Tirdas, 16^th Evening Star, 4E 201

& Middas, 17^th Evening Star, 4E 201

Dhali recognised I was talking to Rigmor and whispered to Remiel. The Dwemechanic was fascinated by magic that she could not see or sense, and she stared at me.

Rigmor asked, “Well, were you manipulated?”

“Yes. The Psijics knew that Savos would die but wanted me to perform set steps to achieve the outcome they had scried.”

“Could you have prevented his death?”

“Yes, I could have had the Thalmor spy, Ancano, removed from the College. We had enough information within the dossiers and other correspondence I borrowed from their embassy. He was here under false pretences and not what was agreed to in The White-Gold Concordat.”

“The Dominion know it was you that night, so using what you retrieved would not be a revelation.”

“I am wracked with doubt, Rigmor. Would saving Savos have made the situation worse? Our Quiet via Mara’s Rings is not enough to quell it.”

“What do you have to do now?”

“Visit some ancient ruins called Labyrinthian and retrieve a relic named The Staff of Magnus.”

“Then I am coming with you! There are no ifs, buts, or maybes. The Countess has spoken!”

“I thought you were Dragonguard Lydeke Stone.”

“Wulf!”

“Okay, I can see that the Ka’Po’Tun are exhausted, so I might as well change the squad.”

“What about you?”

“You know, via the rings.”

“Okay, you are exhausted, but you can’t rest until the danger to others is resolved.”

“You being by my side will help, Rigmor. Don your armour, and we shall be there soon. Celestine and Lydia will accompany us.”

“Ahh, that is three Dragonguard. Who is the fourth squad member?”

“Reniel, our Dwemechanic.”

“Okay, I am already in my armour. I was going to do some sparring with a few guards. Olette planned to watch and learn.”

“Great father I have turned out to be.”

“Wulf, she understands.”

“Yes, I know. The melancholy is bad, my beloved.”

“Well then, hurry here!”

I looked at my friends, and they were weary.

• Wulf: Okay, it is time to change the squad.
• Khao: We are not going to protest, Wulf. You have not set a leisurely pace.
• Remiel: Does that include me?
• Wulf: You are doing okay, Remiel. You can come to Labyrinthian.
• P’Sua: When the fatigue hits, it is brutal.
• Remiel: I can see that. You all look exhausted.
• Shiva: So, P’Sua, are you too tired to raid the kitchen?
• P’Sua: Ahh…no….

We teleported into Aurane, and Remiel whistled in admiration.

I asked Khao, “Please tell Celestine and Lydia to meet Rigmor and Remiel in the Lord’s quarters. I will summon the squad from Morthal.”

Remiel’s head swivelled from side to side as I led her to the Lord’s private quarters.

Rigmor had just finished breakfast with the children and stood to greet Remiel.

• Wulf: Remiel, this is my fiancé, Countess Rigmor Ragnarsdottier of Bruma and Renaro.
• Reniel: You do carry a greatsword!
• Wulf: Rigmor, this is Remiel Charoud, Dwemechanic of Wayrest.
• Rigmor: Having somebody shorter than me in the squad is good!
• Wulf: Rigmor, please show Remiel the bathing facilities and the privy. Traversing Labyrinthian may take many hours. When the other ladies arrive, I will teleport to Morthal and summon the squad.
• Rigmor: Oh, is this practice for Remiel?
• Wulf: Yes, she had never been summoned before.
• Rigmor: Come, Remiel. I must warn you the gold privy is rather cold.
• Remiel: Gold?
• Wulf: It is marble with gold flecks!
• Rigmor: It is still cold on the bottom, though.
• Remiel: I am sure it is more comfortable than squatting in an ancient tomb.
• Rigmor: If others were more considerate and went before they left, the Draugr would be less grumpy.

Remiel giggled, and they chatted as they headed for the facilities. A few seconds later, Remiel gasped, quickly glanced in my direction, and then away again. I question if it is wise to have four women in the squad.

Ten minutes later, the other ladies arrived. I waited for Remiel and Rigmor to return and then teleported into Morthal.

After emerging from the ether, I summoned the squad.

• Wulf: Dragonguard Remiel Charoud of Wayrest, I am honoured to introduce Princess Celestine Lagadec of Camlorn.
• Remiel: The missing princess!
• Celestine: I am not missing! I have not bothered telling the nobility where I am.
• Wulf: I am surprised you have heard of Celestine. She fled High Rock decades before you were born.
• Remiel: The story of Celestine is whispered amongst young maidens destined for arranged marriages. If she can flee one of the largest noble houses, why can’t we escape our humbler families?
• Celestine: Were you betrothed to a stranger, Remiel?
• Remiel: Yes. I shall tell you the sad story as we walk.
• Wulf: The lady whose life ambition is to carry my burdens is Dragonguard Lydia Ulrandottier of Whiterun.
• Remiel: You travelled with Wulf to Sovngarde to fight Alduin. So did Celestine.
• Lydia: Fighting beside my friends and the Ancient Tongues was a privilege.
• Wulf: You did not hesitate to accept my summons, Remiel.
• Remiel: Lydeke explained the process. I might have been hesitant, except you have already zapped me all over the place.
• Wulf: Lydeke, please stop corrupting everybody with your weird colloquialisms. There is no zipping or zapping.
• Rigmor: Remiel, Wulf has yet to complete his obedience training. Celestine has been offering expert advice on the process.
• Wulf: Yes, Wulf, it was a mistake bringing four women.

Light snow was falling as we started our trek towards Labyrinthian.

• Remiel: May I ask, Celestine, why you and Vayu have not married? Wulf told me you are his fiancé, but I never asked Vayu about you.
• Wulf: Did he intimidate you?
• Remiel: Yes, but I understand he was doing what was required. His Amulet of Dibella calmed me somewhat. When he smiled at the end, it was like a different person faced me.
• Rigmor: Vayu is a big softy, like The Dragonbum.
• Celestine: I do not think I have ever seen Vayu lose his temper!
• Wulf: Oh, like my fiancé never loses hers.
• Rigmor: On behalf of your fiancé, I invite you to get stuffed.
• Celestine: Remiel, in the Kingdom of Camlorn, the marriage is not recognised unless the bride’s father has given his blessing. If he is dead, then the next closest blood relative male needs to bless the union. I want my father to recognise our marriage as legitimate before taking the vows. Vayu understands.
• Remiel: How many steps from the crown are you?
• Celestine: To appease The Imperial Empire, Camlorn no longer has a king or queen. It has a Count or Countess. A crown is still worn, but at least a dozen cousins must die before I became Countess.
• Wulf: Are you ready to tell us your story, Remiel?
• Remiel: Yes, but please, let me compose myself.
• Wulf: Okay, but remember, these ladies know nothing of your story.
• Remiel: Then I shall start from the beginning.

Remiel was silent for some time. We allowed her to gather her thoughts and courage. When she resumed, it was like a confession.

• Remiel: We lived in the city of Wayrest. My mother is an artist and made a good income selling her works. My stepfather is a merchant. He made quite a fortune trading in Sentinel in Hammerfell. He accumulated enough wealth and prestige to attract an aristocratic family’s attention. They were highborn, rich, and had considerable influence over the ruling council.
• Celestine: What is their name?
• Remiel: Riscel. They are related by marriage to the Gardner Dynasty.
• Wulf: That would be a very distant relationship if proven. The Garner Dynasty ended in the Second Era, during the Interregnum. Knahaten Flu took most senior members before that.
• Remiel: Smartarse.
• Rigmor: He is that, Remiel. So, Smartarse, what was unique about the Gardner Dynasty?
• Wulf: They ruled Wayrest from 1E 1100 until the Interregnum. That is a long time!
• Remiel: The Gardner family are heroes to Wayrest citizens. It was a distant relationship and hard to prove since many records were destroyed in 4E 188 by the ransacking corsairs. The Riscel family also claimed to have rebelled against the Direnni in the 1^st Era. However, despite the inability to provide proof of these claims, the Riscels are a noble family of some standing. Many Bretons regard the Riscels as heroes. Therefore, Stepfather was keen to trade me to the heir to their fortune and possible future king of Wayrest, Morvic Riscel.
• Celestine: I have never heard of them. But each kingdom of High Rock has its own set of heroes.
• Remiel: Wulf is a hero in every province.
• Lydia: Celestine had expressed her feelings about being a commodity to be traded. How did you cope?
• Remiel: I was taught it was my duty. It would have set Stepfather up for life. His mercantilism would have been renowned. I accepted it out of love for my parents.
• Lydia: But they were already wealthy! I am sorry, but I cannot accept noble foolishness.
• Celestine: Many young women cannot but are trapped with few resources to rebel against an arranged marriage.
• Rigmor: You call him stepfather. What happened to your birth father?
• Remiel: He was a fisherman and was lost at sea when I was a wobbly infant learning to walk. I do not remember him well, and although Mother loved him and still misses him, she remarried a couple of years later.
• Rigmor: Being a widow with a young child must have been difficult.
• Remiel: Yes, and she loves my stepfather, but Father was her soulmate. Speaking of souls, that is where our downward spiral began. You see, Father was not so lost at sea since Necromancers found his corpse and raised it. Stepfather’s business rivals somehow learned of that fact and used it to start damaging rumours. The accusation was that we were to blame for not Consecrating my father’s body.
• Rigmor: I have seen Wulf conduct Arkay’s Rights several times. However, the deceased place of death was known, even if their corpse was no longer visible. So, how was your father supposed to be Consecrated when you had no idea where his body was or where he died?
• Celestine: Rumours, not logic or facts, are the tools of High Rock politics. You do not have to have done something wrong. Just become suspected of doing something wrong.
• Remiel: It is all about appearance. You do not have to prove the good things, such as claiming a connection to the Gardner Dynasty or opposing the Direnni Hedgemon. Similarly, accusers do not have to prove the alleged bad things.
• Rigmor: So, your family was accused of the impossible, which is Consecrating a missing corpse.
• Remiel: Specifically, the accusation was we had abandoned Arkay’s teachings by not doing the impossible. By extension, we were heathen who had abandoned The Eight.
• Wulf: Saint Alessia’s pantheon is not the standard religion of High Rock. The Bretony Pantheon contains twelve gods, including some that are not Aedra.
• Celestine: It is trendy amongst the elite to claim The Eight as their religion.
• Wulf: Apologies for my interruption, Remiel. Please continue.
• Remiel: I have a feeling your anger will grow. Because of the persistent rumours and the fact they rely on funding from the accusers, The Temple of Akatosh had The Order of the Hour investigate us. As part of my scholarly research, I owned several books on The Heart of Lorkhan and The Numidium. Those books were used as evidence of our sinful tendencies.

