The Dragon's Vessel (Harem X Male Reader)

Chapter 26: Home Sweet Home

It was midday by the time you parked the Regalia next to the castle. Everyone hopped out and stretched after the long ride. Needing to check on something, you told the girls to go ahead and head inside. They nodded and grabbed their stuff from the trunk and went to relax. Taking a drive to the city, you go to the Crownsguard HQ to see if anyone had found anything. Unfortunately, nothing was found. No sign of a break out, and none of the cameras picked anything up. However, some of the prisoners that were willing to share anything said that a black mist made it's way through the station.

One prisoner even said that it had wrapped itself around a guard. After the mist went away, the guard was nowhere to be seen. One inmate who was a few cells away said he heard Eggman and a man come to an agreement. After that, Eggman's cell was blown open and they both vanished. You thank the Crownsguard members and the prisoners for their information, then headed home. Something still bothered you though, why Eggman? He seemed to... weird to be of any real value. Also quite gullible, so why would anyone want someone like him? Your mind then went back to the image of the battle. Peach would tell you stories from that time and how the Mushroom Kingdom was founded. Then Ardyn came to mind. That made you question things further, if the image of Ardyn being in one of those drop ships were actually true, then how was Ardyn still alive? Getting back to the castle, you spot Peach at the entrance. Good, as you had a few questions and wanted to speak to her privately. After parking the car, you go up to her.

Peach: There you are, after the girls came back, I made lunch for all of you but you never showed up.

Y/n: I'm sorry, but I had something to take care of. By the way, about the battle that had your family be the rulers of this land, who was the opposing side?

Peach: I knew you'd ask that someday. They were known as the Nifilheim Empire. Once, their Emperor was a kind and benevolent ruler. But something changed him, and he wanted more territory. His gaze soon fell on Lucis, and a war broke out between them. Years of war go on between the two nations, Lucis's soldiers against the Nifilheim's Magitek Infantry. Once Noctis had sacrificed himself for the world, the Empire thought of this as a good chance to attack. But my family, who was loyal to Lucis, fought back. And after calling forth Ramuh, the Empire was defeated with Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt's death, and the assumed death of the Imperial Chancellor, Ardyn Izunia.

Y/n: I see. And about these Magitek Infantry?

Peach: They were machines built by the Empire to do what they say. They were also powered by dark magic.

Y/n: Thank you Peach. I... I'll go and clean up then I'll get the lunch you made.

She waved as you went through the doors. After walking to the bathroom, that's when you began to freak out.

Y/n: That's completely impossible! No, it has to be a coincidence! It has to be a name that's passed on. But what would explain that they look exactly alike?! 

You punched the wall, angered and confused at what is happening. First, Ramuh mentions how your line had ended, now that Ardyn was supposedly killed in the battle for Lucis and yet you saw him the day you got the Regalia. Before you could think about it more, a knock on the door and Tari's voice broke you out of your thoughts.

Tari: Y/n? Is that you? I heard yelling and something hit the wall. Are you okay?

Y/n: Y-yeah! I'm fine, just uh... I hit my knee on the counter and crashed against the wall. I'm fine now though!

A few seconds of silence pass as you hope she buys the little lie.

Tari: Alright, but be more careful. And we managed to save you some food, but I would hurry up before Mario decides to eat it.

You tell her you'd be right out. After splashing water on your face, you just chalk it off as coincidence, and nothing more. It just had to be, there was no other way that the Ardyn you met was the same from hundreds of years ago. Heading down, you were greeted by everyone as you sat down at the table. After enjoying your lunch, you and the others quickly got back into routine. Making jokes with the guys, you see something dart past the window.

Y/n: What was that?

Luigi: What was what?

Y/n: Something ran past the window.

You get up and open the window. Looking out of it, but you see nothing.

Boopkins: Y/n, you're scaring me.

You go over and put your hand on the Spike.

Y/n: I'm sorry little buddy. But I'm serious, I saw something.

Just then, you heard Bowser and Bob screaming and running into main hall. The girls slammed their doors open, startled and wondering what was going on.

Saiko: What the hell is going on?!

Bob: There was some weird robot thing trying to attack us! I tried to use my S-tier fighting skills but it did nothing!

Meggy: Well that's not surprising.

Just then, a humanoid robot carrying two swords stepped through the doorway. It scanned the room until its red glowing eyes landed on you. It lunged forward at incredible speed, but you managed to draw out the Engine Blade and blocked it. It then began a relentless assault, quickly attacking from every angle it could. You tried to fight back, but it was too fast. The robot managed to knock you onto the ground and stomped on your hand, preventing you from raising your sword to block. The robot raised one of its swords high above its head, ready to deliver the killing blow, but a shot rang out, piercing the shoulder of the machine. You looked over to see that Tari had your Cerberus sniper and had shot it, her eye glowing blue as a holographic meter coming from her arm was set to max. The weight on your arm left as it began to walk towards her. With it distracted, you quickly got up and stabbed it through the chest, then pulled the sword out and sliced through its torso, severing the upper body and the legs. As everyone calmed down, a familiar voice spoke through the robot.

Eggman: Well, it seems you managed to defeat my newest creation. Well, not exactly new as I made it from the schematics of an Assassin class Magitek unit from the old Empire! Now with this new lab, and even greater power source, I will be able to take over the world! After I'm finished with you, Y/n.

Then, the the robot exploded, a mixture of black and purple smoke left behind after its destruction. You look around at everyone, the situation grim as now, you had Ifrit and Eggman to worry about now.