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Gellos glared at the map in his hands. He sat at the bar early the next morning, the light chatter of other patrons already distracting him.

The tonal key was in Windhelm still, and Gellos cursed himself for not going to take it. The sense of forbidding had been strong though, and he knew he had been smart to ignore it. Going in to take the key could have yielded but results.

Now as he looked at the map, he looked into the small trees draw up to symbolize the rift. The circle that was the key was near the middle of the woods, in between the edge of a river and a mountain. He looked at the map a moment longer, then folded it up as the barkeep set a bottle of ale down. He looked up and she smiled, then stepped away to speak to another patron. Gellos picked up the bottle, and took a drink. He tasted the strong drink, and the taste of honey that came after.

Setting his bottle back on the counter, he saw the "Honningbrew Mead" stuck on the front, then looked away from his drink as he heard a thudding. A gray clothed man had stumbled down the stairs, and a few of the other patrons had turned to look. Gellos looked back to his drink as the barkeeper called out,

"Ah, your awake eh, Serilus?"

A few laughs followed this, and Gellos let a distracted hand pulled at his ponytail. He took another swig from his drink, then glanced to the right as the stumbler came to run into the bar. Gellos watched him feel for a stool, and get himself situated. Gellos saw the patches over his eyes now, and looked away as the blind man asked,

"Kera, how might you be this morning?" the blind man mumbled.

"I can always be better," she leaned against the bar, "can I get you something?"

"Ale, of course!" Serilus proclaimed, as if the barkeeper was deaf.

"Of course," Kera rolled her eyes, glancing at Gellos, "Are you actually going to pay for it this time?"

The blind man paused, then said, "Ah, well how about you scribble it down, and I can come back..."

"Here," Gellos stood up, gripping his staff in his left hand, and slid his drink down to the blind man. He looked up at the scratch of glass on wood, and the tap of Gellos' boots on the floor. The barkeep glanced at him, and Gellos pulled off a small bag of coins from his belt. He wore them in town to quickly pay for small things, like food or a room for the night.

As Gellos left, the blind man called out, "Divines bless your heart!" and Gellos only gave himself a small smile before he stepped out of the tavern.

From the tavern he walked over the small bridge, and stepped to the wide wooden doors of the city. The guards stepped to the doors and began to push them open, and Gellos reached into the larger coin pouch on his belt, and fished out a handful of septims for the guards. Over the bridge his boots touched the cobbled streets, and a second later he heard the slapping of other boots.

A thief, clad in dark brown leather, all but knocked past Gellos, and the mage felt the pouch in his hand vanished. Gellos stepped to the side, regaining his balance, and gripped his staff in his hand. The gate guards had the gates wide open now, and one of them turned as the thief bolted past. Gellos held up his staff, his other hand out stretched, and he felt the thief's weight in his hands. HIs fingers glowed a deep orange color, and the thief's leg glowed in the same color. The snatcher left he ground, and he yelled as he turned upside down in the air. He scratched at the ground as he lifted up, and the guards stood by the gate watching. He dropped the coin pouch, and Gellos pulled back his outstretched hand.

The glow faded, and the thief, with a shout, dropped the ground. Gellos flicked his hand out, and his coin pouch jumped through the air and into his hand. Gellos clipped the pouch back to his belt, then walked with his staff over to the guards, who were pulling the thief to his feet. The thief faced Gellos, and the mage only looked at the older man.

"Stupid brat!" the thief spit at Gellos, and the mage moved his head. He looked back at the thief, then stepped to the side.

The guards took the thief away, and two other guards came up the street and over to the gates. Gellos turned and walked from the gates, stretching his arms over his head. He had on his grey hooded shirt, his leather vest, and his pants and boots.

He walked from the gates, putting his staff on his back and letting the leather strap come to hug the weapon against him. The day overhead was sun-filled with streaks of white cloud, and as Gellos walked from the gates he passed a set of three guard towers; two on the left of the road, and one on the right. A guard stood at the top of each wooden-roofed tower, but Gellos walked past the towers, and down into the woodland.

