The last update before jumping back to the present time period for our girlies.

7720 ish words because I couldn't help myself.

I felt as if a bit of clarification was needed plus if you read Oblivion first (like I had previously advised) then you know what happens next for Momo.

A little background info, I actually started this whole AU during WIL so that was hairstyle/look I envisioned for each member while writing. Its obviously changed now but short hair I missed short hair Momo so I brought her back.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Things didn’t get much better for Momo and friends after Ancano’s stunt. 

 

Destroyed dorm rooms became the Altmer’s main way of attacking. It was away from JYP’s watchful eyes and all students stayed in the same building which gave anyone access to any dorm. This meant that most days Momo would come back to a trashed dorm room. And Ancano proved to be creative in his destructive tendencies. She remembers a Wednesday where a herd of goats made themselves comfortable on her bed. Or that one time she had been running a bit late to a lecture and found her entire room frozen solid. She had to wait until it had all melted just to get inside. The professors weren't too happy to see a tardy Momo and soiled lecture notes. It didn’t stop at just her room either. Ancano ordered his gang of top students to mess with her at all the lectures she attended. They would cast jinxes and spells on her when the teachers weren’t looking to make her embarrass herself. 

 

They seemed to prefer ice magic as their main weapon and would often freeze her feet to the floor or have her slip on a thin sheet of ice. Some were more creative than others and incorporated their major into the “teasing”. Alchemy students tended to whip up potions that would make her constantly sneeze or become extremely sleepy in class. But now the bullying had all but stopped after someone dared slip a few drops of paralysis poison into her tea. That was a long five hours in the library. After that stunt, JYP started to become more involved. Ancano had s take the blame for the harassment and they suffered by expulsion. However, Ancano’s main goons still managed to stay in the school.

 

But aside from Ancano and all the bullying, being at the college was actually serving its purpose. Momo was finally making progress with lightning magic. When she first came to the school, the most she could do was create sparks on her fingertips and get a lucky streak of electricity to shoot out of her hands. But with JYP’s tutoring, Momo had finally hit a target with a bolt of lightning. To say she was happy would be an understatement. She was joyous, ecstatic, jubilant, basically, any verb that is used to describe thrilled would be an acceptable way of explaining how Momo felt. She was in such a good mood that even Ancano’s bullying had no effect on her that day. 

 

Of course, Momo couldn’t be happy for long at the college. That same day,  Momo had a special lecture to attend in the library. Kim Seokjin had selected a group of students that would begin to study ancient nordic tombs. Momo was actually excited about this project because, first of all, Ancano wasn’t part of it, and second of all the group would end the unit with a trip to a recently discovered ancient Nordic city. The only downside was that Mina, one of the few humans in Ancano’s gang of top students, was also participating. 

 

Momo had never had a problem with Mina when she first started at the college. Mina was a quiet girl who spent all her time reading in the library. The young mage was also relatively new to the college and seemed to have a natural ease with magic. Ancano had somehow persuaded Mina to join his group of top students, Momo still didn’t know how he did it, but ever since the young mage would frequently be seen hanging around the group of Elves.

 

The selected students were dubbed the Explorers by Momo’s professor, Seokjin, and they would meet regularly every three days to discuss Nordic ruins. Seokjin claimed three days was enough time for them to find and read a book about one of the many ancient Nordic artifacts that had been discovered throughout the land. But for Momo, three days was barely enough. What, she’s a slow reader. After weeks of meeting and discussions on ancient ruins, Seokjin finally made the announcement the whole group had been looking forward to.

 

Momo had been running a little late. No one's fault but her own, the sweet rolls the kitchen made were addicting. The whole group turned at the loud creaking sound the door made as Momo tried to slip in unnoticed. Luckily, Seokjin was one of the sweetest professors at the college so he let Momo slide for being late.

 

“Welcome, welcome we were just beginning,” Seokjin winked at Momo as she sheepishly stood next to one of the other students, “So, as I was saying. The first thing to understand is that magic is, by its very nature, volatile and dangerous. Unless you can control it, it can and will destroy you.” 

 

“Sir, I think we all understand that very well. We wouldn’t be here if we couldn’t control magic.” Sowon, the female student Momo had been standing next to politely told Seokjin.

 

“Of course Sowon, of course. You all certainly possess some inherent natural ability, that much is not being questioned,” Seokjin’s stare lingered on Momo for a moment, “What I’m talking about true control. Mastery of magic. It takes years, if not decades of practice and studying.”

 

“Than what are we waiting for? Let's get started,” Xaani, a khajit known to lack patience, eagerly spoke while wagging his long fluffy tail.

