Upon locating the key, the boys and their newly acquired ally headed back to the generator and activated it. A light on the controls flips from red to green, signaling it was up and running.

"Did it work?" Ignis inquired, unable to witness the small victory due to his injury.

"Yep! One more to go," Prompto cheerfully replied.

"May I?" (Y/n) asked with her hand outstretched, palm facing upwards.

"Uh, sure." Noctis handed over the generator key and the Horseman vanished. He glanced towards Prompto, wondering where she went.

The blonde just shrugged in confusion, unsure of where she went. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the machinery suddenly activated. He grinned and cheered. "We've got the power!"

"Might not have it for long, though. Hurry up and move the machine," Gladio sternly stated.

"Yes, sir," the prince mocked in annoyance.

The boys return to the machinery's primary control panel where they find (Y/n) waiting for them. She activated the mechanism and the machinery came to life with a few puffs of smoke and an eerie squeal.

"Did you hear that?" Noctis asked the others.

"Sounds like we're clear!" Prompto happily exclaimed.

"Grand," Ignis said.

Gladio, still angry with with Noctis' decisions, snarled. "Then let's move."

As the royal retinue begins to make their way down the newly cleared path, the bodyguard stops in his tracks and calls everyone to a halt. "Hold up." Prompto and (Y/n) exchange confused glances while Noctis stops and turns to face Gladio. The shield eyes the raven-haired boy with a heated gaze. "You sure you're ready for this? You got what it takes?"

"To do what?" Confusion was written all across Noctis' face.

"To face your ancestors and convince them to lend you their strength. Got a long road ahead. Can you see this through? To the end?"

"Can and will," he responds confidently and strong. "Whether I like it or not, I've got a duty to fulfill-as king."

"You're damn right you do. Then that means you'd better start taking this seriously." Gladio walks on past Noctis, taking the lead deeper into the quarry.

As Noctis descended the path behind his shield, Prompto glanced towards (Y/n) with a sorrowful and embarrassed expression. "Sorry 'bout all this, (Y/n). You're not really seeing us at our best."

Famine simply offered a smile as she glanced between the sharpshooter and the tactician before her eyes settled on the freckled boy beside her. "You two like to apologize for the action of others. Don't make that a habit. And besides, I get into arguments with my sisters over the most ridiculous things." She tore her eyes from his and kicked a stone by her foot. "Although, I do feel like I contributed to the tenseness between Noctis and Gladiolus."

"Nonsense, (Y/n)," Ignis spoke up. "You are not at fault."

Unconsciously, Prompto reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently in reassurance.

(Y/n)'s head snapped up at feeling his warm hand grasp her slightly cold one. Ever since meeting Prompto, all she's ever felt is warmth and kindness. In her previous life, she didn't receive either from her parents. All she felt was pain and grief-felt as if she was worthless and no one would love or even want to be close to her. She squeezed his hand tighter, mentally thanking the boy for all he's given her in the month he's known her than her parents ever gave her in the twenty years she was a normal girl.

Prompto and (Y/n) separate, offering Ignis a hand whenever he needed one as they descended the sloping path. Mud was plastered to their shoes and they splashed through puddles to catch up with Noctis and Gladio.

When they arrived in the swamp and managed to regroup with Noctis and Gladio, Prompto's nose scrunched up when a rancid odor wafted through the faint breeze. "Man, something stinks around here. Don't slip and fall in whatever that is."

Reaching the large open area of the swamp, the five unknowingly discover the royal tomb. What disturbed them were the several large organic sacs hanging between tree roots that obscured the tomb from sight.

"What is this?" Prompto gags at the sight and smell of the sacs.

"I hate eggs," Gladio grumbled under his breath.

"Do we really wanna know what's back there?" Large squirming tentacles suddenly come out of the swamp, followed by the monster they belong to. Prompto gasped in fear as the creature rose from the murky water. "That looks like a mouth. Is that its face?!"

"What? What is it?" Ignis demanded.

"Something real bad!" Noctis yelled as he summoned his engine blade.

(Y/n) held out her hand and called upon her own blade. "Time to get up front and personal, gentlemen."

"Ugh, this thing reeks!" Prompto plugged his nose before summoning his pistol.

"Jut another reason to get rid of it quickly," Noctis stated.

(Y/n) was first to attack, her blade resting by her hip as she rushed towards the malboro. It swung its tentacles at her, but she nimbly dodged each and every one. With a powerful jump, she charged her sword with lightning and waited for all the tentacles to lung towards her. When they did, she swung her weapon and unleashed a wave of lightning. The malboro's tentacles fell limp from the paralysis of the attack, allowing the boys to attack without worrying about being smacked by one of the wiggling appendages.

