#Sylva and Regis

[flowers-of-tenebrae]

WELL-WISHES from REGIS LUCIS CAELUM Kingsglaive・FFXV・FF 30th Anniversary・The Dawn of the Future

That I might see Noctis take Lunafreya's hand in his and watch as the two of them take their first steps in matrimony was a joy beyond any dream. That joy was redoubled by the sight of so many who wished them well. - DotF (2019, p. 376)

[primamchorus]

Garden of Fire

The day is finally here where Noctis is to have the last of his Scourge removed by the hand of the Queen Oracle. Excitement bubbles within, especially when Lunafreya spoke so highly of the ritual, and how Stella shows her elation in mentioning how she is to help with it. And yet...by the end of the day, none of this was meant to happen.

Word count: 2,284

FFXV: Reimagined Table of Contents

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Today was a special day. Today was the day that Noctis could be taken out through the sylleblossom garden and to a sacred ground within the Fleuret estate for a final cleanse to rid him of what traces of Scourge still lingered within him. The excitement of what this all meant was a palpable aura felt by everyone.

Stella seemed one of the most excited as she walked with a bit of a flounce to her gait next to Noctis’ wheelchair, dirty blonde hair bouncing with each step. Lunafreya was pushing Noctis, her own look of enthusiasm evident in her eyes as how she could not contain the smile she tried to conceal.

As for Noctis himself, well…he did his best to appear merely content. He failed miserably at it, of course. For what young boy would not be excited to return to an aspect of their life that they knew?

“I'm going to help mother in the ritual,” Stella was saying as they walked. Even her tone was laced with that bubbling jubilee. “Ever since Niflheim took over, these purification rituals are rare.”

“But don't the Oracles still help the people?” Noctis asked.

“We do…but with Niflheim’s rule, our mother — the Queen Oracle — can only open the gates to the grounds during allotted periods ordained by Emperor Ideolas Aldercapt,” Lunafreya explained briefly. She sighed wistfully. “The rituals are so pretty. When the Scourge is taken from the host's body during the process, it turns into this beautiful wispy mana before dispersing back into the star.”

At Lunafreya’s initial explanation, Stella’s expression faltered for the briefest of moments. She continued to walk alongside the two with purpose, a smile returning to her face as she looked on ahead.

“So the Scourge in my body will be returned to the star, huh?” Noctis asked, looking up. The sky shifted to being obscured by the canopy of trees the further that they went. The flagstone trail faded into dirt, the wheels of the wheelchair soon crunched over dead leaves and the occasional twig.

The deeper that the three traversed into the wood, the darker the world grew around them. The sound of rushing waters greeted them as the land shifted and changed, rocky waterfalls bringing in a murmur to the forest. It was a tranquil shroud of nature that Noctis felt like he could easily get lost in. Before he could get lost, however, Lunafreya slowed the wheelchair to a halt, and Noctis looked forward to notice the collection of adults there as well as Ravus — Lunafreya and Stella’s brother.

Regis turned to look at Noctis as he arrived, his expression brightening. At his side were of course Aurae and Clarus both — the only members of the royal council who accompanied Regis to Tenebrae.

When Sylva noticed the three approaching, her attention upon them was the cue for the others to look toward them as well. She donned much more traditional cloth, still white as freshly laden snow. At her back was a mantle of feathers, blue as the sylleblossoms native to Tenebrae. Upon her head she donned a crystalline crown, clear as ice. Lifting a hand, she beckoned for Lunafreya to bring Noctis closer.

Stella exchanged a smile with Lunafreya, nodding toward her before walking forward to stand next to their mother. She was more than ready to begin the ritual and aid with it as her budding duty as next Oracle in line. As Lunafreya brought Noctis into the clearing, he watched Stella stand more proudly, her hands drawn before her at rest. Ravus was close by himself, his figure nearly dwarfing both his mother and sister already.

With a steady breath, Noctis felt his wheelchair lurch to a stop. Lunafreya held the chair still while Noctis glanced back at her. She gave him a reassuring nod and smile. Gathering his excited and nervous energy both, he slowly pushed himself up into standing on his own two legs. The pain was dull, though not unbearable like before. With the steady stream of treatment and physical therapy, he had been well on his way to recovery. All that was left was the ritual.

When Sylva beckoned Noctis to come forward, he walked, slow but assured as his aching legs carried him. Runes etched within the stone beneath his feet started to glow a calming blue, a warm energy of tranquility flooded the area surrounding them. Such warmth made Noctis’ skin tingle in a soothing fashion, the feeling akin to being wrapped within a plush blanket on a cold winter’s eve.

A glance back to Stella revealed that she had clasped her hands together in prayer, a serene look upon her face. Looking back at Sylva, her own eyes soon closed as she knelt and cupped Noctis’ face in her hands once he neared. She pressed her forehead to his, the tingling sensation from before feeling more like a full body pulse. It was not bad nor unwelcome — instead, it was like the ocean waves lapping at his skin. With each retreat of these ‘waves’, Noctis could feel the resistance of the Scourge within him…how it wanted to cling on and fester.

There were moments where the Scourge clung on so tightly that Noctis’ face twisted into a momentary grimaces of pain. His hand curled into a fist at his side, enduring the discomfort.

Everything that was happening was enough to make Noctis miss how the air thrummed. How the leaves of the trees shifted, as if shuddering in fear.

A loud crack tore through the air, and where Noctis’ heart leapt into his throat, Sylva staggered forward. There was a new tear in the arm of her robes, revealing a deep cut within her flesh that bled freely, staining her white fabric in scarlet.

