In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
[attr=class,cyrustext]To many people, the Forsaken Region was the sort of place that one should never dare to enter. Though still under the protection of the Clover Kingdom's Magic Knights, it was perhaps the farthest away place considered to be under the eye of the Capital. So naturally, it was an ideal place for bandits and rogues to ply their trade, ambushing the rare travelers through the area with less fear of repercussions than they might face elsewhere in the kingdom. The criminal activity, coupled with the dangerous wild beasts that roamed its expanses, kept away most people so long as they weren't possessed by a particularly strong curiosity or desire to die.
But as the residents of the Forsaken Region could tell you, it was still ultimately a relatively normal place to live once you got past the dangers. The soil was neither especially great or terrible for farming, seasons weren't overly harsh or extreme, and day to day weather had just as much a chance of being nice as it did of being bad. And today, fortunately enough for the residents of the region, was thankfully one of the former; perhaps a bit muggy, but it was clear with no real signs of trouble or notable incidents that had happened yet. In the various villages and settlements, Cyrus Elwood of the Golden Dawn was sure that there were kids outside playing together on such a day. But unfortunately, he was not one of the people who would be enjoying the surprisingly peaceful afternoon. Instead he was sitting inside the study of the Elwood Estate, a scroll he had received some months ago unrolled before him. It was the very same scroll that had showed up, in a small parcel, on the Golden Dawn headquarter's doorstep, having been addressed to him as a gift from an anonymous person claiming to be a supporter of his.
Looking over his shoulder as he studied the elven characters written on the ancient paper was none other than the spirit who had been contained within the scroll; Hamadryad, the spirit of sap. Ever since she had first been called forth by the curious delivery, the two of them had been inseparable and had come to trust each other dearly. The two of them often confided in one another; Cyrus sharing with Hama his worries about whether or not he truly deserved his position in the Golden Dawn and if he was making his family proud, and the girl admitting to him how frustrating it felt to be so much weaker than the so-called "Main Spirits" and her confusion at suddenly being in the Clover Kingdom. From what she had told him, Hama had very little memory of what her life had been like before she was sealed in the scroll somehow, and what she did remember had a tendency to come and go every so often.
Fairly recently, Cyrus had been officially named the Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn, a title he worked tirelessly to ensure he did not shame. And, finding himself with a day off, Cyrus decided that today would be an excellent chance for them to do something that he had been wanting to do ever since they first met; see if he could figure out anything about who sent her, why, and when the sealing may have taken place. For as much as he cared for his partner, the idea that she was just ripped from her old life and dumped into his did not sit well with the Golden Dawn's second in command.
"So what exactly are you trying to do right now, Cyrus?" Asked the spirit as her friend peered at the scroll through a mundane magnifying glass, carefully examining the material of the paper and the ink that formed the letters. "Since we're trying to figure out who sent me the scroll and where from, I thought that seeing if I could figure anything out about the paper of the scroll itself might be a good start." He explained, turning away from the roll of parchment to study a book he had found detailing different forms of paper, how they were made, and where and when they were most frequently used.
"From what you've managed to tell me so far, it's unlikely that whoever sent you to me is the one who sealed you away; the things you've described about what you remember from before that happened tells me you aren't from the modern Clover Kingdom. How long ago it happened is a good first step to figure out; if we can deduce how old this paper is, we can check to see what places used it and how long ago. That would give us some sort of starting point to figuring things out, at least."
Hama nodded as she landed on the table, kneeling down to get a closer look at it herself. "So do you think you've found anything useful yet?" She asked, looking up at her friend as he returned his attention to the scroll and spotted her. He nodded. "Well, at the very least I think I can narrow things down a bit." He confirmed, pulling out a small book of notes he had begun recording his findings on. He was already several pages in, the papers covered in his writing, but most of it was just theories and possibilities, as well quick little notes he could refer back to instead of having to search through a thousand books to double check something.
"For starters, there's the simple fact that this language the scroll is written in is definitely elvish." He began, running his index finger beneath one of the passages written on the scroll. "Already, that more or less rules out the paper being made like humans or dwarves made; elves tended to keep to themselves for the most part, so they likely had their own way of doing things. Though that same secluded lifestyle means that information about such practices is difficult to come across."
Cyrus reached up and absentmindedly ran his finger along his ear, tapping at the sharp end of it. His ears used to be more akin to what most humans normally have; rounded, namely. But at some point, they had begun to grow sharper. As a matter of fact, now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure that his ears began to change after he first formed a connection with Hama. The notion made him think. Not too long before the Shatter took place, many people began to awaken to what most had come to agree was some sort of latent ancestry. Why these old bloodlines began to manifest, he had no clue. Nobody did. But Cyrus himself and not manifested any such traits at the time when everybody else did.
Only after he formed a contract with Hama.
Was it just because of the spirit connection? That seemed unlikely; as far as he knew, Zaven had displayed no such traits since he formed a bond with Hraban. So was it just a coincidence, and Cyrus' old blood awakened later than most? Another thought entered his mind. "Hang on..." He said, pushing aside the book on different forms of paper so that the scroll was right in front of him. Hama tilted her head. "What's up?"
Cyrus stared at the words on the page, and after a few seconds he smiled. "Back when I first got your scroll, I couldn't really make out what this scroll said. I just sounded out what the words looked like to me. But ever since then, it seems like I've started to get more of an understanding of the elvish language. I can understand it when I hear it spoken, for example."
Hama realized what he was getting at and flew back up, taking her usual seat on her friend's shoulder and following his gaze to the page. "So do you think you can read the scroll now? Is that what you're getting at?" She asked, and he nodded. As if an illusion was fading away, what had once seemed like garbled nonsense to the sap wizard was starting to make sense. Hama noticed the look of understanding in his eyes and grinned. "So what does it say?" She asked excitedly.
Cyrus' smile turned to a grin as well. "What it says, Hama, is that we've found our first lead!" He announced eagerly, returning his attention to the beginning of the writing. He rolled up the scroll and stood up, opening the window of the study. From his grimoire came a bright light as a large creature with a single massive eye and two large wings manifested; the Gauya Eye, his fastest Golem at the moment. "Come on, Hama. We're going to the Capital. I wanna see if Zaven would be willing to help us look into something." He told his companion, who nodded eagerly and stowed herself away within his tome. Anything was better than being cooped up in the Elwood manor all day.
