Ice Cold (FFXV | Gentiana x Reader)

The Astrals had always fascinated you. While your fellow students of Lestallum were far more enthralled with the very basics of magic (which those outside of the Crown City were not so privy to), you couldn't tear your interest away from those larger-than-life beasts who governed the elements themselves.

No...they weren't just beasts.
They were gods.

And you had been lucky to find fellows like yourself. The expedition team had gathered in Lestallum, though really, their destination was very far from it. When you had initially heard that they were heading for the heart of Niflheim, just on the outskirts of the capital city- Gralea- it had surprised you a little.

Imperials were bad news, always, and you didn't like the sound of that. But the mere thought of being that close to actually meeting an Astral on that very trip...was enough to drive you to make the bold decision. You decided to go with them.

Soon enough, you were shipped across the sea under 'special allowances', though you could only assume that the group leader had been able to pull some strings with the Niffs. Regardless, you didn't dare ask questions. Following that, you found yourself on an impressively comfortable train, which brought you on a tourist-like journey through the bitter landscape of the Emperor's homeland.

You sat calmly enough at your table, the initial nerves of being in the enemy's palm having faded well enough to allow you to relax a little, and you watched the dull landscape blur by through the window, while sipping on your coffee.

Well, you called it dull, though it did have its own pristine beauty to it when it wasn't marred by imperial buildings and soldier lines. Unfortunately, you saw that all too often, and it was hard not to feel uneasy because of it.

Luckily for you, some better comfort was on its way.

The train had come to another stop not far from an icy mountain pass. You had heard from your accompanying members, who sat in seats not far from yourself (though you opted for privacy on your own), that this place was notorious for having such bitter weather, that sometimes the trains would break down just because of the icy conditions alone.

And it was cold, even inside the heavily heated carriage. You watched a puff of steam travel out of your mouth in a soft wisp, and rubbed your arms a little. Already you longed for the hot summery nights of Lestallum, the humid weather of the rainy Duscaean landscape. Hell, you rather wished that this train would just continue on straight to Tenebrae.

Or at least that was how you thought for a while. But when that near-ethereal woman suddenly boarded, and walked so gracefully between the aisles of seats and tables, you changed your tune.

Her skin was beautifully pale, like the purest of porcelain. Her lips were a stark contrast of ruby red, and her hair was an equally bold shade of fine black silk, which shifted softly in tandem with her ornate dress. Her hands were clasped before her skirt, and her eyes were closed, her expression serene.

Your eyes were fixated on her, unmoving, right up until the moment that she came and sat before you, taking the seat opposite the table.
That was when reality hit you, and you jolted upright in your spot. Stealing a glance over your shoulder, you noticed that there were an abundance of seatable areas behind you. So why had she chosen this one?

The woman answered your unspoken question, breaking the ice that way.
“I only took this seat because the train is going to move soon. I did not want to risk stumbling.”
Her voice was as smooth as the coffee you were drinking, and she had an accent to it which only made it all the more alluring. Deciding to converse with her properly, you leaned forward in your seat and cracked a smile.

“No problem. Where are you headed?”
This time, her eyes opened, and you were surprised to see a pair of beautiful, warm amber orbs, hidden behind those rose-tinted lids. The woman smiled too, in a softer manner, before she spoke:
“I am not here for the destination. Simply the journey.”

You hadn't expected to hear something quite so inspiring, but then again, could you expect any less from someone with presence like this?
“That's a good way to look at it.” You acknowledged, and decided to go whole hog, nodding to her. “I'm [Y/N] by the way. Nice to meet you.”

Her lashes fluttered, before she closed her eyes again.
“It is a pleasure to meet you as well. My name is Gentiana.”

'Gentiana'. Wasn't that the name of a flower or something?
“[Y/N]...” she continued, “-You are not from these parts, are you?”

For a brief moment, you tensed. Paranoid thoughts clouded your already edgy mind, as you wondered who this 'Gentiana' really was. Was she perhaps here to rat you out? Or had someone already done so, and she was here to collect the goods?
It wasn't like you were doing anything wrong though...right? You were just here to observe one of your passions, and possibly get a chance to meet the revered Glacian herself.

“You seem a little tense.”
Gentiana read your mood like a paper thin book, and you coughed a little, before forcing a disingenuous smile this time, shaking your head.
“No no, I'm fine. Just a little chilly is all.” You added a small quiver of the shoulders at the end of that sentence, as if to accentuate your point.

But the woman wasn't convinced, and she smiled a little wider, knowingly so.
“You needn't fear, for any reason. Your type of curiosity is not so dangerous to the Empire.”
Staring at her, you coughed again, though it was more like a strangled choke.
“-What?”

Those eyes slowly opened again, and met yours. They were strangely calming, as intense as they seemed.
“I am simply sating your worries. You are from Lestallum, of Lucis, correct?”
Once again, you were baffled. But you gave in, and slumped a little in your chair.
“How do you know that?”

A soft chuckle left her lips, and those eyes swivelled to glance outside at the darkening sky.
“Just a lucky guess...”



The sun set, and night came just as quick. At this point, the train was passing through Ghorovas Rift. Now, normally the passengers here would be eager to move on. However, you and your fellows were happy enough when the icy weather, as expected, slowed the train to a halt.

