skyrimbookquest

[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 52

Bruma was cold. far from any warmth, far from Black Marsh. and yet, it's where he called home.

The Argonian was one of only a handful of argonians that had ventured out this far, and fewer still stationed at the mage's guild.

He didn't mind. It was quiet, peaceful even. The Thalmor patrolling the area took umbrage with the worship of Martin, but there was little they could do but stomp their feet.

People welcomed him, and all that he had to offer. and yet... he felt like an outsider. Not unwelcome, necessarily. just... different.

The argonians of Bruma were kind and accepting. he felt like he could talk to them. there were some people here and there that he could talk to. but most... most wouldn't understand. he knew that. intimately.

and so he sat there, in Jerall View Inn, drinking his mead as an outsider.

".... All hail to Ulfric, you are the high king....."

Quill-Finder woke to the sound of a bard. The song made her stomach churn. she let out a small groan as she sat up in the bed.

Rubbing her temples, she checked around the room. everything seemed in order, except for one detail.

Lydia sat, still asleep, sword propped next to her, in front of the door. her arms crossed in front of her with her head down. she was even still in her armor.

At first, Quill-Finder was annoyed. and then, appreciative. she knew that this was likely out of a sense of duty, but the fact that Lydia would sacrifice her own comfort to protect a single argonian at an inn made her feel that much more safe.

she watched the sleeping warrior for just a bit longer, a gentle smile creeping across her face.

she hadn't taken the time to really admire her or everything she actually does.

Lydia was, in a word, amazing. she was gorgeous, strong, courageous... everything Quill-Finder knew she wasn't.

Even clad in armor, Lydia was still so incredibly striking.

Lydia began to stir.

in a panic, Quill-Finder quickly rolled back into bed, tossing the covers over herself. she pretended to sleep, listening as Lydia eventually found her way to her feet.

Quill-Finder could hear the gentle creaking of the door, the hefty thumping of armored boots trying and failing to be stealthy, and the latch as the door closed.

And then there was a knock.

"Quill-Finder?" Lydia's voice called from the other side of the door. "Are you up?"

Quill-Finder chuckled, before pretending to give a sleepy, but confirming, grunt.

"Soon as you're ready, we're going to get supplies and head out.''

the three left the inn. there was still a wave of anxiety over Quill-FInder only held at bay by the presence of her two companions.

"So what do we need?" Lydia asked, partly as a distraction. "Potions, maybe visit a blacksmith to sharpen our gear?"

"I'd like to look at some spell tomes if we can find any!" Illia remarked

Lydia "Eh, that might be a challenge. Nords aren't known for their trust of--"

"Hold it right there! Keep your distance!" a guard shouted to the group, she stood by a dead body, cut up and mutilated.

Lydia saw the body and frowned. "What happened?"

"Another girl killed..." the guard explained. "This is Susanna, from Candlehearth Hall. Served me a drink just a few nights ago..."

"Another?" Illia asked. "This has happened before?"

Susanna's the third." the guard sighed. "It's always the same; young girl, killed at night, body torn up."

at this point, Quill-Finder, shaking off her anxiety, stepped forward. "Do you need any help?"

the guard simply shrugged. "If you want to help, ask some of these gawkers if they saw anything useful. I'm going to examine the body before the rats can get to it..."

after a short while of asking those around, they hadn't learned much.

One man claimed to thought to have seen a fellow run through, though he didn't get a good look at them.

A begger, shivering in the cold of winter, hadn't seen much. that Susanna was already like this when she arrived .

and finally, the priest, preparing the body for its final rites, informed the trio that though the woman was dead, no gold was taken.

"So where does that leave us?" Lydia asked. "nothing, that's for sure."

Illia asked "Do we really want to make this our problem? we have a lot on our plate already?"

Lydia nodded, "I almost feel like this is a wild goose chase."

Quill-Finder was quiet. she was mulling it over in her head. This place was a nightmare for her, that was true. but innocent people were dying all the same. what kind of person would she be if she just turned her back on them?

"There's more to this..." Quill-Finder finally said. "If you let us, we can help."

the guard laughed. "Look, friend. If you think you can do better than a legion of guards, be my guest." she crossed her arms. "Talked to the steward first though... we can't just have anyone going around claiming to be on official business."

"Well met, Argonian." The steward greeted the party warmly. "I'm Jorleif. If you're here for work, I'm sure the dock master would be more than happy for the help!"

there was an awkward silence. Illia winced, while Lydia scowled from behind Quill-Finder.

the argonian simply stared blankly.

Jorleif cleared his throat nervously. "That is, unless that is not why you're here..."

"We're here about the murders." Quill-Finder finally explained.

"Indeed?" the steward straightened himself. "My men are stretched as far as it is, given the war. If you offer aid, then I gladly accept."

he continued. "The guards will be told to assist you as necessary." the Jorleif smiled. "I'm happy to help as much as I can, as well."

Quill-Finder was angry. she tried to not let it show, but a low burning fury radiated off of her. "Dock worker?" she thought to herself. "I come to help, and I'm mistaken for a gods damn dock worker?"

she began pulling ahead of the group, not even noticing that she was leaving the others behind.

"Quill!" Lydia called, nearly entering a jock.

Quill-Finder stopped.

"We don't have to stay..." Lydia reminded her. "No one would blame you if we just left."

Quill-Finder shook her head. "I can't. Not until we catch that killer."

"Okay, but..." Illia spoke. "you don't owe these people anything. this town's been nothing but horrible to you."

Quill-Finder shook her head. "It's not about how these people see me, it's about who I am." she turned to face her friends. "the people will look on, and all the'll see is an argonian. a lizard. No matter what I say or do."

She lowered her head. "to them, they see just another beast. less than they are, useful only for their labor and little more. But I'm more than that." she spoke through clenched teeth. "I can't let people die just because they're assholes..."

there was a pause. Lydia and Illia exhanged a look. they could tell this was taking a toll on Quill-Finder, but they couldn't say anything to convince her to walk away. they knew that.

Finally, Lydia sighed. "where to we start?"

"I noticed a trail of blood away from here." the guard from earlier pointed out. she pointed to the spatters of blood against the ground. "Also, Helgird's taken the body into the hall of the dead to prepare for burial. she's a little crazy, but she might have found something..."

Quill-Finder nodded. thinking it was best to start with Helgird, she made her way to the hall of the dead.

It wasn't a far walk, they were already standing in a small cemetery. but there was an uneasiness all the same, like someone could jump out any second.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 51

"Now that's an odd question." Mirabelle said, "Why in the world would you be asking?"

"Arch-Mage Aren said you had mentioned it." Quill-Finder responded

Mirabelle nodded. "I see. well yes, I suppose I did mention it, though I'm not sure what he expects me to tell you."

she continued. "I only brought to the arch-mage's attention because the Synod came looking for it. They were apparently under the impression we were keeping it in a closet somewhere."

Illia came from behin Quill-Finder, curious. "The Synod?"

"A mage college of sorts in Cyrodiil." Quill-Finder explained. "They aren't keen on conjuration."

Mirabelle nodded in agreement. "Apparently, they fancy themselves the imperial authority on magic these past few hundred years."

"Mostly just bureaucratic nonsense." Quill-Finder shrugged. "but they're one of the only two sanctioned colleges in Cyrodiil."

Lydia chuckled. "Sometimes I forget you came from Cyrodiil, Quill..."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Quill-Finder smiled.

"In any event," Mirabelle interjected "I was quite surprised when they arrived on our doorstep. they seemed amiable enough, but their line of questioning made me... uneasy."

She continued. "It became clear that they were trying to hoard powerful artifacts, looking to consolidate power."

Quill-Finder sighed. "So no one knows where the staff is."

Mirabelle shook her head. "No one here. the Synod seemed convinced it was somewhere in Skyrim. They required about the ruins of Mzulft, but that's all I remember. If you're looking for the staff, they might yet still be there."

Quill-Finder nodded quietly, thanking Mirabelle for her help.

Illia turned to Quill-Finder and Lydia. "They sound like jerks."

the Argonian shrugged. "Kinda."

The ride was quiet, if a bit long. the cold began to bite into and pierce the adventurers' clothes. It was decided that they would take refuge and rest at the next town.

Much to Quill-Finder's dismay, the next town was Windhelm.

she knew of the town's reputation. Argonians were not treated kindly anywhere in Skyrim, but Windhelm made any of the other holds look like utopias in comparison.

Lydia could see the apprehension in Quill-Finder's face. "I got your back, don't worry."

Quill-Finder nodded.

It was quiet. as Quill-Finder passed, several people eyed the group with distrust and resentment, a feeling that made Illia and Quill-Finder uncomfortable. and though the energy could be seen and felt when they saw any of the party, it was particularly strong when Quill-Finder came into view.

"Lizard", "scaleskin", threats, curses. all said under the local nords' breath when they thought Quill-Finder was out of earshot while the dark elves gave little more than a sympathetic glance as they hurried past.

"Are you alright?" Lydia asked.

Quill-Finder was visibly shaking. not out of fear, rather, out of anger. she was silent. she wanted to speak, but the words failed her.

as they entered the inn, the keeper welcomed them in with the first warm smile they had seen.

All faces were on the trio. much like those outside, there was a wave of distrust from the patrons of the innn. and much like the outside, moods soured even more when eyes fell on the only argonian in the building. people talked among themselves, some eyeing Quill-Finder as they spoke, but none dared to approach.

Illia offered to get them a few rooms while Lydia sat with Quill-Finder.

"We can keep going till the next town... we don't have to stay." Lydia offered.

Quill-Finder shook her head.

"Do you want me to sleep in your room?" Lydia asked.

Quill-Finder almost said "yes". in reality, she really wanted to. but with there only being one bed, and not wanting to make her housecarl sleep on the floor, she shook her head once more.

Lydia nodded, and went to Illia, who was still negotiating rooms. she tapped the ice mage on the shoulder. "Get two rooms." Lydia stated.