A bullet had grazed her.

The metallic sound of armor clanking started to fill the air. Magitek soldiers rained down upon the ritual grounds, their expressionless faces only staring forward with that harrowing red glow to their eyes as they marched forward, guns drawn. Some even pointed their limbs forward, wrists snapping back to reveal flamethrowers that were used to start setting the forest and grounds ablaze.

Chaos was something that took no time to ensue as the Crownsguard that accompanied Regis and Noctis leapt into action alongside the Fleuret armed royal soldiers. Gunfire and the crunching of metal as it was destroyed filled the air.

“Run to your father, Noctis!” Sylva urged before she stood and turned, a stony expression on her face — a far cry from the warm and serene queen Noctis had gotten to know during his time in Tenebrae. From her palm was erected a vast wealth of magical energy, a crystalline shield providing a dome around the ritual grounds and the people there to shield them from a hailstorm of bullets.

Before he knew it, Noctis felt a hand around his, and he was pulled in a direction away from Sylva. Lunafreya was leading, her feet carrying her as fast as they could with Noctis’ added stupor dragging behind her. Once shock had finally left him in whatever capacity it could, Noctis’ could finally gain control of running after Lunafreya toward Regis.

Everything was a blur once Regis scooped Noctis up into his arms and grabbed Lunafreya’s hand to lead them both to safety.

“Ravus!” The sound of Sylva’s pained and desperate voice cut through the air clearer than anything else causing Lunafreya to stop, eyes wide as her hand slipped from Regis’ grasp. Sylva had put herself between a magitek trooper, flames expelling from its arm compartment, and Ravus.

Ravus was down on his knees, hand clamped over the side of his abdomen where a bullet got him, making him a susceptible enough target.

Noctis’ eyes widened as his mouth fell open watching the scene unfold before him. He could not help but be brought back to that time with the marilith. How the fires lapped and consumed the world around him. How the smoke filled his lungs.

Stella hurried to her brother’s side, getting him back up onto his feet before the two of them started running. Aurae entered into Noctis’ vision, running past to erect a shield of her own making to cover for the other two while taking hold of Lunafreya’s hand to get her out of danger. The shock of everything was clear on Ravus’ eyes, and when he turned to look back at his mother’s burning body, another figure loomed over her, a great blade of steel having pierced straight through her.

“Mother!” Ravus screamed, pulling away from Stella to hurry back to their mother’s side.

“Ravus, you can’t—!” Stella gasped, her words cut off as the figure that cut down the Queen Oracle rushed past her, aiming an attack at Regis.

A sharp ringing echoed out as Regis summoned upon the Royal Armiger, weapons appearing at his sides in a crystalline shroud as he kept his firm hold upon Noctis, shielding him with his body.

“Glauca!” came a shout from Clarus as he hurried to the king’s back. He had forced himself to retreat from the magitek units to charge at the darkly armored man. With a thrust, steel met steel as the darkly armored individual had to turn and block Clarus’ incoming attack.

Glancing over his shoulder, Regis steeled himself as Clarus fended off the Niflheim general. Mustering his strength, Regis willed his summoned armiger forward just as Clarus pushed Glauca back. With a grunt of surprise, Glauca was forced backward into the base of a grand tree before Regis resumed his retreat with Noctis in his hold and now Clarus in tow.

“You have to help us!” Ravus shouted as Regis ran past. He had been kneeling over Sylva’s limp body. His voice might as well have been a whisper amidst the roar of everything else surrounding the ritual grounds. Even though Aurae was there and attempting to get Ravus on his feet, it was as if only the Lucian King was who could help him. “King Regis!”

With more of her strength, Aurae hooked an arm underneath Ravus’, pulling both him and Lunafreya with her. Stella at least had been less paralyzed and overwhelmed to keep pace alongside them.

“What are you doing!? Let me go!” Ravus yelled, his attention going to his mother as he was made to leave her. Aurae’s grip upon him was like an iron vice, preventing him from parting from her. “She needs help!”

“Mother is dead, Ravus! They killed her!” Stella cried out at him. She nearly stopped in her tracks as soon as the words left her mouth. Bringing a hand to her eyes, Stella continued hurrying along, blinking back the tears that started to well. Hearing the words she said made the scenario feel all that much more real.

“Save your words,” Aurae both scolded and urged with a hiss. Her attention was pointed forward, following after Regis and Clarus. She was most concerned with keeping the Nox Fleuret children as safe as possible.

The moment they had left the ritual grounds back into the gardens, the extent of how far the flames went was mortifying. What was once an ocean of blue sylleblossoms was now engulfed in flame. Only the flagstone path back to the manor felt like the only safe path. However, having walked the grounds before, Aurae brought herself to action, letting go of Ravus to lift a hand. The air shuddered as a gust of wind rushed forward and created a path around the manor for them to take, suppressing the flames with an advanced Shell spell.

It was a safe enough passage for everyone to take. They ran through the blackened trail, only the thought that it was passing strange flitting through their minds that the magitek units did not seem to want to shoot at them any longer. Not since the Nox Fleuret children had been at Aurae’s side.

“Must I do everything myself?” a low voice drawled within Aurae’s ear before she felt Lunafreya’s hand slip from hers.

Turning suddenly with a cry of surprise, Aurae watched as Lunafreya was dragged back by a force unseen. Likewise, Ravus and Stella both soon followed suit.

