Chapter Text
Leading My Brothers To the Promised Land: Return of the Kingsglaive
A Final Fantasy XV fanfic by Raberba girl
Part 4 (rough draft)
Unsurprisingly, the battle is thickest around Glauca. Although he's been fighting like a demon, he's also been increasingly targeted on all sides.
Cor Leonis and Nyx Ulric have taken point on the attack, their teamwork exceptional despite the fact that the two bore only a passing acquaintance before now. King Regis is on a balcony, arms outstretched as he orchestrates a steady barrage of crystalline weapons against Glauca and multiple other targets, Clarus Amicitia competently standing guard and parrying all attempts at retaliation that the Armiger doesn't catch. Argentum snipers are stationed all around, firing at Glauca's head every instant they have a clear shot. Although Glauca's helmet prevents the bullets from penetrating, they're still rattling his skull, and he's starting to get disoriented. As more and more of the lower-tier traitors get mopped up, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret and her army of melee Argentums are making their way closer and closer to the heart of the battlefield.
Glauca is the only one left standing when he is defeated. He managed to down both Cor and Nyx at once; as he rises out of a crouch, his shield is raised to ward off Regis's Armiger and he's doing his best to ignore the bullets crashing into his armor. Seeing the princess approaching, he readies himself to counter the trident she's brandishing.
He has no attention left for the former MT Axeman charging up behind him.
Chrys makes no sound, but his teeth are bared and his eyes blazing with rage as he leaps. The mace in Chrys's hands smashes into Glauca's helmet; weakened by the punishing barrage of bullets, it finally cracks, a chunk of it falling away to reveal part of his face. All this has given Nyx time to recover enough to plant a fist into that patch of Drautos's face the instant it's bared. Glauca staggers back, then bellows as Cor jams a blade into the knee joint of his armor. Lunafreya swiftly casts a sleep spell, and Glauca collapses, unconscious. Chrys literally kicks his ass, then his head, then yanks off a gauntlet and stomps on his fingers several times before Crowe finally hauls him off.
A breathless silence falls for a moment. Then Regis says with ultimate regality, "Well done, all of you. Arrest the traitors."
"With pleasure, Your Majesty," Cor says, and obeys with a fierce grin.
o.o.o
After the battle at the Citadel, Titus Drautos is swiftly found guilty of treason and executed. The other traitors are thoroughly investigated and punished according to the severity of their crimes. The Kingsglaive is dissolved, the surviving loyalists absorbed into the Crownsguard in defiance of the more narrow-minded council members. All the Argentums who aided the Crown are scheduled to be formally commended, and those still bound by collars are released, having proven themselves trustworthy.
A handful of notable former Kingsglaive loiter behind the scenes as they wait for the ceremony to start. Everyone who fought for Lucis in the battle is going to be recognized all at once, which means that Crownsguard, Kingsglaive, and Argentums alike are milling around backstage.
Nyx and his companions have had time by now to process the Argentums' story. Prompto, the one who was adopted by Marshal Leonis and started it all, is bustling around like a mother hen with an entourage of various-sized chicks. In particular, a 'level three,' a 'level two,' and a 'level one' doggedly remain at his side as he checks on many of their additional brothers.
Most of Libertus's attention is on the very youngest person who's going to be honored today. Treasure Argentum, one hand constantly clasped with that of his brother Precious, is dressed in a tiny suit that someone must have procured for him. Libertus has asked around - Treasure and Precious are still living in the Argentum barracks, which is ridiculous, because the temporary sleeping area of soldiers is no place for young children to live. Libertus may not have plenty of room in the apartment he shares with Crowe, but there's enough room to squeeze in a child or two.
Nyx is watching the 'level fours.' The oldest and quietest of the ex-MTs, they've barely moved and they tend to stay huddled together in a group. Nyx can't forget what they were like earlier, when their collars were removed. None of their expressions changed, but when the second level four was liberated, he raised his head. One by one, more collars came off, and one four after another shifted slightly, looking anywhere but at each other. But their blank expressions, despite the stillness, somehow grew quite intense, their eyes sharpening. They gradually drifted even closer together, and now they remind Nyx a bit of Crowe and her mages when they're casting a spell, except that all the fours' invisible energy seems to be focused inward.
