hitting the books

"Of all the great necromancers of our time, Mannimarco was the bravest, the most powerful, and by far, the most careless." Phinis Gestor starts.

"Why is that?" Serana has to ask. Her hands are gripping the table so hard she feels she might break it.

The professor watches her with those dark eyes of his. "In his youth he decided to pursue magic, by doing so, he became a member of the Psijic Order."

She stops him right there, "He was with them? Tolfdir was telling me about them. I had a vision with one man from the Psijic Order in it, do you think…was that him?"

"You would know if you saw Mannimarco." Phinis steeples his hands before his lips. "He has hair that grows pale white, sometimes even seems translucent in the moonlight. He has sharp eyes and I'd imagine now his skin would not look quite well. He would seem alive but dead at the same time. Even though he ascended to godhood, truly, no mortal is meant for such a thing."

Her heart was beating out of her chest. There was so much to take in. "Okay. So, he entered the Psijic Order, then what? He started raising the dead?"

"Precisely. He was fascinated by the secrecy surrounding necromancers. You must understand, even near the dawn of time, those kind were still…not tolerated. There is a reason it is called dark magic. For Mannimarco, his descent into the darkness started when Vanus, another student, found him trapping and enslaving souls. Eventually, the leaders of the Order found out about his studies and exiled him to the mainland.

"That did not stop Mannimarco in his tracks. He continued, day and night, to wield his magic and continue his research. This attracted dark wizards and witches to him from near and far, thus creating the Order of the Black Worm. They also gave him magical artifacts and through those artifacts he absorbed the dark energy and became what is known as a living corpse."

"A Lich." Serana breathes.

The professor nods, "Good to see you know your terminology. No, that was not the time he made that change, he just absorbed power then. In his pursuit of knowledge, Mannimarco came under the service of Molag Bal. The Daedric Prince tasked Mannimarco into tricking the Five Companions into performing a ritual that would weaken the barriers of Nirn and Oblivion. This would allow Molag Bal to invade Tamriel, and merge Nirn with his plane of Coldharbour."

Phinis pauses, as if looking through his memories, "Instead, Mannimarco wished to trap the Prince and absorb his essence." Serana gapes at this revelation. How…stupid of him.

Phinis grins, "As you can guess, that didn't go over well. At all. After his plans were thwarted, Mannimarco was taken by Molag Bal to be tortured by the undead in Coldharbour. He eventually escaped. Back in Tamriel Vanus was waiting for him and engaged in a long and challenging battle. Seeing he needed a way out, Mannimarco turned himself into a Lich and escaped his fate of death at Vanus's blade, leaving him to go into hiding. This is where things get…tricky."

"How so?" Serana asks, she's leaning across the table just so she can make sure she hears every word Phinis tells her.

"While in hiding, Mannimarco continued to manipulate the political field in the provinces. At this time, he had amassed so much power and knowledge he was a highly sought-after man. But in 3E 417 the Warp in the West occurred, splitting the region of Iliac Bay into separate and simultaneous timelines. Mannimarco at the time, was in possession of the Totem of Timber Septim and the Mantella, and he created the ripening conditions for his apotheosis, or better known as, his ascent to godhood. He is said to be a celestial body of a far away moon that orbits a distant planet, this is known as 'Necromancer's Moon' or 'Revenant' in some circles.

"Others believe Mannimarco lived in an alternate timeline as a mortal and reigned over a niche cult who wished to overthrow the Mages Guild in Cyrodiil. If you ask me, I think it was one of your average blokes who took advantage of the prestige of Mannimarco's name." He sighs, "Alas, the man is dead so there is no true way of knowing, but I suspect you are not being hunted by a mortal."

He lifts his eyes to her golden ones. "Why, is he hunting you?" He asks softly, "What did you do to attract such attention, Serana Volkihar?"

She almost recoils at his tone. "I didn't do it. My father did. He was obsessed with some prophecy, so much so that he made my mother flee and kept me locked underground for centuries. I wasn't exactly dealing with someone rational."

"And this man called upon Mannimarco, for what?"

"I don't know." She says, frustration boiling in her chest. "I don't know but the only way I can find out…I think, is if I find my mother. She's locked in the Soul Cairn, and I need to get her out. I can't find another portal for it though."