Before he could leave, a servant opened the door to the study. "M-Master Elwood, where are you going?!" He asked, surprised by what he saw. Cyrus waved. "I'm heading over to the Golden Dawn base to look into something. Could you get with our communication mage Terrance and have him send a message to Captain Zaven saying that I want to speak to him regarding a discovery I've made regarding Hama's spirit scroll?"
The servant nodded and turned to do just that, allowing the sap wizard and his partner to fly off. Cyrus watched the land below as it rushed by, opening the scroll to look at the writing that had most caught his attention.
"To who draws out what lies within, combine your might and the gaps will fill in." He read out loud, looking up at the horizon. His connection with Hama nowadays was stronger than ever, but the way this passage was written helped him decide for certain that it was time to strengthen their partnership even furthur.
Cyrus remembered their adventure in Atlantis, and in particular how Undine had granted Artemis her aid. Aid he had recognized as an integral part of the bond between spirit and host; the Spirit Dive.
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] Zaven knew that his Vice Captain had left for the Forsaken Region to train not too long ago...it was after the daemon fight and the promotion he requested to have some time to go and train with his spirit, Hama. Zaven of course, accepted his request, and even after Hraban had joined him as his partner spirit the Golden Dawn captain had not really had much time to devote to training. A deep sigh would fill the room about a week after his Vice Captain left, finally Zaven decided that it was time to do something about his own training and he packed up some basic supplies and let the higher ranking members of the squad know he was heading out to train with Cyrus for a bit and he would be back. [break][break]
Zaven left, taking a broom to the Forsaken Region, Hraban flew beside him in its raven form and enjoyed the flight as it had finally begun to express itself. ”So we are going to find Hama...and Cyrus of course and join them...for training.” Hraban said with broken intervals in his speech. He was getting better the more time he spent with Zaven, but he always seemed a bit off. Perhaps this would do him some good, and allow him to have a better grip on reality. ”Yeah buddy...we are going to go train with the Vice Captain and his companion, our goal is to try and achieve some sort of synchronization so we can fight more efficiently. This is not a fun and games type of trip...I hope you are aware of that?” Zaven asked and made his stance on the training very clear to the spirit. Hraban just looked and nodded to his master, he was in debt to the man regardless since he freed him from the clutches of that dragon...He just wanted to be able to remember his past.
[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus hummed thoughtfully as his golem flew across the sky, considering how best he and Hama could work on training their connection. The next step of their development as partners, the Spirit Dive, was not going to be something they could simply talk through in order to succeed with. Their connection was strong, but they needed more than just that.
With his eyes closed as he contemplated, the sap wizard didn't notice the figure approaching them from the sky. Luckily Hama did, and lightly tapped on her friend to get him to pay attention. "Hey Cyrus, look!" She said, pointing at the person riding a broomstick. He opened his eyes to see, and stood up on the Gauya Eye, easily keeping his balance thank to his experience with such riding. "Is that... Zaven?" Cyrus asked, squinting a bit before the newcomer got close enough to clearly see. Hama shielded her eyes from the sun as she took a closer look, and laughed. "It sure is! And it looks like Hraban's right there with him!" She confirmed, waving to the Captain of the Golden Dawn as he approached.
Once the two had met in the air, Cyrus gave a small wave to his superior and his own spirit companion as well. "This is some coincidence, Zaven! I was just on my way to the Royal Capital to come and see you! I've found something interesting about the scroll that Hama was sealed inside, and I decided that it was time for the two of us to start working on our next big step!"
Hama grinned excitedly at the mention of the upcoming training. Her eyes briefly fell on the raven spirit, giving him a nod of acknowledgement. She still wasn't absolutely sure just how she felt about the shadow being, given their first interactions. "So what brings you two out this way? Going for a picnic?" She asked with a laugh; it was clear to the pair that whatever it was couldn't have been that urgent, if the Captain was riding a broomstick and not enlisting the aid of a spatial magic user.
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] After being hailed by his Vice Captain he gave a short wave before joining him and with a small wave to Hama, Hraban landed on Zaven’s head, it was comical looking...and the Golden Dawn captain was looking rather aloof as well. When Cyrus explained that they were on their way to see him, the Shadow of Dawn chuckled a bit before grasping his Vice Captain’s shoulder, Hama also asked why the captain and his spirit were out this way and even asked if it was to picnic and Zaven shook his head before finally answering. ”Well it just so happens me and Hraban were out here to train away from the base so we can deepen the spiritual bond we share.” Zaven explained to Hama before looking to Cyrus again. ”Well since it seems we have a common goal my friend, let us train together. I am sure that having a partner to train with will go a long way when making strides with growth. So...what discoveries have you made? I have also noticed that your strength has increased significantly since the Vice Captain test. Hoping to take over the Golden Dawn yet?” Zaven said with another chuckle as he gestured to the open field just off the side of the path. Walking towards the field he would continue the talk with Cyrus, if there was a swapping of ideas needed he would of course be happy to exchange ideas...he had questions of his own as well. [break][break]
”I was also needing to talk to you about a few things, so I think a private meeting of the minds is long overdue.” He said as Hraban floated over to Hama and finally cleared it’s throat before speaking to the sap spirit on its own. ”H-Hama...I am sorry f-for our first meeting...I-I have been l-learning to speak. My name is H-Hraban...I am a shadow raven spirit. I have not had much i-interaction with...others since I woke up” The spirit bowed, it looked a little bit more reserved than before as Zaven noticed the two speaking and smirked. Overall this was going to be good for all parties involved as the deeper the bond between the spirits and their partners posed a great winfall for the kingdom. With the two leading men in the Golden Dawn in synch it was more likely that a threat would be significantly less so.
[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus watched curiously as Hraban landed on his Captain's head, and couldn't help the snicker that escaped him at the sight. Something about seeing one of the most powerful men in Clover with a bird perched on his noggin was just amusing to the younger wizard. Hama was similarly amused, but not so similarly restrained in showing her amusement.
It was then that the Shadow of the Dawn explained why exactly he and his own spirit were out here, which just so happened to be for the same reason as he and Hama, which the man himself noted. Zaven also made an observation about how much stronger Cyrus seemed to have gotten recently (a remark that filled his second in command with pride), and asked if he was feeling up to taking over the Golden Dawn yet. The chuckle afterward made it difficult to tell if he was being serious, though from his experiences training with the man before becoming Vice Captain he had some doubts that it was just a joke.
