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The water continued to lap at his heels, the sound of the sloshing waves drowning out every single thought from his mind. He should be dead. He should have perished along with Origin in the destruction he placed upon that wretched place.
And yet, here he was. Washed up on the shores of somewhere along the beach of Sanbreque? Rosaria? He couldn’t quite tell where with how his face was halfway buried in the sand.
Clive urged his body to move, grunting in exertion as he managed to lay flat on his back. The moon was the first thing he laid eyes on. Burning bright and beautiful. A moon he’d hoped to gaze upon once more with Jill.
“Do you see it, too, Jill?” Clive silently posed into the night, hoping that Jill could hear his question from the Hideaway. He knew she’d be watching, waiting for his return with open arms and that smile of hers that was his undoing.
The bitter taste of fear lingered in the back of his throat as he lifted his hand up in front of his face, the ashen color of the crystal’s curse encompassing his left hand. He urged the power of Ifrit to spark a flame, but all that welcomed him was a pitiful fizzle of sparks to shoot into the breeze.
A small smile swept his face. A smile he felt was unwarranted given he had just lost Joshua to the untimely hands of harboring Ultima within his chest for far too long. His heart would take time to heal from losing his brother a second time, but he had done it. He had purged the world of magic and Eikon’s for good this time. A world in which they could finally be free to hope for a better future.
Clive attempted to flex his hand, but like an unmoving stone, his fingers did not twitch in the slightest. A final parting gift of the crystal’s curse bestowed upon him in turn for saving the world of Valisthea from further destruction.
He let his arm drop back to the sand, thankful that it did not spread to the rest of his body. The relief came as a shock to his system, the tears welling up behind his eyes again that made the glowing moon look like a blurred mirage on a distant sea.
“Jill. I’m coming home.” He got out on a broken breath. He didn’t know how he would get back to the Hideaway, but that never stopped him before. He always had a plan. Always had a means to get out of a situation and find his way back home.
Clive used his good hand to prop himself up onto his elbow, a grunt pulling from his chest when he leaned up and used his legs to fully hoist himself up and onto his feet. He took a good look at his surroundings, looking for any sort of landmark or point of interest. He wandered the beach with eyes peeled and a heart weighed down by his heavy emotions of getting home. If he knew anything about Jill, it was that she would seek the places where they spent their most precious moments together to gather evidence that he was truly gone before mourning the loss of him.
He would not let that happen. He would not let her even begin to wonder that he perished at the hands of Ultima, or even the destruction of Origin. Even if grief had stricken him the first moment he awoke on the beach, he would not let himself give up hope. For it was hope that allowed him to get this far.
Even with the glowing light of the moon shining down on him, the darkness made it hard to depict what lay ahead of him. But from what little light he did have, he noticed something soft and almost luminescent in the distance that had his heart nearly drop dead in his chest at a sight he never thought he’d see again.
Snow daisies. Hundreds of them. The very same place he had brought Jill before Joshua, Dion and himself had left for Origin. It was this very same place that he made promises with Jill about the life they would live together after everything was said and done.
“Wait for me, Jill.” He spoke down to the snow daisies, a sudden warmth beaming in his chest that had him smiling at the flowers drifting softly in the breeze. “Because I’ll be waiting for you.”
___
Grief had stricken Jill’s heart. The moment she had seen that flicker of red flame shooting up into the sky, her rational thoughts had dwindled with the idea of it being Clive’s very life essence being snuffed out. She couldn’t bear the thought of living a life without him in it.
Her treasure. Her star.
Clive was everything to her. And as she stood there clutching the railing with her breath catching in her throat around another heart wrenching sob, she felt Torgal howl sadly at the moon beside her. Torgal had always been at both of their sides. Whenever Jill had been in a bad mood or hid herself away to cry, Torgal was always there to snuggle up at her side and offer his comfort to her in the only way he knew how to as a faithful hound.
“Thank you, Torgal.” Her voice was weak and brittle, her eyes too watery to even gaze up at the moon any longer as she wrapped her arms around Torgal and buried her face in his soft fur.