Thrusting an arm out to reach for them, eyes wide, Aurae was soon halted by a figure that manifested before her. She found herself staring up into the golden eyes of Niflheim’s chancellor:

“Ardyn—” Aurae’s voice caught in her throat before she felt the wind escape her.

Her body buckled as she looked down, a darkened blade having been thrust through her. As her vision blurred and blood bubbled up through her throat, she looked back up at Ardyn. It was hard to think straight, but she raised a hand, pressing it against Ardyn’s own that held the hilt of his sword.

“Send your sister my regards,” Ardyn spoke, a smug grin growing upon his face as he stared down at Aurae. Sharply withdrawing the blade, he then whipped his free arm forward. Aurae’s body flew through the air before it landed on the opposite side of the sea of flames that returned to engulfing the trail. The Shell spell had been released as the last of Aurae's life left her.

Aurae’s body fell against the pavement in front of Clarus and Regis’ both as they looked upon her in horror. Regis brought a hand up to the back of Noctis’ head, keeping his gaze turned away. All the while, Clarus cursed, his jaw clenching as he allowed his greatsword to fade away into a mist before he picked Aurae’s body up and carried it with them.

None of this was meant to happen…

[umbrites]

tags, part two.

[departedcrown]

new tag dump, tee hee. ( i love that you can just bulk paste them directly now and it automatically separates them )

[fire-of-the-sun]

Did the fandom ever decide what the names of Noctis and Luna's children should be? Is there a general consensus? I'm relatively new here so I haven't seen much.

My first thought for their daughter would be Stella - an obvious homage to the scrapped character but also a fitting continuation of the 'night' theme of the family. If your father's name means 'night' and your mother's means 'moon', then 'star' feels pretty appropriate. I can just see her being the light of Noctis and Luna's world and both affectionately calling her their 'little star'.

I believe I've also seen the name Dawn pop up and think that would be very pretty and symbolic as well - a constant reminder of the future they were fighting for and the reward of success that their child epitomizes. That being said, Dawn isn't Latin and would instead translate to Aurora, which is a beautiful name and sounds similar to Aulea, Noctis' mother. They could also consider Sylva after Luna's mother as well, which also sounds similar to Stella.

For their son, I actually feel Nyx could be viable. Not only is it still a direct reference to Noctis, as Nyx also means 'night', it could also act as a way to honor the man that sacrificed himself to help protect Luna and the city. Though she barely knew him, Luna may feel obliged to honor him in this way and Noctis could also want to show his eternal gratitude to the glaive who helped safeguard his beloved wife. That being said, there are other men in their lives they knew infinitely better and would most likely be considered more deserving of a namesake such as Regis or Ravus.

Anyway, I can't believe the Lunoct babies were taken from us. I would have absolutely melted at the sight of Noctis and Luna being parents and it would have been really cool to see a Final Fantasy protagonist not only age up so significantly, but also (semi-canonically) get married and have children as I don't believe this has been done before in the franchise?

[a-world-in-grey]

@raven-6-10

Lol, Regis absolutely needs to sit down. Of all the things Noctis could have said, his newest friend and Heart having magic of her own and being his daughter is honestly the last thing he expected.

(Unfortunately for the Nifs, no one mentions that Prompto's magic is just so slightly different to traditional Lucis Caelum magic. Regis therefore makes the same mistake as Prompto and Noctis and assumes that Prompto is therefore his daughter. Which means the Father King is now on a warpath to rescue said newfound daughter from Niff custody, and rest in pieces to anybody who gets in his way.)

Cor wishes he could go back in time and smack some sense into his younger self. That's his friend/brother/King's daughter, his niece in all but blood. He isn't going to just mobilize more people, he is going to be leading missions himself regardless of what Regis or Clarus has to say about it.

Yeah, at this point Regis and Cor probably tell Noctis and co. that no, Regis did not cheat on Aulea while his wife was on her death bed (after a very scathing tirade from Noctis about what he thinks of Regis doing said cheating on his mom and then not even having the decency to raise Prompto as she should have been). But Prompto is no less wanted for her being a product of science and stolen DNA.

You know, I always headcanoned that once Niflheim got their hands on some photos of the prince and his civilian friend, they absolutely knew that Prompto was an escaped clone. The resemblance to Besithia was obvious, after all. They just didn't bother to do anything with it, since it's not like they need that particular clone and it's not even like Prompto has a sleeper programming.

But in the Spark verse, well. Prompto is a child of an Oracle. And if Glauca is a thing, they might even know about her magic.

Either way, they really want to have her back.

I have been sitting on this ask for awhile, because I love it, but unfortunately the muses are not cooperating with me on it.

In most of my fics, Niflheim doesn’t really bother paying too much attention to Prompto - yeah, he’s the prince’s friend, but he’s civilian, and furthermore, not a member of his Retinue, so ergo, he can’t be that important to the prince. Not enough to be worth investing any resources into whatever aim they might want with Prompto anyway.

But in Spark au, Prompto is claimed as Noctis’ Heart far earlier than normal in an effort to protect her secret, and that makes Niflheim take a closer look at this civilian girl who’s gotten so close to the prince. And you’re right, the resemblance is uncanny if you know what to look for.

I feel like Titus wouldn’t know about Prompto’s magic. Noctis and the others are so very careful to keep her magic under wraps, and the cover of Prompto having Noctis’ magic so compelling, that Titus never realizes the truth.

Now, if they ever managed to get their hands on the Prince’s Heart long enough to somehow learn that carefully hidden truth… well.

