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","silasreescroll"]It seemed things were starting to get back to normal in clover. Nothing would ever being the same in the kingdom and perhaps the whole world after what happened. Everyone was effected by what happened and Lydia was no different perhaps it was worse for crimson lion vice captain. After all she had somehow managed to gain some of Silas Vermilion's memoirs perhaps because of what or some other unknown factor. Regardless it made thing harder on her personally have something that didn't truly belong to her even if she was getting use to them not that she would ever truly be fine with having them. However someone who had it far worse than she did which was her very own captain. After all not only did he lose Silas but vermilion died in Ardere's arm. While he knew told her personally it was one of the few memories she saw quite often mostly when she was trying to sleep at knight. As if that wasn't hard enough for the fire mage he also lost his vice captain. While Emily didn't die she was no longer a magic knight and her leaving the order was the only reason Lydia was the vice captain. At least in her own eyes as she never asked the man. [break][break] So there Lydia was the newly appointed vice captain of the crimson lions laying in her bed as the sun was starting to shine into her room. While the glass mage didn't wake up super early she also didn't sleep all day. Getting out of bed the pink haired mage would make her way over to her desk which had a mirror and her hair bush and would get starting on brushing her long pink hair before turning it into her signature braid. Once that was done she would get finish getting dressed her her red military like shirt and black skirt before putting out her whit boot followed by her white gloves. Letting out a sigh she would get up from her desk walking over to her window before pulling the blinds letting more light into her room which blinded her a little which was almost funny seeing as she used light magic herself along with her original element of glass. Once her vision came back her her Lydia would open her window before garbing the pack of cigarettes and a match from the stand next to her. She would then light it smoking if before making her way outside to get in some morning training. She would then make her way to her office in the base which had a few small stacks of paperwork that were split up into ranks which was in regards to what rank the crimson lion mage gave her was. Picking up the stack of junior ones she would walk over to her desk getting to work on read and filling them out as she expected it to be an uneventful day. She found it boring at times but such was the life of a vice captain and it wasn't like she wouldn't be able to keep her self busy after all Ardere didn't like doing the paperwork himself.
[attr="class","ardereescroll"]Ardere didn't sleep much anymore. He quite often found himself losing track of time. Was it day or night? He didn't even pay attention when he stayed in his office all day and all night. He had been a wreck for quite some time. If it weren't for his new Vice Captain, the squad may have gone to ruin. Honestly, the fire mage didn't know what was different about today. Every day he had spent time thinking, drinking, and smoking as he relented his past mistakes. This had been true since Silas' death. It had still only been a few months, but his squad needed him. He was a god damn Crimson Lion after all. Get up Ard. You lazy son of a bitch. Forcing himself to get out of bed, he stood shirtless in front of the mirror. His muscular body was covered in scars, but these scars were not even close to representing the ones on the inside. He merely stood there for a moment looking at his overgrown beard. It was getting out of hand, scraggly and coarse. [break][break] The fire mage did not know what was different about today, but something deep inside of him was screaming. It was screaming louder than any voice he had ever heard in his life. The hair on his arms stood up and his heart was beating. Staring into the mirror, into his own deep red eyes. He saw Silas, but he also saw Lysander and his Father. One of these men would have grabbed him while the other would have scolded him for how he was acting right now. It was pathetic. He could almost hear his former mentor's voice piercing his ears, feel his fist smacking against his skin. He was yelling to get up, and punching him in the arm. It was just like him. Alright, you old bastard. I'll get it. Grabbing some cream, he spread it across his face. Then the Kasai grabbed a switch blade, and began to give himself a close shave. The last time he did this, his hands were shaking so badly that he cut himself twice. That was the moment he decided to stop shaving. To stop everything. He stopped taking care of himself for months. But now, he wasn't shaking. Today he cleanly cut off his beard, just leaving the sideburns like he used to. Standing there, staring in the mirror he did not see his dead comrades but himself. He was standing tall. Maybe not as strong as he once was, but he was not drowning anymore. His head had finally come above water. Now it was up to him to get back to shore. [break][break] Taking a quick bath, he scrubbed himself quite thoroughly. He needed a good bath. Now that he was clean shaven and his body was clean, the man decided to get dressed. Sliding on his tight white pants, he put on his red button up shirt and vest to go over it. Taking in a deep breath, he slid his Crimson Lion cape across his shoulders. Ardere stood staring in the mirror one last time. There were cracks in it from when he punched the wall a few weeks ago. The hole had been closed over, but he could still see the cracks it left in the room. But much like the cracks in his heart, they could be mended. Perhaps there would always be some damage, but at least he could hold together. Let's go. Stepping out of his room he began to wander around the Crimson Lions halls. Many were still resting, but those who spotted him immediately noticed the change. They noticed even though he was not back at 100%, there was a difference. They greeted him with happy salutes. Perhaps not all was lost after all. He still had their respect, even after his weakness. [break][break] Knock knock. The door was slightly cracked, but he knocked anyways. It was Lydia's office. The Vice Captain's office was just a few halls down from where his quarters was. Lydia was often engrossed in paperwork, mainly because he did not have the energy to do so. She was too good to him. After all he had put this squad through, she and the others still stood by him. Maybe they were waiting for this day. The day he stood back up. How goes the paperwork? Looks like a bit of a nightmare in here. He said referring to the stack of paperwork she had to do. It was a bit his fault, but Ardere still appreciated her efforts. He was not smiling right now, but he did have the highest spirits today he had since Silas' death. That was worth something, right? It had to be. Hope I didn't fuck up your plans for the day. He said, wandering into the office if she had no obvious objections. She had a nice office, very clean. It was a lot tidier than Silas kept it, but quite comparable to how Emily often left it. He hoped she was doing okay after all of this. He worried about that girl sometimes. But he also worried about the young woman sitting before him. She had her own curse, just like he did.
