Disclaimer: Neither High School DXD nor Elder Scrolls belongs to me, all rights to their respective owners.

Chapter 5

College of Winterhold - Tirdas 15 of Hearthfire of the 202 of the Fourth era

Asia was running at full speed towards the Hall of the Elements. The morning had just begun, but she had woken up late. Skipping breakfast, she tried to get to her morning classes on time. Upon reaching the hall, she sighed in relief: Master Colette had not yet arrived. As she approached, she saw her classmates, which made her remember her first day of classes.

Flashback

Asia was extremely nervous. She was in the Hall of the Elements, and everyone, from the students to the teacher, was watching her as if she were the last piece of meat in a world of hungry wolves.

"Wh… why are you looking at me like that?" she asked timidly, stepping back a few paces. The intensity of their gazes terrified her.

"We want to know the name of the spell you used in the exam." said one of her classmates excitedly, a Breton girl with light brown hair tied in two pigtails and blue eyes. She wore a gray mage's robe, with black boots and pants.

"It's called Solar Fire." Asia replied with a shy smile.

"Really? I've never heard of that spell." commented another classmate, an Imperial girl with black hair tied in a high ponytail. She had brown eyes and wore the classic mage's robe, with dark brown pants and boots.

"Did you create it?" asked an Argonian classmate, with two horns on his head, slit red eyes, and dark green scales. He also wore the typical mage's robe.

"No, I learned it from a friend." Asia replied, beaming.

"He must be a great mage." added the Breton girl, earning nods from everyone present and an amused smile from Master Colette.

"Yes, Ed is a great mage." Asia replied with a dreamy smile.

"Ed? What a strange name." commented the Argonian. "Is it a nickname or his full name?"

"It's a nickname, his full name is Edzard." Asia replied, not imagining the chaos those words would unleash.

When the students heard the name, they were left speechless. Colette put a hand to her forehead, knowing that Asia had revealed more than planned. Everyone hoped it was a simple coincidence, that her friend just shared a name with the Arch-Mage.

"Please, tell us… is he the Arch-Mage?" asked the Imperial girl, trembling.

"Yes, Ed is the Arch-Mage, and he taught me everything I know about restoration magic-"

"Your friends with Arch-Mage Edzard, the mage known as 'The Anomaly'!" all the students exclaimed in astonishment.

Thus, the class continued with Asia being bombarded with questions from her classmates. In the process, she had the opportunity to get to know them better. The Breton girl was named Laure, from the city of Camlorn; the Imperial girl was Fortunata, from Bruma; and the Argonian was Vintheel, from Gideon. She also met the Nordic twins Gyda and Fridda, both from Whiterun. Gyda wore her hair in two pigtails, while Fridda wore hers loose. Interestingly, both had seen Edzard in the past.

During the conversations, Asia also learned why Edzard was known as "The Anomaly." That nickname was given to him by a Thalmor agent who had served as an advisor to the earlier Arch-Mage. That agent, named Ancano, was no longer alive, as Edzard had eliminated him after he nearly destroyed a city. The nickname arose due to the enormous amount of magic Edzard possessed. According to Ancano, his magical power was so immense that he could cast high-level spells multiple times without exhausting himself, something unheard of even for the Altmer, the race with the highest magical affinity in Tamriel.

End flashback

Asia returned from her mental journey when Laure touched her shoulder and indicated that Master Colette had already arrived.

"Well, class, let's continue where we left off." said Colette, standing in front of her students.

Asia and her classmates sat at their desks and paid attention.

"Alright, Laure, when is the best time to use an attribute enhancement spell?" Colette asked.

"The best time is right before entering combat." Laure responded confidently.

Colette nodded, satisfied. She looked around, deciding whom to ask next.

"Vintheel, how many types of healing spells are there?"

"There are three main types: those that remove poisons, those that cure diseases, and those that heal wounds." the Argonian responded firmly.

Colette nodded again, then turned to Asia.

"Asia, what are the differences between healing spells and restoration spells?"

"Healing spells address physical aspects, like wounds, diseases, or poisons. Restoration spells, on the other hand, focus on more esoteric aspects, such as restoring vitality or magic stolen by enemy spells. They also serve to remove curses that affect physical abilities-"

Colette nodded, pleased. Then, she began the day's lesson, which was about wards.

