What is a Soul?

Being called soulless was a shitty feeling, though he couldn't really blamed Ignis. He hadn't meant it that way, not really. Though the thought that his friend could feel that way about him… made him want to die.

Prompto watched out the window of the train as he peed. The brown sands with scatted patches of green reminded him a lot of the area around Hammerhead. He sighed. That had been so many weeks ago. So many things had changed.

Their trip had started out awkwardly in many ways. He was still the one on the outside of the friend group, but as time went on, he had really started to feel like one of the guys. And then Luna died and the world changed for the worse. Now they were on a train to Nifleheim to retrieve the crystal and get revenge.

On my way home.

Prompto shuddered at the thought. Nifleheim had never been his home. He barely remembered it. All he remembered was the scant memory of someone he called dad leaving him with a family in Insomnia

He sighed, thinking of Insomnia and how his real home was destroyed. He hadn't been able to think about it much. Who was he to complain about his fake family being killed when his best friend was the king who lost his father and kingdom and now the love of his life?

Prompto closed his eyes as he zipped up his pants - he never got to meet Lunafreya – and made up his mind to talk to Noctis. Gladio had said to give their friend space, but the thought always bothered Prompto. And after the way Gladio had been blowing up at Noctis lately… it was time to talk to his friend.

A smile lit his face as he stepped out of the bathroom to find Noctis looking around the dining car like he was looking for the source of a really good smell. Prompto hummed to himself, the scent of fresh bread meeting his senses.

"Yo, Noct, can we talk?"

He felt that something was wrong as Noctis marched toward him. Noctis's hand turned into a fist as he yelled, "What are you doing here?"

Prompto's stomach turned as he dodged the blow. Noctis's voice was wrong, angry, hateful. What had he done to make his friend mad? They had all made up at the Cartanica…

The yelps of the passengers caught his attention as Noctis turned back on him.

"What's going on?" Prompto asked as he backed away. It wasn't like Noctis to be this confrontational. "Easy there buddy," he muttered as Noctis continued at him in a steady march. Prompto began to back up, to pull whatever was about to happen away from the other passengers.

And then Noctis pulled one of his royal arms out of nowhere with his powers. Prompto's heart dropped to his stomach as he dodged the blow. "Wait, Noct – is this for real?"

The look in his friend's eyes told him that it was. Noctis hated him…

NOOO! Prompto thought as he turned and ran. He heard the door close behind him, so he had at least that much space on Noctis. He was always the faster one, so Noctis wouldn't catch up without a warp strike… he just had to hope his friend wasn't so messed up that he would be willing to try that inside, much less on him.

He was two cars down when he heard Noctis behind him. Prompto turned around to see him, and tripped on his feet as Noctis dashed at him. Noctis had never moved that fast before. There was so much hate in his eyes…

All Prompto had time to do was hide in the nearest room, hoping that no one was in there. If Noctis had gone mad…

No that made no sense. He knew the truth the moment Noctis had looked at him. His friend knew his secret. He was just another soulless monster to be killed.

He heard Noctis banging on the door in a frenzy. He didn't have long as he knew that Noctis could warp through the door the moment he cooled down enough to do so. He needed an escape.

Prompto stuck his head out the open window to find the next window down was also open. Gulping, he did what he had to do and climbed out the window. He had never been much of a risk taker, but he had to do this. The worst that could happen was that he would fall out and die – he didn't have a soul to lose anyway. Perhaps that was why he was always afraid of dying when he and his friends explored the caves… that is if they were still friends. Better to die by falling than by Noct's hand.

He climbed in through the next window over, apologizing as he startled the family in there before heading out through the door. He turned to Noctis who was staring into the room he just escaped confused – before he turned and looked right at him.

Prompto knew he had to run. Find Gladio or Ignis, something to save him from Noctis's wrath. Ignis might take some swaying, but Gladio would never let Noctis hurt him. They had bonded lately over their protectiveness of Ignis. Gladio knew he had a soul, or at least could pretend to have one.

Two more cars down when Noctis caught up with him.

"Come on, Noct!" Prompto cried. "You're scaring me!" He smothered a sniffle. "Seriously, man, cut it out." He slid behind the door as Noctis kept running.

"It's not safe," Prompto yelled from the opposite end of the next car. One or two more cars to go before he was at a dead end. "Plus, look, you're causing a scene. Quit playing around!" This had to be a game. Had to be. No way would Noctis want to hurt him, even if…

"You, you think this is funny!" Noctis roared as his royal arm sliced through the air. Prompto felt the breeze created by the blow as he fell to the ground.

"Dude! Are you seriously trying to kill me!?"

Noctis looked down on him with hate as Prompto struggled to his feet and ran back the way they came.

Prompto barely heard the yells behind him. Noctis had lost it. Even if he knew what he was, Noctis would never risk the passengers like this. He could self-destruct, or something. Enough of the MTs they fought had done so.