[attr="class","forrestreescroll"]Forrest Hadley never slept that well. [break][break] He wondered if that was a habit from his former life. He would lie in bed, staring at a ceiling for hours. Only to then to realize that the crack of dawn was already seeping through his window. There was never anything good about his sleepless nights. [break][break] He never told anyone about them either. [break][break] Once getting out of bed, he would look at himself in the mirror. Fingers went to trailing the flame tattoos that marred the area between his neck and collarbone, sigils of fire, yet he knew not their deeper meaning. He decided to splash cold water to wake himself up, despite getting little sleep. But when he raised his head to look at himself in the mirror… he still didn’t recognize the man that looked back at him. [break][break] Who was Forrest Hadley? Who was he? [break][break] He would look at objects strewn about his room. A guitar on the stand, the Magic Knight’s mantle laid out on his bed, a ruby red pendant on the dresser. Even after the short weeks of waking up and coming to, and being told that all those things belonged to him, it still felt like a picking up stranger’s items, a stranger’s once treasured possessions. He was still such a stranger to himself… [break][break] He shook his head, finally wiping dripping water off his face with a towel. It was better to think about other things, he couldn’t worry himself over being someone… he wasn’t, even if he didn’t know who that person was. He put on day clothes and his Mantle, but just as he was about to grab the ruby necklace he paused. [break][break] The gem reflected crimson lights from the dawn, it was a beautiful piece of jewelry, it truly was. It hadn’t belonged to him, initially, it had belonged to a Magic Knight named Rose. She had died at some point. Once, he’d been in love with her. [break][break] But he couldn’t remember. [break][break] He left the necklace on the dresser, closing the door softly behind him. [break][break] [break][break] He was a healing mage, and of senior rank compared to most, so plenty of times he’d found himself in the confines of the infirmary or to the training grounds, assisting injured or exhausted members recover and rehabilitate. No one outwardly told him he was doing anything differently, in fact many told him that this was exactly the kind of duty he did before the… incident. [break][break] But then for some reason, someone had given him the task of delivering injury reports and supply requests to the main office. He found himself standing in front of the Captain’s office with a small stack of paperwork in his hands. [break][break] He let out a small sigh before knocking on the door, and announcing his presence as soon as he was allowed inside. [break][break] ”Sirs, reports and supply requests from the injury and infirmary division.” He said softly, letting his eyes drift to the floor. “Captain Ardere, Vice-Captain Lydia.” A nod of respect and acknowledgment. [break][break] To say that things were awkward between the three of them, was something of an understatement. Lydia, at least hadn’t known much of the person Forrest was prior, but apparently she held a few memories of the previous Vice-Captain, Silas Vermillion, a man that Forrest had once been close to. Forrest respected her and her position, knowing that she too was only trying to make the best of the situation. [break][break] But then there was Ardere Kasai, Captain of the Crimson Lions, a veteran of the Wars with Diamond, and the man who had fought the Daemon’s head on, alongside the Wizard King. And the man that Forrest had once been exceedingly close to, before he had forgotten… [break][break] Forrest tended to avoid the Captain for that reason. It wasn’t exactly for himself, but further to perhaps ease the man’s burden of seeing a friend… that didn’t know who he was.
[attr="class","florencetext"]Lydia was so caught up in her paperwork she almost missed the knock at her door. She figure it was a member of the crimson lions who had just finished a mission and was handing in the report. She of course did mind if that was the case after all it was part of her job as the vice captain however she did hope it was a senior ranked knight or higher after all she had already finished the lower ranked ones and didn't want to have to start a new pile for them just yet. "Come in." Once the mage actually entered her office much to her surprise it was actually the captain himself and it looked like he actually took the time to shave. Hopefully that meant he was doing a little bit better the glass mage would give him a small half smile. She was of course glad to see him out in about however she couldn't bring herself to give him a full one as a part of her was convinced seeing her hurt him even if he didn't say it or would deny it. [break][break] At his question she would stand up from her desk taking a moment to stretch. "The paperwork isn't to bad I only have the senior and grand ranked magic knights to deal with." She would then make her way over to the window opening this one as well to let some fresh air in as well as smoke a cigarette. She would of course offer on to Ard as well and assuming he took it she would make sure he stood by the window after all she didn't want her office smelling like smoke. After taking a drag from her own she would answer the captains question. "No you being here doesn't ruin my plans for the day however what brings you here did you need me for a mission or something?" However before he was able to answer the question there would be another knock at Lydia's door it seemed she was pretty popular today. "You can come inside." [break][break] As Forrest enter the room he would tell the two of them he had reports form the medical division of the squad before looking down at the ground. It seemed both Forrest and the captain had trouble sleeping as of late even if they didn't tell her it was easy to tell after all it has hard to hide the fact of getting little to know sleep. Lydia of course had trouble sleeping at times as well but it was nowhere near as bad as the two male magic knights. Between the three of them they were easily the three most mentally fucked up mages in the squad. The glass mage would point to a section of papers that were all reports and request from the divisions of the squad. "You can just set them down over there also you don't have to look down at the ground. Is everything okay?" She of course knew everything wasn't okay but she would ask anyway just in case the wood mage felt like sharing.
