The royal retinue and guardian split up in their respected groups. Noctis and Ignis went to search for the base's commander while Prompto, (Y/n), and Gladio caused a diversion. The blonde glanced between the two. "So, what's on the menu today for diversions?"

"The bigger stuff will make the biggest explosions. We'll start with any tanks or mechs," Gladio answered.

"That's great and all, but how're we planning on getting inside?" (Y/n) asked.

"You can carry two people, right?" The shield rebuttals with his own question.

"I think so."

"Good, because we're gonna find a hole in their patrol schedule and you're gonna carry us inside."

The spirit looked at the tall walls of Fort Vaullery. She wondered if she could jump to the top with two people on her back. "Guess we'll see soon enough..."

The trio watched the soldiers and MTs for a while before locating a place where they could infiltrate the fort without being spotted. (Y/n) transformed and the two boys climbed onto her back. She pushed herself off the ground and took note of the slight difficulty it was to carry two people. Her spiritual form was about the size of three chocobos and only really allowed for one person to ride on her back. She just mentally prayed she wouldn't drop one of them in her attempt to reach the top of Fort Vaullery's walls.

Getting a running start, the fox sped towards the fort. She leapt as high as she could and managed to land on the ramparts of Fort Vaullery. Watching the enemies' movements closely, she waited for the perfect opportunity to hop down to ground level. She carried Prompto and Gladio towards the area of the fort where they stored the energy tanks and mechs.

When they arrived are their destination, the two boys slid off the fox's back. (Y/n) reverted to her human form and glanced around the area. In the distance, she spotted the black car that had been following them earlier. "What a surprise..." She sarcastically muttered.

"What is?" Prompto asked, following her line of sight. "Oh..."

Gladio wondered what the two were looking at. Seeing the vehicle, his eyes narrowed. "Guess someone from the empire was really following us. But it's not our problem anymore. Let's blow some shit up."

(Y/n), Prompto, and Gladio got to work on their diversion. They blew up many of the energy tanks and mechs, grabbing the attention of the entire base. The two boys used their weapons to wreak havoc while the guardian used her variety of fire spells to destroy the imperial weaponry and the approaching enemies. Among the crowd of soldiers and MTs, she spotted a familiar pair of emerald eyes and spiky black tresses. She glared at Callyx as he pushed through the imperial forces, commanding them to stand down.

The girl, noticing Callyx has a sword in his grasp, placed herself in between him, Prompto, and Gladio. She summoned the Creator's Blade, eyes never leaving the man for a second. He came to a halt a few feet in front of her, scowling. "I don't know if you all are moronic or brazen for infiltrating this place in board daylight."

"You were the one following us. Why?" (Y/n) demanded.

Callyx raises his sword and points the sharp tip at her chest. "You're the spirit the empire's searching for-the conduit. I was convinced you weren't until I saw your blade. You've a lot of nerve lying to me."

"I only became the conduit after visiting the Archaean," she spat. "But why does that matter? You told me yourself you wanted to protect our people."

A wicked grin manifested on the man's face. "Oh, please. That was a bunch of nonsense. I only said such a thing to get closer to you, but it didn't work. You were guarded the entire time."

Her glare sharpened. "So then what's your true goal?"

"To kill the conduit."

(Y/n)'s grip tightened on the hilt of her blade. "Were you the one who killed the woman in Lestallum?"

Callyx chuckled. "Of course, but I only did so because of you. You are the reason she died. Her husband must've been devastated."

"You've got a lot of nerve blaming me. You're the one who betrayed his own people."

"Of course I did, and I'll keep doing it until I become the conduit. All I have to do is keep killing spirits until Brahma has no other choice but to choose me. With his power, the empire will be indestructible and no one will be able to stop them."

"You're a sick bastard," Gladio growled.

"Call me what you like. Just like you, I'm only serving my kingdom with every fiber of my being," Callyx scoffed.

(Y/n) swung her sword and forced the man to retract his blade from her chest. Without looking at her companions, she addressed them. "Prompto, Gladio, regroup with Noctis and Ignis. I'll handle him."

"Be careful," Prompto said. He, although reluctant to leave her, trusted in her fighting abilities.

Gladio also believed in her strength and didn't argue. "Don't keep us waiting too long, short stuff."

"I'll try to make this quick," she replied.

Prompto and Gladio rushed off. Callyx ordered his men to pursue them while he remained behind. He stared into the girl's golden eyes once all the imperial troopers and MTs were gone. "Are you going to hand over that sword or will I have to pry it from your dead body?"

"No way in hell you're getting this sword," she hissed.

Callyx sighed. "This would've been much easier if you knew who you truly were."

She couldn't help but laugh. "I already know the truth about myself, but that doesn't change my loyalty."

"But what about that boy you care so much for? Does he know the truth?" (Y/n) tensed, which caused Callyx to guffaw. "So he doesn't? A shame if he or the others knew who you truly were. Would they cut all ties with you? Or even try to kill you? I am quite curious as to what their reactions would be. Maybe I should tell them."

