Book Two: The Journey of the Lucians

II - The Fall

The next morning was the signing ceremony. Sera headed down to the throne room, hoping to convince King Regis to call off the treaty signing once more, when she ran into Nyx, a member of the Kingsglaive.

"What's troubling you, Nyx?" she asked the glaive.

"Niflheim."

"Let him in now," she demands the guards on duty, as they reach the throne room. The two enter the throne room, one of the guards following them trying to stop Nyx, only to be stopped by Sera.

"Your Majesty, please, give the order to deploy the Glaive," Nyx said, kneeling before King Regis.

"You?" King Regis questions.

"A Niflheim fleet makes ready for war, twenty miles to the south."

"An Imperial fleet," Gladio's father, Clarus, said.

"They have the Princess," Nyx finished.

"Clarus, post guards outside the treaty room," King Regis commands.

"It will be seen as a lack of faith in the peace," Clarus points out.

"Which we all harbor," King Regis said. "See it done. We may well have to take Emperor Aldercapt into custody."

"Detain him? That would be beyond the new declaration of war."

"We are still at war, Clarus," Sera adds, hoping to stop the argument from escalating between her father and her shield's father. "And if we don't stop it soon, countless homes will either be destroyed or annexed by the Imperial army, much like how Galahd had been years ago."

"And you, Nyx Ulric," King Regis said. "How soon can the Kingsglaive deploy?"

"On your word. At once."

"Go then. Save Luna." And with that, Nyx nods and rushes out of the throne room, making his way to Kingsglaive headquarters.

"Father, I intend to stay with you. The rest of the Kingsglaive are either on guard detail on the grounds or out on the rescue mission. That leaves only the council to protect you, and since I'm the last member of the Glaive who's left to guard."

~~~~

Just in time for Nyx and Lunafreya to enter the treaty room, Sera could feel time stop for a moment, seeing Ravus' arm on fire, the sound of the Ring of the Lucii rolling on the ground. Every finger on his left hand, except his thumb, had been cut off, King Regis picked up the ring.

"Look out!" Lunafreya and Sera shouted, rushing to Regis, picking up his walking stick and handing it to him, trying to get him to safety before General Glauca could attack, Nyx distracting him.

As Lunafreya and Sera help Regis to the elevator, he turns to Nyx and says, "Quickly! Through here!"

Casting Thundara, Regis gives the hero some time to get to the elevator. Throwing his dagger, Nyx warps into the elevator, breathlessly. As the doors begin to close, the general rises from his weakened state, ready to attack them once more.

As the elevator descends, Nyx breathes heavily, Sera sighs in relief, and Lunafreya rips off a piece of fabric from her dress, tending to Regis' injured hand.

"This leads to a hidden passageway. Follow it," King Regis tells the Oracles. "Once you are away, make for Altissia. Noctis awaits you there."

"Your Majesty," Lunafreya said.

"You knew this was coming?" Nyx asks the king.

"Yes, but it was the only way to draw their wrath from Noctis," Regis answers.