That would change things, wouldn’t it?

[florian-luster]

𝓛𝓪𝓭𝔂 𝓕𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓕𝓸𝔁

Part of Noctis’s royal retinue and a member of the crownsguard, labelled the King’s Spear as Noctis’s polearm weapons teacher and companion.

Born June 23, M.E. 734 in the royal capital of Insomnia to the noble family of house Fox, a few months after Ignis Scientia. Florian is second cousin to Prince Noctis with his grandfather, King Mors, being the brother of her grandmother, Princess Vera. 

[Florian is not in line for the throne but is titled Lady due to her noble status - she is able to summon weapons and dismiss them but not warp like the Kingsglaive of those in the direct line]

An idea proposed by King Regis along with a letter of permission from Lord Leon Fox, Florian’s father, suggested an engagement between the Prince of Tenebrae and the Lady Florian to strengthen bonds further between Lucis and the line of the Oracle. 

[This decision was made with the knowledge that Florian has Lucian blood in mind] 

The engagement is accepted by the Oracle and reigning Queen Sylva Via Fleuret and a Royal engagement is set until the two are older.

The two are separated when Tenebrae is annexed with Florian escaping to Lucis regretably.

Florian keeps correspondence with Ravus through letters, hoping to make a state visit so that the two may meet again as they are separated by the war between Lucis and the Empire.

The star-crossed pair finally reunite after the attack on Insomnia and Florian is conflicted between her allegiance to Noctis and her love for Ravus.

(see previous posts for more Ravus x Florian art)

[queenoffishingandcookies]

Thinking of Noctis is Tenebrae.

Specially, when he was in Tenebrae.

Noctis was born on August 30th, and was eight years old during his time in Tenebrae.

Lunafreya, who was born on September 4th, was twelve.

Considering the main game generally takes place over the course of a year (I think? Don’t quote me on this, all I know canonically is that it starts May), in the year of M.E 756 and he visited twelve years prior:

M.E 744.

I’d guess very late winter, early spring. Possibly late January through February - maybe to early or mid March, at the latest.

Why so early in the year?

In the Kingsglaive movie, the prologue when we see the fall of Tenebrae and Queen Sylva’s murder, several characters are wearing clothes that seem suited to chilly weather - namely Ravus, Lunafreya, and Noctis.

Ravus and Noctis are, respectively, wearing a padded jacket or padded vest. The puffy sort you wear when it’s getting cold out, but not big-puffy full blown winter coats.

Also, Lunafreya is wearing a shawl or capelet with a hood, and it looks like it has a fur collar(?). Her dress looks, at least to me, like a thick fabric - wool, maybe. She’s not wearing stocking or leggings (or maybe she is and I didn’t notice), so again, it’s not winter-levels of cold.

There’s no snow either, which means either it’s before winter has fallen or afterwards - and I am inclined to believe the latter.

(That’s dependent on the general climate of Tenebrae, though)

We don’t know when Noctis was attacked, except that it was after he turned eight years old - in other words, some point after august. Possibly early September 743 at the earliest, and March - July 744 at the latest, since he was out catching fireflies, which usually appear most often in spring and summer.

We know he was comatose for a period of time following the attack, but not how long.

He possibly had been afflicted by the starscourge in canon (I don’t know if this was ever confirmed).

We also know he was paralyzed, or his body was still recovering from his injuries to the point where he was still wheelchair bound in Tenebrae.

My idea is this:

Noctis is attacked some time in late M.E 743. He is rushed into emergency surgery in an attempt to save his life, no doubt after Regis had used his magic to keep the Prince alive on the way to the nearest hospital (he’d probably be transferred to the Citadel later? He woke up in the citadel in Brotherhood, at least).

Noctis is possibly comatose for a month, maybe two. As a result of lack of movement, his muscles - on top of the damage done to back and legs - begin to atrophy.

(The symptoms of starscourge infection are stymied, because starscourge adapts differently to the body of a Lucis Caelum, and makes Noct effectively asymptomatic for a time).

When he wakes up, and probably even before that, immediate therapy begins. When possible, rehabilitation in regards to spinal cord injuries begin as soon as possible, I believed.

For a time, I think it would be…not okay, not happy, but workable. Regis would be there every step of the way, and if not him - a team of nurses and doctors ever on standby.

But at some point during his rehabilitation, from the Acute and Sub-Acute phases which will stretch over into the new year, which can generally (and I mean this broadly, every spinal injury and situation is different) take around six to eight months, he begins to show signs of the starscourge.

Regis can’t do anything to help with the appearance of the scourge, and then the realization that it must have been there for a while, that this was why Noctis’ healing was so slow - even, and especially, compared to a normal person.

The crystal, the LC magic, would have been straining to heal him - but it was almost sluggish, unfocused, as it coursed through Noctis’ body.

Regis could feed Noctis magic, take the burden of how it pulled at one’s lifeforce so that his son already so close to death did not have to.

He couldn’t take away the scourge which corrupted his son’s magic, which was just as much as the family’s magic eating away at his son’s life. The doctor’s could give estimations and exams and exercises on how to help Noctis walk again, if he ever could, and even an inability to do so was not an impossible fact - not in the long history of the bloodline -

But the starscourge?

Sooner or later, it was fatal. Regis knew of no known member in the bloodline who had gotten it - most who died to daemons died outright in battle, or as a result of injuries, long before the scourge could set in and take them - but no one had ever survived the scourge.

And only one bloodline could do anything against it.

The House of Fleuret, The Oracle.

