It felt like hours had passed by the time all the daemons were slain. Everyone was breathing heavily as they regained their bearings and rested for a short while. Prompt dispelled his handgun and decided to give the unconscious (Y/n) a piggyback ride-making it easier for him to carry her. "I need a nap..." He sighed as he adjusted the girl on his back and cupped the back of her knees to keep her from falling off. Her arms hang limp around his neck, swaying back and forth with every step he took.

"We've all extended past our limits," Ignis huffed.

"All except for one of us," Gladio sighed, glancing at War.

"I just so happen to keep watch over the most dangerous monsters in all of existence. High stamina is a requirement for the job," the redhead responded while glancing towards her sister. "But the Horsemen still have their limits regardless of our immortality. Our special abilities take tolls on our bodies. Famine used hers to save all your asses. You should thank her when she awakens."

"Hold on a sec-" War vanished before the shield could finish his sentence. He stared at the spot where she once stood with an irritated expression. "Can't stay still for a damn minute..."

"We've gotta find Noct. Maybe he's found the Crystal by now," Prompto stated.

"Yes, let's," Ignis said.

Upon exiting the central elevator, the group followed a metal catwalk to the Crystal. When they saw no sign of Noctis, they were confused and frightened. Seeing the chancellor made the feeling all the more terrifying.

Ardyn turns to them, gestures nonchalantly at the Crystal and begins to walk away. Gladio swings his sword through the man's head, releasing a puff of dark smoke from where the blade strikes. Ardyn falls back a little, but maintains his balance and holds onto his hat to keep it from falling off his head.

The imperial chancellor gazed at Prompto, noticing the unconscious Horseman on his back. He coolly saunters over, but the blonde boy reacts quickly. He places (Y/n) down and stands in front of her protectively with his pistol drawn. He shoots Ardyn before he can take more than a couple of steps, releasing another puff of dark smoke and hurling his body onto the floor. The velvet-haired man's hat rolls away and lays still for several seconds before his hand suddenly reaches down to collect it and place it back on his head.

Once more unharmed, Ardyn is again standing. He bows with a smirk in Prompto and (Y/n)'s direction but then turns to Ignis. He smiles at the tactician, revealing corrupted daemonic features as he does so, but they go unnoticed by the advisor as his eyesight was no more. Ardyn walks away, leaving the four boys unharmed but devastated.

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

A few days have passed since Noctis was absorbed into the Crystal. Gladio and Ignis went their separate ways in order to provide aid. With the nights lasting longer and sunlight was becoming scarce, the people around Lucis would need all the help they could get.

Prompto and (Y/n) currently sat at a booth in Takka's Pit Stop located in Hammerhead. The two had taken up many hunts since Noctis' disappearance to not only earn the necessary gil in order to survive but to clear their heads.

During their hunts, Famine would search for any signs of the Gashadokuro. Unfortunately, she couldn't even find a slither of anything that could help her locate the target.

"(Y/n)?" He calls out softly to her. "Are you okay? You're kinda spacing out."

She blinked a few times and didn't realize she had been staring down at the table. "Sorry, Prom. Just lost in thought, I guess."

"It's about that monster, isn't it?"

Famine nodded with a soft sigh. "I can't believe I let it escape. The thing isn't exactly small. You'd think we'd find it by now or hear a report about it, but nothing. It's almost as if it were a part of my imagination."

Prompto reaches across the table and takes her hands in his, stroking his thumbs across her knuckles. "It's only been a few days, (Y/n). We'll find it."

"Guess I'm becoming impatient," she exhaled, staring at their linked hands. She leaned forward in her seat, her (e/c) eyes traveling up to his own lapis ones. "Enough about me. How're you holding up? You've been kinda quiet since we escaped Gralea."

"I just really miss Noct. He's my best friend. I really hope he comes back soon."

"I hope so, too, sweetheart. It's heartbreaking to see you like this." She gave his hands a gentle squeeze.

"I'm just glad you're here with me. When we left the Crown City to take Noct to Altissia for the wedding, I never thought I'd fall in love let alone meet someone who likes my stupid jokes."

"Eighty years ago, when I first became a Horseman, I thought it was the worst thing in all of existence. Not only had I been resurrected and forced to become immortal, I thought I had lost all of my humanity." She smiled and entwined their fingers together like ribbons. "I was wrong. I mean, it took quite a while, but I'm glad to be wrong."

