Briani POV
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The College was magnificent. The Altmer woman, who said her name was Faralda, was saying something about a woman named Mirabelle and a man named Tolfdir, but I was too wrapped up in the pure fact that I was in this place. I had seen magnificent buildings in Cyrodiil, even in Solitude and Markarth, but this beauty was different. Ancient and strong, like it had been fighting against the land for centuries. I had expected Winterhold to be big and grand, the oldest city in Skyrim. I thought back to lessons when I was younger and remembered that a great calamity had struck, razing most of the city while leaving the College intact. At this thought the powerful atmosphere felt suddenly darker and sadder, and I shivered.
The three of us entered the arched wall around the main building, and were faced with an open courtyard. A statue of a man casting magic lay in the center, another blue pool of energy before him. Covered walkways shielded the inner wall of the College, protecting people leaving and entering the three sections of building. Straight ahead of us around the statue was a large pair of metal doors, with two smaller pairs to either side. A small Breton woman came up to us, and introduced herself as Mirabelle.
"New apprentices?" She asked, sounding a bit surprised. "My name is Mirabelle. I'll give you the tour, and then you can go join the lesson in the Hall of Elements being led by Tolfdir."
I glanced at Cayn. He looked back, shooting me a glance. He mouthed, this is crazy. I mouthed back, I know. It's amazing.
Mirabelle showed us the sleeping hall, the Arcaneum, and finally led us to the Hall of Elements. It was definitely the most grand of the chambers, with a cathedral-like hall and haunting blue glow. Mirabelle gestured at the other side of the hall, where a group of blue-robed men and women gathered around and older man. I guessed it was Tolfdir, and nodded goodbye to Mirabelle as I lead Cayn, who still appeared to be in awe, to the group.
"Can't we just move on to more practical magic?" A young woman was asking as we approached. "We all know how to control it. That's why we're here." She looked exasperated, and looked about the same age as Cayn and me, maybe a bit older.
"Of course my dear, of course." Tolfdir said. "You all possess some inherent natural ability; that much isn't being questioned. What I'm talking about is true control, mastery of magic. It takes years, if not decades, of practice and study." His voice was calm, hoarse with the years. I could hear the urgency in his voice, but it wasn't panic, it was concern. These students didn't realize that he knew they were actually quite unsafe.
"Then what are we waiting around for? Let's get started." A Khajit said, impatience ringing through his voice.
"Please, please," Tolfdir said unwearyingly. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. Eagerness must be tempered with caution. Otherwise disaster is inevitable."
"We've only just arrived here." Another apprentice offered. He seemed the most level-headed. He was a Nord, like Cayn, but had dark hair and wore the blue robes of the apprentices. "You have no idea what any of us are capable of. Why don't you give us a chance to show you what we can do?"
Tolfdir seemed to think on this for a moment. Then he turned to me, and asked me. "You've been quiet. What do you think we should learn?"
I glanced over my fellow classmates. I was obviously much more experienced than them, but if they were this eager they needed to know the basics. "I think safety should always be the most important."
Tolfdir nodded, grinning at me, and I knew I had passed some test. Unfortunately, then he turned to Cayn for a restoration spell. "Keeping with the subject of safety, I suppose we could introduce basic wards. Would you please demonstrate young man?"
Cayn's eyes flashed with panic, but he stepped across from Tolfdir.
"When I shoot a fireball at you, put up a ward, ok?" He said. Cayn nodded grimly. Tolfdir summoned fire in his palm, and sent it floating slowly towards Cayn while he spread his hand quickly and a wave of magic spread from his fingers.
The fireball exploded against the ward with the hiss and steam of frost, popping as it hit a freezing wall. Cayn's ward was crackling with Frost magic. I had to admit, it was actually very effective, whether he meant or not.
Tolfdir smiled encouragingly, but his eyes were calculating. I realized that he knew it wasn't on purpose. Based on Cayn's tense swaying, he knew it too. The other apprentices, however, stared in admiration and a few clapped.