I stopped moving and clenched my fists as rage surfaced, and my Dovah fought for attention. Rigmor walked over and whispered, “You have every right to be angry, but let Remiel finish her story. Then you can decide what to do.”

I shook my head, and Our Quiet helped me push my Dovah back into the recesses of my mind.

• Wulf: I have never heard anything so stupid. I guarantee every single library in The Empire has the books you own. But I am applying logic to the illogical rumour-mongering of politics.
• Lydia: Aren’t Lorkhan and Shor the same god?
• Remiel: Sheor is our name for Lorkhan or Shor in High Rock. He is also known as the ‘Bad Man.’
• Wulf: Sheor was regarded as the cause of all strife, including crop failures. However, it is commonly understood that those accusations were demonisation of Shor by Mer elements within Breton culture. You would hope the clergy of The Temple of Akatosh and leaders within The Order of the Hour would know that fact. Like Magnus, one of the twelve gods of the Bretony Pantheon, Sheor is not a Daedra but an et-Ada who did not become Aedra.
• Remiel: The Knights and Temple found us innocent of wrongdoing. However, the scandal of being investigated ruined my father’s trade business. Eventually, we fell into poverty and purchased a humble property in the less affluent part of Wayrest.
• Wulf: Is that why your fascination with The Dwemer went from scholarly to mercenary?
• Remiel: Yes, I wanted to supplement the family’s income. After all, it was my fault.
• Rigmor: Sorry, but I fail to see the logic in blaming yourself.
• Remiel: My books were regarded as proof of our heresy despite religious leaders declaring us innocent.
• Rigmor: We must sit and talk about this, Remiel. You are not to blame! The political games of High Rock and its players are the guilty parties!
• Celestine: You did nothing wrong by owning those books. Your family had no way of Consecrating your father. You know these things, but logic does not always trump misplaced guilt. I do not doubt Wulf feels guilty about the Arch Mage’s death.
• Rigmor: Yep. That is why I insisted I accompany Dragonbum to Labyrinthian.
• Lydia: Are your parents still impoverished?
• Remiel: No. Mother is great at keeping secrets and selling them. Stepfather is a shrewd negotiator in the buying and selling of stolen items. They would not be welcome in Wayrest, but they have a lovely property in Skaven.
• Wulf: Vayu accepted your parents’ new professions, and I will accept them. But I am warning you, Remiel, they had better not get involved in other activities to do with Skooma or slavery.
• Remiel: I cannot be held responsible for their crimes!
• Wulf: What I do not know will not bother me.
• Remiel: Oh…I understand.
• Rigmor: I assume the Riscel family were not impressed by the accusations and economic downfall.
• Remiel: The engagement was soon called off. Morvic was also investigated due to his engagement with me, which may have denied him his chance of becoming King of Wayrest.
• Wulf: Does he hold a grudge?
• Remiel: Honestly, I do not know. We hardly spoke even after announcing the engagement and not since the accusations started.
• Lydia: He would be a fool to try and hurt you, Remiel. You are now one of us.
• Wulf: Okay, we need to start concentrating on our journey.
• Rigmor: Yeah, like somebody is going to surprise us.
• Lydia: They have before, Rigmor.
• Rigmor: Shush, you are not supposed to side with Dragonbum.

A while later, Labyrinthian came into view.

• Rigmor: Are we there already?
• Wulf: Not really. We will have to walk around the perimeter to find one of the entrances to the complex. Then we must figure out which of the many buildings we should enter.
• Remiel: What are the different buildings?
• Wulf: One is a labyrinth, hence the name of the complex. It is a maze that all Arch-Mages of the College had to survive before taking office. Your crossbow would not do you much good if you ever entered it. It was meant to test prowess in the different Schools of Magicka.
• Celestine: They do not use it any more. I do not think Savos had to do the test.
• Rigmor: Is there a main building?
• Wulf: Yes. When in use, the complex was a city called Bromjunaar. It was the capital of Skyrim when The Dragon Cult ruled. The main building leads to the ruins of that city. The whole place was abandoned when mortals won The Dragon War.
• Celestine: Can we expect to encounter a Dragon Priest?
• Wulf: I know there is, or was one, called Morokei, interred here. There may be others, but none as powerful as him.
• Remiel: Is there much treasure?
• Wulf: One of the most sought-after treasures on Nirn is supposed to be somewhere in the complex. It is called Glamoril, and like Magnus’ Staff, it is hard to differentiate its actual capabilities from hyperbole. Shalidor, probably the most powerful mortal mage in history, became obsessed with its creation and even made a deal with Sheogorath to gain the needed knowledge. It is unknown if he ever completed it and what it is. It might not be a physical object at all but a dweomer.
• Lydia: I wonder how many mages have died in pursuing Glamoril?

We had to walk a fair distance around the perimeter and climb many stairs before we reached one of the two unblocked entrances to Labyrinthian. The other one is almost directly across, and although the road through the complex provides a significant shortcut for traders and pilgrims, very few groups dare to risk the many hazards. Wisely, most walk or ride the long way around.

We could hear the confrontation well before we saw it. A pack of wolves was losing badly to a family of trolls. Usually, they do not bother each other, but the trolls were enraged by arrows shot by distant Skeletal Warriors. They could not see the cause of their torment, and the wolves were convenient scapegoats.

The last wolf died, and the trolls started looking for something else to take their rage out on.

I said, “Kyne’s Peace will not work when they are enraged. I do not like killing them, but they will eventually attack us.”

A full-strength Unrelenting Force Shout killed the trolls. My Thu’um then travelled to the distant Skeletal Warriors, who also fell to its power.

The Shout echoed for several seconds.

• Remiel: That was amazing!
• Wulf: And a reminder not to run in front of me when enemies appear.
• Remiel: You could destroy entire armies. I thought that was a bit of an exaggeration.
• Rigmor: That Shout does not distinguish between foe, neutral and ally. Wulf would only use it if he knew no friendlies were engaged with or near the enemy.
• Remiel: What is Kyne’s Peace?
• Wulf: It is a blessing from Lady Kynareth. It prevents most animals from attacking us, and they will often fight beside us.
• Rigmor: Even without Kyne’s Peace, bears will not attack a group I am with. A little girl we rescued is safe from wolves. We were blessed with a lesser version of Kyne’s Peace.
• Lydia: I can see it on Remiel’s face. The realisation she is allied with abnormal people has struck.
• Rigmor: Hey, I am normal!
• Wulf: Says the petite woman who, by herself and without fancy armour or weapons, killed dozens of Thalmor in their Bruma embassy.
• Celestine: Not to mention she is the Celestial Daughter of Lady Azura.
• Wulf: She was even her champion for a few hours before I stole the position.
• Rigmor: You were dead, Wulf. You did not steal anything. Lady Azura gifted it to you.
• Lydia: Close your mouth, Remiel. Looking like a landed fish does not help make it easier to comprehend.
• Wulf: When you read my unredacted journals, you will learn that there are logical reasons for some of the gobblygook.
• Rigmor: Yeah, right. Pffft!
• Wulf: I noticed a ghostly figure standing near the top entrance when we first entered. Let me take a closer look.

Zoom-Vision showed the entity was not moving.

• Wulf: It is a spirit or projection standing near the highest entrance. Without any other clues about the entrance we need to use, we shall head for that one.
• Rigmor: Do you mean a ghost?
• Wulf: It might be. We will not know till we get closer.
• Lydia: Unless it is deaf, it will know we are here!
• Wulf: I will use my Thu’um to eliminate more skeletons as we go. Fighting on steep steps, even against weak foes, is always dodgy.

When we arrived at the top entrance, we came upon a projection of six mortals from a past event. One of them was a young Savos Aren. I put my hand up to forestall any questions. I knew they would become animated once I approached them and wanted to listen to their conversation. At first, I did not know all their names. They were gathered as we travelled through Labyrinthian.

• Savos: Come on, we are finally here! Let us not waste any more time!
• Takes-In-Light: Are we sure this is a good idea?
• Atmah: We will return to the College before anyone knows we are gone.
• Girduin: You would care about that since you are the Arch-Mage’s favourite!
• Savos: Do not forget, this whole idea was Atmah’s.
• Hafnar: No more yabbering. Let us get inside and see what is in there.

The scene faded, but before the ladies bombarded me with questions, the ghost of Savos manifested and then spoke to me.

“It would seem I am bound to this place. The bitter irony of it all… my greatest failure, and even in death, I cannot escape it.”

I asked, “Is this where we will find The Staff of Magus?”

There was no response. I do not think Savos had any intention other than to tell the story of what happened.

He continued, “I never meant for any of what happened here. I tried to seal it up and lock it away forever. But now it all comes out again…”

Savos’ ghost faded, and the questions began.

• Rigmor: Did you know there were going to be ghosts?
• Wulf: The first six were not ghosts. It was a projection of a past event. Some people call the phenomena a ‘psychic impression.’
• Celestine: When we traversed Avanchnzel, we saw a series of psychic impressions. A group of amateurs thought it was a good idea to search for Dwemer artefacts. Automatons killed all of them except an Argonian.
• Wulf: She had escaped with a Dwemer Lexicon supposedly filled with many of their secrets. She had gone insane and asked that I return the lexicon so her mind could recover.
• Remiel: Did you read the lexicon before returning it?
• Wulf: No. I thought it safer not to do so. You can read about it in my journals.
• Celestine: One of the projections was a younger Savos. The ghost is how he looked when he died.
• Wulf: He did not answer my question about the staff through choice.
• Remiel: How can we see things that happened in the past?
• Wulf: I have read several accounts of similar occurrences. Savos wants us to know the story. I think his ghost created the projection.
• Lydia: He seemed ashamed of this story.
• Wulf: Think of it as a deathbed confession.
• Rigmor: An after-death confession.
• Remiel: Do you think we will see more of these projections?
• Wulf: Logically, yes. We have only heard the beginning of the story.
• Lydia: I hope Savos does not appear out of thin air and yell, ‘Boo!’
• Rigmor: Are you wearing a pair of those nice undies we brought in Solitude?
• Lydia: Yep.
• Rigmor: It is the same here, and it would be terrible to stain them, so I also hope Savos behaves himself.
• Wulf: Did you buy some lovely negligee?
• Rigmor: You will have to wait and find out.
• Celestine: Ahem. We know we are in front of the correct entrance thanks to the projection. How do we get inside?
• Wulf: I have the key.

I held up the torc Mirabelle gave me, then walked to the large double doors. In the centre was a stylised head of the dragon.

