An: Y'all are gonna kill me for this chapter. Do not fret! This story will have a happy ending. Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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~Zodia's POV~

Entering the Citadel, we all were relieved to have finally reached our destination. "At long last, the Citadel," Ignis said as we walked through the doors.

"The throne is just up ahead," Noctis states.

Prompto eyes our surroundings, taking note of all the luminosity. "It's all lit up."

Gladio crosses his arms at the sight. "Guess he's expecting company."

"He wants this as bad as we do," my brother scoffs.

"Well, he isn't getting it," I declare as I take the Ring of the Lucii off my finger. "You'll be needing it now more than ever, Noct."

My brother smiles as I hand the ring to him. "Thank you, Zodia." I smile and place a hand over his as he slid the ring onto his own finger. He clutched his hand firmly as he solemnly gazed at the heirloom.

"Think the elevator's workin'?" Gladio asked, snapping us back to the situation at-hand.

Prompto examines the lift closely and presses a button. "Huh... Sure looks like it."

"He is really taking us by the hand," Ignis comments.

"It'll save our legs the walk up," Noctis exclaims.

We boarded the elevator as soon as the door opened. All was quiet until the shield's gruff voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "The throne room... waits outside."

"Yeah... And so does Ardyn," Prompto's tone was much lower and serious than usual.

"Acting like he owns the place."

"It's time to take it all back," the tactician proclaims.

Noctis glances at me and the others. "It ends here. Tonight."

I unconsciously tugged at the white patch in my hair, staring at the elevator floor. Four out of five of us would survive to see the new dawn and I knew exactly who wasn't going to bask in the renewed world.

The elevator gradually comes to a complete stop, opening its door to reveal the hallway leading to the throne room. "Remember how nervous we were in front of King Regis the day we left?" Gladio reminisced in the memory.

"That was the last time we were in here," Ignis said.

"Yeah. They even let me in that day," the sharpshooter chuckles slightly.

"Feels like forever ago," my brother sighs.

I stopped in my tracks as I glanced out the shattered windows, remembering the day the empire destroying all it touched. A few tears slipped from the corners of my eyes as stared at the courtyard below.

"Zodia?" Noctis called out gently. Turning around, I saw the boys were watching me with painful expressions.

I quickly apologize and wipe my tears away. "I'm sorry. We've got more important matters to attend to."

"You don't have to push yourself," Prompto spoke softly.

I shook my head. "I will see this through to the end."

Accepting my determination, the four nod in acknowledgment. As their gazes turned back to the throne room, I muttered under my breath. "Noctis will survive."

The distance between us and the throne room was diminishing. "Hmm, not much farther," Prompto mutters as the grand doors loomed a few feet ahead.

Stopping in front of the throne room, Ignis gestures to the intricate doors. "Well, shall we, Noct?"

Noctis begins to reach his hand out towards the doors, then suddenly stops and turns around. "Yeah, but... Ah. Hold on a sec. Prompto. Can I see your photos?"

"Um... yeah!" The blonde joyfully responds.

"I just need one... to take with me."

"Oh... Yeah. I get it. Um... You can take whichever you like," Prompto nods melancholically. When Noctis picked a single shot out of the myriads, the rest of us gathered around to see which picture he chose. It was the picture of the five of us in Lestallum. With the Disc to our backs, we were all smiling from ear to ear. Happy with his choice, my brother pushes open the doors to the throne room. Gladio, Prompto, Ignis and myself follow close behind. Noctis grits his teeth at the sight that welcomes us.

Ardyn sits above, on the throne of Lucis. Facsimiles of the corpses of the emperor, Regis, and Nyx Ulric hang from chains before the throne. The man smirks as we walk 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 took another step forward. "Off my chair, jester. The king sits there."

Ardyn stands and places one foot on the throne before scowling down at Noctis. "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 for both of you." Ardyn's gaze met my sharp one.

"Spite's all that's kept him going," Gladio scoffs.

"Talk about a grudge," Prompto sneers.

"Your immortality ends tonight, Ardyn," my voice stern and unwavering.

"This is my ascension," Noctis declares.

Ardyn suddenly fires a strange spell from his hands. Four amethyst spheres hit everyone except Noctis. When I was not affected by the spell, I glanced to the others to see them collapsed on the floor. "It seems the spell does not affect those of the zodiac bloodline. A small mishap upon my part."

"What did you do?!" Noctis demands with a growl.

