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Chapter Text

The sun felt too hot over his disintegrating body. He didn't regret offering his life in exchange for protecting Lady Lunafreya. He glanced at Drautos' body once again before he finally allowed his fatigue to take him away. He smiled as he fell into Death's embrace with only a single regret.

Libertus never liked being alone.

Then he felt a hand brush against his forehead.

What?

Nyx opened his eyes, staring into the face of Lady Lunafreya. No... "Who are you?" Then he pushed himself upright and looked around. "Actually... Where am I?"

"I am Aera Mirus Fleuret, the first Oracle of the Lucii. As for where you are, this" She motioned to the odd tree in the middle of a wheat field. "is my prison."

"Your prison?" Nyx shifted to face her properly. She looked almost identical to Lady Lunafreya, but taller and with a rounder face.

"Bahamut is angry at my beloved for something that happened a long long time ago. As the one who was to crown the first Chosen King, I am imprisoned here until the prophecy comes to pass." Then Lady Aera, weaving wheat together, tells Nyx about what Bahamut planned to do.

"That's..." Nyx felt furious as he was faced with the fact that his sacrifice - that everyone's sacrifice! - meant nothing to the Chief Astral. He growled as he demanded, "Why tell me this?!?"

Lady Aera smiled as she handed him the wheat wreath she had made. "Because I want your help. I wish to change the fate of my beloved and, in doing so, change that of your life."

Nyx accepted the wreath carefully, turning it around in his hands as he asked. "And how would I be helping you do that?"

Lady Aera smiled mischievously and told him.

Chapter Text

Soft hands brushed through his hair, skimmed gingerly over his skin, and stopped over a well of pain. "Easy now. I do not wish to harm you."

Nyx struggled to open his eyes, weariness dragging his limbs and mind down. He persisted and was rewarded by a deep blue sky and wine red hair leaning over him. Wait, wasn't that????

Ardyn Lucis Caelum smiled softly at Nyx. "Hello there. I'm glad to see you awake but please try to stay still for a few moments longer."

Nyx figured it was a good idea as his body didn't want to cooperate with him. Bit by bit, the  exhaustion lessened as did the pain and he managed to push himself up into a seating position. An arm came to support him, allowing Nyx to look around him for the first time. He was in a haven though he couldn't say where exactly. Trees surrounded them, hiding any familiar landmarks from sight.

They were also alone.

Nyx gave the future chancellor of Niflheim a weary smile as he introduced himself, "Thank you for your help. I'm Nyx of Clan Ulric, and you are?" He knew who Ardyn was but saying that was just inviting trouble, especially if he wanted to do what he'd been sent here to do.

Ardyn bowed as he introduced himself. "I am Ardyn, son of Lucis, of House Caelum. What brings you this far from the islands, Nyx of Clan Ulric?"

Nyx didn't answer right away as he took a moment to think. He didn't know where he was other than within what will one day be Lucis, and certainly couldn't quite explain why he was so far from wherever Galahd was. So he just shrugged and said, "I was sent to find a healer, one rumored to be traveling through the land, healing the Scourge." It wasn't quite the truth but it also wasn't a lie either.

"Ah then it is fortunate that I came across you then. I am indeed a healer with some meager magical talent." Ardyn smiled brightly for a moment before growing serious. "Is there some plague upon your Clan? Has the Scourge reached your shores so quickly?"

Nyx shook his head. "Not as far as I know. However, we may have something of use to you." And it shouldn't be a lie. Their oldest traditions, surviving through their Elders, were based on magic, one separate from that of the Oracles or the Kings of Lucii.

It wasn't as flashy but it had kept the islands safe from the Scourge for generations until it had been brought there by an infected. Even then, it had slowed the spread of the scourge significantly, enough that there were much less daemons in Galahd compared to the mainland.

"We have our own magic keeping us safe, which is why I went looking for you." Nyx said, thinking through his explanation. "A single healer cannot heal everyone." When Ardyn went to speak, Nyx lifted a hand to stop him. "You may be willing to try but it is the truth of the matter. Our healers have a saying, 'One cannot pour from an empty jug'. If you try to heal everyone by yourself, then you will exhaust yourself and end up getting sick yourself. Maybe not of the Scourge but of something else. And then what?"

"Your willingness to try and courage in the face of such overwhelming odds is admirable but unrealistic. So allow me to offer you an alternative. Come with me to Galahd and learn our magic. Learn new ways to heal and in better ways."

Ardyn looked at Nyx, uncertainty in his eyes. He hadn't expected a single discussion to change the man's mind so he shrugged and simply asked, "You need not answer right away but at least, may I accompany you until you do?"

Ardyn was silent for a while longer, Nyx leaving him alone in order to get a fire started, before he finally replied. "I would welcome your company if you so wish." He gave a wry smile. "It does get lonely on the roads at times."

Nyx smiled as he extended a hand to his new traveling companion. It was a decent first step in his goal.

Chapter Text

Nyx was annoyed. They had been traveling for more or less three weeks, stopping at each village and farm to check for Scourge patients. Because of this, Nyx had seen Ardyn heal several times and could see how much it exhausted him.

It reminded him of Lady Lunafreya. Of how tired she had seemed when she had first arrived at Insomnia.

At night, Nyx would see Ardyn twisting and turning in his sleep, muttering in distress. During the day, he watched Ardyn skip meals and rest to go to see his next patient. It clearly drained Ardyn.