Tolfdir shifted his attention, although he kept a noticeable eye on Cayn. "Tomorrow I would like you to all meet me at Saarthal. We have an extraordinary excavation going on there, and we will study the magic artifacts still found there. See you tomorrow!" He nodded to each of them, and stepped away towards a shadowed alcove in the wall. I turned, looking to head back to the sleeping hall, when I saw Cayn in conversation with a tall dark figure. He was wearing extravagant robes emanating with energy, and his red eyes pierced through everything he glanced at. I knew authority when I saw it: This was the arch-mage, Savos Aren.
They had stepped away from the group, that was now dispersing, but before I could approach them Savos smiled kindly at Cayn, and walked away. I walked up to him, a worried frown tugging on my lips. "What was that about?"
He looked at me, his gaze frozen. "He was warning me not to do anything dangerous. Do you think he knows about my… handicap?"
"Yeah. Tolfdir knows. If Savos is the Arch-Mage, he certainly felt it. But Cayn…" I laughed at the absurdity of it. "That was amazing! I know it's not on purpose, but it's not a horrible effect. So maybe you can extend your repertoire to ward spells, too?" I grinned. Cayn didn't smile back, and the grin faded quickly.
"But I can't control it!" Cayn sounded frustrated. "What if one day I was to cast a ward in a dungeon and it shocked you when you came to close? What if I cast a ward near some oil and it exploded in flames? I wish I could, but it's completely unpredictable. I don't know how to fix it!" I realized there was ice swirling around his clenched fists. I stepped back, and he turned and slammed his fist into one of the stone walls.
I heard ice crack, and when he pulled back there was a shock of ice crystals sticking out of the wall. He looked at me, his eyes wide, and stepped back from me, clutching his now bleeding hand. "I… Briani, I…" He shook his head, and stepped back again, and then turned and left quickly.
"Hey! Cayn!" I called. He couldn't control it. If he blamed himself he might never leave his room. That's what I got for being so talkative."Wait!" But the huge metal doors were already inching closed. I thought about going after him, but he would probably just avoid me. I sighed in defeat and turned to see Tolfdir watching me. He held my stare, and raised an eyebrow, gesturing me forward. He may have seemed like an absent-minded old man, but he was definitely more than that. I approached him, suddenly nervous.
"What do you think of your first day here?" He asked. It was nonchalant, but I knew this wasn't what he had called me over for.
"Ah… it was quick." I said carefully. "I'm excited to see what's in Saarthal though."
"Hmmm." He said. "You're quite talented, aren't you? You must have been casting magic since before you could walk." I gaped at him, struggling for words. I hadn't even cast a spell since the bridge!
"Heh." He chuckled at my reaction. "Calm down. Faralda told me how easy that magelight at the gate was for you. Besides, even if you hadn't, you're almost radiating magicka. It's in your blood." He gestured at my eyes. "That's why your eyes change color. Do they change with your moods? With your thoughts?"
At this information I suddenly became extremely self-conscious. People were usually inclined not to point it out, but I knew it was the first thing they tended to notice about me. And if someone knew how it worked they would always know what I was thinking, how I felt. It was like the entire world was being invited not only to gawk at me, but also to intrude on my every thought.
"Uh… yes..." I stammered. He had caught me off guard, and I cursed myself silently. If my father was here he would be disappointed.
"I thought so. I look forward to seeing the extent of your ability. I have a feeling we may have a legendary mage on hands." His eyes twinkled warmly. He was about to step away but stopped. He looked towards the doors. "And… Briani was your name? Please watch over your friend. He doesn't realize how much power he has. Don't ever let him think he can't control it. It will be difficult, but he can." He shot a glance at the now melting ice shards in the wall. Before I could respond, he stepped fully away, and walked away towards the Arcaneum.
I shook my head, trying to take in everything that had just happened. Saarthal tomorrow, Cayn's ward, Tolfdir's warning… and Cayn. I needed to talk to him, but I thought I should probably give him some space for now. Besides, I was sick of people for the day. I headed back towards the sleeping hall, ready to fall into a bed and never get up.
