This chapter is much longer than usual and worthy of an M rating. Most of my chapters have been fairly tame so far, so a warning is necessary. Reviews are always welcome, whether positive or negative, and I hope you enjoy.

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KIRA

Kira's eyes narrowed in concentration as she focused on the spell needed to cast a ward. She hadn't been able to successfully cast one strong enough to protect herself all day. She closed her eyes, trying to drown out distractions, and murmured the words slowly and carefully, allowing her magicka to pool out of her, shaping it into a physical barrier. The ward sputtered to life and Kira practically whooped with joy. She turned to Aunt Betrid, who had been stoically watching from the door of the cottage, who gave a nod of approval. Unfortunately, Kira's elation at successfully casting the spell and the pride she felt at Aunt Betrid's reaction caused her concentration to waver, breaking the spell. She cursed violently under her breath, wishing all wards and ward related things to the farthest plane of Oblivion. She took a deep sigh and began to try again.

"Kira, you've been at it for hours. Come inside for dinner." Aunt Betrid's voice was blunt and had a chilly edge. This had been the majority of the conversations between Kira and Aunt Betrid in the week since she had lost her temper. It's what always happened, Kira would lose control, and Aunt Betrid would distance herself for a few days before things would go back to normal. It was always a little upsetting, to have the woman who was like a mother be so cold but Kira viewed it as a way to focus her attention and determination at not losing control again. Eventually it would pay off and she would be able to live her life in whatever way she chose.

Kira walked into the house and sat down at the small table, where a steaming bowl of vegetable soup was sitting. She inhaled a whiff of the savory dish and began to dig in, burning her tongue on the boiling hot meal. Her tongue searing with pain, she stopped eating and looked up at her aunt, who was quietly staring at her. Aunt Betrid's stare always could inspire a look of fear, even in her. Her eyes were so dark they practically matched her pupils and, despite being an elderly woman, she radiated an aura of firm control. Kira knew that look, and decided that the best course of action was to wait for her aunt to speak first.

"So impulsive," Aunt Betrid whispered after a minute. Kira narrowed her eyes a bit at her comment but held her tongue.

"Kira, you're almost nineteen. You're mother was married at your age and beginning to expect her first child. You are a grown woman now and I can no longer make you stay secluded from the rest of the world, but you also need discipline. You lack control of a power that not only endangers everyone around you but also yourself."

Aunt Betrid paused a moment, contemplating her next words. "However, it is not entirely your fault. I do not have the skill or extensive knowledge to train you, and reading books can only take you so far. This is why I wrote a letter to your parents, telling them my recommendation is to send you to school in the Imperial City."

Kira's emotions were a whirlwind but she made an effort to calm herself as to not cause any potential accidents. On one hand she was getting a way out, she could finally learn and discover her true potential. She would be able to meet people who were mages like her and see one of the greatest cities in all of Tamriel. On the other hand, it wasn't the choice she wanted.

"Aunt Betrid, thank you for giving me a chance but I wanted to stay in Skyrim," Kira paused timidly.

"By Skyrim I assume you mean the College of Winterhold," Aunt Betrid's voice was flat. Kira nodded hesitantly and Aunt Betrid gave a huff of annoyance.

"I will never understand your fascination with that college, child. It is practically crumbling away into the sea and if it weren't for the school, there would be nothing of importance there."

"I know," Kira's voice was eager. "But it isn't part of the Mages Guild so the opportunities to learn are boundless. The restrictions that are in Cyrodil aren't there and they offer their services to the public so that they can support themselves, not because the Emperor makes them."

"Did you not hear me before? You're impulsive, reckless, and you aren't in control of your magic. You need those rules and regulations, Kira!" Kira had rarely heard her normally calm and composed aunt sound so passionate and it startled her. Aunt Betrid stopped and massaged her temple as if she had a headache. Kira tentatively started speaking.

"I also wanted to stay in Skyrim Aunt Betrid. I'm a Nord and this is my homeland." Aunt Betrid gave a snort of laughter at her statement.

"Your parents and siblings could claim that statement Kira, but you? No, you may be a Nord but you have no ties to this land." The statement stung but its words hit home. Aunt Betrid's words rung true, Kira had no true connections to anyone but her aunt, but Kira couldn't help but feel what was in her heart. She belonged in Skyrim and Skyrim would always be her true home, no matter what anyone said. Aunt Betrid gave Kira a long hard look and studied the conviction in her face.

"Your parents haven't even responded to my first letter, they might outright refuse. We'll cross the bridge of where you'll be going if they even give you permission. As for right now, finish your soup." Kira looked down at the now cold, congealed soup with distaste before she realized someone was missing.

"Aunt Betrid, where's Wilhelm?" As the words left her mouth a scream rung out, shattering the night silence. Kira and Aunt Betrid jumped up and ran outside, looking for the source of the anguished wail. They ran to the small garden where Wilhelm had been working and there Kira saw a sight that would haunt her dreams. Wilhelm was running toward them, moaning with pain, with an arrow piercing his eye. The thin piece of wood had hit its mark perfectly, yet had not gone deep enough to actually kill him. Kira heard a whizz, almost like the sound of a bee, before an arrow burst through Wilhelm's throat and he fell, choking in a river of his own blood. At this point Kira had been in a state of shock that left her voiceless but when Wilhelm fell, gurgling around the shaft in his throat, she screamed a cry of pure terror. Never in her life had she seen anything so horrific. She heard another whizz and in a moment of pure adrenaline and fear she managed to cast a ward around herself, weakly stopping an arrow from going through her heart by a hairsbreadth of space. It was then she heard a small thump, like a sack of flour hitting the floor, and she turned. Aunt Betrid was still standing beside her, holding her stomach, which from out protruded an arrow shaft. Kira looked at her horrified, unable to act or say anything.

