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Chapter 38: My Best Friend

If anyone had ever told Noctis that his road trip would end up in Graela and he would be wandering through the winding pathways of Zegnautus Keep, he would have scoffed and told them they were insane. Yet here the young King was, exhausted and separated from the remaining two of his royal retinue, with only the cursed ring to use to defend himself.

Unfortunately, on the way into Graela, the trio had run into a swarm of goblins, only to find out they had no access to their armory. Without anything to defend themselves, they fled to the Regalia in the cargo cars. Their situation began more apparent when they only just made it through the closing doors of Zegnautus Keep, destroying the beloved car in the process.

Noctis felt like he was officially saying goodbye to what he had left of his late father. The Regalia held so many memories for King Regis during his youth, and of Noctis growing up, always ready to welcome King Regis whenever he returned home; it now held so many memories of their own road trip whilst gathering the Royal Arms.

The time the Regalia broke down and you flew ahead to get help from Cindy and Cid. When you transformed into a cat and woke Noctis with a defensive scratch. It was also the time when Noctis got to hold you so intimately, thanks to Iris and Prompto's mischievous ways. You had also leaped from the Regalia in reaction to Elena's injury, reunited with your cousins and gotten sick from the rain within the same day. Noctis burned every memory shared with you and the rest in his mind, locking them safely in his heart, before thanking the Regalia silently, and bidding his late father goodbye.

At present, Noctis was beyond annoyed, knowing that he was playing into Ardyn's little game and cat and mouse. The various comments over the PA system were not doing so well in leading Noctis to where he wanted to be. It had been made apparent that Prompto was being held hostage somewhere within Zegnautus Keep. Ardyn had hinted that much. But where in the maze of metal pipes and machinery was the question.

Noctis had done well in getting this far into the heavily guarded heart of Graela. He had even gathered more information regarding the Empire's research, completely disgusted by the extremes they were taking to achieve results. Having been fooled multiple times by illusions of Prompto being held captive was beginning to wear the young King down, but he was determined to bring more that one person back to his side. Noctis only hoped that Prompto didn't harbor any distrust towards him, having originally mistaken his best friend as Ardyn and pushing him off their moving train.

Desperately trying to find a way back to his friends, Noctis found himself falling into an electrifying trap. While it was meant to mean his demise, he was thankful that Ignis and Gladio had managed through Zegnautus Keep to meet common ground. However, Noctis agreed with Ignis that perhaps their regrouping had been done to serve a different purpose. Rather than Noctis' light being snuffed out just like that.

"Over there!" Gladio called out, pointing to a cell that was at the end of the hallway. Noctis was the first to reach it, pulling on the cell door wide and checking over the contraption that held his best friend up. Ignis checked Prompto over for any injuries before assisting Noctis in releasing the weakened gunslinger.

"Prompto! Are you okay?" It was obvious Noctis was frantic; it was his fault Prompto was captured by Ardyn.

"Yeah. Thanks for coming like I knew you would buddy," Prompto's words warmed Noctis inside, but judging from the blonde's expression, Noctis could tell there was more to those words than was let on.

"Prom?" Noctis peered into Prompto's face as if to encourage him to say whatever was eating him up inside.

"I just knew I couldn't die until I could see you again. So that you could tell me that I'm real. That I am me," Prompto elaborated with a small smile.