Chapter 325: No-splosion.
The Council of Jarls continues, with everyone tip-toeing around the issue of Ulfric's recent announcement... If they acknowledged that it actually happened, then action would have to be taken. This particularly applied to High King Torygg, who was beholden to the Empire to take action against such things.
Torygg was actually on Ulfric's side, at least privately, he just believed that biding their time for the Empire to regain its strength was the right way forward... Fighting a war against the Thalmor right now was akin to suicide. He hoped that these small actions he'd made in support of Ulfric's cause, such as the situation in Markarth, would convey his meaning.
With that, things continued as they usually did, the Jarl's squabbling over little things to waste the rest of the time set aside from the Council.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere :
Michael, Illococoo, and Megumin had arrived at a place called Ironbind Barrow, a dungeon that the Arch-Mage suspect holds a Word Wall. There were hidden behind a rocky ledge to avoid attention from the rather large group of skeletons that were guarding the cave entrance...
"Alright, Illu, we'll do the same as we did in the last dungeon. Stay behind me, mind the traps, and watch my back." he says before turning towards Megumin... Who had started breathing heavily as she looks upon the group of skeletons...
"No, she wouldn't be that stupid." he mentally intones as he shakes his head, "Megumin, you've just learned how to use Wards and the Flames spell, so, stick with that." he says, but doesn't get a reply from her.
As if not hearing him at all, she wipes some drool from the side of her mouth and stands, pointing her staff at the group and beginning to chant, "Darker than bla-Puhggyaa!" only for Michael to chop her hard on her head in response.
"You begged to come with us and promised to not cause trouble! You cast an explosion and I'll beat your ass!" he exclaims, immediately feeling slightly bad as he observes the girl nursing the growing bump on her head.
"B-but! Look at all of them down there! They're asking for it! Besides! We're a party! Shouldn't we work together!" she 'earnestly' asks, eyes still glancing over at the group of skeletons.
"I'll send you back! Don't tempt me! I'll put you on house arrest until you can control yourself!" he exclaims, oddly feeling as if he was talking to his own little sister again... Not that he'd ever bitch-slap his sister mind you.
Megumin lets out a sigh and musters her courage, standing and smiling gently at him, "I'll behave... After just one, small, explosi-"
"I refuse!" Michael states afterwards Blinking over and destroying all of the skeletons to prevent the girl from being tempted further... He definitely wouldn't be bringing her next time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The dungeon is fairly easy to breeze through, the traps were weak and very telegraphed, the Draugr were ill-armoured and brittle... All in all, a relatively weak group of adventurers could have conquered this place, let alone Michael.
After killing the heavily armoured Draugr mage at the end(Mana Break and Mana Void utterly decimating the poor undead), the group leave with enough loot to outfit a small army. And while Illococoo and Megumin hadn't gotten to do much, both were just happy to be involved... Even without explosions.
Illococoo copied down the Word Wall, and Megumin found a 'new' passion... That being, Destruction Runes. She'd watched as a group of Draugr stumbled over three Fire Runes and instantly perished, and inwardly decided to master such spells so she could bypass Michael's 'Unfair' restrictions... He absolutely wouldn't stop her from using Destruction Runes!
The group made it back to their prearranged destination and got back to the College via a Teleportation Gate opened by Tiffania.
There, Michael finally checks his progress via the Book of Heroes;
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name : Michael Tahlin
Rank : Hero
Stats :
Strength : 29 > 32
Agility : 49.6 > 56.5
Intelligence : 37 > 44
Birthsign : The Mage
Abilities :
[The Mage] : Enables user to learn all magic-based skills 20% faster.
[Gandalfr] : Enables user to utilise any weapon at two ranks above their current proficiency while granting them the knowledge necessary to use them. While wielding a weapon, temporarily gain +100% in all stats.
[Language Comprehension] : Enables user to understand all spoken tongues, and increase the rate of which they learn reading and writing.
