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“Blessed stars of life and light, deliver us from darkness blight.”
“Lunafreya?” Ravus said as his eyes blinked open, only to find himself lying on the ground in a frighteningly unfamiliar place. He sat up slowly and was met by the sight of four men hovering over and around him.
“Holy shit, dude!” the young blond man exclaimed as he pulled at the sleeve of the dark haired young man that was closest to his own height. “What the hell just happened?”
Another man asked softly, “Might I also inquire as to what has taken place?” As Ravus turned his gaze to the man, he realized that he was blind. Painful looking scar tissue could be clearly seen around the dark glasses he wore.
“I would also care to know how it is I have come to be here,” Ravus said firmly as he rose to his feet. He was wearing a long, unfamiliar white military coat that was significantly too large for him. Oddly enough, the entire left arm of the coat appeared to be missing, leaving the skin of his left arm completely bare and exposed.
The largest man of the party stepped forward as Ravus moved, pushing his companions behind him with an outstretched arm and a defensive stance.
“It’s okay, Gladio,” the young dark haired man said authoritatively as he gently touched the man’s arm to lower it. “Stand down.”
“What if it's another one of Ardyn’s tricks?” Gladio hissed as he remained planted firmly in front of his companions.
“It’s not,” the dark haired man said confidently as he stepped past his protective companion and towards Ravus. “It’s Oracle magic.”
Ravus peered at the man intensely. There was something strangely familiar about him, but he couldn’t quite figure out why. “Do I know you? Where is my mother and my sister? Are they safe?”
The man flinched at Ravus’ words, his face twisting into a painful expression that was elevated by the sadness radiating in his eyes. “You do know me,” he answered, “but not the way you likely remember. How old are you, Ravus?”
“Sixteen,” Ravus answered, puzzled. “But I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
“I am Noctis Lucis Caelum. I was eight years old when we met for the first time in Tenebrae. That was around twelve years ago.”
Ravus startled badly, and looked at the man’s… Noctis’ face more closely. There was indeed a striking resemblance between the shy boy he’d seen playing quietly with Lunafreya what seemed like only an hour or so ago, and the young adult who stood before him.
A bubbing, gurgling sound erupted nearby from somewhere.
“Perhaps a strategic retreat back to one of the bunkers is in order as we sort all of this out,” the blind man stated calmly, as a spear was called magically to his hands in a blue flash.
Likewise the other men summoned their respective arms, a sword for Noctis, broadsword for Gladio, and a pistol for the blond man whose name he’d not yet gathered. Ravus reached for his scabbard and found it empty.
Noctis looked at Ravus appraisingly and then offered his own blade to him, handle first. “Can you wield this? There’s no time to explain, but there are daemons that we’re going to need to fight our way through to safety.”
Ravus accepted the offered blade and adjusted his grip, testing its weight. “It is heavier than I am accustomed to, but it will suffice.”
Noctis nodded and summoned a different blade to his hands as he commanded, “Gladio, with me in the lead. We’re backtracking to the nearest bunker. Prompto, bring up the rear and keep an eye on Ignis.”
“I’ll keep two eyes on him,” the blond, presumably Prompto, replied.
“Okay, let’s move,” Noctis said as he forged ahead.
Ravus took a position in the middle of their party. While he’d not been explicitly instructed to do so, he decided he would be best served taking up a position on the other side of the blind man… Ignis, while Prompto covered them all from behind. The sickening, gurgling sound grew louder as masses of daemons rose from the floor surrounding their party in overwhelming numbers. He threw himself into battle, his arm burning from the unfamiliar weight of the sword he’d been lended, as he defended himself and his companions from the onslaught. He’d never seen so many varieties of daemon spawn in a single location before, and certainly not whilst indoors.
Noctis warped from place to place in an impressive display of speed, undoubtably exactly who he’d claimed to be given Ravus’ knowledge of the Lucian royal line and the magical talents they were capable of accessing.
Uncertain of exactly how long the battle progressed, Ravus lost himself in the rhythm of fighting, ignoring the burning of his sword arm as he persevered. Suddenly, there was a cry and a crash as Ignis lost his footing and stumbled to the ground, leaving him vulnerable as a daemon descended upon him from above. Ravus instinctively moved to defend him, unthinkingly raising his bare left arm to reflect the blow. Before the strike could land upon his flesh, a blinding burst of light came forth from Ravus’ outstretched palm, bathing the entire battlefield in its glow. Daemonic screams filled the air with a deafening cadence as they shriveled and died under the effects of the light, and when it faded, there was no sign of any of their assailants.
Ravus looked at his hand in shock as his borrowed blade slipped from his other one and clattered to the ground with a reverberating clang. “This—this is not possible,” he stammered. “The power… it is my mother’s and my sister’s to wield. I shouldn’t…” He trailed off and looked at his companions who were staring at him with just as much confusion as he felt. Then as Ravus’ eyes fell upon Ignis, who was still sprawled upon the ground, he swallowed his emotions and offered the man a hand.
