Azura's Star


The Library, well, that old Orc insists on calling it an "Arcanaeum," a bit pretentious if you ask me, in any case it was exactly what I needed. When I first laid my eyes on the vast collection of artifacts, tomes, astronomical charts, maps, alchemy equipment, enchanting tables and graphs… Well, I was struck by the profound sense of being in love. I couldn't wait to uncover all the mysteries held within. Yet, there was one thing that bothered me. When I first walked into the library I was accosted by the gruff sound of the Librarian, Urug Gro-Shub, who if you ask is apparently the resident Daedric Prince of the realm.

"The Arcanaeum might as well be my own plane of Oblivion, disrupt it and you won't like the consequences." He declared when we first met, much to the eyerolling of the other mages going about their studies. "While you are here you obey my rules, understood? Number one rule: Don't treat my books poorly." He was shorter by half a head, but he still seemed to glare down at me.

"Yes sir." I managed to keep a straight face. I heard that there was no such thing as Old Orcs, something about Malacath's law being such that Orcs should die honorably before they age past their usefulness. I wasn't going to bring it up though, not yet anyway. "I am just looking for anything you have on soul gems."

"Ah, looking to do a bit of Enchanting?" Urag asked while glaring over at Onmund, "That boy better not put it back in the wrong place again." He muttered under his tusks.

"Not so much, well, not yet anyway, I am more curious about what exactly Soul Gems are, can you help me?" I wasn't sure how much use the old Orc was going to be, but he pointed over to a rather sallow looking man sitting in a back corner of the Library. He was reading a particularly thick looking tome by candlelight spell.

I was hesitant to interrupt the gaunt mage's studies, but the librarian just pushed me along whispering, "That's Phinis Gestor, Professor of Conjuration and Mysticism, go ask him." Having little choice, I did so.

As I neared the man I noticed he was Breton, his skin was darkened in some places, almost dead looking. I began to wonder if he was even human at all. Everyone knows the stories of all the undead beings that roam Skryim. Not so far-fetched when I thought about it. Not everyone believes those stories mind, but from what I've seen in my short life thus far I wouldn't rule out the possibility. He glanced up at me then stared down at his book and sighed before speaking in a voice that was smooth if not a little snide.

"You are the new conjurer I've heard about? Your little display is being talked about in town. Do keep your summons inside the college grounds from now on, the last thing we need is a war with the locals. Necromancy is even less advisable outside of the college." He seemed to be just flipping through the pages, not really reading any longer.

"Uhh, No, I mean yes. Necromancy? You allow necromancy here?!" I was more than a little shocked.

"By Sheor, of course we do! The archaic banning of such practices died out with the Mage's Guild. Truth be told the ban was never enforced here to begin with. Why, down in the..." He halted mid-sentence and coughed a little, then continued in a less excited tone of voice, "Necromancy is the study of the Soul itself. It is an integral part of most schools of magic whether people admit to it or not. It is a tool to be used. Of course, non-mages may not see it that way, so we don't go around flaunting it. How other Conjurers outside of the College behave is none of our concern."

That was a big blow to me, I was raised to believe that necromancy was an abhorrent affront to Arkay. An unnatural evil that disrupted the proper way of things. The living should eventually die, and the dead should stay dead. The ancient Nordic people practiced it, but no longer. I stared at Professor Gestor for several long moments before finding my voice, "You teach Necromancy?" I asked in rough whispered tones, almost choking on the words.

"If a student were to ever show the aptitude I would, only one has, but he has been missing for too long. I fear he is dead."

"I see… well… I was really hoping that you could tell me about soul gems." I pulled the small one out of my pocket to show him. "Ah, see, Soul magic again. Soul gems are an integral part of Enchanting and many other kinds of ritual based magic. Tell me, what do you know about the soul?" He asked me directly while gesturing for me to sit down opposite him. I obliged.

"I know that my soul is what makes me, well, me." I said quickly, fidgeting a little to get comfortable.

"Right you are, but it is much more than that. The Soul is power. The Soul is the essence of Power in fact. Souls are made from the Aetherius itself. The stronger the soul the more power you can squeeze from it. This world has been shaped by the power of souls. Objects of legend which were instrumental in the rise and fall of civilizations were all enchanted by the power of souls, beast, man, and mer alike.