• Wulf: Savos gave the torc to Mirabelle to pass onto me and said it had something to do with Labyrinthian.
• Celestine: Is that our way into the building?
• Wulf: Yes, and I know how to use it. I have seen knockers before!
• Rigmor: What has your breast fixation got to do with getting into Labyrinthian?
• Remiel: What have knockers got to do with breasts?
• Rigmor: Wulf comes from a small island, part of Roscrea. They have all sorts of weird words and colloquialisms.
• Wulf: If they are weird, why do you use them?
• Rigmor: Because.
• Wulf: Because what?
• Rigmor: Because I do not need a reason.
• Wulf: Anyway, these doors will not open. The knocker has a portal dweomer on it. Everybody, please gather close to ensure the dweomer teleports all of us.
• Remiel: Ahh, where will it teleport us to?
• Wulf: The other side of this door.
• Rigmor: What if you are wrong, and it teleports us a hundred feet into the air?
• Wulf: You will have a few seconds to scream or curse me.
• Remiel: I think I would manage both.
• Rigmor: As would I.
• Wulf: And I would cast Feather Fall and float gently down. Your screams and curses would fade into the distance.
• Rigmor: Wouldn’t you try to save me?
• Wulf: Only if you asked nicely and stopped calling me names.
• Celestine: Remiel, Wulf faced several gods in Oblivion to save Rigmor.
• Remiel: Yeah, I can see the strong bond created by their love.
• Lydia: It is a love celebrated by Lady Mara.

When I placed the torc with its open end near the dragon’s mouth, it automatically locked into place and could pivot.

I explained, “Three is the most common number of knocks to request entry in all civilisations. Now, gather close.”

When the ladies surrounded me, I knocked three times, and we were teleported inside the building.

• Rigmor: Do not look so smug, smartarse.
• Wulf: Lord Smartarse.
• Remiel: There are a lot of skeletons. Who were they?
• Wulf: Mortals who attacked Bromjunaar during The Dragon War.
• Remiel: Did they conquer it?
• Wulf: No. The city thrived till the dragon’s lost. Then, it was voluntarily abandoned.
• Rigmor: Will we be searching the entire city for the staff?
• Wulf: I doubt it. I think we follow the projections. Savos will be our guide.
• Remiel: Does Wulf always sound so positive that his gut feelings and intuition are correct?
• Rigmor: Yes, and he must be confident. Otherwise, he might get paralysed by indecision.
• Remiel: That makes sense.
• Lydia: Savour the moment. Something making sense is a rare occurrence.

As we approached the doors opposite the entrance, another projection appeared.

• Elvali: I cannot believe we are doing this.
• Savos: Can you imagine the looks on their faces when we come back?
• Hafnar: You keep talking like you are sure we will find something useful here.
• Girduin: Given the history of this place, it is more than likely there is still some power here.
• Savos: Enchanted weapons, tomes of ancient knowledge, Shalidor’s secrets themselves… who knows what we could find!
• Takes-In-Light: And what if… What if things are guarding this place?
• Atmah: Against six College-trained mages? I think we will be fine.

Savos’ ghost continued his narration.

“At first, it was Atmah’s idea to come here. She talked me into it, and I convinced the others. We were sure we would find it all here, hidden away from time: power, knowledge, and everything we did not want to wait for. We thought it would be so simple.”

Savos faded away.

• Celestine: Every Apprentice thinks they can learn quicker than the teacher’s pace. The smart ones realise that the senior mages only reached old age by being careful.
• Wulf: The need for patience is emphasised.
• Celestine: Many examples of what happened to impatient students are given. But you will still have the few who think they are better than the ones who perished. They convince themselves they will not make the same mistakes.
• Remiel: A harsh lesson was needed to convince Savos of that truth.
• Wulf: Unfortunately, the same thing happens to overconfident Dwemechanics.
• Remiel: Well, now I will traverse Dwemer ruins with the best protection imaginable.
• Celestine: Do not expect any enthusiasm from Lord Smartarse.
• Remiel: I know. I lost count of how many times he yawned as we walked through Mzulft.

We came to a short corridor that ended in a lowered portcullis with a lever to raise it. The portcullis barred access to a large cavern full of Skeletal Warriors.

• Lydia: That is a lot of skeletons!
• Wulf: There is something unusual about the entrance to the cavern. Any guesses?
• Celestine: It has a bit of a corridor before the portcullis.
• Wulf: It ensures that many people cannot quickly enter. Watch what happens.

I pulled the lever, and the portcullis was raised for only a few seconds before dropping back down.

• Wulf: Let us get in line close to the portcullis. Lydia will pull the lever, and we will rush in quickly.
• Lydia: I might not make it before it lowers.
• Wulf: I will summon anybody who does not make it.
• Rigmor: Why is the cavern so enormous?
• Wulf: I assume it once had an exit to the surface. The Dragon Cult built Bromjunaar.
• Rigmor: Oh, so scaly visitors would use this room.
• Wulf: That is my educated guess.

We lined up, and Lydia pulled the lever. We all made it into the cavern just as an undead dragon materialised.

I said, “Ladies, deal with the Skeletal Warriors. I will take care of Toothy.”

Dragonrend would not work on Toothy, as the Shout works by making a Dovah contemplate their mortality. To most dragons, that is such a foreign concept that their subconscious is overloaded, and they can no longer fly. An undead Dovah has had plenty of time to contemplate their mortality! Therefore, I attacked with my katana and quickly overwhelmed Toothy.

The Skeletal Warriors did not last long.

• Wulf: I did not absorb Toothy’s soul. It is bound elsewhere and not with his skeleton.
• Rigmor: Is it not a good thing you did not destroy his soul?
• Wulf: His fate may be worse.
• Celestine: Remiel, when Wulf kills a dragon, he absorbs their soul, which destroys it. The dragon ceases to exist in this and all future kalpa.
• Wulf: It is not voluntary, and The Divines cannot prevent it from happening.
• Rigmor: My Celestial Mother is Lady Azura. Wulf shares a Celestial Father with dragons.
• Remiel: Lord Akatosh.
• Rigmor: Yes, so in a way, dragons are his brothers.
• Remiel: Why did you call him Toothy?
• Wulf: Usually, I know the name of a dragon I fight. I needed him to have a name so I would not forget him.
• Remiel: That makes sense, I think.

We exited the large cavern and then listened to another projection.

• Elvali: We… we must go back. We cannot leave Girduin…
• Hafnar: We barely made it out alive, and you want to return?
• Atmah: It is too late. There is not enough of him left to go back in after.
• Takes-In-Light: Gods, what have we done?
• Savos: We cannot go back. We might as well go forward. We can still do this.
• Atmah: Savos is right. We can make it if we stay alert.

Savos’ ghost added, “Girduin died first. It happened so fast that none of us had a chance to react. One moment, we joked about what we would find below. The next, he had been ripped in half. And then we were all fighting to survive. None of us was prepared. It was amazing the rest of us survived. When it was over, Atmah, Hafnar, and I stared, pale-faced, at one another, unwilling to admit we had made a terrible mistake. We could have turned back. It could have ended there. But we kept going.”

• Remiel: I do not think turning back was an option.
• Lydia: They would have to run through the cavern with the undead dragon again.
• Celestine: The chances of at least one more being killed were very high. They did not know the odds of that happening if they kept going.
• Rigmor: I think everybody in the same situation would keep going.

In the centre of the room was a plinth with an inscription written in Dovahzul.

On the floor in front of the plinth was a torc. It was like the one I had used to gain entry. I picked it up and inspected it.

• Celestine: Is that the same torc?
• Wulf: I am one hundred per cent certain it is. It has scratches in the same place, and its patina is identical.
• Remiel: This one will say gobblygook. Do not try to explain.
• Lydia: It is obvious it teleported here when we teleported inside.
• Wulf: Celestine, is this the same Lydia that lives with us in Aurane?
• Celestine: It could be a doppelganger.
• Rigmor: Lydia, what is the yummiest food on Nirn?
• Lydia: My Apple Cabbage Stew.
• Celestine: It must be the real Lydia. Nobody else, even if ensorceled, would say that.
• Remiel: That sounds quite delicious.
• Wulf: Theory and reality are two different things.
• Lydia: Ignore them, Remiel. I shall make you some Apple Cabbage Stew, which you can judge.
• Wulf: Make sure to have a bucket handy and a fast route to the privy.
• Celestine: It might be advisable to have a Master of Restoration nearby.
• Remiel: You are just making me more determined to try some!
• Wulf: Just like the young mages who refuse to heed our warnings.

I read the inscription to The Sentinels,

• Hail All – Brave City Bromjunaar
• Forever These Walls Shall Stand
• May Enemies See Her Majesty
• May All Quake to Behold Her

We proceeded through another door and found ourselves heading down.

As we approached an ice-covered door, a deep and sinister voice spoke Dovahzul.

“Wo meyz wah dii vul junaar?”

All my Magicka was instantly drained. I looked at Celestine, and the shock on her face told me the same had happened to her.

• Wulf: That confirms we have a Dragon Priest somewhere in Bromjunaar.
• Celestine: My Magicka was stolen! I can cast spells to drain another mage’s Magicka, but they must be in sight. How could the Dragon Priest do it remotely?
• Wulf: He has The Staff of Magnus.
• Celestine: Oh, pooh!
• Rigmor: What did he say?
• Wulf: Who comes to my dark kingdom?
• Rigmor: Tell him we are just looking for a missing Sweetroll.
• Celestine: Wulf, the dweomer you put on my robes works very well. My Magicka reserve will soon be fully replenished.

I inspected the door and told my companions, “This icy doorway is like what you would find in the labyrinth. Only magic can unlock it. Draw your weapons. We do not know what will come through when I open it.”

Remiel said, “Ahh, is that a Draugr in the alcove?”

I looked and said, “Yeah, he will probably attack when I open the icy door.”

I killed the Draugr with Unrelenting Force.

We then returned to the icy door.

I cast Inferno at the door which opened. I then equipped my katana..

A spectre wearing ancient Nord armour appeared and then attacked. He was equipped with two axes.

As I hit him with my katana, Celestine zapped him with electricity.

Lydia jumped in front of me and landed the killing blow.

The spectre turned into a puddle of ectoplasm.

• Remiel: You are all so quick to react and work together like the parts of a machine.
• Rigmor: Their coordinated attacks are pretty impressive.
• Lydia: It is rare for me to get to hit something.
• Wulf: What do you mean? Do I not take you to places where we are attacked by dozens of enemies at once?
• Lydia: Yes, you are generous in allowing us to fight desperately for survival on many occasions.
• Celestine: Are you having second thoughts, Remiel?
• Remiel: More like third and fourth.

We walked through the door into a chasm with many connecting walkways patrolled by Draugr.

The Dragon Priest said, “Nivahriin muz fent siiv nid aaz het.”

Our Magicka drained again.

