"Where would you see yourself when all over this is over?"
Clive replayed Jill's words in his mind as he gazed upon Ultima's lifeless form. Valisthea was finally free from its cycle of agony and torment, secured through Clive's profound sacrifice. Amidst the fleeting tranquility, he found solace in the thought of a peaceful rest, knowing his loved ones—Jill, Torgal, Otto, and the rest—would now thrive.
But then, a chilling voice shattered his peace. "If my aspirations for this realm remain unfulfilled..." Ultima's wounded figure turned, pointing an accusing finger at Clive.
"Let your destiny unfold in realms beyond our understanding," Ultima intoned. "In alternate dimensions, you, Mythos, will fulfill the dictates of fate."
Before Clive could react, Ultima cast a spell, enveloping Clive and Joshua's corpse in a shimmering blue light, whisking them away as silence settled, leaving only Ultima's sinister laughter echoing.
"Woe to those who oppose you, Mythos," Ultima's mocking voice lingered. "May your next reality reveal the true essence of suffering."
…
[Hideaway]
Jill's heart ached as Origin shattered, its fragments scattering into the void. Hope flickered as she yearned for Clive's return, her beacon in the darkness. Yet, with each falling shard, hope turned bitter, replaced by an ache of sorrow and longing.
"Clive... I'd give anything to have you here," Jill whispered.
"Your wish shall be granted, Shiva's Dominant…Mythos will need you just as he would need the Phoenix."
A voice resonated inside Jill's head as orbs of ethereal blue light encircling Jill and Torgal, whisking them away before anyone at the hideaway could react.
"Jill!" Gav's desperate cry pierced the air, echoing through the now empty space where Jill had stood moments ago, gazing at Origin's remnants.
"Clive... What's happening?"
…
"Ugh…"
Clive awoke with a sharp pang in his head and neck, finding himself sheltered beneath the canopy of a tree. Spotting Joshua nearby, he hurried to his brother's side.
"Joshua!" Clive's voice carried a mix of concern and relief as he checked on him, finding the once gaping wound healed and his brother breathing steadily, a warmth returning to his cheeks.
"Thank the Founder, you're safe," Clive whispered, his gratitude palpable as he surveyed his surroundings and realized he wasn't alone.
"J-Jill?" Surprise tinged his voice as he saw his beloved beside Joshua, accompanied by Torgal who was also unconscious.
"What's happening? What place is this?" Clive's questions hung in the air, interrupted abruptly by a deafening explosion from afar.
"Divide!" A command echoed through the chaos, prompting Clive to leap to his feet, grasping his sword as his gaze fixed on the skies. Two figures clashed in a spectacle of power—one draped in blood-red, eyes ablaze with emerald light, and the other adorned in pristine white armor, radiant wings outstretched.
"Is that... Bahamut? No, it can't be," Clive murmured, his mind racing as the clash of titans sent ripples of energy through the battlefield, an essence unfamiliar yet potent, akin to aether but distinctly otherworldly.
Glancing at his sword and then back at the battling figures, Ultima's cryptic words echoed in Clive's mind.
"What kind of trickery is this, Ultima?!"