“Wow,” exclaimed Sofia as Nora conjured a tornado in the open ice plains to the southeast of Winterhold. The air swirled around the low pressure center the spell had somehow created, roaring like a freight train, a sound that no one on this world had ever heard. Snow was sucked into the funnel and swirled around, then fired out at hundreds of miles an hour.

 

“That is something,” said Eldawyn, her own voice hushed. “I have never seen such power.”

 

Nora had. In fact, she had seen power unleashed that would dwarf this relatively small tornado to insignificance. Which dwarfed the massive F-5 twisters that laid waste to mile wide swathes of land, twenty miles or more long. And the bomb that had taken out her home, Boston, a city of over four million people, wasn’t even the largest used in that war.

 

“How does Nora feel to be a God,” said J’Zargo, awe in his voice as well.

 

“I’m not a damned God,” protested the Dragonborn. While technically true, it definitely was a godlike power, being able to control the weather. With that thought in mind she let the twister die and cast Control Weather, pulling up a blizzard.

 

“Don’t punish us for what the cat said,” protested Jordis.

 

Nora thought there might be some truth to what the young woman said. She called up Control Weather again, and almost immediately the clouds of the blizzard dissipated and the sun shone down. It was still cold as hell, normal for this part of Skyrim pretty much all year long.

 

“Are you going to go through all of these new spells?” asked Lydia.

 

“Well, she’s only learned about four of them since the mages gave them to her,” said Eldawyn. “And I know she had good reason for doing this. And pulling us out here in the cold.”

 

“Of course I did,” said Nora, feeling a bit frustrated at the attitude of her friends. “Look. I’m only going to pull spells like this out of my ass when there’s nothing else that will do. When we are in danger of being overrun, and only something like this will save your motherfucking lives. Understand, motherfuckers.”

 

Her people looked back at her in shock. They were used to her cussing. But not at them. Good, she thought, taking in the shocked expressions. Anything to get their attention.

 

“I know you are okay with giving your lives for me, and I’ve learned through the years that people are going to die under my command. What I refuse to put up with are useless sacrifices. If I have to spend your lives I want a suitable return on them. And not see you die because you didn’t know enough to get out of the way of this conjured vacuum cleaner and realized you need to get out of Dodge.”

 

“Dodge?”

 

“What’s a vacuum cleaner?”

 

“Motherfucker,” hissed Nora under her breath. She sometimes forgot herself and used expressions from pre-war America. None of her people had ever seen a vacuum cleaner, of course. And had no idea what Dodge was. “I’ll explain it over dinner some night. But the point to all of this is to give me an idea of the footprint of these spells. And what the precursors of their manifestations are. I want you to know too. When you see or hear a tornado starting to form, you will realize its danger close and move away. Because I will not forgive myself if one of you gets pulled into the tornado and ripped apart, or thrown hard into the ground.”

 

“I know what Dodge is,” said a smiling Elesia.

 

At least someone does, thought Nora. Sometimes the alien was her anchor to reality. Recorder knew what many of the expressions Nora used meant. Of course, Elesia often came up with expressions that went right over Nora’s head, reminding the Dragonborn that her friend came from an advanced culture quite different from the Commonwealth. As technologically advanced as anything the Institute or Fusion City had, probably much more so.

 

They should be bringing me back to the Commonwealth very soon, she thought. If time passed at the same rate, something she didn’t know.

 

“One last spell and we’ll call it a day,” said Nora, bringing up the words to the Cyclonic Rift. Her people cheered around her as she pointed her finger at the sky. A small rift appeared, like a miniature black hole, widening until it was several meters wide. Air was suck in, pulling snow up from the ground in a swirling mass. Nora cast the spell again, opening another rift. Snow was ejected from the second, to end up back at the first.

 

“That should really do a job on a dragon,” said Elesia.

 

“Hopefully.”

 

“So, what are we going to do with the afternoon?” asked Jordis, shivering.

 

“I’m thinking I can check out teleporting the group. How does Solitude sound?”

 

“Home,” squealed Jordis, a happy grin on her face.

