NOTE – I've developed the whole plot now and I had to edit previous chapters

Plot will be more around Winterhold questline than I first considered. Since there aren't many chapters yet, I have edited previous chapters and changed them slightly! I think it will work out better that way.

Chapter 2: Findings

"You're going into a debt," Keerava said, standing hands-crossed before him. "Again, mage."

His mead became bitter and he swallowed the gulp with effort.

Again. His savings were running to the end, and faster that he thought… Unpleasant thoughts haunted Marcurio more often than he would wish. No mead to get warm. No bed… even if stiff, still a bed. And oh, the debts. About these he kept forgetting to remind himself.

"You'll have to pay by the end of the week or you'll be out of here." Argonian's look was sullen at him.

His eyebrows went up. "Don't you have any trust in me, Keerava?" Yet she was the hostess here; he still dwelled only on her good will. "I'll pay you, you know that." He'd never stayed in Riften for longer before, he'd always found jobs in Solitude or even Windhelm, anywhere, because he was very skilled indeed… He wasa mage after all, he wouldn't take just any job available. And in Riften… Life in this city boiled elsewhere.

"You'd better, mage," Keerava's eyes narrowed. "I will not wait for any longer. A week, mage, not longer."

Marcurio sighted and placed his arm on his enchanted amulet. And he liked his amulet. It was his last.

I I I

Divines smiled on him, after all. Mage hid a coin purse in his bag.

"So what do you need me for?" He asked the cloaked woman. He could sense the traces of magic around her.

She turned her head sideways and looked into the room, yet hesitated to speak. He couldn't see her face under a hood, but some locks of light hair fell on her shoulders. She seemed pale even in the warm light of candles, but her skin had golden shade. Probably an elf, he noted, though she wasn't as tall as Altmer.

His lips went into a grin. With that eye on her brooch he was more than familiar with. Memories, it brought back memories. Not always pleasant…

"If it's something…on the other side of the law... If you catch my meaning…" His lips curled into a little smile. The inn was full of chatter, unlikely anyone would overhear a word, but she seemed to doubt that.

She shook her head. "No of course. I need you to lead me to one place."

"If you are looking for a safer place to talk," he picked at his foot and nodded at the door sideways. "Better to leave outside then."

She stepped after him and raised her hood back to her forehead. He saw her intense green eyes, yet not as almond shaped as Altmers. Her face wasn't as angled as Mer's too. Yet she must have had elven blood.

"It's nothing against the law," she spoke. "I… needed to take an artifact here, but it was probably stolen."

He trampled snow with his boot. "And what do you want me to do?"

She hesitated for a moment, picking her words. "Guard said it were the bandits who killed him." She stared him in the eyes and he nearly shuddered. She had an odd eye color, even for a mage. Mages always had something in their eyes, he wasn't exactly sure of how to name it, but it must have been a side effect of magic. That something often made people feel uncomfortable. Locals, particularly.

"If there is any chance… If they can have it, I need to assure every possibility." She looked at the mountains. "You said you know the surroundings. Do you know where their camp could be?"

He coughed. "Uhm. Yes, I heard… Some settled in a fort." The city watch must have been the only ones who hadn't heard of this. Bandits. He wiggled his fingers at the thought. Some training would be useful for him now. Would Skyrim ever experience a lack of bandits, anyway?

"Then please lead me there," she said.

Mage grinned. "Of course. It must be important if you decided…" Well, how to say that. He just couldn't think of her charging into the fort full of marauders, if she hadn't had a deathwish. Bandits were usually cowards, but when axed orc was charging at him, even he felt uncomfortable, and he wasn't a coward. "It will be dark in an hour. And then we will go."

She nodded slowly, that odd look in her eyes. "If you say so."

The mage flashed a smile. "Now, maybe you could tell me your name?"

I I I

He leaned against the wooden rails, his eyes at the sky. Wasn't now the most suitable time, when you think about it? After days of hard work marauders used to have a little feast, getting terribly drunk, and laughing at their rude jokes that loud, that you could hear neighing even through the stone walls. Bandits, after all, were not the most intelligent folks of Skyrim. A little lightning, he smirked, or some fire, and their bodies already rolled on the ground. He was told lightning looked most impressive, though.

