The ringing in his hears and pounding of his head are only cut through by the pain of a memory that is, in fact, his. Ah, yes- He remembers this. Quite vividly, even. Just like Mithrun is suddenly thrust into this memory, so is Ardyn thrust from finally having his revenge by killing Regis to instead an unproductive audience with Bahamut.

He is told that this isn't the path laid out for him. Rather, his 'fate' is to be the world's sacrificial lamb to end the blight of The Scourge upon the star once and for all. Fuck that, says Ardyn. Not quite so literally crass to Bahamut himself but- Close enough.

"Thine impudence shall prove thine undoing, foolish mortal."
"Oh, I'm no 'mortal.' I'm a monster."

Inky, viscous fluid leaks from his now black sclera, mouth, and even some of his pores. It oozes out of him as he grits his teeth and growls to fight against this 'fate' decided for him. For his disobedience, he's held prisoned in a circle of blades while a beautiful blonde woman dressed in white approaches to pierce him through his heart with a trident mercilessly. (If Mithrun notices any similarities to her and someone else he knows from another world, no he doesn't.) He begs her to end his curse, but all she does is stab him again.

"Pierce my heart if you must, but you will never kill my resolve."

Only a fool would defy such opposition, Bahamut says through her. Well, then? He must be a fool, through and through.