The royal retinue arrived at Prairie Outpost. Exiting the vehicle, they wandered around the outpost and ran into Monica. She was more relieved than ever to see them all. "Your Highness. I'm glad you're safe."

Gladiolus was also grateful to see her. "Monica! Where're all the others?"

"Most of the Crownsguard didn't make it. It was all we could do to escort Lady Iris out of the city. Dustin is with her as we speak, seeing her the rest of the way to Lestallum."

"I owe you guys big time."

Monica met Noctis' gaze. "Head for the royal tomb. The marshal awaits."

The boys searched for the path leading away from Prairie Outpost. They find it not too far from the main road that ran through the middle of the small outpost. On the trek to the royal tomb, they spoke about the marshal and the crownsguard. They were wondering what brought Cor all the way to one of the many royal tombs located across Lucis.

Eventually, they arrived at the Tomb of the Wise. They enter the ornate crypt and found Cor waiting for them. He stood beside a sarcophagus that bears a sword in its hands.

"Marshal," Ignis said.

Cor's gaze locked on to Noctis. "At last, Your Highness."

Noctis was tired of running around. He wanted answers and was only becoming more irritated by the second. "Yeah, wanna tell me what I'm here for?"

"The power of kings, passed from the old to the new through the bonding of souls. One such soul lies before you. To claim your forebears' power is your birthright and duty as king."

He gritted his teeth as his blood began to boil. "My duty as king of what?"

Cor saw how emotional the prince was, but that didn't make hm falter. "Now is not the time to question your calling. A king is sworn to protect his people."

"And yet he chose to protect only one prince. Was that his calling? Forsake the masses to spare his own son?" Noctis' voice was shaking with rage.

"How long will you remain the protected?" The marshal questioned. "The king entrusted the role of protector to you."

"Entrusted it to me? Then why didn't he tell me that? Why did he stand there smiling as I left? Why—Why did he lie to me?"

"That day, he didn't want you to remember him as the king. In what time you had left, he wanted to be your father. He always had faith in you, that when the time came, you would ascend for the sake of your people."

"Guess he left me no choice." Noctis holds out his hand above the sarcophagus. The sword embedded in the stone phases through the casket's hands and floats into the air. It then flies into Noctis' body, being absorbed into him and added to his arsenal. He now had the power of his ancestor.

Cor spoke again after witnessing Noctis successfully absorb his ancestor's power. "That's not the only power your forebearers left you. Your journey's just begun. Another tomb lies close by. I suggest you head there next. There are tombs scattered across the land. All are on dangerous ground. I'll go with you, for the time being. Not only to help, but to get a measure of your strength."

"So just how many of these "powers" are out there?" Noctis asked.

"There are thirteen known royal arms, each enshrined at a royal tomb, though we know the location of only a few. I've enlisted the Hunters. They comb the land in search of the lost tombs."

"Where's the one nearby you mentioned?"

"Keycatrich Trench. We know there to be a crypt deep inside the tunnels."

Alongside the marshal, the royal retinue leaves the Tomb of the Wise. They wander back down the path and return to the fork in the road. Instead of returning to the outpost, they turned left and headed further down the dirt path. They came across a few monsters, but none proved to be an obstacle, especially with Cor tagging along.

Further down the path, they spotted imperial forces. This, however, didn't deter them from reaching Keycatrich Trench. They leaped into action and slew the troopers and MTs in the area. Alas, two more major obstacles were blocking their path. Two large mechs were prowling the area.

Ignis recognized the design. "A magitek armor..."

"Dangerous?" Noctis asked.

"This particular model poses a mild to moderate threat—"

"The short version."

"Somewhat dangerous."

The prince glanced over at Cor. "Marshal, you'd have to be pretty badass to take that down, right?"

"Think you're up to it? Let's see what you can do," the marshal responded.

That was all Noctis needed. He performed a warp-strike and attacked the mechs. The others joined the prince and fought against the large machines. With quick and precise movements, they were able to destroy both mechs.

At the end of the battle, Cor checked on Noctis. "You alright, Highness?"

The prince dispelled his blade. "Of course."

"And you, Marshal?" Gladiolus asked.

Cor sheathed his sword. "No problem."

The marshal then led them to the entrance of Keycatrich Trench, which wasn't far from where they fought the imperial forces. "Here's where we go our separate ways. Take this key. It unlocks the doors to the other tombs." He takes a key out of his pocket and throws it to Noctis. "Seek them out and lay claim to the power they hold. You'll need it."

Noctis caught the key. He examined it before asking, "And what will you do?"

"Keep an eye on the Niffs. Find out what they're up to. But you should focus on your own task."

The prince wanted to ask about Makina, but he held himself back. He knew he wouldn't be able to get any information out of the marshal. "I will. You take care."

