Locked to Real_life_rpg

[starless_sky]

Things had been going well in Noct's life ever since he got a boyfriend. It wasn't what most people thought of when that word was used. He was still a virgin and while that was a bitter pill, it was better than being a virgin with no prospects. He had Prompto and they had a promise. Now they waited his father out. Eventually his dad would hand over the throne to him and retire, or worse, pass away. He didn't want to think about that but... it was how his family had worked since the beginning of the nation. Regis was a stubborn old alpha to boot.

 

Noct had been working more in the citadel, attending more meetings, talking to more people, doing his own Working Royal stuff which he had previously shrugged off with the excuse that he was in school. It got Ignis' attention as well as his father's which hopefully would work in his favor in the future. 

 

He had to get the public, the advisors, and the counsel on his side, or at the very least he had to get to where they couldn't oppose him when he took the throne. That meant he was building alliances now so years in the future, whenever he took the throne, he will have built a place for Prompto by his side. A nest of sorts. If that isn't the most omega way to think about it... a nest. 

 

It's what brought him to work most days. Today he was at a public garden maintained by the royal family. He was meeting with some of his citizens, many of them social workers and outreach professionals for the poor and underprivileged. A perfectly banal sort of day. 

 

It wouldn't stay that way. He was trusted enough to handle this on his own so he was attending with his civilians with minimal security. He was within a stone's throw of the citadel after all. It's what the Nifs were counting on. 

 

Some time later there was a great boom and then a siren sounded in the training yard. A voice pinged each glaive and crownsgaurd with earpieces, delivering several codes, each referring to a scenario. This event had several codes; Active shooters, fire, multiple casualties, and a note that Rosebud was not secure. Rosebud was among hostiles. 

 

Rosebud was Noctis' security code the crownsguard and glaives used. Not that he knew that. 

 

Things went to shit real quick and to help it along, there had been a small camera crew playing Noct's talk with the social workers he was with. One channel was broadcasting it from the nearby jumbotron and the chaos unfolded. Noct was talking, suddenly there was an explosion, screaming, fire, gunfire could be heard. Nif soldiers appeared on screen. In seconds it was happening. Other screens around Insomnia began showing the footage. 

 

One could hear the explosions and guns in real time, not from the screen but from the park itself a block over. 

 

Comments

[starless_sky]

As angry as Cor could get, he wasn't that petty and Prompto was in for a severe tongue lashing, he would never let silence be his answer.

The poor body froze. Rigor mortis was too slow around here. If it wasn't evident, half of Niflheim's defense plan was the climate. Once Prompto could dress for that, it wasn't half bad in here. Especially once he was armed to the teeth.

So off to use the keycards and try not to get caught! There's a card and three doors, good Lucian, which shall it be?

One door...leads to an armory with basic guns, all below the level of what Prompto was used to at home. However there were a few new ones. A sagitta sniper rifle and a rapidus SMG submachine gun.

One door...leads to a security room with cameras and one bozo watching them all who asks 'did you bring coffee? Took you long enough' without looking behind him. He has feeds on the whole base. One screen shows the Zegnautus elevator. The pathway to which... following the screens... is through several large bunkers full of soldiers.

One door...leads to that path.

[real_life_rpg]

Oh man. Three doors always meant death, right? There were bound to be explosives behind one of them that would detonate when he opened it. That's what always happened in video games. Holding his breath, Prompto tried the first room. An armoury. Okay. Good. He stocked up on as many weapons as he could comfortably carry - still not trusting the Armiger - that would probably prove a wise move in the not-too-distant future.

Second door. Still no explosion. Good. Great. Going fab. He should feel guilty as he pulls out his pistol and shoots the man in the back of the head, but he doesn't. He shoved the man's chair and body aside, rolling it out of the way so he could get a good look of the screens.

Heh. Seemed like the assholes hadn't been lying about the bunkers full of soldiers. To stealth or to go in all guns blazing... that was the question. All his video game experience told him he sucked at stealth. Real life? He had no idea.

All guns blazing then...

He did his best to memorise the screens before heading for the third door. Still no explosions. Ha. Suck that, video game logic! Time to put his new shiny machine gun to the test. He opened fire, gunning down anyone who got in his way.

Future Prompto would have a lot of trauma to deal with. But right now, his focus was on finding Noct.

A few bunkers in, he happened across an Ebony vending machine. An. Ebony. Vending. Machine. Ignis would cream himself if he saw such a thing! He pushed a coin into the slot, grabbed a can and gulped it down. It bought him enough time to catch his breath before continuing on his way.

The human soldiers soon seemed to give way to the creepy as fuck MTs with their robotic faces and their juddering movements. If only Prom knew the truth about what they were. Still, the programmed death machines were quick with a weapon, and accurate. And didn't have that simple human flaw of fear. It made Prompto's job suddenly a whole lot harder.