"As you know, wards are defensive spells that block any type of spell. I repeat only spells. Don't make the mistake of trying to block a sword strike with a ward-"

Asia was taking notes when a question crossed her mind. She raised her hand, catching Colette's attention.

"Yes, Asia-"

"Master, is there any spell to block physical attacks?"

Colette looked at her for a moment and sighed.

"Yes, there are spells to block physical attacks." she responded.

"Do you know any?" Laure intervened, curious.

Colette nodded.

"Which one?" Asia asked.

"There is a spell to deflect arrows-"

The students looked at each other, surprised, and began to smile.

"Don't get too excited." Colette warned with an ironic smile. "You have a long way to go before you can learn that kind of spell-"

Her classmates lowered their heads, discouraged, while Asia laughed nervously.

In the afternoon, Asia was with Laure and Fortunata having lunch in the latter's room. Classes had ended recently, and they had decided to meet to work on the project they had been assigned: the application of magic to repel the undead.

"So, girls, what spell should we use for the project?" Fortunata asked as she finished her lunch.

"Umm, honestly, I'm not sure." Laure responded, looking at Asia. "What do you suggest, Asia?"

However, Asia did not respond. Her mind was occupied thinking about a conversation she had had the previous day.

"Aetherius calling Asia…" Laure waved her hands in front of Asia's eyes without getting a response.

"Kyaaa!" Asia screamed when Fortunata placed a small ice shard, created with magic, on the neck of her robe.

Turning around, Asia saw her friends laughing out loud. Annoyed, she stuck out her tongue at them, grabbed a pillow, and started hitting them with it while they all laughed.

Once they calmed down, the three sat down to talk about the project. Asia suggested using the Guardian Circle spell, but both Laure and Fortunata refused; the spell was too complex and needed large amounts of magic. In response, Asia proposed another spell that did not appear in the college's books: a spell called Stendarr's Aura.

It was already night when the girls sat down quietly to chat while drinking tea.

"So, Asia, any news from the Arch-Mage?" Laure asked with a mischievous smile, while taking a cookie.

"None. Ed hasn't returned yet." Asia replied, looking sadly at her cup of tea.

"Poor Asia, your lover leaves you alone while he's off doing who knows what." Fortunata commented dramatically, mocking her. "Maybe he's with some woman out there."

"Ed is not my lover!" Asia quickly replied, blushing. "Besides, he's not that kind of person."

Since her friends discovered that Asia and Edzard met every night at the top of the Hall of Attainment tower, they had been the subject of constant jokes. Asia clearly remembered the malicious smiles when they asked if Edzard was her lover. When she denied the accusation, the teasing intensified, and even the teacher participated in the jokes.

Asia and Edzard had been seeing each other every day, but Edzard hadn't appeared for three nights. At first, she wasn't too worried, thinking he might be busy. However, not seeing him the next day, she decided to go to the Arch-Mage's quarters to talk to him. There, she only found Tolfdir, with whom she had an interesting conversation.

Flashback

Asia and Tolfdir were sitting in his office. It was night, and they were both drinking tea while chatting.

"Well, Asia, to what do I owe your visit?" Tolfdir asked, gently blowing on his cup before drinking.

"I haven't seen Ed in two days." Asia replied, looking at her cup.

"Ahh, so you're worried about the nightly escapades you haven't had." Tolfdir commented with an amused smile, seeing the blush on Asia's face. "To be honest, Edzard is not at the college. He left for the Haafingar hold two days ago."

The surprise made Asia drop her cup. Edzard had left without saying goodbye, without a word. She felt her heart shrink, and her eyes began to fill with tears. Seeing her distress, Tolfdir tried to calm her.

"Asia don't cry. Edzard hasn't abandoned you." he said quickly while gently lifting her face.

Asia tried to speak, but Tolfdir interrupted her. He began to explain the reason why Edzard had to leave hastily: a magical rupture had appeared, a consequence of Ancano's actions.

"Are those anomalies very powerful?" Asia asked while Tolfdir offered her a new cup of tea.

"Yes, they are. The first time they appeared, some of our best mages couldn't do much against them." Tolfdir replied. "But let's change the subject."

