The Gods decided the future of a prince yet to be born. A future of tragedy and pyrrhic victory.
Haunted by the visions and Adagium, Regis Lucius Caelum made a fateful decision. A decision that led the Kingdom to a world free of the Starscourge. A world of Remnants.
But fate will not let them escape its clutches.
NOTE: This is a rewrite of mine and FF.net author Daemon of Wrath's story, known as the [Royal Revisions] on FF.net. The original version of "Of Crystal Shards and Dust" can be read here. The Royal Revisions version on FF.net can be read here.
SkyRig: Okay, this has been a long time coming. For you guys, and for us. So, after some careful consideration on both of our parts, Daemon and I decided it was time to give this story a much-needed make-over. As in, reboot it and give it a new, fresh coat of paint. Straight from the top. Hopefully you'll guys enjoy this "Royal Revision" as I've taken to calling it.
Anyways, on with the show!
Final Fantasy XV × RWBY Crossover: "OF CRYSTAL SHARDS AND DUST" [Royal Revisions]
It all started when Niflheim Empire declared war on Lucis.
It was not surprising to hear, not when the Empire had conquered various other countries in the past. Lucis was but their latest victim, and perhaps their grandest prize. Lucis was a kingdom of prosperity, all thanks to the guidance of the royal family and the crystal that fueled their abilities. The Kingsglaive and those who swore loyalty to the royal family, through the king and the crystal, were given the capability to wield magic in various ways. Some could cast lightning from their eyes, throw fireballs at their enemies, send out spears of ice, etc.
The magical ability and the source behind it were no doubt why the Empire declared the Kingdom of Lucis its newest conquest. Initially, things didn't seem so bad for Lucis. As advanced as Niflheim had become under Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt, their military might proved little in the face of the magical might of Lucis, much less the Kingsglaive. When their initial method of war failed, they turned to conquering Lucis' allies and neighbors, to turn them against Lucis and commit some sort of siege. Tenebrae stood tall in defiance, but even with Lucis' support, Niflheim proved far more ambitious and resilient than everyone first assumed.
Despite their looming presence and the threat they posed, Lucis was still confident they could resist these invaders and protect their homelands and people.
That changed when the capital was attacked.
No one knew who was behind the attack or why. All anyone knew was that some sort of daemon snuck inside the city and began laying waste to everyone it could find, reducing everyone and everything to ashes. Worse of all, there were rumors that King Regis Lucis Caelum himself was injured in the attack. Everyone assumed the attack was done by Niflheim, and as if proving those theories, their attacks suddenly ramped up in measure. Their grip slowly tightened, and Tenebrae suddenly found itself on the verge of being subsumed and conquered.
The Empire of Niflheim introduced a new weapon of warfare previously unseen. Although their use of magitek was well-known, the use of biological weapons infused with magic-infused machinery proved more than a match for the Kingsglaive. Between the blow to morale on the attack of the capital and facing down unknown weapons, not to mention the startling sight of seemingly domesticated Daemons, Lucis found themselves on the backfoot and struggling to maintain their defenses.
Now, more than ever, people looked to the king for leadership.
Regis wasn't sure he could protect everyone. Ever since the attack on the capital city Insomnia, he had been lost in his own thoughts. The king of Lucis sat in the throne room, his wounds having already healed thanks to the crystal's magic. He was still in the process of figuring out how many losses Lucis suffered between Niflheim's assault and the attack on the city. The loss of his Kingsglaive, his most trusted and handpicked warriors, died in defense of Insomnia. Some were cut down with vicious brutality, others were corrupted by something, reduced to little more than piles of burning sludge that sizzled and burned under the sun.
The cause behind it was none other than the daemon who attacked him. He could still remember that vivid sneer, the seething hatred in those eyes as he approached, flanked by Ifrit's burning form. As a member of the royal family, Regis knew the stories of Adagium. An immortal daemon of unprecedented power, the malignant shadow that hounded the Caelum bloodline for centuries. The Founder King had been unable to kill the creature, only seal it away. How Adagium escaped his confines, Regis did not know.
What he did know was that Niflheim's sudden boost in power and subjugation and control of Daemons, and Adagium resurfacing was no mere coincidence. It would not surprise Regis in the least if Niflheim was responsible for unsealing the creature and making some sort of deal.
The king sighed heavily, rubbing his temples as he wondered what he could do. Adagium was a monster that couldn't die, and there was only so much he could do. For all his power, for all his position implied, he couldn't help but feel helpless. Doubts clouded his mind, and fear held his heart in a vice. No matter how hard he tried, he could not rid himself of the visage of Adagium.
"Regis?"
Regis opened his eyes. Next to him was a woman with platinum blonde hair, neatly swept back and pulled into a thick braid underneath a silver tiara with beads cascading down her cheeks and neck, adorned in a silver-white dress with a blue-high collar.
