[ It's not that Ardbert isn't unenthused by the idea of a spar with a worthy opponent, but more that the rest of this situation and his text conversation with Aria has him a bit distracted. He thinks it's understandable to have been thrown off by having his day interrupted by the sudden arrival of a dragoon at his window. ]
I think we might have a bit more fun with more space and the lack of an audience.
[ This is more about testing out each other's mettle and less about putting on a show, isn't it? On that, he's fairly certain that Estinien would agree. ]
Give me a moment to finish eating and then we can head out. [ And he's doing a decent job of multitasking, with fork in one hand and his phone in the other, though there's a few moments — one where he stares silently at the phone for a bit too long, and another where he almost fumbles and drops it into his TV dinner box.
After that, he quickly goes to toss the dredges of the meal into the trash, washes up, and then circles back to Estinien. If he seems a bit distracted, it's probably nothing. ]
Right. To the Fringes, then. Shall we take my Jeep?
[ Estinien is beginning to wonder if perhaps he should come back at another time. There is a blessed silence between them as Ardbert finishes his meal and Estinien waits, but Estinien wagers that it's far more likely due to how distracted Ardbert is than any real appreciation of silence. He had mentioned that he was messaging Aria but what could they possibly be talking about that's so engrossing?
Or surprising, he adds, as he watches Ardbert almost submerge his phone in his food.
But Ardbert soon finishes after that. And he does seem to want to fight. And Estinien is... curious, about this man who sticks so closely to Aria's side. ]
I assume this 'Jeep' of yours is a vehicle with four wheels and at least two seats.
[ Technically speaking his bike also has two seats, but it may get a little crowded with the both of them plus a lance and an axe. ]
Very well. I'll meet you downstairs.
[ And so saying he heads back for the window in the bedroom to jump back down to ground floor. Given Ardbert's strange reaction to his arrival, he has the feeling that Ardbert will be taking the slow way down. ]
[ It makes sense that Estinien wouldn't know. None of them can be expected to know the name of every model of car that exists here, there's far too many. The extra space has certainly been a help for longer forays into the Fringes, though Ardbert can see the appeal of one of those motorcycles as well.
In any case, it's time to set aside the back-and-forth he was having with Aria and see to this spar. He had assumed they would both walk down together, like normal people might, but that was his first mistake.
As he watches Estinien turn back toward the window, he also catches sight of a large, scaled tail that was most certainly not there the last time they had a proper conversation. ]
Wait—
[ It's already too late.
Nonetheless, Ardbert makes it down to the parking lot soon enough, waving down Estinien as soon as he spots him. And he doesn't think there's any reason to beat around the bush, so he gestures to that Drahn-like tail. ]
[ Estinien glances down too, as though he'd forgotten it was there, or maybe like he thought Ardbert might be referring to something else. Because of the nature of suddenly gaining a new tail, Estinien had worked hard to regain his balance, unwilling to have anything mess with his ability to fight to such an extent. It very quickly proved itself a boon in battle, often reacting as fast as, if not faster, than him when confronted with a threat, but it was definitely hard earned.
All of this is to say that he doesn't much think about it these days. No, all that attention is spent mostly on his still furiously itchy scales. ]
Aye. It appeared one day some months back after a foray into a diffusion zone. So far it has proven itself to be permanent.
[ Hmm. Perhaps this is not something he should continue to keep to himself. If nothing else, the others should be aware that this is a possibility. ]
You need not worry though. Though it may seem as though Nidhogg seeks to overpower me once more, I am still myself.
[ For now, at least.
...
...
Wait. He might not be aware of the circumstances. ]
[ A permanent physical change, all from passing through a diffusion zone? Ardbert has heard of vehicles being altered in such a way, but not a person's body. There's something unnerving in realizing that this place can render a lasting change on them like this.
It's surprising how calm Estinien seems about the whole thing, but perhaps he's had the chance to accustom himself to it, if it's been months already.
(And this is also a bit of a wake-up call that perhaps Ardbert should keep up with Aria's friends better. Then again, Estinien is a particularly hard one to pin down...)
Ardbert blinks at the mention of Nidhogg, though an explanation of sorts soon follows, causing him to tilt his head. ]
... Right.
[ He's heard some vague references to Estinien's complicated history with dragons, up to and including a war, but he certainly doesn't know all the details. ]
Is that, err, common? For dragons to possess people?
