Grimoire Academy: Sanctum Students

"So, do the Seers have a name for this one?" a young woman with short silver hair stood at the furthest wall of the city of Sanctum, the first and strongest defense of humanity against the most commonly used entry point for the Zeretic forces. She might have been called beautiful, but the aura she put off would bring to mind feelings of being unclean for thinking any such thought in regard to her.

Her name was Sophie Lawson, one of the oldest holders of a Shine Grimoire; The Codex of Solomon.

"Mountain Breaker, along with Horde Flyers and Horde Chasers." a small hiss came at the end of the words, as if the very act of talking was a pain. At Sophie's left was a young man, his thin frame covered with bandages. A stiff wind might have thrown him from the wall, yet he stood tall despite it.

His name was Nox Santos, holder of the Natural Grimoire; Tempest Talos.

"Doesn't matter. So long as we get to have our fun who cares what they name it?" a mad laugh bubbled on the lips of an unkempt man at Sophie's right. His body was wrapped tight in a straight jacket but he seemed more than pleased as he looked down from the wall.

His name was Ballow Rummire, holder of the Gehina Grimoire; The Necronomicon.

In front of the wall were the massed armies of man. Most within that number were ordinary soldiers, wielding weapons fueled by the sciences and magics that had once given the Zeretics their power. Mixed among them were other Sanctum Academy Grimoire users, along with a sizable contingent of Eden Grimoire users and soldiers. Of course a sizable number of their own Grimoire users held the Artificial Grimoires, which were their own death warrants on a field like this. Through tensions were high among the two kingdoms they were both in agreement on at least one subject. The Zeretics must at all costs be stopped.

Just as the Seers has predicted days ago the world began to fracture just a few miles away from the walls of the city of Sanctum. Colors danced in the air as the very nature of reality was violated, cracks that let fall shards of the world formed as the Zeretics sent forth their newest attack.

When the beast finally cleared the cracks in reality it's first step shook the ground itself, sending some of the unprepared soldiers toppling to their knees. To call the creature massive would be to undersell its size, as it stood equal with the sky so that the clouds broke as they touched its body. It's legs were thicker then the trunks of trees and covered in odd patches of grey fur, broken by boils the size of boulders. Its main body was covered in the fur, and its face was like that of a elephant, two long tusks jutting out as it gave a booming sound from its trumpet. Upon its back was what appeared to be a growth that looked almost like a mountain, upon which three odd creatures stood at the 'peaks'.

The three creatures were thin for beings so large, almost entirely metallic except for the bird like wings on their backs. Their heads were covered by bird like masks with blank expressions painted on. Their arms and legs were thin as twigs, covered by armor that ended in sharp points. Yet somehow they held long residents that they drove into the beast, urging it forward.

But worst of all were the rolling mass of creatures that charged forth around the great beasts legs. Swarming masses of grey furred creatures with wolfish heads and gorilla like bodies, utterly blinded by bloodlust. Some were only the size of the average human, while others stood almost ten feet high. On occasion the creature they ran under would have one of the boils along the side of its legs explode out and give birth to another of the swarm, only to mend itself in preparation for another horrid birth.

The ground forces prepared themselves. Grimoire users who could summoned forth creatures of their own did so, soldiers prepared their vehicles and exoarmors to meet the threats. And for a moment there was peace even as the creatures raged forward.

And with one shot the battle began, humanities weapons meeting the earth shaking fury of the Zeretic's swarms. And for quite some time the three strongest stood above the wall, watching and waiting.

"So I go first huh?" Ballow tilted his head to the side and a book bound if human flesh appeared before him, screaming its displeasure but opening all the same. "Hear me oh departed and forgotten, let your flesh twitch and feel once more. To those rotting piles of meat hear my spell Danse Macabre!"

From the book exploded screaming spectral beings that entered into those that had fallen, human and beast alike forced to move again like puppets. Once on their feet they sought the enemy of man and tore at them with all available means. Until the bodies were fully destroyed they continued to move in blind slaughter.

