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Prompto seemed just as weirded out as Noctis was about the starscourge being here on Zephon, and he pointed out that there weren’t any daemons around. Caius corrected that assumption though—apparently Ardyn had been spotted spreading the scourge around Provo, and there were actually some daemons hanging about there. That didn’t make Noctis feel any better, but it was good to know. Particularly if they’d be spending any amount of time around Provo at night. Apparently there was also some other guy from Eos who had learned how to control daemons, and that news was just the cherry on top of a really bad news sundae.

“Seriously? Is that the guy who tried to kill me when you-...came here? He’s here too?” Noctis didn’t know for certain it was the same guy, but Caius had mentioned dying to save him in an assassination attempt. So either it was the same event, or people really had it out for him once he was king. “I guess we’ll have to keep an eye out for him too…” Their list of items to check on was becoming really long, and they hadn’t even rescued Ignis and Gladio yet. No wonder Caius looked exhausted. Noctis wanted to join him in a nap, and all he’d done was listen to half the shit that was on his mind. Maybe that was why he wanted to help so badly, but he shouldn’t have brought up Ardyn. He knew neither of them would like the idea, but he hadn’t expected Prompto to leap to his feet, scooting the booth forward a few inches when he bumped his knee against it.

His friend didn’t yell at him often, and maybe that’s why he winced more than he would have if it were a lecture from Ignis or Gladio. “I know I can’t fight him yet. Not without the crystal’s full power. But he has answers. A lot more than he’s let on. Some things he said when I was getting pulled into the crystal…I need to know what he meant.”

Once upon a time there existed a healer. Ardyn Lucis Caelum.

Prompto was nearly in tears, and Noctis impulsively reached up and grabbed his wrist without quite being able to look him in the eye. “I’m sorry.” Of course he was upset given what he must have gone through in Gralea with Ardyn. “I shouldn’t have brought it up like that. I don’t know why I did. It’s just…been on my mind.” It might not leave it either. One way or another, this ended with him and Ardyn. Noctis had been certain of it ever since Gralea. He just knew better than to say that to Prompto right now.

On the other side of the booth, Caius agreed with Prompto that involving Ardyn wasn’t a good idea. And of course it wasn’t, but why couldn’t they see that whatever he’d done to end the scourge was deeply connected to the red-haired man? Noctis couldn’t just hide away and pretend that he wasn’t out there. Their paths would always intersect, even if everyone else wanted to deny that. Frustration built up in Noctis, and he let go of Prompto in favor of balling his fists in his lap instead. He didn’t say anything in argument though. He just went silent.

He wasn’t enough of a jerk to deny Caius though when he asked for help instilling some of his magic into Lumina to hold off the parasite. However much he was currently sulking. “...If you think it would help. I’ve mostly just done that to make potions and phoenix downs, or to give someone access to my glaive.” Exactly three people at this point, though Caius probably got his Lucian magic through Noctis too because of future shenanigans. At some point he would have been expected to support the entire crownsguard and kingsglaive like this father had after all.

Caius also said something odd about Alex that made Noctis raise an eyebrow. “You think my covenants with the astrals would make him attack me? I don’t think those apply here.” Not to mention that he didn’t think Alex would fight him. He didn’t know where they stood anymore after the blowout between him and Prompto, but the two of them had hit it off before that. Noctis had considered him a friend. Maybe Caius had more details on that strange comment though. He hoped nothing else had happened with the blond warrior of light that they’d missed.

It was Caius’ last bit of news that really made Noctis freeze though as he looked up at the man in shock. Luna. An amnesiac woman named Luna who was caring for people with the scourge. “...It can’t be her.” His voice cracked a little, and he quickly cleared it. “She’s the oracle. She wouldn’t just be tending to people. She’d cure them.” If she had amnesia though…

Noctis shook his head, not even daring to hope as he thought about his childhood friend that he’d failed to save. “...You really think it could be her?” He may as well hear him out. Even if he really didn’t want to get his hopes up. He wasn’t sure he could handle having them crushed.

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