Chapter Twenty-Five: Draugers, Death, and Deception
Notes: This is a meaty chapter and at times you'll find that it may bounce around from one point to another, I apologize in advance if it causes any confusion. I've had a vision for a month about where I am taking the story and I believe in the next chapter or two that vision will come to fruition, hopefully ending up as epic as I anticipate! Thank you for reading!
She had found herself in this place before, well not this place specifically but ones similar. The cold damp ground, the still and quiet air, and the iron bars.
Fayleen sat in the corner of her cell, a thin tattered blanket pulled over her shoulders. She could see her breath forming in clouds of steam and goosebumps spiked along her arms and down her neck. She had spent a night in jail a number of times in life. She found out early on that becoming a good thief takes getting caught in the learning process. Fayleen knew she was reckless and emotionally driven when searching for the amulet. Gods, she can't believed it was actually there - and the confession from Ancano...Savos Aren...
But The Midden was different than the other jails she's been sent to. Because of the College's location atop a massive rock in the Ghost Sea, the only place to build the jail was underground - under the College itself. It was already freezing temperatures most days in Winterhold, but here, below the ground was subzero every waking moment. It was the smallest jail Fayleen's ever been to, considering the College particularly didn't lock people up all the time. There were no more than three cells and she was one of them, the the closed quarters making the cold stick to every surface of the small room.
She sat there and pondered how could she have been so foolish. Katara and Teldryn would no doubt be upset with her, whenever it was that they would return. Of course Ancano confiscated the amulet, and of course he hid the letters containing his murderous confessions before the guards could come and sieze her.
A rattling from the door could be heard and a small amount of light began growing from the doorway. The figure of Mirabelle wearing a fur lined hood and carrying a lantern began to take shape as she approached. Fayleen leaped up from the ground and went for the bars, her hands clasping around the freezing iron.
"Fayleen, I came as soon as I heard. What happened? What have you done?", Mirabelle asked glancing Fayleen over as she set her lantern on the ground in front of the cell.
"What has Ancano told you?", Fayleen asked, her bottom lip quivering slightly from the cold.
"He told us that you tried to steal from him, last night. That you broke into his Quarters. Is there any truth to it?", Mirabelle replied back as she looked deeply into Fayleen's eyes awaiting an honest answer.
Fayleen looked down for a moment then back at the door to the outside. "It's true.", she said in a whisper. "But there's more to it than that. That book you gave me, about my father? There were some journal entries in there written by Savos Aren himself. Apparently my father stumbled upon an amulet belonging to a Dragon Priest, Savos wanted him to have it - and it's there, Mirabelle. It's in the Arch Mage's Quarters, stowed away in the wall. I don't know why it was never given to my father but it's there...", Fayleen finished with wide pleading eyes. Mirabelle looked at her with her mouth hung slightly agape and brow a bit furrowed, studying Fayleen's face.
"I remember when Macremir found that amulet, I was in the class that Savos had taken to Saarthal. You're saying it's in the Arch Mage Quarters...in the wall...?"
"Yes! I felt it in the palm of my hand, the weight of the emerald stone - green as ever, green as my eyes. It's all in the book you gave me about my father, it's on the table in my bedroom...if Ancano hasn't already cleared it.", Fayleen replied, then she looked up at Mirabelle. "You believe me, right?"
Mirabelle looked at her for a long moment, her tan face appearing darker under her shrouded hood as the lantern's light danced across it. She nodded her head slightly. "I do, Fayleen. But I don't know if I can break you free for it. Technically you DID steal it, as it was never yours to take..."
"That's not the only reason I'm down here...", Fayleen replied bleakly. Mirabelle's attention spiked again as she scanned the young Breton's serious face. "In the stowaway were more letters...one written by Ancano himself.", she looked around again and leaned into the bars closer to Mirabelle. "He murdered Savos Aren, Mirabelle. Jarrin root in his sleep, it's all there in the confession."
Mirabelle stepped back for a moment and she felt her breath catch in her lungs. "The things you're saying...they're punishable by banishment...or death..."
Fayleen clasped her cold hands over Mirabelle's through the iron bars, she pleaded into her eyes, a desperate plea.
"Which is precisely why I would never risk my life or yours by lying about it.", she replied as serious as she's ever been. "You knew Savos Aren almost as well as my father did, you know he was a good man. He did not have enemies. The letter looked to be dated around ten years ago. If I could just get my hands on it and expose that treacherous snake..."
"Ten years ago was roughly around the time Savos Aren was found dead in his sleep.", Mirabelle interrupted. It seemed to dawn on her at that moment. She nodded slowly and inched closer to the cell again. "Alright, I believe you. I truly do, Fayleen. But what would you have us do about it? He's the Arch Mage - that title holds an enormous amount of weight in Skyrim...in Tamriel!"
Fayleen was silent for a moment, her mind in thought, but her eyes never left Mirabelle's. "Avenge Savos Aren...cast out Ancano. Rally the other professors and students and overthrow him, stick him in this cell instead. Your name also carries weight around this College, the others will listen to you."
"Not without proof they won't.", Mirabelle replied, looking at Fayleen and pondering things over.
"That place is shut tight, lost all my lockpicks on that damn knob. It will take someone experienced, I mean no offense. It's too risky to have you locked up down in The Midden as well. You're not planning on sneaking in there yourself, are you?", Fayleen asked.
"No, I'm not going to sneak into his Quarters.", Mirabelle said as she reached into her fur lined pockets, pulling out a jinggling ring of iron keys. "But you are, again."
