Crown King: Return of The Labyrinth | ✓

Chapter 30: Insomnia's Wake

A double update for you guys as my way of making it up to you because of my sudden hiatus before and you definitely deserve it!

(Idk this chapter kind of looks rushed, but I guess it gets better as time passes haha) Not the last one though! There's an epilogue after this :)

°

There was a moment of silence among all of them as they stood amidst the Citadel's ruins, the dense wind seeming to speak in hushed, unknown voices through the nightfall. Shadows fully casted the floor's aftermath. Dust and petrichor filled the air as the pitch black sky stared down at them uneventfully.

     "It~is~time~"

     A lullaby. It sounded familiar to Noctis. Yes, he felt nostalgic when he heard a female's voice singing in a soft tone. His lids lowered a little, his body felt like being cradled back and forth, as if he were back there in his mother's arms as she sang it to him to sleep. That song was what drove his fears, his worries, everything else away. The voice sounded much like his mother's, as he was being submitted to a very deep, peaceful slumber.

     Cloud winced. That voice. He remembered how it sounded like a dreamy yet dangerous one to him. It was so clear, how it sounded similar to the one who talked to him outside the walls of Insomnia. The one who resurrected him. And the one whose arrow shot him dead, five years ago. He snapped out of his senses upon knowing who it was, turning around quickly to see Noctis' lids nearly fluttering to a permanent close. He grabbed his shoulders, shaking them with force. "Noctis, hey—wake—WAKE UP!"

     The others noticed and turned to dash towards them, including Luna and Nyx. It appeared that they did not hear the voice singing; only Cloud and Noctis did. The lullaby was becoming louder and clearer as it was no longer hushed. Cloud grunted, yet he kept on calling out Noctis', trying to wake him up. The voice was ringing into his head that it almost conquered his mind. No. He was not going to give in and fall asleep. He must wake Noctis up.

     "WAKE UP, DAMMIT!" He groaned, tightening his grip on Noctis' shoulders. The voice was so unrealistically soothing and calm that it made him mad. "WAKE UP!"

    “Come, my sweet dear

      Close your eyes and never fear

      Have this dream of eternal day. . ."

 
     It was useless. Noctis was not hearing him as he was still being lulled to sleep. Cloud yelled and kept on shouting at him, until there was nothing he could do. Nonetheless, surprise welcomed him at the abrupt whooshing of the wind, making him lose balance and hold of Noctis. He fell backwards and landed on his side with a groan while closing his eyes and furrowing, the voice still invading his mind.

    “Leave the night still of where I lay

      Let Insomnia wake again

      In my arms you shall sleep right then. . . ”

     No! His eyes flew open before scrambling to his feet to get Noctis, but there was no sign of the raven, and instead he only found himself standing amidst the rowdy sound of the crowd filling the train, the voice fading eventually. He glanced toward the people. They were not familiar and yet, the ambience of this train sent him a mixed feeling nostalgia and melancholy, as if he felt like he knew he had been here before. . .

     "Cloud! Over here!"

     He turned around upon hearing his own name. He dashed towards the sound's origin as he ran through the corridor, and when he saw those (e/c) hues lifted into crescents, he did not hesitate to chase after you. He stopped just before you. You were standing at the door's entrance, smiling at him, before you turned to slide the door open, allowing the strong wind to storm inside. The outside was all too dark, yet Cloud could make out how different it looked like from Insomnia. It was very distinct and machine-like, until two vaguely foreign but familiar words came into his mind: Midgar.  Gaia.