Chapter 11

Lord of the Wood

Year of the Realm 873/311 AC

Clive didn't know what sort of people he should expect to live in the middle of the deadlands. Cid and Goetz were not what he expected at all to be fair. A sarcastic man with all the skills of a trained knight, and a large brute in body but with a heart and innocence akin to a child. Truly he was in strange company. The journey itself kept him on his toes. A few beasts here and there, not a bandit in sight nor a patrol from any of the kingdoms. The only thing that kept Clive going forward was the promise of treatment for Jill. That was another issue Clive could not keep off his mind. How she could end up a prisoner of the Ironblood…be the Dominant of Shiva no less…for this to happen at all was unthinkable to Clive.

"We're almost there!" Cid calls out from up ahead "Just a few minutes' walk south, should see the entrance soon."

"You said that almost an hour ago."

"Did I?" Cid shrugs "My mistake then."

If it weren't for Torgal, Clive would have no doubt attacked the man by now. Most of the day had been spent walking, trying to get to this secret hideaway of his. If only he knew just how long the day would be, he would have played dead instead. "And just what exactly is this hideaway of yours?"

Cid chuckles, gesturing towards a cave entrance behind him "If you really want to know, fancy a look inside?"

Clive brushed past him quickly enough. Motioning Goetz to follow him in, not that the large man needed to be told that, as Torgal bounds past him. The cave itself was small for an entrance. What it led to, however, was far more impressive. "This is…a Fallen ruin?"

The wide-open main area Clive found himself in was indeed a Fallen ruin. What it once was he could not say but the people moving around, going about their daily tasks, certainly were no strangers to its layout. Cid chuckles as he claps his hand to Clive's shoulder "Welcome to our hideaway, Costa Del Cid! Still working on the name, course until we agree on something just calling it the hideaway works."

Clive gave Cid a look of incredulity. Before he could say anything, a redheaded woman pushed past him and grabbed Goetz by the wrist, beginning to lead the large man off "This way with my patient Goetz," she says "Cid, glad to see you didn't come back half dead again."

"Tarja," Cid greets "You know, you could try and be more polite to our new arrival Clive here."

The woman, Tarja, gave Clive a quick look before tugging Goetz further along. The large man was mumbling something about his Nan throwing a fit as he passed by Clive "Don't worry about Charon, I've covered her fee, now let's go. Up the stairs."

"All of it!?"

"Don't worry about your friend there, Tarja is the best medic this side of the belt. She'll take good care of her, not that you didn't do enough of that on the way here." Cid chuckles "Now…you no doubt have some questions. Come to my solar, just up the stairs there and past the infirmary, after you get yourself acquainted with the layout here."

"To hell with that," Clive says, "I need answers, you owe me that much."

"Very well…don't suppose there's any talking you out of this?"

Clive gives the man a stern look.

"Thought as much."

Cid's solar was a simple enough room. There was a stand in the back for his stolas to roost, a single bed off to the side, a desk along one wall, a couch opposite that, and a cabinet just beside that. Overall Clive wondered just how long these people had been living in the ruins if this was all they could do for their leader's main office and quarters.

"I know it isn't much, but its home," Cid says as he takes a seat at his desk "So…what do you want to know Clive Rosfield?"

"How do you know who I am? Most of the world…I thought they believed me to be dead."

Cid shrugs "Well perhaps you are just unforgettable…" Clive gives him a flat look "I don't believe that either, well if you must know…you can thank the Dame for that."

"The Dame?" Clive blinks in confusion "The woman in charge of the Veil? That Dame?"

"The very same! You have friends in very high places it seems; the Dame tells me that you are a friend of our cause, that you are alive and even where you were being sent…well…that last one took some doing on our part. Do you have any idea how hard it is to track a group of elite assassins on such short notice?"

"Yet somehow you still managed it. It almost seems perfect…too perfect."

"Well, it helps to have friends in some very, very, high places." Cid smirks, pulling out a cigar "You see Clive, I am in the business of helping people…specifically Bearers and Dominants. If there is someone to help, then I will help. But I don't go around causing more harm than good."

