#nozel x oc | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kalolasfantasyworld · 6 days

Text

I walk alone

Summary: Nozel walks through the shadows and sees scenes of what his life could have been.

Type: One shot

Genre: Heavy ANGST

Warnings: blood

Word count: 1551

Ships: Nozel x Vanessa, Nozel x Selena, Nozel x Fuegoleon, Nozel x Helia, Nozel x Briar, Nozel x Dorothy, Nozel x Helena

Author's note:

OCs in order belong to @thoughtfullyrainynightmare, @loosesodamarble, @koneko-pi and Helena is mine.

The vibes of this fic were inspired by @f-oighear's one shot: But the cold, dark gaze is your own.

Illustration is at the end.

Ao3

Is he in a dream? He does not know, but the shadows that swirl around him are ominous. He looks away, but it is the same on the other side. Shades of gray. There is a path and he walks on it, because what else can he do?

Each step feels heavy. He feels the burden resting on his shoulders. The burden of responsibility, burden of duty. It is suffocating, but he pushes on. He knows nothing else. Stronger! Stronger! Stronger! He keeps on repeating. My path is mine and mine alone.

So he walks by himself, dragging his feet, tripping. Shadows come closer.

He cannot take a break, but… his composure is shattering. Just a moment, a little bit.

So he stops, nobody will notice. He turns his head to the side and his lilac eyes widen, surprised.

The shadows part, just in that one spot, they swirl away and there is light. He needs to squint, because he is not used to it. Dark markings strangled him, kept him away from it, he kept himself from it, for fifteen years of his life. So how is this light apparent now?

He looks closer and he sees a flutter of pink. Pink? He smells wine, but why wine?

His eyes meet with those of amethyst color and he sees flushed cheeks.

“Hello handsome,” the woman winks. It is just that she is not talking to him. There is a man next to her. Man that could be his twin, because they both have silver hair, fair skin, lilac eyes. However it is not Nozel, because he knows himself and he is not happy. So how does this Nozel look as if he was? He wants to know the secret, wants to know how?

He takes a step closer… he falls on his knees.

The light is gone, only shadows remained.

He struggles to stand up. His legs are wobbly, because the burden is back. Somehow heavier than ever. Alone he pushes on.

Stronger! Stronger! Stronger! The words are there, repeated like a mantra.

Yet another step, yet another drag of his feet and they hurt. The soles of his sandals are not enough to shield them from the hard rocks, which suddenly appeared on the path.

He looks at them.

However then suddenly a flash of light appears. His eyes dart to it and he is focused. His legs feel lighter, so he approaches it.

Silver? No she is not a Silva, he does not know her and yet she feels familiar. As if when he looks at the night sky he sees her. The moon looks down at him. And once again there is a man beside her. She is soft with him and he… he is soft with her. Yet another impossible twin.

So he wants to gaze longer, but the moment he takes a step closer, light fades again. The burden settles, crushes him. Markings strangle his neck.

Stronger! Stronger! Stronger!

He walks down the path. The sharp stones seem to break the soles of his sandals, but they are still fine… for now.

When the light appears again, he is not surprised and he runs to it, once again magically rid of the heaviness. He stops close enough so that he can see, but not too close, worried that it will disappear.

Why is his rival there? Why are they sitting under a tree? What are they talking about?

Fuegoleon seems to be calmly explaining something and the man beside him… listens. They are younger, teenagers. But he has no memory of that. What does it mean? This Nozel does not look burdened.

He cannot stop himself from taking a step. It fades… once again it fades…

Stronger! Stronger! Stronger! But he wishes for yet another light.

His shoulders hurt. The burden digs into them. He is struggling not to trip. Not to fall down on the sharp rocks.

He sees it. He darts towards it. Somehow his prayer was answered.

Gold? Gold and green. The woman is standing in the water and smiling. She submerged her hands in it only to lift them up and splash them! He flinches, but she did not splash at him. The man beside her gets a little wet. He expects the man to snap. He does not. The man looks… happy?

He needs to take a closer look. He forgets and takes a step. The light fades.

Stronger! Stronger! Stronger! Stronger to see another light?

He feels the rocks. The soles of his shoes begin to have holes in them. It hurts! He pushes it down. He does not hurt. He is strong.

However when the light appears he does not have to pretend anymore… because the pain fades away.

The woman is not facing him. She has long, light brown hair, so long that it nearly touches the ground. He notices her ears… they are pointy? Then a man comes up from behind her. He puts his hand on her shoulder and she turns around. Her eyes… They are beautiful, peach colored. Her expression is serene as she looks up at the man. That man… he is not nervous… he is happy.

Maybe if he got a closer look he too..? However when he does the shadows remind him that he cannot. They swallow the peach eyed woman and the man. Once again he is alone.

Stronger! Stronger! Stronger! Why is it on repeat?

He flinches. Pain. His shoes break down. The soles do not make it and sharp rocks dig into his feet. The burden, the duty lies heavy on his shoulders. He wonders will his spine make it? It has to. He is strong… right?

However he only feels strong, when the light appears again. His wide open eyes look at those with interchanging colors. Colors of pink, blue and purple. Why is that witch there? How is she not asleep? She makes a V-sign with her fingers and giggles, but she does not giggle at him. She giggles at the man whose cheeks are bright pink. He is embarrassed, but not in an uncomfortable way. This is softer. The man smiles tenderly.

He wonders would this expression look the same on him? So he tries, but the corners of his lips are not used to the movement. The muscles seemed to forget. An ugly grimace forms instead. He covers his mouth.

This time he is the one to step back. The light fades.

Stronger! Stronger! Stronger!

Something wet.... There is blood on his feet. He feels his back crack, he needs to lean forward, because the burden is too heavy. He wishes for the light no more. It gets worse with each one. Or maybe… just one more time? One more time, before he hurts his feet and they cannot walk anymore. One more time before he gives away to the burden. He walks, but it is hard. It is hard to breathe with the markings suffocating him.