Famine landed on the rancid monster's head, plunging her sword into its skull. The malboro broke free of the paralysis and shook her off, sending her into the murky water below. She landed on her feet and analyzed the monster more closely. "The lightning only stunned it for a short period of time? I must've not used enough mana to kill it."

To her left, she heard Prompto cry out as he was flung backwards. He groaned as he landed a few feet from Noctis. "Are you alright, Prompto?" She asked, blocking a tentacle that lashed out towards her.

"I-I'm fine!" Prompto shouted back as he pushed his body out of the water with a wince.

"You're lying!" The Horseman shouted back after hearing the Sword of Judgement whisper inside her head.

The blonde's brows furrowed after being caught in a lie. He forgot the sword she wielded is able to tell if a person is lying or telling the truth. "O-Okay... I-I need a potion..."

"On my way," Ignis soothes the younger boy. Even for a blind man, the advisor had no issue navigating through the water or reach Prompto and hand him a potion.

"Thanks, Iggy," the sharpshooter sighed before shattering the glass and healing his wounds.

Solace washed over (Y/n) as she saw Prompto was fine. Her comfort vanished when she heard a strange popping sound. Glancing around, she realized the sacs has bursted open with malboro babies. She rolled her eyes and growled under her breath. "Great. Babies..."

"Whoa!" Prompto yelled as he shot at one of the many hatchlings. "Look who's hatching!"

"Bust 'em up!" Gladio bellowed, bringing his greatsword down on a handful of mini malboros.

It felt like hours had passed since the battle begun. The group was able to eliminate the hatchlings, but they couldn't seem to kill the mother malboro. The four boys backed away from the creature while (Y/n) continued her quick assault, managing to slice off a few of its tentacles. She jumped back as the appendages regenerated, regrouping with the boys.

"It's useless," Gladio groaned in defeat.

Prompto glanced around at his friends in a frenzy. "What do we do?!"

"This might be a good time to panic," Noctis muttered, saying the first thing that popped into his head.

"No," Ignis protested. "There must be a way!"

The malboro has gone berserk. It releases its bad breath, causing everyone's eyes to water. (Y/n) pinched her nose and shook her head at the horrid stench. "Ugh... Disgusting..."

"It's too dangerous to approach if it keeps doing whatever the hell it's doing," the raven-haired prince exclaimed. "Gotta shut that thing's trap!"

As the malboro sucks in air and prepares to unleash its bad breath upon them once again, inspiration dawns on Ignis's face. "Noct, I have an idea." He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a magic flask. "If I may..."

The tactician hurls the magic flask down the malboro's gullet. A second later, flames erupt from the creature's throat. Ignis could hear his tactic had worked from the monster's pain cry. "Ah, as I suspected!"

"It really worked!" Prompto chanted as he watched the malboro's throat burn.

"Nice one, Iggy," Gladio commented.

"Now, we've a fighting chance," the advisor stated. Using Libra Elementia, Ignis torches the malboro to a crisp with help from the others. The monster's body curled up before disintegrated into nothingness. Wanting to know the results of his idea, he turned his head in the group's direction. "Is it dead?"

"It is-and it's all thanks to Iggy!" The marksman rallies.

Gladio nodded in agreement. "Iggy, you saved us."

"Seriously. We'd be plant food if it wasn't for you."

"Happy to help," the bespectacled man responded.

Gladio glanced towards Noctis, who had yet to express his gratitude. "What, no royal commendation from His Majesty?"

"None for you, at least," the younger boy scoffed.

(Y/n) sighed, watching the fight between the pair remain a burning, out-of-control flame. "This is ridiculous..."

"I'll say," Prompto whispered for only her to hear. "This is getting old real quick."

"I couldn't agree more," Ignis joined in on the whispering, expressing his own vexation of the arguing prince and his sworn shield.

The five wade through the swamp to where the eggs had hatched during the battle. Gladio crossed his arms, eyeing the remaining sacs that have yet to hatch. "Whisking them just makes a mess-better fry 'em."

"I've got this one." (Y/n) stepped forward, opening her palm and forming a fireball that consumed her entire hand.

"Whoa," Prompto muttered in amazement as he Gladio, Noctis, and Ignis stepped back to avoid the flames.

"Why're you surprised?" Noctis murmured to his best friend. "I can do the same thing."

"I know, but her fireballs are bigger and more destructive!"

Noctis rolled his eyes in disbelief before turning his gaze back to the Horseman.

