Chapter Text
As the swords of his ancestors tore through him, as the flashes of blue light filtered past his eyelids, the images of his friends, and of Luna flashed through his mind. The last one struck, and there was only his father left standing before him. He felt the King’s very solid, very real blade pierce his chest.
The entrance to the Astral realm. Ardyn standing before him. His friends by his side. Calling his ancestors once more. And Ardyn falling, turning to nothing. The last of Noct's strength left him and he could feel his body and soul fading into an inky black void.
Despite how ready he had told himself he was, it terrified him. It was over. There was nothing more. And yet, there was relief as he realised there was nothing more. There were no more responsibilities required of him. He could rest now.
“It’s finally over.”
...
Then he was falling, and his vision exploded with light. He let out a cry of surprise as his knees hit something hard and black.
Everything bombarded his senses at once - phantom pain from swords launched at his body, tearing through flesh, voices shouting, heat on his skin, rough ground under his palms.
And screaming that wouldn’t stop, ringing in his ears.
Everything. Too much.
...
So bright. Blurry shadows moved rapidly around him. Something was grabbing him, and he realised he was falling sideways. He blinked, trying to clear his eyes.
The screaming stopped, and the voices returned, calling his name.
He could hear his pulse pounding in his ears, but how could that be? He was dead.
...
He was dead. Wasn’t he?
Gods, why did everything hurt? Why was it so bright? Was he being punished? Had he done something wrong?
“NOCT!” Prompto had looked over to see his best friend turn deathly pale and fall to his hands and knees. Only a moment later, Noct was screaming, the most awful, painful sound Prompto had ever heard.
Ignis slammed his foot on the brake seconds after Prompto’s cry, causing Gladio to crash into the back of the suddenly-halted Regalia. About to shout a few curses of his own at the other two for messing around while he was doing all the work, the words died on his lips when he saw his Prince on his knees.
Prompto was already sliding across the hood of the Regalia, falling to his knees in front of Noct, frantically calling his name.
Ignis was next, jumping over the car doors to fall to one knee beside his prince, trying to gauge the situation. There were no monsters around. Noct appeared simply to have fallen, and was clearly in too much pain to register Prompto’s frantic calling.
Then Gladio was beside him.
“What the hell happened?” he yelled, just as Noct’s screams stopped. The boy pitched sideways, right into Ignis’s waiting arms.
Quickly, Ignis felt for a pulse. Noct’s eyes were closed now. He was gasping for breath, his body completely limp, but his pulse was thankfully easy to find as it raced in his throat.
“He just fell over and started screaming,” Prompto wailed, eyes wide with shock. “I don’t understand.”
“It appears he is ill,” said Ignis, trying to remain calm and recall any moments Noct had displayed any sign of being unwell since that morning. He had been moody, probably anxious at what was ahead of him. Nothing unusual.
He and Prompto had put on the expected display when the Regalia had broken down, not wanting to push and pretending to be far more exhausted and put out than they actually were.
Perhaps he had misjudged his prince, and he had actually been ill all this time. Was it perhaps something to do with the Crystal? Was the increasing distance from it causing this sudden attack?
“Ignis?”
“Pardon?” He blinked and looked up at the large man standing above him. Gladio looked far more concerned than Ignis had ever remembered seeing him. He looked down at Noct in his arms once more. “One of us needs to go ahead and call into the garage for help.”
“Prompto and I can keep pushing,” Gladio said. “Or maybe we can just leave the car here and walk to Hammerhead. It can’t be too much further.”
Ignis paused.
“I think that would be best. Are you able to carry him all that way?”
“Of course,” Gladio grunted, leaning forward and lifting the much smaller boy into his arms. “He weighs nothing.” A little awkwardly, he pulled Noct onto his back, holding onto his legs so he wouldn’t slip off. Ignis was there, settling Noct’s arms over Gladio’s shoulders.
Gladio waited while the other two grabbed a few things from the car.