Sylvia via Fleuret, Queen of Tenebrae, was a staunch confidant and ally of Regis since the day he succeeded his father as king. The ties between them was iron-clad, even in the face of a frightful invasion. The only person to share so close a bond with Regis was Clarus Amicitia and Commander of the Crownsguard.
"You seem troubled, Regis," Sylvia noted.
Regis smiled thinly. "I feel as old as my father the day he named me king," he said almost jokingly. "Between Niflheim's growing advance and what happened months ago… I fear for the future."
"For whom?"
"Lucis'," Regis replied almost instantly. "My future is consequential. Even if it were, the future of my kingdom comes before me. The people of Lucis must always come before me. It is the burden of being a king." He paused, then looked out the windows peering outside the palace. The sky grew dark, grey clouds rolling over Lucis and blanketing the horizon. "And now, I'm faced with the possibility I may fail to protect the people I swore to defend."
"No one ever said being ruler would be easy."
"They never had to deal with the Accursed."
A moment of silence fell in the throne room. Sylvia put an assuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "What will you do?"
"…perhaps it's time to place my faith in other matters."
Regis did not rely on the power of the Astrals as his forefathers had. He did not hate or hold them in contempt, instead believing it was the duty of humanity to handle their affairs by themselves. Relying on the gods was a crutch, and relying on a crutch was dangerous in the long run. Even so, in times such as this when the future grew uncertain and bleak, Regis did not think there was any other choice. There was also no guarantee the crystal, much less the Astrals, would offer him guidance.
With his mind set, and a small hint of resolve beating in his chest, the king rose from his throne. The Oracle of the Crystal followed closely behind him.
The answers Regis sought were naught as he hoped. He pulled his hand away from the Crystal, its surface thrumming with power and beating like a heart. A soft glow emanated from its core, and from it, an otherworldly presence far greater than anything in this world.
"How many must die before you are satisfied?" Regis asked quietly, whispers of anger laced in his words.
The being within the Crystal spoke with neither hostility nor benevolence. "I have seen many deaths…but now? I am only looking forward to one. And then, I can rest."
Regis' hands balled into fists. His shoulders trembled. He restrained his anger, knowing it was futile. "…he will take responsibility, you know."
"As must we all."
The presence receded, vanishing to parts unknown. The soft light of the crystal faded, and its beating grew quiet. Only Regis was left in the chamber, staring at his warped reflection in the crystal's surface with brewing rage until it was snuffed and replaced by weariness.
Regis all but staggered out onto the balcony, staring at Insomnia and the Kingdom of Lucis that stretched out beyond it. Rain began to spill across the streets, drenching any unlucky enough to be caught in the downpour.
"I take it by your expression that you did not receive the answers you hoped for?" Sylvia asked.
The vision Regis received from the crystal was fresh in his mind. A young man, the spitting image of him in his youth, and a beautiful blonde-haired girl in a white dress, both being chased by Niflheim's magitek soldiers. In the middle of it all, culminating in the death of the girl and the despair of the young man was a malignant shadow, one oh so very familiar to the king thanks to his mocking smile and amber eyes.
"…my kingdom will fall for a time," he said quietly, voice trembling slightly. "A son and daughter will be forced to struggle and fight for dear life. The son…"
He could not bring himself to finish. Not when he knew what laid in wait for him in the future. Sylvia, perhaps sensing his distress, offered him a consoling hand. She did not ask for specifics, but she could hazard a guess. If her assumptions were correct, the Astrals demanded much.
Perhaps far too much, she thought to herself.
"There will be too many by the end of it," Regis continued somberly. "Enough to make a mountain. That is to say nothing of what will happen if I do nothing. This prophecy—" He spat the word, as if finding it to taste like poison. "It demands too much. Sylvia, what am I to do?"
The monarch of Tenebrae considered her options carefully. As the Oracle, she was the closest to the Astrals, and when needed, conveyed their will to the king when they saw fit or when the king requested guidance. Like many in her country and in Lucis, she was faithful and worshipped the Astrals as they deserved for all they represented. Even so, she knew that the Astrals were fickle beings. They could easily love humanity as they could despise them. The actions of Ifrit were proof enough, even if his fellows rallied against him.
She knew well what sort of turmoil was going through Regis' head at the moment. Ever since Niflheim's incursion began, she wondered what was best for her people and what she could do to protect them. She held good authority, but there was only so much she could do. She could not bring back the dead, and no consoling words could comfort a grieving family when informing them of the loss of a child or parent. In Regis' case, he faced so much worse. What exactly the crystal asked of him, she knew not. She only knew there was a price to be paid.
The gods can be cruel indeed, Sylvia mused bitterly. She glanced back at the crystal, wondering what sort of conversation was held between Regis and the otherworldly being moments ago before a thought came to her. As of late, the queen dreamed of a world similar, but different to Eos. A world bearing a broken moon in the night sky, of dark creatures prowling the lands. She dreamed of two mighty beings, Astrals unto themselves, caught in a cycle of destruction and creation before departing for lands unknown.
