More than a Myth

The King's Advice

Lightning was a little frightened by Noctis's bold statement. A monster? She could understand how some of his people would treat him as a god since he's a prince and all. But Lightning had no idea how Noctis could be a monster. Was it his crystal power? Did that scare others? She hadn't seen him use it. What made it so terrible?
"What are you saying?" Lightning questioned cautiously.
Noctis was silent. He wished he hadn't brought up the subject. "It's just—"
He was interrupted by a beeping noise coming from his pocket. He apologized before pulling out a cell phone and answering it. After muttering a few "Okays," he returned the device to his pocket.
He looked back at Lightning, "Sorry, but I need to get back. I have to attend something. If you know the way, you can stay here, if you like."
"Why do you have to go?" Lightning asked. She didn't know how to get back and had no choice but to follow him out of the watchman's post.
He turned to her and said, "My father is arriving."
Lightning didn't think it was a big deal to have a king return. Noctis told her he was just in a different country to visit the king of Tenebrae. So why were the citizens so overjoyed to have him back? Better be a damn good king, Lightning anticipated. She stood on her bedroom's balcony, overlooking the castle's courtyard. The inhabitants of the palace were gathered around the long concrete walkway that leads to the front steps of the castle's entrance.
Leaning against the stone rail, Lightning pondered about what Noctis said earlier. A monster? How? Noctis was looking more mysterious every minute. She peered down at him. Her balcony was in just the right position to view the castle's front steps, where Noctis and his friends awaited the king's arrival.
Once Lightning and Noctis got back, she and Gladiolus agreed to just forget the incident they had.
Noctis appeared anxious as he waited. Was his father a bad guy? Did Noctis see him as a father or just a king he would soon surpass? Lightning would soon find out.
The castle had a monstrous wall before it that connected with the side of the castle. A gate was positioned in the middle of this wall and lead to the main entrance of the large estate. It opened, allowing a black car to drive up towards the steps, stopping halfway there. The chauffeur stepped out and opened the back seat door. The servants cheered as the king came out of the vehicle.
He was tall, maybe about a half foot taller than Lightning. His hair was as black as Noctis' on top but greying at the sides. His chiseled chin was complimented by dark brown eyes and a thin beard connected to his mustache. He wore a suit made of what seemed like the most valuable material money could buy.
The king started for the steps. Noctis immediately straightened his posture as his father came closer.
Lightning saw the king say something to Noctis and his friends once he reached them. She couldn't hear what, nor could she decipher the words from his lip's movements. Someone new, huh?
Just as Lightning thought that the king looked up to her balcony, meeting her gaze. She stared for a moment before turning around and walking back into her temporary room, her cape flowing behind her.
"Noctis, who was that?" The man asked his son.
"Who?"
"A woman on that balcony," He pointed to where Lightning had stood. "She had pink hair and a cape."
Noctis looked up. He was somewhat nervous to have his father meet the stranger Noctis invited to his castle. Noctis was in charge of the palace, but now that his father was back, however, Noctis was afraid he would not be pleased with his decision to let Lightning stay. That is until Noctis could explain himself. Then maybe he would understand.
"I'll explain –" Noctis was cut off by Prompto yelling, "His girlfriend!"
The king became puzzled. He hadn't been gone for long. Just what had happened while he was away?
Noctis punched Prompto's arm before finishing, "Ignore him! He's lying!"
Gladiolus leaned over to the king, "No, Noctis just won't admit it!"
Ignis decided to grant his friend salvation. "Your Majesty, let's just talk about it later and get inside."
Noctis gave Ignis a relieved look, thankful he had helped. But Ignis wasn't finished yet.
"Noctis wouldn't want to keep his lady friend waiting, now would he?" Ignis smirked. Everyone but Noctis laughed. Even the king snickered at Ignis' teasing. They all started to walk into the castle after settling down.
Lightning marched through the long, dark corridors of the palace. She was searching for Noctis, hoping to find out if the king's return would shorten her stay. It wasn't long before she found out she was lost. Frustrated, she quickened her strides while trying to figure out where she was. Good thing Wen was about as well. She bumped into Lightning after turning a corner then smiled. "Hello, Lightning. Have you seen his majesty yet?"
Lightning responded, "As a matter of fact, I was just looking for him and Noctis. You saw them?"
