Chapter Text
Everything is permitted, nothing is true . . .
High atop the Citadel, he waits. The air of the Crown City is thick with the scent of evil in the air. There is only one who works in shadow. A protector of the lost and forgotten, a light for those who seek the hand of justice in a corrupt world.
He has no name . . . for he is an Assassin. He is the hidden blade of righteousness.
The edge looms closer as the assassin shifts on his feet; his target far below walks the city streets. He waits until his target crosses into the square. In a single movement, the assassin stands, arms outstretched shifting closer to the edge until-
“Give me the controller! Come on, Noct, it’s my turn!” Prompto yanked the cordless controller, hitting the directional stick. “Oops.” The two watched as the character on the screen wobbled and fell awkwardly from the tip of the spire only to land on the stones below, arms and legs skewed in awkward positions.
“Oops? Prompto! You killed my assassin! Again!” Noctis yanked the controller from Prompto’s greedy hands. “Now I have to start the mission over. Not. Cool.”
Falling back against the couch, Prompto whined. “It’s my turn.”
Noctis shrugged. “Sorry, but royalty. Gives me first dibs.”
A short kick to the coffee table caused Noctis and Prompto to complain. “Careful big guy, we’re breakable.”
Resting a book on the armchair, Gladio leaned forward. “Both of you are annoying and pissing me off. Quit it. Noct, give the whiner the controller. He’ll die in five minutes and then you can play again.”
“Hey!”
A soft chuckle from Noctis saw him hand the controller to Prompto. “Here. Your turn.”
“That’s not fair, Noct! You keep distracting me with your voiceover.” Prompto affected a deeper voice ‘he is the hidden blade of righteousness’, Dude. You’re killing me.”
Gladio fell back against the armchair. “How much longer are you two amateurs going to keep trying to get past the first mission?”
“Like you could do any better, Gladio,” Noctis said.
Lacing his fingers together, Gladio stretched his arms out and rolled his neck. “Give it here, Prompto.” Gladio held out his hand.
“No, I don’t think so, you just said it was my turn.” Prompto held the controller behind his back. “You can wait.”
Standing quickly, Gladio pointed toward Prompto and scowled sending him stumbling back a few steps. Noctis stood between them, “Gladio’s joking, relax.”
After a few tense seconds, Gladio smiled and his rich laughter filled the room before he sat down again. “Wuss.”
Exhaling, Prompto dropped to the floor, wagging his finger toward Gladio. “I’m young and impressionable you know. You shouldn’t do stuff like that, Gladio.”
“It was a joke Prompto. . . like your gaming.” Gladio picked up his book once more.
Silent up until this point in the conversation, Ignis spoke from his workspace at the table. “Perhaps another game; one that isn’t quite so difficult.”
Head still buried in his book, Gladio responded before the others. “That pretty much eliminates everything they’ve got, Iggy.”
“Blessed silence, then.”