"As if they would believe you," she sneered.

"Very true." Callyx jammed his sword into the ground. "Enough chitchat. Let's fight like real guardians." His body was enveloped in a bright light. When it vanished, a black tiger with emerald stripes, black horns, and wings stood in the man's place.

(Y/n) didn't hesitate to transform. In her spiritual form, she growled threateningly at Callyx. She nimbly leapt to the side when he launched himself at her. His form was bigger than hers, which meant she had the upper hand in agility. She kept her distance from the emerald-eyed tiger, trying to think of a plan of attack.

Callyx used a lightning spell. A bolt of lightning emitted from his front paws and darted towards the fox. (Y/n) promptly used her tails to form a large fireball and used it to absorb the lightning. She then hurled the fireball towards the tiger, but he easily jumped out of the way.

The moment (Y/n) went to conjure a fire vortex, Callyx pounced on her. He tackled her to the ground and dug his sharp claws into her side. She cried out in pain, struggling against the tiger as his fangs sunk into the flesh of her back. Using her many tails, she wound them around his body and yanked him off her. Tossing him aside, she got to her feet. Blood seeped from her injuries, trailing down her side and dripping to the ground. She bore her fangs with a menacing growl, the white tips of her tails becoming engulfed with flames. Each one shot forward and impaled the tiger.

Callyx roared as the blazing appendages pierced his flesh and burned his insides. Although the pain was unbearable, he managed to fight through it and free himself from the tails. Before he could attack (Y/n), she had pinned his body to the ground with hers. Her gold-slitted eyes bore into his emerald ones as she snarled at him. She placed her paw against his front right leg and used all her weight to step down. She heard and felt the bone crack under her weight.

The tiger roared out in pain, but he was soon met with even more anguish when a searing pain overtook his right eye. (Y/n) had used the tip of one of her tails to burn his right eye, permanently blinding him. She leapt back, putting some distance between her and Callyx.

Reverting back to her human form, she pressed a hand against her bleeding side with a wince. Her golden eyes never left the tiger, watching his right eye bleed and his front right leg twitch slightly at the strange angle it was bent. She huffed out a chuckle at seeing his pitiful state. "Looks like you lose, Callyx." She exhaled deeply, the pain in her side and back blooming. "As much as I would love to watch you squirm around like this, I need to catch up with the others. I'm sure some of your imperial buddies will patch you up, but don't expect to be seeing anything with your right eye ever again. After all you've done, you deserve more. Have fun writhing around in pain, you bastard." Turning her back to the tiger, she walked away.

With her hand still pressed against her bleeding side, (Y/n) trudged through Fort Vaullery in search of the boys. She came across some imperial troopers and MTs, but she quickly disposed of them with her fire magic. Her vision was beginning to blur due to the blood loss, the edges of her eyes slowly being consumed by darkness.

After trekking around the fort for some time, the spirit found the boys fighting against a woman. She saw how skilled she was, admiring her movements before deciding to help her friends. She conjured a throwing knife made of pure flames and threw it at the woman, catching her off guard. Noctis took the chance to attack, but his blade only sliced air when the woman leapt up into the air and landed on a platform above. "Aw, is it that time already?"

Noctis lowered his sword, puzzled at her question. "What time?"

"Quittin' time. Sorry, but this girl doesn't work after hours. I could, but there wouldn't be a single gil in it for me. We should play again sometime, pretty boy. And you." The woman met (Y/n)'s gaze. "I look forward to seeing you in action, firefly." She leaps out of sight, almost as if vanishing into thin air.

All the boys turn in wonderment as to whom the woman was addressing. Their eyes landed on the injured (Y/n), who was having difficulty standing on her own. Prompto gasped in horror when seeing the blood seeping through her fingers and cascading down her side. "(Y/n)!" He rushed over just in time to catch her as her legs gave out. Her body slumped against his as he fell to a single knee. "I need help over here!"

Ignis rushes over and kneels beside the couple. He pulls (Y/n)'s hand away from her wound and saw the severity of it. He saw not only her side was injured but her back as well. Using a couple of hi-potions, he was able to mend the wounds and stop the bleeding. "She will be needing rest."

"Thanks, Iggy," Prompto sighed in relief.

(Y/n) was able to get back on her feet, but the blonde wouldn't let go of her. "Prom, I'm fine. I can walk."

He shook his head. "No way. You're pale and you still look like you're about to pass out. Lemme give you a piggyback ride."

She exhaled heavily, knowing he was right. She was feeling lightheaded and wouldn't make it far before passing out. Accepting his offer, she climbed onto his back when he turned around and squatted down. She loosely wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands cupped the back of her knees. He gently hoisted her onto his back, making a few adjustments when he stood up.

"What happened to you?" Noctis asked the girl as they make their way out of Fort Vaullery.

"Callyx happened," she replied. "That bastard's the one who killed Cynthia and so many other spirits. He's so desperate to gain Brahma's powers that he's willing to kill his own people for it. I made sure he suffered."

"Is he still alive?" Gladio questioned.