So, after realizing that just telling the man to rest did nothing, Nyx started asking for breaks more often, even if he could go on for a while yet. He kept an eye out for mint or chamomile to make tea with, making some every evening for both of them. He kept Ardyn out of his own mind by talking about Galahd and his old friends.

He missed Crowe, Libertus and Pelna. He hoped that Libertus had gotten safely out of Insomnia and back to their home. Having them around would have helped Nyx wrangle Ardyn into healthier habits.

He snorted at the thought, knowing that he was hardly someone who could be considered as having healthy habits.

"Gill for your thoughts?" Ardyn said softly, a glazed sheen to his eye that Nyx didn't like.

Nyx frowned, he'd have to get them to stop soon. "Just thinking about my old friends and what they'd say of us traveling together like this."

"Nothing bad I would hope?"

"Never." Nyx grinned. "They'd say that I was being a hero again, or something like that."

"An odd choice of words. Is there a particular story behind it?" Ardyn half-heartedly asked.

But before Nyx could reply,  someone called out to them. Or rather to Ardyn.

"Ardyn!" "Brother!"

Nyx's head snapped out as he half-stepped in front of Ardyn, one hand going to his kukris. A figure stood on a nearby hill on top of a bright yellow chocobo. By his side was a giant of a man, dressed in some kind of armor that seemed vaguely familiar to him. Moments later, a third figure rode up on a white chocobo and Ardyn seemed to light up in a way he hadn't for the other two.

"Aera! Somnus!" Ardyn stepped around Nyx to wave at the trio. He turned to his companion with a wide smile as he explained, "This is my brother, Somnus, his guard, Gilgamesh, and my fiance, Aera Mirus Fleuret." Nyx tensed up as he heard their names. "Come, let's meet up with them."

Ardyn hurried towards the hill as Aera rode down towards them. Nyx watched as the healer moved with more energy than he'd had the last few days. And he wasn't sure how much of it was joy from seeing someone he clearly loved, and how much was an older brother's posturing in front of their younger brother.

He followed after Ardyn at a slower pace, giving the man time to reunite with his fiance before he interrupted them. Aera looked exactly as she had in the Beyond, thousands of years in the future, when she had spoken with Nyx.

Now, she looked at him quizzically as Ardyn introduced him. "Well met, Nyx of Clan Ulric. Thank you for traveling with my beloved for so long." Her eyes narrowed as she suddenly asked, "Are you a chosen of the Astrals?"

Nyx froze. He wasn't really but he had also worn the Ring of Lucii, a gift from Bahamut to the Lucis Caelum's. Was Aera sensing that from him after so long? He didn't even have access to the royal's magic any longer!

He was saved from answering by the arrival of the other two men. Nyx froze when he saw who could only be Somnus. He looked almost identical to Prince Noctis. Just like Lady Lunafreya was almost identical to Lady Aera, Noctis was undoubtedly Somnus' clone.

Which made the prophecy Aera had told him about be all the more fucked up.

Once more, Nyx was introduced as Ardyn's traveling companion but he was more or less shoved to the side as Aera and Somnus started talking with Ardyn, checking up on his health and what he'd done during his travels.

This left Nyx by the wayside with Gilgamesh. "Thank you for staying by Lord Ardyn's side." The large man suddenly said, surprising Nyx.

"Ah... Please don't worry about it." Nyx rubbed the back of his neck as he watched the siblings interact. Somnus seemed genuinely worried about his brother, a far cry from the situation Lady Aera had described to him. Which meant that he'd arrived early enough that the animosity between them had yet to start.

"... You are not of this time."

Nyx jumped, his head jerking to stare at Gilgamesh before jerking it back towards the reuniting trio to see if they were paying any attention to him. Seeing that they weren't, Nyx turned back to Gilgamesh and hissed, "What are you talking about?"

Nyx had the distinct impression the masked man was unimpressed by his reaction but what did he expect? Nyx had never been all that good at lying in the first place, and Ardyn had never seemed bothered whenever Nyx had slipped when talking about his home.

Gilgamesh chuckled quietly. "I may not be as beloved as Lady Aera is, however, I have our patron's blessing."

"Our?"

"Ramuh. It was the Fulgarian who sent me to the House of Caelum to protect their children. Unfortunately, Lord Ardyn decided that he needed to do this pilgrimage on his own and left while I was hunting with Lord Somnus." Gilgamesh said. "A few weeks ago, I received another message from Him."

"So that's how you knew." Nyx sighed in relief.

"That and the fact that your weapon and armor are not of a style I have ever seen nor heard about. The techniques used appear to be far more advanced than what we have." He flinched and rubbed the back of his neck, realizing that he hadn't even taken such a thing into account.

He would have to get some new armor soon and hide his glaive uniform somewhere. He wasn't going to change his kukris, no matter what though. Nyx sighed, shifting his weight around to be more comfortable. "So what did Ramuh say about me?"

"That you were sent here by one who wishes to prevent a disaster." Gilgamesh replied in a low voice. "Do you know what this disaster might be?"

Nyx considered just how much he should say but decided that since Ramuh trusted Gilgamesh enough to warn him about Nyx, that it should be fine to be truthful about why he was sent here. "I don't have all the details but..." Even as Lady Aera, Ardyn, and Somnus had a joyful reunion, Nyx told Gilgamesh of what might happen if Nyx didn't do something to change the future.