And that meant heading to Tenebrae. Even if it was an autonomous ‘kingdom’, Tenebrae had long since been annexed by Niflheim - just like Accordo.

To bring Noctis there would be like to deliver all of Lucis into the jaws of a snarling best.

If it had simply been Noctis’ back and legs maybe, maybe Regis wouldn’t have done it. It’s a big maybe, considering how much he loves his son, but maybe.

Starscourge, though?

Hell no, it’s off to Tenebrae. They have to fucking go. It doesn’t matter how dangerous it is, to go through imperial Territory. Noctis might die either way.

A route to reach Tenebrae has to be made, means for the two of them to leave the wall unknown, then travel to Tenebrae still unknown, also having Lucis ruled well - all the while, trying to keep Noctis as stable as possible? Things like that take time.

So, they arrive in Tenebrae some point in early 744. My personal headcanon is that the two are there for maybe a few months, around March, and then Niflheim strikes and everything subsequently goes to hell. It has to be before his ninth birthday.

[secret-engima]

Very Important Question for the vinland crossover: is Leviathan's Blessing only breathing in water or does it include full-on merfolk transformation?

Because there is that mural with Levi as a mermaid and, honestly, if Gladio ever grows a tail, Clarus and Regis and Sylva will have a bsod as they try to process this development >:)

:3

:3 :3 :3

It mighhhttttttt have one of those yes >.>

But that would be something for me to poke at and unleash when the muses wander back to that au specifically XD. But honestly yes I am strongly considering it because it would be so pretty and it would freak out the adults so hard.

Leviathan out here like "my child needs Fins™".

[laqualassiel]

Trying to decide in the Spark!Ardyn au where Ardyn goes after getting Blessed by Ifrit, because there’s no way on the Pyre he’s sticking around in Niflheim now that he knows Besithia is insane enough to try daemonifying an Astral.

Now the only question is: where does he go?

There’s Tenebrae, the closest and easiest to reach when Ardyn has no identification or money and hardly any knowledge of the modern world. Get Tenebrae world building and politics, stuff on the Oracle family, and eventual interactions with a younger Sylva, who might not even be the Oracle yet depending how old Sylva’s mom is. The threat of Niflheim discovering Ardyn (again) is highest in Tenebrae, given Tenebrae’s proximity and vassalage. The people of Tenebrae would likely be more religious than other countries, so we can build on the established Cosmogony and how that ties into the official religious doctrine. Ardyn’s grief for Aera would be more raw here, with Aera’s family as constant reminders. There’s also the possible conflict of the Oracles potentially knowing about Ardyn’s new Blessing, and if Bahamut had made known to the Oracles of his mandate that no other Blessings are permitted, that could put the Oracles in a position of having to choose between Ardyn and the will of the gods (or at least the only one whose actually awake). Depending on how far the canon historical timeline gets yeeted, Ardyn would be present when Noctis is brought to Tenebrae for healing and would promptly derail Niflheim’s whole invasion.

Next closest location is Accordo. Harder to get to because of the necessity of traveling by boat, but it is part of the Empire so there’s less travel restrictions to worry about there. Here we’d get Altissia world building and politics, meeting young Claudia Claustra and her movement to free Accordo from Imperial rule. No daemons in Accordo, so Ardyn’s magic would stay under the radar longer, and therefore less risk of Niflheim and Besithia finding him. Ardyn would integrate more into city life here, rather than living as a hermit. Dunno what Ardyn would do to make a living, but he’d pick up some sort of quiet career. In addition to meeting young Claudia, we’d eventually meet Prince Regis and his Retinue when they come to Altissia and get tangled in the politics there. There’s also the chance of Leviathan waking up and being Not Pleased to find the former Accursed and now one of Ifrit’s Sparks living on her front lawn. In this location Ardyn would probably get involved with Claudia’s underground resistance movement, and would probably interact quite a bit with Weskham after he stays in Altissia.

There’s Galahd, which has less world building needed (bless @secret-engima) but I could play around with the Clan politics of the time and their oaths to the Crown. Galahd would fold Ardyn in no problem, and without havens and only a scattering of temples Ardyn would put his magic to use the quickest of all locations. He’d be safest from Niflheim here, and pretty safe from Mors sending assassins too. Dig deeper into the differences between Galahdian religion and the official doctrine. Meet some of the baby glaives. Meet Prince Regis when he comes to Galahd briefly. Help fight the Niflheim occupying forces after Mors pulls the wall, which adds the risk of discovery from Niflheim.

Lastly, we’ve got Lucis. Farthest from Niflheim and hardest to get to, but the easiest to disappear in the Lucian Outlands. Would probably set up shop as the og ‘Witch’ of Malmalam Thicket, and meet young Kimya when she shows up demanding to learn from him. Highest threat from Mors’ assassins. Would likely meet Regis and co at least once. Offers the chance for Ardyn to rescue Cor from the Tempering Grounds, including a long overdue meeting between Ardyn and Gilgamesh. After Mors pulls the Wall, would have the threat from Niflheim’s invading forces. Ardyn would be more involved with the Hunters in this, if only tangentially, and might have more interactions with Cid and Cor as time goes on. Of course, being in Lucis means he’s faced with reminders of his brother’s family, and could even make the pilgrimage to Somnus’ tomb if he’s feeling particularly self-destructive.

So, any thoughts or ideas on where Ardyn ends up after running from Niflheim?