"Is that supposed to answer my next question?"

"Clearly not, you just asked another one," Clive narrowed his eyes at the man as he chuckled "What? Does the First Shield of Rosaria not like being shown up?"

Clive crosses his arms, scowling at Cid "Answer me this then, what do you hope to gain from my being here?"

"Straight to the point…finally." Cid covers up his words with a cough "Well…that's a loaded question. What I want, Clive Rosfield, is to build a place where Bearers and Dominants can choose how they die. A place where they don't have to use their talents for selfish men, to live and die without the freedom to choose what they want with life. That's what I want, but to see it happen I need your help."

"My help? You already have contacts within even the Empire, what could I possibly help you with?"

"You can give me Rosaria."

Clive was floored. This mad man actually thought that he could give him Rosaria? "Are you mad?"

"I have been told that on occasion, but not this time." Cid leans back in his seat "Rosaria is the only kingdom that treats its Bearers like people, minus the occasional fool that thinks otherwise. If you can get us in, we could finally build a place for the people to stay that isn't a Blight infested wasteland."

"You do understand that with this," he gestures at his brand "I will not be accepted by the people so easily. If anything, they'll kill me for tarnishing my own memory."

"And what makes you so sure of that?"

"The only ones who could verify my identity, potentially, are all dead." Clive clenches his fists "Sir Gregor…Sir Tyler…Sir Wade…my father…without men such as them, no one will listen to what I have to say. Not to mention that Rosaria would not have the ability to even protect your people as they are."

"That is also true…which is why we need to take care of those threats first and foremost." Cid hums, rubbing his chin in thought "The easiest method would be to take one piece from the board but in this case there's no easy way of doing that either. Given time I could come up with something…but that's a fair way off."

Clive bites his lip, thinking the words he wants to speak so desperately but fighting that urge to be such a fool as to say them aloud. Cid arches a brow, eyeing the young man before him as he seems to be in an internal struggle with himself.

"Are you alright?"

"I…I might know of something that could help."

"Oh? Well, this I have to hear."

Clive raises his hand "Not so fast…I need your help with something first, before I even consider helping you."

"Funny…here I was thinking you owed me after I saved your life and have my people tending to your friend." Cid shakes his head "Very well, what else do you need from me?"

"The Dominant of Fire."

Cid tenses, eyes narrowing in on Clive as he leans forward "You have my attention…what do you know?"

So, Clive explains himself. Sharing with Cid the truth of what happened all those years ago at Phoenix Gate. The Empire's surprise betrayal, the slaughter of their men, the counterattack. Everything. All the way to what he saw at the end. "A second Eikon of Fire…I know not where it came from or who its Dominant might be…but I watched it kill my brother…Joshua…I would have words with its master."

"That's another rumor proven true then…well Clive, as it just so happens, I might be able to help you." Cid pulls out a map from his desk drawer "See here? This is where we are, the middle of the deadlands. And…over here is a village called Lostwing. Before we went to get you, I sent a contact of mine out that way to steal some intelligence reports from the local Imperial garrison at Caer Norvent. He relayed the information to us but has since gone quiet. The last thing he reported was a possible Dominant of Fire being in the area, but I haven't obviously been able to confirm one way or the other."

"So, you want me to accompany you to Lostwing to find your contact?"

"Correction: I want you to accompany me to Caer Norvent to find my contact. Of course, that means we have to take a detour through Lostwing but I'm sure you can handle that."

"When do we leave?"

Cid smirks as he puts the map away. Perhaps the Dame wasn't wrong about this one, course he would never tell the kid that he was right either, but Clive might just be worth all the trouble. "You'll want to rest, we'll leave tomorrow. An extra day won't kill him…hopefully."

"Are you absolutely certain this is necessary!?"

"Are you complaining again?"

"I wouldn't be complaining if we had just taken the crystal road to Lostwing."