[break][break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] pow
[attr="class","florencelabel"] dur
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sta
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] con
[attr="class","florencelabel"] speed
[attr="class","florencetag"]240
[attr="class","florencetag"]0
[attr="class","florencetag"]135
[attr="class","florencetag"]60
[attr="class","florencetag"]205
[attr="class","florencetag"]30 m/s
[break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana skin
[attr="class","florencelabel"] health
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana regen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana pool
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]70 ic // 60 ooc
[attr="class","florencetag"]375/375
[break]
[attr="class","florencextra"]COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","florencetext2"]You can put spells and whatever here idk [break][break] Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum. [break][break]
[attr="class","ardereescroll"]Ardere took the cigarette. Letting a sigh escape his pale lips, he slid the cylinder of death into his mouth. Leaning against a nearby bookshelf that way by the window, he snapped his fingers to produce a tiny flame to light it. The fire mage had smoked before, but he had not taken it up this heavily. Something in him had brought it about after Silas' death, and it was something he had noticed about Lydia as well. Whether this was a habit she partook in previously, or it was due to that small part of Silas in her--He didn't know. Regardless, it had become somewhat of a bonding point between the two. They could stand outside and smoke, talk about the squad. But even so, he did not often visit her. This was not a side of him she had seen. He was unlike most Captains. The Kasai took a personal interest in his members. He was going to answer her question, when another wound on his heart entered the room. [break][break] Forrest Hadley. One of the few healers to come through this squad over the years, and at one point perhaps Ardere's closest friend in the world. The two had spent much time walking and talking, but the depth of their previous friendship was unlike any other relationship he had. He had basically convinced the young man to not give up on his life and die. He had known Rose, his girlfriend who passed. The two had talked about it to length, and ultimately he inspired a bit of hope in the man. That was a bit of hope he could use right about now, but much like most of the world after the Shatter, Forrest was different. It wasn't his fault, but the amnesia was difficult to deal with. Watching him walk around the halls like a ghost was hard, but the blonde mage had a power. Even if he didn't know it, he was strong. No matter how long it took, he would regain the life he once had. Ardere too would regain his own life, but he had a lot of work to do. Hey Forrest. It was a solemn, but he managed to maintain his composure. I hope things are going well. I know the Infirmary and paperwork can be a bit of a shitshow. [break][break] Exhaling smoke deeply, it swirl around and out the window. Letting the nicotine buzz just slightly pulse through him, he felt the smoke in his lungs. It was different than the smoke that came from flames. It was almost numbing. He wasn't sure whether that or the tobacco itself was what was addicting about it. Perhaps it was just an oral fixation. He didn't know. But he had become restless. Ardere would often tap his foot against the ground. Somehow he still had all of that physical energy, his mind has just suppressed it. But he was getting there. Slowly but surely he was getting there. Actually Lydia, I wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing. I know the adjustment period as Vice Captain can be a bit tricky. He remembered when he first became Vice Captain. He was so nervous of letting Lysander down, and then he surpassed the man. If only he could feel that strength now. He would give anything to feel that fire course through his veins again.
[attr="class","forrestreescroll"]There wasn’t much else for him to do, other than to listen to the Vice-Captain told him. He hadn’t expected much else, considering that it was supposed to be a simple delivery. [break][break] He set the papers on the table as she said, almost perhaps a little too quickly. [break][break] “Is everything okay?” [break][break] He paused, perhaps longer than he should have. He took in a breathe, the smell of smoke filling his lungs. In all honesty, he wasn’t a fan of the cancer-causing sticks, perhaps it was another part of his naturally attuned magic, plants didn’t do too well when they were burning, suffocating. Though, if that was the cause, then why was he in a square whose fire magic was the specialty? Was there some kind of irony in there? [break][break] “As okay as they can be. Perhaps a bit of restless sleep, but I’m doing fine, Vice-Captain Lydia.” He brought himself to raise his head, letting amber eyes reach the fair-haired Knight. Fine.Okay. Not good, but he couldn’t bring himself to overtly lie. [break][break] Hey Forrest [break][break] He turned his head at the mentioning of his own, unfamiliar name. He still wasn’t sure if the name felt right. The Captain of the Crimson Lion said the name so casually as if he’d said it so many times before, and he likely had. [break][break] He spoke about the state of the infirmary, how sometimes dealing with it and running it could be a lot to handle. Forrest didn’t think about it too often, it was work to be done, a job he could do, perhaps he was still learning how to do it, but discovering his healing abilities and magic seemed to be easier than discovering who he was. [break][break] “It’s fine...” He repeated himself, trailing off with his words. He wasn’t exactly certain of what the Captain was implying. His ability to be a part of the division? His confidence in assisting others in running it? [break][break] The next line of questioning was for the Vice-Captain, however, and Forrest quickly deduced that his presence was no longer required. He delivered his papers, he’d answered some basic questions, there was no reason to stay. [break][break] No reason to stay. [break][break] Perhaps there was something darker left in his hollowed heart. [break][break] He turned around, already heading wordlessly for the door.