• Wulf: The message from our friendly Dragon Priest is, ‘Cowardly men shall find no mercy here.’
• Remiel: What about scared females?
• Celestine: If he steals my Magicka one more, I will kick him in the wedding tackle!
• Wulf: There is only one place you could have learned that term. What have you and Rigmor been discussing?
• Celestine: The usual stuff.
• Rigmor: I am sure any discussion on gonads is fascinating. However, you might want to know there are many Draugr.
• Wulf: Be careful. They are the guards of a Dragon Priest, so they will probably use the Thu’um. You do not want Unrelenting Force to topple you into the chasm.
• Rigmor: Can you imagine the racket Lydia would make when she hit bottom?
• Celestine: She would probably ring like a bell.

I am not as vulnerable as my companions, as I have some natural protection against the Thu’um. However, we were all in danger of being knocked off the narrow paths.

We destroyed a few Draugr before arriving at a door protected by a Lightning Ward.

• Wulf: There is a Lightning Ward on the door. I will set it off with a Shout.
• Remiel: It would be handy to be able to see them.
• Celestine: Not every mage can detect them.
• Rigmor: It would be a shock if you set it off.

The ladies laughed.

• Wulf: If I used that pun, nobody would laugh.
• Lydia: It is all in the delivery.
• Celestine: Keep practising, Wulf. One day, you might make us laugh.
• Rigmor: Celestine, it is not kind to give somebody false hope!

I set off the ward.

When I opened the door, a Draugr attacked and was quickly dispatched.

A Storm Mage had set up a small laboratory. An axe embedded in his chair was a clue to his demise.

• Wulf: The blood stains are old. He has been dead for quite some time.
• Celestine: Yet another mage who pushed their luck too far.
• Remiel: Why would he set up a lab like this here, and how did he get inside?
• Wulf: There is usually more than one way to enter a place.
• Celestine: Unless they leave a journal, we have no idea what mages are trying to achieve.

After destroying more Draugr, we finally left the maze of walkways.

The Dragon Priest asked, “You do not answer… Must I use this guttural language of yours?”

I answered in Dovahzul, made very loud by my Thu’um, “JOOR DREH NI UTH TINVAAK NOL AAN DOVAH!”

There was no reply.

• Remiel: What smartarse thing did you tell him?
• Wulf: Please do not eat me, Great Lord. Breton meat is much tastier!
• Rigmor: Do not believe him, Remiel. I recognised Tinvaak, which means talk and ‘Dovah’, which means dragon.
• Celestine: What did you tell the Magicka thief?
• Wulf: Mortals do not order dragons to talk.
• Lydia: But he is not a mortal.
• Wulf: He might not die of disease or age, but anything that can die is mortal. Dragon Priests were subservient to the point of grovelling to their dragon masters, whom they regarded as gods.
• Remiel: You have given him something to ponder.
• Wulf: Yes, and maybe he will be too busy doing that to keep taking our Magicka.
• Celestine: There could be an exciting mystery to ponder.
• Wulf: It will be a fascinating mystery if he thinks I am Savos.
• Remiel: What mystery are you two being mysterious about?
• Wulf: We await further evidence and will tell you.

We were soon travelling tunnels with several feet of running water.

The Dragon Priest asked, “Have you returned, Aren? My old friend?”

“You do not know who walks your halls! You are weaker than I thought!”

• Celestine: Still not conclusive proof.
• Wulf: I agree. You could argue either way.
• Rigmor: I am sure your mystery is worth discussing, but not when standing in cold water.
• Wulf: The dweomer on your armour stops you from feeling the cold.
• Rigmor: It is bad manners to counter an excellent point with facts.
• Celestine: Drained again. How much Magicka can Magnus’ Staff hold?
• Wulf: I do not know, but the closest another mortal has been to me has fifty per cent of my Magicka reserves. That mortal is you.
• Celestine: I had the most Magicka reserves by far at the College, much more than any of the Master Mages.
• Wulf: He has already stored dozens of times the amount of Magicka in the staff than the average mage can physically.
• Remiel: Lorkhan is said to have created Nirn. Who created Lorkhan? And who created whoever created Lorkhan?
• Wulf: Lorkhan helped create Mundus. Lord Magus was the architect. Some et-Ada sacrificed much of their power to achieve the creation of Mundus. Gods have gods. Eventually, the logical conclusion is the first gods came from nothing.
• Celestine: Do not get Wulf talking about creation theories. We could be here for a week!
• Remiel: I am sorry. These random thoughts attack me, and I must verbally express them. I thought I asked something rhetorical.
• Wulf: Albatross!
• Remiel: Huh?
• Wulf: If a question stumps you, the answer is always Albatross.
• Rigmor: Now you know why Wulf gets on so well with Uncle Sheo.
• Remiel: Who is Uncle Sheo?
• Rigmor: Lord Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness.
• Celestine: Wulf recently spent a few days in The Shivering Isles.
• Wulf: The Isles, the Isles. It is a wonderful place, except when it is horrible. Then it is horribly wonderful. Suitable for a visit. Or for an eternity.
• Rigmor: When he starts quoting Uncle Sheo, it is best to walk away slowly.
• Wulf: But not when you are in enemy territory.
• Rigmor: DUH!

Some Draugr were quite powerful and took a few seconds to eliminate.

We eventually arrived at another cavern where the water flowed underneath.

The Dragon Priest asked, “Do you seek to finish what you could not?”

“I have never been here before. Why do you show no reverence to your Overlord?”

• Remiel: Overlord?
• Wulf: Alduin deviated from his role as World Eater to become Overlord of all Dov and, therefore, Dragon Priests.
• Celestine: Wulf is establishing his authority, which may prevent the need for combat.
• Wulf: Unfortunately, most Dragon Priests are now consumed by a hatred for mortals. They cannot be reasoned with, but it is always worth trying. Miraak is now a Dragonguard. He was one of the most powerful Dragon Priests.
• Rigmor: Not all Dragon Priests were evil and vindictive.
• Wulf: Most of them were benevolent rulers until falling under the influence of Alduin.
• Remiel: Does The Dragon Cult still exist?
• Wulf: I have no doubt there will be small pockets of cultists. The Order of the Hour is sometimes regarded as a dragon cult. Harming a dragon will get you excommunicated. I am tempted to fly Nahfahlaar to their compound in Wayrest and confront them about your family.
• Remiel: You would do that?
• Wulf: If Nahfahlaar knows where it is, we could fly there in hours or teleport there.
• Remiel: Would they listen to you?
• Wulf: Yes, because I am a Celestial Son of Lord Akatosh. There might be some brash knight who does not. Ritual Combat would silence him and hopefully all other dissenters.
• Rigmor: Is that a fight to the death?
• Remiel: It could be to first blood. The insulted issues the challenge and victory conditions. The same rules apply to all the Knightly Orders within High Rock.
• Wulf: I would not fight for honour but to oppose blasphemy. To deny my authority would be tantamount to insulting Lord Akatosh.
• Rigmor: Let us hope the knights in Evermore behave.
• Remiel: The Order of the Gryphon is their most significant order. It was once well respected, but now its remnant in Evermore consists of thugs and elitists.
• Wulf: Evermore is in the future. Let us concentrate on the current problem.
• Lydia: Can everybody hear them?
• Celestine: Trolls. They will not attack us.
• Remiel: Because of Kyne’s Peace.
• Celestine: Yes.

We approached a troll, and I said, “Morvic, stop stalking Remiel. She no longer wants to marry you!”

Remiel impressed Rigmor with her snorting laughter.

In the distance, a keep stood. Skeletal Warriors patrolled its ramparts. I eliminated many of them with Unrelenting Force.

As we neared the keep, the Dragon Priest said, “You only face failure once more!”

I used my Thu’um to reply, “NAHLOT JOOR!”

The cavern shook. Dust and small rocks fell as echoes emphasised my command.

• Lydia: Did you tell him to shut up?
• Wulf: I said, ‘Silence, mortal!’ I want him to keep worrying about who he faces.
• Celestine: He is starting to piss me off with the Magicka-draining crap!
• Wulf: It is a minor inconvenience. Less than a minute later, your Magicka should be fully restored.
• Celestine: Still, it is like being pick-pocketed.

A raised portcullis blocked entry to the keep. There was a lever to lower it on our side.

As we approached the lever, our undead friend asked, “You… you are not Aren, are you? Has he sent you in his place?”

“I am Wulf, Dragonborn. You are Morokei, a weak and pathetic Dragon Priest.”

“You are Dovahkiin? Yes, I am Morokei, and I do not bow to half-breeds. You will die like any other mortal.”

“I have defeated many of your kind, including Miraak. He was immeasurably more powerful than you and is now my ally. I defeated Alduin, the mightiest of the Dov. Odahviing and Paarthurnax, the second and third most powerful Dov, recognise me as a Dovah and become allies after witnessing the strength of my Thu’um. You better rediscover your humility and subservience before I reach your hiding place.”

• Remiel: Why is there a lever to lower the portcullis outside the keep?
• Wulf: I have no idea. I have encountered such a thing before and have put that question into my WTFK pile.
• Remiel: WTFK?
• Wulf: Who the fuck knows.
• Remiel: I am guessing that pile is quite large.
• Celestine: Rigmor’s ‘Whatever!’ also works.
• Lydia: Rigmor, look. They have put a lever outside of the keep’s gate!
• Rigmor: Whatever!
• Wulf: She uses ‘whatever’ in all sorts of ways. For instance, when I think I have won an argument, Rigmor will dismiss me with it. I then start thinking, ‘Did I win it or not?’
• Rigmor: You have never won an argument.
• Celestine: Wulf, you do not argue with Rigmor! If she wants her way, she bats her eyelids and smiles. The mighty Dragonborn then meekly surrenders.
• Wulf: It is also dangerous if Rigmor has her hands on her hips or has a pout.
• Rigmor: I do not pout!
• Wulf: Whatever!
• Celestine: Wulf, how you address Morokei is perfect for your role in Evermore.
• Remiel: You would need to be of high noble status for that to work.
• Wulf: I will be His Imperial Majesties’ Emissary. It might as well be our Emperor speaking to them.
• Remiel: Wow! I cannot wait to see you reduce some snotty noble to a quivering, foot-kissing mess.
• Rigmor: I have studied the various noble titles in our provinces. I think Mede will call you Envoy to distinguish you from other emissaries. That had been done in the past.
• Celestine: I would not be surprised if he knighted you. High Rock nobles give the title of Sir far more reverence than it deserves.
• Remiel: Are you visiting The Imperial City?
• Wulf: This will not be discussed anywhere except within Aurane or with anybody other than Dragonguard. His Imperial Majesty is on his way to Skyrim for High Queen Elisif’s coronation, his niece’s wedding, and the opening of my museum. Auryen is not yet aware of that last honour.
• Celestine: All members of The Dragonguard know of our Emperor’s pending visit. Any required planning will be done in Aurane, where no god or mortal can scry.
• Remiel: Emperor Mede has not named an Heir Presumptive, has he?
• Wulf: Not publicly. He may have left instructions with trusted people, which does not include The Elder Council.
• Rigmor: I have had the unfortunate experience of meeting various Elder Council members. They are the worst type of noble.
• Remiel: How do you know of his visit?
• Wulf: Lord Talos visited His Imperial Majesty aboard his flagship. Father was the one to suggest I be Mede’s emissary.
• Celestine: The Emperor and Divines want Wulf to try diplomacy to solve Evermore’s problems. However, several Imperial Legions will be on the border and ready to intervene if necessary.
• Wulf: Our primary concern is that other kingdoms within High Rock will take advantage of Evermore’s instability. That would lead to civil war, weaken The Empire, and ensure the resumption of The Great War.
• Rigmor: The signing of The White-Gold Concordat did not end the war. We are now in an extended truce.
• Remiel: Evermore is a mess.
• Wulf: I will learn all about that mess later. One crisis at a time is my motto.
• Rigmor: If only that could be enforced, my dear Guardian.
• Remiel: Why did you call Wulf your guardian?
• Wulf: The story of Rigmor and I is in the unredacted journal.
• Rigmor: I will be glad to answer any questions you have after you have read them.

