In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
[attr="class","dungentitle"]The Trial of Attrition
RANK: Scaling LOCATION: Magic Knight Exam Grounds MIN-MAX PLAYER GROUP: 2-4 OTHER REQS: Magic Knight Examinees are the only players allowed to take part in the dungeon. After the MKE the dungeon simply vanishes as if it was never a thing.
The Word Count of the dungeon increases for each rank of the players entering following the same rules.
If players come into the dungeon with mixed rankings, the dungeon will average out for the highest - lowest player
Dungeon starts at Intermediate, Scaling to Senior adds 1,500 WC per room, Grand adds 2,000 WC per room, and finally Archmage adds 3,000 WC per room.
With threats looming upon the horizon and the knights of the noble Clover kingdom being pushed to their limits, it is time to open the gates for the next generation to make a name for themselves and shine bright for their king, their future captains, and most importantly THEIR COUNTRY! [break][break]
The Proving Grounds is a dungeon under the control of the Wizard King himself, a product of the shattering and treasure from the raid on Asmodeus that resulted with the status quo being forever changed. The sacred place is absolutely full of magical energy and responds to the strength levels of those that enter. The only entrance is through a portal that opens at the time of the Magic Knight Exams, and will close once it is finished.
[attr="class","dungenfloor"]Inferno
NUMBER OF ROOMS: 02 WORD COUNT PER ROOM: 2,000+ FLOOR DESCRIPTION:
Through the recognition of one's power and rejection of the evil that one may commit one may be able to make it through this hellish landscape. The rooms appear identical and feed off of the amalgamation of fears and shortcomings that the players have within their own characters. A chill crawls up your spine and out over your skin as you look upon. The carvings on the wall are magnificent, a symphony in stonework -- but given the themes represented, it might be better described as a requiem. Scenes of death, both violent and peaceful, appear on every wall framed by grinning skeletons and ghoulish forms in ragged cloaks.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #1
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
2 fears per player
The shadows around the room feed off of the presence of mana, and when the players step inside of the room A skeleton dressed in moth-eaten garb lies before a large open chest in the rear of this chamber. The chest is empty, but you note two needles projecting from the now-open lock. Dust coats something sticky on the needles' points. When the players approach the chest, a number of shadows evacuate the wooden prison and take the form of the player's worst fears. These shadows take the shape of the players fears, even if properly hidden, and will attack them without warning.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #2
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
2 Shades
You open the door to reveal a 10-foot-by-10-foot room with a floor studded with spikes. The bones of some creature lie among the spikes and some insects scuttle away from the desiccated remains. No other doors are in the room, and it appears the door you opened was created to blend in with the walls. Additionally, you see no ceiling. You must be at the bottom of a very deep spiked pit. However, peculiar mana swirls in the air, and out of it, laughter and sinister-sounding whispers can be heard, crawling from the pit are two creatures of the shadows that have no real form other than a floating cloak that carries with it a sense of dread. Bursts of magic sometimes unexpectedly infuse a person’s shadow, giving rise to a creature known as a living shade. Though similar in many ways to the dreaded undead shadows, these creatures aren’t undead. They are a type of fey spirit infused with the power of the Plane of Shadow.
[attr="class","dungenfloor"]Purgatorio
NUMBER OF ROOMS: 03 WORD COUNT PER ROOM: 2000+ FLOOR DESCRIPTION:
Purgatory is the place in which "the human spirit purges himself, and climbing to Heaven makes himself worthy." The floor appears to be shattered. A huge crevasse shears the chamber in half, and the ground and ceilings are tilted away from it. It's as though the room was gripped in two enormous hands of a celestial being and broken like a loaf of bread. on the other side are three doors and the doorway you have come through is destroyed. Someone has torn a tall stone door from its hinges somewhere else in the dungeon and used it to bridge the 15-foot gap of the chasm between the two sides of the room. Whatever did that must have possessed tremendous strength because the door is huge, and the enormous hinges look bent and mangled, what is really down here?
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #1
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
## Monsters
This room is a tomb. Stone sarcophagi stand in five rows of three, each carved with the visage of a warrior lying in state. In their center, one sarcophagus stands taller than the rest. Held up by six squat pillars, its stone bears the carving of a beautiful woman who seems more asleep than dead. The carving of the warriors is skillful but seems perfunctory compared to the love a sculptor must have lavished upon the lifelike carving of the woman.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #2
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
2 per player
You gaze into the room and hundreds of skulls gaze coldly back at you. They're set in niches in the walls in a checkerboard pattern, each skull bearing a half-melted candle on its head. The grinning bones stare vacantly into the room, which otherwise seems empty.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #3
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
3+1d4 Monster
A 30-foot-tall demonic idol dominates this room of black stone. The potbellied statue is made of red stone, and its grinning face holds what looks to be two large rubies in place of eyes. A fire burns merrily in a wide brazier the idol holds in its lap.
[attr="class","dungenfloor"]Paradiso
NUMBER OF ROOMS: 01 WORD COUNT PER ROOM: 2000+ FLOOR DESCRIPTION:
A dim bluish light suffuses this chamber-like floor, its source obvious at a glance. Blue-glowing lichen and violet-glowing moss cling to the ceiling and spread across the floor. It even creeps down and up each wall, as if the colonies on the floor and ceiling are growing to meet each other. Their source seems to be a glowing, narrow crack in the ceiling, the extent of which you cannot gauge from your position. The air in the area smells fresh and damp, a single door at the end awaits the party.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #1
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
1 Guardian
A glow escapes this room through its open doorways. The masonry between every stone emanates an unnatural orange radiance. Glancing quickly about the room, you note that each stone bears the carving of someone's name...upon a closer inspection the players find that it is their names, among hundreds of others that have taken this challenge.
The day of the exams had come around finally, she had no idea what to expect or what was going to happen going forward but she had seen 'him' for the first time in her life, part of herself that she knew was there but had never come into contact with. It was a surreal experience and she had no idea what to expect, it wasn't as if she was shy about her heritage she was wearing her families symbol on her clothing for the world to see. The day had been warm and bright when she and other hopefuls had turned up to garner the attention of the of the squad captains thus becoming a magic knight. Everyone had their own reasons for wanting this some for fame and others for power, she on the other hand didn't want any of that she just wanted to meet 'him'.
After the speeches of the captains happened they were notified of the trials, they would be given a chance to show off their abilities and if needed could use up to five magic knights if required, she was a defensive mage so she would need to accept that offer when she was called. The next thing they were informed about was a dungeon that had specifically created by the wizard king himself for them to transverse, that was new but she knew that traipsing through dungeons was part of the job of a magic knight. The last part was something that wasn't mandatory for anyone to do but she would take the opportunity nonetheless, she didn't care about the outcome she would use it to meet him for the first time in her life, she'd use it to meet her elder brother Ardere.
Whether it be they would never be expected or more allowed to go through a dungeon alone the initiates were told to find one or more people to begin their descent. It was noted that this dungeon was not like anything seen before due to the shattering and that it would almost read those who entered it, making it to where it would never be strong enough to outright kill them but it would be challenging. If she understood correctly that meant it would take everyone who entered within a group and find a middle ground balance. She looked around seeing if there were any around her ranking that she could enter with, it wasn't that she was afraid of a stronger challenge but she would rather make friends with people around her own power range so they could all shine. Going in with someone stronger meant that they would be a side piece that would be carried, she wasn't about that.
She stood still waiting and watched as people started making their way into teams of two to four before walking towards two people nearby "Hello, I was wondering if either or both of you would like to do this trial with me." she asked bowing just a little, her accent made it quite clear she wasn't from Clover, in fact, even though she spoke the language rather well she was still stumbling over words and how to phrase things. She had been in the kingdom for under a month and was taking lessons when she could while doing smaller jobs so she would have a place to stay and could eat. "My name is Hotaru Kusai, I specialize in defence and enhancing those I work with." she said realizing she hadn't introduced herself and believed it best that they each knew the strengths of each other so they could cover weaknesses before entering the dungeon itself.
Post by Jirou Yuiee✾ on Jun 25, 2021 19:57:12 GMT -5
The day of the Exam had final come. How happy Jirou was that finally he would be able to demonstrate why his family was superior to all the others. The Corvid Queen Bitch had truely pissed off Jirou. Not at any point of his life had he been so embarrassed by a woman. To think he, the second born child of the Yuiee family was forced to bow to some wench with her head held above his. His hand gripped the wooden armchair in his palaquin as his servants carried him forward. He was wearing his finest robes, hand crafted from silk and golden thread. Each inch of the robe was decorated with imperial style dragons each holding an orb emblazened with his family crest. His grimoire, golden and gilded with Eastern Runes sat in its holster made of Mana Beast Hide. On each finger besides his pointer and middle was a solid jade covering, carved to allow articulation, but beyond that the finger coverings were meant to show just how high his status was that he didn’t even need to lift his own fingers to do things.