She did not know the purpose of these dreams, save perhaps that it was the will of the Astrals. Why they gave her such strange dreams, again, she did not know.
As she looked at the crystal in curious wonder and thought, she thought of the power the crystal had and what it could do when unleashed to its fullest potential. The idea blossomed in her mind, and after a moment of consideration, she turned back to Regis.
"…Your Majesty, if I told you there may indeed be a way to save this kingdom, and perhaps your child, what would you do?"
The next few days had been a buzz of activity throughout all of Insomnia. Word of Niflheim's impending approach grew more frequent, especially when news of one of their neighboring countries having finally fallen to the empire. There was no word on what would become of it, save for the obvious fact that it would be occupied and used against Lucis and their allies.
For the Kingsglaive and the Crownsguard, this was old news. There were more important and pressing concerns.
"I heard the king might be planning to move Lucis."
The Glaive raised an eyebrow, staring at the man next to him. Cor Leonis was a name well-known to many Lucians, both for having become the youngest to achieve the title of "Marshal"—the second-in-command of the Crownsguard commander, and for having fought side-by-side with King Regis. Barely in his mid-twenties, the man was a legend among the people and to those in the Crownsguard, looking up to his martial prowess in combat. Those who served under him possessed a sense of loyalty only a king could provoke.
The words were outlandish as they were confusing, but considering that they came from Cor, they held impressive weight. The Glaive could not help but feel curious. "…okay, I'll bite. How the hell can King Regis move a whole freaking kingdom? And where would he move it to?"
"To another world, supposedly." The Glaive choked. Cor's face was impassive, each word delivered with the utmost seriousness. He was not joking. "Apparently, Queen Sylvia of Tenebrae brought it up to him. She said it was possible by using the crystal."
"That…makes sense, I guess."
The Glaive was still skeptical, but now that he had actual context and information, he could see how such an idea may be possible. The Crownsguard and Kingsglaive only possessed a small fraction of magical power, to which they used with great effect in their efforts to defend Lucis from threats, be it Niflheim or others who threatened the kingdom. He never saw how much power the king himself had, but if the stories were any indication, he could easily defeat an entire contingent of Niflheim soldiers by himself, then go on to wipe out their command post.
All the power Lucis commanded came from the crystal, the source of magic that the king and his most trusted wield. If it could grant such power, then who was to say it couldn't take Lucis to another world?
"I suppose that's why we've been seeing so many refugees lately," the Glaive commented. He peered down at the streets below, noting the small encampments made along the streets. Makeshift tents and housing centers were hurriedly built for those seeking shelter, all of whom clearly not from Insomnia. "I noticed some of them look like they're from Tenebrae."
"There's no telling how much the king can take with him," Cor said. "And there's no guarantee it will work. That's why he's playing the waiting game. Exhaust all his options, gain the opinions of his court and advisers before anything's set in motion."
The Glaive hummed. "Any chance the Nifs might follow us?"
"No idea."
"…what do you think about all this, Marshal?"
Cor closed his eyes. "My opinion doesn't matter. Our duty is to safeguard the royal family and Lucis. If the king wants to take Lucis away from Eos so we'll never have to deal with the Empire again, so be it."
He should have expected such an answer from such a stalwart man. The Glaive understood what Cor meant to some extent, but he would be lying if he said the idea of running with their tail between their legs left a bitter taste in his mouth. He lost many good friends in the Kingsglaive to Niflheim. He wanted payback in the worst way possible, to kill a few of the bastards and maybe go down swinging when he died himself. He owed King Regis a great deal, but leaving Eos behind just to save their own skin?
It was cowardly. It was wrong.
…but when he thought about the friends he still had and the family waiting for him, he couldn't bring himself to protest. The dead could always be avenged, but only the living could be saved.
Family mattered more than personal feelings.
"Well, let's hope for the best, then!" the Glaive said, forcing a smile on his face.
Six-year-old Cindy Aurum sat in her grandfather's arms, clinging to him like a lamprey and digging her fingers into his leather jacket. The man paid no heed to her, save for the occasional pat to the head when she whimpered or flinched away when she saw someone scary-looking approaching or nearing them. The crowd of people was enormous, far more than she was used to.
It also didn't help that Insomnia was just so big…
"You doin' okay there, kiddo?"
Cindy nodded shyly. "Mm-hm…"
She and her grandfather came from Leide for some reason, something to do with a phone call and going on a trip. She thought it was because they were going to the Crown City, but a lot of the people she saw on the way here looked so afraid. Maybe they were scared of the metal men coming? She saw on the news the other day that the bad guys tried to attack someplace in Leide, but they were beaten by the Kingsglaive.
