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 May 9, 2021 6:46:35 GMT -5
[nospaces]
[attr="class","verenaver2image"] [break]
POW
DUR
SEN
STA
CON
046
120
012
062
070
[break]
MANA SKIN grand+senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 45 IC // 45 OOC
MANA POOL 195/195
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"]
So it was official. She had done it. Verena Nicole Ruhm Reinsberg had put her name in the hat, and whatever happened henceforth was her own doing, a consequence of her own actions. There would be no Lilitu or Ito when confronting these Daemons though. She could and very likely would die. She absolutely needed to be at her best at all times. She knew that, and yet...[break][break]
Casually resting in a hammock that she had managed to build, resting idly within the Basin, Verena was lost in thought. Thinking about the past. She thought, of course, of her family. Her father. The curse that had shortened her lifespan, and her search for a miracle cure. She thought of what she had managed to do with her own limited life span, and couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't a laugh of joy though. It was... pitiful. She had squandered half of her life and she couldn't find a cure now. She was quickly approaching her next birthday. Which meant that the countdown till her own mortality struck the three years mark.[break][break]
So of course, her mind drifted back to Kikka as she laid idly around, staring at that deep blue sky above the canopy of trees in the Basin. It didn't feel as though that long had passed since the city of Kikka had regained this luxury of a blue sky. She thought of how much work she had put going into Kikka, and how she realized how in over her head was. The brunette thought of all the training she had done prior to this moment, including the dungeon with Vaile and Seph.[break][break]
...She had heard what had transpired in Kikka to Vaile. There were even rumors that after the event, he had been arrested. She later found out that wasn't the case, and she was relieved. But she had neither seen sight nor sound of the white-haired Blake. Was he doing okay? Was he eating alright? She hoped that he wasn't consuming anything in excess. She hoped he wasn't blaming himself for anything that happened in Kikka.[break][break]
...he was a good person. She was certain of that. He was a good person who had lost the person closest to him. And she was certain he came to Kikka only out of worry and concern for her, having a far keener understanding of just how out of her depth she really was.[break][break]
She had done some digging into the Blake as well as his sister in hopes that she might be able to help, but ultimately she needed to set up a meeting of some kind at the Blake estate to arrange that. Specifically with the Silva-descendent Blakes, as it was more likely that they would have more information on her.[break][break]
Would he be proud of how strong she had become? Would Seph? Verena didn't wish to see Vaile so... hollow. So empty. He didn't deserve it. No matter what he told himself, he was a good person. Damaged, certainly. But there was still good in there. She just hoped that she would be able to find him. Somewhere. She just wanted to tell him with her own voice, her own words that she was fine. And that it was because of their time together in that dungeon, brief as it might have been, that helped prepare her.[break][break]
Verena let out a frustrated sigh as she rolled over in the hammock, facing the creek that was flowing by. "I shouldn't be just laying down..." she muttered as she stared into the crystal clear waters. "Ah, I forgot to take off my glasses again... well, whatever... I might as well read..."[break][break]
From her coat pocket, the brunette pulled out another book. "Fill" could be seen on the title. It was another book that... she would not be able to show any friend or family member, rolling back onto her back. But more importantly, the author:[break][break]
Valentine.
[break]
COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR 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","lonelyscroll"] It wasn’t the fault of anyone specific. Instead, it was his own. [break][break] So, what else could he do? [break][break] He needed time to clear his head. To think. To, well, everything else. Too many things had happened, none of them ideal—none of them what he wanted to happen. [break][break] And so, what was he left with but the muddles of something past? He was only continuously holding on to a memory that didn’t mean anything to anyone else. He was a relic of a past that meant little to anyone at all. So the question kept coming up, why continue to keep going? There was an answer, but it wasn’t a particularly good one. [break][break] He still feared death because if he died, he wouldn’t see her again. He wouldn’t remember her. He would be lost, empty, into nothingness. He would be nothing. But perhaps nothing was better than continuing to feel pain. [break][break] He still wrestled with the idea, sitting atop his shadowed bird. He felt the wind race through his silver hair, crimson eyes staring ahead into a great big blue sky. As if the endless expanse would really make him think of anything like freedom. In truth, he didn’t know what that meant either. A heart too heavy wouldn’t know how to stand on its own. [break][break] He was over the Basin now. His wanderings had taken him to the outskirts of the Kingdom. He let his crimson eyes wander again. [break][break] What if he just forgot about it all? What if he just gave up? What if he would have just left it all behind and closed it like some chapter to a storybook. But then came the idea of what would come after. What his life supposed to be if it wasn’t meant to toil against greater evils? Things like Magic Knights and Daemons, let them have their war. [break][break] He hated them both. Perhaps if he were lucky, they would kill each other off. [break][break] But then he had to pause, shake his head and let out a laugh that held no joy. No, he’d never be that lucky. [break][break] And then suddenly, there was something he noticed—a faint presence of mana that was all too familiar. He looked down, his heart falling with his gaze. [break][break] She was there. Verena. In the end, she was his reason for causing so much trouble. Vaile sighed again. [break][break] Just what was he supposed to do? [break][break] Without putting much more thought into it, he let his raven fly down towards her, soon landing quietly beside her. [break][break] He let the raven disperse, allowing himself to stand a bit away. He didn’t give her a greeting, nor was he expecting one in return. Perhaps she had questions, but honestly, he had very few answers. Or really, as he had put it himself before, not any particularly good ones. [break][break] But he did see the book in her hands, and he only shook his head once again. Joyless laughter escaped his lips once again. [break][break] “There was supposed to be a sequel. But I never got around past an initial draft.” He said with a shrug. [break][break] “Nevermind an ending.”
