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Darkness and Starlight
Prompto Argentum began making his way to the royal opera house of Lucius. Looking up at the huge building with the two statues of Ramuh framing the entrance door, Prompto once again thought about how lucky he was to be going there. Built by some ancient Lucian king or another, the opera house was made to be a bastion of the arts to the people of Insomnia and stood as the crown jewel of the theater world. Every aspiring actor dreamed of performing on this stage and just about everyone in the country dreamed of being able to see a performance. Which was why Prompto was currently trying to contain the waves of glee that were threatening to burst forth like a stampeding flock of Chocobos. Not only was he going to see one of these performances, a prospect he never even dreamed of happening in real life, but that he was also going to see it with his best friend Noct.
It had come as something of a surprise when Noctis had originally invited Prompto to join him at the opera house’s latest rendition of Maria and Draco a few days earlier. Being a patron of the arts, the royal family had always received an invitation to each and every play being performed there. Prompto was hesitant at first when Noctis asked him if he would like to see the opera as he was pretty sure a plebe like himself wasn’t allowed to even walk near the fancy building much less watch a performance. Noctis assured him though that everything would be fine. Noct had said “It would me a lot to me if you could come. This is one of the “celebrations” I have to endure before we head off to meet Luna in Altissia and, I’d like it to be a good time ya know”? To which Prompto’s ears totally didn’t turn red at the thought of. Nope, that would only happen if Noctis had asked him out on a date and this was totally not a date. It was just like a friend asking him to catch a movie. Just one he needed to dress up for.
Entering the lobby Prompto had to hold his breath. The grand three leveled staircase, the ornate black marbled pillars, the gold leaf decorations on the walls, and architecture all hit the boy’s senses like a freight train. He had been reminded of the décor in the royal citadel on the few occasions he had been there. Prompto wasn’t sure if this recognition made him feel any more comfortable being here though. Just as he was processing that the room had an actual frigging fountain in the middle of it, he remembered that he was not the only person there and that he was starting to make a scene. Looking at the other theatergoers in their ornate gowns and fine tuxedos that probably cost more than Prompto’s entire wardrobe made him unconsciously tug at his own clothing. He was in the honey colored vest and tux that he wore to his school prom. Praying that no one noticed him and called security he made his way over to the receptionist desk trying to curl in on himself as much as possible.
“Hello sir, how can I help you?” The receptionist made a once over of the blonde’s attire. Her expression non verbally asking just what kind of joke this teenager was playing.
“Ugh, Hi…” Prompto began fidgeting for the envelope with his invitation. “Um, I’m here to see the show. I’m expected to meet with the rest of my party so, umm…”
Prompto handed the letter over to the lady. Her eyes scanned over the paper and immediately shot up with surprise. Asking him to wait one moment while she called her manager, he stood there waiting for a few minutes before a man came behind the desk and began to read the paper himself. At this point Prompto was staring to make a scene as the other people started to look over wondering what was going on. The manager asked him to remain right there as he began to leave. Starting to panic a little bit, Prompto wasn’t sure if he was relieved or even more anxious to see the manager returning with a member of Kings Glaive by his side.
“Prompto Argentum?” the man in black asked.
“Ugh, Yes?”
“My name is Nyx Ulric and if you would please follow me I shall take you to where the royal party is waiting”.
Breathing a sigh of relief as he was escorted up the stairs and through the painting lined halls he was overjoyed to finally reach the door that led to the king’s private box. Opening the door with a slight bow the guardsman invited Prompto into a lavish anteroom where his friends were waiting. As he entered Noctis, Ignis, and Gladio all looked up to greet him with a smile. Noctis rose from his seat to embrace him with one of their half hugs.
“Prompto. Glad you finally made it buddy. For a minute there I thought were gonna ditch out and force me to watch this opera all by myself.”
“Nah man. I wouldn’t do that to you. And it’s not like I could refuse a chance to see a royal opera from the king’s box. I am pretty sure I know some people at school who would murder for the opportunity. Even if the people at the front desk looked at me like I was some middle class riff raff from off the street”.
“Oh don’t let any of those commoners worry you. Tonight I am using my princely authority, which I totally have, to promote you to noble status which entitles you to watch the show with me at my side and there is nothing they can do about it.”
Letting himself relax, Prompto took in the sight of his friends at a formal event. In the few years they had been friends, Prompto never once saw Noctis wear anything he would consider “Princy”. Prompto had to do a second take to assure himself that this was indeed Noctis dressed in a regal looking uniform suit with a midnight blue sash draped over his shoulder. He had a silver ornament in his hair that reminded Prompto of the one king Regis always wore. Ignis was only slightly better dressed than he usually was in black tailcoat and white bowtie. Gladio was wearing his official crowns guard uniform which seemed like cheating somehow. The four of them went to take their seats and Prompto had to marvel at how high up they were and at the view they had overlooking the stage.