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After finding my quarters, at the end of the second floor next to Cayn's and one of the senior apprentices, I unpacked. The quarters were nice if a bit lacking in privacy, although we had been told sternly by Mirabelle not to enter other's quarters without permission. The open door led into a small chamber, with a bed, an armoire, and a desk with several shelves above it. I collapsed into bed after unpacking most of my things, and fell gratefully into sleep.
I wasn't quite as grateful for the dreams.
The dreams had never been specific. Just terrifying images, one after another, until I could barely remember to be scared. But I could never rest fully when the dreams came. When I woke up shivering, I had a horrible feeling that there was something off.
I sat up, kicking off the covers. I could see the glowing of the magicka pool over the balcony outside the room, and peered absent-mindedly into the rooms across from mine. I lay for a while in silence, savoring the stillness of the College at night. Then I heard rustling in the room next to mine. Someone else was awake, too. I stepped carefully out of bed, creeping into the hall. I peered around the wall into the next room and saw Cayn's yellow mop of hair turning over in bed again. I whispered into the darkness.
"Are you awake, too?"
He turned to face me, his eyes piercing green in the darkness. "Yeah. Can't sleep?"
"Nah." I stepped around the wall, leaning against the doorway. "Woke up. Bad dreams."
Cayn sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Oh. No trouble sleeping? Lucky. I'm not used to sleeping in different places." He chuckled quietly. "Strange, considering I'm usually all over the place." He went silent.
I entered the room, plopping into a chair by the bed. He raised an eyebrow at me in mock indignation. "Tsk tsk. What happened to 'no entering without permission?' "
I raised my eyebrow right back. "Well you can go tell on me to Mirabelle."
He looked down, avoiding my eyes. "Listen, Briani… I'm sorry about what happened back there. I… I lost control. I shouldn't have let the magic loose like that. I could've hurt someone if it wasn't a frost spell."
I regarded him for a moment. "It's ok. I know you can't really control it now, and it's better the wall gets ice spiked than anyone else." I nodded towards his hands. "How's your hand, by the way?"
He looked relieved. He smiled crookedly, showing me his fist. "Colette fixed me right up. Though she told me that if I broke my hand beating a wall again that I'd be on my own next time. Guess I'll have to stock up on health potions."
"Or stop punching walls." I allowed a smile to tug at the corner of my mouth.
He laughed. He seemed to have broken out of his dark mood. "Let's hope it doesn't become habit."
I laughed at that. He grinned back, but now I was beginning to notice the marks of exhaustion in his face. Dark circles ringed heavy eyes. "You need to sleep." I said sternly. "You look horrible."
"Thanks." He said with a sarcastic smirk. "But I can't sleep. I'll fall over sometime in the next few days and then it'll be fine." He sighed, flopping back on the bed.
"Why can't you sleep?" I asked, confusion crossing my face. I had never had problems sleeping. Although, now that I thought about it, I was used to it.
Cayn snorted. "This place is so still. I lie here and I feel like if I don't move I won't know if all time's stood still. I'm sure I'll get used to it."
"Hmmm." I thought for a second, and realized that I had a solution. "Hold on just a second." I said quickly. He looked at me quizzically as I tiptoed back into my room. I reached up to the top of the shelf, feeling around for the slick surface of a soul gem. My hand slipped over a warm, smooth object, and I grasped it, pulling it down. It pulsed with light as if it had a heartbeat and the soul inside felt warm to the touch. I stepped back into Cayn's room, and presented the gem.
"Here. It's not so bright to keep you up, but at least you'll know that something else is moving." I placed it on the desk in the back of the room. He studied it, and nodded slowly.
"That… that's a really good idea." He said. He looked appreciatively at me. "Thank you."
"Well we can't have you collapsing in the middle of a Nordic ruin." I said. I sighed. "Go to sleep now. See you in the morning."
He sunk back into the pillows, closing his eyes. "Goodnight." He said softly, and I returned to my bed.
For a few more minutes I could hear tossing and turning in his room. Then there was silence and everything was still.
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Chapter 3! I like to think that Cayn brings out the best in Briani.
Please R+R!
~ElderSkie