Vidar gingerly stepped forward, hands in the air, to the other group. "We come in peace," he repeated, unsure if they even spoke his language, "we mean you no harm. I am Tribune Vidar Strong-Steel, assigned by the Imperial Legion to protect my younger sister here with the apprentices."

Dawn pursed her lips and tried her best not to continue staring at the strange cat-person or the bizarre-looking elf. "We also come in peace, if you have no intentions of violence. Where did you people come from?"

"Skyrim, from the College of Winterhold." He received nothing but baffled stares. "Tamriel?" The name continued to ring no bells. "Nirn? Mundus? The Aurbis? Are we in a plane of Oblivion? Are you daedra?"

"I, er, I'm afraid we have no idea where any of that is." Dawn replied hesitantly. "We...we're not whatever you just said we are. Daedra? We've never even heard of those. How did you get here?"

"Through a mirror," Brelyna spoke, "over there. We can show you. Just on the other side of this rock." She pointed in its direction, and the Inquisition moved forward to where she pointed, the other group side-stepping them as they came. Another eluvian glistened.

Tolfdir cleared his throat, getting their attention. "Perhaps it'd be best if we cleared some things up. I am Tolfdir, an instructor of the College of Winterhold, a university for the study of magic. All of these with me, save for the man in armor, are apprentices of the College. We came here only discover what was found in our own Midden."

"You come to the Crossroads, a place between the Fade and Thedas." Morrigan explained. "Though, I have a distinct feeling you haven't any idea what either of those places are. You are not of our world."

"Extraordinary! Simply extraordinary!" the wizard exclaimed, eyes twinkling with excitement. "There's so much we can learn from each other! Oh, confound it all, where did I put my notebook...?"

Dawn laughed. "Maybe we should properly introduce ourselves. I am Dawn Trevelyan, and these are my friends and associates." She turned to them. "Please, introduce yourselves."

"Yes, please," Dorian spoke up, staring in fascination at J'zargo, "what in the world are you?"

J'zargo grinned. "J'zargo is a khajiit. A most handsome one, at that. These ones should feel so honored for the first one met to be a most charming mage khajiit."

Cassandra let out a disgusted noise, and Sera rolled her eyes. "You're just a weird cat."

"And you're just a weird elf." J'zargo retorted. Sera pouted.

"Who you callin' elfy, cat?"

"Certainly not you," J'zargo said with a dismissive wave, "you barely seem like an elf. A strange human with pointy ears, perhaps."

Sera giggled. "Yeah, well, you...you're furry. Maybe I'll like you, 'Zargo."

The pleasantries went by fast and friendly, until one unintroduced left. Tanya Strong-Steel found herself sheepishly hiding behind her brother until Tolfdir pushed her forward.

"And this," the master wizard said proudly, "is Lady Tanya Strong-Steel, Vidar's younger sister. She is one of our most talented at the college, and Dragonborn, no less."

Dawn smiled and approached her. "A pleasure, my lady."

Tanya hesitated. "Um...h-hi...yes, I'm, um...Tanya. I...um...do magic?" She felt bewildered by all the new faces, all staring at her. Dawn shook her hand, and Tanya weakly forced a smile. Vidar sighed.

"You'll have to pardon her; she's very shy around new people. Tanya will warm right up to you once she gets to know you, then she'll talk your ear off about books and magic. Rather unexpected for a Dragonborn, I suppose."

"What's a Dragonborn?" Cassandra asked, baffled. Vidar ignored his sister, who nudged him, frowning.

"I suppose you wouldn't know what that is. A Dragonborn, or Dovahkiin, is the soul of a dragon, within a mortal body. A chosen one, a hero. She's slain many dragons, and can speak their tongue, breathe their fire, as they do."

Tanya wanted to melt into the ground and disappear as everyone, even her fellow apprentices and friends, stared at her; on their half, with pride, and on Dawn's half, with confusion. "Are you serious?" Dorian asked, stunned.

"Is she an abomination? Possessed?" Cassandra demanded, alarmed. Tolfdir gasped.

"Goodness, no, nothing like that! Tanya is Tanya, and she was born this way. Dragon blood courses through her veins. Don't be so modest, my dear, it's an honor."

