Years had passed …
It was cold. The travel to this place is always unbearable. Whenever she does, it is because a quest she receives and it was never a bliss. The wind scratches her cheeks. She would have suffered from severe frostbite if it wasn't for the Otar, a Dragon Priest Mask. Looking at the grey sky she mused. She's tired. To be honest, she should've died million of times. She even refrain from doing quests for the Jarl just for her to live another day.
"Welcome to the College of Winterhold. I am Faralda, one of the senior Wizards here. I trust you found your journey to Winterhold not entirely unpleasant. Now, I must advise you that if your only purpose in being here is to complain, you would be far better off speaking with the Jarl of Winterhold. If, however, you seek something more, I will be happy to assist you." Sizaan gave her a nod of acknowledgement before asking if she could enter the College.
"Perhaps. But what is it you expect to find within?" She asked.
"I seek the knowledge of the Elder Scrolls." Humming in reply, she pursed her lips and rests a hand on her hip.
"It is true there are some here who have spent years studying the accumulated knowledge of the scrolls. But what you seek does not come easily, and can destroy those without a strong will."
"Would you grant entry to the Dragonborn?"
"Dragonborn? It's been so long since we've had any contact with the Greybeards. Do you really have the Voice? I would be most impressed to see that." Smiling underneath her mask, Sizaan shouted the first word of the Unrelenting Force towards the sky and away from anyone. In the game, it seems alright to use the Shout directly at Faralda. But it may not be a wise choice.
"So the stories are true… you are Dragonborn! Normally you'd need to show some aptitude with one of the schools of magics, but you… I think there is much that we can learn from each other. I think you'll be a superb addition to the College. Welcome, Apprentice. I'll lead you across the bridge. Once you're inside you'll want to speak with Mirabelle Ervine, our Master Wizard. Please, follow me."
They've reached the College's snowy garden when Faralda asks her an unusual question.
"Have you heard of 'The Fallen Stars'?" Sizaan ransacked her brain to look for an appropriate answer but it seems that Faralda never asks her this question back in the game.
"Is it a book?" Faralda gave an anxious chuckle.
"I wish it was."
As they enter the College, Sizaan couldn't hide her amazement. The game didn't do this place justice. It is massive! Beautiful even. No words could describe the beauty that this college provides. They entered another door and she was in awed. This is the artifact left by the god of magic and one of the Original Spirits, the Eye of Magnus.
"The Eye of Magnus." Faralda gave her a hum of acknowledgement as she too, marveled on the said artifact.
"Faralda! I don't know what this is but it looks like I could play with it. Can I?" A female Altmer wearing the common robes worn by any mages approached their direction. As she continued to walk towards them, the Dragonborn's breath hitched.
"Kina… please do not do any experiment while the Dragonborn is within the vicinity. We don't want any bad remarks especially coming from him." The Altmer gave the Dragonborn a glance. He is intimidatingly tall. Probably a Nord inside. Giving Faralda a nod, she was about to leave when the Dragonborn grabbed her wrist. Alarmed and scared, she gave Faralda a pleading look.
"Dragonborn… please forgive this student. She's quite handful and doesn't know boundaries. Please.. let us discipline her ourselves." The Dragonborn didn't answer. A few moments of silence, the Dragonborn lifted his other hand and rested it on his mask. Slowly, he revealed his face to the two mages.
"No…" Not only the Dragonborn is female, Kina knew who she is. She gave her a long look and no doubt. Even with that battle makeup, she would know it is her.
"Jayce…" The Dragonborn gave her a sad and weary smile.
"Kina."
The two lost friends hugged each other. For years, she thought she was alone. For years, she has served the people as Sizaan. For the first time since she was summoned here, she finally heard her birth name.
"Dragonborn?" Like a switch, Jayce broke from the hug and placed her mask back in her face. Kina didn't asked and faced the direction of the voice. It was Mirabelle Ervine, the Master wizard who called their attention.
"Forgive me but the Arch Mage requests to see you both. Come at his quarters at once." The Dragonborn didn't need any encouragement and proceed to follow the Master Wizard with Kina trailing behind.
At the Arch Mage's quarters…
"Welcome Dragonborn to the College of Winterhold. I am Savos Aren, the Arch Mage of the college." He greeted with his back facing them.
"Thank you. I am Sizaan and I have questions to ask of you, Arch Mage." Nodding his head, he faced the Dragonborn.
"I suppose you are pertaining to 'The Fallen Stars'?" Sizaan shook her head. Faralda mentioned that a while ago but it doesn't related to what she wanted to know.
"Faralda mentioned that a while ago, but that –"
"Then I assumed you already know where to find your remaining friends? Family?"
"What?" Without facing them, he continued.
"It happened one night, when the sky is clear. There was no dog, no harsh winter, just… silence. As I gaze upon the stars through my balcony, I saw the moon. As bright as she, I saw not one moon shining. One by one, it seems that the moon started to give birth to stars. I've watched in awe as those stars fell upon Skyrim." He then faced the Dragonborn. "One fell upon our land as you may know. The other five landed in all of Skyrim."
"There were six of us?" Kina whispered.
"All this time… we were six… and I… I didn't even know… why?" For Faralda and Savros, it might not be a sight to see the famed Dragonborn kneeling on the ground. Despite her wearing a mask, guilt can be seen. Defeated. But could one blame her for not knowing there were others? They were separated. The first time Kina arrived in Skyrim, she was lying on ice. Naked. Cold. Alone. If it wasn't for Savros, she would have died that night. To repay him, she became his student. With the books located at the library, she used it as a medium to look for answers.
Why was she here? was the question she kept on asking herself. What's my purpose? How can I go home? But that's the only thing she has to worry about. She never left the College to know what's in the outside world. Those scars littered on Jayce's face that traveled down the her neck, who knows what she has seen. Dragonborn. That's who she is in this world. A responsibility that even her could not carry.
"Don't blame yourself." She said. Kneeling on the ground beside her friend, she held her hand. "You never knew." She stood, pulling her along. Jayce relented and let stood as well. She gazed on her eyes. Mask and all, Jayce is still her friend and an open book.
"You're going to go after them, aren't you?" For a while, the Dragonborn didn't answer. Squeezing Lina's hand, she nodded. Eyes filled with determination as she once again face Savros.
"At least tell me where the others were headed."
Author's note:
so I gotta be honest. I know you have every right to be mad at me. I do have a plot in my head. it's just a little hard to put it into words since English was not my first language.
I will not abandon this fic. nope. I will continue it since I am planning to have 3 books of this.