He didn’t understand why the Nobles of the country tried to act so kind to the common dregs that were rightfully below them. He watched through the magically enchanted silk that kept the bugs and commoners from looking or getting inside, but allowed him to see as if there was nothing there. He watched as the dirty pathetic creatures he was expected to protect as a Magic Knight made their way past his Palaquin, his Servents were dressed in basic clothing to match with the Palaquins colors and to remain as hidden as possible. As they made their way through the Large door of the Exam grounds, he had them set down the palaquin and with a quick movement he stepped out, dressed in his finest clothing. He waved away the servants and turned to look at the waiting groups. A dungeon raid would be just the way to prove his worth, and it was one controlled by the wizard king himself no less, it was certainly the only challange that was worthy of one with such high status as himself. But he knew it could not be done alone and so putting on his best fake smile he would walk around hiding his true intentions like the snake he was.
He soon found a group that was starting to be formed and his ears would perk up at the accent he heard. He would bow respectfully and speak first in his native tongue and then in common clover, thought it made him want to lash out at being forced to use such a unrefined language, though he kept his emotions in check and kept his masked personality up as he said his basic greeting. “It is Nice to hear a familiar tongue.” he added to his hello in cloverian for the benefit of the others. “May I also join your raiding party?”
word: 503
Last Edit: Jun 25, 2021 20:33:32 GMT -5 by Jirou Yuiee✾
[attr="class","persephonequote"] ❝No garden truly blooms until
[attr="class","persephonequote2"]butterflies
[break]
[attr="class","persephonequote"]have danced upon it.❞
[attr="class","persephonescroll"] This was finally it for Persephone. It was her time to be her true and most authentic self...well at least on the inside. She felt her body internally screaming with excitement and giddy for what was to come, yet her outer body wouldn't allow her room to indulge in those feelings. Instead, her body read as someone who wasn't ready to be a magic knight yet. A person that was small and reserved. She was slouched with her shoulders caving in, and her hands grasping at each other towards the center of her figure. She didn't seem like much. Her entire look seemed sloppy in a sense with the fabric from her yellow kimono swallowing her up and her hair messily lying over her face. She knew that her mother wouldn't be happy with how she was presenting herself, yet she didn't know how to change. She felt stuck in one position, and the looks from other people partaking in the exam caused her to freeze up even more. She could barely move, being infected with thoughts of the nobles whispering about her and eying her up and down. [break][break] All she could do in that moment was continue to hold on tight to her hands, and think about her mother and how she'd be presenting herself if she was there with her. She imagined the poise that her mother would've held, keeping her head up high and her posture completely in tact. People would've probably known she wasn't of noble blood, yet she wouldn't care. She was confident enough in herself and her abilities to understand that she had the influence and grit necessary to be a magic knight. At least she used to...until Persephone had caused her grit to become diminished. Her mother had fought for her in a way that caused her to sacrifice all the will power she'd built up over the years, and that destroyed Persephone's chances of creating much willpower for herself. So, she had to reserve it as much as she could until this whole event was over. [break][break] She would make her mother proud of her, and even if it couldn't possibly be from the way she held herself in regards to others, she would use the magical power her mother had given her to the best of her abilities. The examinees were given the details of the first event after the speeches from the captains, of which were both intimidating and reassuring. To know that she was in the presence of people that were able to start from nothing to being the captains of their own respective squads were inspiring. Although most were of a higher status than her, she still believed in the magic of being able to claim the ranks from no matter how low you are. She especially took notice of Gris, who was retaking the exam alongside her. Of which, he started out from a position much like her own, in that he wasn't as well respected as most other examinees. [break][break] Her confidence was slowly rising throughout her time there already, and it raised even higher as she was approached by a woman, offering up a spot in her raiding team. Persephone was surprised at the offer, especially coming from someone that seemed noble like, bearing her family's crest. Persephone didn't know how to feel about it. It was possible that this could all be a trap, yet Persephone trusted her oddly enough. She didn't know what it was, but she wanted to believe that this was a good opportunity for her. Maybe it was because of the fact that she needed people to group up with since everyone else avoided her like the plague, or the fact that the woman herself seemed genuine, but she decided to nod with a gentle smile on her face. Though, she did try to warn her that she was mute by putting her hand around her own throat. She hoped that this wouldn't cause too much controversy amongst the others, but she was ready to prove herself if need be.
[break]
Notes
[break]
[attr="class","persephonescroll2"] Persephone is mute, so anything marked in this color is her body language and overall persona
[attr="class","julienglass2scroll"] Sol had a confidant smile on his face as the day of the magic knight exams had arrived and he was eager to show his worth and hopefully get into the squad he desired. It had been some time since he had left the Silver Eagles and he had good thru multiple events that most would think was crazy for a civilian the biggest thing to happen was the reclamation of Kikka and then his acceptance into the Royal knights which still stunned him even now. But this was just as important since he wanted to get into a magic knight squad he could trust to have his back and the better he performed the better his chances would be. Hearing the captains explain how the exams would work Sol blinked in surprise that they would need to group up to deal with dungeons which made the blood mage a bit weary. Sol had no issue working with others but the last few times he had been paired with others for missions things had never gone the right way or his team mates had either left like Griswold had or the they just up and vanished and to the young noble it was unacceptable. [break][break] At this point Sol would only work with Griswold if he absolutely had to and that was about it but the real dilemma now was who would he work with for this dungeon since the captains had already said that they couldent do it alone and honestly Sol thought it was foolish to even attempt such a thing, glancing around the man caught sight of Griswold but he instantly turned his head since he had no desire to deal with him at this moment and he then caught sight of a small group forming and he decided to approach and perhaps he might be able to join them. He would speak when he was close enough to be heard.”Could I perhaps join your group as well for this Dungeon excursion Im Sol Shinryu of the Shinryu family” he asked as he introduced himself and he also bowed respectfully. He had his ornate katana strapped to his hip like normal and his oufit was rather normal with it being a chinese sleeveless shirt and simple pants and boots but a trained eyed could see that they were made of expensive material and still managed to look elegant though plain. [break][break] Sol glanced at the group before him. The girl who had introduced herself as Hotaru seemed to not be from this region but he didnt judge her for that as she explained that her abilitys were suited for defending and enhancing others. The other two didnt explain their magics and Sol glanced at them. The male seemed to be a noble as well but the blood mage got a bit of an odd vibe from him but pushed it out of his mind while the other mage was a young girl that had yet to speak a word but Sol wondered if that was because she couldent or if she just preferred not to. Decided to follow Hotarus example Sol also spoke up”My abilitys are more focused on curses restraints and golems so I'm suited for supporting my allies and weaking my enemies” he explained hoping that the information would help the others when it came down to dealing with whatever would be appearing in the dungeon. On that topic Sol wondered what would be waiting for them since it seemed that the dungeon had been made by the wizard king but it couldnt be easy for them even if it was just for a test, the Blood using noble steeled himself for whatever would come. [break][break] [break]
[break][break] Rank & Element: Junior ¦ Shadow[break] Class & Type: Relic ¦ Weapon (Sword)[break] Magic Specializations: Attack Creation ¦ Sensory[break] Appearance & Lore:[break] [break][break] An ornate katana with a twenty-four-inch (60 cm) blade. the sheath is made of what seems to be made of marble which has been carefully carved into and engraved with what looks like ruby, the base of the sheath has a gold kojiri. Just above the midway point, there seems to be a piece of onyx that has been set around the sheath, the top and bottom of the onyx seems to have the same white marble though it has been fashioned to look almost like fur or feathers. Connected to the onyx there seems to be additional ruby fastenings with ruby chains connecting one part to the next, near the top there is a ruby set in gold that leads off to three carmine red tassels. The handguard seems to be made out of gold leading into the hilt a hilt that is just under half the size of the blade that covered in lackered red marble before being surrounded in black ribbon with gold helm and small ruby beads at each crossing pattern of the ribbon. [break][break] The corrupting shadow was made using an unknown method outside of a certain noble family within Clover. This family has been shunned by many other noble houses because of their appearances and they macabre magic that they are born with so choose to remain in the forsaken region instead of the noble. Not a lot is known about this secretive family, it's hierarchy or its family mechanics and they aim to keep it that way, it allows them to continue doing what they are without too many questions being asked. One thing people will notice of this family is that when they pass their trial of adulthood they start wielding a weapon of some sort and how the dynamics of the family will change to that person. [break][break] Abilities: [break][break]
Type & Uses: Trigger ¦ 4 uses[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory ¦ Homing[break] Mana Cost: 8 per trigger ¦ 15 recharge[break] Range & Speed: 25m ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: +4 Power (self)[break] Description:[break] The blade itself gets covered in what can only be described as flames made of shadow, swiping the blade towards the enemy releases a two meter wide shadow arc, the arc would only be around one centimeter tall until it neared something were it would become three meters tall and almost forming a disk making it harder to dodge. When deaing damage the attack deals Junior rank damage. With the use of ammo rules additional shadow arcs can be created per trigger in addition to this with the use of the homing rules the shadow arc is able to follow a designated target.
[break][break] Name of ability Unity Spiral[break]
Type & Uses: Flow ¦ 3 turns ¦ 2 Overheat[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory ¦ Homing[break] Mana Cost: 8 ¦ 4[break] Range & Speed: 25m ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: +4 control (self)[break] Description:[break] Pointing the blade straight forward quickly is the way that this ability activates. The moment that it is a dual spiral around one meter long by half a meter wide flies free towards its intended target. The spirals deal junior rank damage when they hit a target. With the use of ammo rules, additional spirals can be made per round in addition to this with the use of the homing rules the shadow arc is able to follow a designated target.