 

Everyone was smiling, even those who didn’t call the capital of Solitude home. It was, after all, the largest city in Skyrim. Over a hundred thousand people, the majority Nords, but a sampling of every race on Tamriel. Shops, restaurants, theaters, it had them all. Nora was fascinated with the place, and though she would always call Whiterun home, the larger city was a wonderful place to visit.

 

Nora cast teleport and the party appeared just outside the inn. “Go gather your good clothes. We have to be presentable for the Jarl’s table.”

 

Everyone ran into the inn, going to their rooms and getting a couple of sets of clothes for the stay. The women were like those of Earth in this respect, all liked clothes, and they could never have enough clothing or shoes. Most on Tamriel couldn’t afford much, or didn’t have the room to store them. Nora made sure that her people could buy what they wanted, within limits, and the castle had plenty of room. They didn’t have all of their clothes with them, of course, but everyone had at least one good set of casual clothes, one of business, and one of the more ornate formal clothing. The mages among them also had two set of robes, one workaday, one the fancier version for formal occasions where they wanted to be identified as a magic user.

 

Eldawyn and J’Zargo had the robes of Expert of Destruction. Sofia had the robes of an Adept, with the colors of an Alteration Mage, though she was really a jack of all schools. The Spellsword had improved much since joining Nora, and the Dragonborn was thinking of asking the College to test her for Expert’s Status. Not that it would really affect her abilities, but it could be a source of pride for the young woman who had been asked to leave the College years before. Nora hadn’t obtained her Master robes yet, and wasn’t sure what color she wanted. Faralda had suggested a robe with a multitude of colors to denote her special status. Nora was considering it, but wasn’t sure how she wanted the clothing patterned. Perhaps Endarie could design something for her if Nora told her what she wanted.

 

“I think we’re all ready,” said Jordis, the grin still pasted to her face. “Do we want to bring the horses.”

 

“Not for my first teleport with a group,” said Nora, shaking her head. “Once I know I can teleport your fat asses we’ll try to bring the hay burners along.”

 

“Fat asses,” exclaimed Lydia as the others cried out in dismay. “You’ll pay for that, Thane.”

 

She said it with a smile, so Nora was not worried in the least. “Everyone grab a hand, and make sure that you have a contact through someone to me.”

 

“Why?” asked Jordis. “We don’t have to do that with the shorter-range spells.”

 

“New spell, unknown effects,” said Nora, wishing her people would just trust her in this. “So everyone grab on and we’ll be on our way.”

 

Taking a last look to make sure everyone was either touching her or had a hand on someone who did, she visualized the courtyard of the Blue Palace, then thought of teleporting there with all of her people. Saying the triggering words she felt the world fade for a moment before she popped into existence in the courtyard. A moment of panic overcame her as she realized that none of her people had come with her.

 

“Where are they?” she shouted, a sense of dread coming over her.

 

“Thane Nora. Where are who?”

 

“I thought I was teleporting my people with me. So where did they go?” She had images of her followers falling from the sky on the way to splatter on the ground. Or materializing on a Plane of Oblivion.

 

“Nora,” called out Elisif, looking out of a palace window. “What’s wrong?”

 

“I’ll be right back, Elisif,” said Nora, who visualized the street in front of the Hearthfire inn and said the words. She wasn’t sure what she would find, but she needed to start from the place where she had started her trip.

 

“My Thane,” said Lydia as Nora popped into existence. “What happened?”

 

“Is everyone okay,” she asked, concerned that nothing bad had happened to her people.

 

“We’re fine, Nora,” said Eldawyn, coming up and putting hand of the Dragonborn’s shoulder. “We were worried about you.”

 

“Well obviously, the spell didn’t work like I thought. I thought it would teleport all of us, but it only takes me. Useless.”

 

“Not really,” said Elesia, looking into Nora’s eyes. “It might not take all of us, but if you yourself need to be someplace in a hurry it will take you. And wasn’t there another teleport spell you learned from Tolfdir? I think you called it Milestones.”

 

“Of course,” said Nora. “That may be the ticket. But I’m still disappointed in Omnipresence.”

 

“Well, getting to Master of Alteration, of all the schools gained you so many wonderful spells,” said Eldawyn.