"Oh rain, oh wind, my heart quakes before the approaching storm," as if not to be outdone Nox began his own chant, read from a book whose pages dripped fresh sea water endlessly. Above the main beast a storm cloud began to form, black and angry, roaring with power. "Let the tempest be the proof, let my heart become like the pounding of drums. '''Typhoon!’’’" the storms winds, high speed rains, and lightening rained down on the beast, causing it to let forth a howl of agony. The creatures upon its back squawked their rage as they were pelted as well.

And while the undead danced and the very sky itself spoke displeasure Sophie bowed her head in prayer. She prayed for the fallen, for those who would never leave the battlefield the same. She prayed that the Academy wouldn't have a rush of new students, that those who did return wouldn't seek the 'second option' provided by the Academy.

But mostly? She prayed that her enemies would die.

"Oh lord your words ring true, please here my request and provide for me a sword to destroy the wicked," as if spun from the very light of the sun a scroll appeared around her, unrolling itself and holding around her, odd symbols glowing at her words. "Let your mercy be shown true to all who witness it, Gates of Heaven: Open."

Motes of light began to appear in the air, taking the form of humanoid beings of resplendent beauty and grace. In their hands they held swords of gold that burned with flames like the sun or trumpets that when blown would send forth a noise so pure it caused its foes hearts to stop beating. They fell upon the enemy hoards from behind, cutting off support and boxing their foe into a single slaughtering ground.

And yet despite their efforts the foes great beast continued forward, trumpeting out to those who sought to hinder it even as black ichor fell from its wounds.

Nox smiled and looked to the others, lowering his head. "It has been...a unique pleasure." the other two simply nodded solemnly. "Oh rain let me shed a tear, for your nature is beauty. Tear of Erosion." the storm above the beast disappeared, replaced by a single drop of liquid, unseen to all beneath the beast. When it touched the creature it faltered in movement and let loose a weakened sound, stumbling for a moment and sending the winged creature on its back to the sky. All things died with time, the Tear was the ultimate expression of that concept, and what it touched would surely die.

For his part Nox simply wore a smile at peace with himself, and then multiple lacerations exploded forth on his body, sending him to the ground as he coughed forth spit and blood in equal measure.

Sophie said a final prayer and kicked him off the wall with a single movement. Given how much he had called upon the Grand Spell he was dying regardless of what the healers could do. Scar tissue building up to the point he couldn't breath. He made his request before the battle to die doing something good rather than taking the Academy's mercy.

The beast finally collapsed to its side with an unearthly wail, the world shaking for a moment before going still. The three creatures on its back, the true Zeretics, rose into the air only to be met by the angelic hordes. Along with fire from the ground and a few other spells the battle was won. In its own way at least. The swarms still moved, some breaking off from the main force and others having managed to pierce the gate through the lines would need to be dealt with. But that was for others to worry about.

Three weeks later

The last of the Eden forces had returned to their city and the general mood of Sanctum was cautiously optimistic. Large attacks like that were rare, and often afterward there would be peace for months on end, through never more than four. There had been mourning for Nox as he was one of the cities favored sons but that was largely passed now.

Of course there were those who hadn't been mourned uniquely. The soldiers torn apart by the Zeretic swarms, the academy Grimoire users who would never get the chance to be called 'the heroes of Sanctum'. Nor were there tears shed for the trucks running through the city with the newest recruits to the Academy. The Seers had worked rather quickly and already they had enough to fill an entire new class. It was an exciting time, and soon those fresh students would find themselves before the academy itself.

Built closer to the heart of the fortress city the Academy was fortified with walls all their own and the most modern of defenses. Inside the walls was a bustling minicity, the academy dorms and main building standing proud in its center, but there was also a man made lake, a decently populated forest area, and an ever evolving town within. The roads were paved well and the trucks didn't suffer a single bump. There were entire sections of the city itself that hadn't been so lavishly cultivated and kept.

But that didn't meant the students within the covered back of the vehicle would be comfortable, surrounded by strangers with their own destiny suddenly dropped into their laps. But it would be a good a time as any to get to know their future classmates. As there was still a drive to the main building itself. Just long enough for some idle chatter to be done.