With a smile, Tolfdir continued, "It seems you and Ed have become very close. That closeness is rare among mere friends."

"What do you mean by that, Master?" Asia asked, somewhat confused, fearing that he knew she and Edzard had shared a bed.

"Ha, ha. Don't worry, I don't mean that you've slept together." Tolfdir said, seeing how Asia stammered as her face turned red. "But, since you mention it, I hope you've taken a potion to prevent pregnancies, just in case."

"P-pregnancies?" Asia stammered, more blushed than ever. It seemed Tolfdir was insinuating that she and Edzard had been intimate, something that couldn't be further from the truth, as they had only slept back to back.

"Ha, ha, ha, relax, I'm just joking." Tolfdir laughed.

"Mou, that was cruel, Master." Asia said, pouting.

"I'm sorry, but at least the joke served its purpose. You're not sad anymore." Tolfdir commented, smiling.

"So, Master, when will Ed return?"

"I have no idea. But I hope in a few days, if not…"

Asia raised an eyebrow at the pause. "What do you mean, Master?"

"I mean this." Tolfdir replied, pointing to the pile of papers on his desk. "He has to come back to finish his paperwork."

End Flashback

"Kyaaa!" Asia screamed again when Fortunata sent a small electric shock at her.

"We finally have your attention again." Laure said, laughing. "You should stop thinking about the Arch-Mage and focus on the work. If we finish it soon, we'll have more time to practice our magic by healing the wounded in the city."

Asia nodded, remembering that Colette had taken them all to an area where injured workers and citizens needed treatment. It was a way to gain healing experience and, incidentally, earn a small payment from the patients.

With this in mind, Asia refocused on the work, and together with her friends, they spent the entire night advancing their project.

Tomb of Ysgramor - Turdas 17 of Hearthfire of the 202 of the Fourth era

Edzard advanced slowly through the snowstorm that battered the path to the hill where Ysgramor's tomb was found. It had been only a day since his return to the college.

'Damn Thalmor, you don't stop bothering even in death.' Edzard thought irritably. Although he had managed to resolve the issue, it had taken him several days. Those damn magical anomalies were difficult to eliminate extremely resistant to magic, fast, and when severely wounded, they fled. He had taken down several using weapons, but some managed to escape, forcing him to chase them for an entire day. And upon returning to the college, he had to face a mountain of paperwork. Sometimes he wondered why he didn't hand over the position of Arch-Mage to Tolfdir.

Entering the tomb, he removed the thick fur cloak he was wearing, leaving only his brigandine armor. When he reached the chamber where Ysgramor's statue stood, he saw the person he was looking for.

"It's been a while, Malborn." Edzard greeted the elf.

Malborn had changed a lot since he disappeared after the incident at the Thalmor embassy. He no longer had the reddish hair from before; now he had a shaved head, a beard, and his face was covered in tribal tattoos. He wore a dark brown shirt, a black vest, white pants, and black boots.

"Yes, Edzard, it's been a long time." Malborn replied, hugging his old friend.

They both laughed as they hugged, but when they separated, seriousness returned to their faces.

"So, what news do you bring?" Edzard asked.

"It depends, do you want the bad news or the good news first?"

"Give me the bad news first."

"Edzard, the Thalmor finished reorganizing their forces a year ago."

Edzard was surprised. He didn't expect that news, but what worried him the most was that they hadn't made any moves in that time.

'This is very strange. Why didn't they attack us then?' Edzard thought, concerned. At that time, the dragon crisis and the rebellion were still dividing Skyrim. If the Aldmeri Dominion had attacked, the Empire wouldn't have been able to respond quickly.

'No, something doesn't add up here…' He kept pondering until suddenly his eyes widened. 'Of course, maybe they wanted to attack, but someone in the Thalmor council prevented it.'

The conclusion he reached opened many more questions, the main one being: who had prevented the attack?

"The good news is that several anti-Thalmor resistance groups are also ready to act." Malborn said.

Malborn's voice brought him back to reality.

"What did you say?" Edzard asked, confused.

"I just told you that the resistance groups in the provinces controlled by the Thalmor are already prepared to move."

