Author's note: Hey guys! I am still alive in case you all thought I'd forgotten about the story. I finally got some down time during the holiday's to continue, these last few month have been absolutely mad I tell you!
Chapter 10
About an hour later Katlyn was wondering alone through the tunnels of Saarthal. Tolfdir had the students all split up and given them each a particular assignment to search for. She had been asked to assist Arniel Gane in locating any enchanted items within the barrow. At first Katlyn had been seriously worried about draugers and other dangers that typically lurked within Skyrim's Nordic barrows, but after nearly an hour without incident she was beginning to relax her guard somewhat. After all it did make sense for the college to make sure the excavation site was safe before sending their newest students to go poke around. It was nice for once to actually look around the tombs of her people's ancestors without something trying to kill her around every corner. She was beginning to feel a bit like her old thievish self while crawling around the tunnels. Perhaps she could find something valuable to sell or learn more of the Dragon Language. There could even be a word wall buried down here somewhere!
While Saarthal brought out Katlyn's inner treasure hunter, she found it very interesting to see the variety of reactions brought forth from her fellow students. J'zargo seemed only interested in finding something to either increase his skills or prestige with in the college. The Khajiit seemed completely devoid of interest in the rich history of Skryim's ancestors. Katlyn thought he should be grateful for the absence of draugers and booby traps within Saarthal; otherwise he would likely have gotten himself killed the way he was blundering about the place like a mammoth in a pottery shop.
She hadn't had much chance to get Brelyna or Onmund's thoughts on their assignments as they had wandered off in a different direction. Though Onmund had more like stalked off after receiving his task from Tolfdir with the Dunmer trailing after him. Katlyn wasn't sure what had upset him, but her fellow Nord sure seemed angry over something. Just then she heard voices from up the corridor.
"I'm not seeing signs of warding magics at all. Either they're not here, or they were removed long ago." Brelyna's voice said sounding defeated.
"That's okay. I haven't found anything interesting yet either." Onmund's voice replied.
"Still though, can you believe we're here? Saarthal of all places!" Katlyn slowed her walk, listening to their conversation.
"I'm surprised that the College is allowed to excavate here."
"I bet your family would be amazed, right?" Brelyna prodded.
"Amazed isn't the right word. They would probably find this offensive. I can't understand how anyone in authority approved this. Our ancestors should be allowed to rest in peace." Onmund's voice was hard and bitter. Brelyna paused a moment before responding.
"I guess some pretty bad things did happen here long ago, but shouldn't we seize this opportunity to learn more about ancient magic?"
"I suppose you'd have to be a Nord to really understand. I wonder if everyone else would be so happy to rifle through the bones of their ancestors.
"Hmm, it's interesting you would say that." Brelyna paused thoughtfully.
"Why?" He asked curiously.
"Katlyn didn't seem bothered at all when we first entered Saarthal and she's a Nord." Brelyna pointed out. Onmund sighed slightly frustrated.
"Katlyn's hard to read. I have no idea what she's thinking sometimes and we talk every day. All I'm saying is nobody would be okay with a bunch of strangers poking about at their ancestors. No true Nord would anyway!" Katlyn rolled her eyes. Stepping forward out of the shadowy corridor, she was unable to stay silent any longer.
"You know, I really hate that expression." Katlyn said sardonically. Onmund and Brelyna both jumped at the sound of her voice. She realized that up until that moment she had been habitually moving in the crouched stance she used when trying to sneak up on enemies without realizing it. Startling the pair had not been her intent, but she found their looks of surprise amusing none the less.
"Ack! Katlyn, you scared us!" Brelyna clutched a hand to her chest.
"Did you think I was a drauger?" Katlyn quipped smirking. Onmund frowned.
"What expression?" he said instead of answering.