Cid rolls his eyes, laughing as he watches Clive swatting at bloodflies as they trek through the Greatwood. "Well if you just remembered that you have the flames of the phoenix within you, the flies would not be such a bother now, would they?"

Clive frowns, flames flaring to life momentarily around his body before dissipating. The annoyance that was the bloodflies, for the moment, resolved. "How much further is it? Feels like we've been in this forest for hours."

"Probably…but something is different about this place today, not sure what." Cid narrows his eyes, holding up his right-hand motioning for Clive to slow down as he creeps forward "Now…what oh what do we have…here?"

"That is never a good sign."

From their perch up on a rocky outcropping, the pair of men and trusted hound gazed down at the bloody carcass of a northern dragon. The beast was certainly dead judging by the blood drenching the clearing. Its bony plating along its back seemed to have been worn down by something, what exactly that something was Clive couldn't say. And he was not so eager as to want to find out.

"What could do this to you I wonder?" Cid says as he approaches the once great beast "Northern Dragons are not so easily defeated…always wondered if my lightning could pierce their shell but to do this…not many I can think of short of an Eikon."

"But you have a theory?"

"Well…I must admit that I am a little impressed," Cid chuckles as he walks around the carcass "Scavengers haven't started picking away at it which tells me this is either recent or whatever it was that did this has scared them off…might even still be here in fact."

Clive brought his right hand to his sword handle, gripping it tight as he surveyed the area, Torgal by his side and ready for a fight. "There isn't time to waste then. We need to move, quickly, for Lostwing!"

"Deeper in then?" Cid muses as a breeze blows through "Hm? Oh well this won't be good."

"What are you talking about?"

Cid motions for Clive to follow as he heads further into the forest. Ignoring the calls for his attention from Clive, Cid keeps moving; his eyes flicking from one spot along his path to the next. The wind settled suddenly, Cid raising his hand and bringing their little trio to a stop.

"Are you ever going to explain, or is it nothing but hand gestures with you?"

"Live as long as I do around certain people, you tend to learn how they act."

"And that means what exactly?"

Cid frowns "That you learn to be cautious when facing the unknown. Move slowly to your right, would you?"

Clive blinks, taking three short steps to his right. "What does this have to do with anything?"

A bolt of lightning shot past Clive, right through where he previously stood. There was a shriek as a vampire thorn is struck by the bolt, body twitching before the lightning has run its course throughout. Cid draws his sword as there is a rustling amongst the undergrowth as more vampire thorns appear, surrounding them. "Well Clive, you wanted to know…now you know."

"And just when were you planning on telling me that we were being hunted?" he asks as he draws his own blade, Torgal growling beside him.

"Stalked, not hunted, big difference."

Clive cuts down one overly eager plant "Not the point Cid!"

"Alright, alright," Cid electrocutes one, cutting down another "How about this, we get out of here and then we can discuss what should be said before we become surrounded by angry vegetation. Deal?"

Clive thrusts his left hand out, incinerating a group while Torgal sinks his fangs into another "Deal, now move!"

Cid sidesteps a fireball. The path ahead clear of any more of the hostile plants for the moment, the trio makes a run for it. Torgal pulls ahead of Cid, making the older man shake his head before a thorn attempts to make a meal of the wolf. "No, you don't!" Cid blasts the plant, sending it to the ground "Bloody plants, maybe the Blight isn't so bad if it gets rid of them?"

"Worry about that after we get out of this forest!" Clive barks from behind, burning any of the savage plants that get too close "No wonder Joshua hated his vegetables, if they were anything like this, I would hate them too."

"Clearing! Up ahead!" Cid shouts back "Hopefully not our final one either."

Torgal bounds into the clearing first, coming to a stop and snarling as his tail goes up. Cid skids to a stop just behind the hound, a smile on his face as his head tilts back. Clive nearly knocks the man over as he stops, eyes wide as he too looks up. "By the Flames!"

