Tenebris jumped off her horse and ran over the bridge to the college. Her long trip offered her more than enough time to use her healing spells on herself. So while she wasn't completely healed, she was ready to take on whatever Ancano had to offer, only to be met with a barrier. She halted to a stop and looked at the swirling storm barricade before her.

She looked back to the torn up bridge to see a tired Tolfdir walking her way. He had a relieved look on his face as he came close enough to make her out. "You survived!" He said, relief washing through his voice, "You have it, then?" He asked, eyeing the Staff over her shoulder hopefully. When Tenebris nodded, and pulled it from her back for him to see. He nodded then added, "Let's hope it's as powerful as the Psijics believe it to be."

"Yes, let's hope." She said, wearily, but through gritted teeth. She glanced up at the college and frowned lightly, "Where's Mirabelle?" She asked, eyes flickering around what she could see of the college.

"She... She didn't make it..." The older mage said with sorrow ebbing through his voice. "When it was clear we were going to have to fall back, she stayed behind and made sure the rest of us were all right..." He explained, eyes downcast as he heaved a heavy sigh.

Tenebris took a step closer and placed her hand on his shoulder. There wasn't much she could say. Now was not the time for sorrow. "Let's get in there." She said which was met with Tolfdir's nod.

"I'll be right behind you." He replied as he raised his hands, readying a spell as Tenebris passed him, raising the Staff, ready to break Ancano's barrier.

XxX

The Staff was indeed powerful. Tenebris could feel that as she readied a spell from it. And just a few blasts from the Staff had cleared a way for her and Tolfdir so that they could run through to the Hall of the Elements. Where Ancano was feeding the Eye.

The courtyard was surprisingly quiet. It was almost eary as Tenebris made her way through it. Checking to make sure magic spawns weren't there, waiting. But the check was brief, and she moved towards the large heavy doors. She paused before opening the doors to look back at Tolfdir, who gave her a nod before she entered.

XxX

"You've come for me, have you!?" Was the first thing Tenebris heard as she entered the hall. It could have only come from Ancano, though it was startling at how little it sounded like him. He sounded almost possessed. Though there was little time to ponder on that. A dark frown formed on Tenebris' face as she moved forward, despite Ancano's paranoid threats. The Thalmor beast was responsible for at least two deaths at the college, and Tenebris was going to see him come to justice.

"The power to unmake the world at my fingertips, and you think you can do anything about it?" Came the next crazed line as Tenebris charged closer, pulling out her swords. A fireball flew past her shoulder, at Ancano, where it phased through him, as if he wasn't there. Which caused a twisted grin to form on his face as his wide eyed gaze met Tenebris' dark red one.

From over her shoulder, she heard Tolfdir's panicked discovery, "Spells have no effect!" Tenebris frowned and brought her sword up to cut Ancano down, only to have the blade meet an invisible barrier around him.

Ancano's smirk widened, "See? there is nothing you can do now." He cackled "I am beyond your pathetic attempts at magic." His tone lowered as his crazed gaze bore into Tenebris' angered one, "You cannot touch me."

Tenebris growled before casting a glare at the Eye. That Eye was partially to blame for this mess. Without much thought, she raised the staff and sent a long spell stream at it not expecting anything, just wanting to relieve some of her stress.

XxX

These fools would think that they could defeat him? He was far beyond them in power, and he would show them. He channeled more magicka, more life energy into the Eye, causing the different channels to open causing a shockwave.

But then Ancano felt a biting pain to his back. He turned, wide eyed and cazed to the magic anomaly that had formed behind him. He channeled flames in his hands and set the anomaly ablaze. But when he turned back to collect his power from the Eye. The dunmer had run up and slashed him across the shoulder.

He let out a shocked cry as he fell to his hands and knees. The pain was unbearable, and only increased as the Eye's influence left him. His vision became blury as the blood gushed down his arm to pool on the ground. His hand slipped in the blood causing his shoulder to impact the ground. He rolled to the side, looking up at the hazy image of the dunmer, sword raised. Then she was grabbed.

XxX

Tenebris let out a shocked gasp, followed by a stream of profanities when someone grabbed her, preventing her from finishing her task. A struggled voice came from behind her as the person restrained her, "Don't. His death...Is not in your...path." The male voice said through grunts. When Tenebris relented, he let her go. When she turned to see who it was, it was a member of the Psijic. The one that had visited her personally. He was also panting after the struggle.

XxX

Quaranir straightened himself, "His dead was not part of your intended path." He said, motioning to the now uncontious high elf.

Tenebris glared down at Ancano, "Then what should I do with him?" She asked, severely tempted to kick the bloody mess.

"Speak with your associate, you will come to a proper conclusion on what you should do with him." He said, which was met with a short glare, then a small silence. Quaranir sighed and looked towards the Eye. "We knew you would succeed." He mused before looking back at the tired dunmer. "Your victory here justifies our belief in you. You have proven yourself more than worthy to guide the College of Winterhold." He continued, to which he recieved a shocked look from both the dunmer and the older mage.

The dunmer looked back down at the bloodied Thalmor, then back to Quaranir, "A-alright. What do we do now?" She asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. No doubt being given the college was a lot to take in.

"The Eye has grown unstable. It cannot remain here, or else it may destroy your College and this world." Quaranir explained loosely folding his arms over his chest "It must be secured. Ancano's actions proved that the world is not ready for such a thing." He continued before a short pause. "We shall safeguard it... for now." He declared before other members from the Psijic formed behind him then circled the Eye before they all disappeared again, with the eye.

XxX

As Ancano slowly came back to consciousness, his vision was blury and his shoulder burned. He slowly looked down to find the upper part of his robes removed and bandages wrapped over his shoulder.

He made an attempt to sit up, only to relax back again with a pained groan. He raised his hand and applied a healing spell to his shoulder while he looked around. He was in his quarters. And he could hear muffled voiced from beyond his door. He made another attempt to sit up, biting back his pain as he did. Then slid off the edge of his bed and moved slowly to the door to hear what was being said. The voices he heard were first the dunmer, followed by the old mage, Toldfir.

"We can't just let him stay! He killed Savos Aren and Mirabelle and nearly brought down this whole damn college!"

"But we can't just return him back to the Thalmor. Just imagine them storming into the college for something they no doubt over embellished. I'm just as unhappy with the Psijic telling you to not kill him. But I think we should trust them. Doing so kept the Eye from destroying the college."

A groan was heard from the dunmer, "So what? just pretend like this didn't happen and he goes back to being an advisor?" To which that was followed by a snort.

"That might be the safest way to keeping the Thalmor off of us."

When Ancano didn't want to hear anymore, half of which was more than confusing, he opened the door to see the shocked but angered face of the dunmer, and the calmer face of the older mage.

He couldn't remember anything beyond the whispers from the Eye. The conversation he'd eavesdropped on had confused him. Though they were clearly talking about him. He was the only Thalmor stationed at the college. While his pride bid him to keep his mouth shut, his curiosity grew stronger. "What happened?"

Thanks for reading. Hopefully the reason I left Ancano alive will make more sense as I continue on. While I now have the Dawnguard to work through. I'm also working on another major plot not cannon to Skyrim. I'm leaving certain characters like Ancano alive for more than just I want him as a potential pairing.

I'm trying to work the Psijic into a later plot since I do really like them, and wish that there was more of them in the game.