Prompto smiled jubilantly at her words and brought their entwined hands up, placing a kiss on the back of each of her hands. "I love you, (Y/n). I know I say that a lot, but I still feel like it's not enough."

The girl giggled with a glistening smile. "You have said it a lot, but I never get tired of hearing it. I love you, too, Prompto. I never received love from my parents. Now, I actually get to experience it. It's... warm, gentle, and slightly intoxicating. I never knew it felt so amazing."

Prompto went to respond, but the sound of the bell hanging over the entrance to the diner caught both their attentions. Glancing toward the door, they saw Pestilence alongside Ignis.

"What brings you here, sis?" Famine inquired as the two made their way over to their table.

"I was hoping you two would be able to help us. There's an herb I need to obtain and it only grows atop the Rock of Ravatogh. It's the last ingredient I need to complete the elixir," Pestilence replied.

"Wanna go, Prompto?" The blonde Horseman glanced towards the love of her life.

"You betcha! We could use a change of scenery after all the hunts in Leide." The blonde boy got to his feet and tugged (Y/n) out of the diner alongside Ignis and Pestilence.

They walked around the building and a little ways from Hammerhead in order to avoid prying eyes. The Horsemen summoned their steeds-Limos and Erra-and hopped on. Pestilence helped Ignis onto her horse while Famine did the same for Prompto.

"This'll be quite a long ride," the snowy-haired girl stated. "But we should arrive before nightfall."

The two horses took off and the ride to the Rock of Ravatogh commenced.

Along the way, Prompto and Ignis chatted about what they had been doing since arriving back in Lucis. According to the advisor, Pestilence had been accompanying him on his missions around the Duscae and Cleigne regions.

"This elixir you're making, what does it all do?" Prompto curiously questioned.

"Well," the lilac-eyed girl started. "It's an ancient curative known for curing blindness. I've actually decided to combine it with another elixir to make sure it's potent and will also heal the scars. It's been a difficult road, but I will finally have the final ingredient once we get this flower."

"That is so like you," Famine giggled. "Always combining recipes you know will already work on their own."

"What can I say? If it isn't broken, don't fix this. In this case, if it isn't broken, make it stronger."

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

"We're here," Pestilence announces as they reached the base of the volcano.

"The familiar scent of brimstone," Ignis said as he dismounted Erra.

"You've been here before?" (Y/n) questions, eyes bouncing between the advisor and Prompto.

"We went all the way to the top." The blonde boy hopped off Limos with a huff. "There's a royal tomb here. We kinda had no choice."

"Guess this'll be your second trek to the top of the volcano, then," the white-haired girl grinned. "Because the flower is located at the peak."

Prompto remembered their first trip up the Rock of Ravatogh. It was treacherous and by the next morning, his entire body was sore. "Ugh..." His shoulders slumped forward as he followed the Horsemen and Ignis up the path.

They had encountered very few monsters on the way up. When the path began to slope, Famine and Prompto were surprised how easy Ignis was able to maneuver up the path without the need for a cane or a helping hand.

Once on level ground, Prompto expressed his surprise. "Wow, Iggy. I can't believe you're blind."

"Did you, uh..." (Y/n) glanced toward her sister. "Have some help conquering your blindness these past few days?"

"To a certain extent-yes," Ignis responded. "Pestilence has provided me with guidance."

"Just a little bit," the white-haired Horseman said.

"Nonsense," Ignis rebuttals. "You've aided me immensely, Pestilence."

"Glad to hear it," Prompto smiled.

At the peak, the two reached Owlyss Haven. They glanced down at the large nesting sight below, wondering where the Zu had flown off during the approaching darkness.

"It should be around here somewhere..." Pestilence murmured, scanning the large area below. Her eyes narrowed, looking for any hint of bright red against the gray backdrop. When her eyes landed on something in the far corner, she gasped. "Over there!"

"Let's go get that flower," (Y/n) said.

The four descended down the narrow side-path, treading carefully across the jagged stone beneath their feet. They dropped into the Zu's nest and noticed the eggs still had yet to hatch. "I don't know if I should be happy those are still here or not..." Prompto confesses.

"There's already one too many Zus. We don't need four more flying around," Famine responded.

