etraya | un: CliveRosfield | Video - Backdated to 7/5, late morning

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un: CliveRosfield | Video - Backdated to 7/5, late morning

[The video turns on to show Clive outdoors. He seems to be walking rather quickly as he speaks so the video is a little shaky.]

Forgive me if the quality of this video is not great. It’s my first time doing this, but I have a message for the community.

At midday, there will be a battle in the Ochreward area. This is a planned event and there is nothing to be alarmed of. You will likely see and hear two giant creatures fighting. One will be a dragon and the other a dark knight upon his steed. Please say well clear of the area. While this is just a spar for them, it can very quickly become deadly for anyone who is too close or tries to intervene.

If the dragon sees you and can, he’ll likely do what he can to avoid hitting you. The knight will not. Don’t take the risk.

I repeat: do not approach the area. It will be unsafe for you. This isn’t a fun event to come gawk at. This is two highly skilled warriors testing their mettle against one another.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know, and I will do my best to help you. I will be near the area where the spar is happening in an effort to prevent anyone from interrupting if the request needs to be made in person, but it would be safer if you asked here instead.

[ooc: You can find the log here.]

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[Anything Clive was thinking about sending comes to a screeching halt. There is a delay of a couple of minutes before Vander receives another response.]

Cid died. The crystal didn't kill him. The creature that came from a portal that opened when it broke did. It's the only time something has come through when we broke one. I've destroyed 5.

[Nothing like being asked about if anyone was hurt and mentioning the man that died in the arms of the recipient of said message in practically the same breath.]

[There's a delay on his end in return. He liked Cid; he was a good guy and unironically free-spirited.]

Is there a method to bring someone back in your world? He seems to vibrant here, even though he's usually teetering on the precipice of complete intoxication. I see what you mean by dangerous. Keep an eye out for your shiny rocks or else someone might be hurt trying to contain them.

[Another delay, this one a little longer.]

No. If there was I would still have him with me. It's been 5 years for me. Thought I'd never see him again. You're right. And he's just as vibrant as he was before. I won't hesitate to destroy them. If there is even a fraction of a chance that someone could get hurt, that is a fraction too high.

[A couple minutes later, Vander gets another text.]

He died saving me.

So I imagine you're investing plenty of time and energy into reconnecting with what you lost all those years ago. I expect that must be bittersweet for you. If the one that caused you to lose him show up, how would you take precautions?

[Vander was forcing his fingers to work because he felt his chest experience a tightness. He knew it was a long shot, but what if... Vi came. Or Claggor and Mylo. What if he could see them again? What he wouldn't give for a similar opportunity.]

I know a little of what that's like.

I am. Finding the balance between catching up, being too quiet, and not being a pest is not an experience I ever thought I would have with him. I was a very different man when I last had him in my life. I-

If the one that caused me to lose him showed up, we would all have a whole lot more problems. Typhon, the monster that ended up killing him, I could take care of. It would be a lot easier for me now than it was then. The being who was a part of Typhon? Who came with him? That would be a whole different issue.

[Using talk-to-text has largely been how Clive is getting through this. Shaking hands don't make for clear typing. Even when sometimes he forgets to go back and delete aborted thoughts.]

I'm sorry. I wish you didn't have to. No one deserves this pain. You seem like a good man, and if Cid likes you, then I know that is true. He's a bit of a lush and likes to pretend he is flippant and aloof, but I bet both you and I know better.

[Another message comes in quickly.]

I would like to meet you in person sometime soon. Can I take you out for drinks?

From what I know of him, I can't see him thinking that you're a pest. He seems to make time for anyone, especially someone who he has an extensive history with. You never know, maybe he appreciates how you've grown up since his passing.

[He made a point of filing away the Typhon name just in case. This seemed important if it was strong enough to kill Cid who seemed too vital to be uprooted from life. Then again...]

And who would that person be? They seem dangerous, and while you seem like an open person, I don't see you as unnecessarily alarmist. Cid and I have a loose association, and he made a good first impression on me. From what I gathered, Cid cares very much, and he's willing to fight for that care. He's also has a great liking of the trolley system. Does he know about his inevitable passing, or is he about to read it in our thread? I assume he knows.

[Well, well, well, that was an unexpectedly quick invitation. That was usually Vander's line.]