"'No true Nord'. It implies that we're all a bunch of stereotypical stubborn warrior brutes obsessed with honor and the glory of battle. If you can't swing a sword at it, we're not interested." Katlyn replied her expression growing slightly more serious. "Also that there's something wrong with any Nord who doesn't fit that description. I don't agree with that sentiment, and I would have thought you of all people wouldn't either." Onmund looked down feeling suddenly sheepish. Though Katlyn's voice had been light, he still felt like he had been reprimanded. He always had hated the times growing up when people had looked down on him for not living up to their idea of what a 'true Nord' should be and here he was doing the same to Katlyn.
"Anyway, you guys find anything good?" Katlyn continued. Onmund continued to avoid her eyes.
"No, nothing." Brelyna answered, "how about yourself?" The Nord shook her head.
"Me either. That's what's concerning me." Katlyn's eyes darted around the chamber and into the next. Onmund looked up curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"That's just it. There's nothing here. No drauger, no traps, no valuable items buried with the dead. Barrows like these should be crawling with that sort of thing." Katlyn bit her lip. "It's too quiet. It's making me nervous." She started walking through the chamber into the corridor that lay beyond while the other two students trailed behind.
"You've done this sort of thing before?" Onmund asked curiously.
"Yes, I've explored barrows like this all over Skyrim. I, um," she paused searching for the right words. "I'm a part of a group who- uh, recovers valuable and potentially informative artifacts from places all over Skyrim. They're studied and then sold to people who have an appreciation for that sort of thing." Katlyn smirked under her hood. 'That's one way to describe the Thieves Guild,' she thought to herself.
"That sounds fascinating!" Brelyna interjected.
"Yeah, I've learned some really amazing stuff about the Dragon Priests and ancient Nords. Anyway let's keep going. Maybe we'll find something up ahead." The trio continued walking up the passage way. It was darker now and the air had more of a chill.
"This is a little creepy." Brelyna commented wrapping her arms around herself.
"That doesn't begin to describe it." Onmund muttered. Katlyn raised an eyebrow in his direction.
"You seem uncomfortable being here." She commented pretending she hadn't overheard his and Brelyna's earlier conversation.
"I just don't know that it's right for us to be in here like this, picking through the ruins. I don't think we should be here. Only grave robbers and thieves enjoy this sort of thing." He instantly regretted that last comment. Katlyn stiffened and turned her glare on him.
"Are you calling me a thief?" she snapped angrily. Katlyn wasn't truly angry at him; she was a thief after all, one of the best in the Guild. The innocent novice mage Onmund knew was just an act she had to keep up, but his tone annoyed her all the same.
"N-no! I didn't mean- I wasn't trying to imply-" Onmund stammered as she turned and stalked back up the way they had come.
"I'll see you guys back at the college." Katlyn muttered as she shouldered past them.
Onmund sighed heavily once she was out of earshot. "Great, that's twice today I've managed to make her angry. Now she probably won't practice with me anymore."
"I'm sure she will, though it would probably help if you apologized." Brelyna assured him.
Onmund still looked upset.
"I'm just frustrated. Here I am thinking that Katlyn, the only other Nord at the college, would be someone who would really understand me, who would understand where I'm coming from. But it seems we couldn't be more different." He sighed. "It also doesn't help that lately it seems every time I try to talk to her I end up saying something stupid." To his surprise, Brelyna chuckled. "What?"
"Men generally say stupid things around women they find attractive." She gave him a knowing smile. "You think that might have something to do with it?" He flushed slightly and sighed again.
"I don't know. I mean she and I are friends. We've been practice partners in class from day one and she usually eats lunch with me in the dining hall, but I can't seem to get her to open up. She never talks about her past or her interests much. She just kinda dodges any questions I ask her. She's really pretty, gorgeous even, I'll give you that. It should be a crime to hide that hair under a hood all the time. And I would certainly be open to the idea of becoming something more, but she just doesn't seem interested."
"I would say just give it time. Some people take a while to open up to new people. I should know." Brelyna advised with a smile.