* * *

They chirped, hummed and sang around him. The trees, the hills, the rocks. Even the air seemed to carry the whispers of the forest as Gellos walked. The sun shone through the canopy of trees overhead, and he saw now, for himself, how much the rift had grown over the past few months. He knew that all the woodlands of Skyrim were guarded by spriggons, green creatures that seemed to be made out the forest itself. The orange and yellow leaf trees rose high, and he saw deer, fox, and rabbit alike scamper or walk along the forest floor.

But he could feel the tonal key was close. With it, he felt a small amount of gratitude that this endeavor would soon be over, and that Elder Vux would be saved. There was only one other key after this one, but it was the moving key. Whoever, or whatever, carried the last tonal key, he would handle them and retrieve the key.

Gellos shook his head though, and continued down the dirt path he was on. The cobblestone road and lead to the left, and as Gellos took the dirt path, he saw the stone road lead to a ruined fort further down the road. He and quietly stretched out, feeling for the fort as he walked on the dirt road, and found there were other mages in the fort. Gellos walked down the dirt road though, and let the Sense fade away; attracting other mages was something Gellos never liked to do. As a child in the Order, Gellos had often used the Sense when he was on his own, to find any artifacts. Once he had used the Sense to find another mage, something that was perceived as dangerous by the Order, but Gellos had only done so to see if it was possible.

Further down the path Gellos slowed down, and pulled down his hood. It was warmer in the Rift than it was in other parts of Skyrim, although it was still cool. Gellos ran a hand through his hair, then slowed and stopped walking altogether. He closed his eyes, feeling the tonal keys power within the woods, and stretched out again with the Sense. He felt the bark of the trees, the leather of his boots, the whispers of the wind. He heard animals and creatures run across the forest floor, and the distant rush of water.

The wind was what told him where the key was. Within the woods. Within a tree. Gellos felt another moment, and briefly touched the key. He opened his eyes, the wind brushing past his loose hair, and resumed his walk with a faster pace now.

A deer whined and the sound carried through the trees, and Gellos left the path now. He went right, stepping past and in-between the thick trees. Leaves fell around him, and under his boots the leaves crunched and broke. They were dry because it was the fourteen of Sun's Height, and the trees were shedding there leaves before the winter months. Gellos reached out, letting an absent-minded hand trail across a tree, and stepped over a thick root.

As Gellos stopped to rest his hand against a tree, he heard the first buzz. He turned around, reaching to gip his staff, but saw no one else. He was alone, but he knew that at the same time he wasn't.

He heard the buzz again, and turned back around, now taking his staff from his back. The leather strap vanished, and the blue ball glowed with a soft light.

The buzz came a third time as Gellos stepped away from the tree, then he saw the spriggon. It stepped away from a tree, coming from inside the tree, and looked at Gellos. The creature was green, and as Gellos took a step to the left, the spriggon let out an angry-sounding buzz.

Gellos held his staff in his hand, stepping slowly to the left now. He held out his free hand, feeling with the Sense for the Tonal key. The spriggon watched him, standing near its tree with long fingers. It had a the body of a woman, and Gellos watched it with a quiet fascination. He had never seen them before, and only read about them in books.

The key was just past the spriggon, Gellos could feel it in his hand now. He watched the spriggon, coming to a stop, and gripped his staff. _It's only here to guard the forest, _Gellos thought to himself, _your an intruder in its home, _and he took a step forward.

The spriggon mimicked him, letting out another angry buzzing sound. Gellos stopped, and put his staff against the ground. The tip dug into the soft dirt, and stayed upright. Gellos held up both his hands, still looking at the creature. The spriggon looked at the young Imperial, its hands like long wooden claws.