Is that so? I must have made quite the impression myself then. I'm game for a meet up. How about you come to the bar that I work at, and I'll make you whatever you want and we can swap stories.

I would hope so. I only knew him for a short time before he died but he made a profound impact on me. This might sound a bit dramatic, but he saved me in more than one way. Maybe I’ll tell you about it some time.

[He should probably tell Cid about it first, but hey. Details. ]

More of a ‘what’ than a ‘who’. It’s called Ultima and has a fondness for trying to destroy worlds. At the time I’m from it doesn’t have a physical form yet so the damage it can do is less, but it would have access to a vessel if it so chose to try and succeeded. Though that vessel isn’t fully prepped yet so I don’t know if it would do that. Depends on the level of desperation I think.

[Just gonna conveniently leave out the part the Clive is the vessel for the time being. He’ll mention it if it becomes more relevant.]

I would like that. Once all of this chaos is done we can meet up. I need to stay here for now to make sure these two don’t kill each other or stop stupid people from getting too close since apparently “it’s dangerous stay away” seems to be code for “it’s dangerous time to go watch”.

Dead and a drunkard. It was a beautiful eulogy. Thanks, Clive.

If you would like a proper one let me know. I’ll come up with a real tear-jerker.

[Also not the way he would have liked Cid to see the whole “profound impact” thing. And very glad he didn’t go into more detail.]

Edited (Added brackets) 2025-07-07 17:32 (UTC)

No, thank you Clive. That’s quite alright. I think the good bit about dying is you also don’t have to sit through your own funeral.

[The sheer quantity of his own business just out here for anyone to read… Sure, he did this to other people. Including Clive. But he’s not too fond of his own medicine. Though some of the things the two men said did make him feel a certain way.]

Your loss. It would have been a good one.

[Enjoy the feelings of all kinds, Cid. Clive is going to go drag his hands down his face in sheer embarrassment now.]

So this one is your protégé, is he? You don't mind us becoming friends, do you?

Have at him.

He's kind of a puppy, and he sure likes talking about you. Always making an impression, Cid.

I’ve been described worse.

He’s a good kid. I know you’ll play nice.

[Vander had to wonder if by 'profound', it might have been sexual. Who knew. He liked to think that it was a mentorship, but he wasn't familiar enough with either to yet know their dynamic.]

You can tell me over drinks, since that's the way this is going. I have nothing bad to say about Cid, so you're only solidifying my opinion of him. I don't understand what you mean by a vessel being fully prepped yet. As in, the person it will possess isn't mature or strong enough? Can you change similarly as these two that are about to battle royale?

[World systems were strange and fantastical. He wondered if anyone ever thought that way about Zaun... probably not.]

Why bother wait until the chaos runs its course? I'll come find you since you're on duty keeping people safe, and I can keep you company while also watching a good show. You know curiosity causes people to forget their own mortality at times.

He is a good man. I wouldn't be surprised if he has tried to pretend like he isn't. He's a man who is fond of selling himself short.

[Clive will continue to rat you out in public, Cid.]

That's a long story. I'll try to pare it down. Ultima needs a body to be able to come to the physical plane. He has a ridiculous amount of magical power so he can't just pick a random person. Our bodies aren't made to contain or use magic for an extended period of time so that much magic would probably just instantly kill most people. The vessel is a body that can withstand higher amounts of magic. I don't know why. Ultima wants the vessel to absorb the powers of the other Eikons like the ones that are going to spar. According to Barnabas, it is to make the vessel stronger and thus make it more likely to be strong enough to handle Ultima. There are 7 Eikons in my world that the vessel needs to absorb before it is capable of holding Ultima.

And yeah, I can change too. My Eikon is different. He's kind of difficult to describe. His name is Ifrit and is a Warden of Fire, which basically means that is the element that he is an aspect of. Bahamut, the dragon, is light. Odin, the knight, is darkness.

[Thank goodness for talk-to-text.]

That would be nice. I am learning that some people here seem to believe they are untouchable. Some of them might be, I don't know. But damn.

Once you reach a certain age and have done a certain amount, it's easy to fall back into that mindset. Maybe he doesn't want to detract from the attentions he believes you or others deserve.

[He has no issue talking about Cid publicly as it means not having to talk about himself. It's perfect honestly.]