The door was jammed in the next car. Prompto panicked as he fiddled with the lock. Open open!

"I've got you now," he heard behind him. Prompto turned around just as Noctis slammed him into the fall. "What're you after, following me around this whole time? It's all YOUR fault!"

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Prompto rambled. No, no. He can't think… I wasn't a spy. I never was, even if they wanted me to be. Dad said I was to live my life as I wanted… He thinks I arranged to have Luna killed… I'm going to die. He couldn't resist the sniffle, and his cheek burnt with tears. "Do you really mean that Noct?"

"Of course I do!" Noctis yelled with such force that it made Prompto's whole body shake. Prompto slumped against the wall, held up only by Noctis's arm to his throat. His soul was in too much pain to care about being choked. "You can't talk your way out of this!"

"You won't even let me!" Prompto cried. "Noct, please." We're friends. You're my best friend. Only friend. I love you with all that I have… please, let me earn your trust back. "Please. Can't we talk? Just for a sec," he choked out.

Noctis locked eyes with him, and Prompto knew all was lost.

"Never."

Prompto saw Noctis move his hand as if to draw a royal arm – the axe, perhaps, to execute a traitor to the throne? But the blow never came as the train shook and they both fell to the ground.

The first time he doubted that he friends would always be on his side was after they killed some MTs – magitek soldiers of Nifleheim. They had done it plenty of times, but Ignis had called them soulless. Soldiers who were more machine than human. It wasn't the most inaccurate thing, really.

Suddenly their post victory cheers were an ache in his heart.

Noctis didn't get up as the car stopped moving. Did he hit his head? Prompto gulped as he looked out the window. It looked like they were at an Imperial base. He looked back down to Noctis and knew he couldn't leave him like this, sighing nervously as he leaned down to shake his friend awake. Maybe me checking on him will prove to him that I am still his friend?

"Noct! Are you okay?"

"No!" Noctis yelped. Prompto fell back on his rear, ready for Noctis to attack, but no blow came. "Where's Ardyn!?"

"Wait-" Prompto said, eyes wide and heart lifted a bit "-he's here?" He sighed a breath of relief he didn't know he needed and felt like he had just had a bath in holy water. "If he is, that would explain all this weird stuff happening." Noctis had been chasing who he thought was Ardyn…

"Anyway," Prompto said with a shake of his head. The conversation about Noctis wanting him dead could come later. Perhaps it would be best to come out with his secret on his own terms, and soon. But for now, the Imperials had to be handled. "I bet he's behind the train stopping. Ignis and Gladio are up front, so they probably checked the engine room. I say the two of us go check out the rear."

"Yeah," Noctis muttered. His voice sounded confused, but he wasn't angry.

Prompto nodded, and stood aside for Noctis to lead the way. Leader and friend, as he always was. The passengers looked at Noctis oddly, remember his earlier scene, but they were more concerned with the Imperials outside.

The train shook again and windows shattered, an explosion sounding from the back of the train.

"Did they bomb us?" he wondered aloud. Noctis picked up speed in front of him. "We have to protect the passengers."

"We'll fight them off then!" Noctis yelled back.

Prompto grinned. Fighting side by side as always.

They took some soldiers down and traveled through several cars until another explosion rocked the train, this one in the car they were in. MTs were throwing themselves at the train and blowing holes into the wall.

"They can self-destruct," he muttered as an observation.

Noctis ignored him as he jumped out of the newly formed opening and warp striked around, killing multiple soldiers. Noctis was a formidable fighter, but Prompto did what he could to help anyway, focusing on killing soldiers that tried to sneak up on Noctis.

And then the train was moving, slowly at first, though the speed was picking up. "Come on, we're leaving!" he yelled. And then he lost sight of Noctis.

Prompto rain back several cars until he found Noctis, who had managed to warp strike on if Prompto had to make a guess. MTs were swarming the cars between them and the front where Gladio and Ignis should be.

"Up top!" Noctis said.

Prompto barely had time to agree before Noctis was warping. Prompto ran and jumped grabbing onto the top of the car and pulling himself up. Noctis grabbed him and pulled him up to hasten his climb.

"I'll distract them," Noctis said, pointing to the swarm of ships above. "You keep on running." And then he was off.

Prompto knew not to argue as he dashed along the train cars, occasionally stopping to see Noctis flying in the air as he took down one ship after another. Prompto counted the cars in front of him. About 12 until the front car. He could probably go about half of those until he needed to wait for Noctis.

And then Ardyn appeared next to him.

"If it isn't the boy without a soul."

Prompto froze mid step. "What… do you know?"

"The better question is, what do I not?" Ardyn returned.

