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","textie"]She had sought him out after all. It was curious to have someone actually take him up on his offer to train them. Vulkan didn't think that anyone would do so, but here he was waiting for her to show up. After she had come to the Golden Dawn base, he had been caught slightly off guard despite it not showing. Emotion rarely showed up on his face anymore, but he accepted her. Grabbing one of the spatial mages that were within his head quarters, Vulkan had them open a portal to the fringe. There was a place that he liked to go in order to train himself, and it was far away from people that he didn't have to worry about restraining his magic. It was one of the few places where he could cut loose. Upon arriving the barren desert he waited for her to arrive patiently, he was in no hurry after all.
Vulkan was wearing his tattered Golden Dawn mantle that had seen him through every adventure that he had ever been on, and underneath was his normal black outfit. When the tall woman came through the portal, and it shut he tilted his head at her. Vulkan had actually never trained anyone before, except for Rosalia, and even then he was just training her for the Magic Knight exams. It was different because he knew what she wanted out of it, with this woman, this amazon. He had no clue what she wanted out of it, though it didn't matter. People sought strength for different reasons, though he wondered if he should be worried that she might abuse her power when she attained it.
"You will have to forgive me, I have not taught many other people...However I must ask, why do you wish to get stronger? What will you use your power for?" It was a simple question, but depending on the person it could be difficult to answer.
Vulkan already knew how he was going to train her, he would do to her what Alphonse did to him. His mentor had shown him not with words, but with action on how to fight. Anyone could talk about how to fight, how to use their power, but unless you were put in the position to deal with it, and overcome it you would never grow. Adversity bred strength in a way that nothing else could. She had asked for him to teach her, and thus he would, and he hoped that by doing so she would become strong. However she was up against an immovable object, so he wondered just how strong her spirit truly was. In his experience someone's body always broke long before their spirit would, but eventually when faced with such an insurmountable task it could often cause one to lose themselves to despair.
Alphonse had been the kind of teacher that only held his punches as much as necessary, he was not afraid to show Vulkan just how out of his league he was when he was a boy. Vulkan remembered that pit of despair, and desperately clawing for a way out of it, until eventually he had to come to grips that he was weak. To accept ones weakness was the first step in becoming truly strong, to understand that there were things that one could, and could not do were necessary steps. Alphonse had taught him that true strength lay in acceptance, and so this was the first lesson he would impart upon his own student.
Tora had to admit that the place was actually even more ....fancy than she had expected. With a name like Golden Dawn she had expected SOME measure of ........ extravagance. But it was still technically a military building yes? She had surmised that it would still be mostly practical. And yet ....that seemed to be not entirely the case. She had smiled to the one who had greeted her, and even waved when she finally saw Vulkan. And yet the man seemed..... quiet, polite, but mostly stuck in his own thoughts? Before she knew it, they had teleported to some place out in the forsaken region. She actually recognized some of the nearby landmarks. Strange, why had he brought them here?
she eyed him for a moment, eyes on that tattered mantle he wore before he finally spoke up and asked her why she wanted strength. Her brows quirked just a little as she rubbed her chin. "Hmmmm, well that's kindof a weird question ta answer. Whole reason I left home was because of my ma and pa. Whole family got sick, and kinda put a bit of fear in em. They didn't want me livin my days in some tiny cottage without getting to see the world. Soooo, here I am!" She grinned wide, putting her hands on her hips before she gave a bit of a rueful chuckle and glanced around, turning her back to him for a moment as she looked around the place they were in. "But weellllll, as it turned out, the world ain't just some place you can go walkin around willy nilly. If you're not strong, you could wind up dead. Or worse..." she glanced off in the direction of those blighted cities she had seen from a distance, even though some of them showed signs that the magic knights had been there, the corruption still stank around the place.