"I... don't believe I'm Captain material, at the moment." He said, though he noticed how he himself worded it; once upon a time, that statement would have probably stopped before the 'at the moment' bit. It spoke volumes about the difference in his confidence between then and now.
The mention of his discoveries, however, brought out the scholarly enthusiasm that the nobleman would have likely become familiar with by now as they walked to the open field Zaven began heading towards. "Well, I suppose it is less of a new discovery, and more that I am certain Hama and I are ready to put it into practice. Back when we fought during our mission in Atlantis, the spirit Undine gave us aid in the form of gracing Artemis with a portion of her power; that is to say, they performed a Spirit Dive. And given our time spent together and how synchronized we are, I felt that now would be the perfect time for Hama and I to begin our own training on the subject. A Partial Spirit Dive seems an apt start, I think."
He listened curiously as Zaven mentioned wanting to speak with him on other matters besides training as well, nodding as a way of telling him to continue. As that happened Hraban approached Hama, who eyed her fellow spirit warily as he began to... speak, actually. The mere fact that he was actually talking now was enough to get her attention, and even Cyrus' eyes widened a bit at the raven's progress. He smiled happily as Hraban apologized for his behavior when he first met Hama, with the sap spirit herself waiting almost uncharacteristically patiently for him to finish.
Once he had, she gave a small smile. "Well, I appreciate the apology Hraban. And I'm sorry if I was a bit... harsh, that same day. I get how confusing it can be when you first come to. So... no hard feelings. Just, don't let it happen again, yeah? It's a pleasure to officially meet you."
Just as Zaven had smirked at his partner's improvement, so too did Cyrus grin at his partner's more measured and tactful response to Hraban's apology. He had a good feeling about this day, and in more ways than one!
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] Hearing his vice captain say that he was not prepared to be captain just yet was humbling at least and led Zaven to smile as he could only hold Cyrus in this regard anyway. When he listened to what Cyrus’ discovery was he remembered reading and also hearing about this little incident from at least one other source that was there Zaven gave a nod. ”I have read about various incidents like this as well as I can also say I have seen it in person in Kikka when we reclaimed it. I wish to achieve spirit dive with Hraban as well, and I know there are things about me which he could learn from as well so there is also that. I think it would be a good idea to travel with you and train so that way we may be able to achieve a like minded goal. With everything that is happening around us, it would be beneficial if we achieved it sooner rather than later.” Zaven said as Hraban flew back over to the Shadow of Dawns shoulder and waited for a moment. The little back and forth for the spirits was all that was needed and Hraban was curious as to what they could achieve through isolated training. [break][break]
If Cyrus would allow it, Zaven would follow him and during the walk he would just focus on the energy around him, feeling his own aura and the one of Hraban flowing in the same space. He was more than happy with the spirit but the connection could always use some work. He felt a tweak, then a spark every so often...Zaven used to attribute it to the ambient energy in the air but soon he noticed it only happened while in the presence of Hraban, Hama, or other spirits...though he could really only feel a strong spark when near Hraban he held that energy, trying to grasp it and understand it when he finally asked Cyrus. ”Do you and Hama communicate verbally always or are there things that she talks to you about in private or telepathically...is what I mean. I feel a spark, or a tug I guess would be the right word for it when Hraban is near and I associate it with the energy in the air but the more I hang around spirits the more I am starting to feel like it is linked to the bond I share with this particular shadow spirit of mine.” He was curious about this and was seeking answers as always so he left it to the one man in which he knew had at least some sort of understanding with the spirits since Hama has been around for such a time it was his only path forward at the current time. [break][break]
Hraban was standing by in the meantime, he could feel that ambient connection to Zaven ever since he awoke after being asleep for so long. He vowed to protect Zaven until he no longer existed, and while Zaven never really relied on him for support he did know that if he was to grow stronger...he would be able to help his master better. Hraban kept trying to reach out with his own energy to try and establish a better link to the Shadow of Dawn, their auras were vastly different, but they also shared a great deal of power between the two of them. Gradually the spirit started to meld into the shadows to try and just become one with Zaven, yet the spirit was still finding it hard to do so.
[attr=class,cyrustext]After hearing Cyrus explain the process that lead him to his current objective, Zaven shared his own experiences regarding the power of the Spirit Dive. At the mention that it would be better for them to figure out the technique sooner, rather than later, the sap wizard nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I figured it would be best for me and Hama to start with a Partial Spirit Dive, as I said before. So I was wanting somewhere we could focus."
With that said he beckoned the Captain to follow him as he walked, Hama keeping her eyes closed as she felt the mana around them; she was searching in her own way, trying to find a place that felt right for their objective. It was then that the Golden Dawn's Captain spoke again, asking the pair if the two of them had ever communicated without speaking in some manner. The spirit opened her eyes and exchanged a glance with her partner, who considered the question.
"Well, I can definitely say that we have. But I'm not totally sure if it's like we're actually speaking to each other mentally." Cyrus noted, trying to figure out how best to explain what the two had experienced.
Hama decided to chime in. "It's more like we just kind of know what the other one is thinking, I guess? We've never really tried speaking to each other just with our thoughts, so maybe it's possible?"
Cyrus nodded in agreement; it sounded about as accurate as he could describe the feeling. In fact, that might have been proof enough of what they were describing. "I can definitely relate to that pull, that tugging sensation that you mentioned. It's felt as though it's been growing stronger ever since Hama and I first met. It's a big part of why I felt that now would be the right time to start this training."
After a couple more minutes of walking, Cyrus stopped. They had reached a large clearing, well away from the road between cities. He closed his eyes, much as Hama had, feeling the mana in the air. "... This is the place." He decided. It was hard to explain, but he could just sense it. The Vice Captain opened his eyes and turned back to look at Zaven and Hraban, smiling. "I can feel it. Are you both ready to begin?" He asked. Hama grinned excitedly, more prepared herself.