Fayleen didn't know how she did it, but next thing she knew she was sitting in Mirabelle's bedroom. The seasoned alchemist plucked a pure white vile out of her pocket back in The Midden and handed it to Fayleen through the bars. She told her to drink it all. It tasted putrid and made her mouth dry, but in seconds she vanished and Mirabelle allowed for her to escape The Midden unseen by anyone. Fayleen had heard of invisibility potions before, though she was never brave enough to try them out for herself. If new to using the potion then it could put a good thief in a bigger mess than they anticipated - suddenly reappearing right in front the eyes of the person they were stealing from. Yet this potion last a few good minutes while Fayleen quietly and briskly followed Mirabelle through the College, weaving past students who almost inadvertently bumped right into her.
"You should be fine here. Ancano never goes down in The Midden, he just expects the guards to patrol. The College uses the guards from the neighboring town of Winterhold so there are never more than a couple here at a time, he won't even come looking for you. Just DON'T leave this room unless I've given you some invisibility potion to walk around with, and even then it's a risk.", Mirabelle urged as she set the lantern on the nightstand beside the bed and tossed Fayleen a blanket to warm herself.
"I'm assuming that's how you want me to do it, with invisibility potion?", Fayleen asked in reference to what Mirabelle told her before she freed her from the cell.
"Yes, and I believe I have some lockpicks around here as well, and some lockpicking potions..."
Fayleen scrunched her face. "Should I be taking so many potions at once?"
Mirabelle looked at her and shrugged apologetically. "We don't have much of a choice, my dear." Fayleen wearily nodded in agreement, eagerness to get revenge at Ancano welling up in her again.
"We'll do it tonight then. There can't be any wasted moments. I'll bring the letter back to you.", Fayleen declared as she rose to her feet from the bed.
"Fayleen, if you get caught this time..."
"I won't.", Fayleen replied back surely. "When I return with the letter then we must show Tolfdir and the other professors. It'll be the only way to cast out Ancano."
Mirabelle nodded in agreement. "You can't do anything until tonight, it's too risky. Stay here and warm up for now. I'm going to go mix some fresh potions for you."
"I'd like to help, if that'd be alright, of course. I won't be able to sit still until dusk comes. Besides, it's been a while since I practiced a bit of alchemy.", Fayleen asked gently. A genuine, motherly smile crossed Mirabelle's lips.
*Fort Kastav, Eastmarch*
News had spread throughout Fort Kastav of Ulfric Stormcloak slaying the dragon during yesterday's hunt in the woods. All through the night Aventis could hear soldiers whispering amongst themselves in their beds about it, one of the soldiers who accompanied them on the hunt reliving every detail of what he saw as the other soldiers huddled around him and waited on his every word. Aventis listened while he lay in his bed and face the wall, still unsure what to make of the whole thing himself. He knew the dragons had to be real if it warranted a truce between two sworn enemies like the Empire and the Stormcloaks, he knew what he saw was real. The image of the beast as it tore into the body of the fat elk was one that Aventis would never be able to forget, it's teeth thrashing as the sounds of bones and limbs crushed like an apple under its jaws.
But now the night had passed and the comfortable warmth of the bed he had grown fond of was miles away as Aventis trotted his pony in the frigid snow behind Ulfric Stormcloak and the caravans he was leading back to Windhelm. They departed Fort Kastav at dawn, Ulfric felt if they left early enough then they could arrive in the city by nightfall. The brute Jarl had not said much since the dragon slaying yesterday afternoon. Aventis had watched soldiers mosey up to him and ask him about it, to which he replied with an accurate story of the events that unfolded. The soldiers were struck with amazement, but Ulfric did not embellish his story in the slightest. Aventis had seen men stretch the truth for doing less heroic acts. But Ulfric did not brag, he did not boast. Even when the hunting party tried to regain their thoughts from yesterday, Ulfric instructed them to go and find the man that was killed by the dragon, and give him a proper burial in the woods. The nobility and humbleness of the Nord Jarl was a trait Aventis couldn't help but find admirable.
"What would you say to hosting a banquet when we return to Windhelm, my Jarl?", Galmar suggested while riding alongside Ulfric. "I could go for a fresh chop of venison."
Ulfric smiled slightly. "A banquet, aye? I think that's doable. What say you, Aventis?"
Aventis perked his attention towards the Nord and Galmar furrowed his brow. "A squire doesn't dine with us.", he said curtly.
"You seem to be under the impression that you're a highborn meant for the Jarl's banquet table...if I allow you a head seat as my second in command then why can't a loyal common squire boy earn the same honor?", Ulfric replied back with a twinge of venom in his voice. Galmar lightly nodded to his Jarl and looked away but kept a face stern as stone. Aventis was almost afraid to answer Ulfric, who was still awaiting a reply.
"It sounds wonderful, my Jarl.", he answered, and it truly did. "But the Blue Palace is no place for a common stable hand.", he added. Truthfully he wanted to dine with Ulfric and the high ranking citizens of Windhelm at the long banquet table, to bask in their importance if even for a night. But he was eager to return to his father, which was the top priority upon returning.
"Nonsense. But I will not beg you if you so wish to refrain from joining.", Ulfric replied as he tightened the reigns of his stallion and led his caravans on. "Let's pick up the pace, men. Home is beckoning."
*Volskygge*
They did not know if it were day or if it were night. They did not know what the hour was. Minutes faded into hours. All they knew was the dark, the musty, the dead.
Katara and Teldryn had been down in Volskygge for almost two days now. The sun didn't shine down here, nor did moonlight flicker. There were no windows and no other doors. The only thing they had were the stone walls, the catacombs lined with bodies, and each other.
Teldryn built another small fire, just as he did last night, at least they thought it was night. They built them when needed, and when they needed to roast food. Food was another problem - the only thing to eat on were the skeevers that scurried in dusty corners. They were no more than the size of a cat but they were hideous, often rabid they would rear up on their back paws and hiss with their white foamed teeth barred. Katara shuddered at the sound of Teldryn plunging his dagger into the heart of a screaming skeevers as she sat by the fire, her arms folded across her chest for added warmth.