"Oh, you sure?" Illia asked. "The rooms only have one bed each."

Lydia nodded. "I'm sure."

The inn Keeper, who introduced herself as Elda, looked to Lydia, and then over to Quill-Finder before giving a knowing nod. "Smart." she commented. "You should have no problems here, but I appreciate you looking out for your friend."

The night was quiet. Lydia had said that she was going to stay up a bit longer, and enjoy a few drinks while Quill-Finder retired for the night.

It was not a restful sleep. the argonian tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable spot. "This is the Skyrim the Stormcloaks are fighting for" she thought to herself. Eventually, once her mind stopped reeling, she finally fell asleep.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Hi there!

so with me back and posting more regularly, I figured I'd give you a few updates in terms of where things are, and where they're going.

Firstly, introductions. I'm Mika. I'm the author of Book Quest, and Quill-Finder's player. Skyrim has been been a favorite game for me for a while, though I fell in love with its world back when Oblivion was new. It was a new world to me introduced by my aunt. and while I was barred from playing the game at the time from my mother because of its M rating, my aunt was cool enough to allow me to play through her, with me calling the shots, and her navigating the character on my behalf. Had she not done that, I likely wouldn't have been able to appreciate The Elder Scrolls the way that I do now.

Initially, Book Quest was just a personal challenge of mine. standard librarian run trying to collect all the books of Skyrim. and initially, it was a much larger undertaking with the inclusion of the Lost Library. but over time, it's evolved, and Quill-Finder sort of developed a story. and I figured what better use than to tell that story.

Speaking of, you might have noticed that I've been posting... every day. that is a lot for any one person to do, and certainly more than anyone would expect with a project this big.

Unfortunately, the more that I post like that, the more that I realize that's just not sustainable long term.

So. what does that mean for Book Quest? well-- in the immediate, not much. however, I will be pulling back on the rate that I have been posting, instead focusing on outputting content two to three times a week or even every other day, rather than attempting to post every day. ultimately, that will mean less content for you

but it does mean more time for me to devote to that content. The whole point of this writing project was to improve my skills, and I can't really do that, if I'm rushing to post every day, instead of taking my time and scrutinizing my posts before I schedule them.

More Book Quest is coming, I've found a rhythm, but part of that rhythm is learning to pace myself.

I hope you've enjoyed what you've seen so far, and will enjoy what's to come <3

Thanks for understanding, and I'll see y'all tomorrow!

[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 50

"There is no solace in knowing what is to come…"

a voice echoed, sourceless in its direction.

Lydia and Illia exchanged a look. Illia was the first to speak. "I'm not sure how helpful this Augur is going to be"

Lydia simply shrugged. "So far, it's the only lead we have. what do we have to lose?"

Illia looked at the death and decay around them, as if to answer Lydia's question. she simply gave the warrior a look.

"Fair point…" Lydia finally responded.

as they pushed deeper, they reached a door. Quill-Finder pushed against it. Locked.

"Let me try." Lydia pushed Quill-Finder aside. she brought her foot up. and with a force that some would argue rivaled that of a giant, kicked with all her might. the door shook on its hinged as the loud THUD reverberated through the caverns. and yet it stood.

the voice echoed once more. "Your perseverance will only lead to disappointment. Still, you persist… very well, you may enter." as the voice spoke, the door gently swung open to reveal the chamber within.

there was a stone well containing a glowing blue liquid. floating above it, a giant blue mote of magical energy beckoned the three adventurers inside. the room, lit brightly by the mote's blue glow were covered in moss and moisture. and though it wasn't much different from the rest of the cavern, it felt that much more magical.

"Is this the Augur of Dunlain?" Illia asked."

"I am that which you have been seeking." a voice echoed, sourceless and all-encompassing, "Your efforts are in vain. It has already begun…"

It continued. "But those that have sent you did not tell you what they seek. what you seek."

the three exchanged a look. Lydia, frustrated, stepped forward. "We were told to seek you!"

"Indeed." The Augur confirmed. "And so you have come looking, though you do not know why…"

the room fell silent.

"Like others before you, you follow a path to your own destruction. The Thalmor came seeking answers as well, unaware that they will be his undoing."

Lydia and Illia exchanged a look. the housecarl's expression turned sour at the mere mention at the Thalmor, Ancano.

"Your path now follows his" the Augur continued, "though you will arrive too late…"

Quill-Finder's own mood dropped. she knew she was on clean-up after what transpired, she was told as much from the Psijic monk. but if Ancano was involved, she had no idea how messy this would actually be.

The mote continued, "You were not the first, though you may be the last. The one who calls himself Ancano sought my knowledge as well... through very different questions."

the room grew quiet. there was an apprehension in the air. though not vocalized out loud, the three adventurers shared a single concern. Is this too much for me?

"Your path differs from most." the Augur continued, "you are being guided. pushed towards something. It is a good path. one traveled by many. It is a path that can save your college. I will tell you what you need to know to follow it further..."

The augur explained that though time is of the essence, to see through the Eye of Magnus without being blinded, to avoid the disaster that looms in the distance, one item is required. the Staff of Magnus. with knowledge in hand, and at the behest of the Augur, Quill-Finder set out to seek the Arch-Mage and tell him what she learned.

"I'm... I'm impressed with your initiative" the Arch Mage stated, stunned. the information Quill-Finder gathered would be unbelievable had it not come from the Augur.

"Of course," he continued, "Someone will need to follow up on this."

Quill-Finder's face dropped. "you mean me."

"I certainly do." the Arch-Mage smiled. "Since you went so far as to seek the Augur for advice, I thought you'd be more enthusiastic. Something as specific an ancient as the Staff of Magnus... I'm not sure we'd ever find that."

Quill-Finder sighed "where do I begin."

The arch-mage thought for a moment. "I seem to recall Mirabelle mentioning the staff recently. Why don't you see if she can tell you anything?"

Before departing, Quill-Finder caught notice of J'zargo. there was a pause for a moment before she approached the Khajiit.

she spoke, "I tested your scrolls..."

J'zargo smiled, "And? were they magnificent?"

"were they supposed to explode?" Quill-Finder showed the light singes on her scales to the khajiit. "because they exploded."

J'zargo blinked. "Er, no... that was not supposed to happen. But... J'zargo is pleased that you are here..." he shrugged. "And not in pieces. you are a good friend for doing this. J'Zargo will not forget this."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 49

The party looked to J'zargo, curious. Quill-Finder was the first to respond. "What is it that you need?"

"J'zargo has seen that Tolfdir likes you." the khajiit nodded, "You must be very skilled in magic, yes?"

Quill-Finder shrugged

"No matter." J'zargo began rummaging through his bag. "J'zargo is working hard, but cannot do it alone. can you help with this?"

"Depends." Lydia interjected, her arms crossed "What is it that you're asking for?"

the Khajiit nodded. "J'zargo has worked hard on learning new spells, trying new things. this makes J'zargo stand out as a mage. but J'zargo works so hard, there is no time to test these new spells..."

he produced a number of scrolls, holding them out to Quill-Finder. "If you help with testing, this will make learning easier."

J'zargo further explained that the scrolls were a new flame cloak spell that he designed with the intent of making them incredibly potent against the undead.

With a gentle nod, Quill-Finder accepted the scrolls. as she studied them, she noticed something. the weave of magic seemed slightly off, but she assumed it was simply a side-effect of tampering with the spell. she offers a confirming nod, taking hold of the scrolls.

"Now that we've agreed to help you," Lydia stepped in. "Maybe you could help us."

"Of course!" J'zargo nodded. "It is only fair."

Illia responded. "We're looking for someone called the "Augur of Dunlain?"

J'zargo blinked. "The what of what? No, J'zargo doesn't know." there was a pause while he thought. "If it is important, maybe Tolfdir knows... he seems to know a lot."

Taking J'zargo's advice, Quill-Finder decided to ask Tolfdir abut the Augur of Dunlain.

"Well now." he responded, "That's a name I haven't heard of in some time. My goodness, it's been years since I've spoken to him."

Tolfdir thought for a moment. "I suppose he's sill down in the Midden. Though I haven't checked." He smiled. "Are you going to see him? do tell him 'hello' for me, would you?"

Quill-Finder nodded. "where's the Midden?"

"Oh, underneath the College." Tolfdir stated. "It's not the nicest place, so if you're going down there, do be careful."

"Great, thank you!" Quill-Finder smiled, turning to rejoin her companions.

"Of course, it was my pleasure." Tolfdir smiled, returning to his studies once more.

as Quill-Finder rejoined with her friends, she smiled. "We have a direction."

"Under the college?" Illia asked

"Mmhm!" Quill-Finder nodded, as she fiddled with the locks of the doors leading deeper below. "Apparently, he was a student that got greedy with power, and he had an accident. now he's fused with the magic of the college."

"Quill, nothing against mages, why is it that they're always getting themselves into trouble?"

Quill-Finder shrugged. "Pursuit of knowledge often means taking risks, I guess."

Illia shrugged in agreement, thinking back to the hag ravens.

Lydia simply grumbled. "At least a sword won't vaporize you by mistake."

there was a silence. before finally an audible 'click' "Ah-ha!" Quill-Finder pushed the doors open, smiling. "And we're in!"

The Midden was dark. it was wet. some might even say slimy. and though it didn't immediately speak of the dangers down the, Quill-Finder did not have to walk far to find out. The Midden was laden with skeletal remains of years past. some chained to walls, while others were laid out on the floor. the surroundings betraying the gruesome reality of the college's underbelly.

Long since dried blood coated cages. furniture. walls. For all of the pristine image of students learning from books, this was the horrifying reality of magic. and more importantly, how it was learned.

she hoped that this was a long-forgotten part of the College's history, but the disgust remained.

"Quill...?" Lydia asked. she could see the repulsion on Quill-Finder's face.

the lizard's mind replayed the the scenes of Fellglow keep over and over. students learning magic, no repercussions or barriers. Necromancy, destruction, summoning. all tested on live subjects. people. Sure, the subjects at the keep were vampires, but it still felt inhumane in every sense.

