"Excuse me, Michael?" Yisra asks quietly asks before sitting opposite him as he was studying in a quiet corner of the Arcanaeum.
He glances up from his book about Magicka and how it interacts with the environment, raising a brow at his uninvited guest. "Did you need something?"
Yisra shakes her head, but the way she begins chewing on his lip shows that something was clearly bugging her. "I, I wanted your advice on something."
...
"My advice? You barely know me." he replies, having only had a few short conversations with the girl. Sure they occasionally stood together during lectures, but that was merely to bounce ideas off of one another.
She lets out a sigh, "It's not like I can turn to anyone else... The only other people I know here are Borvir, Ilas, Orthorn, and Nirya... One's an idiot with only mead in his mind, one's only interested if it's about scrolls, one's a mindless kiss-ass, and one's a bitch who only spits venom from her mouth... Please, you could really help me out here."
"What about Tiff or Charlotte?"
"I know even less about Charlotte than I do about you, and Tiffania isn't someone I'd consider reliable for something like this... No offence." she admits.
...
"Just tell me what it is and I'll see if I have an answer for you." he shrugs as he sets down his books and shows that he's listening.
...
"I received a request the other day, well, it was worded more like an order... Master Malyn Varen has requested me to assist in his research and I don't think I can refuse... I don't have enough gold to pay for my tuition here, so unless another Master intervenes..."
Michael nods and sheepishly scratches his cheek, "Yeah, this might be my fault actually... With Sorkas and Jernil gone, he's lacking on people for his research, he even tried to coerce me into working for him since I was the one who caused them to leave... Lucky I've got enough gold to pay my way and a working relationship with the Arch-Mage..."
"Good for you... But how do I get out of this?" she asks and only now realising that Michael was partly at fault for her situation.
"Why not accept? He's a talented man from what I hear, I might've accepted if I didn't have other things to do and learn."
Yisra shakes her head, "I've heard things about him and his students, that they'd sometimes leave on tasks and never return. That, and the fact he keeps the subject of his research hidden... Only someone with something to hide would do that."
"Or someone with revolutionary ideas who wants to reap the profits of his work?" Michael retorts, causing a frown to creep onto the Redguard's face.
"Can you help me or not? Because I'll find a way out of this, my instincts are screaming that accepting is a bad idea. My instincts have never steered me wrong, I'm almost certain that working for that man is a death sentence!"
"Hey! Silence in the Arcanaeum!" Urag shouts from across the room, causing Yisra to shrink in on herself.
Michael taps his fingers on the table rhythmically while observing her, "I mean, if you're that certain about it... How about this, I'll pay for you to stay here, but you'll work for me. You'll assist with my studies, write notes during lectures I'm unable to attend, gather materials, etc. How's that sound?"
Without a shred of hesitation, she nods with an eager look on her face, "I accept. It's no different to what a Master might ask of you, plus, I probably won't die under your care."
"Alright," he mutters under his breath, retrieving the Book of Heroes and tossing her enough gold to cover her stay here for half a year. "Keep that safe, if it gets stolen you're not getting anymore."
"This really means a lot to me, Michael. I promise to repay you one day." she says, standing and giving a deep bow while clutching the sack to her chest.
He shrugs, "Just be a good 'Apprentice' and we'll be even."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As soon as Yisra leaves the Arcanaeum, Michael closes his book and hands it back to Urag before leaving. He was interested, to say the least, she hadn't been the first person to express concern over Malyn's research... There were quiet rumours going around that most Masters also suspected foul play...
He'd actually asked the Arch-Mage about it after Malyn had 'invited' him to work for him, and even the head of this institution wasn't too sure. He'd had Malyn show what he was doing, but he suspected that it had all been trimmed down to lesser than what it was.
It was for this reason that Michael had snuck out and activated Cloak and Dagger. Malyn usually slept inside his laboratory, so using this time when he was giving a lecture was probably the best chance he'd get to discover just what the man was doing.
Silently creeps over to the Hall of Countenance and slips inside after making sure the coast was clear. Luckily, no one was present, allowing him to go up to the third floor where the man's laboratory was supposedly placed.
It wasn't too hard to find either as the other rooms lacked the many enchanting tables and broken, discarded soul gems that Malyn's research was supposedly based on.
It takes a couple minutes for him to sift through the papers, but steadily he gets an idea on what his true motives for researching soul gems really was... The Arch-Mage had said that the man was researching on the other applications soul gems had that didn't require you to kill creatures to reap their souls.
The Arch-Mage's hope was for them to find an alternative to such brutal methods... But, that all seemed like an afterthought to Malyn... Judging by the filled black soul gems he'd found tucked behind one of the desks, the man's morality was far more skewed than one might expect.
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It wasn't just black soul gems however... Michael soon discovered something which he'd been hoping to avoid... A light blue coloured star made of segmented pieces of various soul gems. "Star of Azura..." he murmurs, wondering if he was actually cursed to find Daedric Artifacts wherever he went...