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] Zaven understood exactly where Cyrus was coming from when he spoke. It seemed as though Zaven had a lot to learn when it came to training with Hraban, so it did not surprise him when he arrived with Cyrus to the place he mentioned was for training. Instead he could tell the place was suitable for training one’s mind and body both simultaneously. Zaven had to find something that would work for him, the way that the shadows worked inside of his head was undoubtedly different than how Cyrus’s worked. With that in mind the Shadow of Dawn nodded and walked towards the shadow of a single tree that looked like it was in the way of the sun as if defiantly standing up against the forces of nature in an affront to further advancements of the warming rays of light. ”I will take what you said to heart and I will also begin my own training then. I wish you the best of luck, Cyrus.” He was brief, yet sincere as he spoke...the captain wished no ill will to his subordinate, but he did need to figure out answers for himself as well, and this was how he intended to do so. [break][break]
Once under the shade of the big tree he decided to take a few deep, calming breaths as he began to clear his mind from what had been holding him back the past couple of days. The thoughts of Hinota, of Silas, Ardere, Rosalia, Rosaria...of his own family, he had to enter that next stage, he had to clear all distractions. He focused on his inner self, slowly sinking inside his own consciousness until the outside world faded, even Hraban ceased from being present in the physical world as the two stepped into the head of the Shadow of Dawn. Everything felt...light, almost as if the man was floating as Hraban was now the same size as the man that was the master of the spirit. The sensation of breathing was absent as the captain of the Golden Dawn was about to question, Hraban spoke up as if he could sense this oncoming. ”Welcome, this is the place I spend most of my time when I am not out among the populace.” Hraban spoke with eloquence here as if the spirit was playing a trick on him when not on the outside. ”To answer the question in your head...I am not bound by the mortal tethers that are around when amongst the realm of humans...here I am back to my purest form, and since our mana creates a synergistic relationship The way you see me now, is a mirror of what you personify me to be.” Hraban said as the shadows moved from place to place, the symbolic “eyes” of Zaven started to adjust and see the spirit in the mirrored state. Zaven was taken back and he did not have the words to describe how he felt. [break][break]
After a few moments the shock finally wore off and the two stood there, staring at each other. Hraban walked towards Zaven and then after a moment, stepped into his body and the two of them became one. ”Wha...what did you just do Hraban?!” Zaven felt the power begin to surge within him and the power of the archmage began to grow like a cup that had cracked and was being overfilled. ”Relax, now you will enter a fugue state in the real world while you meditate with my power inside of you. This will ease our transitions for the future, and this is only the first step...you must overcome this hurdle before we can even begin talking about my own power becoming yours.” Hraban said, the voice was resonating in the air instead of inside of Zaven’s head. Sitting down in the void he soon felt the restrictions of his body becoming lifted, the clothing his body required to blend in with society became nothing and eventually the vision of his skin faded, his muscles...veins...organs...bones all became nothing as the only thing that remained was a single purple and azure flame that held another larger aura around it. Zaven’s own mind was able to pick up on this and in an instant he understood what this was. The smaller two-toned flame being held inside the larger flame was Zaven’s own fractured soul, the purple from his previous life and the azure from his current. The larger flame was the power that the spirit held and Zaven was humbled by this experience. He immediately reached out with his mana to try and absorb as much as he can of the power.
[attr=class,cyrustext]Zaven seemed content with the location that Cyrus had selected for them to begin their training, and chose to sit in a spot in the shadow of a lonely tree. The Shadow of the Golden Dawn wasted no more time, swearing to take his Vice Captain's advice to heart before beginning his own meditation.
Figuring he should get started as well, Cyrus found a spot of his own to center himself in; a sharp contrast to his mentor, the spot was atop a small raise in the ground that was fully illuminated in the light of the shining sun. The sap wizard sat down, assuming a meditation pose taught to him by his first mentor Pesha; he tucked his legs underneath himself, seiza style, with his hands resting parallel to one another. He calmed his breath, closing his eyes and focusing so that the only sensation that remained was the familiar tug from Hama's presence.
The spirit herself was also focusing, though in a significantly less formal manner; she simply closed her eyes as she sat on top of her partner's head, before she slowly turned to particles as she and Cyrus connected. She too felt the gentle tug of her friend's mana, and the two reached out to one another in their minds.
A warm feeling enveloped the young wizard as the two of them felt their connection strengthen; the sensation made Cyrus think back on their time together. How she appeared before he and Zaven from the mysterious scroll delivered to the Golden Dawn's headquarters in the Royal Capital. How they had spoken throughout that entire first night together, of their goals and dreams. The way that they had come to influence each other's behavior.
Cyrus was quite sure that if it wasn't for Hama, he would not have nearly the same amount of confidence that he had at the present; her competitive nature, refusal to censor her thoughts, and insistence on being acknowledged was something that the Elwood boy had admired about his friend from the moment those traits became apparent. Before, he had no interest in rivals; no care for what his rank was in the Golden Dawn. He simply wanted to fulfill his duties.
But now he was a changed man, and for the better as far as he himself was concerned. Her drive to become stronger served as a model to follow; a symbol of what he needed to be like if he wanted to truly make a positive change in the Clover Kingdom. And for that insight, for her speaking his thoughts aloud and driving him to assert himself, Cyrus was eternally grateful to Hama.
But he was not the only one changed by their relationship.
When she first emerged from the scroll, Hama was quite the hothead. Well, she still was, to be perfectly honest. But whereas before she was a storm, rampaging across whatever was in her way and caring little for the consequences, now she felt more akin to a strike of lightning; precise, singular, and focused.
Though Hama's memories of her time before being sealed away were hazy (due to how long she had been inside, the two of them suspected), she was quite certain that she had never met someone like Cyrus in her original time. She could always feel a passion from the young man from the moment they met, but it was as though it were buried beneath a sea of doubt. He was reserved and passive, preferring to respond rather than initiate.
At first, she thought he was slow. Every little thing that he did, he had to stop and think about the best way to approach the situation. Everything from intense battles within the dungeons of the Clover Kingdom to simply trying to navigate the crowds in the Royal Capital on his way to the Golden Dawn headquarters, he would plan and consider. Plan and consider.
It drove her a bit mad, honestly. How did he expect to ever get anything done if he was always second guessing himself?! It made no sense! It was like he was afraid that the slightest misstep would send him tumbling down. He should be like her, she had thought at the time; deal with problems when they arose, not worry yourself into a stupor at what could only be a possibility!
But at the same time, he saw things that she didn't. Caught things that, in her constant rush of life, she would miss completely. While she was focused on getting to the end of the tunnel and seeing what was on the other side, Cyrus was talking about the techniques used to safely support the rocks around them. When she wanted to rush in to deal with an enemy head on, Cyrus would hang back and observe them.
And over time, Hama realized that there was merit to his approach. And so, every once in a while, maybe for just a second or two, she would slow down. She'd stop to smell the roses, to use a rather cliche expression. And taking the time to appreciate what was around them, and think about what options were available, made her feel,,, relaxed. Focused. And to be perfectly honest, she kind of liked it.