The sheer thought of the College once engaging in similar behavior made her stomach churn.

"Let's make this quick..." Quill-Finder responded.

As they pushed deeper in the Midden, it grew colder with every passing moment. a voice echoed, a man's. "There is no help for you here."

The group stopped there was a look of concern on everyone's faces until Quill-Finder spoke. "I guess we're on the right track...?"

Lydia simply gave a nervous chuckle before the party pushed forward

As they pushed deeper, Illia stopped. "hey," she whispered. "Do you hear that?"

the other two stopped and listened. at first, they didn't hear anything. but soon, there it was. the creaking of bone. the unmistakable sound of an animated skeleton.

Quill-Finder pulled out one of J'Zargo's scrolls, exchanging a look with her two companions.

Illia shrugged, while Lydia gestured forward.

with a smile, Quill-Finder stepped a couple inches away from the party and activated the scroll. it crumbled away in her hands, and she could feel herself imbued with the scroll's energy. Within seconds, she was surrounded with magical flame, coating every aspect of her form. and with a renewed determination, she charged in.

The Skeleton locked its vacuous sight on the argonian, its jaw chattering as it readied its weapon and moved to engage.

And exploded.

the detonation threw the argonian against the wall as she was rained upon with the shrapnel of the skeleton's remains. all Quill-Finder could do was stare at where the Skeleton once stood. the charcoal dusting as the only clue that it was there.

Lydia and Illia rushed in, weapons drawn, until their sight landed on a stunned, but still breathing, Quill-Finder.

"What the hell happened?" Lydia asked, surveying the room.

Quill-Finder could barely tear her eyes away from the floor blackened from the fire. "... It exploded."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 48

As Quill-Finder and Ancano entered the Arch Mage's quarters, the room went still. Ancano was mid stride with not a muscle even so much as twitching.

the argonian turned, looking for Lydia or Illia, who had only just made it up the stairs. there was a look of suspicion on Lydia's face. her eyes trained on Ancano as she was making her way into the chamber not far behind. Moments frozen in time, not unlike Saarthal.

"Please, do not be alarmed." the monk spoke to Quill-Finder. "I mean you no harm."

Quill-Finder turned, facing the monk once more. "What's going on?" she asked. "What happened to everyone?"

apparently the look of worry was obvious on Quill-Finder's face as the Psijic monk chuckled. "Not to worry, they are unharmed. I've simply given us a chance to speak privately. But I'm afraid we must be brief."

He explained that previous attempts to communicate like they had previously had failed, likely due to the Orb. "The Eye of Magnus".

"The Energy from it has prevented us from reaching you with the visions you have already seen." he explained.

the monk continued. "The longer it remains here, the more dangerous the situation becomes. so I've come here personally to tell you it must be dealt with. "

Quill-Finder simply stared for a moment. "Why me?"

"You set this chain of events in motion in Saarthal." the monk explained. he sighed. "You must understand, the Psijic order does not typically... intervene directly in events. "

he continued. "My presence here will be seen as an affront to some within the order. As soon as we are finished, I will be leaving your college."

the monk's eyes trained on the still-unmoving Ancano. "I'm all too aware that my arrival has aroused suspicion. Especially your Thalmor associate."

Quill-Finder nodded silently. she had many questions, and likely few that could actually be answered in whatever time they had. she simply turned to the monk. "What exactly is the problem?"

The monk explained "As you've likely already know, this object, the eye of magnus, is immensely powerful. The world is not ready for it. if it remains here, it will be misused."

The monk frowned. "Many of the order believe that it has already.... Rather, that something will happen soon, something that cannot be avoided."

Quill-Finder listened. her own expression turned sour. "so we're fucked, then." she thought to herself. she spoke to the monk. "What do you expect me to do then?"

seemingly sensing the argonian's annoyance, the monk smiled. "while what is to come cannot be avoided, the damage it will bring can be mitigated." he explained, "We believe that your efforts should be directed towards dealing with the aftermath, though we cannot predict what that may be."

the monk continued. "I fear that I already overstepped the bounds of my order, but I will leave you with this: Seek out the Augur of Dunlain here in your college. He might be able to offer more insight than us."

"the Augur of Dunlain?" Quill-Finder repeated.

The Monk nodded. "Yes. he was once a student, now he is... something different."

Quill-Finder thought for a moment. "Where do I find him?"

"I'm... I'm unsure." the monk admitted. "Surely one of your colleagues must know his location. I'm sorry that I cannot be more help."

"Now I'm afraid I must leave you." the monk gave a gentle bow. "We will continue to watch over you, and guide you as best as we can."

the monk raised his hand. "It is with in you to succeed. Never forget that."

With a wave of his fingers, the world returned to motion. Ancano finally finished his stride, standing directly behind Quill-Finder.

"Well?" Anacno Stated, "What is the meaning of this?"

"I'm sorry," the monk smiled, "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Don't play coy." Ancano spat. "You asked to see a specific member of the College. here she is. now speak."

"Oh dear" the monk gently bowed. "There's been a misunderstanding. Clearly I should not be here. If you'll excuse me."

the thalmor advisor was speechless. red in the face, he stepped forward. "What manner of trickery is this?" he seethed ,"I swear I will find what you are up to, monk."

"I'm not up to anything" the visitor countered. "I apologize if I caused any offense."

Ancano was furious,though he did not speak any further as he let the monk past. Once the monk left, the Arch Mage simply shrugged, and returned to his research while Ancano sputtered before finally relenting and returning to his own work.

"What Happened?" Lydia asked as she approached.

Quill-Finder simply gave a look before gesturing to the door. "Let's head to the dorms."

"...Really, all that?" Illia was shocked. "It only looked like he was there for a couple seconds!"

Quill-Finder nodded. "Worst part is, I don't even know where to start."

Lydia was silent. taking it all in. "whatever the case, we can't really leave this alone." she finally spoke "The way he talks about the thing, you'd think it's a bomb that is just itching for a reason to go off..."

Illia nodded in agreement. "It's so unknown, who do you think would want to misuse it?"

"Take your pick." Lydia gestured to the the college as she spoke. "we're in a school of mages and spellcasters each vying for more power than the last."

Quill-Finder nodded. "and we have a giant ball of magical potential sitting right in the center of it all..."

"Should we start asking around?" Illia asked.

Quill-Finder shrugged. "What have we got to los-"

"Excuse me" A male voice asked behind. Quill-Finder recognized it almost immediately.

One of the students she came onboard with, J'Zargo stood proud, but frustrated. "It is difficult to admit, but J'Zargo could use your help."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 47

the ride to Winterhold was a quiet one. Lydia rode ahead of the party, keeping an eye out for would-be threats while Quill-Finder and Illia followed close behind. When attention wasn't focused elsewhere, the argonian's gaze was anywhere but Lydia or Illia.

There was a shame.

"What's on your mind?" Illia asked as she pulled her horse next to the argonian.

"Hmm?" for the first time this entire trip, Quill-Finder made eye contact with the ice mage. "Nothing." she lied.

Illia sighed. "What happened happened. we made it out alright, and we learned a bit more about the dragon priests. so we'll be more prepared next time, right?"

there was a pause. "You almost died..."

Illia shrugged. "But we didn't."

"But you could have!" Quill-Finder snapped. "All because I wanted to see what was at the top of a stupid mountain!"

there was a silence. Quill-Finder hadn't even realized the horses had stopped moving. "I didn't want to hurt anyone, I never did!" she wrung the reigns as she spoke "But that's what I did..."

silence. the cold wind rushed past did little to fill the air.

"I'm sorry." the Argonian finally spoke.

there was a sigh. Lydia had already come the group, listening. "Quill, remember Ivarstead?"

Quill-Finder was silent.

Lydia continued. "My job is to keep you safe. not the other way around." she dismounted. "But I need you to use your head... no more running head-first into danger."

Quill-Finder nodded solemnly

Lydia stood for a moment. "get down." she said bluntly.

Quill-finder blinked.

"you heard me."

hesitantly, the argonian obeyed, dismounting her horse so she was next to her housecarl. within an instant, she was turned around with her back to Lydia. there was a jab at her back. right where the the sword had run her through.

"Feel that?" Lydia asked. "This is why I was so mad" she released the argonian. "I gave you such a hard time, that you nearly got yourself killed trying to prove me wrong."

there was a pregnant pause. the words hung in the air like a weight on everyone there. there was a mix of anger and guilt on Lydia's face as she continued, "I nearly got my charge killed. That is my shame."

Quill-Finder went to speak, only to stop short.

Lydia sighed. "I'm sorry I punched you. though given the moment, I'd argue my anger was justified."

Quill-Finder nodded. "I'm sorry I put us in danger..."

"Forgiven." Lydia said. "Next time you go to poke a dragon, give us a heads up. Please."

"The arch-mage believed it to be important." one of the college students, a khajiit named J'zargo, said. "It must be powerful."

"We don't know that." spoke another student. an Altmer by the name of Nirya. "We don't even know what it is. where is Aren anyways?"

the orc librarian responded. "In his quarters, with that thalmor Ancano. Something urgent, it sounded like."

"Alright, that's enough." Mirabelle interjected "Let's return to out business, please."

That was enough to make everyone scatter. the students returned to their studying, while Urag returned to the library.

Quill-Finder lingered a moment. her face dropped when she saw what the others had been looking at. the orb from Saarthal.

Lydia stood next to the argonian. she could see the worry on her face. "It's probably fine, right?"

Quill-Finder wasn't sure. "Let's turn these books in."

Urag was glad to see the books returned, even more to see Quill-Finder in one piece. as he collected the books, his hand stopped over one of the tomes. "Night of Tears, eh? had time to read it?"

Quill-Finder shook her head. "Not in depth."

Urag nodded. "If I remember correctly, that one had some very interesting implications. Might be worth mentioning to Tolfdir."

