Get in time traveller

[warmgaze]

[Altissia. The ring, burning into his finger, burning into his skull, and he knows the price without asking, knows before it's paid. The thing you value most, isn't that always how this works in fairytales?

Ravus. Noctis. Ardyn, and that little revelation barely enters his mind at the time, the familiar glowing signature of a warp in an unfamiliar color. The prophecy, the visions that hang in his mind, a last wish from a woman who spent her life to ensure it, Lunafreya's final message to ensure that Noctis would survive.

The last clear words he can remember clearly, You've a calling to fulfill, and then Prompto and Gladio's voices, concerned, in a blur...

And then nothing. Just the feeling of a ring's power, setting him alight from fingertips to crown -

It's still in him, that power. The ring of the Lucii binds to its wearers for life, knotting strands of light into their souls, be they kings or anyone else.

(He had expected to die. Living is harder.)

And in the depths of his unconsciousness, in the place where he knows the things that he hasn't had time to consider, Noctis and Ardyn and prophecy and all of that terrible weight -

From there, from the connection of the fire in his soul that will never go out, that can only be smothered and locked away in the dark, a voice says, what would you give to change fate?

And, of course, he answers, Anything.

----

In another world, Ignis Scientia wakes in Altissia, his face scarred, his vision burned away, and continues on.

In this one, Prompto Argentum enters the room just in time to see a flare of purple flame lick along his friend's body and leave nothing behind, not even a char mark on the wrinkled sheets.

And Ignis?

Ignis wakes, with a groan and a hand pressed to his face, in the back of a cart that trundles to a stop to pick up another passenger, a young healer with cheeks not yet sunken by pain and eyes not yet yellowed by plague. He wakes bereft, on some fundamental level, of the touch of magic that bound him to Noctis, the hum of energy that bound retainer to prince...

He wakes with the imprint of a ring on his finger, the memory of agreeing, and not the damnedest idea where he is.]

Comments

[founderinglight]

I - I would never -

[He pulls Ardyn close, fiercely, as though to protect him from Ignis with his eyes alone.]

I would never. There must be some mistake.

[burninglight]

No...that's what I said, too. Don't be angry with him, just...hear us out.

If I became something else--if I turned into a monster, if I ceased to even be human...what would you do?

[founderinglight]

...I don't know. I...

[He squeezes Ardyn's shoulder and looks away.]

I was always prepared for the possibility that you'd catch the Scourge yourself. In a normal way, not... this. I knew it was possible, and if you did become a daemon, I was prepared to take care of it.

[The finality of the statement makes it clear exactly what he means.]

[burninglight]

I think that's...probably what happened. In some measure--I can't really grasp the possible details. I know you and Gil would never hurt me, but I-...I--

[founderinglight]

Shhh, Ardyn, it's alright. I'm here. I'm not going to leave you. No matter what darkness comes, you will always be my brother.

[burninglight]

...I'm scared. I don't know what to do. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I--how can I just stop trying to help people?

[founderinglight]

I don't know, either. I don't...

[I don't want this.]

...Why did it have to be us? Our family?

[burninglight]

...don't know.

[But he at least seemed to be relaxing a little at a time, curling up against his brother like the last anchor to sanity.]

[founderinglight]

Rhetorical, dear brother.

[There's none of the gentle teasing in it there might otherwise be. He's not in good enough shape for that, just clutching Ardyn against his side.]

[burninglight]

...sorry. This is all my fault.

[founderinglight]

It is not. How can it be your fault, when it was the gods who gave you such a flawed power?

[burninglight]

I should have said something far sooner than this. I-...I shouldn't have just...accepted all of it.

[founderinglight]

Yes, you should have. You're an idiot and I've been worried about you for months. But that doesn't mean that all of this is your fault.

[burninglight]

...still sorry.

[just shut up and hug him your brother is Very Tired]

[founderinglight]

That, I'll allow.

[You're still dumb and he's still a little mad, it's just the issue of you becoming the avatar of hellplague is a little more important.]

[burninglight]

[give him a second he's kinda coming down off flirting with a panic attack and dealing with emotions is A Lot]

...love you.

[being a lucis caelum he might just take a goddamn nap here]

[founderinglight]

[Yeah you know that sounds good honestly?

Ignis you know how to work an oven timer go be in charge of dinner.]

Love you, too.

[burninglight]

[okay well don't mind him if he just falls asleep on you, lil brother]

[founderinglight]

[LET THE LINE OF LUCIS NAP and Ignis will rescue dinner and leave it out for whenever these losers get up I guess.]

[burninglight]

[Eventually, things settled down somewhat; everyone had something to eat and the worst of the initial storm was generally behind them.]

[Late that night, a quiet knock came on the door of the guest room; it wouldn't take a genius to predict it was a tired and worn down Ardyn on the other side.]

[warmgaze]

[No genius, indeed. It's only a moment before Ignis appears to slide the door open, his shirt half-undone for sleep.]

Is everything alright?

[burninglight]

I'm...sorry, did I wake you?

[warmgaze]

Don't worry about it. I've awakened to far worse.

[But the lack of glasses indicates that that's probably the case, yeah.]

[burninglight]

Forgive me for troubling you. I just-...I couldn't sleep.

[Which was enough of a red flag that something was wrong, considering sleep was probably Ardyn's favorite thing.]

Could I-...would you mind company?

[warmgaze]

Of course not. Please, do come in.

[There's bed enough for snuggling. He steps aside to close the door after Ardyn's through.]