I pulled the lever, which lowered the portcullis and enabled a continuation of our journey.

We approached a cemetery where some rare denizens flew amongst the headstones.

I signalled for quiet, then aimed my bow at the Wispmother.

The arrow hit her midsection.

When she died, so did the Wisps she controlled.

• Remiel: Smartarse marksman.
• Rigmor: When we first started travelling together, I saw him kill a dozen Thalmor with a dozen arrows in the dark from hundreds of yards away.
• Wulf: You have become a master marksman since then.
• Rigmor: I think part of that is confidence. You instilled it in me, and my skills grew with it.
• Remiel: Shiva is confident I can master dual-wielding.
• Celestine: She has taught many people those skills and is a good judge of a person’s potential.
• Wulf: When a Dragonguard earns the title of Swordmaster, they are probably among the top five per cent of sworders on Nirn.
• Rigmor: Oh, Sir Envoy is now using inclusive nouns. How diplomatic!
• Celestine: Learning dual-wielding from Shiva is less daunting than greatsword or sword and shield training from Tsaesci Swordmasters.
• Wulf: They are nearly all the tall, bipedal form of Tsaesci that resemble a large Argonian.
• Remiel: Are there different types of Tsaesci?
• Celestine: The histories conflict on what they look like. You would think that after their invasions and the fact we had a Tsaesci emperor, historians would realise that the Tsaesci race has various physical appearances.
• Wulf: They can be scaly bipeds that are not much different from Nords, Imperials, Breton, or the Mer races.
• Celestine: They can be bipedal with a tail or have a snakelike bottom half instead of legs.
• Wulf: The Khajiiti have many different Furstock, so I do not understand why there is confusion about Tsaesci.

I picked up several of the Wisp Cores. They are a hard-to-find alchemy ingredient.

A central cairn had a plaque in Dovahzul. I read it to my companions.

“Here lies the hallowed dead of Bromjunaar. May ever their souls be their own.”

• Wulf: The only way to ensure ‘their souls be their own’ is via Arkay or another god of the afterlife. The residents of this city abandoned The Divines for the celestial sons of one Divine.
• Celestine: Like the Alessian Order, which abandoned the religion created by their Goddess.
• Rigmor: Religion does not need to make sense.
• Wulf: There is no hope of that ever happening!

We came to another magically locked door. This one was covered in fire.

I told the ladies, “It is the same as before. I will open the door with a spell. Get ready to kill whatever comes through.”

I cast Ice Spear, and the doors opened.

Morokei said, “Did he warn you that your own power would be your undoing? That it would only serve to strengthen me?”

“Morokei means glorious. You are gloriously stupid. Magic is only part of my power! I have demonstrated how fleeting the draining of my Magicka is. But even without magic, you have no answer to my Thu’um or martial prowess. Aren was a student, and he thwarted you. What chance do you have against me?”

I tore the attacker apart with Unrelenting Force.

I asked, “Morokei, what defences do you have against Lady Kynareth’s power? I am guessing you have none like all your kind.”

There was no answer.

Not far past the magically sealed door, we watched another projection.

• Savos: Come on, we cannot stop now. We must keep moving!
• Atmah: Where’s Elvali? She was right behind me.
• Hafnar: Dead. Something grabbed her from behind. Gone before I could do anything.
• Takes-In-Light: This is insanity. We never should have come here.
• Atmah: You are right. This mess is all my fault. Should we turn around and head back?
• Hafnar: I do not think going back is a good idea.
• Savos: Going back would be the end of all of us. We keep pushing forward, and we will make it. We will!
• Atmah: Come on, you can make it. Let us go.

Savos’ ghost said, “Elvali died here. I do not even remember what killed her. It could have been any of the countless faceless horrors. I think she was glad in that final moment. Hafnar was covered in blood, but his stupid Nord pride would not let him admit defeat. I… I do not know why I convinced them to keep going. ‘If we can just make it through, it will all be worth it,’ I told them. And the fools believed the words I did not trust.”

Savos faded, and I found myself getting angry at his self-recrimination.

• Celestine: How could they go back? They would not all have made it through the Draugr and the undead dragon. They had no choice but to keep going and hope the worst was behind them.
• Lydia: Nothing would be gained by returning the way they came. He is stupid to blame himself for making the only sensible choice.
• Wulf: They say with death comes wisdom. Perhaps when he has finished his haunting, his eternal soul will realise that he did nothing wrong except get in way over his head.
• Celestine: We have only seen his guilt over persuading the others to this point. The other students ignored the warnings of the College and willingly put themselves at risk. He did not force them to come! He is not to blame for their decision.
• Wulf: We still do not know the ending. Maybe his guilt comes from something else other than persuading them to continue.

The room where we witnessed the projection had a spiral stairway blocked by rubble.

That decided where to go next. We had no choice but to head down a nearby tunnel.

We encountered a couple of Skeletal Warriors.

At the end of the tunnel, Morokei said, “Come. Face your end!”

I laughed and replied, “Every moron with a tiny bit of power thinks they can defeat me. Could you defeat Alduin or Miraak, Morokei? Are you more powerful than Nahkriin, Alduin’s guard? What about Zahkriisos, Vahlok the Jailor, Krosis or the many other Dragon Priests that fell before me? An Apprentice mage escaped, so weak are your powers.”

I already had a first in this place in the form of an undead dragon. We encountered another first, a transparent Draugr and their transparent war hound. Neither survived for long.

I inspected the Draugr’s weapon.

• Lydia: What are they?
• Wulf: A Draugr and war hound. They are not any more potent than normal Draugr.
• Celestine: What about its sword?
• Wulf: It will drain stamina each time it hits. The dweomer on your armours restores stamina faster than this sword’s drain dweomer.
• Remiel: So, we ignore the see-through bit if we encounter more like it as they are no more challenging than other Draugr.
• Wulf: Yes, but remember, some may use The Voice.
• Celestine: I do not like the blue. I wonder if they come in different colours?
• Lydia: Inigo would argue that blue is beautiful!
• Celestine: On a handsome Khajiiti, maybe, but I think a Draugr could do better. Red would be more in keeping with their intent.
• Lydia: I think you need some of those seeing lenses.
• Celestine: Spectacles?
• Lydia: Whatever they are called, they might help you realise Inigo is not handsome.
• Rigmor: We all know you have carnal designs on Inigo.
• Lydia: What? Nope. No way. Never.
• Rigmor: If it were not for his current beau, you would be all over him.
• Lydia: I thought you were my friend!
• Rigmor: I am. That is why seeing you turn red with embarrassment is so much fun. Or is it lust?

Lydia’s spluttering only made us laugh more.

We fought and destroyed many transparent Draugr and war hounds. All of their weapons had the same stamina-reducing dweomer.

On one occasion, Morokei silently drained our Magicka.

• Celestine: Well, that answers that question. He does not have to speak to steal our Magicka.
• Wulf: I think we can also say the other question is answered.
• Lydia: Are you going to tell us finally?
• Celestine: We thought Morokei believed we were Savos from the very beginning.
• Wulf: And since he spoke Dovahzul, that would indicate he thought Savos could understand and speak it.
• Celestine: It seems he did not know who entered this place.
• Wulf: He reverted to his native language, Dovahzul.
• Celestine: Later, Morokei suspected Wulf was Savos and acknowledged that Savos did not understand Dovahzul.
• Lydia: Ahh, that is when he switched to Tamrielic.
• Reniel: You all overthink. That cannot be good for you mentally.
• Wulf: George and I resent that implication.
• Reniel: Who is George?
• Wulf: My invisible six-foot-tall rabbit friend.
• Reniel: If I say I cannot see George, you will claim only the pure can see him. That trick is older than The Eight and is usually told by prepubescent boys.
• Wulf: I am still waiting for curly hair to grow in strange places.
• Rigmor: Will you lecture Remiel about the existence of nine Divines?
• Wulf: No, because Lord Talos was never part of the Bretonic pantheon.

We came to a Word Wall protected by a transparent Draugr and War Hound.

After dispensing with them, I stood in front of it. It taught the Word of Power, ‘Tiid,’ which means time. It is the first Word of Power in the Slow Time Shout. I already knew it, and the Shout.

• Remiel: What just happened?
• Wulf: The Word Wall tried to teach me a Word of Power. I will sit and explain how The Voice works when we are in a more conducive environment.
• Remiel: Only one of the words is glowing. Is that the Word of Power it taught you?
• Wulf: It tried to, for I know all the common Words of Power.
• Remiel: Does the rest of the writing mean anything?
• Wulf: Yes, and to help me translate, as it is not always going to be exact, I like to speak the Dovahzul first.
• Rigmor: Morokei called Tamrielic a guttural language. Dovahzul sounds like the speaker has a terrible sore throat!
• Wulf: In Dovahzul the Word Wall reads, ‘Vegunthar wahlaan qethsegol bormahil vahrukt Hungunthar tiid naak kriaan se junnesejer kroniid se Dunkreath.’
• Lydia: I recognise a few Nord names.
• Wulf: Yes, but ancient ones. It means, ‘Vegunthar raised this stone in his father’s memory, Hungunthar Time-Eater, slayer of the Kings of the East, conqueror of Dunkreath.’
• Lydia: They are titles and places unfamiliar to me.
• Wulf: I would say Hungunthar was a hero of The Dragon Cult. Much of their culture was destroyed after The Dragon War. Nords tend to do that. For instance, minimal Falmer culture is left intact. I believe Dunkreath is a town later called Strond in Morrowind.
• Celestine: There is a saying that goes, ‘The victors write history.’
• Wulf: That is why you must sort out propaganda from fact. The victorious leaders cannot very well admit lies and exaggerations on the scale that seems to be the norm when stirring up righteous hate of the enemy.
• Celestine: That is why you dislike the books on Saarthal. They offer excuses for the genocide of the Falmer while admitting a lot is still unknown about The Night of Tears.
• Wulf: I am sure the Falmer perspective would be far different.

