Sonin, a Skyrim Story

“That…can’t be safe,” Sonin spoke with a cocked head, eyeing the massive orb swirling with a mysterious energy.

“We’ve taken every precaution to ensure the safety of the college and hold,” Tolfdir assured her.

“I’d hope so since the whole of Skyrim still blames us for the Great Collapse,” Sonin sighed.

“Us?” Tolfdir smiled, “You still consider the college your home?”

Sonin snapped her head to her former teacher, “What kind of question is that? Of course the college is my home. I know my leaving wasn’t on the…best of terms,” she rolled her wrist to make her point, “But I still love this place. You all raised me when I had nowhere else to go.”

“Then perhaps there is still a chance to have you take the mantle of Archmage, hm?” The old wizard smirked.

“I didn’t say that,” Sonin looked back to the orb, “Just didn’t want you to think I had forsaken the place.”

“Quite, now-”

“Master Tolfdir,” Ancano’s voice raised the hair on Sonin’s neck, “I'm afraid I must intrude. It is urgent that I speak with your associate immediately."

"Now, I... This is most inappropriate! We are involved in serious conversation here!" Tolfdir exclaimed, seething with his hatred of the damned elf.

The Thalmor rolled his eyes, "Yes, I've no doubt of its gravity. This, however, is a matter that cannot wait."

"Well, I'm quite sure I've never been interrupted like this before,” The nord put a hand on her shoulder as he looked at Ancano, “the audacity!” He gave Sonin a soft smile, “I suppose we'll continue this at some later time, when we can avoid interruptions.”

Sonin watched as her old master walked away, turning to the high elf with a scowl. Who was he to command Tolfdir away like that? What power was he holding over the college?

“I need you to come with me immediately. Let's go,” Ancano turned and started to strut away, not even checking to see if she had agreed or followed.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Sonin stated, planted in her spot.

“Not going-? Allow me to clarify. It wasn’t a request,” He turned on his heel to command.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but need I remind you that you are just an advisor?” Sonin crossed her arms in defiance.

"Really?” He scowled and rolled his eyes, “Insolent- technically, that is true. But I still report to the Aldmeri Dominion, and I cannot ignore this situation.”

“Give me more information,” she was curious at this point, “and I may choose to follow you.”

Ancano sighed heavily, “well, allow me to clarify the situation. I'd like to know why there's someone claiming to be from the Psijic Order here in the College. More importantly, I'd like to know why he's asking for you specifically.” He pointed his wickedly long finger toward her, “So we're going to go have a little chat with him, and find out exactly what it is he wants.”

“Fine, but only because I’m curious to hear this out. Not because you are making demands of me,” Sonin huffed and followed.

They found their way to the Archmage’s quarters, where a high elf in a pale gold robe with unknown markings stood. His eyes met Sonin’s and time distorted around them. She felt her breath grow heavy and light at the same time, very similar to her slow-time shout. The magic was palatable in the air. Sonin narrowed her eyes in distrust as the people around them blurred from view.

“Please do not be alarmed. I mean you no harm," The sorcerer stated.

“Doubtful,” Sonin kept herself on high alert, “What do you want?”

“I merely wish to talk to you," he replied.

“A letter would have done that,” Sonin quipped, “What is this about? Why have you distorted time to give us this level of privacy?”

“Yes, of course you would recognise this magic. I'm afraid I can't do this for long. We must be brief. The situation here at your College is of dire importance, and attempts to contact you had failed,” he seemed confused, “There seemed to be some sort of barrier around you, of a magical property not acquired through mortal means.”

Sonin shrugged, “Not anything I put up. Sorry I can’t help you there.”

“I believe it is due to the very source of our concern. This object…. The Eye of Magnus as your people have taken to calling it. The energy coming from it has prevented us from reaching you with visions,” he spoke quicker, “The longer it remains here, the more dangerous the situation becomes. And so I have come here personally to tell you it must be dealt with."

“If this is dangerous, then why doesn’t your order do something about it?” The dragonborn questioned.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple,” he answered.

