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The sky turned darker. Something serious was going on, they all knew that. It started raining all of a sudden, like it was to confirm the bad feeling they had about this. And they had to hurry up to find out what was going on.
It was only when they saw the silhouette of who they thought had to be the Oracle on the ground, her white dress now stained with blood, that they understood how serious things were.
“Oh no...”, Prompto whispered, panic in his voice.
Gladiolus stamped his feet.
“Shit !”
King Regis was dead and Noctis and Lunafreya were the only people who could save the kingdom of Lucis. “Save” was not really in order actually, given to the events and the current states of the empire. If the Oracle was to die, what could Noctis possibly do all by himself against a whole empire ? His heart pounding, Noctis ran towards his fiancée, and held her in his arms to wake her up. She opened her eyes with difficulty, but at least, he now knew that she was not dead. Even though he knew she would die in a few minutes.
“Luna ?”, said the prince with a very low and shaky voice.
The moment she saw him, Luna greeted him with a smile. Like all of her wounds have disappeared. Seeing her face like that, you wouldn’t believe that woman has been stabbed. But unfortunately, her smile dropped within seconds. She coughed frowning.
“I’m here that you came”, she tried to say.
From afar, Ignis was trying to understand what happened by scanning his surroundings. Buildings were destroyed, vehicles burnt, dozens of corpses… Has Luna been victim from savage people or was it something else ? Or someone else ?
“What happened here ?”
The only answer he received was a sigh coming from Prompto, a few meters away from him. He was standing up, his head bowed and his eyes focused on a spear inside the chest of some soldier. At least, now they were sure it’s been Niflheim’s doing and not monsters. Noctis didn’t pay attention to his friends behind him, focusing only on Luna, his hand on her hip. She tried to take off her hair in her eyes but she was so powerless that she couldn’t even dare to move her arm. Noctis did it for her, and used the opportunity to wipe the blood on her forehead.
“Is… Is King Regis really dead ?”
Noctis frowned without giving her an answer. He saw his dead body, but didn’t want to admit that his father was dead for real. Everything was a nightmare and he’d wake up. It had to. He closed his eyes for a few seconds but had to face reality. That everything that was going on was real, whether we wanted it or not.
“I can’t afford to lose you too”, was the only thing he could say.
“I won’t die. I’ll always be there, won’t I ?”, Luna said, trying with all her might to put her hands on his chest. But it was really quick, her strength becoming weaker and weaker. Her arm touched Noctis’ hand and she didn’t hesitate to put her hand on his. “You can’t… let them win. Not after everything that’s happened.”
And that strengthened the prince’s determination.
“No. I’ll make sure they pay for what they did, trust me.”
When she moved her other hand on her stab wound, Noctis looked away. He was entirely powerless and that was going to make him mad. What was he supposed to do ? Luna slipped her hand inside Noctis’ this time, to comfort him.
“Hey, look at me.” He lifted his head, but didn’t hide the fear that was growing inside of him. “Everything’s gonna be alright. Do you remember when we were young ? You smiled all the time. When did that stop ? You just need to… move forward… like you always did.”
“I’m human, Luna. I’ve got weaknesses and when my enemies reach them, what am I supposed to do ? My shell is all shattered now.”
She tightened her grip on his hand and coughed.
“Are you afraid ?”
“Of course I am !”
Noctis was going to give in. She knew it. He tried not to cry, and his voice was becoming more shaky. Luna breathed with more difficulty than before too. She didn’t have much time left, and she had to make everything to reassure Noctis. Not as an Oracle, but as a fiancée.
“You’re not on your own. Always, remember, that there are people standing by your side, not because you’re their Prince, but because you mean much more than that to them.”
Her vision went all blur all of a sudden. She could barely see. Her head was spinning and aching.
“Noctis, w-where are you ? I-I can no more see you”, she alerted.
She started to feel frightened, too. She braved obstacles before, but she never thought about death. Nor what she could feel when that will happen. Actually, she’s already given some thought, but she thought that it’d be hurtless, that she wouldn’t feel anything at all. However, she was dying, and all of her body ached like hell, like she was burning inside. But she couldn’t cry. So she just smiled anyway.
