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 Verena Reinsberg on Jan 31, 2021 14:43:33 GMT -5
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It was time. Six years was probably long enough. Six long, grueling years. Over this time, she had met many people, and done many things. It wasn't as if she had obtained a 'lifetime's worth of experiences', but Kikka had... changed her. The world was a terrifying place, but for one to do what they wanted, they had to confront that terror, and move past it.[break][break]
So then... there was only one terror left for her to confront now. Her own personal demon that had practically branded her. One who had limited her life span, who had dug the grave and who likely thought she was ready at any point to sit down in it as the dirt enveloped all she knew. That wasn't what she was going to do though; she knew what she had to do.[break][break]
If she was to ever truly move past this, she had to visit with him...[break][break]
Verena needed to visit Renfir. She needed to visit her father.[break][break]
...But she wasn't strong enough to meet him alone. Not yet. She was still terrified of the man. For how destructive and cruel his magic was. For what he did to her. Even seeing him was likely to cause her to relive the moments of that attack, and she needed someone who was strong--not just in magic or body, but in mind.[break][break]
And that was precisely why she had gone to the Crimson Lions headquarters some time ago. She had personally requested Ardere to come with her. On paper, it was so he could supervise the visit. But in reality, she just needed someone to support her when she was likely to panic.[break][break]
Bengal would have done just as well, but ... she did not want to bring him into something this personal. Ardere and she might not have been close; in fact, she doubted the Crimson Lion even recalled who she was. Whether or not he knew of her from Kikka or from the incident her father caused... But... that was fine. He didn't need to remember her. She just needed someone who she could rely on.[break][break]
And so, the woman stood near the entrance to Balgon Prison. Verena did not sport her coat this time, however. She had neatly folded it up inside her bag. Instead, she adorned her form-fitting dark blue jumpsuit with their stripes. She had forgone her twin tails and instead neatly braided her hair into a single ponytail that went down to her hips. Over her jumpsuit she wore her black dress with red stitchings; it did little to hide her figure, but the woman did not care; she simply wanted to be as comfortable as she could be, as everything about this would be quite uncomfortable mentally.[break][break]
Now, she just waited on Ardere. He would guide her to the prison cell and supervise things so they didn't get out of hand. And after that... there was one other thing she needed to ask of him, depending on how this meeting went. There was no going back now. The woman took a deep breath while she could, trying to control her legs as she trembled slightly. "I can do this..." she told herself.
I don't know where the future[break][break] will take us,[break][break] But we will blaze it together.[break][break]
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[attr="class","ardereescroll"]It was not often Ardere was requested to accompany anyone into Balgon, but not unheard of either. The so called "Overlord" of Balgon Prison stood a few hundred meters away from its stone and steel walls now. While he was not officially the Warden, the Crimson Lions did make up most of the security detail here. This meant he was officially in charge of most Balgon matters--not something he found himself fond of but it was his duty nonetheless. Today however, he understood his importance here. While Verena likely did not expect him to remember her; he did. He remembered Renfir as well. That dark man plagued his memory like a cancerous virus. While they had not often interacted, they were very familiar with one another. [break][break] Slowly yet heavy steps across the stone laid into the ground of the Capital, Ardere spotted Verena just outside the Prison. She was in casual wear--good. It was a good thing for her to be comfortable, after all this was likely to be an unpleasant experience for her. The Crimson Lion Captain pitied her in a way, but he reserved that pity to himself. She was still a Mage after all and she had a strength within her. All that went into the depths of the abyss called Kikka did. [break][break] While Verena wore casual wear, the Captain wore his full suit of armor. Dressed from head to toe in steel and leather, crimson red plates covered his body like scales on a dragon. A fur lined cloak fluttered in the Winter breeze as he slowly but surely walked up to the young woman at the gates of Hell. Balgon felt much like Hell anyways. Hey there Verena. It is good to see you again. Giving a nod, his amber eyes looked into her own. There was a strength in his eyes, one he hoped to project to her. She would need it here. This was not an ideal place for a family reunion after all. Let's go inside, shall we? As the metal gates scraped against the cold stone enough to pierce their ear drums, he leaned over to her. It'll be alright. Just stay close to me. Giving a warm smile, there was a kindness and reassurance in his demeanor unlike most other Captains. He truly meant his words. The Kasai aimed to keep her safe, even if it was from the pain of memories and not magic. [break][break] Ardere remembered Renfir well, and as he stepped into the halls he knew so well the guards gave him a salute. They were about to begin an encounter that neither mage was truly prepared for. Even after all of these years, some men surpassed the monsters he had spent his life hunting. Many days he wondered if the true monsters in this world were all once men. Even so, he stood tall at the doors into flame. Flame and Hell was his domain after all. No Daemon nor Man would take that rite from him.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Feb 2, 2021 14:51:29 GMT -5
