Noctis steps onto the decrepit dock of Galdin Quay with a sinking feeling in his gut. At his side, Umbra trotted down the rotting wood, jumping over a gap and turning to wait for the king. Noct followed silently, cradling the hand with the ring on his middle finger close to his chest as he tried to fight off the need to vomit.

The quay looked so different from what he remembered. The dock nearly all but rotting away, enough for Noct to walk gingerly along it for fear of it collapsing underneath his feet. The stench of mold and rot in the air as he entered the hotel connected to the dock made his lip curl, and the low level demons lingering around he dealt with vengeful prejudice.

When he stepped off the quay and into the sand, that sick feeling in his gut increased tenfold at the utter infestation of demons skittering around the beach and hills of his home. Snarling, he slaughtered every single dark creature he could see. He couldn't help but notice how… easy it was. Defeating a pack of goblins - while before was never really difficult - now it was as easy as breathing. Easier, even, given the fact that the churning guilt and nausea in his stomach made it difficult to get air in his lungs.

Ten years. It has been ten years and while he was off taking a fucking nap his home was reduced to this hell. Snarling, Noctis set off a fire spell at a arachne that had been trying to sneak up behind him. The spider demon writhing as it caught flame, the fire fueled by his anger and reducing the scourged demon to a pile of slithering black goo that corroded the grass. Turning his back, Noctis made his way towards the road. Practically stalking up the hill with the air around him wavering with the raw power of his magic energy radiating off of him.

He can't believe he let this happen. The entire world was cast in darkness and overrun by demons because he was foolish enough to fall for Ardyn's tricks. How many people had died? Thousands? Millions? He felt like he was about to collapse under the weight of his failure. He failed everyone and everything on this planet, but hopefully he could fix it.

Gods, he hoped he could.

He reached the main highway, and a part of him wanted to turn left towards Insomnia. No doubt Ardyn would be waiting for him there. But the thought of going alone was absolutely terrifying. He isn't sure he would be able to do it alone. And even if he could, he didn't want to. So, he walks backwards a couple steps away from home and turns his back to head right, towards Hammerhead.

He is only walking for a couple minutes when he turns and sess the bright lights of a car driving down the road, it is downright out of place in the darkness, and Noctis comes to a stop and waits with equal parts curiosity and nervousness. The car pulls to a stop and a young man rolls down his window and it is Talcott and he is almost as old as Noctis was when they had met and the reality of just how long had passed truly hit home for him.

It is a sickening thought. The world has really continued to move on without him and there is a bitter selfish anger in his gut at that. He has missed out on so much, on a third of his life, sleeping in a fucking rock. He knows he looks different, he looks older and he has stubble across his chin that he had never before been able to grow - he had caught a reflection of himself in the side mirror of the car and by the astrals he looks just like his father - but he doesn't feel older. He feels the same as he had. A stupid young kid who is in way over his head. He would never shy away from his destined duty but… he supposed it would be nice to have lived his life without all of this loss and pain.

Sighing, Noctis watches the scenery go by from his spot in the passenger seat of Talcott's car, idly hearing him on the phone with someone but too focused on the various demons that he could see stalking around in the shadows. The man beside him tries to start a conversation with him but Noctis's heart isn't really in it and they relapse into silence.

They reach Hammerhead and Noctis hops out of the car, his boots crunching against the gravel. The small garage and gas station that he remembers has now become a small community, with a tall fence perimeter and nearly blinding lights shining to keep the demons at bay. He looks around curiously, taking in the sight of people milling around. His citizens look hardier, many have scars and old injuries and the few children he can see play quietly as if there is a constant threat looming near. It makes something sharp pang in his chest.

As he looks around his eyes lock on two familiar figures and the relief at seeing his two retainers is nearly enough for his legs to give out from underneath him. They're alive! He hadn't allowed himself to think about Ignis or Gladio, if something had happened to either of them he doesn't know what he would do. He wouldn't be able to handle it.

He approaches them, feeling awkward. Gods, what does he even say? It has been so long and he doesn't think a simple hey guys, how's it going would suffice.

