-Nyala-
I glanced back over my shoulder to Skyrim as I stopped at the top of the Jerrall Mountains. The last sight I would see of that place. The cold winds biting down on my skin as they started to pick up. In the distance, grey clouds rolled over the valleys. I fixed my fox-pelt scarf, adjusting it over my mouth before heading forth to the family Mage Tower near Bruma. If everything went according to plan, I would arrive there by dawn on the second day.
It has been several decades since I left the Tower in order to travel around Tamriel, until I ended up in Skyrim, just as the Dragonborn made its grand entrance and stirred the whole province up. Delphine tracked me down after the Dragonborn reformed the Blades, but I refused to return. Somehow she still remembered I was Grandmaster for a five years, after Jauffree died after the Oblivion Crisis.
The Blades weren't very pleased to have a female Dark Elf with mixed bosmer blood as the Grandmaster, but, who else had the skills to close Oblivion Gates alone? No, none of them complained much when I brought it up. But it doesn't matter now though. The Dark Brotherhood is no more, as well as the Blades. All I can do now is hone my magical skills and set forth to my old home.
I stopped and looked at my old map, almost falling to pieces due to the wear and tear. After positioning myself, I put it away and went forth. In the distance, I could see several pink spots on the snow. Snow Trolls. Fire danced on my hands as I glanced at them warily from the distance I was at. Fear of death was not what made my nerves spike up, is the anticipation of them attacking abruptly. One of them turned it's head towards me; I was still walking through the snow.
The Snow Troll roared before taking a few steps forward. I intensified my flames, covering up both my arms and legs. A school of magic I had taken a few years to perfect, Magical Unarmed Combat for close quarters. Come on, I dare you to attack me. You'd make an excellent dinner for me.
The troll backed up, still roaring at me. I smirked and kept walking until they were out of sight. Thank Azura I enchanted my rings with Life Detection. Hours passed of me walking in the wintry conditions, the only reason why I wasn't frozen to death yet, was because of my heavily enchanted Imperial Scout armor, boots and braces. After reaching another peak, I glanced at the distance, the silhouette of the Tower etched against the cloud-covered sky. I'm so glad to be back home, even if I haven't gotten there yet.
Dusk got to me before I managed to climb the last mountain, but I wasn't going to let it hinder my progress. As I reached the top, the Tower rose over the edge and displayed its splendor to me like a seductress against the glow of Masser and a waning Secunda. I glanced down, the slope wasn't too dangerous, so I jumped and slid all the way down until I was at a valley, in the distance, over a hill, the ruins of an old Oblivion Gate I had destroyed. Beyond it, a road that led to a rope bridge, then my old Tower, Frostcrag Spire.
I half-ran to the entrance, snow had grown thick enough to prevent me from sprinting. As I reached the stone steps that led to the entrance, magic surged from within them, replenishing my magicka reserves while lighting up with a blue hue. The snow began to melt as I climbed up the steps up to the ten-feet tall magically-imbued door.
The steel was cold to the touch, but became warmer as I traced my fingers over the designs. Beyond, I could hear the locks open by themselves while Frostcrag Spire came back to life. The brazers of fire at each side of the steps that led to the door went ablaze before the door opened. The spheres of magelight rose up from between the stones up to the ceiling, lighting up the tower as I walked in. Before me, was the raised glass Summoning Altar with the Spellmaking and Enchanting altars on each side of it. My old atronachs rose up from their summoning pads and knelt as I entered the main hall.
"Hulor." I said as I approached the Frost Atronach. "Is good to see you again. Ready to get back to work?"
Hulor nodded before standing up and heading for the door.
"I think you're forgetting something." I said.
Hulor stopped and turned around to look at me, making a confused grunt.
My hands engulfed in frost magic, covering my arms up to my elbows. After concentrating the magic on my hands, I threw my hands to the ground, sending a blast of cold towards Hulor. After the lingering frost dissipated, Hulor was standing proudly with an armor made of ice. It grunted happily before turning around and continuing its journey.