It was a typical occurrence, with the drivers and attendees usually being forced to go out onto the tracks to clear away the ice and snow. And you hoped they'd take their time, because you could see it already from the window, as your fellows crowded around the others.

You chose to remain seated, since unfortunately the doors had been sealed to keep the heat in. But the windows were nice and clean, and after wiping away the mist from your own warm breath, you started snapping photos of it.

What was 'it', exactly? Well, perhaps the finest thing you had ever seen.

The deceased Glacian was as beautiful as she was tragic, a frozen sapphire statue that loomed over the side of the tracks. Even in death, this place was as chilled as ever, and you could still very much feel her presence as she stared down with hollow eyes from the darkness.

“Ah...so this is the one you sought...” Gentiana cracked a small, almost indiscernible smirk, as she looked out upon the same view.
“Beautiful, isn't she?” You looked back at her with eager eyes, but your smile faded some as you lowered your camera. “But it's also rather sad, I think.”

Gentiana watched you curiously. And you almost didn't notice it at first.
But soon enough, you clocked her pale finger coming closer, and you turned your head just in time for her touch to grace your lips.

Suddenly, your vision clouded, and a chill overcame your body. When it cleared, you found yourself still sitting in the same spot, but all around you the train was coated in an icy swathe. Immediately you cringed with the cold and embraced yourself, as you forced your body up out of the seat.

Gentiana was gone. In fact, all the passengers were.
Just what was going on here?

You forced yourself onwards through the other carriages, pushing through door after door and finding no sign of life, no touch of warmth nor any clue as to how this had come to pass. But then, you happened across one door which was open, and lead off the train itself.

At first you thought about it logically. Some idiot left the door open, presumably after the passengers had all disembarked for some reason, with you being left behind presumably because you had been dreaming about that mysterious 'Gentiana' person. And that would explain why this train was in such a frozen state now, especially considering how harsh conditions were here.

That had to be it, right?

Yet when you emerged, you found that you were still alone. There weren't even any workers clearing the tracks.
Nobody but you, and the hulking figure of the Astral before you.

You gazed up into those eyes, which almost seemed to glimmer for a moment. Emotion came over you, and you would have felt tears prick your eyes had your body had enough warmth to summon them. Everyone must have perished...and you were the lone survivor.

Now...that was surely it.

Yet, suddenly, just before you closed your eyes to the world and wept without tears, you caught a glimpse of something in the corner of your eye. Glancing over immediately, you set your gaze on that graceful form, which practically swam into view with how softly she moved.

“Gentiana...” You breathed, as she turned to face you.
Those amber eyes. The way her lips were just ever so slightly upturned at the corners, giving the illusion of passive serenity.
“Is this real?” You questioned aloud.

“Do not fear.” she stepped closer, speaking those same words as before. “This world is a machination...one gifted only to you. There have been no sacrifices, for you are alone here...”

It clicked.
“It's you.”

You spoke those words almost without thinking, but as you watched small spirals of ice dance around her raised fingers, you knew it to be the truth. Gentiana confirmed it with a calm nod, and walked closer still, so close that there was little more than an inch or so between your chests. You looked into her eyes, feeling the gaze of the Glacian both in the background and before you.

“You...chose to appear to me? Why?” You asked, voice almost cracking.
Gentiana chuckled again, ever so gently. Her hand raised up and cupped your cheek, and you were surprised how soft and warm it felt. Then again, in this world of her illusions, anything was possible.
“Your pity touched my heart, and your love for the Astrals is inspiring. I am sure that any god would respect a soul such as yourself.”

Such words were ones which you could have never imagined hearing. Yet here she was, the gorgeous Glacian herself, speaking them to you in that dulcet tone.

“...Thank you.” You finally smiled, and after her hand shifted away, you bowed politely. “To meet an Astral in person...especially one such as yourself...is all I could have ever dreamed of. I only hope that others will continue to admire you as I do...”

Your slightly dry lips pursed. You didn't know what else to say. What could you say? To stand before someone so powerful, so grand and beautiful, was beyond humbling.

Yet you didn't need to speak even a single word more, for a delicate hand slipped under your chin, and when you lifted your head, her lips met yours.

They were surprisingly warm too.



“[Y/N]...[Y/N]! Hey, wake up lazy, you missed it!”

You jolted awake, and sat up all of a sudden. Looking out of the window, you saw darkness still. Yet across from you, no woman sat. Instead, it was just one of the group members that was lecturing you from the aisle.
“Missed what?” You questioned, pushing aside your half-empty coffee cup, which had threatened to spill on you while you dreamed.

Your companion clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.
“The Glacian, obviously. They opened the doors for us and everything!”
“...Did they now?” You murmured woozily, letting your cheek slump against your left palm. He seemed disgruntled by your decidedly underwhelming reaction, and folded his arms.
“Uh, yeah! Geez dude, isn't this the entire reason you came with us? We tried to wake you and all but you just wouldn't budge.”

He sighed heavily before he left.
“I sure hope that was one hell of a dream.”

You watched him go, and cracked a little smile to yourself. Yes...a dream. Perhaps that was all it had been.
Looking at the window again, you noticed a small patch of frost webbed across the far corner, and felt a strange sense of contentment well within you.

...Perhaps not.