By the time he reached the elevator, he was bloodied, exhausted and aching all over. His shoulder wound was burning like a bitch. It was getting more and more painful to lift his guns. But he had to push on. Noct needed him.

He slid the keycard into the slot by the elevator and... nothing. He tried again. Nothing. He rammed it in harder as though that would produce a different result. "Godsdamnit!!" He growled, punching the card reader, only for it to beep and the light to turn green. He didn't know it at the time, but it had just scanned his barcode on his wrist.

All that mattered was that he had access to the elevator. He stepped in and leaned against the wall as the door slid shut. "Hang in there, Noct... I'm coming."

[starless_sky]

Clearly the guy was more worried about his coffee break than watching the camera feed. Prompto had the uniform on and thus his strange behavior didn't tip him off but it should have. Didn't matter in the end, his skull emptied itself on the ground.

Noct and Prompto could process their trauma together.

For the time being, the base of Zegnautus' fortress was a shoot out. Or a massacre. The soldiers didn't expect company and Prompto would find them in varying degrees of rest. Some were working out, others were on phone calls home, some eating, others polishing weapons that were disassembled and unable to defend their lives. After all the blood splatter they'd all need to be cleaned again.

One room fell silent. Exhausted of all life other than Prompto. Empty magazines and spent shells littered the floor but there was still more than enough ammunition for Prompto to filtch off his victims in order to clear the next room. It was all being caught on camera. This would become remarkable footage along the Lucian guard.

The day that one man took down an empire for love.

The ebony vending machines wouldn't go unnoticed by a certain addicted Crownsguard. Noct night even make the case of trying to get them in Lucis once Niflheim is taken down.

The gauntlet wasn't going to get any easier as humans were traded for machines. Prompto's brothers, though neither could be expected to recognize each other in their state.

They put up more of a fight than the human soldiers and were resistant to bullets. Clearly the empire was pivoting to a new breed of soldier. Hope the kickback on that submachine gun didn't fuck up Prompto's shoulder too bad.

The elevator... Once Lucis takes the keep, Cor will learn what happened. He knew. He had been the one to bring Prompto out of the lab twenty years ago. Once this was over he'd explain it to him. Hopefully the kid didn't hate him for it.

The elevator moved fluidly into a dark, labyrinthine, metal prison. There was an armed party at the top waiting to open fire on him. Got an instant one of them hesitated, not sure if that's the one from the camera feed or one of their own.

He hesitates only a moment but it may decide how long his life is.

[real_life_rpg]

It would be a hell of a story to tell the grandkids one day - they'd probably need to gloss over the gorier details. Huh. Maybe one day people would tell tales about Prompto's daring adventure the way they talk about Cor the Immortal or Nyx the Hero. That would be something. Prompto wasn't thinking about the praise or the glory though. He had no grand visions of being a hero. He was simply an alpha truly, madly, deeply in love with his omega and prepared to do anything to get him back.

The fact that Noct was the Prince of the nation didn't even come into it.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting once he reached the top of the elevator. Honestly, he should have been expecting more armed soldiers. He let out a weary sigh as he stepped out. "Looks like the welcome party rolled out to greet me. Heyaz. Don't suppose you gentlemen could tell me where I could find the Prince of Lucis, could you?"

Suddenly all guns were pointed at him. "Huh. Guess that's a no? Okay..." They didn't even have a chance to squeeze their triggers before Prompto shredded them with the machine gun. Insomnia really needed to get some of these things in their armoury! The firepower was frighteningly insane. These things would tear apart a behemoth or a catoblepas in seconds.

Prompto searched the corpses for anything useful before stepping over them to carry on his way. "This place is insane..." He didn't have him camera with him, didn't even think to pack it. But he had his phone so he pulled it out to snap photos of anything that looked like it might be valuable intel. His main goal was finding Noctis though, so he wasn't going out of his way to gather intel, just anything that stood out as he made his way through each room.

Another access point beeped and turned green as he approached it. Huh, weird. But he wasn't going to question it. Every open door was a step closer to Noctis.

He found himself in a long, winding metal corridor. Seriously? Was the architect who designed this place on mushrooms when they designed this place? Still, it seemed quiet enough. Too quiet. Prom let his guard down too much and let out a yelp when a Magitek Axeman seemingly appeared from nowhere. "You gotta be kidding me!" Prom jumped backwards to try and put some space between himself and that deadly axe before opening fire on it.

[starless_sky]

The grandkids would love this story. The kids would know the fear of the gods from Noctis when he told this story if they'd been bad. Just wait til your father gets home. Prompto could easily become a legend for the ages. Prompto the alpha? Prompto the gunslinger? Prompto the lover? A man who toppled a tyrannical government for true love. It was the kind of story you passed down for generations. He could set an example for all the alphas out there.

