As usual, this took me entirely too long to write. My update schedule, as always, will likely continue to be erratic, and I can't guarantee any timely updates for anything, at present. For that matter, the year of 2016 doesn't seem like it will be a particularly productive year for me, so I apologize for any hiatuses I am forced to take due to other aspects of my life.

This is a little different than the sort of thing I intended to write as my next tale, but I decided I wanted to introduce a few side characters that will appear in the (relatively) near future in Mage, and I hope that you'll find it enjoyable, even if it's somewhat void of plot. It's more of an intro to them than anything else, and I can guarantee they'll appear in more than just this. And, as well as this, it was just an attempt to get myself to actually write something, which has proved to be very difficult for me as of late, which is why this is somewhat short.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one-shot.

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Two lone figures trekked up a nearly snow obscured road, the harsh weather that it had endured for what was likely decades, if not centuries, having worn the stones treacherously smooth. They made rather slow progress, both due to the quality of the path they'd taken and the howling snowstorm they'd both had the misfortune to walk into, as the wind was blowing so fiercely it was difficult for one to open their eyes without squinting - at least, it would be challenging for someone who wasn't acclimated to such weather. One of the two travelers, who happened to be a woman of Nordic descent, was having no trouble with the storm whatsoever, practically dragging her companion along with her. Her bright hazel eyes were filled with determination - her inner vivacity and stalwartness was even visible in her damaged, cloudy right eye as she moved with purpose towards her destination. The wind tore at her braided ash-blond hair, unwinding strands from the main braid and causing them to whip around wildly, although this didn't seem to bother her in the least. She was clad in a mixture of leather armor and warmer furs, and was clearly prepared to brave this sort of weather.

The same could not be said for her traveling partner, however, as the aforementioned man stumbled behind her cluelessly, blurting out complaints about the weather and the temperature as they soldiered on towards their destination. He seemed to be of Cyrodilic blood, although he was a bit lighter skinned than the average Imperial, likely due to a lifetime spent indoors studying, which seemed especially likely considering there was very little substance to his frame whatsoever. He was practically indistinguishable from the slightly oversized novice robes he wore, and the furred hood of his ensemble managed to keep most of his auburn hair from flying into his eyes and worsening his already very limited field of vision. Suddenly, the woman noticed the faint outline of buildings, and her enthusiasm to keep going practically doubled, and she almost pulled her fellow traveler off his feet in her haste to reach civilization.

"Azora, what-" the Imperial protested as he regained his balance, but cut himself off when he too caught sight of the small town that had now become visible in the distance, "Is that Winterhold?"

"I certainly hope so," Azora shot back with a grim smile, " I'm pretty sure it's the only settlement up in these parts, so I doubt that we could be anywhere else."

"Well, it's a relief to know that, at least. But, in truth, I was expecting it to look a bit more... impressive. The Great Collapse must have taken a greater toll on the town than I originally thought."

"Yeah, maybe. It's a shame, I guess. But enough about that," the Nord changed the subject abruptly, "Let's actually enter the city and get ourselves situated at the College before we start a scholarly discourse on its history, Spurius."

"Er, yes, right," her friend replied quickly, shivering as he pulled the outer layer of his robes around himself tightly, "I'm dying to get out of this bitter cold."

Azora merely rolled her eyes at his statement, starting off at a fast walk, leaving Spurius practically scrambling to catch up with her. Soon, the desolate, unfriendly wilderness they'd been traversing changed into a picturesque, if not slightly depressing scene, as, while there were plenty of thatch-and-log buildings in the area, several of them seemed to be hollowed out, caved in, desolate husks, and to the Imperial, they seemed almost as if they were filled with ghosts. This was a history-rich area, to be sure, but something about it made him somewhat uneasy. The remaining buildings held a certain sort of aloofness to them, despite the fact that Spurius found most buildings designed like them to be warm and friendly, these were different somehow, likely because of their location - as well as the history behind them. His friend kept moving, however, and Spurius mentally shoved back his unease, following after her at a half jog.

And that was when they saw it.

The College of Winterhold stood before them in all its towering grandeur, and both travelers seemed to be struck by its magnificent appearance. It was crafted from enormous slabs of greyish-black granite, and it consisted of three enormous towers connected together by a high wall, making both a good defense as well as a guarantee of privacy. There was a long, treacherous looking bridge separating the main body of the College from its entrance foyer, and, if that wasn't dissuading enough to intruders, at its entrance hung a pair of impressive-looking iron-wrought gates with the College's insignia, a stylistic eye, emblazoned in the center, and it seemed to hum with some sort of enchantment. In front of this stood a rather snooty-looking Altmer woman, her arms crossed and an irate expression on her face as she kept a solitary vigil at the gates.

"Gods, it's even more beautiful than I thought," Spurius breathed, his breath steaming in the freezing air as he spoke, finding himself unable to tear his eyes away from the beautiful structure before him.