As the two meditated, they exchanged no words. None of their usual back and forth or teasing. They were simply... coexisting. They could feel the steady pulse of each other's mana; Cyrus' measured and calm, Hama's quick and erratic. But as they focused, and thought back to their time together and what they had learned from one another, their mana shifted. Cyrus' quickened, while Hama's slowed. They blended and mixed, like salt in the sea.
That warm feeling that Cyrus had felt began to spread as he and Hama's mana continued to synchronize. He felt as though a part of him was peeling away, only for a new self to emerge from below. Like a snake shedding its skin, the two bid farewell for the moment to themselves... and for the first time, greeted themself.
Cyrus' body began to glow with the familiar amber his grimoire often shined with when casting spells. The aura surrounded him, and he could feel it particularly strong in a few places. Vaguely he recalled a book he read once on a concept known as "Chakras"; specific points and locations in a person's body where energies tended to congregate. In particular he felt it in his forehead and across his shoulders. Were he not so engrossed in the sensation, he would have tried to remember more of what he had read. He could feel a new power welling up from within him, and he wasn't... no, they weren't going to let it slip away.
"Hama... you feel it too, right?" He silently asked his friend through their mental connection. A quiet laugh echoed throughout his mind. "Yeah, I can. And do you know what I'm thinking?" She asked with a challenging tone.
Cyrus gave a small nod, a smile on his face. "Yeah... we can take it even further." He responded boldly.
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] Tearing through the darkness that covered him, the man was traveling through an endless sea of thick...dense mana to try and get to the light. The man was panting and his own mana was so out of whack that others might think that he was in an evolutionary phase like that of a caterpillar to a butterfly. The strength would ebb and wane as he tore through the energy, finally reaching a point where he had to stop and take a breath to regain his composure. The scene was similar to that of an escaped convict from a prison, a fall back scene of what the man’s life was constantly an analogy of. Soon the man broke down into a hysterical state where the mana would fade and leave him alone as the shadows encroached on him, then it would suddenly burst forth like a starving beast...eager to devour every last source of energy available to it. The man would stand up when that burst of energy would happen and take off in another direction to try and outrun that all encompassing energy that threatened to swallow him up as well. That was when Zaven saw who the man really was as he seemed to be experiencing a type of trance, the man that was running was...himself. [break][break]
Zaven let out a gasp, but quickly regained his own composure as the scene changed to when he was training with Hinota Yuiee out in the Forsaken Region. He killed the bugbear without so much as a second thought, but then when it came to the bandit leader...he took no joy or even sorrow at the fact that he had to kill this man rather than apprehend him. Erebus, or the voice that Zaven heard in his head echoed throughout the space again, that eerie feeling spread through his cells, his muscles tightened, and that scar on his chest was ablaze with an energy he had not felt in some time. Then as Erebus was summoned as he did then, a new face was there...Hraban. The shadow spirit had been by his side since the beginning and had shared a link with Zaven and the two did not even know it until now...This vision was surreal as Zaven stared at Hraban and Hraban back at him. The shadows moved as Hraban seemed to meld back into the scene as the spirit spoke to Zaven once more. ”This was a moment where I found in your memories that you shared the purest connection with the shadows and mana that naturally moved around us...Replacing the vision of your interpretation of a god for someone that has been with you since the beginning. The shadows that hang around the threads of fate have brought us together, through time and space we were always connected and I was always meant to become a part of you. I am sure you have seen connections like this among the people you frequent.” Hraban spoke and then waited as Zaven was allowed time to process this; Cyrus, Vulkan, Rosalia, Ardere...their spiritual links were...all unique and all of them seemed tied to the spirits as if they were just extensions of their own body. That is when it hit Zaven, the spiritual side of mana...a whole new world he was unaware of. The power of mana and how it interacted with the body, the link of magic between the spirit and the host that the spirit was in contact with was intimate and pure. ”Now you understand the basic...the very foundations on which our partnership was built. We work in tandem with each others abilities to achieve maximum results, but I am a manifestation of mana itself...this is my form, while other shadow spirits may not look the same, I am unique to you, and together our power has no limits. That is why it is imperative that our bond grows...that way we will be able to defend those WE love from all that seek to take away or destroy our way of life.” With the end of that little speech Zaven felt himself come back into his own body, he was still teetering on the cusp of a spiritual awakening and so he allowed himself to wash away everything, to hold no more emotional holds to his life...to become one with the shadows...just as he learned to do when he was just a kid. Slowly it began to work as the amount of mana began to build inside of him, making him like a beacon, shining brightly in the ethereal plane. Shadows whipped around, the tree began to vibrate, and the earth lost feeling, he soon felt the vibration and eventually… [break][break]
[attr=class,cyrustext]As if in response to their silent declaration, the floodgates of their mana seemed to erupt within their shared mind. Cyrus' eyes opened for the first time in what had to have been at least an hour of meditation, but what he saw wasn't the clearing by the road. He didn't see Zaven sitting across from him, engrossed in his own meditation. Instead, he seemed to be in some sort of forest.
But this was no forest like he had ever seen before; even the chaos of Clover's numerous dungeons seemed far more natural than the sight before the Golden Dawn mage's eyes.
Amber. Everything was made of amber. The trees stood tall and crystalline, while the shifting of his weight as he slowly stood produced the sound of breaking shards of ember underfoot. Grass.
Amber grass.
The familiar sound of a flowing river met his ears next, but even that seemed somehow off to him. And as his eyes scanned his surroundings, he would see why; there was indeed a river, but it was a constant stream of sap instead of water. Slow and deliberate, unlike the chaotic splashing of a real creek.
The air itself was likewise unusual, a sweet smell that almost made his teeth hurt with its intensity, yet also somehow felt very calming as well. And the warmth on his skin... his attention rose skyward, feeling certain after what he had thus far witnessed that he would see an amber star where the sun would normally be. But he wasn't catching on as quickly as he had thought, for there was nothing in the sky. The light seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere, all at once.
Actually, now that he was looking at it more closely, saying that there was nothing in the sky wouldn't be quite right. There was something; peering closer, almost straining his eyes, he could make out amber trees that seemed to be hanging from the sky above, as far as he could see.
It was like he was inside a geode; an amber geode.
Cyrus wanted to call out to Hama; to ask where she was. But the words wouldn't come out. And as he reflected on the desire, he came to the conclusion that it was a foolish thing to consider. Why would he need to call out to her?