Chapter Text

Somnus had been called to a nearby village to help with a deamon problem where Lady Aera had been visiting, so they headed back with him. As soon as they had arrived, Ardyn had wanted to go around to check for anyone injured and in need of healing, but like hell Nyx was going to let him do that.

"Absolutely not! We've been walking most of the day and you're still exhausted from yesterday's healing session. The only thing you're doing tonight is eating and resting." Nyx said sternly.

Ardyn frowned, "I have a responsabi..."

"The only responsibility you have is towards your own damned health!" Nyx interrupted. "You're resting tonight and if, and only if, you have recovered tomorrow you can look around and take care of the worst of any health issues you find."

"But what if someone dies because I didn't go see them tonight?" Ardyn snapped back.

Nyx shrugged, "And what if you can't heal anyone tomorrow who might need it as well?" Ardyn's shoulders tensed up only to slump back down. Nyx barely stopped himself from grinning in victory. "I'm sure your brother and fiance agree with me, right?"

Lady Aera laughed as she hooked her arm in Ardyn's. "I do indeed." She bowed slightly towards Nyx. "And I am quite grateful to see that my fiance has such a kind person looking after him while I'm not around."

Nyx looked away, blushing slightly, "Isn't this normal?"

"Not at all." Somnus snorted as he clapped Nyx on the back. "Not to mention being able to get Ardyn to truly listen to you. It's not normal at all." Somnus looked at his brother as he added, "My brother is such a stubborn fool at times."

"Somnus!" Ardyn groaned.

Nyx didn't stop his grin this time, joining in as everyone started laughing. He was glad that Ardyn had listened to him. The first few times he had tried to manage Ardyn's health had ended with quite the arguments. Even his attempts at using his own health as an excuse had met with resistance at first.

Ardyn and Nyx followed Lady Aera, Gilgamesh and Somnus to an inn where they were given spacious rooms. As Nyx lounged in his, someone knocked at the door. "Come in!"

"I hope I am not disturbing you, Sir Ulric." Lady Aera said as she entered the room with a soft smile. Nyx scrambled to stand and give a proper greeting only for Lady Aera to stop him with a wave of her hand. "Please, there is no need for any formality. I merely wish to get to know the man that has been caring for my beloved."

"Is that so?" Nyx wasn't sure what to do. What the proper protocol would be for entertaining a noble lady like Lady Aera. "Umm... Would you like some tea?" There was a pot for boiling water and some tea leaves in a small jar, so he could at least offer that.

"That would be delightful." Lady Aera replied as she took a seat on one of the provided chairs. "I was wondering whether you could answer my previous question?"

"Previous...question?" Nyx tensed up. It couldn't be, right?

Lady Aera tilted her head slightly as her smile widened. "Are you a chosen of the Astrals?"

Nyx flinched, almost spilling boiling water on his hand. "Well, that's..." He glanced at the Oracle of this time for a mere moment before turning away. She was clearly ready to wait as long as she needed to get an answer. Nyx sighed. They were alone and she had been the one to send him here in the first place.

He gave Lady Aera her tea before taking a seat. "It wasn't an Astral that sent me here to meet with Ardyn." He looked at Lady Aera with a wry smile as he said, "It was you."

"Me?" Lady Aera leaned forwards.

Nyx took a deep breath, "Yes, you. I died fighting to protect people I cared for only to wake up in a field of wheat. You were there and asked me to help you prevent the end of Eos as we know it."

"And I sent you to find my fiance? Why?"

"... Something is wrong with his healing abilities." Nyx said simply. "He's healing scourge victims but at the cost of his own health. From what you told me, it will eventually turn on him completely and lead to a fate worse than death."

Lady Aera stayed quiet for a while before she said, "I see. And I think you can change that?"

Nyx sighed again. "You seemed to think so. The plan is to get Ardyn to Galahd and the Elders there. We have our own way to handle the scourge and the Lady Aera I spoke with said that it would help Ardyn. How? That, I'm not sure."

Lady Aera met Nyx's gaze with her own. "Then I shall help in your endeavor." 

"You believe me?" Nyx straightened at once.

She smiled fondly. "Ardyn has a tendency to hide his struggles from others, me included." She shook her head. "As for believing you... You have my magic on you and did not seem surprised to see me. I will trust this alternate version of myself to know what she was doing. What do you need from me?"

Nyx took a deep breath and leaned forward. "Come with us to Galahd. I have a feeling that Ardyn will follow you anywhere."

Lady Aera smiled, eye suddenly filled with mischievous sparkles. "Then let's go visit your home! We'll kidnap Ardyn if we must."

Nyx choked on his tea.

Chapter Text

"To Galahd? Why?" Somnus demanded as he glanced between Lady Aera and Nyx suspiciously.

Lady Aera gave him a bright smile as she sipped her tea. "To learn of course! I had no idea Galahd had their own rituals to celebrate and talk with Lord Ramuh. How could I simply ignore such a thing as the Oracle of the Astrals?"

"But it will be quite a long trip." Ardyn said as he reached over to put his hand on her arm. "Are you sure it would be safe for you to be gone for so long?"

"Yes! What about the Crystal?" Somnus added.

Lady Aera gave a delicate shrug, not that Nyx understood how someone could shrug delicately, as she reached over to pat Ardyn comfortably. Her words, however, were aimed at Somnus. "The Crystal is unbreakable and unmoveable. I will simply let the Astrals know of my absence before I leave. I'm sure the land will manage for a few months without my guidance."

