Game of Insomnia | ✓

Chapter 9: Moment of Truth

Cloud continued swallowing his throat as they headed into a small dark room which only held a small amount of light, not reaching the corners of the room. The cold atmosphere filled it, sending shiver down the guy's spine. He couldn't resist the fact it was time to tell everything.

The truth.

"Cloud, are you sure about this?" Vincent whispered behind him. But Tifa didn't agree. "Do you want all of this to be ruined?" She glared at him, even though all of them couldn't be seen— only Cloud's eyes glowed in the dark, even Noctis'. The Prince glanced behind his shoulder, making sure the three were just behind him. He stopped and turned around, taking a deep breath. "So....what is it?"

It took a moment before Cloud answered, picturing of what may happen if he had told Noctis. It would be difficult—but it could be alright. "Noctis." He said, probably clenching his fists. "I.... I have to tell you something —"

"Get straight to the point Cloud," Noctis interrupted. "If you're going to tell something, tell the thing. Not taking time wasting words that are not needed to be heard." He looked straight at him. Cloud sighed, but still with the expressionless face. "Alright. Be ready," he said.

Noctis nodded, still not looking away at Cloud. "You've been looking for the Lost Healer..." Cloud said. Noctis' face fell. The Healer... He thought. His eyebrows furrowed. "How is this related about (Y/N)?" He asked. "This is none of your business. You can't put your finger into the pie—"

"Are you done talking." Cloud said.

Noctis paused. "Yeah," He breathed out. "I just...couldn't resist the fact she could be alive..." "She is." Cloud finally said. The raven felt like his world had stopped, his heart beating faster as he felt like he knew what would happen. "W-Who? Tell me! Who is she? Where is she now?!" He grabbed Cloud's shoulders, his own eyes widening.

Cloud looked down. "You can't take her out now," he exhaled. For a moment, Noctis loosened his grip. "Wha...what do you mean...?" He asked, stuttering. "It's not easy. People will wonder why would the Royal Prince...who started the Game of Insomnia again...would take a Chosen One and stop her from playing..." Cloud kept pausing. Sharp pain kept stabbing his heart over and over. He wanted to cry. He couldn't help it. She's in danger.

Noctis stared wide eyed at the blond. He let go of Cloud, taking a step backward. He clenched his fists. He couldn't talk. He couldn't think. He felt like his heart burned, he couldn't accept it. (Y/N). The Healer. Her. "This is a joke..." He squinted his eyes towards Cloud, gritting his teeth.

"I am not joking Noctis," Cloud firmly said. "If you don't want to believe, then fine. Let's just leave it to fate. You don't take things seriously with your responsibility."

"Are you saying I am a worthless and careless person?!" He furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm not saying that!" Cloud shouted. "Why, isn't it true?!"

Noctis suddenly summoned his sword, drawing it to Cloud who pulled out his sword at the same time. "The two of you, stop this!" Tifa took a step between the two, blocking them. "Stay back," Cloud demanded, pushing her off. "No." Tifa grabbed his wrist, tightening her grip. "Not helping!"

Cloud felt pain in her grip, since Tifa fights with her fists. "Let go!!" He dodged her by pushing her out of his way and blew his sword to Noctis, which the prince also took a strike with his—making a loud clang. Tifa tried to stopped but Vincent grabbed her arm, "Let them be."

"This is not happening." Tifa said with a worried face.

"Stop the thing, Cloud!" Noctis gritted his teeth as he pressed hard with his sword against Cloud's. "If you want to stop this right now," Cloud said, his eyes glaring straight onto the Prince. "Don't be so foolish. You always depend on your emotions—even though it isn't helping you!" He shouted. Noctis clenched his fists after vanishing his sword, taking a glance at the blond before making a silence.

"You don't understand..." The Prince trailed off.

"I do."

Noctis darted his eyes to Cloud. Finding his voice, he said, "How come... you understand someone who lost a love of his life?" He looked down. "My father is fallen into a deep sleep—nearly lost. And now her... I lost her when we were young...I didn't even protect her..." He clenched his fists. Right now, he could feel tears rolling down his cheeks. "It's like I'm miles away from her... I didn't even take the chance to..." He stopped, clearing his throat.

It came all of a sudden. Cloud felt a pang of sharp pain inside him. He tried not to feel jealous, he just regretted it. All of it. Cloud could now feel sweat trickling down his neck. "Noctis... you know...in the end...we regret the chances we didn't take." He said. It would've been odd if the prince didn't understood—but he did. It was all nearly the same.

Cloud. Noctis. They're just the same. It's just the different side of the coin.

"We have to find a way to get (Y/N). She's in the game," Tifa said. Noctis swallowed, "I know. I've been talking to her through her mind."

"W-What??" Cloud's eyes widened. "You..."

His blue hues suddenly looked down, getting out of the blue. "Why... " the blond clenched his fists. "We all know here that thing is forbidden within the Game of Insomnia. It shows the unfairness to the people—"

"I can see she is the Healer," Noctis stuttered. "Look if you would just let me talk to her through her mind... Well she is..."

"You should tell her." Tifa said. "But the game...it will take three more days...before it ends," Noctis said. "I just hope Niflheim doesn't know about this."

"What if they already found out?" Vincent interrupted. "What if someone else is watching over (Y/N)? They could've found out about her powers."

"They don't know she is the Healer, I am sure," Tifa tried to calm herself and the others. "The people are watching the Chosen Ones, but they don't know anything," Noctis said. "If it were Niflheim, I don't know. It's exactly what I am afraid of."

"I think we really have to do something with this whole thing," Cloud insisted. The Prince nodded. "Alright, I'll leave it to the Glaives to secretly watch over the Nifs—" he suddenly paused. "Hold on for a sec. You stay here in the palace. I'll just go to somewhere."

Cloud nodded. And so Noctis ran, finally reaching his destination. Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrae, stood there watching the game. The prince walked towards her, in the illusion, the Chosen Ones played, but you weren't there. The princess turned around at Noctis. "Where is (Y/N)?" She asked, making a confused expression. "She's not here." Looking back at the illusion, she shook her head in despair.

Noctis swallowed, making sure nobody would know about him taking you to the next level of the game which made him feel a big uneasy. He looked up his eyes to Lunafreya. "Luna, the Healer is here."

The Princess' eyes widened, turning around to Noctis. "(Y/N)." Noctis finished. Lunafreya stood there frozen. "But how..." She whispered. "Your brother Ravus. Please Luna," he took her hand. "Don't tell anyone, especially your brother. I know Lucis has been working with Niflheim with this game— but we know my father is in a deep sleep. He must wake up, and I have a feeling Lucis' peace with Niflheim is fake..."

Lunafreya looked down, taking a deep breath. "I promise," she held his hand back in return. "I won't tell anyone. I won't let you down."

Noctis nodded, sighing. He let go of his grip at Luna. "Avalanche is here. Some of them," he said. But then, on the other hand, his mind couldn't think clearly of things.

Until when...could I wait for the game to end? He thought.