Quill-Finder was quick to meet with Tolfdir within the main chamber, discussing what was found. The object's origin was unknown. and yet, it radiated with an immense amount of Magika. The Arch Mage was already hard at work trying to learn more about the object Tolfdir explained.

As he was about to go into more detail, they were approached from behind.

Ancano stepped in "I'm afraid I must intrude. It is urgent that I speak with your associate immediately."

Tolfdir's face twisted in annoyance and anger. "This is most inappropriate!" he argued "We're currently engaged in serious research here!"

"Yes, I've no doubt of its gravity"Ancano nodded. "This, however, is a matter that cannot wait."

There was a pause. Tolfdir still seethed from the interruption. "Well I'm quite sure I've never been interrupted like this before... the audacity!"

Tolfdir turned to Quill-Finder. "I suppose we will have to continue this some other time." he eyed the Thalmor advisor "When we can avoid interruptions."

he turned, storming out of the atrium. "Interrupting precious research... the nerve..."

as Tolfdir departed, Ancano turned to the argonian. "I need you to come with me immediately."

Quill-Finder blinked. "Am I in trouble?"

"That remains to be seen." Ancano said bruskly.

Lydia, who up until this point had been sitting on the benches to take a moment and relax, sat up. she wasn't part of the conversation, and this time, she preferred it that way.

she listened intently as Ancano continued "I'd like to know why there's someone claiming to be from the Psijic order here in the College."

the Thalmor mage straightened himself, arms crossed as he spoke. "More importantly, I'd like to know why he's asking for you specifically. So we're going to have a chat with him, and see exactly what he wants."

Quill-Finder cocked her head to the side "Why are you so concerned about this?"

Ancano sneered. "I'll be the one to ask the questions. All you need to know is the Psijic Order is a rogue organization, believing themselves to be above the law."

He continued. "The have clashed with the Aldmeri dominion before, and I have no intention of letting that happen here."

he turned, walking towards the passage to the the Arch Mage's study.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest pt 46

CRACK!

there was a heat in Quill-Finder's jaw. everything suddenly went white with pain. she tumbled to the floor clenching at her jaw.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Lydia was standing over the argonian, fuming. there was an anger in her eyes that Quill-Finder had never seen.

She continued, "That fight could have been avoided entirely! Instead, we poked a dragon because, what, you were curious??"

Quill-Finder was silent. she was stunned.

"What was so fucking important that we had to pick a fight with a gods damn dragon?"

"I-I don't--"

"Don't you fucking dare! if you say what you think you are, I'm--" Lydia broke away, screaming into the air with a mix of emotions while she tried hard to comprehend what just happened.

There was a long silence. Illia hung back. Quill-Finder could see she wanted to help, but was unsure of what to do.

Lydia took a deep breath, trying hard to regain composure before returning. "Look..." there was a bluntness in her voice. "I have come to accept, and expect that you are an adventurer. you're going to traipse your way across Skyrim, and possibly even all of Tamriel, and with that comes a heap loads of danger. But that doesn't mean we have to go out of our way to find it."

Quill-Finder stayed silent

Lydia continued, "But as my thane, I am honor-bound to serve and protect you. Now I might just be a housecarl to you--"

"What? No!" Quill-Finder objected. "You're my frien--"

"Then fucking act like it!" Lydia shouted. "We could have died!"

she gestured to herself and Illia "We almost did! the next time I say 'maybe we don't pester the dragon', we don't pester the fucking dragon!"

there was an anger in Lydia's voice, but there was something else. fear. concern. "Your not--"

There was a pause. Illia looked away while Lydia brushed away a tear.

"You're not invincible." Lydia finished. "And I refuse to watch you almost die again."

there was longer silence. Lydia stood, almost like she was waiting for a response. when she didn't she scoffed. "Whatever." she turned away, making her way back down. "Let's turn in these stupid books..."

The trek to Whiterun was a quiet one. it was decided that they would spend one last night in town before making the journey to the college to heal, recover, and resupply. Lydia kept a number of steps ahead, away from the party, leading charge. Neither Quill-Finder nor Illia knew what to say.

Quill-Finder wanted to say something. anything. an apology, an explanation, something. but words failed her with every attempt. instead, what came out was: "I learned a few new dragon words"

No response.

"It allows me to throw my voice. should help with sneaking around, right?"

Illia offered little more than a strained smile, while Lydia kept marching ahead.

it was obvious that Illia wanted to say anything to lighten the mood, but whether she said anything or not, it was obvious there was hurt.

"--I didn't even want to go there, I only went because it felt like I needed to be there, but then a dragonpriest came out of nowhere, and nearly killed Lydia, and I feel terrible, but---"

"Shut." Amelia pinched Quill-Finder's jaws closed. "You're rambling, and I think you're missing the crux of the issue here." she released Quill-Finder.

Amelia continued. "I doubt Lydia is actually upset at having to fight a dragon, or even a dragon priest."

Quill-Finder fidgeted. "She seemed pretty upset..."

"I'm sure she did." Amelia nodded, "But it was not what you faced, so much as how you faced it."

Quill-Finder was quiet.

"Think for a moment. had that dragon just landed in front of you on your way to Winterhold, do you think that Lydia would have urged caution like she did?"

there was a pause.

"Likely not." Amelia walked to the statue in the center of the temple. a beautiful rendition of Kynareth. with a look of a gentle calm, it held an eagle aloft. "when rain falls and soaks us to the bone, we don't curse Kynareth for putting the clouds in front of us, though it may be uncomfortable. we accept that it's bound to happen at some point."

Amelia turned to the Argonian. "But as far as Lydia was aware, that situation was instigated. And not too dissimilar in a way that left you bleeding on the ground."

Quill-Finder was silent.

"She was mad, yes." Amelia confirmed. "But more than that, she was scared. whether she wants to admit it or not, she considers you a close friend."

there was silence.

Quill-Finder's mind replayed the events in her mind over and over. the dragon, the dragon priest, the keep. they had just gotten out of a horrifying situation, and she was too quick to throw them into another. she was mad. angry. she was upset, sad, anxious, and ashamed all at once. it was too much. and for the first time in a while, she broke.

Argonians don't express emotions in the same way as most men or mer. it can make it hard to read them in any meaningful way. But though argonians aren't known to shed tears, there is one emotion that could almost be considered universal. Sorrow.

Quill-Finder flumped against Amelia's chest as she choked down sobs, burying her face and her shame. "I didn't want to hurt anyone..."

Amelia held the argonian tight. "I know."

"It's just-- I'm so sorry..."

"I know...."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 45

an undead creature emerged, brandishing a staff as it let out a screech that echoed through the expanse.

"This is what was pulling me here." Quill-Finder thought to herself. she readied flames in either hand before looking closer at the monster. this wasn't an ordinary draugr.

The undead creature's focus slowly shifted between the three. first Illia, then Lydia, and then finally Quill-Finder. raising its staff, it pointed the end of it towards Lydia, who could only watch as a powerful flame built up before finally being released.

"Lydia!" Illia shouted, getting between the blast and the housecarl. she quickly threw a ward spell up, shielding them from the spell.

As soon as the spell made contact however, the fireball didn't just dissipated, it exploded. In an instant, Illia's ward shattered, catapulting both her and Lydia back into the rocks behind them.

with a CRACK, Lydia slammed into the rocks, the wind knocked out of her as she fell into the snow. she gritted her teeth, trying hard to get to her feet, before finally passing out in the snow.

Quill-Finder looked in shock, from her companions to the floating draugr. this wasn't a warlord. for a moment, she was hit with a wave of clarity. this was a dragonpriest. a fucking dragon priest!

Quill-Finder quickly shot her hand out casting a fireball of her own.

and nothing happened.

She cursed. Quill-Finder was tapped. She needed to bide some time to recharge, but this creature was here now, readying another blast from his staff.

shit! Quill-Finder ran, trying to keep moving while the dragonpriest built up energy for another shot. the blast fired.

Now! She dodged out of the way, hitting the ground into a roll as the fireball connected with the ground, setting off a large explosion behind her. debris and snow rained on to her, but she was relatively fine.

She was breathing heavy, pulling her bow from her back. getting close felt like a death sentence, and she was out of mana. nocking a bow, she took aim just in time to see the Dragonpriest charging another fireball.

She let loose the arrow, and broke into another run.

the arrow pierced the dragonpriest's chest, throwing the monster's aim off and sending the fireball wide. the creature gripped the arrow in its chest, letting out a pained wheeze before yanking it out and throwing the ground. the dragonpriest looked back to Quill to find... snow.

Quill-Finder huddled behind a large boulder kicked up from the dragon fight. she gripped her bow tight, trying to keep her breath under control.

she began to move just as a bony hand grasps the top of the stone.

"Hi nis vonun nol zu'u, Dovahkiin..." an ethereal voice echoed through the area as the dragonpriest peered past the stone.

Quill-Finder pressed as tightly as possible against the stone, holding her breath. she could feel the freezing air around the dragonpriest as it hovered above her.

"Hi fen siiv hin oblaan het..."

Quill-Finder shook. closing her eyes tight, her body screamed for oxygen as she clamped her mouth shut. waiting.

Eventually, the hand finally retracted. the air returned to the normal cold of the mountain. and finally, the argonian breathed.

she gingerly peered over the rock, looking across the landscape to see any hints of the dragonpriest. nothing. she let out a sigh of relief, rolling a bit of fire between her fingers. she smiled. It wasn't a lot of magic, but it would help.

"Siiv hi..."

Quill-Finder whipped around just in time to see the undead priest extend its hand out.

a frigid energy charged between the draugr's fingers before letting out a barrage of icy spears.

Quickly, Quill-Finder jumped out of the way, rolling into a run as the monster's hand tracked her position. as she ran, her fingers lit up with flame. "Make it count." she thought to herself. rounding the corner, she bolted towards the undead creature, dodging around the shards as they flew towards her before finally pushing off.

She sailed through the air, fist alight, as she lined up her one and only shot. she took a few hits from the ice, but she didn't care.