Before he could decide what to do next, however, something began to glow from within his bag. Cyrus opened the satchel and dug through until he found the source of the warm glow; the spirit scroll that had contained Hama. This was new; never before had he seen the scroll emit light like this, except for maybe in the brief moments before his friend had been freed herself.
With no other option plainly visible, Cyrus slowly unrolled the scroll, and the shining light grew even more brilliant until it was almost blinding. Even Cyrus, with his practically nonexistent sensory abilities, could feel a massive rush of mana burst forth from the old parchment, gathering several meters in front of him. He shielded his eyes from the light as it dimmed, slowly lowering his arm once it seemed to be gone.
And now, all of a sudden, he was no longer alone in this otherworldly forest.
A man stood before Cyrus, looking tall and strong in a way that almost reminded the Vice Captain of Ardere, though perhaps not quite so large. He wore rather fine looking clothes, but Cyrus could notice odd little touches that made them seem less fancy; his boots were worn differently, some buttons weren't done, etc. The man had ear-length blonde hair with sharp blue eyes. It wasn't anybody that Cyrus could ever remember meeting before, but something about him definitely seemed... familiar, somehow.
"It would seem you're a bit lost, huh kid?" Asked the man in a powerful, commanding voice as he chuckled. Cyrus stared at him, not really sure how to respond to the statement given everything else that was going on at the moment. The stranger raised his hand to his chin, scratching at it absentmindedly as he studied the younger man.
"Still... you're making progress quicker than I had expected. I had thought I would need to give you a push just to get things started, but to achieve a Partial Spirit Dive so quickly... not bad. Not bad at all."
Cyrus heard his words, but they took a moment for him to register what exactly he had said; he looked down at his hands, and saw a distinctive amber glow, different from the one he normally associated with his magic, surrounding his body. With his fixation on the sudden arrival in such a strange place, he had completely missed the fact that he and Hama had done it; they had merged into a Partial Spirit Dive! No wonder he had thought it was strange to call out for her; they were already just about as close as they could possibly be!
Cyrus looked back at the unfamiliar man, who kept a relaxed smirk on his face. "Who... who are you? And where are we?" He asked, though he at least had a theory in regards to the latter question's answer.
The man seemed to think for a second, before shrugging nonchalantly. "I suppose just Ostead is fine, for the time being. As for where we are... you already know, don't you? This is the inside of your mind. Or rather, the inside of yours and Hama's mind together. Fascinating, no?"
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] His body still felt numb, he was resonating on some level with his spirit and could feel his body filling with energy when things began to enter his mind. What Hraban said about protecting what he loved...Flashes of a face, then another, then another as the little step taken finally ended with one final flash of a feminine beauty...her features like a doll… but also a duality as he was also injured by this beauty, and a darker side to her caused Zaven to suffer his first wound in a new body. THen a voice snapped him out of it as he opened his eyes in the real world again. Hraban floated about and looked at Zaven, his eyes looking angry. ”NO INTERRUPTIONS ZAVEN! You HAVE to clear your mind...I can feel what you think...I know the link between you and that woman,but you know the path you must take in order to protect them...it will not be easy and I know your conviction to do what is right outweighs your selfish desires...let’s get back to work.” Hraban scolded Zaven, but it was for good reason and it worked for the most part. Zaven knew he had to get stronger, he had to be able to protect the Golden Dawn, the Blakes, the kingdom...and then some. Zaven smacked his own face a few times before taking off in a walk, he wanted to clear his head, and his spirit partner, Hraban, was right at his left shoulder. [break][break]
The Shadow of Dawn remembered a time when he thought about his own retirement, or rather...his future. When he was young and rebelling against his father...he saw himself working with his cousin to remove Rolin from the equation, and then helping raise the family in an official capacity to be a force to be reckoned with. When he joined the magic knights, and went through the war...he realized his end would probably be with a magic spell snuffing out his candle. Now however he saw a different end...one where he would be at the top, looking down. He was meant to rule...just as his father had taught him, however...the magic knights showed him how to use people...to get what he needed thru the old saying “Catching more flies with honey than with vinegar” Hraban could feel his growing emotions as the turmoil in his head was making the Golden Dawn captain feel almost manic. So the spirit did what it knew best to do at the time, and it began to hum as it tried to soothe its partner, and of course Zaven heard the soft hum and looked at his partner, he felt like the spirit had been apart of his life since the beginning...the song it hummed was one that the Zaven of this plane heard from his own mother and all he could do was blink before his breathing started to slow. ”I just want...to be able to slow down and enjoy life...to find love...to not be alone…” He scoffed at that last part as he felt the tears welling up in his eyes, he felt like a damn kid again as he chuckled a little. ”I am being childish...perhaps life would have been better if I just remained a tool under the care of my father…” Then the ground fell out from underneath him, he was back in his mind space as he blinked and looked at Hraban, who floated in front of him and then with an angry look the mental image that was Zaven rushed at Hraban, the spirit just simply flicked Zaven away as he looked at his partner. After Zaven finally stopped moving he was making the effort to breathe calmly as he slowly stopped questioning why the spirit had forced him back into that place and then let out a primal scream, a bellow that could rival that of a dragon. Yet nobody in the real world would hear because it all happened inside of himself. After a few seconds Hraban looked back at Zaven and smiled as the Shadow of Dawn stood up. ”It looks like you are at least smarter than you speak...Let’s get back to training.” Zaven just began to gather the shadow mana from around him, the well inside of him was beginning to fill at an exponential rate, his plan was to take in Hraban’s power and hold it, manage the influx and try to contain it. The first step on his journey. At first it was chaotic, the power was causing mana backlash and striking the ground, his psyche in this case and causing Zaven a great deal of pain as it felt like he was getting close to reaching a boiling point, then extreme cold, then emotions rolled over him, yet the man chose not to focus on these distractions...instead he chose to push forward, trying to put a lid on this metaphorical container. ”Tell me what is it to live?” Zaven started to ask as he thought of what would happen once this training was complete. Hraban asked his own question in return. ”Do we simply just exist?” Like a single lullaby in the dead of night?” Zaven joined back in as he understood the call and answer that was going on with the spirit now. ”With the daemons, and other threats looming it could be exhausting when stacked against our personal lives...If our whole world is up in flames, do we test our skin against the blade?Or are we all lost in oblivion?”Zaven called out, as the power was starting to become much more calming, soothing even and Hraban reflected on bits and pieces of his own past as he watched Zaven grow before his eyes. ”Watching your reflection fade like some figment from my mind or will you live on...will the wolf become the prey or will the wolf rise to the occasion.” Hraban then saw Zaven tense up as the shadows began to spread, the lid of this mental container was not yet fully controlled. ”Lost among the dark...Broken again...like a chosen one will I be able to stand tall, standing as if it was due to the strange powers of prophecy...Is this life or just a dream? I may not know, but I do know that my past has become irrelevant, my upbringing has brought me here for a reason.” A strike of lightning and then the feeling of wetness against his physical form was felt, it broke him out of that small trance just as the mana was nearly contained. Hraban sat on his shoulder as a small thunder shower had moved into the area. [break][break]
”The rain has come to wash away my sins” He said with a somber tone before looking around to see that the ground had been damaged around him, the earth had been impacted several times and rocks were broken...it was like he was doing it subconsciously. He then looked to where he could feel the mana presence of Cyrus and walked towards him...he wanted to ask him some questions. The rain poured down on him and it did not bother him, he felt lighter, refreshed even...
