The Far Edge of Fate (Final Fantasy XV)

CHAPTER 24 - THE BEREAVED AND THOSE LEFT BEHIND

Chapter title comes from 'The Bereaved and Those Left Behind' from the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 OST

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Aaralyn hunched over in her chair. Her bruised stomach pulled in protest, but she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge the sharp bolt of pain.

How could she, given what had happened? Between Ardyn's revelations, Lunafreya's death, and Ignis willingly sacrificing herself for her, it was a hard series of events to swallow. It had been two days since then and Noctis still had yet to awaken. He'd expended all of his energy gaining Leviathan's favor and it could be some time yet before he found the strength to open his eyes. All they could do now was wait—as much as it tormented Aaralyn to do so.

Altissia was in ruins. Luckily, thanks to the efforts of everyone on the ground, there had been no casualties. Unfortunately, the ruins were vast and the Empire's immediate attempts at helping aid in reconstruction had forced them all to go into hiding. Camelia, under the pretense that their deal was done and over with, was no longer helping them. From this point on, they were on their own.

And Ignis...

He was likely being held in the heart of Imperial territory—its precious capital city, Gralea. They didn't have a lot of time before his ruse was revealed and Ardyn found out he was lying about knowing the secrets to Aaralyn's fate-defying powers. Who knew what would happen to him then, but she knew one thing. Niflheim was never kind to its prisoners, and even less so to those that lied.

There wasn't even any time to prepare a funerary rite for Lunafreya. There was no body, and people were split about whether or not she'd survived or if her corpse had been swallowed by turbulent waves. It pained Aaralyn to know her fate and yet have to keep it to herself, especially when the Oracle had done nothing but supply light and love to the lives she'd touched.

Aaralyn looked down at her hands. A familiar power thrummed there; the last gift from Lunafreya to her. Her magic—she loved having it back but hated the cost at which it came. Though she couldn't help but wonder if it was only her that got it back, or if it had been a chain reaction to the few surviving members of the Glaive. Did Libertus get his magic back, all the way back home in Galahd?

The door on the other side of the room creaked open. Aaralyn glanced up to see Ravus walk in. His face was ashen with grief and he looked as though he hadn't shaved, much less bathed, in the past few days. Nonetheless, he'd become a familiar figure in Noctis's room as of late as Aaralyn stood vigil for him. He bore updates about the outside, aiding adamantly in the relief effort alongside Aranea and her band of merry mercenaries. From what Aaralyn had heard, they were hard at work setting up living quarters for those that had lost their homes and handing out food. It was grueling and Aaralyn wished she were in a position to go out and help. But with the bounties on their heads, it just wasn't safe enough. Besides, she'd settle for Ravus who, to her surprise, was becoming a stalwart ally. It was odd to see Gladiolus begrudgingly get along with him despite their earlier quarrel. Whatever vitriol Ravus held towards Lucis and its remaining monarch he'd set aside for the greater good, but he had approached it with a mentality of 'the lesser of two evils.' Aaralyn was glad for it—she'd much rather have Ravus as their tentative ally than as an enemy.

"Welcome back," she told him.

He nodded at her in greeting, casting a look across the room to the bed where Noctis lay sleeping. "No changes?"

"No," she sighed heavily, glancing over her shoulder. "None."

"The world will not wait on him," Ravus said.

She bit the inside of her cheek. "I know."

Ravus turned to look back at her. His expression did not change as he observed her. He appeared to be rolling words over on his tongue—an apparent habit of his. Ravus always considered what he was going to say before he said it. He hated, as he put it, 'unnecessary banter' and much preferred to get to the point as fast as possible. He reminded Aaralyn of Luche in that regard. Both of them took their responsibilities very seriously.