[ Legitimate question. One he asks as he unlocks the Jeep for them, then gestures for Estinien to get in on the passenger side. It seems that despite all of this, he has no reservations about a trip into the Fringes with Mr. Once-Possessed. ]
[ Estinien climbs up into the so-called Jeep with an air of curiosity. Better, he thinks, than Alphinaud's lumbering, cumbersome box of a vehicle, but he thinks he still vastly prefers the maneuverability and speed of his bike. ]
Due to the betrayal of our ancestors, all Ishgardians have the ability to transform into dragons on consuming enough dragon's blood. However, in the manner to which I refer I do not believe so. My role as the Azure Dragoon of Ishgard meant that I possessed Nidhogg's eye—an immense source of power for Nidhogg—and that I possessed the strength of will to resist its corrupting properties and use Nidhogg's own power against him.
[ He offers Ardbert a very sardonic smile. ] As you have likely surmised, that was not the case. My hubris led to my downfall, which was only possible through this very specific series of events. And Nidhogg himself was a very particular kind of enemy.
[ Attempting to be comforting: ] Fear not, in encountering a dragon, they're more likely to try eating you than possessing you.
[ There is something novel, Ardbert realizes as he pulls out into the street and starts down the familiar route that will take him toward the outskirts of the city and then the Fringes, about hearing this firsthand. Not through Aria, whether by listening in on her conversations or later seeing it through her eyes, but to have this information told directly to him.
Scattered details he's heard in passing come together, and he nods along. Estinien is rather straightforward with the explanation, admitting to his missteps and wrongdoing without missing a beat. Ardbert knows what that's like, too — to look back at your past mistakes and shake your head in dismay.
Most importantly, this conversation is quickly drawing his thoughts away from everything that just unfolded in his text chat with Aria, which is for the best right now.
He isn't expecting the "reassurance" regarding dragons, though, and lets out a bark of laughter. ]
Well, that makes me feel better. Although even then, isn't that a bit unfair? Look at Vrtra.
[ Then again, maybe Vrtra was more the exception than the rule? ]
Either way, it sounds as if Nidhogg was quite the fearsome foe. I'm relieved to know you were able to claw your way back from his influence.
[ And though Ardbert is correct that Nidhogg was indeed fearsome, with everything Estinien has learned about his history and his past and himself, he can't quite think Nidhogg his foe. Someone to be stopped, yes, if ever he returned, whether through Estinien or through some other means. But his foe? No. Estinien sees far too much of himself in the great wyrm to think of him that way. All he wants for Nidhogg is to know the same peace that Estinien now knows.
Though speaking of peace, he would not have expected someone who is a close friend of Aria to be such a careful driver. Estinien wonders if they'll make it out there before dark. ]
But tell me, how do you know Vrtra? I don't recall seeing you in Radz-at-Han.
[ If Ardbert's driving is careful, it's only because the lower temperatures have made the streets icier, and he isn't entirely used to that. He's heard of something called "hydroplaning" which doesn't sound good at all, and he'd like to avoid that, especially when he has a passenger in tow.
He and Estinien are both sturdy enough that he doesn't expect a crash would do much damage to them, but his Jeep is another story. The last thing he needs is more additions to his debts.
That question gives him pause, though. He takes a few moments of silence to consider, because with Estinien one can never be too certain of what he's gathered about the wider calamities they've dealt with and what he hasn't.
It's not as if he was ever drawn to the First, after all. ]
... Before I answer that, I must ask you: how much has Aria told you of our connection to each other?
[ He is fully expecting something along the lines of "naught of note." This is Aria and Estinien they're talking about, after all. ]
Connection? [ What an odd way to phrase it. ] You're a friend of hers, are you not? A fellow adventurer.
[ Not that that's what Aria told him. No, she told him nothing; all he knows is that which Ardbert told him at their introductiob. Still, perhaps he was once a member of the Scions, or an ex-member of the Crystal Braves, seeing as everyone seems to know him as more than simply 'Aria's friend'. ]
[ It's extremely tempting to push down on the brake pedal so that he can bury his face against the steering wheel, at least for a few moments.
Instead, Ardbert lets out a long sigh and eyes the ceiling of the car, taking a few moments to let the burst of irritation flow through him.