"What's the matter?", he asked as he returned to the fire with the limp skeever in hand and went to work on twisting it, skinning it. Katara made a disgusted face at the vermin.
"Do you even have to ask?", she replied back quickly. Teldryn paused skinning the skeever and looked up at her.
"What? The skeever?"
"Everything."
There was silent moment that fell between them, both looking into the flames of the crackling fire, both donning weary and irritated faces. Teldryn sighed and went back to work finishing the skeever.
"May I remind you that coming down here was your idea, something you agreed to take upon yourself.", he lowly reminded her. She fired him a glance.
"And may I remind you that I didn't ask you to follow me down here?", she shot back. Teldryn quickly stood to his feet.
"It's my job, Katara!", he hollered at her, the limp skeever flopping around in his tightly clasped hand.
"We're a bit beyond 'jobs' now, aren't we?", Katara yelled back as she too rose to her feet. Their voices carried and echoed off the stone walls. It made Katara feel trapped, like the emptiness around them grew. "Jobs are no longer the reason we're here, our paths have crossed because of this prophecy, everything happening is because of this prophecy.", she lowered her voice a bit. "Parthurnaax once told me that. Our fates are intertwined, you're my best friend, Teldryn. That's why you followed me down here." Teldryn sighed again and looked down, knowing she was right. "You and I both know I haven't paid your lazy ass in a few months.", she finished with a smile at the end, he smirked too.
"Yes, yes. You're right, the prophecy and whatnot. But what other can be done about this predicament?", Teldryn replied back like the matter-of-factly Mer he was. He pointed to the walls around them. They were situated in a small room that was located...somewhere, within Volskygge. They had no map, but they had followed the tunnels and catacombed walls for almost two days, sleeping in odd rooms that held banquet tables - goblets and cutlery still placed atop. Some rooms were smaller, only housing a dozen or two dozen burial urns. The candles in this godforsaken tomb never burnt out, although Katara nor Teldryn had tried blowing any out - it was the only light that was provided to them. It was as if they began flickering a thousand years ago, and would still be flickering a thousand more to come, blazing like the force of an ancient power were behind it, the same power that reanimate the dead from their resting places perhaps.
The dead were only getting worse, and tiresome. Every room they moved to, every corridor they turned they saw the glowing blue eyes of a Drauger, sometimes a few of them - all shrieking their muted cries and wielding old axes and swords. They were the rulers of these tombs, the protector of the dead. Katara and Teldryn were in their sanctuary. The two of them have had to kill several dozen Draugers each upon arriving yesterday. Katara admitted to herself that if she weren't so miserable she'd be grateful that the Drauger improved her combat and magicka, but she was in no mood to look on the bright side of things. The dust and debris covered their bodies, especially their faces and forearms. It wasn't just dust from the rocks and tombs, but debris from the Drauger as their tattered linen clothed bodied disinigrated onto the crypt floor in a plume of dust and dirt. Katara could feel the dried blood still crusted on her bottom lip from being Shouted by the Drauger not long ago. Their hair felt thick with dust and debris, like hay, and it occasionally stuck to their faces when the air was still and muggy.
"All of your other suggestions included killing Urag or stealing the Elder Scroll from him.", Katara replied back to him with a shake of her head.
"You're the Dragonborn, Katara.", he answered back without missing a beat. Katara's eyes met his and she fell silent again for a moment, pride welling up in her. She was the Dragonborn, the intended Savior of Skyrim. And she was diving through a massive crypt in search of a book to bribe a stubborn old Orc. "I am a professional killer, and Fayleen is a master thief. You wouldn't even have to get your hands dirty, one of us could get that Elder Scroll, one way or another.", he added seriously. Katara chewed on his words and thought them over for a moment.
"We will die down here if we don't leave.", she replied solemnly as she glanced around at the dark stoke floor. What drinking water they had brought with them was almost depleted, and they had yet to stumble upon another source of water in the meantime. "So let's head for the door we came from and never look back."
Teldryn smiled and nodded his head, putting out the fire with the ashes of some poor soul that he dumped out from a nearby burial urn. They knew if they briskly walked then they could reach the entrance they came within a few hours. Down the crypts further into the tunnels ahead of them the quiet sound of muted shrieks could be heard, blue glowing eyes taking shape in the dark as they approached closer, the heavy shuffling of their boney feet against the stone floor. Katara and Teldryn looked back then walked even faster, the noise seeming grow as now their snarls could be heard.
So they ran. For hours, they ran. The shrieks and snarls and shuffles following them until they reached the large iron carved door that they once came from. Teldryn went to go open it to no luck, he and Katara exchanged a worried look as they heard the shuffling and snarling growing louder from the dark hallway they had just run from.
"Teldryn, we need to leave. Now...", Katara urged.
He hit the door with his hand over and over with force, sweat beading his brow. "I'm trying!", he hollered out in frustration. Katara turned to face the dark hallway, numerous blue glowing eyes appeared and grew closer. She turned and began ramming into the door as well, hard, never taking her eyes off the Drauger margin towards them. With furious grunts both of them rammed into the iron door as hard as they could with no luck. Katara stared down the oncoming onslaught of Drauger, she felt her fire well up in her throat...
*Windhelm*
As Ulfric anticipated, they reached Windhelm by nightfall, the city lights shining in the distance. Aventis pulled his pony into its stall as they approached the stables and one by one the soldiers dismounted theirs and the teen trotted them to their places and tied them up to their posts. Ulfric handed the reigns of his stallion to Aventis, his Stormcloak soldiers unloading the caravans behind him and carrying things over the icy bridge, the city guards immediately opening the gates for their return.