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Verena was alerted to the sound of heavy footsteps. Glancing around, she took notice of nearby Magic Knights--mostly Crimson Lions, suddenly standing to attention as their Captain arrived on the scene. Verena was admittedly surprised to see Ardere dressed in such a manner; it wasn't as if she was expecting the man to wear casual clothing of course, but she wasn't exactly expecting him to be so heavily armored. She could understand the need to dress warmly because of the season, but it was at least around noon, and the sun was out. Surely, it couldn't have been that bad... then again, the brunette realized she always wore her coat in almost every circumstance, so she likely just had a much higher body temperature as a result of acclimation.[break][break]
In any case, the man came out looking more like a warrior than something akin to a warden--she knew he was not the warden, of course, but his position gave him much influence in the happenings here regardless. Perhaps it was to intimidate the inmates. Would that even work on someone like her father? She doubted it, but she did not want to say anything. In any case, she was just glad to have the Crimson Lion's captain with her on this day.[break][break]
"Hey there, Verena. It is good to see you again."[break][break]
This caught Verena off guard; she wasn't exactly expecting him to remember her, and even if he did, the fact he remembered her by name was even more surprising. Perhaps it was just because of the request sent in advance. She wasn't notable in Kikka, so the most logical thing she could think of as to why he would remember her would be the request. She did have to send her name, after all. It was only natural not just anyone would be allowed to visit.[break][break]
The mere fact that Ardere had remembered her though, regardless of the logic, was of comfort to her. She was not just some face in Clover. She was Verena. Verena Reinsberg, heiress of the Reinsberg family. It was time that she detach those years of fear and trauma; not to forget them, but to own them. Confront them. And move past them. She would not deny they happened; she would acknowledge that trauma and fear. But she would not let it control her. She wouldn't let Renfir control her.[break][break]
...That's what she was telling herself, at least.[break][break]
The gates were opened, as Ardere told her to follow along and stay close. It was impossible grueling on the ears, but honestly, it wasn't as bad as her initial sound golem; that was truly grueling and it was her own creation. He offered her words of encouragement, and though she wished she did not need them, she needed every bit of comfort she could possibly manage for this visit.[break][break]
"...Thank you," Verena said, not bothering to elaborate on what she was thanking him for.[break][break]
Was she thanking him for accompanying her? Was she thanking him for his words of encouragement? Perhaps she was thanking him for just accepting her request.[break][break]
It was all of this. It was all of this and more. She could not thank Ardere enough for being the tenacious and unwavering Captain of the Crimson Lions. As a citizen, Ardere's mere presence was something akin to hope itself, and even her own fear of Magic Knights paled in comparison to the sensation she felt when she was able to fight by his side. He was earnest. Sincere. He truly cared for every citizen. He was what she would call an ideal Magic Knight.[break][break]
Post by Renfir Reinsberg on Feb 2, 2021 15:43:44 GMT -5
"Get up. You'll have a visitor."
Gone were the fancy suits. The well-groomed hair. Gone was the sense of aristocracy. And most importantly to the inmate, gone were his accomplishments. Nobody remembered what he had done. The man had nothing left to do other than to rot here until he was eventually released. Not one member of his own family or that cursed family had offered him a visit. He did not care one way or another; however. They were all disposable in the end.
The man did not budge when he was told to get up; instead, he simply stared up at the ceiling of his cell, tapping on the ground. "Six hundred and seventy-two... six hundred and seventy-three... six hundred and seventy-four..."
"Get. Up."
Renfir sighed. "I do not have a visitor. If I do, they're fake. Send them away."
The guard was not going to have it. "On your feet now, or I'll report this to the warden. You will not be talking back to me, or anyone. Especially not with Captain Ardere accompanying your visitor."
Oh?