"Hmm what a peculiar situation. Precarious, even. I might be able to help your predicament. Not only that, but if you have the coin, I could personally tutor you in the art of Conjuration."

She relaxes, a little. "I would appreciate that. Whatever we can do."

He holds his hands out, the black sleeves of his robes flaring to the ground. "Look around, we have a few hours. Might as well begin some research."

Serana gives a cursory glance to the room at large. Rows and rows of bookcases full of all the information they might need. "Where do I start?"

Phinis Gestor only pushes the book he was reading towards her, "You might want to begin here, Souls, Black and White. This overviews soul gems and their uses. Me? I will go ask Urag gro-Shub if he knows of anything that might be towards our liking."

Serana brushes her hand over the embossed cover, glances at Vorstag's still sleeping form and opens the cover to begin her long night.

Dawn came too soon, sleeping in a chair facedown on a table didn't help matters either, but he honestly has slept in worse places. Vorstag opens his bleary eyes to the bright room. Many candles surrounded the little alcove they sat in, and many books piled high. On his tables and on theirs. He turns his head with his mane of hair flying around him to see Serana deeply entrenched in a new novel and the somewhat disturbing looking professor reading across from her.

"How long was I asleep?" Vorstag asks.

Serana jolts, as if she was broken from a trance. "Hours. A long time. Enough time for me to read all these." She motions to the pile next to her.

"You read all that? There must be ten to twelve books in there!" Vorstag sits up, he thought he had an abnormal taste in books but this girl…

"No, no, I skimmed and skipped over things that weren't relevant. I just needed a few passages, actually." She turns back to her book. "Phinis is going to help us, I told him everything and he even said he'd help me learn some Conjuration."

Vorstag's chest tightens at that. He turns his gaze to the professor who is now looking at him curiously. "Necromancy?"

He doesn't even blink. "Necromancy is a part of the school of Conjuration, not the only discipline. I will teach her far much more than raising a corpse."

The words didn't quite reach his lips. To sit here and suddenly accuse a man he didn't even know of trying to taint Serana's soul would be…well it would be paranoid. He didn't know for certain what kind of magic she would learn, and if the College of Winterhold felt comfortable employing Phinis, then he must have some good attributes.

"Wait. Damn it." The vampire woman swears, leaving Vorstag and Phinis to look at her with equal expression of shock.

"Quiet in the Arcanaeum!" Urag gro-Shub yells from his desk.

She winces. "Sorry. I just, I forgot we needed to do that research for Tolfdir, for the Orb he found."

"We're in the right place for it." Phinis turns another page.

Vorstag stares down at his hands. He was starting to get that craving for blood. Just the beginnings of it. But that could wait. "I could do it, if you two are researching the other subjects." He offers.

Serana smiles at him. Such a dazzling sight. He almost loses his breath. "If you don't mind that would help us so much."

Phinis nods. "If we can get through a few more books here I can begin your tutoring. I don't have a class until later in the day to teach."

"Then it's settled." Vorstag stands, feeling the stiffness in his back start to release. He makes his way to the waiting librarian.

"I know what you want. Word travels fast around here. Discovered some big mystery, huh?" Urag gro-Shub asks in the deepest of voices.

"You would be correct." Vorstag tries to grin and turn on that charm. But that luck wasn't on his side today.

The Orsimer's face scrunches up. "Well, you don't even need to ask. No, I don't have anything for you. Not anymore, anyway."

Vorstag blinks, "Whyever not? Are we not in the largest library Skyrim has to offer?"

Urag breaks into a fit of laugher, "You would be right if were not for Orthorn. He stole a number of books when he went off to Fellglow Keep to join those summoners. Some kind of peace offering. I think one of those volumes may have had some relevant information. If you want them, you'll have to talk to Orthorn."

It was starting to sound like this "research" was right up Vorstag's alley. "I'll get it done." He tells the Orc.

"I'll be back Serana, I found the books we need but it's going to take a little detour." Vorstag lays a hand on her shoulder, she lifts her head.

"Where? Whiterun?"

"No, even better, Fellglow Keep." He says with amusement.

Concern fill her eyes. "Wait." He tells her before she says anything. "You know I need a good fight and any crypt walkers down there won't provide it."