"The feast will be tomorrow night, and I'm not going to ask you to attend but I do need to you to follow me to the Blue Palace tonight once you're done tending to the steeds.", Ulfric said to him. Aventis was a tad confused but nodded his head obediently and finished with the horses, Arindil had already gone to sleep.
Aventis followed Ulfric and Galmar to the Blue Palace, most of the city was dark and asleep. Upbeat music could be heard outside of the Candlehearth Hall as the bard played upstairs, the shadows of dancing and drinking patrons flickered against the candlelit glass windows. Ulfric smiled up at the windows as they passed by.
Opening up the doors to the Blue Palace Galmar stretched his arms out wide and yawned dramatically. "My bed is calling me, my Jarl. I'll see your ugly mug when daylight breaks.", he said. Ulfric smiled and laughed as Galmar lightly bowed and excused himself down the corridor of bedrooms. Aventis followed Ulfric until they were standing in front of his throne. The Jarl fished around for something in his fur lined robe, a jingling noise soon followed.
"As promised.", he said as he handed a decent sized coin purse to the teen. It was true, it was double his pay at the stables. Aventis could buy food, clothing, maybe even a room for a night or two at the inn. He was beaming with joy but he had to hide it.
"My Jarl, thank you.", Aventis said as he bowed to Ulfric. "This is more than generous."
Ulfric smiled at the lad. "You earned it. Thank you for accompanying me on the journey to Fort Kastav.", he said as he turned and began walking up the small steps to his throne. Aventis stared down at the full coin sack and began walking away but was struck with a twinge of emotions - guilt being the most prominent. He didn't deserve this pay, he didn't even deserve to be in this city. He was just paid the most he's ever been in his entire life by the man he was going to betray. He knew Ulfric and the Stormcloak army was the enemy, he knew what had to be done. But Ulfric had saved his life from a Giant, from a dragon! Aventis saw the passion that Ulfric has for his people and his land, his humbleness, his bravery.
"Thank you, Ulfric.", Aventis said once more. Ulfric looked at him with a surprised face, realizing that the stable hand had referred to him by his first name. He did not look upset, instead he smiled and nodded.
"You've already thanked me, lad. There really is no - "
"Not just for this...for the Giant...the dragon." For being the only person who gave him the time of day to talk to. "Thank you."
Ulfric closed his mouth and looked down at his feet. He smiled genuinely at the boy without saying another word. Aventis returned the smile and walked towards the doors, leaving the Blue Palace.
He fought with his emotions, though seeing his father's eyes light up when Aventis informs him of Ulfric's battle plans made him beam with pride. His father's approval was all he wants, all he needs. Aventis knew the information he held within his mind was of the greatest interest to the future of this war in Skyrim. It was more important to him than betraying a brave man - he kept telling himself.
He briskly made his way through the dark streets of Windhelm, his coin purse jingling. He turned a corner and noticed a store set back in the shadows. It had a brown banister over the door with swirls and other odd shapes carved into the wood, a lantern hung on a post by the door that was still lit and flickering. He squinted and inched closer, noticing the sign above the threshold - "Calixo's House of Curiosities". Aventis recalled the odd dressed man he met several days ago while pushing his cart around Fleabottom. He plucked out a couple septims from his coin purse and rubbed them around in his hand and stared at the store, thinking things over. He wondered just what "oddities" that crazy old man kept in there...
Aventis gently pushed open the wooden door, an odd aroma filling his nostrils. He took a quick glance around the open store, noting the burning colorful candle sitting next to the door, no doubt the source of the odd smell. He'd never seen a purple candle before. There were tons of nicnacs that lined the shelves of Calixo's store - books, scrolls, silverware, golden metal spheres, nuts and bolts, rare gems, odd looking armor pieces, funny shaped musical instruments, colorful pieces of clothing and fabric, and much more. Aventis stepped closer and Calixo Corrium popped up from behind the counter, nearly startling the teen.
"Ahh, if it isn't the Imperial beggar boy.", he said in his purr-like voice. "You've finally decided to visit old Calixo, eh? Welcome.", he said as he held up his arms, as if offering the store.
"I figured someone as crazy looking as yourself may have a few crazy things to look at as well.", Aventis replied back as he began perusing the shelves closer. He picked up one of the gold metal spheres and held it up to the light. "What's this?"
Calixo smiled a toothy grin and stepped closer. "That is a Dwarven metal heart, looks like nothing, until...", he pushed a small button on the side, making the metal heart click and clank until a number of metal pieces shifted within it and began spinning. Aventis held it in his hand with wide eyes as it moved around, vibrating slightly.
"What's it for?", he asked, never taking his eyes off of it.
Calixo delicately plucked it out of the teen's hand. "This, my boy, is the very heart of Dwarven Centurions. Have you ever seen such things?"
"I've read about the Dwemer and their machinery but not much."
Calixo nodded. "Centurions were the guardians and protectors of ancient Dwemer ruins. Huge and clunky machines that could spit steam and kill a man with one crush of their metal fist." Calixo talked as if he knew from experience, although Aventis didn't doubt in his many travels that the man may have encountered a Centurion. Aventis walked around some more, Calixo pressing the button again, causing the metal ball to cease its movement and retract to its spherical shape once more. He placed it back on the shelf and followed him with his hand wrapped neatly behind his back, his odd and unsettling smirk that he always wore. He came to a spoon, a very ordinary looking spoon.
"Whats so special about this spoon?", Aventis asked confusingly. Calixo picked it up by the handle and held it up to Aventis' eyes.
"This was Ysgramor's soup spoon.", Calixo replied with excited eyes. Aventis cocked and eyebrow, unsure what was so spectacular about some menial as a soup spoon, even if it did belong to the Nord who helped found Skyrim. Calixo offered it to Aventis to hold, but the teen waved it away, pandering the man a polite smile. He kept looking at the shelves until his eyes landed on a large book. It was brownish in color and leather-bound, it was cracked and worn in many places, carvings of faded circles were engraved on the cover. Aventis picked it up.