The metal men looked scary on the television screen, so she really didn't want to see what they looked like up close.
"It's been a while, Cid." Cindy saw someone approaching them, calling out to her grandfather. He looked handsome, but a little scary too; close-shaven facial-hair, a black leather jacket with a hood, dark gray jeans, fingerless gloves, and a crew cut. His eyes were intense. "You look well."
Her grandfather huffed. "Your eyes not working? I'm sprouting gray hairs, and my back aches before I bend over to pick something up or work on engines. Speaking of, Reggie didn't break the car did he?"
"He hasn't touched it since this whole mess started."
Cindy looked at the man, then at her grandfather. Did they know each other? They were talking about cars, so maybe he was a customer? That was weird, though. She knew most of the people who came into the shop, and she liked to think she had a good memory, but she couldn't remember ever seeing him.
"Who's the kid?"
"My granddaughter." Cid patted her on the head. "Kiddo, this is Cor. He's a…old friend of mine. Cor, this is Cindy."
"'llo," Cindy waved shyly.
Cor smiled slightly, nodding his head. "Nice to meet you as well."
"So, this thing Reggie's got planned… Is he serious?"
"The court's undecided. Half support the idea, whereas the others are being stubborn and thinks we can push Niflheim back. Regis is playing it safe, but he's setting up refugee camps in case things take a turn for the worst." Cor frowned. "I won't lie… He won't say it, but there's something weighing on his mind. He won't say what, but if I had to guess, it has something to do with whatever made him come up with the idea to move Lucis."
Cid scoffed. "Why aren't I surprised? Typical Regis, always taking the burdens on himself…"
Months passed, and with each passing day, Regis felt his resistance crumbling. He wanted to believe that this was a bad dream, or maybe he was just being stubborn about it. He could overturn these events if he put his mind to it, just as he had a decade ago, but then he learned Niflheim managed to carve out a small portion of Duscae's neighboring land, solidifying a foothold in their invasion. Worse yet, there were more and more reports of Daemons seemingly aiding the invaders.
Regis grimaced, pondering what he could have done to mitigate the damage or if there was some other way to stop what was happening. Each time the thought came, he could only think back to what the crystal showed him. The fate of his unborn son.
The king looked out the window of his study. He stared at the streets of Insomnia, and at the citizens. They went about their daily lives, but there was no denying the apprehension and anxiety that they may wake up one day and learn Niflheim broke through the barrier. Regis feared the same, feeling it slowly, but surely receding every time the Empire threw itself at it. Perhaps this was their plan from the start, whittling away and draining him until he was forced to fold in on himself or pull the shield back, leaving the rest of his people for themselves.
"The king exists for the people. The people must come before the king," his father used to say. They were words Regis lived by to this day.
He could not let this continue.
"Call Sylvia," he asked Clarus, who had been patiently observing him since he retired to his study. The latter smiled when he saw the resolution burning in his friend's eyes. "Inform my council. We will begin the exodus."
Sylvia arrived the following day, flanked by her attendants. Regis stood alongside Cor and Clarus in the crystal's housing, the king bearing a look she had not seen for quite some time.
"Your Majesty," Cor greeted respectfully and bowed his head.
Sylvia nodded back in turn before facing Regis. "You have made your decision, then? To take your kingdom to lands unknown?"
"I have," Regis said. "With my power and yours, the crystal will take Lucis to this other world."
"Yes. Once the process begins, it cannot be stopped or undone. The moment Lucis leaves Eos, there will be no means of returning to this place."
"What of the neighboring lands?" Clarus questioned. "To what extent will the crystal affect Lucis? Will it simply be the Crown City?"
"All areas within King Regis' sphere of power will be transported," Sylvia answered. "In other words, all domains under the protection of the barrier. The Leide region will be transported as well." The queen of Tenebrae paused, brow wrinkled in consideration, before amending. "However, it is possible Duscae may also be brought along during the exodus."
"Why Duscae?"
It was Regis who answered. "The Archaean?"
"I believe so, yes."
There was no guarantee the region would accompany Lucis and Leide during the exodus, save for the fact that one of the Astrals slumbered there. The crystal and the Astrals were tied to one another, and both Sylvia and Regis would be fools if the crystal's disappearance from Eos would go unnoticed. They also took into consideration that the Astrals themselves may interfere with the exodus. Regardless if they did, Regis was set on their current course of action.
"I'll send a message immediately," Regis said. "If the exodus succeeds, we will be migrating to new lands unknown to us. There will be tensions enough from the move."
The king made a formal announcement and address, revealing his plans in full to the Kingdom of Lucis and those under the protection of his barrier. He revealed the full scope of his plan and reasons for bringing refugees into the Crown City. He knew not how the people would react, but he could imagine there was anticipation, excitement, fear, and anxiety in equal measure. He talked of moving entire lands, rooted to the very earth they stood upon. Regis told them how he would accomplish the exodus, but made it clear there was no guarantee it would work or that their allies would be taken along for the ride.