"Are you serious?" Edzard asked.

"Yes, I received reports from them. They already have enough forces to openly oppose the Thalmor without being easily eliminated."

"That's… excellent."

If what Malborn said was true, the dissident groups in Elsweyr and Valenwood had already gathered enough resources and troops to start open rebellions. This would force the Dominion to redistribute its resources and forces, weakening its position and allowing for a quick counterattack that could end the threat.

"Do you have the reports?" Edzard asked.

Malborn nodded and pulled a packet of letters from his vest.

Edzard began to read the reports, and as he progressed, a smile appeared on his face. The information contained could shorten the war to just six months, saving the lives of many soldiers on both sides.

Malborn was not surprised to see his friend smile. He knew Edzard well: although killing was a common thing for him, he avoided doing it unnecessarily. He always showed compassion towards his enemies, ending them quickly and efficiently, without making them suffer, unless they had angered him.

"I haven't seen you this excited in a long time." Malborn commented, pulling Edzard out of his thoughts.

"Yes, my friend. If what these reports say is true, there will soon be justice for the Thalmor's victims." Edzard said with a smile.

"I see." Malborn replied, also smiling. "But before we part ways, tell me about your little fight in Windhelm and that mysterious girl who accompanies you now."

Edzard smiled upon hearing that.

'It seems rumors travel fast.' he thought, as an image of Asia crossed his mind. If he was honest with himself, since she had come into his life, everything seemed to be getting better.

"You'd better get comfortable and bring out some bottles of mead, because this is going to take a while." Edzard said, smiling as he sat down next to his friend, ready to tell him the whole story. Of course, he would omit some details about Asia.

And so, both friends spent the night and the next day talking and drinking. After that, Edzard quickly headed back to the college. Hopefully, he wouldn't be too embarrassed arriving drunk, although he felt like he had forgotten something important.

College of Winterhold - Loredas 19 of Hearthfire of the 202 of the Fourth era

Asia walked quickly towards the Arch-Mage's quarters, something unusual for her, as she was visibly upset, and the cause of her anger was Edzard. She had heard that he had returned two days ago, so she waited for him on the rooftop of the tower, as always. However, he did not appear. The next day, she didn't see him either. But that same night, as she was heading to her room, she spotted him entering the college, staggering and almost falling several times. She had seen it before, in Italy: Edzard was clearly drunk.

When Asia entered the Arch-Mage's quarters, she ran into Tolfdir, who quickly stepped aside upon seeing her. In fact, no one dared to approach her as she walked, for Asia was emanating an aura so dark that it promised pain to anyone who bothered her.

Edzard, for his part, was resting peacefully after the night of revelry with Malborn, when suddenly his survival instincts kicked in upon sensing an aura filled with murderous intent. He jumped up and looked in the direction from which the energy was coming. He began to conjure a spell to neutralize whoever was trying to kill him; however, when he saw the person emitting that aura, he was left speechless.

'Wait… since when is Asia so terrifying? She's always so sweet and gentle…' Edzard thought, trembling with terror. Suddenly, he remembered everything. 'Damn it, I forgot to talk to her when I arrived!'

"Wait, Asia! Please, calm down!" Edzard shouted, backing up until his back hit the wall.

"Last words, Ed?" Asia's smile was terrifying. Her eyes shone with a mix of determination and fury as she raised a heavy cast-iron pot, the first one she had enchanted herself.

"Be gentle…" Edzard whispered, closing his eyes in resignation.

"No." Asia replied, as she began to hit him with the pot, not holding back.

Edzard's screams echoed throughout the College of Winterhold. Those present shuddered upon hearing them and began to pray for the unfortunate Arch-Mage.

Edzard suffered the worst pain since his battle against Alduin, as Asia did not hold back in the slightest and made sure to cause him as much pain as possible. Only when she calmed down did she decide to heal him. Edzard, still dazed and almost unconscious on the floor, barely opened his eyes, knelt, and apologized to Asia. She accepted only when he promised to spend the entire morning with her.

The entire college was stunned to see their Arch-Mage walking hand in hand with a smiling Asia. Rumors quickly spread, and the next day, everyone was talking about the supposed new couple.