Wen shook her head, "Only out in the courtyard, but not after that."
Lightning and Wen were starting to grow close. They got along well and respected each other. Wen understood that Lightning had a tomboyish personality and enjoyed her different ways. Lightning liked that Wen was kind but still stern when she needed to be. Wen was also one of the few people who would engage in conversations with her often. They were becoming fast friends.
Lightning was disappointed that Wen couldn't help her. "Can you give me directions to the courtyard then? Maybe I will run into them on the way."
"Of course!" Wen answered. After telling her where to go, Lighting continued her hunt, a little more aware of where she was. She was a little familiar with the castle, but not much.
She strode down the winding corridors, but she didn't think she went the right way. Where was Noctis? Where was she? Lightning's impatience grew as she started to think she took a wrong turn. She attempted to recall Wen's instructions again.
Her search soon ended. She went around a corner and was greeted by an unpleasant collision with Noctis before falling to the cold onyx floor. Prompto helped Lightning up while a man pulled Noctis to his feet. The same man the servants had cheered for.
Once standing, Noctis greeted Lightning with an awkward "hello."
"So, this is our guest, Noctis?" The man asked with a slight grin. He reached his hand out to her. "I am Solis Centra Caelum. Pleased to meet you."
Lighting crossed her arms. "Lightning Farron." She plainly said. King Caelum let his arm fall back to his side. He didn't expect her disrespectful answer. Everyone normally took great care of their actions while in his presence.
"Well, you are free to stay here until you recover. Noctis has explained your situation. I will ensure that everything is to your liking."
Lightning said in an uncaring tone, "Thanks, but there's no need to go through the trouble, Solis." None of the men expected her to use his first name. He was supposed to be addressed as "your grace" or "your majesty," some formal title.
Noctis couldn't believe her impudence. Noctis didn't mind her behavior towards him, he actually liked that she treated him like every other person. But this was his father, the man who ruled the kingdom. The one who raised him as well. He tapped Lightning's shoulder and whispered, "Show some respect."
She wasn't happy to hear that. "Why should I?" She whispered.
The rest of the men's conversations stopped.
"Is there a problem?" King Caelum asked.
Noctis was getting frustrated with Lightning. "Excuse us." He said, pulling Lightning off to the side.
The king turned to the other three men. "Why is Noctis acting so strange around her?" He asked.
Prompto and Gladiolus said in unison, "Because she's his girlfriend!"
Ignis rolled his eyes. He tried to say that Noctis was strange around her because he hasn't gotten relatively close to a woman before, which was somewhat true. He would have answered any question the king had if it weren't for the sound that reverberated throughout the corridors: the sound of a slap coming from Lightning and Noctis' direction. They all turned to see Noctis falling on the floor, holding the side of his face. Lightning barely glanced at them before walking off, obviously fuming.
They rushed to Noctis as he was getting up. "I'm fine." He ushered, still grasping his cheek.
"Dude! Let me see the mark!" Prompto was trying to force Noctis' hand off of his face. Once he succeeded, the men let out several gasps at the dark red hand mark Lightning gave him.
"Damn!" Gladiolus said. "That must've hurt like hell!"
King Caelum wasn't happy to see his son slapped hard enough to where he would fall. He asked Noctis why she hit him. Noctis answered, "It was justified. I said something that sounded rather rude."
The king was shocked to hear his son's explanation, but even more surprised to see that he was blushing as he said it. The other guys started snickering. "What's so funny?" Noctis demanded.
"Noctis, may I speak with you?" King Caelum requested. Noctis became anxious. Was his father angry? Concerned? "Of course, your Majesty." He said.
The two left the other men as King Caelum clarified, "It's alright to call me 'father' you know." Noctis just nodded. He was always nervous around him. Some things in the past made their relationship a little dicey at times. The ruler decided to get straight to the point. "Noctis, is there something about that girl you..." he tried to find a fitting word. "... Admire?" He saw the young prince's face flush again.
"Of course not."
Solis chuckled, "Okay then, I guess I'll have to find out for myself."
Noctis was getting very annoyed that everyone was teasing him about Lightning. "Why does everybody say that?"
"Because you blush every time she comes up."