Well, these people had a nation, a keep, and their jobs to defend. It didn't work out but they had to make the effort.

"Lucian scum, my brother was down there. I'm gonna fucking flay you alive!" said just before he was gunned down. These guns weren't half bad. Prompto could bring a few to the Lucian gunsmith and they could start making them. Even if they ate bullets like mad.

Look, mushrooms would have improved the layout of this place so much. It might have had some personality or fun or color. So far it's just cold, devoid of humanity, and littered with undead MTs. Like the axeman! Creepy as hell how it drags the axe once its body starts to come apart. Those glowing red eyes like a daemon. The inhuman scream when it dies and its soul leaves the metal shell.

Or was it strangely human?

The axeman goes down fast enough. It's a winding way through this place and there are plenty more of its brethren literally lying around, waiting to animate up off the floor and fight Prompto to the death. They were routine enough to take down, nothing new there. What might be of interest instead was what they defended. Yet another control room with screens and lots of buttons. Oh and people to remove if he wanted to use the console.

There was a way to unlock any door in the keep but for the technologically gifted Crownsguard there were some recordings. Some audio files of the prince if Prompto dared to listen to them. They were of Noctis and an unfamiliar voice. One was a sultry introduction, the stranger identified himself as Loqi Tummelt, and Noct refusing to speak until he grunted in pain, audibly being hit.

One was that same Loqi re-introducing himself.

"We got off to a poor start but let's get better acquainted. I'm going to be your alpha, young prince, I hope you understand that."

"Get away from me." Noctis' voice was low, borderline hostile.

"My dear, once my bite takes you'll be saying just the opposite. I think you'll tell me everything once we're united."

"I'm not telling you anything. Don't touch me.-- no. I said don't touch me!" Noct's voice rose in pitch. There's sounds of grunting, of fabric ripping, and of Loqi chuckling.

"Save your strength, my pet, you'll waste your energy before I even begin. I can't have an omega who can't last me through my ruts."

Noct makes a sound of disgust. Then a whimper. Then finally a sob. Loqi can be heard kissing his skin.

"No!! Prompto!!" and then an unfamiliar sound. Unfamiliar to a Nif at least. Noct's lightning magic crackled and the feed cut off.

A note on the console shows that the feed was physically destroyed and the prince was moved to another area of the keep under harsher surveillance. Loqi needed medical attention for burns.

[real_life_rpg]

MTs were a lot creepier in person than in military reports. Prom had assumed - the whole Guard and Glaive had assumed - that they were nothing more than robots - highly sophisticated robots, but robots nonetheless. Now? Prompto wasn't so sure. The scream would haunt his dreams every bit as much as the screams of the Nif troops would.

He cleared the room and took a breather.

Prompto's shoulder wounds had bled through their dressings. Plenty of new wounds joined them looking red, bloodied and angry. If he survived this, he was going to be a patchwork of bruises, even with the aid of a potion. Speaking of which, he still had the one he had packed. Ideally he should use the elixir, give himself a better chance of recovery, but he wanted to hold on to it for if... when he found Noct. Just in case.

He cracked the potion over the worst of his wounds, watching as the skin knitted back together in a magical glow. He would always be fascinated by potions. It truly was magic. He patched up the rest of his wounds as best as he could with whatever material he could find. It would do. It had to.

Prompto wasn't an idiot. He knew that the Empire most likely intended to breed Noct, to produce an heir with access to the Crystal and Lucian magic. But to know it and to hear actual audible evidence of another alpha putting their filthy hands on his precious omega... it caused his inner alpha to seethe even more. The rage bubbled, barely contained.

He recorded the audio onto his phone. Part of him never wanted anyone to hear it, to protect Noct's dignity. But he also knew it was probably vital evidence.

Loqi Tummelt. Prompto committed the name to memory. If he ever got his hands on the man, he would kill him. No ifs, and or buts.

Checking the console over for any other important information, Prom snapped a few more photos on his phone, and took a decent shot of a map.

Back into the fray. Who even needed a floating death maze this big?

"I'm coming, Noct," he said, his inner alpha still bristling under the surface. He wouldn't stop until he found his omega.

[starless_sky]

There were med kits littered around that could help patch him but alas, those wounds would ache until he was back in Lucis. He was both kind and wise to spare the elixir for Noctis. He wasn't in a good way, as Prompto would soon learn by means of ashley audio log.

There was another audio log for Prompto before he left.

This was a new voice. An older man, rough, grisled, spiteful. While he didn't introduce himself, this was Caligo Uldor. As heartless as he was renowned. His voice had been captured before by glaive and guard alike. They knew him.

