Final Fantasy XV story

The story of Final Fantasy XV follows Prince Noctis and his friends as he embarks on a journey to reclaim his kingdom that has been invaded by the Empire of Niflheim. He discovers he is on a quest to combat the powers of darkness with the powers of light only the Lucian lineage of kings can wield.

Insomnia's Waking Nightmare
In the city of Insomnia, a young king and his comrades are struggling to fell a mysterious being which has brought ruin to the city, and overwhelms the group with its fiery attacks. After shielding themselves from its barrage of flames, the group readies their next attack and charge forward...

In the present, Noctis Lucis Caelum, is given the blessing of his father King Regis of his safe trip to Altissia. As they leave, Regis tells Noctis's retinue — Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia, and Prompto Argentum — to always stay beside his son on his journey. Regis reminds Noctis to be well-mannered to his fiancée Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. As a final sendoff, Regis tells Noctis that once he leaves, he cannot return, and that the line of Lucis flows through his blood. Though Noctis playfully dismisses this, Regis tells his son to walk tall.

Chapter 1 - Departure
The group is on its way to Altissia for Noctis to marry his estranged childhood friend Lady Lunafreya in a political union. Noctis's kingdom Lucis, to which he is the heir apparent, has been at war with the Empire of Niflheim for a long time. His marriage to Luna is one of the terms of the peace-treaty that is soon to be signed.

King Regis's car they are using, the Regalia, breaks down in the middle of the Leide region. After failed attempts in calling for help, they push the car to the nearest service station: Hammerhead. They meet mechanic Cindy Aurum and her grandfather Cid Sophiar, who is acquainted with Noctis's father and calls him "Reggie".

After the car is repaired, the group heads toward Galdin Quay from where they plan to take a ferry to Altissia. Midway, they stop at an outpost where Noctis finds Umbra, one of Luna's dogs, carrying a notebook with Sylleblossoms, the blue flowers native to Luna's homeland of Tenebrae. Noctis writes a message back to Luna, and Umbra returns to her with it. Even if Luna and Noctis have not seen each other in person since childhood, they have kept in secret correspondence over the years, and both are eager to be reunited.

In Galdin Quay they meet a suspicious stranger who informs them that the boats haven't arrived yet. He alludes to the impending attacks in Lucis before departing. A reporter named Dino reveals the next boats won't arrive until the next day, and the group stays the night at the hotel. The next morning, Noctis is shocked to learn that Niflheim has attacked Insomnia, and King Regis, Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya have all been announced to have perished. Noctis decides to return to the city.

The border has been barred off by the Imperial military. On a hill overlooking Insomnia, Noctis calls Marshal Cor Leonis of the Crownsguard, a loyal follower to the king, who confirms that Regis died in the invasion. Cor tells Noctis to meet him at Hammerhead.

Chapter 2 - No Turning Back
When the group returns to Hammerhead, they learn that the Niflheim's peace talks with the crown city were merely a ruse to acquire the city's Crystal and the Ring of the Lucii, a royal heirloom only wielded by the king. Cid knew that Regis would give his life for the cause and leaves them a message from Cor, telling them to meet him in the Tomb of the Wise in Keycatrich Ruins.

They seek Cor out at the tomb, who tells Noctis that as king, he must inherit the souls of past kings that inhabit one of many tombs of Eos to gain the power he needs to reclaim the throne. The power of kings originates from the Crystal, a magical stone that emanates the power of light. In ancient times the Crystal is said to have been given to the kings' protection along with the Ring whose wielder gains the power of past Lucian kings, and thus each generation grows stronger. Using the ring drains the wielder's own life-force, and Regis's fate had been to age prematurely as he had used the Ring to uphold the Wall around Insomnia.

Noctis is upset his father had lied to him about the true reason he had seen away from Insomnia, and angers over the burden he must inherit. Cor tells him that Regis wanted Noctis to remember him not as a king, but as a father, and that he believed in his son to protect his people. After Noctis is granted the power of a Royal Arms at the tomb, Cor leads the group to the next nearest tomb, and tells Noctis there are thirteen souls scattered across Eos, though only a few are known. The Royal Arms are weapons of Noctis's forebears that only he can wield. Due to his birthright as the Crystal's protector, Noctis can summon weapons to his hand from thin air, and those accompanying him can partake on his magic as well. To wield the full powers of his forebears Noctis would need the Ring of the Lucii, which is now being held by Luna, to whom the king had entrusted it before his death.

