This is a piece of an au of mine related to this drawing where Ardyn becomes a Knight of Etro rather than Besithia’s lab assistant and eventual chancellor (and therefore avoids a lot of problems for himself and everyone else)
Ardyn: Etroverse au
Nobody saw him coming.
Between the confusion and the chaos, that was somewhat logical, but Regis still couldn’t help the instinctive thought that the stranger had warped into the road.
Had he come to help? To save them? Or was he an enemy?
Regis dragged himself forward. Noctis was up there, alone with the marilith. Alone. He’d heard the nursemaid scream. He knew death when he heard it. He already had his Armiger ready, preparing to warp, when the stranger beat him to it.
“Odin!” shouted the raggedy, flamboyant figure, “Give me a boost, won’t you?”
Odin?! Regis felt his mouth drop open as the ancient messenger of the Astrals was suddenly just there. Not that he materialized, or stepped out of some fold in space; he was simply there where he had not been before.
The horned warrior lifted the raggedy man, and Regis glimpsed armor beneath the long coat. Odin launched the man at the marilith, and the man plunged a gleaming red blade into the daemon.
“Best get your little princeling to a doctor, young man,” the warrior called nonchalantly, even as he ducked so that Odin could jab at the daemon with a monstrous spear. “I don’t like the look of those wounds. I’d heal him myself but- Oopsie-daisies!”
He dodged so quickly that his hat was left behind, then just as rapidly reached back to snatch it back to his head.
“As you can see, I’ve just the teensiest bit of a full schedule at the moment.”
Regis gathered his son into his arms. He’s too still- he’s much too still! Please, please, I can’t lose him too! He gritted his teeth.
“Hold on, son,” he whispered, “Just hold on.”
Seconds before warping away, he looked up at their rescuer.
“Who are you?”
Not that he truly expected an answer when the man was in the midst of a life and death struggle.
“Oh,” the man made a slightly bitter laugh. “Just a man of no consequence.”
My full entry for the FullBloom zine ft. young Noct, Luna and probably very tired Regis. I just wanted to draw some good times before stuff got all messed up for them
