The only thing that is worthy of something is if you go for it

Regardless of the challenges that await you

AVALON STOOD TALL WHEN THEY ENTERED ALTISSIA FOR THE FIRST TIME, it felt odd to her being somewhere she didn't belong. It took so long just to get here that it felt like a sigh of relief. Avalon looks around as they entered fully, they were going to see Weskham, but Prompto insisted that everyone tour the city before heading over there to the Maahgo, Noctis, of course, agreed and they all went their separate ways. Ignis instructed that everyone meet in front of the gate they entered at five sharp.

Avalon takes a peek at her phone seeing that it was 1 in the afternoon so they had some time to kill. Avalon took a stride through Altissia casually, ending up near some shops that sold interesting things. Letting out a deep breath, she heads to the shops and browse around to find some herbs or something to improve her potions, ethers, and elixirs. When she found some, she smiled and bought a few and then carried the bags through Altissia once more.

Hearing the chime of the clock in the distance, she counted four. Avalon chuckles and starts heading back to the gate they entered knowing it'll take her a bit to get there. A half hour later, she sees Ignis and Gladio standing there talking amongst themselves.

Avalon lets out a breath and heads towards them.

"Hey little one, whatcha got there?" questioned Gladio raising a brow at Avalon's hands. She smiles.

"Herbs, I feel like I'm on a breakthrough with some of the potions I'm making and I believe some of these is just the kick in the butt I need," replies Avalon raising the bag gently. Gladio and Ignis chuckle her way.

"All those potions and elixirs do come in handy," commented Ignis with a small smile looking Avalon's way. "Especially with what may happen."

"Don't say that we don't know what may happen, it could be..."

Gladio shakes his head, "Little One, it's obvious what's going to happen. But don't worry, we have this okay?" Avalon nods and casts her eyes down to her hands as they tighten against the bags.

~

After heading to see Weskham, Avalon turns hearing a cough beside them as Avalon turns seeing a lady standing there with her arms crossed.

"My dear Camelia, it's been a while." Weskham smiles her way.

Camelia looks at him with a stern look making Avalon feel uncomfortable. "I heard about your distinguished guests."

"Ah, you've an ear for gossip." Weskham told her chuckling to himself.

"Gentlemen and young lady, I won't waste your time. My name is Camelia Claustra." Camelia introduced herself bluntly.

"First secretary of the Accordo Protectorate." Ignis guesses shaking her hand quickly. Avalon stares at Ignis like he was insane. This woman gave her chills.

"You should know we have Lady Lunafreya in our care." That statement perked Noctis and he was listening intently to what she had to say. "And the empire demands we surrender her."

"What?" questions Noctis almost shocked.

Camelia sighs a little bit. "Yet I am loath to acquiesce unless we stand to profit. Hence I've come to discuss terms...with the King of Lucis." She commented looking straight at Noctis at the last of the sentence. "If you've a mind to talk, come to my estate." And with that, she leaves.

Avalon purses her lips curious on what she wanted from the King of Lucis, aka, Noctis. Pondering in her own thoughts for a while, the men continue talking to Weskham. Leaving to go to the Leville, Avalon follows carefully keeping her mind focus on the events that could possibly happen tomorrow.

That night, she shared a room with Noctis and Prompto, Ignis and Gladio got their room. Avalon actually suggested that she share a room with the two and she didn't feel comfortable being by herself, especially being in a new place. They understood though.

After getting ready for bed, she lays there wide awake whilst the boys next to her snore up a storm. It wasn't their fault, no. It was the fact tomorrow was the day he would receive the blessing of the Leviathan and to her - it sounded so nerve-racking. Why so much pressure on one person even if he was the Chosen?

"Augh..." whispers Avalon pushing the covers off her body and standing up stretching her body as she walks to the table in their room turning on the light over the table, Avalon knew the men wouldn't wake up to any noise she made. Unless it was very loud. "I guess I'll stay awake and figure this out with these new herbs since I can't sleep. Stupid mind..."

~

That next morning, Avalon successfully finished a handful of potions and elixirs just for the whole day. They would each take two each just to make sure they had something to keep them safe. Taking a deep breath, she begins getting dressed in her outfit. Tying the bandanna around her head once more, she took another deep breath she sets her staff against her hip. When she left, the men were ready to go.

It was time.

Avalon already gave them their potions and elixirs and it's like a weight lifted off of her shoulders. But not like Noctis' shoulders. No, she wasn't trying to compare herself to him, but - couldn't fathom the pressure of the world on her shoulders.