He trips. His hands bleed. The rocks cut the skin open. White fabric on his knees tears. There are no tears streaming down his cheeks. He is strong. He tries to stand up.

The light shines. He looks up and suddenly he is able to walk, able to run, but he is scared. He worries that if he gets too close it will disappear again. However he cannot see from this far. His feet decide for him.

He takes a look. The man standing there looks the most like him, from all of those he saw. His expression flat and arms crossed over his chest.

He furrows his brows. What does it mean?

But before he can wonder, a flash of red appears and a woman comes from behind the man, she excitedly jumps up and wraps her arms around him. The man nearly stumbles… but he is not angry. And the woman laughs. Her dark chocolate hair falls on him and contrasts with the silver. It frames her bright smile and deep brown orbs… almost black. She whispers something to the man and he rolls his eyes affectionately. Affectionately..? How does one do that?

He wants to ask, so he opens his mouth… but no words come out. He tries again, but he is mute. He puts his hand to his throat. It burns. The markings burn, they suffocate. He tries to scream, but those two surrounded by light do not hear, because there is nothing to be heard. So he reaches out his hand.

The light..? Why is it… wet?

It disappears. Only his outreached palm stays. His eyes widen. It is red, just as that woman’s dress. Blood red and the droplets fall on the sharp rocks. Right… they cut it open.

Stron… He is not strong anymore. He falls on the hard ground. It hurts his body. The burden crushes his lungs. The markings tighten around his neck. The shadows swirl and blood… it spills. He lies there looking up at the dark. Nothing is there.

Nothing… nothing… nothing…

Something wet trails down his cheeks. Tears? His eyes open and he stares at the white ceiling of his room at the Silva estate. What was that dream? He wonders. Heavily he lifts himself up on the bed and looks to the side.

It is empty…

#Let me know if this needs more warnings #This was very spontaneous #I wrote it today #nozel silva #black clover fanfic #black clover oc #nozel x helena #nozel x fuegoleon #nozel x vanessa #nozel x oc #nozel x briar #nozel x helia #nozel x selena #nozel x dorothy #angstpril2024 #angst #cw blood #angstpril #one shot

23 notes · View notes

thoughtfullyrainynightmare · 1 year

Text

Silver Season - Chapter 1 - Koneko_Pi - Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga) [Archive of Our Own]

A little reading recommendation ^^

Written by the wonderful @koneko-pi

A Nozel x OC story that's definitely worth checking out

#black clover fanfiction #nozel silva #Nozel x oc #fellow writer love

7 notes · View notes

nakunakunomi · 2 years

Text

Falling for you - Daphne (OC) x Nozel Silva

Hiya, this is the first time I am publishing an OC writing here on Tumblr that's not a blurb or headcanons. I am a little nervous about it tbh, but I also had this scene in mind for such a long time... I hope that some of you may enjoy it, even though it is different from my reader insert content.

Basic info on Daphne here if you want an introduction.

OC x Canon, fluff, humor - 1.5k words

As she walked through the halls of the Silver Eagles’ HQ, Daphne felt her heartbeat pick up the pace, feeling her blood preemptively rising to her cheeks. There was no reason for her to get flustered yet, but the very thought of making a fool out of herself in front of their captain again was just too much.

Nozel Silva never failed to make her nervous. Initially by simply directing his cold stares at him, or asking questions in such a way that she felt dumb by answering, even if she was fully informed about the subject. In the end, she invented most of the things that he was asking questions about.

Then, it was another kind of nervousness, the kind that came with finally seeing someone who had been occupying your mind for a while, the kind that came with uncomfortable feelings that made you stammer and stutter, that made you want to show your best sides but never allowing you to do so.

That was how she had been feeling most often lately, and Daphne was sure this crush of hers was not only painfully obvious but also somehow worse than the initial nervousness she had felt the first couple of times she went to interact with the Silver Eagles’ captain.

Nervousness, easily getting flustered, and some stuttering and stammering were all not that bad. It would be a little embarrassing for the average person not to come across as confident, especially not as a member of the magic knights in some capacity. But Daphne was not an average person when it came to what these feelings did to her. She was already too clumsy to handle on an average day, in Nozel’s presence, she became nothing but a clown show, tripping over nothing more than air, dropping nearly anything she held, she even ran into his door twice before. If she ever wanted to make a good impression on this man, she had to get her act together. She promised herself to do so every time she had to visit the Silver Eagles’ headquarters, focusing really on not making a fool out of herself. And yet, the minute she was actually in Nozel’s presence, all her resolve faded away, and she had to start all over again.

Was it maybe because he had been behaving a little differently around her lately? She couldn’t be sure, to anyone else he seemed just the same. But after some instances where they worked closely together to develop a new magic item, and even some battles, there were some subtle changes Daphne had started to pick up on. The way he initially seemed shocked and annoyed by the numerous ways she accidentally hurt herself, had softened, and he had sounded almost concerned the last few times. Sure, he still had that obvious tone of annoyance in his voice when he asked if she was okay, but he did ask. One time he had even caught her in time to stop her face from colliding with the floor, a moment she had been dreaming about ever since, much to her own embarrassment.

He seemed more and more interested in her work, no longer making her feel as stupid as he used to be when trying to answer them. Then again, this could all be just because she was initially intimidated by him, and now she was seeing him in an entirely different, rosey cloud-colored, light.

She took a deep breath before knocking on his door, stating her name and business, and taking a step back. She nearly missed him telling her to come in, his voice faint behind the solid doors, and her heartbeat pounding loudly in her ears, drowning out all other sounds. The delay made her hesitate, and in turn, those moments of hesitation turned out long enough for Nozel to get a little impatient, opening the door for her the moment she was ready to push it open, effectively pushing forward, stumbling, and nearly falling. Lucky for her, Nozel was standing right at the spot where she would’ve fallen down, his shirt providing her with something to hold onto as she tried not to make a fool out of herself this early on in the meeting. Of course, that mission failed the moment her hands reached out to grab whatever was in front of her to steady herself, but besides a quiet grunt and two hands on her shoulders pushing them back so she was upright again, there came no reaction from the royal in front of her.

