The situation following the Drake's Breath's destruction is pure and utter chaos and Clive feels like he's running on instinct. His body feels numb and aching at the same time, his heart pounding like thunder in his chest. Cid is━ Cid is dead and in the chaos of the heart's chamber falling down around their ears, he has somehow lost Jill, the only solace now the flickering warmth of the Phoenix feather still clutched tight in the palm of his glove.
It━ it cannot be. It cannot be.
" Hold on, Jill, " His voice is a rough whisper as he practically claws his way through the rubble, miraculously making it back into Oriflamme's empirical keep. He knows he cannot turn back to search for her though everything in him wishes he could, his faith in knowing she would make it out alive already on shaky foundations following Cid's demise. He can still feel her, though, feel Shiva's icy aether within his breast and that eases his worry considerably.
Now just to find his way out.
Except, ahead he hears someone scream, a woman by the sound of it and even as shaken and numb and heartbroken as he feels, the sound of pure fear pulls at his heartstrings strongly enough that he cannot justify walking away from it. That is, until he skids around a corner and sees just who it is━
" Mother?! " The question comes out roughly, disbelieving, his breath freezing within his lungs at his first look at the woman that so callously sold out his father, his people, Joshua, who so easily betrayed all they stood for without ever an explanation as to why. Clive knows she never loved him, she made that very clear. But Joshua━
It's then his eye falls on the cowering boy behind her frock and his heart twists in pain. How quickly she'd replaced them, it seems; and yet, for all his anger and bitter resentment threatening to flood, for all that he wishes he could turn his back and leave them to their lot, he cannot project that on an innocent child.
He is not like her. " You must get out of here. " / @emberblooded
