Prologue: The Day of Judgment

At Insomnia, a crowd was running from what appeared to be a war zone. Ifrit, the Infernian, was laying waste to the city as countless people ran to avoid its wrathful spite. Amidst the chaos, Daemons, the devastating shadows that existed for 2,000 years, were forged as a dark purple flame engulfed their bodies and warped them into the contorted beasts that sought after the retreating prey. Of course, they would have if they were immune to daylight, but as the sunlight went over them, they vanished just as quickly. At the center of all this devastation and loss was none other than the man that history itself had forgotten as he was marching towards the Castle of Lucis: Ardyn Lucis Caelum.

In another era, history knew him well as a healer of the people who shared great passionate interest with the King's Oracle, Aera. But the fateful day when the gods were to choose a king, his callous, yet perspectively righteous brother Somnus, lured him out to duel him. As a result, Aera sacrificed herself to save Ardyn, triggering a wave of darkness in him that echoed demonization in his soul, the body having taken in countless Daemons for the sake of others' to live free of their plague. However, it is because of this that the crystal took these dark souls in account and thus, rejected him and left him vulnerable to the terrible, swift sword of The Founder King. Unfortunately, his body still remained to be seen due to the Daemons inside him, proving to be catalysts to immortality. Now, after 2,000 years, the Accursed is marching the Castle of Lucis to exact his horrible vengeance. But for all of his vicious ache and hurt he intended to set loose in reprimand, what he didn't notice back then was a child with blonde hair and sapphire eyes following him inside. Her name was Stella Nox Fleuret.

Although Ardyn went forgotten from history, Stella's ancestor, Aera, did not. Her sister, Izunia, received news from her handmaiden that Aera was killed. Having been struck with such news, Izunia was heartbroken, and her family held a service dedicated to her, but strangely enough, they didn't even bother to hold one for her fiancé either as he, too, had perished. She was told, along with everyone else, that a Daemon named Adagium had done away with them to attempt to obtain the Crystal's powers in vain. Afraid that a scourge like this would occur again, she'd asked His Majesty to train her to fight on the front lines by his side as comrades, the offer of which he agreed to. As the years passed, Izunia's bloodline had passed down from generation to generation, stemming all the way to the young children, Stella, her older sister Luna, and their brother Ravus. But they didn't always agree on everything.

While Stella wanted to grow up to be a Glaive like her family did in service to the King, Luna simply wished to be a peacekeeper without the use for violence whereas Ravus felt content with the way they lived in Tenebrae. And although they had different definitions of what it meant to them, they both sought the same thing on the whole: peace. And in this time of crisis, it was crucial for her to act. As a young Glaive she aspired herself to be, Stella felt it just to take it upon herself to assist her King in whatever peril he may face. However, the display of power struggle she was to witness would make her wish she hadn't.

Due to her lack thereof in general fighting experience at the moment, Stella knew she could not do much as opposed to her sister. Lunafreya had the power of the Oracle by her side, and Ravus his great skill in combat, whereas Stella only had the power of Omens which alerts her and those who see those Crimson irises when someone is going to die. Hopefully, neither her or the King will have to see those irises of dread. Unfortunately, by the time Stella had entered the castle, Regis was already on his knees with Ardyn standing tall over him.

"Done already? But the fun's just begun. Summon the Old Wall."

Having spoken it to the king, Regis became taken aback before he spoke.

"How do you know about that?"

As an answer, Ardyn merely kicked him to the ground before speaking as Stella watched in horror.

"I've heard the souls of kings reside within these statues. Of course, that's only hearsay. Why not summon the Wall so we can see for ourselves?"

With that, he began to kick Regis before planting his foot upon his chest and crushing it as he spoke.

"What I wouldn't give for a chance to speak with the Founder King himself! Come out, Somnus! The longer you wait, the longer he'll suffer!"

As the frightened little girl trembled at his ruthlessness, she couldn't think about her situation enough before she shouted.

"No, stop! Please!"

Hearing Stella's plea, Ardyn froze in place, eyes widening as he saw the resemblance to be unmistakable. Her golden blonde hair, the sapphire eyes, all of her features were too familiar, however young she was.

"Aera...?"

In his confusion, Ardyn didn't realize that Regis had already gone unconscious before he looked at him and lifted his arm before it fell back down when he let go.

"Is he dead?"

Fortunately, Stella knew he wasn't as her blue sapphire eyes remained before Ardyn spoke to himself again.

"Oh, dear. Perhaps I don't know my own strength."

Suddenly, the ring of which the king bore began to glow brightly before Ardyn slightly shielded himself from its light before he took notice of the sunlight returning from the rainy clouds. For him, it meant only one thing.

"Well... I'm waiting."

He didn't have to wait long as a giant suit of armor appeared and stood tall with his sword at the ready before it spoke to him.

"Brother!"

Hearing his voice, Ardyn growled with venom before he spoke.

"Somnus..."

As he got his Mutant Rakshasa Sword out, Ardyn looked at Stella before he spoke to her.

"Don't get any ideas about leaving just yet."