Gellos took another step forward, but this time the spriggon stayed where it was. Gellos watched it, and held out his left hand. The spriggon turned its head, looking at the boy, but didn't move any closer. Gellos felt the key, inside of a three that was just past the creature. Gellos felt the keys power get stronger as he took a step closer. The spriggon buzzed quietly, and Gellos stretched his fingers.

In his hand he felt the energy of the Tonal key move. He heard the crack a second later, and the ahead three rustled quietly. The spriggon turned around, looking at the tree, then looked back at Gellos. Gellos saw the key move again, and heard another crack. The spriggon let out an angry buzz, but didn't move any closer.

Gellos briefly closed his eyes, feeling the key moving inside the tree, then closed his outstretched hand. With a final crack, the key jumped from the tree, and as Gellos opened his eyes, the key sailed through the air and smacked into his hand. He caught it and immediately took his staff, and looked at the spriggon. The creature looked back at Gellos, but with a quiet buzz, stepped away, and vanished into the tree.

Gellos took a step back, then looked at the key in his hand. He gripped it, feeling the cold metal, then nodded to himself. Reaching back he tucked the key into a pouch on his belt, then pulled out his map. He dug his staff into the ground again, and looked at the paper map. He took a quill from his belt and scratched off the circle in the Rift, then looked at Windhelm. The key was on the move again, just north of the city, and going up the road to Winterhold.

Looking at the map another second, Gellos quietly said,

"The College,"

before folding up and tucking the map and quill back into the pouch on his belt. He sat down now, putting a hand on his staff, and closed his eyes. He stretched out with the Sense, and imaged Asha's face. Her long hair and ruby red eyes appeared to him, and he quietly whispered,

"Asha," as a breeze rolled through the forest.

* * *

In her room in the guest tower, in Greywatch, Asha heard Gellos whispered her name. She looked up from her book, and with a shimmer the young boy appeared in front of her. He was like before, a white, ghost-like apparition, dressed in worn-looking clothes and carrying his staff.

"Gellos!" Asha left her chair and desk, and crossed the room to stand near the Imperial boy, "have you found the last key?"

* * *

Back in the woods, Gellos only shook his head. "No," he said with a frown, "I have one more to collect. It's moving towards the College, in WInterhold. I used the Sense before to find it, but that time I felt a bad presence was with the Key."

Asha's silvery and ghost-like figure stood in front of him again, the rays of the sun that peeked through the canopy of trees shining through her form. She stood with her hands in front of her now, and made a "Hmm" sound.

"Do you think it wise for me to find this person?" asked Gellos. "I know that he has the final key, and without it there won't be any hope of saving Elder Vux. And if I want for the Key to be left somewhere, it may be to late."

"Elder Vux's soul is trapped inside of a soul urn, so he cannot die," Asha said quietly. She put a finger under her lip now, then said, "but each day that passes, I know that his pain grows. To see so many die each day and not fall victim to death yourself. It is both a blessing and a curse."

"Where is this soul urn?" Gellos asked now.

Asha looked at him, and glanced at her finger for a moment. "It is with a man named Sirino. He took Elder Vux's soul many years ago, when the Dragon Crises ravaged Skyrim. Elder Vux's primary guard at the time, the witch Veluth, was also killed by Sirino, but not before she managed to curse him and seal his magical powers."

"Does this Sirino have scars on his face?" Gellos asked, sitting up some now.

"I do not know," Asha shook her head,"I've never meet him before or seen his face, I'm sorry to say."

Gellos put a hand under his chin, feeling the light scratch of his beard stubble, then said, "That's all I needed to know, Asha. Thank you."

"Of course, Gellos," Asha bowed now, and a breeze carried away her silvery figure. Her face lingered in Gellos mind a moment longer, then Gellos closed his eyes again.