Edited by Kingxana0 on Jan 23rd 2019 at 5:21:26 AM

Academy Truck

The Seers picked him up from a police lockup on the east side of the slums. He knew the Grimoire-seekers were coming the moment his first shot rang out through the streets in the aftermath of the battle, so when they turned up to remove his cuffs and bundle him into the 'school bus' he was far from surprised. So here he was, in the back of a truck with a bunch of other young book-folk waiting to be let out into that ivory tower of a school. Might as well find out who he was stuck with for the next few years. With a moment to clear his throat he adjusted his bandit mask and spoke up.

"I'm surprised to find myself among such a diverse group of fellows. What brings you to this place assorted people?"

Edited by Pentigan on Jan 24th 2019 at 2:48:27 AM

Truck

Valerie was lost in thought as she rode the truck toward the Academy, idly brushing her tongue against the newly formed fangs in her mouth. She'd never thought things would end up like this. She'd never wanted a grimoire, or the curse that came with it. She had planned to get out the slums, make something of herself, take care of the other orphans and live a long, happy life, not be turned into a soldier and doomed to die young.

She was jolted out of this train of thought by an awkwardly delivered question by one of her fellow students, a guy in a mask. … Wait a minute, was that who she thought it was? It totally was! That thug from the local gang!

"I'd assume we're all here for the same reason, Woods. A fancy magic book fell into our laps and promised us power without the option to refuse. So now we have to go learn how to not kill ourselves or worse."

Academy Truck

“Want to fight Zeritics,” rang out a surprisingly soft voice for such a surprisingly massive boy—one whom most in the truck likely wouldn't have even realised was there to begin with. He had an oddly forgettable aura about him despite the fact he was almost 8 foot tall and built like a tank; antlers threatening to pierce through the tarp in the top as he sat awkwardly squeezed between his fellow academy attendants.

“W-want... want to fight Zeritics. Yeah. Just... that's what it tells me, at least...” he murmured, glancing down at the almost cartilaginous book protectively clutched against his vast chest. “I... think. I don't know. Want the staring to stop, really. Less people in an academy.”

It just reeked of wrongness. He didn't look to be lying, but he didn't look to be telling the whole truth either. Of course, he'd been picked up like some of the others. But he'd gone along quite willingly. He had his reasons. What he didn't have was reason to tell them.

Though the serpentine girl reminded him somewhat of himself. She didn't look fully comfortable. Licking her teeth like that. Like how he used to tug at his antlers. Ulina always yelled at him for that. The creaking irritated her, but he couldn't help it at the time. They felt so unsteady during their first manifestation—like they could be pulled out. Not now, though. They were as solid as his skull.

As the top of the vehicle was becoming incredibly aware of by now.

Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 23rd 2019 at 4:17:01 PM

Poppy flicked her eyes around to each person in the truck, noticeably skittish. She relaxed somewhat when she spotted people with "transformations" like her—though, could antlers or fangs really be considered as monstrous as a desiccated, skeletal hand?

She clenched the affected hand into a fist, squeezing her eyes shut while fretting the cover of her Grimoire—a black, leather-bound tome with a silver picture of a wilting rose on the cover—with her other hand.

"I'm Poppy. Poppy Blake," she said, voice thin. And then she coughed into her gloved hand, small frame shaking.

"I'm here for other people's safety, and my own," she admitted freely. "And yes, I'd suppose there'd be less judgement here...It's a good thing, really!"

"Of course, I want to fight Zeritics too. They...took away a lot from me. This thing thought it was beautiful and came to me. So now...eh, let's just see how this goes, eh?" she said, a little too flippantly.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Jan 23rd 2019 at 10:07:32 AM

Academy Truck

Near the back of the truck, jostling, metallic noises lent more attention to the student just trying to get to the academy than he wanted. The armored, stoic seeming Allan Kardein breathed and tried to calm his nerves. This was nothing compared to the Blasted Sacraments, he told himself. But the Sacraments were conducted alone.

Here?

He was surrounded by people basically on all sides. He was...not used to dealing with people from outside his Order. On top of the puerile and vicious whispers of...that.