"And how about this book here?", he asked as he went to stick his finger into the pages and open up the book. Next he felt Calixo's hand slam the cover, preventing him from opening it. Aventis looked up in confusion and found Calixo's face, one of complete seriousness this time.
"This...is the Book of Fate.", he said with a hiss. "You have to be careful with such things."
Aventis scoffed. "Careful? It's a book, what's so special about it?"
Calixo's grin returned, his hand still on the book. "The Book of Fate is one of my most prized collections, all you need to know is in the very title - it tells the reader his or her fates."
Aventis' curiosity spiked as he looked at the cover once more. "So if I read it, it'll tell me my fate? My future? I don't know about all that.", he said with a small giggle of disbelief. Calixo's smile faded again and he removed his hand.
"If you don't believe me, then take a look. But you've been warned, boy."
Aventis had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his gut, a small voice of reason in his mind urging him not to open it, but like the store itself - he was curious. It was probably nothing, he told himself, a joke book more than likely. He glanced up at Calixo, who was watching intently. Carefully he thumbed his way to the pages again, opening the dusty book.
Aventis saw only blank pages, even as he briefly shuffled them between his fingers. For a moment he was almost relieved - it was just a hoax. Then the blank pages began to turn, an image started to appear. He glared at the book closer, studying it. The image of a black handprint took shape. Aventis was confused, he thumbed through the pages more and the handprint was there - plastered on every page, and growing blacker by the second. He shook his head in confusion and extended the book to Calixo for him to look at.
"Wh - what is this?", he asked him with a puzzled look. Calixo met his eyes.
"I do not know, boy. The book only shows the reader their fate - I cannot see what you do, only blank pages.", he replied.
Aventis looked back down at the hundreds of pages of black handprints, then those too began to vanish and something new was revealed to him. From the tops of the pages red blood began pooling, streaking down the thin paper as it ran on every page. He could almost smell it, the metallic smell of human blood. Aventis, horrified, dare press his finger to the page - the red wetting the tip of his finger. Calixo looked at the boy as his face turned to one of confusion to horror, but not seeing what was on the pages, nor the blood running down his finger. Only a blank book lie in the stable boy's hands.
Aventis snapped the book shut in the blink of an eye and jerked back, causing it to fall to the ground. He shuffled backwards and ran out of Calixo's House of Curiosities as quick as he could.
*The College of Winterhold*
Just as she was the night before, Fayleen found herself in Arch Mage Ancano's Quarters, rummaging through his drawers and dressers in search of the incriminating letter. She knew he had moved it, the stowaway in the wall was the first place she looked. He was smart. Mirabelle assured her that she'd have a window of time while Ancano made his nightly rounds, but Fayleen was too unnerved to work slowly. She was armed with one more invisibility potion, courtesy of Mirabelle, to sustain her secrecy while plundering through his things. She sipped down the first one just before she picked her way into his Quarters, and she was told she'd have a few minutes before it ran out.
She had to think, think quick on her feet. Fayleen stopped and glanced around quietly. If she were trying to hide such evidence, where would she put it? Her darting eyes landed on the corner of Ancano's bed, it was made haphazard-like. Thalmer are a particularly prestine about themselves, Fayleen knew that well from the time spent with her father. They tend to keep their lives in order, in every aspect. It's a trait that often pushes Thalmer into high ranking positions all throughout Tamriel than any other Mer or race. Something so simple, like a messy bed, was uncommon - even for a High Elf. Fayleen inched her way closer and pulled back the green satin linens...and she saw it.
The tiny scroll rolled up and stuffed into the hay and tundra cotton bedding, placed there in a hurry no doubt. She almost smirked as she carefully plucked it out and into her vest pocket. Her father's amulet was also plundered once more from a nearby nightstand, Ancano evidently not caring enough to put forth effort into hiding it like he was the confession. Fayleen told herself it wasn't leaving her possession this time, not again. She placed the leather lengths around her neck and allowed the emerald green pendant to hang below her slender pale throat. Fayleen wanted to stay knelt there beside the bed, soaking in the moment of wearing what rightfully belonged to him - the father she remembered and loved, as did Savos Aren.
But she didn't, she knew she couldn't, instead Fayleen rose up from the bedside and popped the cork off her last invisibility potion, noticing her pale skin become visible again slightly. She made a beeline for the door from which she entered but not before she couldn't help but notice that the copper and rose staff that hung over the bed was missing from its plaque. The sight tugged at her anxiety and sent a sharp jolt of fear through her. Unseen and as quietly as she could, Fayleen slipped out the door and out across the campus to the Hall of Countenance - where the professors reside.
"I'm afraid there's no mistaking this is his penmanship - Ancano has signed many documents, scrolls, and notes for me in our tenure together.", Tolfdir said with a grim look on his wrinkled face as he held the note in hand, eventually handing it to Faralda. It was passed around and read aloud to all the professors in the Hall of Attainment, Urag included, but everyone needed to see it in writing for themselves.
Faralda grimaced when she read the words passed to her. "I never trusted him, never did. A thorn among roses.", she turned her High Elf nose up in disgust. Fayleen stood in front of the group of mages with her arms crossed over her chest, watching each of them read the note as it was floated about.
"It's all true.", she said over their chattering, some whispers. "He needs to be punished, and Savos Aren needs to be avenged.", Fayleen said declarativley. Mirabelle stood close beside her, the letter now in her hands for the second or third time, every time she read it she was just as taken aback as the first. Mirabelle believed Fayleen down in The Midden, but she had to see for her own two eyes. Her and Ancano Telmithevary were brought up in the College together, attending the same classes. He was friendly as a boy, but even she noticed something changed in him as he grew out of adolescence. Now she knew.