He didn't remember much about this thing or the quest related to it as it was one of the worst Daedric Artifacts in his opinion, but that didn't make it any less dangerous. The Star of Azura was essentially an unbreakable soul gem that could be reused over and over and over. Unlike regular soul gems which would break as soon as the energy they held was expended.
...
There was a way to turn the Star of Azura into a black soul gem or something like that... He vaguely remembered. That's probably what Malyn was researching. Regardless, Michael didn't intend to leave this thing here, he'd store it in his inventory so people couldn't cause trouble with it.
With the Daedric Artifact dealt with, Michael leaves the room, just in time too as Malyn had just entered the third floor... Michael slips by the man as he enters his laboratory and makes is way to the roof. From there, he makes his way to the roof entrance to the Hall of Attainment and then his room.
Of course, it isn't long before Master Malyn discovers that the Artifact is missing...
"WHO!" a voice roars, echoing through the College, drawing everyone's attention. Michael follows the group of curious apprentices to the Courtyard where Malyn was confronting his students.
"YOU, WHICH ONE OF YOU DARED TO TAKE IT!? ANSWER ME NOW, OR I WEAR THE NEXT TIME I ASK WILL NOT BE SO GENTLE!" Malyn roars in their pale faces, having never seen their master act this unhinged before.
"M-Master, none of us could have taken it, we were all attending your lecture!"
"LIES! ONLY YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN! ONLY YOU COULD HAVE SOUGHT IT!"
Borvir leans over to Rundi, "Starting to wish someone had stolen his tongue instead."
Rundi's lips turn upwards but he quickly stifles it, "Quiet brother, do you want to draw his attention?"
"Did something happen while were out?" Tiffania asks Michael as she, Charlotte, and Illococoo stands beside him.
Michael folds his arms, "Not that I know of... The Arch-Mage'll handle it though." he says, spotting said person marching towards the manic Master.
"Master Malyn, what on earth is the cause of this!?" he demands, feeling that such a scene could lower both the College's prestige and reputation. Having a Master verbally abuse his students in front of the whole College certainly wasn't conducive to the atmosphere the Arch-Mage wanted to create.
Malyn almost bites the Arch-Mage's head off before he recognises him and shrinks in on himself slightly, "THESE!... My students have stolen something of great worth to me. I will get it back, even if I have to scour the College from the highest to lowest points!"
The Arch-Mage hums, "And what would this 'something' be?"
Malyn pauses, "Nothing that would interest you, Arch-Mage... It is merely important for my research-"
The Arch-Mage shakes his head, "No, no, please, describe the item for me so I can better assist you." he presses, causing the Master to pale slightly. "If you don't wish for my help then it must not be so important, and you wouldn't need to tear apart my College in search of it."
...
"Arch-Mage... The item that was stolen is a soul gem... One distinctly... Star-shaped-" the Master slowly explains but is cut off by Savos again.
"S-Star shaped!? Do you think me a fool Malyn!? What in all the God's graces are you bringing a Daedric Artifact into my College for!? Did you think I wouldn't recognise your description of the Star of Azura!?"
...
"It was for my research! I'm so close! SO CLOSE! I JUST NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME! Arch-Mage! My research is nearing its completion!"
Savos scowls at the man from under his hood, "Any information gleaned from a Daedric Artifact is at best useless, and at worst malicious! You will hand over anything concerning it immediately, and cease your research on this particular subject!... This is an order, Malyn!"
Malyn takes a step back, as if he'd just been punched in the face, "N-no! You can't do this! I've spent years on this! I cannot turn back now!"
"You can and will Malyn, or you will leave the College in disgrace! Be thankful I haven't thrown you out for possessing a Daedric Artifact!"
...
Malyn glares at the Arch-Mage with an utter look of hatred. The man looked as if he'd start attacking at any moment... Luckily, his fear of the Arch-Mage's power stopped him from causing trouble in the premises. He looks over to his students, Nelacar and some other people Michael didn't know. "Come, it seems we are unwanted here! We will leave this place and try our luck elsewhere!" he says before turning and beginning to leave... Only to stop when a single person out of the four Apprentices follows.
"What are you all doing? Come, we will continue my research somewhere that fool cannot bother us!"
"N-no! I'm not leaving, master!" one of the students say, the two others nodding along.
Malyn growls, "You will do as I say, or be punished!"
"No. They won't, Malyn." The Arch-Mage says, stepping between him and the students, "They students of the College, not your lackeys, leave before I lose my patience."
"Fine! I've had enough dealing with these snivelling fools!" the Master exclaims and looks around at the gawking observers, "You are all nothing to me! I am Malyn Varen! You will all regret this!" he shouts before stomping out of the College with Nelacar at his side.
Michael looks over to his friends after this, "I'll bet a hundred gold he'll be back within a month."
"Won't he have to come back to find whatever was stolen anyway?" Tiffania asks.
"Oh, yeah. He will won't he?" Michael says, realising that it was just the case. He doubted the guy would find out that he'd been the thief though...
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