A changeling's visit to Skyrim

Breakfast itself had turned out to be pretty uneventful so far. After calming Luna down from her panic attack when she awoke under a mass of pelts. and subsequently paying for a new bed and door for that room, they'd all settled down for a nice calm meal before they headed next door to the college. Stross was idly sipping at his coco, while Fenora dug into her second salmon steak. Luna meanwhile refused to eat hers, opting instead for the grilled carrots and leeks that came on the side. It was around this time, about halfway through their meal, that a few pairs of eyes peeked out at them from the basement door.

“We know you’re staring at us.” Fenora stated plainly.

There was a noisy clatter of several bodies jumping in fright and subsequently falling down a flight of stairs. Luna and Stross took a curious glance in the direction of the basement door as Fenora kept eating her fish.

“Okay guys, let’s keep it cool. Follow my lead.” One voice said in a loud whisper.

A second later the basement door flew open, a mysterious looking smoke cover leaking out and covering the feet of those who stepped out. The first was a Nord in farmers clothes, the second was a Khajiit with a scarf bundled tightly around his neck, behind them was a dark elf in a silken cloak with a deep hood; each of them strode forward as the final member appeared in a flash of light like some kind of stage performer, adjusting the brim of her oversized star-patterned hat with a flourish.

Their leader then flipped the white-streaked hair out of her face and adorned a pair of shades, even though they were indoors. The others followed suit and followed her as she approached our heroes, snapping their fingers in time with their steps as they did so. The group ending their journey across the inn with a quick dance twirl, which caused most of them to trip and fall over.

“What is this, West side story?” Stross thought to himself as he watched their routine.

“So,” Fenora said around her mouthful of food as she finally turned to face them “What d’ you dorks want?”

The group seemed taken aback by Fenora’s bluntness, their leader most of all, but continued all the same. “We hear you wish to gain access to the prestigious College of Winterhold.”

“Yeah? What of it?” Fenora said with disinterest, yet she watched the group of four carefully.

“Well you must have heard of their rigorous entry test. Do you believe you have what it takes to pass?” The woman in the wizard hat challenged.

“Doesn’t matter.” Fenora told her, much to the woman’s shock “We’re not looking to enroll, we’re here to request their help.”

“Hah! Do you foolish fools know nothing of the College’s rules?” she said in the most condescending tone imaginable “Only those who have proven their magical aptitude may even set foot in the college, let alone call for their aid.”

“Where are you going with this?” Fenora got straight to the point.

“Well you see my newbie mages, I, the great and powerful Trixie, would like to aid you in passing this test.” Trixie said with a devious grin.

Fenora just stared back at her for a second. “How are you going to help us pass when you couldn’t do it yourselves?” she asked, giving a smirk when Trixie’s eyes shot open and the shades leapt right off her face. “You’re those apprentice mages Dagur told me about last night; something about failing the test and coming here to drown your sorrows?”

“Dagur! You‘ve turned us into gossip already? You no good sha’tha!” the Khajiit yelled at the barkeep.

“It seems you already know,” the nord man admitted with a sigh as he discarded his sunglasses “we all failed the test, none of us could perform the spell they required of us. If you’re going to enter the college, then we'd be in your debt if you help us get in too; we’ve come too far to give up now.”

“You want us to teach you how to do the spell for the test?” Stross asked.

“No, we simply need you to pass the test for us.” The dark elf told him.

Stross just stared back for a second. “She can’t be serious. They must be joking.” He thought.

“You’re joking right? Do you have any idea how much energy it would take to turn into each of you, take the test four separate times while maintaining those illusion spells, and then take it once more for each of ourselves as well?!” Stross explained the implications “I’d be exhausted for days!”

“W-what? No!” the dark elf stammered “I mean, take it once and pass it, and then they’ll let us all in.”

“It’s true.” the nord told him “The gatekeeper on the bridge told us that so long as one of us had the ability, the others would be admitted so they can follow in the footsteps of their most advanced peer ‘like a great rhino charging through the forest, clearing the way for others to follow in a stampede of greatness’ or something like that.”

