Morndas, 15^th Evening Star, 4E 201

& Tirdas, 16^th Evening Star, 4E 201

I glared at my Psijic Robes. Rigmor laughed, then said, “They will not change colour again while you stare at them. Come and say goodbye!”

I walked over to Rigmor and Lydia.

• Wulf: I am sorry if I seem obsessed, Rigmor. You must understand that my Psijic Robes are a sign of totally screwed timelines.
• Lydia: And blue was one of the colours the Psijic Council considered for your robes.
• Wulf: Yes, along with the black and red they used to be.
• Lydia: It is a bit disturbing, Rigmor.
• Rigmor: We are going to Solitude with Olette. We shall shop till we drop and pretend the world is never weird and that gobblygook is not a required word.
• Lydia: Are you sure announcing Olette as your daughter is a good idea?
• Wulf: Olette wants to experience life outside of my estates. She will attend the coronation, the museum’s opening, and Vittoria Vici’s wedding by my side as Lady Olette Lillith Welkynd, daughter of The Dragonborn. I want people to see that she is always protected by The Dragonguard when not living in our hidden estate.
• Lydia: Do you think people have been searching for Aurane?
• Wulf: Yes, but their chances of finding the portal are almost zero. The chances of breaching its defences are even less.
• Rigmor: I am a Dragonguard. There is no need for any other disguise.
• Wulf: Who would have guessed Ivanitchy Ramsbottom was Dragonguard material?
• Rigmor:  Who am I, Lydia?
• Lydia: You are Lydeke Stone, a recent addition to The Dragonguard.
• Rigmor: Can we trust you to remember that, Wulf? After all, you are but a mere male.
• Wulf: I am glad Celestine can join you. The plague research cannot progress without Afflicted volunteers. That might take some time to sort out legally.
• Rigmor: There are no other female mages within The Dragonguard, so that saved a male mage from a torturous day.
• Lydia: Poor Meeko, he will get bored to death.
• Rigmor: Olette is optimistic that Meeko will give honest opinions on each outfit.
• Wulf: I know of a possible female mage recruit at the College. Wujeeta is an Argonian whom I first met in Riften, and she is very skilled.
• Lydia: The day will be consumed with Rigmor, Olette, Celestine, Jordis, Rayya, Iona, and me trying on several outfits in each store. You will probably solve the current crises before we have finished.
• Wulf: Make sure Olette never removes the Ayleid Waystone!
• Rigmor: If need be, Olette will just will herself back here.
• Wulf: Yes. Some Waystones work by putting them on and off, but the one I found here only requires a bit of willpower.
• Rigmor: Isn’t it strange you have been here for months but only just found it?
• Wulf: The world is not weird, and gobblygook is not a required word.
• Rigmor: That is correct, so please forget that I asked such a silly question.
• Wulf: Enjoy the day, Rigmor. Do not worry yourself over whatever shit I am dealing with.
• Rigmor: If Vayu gives Remiel the okay, will you take her?
• Wulf: I do not know how long he will take to decide and where we may end up. We shall see.
• Lydia: You spent time preparing a set of armour and weapons for her this morning, so you must be confident Vayu will approve her.
• Wulf: I know she has some secrets. She must be honest with Vayu, as he will not accept lies.
• Rigmor: Okay, we had better get going before Lady Welkynd sends the guards to fetch us.

I kissed Rigmor goodbye. I was not worried about their shopping excursion. Nobody is going to mess with half a dozen Dragonguard and Meeko. Plus, they are amongst thousands of Legionnaires within Solitude.

Soon after the ladies left, the Ka-Po-Tun squad arrived.

Khao and I had briefed them on the situation when breaking our fast, so we immediately teleported to the museum and tracked down Auryen. He was in the library.

• Auryen: Vayu arrived early this morning and is currently talking to Remiel. He is somewhat intimidating when in shaman mode.
• Wulf: He does not let his normal personality show until after his interrogation, I mean discussion.
• Khao: Wulf said Remiel is short, even for a Breton. Vayu would look like a red-eyed giant to her.
• Wulf: One thing Vayu looks for is recognition of his Dibella amulet. When people realise what it is, they visibly calm down.
• Auryen: But not everybody would recognise it.
• Wulf: True, but those who worship The Divines would find comfort in it.
• Auryen: So, Guild Master, why are you visiting today?
• Wulf: It has nothing to do with Evermore. Have you heard of The Eye of Magnus?
• Auryen: It is a whispered myth. No respectable scholar would admit to believing it existed.
• Wulf: Lucky for us, you are not respectable.
• Auryen: I am not one of those scholars who lack knowledge. If Lord Magnus had helped make Mundus, including Nirn, he would have used wonderous tools greater than any discovered relic. So, logically, I cannot dismiss its possible existence.
• Khao: We found it, in Saarthal.
• Auryen: What? So, Guild Master, was your theory about Mage Vygnak, later Dragon Priest Ahzidal, correct?
• Wulf: It seems so. We believe The Eye has caused a type of Dragon Break because another one exists on Artaeum, not the island I trained on, but a duplicate.
• Auryen: I can imagine that has caused many problems.
• Wulf: Most of which we cannot guess or even detect. People within Dragon Breaks rarely realise it. However, odd effects have occurred outside of the duplicate Artaeum.
• Auryen: I can delve into our archives, but I doubt I will find anything but conjecture within non-peer-reviewed tomes.
• Wulf: Anything at all would be of use. I am so desperate I will visit The Augur of Dunlain.
• Auryen: He, or it, will probably bring your Dovah to the fore!
• Wulf: That is likely if he is like what others have reported. However, I doubt Dragonfire will bother a being made of plasma.
• Dhali: You will control yourself, Wulf! The Augur may prove helpful.
• Wulf: Yes, Dhali. I will not call it horrible names or anything.
• Dhali: Yeah, right! Pfft!
• Wulf: Not you as well!

We teleported to the entrance of the College.

Then we entered The Hall of Elements, where Savos studied The Eye.

• Wulf: Good morning, Arch-Mage.
• Savos: Good morning, Master Wulf and Mage Khao. I really should name all the Dragonguard mages as Masters.
• Khao: We would never match Wulf’s many titles, but any addition would help our dented egos.
• Wulf: Are you standing guard, Arch-Mage?
• Savos: Yes. Master Tolfdir and others are spending an hour at the most standing guard. Dozens of mages have inspected The Eye. Some of them find the tainted Magicka emissions nauseating. None of them, adversely affected or otherwise, has had difficulty removing themselves from The Eye’s immediate proximity.
• Wulf: What about Ancano?
• Savos: All Master Mages have been told to report Ancano’s interest. He has entered The Hall of the Elements several times. A couple of times, he jotted down a few notes. Mostly, he stared at The Eye briefly, then walked away. No Master Mage has been asked questions by Ancano, except how it got here from Saarthal.
• Dhali: He will corroborate the answer before reporting it to The Dominion.
• Khao: The Dominion will probably assume we tapped into some secret of The Eye to teleport it.
• Wulf: Ancano’s visits could be an effort to catch a Master Mage interacting with it.
• Savos: Only a handful of our senior mages know about the duplicate on Splinter Artaeum. Ancano has given no indication he is aware of that problem.
• Wulf: I have no doubt The Dominion is busy deciding what to do about Artaeum reappearing. They will be cautious, fearing the power of The Psijic Order. The Thalmor in Skyrim will probably remain ignorant of that situation for several days.
• Savos: Those working on the plague await permission to visit the quarantined and work with Afflicted volunteers. There are many suggested ways forward, and Master Celestine says all are valid and can only be reduced via these interactions.
• Wulf: I do not expect any solution for some time. Lord Peryite’s diseases have proven complex to counter, and this one will be no exception.
• Khao: Have you ever spoken to the Augur of Dunlain, Arch-Mage?
• Savos: Not since his foolishness transformed him. When mortal, he was a brilliant Breton mage named Mernd Larrard.
• Wulf: I assume he came from Dunlain Falls near Farrun?
• Savos: Yes. Dunlain Falls is one of the few Breton towns in an Orsimer-populated region. Mernd spent many years studying Reach Magic. He joined the College to continue his studies in a less hostile and safer environment. I believe his accident involved experimentation with Nirncrux.
• Wulf: The Ayleid and Nede peoples mastered many magics lost to time. Countless mages have perished trying to rediscover those magics. Hedge-Magic, Reach-Magic, and Nature-Magic all have common roots, with certain Daedric Princes gaining converts by adding to the knowledge of exponents.
• Shiva: Is Nirncrux dangerous?
• Wulf: The Aetherial energy within Nirncrux has proven its volatility in the hands of mortals, and experimentation with it near populated areas is foolish and selfish.
• Savos: Try as we might to educate and warn, but some who join the College often ignore the need for caution. We expel those we catch. You will see the remains of experiments we did not prevent within The Midden. I am not innocent of taking foolish risks born of ego, which is not a necessity.
• Shiva: The aversion to magic within Skyrim is not unique. Many societies have been harmed by the misuse of magic in various forms.
• Savos: All we can do is share the benefits of some magic. The Mages Guild was quite adept at that. The Synod and College of Whispers are not.
• P’Sua: This continuous gobblygook gives me a headache. Can we get moving before my head explodes?
• Dhali: Winterhold would be buried under an avalanche of sawdust!
• P’Sua: You do not need much grey matter to hit things hard until they stop moving.
• Dhali: And thank goodness for us, you are very good at that task.

We headed for a barred door on the lowest level of the College.

Then we entered The Midden.

Not far in, we found a bone totem similar to what Forsworn build.