She started stammering out apologies while he walked back to his chair behind his desk, sitting down and gesturing for her to take a seat opposite of him. She kept apologizing as she walked over, glad to be sitting down. At least she could not fall like this.

Her gaze was mainly focused on her lap, trying to avoid his stare and desperately trying to hide just how red she was. There was no mirror to check it herself, but she was feeling her cheeks burn up so bad that she was sure she could make the average tomato jealous.

He was nice enough to pretend he didn’t notice. Nozel had been noticing her getting more and more clumsy the more meetings they had. Especially the last few weeks, as they had met up multiple times in a short span of time to design some magic items specifically attuned to his mercury magic. He was observant enough to notice her stammering and stuttering more, in spite of having no reason to be insecure about anything. She knew what she was talking about, and the items she was designing were coming along nicely, they would prove him useful in battle.

He was pretty sure the insecurities had to stem from somewhere else, the only logical explanation was that it was him that caused it, and that realization made him feel a certain type of way. Nozel was no stranger to having admirers, he was a royal and a magic knight captain after all, but usually, those people went differently about their admiration for him, being very vocal and -in his opinion- annoying about it. There was something different about the way she seemed to be desperately repressing her feelings, even at the cost of her dignity, that annoyed him in a different way. Like he almost wanted her to stop and be vocal about it, so he could dismiss her like he always did when he encountered people like that.

But then again, there had been a little voice in the back of his mind that made him not want to do that at all. There was a part of him that thought he wouldn’t necessarily mind her attention in that way, no matter how this seemed like an extremely unlikely match, rationally speaking.

He felt strangely protective over her, finding himself more and more often cursing himself for not preventing any more of her accidents, especially since he seemed to be the cause of the worst of them. He was falling for her as she had fallen for him, and he had yet to come to terms with it.

Instead, he nodded along as she spoke, waiting patiently as she wrote down his remarks for things to alter or upgrade about the device. She got more in her element and seemed to calm down with this task to focus on, while he seemed to get more and more distracted every passing second.

When she was finally done, dropping her notepad the second she got up to leave, he moved automatically, leading her across the room with a hand on her back. The gesture was way more intimate than any kind of physical contact they had had before -nearly none-, and the mere feeling of the hand on her back sent a jolt of electricity straight to her heart. She got uncharacteristically silent, and he didn’t speak either. It was only seconds before they reached the door, but in those seconds, something had fundamentally changed.

She stepped forward, very consciously, focusing all her energy on keeping her composure, saluting and looking him straight in the eye, cheeks burning bright red. The reflection in her glasses made Nozel realize that he himself had a slight pink hue on his cheeks as well, which he hid by clearing his throat and looking away while he sent her off.

Next time would be different, undeniably so. But how?

#Black clover #black clover OC #naku no OC #OC content #black clover x OC #canon x OC #nozel x OC #Nozel silva x oc #nozel x daphne #nozel silva x daphne

11 notes · View notes

vilandel · 16 days

Text

*Helena and Rosette meeting for the first time* Helena: *in awe* Oh my, you look so shiny and full of light! Rosette: *surprised at the compliment and in awe as well* You look like chocolate... with bits of strawberries! Rosette and Helena: *immediately liking each other* Solid: What... what just happened? Nozel: It seems that my wife and your fiancée won't hate each other like some nobles thought.

Helena belongs to @kalolasfantasyworld 💕

#Black Clover #Black Clover Incorrect Quotes #Black Clover OC #Not my oc #My Black Clover OC ☘️#Helena Drazel #Rosette Vitrail #Solid Silva #Nozel Silva #Nozelena #Sosette #Nozel x Helena #Solid x Rosette #Kalolafantasyworlds 💘#Just a little something <3

29 notes · View notes

acacia-may · 1 month

Note

Can I ask what are your favourite Black Clover OC x CC ships from your mutuals? Ignore this ask if it's too much romance for you 😅

Hi there, Anon-friend! Thank you for the ask! There are a lot of really nice and well thought out OC x CC pairings in the Black Clover fandom, and I certainly have a lot of respect for everyone who takes the time, passion, and inspiration to make these OCs and their ships. Even though I'm not usually that into shipping (despite what the past few days of ship specific content on this blog might seem to imply), I have definitely enjoyed many Black Clover OC x CC pairings in the fandom, but from my Tumblr mutuals specifically, I think I've actually talked about most of my favorites as part of this ask game already. 😊

The only one of my all-time favorites that come to mind that's missing is @delicious-donna/@delirious-donna's Alina x Magna from Chasing the Sparks (AO3 Link) which is another that's probably just permanently part of my personal canon now. I personally find it very compelling because I think they're very well suited for each other. Alina is kind of this gentle and steady constant in the chaos of Magna’s life and Magna’s enthusiasm and loyalty really encourages her to build confidence and believe in herself and her abilities. They really bring out the best in each other, and it's very, very sweet. I also just adore Alina as a character (and not just because she's Finral and Langris's cousin though that is just a major bonus and I loved getting to write about their platonic cousin relationship in the story Donna requested, "Melting Snowman," and in a really fun collaboration project that unfortunately never got finished). But yes, they are wonderful and definitely an all-time favorite of mine. 💖

In terms of my other personal favorites from my Tumblr moots that I've already talked about, I'll just list them and link to the posts where I rambled about them already:

@loosesodamarble's Nacht x Josele (discussed here)

@lyranova's William x Zera (discussed here)

@thoughtfullyrainynightmare's Fuegoleon x Solara (discussed here)

@kalolasfantasyworld's Nozel x Helena (and I also really enjoy Gabriel x Vanessa, both of which are discussed in this post)

And a shout out to a new (and unexpected) favorite, @vilandel's Solid x Rosette which I just discovered during this ask game but definitely really enjoyed and rambled about here.

