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.
Post by Satori Ryuutei on Nov 16, 2020 11:39:30 GMT -5
It hadn't been long since Bengal had returned to the kingdom officially with June. Having met Emily, his mood was in an... odd, place. She'd shown progress but he felt a need to watch over the woman still. Shifting his gaze forward his eyes examined the street he'd found himself on from his latest job. Kikka was a new town to him, apparently, it was the location of the exams for these magic knights, though he felt no need to go through such an event himself.
The job had been an easy enough one, but he was hungry. Meat and something with alot of weight to it sounded good. Bread, maybe. His gaze shifted over the horizon, tracking the various life signatures of those around him until he noted the slight shift of energy to the side. A bit more mana than normal. Hm.
His gaze found the bakery, arching a brow slightly. Well, it would certainly solve his current issues. Plus the energy felt unique. Lips twitching upward in amusement, Bengal shifted and turned moving toward the small bakery. He was used to the stares at this point that he got between his tattoos, height and appearance. A large hand lifted, pushing the door open as he ducked underneath the door and glanced over the small shop.
Quant, small, but the smells were good. A grin split across his lips caused the elongated cuspids to flash briefly before he moved toward the counter. Resting his hands on his hips as he glanced over, checking for the workers. Most were intimidated by him usually, he was curious which one was going to approach him first. For now, he'd check the menu, see what they had.
[attr="class","hanatextd"]So far, Lilliana's escapades had produced adequate results. She'd met with some powerful people along with those lurking in the shadows, forming important connections for any future that her life may lead her down. However, despite all this she was still forced to continue to work at the bakery to continue to earn a steady flow of income. It wasn't difficult work, the bubble mage had never really struggled with cooking, but it could be irksome depending on the customers.
The majority were nice enough with their friendly smiles and polite banter, unfortunately there were always a few bad eggs. The kind that would drive any shopkeeper insane with their insistent ramblings and attitudes. So when a new face entered the store, Lilliana prepared herself for the worst, seeing what few other staff that were working grow instantly weary of the giant of a man.
He definitely didn't look like the type to piss off and she could feel her stomach churn as the anxiety built up within her. Perhaps it would be best to leave him to another one of the servers, however, as she turned to check on them, she'd note they'd already rushed into the back of the store as if something had just come up that needed attending to. The pink haired mage would be sure to rage at them if she survived this encounter, she knew for a fact that the buns currently baking would be at least another ten minutes. With a big deep breath to steady her nerves, she'd step forward towards the counter that displayed a variety of goods.
"Good morning Sir, is there anything I can help you with today?" She'd ask in her most confident tone, focusing all her energy on not stuttering, lest that be the thing that would enrage this particular customer. One could never be too careful. Her lilac eyes would glance down towards the baked goods below. While the most commonly sold items were basic breads and buns to go with other meals, they did also dabble in sweet and savoury snack foods for those that wish for something a little different. Hopefully there was something that would suit the man's needs and allow him to be on his way.
Post by Satori Ryuutei on Nov 18, 2020 13:46:08 GMT -5
Bengal glanced over the various types of baked goods, before lifting a hand up to hold his chin a moment in thought. By the time he'd glanced back up, the various ki that gave off feelings of fear had retreated to do various odd jobs. A feral grin spread across his lips, used to such a reaction. But he'd built the reputation he had here on being polite to disturb those flawed thoughts that judged on appearance and culture. Lifting a hand up he offered it to the girl behind the counter simply.
"You smell like a mage, are you practicing to get stronger?" he inquired, head tilting as the feline-like eyes contracted a bit, "I'm Bengal. A merc that's worked around here." His name had grown in fame due to his various habits, but that didn't mean she'd know who he was. Still. Introductions were important. The magic "scent" she had on her was different than most people. More potent than the average baker. It was curious. If his hand was taken, his grip would be firm, but gentle enough not to harm her. Though the extension of his arm would cause his sleeve to pull back a bit, revealing some of the elaborate foreign tattoos.