He heard soft footsteps on the snow and looked at the approaching woman. "Let's go?" he asked. Levoren nodded and they trailed walked towards Riften gates.

He broke the silence when they stepped into the forest.

"I just thought," he began, "Shouldn't you tell me more about that artifact?"

"What exactly?" She asked.

"You know, there are many items that emit magic almost in any fort. You probably know that I happen to be a mage as well," he cracked a smile. "I can find enchanted things too."

"It is… a disk," she said hesitantly. "A Dwarven piece. I was told it's a golden plate with Dwemer carvings and blue jewels. It shouldn't be big, but very ancient."

Ancient and Dwemer. Marcurio liked when these two words were in a single sentence.

His lips curled into a smile. If only someone here wasn't an expert on Dwemer culture. Technology Dwarves used was something inconceivable for these times. It wasn't even magic, pure technology… It always got him fascinated.

"If it is there, I will sense it," he assured. "I am particularly familiar with Dwemer works, let's say."

A weak smile appeared in her lips. "Were you learning in Winterhold?" And there, he hoped to avoid the details.

"I learned there," he nodded slowly. "But now I am on my own." He met her questioning look, but she didn't ask more.

"It's beautiful here," She said thoughtfully.

"You aren't from Skyrim, are you?" He asked.

"Not really." She hesitated. "I mean, actually no. We came from Cirodiil before… the war began."

"And you joined Winterhold?"

"The College …" She thought for a moment. "They invited us."

"In summer it looks more alive." He met her confused look and laughed. "The forest. It's probably the coldest winter there ever was." He noticed that she was shivering and her lips were nearly the color of her cloak.

His eyes narrowed. "You are freezing?"

"D-don't you feel cold at all?" Her breath was turning into clouds of steam, he noticed this only now.

"I drank the frost resistance potion. I feel some chill now, nothing more. Don't you have one?" He asked.

She closed her eyes, still quivering. "The enchantment on my cloak must be fading. It was resisting cold." Her teeth clenched as she spoke.

He took a flake from the bag on his side. "Have some mead. It will warm you up." She hesitated, but then stretched a quivering arm from her cloak's folds and took the bottle.

She opened the bottle and made a sip, frown distorted her face. She made a few more gulps with her eyes shut and started to cough after the last swallow, shiver ran through her body. She gave him back now half-empty flake.

"You drank that like poison." Marcurio stated, putting the bottle safely into his bag. "It was the best Skyrim's mead, by the way."

"My brains must have got frozen if I drank this," she breathed out, blinking. "I am not into alcohol," she explained, seeing his look.

"And I don't save money on good alcohol. That was good alcohol, by the way."

A smirk appeared in her face. "I thought Imperials weren't into mead,"

He cracked a smile. Now she must have really got warmer. "Cirodiilic brandy is hard to get here. So are you warmer now?" Her lips began to gain color and she was shuddering only a little.

"I think I am. Not for long, though."

The Candleligh above them started to dissolve and Levoren raised her hand to renew the spell. Marcurio froze suddenly, and raised his arm meaning for her to stop. He stared into the forest. He was sure he saw something.

"What – "

"Hush!" Marcurio hissed and leaned lover behind a bush, so he could still see them. The bush threw a shadow on the ground and he squat down so the shadow hid him.

A weak light accompanied dark figures moving among the trees. They were walking slowly, black-robed silhouettes defined sharply against the snow. They carried a few torches, but the glow they illuminated was so dim that it barely reflected even from the white snow.

