Rayne Drops (FFXV)

Epilogue

IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND ALTERNATE ENDINGS, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND THIS IS YOUR WARNING TO TURN AND RUN BEFORE I CRY ALL OVER YOU AND YOUR SAD, SAD CANON ENDING. 

WALK TALL, MY FRIENDS. 

'Til death do we part. But I don't feel dead. What is the feeling of death? Would I be able to think? Were we wrong all along? No... Something else... My eyes are forced open and suddenly I stand in a circle other kings of old with the others. We stand in a cluster, our backs pressed together. Somehow my fingers became tangled with Gladio's. Gleaming, glittering blue figures tower hundreds of feet above us, their enormous weapons pressed into the firm black ground of nothingness below. Thye tower so far above us I can hardly see the shapes of their helmets. A shudder racks down my spine and I grip Gladio's hand tighter.

"Why, then, do you not complete the circle?" a booming voice demands. Noctis looks around, clearly confused. Even Ignis appears befuddled in the face of sudden... not death. "Well, king?"

"I..." Noctis starts, only to be cut off by a much stronger, assertive voice.

"I stand before you to implore for their lives," Lunafreya interrupts, pacing past us briskly to stand before the tallest of the kings, a determined look overtaking her eyes. "These are the saviors of Eos, the land the gods created to..."

"A land humanity destroyed," a voice snaps. "I believe their ends would serve as warning enough." A giant blue blade moves to crash down on our heads; Gladio's grip tightens on my hand. The blow is parried by a splash of gold sparks, the Oracle staring up at the king boldly, her shimmering trident raised to block the strike. Her arms tremble under the weight of the blade, but her eyes are full of stubborn determination that refuses to back down until she gets an answer. 

"Listen!" she calls out into the darkness. "You dare throw your Chosen King to the end of eternity?"

"Say we spare him," a calmer voice returns. "Why should we spare the others? They gave their lives willingly."

Shaking her head, Lunafreya turns to look back at the five of us. Prompto is huddled close to Noct's side, Ignis is standing tall in the middle, and Gladio and I are shoulder to shoulder, watching the events playing on with tense curiosity.

"Do you not see what I do?" She sighs, pointing to each of us in turn. "Prompto, a shining star of joy and love; the most devoted of friends. Ignis, caretaker and advisor possessing wisdom well beyond his years. Gladiolus, a stalwart defender, motivator, and friend. Rayne, a fierce warrior refusing to bow under pressure in any circumstance, all for the sake of returning the Crystal to Insomnia and restoring this world to its intended beauty." Luna turns back to the kings. "You must understand; your world would not have been restored without them."

"And what do we receive from granting them life," yet another asks, though he merely sounds curious.

"I daresay you owe it to them," the Oracle replies firmly with a confident nod. "For years of prosperity and goodness in humanity to come... Please, I beg of you. Be reasonable."

There's an eerie silence in the space that seems to last forever. For all I know, this place is forever. These kings have no business with present humanity, with time. They exist outside of time. By now, the sun should be shining.

"I..."

"We accept," a booming voice says, overpowering that of the first speaker's. "This is our final grant of power to the Chosen King." His head lowers as if to catch the Oracle's eye. "And our final grant to you as well, Lady Lunafreya. Your time is long past. Use what you must in your last moments; the ultimate cost is your existence."