Night Light {FFXV/OT4}

Homecoming

Chapter Seventeen: Homecoming

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(Content Warning: this chapter contains mild psychological abuse, so basically just Ardyn being Ardyn. Read at your own risk)

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"I've been waiting for you my dear. I knew you'd return home eventually."

Prompto tried desperately to stop his frightened trembling, but it was no use. The shaking wouldn't cease, neither would the too-fast thrum of his heart in his chest. It felt as though the organ would burst out from behind his ribs any second it was beating so fast. He was terrified, scared out of his mind and he knew it showed.

Prompto recognised this place. He believed it was called Zegnautus Keep, an abandoned Magitek Laboratory hidden in Gralea, the heart of the Empire. There was no leaving here, he knew that. Those that entered the Keep as prisoners tended to never see the light of day again. Prompto had visited the laboratory before, when it had still been in use. After his visit Ardyn had taken to using the threat of being locked away here to keep him in line. It was only fitting, he supposed, that he'd be locked up here now as punishment for his wrong doings.

He'd disobeyed orders, committed treason. Turned against his own in battle, had willingly shot down Magitek Troopers. Ardyn had been quite happy to rattle off a list of his crimes when he'd first woken up, finishing off by revealing his punishment. Death. Prompto hadn't been all that surprised.

He was strapped up to an odd device. It held him nice and still for whatever Ardyn had planned and it also made him ache horribly, holding his limbs into positions that made his muscles burn with the strain. Prompto didn't like this room at all; it was dark and cold, and it smelt of mould. There were what looked to be circular saw blades stacked on a shelf off to the side, but he knew first hand that Ardyn didn't need to use something like those. The man could inflict more than enough pain with just his hands and words alone.

Speaking of.. Prompto flinched as a hand gripped his chin. Ardyn looked him over before a smile of twisted satisfaction bloomed across his face. "Why, scared already my boy? I haven't even done anything to you yet"

"I'm not scared of you" he was quick to insist, but he knew that it was a lie. Ardyn knew too, knew how scared he was. Of course he did. Sometimes Prompto was sure the man could sense fear, like some kind of snake. He swallowed, throat dry as he processed Ardyn's words. 'Yet'... A casual promise that this wasn't it, that he wouldn't be left alone. Ardyn was going to do something and while Prompto had no clue what it would be, he was certain it'd be bad.

"Why, of course you're not scared. You were so brave after all, turning your back on your country to travel with that pathetic excuse of a Prince. And now you come crawling back to master. What, did they finally grow sick of you? Or did the daemon blood do its work?

Prompto's head snapped up at that, panicked red eyes meeting amber. "Y-you were that surgeon, right?" At Ardyn's nod of response Prompto felt his heart sink in sudden realisation. Astrals, he felt like he was going to throw up.

"How.. how much blood did you put in me?"

His voice was barely above a whisper, but from the feral grin that spread across Ardyn's face Prompto knew that the Chancellor had heard him. The man  laughed, the noise grating to his ears like nails across a chalkboard, and it sent tingling shivers of fear racing up his spine.

"Enough." Before Prompto could question exactly how much 'enough' was, Ardyn allowed his actions to explain. Prompto saw the familiar deep red glow of a Magitek Crystal, pulled from the man's pocket. The crystals were used to power Magitek generators. They were less powerful than the concentrated energy of the generators but just as Ardyn had said, it was enough.