Prompto was completely freaked out, grabbing bottles of water at Ignis's command. He kept glancing up at Gladio- no, at Noct. Gladio could feel Noct’s breath, slowing now, like he was sleeping, and hadn’t just been screaming loud enough for all of Eos to hear.
It was going to be fine, he told himself. Just another hiccup on this trip. They must just be getting all their bad luck out right off the bat. Noct would get some rest and wake up fine tomorrow. The Regalia would be fixed at Hammerhead, ready to head off to Altissia in no time.
“Shall we go?” Ignis said, calm as always, as if they were about to head off on a Sunday picnic.
“Let’s move. The faster we get there, the sooner we can get him fixed up,” Gladio agreed.
Prompto nodded, walking close to Gladio and Noct. The gunman was trying to control his panic. He couldn’t stop his eyes straying constantly towards Noct as they walked. He was used to seeing the young prince sleeping, but he had never looked this deathly pale before. He lay limp on Gladio’s back, head bobbing gently as the older man walked, hair stuck to his face, slick with sweat. Prompto reached up and pushed it out of his eyes.
Gladio tipped his head to the side and raised an eyebrow as he caught Prompto's worried gaze.
“Don’t worry Prom, he’ll be fine.”
Prompto looked away quickly.
“I know.” He put his arms behind his head trying to look casual and unconcerned. “He’s probably faking, just didn’t want to push anymore,” he joked.
“Yeah, that must be it. We’ll get to Hammerhead and he’ll miraculously recover.”
“I’m just mad I didn’t think of it first,” Prompto added with a grin.
“We must hope so,” Ignis chimed in. “Because the only alternative is that our Prince is gravely ill, and we have no clue as to what is wrong with him.”
Everyone fell to silence at that, the briefly-light mood gone. Ignis instantly regretting saying anything.
“Do you think it’s the Crystal?” Gladiolus asked, his voice sombre.
“I wonder that myself,” Ignis said. “It may be possible, but I’ve not heard of such a thing. I know it does drain him, but nothing like this. There is nothing I can think of that would cause so sudden an attack, nor cause him so much pain.”
Gladio frowned, shifting Noct’s weight slightly on his back.
“Should we tell the King?”
“Perhaps, if he does not improve. But let us get to Hammerhead, and see how he goes. If there is no change by this afternoon, we will contact the King. Let us hope there will be no need.”
For Noct, opening his eyes was like swimming to the surface of a pool of custard. His whole body felt so heavy, and his eyes refused to cooperate. He was ready to give up when he felt a hand on his arm.
“Noct, you in there, buddy?” It was Prompto’s voice, but instead of cheerful, it sounded strained and concerned. It was what he needed to force his eyes open.
“Woah, Noct! Don’t try to get up yet!”
Huh? He’d hadn’t realised he had been trying. He stilled, and blinked away his fuzzy vision to see Prompto hovering over him, a huge smile on his face.
“Oh man, you really are awake. Thank the gods.” He turned his head and called behind him. “Ignis, Gladio! He’s awake!”
Noct tipped his head to the side. He was indoors, somewhere, on a bed. Had he been knocked out in battle…? What…?
He gasped as a ghost of blue flashed towards him, jerking as it launched at his chest. Prompto was there, hand on his arm, as he gasped for breath.
Oh god, oh god, he was supposed to be dead. What was this? How was this happening? Was this some kind of dream? Was this the afterlife?
“Noctis, breathe,” murmured a calm voice in his ear. He felt himself being pulled upright, felt a hand rubbing his back. Ignis was there, supporting his weakened body. Prompto rubbed his back, and behind them both he could see Gladio, arms crossed, looking concerned.
“W-where?” he rasped “Where are…”
“Hammerhead. The car is being repaired as we speak. You collapsed as we were pushing it. We were forced to abandon it in order to carry you here. We had it towed once we arrived.”
