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,cyrustext]Cyrus inhaled deeply as he stepped off of the carriage that had brought him to his destination; the port town of Hapshass. The salty air carried from the sea on the breeze felt wonderful to the young knight, the sensation reassuring him that he made the right choice to take it easy for once on his day off. Usually he would be training or practicing when he managed to find some time to himself, but after all the chaos recently he figured that a day to unwind would be wonderful.
And so here he was at the trading hub of the Common Region, pocket full and hopes high. The last time he was here on a mission, he had caught sight of a bookstore that had unfortunately been closed at the time. That was where he was heading now, after he thanked his driver with a generous tip and a bid for a pleasant day. He looked up at the shining sun, shielding his eyes with his hand; given how warm the town was today, it was a good thing he decided to forgo his Golden Dawn mantle and scarf. "Just another tourist today, heh." He said with a chuckle and a grin, making his way into the town.
Finding the bookstore was a little easier said than done, however. It had been some time since he was last here, and his mission at the time had kept him busy enough that he couldn't remember precisely where the shop was. Luckily he found that the townsfolk were plenty helpful, offering to show him the way when he but asked. Grateful but not wanting to take up their time on such a beautiful day, he settled for having them point him in the right direction rather than guide him. Granted it took him a bit longer to locate the store, but at least it gave him some more time to appreciate the nice weather and scenery of the bustling port.
"Ah, there it is!" He said happily as he spotted the familiar sign that had first caught his attention those weeks ago. 'Words of Wisdom' was the name of the shop, a promising title if ever there was one. He noticed a board hanging up in the display window, advertising that they were having a special sort of sale this week; each day would have a discount on books regarding specific disciplines of magic. And as luck would have it, today just so happened to be the day that Golem magic-related works were on sale! Seeing this brought a wide smile to the Elwood's face. Golems were a specialty of his, after all. Probably the magic he was most familiar with.
Not wanting to waste any time, Cyrus opened the door and stepped inside, the scent of old paper and leather-bound books putting him further at ease. It had been far too long since he had a chance to just sit down with a good book. It was a larger store than he had expected from the outside as well, which was even better. Pretty quiet, too; he only saw two or three other customers around. The aisles and sections were all neatly and clearly marked, and as he scanned the shelves he spotted his goal; up on the second floor, there was a sign that read "Golem Magic". There was a small sitting area by the railing that he could see, which would be perfect.
His destination in sight, Cyrus took a look around the bottom floor until he found the spiral staircase leading to the top. And as he arrived at the proper area, he started scanning the books in search of one that might be good. He remembered his mentor Pesha telling him about a book by a Clover Kingdom historian on how Golem magic users had affected things in Clover could prove interesting; "Workers and Wards: Pioneers of Golems in the Workforce".
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Jul 28, 2020 22:49:24 GMT -5
[attr="class","cupidchu"]
Power: 5
Durability: 15
Sensory: 5
Stamina: 15
Control: 20
Total: 60
Mana: 70
Regen: five ic | ten ooc
Spells and Perks
word count: 613 | total words: 613
It was nice to be back in Hapshass. She did a lot of traveling, exploring a variety of libraries and book stores throughout Clover. But aside from the royal capital itself, Hapshass was the place to be. This was likely in part due to the Coral Peacocks, but... Verena still was off put by them. Even if she knew they were a studious group, they were still magic knights. If someone like her father had made it into their rankings, then that likely meant there were plenty of other uncouth people, as well as how there was little qualm about using their magic to harm others to begin with...
Well, there was little point in giving it much thought. Verena wasn't here to bash the Magic Knights; in fact, while she personally wasn't fond of them, she wasn't exactly against their existence, either. She understood that much. As a concept, they were fundamental in the kingdom's existence. Without them, it'd be quite a bit more difficult to actually have a kingdom at all. If only there was a way to root out the wrongs in the order while preserving the whole...
Verena wasn't sure why she gave it so much thought, in truth. Perhaps there was a part of her that wanted to trust them, to place faith in them, but she couldn't. More importantly, she wished for a world where fighting like that wouldn't have to take place, and people could simply settle their differences like people. A world where people wouldn't hurt another, lie to another, deceive another... betray another. It was just wishful thinking though. She knew deep down in her heart of hearts the impossibility of that wish. It wasn't as if she had the power to bring about such change, anyways.
The brunette had been staying in the town for a few days now and had been working on getting enough money to buy several books in regards to the upcoming sale once she was made aware of it. Thankfully she had managed to actually save up quite a bit with odd jobs and errands here and there, which meant she was good to go on a book spending extravaganza. Not that she could really afford to take much with her. She was limited to whatever the bag she had with her could carry. But at least this way she could get a few quality books.
~~~
Unfortunately for Cyrus, he wasn't able to find the book in the shelves. However, chances were he'd notice the book before he even started looking. The brunette was sitting down comfortably on this second floor, reading over the very same book. After all, to Verena, this was exactly the sort of thing she was looking for. She wanted to use golems not for the sake of hurting others, but rather to use them to help others. Most of the odd jobs she'd been doing around the town involved using her golems to do just that.
Even that Void magic user was someone she wanted to learn from, though several reasons. But as it was, it'd be the most convenient method for emergency rescue if she could have learned it. Either way, however, she was an avid researcher in ways one could use golems out of combat. Finding as many applications that they could be used in, as well as ways to construct better golems was something that she simply couldn't resist the urge about. She wasn't engrossed in her books yet, however, having only just sat down with a stack of five books beside her. She seemed quite tired as well having to carry them, panting a bit as she got comfortable.
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[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus smile as he perused the surprisingly large collection of books on golem magic that the store had in stock, spotting countless that he had never seen before and many that were familiar as well; he made a point to pick up a few of each, wanting to check out something new while also revisit some of his old studying material. A glance to the side revealed that he was not alone on the second floor, as he spotted a young woman with brown hair and rather striking red eyes occupying one of the chairs in the reading area he had noticed from the first floor, a small stack of books beside her as she read another one.
On closer inspection, the boy smiled as he recognized the title of the book in her hands; the very same book that he had been hoping to find! Did they have another copy available? He quickly set to scanning the shelves once more, trying to see if he could find one for himself. He had a project in the works that would involve construction, so a history on how golems have been used in such matters would be of great assistance to him.
Much to his disappointment, however, it would seem that there were no other copies of the tome in stock. He had quite the haul for when he was ready to check out, but the knowledge that they had what he had specifically been looking for had gotten his hopes up. Another shift of his eyes brought them back to the girl reading; he didn't want to ask her to just let him have it, seeing as she seemed rather tired from how she looked.
Briefly he mulled over what he should do in this situation, before shaking his head. Besides recommending books and her training, Pesha also was keen on telling Cyrus that he tended to overthink things too much. And it seemed that even after all this time that was still a problem for him; he was making it more complicated than it had to be.
Still, he wanted to at least be polite. A simple greeting occurred to the mage, who smiled and made his way over to the chair beside the woman, placing his books on the table opposite where she had her own as he sat down. He would offer the girl a polite nod if she bothered to look his way, before lightly tapping on the table with his index finger if she had not looked at him before.
"I beg your pardon. I'm really sorry to interrupt you, but I noticed that book you were reading; "Workers and Wards". If it is not too much trouble, do you think you could permit me a moment to look it over when you have finished reading it? I tried to see if they had any other copies in stock, but no such luck I'm afraid."
His eyes fell on the stranger's own stack of books, and he recognized several of the titles. Cyrus smiled. "Ah, quite the assortment you have there! "The Shoulders of Giants", by Erathal Benzer is a personal favorite of mine. Have you read it before?"
His smile remained for a moment, before he blinked and his face reddened. "A-ah, sorry. I didn't mean to be a bother. I just can't help myself sometimes when I see something that piques my interest. Cyrus Elwood, by the way! I'll leave you to your own reading."