"Ah, my manners," he glanced down at the baked goods, pointing at a few of the items. A savory treat that appeared to be a meat pie the size to fit in a normal person's hand. "Three of those," then another point toward a loaf of bread that looked like it wasn't hot and fresh as it had been, but was still fresh enough for his tastes. "One of those--unless you have a fresh batch baking that's close to done?" his nose twitched, glancing past her shoulder further into the building.
TWC: 583
Last Edit: Nov 18, 2020 13:46:19 GMT -5 by Satori Ryuutei
[attr="class","hanatextd"]Lilliana paused for a moment, a little dazed and mighty confused at the man choosing to question her about her magic over the baked goods. An odd choice and a rather personal one at that, not to mention the fact he used the term 'smell like a mage'. What was that even supposed to mean? Now that she took the time to properly analyse the man, she could sense his own magical power that radiated from him. It wasn't quite the same as the incredibly powerful and famous fire mage she had met at the spirit ball a couple nights ago, but he was definitely still stronger than most others.
He called himself 'Bengal' a name that held some small amount of familiarity, perhaps she had heard it in passing by some customers, however, it was not one she was well versed in. It would make sense for a mercenary that felt as strong as he was to have some sort of reputation though. Her eyes would linger on his outstretched hand momentarily before she'd reach out with her own, her grip no where near as firm as his own. However, the callouses he'd feel would make it obvious she had been one to work with her hands for most of her life.
"Um... Yes actually..." Lilliana faltered, choosing to be honest given the situation, it wasn't like she was hiding her efforts from others. While she was still a long way off of growing to her full potential and her magical abilities were still somewhat lacking, she had been training hard whenever she wasn't working. The bubble mage would feel a small sense of relief as their hands parted once more and the conversation steered back to the food between them. At least he didn't seem to be as frightening as his appearance had made him first seem, if anything he was rather polite, but not in a stuck up way like some of the local nobles.
"I'm afraid our next batch wont be ready for another ten minutes at least," She'd say apologetically as she'd start to place the meat filled pastries into a paper bag, "However, if you're willing to wait, I can assure you it will be worth it." Now that her nerves and anxiety over his appearance were starting to wane she was beginning to feel much more at ease in his presence. Something that would be noticeable to Bengal given as he'd easily notice the way her whole body seemed to start relaxing after being so tense. Still, she was weary, it would be best to watch what she said just to ensure she didn't offend him in any way.
Post by Satori Ryuutei on Nov 19, 2020 21:10:29 GMT -5
The uncertainty in her Ki and body language was obvious, but Bengal played it off. Remaining calm and casual as he nodded once when she agreed that she was working on her magic.
"I use a bit of it, though not in the way most seem to," a dry laugh passed through his lips before his head titled slightly to the side while she began to gather the meat-filled treats for him. A large hand reaching to his belt, taking a small bag of yul out and counting them, placing them down with a sizeable, but not outrageous tip before taking what he'd paid for thus far. Grinning slightly as she played up the fresh-baked bread, nodding once in agreement as his nose twitched once.
"I don't mind waitin' for good things," he acknowledged with a smile. Long fangs flashing slightly before he leaned against the counter, but kept himself to the side so his bulk wouldn't block the view of any other customers.
"Tryin' to join the knights? Or just doing it for power to make some extra cash?" The large man didn't appear perturbed talking about the subject at all. Though he did notice the slight bristling, he remained good-natured and vague in his questions so he would, hopefully, not ruffle her feathers.
It was fairly common here to just join the knights, common sense to the people here. Standard pay, recognition for your power, but to him, it was a waste. Corrupt and poorly thought out. With a bit more hard work one could gain just as much coin and recognition on their own. He was proof of that, even if he appeared to be the abnormality.
WC: 280 TWC: 863
Statistics
Rank: Grand Fame: Tier 4 Strength: Intermediate Speed: 25m/s
Mana Skin: 24/24 Health: 20/20 Mana: 420/420 Mana Regen: +55/60
[attr="class","hanatextd"]Lilliana remained cautious, but curiousness grew as she wondered what the man meant by not using his magic in the same way others did. Not entirely sure if it would be out of line of her to ask him to explain further, she'd keep her mouth shut as they exchanged money for goods, noting he gave a generous tip, a sign he wealthy and was probably on the more expensive side of mercenaries. Well out of her own price range compared to another young man she had met previously.