[attr=class,cyrustext]"Ostead?" Cyrus asked, running the name through his thoughts over and over again. It was the strangest sensation... he knew for a fact that he had never met, or even heard of, a person by the name of Ostead. But at the same time, for some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity with the man. It was like... trying to recall what someone was like after all you had seen of them was a picture. Or perhaps more akin to the sense one gets when they can only vaguely recall a dream they had just awoken from.
The man simply nodded, stepping around Cyrus to get a good look at the younger person. Cyrus took the opportunity to study his own form, now that he had reached a Partial Spirit Dive; he had a visible glow of mana surrounding his body like an aura, particularly around his hair. The amber light seemed to almost leak off of his follicles, causing his hair to appear significantly longer than it already was. softly glowing patterns had also formed over his limbs, in a manner reminiscent of tattoos. As Ostead passed in front of him, Cyrus caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the strange badge stuck to the man's lapel. Dark markings had appeared around his brow, though he could not tell when he reached up to touch them.
"Quite the change, eh? Yours does seem a bit more connected to you than my own did." Ostead noted as he saw the young man studying himself.
This gave Cyrus pause. "Than your own?" He repeated, realization striking him even as he asked the question. But what also struck him was the sound of his voice; he could hear Hama's own overlaying it, as though they were speaking in tandem. The other person laughed and nodded. "Yeah, but that was forever ago. And I don't really think that we have too much time for a Q and A right now, yeah? 'Sides, your friend out there seems to want to speak to you about something."
Cyrus tilted his head curiously, but he could definitely sense the presence of Zaven now. Maybe since he was more used to this strange place now, he could feel what lied beyond? He reached out to Hama mentally, concerned that she had been so quiet since their meditation had reached this point. "Hama... you're still here, right?" He asked, and there was an odd sensation that filled his body for a moment. "I'm here Cy. This is too weird!" Spoke a familiar voice, only it was coming out of her partner's mouth; this time Cyrus' own voice was faintly beneath the spirit's, as she assumed control of their voice.
Cyrus chuckled, and snickered simultaneously as he and his friend's shared amusement bubbled forth. Ostead arched an eyebrow at the odd exchange, but cleared his throat. "Anyway, you two had better get going. I'd been hoping to give you some tips, but seeing you now, I think it might be better for you to just stretch your wings and fly, as it were." He said, shrugging as he turned to walk into the bizarre forest of amber trees.
Cyrus and Hama held out their hand, wanting to ask at least one question before the man left and they rejoined Zaven in the real world outside their mind. "Wait! Where did you come from? Why are you in our mind?" They asked, and the man's boots planted themselves on the ground as he turned to look at them. He grinned. "Oh, that? Well, I couldn't just let Hama there disappear without any sort of guidance, so I stowed a little piece of myself away within that scroll of hers, is all! Sure did take you two long enough to get me outta there, though! Talk about rude."
Though they were merged as one in their mindscape, Cyrus and Hama could feel themselves giving one another their customary exchange of curious looks. He had stowed away within her scroll? So did that mean that he knew what had happened to her in the past that made her lose her memory?
Ostead stopped again, just looking over his shoulder this time instead of turning completely around as he had before. "Oh, and by the way. I listened in on that plan of yours for the Elwood family. It's a gutsy idea, but I should warn you that some people might not like that."
Cyrus' expression went from confused to resolved at the observation. He had decided he would be going through with it, and he intended to see it through. "I have no doubt that there will be resistance. But that won't stop me from doing the right thing."
Ostead smirked, but let out a chuckle that made the pair uneasy. "That's not exactly what I was talking about, but I like the attitude. I'll see you two later, maybe. Or maybe not. Truth be told I'm not exactly sure how this whole magical vestige thing works. All I know is what the real me knew at the time I was created. So this may be a one and done sort of deal. Guess we'll know when we know, you know?"
He laughed again, and as he laughed Cyrus and Hama could feel themselves shifting. They were exiting the strange, dream-like state they had been in, and returning to the real world.
Cyrus' eyes snapped open with a gasp as he came to, Hama immediately emerging from within him at the same time as he awoke. The feeling of rain and rumble of thunder got the pair's attention before they actually realized that a storm had rolled in while they meditated. They both looked at themselves, seeing that they no longer had the strange markings that had covered their merged body in the vision.
Cyrus and Hama both looked up, only now seeing Zaven standing over them with Hraban on his shoulder. The Shadow of Dawn had a strange air about him, and an expression that Cyrus couldn't quite give a name to. But he stood up, meeting his brother eye to eye. "How... how has your meditation been going?" Cyrus asked a bit slowly; though it had been rather brief, it seemed as though he was still already used to speaking in concert with Hama. The spirit herself shook her head, as if to wake herself up. "Because ours was something else, I can tell you that!"