Nothing can ever be easy, can it? He really does need to have a conversation with Aria about this, not that he expects it to change anything. ]
I almost have to wonder what you two even talk about when you spend time together. [ Or was that the whole thing — they weren't talking, so much as doing other things? ] Yes, there's more to know. And I suppose it's for the best that we have a drive ahead of us, because it may take some time to explain.
[ Estinien blinks at Ardbert. Is an explanation such an arduous thing? Estinien doesn't know nor does he understand half of what the Scions are talking about at any one point and to date it hasn't impeded on his ability to help out as needed. He figured he knew what was pertinent, which is how he likes it. ]
If you do not wish to explain then don't. 'Twas only an idle curiosity.
[ Interesting though. He doesn't think he's seen anything from this man outside of quiet bemusement and a sort of resigned silence. He didn't know he did irritation too. Maybe that's simply the Aria effect. ]
If it becomes relevant I will get the information from Aria.
Is that so? Have you had much success in the past, getting information from Aria?
[ Ardbert can't help but shoot the words back, but truly, it's not that much of an imposition. He simply wonders how it is that his so-called other half can forge through life while also explaining so little. ]
Mayhap it's not that important for you, but it might be relevant to know at some point.
[ With how the Diadem can wring memories and feelings out of them, one could never been too certain.
Now that they've reached the highway and have the open road ahead of them, Ardbert's able to pick up speed, but he's also aiming to not slip-and-slide them off the road. He finds a good balance. ]
... Let's start here. When Aria and the others Scions were whisked away to another star, they went to the First. That's where I'm from.
[ Estinien breathes a laugh. He will never deny how difficult dealing with Aria with anything is. Still, he has foubd that they are always in sync when it counts. Communication then is never an issue.
But that is neither here nor there. Ardbert sees fit to share his story and so Estinien listens. He can't say he was expecting to hear that he's from the First. ]
Ah.
[ That explains how the others all know of him. It... doesn't quite explain the twins' dislike of him.
Hm. ]
I assume then that you did not always fight on the side of the Scions.
[ There is zero judgement in his voice, merely a simple statement. He hardly thinks Ardbert would be sharing the same bed as Aria if whatever bad blood there had been between them had not been squared away.
(The twins not withstanding. Estinien knows all too well how easily Alisaie can keep a grudge alive.) ]
[ It's a quick assumption that Estinien comes to, especially given that chances are he doesn't know all that much about what happened in Norvrandt. (So Ardbert assumes, anyway. Estinien doesn't seem the sort who concerns himself with much beyond the problems directly in front of him.)
It does make him wonder if he's picked up on how Alphinaud and Alisaie keep him at arm's length, and that's informing some of that conclusion.
Either way, Ardbert isn't about to shy away from the truth of it. It's probably for the best that Estinien finds out and draws his impressions from there. ]
... That's right. Before they even came to the First, I made an ill-planned trip to the Source alongside my allies. The Ascians had me convinced that the only way to save my home was by dooming yours. Of course, Aria and the Scions put a stop to that quite quickly.
[ But it's true that and Aria hardly come across as enemies. Quite the contrary, in fact.
With a quick glance toward the passenger's seat, he adds: ] Clearly, much has happened since then.
[ Ascians, of course. He should have known they'd have a hand in this tale. He thinks to ask about what changed his mind—while being laid out flat by Aria is certainly revelatory, it's usually not enough to change a determined mind--ask him how he knows—but the rest of what Ardbert said catches up with him first. ]
'Save your home'? Is this the same threat that the others faced during their time in the First? Is that how you came to work together?
[ The Scion way, he's found, to turn enemies into allies into friends. Though as to that, surely Alphinaud and Alisaie wouldn't treat Ardbert in such a manner if that was the case? He is pretty sure even Gaius received a warmer welcome and he unleashed Ultima weapon upon the realm.
—Of course. The time discrepancy. The twins have likely not made it to the end of the story that Ardbert is about to tell him. Why they don't just clear up this misapprehension is beyond him but Estinien is not about to stick his nose into it.
Still, he doesn't recall any mention of Ardbert in any recount of the Scions' time on the First. He must admit, he's intrigued now. ]
In a way, yes. They finished the work I started. [ In more ways than one.
Thus far, Estinien has been giving Ardbert his full attention with this tale. They still have quite a drive ahead of them, so while they could simply listen to whatever strange music the radio subjects them to, this is as a good a time as any to catch him up on all that happened. ]
I don't know how much you've read up on the nature of calamities, but they tend to happen when the star experiences an overabundance of one type of aspected aether. On the First, that happened with light... which was in large part my fault, as my companions and I brought too much light to the world through our deeds.