Noctis didn't answer. He felt foolish. He couldn't deny that his face burned when she came around. But that didn't mean anything. Sure he liked how strong, independent, and cunning she was. Not to mention her good looks and hidden gentleness she never showed. Noctis found himself having more and more of these thoughts; He would constantly think about what he liked about Lightning. But it didn't mean one single thing!
The king decided to break the silence, "She seems...pleasant. Just what did you say to her that made her so upset?"
"I'd rather not say..."
King Caelum dropped the subject. They walked down the corridors in silence. It wasn't long before they came to a hallway that had one wall on their right that was completely made up of windows with no glass covering them, just open arches to the outside world. You could view the training grounds for advanced soldiers through them. Thick grass covered the grounds, except for a large section in the middle that was covered by concrete. Few trees were around, just the same as any other plants. The grounds were made of the wall Noctis and Solis were looking from and three others of the castle, forming a rectangular space for training. There was no roof over the spot, allowing sunlight to fill the open space. Many warriors performed acrobatic tricks, aimed their guns at targets, or sparred with another in a sword battle.
The old King saw Noctis' face light up as he looked to the training area. He quickly saw why: Lightning was propped up against a wall on the opposite side of them, watching the soldiers hone their skills.
"Ignis said she was a fighter earlier. It's no wonder she's out there." He smiled as he saw Noctis grimace at his voice. He must not have expected him to discover the source of his joy so fast.
Noctis stopped walking and told him, "I don't think it's a good idea for her to be out there. She could get into a fight with the other men."
"Well, I certainly want to see her skills. But I'm not sure she would last long without a weapon." The king started towards a stairwell that was connected to one arched window that leads to the grounds.
Lightning, leaning against a wall in the training area, watched several soldiers as they sparred with each other. She wasn't very impressed. They had advanced skills, but nothing too outstanding; not compared to what she could do. She saw a soldier land on his backside as he attempted a backhand spring. It was funny to her, so she laughed a little. He heard her chuckling and approached her.
"You think that's funny?" He yelled. Lightning raised a hand to her sheath that used to hold her saber, but since it had been confiscated there was nothing to reach for, so she let it fall. It was a force of habit to reach for it whenever things started to get sticky.
"Why would I laugh if it wasn't?" She taunted. She could tell his face was turning red with rage, even though he had a mask on. He, just like the other men training, wore the same uniform the soldiers who tried to capture her when she first arrived here did.
"Like you could do better!"
"In fact, I could." She countered.
"Yeah right! Women can't fight! They're too weak and frail!"
Lightning was ready to murder this guy. She was one of the few female Guardian Corps members. She had to work twice as hard to earn her position. Not even her rank would stop the other male members from giving her crap about her gender. She didn't put up with it then and certainly wouldn't now.
"You wanna say that again?" She asked, prepared to tear him apart. By now, other warriors gathered around to support their ally's debate. Lightning didn't care. She could take all of them down in minutes, despite how many of them there were.
"Yeah, in fact, I'm sure all of us are interested in proving you wrong with a little rumble."
"Fine. All of you against me, here and now."
Half the soldiers let out a "huh?" before she charged.
Noctis and his father had seen this whole event unfold. Gladiolus, Prompto, and Ignis were already listening in. They heard it all from one side of the training center, probably hoping for a fight to break out as they watched the scene. Not only had she challenged them to a battle, but she was easily winning. She wasn't using any weapon, only her hand-to-hand combat skills. All of her opponents had either a sword or firearm. But she took them down one by one with her bare hands. She kicked several soldiers down at once then flipped through the air before punching another man to the ground. She even took a soldier's weapon by twisting his arm behind his back and seizing it from his hands. Noctis was amazed she could take down multiple advanced combatants weaponless and single handed. It wasn't long before every man was crumpled on the concrete or grass, moaning. They all regretted taking her on.
Noctis thought he could use this battle to his advantage. He excused himself from his father, saying he had to fetch something.
Lightning scoffed at the weaklings by her feet. Although, she had taken more time than she anticipated. Hopefully she wasn't getting rusty. After all, these weren't L'Cie or PSISOM monsters she was dealing with. Just regular humans.
"Pretty remarkable." She heard a voice behind her say. She spun around, engaging her battle stance to see Noctis wielding a blade in his hand. He seemed to be hiding something else.