All of that said, shipping is very subjective and really based on very personal feelings, opinions, and preferences, as well as headcanons and perceptions of the characters. These are just the pairings that are my cup of tea and personally really compelling to me. I also only included pairings from my Tumblr moots. There are ships from friends from other places and a few from some relative strangers that I've seen floating around that I enjoy, but these are definitely my favorites from my Tumblr friends and pairings that I really think of as part of my personal canon for Black Clover and the characters' futures. Thanks for asking! 💕

#sorry for the massive amounts of tags in this post friends #thanks for creating such great OCs and pairings 🥰#i love yall #answered asks #acacia's ramblings #nozel x helena #nacht x josele #magna x alina #fuegoleon x solara #william x zera #solid x rosette

18 notes · View notes

yellowgreendinno · 7 days

Text

new fic!

I'll be working on a new fic in AO3, about Styx Lügner's life story.

Also, did i forget to mention in her profile that, while her crush when she was younger was Nozel, she actually ends up with Nebra. And i'm kinda nervous bc i've never written a lesbo fic beforeeee

but i hope it'll all go well.

calling out to @kalolasfantasyworld, @thoughtfullyrainynightmare and @vilandel for writing advice!

Love n' sparkles! 💗✨

#black clover #styx lügner #nebra silva #styx x nebra #nozel silva #fuegoleon vermillion #mereoleona vermillion #noelle silva #solid silva #black clover fanfic #fanfiction #oc #my oc #oc x canon #lovely mutuals

11 notes · View notes

mamavino · 1 month

Text

Welcome to my talk about my (on going story)

The Clover Kingdom in Chaos: A Dire Tale

Over a month after defeating Lucius Zogratis, new troubles lie ahead. When Sol comes knocking on Yami's door in a panic because Charlotte is missing, he acts indifferent at first. But what happened after their tea-drinking date? And is it true that she has been trapped by a curse again? Yami puts every effort into finding out what happened and sets out to find Charlotte.

In addition, all the spirits are falling ill, and everyone seems to be in a total panic. Mereoleona, Asta and a small team sets out to seek out the cause and solution to all this. Is it all connected? In the library they will find help, or is it an enemy After all?

Noelle Silva falls into a strange sleep. Rouge, Vanessa's cat, is now attached to young Silva's life. Nozel insists on having his sister in the palace. But that also means opening the doors to the Black Bulls. This will certainly provide some challenges.

Who arte the ships?? ❤️

Yami x Charlotte 🐃💙

These two begin after the tea date. The date did not go as planned for both of them. And they ended up ignoring each other. This because the things that happen are a bit fuzzy for both.

But then Charlotte disappeared, and Yami starts looking for her. Unraveling the past of Charlotte, he falls more and more in love with de woman she is. Also slowly getting his memories back of that night. But in the meantime, Charlotte is drifting further away. Feeling sick, weak, and if her life is cursed all over again.

Vanessa x Nozel 🐈‍⬛🦅

They witch and the royal, what's not to love about this ship. Because Noelle her life is hanging on the thread of her magic Nozel welcomes Vanessa in to his home. She flirts, he gets flustered. He slowly opens up to her, about his past and his feelings. And she can stop falling head over heals with this handsome royal captain. Is there love just a fling of the moment. Or is it bedded so deep, there is no bottom?

Zora x Nebra 🪲x 🌫

This ship is so full of angry flirting, biting and sarcastic come backs. But while they are mix for disaster, they fall in love so hard they trap them self. And when Nebra struggles with the bond with her father, Zora is the ultimate person she can lean on.

Wainsley x Fuegoleon ❄️ x 🔥

Happy cheerful but also so insecure, Wainsley had a hard life. Her father wanted a son, and always looked at her as a burden. Serious, powerful and confident, Fuegoleon is a perfect knight from a warm loving royal family. They are cute, and they need each other to find a balance in them self and life.

Mereoleona x OC Arlene 🔥 x 🤓

This is a small ship, there love is different then the rest of the ships. They are slow, learning there ways. Mereoleona is very protective of her bookworm. And when she finds out how powerful Arlene really is, the closer she led the bookworm come.

OC(s)

Yes 2 big ones.

Arlene, born over a 1000 years ago without magic or mana. Blond long hair, bright blue eyes, about 1,65m, and is dressed in a white nightgown dress. After she rescued a elven princess, the high even king gives her immortality and the power of giving and taking magic powers. She is also the mother of spirits, because when she takes magic, she creates a spirits.

Isabella Roselei 🌹

Yes she is family of Charlotte, little sister even. Moss green eyes, in the same shape as her older sister. Wild brown curly hair, about 1,60m. Isabella is a chatterbox, loves joking around and having a smoke with Captain pretty (Yami, no love feelings).

Where are we now?

We are at a point in the story when everything is coming to a conclusion and the end is near.

But Charlotte is still missing, the rift is coming and Noelle is still in a coma.

Fast go read! And I will write further.

Love ❤️ Mama Vino

#black clover #black clover fanfiction #rare paring #zora x nebra #yami x charlotte #vanessa x nozel #Fuegoleon x Wainsley #black clover mereoleona #black clover oc

7 notes · View notes

crazyclownthanos · 4 months

Text

Acier’s hand compared to her husbands hand 🥲

#black clover #white clover #acier silva #nozel silva #noelle silva #oc #bc oc #oc x canon #solid silva #nebra silva #papa silva

8 notes · View notes

simpingforthisonedeer · 11 months

Link

Chapter 15: Mercy, Mercy

Summary: Aika and Evan are gone for an indefinite period so the story turns to Julius. A ghost from the past and painful memories for the failed protagonist and a new chapter in his life.

Notes:

- Manga and Movie Spoilers from here on out! - 5k words - We’re going to touch more on Ellie’s power later but you do get to see some of it here. - Relationships are really important in this fic. Not only Aika and Julius’s but the other characters' relationship to them and others as well. - Read endnotes for more info and commentary

Tagging: @t-f-t @funky-sea-cryptid @loosesodamarble @lyranova @thoughtfullyrainynightmare

“Then what about her grimoire?” Julius moved his gaze to Ellie’s grimoire pouch but it was not there.

