Ignis Scientia (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chef_chocobro) wrote2022-06-02 05:53 am
chef_chocobro) wrote2022-06-02 05:53 am
Fort Vaullerey; Cleigne; Eos. Thursday [06/02 FT].
The next morning, Iris greeted them cheerfully, all the tears from earlier seemingly replaced with nothing but sunshine and excitement as she piled into the back seat of the Regalia between her brother and her king. Ignis pulled out from the fueling station at the edge of Lestallum, and their journey began again in earnest.
It didn't take long, though, before some of that brightness faded slightly. "Looking at the Regalia," Iris observed quietly, "really reminds me of home..."
There was light conversation along the way, about cars, about how it would be impossible to fit Gladdy into one of the older model cars that you saw outside the city, about what might be waiting for them in Caem. The hood of the convertible smoothly settled into place as a light rain started to fall, window wipers now joining the cadence of their discussion. Iris pointed out to them the Rock of Ravatough, although it could scarcely be missed, looming in the distance, with its odd sculptural formation of rock like tendril dancing in the air with the smoke of its fiery insides. She asked after how they'd been, thanking Ignis for driving, especially since it would probably not go nearly as smoothly with Noctis or Prompto behind the wheel, just catch-up chatter to fill the time, a welcome presence, a comforting and cheering addition to their strong retinue, especially in light of Jared's untimely demise. The younger Amicitia's ability to say positive and cheerful even in the face of such things was doing them far more good than they realized.
….at least until the imposing figure of an Imperial ship darkened the sky even more ominously than the rainclouds.
"We've got some bad news, guys!" Prompto called out, in case none of the others squeezed into the back seat had noticed it looming overhead yet.
"Oh, great." Gladio didn't even have it in him to grunt this time, he just sighed s he recognized the shape and model of the ship from their earlier....ugh, i>Bust-a-Base...just the other day.. "Another floating fortress."
"Let's pull over," Ignis suggested, but, before he could get much more out, Iris' worried voice cut in.
"Noct..."
"Don't worry," he assured her. "We've got this."
They just couldn't let another Imperial base take hold if they had the opportunity to take it down before it could truly get settled. And luckily, they were rolling right into Old Lestallum, the main hub of this area from before EXINERES industries had set up and built the much more bustling Lestallum of today.
"Taking matters into our own hands," Ignis decided.
"Getting justice," Noctis corrected, as they pulled into the station to park, "for Jared."
"And for Talcott, too!" Prompto added.
And while the others were getting pumped, Gladio was just getting worried. "Iris," he said, his tone grave and serious and brooking no argument, "I'll need you to wait here."
There was a brief moment, where he felt his heart drop as if she might try to argue with him, but then she just nodded. "Alright," she allowed. "Be safe."
"And," Ignis said, jumping right off of that, "only fools rush in. I suggest we survey the information we have available to us and devise a plan. Especially since they're likely building a supply line, which it would behoove us to cut."
Under the cover of little else but rain, they crossed the river, edging around the fences and barricades to find a way to slip into this Imperial fort and have a closer look around. Climbing up into one of the many guardtowers after taking out the small contingent of soldiers stationed there, they could get a full view of the base and begin to consider their strategy.
"Let's find the base commander," Ignis suggested, "and take him into custody. Targeting metal men will yield little in the way of reconnaissance, but bones bend easily. We'll split into two groups of two. Prompto and Gladio will generate a diversion."
"Awww, yeah," said Prompto with an eager grin. "Making a scene is what I do best."
"Although usually not on purpose," Gladio dug in with a quirk of his brow.
Ignoring both of them for the task at hand, Ignis' attention was solely on his own partner in infiltration. "Noct...are you prepared?"
Noctis nodded. "Let's get 'em."
"Operation To Catch a Commander is go!" Prompto cheered, as he and Gladio slipped down from the guardtower and rushed off to do their part while Ignis and Noctis slipped down deeper into the base to find their target, guided by the floodlights overhead as nightfall seemed to approach already. He wasn't sure if it was just the time eaten up by their travels, or the disturbing suggestion that the rumors that nightfall had been coming more swiftly and the days had been growing shorter in the last few weeks...