Renfir had stopped his tapping, and rose up from his spot on the ground in a seemingly unnatural way; almost like a corpse rising from their grave. The guard had just said something that captivated his interest. He didn't particularly care that he had a visitor; it didn't matter who it was. Now, what was interesting was the Crimson Lions current captain was paying him a visit.
"Little Ardere is paying me a visit, too?" the man asked, his dead eyes showing some degree of interest, almost amusement in the matter.
Renfir was in many ways Ardere's senior; with an age gap of sixteen years, Renfir had been in the service of the Magic Knights long before the Kasai child. He had been apart of this order since he had received his grimoire and had seen more than just one Captain position change. The Diamond War was in its last year, roughly, before he had been arrested, and of course, there were some Magic Knights who were just too loud for their own good.
He knew that Ardere had become the Captain and that the only surviving Captain was that Barron guy--another junior to himself as far as he was concerned.
Immediately the guard banged against the cell in an attempt to quell Renfir's taunting behavior. "Enough out of you. They'll be here shortly. Be ready when they get here."
Now, this was quite interesting, Renfir thought, maintaining his upright position as he leaned against the wall. Ardere didn't have any reason to visit him; in fact, that guard had specified that he was only accompanying the visitor. What reason did the Captain of the Crimson Lions have to tag along with someone? Surely, any guard would have done just as well.
"I guess I'll get my answer soon enough," he mused as he simply waited in his cell.
Suddenly, the brown-haired male could hear footsteps. Heavy ones, followed by light. The heavy ones were most likely Ardere. The light ones belonged to... a female, most likely. He could tell based on the way sound of the footsteps and how they reverberated. It was quite dark in this dungeon, so all he had going for him at this point was his hearing. He had learned to distinguish the men from the women at this point. To often pass the time he'd just guess who was who when they passed his cell.
Ardere was the first to come into sight, and then...
Long brown hair. Crimson eyes. She stood past Ardere, as she cast a simple spell to create a chair made from cloth; though that chair must have been capable of obeying orders. Her proficiency with golems allowed for such constructs to be made. She might have as well been sitting on raw mana.
"...Hello, father."
Her skin glowed, indicating a healthy shine. Her crimson eyes stared into his own. From his cell, Renfir examined this girl. Yes, there was no doubt. He knew who this was. Those delicate features, that trembling in her legs and voice...
"It's... so good to see you again, Verena...! I'm so happy to see you in good health, Verena," Renfir said, his tone indicating a far more malicious tone.
The man raced from his spot at the back of the cell, tapping frantically on the bars. "How've you been? Seen the world yet? It warms my heart to have seen you grow up so big and strong."
"Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. I want to kill her. She is the reason for all of this. She's fake. She doesn't matter. None of this matters. I will kill her."
For Ardere, who specialized in Ki, this killing intent would have been suffocating. Even Verena almost fell out of the chair she had made for herself in shock. It was just like when he had attacked her then... memories began flooding in, but she clenched her hands into fists as if trying to remind herself why she was here, to begin with.
I don't know where the future[break][break] will take us,[break][break] But we will blaze it together.[break][break]
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[attr="class","ardereescroll"]Nodding ever so slightly, the brazen Knight felt anxiety emanating from his temporary companion. Truth be told; he did not blame her. Ardere himself was once challenged with facing his inner fears and he remembered how insurmountable it felt. This was likely the need for his presence, but he did not mind. It was nice to be called upon for emotional support rather than his combative capabilities. While he took pride in his physical prowess, the Kasai also liked to think himself a valuable friend when needed. [break][break] So into the Hell-scape they entered--filled with darkness and malice. The first floor was not so intense, but he felt the endless eyes fixed upon them. No not them; him. Every soul who sat in a prison here was aware of his name even if he was not the mage who put them there. They most certainly knew his mentor. Lysander Rogue once held the record for most arrests in the Order. The men sitting in darkness with little light to shine upon them knew this and they knew it well, as such every yellow and red gaze pierced through Ardere himself. The Crimson King did not waver--he smiled. It perplexed the inmates but it was his strength. He knew one simple fact; they could all break out right now and he'd still defeat them all. The men below and above however he would not be so arrogant to claim such. They were another manner of criminal. [break][break] As they entered the hall in which Renfir himself was imprisoned, Ardere felt stronger Ki here. The man was held in a deeper part of the prison surrounded by steel and magically reinforced stone. No ordinary mage could penetrate these walls, but few here in this