"Hey princess, who knew you could grow a beard?" Gladio ribbed, breaking the silence, and Noctis couldn't help but smile. A strange relief relaxing his shoulders at his shield's casual greeting after so long. They are older and so much has happened and yet nothing has changed in the way that mattered.

"Better than yours," he told his shield with a gentle smile and Gladio snorted before pulling him into a tight embrace. Noct went limp into the hold, missing the feeling of his friend's strong arms practically crushing his ribs. He did not complain though, he would gladly be crushed by Gladio if it meant he could embrace his shield just a moment longer. Finally, his shield released him and Noct swallowed the disappointment and instead turned to Ignis who was waiting nearby.

"Hey, specs," Noctis said, stepping closer.

"It is… good to see you, Noctis," Ignis said, his sightless eyes seeming to bore into Noct's soul. The dark haired man couldn't hold back and practically lunged at the blond and held him tight, inhaling his familiar scent and fighting back the painful lump in his throat. Ignis held him close and Noctis really did cry a little bit. He would deny it if anyone asked though.

"Prom?" Noctis whispered, still holding onto that faint hope that maybe Ardyn was lying and that his dear friend managed to be found even after he was forced into the crystal.

Ignis gave him a pained look and the king bowed his head with a grimace, "I am truly sorry, Noctis," his advisor whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We looked everywhere for him, afterwards," Gladio added grimly, and Noctis physically felt his heart shatter. His two retainers shared a meaningful look over his head, "We did find… something, though."

"What?" Noctis asked, his head snapping up.

"C'mon," Gladio says, turning towards the caravan the two of them had been staying in. Noctis sticks close, eager to see what his shield is talking about.

The large man steps into the trailer and Noctis is hot on his heels, Ignis close behind. He steps up the metal steps and into the caravan, looking around. Like everything else, the inside of the caravan at Hammerhead is familiar and yet oh so different. It is more run down than he remembers, and now the counter space is covered in various weapons, spells, and books.

Gladio steps into the bedroom and rummages around in a box under one of the bunk beds crammed in there. He finds whatever he is looking for and turns and presents it to Noct. The king feels his breath leave his lungs.

Prompto's camera.

"We found it in a… cell, of sorts." Gladio explained weakly as Noctis shakily took the camera. He held it as if it were a baby bird, oh so fragile and easily broken. Even if he knew that Prompto had dropped this thing off literal cliffs and it had been fine.

Gingerly, he turns it over and turns it on. It comes to life slowly and the view screen brightens to life. He presses the gallery button and he backs up to sit on the couch for fear of his knees giving out. The first picture saved is a selfie of younger Prom and Noctis and Prompto is grinning broadly while Noct gives the camera a reserved smile. He chokes on a sob and covers a hand over his mouth, the image blurs and Noctis quickly swipes it away so he can see the only thing he has left of Prompto clearly. Gladio and Ignis sit on either side of him and he soaks in the comfort they offer greedily, leaning into Ignis and closing his eyes tight.

Gods, Prompto never should have come with him. He never should've been in a situation where he could've been hurt and Noctis thinks that it is all is fault. He had begged for Prom to become one of his retainers. Stubbornly ignored everyone warning him about the dangers and only thinking how much fun it would be to go on a roadtrip with his very best friend. And then… and then everything had gone to shit and Ardyn tricked him and he had pushed Prompto off the fucking train.

His breath seizes as the memory of Prompto's confusion and hurt expression as he falls backwards and off the train and landing in a painful crumple at the side of the tracks plays in his head on loop. Ardyn might have tricked him but ultimately it was Noctis who all but sentenced his friend to death.

He sobs into Ignis's chest and Gladio is there too and they embrace him and don't say a word. It doesn't lessen the pain and guilt but their strong arms around him keep him from falling apart at the seams and Noctis burrows his face into his advisor's shoulder. He feels almost like a child, the way he is crying and so obviously seeking comfort but neither of his friends say a word and he allows himself this one thing. He cries for a long time and afterwards he is left tired and dry eyed, and all three of them lay on the couch and fall asleep next to each other.

