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","zavenreescroll"] ”you are a fool of you think you are strong enough to finish me...I’m just looking for answers, and you're not the one that pulls the strings. Resurrect and find me again when you are stronger. Typhon...rise.” Zaven did not move an inch as the man closed in on him. As the first slash ran against his armor he took the hit with dignity and it was for him to physically grab the mana created man and toss him up as the great shadow dragon practically shot out of the book and ate the man whole. The snapping of its jaws sent the snowmen into a frenzy as their leader died. The ice began to melt, but the dragon had not finished its meal. Zaven directed the golem to the other mana beasts as the golem did its job. It slashed down onto the snowmen one at a time. Killing them all while also destroying most of the room. [break][break]
When it was done Zaven even gave the golem a good job pat and rub across its shadow-y scales before canceling the spell. The shadow of dawn lived up to his name, a ruthless man with an appetite for destruction was a simple observation as he opened the ruined door to the next floor. ”I assume if the guard dog is dead...the master will want to see what killed it. Shall we move on Tora?” The man asked as he just stared at her, no expression could be seen on his face as he did not even break a sweat.
The difference between what Zaven had been doing previously and this new attack was like night and Day, and Tora was a little wide eyed at having seen the Sheer ferocity of the Mage's attacks take their toll on the surrounding area. From the sight of Jacks' shocked face when that dragon seemed to erupt from out of nowhere only to chomp down on his body, extinguishing him like a match flame, it was incredible. The snowmen which she had been struggling against suddenly wiped out by the rampaging beast that had been summoned. And just as quickly, the beast was gone, leaving nothing but the busted surroundings that the dragon had left behind, Tora herself staring down for a moment as the area in front of her was littered with the craters that had once housed the snowmen. Now just mottled splashes of snow and their splintered arms smeared along the ground from the dragon's work. She couldn't help but be a bit awed.
Was he even trying before? What had he been doing that he had seemed to be struggling with those hunters, and those elves? Not that they had really injured him or seemed to have any success. But he had actually grappled and acted as if there were any danger in having to engage them.
Those words snapped her a little out of her daze. "O corse! Right away, sir!" she drawled, so startled that she forgot to tailor her accent to the clover kingdom dialect that she'd picked up. and once she got up, she brushed the snow off her Pudao and then promptly made her way over to him, skirting around those craters as she had a bit of a blanched look on her face. The notion that she had, previously, in some way been helping a bit blown out the window at this point. And with her by his side, the pair of them started their way up that final staircase. And of course, once again, they were hit with that sudden change in temperature. what was once the glossy cold stairway soon transitioned into stone, and finally to the hellish heat that came from above. It was almost fantastical how something so intense could be at the very top of this place.
Why on earth was it LIKe this? " This is insane....why would they make a spire that was like this?... I mean, I could get it if the base were made out o stone or somethin, but why make the first section outta ice? " She managed to murmur softly as she and Zaven ascended the steps, and finally seemed to arrive. Before them were a set of massive double doors emblazoned with steel plating and an intricate display of a massive sun glaring out over a mural of the tower itself rising out of the snowy countryside. she swore she could even see depictions of the surrounding area drawn onto the door, like some sort of ill omen stamped onto the door itself.
Two large double doors spilled open into what looked like some sort of massive throne room. But rather than the sort of decor they were used to. Everything was.....different. Smooth and .......almost futuristic. sleek glassy surfaces, and furniture that Tora had honestly never seen before. And right before them, stood the man in charge. Wrapped in the angry red garb that signified the holiday. The man seemed to smile wickedly as he slowly turned to face the two who had managed to make it to his lair.
The man held out a single hand to the side, smiling wide as there was a pang. a Tremor of magic that rippled upward to the very top of the spire, where those dim crackling tremors of magic twisted into the giant flaming eye that was held there, it's pupils staring down as it answered that crackle of mana. and from it's iris something shined, spinning through the air before slamming into the ground with a loud, crackling KRRSH! A hammer. One that was plucked from the ground as though it didn't weigh a thing. In just a moment it was spun expertly, that blur of shining metal weaving in twisting shining circles and figure eights before finally it was swung up to come to a ringing rest on the man's mighty jolly shoulders just before they shook with the laughter that echoed out from the man.