Standing between the trio and their escape from the Greatwood was a large plant, four long thorny arms dangling in the air, flower petals forming what looked like a skirt and an open maw just above in the center of its body. It towered over the three much like the dead dragon from before might have. The plants arms shook, lashing out at the three morsels before it. The trio dodged in time, the resulting shockwave of all four of the plant's arms hitting the ground where they once stood reverberates throughout the clearing.

"Well…that is one giant plant." Cid says simply, a laugh bubbling up in his throat as his shoulders shake "Oh we are in for it now Clive."

"What exactly am I looking at here?"

"That…is Ochu, a local legend. 'Lord of the Wood' they call it…didn't expect that it was real though." Cid rolls out of the way of another strike "Fancy taking up gardening Clive?"

Clive rolls his eyes, stabbing his sword into a vine that got a little too close for comfort. "Torgal! Sic em!" he shouts, the hound moving on command, tackling another of Ochu's arms and doing his best to keep it down "Cid! Suggestions!?"

"How should I know!? I've never fought this thing before!" The Dominant of Ramuh cloaked himself in lightning just as an arm smacked him away "Oh no you don't!" His feet firmly planted in the trunk of a tree, Cid pushes off, barreling into the great plant's arm and pinning it behind the vegetative monster.

Ochu's maw closes, Clive could hear something bubbling up inside the plant. If it were anything like the Vampire Thorns, then Ochu was about to make their lives a lot harder. "Hit the deck!"

Ochu's maw opens, spewing out a cloud of gas. Clive managed to avoid the blast though the same could not be said for Torgal. The hound stumbled, swaying side to side, before falling over. The wolf wasn't dead, Clive could be assured of that as he could see his faithful companion still breathing, but he wasn't in any position to move either. Cid cursed as he watched the plant slowly shamble closer to the poor hound. His body would surely feel this later as he began gathering Aether.

Clive watched as Ochu's arms snaked towards his hound "No, not my dog!" he growls, running in to defend his former pup "You want a meal, try me then!"

Cid winces as he watches Clive swing his sword around, slashing away at the arms of Ochu, making the plant shriek and wail. A smirk tugged at the older man's lips as he raised his left arm calling down a bolt of lightning that struck the plant directly in its maw. Ochu twitches as the lightning runs its course. As the plant shrieks in pain, Clive turns to check on Torgal.

"You alright boy?" he asks, the wolf stirring somewhat, giving off a single bark of warning as Clive feels himself being pulled back "What the…?"

"Clive!"

The former First Shield of Rosaria gives a shout of alarm, swinging his sword as two of Ochu's arms pull him up into the air and back towards its body. Cid drops to one knee, coughing up blood, as he watches Clive be pulled into the monster's mouth. The wolf howls, lunging at the thorny arms of the plant as its master is trapped inside. This was not a good day.

"Bloody hell…not one day on the job…and already he's dead…" Cid struggles to stand up as Ochu's arms thrash about "Now what are you doing…stupid shrub?"

Ochu's body convulses, maw opening as it shrieks. From within its jaws stands Clive, a pair of phoenix wings at his back as fire envelops him and the Ochu from within its body. The man had done the impossible, he had survived certain death yet again. As Ochu's body burns from the inside, Clive feels his strength returning. Grasping his sword, he ignites the blade and swings, severing part of Ochu's fleshy interior, making the plant wail even more.

"Clive?" Cid calls, slowly approaching as the arms of the great Lord of the Wood hit the ground "What was that all about lad? You just…what was that?"

Clive takes a deep breath, the flames around his body dissipating "That…was one of the Phoenix's techniques…described in an old journal as the Flames of Rebirth."

"Well, I'll be damned…can you do that again?"

"I don't think so…each technique is taxing on my body." Clive winces as he adjusts to his former injuries and exhaustion being healed "Body however…does get a little stiff after the healing but the results speak for themselves, I should hope."

"Well if you are still able to move…we should go, before more show up." Cid motions on ahead "Lostwing is just outside of the wood. Down the path should be the village gate, from there…we just have to find some assistance for myself, and we can proceed."

"Just don't die on me before we get there," Clive grunts, slinging Cid's arm over his shoulder "I still need you Cid."