“Dudes, we are like so high up here. Are we gonna be able to see the actors alright?”
“Nah, don’t worry Prom”, Noctis said. “We are gonna be able to see every bit of the overacting. From when Draco begins belting out his longing for Maria so loud that the enemy can locate him to the end where Maria swoons into his arms in away would put the covers of those trashy romance novels Gladdy reads to shame. Six I wish we could play one of those drinking games for when you watch one of the monk’s plays.
Gladio chuckled and spoke up. “First off princess, don’t be hating on the romance novels. They are a legitimate form of literature filled with insight and rich narrative. They just happen to come with a lot of porn. And second, don’t disrespect the red monk’s plays. Without him our repertoire of literature would never have developed to what we have now. Besides, everyone loves Maria and Draco. I’d rather be watching that then I want to be your Canary again.”
Prompto had to think back to his Literature classes in high school. He remembered learning about the Red monk. Some scholars had linked him to the great warrior Gilgamesh while other scholars insisted that the Monk originated in a time before Gilgamesh and that the two were different people. The story was that a figure adorned in red appeared from beyond the stars of the void and came to Eos looking for a blade of legends. There he met a man named William Klauser and proceeded to tell him story after story of the many things he saw on his journeys through other worlds. Writing down these fabulous stories, William published the works that would influence so much of Eos literature. Some scholars have suggested that the red monk was a fabrication of Klauser to supposedly give his work more credibility, as if saying his work was based off of the tales of a multi-dimensional monk sounded more reasonable. Prompto thought how cool it would be if there actually was Monk looking for treasure from beyond the void in different more fantastic worlds.
And Gladio was right. The writings of Klauser gave them all of the amazing stories and parables Eos enjoyed. Like The Dark Knight and the Mountain, a story of a warrior who covered in sin, darkness, and regret is led up a mountain in a magic country by wizard children to purify himself and find redemption as a holy paladin. The Leviathan and the Dragoon was a story about how a Dragoon warrior while searching for treasure was swallowed up by a huge sea beast and unable to escape actually makes a small town inside the monsters guts for several years before he eventually teamed up with other adventures that were swallowed up as well and escaped. Prompto’s favorite story was Journey to the North. A story about a young nun who makes a grand pilgrimage to a holy city in the North that contains a holy scripture that can purify any sin. On the way she is joined by many other characters such as a one armed warrior and a young man the nun found adrift in the sea. These and many other stories of the Monk’s were read and beloved by the people of Eos. Wouldn’t it be cool to find out that these stories might actually have happened in another world? Ah, Prompto could only dream.
He was pulled from these thoughts when Ignis made comment. “I personally care very little for all of the Monks tales of fantasy and care even less for the frivolity that is his plays.”
“Dang” Gladio put in “I never expected you to be hating on the art world specs. Did you not get picked for a lead role or something?”
“No Gladio. I simply can’t see the point of any of it. What is the point of speculating on a world that doesn’t exist? There was a Gralean philosopher by the name of Pluto who said that “Art and literature was an occupation of lies” and that “Art should only be employed in furthering the goals of a nation”. And I for one am inclined to agree with him. At least then all of the lies and distortions of reality would have a point to them.”
“Haha oh you uncultured swine Ignis. There is an author from Tenabri who wrote “He that never reads only lives a single life”. And the Monks stories provide for us a way to understand our own lives and experiences. Like The phantom train of Doma and the fighter who comes to terms with the inevitability of death.”
“One, I am currently so extremely occupied in this life that I cannot imagine living another one. And two, that story is terrible. I don’t care if you read it as literal or metaphysical. There is no way a man can fight a moving train and then proceed to suplex it.”
At hearing this Gladio put his hand to his chest in faux shock. “Iggy I am surprised at you. Though I guess it can’t be helped. I suppose you need to be of a certain breeding to appreciate the high art that is the literary suplex. Since you aren’t gonna be getting anything out of this how about I take you into the other room and we can discuss the finer points of literature? I think we can trust these two to behave themselves in our absence.”
Voicing a “Doubtful” under his breath the shield and the advisor got up and made their way into the anteroom. After they had left Noctis began looking over his shoulders and voicing a “Finally” he summoned forth in a shower of blue sparks what looked like a bottle of green liquid, a strangely shaped spoon, and a small silver bowl that looked like it held cubes of sugar in it. Gods Prompto loved Noctis’s Armiger. He would have loved to have his own personal pocket dimension that he could put stuff in. It was so cool how he could pull swords and spears out of the thin air like that. The fact that Noctis also used it to summon clothes, his homework, and even the remote at times only made the trick more awesome. Prompto did not recognize what the green drink his friend had summoned was though. Nor did he recognize what the strange looking spoon thing was either. “Uh dude? What’s in bottle? And what’s with the sugar?”