There's a clicking and then it cuts to Caligo's soulless laughing

"Tummelt didn't have the balls to play with you like this. The ass wipe."

"..."

"You want something for the pain, highness? You want some water? I know you're thirsty, it's been so long. You just need to tell me what I want to know."

"Go to hell."

"Good." Caligo was genuinely pleased. There's a sound of a machine, of a drill, and of Noct screaming. The machine cuts off after several seconds. Noct's moaning in pain.

"It can all be over, Noctis. Just say the words and we're done. You can have water and painkillers. I'll make sure nobody visits you until the emperor comes."

"...you fuck yourself."

"Hahaha!! I love this game! I win either way... You don't have to give me information, prince. Cutting you up is the closest I get to going to the movies."

"You still need me alive."

"Yeah but I know you can take a beating now. You're tough for an unbred bitch. How about we get one of the other machines out? I want to see you really squirm."

"Ngh...no..."

But it didn't matter a different mechanical noise, a buzz saw? A tazer? Could be heard. Noct screamed and then groaned after it was over.

"Don't bore me kid or I'm going to start cutting things off."

"Just kill me, it's what you're going to do anyway."

"Would that I could but that's not in your plan baby doll. You're gonna live a long time with us. Now... We didn't try the angel rig did we? Let's get old fashioned. You want to stand up? Let's get you in it."

The feed cuts off.

The angel rig is noted on the map. In the cells. Though Prompto had more waves of soldiers to face to get there. Including both voices he heard recorded.

[real_life_rpg]

Prompto growled, the sound rumbling from deep down in his chest. He was going to gut every last Nif who had dared harm Noctis. Even those who had so much as breathed in his direction wrong. They picked the wrong omega to hurt. Every alpha instinct Prom had was screaming at him to find and protect his omega.

Uldor went on the mental list Prom was keeping. Right alongside Loqi. He recorded the audio onto his phone as evidence, saving it next to the first.

As tired and sore as Prom was, he knew he had to push on. He had to get to Noct. Who knew what else had been done to him since this audio had been recorded? Who knew what state mentally and physically Noctis would be in? He couldn't stop, not now. Not when he was so close.

"Hang on just a little longer, Noct. I'm on my way..." He murmured as he checked the map. The cells weren't far. He would reach Noct in no time...

... well, he would if he wasn't faced with more soldiers. This was ridiculous. How much more bloodshed did there need to be? Did these assholes not realise that Prompto would stop at nothing to get Noctis back. He wasted no time opening fire on them, gunning them down in a furious rage.

His gaze fell on Caligo. He recognised him from files back in the Citadel. That was the voice from the audio log. The one who had tortured Noct. An almost feral growl escaped Prompto as he charged at him. Shooting him would be too quick. Too painless. The bastard needed to suffer the way Noctis had suffered. Prompto lunged at him, sinking his teeth into the man's throat as he ripped it open, Flesh tore, blood spurted, but Prompto didn't care.

[starless_sky]

MTs don't know the sound of a raging alpha. They charged him regardless. The human men were easier targets. They knew they'd pissed Prompto off but didn't have the chance to speculate how. Their blood painted the walls and the floors and laid a trail Prompto walked. It told a story of bloody revenge that Niflheim wouldn't forget.

The face that Prompto was doing this was help enough for Noctis. As he thinned their numbers the Nifs couldn't keep watch on him and instead had to leave him alone and come join the fray.

They met their deaths one after another. Their own weapons turned against them and with efficiency and precision none of them had. They were dead before this even began.

Caligo had entered the fight with a smile. He loved killing, or he liked it as much as he liked anything. He was a soulless bastard, his eyes held no warmth and his heart was empty.

"You bastard. You're gonna rot here." he'd smiled getting ready to put Prompto down. Then the feral growl came. He blinked. "Wait... You're an alpha? Tiny little prick like you? You want your little prince? Hahaha!" it was as he was laughing that he was tackled and the wind was knocked out of him. Prompto hit harder than he looked. Skinny kid packed a punch.

The teeth were quick, piercing skin, severing veins and tearing muscle as they went down. There was an audible pop as his artery tore and while he lingered, his fate was sealed before he hit the floor.

Sputtering, holding his neck, trying to speak but only bubbling. It hurt. His eyes were alive with emotion for the first time in decades. Anger, hate, fear. Death.

He faded and that was that.

Some of the remaining Nifs were starting to run away.

Though there was one... Prompto might not know how he looked but his voice was on record.

"Allow me, cowards. I'll send this wayward dog into the abyss!" heading down the hallway, only his voice could be heard. Once he was in sight it was clear what Noctis had done to Loqi.

He had burns, veins of pure heat had marked him in the same pattern of Noct's lightning. His skin was a deep angry purple in places and he walked stiffly but... He used to be pretty.