Deciding he would give her a moment of quiet, he turned his attention to his own books and pulled out the one at the center of his stack; "Living Relics", a book detailing golems discovered in ancient ruins that were still functioning despite their creators' deaths' hundreds or thousands of years prior. He was tempted to as the stranger on if she had any theories as to how such things were possible, having several of his own, but he restrained himself to let her read in peace. He had come there for some quiet relaxation and learning himself, after all.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Jul 30, 2020 19:02:43 GMT -5
[attr="class","cupidchu"]
Power: 5
Durability: 15
Sensory: 5
Stamina: 15
Control: 20
Total: 60
Mana: 70
Regen: five ic | ten ooc
Spells and Perks
word count: 724 | total words: 1340
Verena was engrossed in her reading, as the Magic Knight might have realized at a first glance. Still, she wasn't so engrossed in what she was doing that she hadn't taken notice of his presence. He didn't seem to be a magic knight though at least Verena noticed. Still, the way he carried himself... he wasn't some peasant, either. Messy blonde hair, tannish skin, with eyes as emeralds... he did look quite young, too. No older than eighteen just at a glance, though there was no way to say for certain.
The brunette noticed that the male seemed to be looking at her... no, at her books? Ah, what an intelligent youth! She respected it greatly and offered a faint smile his way as a result. Still, as young as the boy looked, Verena could tell even as weak as her sensory was. He was much, much stronger than she herself was. Thankfully that didn't seem to be reflective in his personality, carrying himself in a gentle, respectful manner. She wasn't sure if he was just checking what she was reading out of a curiosity or if he was interested in golem theory, but either way, she still had much work to do. There was tons of new information that she didn't get a chance to read last time during her stay here and she was engrossed in the information available.
The boy trailed off after a moment, leaving Verena a chance to read Wilhelm Thalostin's "Golem Theory: The Perfect Golem Anatomy". The book was widely acclaimed due for the author's extensive research into a variety of different elemental golems, as well as the form each golem took, diving deeply into the pros and cons of each form. Though golems were effectively incapable of being 'customized' for their optimal performance, spells often were born as a result of a person's effort; what they worked towards often determined the type of golem they could make. This meant that so long as one put in the right effort, their effort would bear fruit with an optimal golem. This was, at least, all theoretical, though it wasn't without merit. Verena's golems were humanoid in nature thus far, a result stemming from her desire to...
Well, that was quite inconsequential. It was a fascinating read though, nonetheless. Verena was thoroughly impressed by the detail Wilhelm noted each golem he'd learned. The red-eyed girl wondered what type of magic he used. No doubt, Wilhelm also used golems, but what element? Might he also be someone blessed by mana, chosen by a four leaf grimoire for Summoner-esque magic? She wasn't sure, but though it was possible, it was incredibly unlikely unfortunately enough.
Verena's reading, however, was interrupted by a voice. She glanced up to spot the familiar boy. Workers and Wards? She glossed over to the five books. Sure enough, that was one of the books she grabbed. In fact, it was the next book she was going to read. Oh, wait. This was that one who eyed her books then. The woman pieced together what Cyrus was asking just shortly before he got to his actual question, nodding.
"Um... sure," she quietly said. "I've read it a few times already, but haven't quite been able to commit it to memory, unfortunately."
Verena listened as the youth beside her talked about another book. "Mm... I think so. There are a few books with similar sounding titles. Is that the fantasy novel involving a boy's quest to use golems to save people from barbaric enemies, or is it the one discussing the history of golem magic? I've read the former, though the latter I haven't been able to find yet. It wasn't here, either," she added in response, smiling towards the youth.
"I'm uhm... Verena," she said, introducing herself though opting not to use her last name. "I don't mind the company though. You use golems too, right? If you're after Workers and Wards, you must be a very kind person. I'm researching different applications for golem magic out of combat. So in that sense, Rinthril Amadeus' work here has proved quite helpful, but I could never bring myself to buy the book due to how useful it is. Someone else might be interested in it, too. I tend to just read it every time I come across it to try to memorize it."
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[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus was pleased to find that the young woman seemed unbothered by his presence, unable to hide a quiet sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted to do was to ruin or interrupt someone else's quiet time to themselves, after all. For a time she returned her attention to the book in her hands, before his remark about the Workers and Wards book seemed to register. She agreed to his request to see the book once she was finished with it, earning her a respectful nod of his head in addition to words of thanks. "I appreciate it!" He said happily. "I haven't been able to find a copy until I saw this one on your stack. Oh, but please, take your time! I have the day off and a quiet ride home; I don't mind having to wait for my turn."
At last the woman gave him her name, Verena, though he did notice that she hadn;t given him her full name. That was fine by him, though; not everyone was so open with strangers in regards to their heritage. Just one name was plenty for the lower noble. "A pleasure to meet you, Verena!" He said, offering a hand to shake if she was willing. It was a habit of his that was hard to shake; something he'd first started in his youth out of a desire to seem approachable and outgoing whenever he would do odd jobs around the Royal Capital to pay his tutor for her assistance and help around the house.
Verena asked about the other book he had mentioned, The Shoulders of Giants, and he held up two fingers to indicate that it was the second one she had guessed. "The history of golem magic, yes! In particular, it talks about how users of this specific branch of magic have refined and improved upon techniques left behind by those who came before them; as I recall, there's a fascinating chapter on how the various "classes" of golems that we use today came to be!"
She mentioned that she had been unable to find a copy of that book, and Cyrus grinned and pulled out, what else, but a copy of the very same tome. "Another single copy, it seems!" He noted, sliding it across the table between them for her to take a look at. "I found it tucked behind a few other books by the same author; probably somebody who planned to come back for it but forgot."
The woman seemed to approve of his own interest in the subject of golems, even noting that she didn't mind the company. He nodded in confirmation at the question of whether he used them himself, though at the comment about being kind he only gave a sheepish shrug. "I thank you for the compliment, and am willing to bet that the same can be said about you!" He said, turning it back on her with a smile an a quiet chuckle. "You see, I actually have a project that I've been working on that I think could really make a difference if I can gather enough support for it; once I have the money and backing, I actually plan to seek an audience with the Wizard King himself on the matter."
He nodded towards the book they were discussing. "My tutor mentioned this book to me once, and from what she said I felt like it would serve as a great reference on how to go about constructing the base of operations that I require."
Verena explained that she was interested in golems for their non-combat applications; a way of thinking that he could certainly get behind. There was too much fighting nowadays; it was best to have as few people exposed to such things as possible. Heck, that was even a large part of the organization he was attempting to put together; to minimize the need for innocents to get involved in such dangerous matters.
"I can get what you mean, about Amadeus' work! There's a level of detail and scrutiny in his work that's hard to match. I'm impressed you can even attempt to memorize such work, though; I must confess, I'm the sort who needs to refer back to my learning rather frequently."
A thought occurred to him, and he picked up the top book of his own stack. "Oh, but if you're interested in non-combat applications, might I suggest giving this book a read? "Gargantus: The Living City", by Olivia Oleander! It's a recount of her most famous archaeological discovery; a large clearing found deep in the mountains of the Forsaken Region, with countless pieces of houseware and golem remains, but no structures."
Cyrus flipped open the book, turning to a page he remembered well; in the illustration provided, Verena would see a long line of golem bodies seeming to surround the clearing, along with large collections of their bodies in the midst of it. "Olivia found evidence in this site, documents and records, that there was once a civilization built entirely around golems; they formed a living wall around its borders to ward off wild beasts and enemies, and even served as mobile houses and work stations."
He smiled fondly. "Many of the golem remains she discovered, when reconstructed, seemed to lock together like the pieces of a puzzle. And there were all sorts of different elements used; stone, metals, mud, glass and more! How applicable or feasible such systems could be in today's society is debatable, but if nothing else it makes for a good base to go off of with what is possible."
Deciding to illustrate his point, Cyrus pulled out his grimoire and opened it to the page of one of his most basic golems; the Treacle. "After all, golems can be as simple as humanoids, amorphous blobs, or shaped into stunning works of art that seem just as alive as flesh and blood creatures. But reading this book made me realize how limiting that mindset is. I had never even considered the idea of just... a living wall. And houses? How did they come up with such things, you think?"