The next morning they leave early, at least Noctis assumes so because there is no way to truly tell. The drive to Insomnia is quiet, but in a comforting way and once they get to the gates of his home there is a determined resolve between all three of them and they step out of the car and face the city.

Noctis looked at his two retainers on either side of him, both of them looked grim and determined. "Ready?" he asked them.

"As we will ever be," Ignis said, almost casually.

"Alright… alright." Noct said, taking a deep breath before stepping into Insomnia. He doesn't think he would've been able to without his retainers at his back. Their comforting presence gave him strength to move forward despite everything that he lost and Noctis is so thankful to them and doesn't think he will ever be able to express it.

That sinking feeling can't be kept away long though as they walk through the destruction of his home. "Holy shit," Gladio says grimly, and Noct is inclined to agree.

They are making their way through the city proper and have fought through a couple packs of demons when something pings his attention. He looks around with a frown, "Do you guys… hear something?" he wonders.

"Look up," Ignis said.

Noctis glanced at the taller man a moment before doing as he was told. His eyes widened as he caught sight of a human figure far above them, hanging from spiked black chains between two skyscrapers and dangling in mid air.

"What…" He started to say when thunder rolled and the sky lit up with energy and a flash of lightning striked the chain, he stiffened at the distant scream of the demon above them and made an aborted movement closer.

"Noct, that's a demon. We do not have time for this," Gladio said with a large hand on his shoulder.

The king looked back at his shield, a furrow in his brow, "Why would Ardyn… hang up a demon like that? What purpose does that serve?'' The demon was strewn up like a waiting gift for them, for Noctis. He doesn't understand the significance of this particular starscourged beast, from what he can see from so far below it doesn't look familiar at all.

"I find it best to try and not empathize with the Chancellor," Ignis piped up grimly.

"Right…" Noct agreed, looking back up at the limp shadow a moment longer before following his retainers down the road and towards the citadel.

"Geez, someone really made a mess of this place, huh?" Gladio mentioned as Noct helped Ignis over a pile of rubble.

"I imagine most of the carnage occurred during the initial attack on Insomnia," the blind man next to him said, primly jumping down off of a ledge of rebar and concrete and onto a half buried car.

"Yeah, but this looks… new, like it happened a couple days ago." Gladio grumbled, walking around a busted water pipe still spewing water.

"Mayhaps Ardyn had a tantrum," Ignis called over his shoulder, Noctis snickered.

"How are we even going to start to fix this?" Noctis grimaces at the collapsed street that revealed the underground subway system, flooded with brackish water. Everywhere he looked there was destruction. They passed several blocks of burnt husks of buildings from a wildfire that must've caught years ago a while back; Noctis had tried not to cry at the sight of his and Prompto's favorite arcade burnt into an empty shell of what it once was.

"One thing at a time, highness." Ignis admonished kindly, and Noctis gets the feeling that his advisor isn't just talking about the city.

From there the journey is mostly silent, they run into a few packs of demons that they swiftly take out but otherwise they try their best to avoid confrontation. With each destroyed home and decade old corpses of his citizens they pass Noctiis's rage swells until he is practically shaking with it.

Noctis has never really hated anyone before. It took so much energy to hate and when the prince was young he would rather spend that energy on something else - like sleeping. But in that moment Noctis hated. He hated so fiercely and so passionately he felt like he might choke on it. Ardyn… fucking Ardyn had taken everything from him. His home, his people, his happiness, his fucking Prompto.

Noctis was going to kill him. Slowly, and painfully like he had killed Prom and he was going to make the chancellor scream. He was going to make him beg for death and Noctis wouldn't give it to him until he was even more fucking crazy from the agony than he already was. He had to fight the manic grin that pulled at his lips at the thought.

The fight with Ifrit leaves him with burns on his arms and back that not even an elixir can fully heal. Gladio is worse for wear and walks stiffly up the steps of the citadel at Noct's side, Ignis on his other. If they were in any other situation the king would offer to take a break, but with the knowledge that Ardyn is just an elevator ride away he is agitated and unable to keep still. He is practically shaking with his anger.