Noctis took her hand this time, squeezing it hard to make sure she understood that he was by her side.
“I’m right here !”
“I-I… got a… last… wish… Kiss me.”
When she said those words, a tear fell down her right cheek. He knew that Luna was in love with him, he’s known that for years. And he could deny it all he wanted, he knew deep inside of him that he felt the same for her. After all, she’s always been there for him when he needed help, she’s been his greatest support up until now. Even though, they were separated for a long time, inside… They were closer than they thought. In other circumstances, Noctis would’ve been embarrassed about his friends watching him kissing the Oracle, but in the end… It didn’t matter. What mattered, what was Luna survived. He lowered his face to reach her lips and closed his eyes to press his lips on hers. He felt her breath going slower than usual, and that she would die at any moment. If they were in some fairytale, this kiss was supposed to heal her.
But reality was harsh and more difficult to face. He warded his face off and watched Luna closing her eyes, smile on her lips.
“I wish we had more time. Remember… I’ll always be with you. No matter… what.”
Her breathing stopped suddenly and her hand fell on the ground. Noctis felt the tears coming but couldn’t let them fall on his cheeks. He had to be strong. For his kingdom. For his father. For Luna.
“Luna ? Luna ?! Luna ! No… What should I do now… ?”
Noctis’ screams warned his friends behind. They understood. Luna died. Gladio yelled because the king and the Oracle were now dead, and he knew they didn’t stand a chance against Niflheim now. They were going to lose this war.
“Oh God…”, whispered Prompto, his hands hiding his lips.
“It sucks…”, asserted Ignis.
Gladiolus walked towards the prince and put his hand on his shaky shoulder. At this very moment, he understood how fragile his friend was. His whole body was trembling, tears falling down his cheeks, and how was he supposed to lead an entire kingdom at 20 ? How could he help his own people being so savagely killed ?
“She shouldn’t have died”, he whispered, thinking it was the best thing to say.
But the answer he got wasn’t the one he hoped for at all.
“She ‘shouldn’t’ ? NO ONE should have died, Gladio ! Why are they doing this ? What did we do to deserve that ?”
Suddenly, they could hear bombardments and screams. They had to go fast before being attacked by surprise. At any other time, they would’ve fought, but they knew all too well that given the recent events, Noctis couldn’t fight at this instant.
“Uh, guys, we should go”, Ignis advised.
“We can’t just leave her here !”, Prompto shouted, his guns in his hands.
“What other choice do we have ?”
From afar, Noctis murmured:
“Go on ahead. I’ll… catch up with you in a few moments. Just give me some time.”
Gladiolus tapped his shoulder gently and forced a smile to try to make things easier but he knew it wouldn’t work.
“Okay. But make it quick.”
_____________________________________
Noctis watched his friends going on the opposite way. He tried to calm down a little bit, wiped off his own tears and looked up at the sky. It was weird. It was sunny now. He didn’t noticed at all. A few minutes ago, it was like storm was threatening to rage upon them. He put one of his hands on Luna’s cheeks and looked at her. She wasn’t dead. She was just sleeping. That’s what he had to think. That someday, when all of this will be over, that they would be happy again, together this time, and smiling. What was the point in fighting if we didn’t have anything left to survive ? When the only thing left to do is drop his weapon and surrender ? It takes years to learn to fight and defend ourselves, but how long does it take to destroy one’s shell and hopes and dreams ? Noctis sighed.
“I didn’t have any visions. What does that mean ? Are you really dead ? Luna, give me a sign. That nothing of this has happened. That you’re alive.”
He laughed, for no reason.
“Ha. And here I am talking all by myself. Like she could hear me. Luna, I can’t… I can’t say goodbye. Not now, not… ever. So I guess…”
He looked at his surroundings and saw the scepter a few meters away from him. That was the scepter she always hear in her hands. He wore her lifeless body and put gently against a wall. Afer that, he took the scepter in his hands and kissed her forehead for one last time.
“I’ll see you later then.”
He turned back and started walking. Not once in his life, he felt the burden to even stand up and walk that heavy. He promised Luna to make Niflheim pay for what they did. And he’ll do it, by all means. A small glow lighted her scepter, but not visible enough for him to see.