baby’s hand wrapped around one
of her fingers.

She said quietly, “Let me at least save this one.”

He looked up at her and watched as she pulled her hand away
from the baby’s grasp, and then took a step back.

“Go. In that file, you have the…names. You have the names of
scientists here and other…Facilities? Who don’t want this.” She said, returning
to the determined mindset from earlier.

“If you don’t want this, come with me.” He said without
thinking. That same longing from earlier crossed her face.

“I can’t. Go out the door and-” she held up her wrist,
“-Magitek will come.”

“We could out run them. You could come to Lucis.” He knew
that what he was saying was a lie. They’d likely be caught. But there was a
slim chance they’d make it. And, like before, it wasn’t sitting right with him
to leave someone who, for all intents and purposes, was being forced to carry
out these inhuman experiments.

She shook her head. “We do not expect to be saved, Lucian.”

He stared at her for a few moments, and opened his mouth to
try and convince her to take the chance. Even though he was already taking one
with the child, he was willing to try and get her out too. But then a voice
startled both out of their conversation.

“Oh dear. A Lucian is making off with one of our star
experiments.”

The voice sent chills up both their spines, and Cor whirled
on heel to face whoever it was. The woman paled, but stood up a little
straighter upon seeing who it was. And in his arms, the baby began to fuss.

“Chancellor.”

“Sunna.” The man strode into the room with a smirk on his
face. “One of our researchers assisting a Lucian. What would Besithia say?”

“Who are you?” Cor, though he knew it was dangerous, drew
his sword and held it in front of him one handed. An attempt to keep them safe.

“It doesn’t matter. Consider me a friend.” He grinned even
wider, and Cor felt very uneasy.

“You’re no friend.” The woman, Sunna he recalled, said.

“Aw,” The Chancellor feigned being hurt by placing a hand
over his heart, “And here I’d brought a gift.”

Cor watched as the man reached into his pocket and pulled
out what looked like a metal key of some sort. Beside him Sunna stiffened.

“The key to your freedom Sunna. Imagine. No more hurting
those children you seem to adore. No more learning from Besithia.” He smiled.

Cor glanced at her, and saw that she was looking at her
wrist. But then she looked up and her eyes narrowed. She was going to refuse,
it was clear on her face. Before she could respond, Cor cut her off, seeing an
opportunity to get her out of there as well.

“What’s the cost?”

The man smiled, and instead of answering, tossed the key
over. Sunna’s face was bewildered as she caught it. “No cost. I merely wish to
aid you in your mission.”

Cor grimaced, “There’s always a catch.”

“Oh…Alright. I wish for you to return my map to where it
was.” The man laughed as Cor visibly paled.

“You…It was you?”

“Oh yes. We knew of your mission months ago. Or rather I
did. And I saw an opportunity.” The man out stretched his arms, gesturing to the
whole facility. “This facility. Easy to get into and out of wouldn’t you say?
And if Sunna had the resources, that thing on her wrist wouldn’t have stopped
her from leaving. She’d have been able to get out of it I’m sure.”

“But alas, no matter how much I told Besithia that the
security was lacking, he has not listened. And so…” He gestured to the three of
them. “Once he hears that not only a scientist escaped, with one of the experiments,
and at a Lucian’s side none the less…He’d have no choice but to better our
security.”

The reason sounded as insincere as they came. But Cor wasn’t
going to question it any further. He recognized a snake when he heard one. So
instead of responding, he turned to Sunna.

“Hurry, take that off.”

She startled out of whatever thoughts she’d been having and
moved to comply. She looked…hopeful almost. And soon enough, the bracelet
clicked open and dropped to the floor. She kicked it for good measure, sending
it sliding to a stop at the man’s feet.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” He said, almost playfully,
“Unless you’ve changed your mind. I’m more than willing to take the child
back.”

He held out his arms at the same time Cor tightened his hold
when the baby let out a soft coo. “Not on your life.”

“Oh? Pity, and I thought we were friends. Ah well.” The man
then turned on heel, and began to leave. As he left he called back over his
shoulder, “You’d best hurry on by the way, the other scientist will be waking
soon.”

When he was finally gone, they both stood in stunned
silence. But then they both turned into a flurry of movement. He placed the map
back where he’d found it, note and all, and sheathed his sword. Sunna accessed
a box of jackets, for when the scientists had to go outside and put one on,
alongside a hat and gloves. She then took an extra one out as well and hat as
small as she could find.

She then walked over to Cor and then arranged the hat on the
baby’s head. “For the child, the blanket will not be enough.”

She said in
explanation, and gestured for him to hand him over. He did so without
complaint. Sunna could be trusted, he was sure of that now. She tucked the
bottom of the coat over the baby’s feet before zipping it up and tucking the
rest around him, creating a makeshift snowsuit. Then she picked him back up and
cradled him to herself. In her arms, the child began to drift back to sleep.