"Kira," her aunt said weakly, "Run." Aunt Betrid collapsed where she shuddered a moment and then went still.

Kira's mind was drawing a blank, she felt nothing but a hollow emptiness and her ward sputtered away. She ran over to the spot where Aunt Betrid lay, and felt for a heartbeat. There was nothing. She let out a cry, pained and wounded, like an animal caught in a trap and sobbed over the body over her dead aunt.

"Well, well, look at what we got here." Kira looked up, her eyes clouded by a haze of tears to see a bear of man, holding the largest axe she had ever seen. He was accompanied by a dark elf holding a drawn bow at her and a Nord woman who had lightning jumping erratically in her hands.

"Storn, the girl is a mage. She cast a ward, blocked one of my arrows." The dark elf still had the bow trained on her, not wavering in the slightest.

"Urunil, let the man have some fun," the woman with the lightning was speaking now. "It's been a long few weeks, and I'm tired of the man chasing after me," she threw him a look of mild disgust. "Besides, she's nothing but a farm girl. Likely that's the only spell she knows."

"Thank you for your permission Svenja," the giant man said in mock approval and began to walk closer to Kira. She began to scramble away on her hands and knees.

"Look at her, got a wild filly," the man grinned a smile of broken teeth. "Won't be like the bitch last time that just lay there and didn't say anything." The woman rolled her eyes and began making her way over to the cottage. The dark elf still had the arrow fixated on her.

"Urunil put the damn bow down. Don't want you to slip and put an arrow through my cock." The man called Storn chuckled and the dark elf warily loosened the string and looked around the clearing.

"For the gods sake, Urunil, calm down. There's no one here, no one for miles! You damn elves are too jumpy." As he was saying this he was undoing the straps to his belt and dropping it to the ground. Kira was fixated to one spot, partly from terror and partly from disbelief of what was happening. As he began to undress and banter with Urunil, the woman rushed out of the cottage.

"STORN," the woman looked furious. "There's nothing here!" Her voice was venomous and her face dark with anger. "You said you scoped the place out for weeks!" Storn looked confused at the accusation.

"I saw the old one come back with a ton of supplies and they don't do much. Someone has to be supplying them coin." He scowled before he turned to Kira and grabbed her by her hair. More tears leaked from her eyes, this time from pain, and she tried to squirm away.

"Twist away one more time and I'll cut off an ear." Kira stopped moving and looked at his face, only inches away from her own. "Where's your fucking gold?"

"We, we don't have any," Kira's voice was stumbling and weak from the pain but she spoke quickly. "My parents, they send us gold monthly, only enough for necessities. She winced at the pressure the man extorted on her head as she said this but continued. "We spent it on food, alchemy ingredients last week. We don't have any I swear, I swear."

Storn glowered at her before punching her in the face with his free hand and letting go. Kira's cheek exploded with pain and her head felt like it was spinning but she somehow managed to stay conscious.

"What in Oblivion are we going to do now Storn?" The woman looked furious but cowered slightly at the angry look the man sent her way.

"We could sell her to the Necromancers like the one from last time," the dark elf was speaking now. "They always need new bodies, and they like them fresh."

"Looks like we don't have a choice. Svenja, burn down the house." Kira watched dully, still in a haze from the punch, as the woman sent a stream of flames towards the roof of her house, where it quickly began to burn.

"First off though, time to have a little distraction with you." Kira looked up into the face of the giant man who began to shrug off his pants. As he came forward and began to rip her dress, Kira heard a tinkling sound of falling glass. Her mind numbly realized that the mirror that her parents sent her must have broken in the heat. The delicate noise seemed to break her out of her daze and she looked at the damage surrounding her home. As she saw the bodies of her aunt and her only friend lying motionless, the reality of what was happening truly hit her. Quickly the numb, broken feeling inside her was replaced by a roaring tide of anger. Normally she would have shied away from the rage building inside of her but instead she let it swallow her whole, and she felt the power engulf her. Putting both hands on the chest of the man who was struggling to rip her clothes off, she sent out a force of energy that sent him flying into the air and landing with a thump.

The dark elf quickly loosed an arrow but it disintegrated into ash as it came near her. Kira saw the man and the woman shoot projectiles at her, whether magic or arrow, but none affected her as they disappeared within a few feet. She could see the growing terror on their faces, saw their mouths moving frantically, but heard nothing. All she could feel was the sweet music of her magic, growing inside her, running rampant. She held her hands up and unleashed a storm of fire, feeling the heat searing her hands and body. She laughed, uncontrollably, no longer caring for her grief. She only felt pleasure as she saw the faces of the bandits twist in pain before they burst into flames, and then quickly ash. Kira wasn't sure how long the firestorm lasted; she only saw the destruction when she was done. She was standing in a circle of around a hundred feet of nothing but a fine ash. The cottage, the bodies of her aunt and friend, the bandits, all were gone, with Kira in the center of the circle of destruction, covered in soot. She still felt the power bubbling inside her though, and the euphoria of it made her laugh again. This was the first time in her life she had let it take control. She began walking out of the clearing in a daze, daring and hoping something would get in her way to feel the power roar again.

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I hope I did justice to this scene, it's been running around in my head for a while. Thanks for reading!