“Oh, well in that case,” Stross stood up on his chair and posed like the captain of a ship. “My friends, I am your ticket to inside! Onward!”

Nearly the second he’d said that the aspiring mages hoisted him onto their shoulders and rushed out the door into the freezing cold, accidentally hitting his head on the door frame in the process. This left only Luna and Fenora left in the inn, the latter mourning a wasted opportunity.

“He didn’t even think about charging them.” the bosmer said with a sad sigh as the two of them followed the crowd.

“Okay… this is kind of intimidating.” Stross admitted once they had reached the entrance to the college, allowing him to see the stone archways that led to the crumbling bridge, across which sat the College of Witherhold; so remote and removed from the rest of the world.

“Don’t worry, just go up and tell the gatekeeper you want to take the entrance test.” The nord encouraged him.

“We’ll all be waiting right here for you.” the dark elf tried her best to be reassuring.

“Don’t forget, we’re all counting on your success.” Trixie reminded him.

Stross took a deep breath, shuttering a bit as the cold air filled his lungs. “Okay, wish me luck.” He said as he ascended the steps that led to the gate, passing from their vision as he was swallowed up by the fog and snow covering the entrance.

“Good luck.” The dark elf said meekly once Stross was surely out of earshot.

Only half a minute later, the changeling returned to them, a look of disappointment and disbelief plastered on his face. “Really you guys? Really?”

“What do you-“

“A fireball spell.” Stross said blankly “All you had to do in order to pass the stupid test was cast a single fireball spell.”

“Uh… well…” the nord rubbed the back of his neck.

“J’zargo has yet to learn this spell.” The Khajiit told him “But soon, J’zargo shall know all the spells, even the ones that don't exist.”

“The great and powerful Trixie… has a great and powerful cold.”

The dark elf simply pulled her hood further over her face.

Stross about faced and trudged back to the fog covered gate, grumbling incoherently the whole time.

“Seriously though, that’s pretty sad you guys.” Fenora told them as she watched Stross stomp off.

A few moments later a series of what looked to be small meteorites shot into the sky, dozens upon dozens of them launching upwards from within the concealing fog around the college gate. Then the red dots simply hung there, suspended as if the sky had received some new stars. As everyone’s eyes were drawn to the phenomenon, one final comet shot up into the sky where it ignited the rest of the dots to form big shining letters of gold and crimson.

Written in the sky in big blazing uppercase letters was a message that read: NOT DIFFICULT!

Fenora gave a short laugh. “I think it’s safe to say we can go in now.”

Once the others managed to pull their jaws off the frozen ground, they followed Fenora and Luna up to the gate. The first thing they noticed upon reaching it was that the fog cover had dispersed, the second thing they noticed was Stross desperately trying to put out a multitude of fires around the college gatekeeper.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” the changeling yelled as he futilely stamped on a patch of fire.

The gatekeeper shrugged “Oh bother, this college has been through worse; you should have seen my first time here.” she told him dismissively and continued roasting marshmallows on the flames. She quickly noticed however, that they had company, and addressed them as well. “Ah, and you must be his plus-ones. I shall tell you now, you all have quite a lot to live up to.”

She snapped her fingers, and as though they'd been doused with water, the surrounding flames dispersed. “Follow me.” she said and led the way across the bridge.

The College of Winterhold basically consisted of a stone fortress that sat atop a rock spire in the middle of a freezing sea. Even so, it offered the solitude the mages needed to focus on their studies, and the isolation to mitigate any danger that their experiments might cause.

However, this also left it incredibly hard to get to, and the only way to reach the college proper was to cross what remained of a stone bridge. It was practically a miracle the old thing was still standing, what with most of its lower supports having succumbed to time and the elements. Not only that, but it was also incredibly slick with snow and ice, something Stross was all too aware of.

“Man are you kidding me? I realize this is like the only way to the college since it’s all the way over there, but come on, they could at least maintain it a little more.” He thought as he took slow, wobbly steps forward, to the point that he was falling behind a majority of the others. The only other mage who was taking it as slowly seemed to be Trixie, who was wobbling unsurely on her legs, but he didn’t take much note of it as he continued his mental ramblings.