Famine tossed the fireball at the eggs and they immediately caught fire. They watched the sacs burn before dropping and plopping into the water below. When they saw what was behind the numerous of now incinerated baby malboros, the blonde couldn't hide his excitement. "I think we found it!"

The soon-to-be king grimaced. "Just wish they found a better place to build it." Inside the tomb, Noctis acquires the Katana of the Warrior. He was joyous to see his arsenal growing bigger and bigger with each royal arm he collected.

He heard Gladio speak up. "Alright, let's haul ass."

For the first time since the fall of Altissia, Noctis agreed with his shield. "Yeah, let's."

As the royal retinue and the Horseman walk back out into the swamp, Ignis stopped and called out to his companions. "A moment?"

Everyone came to a halt and faced the advisor. "Is everything okay?" Gladio inquired.

"It bloody well isn't," he hissed in response. "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 brute stepped forward with a scowl present on his face. "Sorry, but I object. War is a matter of life and death."

"But, we'll be there!" Prompto voiced.

Gladio turned his sharp glare towards the blonde. "It's not about us looking out for him!"

"Uh-huh. Well, then he should be free to choose."

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

"I know full well!" The advisor shouted back. "I won't ask you to slow down. If I can't keep up, I will bow out."

Nostrils flared with anger, Gladio eyed Noctis scornfully. "What says "His Majesty"?"

"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."

For a split second, Gladio is quiet before relenting and turning his back. "Have it your way. We're still taking a big risk." Gladio turns to look at Noctis one last time before walking off. "We better all be ready."

(Y/n) placed a hand on her hip, watching as Gladio's form grew smaller and smaller. "It seems I've dipped my feet in some boiling water without knowing."

Noctis rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. "Yeah, uh... not a good first impression."

She shook her head. "Every group has their issues. If you need someone to straighten Gladio out, I know someone with an even more fiery temper who could help."

"I'll keep that in mind," Noctis smirked.

"Now," (Y/n) clapped her hands together. "You've someone to meet, Ignis."

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

Back on the train platform, Ignis nearly tripped from exhaustion up the steps. When someone caught him before he fell, he thanked them before realizing it wasn't one of his friends or (Y/n). Whoever it was smelt like mock orange flowers, which was refreshing and slightly intoxicating.

"You must be Ignis," a soft, gentle voice stated as he kept his hold on the girl. She helped him to a nearby bench and let him sit, leaning his cane against the side of it.

Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio watched as the white-haired girl stood in front of the royal advisor. (Y/n) saw their confused expression and cleared the air. "Gentlemen, this is one of my sisters-Pestilence. She's well-versed in herbology. She knows various ways-ancient and new-to heal wounds of any caliber."

"A pleasure to meet you all," Pestilence greeted sweetly before turning her full attention back to Ignis. Gently, she cupped his face in her hands and traced the fresh scar. "Famine has filled me in on what happened. I've healed such wounds before, but it is a lengthy process. The herbs I need will require some time to retrieve, but I am willing to help you if you'll allow me, Ignis."

Unbeknownst to the two Horsemen and the three boys, Ignis found peace and comfort in Pestilence's gentle touch and soothing voice. Even when a small tinge of pain surged through his eyes when she touched his scars, he didn't want to push her away. When he replays her words in his head, hope bubbles inside him. "I am willing for such a prolonged process."

Pestilence smiled and trailed her hands down to his shoulders before pulling away. "I'm glad to hear it. Famine did say you were a patient man. Once I retrieve the herbs I need, I'll come to see you again. Until then, do keep the others in check." In the blink of an eye, the Horseman vanished.

"That was..." Noctis started but was unable to finish his sentence.

"Sudden?" (Y/n) smirked. "Yeah, but she knows what she's doing. Her knowledge of herbs knows no bound. You'll have your eyesight back soon enough, Ignis."

The train whistle echoes around them, signaling the train would be leaving in a few minutes.

While walking back to the train, Noctis asked his companions a question. "You guys mind if we stop in Tenebrae?"

"Might as well hop off," Prompto said.

"If it helps him move on," Gladio reluctantly agrees.

(Y/n) continued to listen to the group's chattering as they boarded the train. When all four were aboard, she went to ascend the small stairwell but she froze when an eerie, hostile presence made itself known. Snapping her head to the right, her (e/c) eyes narrowed as she tried to pinpoint the source of the presence.

"(Y/n), you comin'?" Prompto asked when he realized she hadn't boarded the train yet.

Famine tore her attention from the threatening presence and smiled up at the marksman. "I'm right behind you."