COMBAT SUMMARY
[attr="class","lonelytempy2"]
[attr="class","lonelystats"]
MANA SKIN
archmage
MANA POOL
240/240
HEALTH
grand
MANA REGEN
60 ic // 55 ooc
[attr="class","lonelystats"]
POW
175
DUR
000
SEN
054
STA
100
CON
120
[attr="class","lonelyscroll2"] TL;DR 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] SPELLS:
Post by Verena Reinsberg on May 12, 2021 20:04:01 GMT -5
[nospaces]
[attr="class","verenaver2image"] [break]
POW
DUR
SEN
STA
CON
046
120
012
062
070
[break]
MANA SKIN grand+senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 45 IC // 45 OOC
MANA POOL 195/195
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"]
Verena was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't even take notice of Vaile's presence. After all, this was the Basin; why would anyone just casually show up here? Besides, when she was invested in a book, it was difficult for her to just put it down and pay attention to her surroundings. A good book deserved all of one's attention, after all.[break][break]
So that was why when she was reading her not-so-PG13 book, the bruentte nearly fell out of her hammock when she heard the voice of the author of that same book. The one whom she'd been trying to find for so many months now. The one who had seemingly disappeared after Kikka.[break][break]
By this point, Verena had, of course, heard about Vaile's situation in Kikka. She had of course knew of what she assumed he believed as his shame. Perhaps even his sin. She didn't know what drove him to that point for certainty, but she could assume it. It wasn't hard to piece it together, after all.[break][break]
Ordinarily, she would have immediately tried hiding the book, and in fact, she did move to do so until she realized that it was Vaile. Realizing the slight disrespect that had been shown from the attempt, she nodded when he motioned there was supposed to be a sequal. "...That doesn't suprise me," she said once moving past the shock of it all.[break][break]
"I'm near the end, and it just gets darker and darker for the protagonist. Believably so. The shock factor for many must have been the reason for the potential sequal. It is regarded as one of 'Valentine's' more successful works, despite being a 'failed author', " Verena said.[break][break]
Taking a seat upon her hammock, she let out a soft sigh. "...You're a smart man, Vaile. I know you would have heard that I've been looking for you. There's so much I've wanted to tell you since we last met."[break][break]
Verena's eyes met the ground. How much of his own anguish had been because he was worried about her? Seph had told her that she very likely reminded him of his late sister. The sister who no longer existed in this world. No doubt that the prospect of losing Verena when he was so strongly reminded of his dear sister would be like losing her again.[break][break]
Where did she begin? That she had a brother? How much stronger she had become? That she was planning on taking the Royal Knight examination? ...No.[break][break]
"...I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm sorry for worrying you. You were probably were right to worry if I'm to be honest. I didn't really realize just how truly out of my depth I was."[break][break]
"If I was stronger then... you wouldn't have had put yourself through any of ...that. But you know, I'm a little upset with you, too..."[break][break]
The woman clung to the book, holding it close to her chest as she closed her eyes. "...Months. For months I have been trying to find you to tell you this. Nobody had seen you. It was as if you vanished. If anything happened to you before I could have expressed this, that guilt would have been with me to the grave."[break][break]
Verena looked up, staring right into Vaile's eyes. Gone was the scared little girl. She had grown up in these last few months. "...I don't know if you blame yourself for anything that happened. But none of it was your fault. If I had been stronger, if I had shown you a reason to have faith in me, you wouldn't have needed to step foot in Kikka. You did nothing wrong."[break][break]
Her words were spoken with sincerity in them. There was not a hint of false kindness; like with most things she did, she did it with truth. "...So I'm happy you're still alive, Vaile. It means I'll get to read more wonderful books in the future."
[break]
COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR verena apologies, scolds him, and then tells him she's thankful he's alive. emotions are wack.l [break][break]
[attr="class","lonelyscroll"] There was a blank expression on his face. Perhaps it could be mistakenly for melancholy. In the end, he wasn’t sure what emotions he had left to give. His eyes wandered, looking to the area surrounding them, the trees, the ground, that big blue sky. He wanted to look at almost everything else except for her. Because look at her reminded him of the mistakes he had made. [break][break] Simple as that. He was just a sucker for punishment. [break][break] "...That doesn't surprise me," [break][break] Her words, in return, were a surprise. Verena kept up the conversation rather than immediately addressing more pressing issues. Maybe it was better that way. Perhaps they could ignore all the rueful facets of their interactions, their so-called relationship. [break][break] They weren’t friends, were they? Vaile didn’t like to think he had many, if any, of those. And yet, he couldn’t seem to be rid of her. The presence of the brunette sadly did haunt him like a specter of another young girl. [break][break] The answer was simple. He didn’t want to let go. [break][break] He listened to her and her apparent critique of his novel. What she was saying wasn’t wrong, but even as he heard the words spoken aloud, the feeling of emptiness filled him inside. That story, he’d written it because someone else hadn’t the chance to finish it. The ending he gave it…? [break][break] She likely wouldn’t have written it that way. He still stayed silent, even when she confronted him about his ‘disappearance.’ The easy answer was he never was a good man in the eyes of Magic Knights. Considering the ongoings at Kikka, such a statement couldn’t be more true. However, the hard answer was… maybe he didn’t want her to see him like this. [break][break] It was almost funny, and so his joyless smile remained. A gloved hand laid on his neck, massaging the base of his own scalp. [break][break]