His smile as he agreed to wait was a little unnerving as he displayed his elongated fangs, he was definitely intimidating. If she had to guess, the bubble mage would have to assume he was often hired as a bodyguard by nobles. Having muscle like him next to you would definitely discourage those thinking of attacking those under his protection. Bengal's question about her future made her smile in return. It was something she could answer without hesitation.
"Knights would be preferable as it is the easiest path in this country. So I'm going to at least try for them in the next examination." She admitted, "However, considering I was not born into nobility, I fear I may not be quite up to par with my peers. So if I were to fail, I guess any sort of work, as long as I can live comfortably and without enemies would leave me satisfied." Her goals were simple, at least for now. Of course if she was accepted into the knights, she wouldn't be content with being a lowly minion of others, she would aim much higher. She wasn't one for enjoying taking commands from others unless necessary.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but being a mercenary here, it would have taken some time to build up a decent reputation and clientele, wouldn't it?" She'd ask, tilting her head slightly, if he was going to ask her about her plans, she figured it would be okay to pry a bit into his work life.
Post by Satori Ryuutei on Nov 21, 2020 23:42:11 GMT -5
Bengal blinked as the woman commented on wishing to join the knights, but then immidiately stated that she may not be up to par purely due to her commoner blood. A low rumble of amusement filling his chest.
"Nobility ain't shit," he stated idly, clearly unworried. "Yuurei and Silas were strong, but it wasn't cus of their fuckin' blood, it was because they worked their asses off," he idly waved a hand, not seeming to care that his words could cause a fight easily with many. Instead he simply closed an eye and took a bite from one of the savory treats, a low rumble filling his chest in enjoyment.
"A commoner can be just as strong as anyone else, just like a noble can be a weak little bitch, s'all mentality," he added simply after swallowing his bite. Her goals were simple enough, and he could respect them. Just wanting to live safely and comfortably may have seemed like a vision lacking ambition to some, but to Bengal it just made simple sense.
"Pretty solid goal, though as you get stronger it'll probably change. Responsibility comes with power, usually." Finishing off the treat after this he glanced down as she inquired about his own work, a good-natured laugh passing through his lips.
"That depends on how much effort you put in, too. I worked with alot of people. Magic Knights, their captains, other mercenaries, a few people that just wanted a challenge. The more you do the more your name spreads. Eventually, people stopped knowing my name and just knew my title instead." He waved a hand idly, "But going by 'White Tiger' is idiotic. A title is nothing but fame, and fame can lie. I don't like relying on it." The title had been given to him before the shattering, a famous mercenary that had turned down Magic Knights offers to join their ranks repeatedly. Even turning down the position of Vice-Captain from Yuurei when it was offered.
He'd been good friends with all walks of life. Criminals. Mercenaries. Knights. In the end, it didn't matter to him, he'd acquired money and fame without the need to join the knights or swear an allegiance to anyone but himself.
"I've been gone a while. The Devil's bullshit sent me and a few that were with me... quite a distance, recently returned. Getting my bearings again." He paused, glancing down at the bag of treats, his eyes softening slightly. "Came back to find out a few friends died trying to stop the thing. Comes with having the rank of Captain and Vice-Captain, though. You die for people you don't even know." His words were somber, but not to the point of seeking apologies or pity. He bit into another chunk of the breaded treat, glancing toward her and continuing on anyway.
"Have any proper combat experience? Or just been training your magic?"
WC: 482 TWC: 1,345
Statistics
Rank: Grand Fame: Tier 4 Strength: Intermediate Speed: 25m/s
Mana Skin: 24/24 Health: 20/20 Mana: 420/420 Mana Regen: +55/60
[attr="class","hanatextd"]The pink haired mage chuckled quietly under her breath at the way he spoke. He seemed to be speaking far less formally, it was a nice change of pace. The fact he mentioned some nobles can be 'weak little bitches' made her think he was not too fond of those that abused the power given to them at birth. He did however, seem to admire those willing to put in the time and energy to grow in strength.