"Hello to you lucky adventurers... my name is Mr. Sun. It seems you have made it all the way here to challenge me in hopes of defeating me for the sake of your country... that is noble as anyone would want to defend their country from a foreign threat... but it seems that you have forgotten one thing... or rather you had not noticed it until now. I am apart of the very thing that gives light and warmth to this planet." He chuckled out, every word ringing with the man's power, as if every syllable made the heat of the room lap at their bodies as if actual flames were creeping up their forms. If Tora had to imagine it, it woulnd't be hard in the slightest to surmise that this man was indeed an embodiment of the sun.
Without a moment's hesitation, that hammer is spun once again, and then SLAMMED into the ground! From either side of the man, two beefy pillars of flame burst from the ground as two massive burning lions twisted into existence, their heated forms rearing up onto their hind paws and ROARING out, the very noise seeming to cause the temperature to spike as those beasts seemed to zero in on one person in particular: Tora. Without even any hesitation, those beasts suddenly LUNGED directly at her! With the big man himself promtly striding right after them, slowly picking up speed as he lifted that hammer up with both hands, a mad grin on his face as he began to let out big, booming laughs as he charged at the pair.
That, of course, was something she could not afford to actually worry about. Those Lions were already closing in incredibly fast! With a sudden raise of her weapon she couldn't help but feel another stab of tension. She bolted to the side her Pudao gripped tightly as she managed to anticipate their assault, though those lions easily followed her doggedly enough. She slashed out, nothing considerable, just something to try and ward them away as her twin dragons splintered into existence and shot out, aiming to plant into the beasts faces and deter them. Of course, only one of the lions actually took the hit, as that long serpentine dragon slammed into it's muzzle, snarling out with a heady roar and swiping at the thing, breaking the dragon apart as it stalled it's attack. The second Lion seemed entirely prepared, a loud ROAR bellowing out from it's mouth, the attack PLOWED into the incoming dragon and completely obliterated it, making the floor between her and the lions glow as it was suddenly heated to such a ridiculous temperature!
Tora SKIDDEd to a halt as that burst of flame kept on traveling and slammed right into her! Her mana skin crackled and burst, lighting up for just one fraction of a second, as her entire face scrunched up into one twisted moment of intense heat, before her mana skin promptly burst, BARELY taking that powerful hit as she promptly went flying, skidding across the floor before THUMPING against the wall behind her, letting out a GRUNT of exertion as that sheer power behind the attack almost winded her, leaving her gasping just a little as she stumbled, and then jumped back up to her feet, that pudao brought right back up! almost immediately she was on high alert as it became abundantly clear that she would be fighting for her life against these things! Not only that but being practically made of flame she had a feeling that she had no chance of actually managing to take these things out with regular melee attacks, not without risking being burnt or something!
"HOOOOOH HOO HOOOOO!" That eerie battlecry was heard just a moment later. Tora's eyes darting forward as she saw that this man seemed entirely different from JAck Frost from before. While that man had been intent on isolating Tora away from Zaven so that they could have a one on one fight. It was very clear that this man didn't even think that much of her. The look of pure glee on his face seemed to suggest that he didn't even consider Zaven to be an obstacle. It wasn't the look of a prdator looking for food. It wasn't the look of a soldier, focused on something that needed to be eliminated. It was the look of some noble with a bow, gleefully chasing down some hapless crippled elk for sport. This was FUN for him. This was a RIOT for him. For all of the effort to call out those beasts and summon his hammer. That man seemed solely intent on erasing Tora from existence before he even thought about turning his attention to Zaven. He didn't treat this like a battle. He was treating them like a meal, and as that big, jolly red-suired giant barreled toward her with that hammer held high, she could tell that he was probably going to string her orpse onto his desk, or turn her into some grotesque rug, if there was even anything left of her.