Heading for Keycatrich Trench, Cor directs the them to the entrance, and gives them a key to unlock their way through the tomb. Cor leaves to see what the Niflheim forces are doing nearby. After acquiring another Royal Arm, Cor informs Noctis that the Empire is constructing a base near the Duscae region. Rendezvousing with the group, Cor helps them take out the army within the base, and defeat Loqi of the Niflheim military. Afterwards, Cor departs, confident that the future king can reclaim his throne. Noctis is doubtful of his duty, but is relieved and reassured of the friends that travel with him, and they continue their journey.

Chapter 3 - The Open World
The group reaches the Duscae region and heads towards Lestallum to meet Gladiolus's younger sister Iris Amicitia. Along their way they have a chance to visit the Disc of Cauthess, an ancient crater where a meteorite is said to have fallen eons ago. Legends tell of the astral god Titan still holding up the meteorite on its back. Astrals, also known as The Six, are legendary beings the people of Eos view as gods, but no one has seen one for a long time. When the group tries to visit the crater, they find the area blockaded by Niflheim.

The group seeks Iris out at Lestallum. Iris had been in Insomnia when Niflheim attacked, but she escaped with help from the Amicitia family butler Jared Hester and has taken refugee in Lestallum with him. Iris tells the group that Luna made it out of Insomnia safely, and had visited them recently. Noctis experiences a headache-inducing vision of the Disc of Cauthess, and decides to take a rest. The next day Iris takes Noctis to see the local sights, but the mysterious headaches continue.

Jared's grandson Talcott tells them of a legend of an ancient sword lying behind a waterfall. Suspecting it to be a lost tomb, the group investigates and Noctis acquires another Royal Arm. Returning to Lestallum, the group decides to investigate the Disc of Cauthess. On the Lestallum outlook they encounter Ardyn Izunia, the chancellor of Niflheim and the stranger they had run into in Galdin Quay. Ardyn and informs them through poetry that the astral Titan is calling to Noctis, and until he heeds the call he suffers severe headaches as a result. He claims to be able to can take them to the Disc. The four decide to take Ardyn's word, but be cautious of the offer.

Chapter 4 - Living Legend
Titan the Archaean is an astral god said to have caught the meteorite that fell to Eos and to still be holding up its active remains at the center of the impact site. This tale has become a legend, and the tremors that sometimes emanate from the Disc of Cauthess are said to be the work of Titan himself. The shards of the ancient meteorite still glow and parts near Lestallum are used by its energy plant for producing electricity. Legends say that the astrals forge covenants with the kings of Lucis.

Ardyn opens he imperial gates to let Noctis's party into the Disc of Cauthess, but will not accompany them. Noctis comes face-to-face with the Archaean Titan that rises from underneath the glowing meteorite. Noctis cannot understand what Titan wants until he has a vision of Lady Luna communing with the astral, realizing that she wants to rouse the Six to help Noctis's cause. Titan's awakening sends tremors in the region and Noctis and his bodyguard Gladiolus are separated from the rest of the party as they fall into the pit under the meteorite that is burning hot.

Noctis and Gladiolus make their way to Titan through the burning rock. Gladiolus protects Noctis and grows frustrated, asking the latter to reaffirm his conviction to be the king of Lucis. Niflheim arrives to the site and attacks Titan, and Noctis and his party are caught in the crossfire. Titan engages Noctis who must parry the giant's attacks until his friends arrive to blast Titan's arm off with blizzard spells. Forging a covenant with Noctis, Titan disappears from the Disc. Noctis's party is given safe passage out of the crumbling crater by an imperial airship on Ardyn's orders. Though unsure why Ardyn, an enemy official, is helping him, Noctis takes the offer, but during the chaos the party loses their car, the Regalia.