Needless to say, Cyrus was happy to have met someone who seemed to share his passion for the subject. On being pulled out, his grimoire seemed to almost hum as if in acknowledgement it had been drawn.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Aug 6, 2020 7:42:38 GMT -5
[attr="class","cupidchu"]
Power: 5
Durability: 15
Sensory: 5
Stamina: 15
Control: 20
Total: 60
Mana: 70
Regen: five ic | ten ooc
Spells and Perks
word count: 1226 | total words: 2566
In the same way Cyrus was glad that Verena wasn't bothered, she was pleased by his eagerness and zeal. This was clearly something he was passionate about, and it was always a wonderful thing to Verena to come across people who were so open about their passions--specifically, ones that didn't involve fighting in some form. To that end, perhaps she was even more grateful to Cyrus than the boy was to her; it was hard to say with complete certainty, as she herself wasn't entirely sure how relieved the boy was, either.
"Of course," she said, smiling. "Golems are something of a topic of interest to me, so it's always enough to make my day when I come across someone who has the same vigor for them that I do. It'd be wrong of me to not share the book in that sense, especially due to its rarity."
When the boy offered his hand, Verena looked at him, almost confused. The brunette wasn't used to this type of interaction--usually, book worms were the sort to be able to just silently nod one anothers way, a silent acknowledgment of their bond. It wasn't that she was opposed to the idea of shaking hands, evident in the fact she extended her own hand, meekly accepting the gesture from the other with a brief hand shake. "A-A pleasure for me as well..." she said, taken aback by such a small and simple interaction.
The truth was Verena wasn't used to being wrong about people's characters. He was young, sure, and the passionate type... Ah. No, it wasn't that she was wrong, she was just not used to these types. In any case, however, regardless of her own personal pride, it'd have been rude to simply 'leave him hanging', as she heard some peasants say during her travels. Besides, it wasn't like she had anything against him, either.
As Cyrus explained "The Shoulders of Giants", the timid girl's eyes widened with a child-like wonder. To learn more about the origin of golemancy was something she was deeply invested in. She'd found several books that scratched the surface, but the itch that she had to study more about the original applications and usages was simply much to deep to be satiated merely by surface level knowledge. And that was precisely why when Cyrus mentioned pulled out a copy of this book, her expression turned from one of pure childlike wonder to that of one who had just laid their eyes upon the world's greatest treasure.
Still, the boys next comment of encouragement... there was a lot Verena wanted to say about that. That he was wrong about that. Verena wasn't a kind person in her eyes. If she was a kind person, she would have never tried seeking validation from her father in the method she desired. She would have never shown him her grimoire. The love and affection she wanted served only to humiliate him. It was possible that if she surpassed all expectations and became strong enough to force him to acknowledge her, then maybe things wouldn't have turned out the way they did, but that sort of thing was tyrannical she realized. So, she did what she always did. She simply smiled. But unlike the genuine smiles she'd demonstrated so far, this was pained. She couldn't bring herself to dampen the mood, but there was no way she could accept such a compliment.
"The Wizard King himself, huh..." she mused, focusing on the latter part of what was said "...I don't know if I'd count on that. Unless you're someone of genuine importance, it might be quite difficult to get an audience with him personally. You'd need to be an accomplished Magic Knight or one of the major Noble families most likely to get a direct audience with him right away..."
Verena could tell this boy was much stronger than her--it was possible he was a Magic Knight, but she didn't want to count on it. No, it was more accurate to say she didn't want to believe she was dealing with a Magic Knight right now. He was too kind, too eager, and still very young. His willingness to learn was not something she'd see in the Magic Knights, but even if it was, that just meant he was someone who was covering up for the misdeeds of those who did cause problems within their own kingdom, whether he knew it or not. She desperately wished for reform but did not have the authority or means to make such an open declaration.
Before he could get a chance to explain his position in the social hierarchy, Verena did something uncharacteristic and changed the topic back to what was being discussed, hopefully, to prevent him from explaining what it was he did for a 'career'. "What's this project about though? I may not be the Wizard King, but I'm at least curious to hear what it is. Your tutor seems to have the right idea if she pointed this book out to you though."
Once that topic ended, however, a new one was brought up. "Oh I've heard of that! It was built near one of the Mana Zones, but kept in the Forsaken Region for the sake of protection. It was theorized the reason for this was to actually have the golems absorb the residual mana from the zone so as to not have to suck the creators from the continuous drain as well as keep them sustained long into the future. That's at least one theory as to why the golems are still standing, at least."
The city of Gargantus was, in Verena's eyes, one of the many wonders of the Clover Kingdom. It was absolutely a place she wanted to visit at some point. It was a marvel of magic that served as an apex of true collaboration golemancy. Her fascination and respect for the site was one of reverence as a golem user. It was something she sought to achieve as well. If it wasn't for how taxing it'd be mana wise, she would have considered doing something similar to herself.
Still, that last point in regards to the golems used was of particular interest to her. Different elemental types of golems all working in unity, part of a much larger, more grand purpose. It was new information to her, but one she pleasantly welcomed. "I wasn't aware of that..." she mused before absent mindedly adding, "I hope to one day learn many more affinities for golems to try to even accomplish something on a much smaller scale..."
"But you know, it's not as if that's unexpected. Even I've been working on Magic to allow for shelters with my own magic, and so forth. But the idea of taking it a step further and making a living wall to protect oneself and others--not even I had considered that idea...."
She studied the boys own golem, impressed by what she could tell from it. Simple in it's construction, but effective. Without thinking, she pulled out her own grimoire. "Mine are a bit too narrow minded," she admitted as she showed off the two Golem spells she had access to at this point. "There's two more Golems I'm working on at the moment as well." She was careful to not show the cover of her grimoire.
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[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus noted the somewhat odd look Verena had given him when he offered a handshake to her, wondering if he had perhaps somehow offended her. Before he could dwell on such a possibility she returned the gesture however, earning the young woman a happy smile from the sap wizard. She pointed out how much it improved her own day to meet someone with similar interests, a fact that made him chuckle in agreement. "I can certainly agree with you on that!" he said as she shook his hand.
Perhaps even moreso than the odd look at the offer for a handshake, though, Cyrus saw how her face seemed to brighten by several levels as he explained The Shoulders of Giants to her. He could tell she had a similar fascination with the history of their magic of choice.
Again her expression seemed to falter for a moment after his compliment. It wasn't that she was no longer smiling; she was. But it didn't seem as... youthful, he supposed was an adequate descriptor. And at the mention of his plan to present his idea to the Wizard King himself, she wasted no words in noting how unlikely it was just to gain an audience with the man. At this, Cyrus' smile weakened for a moment as well; it was true, as far as he was concerned. Cyrus didn't consider himself to be somebody especially important, even within the Golden Dawn; though Zaven and the other Knights referred to him as the squad's second in command, he felt it was more that he was holding onto the position until someone truly worthy of the position of Vice Captain came along.
Somehow, it seemed to have escaped his notice even after all this time that Zaven was training him to do just that.
Despite the faltering of his expression for a moment, his smile returned just as strong as before. Possibly even stronger. "It's true, what you say. I'm not somebody worth the time of such an individual. And my plan is still a work in progress, at the moment. But you know what I think? I think that's no reason just to give up on it! If anything, it's motivation for me to work even harder! No change ever came because of contentment; change, for better or worse, is caused by action! And if the Wizard King won't hear it or support it... then I'll handle everything myself."
Verena quickly followed him up, asking just what his idea was that he was so keen on. He grinned. "Ah, well you see, my idea is to form a group specializing in the active search for ancient ruins and magical artifacts from ages past."
Realizing that might be a bit vague, Cyrus clasped his fingers together. "In just the past few months, there have been countless incidents involving such things across the Kingdom; ancient forces awakening from their deep slumber without warning or apparent cause, suddenly lashing out at the world they're thrust into. And all we've been able to do is sit back and wait for such things to happen."
Cyrus looked over at her, pointing straight down and tapping the finger to emphasize his point. "These beings and events are happening right beneath our nose, everywhere. Just recently, a dungeon manifested not far from my family's home in the Forsaken Region. It's enough to drive a man mad, worrying about the possibility of such things simply lying in wait to ambush the populace."
He then gestured with the finger on the table, slowly dragging it from one book to the next on its surface. "We need to be more proactive. We need to be out there, searching for ruins and investigating even the most improbable rumors we come across. Stop these things before they begin... or at the very least, give ourselves more information to work with when they do. And not just dangers, but other oddities as well; some time ago many people seemed to spontaneously develop traits belonging to races long since died out. Why? Why are there so many rumors of spirits being spread now? There are too many questions, and not enough people looking for answers."