"Yeah, it is," Azora agreed, seeming slightly less enraptured by it as she added, "Come on, you can appreciate the place's artistic genius later. We're probably going to be here for awhile."

"But that's not the same-!" He protested, but Azora had already begun to approach the Altmer woman, and, with a slightly disappointed sigh, he followed her without any further comment.

"Cross the bridge at your own peril! The way is dangerous, and the gate will not open. You shall not gain entry!" The woman stated sharply as the duo approached, looking and sounding about as friendly as an agitated bear.

Spurius gulped, looking intimidated and slightly unsure as to whether or not he wanted to interact with this woman, but Azora answered for him, clearly unfazed by the woman's tone. She did, however, seem rather confused, asking, "Why on Mundus are you just standing out here?"

"I, Faralda, am here to assist those seeking the wisdom of the College," the woman replied haughtily, "And if, in the process, my presence helps to deter those who might seek to do harm, so be it. The more important question is: why are you here?"

"We came to join the College, if we're able to at this time," Spurius piped up respectfully, moving out from behind Azora as he spoke, "Will you allow us entrance?"

"Perhaps. But what is it you expect to find within?"

"I seek to gain more knowledge on the workings of magic, and, one day, hope to help others with what I've learned," the Imperial replied earnestly.

"That is a noble goal, indeed. And what of your companion, there? For what reason is she here?"

"I want to bring about the destruction of those who have wronged me with the arcane arts on my side," Azora answered somewhat coldly, a slightly terrifying look passing over her face but disappearing as quickly as it'd shown up.

"I - I see. That power certainly exists, I assure you. Wield it faithfully, and few will be able to withstand your might," Faralda said solemnly, "It would seem that the College has what you seek. The question now is what can you offer the College. Not just anyone is allowed inside. Those wishing to enter must show some degree of skill with magic. A small test, if you will."

"Then we'll take your tests," Azora stated firmly, crossing her arms as she waited for the Altmer's response.

"Excellent. Now, I'm going to ask you both to individually cast a spell - but not on or directed towards me, of course," the woman suddenly moved to the right, exposing a metallic circular tile about the size of a wheel that was situated in the center of the stone entrance, which also happened to depict the College's signature 'eye', "If I ask you for a spell that requires a target, you'll be aiming at that enchanted plate. Your spells will not harm it. First, why don't we start with you, Nord? You seem to have some affinity for destruction magic, so why don't you show me what you know of the school at present?"

The young woman nodded, taking a half step back as she began to concentrate on her spell. The telltale glow of frost magic appeared on her outstretched palms, and, after a few seconds of focus, she moved into an offensive pose, the magical energy hovering above both of her hands merging together and forming an enormous ice spike, which she then sent crashing into the bronze disk. The ice shattered as it connected with the metal, but half of it remained behind, frozen to the tile thanks to the freezing conditions they were standing around in. The altmer gave her an approving nod, saying, "Very good. And now, as for you, Imperial, I would assume you have some practice with wards?"

"I do, ma'am," Spurius replied, uncertain as to where she was going with this.

"I would like a demonstration."

"...All right," the young Imperial responded, and almost instinctually, a semi-transparent teal colored ward flared up in front of him, shimmering and flickering when snow and wind passed through them.

All of the sudden, the altmer flung a fireball at him and he let out a shriek of surprise, the brightness of his ward increasing almost doubly in his surprise. The spell dissipated against his ward, and a second later, it flickered out, leaving a slightly terrified Spurius glaring at the now thoughtful-looking altmer.

"Well done, indeed. I think you'll make superb additions to the College. Welcome, Apprentices," the mage said, a slight smile on her face as she continued, "I'll lead you across the bridge. Once inside you'll want to speak with Mirabelle Ervine, our Master Wizard. Please, follow me."

"Err, Azora? I don't think that our crossing that thing would be a particularly wise idea..." Spurius commented uneasily, giving the rather perilous-looking bridge a wary glance.

"Are you serious? We've come all this way and been through so much, and you're going to let yourself be dissuaded over a silly bridge?" The nord pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, "You'll be perfectly fine. If this thing has held up for centuries, I doubt today will be the day it collapses."

The imperial sighed defeatedly at this, clearly unconvinced as he replied, "Well, I hope for our sakes that you're right about that."

"By the gods, you're so melodramatic," Azora laughed, setting off after Faralda with her more cautious friend in tow.

Once she'd ended up on the bridge, however, Azora's bravado dissolved somewhat. Not only was the bridge seemingly ancient and unsupported, but it also seemed to be almost a mile away from solid ground. Falling from this would mean instant death. Oh, come off it. You're beginning to sound just like Spurius, she thought to herself with a snort, giving the altitude she was at no further thought. Spurius still seemed quite uneasy about passing over the bridge, and walked as close to the center of the bridge as he could, not daring to lift his eyes off of the cracked stone viaduct as he took one cautious step after the other. The wind continued to bellow with a vengeance as the three made their way across, snow blowing into their eyes as an unwelcome and bothersome distraction from the slightly perilous task at hand. All went relatively smoothly until, suddenly, when they had gotten about halfway across the 'suspended death trap', as the imperial had taken to calling it in his mind, he slipped on a patch of black ice that had escaped his notice, and he lost his balance with a terrified cry.