"Don't risk your life for some book though, we can find others." She begins to close hers. But pauses. "I guess, if you really want to you can try to find them. I don't want to hold you back."

He wishes he could cup her cheek or brush some of that lovely short black hair from her face. He settles for a smile. "As long as you're here learning I'm happy. It's what you need. Let me go use this rusty blade and I'll be back in higher spirits. I'm well rested enough as it is."

She gives a glance at the chair he knocked out in. "I guess so." She laughs, "Just be careful."

"I will." He wishes to even brush her hand, but she turns back to her book and to do so now would seem strange. Even more so with Phinis's prying eyes on him.

"We'll probably get through a few spells by the time you get back. Good luck in Fellglow Keep. I haven't been there in so long." He drawls and turns his gaze back to the page.

Vorstag laughs it off but wishes to get out of there as soon as possible. With one last lingering look to Serana and her pensive expression he waltzes out the door and nearly collides with the Altmer who seemed to always be skulking about.

"Excuse me." He tries to brush past, but the tall man blocks his way.

"You. I need to ask you something." His voice is clipped and snooty, how most Altmer were. "You and…your friend were in Saarthal, yes? It has come to my attention that something was found there."

Something whispered to the mercenary not to trust this man, "There might have been."

The Altmer sneers, "I know full well that you have. Please, do not insult my intelligence. Tolfdir is still there now, is he? I shall expect a full report when he returns."

It was odd he kept prying. "What does this matter to you? Are you a higher up around here?" Vorstag has to ask.

The man ignores that last quip. "Something was discovered in Saarthal that was significant enough that Tolfdir sent two new members of the college, alone, to deliver word. That sounds precisely like the sort of thing that should matter to everyone. Especially me…." He trails off, and studies Vorstag head to toe. "Thank you for your help, you may go."

Vorstag shakes the awkwardness of the encounter away. He gives the Altmer a tight smile. "Be seeing you, then." And he's off.

She read the line four times, her eyes were glazed, her head fuzzy. Serana should have slept sooner but since Phinis was still plowing through as many books as he could, she figured she should keep reading as well.

Now, she wishes she went to her room for some sleep.

"Excuse me. I just talked to your friend out there…he seemed to think that it wasn't common knowledge that you found something down in Saarthal." She looks up and wishes she didn't.

The man she saw talking with Mirabelle yesterday was before her. His angular face is sharp in these shadows, his eyes keep hers pinned. "We did. But Tolfdir is handling it." It is an effort not to let her fear show in her voice.

"I see. I heard he was caught up there." The Altmer thankfully, turns his gaze from her to notice Phinis. "I never thought I'd see you here at this time, don't you need to go raise another corpse?"

"Cool it, Ancano." Phinis drawls, his head still in the pages. "I'm helping Serana here with some work she's been after."

The Altmer blinks. "Work? Why what are you studying?"

She freezes, she's not sure what to say. "Just looking over things. I wanted to learn about old necromancers and soul gems."

"Do you now?" He crosses his arms and she could swear his face morphed. Instead of sharp angles and yellow tinged skin, she saw softer features with pale skin and white hair.

"Which is your favorite? There are many figures to look up to." He nearly snaps. As if agitated by this conversation. If anything, it looked like he wanted to leave more than Serana did.

"I…" She's at a loss for words. By the gods, the man seemed to morph into the very one she was searching for. It wasn't like he actually did. She just saw this new person superimposed on him.

"Mannimarco, if you might be wondering." Phinis Gestor breaks the tension.

Her heart is in her throat. "I'm just curious." It seems the other figure, the one with long white hair and crystal-clear eyes was staring right at her. Ancano was droning on about something. She couldn't hear him anymore. He had his eyes closed in concentration, just talking, but this other man… it was like he could see into her soul.

"I think I need a break. Go rest my head some." She gets up, already dizzy with the haze closing in.

"Certainly. We can practice after lunch. Take some of those books with you, if you want." Phinis tells her.

Serana mindlessly grabs a few and brushes past the Altmer. She knew it wasn't him, but she could swear the other figure ran his hand down her shoulder. When the doors of the Arcanaeum close firmly behind her, she breaks into a run.

Fellglow Keep should have taken about a day to get to due to it's southern location. But Vorstag was incredibly fast now. He raced through the open fields, letting the strong breeze blow across his face and tangle through his loose hair. He leapt over rock and critters until he saw the towering peaks coming to meet him.