• Wulf: Some people have come down here to practice Reach Magic.
• Khao: This is recent, so others show interest in the magic that created the Augur.
• Wulf: Vayu will tell you that some of the ‘primitive’ magics include excellent Restoration spells and alchemical recipes. Also, not all Necromantic Magic is immoral. It is up to the mage what parts they pursue.
• P’Sua: The Eye and Augur and other horrors scare the average citizen. They see little good in all this study of things they think should be left alone.
• Wulf: Most magical knowledge has been lost. We know great benefits can be achieved if we recover some of that knowledge. Ancient healing skills and teleport abilities, for instance. When a mage starts investigating parts of lost magic, the benefits of recovering that knowledge might initially not be known.
• Dhali: When lost knowledge does not benefit others but only provides power to the mage, the research can become unethical.
• Wulf: Presented with the chance to manipulate and use the primitive forces surrounding us, many mages forget ethics and continue.
• Khao: Many pursue knowledge for the challenge and never intend to use it. However, others may misuse what they discover.
• Shiva: Wulf, you have often compared the pursuit of magic knowledge to Skooma addiction.
• Wulf: In many ways, it is.
• P’Sua: People should expect suspect research amongst the ethical and beneficial.
• Dhali: Many of us have spent long hours perfecting our martial skills. Some Dragonguard have spent equally long hours on spying and thieving skills. Nobody suggests that the Dragonguard, Legionnaires or Penitus Oculatus Agents should not learn such things because others use them for nefarious reasons.
• Wulf: As Savos said, The Mages Guild fought the fear of magic by providing services to the community. The Synod and College of Whispers are too secretive, generating fear.

Ice Wraiths attacked and were quickly dispatched.

We encountered unfortunates who had been shackled and left to die. I remarked, “That is not part of the College’s curriculum.”

Ice Wraiths were numerous, but there was little evidence that they killed many of the deceased we encountered.

In another section of The Midden, we found an unusual forge.

• Wulf: This is the infamous Atronach Forge.
• Khao: The giant Daedric symbol in the centre tells me it is not something I want to use.
• P’Sua: Let us continue. This thing disturbs me.

A while longer, we came across something more disturbing.

• Shiva: What the f… I mean… what the heck is that?
• Wulf: That is another form of bone sculpture that uses mortal bones, not animal bones. Some Reachmen tribes make them, and many Ayleid did as well. Those ancient Mer thought of them as high art. They also used to include flesh in their masterpieces.
• Dhali:  Such barbarism was one of the things that drove your mother to rebel.
• Wulf: Mother was born in the slave pens of Sardavar Leed, now called Sard. She was bred to be a possession with no rights or dignity. The Ayleid that turned to Daedra worship slaughtered enslaved Mede for sport and art. Freedom was an abstract concept for those who had never experienced it.
• P’Sua: The first time I accompanied you to her shrine, the way Saint Alessia’s hand reached for freedom touched me in a way no other religious symbol has.
• Wulf: Yes, I noticed you staring with a glint of tears in your eyes.
• P’Sua: You and Lord Talos must miss her terribly.
• Wulf: As Mother did in life, she fights for our freedom. We miss her but would never ask her not to do what she has done.

We continued our journey in silence but at a rapid pace. The Midden darkened our moods, and we wanted to see sunlight again soon.

We saw a Daedric Shrine through some bars.

• Shiva: Ahh, What the f… I mean… what the heck is that?
• Dhali: Just say fuck, Shiva. Your mother is not here to correct you.
• Wulf: It is a Dremora Summoner and a death trap. They allow mages without the power to control the Dremora to summon them.
• Khao: The summoners hope to bargain with the Dremora. Woe be to any mage who displeases the summoned.
• Shiva: Do they summon a random Dremora?
• Wulf: They summon a particular Dremora that powerful mages have bound. They are usually hidden, but somebody found this one and placed it within a summoning circle.
• Shiva: What happens if a mage is not strong enough?
• Wulf: The summoning circle will not restrain the Dremora. They will be let loose upon Nirn.
• Khao: We will probably be able to have a closer look, as it seems we are headed that way.
• Shiva: Oh, I cannot wait. Be still, poor heart. It will not be much longer before we gaze upon the relic.
• Wulf: That was convincing, not.
• P’Sua: Shiva is shivering!
• Shiva: P’Sua will soon be peeing.
• Dhali: This place is not pleasant. Are we ever going to find the Augur?
• Wulf: All we can do is keep moving. You know our uncanny luck at stumbling upon what we seek.

As well as Ice Wraiths, weak Skeletal Warriors were in abundance.

We came upon many skeletons in a small area. Khao inspected several of them.

• Wulf: What do you think, Khao?
• Khao: They have been here for close to a hundred years. Many of them show crush wounds.
• Wulf: They are victims of The Great Collapse of 4E 122.
• Dhali: The College did not survive intact as the Nords claim.
• Wulf: As you have witnessed, the underground part of the College, The Midden, was damaged far more extensively than what is above ground. However, the local population could not see this damage, so the falsehood became widespread.
• Shiva: Were these people mages?
• Wulf: Some. Many were staff, such as cooks, maids, etc.
• Khao: Such violent, unexpected deaths could leave confused spirits behind.
• Wulf: It did, which attracted those who practice Necromancy. Halls that once housed people full of life became haunted tombs.

We reached the room containing the Dremora Summoner. Next to it was a note and a key.

I read the note aloud.

“The missing students were found in The Midden this morning. Dead, as expected. None of us bothered keeping a Detect Life charm for the search.

The bodies were found together, each suffering the same deformities. They had peeled and bubbling skin on their arms and face. They died from Conjurer’s Burn, as it is commonly referred to around the College. Undoubtedly, they were attempting a summoning ritual well beyond their capabilities.

The relic nearby put any doubt in this theory to rest. I admit that I have never seen one like it. It is a large, segmented sculpture of a gauntlet, the Daedric sigil for O emblazoned upon the palm. Attempts to move it were in vain. I must show it to Arch-Mage Sedoth. Perhaps he will know more.

While we could not move the relic, I could pry four rings off it. I am sure there is a connection between them and the ritual the students were attempting.

I will store these in The Arcanaeum until we can consult with a Conjuration Master to learn more.”

• Wulf: Sedoth was the Arch-Mage before Deneth. Deneth resigned and appointed Savos after The Great Collapse.
• Shiva: You cannot kill Dremora, can you?
• Wulf: No. If you destroy their corporeal form on Nirn, Chaotic Creatia in Oblivion will restore them.
• Khao: That is why, if possible, powerful Dremora are trapped within a pocket plane of Mundus.
• Shiva: You explained Creatia this morning. What is Chaotic Creatia?
• Wulf: Upon reflection, I may have given the impression that Creatia does not exist in Mundus. That is wrong, as it surrounds us but not in a usable form. Think of it as mineral ore that is yet to be smelted. The Creatia within The Eye is useable by gods. Many believe all Creatia is the remains of et-Ada, who sacrificed themselves to create Mundus. I am a bit dubious about that.
• Khao: Chaotic Creatia is a name given to Creatia that leaks into Oblivion.
• Wulf: I do not think there is any difference. It’s just the name. The White-Gold Tower used to contain Tel Var Stones that held all magical power elements, including Creatia. During The Planemeld, an army of Daedra sacked The White-Gold Tower and removed all the Tel Var Stones.
• Khao: That is why The White-Gold tower is nowhere near as splendid a sight as it used to be.
• Shiva: Were no Tel Var Stones recovered?
• Wulf: A few were found in the sewers, but like Welkynd Stones and Varla Stones, mages tried to learn how they were constructed. As far as I know, all Tel Var Stones were destroyed during these experiments.
• Khao: Countless mages died trying to learn the secrets of these various stones.

We did not travel much further before arriving at a door. I held my hand up, and we halted before approaching it.

• Wulf: Can you feel it, Khao?
• Khao: Nope, all I can feel is Shiva’s breasts poking me in the back.
• Shiva: Do not turn around. You might suffocate.
• Wulf: I think we have found the Augur. Please allow me to talk to him without interruption.
• Dhali: Be a good boy until after he gives us helpful information.
• Wulf: Yes, Swordmaster Dhali.
• P’Sua: That was not very sincere.
• Dhali: And we have not promised to remain quiet.

As I approached the door, a disembodied voice said, “Your perseverance will only lead to disappointment.”

“I sought you concerning a matter of urgency.”

“Still, you persist? Very well, you may enter.”

We crowded into a small room. The Augur was, as expected, a floating ball of plasma.