Handsome, features cut as if from marble, silvery armor gleaming in the sun...yet he was mostly alone, and tried to keep quiet. He was a knight above all else. He would be ready if / when the fighting started. He would draw his blade, smite the Zeretics, and let triumph sing upon his magic steel.

...but until it did?

He felt woefully out of place.

Poppy shifted on her seat, squirming slightly. She looked around awkwardly, and decided it would be a good course of action to fill the empty space with chatter. Any kind of chatter.

"Do you think the Academy's got good rooms? What do you think the beds will be like? The food?" she blurted. "I mean, I was always pretty sickly, even before I got my Grimoire. Do you think they'll have good healers?"

"Do you think anyone would be able to...fix my arm and hand?" she whispered feebly. "I mean...it was the result of a Grand Spell...I don't think so..."

The smile that she had pasted on her face had all but melted off by this point. Her body language seemed to be screaming Help me!

Edited by JumpingFruit on Jan 24th 2019 at 9:15:54 AM

Keyden almost forgot there were other people on the bus with him, he was so entranced by his book. He jumped a little bit when his ears rang with the recognition of a conversation currently being held by the other group that were currently situated around him.

Reaching up and brushing a lock of hair away from his eye and tucking it behind his ear, he looked around, sizing up the rather peculiar size group he was now apart of.

Of course, peculiar to him was a blanket statement. He rarely ever left the farm so he wasn't too aware of the people around him, in the slums, the cities or otherwise.

He did notice the Elk-Guy though. It was hard to miss him.

He ran a hand over the leather bound tome in his lap, etched and colored with a wild assortment of animals on the front as far as it could be drawn into the horizon. He narrowed his eyes a little bit.

"Ta make things righ'." He said aloud, loud enough for them to hear what he said, a notable twang of an accent in his voice. "Ta make sure no one ever gets hurt by these things' again." he looked up and gave a little smile.

"Mighty kind meetin' ya'll. Name's Keyden."

Truck

With the increase in conversation in the truck, Valerie finally decided to take a good look at her fellow passengers. Obviously, there was the brute, Woods, with his stupid little mask. There was the enormous antlered boy who had just seemed to appear when he had spoken up, which was more than a little unnerving. There was the creepy-looking girl, Poppy, cradling a seemingly injured arm. There was the weirdo in the back dressed in full armor like some kind of wannabe knight. There was the farmer boy, Keyden, with his odd way of speaking. And there was the rich girl, sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the mostly lowborn occupants of the truck.

These were going to be her comrades for the foreseeable future. At least they didn't seem all bad.

"Right, names. Almost forgot. I'm Valerie." She turned to Poppy "And I have no idea what the Academy will be like, but anything's better than the slums."

Academy Truck

“Ollirand,” Olli frowned, realising he hadn't actually spoken his name yet whilst uncomfortably wriggling in his seat. “Ollirand Griyelkhar. From the mountains.”

He would have specified further but he had honestly no idea what said mountainous region was officially called here.

“And I'm sure they have... good healers there...” he murmured in reply to the one called Poppy, whom he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for. She looked incredibly unwell. “If nothing else then maybe my tome has something... I don't know, I haven't finished reading it yet...”

He severely hoped his tome did something other than transform him into some inhuman deer monster.

“I-I don't know... I hope it's nice there... I mean, Zeritics aren't exactly something to take sitting down,” he added in a more quietened, miserable tone—before shaking it off and forcing a small smile onto his face. “Still, it's... it's nice to meet you all...”

Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 24th 2019 at 10:49:16 AM

Allan

Having heard people commencing their introductions, Allan felt he might need to partake as well, lest he be considered a loner and outsider. He moved a bit closer to the discussions, turning away from the windows and resting a hand on Honorius to make sure it was still there. He could not make any mistakes or allow it out of his sight - many were the stories of people brought down or corrupted by the sword contained within.

"I am Allan Kardein...r-repres-sentative of the Knights Ardent." He stumbled over his words and winced each time, "W-We dedicate our lives to fighting the Zeretic threat, as well as any other that would encroach upon humanity."