But there was no point in thinking about that now, as his ears caught on a voice, drifting through the base, and he pulled Noctis aside against a structure so they could pause and listen.
"The insolence of that up-jumped mercenary!" The older man in the elaborate armor favored by those high in command in the Niflheim army was complaining to the soldiers who accompanied him, as they made their way across the base. "And there is still no word. This cannot be borne. Such behavior besmirches His Radiance's good name!"
"That's our target," Ignis whispered over to Noctis. "Caligo Ulldor, a Brigadier General, if I'm not mistaken. Let's follow him."
"What is that Chancellor playing at?" Caligo was murmuring still as he moved, his steps even and determined. And slow, which certainly aided their silent pursuit. "I'm no man's fool. He sent Highwind to watch me. It's no mere coincidence that she and I meet wherever I go. Claims to 'trust her as a person.' Hollow words from the mind behind the magitek movement. I may have acted in haste with that impudent steward in Lestallum--"
Here, Noctis leaned forward as if wanting to strike on that news, but Ignis held out a hand, which was thankfully all that was needed to remind him not to act on passion and anger alone.
"--and I'll be damned if that mercenary gets her grubby hands on the prince before Caligo Ulldor!"
And that settled Noctis back completely, Ignis glancing toward him to get a good gauge on that. Noct won't stay dead for long, Ignis had said, not too long ago, and it would seem that the Empire had already ressurrected him....and hunting him down.
"Ill give Highwind one last chance to respond," Caligo seemed to be winding down to his conclusion. "Stand guard here. If the commodore arrives, send her through."
With that, the soldiers that surrounded the general remained at the gate they'd just passed through, as he meandered forward, now alone, toward a makeshift office.
"Now's your chance, Noct," whispered Ignis. "Subdue him from behind. And remember...we need him alive."
Noctis did not hesitate to act, warping across the space between himself and Caligo, hilt of his weapon on the ready to deal a crushing but not fatal blow, swiftly and silently, clutching onto the man to keep his fall just as quiet.
"You're in fine form," Ignis complimented. "Keep it up."
The words barely escaped him before their attention was drawn by an explosion near the generator at the center of the base. "Looks like they've set to work," he observed. "I'll escort him off the base. You regroup with the others."
"Guess it's time to let loose," said Noctis, almost with a grin, as he shook off the stealthiness and went rushing toward the generator to find Gladio and Prompto to finish the job started with the explosion. He found them, already engaged in battle with another one of the Empire's seemingly endless army of mechs, but they made swift work of dismantling it (this time remembering to dodge out of the way once it had fallen to avoid getting caught in the immediate self-destructive blast that followed), and then headed toward the base's entrance, where Ignis had just approached from the other side.
"Glad to see you lot were successful," he said by way of greeting.
"...does that mean that you weren't?" Noctis asked.
And Ignis could only sigh, adjusting the sleeve of his jacket. "I place our captive into the Hunters' custody immediately," he reported, "but I've already been informed that he's fled from them. He lives to die another day."
"And I'll gladly help him with that," said Noctis.
"For now, though," Ignis said, "our damage is done. Let us return to Iris and the Regalia and swiftly be on our--"
A sudden burst of activity cut Ignis off, as a slim, dark figure seemed to cut down from the sky, a black lightning bolt with a fearsome lance wielded, pointed and aimed straight for Noctis. He was quick with his reflexes, though, warping just a little bit as if to meet this descending blow with his sword to deflect the attack. The woman did not let that stop her, though, charging forward again and knocking Noctis back, then meeting him there, on the ground, crouched with her weapon holding his down and in place.
"Hey, pretty boy," she cooed out with a smile through the slats in her fearsome helm, her voice rich and smooth. It might have even been playful, if not for the deadly intent behind it.
Noctis pushed her off, and Gladio came swinging behind him, but she jumped back with a grunt, springing high off the ground into the air away from them, a seemingly effortless flip out of the way. Crouching into her landing, she let out a bright, amused chuckle. Her lance swung around her as she straightened back up and the others prepared themselves for the encounter.