 

“Please, please. This is exactly what I’m talking about. Eagerness must be tempered with caution or else disaster is inevitable.” Seokjin tried to get the students attention back on him but Xaani kept accidentally smacking the others with his tail.

 

“But we’ve only just started training with you,” Mina finally spoke up. Her tone was sharp and she seemed completely done with whatever Seokjin had to say next. “You have no idea of what any of us are capable of.” Mina crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Seokjin.

 

The professor sighed and shook his head. Mina rolled her eyes at the older mage but didn’t speak again. 

 

“You have been quite so far, miss Hirai, what do you think we should do?” Seokjin turned towards Momo and asked.

 

Momo was not one to like all the attention on her, her treatment at the college has taught her to avoid the spotlight, so she chose to agree with the rest of the group.

 

“I think we should learn something practical.”

 

“Is that so?” Seokjin nodded in understanding.

 

“See? She agrees with us too, why don’t you actually show us something.” Sowon followed Mina’s actions and crossed her own arms while Xaani began his wild tail wagging again. Mina simply side eyed Momo. 

 

“Alright, let's settle down,” the command was mostly directed at Xaani as he tried to stop his tail from smacking into anyone else. “I suppose we can try something practical.” 

Seokjin motioned for the group to follow him and the four students moved over to one side of the room. 

 

“In continuing with our theme of safety, we will start with wards. Wards are protective spells that block magic. I’ll teach you all a ward and we’ll see if you can successfully use it to block spells.” Seokjin snapped his fingers and two, small, glowing lights appeared in each of his hands. He tossed one of the lights over to where the group had been spread out and dropped the other where they were standing now. 

 

“Miss Myoui, do you mind helping me with the demonstration? Are you at all familiar with ward spells?” Seokjin politely asked Mina and the young mage nodded her head. "Perfect, now if you’ll just stand over there, we’ll cast a few spells at you and you block it with the ward.” 

 

The rest of the groups stood behind Seokjin as Mina walked over to the glowing light on the floor. 

 

“Now cast the ward spell and keep it up,” Mina raised her hands and a gloved hue enveloped both her arms. With a flash of light and a loud echoing sound, a shimmering blue wall appeared in front of Mina. The ward was see through but distorted the image on the other side, like looking into a pool of water. The longer Mina held the ward in place, the more magic the spell drained. This one one of the main reasons Momo disliked restoration magic. It’s very helpful yes, but its extremely draining.

 

 “Hold still.”

 

Seokjin conjured a ball of fire in his right hand and threw it at Mina. The fire magic dissolved into the air as soon as it made contact with the magical shield. Next Sowon launched a chunk of ice at the ward and the result was the same. After Xaani sprayed a stream of flames at the ward, it was Momo’s turn. The young mage saw this as the perfect opportunity to try out the new magic she had been practicing. With a twitch of her hand's sparks swam in the air around her fingers. She pressed her palms together then pulled them apart. A single strand of lightning danced between her hands and the flashes of bright light it created helped Momo get a clear sight of fear. The fear that covered Mina’s face as Momo took a stutter step towards the mage and released the bolt of lighting. The magical barrier cracked and then shattered under the power of the spell causing Mina to stumble backwards and fall over. 

 

“Well, I think this is an excellent start.” Seokjin’s voice rung out into the now silent room. Everyone was in awe of Momo’s spell, how it was made, how it shattered Mina’s ward, and how it caused the top student to flail and topple over. 

 

“An excellent start? She almost killed me!” Mina, now standing, yelled out in retaliation. 

 

“It only proved my point about learning safety first. Thank you for showing us a prime example of someone who needs to practice their wards more.” Seokjin smiled at Mina then turned around to face the others who were giggling at the comment. Momo caught him sending a quick wink her way and she decided that Seokjin was now her favorite professor. 

 

“I’d like you all to continue practicing with wards, please. I think, perhaps, we’re ready to begin exploring some of the various applications of magic throughout history. Like I had told you all when we first started these meeting, the college has undertaken a fascinating excavation of the ruins of Saarthal nearby. An excellent learning opportunity. Now, with a bit more practice with wards, I believe us to be ready to go exploring. I suggest we meet in the courtyard in a few hours, then see what awaits us inside Saarthal. That’s all for now, you’re dismissed.” Seokjin bowed to the group of students and left the four. 

 

Momo was about to lave as well when Xaani pulled her back by her shoulders. The feline held up his furry paw for a fist-but and Momo happily obliged. Sowon also gave her a toothy smile. Meanwhile, Mina was fuming. She quickly left the lecture hall but not without ramming her shoulder into Momo's. 