Is so good to be back. I turned to Yevril, the Storm Atronach and nodded. Yevril made a short grunt before teleporting out of the room. Once it was gone, I turned to the Flame Atronach. The female-bodied creature hovered silently towards me, leaving a small line of fire behind her, dissipating seconds later. "Ready to get to work Elania?"
"Yes, mistress." She said. "It's been far too long since you last set foot here."
"Yes it has my dear friend." I said, taking off my fox-pelt scarf and placed it on the table at the far left of the main floor. Specs of dust fluttered about in the room, though only visible when they passed before the rays of the magelight. "Is Kagra still around?"
Elania nodded. "She has not left her slumber since you left the Tower, Mistress Nyala."
I chuckled. Kagra was my pupil back when I still lived here in Cyrodiil, as well as a vampire. After thanking Elania and asking her to prepare some food, I headed down to the vault area via a teleportation pad on the main floor.
The vault area was a small, permanently frozen lake with chests and crates over and around it, illuminated by a few magelights. Five black crystals hovered around the teleportation pad, giving off a dim reddish glow. They had been a hassle to retrieve from old alyeid ruins. Before the Oblivion Crisis ended, the vault used to be guarded by Imps, but I decided to replace them with a magical trap. To my left, at the edge of my vision, was an old stone sarcophagus with a thick layer of dust over it. Kagra's bed.
After pacing to it, I passed my hand over it, wiping out some of the dust before pushing off the lid. Kagra's white face seemed peaceful under the magelight, while her brown hair somewhat covered her pointed ears.
"Kagra." I said softly.
Her eyes opened slowly, glowing yellow and moving from side to side as she took in her surroundings."Nyala?"
"I'm back."
The young Wood Elf jumped at me, embracing me and pulling me close to her. "Nyala! I thought I would never see you again! Are we going to keep working on our project?"
By Azura, I never thought she would smell this bad. "Well, er I'm back. Now get yourself cleaned up and ready for travel."
She pulled back and cocked her head to the side. "But you just got here. What about the project?"
I nodded. "That will have to wait, Kagra. For now, I need you to head to the Imperial City and gather information. Do you still remember that spell I taught you?"
Kagra got out of the sarcophagus and cast her spell. A black armored suit replaced her rags and her head was covered with a black hood, held in place by a brooch of my own design. It was circular and made of ebony, with several small silver stars etched on it, representing the shimmer of lingering magicka. On the left of her hip, several bottles of pure magicka hung somewhat loosely from a leather string, next to her coin pouch. On her right arm was a knife, made of daedric metal. After giving Kagra a pleased smile, I nodded approvingly and ordered her to get ready before departure, and she left the vault eagerly before I followed her.
Elania hovered towards me as soon as I appeared on the main floor. "Mistress Nyala." She said. "I'm afraid to inform you that we will need new ingredients from Mundus. Five decades of absence have not been fair to your garden."
"Thank you. Is the Oblivion side still in good condition?"
Elania nodded.
"Thank you." I said before heading to the summoning altar. "I want you to prepare the bath for Kagra."
"Yes, Mistress Nyala."
My thoughts were getting in disarray as I walked up the stone ramp to the altars. As I stood before them, I inhaled deeply and collected my ideas before focusing on the spell I wished to use. I hope this spell works. Last time I used it, the stone shattered. Before me, at the foot of the altar, were two large ceramic urns, tall as my knee, filled with Black Soul Gems. I picked one up, along with one of the gold amulets I had in my possession. After I placed them both on the altar, I put my hands next to them.
Once I made a silent prayer to Azura for protection, I began to perform the incantation of my experimental spell as magicka to poured from my hands onto the altar. The glass altar began to glow white as the Black Soul Gem and the amulet rose from its surface while my hands followed. My rhythm was steady in my incantation as both pieces began to glow. Electric arcs began to dance over the altar as the volume to my intonation rose, along with its speed.
As everything reached its climax, the arcs began to jump at the two items in the mix. I could feel the unique feeling of anticipation as my spell reached its conclusion. I closed my eyes as I spoke the last words; lightning hitting everything around the altar, including my hands. The sound and echo of crashing thunder was the indication I had that the spell had ended. I was afraid of opening my eyes, failure was something I didn't want to suffer, not now that I was back to get my project underway.