Nyx hid his gawking by turning away from Lady Aera to look outside. With night falling, the people here were hurrying around to light torches and bonfires. He touched the hilts of his kukris as he considered whether he could patrol around without leaving Ardyn to be an idiot about his health. He could probably get Gilgamesh to keep an eye on the man, but it might be better to have someone who would one day be known as the Blademaster fighting as well.

Said man was without his mask and looking on with fond amusement at the bickering group. Seeing that the discussion wasn't going to end anytime soon, Nyx caught Gilgamesh's attention and let him know he was heading out.

He'd walk around for a bit then bring back some food for everyone. Hopefully by then the brothers would have given up trying to persuade Lady Aera to stay home. It reminded him another stubborn Oracle set on doing things her own way. If only Crowe was here. She would have loved to poke her nose in the argument just to have a laugh.

But she wasn't. ... Crowe...

Nyx shook his head free of the memories and focused on what was around him. Somehow, he had lost track of time as it was fully dark outside. The sky was filled with countless stars, familiar constellations resting beside unfamiliar ones. Ardyn had told him several stories behind some of the unfamiliar constellations, most of them seemed to be related to messengers Nyx had never heard about before.

"Hey Stranger! Over here!" A voice cut through the night.

Nyx turned towards it, finding a stern faced woman motioning closer to one of the village gates. He hustled over and asked. "Yes ma'am? How can I help?"

"You with the Lordlings?" Nyx nodded. "Good. Then go warn Lord Somnus and that guard of his that we've spotted some of those daemons approaching. Hurry now!"

"Yes ma'am!" Nyx nodded before turning on his heels to head towards the inn. He'd barely gone a few steps when an explosion rang out close by followed by shouts of "Daemons!" Nyx didn't hesitate as he changed direction towards the disaster.

The wall of the village had been destroyed at one place, likely by one of the bombs slowly approaching the nearest person. Goblins were starting to swarm towards the unguarded entrance.

Nyx didn't hesitate as he plunged straight into the thick of the swarm. He didn't have his Majesty's magic any longer but he could still fight regardless. His kukris flashed red as he cut through a bomb then kicked another one away before it could explode. "Get bonfires going!" He ordered whenever he could catch his breath.

A goblin jumped on his back, cutting nails dragging through his flesh in painful streaks. He growled as he reached over his head to grab the goblin and yank him away. His other hand brought its kukris to cut it down. Scourge mist burst into the air making Nyx cough.

He ignored his screaming back to press forwards, cutting through all the daemons that stood in his way. Before he knew it, he was standing in the broken wall section, a sea of goblins and bombs only broken by a few iron giants. He tightened his grip on his kukris as he braced himself for a fierce fight.

A streak of blue was followed by a rad one. Familiar magical fractals danced in the night air. Ardyn and Somnus landed on either side of Nyx with the familiar sound of a warp.

His breath caught for a moment as their figures blurred against the night but he quickly forced it to the back of his mind. Nyx smirked as he shifted his position to watch their backs. "Nice of you to drop in." He snarked.

"We couldn't let you have all the fun." Somnus snarked back. "If you can keep going then help Gilgamesh protect the opening. We'll handle this lot!"

Nyx opened his mouth to argue but the two were already gone. A large shadow slithered up to him. Nyx whirled, his kukris aimed at the neck region. A blade swiftly deflected the blow and Nyx found himself staring at Gilgamesh.

Shit! He needed to get a grip.

"Breathe." Gilgamesh warned him. "We've evacuated the area of civilians. The soldiers are ensuring that the fires remain strong and no daemon escape towards the village center."

Nyx nodded and shifted to face the daemons once more. Ardyn and Somnus seem ed to have things well in hand as the area flashed with fireballs and lightning. The brothers were dancing across the fields of grass, fractals filling the air around them as they warped and dodged attack after attack.

Nyx was forced to look away from the Lucis Caelum's as an iron giant made its way past the fight. "This should be fun." He muttered as he shifted his stance to face it.

Gilgamesh chuckled as he did the same, his katana -and Nyx had to force himself not to stare at the Marshal's fucking Genji blade being wielded by someone else- held at the ready. "I will aim for its head. Can you handle dealing with its legs?"

"Of course!" Nyx missed his magic right now. If only he could warp or use his elemental magic.

But he couldn't so he settled for waiting for the iron giant to get closer. When Gilgamesh warped to attack, Nyx ran forward as well, aiming for the left ankle. His kukris slid through its flesh like a hot knife through butter but it wasn't very deep.

He could see Gilgamesh land on the giant's shoulder, the Genji blade flashing through the air with a sharp whistle. Nyx twirled around, using the motion to slice at the opposite leg.

That seemed to do more damage as the iron giant roared as it dropped to one knee. Nyx didn't hesitate to use its new position to his advantage. Just like the goblin had, Nyx scrambled onto the giant's back, using his kukris to dig into it over and over again.

He didn't know who struck the final blow but Nyx found himself falling through the scourge filled air as it disintegrated under him. Rolling back to his feet, Nyx looked around to find his next target.

A goblin jumped on him. A simple twist of his kukris destroyed it. A bomb took its place. Then three goblins. Then more.

Nyx lost himself in the steady rhythm of the fight. Slice. Dodged. Twisted under reaching claws.

