Northbound Pilgrimage II

Chapter LI - Live the Life You Like

They finally reached the College of Winterhold and a disheartening sight greeted them.

The town was eerily empty and quiet and they could see the barrier all around the main building in the distance. It seemed that the mages didn't manage to hold the field back inside the halls. Hopefully that only meant that they had to move back and not that they were already dead and the field was moving further slowly.

Darren opened up the gate to the bridge swiftly and they rushed across towards the courtyard. They could already hear the shouts in the distance.

Good. That meant that the mages were still alive. Darren was worried that all of this would have been in vain. If he failed them again... he wasn't sure what would have happened with his life. Would anyone be actually relieved that he survived this shitstorm? Or would they just blame him, like they always did? His mother would likely assume that the College blew up due to some failed experiment of his, no matter the stories he would have told her.

Nobody would welcome him back in Wayrest.

Did he even want to go back? Was there anything there for him anymore?

Maybe, despite everything, he was better off in Skyrim. He always dreamed of going back home, back to his family, back to his luxuries and wealth. But he only wanted that because he was miserable here from the start. He was miserable the second that his parents told him he would be sent to the College for studies. And why? Because they said that he would go 'among the barbarians'? Because everyone treated it as a punishment? Maybe if he didn't come here with that on his mind, he could have thrived.

But that didn't happen. He didn't thrive. He was miserable in Wayrest and he was miserable in Winterhold.

Maybe it was his own fault.

But now, at least, he could do something right. He could save the College and, for a while, he could feel... welcome. He could feel appreciated.

The three of them reached the gate to the courtyard and Darren opened it with one hurried movement of his hand. He could already see them – the mages scurrying around the large barrier, yelling orders at one another.

And he could see the sudden hope in the eyes of everyone that noticed their arrival.

He brandished the Staff instantly.

It would work. This would work. Everything would be different now.

Bishop and Aeyrin stayed back while he ran straight towards the barrier and pointed the Staff at it. Nothing happened for a while, but after a spell, the Staff started to shake violently in his hand. He held it firmly and, only another second later, the magic of the teal field started to get sucked into the Staff steadily.

He could feel the power.

It was overwhelming.

He pushed on and walked steadily forward. One step, two, three. With each one, more and more magic seeped into the Staff and the murky field was becoming transparent. The mages pushed back the barrier along his steps while some of them yelled more orders to do the same in the other parts of the College.

It was working. It was almost over.

They all entered the Hall of the Elements with Darren's hand firmly holding the Staff. Only a few more steps. Only a few more steps towards his victory.

He walked forward, absorbing the power into the Staff until he found himself in front of the Eye. He was almost dizzy from all of this, but he had to persevere.

He pointed the Staff towards the Eye and the pulsating orb started to shake violently. It fought back, it tried to resist the Staff, but the power was too much.