“I doubt that. Look, I’ve been down roads like this before. I don’t see why I should do anything for you or your order,” Sonin frowned, tired of yet another mystic force giving her jobs.

"You must understand, the Psijic Order does not typically… intervene directly in events. My presence here will be seen as an affront to some within the Order, and as soon as we have finished, I will be leaving your College,” the elf looked strained, “I'm all too aware that my arrival has aroused suspicion, especially in Ancano, your Thalmor associate. Nevertheless, my Order will not act directly. You must take it upon yourself to do so."

“So what exactly is the problem and how do I step in?” She could already feel a headache forming.

"As you may have learned, this object… The Eye… is immensely powerful. This world is not ready for it. If it remains here, it will be misused. Indeed, many in the Order believe it has already… something will happen soon, something that cannot be avoided."

Sonin flicked her hand, “Such as? You aren’t giving me much to work with.”

"We believe that your efforts should be directed towards dealing with the aftermath, but we cannot predict what that will be. The overwhelming power of the Eye makes it difficult for us to see,” he glanced at his own feet, “I fear I have already overstepped the bounds of my Order, but I will offer this. Seek out the Augur of Dunlain in your College. His perception may be more coherent than ours." Before Sonin manages her next question the man continues, “Now, I am afraid I must leave you. We will continue to watch over you, and guide you as best we can. It is within you to succeed. Never forget that."

Reality snapped back and Sonin felt herself spinning for a moment, vaguely aware of Ancano making demands of the elf. She wiped her face with her hand to recollect herself and catch the end of their conversation.

"There's been a misunderstanding. Clearly I should not be here. I shall simply take my leave," The Order member spoke.

What? What trickery is this? You're not going anywhere until I find out what you're up to," the Thalmor agent demanded.

The man shrugged, "I'm not 'up to' anything. I apologize if I have offended you in any way."

Ancano was seething as he watched him leave, "We shall see about this…"

…

“You seek that which all who wield magic seek. Knowledge. You shall find this: Knowledge will corrupt. It will destroy. It will consume. You seek meaning, shelter in Knowledge. You will not find it. The Thalmor sought the same thing, and it shall lead to his end as it has so many others."

The words repeat in Sonin’s head as she scrambles back to the main hall of the College. Sonin didn’t think herself like the Thalmor, not in the slightest. She seeked knowledge because it was comforting and reliable. It was a shelter of a sort, to be sure, but so is a prison. Sonin was not unaware of the double edged blade knowledge could be. Once gained it wasn’t lost and sometimes that meant hurting yourself to carry it.

Sonin shook the mantra out of her head, picking up her pace. Whatever it meant, there was sure to be trouble brewing. Ancano had already been meddling in the powers of the Orb. He was not to be trusted with it. No Thalmor agent could be.

“I don't know. It's like a ward, but who's casting it? Ancano? How?" Mirabelle spoke frantically to Savos.

The dark elf shouted back, “I don't care what it is, I want it down now! I want to know what he's doing in there!"

“Arch-mage Savos!” Sonin rushed up to the blocked door, “Ancano is in there?”

“Sonin! Yes, he's in there, doing... something. We don't know what. We're trying to get in now. I will have his head for this, I assure you. Help take this down, will you? We're throwing everything we can at it," He replied with a grateful smile.

“Of course,” She nodded, noting the deep circles under his eyes that weren’t there when she left the college. When this was over, she made a mental note, she was going to buy him a drink.

Sonin pooled mana in her hands, letting the cool sensation flow between her fingers before sharpening the focus. Ice pelted the barrier in front of her and, with the three of the mages' efforts, the barrier came down.

Ancano was in the room, levitated and surrounded by the Eye’s magic. Sonin kept a cautious distance as Mirabelle and Savos approached the Thalmor. His eyes were clouded and soft noises escaped his throat. This was wrong. Something so dangerous was building in the air that the Dragonborn could taste it.

“What’s going on?” Mirabelle questioned as Savos marched up to the high elf.

"Ancano! Stop this at once! I command you!" The arch-mage demanded.

