Final Fantasy XV - The Light Of Dawn

Chapter 8: Episode Shannon. (Part 1 of 3)

Time: 7:30 PM - Location: Niflheim Research Facility - Site 2. - Year: M.E. 736. Month: February.

About two years after the events that took place in the crown city, it was dark and cold in the research facility one particular night and the only sound was the sounds of a woman's laboured breathing as she having another round of experiments done again. For 6 years, there were none stop experiments and the girl that was the guinea pig for such things was a 26 year old woman named: Shannon Argentum. She had been at this round of experiment for hours and was getting tired.

"Well well, dear Shannon, back for more are you?" A familiar and soothing voice made it's self known.

"Hello, Ardyn..come to gloat?" she groaned in pain.

"No, just to assist in the experimentation." Ardyn smirked as his hand became engulfed with the scourge and he touched her shoulder, infecting her.

After a scream of agony, Verstael and Ardyn stood back, waiting for her to transform an be deemed a failure but instead, the opposite happened. Her body had bonded with the scourge as she tore out of her restraints with her newfound power.

"Guards!" Verstael called out to his guards as they rushed over only to be beaten down.

Using this as a window to escape the compound, she ran off, running through the halls, taking down any MT's and soldiers that got in her way. Eventually, she made it to a snow filled wasteland on a snowbike and set up camp for the night in a cave and did what she could to survive.

"Finally..I'm away from those monsters." She sighed in relief as she looked at the flames. Shannon felt slightly sick and felt like she couldn't hold anything down, she just assumed that she caught a virus or it was a result of the scourge though. "Next stop..Lucis.." she thought as she laid down on a makeshift bed and tried to get some rest.

By the time morning had rolled around, she woke to find the fire had gone out due to lack of fresh firewood, thinking nothing of it, she got on her bike and made her way through the mountains until she found herself in Tenebrae. The royal family of Tenebrae welcomed her with open arms, offering food and shelter for her and she accepted, grateful for their hospitality.

"I thank you, Lady Sylva." She nodded to the ruler of Tenebrae after her meal. "but I must be moving on now..if I stay, the empire will find me and I cannot put your family at risk." Shannon petted the 3 year old's head that looked up at her with an innocent expression who would later be known as Lady Lunafreya.

"That's quite alright, Shannon. where do you need to go?" Sylva smiled.

"I need to get to Lucis, your highness. I wish to join them."

"You wish to swap sides? I see. I will put in a good word for you with King Regis and prepare a train to Cartanica."

Shannon nodded and smiled as she left Fenestala Manor to wait for her train after saying farewell to the Fleurets.

Time: 4:00PM - Location: Lucis, Insomnia - Year: M.E. 736. Month: April.

It had been around 2 months since she had escaped the confines of the empire's facilities and Shannon had finally made it to the safety of Insomnia but she wasn't out of the woods yet. The royal guard had found her roaming the city after getting reports from scared citizens and practically dragged her to the citadel without a second thought.

"Hey! easy! I'm not your enemy!" She pleaded.

"Quiet, Niff!" The guard snapped, dragging her to the throne room. "Your majesties! We got one!"

King Regis and his pregnant queen looked down to the struggling woman at the bottom of the stairs.

"Let her go." Aulea ordered.