Noctis pushes open the doors to the throne room, flanked by Gladio, Prompto, (Y/n), and Ignis. Looking up, he gritted his teeth as he sees corpses hanging from the ceiling.

Prompto gasped in horror at the gruesome sight. "What is that?"

Ardyn sits above, on the throne of Lucis, with Callyx by his side. Facsimiles of the corpses of the emperor, Regis, Lunafreya, and Nyx Ulric hang from chains before the throne. Ardyn smirks as the group walks to the center of the room to stare him down. "I'm afraid you're out of luck. The throne brings you here? It seats only one."

Noctis glared at the man. "Off my chair, jester. The king sits there."

Ardyn stands and places one foot on the throne before scowling down at the king. "Oh, Noct... How I have waited for this. Longer than you could ever know." He slowly raises his hand into a fist. "Tonight, the dreams of the blood royal...come to an end."

"Spite's all that's kept him going," Gladio grumbled, eyes narrowed as they focused on Ardyn.

"Talk about a grudge," Prompto muttered.

Ignis lowered his head, his tone of voice dropping. "Ardyn sits the throne?"

"Not for long," Noctis scoffed. "This is my ascension."

Suddenly, Callyx summoned his sword as his eyes focused on Noctis. With a running start, he leapt into the air and targeted the king. Before any of the men could move, (Y/n) had already summoned the Creator's Blade and stood in front of Noctis. She blocked the spirit's sword and pushed him back. He glared at her, lowering his blade. "I've been waiting for this for ten years."

"I can tell. You've aged horribly," she sneered. She smirked in amusement when seeing her insult irked him. "How about we take this outside where we can unleash our true powers?"

Callyx bursted out with laughter. "You'll regret that decision."

"We'll see about that," she spat. Without hesitating, both spirits vanished. They reappeared in the streets of the city, not too far from the Citadel. Facing off against each other, they readied their blades. (Y/n) twirled her sword around with a grin. "To think you hit on me when we first met... Makes my stomach churn."

"If you honestly believe I was interested, you're wrong," Callyx snarled. "I was only hoping to lower your guard and stab you where you stood, but that damned human kept getting in the way. What's sickening is spirits like you who fall in love with humans. They're weak and gullible."

(Y/n) rolled her eyes. "You're such a hypocrite, you know that?"

"Oh, really? And how's that?"

She raised her blade and pointed it at him. "I know who you really are, Callyx."

His eyes narrowed. "Like hell you do." He lifted his sword, infusing it with lightning. "Enough of this chatting. Let's get this over with."

"Took the words right out of my mouth."

Callyx was the first to attack. He charged towards (Y/n) and slashed at her numerous of times. Their blades clashed over and over again, sparks flying around them. When their sword clashed for what felt like the hundredth time, they tried to push each other back. The girl took advantage of their situation and kicked him in the chest, causing him to stumble back. She raised her hand and sent a fireball at him, but he sliced it in half. Lifting his sword, he manipulated the spell he casted on it and sent the lightning towards her. She sidestepped just in time to avoid being electrified. With the others gone, she would have to be extra careful because she didn't carry around any curatives.

The emerald-eyed guardian released a war cry when he enhanced his body. Two wings grew from his back and green stripes covered his face and exposed areas of his arms. Using one wing, he swatted at her and sent her sailing through the air. Her body slammed against one of the crumbling buildings with a grunt of pain. Pushing herself free from the indentation in the bricks, she landed on her feet. Her legs shook slightly from the pain. Pushing through it, she performed another sidestep just as Callyx appeared and tried to stab her. She kicked him in the back and caused his own body to collide with the building. A few bricks from where she made impact rained down on him, hitting him but causing no real injuries.

Putting some distance between her and Callyx, (Y/n) ran down the street. She turned around at the sound of maniacal laughter. The male spirit was sauntering towards her and clearly wasn't in any hurry. Two black horns sprouted from his forehead, eyes glowing brightly. The moment she blinked, he suddenly appeared in front of her. A soundless gasp fell from her lips as he grabbed her throat and lifted her body up effortlessly. She gasped for air as her throat was crushed in his hand. She weakly glared at him as she latched onto his arm with both her hands. In his eyes, she could see the psychotic glint in them.

Having no other choice, (Y/n) enhanced her own body. Tails grew from near her tailbone and her nails turned into sharp claws. She plunged them into Callyx's arm, which forced him to drop her. She coughed, trying to regain her breath. She manifested a single throwing knife and threw it at her fellow spirit. It pierced the man in the shoulder. Then, she formed a fiery vortex around him and casted her own lightning spell, weaving it around the flames.

Callyx chortled in amusement. "Look at you. Now you know how to wield lightning. Never took you for a spirit to learn another element."

"Yeah, and I didn't take you for a spirit who would betray his own master," she snarled.

