Chapter 15

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After exiting the den, the four of us decided to walk one last lap around the lake. We spent hours in this disgusting swap and there were no ruins in sight. We were about ready to give up.

"Can we rest for a second?" Noct whined. We had made it to the other side of the lake, opposite of the den we had just slept in.

"Fine. But let's not wait long. This place is filthy," Ignis said as he looked around in discomfort. The lake was pretty dirty and muddy. Our shoes and the cuffs of our pants were coated with mud. Ignis had seemed extremely uncomfortable since we got here yesterday. We stood around, not wanting to sit in the wet dirt, looking at our surroundings. Prompto had walked off some time ago, but we didn't question it. A scaredy cat like him wouldn't stray too far anyway.

Eventually, he poked his head out from deep within the trees and called out to us, "Hey guys! I found the ruins! It's in this grove over here!" He quickly ran back inside as we followed behind. As we walked Ignis sighed. The path started to become wetter and muddier. Eventually we started to see some small ruins. There wasn't much, but there were random arches and pillars that looked broken and old scattered around the grove. Underneath one of them we found Prompto standing in front of...

Ardyn. Of course.

"Well, what a lovely surprise." The more I heard that ominous voice the more it pissed me off.

"I thought the 'next time we meet' it would be 'across the seas'" I scoffed as I held up quotation marks with my fingers.

He smirked, "I've come here with my imperial friends," he continued, ignoring my statement.

"Splendid," Ignis growled. We could see three people standing behind him. They were standing in front of some tight crevice, similar to an entrance. One of them was the woman the boys had been so fond of back at the last base.

Wonderful. This is really gonna be my day, huh?

"Just one moment," Ardyn turned to speak with the woman quietly. It wasn't a very long conversation. Ardyn then turned to us, bowed as if to say farewell, and then left us in her care.

"So, your the 'new recruits' they sent over for 'special training'" she asked, "Nice cover, run away prince," sarcasm was just oozing from her words. All of us glared uneasily at her. All except Prompto anyway, "Don't worry. There's nothing in it for this ex mercenary to turn you in." She reassured, "But I am being paid to escort you, so let's get going right after sun down."

"Why sun down?" Prompto asked eagerly.

"These ruins won't open until it gets dark," she explained, "we'll have to be in and out quick, or else we'll be stuck in there all night and day," Prompto shuddered at the thought.

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We crept through the dark and creepy corridors, just waiting for something to jump out at us. The ruins were nothing like we had ever seen before.

"What was this place? Do you know Ignis?" I asked.

"No," Ignis had been unhappy all day. His words were cold and icy. Sadly, this attitude couldn't make me like him less. It just made me worry about him more.

Most of the ruins were no different than any other cavern we've explored up until now. It had nice architecture and was somewhat lit, but there were still just as many daemons. However, the main hall was the most amazing thing we had ever witnessed. It was huge and there was a slight glow, unlike the rest of this dark building, and a water like pattern danced around the floor beneath us.

"Beautiful beyond words," Ignis said, absolutely amazed.

"Look up!" Prompto gasped, pointing at the ceiling. We followed his gaze to see a large pool of water floating above us. It was an amazing sight. There was no glass between us and the water, and a few drips fell on us every now and then. The water was actually floating upside down.

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