Levoren crawled closer to him, her steps were light and the snow barely made any sound, yet something called one dark person's attention. Figure in the front froze. With a slight hand gesture, figure made remaining group to come to a halt. Hooded heads instantly turned towards the forest. They were listening, Marcurio thought, holding his breath. The frontal figure, probably woman, turned her head slowly, until she was looking straight at their hiding place. He felt their eyes scan the forest, he felt like a prey. Now that wasn't something very usual for him

Levoren touched his sleeve. He turned at her and she placed her arm on her bag. He looked at her in question and she moved her lips mutedly. Invisibility. She looked in his eyes inquiringly, but he slowly shook his head, moving a finger to his lips. He looked at the figures - woman's attention still was directed at their side. It turned seconds to hours and he could feel that scanning gaze around them.

The woman stood for another moment, but then shook her head and made slight hand movement. Immediately the group went on. Marcurio observed them, until they disappeared in the forest completely, and did not move until the lightest shade of light was not seen anymore.

Only when the dark shrouded them again, he raised and helped Levoren to stand up.

"Damn," Marcurio cursed, dusting the snow off his robe. "Not the most pleasant meeting."

She looked askance. "Do you know who they are?"

He nodded weakly. "They went into opposite direction," he hesitated. "Let's go. It's not far to the fort anymore."

They went on and he met her asking look. "Well, who are foolish enough to practice banned arts?"

She raised an eyebrow. " Necromancers?"

"Good guess."

"But Necromancy isn't banned in Skyrim."

"Yet there are rules, that some break. These ones have formed a… cult, let's say, many years ago. I've come into them once and I was lucky enough to escape. They are not a regular bunch of necromancers. This cult is comparatively small and Winterhold doesn't give it enough attention." He shrugged. "They do not attack mages directly, so they aren't considered a bigger treat that anyone else. They act quietly. Yet."

"But why do you think this group was that cult? Oh!" Some snow slid on her face from the birch branches. Marcurio conjured a weak Candlelight.

"The robes. Their… leader. And have you noticed the person in the middle?"

"I barely saw them at all behind that bush," Levoren confessed.

"She had her head covered with black sack."

"She?"

"The cult kidnaps people for the rituals."

"By rituals you mean …" Her eyes widened. "They reanimate living people?"

"Of course," a smirk appeared in his face. "Not just people, pure maidens, as they state it," he grinned.

"And… What would they have done if they had seen us?" Levoren asked carefully.

"Well, guess." He gave her a mocking smile. "What necromancers do? Hm? But these precisely – from what I've seen them do myself– they would probably put us under a spell and take alive with them for, hm, further use, or kill and reanimate instantly to use as slaves, they of course have to support their image too…" He toyed with a flame spell in his hands. "Or they could take our hearts for…further use." He ignored her disapproving look and rolled his eyes. "Almost as far as their imagination goes!" He started to laugh. "But I forgot to mention necrophilia. That is actually not as common among necromancers as everyone are used to think… At least one…"

She glared at the mage. "You answered my question more that clearly, Marcurio."

"Doubt until you see it." He looked at the sky. "Here we are."

The fort stood dark and gloomy against the whiteness around, not a hint of shine in its windows. He focused his eyes on any movement on the towers.

"I see no scouts," Levoren whispered eyeing the fort.

"Yes," Marcurio agreed. "I don't see any neither."

"Is that a good sign?"

Mage hesitated. "Depends. Now let's keep quiet and move on." They stepped towards the main gate. It lacked doors and was blocked with wooden barricades. Mages entered the arc and Marcurio looked around the inner yard. He spotted a few entrances beside the main gate. He'd been in forts for enough times to figure their design.

"We'll enter through side door." He approached the smaller door and pulled, yet it did not open.

"Locked?" Levoren inquired.

Marcurio searched in his bag. "Probably." He raised a lockpick in his hand, grinning. "Not for long." He stuck a lockpick into the lock and moved it for a few moments, when the lock crackled.

"Where did you learn that?" She asked suspiciously.

"Only to extend my knowledge," he grinned and pushed the door open. "Let's go inside, then," he murmured, walking into the fort. She stepped after, closing the door.

The room was dark, yet weak light came from the corridor. Marcurio sneaked closer to the corridor and looked into the hall on the opposite side. A few torched glowed on the wall, illuminating little light. He heard no sounds so usual for bandits and no footsteps. Weak gleam filled the room, Levoren's hand glowed as she held it raised, but then it faded.