"Yeah, but I left him with a broken leg and blind in his right eye."

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"Death would be an easy escape for him. I want him to suffer for all he's done." (Y/n) leaned her head against the side of Prompto's. She closed her eyes, intending to clear her head. However, she wound up passing out.

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

Back in Old Lestallum, the royal retinue regrouped with Iris. The young Amicitia noticed the passed out guardian on Prompto's back and began bombarding them with questions as they piled into the Regalia. With Gladio's help, Prompto was able to get (Y/n) off of his back and into his lap in the front seat of the car. Riding out of the small town, he held her close against him.

Gladio, wishing to shatter the silence, spoke up. "I coulda gone another round."

"Given her prowess, you should be glad you didn't," Ignis stated.

"Yeah, that Loqi guy was nothing compared to her," Prompto chimed in.

"Though we may not have fared so well without the marshal."

"Think things would've gone differently if he were here now?"

"She offered to play again. Maybe we'll get the chance to find out," the shield said.

"Wonder what happened that other guy," Noctis pondered. "Y'know, the one who injured (Y/n)."

"You mean Callyx?" Prompto asked.

"Yeah."

The blonde combed his fingers through the spirit's (h/c) locks. "(Y/n) did say she injured him pretty badly."

"Probably pissed him off, though," Gladio spoke up.

"I pray we do not encounter him soon," Ignis added. "For (Y/n)'s sake."

Prompto continued to stroke the sleeping girl's hair before twirling a single strand around his finger. He listened to her even and steady breathing, which brought him some semblance of peace. He didn't care that the others could see him. He wasn't as shy as before in front of the guys when it came to (Y/n). It may have also been easier to control his emotions when she wasn't awake and teasing him.

During the drive, Prompto removes one of his hands from the spirit and searched for his camera. When he found it, he flipped through the pictures until he came across one of Callyx and (Y/n) at the Cauthess Coernix Station. He examined the photo closely, eyes widening when he took a closer look at the man standing beside the golden-eyed spirit. Callyx was wielding a small dagger that was partially hidden by the sleeve of his jacket. Thinking back to the time he took the picture, he remembered he interrupted the two guardians right after taking it. If he hadn't intervened, Callyx could've possibly killed (Y/n).

"Is everything all right, Prompto?" Ignis asked after noticing the blonde's extended silence.

Prompto didn't hesitate to show the picture to the others. Noctis took the camera from his best friend and analyzed the picture, easily spotting the small dagger Callyx was trying to conceal. "Would he really have killed (Y/n) right then and there?"

Gladio took the camera from the prince and took a glance at the photo. "Wouldn't put it past the bastard, especially after hearing what he said at the fort."

"It's a good thing I showed up when I did," Prompto said. "If not...(Y/n) could be dead right now."

"Oh, that reminds me," Iris spoke up. "What did Geralt have to say?"

Prompto looked over his shoulder and peered into the backseat. "He told me a couple of things about a guardian's death."

"Well that's...gruesome," Noctis mumbled.

"Like what?" Gladio pried.

"He showed me the ring he wore that had Cynthia's gemstone on it. He told me it once was blue, but the gemstone was cracked and black. If a spirit dies, their gemstone loses its color and cracks." Prompto glanced down at his bracelet with a solemn gaze. "He...also mentioned what it felt like to lose her."

"He felt her die?" Iris gasped.

The boy nodded. "Yeah. He said it felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest."

"The connection between Geralt and Cynthia was severed," Ignis said.

"You know about it, Specs?" Noctis inquired.

The strategist nodded. "I've read a plethora amount of tomes in regards to guardians. When a spirit is killed, the connection to the soul of which gave birth to them is torn asunder. The pain is a result of the rupture between the two binded souls."

"Damn..."

Prompto bit his bottom lip with a sorrowful expression. He inhaled deeply, remembering what he told the widower. "I promised Geralt I would protect (Y/n), but...I guess I've kinda already failed."

"I don't think you have," Iris voiced her opinion. "She's still here, isn't she?"

"Yeah, but..."

"Who cares about what happened at the fort," Noctis sighed. "(Y/n)'s still breathing, right?"

Prompto tunes in to the spirit's deep and even breaths again. "Well, yeah."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I just... I feel like I could've changed the outcome, y'know? Like, if I would've stayed behind with her to deal with Callyx, then she wouldn't have been injured."

"You can't protect her from everything and everyone, Romeo," Gladio said. "You're not some invincible, know-it-all hero from a comic book. So she got hurt this time, but she's still alive. That's all you need to care about."

Prompto's eyes gleamed with realization at their words. He nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, you guys are right. Thanks."

"Well, you cheered up quicker than usual," the shield commented.

"Glad we could help," Iris giggled.

"Eh, it's no big deal," Noctis replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

Glancing at the road ahead, Prompto's smile blooms. He holds (Y/n) as close as possible, overjoyed his worries were washed away by the words of his friends. He couldn't ask for a better group of people to travel with. "You guys are the best."

Gladio grinned from ear to ear. "Tell us something we don't know."