Not far from the Word Wall was a row of columns.

I said, “I bet there are a lot of enemies hiding here. Let us get rid of them quickly. I think we are very close to the end.”

There were numerous enemies, but it did not take long before we eliminated the last of them.

In the next room, we watched another projection.

• Atmah: We should not have left her there to die!
• Savos: What else could we do? Stay there and die with her? She refused to go on, and we did not have a choice!
• Hafnar: This is it, you know. Through this door. Can you feel it?
• Atmah: We are not going to make it, are we?
• Hafnar: We stay together, no matter what. Do you agree?
• Atmah: I will be right with you.
• Savos: Agreed. We all stay together.

Savos’ ghost said, “There were only three of us left. Takes-In-Light sat down and gave up, and we left her there to die. I have no idea what killed her, but I am sure something did. Atmah cried to herself. Hafnar would not look at either of us. And I kept telling them it would be all right. I was in charge now. I pushed them on, insisting it would be worse to try and go back. What happened after was my fault. All mine! We all knew this was the end. Without even opening the door, we knew what was beyond would kill us. None of our spells were potent enough. None of our wills were strong enough. ‘No matter what, we stay together!’ Hafnar said. I looked him in the eyes and lied to him. ‘Yes, we will stay together and leave together.’ I assured him.”

We moved close to a door we assumed led to Morokei’s lair. Heat-Vision showed no living being in the next cavern.

I turned to the group as I wrestled with my Dovah.

• Wulf: I think Savos is bending the truth a bit. He might even believe his lie to convince himself he planned whatever happened next.
• Celestine: I agree. How could he plan in this room without knowing what is in the next? They might suspect what is in store, but they have not hinted what it might be in any of these projections.
• Lydia: They still had to go forward. They lost three on the way to this room. The last three would probably all die going back the same way.
• Remiel: The Argonian gave up on life. I find that disturbing.
• Wulf: For many people, it is hard to imagine being so discouraged that suicide seems a valid option.
• Celestine: Some people and societies harshly judge people who choose that path. They speak from ignorance. When learning to be a healer, we were taught much about the body’s parts and functions. But sadness, more accurately despair, like that which Takes-In-Light felt, is not fixable with magic, potions, or pills. Not with what we know now. Who knows if lost knowledge might offer a solution?
• Rigmor: Our Khajiiti friend, Inigo, tried to kill himself once. When you can, Remiel, ask him what drove him to it. His story will help you better understand somebody like Takes-In-Light and the thought processes that lead to such action.
• Lydia: I have known many who took that path after surviving battles and wars. Maybe if they spoke about what ailed them or if others recognised something was troubling them, it would not happen so often.

I Shouted Dragon Aspect.

• Wulf: I am going in alone. No protests. No arguments.
• Celestine: Surely, it is wise to have a mage with you?
• Wulf: I want to talk with Morokei, and the chances of that happening will improve if I enter alone.
• Rigmor: You are going to let your Dovah deal with Morokei.
• Wulf: He is screaming in rage, Rigmor. The disrespect of Morokei is unacceptable, for he was created to serve Dov. I must let that part of me vent his anger, or it remains and simmers.
• Celestine: Remiel, Wulf is not always, as Rigmor calls him, a big softie. Like all dragons who choose peace, he must fight his instincts for battle and conquest.
• Rigmor: Allowing his Dovah to come forth temporarily relieves Wulf of a self-imposed burden. You will learn and ask questions about that from his unredacted journals.
• Wulf: This showy, glowing armour is a Shout that vastly improves my defence against magical and physical attacks. Few opponents could scratch me, never alone harm me.
• Remiel: I shall happily stand and worry with my comrades. How long do we wait before checking if you are a bloody smear or crispy corpse?
• Rigmor: Oh, great. Another Dragonguard who resorts to dark humour.

I was laughing as I entered a large cavern.

Two beams of energy emanated from the spirits of Hafnar and Atmah. The energy was used to maintain a containment barrier around Morokei.

I used Zoom-Vision but decided I needed to study the situation up close.

I climbed some steps and approached the spirit of Hafnar. I had the distinct feeling he knew I was there.

I climbed some more steps and approached the spirit of Atmah. I was positive that she also knew I was there.

I needed The Staff of Magnus, but it was stuck inside the containment barrier with Morokei. As I approached Morokei, I waved to the others. Through Mara’s Rings, I know that did not ease Rigmor’s worries. I resorted to Night-Vision, as the cavern was dark.

When closer to Morokei, I let my Dovah come forth.

I stood and placed my hands close to the barrier. Morokei turned his head to look at me.

I know what Savos did.

He did not fight Morokei but watched his friends fall in battle. He then entrapped their spirits and used their Lifeforce to create the containment barrier. Their spirits were in Mundus, so their Lifeforce was constantly renewed. Similar has been done in the past. Most notably, within Sancre Tor, it was done to volunteer Blades. Their barrier protects a set of Father’s armour from graverobbers or worse. The difference is the Blades volunteered. Atmah and Hafner did not.

My Dovah growled, “MOROKEI, NU HI KORAAV BORMAHU WAHL ZU’U DOV HIN NIL ROT VONUN!”  (Morokei, now you see Akatosh made me Dov and your empty words vanish!)

He did not reply.

I continued, “Forgive me for using this guttural language. After all, it is used by those who defeated you and your gods. Am I your god, Morokei? Dov have recognised me as a Son of Akatosh and not a half-breed. No matter, it is time you were sent to The Void.”

Nothing could penetrate the containment barrier. However, the spirits of Hafnar and Atmah were unprotected. Therefore, I chose to use my Thu’um to release them from Mundus, ending the stream of Lifeforce that maintained the confinement barrier. Hopefully, their souls would be free to enter their desired afterlife.

As expected, the Unrelenting Force Shout destroyed the spirits.

The containment barrier vanished, and Morokei faced me with a spell primed.

I smiled and walked towards him with weapons sheathed. Too late, he saw the Dovah in my eyes and knew his doom approached.

Morokei backed away until a wall prevented further retreat.

As I strode towards him, he cast some protection spells and wards.

From The Staff of Magnus, a beam shot forth. It drained my Magicka and then my stamina. Eventually, when my stamina ran out, I would go unconscious, and my Lifeforce would be absorbed. Some powerful Liches cast similar spells, but Magnus’ Staff multiplied the decay rate.

My Dovah laughed and said with malice, “I told you I could kill you with Thu’um or sword. You are powerless to stop me. You will now die like all traitors should die. May The Divines have mercy on your soul.”

My katana ended Morokei. He turned to dust. His armour and the Staff of Magnus clattered to the floor.

I picked up The Staff of Magus. Its primary purpose is to absorb and store Magicka. It was the perfect tool for dealing with The Eye of Magnus. Its ability to absorb stamina and then Lifeforce was ineffective against somebody with a similar dweomer to what I placed on our armour. The staff did allow spells cast to be far more powerful.

I returned to my companions, Magnus’ Staff in hand, and my Dovah was appeased.

• Wulf: As you can see, I have the Staff of Magnus, and my head is still attached. Morokei, however, is now a pile of ash.
• Celestine: Is it as powerful as the legends claim?
• Wulf: Magnus’ spells used a phenomenal amount of Magicka. This staff stores enough Magicka to cater to his needs. It can absorb Lifeforce and stamina and improve the power of cast spells, but it is not what some legends claim.
• Lydia: What do you think happened here?
• Wulf: Savos knew they had no hope. He prepared a spell as Morokei killed Hafnar and Atmah. Savos then trapped their spirits and siphoned Lifeforce through them. The Lifeforce was used to maintain a barrier around Morokei. Savos’ enslaved undead had a connection to Mundus and, therefore, limitless Lifeforce.
• Celestine: I have heard of this dweomer. Savos decided to risk their souls to keep Morokei here.
• Wulf: A similar spell was used in Sancre Tor, where dead Blades protect a set of Father’s armour. The Blades were volunteers. I do not think Haffar and Atmah knew of Savos’ plan.
• Rigmor: I also think Savos planned it before they entered.
• Remiel: Why didn’t Morokei use Magnus’ Staff to destroy the barrier?
• Wulf: The barrier was woven of Lifeforce, not Magicka. I had to release Atmah and Hafnar to stop the Lifeforce stream. Morokei could not harm them from within the barrier.
• Rigmor: Will their souls reach an afterlife?
• Wulf: I think so, but I cannot be sure.
• Lydia: It will be interesting to hear what Savos says.

There was an exit to Morokei’s cavern far to the left of the entry I used.

A projection appeared when we opened the door and entered a short tunnel.

Young Savos’ projection said, “I am sorry, friends. I am so sorry! I had no choice! It was the only way to make sure that monster never escaped! I promise you that I will never let this happen again! I will seal this whole place away!”

After the projection faded, Savos’ ghost appeared and said, “I had no choice, don’t you see? I had to leave them behind, had to sacrifice them so I could make it out alive. Who knows what might have happened if we had all died there and let that thing into the world? That is how I consoled myself for years after I had sealed this place shut and vowed never to let anyone open it. You have put everything to rest, but that does not undo my mistakes. They can never be undone.”