When they got there, Gladio, Avalon, Ignis, and Prompto all stood there silently as Camelia and Noctis discussed the terms. As far as Avalon could understand, she was going to evacuate the residents and help them to get away from a possible battle that was inevitable, Avalon felt a strange sensation building within her but chose to ignore it.

Before Avalon could delve deeper into her thoughts, she heard the door open and a soldier made his way in.

"Madam, it's time." He stated

Avalon's breath quietly caught in her throat as she tenses up. She then hears Camelia speak as she stood. "Assign four of your own for the evacuation effort. Whom you choose is up to you. According to our intel, the imperial fleet will be four warships strong. Steel yourselves for a full-scale battle."

Noctis nods, turning to his friends who stood confident, but - Avalon felt her confidence depleting quickly of what? She wasn't sure. Noctis and Camelia spoke once more and Noctis secured the trust of Camelia. Avalon was completely impressed.

Camelia spoke once more, "I'm glad we could talk. We can each act in our own interest to our mutual benefit."

They shook hands, and Noctis leads his friends away, Avalon takes a deep breath finally having the courage to speak.

"When is the rite?"

"Tomorrow, so we have time to plan and make arrangements." Noctis replies to her, "we have to make this count."

"Of course," Ignis nods in agreement.

~

THE DAY OF THE RITE...

Before Avalon could blink, the day of the rite came, and Avalon stood tall. She sat beside Prompto as she taps her fingers against her legs in anxiousness.

"During the rite, we must see to it the empire does not harass Leviathan." Ignis reminds everyone as they nod.

"Gonna be tough to pull off before the king receives her power." sighs Gladio

"And with four of us on evacuation detail..." Prompto adds looking at everyone. Avalon agrees silently.

"Indeed," Ignis answers confidently, "The best we can realistically do is to help the Hydraean help herself."

Avalon raises a brow and asks him. "What kind of help are you talking about, Iggy?"

"Just like Titan," responds Ignis staring at her. "The empire will seek to immobilize Leviathan."

"Ah, with the harpoon things?" questions Prompto gesturing with his hands as Ignis nods.

Avalon was curious and began speaking. "So you're realistically saying that if we dislodge them from said Goddess, she'll have a fighting chance? Is that right?"

"That is spot on, actually." Ignis nods to her.

"Sounds good in theory," Gladio implores to them. "But don't push it. It's pointless unless you can get that blessing."

Ignis was quick to agree. "Stay flexable, stay alert."

"Alright, will do," Noctis told them with a curt nod.

~

Avalon wanders around, keeping an eye on her surroundings making sure nothing happens. Taking a deep breath, she could barely hear what Luna was saying to her people. The earpiece in her begins to make noise.

"So... It begins..." She catches Prompto saying.

"Yep," affirmed Avalon with a nod, trying to get people to safety now. Avalon attempted to keep people calm when finally reaching the end of her side of the people. Avalon turns around and begins running towards the battlefield.

A few MTs appear and began to get in her way while she was trying to get to Noctis to make sure he was okay. Taking her staff, she jumped up in the air aiming her staff at the MT in front of her shoving it in its eye and jumping off onto another behind her, shoving her staff in its chest and it lands on the ground with her on top of its chest. Panting, she swings her staff into the others disabling them quickly and she runs off. Avalon looks up to see Noctis still battling the Leviathan and for some reason, it worried her. Like something was happening but she didn't know what it was and how could help.

"Avalon!" called a voice behind her knocking her out of her thoughts.

Skidding to a stop, she turns her head seeing Ignis running towards her. Avalon takes a quick look at him seeing him in his outfit he came with when they entered Altissia, could he have changed back into those after they separated? Ignoring those thoughts quickly, she smiles at him.

"Ignis," She breathes out in relief, as he stops in front of her. "I thought you were on your way to help Noct?" She raises a brow at him keeping her staff tightly in her hand.

Ignis shakes his head touching her shoulder making sure she was okay. "I was heading there, but while heading there I was ambushed by MTs, I ran quickly to regroup and then I saw you." He explains to her taking his hand off her shoulder. "I thought at this time we could head over there and help him together." He sounded rather insistent by that point.

Avalon felt a little uneasy with the thought knowing full well that Ignis could handle himself. What made him choose her to help? Gladio or Prompto was more than capable to help him if they were closer to him. Not that Avalon couldn't help but where she was, it was farther than those two, she was sure. Something about this set off alarms in Avalon's mind but she continued to push those uneasy thoughts away.