“Where’s my grimoire?!”

“Gods don’t need grimoires, Ellie,” Arthur said wryly as he plopped down in an armchair. “You’re a part of The Pantheon now, and you draw your power from all your fellow Gods.”

“I—Okay…” What? She sighed deeply, begging the tears to stay away. She needed some private time to come to terms with all this. “I did not ask for this…”

“We know you didn’t.” Arthur grinned. “No one asks for Godhood. You achieve it or in your case, stumble upon it. I’m sure Aika saw this coming since she met you. You were, after all, enlightened since you were born, right?”

“Yeah,” she answered meekly. She was born with eyes that burned her mother, father and midwives out of existence. She lived her life blindfolded until Miss Aika reached a hand out to her like a lifeline and taught her how to bring her strange powers under control.

Ellie didn’t like all the attention that the room was giving her. Most of them she doesn’t even know. And Miss Aika was not here to guide her through this. No one would know more about divinity than her or her master.

“That’s why she took you along, you know?”

“What?” She looked up at him. What was he saying?

“What are you implying?” Jayce growled beside her.

“I’m not implying anything! I’m saying that she only gives the time of day to people who she sees potential in, or has business with.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, but not everyone has a wrinkled prune for a heart. She actually likes the people she spends most of her day with. She has friends.” Jayce cocked his head as he stuffed his hands in his pockets in a blatantly arrogant pose. Julius, Jien, Fuegoleon and Dorothy shared a look crossed between amusement and concern. “Something you clearly don’t have even after thousands of years!”

Arthur leapt out of his seat and Jayce flinched when he closed the distance and smiled down at him, gleeful.

“Ah, but that’s where you are wrong.”

“I’m the keeper of Aika’s secrets,” he turned to look at Julius dead in the eyes. “And she’s mine.”

Julius stared back impassively, tamping the ugly jealousy that was welling up in him.

“Look at me,” Jayce bared his teeth in a mocking grin. “Do. I. Give. A. Shit.”

Ellie threw up some portals where fists flew.

“Stop it!” She turned to Jayce. “Have some respect for your elders! He’s not wrong!”

“But—”

“Zip it.”

She pointed an accusing finger at Arthur.

“And you! Responding to schoolyard taunts is beneath you,” she snarled. He pursed his lips and looked away. “People would be nicer to you if you didn’t portray the most benign things so negatively!”

Arthur clicked his tongue but said nothing.

“Okay, well, if we’re done talking, I need to take you to Aika’s old Temple. The High Priest is waiting for you.”

“Wh—”

“No.” Jayce placed himself between Ellie and Arthur. “You are not taking her away too.” He hung his head, fists shaking by his sides.

“Too?”

He exploded on Arthur.

“Aika and Evan are gone! And you didn’t even realise because your head is so far up your ass, you self-serving prick!”

“I’m going to ignore the last half of what you said.” Arthur narrowed his eyes. “But what do you mean they’re gone?”

“Evan’s dead, and Miss Aika had gone berserk so she activated her Shadowed Star spell which Ellie had to transport using impossible means which is why you are here in the first place!”

“Evan is dead?” Arthur whispered, eyes widening. “But Aika brought him back, right?”

“Yeah, but it’s not going to matter because,” Tears fell as he looked up at the older man. “Because what use is it to be alive when you can’t feel happiness, grief, anger, love, all the things that make us alive. He’s going to wake up in a month, a shell of what he is.” He buried his face in his hands. “Why the fuck do you care anyways?”

“Why do I care about Aika’s oldest child, my daughter’s beloved brother, a young man whom I have known way longer than you have?” Arthur grit out. “Where is he?”

Julius cleared his throat. This was going too far in front of people who are completely unaware of what they are even talking about.

“This discussion is getting out of hand. Evan is in the infirmary. Please continue there.” Julius all but glared at them in disappointment. His tone made no room for argument so Ellie made a portal and before she walked through it after Jayce and Arthur, she locked eyes with Julius, looking for something, permission or assurance, he wasn’t sure. His expression softened and he nodded curtly. She pursed her lips and frowned as she walked away. Julius had a sneaking suspicion as to why.

It was 2 a.m.

“What the hell just happened.”

Julius stayed quiet as discussion exploded along with his head. It felt like there was a raging storm inside but he kept calm and restored the room back to its previous state and walked over to the desk where his gifts were. He plucked the gold ring Aika left him out of its box and slid it down his pinky finger as he stared at the wisteria trees glowing outside the giant arched window that the long desk faced. He shuddered as a warmth washed over him, and hugged him like a weighted blanket.

Julius closed his eyes and for a moment, pretended it was Aika hugging him from behind. He smiled at the fantasy but the voices behind him were only getting louder.

“The Pantheon? Does that mean she is one of—”

“Who is she anyway? I haven’t seen her around before.”

“Agreed. I would remember a dark-skinned foreigner like her.”

He turned around as he took off his cloak. It seemed like he didn’t need this giant blanket for warmth anymore.

“Enough.”

A word alone brought the room to silence in an instant.

“It was unfortunate that you all had to witness Miss Aika’s troubles throughout the day but please be professional. Go home, get some rest, write a report if you can’t sleep. Prepare for the Captain’s meeting tomorrow. We’ll discuss everything then.”

Everyone quietly mumbled “goodnights” and “goodbyes” as they left. Marx and Jien gave him worried looks but understood that he wanted to be left alone with his thoughts right now. They needed time to reflect on the day too.

Julius laid back on the armchair and laced his fingers on his lap, closing his eyes with a sigh.

What a long day.

A deep laugh echoed in his head as his stomach fell.

An apparition of his mirror image sat in the sofa in front of him, legs crossed in an arrogant pose and a bemused smile. The man was his twin, looked exactly like him except for his dark hair, deep as the night sky.

“Lucius.”

“I have to applaud your restraint, Julius.”