Reluctantly, I opened one eye. Before me was the amulet with a big purplish-black stone attached to it. I began to to chuckle, then exhaled in relief at the knowledge of the spell being a success. The Black Soul Gem had been chiseled by the electricity. It was thin and as long as the middle finger on my hand. I gently placed my hands around it, and the chain fell limp, freed from the magic that held it in the air.
I brought it up to my lips and kissed the stone. I whispered another incantation to it while my lips brushed the stone, imbuing it with a special spell that I had spent years to perfect. Once done, I pulled my hands back and looked at it. It's interior glowed a deep blood-wine red while it was warm to the touch. It's done. It's finally done… The distinct sound of Yvevril teleporting back drew my gaze to his summoning pad on my right. On his arms he held a bandit, paralyzed by his electrical arcs.
"Elania!" I called and she appeared from one of the four teleportation pads in the main floor.
"Yes Mistress Nyala?" The Flame Atronach Elania said.
"Can you bring Kagra?" I said. "Her dinner is ready."
Elania nodded before disappearing on the same pad. After a few moments, Kagra appeared wearing the summoned armor, and Elania after her. I paced towards her and gave her a hug, then motioned her to the bandit, which she thanked me for. She walked towards him, allowing her hunger for blood surface on her face. She grabbed him and sat down on the floor with her legs crossed, then placed his neck over her knee and pulled it back. He looked at her with fear, then at me, though he couldn't speak. Kagra smiled before biting down on his throat, and her eyes rolled back with pleasure while blood ran down the man's neck. She stayed in the same position for half an hour before she felt completely satisfied and wiped off the blood with a piece of cloth I gave her.
"Are you ready to make the trip?" I said after she gave the cloth to Elania, burning it with her flames.
Kagra nodded, her beautiful wood elf features enhanced by the vampiric blood running through her veins.
I glanced down at the amulet and brought it up over her head before letting it rest on her neck. "This amulet will keep you safe, and will be your tool, your main instrument of power against anyone who opposes you as you carry on my will." The amulet rested against her covered breasts before it's reddish glow pulsed once. "Through it, you will carry my words when I speak. Bear this title well, Nightmaster Kagra."
"Thank you, Mistress Nyala." Kagra said, looking at me in the eyes. "I will carry on your will, so that this Project bears fruit for us both."
The feeling of pride muddled anything else that I might've felt at that moment, and I couldn't stop myself from hugging her again. "Once you arrive at the Imperial City," I pulled out a scroll from my bag. "Hand this over to Hjar-Mik in the Arena District. He will guide you from there."
Kagra nodded and took the scroll before putting it away in her own bag. "Gather information and hand over the scroll, right?"
I nodded. "Expect change."
Kagra nodded. "Well, Mistress. I pray to Azura that the mission is a success." She turned around and headed for the door, but I grabbed her arm before she was too far to reach. "Is there something wrong?" She said, as she looked back at me with a confused expression on her face.
I grabbed the hilt of my prefered dagger and took it off it's belt. "A little parting gift for your journey."
Her yellow eyes glanced down at it and she pulled her hand back. "Your dagger? I couldn't."
I grabbed her hand and placed it on it before wrapping her fingers around it for her. "Gaegrin would be most useful in your hands at this time." I said as I pushed her hand back. "I will stay here and work on magical experiments to further this Project along. Don't worry. You have the best spells at your disposal, as well as Elania via Conjuring. Now, go. And remember the rules I have taught you."
Kagra glanced down at the blade, then back at me before making a determined expression. "Thank you Mistress Nyala." She said before placing the blade on her belt, next to her pure magicka bottles. After giving me another heartfelt hug, she smiled and headed for the door, looking back over her shoulder before closing the door behind her.
"There she goes…" Elania said as she hovered to my side. "To think she would see this project come to fruition."
"There are things that have their time." I glanced at her. "And right now, the timing couldn't be better to get this going."
"And why is that Mistress?"
"Titus Mede the second lies dead inside his ship."