"Ardyn is my master," he spat.

"No, he's not." She jammed her blade into the ground. "Your true master is-"

Callyx's eyes widen when he heard the one name he hadn't heard in centuries. "No..." He dropped his sword and grabbed his spiky hair with both hands, yanking on the sable locks. "Don't you dare say his name again, you bitch!"

"Touchy subject?" She asked.

"Damn you!"

The male guardian released another battle cry. He morphed into his spiritual form and roared as loud as he could. It echoed through the empty streets of the city. He emerged from the vortex, breaking through the flames and the lightning. It caused him pain, but nothing too severe.

(Y/n) took a few steps back before also transforming. She screeched threateningly at the winged tiger. Forming a ring of fireballs, they spun around her. She ran around the street, hurtling the fireballs one by one. Callyx dodged most of them expect for one. It nicked him in the side and wound up resulting in him to lose his balance slightly. Some of his fur was singed and his skin was burnt. Fueled by anger, he flapped his wings and took to the sky. He flew overhead and created a large storm. Lightning struck near the fox and forced her on defense. She leapt around, trying to predict where the bolts would strike. However, she was nailed in the back by a single one. She shrieked and searched for a way out of the storm.

(Y/n) escaped the vicinity of Callyx's spell and hopped on the roof of some of the buildings to get a higher vantage point. She leapt from rooftop to rooftop across Insomnia, hearing the tiger flapping his wings as fast as he could. He may be able to fly, but her agility made it difficult to keep up. Reaching a tall enough building, she immediately spun around and pounced on the flying tiger. She sunk her teeth into his neck as her weight dragged him and her down. Blood spurted from his neck as he wriggled around in mid-air to try and escape.

Eventually, the guardians' bodies crashed through the roof of one of the buildings. They pummeled through floor after floor until reaching the bottom level. The building came crumbling down around them. (Y/n) unlatched her jaw from Callyx's neck and jumped to safety. He, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.

With a thunderous roar, half of his body was buried underneath a pile of debris. He felt shards from the metal support frame of the building pierce his body, pinning him to the ground. When he tried to move, a fierce amount of pain ripples across his entire body. Forced to revert back to his human form, he coughed up a large amount of blood. The crimson liquid trickled from the corners of his mouth as he weakly glared up at his opponent with his one good eye. "D-Dammit... After ten years, and I...fail..."

(Y/n) changed forms and kneeled in front of him. She wasn't happy about her win, especially after learning from Brahma who Callyx truly was. "You fought well, Callyx. I'm sorry it had to end like this. If only you were on our side..."

"Don't pity me," he spat. "Dying like this is the least I deserve after all the shit I've done. Are you happy to see me go?"

"Of course not," she sighed. "Not after learning the truth."

"Who told you...?"

"Brahma. Those ten years I was asleep, he spoke to me." She stared intently into his good eye. "You are Callyx Vespertine, the guardian of the Founder King, Somnus Lucis Caelum. After Ardyn was branded a monster by his own brother, you wanted to help him because you didn't agree with Somnus' methods. You tried desperately to save him before he was consumed by the scourge, but it was too late. When Aera died at the hand of Somnus, the rage over her death caused Ardyn's infection to fully manifest. At the time, you didn't know he had infected you with the Starscourge which bound you to his soul. You were no longer Somnus' guardian but Ardyn's."

Callyx chuckled weakly. "I was a damned fool... I chose my master's brother over him..."

"Do you wish to make up for what you've done?" She questioned.

"It's too late for that..."

"No, it's not. Are you willing to hand your own soul over to the Astrals to undo the wrong you've done?"

"Yes..."

(Y/n) summoned the Creator's Blade and jammed it into the ground in front of Callyx. "If you're truly ready to pay for your sins, touch this blade and Brahma shall see to your soul himself."

The emerald-eyed guardian thought back to his life with Ardyn and Somnus as he gazed melancholically at the sword. A single tear trailed down his cheek as he reached out to touch the weapon. The moment his hand grazed it, he could feel his soul leaving his body. "Thank you, (Y/n)..." He whispered with his dying breath.

She watched in silence as his soul left his body. His body, now lifeless, gradually began to vanish. She watched sorrowfully until there was nothing left of Callyx. "Farewell, Callyx..." she whispered. Grabbing Brahma's sword, she headed back to the Citadel. Stopping for a brief second, she looked up at the sky as it began raining. She heard the creator address her.

The price has been paid, Child of Pneuma.

"Thank you for granting such a selfish wish, Brahma," she smiled before continuing forward.

Back in the courtyard at the Citadel, (Y/n) saw the men standing by the stairwell. They had yet to notice her presence as she strolled up and listened to their final goodbyes.

"So this is farewell," Ignis spoke up.

