Apologies for the lack of an update last week. I got involved in this project and it took way more of my energy and time then I anticipated.

J'zargo

"Are we sure this is where the dwarven ruin is?" J'zargo questioned for about the hundredth time.

"That's what the map says," replied Onmund for about the hundredth time. "I'm literally just following the map."

J'zargo's tail flicked in annoyance. It felt like they had been walking in circles ever since they'd left Kynesgrove. The fact that the falling snow kept covering up their footprints didn't help in the slightest.

"By the way, this one wonders: did you ever learn what being Dragonborn means?"

"Oh yeah!" said Brelyna. "I'm actually curious too!"

MInerva's eyes widened. "Oh! Right! Well..." She shifted from foot to foot. "On the most basic level...uh, it basically means I'm only half mortal?"

Brelyna blinked. "Huh?"

Onmund blushed. "Wait, are you hiding wings under your tunic? Or something?"

Minerva shook her head rapidly. "What? No no no. Uh, it basically means that I have a mortal body...but my soul is draconic. And that's why I can learn Shouts and absorb souls?"

Brelyna sighed. "So it's a metaphysical thing."

"Yeah, I guess."

"J'zargo still thinks Minerva's mother has some explaining to do."

"Oh shut up J'zargo!"

J'zargo grinned to himself as he remembered that conversation. Onmund simply shook his head. "I get that you're trying to take some stress off her, but maybe joking about her mom isn't the way to do it."

But if the world really was going to end, he'd better make those jokes while he still could, right? J'zargo opened his mouth to tell Onmund this when they heard a groan. Lying near the shear side of the mountain they were walking along was a man wearing grey mage robes. Onmund knelt next to him. "Gods, are you alright?"

The mage lifted his head slightly, and J'zargo could see the blood coming from his mouth. No, Onmund, this mage was not alright. "Crystal...gone..." he gasped out. "Paratus...Oculatry..." Then his head fell back and he laid still.

Onmund put his fingers to the mage's pulse point. His face darkened and he pulled his hand back. "What on Nirn happened to him?"

J'zargo walked forward and began searching the mage's body. "Perhaps we will find clues on his person." He heard Onmund sigh heavily, but he wasn't stopped.

At any rate, the mage only had two things on him besides his clothes: a journal and a key. J'zargo cracked open the journal, and he felt Onmund look over his shoulder.

Attendant Gavros,

The Council has become aware of the lack of progress in your group's efforts. They are particularly displeased to learn that your specifications for the focusing crystal were completely incorrect.

The entire Binder's Conclave has worked tirelessly, and the Council is quite sure this new crystal will suit your needs. You are herewith entrusted with delivering the crystal to the site, completing your work, and delivering a full report to the Council with all possible haste.

The Council trusts you will deliver the crystal to the Oculory personally, and that there will be no further complications.

First Adjunct Oronrel

Onmund frowned. "The Council?"

"Most likely the Synod Council," grumbled J'zargo. "They are one of the Imperial mage organizations." He shook his head. "Them and the Whispers ones are more about politicking then magic. So infuriating."

"Which is why you came up here," Onmund noted. "But what kind of politics would bring them up here?"

J'zargo shrugged. "Perhaps they are after the same thing we are?"

Onmund groaned. "That would make sense." He smiled nervously at J'zargo. "I don't suppose they would be willing to help us?"

J'zargo shook his head. "J'zargo doesn't think so. If they have come all this way looking for the Staff, they will not be giving it up easily."

Onmund stared at the sheer cliff face, then knocked on it. Instead of the sound of rock, it made a hollow clanging sound. Some snow fell off the side, revealing part of an ornate metal door. "On the bright side, I think we found our way in."

Gildas

"I can't believe you roped my BROTHER into this!"

"Look, he volunteered when I asked!"

Gildas heard a familiar string of swear words from the tunnel behind the wardrobe. Despite himself, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least Minerva didn't sound hurt. He'd been quite worried that the note had been some kind of veiled threat. We have your sister. Do what we say or else.

Luckily, as Gildas reached the end of the tunnel, he found Minerva standing without restraints on her, glaring at a blonde woman in unfamiliar armor.

As Gildas breathed a sigh of relief, Minerva turned to him and grinned. "Gil!" She ran over to him, wrapping her arms around the Legionary and squeezing tightly. "Are you okay? Did you get in trouble at all?"

Gildas shuddered, remembering everything that happened. "I got out fine, but..."

"Did you get the information?" Delphine interrupted.

Minerva stepped away from Gildas with an annoyed huff as Gildas strode up to the table, opening his bag. "I didn't have time to look at anything, so I just grabbed what looked important."

On the table he placed four books, each with a label on the front: "Dossier: Delphine", "Dossier: Ulfric Stormcloak", "Dossier: Esbern", and "Dragon Investigation: Current Status".

