"Welcome back, Arch-Mage," Raminus said politely.
"You know, you really shouldn't break into someone's house, even if you are acquainted with them, Master-Wizard. Most people consider that trespassing and the vast majority of people agree it is punishable by imprisonment."
"I was wondering why I was not receiving to my letters. It appeared as if you were abandoning the guild, therefore I deemed it my duty to investigate the situation on the behalf of the Council. Oh, I set all of the letters on the table over there."
"Well, for your information, I was out stocking all of Cyrodiil with food; which was also needed by the Council to maintain the health of the mages that it houses."
"That does not mean you can neglect your duties as Arch-Mage."
I stared at him, gobsmacked being the understatement of the era - albeit which was only three years old. I'd taken a no-nonsense approach to the various irritating habits of Raminus Polus, of which this was amongst them, but he had just pushed the last quota of patience out of my body. "Well, excuse my inadequacies Master-Wizard, as you seem to suggest that you have taken great offence to them," I responded wearily yet placing enough sarcasm in my words to create effect, pulling my perfectly crafted gauntlets off my chapped hands. "I'm sorry for not being at home to deal with issues of obvious importance to try and prevent the death toll from rising. However, I'm sure you are unaware of what number currently stands on as you remain safe and well-fed in your University chambers."
"I am very much aware of the number, Arch_mage, but I'm not just referring to the past month," Raminus replied, calm as ever. "This seems to be a recurring problem. You never seem to come to the Arcane University anymore. The students are beginning to lose faith in your capability as both a mage and as a leader."
"Well, what do you expect?" I demanded, his words grating me. "I'm the Arch-Mage, the Fighters' Guild Master, the Arena Grand Champion and the Champion of Cyrodiil. I don't have the time to be everywhere at once!"
"Please, I didn't mean to upset you." Raminus got to his feet, trying to make up for his disrespect, but without much deference in his words. "If I may, there is a pressing matter that we need to discuss."
I lazily pulled off my boots, which were coated with dirt, grass and scratch marks, the insides soaked with icy water and sweat. "Can't it wait 'til tomorrow? I need some sleep."
"Arch-Mage, I think we need to get something straight," Raminus said, narrowing his eyes at me, "you are the youngest individual to take up the position of Arch-Mage, a post granted to you by the Council itself in the absence of our previous Arch-Mage; which makes it even more important that you make regular appearances at the Arcane University or that you at least partake in important matters with written communications at least."
"And?"
"If you don't get involved with everyone at the guild, some of the Council members may lose hope or attempt to get you removed from your post. They do have that kind of power."
"May I remind you, Raminus, that I am the head of the guild, which the previous Arch-Mage, the late Hannibal Traven informed you would be the post I would undertake after his regrettable but foreshadowed passing, which grants me more power than you might wish for me to hold." There was no need for him to tell me these things; I already knew that some of the Council of Mages were against my tactics and rules for running the guild. It had never bothered me before. I always had the reassurance of being the guild's saviour for defeating Mannimarco, which made me a hero and left the guild forever indebted to me, whether I desired it or not. I certainly was not going to let it bother me now. "Just get to the point."
"Bothiel was trying to rebuild the Orrery recently and one of the dials actually started picking up some readings from an opening in the cosmos."
"An opening?"
"Some form of a magical gate."
"Any clue where they were actually coming from?"
"Possibly… Oblivion."
My expression must have been confused and shocked when I turned to face him, as was to be expected at this news, as he continued, "I know, we have found this as strange as yourself but that is the truth of the matter."
"That… doesn't make any sense," I mumbled. "Martin Septim sacrificed himself to stop the Daedra horde forever…"
"Bothiel believes that whilst Martin's sacrifice saved Tamriel from the grip of Mehrunes Dagon, banishing him and his Daedric servants back to his demonic plane of Oblivion, it only served to prevent the Badlands from creating barriers into our world. The Daedric Princes can be felt in many different ways in our realm; it is highy possible that this is the machinations of another Prince, for example, Vaermina or Sanguine."
"That's impossible…" I murmured. It couldn't be happening, not again. My predecessor, the last Champion of Cyrodiil, was the one who had been there through the entire Oblivion crisis, who'd provided Martin with all the necessities that he'd needed, worked alongside the Blades to protect him and bring him back to the Imperial City. When Martin had sacrificed himself by becoming the Avatar of Akatosh, the flaming dragon that now stands over 1000 feet high in the destroyed yet memorable Temple of the One, forever immobilised and preserved in time, the need for the Dragonfires were of no importance; Mehrunes Dagon was defeated and the Daedra of Oblivion would never walk on any part of Nirn ever again. This revelation was defying that logic, that reassurance.