“Repaired? I…” Then he looked at Ignis. He really looked, and his body started trembling. “Ignis, your eyes! You…” The man before him, ten years younger than when he had last seen him, had clear eyes, his face unscarred. He turned to look at each of his friends. It was as if he had gone back in time. Back to…
“Hammerhead,” he whispered. “The car broke down. We had to push it to Hammerhead. Cindy had to fix it. We…”
“It’s okay, buddy, we’ve got it sorted. Don’t worry about the car,” Prompto said, frowning.
Noct was reeling. He was back at the beginning. Back when they had left Insomnia. Back where everything had started. But did that mean…
“Dad…”
“We were only moments away from contacting the King to inform him of your illness, but your return to consciousness rendered it unnecessary," said Ignis. "How do you feel? Do you wish me to call him?” Ignis scanned the young Prince's face. Noct's eyes were darting between each of the three faces before him, wide and panicked, as if he didn’t fully understand where he was or what was happening. He didn’t have a fever. Perhaps a nightmare?
Noct pushed away the hands holding him. His dad was still alive. Insomnia hadn’t been attacked yet, they still had time.
“Call him, Ignis. We have to warn him.”
“Warn him about what?” Gladio frowned.
“Noct, I think…” Ignis started, gently trying to push the flailing boy back onto the bed.
“Call him, he needs to know Niflheim is coming, he needs to…”
It hit him. Of course. His father already knew Niflheim was coming. He already knew. He had sent his son away for that reason, to keep him safe until the end. His father had known all along.
He choked on a loud sob. Fuck. Why was this happening to him? If something had truly gone wrong, if he truly was back at the beginning, what was the point? Everything that had happened, had to happen. His father dying, his kingdom falling... Ten years of darkness which led to his ultimate sacrifice to destroy Ardyn. So many lives lost, and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t protect his kingdom, or even his friends. Every innocent life lost was going to end no matter what he did.
“Noct.” Ignis spoke again, the older man forcing Noct to look him in the eyes. His very whole, uninjured eyes, looking far too concerned about him. Ignis had Noct’s hands and was holding them tight, trying to bring the young Prince back to them.
Trying to calm his breathing, Noct blinked away his tears and attempted to focus on his friend.
“You are safe, Noctis. We are in no danger,” Ignis said, slowly and calmly. “We are en route to Altissia, bringing you to Lady Lunafreya. Do you remember? There is no need for concern. Niflheim will soon be under treaty. They have no need to attack.”
Noct could feel himself nodding. What more could he do? Announce to his friends that this was his second time living this life? That no, everything was not going to be okay?
“You should try and rest," said Ignis. "Take this, it will help.” Noct was about to argue, knowing there was no way he could sleep, but he drank the offered potion. He could feel the Crystal turning it into healing magic, the panic fading from his body. He was nodding again, his eyelids slipping closed. His magic knew he needed sleep. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept peacefully. Where would he be when he woke up? Maybe this was just a dream, or maybe everything that happened was just a dream. Maybe he was just sick, and hallucinating everything.
Maybe…
Ignis let out a long breath as Noct’s eyes fluttered shut. It wasn't long before the Prince was sleeping calmly. Ignis didn’t know what to think. Noct was clearly unwell to the point of hallucination, and possibly lucid nightmares.
“Wow.” Beside him, Prompto let out his own sigh. Gladio was already walking away.
“What the hell happened to him?” he muttered, sitting heavily at the table. “It’s like he’s forgotten where he is. Did you see the way he looked at us? It was like he hadn’t seen us in a long time.”
“Indeed. His mind is playing tricks on him, but for the life of me, I cannot understand the source. All I can be sure of is that he is ill. Perhaps sleep and potions will help. Beyond that, we must hope his magic will help heal him.”
Prompto sat on the edge of Noct’s bed, staring thoughtfully down at the Prince. His teeth worried the corner of his lip. Something about all this felt way off to him. Something else was wrong. He just couldn’t figure out what.