“This my friend is Green Sylph. Luna swears by this stuff and if we are gonna have to listen to several hours of opera we might as well have some fun with it.”
''But doesn’t that stuff like, make you hallucinate and junk? And isn’t it illegal? Where did you get that anyway?”
“One, that hallucination stuff is just Niflheim propaganda spread when they banned the drink in Tenebrae. Apparently Luna’s mom queen Sylva really liked this drink. And two yes it is illegal to get here as well. But I know a certain servant who I caught drinking it on the citadel grounds this one time. I agreed to give him my silence on the matter and a few gil besides and he has agreed to share a few bottles with me whenever I want. And don’t worry. This stuff is completely safe. It just has a lot of alcohol in it so be prepared.”
Intrigued by how Noctis was diluting the sugar cubes by pouring water on them Prompto thought that just a sip or two couldn’t hurt. Trying the strange green liquid it wasn’t long before the two friends were in the zone. Prompto was happy just being there. Sharing a few drinks and talking with his best friend alone was shaping up to the highlight of the evening even before the play had started. Noticing that he had somehow finished off two glasses of the green sylph, Prompto saw the lights dim. A hush fell over the audience as the huge velvet stage curtains began to part. The show was finally about to begin.
The orchestral theme began to play as the narrator introduced the viewers to the story. The backdrop of a cloudy dusk came into view as our hero Draco made his way center stage. It was probably the sylph taking effect but seeing the leading man being trampled by actual Chocobos running past and then proceeding to get right up and howl his love to the back row had the two of them in absolute hysterics. Prompto was glad that they were so high up as they would have been thrown out by now with all of the commotion they were making. After Draco is found by some of his allies the scene changes to a flashback to when Draco was younger on his coronation day. Basically the guy’s father had just passed away and now Draco had to become king much earlier than he expected. Prompto and Noctis were making little jokes and snide comments the entire time saying things like “Six I don’t know what’s more tragic. The fact his dad is dead or that god awful wig and outfit he was wearing” and “I hope my coronation can be like this. Everything is so overdone I can’t tell who the party is actually for”. It went on like this until we saw Maria for the first time. She was only on stage for a few moments but Draco just had to compose an entire song right there on the spot about how she has completely stolen his heart. It is then reviled she is a princess from a neighboring kingdom. One scene later and a minister informs the young Draco that, what a calamity, the princess’s carriage apparently got lost in a storm. Riding out then that very scene change, Draco finds the lost carriage carrying his crush and act one ends with Draco vowing to devote himself to Maria forevermore.
As the first intermission began Prompto and Noctis decided to go and visit their friends in the other room. Ignis and Gladio had decided to order a few drinks for themselves and were having a good time. Gladio looked up “Hello you two. I’m currently trying to teach Ignis here the cultural importance of The Wonderful Wizard of Mysidia. How is the opera going? Have the two leads said they loved each other yet?”
Noctis took a seat next to his friends. “Oh I think it has been subtly implied. Plays not as boring this time around for some reason. Maybe it’s because the company is infinitely better than previous times.” He gave a nod to Prompto. “But I am ready to see the next act and get this night over with. At least there will be a somewhat cool action scene to look forward to.”
“I am inclined to agree with his highness in that regard.” Ignis spoke up. “I don’t really see what everyone finds so amazing about this story to be honest. A more or less standard love triangle with two men fighting over a woman and, surprise surprise, the main character gets her in the end. An entertaining enough story I suppose with romance and glamor. But I don’t see what all the hubbub is about.”
“Whowever gave you your education did a pretty piss poor job explaining to you the significance of the finer things, didn’t they?” Gladio said shaking his head. “Such a shame you two missed out on the deeper themes of the story.”
“And what pray tell might that be then? What is the deeper meaning to the story since we know you are dying to show off and tell us?”
“Simple. It’s a story about love. More specifically the qualifications of love.”
“Ugh, what now dude?” Prompto said looking up confused. “Love needs to be qualified now? I don’t remember learning this when we read the play in class.”
“And this is the great tragedy I am talking about. Your highness, when we are done getting your butt shipped off to be married we really need to talk about what students are learning in class. Yes Prompto. Love has qualifications, or at least in the terms of the play. Have you two noticed, Maria never actually said she loves Draco in the first part of the play?”
This question took Prompto by surprise. Thinking back on it for a while, he had to admit that Gladio was right. There is a lot of Draco saying how much he loves Maria but she never actually says she loves him until the next act.