“I refuse to believe the darkness claimed him.” Jill whispered into Torgal’s fur, already dampened by her overflowing tears. “Despite how much of a terrible liar Clive has always been, he would not dare break his promise, would he, Torgal?”
Torgal barked in recognition, a soft whine and whimper ushering to her that he believed the same. Jill smiled despite her heart feeling as brittle as ash. “You would know best, wouldn’t you?”
Torgal gave another encouraging bark before breaking away from Jill and jumping side to side. Jill couldn’t help but to laugh, using her index fingers to dry her tears as she gained her grounding once again. “I know a place we can start. Shall we go and fetch ourselves a very foolish man?”
Torgal hopped up on his front paws to lick Jill’s cheek, another bark telling her that he was itching to go with her with utmost urgency. Her laughter caught the attention of Gav, who came racing out of the infirmary just as the first few rays of sunshine graced the skies with its warmth.
“Aye Jill! I know now's not the best of times to be asking yous how yer faring, but if it’s any consolation, I been known to listen pretty well.” Gav scratched the back of his head, a goofy smile stretched along his face. Give it up for Gav to be worried on her behalf. “Cid, the old bugger, would say how I had quite the knack for it.”
She gave Gav a quick smile, masking the pain she had been feeling not moments ago. “Never better, actually. Torgal and I were just on our way to go and fetch ourselves a particular swordsman.”
“A particular swords-” Gav’s sole working eye blew wide, his mouth agape. “You don’t mean that our boy Clive survived that shite, do ye?”
Jill bit her bottom lip, hiding a smile. “I’ll admit, I had my doubts, but I’ve believed in Clive since we were little. He’s overcome so many hardships, and at every instance, he has prevailed with unwavering courage. He has a big heart, bigger than anyone that I know with how he places others before himself. Damning himself in order to see that those he cares for are safe and sound.” Her hands clenched into fists at her side, her resolve hardening with her own resilience. “If anyone is bound to survive the end of an era, it would be Clive. And I… I love him far too much to allow the thought of him being gone to penetrate my thoughts.”
She took in a long and shuddering breath before she continued. “You see, Gav, I once spent thirteen years wondering if he survived the events at Phoenix Gate, so why should the events at Origin be any different.”
Gav’s lips began to wobble, his eyes turning glassy as he gave a hard nod. “I admire that determination of yer’s, Jill. Here I was thinkin’ o’ the worst case scenario and harborin’ the responsibilities Clive left me wit. I was fearin’ he wouldn’t show his handsome mug back here again. It would be a cryin’ shame to lose my old drinkin’ pal, and an even greater shame to not see my favorite pair o’ lovebirds gracing our halls wit yer infectious joy.”
The emotions began to bubble in the back of her throat all over again. She had already cried so much that night that her eyes ached. But the time for crying was over. It was a time for hope. For joy and laughter and love. It was a time for healing. Not just for them, but for Valisthea as a whole.
Jill reached down to ruffle the fur behind Torgal’s ears, a warmth growing in her chest at seeing the love of her life again. How would he look? The idea of him battered and bloodied made her throat go dry with growing anxiety, but even so, she would lug him back to the Hideaway for Tarja to nurse him back to health and mother him till he was sick of it.
“Thank you, Gav.” Jill smiled as she ran into Gav and gave him a tight hug. Gav stood there stunned, his arms stuck in mid-air before he wrapped them around her back. “For all that you do. You’re an important friend and I value your friendship more than anything.”
Gav clicked his tongue, pulling away from the hug with a sheepish brush at his neck. “Aye, no need to get all mushy on me now, Jill. Save that for when ye see Clive, eh? I’m sure the man’ll be over the moon to see his favorite lady welcome him home.”
Now it was Jill’s turn to become bashful. The sight of Clive’s smile and his glorious laughter set the butterflies running amok in her stomach. “Then I shan't waste but a moment more.” Jill turned to look at Torgal, motioning with her hand to head for the docks. “We’ll be back before Uncle Byron gets into his fourth drink.”
Gav snorted, a long laugh belting from his chest. “Fourth? That’s wishful thinkin’ there, lass!”