[attr="class","florencetext"]The vice captain would watch as Forrest set the stack of papers on her desk before looking at her. Lydia would give him a small smile however it would soon fade away as he spoke. The answer was more or less what she expected after all it's not like they could just say everything was sunshine and rainbows. Well someone could but that would be a lie. The captain would be the next one to speak to the blonde mage asking him how things were however it was more of the same answer. As Ardere spoke to Lydia she would turn her focus back to the brown haired mage however she would also notice the wood mage heading for the door. She would take another drag letting the smoke flow out of the window while biting her lip softly. It was part of her job as the vice captain to help her squad members in need yet here Forrest was and she was unable to help him. Realizing she was getting lost in her own thoughts for a little to long she would return to reality. "It's not to bad I guess you could say I'm use to it. [break][break] After all my family did raise me to become a magic knight and not just some normal ranking member but a captain. Of course there is nothing wrong with being a normal member however my family isn't the type to settle for anything other than the best. The paperwork isn't to bad so long as you keep up with it." By now Lydia had finished her cigarette and Forrest had most likely left the room. After the glass made threw her cigarette out of the room she would turn her focus back to the captain. Ya know you should go talk to him after all you know him the best out of everyone here. Including himself now sadly I'll join you after I finish up some of this paperwork. Assuming the captain actually listened to her suggestion Lydia would return to her seat getting back to work on some more of the senior ranked knights paperwork. After about ten or fifteen minutes the pink haired mage would get out of her seat making her way out of the office to find the captain and Forrest. Hopefully in the time she bad been working they managed to talk a bit about something at least.
[break][break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] pow
[attr="class","florencelabel"] dur
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sta
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] con
[attr="class","florencelabel"] speed
[attr="class","florencetag"]240
[attr="class","florencetag"]0
[attr="class","florencetag"]135
[attr="class","florencetag"]60
[attr="class","florencetag"]205
[attr="class","florencetag"]30 m/s
[break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana skin
[attr="class","florencelabel"] health
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana regen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana pool
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]70 ic // 60 ooc
[attr="class","florencetag"]375/375
[break]
[attr="class","florencextra"]COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","florencetext2"]You can put spells and whatever here idk [break][break] Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum. [break][break]
[attr="class","ardereescroll"]It was strange. Forrest's awkwardness was almost comforting. It reminded Ardere of when they had first met. He was freshly wounded by Rose's death, and a timid creature. Even after everything they had been through, that was just part of who he was. To see that even after all of this, he had still retained that part of him, was in a way reassuring. Deep down in there, he was still the Forrest he had known for all these years. The man he had convinced had a role in this squad. People like him, they were essential to the balance here. Unfortunately balance was something they were sorely lacking these days. That was his fault. He had to fix it now. The fire mage couldn't fix the world, Asmodeus had ensured as much, but he could fix this squad. After all, he wasn't really alone. Even without Silas, he had still had his friends. While at times he wasn't sure how far that would get him, today he felt a tiny spark he hadn't felt in some time. It was a small enough spark to be blow out with a whisper, but it was there nonetheless. [break][break] If anyone understand having shoes to fill or expectations, then you're talking to the poster child of that. Coming off of my father and Lysander's heels, it was daunting for some time. Lydia bore a heavy weight on her shoulders, almost as heavy as the one Ardere himself held up every day. She had a family with high expectations, and a position that two great knights had filled. But if anyone could do it, it was her. She had done a good job thus far, and there was still much work left to do. You've accomplished enough, just holding this squad together. Even when I've failed to do so as of late. The fire mage finished his cigarette, slowly exhaling smoke. He sat there for a moment, his eyebrows narrowed. The red piercing orbs in his eye sockets glowed for a moment as he sighed the last bit of smoke in his lungs. But I'll be changing that from now on. It's time to wake up. Straightening up his posture, the Captain rolled his neck back and forth for a moment. Crackling noises emanating from his joints, he exhaled slowly. [break][break] Ardere nodded. Lydia was perhaps right. He had work to do. Building the Crimson Lion squad back up was his duty now, and that started with those in the squad currently. But first he had to build himself back up, and the best way to do that was to get to work. Forrest had been his friend for too long. He wasn't going to abandon him or let him fall into a pit of despair forever. Don't drown in the paperwork. He said as he exited the room. Lydia was reliable and strong. She was doing a good job. As for catching up with Forrest, that was simple. The fire mage could easily burst next to him at 25 meters per second. He left a bit of a wind trail as he moved. While he was no speed master like Lydia, as a Reinforcement mage he could easily move faster than most others. Hey Forrest. You busy or just heading back to the Infirmary? I was hoping to talk to you a bit. Consider it Captain's orders. It was perhaps the first joke he had made in months. There was not much of a smile, but the sarcasm was obvious. He just hope it helped. Probably not, but it was worth a shot. Lydia was thinking the three of us could perhaps socialize a bit. At least while things are calm and not an absolute shit storm. Things were calm now. Most people had either adjusted to the Shatter's effects, or had grown very good at hiding it. There was a storm coming, but this time it wouldn't be a draw between Humanity and Daemon. This time, there would be a clear victor. And Ardere intended on it being him. He just had to gather his strength, what little was left.