He stretched out, using the Sense, and felt for the last Key. He saw the world in his mind as it moved, like he was flying along the ground. Gellos saw the edge of the Rift's woodlands, then the long stretch of barren rock that was part of Eastmarch. He saw the snow covered ground, then Windhelm. The city moved on though, and Gellos saw the roads that lead north. He saw more of the roads, then, for only an instant, saw the carriage.

Gellos' eyes snapped open as a deer called out, breaking his concentration. But he had seen the carriage. And in the carriage, along with another man, had been Sirino. Gellos saw his face flash through his mind again, and the young boy stood up, gripping his staff.

He put his staff in front of him, taking it with both hands, and closed his eyes again. He had visited Winterhold, like all the hold capitols, once before. He saw the small wooden houses, and the tall College that stood past the houses.

Gellos thought of the scene for another moment, then held out a hand, snapping his fingers.

* * *

He crossed the entirety of Skyrim within a matter of seconds. The world was dark, then the familiar gust of snow and freezing cold came back to meet him. Gellos saw the thick falling snow, and reached back to pull up his hood. He gripped his staff in his hand, and put his free hand to his belt, touching the Tonal Key in its pouch.

"You!" a shout made Gellos turn. Two guards, both wearing heavy cloaks, walked through the snow, one carrying a torch. "What business do you have, appearing out of thin air like that in our town!" asked the one with the torch.

"I need to speak to the Jarl," Gellos said back. A gust of wind made the boy look down, and he added, "It's a matter that he will mostly likely agree too!"

"What makes you think a boy can sway the Jarl?" the other guard asked.

"Just give me one moment!" Gellos asked through the blowing snow.

The guards looked at each other, then stepped apart. Gellos walked forward, gripping his staff and reaching up to hold his hood. The Jarl's longhouse was the largest building, next to the inn, and Gellos went up the steps, the guards walking behind him.

Pushing open the door Gellos stepped inside, the guards following him. A fire pit sat in the middle of the house, and on the throne sat Jarl Korir a brown haired nord dressed in a thick fur cloak, embroidered clothes, and leather boots. Gellos walked up and past the fire pit, and stood just beside the flames.

As the boy bowed to the Jarl, the nord asked,

"Who might you be, young one?"

Gellos stood up, staff in hand, and said, "My name is Gellos Na-Har. I used to be a mage for the White Order, but now find myself fighting for a different cause. A man, named Sirino will pass through here with a magical artifact. This artifact is instrumental in saving the leader of my new alliance."

"We were given word that a man of that name would be coming through here," Korir nodded, "but I didn't know he held a magical artifact."

"He does," Gellos nodded. "It is imperative that I take this artifact from Sirino, and use it to help save my leader."

Korir looked past Gellos now, to the guards who had seen Gellos first, and asked, "Where did this boy come from?"

"From thin air, my Lord," answered one guard.

"Really?" now Korir glanced back at Gellos. "It that right?" he asked the Imperial.

"Yes, your Lordship," Gellos nodded.

"And what would you like to do about this man with your magical artifact?" Korir asked.

"Only that you give me temporary immunity while I take back what I need," Gellos said. He bowed again, and added, "I would even be wiling to pay for any of your property, if it is damaged in our quarrel."

"So your expecting to fight him?" asked the Lord.

"I do not think there is any other way," Gellos said, looking back up.

Korir nodded, his fist under his chin. "Very well," he said, "I can see that you are not a nord like myself, but I cannot deny any men, Mer, or creature the right to a fair trial by combat. Be it fought with steel or magic."

Now Gellos nodded, and bowed again. "Thank you, my Lord."

Korir nodded, and Gellos stood up. He turned around, walking past the fire pit and the guards. He came to the door, then paused only a moment before stepping back into the cold.

* * *

Sirino could just see Winterhold through the snow. The Imperial had a brown cloak and hood on, surrounding his usual and gold robes. Beside him holding the reins was Dergin, the nord wearing a heavy gray cloak and silver amor.

