The train pulled into Cartanica Station and the boys exited, knowing there was another royal arm in the area. As they left the train, the four split up before heading to the tomb.

Noctis wandered to the elevator that led to Fodina Caestino. He stood by the railing and peered down at the abandoned mine below. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the sable orb and stared at it as it sat in the middle of his palm. Memories of (Y/n) flooded his head as he held the small object.

Gritting his teeth, Noctis clutches the orb and raises his arm to throw it into the mine below. He winds up the pitch, but he immediately stops before he could release it. The boy couldn't bring himself to toss the last semblance of (Y/n) he had left. His anger dissipated, his watery eyes downcast. Tears threatened to fall as he stepped away from the railing and pressed a fist against his temple. His shoulders shook as he held his sorrow at bay with all his strength.

Before Noctis could turn on his heels and regroup with his friends, two arms wrapped around his torso from behind. A cold but familiar presence caused Noctis to gasp and nearly drop the orb in his grasp. He stumbled a bit, but the figure hugging him kept him from falling. A head rested against his back and he could feel something wet soaking through his clothes.

"If you hate me, tell me now and I'll leave. I'll never bother you and you'll never have to see me again. You've every right to be mad and all I want is the truth. Give me that at the least even if I don't deserve it," (Y/n)'s voice shook as she spoke. She sniffled as her arms tightened around Noctis, hoping he would simply speak to her after leaving without a word or an explanation.

Noctis' body tensed as he stared up at the sky, tears escaping the corners of his eyes. He clenched and unclenched his fists as his gaze slipped down to the ground. Using his strength, he pried (Y/n)'s arms from around his torso and stepped away from her.

The action tore at (Y/n)'s heart as she stepped away from the prince, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook as she tried to keep her whimpers under control. His actions against her were loud enough to speak for themselves and she wasn't surprised at the response. "I see... Goodbye, Noctis."

Turning on her heels, she sauntered away from Noctis without even looking back. In her mind, Death knew she deserved to lose Noctis after disappearing for nearly three months without showing she cared for him in the slightest. If she had left a letter explaining what she planned on doing, he possibly wouldn't have been as wounded as he currently is. Her freezing soul deserved no warmth and should have remained far away from Noctis.

(Y/n) walked up a small set of stairs and down the boarding platform to reach where she left Thanatos. The horse was patiently waiting for her return as he was hidden behind the platform to prevent humans from becoming suspicious. When she went to jump over the railing to reach her steed, the sound of running footsteps caught her attention. Before she could find the source of such scurrying, two arms wrapped around her small frame and crushed her against someone's chest. Smelling the familiar scent, she knew it was Noctis. She was shocked to see he came running after her.

"You're a dumbass..." The prince muttered. (Y/n) couldn't help but laugh lightly at the insult. The small, joyful sound caused Noctis to smile as he continued. "I wasn't tryin' to push you away."

"Then what were you trying to do?" She questioned.

"Give you a proper hug. Can't really reach you if you're behind me." Noctis rested his head against the top of hers as he continued to hug (Y/n).

"You reacted kinda late, didn't you?" Death inquired.

"Sorry. I was still in shock."

(Y/n) knew her sudden presence would surprise him, but she didn't know it would petrify him. "That's my fault for appearing out of the blue. I want to apologize for all that I've done. Ignoring your summons, not giving you an explanation, and... for what happened in Altissia. I should've been there, Noctis."

The prince sighed heavily. "A lot of shit happened in Altissia, but none of it was your fault. Why'd you leave, (Y/n)?"

"My sister, Famine, appeared before me as I left Malmalam Thicket. We talked for a few minutes and she brought to light a couple of things."

"Like what?"

"How I became emotionally attached to you all and how my departure would be more difficult if I didn't sever the ties between us. At the time, I thought she was right. But now, after nearly three months, I realized how much of a mistake it was to leave. I've been dead a hundred years and meeting you has giving me the life I've always dreamt of in the eighty years I've been resurrected for only one purpose."

Noctis was overjoyed to finally learn the truth of her departure. Since (Y/n) left, he feared he was the reason behind her departure and desperately wanted to know what he had done to drive her away. He broke the hug and placed his hands on her shoulders, staring into Death's (e/c) eyes. "What were you doing the entire time?"

"Hunting down the last Wendigo. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it. I'm hoping to find it in Accordo."

The prince got his hopes up as one question came to mind. "Does... Does that mean you're staying?"

(Y/n) smiled gently at him as his grip on her shoulders tightened. "Yes." The tension left Noctis' body at her reply. He released her shoulders, a smile prominent on his face.

"Really?!" At the shrill cry, Noctis and (Y/n) turned to see Prompto standing a few feet away with hope glistening in his eyes.

The Horseman directed her smile towards the excited blonde. "Yes, Prom. I'm staying."

The blonde no longer could hold his joy back and dashed over. He grabbed Noctis and (Y/n), bringing both of his friends into a warm hug. "We're finally all back together!"

<-------<<<<<<<

On the opposite end of the platform, Ignis rested on a bench with his cane leaning against it. His eyes pulsated with pain as he adjusted his glasses. He waited for the others, wondering when they would descend into the mines below.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his cheek. The touch was gentle and warm, their skin soft as the person's thumb ran under his left eye. Ignis didn't recognize the presence, but he knew this mysterious person wouldn't hurt him. A melancholic sigh left the person's lips as their gentle touch left his cheek. "I wish I could help."

Ignis wondered who the mysterious girl was as he heard her take a few steps back. "Who are you?"

"My apologies for disturbing you, Ignis. You are well-acquainted with one of my sisters," she replied in a soft, melodious tone.