Mirabelle felt a sudden shift at the same time as Sonin, "Don't go near him!"

White. Everything was white. No sound or noises. Sonin could barely feel her own consciousness. She wondered if she was dead this time for good. It felt different from her time at the Throat of the World. A high pitched ringing in her ear quickly alerted her that no, she wasn’t dead. The world blurred into view and she slowly felt her limbs regain their feeling. A feeling with a nice touch of aches and pain. A dull throb in her skull told her she hit her head quite hard. She cursed herself for never wearing a helmet.

Sluggish, she brought herself to a stand. Her eyes scanned the room to see Mirabelle leaned against the wall, hand covering a very bloodied torso.

She spoke as soon as Sonin was near, "Ancano is doing something with that thing... the Eye. We can't stop him! I haven't seen Savos since the explosion,” She hissed through her teeth, “He must've been blown clear, and he may be injured. I need you to find the Arch-Mage, and I need you to do it quickly,” she pushed Sonin’s hand away as she brought it up with healing magic, “Get moving!"

Not willing to argue with the woman, Sonin made it out to the courtyard. She elected to ignore the crackling mana flowing around Ancano for now. Getting help to fight him was needed more than trying to take him head on at the moment. Sonin felt a pit in her stomach as a crowd had gathered. Crowds never seemed to gather for good things in Skyrim.

Tolfdir spoke as soon as she came through the crowd, “Sonin, my dear,” he places both hands on her shoulders, “What has happened in there?”

“Ancano released some sort of magic from the Eye of Magnus,” Sonin couldn’t take her eyes off Savos’ lifeless form.

"Is he responsible for this? The Arch-Mage, dead?” The question was rhetorical, “Something's happened to Winterhold. It must be whatever Ancano did. You need to get out there and make sure it's safe!”

“Wait, what? What’s wrong with the Hold?” Sonin finally tore her eyes off of the former arch-mage.

“Quickly now, quickly! I'll find Mirabelle and see if we can't put a stop to this!” Tolfdir shoved her away, offering no other explanations.

Townspeople were shouting as some forms of anomalies floated about. There were not like many creatures Sonin had seen, sort of like wraiths but just wrong. No obvious dead bodies yet, but there were buildings on fire. Sonin shouted a slow time spell and raced to the closest ones. Her bound blade cut through them like butter. Whatever these monstrosities were, they were not created to be fought back with magic. A spell clearly meant to target the common folk.

“Gods be praised!” A woman yelled to Sonin as she cried and clutched her small child, Sonin having just slain an anomaly before her.

“Grab your babe and go into the inn. Tell all those you find to do the same. I will take them out there,” Sonin instructed.

“Yes’am,” she staggered to her feet and fled.

An hour. It had to have taken an hour. Sonin was panting, sweat pouring from her face and nethers in equal measure. Every time she cleared the anomalies from around the inn, another wave appeared. She had refused the help of anyone who wasn’t a mage, not wanting to try and protect them while also fighting. Finally she was on her way back to the college. There was no telling what Ancano had managed in her absence.

Mirabelle was still where Sonin last saw her, her skin sickly pale now. Tolfdir was channeling his mana into a ward in an attempt to contain the Eye’s power. Now Sonin could see why the anomalies were still leaking out.

“Mirabelle,” Sonin came to her side, “Winterhold is safe for now.”

She huffed, “Wish I could say the same for us. Tolfdir and I can try and keep this contained. You need to get your hands on the Staff of Magnus. Now."

“I don’t think there is time for that now,” Sonin glanced back to her old mentor, his face tight with fatigue.

“f the stories about the staff are true, if it really can absorb a tremendous amount of power, maybe we can break through Ancano's magic,” the Breton instisted.

“Well, so can I,” Sonin stood from her crouch, “I’ve gained some new skills since I left these halls.”

Mirabelle scowled, “If you fail in your attempt no one will be able to get to the staff in time.”

“Please, Mirabelle,” Sonin smirked at her and rolled her neck, “Have a little faith. I’m not letting Ancano bring the whole College down around us."

