Kagrenac looked worriedly at the screen showing the events on Nirn, “Reason damn it!”
“My Lord, how can we stop them accessing the workshop?” Calcelmo obediently asked
“Well..” Kagrenac paused. “I’ve got it! We can use the residual power from the Crossover to create a trans-dimensional containment field!”
“Which is what, my Lord?” Calcelmo replied he’d gotten bored of asking what Kagrenac’s plans were
“It will stop them from accessing this dimension and bounce them back – then I can send in my minions”
“Your minions?” Calcelmo enquired
“Yes, Calcelmo – my minions” Kagrenac walked over to a blank wall and placed his hand on it, the wall began to glow and move sideways – a secret room. Calcelmo walked on over to the entrance, it was a massive warehouse that gleamed with shiny gold – for inside it was thousands and thousands of Dwemer automatons – spiders, spheres, centurions and more.
Calcelmo looked on into the warehouse and standing at the back were two ridiculously massive Dwemer constructions, Calcelmo pointed “ Are they..”
Kagrenac nodded, “Numidiums”
****
A blue rift opened up in the sky and Nigel, Lucy, Bjorn and San-Kai fell through it, landing hard on the wet grass of the Whiterun plains.
“What the hell?” Bjorn yelled. “I thought we’d chosen the workshop?”
“We had, something must have stopped us” Nigel replied
“Then how do we get there to stop this madness?” Lucy said, gesturing to the blood red sky, falling meteors and torrential rainfall around them
“We could find another Dwemer” San-Kai offered, then noticed the odd looks and explained. “If there are Dwemer on your world, why not on ours?”
Bjorn nodded, “Not a bad idea, San – we need to find somebody smart then?”
“Yep..” San paused. “How about the College? There’s got to be at least one Dwemer in there”
Lucy intervened, “One problem, Winterhold is a long way from here and no carriage driver is going to drive us when the world’s ending!”
Nigel held up his wrist, “We’ve got these, remember?” Gesturing to the wristband as he brought up a map of Skyrim on the display, “Winterhold is here” He tapped the icon. “Co-ordinates of ES1994-32,4,67,6,98,8”
So the group input the co-ordinates into their wristbands and the world fell into a blue and gold vortex – they arrived at the steps to the College in a second.
“So, who could be a Dwemer?” Nigel asks
“It could be anyone” San-Kai replied, then suddenly his wristband began to buzz and vibrate – San tapped it.
“San-Kai? Let me see the sky” Dr Amari appeared on the display
“Amari?” Nigel said, shocked
“Hello Nigel” Amari replied as San-Kai held the wristband up to the sky, “Blood red, dammit – you need to find a Dwemer to find out how to fix it”
“We gathered that, Amari” Nigel replied with sarcasm
“Shut up, Nigel – as I said, you must find one immediately so they can tell you how to stop this” Amari shot back
“You’re one, can’t you tell us?” Lucy questioned
“Not my area – I was in the Psychology division, you need a Tonal Architect”
“How do we find one?” San-Kai asked
“We have a pass-phrase – ask someone if they have any Canis root - if they reply ‘There might be some in another dimension’ then they are Dwemer’
“‘Thanks” San replied as lowered the wristband and the call disconnected
“So, who might be a Dwemer?”
“As I said, it could be anyone” San repeated. “If I were to guess I would say one of the master wizards – Savos Aren, perhaps? He’s the most advanced mage in the College, being the Arch-Mage”
“Let’s ask him then!” Lucy replied as the group set off, led by San-Kai
“Halt!” Faralda yelled at them as they approached the gateway, she then noticed San-Kai and amended her speech. “My apologies, San, I did not recognise you – who are your friends?”
“This is Nigel, Lucy and Bjorn – we wish to ask Savos something”
“Very well, the Arch-Mage is likely busy but I’m sure he’ll speak to you – proceed” Faralda gestured towards the path as she stepped out of the way
Savos Aren was sat reading a tome on Illusion spells as the group of four entered his quarters; he put the book down and addressed them, “What is it that you want?”
“Arch-Mage Savos, do you have any Canis Root?” San-Kai asked
“Canis root? I’m afraid I don’t have any in my personal garden – try asking Nirya or Urag”
“Thank you, Savos – I apologise for disturbing you” San replied
“It’s fine, San – I hope you find some”
The group exited the Quarters and walked down the stairs to the Hall of the Elements, “So who do we ask now?” Bjorn questioned
“Urag perhaps? He’s a very intelligent individual and nearby” San responded, so they walked up the stairs and on into the Arcanaeum
Urag saw them coming and immediately opened with his usual greetings, “Don’t touch anything that looks important or I’ll tear you to shreds with my atronarchs – how may I help you?”
“I was wondering if you had any Canis root?” San asked
“As it happens, I do – that’ll be ten septims”
“Oh! Erm, thanks” San replied, handing over ten septims to the Old Orc before leaving the Arcanaeum
“What the hell was that?” Bjorn asked once they’d left
“I felt like I couldn’t say no!” San protested
“You need more confidence, you overgrown lizard!” Bjorn laughed
“I prefer Argonian…” San began
“I only jest!” Bjorn replied, still laughing
Nigel intervened, “Who do we ask next?”
“I’m not sure…” San-Kai pondered
“Greetings San-Kai!” Arniel Gane called as he walked past the group and on into the Hall
“Arniel…” San muttered. “Hello, Arniel! Let me ask you, do you have any Canis root?”
Arniel stopped in his tracks and turned around to face San, suddenly serious, “What did you say?”
“Do you have any Canis root?” San repeated
“There...” Arniel cleared his throat. “There might be some in another dimension...” Arniel trailed off in disbelief
San smiled, “We need your help”
“Yes, I’ve seen the sky – though everyone else here dismissed it as some astronomical occurrence of no significance, something's happened, hasn't it?”
San nodded, “Please, help us”
“Not here – follow me” Arniel led them out of the Hall and over to a hatch in the floor, the gateway to the Midden – the dungeon beneath the College. The dungeon was coated in ice and snow but the old stonework could still be seen, Arniel walked from a stream of small corridors and passages until he entered the Atronarch Forge - the mysterious machine under the College with unknown origins. The room was decently sized and a few chairs lay against the wall as the forge itself, a large platform with a Daedric symbol in the centre, dominated the room.
Arniel pulled over a few of the chairs for them to sit in. Once they’d all sat down Arniel took a deep breath as if he were about to start a sentence – then collapsed, crying.
Lucy responded, “Hey, Arniel – it’s alright, what’s the matter?”
“I...,” Arniel said between sobs. “I never thought you’d come for me, once they’d closed the teleport gates I thought I would never get home again – you’re here to take me back? Right?"
“Arniel…” San began. “We’re not Dwemer, we're not here to take you back”
“What?” Arniel replied in a mix of anger and confusion. “Then why are you here? How do you know the passphrase?”
"It's a long story," Nigel said as he sat down."One we've haven't got time to tell - but I can recount the basics"
"Very well," Arniel replied, still wiping the remaining tears from his eyes."Begin"