News spread that the tremors at the Disc of Cauthess have died down, but that Titan has disappeared. Many worry for what the awakening of the astrals means for the world.

Chapter 5 - Dark Clouds
The Empire closes off Duscae region and roadblocks are erected to all major roads. Regalia has gone missing. Cindy is looking for it, though the party assumes it was taken by Niflheim. Noctis receives a message from Luna via Umbra, in which she lends her support for Noctis's mission. She is seeking to rouse The Six to help him, and Noctis decides to follow with the plan, emboldened by the idea that the gods themselves are on his side.

Duscae is trapped in a perpetual storm as Ramuh is calling for Noctis to forge a covenant with him. Noctis reminisces of the time he spent with Luna when he was 8 years old and learned about the Crystal and his mission to it from her, although he didn't understand what was asked of him then. Luna had told him that the Crystal's calling is to crown the King of Light who will save the world, and Noctis had promised to do it. Gentiana's voice guides him through Ramuh's trials, the Messenger of the gods whose job is to impart the deities' message to mankind. Gentiana is usually always with Luna, but her following of Noctis is made apparent when a ghostly image of her begins to appear in the background of photos taken by Prompto.

After Noctis passes Ramuh's trial the storm clears and he gains the means to summon the astral. They receive word from Cindy that Regalia has been taken to a nearby Imperial base. The party decides to infiltrate the base to retrieve the Regalia, as the empire has been unable to move it due to the storm.

They storm the base in the cover of the night and find the Regalia and demolish the troops stationed at the base by summoning Ramuh. As they try to leave with the Regalia they are accosted by Ravus Nox Fleuret, Luna's elder brother. Ravus now works as the high commander of the Niflheim army, but is the former prince of Tenebrae before it was annexed by the Empire, and Noctis considers him the enemy. Ravus claims Noctis is making a pact with the astrals without understanding the true meaning of his actions. As Ravus overpowers Gladiolus and threatens Noctis, Ardyn intervenes and lets the party leave the base with the Regalia. As the party drives to Lestallum now that the road blocks have been lifted, they ponder why Luna's brother is working with the empire, and what Ardyn's gambit for helping them out could be, Noctis loathing both. Ravus has an artificial arm, apparently having lost his limb at the battle in Insomnia, but regardless appears to wield superhuman strength.

In Lestallum they discover that Jared has been killed by Niflheim during their search for Noctis. Imperial airships patrol the skies of Lestallum and Imperial flags have been erected around the city. Iris is determined to flee the town to the rural port Caem. Even if the ships from Galdin Quay don't run due to an Imperial blockade, Caem has a secret harbor they could use. Noctis is determined to continue on his journey, and overnight dreams of chasing Luna's white dog Pryna through various terrors.

Chapter 6 - A way forward
Together with Iris, the party heads for Caem. Along the way, they spot another active Imperial base, and decide to destroy its magitek generator to avenge Jared. Leaving Iris behind at Old Lestallum, the party makes its way to the base, where they shadow the base commander responsible for killing Jared. They take him captive, but he escapes while Noctis and his friends are laying waste to the troops stationed at the base. The next morning news of the raid have spread to the local area and Noctis and his friends continue to Caem.

Iris decides to stay at an old house at Caem with Talcott. A memorial is erected for Jared, and Cindy and Cid have come over to repair King Regis's boat kept at the secret harbor Noctis hopes to use to escape the continent.

Chapter 7 - Party of Three
Cid needs mythril for the repairs. Following a tip from the late Jared via Talcott, the party heads to Vesperpool, a lake north of Cleigne. Gladiolus opts out without giving a reason, and so Noctis, Ignis and Prompto go without him.

They find the blockades gone and wonder if they have been deliberately let through. They run into Ardyn, who explains he is the chancellor of Niflheim, but that he isn't in charge of the army. Tipping the party off to the mythril's location in nearby ruins, Ardyn departs. The party is accompanied to the ruins by Aranea Highwind, a commodore of the Imperial army. She is increasingly skeptical of the Empire's goals, however, as the imperials are hunting for daemons in the area.