"Crowe," Nyx murmurs. "The fours. Can you sense any magic from them?"
She studies them for a minute. "Not a drop. I see what you mean, though."
"Mm." After a moment, Nyx straightens up and heads over to the fours. Whatever weird MT spell they were doing breaks, and their attention subtly shifts toward him. When it becomes unmistakable that they're his target, they arrange themselves into formation and salute.
"At ease," he says warily.
They gaze at him without speaking.
"So, uh, hi. I'm Nyx Ulric." There continues to be no response, though they watch him intently. He clears his throat. "Thanks for your help. During the battle. We probably wouldn't have been able to beat Glauca without the help of you and your brothers."
After another awkward pause, he tries, "You're all still living in our old barracks, right? Any, uh, long-term plans?"
Silence. Nyx sags a little. "Guess you lot have a harder time getting adopted out than the little ones do, huh. ...That's rough."
He's finally saved by Prompto, who bustles up and says, "3104! I'm happy you all don't have to wear collars anymore!" Still no response, though the fours are subtly glancing between Nyx and Prompto.
The toddler trots closer and hugs the legs of the nearest four. When there's no reciprocation, he makes a displeased noise and squeezes tighter.
The level two who's not Prompto looks at Nyx and asks diffidently, "Are the level fours permitted to hug level ones?"
"Uh - yes? Of course."
The two perks up. "Thank you." He physically lifts the four's arms, sets them around the one, and presses. After a pause, the four squeezes of his own volition.
"Good job!" Prompto praises, sounding genuinely proud.
"Hey," Nyx says, "you said a number earlier. Do these guys not have names?"
"Not yet. But they will someday, because they're people and it's appropriate for people to have names."
"Damn straight." Nyx looks at the level fours, who, before he came over, had been huddled together like a flock of birds. They're still huddled even now, just in a more organized fashion. "How about this." He points to each ex-MT in turn, starting with the one Prompto addressed and continuing down their formation. "Dove, Sparrow, Lark, Raven, Kestrel, Robin, Wren. What do you think?"
Prompto looks excited. "Those are their names? They all have names now?"
"If they want." Nyx looks at the fours. "Any of you can change your name if you don't like the one I gave you, of course."
The three turns and calls loudly, "Ignis!"
The prince's Hand extracts himself from the group of Crownsguard he was talking to and comes over to them. "Did you need something, Fidelis?"
"You said that during the ceremony, each person and Argentum whose name is called will walk across the stage to receive their commendation."
"Yes, that's correct."
"The Argentums who don't have names yet will have their numbers called instead."
"Yes."
"The level fours didn't have names before the programs were printed, but now they do. Will they be called by their numbers or their names?"
Scientia looks around at the fours, then lifts his tablet. "It's too late to reprint the programs, but I can certainly update your registrations and inform the master of ceremonies. 3104, what is your name?"
"This...this unit's name is Dove," the level four says, his voice raspy and quiet. To Nyx's gratification, every single four decides to go with the name Nyx chose. He's grinning like an idiot by the end.
"Excellent," Scientia says. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Fidelis."
Later, during the ceremony itself, Nyx notices how each level four stands straighter when his name is called, their unsmiling faces seeming to glow with what Nyx hopes is pride. Later still, during the reception, it's impossible to not notice that the clump of fours seems to be following Nyx as he drifts from group to group.
He finally turns and regards the little flock directly. They all straighten up under his regard. "No point denying it, huh," he chuckles, feeling a mix of trepidation and affection. Of course there's no reply, but the fours watch him, managing to project a hopeful air despite their lack of facial expression.
Nyx gives in, accepting the fact that he has seven new proteges. He's definitely going to make his friends help him with this - he's already feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility even though he's barely even started. "All right, birdies. Tomorrow. I can't make it official or fit you all into my apartment, but I'll see what I can do, yeah?"
Their comprehension is doubtful, but they all salute in unison, anyway. By the end of the night, Nyx has succeeded in persuading all of them to try their first taste of ice cream. They seem to like it, as far as he can tell. He decides that his mentorship is off to a decent start.
o.o.o
A/N: My working title for this fic was "Get Wrecked, Glauca." XD