Again the desire to escape made itself present. The Dragonborn avoided eye contact. Sera paid this bashfulness no heed. "Can you breathe fire?" Sera asked. Tanya looked up and nodded her head.

"Yes."

"I wanna see!"

"I...I suppose I could..." She turned away from the others, so the fire would not singe them. She breathed in deeply. "Yol...toor shul!" Tanya, shy and awkward, had mastered the art of making her shouts as quiet as possible, and yet it still was audible enough for all to hear. A steady stream of fire came from her mouth, blackening a nearby rock wall.

Dawn and her party was stunned into shocked silence. That is, all except for Sera, who squealed, delighted. "That was...wow!" she exclaimed. "You don't look like a bloody dragon, but that doesn't matter, though. Spitting out the fire was really grand! I'm gonna like you, Tawn." She bounced up to the Dragonborn, grinning. "Wanna do that again?"

Tanya sheepishly shrugged. "Um..."

Sera giggled, throwing an arm around her. "Aww, you're shy; you're just so cute! Don't worry about that none with me."

"Cute and deadly." Cassandra deadpanned. Tanya recoiled, and Cassandra's eyes widened. "Oh, I apologize. I meant no offense, Dragonborn."

"No, you can just call me Tanya, not..." The Dragonborn retreated behind her brother, who shrugged.

"Give her time."

Dawn continued to smile at the young woman, younger than her by a few years, and pulled off her left gauntlet, revealing the mark, glistening and glowing with a soft green light. Tanya's eyes widened with fascination. "What's that?" she inquired, carefully taking the Inquisitor's hand and studying it. Cassandra smiled.

"You're not the only one who's apparently a chosen one, here. Perhaps the Maker had you two meet for a reason."

"What?" Tanya asked, staring at Dawn. "You...did a god, a Divine, a Prince, give you this? I sense an energy from this...not of Tamriel, but perhaps not entirely of your world?" The mage began rattling off a mile a minute about what she observed from the palm. She chattered endlessly about the hand with Dawn for at least five minutes before pausing. She stopped when she saw Dawn giving her an amused grin, and blushed furiously, pulling away from her hand. "I apologize."

Dawn continued to smile. "No, I'm glad to see you willing to talk. You're welcome to inspect it. As Cassandra said, some believe that perhaps I was given this mark by the Maker...or saved by Him, or put in the right place at the right time. A Herald. Do your people see you as something similar?"

Tanya nodded. "Yes, a great hero meant to vanquish the evil that is Alduin, and restore peace to the land, and oh, by the Nine, there's so much pressure...I don't think I was right for this job, though."

"I think I can relate." Dawn said with a chuckle. She put the glove back on and looked up to Tolfdir. "If we can keep it low-key to keep the masses from noticing aliens from another universe, I don't see the harm in allowing some of your scholars to learn of our magic, if you share some of yours."

Tolfdir nodded. "That would be ideal. We'll have some of our mages take turns, and as much as I'd like to explore your world, I have business to attend to back at the College. Why don't you take Tanya and her brother with you, for now?"

"What?" Tanya sputtered. "Master, I...I have my duties as Dragonborn, and no doubt Onmund, Brelyna, and J'zargo would love to explore as much as I."

"Oh, yes, khajiit quite agrees with Tanya," J'zargo piped up, "why not allow J'zargo to come?"

"They don't have khajiit or dunmer there, J'zargo," Brelyna pointed out, "we'd stick out like sore thumbs. Maybe if we found an illusion spell that hides ourselves, we could go in."

"I could come." Onmund protested, frowning at Tanya. "I don't like the idea of you going into that strange place with just your brother. Maybe I should come. To, um, help keep you, er..." A blush came to his cheeks, as did Tanya. She kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

"That's sweet of you, but I can handle myself."

Tolfdir crossed his arms. "I believe it may be good for you to spend time with another supposed chosen one. Maybe you shall learn to bear it well, as Dawn appears to do. That, and you're always begging Urag for the odd books on obscure magic- this is your chance to make some discoveries."

The Dragonborn hesitated and then nodded. "If...if you believe it to be best, Master."

"I do." Tolfdir agreed. "Then they can come and explore our world, too, eventually. Inquisitor, I send you off with one of the college's finest mages and her brother, a fine warrior. Treat them well."

"We shall." Dawn affirmed, putting her fist upon her chest. "Welcome to the Inquisition."