[break][break] Name of ability Unholy Eclipse[break]
Type & Uses: Flow ¦ 3 turns ¦ 2 Overheat[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory[break] Mana Cost: 8 ¦ 4[break] Range & Speed: 10m aoe ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: n/a[break] Description:[break] Moving their hand up the blade turning it from it's silver and red colour to being pure darkened shadow, flicking the blade makes the shadow leave the blade and start to creep to the max range it can go to dealing junior rank damage to everyone within the range of the spell, with the use of ammo rules the wielder can avoid allies if they so wish.
Before she could say another word or even take in the answer of the pair she had approached, one of them moving away as if he wasn't interested a voice speaking her native tongue caught her ear. She turned around with a smile but what she saw horrified her, the person was dressed in what must have been dressed in what could have been only described as finary fit for the imperial city. She sighed and shook her head a little wondering what the hell he was thinking when he came dressed like that. This was an exam to show that wanted to help protect your kingdom not who's the most spoiled fat cat. She honestly felt disgusted and it showed on her face. "Are you sure you didn't get lost on the way to your ship? Last I checked this was for people intending to get their hands dirty not spoiled little boys." she refused to show restraint in how she felt at that moment.
"I bet you see people lower than yourself if they do not hold the same gender or status as yourself, treating them like they are less than animals. I can also tell by how you look, your attitude thus far and your culture you likely came here on a palaquin..." she continued her eyes narrowed as she hated nobles that were nothing but a shit stain on humanity. Sure, it was fine to do it where they came from but this wasn't like their homes and shouldn't be treated as such. Then again she was raised in a family that was both militant and merchant so she wouldn't lay down like a dog for anyone. "You realize that if you indeed get into a squad those pretty robes you're wearing are going to get destroyed and you can't move around in a palaquin as you'd be putting people in danger." she the distaste was running through her every word.
"Actually, you aren't even worthy to be a magic knight come to think of it because if you did come by palaquin then you put every person that carried your lazy ass here in danger. They're civilians and even if they were not they couldn't defend themselves if attacked. You really are a self-absorbed and selfish asshole who cares nothing for the lives around you." she finally finished taking a deep breath "However, I could be wrong on some things as not all books are as they appear so if she agrees so will I." she didn't believe she was but she was willing to give the other some benefit of the doubt she just hoped it didn't come and bite them all in the ass.
She turned her attention back to the other woman to see if she agreed to do it with at least her, the annoyance she had with Jirou completely melting away. She wasn't a bitch she just didn't like people like him who believed their families money made them better than those around them. She watched the body movements carefully and took her hand gently removing it from her throat "I see, perhaps not putting your hand at your throat would be a good idea. You never know what type of person or situation you'll find yourself with." she moved her own hand to her mouth covering it while shaking her head to show the same sort of thing without it seeming like she had been choked or been hurt. "I don't mind working with people who can not speak, they are still a person and are still entitled to do become a knight as much as the next person." she said with a smile.
It was then another voice was heard after approaching them asking if he too could join. After she saw him bow she bowed in kine "So longs as the woman I asked..." she turned around to Persephone "I'm not trying to be rude but I do not know what to call you, do you sign?" It was clear that it would be difficult for this group to communicate on some level but she was trying to be respectful to the other woman "So longs you are fine with it we can let the spoiled brat and Sol join us." she said showing that this was indeed something they would both have equal say in. She knew it would be harder for the young woman to communicate so held no ill-will not knowing her magical specialities or name but Jirou had no excuses for his rudeness. She would wait to see what was going on before she would head towards the gate of the dungeon.
Jirou watched the group, as he waited for an answer to his question. The young noble lord watched as the shy and reserved girl moved without a word from her lips, her body motions told him everything he needed to know however. She was shy and meek, and seemed to want to curl in upon herself. However, he sensed something more beneath the surface, perhaps a coiled snake waiting to strike like his dear sister Hino? He wondered just how hard hed have to push her and what buttons would need to be pushed to see that hidden weapon lash out against someone or something. He wondered who her weaknesses were, as most people who had the heart to try to become a Magic Knight had someone important to them that pushed them forward, who gave them the push their confidence needed to let them be a better person. Jirous inner monster growled in hunger in his own soul, causing any who could sense Ki to feel the rising ‘Mancomot’ in his soul. He didn’t need to steal that person from them, or to cause them harm, but he WANTED to. To see just how strong they would become if he did it. [break][break] That was when he noticed her motion to her throat, as if saying she could not spe…realization hit Jirous mind. He couldn’t help his smile growing, or his bloodlust to push her growing even more. But he cleared his throat quickly and centered himself forcing that feeling down under the surface again. What would he have to take from her to make her scream he wondered? Maybe it was worth hurting her and her loved ones if it meant being the first to ever hear her scream, the greedy dragon that slept within his heart for all things not his growled happily knowing he may eventually have something NO ONE else could have, at least as far as he knew that was. But before he could approach her, he saw someone else that caused his mind to get interested. [break][break] He looked the other male up and down, and despite his rather simple looking clothing, he could tell that his clothing was made of high quality material and that the Katana at his hip was very much a real full bladed weapon. It wasn’t one of the useless decorational ones some would wear, and unlike his own jade finger covers it could be used in combat practically. But for Jirou’s purposes he didn’t mind the extravagance of his outfit. He didn’t sense anything from the other man, whos name he now knew to be Sol of the Shinryu Family. The easterner held himself with confidence much like Jirou did, and he wondered if the child of a lesser noble family would be a kindred spirit who knew how much more important they were then the filthy commoners below them. [break][break] Before Jirou could speak and introduce himself to the man, another figure approached him and spoke her mind. He couldn’t help but smile, half with an impressed inner pride that commended her for speaking to one above her station like that. But he knew better then to lash out against her, his interaction with Batty had reminded him to be on his best manners when in public viewing. But he did place his arms within his outfits outer robes insides and with ease he removed the top, showing how cut and well defined his martial body was. He may not be a strong Magic user despite his ability to use one of the rarer magic types and his quickness in learning how to incorperate it into his body, but where his skills truly shined was in his martial prowess. [break][break] “I didn’t get lost, Girl.” he said in answer to her first response to him. “Don’t look so shocked, A Noble should dress and act like on. But you probably know that best of all, even if you arent Noble Blood you hold yourself highly,and refuse to back down from a fight. Are you perhaps from a Military family? Ive met a few girls like you in the past, but most don’t stand their ground, instead they let their families name and weight as a powerhouse carry them forward.“ he smiled happily, but with a touch of cruelty in it. He even laughed as she called him out for using the palanquin, she was smart as a whip and he enjoyed that. It wasn’t often he met someone who acted and thought like she did. “Of course I do, my entire life ive been raised that I was better then others, even if my family has a soft spot for the common rabble. But I chose my ride and clothing purposely. My magic makes me a front line brawler when paired with my Martial Arts.“ he would turn and show his back to the group, the tight fitting inner robe was like a work out outfit, though it was as traditional as one could get and in the black print on the material were the words: ‘FOLLOW ME’ in runic common, the same language almost all the kingdom spoke and wrote with. [break][break] “I want everyone here to see me, and see just what they have to protect. Your not only protecting Commoners when you become a Magic Knight. You’ll be protecting the trashiest of Nobles. So if you want to be a true Magic Knight and do right by the Commoners you should do you best to become the top dog in this Dog eat Dog world, aim for the Wizard King and MAKE it so the nobles cant do what they want. Show your strength and resolve by being better then those born above your standing.“ he would begin to make his way toward the gate before she could, and he would turn back to flash her a challanging smile. He didn’t care one way or the other what she thought, but he surely did love pushing people to better themselves, it only made the world a more interesting place when he could have toys that didn’t break easily. [break][break] “The other groups have already started going in, why don’t we get going and show them why WE deserve to be Magic Knights.“ as he walked forward to the gate he dropped his finger guards to the ground, despite their value he had them made so they could be wasted as such. As each finger guard dropped he walked forward with the confidence of someone already wearing the Wizard Kings Crown. He would walk through the portal and feel the magic flowing over his body, but he prepared himself for what ever may come at him from the other side. “Watch father, Watch Mother, as I prove to you who really should be the Heir to our glorious family.“
words[break]1153 [break] total[break]1656 [break] SP Earned[break]0001 [break] Stat Earned[break]0001 [break]
[attr="class","persephonequote"] ❝No garden truly blooms until
[attr="class","persephonequote2"]butterflies
[break]
[attr="class","persephonequote"]have danced upon it.❞
