[ He doesn't anticipate that he'll actually be able to kill the false king, of course. Ardyn had warned him that there was very little chance of that but his job was to try, to weaken him until he was less of a fight for Ardyn to worry about. That had been a touch perplexing since Ardyn was essentially immortal - how much help did he need, with the Astrals on his side? But it wasn't his duty to question, was it.

No matter how quickly he moves, Noctis parries each strike. He's at a disadvantage, being blind but thankfully he keeps talking, keeps alerting Noctis to his position and while it feels like cheating, it isn't as if he's asking the other man to be so obvious. ]

I remember enough -- [ It's snarled into Noctis' face when he's forced in close so he releases both daggers and strikes out with fists instead. It's said the false king has a pretty enough face; Ardyn had laughed and told him that if he had a guess, he'd say that he was Ignis' type, maybe, but it doesn't matter. ] Ardyn saved me after everything and I won't let you hurt him. The rest of the world can burn so far as I care but not him.