"Daemons. Mana beasts. Even Magic Knights." She glanced evenly at the man infront of her as she leaned to the side. "Not ta say I don't trust you specifically. But well, the very first Mage Knight ah ran into tried trickin me into doin his job for him. Wearin a mantle like that don't exactly clean a person's intentions. And that whole Yule party? Well I got a clearer look at what some of the Clover Kingdom's higher up is like." She .....looked off to the side. Her expression a bit troubled. "So, ah figure at the very least, I should try and get as strong as I can. Expand the places I can go without dyin in the process. And well.... to make sure that I can't be strong armed into anything I don't right agree with. Course, thankfully there seems to be no shortage of people willin ta help. Yourself. And yer Captain seems pretty alright too. We wound up in Aries Garse to check out that tower that done popped up. Got a bit of a taste of what is like ta be .......well.... a few straws shorta useless." She noted with a light shrug as she watched the man across from her, looking off to the side as she recalled that man at the top of the tower. The one that she'd almost died to. She'd already had a solid taste of powerlessness. But she ....didn't bring that up. similar to how she didn't bring up that technically Volk's Captain had put an invitation to the Golden Dawn on the table and more or less left it there. She still wasn't sure how she felt about the offer.
[attr="class","textie"]He listened to the woman speak about her reasons for wanting to get stronger, and to him it boiled down to the same thing at least his interpretation of her words. She wanted to be free to do as she pleased, and to him that was enough. She didn't strike him as the kind who was going to abuse her power, and use it to harm others, and if she did then he would stop her. That was what Knights did after all, they saved others. While she had no interest in joining the Knights to his knowledge that didn't mean she still wouldn't help others. So he let his reptilian teal eyes gaze at her as she finished speaking, and absorbed all that she told him. It was interesting to say the least, the fact that she had met Zaven, but that was neither here nor there.
"You are correct...This does not absolve anyone..." he stated to her, and he touched the tattered mantle that was upon his shoulders delicately. It looked as if it would fall apart any second, but it still held together somehow. "People will always be people, good, evil, selfless, and selfish...Whether they wear this or not, that is a fact." slowly the heat around him began to coalesce causing heat shimmers to appear around him. "If you wish to make sure you are not taken advantage of by people like that...To be free...Then I will teach you...These lessons will not be easy, as I can only emulate the way I was taught by my own mentor." He spoke to her in that distant emotionless tone, as the heat continued to build up. "But at the end I think you will learn what true strength...What it means to be strong aside from the depths of ones magic." With those words his grimoire flared to life.
A familiar looking lance would appear in his hand as he continued to stare her down with an intensity she would have never seen before. To be strong, one first had to be weak. To save someone, one first had to be saved. People didn't understand things they had never seen before which is why teachers existed. That is what Alphonse taught him, and it was those things that he kept close to his heart always. Gripping the lance hard he closed his eyes, and he extended his Ki outward assessing her strength.
"From what I can tell of your current strength...If you take two direct hits from my lance...You will die..." the words were blunt, he didn't sugarcoat it, he was honest with her just as he was with everyone he met. "During this fight I want you to think of an answer to this question. What does it mean to be strong?" And with those words he sped toward her. Naturally he was faster than most who didn't use some form of enhancement magic, just a by product of his continuous training.
With his lance in hand he attempted to close the gap between the two of them, his eyes open as he struck out with his lance. If she didn't dodge the lance wouldn't deal a direct hit, and instead just give her a minor burn along her side. He was not aiming to kill her, but she had to believe the danger was real. With his emotionless words, and the blank look on his face, he knew he could sell the danger to her. How she chose to react was up to her, and he was curious to know what sort of answer she was going to come up with to his question.
Battle Breakdown: Vulkan asked Tora a question, and then rushed after her with his speed of 20 m/s, and is attempting to love tap her with his lance. As long as she doesn't take a direct hit the damage will be lowered to a Junior rank for plot purposes.