Daemons are magical creatures of the dark that spawn during the darkest hours of the day. Insomnia had always been safe from them due to the light of the Crystal, but the daemons are growing fiercer and more numerous. Aranea explains the Empire is hunting for daemons for being used to make magitek troops. She thinks of leaving the army and going back to being a mercenary.

They recover the mythril from the depths of the ruins and hitch a ride back to Lestallum on an imperial airship with Aranea's aid. She wishes Noctis well, advising him to choose his own path in life.

Chapter 8 - Seaworthy
Cindy's friend Holly can treat the mythril for their use, but they find the Lestallum power plant swarming with daemons. Noctis helps expel them, rendezvousing with Gladiolus in the process. Though he doesn't explain where he has been, he has a fresh scar on his face. They decide to deliver the now usable mythril to Cid so they can depart for Altissia.

They meet everyone at Caem and Cor is also there to bid them farewell. Cid reminds Noctis that his companions are more than just bodyguards and that Noctis should always depend upon them as they depend upon him. As they set sail Talcott calls after him, asking him to come back soon as Lucis needs a king.

Chapter 9 - Callings
Noctis and his friends travel with Regis's boat to a Altissia. During the trip they discuss Ravus being the high commander of the Imperial army, and him holding King Regis's sword, although he cannot brandish it as he is not of the Lucian line. Noctis feels ambivalent, but believes he'll be able to reclaim the sword from Ravus.

Noctis hopes to make a covenant with Leviathan, the Hydraean, an astral goddess. Luna is being sheltered by the Altissian government, which has some autonomy, but the Empire is demanding for them to release Luna to them. Noctis discusses the matter with Altissia's first secretary and gains her alliance. While in Altissia the group has a chance to see Luna's wedding dress which she was to wear to wed Noctis.

Luna is an Oracle charged with maintaining the stability of Eos by cleansing the world and communing with its gods. Oracles inherit their abilities through their family bloodline, and they use them to halt the Starscourge, a plague on the world than lengthens nights. Legend has it the astral Bahamut descended from the stars and picked the first Oracle from the land of Tenebrae. He bestowed the Oracle's powers upon her and gave her his trident. As the youngest Oracle in history, Luna is highly revered and people travel long distances to be seen by her, as she has he power to heal the plagues of darkness.

Luna makes her first public appearance after the invasion of Insomnia by addressing the masses. Noctis is among the audience when she reveals she is going to awaken the sea goddess, and though the powers of the dark are encroaching upon the world, she is sworn to fight their influence. As Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto are helping evacuate the citizens, Luna begins to communicate with Leviathan to have her give her power to the rightful king, Noctis. Leviathan refuses, and Imperials under Ardyn's command arrive to destroy Leviathan.

Leviathan destroys the Imperials while Ardyn makes his way to Luna and stabs her. Noctis is powerless to help her, as he is amid the chaos of the rampaging Leviathan. With her last strength, Luna invokes the souls of past kings to empower Noctis, so he can fight Leviathan, as only by defeating her will she accept the covenant. Noctis defeats her with the help of Titan and passes out. A dying Luna crawls over to him and heals him. Noctis meets her in a dream vision where she passes the Ring of the Lucii to him before her spirit departs from the world. Noctis awakens several days later to discover Luna has died and that Ignis was wounded during the evacuation and lost his eyesight.

Chapter 10 - The Heart of a King
Several weeks later, Noctis's group travels on a train towards Gralea, the capital of Niflheim where the Crystal is said to have been taken. Luna's death has hit Noctis hard, and he refuses to wield the Ring of the Lucii now in his possession. This angers Gladiolus, who deems Noctis's inability to deal with the grief as a sign he is not ready for the task they have at hand. He is also concerned about Ignis's condition: although his wounds have healed, his eyesight hasn't returned.

The train makes a stop at an abandoned mining town, where Cor claims one of the Royal Tombs lies. The group finds the weapon, and afterward Ignis speaks up to heal the rift that has formed between Noctis and Gladiolus. Noctis's resolve is restored, and he decides to continue onward and stop at Tenebrae along the way. Ignis is determined to continue with them despite his disability.

