Old Flame 2/2

In a homely inn, sat by a large warm fire. An elf lay idle munching away at his food with his left, while his right massaged his pounding head.

Sat with him was a woman of white hair, head on the table in clear agony.

"You drank my money away" She whined.

"Payback's a bitch." He mumbled, still rubbing his temple.

"Lucius~ Can't you just magic the hangover away? You need to finish your ring, right?" The girl spoke.

"Fucking idiot." The elf, Lucius, lowly cursed.

A flash of gold blinked to life, and died just as fast. His aching head gone.

"What about me?" The girl asked.

"You deserved it." He smiled down at her. "I'm jesting!" He quickly spoke, seeing her glare. In another flash of gold he stood, heading for the exit.

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Lucius slowly ran his fingers against the cold metal. His fingers covered in hollow red glow, that seemed to trickled into the engraved lines he left as his fingers slid across the ring.

Patterned of unrestricted blue and red forks split the black metal in parts. Giving the ring a three light glow around his fingers.

"That should do it." Lucius said putting the ring on his middle finger once more. His previously made ring still adorning his forefinger.

"I still don't understand how you learnt so fast, Lucius." Ciri pondered staring at the intricate design of the runic engravings. "What does it do this time?" She asked.

"I would guess my gift of dragonblood helps me learn. And to answer your second question." He started, fiddling with his ring to turn it over to show the runes. "These runes will reducing the casting time of my fire and lightening spell since i no longer need to fuel the elemental energy into them. It also makes it easier to infuse my intrinsic mana into them. The death magic, as you call it." He finished with a proud and happy smile.

"I know i might no be one to say this but, that's just cheating..." Ciri breathed out. "Ready for the party then?" She finished.

"Yup, you got my equipment safe?" He checked.

"All safe. Delphine has put it all in her little hidey hole. You just need to look good, and go get some." She flashed a teasing smile.

"I'm dreading it. We haven't spoke since i left Alinor... To think we ended up in the same frozen waste, it's an odd thought." Lucius drawled, heading back to the inn to pack a bag.

"What's she like?" Ciri wondered. "You said you grew up together."

"Huu~ Where do i even begin?" He rhetorically asked the air. "We both loved magic. We learnt and shared with each other almost every hour of every day. She took the destruction path like it was made for her, lightning to be specific. It got to a point in our lessons that we used to run over the hills to the cities keep, and throw spells at the guards like the little shits we were..." He finished with a chuckle, a reminiscent smile on his face as he opened the door the his room.

"So, what happened. Seems to be a happy childhood." Ciri carefully probed, some hidden envy in her voice.

"Her parents came to my father. Made an arrangement without us knowing... Not to say it was a bad thing. We liked each other and weren't exactly innocent at that age..." He grinned, letting Ciri figure out the rest. "She joined the Thalmor even after knowing i hated them for their discrimination against my mother. So, when she was killed before the Aldmeri invasion, i left. Wandered around Cyrodiil until my late twenties, then came to Skyrim." Lucius finished in a flat tone, not liking the subject. "Where i had the utmost pleasure to meet you, Princess Ciri." He mock bowed to her.

"Oh don't start. I don't think we've asked each other yet... How old are you, Lucius?" She curiously asked. Handing him a hairbrush to pack.

"48. Nearly 49...I think." He said, folding his robe.

"Woah! Really?! You don't look a day over 20." Ciri exclaimed in slight surprise.

"Well. High elves can live to be 500... Some say we are immortal, but no one has lived long enough without being murdered to confirm that." Lucius said. "With powerful enough magic i can turn myself immortal like some dark elven mages though." He finished.

"Oh..." Ciri replied, a bit interested.

"My mother, i guess you can call her. Is the same due to her sorceress training. She's ageless." She replied.

"Interesting. I suppose magic in your world is of the more chaotic nature then?" He theorised as he finished packing.

"How'd do come to that?" Ciri asked.

"If she became ageless from training it must be more volatile, unless she underwent a form of mutation or surgery..." He slowly answered, thinking of the possibilities.

"Scarily accurate guess, Lucius." Ciri chimed.

"What can i say? I'm just that good." He flicked his hair. "Walk me out?" He proposed with a smile.

"Sure, don't have too much fun without me." She nudged him." And use protection, heh." She teased.

Lucius sighed and made his way to the mouth of the village with Ciri by his side.

Delphine was waiting at the gates.

"I'll see you in Solitude after I meet Malborn, Delphine?" Lucius called out to her.

"Sounds good. Be careful. I'll be at the stables with a carriage ready." She told him.

"See you in a few days then, Ciri." He turned with a big smile, arms open.

"Be careful. I know you're smart and dangerous, but so are they. And don't annoy anyone" She whispered in his ear.

"Will do." He whispered back, with a short laugh.

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(Solitude gates. 1 day later)

Lucius jumped off the carriage, making a loud creak of the oaken wood as he did so.

"Thanks for the ride. Here, for the horse." Lucius thanked, throwing the man an apple.

"Good travels to you, friend!" The driver waved as Lucius walked up the hill.

Black iron gates with meshed girdles inlaid croaked open in a sullen cry as Lucius walked into the city of Solitude.

The very first sight to welcome him to the city was a large group of hollering people. A man laid on an executioners block as the captain, he assumed, listed his crimes.

"Roggvir. You helped Ulfric Stormcloak escape this city after he murdered High King Torygg. By opening that gate for Ulfric you betrayed the people of Solitude." The captain bellowed.

A rouse of chants screaming obscenities followed.

"There was no murder! Ulfric challenged Torygg. He beat the High King in fair combat." Roggvir defended. "Such as our way! Such as the ancient custom of Skyrim, and all Nords!" He yelled.

'The king was still a child to this world when Ulfric cut him down.' Lucius bitterly thought, and started to make his way to the Winking Skeever.

"On this day... I go to Sovngarde." Roggvir chanted.

However, unknown to everyone present, Lucius cast a purple spell on the prisoner. One that would ensure his soul would be trapped in his ring, used for nothing but fuel.

Lucius opened the door to the inn and scanned for a wood elf in the description given to him by Delphine. Spotting him sat in a corner he sat down in front of him.

"Really? you're the one she sent?" Malborn looked unconvinced.

"Just give me the letter. I don't need you to smuggle anything." Lucius said bluntly.

"What?!" Malborn said. "I didn't sign up for suicide." He hissed.

"I'm a mage..." Lucius drawled, and put out his hand for the invitation with a raised brow.

"Fine. I'll see you at the party." Malborn gave the invitation and walked of in a huff.

'How simple life would be if people just thought before speaking.' Lucius pondered.

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I'm gonna use the Netflix interpretation for Yennefer's transformation, as in the books it never really states how or why it happens. Some say they change it with magic and lose their reproductive organs due to atrophy but that's long as fuck to explain or integrate.

I played too much OverWatch 2. I went to sleep at 6am after playing it for 8 hours...Don't judge me.

Have a good one,

Your "patently evil" Author.