Minerva flipped open the last book. Her eyes scanned the page, then her face darkened. "Son of a bitch!" she yelled. "Of course! Of course that's the case!"

"What is it?" asked Gildas, looking over her shoulder along with Delphine. Minerva jabbed a finger at the page. It read:

We anticipate a breakthrough in our efforts to uncover the party or power behind the dragon resurrection phenomenon. An informant has identified a possible lead, whom we have brought back to the Embassy for a full interrogation.

The subject is obstinate, but by all indications is holding back the information we seek. I have authorized Intermediate Manual Uncoiling - I do not expect more will be necessary, unless you feel time presses.

Delphine shook her head. "I don't understand...if they don't know anything, then who's behind this? This can't be right..."

Minerva groaned and put her head in her hands. "All that for what? Ugh...where in Oblivion are they coming from?" Then her face turned to one of disgust. "What's 'Intermediate Manual Uncoiling'?"

Gildas felt bile build in his throat. "Min...do you remember why Papi didn't want either of us to join the Legion? The things he told us the Thalmor did to the people they captured?"

Minerva's disgusted face slowly turned to one of horror as she processed what Gildas was saying. "You mean...he wasn't making it up to scare us? That's all real?"

Gildas grimaced. "If anything, he sanitized it. There's a torture chamber under the embassy. Under their embassy, Min!" He shook his head. "It was...disgusting. That's the only thing I can say to describe it. They were in the middle of torturing some poor guy when I got down there. Asking about someone called 'Esbern'..."

"Esbern?" Delphine interrupted. "He's alive?"

Gildas nodded. "That's what I got out of it."

Delphine grinned. "He's alive...by the Nine, this might not have been worthless after all!"

"Who's Esbern?" asked Minerva. "You mentioned him before."

Delphine turned around. "He was our loremaster. Obsessed with dragons, even back before all this crap started." She crossed her arms and looked away. "At the time, we thought he was a crackpot. Even made fun of him at times. He was smart though. Is smart."

"So if anyone knows what's going on, it would be him," Gildas confirmed.

Delphine nodded and stood up. "Did they say where he might be?"

Gildas thought for a moment. "I think the guy they were interrogating said he was from Riften?"

Delphine nodded. "Of course! That makes sense!" She turned to Minerva. "Riften has a lot of unsavory rumors about it. One of the rumors is that the sewers under the city are a complete maze. Thieves, beggars, and everyone trying to lie low lives down there."

"So you think that's where Esbern is?"

Delphine put her hand on her sword's hilt. "That's what I'm going to find out."

Onmund

Onmund pulled his dagger out of one of the pale, twisted creatures and grimaced. "Gods, these things give me the creeps."

"J'zargo agrees." The Khajit patted down one of the creature corpses. "Oh, what is this?" He pulled out what looked like a rock with several lenses glued to it. It was very shiny.

Onmund frowned. "I'm not sure. Do you think that's the crystal the mage outside was talking about?"

J'zargo turned the rock over in his hands. "Hmm...J'zargo was picturing something more like a pretty necklace, not this heavy thing. It seems very...cobbled together."

Onmudn thought. "That letter did say it was a replacement right? If it was made in a hurry that would make sense, right?"

J'zargo sniffed. "No sense of style. Another good reason not to join the Synod."

Onmund wasn't sure if it was a good reason but decided not to argue. "Yeah, at least we have Brelyna." Thinking about his Dunmeri friend, Onmund looked down in contemplation. "Do you think she's okay? I mean, she's had two encounters with vampires in the past month. Bad ones, too it seems."

J'zargo looked thoughtful. "Brelyna is a skilled mage. Not as skilled as J'zargo of course, but she can hold her own. J'zargo thinks she will be fine, especially once she gets back to the college."

Brelyna

Brelyna was in the library when Faralda came in. "Uh, Brelyna? There's a woman on the bridge. She says she knows you?"

Brelyna frowned and looked up, closing her book as she did so. "Who is she?"

Faralda crossed her arms. "Ah...it was...Selena...Sorona...something like that? She had black hair and looked like she needed to spend a few days in the sun."

Brelyna paled. "Oh, don't tell me..."

Onmund

Onmund nodded to J'zargo. "You're right. She'll be fine."

The two continued through the ruins. Despite the danger, Onmund couldn't help but look around in wonder at all the machinery. He noticed J'zargo doing the same. The things that could be done with soul gems, gears, and oil...no wonder Gane was interested in this stuff.

"There is powerful magic here," J'zargo observed. "J'zargo might wish to learn more about this if Gane wasn't so rude."

Onmund shrugged. "I mean...you could try the library."

J'zargo smiled. "True."

On the subject of updates, would you guys prefer shorter chapters with more frequent updates, or the way things are now? Any feedback is appreciated!