[real_life_rpg]

Caligo had sealed his fate the moment he laid a hand on Noctis. Had he shown the omega kindness then maybe - maybe Prompto could have spared him, let him face whatever punishment the Citadel deemed fit for a Brigadier General of the Imperial Empire. But he hadn't shown kindness. He had harmed, tortured, attempted to break the most important person in Prompto's life. He couldn't let that stand.

He watched coldly as the light of life extinguished in the man's eyes, before spitting out a mouthful of flesh and blood, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. All it seemed to do was smear the blood like war paint.

Picking himself up, he carried on on his way. That voice. The bastard who had tried to touch his omega. Another growl rumbled. Prompto looked him over, an almost maniacal laugh bubbled out of him. "Picked on the wrong omega? Yeah. Yeah, you definitely did. You thought he'd just roll over and be a good little pet? No. Not for the likes of you. Noct is a million times better than you. He's a million times better than this whole fucking Empire. And you know what else, asshole? He. Is. Mine." That was the only warning Loqi got before Prompto charged at him.

[starless_sky]

The way men can change when what they love is threatened. The way Prompto changed. He was unrecognizable here. Good thing all of this was being captured by the camera systems or nobody in Lucis would believe it. Yet there laid Caligo Uldor. Feared Brigadier General and dead without getting one strike in.

Prompto looked ever more like the warrior as he went on. Even the mouthful of blood and tissue looked frightening more than it looked gross.

As for Loqi. The maniacal laugh have him pause.

"Who? What? This thin bloody thing is supposed to be our enemy?" and yet he'd seen it. He'd seen Prompto spit out pieces of Caligo's throat. He saw the look in his eyes. Predatory. Even a fool knew not to challenge an alpha with that look but he had no choice.

"It seems like you chose wrong, he's a spoilt little whore." who also made sure Loqi can't have children or urinate without pain. "He needs to learn his place. You didn't discipline him!" Loqi didn't have his mech with him but he had a sword. Too bad he was slower with his injury. He managed to lunge and block Prompto but his muscles were full of pain and damage and he couldn't hold it for long.

He was easily pushed back and toppled over. His neck would be tougher with the burns Noctis inflicted.

"Then you... Can burn... In hell...together..."

[real_life_rpg]

Loqi managed to get a strike in, which was more than Caligo had done. The sword grazed Prompto's side, leaving quite a nasty gash in its wake. It wasn't enough to slow or stop the alpha rage that was also known as Prompto Argentum. He wrestled the sword from Loqi and with one swift motion, drove it into the man's gut.

Heh. Maybe there was hope for him with swords yet.

He gripped Loqi by the hair with his free hand and pulled him in close, driving the sword in deeper. "He doesn't need disciplining. He's not a pet. He's a human being with free will. You better save us a spot. You'll get to hell before us," he growled before twisting the sword.

That would have been enough. Loqi was practically a corpse already. But that didn't stop Prompto from ripping his throat out as well for good measure. The skin was tougher, scarred and thick. It took more effort to bite through. He ripped out the man's vocal cords, tore through his artery. Loqi had been a dead man walking since the moment he touched Noct. And now he was just a dead man.

Prompto let Loqi's still-warm body drop to the ground and carried on his way.

He had to be close now. He checked the map again and took off at a run, needing to find his omega. He sniffed, hoping to catch a whiff of his mate's scent. "NOCT?!" He shouted as he neared the cells.

Pushing them open one by one, Prom searched for his omega. Most were empty. Some booby-trapped with rogue MTs. Some had a faint trace of Noct's scent. He had to be getting closer. He pushed out his own scent stronger, hoping Noct would be able to smell him. "Noct?! Where are you?!?!"

[starless_sky]

It wasn't anything that could kill Prompto between here and getting home. There were more med kits in the keep anyway. Still, that fucker had to hurt if Prompto wasn't fueled by territorial alpha rage.

Loqi was just thinking that he was doing rather well. He'd clearly gotten closer than Caligo to slaying this peasant. He wasn't doing his best but he would win this. He has to. For House Tummelt. Only it wasn't going how he thought it should. It... wasn't going well at all actually. He wasn't a fool. He knew he was finished. Given the state of his body it was a relief to die soon.

Yet still, the the peon wanted to gloat and say all sorts of bullshit about omegas having free will. Hah, they were nature's whores. This man, this intruder really didn't get it. Sure, it was one thing to want to teach a lesson for stealing your property but Noctis was unbonded, a virgin, what did the man care other than wanting the power of kings? That clearly wasn't his motivation either. He was in love.

"You really think he can love you back?" he coughed up blood as he tried to laugh at him. "Fool. Omegas aren't like us. It's an illusion... they pursue the perceived path of greatest pleasure...you will see..." he was already gasping from the twisted blade in his gut. This fucker was planning to make him suffer.