"Let's see what you can do," she taunted.
Light as a feather, sharp as an arrow, she sprung up into the air and came descending on the boys, showing no mercy. It became a whirlwind of activity; every time Gladio or Noctis swung their sword for her, she seemed to effortlessly float out of the way, darting into the air, high out of reach. Not for Prompto's gun, though, as he showered bullets her way, clinking off her heavy armor. And not for Ignis' own lance, favored now over his daggers. He could not quite meet her height, but he had her swiftness, and matched her swing-for-stab in flips and using the weapon as a pole to vault him closer.
Bursts of magic from the flasks they threw out, trails of residual energy as Noctis warped from one scaffolding to the next to keep out of her way, at one point even calling on the Armiger to hit her with an onslaught of ancient ancestral weapons.
She was outnumbered, and she was perhaps starting to feel as though she was outmatched, once they started to understand her fighting style and her tricks, and so, eventually, she broke away from them entirely, landing on the top of the massive fortress walls and peering down at them.
"Awww." There was a mock petulance in that playful voice. "Is it that time already?"
"What time?" asked Noctis
"Quittin' time," she answered, giving her lance a twirl behind her as she set it into place behind her back. "Sorry, but this girl doesn't work after hours. I could, but there wouldn't' be a single gil in it for me." But she let out a soft, mewling tone, where even at this distance, they could picture the smirk on her face. "We should play again sometime, pretty boy."
With that, and another flip back off the wall that was clearly just showing off at this point, she disappeared, into what remained of the night, which was quickly brightening with the dawn.
"Who the hell was she?" Noctis had to ask, catching his breath, clutching his chest as he stared after her.
"If I were to chance a guess," Ignis said, moving over to hand Noctis a potion and give him a shoulder to lean on, "I would think this may be the mercenary Ulldor was hoping to beat to finding you."
"Well, they haven't got me yet," Noctis growled, bursting the potion open and letting its restorative effects wash over him with relief.
"Nor will they," Ignis vowed.
"Especially not," Gladio added, as a way to nudge them forward, "if we keep moving. Let's get out of here...before we get even more unexpected visitors."
[[ And with that, we've entered Final Fantasy XV Chapter 6 - A Way Forward. NFB, NFI, blah-blah-blah and #JusticeForAranea ]]
It didn't take long, though, before some of that brightness faded slightly. "Looking at the Regalia," Iris observed quietly, "really reminds me of home..."
There was light conversation along the way, about cars, about how it would be impossible to fit Gladdy into one of the older model cars that you saw outside the city, about what might be waiting for them in Caem. The hood of the convertible smoothly settled into place as a light rain started to fall, window wipers now joining the cadence of their discussion. Iris pointed out to them the Rock of Ravatough, although it could scarcely be missed, looming in the distance, with its odd sculptural formation of rock like tendril dancing in the air with the smoke of its fiery insides. She asked after how they'd been, thanking Ignis for driving, especially since it would probably not go nearly as smoothly with Noctis or Prompto behind the wheel, just catch-up chatter to fill the time, a welcome presence, a comforting and cheering addition to their strong retinue, especially in light of Jared's untimely demise. The younger Amicitia's ability to say positive and cheerful even in the face of such things was doing them far more good than they realized.
….at least until the imposing figure of an Imperial ship darkened the sky even more ominously than the rainclouds.
"We've got some bad news, guys!" Prompto called out, in case none of the others squeezed into the back seat had noticed it looming overhead yet.
"Oh, great." Gladio didn't even have it in him to grunt this time, he just sighed s he recognized the shape and model of the ship from their earlier....ugh, i>Bust-a-Base...just the other day.. "Another floating fortress."
"Let's pull over," Ignis suggested, but, before he could get much more out, Iris' worried voice cut in.
"Noct..."
"Don't worry," he assured her. "We've got this."
They just couldn't let another Imperial base take hold if they had the opportunity to take it down before it could truly get settled. And luckily, they were rolling right into Old Lestallum, the main hub of this area from before EXINERES industries had set up and built the much more bustling Lestallum of today.