“She never actually said she loves him before he went off to war. It is only when he is gone she realizes her feeling for him. And in the play’s terms, unless both people in the relationship confirm their feelings to each other their love will only ever be a fantasy. The drama of the story is that Draco’s feelings have neither been confirmed or denied and he is doing all of this in the hopes that Maria will love him back.”
“Huh. Never thought of it like that.” Noctis said. “Dang Gladio. Did you have to help Iris write a paper or something? Wish I had your insights when I had to do a paper on this in class.”
“Nah. I just appreciate the finer things in life. The other bit of drama this play has is on Maria’s end. She is unqualified to love Draco because she has feeling for prince Ralse as well.”
“How does that make her unqualified to love?’ Prompto asked. He had found himself becoming extremely interested in the subject.
“In the Plays terms she cannot give a full amount of love to two different people and therefore can’t love either of them. At least not in the way you are supposed to love someone.”
“Full amount of love? What does that mean? I didn’t know you could quantify love.”
“Think of it like this Prompto. Let us say you are dating someone but they are seeing someone else at the same time. Now, let us suppose they spend half of their time with you and the other half with the other person. How would that make you feel? For that person to take you to the movies and dinner dates, but spent the nights sleeping with the other person. Would you be happy if your crush spent only half of their time with you knowing that person would have to leave you to spend the other half of time with another person you have no ties to? Would you say you are getting the full experience you should be from the person you are committing yourself to?”
“I. I guess not. I never really thought of it that way.”
“Now I am not saying relationships outside the norm can’t work. But in the opera’s terms Maria has feeling for both of the princes and as such can’t commit to either of them as they deserve. Thankfully she doesn’t have to agonize long before the two have a duel and clean everything up nice and tidy.”
Gladio’s words had left Prompto in deep thought. He was able to joke and smile when he and Noctis returned to their seats for the second act. But Prompto kept rolling those words around over and over in his head. For the first time he felt like he was really witnessing the balcony scene with Maria. Here she finally realized what Draco had meant to her and was wishing with all of her heart that she could tell him. Or at the very least move on so she move on with her life and commit herself to prince Ralse. He was so engrossed with the play he didn’t even notice when his best friend looked over at him when Maria threw the flower bouquet. The two watched the rest of the play without talking to each other drawn in by the music and the story. When the fated duel between Draco and Ralse began Prompto noticed for the first time how Maria watched the fight from the sidelines filled with both terror and relief. She would try to find a way to commit herself to the victor of the duel, whoever it would be, so that they could all move on with their lives.
The opera ends how everyone knew it would. The two main characters getting together with the dying prince Ralse begging Draco to swear he will always love Maria. Nothing Prompto hadn’t already seen before but this time the play had more meaning to him. The night ended on a kind of somber note. They had joked and laughed when it had ended of course. But Prompto’s heart just wasn’t in it. Noctis had offered to go back to his place to hang out but Prompto simply said that it had been a long night and he just wanted to go home and get out of his stuffy clothes. Dropping him off at his apartment, he thanked Noctis for the amazing night that they had. Had he been less tired Prompto would have noticed how Noctis had blushed when he said “Yeah. Sure man. Anytime.”
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That Night Prompto had a strange dream. He was on the opera stage in the place of Maria singing out to his beloved hoping against all hope that his love would hear him. Saying the words to the stars that he could never say to his beloved. And then Noctis stood there before him in the armor of Draco. His back was turned but Prompto knew if he could just get Noct to look at him everything would become clear and he could have everything he had been wishing for. As Prompto moved out to touch him he noticed that his arm was encased in a harsh metal gauntlet. Looking down he noticed in horror that his abdomen wasn’t there. It had been hollowed out and in the cavity it left behind was a mess of black oil, wires, and a metal pole imitating that of a human spine. He knew that even without a mirror that if he looked at his face now it would be covered in a metal mask and the glow of red lights in his eyes.
It was then that the actress of Maria appeared in front of Noctis. Looking closer, Prompto realized that the actress was lady Lunafreya, the person Noctis was supposed to be marrying sometime soon. Now it was just the three of them and he knew that Noctis would have to choose one of them. The Prince couldn’t give a full amount of love to two different people after all. As Noctis put his hands in Luna’s Prompto wanted to call out from behind but all that came out was an inhuman rasp.
Prompto woke up in his bed. He had to look around for a second to remember where he was. He felt up his stomach to assure himself that he was still Prompto and that nothing had changed since he fell asleep. It was still the middle of the night and he remembered that he was the only living thing in the house. Mom and Dad had been away again and he really wished that he had a cat or a dog or something. Not wanting to go back to bed Prompto just sat there for a while crossing his hands over his shoulders. He decided he really didn’t like Maria and Draco.