Altissia
Once Noctis has his short-term goals (Royal Arms and Astrals), he finally begins his quest in earnest. Kingsglaive ended with Luna having one goal: meet up with Noctis in Altissia and give him the Ring of the Lucii. Noctis knew that he too had to head to Altissia, and after spending quite a bit of time mulling over his purpose and whether or not he was capable of achieving his goals, he finally began to make his way. In his eyes, and those of Luna, he was finally working towards his destiny, but it turns out that he was just playing right into the hands of the Empire.
If you’ve watched Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (or read our recap), you may remember the terms offered to Regis by Ardyn concerning a treaty. One of those terms, which happens to be the most important, is to have Noctis wed Lunafreya in Altissia. It is presented as a means of combining the two empires peacefully, but the true purpose is to have both the Oracle and Noctis in the same place.
With this being unknown to both Luna and the prince, they head there to complete their objectives. Luna, as Oracle, seeks to awaken the Leviathan, a goddess who is tired of man and its trivialities. This act actually presents an opportunity for Noctis to assume the mantle of the Lucian king for the first time. The Oracle is under the protection of the Accordo Protectorate, the government that runs Altissia. In order to guarantee her safety, First Secretary Camelia Claustra has a sitdown with Noctis in order to negotiate for her life and the life of the citizens of Altissia. The government is aware that the Imperial Army will attack once Leviathan awakens and it is concerned for its people. What it all boils down to is that Noctis, Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto must fight to ensure the evacuation of the people as the Oracle awakens the fearsome Leviathan.
After a beautiful speech, after which the young prince and the Oracle finally see each other after years of being apart, it is time to awaken the Leviathan. Everyone gets into position as Luna calls upon the goddess of the sea, and that’s when things start to go downhill. The Leviathan is tired of helping weak men fight wars and must be convinced by the king that he is worthy of being served. A trial ensues, wreaking havoc across the city as the Imperial Army steps in as well, hoping to slay the Leviathan in order to stop Noctis from amassing any more power. Yet the empire’s goals don’t appear to line up with those of Ardyn.
As Noctis fights through the city, his friends are fighting elsewhere and it isn’t going entirely well. Ignis is seriously injured, Gladio and Prompto are struggling to help everyone before getting to their prince. Eventually, Noctis makes it to Leviathan and it’s time to fight, but it’s no easy task. This powerful Goddess is among the toughest bosses in Final Fantasy XV, forcing you to take to the skies as you dash around looking for weak spots. On the sidelines, Luna is watching, waiting to help in any way that she can when suddenly Noctis falls in battle. As Luna looks on, Ardyn appears and stabs her before walking away with a smile. The rage that builds up in Noctis causes him to trigger the full potential of his Armiger, displaying what a king is truly capable of in battle. Upon victory, he holds Lunafreya for the last time as she gives him his father’s ring. She has done what she set out to do.
Leviathan has given her support to the Chosen King, Altissia is saved, and the ring has been delivered, but much has been lost. If Noctis wasn’t set on revenge already, this turn of events definitely pushed him over the edge. It is time to head to the next Royal Tomb as he and his allies try to figure out what is going on.