Then...

"Brother!" Somnus' terrified voice snapped Nyx's attention towards the brothers. Ardyn was kneeling on the ground, hand clutching his chest. He was surrounded by goblins and bombs.

Nyx didn't think. In one smooth and practiced movement, his right hand shifted its grip on his kukris then threw it. And he followed.

Appearing with a sharp crack, Nyx felt pain burst across his body. It burnt! Gritting his teeth, Nyx stumbled to grab Ardyn by the collar and twisted to throw his kukris again.

The pain was worse this time around. Nyx couldn't stop the scream that erupted as he emerged from the warp with Ardyn tucked against him. He was being burnt alive!

He tasted blood as he tried to push past the pain. Tasted lightning on his tongue as magic -too much! It was too much!- burnt through his body without a pause.

Then nothing but a warm gentle light guiding him into darkness.

Chapter Text

He was surrounded by ghosts he had seen before. They were fuzzy, as though not quite there, but recognizable. Nyx felt out of place among the dead but maybe he shouldn't? He was dead after all.

He had willingly given his life to the figures surrounding him in order to protect the future. To protect Lady Lunafreya and the Ring for Prince Noctis.

So why was he still feeling so much pain?

"Aera shouldn't have interfered." A voice he knew that voice. It had been the one judging him for not being of royal blood! vibrated through the not-air surrounding him. "My brother made his choice a long time ago. There is no point in trying to meddle in the past for it will not change anything."

"Why am I not surprised to hear you say something like that?" Nyx sighed, trying to ignore the way his skin felt like it was burning up from the inside out. "First, you tell me I can't use the Ring's magic because I'm not a Lucis Caelum, then you demand that I choose someone to die in exchange for it. And then, when I refused because its a fucking stupid choice, you agree to only take my life after King Regis supported me. You're all a bunch of cowards, aren't you?"

"Cowards! You've already decided that things will happen a certain way and have lost your will to fight! To actually try to do what's right?" Nyx shouted at the phantoms that shouldn't be here. Why shouldn't they be here? What was he forgetting? "I am Nyx Ulric! A child of Galahd! We make our own fate! And if you aren't going to help me fight then fuck off already!"

The Mystic stepped out of the group, only slightly less fuzzy than the others around it, to stand in front of Nyx. Nyx figured he was trying to be imposing but all he could feel was pain and exhaustion.

"Aera failed her task as my brother's Oracle. She could not prevent him from being tainted." The fratricidal king snarled at him. "Just as he is tainted now. She always refused to see the truth of her so-called beloved, even when he became a monster."

"Better to hope for a better future than to lay down and accept defeat!" Snapped Nyx back. He was tired of listening to this bullshit. He was needed elsewhere. Elsewhen. He'd promised to help him. And there were others waiting for him .

He was done. "I'm done with you. Send me back already."

"No."

"Fuck you." Nyx took a breath, ignoring the way it burnt his throat. He remembered his promise. "Lady Aera!"

White light emerged from his chest, warm but not painfully slow. A roar of denial was abruptly cut off as Nyx jerked upright in a bed. The world spun around him as hands guided him towards a pot, perfectly placed for him to throw up in.

His body throbbed in time with his heartbeat. The burning pain he'd felt settled into an uncomfortable warmth that edged on too much. "Easy there." Ardyn said soothingly as he helped Nyx lie back down. "You gave use quite the scare."

"What... happened?" Nyx asked, his voice sore as though he'd been screaming for a while. As though reading his mind, a glass of juice was brought to his lips and taken away after a few sips.

"If you're asking about the daemons then we managed to fight them off after your stunt. It gave Aera enough time to finish her prayer and set up a barrier around the village." Ardyn explained. "If you're asking about yourself then we don't know. One moment you were fighting with Gilgamesh and then the next you were beside me and warped me out of danger. Thank you for that by the way."

Nyx closed his eyes as he thought back to whenever the fight had been. "You collapsed..." Nyx turned to scrutinize Ardyn for injuries. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine."

"He isn't but we can handle him later." The door to the room opened to reveal Lady Aera, a sharp look in her gaze, followed by Somnus and Gilgamesh.

"Aera, please. I am fine. It was a passing malady that is of no importance." Ardyn refuted. Or tried to since Nyx knew the truth.

He felt too tired to argue, especially after dealing with the Mystic, so he simply said. "You're not healing the Scourge as much as taking it in yourself, dumbass. It's only going to get worse the longer you ignore it."

"That's...!" Ardyn whipped around to glare at Nyx.

He ignored Ardyn as exhaustion made itself known again. He was so tired. So done with how stubborn Ardyn was about his own health.

Had this been what Libertus had felt like whenever Nyx did something reckless? If so, then he owed his friend an apology and some beers.

"If you stop healing the way you do now then you should be able to get rid of the Scourge you've accumulated within a few years."

"I cannot stop now!" Ardyn jumped to his feet, the clanging noise of his chair piercing through his skull. "There are people, innocent people, in need of my help! How could I refuse them that help when I am the only one who can save them?"

"And what about you?" Somnus demanded angrily. "What of your health? Your life? Or are you planning on dying? On leaving me behind?"

"Somnus... That's not what I meant." Ardyn reached out to his brother only for Somnus to step away in anger.

"Then what do you..."

"Enough" Lady Aera stepped between the brothers sternly. "This is not the place for a shouting match, Somnus, so please bring your brother to a more suitable place to continue this discussion."

