Author's Note: Hi guys! The Christmas holidays are finally here so I'm planning to get a few more chapters out. I just want to get this questline done and get on to the next, which I'm really excited about. I was going to do a Christmas special but I needed to do certain questlines before that happened. Next year. I started ANOTHER fic called Peace. Check it out please because I have next to no reviews. Sorry I haven't written lately, I've been low on inspiration.
Adz 99: Jenassa is the one that's 32.
Thanks to CompanionWolf12 for helping me describe Jenassa's fear of Chaurus in chapter 5.
Back on track this time. ON WITH THE STORY!
7. The Augur and the Synod.
I looked questioningly at Ancano. "Looking for me? Why?"
"I don't know. But I don't want him here." The Thalmor replied. I could tell he was eager to find something to rile me up to get back at me for our conversation in the Arcaneum. I stayed calm.
"Well fortunately, it isn't your decision. I would have thought that the mighty Thalmor Advisor would have more respect for the wisest members of his race. Have you been taking spite lessons from Nirya?" I replied, smiling inside. Jen made no effort in hiding the amusement annoying the snobby mage gave her. Ancano growled and turned. I exchanged a brief smile with Jenassa before we followed him to the Archmage's chambers.
Aren was already conversing with the monk when we arrived. Ancano approached him with a hostile air.
"Here we brought her and she insisted on bringing her companion. What do you want?" He growled. Everything turned blue and something that looked like snow blew across the room. I noticed that Aren, Ancano and Jen had frozen. I turned cautiously towards the monk. "What have you done to them?"
"Be calm. My name is Quaranir. I have stopped the flow of time temporarily in this room so we can talk in private. It is about the orb you found in Saarthal. The world is not ready for this much power. Do not let anyone control it. You need to contain it. Seek out the Augur of Dunlain here in the College. I do not have much time left. Be wary, I sense great evil brewing." He told me mysteriously. The time flow restarted and Ancano donned a suspecting look.
"Well, what do you want with her?" He asked impatiently.
"I apologise, I clearly should not be here." Quaranir replied.
"Do you take me for a fool?" Ancano snarled. "You show up and ask for a specific member of our College and then leave before you speak to her. Here she is, what do you want?"
"I really should not be here. It was a mistake. I am sorry if I have offended you in any way." He made to leave but Ancano stood in front of him imposingly. Quaranir stopped and just looked at Ancano. Ancano folded his arms, his posture becoming more threatening by the second.
"Ancano." Aren said calmly, but sternly and tiredly also. Aiming a final scowl at the monk, Ancano reluctantly stood out of the way. I turned to Aren.
"I hope we didn't offend him, I've been hoping for a Psijic monk to come here for years!" He told me.
"I'm sure we didn't, they're just mysterious. But if I were you, I would have a word with Ancano. He is, of course, here at your permission." I replied. "Do you know anything about the Augur of Dunlain, Archmage?"
"Has Tolfdir been talking about him again? The Augur used to be a student at the College, but something happened. He is... different. He is very wise. I suppose since you're asking you might as well ask him instead. He lives deep in the Midden, underneath the College. Have you seen the trapdoor?" He explained. I nodded. I called to Jenassa, who was making potions, and we set off to the trapdoor in the courtyard. On the way I explained what had happened. She agreed it was mysterious. We opened the trapdoor and descended into the dark and cold basement.
The Midden was damp. We went down a few steps and got into a chamber with an ice-blue wisp. It was an ice-wraith. I threw two firebolts at it and it shattered into a ghostly blue pile. I gathered the teeth of the monster and we proceeded. We eventually came across a room with a strange alter bearing the Conjuration symbol. There was a pedestal and a small brass box with a pull-bar. I felt its mysterious pull, but carried on. We fought a draugr and found a door next to a staircase that led nowhere. We opened the door and progressed.
We came into a new tunnel that had a spooky charm of bones resembling a spider at where the path turned. This could mean spiders. I raised the alteration spell, detect life, and red wisps appeared, showing that there was an ice-wraith on the bridge ahead and two other creatures to contend with if I fell. Although I could see the silhouettes through the walls, I was uncertain what they were. A thought occurred. I raised the magic to my eyes and suddenly, I could see the creatures were frostbite spiders. I lowered my hands and the arachnids changed to red wisps again. I threw a fireball at the wraith and it died. I made my way carefully over the bridge so as not to disturb the spiders. After some more walking we came across a door that wouldn't open. An other-worldly voice invaded my head.
Do not persist. it is locked. I stayed where I was, not giving up.
Still you persist? Very well. The door opened to reveal one of the shallow, large wells seen in the college. A sky blue light filled the well and formed an orb.
I am the Augur of Dunlain. What do you seek? The voice asked me. I decided I would have to communicate with my thoughts.
I am Highborn. I was instructed to seek you out and ask about the orb we recovered from Saarthal.
Ah, the Eye of Magnus. Many have sought its power and met their ruin doing it. The Thalmor was asking about the key to its power.
Thalmor?
The one who calls himself Ancano. Your paths will cross soon. The Staff of Magnus is what you need to avoid the disaster of which you are not aware. And with that, the blue orb vanished before I had a chance to ask questions. I turned to Jen.
"What do we do now?"
"I suppose we tell Aren."
I shrugged and we went back above ground.
Aren was speaking to Mirabelle when we approached.
"Archmage! We need to find the Staff of Magnus!" I said while I was still running up to him. He turned to me. I was sure I saw traces of worry in his eyes when I said it.
"Well, it certainly would be nice to have such a powerful staff, but I wouldn't say we need it." He replied hesitantly.
"I consulted the Augur of Dunlain, he said we need it."
"Well, I suppose we can't argue with the Augur. Mirabelle, didn't you say something about the Staff last week?" Mirabelle nodded.
"Yes, the Synod were looking for it."
"Synod?" I asked. Mirabelle turned to me.
"They think of themselves as the Imperial authority on magic. Lots of politics, little arcane talent. They appeared last month looking for the Staff. They apparently thought we were hiding it in a closet somewhere, or that we had a dragon nesting in a fruit bowl. They said they were going to the Dwemer ruin of Mzulft. Maybe you will find the Staff there, or just find out its location. I'll mark the ruin on your map." She showed me where it was.
"You've been doing well lately." Aren told me. "I want you to have this circlet, it saved my life once." He handed me a silver and blue circlet. I put it on my head and wells of magicka flowed into me. I thanked him and me and Jen set off.
"How do you feel about going to a Dwemer ruin?" I asked Jen. She shrugged.
"I'm fascinated by the Dwemer, it'll be fun."
"What if it's crawling with Chaurus?" I asked, remembering her fear.
"I'll just have to cope, it is vital we find the staff. Anyways, I have you to fight them!"
I laughed and we carried on to Mzulft.
The journey took a week but eventually we came to the dwarven ruin. It was magnificent, I must say. Steam was being pumped out of a tube at the roof of the entrance. We went inside and got a terrible shock. There was an Imperial man in blue mage robes, obviously a Synod worker, slumped by a large pipe. He was dying. We ran over to him and he clutched at my arm in desperation.
"Crystal...stolen...Find... Paratus...Please..." He rasped. He took in a massive breath and I jumped back in fright. The light faded from his eyes. He was dead
And I was suddenly terrified of whatever lay ahead.
Author's Note: Will try to get another chapter out tomorrow. See ya!