[ Their deeds as heroes, as Warriors of Light. As it turns out, there can be so much of a good thing that it upsets the balance. ]
This led to a calamity called the Flood of Light, which almost consumed the entire star. I was hoping to prevent that when I came to the Source. Instead, it was the remnants of the Scions' previous leader, Minfilia, who ushered me back there and halted the Flood.
[ Still following along? Ardbert shoots Estinien a brief glance, then sighs, the heaviness of all this settling over his shoulders. ]
By then, I was already dead... though for some reason I did not fade and return to the aetherial sea, as I should have. I was naught but a shade, wandering the wasteland of my home for nigh on a century. It was only after Aria arrived that I learned the reason why.
[ Estinien is silent for a long while after Ardbert pauses. Wandering as a shade for a century. A veritable hell; Estinien wonders how Ardbert is so even-keeled about things now. The Gods certainly know that if it were Estinien he would have lost it quite spectacularly only a handful of years in.
So Ardbert came to the Source to raise some hell and was soundly defeated and sent back to the First along with the Scions' former leader in order to avert a calamity that he himself was the—presumably unwilling—architect of.
[ Estinien doesn't reveal much about what he thinks of all this, not that he's an easy man to read in the first place. Perhaps for now he's simply processing it all and is withholding an opinion until he's heard the whole story. ]
... Well, it's not as if she knew what was happening either. But after a century, during which my awareness of my surroundings had begun to fray, I was suddenly wide awake again and drawn to her in a way I hadn't ever been in that time. More than that, she could hear me. Speak to me.
[ Even now, his voice is awed at the memory of it, as he slowly shakes his head to himself. ]
She let me know that she planned to save my home from the brink. At that point, I didn't believe her, all hope spent long ago...
[ But he's becoming distracted, reminiscing like this. ]
Ultimately, it was the shade of an Ancient who revealed to us why we had this connection. Aria and I are sundered shards broken off from the same Ancient soul.
[ How much that will mean to Estinien, he doesn't know, but he pauses there. ]
[ Sundered shards of the same soul. Estinien breathes a laugh, suddenly. ]
I suppose then that I wasn't all that far off when I called you an adventurer friend of Aria's.
[ So it was Aria who pulled him back from the edge. Even he can tell from the way he speaks of it that much of Ardbert's... rehabilitation, for lack of a better word, is linked to Aria. It seems she has a knack for that, saving lost causes, though in his case Estinien would lay most of that at Alphinaud’s feet. ]
Does that also make you a Warrior of Light? For your shard?
[ If so then it must ache, doubly so, to know that it was his own efforts to save his star that doomed it. He supposes falling to an Ascian scheme makes sense then. Certainly, Estinien is in no position to cast stones; Nidhogg possessed him for a reason, after all.
'Tis, perhaps, not so strange then that he got caught up in all this. A shard from the same soul as Aria, perhaps he was merely caught in the crossfire, so to speak, when she was summoned here. Didn’t they arrive at the same time?
...Except, he remembers, he recognized Estinien immediately. ]
[ Not all that far off? Estinien's right about that. At the most basic version of all that Ardbert has explained, him being an "adventurer friend" is truly all it is, and Estinien does strike him as someone who prefers to be straightforward with such things.
So he echoes that laugh with a brief chuckle of his own, and nods. ]
Aye, it does. Along with my companions, who were much to me as the Scions are to Aria. We were given Hydaelyn's blessing as well.
[ There are many comparisons to be drawn, but many ways in which their stories differed. Even if they're shards of the same original soul, that doesn't mean they're not their own people, but he doesn't think he needs to explain any of that to Estinien.
But yes, now to go back to the original question that brought about this whole explanation. He clears his throat and continues on. ]
In order to have the strength to defeat Emet-Selch, I managed to merge my soul with hers. From that point on, ever since she returned from the First, I have been partially present within her, catching bits and pieces of her experiences. That included you joining the Scions officially, meeting Vrtra, and so on.
[ And then came Diadem, splitting them back apart and giving him a body. Somehow. ]
[ So he is here because of Aria but through more direct causes. As ever he is right; all problems lead back to her.
Partially present within her.
Hmm, now that's a familiar story. ]
Then how is it you are here now? What mechanism separated you?