[attr="class","forrestreescroll"]Was it too much to ask to be left alone? [break][break] It wasn’t that he tried to avoid others for the sake of it, but, it was easily just as said he preferred to be left to own devices. At least, some amount of independence was assured to him that he wouldn’t go crazy. [break][break] He’d already left, gotten quite a bit of the way down the wing, when he heard the roar coming down from the hallway. It was the Captain, again. [break][break] Hey Forrest. [break][break] Such a casual greeting, again. [break][break] It wasn’t supposed to be like this, was it? Forrest averted his eyes initially, but then gave the man a proper nod and slight salute. “Captain.” He said back, revealing little else. He wanted to accept that the Lion only had his best interests in mind, that this was a friend who was trying to help a friend. Out of all the mages in the squad, he’d been told that Ardere Kasai was the man who knew him the best, and truly now… better than himself. [break][break] Forrest stayed silent a few moments longer, taking in the Knight Captain’s inquiry. He shook his head slowly, giving a half-hearted shrug. He supposed that he didn’t have many other plans for the day. Going to the infirmary and healing the knights there was some semblance of a routine he was starting to pick up. But other than that, there was little else he had decided to do for himself. He’d been told to take it easy, he’d known that after the incident… it would just take time, maybe his memories would return if he just didn’t push it. [break][break] Maybe was such a vague, noncommittal hope. [break][break] “Yes, Captain.” It was all he said toward the man’s “Orders.” His face held a neutral expression, more confused than anything else. He supposed he didn’t have the right to refuse even if he wanted to. [break][break] His short words felt more empty with each comment. [break][break] Socializing? He didn’t immediately respond to the suggestion, he only nodded again, attempting to understand what the Kasai meant. Maybe he was a little slow on these types of things, maybe he was at a loss of how he should have reacted… Maybe he was just thinking too hard about it in the first place. It was the Vice-Captain’s suggestion that they do it, the woman had been wary of Forrest’s muted demeanor earlier. “If you say so, Captain.” He still didn’t raise his head to meet his Captain’s eyes, feeling almost intimidated by the mage’s presence. It was vast in strength and so much more assured in its aura… And it was warm, like hearth’s fire burning. It was strange to him, to think he’d once been so familiar with such a presence when it felt so foreign to him now. [break][break] But that wasn’t right… not meeting the man face to face. At the same time, he wasn’t sure if his detached gaze was the one that Ardere wanted to see.
[break][break] “Can I ask a question, Sir?” He crossed his arm, hiding his fidgeting hands as he hugged at himself. Golden eyes still searched for answers of their own, yet memories were still empty and barren. Could he really not remember anything more than a few mere weeks ago? Would he ever recall his life before then? As days turned into weeks, and soon into months… such hopes were fading far too fast.
[break][break] “How did we first meet? Am I really the merit of someone... you'd be so... concerned with?”
[attr="class","florencetext"]As the captain spoke Lydia was just simply nod her head. It was true that Ardere had huge shoes to fill before becoming captain and even afterwards seeing as not only was his father a captain of the purple orca's but the fire mage was also trained by the former crimson lion captain. Compared to him Lydia's seemed like nothing. After all her father was a high ranking knight of the golden dawn back in his day but he never reached the rank of vice captain let alone captain. So now all eyes were on Lydia and while she made it to the rank of vice captain which was impressive enough for most families it wasn't for her's. The Ravencrest had to be the best which meant they wouldn't be satisfied until she was a captain herself. It was one of the negative traits of her family and it put a lot of stress on the glass mage perhaps it was part of the reason she started smoking. [break][break] "Everyone has shoes to fill some are just bigger than others but I'm sure I'll be able to manage." It seemed the captain was actually going to take her advice and go talk to Forrest but not before telling her not to drown in paperwork. "Maybe I wouldn't if you actually did your own." As she was walking down the hall her boots were the only sound she could hear it was a quite day at the base she'd pass a few fellow crimson lion mages who would salute her as she passed which Lydia still wasn't use to. The vice captain was taking her time getting to the other to just so she would interrupt anything important. If she really needed to reach the two of them it would have only taken her a matter of seconds after all she was the fastest mage in the squad and perhaps the whole kingdom. They didn't call her the Light Speed Paradox for nothing. It didn't take her long to reach the two male knights hopefully after they had a chance to talk. "I hope I'm not Interrupting anything."