With a nod, Cor leaves.

Entering the main tunnel, Noctis and his retinue begin their search for another royal tomb. "Here we go," the prince said as he slid the key into his pocket.

Upon entering the first open room of the area, Prompto noticed the strange layout. "What is this place?"

"It appears to have been a shelter," Ignis deduced.

"People lived here?"

"Those seeking refuge from war, most like."

"Wars, what are they good for? Wonder if anyone's still living here."

While exploring Keycatrich Trench, the boys found a generator. There was still fuel inside and they successfully started it up. The once dark tunnels were now dimly lit.

Continuing through the tunnels, they tried different branching paths. Many of the metal doors were locked and resulted in them to travel deeper. Exploring one of the main tunnels, Prompto suddenly shouted in fright when the faint echo of 'clinking' could be heard. His eyes bounced around in desperation, trying to locate the source of the sound. "What was that?!"

"My bad. Kicked a can," Gladiolus explained with a faint smirk.

Prompto glared at him. "You are killing me here, big guy! Are you trying to give me a heart attack here or somethin'?!"

They followed the tunnel until they entered a room with a metal door. Prompto approaches the metal door to open it, but he screamed and retracted his hand when something beats on the other side of the door and leaves a large dent.

Eventually, the boys stumbled across a collapsed tunnel. They crouch to proceed through the small opening from the partially collapsed tunnel off to one side of the main tunnel. "First time through here, right?" Prompto asked.

"Looks it," Gladiolus responded.

Exiting the small opening, the boys turn right at the next tunnel and follow it to the end. Ignis looked around with a huff. "A dead end."

"I could've sworn this was it..." Prompto mumbled.

Suddenly, the lights powered by the generator go out. Gladiolus looked around in confusion. "The hell?"

"Somebody...turn on a light!"

The four turn on their flashlights to find themselves under attack by goblins. The small daemons launch themselves at the boys, but their surprise attack failed. They each fell to the ground before their bodies vanished into nothingness after being slain by the group.

The boys resume their search for the royal tomb. They wander down another tunnel where they pass through a narrow opening between two nearly closed blast doors. With a new path revealed, they located another generator. Noctis started it and deactivated his flashlight when he saw the lights in the tunnel flicker on. More goblins manifest and attack, but they were weak and stood no chance against the group.

Proceeding forth, the group comes across a pair of unlocked metal doors at the other end of this tunnel and heard a sound like a faucet turning as they walk through. Prompto looked around at his friends. "Wait. Hear that?"

"I didn't hear anything," Noctis replied.

"Dude, I totally heard something! Maybe we should check it out."

Walking through a door on the other side of the room, they find what appears to be a locker room with showers, but there's no one else in the room. "Nothing," Prompto muttered.

"That's weird," Gladiolus commented.

"I do believe we are being toyed with," Ignis said.

"Well, that explains why we're hearing all these weird noises..." Prompto murmured.

Returning to the previous room, Noctis and the others are ambushed by a group of tarantula daemons. Prompto summoned his pistol and shot at the adversaries. "These are not the type of bad guys I like to fight."

Gladiolus swung his greatsword while asking, "What type do you like to fight?"

"None, now that you mention it."

Like previous encounters, the daemons were no issue and were easily disposed of. Gladiolus dispelled his greatsword as he and the others approach another pair of metal doors in the room.

Prompto eyes the doors with a slightly giddy grin. "Ooh, this looks promising."

"In an ominous sort of way," Gladiolus added.

"Stay sharp," Ignis advised.

After passing through the doors, then a short tunnel, and then yet another pair of metal doors, they enter what appears to be a wide, open storage room. As they step across the middle of the room, an arachne daemon descends from above and attacks.

"No way we're taking that thing on!" Prompto wailed.

"No turning back," Gladiolus said.

Noctis summoned his sword. "Nope."

The arachne daemon proved to be no obstacle. The group easily slew it and continued through Keycatrich Trench. They locate another small passage that requires them to crouch. After crouching, moving through the small passage into the next tunnel, and making their way to the next intersection, Gladiolus takes notice of something down the path to the left. "Huh? The hell?"

Noctis also saw the royal tomb and makes his way over. He unlocks the doors to the Tomb of the Conqueror and they slide open. Stepping inside, the prince claims the Axe of the Conqueror. When he stepped out of the royal tomb with his newly claimed ancestral arm in his arsenal, Prompto asked, "So, Noct borrows the old kings' powers?"

"More or less," Ignis replied. "At this rate, he'll soon rival his father's legacy."

""The Copycat King"," Gladiolus mocked.

Noctis glared weakly at the brute. "Out of line."

"Well? What's it like?" The sharpshooter questioned.