[attr="class","persephonescroll"] Persephone watched as another person came up to their group. He seemed to be the average exam taker for the Magic Knights. He seemed to hold himself up as a well willed citizen, and Persephone respected it. He was a noble like the others from what she could tell, but he didn't seem to hold himself up on much of a pedestal because of it. She seemed to really like the group that was forming up until this point. However, there was one other noble that seemed to be quite scary compared to the others. She had already understood the fear that welled up inside of her when confronted by him, but there was something a bit more devious to him. Whatever he would say, she wasn't sure she could trust, unlike the words from Hotaru, whom she had faith in. [break][break] She was extremely startled by Hotaru's reaction to Jirou. Persephone had begun to collapse into herself a bit more out of fear for the conflict that was sparking between the two. She wondered how it would be remotely possible for them to work together as a team if they were already becoming this outspoken now. If combat arose in that dungeon, the chances that a conflicting set of plans would cause them to implode as a group seemed very likely. She wondered if this was truly the type of group she wanted to work on. On one hand, she seemed to fairly warm herself up to the idea of Sol and Hotaru, yet the other caused her to feel resentment towards their final member. For now, all she could really do was wait for their conversation to flatten to a point where they could begin the dungeon. [break][break] Jirou was arrogant in his abilities, and he didn't seem to care about Hotaru's claims on his character. He rather agreed to them confidently, showing Persephone his true colors. She couldn't say that his actions were the noblest, but she understood him a bit more now. Though, she still felt fear well within her in his presence, even in his actions to try and prove himself to them. Yet, she felt a need to do this with him to see what he could really do. It was unlikely that he would work with her after this, and instead rely on the support of his more noble blooded friends, but she heard her mother's voice in her head repeating something similar to what Jirou said. She was always the person who believed in the ability of redemption, no matter what crimes a person has committed. Some people have shown that they aren't able to allow themselves this ability, and her mother understood that. Though, it always took another person to guide them onto that path, and if there weren't people willing to help the bad as well as the good, then the bad people would always outweigh the good ones. So, Persephone decided in that moment, that she would do her best to humble the man every chance she got with it. Hopefully his demeanor would change at some point, but until then she would deal with him in the best way she could. [break][break] As the blow of words had started to near an end, she looked onward to Hotaru who seemingly towered over Persephone's shorter stature. The woman likely wasn't much older than Persephone was, but she still felt miles more maturity within her than what Persephone could work with herself. After all, she hadn't quite figured out the perfect way to show her vow of silence without people making a joke out of it, or in Hotaru's case think of ways for her to be put in a spot of vulnerability. Persephone had even become flustered at this thought, causing her cheeks to redden up. At this point, she was feeling a bit embarrassed with how things were going, completely blurring out Jirou from her mind. It had become even more embarrassing as she realized she didn't ever introduce herself to the group. So, she frantically reached from inside her kimono to grab a pink velvet ribbon that her mother had given her for this exact situation. She used it once before to tie up her hair into a ponytail, but she wasn't exactly sure how comfortable she felt with their current situation in showing her face off to her group members. Rather, she pulled the ribbon to create a flat surface, showing her name embroidered onto the ribbon with great care. [break][break] She then started to wrap it around her wrist in case she ever forgot to let her name be known, raising her head back up at Hotaru's question about sign language. Persephone's mother had taught her how to use it, but Persephone herself only allowed her to practice it with her mother, understanding that her ability to be misunderstood was apart of the vow she made to herself. By using sign language as an extension of her speaking ability, it would defeat the purpose of her promise. So, she shook her head no, feeling guilty, knowing that it would make things harder on her group and for herself. She understood the risks in not being able to communicate efficiently, which is why she had hesitantly agreed to allowing Jirou on the team. As long as there were always people who could speak up aside from her, she knew that her own weakness wouldn't be completely debilitating. Well, at least she hoped it wouldn't...
[break]
Notes
[break]
[attr="class","persephonescroll2"] Persephone is mute, so anything marked in this color is her body language and overall persona
[attr="class","julienglass2scroll"] Sol gave a soft smile to them as they accepted him into the group though the male seemed to instantly put him into a less pleasant mood but he did find it enjoyable to watch the one of young woman before him tear right into the younger man and he resisted the urge to smirk. He had to give Hotaru credit she was not afraid to speak her mind and she did it with elegance and grace which in Sols mind made her points even more effective but it seemed that the man wasent too phased by it even gaining a smile though slightly cruel. The other woman while yet to speak did seem to give off an air of competence which was reassuring though once again the only other male Jirou had yet to make an impact on Sol and his attitude was showing just how he might behave when as a knight which wasent very well at all. However the moment the man started to speak the blood mage felt his eyebrow wanting to twitch in irritation as the man bit back at Hotarus comments and he held his tongue until the man openly admitted that he was raised to think he was better then others and Sol could not hold back his thoughts anymore. . [break][break] The red eyed noble stepped up to the man the height difference becoming very clear as his eyes narrowed turning his visage from pleasant into a fearsome glare as his slitted ruby eyes glowed softly as he glared at the man.”so we are clear while we are doing this dungeon that mindset doesnt stand we have to work together for this dungeon and egos cannot get in the way keep in mind the captains are watching us and strength is not the only thing they are looking for it is also actions and behavior as well that they most likely will be watching so commoner or noble it doest not matter right now we all want the same goal so lets get along for this and get it done agreed”he said his gaze turning to both Hotaru and Persephone though when he looked at the girls his glare faded since they did nothing wrong. [break][break] Floor 1 room 1
So far Jirou was getting on his nerves already but he pushed that from his mind as he looked at the group before he would speak “Shall we get started and if it is alright with the group do you mind if I take point postion” he asked politely not wanting to force his choice on anyone but offering it since he had some experience due to being in a group during the the events of Kikkas reclamation. However that fell on deaf ears as it seemed Jirou had already walked thru the portal and not even considered them which set Sols face into a deep scowl at the stupidity the man was already showing No matter if they had him lead or went as a group the door would open for them to walk thru and Sol would look around before blinking slightly in surprise as the appearance of the first section of this dungeon was rather dark and forboding before he turned his head to the foolish noble.”first off do not just walk off without the rest of the group behind you and second we need to work and function as a team and that involves proper communication in a real situation that little stunt could have gotten you killed very quickly” he criticized [break][break] The blood mage would glance at the walls and while they were here for a mission he had to admit that while twisted the carvings on the walls were extreamly detailed and precise showing a great deal of care was put into them. It was then that Sol also caught sight of another thing, a skeleton was before them in clothes that had been eaten away greatly by moths and a large treasure chest that had been opened. Sol sighed slightly.”shame theres no treasure but something tells me that whatever was in that box might not have been good far from it lets stay on guard who knows if whatever is in that is truly gone” he said as he looked closer at the chest.The opened chest seemed to be rather dusty showing that it had been a long time since it had been opened and it also seemed that the lock was most likely picked judging from the needles inside the keyhole. Sol would would take one step forward towards the skeleton and box and suddenly the shadows would suddenly burst forth and appear around them as figures though for Sol only two really mattered. One was a figure made completely of shadow while the second one was also shadow by took the form of a mana beast both of them had sharp claws and eerie golden eyes with sharp toothed mouths that instantly had Sol take a step back as he felt himself struggling with the fear he gained from Kikka. [break][break] While training for the coming danger as a royal knight was helping this Sol still had issues with shadows and having two of them appear like this gave him a valid reason to be spooked but he took a deep breath as the two started to approach him and he managed to gain control over the brief flicker of fear as he narrowed his eyes'im not going to allow the shadows to keep getting the better of me this is just an attempt to get me to drop my guard so they can have an easy time getting a hit in but I wont let that happen' Sol thought as the shadow beast would lunge forward and the crimson eyed noble would quickly draw his blade and angled the flat of it to block the beasts shadowy fangs.”heads up I think these things are designed to use fear as an advantage” he called over his shoulder at his allies as he tried to keep the beast at bay.
[break][break] Rank & Element: Junior ¦ Shadow[break] Class & Type: Relic ¦ Weapon (Sword)[break] Magic Specializations: Attack Creation ¦ Sensory[break] Appearance & Lore:[break] [break][break] An ornate katana with a twenty-four-inch (60 cm) blade. the sheath is made of what seems to be made of marble which has been carefully carved into and engraved with what looks like ruby, the base of the sheath has a gold kojiri. Just above the midway point, there seems to be a piece of onyx that has been set around the sheath, the top and bottom of the onyx seems to have the same white marble though it has been fashioned to look almost like fur or feathers. Connected to the onyx there seems to be additional ruby fastenings with ruby chains connecting one part to the next, near the top there is a ruby set in gold that leads off to three carmine red tassels. The handguard seems to be made out of gold leading into the hilt a hilt that is just under half the size of the blade that covered in lackered red marble before being surrounded in black ribbon with gold helm and small ruby beads at each crossing pattern of the ribbon. [break][break] The corrupting shadow was made using an unknown method outside of a certain noble family within Clover. This family has been shunned by many other noble houses because of their appearances and they macabre magic that they are born with so choose to remain in the forsaken region instead of the noble. Not a lot is known about this secretive family, it's hierarchy or its family mechanics and they aim to keep it that way, it allows them to continue doing what they are without too many questions being asked. One thing people will notice of this family is that when they pass their trial of adulthood they start wielding a weapon of some sort and how the dynamics of the family will change to that person. [break][break] Abilities: [break][break]
Type & Uses: Trigger ¦ 4 uses[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory ¦ Homing[break] Mana Cost: 8 per trigger ¦ 15 recharge[break] Range & Speed: 25m ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: +4 Power (self)[break] Description:[break] The blade itself gets covered in what can only be described as flames made of shadow, swiping the blade towards the enemy releases a two meter wide shadow arc, the arc would only be around one centimeter tall until it neared something were it would become three meters tall and almost forming a disk making it harder to dodge. When deaing damage the attack deals Junior rank damage. With the use of ammo rules additional shadow arcs can be created per trigger in addition to this with the use of the homing rules the shadow arc is able to follow a designated target.