"Um..." She started and turns around while nodding. "Okay, that sounds like a plan." She then follows Ignis on their journey to go help Noctis.

While on their way to help their friend, Avalon began noticing that they were getting farther away from the Altar. Narrowing her eyes, the thoughts came back, and she asks him.

"Where are we going, Ignis? Noct is back the other way." Avalon implored him,

Ignis looks back at her. "I'm taking us on a safer route to get to Noct, it'll be faster this way, Ava." Ding a bell went off in Avalon's mind once more, strike one. Avalon knew Ignis well, he would never call her that. Something was off now.

Avalon slows to a full stop, staring at his back while he stops as well. "Why? I'm more than capable of handling myself against these guys and you know that."

Ignis turns to her, putting a hand on her shoulder once more. "You've been so distracted lately I thought we could avoid all the confrontation with them and you could just help Noct and conserve your energy. Trust me, this route is much safer for that."

"Ava... w-wh..." Prompto's voice begins but static filled the earpiece. Ding another bell went off in her head as she gripped her staff tighter against her hand making her knuckles turn white, but she couldn't let Ignis see them.

"Little One, a... are you..." Gladio's voice spoke as well but the earpiece filled with static once more and it was cut off.

Avalon then points her staff at Ignis keeping her stance strong. Ignis was shocked at what she was doing and spoke; "Vee, what are you doing?"

Ding third strike. "Good try being Ignis, but he never calls me 'Ava' or 'Vee'. It's always been Avalon, he's always been formal with that." Avalon smirks his way. "He'll call me those, but those on very rare occasions. So, you can probably cut the crap now that I figured it out." Avalon takes her staff and swings it his way as he dodges the hit and changes back to Ardyn, Avalon then frowns growling under her breath. "How dare you."

"You're not as stupid as I thought, my dear, Avalon." Ardyn spoke with a smirk her way.

Avalon growls his way. "Don't you put my name in your mouth..." She takes her back putting it behind her ready to attack. "You don't get to speak any more after all the crap you pulled." She swings her staff in front of her as she rushes at him jumping in the air thrusting her staff in front of her and Ardyn blocks the hit with his sword pushing her back making her seethe in anger as she skids on the ground to stop. "You asshole, I knew you were trouble when I first laid eyes on you." She growls rushing to him once more.

Ardyn chuckles walking towards her blocking the hit that was aiming for him. Before she could swing again, the staff was knocked out of her hands and she stood there shocked but then gasped when he hit her stomach knocking the breath out of her. Avalon gasps her air, landing her knees spitting up saliva that built up in her mouth. Attempting to gasp for air as she was kicked in the ribs away from him. Rolling on the ground, she winces and groans in pain. Eyes snapped shut tightly, holding her stomach. She then yells when she was grabbed by her long locks and dragged up to be eye level with him.

Ardyn lightly chuckles enjoying the pain he was causing the young woman. "You really should put up a fight, my dear." Ardyn inquired to her making her wince and moan in pain. "If you don't, you could die right at this moment." Avalon could feel the tears building up in her eyes. "You're so weak that you hide behind those strong men you're with. They do all the fighting whilst you what? Stand on the sidelines and heal them with your potions and elixirs. How pathetic."

Avalon felt some tears escape her eyes when he said that, he had to be wrong, right? They've never had a problem with her before, did they? Was that all she did though? Avalon fought hard to be here and help her best friend get here to be with his love and receive Leviathan's power so he could save the world. They would've told her if she was being weak, wouldn't they? Did they keep it to themselves just to watch her fail? All those questions burned into Avalon's mind.

'He's wrong, Ava!' shouted an inner voice in her mind.

"You're wrong, Ardyn..." She whimpers and gasps out, opening her eyes feeling more tears drain from her sea-green orbs. "I fought with them to be here, I made it this far because of them. They helped me become a warrior when I was lost. I'm not perfect, but they're my friends... They... and they..."

Ardyn chuckles again, tightening his grip on her hair making her wince and yelp in pain. "They what, my dear?"

Avalon lets out a small smile looking straight into his eyes. "They wouldn't keep secrets from me, they know I'm strong. I'm a strong woman who can defend herself from the likes of you. Those dumb MTs. Anything that comes my way! They trained me! And I'm putting my faith in all of them to come through this whole thing like they're putting their faith in me to come through this too!" Avalon kicks Ardyn away from her as she lands on the ground, dislocating her shoulder in the process yelping in pain,

when it happened.