That gem you hold is what we have come to call a 'petty soul gem,' it would hold the life energy of a creature such as a goat, wolf, or chicken. The sacrifice of one petty animal could fuel a spell, or an enchantment to protect you from harm or empower your ability to ensnare the senses of your enemies.

These are but a few examples, of course the applications are limitless. Imagine the power one sentient soul could bring, more? Just food for thought, right? Remember, at this college no one will be holding your hand, you study at your own pace. If it is power you desire then you will have to reach forth and grasp it." He smirked at the end of his short lecture and I felt all the colder for it. So, I just pocketed the gem and thanked him, it was getting late and I had an early day awaiting me. I had begun to wonder just what sort of education I would be getting here in the long run.

The next few weeks passed in much the same way, every morning we would go up the spiral staircase in the Hall of the Elements and a delicious banquet would appear for breakfast. How they pulled that off baffled me. Once we were fed and watered we would go to the Arcanaeum for study and to do the laboratory assignments we were given during afternoon lectures, which at this early stage was mostly learning basic runic structures so I could help translate any writings on the artifacts that were always being brought in for a modest stipend. Around mid-morning we would then go back down to the Hall of the Elements to practice with various teachers till lunchtime. That's when I had my first fight with magic, it wasn't anything like the stories, it happened fast with no grand poses and postures, then it was over.

Drevis Neloren, our illustrious Illusion Professor had stepped out half an hour ago. We didn't mind, we were used to the professors leaving us to our own devices. Onmund and Brelyna were taking turns casting calm spells on each other or trying to anyway. "Not quite Onmund, you have to be subtler when you disrupt the connection between the target and their aggressive emotions. If you try to brute force the connection into breaking, then it will resist and their resolve will only be strengthened. Illusion magic deals with intelligent beings, not just lumps of magic shaped into spells." She scolded Onmund and he scowled back.

"You are an insufferable know-it-all Brelyna. Just because you come from the 'Great House Telvanni' doesn't mean that you know everything there is to know about magic!" Onmund looked pissed.

"Oh, even J'zargo knows more than you. You hardly ever actually study, I see you pretending to know how to read." She sniped back without hesitation.

"I know how to read!" He roared, then looked over at me. I may have been staring at their argument. "What are you looking at?" He yelled at me. Uh oh, this Nord wasn't going to back down.

"Nothing at all" I launched another soothing wave of magic towards J'zargo.

"J'zargo thinks he should step back and watch this unfold, yes?" The catmage slinked back into the shadows of the hall.

"How about we just keep training, eh?" I offered to my classmates.

"I don't think so," Onmund stood up and brushed Brelyna aside when she tried to step between him and me. At the same time he launched a dark red burst of power at me, probably a fear spell. I dodged it and charged a ward up just in time to absorb a brief gout of flames. He was moving towards me fast, he had a dagger in his hand. That bastard wanted to kill me. I didn't have any time to think so I just dispersed my magicka into the air and sent it out down low in front of me. I gathering the moisture in the air and with a clench of my fist it froze into an icy sheet across the ground. Just before Onmund got close enough to use his dagger he slipped and fell. I threw my hand out and wanted him to hurt, a rock hard mass of frost magic had formed in the air, and with a blast of will it launched at his head, knocking him out cold.

"What in the name of Azura is going on in here?" The Illusion Master was suddenly standing next to us, seeming to appear out of thin air. "J'zargo, go get Colette. Atticus, explain." He commanded.

Brelyna was by my side in an instant, "Professor, it wasn't Atticus. Onmund attacked him first." She said this at the same time I said, "It was just a duel. What is the big deal?"

I supposed that was the wrong thing to say. "The. Big. Deal." He said each word slowly, not liking the taste of a single syllable. "You do realize one of you might have died? What if you accidentally hit another student? If you want to engage in such savagery, well, then, you can just go down to the ice fields if you really want to kill each other so badly. The Archmage will be informed of this incident." As he finished, Colette Marence and J'zargo came trotting in.