He listened. He listened to her apology一underserved. He listened to her admission of grief一misplaced. Her statement that it wasn’t his fault一inaccurate. Her claim that she was happy to see him一misunderstood. [break][break] Looking at eyes that that had matured so much… [break][break] He paused another moment, letting her words settle in. He leaned over the nearby tree before setting himself down on the ground, his back on the rugged tree bark. He rested his head against the trunk, feeling deep grooves of bark bury against his skull. He took in a deep breath in and then another out. [break][break] “You’re the only other one who would likely read them.” [break][break] It was all he said initially back, another part of him still denying a reaction to all her words. “Besides Seph, maybe.” He chuckled as he remarked. [break][break] A slight wind picked up, breezing through locks of silver hair. [break][break] “You’ve got a good heart, Verena. You are… a good person.” He closed his eyes, trying to focus on nothing but the sensation of the wind on his skin. It was quiet here, a far cry from the nightmares that plagued his sleep. Yet even now, as closed eyes saw nothing but darkness… perhaps he could hear something else calling out to him. [break][break] “I’m the kind of person who’s only good at making mistakes.” When he opened his eyes again, he wanted to see her.. Yet in the months that had followed Kikka, he’d been missing his specter, as if her presence was just out of reach. [break][break] “I never really talked to you about her, did I?” Vaile said, “My sister, Vanilla.” Perhaps she had learned all she needed to know, but she hadn’t heard it from Vaile himself. [break][break]
“When we were small, she used to be scared of her shadows. It was kind of funny. I always wanted to be the one to protect her from scary things, but… things never turn out like you want them to.” What story was he telling now? One that meant so little, one that no one would have cared to listen to, except the one brunette right here and right now. [break][break] “When I was young, I got very sick. So sick that our mother would soon think I was dead. It was nothing but a charade, and the day I died, I was taken away by our father.” And yet as he spoke, he seemed to distance himself from his own words. [break][break] “From then on, my sister and I lived very different lives.” [break][break] “She became a knight, one of the best in the Order, rising the ranks during the Diamond War. She was even in runnings for Captain, but she turned the opportunity because… well, I think it was because she was lost. There was a Knight that she loved, but that man had left her behind.” [break][break] “And all those years I spent watching her. I watched her grow into a beautiful young woman with a heart of compassion and strength. She’d helped end the war, but after the war was gone… so was she.” Words felt so final, and Vaile himself knew them only to be true. He squeezed his hands into hard fists, his grip trembling underneath the tree. [break][break] “I saw her. No one saw her suffer as I did. War changes people, and it changed her. There was no light in her eyes, she gave the Knights everything, and the Order gave her nothing back. She left with a hole in her heart.” There weren’t tears in Vaile’s eyes, but his voice faltered as if he could show such an emotion. “I was the only one who saw it.” [break][break] “I hated the Knights. I hated this country, its people, anyone who took her sacrifice like it meant nothing. I hated my father for separating us. I hated myself for not being able to do anything. And I hate Daemons, because they’re the ones who took her away.”Hated. It was the only emotion that drove him anymore, the only emotion he had left to feel. The anger was the only thing he could default to, blame everything else on. [break][break] “Because you remind me of her, it brings all of those things I hate right back to me.” It was an unfair burden to put upon her, the admittance of everything he hated. He was stuck. He couldn’t kill a Knight. He couldn’t kill a daemon. Hell, he couldn’t even kill the right people if he tried. Kikka only had reminded him that no matter how much he would be willing to try, he would only be unable to change. [break][break] He could only expect to make mistakes. He could only ever be misunderstood. He could never truly let go. [break][break] “Strength is something I’ve found I don’t even have. It’s not enough to kill a Daemon. It’s not enough to kill Magic Knight. It will never be… enough.” He sighed, letting his grip rest as he ran his fingers through the grass. [break][break] “It took me too long to realize that I can’t do anything, so then I figured… ‘why do anything at all?’” Another long, deep breath. [break][break] “Maybe there’s nothing left to do except say goodbye.”
COMBAT SUMMARY
[attr="class","lonelytempy2"]
[attr="class","lonelystats"]
MANA SKIN
archmage
MANA POOL
240/240
HEALTH
grand
MANA REGEN
60 ic // 55 ooc
[attr="class","lonelystats"]
POW
175
DUR
000
SEN
054
STA
100
CON
120
[attr="class","lonelyscroll2"] TL;DR 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] SPELLS:
Post by Verena Reinsberg on May 18, 2021 16:45:58 GMT -5
[nospaces]
[attr="class","verenaver2image"] [break]
POW
DUR
SEN
STA
CON
046
120
012
062
070
[break]
MANA SKIN grand+senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 45 IC // 45 OOC
MANA POOL 195/195
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"]
Truthfully, Verena wasn't really sure what to make of the situation. What to make of Vaile. Even if she could tell that he had become more broken as a human being since they had last met... even if she knew about the sister that never was, she was no mind reader. The absence of an expression left her at a total loss. It was when Vaile tried faking emotion that it became easier to see through him. A poker face, however? That gave her nothing, and that was even more concerning than a forced smile.[break][break]
Vaile was silent during her critique, and that was fine. Preferrable, in fact. It was still a good book, she felt. But things spiraled out of hand so quickly. It wasn't forced, and yet it happened all so quickly. Tragedy not for the sake of tragedy, but because the author only knew tragedy. He could only feel tragedy. And this book was a cry for help. Of that, the heiress had no doubt.[break][break]
Similarly to Vaile, Verena did not exactly consider the man a friend. Of course, she didn't think of him as a bad person, either. But he was someone who needed help. He was someone who had suffered and blamed himself for many of his own life's trials and tribulations, and yet did nothing to try to fix it. Instead, the man thought that the only option left to him was death. And yet he was still here. That gave her some hope, at least.[break][break]
"...That's because I don't mind reading tragedies or stories that make the reader feel uncomfortable with the emotions depicted. As long as it makes narrative sense, then that's all that matters," she said, a slight laugh and faint smile upon her expression.[break][break]