His hand returned to his lap, re-clasping both of them together. "That, more or less, is the goal of the organization that I wish to create." He finished.
Past the subject of his little project, he was pleased to see that Verena was very familiar with Gargantus. He grinned excitedly as she recited one of the most popular theories about how the mysterious city must have functioned. "Right!" He said. "And there's another theory about them creating these rechargeable 'mana hearts' to power the largest and most important of the golems; made from condensed mana in the deepest regions of corresponding Mana Zones. I've actually seen a similar phenomenon in my travels, investigating several monuments around Clover; places where mana is so dense that it crystallizes. And those were normal locations; nowhere as dense as a Mana Zone."
Verena seemed to muse about improving her own golems, though the mention of affinity piqued his curiosity. Further intriguing him was when she shared the details of her own golems with him, showing the young man her grimoire. His expression lit up. "Nothing wrong at all with simplicity!" He assured his colleague. "Function over form, I say. And from what I can tell, you can control multiple elements! I would almost envy that, were I not so attached to my own."
He chuckled and flipped to another golem in his book; this one being his current strongest, the Heliades, with an image of the armored angel as well. "When I was younger, I was often worried about what sap could do. No one I had ever met, or have yet for that matter, used it as well. And it didn't seem especially strong or unique despite this apparent rarity. But anything has potential, so long as you seek it out!"
Once more his grimoire seemed to almost hum, this time at the mention of his magic's potential. He eyed the tome for a moment, wondering if his friend would decide to introduce herself at some point since she seemed to be paying attention to their conversation.
Verena mentioned having some more golems in the planning stages, which made him grin. "Care to share?" He asked with a chuckle, as a way of saying it was okay if she didn't.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Aug 12, 2020 8:19:51 GMT -5
[attr="class","cupidchu"]
Power: 5
Durability: 15
Sensory: 5
Stamina: 15
Control: 20
Total: 60
Mana: 70
Regen: five ic | ten ooc
Spells and Perks
word count: 1097 | total words: 3663
Verena was more and more surprised by the conversation as it went on. Cyrus was someone who was very similar to herself. Their love of golems shaped a lot of their interests and hobbies right down to their literature preference. However, where they differed was noticeable. She didn't know Cyrus' life before this point, so she had no right to declare this out loud. But she wondered what life was like for him growing up. Did he have people to support him? Were his parents there in his corner for him? The thought alone made her only a tiny bit envious, but she shook the feeling. It wasn't as if she wished misery upon everyone she met. No, she really was happy that someone didn't have the type of hardship she had endured... she hoped, at least.
Verena noted that several times throughout their conversation, her reactions seemed to have some effect on the man before her. Was she causing him any discomfort? She hoped not. That wasn't her intent, though it wasn't like it could really be helped by this point. After all, as Cyrus continued to speak, she gradually became more and more aware of something that gave her pause out of worry.
Verena knew that the man was much stronger than she herself was; how much was 'much stronger' she couldn't accurately gauge, but it was a type of strength that one couldn't obtain through sheer training alone. She was confident in that belief at least. He was definitely someone who had at least some combat experience at the bare minimum. Her sensory abilities were low, but even she could tell this much.
There was also the fact he was aspiring to create an organization that he likely knew without a shadow of a doubt would fall into the possession of the Magic Knights. There was no chance that the Wizard King would permit this group's existence outside of the Magic Knights. Maybe civilians could be recruited, but at the end of the day, this would most certainly be a group that would end up being heavily influenced by the Magic Knights. In fact, an experienced Magic Knight was more likely to oversee the group versus an ordinary civilian.
In that case, it was very possible Cyrus was...
"Uhm... it wasn't that I wasn't calling you unworthy," Verena said when Cyrus seemed to get heavily discouraged. The woman felt a little bad now. That wasn't her intent. "...It's just that you of all people should understand just how difficult it would be to get a direct audience with him when you consider all of his responsibilities. He can't make time for everyone... but I wonder why I'm telling you this," Verena said, sighing. The last part of her voice was barely audible. "...Ah, I'm sorry. I uhm..."
The woman was shaking slightly, but even still she remained as still as she could. She chose not to comment on Cyrus' goal immediately; it wasn't that she was going to ignore it, but due to the severity of what she was believing, she couldn't bring herself to comment on this. She just wanted to talk about golems, get comfortable, relax, then confront the issue in front of her. It'd make it easier at the end of the day.
"Mana hearts, mana hearts..." she thought to herself. Ah. Right. Something akin to a core; it was effectively where the most concentrated amount of mana flew through. Through it, all actions were made easier, practically omitting the need for control in advanced cases. She'd heard about these, but she wasn't quite sure about their authenticity. They gave the golems an overwhelming advantage though there was also a major risk to using them like this, too. Well, she wasn't too sure on most of this, to begin with.
Verena nodded in confirmation. "I um... have a sort of rare element, if you could call it that. It lets me make golems out of any element. I just have to be able to learn it. The last time I was here, someone taught me how to use their sound affinity. I promised her I'd make a Sound golem for the next time we meet, so I've been working on that. It's been a bit difficult but it's slowly coming along. Cloth is another element I can make a golem out of, but what I envision for it is not something I'm quite capable of doing yet," she confessed.
"As for my actual element, I use carbon. I want to make a truly special golem with this, so I haven't tried yet. I want to learn as much as possible about it. My dream is to make a golem so lifelike it can be mistaken for a human being," Verena said before covering her mouth, eyes turning to the side. She clearly felt a bit of guilt.
That was right. She'd glossed over Cyrus' own dream out of her own fear, but here she was sharing her own dream. It was rude. It was inconsiderate. She knew that. She did intend to ask him about this after talking a bit about golems, but the fact that she shared her own dream before even apologizing about that...
"Erm..." she began to say, eventually looking up to Cyrus. "Once more, I apologize... I was hoping to avoid talking about it, but I wouldn't feel right about sharing my dream without acknowledging yours, but... you're a magic knight, aren't you?"
It'd make sense that he would be. Even still, she desperately hoped he wasn't. "My full name... it's Verena Reinsberg. If you don't recognize that name, that's okay. My father was a Magic Knight, too. But he..." she began to say.
The girl seemed hesitant to say more and was trembling slightly at the memories that came flooding in. She seemed genuinely scared. "...well, he's not anymore. I-I try to avoid Magic Knights. I think your dream is a great one, but... there are probably people who will become love drunk with the sheer thought of being able to get their hands on such powerful relics."
"...Before such a group should exist, reform should probably take place first. ...That way, people like my father can never hope to get involved with such a well-meaning group. I'm sure he's not the only bad apple," Verena said, frowning. She was a lot happier when she was talking about golems as well as her plans for it, but she didn't want to dodge the issue forever. She was clearly uncomfortable talking with Cyrus though at this point.
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[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus had faced his own troubles, growing up. His parents were supportive, sure, but they and especially he himself were in a rough spot with the rest of the Elwood family; often viewed as the lowest of the noble houses due to their foreign blood, the fact that they earned their spot by trading information on the Heart Kingdom they fled from, and the general mediocrity its members had demonstrated over the many generations since then.
Cyrus himself was seen as something of a black sheep among the already dark herd of the bloodline; his mother was the first member of the Elwood family in generations to fail at joining any of the Magic Knight squads, and his father was a commoner. He was the son of a failure and an inferior. So naturally, the fact that Cyrus had done so well for himself irked the elders something fierce; someone who should, by all rights, be an insignificant speck was instead the most prominent member of their house; personally recruited by the Golden Dawn's Captain, the host of the Spirit of Sap, and more mana than even most nobles.
It was so frustrating, seeing him succeed, that the elders resolved to do whatever they could to inconvenience him. Most notably, they continuously refused to give him the inheritance he should have received three years ago when he successfully joined the Magic Knights.
Cyrus was determined to succeed despite their machinations, or perhaps in spite of them. The whole reason he wanted to join the Magic Knights was to provide some comfort to his parents who had been denied it out of the rest of the house's irrational hatred of them. But now that he had been a knight for three years, he took his role as a protector of the Clover Kingdom very seriously. That was why he wanted to create this organization.