[Novice Mana Manipulation] : Allows user more control over his magic, spells, and some abilities. Mana efficiency and control of power is increased.
[Pain Tolerence] : Allows user to endure great amounts of pain with little to no negative effects as a result.
[Apprentice basic Swordsmanship(Two handed swords/One handed swords)] : Determines how skilful the user is when handling swords.
[Apprentice basic Dagger techniques(Single edge, curved, straight, double edge.)] : Determines how skilful the user is when handling daggers.
Affinities :
[Lesser Water Affinity], [Fire Affinity], [Lesser Lightning Afffinity], [Lesser Darkness Affinity]
Spirits :
Commoner Tier :
Shadow Shaman : MAX
Slark : Lvl MAX
Riki : Lvl MAX
Hero Tier :
Anti-Mage : MAX
Lina : Lvl 14 > MAX
Spirit Slot :
Magic :
Tamrielic
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spirit : Lina
Level : 14 > MAX
Abilities :
Convection (Rank 4) : Allows user to float half a meter in the air by channelling a small continuous amount of mana. The height the user can levitate can be increased by using a substantially higher amount of mana. The highest speed the user can reach while using this is half of their regular movement speed.
Dragon Slave (Rank 4) : User fires a wave of scorching flames that mimic the shape of a dragon.
Light Strike Array (Rank 4) : User channels the sun's energies into a focal point that blasts an area with solar fire. Stuns, damages, and blinds enemies caught in it, vampires also take double damage. Cannot be used without sunlight or another energy source.
Fiery Soul (Rank 4) : Flames enhance user after every spell cast, granting them extra movement speed and attack speed. This bonus stacks with every spell cast, once enough stacks have been gathered, enemies in an area around user will take continuous fire damage. Can be turned off.
Laguna Blade (Rank 3) : User fires a powerful bolt of lightning at a single enemy. No cooldown but expends a large amount of mana.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With Lina fully maxed out, Michael can now pick a new hero... But first, he needs to grab his items from the Roulette wheel. From it, he gets;
Boots, the most basic yet important item that you buy in the game.
Tome of Experience, a strange book that gives you experience when you read it...
And lastly, Chainmail... A useless item considering the fact that he already had armour...
His disappointment was short-lived however, as the Blades of Attack extract themselves from his inventory and float towards the Boots and Chainmail. They are enveloped in light for a moment, and once it subsides there was only one thing remaining.
A strange purple pair of boots that shimmered slightly in the light... "Phase Boots." Michael mutters, elated despite his dull reaction.
Phase Boots increased the wearer's armour and damage, but more importantly, they possessed the ability to drastically increase the user's speed for a short time. Michael quickly put them on, relieved at how well they fit him, they weren't overly comfortable, feeling more like armoured boots than anything else, but they certainly made up for their lack of comfort with function.
With that done, he moves on to the next big thing... Choosing his next Spirit.
"Winer Wyvern." he instantly selects, having already made up his mind last time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spirit : Winter Wyvern
Level : 1
Abilities :
Studious Mind (Rank 0) : Drastically increases the effectiveness of studying, rom reading books to research and practical experiments.
Arctic Burn (Rank 1) : User temporarily gains the ability to fly and breathe blistering cold winds that deal damage to any caught by it. Those affected will be afflicted with a short curse that rapidly drains their lifeforce and slows them.
Splinter Blast (Rank 0) : User throws a large ball of brittle ice that does no damage to the initially struck, but explodes outwards, launching large shards of hardened ice that both harm and slow.
Cold Embrace (Rank 0) : Temporarily encases an ally in a block of solid ice, the target gains massive damage resistance and also rapidly heals while frozen.
Winter's Curse (Rank 0) : User curses an enemy, freezing them in place and forcing those nearby to mindlessly attack them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Niggross
Niggross Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
Also, thanks to my patrons for their support :
ShinAmazake
Kingsprovince
Jack Allen
Faruk Ereng
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone