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

[warmgaze]

...Don't concern yourself on my account.

[That's not yes. He's well aware that that isn't yes.]

[burninglight]

It's rather my job to concern myself on others' accounts.

[He pulled up a chair, sitting across from Ignis and leaning on his brother's desk.]

[warmgaze]

You've done more than enough for me.

[And he should know better, than to accept it, than to believe -

(But why wouldn't it be real, at this point? A younger Ardyn, with no reason to suspect that Ignis is anything but what he sees - ) ]

[burninglight]

There's no such thing as doing 'more than enough' for someone. If someone should be distressed or in pain, I help them. There should be no limit to compassion.

[warmgaze]

Perhaps not. But I feel there may be a limit in what I'm comfortable accepting from one person.

[He's trying so hard to not get attached. And yet... He's failing miserably.

People aren't made to carry their burdens alone. Isn't that why Noctis had all of them in the first place?]

I... fear I have nowhere to go save here, and no way to see those I love again.

[burninglight]

...I'm sorry. Did something happen to them?

[warmgaze]

It is more that something happened to me, I think. I cannot help but think that I've failed them.

[A careful dodge. Possibly transparent as one, but... Ardyn hasn't pushed him, yet. He has to hope that pattern will hold true. At least until he can decide what to do about all this.]

[burninglight]

...

[Sure enough, Ardyn didn't push the matter. He reached over with a hand not yet bearing a heavy black ring, laying it gently over one of Ignis' own.]

Would that there were anything I could do to help you, my friend. Though we've scarcely known each other, I find it doubtful for you to be the sort to fail others.

[warmgaze]

[Friend. How strange, to hear that word, from that voice, in reference to himself - at least, without any bitter sarcasm or manipulation to it.

The hand beneath Ardyn's turns over, to return the touch.]

It's only human, isn't it? To fear getting attached again, in the wake of such loss.

[burninglight]

...I'm afraid I don't know. [His other hand came to join the first, holding Ignis' in a gentle, warm grip only barely calloused by swordsmanship and with only a scar or two marring his skin.]

I've only my brother and Gilgamesh--I know not what I would do were I to lose them. I imagine it would be terribly frightening, to befriend another knowing such a thing to be possible.

[warmgaze]

I feel as though I'll go mad if I do and mad if I don't.

[He adds his free hand, marred with the scar of a ring, to the table.]

But I can... admit there's no comfort, in being alone.

[burninglight]

Izunia and I meant what we said; you're entirely welcome here. Our home is yours for however long you wish, though I begin to fear that little comfort for what I see must plague you.

[warmgaze]

...Always before, I was the one who found it easy to commit to a course of action. Even when the others were plagued by doubt, I could manage to reassure them long enough to get us moving again.

Now I wonder if I should have pushed them so hard.

[burninglight]

I do not think that any terrible thing. [He squeezed Ignis' hand gently, sounding sincere.] You're like my brother--responsible for keeping things on track when they divert or others become distracted.

[warmgaze]

And yet now I still find myself at a loss.

[He inhales, and then, slowly, exhales.

Even the voice of reason needs to do one or two reckless things, from time to time. And if he is going to commit to this, it needs to be with his whole heart.

(He can't tell himself that this is just for Noctis, to change and change his fate somehow by changing Ardyn's. Noct, forgive him.) ]

Come here a moment?

[burninglight]

...hm?

[He got up, crossing the distance to Ignis' side with a genuinely confused look. Thousands of years from Ardyn Izunia, he was just a concerned kid who had no idea of the executioner's blade over his head.]

What is it?

[warmgaze]

[And after only a moment's hesitation, Ignis puts his arms around Ardyn's shoulders and holds on.]

Thank you.

[burninglight]

Oh-

[Ardyn was surprised for a second, but it took only that long for the disposition of the gentle healer to find its way to the forefront. He wrapped slender arms securely around Ignis, pulling him in close.]

There now, it's alright. You're not alone.

[warmgaze]

[A small noise at that, because in many ways he still is.

But less alone, at least.]

I don't know what to do with myself now. Always before, there was something that needed to be done something to organize or arrange... I feel so aimless right now.

[burninglight]

[Ardyn was silent for a long moment, carding a gentle and reassuring hand through Ignis' hair as he thought the matter over.]

...come with me. I-...what I have to do, it's something only I can carry. But I have my brother and best friend as support, and if you wish for a purpose then I can give you no greater one than a hand in the salvation of our world.

[warmgaze]

[Salvation, is it? he stops himself from saying aloud.

And yet there it is, the offer that will let him stick by Ardyn's side and change... whatever it is that needs to be changed. He didn't even have to ask for it.]

That... would be nice, I think.

[burninglight]

Then it's yours. I only regret that it's all I have to offer.

[warmgaze]

You have no need to offer anything.

[It's simple and true.]

Give me time enough to recover and adjust, and I'll make certain you don't regret it.

[Adjust to his lost vision, and to no longer having Noctis' magic at his side. Certain acrobatics are going to be more difficult without being able to instantly free his hands... Perhaps straps of some sort for the hilts of the daggers...]

[burninglight]

Take all the time you need. We're in no terrible rush, and I need to adjust as well.

[warmgaze]

True enough.

[He finally, slowly, slides his hands from Ardyn's shoulders.]

And yet I find myself once again in the position of no amount of thanks being enough.