They were on him in an instant, just a few straggler bandits. Vorstag tore through them with his teeth, getting his fill of blood for the day before entering the keep. These things tended to be winding and confusing because they pre-dated some modern structures. So, there were many hiding places for each and every skeleton.

He sliced through their necks when he found them. One by one, they fell, until Vorstag remained panting in the center of the dead. "Give me something better." He mutters but continues on.

The next few rooms held a bit more of a challenge. Mages and their conjured pets.

One screams in his face as she lashes out with electricity. Little does she know; he's dealt with worse storms before. He slices through her chest before she can electrocute him further. The other mages begin to rally around him and close in. All with spells glowing in their hands and malice in their eyes. He glances at each face, sizing up how he was going to do this…

Quick as possible, he swings his sword in an arch, spinning in a circle with his newfound speed. Enough speed to slice through each mage before they could send their power at him. He grunts when he pulls the sword from one of the jerking bodies. That right there, was a better challenge.

"You there! Let me out. They're going to do awful things to me." A male voice pleads.

Vorstag pauses, finding a row of levers, no one seemed to be hiding around here. "Where are you?"

"In this cage. There's a lever right in the center. Hurry before more of them show up!" Vorstag has no choice but to trust the voice. He pulls on the lever directed of him.

"Ah, thank you for saving me. Who knows what they'd have done to me if you hadn't come along." Someone seemingly like a College of Winterhold mage steps out. Vorstag lowers his sword. This must be Orthorn.

"Where do you keep your books?" Vorstag gets straight to the point.

"The… the books? Oh, I see. I thought perhaps… Well, I thought you'd come for me. But yes, the books. The Caller will have them. She was most interested in one of the volumes. Although not interested enough to keep me from being locked up." He grumbles.

Vorstag assesses him. Aside from a few bruises and dirt caking his face, this man was probably only suffering from dehydration at most. "You should get yourself to safety. There's an exit that way." He motions to the door he just came through.

"Don't you need my help?" The man broaches.

Vorstag tightens the grip on his blade and runs his tongue over his new fangs. He can hear many hearts up ahead. It would be easier if he could go in alone, that way this man wouldn't be in any danger. From the mages, or from him. "Trust me. I can more than handle myself. Get back outside, I should be seeing you in a half hour if things go well."

She was still tired, but Serana could only sleep for a few hours. She needed to learn about this Conjuration school. Dawn hovered in the doorway, her flames signaling to Serana that Phinis was finally free after lunch. She shifts in the bed, feeling it to be so comfortable when she had it to herself.

"Is he ready?" She asks Dawn. The professor was clever and thought he could have them send messages to one another through the Flame Atronach.

Bright orange flames light up the daedra's hands. That was sign enough. Serana sighs. "Let me get my cloak and I'll meet him."

The Hall of Countenance wasn't far off from her living quarters. The bright early morning sun greeted Serana in the worst way possible. She made sure to have her hood up nice and tight. Inside, Phinis was sitting near his bed, head still in a book.

"I'm here." She says half-heartedly.

He glances up. "Ah, it seems our little experiment with the Flame Atronach worked well. I never thought them to be fully sentient beings."

"There's something new to learn everyday." Serana shrugs. Her eyes were still bleary and her head was still fuzzy but she would do whatever Phinis wanted.

"Since I finished my lecture early, I thought we could get a head start. The College isn't…very appreciative of those who practice magic on the grounds. Especially the magic we might be casting. I thought we could go down to the tundra, just outside of Winterhold and practice there. There wouldn't be another soul around and if your creature were to get away, I could nullify them immediately."

She thinks on it, the sun was intense…but if there was no other way. "Let's go."

He laughs, "Your enthusiasm is infectious. Here. Take these books and if you can, read along the way." He passes her a few and grabs his robe. She has no other option but to follow him out into the open with the blistering sun.

A good half hour later, Phinis was still talking. "Those are the major principles of the school of Conjuration. Especially when summoning the daedra, they are potentially dangerous. But softer spells, such as summoning a bound sword are not as risky." He glances back at her. "My, I forgot. How is the sun treating you? I know your kind abhors it."