[break][break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] pow
[attr="class","florencelabel"] dur
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sta
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] con
[attr="class","florencelabel"] speed
[attr="class","florencetag"]240
[attr="class","florencetag"]0
[attr="class","florencetag"]135
[attr="class","florencetag"]60
[attr="class","florencetag"]205
[attr="class","florencetag"]30 m/s
[break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana skin
[attr="class","florencelabel"] health
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana regen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana pool
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]70 ic // 60 ooc
[attr="class","florencetag"]375/375
[break]
[attr="class","florencextra"]COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","florencetext2"]You can put spells and whatever here idk [break][break] Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum. [break][break]
[attr="class","ardereescroll"] Ardere slowly walked beside Forrest, the slight tapping of their feet against the wood. It was a massive fortress, and even the slightest sound carried. The fire mage had a powerful walk, a commanding presence--yet these days he seemed to solemn. His steps were loud due to his size and weight, but they were lighter than before. In some ways, this was calming to those in the squad. But those who knew him well were confused. How could he have all this power and respect, yet feel like this? He had missed Forrest. Basically being locked in an office for three months would make you regret things. Nonetheless, he tried to be as considerate as possible with his aggressive personality. No amount of sadness could kill that quality in him, if anything it heightened it. Of course. Forrest had a question. This was perhaps the first time the blonde mage had really addressed him. They hadn't talked much about his amnesia, but he wished they had. [break][break] The Captain wished he could say the question was unexpected, but it wasn't. That being said, he was still a bit visibly jarred by it. It was a good start though. Truth be told. You were a broken young boy when I met you. Not that I'm that much older than you are, but I could tell by the look in your eyes that you were inexperienced. But I couldn't blame you. You had just suffered a horrid loss. Something I myself am very familiar with. Ardere slowed his walk a bit, keeping pace with the wood mage. It was both hurtful and comforting to talk about it, but it had to be done. I helped you out of a bad situation back then. You felt hopeless and lost. Maybe you feel the same now. The truth is, I feel fucking lost right now too. I messed up. I made a misstep, and my friend died for it. He was silent for a moment. He could sense Lydia right down the hall. It was likely she would hear his words here. But even so, I was determined to help you back then and I will do my best now. Because back then you gave me the strength to get where I am today. Perhaps without you, I may never have become Captain. So you ask, are you someone I should concern myself with? And the answer to that question is a resounding yes. You have more merit that you know. Locked away in that mind of yours is one of the strongest men I have ever known. It may be locked away right now, but you will find it. Just like I have to find my strength again. [break][break] Whoops. He may have gone on too much of a tangent with Forrest. Such a simple question he was asked, and it prompted a very complicated response. For too many months, the Captain had sat wallowing in his feelings. There was no point in doing that anymore. He had to let out his emotions. Right now they were just in the form of words, but soon they would be in the form of flames. Flames that would bring Justice for his friend. You're fine Lydia. Let's go for a walk. He bit the inside of his cheek for a moment. The one thing Ardere wanted to do was cry right now. He had not shed a single tear in three months since the day of Silas' death. A sweet release from his pain was all he desired, but no tears would come out. It just felt like a thousand knives pierced his heart, and chains were wrapped around his joints. Every movement he made hurt like the deepest layer of Hell. But he knew Hell. This was not the end of him. He had too far left to go to be dragged down by invisible chains now.
Was that what he really wanted to hear? [break][break]
Maybe he wanted something else, besides the truth he was given. Maybe hearing about who he was, who he had been, even before, was all just too much. The way that this man spoke about him, how much he had cared, how much of his time and his life he had shared with him... [break][break]
It was hard not to feel disappointed. Forrest wanted to be grateful, to think that hearing about how once, he’d been lost and been found would help him find himself again. Strength of heart was different than that of physical aptitude, but the youth wondered if he had any of either.
[break][break]
Golden amber eyes drifted away, almost too stunned to believe any of what had been said to him. Broken. What a word that man had decided to use, not too unlike how he was now. He had lost something then, someone. But now, it was a terrible loss he felt nothing for. Nothing, not he had just lost himself.
[break][break]
Numbness.
[break][break]
It was a sensation that began in his throat, sickeningly squeezing at his voice, before creeping down in his chest, and then to a hollowed heart. He seemed to physically shrink away, shoulders dropped down as arms hugged himself. The man before him spoke of loss, of being lost, and of losing someone dear, a friend. Forrest was standing there, wondering if he hadn’t meant more than one… He would have tried to be sympathetic, he would have wanted to empathize, but fake feelings plastered over an awkward ignorance only felt like a temporary fix.
[break][break] “I’m sorry.” He said, it was all he could think to say, even after such a dialogue, he couldn’t find the place to interject anything else.