[primamchorus]

Sylva

Safe within the Fenestala Manor, Noctis awakens bathed in a sense of comfort. He meets the Queen Oracle of Tenebrae and is reassured that she and others will do all in their power to aid him.

Word Count: 735

FFXV: Reimagined Table of Contents

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The next time Noctis woke up, his body felt as if it were bathed in a soothing warmth before his eyes fluttered open. Above him, he saw the familiar faces of his father and his aunt. Then, there was a face not-so-familiar to him: a woman who looked at him with the same type of warmth that he felt. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a braided bun while a diadem made up of silver and clear crystals sat nestled atop her head.

“It’s great to finally meet you, Noctis,” the woman spoke, her voice calm and gentle. Her ice blue eyes twinkled in the light as the corners of her eyes crinkled with her gentle smile. “I’m Sylva Via Fleuret.”

That name was familiar…

“You’re...the Oracle and Queen of Tenebrae…” Noctis sleepily said once it clicked into place.

“That’s right, and you’re the Crown Prince of Lucis,” Sylva replied rather playfully before gently tapping his nose with her index finger. “Your father, aunt, and their Crownsguard traveled a long way to see you safely here. How are you feeling?”

Noctis pushed himself up into a seated position. He realized he was in a soft bed of silky white and blue sheets, and the room was composed of mostly white marble that reflected the differently colored lights from the stained glass windows. The images within the glass seemed to tell stories with their images. What those stories were, however, Noctis did not know.

Looking down, Noctis noticed the small totem of a carbuncle on his pillow. His attention lingered.

“Noctis?” Regis’ voice softly spoke up. When Noctis looked at his father, Regis only motioned with his eyes toward Sylva.

“O-oh…um… I’m actually feeling much better, Queen Sylva… Thank you,” Noctis stated, not actually feeling too sure of that. To test his spoken affirmation, he moved his legs to dangle off the side of the bed. They were still rather numb, and a dull ache throbbed in his shins and calves.

“It…doesn’t hurt as much as it used to…” Noctis went on to say, leaning over to turn his attention toward the ground. He wanted to test actually standing up on his own two feet. Of course, as soon as he started to slip out and into a standing position, the pain — while not as intense as before for him — still shot through him like electricity.

Noctis staggered and clutched onto the bed for support, a pained groan escaping him. Sylva held a hand out for him to help him get seated back upon the bed.

“I’m afraid healing you will still take some time, Noctis,” Sylva said. "Since it took some considerable time for everyone to get here, the Starscourge has spread. You will still experience some pain, but I promise you that while you and everyone else are here, you shall be treated as our honored guests. I shall do everything in my power to see that the Starscourge is cleansed from your body.”

Sylva drew her hands together after helping Noctis back into bed and continued: “In the meantime, please do take it easy. If you wish to roam the halls of the Fenestala Manor, you need only ask. It is likely you’ll need the assistance of your wheelchair a little while longer.”

“I hate having to use it…” Noctis pouted. At this, Sylva took a seat next to him.

“Do you best not to see the wheelchair as a burden nor a sign of weakness, Noctis,” Sylva started. “Like your father and aunt — like me — the wheelchair is there to alleviate your pains and assist you with getting through a day. For some, a wheelchair has become a permanent part of their lives, and that is not a bad thing. If it does what it was made to do, and if it’s helping you, then see it for what it is.”

The pout remained on Noctis’ face, but he said nothing further. He hated feeling like he was getting lectured.

“Well, I must leave for now. I’ll be back later to see if I can help you further, Noctis. For now, Aurae has been instructed on what to administer you for any bouts of pain.” Sylva stood, looking upon Noctis for a long moment before turning her attention toward Regis and Aurae. With a smile as a means to offer reassurance to them, she strode from the room.

[umbrites]

thinking of aulea and sylva being friends. sylva being the older one who already has two kids by the time aulea is pregnant with noctis, and just sylva being aulea's confidant ( aside from regis obvs ) through the whole experience. i like to think lucis and tenebrae had close and amicable relations ( as seen when noctis is brought there to recover after the accident ) before niflheim attacked.

but then i know full damn well if aulea had lived she would not have left those kids behind to be political pawns. she is cursing regis out from the afterlife for that. AKSJFLSDKJFLSKJGKLDG

[akingoftragedy]

❝ have you forgotten who i am? ❞

@infideliis || asoiaf: a dance with dragons starters

-

"No... never."

Never would Regis be able to forget him. Though he had grown over the years, the lucian king would never be able to forget the young boy he had abandoned in Tenebrae all those years ago.

He'd grown much since then - taller than even Regis himself. Ravus had taken after his late father, but Sylva's genes were undeniable in the shape of his nose and that sylleblossom colord eye. It made his heart ache at the memory of the woman, so kind and gentle that it only made it hurt more to remember that the royal children of Tenebrae lost her so young. Their formative years were instead dictated by Niflheim regime, prisoners in their own country.

And who's fault was that? Regis had no one but himself to blame. While Tenebrae burned he turned tail and fled with his son, abandoning the young Tenebrae prince who called out desperately for help behind him.

That young boy was long gone, the gentle smile turned downwards into a scowl and those bright eyes dark and sharp, as though they were trying to pierce into the depths of the king's very soul. "I could never forget you, nor your dear sister." When he wasn't being haunted by the impending fate of his son, the tragedy of the tenebrae royal siblings took it's place. So much he could have done, and yet Regis was a selfish coward.

