“Tell me about your life in another realm” – Lena asked Hauk at dinner at the Grey Mare in Chorrol. “You mentioned something of the sort.”

“I spent some time in Antaloor.”

“And?” – Lena knew of Antaloor, although had never been there herself. It was an archipelago somewhere out in the ocean. It took a long time to get there, and even longer to get back – the winds were always against you. Always. How is that even possible?

Antaloor archipelago consisted of several islands with warm climate, either tropical or dry. Nothing like the North of Cyrodiil or Skyrim, nothing like the rest of Cyrodiil either. Antalorian mages were famous for advanced complex sorcery which once led to a huge explosion on one of the islands turning half of it into polluted wasteland. Another island had been almost completely decimated by some dark magic with a similar polluted signature. People say that all of it was the work of a single mage who was now the Emperor of Antaloor. But then again, people say all sorts of nonsense.

“After Iver and I completed the battlemage training, we were receiving regular assignments to escort mages here and there, to clear Ayleid ruins ready for excavations, to keep a lid on the necromancers when they were turning violent. Mind you, this was before Travis became Arch Mage, and Necromancy was one of the schools affiliated with the Mages Guild and the Arcane University. Then Travis took over and things changed. Norms of conduct were introduced, Necromancy banned. You’ve heard the stories, I’m sure – half of the Council of Mages resigned, and so many mages left the Guild, formed convents and focused on Necromancy. Before, those very mages may have only dubbed in Necromancy a little, dividing their time and interests between several schools, but now they had no way back – there was no such thing as ‘dubbing a little’ any more, you were labelled a necromancer and banished. No wonder they turned on the rest of the Guild!

“Norms of conduct were the worst though. Schools of Magic were now ranked on the scale of ‘evil’ – did you know that? Restoration is ‘good’, Destruction is ‘ok’ but Illusion and Conjuration are ‘evil’, and Necromancy is obviously even worse. Battlemages were now supposed to follow a code of conduct of ‘good’, avoiding any use of ‘evil’ spells and practices. We were to set an example! Poppycock is what I say to that, has Travis never been in real combat before? Try telling a Nether Lich not to summon anything because that’s, errr, an evil practice!

“Battlemage training does not normally include much study of Illusion or Conjuration, so most battlemages didn’t have to change much of what they were doing anyway – Destruction, Restoration, weapon and endurance training. Iver is like that – a stickler for rules. But I like my summons and my illusions, I spoke out and got labelled a ‘troublemaker’. ‘Necromancer’ was obviously next, so I thought it was best to disappear for a while and let things cool off. It was then that Iver stopped using his surname, and I don’t know if I’ve got a brother in him still. We haven’t spoken since.

“There was a large ship moored in Anvil bound for Antaloor, and they were offering passenger places. They called themselves traders and merchants, and I thought they were more likely pirates or smugglers, but couldn’t care less – I signed up. ‘Stay in your cabin and don’t come out, no matter what.’ – I was told. ‘We’ll be bringing you food and drink.’ And they did. The trip was uneventful.

“We docked in a desert, in the Savannah of Erimos. With the mainland of Antaloor lying in ruin, this was now the most convenient port, or so we were told. No matter. I disembarked, found a horse and went looking for civilisation.”

“This must have turned into some adventure! I wonder why you ever came back.”

“Adventure – yes, plenty of it. Why did you return from the Shivering Isles? Right – heimweh. Cyrodiil is my home, with or without Travis the Arch Mage, and yes, I know, I’m a Nord, but I was born here, and for me Skyrim is just as strange a place as High Rock is for you. Yet Antaloor was amazing, warm and welcoming – I even bought a house in Hatmandor, thinking that one day I might return. Who knows.”

“And let me guess – when you got back here, you found your property scattered to the winds and your position gone?”

“Close. Iver kept some of my stuff – may be he’s still my brother after all – and I was still a battlemage with the Mages Guild, but I was made to understand that I didn’t need to expect any further assignments or advancement. They didn’t strip me of my rank, but they were not eager to engage with me either. I did not fit the mould.

“And then I spotted you around the Uni muttering to yourself and looking a bit out of place among all the scholars. I made some enquiries. ‘A new Apprentice’, I was told. You didn’t look new, you looked like you’ve been there for ages. Indeed, Dagail remembered you, but you know Dagail – she’s not one to blab. Agatha remembered you too, in fact. How does she keep looking fresh? She’s no elf! But Agatha wouldn’t be with Dagail for that long if there wasn’t more to her. That was enough recommendation for me – you were someone I wanted to get to know. And here I am.”

“Interesting.” Lena mused. “Dagail sees the future, you know. Not all of it of course, but she can pick out things that matter. She told me that this time around I wouldn’t be alone like before, that friends would find me. ‘What friends?’ I thought to myself. And then you turned up.”

“Looks like a bit of making of that future as well as seeing it!”

“Here’s to Dagail!” Lena raised a toast. “May she never lose her amulet.”