 

“Momo…” Sowon waited until Mina had left the building, “That was awesome! When did you learn how to do that?” Sowon wrapped her arm around Momo’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze.

 

“I’ve been having tutoring sessions with JYP. He’s helped out a lot.”

 

“Xaani is very proud. Xaani is happy to have been here to see Momo do that.”

 

“Thanks, Xaani… I guess.” Momo tried to slip out of his fuzzy grasp but the Khajit held her tight. 

 

“Come, let us practice more wards before we depart.” Xaani pulled Momo with him towards the exit while Sowon just shook her head and followed behind. 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 Snow swirled around the group of mages as they carefully made their way down the wooden excavation steps. Three of the four students had been eagerly waiting in the college courtyard for Seokjin. Mina had been waiting as well, but she spent the whole time glaring daggers at Momo. Clearly, the younger mage was still a bit upset about the whole ward incident. Was it an incident? Momo wouldn’t call it one. It was more like a form of payback hidden (not really) in a lesson. But Momo ignored the very obvious glaring and happily trekked up the snowy mountainside with the others. They reached the excavation site in less than an hour and felt very little of the winter storm thanks to their enchanted college robes. Now the group of five mages stood outside the entrance of the ruins waiting for Seokjin to give them a final safety warning.

 

“All right, please stay close to me while we’re inside. It should be safe, but it’s always better to be cautious.” Seokjin smiled at the group of young mages then pulled a set of keys out of his robes. He quickly unlocked the excavation site and the five filed inside.

 

Momo was last to enter and found herself staring down a poorly lit hallway. She followed the others and listed to Seokjin go into depth about the ancient ruins.

 

“As some of you may know, Saarthal was one of the earliest Nord settlements in the country. It was also the largest.” The group slowly made their way into one of the bigger rooms. Large wooden walkways had been placed to assist in the execution of the buried city. They carefully traveled deeper into the room along the wooden walkways. Momo let out a loud the strangest sneeze from all the dust in the air. However, Seokjin either didn’t hear it or just ignored her and continued spouting information about the ruins.

 

“Besides being sacked by the elves in the infamous “Night of Tears”, not much is known about what happened to Saarthal. This is an exciting opportunity for us. To be able to study such an early civilization, and the magic they used…” They slowly stepped onto one of the large ancient staircases and carefully descended down the wooden planks down until they reached the bottom floor. The group of mages circled around Seokjin, it seemed most of them had not been listening to his historic rambles and were instead gazing around at the structure of the city.

 

“Well, are there any questions before we begin?” Seokjin smiled his group of gawking students. 

 

Sowon raised her hand to ask him something but Mina had already begun speaking. 

 

“I have no questions because I actually did the reading you assigned. What would you like me to do?” Mina blurted out.

 

“Ah, yes. Hmm. Well, why don’t you see if you can assist Heize? She’s one of our scholars here working on cataloging our finds. I’d expect she’d appreciate some help locating any additional magical artifacts here in the ruins. In fact, Momo, why don’t you join Mina in helping Heize.” Seokjin smiled then ushered the two towards another poorly lit hallway that led deeper into the ruins. With the two left alone, Momo tried a soft smile at the younger but Mina took one look at Momo then scoffed and left to find Heize.

 

The two mages continued through the old and dusty hallway carefully avoiding crumbling parts of the walls and ceiling. Mina remained silent as they made their way into another large room. This section of the ancient city seemed to be larger and more intact than the previous room, Momo assumed that was because it was further from the entrance therefor less air had gotten inside. Lots of excavation walkways had been set up to keep the area safe but explorable. Ancient carvings littered the walls along with vine-like vegetation growing on a lot of the stonework. A clear haze of dust was visible in the air and, thanks to the lanterns hung all around, cast a golden brown color throughout the chamber. 

 

Mina let the two further into the room across wooden walkways and ancient stone bridges until the reached the other side of the two-story room. Momo tried her best to keep up with the younger while still getting a good look at all the history they were walking through. Mina ended up leaving Momo in the larger section of the room while she passed through another tunnel in her continued search for Heize. The young mage finally found the woman hunched over a wooden table as the tunnel widened. 

 

“I’d be amazed if we find anything useful here.” Mina heard the older mage grumbling under her breath.

 

She quietly stood behind the older for a few moments until she had to clear to get Heize’s attention. 

 

“Hmm? Oh, what can I help you with?” Heize turned around and quickly dusted off her robes as she walked over to Mina.

 

“Seokjin sent me to see you.”

 

“He what? Oh, you must be one of the new apprentices then. Fine, fine. Just… don’t make a mess of my work. I’ve only looked through a portion of this section. You, uh, let’s see. You can look around in the chambers just north of here. Try and be careful alright, we don’t want to damage anything.” Heize waved Mina off then turned back to the work she had spread out on her table. 