No doubt his allies were calling him a coward at this moment, cursing his name and accusing him of leaving them to deal with Niflheim alone, if not outright abandoning them. Regis thought the same. No matter how he might try to deny or bury his feelings, he knew what he was doing. He was running away like a coward, all to protect children who hadn't been born yet. He was running to save the people who would die and live under the rule of Niflheim. He was running from his fate.
For all their hate and vitrol toward him, Regis hated himself more…but he would do what he felt was right.
"May the gods forgive me," the king muttered, closing his eyes and offering a silent apology. When he opened them, he was King of Lucis once more.
Regis Lucis Caelum walked up to the crystal, standing beside Sylvia via Fleuret. They stared at one another, sharing some sort of unsaid conversation. They nodded and pressed their hands against the crystal, the queen's hand atop his. The Oracle's power began to flow from her body, and Regis' eyes turned reddish-purple, an aura of power surrounding him. The flowing powers intersected and intertwined with each other, flowing into the crystal and conveying their will. In response, the crystal radiated an ephemeral glow, shining in a myriad of colors, so bright that all save for the royals were forced to shut their eyes.
Behind the glow was the otherworldly presence from before. It sensed their intent, understood their plans. Regis' heart hammered against his chest, waiting on baited breath to see what would happen. Would he be smited for this transgression? Would his power be stripped of him? Would it deny his request and prevent the exodus? The longer the process went on, the more he feared the outcome.
The being never made its will known. To Regis' surprise, it receded and allowed the process to continue. He recovered quickly enough and pushed forward.
"May the promise of new beginnings await us, under foreign skies," Regis whispered. "May the beginnings of a new journey await us, on foreign lands."
May a bright future await us. For my son.
The power reached its apex. The crystal shined even brighter, and with a burst of pure, raw magical power, a light exploded out from its confines and consumed the crystal's holding, expanding and swallowing Lucis. It grew further still, encompassing Leide. In the region of Duscae, from the very heart of the Disc of Cauthess, a mighty roar bellowed. The light consumed Duscae as well.
The light persisted and remained still, shimmering and standing over where the Kingdom of Lucis and its neighboring lands once stood. All who watched the proceedings from afar, be it from Niflheim cruisers to neighboring lands able to see the globe of light waited on baited breath and curiosity, wondering what had happened. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes grew into eternity. After what felt hours, the light dissipated and vanished without fanfare. There was no grandiose explosion or dissolution into motes of light. It simply ceased to exist as if it was never there.
To the shock of all, there was no longer a kingdom present. There were no lands. As if the Astrals themselves descended and scooped up the Kingdom of Lucis, Leide, and Duscae, there was nothing in the wake of the light, save for a massive crater, quickly filling with water.
In the days that followed, the Niflheim Empire withdrew its plans for expansion. It was said Emperor Aldercapt threw a fit that lasted for an entire month, raging of how the gods denied him his "rightful prize". No one knew what became of the Kingdom and its surroundings, save for speculation and theory. Only those who stayed behind in Tenebrae, those who stayed for their families and those who could not leave for the exodus, knew the truth. Some felt betrayed, whereas others wished the people of Lucis the best of luck wherever they were now.
The future of Eos grew uncertain, but people still held out hope. Hope for whatever there was to come next.
The world that would soon become the Kingdom of Lucis' new home was not without its inhabitants, nor was it without its higher powers. No sooner had the kingdom manifested did this new world's powers take notice. They saw the intrusion of a foreign element, of powers unknown to them. They saw the appearance of beings who rivaled them.
They were not pleased.
"I know what you are," one of the beings said, in a voice full of bitter rage with the coldness of a winter tundra. "We have felt you peeking into this place. I have seen the corruption and plague you abandoned. What has come with you. You are not welcome here."
"We know why you have come," the other being said, its voice carrying a deadly edge beneath a mask of calm composure. "We have seen the humans who you allowed to set foot in our domain. They are not welcome here, nor are you. We will allow no one to interfere in our affairs."
The colossal beings of power stared each other down, waiting for someone to make the first move. When they clashed, their battle would be one of legends and terror, for it would be felt throughout all of reality. The serpent was the first to bare her fangs, ready to rebuke and lay these beings low.
The one who stood at the head answered, carrying a regal authority that matched the two beings measure for measure. "Stayeth thy hand. We doth not seeketh conflict. Rather…"
"I offer thee an accord."
—A sky of stars.
Brilliant, shining stars, twinkling within the night sky. A familiar sight to be sure, but one of great confusion. The position of the stars was wrong, different. It was as though the celestial bodies themselves were moved. They expected such a thing, of course, but that was not what shocked the populace.
It was the moon hanging above them, shattered and cracked, its pieces floating as companions.