Name of Spell: Lava Creation Magic: Volcanic Knights Lance Elemental Type: Lava Rank & Spell Type: Senior | Attack Creation Range & Speed: 80 meters | 50 m/s Mana Cost: 30 | 15 Stats Effected: +9 Power Applicable Perks: Apex Predator, Overpowered, Battle Knight, Quick Shot Description: The version of this spell that he uses most often for the sheer power that it can produce, and it's utility in combat. A lance of Lava forms in the air near Vulkan that he can either grab to use as a melee weapon, or that he can fire off towards his opponent as a ranged attack. If he uses it as a projectile, and it misses he can retrieve it by having the Lance fly back to his hand as long as he is within the spells range. This spell deals Senior Rank damage, and inflicts severe burns on those that come into contact with it. For every 30 control that he has he can create an additional lance to use.
She wasn't necessarily surprised as the man asserted that he understood there was no magic behind the attire worn by Magic Knights. She had to admit with how....zealous some of them were, she did fear some of them would find such uncertainties treasonous. Thankfully, she had already sortof gleaned he would be receptive to the idea. And a warm smile found it's way cross her face, even if she did feel her spine tingle from the waves of heat that began to slowly build up from the man she'd come to brave through danger with. As he produced that lance of his, she activated her own spells. A card snapping up above her body before crackling down, fusing to her body as a tattoo snaked along her body. The visage of a tiger curling around her body, from her lower back up around her shoulder and over her chest as she looked levelly at the man.
"Kinda hard to say. After seeing you and Mr. Zaven in action it's been kinda funky. Ya both just kinda seem to spring yer powers outta nowhere." She noted with a sly smirk, her eyes dilating slightly as she saw him suddenly lunging toward her. In a flash, she grinned, tail swishing behind herself. The tattoo seemed to actually be extending past her actual body! As if there were a tiger hiding within her skin! As she saw that lance slashing in her direction, she burst to the side, skidding along the ground and avoiding that first slash. Not easily, all things considered, she wasn't able to stack her boosts by much, but with that one spell, she managed to get MUCH closer to his speed than he probably expected! Sidesstepping that slash with the lance, she stayed incredibly close to him, and BARRELED her shoulder into him, aiming to deal a hit, and in the same motion, push off of him, putting a bit of distance as she jumped back, and hopefully doing a bit of damage to his mana skin.
"But! I think the closest I ever felt to powerless was when you used that armor of yours! So, if you want to jog my memory. Why don't you use the spell now?" She asked, grinning wide as she did so. Admittedly egging him on just a little. But of course, that was because she had grown since their excursion into that tower. She'd not only grown, but learned. That helplessness she'd felt with his armor had pushed her to try and evolve, to find a way to deal with such oppressive abilities. not that she had any idea if it would work. But well... no time to find out like the present. "If you'll humor me. I think I might surprise you." She asserted. Admittedly...she was relying on the assumption that he wouldn't simply close the gap and slit her throat while she was talking. She was leaning on the fact that this was training. But she HOPED he certainly wouldn't be that brutal of a teacher. She'd certainly find out if he was.
Name of Spell: Coin of Searthly Fiend Number 50 - Li Zhong: Tiger Hunt Elemental Type: Card Rank & Spell Type: Intermediate | Reinforcement/Healing Range & Speed: 40 meters | 20 m/s Mana Cost: 20 cast 10 Sustain Stats Effected: +5 m/s Speed Applicable Perks: N/A Description: The 50th Earthly Fiend Li Zhong, nicknamed the Tiger-Slaying General. On cast, his card is thrown to the target, or hovers over the caster if self-targeted. The target receives a tattoo twisting along their body showing the snarling visage of a White Tiger over their chest, whose paws reach up and spread along their shoulders while the lower body curves around their back to their spine, a tail made of card magic extends from the target's lower back as though the tattoo were emerging from their body. This spell heals and boosts the target's speed.
Heals up to Intermediate levels of damage per post over the course of said post. Boosts the target's Speed by 5 meters per second.
