Cayn P.O.V.

oooooo

The first thing I was aware of when I woke up was the unfamiliar robes draped over the chair. The second thing was that I had been asleep in the first place.

I felt unusually rested as I sat up from under the furs, stretching out my arms. I let out a satisfying yawn as I glanced around the room. My eyes rested on the soul gem sitting on the desk, pulsing faintly with unearthly light. I reminded myself to thank Briani again later. I hadn't slept that well since before all the Dragonborn business. I wondered for the first time where Briani had come from. Of course I had been curious, but this was a new development. Soul gems were expensive, even without souls in them. Very few people can give them away like that. Had she meant it has a kind gesture or was it simply a trivial gem to her? I hadn't the faintest clue, which was frustrating.

I got up and considered the robes. They emanated with mild magic energy, obviously a mage's garment. I was grateful for the fine clothes, but I decided to stick with my leather armor. They were enchanted and more protective as well. I emerged from my room and saw that Briani had declined the clothes as well, opting to stay in her strange red leather, her thick grey cloak billowing behind her as she stepped from her chambers.

"Morning." I said with an energetic smile. "Thanks again for the gem. It worked brilliantly."

She nodded, acknowledging my thanks. "It's ok. Like I said before, it wouldn't do anyone any good for you to collapse in the middle of Saarthal." She said her voice careful but light.

Again, with the no emotions thing. It was even more maddening because it felt less like she didn't have emotions and more like she was cautiously shielding them from everyone. I studied her again as we walked downstairs. A chunk of dark hair stubbornly refused to sit behind her ear, no matter how often she tucked it back. She was noticeably tense, and finally said in the same careful tone, "Why are you staring at me?"

"Because," I said a bit annoyed now. "Because maybe I might find out something about you. I've known you four days and I don't even know your last name. Why are you hiding everything? I don't think I've done anything to piss you off, although maybe you were just pretending to get over the ice-punching incident yesterday. I thank you and you need to come up with some logical reason to help me!" I went silent, and the air was buzzing with angry electricity after my outburst. Then I realized that it was the shock magic buzzing around my hands and I clenched my fists, trying to squelch the magic. No use repeating yesterday's events.

Her eyes glared unimaginably dark blue. She lowered them to floor quickly, as if trying to keep me from seeing them, and spoke. "Maybe I'm hiding from something bigger than you. Maybe I'm not ready to place what could be my entire future in a person that I've known for only four days. Because honestly, I'd rather keep things to myself than lie to you. There are already people here who know too much, and the more you know the more dangerous it is for all of us." Her voice was steady, but it rang with barely contained anger and, perhaps, some sadness. It was the most I'd heard her speak at once since I met her, and it shook me a bit that she felt this way. Her eyes seemed to become lighter even as she spoke, and she set off continuing downstairs without another word.

I stepped in line next to her, afraid to say anything else. We walked silently down to the dining area, where I ducked inside and grabbed a small sack of apples and dried meat. In silent agreement, we exited the hall, turning onto the bridge to Winterhold. We ate in quiet as the cold wind sliced through our cloaks. Soon the food was gone and we had nothing else to distract us from the presence of one another. Neither of us spoke. I was used to Briani's silent periods being somewhat comfortable, but now it felt as if the hush was a wall that was separating us from ever understanding each other.

After about 20 minutes of walking we came upon a huge gorge in the land. In it we could see various ancient buildings, ruins, and bridges spanning between. I squinted, and could see the rest of the apprentices gathering around at the bottom of the gorge. This must be Saarthal.

We picked our way around the rocks, slowly descending the cliff. We were still silent, but somehow it wasn't as uncomfortable. Like we had left the tension to dissipate in the air around Winterhold. The path was dangerous, and several times both of us nearly fell to the bottom before the other caught us. However, the wall of rock effectively shielded us from the wind, and I took solace from the fact that if I fell at least I would die relatively warm. After what felt like an Era we stepped down on the bottom of the gorge, and walked quickly towards the entrance to the Saarthal ruins, where Tolfdir, Brelyna, J'zargo, Onmund, and Nirya where waiting for us. Tolfdir nodded a greeting to us, and the other apprentices offered quick 'good morning's and 'hello's.
"Are we all ready?" Tolfdir exclaimed, looking to each of us for conformation. "Let's head in. Remember to be careful. This is an ancient ruin, and we've no idea of the power inside."