"So, you do care."

Lostwing was a decent hike from the Greatwood. Torgal took the van, stalking ahead seeking any threats to his two companions. Clive was certain that in the wolf's mind they were the followers, and he was the leader. Cid's health had improved somewhat since the Ochu, now able to walk unaided but not enough to be hurling bolts of lightning about with ease. Clive had used most of his reserves on the man, sparing only an elixir and two hi-potions.

"How much further in is it?" he asks as Torgal howls up ahead.

"Just about there actually," Cid chuckles "Come on, let's see what the dog has found."

As the two come up beside Torgal, Clive can't help but shake his head at what he is seeing. Down below in a small valley dip, built up around another Fallen structure is a village. Market stalls, little huts on the perimeter too, but no people. It was like a ghost town as they began the slow walk down the hill to investigate.

"Well, this is not normal," Cid says as they explore the town "Normally Quinten would ensure every visitor is greeted…course, if you are Imperial then you probably don't receive the best hospitality in the world."

"No people…no signs of a struggle…think they were taken prisoner?"

Cid shrugs "Knowing him, Quinten probably ordered them to safety…or they were forced into becoming prisoners for whoever came through here."

Clive felt like something wasn't quite right. Like he was being watched. "We should get inside."

"Not a fan of the outdoors?"

"Not a fan of being watched."

Cid nods, face turning serious "This way, Quinten has a safe house in the basement of the church. If there is anyone alive in this town then they'll be in there."

As the pair made for the church, Clive felt the wind rush past in a light breeze. Something about this place was not doing his instincts any favors. He could just feel danger all around him as they walked up and into the church. Not even a place of worship could make Clive feel calm in this town.

"Something's not right…"

"I'll tell you…what's not right," Cid grunts as he's hunched over trying to push a stone statue to the side "You…not helping me…with this!"

Clive winces, rushing over to his side and putting his shoulder against the pedestal "Right, together then?"

"On three." Cid tells him, both men bracing against the stone "Three!"

Clive pushes alongside Cid, the two managing to dislodge the stone construct and move it just enough to reveal a trap door in the floor "What happened to two?"

"Ask one," Cid chuckles as he pulls the door open, revealing a ladder "See that? Paranoid to a fault but a genius none the less…though…who put the statue over the door?"

"You can ask him once we find him," Clive says, descending the ladder "Come on old man, wouldn't want you to break a hip."

"Oh, haha. All hail Clive Rosfield, lord of jokes." Cid grumbles on his way down "You know, I am still capable of kicking your sorry arse across the continent if you like."

"Undoubtedly so, I would not expect anything less from Ramuh's Dominant."

Cid gave the younger man a wary look "How did you…"

"Figure it out? You said you were making a haven for Dominants and Bearers…and you throw more lightning around than a thunderstorm on a bad day." Clive throws him a smirk of his own "Were you expecting me to be a dunderheaded lordling?"

"Well, I was told you were not nearly that observant, perhaps you do know some things after all Clive Rosfield."

Clive ignored the comment as he explored the cellar. For the most part I was empty, supplies took up most of the space along one wall, and the corridor on the opposite side led to a bookshelf. "Cid…I'm not sure your friend is here. Whole place is empty."

"Empty he says," Cid chuckles, walking past Clive and up to the bookshelf "Clive, when are you going to stop seeing things for the obvious, and start looking at all possibilities?" Cid eases the bookshelf to the side, revealing a hidden door. With a smug smirk the Dominant of Lightning taps his knuckles against its wooden surface. "Anyone home?"

"Cid? Is that you?" a tired looking man approached the barred opening in the door "Great Greagor, it is…I didn't think he was telling the truth."

"He?" Clive asks, stepping forward as the door was opened "He who?"

The man gave Clive a dull and bored look. Cid clears his throat, stepping back into view "Quinten, this is Clive Rosfield…you remember me talking about him, right?"

"Right…that Rosfield," Quinten sighs "He did not give us a name, but he did a well enough job of proving his point."

