Aria, Noctis, and Ignis were seated at the Bistro, watching the chef cooking. All three of them enjoyed a hearty meal after their Diablos hunt. The hunter looked back at where Prompto was clinging to a beam, refusing to let go as if his life depended on it.

"Are you sure he's okay?" the woman asked.

"He'll be fine...eventually," Noctis replied, glancing at his best friend. "He's just not too comfortable with heights."

"Prompto!" Ignis called. "If you don't move from that spot, you won't be able to enjoy the delectable food over here!"

The gunman nervously looked around at his feet, forcing a smile. "Um...not hungry at the moment!"

Noctis sighed in annoyance. He got up, marched over to the blond, and proceeded to pry him off the beam. Prompto was dragged over to the Bistro and seated at the table with them. The Felyne chef brought another plate of food over to him, patting his back as if to comfort him.

He gulped, sitting stiffly. "Y-you're sure this ship is safe?"

Aria chuckled. "Trust me, you're a lot safer up here in the sky than on the ground below where all the monsters are. Just eat your meal before it gets cold."

Prompto hesitantly began eating. Fortunately, the tasty food and the cheerful chatter around him helped to ease his nerves. Their meal was interrupted briefly by the Wyventurer, who bowed respectfully while smiling brightly.

"Hunter, I see you've found one of the other strangers that have stumbled into our world. I do hope the meal and accommodations are adequate enough for our esteemed guests."

Noctis gave a slight smile. "Everything's great, thanks."

"Any word on our last missing person?" the bespectacled man inquired.

"None so far," the Wyventurer answered. "But I've alerted the nearby villages of your missing friend. If anyone sees him, I'll be notified. By the way, Hunter, Pokke Village is having a bit of monster trouble. The chief has a request especially for you. Rest up, I'll have a ship prepared for you tomorrow."

With another bow, he left them to enjoy the rest of their meal. Prompto glanced between Ignis and the young boy that returned to his duties. "Is it just me, or does that kid remind you of a mini Iggy?"

Noctis snorted. "A little bit, yeah. You should've seen Specs when we first found him. He was off with a bunch of researchers and had his nose buried in a book."

Ignis huffed. "Well at least I gained a bit of knowledge on what to expect in this world, unlike the two of you bumbling into danger."

Aria suddenly started laughing. "Are things always this fun with you guys around?"

"Pretty much," the prince answered honestly, a small grin on his lips.

A sudden commotion at the opposite side of the Soaratorium caught their attention. Aria was on her feet in an instant, rushing over to see what was going on. The boys got up and hurried to follow her, finally catching sight of what had everyone's attention. There was a small ship drifting toward them. It was in shambles, as if something had attacked it, and it had trouble even staying aloft. Those on the Soaratorium helped bring the smaller ship in. A few Felynes were all that were onboard, and they stumbled onto the deck, clearly exhausted and panicked.

Aria didn't like the sudden chill that ran down her spine. It was a familiar feeling she easily recognized. She quickly began scanning the sky, seeing a large object zooming in from behind.

"Incoming!" she screeched, alerting everyone.

The Wyventurer immediately began barking orders. With the Felynes safely onboard, the small ship was undocked as the Soaratorium veered to the side. Like Aria, the guys grabbed hold of the nearest thing they could, keeping themselves balanced. In the blink of an eye, the object zipped past the side of the Soaratorium, bursting right through the smaller ship, splintering it to pieces. Aria was quick to sprint to the front of the deck, along with the boys, to watch the red streak flying through the sky up toward a mountain peak.

"What the hell was that?!" Prompto cried in alarm. "I thought you said the ship was safe!"

Aria's gaze stayed glued to the monster until it disappeared from her sight. "Not from that beast. The Argent Comet...Valstrax."

Ignis slowly placed a hand on her shoulder, finally earning her attention. "The Argent Comet? Just what type of monster is this Valstrax?"

Aria took them to her room to talk privately, taking a seat on her bed. "Valstrax, otherwise known as the 'Sky Comet Dragon', is a mysterious and recently discovered Elder Dragon."