[break][break]
Nerve wracking was one word for it. The man was wanting to help, Forrest could see that so. Yet he couldn’t help but think that desire and that want could have been placed elsewhere, not in him. He was the Captain of this Squad, he had his duties and his responsibility, one mage with memory issues… shouldn’t have been his problem to deal with. And yet… he said he was worth something, he said could find himself again. It all sounded so terribly optimistic.
[break][break]
Strength within him, huh?
[break][break]
“If you say so, Captain.” Forest responded with careful words, a softer gaze held in his amber eyes. He would take the words as they were, whether it was the answer he wanted, he still didn’t know. There was a smile there, even if it felt like a half-hearted attempt at simple acceptance.
[break][break]
“You shouldn’t…”
[break][break]
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
[break][break]
He hadn’t the chance to even start the words, he silenced his wandering thoughts before he could have gone on. He looked to Ardere, who hadn’t seemed to hear what he was going to say. That was alright. He wasn’t sure he wanted to say it aloud anyone. At least, not in front of an audience. The Vice-Captain had her own crimson red gaze that seemed to wander to him, but he stayed with a neutral expression in return.
[break][break]
No… she hadn’t interrupted anything at all.
[break][break]
The blond didn’t exactly see it, but he felt it. This man who was Captain of the Crimson Lions had a heart as full as a true Lion himself. He cared too much, he had lost too much. It wasn’t Forrest’s place to tell him how to feel or how to act.
[break][break]
A walk… he would be alright with that.
[break][break]
“Of course, Captain. I would gladly join you and Vice-Captain Lydia as well, if you’d have me along.”
[attr="class","florencetext"]As Lydia was walking to meet up with her two fellow Crimson Lions she would stop in her tracks as she heard all of the captains words. It didn't feel right for her to join that talk after all it was about Forrest and Silas. She had no right to be there after all she only reminded the captain of his lost friend at least that's what she thought anyway. She wasn't able to hear all of the talk as it seemed fate picked now to show her another one of Silas' memories back from when the vermilion became a captain. As it faded away she could feel tears running down her face. Lyida would simply whip them away before meeting up with the other two. While they said she wasn't interrupting anything she felt as if she actually had as Forrest just stopped mid sentence. [break][break] The captain would speak again addressing her this time talking about how they should go for a walk. The glass mage would nod her head before speaking to Forrest."Of course you can come. Captain I think it would be better to walk around the city and not the base. It will help the citizens moral if they saw you. After all it has been a while since you left and while they citizens act like everything is fine I can tell they are worried." Assuming the other two were fine with her idea Lydia would start heading outside of the base and into the actual city. She didn't have any place in mind so she'd just walk with the others while getting lost in her own mind.
[break][break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] pow
[attr="class","florencelabel"] dur
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sta
[attr="class","florencelabel"] sen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] con
[attr="class","florencelabel"] speed
[attr="class","florencetag"]240
[attr="class","florencetag"]0
[attr="class","florencetag"]135
[attr="class","florencetag"]60
[attr="class","florencetag"]205
[attr="class","florencetag"]30 m/s
[break]
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana skin
[attr="class","florencelabel"] health
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana regen
[attr="class","florencelabel"] mana pool
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]archmage
[attr="class","florencetag"]70 ic // 60 ooc
[attr="class","florencetag"]375/375
[break]
[attr="class","florencextra"]COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","florencetext2"]You can put spells and whatever here idk [break][break] Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum. [break][break]
[attr="class","ardereescroll"] It was okay. Forrest didn't have to say much. He didn't need to apologize, but Ardere knew he was just like that anyways. While he didn't give much of a response, it went quite better than the Captain anticipated. He half expected the blonde man to just leave. This was good though. Albeit he needed a damn breather after spewing out that many words. Perhaps he had been in that office for far too long. He needed to get out more. The Kasai was not a timid man, he was out-going and talkative. Being locked up anywhere was not good for him. It was important he spread his wings, and by looking at the morale of the squad and the world--he could tell they needed it. It's alright. Don't worry. He nodded to Forrest. By now, Lydia had arrived. [break][break] Leave the base? It was a good idea, perhaps the best all day. It would help the citizens and himself, yet as she suggested it Ardere felt his heart drop into his chest. His entire body was tingling, and not in a good way. No matter how much he agreed with the idea, he was still terrified. Honestly he felt like a piece of shit not going out more often and helping. What the hell was wrong with him? He was a damn Captain for god's sake. Everyone told him they understood he needed time, but he had taken enough time. People were just being far too considerate to him. He knew they all needed help too. Ard hadn't been there for his people when they needed him most, and for that he was a failure. It was the first time since he first joined the Crimson Lions that he truly failed at anything. And this failure had dragged him down long enough. His heart was full of pain and his brain scrambled, but somehow he would turn this pain into strength. This failure had taught him humility he had long forgotten. It was time he show the rest of the world that they could rise up again. Alright. Let's take a walk around the Capital. He said, nodding to the two mages. They were reminders of his greatest pain, but also of his greatest strength. In a way he still needed them just as much as they needed him right now. [break][break] Entering the streets of the Capital was a bit terrifying. The Captain could feel sweat on his palms, but he wasn't afraid of people. He was afraid of the world being turned upside down. Yet when he entered the Capital, the world was almost as he left it. Some people were solemn, but even those who had experienced the fractures and destruction of the Shatter still moved on. Vendors still worked. Restaurants still served food. Magic Knights still roamed the streets to try and help people. The morale was a bit lower than usual, but it was nowhere near as shattered as he expected. The resilience of Clover was the thing that had caused him to love this country in the first place, but they much like him needed just a little push to get back to where they were. I almost expected the city to be on fire or crumbled, yet here it stands. Bent but not broken. It was the perfect phrase to describe it. The people could regain their strength, and as they looked into his eyes he felt a small spark. It was tiny and fragile, but it was there. And one tiny spark was all that was required to start a flame that could ignite one's spirit or consume the world. Which would happen? He did not know, but it was better than nothing at all. Far better.