"Aera?" Ardyn sounded shocked.

Lady Aera turned to her betrothed. "I love you even if you are being an absolute fool. Nux isn't telling you to stop completely. Rather he has been trying to offer you an alternative all this time." She pointed at the door. "Now, you and Somnus go have your talk and then you'll start packing for our trip. Galahd may have the answers we need to help people and keep you in good health while doing so."

If anyone complained, Nyx didn't hear it as he let the exhaustion sweep him away for a while. When he woke up it was to a surprising sight.

Somnus sat by his bedside, a book in one hand as he read. He put it to one side when he realized Nyx was awake. "Back with us?"

Nyx took a moment to answer as he took stock of how he felt. "Yes. I feel fine actually."

Somnus grinned, "Good! Hungry?" Nyx nodded. "I'll have someone bring something up for you in just a moment. I have questions for you."

Nyx grimaced. He'd figured that he'd have to answer some things but it wasn't like he could explain what happened on the battlefield with his sudden access to magic. "I figured. I might not be able to answer them though."

Somnus waved the concern away nonchalantly. "It's fine. My most pressing concern is this: are you a member of Galahd's royalty like Ardyn said?"

"Wait? What?" Nyx hadn't expected that question. Where had Somnus gotten the idea? Better yet, why was Ardyn saying he was a prince???

Chapter Text

Three days laters, Nyx watched as Ardyn reassured Somnus. They were about to leave and Somnus insisted on making sure Ardyn had everything he needed for the trip to Galahd.

"I entrust you with their care." Gilgamesh said as he came to stop beside Nyx. He handed Nyx a small package and a letter. "These are for my family on Kahû. They will provide for all of you while you're on the island."

Nyx pressed his knuckles to his forehead in thanks as he placed the packages into one of the packs. "Thanks. I'll leave Somnus in your care. Make sure no one in his entourage starts planting ideas about Ardyn being unsafe or unworthy of being a son of Lucis."

They had already talked about all of this while Nyx rested but a reminder wouldn't hurt. After Somnus' sudden question about who he was, definitely not a prince, Nyx had just decided to come clean... Ish.

With Lady Aera and Gilgamesh supporting him, he'd told them about being sent back from the future to save Ardyn. He didn't share who sent him, only that it was someone who cares about Ardyn.

Telling them about why Ardyn needed to learn a new way of healing was the hardest part. How to explain that continuing to absorb the scourge like he was was going to make him immortal? And a twisted version of the young naive man Nyx had come to know?

He'd settled for the second part, explaining how the scourge would twist his perception of the world until he became paranoid towards everyone around him. Ardyn had visibly paled as Nyx described how he'd come to want to destroy the world rather than heal it. He'd added a word of warning to Somnus that some people, he didn't know who, had used that change to turn Somnus against his brother.

Thankfully, the brothers had believed him.

Somnus had immediately started planning the best ways for Ardyn to get to Galahd while Ardyn was still processing the information Nyx had given him. By the time Ardyn had recovered, Somnus was already giving orders to his soldiers to prepare chocobos and food for a long trip.

And now they were about to head out and Somnus was still acting like a mother chocobo. Lady Aera seemed to have no intention of stopping the display of brotherly concern so Nyx would have to do it.

He nodded to Gilgamesh then clapped his hands together loudly. "Okay, that's enough standing around. We need to start going now if we want to get to Galahd like we planned."

Somnus looked at Nyx, "Are you sure you should leave now? It's going to start getting colder now and..."

"We will be fine." Nyx assured Somnus with a smile. "We have plenty of blankets and warm clothes if it gets cold. I promise you that we'll be fine."

Somnus hesitated but gave a reluctant nod as he stepped back from his brother. "I'll hold you to that."

Nyx gave a short wave of acknowledgement as he pushed Ardyn towards his chocobo. He looked over at Lady Aera. "Ready to go, my Lady?"

"Indeed. Let us be on our way." She responded, jumping onto her own chocobo with ease.

With Somnus, Gilgamesh and many of the villagers and soldiers wishing them a good trip, the trio headed out to make their way to Galahd.

"Ready to practice your magic?" Ardyn asked a few days after their departure. They had stopped for night in a haven and were all sitting around the fire.

Nyx winced as at the reminder of his deal with the betrothed couple. After his sudden access to the remainder of the Ring's power saving Ardyn, Nyx had realized that it was still there for him to use but was nervous about doing so. He hadn't been keen on a repeated experience of getting magical burns from excess magic.

Still, he had access to the same reservoir of magic he'd accessed in Insomnia after putting on the ring. And not making use of it would be a waste.

"Best get it over with." Nyx sighed as he moved closer to Ardyn. "How do you want to do this?"

"For now, let's see how you react to just touching this magic reservoir of yours." Ardyn decided with a smile. Lady Aera came closer as well, ready to help if Nyx needed to.

Nyx nodded as he closed his eyes. He could feel the magic at the edge of his senses, almost bursting with power. Mentally reaching out to it, he skimmed across the surface, barely touching it at first. When he felt nothing but the expected lightning buzz of raw energy, Nyx dipped into the magic a bit more.

The light buzz grew to an almost painful tingle, causing him to snap back to the present. The hand he'd put the ring on was painfully red and swollen by the simple touch of the magic.

