II- A Meeting Predestined by the Divine

On the 1st Day…they met.

It was always the same nightmare.

When he sleeps, he's suddenly overcome with a feeling of fatigue, his head feels heavy and his eyes struggle to stay open. He winces as pain shoots through his entire body, he puts his hand to his head and tries to focus on where ever he may be, but all he can see is a great darkness and a fire, burning everywhere. He hears shouts or pure panic and screams of anguish; He turns and sees his mother, trapped by the fire, panic stricken and full of fear, her tear stained face, crying out, trying to call his name over and over, but he can't move. The flames get bigger, brighter, hotter, building up more and more.

Then everything goes black.

"Prince Noctis!" calls a voice.

His eyes flutter.

"Prince Noctis!"

His eyes open, his vision still blurry from sleep.

"Prince Noctis!" the voice calls again.

Noctis awoke, as he sat up, fixing his posture from his leaning position. "What is it Giovanni?" he asked his driver as he eyed him through the rear view mirror.

"That's a big impact, isn't it?" Giovanni asked, moving his eyes to the left, instructing the Prince to turn his attention to the window.

"Hmm?" Noctis did so and was not surprised at what he saw. "Niflheim…or their airships, at least…" mumbled the Prince. "Looks like its being conquered…I thought today was a celebration of peace?"

"No worries, I'm sure the Guard will handle it." Giovanni said as he looked at the young master through the rear view and chuckled.

"Coming up on a security check…hold on…" he said as they pulled up to the checkpoint. The driver rolled down his window and passed the guard an ID Card.

"The Royal Driver, huh?" asked the guard looking at Giovanni. The driver nodded in response.

"Then, in the back must be…" the guard said peering in the back window, seeing Noctis. "Right. Enjoy the celebration." He said handing Giovanni back his ID Card as they drove off.

"Celebration…hmph." Noctis scoffed as he turned his attention back to the window.

The celebration party was being held in commemoration of the "Agreement concerning the Peaceful use of the Crystal" Peace Treaty being created between his country, Luce, and Niflheim. But if what he saw earlier was any indication of "Peace", it didn't look like this treaty would last long. After all, the Crystal was of the upmost importance to his father- King Caelum.

Noctis Lucis Caelum — who is part of a lineage of kings, but is not yet king himself — leads the country holding the last crystal, which is beneficial to his country's military, political, and economic standing. Because of increasingly apparent modernization in contrast to neighboring nations, making them equivalent to a developed nation, Noctis' kingdom has isolated itself from the outside world.

At one time, all the other countries also possessed a crystal, yet lost them in warfare. They pooled their resources into weapons, granting them firearms in exchange for swords and magic. A long cold war has gone on about the use of the crystal. Only recently has the peace treaty been created.

They soon pulled up to the building where the party was being held.

"Alright…" Giovanni stopped the car as Noctis got out. "I know you don't want to be here but try to enjoy yourself, Prince Noctis. Maybe even talk to a girl or two…" Giovanni said with what could possibly be the biggest grin Noctis had ever seen on his face.

Noctis rolled his eyes but couldn't help a small smile, "Right…" he said as he entered the building.

The party was taking place on the uppermost floor of the building; a ballroom, which overlooked the rest of the kingdom. After a long elevator ride, the Prince finally stepped out onto the party floor and was well received by the people in attendance.

"All Hail, Prince Noctis Caelum!" announced the guards as the crowd cheered in response. "All Hail!"

Noctis simply nodded as he started to make his way through the room. He soon stopped as he felt an strong hand come down on his shoulder. "Prince Noctis, how lovely it is for you to grace us with your presence on this grand night of celebration."

"Cesare…or should I say, Commander Borgia." Noctis replied in response.

Cesare Borgia III was the current commander of the Royal Guard of Luce. He had served under Noctis' father for as long as the boy could remember. He was a man of many accomplishments and had assisted the King in negotiating the peace treaty. But under that façade of perfectionism, was a warrior. The commander was known for being as ruthless in politics as he was in times of war. Therefore, King Caelum had managed to keep up on a tight leash.