The wind picked up, albeit only slightly as it played with Vaile's hair. Her own position near the hammock, however, barely let the wind even so much as touch her hair.[break][break]
Vaile's next words, however, caught her off guard. She wasn't exactly sure what to say to that. But it seemed she wouldn't have to, as Vaile added onto it, saying the only skillset he possessed was making mistakes. Verena's head bowed in silence for a moment. It was wrong. He was wrong about that. Sure, he might have made mistakes. But he was human. He would undeniably have his regrets.[break][break]
However, Verena's eyes widened with shock when Vaile continued. Vanilla? Of course, she wanted to learn more about this sister that the man loved so dearly. Whom she was apparently a reminder of to Vaile. She knew too little of the woman, to begin with. And yet, she couldn't help but feel a certain kinship with the woman who never was as far as the Shattering was concerned.[break][break]
Vaile spoke of the scared little girl that once was. He spoke of an illness that took him away from his sister. How that ended up changing him. And how it ended up taking away from the sister whom he adored so much.[break][break]
He spoke of her own merits within the Order. How she rose through the rankings during the Diamond War. A shining example of what it meant to be a Magic Knight. Ironic, given the magic that she used, as well as the strongest generals within the Diamond Kingdom being referred to as the Shining Generals. She even was Captain-potential, but...[break][break]
For all her strength, she lost something. Every time she grew, she lost something along the way. How cruel. How absolutely cruel of the world to take something away from someone just for growing as a person. This world was unfair; of that, she knew quite well. She "lost" her brother, the man she loved, and then finally, herself. How cruel was that?[break][break]
Vaile went on to add about the horrors of war as well and its impact on Vanilla. Verena truthfully wasn't surprised. Even she wasn't sure how she would feel if she had to take a human life. She couldn't afford to die, of course. She had far too much she wanted to accomplish. Ultimately, it very much did come down to a "us vs them" in times of war and life or death. But even still, for that to exist to begin with was...[break][break]
When Vaile finished, there was a moment of silence. Verena truthfully wasn't sure what to say. There was so much she wanted to, of course. But nothing seemed right. And so, not knowing what else to do in the moment, she approached Vaile, gently wrapping her arms around him.[break][break]
"...I used to distrust and fear the Magic Knights, too," Verena said softly, her voice low and yet still sincere. "I haven't told anyone this, and the Caldur branch must have taken decisive action because it never seemed to have gotten out of the Noble Region. But you probably already knew that my father tried killing me six years ago."
"The Magic Knights showed up and nearly beat him an inch within his life. They didn't need to go that far. It was a terrifying display of force. For me, this being the first real introduction to the Magic Knights I ever got to see, it was nothing short of terrifying. I thought 'How can we trust people like this? How do people like this become Magic Knights?'"[break][break]
Verena pulled back if Vaile did nothing to stop her, letting out a soft sigh. Verena began undoing the buttons on her coat, before slowly letting it fall as she turned around."...More importantly," she began to say as she moved some hair from behind her head and lowered the neckpiece of her jumpsuit to show the Blake a strange mark on her neck. It was especially nasty looking and seemed to pulsate. The mark seemed to be somewhat familiar to the Reinsberg family crest, but a far more sinister-looking one that seemed to pop out with veins around it. It was definitely magical. Vaile, who excelled in hex and curse magic, likely would recognize it.[break][break]
"...what sort of magic knight would curse his own child to death?"[break][break]
Verena paused after this, before turning around to face the man before her. "...I only have a few years left according to the doctors I saw. But even still, with that time... with that time I have left, I want to make a difference. I want to help my family. I want to save them from themselves. I can't afford to give up."[break][break]
"There is still plenty to do besides saying goodbye, Vaile. Even if it hurts, even if it's painful, there is always something rewarding at the end. What happened to Vanilla was... too cruel. To her, and to you. But who better can honor her life, her legacy, what it was she embodied than you? Who knew her better than you? If she's physically gone from this world, then keep the image of Vanilla Blake alive through your actions. What it was she truly wanted to do. And what it was she truly wanted to accomplish."[break][break]
As she spoke, Verena grew more and more confident. It was obvious even talking about her curse brought her major emotional discomfort given her own fluctuating voice. She didn't like letting others know that she was going to die, nor did she like talking about the curse at all. It was part of the reason she specifically avoided talking about the specifics of what it was the curse was capable of. Though if Vaile was familiar at all with her father's magic, he might have some idea of what she was going through.[break][break]
"If you lack the strength to do it yourself, then rely on those who do until you can pick yourself up. There's nothing wrong with that. It's at a person's weakest that they should rely on others. If you need to rely on me, then so be it. It'll give me a chance to learn more about this sister of yours whom you loved so much, and whom I wish I could have met," she said, with a smile. And then suddenly, the woman seemed to have reached some sort of epiphany.[break][break]
"Hey, Vaile? I just had an idea. Could you teach me Shadow Magic? I might be able to show you something very interesting in the future." she asked with an innocent, child-like excitement in her voice.[break][break]
Her own personal dream was to make a golem as close to human as possible. One indistinguishable from a human. It wasn't impossible; nothing said it was, at least. But it was difficult. There wasn't much in her research that showed her the way. Likely it would end up being trial and error. But in her eyes, there was no better way to honor someone than through immortalizing them as an aspect in her grimoire. The height of her experience and skill with golem creation.[break][break]
And perhaps, passing off his magic like this would be a way for Vaile to feel as though he was passing on his own sister's legacy. There was no way to know for certain, of course. But she could at least be hopeful about it.