"What do you want?" She scornfully asked, recalling his rude words from earlier. Suddenly, he flung something at her. Lightning caught it a few inches from her face. The projectile was her gunblade. Befuddled by his returning of her saber, she raised an eyebrow at him.
"After what I said, I believe it to be best to settle our dispute over a duel." He suggested. Lightning knew he was up to something.
"You'll use your crystal powers to strike me down. It would be easy considering they weaken me. Why would I be humiliated like that?" She skeptically pointed out.
Noctis remembered how his powers hurt her. He still hadn't figured out why. Even so, he smiled, "True, but I promise this is strictly a battle of skill, not power. I also don't use my powers against friends. If you're still not interested, we can make this a little more interesting. Why don't we place a bet?"
Lightning couldn't get this guy. One minute he's serious. Another he's rude and commanding. Sometimes he was cocky and humorous. Other times he was gentle, sincere, sweet... Lighting shook her head, forcing her mind out of the gutter. Why was she thinking like that anyway? "I'm game. What's our bet?"
Noctis's grin grew bigger, "The winner gets a prize from the loser. How about if you win, I give you a map to the castle? That way you won't get lost." Lightning thought that was fair. She sure could use a map. But just what did he desire from her? "If I win, however," He continued, "you have to go to the watchman's post with me whenever I ask."
Back on the sidelines, Noctis's father and friends' mouths were wide open with astonishment. What was he up to?
Lightning was thinking the same thing. Why did he want to spend so much time with her? He should know that she could beat him to a pulp if he tried anything fishy. She didn't mind spending time with him, though. She actually began to enjoy his presence.
There I go again, she told herself. Why do I keep thinking these strange things? And why are they only about Noctis?
Knowing she wouldn't lose, Lightning moved into her battle stance, glad to have her saber back. Noctis knew he would lose without using his powers. He relied on them too much to fight someone with as much skill as Lightning's without them. But he wanted to see – no, experience what she could do.
Noctis turned his back to her. "Okay, but I'll warn you; I may not be a professional like you, but – "He couldn't finish his warning. As he turned to face her and commence the battle, she was already lashing her saber at him, impelling him to jump back. He was just barely fast enough to move out of the blade's tip without receiving a nasty scratch. He stumbled onto his feet before blocking Lightning's next slash. She continued to whip her blade at him, Noctis releasing several powerful strikes as well. Noctis began obtaining the upper hand. He heard her snap with her left hand. Then she abruptly leaped over his head and kicked him in the shoulder, knocking him down.
"What was that?" He asked while regaining the wind he had lost.
"An AMP: Antimatter Manipulation Principle. It allows me to defy gravity at my command." Normally, a person would grin at such an advantage. But she stayed emotionless, focused; Just as a well-trained warrior should.
So, she had a few tricks up her sleeve? Noctis knew to keep a close eye on her movements now. They were at each other again, waiting for the other to make a fatal mistake. Noctis allowed her to come close to scratching his chest with her saber in order to swipe the gunblade from her hands. Lucky for him, the strategy was successful. It flipped behind him, the blade sticking straight up in the ground thirty feet away. Noctis was about to claim his victory. Too bad he underestimated her. She started punching at his face and somersaulting, performing multiple flips and spins. She even kicked him as she stood on her hands once. Noctis tried to stop her by taking another swing at her side. She ducked, letting one of her legs trip him and send him to the ground with a thud.
Lightning dashed for her sword as Noctis attained his composure once again. He was hot on her trail. He was positive that she would finish the conflict if she reached her saber. She jumped for the hilt, grabbed it, and blocked Noctis' blade. The metal generated sparks as they collided. The shock made Noctis take a few steps backward. He prayed for the chance to get one last strike. He swung his fonchier at her.
He was too late. She hit his sword aside and forced him to the grass with a well-placed kick. Lightning aimed the saber's tip at his throat. Her foot pinned him to the ground.
Noctis' father and friends thought Lightning would kill him. He had granted her the perfect opportunity to. Noctis wasn't as convinced. He knew she wouldn't hesitate to stop his breathing if she wanted to. But for some reason, he trusted her enough to believe she wouldn't take his life.