“I mean really, these guys are mages! They could come up with a way to keep the bridge clear of all this snow. In fact I’ve thought of one now, salt! Just sprinkle a little down once a week. Or maybe they could make a covering for the bridge with some closable windows. Heck they could even put up a teleporter between the entrance and… anywhere really. They have magic after all. And what’s with-“

Stross was quickly pulled out of his angrily productive thoughts when he found his forward foot had nothing beneath it and he was about to plummet towards the icy ground several hundred feet below.

“Gah! No no no no n-“ Stross screamed before he realized something had him tethered to the bridge.

“Stross, the next test is not a leap of faith.” Fenora told him and yanked him back from the edge, several chuckles coming from the other mages.

“Indeed,” Faralda the gatekeeper told them “the next test is instead, a test of knowledge.” She waved to another woman that stood across the next portion of the bridge, the damaged part Stross had nearly fallen from. “They’re all yours Professor Mcgonaga- I mean… Miss Ervine.”

“Thank you Faralda. Now then, I am Mirabelle Ervine and I shall test your trival wisdom. Choose one among you to represent your knowledge and have them step forward.” She instructed them in a pleasant yet commanding tone.

The mages huddled together and debated among themselves who to send forward. After a few frantic seconds filled with mutterings of “You go up there.” and “I didn’t even know there was another test, you do it.” and “You’re the smartest one of us Brelyna, you should go.” It Trixie broke out of their group.

“Enough!” she silenced them and adjusted her comically oversized hat “The Great and Powerful Trixie is far superior in intellect than any of you foals! Therefore, Trixie shall take the test.” She strode forward across the crumbling and icy segment of the bridge, albeit slowly. “Ask me your questions gatekeeper, the Great and Powerful Trixie is not afraid.”

“Very well. What is your name?”

Trixie scoffed. “Have you not heard alreadly, the Great and Powerful Trixie is the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

“What is your quest?”

“To gain knowledge of magic greater than anypony has ever dreamed of, and become the greatest magician this world has ever seen!”

“What… is your favorite color?”

“Umm, purple I guess.” Trixie sounded unsure “What does that have to do with-“

“What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything?” Mirabelle asked, leaving Trixie only able to stutter in the wake of such an ambiguous question. "Uh... the meaning of... life, the universe. Everything!?" she said and wracked her mind for anything that might have been the answer.

“My name is Princess Luna of Equestria.” Luna stated clearly. “I shall answer your questions in Miss Trixie's stead."

Trixie spun around and her eyes went wide, stumbling and nearly falling off the bridge as Luna cleared her throat.

"From the top," Luna spoke "My quest is to first seek the answers of why my magic is failing me in this land and then to assist in saving it from the dragons that wish it destroyed. My favorite color is currently bright yellow accented with darker yellow. And finally, the answer to life, the universe, and everything... is forty-tw-”

"FORTY-TWO! I knew it." Stross cut her off.

"Stross..." Luna turned to him coldly "Doth thou remember what we told you about never interrupting us?"

The changeling shifted nervously. "Uh, to never do it if I valued my life? But we're friends now. I thought that-"

"Indeed." Luna spoke slowly "Just remember that you can fly." she then shoved him off the collapsed portion of the bridge, screaming hysterically the whole way.

The apprentice mages gasped in shock and carefully peered over the edge. Stross reappeared from the blizzard below after several tense seconds, hovering on the other side of the walkway. "Okay! No more interrupting! Got it!" he yelled as he touched down to where he once stood.

"Very good." Luna nodded and turned back to Mirabelle "May we enter now."

Mirabelle just stared at her with her eyebrows raised for a minute. “Well... I must warn you of the importance of not harming your fellow students. But you have passed my test, and may enter.”

There was a round of cheers and much rejoicing as the mages carefully walked across the bridge with our heroes.

One mage with an oversized hat and a star-patterned cloak however, was still standing there, speechlessly lingering behind as she looked at the ruler of the night. “P-Pr-Princess Luna?” she managed to say, still in her initial shock. "The buck?"