CRACK

In an instant, the dragon priest was down. he grasped at his face, holding tightly where the punch had landed. the fire hurt him. a lot, by the looks of it. stunned, a flash of anger in his voice screamed "Hi dare nos Krosis??" it raised its staff once more "Hi los mal... dinok los hin dez...!

Quill-Finder kicked the staff away, palming the monster's chest and thowing an empty mana potion to the ground. "Not today it isn't..."

with a thrust, Quill-Finder pumped all of her energy, all of her magic into the biggest fire spell she could, lighting the undead creature ablaze.

the dragon priest screamed in agony, desperately trying to push away, but Quill-Finder held tight. In but a moment, the dragon priest's movents slowed, then finally stopped.

Quill-Finder let out a sigh, letting go of the body. it hit the ground with a thud before slowly disintegrating into ash, leaving nothing but the staff and mask behind. and with it, faded the desire to see what was up here.

Picking up the mask, she looked it over. "that was a dragon priest..." Quill-Finder thought to herself. she gripped it tight, realizing just how much danger she put everyone in.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 44

In an instant, fire lit the room. The Caller extended a hand outward, shooting a stream of fire and flame at the Argonian.

with a quick raise of her own hand, Quill-Finder reflexively projected a ward in front of her, blocking the worst of it.

The Flame Atronach, sensing

Illia, attempting to catch the Altmer off-guard let loose a barrage of dagger-like ice. the shards shot through the air with tremendous force.

Before the spell could make its mark, the Caller gave a quick snap of her fingers. Dissapearing in a cloud of purple energy, the ice collided harmlessly against the stone walls of the chamber. as the magical energy dissipated, the Caller's Flame Atronach floated where she once stood. the caller,

Illia cursed, readying another spell.

"Take out the Flame Atronach!" Lydia called, "She can't switch places with it if it's dead!"

Quill-Finder nodded, pointing the palm of her hand towards the flaming demon. her hand crackled with electricity as she built up a charge. Before she could fire, a ball of flame collided with her from behind, sending the bolt wide. the arc nearly struck Illia, who barely had enough time to get out of the way.

Illia cursed. she pulled out her dagger, and let out an exasperated growl. "This is going to hurt" she thought to herself before charging at the Flame Atronach.

Quill-Finder whipped around, staring down The Caller who simply smiled in response before hurling another fireball at the argonian.

In an instant, Lydia shouldered Quill-Finder out of the way of the blast, taking the full brunt of the firey explosion. it burned hot.

the warrior winced in pain as she stood her ground. she charged, greatsword in hand. ready to swing.

"You don't learn, do you? The Caller said with a smile. She snapped her fingers again.

Lydia held her strike for but a moment as The Caller disappeared in a wave of purple energy, swapping places with the Atronach once more. once the Atronach was in view, Lydia smirked. she committed to her swing, cutting into the elemental.

The atronach roared in pain, the air around it growing searing hot with rage as The Caller smiled smugly.

just before Illia's dagger plunged into The Caller's throat.

The Caller and Illia stood there, both shocked at what just transpired. before long, Illia regained her senses, yanking out her dagger and letting The Caller fall.

With the lack of a tether, the Atronach screamed in anger before dissipating back into the aether.

Lydia stood, breathing heavy. she scowled as she approached the body of the now dead mage. she regarded the body before plunging her sword deep into its back before withdrawing the blade. when the body didn't move, the warrior seemed satisfied before walking away. "Let's get out of this hellhole."

sunlight. Quill-Finder could feel the warmth on her skin as the three exited the keep. for as cold as skyrim was, the sun still felt nice on her skin. with her bag three books heavier, she turned to her friends, ready to talk to them about whether they should head back to town or the college.

she opened her mouth to speak, and stopped.

"Quil-Finder?" Lydia asked, "Everything alright?"

Quill-Finder was quiet. she looked back at the ruins, then past them, gazing at the snow-covered hill higher up the mountainside. Something was pulling her attention there. something was up there. something amazing. terrifying. powerful. she needed to see. she needed to know.

before she even realized what she was doing, her feet had already begun carrying her up the mountain.

"Quill-Finder, where are you going?" Illia asked.

"Something's up there." Quill-Finder replied.

"Do we really have the time to go on another adventure?" Lydia argued.

Quill-Finder didn't respond. She didn't know. she didn't know why she needed to get up the mountain, only that she did. a force tugged at her,

"Is that a dragon?" Illia stared at the large beast in the distance.

The dragon was perched on a wall that Quill-Finder has seen at least a couple times. she could tell that a word of power could be found there. and yet... that's not what pulled her here.

"We shouldn't be here..." Lydia whispered. there was a certain level of anxiety in her voice. She knew dragons weren't something to mess with.

"I'm with Lydia..." Illia agreed, she was visibly worried, trying hard to stay out of sight of the beast's hungry eyes. "that thing could kill us in an instant if it tried..."

"It's in the way" Quill-Finder thought. "Something is here..."

"Quill?" Lydia looked to the argonian, concerned. her eyes went wide.

Quill-Finder stood tall, a fireball in hand.

Lydia jumped, reaching for the argonian's arm. she had to stop this. she needed to. "Quill, Don't--!"

The fireball sailed through the air. both Lydia and Illia held their breaths as they watched trajectory of Quill-Finder's shot. their hearts sinking lower and lower as the flame glided to its mark and collided with the beast's.

The Dragon in frustration and anger, blinking flames from its eys before its sights snapped to the lone argonian, standing defiantly.

"Dammit, Quill!" Lydia leaped over the boulders, pulling a bow off her back and taking aim.

"So this is how we die." Illia readying an ice spike spell in each hand. "In the belly of a dragon."

The dragon took off into the air with a defiant roar, belching ice cold frost as it flew.

The three scattered, taking cover behind various debris. rocks, trees, anything to keep them out of line of sight.

Lydia poked out of cover long enough take a shot, sending the arrow into the thick hide of the beast. "If we survive this, I'm gonna kill her..." she grumbled, partly to herself, partly to Illia who was just within earshot.

"We can be angry afterwards." Illia replied, sending shards of ice towards their target. "Right now, we have a bigger problem."

before long, the dragon landed in front of Lydia. it growled, before rearing back its head.

With a quick shove, Quill-Finder pushed the warrior out of the way. the argonian was clad with a green aura. a stoneskin spell. as the dragon lunged forward, it breathed a heavy freeze as Quill-Finder raised her ward spell. she poured all of her energy into the spell, withstanding the subzero frost, until it finally ceased. frozen ice still trying to cling upon the magical shell around the argonian.

"Quill," Lydia replied. anger was replaced by worry as she watched Quill-Finder unsheathe a blade. "If you're trying to prove you can kill a dragon, you don't have to." she pushed herself off the ground, readying her own blade. "You've done enough."

Quill-Finder was silent. she stared at the dragon with a cold determination in her eyes. "It's in my way" she thought. whatever was up here was important. she knew it. she could feel it. The dragon was just an obstacle.

Quill-Finder slashed the blade across the dragon's face. her gaze never leaving the beast for a second. the dragon roared in anger as it snapped its jaws at the defiant argonian, who simply jumped back, letting the dragon's nose just barely graze her chest.

The argonian pushed forward her own will, grasping at an unseen energy, ripping a hole through the aether before letting it dissipate, revealing a Flame Atronach. It crackled with a malicious energy before starting its own barrage of fire against the dragon.

Very quickly, the dragon found itself overwhelmed. it began searching for an opening, any opening, to get out. Escape. with one push of its wings, it brought itself back into the air, but it was tired.

the atronach refused to relent, with Illia not far behind with her own magic. While on their own, it likely would have been fine, the dragon was visibly in pain.

Quill-Finder charged another spell. gripping both hands together, she channeled the rest of her magic into the shot, letting loose one last fireball.

it collided with the beast's wing, throwing it off-kilter and forcing the dragon to come tumbling to the ground. It collided with loud CRASH as snow and debris was kicked up from its impact.

the dragon breathed heavy. It struggled under its own weight as it glared angrily at the three.

Quill-Finder approached the beast, raising her blade. the edge catching the light one last time before being plunged deep within the dragon's skull. there was a pause. the wind kicked up around the trio, gusts blowing towards the argonian as she withdrew her sword. In an instant, the dragon's scales and flesh burned away leaving nothing behind but bone.

"Can we go now?" Lydia asked. there was a tone of annoyance in her voice.

Quill-Finder turned to the wall that the dragon was guarding. but that's not was pulling her. It was something, yes, but there was something else.

In front of the wall was a lone coffin. surrounded by treasures and gold. It called to her.

Quill-Finder's feet moved seemingly on their own, the argonian was silent. focused.

and finally, the coffin opened.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 43

As Quill-Finder's party advanced, they finally made their way to large circular room. there were three levers in the center flanked by a large pillar on either side, and three cages along the wall.

It seemed like only one mage patrolled this area. an older man. he was leaning against the wall, only half paying attention to his surroundings. most of his attention was focused on the cage in the middle.

Quill-Finder let out a sigh, charging up a fireball. she lined up her shot, and threw.

there was a grunt, followed by the sounds of panic as the man desperately tried to pat out the flames. once he brought the fire under control he looked for the source, meeting Quill-Finder's eyes.

The argonian smiled, and waved.

The man, furious, summoned an ethereal dagger into his hands and moved towards Quill-Finder.

before closing the distance, he felt the razor edge of a greatsword pressing into his neck. he stopped dead in his tracks, looking to see the wielder, Lydia, who gave a half-hearted shrug.

Knowing the position he was in, he let the dagger dissipate.

Lydia gave a nod towards the direction the party had come from.

The man simply nodded, and gently moved away from the blade before briskly walking past Quill-Finder and Illia and making his way out.

Quill-Finder looked over to the cage. an Altmer mage pressed against the bars. he was wearing college robes. he looked worse for wear, especially for a high elf.

"Orthorn, I take it?" Quill-Finder asked, already sure of the answer.