Pestilence ran over to the flower once they jumped out of the enormous nest. She sat on her knees beside the beautiful plant and gently picked it. "All I need to do is crush the spores with the other ingredients and voila!" She careful placed the flower in her pocket and went to rejoin the others, only to be stopped by a low, haunting roar. Turning on her heels slowly, her lilac eyes widened at the sight of the creature that suddenly manifested behind her. "The Gashadokuro..."

"There you are, you ugly bastard!" She heard (Y/n) snarl. From where she stood, Pestilence saw her sister attacking the large monster with the Sword of Judgement. She managed to get a few powerful strikes in before it smacked her and her body sailed through the air.

The blonde Horseman growled as she pushed her body off the ground and charged at the Gashadokuro. Combining lightning with fire, she plunged her blade into the monster's leg and shattered it.

The monster's jaw unhinged and released a deafening howl of pain before dragging its body across the ground and away from the angered girl. (Y/n) gripped her sword tightly, blazing eyes burning a hole into the creature's torso. "What's the matter? Can't walk anymore? Aw, what a shame." When she saw the familiar signs of the creature disappearing, she gasped. "No!"

She tried to drive her blade into the Gashadokuro to keep it from vanishing, but she was too late. Her blade slipped from her hand, dissipating before it clanked against the stone. She sunk to her knees, eyes void of emotion. She stared at the spot where the monster once was with a lifeless expression. Hanging her head, she screamed internally at her failure.

Prompto cautiously approached the girl and kneeled beside her. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, (Y/n), it's okay. Don't get hung up on this thing."

Famine lifted her head and looked at him. "It's my target, Prompto. If I don't kill it soon, innocent people will die! I-I can't let that happen!"

Pestilence walks over to her sister and sits on her knees in front of her. "Prompto's right, (Y/n). The Gashadokuro has erratic and unpredictable behavior. It's your job to kill it, but don't linger on the negatives. Focus on what you have accomplished in your previous battle with the creature."

"Yeah!" Prompto cheered. "You did wound it pretty bad in the Keep. I know you'll get it next time."

(Y/n) felt relaxed at his reassurance. She released all her tension with a sigh and smiled at the sharpshooter. "Thank you, Prompto." Then, she directed the smile toward her sister. "You, too, Pestilence."

"Can't have my goddess feeling down," he smirked giddily. "If she's bummed, I am, too!"

Pestilence smiled at the exchange and stood up. "Let's head to Lestallum. It's becoming dark and the daemons will be coming out to play."

"It would be wise," Ignis spoke up.

Prompto took (Y/n)'s hand and hoisted her up onto her feet. "At least going down will be easier than climbing up."

Famine nodded in agreement. "Definitely."

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

In the safety of Lestallum, Pestilence immediately got to work creating the elixir to heal Ignis' scars and return his eyesight. Prompto and (Y/n) wandered around the town, noticing how they were preparing for the longer nights. They found themselves by the bridge leading to the power plant, staring at the beautiful shards that remained of the Meteor.

The golden-haired girl leaned against the railing and peered down. "It's so amazing how much this world has changed in a hundred years. In a good way, I mean. It's become more beautiful, too."

"I think that's only because of you," Prompto flirts.

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "One person cannot make a world more beautiful."

"They definitely can!" He protests. "You did it the second you came here! I've got proof!" He held out his camera and turned it on, flipping through the various of photos he had taken on his journey.

"I swear," she beams. "I don't deserve you. How did I get so lucky?"

"I ask myself the same question every day." He placed the camera down on a wooden crate beside him and took (Y/n)'s hand, spinning her around so she was now facing him. He didn't waste any time and pulled her into a passionate, deep kiss.

(Y/n)'s hands gravitated toward his face while Prompto's moved to wind around her waist in order to pull her closer until there was no space left between them.

As the kiss continued, the couple was glad to know they were in one of the quieter spots in Lestallum and no one disturbed them. Their bodies were also hidden by wooden crates, which made their privacy better and the possibility of people interrupting their blissful moment highly unlikely.

Unfortunately, they didn't take in the thought of one of the other Horseman interrupting them. Pestilence had found them and giggled, causing the couple to stiffen in each other's embrace. She teased them a little before telling them the good news. "Ignis' sight will return in a few days."