[ Would it then be possible for Nidhogg’s shade inside to live again once more as Ardbert does? And if so, would that be a boon or a curse? As long lived as Great Wyrms are, civilisations could rise and fall a thousand times over before their grief begins to wane. Estinien would not subject the people here to something like that. And… he would not want to fight Nidhogg again. No, there is no satisfaction to be found in that. ]
[ Ardbert sighs and shakes his head, his hands tightening around the steering wheel just slightly. They're well into the Fringes now, so it's simply a matter of deciding where to stop for their bout. ]
We woke up in the same medical tent in the scrapyard, but in different bodies. It's not as if there's anyone we can ask about where this body came from or how my soul was put into it, either.
[ Much like many things in Diadem, they simply have to accept it as some odd cosmic occurrence. Which doesn't sit well with him, but there hasn't been much that they can do about it either.
A pause, and then he shoots Estinien a wry smile. ]
So, if I happen to disappear at random one day, now you'll at least know why.
[ So much uncertainty. He might have wondered if the same thing that befell him in the diffusion zones could have happened to Ardbert, but Ardbert mentioned that his body appeared on arrival. He might disappear only once they have found a way back to their star, but equally the magic that holds his form might just cease to be. No doubt Aria is already looking into it, but Estinien might also ask among his acquaintances to see if they might have some familiarity with something like this. ]
Anywhere around here is fine as long as we fight far enough away from the roads.
[ Anticipation is starting to build now. The last fight he had—real fight and not just the scuffles he gets into with these brigands and so-called raiders—was with Aria. And Ardbert claims to also be a Warrior of Light, with all that it entails. It promises to be a good bout. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I think we might have a bit more fun with more space and the lack of an audience.
[ This is more about testing out each other's mettle and less about putting on a show, isn't it? On that, he's fairly certain that Estinien would agree. ]
Give me a moment to finish eating and then we can head out. [ And he's doing a decent job of multitasking, with fork in one hand and his phone in the other, though there's a few moments — one where he stares silently at the phone for a bit too long, and another where he almost fumbles and drops it into his TV dinner box.
After that, he quickly goes to toss the dredges of the meal into the trash, washes up, and then circles back to Estinien. If he seems a bit distracted, it's probably nothing. ]
Right. To the Fringes, then. Shall we take my Jeep?
REMEMBER THE TAIL
Or surprising, he adds, as he watches Ardbert almost submerge his phone in his food.
But Ardbert soon finishes after that. And he does seem to want to fight. And Estinien is... curious, about this man who sticks so closely to Aria's side. ]
I assume this 'Jeep' of yours is a vehicle with four wheels and at least two seats.
[ Technically speaking his bike also has two seats, but it may get a little crowded with the both of them plus a lance and an axe. ]
Very well. I'll meet you downstairs.
[ And so saying he heads back for the window in the bedroom to jump back down to ground floor. Given Ardbert's strange reaction to his arrival, he has the feeling that Ardbert will be taking the slow way down. ]
BLESS YOU
[ It makes sense that Estinien wouldn't know. None of them can be expected to know the name of every model of car that exists here, there's far too many. The extra space has certainly been a help for longer forays into the Fringes, though Ardbert can see the appeal of one of those motorcycles as well.
In any case, it's time to set aside the back-and-forth he was having with Aria and see to this spar. He had assumed they would both walk down together, like normal people might, but that was his first mistake.
As he watches Estinien turn back toward the window, he also catches sight of a large, scaled tail that was most certainly not there the last time they had a proper conversation. ]
Wait—
[ It's already too late.
Nonetheless, Ardbert makes it down to the parking lot soon enough, waving down Estinien as soon as he spots him. And he doesn't think there's any reason to beat around the bush, so he gestures to that Drahn-like tail. ]
So... that's new.
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All of this is to say that he doesn't much think about it these days. No, all that attention is spent mostly on his still furiously itchy scales. ]
Aye. It appeared one day some months back after a foray into a diffusion zone. So far it has proven itself to be permanent.
[ Hmm. Perhaps this is not something he should continue to keep to himself. If nothing else, the others should be aware that this is a possibility. ]
You need not worry though. Though it may seem as though Nidhogg seeks to overpower me once more, I am still myself.
[ For now, at least.
...
...
Wait. He might not be aware of the circumstances. ]
I was once possessed by a dragon named Nidhogg.