"They have no place in this, the battle of kings! Come, Noctis!"

Ardyn departs the Citadel through a large hole in the wall of the throne room. I place a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "I will take care of them. Only you can rid this world of the Starscourge and the first step is to kill Ardyn."

"Will you be alright by yourself?" Noctis asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine. The others will join me once I rid their bodies of the spell."

My brother nods and goes up the stairs towards the throne, the bodies hanging from the ceiling along with their chains, disappear in a magenta flame.
"It ends now."

As Noctis disappears to face Ardyn, I sit on my knees and help the others. Weaving the spell into one sphere of violet flames, I was able to free each and every one of them from the spell Ardyn had casted. With the three spheres in hand, I crush them in my palms with ease. The flames consuming the spheres did not burn my skin as they vanished into thin air.

After a few minutes, the boys regain consciousness and groan as they sat up. Gladio was the first to his feet and helped Prompto while I assisted Ignis. Another groan left my fiancé as he slung an arm around my shoulder so I could help him to his feet.

"Where's Noct?" Gladio asked.

"Facing Ardyn as we speak. It would be in our best interest to head to the courtyard and await him."

"Yes, let's push on," Ignis concurs.

Descending in the elevator, we reach the courtyard just in time to see the end of the battle. Noctis was victorious as Ardyn laid limp on the ground, his body slowly crumbling into nothingness. Dispelling all the royal arms, Noctis smiles at the sight of us. With only one more task to accomplish, my brother climbed a few steps before stopping and facing Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis. I stood next to my brother, my hands clasped tightly together. "So this is farewell." Ignis melancholic tone shattered my heart.

"Yeah. Here we are," Noctis sadly responds.

"It's all you," Gladio said, trying to keep his sorrow at bay but failing.

Noctis turned to me with a sad smile. "One last time, Zodia. May we walk the halls one last time as brother and sister?"

"Of course," I smile through my tears. Noctis turns and begins ascending the steps next to me.

"No turning back now," Prompto said.

Noctis stops, causing me to a halt next to him. Turning around to address each of his friends, he speaks one last time. "Prompto. Gladio. Ignis. I leave it to you. Walk tall... my friends."

All are silent for a moment until Ignis found his voice through the deep sorrow. "Godspeed... and take care." Ignis, 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.

Before I followed after him, my eyes locked with Ignis' emerald ones. "I hope... you will forgive one day, Ignis." His eyes widened as he was able to debunk my words. I ran up the steps before he could reach me and closed the heavy doors behind me. Tears streamed down my face as I heard him shout my name over and over again through the door. I quickly placed a locking spell on the doors before returning to Noctis' side. The two of us smiled at each other as we head back to the throne room.

With our father's blade in his grip, Noctis sat upon the throne. "I'm home. I walked tall... and though it took me a while, I'm ready now. I love you all. Zodia, Luna, guys..."

My heart shattered into millions of pieces as our eyes met. The Ring of the Lucii begins glowing on Noctis' hand. "Dad..." A specter image of our father appears. "The time we had together... I cherish."

I could no longer stop the tears. As I watched Noctis begin his ascension as the true king, I whispered the forbidden incantation I pleaded for Pisces to share with me in the Celestial Court. As our father plunged his blade into Noctis' abdomen, I finished the incantation. The first Astral to heed my spell was Shiva. She appeared before me, her gaze soft and gentle. "I am ready."

"You are a noble princess, indeed. As your blood will be exchanged for the King of Lucis, you will be sacrificing yourself in his stead."

"I... I am well aware of my sacrifice. Lucis needs Noctis, not me."

"And what of the man you love?"

I took a deep breath before exhaling. "I pray that one day he will forgive me. If he does not, I do not blame him for his grudge. And I hope... he finds another to love."

"As you wish, Daughter of the Zodiac. Are there any other words left to say?" Shiva asked.

"I know Noctis will be an amazing King. My sacrifice will not be in vain. May I ask something of you, Shiva?"

"Yes."

"Tell Ignis I love him."

The Glacian nodded and placed a hand over my heart. In her frigid presence, I felt a strange warmth embrace me tightly. Shiva vanished and was replaced by all twelve zodiacs. "Please, protect them in my stead." They all smiled and bowed, listening to my last plead.

"We will, Daughter," Scorpio said.

"Thank you, all of you."

As my eyes fell upon my brother, I felt my whole body grow cold and collapse to the marble floor below. With a smile carved across my face, my heart ceased beating.