While on the train, Noctis talks with Ignis, who theorizes about the longer nights. For some time now, days have been getting shorter and the nights longer, which also means more daemons. After Luna's death the situation has worsened, and daylight is disappearing from the world. They believe the Crystal has the power to fight the darkness as it had always protected Insomnia from daemons.

Chapter 11 - In the Dark
The train is attacked by Ardyn's imperials. Ardyn stops time and taunts Noctis who is unable to attack him as Ardyn disappears every time he is close to striking. When the time resumes, Noctis and Prompto defend the train from the Imperial forces while Gladiolus and Ignis get the train running again. As Noctis and Prompto board the train after fending off an Imperial aerial assault, Noctis spots Ardyn holding Prompto at gunpoint. Noctis warps to Ardyn, but Ardyn stops time for a split second, allowing him to switch places with Prompto, causing Noctis to push him off the train by accident. Ardyn knocks Noctis out and departs.

Chapter 12 - End of Days
They are unable to stop the train to look for Prompto, and assume he has been captured by the Imperials. They stop at Tenebrae and find the Fleuret manor aflame as revenge by the Empire; Ravus has been executed for high treason, being blamed for the Leviathan incident, and thus the bloodline of the Oracles has ended. Without Luna holding back the darkness, sunlight has almost vanished from the world and daemons are now spawning even during the daylight hours. As they speculate that the Crystal has the power to repel the daemons, Noctis is even more desperate to seek it out.

Aranea has quit the army and is helping the victims of the Empire's attacks with Biggs and Wedge, her subordinates. As the passage to Imperial territory is dangerous, Noctis, Gladiolus and Ignis decide to head to Gralea without the other passengers with Biggs and Wedge operating the train. While in Tenebrae, Noctis learns Ravus had always been on Luna's side even though he had been affiliated with the Empire. Ravus had been skeptical of Noctis, doubting his status as the True King. Luna had doubted her strength and asked for Ravus to pass on the Ring of the Lucii to Noctis, but Ravus had told her to be strong and that passing on the Ring was her duty. Noctis learns Luna had been looking forward to their marriage.

As they continue they find Tenebrae unusually covered in a blizzard. As daemons spawn to halt the train at Shiva's corpse, Noctis meets Ardyn again. Noctis demands to know what Ardyn's gambit is, but the latter is frozen by Gentiana who reveals her true identity as the astral goddess Shiva. Noctis forges a covenant with her, and learns Ardyn is immortal and all their attacks on him are ineffective. Noctis ponders what Ardyn's true nature is, as he appears to draw power from the darkness itself. The party continues onward to Gralea with the knowledge that Prompto is held captive there along with the Crystal.

Chapter 13 - Redemption
Noctis, Ignis and Gladiolus enter Gralea by train but fall under attack and have to abandon the train with the belief that Biggs and Wedge can look after themselves. Noctis drives the Regalia into the city, but the car is destroyed and he becomes separated from his friends. He continues alone but finds he cannot summon his weapons to his side as his powers can been sealed. With Ardyn's taunting voice in his ears, Noctis decides to wield the Ring of the Lucii and blasts the daemons and magitek troops that spawn around him with magic.

The imperial city is devoid of human life and swarming with daemons. The magitek troops at the lab the Crystal is said to be kept in have gone rogue. Noctis discovers the Empire has been manufacturing daemons, that magitek troops are made out of their experiments with daemons and clones at the lab, and that a "vanishing disease" has ravaged the Empire that has its citizens turn into daemons the Empire cannot control. Noctis finds Ravus dead and recovers his father's sword. Letters Ravus had sent to Luna are scattered about his body, and through them Noctis learns Ravus had always supported her despite disagreeing with her conviction to help Noctis become the king.

Noctis is reunited with Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto who had been brought to the lab by Ardyn. After discovering Prompto was born at the lab to be made an MT, they can use him to open the sealed areas of the lab. They find Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt's throne room with his robes left on the seat, as he has also vanished and become a daemon. After turning off the device that seals his powers, they are attacked by a daemonic Ravus who begs them to kill him. After killing Ravus Noctis and his friends are ambushed by a horde of daemons and his friends urge him to go to the Crystal alone to use it to banish the daemons.