Verena spoke up, seeking to clarify what she had meant earlier, but Cyrus didn't mind too much being reminded of how unlikely his idea was to succeed. She even apologized, and he smiled softly. "You really are kind," He said, echoing his earlier thoughts on the woman. "Yes, the Wizard King is exceptionally busy at all times. And in the grand scheme of things, I really don't amount to much. You don't need to apologize, though I'll accept it if it makes you feel better. Like I said, I will see this project through with or without his support."
He noticed that Verena seemed shaken, though by what exactly he could not tell. Cyrus was many things, but he didn't consider himself to be particularly good at reading people. The conversation turned back towards golems and magic in general, with the woman explaining the precise nature of what her magic was. His eyes widened. "That's amazing!" He said genuinely, unable to even fathom what a sound golem might be like. "Your magic seems quite versatile! With proper skill, a golem can be made for any sort of circumstances. But having multiple elements means you can be that much more specialized or generalized; personally, I'm a fan of the latter."
She even explained her dream to make a golem indistinguishable from an actual person, a goal that impressed, fascinated, and intrigued him. It would certainly be a fine feat, and one that would require great skill and knowledge. But it seemed extremely... specific. She covered her own mouth, as though she had said too much. After a moment she returned her attention to him, and asked him if he was a member of the Magic Knights.
Cyrus blinked, surprised at the question; he usually wore his mantle, so people would automatically know that he was, but nodded in response to the question. "Oh, yes I am, as a matter of fact!" He said quite casually. "Cyrus Elwood of the Golden Dawn, to be precise. Acting second in-command, since we currently do not have an official Vice Captain."
It was then that Verena reintroduced herself, and the girl's family name certainly sounded familiar to him, but he could not recall from where. The fact that she had not given it earlier though, told him that it was a matter she either tried to hide or did not like to acknowledge. Possibly both. And given what she said next... it was rather probable, in fact.
She admitted to her issues with his plan, in spite of admiring the spirit of his goal. She cited a need for reform, to prevent such issues from happening, and he could tell that she was not excited to be talking about this.
Or perhaps it was something to do with him?
Despite this, however, Cyrus didn't seem offended by her counterpoints. "You raise good points, Verena." He said, feeling that it would be better not to bring her family name into things. "It is true; there are people who would seek such artifacts out of a desire for power, prestige, or wealth. And it would be ideal to prevent such things from happening."
Cyrus stood up from his chair, picking up a single book from the top of his stack; a biography of the famed golem user Francois Teralesque, who used golems to deceive a tyrant ruling her city into believing that she had a massive army at her beck and call.
He looked at the woman, a peaceful look on his face. "I have considered those same risks." He continued. "But the simple fact of the matter is, regardless of how things may change, people will still be people. There are always risks in taking chances; that's why they're called chances, after all. There stands a possibility that someone with impure motives might seek to use my organization for ill purposes, it's true. But it is also true that there exists such people in all walks of life."
He smiled; it wasn't the super enthusiastic grin he had when they were talking about golems, or the polite smile he wore when first greeting the woman. But it was every bit as genuine as he spoke. "And as risky as it might be, I like to believe those people are in the minority." He said, nodding as if to reaffirm his own beliefs. "And it is because there are people out there who need to be saved that I intend to see this through. If we view all who we meet with suspicion, how long will it be before we question why our shadow follows us around? Or why the air is there to fill our lungs? I don't know what your life as been like, Verena. I don't know why you try to avoid Magic Knights. And I won't ask; that's something that has to be shared by choice. I just wanted to say what my own experiences have taught me, is all."
Cyrus' grimoire glowed once more, but this time something actually happened; from the shining pages of the tome emerged Hama, his friend and partner. She stretched and yawned, looking around at the room. "Geez are you still looking for books, Cyrus?" She asked, having only been vaguely aware of the conversation the two had been having in her sleep.
Cyrus chuckled. "I'll be done shortly, Hama." He assured the fairy as she sat down on his shoulder, eyeing the Reinsburg girl. Seeing this, the boy held a hand out to indicate her. "Hama, this is Verena; a fellow golem enthusiast like myself. Verena, this is Hamadryad, the spirit of sap, and my friend."
The spirit rolled her eyes at the mention of their shared interests, but gave her a lazy salute. "Yo. Nice to meet you, I guess. Hama is fine, if you prefer!" She said as she laid across her comrade's shoulder. She looked at the book in his hand, and then at the ones on the desk. She had a curious expression on her face, but the boy gave her a familiar look that said not to question.
"I apologize for making you uncomfortable, Verena." Cyrus said honestly. "It was never my intention. But I truly did enjoy talking with you about golems and magic. I still have a few books I want to look for, though. So if you do wish to continue talking, I'll be right over there by the bookshelf."
With that he gave her a small wave and returned to the shelves of books, scouring the spines in search of something interesting. Truth be told, he hoped that she would speak to him again, but if his presence was that unpleasant he wasn't going to insist on bothering her.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Aug 23, 2020 12:56:10 GMT -5
[attr="class","cupidchu"]
Power: 5
Durability: 15
Sensory: 5
Stamina: 15
Control: 20
Total: 60
Mana: 70
Regen: five ic | ten ooc
Spells and Perks
word count: 890 | total words: 4553
Again, referring to her as kind... Verena wasn't sure how she felt about that. What about her was kind? Though there was a part of her that insisted otherwise, the brunette couldn't bring herself to argue her point further. And thus, also she could offer in response to the repeated opinion of her was a weak sigh. It wasn't one of exhaustion or defiance, but of uncertainty. Even in these moments, she was the type who was careful to try not to upset anyone.
"...I can't tell if you're humble or if your self-esteem is even worse than mine," Verena responded to Cyrus. "You say you have little value, but you also are acting as a lieutenant to the Golden Dawn of all squads. In Clover , your worth is only relevant to your status. Just by virtue of being in the Golden Dawn, your voice carries far more weight than someone of similar status in any squad. You're also a de facto lieutenant. The reach you have is limitless. You have the means to bring change, Cyrus Elwood."
"The Wizard King would make time for you on this endeavor without question. Especially if you asked the captain to see if he could make it possible. This is an organization that would have far more benefits to Clover than risks. As I see it," Verena began as she raised her hand forward, bringing up a finger for each pointed stated. "...the only three issues that plague it are A: Finances. How much would it cost to fund such a group? B: What will become of the relics and dungeons when discovered? How will they be distributed? Will they be studied? Guarded? The aftermath of a successful endeavor is something important to consider. And C: Recruitment. This is less an issue for the organization itself and more how it's managed though. But in any event, finances can be taken care of easily; this isn't an organization that will need a base of operations. They'll need to be paid, but it only makes sense to pay them per expedition rather than the paychecks Magic Knights currently utilize. The second issue is something you already have taken into account no doubt, so I won't bother bringing up why that's an issue, and I've already mentioned the third issue already." "When you take these three issues into consideration and weigh them against what Clover stands to gain from such a group, it's not hard to figure out why the Wizard King would be willing to approve it. It only comes down to careful management to prevent a worst-case scenario. It would also give Clover a distinct upper hand against the Diamond and Spade kingdoms respectively. So you needn't worry. If you truly have good intentions, then lift your head up high and seek an audience with the Wizard King with your head held up high. Let your voice be the start of change--of reform. I'm sure it'll all work out in the end."
Verena sheepishly scratched her cheek. During this time, she'd been looking Cyrus in the eyes, displaying uncharacteristic confidence at this moment, but the moment she finished, her eyes immediately fell back down to her books. It was clear what she had just said made her uncomfortable after she finished speaking. While she would have loved to stay on the topic of golems, she felt she needed to tell him this. She was confident Cyrus already knew everything she had just told him, but hearing it from a stranger might have made it have more impact. That was her goal at least. But had she come off as too aggressive about it? Had she been too mean? She wasn't sure. She didn't want to upset him, but she couldn't just keep quiet about this, either.
When the spirit came out, however, she immediately fell out of her trance. "E-Eh?" she asked, eyes growing wide at such a creature. "T-The Spirit of Sap?"