hall were ordinary. Stay close to me. He whispered to Verena. His eyes darkened for a moment as the powerful eyebrows above his amber eyes narrowed. The Captain felt darkness here and once they arrived at their destination swiftly without regard to it. All seemed well for now until the Kasai sensed it--well before the young Reinsberg did. Leaping out in front of her, an echoing flame-like aura burst from the titanic body of Ardere. His Ki and magical presence were in nearly full blast. The prisoners became restless. They could feel the power surging through the walls of Balgon as two men's Ki seemed to almost battle. The guard nearby prepared to take action, but Ardere held his hand out to say "Stand down" and so he did. [break][break] It's been some time, Renfir. Read any good books lately? A smirk plastered across his pale lips, his deep eyes were fixed on the man in the cell. He felt that rotten Ki emanating from the man like a rotting corpse. If he could spit on the floor without it causing a scene, he certainly would have. While outwardly he seemed very calm and sarcastic, inside was a disdain that went deeper than any cave. The man standing before him was more of a monster than a mage. He was truly the kind of being Ardere hated.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Feb 3, 2021 13:44:34 GMT -5
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...She wanted to go turn around and leave. In this hellscape of Clover, confining those who were deemed incapable of living amongst the rest of the populace, where their gaze rested did not matter; for one such as Verena, it was equally unnerving.[break][break]
They could have had their eyes focused solely on Ardere; it made little difference. The brunette was terrified. She was doing her best to steel her nerves; she knew the structure of the prison well enough to know that those of more heinous crimes were placed down in the lower levels. ...Where her father was likely to be. Compared to them... compared to him, these men here were akin to petty thieves as far as Clover's judiciary system was concerned.[break][break]
That thought, however, did little to comfort her as they ventured further down into the prison. When she realized just what she was truly getting into. At this specific moment, she couldn't help but wonder if she would prefer to be put back in Kikka during the reclamation effort or continue on with what she was doing. Ardere didn't even need to tell her to stay close to her; she intended on doing that regardless. But it was appreciated to hear his voice as they arrived at the level holding Renfir.[break][break]
Before Verena could properly make her "seat", Ardere immediately took a stance to protect her, jumping in front as he approached the daemon in human flesh. Her own father. She might not have had a high aptitude for sensory, but she could tell that this exchange was... quite intense.[break][break]
There was a brief exchange between Ardere and Renfir, and she let them talk before she herself stood into the frame, making her "chair", as she spoke to her father--and of course, he nearly lept right out of his cell to "greet her".[break][break]
However, he seemed to... calm down after a while, his frantic behavior calming down as he simply walked back to his bed, looking back at the two. "...I have done a lot of traveling yes. I've seen a lot of Clover by this point. I have even been to the Forsaken Region and been in several dungeons. I even accompanied Ardere and five others on an important mission."[break][break]
Verena would not state what that mission was; she did not feel it proper to give an inmate such important knowledge on the outside world. Especially one locked down here.[break][break]
"...Though, I'm sure we both know I haven't exactly been doing any growing..." she paused, having to grip her arm as she began trembling quite noticeably.[break][break]
"...Father, I'm here for one reason today. It goes without saying I can't forgive you. I'm not nearly that kind, no matter what others might tell me. At one point during this time I've been traveling, I'll confess there was a part of me that still wanted your love and affection. I don't know what I did wrong, even now. But... I don't care anymore. I don't care about your love, because your love is just like your magic. I don't care about your affection, because you have none."[break][break]
"If there is any one thing I can say I do care about from my childhood though... it's my family. My aunts, my uncles. Even mother, to some degree. Our family is a broken one, and I must... begrudgingly admit you had the family on the right track. But you had a fatal flaw in how you were bringing the family; it wouldn't have lasted. The way you ran the family was done on your own; the moment you died, the Reinsberg would be even worse off. Momentary greatness means little in the face of eternity. But I? I have plans, father. I can bring the family back to its proper place amongst nobility, as Aethril once did."[break][break]
"I am going to take my place as the heiress and lead the family to greatness, father. But unlike you, I won't do it alone."[break][break]
Verena spoke with a sense of ... courage, her eyes showing just how serious she was as she stared into her father's own. He had been surprisingly quiet, and that fact did unnerve her a bit, but because of that, it let her get everything off her chest. She had said what she wanted to say, but... something told her he wasn't going to make it easier on her. He would never.