Jill laughed as she turned to look to the horizon. “Wishful thinking is all I’ve ever done. It’s kept me aloft in times of great despair.”
“Well, off you go before Charon catches wind of what you’re plottin.” Gav chuckled despite the fact that he looked around nervously, almost as if she would appear around the corner to scold him. She didn’t blame Gav for Charon was a force to be reckoned with. “I best be headin’ back to Edda. With the bairn here and all, I want to be there for her every step of the way.”
Jill’s smile softened. “You’re a good man, Gav. Tell her I said congratulations.”
“You can tell her yerself when you and his handsome mug gets back here.” Gav shot her a playful wink before he turned tail and raced back to the infirmary like his life depended on it.
The front deck was silent once more, accompanied only by the frantic whine’s from Torgal at her side. Jill could only laugh at his growing enthusiasm to be reunited with his master. “Shall we be off, then, Torgal?”
___
The trek to Sanbreque was a tireless and painstaking journey. Her mind was racing with thoughts of what she would say to Clive. What would she do when she spotted him across the way? Would he smile at her to deceptively hide the pain he felt, or would he break down and weep within her arms?
The thoughts swam about in her mind. She did not get a wink of sleep since she left the Hideaway. Not until she saw Clive with her own eyes could she safely rest her eyes and dream of better days.
Torgal raced down the dirt road that led up to the hill where the snow daisies littered the grounds with their shining brilliance. They twinkled in the morning light, like stars shifting across a darkened sky.
Her throat choked up at the sight, recalling the very day she stood in the field with Clive before everything went sour. They spoke of promises. A future. Her fingers trailed up to her lips to gently brush over her skin. The memory of Clive’s plush lips melding with her own was still fresh in her mind. Hours earlier, she had been in the process of mourning the loss of never being able to feel his lips on her own again. Feel the warmth of his body close to hers.
But now, she was here.
Torgal barked to sound her attention, and Jill all but eagerly raced towards the faithful hound to come across a scene that had her heart swelling in her chest.
Clive. He looked so peaceful sleeping amongst the snow daisies. His chest rose and fell in a gentle rhythm. Her eyes prickled with tears at the sound of his breathing, and just to make sure that he was more than alive, she fell to her knees to lay next to him. She curled up beside him, her head laying atop of his chest where his heart thumped a strong and steady beat.
The tears flowed anew, her breaths coming out sharp and labored. “I found you, Clive. Like I always have.”
The sound of her heartfelt devotion roused him from his gentle slumber. She felt the curl of his muscled arms wrap around her waist first, and then his lips on the crown of her head.
“I know you would, Jill.” The deep baritone of his voice rumbled in his chest, a broken laugh falling from his lips. “I never doubted you for a moment.”
The floodgates of her emotions broke free all at once. She could not be accounted for her actions any longer as she sprung up to look him in the eyes. Those gorgeous, radiant blue eyes of his that spoke of the love and heartache he endured. Her tears pelted his cheeks, and the cracked sound of her laughter joined with his.
Clive’s hand found her cheek, caressing it softly with the pad of his thumb. The rough calluses of his fingers felt soothing and refreshing. Clive didn’t say a word, and neither did she. She just continued to stare into his eyes, burning this moment into her memory that he had survived.
Words felt wrong at this moment. Too many to say, and too many left unsaid. So, she gripped the collar of his shirt and pulled him forward to press his lips to her own. The warmth of his lips mixed with the chill of the tears that continued to roll down her face.
He was here. Alive. Breathing.
Her lips parted, her tongue eager for his own that met with the heat of his own desires. His hand moved to tangle up in her hair, gripping her fully to him, as if to validate that she was here with him too. It stole all the breath from her lungs, and she could not give a damn if her chest begged for air. All she needed was to breathe in Clive, slink under his skin and become one with him entirely.
She moved onto kissing his jaw, tenderly pressing her lips to the bearer scar that crawled up the side of his cheek. Laughter spilled from her lips in waves as she moved onto kissing the tip and bridge of his nose. She didn’t stop herself until she kissed every part of his face.