"No need for formalities, my boy; we've know each other for years, have we not?" He said patting Noctis on the back, "It's a shame your father couldn't attend as well…"

"It doesn't surprise me…" Noctis posed. Talking with this man had always made him uncomfortable for some reason. They didn't have a lot in common, despite the fact that they served under the same King. So Noctis turned his attention to the open windows in the ballroom and that was when he caught sight of it…

The Light.

"In any case, I'm sure you'd much rather enjoy the night than spend it talking with an old war veteran…" Cesare said bowing in respect.

Noctis waved as he started to walk away, "Goodbye, Commander."

The Prince made his way to the stairs leading to the upper floor of the ballroom. When he ascended and reached the top step, many heads turn to acknowledge the young Prince as he strode through the crowd. As he did something—or rather, someone caught his eye.

A girl.

Blonde, dressed in a white, form fitting, evening dress.

As if she knew he was staring, she turned and his eyes made contact with hers.

They were the strangest shade of violet he had ever seen.

Then she smiled at him.

He felt heat in his cheeks as he quickly moved through the crowd, finding an opening. Finally by himself again, the red in his cheeks slowly faded away, but not for long.

"Prince Noctis…" a voice called to him.

It was soft, warm, straightforward and a hint of flirtation to it.

"You can see the light too, right?" it said.

This made the Prince turn on his heels, facing the owner of the voice. It was the girl he had just made brief eye contact with.

"Just like me." She said as a smile formed on her lips.

"Is that what you were looking at from below the steps?" she asked as Noctis started to walk away, but she followed.

"Pretty much." Noctis said nonchalantly, "When did you start seeing it?" he asked.

"When I was a child…" she said, only this time, her voice seemed saddened, but only for a brief moment.

Noctis caught onto this and realized that they had something in common "A near-death experience, I presume?"

"Yes." The girl said, as her voice rose in pitch, as if Noctis had solved some elaborate equation and gotten the correct answer. "You too?"

Noctis was quiet for a moment, before finally replying, "It was pretty bad…"

"Etro, the Goddess of Death, shall open the gate, welcoming the souls of the dead.

When that occurs, a bright light shall shine down through the skies, over the dead.

And those few who see that light, will be bestowed with strength from the land of the dead."

The blonde recited, "That's the legend…or the 'Tenebrae' legend, at least."

Whoever this girl was, she knew a lot more about this Light than most people. Or maybe it was a front. "You're from Tenebrae?" Noctis asked.

"We've got the same thing here…" Noctis pointed out as they made their way to a bench near the stairs, away from the crowd.

"Did you receive and strength?" she asked, turning to him and tilting her head slightly.

Why did he find that cute?

Noctis shook his head, "No. I don't need anything like that. I'm fine as I am…" he told her as he took a seat on the bench.

"I know, right?" she said, "If it's at the cost of somebody's life…" she shuttered, "I'd have nightmares."

"Pretty much." Agreed the Prince, "It's just a ridiculous bedtime story…" He sighed, "You shouldn't talk to other people about the light, though."

The girl, looked at him as if she was confused, "How come?"

"Being different from others can lead to a lot of trouble" he paused for a moment, as if to reflect on something, "Don't you think?" he asked her.

"But if the legend is a bedtime story…" she started before looking up at the night sky through the window. "Then what do you think the light really is?"

"It's just something that's there. Isn't that good enough?" he said, although a little too harshly. "I'm sorry…um…uh…"

"It's Stella." She said, smiling.

"Stella, I should be going now…" he said smiling back.

"I'm sorry for taking up your time, Prince Noctis." She said bowing in respect.

"Just 'Noct' is fine." He told her.

"I feel like I received something from the light tonight…" she said.

"What?" he asked.

"I got a chance to meet you." She said, smiling again.

He felt his cheeks heat up again but he tried to play it off, "You'll have nightmares."

She laughed, "You're a mean one, aren't you, Prince Noctis?"

"Noct." He reminded her.

She giggled, "I'll remember to call you that, the next time we meet." She said as she started to walk away, while still facing him. "You should come to Tenebrae sometime…I'll show you around."

"That sounds interesting, I'll think about it." He told her as she waved goodbye, leaving.

Noctis smile faded slowly as he turned and looked up at the night sky. His eyes draw towards the light. There was a voice in his head that asked him one question:

….Who are you?

"Funny…" Noctis said, "I was just about to ask you the exact same thing…"