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] When Cyrus and Hama awoke Zaven looked at them and then held his breath for a moment as they asked about his meditation and how it was going or how it went. Zaven strained a moment as he tried to find the words...in all honesty he wanted to get back to meditating, but he needed to clear some thoughts. ”It went well, and I have unlocked a level of understanding with Hraban that I did not have before. Did you and Hama experience a level of understanding before growing with her...as in did she read your mind or have any other linkage to your past? Zaven asked this with a look on his face as if he had been awoken, not scared or shocked...but a new look, he was looking like this had piqued his interest and he was waiting on Cyrus to answer as Hraban spoke to him inside of that place in his head. ”Careful what you ask for Zaven, not all spirits are open to revealing secrets...this is something that is just inherent in our being. Just because you trust this man, doesn't mean that the sap spirit will just let him.” Zaven heard the words but he did not outright take them to heart as he wanted to see if his most trusted friend and battle companion would actually keep information from him. [break][break]
Regardless of what Cyrus would tell him there would be a strike of lightning that hits a tree near their location, and that did not startle them, but there was something odd...the uneasy feeling of danger swept over him and he had to look for the source. Looking at the strike there was someone...something there. Electricity crackled off of a twisted body of some bipedal creature as it smoked and stepped towards the pair. Zaven, drenched and alert, looked between the newcomer and Cyrus before feeling the hairs on the back of his neck and arms suddenly rise. A moment later a bolt of electricity would hit him and send him flying back into a large rock, cracking it and sending splintered earth in different directions. ”Fuck...that hurt.” Zaven said as he felt the stinging pain of being shocked and knocked back, shaking his head there were wisps of shadow mana rising off of his body and he stood up from the attack. He walked back towards Cyrus, his grimoire already rising to levitate at his right shoulder He then visibly could be seen with Hraban merging into his body, that purple aura glowing hard now as he felt fresh mana pump into him. ”I think it is safe to assume he is not a friend of yours? Got any plans on how we should fight this damn thing?” Zaven asked Cyrus as he was starting to formulate a plan on how to fight whatever creature this was that just appeared while they were training their spirits.
[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus and Hama listened as Zaven shared a little bit about what his meditation experience was like, noting that he felt closer to Hraban, before asking the pair if they had experienced a similar sort of change during their own time together. The two exchanged looks before turning back to face the Captain, both nodding simultaneously. "Yes, I think we know what you're talking about. As Hama and I have grown closer and our connection has deepened, I could feel more power being shared between us. Like the valve of a water pipe, slowly being opened bit by bit."
Hama considered the questions as well, before shrugging nonchalantly. "Well, we tend to reach the same conclusions, more or less. But regarding the past, we did just see-!" Just as the excited spirit was about to share their encounter with Ostead, a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree. The two turned to face the impact, spotting something among the smoke from the strike. But before they could react, a powerful blast of lightning blasted the Shadow of Dawn away, the mage groaning about the pain. Cyrus looked at the creature again, now that the smoke was clearing. It was certainly no animal that he had ever seen, and the way it crackled with electricity made it clear that it was some sort of lightning elemental. What a strange thing to find out and about.
The beast's eyes... or at least, what Cyrus assumed were the closest approximation it had to eyes, turned towards him, and it crackled with electricity as it prepared to open fire on him. Cyrus quickly erected his Syrup Shroud defensive spell and summoned his Heliades golem in preparation, shielding it as well, but was shocked (no pun intended) to see his protective spell pierced through by the blast, sending him reeling like his Captain before.
Cyrus grunted as he stood up, staring at the creature as Zaven asked him if he had any ideas. His thoughts buzzed with possibilities, but time seemed to slow to a crawl as a voice echoed through his head.
"Didn't you just learn something, kid?" He heard the voice of Ostead ask.
A glance at Hama beside him, and he saw that she was looking around. She had heard the voice as well. Their eyes met, and after a brief moment, they nodded. Cyrus brushed off his clothes as he readied his grimoire, looking back at Zaven for a moment. "I'll soften it up for you! Just be ready to strike!" He advised the shadow wizard. Hama grinned at the unusually commanding tone her friend had used, before changing from her usual form into a simple ball of amber light. She then made contact with Cyrus, and a brilliant light shined from his body as their powers combined. "Argh!" Cyrus grunted; while it didn't necessarily hurt, the fusion was certainly more intense than the seamless coalescence they had experienced in their shared mindscape.
But then, so too was the power they felt.
The light slowly faded, and there stood the Vice Captain of the Golden Dawn. Only now, he was different.
A number of glowing gold markings had appeared across his body, like magical tattoos. Black markings surrounded his face, while his hair let off a similar golden glow that made it difficult to tell where the hair stopped and the light began. His eyes glowed an intense amber. The changes didn't render him unrecognizable... but it was certainly striking.
"Partial Spirit Dive... complete." Cyrus said, his voice once again echoing with a bit of Hama's underneath. The lightning elemental released a blast of lightning straight at Cyrus, but he simply issued his golem a command. Both his creation and the armor he'd bestowed it were shining more intensely as it came to its master's defense, but unlike before the lightning was unable to penetrate the barrier. "Strike back." Cyrus ordered, his angelic golem obeying and dashing straight at the unnatural beast.
The Heliades raised its hammer to strike and slammed down on the creature, but the strike was met with resistance. "It's protected by a layer of mana skin!" Cyrus realized. But his glare at their foe intensified, and so too did his golem's attack. It continued to apply pressure, cracking and then shattering the mana skin within the same strike as its initial hit. Cyrus smiled slightly; not only were his defensive spells more powerful, but his golem seemed to have an easier time destroying pure mana defenses.
He looked back at Zaven again and cast another spell; Mother's Sweet Embrace, a Grand-class Healling and Defense Creation spell. The sap produced draped across Zaven like a cape, ready to intercept any more attacks aimed towards him while also getting to work on healing the damage from the elemental's sucker punch earlier. "Think you can get it from here?" He asked, though he was certain the Captain could. Interestingly, he noticed that this spell had been easier to cast than the two he had used before. He had cast the spell enough times to know how draining it was on his mana reserves, but it didn't seem as bad this time. Another effect of the Partial Spirit Dive?
[attr="class,cyrusstats]Stats & Information
WC: 0868 | TWC: 7068
[attr="class,cyrusstats]
Mana Skin
24/24
Health
18/18
Mana
415/455
Movement Speed
05
Damage Taken
00
Healing Recieved
00
Mana Used
120
Mana Regen
80
[attr="class,cyrusstats] Combat Notes Cast Syrup Shroud on self and the summoned Heliades Self Syrup Shroud destroyed Activated PSD Broke Lightning Elemental's mana skin with Heliades Cast Mother's Sweet Embrace on Zaven
Items On Hand Magic Knight's Mantle Scorpion's Eclipse Strength of a Nation Puppeteer of the Current
Spells Used Syrup Shroud Heliades Mother's Sweet Embrace