"Yeah. Here we are," Noctis muttered sorrowfully.

"It's all you," Gladio said.

Noctis nods, turns, and begins ascending the steps just as Prompto melancholically mumbled, "No turning back now."

However, Noctis does indeed stop and turn around. He addresses each of his friends in turn. "Prompto. Gladio. Ignis." He then spotter the girl standing a few feet behind them. "(Y/n). I leave it to you. Walk tall...my friends."

All are silent for a moment. Ignis was the first to shatter the silence. "Godspeed...and take care." He, Gladio, and Prompto all put their hand over their chest and bow. "Majesty."

Behind them, two iron giants begin manifesting up out of the ground. Noctis puts his own hand over his chest. "The time has come." He turns and continues ascending the steps.

Prompto, Ignis, Gladio, and (Y/n) turn to face the approaching daemons as more iron giants begin manifesting. The men raised their weapons and were ready to attack, but were stopped as the guardian strolled past them with her sword resting by her side. She could hear Brahma's voice as he spoke to her.

Our bodies shall become as one. Our fused powers shall smite all those that dwell in the dark.

Coming to a stop, (Y/n) eyed the approaching daemons. She then jammed the Creator's Blade into the ground. The cosmic glyph appeared underneath her as she was enveloped in a column of light. From the light emerged a large fox that towered over the daemons. Its body was composed of the reflection of the galaxy, its eyes glowing a pure white. A golden halo floated around its neck and many more were hovering around the tip of each tail.

The fox lowered its head as the cosmic glyph from earlier manifested underneath it. Hues of purple, white, green, and blue shone from the glyph as a large cosmic rift appeared in the sky. A powerful gust of wind began pulling on the daemons. Their bodies were lifted into the air and were swallowed up by the rift. The daemons that were fortunate to escape the rift were sliced in half when a large ring of light pulsated from the fox's body. Their corpses slowly decayed, leaving nothing behind.

The streets of Insomnia were purged of daemons. The cosmic fox's body discorporated, the glyph fading with a blinding light. As the brightness subsided, (Y/n) stood where the beast once did. In front of her loomed Brahma. The god kneeled down as he addressed her.

You have served me well, Child of Pneuma. Not only I, but the True King himself as well. I unbind our souls. You are free.

She smiled up at the Astral. "Thank you, Brahma. What will you do now?"

Return to the stars from whence I came. This world no longer needs me.

Her smile fell. "So you still wish to remain the forgotten one..."

You seem sad, Child. Why is that?

"You've been a part of me for so long. It feels like I'm losing a piece of myself," she said.

Look to the stars for I shall be there. Farewell, Child of Pneuma. I shall be watching over you and this star for all eternity.

Brahma stood up, his body slowly fading from existence. (Y/n) watched the god vanish before looking towards the Celestial Crescent. Her smile returned seeing just how brilliantly the stars radiated. Turning around, she saw Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio stand there. Before any of them could say anything, the rays of the rising sun caught their attention. The darkness was vanquished as the rays of the sun casted across all of Eos for the first time in ten years.

Although happy to see the sun, the men were saddened by the loss of their king. (Y/n), on the other hand, had a stoic expression. Her mouth opened slightly to say something, but her eyes darted over to the entrance of the Citadel when the doors opened.

The three men turn around, eyes widening when they saw Noctis walking down the steps to join them. The king smiled at his friends, amused at their expressions. "Sorry I'm late. I thought it would be better to watch the sunrise with you all."

Prompto's legs shook slightly as if he was learning to walk for the first time. He took a couple steps towards his best friend, eyes wide as saucers. "H-How...?"

"This isn't some crazy dream, right?" Gladio asked, his expression matching the marksman's.

"How is this possible?" Ignis gaped.

"Someone already paid the price." Noctis looked over at the only girl in their merry band. "It was you, wasn't it, (Y/n)?"

All eyes fell on the guardian. She clasped her hands together behind her back. "I may have asked Brahma to pull a few strings..."

"The Astrals do not simply change the course of destiny by listening. What did you offer in exchange?" Ignis inquired, curious as to how she was able to keep Noctis from perishing.

(Y/n) met Noctis' gaze. "A soul of the same bloodline. Let's just say I found a small fragment of one of your ancestors and offered it to the Astrals in exchange for your life."

Prompto was the first to react. He grabbed and pulled her into his arms, embracing her tightly. He felt tears of joy cascading down his cheeks. "Thank you for saving him, (Y/n)."

She soon found herself in the center of a group hug. A gentle smile tugged at her lips, enjoying the joyous moment. Her golden eyes trailed up to the sky, her smile widening. "It truly is a happy ending."

•••••••••••
A/n: I originally had planned for Noctis to die as like on the game, but I'm a baby and still can't accept that ending. The next chapter will be the last one and it'll just be pure fluff. Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~