[break]
COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR verena apologies, scolds him, and then tells him she's thankful he's alive. emotions are wack.l [break][break]
[attr="class","lonelyscroll"] "...That's because I don't mind reading tragedies...” [break][break] Tragedies? Life seemed to only a series of such. But what was he doing? He didn’t look beyond what was given to him, not what was taken away. He lived his life only knowing that happy endings existed in fairytales. No one was ever entitled to something like that. Especially not him. [break][break] But narrative sense? None of them were characters in a storybook. And likely, whoever was writing it was only there to find entertainment in their suffering. He could be bitter, couldn’t he? Bitterness was the only aftertaste he had left. [break][break] But what was she doing now? She did come closer to him, closing the space between them. Arms came around his sides, her head rested on his shoulder. [break][break] He’d been hugged before. Vaile knew what the feeling was like. [break][break] And yet, an embrace made out of compassion was a feeling of touch that he rarely understood. Once upon a time, he’d known what love was. Those feelings of mercy and selflessness, however, were not ones he wanted to receive. They didn’t feel right to him because he could only believe that they were never meant for him. Indeed, those feelings existed for others to give and to receive, but not for him. [break][break] So, why was the girl giving them to him? [break][break] He didn’t move when she hugged him. He only listened when she spoke, telling him of the troubles she’d encountered so long ago. It wasn’t fair. It never was. And yet, life only seemed to throw the worst things at people who didn’t deserve it. Misery loved company, as the phrase seemed to go. [break][break] Only a few years left… [break][break] Was he jealous of a statement like that? Instead, he stifled the macabre humor that almost would have made him chuckle. Maybe there was a comfort in the finality that death gave. Perhaps that was all that he desired for as well. But in the end, death wouldn’t give him what he wanted.
What he wanted, who he wanted didn’t exist. He could never have her again. [break][break] So what had he done to supplement that loss? That hole in his heart that could never be filled? Instead, he filled that void with anger and resentment. He’d lashed out, hurt others, himself. That hole only grew deeper. He saw what he was doing. He’d always known, but he didn’t care. He never wanted to make himself feel better. He didn’t want help. He only wanted her back. [break][break] He just wanted her back. [break][break] He looked down at the girl holding onto him, wondering why anyone would have thought to give him such advice. When she let go, he felt colder. Her warmth was… different. As if giving to him only reminded him how often he avoided others’ personal touch… [break][break] Make it so that she could be remembered? [break][break] As the days went by, it seemed the only one who did have her in their memories was him. But that was how it was. He was just a man who lived in the past. His future? Well, nothing was ever certain about the future. [break][break] "I'm so sorry about everything you had to go through." [break][break] He took in a long breath before letting out a very tired sigh. His head still rested against the scratchy tree bark. He allowed his fingers to rustle through blades of grass. [break][break] Shrugging slightly, not letting his eyes meet hers. “You’ve given me at least a lot to think about before I... decide what I need to do.” He admitted, and there was truth there in his statements. But, on the other hand, another part of him knew that he thought too much, that he contemplated too often, and that he let those thoughts ruminate in his mind for too long. Well, that was just what he did, didn’t he? [break][break]
“I never depended on someone else because I thought it meant that I was weak.” But what was strength? And whose idea was that? And why did he still believe it? There were answers there he didn’t want to face, so he left them for another time. [break][break] I knew I was weak. [break][break] And if he lifted his head, he could’ve seen the specter again, the white ghost that followed him wherever he turned. In the edges of his vision, he knew the sundress was fluttering in the wind, that trails of snow-white hair were falling down her shoulders. Her eyes would be like sapphires, sparkling that deep ocean blue. But he only closed his eyes again, waiting for her to fade away. [break][break] “Maybe you’re right.” The words slipped out of his lips, closer to a whisper than being spoken aloud. “But I don’t know if what I feel can be called love. I don’t think love should hurt as much as this does.” [break][break] His grip on grass tightened, but only for a moment. He let go, finally looking to Verena again. She was smiling, and that soft expression meant something. She was trying to help because they were friends or something like it. He still wasn’t sure if he could have people like that, but it was still nice, whatever this relationship was. [break][break] Because if only for a moment, he didn’t have to feel so alone. [break][break] "Hey, Vaile? I just had an idea. Could you teach me Shadow Magic?” [break][break] The question quieted his other thoughts, and he tilted his head in consideration. But, of course, he was aware how the girl’s magic worked. Her summons could take the form of another mage’s magic, provided that they show it to her in some proper form. He was almost surprised that she had never asked him before. [break][break] Passing of a torch? [break][break] Maybe it wasn’t as bad of a thought as he believed. [break][break]
“I... suppose.” He said, still a bit cautious about the idea. Hesitancy remained, but if she was asking this of him, then it was the least that he could do. He sat up a bit straighter, looking to her with some earnest. “What is it that you need me to do?”