Ardyn reached over, one hand hovering above Nyx's, to heal him. As the redness and pain receded, he mused, "It seems to originate from a specific spot. Would you know why?"

Nyx winced at the memories that came with the answer to that question. Still, he replied as well as he could. "I used a magical relic in the form of a ring shortly before I was sent back here."

"Is that so?" Ardyn gazed at Nyx's hand for a long while, deep in thought.

While he did so, Lady Aera asked, "Can you describe how you reached for your magic?" Nyx did so. She leaned forward in great interest as Nyx described how he saw that magical reservoir that wasn't really his despite his continued access to it.

Nyx shifted uncomfortably as the betrothed couple continued to stare at him after he had finished speaking. He was used to being stared at, as an immigrant in Insomnia or as the Hero of the Kingsglaive, but he'd never been stared at like they were doing. Like a puzzle to be solved.

"Maybe it's an issue of containers?" Lady Aera mused out loud.

"Oh, it could be!" Ardyn nodded to himself.

Nyx quickly tuned out of the conversation as both started talking about magical relics using alternate forms of transference and referencing Solheim era ruins that they seemed to have visited over the years.

As they traveled it became a routine for Nyx to try different ways to safely connect to the magic of the Lucii based on theories that Lady Aera and Ardyn came up with. Most of the time, Nyx still ended up with some level of magical burns but some of their experiments actually worked.

Now, Nyx drew the magic towards him rather than try to dip into it as he used to do. He was still having issues with figuring out how much magic to draw towards him for spells. The less said about what happened when he tried to light the haven's fire, the better.

Still, by the time they reached Galahd, a good three weeks of travel, interspersed by the occasional stops because Ardyn could not not help people, Nyx had a decent amount of control over his magic. He'd had plenty of opportunities to regain his previous ease with warping thanks to the thriving population of voretooth.

"And now we're just one boat ride away from reaching Galahd." Ardyn turned to Nyx. "How does it feel to return to your home?"

Nyx looked at the barely perceptible islands of Galahd on the horizon and thought of Libertus. Of Crowe and Pelna. Of Luche, Tredd and Sonitus.

Of all the Galahdians who had wanted to do nothing more.

"Like fulfilling a long held promise." He whispered softly into the evening sea air.

Chapter Text

Galahd was both just how he remembered it yet vastly different. The jungles were bigger and wilder than when he had been a child, yet he recognized all the plants and tracks they came across. It was a bit like coming back home.

"Are you well, Nyx?" Ardyn asked as Nyx stopped to examine a large orange flower hanging from a vine.

Nyx nodded absentmindedly as he smelt the Loscura flower, memories of plucking the flower for his mother flooding his mind. He forced himself to look away and returned to acting as a guide for Aera and Ardyn. The paths were marked differently from what he was used to but he could recognize them nonetheless.

Their destination was the Temple City, Fulguris, where the temple of Ramuh stood along with the main council of the islands. They would likely be staying with Gilgamesh's family once Nyx managed to give them the letters but the first few nights would be at an inn.

Only for that to not be necessary as they were welcomed to the city by a priestess of the Temple. "Well met and welcome to Galahd, Lady Oracle and Lord Ardyn." The priestess turned to Nyx and bowed, "Welcome back home, Lightning Bearer."

Surprised by both the welcome and the title, Nyx replied with the traditional answer to such a welcome without really thinking about it. The three guests were swiftly brought to the Temple, where they were introduced to the Head Priest and Priestess, Sumery and Panthera.

"Ramuh warned us of your coming." Panthera explained when Ardyn mentioned his surprise at their welcome. "And has instructed us to help you however we can. What brings you to our home, Lord Ardyn?"

Ardyn hesitated to answer long enough for Aera to decide to answer for him. "We have recently been made aware that Ardyn's healing ability is flawed. It is our understanding that Galahd has its own magic to protect its people from the Scourge. Would it be possible for us to learn about this magic?"

"It is not magic per say but rather traditional rituals blessed by Ramuh himself. There should be no issue in allowing you to witness and learn of these at your leisure." Sumary answered after a moment's thought. "What of your own quest, Lightning Bearer?"

That startled Nyx out of his daze. "My quest?" He had no idea what the priest meant by the question.

"Are you not here to accomplish something?" Panthera said with a curious tilt of her head. "Such is the message Ramuh gave us."

"Ah..." Nyx shrugged. "My quest is to see Lord Ardyn learn a new way to heal, one that does not make him sick. I have accomplished my part of it and am free to help where I am needed."

"And if our traditions do not provide Lord Ardyn with an answer?" Sumary asked pointedly.

Nyx shrugged again, "Then I'll figure something else out if it happens."

Their days settled down into an easy rhythm quickly enough. Ardyn and Aera spent the mornings at the Temple, learning about the rituals used to ward off the Scourge while Nyx went hunting with the city's Hunters. During the afternoon, Aera explored the city's libraries and records while Ardyn spent it with the local healers. Nyx had been dragged into helping out at Gilgamesh's family store every so often but mostly had the afternoon off to do what he wanted.

In the evenings, they spent the time together discussing what Ardyn and Aera had learnt. The rituals used were simple in their execution but hard to understand in terms of how they functioned. Nyx didn't have much to contribute once the discussion fell into the esoteric side of magic. Still, he listened and tried to understand what he could then spent some of his afternoon's trying things out using his own magic.

