That suggested Gladio was going to let him up in any fashion. Yet if it was the Empire, they were used to robots, to weapons. Not this bare basic fighting Gladio was relying on. A daemon? Perhaps but that made almost less sense because it was still daytime and he'd been fine--

He'd been with Prompto and Noct. He'd never intentionally leave them alone but he had been with them? What state were they in if he had left and come after Ignis?

One big hand shifted and grasped the back of Ignis' neck in a brutal squeeze, pushing him down against the dirt as he shifted behind him and Ignis would learn two other terrifying facts. Gladio was pouring off body heat, even for him, like he was burning horribly up with a fever.

The other, as he pressed against Igis, was that he was hard.