C62 Ermahgerd!

And off we went. A nice field trip to a musty old ruin with an immensely powerful artifact just—floating there, waiting to be taken by any poor schlub who happens across it...

—

"Try not to break anything, he said," I look around at the dirty and dilapidated room, "The artifacts could prove immensely valuable, he said," it's mostly just cobwebs, dust, and worthless rubble, "What's even here to, {crack}, break?" I smirk while stepping on an old ring.

"{Exaggerated gasp}," I pick it up while putting a hand on my cheek, "Oh, no~ It seems I've broken this one, what ever will I do? Surely, there must be more around here that can be, {crack}, examined..."

"Heh, heh, heh."

—

After basking in my pettiness like some melodramatic teenage diva, I moved on with things and looked for—and then found—the amulet which was so obviously on display. {Shink} After which, metal bars raised, blocking all the exits and caging me in.

I didn't bother 'removing' them since they're necessary and would cause unneeded interference with the... actually, I was just being lazy and decided to sit around until— "What in the world—are you alright!? What happened?" Tolfdir came to my rescue like an old superhero high on bone dust—I reckon at least one of those is true, which one is anyone's guess...

"Uh..." I show him the amulet, "I just took this off from the display."

"Hmm. Perhaps the amulet can be used somehow," he thought a moment, "Try wearing it, or putting it back on the—" I did just that—putting it on, that is—and then, {vrm}, the wall started glowing as the two resonated with one another.

Seeing this, I touch the wall—and it does nothing. {Woosh-bang}. So, instead, I send a little fire at it, making it crumble and reveal the hidden passage while letting the bars down, "I guess that did it." Then, as if knowing what the other was thinking, we entered, following it to where it led. Which turned out to be a room with three sarcophagi and an empty table—cool...

It was also here that I expected everything to freeze, but it didn't. Why?

It's my hypothesis—but I don't need tests to prove it—that I have too much magickal 'gravity' for the dimension hopping monks to stop time and project a message to me. Sure, I could 'help' them, by allowing the connection through. But, since, they'll just give me a cryptic message about being extra careful when making sudden movements—I definitely have that wrong, but care I do not—I think I'll just let them wait and give it to me in person.

"Hm, maybe we should open the coffins. We might find a clue as to whatever's going on here," Supergramps came to the rescue once again and suggested something that no one with any amount of zombie movie knowledge would ever even consider.

"Uugr," a draugr—as expected—came out once we opened one. {Whoosh-scorch}, it was turned into ash along with his buddy who came out from another sarcophagus. After them, we found that the back of the middle one was false and broke it open, revealing—get this—another passage.

"Ermahgerd! Ser merny persahges! (Oh my god! So many passages!)"

"Huh, did you hear that just now, or are my old ears playing tricks on me?"

"Hm? No, I didn't hear anything..."

At the end of this new passage was a much larger, round room, lined with even more sarcophagi, that were themselves filled with even more draugr. Draugr that were still rendered to ash, as not even their increased numbers could slow down the two of us.

Yes, super-heated flames plus master level paralysis make quick work of what's already slow and dry to begin with...

After making sure everything was dead—again—Tolfdir said, "This is the strangest Nordic ruin I've ever seen! I simply must examine these..." he went on a massive tangent until finally remembering that I was here, "You should keep going and see what lay ahead. I'll catch up soon, after making sure nothing of significance has been left behind." I simply nod and go through the iron doors leading deeper into the ruins, while leaving behind the over enthused Tolfdir to snort more—history.

Yes—history—that's what it is...

—

What followed was a series of predictably generic catacombs, which can be found in any Nordic ruin throughout Skyrim. 'I' didn't even have to do much while venturing through them, as whenever a draugr woke up, a stream of fire would find its way through their chest while nearly disintegrating the entire upper half of them in the process.

The only slightly more interesting thing about these catacombs was that it had two puzzles, one of which was a bit more complicated than they are normally. Too bad for the makers of this place, and probably to Tolfdir's chagrin as well, I didn't even bother touching them and melted my way through the gates, instead. And it was soon after that second, more complex puzzle when I found the Eye of Magnus, one of the many things that was never figured out by the 'Lore Masters' in my past life.

Is it a portal to Aetherius and an unlimited supply of magicka? Could be.

Perhaps what Mundus's sun was originally supposed to be? Maybe.

A prison for an advanced AI robot from the future? Sure, why not.

How about Magnus's left nut? Now we're talkin'!