 

Mina rolled her eyes and left the older, slightly grumpy, mage to go look for artifacts. On her way back she accidentally tripped over a stone cobble that jutted a bit out more than the others and plummeted towards the ground. Mina braced herself for an impact that never came. Instead, she felt a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around her and pull her back onto her feet. Her head swiveled to view her savior and she was met with the wide chocolate eyes of Hirai Momo. The two stared at each other for a few moments before Mina pushed herself out of Momo’s grasp. The younger dusted off her robes and spun on her heel quickly walking away from the other woman. Momo just shook her head and followed Mina into the northern chambers. 

 

The two carefully searched all the little sections of the ancient city and had found a total of three enchanted rings and a carved stone tablet. They were about to return to Heize with their findings when Mina caught a glimpse of another light flickering further down the hallway. The younger veered away from her expedition partner and entered another section of the room. Momo, quick to notice Mina’s absence, sped off behind her and the two poked around the new unexplored section together. Momo found another ring in the corner of the room while Mina stopped in-front of a carved section the wall. A necklace was laying against the stone and seemed to be on display. Very carefully, Mina lifted the ancient jewelry off of the display. The moment the artifact was off the pedestal, a loud clunking noise echoed around the pair of mages. A large metal gate descended from the entryway that led back towards the hallway blocking the pair from leaving. 

 

“What did you do?” Momo horridly asked the younger. Mina quickly tried to replace the artifact back onto its pedestal but the stone structure had retracted into the wall. Footsteps echoed down the hallway and soon Seokjin came running into view. 

 

“What in the world was that racket? Is everything all right?” He stood on the other side of the dark iron bars and ran a finger against the metal. 

 

“We’re trapped in here!” Momo and Mina stood facing their professor, blocked by the ancient metal trap.

 

“How did that happen?”

 

Momo shot a look at Mina who lowered her head in embarrassment. 

 

“I pulled an amulet of the wall.” Mina’s voice was soft and quiet. The normal voice Momo had known the younger for before she joined Ancano’s group of top students.

 

“Really? Perhaps the amulet is important somehow, is there any way you could use it?” Seokjin asked the two trapped mages. 

 

“You want me to put it on?” Mina asked, shocked at the professor’s possible solution. “What if curses me!”

 

“We won’t know unless you try. I’ll go speak with Heize, see if we can figure another way to get you two out of there.” With that, Seokjin disappeared back into the dark hallway. 

 

Momo pulled against the metal keeping them inside with no avail. She tried to melt the bars with a stream of flames but still, nothing seemed to be working. Oh, how Momo wished teleportation was an actual spell. She heard a grunt behind her and turned to see Mina sitting on the floor, her legs pulled up to her chest. 

 

“Momo… I’m, I’m sorry.” Mina’s voice was so soft that Momo had to strain to hear her words.

 

“It’s okay, you were just doing what Heize told us to do, I probably would have done the same,” Momo sunk to the floor next to the younger.

 

“No, I’m not just apologizing about getting us stuck in here… I’m sorry about everything I’ve done to you.” Mina pressed her forehead against her kneecaps, muffling her already soft voice.

 

Momo unconsciously ran a hand through her shorter hair. SinB and Hoseok had helped her fix the new hair to the best of their ability so she ended up with a bob of short black hair. She didn’t hate the look, she just kind of wished she had more of a choice in the new, forced style.
 

“I’m sorry about your hair, I’m sorry about the mean threats, and everything else Ancano has had done to you. You don’t deserve it.”

 

“Then why do you listen to him?”

 

“He- I… My parents and I moved here a few months ago. I adjusted to the cold but my parents couldn’t seem to handle the dramatic temperature drop. My mother got sick which left my father to take care of her. Then he got sick too. Ancano is looking for a powerful source of magic to make him better, stronger than everyone else. He said if I help him find the hidden secrets at the college then he will use the power to help my family.”

 

“Oh…”

 

“I know he’s a terrible person and only looks to gain power for himself, but if there is a chance that he could help my parents…”

 

The two sat in silence. Mina words working their way into Momo’s heart. She had never expected Mina to open up to her in any way. Ancano kept strict control over his gang and Momo just assumed that he had forced Mina to join because of her skill in magic. But she never knew Mina had been going through this. Momo cliched her jaw a few times then began to stand. 

 

“Give me the amulet.”

 

“What?”