She clenches her jaw, it was hard keeping her hands covered, especially since she forgot her gloves. "Fine. If my father had his way, there would be no sun."

The man only laughs softly. "What a travesty that would be."

She seems to think he doesn't know how close they were to that. One day the sun would be here, the next…gone. Or, at least, that's what father told her. He didn't take into account how all living things were dependent on the celestial star so close to the planet. He would never listen her logic.

"Here. You read those books?" Phinis stops in the coldest part of the tundra. The road stretches on for miles in either direction with nothing but the frozen ground and the sky to meet them.

"Yes. Bound Dagger, Conjure Boneman, Revenant, and Conjure Dremora Lord." She sounds off.

The professor shifts from foot to foot. "Yes. I wanted to see where your skills were. Ironically, I didn't want to give you a master spell just yet, but you did perform one with this Flame Thrall here." He nods to Dawn. "I wanted you to try one from each level: novice, apprentice, adept, and expert. We'll see how you do. That will give me a baseline of where I need to start with you."

Serana shrugs, "Alright, I guess I'll start with the dagger." She thinks back on those pages. What she read and how the wording was placed. She only has to think one phrase in her head before she feels the hilt of a dagger appear in her left hand. She glances down to see a translucent looking blade.

"My, that was quick. Even the most seasoned of mages have some trouble with that spell early on." Phinis applauds her. "Are you ready for the next one? It's a basic conjuration spell but I want you to cast it between me and you." He motions to the ten feet that separate them. "That way, I can banish him if he gets…feisty."

Right. Conjure Boneman. Shouldn't be too hard. Serana quickly pushes away the dagger with her mind and holds out her hand, pulling from the world of the dead.

"Good. Keep it right there and keep building on your power." Phinis pushes her. The dark spectral orb was slowly growing in the dead space between them. She closes her eyes, just for better concentration when she hears the distinct creaking of bones.

Her eyes flick open, before her stood one of the bonemen mother was always so fond of. It's head swivels to her, with flaming eyes and blackened bones. The thing creaks as it begins to walk to her. She feels the heat of Dawn behind her.

"No. Not you." Phinis says quickly and he throws some sort of spell at the boneman. One second, he's there. The next, he's gone. "Your Flame Atronach was about to attack it."

Serana glances back at Dawn, finding her flames to be higher on her body. "Why? I summoned them both."

"But they can easily get out of your control without proper training." Phinis reminds her. "Most novice mages have this problem. It's just interesting because you can summon them without much effort. It's going to be controlling them that will be more difficult."

"What do I do? Just bark out commands at them?" Serana asks.

The professor pauses, "No. You need to make sure you keep the invisible tether between the two of you tight. It's like a leash on those you conjure. You can influence their actions, slightly, with your mind. But if you send them out to fight for you, it will be harder. You'll have to let them do their own thing, then when they're back with you, you retighten the leash."

Sounded complex to her. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Next." Phinis holds out a hand and Serana has to keep from jumping when the body of a boneman lands at her feet. Good and dead.

"Reanimate that with the Revenant spell." Phinis tells her.

She nods and tries it. The spell flies from her outstretched hands into the thing. The bones seem to absorb it like a plant absorbs water in a drought. It rises, creaking bones folding over one another.

"Magnificent." Phinis breathes. "That spells is at an adept level. I'm impressed with your aptitude on this."

Although that wasn't the only thing that was interesting. Serana glances down, she can't pull her sleeves up to check but she can see the lights glowing beneath the fabric. Those runes Tolfdir was talking about were bright even in this sunny environment.

The boneman disappears without further advancement. "Good. Now, for the final spell. Conjure Dremora Lord. I will stand back here again in case it goes awry."

Serana takes a deep breath. This was going to be far harder to cast. It would probably take all the energy she has left. "Alright. Here goes nothing." She says and holds out her hands.

The spell was cast. She could feel it emerge from her being. She could hear it hit the ground but nothing happened.

They wait.

"Try again. Sometimes these things are tricky. Take a moment to think about the spell before casting it." Phinis directs her.

She clenches her jaw, thinks back on the power she's wielded, how it feels to float through her body and emerge from her palms. It sometimes felt like a living thing trying to wiggle free. That's how it felt now.

More like a maggot burrowing under her skin.

