After turning five, Ardyn began having strange dreams.
In those dreams, he saw himself and his mother living in a completely different world.
The dreams continued, unraveling the entire life of that version of him.
But the strangest thing was how vivid they felt—far too real to be mere dreams.
The emotions, the pain of losing his mother because of his own powerlessness, and the consequences of his choice.
As the years passed, he came to a realization.
"Those weren’t dreams," Ardyn said as he looked at his reflection.
Or so he believed.
And that belief turned into an unrelenting obsession.
He needed to become stronger.
Stronger so he would never feel that powerlessness again.
Stronger so he would never endure the pain of losing someone he cared about.
Stronger so he won't be controlled by anyone.