Heavy rain was pouring down. The hum of the engine of the Regalia, the car racing down the road as Noctis and his crew make their way back to the Crown City, Insomnia. After hearing the news, Noctis was worried, but also angry. He wasn't sure why his father never told this to him or how he wasn't notified of it. He was expected to be brought to Altissia and be married to his childhood friend.

He sat in the car next to Y/N, who sat in the middle, and clenched his fists. He didn't want to believe that his home had fallen.

Prompto: I hope...everyone's okay.

Noctis: Lotta good hoping's gonna do.

Ignis: You mustn't lose faith.

Noctis: (angered) Really? Can faith stop a fleet of imperial dreadnoughts?

Y/N: (sigh) Noct, just give it a rest.

Noctis: My old man had plenty of faith--

Gladiolus: Enough.

Prompto: The Empire lied. They betrayed us.

Ignis: Conjecture gets us nowhere. We're searching for truth.

Noctis: All you'll find are lies--like that ceasefire.

Ignis kept on driving and they kept looking at the sky, Imperial dreadnoughts could be seen flying through the air.

Gladiolus: Look of the size of those things.

Y/N: How many soldiers are in there?

Ignis: Imperial dreadnoughts. They transport soldiers--namely, the magitek infantry.

Y/N: Those robots?

Ignis: Mass-produced humanoid weapons of warfare, to be more precise.

Prompto: Doesn't look like they'll be signing that peace treaty.

Y/N: (sarcastically) I wonder what gave it away.

Prompto: Up ahead!

As they drew near the Insominian border, people and their cars were parked in front of the road.

The five of them could see the Imperial army posted out front. Magitek troopers sat in front with their mechs behind them. It was an inspection point.

Ignis: They've set up an inspection point.

Gladiolus: If the road ahead's blocked, then we find a way around.

Y/N: Hey, Iggy. Go down the road on the left.

Seeing the dirt road on the left, Ignis turns that way, driving until they met a dead end. Getting out of the car, they found an entrance that led to Lucis's pipeline. 

Y/N: Taking a detour.

Ignis: There must be a decent vantage point up ahead.

The patters of their footsteps in the rain could only be heard. Later, the group hide behind some boxes as there were magitek infantry ahead.

Gladiolus: There they are. Wanna take 'em out?

Noctis: Oh yeah, those scrapheaps are gonna wish they had a treaty to protect them.

Jumping out of cover, Noctis throws his Engine Blade, phasing through the air as he teleports forward and stabs his sword through one of the magitek soldiers. Following his lead, Y/N jumped off the box, summoning his one-handed broadsword as he comes in for an overhead strike. He kicks the other in the shin, forcing it to go on it's knees and Ignis comes in, swiftly striking the downed foe.

Prompto runs out, shooting and emptying his magazine towards the enemies. Gladiolus was swinging his sword with great strength, but making sure he wasn't hitting his friends in the process. However, Noctis was striking and swinging his sword with pure rage. Taking out some ice spells he had crafted before hand, he threw them, encasing the magitek troopers in ice. Noctis then whistles, gaining the attention of Y/N, who infuses fire magic with his sword, using a technique that he calls, Dancing Blade. Striking four times quickly, the ice shatters and the magitek troopers are eliminated.

Proceeding through, they encounter three more, the latter easily killed as Noctis had chained his warp-strikes together. They soon encounter two more on top of ledges.

Prompto shoots down the one that was closest and Noctis had warp-striked the last one. With all their foes taken down, they continue up the hill and come towards the top. The sight in front of them.

(A/N): Imagine that there is five of them.

Insomnia was in ruins. The buildings were destroyed, smoke coming off the buildings and bridges. More Imperial dreadnoughts could be seen flying overhead.

Prompto's phone was playing the local news.

Newscaster: As to ceasefire discussions between the two nations, all provisional terms have been suspended in light of recent developments. Moreover, in wake of the news King Regis's death, we've now received word that Crown Prince Noctis and Oracle Lunafreya have also been pronounced dead.

Gladiolus: Keep it on!

Prompto had turn it off and went to turn it back on, but his phone slips out of hands and it falls onto the ground. He goes to pick it back up to turn the news back on, but Noctis preferred it off.

Noctis: Don't bother!

Noctis's phone then starts to ring and he hesitantly picks it up.

Noctis: H-Hello? Cor?

(A/N): Cor is not only badass, he's voiced by the Matthew Mercer. Great VA.

Cor: (on phone) So, you made it.

Noctis: The hell's going on?

Cor: (on phone) Where are you?

Noctis: Outside the city, with no way back in.

Cor: (on phone) Makes sense.

Noctis: "Makes sense"? Are you serious? What about any of this makes sense!? The news just told me I'm dead--along with my father and Luna.

Cor: (on phone) Listen. I'm heading out to Hammerhead. ...About the king...it's true.