Mirabelle looked up with shaky hands and her eyes met the crowd of colleagues in front of her. "Macremir's daughter is right. Ancano can no longer lead the College."
"And just WHAT do you suggest we do about it, Mirabelle?", Urag asked with both fear and anger in his gruff voice.
"We banish him, and we send word to High Queen Elisif the Fair at once.", she replied back to not only him but everyone, including Fayleen, who cocked her head at Mirabelle's words. The court mage continued. "I know we're angry, but this has to be handled justly. The High Court will kill him anyhow.", she finished surely. She was right, Fayleen knew it. But she knew he needed to die now, not after months of trial and jail.
"Tonight. It has to be done tonight. Ancano will know this letter is missing shortly, that I'm missing from The Midden, and that we're all gathered here.", Fayleen declared to everyone, mostly Mirabelle. Mirabelle nodded back in quiet agreement. The other professors nodded their heads and vocalized their agreement. Fayleen gave Mirabelle a look and she led the two dozen or so out of the Hall of Attainment and into the courtyards. They made their way to the Hall of Elements, the wing of the College that housed the Arch Mages Quarters, inside lie the burning Mandela sigil in middle of the stone circle room. Ancano was standing in front of the orb, his hands clasped in front of him and tucked neatly away in his long sleeves, a thin smirk penciled on his slender face. Fayleen and Mirabelle led the group to him, stepping inside the room. Fayleen remembered how drawn to this orb's beauty she was before, now with him standing in front of it, it looked terrifying. The arcane vibe it now emitted was unstable, unpredictable. It could be felt by them all.
A silent moment fell between Ancano and the groups of twisted faces, the Arch Mage breaking it finally. "Mirabelle, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?", he asked almost mockingly. Mirabelle glared her eyes and held up the tiny scroll in her hand.
"We know, Ancano. We want you to be punished for these crimes. High Queen Elisif will be informed and you'll be escorted away from the College.", Mirabelle answered professionally but sadly and with fear in her shaky voice.
Ancano scoffed and shrugged it off. He lazily pointed to Fayleen. "And you believe her, the thief? Do all of you believe this?", he asked to Mirabelle and the crowd behind her. The majority of them kept their silent glare, onlooking.
"It's in your writing, Ancano. It's unmistakable.", Tolfdir spoke up. Still, the Arch Mage remained unphased. He narrowed his eyes at Fayleen.
"Fools, the lot of you! This woman, this stranger from the streets, shows up a few days ago and brings you that.", Ancano said as he pointed to the scroll in Mirabelle's hand. "Did any of you see her retrieve the letter? How do you know the legitimacy of such matters from the mouth of a thief who was already breaking into my Quarters in search of jewelry before the note was found - she was up to trouble from the start.", he finished. Some of the professors whispered amongst themselves and Fayleen felt an uncomfortable feeling creep up her spine, the feeling of instability and unpredictability again. Even worse was Mirabelle looking blankly for a moment, as if chewing on his words as well.
"This amulet belonged to my father, Macremir. It belongs to him, Savos Aren said so himself. Now it'll be mine until I see him again someday.", Fayleen hollered to him as she reached for her neck and showed him the pendant of the amulet. A thin lipped smile crossed his face again.
"Ah, Macremir's daughter, I should have known that's who you are. He was quite the suck up to old Savos, wasn't he, Mirabelle?", Ancano said as his eyes flicked to Mirabelle, who was still staring at him as if she were in thought. She did not answer. "Pity that he just wasn't good enough to ever serve as Arch Mage though." Fayleen slowly reached for the pommel of the dagger that hung tightly at her hip, her anger welling up inside her gut.
"It's a beautiful amulet, no doubt. You're not leaving with it however, or that note.", Ancano quietly said with a snarl as he extended his left arm to the side and in the blink of an eye the copper and rose staff levitated from behind the large doors of the stone room and into his hands - via telekinesis. "You're not leaving the College at all."
As quick as she could, Fayleen loudly unsheathed her dagger and she heard some of the professors draw their small weapons, mostly just their hands as they readied their magicka. Ancano pointed the staff at Collette, the College's restoration mage professor. The blow was too quick to react and in an instant a greenish bolt of lightning came shooting towards her, piercing a hole through her small body and sending to the ground. She seized up with a fearful look upon her face, blood pouring from her gaping abdomen and watching her colleagues leap into action against Ancano as her final sights.
Mirabelle screamed in horror and was pushed onto her back when the professors flew into their frenzy. Some of them had turned and were fighting with one another, those of which still clearly supporting Ancano. Phinis Gestur, the Conjuration professor, had animated a storm attronach in his favor. It was a massive, spinning tornado of rocks. It smashed at the stone floor with its large swirling sand fists. He duked it out against Faralda, who was shooting purple lightning bolts at him and his attronach, her yellow fingertips illuminated in electric vibrance.
Fayleen lunged for Ancano, her long dagger drawn. Ancano raised his other arm towards the gates behind them and used telekinesis to shut them closed quickly and with a loud metal clank. Rose staff and dagger met, copper on steel. With every furious jab and slice by Fayleen, Ancano met her with a block using the rod of the staff. Finally she conjured her ward shield in her right hand, protecting her as she distanced herself from him around the side of the massive burning orb. Fayleen was able to catch a glimpse of Mirabelle, still sitting on the ground frozen as she watched the fighting taking place around her - colleague against colleague, Collette's body beginning to go pale as her blood pooled in between the stone crevices on the floor where she lay, her worried brown eyes still open even in her death. Urag was rushing over to her as he knelt beside her.