• Wulf: Am I speaking to The Augur of Dunlain?
• Augur: I am the one you have been seeking. Your efforts are in vain. It has already begun. But those who have sent you have not told you what they seek, what you seek.
• Wulf: The last thing I need is another being that assumes they know all about me, my motivations, and my objectives. Saying our efforts are in vain displays a disturbing level of ignorance. What is it you think I seek?
• Augur: You seek that which all who wield magic seek, which is knowledge. You shall find this: Knowledge will corrupt. It will destroy. It will consume. You seek meaning and shelter in knowledge. You will not find it. The Thalmor sought the same thing, which shall lead to his end as it had so many others.
• Wulf: The Divines created all I see and love. In doing so, they sacrificed much. I have their love, that of my beloved Rigmor and many friends. Love provides all the shelter I need! My desire to protect the mortals of Nirn gives me meaning.
• Khao: Augur of Dunlain, not all of us are as weak-willed or short of morality as you once were!
• Dhali: The Dragonborn seeks knowledge to aid others and not for the sake of ownership. He does not seek knowledge to make himself more powerful for the sake of power. Yet, to protect mortals and Mundus, he has accumulated powers that few have wielded before him.
• P’Sua: You have no right to judge him!
• Shiva: You dare to equate Ancano’s motivation with Wulf’s? If you had a shin to kick, I would kick it!
• P’Sua: Too bad he does not have gonads. One of your flying kicks to the knackers would do wonders for his humility.
• Dhali: You could kick him in his plasma ball.
• Khao: Augur of Dunlain, surely you know Lord Welkynd’s exploits and how he has risked everything to protect mortals, gods, and Mundus.
• Augur: I am aware and beg forgiveness for my unneeded warnings.
• Wulf: You are not the first and will not be the last being that makes invalid judgements and warnings. The Greybeards are expert proponents of those skills.
• Augur: Your bond with The Dragonguard was on display and is vital.
• Wulf: I assume Ancano sought knowledge on using The Eye for his selfish purposes or those of The Dominion. I seek the knowledge required to stop him and anyone else from doing so.
• Augur: Ancano seeks information about The Eye, but what he finds will differ. His path will cross yours in time, but first, you must find what you need.
• Wulf: What do I need?
• Augur: You and those aiding you wish to know more about The Eye of Magnus. You want to avoid the disaster of which you are not yet aware.
• Wulf: Dear Divines, give me strength!
• Khao: How can Wulf avoid something if he is unaware? You make no sense!
• Wulf: There is potential for disaster, which I have known about for days. I cannot prevent the disaster, but I must deal with its aftermath. It seems your foresight is not as advanced as the Psijic Order’s.
• Augur: To see through Magnus’ Eye without being blinded, you require The Staff of Magus.
• Wulf: You could have said that when I first walked in.
• Augur: Events now spiral quickly towards the inevitable centre, so you must act with haste. Take this knowledge to your Arch-Mage.
• Wulf: I will go to the inn and enjoy a few meads first. Why hurry if something is inevitable?
• P’Sua: I hope there is not too much spiralling. I get sick when I am dizzy.
• Wulf: What did you tell Ancano? An answer in plain Tamrielic would be appreciated.
• Augur: I told him The Eye will control him. He is not adept enough to control The Eye.
• Wulf: Ancano will not believe that. But The Eye is guarded, and he will not have an opportunity to attempt to control it.

The Augur vanished.

• Wulf: If there is a god, even a Dark Lord, whose domain is clear speech, then I am a convert.
• P’Sua: Such conversations are why I prefer to hit things with my sword.
• Dhali: It usually comes down to that in the end.
• Khao: Wait! I am getting a vision. A large, grumpy person will lop the head of a skinny, tall, arrogant person and save Nirn once more!
• Wulf: Let us find Magnus’ Staff. I would hate to go blind looking through Magnus’ Eye!
• P’Sua: My mother told me it would make me go blind.
• Shiva: She was not talking about The Eye.
• P’Sua: No, but it was good advice. I did start to squint a bit when I was thirteen.

We teleported to the College’s entrance.

When we entered The Hall of Elements, Savos was talking to Mirabelle.

• Savos: Master Wulf, did the Augur provide helpful information?
• Wulf: He does like to project his faults onto others. But yes, he said we need to find The Staff of Magus.
• Savos: The Augur said that? Well, I doubt you could find something as specific and ancient as The Staff of Magnus.
• Wulf: The fate of mortals and Mundus has sometimes relied on me finding a well-hidden artefact. My museum has many of them on display.
• Mirabelle: The Synod showed up a few months back enquiring about The Staff of Magus. They thought we had it hidden in a cupboard or something.
• Wulf: Did those magic relic-hoarding morons say where they might look for it since our cupboards were bare?
• Mirabelle: The Synod seemed convinced it was somewhere in Skyrim. They inquired about the ruins of Mzulft, but that is all I remember. It sounded like they were heading there, though they were secretive about why. I suppose if you are intent on looking for the staff, there is a chance they might be in Mzulft yet. Do not expect them to be cooperative.
• Wulf: I have had dealings with The Synod recently. They are not as squeaky clean as they pretend to be.
• Savos: They would show great interest in your museum.
• Wulf: They are in Skyrim trying to steal one of our relics. Therefore, they will cooperate or be arrested. However, I shall not rely on The Synod’s questionable intelligence. I shall ask Auryen if he knows where The Staff of Magnus might be.
• Khao: What do you know about the staff, Master Mirabelle?
• Mirabelle: I have read that it was made and used by Lord Magnus and is the only thing that could adequately contain his power. That is the sort of embellishment wizards of ancient times loved to make.
• Wulf: It may be the only thing, apart from The Eye, that can store the Creatia-tainted Magicka in any quantity.
• Mirabelle: Isn’t Magicka a form of Creatia?
• Wulf: Everything you see is made from Creatia. Magicka does not contain Creatia in its pure form.
• Khao: Don’t you feel the taint within the Magicka being emitted by The Eye?
• Mirabelle: Yes, and logically, it is, as you say, Creatia causing the taint.
• Wulf: Okay, we will leave for Mzulft soon, but I must warn you that Ancano also visited The Augur of Dunlain.
• Savos: What was he told?
• Wulf: He was warned he was not adept enough to control The Eye. If he tried, The Eye would control him.
• Savos: That is what we have told every mage in the College.
• Mirabelle: Telling Ancano he cannot do something presents him with an irresistible challenge. I have seen many of his kind over the years.
• Savos: I will tell him he is not to enter The Hall of the Elements on penalty of expulsion.
• Dhali: Wulf, Vayu just appeared. He is signalling for us to come to him.
• Khao: I do not think he wants to get close to The Eye.
• Wulf: He is probably the most sensitive to the taint of all of us.

We walked over to Vayu.

• Wulf: So, have you finished terrorising Remiel?
• Vayu: Yes, and she lied to you. However, the deception was due to misplaced shame, not anything sinister.
• Wulf: Do you approve of her?
• Vayu: Yes. Remiel can become a Dragonguard. I will not tell you what we discussed. You must learn of her deception and the reasons from her mouth, not mine.
• Wulf: Well, the timing could not be better. We are to visit Mzulft, a Dwemer ruin.
• Khao: The Synod may be there.
• Vayu: Are they in Skyrim stealing relics?
• Wulf: Yes, specifically The Staff of Magnus. It has some connection to The Eye.
• Vayu: I have not allowed Remiel to read the unredacted journals. She understands that you will give her permission if you accept my recommendation.
• Wulf: She might have to learn some secrets while travelling to and through Mzulft. She can read my journals later.
• Vayu: Have you heard from Rigmor?
• Wulf: No, and I do not expect to. She wants Olette to enjoy the day without gobblygook or the current chaos interfering.
• Dhali: That means, Wulf, you must keep your emotions under control.
• Wulf: Rigmor will ignore any grumpiness.
• Vayu: Let us hope that nothing triggers your darkness.
• Wulf: Just contemplating that probability is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• Vayu: I dread to see how much Celestine will spend.
• Wulf: None of you need to spend your stipend, so relax. I might go broke after Rigmor and Olette enrich the merchants of Solitude.
• Vayu: Well, back to staring at Dwemer walls for me. I shall visit the Orsimer tomorrow.

We teleported into the museum and startled Auryen.

• Wulf: Sorry, Auryen. I teleported into this workroom as it is usually unoccupied.
• Auryen: That is okay.
• Wulf: Where should I search for The Staff of Magnus?
• Auryen: There were several references in the texts concerning The Eye. I would have to dig deeper to find clues to its location.
• Wulf: The Synod are searching for it in Mzulft. That seems an odd place for Magnus’ Staff to be.
• Auryen: You know The Dwemer gathered many relics. However, I am positive The Staff of Magnus was in circulation long after that race vanished.
• Wulf: If it is not in Mzulft, I might return here to see if your unparalleled research skills have borne fruit.
• Dhali: I do not think you need buttery words to convince Auryen to delve into his archives again.
• Auryen: Shush, Dhali. They do no harm!
• Wulf: Besides, I must practice my diplomacy before entering Evermore.
• P’Sua: Yeah, you might delay the inevitable bloodshed for five minutes.
• Shiva: Your optimism is inspiring, P’Sua.
• Wulf: Do you know where Remiel is?
• Auryen: She is still in the Safehouse and seemed upset when I saw her last.
• Wulf: Vayu approved her recruitment, but she has some confessions to make. She has been a bit dishonest.
• Auryen: I am sure she has her reasons.
• Wulf: So am I, but no excuses can be made when a Dragonguard. We work as a team, and complete trust is required.
• Auryen: Vayu is large, which makes him intimidating. You are far scarier than he.
• Wulf: All I want is the truth. I am not going to scold her.

We entered the Safehouse, and I called Remiel’s name.

Remiel shuffled out of the dining room and stood like a child awaiting a scolding. I had to laugh.

I decided to break the tension and said, “Dragonguard Remiel, I welcome you to our family of misfits.”

Remiel sighed and then walked to the front of the fireplace. When she turned to face me, she looked confused.

I told her, “I am not interested in asking for the truth or listening to excuses. All of that will be revealed as we travel.”

“Travel?”

“Yes, Remiel, we are about to visit Mzulft. It would be silly to do so without our Dwemechanic.”

“Now?”

“I realise you have not yet read my unredacted journals. As we learn about you, some secrets about us will be revealed. You can read the journals later.”

“Why are we going to Mzulft?”

“The Synod are there, stealing relics. They are searching for The Staff of Magnus. I need that relic to stop the potential destruction of Nirn if not all of Mundus.”

“Oh.”

“I have prepared some armour and a crossbow for you. Shiva and Dhali will help you adjust all the straps and so on. You can only use the crossbow until you have had some dual-wielding training. Shiva will conduct that training, as she is a Swordmaster in that style and our Unarmed Combat Master.”

“Um.”

“I know this is sudden, but this is how things happen, Remiel. We must react quickly to developments. Therefore, think of this rushed trip to Mzulft as a typical day for a Dragonguard.”