"Nghhh!!" and it was tough, getting his throat ripped out. It took longer than he thought it should. He felt every rip. Every burned tendon that was rendered tougher, stringier, and harder to break. Each one gave way but it took so long, his execution took hours. Each split as his skin tore in sheets. A bubble of blood pooled in his throat that threatened his air supply and suddenly vanished as his muscle was eaten out of his neck. He knew he was dead. Sweet relief...and yet this fucker. He tried to spit on Prompto but mostly he just made a mess. Then it was over.

He thudded to the floor with a wet slap and the hallway was quiet.

The nearby cells were numerous and expansive, branching off one main hallway like a tree. Noctis was at the very end, dead center.

Noct himself was strung up, appearing crucified in the 'angel' rig which Prompto must have seen around the cells and the keep. They were intended to mount MTs on for repair but Noct fit in there just fine.

Metal rings wrapped around his trunk with metal spikes that dug into his flesh until it bled. He dared not try to fight or wiggle. His hands were cuffed above his head, spread eagle in metal so strong it could hold back an MT Axeman. A waifish omega prince had no change of breaking himself out.

He was trying to just sleep or ignore the terrible throbbing in his head and his body. He was so tired. So relieved when the soldiers all left. Caligo left... it was quiet.

'Noct?!'

He paused. He was imagining Prompto's voice again. He was losing his mind. Maybe he was just dehydrated and hallucinating.

'Noct where are you?!?!'

Through the bars he couldn't see if anyone was there but he heard shuffling. He flinched, gods, someone was back for him. Oh joy.

"Prompto...?" his voice sounded too dry and weak to his tastes. He swallowed, tried to find moisture in his mouth where there was none. It couldn't be Prompto. It wasn't, this was a dream, he just wished Prompto was here to make it all stop.

He was hallucinating. He dropped his head and decided to ignore it. But then he smelled it. Blood. Blood and Prompto. His head snapped up, eyes open. They didn't-- no they didn't fucking kidnap him too did they? Were they going to butcher his alpha as a way to break him!?

"Prom?" his voice broke, his mouth was so dry, he was weak, he could barely yell. His sound was more air than voice.

[real_life_rpg]

Once the alpha rage and adrenaline wore off Prompto was going to be in a world of pain. His body would need time to recover - unless Cor had him executed for going AWOL. As long as he got Noct safely home first, he would take his punishment, whatever it might be. Get Noct home safely. That was what he had to focus on. He was so close to finding him, he just knew. He could feel it in his bones.

He smelled Noct before he saw or heard him. His scent was off. Soured from fear or pain. Prompto's rage - while still very much bubbling under the surface - gave way to fear and panic. He had to reach Noct. He let out a startled gasp when he finally saw him. He felt sick to his stomach at the sight of his precious omega - his precious best friend and soulmate - strung up, clearly in agony. Prom ran. Fast as his exhausted feet could carry him to his omega.

"Noct?! Shit... Noct, baby. I'm here. I'm here... Hang tight. I'm gonna get you out of here." Pun most definitely not intended.

Prompto circled the contraption, looking for a way to release Noct from its hold without causing him further pain. Prom could already see Noct was a mess of injuries outwardly - a black eye, bruises, a split lip, gashes that rivalled his own. Six only knew what injuries Noct was suffering with internally. As he circled the rig, he noticed sharp spikes - nails or screws - digging into Noct's spine. Noct's back already caused him pain on a daily basis, this would just add to it. And then... then he noticed the wounds from the pinhole drill. If Prom hadn't already murdered both of Noct's tormentors, that right there would have been enough to make him.

He kept talking to Noct as he examined the rig. Both to comfort his omega and to soothe himself. He finally found the release mechanism. "Okay, baby. I'm gonna let you down. It's gonna hurt like a fucking bitch and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He pressed the button and moved to catch Noctis as fast as he could, lowering them both to the ground. He cradled Noctis against his chest. "I got you, Noct. I got you."

First aid lessons drove home the importance of cleaning a wound where possible before using any kind of healing magic that melds skin back together. Prom knew that. But the idea of trying to move Noct without giving him any kind of pain relief, it bristled him in all the wrong ways. Did the risk of infection outweigh the benefits of immediate pain relief? The Citadel medics would be able to treat him, right?

Right... Prom pulled out the elixir and cracked it over Noct's chest. It wouldn't give everything. Not by a long shot. But it would help. Give them a fighting chance of making it out of this hellscape in one piece.

[starless_sky]

Hopefully they were in Lucis by then. That or they found something to help with this. Noct knew they had supplies somewhere. If Cor even thought about touching Prompto, Noct would kill him. He was done. Just done with everyone's bullshit right now.