[ Nailed it. ]
no subject
It's surprising how calm Estinien seems about the whole thing, but perhaps he's had the chance to accustom himself to it, if it's been months already.
(And this is also a bit of a wake-up call that perhaps Ardbert should keep up with Aria's friends better. Then again, Estinien is a particularly hard one to pin down...)
Ardbert blinks at the mention of Nidhogg, though an explanation of sorts soon follows, causing him to tilt his head. ]
... Right.
[ He's heard some vague references to Estinien's complicated history with dragons, up to and including a war, but he certainly doesn't know all the details. ]
Is that, err, common? For dragons to possess people?
[ Legitimate question. One he asks as he unlocks the Jeep for them, then gestures for Estinien to get in on the passenger side. It seems that despite all of this, he has no reservations about a trip into the Fringes with Mr. Once-Possessed. ]
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Due to the betrayal of our ancestors, all Ishgardians have the ability to transform into dragons on consuming enough dragon's blood. However, in the manner to which I refer I do not believe so. My role as the Azure Dragoon of Ishgard meant that I possessed Nidhogg's eye—an immense source of power for Nidhogg—and that I possessed the strength of will to resist its corrupting properties and use Nidhogg's own power against him.
[ He offers Ardbert a very sardonic smile. ] As you have likely surmised, that was not the case. My hubris led to my downfall, which was only possible through this very specific series of events. And Nidhogg himself was a very particular kind of enemy.
[ Attempting to be comforting: ] Fear not, in encountering a dragon, they're more likely to try eating you than possessing you.
[ Estinien, you're crushing it today. ]
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Scattered details he's heard in passing come together, and he nods along. Estinien is rather straightforward with the explanation, admitting to his missteps and wrongdoing without missing a beat. Ardbert knows what that's like, too — to look back at your past mistakes and shake your head in dismay.
Most importantly, this conversation is quickly drawing his thoughts away from everything that just unfolded in his text chat with Aria, which is for the best right now.
He isn't expecting the "reassurance" regarding dragons, though, and lets out a bark of laughter. ]
Well, that makes me feel better. Although even then, isn't that a bit unfair? Look at Vrtra.
[ Then again, maybe Vrtra was more the exception than the rule? ]
Either way, it sounds as if Nidhogg was quite the fearsome foe. I'm relieved to know you were able to claw your way back from his influence.
[ Pun intended? ]
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[ And though Ardbert is correct that Nidhogg was indeed fearsome, with everything Estinien has learned about his history and his past and himself, he can't quite think Nidhogg his foe. Someone to be stopped, yes, if ever he returned, whether through Estinien or through some other means. But his foe? No. Estinien sees far too much of himself in the great wyrm to think of him that way. All he wants for Nidhogg is to know the same peace that Estinien now knows.
Though speaking of peace, he would not have expected someone who is a close friend of Aria to be such a careful driver. Estinien wonders if they'll make it out there before dark. ]
But tell me, how do you know Vrtra? I don't recall seeing you in Radz-at-Han.
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He and Estinien are both sturdy enough that he doesn't expect a crash would do much damage to them, but his Jeep is another story. The last thing he needs is more additions to his debts.
That question gives him pause, though. He takes a few moments of silence to consider, because with Estinien one can never be too certain of what he's gathered about the wider calamities they've dealt with and what he hasn't.
It's not as if he was ever drawn to the First, after all. ]
... Before I answer that, I must ask you: how much has Aria told you of our connection to each other?
[ He is fully expecting something along the lines of "naught of note." This is Aria and Estinien they're talking about, after all. ]
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[ Not that that's what Aria told him. No, she told him nothing; all he knows is that which Ardbert told him at their introductiob. Still, perhaps he was once a member of the Scions, or an ex-member of the Crystal Braves, seeing as everyone seems to know him as more than simply 'Aria's friend'. ]
Is there more to know?
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Instead, Ardbert lets out a long sigh and eyes the ceiling of the car, taking a few moments to let the burst of irritation flow through him.
Nothing can ever be easy, can it? He really does need to have a conversation with Aria about this, not that he expects it to change anything. ]
I almost have to wonder what you two even talk about when you spend time together. [ Or was that the whole thing — they weren't talking, so much as doing other things? ] Yes, there's more to know. And I suppose it's for the best that we have a drive ahead of us, because it may take some time to explain.