The names he dropped were some of the famous ones she had heard, but never got the chance to meet before they perished, only hearing through news and rumours about their exploits. It appeared however, from the way he spoke, that Bengal had known them before their untimely deaths. Listening carefully, she wished to clarify what she meant when she had mentioned her commoner upbringing. While she wished to clarify the misunderstanding, she would first answer the question.
"Well, unless you count defending myself against the occasional crook on the streets, or beast along my ventured path as combat experience, then no, not really, I haven't had the need to really use my magic against others." Lilliana admitted with a small sigh, "Also about the whole commoner thing, I didn't mean that someone couldn't become strong, it's just a lot more tedious and difficult for someone of my standing." She'd begin to explain, "It's not exactly the status that means much, it's more that they tend to naturally be more gifted due to having magical strength run in their families." she continued trying to push her point, "They also have a much easier time making the right connections as well. In some cases hard work can be enough, however, in others if you don't have the natural talent it might not matter how much effort one exerts, a lifetime may not be enough to reach one's goals."
She'd stop, looking a little exasperated as she considered the situation she was in. While she had been raised on a farm, they hadn't actually been her biological parents. For all she knew she did indeed have noble's blood running through her veins, as had been rumoured through the small community she'd grown up in. The bubble mage had never really considered tracking down her birth parents even if they were nobles. She didn't think it worth the effort to go searching for people that had tossed you away the moment you were born. They didn't want her, and she didn't need them.
Lilliana would snap back out of her thoughts as she'd hear a small ringing from the back of the store, the sound of the oven timer, followed by the sounds of the oven door opening and a tray being pulled out by one of the other bakers. Quickly the pink haired mage would put in a soft smile at the customer in waiting.
"Ah, it sounds like the bread you've been waiting for might be done already." She'd clasp her hands together in feigned delight, as she brought the conversation away from herself and back to the baked goods despite the fact she knew it would still be a few minutes before it would be brought out to the front to be sold.
Post by Satori Ryuutei on Nov 28, 2020 23:31:59 GMT -5
Bengal smiled as the woman felt the need to clarify her feelings, chuckling softly and letting her talk politely before grinning a bit. "Don't worry, we're in agreement. I didn't assume you meant all commoners were weak. My words were more a generalization." With this he would lean back and glance upward. "Still. I'd hope I'd be an example that no matter what, you can do what you set your mind to. I'm less than a commoner in the eyes of this country, a Foreigner from a family of exiles. Yet..." he waved a hand idly.
"I've acquired a decent amount, and nowhere near my peak." It wasn't like he'd done it to be an example, though. He couldn't really care less. But if it helped some child realize rationality over the words of the nobles, he'd be a little happy about that. Crushing potential because of ignorance was truly a loss.
"But, if you haven't had much combat experience..." he scratched his chin for a few moments in thought, before shifting his gaze toward the door and humming. "I have a few jobs I'm looking into soon. A dungeon run or two, as well." She needed connections, wanted opportunities so that she could actually make money. Make connections and friends. Progress her own career and skillset. For that, she needed a backlog of finished, successful jobs. Plenty of combat experience, as well.
"I go on jobs and dungeons almost daily. You're welcome to tag along. A job first would be better, see how well we work together... maybe I can give you a few pointers on your magic, as well." His shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. He'd sensed the frustration and deep thoughts. If she wanted an opportunity, he could offer her that. He'd done it to plenty of others through the years. His mind shifted briefly back to those he'd lost, of a certain young white-maned wild-child that held magic and combat tactics so similar to his own.
His eyes softened. Lexxi was probably dead, too. Just like so many others. Releasing a slow breath he shrugged off the thoughts as the bell rang, chuckling softly at her feigned joy.
"If you'd like, I could come by when your shift ends and we could talk a bit more?" His tone was relaxed, clearly not minding if she wanted to refuse him. But they appeared to of hit it off well enough, and if she wanted help to get stronger, he didn't mind offering her that much. Getting others to grow always ended up teaching him something new along the way anyway after all.