“Will you allow yourself a moment to breathe?” Clive whispered in jest, his lips trying to mirror her actions by pressing his lips to her cheeks where her porcelain skin had been streaked by tears. “Or even allow me to repay your tender touches in kind?”
“Not until I’ve had my fill.” The airiness in her tone almost sounded seductive if it weren’t for the pain that still lingered behind it. “I just… I needed to be close to you to realize you were really here with me.”
Clive’s smile was her light in the darkness. The warmth of it soothing her soul to its very core. Her hand reached blindly to clasp her fingers around his other hand, only to be met with the feeling of smooth stone.
Her heart leapt up into her throat, her eyes trailing over to see that the crystal’s curse had claimed his hand. “Clive… This is-”
“I know. But I need you to listen to me, Jill. It isn’t what it looks like.”
The calmness in his voice made the angry demon inside her chest rear its ugly head and scowl at him. “I know what the crystal curse looks like, Clive. This is a matter of severe import, and you’re not taking this as seriously as I am.”
Clive still continued to remain calm, his smile widening even. His good arm raised into the air, his hand cupping her cheek as he smoothed away her tears with his thumb. “I know you’re scared. Believe me, I was too, but I don’t think we’ll have to worry anymore.”
There was always one thing about Clive. She could never stay mad at him for long. He always had a way of bringing a smile back to her face. Whether that would be by putting on a ridiculous fanfare for her own amusement, or simply by just offering her kind remarks to make up for it.
“But I saw the red flare in the sky.” Her throat felt choked again. Feeling as though he would drift through her fingers and disperse into the last flickers of a dying flame. “I thought that was you.”
Clive shook his head, his lips finding her own to gently convey to her that this was real. He was so gentle, tender in the way he pressed a couple more to her flush lips to really ingrain the moment to memory. “It wasn’t me, Jill. But from what I can gather, I believe it was the final spark of magic going out from our world.”
Her eyes widened in realization. “You mean to say that it is the same for bearers and eikon’s alike to not bear the burden of the curse any longer?”
Clive’s smile widened, only that there was some sadness held behind it. The blues of his eyes were watery waves that were on the brink of spilling over. “Yes. Joshua, Dion and I did it.”
This should have been due time for celebration with magic being stripped from the lands of Valisthea, but her heart felt like a heavy weight in her chest at the way that Clive’s eyes began to blink back tears. His smile turned into a frown, gritting his teeth.
She knew the answer in her heart, felt the pain radiating off of Clive with the way his hand began to shake against her cheek, and the way his breathing became hitched in his throat. “What of Joshua and Dion? Did the three of you get separated?”
It was as if that was the final straw for Clive as he broke down completely. His head landed on her shoulder, his good arm wrapping protectively around her waist. She felt the lump in her throat throb, her eyes raw from crying. Yet, despite it all, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her fingers carding through his unruly hair to soothe his aching heart.
“I’m so sorry, Clive.” Her words were but a breath of a whisper against his hair. She didn’t have any other words to say at that moment. Sorry did not feel just, it felt almost insufficient to how Joshua’s presence was to the both of them. But most of all, to Clive. After thirteen long years of being separated, and then many more after that, only to lose Joshua all over again. She couldn’t even begin to fathom the amount of pain he was in, but she would be there for him. Here to soothe the ache that would take time to heal.
“He’ll always be a part of you. In your heart.” Jill voiced around another lump in her throat, her lips pressing into his hair to solidify her heartfelt notion. “I will do the same.”
Clive’s breath was hot on her throat, his lips pressing against her thrumming pulse with a sniffle. “Thank you, Jill. I… I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
Jill allowed herself to laugh, a broken thing, but it felt cathartic. “You say that, and here I was dreading the very thought of being lost without you .”
Clive’s husky chuckle made her skin prickle, a shiver coursing through her at the feeling. It just further established the fact that he was here at this moment with her. “I promised I would come back to you, didn’t I?”
Jill had the words on the tip of her tongue, but the excited barking of Torgal as he jumped in between them to nuzzle his wet snout against Clive’s cheek had her laughing. “I think Torgal was beginning to get jealous that I was hogging you all to myself.”