"Yes, you must be from the college!" the mage gripped the pars tight. "Who knows what they'll do to me!"

Quill-Finder gave a nod to Illia.

Illia nodded in return, grabbing hold of the middle lever and giving it a pull.

Orthorn's cage swung open, letting the mage stumble out with a grateful smile. "Oh, Thank you!" he said. "As thanks, I promise to help you get out of here."

Quill-Finder, Lydia, and Illia each exchanged a look. Lydia, the most stern of the three simply shook her head.

Quill-Finder gave an understanding nod before turning her attention back to Orthorn. "Actually, where are the books?"

"The-- The books?" Orthorn was a mix of confused and hurt. "Oh, I thought you were here for me. but yes, the books. The Caller will have them. she was most interested in one of the volumes..."

he lowered his head, grumbling. "Although not interested enough to keep me from being locked up..."

Quill-Finder nodded. "Thanks."

"You should get yourself to safety, Orthorn." Lydia interjected

Orthorn looked with a start. "Don't you need my help?"

"I think we can handle it just fine." Illia responded.

"Oh." Orthorn looked almost wounded. "Well... if you're sure. Please, do be careful." he turned to leave before just stopping short. "Oh, and... Thank you."

Quill-Finder, Lydia, and Illia cut through the rest of the keep, fighting teachers and students alike. It became easier with each encounter. A fact that worried Quill-Finder.

She had to repeatedly remind herself that these mages were going down a dark path, and have probably done much worse, judging from the cages with vampires, werewolves, even a body that was likely subjected to numerous spells down a shooting range before finally expiring.

It was something she knew she had to do, but it didn't make it easier.

Eventually, they found their way to the top-most chamber. the only thing separating Quill-Finder from her prize.

approaching the door, there was a feeling of apprehension visible on everyone's face.

"So you're the ones who barged into my home and laid waste to my projects." An Altmer woman clad in a blue robe stood in the center of the room. One of the stolen books could be seen in front of her while she addressed Quill Finder and her friends. It was obvious that this is the Caller that Othorn spoke of.

the woman sneered with each word. "How nice to meet you..."

Illia stepped forward. "we're just here for the books that were stolen. As soon as we have them, we'll be on our way."

The Caller listened to the words, bursting out laughing "You come here, kill my assistants, disrupt my work..." she extended an arm out, weaving summoning magic as she spoke "It's a shame you've annoyed me. you showed so much promise."

The Caller pushed forward her magic, taking control and summoning a Flame Atronach. it crackled with a menacing fury.

"You will be leaving now."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest 42

just as quickly as the Atronach's fireball made contact with the rock, the two mages snapped their attention to the direction of Quill-Finder.

"shit." one of the mages, a man, said. following the atronach's lead, he charged a spell of his own, lobbing a fireball of his own. this time at Lydia who had already moved forward to engage.

Barely dodging out of the way, Lydia turned to her companions. "Illia!" she commanded, pointing at the Atronach.

Illia nodded, letting out a frigid hail of ice from the palm of her hands.

Quill-Finder cut to the left, engaging the second mage, this one a woman, who retaliated with a gout of flame.

Quill-Finder barely had time to cast her ward to block most of the flame, the fire barely licking her forearm before being cut off.

the female mage cursed, pulling out a dagger.

Quill-Finder simply smiled, summoning a dagger of her own from the aether.

Lydia had engaged the male mage. the man had panicked, launching volley after volley of fireballs as the housecarl closed the distance up a set of stairs, into the ruins of what was once a tower. she pushed the man against a piece of rubble, blade against his throat. and it dawned on her. this man was young. too young. he was barely older than a teenager, and he was out here fighting to the death.

There was a hesitation.

the mage, sensing this, let loose a blast of flame, engulfing Lydia.

Lydia screamed in pain, falling off of the ruins onto the ground. she desperately patted out the flames just in time to see the man from atop the tower readying another fireball.

he smirked. and then the fire died. Lydia looked on as the body went limp, falling next to her, giving her a better view of the bolt of ice embedded into the man's head.

Illia rushed over, helping the downed housecarl to her feet. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah." Lydia choked on the words, looking back that the now dead mage. "just... just my pride."

the two looked over to Quill-Finder, who was just finishing her kill. a swift cut to the throat before thrusting the ethereal dagger into the skull. the blade dissipating before the female mage even hit the ground.

Quill-Finder looked on, and back to her companions. "That was too easy..."

Lydia nodded solemnly. neither of them said it, but they could tell what the other was thinking. "who sends out kids to protect a keep?"

The Keep was dark, wet, and teeming with young mages. with each scuffle, the party pushed deeper

Battles against mages of varying skills continued until there was a pause. they had entered what looked like a jail with a number of cages, each containing one person. Only one mage was looking over the room. he wore black robes with a red skull adorning the front of it.

The prisoners looked at their jailer with a mix of emotion. fear. anger. but most importantly, hunger.

Quill-Finder had enough. with a seething hatred, she stormed into the room, fire crackling in each hand.

the mage, only barely paying attention, turned just in time to see the young argonian raise both hands. the flames in her palms burned brighter before blasting forward.

Reflexively, the mage countered with his own fire. the magical flames clashing in the middle as the heat increased in the room significantly.

Illia moved to help, only to be stopped. Lydia, with an arm across the ice witch's chest, simply shook her head.

Quill-Finder could feel the flames licking her flesh. it was burning. she couldn't tell if it was from her own fire, or her opponents, but she grunted through the pain and let out a defiant shout, pushing with all her energy.

The fire plumed, pushing through and finally forcing its full might on the necromage. losing focus, the mage fell to the ground. his screams echoed through the room before being cut short. Quill-Finder, closing the distance, plunged her sword into the sorcerer's head.

Once more, the room was silent. all except for the four prisoners in each cell.

"You!" one of the prisoners shouted. A dunmer woman grasped the bars. "Let me out, this instant!"

Quill-Finder nodded, digging through her pack for a set of lockpicks.

"A moment." Illia interjected, waving both Quill-Finder and Lydia over.

Lydia was confused. "What's the matter?"

Illia pointed to all four prisoners. "Look carefully."

It took a moment, but both Lydia and Quill-Finder could see what they missed before long.

The dunmer, no, all four prisoners, didn't quite look right. their facial structure, while still graceful only in the way an elf's could be, was contorted. their eyes glowed with a hungry amber. and while some looked upon their would-be saviors with hope, it was undeniable they also looked upon the three like one would look at a steak.

"Vampires..." Lydia finally confirmed.

the Dunmer grasped upon the bars, visibly annoyed. "We're kept here against our will! Free us and we will offer you no trouble this day."

there was a silence.

Lydia finally turned to her charge, giving a shrug. "It's your call, Quill-Finder."

with a sigh, the argonian cautiously approached the cages once more. "attack me, and you'll be dust." she warned.

the vampire laughed. "yours is not who we shall feast upon this day. we wish for something... sweeter." her grin turned stone cold in an instant. "Revenge."

before long, all four vampires were freed. and true to their word, they stayed their hands against their rescuers. there was a nod of gratitude before the dunmer threw open the doors to the next room, and charged at the first person she saw.

Staying out of view, Quill-Finder, Lydia, and Illia could only listen to the panic, the casting of magic, and the death of a small handful of would-be sorcerers until it finally went quiet.

Quill-Finder peered into the room. three freshly dead bodies, one pile of ash, and what looked like two corpse on tables.

the vampires were nowhere to be seen.

Quill-Finder wasn't sure to be relieved or concerned at that fact.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 41

the following morning, Illia woke to an empty room. looking around, she could see Lydia's armor still placed placed on the floor. though the Housecarl's weapon was missing.

Quill-Finder, organizing her latest haul of books from her travels and admiring her collection of now 182 unique books and spell tomes, could hear the footsteps of Illia as she entered the foyer. "Mornin' sleepyhead!" she said, for it being so early, she was still quite chipper.

"Hey, have you seen Lydia?"

"Lydia? yeah, I think she went to go practice behind the Companions building."

"I didn't know she was a companion?"

Quill-Finder shrugged. "She's not."

the night air still held on even as the sun barely poked over the horizon. Lydia, standing in front of one of the many training dummies, gripped her greatsword and breathed.

she sparred with the dummy for a time, striking at various points while doing her best to maintain her guard.

"You know those are for companions only, right?" A low gravely voice called from behind. One of the members of the companions. his armor was decorated with dark furs. he was roughly the same age as Lydia, but looked like he aged at least several years more. he constantly had bags under his eyes, with several wondering if he ever slept.

"Would you like to explain that to the Jarl? or should I?" Lydia retorted.

Farkas scoffed. "Not worth my time." he turned away, heading back inside. "Just be sure to clear out before anyone else wakes up."

Lydia nodded. "I always do."

"Lydia!" a new voice called. Illia's. "What're you doing out so early?"

"oh, you know." she said between swings, "Just getting a workout in. With Amelia hurt, we're kind of on our own. and I don't want to alarm you, but..."

Lydia turned to face Illia, burying the tip of her blade in the ground. "You and Quill-Finder specialize in destruction, and I swing swords. we aren't exactly unstoppable."

Illia lowered her head. "No argument there."

"Now don't get me wrong," Lydia continued. "I have a pretty good blade arm, and Quill-Finder is one of the least pompous mages I know aside from you, even if she is about as quirky as most mages. but we're going to need to be better than 'pretty good'..."

Illia nodded. She couldn't really argue. for all the friction that had been between her and Amelia, she couldn't deny the wolf's effectiveness in combat. "should we wait for her to recover?"

Lydia shook her head. "No time. with the way that Quill-Finder talks about that orb we found, you'd think it was a bomb that could go off any minute. once we're ready, we should head out, and head directly for the keep."