The older Imperial sat with his hands in his lap, his silver sword hanging at his hip. In one of the two pouches on his belt was the strange golden and blue disk that he had taken all those years ago, when he had sealed part of Elder Vux's soul. On the front of his belt, near his sword, was the small black urn that glowed a soft purple light. It was the last reminder of his first duty to the Council, when he had hunted the mages and Clan Mothers, and taken their very souls.

The carriage carried them down the road, and Sirino watched the road ahead of them. He glanced at the mark on his hand, the circles and the lines, then cleaned his fist and looked away. The mark, cast by Veluth before her death, that had sealed the little knowledge of warding magic that Sirino had. He was more than able to block with his sword, but in his older age, he felt himself slowing down.

The snow drifted past the nord and his Imperial master, and Sirino watched it drift down. He blinked, then strained his eyes, peering into the snow. As he blinked again though, the light he thought he saw vanished. Sirino looked at the snow, then realized he had leaned forward. He blinked, then straightened up again.

"Do you see something, my Lord?" asked Dergin.

"No," Sirino shook his head, "just a trick of my..." but then he paused, and saw the light again. "Yes, there is," he said quickly.

"What do you see?" Dergin pulled at the reins of the horses, and they began to slow.

"Look, there," Sirino pointed now, to the blue light, "Do you see that?"

"Yes, Dergin leaned forward, and pulled the reins of the horses again. They snorted but came to a stop in the road.

Dergin swung from the carriage, and stepped up the road. He peered at the heavy falling snow, and looked at the blue light. He could make out a figure, as he took another step closer, who was dressed in grey and black clothing. He carried the blue light above him, and Dergin saw it was a staff the figure held.

"What do you see?" Sirino asked.

"A man with a staff," Dergin glanced at his shoulder, then back at the figure.

Sirino looked at the figure, now standing on the ground by the carriage, then snapped his head down to look at his hand. The mark of the witch started to burn, and Sirino took his hand, groaning. He looked back at the blue ball, and saw the figure was beginning to walk down the road.

"Ah!" his hand burned again, and Sirino gripped it. "Dergin!" He shouted now, "Dergin! Kill that man!"

The nord looked down the road, and saw the figure was coming closer. He stepped forward, pulling his heavy sword from his belt.

Now the figure broke into a run, and Degin pulled his sword from his belt. The nord picked up his pace, letting his grey cloak fall to the ground, then broke into a run of his own. He went down the road, running at Dergin, and the nord gripped his sword.

He ran down the road, and now saw the figures face as the gap between them closed. A boy with golden eyes and black hair. Dergin gripped his sword, then lifted it up, and swung it down as he and the boy met in the middle.

* * *

Gellos stopped, bringing up his staff to block the swing. The man running was a nord with silver armor and a head of long brown hair. Gellos pushed himself back and gripped his staff. The nord in silver amor twirled his sword in his hand, and came at Gellos again.

The boy came up and parried with his staff, blocking with both hands, and swiping at the nord's face with the curve of his staff. The man back up with a snarl, and Gellos saw the gash on his face.

Gellos gripped his staff, and as the nord came at him again, Gellos flexed his empty hand, and threw his hand, letting a bolt of lightning fly from his fingers.

The bolt hit Dergin in his chest and the man stumbled back, gripping his sword. Gellos threw his staff to the ground now, the weapon digging into the ground, and walked to where Dergin had reigned his footing.

The nord gripped his sword as Gellos came closer, and as the nord thrusted with his sword, Gellos stepped aside, and swung his leg at the nord. His boot hit the back of the nords boot, and Gellos pushed a hand into the ground, making a blast of _pushing _energy toss the nord off of his feet.

Turning Gellos held out his other hand, seeing his staff in his mind, and felt the weapon jerk from the ground. It sailed through the air, over the head of the fallen nord, and Gellos threw his hands to where the other man stood near the cart. The man with the missing eye and the scars on his face. Gellos staff whistled past the boy, and another flash of _push _energy made the staff sail through the snowy air, and into the scarred mans stomach. The staff hit the mans chest and he coughed, stumbling back, then dropping to the ground.