He breathed, and then managed, "...I am the youngest of our order." And then he was silent and turned away again.

A slim girl in excellently-crafted tactical gear, across from the knight in juxtaposing armor, fluffed up her hair a little more and spoke up. "I'm Janeva Galven. You know, from the Galven Concern. I'm hoping that as a hero and guide to all the people who don't have the opportunity we do I can make the world better beneath me." It was stiff and rehearsed; she'd predicted the other students would ask something like this and she was prepared to make her case.

Poppy looked at Janeva curiously.

"At least someone's got an idea of what they want to do?" she said hesitatingly, not quite sure how to start interacting with this rich girl. She was quite the oddball in their semi-clueless group.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...If you aren't just blowing steam, and if you're absolutely sure that the light of your Grimoire won't blind you to reason and you won't be like those other nobles who make promises like that but then take no action—" (Here, Poppy started an agonizing-sounding coughing fit) "—Then I'll be right behind you, as long as you don't treat me like a charity case."

Poppy gasped for breath, but still stared Janeva down.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Jan 25th 2019 at 2:46:47 AM

Truck

Jacob was incredibly silent after being called out like that. That unsettling and the sudden appearance of Deer Man and the withered hand girl and the knight and rich girl kinda just left him with nothing good to respond with. All he could think to mutter out was a brief attempt at maintaining his composure.

"Ah wonderful, a politician. Glad to have you with us"

"Nothing wrong with charity, and nothing wrong with a politician." Janeva replied with a little point. "It's the way we get things done. What else can we do, you know?" She tapped the book on her lap. "Empyrean is in my control. I hardly get a noticeable change when it should be taking over anyway. It means I can be as fun as I want with it." She ran a hand through her hair and it came out a dark red. "It doesn't just do dyejobs either."

"I meant like the condescending kind of help, but you seem like you've got a good handle on it," Poppy said. "Politicians are...they're...sometimes you can trust them, sometimes you can't."

"I just need to keep from using my Grand Spell too often," she added. "Also, the Book of the Transient Crypt is weaker than regular Grimoires, so I won't go mad as quickly. I hope."

"Well, Tome of the Wild, from wha' Ah can tell, is kinda wonky. Ah mean, Ah'm excited ta learn, but it'll be a fun experience!"

He looked down at the tome in his lap and smiled, opening it up and beginning to read through some of the Spells that WERE in there.

"Ah gotta say, it's kinda...nice, knowing that Ah'm gonna be learnin' about this kinda stuff with a few other people! Makes me feel not so...lost, ya know?"

"Even if'n we are kinda from differen' walks ah life. But at least we all wanna save people, right?"

The truck slowly pulled to a stop and the drive called out from the back. "Last stop for you kids, your escort is already waiting for you. You got a genuine celebrity to see you guys in. Mind the help through, they can be a bit shocking to first timers."

As the students filed out of the truck they would get their first proper views of the academy grounds itself, and the only way to describe it was clean. The city by necessity tended to keep the appearance of a fully functioning environment but the further to the outer walls one came the more that illusion broke down. Housing tended to be cramped and clean up was left as more of a group effort then anything supported by the royalty. In stark contrast not a single piece of litter or blade of grass was out of order. Even the air held a clean sent to it.

The other and more immediately striking thing however was a young woman that very few among them wouldn't have at least heard of or seen on propaganda posters, the eldest Shine Grimoire holder Sophie Lawson.

On both sides of her were identical beings, humanoid in form but much to large of body to be anything of the sort. Their skins were inky black and rather then faces had stark white masks with moving dots that seemed to represent both eyes and mouth. Both were dressed in rather fine suits and wore wide brimmed hats over their heads.

"Welcome to Sanctum Academy," Sophie curtsied to the group, while the two creatures flanking her hunched over in what might have been a bow. "I'm sure you all have so many questions,"

A loud explosion rang out from somewhere on the campus, following by a rising stack of black smoke. "Oh bother I thought we had that under control," she drummed her fingers at her side and looked to the group. "Well the staff should have that cleaned up soon enough. So as your guide feel free to ask me whatever you," another explosion rang out and the perfect smile she maintained for a moment looked strained on her face, but was quickly covered up. "Whatever you want."