[break][break] Name of ability Unity Spiral[break]
Type & Uses: Flow ¦ 3 turns ¦ 2 Overheat[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory ¦ Homing[break] Mana Cost: 8 ¦ 4[break] Range & Speed: 25m ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: +4 control (self)[break] Description:[break] Pointing the blade straight forward quickly is the way that this ability activates. The moment that it is a dual spiral around one meter long by half a meter wide flies free towards its intended target. The spirals deal junior rank damage when they hit a target. With the use of ammo rules, additional spirals can be made per round in addition to this with the use of the homing rules the shadow arc is able to follow a designated target.
[break][break] Name of ability Unholy Eclipse[break]
Type & Uses: Flow ¦ 3 turns ¦ 2 Overheat[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory[break] Mana Cost: 8 ¦ 4[break] Range & Speed: 10m aoe ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: n/a[break] Description:[break] Moving their hand up the blade turning it from it's silver and red colour to being pure darkened shadow, flicking the blade makes the shadow leave the blade and start to creep to the max range it can go to dealing junior rank damage to everyone within the range of the spell, with the use of ammo rules the wielder can avoid allies if they so wish.
She remained silent as the idiotic noble kept flapping his lips, she turned her eyes towards the sky before holding out a hand making a small planet and looked at the shadow "Hm..." she seemed like she was contemplating something she then turned her gaze towards Jirou once more "Are you done? I was just checking to see If we were going to be here until we were all old and grey by the time your prideful self shut the hell up." she said shaking her head "By the way little boy, I am a noble and unlike you, I was taught the basics of manners like calling people by their names. I'm surprised to find that your parents are so poor that you couldn't gain such an education, it truly is a shame considering your clothing." she said showing that she was having none of his bullshit, she hated people like him.
"My family is both militant and merchant, I'm surprised you don't know this..." she said rolling her eye "Perhaps you are a fake noble and have lived under a rock your entire life if you don't recognise the family name of Kasai" her eyes looked to Ard "My elder brother is the captain of the Crimson Lions." her voice was humble when she gave him such information, it was clear she wasn't trying to ride on her family name or brothers coattails merely giving him the information he apparently didn't pay attention to but then it could be the fact he turned up late. "Believe me little boy I won't back down and I don't suggest calling my bluff because I will put you on that pompous ass of yours quickly." her tone showed this was no idle threat she would throw hands with him right there and then if needed.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she said a silent prayer to the gods to give her the patience and strength going forward because it would only be through their divinity that she wouldn't get locked up for murdering this idiot that believed he was above others. The last thing she needed was for the first time she met her brother to be her being arrested by him for first degree murder of an idiot. She opened her eyes "You are not the gods; yes I realize there is a social ladder but you are still no one in the eyes of the divine." she said her seemingly disgusted with how he was speaking "Yes, you are higher than some and lead a more privilege life but their lives don't mean any less that yours; besides there's always someone that will be higher in that ladder." she said with a smile.
"After all, aren't you the second-born son of your family?" she said knowing that was indeed a very sore spot on many males of their cultures, she had spent the time she had been within Clover researching the noble families and their members so she could start off on the right foot and not create ripples but this 'child' deserved no such quarter. "Your magic might make you as such, but that attitude is going to make you very sore if not worse if you keep speaking like that. You came into this world and can lose it while alive and even if you don't it means nothing in the afterlife." she said giving him warning that really riches, wealth and power meant nothing at the end of the day they would be judged the exact same way when death came for claim them.
"At least you know you are a trashy noble" she said with a smirk and chuckle as she covered her mouth, she couldn't help it as much as she tried to. "Were you dropped on your head as a baby?" she asked wondering what he was babbling about, she knew that strength was needed to protect those who couldn't do it themselves and that everyone should strive to be the best they could be, but if this idiot thought he was going to be wizard king with that attitude then he was more than a little delusional and should be locked away before his family were shamed any further. She moved her hand to her head and rubbed her head, she pitied this kingdom if people like him were chosen to protect it, he would likely sacrifice people or use them as amusement, it really was sickening to her.
She turned to the mute woman and Sol before bowing slightly to them now completely ignoring Jirou as if he was nothing more than the ant he was "I do apologise for how curt I have been towards him, I do not like people who believe they can treat others like dirt just because they were fortunate enough to be born within a family of affluence." she said with a respectful and calm tone, she was usually a very bubbly and warm woman but the arrogance of Jirou deserved every single harsh word she had spoken and then some. With that said she stood completely straight she smiling once more "I promise I'm not normally so harsh on people, I really am a nice person." she said scratching her cheek embarrassed showing a gentler side of herself, it was clear it was genuine about how she was acted, she didn't want to give a bad impression of herself.
She watched as the other woman turned red before she brought out a ribbon and held it out slightly, she looked at it. She could tell it was crafted with love and care as was the name embroidered on it "Persephone. It's a beautiful name." she said with a smile with a nod knowing that she had said it loud enough that the idiot behind her and Sol could hear it. She watched as she shook her head "That is a pity, it would have been easier to communicate. Perhaps at a later date, I can teach if you like." she had no idea that the woman had taken a vow of silence and that she already knew how to sign she just thought to offer to make it easier on herself and those she may interact with, she, of course, would never force it on her.
"Seems we are letting you on the team little boy, try to keep up and not make a fool of yourself or us by extension." she said her eyes going to Sol. It seemed as if the ruby eyed noble had some words of his own for Jirou as well as the group as a whole, she nodded agreeing that he was completely correct on the matter. She was still new to this land and was finding her feet but she knew enough about the magic knight and the captains to know they all specialized in different types of magic and looked for different things due to it. It made sense, of course, she was still was trying to get used to the whole magic thing as where she was raised questions were asked and people tended to disappear never to be seen again for such acts.
Floor 1, Room 1:
Hotatu nodded to his words "It might be wise, we are on a timer and still have the ability of sparring later." she said thoughtfully as she looked back up to the captain's box once more. She sighed as Jirou seemed to have run off on his own and rolled her eyes "I hope he gets eaten by a dragon." she said moving towards the dual coloured walkway towards the doors of the dungeon, she didn't know exactly what to expect but then everyone was on the same boat she guessed. She would walk through as the door was held for her, it was something she was used to from home but she still didn't like feeling like she couldn't open a door by herself. Stepping through it was like they had just walked into hell, she had no other words for it and looked to the others for their thoughts on what was before them.
"I have to ask were you adopted because you are most definitely not from a militant family or I dare to say well-educated family." she said again showing her distaste for the arrogant man. "The best tactics would to be move as a group and rely on each other's strengths to cover for the other's weaknesses. We need to work as a group or we are going to fail regardless of whether you are delusional enough to believe you are a one-man army or not. Your actions will affect us too." she said but she truly didn't believe he'd care about that, he seemed like the type of selfish asshole that cared only about himself. She bit her lip and played over a thought before looking him in the eye knowing she was about to deliver a low blow of sorts.
"Imagine your younger sisters safety depended on us working together to complete this task." It wasn't too bad in comparison to many things she could have said, but, in their cultures, women were treated like fragile flowers that needed to be protected at all costs. She used this to her advantage, she knew nothing of his interactions with his siblings or even how the young woman was treated she could only go by how he was acting and hope she guessed correctly. She wanted to tell Sol not to approach it especially after seeing the skeleton but it was too late, the trap had been sprung. She gripped her sleeves for a moment as she heard things that she had over and over again within her youth. The reason why she had been sent away and what would happen as she grew "I... I don't want t-" she raised her hands to her ears as she dropped to the balls of her feet.
"Please don't make me... aunty... uncle... please..." she was to be married to another noble, a man she despised. Tears fell down her cheeks as she was made to feel like she was living through that hell. She felt so powerless in that instant, but, then there was a second fear that crept in... the fear that she was sent away because her parents didn't want her. She, after all, had been sent away while her brother had been raised by them. It was something she had always been afraid was a hidden truth her guardians never told her especially as she never received any letters. She wondered if Ardere even knew of her existence, it wasn't until she was ten she even knew about him being her brother. She just knew him as the head of the family, that was a shock to the system.
She started to hyperventilate a bit, it made her feel like she was getting light-headed. It was then she came to a realization that the first fear she felt creeping into her. That she was married to that awful man had never happened, she had left before any sort of betrothal had been put forward, she stood straight and looked to the shadows in front of her "I love you both, you raised me as your own but you have no right to decide my husband. I will choose my own." her voice was shaking but there was enough strength of belief that the two shadows seemed to fade but there was still one left. Her fear of doubt and truth, she shook her head "I don't know the truth of why I alone was sent away, this is why I came here and what I will find out good or bad. Until then it is foolish for me to fear the unknown." she said this was more a self-reflection, the shadow version of herself seemed to disappate entirely. She remained glued to her spot shaking, in honesty, the second one scared her most. Not being able to choose who she ended up spending her life with was terrifying.