Clive’s laughter was the sweetest sound she could ever hear. His good arm ruffled Torgal’s soft fur, his forehead knelt against his faithful hound’s. “I could never forget about you, boy.”
Torgal’s happy barks lifted the deep pits of her sorrow, her heart swelling with so much joy that she didn’t think it was possible to feel this happy. Clive’s good hand scratched underneath his chin, his smile soft and warm. “And thank you, Torgal, for taking care of Jill in my short absence.”
“He was my shoulder to cry on, so to speak.” Jill mentioned a bit shyly, her fingers combing through Torgal’s soft fur at his back.
“Hopefully I can turn those tears into happy ones.” Clive’s smile turned a bit devious, which only made her stomach flutter for a much different reason.
“Whatever do you mean by that, Clive?”
Clive cleared his throat, the flush of pink rising against his cheeks and along his neck. “Before you arrived, I was trying to think of a way I could make it up to you. A way for me to show you how much I truly love you.”
The breath hitched in her throat, her heart beating wildly within her chest. “Clive… You’ve done much more than that by simply being at my side. I don’t need a flurry of pretty words to know how much you care.”
“But it’s what you deserve after so many years of me dealing with my own inner battles that I forgot what was most important.” His eyes were more serious than she’d ever seen them. Determination flickering in the gorgeous sea of blue. He cursed at the way his other arm remained as a dead weight at his side, so he used his good arm once again to shuffle in his pockets for something. She couldn’t tell what the object was with how he carefully had it furled in his fist. “I want you to know how serious I am about you.”
Her throat choked up and her eyes became cloudy for an entirely different reason. “Clive, I, I don’t know what to say.”
Clive took a shaky, nervous breath before he unfurled his hand to reveal a cleverly weaved snow daisy into the shape of a ring. “I want to make it more official by getting Blackthorn to make you something more beautiful, but this for now will have to do.”
Her tears spilled anew, the love she felt for Clive growing tenfold by his heartfelt gift. “I may have learned a thing or two from watching you weave those flowers together.”
Her smile stretched across her face so wide that her cheeks hurt. Her hands came up to cup his cheeks, her lips descending on him in the sweetest kiss before pulling away. ““I’ll treasure it, just like I treasure you.”
Clive chuckled, his own eyes brimming and overflowing with tears. He had never been afraid to cry in her presence, and this time was no exception.
“May I?” Clive held out the crafted ring to her hand in an offering, and she all but too eagerly held out her slender hand to him.
“You may.” She finally answered as Clive slipped the makeshift ring onto her finger. It felt cool and a bit damp from the early morning dew, but it felt special all the same.
“I want to give you everything. I want to spend every waking moment with you under the same sky. Tangled up in the same bed.” Clive’s heartfelt words spurred her to wrap her arms around his neck, her forehead kneeling against his. The warmth of his breath dusted across her face, his smile she could feel pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose. “That is, if you’ll allow me?”
Jill’s laughter filled the air, her lips already pressing to his own with equal tenderness. “What part of what I’ve said gave you the idea that I would not allow it?” Her fingers rubbed against the stubble of his jaw. “I am yours, Clive. Now and forevermore. I love you more than words will simply allow.”
“Right.” Clive breathed, a husky laugh breezing across her lips. “How silly of me to doubt your intentions.”
The time for words was over as she indulged in the comfort of Clive’s warmth. His lips on her own, and the feeling of his hand pressing into her waist to draw her closer. If it weren’t for the fact that Torgal continued to twirl in circles and bark every now and again, maybe she would have taken advantage of the situation and had Clive take her in the field of snow daisies to consummate their newfound freedom.
But there would be plenty of time for moments like those. And it would all start with the ring upon her finger.
___
Some time later…
Clive’s quill drifted across the page in a hasty manner. After all the wedding preparations and celebration had come to a close, Clive finally had a moment to draft down his thoughts to paper.
His mind had been swimming with the thought of what Harpocrates had said to him before the trip to Origin, and that stuck with him. So, he began writing down the tales of his adventures of his own life, and that of his loved ones and close friends.