Poppy timidly raised her hand.

"Will there be healers? Beds? Enough food?" she asked. "...And what's that going on in the background?"

Jacob stepped out of the truck and tried to maintain his composure. A struggle that was not helped by the explosions going on. He raised his hand briefly.

"Yes, I have a question."

He made a vague gesture in the direction of the smoke.

"What were those explosions and why are you so calm about them?"

Edited by Pentigan on Jan 28th 2019 at 9:27:32 PM

Sanctum Academy – Grounds

“Maybe they're happy explosions for celebrating our arrival,” Ollirand weakly suggested as he slowly heaved his massive frame out of the truck and tried to avoid tearing through the tarpaulin all the while. “I-I'm just glad to have my feet on the ground again... does anyone else feel nauseous?”

Something about his demeanour was a little off. While he did indeed look a little green in the face, it seemed like something was... well, just plain wrong. At nearly seven feet in height excluding his antlers he towered over most of them, but he held himself like a frightened bunny quivering in a corner. He looked ready to bolt any minute. That and the way he seemed to shrink down at the sight of the figures alongside their supposed ‘guide’.

Ms. Lawson. He'd... heard of her. Vaguely. He had no idea who she was, but he'd definitely seen her face around. But he knew little enough about her that he kept a weary cervine eye locked on her even as he lumbered over to Poppy. He felt an odd protectiveness of the sickly girl. Perhaps he was just pitying her. In any case, he didn't dare get too close. He was genuinely afraid she'd snap in half if he so much as lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I'm sure everything's worked out for us. If not, you needn't worry. I've lived up in the mountains for most my life, so I'm sure I could fine us some stuff out in the wild if we need it. Even then, I think the others have us covered no problem.”

It was silly, he admitted. The offer to go all the way out into the wilderness—probably sneaking past whatever security were patrolling the grounds in the process—just to get a few select herbs or perhaps a dead rabbit or two in order to provide rations that they probably wouldn't even need. But if it assured her he didn't care. Even if it was ridiculous.

Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 28th 2019 at 11:07:45 AM

Sanctum Academy-Grounds

Sophie's smile seemed to become sad at the first question, it was easy to forget from within their gilded cage that the people outside the walls suffered such. Even with the all consuming threat of the Zeretic forces humanity was a flawed species. "The best of everything in the kingdom has been procured behind these walls. The best doctors and access to all of humanities current knowledge of healing. Beds filled with the softest materials, and food produced second only to that which is fed to the royal family." their lives might be short, they might not even survive until the next attack, but until the moment they weren't able to continue they would be kept happy. Chained maybe, kept within a place where the walls were a two way defense, but happy.

"As for the explosions some of our more...spirited students have been in a bit of a debate recently. And its academy policy to let such disputes play out naturally." she would prefer to stick the offenders in stocks or pin them with nails to the wall. Or at least, that is what her Grimoire told her that she wanted. It normally wasn't even that wrong.

"They will either burn themselves out soon enough, or if worst comes to worst there is no better place to ensure that they are corrected."

"So yer tellin' me, that when two students get into a fight, ya'll just let 'em beat the crap outta each other until they simmer down?"

A pause from Keyden and he gave a firm, understanding nod as if that was common knowledge.

"Alright. Pa always told me that squabblin' was the best way to get all that pent up anger out at. Now, here's my question: When, exactly, do ya'll think we're gonna be right proper to fight these Zeretic' things? Cause Ah'm itchin' to scrap mahself."

"Knowing where to aim ourselves properly is a good idea." Janeva replied with a grimace. "I can't abide violence, the Zeretics are some of the only exceptions I'm okay with. If you have to throw hands to prove your point, clearly you're already wrong."

Jacob let his gentleman thief expression falter a little at Janeva's words. He quickly picked the facade back up and let out a hearty (and awkward) laugh.

"I can see you've never b-been on the streets before lass!"

He briefly manifested a burning dagger into his right hand before dispelling it.

"Only proper that my ability is to always have a weapon."