“We should head to that bunker before any more decide to spawn,” Gladio said gruffly as Ravus helped Ignis to his feet and Prompto rushed forward to assist in steadying him.
“Yeah…” Noctis said as he shook his head and reclaimed his leading position. “This way. It's not far.”
“Thank you,” Ignis said as he released Ravus’ hand.
Ravus let out a grunt of acknowledgement so the man could hear it, but he was entirely unable to vocalize coherently at the moment. Still feeling a little dazed from the unexplained phenomenon that had just occurred he bent down to retrieve his borrowed sword from where he’d dropped it and followed Noctis and Gladio out of the large room and down the hall to a small barracks.
The five of them piled into the tight space, lined with bunk beds along the walls. It was clean but utterly industrial, and devoid of any sort of personality that would have been expected to have been reflected by the room’s usual occupants. Gladio took a standing position near the door, while Prompto got Ignis settled on one of the lower bunks.
“We should be safe here,” Gladio said to address Ravus’ unasked question. “Don’t know why exactly but the daemons never spawn inside the bunkers. We’ll take shifts standing guard just in case though.”
Ravus nodded his acknowledgment and then turned to Noctis. “What happened to me? I believe you to be who you claim to be, and yet— you were a child but hours ago, playing with my sister.”
“It’s a long story,” Noctis sighed warily as he took a seat on a bunk across the room from Ignis and fidgeted with the ring on his finger—a ring Ravus had last seen gracing the hand of King Regis. “You’ll probably hate me again by the end of it.”
Hate him? Ravus thought to himself, puzzled. Gladio crossed his arms and leaned back against the closed door. Ravus took a seat next to Ignis while Prompto crossed the room to sit beside Noctis. He raised his eyes to meet Noctis’ firmly and commanded, “Tell me anyway. I shall listen.”
So Noctis did, awkwardly weaving a tale that seemed far too fantastical to be believed. About the fall of Tenebrae, the murder of his mother, his conscription into the service of the Empire, and trials endured by his sister in a gilded cage. About the fall of Insomnia, the murder of Noctis’ father, and Ravus’ own role in the attack, resulting in the loss of his left arm for daring to try and claim the power of the Lucii for his own. The other three chimed in from time to time whenever Noctis’ pauses drew uncomfortably long, or when they had relevant details to contribute.
The tale continued, about Ardyn Izunia and his murder of Lunafreya at the Altar of the Tidemother in Altissia. Ignis took over briefly to recount their alliance of convenience as they’d fought their way to aid Lunafreya and Noctis, only to be too late to save his sister. How Ignis had only barely managed to save Noctis by calling on the power of the Lucian kings of old, at the expense of his eyesight.
“Specs,” Noctis said mournfully—clearly only having heard the details of this part of the story for the first time himself.
“I’d do it again without hesitation,” Ignis said firmly.
Gladio and Prompto were both weeping silently. Noctis looked like he wanted to argue, but instead picked up the thread of the story. How Noctis had been tricked by illusions conjured by Ardyn that resulted in Prompto’s separation from the group and capture. The way they found Tenebrae in ashes as they made their way to the seat of the Empire in pursuit of the stolen Crystal. The way Noctis had been cut off from most of his powers as he fought alone through the Keep, reuniting with Ignis and Gladio after they’d been separated and rescuing Prompto, before finally bringing the tale to a conclusion.
“You’d transformed most of the way into a daemon,” Noctis said solemnly as he met Ravus’ eyes head on. “You seemed aware, but unable to control your actions. You begged me to put an end to it. So I did what you asked. We fought, and in the end, I thought I’d put you down. But when your daemonic body hit the floor, there was a surge of blinding white light, not unlike what you summoned when you defended Ignis.”
Noctis’ eyes grew misty and his voice cracked as he added, “I thought for a second I heard Luna’s voice.” He shook his head to clear it and continued, “When we were able to see again, you were yourself again, whole again, and apparently the same age as you were when we first met. I don’t know how, or why, but I think somehow—Luna blessed you and passed along her gift.”
A tear tracked down Ravus’ cheek. To have endured such massive loss, and to have zero recollection of it at all— it was overwhelming. Yet he did not doubt it was the truth. “I apologize for the role I played in your own losses,” Ravus said as he opened and closed the fingers of his left hand—the hand that by all accounts should no longer exist. “But why should my sister save me, let alone pass her gift to me, given that I am clearly unworthy of it?”
Ignis cleared his throat, drawing the group’s attention before he stated, “I… might have an idea as to why.”
“Specs…?” Noctis asked hesitantly.
“Before my vision was cut off permanently as it were,” Ignis began, “I received a prophetic vision which disturbed me so greatly, I selfishly attempted to convince Noctis to abandon the Crystal, cut our losses, and return to Lucis.”