Just then they heard a shout echo up the corridor. Without a word Onmund and Brelyna hurried up the corridor towards the sound of the disturbance. They found Katlyn and Tolfdir in what appeared to be a hidden chamber. At their feet lay two drauger. One was still smoldering. Katlyn's eyes were wide and she looked visibly shaken.
"Are you guys alright? We heard a shout." Brelyna asked concerned.
"We're fine. The drauger just snuck up on us." Katlyn answered defensively not looking at them.
"This is absolutely fascinating!" Tolfdir remarked leaning through an open coffin looking into the passage beyond. "Why in the world would this be sealed off? What is this place?"
Onmund's stomach turned looking at the charred bodies on the ground. He had heard stories of drauger as a child mostly from his older brothers trying to frighten him. It disturbed him to know the creatures were indeed real and roamed among the dead. He wondered what created the monsters and if the remains at his feet were once a distance relative of his. The thought made him slightly sick.
"A secret passage!" a voice echoed up the corridor back from where they had come. Everyone turned their heads to see J'zargo rounding the bend in the passage excitedly. He caught sight of the four of them and slowed looking visibly disappointed. "Aww. J'zargo wanted to be the first to discover the secret passage."
"Ah, J'zargo. I'm glad you've caught up with us." Tolfdir acknowledged him then addressed the group. "I'd like to stay a while and examine these coffins. The four of you Novices should press on and see what you can discover. Be prepared to defend yourselves if need be. Go on ahead. I'll catch up with you before long and be careful."
The four stepped through the coffin and continued up the path. Katlyn was lost in thought puzzling over the vision she had just had. What was this Psijic Order the apparition claimed he was part of? And what dangers were to come? Katlyn just wanted to go back to the college and think; she was officially tired of this place and didn't seem to be the only one. Onmund looked even more upset than he did earlier and even Brelyna was starting to lose some of her cheerful disposition.
They encountered more drauger along the path. Onmund shuddered as he watched the foul creatures rise from under their burial shrouds to attack the group of mages. Katlyn's magica was becoming dangerously low and she was grateful to have the other mages at her side, even if it meant using her Thu'um was now out of the question. J'zargo had taken it upon himself to lead the group the rest of the way through the tunnels with the other three falling behind them. Onmund suspected he just wanted to have first dibs if their party found anything good among the ruins.
"Is that a chest?!" the Khajiit asked excitedly pointing ahead in the gloom completely unaware of what lay before his feet.
"No wait!" Katlyn shouted. But it was too late his, his paw came down on the pressure plate triggering the trap. Moving faster than Onmund would have thought possible Katlyn darted forward and grabbed the back of J'zargo's robes and threw them both to the ground. Dozens of poison arrows flew out of the hidden slot over their heads hitting the wall just behind where J'zargo had been standing only seconds ago. Another moment and the arrows stopped. Katlyn let out the breath she had been holding. Green eyes flashed angrily at the Khajiit on top of her.
"Are you trying to get us all killed?!" She spat clambering to her feet. Her chest was heaving.
"What are you talking about? How is this J'zargo's fault?!" he asked indignantly.
"You stepped on a pressure plate. Look!" she angrily indicated a stone on the ground a slightly different shape than the others.
"How did you even see that?" Brelyna asked quiet astonishment in her voice.
"Because I was looking for it." Katlyn snapped still glaring angrily at J'zargo. "You need to be more careful! You've been blundering around here like a mammoth this whole time. We're here for knowledge, not treasure!" 'Although I'm not really one to talk' she added silently to herself.
"See, these traps are only further proof the dead don't want us here. We should leave." Onmund spoke up. Katlyn flashed her glare at him briefly but said nothing. J'zargo was muttering under his breath.
"J'zargo, Katlyn just saved your life! I think the least you can do is show a little gratitude." Brelyna reprimanded him. He bit his lip.
"This one thanks you Katlyn for your assistance." He said shamefaced. Katlyn nodded, she couldn't forgive him just yet. Her temper could get the better of her at times.