The old courtyard in the center of the college was pretty bare save for a few snow-covered pine trees and a large statue of the famous mage Shalador in the center, standing over what looked like some circular wellspring of magical energy.

“So I suppose the first thing to do is give you the tour of the college.” Mirabelle said as she led them past the statue of Shalador requesting that any brethren to come towards him.

“That door leads to the Hall of Attainment.” She pointed towards a door to their left “Pretty much just a fancy name for the dorms. That trapdoor over there leads to the Midden, but be wary, there’s dangerous magic lingering in that area, so don’t go down there unless you want to get hacked apart by skeletons.” Finally rounding the ‘come at me bro’ statue, Mirabelle led the group to the pair of ornate double doors that stood nearly twice as tall as they did. “And this… is the Hall of Elements! It is where the majority of lectures and classes will be held.”

Opening the massive doors, they all entered to begin their first lessons.

The interior of the Hall of Elements was much more impressive, and more roomy than the outside would have you believe. Just inside the doors were staircases to the left and right, leading to the other floors. To their front was an archway that led to a large open room that was sparsely lit by the eerie blue light from magical orbs hanging from the ceiling, walls, and embedded under the glass floor in the center of the room.

Our heroes and the apprentice mages made to step into the large room, only for the gate of ornately shaped metal to slam in their faces.

“You! Shall not! PASS!” thundered a voice behind them “…your exams if you don’t study.”

The group turned to around to find an elderly man with grey hair standing behind them with a cheerful smile, his staff still stuck in the floor from where he had slammed it down.

Mirabelle gave a sigh and introduced him. “Ah yes, this is-“

“Cool teacher.” He interrupted her “But you can all call me Tolfdir.” He put on a pair of purple shutter-shades.

“Right then, Tolfdir will be leading you through the introductory seminar.” Mirabelle informed them “If you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of paperwork do take care of.”

“Remember to leave the seat down!” Tolfdir called as she left, causing her to slam the door in annoyance.

He then turned back to the new apprentice mages and beckoned them to follow into the main hall. He conjured up a few beanbag chairs in and fell back into one, encouraging the others to do the same, which they did albeit with some confusion and reluctance. “Now then, how ‘bout we start off with some introductions. You know, tell some things about ourselves and get to know each other.”

Everyone else present let out a loud groan of displeasure.

“Do we have to?” the nord asked.

“J’zargo joined for the knowledge of how to destroy his enemies, not group therapy.” The Kha’jiit argued.

“Alright, alright.” Tolfdir said with a quick laugh “If it make you feel better, I’ll go first. My name is Tolfdir and I’ve been teaching at this college for thirty-one years now. I’ve spent most of my time learning the alteration field of magic, but have also majored in conjuration and cooking. My peers have often called me absent-minded; but how could I not be when my mind is off on it fantastical journeys of discovery? After all, knowledge is a cornerstone in living life to its fullest. I intend to assist any who wish to better themselves through academic pursuits; there’s nothing I enjoy more than seeing fresh new faces come to pursue their dreams and study the arcane arts.”

With that Tolfdir finished, stopping himself before he began rambling too much. There was a soft clapping and all eyes turned to Stross, who was giving a teary-eyed round of applause. “That was beautiful.” He managed to choke out.

“Why, thank you. Would you like to go next?” Tolfdir asked.

“Umm, I guess if no one else wants to.” Stross looked around to see the others sagged further into their beanbag chairs and full of disinterest and boredom, Luna and Fenora gesturing to go ahead if he felt he really had to. “Alright then.”

Stross cleared his throat and began. “Uh, my name is Stross, and I’m a changeling.” Trixie's glare intensified at this, and she not-so-subtly waited for Stross to pull something sneaky.

“I’m actually from another world, if you’ll believe that." Stross continued "I’ve been in Skyrim for about a week or so now, but it feels like a whole lot longer with everything that’s happened. I’ve been all over Whiterun, fought bandits with the Companions, did some errands for the Thieves Guild, met the Greybeards at High Hrothgar… It’s been crazy, and fun… and dangerous.” Stross took a breath before continuing “But it’s all been totally worth it, because for once, people aren’t afraid of me. Unlike back in Equestria, they don’t see me as some soul-eating abomination; instead, I’m just another person, one who’s trying to do as much good as he can and is always willing to help.”