Professor Marence immediately cast the golden light of a Restoration spell at Onmund's head and he stirred. "He will be okay, just a concussion, he took quite the hit, what spell was it?" She blinked owlishly at all of us.

I spoke right up, "It was just a ball of ice Ma'am, thought it might be better than a spike." I held her gaze.

"True enough, a concussion I can heal at least. Do I even want to know what this was all about?" She asked resignedly.

"Probably not," I quipped, "Just a small dispute, nothing we can't settle later." I replied, done speaking about that idiot for the time being.

"Go cool off Atticus, I don't want you nearby when Onmund wakes up." Professor Neloren spoke quietly with only a hint of anger.

I really did need to cool off. I wasn't used to being around so many people for so long and there was a good pub in town. Making up my mind immediately I grabbed my cloak off the wall and headed back towards the Frozen Hearth Inn, very ready for a drink or five.


"Hello again," Nelacar called out to me as I hurried through the warm threshold, he waved as he got up from from his seat at one of the long tables. "I didn't get your name last time." He held his hand out in a greeting and waved for us to sit at the bench. I shook his hand as we sat. "Haran, please bring some Honningbrew Mead over will you?" He shouted out over his shoulder.

"Sure thing, hey, you are the boy that ran out of here awhile back, what happened?" Haran called back as she went to go grab our drinks.

"My apologies, I ran out pretty fast. Being so close got the better of me I guess…" I said sheepishly. "My name is Atticus, Atticus Odin, now officially an Apprentice Mage, at your service." I bowed my head at them then declared, "Drinks on me today everyone," tossing a sack with at least fifty septim worth of various coins in it over to Dagur. It was nice having a modest income, even if most of the tasks around the college were menial.

"Oh ho ho! So you are a big shot now then, eh?" Nelacar asked with friendly sarcasm.

"Just happy to be alive. I owed you all a mead at the least." I smiled, for once genuinely.

Then a loud bang shook through the inn as the door slammed open and an old Dark Elf rushed in followed by a burst of freezing air and puffs of snow. He turned around and slammed the door shut again. The Dunmer wore only thin black robes and must have been frozen to the bones but showed no sign of it. His crimson eyes pierced around the room gazing at each of us in turn. Then he seemed to settle into the warmth and sighed, "Thank Azura. A mug of ale please Bartender."

"Coming right up." Dagur said, then looked over at me.

"Yeah, him too" I nodded and waved the old Dark Elf over. He stood across from where Nelacar and I sat and leaned over the table on his palms.

His voice was dead as he spoke, "Thank you.. friend.. I've been on a Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Azura. It is one of the greatest treasures of Skyrim to be sure..." His crimson gaze was unfocused, he went silent for several long moments until Dagur came back with our drinks, and then the mer spoke up again, "The name's Faldrus." He seemed dazed and wore a deep scowl.

"Atticus." I replied, "What were you doing there?" I asked.

"Paying my respects to the mistress of Twilight…" His voice lowered until I had to lean in to hear, "Yet now all I bring are ill tidings." Nelacar's gaze seemed to the sharpen at this. Haran didn't look so happy either as she served us our drinks.

"What do you mean?" I whispered back, barely audible above the crackling fire.

"The horizon of Twilight has been darkened. The light of the Star can no longer shine." His cryptic words meant nothing to me but Nelacar went pale and gasped.

"It can't be…" The old Altmer muttered.

"What? What is it?" I demanded.

Faldrus answered, "The brightest star has turned as black as night. Go to the Shrine of Azura, speak to Aranea if you think you can help." At this he sat down, seeming to have been drained of whatever sustained him. The old Dark Elf looked so dejected as he took large gulps of ale, careless to what spilled around his mouth.

"I…don't understand." I admitted, and Nelacar seemed lost in his own thoughts so I didn't ask him.

"Azura's Star sits just under The Steed. It is Azura's center of power in this realm. Whoever holds the Star will be the hand of Fate." Then Faldrus began muttering under his breath so low I couldn't hear. Perhaps a prayer to the Daedra.

"What does a star have to do with fate? How can anyone hold a star?" I asked, curiosity growing.