She cries out when the spell releases itself and hurls to the ground. Instantaneously, the dremora lord stands before them, decked out in shining armor and with a snarling face that was red and black. He stands there.

"Marvelous! Good. Good." Phinis paces around the creature. "Not a problem at all, no missing limbs, no chinked armor. He's perfect."

Phinis was a mortal, with mortal senses, that means he couldn't smell more than the average human. Serana, however, could smell this thing's rage.

"I smell weakness…" The dremora lord snarls before lunging towards them. Phinis jumps out of the way before it can cleave into him with his sword.

Serana ducks, feeling Dawn above her begin to throw firebolts towards the thing. "You will bleed!" The dremora lord yells.

"Over here, Serana!" Phinis scrambles over the snow to grab her hand and pull her.

"What do we do!" She yells over the sounds of the clanging of sword and flame.

Phinis gives a fearful glance at the battle. "Run! Run now." He shoves her.

She didn't want to leave him but she could hear, could feel the bloodlust in the dremora lord behind her. "Run! I'll deal with him." Phinis yells to her.

She glances back, just once, and finds Dawn and Phinis both holding off the dremora lord with spells of fire and ice. The thing's gaze was only locked onto her though, that's the look of intensity most predators give their prey. She runs.

The ground seemed to be more slippery than ever before. She raced across it, trying to keep her balance but also keep her skin from the raging sun. When she was far enough away she fell, panting, beneath the shade of a large rock. She pulls back on her sleeves. The runes were bright. Blazing purple and white light embedded in her skin.

Do not mind the servant. Molag Bal and Mehrunes Dagon are not in the best mood with me. That must be why he wants to hurt you.

She glances this way and that. Hearing that voice. It wasn't coming from anywhere here in the open fields. It was in her mind.

They know I branded you. They see my seal on you, sweet Serana, don't fear. I will make sure that daedra has a horrible time in Oblivion. The voice chuckles.

She clenches her jaw. "Mannimarco."

She wanted a response. A simple "yes" would have been good enough for her. But all she hears is the howling wind and the distant sounds of battle.

Twelve mages down…one to go. Vorstag finally opens the door to the inner chamber and sees the woman in robes standing before him. "So, you're the one causing all this trouble. How nice to meet you." She addresses him.

"Contrary to what you may believe, I'm not here to harm you. I am just looking for the books from the College." He says firmly.

"So you're just one of Aren's Lackeys? That's disappointing. You would show real promise." If you were a magic wielder. "You come here, kill my assistants, disrupt my work… You've annoyed me, so I don't think I'll be giving you anything."

Seasoned warrior Vorstag was, he could see her fear. She just kept it well hidden. He holds his blade out, showing all the blood drenching it. Drenching his armor and fouling his teeth. "We both know you won't have a chance to get out of here alive. Let me leave with the books and there won't be anymore trouble."

She pauses, he can hear her heart racing from here. The only thing for her to consider was whether the books were worth more than her life. "Fine." She snaps. "Take them and be gone. Never return here, or else you'll face my full wrath."

"Very well then," Vorstag smiles, and it only makes the mage shudder.

Hours later, he was just traversing the frozen wasteland, almost to the College and ten pounds heavier. There were far more books than he thought possible. How the man got away with it without being found sooner, he didn't know. When he emerged from the Keep, Orthorn was nowhere to be found.

"I will see you bleed!" A horrid voice snarls across the frozen wastes.

Vorstag's brow furrows. He breaks into a jog and over the horizon he sees a wounded mage, and a daedra fighting off a Flame Atronach. But it wasn't just any Flame Atronach. Dawn.

He almost, almost drops the bag of books but waits until he's closer. He then pulls his sword from its strap on his back and comes raining down on the dremora lord before him. "Mortal! I will see you bleed!" The thing yells out again.

"You would be mistaken, I'm no mortal." Vorstag bares his fangs, and the blade comes searing down on the daedra. He cleaves nearly in two before falling to mist.

"By the gods, thank the gods you came. Just in time." Phinis lays panting, one hand over his stomach.

"Here." Vorstag kneels down to perform a simple healing spell. Slowly, realization dawns on him. "Where is she? Was she with you?"

Phinis points northward. "I told her to run to get to safety."