"Taking matters into our own hands," Ignis decided.
"Getting justice," Noctis corrected, as they pulled into the station to park, "for Jared."
"And for Talcott, too!" Prompto added.
And while the others were getting pumped, Gladio was just getting worried. "Iris," he said, his tone grave and serious and brooking no argument, "I'll need you to wait here."
There was a brief moment, where he felt his heart drop as if she might try to argue with him, but then she just nodded. "Alright," she allowed. "Be safe."
"And," Ignis said, jumping right off of that, "only fools rush in. I suggest we survey the information we have available to us and devise a plan. Especially since they're likely building a supply line, which it would behoove us to cut."
Under the cover of little else but rain, they crossed the river, edging around the fences and barricades to find a way to slip into this Imperial fort and have a closer look around. Climbing up into one of the many guardtowers after taking out the small contingent of soldiers stationed there, they could get a full view of the base and begin to consider their strategy.
"Let's find the base commander," Ignis suggested, "and take him into custody. Targeting metal men will yield little in the way of reconnaissance, but bones bend easily. We'll split into two groups of two. Prompto and Gladio will generate a diversion."
"Awww, yeah," said Prompto with an eager grin. "Making a scene is what I do best."
"Although usually not on purpose," Gladio dug in with a quirk of his brow.
Ignoring both of them for the task at hand, Ignis' attention was solely on his own partner in infiltration. "Noct...are you prepared?"
Noctis nodded. "Let's get 'em."
"Operation To Catch a Commander is go!" Prompto cheered, as he and Gladio slipped down from the guardtower and rushed off to do their part while Ignis and Noctis slipped down deeper into the base to find their target, guided by the floodlights overhead as nightfall seemed to approach already. He wasn't sure if it was just the time eaten up by their travels, or the disturbing suggestion that the rumors that nightfall had been coming more swiftly and the days had been growing shorter in the last few weeks...
But there was no point in thinking about that now, as his ears caught on a voice, drifting through the base, and he pulled Noctis aside against a structure so they could pause and listen.
"The insolence of that up-jumped mercenary!" The older man in the elaborate armor favored by those high in command in the Niflheim army was complaining to the soldiers who accompanied him, as they made their way across the base. "And there is still no word. This cannot be borne. Such behavior besmirches His Radiance's good name!"
"That's our target," Ignis whispered over to Noctis. "Caligo Ulldor, a Brigadier General, if I'm not mistaken. Let's follow him."
"What is that Chancellor playing at?" Caligo was murmuring still as he moved, his steps even and determined. And slow, which certainly aided their silent pursuit. "I'm no man's fool. He sent Highwind to watch me. It's no mere coincidence that she and I meet wherever I go. Claims to 'trust her as a person.' Hollow words from the mind behind the magitek movement. I may have acted in haste with that impudent steward in Lestallum--"
Here, Noctis leaned forward as if wanting to strike on that news, but Ignis held out a hand, which was thankfully all that was needed to remind him not to act on passion and anger alone.
"--and I'll be damned if that mercenary gets her grubby hands on the prince before Caligo Ulldor!"
And that settled Noctis back completely, Ignis glancing toward him to get a good gauge on that. Noct won't stay dead for long, Ignis had said, not too long ago, and it would seem that the Empire had already ressurrected him....and hunting him down.
"Ill give Highwind one last chance to respond," Caligo seemed to be winding down to his conclusion. "Stand guard here. If the commodore arrives, send her through."
With that, the soldiers that surrounded the general remained at the gate they'd just passed through, as he meandered forward, now alone, toward a makeshift office.
"Now's your chance, Noct," whispered Ignis. "Subdue him from behind. And remember...we need him alive."
Noctis did not hesitate to act, warping across the space between himself and Caligo, hilt of his weapon on the ready to deal a crushing but not fatal blow, swiftly and silently, clutching onto the man to keep his fall just as quiet.
"You're in fine form," Ignis complimented. "Keep it up."
The words barely escaped him before their attention was drawn by an explosion near the generator at the center of the base. "Looks like they've set to work," he observed. "I'll escort him off the base. You regroup with the others."