Verena knew of elemental spirits, of course, but she hadn't ever seen one. Let alone the suddenness of it, when she hadn't even had time to actually brace herself. She glanced at the spirit with both curiosity and enthusiasm. She went to offer a hand to the fairy, but she realized the issue with doing so, stopping before she could make a complete fool of herself. She offered the fairy a sincere smile. "It's quite an honor to meet you, Hamadryad," she said in response. It wasn't that she was ignoring the offer; she just felt to treat such a creature with genuine respect by using the full name, despite the casual disposition of the fairy.
Towards Cyrus' last comment. "...No, it's fine. It's... I know I shouldn't be so scared of Magic Knights. It was Magic Knights after all who brought my father to justice. Still... even they used their magic in a display of excessive force. They almost killed him. It was quite a sight for just a fifteen-year-old..."
Assuming Cyrus still left after this bit of conversation, however, Verena did not make an attempt to pursue him. She was more comfortable around books, and this entire exchange had her questioning her own way of living up to this point. As it were, she needed time still. Time to process. Time to understand.
...time to heal.
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[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus smiled wryly at Verena's speculation about why he seemed so down on his own abilities despite the fact that he did in fact occupy a position of considerable influence. "Well, it is hard to have confidence in ones' skills when they are so near the top, I think. In my position I am surrounded by others with more experience, more power, and more knowledge than I myself possess. I will concede that I have come far since I first left the Royal Capital two years ago, but the distance I have yet to cross remains vast."
She then went on to note the change he could influence with his position, while also remarking on how many lacked the power to be heard. "My reach may be limitless, but what good is that without the vision to see so far?" He countered, pointing at the girl herself. "Regardless of my means and goals. Alone yes, my voice may be louder than others'. But in the din of chaos that is life, even that is not enough to be heard. I need eyes to see what I cannot. Ears to listen when I am not there. Views and experiences that I can never have myself. Without such people to support me, all the reach in the world will do me no good."
It was then that Verena noted the three biggest issues that she foresaw in the future of his organization; finances, membership, and what would become of the relics and artifacts they discover. Each were factors he himself had considered, and was still considering. One could never be too prepared or cautious, after all. "I have already spoken to several individuals willing to fund my groups' experimental investigations. Beyond that, I have the support of the Elwood family themselves; if they seek to benefit from my success as they so often do, then I informed them that they would need to contribute to it."
Perhaps that wording could have been better, he thought. It sounded rather manipulative when he put it into words without much context, but he had long grown tired of his family attempting to milk his reputation for their own benefit despite their refusal to assist him in any manner prior to the Shatter.
"As for what will become of the relics, part of the organization's research will be determining appropriate measures on how to deal with various artifacts. Anything that cannot be reasonably contained will be disposed of or sealed away; I am considering enlisting the services of Spatial and Void wizards for such matters."
"Recruitment of course is of the utmost importance. Anybody who I consider for membership will require an extensive screening and background check to determine to the best of our abilities whether they can be trusted. A base of operations is actually quite necessary; more than simply a place to gather or keep our supplies, it would also serve as a site for us to conduct our research into what we discover. Specialized equipment and materials that would be inefficient to keep separated, and the like. An official location would also greatly aid in information gathering and recruitment; a place where people can come to speak with us, report findings that need investigating, etc."
After her surprisingly long dialogue, it seemed that Verena remembered she was supposed to be a more awkward sort as she nervously scratched her cheek. He smiled. "You have a good head on your shoulders, Verena." He said in a factual manner. "And I appreciate the honesty of your concerns and how you presented them. If I can recruit people such as yourself for my group, I think we could perform admirably."
Hama watched as her mere appearance seemed to totally throw Verena for a loop, and even Cyrus couldn't help but join his partner in chuckling at how obviously surprised the golem fanatic was. Much to Hama's delight, the girl spoke to her directly rather than address her questions and speech to Cyrus as so many often did, and she even restrained herself from offering a handshake. Hama hated people trying to touch her without warning more than almost anything. "Nice to meetcha!" She aid with a grin, extending her tiny little hand to indicate that she didn't have a problem with shaking hers. "Just Hama is fine if you prefer. And yes, the spirit of Sap! It'd be weird if a sap wizard had any other sort as his partner after all, wouldn't it?"
Cyrus laughed at her joke, but listened as Verena explained the precise nature of why she was so nervous around Magic Knights. At once he understood; he had seen in person how some knights often went overboard when it came to fulfilling their duties. Seeing such a thing at a young age would certainly color your perceptions of such people. "I see. Well, I can certainly admit that there are those within the Magic Knights who can go too far; to not do so would be the same as denying their existence. I am sorry for what your experience must have been like."
Cyrus gave the girl a deep bow as he apologized; one would never know he was the Golden Dawn's second in command by how low he prostrated himself in an effort to show this virtual stranger his sympathy. He rose after the bow, returning to the table to pick up the books he had left there. "I hope you can find it in your heart to believe me when I say that such knights are the exception, rather than the rule. Though I can understand if such a claim seems unlikely. News of proper dealings is far less prevalent than that of the improper sort."
Hama yawned, feeling a bit bored by her companion's usual overly wordy way of speaking. "By the way Cyrus, did you find that book you said you wanted to find? The one that Pesha mentioned? Something about Golem pioneers or something, I forget the whole thing."
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Sept 6, 2020 16:38:39 GMT -5
[attr="class","cupidchu"]
Power: 5
Durability: 15
Sensory: 5
Stamina: 15
Control: 20
Total: 60
Mana: 70
Regen: five ic | ten ooc
Spells and Perks
word count: 1266 | total words: 5819
Verena definitely understood where he was coming from. It was certainly hard to stay positive when so many around you seemed that much better, or more talented. She wasn't sure where Cyrus thought of himself within the totem pole within the Golden Dawn, and really she'd said more than she had any right to. She felt truly guilty about that. Even still, did he not see this? Even if he somehow was the bottom of the barrel, he was still in the Golden Dawn. You didn't get into that Squad simply by wishing. That put him at a level above most other Magic Knights.
Verena was glad that he wasn't lax, that he didn't think himself superior, but ... was this what it was like for others to talk to her? She'd heard it before, time and time again. That she was harder on herself for no reason. ...Well, if she couldn't help herself, what right did she have to try to help out someone who was genuinely far stronger than she was? There was nothing she could do, and it might have just been best to accept that. "I-I see..." she meekly retorted back, sinking back into her timid nature.
Ugh, how embarrassing that she lectured him earlier. She got way too ahead of herself, especially given he was being trained as a potential Lieutenant of the most distinguished Magic Knight squad in the entirety of the Clover Kingdom.
The woman listened as Cyrus responded to the three largest issues he faced. Even when she went on a rant explaining them to his face, she knew that he knew. She wasn't listing them to be pretentious or anything of the sort; she just wanted to demonstrate that she at least had some knowledge as to the issues he would face, but why these issues at the end of the day were something that was minuscule in comparison to the benefits that would come to Clover as a result.
"Beyond that, I have the support of the Elwood family themselves; if they seek to benefit from my success as they so often do, then I informed them that they would need to contribute to it."
This repeated in the brunette's head over and over again. So he had his own fair share of family problems, then. Well, it was a big world. It shouldn't have come as a surprise. Besides, if anything, it was of little surprise that other nobles would behave in such a way. It sounded like his family was in a similar position to her own, but didn't self destruct like the Reinsbergs.
"...I-I uhm... met a Void mage awhile back, out in Hage, actually," Verena responded. "He seemed to be doing some work for a farmer. I wanted to see if I could learn his element, but he was called away for an urgent matter before the chance could arise. I thought it would be a particularly useful element to use in emergency rescue situations, by clearing out debris."
"I-I confess, I got too excited during that encounter, too... It was the first time I actually met another four-leaf grimoire user... I'm still embarrassed about it..." she said, letting out a sigh as she thought of the encounter.
Still, the third point that he raised countered one of her own. She had thought that it'd be unnecessary, as there were plenty of places of research within the Clover Kingdom, and any treasures found in a dungeon, whatever they'd be, would immediately be prioritized over all else. But perhaps it was for that very reason that it would be for the best to have a dedicated research, to not overwork or cause distractions in other work from researchers. Without even saying anything, Cyrus likely would have figured out she was thinking on it given she put a hand under her chin, nodding approvingly as he presented that third point.