Fayleen snapped her attention back to Ancano as the two came full circle around the orb and let again, snarls on their faces. Fayleen extended her ward as Ancano hurled am anticipated blast of green electricity her way. It reverberated off her ward but it was powerful as it's blow was absorbed. It felt as though someone were punching her palms as hard as they could, vibrating the pain up into her forearm and shoulder. She knew her ward wouldn't hold off against more blows like that, Fayleen knew she'd fatigue herself if that were the case. In an instant she let down her ward and engulfed both her hands in an icey glow. As quick as Ancano, she flung an ice spike at him - but not at the Arch Mage himself, but his staff. The rose staff was ripped from his clutches by the force of the ice spike and sent flying several feet off to the side of the room and landing on the floor, the weight of the ice crashing down with it. Ancano cursed and lit his hands ablaze with fire, the flames illuminating his angry smile.
He and Fayleen danced with ice and fire across the length of the circular stone room, avoiding the other fights and the bodies that slowly began dropping to the floor with each loss they took. Both were quick and agile, nearly dodging every shot. Students had begun to wake from their beds at the booms and noises coming from where they fought in the Hall of Elements. Candles began to flicker as they rushed to their windows to see what the clamor was, other students ran outside and to the bars of the closed gates, others shut their bedroom doors and locked them, and a few even ran clear off campus in fear - but those students who remained watched in horror as the administrators of their great institution fought, some of which lie dead on the floor.
Ancano sent a searing fireball at Fayleen, hitting her in the thigh and knocking her to the ground. Her leather armor could not protect her against these blows, not like ones felt when her and Teldryn sparred. The leather of her pants was burnt and a bloody scar could be seen on her exposed pale skin. The wound was blackened in the edges, charred almost. She looked down and winced, her hands no longer engulfed in ice and now trembling as she brought her leg up to look at it. Ancano smiled wide and moved closer to her, his hands still in flames.
"Just like your father - never quite good enough.", he very plainly said as he stood over her body, blood oozing from her thigh and onto the stone floor. Fayleen could feel the heat radiating from his palms, the fury the burned within him. Ancano raised his hands and clenched his teeth, but not before he was frozen in action, his body suddenly glowing a familiar green. Fayleen looked over at found Mirabelle, both arms outstretched and lit with the same green aurora, casting a powerful calming spell on Ancano. His frozen face twisted in confusion and anger as he found himself not able to move, almost grunting.
Mirabelle moved closer to her target as Fayleen scooted further away from Ancano and managed to wearily bring herself to her feet once more. The teachers that had sided against the murderous Arch Mage, what few were left, lay down their arms and magicka as their fallen colleagues lie at their feet. They were breathing and sweating profusely, weary from using so much magicka. All of them turned to find Ancano frozen in anger. By this point some of the students that had fled the College returned with several guards from the neighboring city of Winterhold. The armed guards approached and began ramming into the iron gates, hitting it even, in order to pry it open.
Tolfdir and Urag pulled the gates as much as their old bodies allowed them in an effort to help. Mirabelle inched closer to Ancano, sweating beading her brow and blue veins pulsing in her hands and head - no doubt draining her strength and taxing everything out of herself in order to keep Ancano locked in the calming spell. Fayleen knew what had to be done - she unsheathed her large dagger once more and stepped towards Ancano again, her angry eyes staring him down as her sharp blade glistened against the orb's light.
She walked right up to him and stared the Arch Mage in his snarling face. The man that murdered Savos Aren, the Thalmer that would have her killed in an instant if it meant protecting his secret, if it took destroying the entire College - she wouldn't put it past him.
Finally the gates were pried open and the guards burst through like a herd of sabrecats. In an instant they seized Mirabelle, horror and confusion crossed Fayleen's face as she watched them wrangle her to the ground.
"Halt! Step away from the Arch Mage!", one guard hollered at her. Fayleen went to open her mouth to protest.
"No, you have it wrong! It's Ancano that - ", she was cut off by a powerful blow across her jaw. Mirabelle's calming spell had failed as she was seized and Ancano had regained his mobility, swinging his long and slender hand clear across her face, so much so that it knocked her back. The Thalmer just stood over her, then he looked to the remaining professors and guards in the room with him.
"They started a mutiny against me, all of them! They conspired to overthrow me, even tried killing me. Seize them all.", Ancano told the guards as they went to reprimand the professors at his command. Fayleen weakly shook her head, she was disoriented. She knew what was happening around her yet she felt as though she couldn't conjure the strength to do anything. Being the strong-willed Breton she was, she propped herself up on her palms and attempted to stand.
Before a guard could seize him, Tolfdir found himself with the copper and rose staff. He held with one hand and in the other...the note from Ancano. He held it high, the staff pointed at the guards.
"Everything is a lie! Ancano murdered Savos Aren! Here is his confessional, in his writing, his words...", Tolfdir said with a shaky voice. The guards turned their attention to him but did not approach while the staff was aimed at them. "It's him that you should be binding!"
"You senile fool.", was all Ancano said before he used the same telekinesis spell as earlier to draw the staff closer to him, Tolfdir clenching onto it now with both hands as the force actually dragged him with it. The guards and everyone looked on in both fear and uncertainty. "You never liked me being Arch Mage, you always thought the position should've gone to you.", Ancano said as he continued to draw Tolfdir and the staff closer, the old professors leather boots skidding on the floor while being pulled. "You're an old man, and a Breton at that! Never once in this College's dull history has a Breton ever served as Arch Mage. What makes you think you'd be worthy?", he spat through clenched teeth.
"Gah - Ancano you don't have to do this. You can - ah! You can serve time, deal with your guilt justly.", Tolfdir said through clenched teeth as he strained against the force of Ancano's grip. The two were face to face now, Ancano's sinister smile returning.