The startled gasp was Noct's first sign that this wasn't his imagination. He didn't think of Prompto being shocked by his appearance. He had no idea how bad he looked, didn't realize he wore as many bruises as he did. He gasped as well, Prompto was in the wrong uniform and covered in blood. Doused in the stuff. It was on his mouth, on his face. What... what happened?

"Prom what did they do to you?" he asked horrified.

His alpha looked pissed. Prompto circling around him ought to feel predatory but it was comforting. The air smelled more like him, even if it was sour from rage. It was still Prompto. "Prom, how did you get here? If Caligo finds you..." he doesn't want to think about it. "I can't move fast, you have to get out of sight." his voice was soft, he sounded weak.

"It's fine, it can't hurt any more than when he was here. Mnn!"

He grunted as the cage opened. Noct had neither the strength nor the speed to keep from falling to the floor. Luckily his alpha took care of that too. He settled into Prompto's chest and he couldn't help it, tears bubbled up and he sobbed into Prom's shirt. Blood and all, he didn't care. This might be the last time he ever touched him.

The fact there was so much blood exposure right now meant Noct was already going to have to take heavy antivirals and antibiotics. May as well use the elixir and eliminate the openings in his body unless Prompto wanted to give Noct a bath in peroxide.

The elixir felt nice, Noct felt the pinholes on his arms close up, some of his gashes too. He Still had pin-sized holes in his arms that had to grow closed and his ribs were sore but he was much improved.

"What did they do to you!? You're covered in blood, what happened!?" he sobbed again. "I'll kill them, I swear. They'll pay for this." even though it was clear he was in no shape to deliver any kind of punishment. He slowly sat up, looking at the entrance to the dungeon.

"...It's quiet...they all left a little bit ago..." he looked at Prompto. "Was that because of you?"

[real_life_rpg]

"Caligo will never touch you again," Prompto told his omega with absolute certainty. "None of them will." He cradled Noctis in his arms, doing his best to comfort him as he cried. Noct needed to let it out. It was healthier than holding it in. Tears pricked at Prom's own eyes as he held his omega.

"They signed their death warrant the moment they laid a hand on you."

Prom was covered in blood - most of it not his. Part of him was worried that Noct would see him as a monster or fear him. Part of him would do it all over again to protect the one he loved. "I did what I had to. Most... um, most of the blood isn't mine. I had to get to you, Noct, by any means necessary."

He nuzzled his omega's temple lightly, not wanting to hurt him further. "Do you think you can stand? The map shows some forms further in. You can rest there while I find us a way out."

[starless_sky]

Noct wiped his tears away, looking at Prompto. Really looked at him. He was injured but his gashes and the beginning of bruises seemed minor in comparison to the blood soaked uniform. The mess wasn't his blood. His face, gods it was around his mouth. What had he done? It was slowly dawning on Noct just how Prompto got in here.

'They signed their death warrant the moment they laid a hand on you.'

He'd killed them, Prompto... but how? He didn't even think of considering Prompto a monster, he was trying to imagine the logistics. How did one man slaughter an army to get here? He didn't know exact numbers but he knew the Nifs had most of their soldiers here.

And he was still Noct's sweet alpha. That little nuzzle, his focus totally on Noct, it was like they were at home and Prompto was helping him through his heat. That gentle nuzzle was enough to get Noct on his feet.

"I want to stay with you." slowly he stood up, groaning softly. Noct wouldn't move fast but he could walk on his own.

Once they get out of the cells, Noct would see the river of blood. The shredded bodies, the corpses of Caligo and Loqi.

"Just a minute." Noct walked over to them and took long looks. Prompto had... had he ripped their throats out with his teeth? So it was real? Alphas really did that? Noct had only read about it, he thought it was a myth. Yet here Loqi and Caligo laid, their necks destroyed.

Looking helped him a lot, it would prevent him from waking up in the night terrified they were coming for him.

"How did you know... how did you know to single them out?" he knew they were prominent members of the military, maybe that's all it was.

"I... need to talk to you about what happened..."

[real_life_rpg]

Prompto wrapped one arm around Noctis to support him, leaving his other free to reach for his guns should more soldiers be foolish enough to come for them. He took each step slowly, not wanting to rush his omega or push him past his limits.

He froze when Noct examined the bodies. Worried that Noct was realising just what a monster he truly was. He had tore them apart like meat. He was no better than all the other alphas. But he had done it for Noct. He'd done it for loe. He just hoped that Noctis wouldn't hate him for it.

He hung back, letting Noctis have his moment, hoping that when Noct looked back at him he'd still look at him with love and not fear or loathing. He reached a hand to his mouth. The blood was dry there now, darkened and browning. But he could still feel the phantom warmth of it on his skin.