Shiva and Dhali walked over. Remiel stared with her mouth open as I retrieved her armour and crossbow from my Journal Case. I handed them to Shiva.

As fascinated as Remiel was with my Journal Case, her eyes were soon drawn to the armour that Shiva held up.

Shiva said, “Wow, this is impressive armour. But I do not think I could fit into it.”

P’Sua replied, “You do not fit into the armour you are trying to wear.”

Dhali took Remiel’s hand and said, “I am Dhali. The well-proportioned one holding your armour is Shiva. Ignore P’Sua, the tall chauvinist. We only take him with us as he is convenient to hide behind when arrows head our way. The quiet one is Khao, a true gentleman and powerful mage. Let us get you into that armour before you realise your error in joining us.”

The ladies headed upstairs. I found an obscure text on how females won the right to become Draugr and sat reading. Khao and P’Sua raided the larder.

About thirty minutes later, a still-stunned Remiel stood before me. I had spent some effort to make the Dwemer metal of the armour shine, and it contrasted nicely with the royal purple of the reinforced cloth.

• Wulf: Now you look like a Dwemechanic!
• Remiel: Shiva and Dhali explained the dweomer you have placed on this equipment.
• Wulf: We have collected thousands of relics over the years. None of them, even ones created by gods, have as many dweomer or as powerful dweomer as what you now wear.
• Remiel: It must be worth a fortune.
• Wulf: Many millions of septims. I am rich, but it is not from selling the equipment I improve. We do not want such power wielded by bandits or other nefarious types.
• Shiva: Remiel did a few laps upstairs at speeds she thought impossible.
• Wulf: A lot of us have horses. They are stabled with my unicorn friends on a remote, tropical island. However, we mostly teleport and walk.
• Dhali: It is easier to detect and react to danger on foot than on horseback.
• Remiel: Unicorns?
• Shiva: Remiel, your reactions to revelations are no different than other Dragonguard we have recruited in Skyrim. Believe me when I say that Wulf having unicorn friends is one of the least weird things you will hear today.
• Wulf: We will not be cautious of what we speak. Therefore, ask questions for clarification as we go. But we have spent as much time as I am comfortable with here. So, please place your hand on my shoulder, and we shall teleport close to Mzulft.
• Khao: You will be in the darkest of dark and the coldest of cold for a second or two. Hold your breath and do not panic, as there is very little danger in teleporting.
• Dhali: Where are we teleporting to, Wulf?
• Wulf: Mother’s shrine. Mzulft is a relatively short, downhill descent from there.

Remiel placed her shaking hand on my shoulder, and I cast the spell.

When we came out of the ether, Dhali quickly attended to Remiel, who was in danger of fainting.

I stood before Mother’s shrine and said telepathically, “I am doing what is required, but instead of trying to prevent a disaster, I await to fix its aftermath. Collateral damage, Mother, will always be an anchor around my neck. Some of the things Father did would make him seem a tyrant to many. A fear of negative public perception would not prevent me from making the same choices. However, my inability to accept the logic of the maths would. But you know of this weakness of mine. I love you and await the day I feel your embrace once more.”

Mother did not reply. Her ability to do so is limited as she battles Molag Bal.

Snow started to fall as I approached Remiel.

• Wulf: The first secret is revealed.
• Remiel: Is Saint Alessia your mother?
• Wulf: Yes, she is. Tiber Septim, Lord Talos, is my father. But I am a mortal and have proven my ability to die.
• Remiel: I know the explanation of how this can be will be complex. So, for now, I will accept this fact.
• Dhali: That is the advice I gave Remiel. It is the same advice we give to all new Dragonguard.
• Wulf: My real name is Valdr Septim. If people knew my identity, many would want me to be Emperor. Others, who want their favourite puppet on The Ruby Throne, would want me dead.
• Khao: Wulf’s ability to protect Mundus and its people would be hindered by the duties of the Emperor. For that reason, he does not covet the crown.
• Shiva: But even if Wulf refused the position, civil war could result from factions ignoring his reluctance.
• Wulf: I already have many enemies, Remiel. The numbers would multiply if my real identity became known. The revelation of this secret would compromise my desire and ability to protect all mortals.
• Remiel: Wow! That makes the reason for me providing a false name seem poor.
• Wulf: What is your name?
• Remiel: I was born Remiel Biechamp. However, when my stepfather married my mother, he automatically adopted me. My legal name is Remiel Charoud, and I have been known as that for nearly all my life.
• Wulf: Why did you give a false name?
• Remiel: The Charoud name is disgraced through my actions. I did not deserve to use it anymore.
• Wulf: Okay, we have swapped real names. That is enough for now, Remiel.
• Dhali: We are all keen to hear your story, Remiel. However, we can see you are uncomfortable. We need you to concentrate on the journey facing us, for we do not know if we are walking into danger.
• Remiel: Okay.

Like the last time P’Sua visited the shrine, he stared at Mother’s statue. He asked, “Remiel, do you know what Saint Alessia is reaching for?”

“Freedom. I find her story inspiring.”

“Many of Wulf’s values stem from his mother. Although Lord Talos is admired and loved by Wulf, some of his values differ. Both parents achieved their goals in different ways. Understanding Wulf requires a recognition of the conflicting advice of his parents.”

“Then, in a way, I am fortunate. Both my parents agreed on all matters.”

I said, “Okay, Mzulft is downwards from here. Remiel, the dweomer on your armour makes a mountain descent much easier. You can fall much further without becoming a bloody smear, but still be cautious. Do not try and emulate my rapid decent.”

I observed some shady types while waiting for the others to catch up. I gave a hand signal for quiet. Dhali translated for Remiel using the universal finger to the mouth, and Shhh!

I whispered, “Unless we have encountered obvious aggressors, I will not kill via stealth. Therefore, I will make my way to those below with weapons sheathed. It is their actions that decide their fate.”

I scrambled down, and one of the bandits said, “It looks like we do not have to hunt for prey today. This one has saved us the time.”

As the bandits attacked, I Shouted Ice Form. Three enemies were encased in ice, which killed them in seconds.

I turned, drew my katana, and dispatched the fourth bandit.

My companions scrambled down to join me.

• Remiel: Was that The Voice?
• Wulf: Yes. The spells of The Voice are called Shouts. I chose one that is not very loud in case other bandits are nearby. The ice killed them in seconds, but I could have used less power and only incapacitated them.
• Remiel: Are there more powerful Shouts?
• Khao: Wulf can destroy entire armies using The Voice.
• Wulf: I am still learning how to focus my Thu’um. For instance, I can call upon a Thunderstorm that used to kill everybody within its perimeter. Now, if I use the same Shout, only enemies will die.
• Dhali: Because of Wulf’s Thu’um, you must not run before him during combat. Not all Shouts differentiate friend from foe.
• Remiel: The last person you killed was already swinging his sword when you pivoted, drew yours and cut him down.
• Wulf: I was not quick enough. He sliced my shield arm.
• Dhali: Wulf is rarely injured. But he is a bit slower as he recuperates from a near-death experience.
• P’Sua: Wulf has killed many thousands in combat, Remiel. I doubt there is a more deadly fighter on Nirn.
• Wulf: I do not find glory or enjoyment in combat. It is a necessary tool required to defend the innocent. Let us proceed.

It was not a long walk to Mzulft, and it soon appeared.

• Remiel: There are multiple entrances. How do you know which is the correct one?
• Wulf: Sometimes, there are clues, such as sentries or equipment. Other times, I trust logic and intuition.
• Dhali: The largest building is the logical choice.
• Wulf: Which is at the top of the stairs.

Heat Vision showed me three people outside as we approached the main entrance.

• Wulf: There are three people at the entrance. Can you hear what they are saying?
• Dhali: Yes. They injured a mage who managed to enter Mzulft before they could finish him.
• Shiva: They are debating whether to follow him inside, as they think there may be more mages than they can handle.
• Remiel: How do you know there are three people at the entrance?
• Wulf: I have the eyesight of a dragon. I can see their body heat.
• P’Sua: Wulf can see body heat through walls and doors.
• Khao: Ka’Po’Tun have the same senses as our cousins, the Khajiiti. So, we can smell and hear far better than other species.
• Remiel: There is no way somebody would spring a trap on us!
• Wulf: Heat-Vision is not always reliable in Dwemer ruins. Their machinery generates a lot of heat, which can mask the heat of mortals and automatons. Undead, such as Dwemer Spectres, do not generate body heat.
• Dhali: The dweomer Wulf placed on our armour makes us silent. So, if we need to be cautious, we can still surprise the undead and other nasties.
• Wulf: Even though they are graverobbers, I shall approach with sheathed weapons.
• Remiel: They will choose their fate.
• Wulf: Yep.

I was close before the graverobbers noticed me. Without a word, they attacked.

They died in seconds.

• Remiel: I did not even get a shot in!
• Wulf: If we must kill, we do it quickly. Your reflexes will improve over time.
• Shiva: Wisely, you do not have your crossbow loaded.
• P’Sua: Loading a crossbow is always slower than notching an arrow.
• Dhali: Do not worry, Remiel. You will have plenty of time to engage larger groups of enemies.

We stood at Mzulft’s entrance, and I said, “There is one heat signature. I assume it is the injured Synod mage. We all know what to expect. Dwarven Automatons and likely Falmer. I doubt there will be any great surprises.”

We entered, and I rushed over to the Synod mage. In between groans, he said, “Crystal… gone… Find… Paratus… in Oculory…”

He then died.