Lightning just stood there. She knew if she killed him she'd end up in jail, meaning she would never return home. But that wasn't the only reason she didn't do anything. Even though he had plucked her from her world and thrown her head first into another, made her emotions go haywire, and not to mention his teasing, she wasn't slitting his throat because... She couldn't; she didn't want to. She had been taught to show no mercy, to end the lives of her enemies without a second thought. But she just couldn't do that to him. She felt that it would make her happier to have him with her. But it seemed to strange: she had never felt this way before, not once.
Lightning stepped off of Noctis and removed her blade from his neck. Noctis slowly sat up, staring at her. He was happy to see that she liked him enough to spare him. "Looks like I owe you a map," Noctis remarked. Lightning flipped her blade into a gun before she stuck it back in its sheath. Noctis figured she could keep it with her since she had proven that she could be trusted with it now. Noctis stood to face her. "I've never been beaten so quickly. You're pretty amazing."
Lightning denied that. "You made several mistakes." She paced in front of him as she criticized his fighting. She reminded him of a general scolding his troops. "When you got me in tough spots you acted as if you already won, thus lowering your defenses enough for me to counter. Your balance was off and strikes sloppy and predictable. You relied too much on your sword to fight. If you lost it in a real fight, you would have been a goner. You need to be able to fight without it. You used a lot of careless moves as well. I'd practice a little more if I were you."
Noctis was fascinated by her knowledge of combat. Not even his best generals understood as much as her. She could point out every screw up he made, not to mention recommending some tips. "Maybe you could teach me," Noctis said with a bright smile, one you would imagine on a prince. Only this prince didn't have blonde locks and fancy attire to go with it.
Lightning thought Noctis had a nice smile. It made him look much more handsome. She couldn't stop herself from giving a slight smile back. "Maybe I'll think about it." She headed for the training ground's stairwell that lead to the hallway Noctis had come from. Just before scaling the steps, she called back, "I expect that map to be in my hands before tonight."
Noctis watched her leave him once again. At that moment, Noctis realized he really liked the way she walked. Noctis' friends all come over to him so they could pick on him about his loss. King Caelum, on the other hand, followed Lightning back into the castle.
Solis found Lightning leaning against one of the thick arch's walls, overlooking Noctis and his friends. "That was pretty amazing out there." He claimed.
Startled, she turned to him. Her hand was placed on her gunblade's handle before she realized it was only him. "It was nothing. But thanks anyway."
Solis walked up to her and watched Prompto pull Noctis into a headlock as Ignis and Gladiolus laughed. "It's been so long since I heard someone call me by my first name. I normally receive a higher title."
"Sorry, but just because you're royalty doesn't mean you're any better than another person. Therefore, I treat you like everyone else."
The king peered down at her. "That may be why Noctis likes you. You treat him as an equal, just as his companions do." He saw the four young men chatter among themselves, his gaze lingering on his beloved son.
Lightning was hoping Solis wasn't serious when he said Noctis "liked" her. "It's not very good he likes me."
Solis wasn't sure what she meant. He could tell she was holding back her feelings towards Noctis. Noctis had always done the same with his feelings about everything, so he was always aware when someone had something on their mind. And he was sure Noctis was beginning to mean something to her. "Why is that?"
"I can't stay here forever. I'll have to leave very soon. I have people I need to get back to. I don't belong here either. If I get too attached to everyone here..." She stared out to Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus. "... It will be harder to leave."
Solis guessed that must have been why she was distancing herself from the others. He gave her a sincere look, "Maybe you won't have to leave."
She stared at him with disbelief. "What?"
"Returning to your home may sound right. And at some point, you should so your family won't be worried. But maybe you could make this place your home. I don't mind having you here anyway. It makes me happy to see Noctis making new friends."
Lightning didn't like the sound of that. Not return home? So he wanted her to stay here? "What are you saying?"
He ignored her question, "My wife, Noctis's late mother, she used to say this phrase to him all the time when he was young. Maybe it could help." He made a soft tone, emphasizing his words: "Sometimes the right decision isn't always the best decision. The best decision is always the one that follows your heart."
Lightning took those words very seriously. She wished she could have heard those words years ago. He looked back to the men who were making their way back to the castle. "If your heart tells you to go back home, then go. No one will stop you. But just be sure that going back is what you truly want to do." With that, he walked away from Lightning, allowing her to think those thoughts.
The king missed his queen. If only that accident never occurred.