Altissia
"Do not board that ship, Chancellor." Ignis warned. He had no intention of letting Ardyn approach the Oracle. He had his daggers drawn. Ardyn slowly turned from the boarding ramp to face the younger man.
"My, you look so intimidating." His tone was petulant, mocking. "And if I do?" Ardyn asked provokingly.
"I will kill you."
"Oh I wish that you could, believe me I do." Ardyn walked slowly towards Ignis. "Aren't you going to try?" He said holding his arms outstretched, exposing every vital target. Ignis held his ground, but made no attempt to strike. "Just as I suspected." Ardyn turned and sauntered back towards the ship when he felt a dagger sink deep into his back. He turned around, smiling.
"Now that's more like it. In the back no less-but you are the most ruthless one."
"I warned you," Ignis clarified.
Ardyn pulled the dagger out of his back and held it in his hand. Ignis threw his second dagger, this time directly into Ardyn's heart. He hunched over for a moment, but stood up quickly. He was laughing. Ignis couldn't understand. He hadn't seen anything like it. He reached for a flask of fire-perhaps elemancy could affect him.
"Isn't it obvious yet? You cannot harm me." Ignis suddenly felt every muscle in his body freeze. Ardyn closed the distance between them. He took the flask of fire from Ignis' frozen hand. "Wouldn't want you to accidentally drop this now would we?" He slipped the dagger into his belt and held the flask. He started to circle Ignis.
"What should I do with you?" Ardyn asked lightly. It was starting to become obvious to Ignis that this meeting was not by chance-it was a trap and he'd fallen into it. "I could kill you, but that would be awfully pedestrian. And let's be frank, Noctis would not have the wits to complete this journey without you." Ignis struggled, but his limbs were not responsive. Ardyn kept eyeing him-the way a tailor might regard a client.
"Hmmm. I might have just the thing. Have you ever read the prophecy?" Ignis couldn't reply. "Of course you have. Did you know that one of the warriors of light is supposed to lose his vision?" Ignis remembered the paintings in the Citadel. He was never certain if it was literal or metaphorical. Right now, all he could feel was panic.
Ardyn stepped directly in front of Ignis and took the glasses from his face. He looked at them for a moment.
"'Specs' That's what they call you right?" He crushed the glasses in his hand and threw them away. "You won't be needing those again." With that, he closed his right hand around Ignis' neck. He held the fire flask in his left. Suddenly, Ignis felt life return to his limbs. He knew Ardyn was just toying with him, but he was determined to fight. He gripped Ardyn's right hand with both of his and tried with all his strength to free himself, but Ardyn was impossibly strong. He couldn't help but admire Ignis' spirit.
"You should be flattered I'm choosing you for this. You are the only one strong enough to endure it." Ignis still couldn't speak. His voice caught in his throat. Ardyn glanced from the fire flask in his hand to the dagger at his belt.
"Now, how should I do this?"
Author's note: This story is based on my very speculative theory about what took place during the fight with Leviathan that I have pieced together from dialogue in the game. I'm being intentionally vague about how exactly Ardyn blinds him (for now anyway-sorry!). If you have any questions about my thinking, please leave it in a review or send me a message. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!