Noctis leaves his friends behind with a heavy heart and makes it to the Crystal. He is absorbed inside it while being taunted by Ardyn who reveals his true name as Ardyn Lucis Caelum. Ardyn is Noctis's ancestor who was to become the Chosen King until he was rejected by the Crystal for his affinity with the darkness. Ardyn had been a healer similar to the work Luna had done until recently, but the daemons had corrupted his soul. As the afterlife expels him, Ardyn will always return and thus has been plotting for generations for the demise of the Caelum family line and the Crystal. He explains to Noctis he would take scant satisfaction in killing Noctis as a mortal, and asks him to take the Crystal's power and become the True King.

The Crystal holds inside it the planet's soul. In this otherworldly dimension Noctis meets the astral god Bahamut and is made aware of his destiny as the True King. The True King is born once all of the Crystal's power is passed onto the Ring of the Lucii. The True King can banish the darkness from the world at the cost of his own life.

Chapter 14 - Homecoming
Noctis awakens on a remote island, having absorbed the Crystal's powers. He meets Umbra who delivers him a message: his friends are waiting for him at Hammerhead. Noctis takes King Regis's ship back to Galdin Quay. The world is shrouded in darkness and Galdin Quay is in ruin and swarming with daemons. Noctis is picked up by an adult Talcott, and he discovers he has been gone for ten years. The sun never arose again after he disappeared, and the world was overtaken by the forces of the dark. Lestallum still draws power from the ancient meteorite crystal, and is the only place with light and thus where most people left live. Noctis's old friends have become daemon hunters, and Ignis has become used to being blind and no longer needs a cane to walk. They had been trained by Cor to one day accompany Noctis upon his return to reclaim his throne and return light to the world.

After a final meal at camp, the four friends enter the ruins of Insomnia to where Ardyn has taken the Crystal. They battle through the daemons that now inhabit it to the Citadel where Ardyn appears and ushers Ifrit to attack them. Ifrit is one the Six and known as The Betrayer, for he loathes mankind and is the origin of the Starscourge and the daemons. The other astrals answer to Noctis's call to fight Ifrit, until Shiva freezes him with her kiss and Ifrit forges a covenant with Noctis.

Inside the palace the party marvels at the paintings of the prophecy of the coming of the Chosen King. Noctis asks one of the photos Prompto had taken on their journey to take with him. Noctis finds Ardyn sitting on the throne below the Crystal with the bodies of his father, his betrothed, Emperor Aldercapt and a Kingsglaive member Nyx Ulric hanging from the ceiling. Ardyn incapacitates Noctis's friends, telling him the final battle is a battle between kings. The two duel with wielding the power of kings, but Noctis emerges victorious. As Ardyn dies, he tells Noctis to see him "on the other side". Noctis sends his friends away in the manner Regis had sent their group away ten years ago, telling them to "walk tall".

As daemons surround the palace Noctis sits on the throne and calls upon the past kings. As the spirit of Regis watches on, the past kings of Lucis attack Noctis one by one as he grips onto his father's sword. His soul departs and is taken by the Ring of the Lucii. Now wielding the full powers of the light, Noctis's departing spirit finds Ardyn in the limbo of afterlife and erases his soul with the help of the past Lucian kings, including Regis, and Luna, and the memories of his friends. The Ring of the Lucii breaks, and with the prophecy fulfilled, the sun finally rises.

At their final camp site, Noctis had struggled expressing himself to his comrades who had always stayed by his side. He had made his peace with the sacrifice he would have to make, and thanked his friends with the words: "What can I say...you guys are the best."

Noctis and Luna share the throne labeled "Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV". Luna is wearing her wedding dress when Regis's voice pronounces them husband and wife. The two close their eyes as soul crystals glimmer in the air.

Chapter 15 - End of the Road
Beginning from a point outside the Citadel in Insomnia, Noctis can return to the past Lucis by calling Umbra. Cindy can upgrade the Regalia into the Regalia Type-F and Noctis can explore new dungeons and battle new monsters.