I'm not a youngling! Chapter 7, an elder scroll series fanfic

Sighing Okan rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't like the plan. There were too many unknowns. What if there were more draugur than they could handle? What if there were traps to prevent the eye from leaving the ruins? There were simply too many possibilities for things to go wrong. But they had no choice. All they could do, was follow the plan and hope for the best. Absentmindedly he wondered how Asum was doing. He felt bad for having snuck away from the youngling. But Okan was pulled from his thoughts by someone calling his name. turning around Okan felt his eyes widen.

CHAPTER 7

ASUM'S POV

Asum felt his scales prickle slightly as he entered the main hall of the college. Across the room he could see a group of students listening as a teacher; a dark elf, spoke. Moving a little closer Asum moved so he could hear what the teacher was saying. "Creating wards is a simple feat. To create a ward a mage must create a wall of magic in their mind. Focus on the wall, picture it strong and unyielding. Then focus your magicka and allow it to flow from your body and into the ward. You there argonian would you come and help me demonstrate?" Asum felt his heart jump as the teacher looked at him. perhaps he meant another argonian? One standing behind him perhaps? Turning slightly Asum felt his heart sink, he was the only argonian in the hall. "It's alright. I won't use a full power spell on you. Come now, it'll be easy."

Sighing Asum found himself resigned to help. Stepping forward Asum stood in front of the mage, who smiled at him. "now focus your magic, mold it into the form of a wall and project it out through your hands. Like this…" Asum watched as the teacher took a breath for a moment before thrusting both hands out in front of him. the air shimmered around his hands and Asum watched as the magic dissipated into the air. "are you ready?" Asum didn't respond. His throat was to dry. "focus your magic." Asum did as he was told, forming the image of a wall in his mind. As he did so he felt the palm of his hands begin to tingle. "Now allow your magic to flow from you, and into the area in front of your hands."

Doing as he was told Asum felt the palms of his hands go numb for a moment. Opening his eyes, Asum felt his heartbeat increase as for a fraction of a second the air in front of his hands was shimmering like when light reflected off water. But even before the teacher could cast a spell the Asum felt his muscles weaken and his spell faltered, vanishing a moment later. A small buzz of laughter ran through the hall as the students snickered and laughed at his feeble spell. Asum felt his scales burn red with embarrassment. But the teacher's voice cut through the laughter like a dagger. "ENOUGH. All of you begin practicing creating wards." Asum watched as the students turned and began practicing amongst themselves. A moment later Asum flinched slightly as he felt the teacher put his hand on his shoulder.

"don't feel bad. Wards are complicated even for adept mages. May I show you a trick to help you cast them." Asum nodded his scales still burning. "hold out your hand." Asum did as he was told and watched as the teacher pulled out a small piece of charcoal. Turning Asum's hand over the teacher continued to speak. "my name is Drevis by the way. When I was learning how to cast wards my master would tell me to focus on a single part of my hand and build my magic up in that one spot." Letting go of Asum's hand Drevis smiled as Asum starred at the palm of his hand, on which drevis had drawn a symbol. Narrowing his eyes Asum found that he recognized the symbol as the symbol for the restoration school of magic. "focus your magic into this single part of your hand before you allow it to flow from your body. ok?"

Asum nodded and watched as drevis walked away and then turned to face him. "now gather up your magic and focus it into the symbol on your hand." Doing as he was told Asum felt his scales begin to prickle slightly. "now, release the magic from that single point and allow it to form a shield in front of you." Closing his eyes Asum took a deep breath Asum mentally tried to shape his magic into a shield shape. He watched with his mind's eye as the glowing blue energy twisted and writhed, into his desired shape. Opening his eyes Asum felt his heart jolt as he found the air in front of him was shimmering as it had for drevis. A moment later though he staggered as twin fireballs struck his ward, their flames expanding over the surface of his ward before dying down.

Asum felt his body begin to weaken and the ward lasted only a moment longer before vanishing with a soft, flutter sound like those of feathers. Across from him drevis spoke. "you see. You can do it." Asum nodded but felt his legs begin to shake. Staggering back slightly Asum felt his back hit one of the large pillars that lined the room. Sinking down, Asum felt his butt touch the cold stone floor. A moment later drevis knelt down next to him and offered him a small police of liquid. "drink this. It'll help. You've used up all your magic for the time being. You'll need to rest for a bit until you're magic has regenerated." Asum nodded. "thanks. I think it might be a while though." Drevis nodded and began to dig around in one of the pockets of his robe. Gulping down the potion Asum coughed slightly as he felt the strange liquid burn his throat and make his scales tingle. Setting the bottle down Asum felt drevis offer him something.

