12 Chapter I Entering the college

A/n: I have started using Grammarly as advised by a kind reviewer.

If you enjoy reading this, toss me a stone or three, and if you have the time do give me a review.

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As we approach the gates of the thankfully fully walled bridge of the college I take in the sight of the one guarding it. She is a very tall altmer woman with long orange-brown hair and more interestingly her eyes seem to glow with constantly dancing lightning. She appears disinterested in us, not even giving her full attention, and says in a bored tone "If you are here to complain about the college please for the love of Julianos just go to the Jarls court wizard"

I fake cough and say "Actually we were hoping to join the college, me and my companion have been traveling for some time in hopes of learning the secrets of magic." hoping that my fake reverence might actually make her listen.

She finally turns to us fully "Hmm, you both seem young but have already reached a good level of Magicka, fine I will never say no to prospective new students." She says with some barely noticed enthusiasm "The test is rather simple: you tell me what you think you are best at while also mentioning all your other skills, I test your application of that knowledge. Keep in mind that the tuition for a novice is three hundred septims" A good two months pay for laborers "And while you can earn it inside of the college after your entry the first one will have to be paid in full."

Oof! That would leave us almost destitute, but thankfully we are both apprentice- level mages. Morrigan and I nod to each other and I start explaining my skillset "I am capable of apprentice level destruction and restoration with minor skill in alteration conjuration and alchemy, I can also identify enchantments pretty consistently"

She nods and starts writing it down "Very well, name?"

"Reyvin"

She seems dissatisfied "Full name please, there are wards to detect such things for new applicants"

I sigh and hope this doesn't turn into a shitstorm "Reyvin of house Dagoth"

She looks at me with immense curiosity, almost non-metaphorically burning into me with her eyes "Interesting, veery interesting" And now I no longer feel safe.

After some time staring at me like I am a very fun new trinket she just discovered she turns to Morrigan "Your skills and name please."

Morrigan hesitates for a second but still says "Morrigan of the Reach, apprentice destruction and alteration with some restoration and apprentice-level alchemy"

She seems less willing to dissect my friend than me but there is still some curiosity "It has been a long time since we had one of your people in our halls, I hope there will be no issues with the rest of the student body" the last part is said with some threat.

Morrigan shakes her head quickly and starts to say something before I interrupt her "Both of us have come here to learn and become more powerful, as long as our origins aren't shouted out at the town square we will be just another pair of students."

Faralda looks at us for a second then nods as if not caring in the slightest, she was probably obligated to say that anyway, who cares about apprentices burning each other to death? It's to fuel their growth I am sure, note the sarcasm. "Very well, let us proceed with the examination"

We are asked to show off our skills with me being the first. I use my improved flames and firebolt which seems to genuinely impress her, probably because she is the resident master of destruction magic. I quickly show off my bound blade and oak flesh combo finishing with a ward that seems sturdier than when I first learned it.

Morrigan shows off her criomancy, surprising me by casting an ice shard, followed by her roots spell and the small bit of restoration I forced her to learn.

Faralda nods at us and says with just a tiny bit of praise in her voice "Very good, you are both eligible for the rank of apprentice so the tuition will be halved, you will however be expected to complete a bimonthly task for the college until you advance further in rank."

I start to ask but am quickly interrupted "Don't worry you will be paid for said tasks, and as you will be earning the college reputation with most of them a sum will be taken off your tuition for every task you accomplish" I nod and wait for her to direct us where we need to go.

"You will now follow me to the central square of the college, our master wizard Mirabelle Ervine will show you to your assigned quarters and explain the lessons you will be taking" We nod and follow her.

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The walk on the bridge is quiet with seemingly nothing happening around us, being curious I activate my third eye and see a bunch of wards constantly scanning us as we pass, fuck I wouldn't ever want to attack this place.

As we cross the threshold into the largest circle of the college the entire atmosphere seems to switch from cold and windy to perfectly temperate and calm. Looking around I see a massive statue of Shalidor at the center, behind it is what I remember as being the entrance to the archmage tower and library, to my sides I see the passages to the other sections with the circular wall seeming to be the dormitories for both professors and students. There are far more people than I expected milling about talking to each other and just generally relaxing, no one seems to be casting any magic which I guess is reserved for a practice area.

We are swiftly led towards the side of the main tower where I see a short breton woman that seems to radiate magicka talking very heatedly with a high elf wearing gaudy thalmor robes. As we approach the altmer walks off seemingly angered by whatever he was told.

Mirabelle looks up at us and smiles lightly "Ah some new students I see" then turns toward our escort "I trust you tested them already?" she asks with slight annoyance, I guess there is a story there.

Faralda huffs and says "Yes I tested them in all they said they could do, both are apprentice level in destruction with additional skills that would qualify them anyway"

"Good, we wouldn't want a repeat of what happened a year ago." she trails off before continuing "You two are in luck, the classes will be starting in two days. The first class will be held by the archmage and you are expected to be present, there will be no tolerance for tardiness." She finishes sternly before pulling out two bracelets with the symbol of the college "You will be required to wear these at all times you are at the college except within your own rooms, they are keyed into the wards, without them you will be immediately detained by the defense system. I hope you are not foolish enough to test this."

We both quickly nod which seems to satisfy her "After you have reached the rank of adept you will be able to commission custom robes for yourselves, but for now this will have to suffice." She looks at our robes with some dissatisfaction. "Follow me to your new dormitories, there are five more new apprentices this year but don't worry everyone will have their own room. If you can't all get along just keep in mind to keep all disputes below a certain level, there is enough trouble and suspicion with the locals as is, we don't need a bunch of apprentices blowing up the nearby houses when they get into a pissing match" Surprisingly crass for the oh so noble bretons huh, but I get it she must be really tired from all the shit she has to deal with.

The now agitated Faralda excuses herself and probably goes back to her bridge-guard duty while we follow Mirabelle.

This whole situation kind of takes me back to my college days. I just hope I am not stuck with assholes again, back then I could do nothing to them except talk back, now I have fire at my fingertips and the will to use it.