Word Count: 2,020 Total Word Count: 3,409 Floor 1, Room 1: 815
Room 1 [break][break] The words of the others didn’t effect Jirou, though the comment of his sister would become ammunition for a later date. He may have been over protective of his Sister, But he knew well enough that her guardians would not allow harm to befall her unless they had died, he and Fuqin had made sure of that very assuredly. The truth of the matter was that while he was here, and even if he was in the Magic Knights, He would be unable to always protect her much to his annoyance. But what he did know the most off was that one day Hino would awaken to the truth of humanity, and her soul would finally let go of its pacifistic weakness and the world would realize how much anger she would carry forth. He held no worry over her, only the fear that she would remain a scared and weak child when in truth she was perhaps the scariest of their family. [break][break] The red mist of the dungeon entrance cleared, showing the disgusting and cruel world they had entered, despite having entered first, he had found himself at the middle of the pack, the one named sol and even the ‘Girl’ were infront of him, and he felt his anger rise as the shadows in the room seemed to dance from an invisible flickering light source. The carvings on the walls spoke of deaths both peaceful and violent, with some even depicting the death of those in his ancestral homeland. He recognized the torture known as ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ and the bamboo growing executions of the imperial traitors. But as the group moved forward, he would turn to see the glint of needles in the wooden chest, the figure next to it had died with its fingers next to the needles, and Jirou yelled out to hold, but it was too late. The shadows swirled with malicious intent and decended upon the group. [break][break] Sol was presented with spectres of shadow, with sharp claws looking ready to rend them asunder, and while the girl he despised seemed trapped in a memory of betrothal, Jirou could only make a mental note to remember that as the shadows reached him and over took him. The shadows formed in both his mind and his physical world. The shadow of his brother Ozma stood before him, the corpses of their family behind him as he begged Jirou to end the family line. That they were monsters and did not deserve to live. The shadows played to his major weakness, that his family would be dishonored to the point where the only action left to take was to end the bloodline. He feared his brother and sisters weakness of heart would cause the family to fall into ruin, beyond anything even a deal with a Devil could repair. [break][break] As the shadowy figure lashed out at Jirou, he used his unique fighting style to sidestep and shatter the painted shadowy blade away, only to be struck by another shadow from behind, an angry and bitter Hino who now despised and hated him. For all his failing as a human being, he truly cared for the two of them and despite the knowledge that it was a spell, he could not break himself free of the fear. He blocked the two spectral beings, which to the others would appear as faceless humanoids that were attacking him, but should any get close they would lash out in a vicious angry attack. But should the Shadows try, Jirou would throw himself in the way of their attempted attack, letting the blow fall on his body if need be. Despite the growing fear, he was reminded of the one man who seemed to truly care for him, and the words of true strength that he had beaten and carved into Jirous very soul. [break][break] He was reminded of the words of Fuqin, the man who had raised him as a son should be raised. Jirou had fought hard each and every day as he repeated the Mantra over and over, forced to fight harder with every growth Ozma had. [break][break] ‘Fear is a Natural Emotion present in all Animals. There is the Fear born of Animal instinct, and the fear of the irrational mind that terrifies Humans. Namely when you encounter a foe stronger then yourself and realize you have no way of fighting back against the Unknown. When your helplessness sinks in and you find yourself paralyzed by that terrible and nagging emotion…’ Jirou gritted as he forced his mana through his hole body, pushing the shadows out of his mind and physical world with an explosion of sheer will power and answered the thoughts in his mind. “PUSH PASS YOUR FEARS AND MARCH EVER ONWARD!” [break][break] He would activate one of his spells, the Physical Reinforcement one for speed by speaking the word “Jaisu” and feeling the speed enchancing magic flow through his legs. He would dash between the ‘Girl’ and Sol, getting between Sol and throwing a vicious punch to counter the first movement of the Shadowy manabeast, his fist striking the open palm of the beasts great clawed hands and deflecting it off course. He wouldnt stop there, and would follow into a second Deflection as the second claw came down, only to halted and deflected off course by the Martial Arts prowess of the young Yuiee Lord. [break][break] The shadows assaulted his mind once more, trying to whisper his deadly weaknesses into his ear to cause him to faulter. But all it did was enrage him more. He moved back, using his body to block any blows meant for himself and Sol as he tried to keep the other noble from harms way. the shadows were fierce, and despite being dispelled twice from his mind, Jirou could not fully shake the shadows from his mind. But he would not allow himself or these others to come to harms way, not out of a desire to protect them, but out of a desire to be able to advance for them all. Strength and growth was the truest measure of a lifeform and Jirou would not allow failure for anyone who he stood beside. “Regroup and fortify! Defensive spells for the group need to be prioritized, I have self defensive skills so don’t worry about me right now. Make sure the weakest of the group have time to handle whatever spells or fears they need to!” [break][break] He had wanted to enter first, to make sure he could be the first to encounter the enemy and allow the others to make the plan. He would then rush forward again and continue deflecting the shadows blows. He was losing himself into the fight, but in the way a true Martial Master might. The other things of the room faded away, his mind no longer carrying about the carvings and only carrying about the dark shadows and his team mates. Despite his skill, he wasn’t getting away free of the damage, his fancy clothing was shredded with ease as the two creatures tried to take him down.
words[break]01185 [break] total[break]02841 [break] SP Earned[break]0002 [break] Stat Earned[break]0002 [break]
[attr="class","polarMAGK"] Carbon Adaptation - Speed Enhancement[break] The user activates this by saying “Jiāsù (Speed)” causing every muscle in their body to flow with Mana, increasing their speed by 2 meters per second. When active, the users legs is covered with black carbon fibers that trace through the users muscles, stopping at the hip[break]
[break][break]
Spell Name[break] magic blurb link whatever stats idk[break]
[attr="class","persephonequote"] ❝No garden truly blooms until
[attr="class","persephonequote2"]butterflies
[break]
[attr="class","persephonequote"]have danced upon it.❞
[attr="class","persephonescroll"] Floor 1, Room 1: The turmoil was only increasing as their journey throughout the dungeon moved forward, and she assumed that they'd either become closer after each moment, or it would tear them apart. They had barely even stepped through the portal before more bickering began. There were times when she was thankful for taking on her pact, because it meant that she didn't have to partake in moments like this. She honestly felt relief from not having to go through the social interactions, worrying about the effects of her words. Though, she knew that one day she would be able to muster up the courage to speak again, which frightened her. Although the goal was to feel proud enough to not have to leave this burden on herself, she felt comfort from it. She didn't like feeling weak, but she liked the idea that the only person who put such high expectations on her was herself. Everyone else thought she would end up being a failure no matter how much work she put in. Now, though, depending on the results of the magic knights exam, people would be keeping an eye on her. She wouldn't have the ability to stay elusive anymore. Her actions would need to be prominent and noticeable... [break][break] She shook her head at the thought of it all. She still didn't believe in her own strength, though, she's gotten words of encouragement from a handful of people. Yet, she still didn't allow herself to express any prowess in abilities. Her posture said it all. In a room as dark as this one, her stature seemingly shrunk even more so than usual, causing her to be cast to the very back of the group. While they were talking amongst themselves and trying to show themselves off with their big personalities, Persephone just stood back and watched as it all unfolded. Her fingers were clamped together, becoming more sweaty as she observed the room around them. Although her head was tilted towards the ground, she was still able to see the absolute horror of a scene unfold before her. As Jirou and Hotaru tried their best to stop Sol from setting off the trap inside this first room, Persephone watched in awe as the scene before her unfolded. Shadowy creatures had begun creeping their way towards the group, taking on each member differently. [break][break] Persephone was able to get a glimpse of each person's fear before the creatures had finally approached her. Unlike the other members who were attacked through words or physical attacks, Persephone looked down towards her arms and legs, watching as the shadowy creature overtook her own shadow. She tried to move, but she couldn't seem to make it work. She was frail, and her body wouldn't allow her the ability to remove herself from her shackles, and she understood that her poison wouldn't have any affect on creatures like these, and she felt herself trapped back in a situation where she felt useless. This fear played out in front of her in ways she wished she could forget. The creatures took on the forms of the mercenary and her mother battling in front of her. In her mind, she understood that this was all fake. Her mother wasn't truly fighting for the life of her village, and the mercenary wasn't trying to take it away from her...yet everything remained the same. She could hear the grunts of pain from her mother in her ear, and the taunts from the mercenary. Even the thoughts she held as a child rang in her ear, screaming at her "You're useless. How can you just watch your mother's strength and freeze. She deserved a better daughter. One that could actually help her. Not one as pathetic as you." [break][break] Then she felt it, the tears starting to fall from her cheeks. She looked down to see a pool of water beginning to form as the restrains around her limbs tightened, pulling her down towards the ground. She was now down on the ground with her knees down and her arms splayed outwards. She felt extremely vulnerable, not knowing how to deal with the resurgence of emotions within her. She was terrified, and she kept wondering how she would ever be able to make it as a magic knight if she couldn't even be strong enough to stand up for herself now. Her mother would've been just as disappointed in her now as she probably was before, and the thought made her ball her hands up into fist. She needed to stay strong, so she closed her eyes and kept repeating into her brain the moments with her mother after the incident. Even when her ambition was destroyed, she still held herself up to her same standards. She was independent, and allowed herself to be the main person in her recovery. That was when it hit Persephone. She had finally understood that her mother's strength wasn't just for herself, it was for her daughter...the person who watched her most. The one who was always at her bedside when she woke up. Persephone always valued her mother's strength, and she saw it as unattainable, but her mother wanted to show her that it was everything but that. [break][break] Persephone shook her head at the stimulation of all her senses and blurred them all out, flooding her mind with nothing except the good things that happened to her mother after that moment. Her mother's ability to irrigate the crops with ease, allowing the villagers to spend less time in the hot sun. Her mother's open door to those that were fatigued by that sun, and the days when she would smile by just seeing Persephone's face after a day of her training. As she opened her eyes, she felt as the shadows had retracted themselves from her, allowing her the opportunity to run back towards the group. It seemed as though that Jirou glossed over her in his expedition, but she didn't mind. In that moment, she felt herself blur out the bad thoughts like she did with the shadowed creatures. She was going to do her best to help the rest deal with their own fears the best she could, though, it was more likely that they'd need to do those things on their own.