• Remiel: It is, as you surmised. Savos did not kill his companions but allowed them to die.
• Wulf: He formulated the plan after they got to where the second to last projection was. That is the only scenario that fits his words.
• Lydia: They went into battle, expecting to fight to their last breath beside trusted companions. Everyone, not just Nords, would prefer that over meek submission. Yet Savos did not try to kill but used his skills to survive. I hope his friends remained ignorant of his betrayal in their final moments!
• Remiel: Savos must have understood what they faced when formulating a plan.
• Celestine: Morokei probably talked to them like he did to us. If Dovahzul had been spoken, that clue and this city’s known connection to The Dragon Cult would have made Savos sure of the enemy they faced.
• Wulf: Dragon Priests are powerful, but a loose Morokei would not have been as devastating as Savos imagined. Miraak was a genuine danger to all Nirn.
• Lydia: You have destroyed other Dragon Priests without involving your Dovah half. Why was Morokei different?
• Wulf: The other Dragon Priests did not have time to contemplate who they faced. They attacked, thinking I was just another mortal enemy. I told Morokei who I was, and yet he chose to fight. That distinction, when measured by a dragon’s ego, changes everything. It is wrong to ask my Dovah to be subservient while suppressing all his emotions. Eventually, he would fight for control.
• Lydia: Okay, now I understand your need to confront Morokei solo.
• Remiel: Do you regard yourself as two distinct beings?
• Wulf: No, Remiel. However, thinking of my Dovah instincts as a separate part of my identity helps. It makes it easier for me to suppress the natural urges. It is difficult to describe, so forgive me if that answer seems vague.
• Celestine: I think Savos’ actions were not selfish but practical. If he had used his friends as a diversion for the sole purpose of escaping, that would have been entirely different.
• Wulf: I cannot judge him even though I would never have made that decision. It is arrogant to claim some form of moral superiority and that your preferred solution is superior.
• Rigmor: You are very uncomfortable when The Nine have accepted collateral damage in the past. Yet you love your gods without hesitation. You know they made decisions after great deliberation. Savos also decided collateral damage was necessary. I cannot make any distinction, my Dragonborn. We have no right to judge him harshly.
• Lydia: He must have relived this every day for at least a hundred years. He felt guilty, and anyone who might judge his actions as wrong must accept that as sufficient punishment. I wish him peace in the afterlife.
• Wulf: The truth will be in my journals, and I will write a report for The College of Winterhold. My journals allow others to judge me. My account of Savos will enable others to judge him.

At the end of the short tunnel was a barred door.

I tilted the bar, and we continued.

A lowered portcullis controlled by a lever blocked our way.

I pulled the lever to raise the portcullis, and we continued.

A Thalmor Wizard swaggered through a door as if somebody of significance. I signalled my companions not to fill him full of arrows or turn him into an ash pile.

The fool had lightening prepped as I walked up to him.

With typical Thalmor arrogance, he dramatically announced, “So, you made it out of there alive. Ancano was right… you are dangerous. I am afraid I will have to take that staff from you now. Ancano wants it kept safe… oh, and he wants you dead. Nothing personal.”

The idiot was taken aback by the laughter of the five of us. After a few seconds, I calmed down enough to talk.

• Wulf: What is your name, Wizard?
• Estormo: Estormo.
• Wulf: If Ancano wants The Staff of Magnus, why didn’t you get it for him?
• Rigmor: That is not fair, Lord Welkynd. You are asking a Thalmor to think.
• Wulf: You did not get it for him because you knew you were not powerful enough to survive, am I correct?
• Estormo: Well… ah…
• Wulf: Yet we were powerful enough to get the staff and survive. Can you see why your demand is so silly?
• Estormo: Ah, did she call you Lord Welkynd?
• Rigmor: I thought it was only fair that you knew who you were facing. Did Ancano forget to mention The Dragonborn and Dragonguard?
• Remiel: I think Ancano owes Estormo a lot of money.
• Lydia: Perhaps Estormo stole his girlfriend or boyfriend.
• Celestine: There must be some reason Ancano hates Estormo so much he would send him to certain death.
• Wulf: Yes, Estormo, I am The Dragonborn, and you are no Alduin. Any of my friends here could kill you in seconds.
• Celestine: Ancano has not been able to issue orders for some time. Therefore, you must have been sitting and waiting for a few days.
• Estormo: Well… ah…
• Wulf: You are repeating yourself, Estormo.
• Lydia: In all the time you were waiting, did you not wonder who would be powerful enough to survive Labyrinthian and retrieve The Staff of Magnus?
• Remiel: He was too busy rehearsing his grand entrance speech.

In an effeminate voice, Remiel mimicked, “I will have to take that staff from you now. Ancano wants it kept safe… oh, and he wants you dead. Nothing personal.”

We burst out laughing again. Estormo looked worried.

After a few seconds, I growled, “I find your threat very personal. And I rarely leave Thalmor alive. So, mighty Estormo, it is time for you to die.”

I Blinked to Estormo while drawing my katana.

He watched my blade rise and then screamed as it penetrated his shoulder and entered his heart.

• Remiel: How did Ancano know we would be here? How did he tell this other Thalmor fellow?
• Wulf: I do not know, Remiel. Perhaps there will be a handy journal telling us.
• Celestine: How many dead enemies provide clues within their journals is astounding.

I searched Estormo’s corpse, and unfortunately, he had nothing of use.

We stepped over the corpse and continued.

We opened another barred door and then climbed through a trapdoor.

As we stood in the frigid air and surveyed Labyrinthian, I said, “Because I do not know if The Eye has expanded its barrier and, if so, how far, we shall teleport to Winterhold’s stables.”

When we came out of the ether, it was apparent that more Magic Squiggles, as the residents call them, had attacked Winterhold.

We saw a familiar figure and one of the College’s Atronach guards combating a Squiggle when we got close to the bridge.

I rushed to Legionnaire Stoman’s aid and destroyed the Squiggle, which was much stronger than the earlier ones I had fought.

• Stoman: That was a tough one. All the bastards were tougher than the last lot!
• Wulf: Was anybody hurt?
• Stoman: There were more of them, but we had warned the sweets off the streets, so it was just mages and Legionnaires who fought them. A few got minor injuries but no scars to show their grandkids, if they ever have any.
• Lydia: I do not see many guards.
• Stoman: Part of the problem was that the Squiggles attacked a larger area, not just the main street. So, we are spread over a larger area.
• Celestine: Why are there no mages down here?
• Stoman: Most of them got stuck inside the blue wall that appeared. Others are tending to mages who were injured when the wall appeared.
• Wulf: I can see the barrier. Hopefully, I will bring it down and then deal with the problem that created the Squiggles. These ladies are Dragonguard and will stay here in case more Squiggles appear.
• Stoman: I recognise Celestine and Lydia from the news sheets and penny dreadfuls. However, their breasts are not as large as in many pictures. Also, their armour covers more territory.
• Celestine: Did you hear that, Lydia? There are probably teenage boys who have named their right hand after you.
• Lydia: After living in barracks for years, it is not just the teen boys growing hairy palms.
• Stoman: Were you a soldier, Dragonguard Lydia?
• Lydia: I was a Solitude City Guard before joining The Dragonguard.
• Stoman: This event has not improved the opinion of the locals regarding the college.
• Wulf: The College mages are risking their lives to help me prevent a bigger disaster than any of you can imagine. It is Thalmor interference that has made the situation worse than need be.
• Stoman: Bastards!
• Rigmor: They are wretched, weaselly reprobates who need my sword shoved in their guts or up their backside.
• Wulf: Now, now, Dragonguard Lydeke, we cannot just go around killing every Thalmor we see.
• Lydia: Yeah, sometimes you must be patient and wait until nobody witnesses the slaughter.
• Wulf: Okay, Dragonguard, you know the drill. Master Celestine, please accompany me to the barrier.
• Stoman: Ahh, Lord Welkynd, why do you have glowing things, including horns, all over you?
• Wulf: It is additional protection created by The Voice.

As Celestine and I walked away, we heard Lydia and Stoman start to swap guard and barrack stories.

Rigmor said via Mara’s Rings, “You are the determined, confident Guardian that I adore.”

“The mucking around is over. I can now take some definitive action and hopefully end this.”

“Make sure you return to me. I have some lingerie I want you to see.”

“Expensive?”

“Very!”

“So, I had better not tear it off you then.”

“I can sense your exhaustion. You could not tear anything. So, at most, it will be a slow disrobing.”

“Tolfdir is running towards us. He looks worried.”

“Do not let him become another Savos!”

Tolfdir stopped and took a second to catch his breath.

• Tolfdir: You survived! You have it, then?”
• Wulf: Yes, we have The Staff of Magus.
• Tolfdir: Let us hope it is as powerful as the Psijics believe.
• Wulf: They had no idea of its capabilities, nor did they make any claims about what they may be. Logically, it was connected to The Eye, so that is why they suggested we might need it.
• Celestine: Master Wulf, this is not the time to be pedantic.
• Wulf: I am tired of people not thinking before wagging their chins!
• Tolfdir: I apologise. We are all rattled by the current events.
• Wulf: Where is Master Mirabelle? Where are the students?
• Tolfdir: We guided the students out of the college and into the city. When this new barrier came into being, it threw Mirabelle far. She was severely injured again. She has been healed, but two Grand Healings in such a short time have exhausted her.
• Wulf: And the students?
• Tolfdir: A couple were injured but have been healed. Some are stuck behind the barrier, along with staff and senior mages.
• Wulf: They will be safe if they do not interfere with Ancano or The Eye. The same situation occurred inside The Hall of Elements. The Eye did not attack us, but injuries and Savos’ death resulted from the sudden release of energy during the implementation of a defensive barrier.
• Tolfdir: That is what Master Mirabelle said between groans.
• Celestine: I can feel the barrier’s energy from here. Imagine the rate at which it is consuming Magicka!
• Wulf: The power of Magnus’ Staff will not bring down the barrier. Think of it as a key.
• Tolfdir: The Eye will recognise the staff.
• Wulf: That is my theory. Let us test the hypothesis.

We approached the barrier, and I instructed everybody to stand back.

I fired Magus’ Staff at the barrier.

A second later, the barrier vanished.

• Wulf: Celestine, please return to the others and protect the city.
• Tolfdir: What now?
• Wulf: I deal with Ancano.
• Tolfdir: With Mirabelle incapacitated and Savos dead, I am the senior mage and, therefore, insist on accompanying you.
• Wulf: You can, on one condition.
• Tolfdir: Listen, young man, I just told you I am the senior mage, and therefore your condition is worthless.
• Celestine: Master Tolfdir, if you do not want to be asleep when the College is saved, agree to Master Wulf’s condition.
• Tolfdir: He would not dare! Ahh…would he?
• Wulf: The Sleep spells taught to me by The Psijic Order are pretty potent. You might not wake up for days.
• Celestine: And he would dare.
• Tolfdir: First Ancano and now Master Wulf. Is there no respect for aged mages nowadays?
• Wulf: I greatly respect you. Therefore, I insist you agree to a condition of entry, as it were.
• Tolfdir: Okay, what is the condition?
• Wulf: On your honour, you will swear to observe and not interfere. You cannot harm Ancano, but he can harm you if he has harnessed some of The Eye’s Magicka or if the relic has taught him new spells, as it did with Mage Magus.
• Celestine: If Savos had not acted aggressively towards Ancano, the barrier might not have been erected in The Hall of the Elements. He ignored Master Wulf’s advice.
• Tolfdir: Very well. I swear to observe and not attack Ancano or The Eye.
• Wulf: Good enough. Follow me.

Tolfdir and I entered The Hall of Elements and walked towards Ancano.