• P’Sua: What is an Oculory?
• Khao: A crystal and Oculory. Whatever it is, it must be related to vision.
• P’Sua: Why is that?
• Khao: Ocular refers to sight or vision. You might have seen people wearing spectacles where glass is shaped to make their vision more focused. Or perhaps you have seen tubes that make distant objects seem closer. Crystals can be used for the same purpose as glass.
• Wulf: Crystals can also separate the colours within the sun’s light. They are called prisms.
• P’Sua: Now, I am confused.
• Wulf: A rainbow is created by raindrops acting like prisms and separating the colours of sunlight.
• P’Sua: No, this is too much. My brain refuses to listen any more. Let us just kill things, shall we?
• Wulf: The Oculory in The Tower of Mzark used light to transfer knowledge within an Elder Scroll onto a Dwemer Lexicon. It was a way for Dwemer to read the scrolls without going blind.
• Remiel: Oh, how I would love to have seen that wonder!
• Wulf: I can take you there, Remiel. When there is a pause in the chaos, we can visit many of the Dwemer ruins we have already cleared.
• Remiel: I would like that. In our rush, you have not told me what is important about The Staff of Magus.
• Wulf: Under Saarthal, we uncovered The Eye of Magnus. It contains pure Creatia and seems to have caused a Dragon Break. The Psijic Order has warned that The Eye will cause a disaster. I need The Staff of Magus to deal with the aftermath of that disaster.
• Remiel: Woah! Gobblygook overload!
• Khao: Remember, we need Magus’ Staff for everyone’s benefit. The Eye holds enough power to destroy Mundus. Our Synod friends want to add Magus’ Staff to their collection. They claim to gather relics for the benefit of all, yet do not share knowledge gained from them.
• Wulf: The Synod does not have permission to remove relics from Skyrim. So, they are acting illegally, no matter their motivation. As Thane, I can arrest them. Their freedom depends on their attitude.

I searched the corpse and found a book called Mzulft Oculory. Unfortunately, its contents were ruined by blood. However, there was a loose letter that was still legible. I read it aloud.

“Attendant Gavros,

The Council has become aware of the lack of progress in your group’s efforts. They are particularly displeased to learn that your specifications for the Focusing Crystal were utterly incorrect.

The entire Binder’s Conclave has worked tirelessly, and the Council is sure this new crystal will suit your needs. You are entrusted with delivering the crystal to the site, completing your work, and promptly providing a full report to the Council.

The Council trusts you will personally deliver the crystal to the Oculory and that there will be no further complications.

First Adjunct Oronrel”

• Wulf: An attendant is higher than a Master Mage in the College. They are the second tier of leaders in the Synod.
• Dhali: Gavros was sent with the Focusing Crystal, which is paramount to whatever they were doing here.
• Wulf: He urged us to deliver it with his last mortal words.
• Remiel: Is the First Adjunct the Synod leader?
• Wulf: Yes, the Arch-Mage of their order. There is a Second Adjunct who assists them.
• Remiel: What is the ‘Council’?
• Wulf: The leaders of each branch of the Synod. Head librarian, head archaeologist, head historian, head archivist, etcetera.
• P’Sua: Do they have mages who can fight?
• Wulf: Battlemages and Spellswords? No. I do not think they even use staves.
• P’Sua: Yet they thought it was a good idea to stroll through Dwemer ruins!
• Khao: What has Wulf been trying to drum into Apprentices and older mages?
• P’Sua: That mages do not think straight or consider the risks when pursuing magical knowledge.
• Khao: There is your answer to why they would come unarmed and unarmoured into a place like this.
• Wulf: Dwemechanics suffer the same disease.
• Remiel: I had no choice. I had to earn money from exploring Dwemer ruins for my family.
• Wulf: I am keen to hear your story, Remiel. But now, we must concentrate on this task.
• Remiel: I understand.
• Wulf: Let us hope we find at least one Synod member alive. We need information on The Staff of Magus. Currently, this is our only source.
• Remiel: If you ask Auryen, he will find out where it is.
• Khao: We asked him.
• Wulf: He will probably determine its location if it is not here. He will enjoy the search through our library despite his half-hearted complaints.

Gavros also had a key. It unlocked the door to the rest of Mzulft.

There is no need for a detailed description of our travels through Mzulft. It was the normal Dwemer Automaton smashing and Falmer slaughtering as we grew numb from the bland architecture. Remiel tried hard to spread her enthusiasm but eventually realised it was a lost cause. P’Sua started counting the dead Synod as we went but soon gave up.

Our progress was slowed by the need to search each corpse, Synod and Falmer, for the Focusing Crystal.

I showed Remiel the Dwemer version of Draugr. She had never seen one before.

• Remiel: I wonder if Dwemer volunteered for this transformation?
• Wulf: Probably as much as Falmer volunteered to become blind, almost mindless enslaved people.
• Dhali: You have probably realised Wulf’s disdain for your favourite extinct race.
• Remiel: Yes, he made that evident at our first meeting.
• Wulf: We have been travelling through Mzulft for several hours. Have we seen any art or any sign of family life? The Dwemer were obsessed with learning the secrets of the gods and had no time for anything else.
• Remiel: I find it ironic that the Dwemer scoffed at Aedra and Daedra, yet they used the heart of a god in their attempt to transcend mortality.
• Wulf: It is only conjecture they were experimenting on Lorkhan’s Heart when they vanished up their backsides. The last known Dwemer, Yagrum Bagarn, said the activation of The Numidium triggered his race’s disappearance. He did not know what some of them may have been working on, as he was travelling in another plane then.
• Khao: Do you think Yagrum was the last Dwemer alive on Nirn?
• Wulf: It is possible, but I would not be surprised if more Dwemer return from other planes.
• Remiel: I have often contemplated what technology the Dwemer would have if they still existed on Nirn today.
• Dhali: They would have eventually pushed the wrong button and possibly destroyed Nirn. We are fortunate they only made themselves extinct.
• Remiel: That is the conclusion I often come to.

One large room had a set of doors with a complicated lock I could not pick, and the front door key did not open.

We searched the Falmer corpses but did not find the key. However, we did find the Focusing Crystal.

• Remiel: The Focusing Crystal is so shiny!
• Wulf: I do not believe it is just a prism or lens. I think the Focusing Crystal is designed to reflect a beam of light in different directions at a changed frequency.
• P’Sua: Why would the Falmer want it?
• Remiel: It is shiny!
• Wulf: We often find unusual objects like this placed on tables inside their huts.
• P’Sua: Like some birds collect shells and shiny objects for their nests?
• Wulf: Similar, except Falmer place them for aesthetic purposes, not to attract a mate. In that sense, they are more advanced than those that enslaved them.
• Khao: Art, abstract or otherwise, is a sign of high cognitive ability.
• Dhali: Gavros had a key to the front doors. I assume the Synod also had a key to these doors and locked them.
• Khao: Do we search for a key, hoping there is another, or blast the door to smithereens?
• Wulf: We might bring the whole structure down, so let us look for the key.
• Remiel: You could try knocking and see if a friendly Synod member will open it for us.
• Wulf: There is nobody behind the door. I would guess there is another door further up a corridor. I could use The Voice and call for them, but I still prefer to look for another key first.
• Dhali: We should catch them unawares, Remiel. They may hide or destroy incriminating evidence if forewarned.
• Remiel: There is a lot of quick strategic thinking involved, isn’t there?
• Wulf: Yes, and since we do this sort of thing often, we are adept at it. You would become as adept over time.

A couple of unlocked doors led to small chambers containing nothing of use.

A large pair of doors opposite the locked ones led to an amphitheatre.

We exited through a door on the opposite side of the amphitheatre and followed a short corridor to a room containing several dead Falmer.

I observed, “The Falmer have been killed by Destruction magic, mostly electricity based.”

Dhali replied, “We have encountered a few Dwemer Spectres but not any undead Tonal Architects.”

“That is probably the enemy we shall find behind this door. Get ready.”

There was an undead Tonal Architect, who I quickly dispatched. His remains turned into a puddle of ectoplasm like the other Dwemer Spectres.

There were several dead Falmer in the room. I found a key on one of them.

• Wulf: There is a lesson to be learnt here.
• P’Sua: Yes, we have learnt that many Falmer are no match for a transparent Tonal Architect Spectre.
• Wulf: The dead Falmer were killed recently. The Spectres and Falmer have been living together in Mzulft for centuries. So why did they suddenly decide to encroach on this area?
• P’Sua: I have no idea.
• Dhali: Come on, P’Sua, what has changed recently?
• P’Sua: The Synod arrived!
• Wulf: Maybe the Falmer wanted to get to the Synod mages hiding behind the locked doors.
• Remiel: They came looking for the key. The same as us!
• Wulf: They were searching for the key since they could not see.
• Dhali: You will soon learn to ignore Wulf’s pedantic tendencies.
• P’Sua: The Falmer are not as mindless as others say, are they?
• Wulf: No, they are not. And that is the lesson to be learnt here.

We headed back and were relieved when the key unlocked the doors.

Another set of locked doors was up a ramp at the end of a short corridor.

I used Heat Vision and signalled to the group there was one person close to the door.

I knocked on the door with my mailed fist.

A voice from the other side asked, “G… Gavros? Is that you?”

I signalled for silence. None of us made a sound.

“I had almost given up hope. Let me get the door…”

The Synod mage stared in shock when he opened the door to an armed group of strangers. He then readied a Fireball.

I used a single Word Ice Form Shout, and the mage collapsed.

Dhali quickly assured Remiel, “That was a weak version of that Shout. It did not harm the mage.”

I stood over the frozen Synod mage and said, “You will thaw out in a few seconds. We mean no harm, but I advise you not to prep another spell.”

A few seconds later, the ice dissipated, and the mage quickly stood. He did not prep a spell but comically raised his fists.