 

“Give me the amulet, I’m going to get us out of here so you can save your parents.” Momo extended her hand to Mina and the younger stared at it for a few moments before taking hold. Momo pulled her onto her feet and then Mina handed over the amulet. Momo took a deep breath before lifting the necklace over her head. It felt unnaturally heavy and the long section of carved bone seemed to press against her chest. 

 

“Where did you find it?” Momo tried to sound calm, but the effect the amulet had on her was quite unnerving. 

 

“Over here,” Mina led Momo through a small opening and towards the carved section of wall. Momo could feel the necklace pulling her towards the wall. A shimmering orange light emanated from the carvings. 

 

“Do you see that?” Momo ran her hand over the orange glow and looked over at Mina.

 

“See what?” Mina was confused as the older continued to the wall. 

 

“Okay, stand back.” Momo took a few steps away from the wall then summoned a ball of fire. 

 

“What are you-“ Momo launched the fireball against the wall and the whole structure collapsed into hundreds of little pieces. Both coughed and waved their hands to try to clear the new cloud of dust created then their jaws dropped. Mina and Momo stared in awe at the hidden room the spell had revealed. A clear hallway that had been sectioned off by the ancient carving. 

 

“Heize and Seokjin are going to kill you for destroying that.” Mina squatted down and picked up a handful of crumbled carving. 

 

“Uh, Mina…” The younger mage glanced up to see Momo trying and failing to remove the amulet from her neck. “It won’t come off!”

 

“Oh ,” Mina quickly sprang to her feet and tried to help Momo pull the necklace off but the amulet seemed too hot for Mina to touch. “Does it hurt?” Mina worried as she blew cold air over her stinging fingers.

 

“No, it’s just heavy and kind of uncomfortable.” Momo didn’t want to tell the younger about the feeling of control the amulet had over her moments ago.

 

“Well, this tunnel appears to lead somewhere,” Mina glanced over her shoulder to see the metal gate still firmly in place. “Let’s just hope it’s out.” Momo nodded at the younger and the two cautiously climbed through the hole Momo had made in the wall. 

 

The subterranean tunnel was long and winding. Roots from fossilized vegetation protruded from the ceiling and old wooden planks and stone littered the floor. A group of mushrooms had begun growing out of a mass, but Mina quickly moved away from the fungus when she identified the mass as a mummified body. The hidden tunnel led them through a few more twists and turns until they emerged into a small chamber. There were three huge metal boxes against the wall. One in front, one to the left, and one to the right.

 

“Why in the world would this be sealed off… what events this place?” Momo asked as they crossed under an arc and into the room. As soon as Momo had fully entered the room she felt the amulet around her neck release a pulse of energy and the seals on the boxes hissed open. The two mages quickly stood back to back, magic at the ready, as sections of metal popped open and revealed three undead creatures. The metal lids were pushed aside by their wrinkly and moldy hands. Their eyes glowed a bright blue and the undead men unsheathed weapons from their belts.

 

Momo sent a ball of fire tight at one of the undead warriors but even after the direct hit, he continued to groan and stumble his way towards the two.

 

“Are you kidding me!” 

 

The younger mage seemed to be faring better than Momo. She locked one of the undead in place by shooting a spear of ice through its stomach. The magic impaled the rotting corpse against the wall leaving it to struggle until it stopped flopped over, its eyes now dark and empty for good. The third swung its ancient longsword at the two but they had avoided the attack just in time. Momo pressed her palms together and created a flickering bolt of lighting just like when they were practicing wards. The zombified creature was no match for the powerful magic and collapsed into a pile of ash once it had been zapped.

 

Mina had gotten herself cornered by the last undead and she was now blasting it with a stream of fire as an attempt to keep it at a tolerable distance. But the heat seemed to have little impact on the walking corpse and he swung his ancient axe through the flames. He fought his way through the magic until he was close enough to bring his axe down on the young mage. Suddenly the flames stopped and a chunk of ice crashed against the undead’s skull. Mina had surrounded her fist in ice and threw her strongest punch. Her fist of ice crunched through the aged bone and lodged itself in the sticky matter left inside the creature's skull. 

 

“Ewww!” She yanked back her frozen fist to escape the now squished head but ended up yanking the entire head off of its body. Momo watched the younger mage flail her hand around as she tried to fling off the skull stuck on her hand.

 

“Do you want some help?” Momo airily laughed and walked over to the younger mage.

 

“Get it off! Get it off!” Mina quickly extended her hand at Momo. The quick movement, plus all the flailing she had done moments before, made the crushed skull fly off of her hand and hit Momo directly in the face. Mina couldn't tell if the crunching sound was the undead’s skull or Momo’s.