"Hmm..." The prince glanced down at his hands and flexed his fingers. "Like I've got some tricks up my sleeve."

Gladiolus stuck his hands up in the air. "No need to put on a magic show for us."

"But it never hurt to practice," Ignis added.

"Guess not." Noctis tugged on the fringe of his hair.

With that, the group left Keycatrich Trench. Back at the entrance to the tunnel system, Noctis' cell phone rings and he promptly answers. "Yeah?"

"Finally picked up. Thought I'd lost another king," Cor responded on the other end.

"Just busy building my arsenal."

"Good to hear. I have a task for you. The empire's begun construction of a new base, along the road west to Duscae. I need you to put it out of commission. If left unchecked, it will cost us access to the west—and all the royal tombs that lie beyond. I believe you've met Monica. She can fill you in on the details. Go see her."

Noctis hung up, putting his phone back into his pocket. Prompto glanced over at him, wondering who called. "What's up?"

"People to see, bases to burn. Let's go see Monica at the outpost," Noctis replied.

"Come to think of it, we did spy a large structure," Ignis said.

"Yeah, hard to miss an ominous thing like that."

"Ain't gonna be easy takin' down a whole stronghold," Gladiolus claimed.

Prompto fiddled with his gloves. "Can we really do this?"

"The marshal believes we can, or he wouldn't have asked us. But first things first," the advisor started.

Noctis nodded. "Right. Let's head back to the outpost."

After having returned to Prairie Outpost to speak with Monica, the royal retinue decided to rest up in the nearby caravan. They had spent many hours in Keycatrich Trench that it was night by the time they arrived back at the outpost. They were exhausted from the day they had and needed to rest properly before taking down an imperial blockade.

Once eating dinner, the group called it a night. Noctis was tired, but the exhaustion seemed to have vanished the moment he laid down on the bed. Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus were already fast asleep.

He pulled out his phone and was greeted by the sight of his wallpaper. He gazed sorrowfully at the image of Makina before unlocking his phone to scroll through his other pictures. He admired each one for a few seconds before moving to the next image. A minuscule smile formed on his face when realizing it was the image from his first date with the princess. It was a standard movie date with a quick bite to eat afterward. The small restaurant they had visited after the movie ended sold cupcakes.

Makina being Makina, she had to have a cupcake. She enjoyed it so much that she had globs of icing around her lips. He didn't let the opportunity pass and snapped a picture of her. Never had he met someone that loved cupcakes so much.

Noctis couldn't bear looking at the image of Makina any longer when he replayed the news in his mind. He turned his phone off and decided to stare at the dark ceiling. He tried to fall asleep, but his mind wouldn't let him. In the end, he was only able to get a small amount of sleep.

༻──── ⋇⋆✦⋆⋇ ────༺

As the sun rose the next day, the royal retinue departed from Prairie Outpost. They drove to their next destination and met with Monica near the Norduscaean Blockade. She proceeded to explain the plan. "From here we will split into two groups. Prince Noctis, please join the marshal up ahead. The rest of you will assist me in the diversionary effort."

Noctis was more than willing to team up with the marshal to clear the blockade. He turned to his friends. "I'll see you guys later."

"You go give 'em hell. We'll do the same on our end," Gladiolus smirked.

The prince squeezes through a narrow crevasse to join up with Cor. The marshal had been eagerly waiting for him. "Once we're in, we launch our ambush, pushing out while support pushes in, crushing the enemy from both sides."

The duo infiltrated the blockade and navigated the maze-like layout. Imperial troopers littered the interior. Noctis and Cor combined their strength to wipe out the soldiers. Enemies fell left and right as they searched for a way to the other side of the blockade.

Successfully navigating the blockade and killing any imperials that got in their way, Noctis and Cor reach the front gate. They open the gate and allow the others through.

Prompto was ecstatic to see his best friend. "Noct!"

"Marshal. It's good to see you again," Ignis said.

"All right on your end?" Noctis questioned.

Gladiolus grinned confidently. "Right as rain. The Niffs couldn't take their eyes off us."

"Thanks to you we were spared their attention," Cor spoke up.

Alas, there happy reunion was cut short when an imperial drop ship flies in. The imperial officer aboard addresses Noctis and the others. "Stay right where you are." Among the faces of his adversaries, Loqi recognized the marshal. "Well, well, if it isn't Cor the Immortal. So you survived the Citadel. But you won't survive what I have in store for you. It's past time your legend came to an end." Loqi enters the cockpit of his MA-X Cuirass magitek armor, then deploys to the ground.

Prompto swallowed nervously at the sight of the large mech. "Say, Marshal, how 'bout you show us how it's done?"

Cor didn't reply. Instead, he glanced up at the catwalk that spanned across the road. He saw the person that had been patiently waiting for his command. "Makina, now!"