“I’ve even found someone here who loves me, and I haven’t had to pretend I’m someone I’m not.” He turned his head to look a Fenora “I’ll always be grateful for that, and I’ll never let this world be destroyed while I can help save it.”

As Stross completed his introduction, he opened his eyes to see that three of the apprentice mages had scooted closer to him, all of them ready to bombard him with questions.

“You’re from another world?”

“What’s a changeling? Are there others like you?”

“Does this Equestria have powerful magics?” they asked in quick succession, surprising Stross with their levels of interest.

“Uh… yes to all three.” Stross answered shakily “So, who are all of you then?”

“Oh, where are my manners?” The nord was the first to reply. “My name’s Onmund. I came here to learn magic even though the rest of my friends and family said it was a waste of time; they’re more the type to bash problems in the head with a club than to think their way around them.” He finished and then motioned to the dunmer next to him. She looked about nervously and pulled her hood over her face again.

Seeing she wasn’t going to do it herself, Onmund went ahead and introduced her. “This is Brelyna Maryon. She came here for pretty much the opposite reason I did, what with her being from House Telvani and all. They have some crazy high expectations for her.”

“Onmund!” Brelyna glared at him from under her hood.

“She’s kinda shy, doesn’t like it when people bring up her heritage.” Onmund then turned to the Kha’jiit “And this is-“

“J’zargo is J’zargo.” J’zargo interrupted “Nothing more needs to be said, as soon, J’zargo will be so powerful in the arcane arts that mere mention of his name alone shall speak for him, invoking terror and respect across the world and even into the eight realms of- mmph hmmph mrr!”

“Yeah, you get the idea.” Onmund said as he hastily clamped J’zargo’s mouth shut. “And the lady in the star cloak and hat is Trixie, if you haven’t already heard. Odd, she’s usually more into things then this.” He rolled his eyes “Don’t be rude, say hello Miss Great and Powerful.”

Trixie pretended not to hear him and kept glaring at Stross.

“I’m sorry to interrupt this, but I really-“ Fenora tried to say but was cut off by Tolfdir. “What?”

Tolfdir made a sweeping gesture towards her with his hand.

Fenora lowered her brow and stared back. “Do I really have to?”

Tolfdir gave a smile and a nod.

Fenora gave an irritated sigh. “My name is Fenora Tandis. I’m a farmer from High Rock and a traveler at times. I came to Skyrim and found out I was dragonborn, now I have to save all of Nirn from Alduin the dragon lord of time.” she droned before quickly turning her tone more serious “And that’s why I’ve come here. Luna’s an alicorn Princess with an ungodly amount of power at her disposal but it’s been failing her for some reason. We came here in search of answers, and maybe something about dragons and their weaknesses. Can you help us?”

There was a stark silence all across the Hall of Elements, a rarity considering how acoustically tuned the chamber was.

“Day-um!” Tolfdir said, breaking the contagious quiet “Why didn’t you say so? The Arch-mage will surely wish to know about this. Ancano!”

“Arg! What do you want now, you rambling fool?” an altmer in black robes yelled as he stomped into the room from some unseen corner.

“These two require our assistance with a task of worldly proportions! You must take them to the Arch-mage and gain them an audience with him at once!” he declared from his slouched sitting position “I’d do it myself, but my chair refuses to let me get up.” He chuckled.

Ancano frowned, but agreed to lead Luna and Fenora to the Arch-mage anyway, grumbling “One day… one day you’ll all get yours.” not caring who heard it.

An awkward pause was shared between those who remained.

“Oh don’t worry too much about him.” Tolfdir dismissed the worry that hung in the air “He’s just a Thalmor. They sent him to keep an eye on us here at the college and make sure we don’t do anything dangerous that would blow up the world… again. Now then, if you’ll follow me, we can begin our first lesson. ” he conjured wheels on his beanbag chair and rolled to the other side of the room.