Post by Renfir Reinsberg on Feb 3, 2021 14:36:28 GMT -5
Before his "touching" reunion with his daughter could occur, it seemed Ardere was ready to contend with Renfir. Not that the former Green Mantis minded any. He would happily entertain himself with this upstart. There was no denying Ardere was strong. But the man was bound by law. He did not make them.
Even then, it was a small price to pay if it meant allowing Verena to revisit the aftermath. Even as she lay there dying at his own hand, he recalled with amusement as she watched with horror as the Magic Knights nearly killed him as well. What a strange child
"Of course. I'm especially fond of tragedies." the man said as he answered his question, sitting upon the bed as he relaxed, pulling up a book. "Have you read 'Catatonic' by Richard Epsteil? It's about a man who's driven insane as a result of the world who can no longer remember him. I especially love the scene where the man kills his loved ones when even they, too, lose their memory of him."
Renfir had grown quiet as Verena said all that she had to say. It was clear she had been trying to build up the courage to say this for some time. What kind of father would he be, after all, if he just interrupted his child? Even he felt it was commendable that she was speaking up in such a way.
But it was also highly disrespectful.
How dare she. His killing intent went beyond just being sensed with ki--imbued with magical energy, it managed to seep through the walls and directly towards his two guests; even nearby prisoners could sense it. What mana he could pour out was only because of his own affinity--this was something unique to him. Decay was, after all, the acceleration of deterioration. It only made sense that imbuing his own mana in the area that he could, with very limited success, manage to make such negative feelings known. It would not be enough to cause the stone to decay nor would it be enough to allow him to escape as he pleased, but he could weaken it just enough to pull a stunt like this off.
"Say, Little Ardere..." Renfir mused with a sickly playful expression after letting Verena run her little tangent. "Lysander no longer pays me visits. He, like many other Captains, all perished, didn't he? Truly, a pity... If you'd like, I could take you under my wing--strong as you might be now, even I know there's quite a bit to learn. Why, my magic even comes with a fire oddity. Our magic isn't so dissimilar. You burn away flesh from bone, as I sear before my victim's very eyes. I could teach you so much... right dear Verena?"
Verena said nothing, averting her own gaze from her father's as he asked this.
"I can tell you've been wanting to say this for a while, my beloved daughter. That's fine, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while, too. Family should be honest with one another, after all."
The man sneered towards both Verena and Ardere. "The Shattering. Did you both know that the event affected reality as we know it? But not just the present. One could argue that by affecting the very past itself, it affected the present. I suppose that's just getting into semantics though. I realized while I was locked up in here after listening to your not-so-quiet guards about its existence, Little Ardere."
"This new reality changed my own past. I was celebrated. Decorated. I was so close to becoming Captain! And then... nothing. My merit was lost. There exist no records of any of my accomplishments, over twenty years' worth of work! Just gone! Just like that! I couldn't fathom it. Everything changed and it was at its most notable twenty-one years ago. The first instance I noticed something was off..."
"was with your birth, my dear little Verena. You are not part of the true reality. You are a fabrication made up because those who confronted the daemons were too weak. Ardere lost his Vice-Captain, Silas. Yes, you don't think I'm not aware of that, Little Ardere? I pay very close attention to the happenings here."
"You've lost your mentor. You've lost your best friend. You've lost more people that you care about than even I can count. Even with all your strength, it means nothing. Because in this new reality, we are just playthings meant to lose everything that we as people value most."
The man let out a soft chuckle as he said these words, as if reaching an epiphany of some sort. "Yes, Little Ardere. Everything in this world is fake. Nothing about it matters. Dear fake Verena, you wish to take your fake family into fake greatness? You have some plans to achieve it? It matters not. This entire world is fake. Nothing is true. Nothing matters. I will one day leave these prison walls, and I will get back to the only world that matters--the one where I am acknowledged, respected, and the ideal Magic Knight."
I don't know where the future[break][break] will take us,[break][break] But we will blaze it together.[break][break]
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[attr="class","ardereescroll"]Ardere wanted to break open the metal prison that held Renfir and rip his throat out. Truth be told, he could do it. With sheer titanic strength it would be of no consequence for him to destroy the metal bars before him--but he did not. The Captain of the Crimson Lions was no animal. Even when Silas' name was mentioned he did not act, merely aura began to emanate from him. A blazing hot aura enough to bring any low level mage to their knees now filled the halls. Are you going to sit in here whining about how people don't remember your 'greatness' anymore? Scoffing, the Lion folded his arms. Standing there armor-clad he had to applaud Verena for coming here and saying what she had to--she was strong. [break][break] Make your snide comments all you want, Renfir. I was there. I stood in the Tower as reality fell apart. I saw worlds rearranged and torn to pieces. And I remember. This was not common knowledge to many in the Order, let alone the world. People knew the Shatter had rewritten chunks of their reality, but what they were unaware of was the three men that knew the differences; Ardere, Zaven, and Jagen. Being at the center of the Shatter itself, they retained memories of the old world. Truth be told not much was that different for most, but people like Renfir experienced the harsh differences. I remember you. A powerful, respected mage in the Green Mantis. Now look at you. You're no one. You're a coward too afraid to acknowledge the truth of reality before you. If you want to stand there and tell me this is all fake, then suffer. Suffer in the reality of your own making. Verena is just as real as any of us and if you were half the man Lysander was then you'd have stepped up and been a father. But no! You let the Shatter turn you into a mad man and now you'll rot in this fucking cell for the rest of your life while the rest of us move on. Grinding down on his teeth, Ardere chuckled a bit. This man was not worth his time, but he said these things nonetheless. [break][break] This is the true reality Renfir. Your unwillingness to accept that will cause you pain until the end of your days. That old reality is gone. It doesn't exist anymore. This is the life we have now. Do yourself a favor and stop living in your delusions. You're not the only person cursed with memories from before. You are the only person who can't make new ones though. Ardere's eyes glowed a bright orange as his intent was purely directed at Renfir. This intention was palpable enough to prompt the two guards in the hall to take a step back. Turning to Verena he placed a hand on her shoulder. She's the Reinsberg reality. You are the fakeness. Giving a reassuring smile to the young woman, his intentions were now to give her strength. Not that she needed any. He did not know her well but he did know that she was worthy of carrying her family into this new future they held. Sorry, Verena. I couldn't hold my tongue. He whispered to her softly.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Feb 3, 2021 22:09:50 GMT -5
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...So her father was an avid reader, even now. Of course, that only made sense. Renfir did prefer reading for as long as the brunette could remember, though in the couple of years leading up to that incident he began reading less and less. From the sound of things, listening as he spoke to Ardere about Lysander, a name she did recall as the former Captain before Ardere, it was obvious that his own mental state had been deteriorating even after his attack on her.[break][break]
If the man wanted to intimidate her, he was succeeding. He made no attempt at being remorseful, though admittedly she doubted she would forgive him even if he did apologize. It made it easier on her if he wasn't trying to plead for forgiveness. But the fact he insisted on tormenting her even now... each word was spoken with enough venom to kill a man. It sent chills down her spine. Even after she completed her own tangent, the way he looked at her...[break][break]
Renfir's eyes stared at her with contempt--disgust, even. He did not view her as his daughter; no, he did not even view her as a human being. She could tell based on this expression... that monster saw her as nothing but a walking corpse. That was why he paid no attention to her. That was why the focus of his conversation was Ardere.[break][break]
And then, Renfir brought up the Shattering. She knew of it, of course. With as many people as she met during this time, it was only inevitable that she would have heard of it in some way or another, it was impossible to not hear of it in some way in these last six years. Those who were that something was off were somewhat rare, but not entirely rare.[break][break]
However... she didn't ever think anything was out of place. If what Renfir was saying was true, then... perhaps that was only because her very existence was out of place. Her father hammered in his own opinions that he believed as facts, showing off cruelty with words that matched his own magic. Verena felt a little bad that her own father was treating the Captain of the Crimson Lions this way... maybe it was better off to have come alone...[break][break]
Verena knew he wasn't going to get hurt feelings, of course. Nor was Renfir likely to intimidate Ardere. In fact, she was positive her father knew that, too. Ardere was a much stronger mage than he was, and without his grimoire, he would be killed if the two were to fight, should Ardere be willing. Even if it wasn't a fight to kill, Ardere was simply far stronger than Renfir, and no amount of tricks would be enough to help him in a one-on-one scenario.[break][break]