COMBAT SUMMARY
[attr="class","lonelytempy2"]
[attr="class","lonelystats"]
MANA SKIN
archmage
MANA POOL
240/240
HEALTH
grand
MANA REGEN
60 ic // 55 ooc
[attr="class","lonelystats"]
POW
175
DUR
000
SEN
054
STA
100
CON
120
[attr="class","lonelyscroll2"] TL;DR 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] SPELLS:
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Jun 11, 2021 11:30:53 GMT -5
[nospaces]
[attr="class","verenaver2image"] [break]
POW
DUR
SEN
STA
CON
046
120
012
062
070
[break]
MANA SKIN grand+senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 45 IC // 45 OOC
MANA POOL 195/195
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"]
Verena could tell. She could tell that Vaile was not certain how to respond to something so simple as affection and consideration in the form of a hug. He likely had forgotten, or simply removed the feeling altogether. In either case, she was beginning to understand just how broken he had become. She wasn't sure if she could help him... but that didn't mean she would not just abandon and give up on him. He needed someone to tell him it was okay. That he was okay.[break][break]
Vaile proved to be a decent listener as she expected. She wasn't expecting pity. She didn't want pity. She didn't like sharing this fact about her life with anyone. It bothered her. It hurt her. Talking about it made her remember all of that trauma. But she had to move past it. If she let it affect her to such a degree as long as she had, she knew that she would not be able to truly be at her best for her own family. If she could even reach the status of head of the family to begin with.[break][break]
Admittedly, there was part of Verena that wasn't sure if she was telling Vaile this to try to comfort him or herself. And that uncertainty was... depressing in its own right. She didn't truly know what good would come from talking about it. That entire event had turned her entire world upside down. It had taken years off her life, and she never spoke about it till now.[break][break]
Verena listened to Vaile, even after she had released the hug. She made sure to be close to the man, of course. She didn't want him thinking she was going anywhere, after all. She studied his expression, trying to piece together what he might have been feeling through the mask he clung to. His eyes met the ground. Guilt? Shame? Pain? She imagined, perhaps, a combination of all three emotions, interwoven to create a complicated web of emotions.[break][break]
...He wanted his sister back. He wanted Vanilla. But both knew that was impossible. Not even Wraith magic could grant him that wish. But maybe, just maybe, she could. Unlike Wraith magic, which required a proper body to draw power from, Summoner magic created. However, the primary difference was... she could not truly create Vanilla. At best, she could create a lookalike if she worked and studied hard.[break][break]
But Vaile was desperate. She wasn't exactly sure why, but it might have just been an inability to let go. In that case, it might have just been enabling the man if she was to do so. But, was that really so wrong? With how long he had been suffering? Was it so wrong to give Vaile some kind of hope, any at all? She... wasn't sure. But she wanted to help him. Somehow.[break][break]
Vaile apologized, catching her off guard. Not because she didn't understand the sentiment, nor did she think him some sort of unfeeling monster. In fact, one could argue that it was precisely because he felt too much that he found himself in the mental situation he did right now.[break][break]
"...It's all right. I wasn't telling you that to make you feel bad, or to make you worry," she said.[break][break]
Verena still wasn't sure entirely why she brought it up at all. She wasn't sure what exactly she was looking for. But that wasn't what was important right now. This wasn't about her. "So there's no need to apologize. What happened to me was in no shape, way, or form something that you were responsible for, and so there's no need to feel bad."[break][break]
If the apology, however, caught her off guard, then Vaile's willingness to admit that she might be right completely surprised her. Though unlike before, she made sure to not let it show. She didn't wish to interrupt him, even after he said he was weak. However, now she felt the need to speak up.
"The next time you go into a town, even in the Forsaken Region. Take a hard look. Does one person tend to all the land? Does one person tend to all the animals? In the noble region, does one singular person take care of all things? There is no person who can tackle everything alone. It's not a weakness to seek help, especially when you need it."[break][break]
"That's called human nature. No matter how proud someone might be, no matter how strong someone might be, there are simply things that they aren't as good at compared to someone else, or things that a person cannot simply do. Physically or mentally. That's why we build communities."[break][break]
" What you're feeling is still very much love, Vaile. Of that, I'm certain. But now, there's a gaping hole in your heart that you haven't been able to fill. You still have a love for your sister, but she isn't here to acknowledge it. I'm so sorry, Vaile. I can't be her. Nor can I bring her back. But..."[break][break]
Verena suggested that he teach her his shadow magic, something that he seemed hesitant about, but willing all the same.
"When it comes to magic, visual learning is best," Verena said, taking a moment to center herself and get over the guilt and uncertainty she felt. "There are various theories about the various elements in the world, but being directly exposed to the element in question is the best way. It's when it can express itself to its heart content."
[attr="class","lonelyscroll"] “...so there's no need to feel bad." [break][break] “I still do, though.” His words were quieter than he expected, and he suddenly blinked, surprised that he’d said them out loud. He still avoided looking at her as if realizing that his concern wasn’t exactly welcomed. If misery loved company, then tragedy adored it. It was almost funny how the lost always seemed to find each other. [break][break] “I still do…” Vaile repeated, closing and opening his fingers in a repetitive motion. He wasn’t sure if it made him feel any better, but to say those words aloud had to mean something. He nodded, letting out a short breath. What would the care of one person mean against the world? [break][break] He finally did turn to her again to listen to her words. [break][break] And what she spoke of made sense. People depending on each other. Nothing truly could be done alone… It all made a terrible amount of sense, and Vaile couldn’t help but let a small, sad smile form upon his lips. She was wise beyond her years, likely so because of what life had thrown at her. There could be pity thrown at those circumstances, and yet she persevered and became someone to be admired. [break][break] She still believed in things like love. [break][break] “You speak with grace and wisdom.” Vaile let his crimson eyes wander again, up at the big blue sky. It reminds me of her. Just as so many things did. “You can rely on people because you still believe in them…” He trailed off, his sheepish tone inciting more shameless guilt. [break][break] “I…” Vaile paused, “I’m not sure if I can trust people again.” [break][break] Was that it? Was that what he wanted to say? How come his heart still felt so heavy even after admitting such things out loud? His sad smile remained, pursing lips held back more rueful words. [break][break]
I don’t know if I can love people again. [break][break] Wind again, the gust ran through his silver hair like how the gales picked up when he was flying through the air. He liked the feeling of the spring sun on his face, the warmth and the serenity of it all. It quieted the darker thoughts that were ever-present in his mind. When Verena asked him for a demonstration, he did begin to stand. [break][break] His grimoire flew from his side, flipping through dark-colored pages. His aura grew colder as shadows began to dance at his side. [break][break] “Gladiolus.” Vaile breathed out, letting his hand open up as a form of shadows took up a familiar shape. It was a sword, a large two-handed greatsword, but he only held his with a single hand. Several others floated around him, forming a small circle of swords. [break][break] “My sister and I shared many spells. As this is my spell, it was also hers.” Vaile let go the hand and then let sword float in the air between himself and Verena, inviting her to grasp it if she wished.
This perk allows a person's spells to naturally move 5 m/s faster than normal, this increases to 10 m/s at grand rank.