"That's the reason why we need you to come back to the University immediately. We need to investigate this is more depth."
Despite my best efforts, I yawned hopelessly. "Can't we do it tomorrow?"
Raminus sighed, sounding more thanslightly disappointed. "Very well. I'll stay in the guild quarters tonight. I shall see you in the morning." He walked out briskly with his robes flowing out behind him without so much as a "good evening," but he closed the door quietly, obviously realising that irritating me more was not his best option at this point.
I trudged slowly up the stairs to my private quarters and dropped my sword, arrows and bow at the door, not bothering to tidy up. I swapped my elven greaves and cuirass for a night dress, relieved to have the soft cotton on my skin instead of my armour, even though it was only light armour. My frozen feet found the duvet cover in seconds and I was out cold as soon as my head hit the pillow.
I slipped into unsettled dreams, plagued with confusion. I was standing in a forest but it was unlike any forest I had ever come across before; and I've seen a lot of forest. My feet were placed on either side of a faint, blended line on the ground which separated the cheerful, bright side from the solemn, melancholy side. My natural instincts told me to explore the darker side to the forest as it seemed to be the most dangerous at first glance but I felt more in tune with the bright side. I gazed into the vibrant forest with its brilliant colours felt a wave of tenderness wash over me. I felt the right to protect the natural beauty and unusual plant varieties that enveloped it. I also felt a type of detachment towards the other side but I was also curious about it.
It was then that I noticed the gap in the trees where the two forests seemed to split. Even though it was probably the most dangerous thing in the forest, the attraction emanating from it was too much too bear. I took each step cautiously but as I drew closer, I sped steadily and in no time I was running towards the gap. I peered in carefully.
And saw absolutely nothing.
The trees appeared to stop abruptly after the gap. The only thing that was in the grotto was a strange crystalline structure that was glowing with a purple hue with what looked like knights and priests scattered all around it. There was no blood around the armour-clad corpses but the white sand was stained deep red where the oddly dressed priests lay. The place repulsed me unlike before. I went to turn away and leave the area and go back to the bright forest.
My feet refused to move, as if they had been detached from my head. I struggled against their growing weight pulling me deeper into the sand but it was in vain. I had sank about a foot into the pale sand when suddenly, a large figure appeared from the obelisk and I stopped sinking.
From far away, the creature looked like one of the dead knights on the ground. Its armour looked like tin but as it drew slowly closer to me, it came to look more like polished diamond. It was also larger than the other knights, possibly standing at eight foot. In its gauntlet-clad hand, a large crystalline sword hung limply but as it stopped in front of me its grip tightened around the hilt and it lifted it high above its head. I reached for my sword but I was still in my night gown. I wanted to wake up but everything seemed too real for me to close my eyes. The sword began to fall towards me.
As if from nowhere, a sword appeared through the creature's armour. The armour slowly started to dissipate and what was left in the massive diamond clad monsters place was a slight Altmer.
If I had never seen a High Elf in my life before, I would have been extremely amazed by the beauty she possessed but instead, I felt intimidated as well as self-conscious. With pale skin without a hint of green and long, golden hair tumbling down over her shoulders, my eyes were glued to elven maiden in the purple dress that covered her feet. In her left hand was a thin, dark sword and in her right was the strangest, most grotesque staff I'd ever seen. It would have been fine, quite elegant in fact, if there had not been a human eye stuck to the top between the twisting branches. I did not notice myself being raised out of the sand again, as the forest around the Altmer seemed to return to its previous state, this time only growing the blue mushroom trees and brightly coloured pods and flowers of the forest I identified with.
I was dragged out of my thoughts when she spoke in a crystal clear voice. "I am calling you to help me rebuild the land which Jyggalag tore apart. The Maniacs need a leader. Heed my words, little Duchess, you will enter my realm."
Sitting upright in my bed, I panted heavily with cold sweat sliding down my entire body. Peals of heavenly sunlight poured through the windows into my bedroom, warming the room delightfully, unusually so for the time of year. I was relieved slightly that the sun may hopefully warm up the freezing temperatures outside but I hadn't much room in my mind for much else at that moment.
I wondered what the dream had meant. What kind of world was that? What was that strange creature made of diamond? Who was the beautiful Altmer with the power to make forests grow? And why was she calling me to lead her people? How could I be a Duchess?
So many unanswered questions that made my head pound with confusion, but they would have to wait. My main priority was to meet up with Raminus Polus and make my way to the Arcane University. Oh, the joys.