[ Time for some good, old-fashioned exposition.

It's nice, though, to look back, to remember where the journey really began. For although he and Noctis had been friends for years by the time they left Lucis, that was what really started it all. The excursion, as she calls it. ]

So...Noct was engaged to Luna. You know that part already. The original idea behind us leaving Insomnia was to escort him to Altissia where they would get married. Things were...kinda tense, then, between Lucis and the Empire. Real shocker, but the Empire had been steamrolling over kingdoms left and right and had Lucis in its sights. I'm not totally clear on all the, you know...political biz [ considering he calls it "political biz" ] but the general idea is that they wanted the Crystal, but the Emperor came to Insomnia pretending to be all friendly. Negotiate peace terms, or whatever.

[ He sighs gently next to her. ]

I think...the King knew that wasn't really what they came for, and that's why he sent us when he did. He wanted Noct out of the city if the Empire attacked, and...they did.

[ Of course they did. ]

We were just about to take the boat to Altissia when we got the news.