[ffxvficrec]

by ChaoticAren Part one of a very long series. Basically isekai but instead of you it’s my own little shit of my own creation. Lots of different fandoms, semi coherent plot. Don’t start reading from any part that isn’t part 1 and don’t read if you don’t know the game or fandom. Also slow, random updates because I have autism and I’m too busy to update regularly get off my back you bastards Words: 2102, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 1 of [[placeholder]] Fandoms: Final Fantasy XV Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings , Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: Other Characters: Original Characters , Noctis Lucis Caelum , Ignis Scientia , Prompto Argentum , Gladiolus Amicitia , Iris Amicitia , Clarus Amicitia , Regis Lucis Caelum , Lunafreya Nox Fleuret , Cor Leonis , Ravus Nox Fleuret , Sylva Via Fleuret , Ardyn Izunia , Loqi Tummelt , Iedolas Aldercapt , Solara Aldercapt Antiquum , Aranea Highwind , Ifrit (Final Fantasy XV) , Bahamut (Final Fantasy XV) , Shiva (Final Fantasy XV) , Titan (Final Fantasy XV) , Leviathan (Final Fantasy XV) , Ramuh (Final Fantasy XV) , Garuda (Final Fantasy XV) , Phoenix , Dave Auburnbrie , Maria (Final Fantasy XV) , Pryna (Final Fantasy XV) , Umbra (Final Fantasy XV) , Gilgamesh (Final Fantasy XV) , Somnus Lucis Caelum , Aera Mirus Fleuret , Verstael Besithia , Cid Sophiar , Cindy Aurum , Gentiana (Final Fantasy XV) , Nyx Ulric , Libertus Ostium , Luche Lazarus , Crowe Altius , Pelna Khara , Titus Drautos | Glauca , Caligo Ulldor Additional Tags: Regis Lucis Caelum Lives , Clarus Amicitia Lives , Nyx Ulric Lives , Crowe Altius Lives , Titus Drautos | Glauca Lives , Ardyn Izunia Redemption , Spoilers , Not Serious , Bad Jokes , Dirty Jokes , Swearing

[saratogaroadwrites]

Adamantus (6/12)

Adamantus | saratogaroad rating: G+ total wordcount:  15,328 characters: Aulea Lucis Caelum, Regis Lucis Caelum, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Ardyn Lucis Caelum relationships: Aulea/Regis, Aulea & Noctis other tags: Mother-Son Relationship, Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence warnings: Character Death Starts The Plot

When Noctis is three years old, Regis takes ill. The doctor tells her that he will recover, that all will be well.

It isn't.

Aulea Lucis Caelum is left to raise a son on her own, knowing that a Kingdom depends on her strength and will to survive.

She will not lose him, too.

=

Before Cor has returned from Niflheim, before Aulea can even draft a proper declaration of war, Niflheim sends a delegation.

Return Lunafreya Nox Flueret to us and be unharmed, they say, She is of Niflheim now, not of Lucis.

Aulea stands in the throne room, her crown heavy upon her head and Clarus at her side, and tells them that she has no idea what they're talking about, that as far as she knew, little Lunafreya was safely home in Tenebrae. Perhaps they had best ask Queen Sylva instead?

Despite their harrying of Lucis they cannot admit to razing Tenebrae, not without a declaration of outright warfare, and these three diplomats do not have that kind of power. The delegation practically flees with their tails between their legs, without their prize and with a message for their Emperor that Queen Aulea will not bow to their whims.

Lunafreya--Luna now, truly--is safely ensconced deep within the Citadel as the Niflheim men return to their airship. Aulea takes comfort in the knowledge that she will heal from her injuries, is awake once more despite a three day sleep, and that she is among friends with Nyx and his charges keeping watch. Here, she will be safe.

At least, Aulea hopes as much. When Cor returns with a five year old boy in his arms and news of just how Niflheim is creating its never ending flow of soldiers, she knows in her bones that no place will ever be safe again. Little Prompto will grow up in a war, just like Noctis and all his friends, just like newly born Iris Amicitia, and they may never know peace.

She curses Niflheim, wonders if this is Bahamut's doing for refusing his chosen path, and then wonders no more.

Over the next four years, Niflheim gives them no more quarter. Attacks rain down on the Wall, on her people. Daemons hound them at night, mortars bombard them during the day. A year into the fighting, when her squads of fighters come back with exhaustion in their eyes and the ribs of the children begin to show through their small rations, she looks at the captured Niflheim commanding officer and asks what it is his nation wants. Her pride means nothing compared to her people, after all.

To bring Lucis to heel, he returns as he spits at her feet, And put and end to you dogs once and for all.

Aulea returns his body to his fellows and asks no more questions. She has a war to fight, a people to protect.

And so, they must leave. Though she wars with herself over doing it, she sends away the families first. Deep in the night they flee the Citadel, under the protection of the Crownsguard and Asteria's steadily growing Queensglaive. The staff are next, at Cyril's behest, until only a skeleton crew remains in Insomnia. The rest leave for Lestallum, Altissia, any city they can reach that is far away from the conflict.

Each leaves with Aulea's blessing of coin and her unending understanding, and each leaves with a burden lifted from their shoulders. Even so, she misses the patter of little feet, the voices of her people. Enough have remained to fill one arm of the Citadel, true, she thinks as she walks towards her throne one hot summer morning, enough linger long enough to become part of the Crownsguard or the Queensglaive--two such young women trail behind her at all times now--but the massive building still feels empty.

"Majesty!"

At least Cyril has remained. She turns to greet her advisor, brushing away a loose lock of grey-and-black hair, but then her smile drops.