As the others followed, Stross thought aloud “So Tolfdir is an optimist teacher with the best of intentions… and Ancano is cynical jerk that’s clearly up to no good. And they have to work together in the same school.”

“J’zargo smells a sit-com.”

Stross and the mages gathered on the side of the circular room where Tolfdir led them and stood in a line, awaiting his instruction and most of them positively brimming with excitement at the prospect of learning some real spells for a change.

“I guess as long as I’m here, I should learn some more magic. These are supposedly the masters of magic from this world. And I’ve only got my illusion disguise, my stun and flash, and some impromptu healing and fire magic after all.”

“Alright, what would you all like to practice first?” Tofdir asked them.

“Wait… you mean we get to choose?” Onmund asked, taken off guard by the unorthodox teaching method.

“Well,” Stross began “if I remember anything about learning magic back in Equestria, the first and most important thing to do is go over safety guidelines and prepare the proper defensive measures so that-“

“Forget that! Let us blow something up!” J’zargo eagerly led them on.

“What?” Stross said in minor shock.

“Or perhaps we can learn how to summon atronachs to do our bidding.” Onmund chimed in.

“Trixie wishes to learn a spell that will allow her to see into her opponent’s minds!”

“What?!”

“Umm… perhaps we could read up on magical theory and how spells are created.” Brelyna suggested.

“WHA- actually… that sounds fine to me. Let’s do that.” Stross agreed with Brelyna, earning him a grateful smile from the dunmer, but disapproving looks from the rest.

Sensing an argument was about to break out, Tolfdir intervened before it could begin and offered them a compromise. “Well it seems we’re at an impasse here, so how about this; we’ll practice ward spells.” He then hit a brick that was slightly jutting out from one of the many stone pillars.

That odd brick happened to be a switch. With a clanking of gears hidden under the floor and walls, a column shifted round to reveal a sort of stone statue in the shape of a roaring dragon’s head. The sounds continued and a panel of solid stone wall slid into the floor, revealing a rack of health and magika potions.

“Now then, this training totem is armed with a variety of spell crystals, allowing you to test your wards against many different offensive spells. Simply bring up your ward, step on the pressure plate in front of it, and hope it’s strong enough.” Tolfdir explained with a chuckle. “Well don’t be shy, step forward.”

In near perfect harmony, each apprentice mage took a step back, leaving Stross standing obliviously a step ahead of them.

“Ah, quite the eager leader aren’t you?” Tolfdir said when he turned around.

Stross looked around, looking for who Tolfdir was referring to before pointing innocently at himself with a questioning look.

“Yes. Don’t worry it’s quite simple to learn really. Here,” he handed Stross a book on wards “take a look.”

Stross accepted the golden-yellow tome with a stylized bird on the cover and flipped it open. On the right pages were instructional pictures, while on the left were instructions that he assumed must have been in kindergarten font. He started at the first page and read aloud for the rest.

“Step one: Focus your energy.” He flipped to pages three and four. “Step two: Channel your energy into one hand.” He did this just as the crudely drawn picture depicted, but then noticed a scribbled in note at the bottom corner of the page “Huh, what’s this? A ward cast from one hand will consume less magika, but cast from two hands at once will further reduce incoming damage.”

“Probably the first helpful advice this book has given me.”

“Step three:” he continued “Project the energy outward until it forms a solid barrier between yourself and oncoming hostile magic.” Stross then noticed another scribbled in note “It helps to imagine a shield when you bring up the ward.”

Stross flipped some pages forward but found every one of them to be blank. This was odd to him, but he decided he’d use them to put in his own findings later. For now he stepped up to the trigger plate, quickly reviewed the steps in his head, and channeled his energy outwards. It started out as more of a sphere or a cone of mist rather than a solid barrier, but Stross remembered the note about imagining a shield.

Stross though hard about a shield, a powerful one; strong enough to repel any assault, a shield that could… No. Not a shield, a dome… a bright pink dome of destruction. He thought back to the day his kind invaded Canterlot, how he sat outside watching the city far in the distance, the cloud-like swarms of his kin suddenly and violently repelled by that great pink bubble, cast to the wind like so many grains of sand.

