via
https://ift.tt/2PHNm7Jcharlottedabookworm:
theperidotshade:
I apparently have no self-control when sleep-deprived, because this happened when I woke up this morning after ~5 hours of sleep. I did not need yet another WIP, *sigh*.
When Noctis and his friends finally made it past the barricades to reach the Disc of Cauthess, there was a very familiar man standing on a rock at eye level with Titan, yelling at the Astral.
“What was the point?” the purple-haired stranger shouted, his glare discernible even from a distance. "Why did you even send me back?“
Titan rumbled incomprehensibly. Noctis fell to his knees, clutching his head as the Astral’s voice sent pain screaming through it.
The man, strangely enough, appeared to a) be unaffected, and b) understand, as he immediately responded. ”You didn’t? An intriguing distinction. Then who did?“
Titan replied. The pain swept over Noctis again, but slightly diminished, as if Titan’s attention had become focused elsewhere.
The eccentrically-attired stranger’s scowl was visible from even several hundred feet away. ”Shiva,“ he growled, his voice slightly distorted, “What does she even gain from this? I fulfilled the damn prophecy—”
Titan interrupted. The pain was lessened enough this time that Noctis could take note of the sympathy on the Astral’s craggy face.
The Astral’s conversation partner shrieked. ”Balance?!?!? She expects me to continue to exist like this—"
Titan’s reply this time was unaccompanied by pain, his attention fully focused on the man they’d met at Galdin Quay. Noctis took the opportunity to move closer, coming within a few yards of the strange man who yells at Astrals.
“Of course she thinks that,” the man sighed, “She’s never understood my motivations at all. Has she forgotten how I became like this in the first place—don’t answer that!” The man hurried to cut the Astral off. "So why take me from my hard-earned rest? Surely this universe’s version of me could do as she wished, or perhaps him?“
Titan’s deep, avalanche-like rumble was more lengthy this time.
The man nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose that makes sense if one makes the assumptions she does. The little king is too loyal to his people to let the darkness continue, so I suppose she sought to change my behavior for this little ploy to work?”
Titan rumbled something vaguely affirmative.
“And I know Ifrit agrees with her for entirely different reasons, and Bahamut is entirely too committed to the prophecy. Where do you stand in all of this?”
Titan’s reply seemed to shake the man to the core.
“But how?” he burst out, “Neither I nor the little king have the power on our own to banish the foul thing, and I cannot see Bahamut lending his Crystal to this endeavor. Not to mention that the last attempt took the life of the essayer.”
Titan rumbled again.
“You wish us both to draw on the power of the covenants in addition to our inherent power? It could work, I suppose, but that would require the little king to have all the covenants, as I do.”
Titan’s reply made the purple head shake in negation. "And how do you intend to convince the three who wish to see this through? I could see Ramuh and Leviathan agreeing, even if Leviathan would mostly do so out of sheer contrariness, but what of Bahamut, Shiva, and Ifrit?“
Titan rumbled once more.
“True, the little king will need the covenants for the prophecy, but did you not say that Shiva intends that he lose?”
Titan’s response gave the man pause.
“Yes, I suppose she would give him the covenant simply to deceive. And Ifrit, as well, if defeated. How then do you intend to convince the little king of this course of action?”
Titan replied.
The man whirled to look at Noctis, blinked golden eyes, and said, in a voice so shocked it appeared calm, “Well, I suppose that’s one way to do it. Do you need me for the explanations, or can I go rearrange my entire worldview?”
Titan made a sound that confused Noctis for a moment, until he had a realization.
Titan was laughing.
The purple-haired man who once chucked a coin at Noctis threw his hands in the air. The ruffles of his sleeves shifted to reveal thick scar tissue around both wrists.
Noctis stared. What kind of injury would cause that type of ragged scarring entirely encircling both wrists? It looked—very much like it had been painful in the extreme.
The man seemed to notice the direction of Noctis’ gaze, hastily shaking the sleeves back down over his wrists.
“Good day to you, Your Majesty,” the man said, the airy condescension of their last conversation almost but not quite returning to his voice.
Noctis blinked. Last time, this man had avoided addressing him by title at all. He cautiously replied, “Good day, ….?” Noctis trailed off, realizing he had no clue who this man really was.
The man’s golden eyes flashed with some emotion too complex for Noctis to parse out.
“Call me Ardyn,” the man who spoke of Astrals like long-time acquaintances said.
Noctis nodded. "Ardyn. And what brings you all the way to the Disc of Cauthess?“
Ardyn smiled, a hint of mockery in his eyes, though it appeared largely self-directed. "Oh, a bit of this, a bit of that. Though I suspect I’m here for much the same reason you are. I had a pressing need to speak to an Astral, and Titan’s the only one who’ll stay put long enough for any sort of conversation.”
Titan’s laughter, which had been trailing off, renewed itself.
Noctis nodded. "Uh huh, and what’s this prophecy business? Covenants? The way some random person I’ve met only once in my life is on speaking terms with the Archaean?“
Ignis hissed behind Noctis. "Your Majesty!” Noctis’ retainer whispered, offended sensibilities evident, “One does not simply ask someone why they’re on speaking terms with anyone, Astral or not! And certainly not by calling them random!”
Noctis flushed, embarrassed by Ignis’ remonstration.
Ardyn simply laughed. "Oh, I take no offense, Master Scientia. To you, I must indeed seem random, but that is far from the case. I am just as tied into your king’s fate as you—if not more so.“
So saying, the man tipped an imaginary hat at them. "Good day to you all. If you’ll excuse me, I have a few matters to see to, if we are all to survive this. Your Majesty, Shield, young Masters.”
Ardyn’s strangely rolling gait took him across the uneven ground before the four young men could react, leaving them with the laughing Astral.
Noctis settled in to wait for Titan to compose himself. He had a feeling it’d be a long wait.
Oh, wow. This is awesome.
So, is this dimension travel or time travel or some mix of both? I mean, this Ardyn is obviously relatively sane - as sane as an Ardyn gets anyway - and it sounds like they had already completed the prophecy wherever Ardyn is from.
Shiva seems like a bitch in this and I love the way that upon waking up Ardyn went to yell at the nearest Astral for answers and the way that Titan actually is sympathetic for what Shiva has done and the way that Ardyn is the only one who understands what he’s saying without the pain
Noct noticing Ardyn’s scars is amazing, even though he doesn’t recognise that they’re from the crucifixion, and just his general confusion at all things Ardyn is hilarious.
This is very interesting, and I look forward to seeing where it goes! It’s a startlingly original concept, with wonderful characterization and exquisite attention to detail - thank you so much!
(Your picture was not posted)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