 

“That they did,” said Nora, nodding toward her Altmer friend. “And perhaps I will figure the spell out given time. So, let me set the Milestones and then we can move. First, where to put one in Winterhold.”

 

“How about the Midden,” said Elesia, holding up fingers and ticking them off. “First, it’s out of the way. Second, I know a way to get the horses there. You teleport them short range. Third, it gets all of us close to the college.”

 

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

 

Of course Tolfdir gave her permission to use the chamber of the Midden she required. Nora was sure the Archmage would do anything she asked, and she had to remind herself to not abuse his trust. Nora cast the Milestone spell in the center of the chamber and a standing stone appeared with swirling green energy manifested around it. It was of no use at the moment, since there was no point to connect to.

 

“Be right back,” said Nora, casting Omnipresence and appearing in the stables of Castle Valkyrja. The guards had grown used to Nora appearing out of nowhere, and she actually had to wave get their attention, letting the captain watch as she established a Milestone. “Don’t let the children get anywhere near this thing. If they go through they could end up in all kinds of trouble.”

 

“Where does it go?” asked the captain, staring wide eyed at the standing stone and its swirling energy.

 

“Just to a chamber in the catacombs under the College of Winterhold. And to my house in Solitude. Neither particularly dangerous, though if they wander the catacombs they might get into trouble.”

 

“We’ll keep them away, my Lady. But you know children. If there is a way they can get past us, they will find it.”

 

“I understand. Just do your best.” And then she was gone, to appear in the basement of Proudspire manor. She said the spell and established the Milestone. It was a small network, and she wasn’t sure where she would place the last two. She was thinking Markarth and Riften, which would give her access to the four corners of Skyrim. The house in Markarth was way too small for the horses, and she wasn’t sure about where she could put one in Riften. She dismissed those thoughts. Placement could wait on the last two portals. Right now she needed to get back to her people and get them through to Solitude.

 

“I’ve got them established,” she told her people when she reappeared in Winterhold. “Are the horses ready?”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” said an excited Jordis. “They’ve been ready.”

 

The horses were loaded and ready, standing placidly as they awaited the wishes of their masters. Nora teleported them to the Midden and they became anxious of the new surroundings. She quickly took them and her people through the portal to Solitude, where they unloaded their personal effects in the house, then teleported all of them to the stables. They gave the beasts into the care of the stable hands, then teleported to the courtyard of the Palace.

 

“Home,” whispered Jordis as they appeared.

 

“And I’m worn out.”

 

“Then come in and rest,” said Elisif, walking out of the palace, a couple of guards standing close.

 

“Jarl Elisif,” said Jordis in a rush. “So good to see you again.”

 

“Welcome home, dear,” said Elisif, enfolding the sword maiden in a hug. “Now, everyone come in and rest. We will have food in an hour, and the maids have prepared your rooms. My home is yours.”

 

“We were so lucky to have met you,” said Nora to Elisif as they walked up the stairs. “Though I didn’t think so when the guards demanded I come before you.”

 

“And thank you for not killing all my guards that day,” said Elisif with a laugh. “I’ve known most of them for years, you know.”

 

They spent the rest of the afternoon with light conversation. Elisif was fascinated with Nora’s world, and asked if there was any more video of it. Nora smiled at that question, knowing she had twenty hours or so on the small holo projector. She spent an hour showing more scenes, both the horrible and the hopeful, finishing off with ten minutes of pre-war world.

 

“And that was your husband in the suit of moving armor?” asked the Jarl. “Handsome man.”

 

“Yes,” said Nora in a whisper. “He was.” Her voice rose back to a normal level. “Until the damned Institute murdered him.”

 

“I am so sorry, Nora,” said the Jarl, putting an arm around Nora’s shoulder and giving her a squeeze. “Such a horrible thing to have in common.”

 

“I heard you had trouble with the long-range teleportation spell you got from the Psijics,” said a yawning Sybille, walking into the room.

 

Nora thought the vampire mage was looking worse for wear, as if she hadn’t fed in too long. It seemed that the court mage had told the truth about not preying on the citizenry, but only on the prisoners that would be condemned to death anyway.

