The sudden shift took me by such surprise I didn't realize what was happening until it was already over. I tried blinking the searing white light away, only to realize I had nothing to blink with, nor did I have anything to see with in the first place.
The moment the thought came did the surroundings shift, yet remain all the same, the searing light was still there, its intensity still just as immense, and yet it seemed to matter less.
An idle experiment came to mind and I thought myself to like the searing light, and that I enjoy it. And just like that the searing heat which threatened to burn myself into bits covered me as a pleasant blanket, swiftly threatening to take me into oblivion as the comfort of it was not something I had ever experienced.
I... had... ever... experienced...
Who was I? More importantly what was I?
The questions came swiftly, and the answers even swifter, and I started to remember.
Visions swam in front of my sight?eyes?receptors?perception? as the image of what and who started to come together. An old man, a father, a husband, a widower, a dead man, a young elf, an orphan, a traveler, a student, an adventurer, a friend, a teacher, a lover, a hawk, a hero, a monster, a lord, a savior, a butcher... the sun and the shadow as one. On and on the images/memories/truths went, seemingly flowing away into the vast bright light.
And as they did so too did a sense of dread and loss threaten to bubble up within me. Determination I did not have or had merely forgotten about surged and with an effort of will I knew was mine I pulled.
Every mote of light holding those precious things slammed itself back into me, once more disorienting me and blinding me as order was restored to my very being, and then I blinked.
Odd how I could do that now.
Before me was a familiar sight, the top of the Tower of Mysticism of the College of Winterhold, before me stood Shalazar a wide grin on his tiny face and a light I did not see before in his eyes.
But what truly drew my attention was not the master mystic nor his jubilation, but the body kneeling limply in front of him. For that body was without a shadow of a doubt my own, and I knew then what was done to me.
I looked back up to the Master and frowned "Was that really necessary?" I blinked in surprise at just how... ethereal my voice sounded, but swiftly focused back on the Lizard Wizard, demanding an answer.
Shalazar just nodded, his cheer not lessening for even a bit "It was indeed, student mine!" He spreads his arms as if to preach "For it would not be a test if you were not tested, no?" His eye bulges as he raises an inexistent eyebrow.
I frown "Right, what kind of test?"
"Quite simple really" He shrugs "The test was to see if you will was strong enough to gather yourself into one even as you were shoved outside of your body. Had you failed you would have died."
My incorporeal eye twitches at the relaxed way in which he delivers his words but I knew he waited until he thought me ready for this so I didn't really have much fuel to move my irritation "Can you explain what happened now?"
"Certainly!" He grins "I had done for you what my own master had done for me, and granted you the chance to ascend yourself from a mere mortal into a being far more spiritual in nature!"
He goes to explain further but I interrupt "So what, I moved my ego from my body to my soul?"
For the first time in a very long time I find Shalazar blinking in surprise, before his grin somehow widens even further "Why yes indeed, my most glorious of pupils!" He claps his hands merrily "I did not expect you to catch on so quickly, but an old soul such as yourself must have an advantage or four." He nods rapidly.
I pause for a moment at the revelation but simply shrug as he doesn't press, merely keeping his smile while giving me a knowing look. Instead I focus on the present "So, besides the obvious advantages of having my life tied to my will instead of my body, what else can this form do?"
"Maybe you should see the form first, hmmmm?" He raises his eye.
Blinking at that I allow my sight to spread and take a good look at myself.
The first thing I noticed was that I was fucking massive.
The second was that I was basically a massive shroud of shadows flowing onto each other with the only two other features of my body being three globes of light below my hood-covered crown of spikes, and a pair of equally massive wings resembling those of a certain hawk on my back, though colored in shadowy black.
As I observed myself, more details became apparent, almost as if my appearance was dictated by my will and thus attempted to connect itself to what I felt was missing. Soon I found a dagger sheathed in spider webs at my hip, joined by a sword sheathed in grey burning shadow on the other, a bow glowing with contained light appeared on my back, and a glaive in one of my hands, soon joined by a staff of gnarled wood carved with runes of the world's creation.
The thoughts went through my mind within less than a second, and by unsaid command I found my size slowly moving down to my usual height.
Shaking the astonishment of the transformation away, I looked back to Shalazar "So?"
"You know, you could sound a bit more excited." He pouts, which was admittedly incredibly fucking cute "But I guess I can answer your questions now."
"Right." I nod and ask the first "What was the point of all this?"
"Your mastery." He fires off.
Huh... neat "Ok..." I trail off briefly and repeat "But what was the point of all this?"
He snickers "I had foreseen that it would be useful to you, so I did it!"
"Just like that?" I raise a non-existent eyebrow.
"As if you don't do much the same." He pretends to chide, but all I feel from him is amusement.
I huff but nod "And what of the more... practical applications?"
He rolls his eyes at my single-mindedness but still answers "Your soul has now been freed of mortal constraints, you can wield it as you do your magic, the risks inherent rather obvious to one such as you."