Sonin walked to the ward Tolfdir had set up, taking a step through it. Her former mentor made a sound of protest but she held up a hand to stop him. There would be no stopping her now. She was going to stop this. Guilt was already roaming her mind for having left, for having Savos take the mantle, and for Savos dying. Things may have been different if she had stayed and taken the role she was groomed for.

“You've come for me, have you?, You think I don't know what you're up to? You think I can't destroy you? The power to unmake the world at my fingertips, and you think you can do anything about it?" Ancano so loudly proclaimed.

“Akatosh,” Sonin closed her eyes and cleared her mind, “Hear me Father. I am in need of your blessings.” A silence followed in which Sonin held her breath. She could feel the tingle of the Eye’s power flicking at her skin. “Please hear me,” Sonin said, hoping he would answer. A warmth spread along her body, the answer she was looking for. Sonin channeled her mana again as she chanted, “Bormah zu'u bolog fah hin kogaan, ofan zu'u Nuz aan haalvut do hin suleyk. Ful zu'u aal Naak dii paal ahrk diivon bah!”

Like fire burning her from the inside out, Sonin felt the magic of the Eye flood within her. It ripped itself from Ancano, threatening to end her mortal life. Sonin did not fear. Akatosh himself was answering her call, his timeless wings surrounding her soul and protecting her. She couldn’t see him, or anything that was happening as the power of the Eye invaded her sight. Blue and black lighting that she couldn’t block with the closing of her eyelids. Then the cold of the magic was replaced by the warmth of the God that had deemed her worthy of carrying a piece of himself. Her dragon soul.

Ancano hit the ground, “Enough of this!” Tolfdir lets his ward down, but Ancano strikes a paralyzing spell before anyone can react, “See what I can do now? Yet, you dare approach me?” Sonin steps closer to the elf, her bound twin blades in hand again. “Are you mad? You cannot hope to defeat me!"

His threats do him no good as Sonin shouts her Dragon Aspect. The blessing of Akatosh is gone from her now that the Eye’s power has been limited, but she was emboldened from his presence. Ancano sent a strike of magical electricity her way, which she dodge with a roll to the side. She barreled toward him before he could get any more strikes.

The high elf cast a quick ward at her first strike. Strong enough to stop her blade. Sonin shouted again, this time Unrelenting. He flew back at the impact, his ward shattered. Sonin summoned a fireball, landing on her target. Ancano’s robes caught aflame as he quickly shoved them off.

“You will not deny me this!” He exclaimed as more energy shot from his hands.

Sonin cast a ward up herself, letting her blades disperse. If Ancano was going to insist this was to be a distance fight, she would oblige. His attacks were well charged and powerful, but would mean nothing if he couldn’t hit her directly. The same could be said for her though, her attacks just missing or barely landing. She just needed one good hit, she was sure. An elemental blast to knock him out long enough to close the gap and slice him clean.

Given the efforts she put forth before these moments, Sonin was quite tired. Her head was pounding, her fingertips lost circulation, and muscles all over her body were screaming. What she wouldn’t give to have the twins with her right now. Sure, they weren’t wolves anymore, but damn would two extra bodies help.

“I cannot be defeated!” Ancano sheirked and cast another bolt of energy to her, this time her protesting muscles couldn’t move quick enough. “Die, worm!”

“Fuck me,” Sonin gasped as she picked herself from the ground, warding herself to get a chance to catch her breath from the electricity. Her magika was already feeling low, but now it was drained. She darted behind a column in an attempt to build up mana for her next strike.

“You cannot hide, insect!” Ancano’s magic rained down around her.

Not trying to, Sonin thought to herself. The column would not hold forever, the stone chipping above her head. She wasn’t going to win this fight with just magic. He still had powers granted by the Eye of Magnus. His mana pool may be unlimited as far as she knew. No, this was going to need something more.

“Sanguine?” Sonin quesitioned, wishing she had the energy to summon his unholy staff.

He didn’t appear but his voice spoke in her mind, “In a bit of a bind, my dear?” He had been watching, impressed that she absorbed the energy running rampant but not so much about the rest of the battle.