"And what's an Elder Dragon?" Prompto asked.

"They are rare and immensely powerful creatures that don't fit in any of the normal categories of monsters, or even in the normal ecosystem. In fact, our researchers refer to them less like animals and more like a type of phenomenon, calling them disasters, cataclysms, and living forces of nature."

Noctis raised a brow questioningly. "Are they really that powerful?"

Aria nodded. "They are. There are Elder Dragons out there that can control the storms at will, leave destruction wherever they go, there's even an old legend of a black dragon so strong that it decimated an entire ancient civilization."

"Sounds dreadful," Ignis said. "And this Valstrax is one of them?"

"Well it's not exactly the 'world-destroying' type of monster," the hunter admitted. "But nonetheless it's an Elder Dragon that's been causing problems." She sighed softly, just now noticing the Chamberlain making extra beds on the floor for the boys. "Anyway, get some sleep for now. We'll head out to Pokke Village tomorrow."

She removed her armor, leaving her in the simple clothing underneath, and got situated in bed. The three males did the same, making themselves comfortable on the floor. Unable to sleep just yet, Prompto looked over at his best friend beside him. He hesitantly poked his shoulder to get his attention, but the prince seemingly ignored him.

"Noct, Iggy, you guys asleep yet?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ignis gave a soft sigh from the prince's other side. "No."

"I was just wondering..." The blond trailed off for a moment, thinking. "Do you think we were brought here to this world to help fight an Elder Dragon like that Valstrax thing?"

Noctis opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "How should we know? And why do you think that?"

"Because it's like in the video games," Prompto explained. "A big, bad boss appears, and just when you think the world is doomed, heroes rise up from out of nowhere and save the day!"

Ignis hummed. "I haven't a clue as to what our purpose here is, but what Prompto says surprisingly makes sense." He fixed his emerald gaze on the prince. "Perhaps this world is in a bit of trouble, and we were brought here to help. As farfetched as it sounds, I can think of no other explanation at the moment. Even the researchers I spoke with back in Yukumo had no idea."

"So maybe if we can help take down Valstrax, we'll be able to go home," Noctis concluded.

"If only we could find Gladio now," Prompto mumbled. "Wonder if the big guy's doing okay."

"I imagine he's fine," the advisor told him. "Gladio's quite the survival expert."

Noctis sighed. "We'll track him down soon enough. Now go to sleep."

~~~~~

The three boys bundled up in the layers of warm clothing they'd been given. Pokke was a cold, snow-covered village around the frozen mountains that made up the Arctic Ridge. As soon as they'd arrived, they picked up some coats made from Popo hide, making the cold climate more bearable.

Prompto shivered, sneezing because of his cold, runny nose. "Man, we go from a burning desert to a frozen tundra."

"As expected given those snowy mountains," Ignis pointed out.

Noctis huffed. "Let's just see what the chief wants us to do."

Aria chuckled at them. "That's the plan."

The group of four met with the chief, an elderly Wyverian woman. She explained the situation to them---that a Tigrex was running rampant in the Arctic Ridge. Of course, Aria accepted the hunt, and they were taken to the safety of a camp at the base of the mountains to prepare. They all gulped down some hot drinks in order to tolerate the freezing temperature.

Prompto grinned, his body feeling warm and tingly from the hot drink. "Ahh, now that feels so much better. These hot drink thingies are awesome!"

Ignis hummed, looking over at Aria as she checked through her supplies and equipment. "This Tigrex... I believe I skimmed over a page about it back in Yukumo. It's a type of Flying Wyvern, isn't it?"

The hunter nodded. "That's right. Tigrex are pretty adaptable beasts, traveling to all kinds of places in search of prey. It can be pretty speedy and aggressive, and watch out for its ear-splitting roars. If you're too close, it can actually harm you."

Noctis sighed, crossing his arms. "Sounds like a pain in the ass."

Aria smiled confidently. "Don't worry, I've faced the Tigrex before." She walked past them to exit the camp. "Now come on, let's start moving. We've got a monster to hunt."