So far as Mr Sun was concerned, she was nothing but another trophy. Two wild animals wandering into his lair for him to enjoy and then snuff out with all the care of a child swatting a fly or crushing an ant. Of course, unlike the rather cunning and careful man that had been Jack frost, it seemed that this man intended on saving the best for last, and tora couldn't help it. Even with all of her lust for a real battle, with all of the gall she'd shown. She felt it in the pit of her stomach.
She was afraid. Terrified really. Any RATIONAL thought in her mind was promptly extinguished in the face of this oncoming threat. There was no way that she was going to run. Not with those lions circling around to cut off any notion of dodging or outrunning the man. There was no way she could go toe to toe. She couldn't Block. she couldn't run. and so as that man charged with the intention, and very likely chance to erase her. As that FEAR settled in, she didn't even have time to THINK about what she was doing. No time to formulate a plan.
She GRINNED. A Mad, sudden look of absolute relish that twisted across from her face. That fear didn't freeze her. It didn't make her into a shaky mess. Those scarred muscles of hers FLEXED. As she took her weapon with both hands. And in that moment, water twisted and spilled along her body. forming vicious, cat-like claws over her hands and feet. As tufts of watery fur sprouted from her knees and elbows, giving her a beastlike appearance as she broke into a full sprint, directly at the man that was charging her, that Pudao of hers twisted back into a full, all-commited swing like some kind of bat she was about to beat across this man's face! The notion that the weapon would probably do nothing but shatter against that hammer didn't register. Nor did the chance that the man might suddenly just sidestep like she had those other monsters before and end her with a sharp counter.
None of that occurred to her. Not a single plan, strategy, or idea coursed through her frayed neurons as she charged right at the man set to kill her. She didn't have a chance. She was too scared to do anything but suddenly bellow out laughing as she charged at him. This man could kill her. Would Likely Kill her. an enemy she had no chance to possibly kill. But humans were not deer. They were pack animals. Hunters. And for many years, there existed two kinds of humans, both so very equally important for the survival of their races. There were, of course, the humans that had more sense. that had a sense of self preservation, of paranoia, and the wherewithal to hold still. to break down. Or even to cry and try to garner some sympathy from incoming doom. They were a vital part, the caution built deep into humanity.
And then there were humans like Tora. Not blessed with the brains to try and freeze and not be seen. But the hunters. the warriors. The conquerors. Men and women who did not see impending death as an end, something to run from. But something to charge toward. The sight of that hammer wasn't something to run from. However afraid she truly was of it. It meant that she had nothing left to lose. No reason NOT to try and brutally and viciously deal as much damage as humanely possible to this crazed man before she died. She was a fighter. Someone who understood something as simple as killing for sport. With NOTHING on her mind but the notion that she was going to take this chunky fuckface down with her!
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] Without hesitation he stepped up with her and entered the last floor and room, feeling a rather familiar sensation as he was brought back to that desert temple where Ardere had received Salamander as his companion. Zaven did not wince, hesitate, or miss a step as he suddenly felt like the very sun was beating down upon him. This was the final obstacle in their way of completing this dungeon, and he had wanted to ask questions so he had ended the FInal Abyss armor and took a step to speak. However, the moment he did the extravagant Mr. Sun introduced himself and it was clear how the man regarded the two intruders that were Zaven and Tora. After the speech was done, Zaven gave a yawn as he had already grown tired of this. ”You see us as just doing our job. One...I am just trying to figure out what makes dungeons...and this one is a warrior that wanted a challenge...I will extinguish you just as I did with your frozen counterpart.” Zaven said as he let loose a terrifyingly powerful mana that seemed just as oppressive as Mr. Sun’s was, he was the giant in this room and this man was just a play toy. ”Since we are not going to mince words here...I guess I will take my answers from your corpse.” [break][break]