 

“AhhH! My nose!” Momo stumbled back clutching her face. Yep, definitely Momo’s, Mina thought as she scrubbed the rotted brain matter off of her hand. 

 

“Is it bad?” Momo slightly uncovered her face and asked Mina. The younger’s cringe was all Momo needed to know.

 

“Sorry… again.” 

 

“Let's just keep moving or else we’ll never get out of here.” Momo’s voice was nasally from all the blood dripping out of her nose.

 

“But what if there are more of those… things?” Mina cringed once more as she stepped over the now headless zombie on the floor. She followed Momo and climbed through one of the upright coffins the undead had been in. The coffin in the middle didn’t have a back panel and led to another section of the ancient city. The two weren’t even sure they were in the city anymore. It seemed more like a tomb or a crypt. 

 

Mina was cautiously looking behind them when she bumped into Momo. Before she could speak, the older’s hand covered and motioned for her to keep quiet. Momo held her finger over her lips in a “shushing” motion then pointed further ahead of her. A gate could be seen further down the small tunnel they were in. Even from their current distance, the two could see into a circular room lined with more dark metal coffins. Another gate was closed on the other side, a small amount of flashing light could be seen coming from the other side. 

 

“Do we really need to go that way?” Mina whispered to Momo, trying to keep her voice as low as possible. 

 

“I believe so.” The older whispered back and subconsciously grabbed at the amulet still hanging around her neck. She didn’t know how or why, but something about the flashing light on the other side of the room was calling out to her. As if the amulet was leading her to something. She felt as though a choir of men and women were quietly chanting into her head. The closer to the gate she got, the louder the chanting became. 

 

A small pull chain hung next to the metal gate. Momo looked behind her at Mina, silently asking if the younger mage was ready for another fight. With Mina’s nod of approval, Momo raised her hand up and yanked on the pull chain. Both gates opened; the one in front of the mages and the one on the other side of the room. At the exact same time, one of the coffins near the back of the circular room burst open and an armored undead man climbed out. He drew his weapon and was ready to attack but he didn’t seem to know where the mages were. Mina and Momo stayed crouching near the entrance of the room and watched the undead wander back and forth between the room. Mina was about to launch an ice spike at the corpse but Momo stopped her. 

 

The older mage took a step backwards and summoned a glowing violet orb in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, the orb floated upwards then stretched out into a bow. Momo grabbed the shimmering violet bow out of the air and drew back the string. An ethereal arrow flashed onto the string and nocked itself on the bow. Mina’s jaw hung open for she had never seen a spell like that before. 

 

“You have to teach me that once we get out of here.” Momo simply winked back and aimed at the wandering undead warrior. The arrow was released and flew straight through the corpses' skull. The wrinkly body of skin and bones collapsed to the floor leaving the two mages to watch its glowing blue eyes slowly fade until they were dark. 

 

Not one-second later another coffin burst open, this time on the other side of the room, and another undead climbed out. Momo continued sending magical arrows at the corpses. Every time she killed one, another would “wake up” and climb out of their coffin. The seventh and final undead fell to the floor from an arrow to the head. The two mages paused for a few moments waiting for another so awaken but it seemed that they had all been killed. Momo muttered something under her breath and the magical bow evaporated out of her hand. 

 

“Seriously, you really need to teach me how to do that.” Mina smiled up at the shimmering violet lights the bow made as it disappeared.

 

“Are you sure? Ancano wouldn’t be too happy seeing you hanging around with me.” Momo stood up from where she had been kneeling and dusted off her robes.

 

“I don’t care what Ancano has to say, I never have for a matter of fact.”

 

“All right then, I’ll teach you. That way you can show off to your boyfriend.” 

 

“Girlfriend.”

 

“Girlfriend?”

 

“Well, …sort of. There’s this girl… she's not from the college, and I keep seeing her around. We’ve only spoken a few times, but whenever we do she’s always very flirty… I can’t tell if that’s just how she is or if she really likes me. Maybe I’m just dense.”

 

“Woah, the great Myoui Mina is having girl troubles?”

 

“It seems so.” Mina seemed deflated as the two stepped over the rotting corpses Momo just killed, for a second time. 

 

“I’m not really the right person to be giving relationship advice seeing as I don’t have a girlfriend myself, but I could try. If you want me to?”  Momo offered as the two safely reached the other side of the circular room. 

 

The flashing blue lights seemed to come from a source further ahead. There only seemed to be a straight line between them and the lights but the walls were lined with sleeping mummified bodies. They were tucked into holes in the wall, some were armed with swords while others were wrapped tightly in a rotted cloth. Skeletons of poorly preserved bodies were also stuck in the dirt walls.