"Astrals preserve us…" Regis whispered, staring at the fractured moon in a mixture of curiosity and fear. "What could have possibly have done that?"
Not even the normally unflappable Cor was able to keep his composure upon being greeted by such a sight. However, he was the first to recover. "Questions that can be answered at a later time," he suggested. "For now, we should see if the exodus went smoothly."
Clarus nodded in agreement. "I'll convene with the ministers, see if there've been any unusual incidents."
"If Duscae was brought with, we should establish contact with them as well," Regis suggested. He would have said more, were it not for the fact that he noticed something was wrong. "Hold a moment, where is…" He stopped when he saw Sylvia, slumped against the crystal and on her knees, head lolled to the side. "Queen Sylvia!"
She was still breathing, thankfully. Her breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling on even intervals, and her pulse was faint. Regis gently pulled her into his arms, pulling her off the floor. Clarus took the unconscious queen off his hands. "I'll carry her into the guest room," he told his friend. "And assign a guard to watch over her."
"Please do."
"I don't understand," Cor frowned as he watched the head of the Crownsguard leave. "Why is she…?"
"Perhaps exhausted from the exodus," Regis offered. "She acted as the conduit for the spell, after all." The king turned his sights back on the night sky above, to the foreign stars and broken moon above. For such a large celestial body to be in such a state... He dared not think what could possibly be powerful enough to do such a thing, nor did he wish to think it was present in this world. Part of him was also still concerned that the Astrals did not interfere with the exodus. He was certain they would have intervened in some fashion.
Then again, Regis wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. There were more important matters, such as what was happening in the present.
"Cor," he said. "Coordinate with Commander Drautos, if you would. Order the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive to survey and investigate the kingdom, look for anything that may have changed during the exodus."
There was no telling what happened. Transportation spells such as Warp were common, easy to perform with little to no negative effects (save for the initial nausea, but users were quick to adapt). The grand scale of the exodus, however, was on a completely different level. Entire lands were uprooted, taken to parts unknown. There was no telling what sorts of effects the transfer had on the populace, much less on the land.
Not even an hour since we arrived, and already, there's so much work to do, Regis thought to himself.
He steeled his nerves and made his way out of the crystal's holding room, heading to the throne room and convene with his council to plan their next course of action. The first order of business was to form a public state of address, contact civilians and gauge reactions, see what potential damages there were at the surface. Then they would go from there.
There was also the possibility of this world's natives contacting them, which was a cause for concern. Lucis was not prepared for first contact at this stage, at least not this early. There was also no telling whether they'd speak the same language.
"This should be interesting…" Regis muttered under his breath.
12-year-old Nyx Ulric wasn't sure whether to feel excited or terrified out of his mind.
He was two-years-old when Niflheim invaded Galahd. He could barely remember that time at all, save for the panicked faces on his mom and sister's face. The first few years of the invasion were full of fear and uncertainty. The king's barrier lasted for only a time before it began to recede. The Kingsglaive and the Crownsguard fought to defend it, but in the end, his family left when the fighting grew too intense. Some odd years later, Galahd was taken from them. King Regis offered the people of Galahd a place to call home, which turned out to be their advantage when the exodus was announced.
By the time King Regis declared his plan to take the Kingdom of Lucis to faraway lands, to a place Niflheim could never reach them, the refugees and immigrants of Galahd long since settled. That wasn't to say the acclimation prior to then wasn't easy. Those who lived in the inner regions of Lucis, like Insomnia, looked down on refugees from the outer regions. Were it not for the king's edict, they probably would have forced the "rif-raf" into ghettos and such.
The idea of going someplace new was scary. Nyx was especially scared for his mother and sister's safety. That fear became heightened when he saw the moon, broken apart by something.
"What do you think could have done that?" Libertus, his friend from Galahd, asked.
Nyx shook his head. He didn't want to think what could do that. Instead, he focused on other possibilities. "Maybe it's been like that for a long while," Nyx suggested in an attempt to divert his thoughts. "If it has, maybe we can ask the locals how it happened."
"You really think there are other people in this new world?"
"It'd be a waste of space otherwise."
The two shared a laugh at that. For a brief moment, their worries were forgotten and things of the past, only for the ultimate reality of their situation to suddenly sink in. Nyx hadn't thought about it until now, but the broken moon was proof King Regis' exodus succeeded. They were now in a new world.
Galahd was gone forever.
Nyx's scant memories of his birthplace gave him little attachment. The only fond and solid memories he had of Galahd was that dingy old bar Libertus' father ran. He vaguely recalled his friend boasting how he would one day take over the family business, run the bar, and make a lot of buck once the Nifs were driven out. A quick look at the bitter face on Libertus' face told Nyx everything he needed to know. He wanted to comfort his friend, but he didn't know the words.
"…what are we going to do now?" Nyx decided to say.