When the hammer was summoned and the flaming lions charged before their master Zaven was quick to give a warning to Tora. ”Stay close and protect yourself, I will try to make this quick.” He said as the lions moved past him, a swipe of the second lion caused Zaven to retreat as the first one barreled past and attacked Tora, but he could not focus on that right then as the powerful Mr. Sun came up and attacked as well, Zaven could only narrowly dodge the attacks as well, the damn mana of this created being was actually defying his own presence...it made him angry, and the strings at the back of his mind started to be tugged once more. He wanted to rip these creatures apart, to tear out what made them tick...he wanted to destroy their very being. He blinked once as the hammer finally smacked him, sending him back a few feet before he had to tumble back and press off to avoid the charging lion. He saw the charging figure of Tora rush in towards Mr. Sun and he gnashed his teeth. ”FUCK!” his inner voice sounded out as his grimoire reacted and flew open to the page for his signature attack, the Erebus Strike. ”EREBUS STRIKE!” He yelled out as the shadows of his body and from the grimoire formed a bow in his right hand and he did not hesitate as he felt the shadows of the flaming lions within his sensory level. He then pulled back the bowstring before firing off a shadow arrow without hesitation, drawing back and notching another arrow he let loose a second arrow and proceeded to hunt both lions without care as the arrows followed the lions, fear filled their eyes as they could not lose the Shadow of Dawn’s attack. Finally the arrows struck their targets and both lions fell dead, skidding to a stop as the Shadow of Dawn threw the spent bow away and summoned another golem to finish this fight. ”Achilles, lets teach this creature that humans are not to be trifled with.” [break][break]
The Shadow Golem leapt from the pages of his grimoire and immediately ran to Tora and Mr. Sun with the intent to do harm. Zaven pulled the axe out and let out a battle cry as he charged in as well, he had no intent in being quiet with this attack as the golem came to the back and delivered five consecutive blows to the back of the creature as Zaven whistled to Tora ”Heads up, same tactic, wait for my cue.” He would say before spinning and delivering a blow to the hammer of the villainous Mr. Sun, before reaching back and taking Tora’s hand and using his own strength to swing her forward as he let go of the axe once he put her hand on it. ”Combined attack, Fatal finisher!” Zaven said with a smile as his cue was fairly simple to follow as he intended for the three of them to attack at the same time. Achilles reacted the moment Mr. Sun caught on and headbutted the man from behind before holding him still so Zaven and hopefully Tora joined up as Zaven ran and jumped up before delivering a superman punch before flipping over any swing Tora would hopefully follow up with before ending the combo with a hammer fist down onto the head of Mr. Sun. [break][break]
In the end, they had finished the spire and now standing in front of the dungeon with their loot, Zaven saw his subordinate, Drake Dragonale looking at him like he was about to scold the man. Zaven would laugh before going and telling the man to secure their brooms, that there was nothing left for them to do in Aries Garse, he would turn to Tora. ”Tora, it was a pleasure...the dungeons in Clover always vary from weak to strong, but you kept your head and you had my back the entire time…” He continued to think for a moment before sticking his hand out to shake hers again. Do not be a stranger, since you have already met lava boy, I am sure you know the Golden Dawn looks for the strong, and there is never a shortage of evil to be vanquished. IF you get bored of traveling...you let me know and you are more than welcome at the Golden Dawn.” He would offer her a spot with the Golden Dawn before finally leaving her with 75% of the Gold earned from the dungeon as he now had to write a report on what happened.
The Sudden rush of motion was almost dizzying to keep track of. All of a sudden, she felt the woosh of air as Zaven charged in. An arrow streaking by and promptly dealing with the lions nearby, just as that golem charged in like some sort of beastly nightmare. She saw the expression on Mr Sun's face shift in response to those powerful blows, staggering the man, as she stopped her charge, her whole body tense as she saw Zaven speeding in front of her. And for just a moment, she felt an instinct to settle back and let him deal with it. After all he was....... he was so much stronger than she was. And yet of all things, she felt him taking her hand. He looked at her, and she saw trust behind his eyes. Just as she felt that axe being pushed into her hand.