 

“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think now is a good time,” Mina said as she counted all the dead bodies in the catacomb. “I count fourteen, but only six seem to be armed and, well, waiting.”

 

“Okay, should I get my bow again?” 

 

“I don’t think so. I’m betting that as soon as we wake one, the others will rise.” Mina weighed their options. They could turn back around and hope that Seokjin and Heize had found a way out. Or they could try sneaking past the waiting undead. 

 

“How about you let me try something,” Mina told Momo. The older nodded her head and waited for Mina to begin her plan. 

 

Mina took a steadying breath before beginning. She closed her eyes to concentrate on the spell then clenched her hands tightly. A layer of cold air surrounded Mina and when she relaxed her hands, cold strands of air were visibly emanating from them. Mina opened her now icy blue eyes and gathered an orb of magic in her hands. She looked over at Momo to signal she was ready and the older mage engulfed her hands in fire. 

 

Momo cast a fireball at one of the armored undead and woke it up with a fiery explosion. Mina was right to say only six were waiting because after the first corpse had been destroyed the other five opened their glowing eyes and slowly sat up in their tombs. Now it was Mina’s turn. She focused the magic in her hands onto the floor and cast a large ice rune onto the ground. Mina smirked and waited for the five undead to rush at them. Once they all had a foot on the rune Mina snapped her fingers. Ice shot up from the floor and froze all the undead in place. However, their ancient bodies couldn’t seem to hand the sudden impact of ice. The instant glacier was filled with suspended grotesque body parts. Momo walked up to the giant ice and knocked against the surface.

 

“So you’re the one who has been freezing my food!” Momo spun and pointed an angry finger at Mina.

 

“I said I was sorry” Mina smirked back as the blue hue in her eyes slowly returned back to soft hazel. 

 

“Do you know how many sweet rolls you made soggy? You should be arrested for your crimes!”

 

“Shouldn’t you be happy, it gave me lots of practice so I could pull off something like this.” Mina waved her hands and backed away from the mage.

 

“Fine, but from now on whenever I want a sweet roll you’re going to get me one.”

 

“Whatever,” Mina rolled her eyes and smiled at the older.

 

Both mages were about to continue down the hallway when they heard a large crashing noise from behind them. They ignited their hands in magic ready to attack undead that came down the hallway. What they were not ready for was Seokjin to poke his out from the entrance to the hallway with his hands raised.

 

“Don’t shoot!”

 

“Professor!” The two shouted in unison and quickly rushed back up through the hallway. 

 

“I should really scold you both for destroying history but then I saw the draugr.”

 

“Draugr?” Mina and Momo looked confused at the word Seokjin had just used. “Do you mean the evil undead zombie things?” Momo unsophisticatedly asked the professor.

 

“Yes, they carry only the barest whisper of life in them but that is all they need to defend their crypts. Didn’t I assign you all to read a study report on the subject of ancient undead?”

 

“You did?” Momo, still confused, scratched the side of her head trying to remember all the readings she never did. Seokjin crossed his arms and pinched the bridge of his nose in disappointment. He was about to give the two an impromptu lecture about finishing their schoolwork when the flashing lights caught his eye. 

 

“What in the name of-“ Seokjin stared at the lights and quickly made his way down the tunnel. “Well now… would you look at that.” The two young mages hurried after him and were met with something incredible.

 

All three stood at the top of some stone steps staring down at a massive floating orb. The huge ancient metal had a glowing script written all around it and it floated, suspended in the air behind a swirling magical shield. 

 

“I’d never imagine we would find something like this,” Seokjin was enamored with the orb and never took his eyes off it as he slowly walked down the steps. “Why is this buried so far within Saarthal?” 

 

Once the three made it down the steps, it was easier to get a full view of the revolving magical orb and the room it dwelled within. The hidden chamber had two floors: the top floor where the mages stood in awe of the orb, and the bottom where the artifact hovered behind the huge ward. The bottom floor also homed a single draugr. He sat waiting in his ancient crumbling throne for anyone who came near. 

 

A strong magical pull towards the orb reminded Momo of the amulet around her neck. She was now hyper-aware of the chants inside her head. Her breathing quickened as she unconsciously stepped further into the room. When she realized she was moving closer she tried to stop her movement, but her body didn’t listen to her and she continued to the edge of the top floor.

 

“Momo? What are you- come back here!” Mina and Seokjin’s words were drowned out by the amulet's chants. 

 

She stood on the edge of a wooden walkway that looked over the ground level. The amulet around her neck didn’t just have an effect on her, it pulled another as well. Momo watched as the draugr slowly stood from his throne and reached for his intimidatingly large battle-axe on the table in front of him. Both Mina and Seokjin ran up from behind her but she could only see their lips moving. There was no sound except the mental choir blaring inside her head.