Libertus shrugged. "Who knows? Brand new world, lots of new opportunities. Hey, who knows?" He looked at Nyx curiously. "What about you, Nyx? What are you thinking?"
Truthfully, Nyx asked himself that many times since news of the exodus broke. At first, Nyx would have just been fine going to school, looking to the future and finding a good-paying job, a means to support his family. They were good goals, ones his mother approved of, but somewhere, deep down, he felt as though it wasn't the correct path to take. He felt there should have been more for him to do. Like there was some other purpose.
It wasn't like he had some grand aspirations. He was fine where his life was. And yet…
A black coat, fluttering almost comically in the wind. A three-headed dog bearing down on his mother as she held him and his sister for dear life as she ran. Six-year-old Nyx Ulric forever burned the sight of his savior's back and that silver mask into his memory, watching as they brandished a pair of knives, body radiating a soft blue hue.
"…Hey, Libertus."
"Hey?"
"Do you think Galahd slum rats could be Kingsglaive?"
"…hey, Qrow? Is it just me, or does that weird-looking dog have tusks and looks like it really, really wants to eat us?"
SkyRig: Whew, okay. I'm done. First chapter and prologue is done. The next chapter will follow the POV and reaction to the sudden appearance of Lucis and a full investigation. We're also going to be slightly expanding Lucis' integration into Remnant and have it fully interact with the other kingdoms instead of just having one meeting with a couple of people from two kingdoms and forming extremely fast ties with Menagerie.
Just to be clear, just because I wrote this chapter myself doesn't mean I'm doing this solo. This is still a passion project between myself and Daemon.
Speaking of, I'll let Daemon take over from here.
Daemon of Wrath: Thanks SkyRig. As what he said, we plan to develop more of Lucis' arrival on Remnant rather than just having a chapter dedicated to their meeting with only two figures of authority within Huntsmen Academies. We really rushed things back then and neglected proper world building in the original iteration.
With the FFXV content revealed since our last Crystal Shards update, as well as the releases of the latest volumes of RWBY, expect changes from the original version of this story.
While Lucis may have escaped the clutches of the Niflehiem Empire, Adagium is another story. They are not out of the woods yet.
Also, I'd like to take a moment and shamelessly self-advertise my first-ever book, "Chase Ryder and the City of Lost Memories", which is available for pre-order for kindle and is available for purchase for hardback and paperback. Kindle version costs 8.99, hardback is 26.99 and paperback is 12.99. If you're curious, please consider giving my book a purchase and help support me. Any and all financial help in any form is appreciated! You can find the link to the book in my signature. For guests who do not have access to the signature, the link to my book can be found here.
Holy sheet, wtf? WTF?! I barely know anything about ff but I'm pretty sure that remnant and ff makes an explosive combination, we have an inmortal witch, astrals, magic, Magic, MAGIC and MAGIC, we have a prophecy..... A promise..... And lots and lots of politics.......... I want them to hit Jake's Schnee on the face with their inventions.... Just for the giggles, I want drama....... I want shipps!! And Most of all I need answers!!
The interesting thing revealed is that Bahamut cares more for the Planet overall than those who reside on it, the early attack from the Ardyn and then comparing him to Noctis convinced him to wipe all life on the planet alongside the corruption so that the Planet could recover. What annoyed me about that DLC chain was how it was basically whizzing on the original ending.
It disturbed me that they wanted to give Ardyn a redemption story where he gets praised in the end, its like if they tried to redeem Sephiroth after he almost destroyed the Planet, and had become a eldritch monster of a man.
Really I could see Bahamut scheme to dump the infected and all the infection on another world, the Brothers I doubt give a damn about Remnant, and are of such a level they could easily wipe out the infection themselves. Thing is to me, they have likely already started on another world to play with, with Remnant a distant memory, and if they did return it would likely be to say how badly humanity had messed up.
Really, in the canon they came across as Olympians in their petty cruelty, fickle nature, and willingness to spite others over who asked who first. If they did return, it is likely they would expect the people to abjectly worship them as before.
So really, it feels more likely that the Brother gods would just confine the virus to Remnant and go about their day, likely even ceding the World from their control. The Astrals being protectors of the Planet where Final Fantasy 15 takes place would likely send them along, stay on the Planet, and keep the crystal. With Bahamut keeping mum that the infection was all going with them until it was already done, which would upset the other astrals that he did such a evil thing...
I don't care who this was, one of the brothers or Bahamut, fuck them both.
So monsters also came.... and maybe a bit of the Scourge. Salem is going to end up as the Ardyn isn't she? Also watched.
I haven't read this story yet, just saw the "a new thread by skyrig" alert, and want to complain about a missed opportunity.
The title could easily have been "Of Crystal, Shards, And Dust" !