• Paratus: Who are you? Where is Gavros?
• Wulf: I am looking for somebody named Paratus.
• Paratus: That is me. Where is Gavros?
• Shiva: The last time I looked, he was pretty dead.
• P’Sua: He seemed to be very dead.
• Khao: Extremely dead, I would say.
• Paratus: Was it the Falmer? Curse them! They have ruined everything!
• Wulf: No, he was killed by some graverobbers. Is there no professional courtesy amongst your kind?
• Paratus: We are not graverobbers!
• Wulf: We found plenty of dead Synod mages but no guards. It was a bit foolish to enter these ruins without protection.
• Paratus: If Gavros is gone, there is no hope. He was supposed to return with the crystal. Without that, all our efforts are wasted.
• P’Sua: This guy does not seem to care about his colleague’s death. He is yet another mage fixated on gaining power or knowledge.
• Paratus: If you are here for treasure, wisdom, or anything. I am afraid you are wasting your time.
• Wulf: Tell us about this crystal.
• Paratus: It did not work the first time. I tried to tell Gavros, but he would not listen. ‘No, it won’t be too cold.’ he said. Well, I was right, wasn’t I? It was focused entirely wrong by the time we got here! The cold had warped it!
• Wulf: Maybe you should have made it somewhere colder?
• Paratus: Gavros had to cart it back to Cyrodiil. He left the rest of us here to fend off the damnable Falmer.
• P’Sua: Did that tactic work?
• Paratus: What tactic?
• P’Sua: Throwing yourselves onto their weapons so they get blunted?
• Wulf: You could have all left with Gavros and returned with Gavros. There was no need to stay and be slaughtered!
• Dhali: All we encountered were individual mages who could not survive. There is no sign of an organised defence.
• Wulf: Why do you need the crystal?
• Paratus: It was a brilliant idea. It was mostly mine, though Gavros took the credit. It is a secret and official Synod business. I cannot talk about it.

I removed the Focusing Crystal from my Journal Case. I then started tossing it up in the air. Paratus watched on in horror and shrieked when I pretended to fumble it.

• Wulf: Since I do not know the purpose of this Focusing Crystal, I have no idea if this might be damaging it.
• Paratus: Stop that! How did you find it?
• Wulf: We killed every Falmer and destroyed all Dwemer Automatons to fulfil Gavros’ final wish.
• Khao: With his dying words, he urged us to find you. That is how important he regarded whatever it is you are doing.
• Wulf: Instead of a thank you and some trust on your part. We are met with hostility and secrecy. Tell me what the Focusing Crystal is for, or never see it again.
• Dhali: Imagine the tantrum First Adjunct Oronrel will throw!
• P’Sua: I would hate to be the one to explain this to the Council!
• Paratus: You have still yet to tell me who you are!
• Dhali: I do not think Paratus gets out much.
• Shiva: May I?
• Wulf: Yes, Shiva, I know you enjoy pretending you are a courtier.
• Shiva: Attendant Paratus, this esteemed gentleman is Lord Welkynd, Dragonborn and Champion of The Divines, Azura, Boethia, Hermaeus Mora, Malacath, Meridia and Sheogorath. He is a Thane of all nine Holds and a general of The Imperial Army. He is also a Master of The College of Winterhold.
• Wulf: And these wonderful people are members of The Dragonguard.
• Paratus: I should have known the College would come snooping! Savos would not even grant us an audience when we came to you, but now you come here expecting something from me?
• Shiva: Is that the only title you heard?
• Wulf: Not all Synod mages are as stupid as you. I met an exceptional one not long ago.
• Dhali: Lord Welkynd has not asked for anything, but we have just saved your life again.
• Khao: Do you know how many times we have saved your life or prevented your enslavement? We are now trying to save the lives of everybody on Nirn once more. You might be able to help, or you might be a waste of valuable time.
• Paratus: I do not like this. But you saved my skin, so maybe I could overlook the past.
• P’Sua: The little man would not be worried about his life suddenly, would he?
• Shiva: Do not be so cynical. His generosity will make the gods weep!
• Wulf: I think sarcasm is lost on Paratus.
• Paratus: Come on, I will explain on the way.

We passed a sleeping woman in different robes than the other Synod.

• Paratus: That is Kirsta, one of our scribes. It seems we are the sole survivors of this expedition.
• P’Sua: Well, there is a boy and girl Synod. Perhaps you can repopulate Mzulft with baby Synods?
• Wulf: Now you see what dull Dwemer ruins do to once sane people, Remiel.
• Paratus: No matter what Gavros said, this was my idea first. The Council is going to know that when I get back.
• Wulf: Such an ego within so small a brain!
• Paratus: I was the one who thought of using this… this Oculory. I do not know what the Dwemer called it. Something unpronounceable, I am sure.
• Remiel: Dwemeris has dozens of slight variations in dialect. However, all of them sound like Aldmeri and not some gibberish. They called them Oculory, and somebody with half a brain would have easily understood the word.
• P’Sua: Oops, Paratus falls short by fifty per cent.
• Dhali: As Wulf said, our Synod friend seems immune to sarcasm.
• Paratus: From all our research, it seems the Dwemer were intent on discerning the nature of the divine.
• Wulf: DUH! That is the basis of all Dwemer endeavours for centuries and mentioned in countless books. I commend the Synod on that brilliant breakthrough!
• Paratus: This machinery, all of it, was designed to collect starlight, and then… I am not sure. Split it somehow?
• P’Sua: Like a prism and sunlight.

Paratus stopped and stared at P’Sua. The rest of us struggled to keep straight faces. He then continued his talking as P’Sua mimicked him behind his back.

• Paratus: Yes, like a prism. My idea was to replace one of the critical elements with the Focusing Crystal. Months of enchantments went into it. Let us hope they got it right this time.
• Wulf: You are changing the frequencies the machine reacts to via the Focusing Crystal.
• Paratus: How did you know that?
• Wulf: Logic. The Synod harassed the College about artefacts they were seeking. The Synod would invest heavily in such a project if an opportunity presented to search for artefacts based on Magicka emissions.
• Khao: If the machinery was tuned to the frequencies of starlight and you tuned it to the frequencies of Magicka, you could use it to find powerful artefacts.
• P’Sua: Aah… explain.
• Wulf: How fast a thing vibrates is its frequency. Different colours have slight differences in frequency, and a prism uses a rule of nature called refraction to separate them.
• P’Sua: Oh, and Magicka has frequencies. That is why our whiskers sometimes vibrate when magic is used nearby.
• Wulf: Yes. Whiskers will have different resonant frequencies depending on their length and thickness. It is challenging to explain resonance in simple terms. When something powerful enough emits the right frequency, some of your whiskers vibrate due to a ‘standing wave.’
• P’Sua: Huh?
• Wulf: When we travelled with many troops in Akavir, they were ordered not to march in step across bridges.
• P’Sua: I often wondered why that was. It seemed odd that they would be sticklers for synchronised steps and then deliberately become unsynchronised on bridges.
• Wulf: If they marched in step across a bridge, that might cause a standing wave. The bridge would vibrate like your whiskers. The vibration could make the bridge collapse.
• P’Sua: Aha! This magic is not so hard.
• Khao: That is not magic but science.
• Wulf: The Dwemer liked some science because it is logical, while the metaphysics of Aurbis is often illogical.
• Remiel: Many of their machines attempted to explain or replicate the power of gods.
• Wulf: The Dwemer thought they could explain everything with science. Dwemer Magic is the manipulation of frequencies, including sound. Their greatest mages were called Tonal Architects.

We arrived at the machine, and it impressed us all, including P’Sua. I thought Remiel was about to kneel and pray before it.

• Paratus: Here it is. Do you think it is Magnificent?
• Remiel: It is magnificent, brilliant, impressive, outstanding, splendid, sublime, and superb!
• Dhali: You forgot a superlative.
• Remiel: Oh! It is also very shiny!
• P’Sua: That is quite a sight!
• Paratus: It took incredible amounts of work to get it running again. Now I am hoping it’ll all be worth it.
• Wulf: I can see a place for the crystal in the central apparatus.
• Paratus: Place the Focusing Crystal there, and then we can adjust it.
• Wulf: Although you were more careful with the calculations this time, the Focusing Crystal was made in a different environment. It has expanded and shrunk according to temperature, so it needs adjusting.
• Paratus: That is correct. The first crystal could not be adjusted enough.

I placed the Focusing Crystal into the cradle made for it. Beams of light then pointed to different parts of the dome.

• P’Sua: Have I got this right? Somehow, this machine will use visible light to show you where powerful artefacts are.
• Paratus: Yes. We had to convert whatever the apparatus detected into something our brains could interpret.
• P’Sua: And due to its expansion and contraction during transport. We must expand and contract the Focusing Crystal to work in this environment.
• Paratus: Yes. Use simple Destruction spells to heat and cool the Focusing Crystal to adjust the focus. You will know it is focused when the light beams hit specific lenses along the wall. Being from the College, I assume one of you knows the spells already. If your training is even more substandard than I have heard, there are a few basic tomes up the ramp.
• Wulf: Paratus, I am a Master in all five Schools of Magicka. The Psijic Order also trained me. However, I did not train at The College of Winterhold, although many of The Dragonguard did. They are also Masters of all five Schools of Magicka. Please, stop speaking through your arse.
• Paratus: I…ah…
• Wulf: Now, let me figure out this machine, so I know what I am doing. Your instructions were as vague as your parentage.
• Paratus: Oh…um…
• Wulf: The control panel has three buttons. Am I correct?
• Paratus: Yes.
• Wulf: The buttons are used to rotate the three concentric circles. Each circle has a single lens.
• Paratus: Yes.
• Shiva: Oh, I see the problem. The beams will not hit the lenses.
• Wulf: Now, logically, I do not have to heat the Focusing Crystal.
• P’Sua: That is because it was made somewhere warmer. It needs to be adjusted for Skyrim’s cold.
• Wulf: That is correct, P’Sua. Perhaps you should have become a mage?
• P’Sua: Nah, it is more fun hitting things.
• Wulf: I will use the first Word of the Ice Form Shout. It is more precise than any spell.