 

“I was so pissed,” growled Nora, shaking her head. “I worked so hard to get that spell and it only teleports me.”

 

“You worked hard for Master’s Status,” said Sybille, looking into Nora’s eyes. “You reap many benefits from becoming a Master, above and beyond the spells.”

 

Nora had to agree with that. Getting to that status in each of the schools had boosted her abilities. Illusion had made her a better commander, more inspiring to her people, more terrible to her enemies. Alteration had boosted her store of Magicka, while Restoration had increased her healing aura, aiding her people during combat. While Destruction had become even more deadly.

 

“We found a way around it,” said Nora, smiling. “An Alteration spell that lets all of my people go from waypoint to waypoint. The only problem is I can only establish five of them. So far one here, one in Winterhold and one in my castle.”

 

“And you complain that you only have five,” said Sybille with a smile. “Most of the people of Skyrim would give an arm to have those waypoints.”

 

Yes, thought Nora, considering what the other mage was saying. Sometime in the future she might have to move the waypoints to the center of some of the major cities and open them to the public. It would revolutionize long range travel in Skyrim.

 

“Perhaps you will improve upon Omnipresence with practice as well. So, what next?”

 

“I plan to go to Morthal tomorrow and talk with Master Falion. I want to see about making some changes to the way mages gather souls.”

 

“Disgusting business,” said Elisif, a frown on her face. “It’s terrible to rip a soul from a body. Does that affect what remains to go to Sovngarde.”

 

“Elisif. Once the energy from a soul is used in an enchantment the remainder goes to a plain of Oblivion known as the Soul Cairn. To languish forever in misery.”

 

“That’s awful. Do the mages know that?”

 

“Many do not. Necromancers don’t really care. As do some of the mages we think of as good. But they want the energy a human soul gives, and the Nord warriors want their enchanted weapons and armor, so it goes on. But I want to see if I can change that.”

 

“Good luck,” said Sybille, shaking her head. “I don’t think many mages will go along with you. And you can’t kill them all.”

 

Nora had no intention of killing them all. Some of them? That might be doable.

 

“And you think Falion will help you?”

 

“From what I heard at the college, Falion left his position as Master of Conjuration over an argument with Aren about soul trapping. And I hear he has developed a technique to disenchant items and free the soul.”

 

“What good does that do?” asked Sybille in an exasperated tone. “The part that matters is still trapped in the Soul Cairn. All you have done is release energy into the air and destroyed a perfectly useful piece of equipment.”

 

“It’s a start,” said Nora, shrugging her shoulders. “Something to build on. And I’ve set some of the student mages at the College to working on coalescing animal souls into enchantments just as powerful as those fueled by men and mer. If we can do that, then mages have no reason to trap the souls of sentient beings.”

 

“You have great ambition, Nora,” said the Jarl, smiling. “If anyone can do it, I think you are she.”

 

Nora thought for a moment on what Elisif said. She had always been a crusader. First with the criminal justice system, then with the injustices of the Commonwealth. So why not do the same here. If she survived Alduin she would need something to keep her busy. A windmill to tilt at. It might take her entire life, but what better did she have to do?

 

After all had taken to their beds a restless Nora walked out on the streets, intending to head to the Winking Skeever and see what was available at that meat market. The streets were quiet, only a few folk about and the ever-present patrols of guards.

 

“Help. Help us,” shouted a man’s voice, followed by a scream.

 

Nora ran toward the sound, her instincts leading her to the trouble. Hesitation was not in her nature. She came around the corner and into an alley, to see a pair of guards fighting a man in unusual armor. Another guard lay unmoving on the ground, and every blow sent at the man by the guards was avoided with blurring speed. A clawed hand shot out to grab one guard by the throat. With a spray of blood the guard lost his throat, to fall to the ground and leave his companion the only foe standing in the unequal fight.

 

The Dragonborn sped in at full speed, leading with her sword. The vampire spun, bringing an arm around to block the blade. The strength of her augmented body pushed the blade through the block, thrusting the sword into the vampire’s body. The creature hissed in pain and anger, swinging a claw at Nora’s face.