"I uh... here..." He pulled out his phone and opened up the audio logs. He played just a few seconds of each, not wanting to embarrass his omega or make him relive the awful memories. "They hurt you. They had to pay for that. The Empire had to pay. They took you from me." He slid his phone back into his pocket.

"You don't have to tell me anything until you're ready, baby. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere... unless you send me away." He would understand. It would break his heart. Hell, it'd end up killing him. But he would understand if Noctis didn't want to be with a monster.

[starless_sky]

The soldiers who ran away stayed away. They knew coming back meant their lives and somebody had to spread the word about what Prompto did to the whole empire. Somebody had to put the fear of the gods into them. Hell hath no fury like an alpha scorned, right?

Did Prompto regret their killings now on a second viewing? Regret any part of it or how it went down?

Noctis could see just what a monster Prompto was. The difference is Noctis didn't see it as a bad thing. Of course he was a monster. Prompto was an alpha they were all monsters deep down. Or at least they ought to be. That was the whole point of alphas. It's what made it an alpha's world. It's why alphas were intimidating and interactions between alphas tended to be civil. They all knew what they could do to each other. Some alphas didn't have control over themselves and they were problems.

Noct had never seen the work of an alpha who wasn't trying to hold back. So this was what Prompto was like... He had a growing respect for Prompto's restraint during his heats. The man had god tier self-control.

His eyes flicked over to Prompto and he cringed as he heard his own voice. That... Wasn't his best showing. He cried a lot during those times.

"You heard it all then." Noctis looked away, eyes misty. Did Prompto see him differently now? Did he think Loqi had...

"I need to talk to you about it. He didn't rape me. Loqi. He tried but he didn't... I... Well you saw him." he paused. "Would you still have done that to him if you knew?" he smirked at the burned corpse. "I fucked him up pretty bad, huh?"

He turned to Prompto. What was this he was saying? Such nonsense about sending him away? Was he mad?

"If you're waiting for me to leave you then you'll be waiting forever... Don't say things like that." he reached for Prompto's hand.

"I thought I'd never see you again. I thought they'd keep me prisoner until I died. I missed you so much... Why would I ever make you leave?"

[real_life_rpg]

The Empire deserved everything they got. Every single person who played a role in Noctis' kidnapping and subsequent torture deserved death. Prom didn't regret his actions. Though a part of him felt to the wives who had lost their husbands, for the kids that would never see their daddies again. But did the Empire stop to think about all the civilians caught in the crossfire in Insomnia? Unlikely.

Mostly, Prom was worried Noct wouldn't want him after seeing what he was capable of. He would kill them all over again given half a chance.

Prompto took hold of Noct's hand and guided his omega into his arms. "I heard enough, baby. I heard them hurt you. I heard them try to break you. Stupid Imperials. They underestimated just how strong you are. My brave omega." He could never think less of Noct. Even if Loqi had been successful in his attempts to mate, even if he had bonded with him, Prom would never blame Noct or see him differently. Noct was perfect in his eyes.

"You did so good, Noct. I'm so proud of you. And yeah... I'd still have killed him even if I knew. He still tried, and that is reason enough for me to destroy him." Not to mention the awful things Loqi had been spouting. Ugh. The nerve of that guy!

He cupped Noct's face tenderly, being mindful not to press on his bruises, and rested their foreheads together. "I was scared you wouldn't want me now you've seen the real me. But... no matter the cost, I'd do it all over again if it meant keeping you safe. I love you, Noct. With all my heart."

Pressing a soft kiss to the centre of Noct's forehead, Prom pulled away, but kept a hold of Nocts hand. "Come on, let's keep moving."

[starless_sky]

Those widows and orphans were already without their men. Very likely they'd be on tour for years to come or turned into daemons. Still, Noctis can't regret it. They could have stood down and maybe Prompto would have spared them... But they'd murdered his own people. Civilians at that. He couldn't feel too bad for them.

Noct melted into his name man's arms. Blood got all over him now and he didn't care. He drank in his scent and felt warm under his praise. He really was brave wasn't he?

"I didn't talk either. Caligo didn't get anything out of me." other than cries of pain. Prompto was gently helping Noctis avoid ptsd. Justice had been done. He'd held his own. He had support. Things were getting better.

The fact Prompto was so gentle now had an edge to it. Noctis knew that wasn't Prompto's only setting. His kindness was a choice. Prompto was the best alpha.

He blossomed a bit at the kiss and Prompto putting his love his love for him first. Noct was sliding but by bit back to normal. Just him and his alpha.

"I love you too... You're my hero, Prompto."

He walked with Prompto for a while. A control room was up ahead with a couch and some bunk rooms were down the hall.

"... They have an ebony vending machine? Wow... What Iggy wouldn't give to have one of these..." he wondered if they could just pick pocket the bodies and get one.

"You think I could change it into a potion?"