Prompto reached for his gun to hold it at the man. "Give me one reason not to shoot you!" There wasn't one, he knew. He was just waiting for Noctis to come. There was something off about this man… Ardyn wasn't normal, and not in the way that Prompto wasn't. Come one, come on, Noct. If he can make you think that I am him…

Suddenly this seemed like a really bad plan. `

Ardyn remained silent with the pistol in his face as Noctis landed. "Prompto!" Noctis shouted.

Prompto's eyes widened as the sword was swung at him, knocking the gun out of his hand and forcing him to lose his balance. He saw Ardyn grin like a weasel, and suddenly Prompto knew he made a huge mistake. Noctis would kill him without even knowing his darkest secret.

His midsection exploded with pain as Noctis cut through him. Prompto cried out in pain as he fell back and off the train – and, for one frightening moment, he saw it in Noctis's eyes. He realized what was going on. He killed his best friend.

Prompto hit the ground with a crunch, his bones cracked with pain that he couldn't process and he felt his skin scrape off in a way that couldn't be captured in the goriest of horror movies that he and Noctis had managed to sneak during their high school years.

Then he knew only black.

He didn't remember much of his childhood. Lots of metal, a lab probably. It was what he would expect from being created rather than born. He remembered a man, shorter and with a beard, maybe even a little evil looking.

The man carried him away one day, and they went on a long trip by train, boat and car. He left him with some people in a big city he had never been to before. He said that they were his new family, and that he was supposed to live a happy life - whatever life that he would want to live when he grew up.

His family never loved him much. They told him to spy on the Prince a few times, but they cared less than he did. He was always just a thing to them.

At least it gave him a reason to meet Noctis. A friendship that would save him in all the ways a person can be saved.

He awoke to metal. The metal he remembered from his childhood. He tried to sit up, stand up or something in a panic, but he couldn't move. He saw movement and looked over to find Ardyn, though he couldn't say that he was particularly surprised. He wasn't even afraid, really.

"The boy without a soul wakes," Ardyn said.

"I have a soul," Prompto snapped, surprised to hear his own voice. He really was alive.

Ardyn shrugged. "I just thought you should know that you're alive because of me. You still have a role to play in our dear Noct's ascension."

"What are you?" Prompto asked. His head was splitting and he was tired. Had he been like that since he woke up, or was Ardyn playing games with his head. "What do you want with Noct?"

His eyes closed and he didn't wake up for a long time. The last thing he remembered was severe pain, as if his body had been dragged across all of Liede before being stomped on by a Catablepas of Duscae.

He awoke what felt like an eternity later. A small part of him expected to wake up in a museum, a humanoid robot dug up in the ancient ruins of Nifleheim. That wasn't the case as he recognized the cold metal room he was in. It was both that of his first and last memories.

His eyes raked the room to find no sight of Ardyn. Maybe this was heaven, ascension, beyond the Astral's plane, or with Eos – whatever afterlife awaited a manmade creation.

"You're lucky to be alive," a gruff voice said from behind him.

Prompto tried to face him and found that he had movement this time. His eyes found the face of his memories. His father.

"Am I though?" Prompto asked.

The older man nodded. "The chancellor saw fit to save you. Awful man, and I wouldn't cherish your fate in being of interest to him; however, I am happy to see you alive, after all of these years."

Prompto felt something break inside of him that came out as something of a croak. "So, you are my father then."

"In a manner of speaking."

Prompto blinked and felt tears. "So, can you tell me then, do I… Do I have a soul?"

The older man sighed. "I see you recall that you were created in this lab – now, don't give me a frown. You would be dead if you weren't. Your body may be the most humanoid of all the magitek I have created. You were to be my crowning achievement, so much, that I even used my own DNA in your creation. You were to be my son, and…" the older man paused for a moment. "You truly became my son. Ledolas set his eyes on you and your potential as a humanoid magitek. Think of all the spying you could do – I'm sure you family tried to get you to spy on the Lucis prince after all."

Prompto nodded darkly. "Sometimes I wonder if I really love Noctis, or if you programmed me that way."

The man shook his head. "You are a magitek in some scarce way, perhaps only be definition. You are human in all but a mother."

"Human," Prompto muttered, his heart lifting in a way that that he couldn't express. It was like the first time he brushed hands with a crush, the first time Noctis smiled at him, or the time that he realized that Gladio and Ignis considered him an important part of the group.

"I'm human," he said. The older man said nothing, so Prompto looked up into his father's eyes and spilled his soul. "I feared for so long that I wasn't. That my every action was programmed by you. That I didn't have a soul."

"What is a soul?" his father questioned. His voice became wet as he spoke and only then did Prompto notice Ardyn standing behind him. Prompto reached his hand out in vain to help, though he knew he was no match for Ardyn. He saw his father crumple to the ground. He didn't know how to feel. Logic told him that his father was dead, slain in front of him. He should scream and yell like Noctis had when he heard about Regis. Another part of him said that he felt nothing for this main who created him as a tool and then pushed him away when he realized the horror of what he did.