 

“Fus Ro Dah,” came out of Nora’s mouth, flinging the vampire back before it could connect. She was on it in an instant, while it was still struggling to its feet. Dawnbreaker took off its head, and the body crumbled into ashes, showing the age of the blood sucker.

 

“I thought it had me, Dragonborn. Thank you.”

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” she said by way of apology. She felt good at taking out the undead beast, and horrible because people died before she could get there.

 

“I’m just lucky you got here at all. Damned vampires. We get more of them every day.”

 

That was a problem. There had been vampire attacks when Nora first got to this world. But they had been increasing in frequency as the masters turned more of their victims into their kind. If the bodies were found they were sanctified before they could rise. But if hidden, or brought back to a lair, they inevitably rose to swell the ranks of the undead. It was a plague, their numbers increasing with geometric progression. And little one person could do about it.

 

I’ve got to try, thought Nora. One more thing to add to her list. She could only do so much, but her inclination was to attack every problem, every injustice, that entered her sphere.

 

The Winking Skeever was crowded this night. It was a safe place, a location to celebrate without having to worry about vampires. The drink flowed freely, and Lysette was giving rousing renditions of Skyrim’s favorite tunes. The Breton bard was a beauty, and though Nora was tempted she had not come here for a woman. No, she had her appetites set on a man, and with that in mind she started to check out the possibilities.

 

“Can I buy you a drink?” she asked the good-looking Breton man in the robes of a mage.

 

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” said the man in a cultured tone.

 

“Well, either way, I want to get some drinks into the both of us so we can get onto the next act.”

 

The man cast a quick spell and whistled. “You have a lot of power. A Master?”

 

“Well, yes, but that’s not important tonight.

 

“Which school?”

 

“I don’t want to brag.”

 

“Go ahead. You have an interested audience, so brag away. I myself am a Master of Alteration, though I have some little skill in Illusion as well.”

 

Nora thought the man had the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. She didn’t want to scare him off before she got him inside her, but he did ask.

 

“Well, first it was Illusion and Restoration.”

 

“First?”

 

“And then I took Master in Alteration and Destruction.”

 

The man whistled, his eyes wide, and Nora hoped that she hadn’t scared him off. “I would almost call you a liar, but with the power I read in you it might be my last mistake.”

 

“I don’t kill people for insulting me,” said Nora with a laugh. “At least not often. Now, about that drink.”

 

“I’m Albrect Monfort by the way,” said the mage, holding out a hand and giving Nora’s a firm shake.

 

“Nora Jane Adams.”

 

“The Thane? The Dragonborn?”

 

“Well, yes. But tonight I’m just a woman looking for a warm body to lie beside.”

 

Nora drank enough for her head to be buzzing, then followed the man up to his room. She wanted to get fucked. He wanted to get fucked. So it was a match made in heaven, at least for the night. She screamed out several orgasms as he pushed and pulled a nice cock in and out of her pussy, until he came deep inside her.

 

“Whew,” he said, holding her in strong arms as their sweat slicked bodies pressed together. “That was quite the interlude.”

 

“You have a nice cock,” she said, reaching down and stroking him, hoping to get another go. “And you definitely know how to use it.”

 

“You mean compared to these Nords?”

 

Nora had found that some Nords knew how to fuck well. Many were just louts, who only thought of their own pleasure, shooting a load into the next available pussy as fast as possible. “Not all of them are that bad, and I’ve learned to avoid that type.”

 

“Well, in High Rock we believe that sex should be good for both partners. Our women are well known for their abilities, though you would definitely give them a run for their money.”

 

“So how about we have another run? You seem to be ready.”

 

When Nora crawled out of bed the next morning, leaving Albrect sleeping deeply, she dressed quietly and snuck from the room. The Breton Bard, Lisette, was sneaking out of another room.

 

“Thane Nora,” said the beautiful Breton, all blond hair and golden eyes in a soft face. “Did you have a good time with my countryman.”

 

“Very,” said Nora, stifling a laugh. “Not the best I’ve ever had, but most definitely not the worst.”