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If you do not wish to explain then don't. 'Twas only an idle curiosity.
[ Interesting though. He doesn't think he's seen anything from this man outside of quiet bemusement and a sort of resigned silence. He didn't know he did irritation too. Maybe that's simply the Aria effect. ]
If it becomes relevant I will get the information from Aria.
no subject
[ Ardbert can't help but shoot the words back, but truly, it's not that much of an imposition. He simply wonders how it is that his so-called other half can forge through life while also explaining so little. ]
Mayhap it's not that important for you, but it might be relevant to know at some point.
[ With how the Diadem can wring memories and feelings out of them, one could never been too certain.
Now that they've reached the highway and have the open road ahead of them, Ardbert's able to pick up speed, but he's also aiming to not slip-and-slide them off the road. He finds a good balance. ]
... Let's start here. When Aria and the others Scions were whisked away to another star, they went to the First. That's where I'm from.
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But that is neither here nor there. Ardbert sees fit to share his story and so Estinien listens. He can't say he was expecting to hear that he's from the First. ]
Ah.
[ That explains how the others all know of him. It... doesn't quite explain the twins' dislike of him.
Hm. ]
I assume then that you did not always fight on the side of the Scions.
[ There is zero judgement in his voice, merely a simple statement. He hardly thinks Ardbert would be sharing the same bed as Aria if whatever bad blood there had been between them had not been squared away.
(The twins not withstanding. Estinien knows all too well how easily Alisaie can keep a grudge alive.) ]
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It does make him wonder if he's picked up on how Alphinaud and Alisaie keep him at arm's length, and that's informing some of that conclusion.
Either way, Ardbert isn't about to shy away from the truth of it. It's probably for the best that Estinien finds out and draws his impressions from there. ]
... That's right. Before they even came to the First, I made an ill-planned trip to the Source alongside my allies. The Ascians had me convinced that the only way to save my home was by dooming yours. Of course, Aria and the Scions put a stop to that quite quickly.
[ But it's true that and Aria hardly come across as enemies. Quite the contrary, in fact.
With a quick glance toward the passenger's seat, he adds: ] Clearly, much has happened since then.
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[ Ascians, of course. He should have known they'd have a hand in this tale. He thinks to ask about what changed his mind—while being laid out flat by Aria is certainly revelatory, it's usually not enough to change a determined mind--ask him how he knows—but the rest of what Ardbert said catches up with him first. ]
'Save your home'? Is this the same threat that the others faced during their time in the First? Is that how you came to work together?
[ The Scion way, he's found, to turn enemies into allies into friends. Though as to that, surely Alphinaud and Alisaie wouldn't treat Ardbert in such a manner if that was the case? He is pretty sure even Gaius received a warmer welcome and he unleashed Ultima weapon upon the realm.
—Of course. The time discrepancy. The twins have likely not made it to the end of the story that Ardbert is about to tell him. Why they don't just clear up this misapprehension is beyond him but Estinien is not about to stick his nose into it.
Still, he doesn't recall any mention of Ardbert in any recount of the Scions' time on the First. He must admit, he's intrigued now. ]
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Thus far, Estinien has been giving Ardbert his full attention with this tale. They still have quite a drive ahead of them, so while they could simply listen to whatever strange music the radio subjects them to, this is as a good a time as any to catch him up on all that happened. ]
I don't know how much you've read up on the nature of calamities, but they tend to happen when the star experiences an overabundance of one type of aspected aether. On the First, that happened with light... which was in large part my fault, as my companions and I brought too much light to the world through our deeds.
[ Their deeds as heroes, as Warriors of Light. As it turns out, there can be so much of a good thing that it upsets the balance. ]
This led to a calamity called the Flood of Light, which almost consumed the entire star. I was hoping to prevent that when I came to the Source. Instead, it was the remnants of the Scions' previous leader, Minfilia, who ushered me back there and halted the Flood.
[ Still following along? Ardbert shoots Estinien a brief glance, then sighs, the heaviness of all this settling over his shoulders. ]
By then, I was already dead... though for some reason I did not fade and return to the aetherial sea, as I should have. I was naught but a shade, wandering the wasteland of my home for nigh on a century. It was only after Aria arrived that I learned the reason why.
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So Ardbert came to the Source to raise some hell and was soundly defeated and sent back to the First along with the Scions' former leader in order to avert a calamity that he himself was the—presumably unwilling—architect of.