She has never seen Cyril look this harried. She steps forward, reaches for him.

"What has happened?"

"A Chancellor for Niflheim has come," He says, "Asking for audience with you. He says he wishes to end the fighting."

"That alone would not have you so panicked, old friend," She says as he takes her by the arm and begins to pull her along, "What's the matter?"

"He offers peace in exchange for Prince Noctis," Cyril finishes.

Aulea runs. She does not slow even as she reaches the throne room, knows that today Noctis--newly ten years old--had asked to sit in with her, to begin to learn from her what it meant to rule, and knows that he would have arrived ahead of her.

Her heart sinks as she steps into the throne room and he is already there, at the base of the stairs, with a man standing in front of him. Nyx is a step behind him, one hand on the hilt of his kukri blade and one hand on the boy-prince's shoulder.

"Sir," He says, "I won't ask again. Let him go."

"In a moment," the man says, and Aulea's heart leaps to her throat. The Chancellor of Niflheim speaks with an accent she cannot place, but he has hands on her son! He grips Noctis' chin with one hand, gently turning the boys face one way and then the other. Noctis' shoulders are tense, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "There is something..."

"Sir," Noctis now says, his voice trembling only a little. Aulea is so proud of him, even as ice sinks into her veins, Elemancy prepared to answer her call if only Noctis was not in the line of her fire-- "Please. Let go."

"As soon as your lady mother arrives--ah." The Chancellor looks up at her and smiles. His eyes gleam gold in the morning sunlight, his hair a deep burgundy beneath his hat and the Lucis-black he wears.

She has seen that face before, those eyes, that nose, in the portrait hall of all of Lucis' former rulers.

"All we know for certain is that King Izunia had a twin brother..."

"There she is."

Nyx does not take his eyes off his charge, off the threat, but Noctis tries to turn.

"Mother--" He begins, but Ardyn does not let go of his chin. Aulea takes the steps two at a time, straining not to reach for her boy.

"I will ask that you let him go now, Chancellor..."

"Ardyn Izunia," he says, flourishing his hat with his free hand, and Aulea stiffens. To be so brazen-- "Chancellor of Niflheim." He sets his hat back on his head, looks at Noctis again. "Do pardon the intrusion, your Majesty, but there was something I needed to be certain of."

Now pushed past his boundaries, Noctis makes a choked off noise. Ardyn cocks his head not unlike a curious chocobo, finally letting go and brushing hair from the young boys face. Aulea steps forward, but before Nyx can finally draw his blade Ardyn smiles.

There's something oddly paternal about that smile.

"A true Lucis Caelum," he says softly, even as Noctis scrambles back behind Nyx, as Nyx pulls him close and shepherds him out the door, Ardyn turns his eyes to Aulea once more. "From true blood, it would seem."

Aulea holds her head up high.

"So it would seem," She says. Before she can stop herself she draws herself up, grabs at a theory too frayed to be true, and draws on olden tongues, "Frater."

Ardyn Izunia--Ardyn Lucis Caelum--blinks at her once, twice, three times.

Then he smiles again.

"Well. Far be it for me to be so rude to family, hrm?" He reaches up, removes his hat. "Let us speak, shall we? I do have so many questions."

[a-world-in-grey]

What is Besithia doing in Spark!Ardyn au? Considering his pet projects got thoroughly torched by an annoyed Astral, along with his lab.

Besithia doesn’t strike me as the type to let an Astral throwing a hissy fit get in the way of his goals. Well, not for long, anyways.

Haven’t played through Episode Ardyn yet and it’s been awhile since I watched a walkthrough, but iirc Besithia books it either when the Royal Guard shows up to have a go at killing Ardyn, or when Ifrit wakes up pissed as fuck. Either way, Besithia is too busy running to avoid getting flambéd to see that Ardyn did not get immolated with the rest of the lab.

So with his lab turned to ash and charred and melted scrap - and assuming Ardyn’s ashes are in there as well - Besithia is back to not square one, but like, square two with his daemon experiments. Only now there’s the issue of Ifrit being awake, and that Astral isn’t known for being fond of humans.

And Besithia doubts he’s on the Astral’s Winter Solstice card list.

First Besithia has to fess up to the Emperor about his colossal fuck up - lost an expensive lab, lost the experiments he’d invested so much money in, and there’s now a pissed off Astral on the loose - and hope Iedolas doesn’t decide to cut his losses where Besithia is concerned. Besithia is in luck. Iedolas isn’t pleased with Besithia, but the Emperor gives Besithia a chance to mitigate his mistake by coming up with a way to counter an Astral.

So begin Besithia’s experiments into countering divine magic. With the added difficulty of finding a source of divine magic to test his results on.

Niflheim can already clone food, surely humans can’t be that much more difficult? Ardyn’s genetic samples all burned up in his lab, so Besithia starts with his own dna to perfect the process.

Once he gets that - the successful subjects are placed under observation to monitor development even as they are placed in various homes - Besithia moves on to acquiring a suitable genetic sample from either the line of the Oracles or Lucis Caelums.

Depending how long it takes Besithia to reach this stage, his options are Sylva’s Fleuret parent, Sylva herself, baby Ravus, Mors, or Regis. At which point Besithia starts trying to clone subjects in the hope of them inheriting magic so he can test countering divine magic on them. Instead of having to test it on a fully aware Oracle or a trial by fire on an angry Astral.

Only, it turns out magic doesn’t really play well with cloning attempts so Besithia’s gonna be at this for awhile.