Looking at the dark elf Asum found drevis was offering him an amulet. "the robes you're wearing will help your magic regenerate a bit faster. This amulet of Akatosh will help it regen even faster." Asum smiled and accepted the amulet noting how warm it felt as he put it on and allowed it to rest against his neck. "I'll give this back to you before I leave." But drevis shook his head. "don't bother. I don't need it anymore. And you can get more use out of it than me." Asum nodded and rested his head against the pillar. He was already starting to feel better. "I have to observe the other students will you be ok?" Asum nodded. Drevis smiled. "keep practicing. Your wards show promise. Nodding again, Asum watched as drevis stood up and began moving amongst the students. Correcting some and complimenting others.

"he's just trying to make you feel better." Turning his head Asum found that a khajiit was leaning against the same pillar he was. "what?" the khajiit chuckled. "he's not gunna come out and say that you have no skill as a mage." Asum felt his scales prickle. "truth is your spell work is sloppy, and your magicka drains way to quickly and you lack even the most basic control over what little magicka you have." Asum felt a low growl begin to build in his throat. "maybe but I'm willing to learn, and improve." The khajiit laughed. "magic is not something you get better at. You're either born with talent or you're not. You have no talent. You should give up now before you make a fool out of yourself." Asum had been about to speak when the khajiit simply walked away leaving him sitting on the cold ground.

OKAN'S POV

Okan slowly moved down the ancient hallways. He was following someone; someone who should have been dead. In a daze he turned the corner and found that the person he was chasing had stopped running and was now standing in the hallways his back facing Okan who had come to a stop. "D.…what….what are-" but Okan stopped speaking as the argonian form slowly turned to face him. the pale face stared at him, it's eyes sunken back. "Okan…" Okan felt a chill run up his spine. The voice was exactly as he had remembered it. "Okan…" the figure of Demus took a step towards him, his hands going to his abdomen. "Okan…..why?" Okan took a step back as a feeling of dread began to settle in his stomach."Okan…..why did you do it?" Okan felt his eyes widen in horror as demus lowered his hands revealing the ebony dagger in his stomach.

"why did you kill me?" Okan felt his blood freeze in his veins as the area around the dagger began to turn red. "why did you kill me Okan? Why?" slamming his eyes shut Okan shook his head. "no. I didn't kill you. I didn't-"but demus took another step towards him. "you killed me Okan!" Okan felt adrenaline surge into his body as he watched demus not only take another step towards him while at the same time bringing his hand back up to the dagger that was sticking out of his chest. Okan flinched and took a step back as the demus pulled the dagger out of his chest with a soft 'splic' sound. "you killed me Okan. NOW I'LL KILL YOU!' demus lunged at him and Okan did the only thing he could think of. Dropping back slightly Okan's hand drifted towards the orcish dagger that was strapped to his belt.

Whipping the dagger out Okan shifted to the left and brought his dagger to throat level. But he could not watch, could not watch for the second time as he killed demus. So even as he moved his eyes were shut. Unwilling to see what he was doing. But no kill came. No feeling of flesh on his blade, no feeling of blood on his hands, no sound of a dying breath. Instead a feeling of cold settled inside Okan's body. opening his eyes Okan felt his eyes widen as he found that he was once again the only one in the corridor. However unlike before frost and ice crystals now clung to every surface in the corridor. Spinning around Okan did a once over of the now deserted corridor. Demus had vanished and now he stood alone, surrounded by ice and frost. Sheathing the dagger Okan slowly left the corridor and made his way back to the main chamber; and the others.

ASUM'S POV

Asum gasped for breath, his scales were coated in sweat, his muscles felt like they were made of jelly, and his head felt like it was a chew toy for a giant. But in front of him, a flaming familiar stood watching him. but a moment later Asum felt the last of his magic ebb away and the familiar vanished; leaving him feeling only marginally better. Gasping for breath Asum felt a pang of smugness as he watched the khajiit who had taunted him. it had become a kind of unspoken competition. Every spell they were shown they would compete, and when one of them would successfully cast the spell they would glare at the other in smug triumph. So far the khajiit was winning; no surprise considering Asum had no formal training in magic. But the last few spells had seemed to throw the khajiit from his high horse. Even now from across the room Asum could see the signs of magical fatigue. The same feelings he was suffering from.

"aright class that's enough for today. Please gather all your materials and leave the hall in an orderly fashion. Afternoon classes will resume in 2 hours." Asum gripped the pillar and slowly staggered to his feet. Leaning against the pillar for a moment longer Asum waited until his legs were no longer shaking before leaving the hall and following the group of students out into the courtyard. But it was here that he stopped. All around him the wind wiped, the snow fell from the sky. And yet through all that he could hear it. Someone speaking, whispering to him. and yet no one stood near him.

AN: WELL FOLKS CHAPTER 7 IS UP AND DONE.

WONDER WHO IS SPEAKING TO ASUM?

IS OKAN REALLY A MURDERER?