• Ancano: You think I do not know what you are up to? Do you think I cannot destroy you?
• Wulf: I know you cannot destroy us. You are a weak mage with very little power.
• Ancano: I have the power to unmake the world at my fingertips. Do you think you can do anything about it?
• Wulf: It is at your fingertips but might as well be a million miles away. You do not control it, nor do you know how to control it.
• Tolfdir: Are you sure Destruction Spells will not work?
• Ancano: I am beyond your pathetic magic. You cannot touch me.
• Wulf: Like every female you have ever met, I do not desire to touch you.
• Tolfdir: So, he is not protected against childish barbs.
• Wulf: Nope. Did you see him grimace when that one hit his ego?
• Tolfdir: Enough!

I watched in disbelief as Ancano detached himself from The Eye and cast Mass Paralysis.

Tolfdir fell like a toppled statue. I laughed.

Ancano quickly reconnected with The Eye, but I could see my disdain bothered him.

He said, “Still, you persist. Very well, another demonstration is needed.”

I taunted, “The power to unmake the world, yet you cast a paralysis spell. You are even more pathetic than I assumed, which is quite a feat. Congratulations!”

“Come then. See what I can do now!”

The Psijic Monk told me Ancano had opened The Eye. Now, I witnessed what that meant.

The Eye’s surface consisted of many odd-shaped plates. Ehlnofex runes outlined each plate’s edges. Those plates shifted, increasing the orb’s circumference and exposing its contained energy.

I stared at pure Creatia and instinctively knew I could use it. I could unmake the world, reshape it, or create something new. Over time, I could do what Magnus and the other et-Ada managed with Creatia.

I will have to ponder the reason for this unexpected revelation later. I must close The Eye of Magnus before Ancano inadvertently triggers something catastrophic.

I aimed Magus’ Staff at The Eye, and the plates slowly slid into position.

Ancano cried out, “No! What are you doing? I control The Eye of Magnus, not you!”

I ignored him until The Eye of Magnus was closed entirely.

It became apparent The Eye no longer protected Ancano, as several Magic Squiggles attacked him, not me.

I drew my sword and stepped up to Ancano.

He looked into my eyes and said, “Your father and the other Divines will be destroyed. We shall travel the Aurbis with AKA once more!”

I killed Ancano, and the Squiggles vanished. I was not surprised extended contact with The Eye had provided Ancano with knowledge of my identity.

As Tolfdir slowly got to his feet, I contacted Rigmor.

“Ancano is dead. However, The Eye is still here, and therefore danger remains.”

“I will tell the others, and we shall continue to wait here.”

“What colour is the lingerie?”

“Pervert!”

“Yep.”

As I searched Ancano, Tolfdir rushed outside and returned with a College Guard and Atronach.

There was nothing useful on Ancano. Perhaps there may be something in his room.

I approached Tolfdir, who asked, “What do we do now? Ancano is dead, but The Eye is still here?”

“I am unsure and might have to seek advice from beings far more knowledgeable than me.”

Quaranir teleported into the room and said, “That will not be necessary, Wulf. We are pleased you succeeded, as we knew you would.”

“You hoped I would succeed. Claiming you knew I would succeed is ridiculous.”

Gelebros and Tandil, another two Psijic Monks who guided my training, also materialised, and the three formed a triangle around The Eye.

• Gelebros: As pedantic as ever, I see.
• Wulf: You hear me being pedantic. You do not see me being pedantic.
• Gelebros: I would love to debate with you. No, that is a lie. We should remove The Eye of Magnus before another Thalmor agent pops up and destroys Mundus.
• Wulf: You were always my favourite, Tandil.
• Tandil: And why is that?
• Wulf: You hardly said anything, which made it less likely something dumb would be spoken.
• Tandil: Still droll as well.
• Wulf: Is Nerien staring at himself in a mirror and too busy to attend this happy reunion?
• Quaranir: He is monitoring things and will, hopefully, give timely advice if something looks like it will go belly-up.
• Wulf: And what might trigger this belly-upping?
• Quaranir: As Gelebros said, we had better remove The Eye.
• Tolfdir: Let us decide if you will be allowed to take it.
• Quaranir: I do not doubt that Wulf could prevent us if he desired. So, listen to the logic and decide.
• Gelebros: We have scried the other Artaeum vanishing from this timeline. This occurrence is a future event we believe can only occur if the two islands are similar in as many aspects as possible.
• Quaranir: The different shapes of the islands and their inhabitants are minor differences compared to one other.
• Wulf: Splinter Artaeum has an Eye of Magnus. Your island does not.
• Tandil: We assume that taking this Eye of Magnus to our island will trigger the timeline to correct itself.
• Wulf: That is possible. Usually, I would consult Silah about this, but she will be too busy monitoring the timeline. You can teleport The Eye without tapping into its Magicka reserves, so that should not trigger a defensive response.
• Quaranir: Unlike Ancano and other mages, you know Psijics will not be tempted to use The Eye. We shall place it where you saw the one on the other island, and the Psijic Council will decide what to do later.
• Gelebros: We can safeguard it for now.
• Tolfdir: That is a lot of trust you are asking us to place in the Psijic Order.
• Wulf: Tolfdir, in their long history, The Psijic Order has never sought power or harmed the people of Nirn. I trust them.
• Tolfdir: And I trust your judgement, Master Wulf.
• Quaranir: Would that trust extend to making Wulf the Arch-Mage?
• Tolfdir: Yes. In my opinion, no one deserves to be Arch-Mage more than Master Wulf.
• Wulf: I could not be here all the time, Master Tolfdir.
• Tolfdir: Master Mirabelle and I can substitute for you when absent.
• Wulf: I need time to consider and discuss the implications with others.
• Tolfdir: Here are Savos’ keys. I shall not announce anything till a decision is made.
• Quaranir: There is only one logical answer, so you have our gratitude, Arch-Mage.
• Wulf: Alas, your visit has been so short. Do not forget to make the gap just as long before bothering me again.
• Tandil: Yep, as droll as ever.

I watched with envy as the Psijic Monks cast their spell without verbal content or hand movements. They also took very little time to memorise The Eye well enough for teleportation.

The Psijic Monks and The Eye slowly faded away, and I sighed in relief.

I asked Tolfdir, “Can you please take care of Ancano? Send a message to the Embassy and see what they want to be done with him.”

“We could just dump him in one of the furnaces.”

“There will be family and friends who care about him.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you, Tolfdir.”

I contacted Rigmor again.

“The Psijics have removed the Eye. Our ones, not the Splinter copies.”

“Can we join you?”

“Yes.”

“You are exhausted, my Guardian.”

“I will have to delay the lingerie reveal for another day.”

“I was considering returning to Bruma anyway. I do not like Mum sitting on the throne for too long. She is very good at it, but it is my burden.”

When the ladies arrived, it was agreed that Celestine would take Lydia to Aurane. Rigmor and I would take Remiel to the Safehouse. Then, I would take Rigmor home.

We came out of the ether, and my companions looked concerned.

• Rigmor: No long discussion, Valdr Septim. You are pooped.
• Remiel: Pooped?
• Wulf: Another weird Bruma saying. It means tired. Why can’t they speak normally like us Roscreans?
• Rigmor: After you have read the unredacted journals, you will have many questions. I suggest you spend a few days at Aurane and ask those questions.
• Remiel: I thought this place was luxurious. Aurane is insane!
• Wulf: It is up to you, Remiel, whether to stay here or Aurane. This place might be more crowded soon as I think I will rotate squads through the Safehouse. That will make Aurane seem less like a prison.
• Remiel: I suppose any place can seem confining after a period.
• Rigmor: Wulf has many houses, even one in Solstheim, that The Dragonguard can use if they want private time.
• Remiel: Really? Are they as nice as this?
• Rigmor: Some are even fancier.
• Wulf: You have done exceptionally well. It cannot have been easy to take in everything that happened.
• Remiel: I have no doubt each task is equally chaotic.
• Rigmor: We can rarely predict everything that may occur.
• Wulf: Okay, this pooped Dragonborn needs to rest. I hope to talk to you in a day or two.
• Remiel: If I have discovered the whereabouts of unexplored Dwemer ruins, would you be interested in visiting them?
• Wulf: Like the proposals of The Explorers Society, you submit the details, and an expedition will be considered.
• Remiel: Great!
• Rigmor: The word is cool. It is so much cooler than great.
• Wulf: But half as cool as Albatross.
• Rigmor: Yeah, right. Pfft!

Remiel was giggling as I cast teleport to take Rigmor home.

We came out of the ether, and I remarked, “This room needs more lighting!”

“Candles and lamp oil cost money, you know.”

“Introduce a ‘The Countess needs more lighting’ tax. I am sure your citizens would approve.”

“Before you go, something has been bothering me.”

“Oh, and what would that be?”

“If there are copies of me and you in other timelines, what happens if they die?”

“At the beginning of each kalpa, a Time God starts linear time. The instant it begins, the first timeline, what we call The Master Timeline, is created. That is the timeline we try to maintain, as it controls the fate of souls and all other timelines. There might be other Rigmor and Valdr, but the fate of their souls rests with us, for they have the same soul.”

“Could Nirn or Mundus be destroyed in other timelines? Could a Daedric Prince’s plans come to fruition in other timelines?”

“Yes, and the mortals in that timeline would react as we would. The difference is that Alduin will not end the kalpa. Only The Master Timeline is targeted by The World Eater.”

“It seems illogical.”

“It is not intuitive to our minds. I would scream, ‘Parallel timelines cannot possibly exist!’ except we have proof in the form of Dragon Breaks. So, gobblygook applies.”

“Has anybody existed across multiple kalpa?”

“There have been a few who claimed they did. Unless a mortal soul is destroyed, such as those of dragons I slay, it will be randomly assigned during the next kalpa. A dragon soul will be assigned to a dragon. A dog soul will be assigned to a dog, etcetera.”

“Dragons are mortal, although some call them immortal.”

“If a being can die, they are mortal. The Nine are mortal as they sacrificed immortality to create Mundus.”

“So, the et-Ada souls would be randomly distributed at the start of a new kalpa.”

“Yes. And as far as I know, which souls end up Aedra and which ones become Daedra are random. The only god who might remain the same between kalpa is Father. My theory behind that can wait for another day when I am not falling asleep on my feet.”

“You are to go straight to bed. No dillydallying!”

“What about lollygagging?”

“Nope.”

“Can I go to the privy?”

“Yes, but take no reading material. Do your business and then bed.”

I kissed Rigmor, then teleported to my quarters.

My Psijic Robes had returned to how I remembered them. But they were not the same as the Splinter Psijics and this timeline Psijics wore. Why would Psijics have dragons on their shoulder pads?

Are my Psijic Robes the same as what all Psijics wore when I trained in Artaeum? I am positive they are, but doubt has roots and may grow if I consider it too much.

I prepared for bed and crawled under my blankets, determined to accept things. The principles of gobblygook must be adhered to!