Remarkably even-keeled. ]
And what did Aria reveal to you?
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... Well, it's not as if she knew what was happening either. But after a century, during which my awareness of my surroundings had begun to fray, I was suddenly wide awake again and drawn to her in a way I hadn't ever been in that time. More than that, she could hear me. Speak to me.
[ Even now, his voice is awed at the memory of it, as he slowly shakes his head to himself. ]
She let me know that she planned to save my home from the brink. At that point, I didn't believe her, all hope spent long ago...
[ But he's becoming distracted, reminiscing like this. ]
Ultimately, it was the shade of an Ancient who revealed to us why we had this connection. Aria and I are sundered shards broken off from the same Ancient soul.
[ How much that will mean to Estinien, he doesn't know, but he pauses there. ]
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I suppose then that I wasn't all that far off when I called you an adventurer friend of Aria's.
[ So it was Aria who pulled him back from the edge. Even he can tell from the way he speaks of it that much of Ardbert's... rehabilitation, for lack of a better word, is linked to Aria. It seems she has a knack for that, saving lost causes, though in his case Estinien would lay most of that at Alphinaud’s feet. ]
Does that also make you a Warrior of Light? For your shard?
[ If so then it must ache, doubly so, to know that it was his own efforts to save his star that doomed it. He supposes falling to an Ascian scheme makes sense then. Certainly, Estinien is in no position to cast stones; Nidhogg possessed him for a reason, after all.
'Tis, perhaps, not so strange then that he got caught up in all this. A shard from the same soul as Aria, perhaps he was merely caught in the crossfire, so to speak, when she was summoned here. Didn’t they arrive at the same time?
...Except, he remembers, he recognized Estinien immediately. ]
How, exactly, do you know me then?
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So he echoes that laugh with a brief chuckle of his own, and nods. ]
Aye, it does. Along with my companions, who were much to me as the Scions are to Aria. We were given Hydaelyn's blessing as well.
[ There are many comparisons to be drawn, but many ways in which their stories differed. Even if they're shards of the same original soul, that doesn't mean they're not their own people, but he doesn't think he needs to explain any of that to Estinien.
But yes, now to go back to the original question that brought about this whole explanation. He clears his throat and continues on. ]
In order to have the strength to defeat Emet-Selch, I managed to merge my soul with hers. From that point on, ever since she returned from the First, I have been partially present within her, catching bits and pieces of her experiences. That included you joining the Scions officially, meeting Vrtra, and so on.
[ And then came Diadem, splitting them back apart and giving him a body. Somehow. ]
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Partially present within her.
Hmm, now that's a familiar story. ]
Then how is it you are here now? What mechanism separated you?
[ Would it then be possible for Nidhogg’s shade inside to live again once more as Ardbert does? And if so, would that be a boon or a curse? As long lived as Great Wyrms are, civilisations could rise and fall a thousand times over before their grief begins to wane. Estinien would not subject the people here to something like that. And… he would not want to fight Nidhogg again. No, there is no satisfaction to be found in that. ]
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[ Ardbert sighs and shakes his head, his hands tightening around the steering wheel just slightly. They're well into the Fringes now, so it's simply a matter of deciding where to stop for their bout. ]
We woke up in the same medical tent in the scrapyard, but in different bodies. It's not as if there's anyone we can ask about where this body came from or how my soul was put into it, either.
[ Much like many things in Diadem, they simply have to accept it as some odd cosmic occurrence. Which doesn't sit well with him, but there hasn't been much that they can do about it either.
A pause, and then he shoots Estinien a wry smile. ]
So, if I happen to disappear at random one day, now you'll at least know why.
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In that case, I'll be sure to go easy on you.
[ So much uncertainty. He might have wondered if the same thing that befell him in the diffusion zones could have happened to Ardbert, but Ardbert mentioned that his body appeared on arrival. He might disappear only once they have found a way back to their star, but equally the magic that holds his form might just cease to be. No doubt Aria is already looking into it, but Estinien might also ask among his acquaintances to see if they might have some familiarity with something like this. ]
Anywhere around here is fine as long as we fight far enough away from the roads.
[ Anticipation is starting to build now. The last fight he had—real fight and not just the scuffles he gets into with these brigands and so-called raiders—was with Aria. And Ardbert claims to also be a Warrior of Light, with all that it entails. It promises to be a good bout. ]