The heavy stone door swung open easily for such a primeval structure. The inside was warm compared to the frigid wind, but the air felt thick and choked with thousand-year-old dust. Our group progressed quickly through the first few tunnels until we came upon a great chamber, with several floors connected by a rickety spiraling ramp, which while unsteady seemed newer, presumably built by the excavators. Tolfdir turned to me.

"I would like you to go find Arniel Gane and see if he would like some assistance. Any way you can help him." He glanced at Braini. "Briani, go with him." Briani looked like she was going to protest, but then nodded with a rather guilty look on her face. "Yes, Tolfdir."

The rest of the group scattered, investigating every nook and cranny of Saarthal. Briani and I ventured the ruin until we came upon a bald man hunched over a table topped with various artifacts. I tapped him on the shoulder gently, not wanting to startle him while he seemed so focused on his research. Before I could say anything, however, he snarled impatiently, "don't touch anything!"

I recoiled, taken aback, and was about to retort when thankfully Briani stepped in diplomatically. "Tolfdir sent us to help you. Is there anything you would like us to do?" She said calmly, putting a hand of his shoulder.

"Ah, sorry about that." He said curtly. "I suppose it would help if you could find any enchanted items. Anything that has any kind of attachment to magic- most of the artifacts have rather strong magical auras. Bring any you find to me." He gestured towards the section of small rooms to our right. "We haven't searched that area yet. Try there."

He waved us off, and we stepped towards the rooms.

"I'll check in those rooms to the right." Briani said. "You check on the left. That way we can cover more ground quickly." This seemed reasonable, so I nodded, and she strode over to her section. I stepped into my section and went to work, investigating every crack in the wall or hollow in the ground. After searching for a few minutes I found small gold ring, that seemed to have some kind of strange magic shimmering over it's surface. It was definitely enchanted somehow, so I pocketed it and continued my search. Soon I only had one small chamber to search, but it was slightly different than the rest. It had a small table on it with some dusty gold coins, but most interesting was the stone panel in the back of the room, which seemed to have some kind of unfamiliar amulet hanging from it. It didn't look like the amulet of any of the divines, or any mage's amulet.

"Briani!" I called, hoping to get her opinion. "Come take a look at this!"

I heard footsteps pattering quickly down the way, and Briani appeared next to me. She studied the amulet, a frown beginning to crease her brow. I asked her what it was, but she shook her head. "No idea." She said. "It definitely seems to have quite a lot of magic imbued in it."

I nodded, still lost. I reached for it, hoping that Arniel would know what it was. Briani grabbed my arm, panicked, and tried to warn me, "No! I think… " But it was too late, and the amulet came easily off the panel and into my hand.

I heard a tremendous sliding of metal and stone, and whirled to see the iron bars drop and trap us in the room.

"I think it has some magical connection to the room." Briani finished with a sigh, letting go of my arm. "I should have known- by the Nine-"she trailed off, muttering curses under her breath. Tolfdir appeared, looking more intrigued by the spectacle than worried.

"What have you gotten yourself into?" He said cheerfully.

I looked sheepishly at the amulet in my hand. "I'm not completely sure. I took the amulet off the wall and the door shut." I looked to Briani for input, but her eyes were wide, shining gold. I frowned. "Briani? Are you okay?"

I turned to try and see what she was looking at, and I was met with an astounding sight. Glowing red threads of energy seemed to be circulating the air between the amulet and the wall. I stepped towards the wall, and realized the amulet had begun to shake. The closer I got the stronger the movement became.

"There seem to be some kind of resonance between the amulet and the wall." Tolfdir mused. "I wonder what would happen if you used the amulet?"

I took the hint, looping the amulet around my neck. The shaking of the amulet stopped, but the energy radiating from it became clear, rippling the air as if a fire was burning right underneath. Briani shook her head, her eyes still shining metallic gold. "I… I wonder…" She muttered. Suddenly there was a ball of energy in her hand, embers floating from it. She released it, and it exploded in flames against the stone panel.