The memories came roaring back, a migraine pounding in tandem with each glimpse and tidbit of information.

A childhood in a cold country, two brothers and a sister who were ever so relieved to see him. His real family, not the fake one his brother masterminded in Clover Kingdom. The grief, the pain, the guilt, the shame. Blood dripping down his chin and a half eaten heart in his hands. Visions of the world ending, a cataclysm of his own design. Monsters encased in crystal. The wheelchair.

Lucius kept talking.

“There is no greater story than your life,” he laughed. “And I have enjoyed watching every single moment of it. You definitely keep it interesting.”

The fear, the pain. And a reprieve. Watching swordsmanship practice. An eager friend with a beautiful smile. The only person ever brave enough to befriend Lucius. Someone his siblings looked up to with awe and affection in their eyes. The only touch Lucius didn’t flinch at as she picked him up and ran. Explosions that left bells ringing. A pact made from mercy and a new lease on life.

“You and I have disagreed on some things, but I have never taken you for a fool—”

“She knows.”

Lucius dropped his head to the side.

“Knows what?”

“Our father was her mentor. She studied at the War College. She babysat our siblings for free and our father favoured her,” Julius’s voice rose with each word in panic. “Lucius put your arrogance aside and remember! The Oath she made with Arthur broke that made people forget that she ever used Time Magic but you were so obsessed with the fact that she used Time Magic that the Oath made us forget her entirely. But Arthur and Aika never forgot as they were the ones that cast the magic. She knows about us, Lucius.”

“She—” Lucius' eyes widened.

“I desperately want to say she doesn’t remember because she has never seen me but she has always remarked how Zenon was ‘Mini-Lucius.’ She has an eye for appearances and a long memory.”

“In one of your conversations with her, she mentioned that she hasn’t been to Spade Kingdom since she had left. She hasn’t seen Zenon and she most definitely doesn’t remember us. She would have said something if she did.” Lucius touched his chin in thought. “Was it only the pact that was broken?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve never taken this tone of voice with me,” he scrutinised Julius. “I never allowed you to.”

Julius felt the hairs raise on the back of neck.

“I wouldn’t know if your spell is there or not because I’ve never felt it.” He glared at him coldly.

“That’s right. You wouldn’t.” Lucius only smiled. “I was just wondering because it would be a problem if my spell on our siblings also vanished.”

“Even if that did happen, you won’t be able to do anything about it.”

“After all these years, you’ve finally developed a rebellious streak.” Lucius stood up and placed his hands on Julius’s armrest, caging him. “I really do wonder where this confidence comes from. Is it from her?”

“You can’t even bring yourself to say her name,” Julius spat, his eyes glinting in anger.

“She’s not even worth mentioning.”

“Lies.” His heart was in his throat as he ran his mouth. “She just foiled your plans and it spells the end of you if she did this on purpose. And I can’t say she was your friend, but she meant something to you and you can’t reconcile with that and your delusions of grandeur.”

“Now where is this resistance coming from? This,” he grabbed Julius’s head, searching for his resolve so that he may squash it before it turns on him. “Determination.”

Julius faltered as Lucius poked around his head but he gathered his courage and grit his teeth.

“Is it, again, from her? You were feeling particularly inspired earlier in the dungeons.”

“Just because she has affected you so much when we were teens doesn’t mean the same for me. My determination comes from years of experience and rising above my station to become Wizard King.” Julius glared up at him. “Not trauma and obsession.”

He flinched and gasped when Lucius began choking him, that smug expression gone and his eyes wide in that all-so-familiar insanity.

“My, my,” he grit out between his teeth. “Where did you acquire that silver tongue of yours? You’re so quick to hurt your brother.”

Julius grabbed his wrists and gasped for air. Blood roared in ears as Lucius’s magic lashed out at him. He heard the muffled screams of souls he had consumed and Julius made a decision. Enough was enough.

He took them to the infirmary with the last of his strength and to his relief, Jayce was there. And so was Arthur and Ellie. It was two too many people but he was out of options and didn’t have space for “Plan B.” They all leapt to catch him as he fell to his knees and the moment they touched him, they felt an evil unlike any other. They stared at the warping silhouette of a demon, not unlike Aika earlier, who pressed on their hearts, as if directly stepping on it to squash it.

“Seal…Him!” Julius gasped. Jayce set to work as Ellie held the dying king. Arthur used all of his strength to pry this poltergeist’s arms away, growling as it barely budged.

Ellie took this moment to whisper into Julius’s ear.

“You cannot keep this from her. She will know.”

He turned his quivering head in question.

“You dare? You dare?!” Lucius’s garbled screams shook the room. “After all I’ve done for you?!”

Arthur reared his arm back and punched the apparition.

Lucius’s form went back to normal and looked at him in shock. How did he touch him?

“Anyone who claims to have done something for someone and then tries to choke them has probably done jack shit.”

Jayce’s makeshift seal shook and shook, threatening to break.

“Aim at his soul,” Ellie whispered to him as Julius rubbed his neck in her arms.

“I don’t know how to do that!”

“Yes, you do,” she said gently. “It is like sealing anything else.”

Arthur pinned Lucius to the floor and bared his fangs at him. He tried to fight back by reaching for the man’s soul but it was nowhere to be found.

“Whatchu lookin for?”

“How?”

“You live for over two thousand years, you’ll find a lot of things to do in your free time.”

“Jayce, go for the soul Arthur has grabbed.”

“Oh, gee, yeah let me suddenly learn Soul Magic right now so I can find it.”

“Ugh.” Ellie grabbed his hand and placed it on Julius’s chest. “Everyone has a soul. Meaning we all have an affinity for its magic.” Her eyes shimmered with her newfound powers, and she lent some of it to him.

“Look,” she commanded, and so he saw. He saw what made the king before him: the life, the memories, the atoms—

“That’s too much.” She reeled her power back with a wince. “Sorry. Still getting used to it.”

Jayce blinked quickly and then he saw what he needed to. Two souls crowded in one body, but one was going nuts, as if fighting back.