“Yeah. I need your staff,” she replied as she quickly darted to another column.

“Here? Now? My, my love. I’m usually all for some dangerous positions,” the prince chuckled, “but this seems a bit much for you.”

Sonin cracked a tired smile, “Ha. Ha. I mean it. I don’t have the energy to summon it forth myself. Been at this shit for too long.”

“I want to help…” he sighed, “But if you can’t manage a summon in this instance, how are you going to handle Akatosh’s first born?”

“With your help?” She offered.

“I-no,” Sanguine felt his chest tighten at the sudden fall of Sonin’s face.

“No?” Sonin nearly whispered.

“I’m sorry, Sonin,” he tried to explain, “but even I am not mad enough to get involved with Akatosh in such a bold manner.”

Sonin felt rather defeated in the moment, her fatigue getting to her, “Oh.”

“Sonin I-“

“No,” she interupted, “I will do this myself then.”

“You are upset,” He offered, “It was not my intention, please understand.”

“I understand well enough,” Sonin wasn’t sure why she wanted to cry. Was it frustration at being turned down by the Prince of Debautry? Surely, she thought, she knew he wasn’t someone that cared for her enough to just help for nothing. He did only enter her life on a whim. She was just his entertainment. Sanguine used her for fun, just as she often used him. It had always been transactional. This was no different, and she didn’t have anything to offer to make the risk worth it for him. “Maybe I should ask someone who is mad enough?”

Sanguine felt worried, “You can’t mean Sheograth?”

“He may be in the market for a Champion,” Sonin thought aloud.

“Surely you wish to be able to win battles like this on your own merit?” He pushed.

“Fair enough,” Sonin sighed and abandoned the idea.

“What will you do?” The prince questioned.

“What I have to,” the mage pulled out her mother’s silver dagger, “This is my fight. I decided not to go get the staff of magnus. I was so confident I could manage without it. So that’s what I will do.”

She quickly cut her own arm, letting the blood run down to her fingers and dripple on the stone floor. She was told she would find what she needed in Oblivion. For a stupid moment, she led herself to believe it was her bond to Sanguine. He had helped her survive and given her summoning powers. This made more sense though. It was the blood laced magic she learned. Magic the daedra wielded to bend mortals was the magic needed to defeat Alduin. This would be the magic to defeat all her enemies in turn.

Sanguine watched on as her blood boiled and evaporated. Her magika increased, but what’s more is the spell she was wielding. The air around Ancano became warped like the air found in most planes of Oblivion. Time was skewed and temperature irrelevant. Ancano grew frustrated, striking out at the darkness starting to form around him in a cloud.

“No!” He frantically shouted as his health was drained into the cloud. Sanguine wasn’t even sure where Sonin was putting it. “No! No, no, no!” Ancano’s body started shriveling to a husk.

Sonin fell to the ground, not well enough to even heal the cut she gave herself. Thankfully, Tolfdir wasn’t far away and woke up quickly. He stumbled his way to Sonin, not much for healing magic but managing a novice spell to stop her bleeding.

“Ancano is gone,” Sonin glared at the eye, still floating with dangerous magic.

“Whatever he's done to the Eye doesn't seem to have stopped. I have no idea what to do,” Tolfdir sounded defeated.

The air shifted again, the room filling with several mages wearing the robes of the Psijic order. They were gathered round the eye, hands raised. The one Sonin spoke to before spoke yet again, “We knew you would succeed. Your victory here justifies our belief in you. You have proven yourself more than worthy to guide the College of Winterhold.”

“Thank you but,” Sonin looked around the room with a pause, “what about the eye?”

"The Eye has grown unstable. It cannot remain here, or else it may destroy your College and this world. It must be secured. Ancano's actions prove that the world is not ready for such a thing,” the Altmer replied, “We shall safeguard it... for now. You now have the opportunity to maintain your College, and carry on with your lives.”

“Well. I don’t much have the energy to stop you from taking it anyway,” Sonin smirked.

“You have our gratitude, Arch-Mage,” they all bowed, then disappeared from view.