With that, Ardyn warped over in front of Somnus' armor as Stella could only rush over to and kneel down to Regis as she held her hands into his chest while witnessing a colossal fight between Ifrit, Ardyn, and Somnus. At the end of the fight, Somnus had been vanquished and vanished in a blue light. Moments later, Ardyn walked towards Stella and the unconscious Regis as he drew out his sword before speaking to Stella.

"I suggest you move from there, and maybe cover your eyes, while you're at it."

Knowing how powerful he is now, Stella only nodded before she backed away and did as Ardyn asked. However, just as he attempted to strike the king down, an invisible force stopped him before a distorted voice spoke into him.

Ardyn Lucis Caelum, I command thee to halt and kneel before me.

Play Yoko Shimomura Music: "Somnus (Versus XIII) Version"

Suddenly, a bright light came from the castle itself. Not long after, very large blades came from the sky and seemingly destroyed Ifrit as they landed near Ardyn and Stella before the voice spoke again as the girl looked in wonder at him.

On my honor as the Bladekeeper, Bahamut... I shall not let thee become a slayer of kings.

As she saw the very tall draconian descend from the heavens, she saw someone else with him, a pale lady wrapped in elegant clothing with skin pale white as Stella gasped and spoke its name with her pupils becoming white before her light engulfed the two of them.

"Etro..."

For Ardyn's case, he was taken to the beyond where he had an audience with the Bladekeeper himself, which greatly vexed him as it kept him from his goal of vengeance.

"Why...? Why do the gods deny me my revenge?!"

Because thou hast been chosen to serve a different purpose. To spark a different legion of Lucis, one evolved from their kings, and to watch over Stella Nox Fleuret is thy true calling.

"A different legion? Stella?"

Soon, the True King will be born into Lucis. He shall lead their people as their beacon of hope and drive away the darkness. In turn, Stella and the True King will clash over Lucis until all conflict has ended.

As Bahamut spake this unto Ardyn, he was shown images of her as a child, just the way he saw her not too long ago, and then it showed her talking with a man in Black with spiky, raven hair before showing her and the True King holding each other at a stalemate just as Ardyn and Regis had not that long ago.

"You mean the girl? She's the one I'm to look after?"

The very same.

"Why must I be reduced to babysit her? Haven't I already sacrificed enough?!"

When the True King awakens, summoning the powers of his forebears against the starscourge, he shall at least relieve thee of thy suffering. Then, the line of Lucis shall live on in you, and in Stella for you to watch over the people as their saviors. So it is ordained, and so shall it be.

This gave Ardyn good for thought as he recalled her resemblance to that of Aera, the person he loved dearly. And while the line of Lucis was more than he can take to coexist with, he realized he's forgotten that he was part of that bloodline himself. And if what h said was to truly take place... it might just as well be living the life he'd wanted, to be the savior who eliminated the starscourge and to live with some personification of Aera. And yet... it wasn't quite the same.

"You say that I am not only the savior of man, but the girl as well. And that we live to bestow a new era of peace, foregoing the sins of the wretched Kings below. That is the fate the gods have chosen to bestow upon me?!"

Indeed. Defy thy destiny if thou dare, but know that it would grant thee a life of darkness unending, devoid of death's reprieve. What say thee, Adagium?

As Ardyn was given the choices, he carefully considered them as he recalled how young the girl appeared, and the visions he received, from those given to him by Bahamut to the ones he suffered himself as the last memory of Aera was her being plagued by Daemonification before being slain by Somnus before he shed a tear and wiped it. If that fate Bahamut spoke of was to take place, that would mean that the very descendant of Aera would be with him on her place if for no other purpose than to alleviate his burden, and possibly free him of his curse. Taking this to account, Ardyn knew the answer was clear as he removed his hat and placed it on his chest.

As he spoke his answer, Ardyn was now standing over Stella's unconscious body and Regis' before he took the girl in his arms and planted a small kiss on her forehead as he walked out of the gate with her as the sunlight glared upon them.

"Loath though I am to hide a new kingdom in shadows instead of forcibly tearing Lucis down, so long as I have some part of Aera beside me... I will submit."

As thou shouldst. The fate bestowed upon a man cannot be changed. Now go. Fulfill thy calling.

Later on, Ardyn was walking through a plain of tall, dry grass as he carried Stella in his arms towards Aera and Somnus as they looked to him and smiled before he stopped just in front of them with a smile before Aera opened her eyes and fluttered them open before seeing the three of them looking at her as she smiled before the two hugged her alongside Ardyn before they faded away, leaving the two alone to look at the sunset horizon as Ardyn spoke to himself.

"So, this is the fate I'm given to endure? Whether I resisted or not, would it have mattered? Perhaps not. As long as one speck of Aera is with me... nothing matters— none of it. Not the 'beloved' gods above or the accursed kings below. All that matters is that I have her back. I will raise this child as if she were my own, draw out this King of Light, and engage their clash. And then, Lucis— nay, the entire world of Eos, will be free from the scourge under new management, for time eternal..."

End Yoko Shimomura Music: "Somnus (Versus XIII) Version"