All at once, she felt that warrior's fire burning up and through her body. The sudden RUSH that came with responsibility coursing through her. Her grip on his hand tightened, assuring him of her compliance as that grin popped right back up across her ace just before she felt herself being SWUNG forward! She wasn't as fast as him, but she could still use a weapon she was handed. As she sailed through the air, she twisted her body, putting every bit of her frame into the swing. Her eyes locking onto the man in red as the golem slammed their head into the back of his. That 'God' staggereing before that golem latched on. She swung across, watching as Zaven's fist connected with the jolly man's face, and then flipped back just in time to avoid her borrowed axe as it cleaved in and tore straight across. Ripping the man open from shoulder to shoulder, just before Zaven came in with that finishing blow. Bringing both fists in to slam down onto the top of the man's head and dropping him on the spot.
When they finally skidded to their final resting places, she was panting. Her body tingling with that rush of action as she watched Mr.Sun drop to the ground. Dead as the adventurers on his plate. It was......it was done. And she watched as Zaven promptly started to look around for anything useful. She was, briefly shocked, but after a moment she joined him, and the both of them raided the sweltering office for valuables.
The Trek back down was.....quiet. And when they were standing at the very entrance of the dungeon, Tora couldn't help but glance back up, taking just a moment to admire the massive structure, just before a very irritable looking man suddenly rushed in, causing Zaven to laugh before holding a quick conversation with him. Tora waited curiously off to the side, watching as they talked, and Zaven then walked back over to her. She glanced down, taking the accepted hand and nodding softly. She couldn't help but chuckle just a little. The Golden Dawn huh? She thought about it, and what he'd said up in that tower. He was curious about how Dungeon's functioned? She couldn't help but wonder a little about that herself. She thought back to what he'd said. About that Suited man reviving? Were the beasts in the tower really capable of just coming back like that? She looked back to him and smiled. "Still got me some things ah need to do. Ah appreciate your support, but ah don't think I can qualify as 'strong jus yet. But once I do, ah might take ye up on that offer." She noted, smirking softly as she released his hand and she watched the man heading off with his subordinate.
She took one last look up to the tower and fell silent, now standing alone in the snow, thinking back to that blazing eye she'd seen up there. And remembering the monsterous beasts she'd seen in that other tower. Different, and yet.....soemthing about them still felt similar. Well..... no use staring at the place out in the cold. With a pleased grin on her face, she turned her back to that hellish tower and started to head off, rubbing her hands together as she felt her mind wandering back to the offer the man had made. She honestly knew jack about any of the Magic Knight Squads. But at the very least, what she'd seen of the squad seemed positive. The Captain, and what she could only assume was the vice captain? The latter having even offered to train her some. She hadn't even thought about the notion of actually JOINING the Mage Knight military, and now that subject idly buzzed around the inside of her head like it's own little bee. She'd managed to topple what....two of these dungeons now? By no means by herself, but she considerd the work that came with it. Naturally it wouldn't ALWAYS be majestic battles and conquest of a fortress, but then again.... she always DID wind up helpin people didn't she? Would it really be so bad to get paid for it? She .....wasn't sure. There were still aspects of the Mage Knights that left her a bit uneasy. That man she'd met from the Azur Deer. The sorts of ....types that seemed to populate those formal events, with eyes that burned with mirth and smiles that seemed full of secrets. Could she stand all of that? she didn't know. But....there was time for those kinds of worries later. After she'd eaten. But before that....
There was a warm tent that was callin her name.
wc: 934 twc: 8159 -> 9093
End of Dungeon
Gold split is 75-25 in Tora's Favor. All Gold Stars go to Zaven. Zaven has Golden Dawn Star Bonus
Tora you get 7022 Gold! Zaven you get 2341 Gold, and 40 Stars!
Tora you also gain 8 Spell Points, 3000 Gold, 5 Stats, and a Senior Item Coupon. Zaven you gain a Senior Supp Item x3, 5 Spell Points, Senior Defense Item, and a Senior Magic Item.
Quite the haul if I say so myself. I need you both to roll 6d30's in the Dungeon Channel on discord for additional loot! As Zaven as the required Sensory of 60 so you guys get bonuses!