By the tone of her voice, the tactician knew it wasn't War. The person standing before him was either Famine or Pestilence. Just as he was about to suggest either names, he heard footsteps approaching them.

The girl turned around and smiled once she saw Death. "There you are, dear sister. I've been looking for you."

(Y/n) was confused as to why she was here. "What're you doing here, Pestilence?"

"I've come to deliver a message from King Aeshema. War and Famine reported to him about your well-being on Eos and, well... Famine let it slip that you were in love with a mortal."

Death tensed at the news Pestilence brought. She swallowed nervously, waiting for her sister to pass on the Daemon King's message. "What did he have to say?"

Pestilence continued to smile as she clapped her hands together. "He wishes you are well and you are welcome to return to the Inner Sanctum when you're ready."

Unable to comprehend what Pestilence said, (Y/n) asked her to repeat. The snowy-haired girl giggled as she reiterated the message. Death nearly fainted at how well Aeshema handled the news of her relationship with Noctis. Prompto was the first to comment on the revelation. "For someone who's the King of all daemons, he seems pretty chill."

"King Aeshema is a wonderful man. Just because he rules over the daemons does not make him a daemon himself," Pestilence replied.

"Kinda want to meet this guy now," Noctis stated.

"So... If he's not a daemon, what is he?" Prompto questioned the white-haired Horseman.

"He's a divine spirit who dwells in Hell to keep the daemons in line. He's powerful, but not as power as the Astrals," Pestilence answered.

"If he's keeping them in order, how come they keep escaping to Eos?" Noctis asked.

"Oh, that's because it's part of the natural order. Daemons are free to roam the night. It keeps them from trying to kill their King."

"And you think it's better for them to kill humans?" The prince asked with a disapproving scoff.

"If the daemons were to kill King Aeshema, all daemons would break free from Hell and Eos would have an infestation not even the Six could exterminate," Pestilence replied calmly. "Anyway, I've passed on the message and shall be going. I hope you'll visit soon, Death."

Before Pestilence could depart, Ignis reached out and grabbed her hand. The advisor wasn't sure as to why he grabbed her, but he quickly retracted his hand. "My apologies."

Pestilence just giggled with a smile. "It's alright, Ignis. Do be careful-all of you." With those final words, the Horseman vanished.

<-------<<<<<<<<<

When the five regrouped, they headed down the mining elevator. The entire time they were exploring Fodina Caestino, Noctis and Gladio were at each other's throats. Prompto and (Y/n) helped Ignis and stood by his side in case he slipped on the mud beneath them. It began to rain as they started the mining equipment to proceed further into the mine. The bickering continued as they headed deeper into the mine and reached an open area flooded with water. The group was attacked by a Malboro, but with Ignis' knowledge, they were able to kill the monster and wipe out the eggs that were blocking the entrance of the tomb.

As they were leaving the swampy area, Ignis stopped everyone. "A moment?"

Gladio turned to face the strategist in confusion as to what he wanted to talk about. "Is everything okay?"

"It bloody well isn't. And I won't suffer this pointless bickering in silence any longer. Let's be frank. My vision hasn't improved, and probably won't. Yet in spite of this... I would remain with you all. 'Til the very end." The tone Ignis used surprised everyone. The strong and harsh voice he spoke in caused everyone to freeze where they stood.

The shield was the first to break the silence after the determination and resolve Ignis displayed. "Sorry, but I object. War is a matter of life and death."

"But, we'll be there!" Prompto shouted out, believing in the advisor's resolve.

"It's not about us looking out for him!" Gladio roared.

(Y/n) remained silent as the boys fought. The blonde rolled his eyes at the brute's response as he stood beside Death. "Uh-huh. Well, then he should be free to choose."

"There's more to it than just what he wants!"

"I know full well!" Ignis yelled. "I won't ask you to slow down. If I can't keep up, I will bow out."

Gladio casted his glower towards Noctis, who remained silent during all the yelling. "What says "His Majesty"?"

The strategist glances in the raven-haired boy's general direction. "Noct, you are king. One cannot lead by standing still. A king pushes onward always, accepting the consequences and never looking back. Gladio, Noct will take his rightful place, but only once he's ready."

Gladio is quiet for a moment before relenting and turning his back. "Have it your way. We're still taking a big risk." He turns to look at Noctis with a scowl. "We better all be ready."

With those final words, Gladio walks off. (Y/n) was in utter shock at how deep a pit the four had fallen in since she left. The Horseman had heard of the tragedies that transpired in Altissia. Hearing the exchange pulled at her heartstrings, making the guilt Noctis had subdued earlier blossom tenfolds. She stared at the ground, a few sable locks falling in front of her face.

"(Y/n)," Ignis called out to her, but she kept her head down. "You are not at fault for what ensued in your absence."

Death lifted her head slightly, taken aback at how the tactician sensed her guilt. She tore her eyes from him, her frown dipping further. "I still should've been there even if the outcome would've been the same."

Two hands cupped (Y/n)'s cheeks, lifting them upwards to meet a pair of sapphire eyes. Noctis leaned his forehead against hers as he ran his thumbs across her cheeks. Death's shoulders scrunched up at the sudden contact as she stared into his eyes. "Stop saying that."

"I'm sorry, Noct. It's just... that's all I can think about."

"Then, think about something else," he suggested.

(Y/n)'s frown quirked up into a smirk. "Like the first time you kissed me?"

She could see the boy's cheeks slowly turning read. "You're seriously never gonna let me live that down..."

"I'm surprised you didn't-"

"Alright! I think I've heard enough!" Prompto said before scurrying off while covering his ears.