"...I-If you think people like me are a good fit, I'm sorry to say you'll be disappointed. I'm a true pacifist. I have no combat experience," she admitted, though the faint laugh at the end meant she was mostly joking, even if there was truth in her words. "And that will probably be necessary for more prudent explorations. You'll have to settle for people who at least know how to use their magic to fight, at the bare minimum."
Verena tilted her head ever so slightly at Hama's joke, a finger poised right against her cheek as she thought about it. "I suppose you're right, huh. I just tried imagining a wood mage with an elemental spirit of sound--if one exists, at least. That'd be a strange sight for sure..."
Though there were probably better elements she could have chosen, those two were the first to come to mind as they were ones she had a degree of control over; enough to make Golems out of, at least. Well, in any case, it probably didn't matter too much, regardless. Though the idea was for another joke, no one would ever accuse Verena of being funny.
After what would likely amount to a confused Sap spirit and Golden Dawn lieutenant with a small silence following, Cyrus didn't just apologize; he even went so far as to bow. This was certainly something that the former Reinsberg (at least, former in her head) was caught off guard by. It wasn't simply a royal apologizing to one who's family had been stripped of status--it was effectively an incredibly elite Magic Knight going so far as to apologize for all the wrongdoings of those who've yet to be found out. He himself had done nothing wrong, but he found himself prostrated before a mere citizen of the kingdom, apologizing for crimes he was incapable of even stopping.
To someone else, this might have come off as arrogant. However, to Verena, such a display was nothing short of... encouraging. That he felt this awful about those Magic Knights he'd put himself in such a position. To the red-eyed girl, this was reason enough to believe in Cyrus' words--no self-respecting Magic Knight would ever go this far, especially for things unrelated to him. This was a display of kindness and sincerity she didn't expect, and she was naturally taken aback by it.
"...You didn't have to go that far..." she said. "...It's not like I believe all Magic Knights are evil. If I did, I would have ran out of here the moment I connected the dots..."
Of course, she said this, but even Cyrus could tell that the action was truly appreciated. "...It's just an instinctive fear. But uhm... anyways..." her eyes shifted towards Hama. "I was just about to hand the book to Cyrus. I've been trying to memorize the book. It's my goal to learn as many uses for golems out of combat as possible to try to improve the kingdom as I travel to other areas further out from the capital. There are a plethora of issues that plague the kingdom, and I'm incapable of doing any physical labor. I'm of a much weaker constitution than I even look. Even then, I want to try my best to help others, and due to the nature of my Golem magic, I can try to be useful in a lot of situations. At least... that's what I think..." Verena's voice trailed off near the end, picking up a book to partially cover her face.
Ah.... why was it so hard to admit things like that out loud? It sounded so cheesy.
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[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus listened curiously as Verena went into detail about her own recent encounter with a Void mage, explaining her desire to try and learn his magic so that she could see if it was possible to create golems with it for the purpose of cleaning up debris and other such hazards in her desire to assist people in a non-combative manner. The idea intrigued him, but he was unsure if it was actually possible. "Void golems, you say? It's certainly an interesting idea. In my experience in research I can't say that I've ever come across any evidence that such a thing is possible. Though then again, I have also never seen anything denying that it can be done."
Hama tilted her head as she thought about the concept, trying to wrap her head around it. "I mean it would definitely be tricky, if it is possible. For one it couldn't walk along the ground or actually manipulate anything, right? Since its entire body would be made of the void, which destroys anything it touches. You'd have to be pretty careful around it too, and it couldn't directly carry people or anything like that."
Cyrus nodded at her points, since she had raised a number of good ones. Still he smiled, deciding to tease her a little bit. "You make some good points, Hama. Maybe there's a little bit of a golem maniac in you after all?" At this remark she pouted and glared at her friend, sticking her tongue out at him. Cyrus just laughed at her display of annoyance.
In response to his remark that she would fit in well with the group he was trying to assemble, Verena denied it and insisted that her pacifistic nature would be too much of a hindrance in the inevitable dangers they would face on the job. "It's true, conflict will more likely than not be unavoidable in our mission. But with that being said, combat is not the only role needed for this sort of work. A clock doesn't work if all the pieces just do the same thing, after all. It takes many different pieces all working together to make it work."
Cyrus smiled a little bit when Verena told him that his rather thorough display of apology was unnecessary, largely out of relief when she noted that she didn't think that all Magic Knights were to be feared. Still, he had a serious expression in regards to her statement on his apology. "Oh, I disagree. It is true that our primary duty in the Magic Knights is to defend the Clover Kingdom and all those within. But I feel like it is also extremely important to do so properly, so to speak. When we arrive at a troubling event, our presence should be a comfort and joy for the innocents involved; someone they can look to and feel safe for being there. What good is our position as protectors if nobody trusts us to do so, or is willing to come to us out of fear of our methods?"
Hama shook her head but smiled at his little speech. "Cyrus takes being a Magic Knight very seriously, in case you couldn't tell. He's actually planning on heading over to Atlantis to see if the people there need any sort of help adjusting to life on the surface after us and a few other knights raised their kingdom from underwater."
The sap wizard said nothing in response to this, finding no need to. It was true; he had even said to his companions that day that he felt it was their responsibility to help guide and educate the Atlanteans as they were forced into this entirely new world above the sea. It was true that they did so at the urging of their former king, but such a substantial change in one's way of life was not something anybody could manage on their own.
Verena explained to Hama that she had been preparing to give Cyrus the book he had been looking for, reiterating her desire to help people with her golems so the spirit had some more context on their earlier conversation. She mentioned her weak constitution, which made the Golden Dawn mage remember that she had seemed tired when he first saw her. Once more she hid her face behind the book in her hands (a gesture he was fairly certain was quite the old habit of hers).
Cyrus smiled, and pulled out a small notebook that he wrote within before tearing out a page and placing it on the table beside her. "I think that your desire to do whatever is within your power to help people is very admirable, Verena. And should you be so interested, it would be my pleasure to have you as a guest some day at the Elwood Estate."
He showed her the page he had placed on the table; it was marked with the seal of the Elwood family, which resembled an empty birdcage with a border of chains around it. He wasn't actually sure of just why that was their emblem, but it was a matter he wanted to look into at some point soon. Beneath the emblem he had signed his own name. "This is the seal of the Elwood family; so long as you have this, you will be seen as a friend at our estate in the Forsaken Region. I have greatly enjoyed our talk, and would like to do so again if you would be willing."
His eyes then turned to the book they had been discussing. "As for the book, perhaps we could meet here in a week or so and exchange? I've gathered some reading material of my own since coming to this bookstore, so I would be perfectly content to allow you to hold onto it. And I am certain that I have some books in my collection that might be of interest to you."
He truly wished she would accept the invitation to meet again; speaking to Verena had given him valuable insight into what some, perhaps many people thought about the Magic Knights, as well as piqued his intellectual curiosity regarding magic itself.
And beyond those already significant factors, he would simply like to have her as a friend. It wasn't often he met a kindred spirit.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Sept 13, 2020 23:54:51 GMT -5
[attr="class","cupidchu"]
Power: 5
Durability: 15
Sensory: 5
Stamina: 15
Control: 20
Total: 60
Mana: 70
Regen: five ic | ten ooc
Spells and Perks
word count: 1034| total words: 6853
Verena nodded her head. "Making a golem that doesn't touch the ground is reasonable enough. After all, they are just constructs of mana. They aren't exactly bound to the same laws Cyrus and I are," she said. "Mana is, after all, something that can be molded to a person's desire. Our grimoires are nothing more than tools to shape mana to a form we can reasonably control, our spells are just manifestations of how much control we have over mana itself. Once a Spell has been formed, it cannot be altered; however, it can be improved upon and become something greater, can it not?" she inquired.
"When you think of it in that sense, the possibilities of mana are endless. Golems, as creations of pure mana, have an infinite potential by proxy. There are limits to all things. A fire golem will always have the capacity to burn, simply by nature of the element. But Void is still an element that has form, even if not something visible. It is something that still exists, even if it's mere existence has often, if not exclusively, been for destruction. But..."