[attr="class","forrestreescroll"] You shouldn’t…. [break][break] Words had been left unsaid, caught somewhere in the void of between his insecurities and his wants of something more. Lost, like memories that had been fractured, like time that had slipped away, like someone… who didn’t know if he wanted to be found... [break][break] He didn’t return to what he would have said, instead only following along where the conversation was flowing. It was better that way, if he could forget about what he had forgotten, an irony that somehow made him feel better. Overall, it was but a distraction, yet one he greatly embraced. [break][break] He’d already said yes. [break][break] He listened to the Vice-Captains suggestion, a walk around the city? It would bring up the morale of the citizens and the people of Clover, who too, had lost so much in the Shattering, whose lives had been forever changed as well. Forrest held back, somehow finding himself distanced between the two noble leaders of the Lions once more. Their faces were far more recognizable than him. They would provide such closure, such confidence that the Vice-Captain was speaking of, and yet he was still an unknown. The thought that he didn’t need to be there… lingered. It was that same disquieted emotion that clung to him as he walked the halls of the base, when others called out his unfamiliar name. It was the silent fear that he didn’t have a place here, not anywhere. [break][break] It's alright. Don't worry. [break][break] He raised his head, ears catching onto to such an easy statement. Had those words been said to him? [break][break] “Yes, Captain.” Forrest quietly responded, his head nodding only once. Amber orbs drifted again, feeling as if the safety of his distractions was slipping too swiftly away. He wasn’t afforded such ease of mind when in the presence of others, especially one he still looked at him with pity. Was ‘pity’ the word he’d wanted to use? More like patronizing, perhaps even regret. [break][break] A hint of pain. [break][break] If Forrest was beginning to realize that if he was good at anything, it was getting trapped in his own mind. [break][break] Such selfish thoughts, selfish desires plagued his emotions. His hesitancy was evident with all his burden and his tattered feelings. Yet despite it all, something told him to stay, something told him to trust the man with everything that he had left, even if everything was nothing at all. [break][break] Alright. Let's take a walk around the Capital [break][break]A walk would do them all good. “Yes, Captain.” Forrest repeated again, following after the man and the Vice-Captain as well. [break][break] [break] Forrest hadn’t left the base much ever since he had decided to stay. He’d left of his own accord, to visit his family in the Common Region and his adoptive noble father in another area of the Royal Capital, but besides such outings, Forrest preferred to remain in the base. Such visits hadn’t prompted any lost memories to come to light. [break][break] He’d avoided making those visits again. [break][break] So, to Forrest, walking around the Capital, was more or less, his first experience doing so, all over again. He didn’t know these streets, even if he had walked them before. He didn’t know the sounds, even if once they’d been familiar to his ears. His eyes drifted once again, watching the people, the market, the children cross the street chasing their mother’s skirts. Was this how the City always was? Forrest had nothing else to compare it too. [break][break] Perhaps it was a bit quieter than it should have been. [break][break] “I see.” Forrest said, only halfway meaning his words. [break][break] And then he heard it. [break][break] He paused, his steps slowing to a crawl, and then to a dead stop. The sounds of the guitar hummed through the streets, a small gathering to the side nearby a shattered fountain. Words hung in the air, breathless, timeless. The sound of music, a melody so haunting, so unfamiliar, yet it pulled at his whole being. He didn’t pay attention to whether Lydia or Ardere followed him, but he was already stepping towards the sound of the music. [break][break] The musician’s hair was the color of auburn red. Forrest walked over, getting himself to the front of the small crowd that had gathered around her and her melody. Children sat in front of her, eyes alight as she added snaps and percussion to her song, fingers dancing on the strings like her instrument was her partner in such a devious crime. [break][break] Forrest stood. He closed his eyes, listening. The image that came to his mind was the guitar he had left in his room early that day. An instinct he didn’t know came to him, his hand lifting to reach at his neck as if to grab onto his necklace. But, his necklace wasn’t there. [break][break] He’d left the ruby on the dresser, as if leaving it behind would help him forget. He felt empty, sad, for a love that he had already forgotten. But how could the feelings still remain when memories were gone? It frustrated more than he ever thought possible. His grip grew tight, his hand shaking into a trembling white-knuckled fist.
[break][break]He didn’t say anything aloud, and only listened to the street player finish her song.