Noctis's eyes widen and he looks back to the scene of the destroyed Insomnia. It was true...Insomnia had fallen and his father was dead.

Cor: (on phone) If you're looking for the whole truth, you know where to find me. Get moving.

Noctis: ...Right.

Ignis: What did the marshal...have to say?

Y/N: Sensei?

Noctis: Said he'd be in Hammerhead.

Gladiolus: ...And the king?

He receives no response as Noctis begins to cry. The five of them stare back at Insomnia. Noctis was now the last Lucian Royal.

With what happened...there was no turning back. From what was once a simple road trip...was now a journey of loss and hardship of a king and his loyal companions.

Elsewhere

The rain had stopped and a girl about the age of Noctis was walking on the road. She had blonde hair and it was put into a ponytail. The girl was wearing a white dress along with white heels.

This was Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. Noctis's wife-to-be and the Oracle.

In front of her were her two loyal dogs, Umbra and Pryna. She kneels on the ground and pets them both, thankful that they were both safe. She smiles in happiness as she unstraps the diary off of Umbra's back. She was about to read Noctis's response.

The sound of heels could be heard as she looked up to find a woman in a black dress and was much older than her, probably around her late thirties or early forties.

This is Gentiana, the messenger of the gods.

Lunafreya gains a grim look as she stands up and opens her hand. In her hand was a Lucian treasure. The Ring of Lucii.

The screen fades.

The Power of Kings

The group now drove back to Hammerhead to meet up with Cor Leonis, the marshal of the Crownsguard and the teacher of Y/N L/N when he was first starting out in the Crownsguard.

Gladiolus: Don't suppose the Crownsguard is still active.

Ignis: Wouldn't count on it, not with the marshal out here.

Prompto: I wonder how things are in the city...

Ignis: There should be reports before long.

Y/N: Something this big can't be ignored. Bet Dino has a scoop already.

Prompto: And what about us? What do we do?

Y/N: We're on the run now. From this day on, we're considered dead. The plan is to make it to Hammerhead.

Gladiolus: And figure out the rest later. (checks phone) Got a message from my sister: she's with the refugees bound for Lestallum.

Prompto: Well, at least Iris is okay.

Y/N: I wonder if my mother is okay.

Gladiolus: We can only hope. Doesn't sound like everyone else was so lucky, though.

Ignis: We'd best make haste. Noct won't be dead forever.

Prompto: No going back--only way's forward.

Noctis: ..."No going back." Let's go.

They turn into the Hammerhead outpost, parking in front of the gas pump.

Getting out, they are met with Cindy Aurum again.

Gladiolus: Hey.

Cindy: Glad y'all made it.

Prompto: (chuckles awkwardly)

Cindy: No weather for drivin', that's for sure.

Ignis: Our thanks.

Noctis: Where's Cor?

Cindy: Left to see business, and left y'all a message with Paw-paw.

Noctis: Yeah?

Cindy: Boss ain't sat still one second since he heard y'all were comin'.

The crew then head towards the garage, as Cid was in there. Stepping in, they found Cid.

Cid: Crystal and the ring--what they've been after all along...

Y/N: So all that talk was a bunch of nonsense?

Ignis: Merely a pretext.

Y/N: (mutters) I knew something was fucking suspicious about it.

Noctis: ...They played my father for a fool.

Cid: Don't kid yourself. (grabs wrench) Reggie wasn't born yesterday. Lucis got dealt a losin' hand, and your old man played it the best he could. He saw this comin' a mile away, and he wasn't gonna go down without a fight. In the end, though...well, it just wasn't enough. You need something else, you talk to Cor. I can't even remember the last time I saw Reggie. Feels like a lifetime ago.

Noctis then looked to the picture that was on Cid's desk. It had Cid himself when he was younger, Gladiolus's father, Cor, an unknown man, and Y/N's father, Eliwood. The five of them standing proudly.

(A/N): I mean...you are essentially Roy from Fire Emblem, soooooo.

They met up with Cid outside, who was sitting in a beach chair right outside the garage.

Cid: Cor left a message, said he'll wait for ya in the tombs. They're to the northwest of here, just a short ways past the outpost. Find that first.

With their new objective, the group got back into the Regalia, driving to where Cid had directed them. Cindy had already refilled the gas and cleaned the car.

Ignis: They will have sealed off the city by now.

Prompto: What do you think it's like.

Y/N: A hazard and warzone at best.

Noctis: Your guess is as good as mine.

Gladiolus: We'll see for ourselves in time.

Ignis: Indeed. Merely a question of when.

Prompto: Can't believe the Crystal's gone. 

Gladiolus: The bastards took it all.

Noctis: And we'll take it back.

Ignis: This is far from over.

Y/N: No...it's only the beginning.