"...it's not Curse Magic, which has no use out of ruining someone's life. If something can be used to destroy, it can be used to help, if you take the time to learn to do so."
Though the girl might have spoken a lot in that one passing, her voice was hushed. She wasn't really speaking with confidence, though her words indicated a firm belief in what she was saying. She likely just didn't want to come off as aggressive or condescending as before. This was something she believed, and she was trying to make it come off as though she wasn't speaking factly. She hoped that that was coming across...
It wasn't that she thought Hama was wrong, as Hama hadn't outright said it was impossible. But, she also didn't think it was too far fetched, either. To her, it was certainly possible to be done. Naturally, at her current level, it'd be too irresponsible to even try to make a Golem from Void, but she wasn't sure when, or even if, the next opportunity might present itself. It was simply a frustrating reality that she had to accept.
On the discussion of the would-be group, Cyrus mentioned that Verena wouldn't be a hindrance as she seemed to think. When thought of in the example Cyrus proposed, that was true. But she was also not a researcher. She had a desire to learn, but she lacked the experience or technical know-how. The duties she could be capable of would likely require her to be bound to wherever the base would end up being, or nearby. That was not something she was willing to commit to, especially considering she had too little to contribute as it was. And so, she simply offered the man a sweet smile, indicating her lack of interest--though, it was a lack of interest that stemmed from her own doubts on her capabilities, rather than a lack of interest in what Cyrus was trying to accomplish, whether he knew it or not. She simply didn't want to turn it into a conversation of how useless she was. That was counterproductive to both of their time.
When Cyrus commented on her own act of forgiveness, she found herself surprised yet again. He understood all too well the ramifications of what corruption within their rankings meant for the future. She wasn't going to criticize him for not thinking about that, but at the same time it wasn't as if he was guilty. Still, even she knew the reality. Golden Dawn lieutenant or not, there was no way he could bring about the change necessary. It'd take a lot more backers than what he had, and without at least half of the noble families, bringing about that change in a safe and secure manner while not disrupting peace was all but a dream. She knew that, but...
she clenched her fist, albeit weakly.
She knew that, but she hated it more than she could put into words.
Verena let out a soft sigh, knowing full well that even if her expression wasn't quite indicative of her frustration, she tensed up, likely enough to alert the Magic Knight of her distress. "...Sorry. As you spoke, I just uhm... started thinking about how some Magic Knights tend not to care about what you said... it's frustrating... knowing how much would have to change for things to... well, change."
Cyrus placed a seal on the table, with an emblem she vaguely recognized. Right, the Elwood family. He'd mentioned them before. He also alluded to their own parasitic practices, aspiring to piggyback of Cyrus' success as if it were their own. She was grateful for Cyrus praise, though...
She stared blankly at the page, back to Cyrus. There seemed to be some uncertainty as she stared at it. His family reminded her of her own, albeit not as intense. They at least had some self-control from what he had stated earlier and knew when it was best to act in their own interests. But at the same time, they were no different than most nobles. She had little respect for nobles as a collective whole, given even friends of the family wanted nothing to do with her. The collapse of the Reinsbergs was, after all, on her. Simply because she was so "lucky".
"...I cannot promise I'll visit," she admitted. "...I may be wary of Magic Knights, but many nobles within our Clover are..." her voice trailed off.
"...I needn't finish this sentence. You already know. And in that case, they are the rule, rather than the exception. Still, I'm grateful for the offer. I'll consider it, at the very least. If I decide to, I may see a way to give you advance notice, so a time can be arranged when your family isn't present. The less I have to do with nobles, the happier I'd be. And likely the same; the Reinsbergs are disgraced nobility. I can't imagine your family would be keen on allowing such a guest within their estate if they were aware of it."
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[attr=class,cyrustext]Hama and Cyrus both listened as Verena went into detail on her thoughts about the nature of golems when compared to people. She seemed to place a lot of emphasis on the importance of control, which intrigued the other wizard, though he declined to comment on it. Hama on the other hand was more interested in what she had said about being able to improve and refine spells. Her remark comparing the Void element to curses specifically definitely caught the duo's attention, and they briefly passed a glance to each other.
When Verena finished her short, hushed speech, Hama rolled her neck. "The same can be said for a lot of things." She noted simply. "A sword's only real intended purpose is to injure or kill someone, but that doesn't necessarily mean that's the only way it can be used. But even using a sword in the way it's intended to be can spare peoples' lives as a result."
Cyrus gave a slight nod of agreement to his partner's comparison, glad that she had chosen to emerge from his grimoire to join in the conversation. "Medicine can make people sick and a shield can bring pain, but so too do antidotes come from poison and fires give new life to the land. Everything is a matter of perspective and ingenuity; how far will you take things to apply them to a problem?"
His fellow golem user voiced her frustration at the fact that more knights didn't share his own particular perspective on their purpose, and how difficult it might be to fix it. Cyrus smiled slightly. "It is very frustrating. But what would be even more frustrating would be to stand by and do nothing while such people run about; when I joined the Golden Dawn, I told Captain Zaven that I wasn't especially interested in his squad specifically. So long as I could become a knight, it would be enough. I admired them for their hard work and dedication, but as you said, many do not carry themselves in such a manner."
He thought back to his first few days in the squad's headquarters back in the Royal Capital. "I didn't have any grand ambitions of leadership when I started out. I just wanted to do my part to help people. But now, I feel like I know what my part is; I want to inspire knights, now and in the future, to carry themselves properly. And the first step to doing so is to refuse to let myself be discouraged by those who would disagree."
Hama grinned at her partner's declaration, always loving to see the sap wizard get so fired up since it didn't really happen that often. "And if that doesn't work, then I'm right here to kick his ass back into gear!" She boasted proudly, earning a soft chuckle from her friend. He truly was glad that he received that mysterious delivery all those months ago.
Verena eventually addressed the seal he had placed before her, mincing no words in admitting that she wasn't going to promise to visit due to her concerns about the nobility, which he completely understood. Still, she said that she would consider visiting, and when she mentioned how displeased his family would probably be to have her there, the young man's face grew serious. "If you are a guest of mine, then you're a guest of my family." He said, in such a way that it sounded like he was stating a fact. And it was true, in a way; regardless of their own feelings on a guest of Cyrus', they would have to either hold their tongue or leave. They were all too aware of just how much of the Elwood family's reputation and standing at the present relied on their black sheep.
Hama smirked a bit at his serious tone; another thing she could never get enough of was seeing Cyrus stick it to the pompous assholes that made up all of his family except for his sister and parents. But as she looked off to the side, she caught sight of the clock. "Hey Cyrus, we should probably get going before it gets too late. Alex is gonna need your help with that leaking spot on the roof." The spirit reminded her friend. Cyrus blinked and looked over at the same clock, surprised to see how long he had been there.
Cyrus turned back to Verena and smiled. "Well, as Hama says, it's time for the two of us to get going. House repairs to do before it gets dark. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Verena! I hope that it is not the last time, even if you decide not to visit the estate." With that Cyrus gave her a small bow as he collected the books he was purchasing, before turning and heading towards the stairs. He gave her a friendly wave, as did Hama as she sat on his shoulder backwards and waved until they were far enough down the steps that she couldn't see the Reinsberg woman.
Cyrus placed his books down on the counter so that he could pay for them, waiting patiently as the clerk checked to see how much he owed them. After a moment, Cyrus lightly tapped the counter. "Excuse me, but there is a young woman currently reading up on golems there on the second floor. When she comes to check out her books, can you tell her that her books are covered?"
The clerk arched an eyebrow at his request, but watched as he placed a small sack of yul on the counter. "With the sale going on, I think this will be enough to cover whatever she buys. The rest is yours as well of course."
The clerk nodded and quickly put his purchases in a bag, thanking him as he walked out the door and headed off to hail a carriage. Hama rolled her eyes. "And that is why you have so much trouble saving money!" She pointed out, to which the boy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Hey, I had to make up for making her uncomfortable somehow. It's no big deal."
She sighed and shook her head, but with a fond smile on her face. "You're such a damn softy." She teased as he waved down a carriage driver.