I suppose that makes sense, like trying to plug in too run too much chemtech through the bulbs and it may cause them to blow the circuits. Except in this case it's a world destroying god-like thing that needs magic-wielding puppet to exist and parasite off of. So you're saying that certain people are strong enough to handle more than one of these... Eikons? And let me guess each of the 7 have an element that they hold mastery over, hence why Ultima is a culmination of all of them. So Cid is, or was, lightning. What happens to an Eikon when someone dies? Does it attach itself to the closest person to just go back to their own realm until someone else is born to inhabit?

[This is complicated, and he doesn't exactly think that he understands the nuances that are probably happening here. He is starting to garner a better sense, but it still feels very off the mark.]

Death apparently isn't permanent, but it allegedly causes someone to lose something. A memory, a body part, maybe an item. I haven't died here so I couldn't tell you the truth of it. I also suspect that most people haven't seen Barnabas in full action, so this is an opportunity few will pass up on. I don't know anything about Dion so I won't speak to him.

People deserve to have others who care about them in their lives no matter their age. He deserves that whether he thinks he does or not. And frankly, if the people he cares about care back it’s their choice if they want to be around him, much as he seems to like to chase me away.

[Be careful what you wish for, Vander. You just might be seen, too.]

I have no idea what chemtech is. Is it an energy source? But yeah, you could say that.

[Puppet. Clive winces, chest constricting.]

Where I am from there is only one that exists that can do it. I have no idea why they were born now. Maybe it’s random, maybe the Eikon chose. Not my area of speciality.

[Clive is no expert, but he has some incentive to learn some of it, what with being said vessel. ]

Yeah, each has their element. There is only supposed to be one per element. I don’t know where they go when their Dominant dies but eventually they pick a new Dominant. It usually happens along bloodlines. It’s also really uncommon for as many Eikons to be active now as there are. And Barnabas is the first Odin in recorded history.

[This place… so strange.]

Not permanent. I wonder how this place manages that. There is a chance that we might not see Odin’s full power. I don’t know. Seeing him Prime is admittedly a bit awe inducing. It’s the first time I’ve seen it.

Dion is also incredibly strong. He is a sight to behold now that I am not the one fighting him.

I agree with you, and I appreciate that you're so passionate about that. Sounds likes you're in the process of convincing him to accept your care. If you need me to pin his arms behind his back so you can hug him aggressively, I'm game.

[Nope. Nope, he's confident aiming Clive at Cid will be best for everyone.]

It's an energy source, formulated using industrial chemicals where we live. It's the most common light source (among other things) aside from flame.

Oh, only one? That has to be a pickaxe in a cave in for a world full of people. Do you consider yourself lucky for being chosen?

[Sorry, pal, you opened the door to being continual questions about yourself and your world. This is just how it goes.]

Sounds like a burden to bear, especially for a once in a recorded history type to appear. Sounds like some convoluted world ending event about to happen. At least that's how the stories of old seem to tell it. No idea. I'm technically dead in my world. [Accidental half-truth there. Is he dead? Is he not? Unable to confirm or deny.] Either way, it seems like it's going to be quite the light show. Are you a fan or something of Barnabas and Odin, Clive? You fought him? As in, you sparred?

It’s an uphill battle, but I’ll wear him down eventually.

[Clive chuckles.]

For a full on hug? Both arms and everything? He’ll definitely need to be restrained. Or drunk.

[He’s not entirely wrong, but would still be in the splash radius though. ]

That’s very interesting. We have fire and magic back home and that’s it.

[Soon it’ll only be fire if Clive has anything to say about it.]

I would say it is the shit end of the luck stick. Convoluted world ending events are exactly what is in store if Ultima has in store if he isn’t stopped. He will be. I’m not losing our home to him. My brother would know more about the lore there.

What do you mean “technically” dead? Can people be brought back from the dead in your world, too?

[Well shit. Talk about embarrassing. Clive silently kicks himself for that one. How does he respond without mentioning the whole “I’m the vessel and he is a worshipper of Ultima” thing?]

Ha, not particularly. I can respect strength where it is due. What he can do is new to a lot of us.

[Sorry Dion. He is going to be as vague as possible.]

No. Ultima interfered in his life and it was the only way to save him.

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un: CliveRosfield | Video - Backdated to 7/5, late morning

(ooc: prayer hand emoji pls teach)

(ooc: come with him, young padawan)

(ooc: thank you kind sir)

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@cid; voice

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Text; un: hound

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