The elevator ride up feels agonizingly slow and Noctis feels the void of emptiness at his side where Prompto usually was like a lost limb. He reaches out to his two remaining retainers and grasps each of their hands tight. He doesn't know what will happen, but he knows that they will do it together.

Ardyn is waiting for them on the throne, with all of his loved ones hanging from the ceiling like some sick puppeteer show. All but one, he notices morbidly. Prompto isn't up there, which he is oddly thankful for.

The sight of his father and Luna hanging limply makes a magic spark between his hands and when both Ignis and Gladio collapse on either side of him Noctis snaps. He is so fucking done with this shit. He feels like he is going insane with the anger and hate that burns his heart. He is shaking so hard and Ardyn is laughing and if it is the last thing he does Noctis is going to kill him.

Ardyn flees to the street below and Noctis follows him and their fight truly begins. He is overpowered by the crystals magic and each time their swords connect it sends a shock wave out that cracks the concrete beneath them. Each step he takes sends out a shockwave of power and the king feels like he could hold the world on his shoulders with how energized he is.

But of course, Ardyn barely seems to notice his power boost and meets him on equal footing. It's infuriating.

As Noctis parrys one of the chancellor's blows, the taller man unexpectedly kicks out and sends the king flying across the street. Noctis grunts as he rolls to a stop, gritting his teeth at the roadburn heating his palms. His engine blade lays several meters away; Ardyn stalks towards him, starscourge staining his teeth as he grins. Glaring, Noct warps to his sword and in a smooth motion rises to his feet and lunges at the chancellor once again.

The battle drags on, even with the power of the ring the two kings are evenly matched. Ardyn fights like a dancer, with large swings and spinning evasiveness. He warps through the city with ease whenever Noct begins to have the upperhand, leaving Noctis to have to hunt him down and start all over again. Exhaustion weighs him down and his old back wound begins to pang sharply and he limps painfully through the streets of Insomnia. No matter how many potions and elixirs he takes the pain still remains and his sword is beginning to feel very heavy. Because of this, Ardyn gets the upper hand. Noct begins to stumble back as the flurry of blows make his arms shake and the marrow of his bones rattle.

Suddenly, Ardyn parries his engine blade and sends it flying across the street. Noct is left without a weapon. With a crazed grin, he stabs his sword through Noct's shoulder, lifting him into the air by his blade. Noctis screams, grabbing the black metal with gritted teeth.

On the other side of the city his scream is heard and red eyes snap open.

"Poor little king," Ardyn hisses in his face, looking absolutely delighted.

Noctis glares, feet dangling as blood soaks into the fabric of his coat. His blue gaze locks onto his sword that rests several dozen meters behind Ardyn and with gritted teeth the king reaches for his sword and pulls. His magic sparks to life, and something within his chest is being tugged and he screams as he warps across the battlefield in a cloud of magic particles and nether dust. Landing with a roll, the wind getting knocked out of him, Noctis gasps for air and clutches his bleeding shoulder as Ardyn swiftly follows him. His hair falls into his eyes and he snarls painfully up at his ancestor, desperately trying to gather his wits to pull a potion out of the armiger.

"You can't run from me, little king. This battle is ov-"

A blue blur suddenly slams into Ardyn from above and Noct squints through the blood in his eyes as a… a demon grabs the chancellor's coat with a glowing claw, snarls in his face, and throws him down the street to slam into a concrete wall, demolishing it in a cloud of dust.

Noctis would have laughed if he still wasn't trying to catch his wind back.

The interruption gives Noctis the time he needs to break a potion over himself and be flooded with healing magic. The demon snarls at him as he does this, Noct raises his sword, preparing for the thing to attack.

Only… it doesn't. It glares at him as if he has somehow mortally offended him but then it turns back to Ardyn who warps out of the debris and seethes with black streaks falling down his face.