Avalon could feel the power surging through her body, rolling over to stand up slowly she looks at him with white eyes, grabbing her arm yanking it popping her shoulder back without so much of a wince, white markings covered her skin, then those same markings appeared on her forehead and eyes. A ruby appearing in the middle of her head. Her clothes changed into battered rags that covered her hips up to her chest only. She had bare feet and hands to match.

Arydn stares in shock at this wondering what just happened, Avalon looks at him seeing him defenseless, she raises her hand and releases an elementa spell at him. Ardyn's eyes went wide and jumped before it touched him. Avalon's eyes followed him, and she jumped after him releasing more magic spells to attack him.

Ardyn continues to dodge the spells rushing at him, but every effort he's tried seemed pointless. Ardyn turns around seeing Avalon floating there, with another elementa spell ready for him. Ardyn feels the power of kings' rush within him and he warps to her, Avalon flies away from him tossing the elementa spell at him and he quickly warps away before it touched him. Avalon floats away quickly, taking in her surroundings once more.

Avalon could feel something behind her, she turns around just to have his weapons pierce through her battered rags dragging her to the ground pinning her there. Avalon growls and struggles against them trying to break free from the swords pinning her. Ardyn carefully walks towards her making her growl once more, but before she could release herself she blacked out and her form began returning to normal and markings clearing away from her body.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Ardyn comments leaning down taking in Avalon's form. "I haven't seen your kind in ages, my dear."

~

Avalon heavily gasps turning to her stomach leaning against her elbow seeing she was near Ignis who was laying on the ground. Avalon's eyes widen and she lifts herself up kicking her feet against the ground as she tried to run. Finally getting up, she yells out for Ignis, seeing him coughing trying to keep conscious

Picking his head up, she turns him and gasps seeing his eyes. "Ignis... what happened?" She cuddled his head towards her protectively as she heard footsteps coming towards her, she then looks up seeing Ravus looking at them.

"Well, that was rather reckless," Ravus commented towards Ignis who looks at him.

"Where is Noct... Is he..." Ignis struggled to say. "Is he alright?"

Ravus nods keeping his gaze down on them. "More or less - all thanks to you."

Ignis lets out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodne..." Ignis then begins to cough heavily.

Avalon keeps her hold while staring at Ravus making sure he didn't attack. Ravus lets out an invisible smile, but Avalon heard Gladio and Prompto calling out her, Noctis's and Ignis's names. Ravus leans to him.

"Lie still," Ravus instructed. "Conserve your strength and let Avalon help you. You have a calling to fulfill." Avalon widens her eyes at Ravus's suggestion. "As do I. May fortune favor us both." He then turns to Noctis wishing him favor as well.

With that, Ravus leaves, Avalon keeps her hold on Ignis, protecting him. She could feel the rain hit her skin, drenching her. Ignis turns up towards her, as she watches Gladio and Prompto run towards them. She sees Prompto leaning towards Noctis making sure he was alive. Gladio runs towards them leaning by Avalon touching Ignis's chest.

"Please...forgive me..." Ignis mutters towards Noctis, as he begins to close his eyes. Avalon looks at the ring, grabbing it holding it in her hand gently. Letting out a sigh, she closes her hand as Gladio grabs Ignis gently as does Prompto with Noctis.

"Are you all okay?" questions Avalon as she stood up as well looking at everyone. Gladio and Prompto nod but Avalon could see the pain in their eyes, and some cuts here and there on them. But she didn't press further. "That's good..." She mutters following them.

~

After patching up everyone she could, Avalon stood out on the patio at the Leville leaning against the railing gently keeping to her thoughts. The clouds engulfed the sky as it made it dark. Avalon closes her eyes feeling the tears escape, Ardyn was wrong she noted to herself. She fought to be here, she had the strength to help them. Didn't she?

More tears escaped her eyes as she lays her head down on her arms and quietly sobbed into them.

After a few days in Altissia, they begin heading off back to Cape Caem to take a train to Gralea. Avalon vowed to herself she'll be stronger. No matter what it took.

~

A/N: Another chapter done! What do you think? I think this one really helped Avalon see her true self, and then she has an unknown power within her. Hmm, what could it be, we wonder. Haha! Leave a comment and vote! I'm still taking advice on who will Avalon fall in love with or she doesn't have to one. But we'll see(: Love you all!