Gellos watched him fall, then spun around as he heard the crunch of boots in the snow. The nord was up again, and had a long knife in his hand. He ran at Gellos the knife up, and the Imperial jumped away as the man came at him.

Dergin turned, gripping his knife, and jumped for Gellos again. The boy ducked, pushing away Dergin's arm with his hand, but the nord spun, swing his knife at the boy. Gellos felt the knife whisper on the back of his neck, catching his hood as he moved. That slowed him enough for Dergin to reach out and grab him, and Gellos chocked at the nord caught a hold of him.

The brute puled Gellos to the ground, and pinned one of his knees to the Imperials arm, Dergin swung his knife down, felling the sharp blade cut through the boys left pinky as it were thick mud. Gellos screamed, feeling his finger tear from his hand, and wriggled under the nord. He felt his right hand come free, and Gellos swung it up, feeling Dergin's face. The nord turned and bit the Imperials hand, making the boy scream again.

But Gellos gripped the nords face, and his eyes flashed orange as he let a blast of lightning run down Dergin's face and then his body. Gellos gripped the nord face, letting the lightning course down his body, and Dergin howled. The nord rolled over and off of Gellos, but the Imperial turned with the nord, still gripping his face.

Gellos crouched, and swung his other hand to the nords chest, letting lightning course down the mans body. The nord wriggled and howled now, twitching, and Gellos smelt the charred cloth and burning skin.

The Imperial shoved his hands into the nords chest and face, and spun around, letting a scream from his mouth. He closed his hands,digging his nails into his palms, and took breath. He glared at the carriage, his eyes still burning orange, and walked through the snow. The cold stung his finger, and Gellos bit his teeth as his pinky stung. Blood fell to the snowy ground from his hand, but he didn't feel the pain as he came to the carriage.

Around the carriage he saw the Imperial, and Gellos staff stuck up from the mans chest, like it was emerging from his corpse. Gellos gripped his hands, his hand would burning now, and reached out to take his staff.

He touched the weapon he'd had for many years now, and as the mark on the mans hand burned a bright orange color, the first crack streaked up and down his staff. Gellos saw the mark flare and the crack in his staff, and from the dead mans body an orange tendril of energy jumped out.

Gellos saw it for only a second. Then he felt it push through his body, like his staff had the mans stomach. Gellos felt the tendril run through him, and felt the burning pain a second later. He coughed, blooding coming from his lips.

"Ah!" he shouted as his hand began to burn, and the bright orange mark faded from the dead mans hand.

His hand burned again, and Gellos screamed, turning his head slowly to look at his left hand. He saw lines and circles appear, glowing a bright orange color, and Gellos bit his teeth as his hand burned again.

"Ah!" Gellos shouted again as he gripped his hand and the markings burned into his skin. The orange glow faded, and Gellos looked back to the falling snow.

He looked over the plains of snow, and then saw the flash of silver light. It was line a tear in the air itself, and Gellos blinked his eyes. They shut for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again, the tendril from the dead mans body pulled itself out of Gellos' body, and the second crack appeared on his staff. He heard a third crack as he fell to his knees. On he plains of snow, he heard a woman's voice scream,

"Gellos!"

and Gellos threw out a hand, catching himself before he fell. His staff cracked again, and Gellos heard it splinter as the weapon broke apart. The top part fell, the blue orbs light fading as the weapon fell in front of Gellos, falling into the snow.

"No," he heard himself whisper, seeing his staff, shattered and laying in the snow, and Gellos blinked again. He fell now, into the cold snow, and felt it rush up to meet his face. As he laid there, he heard the woman's voice scream,

"Gellos!" again, before the wave of darkness rushed over him.