"I'm letting the next one get you." She pulled a torch out of a bracket on the wall and took the lead up the passage. "Come on, the sooner we finish exploring the sooner we can leave."
Just up ahead the passage opened up into a large chamber. In the center was a large floating orb surrounded by a whirlwind of bluish light.
"Will you look at that?" Brelyna breathed.
"What is it?" J'zargo asked curiously.
Katlyn said nothing and crept past the others surveying the chamber. Her every fiber alert for signs of danger experience told her they were sure to encounter something. On the level below them she spotted a powerful looking drauger seated in a throne like chair before a small alter. It hadn't detected them yet, perhaps there was a way to sneak up on the creature. Katlyn was creeping her way along the walls when her teacher's voice echoed through the chamber. Tolfdir had finally caught up with them. Katlyn swore quietly to herself wishing she had her bow as the drauger, awakened by her teacher's voice, slowly rose to its feet shaking off centuries of dust.
"Guys look out!" Katlyn shouted a warning to the others as she dropped the torch she was carrying and summoned a Flames spell in both her palms. The rest of the group sprang into action attacking the drauger. J'zargo and Onmund immediately began blasting the creature with their lightening spells. It was then Katlyn noticed something strange was happening; none of their attacks seemed to be affecting the creature. 'Maybe it's impervious to magic?' Katlyn wondered however she didn't have a sword in order to test her theory. Her teacher seemed to have noticed the problem as well.
"Keep it busy. I'll try to drain some of its power!" Tolfdir shouted running towards the bluish whirlwind.
"Sure, no problem." Katlyn grunted sarcastically as the drauger turned its fury towards her. The creature raised its dead and rotting hand to cast another ice spell at her. Grimacing she prepared her Ward spell but knew it wouldn't last more than a few seconds. Just then a massive blast of electricity slammed into the creature visibly staggering it. The drauger finally seemed to be taking damage.
"Get away from her!" Onmund shouted angrily as the drauger turned towards its new attacker. Onmund backed away slowly drawing the creature away from Katlyn. He blasted the drauger with the strongest lightening spell he knew. Onmund hoped fervently it would be enough to kill the drauger for that last spell had used up the last of even his magica reserves. The drauger staggered visibly wounded but slowly advanced towards him raising its ancient battle axe. Onmund's back hit the chamber wall; wide eyed he realized he'd allowed himself to be cornered. "Oh Gods, this is it!" He thought to himself. He could smell the creature's dead breath.
"Damnit," Katlyn swore as she saw the drauger backing Onmund into a corner. Frantically she looked around for anything that could help her. She spotted a dagger glinting in the blue light lying upon the alter. In one fluid movement she threw herself over the table, swiped up the dagger, landed, and with a precisely calculated throw lodged the dagger into the skull of the drauger. It collapsed instantly the axe clattering loudly on the chamber floor. A wicked smirk of triumph spread across her face. That was a dagger throw Brynjolf would've been proud of! This was how the Dragonborn fought drauger!
Onmund let out a huge sigh of relief. He watched as Katlyn pulled the dagger from the skull of the drauger, briefly examined it, and slipped it into her pocket. For a moment he didn't recognize his friend. The cocky almost mischievous expression she was wearing seemed very unlike the Katlyn he knew. But it hardly mattered; she had saved his life after all!
"That was some throw!" He complimented her amazement and gratitude in his voice. "Where on earth did you learn to throw like that?" Her expression abruptly shifted to one of indifference.
"Just got lucky, I guess." She shrugged. They turned back towards the others to see Tolfdir chattering excitedly about the floating orb to J'zargo and Brelyna. Thankfully the rest of the mages all seemed unhurt. Onmund couldn't bring himself to care about what they had discovered after everything that had happened. He felt nothing but relief when Tolfdir send them back to the college declaring the excavation a success. All Onmund wanted was a meal, a hot bath, and perhaps a tankard of Nord mead to help him forget this day ever happened.