He had kept it all relatively private until Jill had snuck a peek once or twice at the words littered across the page. Her own enthusiasm at Clive detailing their adventures made his heart feel at ease. Clive had not taken pen to paper as much in the past with how it was always wielding a sword to fell the Akashic and Imperials alike. So, Jill was his editor in that regard where she read over every chapter and pointed out any mistakes she saw.
“Clive, will you come to bed?” Jill’s sleep drenched voice pierced his consciousness, her slender arms drifting across his shoulders before dangling in front of his chest. He could see the newly crafted ring that glittered across her ring finger. It was a simple silver ring, but the thing that made it special was the snow daisy that lay encased in amber in the middle instead of a jewel. Jill had protested that Blackthorn used it instead of a traditional diamond or other with how significant the flower had been to her. And with Clive not being able to deny Jill, he agreed with the idea for the flower to be encased in amber.
Clive took her hand, kissing the ring on her finger and smiling fondly at it. “In a moment. I just wanted to get the finishing touches down on this second to last chapter.”
Jill leaned in, her other hand scanning over the contents of the page. He could hear her already listing off some minor nitpicks of what he could change, but other than that, she seemed pleased with it. “I rather like it. Even if it does feel bittersweet in the end, I admire that you’ve come this far.”
Clive felt his skin run hot. He wished he could have blamed it on Ifrit, but with magic being erased from their world permanently now, he only had his own bodily functions to blame for it. “Thank you, Jill. It means a lot to me that you think so.”
She gave a pleasant hum behind him, her body sinking into his back as she became more relaxed. “Have you come up with a name for it yet? I know you’ve been dreading the thought of it, but maybe now would be the best with how you’re nearly done?”
Clive scrunched his brows. It was the one thing plaguing his mind. The title for this grand tale of their lives. He wanted it to be impactful, something that would grab the reader's attention and keep them engrossed for years to come.
“What about…” Clive grabbed his quill and pressed it to a fresh sheet of paper. His quill danced across the page with an elegant swish and flick of his wrist before placing it back down. “How’s this?”
Jill picked the paper up and read the words aloud. “ Final Fantasy by Joshua Rosfield.”
She stopped speaking for what felt like minutes, which only made him feel a bit anxious. “If it’s not good, I can change it.”
Jill shook her head as she moved over to carefully seat herself within his lap with the paper at hand. Clive maneuvered himself, so that she could sit more comfortably and his arm could hold her better.
“I think it’s a wonderful name. It holds a great amount of importance.” Her smile gave him confidence enough to dissuade the anxious worm in his chest, but the scrunch of her lips told of something else. “But I have to ask why you chose to use Joshua’s name instead of your own?”
Clive knew this moment would come. He took a long breath in before he exhaled to speak. “I had been mulling over it for some time now. Joshua had been such an integral part of my life. Our lives, our journey. Even if he was not always there, he still held so much importance that he deserves to have his name ingrained in history. If Joshua were alive today, he would have loved to tell the story of how we saved the world. He was always trying his best to protect people, to help people in need. He never once stopped to think of himself, which to no fault of his own, but his kindness was infectious. And so, he deserves to be remembered for the kindhearted, selfless man that he was.”
Tears began to wet the page, and it took Clive a moment to realize that Jill had been crying. Her eyes were wet and slightly puffy, but the smile she donned was nothing short of peaceful. “It’s beautiful, Clive. I think Joshua would have been happy to hear that you’re honoring his memory in such a way.”
Clive smiled, his lips pressing to her cheek to quell her tears. “I would surely hope so.”
Jill placed the tear stained page down, her head resting underneath his chin while her arms wrapped around his torso. “It will make a fine tale for people to read one day. I know it.”
Clive pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he scooted the chair back and carefully carried her back to their bed. He placed her down, curling himself into her as she did the same. Jill did not go a single moment since their reunion to attach herself at the hip to him. But to Clive, he did not mind it one bit.
Their lives from then on would have their ups and downs, but with Jill at his side, he believed anything was possible.
The snow daisy amber encased ring solidified that promise they made together in the field of glowing flowers.