His magic locked in on it.

“Yes, that one.”

And it snapped into place.

Silence as Lucius disappeared.

“Did it work?” Jayce whispered.

“Yes.”

“Mmm.”

“How?” Jayce jumped with an embarrassing yell when Lucius reappeared in front of him.

“You,” Julius gasped for air. “You sealed his magic.”

“That’s what I am most familiar with so that’s what I did. I-I don’t know how to seal souls!”

“That’s okay,” Julius rasped as Arthur handed him a glass of water. He downed it in heavy gulps. “It was better that way.”

“Why?” Ellie asked him. She had a strange glint in her eyes that made him look away for some reason.

“Because he had granted me mercy not once, but twice. Even when I didn’t ask for it. If you had sealed his soul, he would’ve been stuck in purgatory with nothing to see and no one to talk to.” He looked up at Lucius’s openly shocked face. “He may be a bit prickly, but he’s still my brother.”

“First thing,” Arthur raised his hands. “You have a brother? Second, him choking you is him being ‘a bit prickly?’”

“That soft heart of yours will be the end of you,” Lucius hissed as everyone stood up.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay.” Jayce caught Julius as he nearly fell. “How can all of you see him?”

“Godhood.”

“I sealed him so…”

“I grabbed onto his soul in case he acts up.”

“Godhood,” Lucius scoffed. “How ridiculous.” He gasped when a force grabbed him and turned him around to face Ellie.

“Careful,” she warned lightly. “It won’t be so ridiculous when I erase you out of existence.”

“How do you know what to do with your powers?”

“Instinct. It comes with her Awakening,” Arthur explained quietly.

“Please don’t do anything to him,” Julius pleaded.

“I wasn’t going to. If I wanted to, I would’ve when you first fell to your knees but I wanted to hear the story before I did.” Lucius closed his eyes when she tried to force him to look at her. Ellie let him go and he dropped to his knees. “I simply wanted to remind him of his place.” She picked him up by the collar. “You are a mere apparition now with your magic sealed. Try to hurt Sir Julius who is dear to Miss Aika and even the last vestiges of your ambitions and your memory would be wiped from reality.”

Silence again.

“That was hot,” Jayce whispered and Julius stared at Ellie in shock.

“It looks like she learned from the best, isn’t that right?”

“I’ve never seen you like that.”

“It’s because you’ve never seen me on solo missions with Miss Aika.” Jayce seemed disappointed at that. What Jayce also doesn’t know was that she had been faking it. It took all of her strength to keep her voice from shaking. Arthur had just calmed her down earlier but Gods she was just acting on her protective instinct. That is all.

“Er, thank you. Ellie, was it?”

“Yes,” she smiled. Julius bowed his head.

“Thank you, Ellie.”

“We have to get going. We’ve already stayed for too long.”

“Wait—”

“It’s okay, Jayce. I’ll be back as soon as I figure things out. You know how to take care of Miss Aika’s paperwork and whatnot, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Then you got this.” She laid a hand on his shoulder and leaned it to kiss his cheek. “You are more like her than anyone,” she whispered as she pulled back. “If anyone can do it, it’s you.”

Jayce’s jaw fell as she walked away. Do what?

“I’ll keep her safe and sound. Don’t worry,” Arthur smiled wearily and turned to Julius. “Take care of yourself. We’ll talk about your so-called ‘brother’ next time I see you.”

They disappeared together in a flash of light, leaving some residual magic in their wake.

Jayce led the quiet Julius to a chair next to Evan’s bed and brought him another glass of water as he eyed Lucius’s floating form warily.

“Let’s go to sleep, Sir.”

He nodded but just barely and stood up, lost in thought.

“Are you going to be okay?” He asked as he walked towards the door. Jayce faltered but in a stuttered breath,

“I will be.”

“Will you be okay, Sir?”

He paused and looked down at his feet. The silence stretched for a minute before Julius drew his shoulders back and smiled at Jayce.

“I will be,” he echoed.

Julius woke up to someone trying to break down his bedroom door.

“Sir! You are going to be late to your meeting!”

Oh, it was just Marx. He stumbled into the room as the doors flew open.

“I’m sorry, Marx,” he yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

“Don’t be sorry, Sir!” He exclaimed as he threw the closet door open. “I already ordered breakfast to the conference room for everyone. All the Captain's secretaries informed me that no one ate so you won’t be the odd one out.”

Julius jogged into the bathroom with half-formed thoughts and did a 3 minute version of his morning routine, which was the whole routine sped up to 3 minutes with the help of Time Magic so he walked out looking fresh as ever.

When Marx looked at him, he paused with a slight frown. Apparently he doesn’t look as fresh.

He helped Julius into the first layer of his clothes with the shirt and pants and when he tried to fit the brown robe over him, Julius stopped him.

“That’s no longer needed, just get me a standard open cloak.”

“You don’t have a Wizard King version of the open faced one, Sir…”

“Order one then.” Julius walked to his bedside table and slid the gold ring down his pinky and sighed as warmth enveloped him.

“Yes, Sir,” Marx said as he offered him a plain red robe. Julius moved to leave as he threw the robe on him, thinking about how quiet Lucius had been since last night. But he was stopped as Marx tugged at his sleeve. He turned around in question and Marx simply just pursed his lips and dragged him to the vanity. When Julius was forcefully sat down, he saw the problem in the mirror, he understood why his assistant looked like he was constipated.

Julius had bags under his eyes, dark enough to put a raccoon to shame. He did not have any energy left to use magic to elongate the time he slept, hence the bags.

Marx sifted through the drawers looking for something and pulled out a tube of makeup and powder that was surprisingly his shade.

“I ordered stage makeup but also the everyday one just in case,” Marx muttered to himself. “Knew it would come in use.” He showed the tube to Julius. “This is a concealer.” He began applying and blending it under Julius’s eyes. “And the powder is setting powder.”