He remembered mere seconds later as the black scaly form of one of Chrysalis’s changelings crash-landed mere feet away from him, its broken, mangled, and blood-stained body writhing in the crater as it choked to death on its own blood, suffering and-

“Stross!” Brelyna shouted, kneeling at his side and pulling him from his panic attack “Are you okay? You were just standing there, and then you fell to your knees and started choking.”

Stross didn’t realize until now how heavily he was breathing, nor the fact that he had fallen, or even how his mouth was full of regurgitated resin. He swallowed hard and tried to clear his mouth before answering. “I… I’m okay but… I don’t think I can do this.” He heaved out.

“Hey, that’s alright. We all get stage fright.” Brelyna assured him “We’ll just let the others go first.”

Stross nodded and made his way to a corner where he could sit and watch the others. There was a strange feeling coming from each of them, different volumes of disappointment mixed with concern radiated from each of the mages. Brelyna was a bit different, as her aura was laced with bits of sympathy. Meanwhile, Trixie remained unusually cold and indifferent.

However, all these feelings quickly faded, replaced with excitement as each of them in turn stepped up to bat, nervousness and fear as they cast their wards, and a brand of punk humor when their fellow classmates were knocked onto their behinds by the force of their wards collapsing.

Stross smiled as he continued to sit back and watch, using this simple joy and schoolyard humor to clear his head.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” He told himself “You’re not there. You never have to go back.”

Fenora and Luna had reached the Arch-mage’s quarters with Ancano’s unenthused guidance. It was in a rather secluded part of the college, and from the clutter of books, alchemy ingredients, various potions, and half eaten meals strewn about the spacious room, it seemed its owner was equally withdrawn, preferring to remain in his personal study rather than be involved with the affairs of the school. It took a minor bit of persuading to even get him to open the door and let them in.

“Well then, have a seat wherever you can find room, allow me to get the kettle; I was just brewing a pot.” Savos Aren, the Arch-mage said to them as they entered, still with a distant look in his eyes.

Fenora cleared a heap of books off a nearby chair and offered it to Luna before hopping up on the accompanying side table, idly swinging her legs a bit as they waited for the Arch-mage to return.

Ancano, being the posh and persnickety prick that he was refused to take a seat anywhere among the filthy décor, and opted instead to stand, this would also grant him the ability to look down on the others as he addressed them. He did so enjoy that.

Within a minute or so, Savos returned from his make-shift kitchen with a trey of teacups, of which there were two too many, and gave the group his mostly undivided attention. “Now then, what seems to be the trouble?”

Luna was about to answer when Ancano cut her off. “These two cretins came in with the latest group of apprentices and demanded your valuable attention in-“

“Shut it Thalmor.” Fenora shoved a literal sock in his mouth “We have royalty present and she can speak for herself.” She nodded to Luna, who gave a small gesture back and continued.

“As we were about to say before we were so… RUDELY INTERRUPTED!” she blasted Ancano with her royal Canterlot voice, causing him to stumble backwards into a pile of pizza boxes. “Greetings Arch-mage, we are Princess Luna of Equestria, and have come-ith here to seek aid from your knowledge of the arcane.”

Savos raised an eyebrow.

“She’s from another world and her magic is getting drained here, and we don’t know why. We came here to fix that ‘cause this is the place that’s all about the magics.” Fenora gave a simple summery.

“Ah, well if there is a solution to what ails you, you may just find it here. Or it may find you as the case so often is.” Savos gave a laugh “Unfortunately, I am a bit enthralled by my own studies, but my Master wizard Mirabelle Ervine should be able to help you with whatever you need.”

“Ah yes, the one that tests the knowledge of arbitrary trivia on the new students. We shall seek her out then. We thank you for your time, Arch-mage.” Luna got up and headed for the staircase.

It took a while to fine the Master wizard, who happened to be in the Hall of Attainment reading a book on some ancient magical arts in her spare time. It took Mirabelle a moment to register their presence, but once she had quickly hopped up from her seat to help the two guests of the college.