Illia sighed, crossing her arms. "Then I guess we better say our goodbyes."

after reconvening, it was decided they should pay one last visit to Amelia before leaving, even if only to check in on her. there was an insistence of going outside. The wolf claimed it was "Much too stuffy in the old temple"

as they gathered, they simply talked. stories of their pasts were shared, happy memories, sad tales. a thought that ran through everyone's heads, though no one said it out loud, was a simple wish. one that it could be like this all the time.

and yet, one inescapable thought claimed Amelia's mind. "Truth be told, had you met me in my past, you would have hated me..."

"Because you're such a treasure to work with now, right?" Lydia teased.

there was a chuckle, but a ring of truth to Lydia's words. Amelia knew it. "I know... I'm not the easiest to travel with. I can be--"

"Judgemental?" Illia stated bluntly

"Pushy?" responded Quill-Finder

"I was going to say rigid." Amelia retaliated, "But... yes."

she sighed and turned to Illia. "You could have left me to die, but you didn't. and for that, you have my undying gratitude. regardless of where you came from, you saved my life."

Amelia gestured to the group, she gave a smile, strained as it was. "All of you did."

there was a pause.

"I hope to earn your trust, and your respect." she gave a nod to her three friends, the smile becoming more genuine over time. "You've earned mine."

With farewells said, Quill-Finder, Lydia, and Illia set out to retrieve the stolen tomes for the college. there was hope that these books might lead to more insight towards what they had uncovered.

The mage who claimed to be part of the Psijic Order seemed concerned. everything seemed calm, but with the Thalmor advisor hellbent on becoming involved, that was no longer certain.

Amelia wasn't wrong, the ride to Fellglow Keep was an incredibly short one from Whiterun. Had the wolven priest not been injured, they might have even been able to tackle it on the way.

Arriving at the Keep, the first thing they noticed were two spellcasters, and a flame atronach guarding the entrance.

"Easy." Quill-Finder thought to herself. she grinned as she readied a Stoneskin spell.

Before she could cast, a fireball dashed across the rock in front of her.

she had been spotted, and the Flame Atronach did not look happy.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 40

After the battle, Quill-Finder surveyed the room once more.

The far wall still called to her, but there was something else. a chest.

approaching the wall, she could feel the pull of a word as she focused on its energy. "Kill".

"Ominous" she thought to herself, before focusing her attention on the chest.

of course, there was the bit of gold, but there was also a dwarven bow, and a few pieces of jewelry. among them however, was an orb. pearlescent in color and jagged in shape. it almost appeared to be made of pure crystal. and it was gorgeous.

with a grin, Quill-Finder reached for the orb. as soon as she had a grip and hoisted it out of the chest, a magical energy thrummed from the object.

"A new hand touches the beacon." voice called.

in an instant, her mood dropped.

The walk back to the party was a quiet one. if not for her fuming at the acquisition of Meridia's Beacon, it might have even been a pleasant one. there was a shortcut leading back to the entrance of the ruins, and it made the trip back much easier than the trip in.

"Hey, I'm back..." Quill-Finder called to her companions. the moment she laid her eyes on Amelia, her mood softened.

The wolven priest was sitting up. she was still in a lot of pain, but not so much that she couldn't muster a genuine smile. "I take it we're clear of any troubles, then?"

"Yup! killed all the draugr. and picked up a few things along the way..." Quill-Finder reached into her bag and produced the beacon for the room to see.

Amelia's face hardened, while Lydia took a couple steps back. Illia simply looked on, confused.

"Quill-Finder..." Amelia sighed. "Please tell me that's not a Daedric artifact in your hands..."

"Yup."

Lydia had a look of concern. "It didn't speak to you, did it?"

"It did." Quill-Finder nodded.

"Wait". Illia stepped forward. "Daedric artifact?"

"Meridia's, to be more specific." Quill-Finder clarified.

"why on earth would you pick it up?" Amelia asked bluntly.

"I didn't know!" Quill-Finder countered, becoming more frustrated. she sighed. "She wants us to cleanse her temple."

Amelia sighed. "Add it to the list... for now though," she adjusted herself, rolling over. "Let's get some rest."

the following day, the party headed back out, their journey to Whiterun continuing. avoiding anything too treacherous while Amelia recovered still. as Whiterun entered their sights, they came across an eccentric man, Cicero he was called, cursing at his wagon.

distraught, he begged for help. "Convince Loreius to fix my wheel! Do that, and poor Cicero will reward you!"

It didn't take much. and as for detours, it was a blessedly short one.

With Loreius from the nearby farm persuaded to help the strange man, the party continued on their way with 300 gold for their effort

It was not much longer until Quill-Finder made it to whiterun. there was a genuine feeling of relief from everyone.

Amelia smiled to the others. "It's been fun, but I need a rest..."

Lydia nodded. "I think we could all do with a bit of relaxation before heading out."

the wolf gave a soft laugh "While I'm sure that's true, I might be sitting this adventure out."

"You're not coming?" Quill-Finder asked

"Not this time, I'm afraid." Amelia responded, shaking her head. "I need time to recoup. I'm sure we'll adventure together again before long."

"Besides," she turned to face Illia. "I need to rethink a few things."

with that, Amelia made her way back to the temple of Kynareth, giving a wave behind her as she departed. "Find me before you head out. I wish to give you a proper farewell."

true to their plans, Quill-Finder, Lydia and Illia visited Belathor first. stocking up on potions, books, and gear. More importantly, they found a new set of clothes for Illia. something that allowed for freedom of movement, but didn't turn heads in the worst way.

as Illia examined her new attire, she smiled. "perfect!"

ultimately, it was decided they'd sleep one last night before heading on the road. If they were heading into danger without a healer, they needed to be at their best. and they knew it.

as they spent the night at Quill-Finder's house, Breezehome, Lydia and Illia made themselves comfortable in the guest room. It was quiet. the creaking of wood settling, accompanied only by the sounds of outdoor critters.

there were two bunk beds, four places to sleep in total. Lydia and Illia had each taken a bottom bunk on either side of the room.

Illia was glad to be out of that forsworn armor, but not nearly as much as Lydia was to be out of her steel gear. each were dressed in a sleeping gown, and it occurred to Illia that this was the first time she'd actually seen Lydia outside of her armor.

even at times of rest, when they were on the road, Lydia seemed to always be ready, always prepared. It couldn't have been comfortable.

She wasn't sure yet if that was just who Lydia was, or if that was the norm. It did offer a bit of comfort however. All the same, it was nice to see her companions finally relax so long after helping her.

"You know," Illia said, not to anyone specific, "It's strange being away from the hags for so long."

"Mmnh?" Lydia grunted from across the room.

"I've left the the coven before, but usually to gather supplies for rituals. Never have I ventured this far out, I think. everything is so... new."

"Mmmh..."

"The smells, the people, the beds..." Illia smiled. "I can't remember the last time I slept on a bed that wasn't just made of hay and a blanket!"

"Nmmm..."

"I'm just-- I really appreciate you giving me a chance..."

"Hey Illia...?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you're excited," Lydia rolled over to face the overexcited ice mage with a look of deep exhaustion. "I'm trying to sleep."

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 39

The cave was crawling with Draugr. as fearsome as they were, they weren't nearly as terrifying as the first time. if it wasn't for the stench of death, it would almost be peaceful.

The argonian's mind wandered as she pushed deeper into the ruins.

Amelia was alive. but it was close all the same. Quill-Finder couldn't help but wonder if that's how she looked when she was run through. the mere thought of it made her stomach churn.

Amelia was nearly killed fighting to protect someone, while Quill-Finder was just a hard-head.

She shook the thoughts from her mind. "She'll be alright." Quill-Finder muttered to herself.

each hallway brought a new adversary. some tougher than others, though most not left standing for a few seconds. where her magic failed, her blade cut deep, and with the new spells she'd learned it didn't fail often.

Her new Flame Atronoch kept her company as they breezed though the tomb, cracking and gently coasting through the air. and though it did not speak, its presence, for better or worse, was comforting.

Traps that would have put the argonian off now offered a sense of familiarity. challenges overcome that, while still dangerous, felt almost nostalgic. it was a welcome distraction from nearly losing a companion. a friend.

in no time, Quill-Finder reached the end. covered in blood from her enemies, she looked on. a force tugged at her from the far wall of the chamber. she knew this feeling well. she sighed. partly in annoyance, but a gentle smile betrayed her feelings.

the fact of the matter was she enjoyed this.

looking around, she could see a coffin in the center, with four more draugr, one in each corner of the chamber keeping sentinel. standing, but inert. taking her time, she quickly and quietly dispatched the four extra draugr before they had a time to wake up, leaving the one sleeping in the center.

With the time that she has spent both in Skyrim, she was able to pick up a few words and sounds from the old languages. there was a name on the coffin. not surprising, but Quill-Finder could read it.

"Curalmil"

Quill-Finder smiled.

And then Curalmil moved.

Stepping out of the coffin, the grimacing skull of what Quill-Finder assumed was a well-renowned warrior glared at the argonian. it choked out words in the draconic tongue before swinging a large frost covered blade in her direction.

Barely moving out of the way, she felt the greatsword graze her arm. she let out a grunt of pain. had it just been a cut, that would have been bad enough. but the air that it cut through was not just cold, it was glacial. she could feel where the blade struck sapped away of its heat, making her arm go numb for a brief moment.

it hurt. a lot.

angrily, Quill-Finder summoned her Flame Atronoch once more, who wasted no time engaging the draugr warlord.

the atronach lobbed a fire ball at Curalmil. as it made its mark, Quill-Finder couldn't help but smile. until she realized it didn't do as much damage as she thought it would.

Curalmil swung his greatsword, striking the Atronach, and in an instant, it crumpled to the floor. dead, or unconscious, Quill-Finder couldn't tell, before erupting into a plume of flame and disappearing.

she was on her own.

Sheathing her sword, she readied a flame spell in both hand, and let loose. the air around her was hot with burning flame as she let loose with all she had.

before long, a blade cut through her flames, striking down towards her.

with a whimper, Quill-Finder stumbled backwards, just barely having enough time to dodge the greatsword.

she used what little mana she had left to cast a greater healing spell on herself. the wound on her arm closing up almost instantly, but she was tapped.

in seconds, what was once an easy run, quickly turned into a nightmarish challenge as she looked around the chamber for anything she could use. aside from the two large stone pillars, there was not much she could put between her and the warlord. but one thing's for sure, she had to keep her distance.