I have my own ideas as to what it is, and they'll be tested soon enough, but first, I need to take care of its 'guardian,' Jyrik Gauldurson, the guy who murdered his father for the weak ass amulet he had. But, regardless of his stupidity as a living person, I'm not going to look down on him too much, as he's currently connected to a massive energy source. An energy source that lets him control much more magicka then I can safely use in my human form.

Fortunately for me—and the structural integrity of this ruin—he's dead, and not that smart.

—

"Aav dilon! (Join the dead!)"

It was a battle between mages.

I was the more skilled combatant, but my opponent could spend magicka with reckless abandon. I would send streams of fire which dwarfed all the others I used earlier in the ruin, only for them to be overwhelmed with massive amounts of magicka. It even reached the point where I was considering whether to use more than just fire, the element which I normally use for everything because it's—tradition.

Eventually deciding to change things up, I sent a large wave of fire to act as cover, then spread both hands and started a conjuration spell of massive proportions. {Wervb-bwoosh} After a moment, numerous portals opened all around me, each one spewing flames so hot and intense that one would think the other side was Infernace itself. Well... that's because it was.

What else could I be summoning but flame atronachs.

"Come forth! Fight for me, my infernal harem!" they may not exactly be flesh, but all of them are literally smokin' hot babes, so... "Bathe my enemy in your ardent blaze!"

It only took a second for the flames to grow even more intense and 'hear' a response, numerous responses, in my mind, "Let's flame him! - Turn him to ash! - No mercy for the defiler! - He who dares harm our Hearth deserves the pits!" dozens of atronachs, in all the fiery flavor, rushed from the portals, fearlessly charging the lone draugr as if he was the greatest of enemies.

As for why they were already so... devout? That's a story for another time.

Soon the chamber was full of the blazing broads, but they didn't stop coming and started combining, forming into larger atronachs. Once they thought there was enough, the ones who came first stopped distracting Jyrik and pulled back, letting the now larger ones fight.

While certainly strong, they were still no match for him, who had endless magicka. That's why they were only one part of the plan. All the atronachs not fighting—or dutifully guarding me—where surrounding the Eye, learning how to siphon its energy, either to take it from him or send it to those fighting.

"Deyra lir! (Daedric worms!)"

He eventually noticed—for whatever it's worth—that he was losing magicka as his control over the Eye was being wrestled from him. And worse yet, his enemies were growing stronger with that very same magicka.

I was watching all of this happen from the side, and I can say with certainty that it's much better than watching a movie—assuming you can handle the heat. It was like a live action play but with real stakes and special effects, except the special effects are actual magic and much better than any amount of CGI.

"Dir! (Die!)"

Noticing something, I give a nod to a noticeably hotter—in more ways than one—atronach who was floating next to me while holding my arm. After nodding to show her acknowledgement, she yelled, "Now sisters! Don't even leave bones behind!"

Directly after she said that, as if it was timed, Jyrik lost a large part of his control, which the atronachs quickly gained and then proceeded to over power him in only a few seconds, rendering him to dust, as he should've been long ago.

Seeing this, the 'Queen' atronach next to me turned and said with a slight tease, "Master 'Hearth' is wise, as always," and then proceeded to canoodle me—with more than just her flames—while drawing more than one glance full of 'burning' envy. I didn't bother hiding from them either, and started reciprocating—something which made the temperature rise even higher.

"What can I say?" I started nibbling on her semi-solid ear. "I can't help but show off, even if I don't mean to," I moved to her neck and then started going lower. "You should know that by now, as my—"

{Gasp}

Like I said before, it's a story for another time. One that I'm far too preoccupied to think about right now...

—

"What—what in Oblivion has happened here!?" Tolfdir came running into the Eye of Magnus's chamber. The sight that welcomed him was a large room with, now cooled, molten rock on all the surfaces and—"Are you alright!? What caused all of th—huh?"

Me.

"Yo," I gave him a little wave, but nothing more, as I was far too relaxed at the moment. Something that could only be expected as I was reclining on, in, and under a pile of armorless atronachs that were massaging me—everywhere—while feeding me exotic fiery fruits native to their realm. Sadly, the 'Queen' wasn't among them, as she escaped from my clutches, 'forcing' me to take out my frustrations on those here. Some of which are still moaning from what they 'endured.'

They were the ones that figured out how to siphon magicka from the Eye.