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Notes
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[attr="class","persephonescroll2"] Persephone is mute, so anything marked in this color is her body language and overall persona
[attr="class","julienglass2scroll"] Sol Blinked in surprise when he heard from the young lady Hotaru that her brother was none other the Ardere Kasai the captain of the Crimson Lions, to Sol that was absolutely stunning to find out but he had to resist the urge to snicker at the other noble mans predicament since to be fair the woman was swift and precise with each of her retorts and the blood mage gain a small smirk on his face as she kept going on with her comebacks, 'she is a spitfire and its extreamly entertaining' he thought resisting the urge to laugh as she would then turn to both himself and Persephone and apologize for her behavior which Sol would simply wave it off.”its fine I can understand your feelings I dont flaunt my status to others but I know showing hostility to non nobles can bring nothing but ill feeling and intentions” he explained respectfully as Hotaru went onwards to say she was a rather nice person which made the red eyed mage nod.”Perhaps when we are not in a serious setting we could share a cup of tea and some stories if you would like” he offered politely to the young woman. [break][break] As they had stepped thru the door and into the dungeon Sol caught the young womans words about hoping the man would be eaten by a dragon and he chuckled.”a fair hope but sadly we need the help” he explained as he looked back to Persephone “holding up ok Persephone?” he asked his eyes held a glow to them but unlike when Jirou had irratated him it wasent a fierce glow but more of a warm glow like warm embers had. Upon the trap being Sprung and being presented with the shadows that were wanting to tear into him Sols spell book flipped open before he saw the other shadow move to rush him and he quickly used his weight to push the shadowy beast towards the other as his spell triggered. From the air blood started to form and coalesce into a sphere before it would grow up forming a corset with a beautiful and curvaceous blood red woman formed to fill it though the arms of this woman were rather scary. Instead of normal hands one had razor sharp claws on the right hand mean for slashing and slicing while the left hand held straight claws ment for stabbing and impaling, the final part of the woman that was less then human was from the sphere of blood under her came three long tendrils made from blood with hardened blood serrations that looked like they could rip skin and flesh very easily [break][break] Sol sent he blood countess one simple command thru the link and that was two attack the two shadows and it quickly rushed towards the mana beast like shadow before entwining it with its tendrils before it yanked the serrations which caused the shadowy form to dissipate into nothing while Sol rushed up to the last shadowy figure before he quickly unsheathed his sword and slashed upwards before quickly slashing down as well causing said figure to fade back into the shadows as well. With it done Sol sighed a bit.” all this from taking one step towards a chest talk about nasty luck” he muttered to himself, while he hadnt intended to set the trap off he didnt think that a single step was enough to set it off so easily in fact it seemed kinda crazy that it did. 'note to self keep an eye out for more traps and dont move unless I know its not gonna set anything off last thing I need is to be blamed for setting off every damn trap in the dungeon' he thought to himself before he caught sight of Hotaru having trouble with whatever had appeared out of the chest for her. [break][break] The blood mage quickly spoke up as he moved towards her.”Hotaru dont let them get to you its a trick its trying to weaken you with Fear!” he called out to her trying to snap her out of the veil of fear the things seemed to be trying to push on all of them. If she still had trouble he would quickly send out his blood countess in order to take out one of her enemies to make things easier. Once they finished off their foes Sol breathed a sigh of relief before he would glance at the group “everyone ok not too shaken up also apologies for setting that off I didnt think a single step forward would trigger anything ill be more careful in the future ?” he asked and also apologized as well before seeing jirous shredded clothes and had to resist the urge to shake his head at the absurdity. [break][break] Floor 1 Room 2
Once they had gotten their thoughts together Sol would open the door to the next area and would move with the rest of them as a group as they would enter the next room, glancing around the red eyed noble avoided touching any of the large spikes on the floor as the sound in insects skittering away filled his ears.glancing around Sol didnt really notice much until he glanced up and realized that its was heavily shadowed and no sign of a roof which meant this was most likely the bottom of a pit if he had any guess. Glancing back Sol noticed that the door they came thru was already closed and seemed to blend into the wall while there was no other destination in sight Sol bit back a growl as he saw the remains of those that had fallen before in the place and were eaten by the insects. Before he could think further the blood mage heard the the sound of sinster whispers and laughter that was not at all pleasant coming from above them and he got ready along with his golem.”Heads up we are not alone and whatever is coming is not friendly by any means” he said as the grip on his katana tightened. While this was expected the fact that they were using the shadows was putting Sol more and more on edge and he hated every second of it. [break][break] [break]
COMBAT SUMMARY
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[attr="class","julienglass2scroll2"] MANA: [break][break] TL;DR floor 1 room 1 wc- completed floor 1 room 2 wc - 239 [break][break] SPELLS: Spell [break][break] Name of Spell: Blood Countess Spell Element: Blood Spell Rank: Intermediate Mana Cost:16/8 to sustain Type of Golem: Balanced Applicable Perks: Puppet Master, Mana Conservationist Description: A golem that is beautiful yet terrifying. it is another example of Sols increasing power and mastery over his elements. While this one is less frighting to look at it is still no less deadly. When cast a orb of blood the size of a beachball forms before Sol before starting to shift as it takes the actual shape of the golem.
The blood shifts and manifests into a beautiful looking woman made of blood that stands at 2.1 meters or 7 feet tall from the waist up with a corset made from blood to give her modesty, however that’s where the beauty ends as from the arms are sleeves that come down to hands tipped with bloody claws on one for slashing and grabbing and longer spear like claws on the other better suited for impaling, from the waist down the orb is still visible but gains flowers made of blood sprouting around it around those are three large tendrils of blood tipped with razor sharp hardened blood thorns which can slice and constrict easily, these tendrils can strike at anything in a 3 meter radius around the creature Since this creature does not actually touch the ground it levitates slightly and can move with frightening speed This Golem is rather balanced but its better suited for offense then defending so its only able to attack and it has many ways of doing so. From slashing and impaling with its claws or protrusions to constricting and whipping with its tendrils this creature is elegant and deadly all around. Its attacks deal Intermediate damage and for every 30 Control the user has they can make another Blood Countess capping at four
[break][break] Rank & Element: Junior ¦ Shadow[break] Class & Type: Relic ¦ Weapon (Sword)[break] Magic Specializations: Attack Creation ¦ Sensory[break] Appearance & Lore:[break] [break][break] An ornate katana with a twenty-four-inch (60 cm) blade. the sheath is made of what seems to be made of marble which has been carefully carved into and engraved with what looks like ruby, the base of the sheath has a gold kojiri. Just above the midway point, there seems to be a piece of onyx that has been set around the sheath, the top and bottom of the onyx seems to have the same white marble though it has been fashioned to look almost like fur or feathers. Connected to the onyx there seems to be additional ruby fastenings with ruby chains connecting one part to the next, near the top there is a ruby set in gold that leads off to three carmine red tassels. The handguard seems to be made out of gold leading into the hilt a hilt that is just under half the size of the blade that covered in lackered red marble before being surrounded in black ribbon with gold helm and small ruby beads at each crossing pattern of the ribbon. [break][break] The corrupting shadow was made using an unknown method outside of a certain noble family within Clover. This family has been shunned by many other noble houses because of their appearances and they macabre magic that they are born with so choose to remain in the forsaken region instead of the noble. Not a lot is known about this secretive family, it's hierarchy or its family mechanics and they aim to keep it that way, it allows them to continue doing what they are without too many questions being asked. One thing people will notice of this family is that when they pass their trial of adulthood they start wielding a weapon of some sort and how the dynamics of the family will change to that person. [break][break] Abilities: [break][break]
Type & Uses: Trigger ¦ 4 uses[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory ¦ Homing[break] Mana Cost: 8 per trigger ¦ 15 recharge[break] Range & Speed: 25m ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: +4 Power (self)[break] Description:[break] The blade itself gets covered in what can only be described as flames made of shadow, swiping the blade towards the enemy releases a two meter wide shadow arc, the arc would only be around one centimeter tall until it neared something were it would become three meters tall and almost forming a disk making it harder to dodge. When deaing damage the attack deals Junior rank damage. With the use of ammo rules additional shadow arcs can be created per trigger in addition to this with the use of the homing rules the shadow arc is able to follow a designated target.
