Zodiac (Final Fantasy XV)

|•XLII•|

~3rd Person POV~

Noctis approaches Biggs after their conversation with Aranea. "Hey, thanks for the lift."

"We're happy to help. Can't say the climate will be as cooperative, though. Y'know?" Biggs turned to face Wedge.

"Right. 'Specially the gorge."

Biggs shook a little. "The place is freezin'! Makes sense, what with the ice goddess's cold corpse lyin' around. It's a rather long ride, so I suggest you bundle up before we ship out."

"Will do," Noctis said before returning to the train platform with Gladio and Ignis.

The tactician stopped the prince before they reached the train. "Noct, if I may, who was the man you spoke of earlier?"

"The one who saw Zodia?" Ignis nods, letting him continue. "He was an older man. Didn't get his name, but I saw him talking to Zodia this morning. What about him?"

"I was curious as to this creature's appearance."

"The one that snatched her?" Gladio asked.

"Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if the chancellor used an ancient daemon to capture her."

"And you want to know what daemon it was," Noctis adds. "He's with the other passengers."

Ignis separates from them and searches the crowd of people for the old man. When he spotted him, the tactician made a beeline towards him. He sat by himself, his eyes brimming with fear. Ignis kneels before the man and tries to calm him down. Before he could get a word in, Amos began to apologize profusely. "I'm so sorry. I should've done something to save her."

"No, you couldn't have possibly assisted her in such turmoil. Please, describe how this creature appeared."

"I-It was about the size of a mind flayer, except it wasn't bipedal. The thing had black tendrils that it used to grab her. Then... then once it dragged her to it, the creature absorbed her into its tar-like skin. After that, it vanished."

"A Talmoruth," Ignis mutters. He stares into Amos' eyes to make sure his accusations were correct. "Did it also bear two horns and a protracted tail?"

"Y-Yes, and it also had bird-like talons."

"Thank you for the assistance." Ignis returns to his full height.

"You're welcome. I-I hope you find her soon. She's such a kind and beautiful soul. Her heart is pure and her dreams are admirable."

"I won't terminate my search 'til she is safe," Ignis declares. Amos smiles, the terror melting from his body as he finally relaxed. Returning to Noctis and Gladio, he explained what Amos had shared.

"Never heard of a Talmoruth before. How do you know that's what Ardyn's using?" Gladio asked.

"The grimoire. A page within the book depicts a daemon capable of incapacitating those of the zodiac bloodline."

"And that's how Ardyn captured Zodia without any issues," Noctis said, putting the puzzle pieces together.

"Hold on, how do you know for sure? You said the grimoire was all written in Xylian," Gladio states.

"Our first day in Altissia, Zodia relinquished how to translate Xylian," Ignis admits.

"For three whole hours, you were tryin' to translate a page?" Noctis asked.

"Yes, the feat was more strenuous than I had envisioned."

"The page you read had a picture of the daemon and it was just how that old man described it?" The prince questioned, trying to wrap his head around Ignis' words.