"No one's there too," he said, nodding to go on and they walked into the corridor. Rooms filled with old wood and trinkets, probably left by temporary settlers of the fort, nothing more yet. They came upon the stairs leading down, torches burned on the way there. If there were torches then someone must have lit them.

"Let's go down," Marcurio murmured, nodding at the staircase.

"Why don't we first search here?" She looked at the corridor that led further.

"They aren't smart, but even they wouldn't keep valuables too close to the entrance. And I sensed nothing." Her look was still doubtful.

"Look, bandits are easily predictable, they wouldn't strew things through all the fort. They usually gathered all their loot in the treasure room, as they call it."

"If you say so."

They sneaked down the stairs. The room down was lighted better, leaving no shadows in. Usually marauders left scouts here, yet there was no one.

"I sense something," Levoren murmured. Marcurio nodded, he'd felt enchantment too, yet it seemed weak. He saw an amulet on the table. "Only a pendant." He glanced sideways – he thought he heard steps, yet it was only fire that cracked. His fingers pulsated with magic, so sudden flow of energy that he almost couldn't control it. Mage breathed deeply and exhaled.

They slipped forward, and Levoren searched the room.

"There a few chests," she pointed and sighted. "I'd better check everything…" she added. "There is a trace of enchantments."

He nodded. "I feel it too, but it's weak."

She leaned to a chest and raised a lid; he glanced inside – a few amulets and goblets. Just as he thought.

"I've never seen the artifact," she sighed. "Tolfdir could have drawn it at last..." She moved to another chest, but then raised her eyes at him.

"Marcurio…"

"Hm?"

"If there is someone, I will paralyze them," she said, he felt her intent look. "Don't attack," she added.

His eyes glinted. "And what if they will?"

"I told you, I know paralyze spell." She stood dusting her cloak.

He rolled his eyes and they went along the corridor. In the end it separated into a room and the bigger hall. "Check in this chamber," Marcurio nodded at the room. "I'll search in the hall."

Levoren nodded. "Okay, but don't go further without me." She walked into the room and conjured a glowing light in her hand.

Marcurio entered the hall, which finally reminded occupied quarters. Empty bottles of ale lay on the ground, there were more on the table, along with wooden plates and bowls and barrels around the room. Further he noticed stacked boxes and chests, a lot of them. This was a good sign. He felt considerable amounts of magic coming from there. Marcurio crept closer. A great amount of amulets would be needed to make that trace. He looked into the first box, to find it full of silver goblets with amethysts, golden plates and other quite luxurious dishes. Dishes, by divines, they must have cost more than he earned in a year. A chest nearby was full of jewelry, but not enchanted, only ridiculously expensive. He closed his eyes and slid a few diamond pendants into his bag. It wasn't stealing, they were already stolen. Marcurio reached for another chest, when a sound of shattering glass wafted from behind.

"Trespasser!" Bosmer man yelled, grabbing for his dagger. Marcurio jumped back, teal lightning swirling in his hands. Elf charged forward shouting about mage's deathwish for showing up he- Ray of lightning fling elf down, he screamed of pain collapsing to the ground. Marcurio gave him another charge instantly, he knew – others will be here soon. He heard bustle and shouts behind the wall accompanied by the sound of drawn weapons. Another bandit tumbled into the room, he drawn his bow while shouting about the mage's soon death. Marcurio called fire and gave the man burst of fire and shock. The force smashed archer into the wall, his body fell lifeless while continuing to burn. More marauders charged towards him, a Nord raised his hammer at the mage, but he took advantage of his open stance and launched a fireball into the man's face, making him cover it by reflex and mage succussed him with a bolt. A smell of burning flesh started to fill the room. A woman jumped on him with a dagger on her hand, he cast a ward and the weapon hurtled against it. He launched lightning and the woman's body shook, teal sparks vaulting under her skin and her body began steaming.