Three Shouts later, the focus was correct.

I then pushed the buttons to rotate each concentric circle till the light beam struck their lenses.

Paratus exclaimed, “Years of work will finally pay off!”

We followed him to a projection of Tamriel.

• Paratus: What is this? These results… They are not at all what they should be. This projection should be lit up like the night sky. Something is creating an incredible amount of interference.
• Wulf: What I see is extremely useful to us.
• Paratus: What are you playing at? Is this some attempt to stall my work?!
• P’Sua: What is the Synod turd going on about this time?
• Khao: Many little dots should cover Tamriel’s map. Each dot would indicate the location of a magical artefact.
• P’Sua: No wonder he is throwing a tantrum! Quick, find his dummy! He cannot have spat it too far.
• Paratus: Did you know what we were attempting? Are you here to ensure your plan worked and that our efforts will have been for nothing?

I had enough and let my Dovah clarify the situation. My Thu’um shook the foundations of Mzulft.

“LISTEN, YOU FUCKING MORON! IF I WANTED TO WASTE YOUR EFFORTS, I WOULD ARREST YOU FOR TRYING TO STEAL SKYRIM’S RELICS!”

Paratus and Remiel flinched. The others laughed as they had seen the signs of my Dovah emerging and were prepared.

• Dhali: Your Dovah has had his say, Wulf.
• Wulf: He is content.
• Remiel: Ahh, that was a teeny bit scary.
• Wulf: Paratus, do you have written permission to undertake archaeological digs in Skyrim?
• Paratus: No.
• Wulf: The Synod’s charter and that of The College of Whispers state explicitly that permission must be sought for each site within The Empire. As Thane of this Hold, I can arrest you and confiscate all you possess.

Kirsta, the Synod scribe, came running up the platform. Dhali told her, “It is alright, Kirsta. Nobody is going to harm Paratus.”

Kirsta mumbled, “That is a pity!” then left us.

• Wulf: Paratus, I told you before that we are here risking our lives to save Nirn again. I care not for the greed of the Synod. If I did, I would make this room crumble around your ears. If you shut your whiney little mouth and listen, I will explain why this machine shows what it is!
• Paratus: Alright. I will listen.
• Wulf: From what I can see, only two objects were detected.
• Paratus: Yes, one is in your college. The other appears to be in Labyrinthian.
• Wulf: The artefact in Winterhold holds an enormous amount of Magicka and was made by Lord Magnus. It is called ‘The Eye of Magus.’ That artefact endangers Nirn, if not all, of Mundus. I am looking for a way to end that danger. What I need is The Staff of Magnus.
• Paratus: But why would The Staff of Magnus appear almost as bright on the map?
• Wulf: It is responding to The Eye.
• Khao: So, the enormous amounts of Magicka emitted by those two artefacts have masked all lesser relics. Their Magicka emissions are of a magnitude this apparatus was not designed to handle
• Wulf: That is the logical conclusion.
• Paratus: It still means this apparatus is useless as those two artefacts stop the detection of others.
• Wulf: I do not know the solution to The Eye except The Staff of Magus is required. It may be that they will no longer be able to project so much Magicka when we have finished.
• Dhali: If we do not solve The Eye, you will not be alive to worry about this machine.
• Paratus: Then I wish you all the best and apologise for my…
• P’Sua: Stupidity?
• Remiel: Arrogance?
• Shiva: Rudeness?
• Paratus: All of those.
• Wulf: Report what you want to the Council. Unlike the Synod, The College of Winterhold does not hide knowledge or hoard it for the elite.
• Dhali: Think about how you approached the College. Was it what you enquired about or how you asked?
• Wulf: A warning. We are going to Labyrinthian to retrieve The Staff of Magus. If the Synod tries to get to it before us, I will kill every member I see. Understand?
• Paratus: Understood.
• Wulf: You have done exceptional work here. It is too bad that such skills are not used to benefit everyone. Do not remove artefacts or conduct a dig at any other site in Skyrim without permission.
• P’Sua: You should visit Lord Welkynd’s museum in Solitude. You can drool at the thousands of artefacts that will never fall into the Synod’s hands!
• Paratus: Are all Khajiiti so vindictive?
• P’Sua: Why ask me about Khajiiti? I am Ka’Po’Tun, as are my comrades.
• Paratus: Oh. Well, turn right halfway along the corridor. Your key will unlock the door to the exit, but you will have to climb down a cliff once outside.
• Wulf: No, Paratus, we shall use teleportation to travel.
• Paratus: Teleportation?
• Khao: Don’t they teach that at Synod’s college? Your training is even more sub-standard than what I have heard.

We laughed out loud as we left the spluttering idiot.

As we walked, we chatted.

• Wulf: We are only going to the exit in case it provides another entry if we want to revisit.
• Remiel: Oh, that is why we didn’t immediately teleport to the College.
• Wulf: If that apparatus showed The Summerset Isles, another white blob would have been seen.
• Khao: The splinter’s Eye.
• Remiel: Is there another Eye of Magnus?
• Wulf: There may be many of them. Do you know what Dragon Breaks are?
• Remiel: Yes.
• Wulf: Duplicates can appear during Dragon Breaks. Currently, we know of two Eyes of Magnus. There could be more.
• Remiel: So even if you fix the problem with The Eye in the College, danger might still exist.
• Wulf: Yes. But this is unprecedented. We have no historical incident to predicate an outcome except when Multiple Numidium appeared during The Warp in the West. When Jills, female dragons, repaired the timeline, only one Numidium remained.
• Remiel: This is…ah…
• Wulf: Lord Talos described it as the gobblygookiest thing ever.
• Remiel: Gobblygookiest?
• Dhali: That is a word invented by Wulf’s mistress.
• Remiel: Mistress?
• Dhali: She Who Must Be Obeyed.
• Remiel: Is she a goddess?
• Wulf: She is Countess Rigmor Ragnarsdottier of Bruma. She is my fiancé, and our relationship is one of the most important secrets.
• Remiel: Will I get to meet her?
• Wulf: Yes, of course. She often travels with us. Recently, she accompanied me for a fun stroll through Oblivion.
• Remiel: Is she a mage?
• Wulf: She is a petite eighteen-year-old Nord no bigger than you. However, she can cleave enemies in two with her greatsword.
• Dhali: Rigmor is adorable, and you will learn to love her, as all who spend time with her inevitably do.
• Remiel: I do not think I could even lift a greatsword.
• Shiva: After my training, you will dual-wield katana with equal lethality. However, we tend to disembowel and decapitate rather than chop people in half.
• Remiel: That does not sound any less messy.

Everybody else froze when close to the exit door as a Time Stop spell enveloped us.

Nerien emerged from the ether.

• Wulf: I wish you idiots would stop isolating my companions from our discussions!
• Nerien: Write a written complaint and submit it in triplicate. But first, you must return to The College of Winterhold at once.
• Wulf: That was my plan, but if we are to do so at reckless speed, give me a reason.
• Nerien: Ancano has opened The Eye.
• Wulf: Has anybody been hurt?
• Nerien: Not yet.
• Wulf: He will cause the catastrophe whose aftermath I must deal with.

Nerien said nothing as he faded, and Time Stop ended.

The Dragonguard started to ask questions, but I put my hand up for silence.

• Wulf: You all experienced a Time Stop. Nerien, one of my Psijic friends, needed to speak to me.
• Khao: What did the Master of Arrogance have to say?
• Wulf: Ancano has opened The Eye.
• Dhali: He has control of all that power?
• Wulf: More than likely, it has control of him. I am positive it has some intelligence.
• Khao: We think The Eye will control a weak mage as a form of protection against more competent ones.
• Wulf: Due to my unique combination of talents and heritage, I might be able to control Creatia if given time to study it. Any powerful mage would become a hazard simply by drawing upon the limitless Magicka reserves.
• Remiel: The danger is in The Eye acting upon a perceived threat.
• Khao: That is very astute of you, Remiel.
• Remiel: You must develop some deductive skills to survive Dwemer ruins.
• P’Sua: What if the Eye wants you to bring the Staff of Magnus to it?
• Wulf: That is a valid worry, but we must proceed with its retrieval as there is no evidence.
• P’Sua: Are we going to Labyrinthian then?
• Wulf: Eventually. However, Nerien advised me that I must immediately go to the college.
• Khao:  It may not be advisable to teleport close to The Eye.
• Wulf: It is not. That is why we shall teleport to Winterhold’s Stables and approach the College from there. And Remiel, you no longer have to touch my shoulder.
• Khao: Wulf is familiar enough with you that it has become unnecessary.
• Wulf: It also means I can summon you. We shall discuss that later.

We came out of the ether and slowly approached the bridge.

• Wulf: Stop. Here is as far as you go.
• Remiel: Why?
• Wulf: Any protections The Eye employs will likely affect a large area. I shall take the risk. You lot will guard the bridge.
• Remiel: But…
• Dhali: Remiel, you have been given no time to learn the rules of being a Dragonguard. One of them is this. Wulf will decide who accompanies him and where. Although we do not like him entering danger alone, we must respect his decision.
• Remiel: Okay.
• Wulf: If I need assistance, Khao, I will summon you. Teleport the squad to the entrance of the College, not inside.
• Khao: You must put your hand on my shoulder, Remiel, if we are to teleport.