"Take these." Vorstag hands him his bag of books and breaks off at a sprint. He could scent her. That soft smell of lavender and honey. For some reason she smelled like honey, even though he knew she never ate it or came near it.

"Vorstag." She calls out.

He nearly skids to a halt and turns to find her crouched under a rock. Her sweet face peered up at him but her eyes…they were blood red.

"Are you okay?" He kneels next to her. "Your eyes..."

"I know." She whispers. "I heard him, and he hears me."

It turns out she was fine. She didn't have many wounds on her. Just a few scrapes that were easily stitched up with a healing potion. Her eyes eventually went back to normal, and those runes painting her skin faded.

"Why does that happen?" Vorstag asks that night. They didn't have another place to sleep and he certainly didn't want to fall asleep in the library again. So, they laid shoulder to shoulder again.

"I don't know. He said something about branding me." She whispers.

"Brand you?" His brow furrows. "Can such a thing happen?"

"I don't know. Phinis was going to research it."

"He's staying up at the library again?" He asks.

"He can't sleep. I'm not sure if I'd be able to after dealing with that evil creature out there."

Vorstag wishes he could give her some more comfort. Anything. Instead, he lays there. "I could sing for you."

"I'd just kick you then." She laughs.

"I suppose so. Maybe some reading would help?"

"Gods. Books. I'm so tired of books." She groans. "But they're helping me. I know now more than ever. Watch."

Vorstag shifts his head so he can see her outstretched hand and nearly flinches when she calls on a spectral blade. It glints in the candlelight as she moves her hand side to side. "Impressive, Volkihar." Vorstag whistles. "Just don't stab me with it."

"I'll try not to." She laughs and calls it away from her.

"What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Vorstag asks after some silence.

She pauses to consider. "I'm not sure. More research and safer spell casting. I'm going to see what Phinis knows about these runes. Tolfdir seemed to know more but…"

"He's busy."

"Extremely so. I feel like we need to help with that too. The orb thing down below. Maybe Mannimarco has something to do with it."

He was starting to hate that name. It was too wordy and too pretentious. "We'll find out. I might get some shut eye. Good night, Volkihar."

"Night Vorstag." She seems to smile and soon, falls into a deep sleep.

Vorstag watches the ceiling. Hears her soft breathing again. He wonders how he would feel tonight if he had gotten there too late. Phinis could have been killed, and then the daedra might have gone after Serana. Maybe, instead of taking another detour, Vorstag decides he might want to stick around the vampire some more. If only to save her from her own spells.

"Nothing. I told her nothing. I only asked." Ancano snarls.

"Is she suspicious of you?" The necromancer asks again. Nearly yelling. He's more horrifying than he's ever been. He paces along the small room in front of the golden throne, hands balled into fists and a grimace on his face. Ancano swore he saw his face change once, from this ethereal elven face to something…daedric.

"No. She is not. She just confirmed that they were researching you. Her and another professor." He gulps.

Mannimarco's sly eyes find his. "Research? Good, I presume?"

Ancano is absolutely certain that is not the case. He would bet all his life savings and his position at the College right now that Phinis and Serana were looking for a way out of this deal. "It appears so, your grace."

Mannimarco grins, finally letting the daedra inside rest. "Encourage them, then. You know a bit about me. Take her on a tour. Something, anything to get me on her mind again."

His hands start to tremble. How in Nirn was he going to achieve that? Religion was never his best suit, and the last time he tried to appease a god didn't work, but now he will pray more than ever. "I will try."

"Do. Don't try. Trying is for people who never truly believed in themselves. They don't have the determination." The necromancer snaps. "I will see you tomorrow night. If you want a good go at it, I suggest you find her right when she wakes up."

"I will…" Ancano trails off as the mist slowly wafts in. Soon, it covers his view of the evil creature before him, and the mist begins to envelop him.

When he opens his eyes, he thinks to himself. This is something he could tell the College about. Certainly, some of the older ones would know some sort of spell to break this tether to the necromancer but…no. That won't do. It would only aggravate Mannimarco further and it would put his standing at the College in a precarious position.

Ancano turns in his bed. Just to stare at the door and have a better chance at waking up at dawn. He has no other choice so he might as well make this tour memorable.

A/N: Sorry for the late posting! Things got incredibly busy last week but I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)