“Iggy?” Gladio asked with a betrayed expression. “Why would you…?”
“The fulfillment of the Prophecy—it would claim your life, Noctis,” Ignis said plainly.
“What?!” Prompto shouted, all color draining from his face as he absorbed Ignis’ declaration.
Noctis looked down at the ground, hiding his face in his hands as Ignis continued to speak.
“But… as the vision came to me upon the untimely demise of Lady Lunafreya—perhaps my vision need only be the truth in the absence of an Oracle to stand at the True King’s side?” Ignis’ voice was hopeful as he turned his unseeing eyes to Ravus, and winced in pain, presumably as his tears escaped from around the angry scar tissue that marred his features.
The room drew silent as everyone tried to process the bombshell revelation that Ignis had dropped in their laps. Gladio slid to a seat on the floor with his back pressed up against the door, looking distraught. Prompto had drawn an arm tightly around Noctis’ shoulder. Noctis dropped his hands from his face, and seemed to lean his weight into the comfort his friend was offering, but didn’t look up from the floor.
“I do not know if I am an Oracle,” Ravus said quietly as he once again stared at the hand that he should no longer have. Then he looked up at Ignis’ face, knowing the hopeful expression he wore was not for his own sake, but for Noctis’. “I am unworthy of such power. I do not know if I can stop your vision from coming to pass but… perhaps, with your permission, Ignis, I could try and see if I can at least ease your discomfort.”
Ignis visibly startled, and Ravus could feel the weight of the gaze of the other three companions as they lifted their eyes to him once more.
“It’s up to you, Specs,” Noctis said softly, his voice cracking with emotion.
A long silent moment passed before Ignis finally answered quietly, “Alright,” and removed his dark glasses. Angry, red scar tissue which clearly had not had long to heal since the injuries had been inflicted, were scattered across Ignis’ face and eyes. One eye was completely fuzed shut, whilst the other was open but had a milky white haze over top of the iris.
“Close your eye,” Ravus instructed. “I’m going to place my hands over your eyes.”
Ignis nodded and did so. The room was so quiet Ravus was certain he could have heard a pin drop, and he felt the intensity of the six other sets of eyes staring at him increase. Ever so gently, Ravus placed his hands over Ignis’ eyes. He recalled watching his mother whenever she healed and the words came naturally to his tongue. “Blessed stars of life and light, deliver us from darkness blight.”
The light that came forth from his hands was gentle this time, not blinding, and as he focused his energy on healing the wounds that were causing Ignis pain, Ravus felt the phantom of a pair of delicate hands lay atop of his own.
“Be happy dearest brother. Don’t let Noctis near the Crystal. Have them return with you to Tenebrae. For there shall you all find the answers you seek.”
“Lunafreya,” Ravus called to her as the touch faded with the light, and when he removed his hands, the scar tissue was gone from around Ignis’ eyes, leaving behind unobstructed, clear, smooth skin.
Prompto gasped. Gladio clambered to his feet. Noctis rose from the bed and immediately dropped to his knees at Ignis’ feet, reaching out to grab his hand. Ignis took a shaky breath and then opened his eyes. Eyes that were bright, green, and clear.
“Noct,” Ignis sobbed as he too fell to the floor and practically tackled the other man in a hug. “I can see you.”
Prompto and Gladio also fell to their knees, throwing their arms around both Ignis and Noctis as the four of them cried in relief. Ravus remained seated on the edge of the bed, his eyes averted awkwardly as the other four men worked through their emotions.
“Thank you,” Ignis said sincerely as he regained control of himself and rose to his feet. “I fear I cannot express how much this means to me.”
“Means to us,” Noctis added as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
Ravus nodded. “I do not know if you could hear it or not, but Lunafreya spoke to me as the healing took place.”
Noctis shook his head. “No, I didn’t hear her this time.”
“My sister bade me to keep you away from the Crystal and said the five of us would find the answers we seek if we return to Tenebrae.”
“Whadda, say Princess, ready to get the hell out of here?” Gladio asked Noctis as he stood up.
“More than ready,” Noctis said as he and Prompto also rose to their feet.
“Indeed. I daresay we’ve all had enough of Imperial hospitality,” Ignis said as he pulled a pair of glasses out of thin air and set them gently in place on the bridge of his nose.
“Talk about the understatement of the century,” Prompto said with a roll of his eyes. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Noctis tilted his head in Ravus’ direction. “How about you, Ravus? Ready to get moving?”
“Yes,” Ravus answered as he rose smoothly to his feet. “I am ready.”
It would be difficult. Ravus knew his country would not be as he remembered it. But as he followed Noctis back out into the daemon laden halls he knew was ready to return home. Ravus was certain once they arrived there they would all find the answers they seeked. Afterall, once made, his sister never was one to break a promise.