"What was his point?"

"That we were powerless to stop him." Quinten rubs his throat "Damn near choked the life out of me without so much as putting his hand on me."

That one line got Cid's attention "I'm sorry…I must have misheard you; he did what?"

"Choked me. Used the wind to do it too, even knocked those who tried to help me onto their backs without so much as looking at them, either he is a very powerful Bearer, or he is a Dominant." Quinten gives the two a look "If you intend to face this man, understand that he is dangerous. He did do one good deed however, he warned us that a group of Royalists were coming through this way, all but forced us to hide down here. He even convinced your man to cover our escape so that they would not find us. Seems it worked."

"Your contact?" Clive asks, turning to Cid "Least we can do is go and rescue him."

"I doubt he will need a rescue," Cid chuckles "I taught him everything he knows. Course, now he mostly hangs about with his attendant and her…cult? Calling it a cult. Crazy buggers they are."

Clive wished he had chosen to stay back at the hideaway. Just what had he gotten himself into here with Cid? Cults? Dominants tearing through villages, and even Royalists within the Empire's borders? The hour was dire then, given the circumstances surrounding their travelling to this town.

"Cid…you said your contact had ceased communicating with you for a few days."

"Ah, right you are I did," Cid looks thoughtful "Though for him to have been here and go missing all in one day…something else must have happened to distract him I think."

"If I may?" Quinten interjects "Your young protégé Cid, he did disappear for a time, wouldn't tell us where exactly he had gone off to. But when he returned, he was injured, badly too. Still, he refused to say anything."

"What sort of injuries did he sustain?"

"Burns. The likes of which I have never seen before."

Cid grew serious as he looked to Clive "Hope you are finished resting, because we must get moving. Quinten, where were the Royalists heading?"

"That stranger said they would be going to Caer Norvent, but that he himself had other places to be and people to see." Quinten looks back at his people all huddled in the safety of their little shelter "Cid if you need anything of us just say the word. But do not think that this means that next time will be the same."

"Clive, restock while you can, Quinten isn't one to offer free things to anyone." Cid chuckles "Not without charging an arm and a leg. I'll meet you by the east entrance, we've got a Caer to infiltrate."

"I would offer you both a bed for the night, but you don't look like the waiting type."

Cid smiles "The lad would get into too much trouble if we were to delay in saving him. And we can't have that."

AN: So, this did not go the way I had planned out in my head or on paper. Originally, Fafnir of the North would've still been the big bad boss…but then an idea struck me to throw in something much worse than that, and nostalgic. The best part of this chapter is also the fact that I can officially say we have sort of met one of our future problems. I say 'problem' because there are far too many to count and for right now it's sort of the 'hooded man' syndrome. By that I mean they have a presence but are not actually around to be at the forefront of any character's minds. So, with that little hint in place, fair warning to you all is this: not everything in this world amalgamation is as it seems. Side note, as of August 1st, 2023...we have finally hit 10,000 views! To think our average would be roughly 1k per chapter. Let's se eif I can't keep this level of work going forward, or improve it. Anyway, to the reviews!

dragon slayer of death 98: I'm not answering that first part because we have yet to finish with the Ironblood, so I have yet to write that as well...so yeah, no clue but I can say that I am not a fan of the subject however depending on how applied to a characters background same as in real life it can give someone a good motivation for doing good or doing evil. As for the bigger question you had: The events of GoT are actually yet to happen...take that how you will.

master of death12345: See the above response for your response...that's just some really bad timing if I am honest, that you would ask after someone else did. For what I have planned, it would not be ideal to have him appear at the end of GoT, just wouldn't give the in universe reaction I want for what is planned.

furvustocs: I hope you feel better furv, not sure though what if anything in the last chapter is making you feel like its lacking. Though my money is on the Titan vs Shiva bit. Not to worry, the actual first Eikon fight I have planned is much bigger and longer than just a few exchanges. Won't be for a while yet, there's a lot to cover before I unveil that spectacle.