[break]Description: Using his shadow element, Vaile creates a giant-sized longsword, a double-edged straight sword. The blade length is 2 m, 75 cm wide, with a large two handed grip. The giant blade is able to cause major [Senior] Rank damage, which is lethal at a direct hit, can shatter and break bones, slice major/severe cuts, and destroy most non-magical structures. Vaile controls the blade remotely within a range area or he can shoot it off to slice or fire at an enemy from a distance. Vaile is able to create an additional sword per ammo rules.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Jun 15, 2021 12:02:34 GMT -5
[nospaces]
[attr="class","verenaver2image"] [break]
POW
DUR
SEN
STA
CON
046
120
012
062
070
[break]
MANA SKIN grand+senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 45 IC // 45 OOC
MANA POOL 195/195
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"]
Verena could not control the emotions of a person. If she could, Vaile wouldn't suffer as he did. He wouldn't need to fill the misplaced guilt. She wouldn't tell him that his feelings were wrong; she had told him that there was no reason to apologize, nor to feel bad. But he did. She couldn't change that, though she wished for his sake that she could.[break][break]
That sad smile was one that Verena knew well. One that was not quite forced, but one that was not of joy. One that wished to hide the pain. One that simply wished to try to conceal one's pain and ache of the heart. A smile that was not meant to inspire hope, but rather the opposite for any attentive person.[break][break]
Vaile said with, perhaps some degree of envy even, that she was able to trust people because she could believe in them. The same couldn't be said for him. However, he wasn't exactly correct. He was off on something, however. Whether or not he knew it or not.[break][break]
A gentle breeze swept through the Basin, tossing the hair of the two about as though just playfully messing with them. A peaceful omen, or perhaps the calm before the storm. It was impossible to know for sure. She hoped for the former based on how things were proceeding though.[break][break]
Vaile took this moment to call upon a spell. Gladiolus. Verena recognized the greatsword well, as well as the fact that he managed to create several more. Verena circled around the swords, careful to avoid the bladed edge, but only the flat part of the blade. The hilt, handle, et cetera. Though it probably shouldn't have been surprising, it did catch her off guard at how weightless the blades felt.[break][break]
This was, of course, likely the result of shadow magic. Shadows did not have weight, after all. They were only the product of something obstructing light. Verena's crimson orbs stared into the abyss of this magic, listening as Vaile explained that he and his sister both shared many spells. Verena slid her hand down the sword, trailing it as if trying to find something.[break][break]
"Earlier, you said that I can rely on people because I believe in them... you're not quite right," Verena admitted. "I trust people because I have to. I would be dead if I didn't take the risk too. What sort of noble daughter do you know that knows how to both hunt and prepare that same meal?" she inquired.[break][break]
"...Trusting people is scary. I don't know if they'll end up being like Renfir or my mother, or other people in my family. The Noble Region is filled with people who are more likely to stab you in the back than to earnestly try to help others. And I've seen the same sort of back behavior in other parts of Clover."[break][break]
"...But I know if I couldn't trust anyone, I wouldn't have gotten anywhere near as far as I've managed to come. When you get down to it, my magic requires me to trust others after all."[break][break]
"People are scary. But loneliness is terrifying."[break][break]
Vaile's shadow magic was... in agony. It hurt. It hurt for Verena to listen to it. It was in pain. This was no fault of Vaile though. It didn't blame him. It was in agony because there was a degree of helplessness. It couldn't help him, and he couldn't hear it. It was too sad. Everything about this was too sad. But she wouldn't let her heart falter.[break][break]
"I'll help him."[break][break]
"There's nothing anyone can do to help him. He's beyond broken."[break][break]
"I can do it."[break][break]
"What can you do?"[break][break]
"I can share his pain."[break][break]
"You can't even understand a fraction of his pain. You only think you do. I have been with him since they came into this world."[break][break]
"Then help me understand."[break][break]
"That is ill-advised."[break][break]
"We both want the same thing. We want him to at least come to peace with the reality. We want him to smile. Sincerely. I will do everything in my power to help him. He shouldn't suffer. He's a good person. Broken, but it's natural to fix something that's broken. He deserves a good life. He deserves the ability to live his life without regret, anger, sadness. He deserves to move on."[break][break]
It might have been day, but shadows forcefully ejected themselves from Vaile's grimoire. It blackened the sky around them, giving a similar feeling to Kikka. Truthfully, Verena couldn't tell if the mana was upset with her or if it was doing what it had done before. It remained suspended in the air for a while, floating over like a bad omen. And then...[break][break]
"We shall see if you truly mean what you say in time."[break][break]
That was the last thing before silence returned, and shadows divided themselves, returning back into Vaile's grimoire while also sliding into Verena's.