An Altmer mage approached the bridge. I intercepted him.

“Mage Nelanil, entrance to the College is currently forbidden. I ask that you help The Dragonguard prevent others from crossing the bridge.”

“Has somebody done something to The Eye?”

“Yes, and I think you might be able to guess who that may be.”

“That fool, Ancano!”

“Yes. Now, I shall also ask the city guard to assist.”

I approached a Legionnaire who saluted. It was good he recognised who I was.

“What is your name?”

“Stoman Mojarkesen, Thane Welkynd.”

“Legionnaire Stoman, there is a problem within the College. Nobody is to be allowed to cross the bridge.”

“I will not ask what kind of problem, Thane, as it would probably only confuse me. I shall gather the other on-duty guards and protect the bridge. Should I inform the Jarl?”

“No. The Jarl is safer inside and would insist on being outside if informed.”

“That is a wise choice, Thane.”

I saw no mages or staff within the College’s grounds.

I entered and saw Savos and Mirabelle staring at a magical barrier. It blocked the entrance to The Hall of Elements.

I Shouted Dragon Aspect and was instantly protected by potent wards. I then approached the barrier.

• Mirabelle: We hoped you would return, Master Wulf. As you can see, we have this barrier before us. It is like a ward but far more robust. But who is casting it, and how?
• Wulf: The Eye has erected the barrier. It is similar but more substantial than the barrier in Saarthal. The Eye now protects Ancano. We must be careful and display no danger to The Eye or Ancano.
• Savos: I do not care what it is. I want it down now! I want to know what Ancano’s doing in there!
• Wulf: A Psijic visited me. He said that Ancano had opened The Eye. But I doubt that Ancano can control The Eye. We believe The Eye has chosen Ancano to guard against more powerful mages like ourselves.
• Mirabelle: While The Eye controls Ancano, no stronger mage can use it. It is a logical conclusion.
• Savos: I do not know what he is doing, but he will not get away with it!
• Wulf: Arch-Mage, you must think clearly. If Ancano could control the power, we would all be dead. He would not be hiding behind a barrier!
• Savos: Did you find The Staff of Magnus?
• Wulf: No, but I know where it is.
• Mirabelle: That is a concern for later. Right now, we must get through this barrier.
• Savos: We need to see what Ancano is doing.
• Wulf: This barrier is different. I think The Eye has adapted. Electricity alone will not bring this barrier down. If we make a sustained attack with all three elements, we may bring it down.
• Savos: I will have his head for this, I assure you.
• Wulf: Arch-Mage, you may be powerless against him. Let us see what he is doing and plan from there.
• Savos: Okay, I will do the electricity. It has always been my strongest.
• Mirabelle: Ice is my favourite.
• Wulf: Fire for me, then. Ready?
• Savos: Yes.
• Mirabelle: Yes.
• Wulf: Then give it all you have!

The power of our combined Destruction magic was immense. No living creature could have survived such an onslaught for more than a split second.

However, the barrier absorbed about thirty seconds of tremendous energy before it started to falter.

As soon as it dropped, the Arch-Mage sprinted towards Ancano.

I used my Thu’um in desperation.

“ARCH-MAGE, DO NOT GET ANY CLOSER! DO NOT THREATEN ANCANO!”

Savos came to a halt and then yelled, “Ancano! Stop this at once! I command you!”

I said, “He is not in control. He could not stop if he wanted to.”

The Arch-Mage started walking toward Ancano again with his dagger drawn and spell prepared.

Mirabelle yelled, “Don’t go near him!”

I was about to drag Savos away when a wave of pure energy hit me.

There was no explosion, but it was like being struck by a club wielded by a god!

I flew backwards, and I doubt I would have survived if I did not have the extra protection of Dragon Aspect.

I groggily got to my feet and waited for my eyes to focus.

The Eye had raised a new, far more substantial barrier but of lesser size. It encircled it and Ancano. The Thalmor Wizard no longer had energy flowing from The Eye to him. He stood still and stared at The Eye.

I walked over to Mirabelle, who had been further from The Eye. She survived but was severely injured.

I cast Grand Healing, then helped her to her feet.

Mirabelle explained, “That was not pleasant. I got my ward up just in time, but I think most of my ribs were snapped like kindling.”

“You will be fatigued, but okay now.”

“Ancano is doing something with that thing… The Eye. We cannot stop him!”

“I honestly do not think Ancano is in control. He spoke to the Augur of Dunlain. He then learned how to open The Eye. I think any spell cast towards it would have sufficed. However, Ancano does not have the knowledge to use it. It is using him. If a lesser mage is connected to The Eye, more powerful mages cannot use it.”

“Yes, you said that if he could control it, we would all be dead.”

“I do not think The Eye intended to kill us. The energy that hit us resulted from the new barrier being erected.”

“The centre of the pulse was The Eye and not Ancano.”

“I cannot see the Arch-Mage.”

“He may have staggered outside. Please, Master Wulf, see to him. When he is okay, return so we can plan our next steps.”

“Sit down and do not approach The Eye or try to speak to Ancano.”

“He was banned from The Hall of Elements. He used an Invisibility Potion to avoid detection.”

“He is a fool and endangers every mortal.”

“Please, find Savos.”

Savos was not in the entrance hall, so I went outside.

A group of Senior mages stood around with a look of confusion and loss. Savos’ corpse lay spreadeagled between them.

I summoned The Dragonguard.

I told them, “It seems the Arch-Mage has been killed. I shall speak to Tolfdir.”

I knelt and studied Savos. There were no visible injuries, although I had no doubt his insides would be pulverised.

I moved to where Tolfdir awaited me.

• Tolfdir: Are you hurt? What happened?
• Wulf: I am unharmed. Mirabelle suffered a few broken bones, but I have healed her.
• Tolfdir: Ancano interacted with The Eye, and then that barrier appeared.
• Wulf: Ancano has opened The Eye, but I do not think he is in control.
• Tolfdir: The Eye is using him as a guard against stronger mages.
• Khao: That is the theory we discussed, and it seems accurate.
• Wulf: Is everybody out here all right?
• Tolfdir: Yes, apart from shock and great sadness. The Arch-Mage appeared out of thin air and then crashed ten feet to the ground.
• Wulf: I think the energy released made Savos Ethereally Shift.
• Khao: Like what you call Blinking.
• Wulf: Yes. He did not crash through walls and was probably already dead from internal injuries before exiting the ethereal plane.

Faralda shouted, “Something is happening in Winterhold!”

Tolfdir said, “I will do what I can here. Go now. Go!”

The Dragonguard and I ran to Faralda.

• Faralda: What is going on? What happened?
• Wulf: Despite all our warnings, Ancano interacted with The Eye. It raised a barrier, and the energy expended killed the Arch-Mage.
• Faralda: Oh, no! No, no, no!
• Wulf: Pull yourself together, Master Faralda. You can mourn later. Right now, you need to join us in helping Winterhold!
• Faralda: Yes, let us get down there. We must do something.
• Arniel: Do we have to? They would never lift a finger to help us.
• Wulf: You have a choice, Master Arniel. You run toward Winterhold to help its innocent civilians, or I will toss you into the sea.
• Arniel: Ah… let us go!

I easily outdistanced the others and discovered beings, the like of which I had never encountered before, were attacking everybody outdoors.

It was a short battle, and we destroyed the magical constructs without any casualties among guards, mages, or citizens.

We rushed to The Hall of the Elements.

Mirabelle was still on her feet. Even after the healing I gave her, that was a surprise.

• Mirabelle: Well, did you find the Arch-Mage?
• Wulf: I am sorry, Master Mirabelle, but the Arch-Mage is dead.
• Mirabelle: As much as I want to curl up and weep, I cannot yet.
• Wulf: Magus’s Staff is in Labyrinthian. We shall head there straight away.
• Mirabelle: Are you… are you sure that it is there?
• Wulf: I cannot be one hundred per cent certain.
• Mirabelle: That cannot be a coincidence.
• Khao: What isn’t a coincidence?
• Mirabelle: The Arch-Mage. He… he gave me something just a little while ago. He told me it was from Labyrinthian and that I would know what to do with it when the time came.

Mirabelle handed me what looked like a torc. It had no detectable dweomer.

• Mirabelle: There was something very personal about it for him.
• Wulf: I have my suspicions. However, I will keep them to myself till proven.
• Khao: We will bring back The Staff of Magus. We will not let Ancano’s foolishness cause any more deaths!
• Mirabelle: Go with all speed. Tolfdir and I will do what we can. But both of us do not add up to one Savos Aren.
• Wulf: Move everybody as far away from The Eye as possible. It may try to expand its barrier.
• Mirabelle: We shall do so.

Remiel looked sad.

I told her, “This has been a chaotic and sad introduction to the life of a Dragonguard.”

“I was told you were recovering from an injury, yet you are determined to go to Labyrinthian.

“Do you feel fatigued?”

“This is the most exercise I have had in years, yet I am not tired.”

“The Dweomer on your armour reduces the energy your body uses. I am not entirely fit, but it was a wound to my soul and not my body. I can keep going, and since time is of the essence, I have no choice.”

“What has been confirmed is my desire to help people. That is why I want to come with you to Labyrinthian.”

“I have no idea what part of Labyrinthian we must enter. If it is Shalidor’s Maze, you and others will be left at its entrance.”

“So, I can come with you?”

“Yes, Remiel. But I warn you, there is nothing remotely Dwemer like in Labyrinthian.”

Just then, Rigmor contacted me via Mara’s Rings.

“Wulf, it is a new day, and I no longer avoid reality. Please, what has made you so sad.”

“The Arch-Mage is dead. And I feel like I have been manipulated into letting it happen.”