"Aah!" Another Nord with a sword attacked, Marcurio sprang back only the last moment, yet the sword razed his arm. Mage turned to the Nord, both fire and lightning ran through the man's body, he staggered before tumbling down heavily.

"You will regret stepping here!" A woman yelled, her eyes burning with hate. She charged at him armed with an axe, she slashed with all her might, but weapon hit the ward. "Die, mage!" Her face distorted when the lightning knocked her to the wall like a rag doll and she slumped. The last jolt and…

"Stop, Marcurio!"

He interrupted his bolt immediately, recoiling at Levoren, her scream echoed in the room. Marcurio stared.

Her eyes were round in terror. "Stop that killing!"

He dropped his hands, still filled by magic; blue sparks circled around his fingers.

She dashed to him. "What are you doing!"

"They are bandits, Levoren!" Marcurio swung at her, looking into her eyes, so full of terror and panic. "They do people harm!"

"You don't know what people they are!" Levoren uttered a cry.

"They're bandits, listen, girl!" Spells in his hands flashed dangerously; Levoren stretched her hands to smite the mage…

Laying and broken marauder raised a hand at the woman, while the mages were quarreling and conjured a fireball off her last powers.

…when she was grabbed by the hand and nearly hurled to the side, while Marcurio shaded them with a ward and launched a bolt instantly. The bandit lay dead.

Marcurio stared at her, sparks of fury flashing in his eyes and did not release her arm. "Do you see how she repaid you!" He directed his other hand at the steaming bandit. "You'd be lying here, well such a weak spell wouldn't kill you, but half of your hair might have been gone by now!" Her eyes were wide and staring into his.

"Please release me," she spoke silently, with her eyes closed. She breather deeply and exhaled, opening her eyes.

"They are lost people, Levoren," Marcurio released her arm. "They have nothing to lose… You wanted to save her, but she was one of them. She tried to repay you the way she learned."

Levoren looked at the steaming figures on the floor.

"That is – take as many enemies with yourself, as you can," finished Marcurio calmly. She wasn't used to this apparently, was she? "I'm sorry for a mess… But the magic is coming from these chests here."

"I sense it," she nodded and turned away from the cadavers. "You had to burn the bodies, hadn't you," she spoke sullen and started browsing in the box.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry – it's complicated to concentrate when someone swings a hammer at you."

She looked at his arm. "You are injured."

He noticed that crimson stain on his sleeve was growing. "Only a scratch." Mage placed a hand over his wound and cast healing. The spell ran through the wound, he felt the tissue join and the wound closed. They ruined his robe, though, he sighed. But that was justifiable, wasn't it?

"Help me search," she mumbled without even looking at him. He looked in another box, this one was filled with sculptures of divines, silver ingots and more dishes. This all would be probably enough to buy a decent house, he noted opening another chest.

Levoren sighed and rubbed her head. "We'll have to bury them." Marcurio nearly burst into uncontrollable laughter and conjured an ice spell in his hand.

I I I

They searched everywhere. And the fort was bigger that she thought. She was afraid that if she will kneel again she will never rise again.

"It isn't here," Marcurio stated for the tenth time. "And we already searched in this room."

She rubbed her face, trying to remain conscious. She was tired. She hadn't been tired like this in her life and her head ached…. And the bodies… She would have to dig a grave for herself along.

"Levoren, we checked in every place with the slightest trace of magic," Marcurio sighted. "It's impossible to conceal the artifact completely, it would emit something…"

She remained silent.

"I even found a shard of a soulgem, by divines, and what is that compared to the artifact…"

She looked at him with her lips pursed and nodded weakly. "It's not here," she rose from her knees and tried to prevent a yawn, yet unsuccessfully. Tolfdir will be disappointed. She will have to contact him… in the morning. She couldn't do anything now. Oh, she wanted to go to bed as nothing else…

"You know," Marcurio began." When you think about the coincidence…"

"What coincidence?"

"I wonder where our friends necromancers were these few days ago."

She looked at him for a moment. "What do you mean…them?"

Marcurio shrugged.

She gave out a sight. A long letter awaited to be written, very long… But in the morning, only in the morning.