In the afternoon, Edzard was quietly reviewing paperwork at his desk when Tolfdir entered abruptly. From the expression on his face, something serious was happening.

"What happened?" Edzard asked, seeing his master so upset.

Without a word, Tolfdir handed him two letters. Taking the envelopes, Edzard frowned upon recognizing the seals. One was from the Synod and the other from the College of Whispers.

"It can't be…" he murmured, placing the letters on the table and covering his face with his hands.

The College of Whispers and the Synod were the main magical institutions of the Empire, and although one might think they would work together, they hated each other, always looking to undermine the other.

Edzard opened the first letter and read:

Arch-Mage of Winterhold,

Our studies have shown that your college has an artifact of great power.

We hereby demand that you hand it over to us. If you ignore this warning,

we will take the necessary measures to obtain it.

Sincerely,

The Synod Council.

He sighed and opened the second letter:

Arch-Mage of Winterhold,

Our interrogations of the Dremora have revealed that a few days ago they detected a massive amount of magic at your college.

We hereby demand that you hand over said artifact. If you do not comply,

we will take the necessary measures to obtain it.

Sincerely,

The College of Whispers.

With a sigh of frustration, Edzard conjured a flame in his hand and burned both letters.

Tolfdir raised an eyebrow at the action. Although he was also annoyed by the demands of those institutions, he had never seen Edzard react so quickly.

"What did the letters say?" Tolfdir asked.

"The same as always. They want us to take sides in their stupid dispute." Edzard lied.

Tolfdir looked at him suspiciously. He knew Edzard well enough to know that something else was bothering him.

"Arch-Mage, what else did they mention?" he asked again, this time using Edzard's official title to show that he wanted an answer.

Edzard sighed, got up from his chair, and began to pace the study.

"They are accusing us of owning an artifact of great power and demanding that we hand it over. I think you know what they are referring to." he replied heavily.

Tolfdir pondered for a few seconds. What object of great power could the Synod or the College of Whispers be referring to? His eyes widened when he realized.

"Asia's Sacred Gear?"

"Exactly. Both institutions are threatening me to hand it over."

Tolfdir began to worry. If the Synod and the College of Whispers tried something reckless, Edzard could destroy them politically. Unlike those institutions, Edzard had the emperor's favor, not only for his actions in the Skyrim Civil War but also for destroying the Dark Brotherhood and thwarting a plot to assassinate the emperor's cousin at her wedding. It was likely that both colleges would end up completely discredited or, in the worst case, it would result in a war where Edzard would annihilate them.

Approaching the window, Tolfdir saw Asia and her friends leaving the college towards the city.

"It looks like they're going to practice magic." Edzard commented with a smile.

"What do you plan to do?" Tolfdir asked.

"For now, nothing. But if they decide to do something, they will soon remember why they called me Ysmir." Edzard replied seriously.

"I hope it doesn't come to that." Tolfdir murmured.

"Me too, although you know how those two institutions are."

"Yes, all talk." Tolfdir said with a smile.

Edzard nodded as he returned to his desk to review the pending documents. Suddenly, he noticed a request.

"Tolfdir, why do you want to organize another excursion to a Nordic ruin? And, moreover, why do you insist that I lead it?"

"Because every time you go to one, something interesting happens." Tolfdir replied with a smile before leaving.

Edzard just sighed as he watched him go. He decided to finish the paperwork quickly; after all, he had a commitment that night.

Unknown Location - Sundas 27 of Hearthfire of the 202 of the Fourth era

"So, are the rumors true?" asked a woman leaning against a wall.

"Yes, they are all true." replied a middle-aged man wearing brigandine armor.

"I see, it seems little Edzard has been very busy." the strange woman said, moving towards the exit door.

"What do you plan to do?"

"I'm going to visit my little friend." the woman replied, smiling as her fangs showed and her eyes glowed in the night like two burning coals.

Author's note:

To those who have made it this far, Thanks for reading. I hope this one has been better for me and that it does not have as many errors as the original. Because being honest, I don't know how to write much in English and I'm relying on Google translators and the dictionaries that come with office 2019.

Well, I apologize for any misspelling. Do not forget to leave a review if you liked the chapter or if there is something that needs to be improved. With nothing more to say, until the next chapter.