Julius just sat still as Marx fussed over him as one thing became apparent: Marx really cared about him. He makes sure he eats breakfast, he stresses over his work, he cares that he looks good to the people. He really cares about him. He thought back to last night.

The way Jayce, Ellie and Arthur didn’t even hesitate to help him and ensure his safety just because he meant something to Aika. He wondered if Aika would also help Marx if he needed it because he meant a lot to Julius.

He wondered if Marx knew he meant a lot to him.

His eyes fluttered as Marx brushed the excess powder away.

“Don’t bother walking to the room, Sir. Just teleport.” He stepped back as Julius got out of his seat. “I have your agenda set in your seat and—” He nearly fell back as Julius hugged him.

“I hope you know how grateful I am for you, Marx.”

“Sir, I—”

“You mean a lot to me.” The younger man’s throat closed up all of a sudden. When was the last time he heard that? Heck, has anyone ever told him that at all?

“All your hard work that you put into me, I know you stress over me so much, but it’s never wasted.”

Julius pulled back and smiled warmly. Marx blushed at the emotion on the older man’s face.

“Keep up the good work.” He laid his hand on his head and he was gone before Marx could get a word in.

Julius had praised him before but not like this. This was more of an emotional confession than praise. Marx let a tear fall as he blinked. He began to worry even more now. Why did it sound like a deathbed confession? Can’t be, because Julius’s story has just started. He won’t let it end yet.

Julius sat in his throne-like chair at the head of the table, staring at the omelette in front of him.

He was early for the first time in forever.

“What are you going to do now?” He asked Lucius who stood by the window, looking out at the wisteria trees.

“Watch you, I suppose. I can’t do much when you have such fierce protectors.”

“I don’t believe you’ll just give up.”

He stayed quiet.

“Did you really spare me like I spared you?”

Julius shrugged, opening the folder Marx set aside for him.

“This soft heart of mine is the reason why you’re alive today. But I’ll tell you what? That’s a lie.” He let his head rest against the chair. “I know you wish you were dead rather than be trapped with nothing to do for the rest of our lives but that's exactly why I spared you.” Lucius stared at him in shock but he continued.

”You erased the memories of our pact, the reason why you spared me. You erased my conviction. If I had known, I would’ve acted quicker, I would’ve worked harder but no.” Julius gripped the armrests as anger like never before raged beneath the surface of his skin. “You stacked the odds against me. I never knew the stakes. Now you will get to watch me as a powerless ghost. You will get to watch me fall in love, succeed in our dream without the bloodshed you desperately wanted, and watch me be happy. You took my anger, but now I have it back. I will prove you wrong.”

Knock, knock.

Julius took a deep breath and counted to 10.

“Come in.”

The new Captains filtered in and split off in a ceremonial fashion to stand behind their respected seats. Julius nodded and they all sat.

“Welcome, Captains,” he began, making eye contact with each and every single one of them. The stasis spell over their food broke. “Please dig in while I ramble,” he joked, motioning to their plates. “We will have meetings all week because we have a lot of work to get done. But afterwards, we will have a meeting weekly and sometimes it may be as short as an hour or as long as a day. Plan as if it will take up the entire day.”

“Straying from the agenda you have in front of you, I have to let you know that there was an incident or two yesterday and a report could not be sent to all your offices in time. Captains Dorothy, Fuegoleon and Jien were present when it happened. You three can take this initiative on this.”

They took turns explaining what happened as Julius sat back and ate slowly, quietly listening. One thing that intrigued him in the oral report and the subsequent discussion was that they never mentioned the incident with Aika and Ellie. Perhaps that was for the best.

“Who is Aika Tolliver?” Charlotte, the Captain of the Blue Roses asked, directing the question at Julius directly but he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

“Sir?” Fuegoleon called out a little louder.

“Julius.” He looked up when Jien called him by name.

“Ah, sorry.” He wiped his mouth with a cloth. “Was the question about Miss Aika?”

Everyone except Nozel, the Captain of the Silver Eagles nodded.

“She was a consultant for the previous Wizard King and is going to be one for me. Miss Aika usually prefers to work in the shadows but decided to be public recently. She is an excellent strategist, fighter, and knowledgeable about all sorts of magic and magic techniques. She was born and brought up here in Clover Kingdom but lived most of her life overseas.”

The Captains who didn’t know about Aika before erupted in silent awe.

“She left the continent? People who leave usually don’t come back.”

“Ke, was it too good for them that they can’t come back? At least she did, I guess.”

“She sounds a bit familiar to me.”

“She is the owner of the merchant and information guild, Eidolon, here in the capital. So I’m not surprised you know, Gueldre.”

“Mmhph,” Julius finished the last bite of his meal. “If that is all, Captain Sal of the Royal Guards is investigating the two assassins. If you wish to work on the investigation, talk to him. Let’s get onto the next piece on the agenda.”

“We don’t know what the next piece is because it only says ‘Surprise!’”

Julius laughed.

“That is because I wanted to let you all know, we will be having two new Magic Knight squads!”

The room blew up in discussion as they all bombarded him with questions. Jien looked utterly betrayed. He mouthed “sorry” and then answered each question one by one.

After what felt like an hour of answering questions, Julius gathered his papers and stood up to dismiss them but then, Marx’s screen popped up in front of his face, with a dire expression that he knew would foil any of his plans to relax.

“Sir! I have some news! The Spade Kingdom has retreated all its troops and our spies say that the Zogratis siblings have stepped down and pledged a Magic Oath of fealty to Queen Ciel of Spade.”

That was very quick.

The room exploded once again.

As Marx’s screen turned around to face the Captains and tell them again and again that he doesn’t know every detail yet, Julius only looked at the one person that mattered.

Lucius looked furious.

And so it begins.

#black clover #black clover fanfiction #julius novachrono #oc: aika tolliver #fuegoleon vermillion #dorothy unsworth #nozel silva #jien du #marx francois #oc: ellie #charlotte roselei #julius novachrono x reader #julius novachrono x oc #demons run #demons run chapter 15 #demons run fic stuff

18 notes · View notes