“We need to go. That man…” She started, but Cor stepped
forward and to the door.

“Come on then.”

He felt like she had more to say, but it was better to leave
sooner. Considering that he originally was sure he’d failed the mission, and
only just now realized that he was coming back with the project data, one of
the experiments, AND a researcher, he did NOT want to tempt his luck by staying
any longer. What she had to say could wait.

And so, for what she hoped was the last time, Sunna keyed in
the code and opened the door to the outside. They both then stepped outside,
and departed, the tracks left behind them disappearing as the snow quietly fell
around them.

:o how about if ardyn’s (sorry if you dont write for this chara !) had a past lover and one of the chocobro’s s/o looks exactly like them?

omg. I love this. I want to write this as a drabble. (I’m horrible at drabbles but here we goooo!)

The six could be cruel.

Ardyn knew this. But until now he didn’t know just how cruel they could be. When they made him immortal, doomed to walk this plane of existence for the rest of his days, he thought that had been the pinnacle of their cruelty. No. Bringing them back was the cruelest thing by far. And seeing them love another was even worse. 

He stood watching from a distance, close enough to hear them laugh. They were sitting at the edge of the haven, their lance in their lap, and feet dangling over the edge of the rocks. Behind them, the boy was training with his shield. The adviser was preparing them all a meal. And the blonde gunner was fiddling with his camera. But after his general observation, his eye’s focus was on the person watching the darkness, with their back to fire. Always watching, just like before…He wondered if it was just their face they possessed or if they held some memories of their past life? Did they know what came from the dark?

It had been so long ago he had loved them. And though age had somewhat stolen away the memories of their visage, he was certain it was indeed them. With dark brown hair as wild as his, that shone like a raven’s feathers in the light.

A tanned face, wide brown eyes, high cheek bones, delicate nose, and smallish mouth. Features so beautiful and a body that appeared so fragile yet was so strong, how could it be anything but them? Features that six themselves must have picked out. 

Or that’s what they said. Back in the day, when he was king and they were the oracle, their looks had both been held in high regard. Shallow. Their people had been shallow and fell in love with their faces, not knowing how hurt either of them had been by their ascension as the first king and oracle. If he was being honest, they exaggerated their strength. The person he had loved had been weak behind closed doors, and they’d often go to sleep crying into his arms. And he…well, never mind his own shortcomings. 

Anything they had was certainly not from six though. The six only took what they wanted, and gave no regard to the wishes of the mortals they took from. Even their gifts took their price. When they took death from him, they also took them. They left pain in death’s place. Eternal life, because his soul was sullied. Eternal loneliness, because they were pure. And now? He must be damned, to see that face again, and know that they couldn’t be the same person. They only looked like them…Or so he told himself.

He had his doubts. He’d been watching them all for days. Especially them. They sounded the same as before, with a lilting voice much like his own. They fought in the same way, with grace, strength, and nimbleness that few could match. The only thing different was that they fought with a lance instead of the trident now. Tiny little mannerisms, like touching their nose when thinking, tilting their head when annoyed, always looking into the air when daydreaming…They were all the same. It made him think that it was possible they were a reincarnation. 

Almost. 

Part of him hated them for forgetting if it was true. Even if it wasn’t, he hated them all the same. Because how dare they be born with that visage. A reminder of what he lost. How dare they love another. How dare the six mock him one last time, pitting someone who looked like them, that gave him such hope that it might be them, against him. 

He watched on, his face growing distorted and angry. They in turn stared unwavering into the darkness and, he pretended, meeting his gaze. He knew by now that they were a steadfast guard, their attention not easily taken from the task at hand. He loathed to admit that their sense of duty was the same as before too, but it was true. His Oracle had been as attentive as this person to what they thought was their burden. And yet…

When one of the four approached them, they willing turned from their duty to face them, accepting the love and affection offered them. They turned their back on the dark. Something that made his heart clench uncomfortably. They let the man take them by the waist, hold them close and press his lips to theirs. They even smiled with the same adoration on their face that had once been only for him.

He had enough for the night. 

He’d watch over them from the dark until he could bear no more. And when the starscourge came this time, he’d take them. He’d take them and never let them go. Even if it turned out they only looked like his lost love, he would be content until the boy rose up as a king and killed him. Even then, he’d find a way to take them with him, even if it meant cutting their life short. And he’d kill the one they thought they loved if he dared try to stand between them. 

He watched them with both love and hate in his eyes, and then turned and left.

~

When their lover walked back to what he was doing, they turned back to the darkness at the sudden rush of emotions they felt coming from behind them. A strange gust of wind pulled at them, as if calling them into the darkness. But then it was gone, and they felt…

Loss.