"Guess it's time to let loose," said Noctis, almost with a grin, as he shook off the stealthiness and went rushing toward the generator to find Gladio and Prompto to finish the job started with the explosion. He found them, already engaged in battle with another one of the Empire's seemingly endless army of mechs, but they made swift work of dismantling it (this time remembering to dodge out of the way once it had fallen to avoid getting caught in the immediate self-destructive blast that followed), and then headed toward the base's entrance, where Ignis had just approached from the other side.
"Glad to see you lot were successful," he said by way of greeting.
"...does that mean that you weren't?" Noctis asked.
And Ignis could only sigh, adjusting the sleeve of his jacket. "I place our captive into the Hunters' custody immediately," he reported, "but I've already been informed that he's fled from them. He lives to die another day."
"And I'll gladly help him with that," said Noctis.
"For now, though," Ignis said, "our damage is done. Let us return to Iris and the Regalia and swiftly be on our--"
A sudden burst of activity cut Ignis off, as a slim, dark figure seemed to cut down from the sky, a black lightning bolt with a fearsome lance wielded, pointed and aimed straight for Noctis. He was quick with his reflexes, though, warping just a little bit as if to meet this descending blow with his sword to deflect the attack. The woman did not let that stop her, though, charging forward again and knocking Noctis back, then meeting him there, on the ground, crouched with her weapon holding his down and in place.
"Hey, pretty boy," she cooed out with a smile through the slats in her fearsome helm, her voice rich and smooth. It might have even been playful, if not for the deadly intent behind it.
Noctis pushed her off, and Gladio came swinging behind him, but she jumped back with a grunt, springing high off the ground into the air away from them, a seemingly effortless flip out of the way. Crouching into her landing, she let out a bright, amused chuckle. Her lance swung around her as she straightened back up and the others prepared themselves for the encounter.
"Let's see what you can do," she taunted.
Light as a feather, sharp as an arrow, she sprung up into the air and came descending on the boys, showing no mercy. It became a whirlwind of activity; every time Gladio or Noctis swung their sword for her, she seemed to effortlessly float out of the way, darting into the air, high out of reach. Not for Prompto's gun, though, as he showered bullets her way, clinking off her heavy armor. And not for Ignis' own lance, favored now over his daggers. He could not quite meet her height, but he had her swiftness, and matched her swing-for-stab in flips and using the weapon as a pole to vault him closer.
Bursts of magic from the flasks they threw out, trails of residual energy as Noctis warped from one scaffolding to the next to keep out of her way, at one point even calling on the Armiger to hit her with an onslaught of ancient ancestral weapons.
She was outnumbered, and she was perhaps starting to feel as though she was outmatched, once they started to understand her fighting style and her tricks, and so, eventually, she broke away from them entirely, landing on the top of the massive fortress walls and peering down at them.
"Awww." There was a mock petulance in that playful voice. "Is it that time already?"
"What time?" asked Noctis
"Quittin' time," she answered, giving her lance a twirl behind her as she set it into place behind her back. "Sorry, but this girl doesn't work after hours. I could, but there wouldn't' be a single gil in it for me." But she let out a soft, mewling tone, where even at this distance, they could picture the smirk on her face. "We should play again sometime, pretty boy."
With that, and another flip back off the wall that was clearly just showing off at this point, she disappeared, into what remained of the night, which was quickly brightening with the dawn.
"Who the hell was she?" Noctis had to ask, catching his breath, clutching his chest as he stared after her.
"If I were to chance a guess," Ignis said, moving over to hand Noctis a potion and give him a shoulder to lean on, "I would think this may be the mercenary Ulldor was hoping to beat to finding you."
"Well, they haven't got me yet," Noctis growled, bursting the potion open and letting its restorative effects wash over him with relief.
"Nor will they," Ignis vowed.
"Especially not," Gladio added, as a way to nudge them forward, "if we keep moving. Let's get out of here...before we get even more unexpected visitors."
[[ And with that, we've entered Final Fantasy XV Chapter 6 - A Way Forward. NFB, NFI, blah-blah-blah and #JusticeForAranea ]]