[attr="class","textie"]He listened to the woman speak to him, and as she used her magic to narrowly evade his strike she used her entire body to ram into him, and cause him to skid back a few inches. She did manage to damage his mana skin, but it was all for naught as just like his heat it seemed endless, and immediately knitted itself back together. An immovable wall was what he would feel like to those that were not at his strength level, something that couldn't be overcome, and it was all in his single-minded pursuit of strength. Though at her mention of feeling powerless when he donned his armor he quirked a brow. Of course she who hadn't seen him use many of his spells would have no clue the variety of ways that he had in order to render someone completely immobile, and destroy them in a single motion.
"I see...I am curious to see what it is you have to show to me...I will humor you...Show me Tora, show me your strength..." with those words the heat would build up around him immeasurably as it radiated out from him. "Lava Creation Magic: Armor of Abraxas..." with that same emotionless tone he invoked his spell, and it formed around him. The heavy looking draconic armor consuming his form until there was nothing left but the molten armor itself, and the aura that it gave off.
The aura that would cause most enemies to despair as it forced their speed to drop drastically practically to zero. With the overwhelming pressure of his heat baring down on his enemies one could almost call this his trump card, but that wasn't necessarily true either. Still with his lance in hand he waited for her to show him what it was that would surprise him. After all if nothing else he was a curious man as well. Right now there was no need to move, he was certain of one thing, and that was that she was going to come straight for him instead, otherwise why ask him to do this.
"Do not disappointment me..." even though his face was hidden from behind his helm the words carried with them a heavy weight. The question he had bade her at the beginning of this was part of her training as well. What did it mean to truly be strong? She thought that he, and Zaven simply materialized their power out of thin air, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The number of hardships that the two of them had endured together had allowed them to come out ahead of everyone else. They had fought in countless dungeons together, taken on the rogue Vice Captain of their squad, and then fought in a war where Diamond had threatened to destroy their home.
After all of that they had emerged from the smoke, and ashes stronger than everyone around them, it wasn't easy, but that is how they had achieved their strength, but for Vulkan...It still wasn't enough.
Name of Spell: Lava Creation Magic: Armor of Abraxas Elemental Type: Lava Rank & Spell Type: Grand | Defense Creation | Hex, and Curse Range & Speed: Self | 75 m/s | 80 meter AoE Mana Cost: 50 | 25 Stats Effected: -20 m/s (enemy), +12 Durability (self) Applicable Perks: Sinister Magic Description: The strongest spell in his "Armor" series of spells at the moment. Donning a more advanced, and heavy looking version of his Volcanic Knight Armor. It has more draconic features than the previous version, and offers far more protection. The armor is made of hardened lava, that still seems like it is liquid in nature. Glowing gold, and red as he wears it, and leaving molten creases in the ground as he walks. When this armor is donned, it creates an area around Vulkan that is 80 meters in diameter, where the heat is far more intense than normal. While this seems to do no damage to anyone it does have an effect that would be most noticeable. The moment someone steps inside this area to get close they immediately get the Ouroboros brand on the back of their calf that denotes being cursed by his magic. While this brand is on them their speed would be drastically reduced making them easier targets for all of his other spells. The armor itself has an Archmage health pool.
Name of Spell: Lava Creation Magic: Volcanic Knights Lance Elemental Type: Lava Rank & Spell Type: Senior | Attack Creation Range & Speed: 80 meters | 50 m/s Mana Cost: 30 | 15 Stats Effected: +9 Power Applicable Perks: Apex Predator, Overpowered, Battle Knight, Quick Shot Description: The version of this spell that he uses most often for the sheer power that it can produce, and it's utility in combat. A lance of Lava forms in the air near Vulkan that he can either grab to use as a melee weapon, or that he can fire off towards his opponent as a ranged attack. If he uses it as a projectile, and it misses he can retrieve it by having the Lance fly back to his hand as long as he is within the spells range. This spell deals Senior Rank damage, and inflicts severe burns on those that come into contact with it. For every 30 control that he has he can create an additional lance to use.
