[He expects fear and surprise, and the step that Prompto takes back only reinforces the answer to his question, one that he’s already decided for himself. Unfairly, perhaps, but decided all the same.

Ardyn could take another step forward, closing the distance between them, but he doesn’t. The darkness fades around the edges, and slowly, slowly, he allows his appearance to shift back into its more familiar look. Its human mask.]

Oh, where does all that positivity come from? [The way he says it, it’s obviously not much of a compliment.] Then let me ask you this, instead — what makes you think I care at all about looking past any of it? This state I’m in, it has defined me for ages, Prompto. And the chance of that changing has been thoroughly swept out from under the both of us.

[If Eos is gone, then so is everything else.]