WC: 470 TWC: 1,815
Statistics
Rank: Grand Fame: Tier 4 Strength: Intermediate Speed: 25m/s
Mana Skin: 24/24 Health: 20/20 Mana: 420/420 Mana Regen: +55/75
[attr="class","hanatextd"]The bubble mage didn't even attempt to hide her surprise at hearing he was a foreigner, although it did make his sense given the way he spoke, occasionally sounding almost as if a feral creature growling. Her shocked face only growing more perplexed as he offered to take her along on his dangerous sounding ventures. Sure some jobs he undertook probably had little to no threat, but the mention of dungeons meant he probably felt comfortable enough in his abilities to protect both herself and his own self in the face of any real dangers that lurked within.
Lilliana would look down thoughtful for a moment, this really wasn't the kind of opportunity she could just let slip by, he was basically serving up what she craved on a silver platter. It made her wonder however, what was in it for him. Most people didn't just do nice things for no reason other than to help someone, people were naturally selfish beings. Even magic knights, the protectors of the country, the only helped the common folk in order to get paid.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested, but..." She'd glance back up to look him in the eyes, looking for any hint of ill intentions, "Why help someone like me?" if his answer satisfied her she would agree without further hesitation to discuss things further after she finished working. So far he hadn't given off any real negative vibes other than being super tall and scary looking, and Lilliana wasn't stupid enough to judge people for such shallow reasons. He appeared more than capable of helping her get stronger, that much she had concluded from their brief meeting so far.
As she asked her question, the bread they had been waiting for would finally be brought to the front of the store, where the bubble mage would bag it and hand over to Bengal.
Post by Satori Ryuutei on Dec 3, 2020 7:07:21 GMT -5
In the face of her scrutinization, Bengal smiled slightly. It was an understandable reaction, and one that he got quite often. The answer was always the same every time anyone asked him that. Why did he help them? What did he get out of it? Humans were selfish creatures, there was no way he was doing it out of the goodness of his heart. Perhaps not. There were many reasons he could offer. Frankly, he didn't mind training others.
Perhaps it was a difference in culture, but within his family training was the same as social gatherings. Fighting for his life was normalized, and fighting with others' lives on the line was the same. His father had broken more of his bones training him as a child than any enemy he faced. But that answer would throw most people off, so he decided to usually go with the same reason he went with now.
"Because you have potential, and when you're a big shot you'll owe me," he grinned a bit, relaxed as ever. "Having powerful friends is always good, and if you actually like one another that's even better." His shoulders lifted in a slight shrug, before he glanced at the bread that was offered to him. Chuckling and accepting it, handing the coin over along with a decent tip, before straightening. "Besides, what's better than dealing with a bloody job with a pretty face?" He grinned, tone teasing now as he turned and meandered toward the exit of the bakery.
"I'll come by when the place closes and wait a bit. If you're interested meet me by the central fountain here in town. Either way, been a nice talk." Waving a hand as he exited the bakery, Bengal took another bite of the meat pastry, humming in his chest as he went. It'd be interesting to see how far this one went as well. It'd been a bit since he found a new face with potential. He was looking forward to it, hopefully she'd come meet him.
[Exit] [+2 Spell Points]
WC: 373 TWC: 2,188
Statistics
Rank: Grand Fame: Tier 4 Strength: Intermediate Speed: 25m/s
Mana Skin: 24/24 Health: 20/20 Mana: 465/465 Mana Regen: +55/75
[attr="class","hanatextd"]Because she showed potential. It wasn't the first time Lilliana had heard such a thing in reference to herself, she had always found it easy to manipulate mana and use her bubble magic. However, she hadn't met many willing to train her, but that may simply be perhaps down to never meeting anyone capable of such. The pink haired mage would find herself blushing ever so slightly as he complimented her, her eyes darting away to avoid contact with his. Most people also never bothered being so direct as this man either.
He definitely gave her a lot to think about, however, she was more than satisfied for now with his response, she would definitely be more than willing to meet with him again. Before she could do so though, she had to finish with dealing with the rest of the morning customers. Her fake smile once more forced upon her 'pretty face' as she returned to her work.