...Still, it was a major blow to her own self-worth, something fragile already. She only existed as a result of the influence of that battle. In a sense, they had lost that battle as they were unable to protect this original reality, evidently. Instead, reality had warped. And according to her father, its influence steeped back to her own birth. She existed only because of the Magic Knights who had failed to prevent the Shattering... if there was even a way to stop it to begin with.[break][break]
Ardere surprisingly managed to hold his tongue, waiting until the very end of his verbal backlash. Though it was quite heated--literally. He clearly did not like it as Renfir spoke names that the Crimson Lion did not feel Renfir had a right to speak. The Overlord of Balgon Prison had no problem getting back into a verbal exchange with her father, but that was...[break][break]
"A-Ardere... uhm... it might be best to not even speak to him..." Verena began to say.[break][break]
There was comfort in hearing Ardere saying that she was 'real', and it was Renfir who had trapped himself in this own line of thinking. But the issue at hand was...[break][break]
"...Father twists everything a person says. I said almost everything I needed to, at least. So I'll make this quick. I'd like to leave after this."[break][break]
"...Father, I will learn your magic in time. And I will model a golem after you. It isn't to honor you though. There is no more cursed person in Clover than you. ...It's true that I am cursed by you. And it's true I only have a few more years left to live because of you. I know that... I don't want to die, but I want to make the most of these years while I have them."[break][break]
"...But you've cursed yourself, too. The difference is I know I'm cursed. As intelligent as you are, you aren't even aware you've cursed yourself. And I... I... think that's quite pitiful. It makes you substantially less scary... and I think that's why I'm ready. I'm ready to put you behind, even as you continue to torment me even if you're not around."[break][break]
"I'm ready to learn fire magic. Of the four elements, fire is the most destructive.... and that's why I would prefer to ask you, Ardere. Would... you be willing to teach me fire magic once we're out of here?"[break][break]
The woman had shifted her focus from Renfir now, standing up as she looked towards the Captain. It seemed she meant what she said.[break][break]
Yes, she was real. She knew that. Nothing about her life was fake. The fact she stared her own mortality in the face, knowing that she was on borrowed time. There was nothing fake about that. She would die. Ardere was correct about that... she was certain of that. But she did not want to die without fulfilling the Reinsberg dream--she knew she could do it. And so she would.[break][break]
Verena awaited for Ardere's response, dismissing her golem in the process. She was done.
Post by Renfir Reinsberg on Feb 4, 2021 14:07:41 GMT -5
Renfir watched with amusement as Ardere's own expression darkened, letting out his own mana. It naturally increased the temperature in the room, but Renfir paid it no mind. Ardere's power was not limitless. He was strong--stronger than he was in his prime. He would not question that. But to Renfir, he would always be "Little Ardere", recalling the man from his youth.
The man lazily raised his left knee to his chest, allowing his left arm some rest as he placed his right leg down on the floor, his right arm just dangling about. He lowered his head as Ardere spoke, just so that his eyes could be seen glaring into Ardere as he spoke. Little Ardere had been in the tower at the time, had he?
Not just that, he recalled memories of the old world. But memories weren't what Renfir cared about. He did not care who did and who did not remember what he did. People's memories came and went; it was the fact nobody remembered that made it worse. No, what bothered him was the proof of his efforts had vanished, too. As long as he had proof, he would not have to rely on other people. But that, along with other people's memories, had vanished.
As Ardere belittled him, Renfir said nothing. An unspoken token of his respect, in a way. Ardere had listened to his own little tangent. The former Green Mantis thought of himself as nothing if not respectful. It would be quite rude of him to listen to Ardere get this out of his system.
His glare did not show animosity towards Ardere until he spoke of Verena as the Reinsberg's reality. His eyes only showed irritation, but there was no malice in them. His malice was solely reserved for Verena. However, Ardere had the nerve to speak of her the reality? The former head of the Reinsberg might have been reading into this as it wasn't explicitly said, but if he didn't know any better he was saying that the woman would be a much better leader than he was.
A walking corpse could not lead anything.
A walking corpse could not change anything.
How idiotic. Foolish. It was the height of naivety to think such a girl could do anything, especially with her own limited time.
Once Ardere got that all out of his system, Renfir let out a soft chuckle. He couldn't help himself. "You've said a lot of amusing things, Little Ardere. It must take a lot of courage to admit you failed to stop the Shattering in front of people whose lives were altered by it, whether they knew it or not. You say that Lysander was more of a man than me? Perhaps. It does take quite a man to die in a war, after all. I wonder how he felt in his last moments... I wonder how you felt not being able to be there for him when he needed you most."
