Fire And Fangs

Chapter 41

The next morning, Serana and Morgan found themselves wandering around the college. Morgan told Serana about how she had first come to the college as they walked.

"You came here after nearly dying at the hands of a draugr?"

Morgan nodded.

"I wore hide armour and my blade was a rusted iron sword taken from a bandit. I was ill equipped to tackle a Nordic ruin and it nearly cost me my life," she replied softly.

Serana squeezed her hand for her to continue.

"I found a Word Wall, and like an idiot, I walked towards it without checking my surroundings. A draugr burst out of the sarcophagus behind me and I got a blade in my back for my idiocy. I killed it with a single blow...and then I fainted. Woke up here."

"But you learned from it and you survived." Serana pointed out.

"Only thanks to Savos, who happened to be exploring the same ruins looking for soul gems. We talked after I was healed and then I started learning off Faralda about Destruction magic," Morgan finished with a sad smile.

"Her teaching paid off I bet."

Morgan smirked.

"It did. I was much more careful when exploring anywhere and I had the confidence to use magic if I needed to. And I also learned to watch my backside ever since."

"It is a nice one."

Morgan laughed as she looped an arm round Seranas waist, finding themselves standing in the front courtyard. nearly all the students seemed to be there, and Morgan simply watched them as they mingled, some of them even taking the time to talk to one of the teachers there. Then she spotted Brelyna with an elderly man with white hair, and she focused on her to hear what she was saying.

"They are really annoying me now. It's like I am having to look after a child." Brelyna muttered quietly.

"I know they can be...testing, my child. But you of all people know that appearances are only skin deep," the old man replied with a wink.

"I know Tolfdir. I know. But they keep challenging each other and one day someone is going to send them into the next plane of Oblivion with their boasts getting the better of them."

"Yes, I can agree with you there."

Morgan looked at where the two mages were staring and she raised an eyebrow as a Khajiit and a Nord (small for his race, she mused) began to talk loudly, as to gain maximum attention.

"J'Zargo has no equal Onmund and you know this only too well." the Khajiit said, his ears flattening slightly as he spoke.

"Except for Faralda," Onmund retorted with a wry grin.

"Bah! She took J'Zargo unawares, that's all. I had the best results when it came to Destruction magic."

"And yet I beat you in the Alteration tests and Brelyna beat everyone easily when we took the Restoration ones. Admit it my friend, there are mages just as good as you out there."

"J'Zargo has no need to admit something when that is a falsehood."

Morgan grinned at the bickering. She had to admit that Brelyna had a very valid point. J'Zargo was very confident in his abilities, almost to the point of being arrogant. His friend Onmund seemed to be more level headed but he didn't want to admit that J'Zargo was a capable mage in some ways rather than others.

"J'Zargo could beat anyone here." J'Zargo insisted.

Onmund grinned as he looked around...and his eyes locked with Seranas, who gave him a small wink. He blushed furiously as he turned back to J'Zargo.