 

“Snap out of it Momo!” Mina shook Momo by her shoulders but nothing changed the glassy stare across the mage's face. The draugr below stumbled out of his throne and began making his way towards the wooden stairs. He dragged his ancient weapon behind him, the friction creating a small trail of sparks.

 

“He’s coming up here we need to stop him!” Seokjin forcefully pulled Mina way from the hypnotized Momo. Both mages tried casting spells at the lumbering undead, but there was no effect.

 

“Nothing seems to work!” Mina yelled over the stream of fire he and Mina were blasting at the draugr. He had almost made it halfway up the wooden steps and Momo had yet to move. She still stood rooted to her spot, staring blankly at the giant glowing orb.

 

“Keep it busy, I have an idea!” Seokjin stopped his attack and gave the draugr a solid kick to the chest. The undead warrior lost its balance and toppled down the stairs. Mina watched as her professor descended down the steps to the bottom floor then leapt over the restless draugr. He sprinted up to the intense ward and began casting large flames against it. The draugr below Mina became surrounded in a cloud of grey and purple smoke then a light flashed over by Seokjin. 

 

“There! Now attack it.” The sudden cloud of magical energy exploded in a ball of fire and the draugr once more began to amend the steps, now on fire. The flames didn’t seem to bother the draugr as the undead creature drew back his battle-axe. Mina cast a few fireballs but the draugr continued closing in. 

 

“Fire magic has no effect only ice magic-“ the young mage’s shouting was cut off when a bolt of lightning slams the restless draugr down through the wooden stairs. Mina looked over to her right to get a glimpse of something truly terrifying; an angry Hirai Momo. 

 

The amulet that was once around the mage’s neck now dangled from her fingertips. Electricity flowed out of the mage as she surrounded herself in an aura of lightning. When the draugr tried to climb out of the rubble, he was thrown back down by Momo’s barrage of lightning bolts. The lightning mage dropped down from the wooden ledge onto the table in front of the throne and began her attack once more. The smell of burning rotting flesh was something Mina never wanted to know but now, thanks to Momo, it was ingrained in her mind… and nose. 

 

“Momo that’s enough,” Seokjin called out to the younger. “You can stop now Hirai.”

 

Both Mina and Seokjin had to pull Momo away from the crisp draugr to make her stop. Mina had never seen Momo go off like that, and she hoped to never see it again. The young mage’s breathing was quick and labored as she tried to calm herself down. The amulet that locked her in place while the others fought now lay shattered on the floor. Momo doesn’t remember if she dropped it or threw it, she was just glad it was gone. The defining choir of chants was finally silent allowing Momo to listen to her own racing heart. She let out a labored laugh and looked up at the two. 

 

“Can we please go back now?” Momo felt and probably looked drained. Seokjin helped the mage down from the table and the three hobbled over to the now calm orb.

 

“This is simply fascinating.” Seokjin looked up at the spinning orb in awe.

 

“What is this thing?” Mina asked as she supported Momo on her shoulder.

 

“I have no idea! This is amazing, absolutely amazing.” Seokjin carefully observed the glowing scripture surrounding the outside of the orb. “The Archmage need to be informed immediately. He needs to see this for himself. I don’t dare leave this unattended. Can you two return to the college and inform Park Jinyoung of this discovery?” 

 

Momo seemed too exhausted to respond so Mina nodded yes for the both of them. The young mages slowly and carefully made their way back to the excavation site. They met with the others near the entrance and explained what was going on then the group of apprentices left for the college.

~ ~ ~

 

The College of Winterhold lay silent under the midnight sky. The heavy snowfall had stopped for the night and only a soft sprinkle of flakes dusted over the sleeping building. Earlier the college had been teaming with chaos as a group of apprentices returned with incredible news of a historic discovery. Many students and staff had celebrated their findings but now all was silent. All members of the college were asleep at curfew, all but one.

 

A long figure covered in a dark cloak quietly made their way through the courtyard and into the Hall of Elements. An unnatural blue hue had taken over the lecture hall. The massive artifact previously celebrated had been moved from the ruins it was found inside to the center of the meeting hall. Its glowing lettering sent magical blue light throughout the room including intruding visitors. The cloaked figure steadily approached the rotation artifact, they too were drawn in by its raw magical power. 

 

“Finally.” 

 

Ancano removed the hood of his cloak to get the full impact of the orb’s power. He greedily pressed his hands again the outer shell of the orb, feeling the pure magic seep into him. 

 

“The power to command all… I am… unstoppable.”

 

~ ~ ~