"If you think about it, Ardere. The entire population of Clover died and was just replaced by lookalikes. If the old world was replaced by this new one, then that just means an entire population was just replaced. It means you lost millions of lives because you were too weak. I applaud you, Dear Crimson Lion," Renfir said, bringing his hands up to a slow clap, though it was clearly done in a sarcastic--even provoking manner. "You finally have a kill count higher than even I dare to accomplish. The difference here is yours was born from your own innate incompetence and weakness."
Ardere's words struck a nerve with Renfir, of course. As calm and composed as he tried to be as he spoke, it was obvious that the Crimson Lion had gotten to him in some form. He spoke with venom on the tongue, trying to infect everyone around him. He was trying to hide just how infuriated he was.
Then that wretched woman spoke up. Did she not have any semblance of respect? This conversation did not concern her. It was a conversation intended for only real people. Not for fakes and fabrications dreamt up by daemons. Ardere might have upset him, but he had no intention of trying to kill him; he knew how that would play out.
But her?
He could kill her. He could kill her with ease. Hands wrapped around her throat, he could easily suffocate her--mana skin could do nothing against something like that. He couldn't make use of his magic, but his killing intent returned in full blast, in of itself suffocating with how potent it was. Even Ardere would feel its effect with how much was pouring in.
Renfir said nothing. But Ardere knew because of his ability to sense ki. There was nothing good about it. This went beyond killing intent. If Renfir could get his hands on Verena right now, he absolutely would stop at nothing to kill her. To torture her. To repeat the trauma inflicted upon her six years ago.
After what felt like an eternity of silence, or if the group did leave, Renfir finally spoke up.
"My beloved daughter... fear isn't something you simply 'grow out of'. It's always with you, even if you try to pretend it's not around you. Just like my curse is."
I don't know where the future[break][break] will take us,[break][break] But we will blaze it together.[break][break]
wc: ###
twc: ###
@tagme
[break]
[attr="class","ardereescroll"]Ardere scoffed. Renfir's antics had gone on long enough. Digging his feet into the stone, his insurmountable strength nearly cracked the slab beneath him. There was an intensity between the two that could not quite be put into words. No other man had ever provided such reptilian nihilism to provoke the Kasai before. Truth be told Renfir reminded the Captain more of a Daemon than a man. His grandiose delusions further reminded him of Sven. The sting of memories from Kikka flooded back. While the Crimson King had won that battle, the psychological damage had been dealt to many. He wanted so badly to use his fists on the man sitting before him--but where would that get him? It was of no consequence. Here the Reinsberg would rot for the rest of his remaining life. Just had been served, but why did he still not feel satisfied? [break][break] The pure murderous intent pouring out of the Decay mage was enough to pin any normal man to the ground. Even Ardere resorted to expelling a gargantuan amount of furious Ki to combat this effort from the villain. Placing an arm in front of Verena, the Lion was admittedly stunned. How could a man possess this much dark aura? It brought back a long dormant fear he had forgotten since his fight with Lawrence the Ruby General. This was no ordinary animosity, and it was not even directed at him. Every ounce of the despair and death was aimed at Verena. It was absolutely perplexing. How could someone hold so much hate for their own daughter? Regardless of the circumstances of her birth. Reality eludes you. The Old World was not replaced--it was remade. The sooner you understand that, the better. [break][break] Letting out a slight sigh, Ardere looked into Renfir's eyes for a moment before responding to Verena. This man was lost in his own mind, not unlike the fire mage had once been after the death of his student and friend. But there was no bringing this husk of a man out of his own abyss. Lysander didn't need me. He never did. And this world, it doesn't need you. Do you ever wonder if the Shatter was not so random? Do you ever sit alone at night and wonder if the world ripped your greatness away from you on purpose? Perhaps it thought you not so deserving. And then it replaced you with a woman who will outshine all of your former glory. Think about that in your cell. You've got plenty of time to Turning his back on the man, Ardere slowly began to walk down the hall. I'll give you a moment if you need, Verena. We will begin your fire magic training whenever you are ready. Flipping his cloak to the side, a wave of intense conviction and aura filled the halls. This aura was stronger than any of the ones he had previously providing, a white blaze only the King of Flames could conjure.
"Get up. You'll have a visitor."