[break]
COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR it's worth noting that the dialogue is not an actual conversation. verena isn't holding a legitimate conversation. however, it's much easier on me to properly convey that with dialogue. [break][break]
[attr="class","lonelyscroll"]"People are scary. But loneliness is terrifying." [break][break] The man let out a long, deep breath. He could feel his hands shake, so he pulled them away from her, hiding them from her view. Did she really understand? He was more afraid to admit that he knew all too well what she spoke of. [break][break] He remembered, too, all those times when he’d been alone, when he thought there was nothing left for him, when he had nothing to return to. He kept himself hidden because he only knew how to live in the shadows. Maybe he knew what love was, but he didn’t believe it could belong to him. [break][break] Maybe he didn’t mind being alone, but she was right, loneliness was terrifying. [break][break] And he was scared of it too. [break][break] Was that why he was angry? Was that the reason he couldn’t trust another? Did he even know what trust was? Could he even allow himself to trust again? The thoughts that barraged his mind almost made him physically falter, but he held his stance, however frightened he may have suddenly seemed. [break][break] But what exactly was the girl doing now? Reaching for his swords of shadows, suddenly the world around them grew dark as night in the middle of the day. Vaile looked around, feeling his shoulders drop down, almost disappointed to show the girl the world of darkness he was accustomed to living in. The moments she touched the shadows seemed to grow longer and longer, and Vaile had little idea of what this encounter truly meant to her. For the girl who heard the voices of magic, he was deaf to his own. [break][break] But of course, he didn’t need to know the depth of his own pain. He felt it every day. [break][break] Night turned back into day, and there was the faint chirping of birds to be heard. Almost as if the shadows never existed. Her grimoire absorbed a bit of his magic, and he dared to think that he had allowed some part of himself to be given to her. [break][break]Standing in the silence, he finally lifted his head to look at her. There wasn’t a sad smile to be placed. Instead, his expression was rather neutral. Crimson eyes met another, but his gaze still didn’t meet the girl in front of him. Instead, they seemed to be staring off and away, to almost nowhere. [break][break] “My sister would have said that shadows can’t exist without light.” His grimoire floated down to his side, and he clipped the book back in its leather holder. Perhaps he was one for prose and metaphor, supposedly being a writer. [break][break] “She would have liked you a lot.” And the smile that escaped onto his lips at once seemed different than all the rest. He suddenly reached into his jacket, pulling out a dark leather-bound book. It was a simple-looking journal, tied with a pretty blue string. He held it out to her, offering another piece to his puzzle. [break][break] “This was hers.” He nodded slowly. “If you want to know more about her, then you should read her words.” His voice grew softer as he continued. [break][break] “She didn’t write in it every day. There’ll be long gaps in the dates if you notice. She wrote stories in there too, short ones, some unfinished, and if you look, you might find the first draft to the Hearts tale that I ended up publishing…” [break][break] Oh. [break][break] He paused, realizing that his vision had grown blurry. He hadn’t even tried to blink back the tears. They’d just… happened. He felt the drops trail down his cheeks, landing on his still shaking hands. When was the last time he cried? Kikka? No, he hadn’t allowed himself to cry then. He hadn’t allowed himself to show such vulnerability since…. Since when? [break][break] But why now? [break][break] Why now? [break][break] He didn't have an answer.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Jun 17, 2021 11:15:50 GMT -5
[nospaces]
[attr="class","verenaver2image"] [break]
POW
DUR
SEN
STA
CON
046
120
012
062
070
[break]
MANA SKIN grand+senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 45 IC // 45 OOC
MANA POOL 195/195
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"]
It seemed that her words seemed to resonate with Vaile. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. With every similarity between the two, she realized the damage that had been done to him. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say to his sister. As far as she knew, everything all came back to Vanilla when it came to Vaile. She suffered for righteousness that turned her inside out. Vaile could do nothing but watch as his sister suffered.[break][break]
It was nice that she could sympathize with him. But it was tragic that she could as well. What did it say about Vaile? What did it say about herself?[break][break]
Verena looked over to Vaile when the "conversation" finished. A brief moment of silence blanketed the Basin. Tragedy seemed enamored by these two especially, and it was for that reason they could talk like this. Vaile broke the silence when he quoted his sister. As a "left-brained" individual, her natural reaction was to take that statement at face value. But Verena quickly realized that wasn't the case.[break][break]
...Indeed, without light, there could be no shadow. One could not live life without rough or outright cruel moments, but similarly one could not live life without good, either. It was simply impossible. And she was grateful for those words.[break][break]
Vaile handed her a journal, explaining it was his sister's. However, even before he handed her the journal... Verena had seen. She had seen those tears flowing. That pain. Was this a good thing? A bad thing? She wasn't sure. Wordlessly, she accepted the journal, before coming over to Vaile and pulling him into a tight embrace. With her free hand, she attempted to comfort him with a simple series of faint pats.[break][break]
"If you need to rest, I have a camp set up not too far away," Verena said. "It's where I keep all of my books, too. So there's no end of things to do. Besides, it'd be nice to have someone answer questions I might have, right?"
[ finished ]
[break]
COMBAT SUMMARY
[break]
[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR yes. verena only reads in her free time as far as things she enjoys doing. she makes time for training too, ofc. but she considers reading to be the only real hobby of hers. [break][break]
[attr="class","lonelyscroll"]So it was another one, another hug. [break][break] Vaile still didn’t immediately move to accept the embrace. Instead, his arms were lifted off to the side, awkwardly wondering where to be put. Eventually, he let his hands rest on Verena’s back. [break][break] He held her as she held him. He kept his touch light, as if the thought of holding her more would mean to break her. But, even with her curse, she was still quite sturdy. Then, suddenly, the warmth of another body had never felt so real. His head came to rest next to hers, and his crimson eyes still held their downward gaze. This was a hug. [break][break] He knew what a hug was, yet knowing and feeling were two very different things. [break][break] He knew what sadness was. However, he denied himself that feeling because he knew that it would consume him. He didn’t want to be left to wallow in pity, and instead, he’d chosen to justify his extreme actions through anger. [break][break] Yet hatred could have only taken him so far. It wasn’t a way to live life. It was only a path that led to regret. And the question in his mind remained, what was he to do now? [break][break]
The girl was kind enough to give him more answers to consider. He still wasn’t quite sure where he would go, though. But for the moment, he was glad she was offering a place. [break][break] “I’d think I’d like that.” He accepted her offer with only slight hesitation. A camp? It was almost humorous to think of the girl in a tent and tending to a campfire. Nonetheless, people did what they had to do. And if she had nowhere to go… [break][break] Then he supposed he had nowhere to go as well. [break][break]
Post by Zaven Blake✧ on Jun 30, 2021 16:43:21 GMT -5
Alright, this training of the element is passable, however by a slim margin and one that will not be allowed again.
Verena...You do not "befriend" elements...the Summoner description reads the following; The user can gain new elements by training them in character, creating a bond with that element.
This does not give you permission to flavor it as "talking" with an element out loud or in your head...unless your character does this out of habit and can be said that your character has some sort of mental disorder.
your unique magic does not give the summoner an insight of the one teaching them or a way to commune with the element in question.
In the future just learn the element, all in all, it was a fantastic read through and I enjoyed it fully. Welcome to the shadow club