"I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Ardyn rages at the blond demon, who crouches low with his own growl. "Always getting in the way - how about I kill your darling Noctis and force you to eat him and then we go back to Zegnautus, hmm? Chain you back up and rip off your other arm... then your legs, your tail, everything, until there's nothing of you left!" Noctis has no idea what is going on between the chancellor and this demon, but he feels a sudden urge to put himself between the two, to protect the small blond creature whose aggressive posturing seems to melt away at Ardyn's rant and begins to shrink into itself, cradling the glowing arm to it's chest. His flesh arm has a shackle still attached to it, and Noctis' mind goes back to that demon who was strung between two skyscrapers he had seen earlier.

He doesn't do that though, instead he engages with Ardyn once again. Ardyn sighs angrily and warps to Noctis and meets him half way in a clang of steel and the shriek of magic scraping against each other. Only when the redhead shoves him away with his black blade the blond demon lunges over Noct and rakes its claws through Ardyn's arms before the man can regain his footing. And suddenly Noctis and this demon are working together like a unit.

They weave in and through each other, increasing pressure on Ardyn until he begins to falter. When the chancellor tries to warp away to regain his breath, the demon grabs ahold and tackles him to the ground with a crocodilian hiss.

Ardyn doesn't stand a chance.

Unlocking the full power of the crystal and the silhouettes of past kings rallying behind him is barely even noticed. He defeats the fucking bastard with a final blow to the chest and watches with grim satisfaction as Ardyn's handsome physique melts away to reveal the monster that he truly was and as the life within him disappears. Ardyn gives out a relieved breath of laughter and he falls to the ground with a muted thud.

Silence.

It is so quiet. The only sound being Noctis's shaky panting, nothing else. Suddenly, his legs buckle and he falls to his knees in front of the corpse. He wants to scream, or maybe cry, but he just lowers his head and breathes.

He doesn't know how long he sits there, soaking in the fact that he fucking did it. He won. He is sort of waiting for the relief to wash over him but he feels… nothing. This doesn't feel like it changed anything at all. The emptiness in his chest is still there, the anger hasn't even subsided a little bit. With glassy eyes, Noctis glances at his dirtied and bloody hand, the ring looks strangely pristine on his battered finger. He wants to rip it off and toss it somewhere; it helped him through this fight but now it feels as if it is siphoning his very soul and the king feels so shaky and weak after fighting so hard.

Then, there is a small curious noise to his right. Noctis blinked blurrily, raising his head to see the demon crouched a few feet from him, its red eyes raking over him. It doesn't move, and neither does Noctis. They both just - stare at each other.

Gravel slides against each other as the creature's long, thick tail swishes along the ground. His eyes track the movement before flicking up to those strange eyes that seem to switch from violet to crimson. Its hair is long and gold and falls into its pale face and the horns on its head twist out and away like a decrepit crown. Black scales cover the sides of its face and across its nose, sharp canines peak out from underneath its lip.

Noctis has never seen a beautiful demon before.

Warily, the king gets to his feet, stumbling a little as his legs threaten to give out from under him, eyes trained on the crouching creature who blinks up at him but otherwise doesn't move. He should kill it, Noctis knows. It is a demon. And just because it isn't lashing out at that moment doesn't mean it won't turn on a dime and attack. But… but it looks so much like him. This is probably just some trick by Ardyn, and he hates the man more for it but he can't raise his sword against this demon. Literally, the very thought makes him sick.

Instead, the king takes a couple of steps back, lingers a long moment, and turns and limps back towards the citadel.

It's time to finish this.


BOOM next chapter done! A little bit shorter so sorry about that I wanted to add a little bit of Prom's POV at the end there but I thought that this flows a little bit better! I'm thinking there's probably gonna be two or three chapters left so hey! We are almost done kind of lol I hope seeing two chapters in a row of fighting Ardyn wasn't too monotonous I tried to keep it exciting but I am very bad at fight scenes so sorry ;-;

Honestly I don't remember the end of the game too well it's been a couple years since I played it all the way through so I didn't even try to be accurate cause I didn't want to look it up cause I'm lazy but I hope for those of you that actually remember what happens it wasn't too distracting!
Please tell me what y'all think and I hope you guys liked it and have a great holiday! :)