The Far Edge of Fate (Final Fantasy XV)

CHAPTER 18 - STARLIT WALTZ

chapter title comes from 'Starlit Waltz' from the Final Fantasy XV OST.

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Meldacio Hunter HQ was probably the one town in all of Lucis that people rarely visited. People were more inclined to visit more tourist-friendly locations—like Lestallum for the Meteor or Insomnia just to catch a glimpse at the Citadel. But that didn't mean it didn't have its uses, either.

As the name suggested, it was the home of the hunters, where they received their orders and returned to after a long day of daemon-fighting and escorting civilians. It didn't boast anything worth seeing (aside from the Vesperpool nearby but, again, the unpredictable wildlife made it a questionable vacation spot at best) but that didn't seem to affect the small town at all. In fact, what it lacked in tourism, it more than made up for in sheer practicality; the arches shielding the down from above prevented it from being seen from the outside and most buildings were either weapons shops or places to stock up on supplies. Very few people actually lived in Meldacio, as most hunters had homes elsewhere or chose to make their living on the road. However, it was a necessary pit-stop on their way back to Caem, as Cor wanted the hunters to know the Royal Arm that had been stolen by the daemons had been safely recovered after Aaralyn had passed out and was in Noctis's possession.

He was fine, all things considered. A few bruises and—as he kept reassuring Aaralyn—he felt fine, too. No different than he had going into Costlemark in the first place. Despite that, she only felt the anxiety build at the remark, unable to stop thinking about the warning she'd been given by the figure in that abyss.

A life doomed to suffering.

She hated the thought that she might have doomed not only Nyx but Cor too to something so horrible.

Nyx pulled in behind the Regalia at the Meldacio parking spots. He'd taken over driving after insisting Aaralyn couldn't until the last of her stasis symptoms had faded. Aaralyn didn't argue, slumping in the front seat and letting her mind drift as Nyx drove like a madman and put Cassielle and Autumn into a mild but constant state of panic. The two girls practically tumbled out of the backseat as soon as Nyx had put the car in park, thanking every Astral individually that they were still in one piece.

Aaralyn got out of the front seat, looking around the shadowed cluster of vine-wreathed buildings, and quietly thought that, hunter hub though it may be, Meladico was actually quite quaint. Small, in an endearing sort of way.

"This is busier than usual," she heard Cor remark as he got out of the Regalia. He'd been gracelessly crammed between Noctis and Gladiolus on their way back to Caem and looked a bit surly about it, but still didn't complain as he scanned the town. Aaralyn followed his gaze and quietly had to admit he was right. There was an enormous cluster of cars haphazardly parked out of the road and off onto the dirt. A whole line of them continued almost to the tunnel on the other side that led to the Vesperpool.

"Maybe some kind of gathering?" Autumn suggested.

"Maybe," said Cor. "Let's check it out."

He crossed the street to the houses on the other side, where Aaralyn was beginning to realize that it was decorated in streamers and balloons. An enormous poster advertised the founding of the hunters, with a date stamped just beneath the headline.

"That's today," Gladiolus said, voicing her thoughts.

"They must be having a celebration for it," Noctis said.

"Explains how busy it is," Cor mumbled, looking around.

Prompto spun around from where he was closely scrutinizing a poster. "We should go!"