Parking at the outpost, they go off to find Cor, but the group decided to rest first at the nearby campsite as it was already dark and they didn't want to be out walking during the night.

Setting up the camp, Prompto and Noctis setting up the area to eat, Ignis cooking up food, which was Grilled Wild Trevally, Gladiolus was setting up the tent, and as always, they handed their weapons to Y/N so he could do maintenance on them. They then got ready for bed and rested for the night.

The next day rolls around and Noctis immediately gets a call on his phone.

Noctis: Hello?

Dino: (on phone) Seesh! I thought I'd never get through. Good to hear your voice, Highness. You recognize mine, don't ya? It's, Dino!

Noctis: Right. The jeweler.

Dino: (on phone) Got that right--the best around! Listen, I been worried about how youse guys are doing. How's about you drop by Galdin Quay and mingle for a bit?

Noctis: We'll think about it. (ends call)

Y/N: What was that about?

Noctis: It was just, Dino. Come on. Let's move.

They then head back into the outpost and see it's filled with Hunters.

Ignis: This must be the outpost Cid mentioned.

Gladiolus: It looks like a hub for Hunters.

Y/N: Must be working together then.

Prompto: Maybe they know something.

They enter inside the main building to be met with a woman in her forties, wearing a black jacket and a white undershirt. She kneels in front of Noctis.

This is Monica Elshett, a Crownsguard that was under the orders of Clarus, Gladiolus's father, and now Cor.

Monica: Your Highness. I'm glad you're safe.

Gladiolus: Monica! Where're all the others?

Monica: Most of the Crownsguard didn't make it. It was all we could do to escort Lady Iris out of the city. Dustin is with her as we speak, seeing her the rest of the way to Lestallum.

Gladiolus: I owe you guys big time.

Y/N: And my mother?

Monica: I am sorry, Lord Y/N. She perished defending the Crown City along with your father.

Y/N only looks down, overcome by grief as he clenches his fists in anger.

Monica: Head for the royal tomb. The marshal awaits.

Heading to the tomb that Monica specified, they go to continue their quest, meet up with the marshal.

Gladiolus: Can't keep up with this guy.

Prompto: First the Crown City, then Hammerhead, then the royal tomb?

Ignis: His nickname should have been "Cor the Restless."

Gladiolus: Somehow not as catchy as "Cor the Immortal." What do you think, Y/N? Y/N?

Y/N: Huh? I'm sorry. What were we talking about?

Gladiolus: ...It's fine. Nothing.

Prompto: Well, making it out of Insomnia only adds to his legend.

Noctis: Well, fortune favors the bold.

Prompto: Wha--huh?

Ignis: The wise make their own luck.

Gladiolus: You think it's a coincidence he's made it out of all those battles alive?

Y/N: Probably.

Making their way up the hill, they found where they needed to be. The Tomb of the Wise.

Ignis: We're here.

Prompto: A tomb fit for royalty.

Gladiolus: Let's go in and find the marshal.

The open the doors to find Cor waiting for them.

Ignis: Marshal.

Y/N: Sensei.

Cor: At last, your Highness.

Noctis: Yeah, wanna tell me what I'm here for?

Cor: (hovers hand over Sword of the Wise) The power of kings, passed from the old to the new through the bonding of souls. Once such soul lies before you. To claim your forebears' power is your birthright and duty as king.

Noctis: My duty as king of what?

The sudden response concerns Noctis's Crownsguard, especially Gladiolus.

Cor: Now is not the time to question your calling. A king is sworn to protect his people.

Noctis: And yet he chose to only protect one prince. Was that his calling? Forsake the masses to spare his own son?

Cor: How long will you remain the protected? The king entrusted the role of protector to you.

Noctis: "Entrusted" it to me? (angered) Then why didn't he tell me that? Why did he stand there smiling as I left? Why--why did he lie to me?

Cor: That day, he didn't want you to remember him as the king. In what time you had left, he wanted to be your father. He always had faith in you, that the time came, you would ascend for the sake of your people.

Noctis: Guess he left me no choice.

Accepting the task that was put on his shoulders, even it was sudden, he raised his hand. The Sword of the Wise flies into the air, hovering as it looks translucent. It begins to crystallize as it flies towards the Crown Prince, entering his body as it binds his soul.

The sword then appears flying around him in a circle. The sword had now bonded to his soul and Noctis unlocked a new ability to his power. The Armiger.

Cor: The power of kings go with you, Your Majesty. That's not the only power your forebears have left you. Your journey's just begun. Another tomb lies close by. I suggest you head there next. There are tombs scattered across the land. All are on dangerous ground. I'll go with you, for the time being. Not only to help, but to get a of measure your strength.

The five of them then leave the Tomb of the Wise, heading towards the next one. If there's one thing that all of them knew.

The journey of the king was far from over.