"I—you—this—how—why—they—what?" Tolfdir started sputtering as he looked from me to the atronachs then to the damaged room, and lastly, back to me as if asking, "How can you be so—so intimate with the things that caused all of this!?" to which I would've replied, "Ha, you should've been here an hour ago, and you would've seen something way more—spicy!"

That conversation never took place, though, as his eye was finally caught by the—Eye. Sadly, that also meant play time was over, and no mater how bad of a pun I make that won't change.

{Pahoof}

I slapped the ephemeral ass of one of the atronachs who was trying to rekindle our earlier—{ahem}—and started getting up while making sure every 'thing' was back where it belonged. Though, I must've been underestimating their—devotion—as it seems they were so 'focussed' up till now that they didn't even notice Tolfdir, who was now inspecting the Eye with undivided attention.

They didn't like him.

Before they could attack him for, as their mental messaging had put it, "Disturbing the sacred ritual," I opened a portal back to Infernace and sent them through while muttering, "They're a bit air-headed... hmm, that would explain why they're so good at giving—"

"Amazing! Absolutely amazing! This is the find of the century, perhaps even more," Tolfdir was mostly back to his normal self, "The Arch-Mage must be informed of this immediately. Can you return and tell him to come here as soon as possible?" he asked once I approached him, "I would go myself, but I don't dare to leave this unattended," he added, and I'm sure it was the truth. It definitely isn't him trying to keep me away from the Eye after seeing what I've done here so far...

"Sure. I'll leave right now," I didn't argue, since I already did everything I needed to. Play wasn't the only thing I did here, it was just the majority of it.

{Sigh}

I could swear that I heard him sigh—because he did—after I agreed and started leaving. Leaving the way that I came, since this ruin didn't have a shortcut anymore... for some reason.

—

After returning to the college and telling Savos Aren about the eye, I was appointed as the go-to lackey for anything to do with this 'discovery.' That meant I had to get information from Urag which also meant I had to go on a book hunt.

Like I was going to do that. I already had those that can do my bidding...

"Don't—burn—the books," in front of me—with armor—is the same group of atronachs as before. "Understand?" they nodded, but I was still doubtful. To add some extra protective measures, I handed the leader a bag, "When you find them, put them in here. It will keep them safe. Okay?"

I was expecting more nods, but instead, the leader held the bag in front of her and started shaking with—what I assume is happiness, but it's hard to tell—then she hugged it like it was her most dear possession and started twirling around while showing it off to the others. Seeing this, I had a good idea.

{Cough}

They stopped and looked at me. They were shifting a bit uneasily as they probably realized they had gotten distracted and might get punished. That wasn't going to happen.

Instead, I asked, "Do you all like that bag?" they hesitated for a moment before nodding timidly. The one I gave it to was even hugging like she wanted it to meld into her. "Hm," I gave them a hard look before easing up and saying, "Get those books back in perfect condition, and I'll make one for each of you to—"

{Whoosh}

"—keep."

...

{Sigh}

—

Despite my worries, it turned out alright.

The books were returned in perfect order, without a single scorch mark. That was a pleasant surprise, as it meant that as long as they have proper motivation they won't have the less than adequate—performance—normally associated with airheads. The only thing I had to do was make a few enchanted purses, and they performed like a crack exfil team.

Well... there were reports of crops and part of a forest being burnt down, but I didn't care about those things, so it was still an A in my book.

—

Soon after the books were returned, the Eye was brought to the college and put in the Hall of Elements's, after which Tolfdir went into overdrive studying the thing, and it was my 'job' to help him. Which, as it turns out, I'm rather glad about. Even with the short look I had inside the ruin, I could tell that, at least in this version of TES, the Eye of Magnus isn't just a namesake and was likely made by Magnus himself.

This was all but confirmed after studying it for a few days, as whomever made it was more skilled at enchanting—if this can even be called that—than anyone I've ever come across. The enchantments on the Eye aren't so much enchantments and more like the natural laws of this universe given a physical form. It would be a tall order to make it, even with a deep understanding of the universe.

The Eye is connected to this universe at a deep level, and from what I can tell, is capable of channelling enough magicka from Aetherius to supply all of Mundus. That may not seem like much, but the 'planets' of Mundus are technically infinite in size—that means a lot of magicka. What someone could do with all that—I don't actually know. Not yet anyway. Things that deal with infinities, or similar, are always full of tricks.

Something I know extremely well...