[break][break] Name of ability Unity Spiral[break]
Type & Uses: Flow ¦ 3 turns ¦ 2 Overheat[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory ¦ Homing[break] Mana Cost: 8 ¦ 4[break] Range & Speed: 25m ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: +4 control (self)[break] Description:[break] Pointing the blade straight forward quickly is the way that this ability activates. The moment that it is a dual spiral around one meter long by half a meter wide flies free towards its intended target. The spirals deal junior rank damage when they hit a target. With the use of ammo rules, additional spirals can be made per round in addition to this with the use of the homing rules the shadow arc is able to follow a designated target.
[break][break] Name of ability Unholy Eclipse[break]
Type & Uses: Flow ¦ 3 turns ¦ 2 Overheat[break] Rank & Specialization: Junior ¦ Attack Creation ¦ Sensory[break] Mana Cost: 8 ¦ 4[break] Range & Speed: 10m aoe ¦ 10 m/s[break] Stats Affected: n/a[break] Description:[break] Moving their hand up the blade turning it from it's silver and red colour to being pure darkened shadow, flicking the blade makes the shadow leave the blade and start to creep to the max range it can go to dealing junior rank damage to everyone within the range of the spell, with the use of ammo rules the wielder can avoid allies if they so wish.
It seemed like they all had hard pills to swallow in one form or another, they had to face fears about themselves that they either knew where there and tried to pretend weren't, couldn't avoid or didn't realize were there. This wasn't a place for bickering, it was dangerous, the enemy was attacking them mentally and trying to breaking them. It was hard because even the silliest of fears could be used against a person and if they fell to that weakness then someone else was likely going to pay the price of such weakness. None of them wanted this and though it may have been difficult they seemed to each manage to make peace with those fears. "There is nothing wrong with feeling fear, it allows us to know there are things stronger than us... it keeps us humble, but, we mustn't falter to them." she said calmly to the group.
"Such things can be used and it's unlikely we will be the ones paying the price of failure." she said moving forward the moment the shadows faded, slapping Jirou upside the head before doing the same to Sol "You two are like dumb and dumber. You both rushed off but in different ways, we move as one unit or not at all, it is that simple." she said clearly taking control of the situation, she knew that slapping them at the back of the heads might have not been the best thing to do with the captains watching but she didn't care. She wasn't about to be hurt because people didn't wait and look around before going towards something that was clearly staged. She was starting to question if people in Clover had a single tactical brain cell between them, with the shadows gone she decided to give a once over the room remaining within sight of the others.
As she was looking at the requiems on the wall a door opened, they had fulfilled the requirement to move on it seemed, at least that was something. "Do we need to remain here?" she would ask the group, it wasn't as if many of them had used mana but they may have wanted to check around the room like she had. She had a bad feeling about this place and really wanted to move on as quickly as possible but she has told them they needed to move as a group or not at all, this also applied to her. It was only when everyone agreed that she moved forward toward the door that had opened. She paused at the door and took a deep breath, she was hesitant but they needed to push forward and complete this test.
Floor 1, Room 2:
This room was around ten feet by ten feet if she had to guess but it was studied, the room was littered with bones, as she stepped forward into the room, bugs scuttled away from the sudden vibrations. She had no issue with bugs, she did look around the room a bit more but remained close to the door until the others came through the door to join her. From the quick check, she couldn't see any other doors, which was worrying to no end. There had to be a way forward because it wasn't as if they could go back on themselves, she was already hating this place but she kept her breathing steadily to keep her mind clear. It was then she decided to look up her eyes going wide as she couldn't see any sort of ceiling. "Well, this is going to be something. Any ideas?" she asked the others.
Just as she spoke something caught her attention, there was a burst of sinister laughter and less than playful whispers. It drew her attention to the centre of the room where she saw wisps of shadow mana swirling around. She instantly looked as two things seemed to crawl from the pit making her take a step backwards. "Kidō" she said quickly her eyes moving to Persephone, she didn't know what the woman could do but wanted to protect her nonetheless. A set of three miniature planets seem to move around her as if they were the sun. The planets wouldn't do much but rotate around her body which would start to give off heat as if she was indeed a sun. "Ka" she said a soft twinkling of stars now covered her body as if it was a second skin like the first spell she cast it would also give off warmth.
"Shields if you have them" she commented to the others not knowing what to expect next. What happened next made her worry they didn't seem like the undead, it was like they were made out of the living shadow. She was counting her blessings there was only two of them any more than that and there may have been issues, she had never fought anything like this before so had no idea how to tackle it. It was clear these things were going to want to do some serious damage to the group and add them to their list of victims, but how can you fight things that are seemingly made out of the shadow. Anything that created light would have been the best option but it wasn't like she brought a solar blade with her and wasn't an offensive mage, she hated how her magic turned out sometimes.
Word Count: 909 Total Word Count: 4,318 Floor 1, Room 1: Complete Floor 1, Room 2: 454
Name of Spell: Self Radiance Elemental Type: Solar Rank & Spell Type: Junior ¦ Defence Range & Speed: Self ¦ 10 m/s Mana Cost: 10 ¦ 5 Stats Effected: +4 Durability (Self) Applicable Perks: Self repair Description: Uttering the word 'Ka' is enough to activate this spell, if it wasn't for the soft twinkling of stars it would be easy to miss this translucent second skin that covered the caster's body. The shield is warm enough to stave off a winter's breeze but not much else, but if someone was stupid enough to punch it physically then they would end up with minor second-degree burns. The shield itself can take up to intermediate damage before it is destroyed only to mend itself at the beginning of the following round (max 3 rounds) if it is damaged but not fully destroyed.
Name of Spell: Personal Orbit Elemental Type: Solar Rank & Spell Type: Junior ¦ Defence Range & Speed: 25m ¦ 10 m/s Mana Cost: 10 ¦ 5 Stats Effected: +4 Durability (Self) Applicable Perks: Self repair Description: Everyone likes to believe that they are the centre of the universe so in her more mischievous years, she developed a spell that would do just that. Uttering the word 'Kidō' a set of three miniature planets seem to move around a person as if they were the sun. These planets don't do much but rotate around the body which has started to give off heat as if it was indeed a sun though there are no changes to the person's appearance. When attacked the planets will align taking the brunt of the attack. This shield can take up to intermediate damage before it is destroyed, if it isn't destroyed then it will mend itself at the beginning of the following round (max 3 rounds). With the use of ammo rules so longs as she the required control she can make additional orbits.
Jirou stood proudly as he fought against the shadowed farces that tried to attack his mental state. The young noble banished them again and again, each time they returned and were banished just as quickly as before. But shortly afterwards the shadows would dissapear fully, and Jirou would find himself panting softly as he deactivated his physical enhancement spell. The noble was too busy looking at the walls and learning of new types of torture and death to be prepared to block the slap to the back of his head. He whipped his head to look at her, and just then he would bite his tongue and remind himself to behave. But she would pay for that later. Every thing this girl did irritated him and made him want to hate her even more! And yet…. he shook the feeling away and made his way forward ignoring the other two. The only one in this room with any fighting skill was Sol as far as Jirou was concerned. He didn’t voice anything but in his thoughts he perfered for woman to stay in their place. Though currently he didn’t mind letting her and the others take charge, he was now weary of the dungeon and what they were truly being tested for. To have a dungeon made by the wizard king himself had been odd enough as it was, but this hellish environment suggested their true challange to come was something far more dangerous then simple bandits. Jirou could only smile like the monster he was at the thought. [break][break] Floor 1 Room 2 315/2000 [break][break] As they entered the second room, Jirou would happily let out a whistle of approval seeing the massive spikes on the ground all around them, with the animal bones implying a fall froma great height had been their fate. He looked up and saw the endless shadows above, and looked down stepping on a few bugs and grinding them under his heel. As he watched Sol and Hotaru step in further, he would once again let his eyes glide over Persephone, she hadnt been on his radar in the other room, but as he watched her and realized she had changed slightly from when he had last looked upon her. Impressive thought the young noble. He wondered jsut how much further she would grow before the end of the exam, and for the first time he was intrigued by the prospect of the young girl being something. Hotaru and Sol were already well enough as they were and could probably handle most situations by themselves. As he watched her from the corner of his eye however, he felt the strange wave of mana even with his limited sensory skills, and he smiled happily once again as a challenge finally showed itself. [break][break] He quickly turned and with a fierce set of strikes, he broke off two of the spikes closest to him and snatched them out of the air, each spike measured about 4 feet long and ended in a wicked sharp point, made even sharper as Jirou used his strikes to sheer off the eroded tip. Each spike was held by its broken base increasing Jirous reach by 4 feet, and as he activated his defensive spell by speaking the word “Renshou”, causing his entire body to be covered in black carbon along with the massive spikes he now held, he smiled and stood beside Persephone, waiting to see wha thappened next.
words[break]0580 [break] total[break]03421 [break] SP Earned[break]0003 [break] Stat Earned[break]0003 [break]
