After the Light (FFXV)

Chapter 8

        "Iris went to Tenebrae with Cindy and Aranea." Ignis began. "Do you remember the dream I told you about before we came back?"
        "Yeah...Ardyn returns. And like I said; what if this whole mission is what brings him back?" Gladio answered.
"Hold on. Why didn't you guys say anything?" Prompto asked as he started to have regrets towards their mission.
"Noct was already dead in my dream. His tomb was destroyed and I...saw his remains. As for Ardyn, there was something different about him, and his companion was a woman who resembles Lady Lunafreya, but she didn't seem completely human." Ignis explained.
"There's another Oracle?!" Prompto asked with widened eyes.
"Possibly. Even if we can't save Noct, I thought it would be in our best interest to get to her before Ardyn does. Before we met you in Hammerhead, I'd seen what appeared to be her younger self in Tenebrae. So, I sent Iris to find her." Ignis said.
Gladio sighed. He would have preferred to go find this woman after Noctis went into the crystal.
"So what do we do? Have her join Noct in the fight against Ardyn?" Prompto asked.
"She will join us against Ardyn. We can't allow Noct to face him alone again." Ignis answered.

A couple days later, the guys sat in a room at The Leville, in Lestallum, with Iris and Stella. The door was cracked open, as they were waiting for Cor to arrive.
       "Wait, your eyes." Iris began, noticing that Ignis had fewer scars on his face and no walking stick.
        "We'll explain when we have more time. There's a lot of work to be done." Ignis responded.
        "Hold on...Are you really another Oracle?" Prompto asked Stella.
         "I don't know what I am." Stella answered, as Cor entered the room.
         "You're the other twin." Cor said. "You're the next in line to be the Oracle."
           He turned his attention to Stella. It was safe to assume that in the future they knew, she was already dead.
           "What do you mean, I'm the other twin?" Stella questioned.
          "You are Lady Lunafreya's twin. I'm sure that caused a lot of confusion, in terms of the prophecy...but then we learned that you passed away just days after birth." Cor answered.
           "So wait; her parents faked her death?" Prompto asked.
           "As a means of protection, and keeping everything in order? It makes sense." Cor said.
            "...And what about Noct? What'll happen to him?" Prompto asked cautiously. He wasn't against saving other people for a better future, but his main goal was to save Noctis. "What if it all ends the same, no matter what we do?"
"Then we accept it and move on." Cor said.
"Ardyn is weaker now. We need to come up with a plan so that we're better prepared to face him alongside Noct. For now, Prompto, I believe you have business to take care of in Niflheim." Ignis said.
"Right. We shouldn't leave anything undone. I'll find Aranea and head out." Prompto replied.
"What about me? What do I need to do?" Stella asked.
"You and Iris will train with me." Cor answered before making his way to the door. He opened it and then looking back at them, he said, "If you all want this to work...or even come close, I suggest you don't die."

        
           A year had gone by since training began. With Stella as the new oracle, the darkness took a little longer to take over, but still, it took over. She didn't believe she was as strong as Lunafreya, but with so many people behind her, she didn't doubt that she would get stronger.
         She was on her way to meet Iris at the Outlook in Lestallum, and could see her waiting, as she walked down the steps. Not far, was Ravus. They both stopped as their eyes met. It was still strange and new to both of them. Stella grew up as an only child, while Ravus grew up knowing one of his sisters. He said nothing, and proceeded up the steps. Stella sighed, hoping one day they would have a conversation, and he'd tell her about Luna.
"Sorry I'm late." She said as she approached Iris.
"It's fine. I'm not going anywhere." Iris responded. "How are you?"
"A little tired, but not terrible. I've been thinking a lot." Stella sat on a nearby bench, and Iris sat beside her.
"What's on your mind?" Iris asked.
"Some people are wondering if the King will work with me. They say that me being the long lost twin of the woman he loved...might upset him, because we look alike."
"He won't be angry. Surprised, but not angry. You're helping him bring the light back, and helping us in our attempt to save him." Iris said.
"...You like him." Stella teased. "Your face lights up when you talk about him."
Iris' cheeks warmed up to a very light shade of red. She remembered the many times she wanted to confess those feelings, but knew it was best not to.
She smiled warmly and said, "It's not meant to be, and that's okay. I'll always have his back."
"...Doesn't it hurt?" Stella asked.
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard and didn't hurt at times. Maybe one day I'll tell him and finally accept the rejection...and maybe I won't."
"Or maybe you'll tell him and he'll return those feelings." Stella grinned.
Iris' cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. Stella's words were everything that Iris' teenage self dreamed of. She found herself getting lost in her youthful mindset, until she heard a very deep voice.
"Stay focused." Gladio said, standing beside the bench.
"Gladdy, you're back." Iris said happily. She had not seen him in a few days, and with the eternal darkness and daemons, naturally, she was worried.
"Yeah, it wasn't that bad. Cor's looking for you." He said.
She stood, and then walked with Gladio towards the heavily crowded city. They thought about the year that had gone by, as well as the years to come. Nine more, and this will all be over.
Gladio watched as Iris walked off with Cor, to continue her training. She was going to become an amazing daemon hunter by the end of the decade. He looked forward to fighting alongside his sister again.

            Ignis and Prompto stood against the trailer in Hammerhead, outside the diner. Cindy had been working on a truck in the garage, and stepped out for a moment. Prompto had so many butterflies in his stomach, even though she stood so far away. Like Iris, Prompto found himself feeling his age. He was blushing, and afraid to share his feelings, but vowed to protect her.
             Ignis observed everything. Even if Noctis couldn't be saved, Ignis would still keep his sight. Keeping that sense didn't stop him from challenging himself. Most days, he'd train while blindfolded, and only those who time traveled with him understood. Saving Noctis seemed possible, and then he realized something.
            "Prompto." Ignis said.
             "Yeah?" Prompto replied, still watching Cindy.
             "We've forgotten something very important." Ignis started walking towards the regalia, which had been upgraded to a monster truck, and Prompto followed him.
           He climbed into the driver's seat, and Prompto climbed into the passenger's seat. Hammerhead had a tall fence surrounding it, with a gate at the entrance. Once it was opened, Ignis started driving.
            "What'd we forget, Iggy?!" Prompto asked, slightly frantic.
            "Before you went to Gralea, did you stop in Cartanica with Noct for the Royal Tomb?!" Ignis asked.
"Oh no! Oh no no no! Dammit!" Prompto was very frantic now. "What do we do?!"
"...We'll have to go there as soon as Noct returns. We need to find the others and go over everything we've done, and make sure we don't forget anything. If Ardyn is going to return, we don't want to add more to that problem." Ignis said.
"It might already be too late." Prompto said.
Ignis glanced at Prompto, and then looked back at the road. He would've pulled over if there weren't so many daemons around.
"What if it's not the current Ardyn that we're expecting?" Prompto began. "You know what I learned in Niflheim. What if it's a new Ardyn, and he's just like me?"
"....Then we have a lot more work to do than I thought."