"Hmmm..." I hum briefly "So effectively a power boost and a means of soul attack which in turn would make my soul vulnerable to attack in turn?"
"Weeeell..." He rubs his hands conspiratorially "While that would usually be the case, your nifty little cloak has seen to it that you do not suffer from that little disadvantage."
"Enchantment for life." I nod and state with certainty.
He grumbles good naturedly at his school being ignored in a moment like this, but the smile still does not leave him "Yes, yes, your works are most magnificent student of mine, but you may want to return to your body now."
"What, why?" I ask, a bit annoyed to have to stop checking this new state of being out.
"Because we don't want you getting too enamored with floating about all spooky like." He explains lightly, though I sense a different motive hidden behind his words.
It does not take me long to realize what was going on "I am going to get a massive fucking headache when I am back, and you want to watch, don't you?"
He just nods.
I sigh "Fucking Wizard Lizards." and proceed to shove myself back into my body by an instinct I did not know I had until now.
Once more I blink, and am suddenly assaulted by the acute senses of my mortal body, having relied exclusively on mystical sight while in spirit form. And just as expected the migraine comes and slams into me like a giant does a particularly curious adventurer.
With a groan and a grumble I get up from my kneeling position and light up a cigar without conscious input, the fumes quickly doing their work at lessening the pain in my brain. I sigh in contentment as the plume of blue leaves my mouth and turn to the patiently waiting lizard man.
After a brief stare I smile and offer him a deep bow "You have my thanks, Master."
His smile, which was until now one of amusement, turns genuinely happy "It was my genuine pleasure, Master Reyvin." He gives me a once over before nodding "Also, you can explore the book now, it should be safe."
I blink at the sudden change of topic but quickly accept it for what it is "Great! Staring at the damned thing was starting to irritate me so much I started avoiding my room."
Shalazar chuckles at that "I expected as much of your most inquisitive of minds!" He claps his hands "But, there is one thing that you will like even more than the book!"
"And what is that?" I ask with genuine curiosity.
Instead of answering he moves his right hand and it is suddenly covered in what looks to be extremely hard shell-like material, and I immediately get what he was trying to tell me.
With a grin of excitement I pull on the feeling of my soul once again and focus it on my back, the pleasant sensation of what I could only describe as conceptual freedom welling up from within as a pair of large shadowy and yet somehow fiery wings appeared there.
My grin turns outright manic "Now that is what I am fucking talking about!"
(General POV)
Minthara, Marco and Lydia found themselves walking away from the day's celebrations with a relaxed pep in their step. The feast upon their arrival and a subsequent city-wide festival was something which would reignite the spirits of even the most weary of Skyrim's residents, and they were spirited indeed.
"Ah." Marco sighs dramatically "It is too bad Junia did not wish to join us, that was quite fun."
"Quite fun was it?" Minthara quirks an eyebrow "I wonder how fun it would be if she learned about your little flirting with the wenches?"
Marco scoffs "Oh come on now, they were just appreciating the free performance I gave."
"Uh huh." Lydia interjects with a deadpan nod "They totally weren't trying to drag you off into the nearest barn and have their wicked ways with you."
The Altmer stiffens "I... am sure their intentions were pure!"
"Not even you believe that." Minthara sighs.
Their banter continues as they make their way to the compound of the Respite, but instead of entering the inn itself, they circle around and soon find themselves seated on a pair of benches which overlooked the distant seas.
Marco sighed in contentment as the harsh winds were blocked by the wards and turned into a pleasant breeze, his braided beard scratching his neck pleasantly as he did so.
His relaxation was interrupted however, as he felt his arm being pulled and soon found Lydia pointing at something in the distance.
Marco's golden face turned completely white at the sight.
Even the legendary Dragonborn found herself stammering in sheer terror "Did... did I just see Reyvin flying... with wings on his back?"
"I think so, my Thane." Lydia answers robotically.
"Divines no." Marco's shoulders slump in defeat.
"He is going to be incredibly insufferable about this, isn't he?" Minthara asks, her left eye twitching.
"I am afraid so, my thane." The blank voice of her housecarl answers her.
(Savos' POV)
I dust off the orb Reyvin had requested for his demigod friend and prepare it for packaging, only to suddenly stiffen as I feel a familiar aura buzz next to my windows and disappear as fast as it came.
A moment later the aura buzzes again and I see a blur of black with hints of red and purple flash by my window once more and I channel Magicka into my eyes, slowing down my perception to a great degree.
And then I stiffen as I realize Reyvin was flying about in broad daylight, with soul-projected wings which could only mean Shalazar had granted him his mastery.
"So fucking unfair." I curse "It took me two centuries for that!"
"Skill issue, I am afraid." Brightburn snickers from atop my shoulder.
He continues snickering even as I punt him out the window.
'Fucking monstrous children and their destruction of common sense.' I grumble with a smile.
-----------------
Gib stone and I flashbang you too.
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