"Gahhh!"

He lurched forwards, his legs flying out from under him as he fell forwards into Azora, who staggered a bit from the sudden impact but was quick to react to her flailing friend's plight, turning and grabbing him by the shoulders to steady him. The imperial's chest heaved as he attempted to calm down, and it seemed as if he wasn't the only one affected by his near life-ending experience as his friend let out a shaky, humorless laugh, suggesting, "Maybe you ought to walk ahead of me, if you're going to be slipping around like that."

"I- I think that would be best," Spurius agreed faintly, carefully moving around his friend so he could switch places with her.

It was at this time they realized that their guide had stopped, and was currently giving them a slightly annoyed look as she waited for them to get moving again. Azora barely restrained herself from shooting the woman a cold glare in response, considering the fact that her friend had just had a slightly terrifying experience and the last thing he needed was to feel rushed on top of that. However, she forced herself to maintain a neutral expression, as she wasn't officially an apprentice of the College yet, and she didn't want to risk her ability to join on something this trivial. Luckily for both of the aspiring mages, however, no further incidents occurred during the duration of their crossing of the bridge, although the two were both intrigued by the odd well-like structures in the centers of the 'joints' of the walkways, as, when they walked past them, the bizarre founts lit up like beacons, making an oddly satisfying noise as they did so. If he wasn't so eager to get off of the unstable-looking path, Spurius had half a mind to stay behind and study these things, but contented himself with the knowledge he could just ask a fellow mage what the wells' purpose were with considerably less risk to himself.

Soon enough, they had made it to relatively solid ground, and stood at the 'grand entrance' to the structure's courtyard, both of them barely able to contain their excitement as, quite suddenly, the wrought-iron gates before them swung inward with a wave of Faralda's hand, allowing the two friends a clear view of what lay within.

In the center of the snow-filled courtyard was an enormous version of the well-shaped reservoirs they'd previously seen, and, standing directly behind it was a colossal and intricately carved statue of a man who must've been a very important wizard - presumably it was Shalidor, the supposed founder of the city and College -, his arms open wide, and his robes billowed out behind him as he seemed to be depicted as eternally attempting to cast a spell, his gaze intense and fingers curled as he stared down at the fount in front of him. In comparison to this, however, the rest of the space was almost disappointingly sparse, as the 'greenery' present in the area consisted of only a few scraggly-looking snowberry bushes, dead shrubs, and a few lonely-looking evergreens of varying heights and thicknesses had been planted near the entrances to the three different towers. Despite the lack of interesting greenery, however, the place still had a mystifying and powerful air about it, even if it did feel somewhat deserted at present.

The other mages must all be inside. Not that I blame them. That's the only sensible place to be in this sort of weather, Spurius thought to himself as he looked to the altmer for further instruction, hopinf that their current task wouldn't require him to remain out in the elements for much longer.

"The Master Wizard should be in the Hall of the Elements at this time, if I'm not mistaken. And, if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting back to my post. May you find the knowledge you seek here," Faralda said by way of farewell, turning on her heel and starting back towards the bridge where she apparently 'stood guard'.

"How on Nirn is she able to walk so surely across that unstable structure that barely even deserves to be called a bridge?" Spurius wondered aloud once she was out of earshot, adding vehemently, "I don't think I'll ever be able to cross back over that thing again, let alone traverse it on a daily basis. Why hasn't anyone tried to reinforce it, or at the very least, put up some reliable railings?"

Azora merely shrugged, looking nowhere near as concerned as her companion appeared as he stared after their rapidly retreating guide. She was the first of the two to finally move, heading towards the main tower of the building as she called over her shoulder, "I figure we'd better start looking for this 'Mirabelle' person in here. It seems to be the main building, and even if we don't find her we'll likely run into someone who does know where she is."

"That sounds like a wise course of action," Spurius agreed hurriedly, rapidly catching up with her in his eagerness to get indoors.

With that, the two walked to the tower's great oaken doors together, both of them hesitating for a moment when they reached them. They were both well aware that this would mark the beginning of a new chapter of their life, and both of them had their misgivings about it - although for very different reasons. Surprisingly enough, Spurius was the first to snap out of this sudden spell of uneasiness, flashing Azora a reassuring smile before pushing one of the doors open, and she followed suit by opening the other.

They had finally reached their destination, and now that they'd arrived, it felt as if their futures held an infinite amount of possibilities, their personal goals now just within their reach.

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Thank you for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed this piece.

- AA