Not a bad analysis, but I doubt they were really going for a redemption story. Ardyn only sides with the heroes because it gives him what he's been wanting to do for a long time: Give the Astrals, especially Bahamut, one giant fuck you. They gave him some sympathetic qualities, as was seen in Episode Ardyn, but don't forget all the shit he's pulled and what he put Noct through. There's also the fact that Ardyn himself never even wanted redemption, or at the very least feels like he doesn't deserve it (which he kind of doesn't IMO).
It'll be a while before the next chapter comes out, as I'm still working on other projects. On that note, expect the rest of Devil Trigger Arc 3 to drop sometime later this month or next month.
I mean, to be fair....everything is Bahamut's fault.
Heck, the reason why Ardyn was passed in favor of his brother, Somnus, was because, apparently, he looked a lot like bahamut, yeah the face behind the draconic helmet.
This was more of a case of "They want evil? Then let me be Evil".
That was his role, there was no way out, so he was going to do it in any way that would fuck over the Astrals. His chapter puts things into perspective and, while I am not, under any circumstance, approving of all he did, it is very easy for me to put an addendum in history that said "All of this he did because the Astral Bahamut put him in the role of a villain, so in conclusion, it was that giant peacock's fault".
I mean, to be fair....everything is Bahamut's fault.
Heck, the reason why Ardyn was passed in favor of his brother, Somnus, was because, apparently, he looked a lot like bahamut, yeah the face behind the draconic helmet.
This was more of a case of "They want evil? Then let me be Evil".
That was his role, there was no way out, so he was going to do it in any way that would fuck over the Astrals. His chapter puts things into perspective and, while I am not, under any circumstance, approving of all he did, it is very easy for me to put an addendum in history that said "All of this he did because the Astral Bahamut put him in the role of a villain, so in conclusion, it was that giant peacock's fault".
Yeah you have to give FF15 credit with just one DLC they turned Ardyn into probably the most tragic villain in all of Final Fantasy.
I wonder if he and Salem will have their alliance from the old story here. I mean their goals don't really collide and they both have similar backstory of being screwd over by their gods (though Ardyn was screwed over much worse) and they both bring plenty to the table.
Yeah you have to give FF15 credit with just one DLC they turned Ardyn into probably the most tragic villain in all of Final Fantasy.
I wonder if he and Salem will have their alliance from the old story here. I mean their goals don't really collide and they both have similar backstory of being screwd over by their gods (though Ardyn was screwed over much worse) and they both bring plenty to the table.
Salem is much smarter then Aldercapt and wont drop her guard around Ardyn for a second. Not to mention that Ardyn has no need to backstab Salem he wont care if she destroys Remnant and she wont care if he wipes out the Lucis bloodline.
Salem is much smarter then Aldercapt and wont drop her guard around Ardyn for a second. Not to mention that Ardyn has no need to backstab Salem he wont care if she destroys Remnant and she wont care if he wipes out the Lucis bloodline.
True, but there's always the off chance that Ardyn wants to be the one to deal with the Lucis bloodline. You gotta imagine with how fucked up he is, he won't accept anyone other than him dealing the finishing blow and making his descendants from Somnus' side suffer as much as possible.
Also, don't tell me the thought of an immortal Daemonfied Salem doesn't make you fear for the future. Seriously, that is a scary thought and ranks right up there with the Hound.
True, but there's always the off chance that Ardyn wants to be the one to deal with the Lucis bloodline. You gotta imagine with how fucked up he is, he won't accept anyone other than him dealing the finishing blow and making his descendants from Somnus' side suffer as much as possible.
Also, don't tell me the thought of an immortal Daemonfied Salem doesn't make you fear for the future. Seriously, that is a scary thought and ranks right up there with the Hound.
Yeah I feel like Ardyn to a certain extent sees Noct as Somnus (doesn't help that Noct looks just like the asshole) which is why he goes out of his way to torment him as much as he can. He sees it as a chance to finally get back at his brother.
The thing is as you say Noct is also a descendent of Ardyn's as well. In addition its not like Noct enjoys being the True King anymore then Ardyn enjoys being the Starscourge. Im hoping in this story Noct finds out/sees Ardyn's story and tells him that while he does feel bad for him he is his own person and not just a descendant of Somnus and that he isn't responsible for his ancestor's actions and doesn't have to atone for them.
Ardyn and Salem are an interesting set of opposites to some extent especially if Ardyn ever learns how Salem became what she is, because we know that prior to infecting Ifrit and learning some interesting facts and then Bahamuts revelations he was still somewhat a pious man given his prayers before eating and the horror he felt when he did infect someone with the Starscrouge for the first time and he was furhter horrifed when Verstael told him to infect Ifirt when they captured him.
So if Bahamut had instead told him to preform a task similar to the GoL's punishment to Salem in order to be cured of said Immortality/Demonic taint before he went Mad from the Revelation to qoute the trope via infecting Ifrit he most likely would have taken that route