"Everything!" Faldrus suddenly snapped. "Azura's domain in Mundus is Fate. So many prophecies could be unraveled if the Star is destroyed or corrupted. The end of everything as we know it."

That is when Nelacar finally decided to speak up. "Daedric Prophecies you mean." The old elf made eye contact with me and held it. "Atticus, the Daedric princes are evil. You can't trust anything this one says. We can take care of this ourselves." Now that got my attention. "Azura's Star is a Daedric Artifact, an indestructible soul gem." He finished.

"What do you know? Are we talking about a star or a soul gem?" I asked.

"Both, but not now." Nelacar went back to leisurely sipping his mead.

"Fine then, I am leaving, someone has to do something." Faldrus sounded anguished, but the ale only seemed to gird his loins as he stood up and made his way back out of the Inn, letting in another burst of freezing air as he shouted over his shoulder, "Azura help us all," and he was gone.

"Follow me." Nelacar said tersely and began to walk to the biggest room of the Inn.

"Are we really going to let him back out in that weather?" I wondered aloud.

"Come with me." Nelacar ignored the question as we entered his room and he went straight over to the bookshelf, I followed and stood behind him. He plucked out an old journal from the middle shelf. "This is my copy of our research notes." He opened the front cover to reveal a painting of an Eight Rayed Star that seemed to be made of a shining turquoise gemstone set into silver. "We must stop him before he ruins it." Nelacar spoke as he gazed at the journal in self-loathing. He flipped through a few pages to a chart that seemed to detail a ritual of some kind.

"Stars above, we were so close to finding the answer back then, but Malyn Varen doesn't have the final piece of the puzzle." He turned to the last page and there was an array of complex runic structures bound within some sort of ritual circle. I noticed daedric script immediately, but could only recognized the symbol for Apocrypha bound within the runes for Transform, Travel, and Communication. There was a red circle around a formulae of numbers and symbols that seemed to be hastily scrawled into the corner of the page. "No, he won't succeed without this. Only recently rediscovered." Nelacar's voice cracked and he seemed to grow tense, his shoulders shook slightly.

I placed my hand on his shoulder to steady the elf before he lost it completely, "What is this all about? Start from the beginning, what research?"

"We were working on a way to place a person's soul inside of an object without killing them. I am getting old and there is still so much to do…" He trailed off and looked down at me, eyes brimming with tears. "When we lost Veranda, I told Malyn we had to stop. I even went to the Archmage. We were expelled from the college, but Malyn wouldn't or perhaps couldn't stop. Last I heard he had made his laboratory within Ilinalta's Deep."

"So, you were researching soul trapping?" I needed to understand.

"Not quite, though a variation of a soul trap is part of the process. Have you ever heard of the term Phylactery?" My blank gaze must have answered the question. "Not many have. It could be called a perfect immortal vessel for the soul much like the physical body is. A seat of power from where the soul can reside for all eternity. True liberation from the jaws of Oblivion that eventually close shut on all of us. A rare and elite few have achieved this state of undeath, it is not a path to tread lightly. Now you understand the danger of our research."

I did understand. "That wouldn't be liberation, that is prison!" In that moment I realized what they had done. "You have Azura's Star!"

"No, I don't have it. Malyn Varen does, and I fear he has already corrupted the Star. He doesn't have the full formulae to stabilize the crystalline matrix. If it is destroyed, well then there could be severe repercussions. We must retrieve the Star and sever its connection to both Malyn and Azura forever."

We? Did he just say, 'We must retrieve the Star'? because it sure sounded like it.

"Uh, no. I don't think so." I backed away shaking my head. "What do you expect me to do? What are we up against anyway?" I had to ask.

"Oh, I guess around ten to twenty Necromancers. They tend to take the whole immortality thing pretty seriously. They might also object to us just walking out with their master's soul vessel." He was being flippant on purpose, I know he was.

"I am going back up to the college, I need to think about all this." I didn't bother waiting for a response. I spun on my heel and booked it back towards my dormitory room.

