After the Light (FFXV)

Chapter 15

Ignis and Prompto stood beside the regalia, which was parked on the side of the road, just outside of a small town in Cartanica. They were waiting for Stella and Aranea, who were still at the motel. Ravus had stayed behind in Tenebrae to make sure the imperials left, and all of the citizens were safe.
        Unable to take the heat any longer, Ignis took off his jacket, and Prompto took off his vest. While Ignis folded his jacket and rested it in the driver's seat, Prompto just dropped his vest in the passenger's seat.
         "Do you think they're okay?" Prompto wondered.
          "I hope so. Best case scenario is that they have no service; leaving them unable to respond to our messages. Let us keep our heads up." Ignis said.
           Prompto didn't want to ask the next question on his mind, but he needed to know. Hesitant at first, he spoke. "...Worst case scenario?"
          "We go back and do it again." Ignis answered without a second thought.
          The amount of confidence in Ignis' voice, and the sharp intensity of his green eyes, assured Prompto that his friends would be all right. At the same time, a slight fear of Ignis' potential actions started to develop. This was the man who warned that time travel always had consequences. Is this what he meant? Ignis would sacrifice a thousand to save one. Noct. Prompto made a mental note to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't have a chance to abuse that power.
         Ignis grabbed his visor sunglasses from the car and put them on, as the wind started to blow the sand around. Aranea and Stella soon joined them.
        "Sorry to keep you waiting." Stella said apologetically.
         "What's your plan?" Aranea asked, cutting straight to the point. "Ravus said most of the ships are gone."
          "We're heading back to find Noct, Iris, and Gladio." Ignis said as he opened the car doors.
           "Give me some time to get ahead. I'll handle the stragglers." Aranea suggested.
           Prompto nodded. "Be careful."
            "I'll be just fine, shortcake." Aranea chuckled, before walking away.
            Ignis and Prompto moved their jacket and vest to the back seat before getting in the car. Stella sat behind Prompto, and they were soon on their way.

        
          Stella didn't get much sleep the night before, so she started to doze off. Once they flew into the pouring rain, Stella had fallen into a deep sleep.

          Stella often dreamed of the same two places. Sometimes she found herself in the ruins of Insomnia. This time, like many others, she was in a field of Sylleblossoms. Surrounding the area was a thick periwinkle-tinted fog, and there was a soft breeze that flowed through her long hair. She walked slowly through the blue flowers until she reached a small pond beside a tall tree.
         Lunafreya stood with her delicate hand resting on the tree; staring at the single bright star in the sky. Stella stood next to her and looked up at the star. Despite the minor differences, there was no denying that they were twins.
        "You've come." Lunafreya's voice was pleasant.
        "Yes... I don't have control over when I visit this place. It's beautiful." Stella smiled.
        "It is." Lunafreya agreed. "And you can see it."
"The star?...Is it really a star?" Stella asked.
"It is the Door of Souls; a gateway to the afterlife. Your near-death experience allows you to see it." Lunafreya answered.
"So is this place-?....Where are we?" Stella asked, looking around.
"For you, it is nothing more than a dream. For me, it is simply a place where my soul lingers." Lunafreya stepped away from the tree, and walked through the field with Stella.
"The universe is divided into two realms. The world of the living and the world of the dead. With the prophecy unfulfilled, I'm afraid the balance between the worlds has been broken." Lunafreya explained.
"Broken? But we did fulfill the prophecy. The light returned." Stella responded defensively.
"The starscourge still lingers in your world and it will only grow worse than before." Lunafreya appeared to walk faster than Stella.
          "Worse? Wait, what's going to happen?!" Stella held a worried expression on her face, as the light from the star began to grow.
  
            Stella awoke to the sound of thunder and the flash of lightning. They had arrived in Tenebrae, but were still flying. Was that...really just a dream? She didn't know what to do. Any other time she dreamt of that place, nothing happened. Sometimes Lunafreya would be there, but they'd never speak. She sighed and rested her head against the window.
"You okay back there?" Prompto asked.
"I'm all right. Just a little tired." She answered.

After landing, Ignis, Prompto, and Stella made their way to the broken bridge, and looked down at the rough waters below. Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose. He wore a brave face, but he was stressed and worried about what could've happened to the missing trio.
          "Maybe they drifted out to sea." Prompto assumed.
          "The storm wasn't this bad when they fell. If they remained conscious, they would've swam to land. Otherwise, I'm afraid you may be correct. We'll have to follow the current and see what we find." Ignis turned away and walked back to the car.
           "I really hope they're all right." Prompto said as he and Stella followed Ignis.
Ignis looked up and scoffed as an imperial ship passed over them.
"Be cautious." Ignis warned, with his eyes focused on the ship.
Stella looked up at the ship, still thinking about her dream, and then sat in the car with Ignis and Prompto.
       "That's not good. What do we do now?" Prompto kept his eyes on the ship.
         "Keep an eye out for anymore ships. If their focus is on us, they won't go looking for the other three." Ignis started the car. "Contact Aranea. I'm sure she's dealing with them as well."

Ignis flew the regalia right in front of the imperial ship, and it soon dropped the door open, revealing a group of magitek. He glanced at them through the rear view mirror, and then took down the roof of the flying car as he started to ascend.
"Eeek!" Prompto squealed, startled by the cold wind sending a chill down his spine.
"Take the wheel." Ignis seemed so relaxed.
He put on his visor sunglasses and climbed to the very back of the car, while Prompto moved to the driver's seat. Ignis summoned his spell daggers, as Stella stood beside him with her rapier. They nodded to each other, and then jumped off the regalia.
Stella warp struck three magitek troops. Ignis, with his daggers covered in lightning, practically warped to the ship, taking down two magitek troops. He switched his daggers to ice magic, and fought the magitek with Stella; dodging their bullets and swords. The duo fought so gracefully, yet brutally, it almost looked like a dance. They twirled, flipped, and stabbed, and kicked a couple of them out of the ship. Ignis struck a fallen magitek troop with his daggers, unleashing an incredible amount of ice.
As Prompto lowered the regalia, another imperial ship arrived. The doors opened, and a few magitek troops stood beside a larger robot. It was the same model that fired missiles at Noctis, Gladio, and Iris.
"Guess it's my turn!" Prompto stood in the car and summoned his rocket launcher.
Ignis and Stella landed on the back of the car as Prompto took aim on the giant robot.
"Aim for the ship!" Ignis commanded, switching his daggers back to lightning.
Prompto moved over, allowing Stella to take the wheel and keep the car up. The giant robot jumped out of the ship, and Ignis shot up towards it, practically running on the streak of lightning in the sky. He collided with the robot, stabbing it with his electrical daggers, and then climbed to the top and summoned his lance.
The trigger was pulled, and the missile was fired. It passed by the falling robot that was in the process of being impaled by Ignis' lance. It exploded against the ship, and Ignis jumped back into the regalia. Both imperial ships and the giant robot fell, with a guaranteed crash landing into the ocean. Once Ignis and Prompto were seated, Stella put the roof back up.
"Well let's hope that's the end of them." Prompto had such high hopes.
Ignis chuckled. "Come now, you know better than that."
In the distance, they heard an explosion, and could see Aranea's ship high above two imperial ships.
"You spoke a little too soon, Prompto." Stella giggled. She turned the regalia towards the next battle.