I jumped back with a yelp. But the stone didn't send shrapnel flying though out the room; Instead it had crumbled, revealing a rough tunnel leading away into the dark. I stared at Briani, a bit awed. "How did you…"

She rolled her eyes, sighing. "Well, I couldn't go shooting the amulet when it was around your neck, could I?" She said lightly. "I… I just had a feeling. I could feel the magic." I noticed that her eyes no longer glowed gold, but were grayish blue. I nodded hesitantly, looking back at the tunnel. I turned to see Tolfdir's reaction, and saw that the door had also slid open. Tolfdir's eyes were shining.

"Amazing! Why don't we go take a look?" He said, excitement clear in his voice. I shot a glance at Briani, and we shared a doubtful look. Tolfdir, seemingly oblivious, entered quickly, walking down the rough tunnel. I followed him, Briani right behind me.

"Why would this place be sealed off?" Tolfdir wondered out loud. He turned to us, his expression suddenly stern. "Please be on your guards. This is strange, and we have no idea what is down here." I quickly readied a flame spell in my hand, worried in turn by the usually eager man's cautiousness. We continued down the tunnel for a few more moments before we came upon a small burial room. This was what had been so painstakingly sealed off?

"Hmmm." Tolfdir stood surveying the room, and I studied it as well. Briani shivered next to me.

"Cayn? Tolfdir? Do you feel that?" She muttered, readying a spell in her hand.

I was about to respond that I couldn't when abruptly I realized I could. My vision shook, clouding with blue light, and I looked to Tolfdir for help. But he didn't seem affected, continuing to study the room. The light flashed, and something immensely powerful seemed to fill the room. I felt Briani's hand reach for mine, and I held it tightly. I knew that she just needed to know that she wasn't the only one seeing it. Tolfdir had frozen, no, time had frozen, and we were the only ones moving. I started to panic, when a ghostly figure appeared.

"Hold mages." The figure spoke. He was dressed in strange robes I had never seen before, and stared us down. "And listen well. Know that you have set in motion a chain of events that cannot be stopped. Judgment has not been passed, as you've had no way of knowing. Judgment will be passed on your actions to come, and how you deal with the dangers ahead of you." His voice was pure authority, and I felt that even in this state if he wanted to kill us he could. I gaped at him in confusion, not understanding his words. Briani frowned, thinking, her eyes glowing gold again.

"This warning is passed to you because the Psijic Order believes in you." The man continued. "You two and you two alone have the potential to prevent disaster. Take great care, and know that the Order is watching." He finished curtly, and disappeared in a fizz of magic. I shook my head, reeling from the sudden absence of magic, and met Briani's eyes.

"Did you see it?" She whispered.

"Yeah." I was just as grateful to know that I wasn't just going crazy. We both seemed to notice we were still holding hands, and both withdrew quickly. Tolfdir was shaking his head, a little dazed.

"I… I swear I felt something just then." He muttered. He glanced at our shell-shocked faces and frowned concernedly. "What happened?"

"A man… dressed in strange robes." Briani mumbled. "He warned us of some kind of danger. That he was part of the… Psijic Order?"

Tolfdir's expression became even more bewildered. "The Psijic Order? Are you sure? That's very odd. The Psijic have no connection to these ruins." He must have noticed the confused expressions on our faces, because he explained. "The Psijic Order is a group of extremely powerful mages, predating the Empire. Nobody's seen them in over a hundred years! I would take it has a complement; They've only ever been known to deal with those they consider worthy." He looked around at the sarcophaguses surrounding us. "Maybe we should take a closer look. Let's try opening some of these coffins."

I nodded, stepping towards one of the coffins. Tolfdir stepped to another, and Briani the last one. I wrapped my fingers on the stone, and pulled with all my might. I heard Briani's and Tolfdir's stones sliding apart at the same time as mine, but only Briani vocalized the surprise over what we found there with a shout of anger.

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X

Dat cliffhanger doe (Not really though, huh?)! Briani and Cayn are beginning to realize there is much more in store for them than magic lessons…

Please R+R!

Much love!

~ElderSkie