"It's been a pleasure working with you, Tolfdir. But I'm afraid out tenure together at this College is up.", he said as he was able to catch his grip on the rose staff, Tolfdir giving him a fight for it. He was able to free it from the old Breton's hands with a jerk, but a jerk too quick - sending a green bolt of electricity right at the glowing orb. Everyone turned to watch as the orb's usual humming grew louder and it began to shake a slightly, small flares emitting in an arch-like fashion from its spherical surface. The ground rumbled at their feet, many of the students turned to flee the scene and return to their bedrooms or abandon the College.
It didn't seem to phase Ancano, his fury so enraged as he held the staff in his hand and trembled with anger, aiming it for Tolfdir, who had lost his balance from the shaking and rumbling and fell to the floor.
"Ancano, don't!", Mirabelle hollered as the guards kept her in binds, her body twisting about as if trying to break free. Urag was in binds beside her. The Arch Mage tuned her out and pointed the staff at Tolfdir.
"I'm disappointed to say that I learned nothing from you in my time here at the College.", Ancano said with venom dropping from his voice. Tolfdir was eye to eye with the head of the rose, so beautiful and pristine against the copper staff, even when it's petals began to charge its green electricity from within. Tolfdir closed his wrinkled eyes and held his breath, but another sound came instead. The sound of steel meeting leather - followed by the subtle sound of steel meeting a piece of flesh, like a wet sound. Blood.
Tolfdir looked up and found Ancano, still as a puddle of water, his yellow face paler than usual. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung agape, bottom lips trembling. Behind him stood Fayleen - both hands on the pommel of the long dagger that was plunged into the middle of Ancano's back. The rose staff dropped from Ancano's hands as he fell to his knees, the life draining from his eyes but never closing them. With the drop, another bolt of green electricity shot at the orb, more shaking and rumbling ensued.
Tolfdir shuffled away and shot up to his feet, rushing over to Mirabelle before another guard could sieze him.
"We're not letting you go until we can get further questioning!", one guard hollered.
"We need to leave, NOW!", Mirabelle exclaimed as the shaking only grew more violent. "You can question us elsewhere, this place is not safe!"
The guards ignored her pleads. "Grab her!", was all the chief ordered as two guards rushed over to Fayleen, who was breathing heavily with adrenaline and standing over Ancano's body - blood pouring from his back and soaking his fine linen clothes. She snapped her attention back to reality and grabbed the rose staff, making a beeline for the set of stone stairs that circled overhead. She came to a door at the top, the guards at her back with their weapons drawn, and she opened it - looking down at Mirabelle. The two Bretons exchanged a similar look, one of survival. One of understanding. Fayleen closed the door quickly behind her and locked it. The guards shook the doorknob and banged on the iron but they could not open it. She found herself inside the Arcaneum.
The shaking was out of control at this point and finally the stone ceiling above them began to crack and shatter, chunks falling to the floor and into the orb itself, further disturbing it. All the guards looked up at the crumbling room.
"Now do you see? We have to leave!", Tolfdir said this time. The guards did not protest, they cut their binds and the ties of the other professors and began ushering everyone out of the Hall of Elements, some guards even running away themselves.
Katara and Teldryn rode quicker through the snow the more the light from the College grew, their steeds carrying them as quickly as they could towards the sounds of booms and crashes. They emerged through the blizzard and galloped through the town of Winterhold, passing students wearing their mage robes along the way. First there was just one student, then another, and another, until they reached the College arches and saw numerous people running over the icy bridge.
"By the gods!", Teldryn exclaimed as he hopped off Ashlander before the horse could even come to a stop. He began pushing through crowds of people, Katara jumped off Valkyrie and went after him.
"Teldryn, wait!", she hollered. She knew his mind was focused on one thing - Fayleen.
Suddenly, and with the loudest and brightest that they had ever seen, the orb in the Hall of Elements finally unstablized and exploded. Screams erupted from the horde of people trying to escape via the bridge, sadly some were even pushed off in the scuffle. The entire back corridor of the College of Winterhold was a burning bright light, it was almost blinding. Katara had to shield her eyes. Shaking and rumbling ensued as green and yellow fires from the orb's explosion burned shrubbery and anything made of wood, more rock from the school's structure began to crumble.
"Teldryn, we have to turn back!", Katara hollered over the blazing fires and screams. Tears rolled down her best friend's blue cheeks as his breathing caught ragged in his throat, glossy red eyes illuminated from the fires as his vision scanned the horrific scene in front of him. Katara grabbed for her arm, she tried yanking him back but he protested her with a defeating cry on his teary face. Katara had begun crying to as Teldryn slowly allowed himself to be pulled away from the scene, his eyes never leaving the firey Hall of Elements even as people pushed by him.
Then they heard her voice, the one they'd grown fond of hearing, even on her snarky days. She was hollering Teldryn's name with a shaky voice, yet he couldn't see her in the thick crowd. It was then that he felt her familiar hand clasp his and pull him away from the College, Katara seeing and grabbing into Teldryn, the three of them running in a chain off the bridge.
With one swift motion Fayleen unsheathed her dagger and cut the ropes that tie Namiira to the stables, jumping on her steed's back. Katara and Teldryn did the same and they fled.
They were both dumbfounded to see her alive, they scanned Fayleen - who had a bloody thigh, a busted lip, an emerald amulet around her neck, a rose staff in her right hand, the reigns of the horse in her other...
And an Elder Scroll, about three feet in length, strapped to her back.
The College of Winterhold began to crumble under the shaking and fires, massive chunks of the stone building breaking off and plummeting to the choppy Ghost Sea below, leaving the once prestine and ancient College in a state similar to its neighboring town of Winterhold.
Katara, Teldryn, and Fayleen galloped as quickly as their sturdy stallions could carry them - all through the night and straight to Whitewind.