Then one morning after returning from his hunt, Nyx found out that Ardyn had collapsed while performing one of the rituals, one aimed to remove the Scourge from an area, and was now resting in his room at the Temple. He hurried over to check on him, finding Aera nursing him.

"How is he?" Nyx asked as soon as he entered the room. Ardyn was lying on the bed, pale and sweating quite a bit.

"Better than he was an hour ago."

"And what exactly happened? All I heard was he performed the Scourge repealing ritual and got sick."

Aera turned back towards Ardyn as she replied. "As you heard, Ardyn performed the Scourge repealing ritual. Yet when he finished it and it activated, he started getting quite sick and disgorging black sludge that disappeared when it hit the ground."

"The Scourge?"

Aera nodded. "So I suspect. I also noticed his hands turning black and twisted for a moment."

Nyx leaned against the wall as he thought over the news. If he was right then they had found a way to purify Ardyn from the Scourge he'd already absorbed. Which was good but only if it didn't make Ardyn too sick. They would have to wait and see if, no, when Ardyn recovered.

He glanced over at Aera. "This could be part of the answer."

"Indeed, yet I am worried that we have not found a way to prevent Ardyn from ingesting the Scourge in the first place."

Nyx smiled, "We've only been here for a few weeks. There is plenty of time for us to figure something out."

They chatted about Nyx's hunt and time with Gilgamesh's family as they waited for Ardyn to wake up. It took another hour before Ardyn woke up, confused and disoriented.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You had an adverse reaction to a ritual, my love." Aera explained as she helped him sit up on the bed. "How do you feel?"

"... Lighter." 

The answer was slightly surprising to Nyx. Perhaps it shouldn't be considering it sounded like Ardyn had expelled at least some of the Scourge he'd absorbed over the years.

Ardyn listened as Aera explained what happened to him, staying in thoughtful silence for a while after she was done. "That would explain why I feel as I do. I will redo the ritual this afternoon!"

"Not a chance!" Nyx declared with a frown. "You're still looking pale and tired so all you're doing today is resting."

"But this is a way to remove the Scourge from my body!"

"And it can be done some other day." Nyx snapped back. "We're in Galahd. There is no Scourge for you to absorb so there is no need to rush anything."

"But..." Ardyn pouted even as Aera chuckled and supported Nyx's argument. "Very well. If I must."

"You do." Aera chided softly.

With that handled, Nyx left the room to go grab some food for all of them. There was something niggling at the back of his mind. Something important that would help Ardyn with their main issue, his flawed healing skill.

Galahdian rituals were often composed of two distinct steps. The first was used to gather the energy needed to activate the ritual and the second was to actually create the wanted effect.

The Scourge had been dispelled during the second part of the ritual, so could they use a similar process and apply it to Ardyn's healing?

It would be similar to how he now used his own magic. Was that the answer? A multi-step healing process that included a Scourge dispersal element within it?

He would have to talk with Ardyn and Aera about it later.

It took a few days before Ardyn regained his previous strength. Actually, he seemed stronger and less tired than before, which unfortunately meant that he'd fallen back into some bad habits. After a week of trying to get him to slow down, Nyx got angry and just threw him over his shoulder after he wouldn't stop working with the local healer.

"Put me down, Nyx!"

"Nope." Nyx exaggerated the p  just to make a point. "You're overdoing it and I need to talk to you and Aera about something."

"We can talk..."

"Nope. We're talking now."

Nyx ignored Ardyn pouting as he lugged the man across town back to their Temple rooms, waving at the various acquaintances he'd made since arriving here. Most of them laughed at the sight of Nyx lugging Ardyn around like a bag of potatoes. Nyx grinned in amusement and kept Ardyn over his shoulder until they were at the Temple.

Ardyn pouted all the way to their rooms and spent the first half hour complaining to Aera about how cruel Nyx was. Nyx lets him get it out of his system before bringing up his idea about creating a new multi-step healing process to replace Ardyn's current one.

"An interesting idea." Aera mused after Nyx finished explaining things. "What do you think, Ardyn?"

Ardyn stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I would need to break down how I heal to its basic components and then see if I can add to it but it may work. The issue will be testing it out..."

Nyx shrugged, "We can go to the mainland to test it out once you have something workable."

"Then I will try it out." Ardyn then turned to Aera and started discussing how they should go about it in more detail. As with every time they got into such discussions, Nyx stayed out of it and cleaned up after their meal before leaving them to it.

Several weeks later, Nyx stood watching Ardyn bend over the first Scourge-striken patient they'd come across since arriving on the mainland. He had a pair of gloves embroidered with a newly created ritual. Ardyn's hands started glowing a soft white, with the embroidery burning a vivid white on the dark leather, as he whispered a quiet prayer to the Astrals.

Nyx hid his scowl at that, knowing the Astrals didn't care about them, except for Ramuh who played an active part in Galahd. Still, he wasn't going to try and take Ardyn's faith away from him.

He watched as the glow spread across the patient, forcing a black mist to evaporate from their body. At first, the mist drifted towards Ardyn only to be repulsed by the gloves as the embroidery flashed. Nyx grinned as the mist was successfully repulsed by the ritual like planned.

They'd found their answer. It might not be the best one as the mist was not destroyed, yet the ritual could be taught to others and keep more and more of the villages safe. There was still work to be done but Nyx knew the future had now been changed.

Ardyn would never become the monster he was slated to be. And that was enough for Nyx.