Quill-Finder dodged and weaved the swings of Curalmil's sword, trying her best to avoid getting hit, only taking shots with her own blade when she could see it was safe to do so.

she had to bide her time. stall. if she could get stoneskin up, she might be able to stand a chance. but she was out of mana, and couldn't waste time digging for a sorcery potion.

weaving behind one of the pillar, she could hear the scraping of metal as it cut across the heavy stone. she turned to run right, only to come face to face with Curalmil as he dropped down his sword.

with no time to move, she quickly raised her sword to block the oncoming strike.

It hurt. the sheer force of the swing nearly buckled Quill-Finder's guard as she withstood the blow. her sword was bitingly cold, and she knew she couldn't keep this up. with a scream, she retaliated with her own swing, cutting across the draugr's face.

and froze.

the draugr staggered back, collapsing to one knee. it glared at the argonian with an ancient rage. but before Curalmil could regain himself, Quill-Finder plunged her sword deep in his throat. slicing outward.

the corpse, laid to rest once more, fell.

and Quill-Finder let go of a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 38

Amelia's breaths were shallow, but she was breathing.

"Hey, stay with me." Lydia called, she gave a gentle smack to the wolf's cheek, trying to keep her awake.

the vicar was shivering. she grasped at her stomach as she winced in pain "I-I can't--"

"Don't talk. you're hurt pretty bad." Lydia turned to Illia and Quill-Finder. "We need shelter. now."

"what about that cave there? I think the bandits were using it!" Quill-Finder called, pointing towards a tunnel in the rock.

"Good enough." Lydia turned to Illia. "Help me move her. Quill-Finder, you're on protection detail."

A draugr crypt. Quill-Finder cursed her luck, but cleared a path for her companions all the same. despite the tired and worn out state of everyone, the undead were easy enough to dispatch as Quill-Finder cut through far enough away from the the entrance to get away from the biting cold.

once they felt safe, they laid their companion down.

Amelia, for all of her strength, was cold. even as they sat in the warmth of the chamber, her body struggled to retain any heat. try as she might, she struggled to muster even a simple healing spell on herself. tears rolled down her cheek as she choked down cries of pain as she was laid down onto the floor.

worked into a panic, they were quick to strip the wolven priest out of her bloodied clothes as Illia began inspecting the Vicar's wounds.

"Would a healing potion help?" Quill-Finder asked. she was already digging for a potion.

Illia grimaced, shaking her head. "Not without closing the wound. she's losing too much blood."

without a second thought, Lydia pulled out her steel sword, handing it to Quill-Finder. "heat it up."

Carefully, Illia tried to roll the Vicar on her back as she propped up Amelia's head. she gripped the shivering wolf's hand. "This might sting."

Amelia was wheezing. she wanted to speak, say anything, but the white hot pain in her front choked out any words. she barely caught what was being said as she was phasing in and out of consciousness. but she definitely felt it.

In an instant, her wound burned hot. she let out a cry of pain that echoed through the halls as her grip tightened, nearly crushing Illia's hand. she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. there was only pain.

"Now the potion." Illia called, reaching out to Quill-finder.

Amelia could feel the cold of glass press against her lip.

"Drink"

the Vicar opened her maw, letting the warm liquid pour down. it was soothing. the magic quickly taking effect as it reduced her pain enough that she could think. that she could rest. her breath, though still hard, slowed as she finally allowed herself to relax, and drift to sleep.

Illia looked down to the wolf's face. Amelia's head said in the ice mage's lap, calm. she let out a breath she hadn't even realize she was holding. "It'll take time, but she'll live. I don't think we're moving for a while though."

Lydia nodded. "Agreed." she turned to Quill-Finder. "see if you can clear the rest of the tomb out. we don't want any surprises."

Quill-Finder nodded, and turned to push deeper into the tomb. for the first time in a while, alone.

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[skyrimbookquest]

Book Quest Pt 37

The journey south to familiar lands started quiet. the cold air nipped at the group as they made the trek.

although it seemed like everything had been smoothed over, there was still an awkward tension between Amelia and the others. the last words she said to the group as a whole had not been kind. and though she didn't feel like she was out of line, there was still a feeling of embarrassment.

there were a number of times where Amelia went to speak, only to cut herself off.

with a deep breath she brought her horse closer to Illia. "Listen, what I said..."

"I'm not the enemy." the ice mage said bluntly.

"I wasn't--"

"I know where I come from, and I can't change what I've done. But what I can do is look forward and be better."

Amelia was silent.

"Regardless what you might think, I'm grateful for all of your help. and I just wish you'd let me return the favor, instead of looking down on me." Illia pulled away before Amelia could respond

the rest of the ride was quiet. the cold was starting to cut through. keeping an eye out for shelter, the party rode on until finally seeing people ahead.

Quill-Finder grinned, ready to push her horse towards the people camped out.

"Wait." Lydia put an arm out in front of the argonian. "Something's not right."

"Why are they in Seducer armor...?" Illia asked, she dismounted from her horse.

"I mean, far be it from me to judge." Amelia remarked.

"No, I mean--" Illia sighed. "From the Shivering Isles. Sheogorath's realm? I think we should move around. Messing with a daedric prince is not something I'd like to try today."

"Agreed." Lydia nodded. "Let's find a different--"

her words were cut short. an arrow cut through the air. the tip cut just past her face before an audible yelp of pain as Amelia was thrown off her horse.

four bandits, clad in mismatched armor, approached the group with weapons drawn. a fifth stood on a hillside, bow in hand.

"Looks like we have a couple of live ones!" a voice spoke. One of the bandits stepped forward. Clad in furs, with a mace unlike anything Quill-Finder had ever seen. the others seemed to hold a certain respect, or fear, for him as they made room for him. "What do you say, shall we rob their corpses?"

In the blink of an eye, Lydia leaped off her horse, positioning herself between the bandits and her party. Sword and shield in hand, her eyes narrowed as the rest of the party prepared to defend themselves.

the bandit leader grinned. "This'll be fun."

with a shout, the bandits charged, clashing steel with the party. Illia tried her best to keep the would-be bandits off of Amelia as the wolven grasped at the arrow.

With a scream of pain, Amelia yanked the tip out. a spurt of blood decorated the snow as she threw the arrow to the ground. catching her breath, her ears turned like little satellites. She could tell Illia was fighting hard to keep not one, but two, bandits off of them, while Quill-Finder and Lydia dealt with two more.

Amelia growled.

a second arrow cut through the air. this time towards Illia. without a thought, the Vicar grappled Illia and spun around.

Shocked and frustrated, Illia struggled to push away "What are--"

another yelp of pain. Amelia shot up straight, her grip loosening on the ice mage. she fell to one knee as engery crackled between her fingers. "Found you." The wolven priest angrily pointed towards the archer. with a CRACK, a bolt of lightning shot from her finger and found its mark on the bandit archer.

the archer didn't even scream. he fell to the floor dead before anyone had noticed what had happened.

Amelia smiled. her victory was short lived as a sword cut across her front. a stream of blood followed the blade as it cut through the air. she fell to the cold ground, the force kicking up snow as her body settled. her breathing was shallow.

With Illia pushed out of the way, one of the bandits had shifted their attention to the wolf. "Fackin' monster!" the bandit cried out angrily as they raised their sword for the killing blow.

before the blade came down, a dagger plunged into the bandit's side. Illia, as light as she was, latched onto the bandit's back. she pulled the blade out just long enough to plunge it back into fresh flesh. she cried out with each strike as the bandit fought to pull her off. each second, their movements getting more and more sluggish before finally collapsing to the ground, Illia still on their back

the ice mage shot a furious glare to the second as she detached herself from her fresh kill.

there is one thing that is true about winterhold. The air is cold enough to bite when the wind blows. and even then, despite that, the air grew colder still. there was fury in the mage's eyes as she raised a palm to her second attacker. icicles formed in the air around Illia, pointed at the bandit. though gritted teeth, she uttered one word. "Run."

Quill-Finder and Lydia dodged and parried blows from the bandit leader and one of his lackeys, a scraggly man that despite his look, was just as quick and deadly.

the argonian shot a hand out as she let loose a plume of flame towards the scraggly bandit who simply side-stepped it and charged for the kill, his dagger catching the sun as it the cut through the air.

the blade passed an inch away from Quill-Finder's face as she stepped back before responding with a strike of her own, cutting across the man's face with a blade of orcish make that she scrounged up from one of her many jobs before.

the man, falling to the ground with a grunt, glared at Quill-Finder with a white-hot fury "You Bit--!" his word quickly turned to screams as the argonian let out another gout of flame. she coldly regarded the bandit as she immolated the man before turning her attention to the leader. the remaining adversary.

Lydia was mid-clash with the bandit leader as she grinned "Didn't go as plan, did it?"

the leader, furious, pushed the houscarl away and retaliated with a swing of his fist, punching Lydia across the jaw and sending her staggering. "You're dead meat."

Lydia regained her footing, checking her jaw. she spit out a glob of blood before giving an approving nod. "nice hit. something you forgot though."

"Oh, wuzzat?"

Lydia smiled, sheathing her blade. "You're not just fighting me."

the bandit cocked his head to the side, confused, before letting out a grunt of shock. he looked down to an orc blade piercing through his body before being withdrawn.

Quill-Finder, bloodied sword in hand, pushed the bandit to the ground as he gurgled in his own blood.

"Quill-Finder! Lydia!" Illia's voice cut through, her voice wavering with fear and uncertainty as the argonian and her houscarl were snapped back to world around them.

the two rushed to the ice mage, disregarding one of the bandits pinned to a cliffside with several icicles as their attention locked onto their companion kneeling over a bloodied, unmoving, Amelia.

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