“Yes? Is there something I can help the two of you with?” she asked as she slid her bookmark between the pages and set the tome aside.

“Indeed. The Arch-mage hath directed us to you for assistance.” Luna informed her.

Mirabelle rolled her eyes. “What doesn’t he pass of for me to do anymore? What seems to be the trouble? No wait- let me guess. You can’t cast magic because you’re always out of magika.”

Luna was slightly taken aback by how Mirabelle was able to nail the question so accurately. “Wh- Yes. But how did…”

Fenora poked her and gestured to her hair, which had once again stopped flowing in its ethereal breeze and limply cascaded down her shoulders and back.

“Oh not again!” Luna huffed as she pulled a few locks out of her face.

“Here,” Mirabelle offered her a magika potion “I’ve always got a few of these hanging around. Now how ‘bout you tell me more about this… thing you have going on?”

Luna sighed “It is quite possibly the most frustrating thing I’ve had to experience since coming to this world. I feel almost helpless without my magic. The former student of this college and court wizard known as Farengar has determined that some form of magical parasite is eating away my supply of magical power.”

“Oh, I remember him. Kinda cute, but anti-social, way too egotistical, and he loved to ramble on about his damned dragons.” Mirabelle remembered “Do you know anything else specific about what this parasite he described might be?”

Luna shook her head. “Unfortunately no. Farengar informed us that such things were not his field of study and he could be of little help to us, at least in an optimal amount of time.” she looked over her still trembling hand and clenched it into a fist “No, I’m afraid we don’t know any more. We were hoping that you, and your knowledge of this world’s magic, could’st be of some assistance.”

“So neither of you knows anything else about what’s causing this.” Mirabelle said and rubbed her chin with a thoughtful hum. Then she cracked a smile, her eyes opened revealing a fire of determination and curiosity within. “In that case, we’re going to need some help here.”

She then snapped her fingers, to which a group of seven other college mages appeared seemingly from the stonework.

“Hello there, allow me to introduce us all.” a balding Breton with dark rings under his eyes said and began gesturing to the others “The dunmer is Drevis Neloran, a master illusionist but a bit forgetful at times.”

“I rather like to imagine I’m not here dealing with you nitwits.” Drevis explained as he smeared on more emo makeup “I like to think I can simply… fade away.”

“Nirya is skilled in destruction magic and has a bit of a rivalry going on with our gatekeeper, Faralda. She’s a bit of a kiss-up if you’ve got something she wants, but that’s not too bad… mostly.”

Nirya turned away, clearly showing her offence, but turned back in a sideways glace with a small blush.

“Sergius Turrianus is our resident enchanter, though his work keeps him far too busy to help any of us with that.”

“I get work requests from all over Skyrim. Perhaps you should hone your own skill rather than come to me all the time.” Sergius shot back “And perhaps we should let someone else do the introductions.”

“Colette focuses mostly on restoration magic, and more time reminding us all why its great whether we want to hear it or not.”

“IT’S A LEGITAMATE SCHOOL OF MAGIC! RESOTRATION FER LIFE!”

“I see you’ve already met Mirabelle. And finally, I am Phinis Gestor-“

“The mage with the most colorful opinions in winterhold.” Mirabelle finished for him, much to his chagrin.

“Alright people!” Fenora slammed her hands onto the table “We need to fix Luna’s magic. Any suggestions?”

“We could use illusions to make her think she’s cured.” Drevis suggested.

“I can summon a being from another world to help us.” Phinis conjured up a green platypus that sat there and did nothing.

“Restoration will save you!” Colette yelled and created a giant glowing band-aid with her magic.

“OR!” Sergius interrupted “We could try using my soul gems, which are valuable by the way, to try and draw this ‘magic parasite’ out of her.”

Fenora fixed him with a hard stare, of which he casually stared back. If there were any windows in the College of Winterhold, Sergius would likely have been thrown out of it. But since there weren’t any, they’d just have to try his brilliant and logical plan instead.

Meanwhile, the platypus Phinis had summoned put on a secret agent fedora, shiftily looked around to make sure no one was watching him, and quickly made its way out of the college.