The College of Winterhold seemed to loom over me. The College used to mean something in Skyrim. It was a symbol of power that could keep our lands safe from all those who would threaten it. Being a mage used to mean something. Falion told me the old stories of great heroes, and how Winterhold used to contend for the Throne of the High King due to the sheer power the College would bring to the negotiating table. His disgust at the current state of affairs is why he always recommended against me coming here. "There are many ways to learn magic, and much better uses for it." He would say. "You don't need those hypocritical bastards."

Call me an idealist but I couldn't have resisted the College any more than a moth could resist the flames of a torch. What, after learning how Archmage Shalidor created Winterhold with a whispered spell, or when he single-handedly defeated the Dwarf Clan Rourken, whose King Rourken even wielding the bane of all spellcasters, Spellbreaker, was unable to prevail against the might of Shalidor's magic. Legends of the most powerful sorcerers is history have stood the test of time since the First Era, Legends that were born within these very halls. My goal was to sit among such hallowed forebearers of power. This was the place for me, I knew it without a single doubt. This world has a ton of problems, problems that could only be solved by power.

That things were about to become very real, and that I felt I was out of my depth, very nearly drowning in anxiety over the task ahead was beside the point. Azura's Star. That's the stuff of Legends. Necromancers using Azura's Star to fuel their quest for immortality. Could Skyrim survive that? I was raised to believe that the Daedric Princes were evil. Whether that is true or not is besides the point. Nothing good could come from leaving such an artifact to its own devices, especially under the influence of Malyn Varen.

I paused, considering that, powerful artifacts with a will of their own. I shuddered and pushed that thought aside. By the time I reached my bedroom I realized it was nearly time for midafternoon lectures in the Hall of Elements. Sighing, I just laid down on the bed and sunk into the mattress. My mind was awash with so many visions of heroic battles and gruesome ways I could die. Images of what could happen if I followed Nelacar on this fool's quest overwhelmed me until I fell into a fitful sleep.


Archmage Savos Aren stood over me as I woke enough to rub the blur from my eyes. "Hello Apprentice Odin. Did you sleep well?" He asked in grandfatherly tones of care.

I bolted upright, "Yes sir!" I said a bit too loudly. I fumbled with the sheets I had pulled over my legs as I struggled to stand.

"Calm yourself Atticus. I was just checking on you. I hear you had quite the fight yesterday." The Archmage said still patient and kind.

"It was nothing, Onmund attacked me, I defended myself." I stated the simple fact, then added as an afterthought, "Is he okay?"

"He is fine," The Archmage was searching for something as his gaze lingered across my face. "He spent the night in the infirmary wing of the Hall of Countenance. I have already spoken to him. I trust there will be no more altercations on your end?" His gaze sharpened slightly as his eyes lost their grandfatherly twinkle for but a moment.

I quickly agreed, and he nodded seeming to be satisfied. "Breakfast is already half over, you better hop to trot!" He called over his shoulder as he began to move away.

"Wait, Sir!" I called, "Do you know someone by the name of Malyn Varen?"

Without warning he lurched towards me and grabbed me by the shoulders, he gazed deep into my eyes. I could feel his breath on my face, "Where have you heard that name?" He demanded harshly.

I wanted to lie but couldn't for some reason, "Nelacar, Malyn is about to do something horrible."

"Of that I have no doubt, you best stay away from both of those mages, they are foul in their workings of Necromancy. More than one student has died by their hand." With that solemn judgement he turned and left the room, the door closing on its own behind him.

'What in Oblivion was that all about?' I thought. 'That bastard had me under some kind of spell.' I had to learn to defend my mind or any powerful sorcerer could enthrall me.

I never met the rest of the College for breakfast that morning, instead I found myself wandering back toward the Frozen Hearth Inn. I decided that running from fate was not an option if I wanted to reach my goal. When I got there Nelacar was waiting on the porch smiling as though expecting me. Two horses from the stables were already saddled, packed with provisions, and tied to the post next to the water trough. "The sky told me you would be here on time; the stars never lie." With that he untied the large dapple grey and hopped up into the saddle leaving me the black stallion. "Let's get moving, we haven't any time to waste." I mounted up and followed Nelacar out of town and towards the next chapter of my life.