Was it inhuman for him to not be angry? Or was it human for him to be confused?

"What is a soul?" Ardyn repeated. "Tell me Prompto. You desire a soul so dearly. Tell me what it is."

"Screw you," Prompto said. Anger roiled in his heart. That anger was his. For all Ardyn had done to him and Noctis. For taking Luna away. For being a sick fucking bastard who played with them all as toys. No programming could make him feel this way.

"Don't be like that. Souls are a curious thing to me as well. Would you really deny a soulless man respite?"

Prompto glared at the monster of a man. Only a monster could pry like that. Only a monster could use the pain of his existence against him… but maybe, just maybe Ardyn was curious. Maybe he could help.

It was a thing of the human soul to help others. Their gang had helped countless people on their trip across Lucis. He had often wondered why, but thinking back on it, the answer was clear. They had wanted to help.

Ardyn looked down on him curiously.

"A soul is what makes us want to help and love others. A soul is what makes us human."

"A soul is what makes us love others, and want to make the world a better place?" Ardyn supplied his own answer. He had a sick glare in his eyes that made Prompto want to run and hide, but he knew it was useless. "I was like that once. I gave everything to save the world? And you know what happened?"

Prompto remained silent. He didn't want to know.

"I lost my soul – or, rather, my soul was denied me. You see, denying a human their soul is so much easier than finding one. I have never stopped looking, and, you know-" Ardyn's face seemed to go black "- sometime it's just easier to take one away."

Prompto moved to a fighting stance, despite the futility. He was no good at melee combat and had no weapons to speak of. Ardyn wouldn't even need to resort to his mind tricks to take him down, so Prompto just stared. "Good thing I don't have one."

Ardyn's grin spread from ear to ear – an unnatural, inhuman movement that Prompto knew would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life, no matter how short. "You will actually mean it when I'm done with you."

Ardyn's favorite method of playing with him was a crucifix – the same way Nadir was executed in the Cosmology. Ardyn wasn't one for physical torture, much, as the only wounds left he inflicted was scarring the brand on his arm. Instead of printed number, he now had mounds of mutilated flesh marking his identity.

"You still have the chip, don't worry," Ardyn promised.

Prompto spat at him, earning a quick back hand, before Ardyn left him alone with his thoughts. That was the real torture.

Psychological torture was his favorite. One time, Ardyn made him run throughout the facility to escape rabid magitek soldiers.

"I call it run from the axe murderer. The teens in Lucis love it at their theme parks I hear."

Another time, his father's body rose from the ground.

"What more proof that the soul isn't real?" Ardyn asked. His father's body proceeded to fold in on itself until it was a miasma that Prompto well recognized. "The body is a mere puppet," he chuckled. "At least now you know what demons are. Lucky you, as a magitek, cannot become one."

Prompto didn't respond. What could he say to a mad man?

"Have you thought about what it might be like to be the only human alive?"

Prompto shook his head, not liking where this was going.

"I'd suggest you start. If you define your soul as loving another human – what are you when you're alone?"

Ardyn just laughed.

Prompto awoke to excruciating pain to find Ardyn glaring at him. Lightning.

"Your friend is a nuisance," Ardyn mumbled absently. "Either utterly competent, or so incompetent that he will ruin my plans through sheer failure. It's all quite stressful, you see. I figured I'd take my frustrations on you."

Prompto refused to scream as Ardyn threw another lightning spell at him, thought he struggled to hold his feet under him until he collapsed, only held up by the straps that claimed him in a crucifix.

"In a way, it is Noctis's fault you suffer. These lightning spells were retrieved from your gear. Irresponsible, really, for a king of Lucis to leave his magic with minions." And then he lobbed another.

Prompto wanted to die and give up right there. It was what Ardyn wanted. To crush the soul Prompto knew he had all along. But he wouldn't let him. Noctis was here to save him. As long as he could think of Noctis and Ignis and Gladio, he could hold onto the joy they gave him.

The next time he heard the door open, but didn't look up at first. He was a game to Ardyn, a game that Prompto decided he would win. The monster wasn't worth acknowledging.

Prompto fell to the ground, and to his shock, felt Noctis's hands on him making sure that he was okay. It was just a game of Ardyn's.

But then he heard Gladio's voice, and then Ignis's. And Noctis's hands were real.

They were real. He was real.

"I'm fine," he muttered, absently aware that they had inquired. He looked up to Noct, a smiling face trying to cheer him up through his pain. His wrist still burned from where Ardyn carved into his arm, so maybe it hadn't been that long ago. Dried blood stained his clothes, but he was alright. His friends were here.

"Thank you, Noct. Tell me," Prompto said as he straightened his back and held himself tall and proud as a human for the first time. "Were you worried about me?"

He didn't doubt the answer.