In short, the Eye of Magnus is much closer to being this universe's 'Infinity Stone' of magicka than it is to being just another powerful artifact. Unfortunately, just like Infinity Stones, it's useless outside its universe of origin, but also like them, there's something to learn from it as well. In this case, it's enchanting.

It'll just take a long while, even for me...

On another note, it should be mentioned that Ancano's been trying to question me ever since I returned from Saarthal. I say trying since before he can ever do so, he'd always have another cluck—I mean coughing attack and forget what he was doing. Unfortunately, such fun can't continue anymore, since, as the saying goes, 'the story must go on.'

Only, here, it's not so much a saying and very real...

— ***

"This marvelous object, there's nothing like it. It practically radiates magicka. It's—it's almost as if—"

"It was made for the sole purpose of channeling as much of it as possible," I finished Tolfdir's sentence, to which he nodded like a bobble head in agreement.

We were in the Hall of Elements, studying the magickal asshole of Aetherius. Well... it's better to say that Tolfdir was rambling like a crazed fool, while I was doing the real work. Most of that work, no one saw the results of. I would only show small findings, enough to keep Tolfdir happy and me right here, where I wanted to be. But, to my mild irritation, I was starting to be pushed along by the ever present 'pusher.'

His current 'tool' being Ancano, "I'm afraid I must intrude, as I must speak with your associate here. The matter is most urgent."

"This is unacceptable. We are on the cusp of a major—" Toldir was about to go all rage beast on him, but I cut him off, "It's alright, this won't take but a moment. I believe someone with rather... urgent news, is here to see me."

He settled down and accepted my leaving, but Ancano seemed a bit taken off guard, "What do you mean? You've been expecting—"

I didn't feel like dealing with Agent Chicken Tender and said, "But of course. I would think someone from the Dominion would be able to tell why," I started leaving, "Maybe it's all those coughing fits. They could be messing with your head, you know."

He took a second to register everything, "Wha... You! You dare be so imp—" but he never got much out, "Puk, puk, {cough}. Pukaak! {Cough-cough}"

—

After leaving Tolfdir and the chicken—I mean the Thalmor rooster... never mind. I went up to the Arch-Mage's quarters where I was expecting to find a Psijic monk and... nope, that's it. All I'm expecting is a monk with time magic.

That's not what I got.

Instead, there were two monks with time magic.

As soon as I approached the two, and the Arch-Mage who was next to them, the monk who I can only assume is the one who normally comes alone said, "Please, do not be alarmed. We mean you no—" then he stopped talking and started going pale.

Why? Because he was trying to influence the environment of someone stronger than him.

Before Savos could catch onto anything wrong, or they react, I let him 'stop' time. After which, I put down my hood and said, "Speak," in a soft but commanding voice. It was finally an occasion where I could play the 'hidden-master-who-finally-reveals-himself' and I wasn't going to pass it up.

//Note//

Ermahgerd!

Yeah, this one had some hiccups as I was trying to figure out some 'background' stuff, but then I thought that I may as well wait until the end of the week and just make a bigger chapter instead.

I like it this way better, there's more 'flow.'

I don't have to switch gears so often (writing / editing) and I can focus on making the chapter a bit more consistent.

—

From now on, there will only be one bigger chapter a week.

— —

Something I've learned this week.

The things you don't think will take very long, do. While the things you do think will take a long time, don't.

— —

Up till now, I always thought magicka was supposed to be capitalized for some reason, but it's pretty much just another word for mana and that's not capitalized all the time...

— —

In case you didn't notice, I'm going more with the idea that the Eye of Magnus was supposed to be the original sun of Mundus.

I'm not saying that's actually the case lore wise, I just want to go that way for this story.

— —

All the Flame Atronachs are female?

I think the ones in Morrowind were male, but I don't care. All I know is that in this story they're female, and that's all that matters.

— —

There's not going to be a system.

It's been a while now, but remember that ROB said no to systems.

But holy fuck, would it make a lot of things easier...

—

No, I'm not going to finagle one in somehow.

— —

Dark Souls

I would actually like to send the MC there, it's just that—and I genuinely do regret this—I've never played any of the Dark Souls.

Yeah, I know.

For some reason, my younger self thought that the name 'Dark Souls' sounded stupid, yet that same teenage brain thought that the fucking 'Elder Scrolls' sounded like divine music...

I would play them now, but... time.

—

Basically, if I sent him there, I could write it—and maybe not badly—but it would be from using walkthroughs as the only reference, not my own in game experience.

— —