 

“Wish I could say the same,” said the bard, frowning. “Mine was a matter of business. Of patronage, and my pleasure was secondary.”

 

That’s right. What Mikael told me about the patronage system, and their sexual training.

 

“You don’t approve?”

 

“Dear, I have made my living on my back before. No longer, but I don’t look down on anyone who does what they have to.”

 

“Thank you,” said Lisette with a soft smile. “I shouldn’t have to do this anymore, but the Bard’s College needs the coin, and I feel a responsibility to help them. After all, they introduced me to a life of good drink, good song and good friends. All I’ve ever asked for.”

 

“And what do you feel about women?” Nora recalled when she had first met this bard Lisette had told her that she was not into women. She had wondered at the time if that was just to put her off, and so it seemed.

 

“Oh, I love women. So soft and tender, though it’s hard to beat a man at times.”

 

“My thoughts exactly. So perhaps we can get together some night.”

 

“I would love that, Thane Nora.”

 

“Just Nora.”

 

Nora smiled as she walked out of the Winking Skeever into the light of day. What vampires there were would be in hiding in their crypts beneath the earth.

 

“We were worried about you,” said Eldawyn as Nora went up to the breakfast room where her people were having their morning meal.

 

“I ran into a vampire last night,” said Nora, taking a seat and smiling at the server who put a large plate of eggs, bacon and potatoes in front of her. “He killed two guards, but I took him out before he could kill the last. If only I had been there sooner.”

 

“And if you hadn’t been there at all, my Thane, all three would be dead,” said Lydia, patting Nora on the shoulder. “And most probably all three would be rising as vampires in the near future.”

 

“And after you dispatched of the vampire?” asked Eldawyn, smirking. “Don’t tell me that took all night.”

 

“No, my nosey friend. I found a delightful Breton mage in the Winking Skeever to help to drive away the nightmares. Not the best I’ve ever had, but most satisfactory.”

 

“Perhaps I should look him up,” said Eldawyn with a smile. “Unless you’re claiming him as exclusive property.”

 

“Not at all. Now, I’m off to Morthal to speak with Master Falion. The rest of you can spend the day as you like. Solitude beckons.”

 

“My Lady. If you have the time could you stop by the alchemy shop in Morthal?” asked Lydia. “I would like to brew some more powerful magicka and health potions.”

 

“Of course,” said Nora, waving off Lydia as the Housecarl reached into her belt pouch for some coin. “What you do is for the party, Lydia. So I will pay.”

 

And when they were back at Whiterun for some time she would pay for Lydia to receive more training from Arcadia, the Master Alchemist who owned a shop there. It was good to have an alchemist in the party, and that it was also a formidable warrior like Lydia was a plus.

 

Lydia handed Nora a piece of paper with some ingredients jotted down. Common enough in Morthal, though rare in most of the rest of Skyrim.

 

“See you all this evening,’ said Nora, casting Omnipresence and appearing at the gate to Morthal. The guards recoiled as she appeared, then noted who she was and ignored her. They might still be suspicious of magic, but they weren’t about to question a Thane of the Hold. “Sorry,” she said, then hurried into the city, straight for Falion’s house.

 

She knocked on the locked door, waiting for an answer, which came in the voice of a child.

 

“My father is out on business,” said Agni, Falion’s adopted daughter. “I’m not allowed to open the door while he’s away.”

 

That sounded sensible to Nora, especially with a monster haunted marsh just outside of town. “Do you know where he is?”

 

“Nope.”

 

Nora turned away from the door and headed a couple of houses down on the boardwalk. If anyone knew Falion’s schedule it would be one of the other Redguards in town. His sister, or the smith, and the craftsman was closer.

 

“Any idea where Falion is?” she asked Al’Hassan, the smith. She found the Redguard fascinating with their ice blue eyes in brown faces. Al’Hassan was a handsome man, as was Falion. Perhaps she could spend the afternoon with one or the other after she was through with business.

 

“He often spends time over at the Thaumaturgist's Hut. I’m not sure if he had a fascination with alchemy or with the alchemist. Good luck with that, right. Most of you Nords wouldn’t give one of us the time of day.”

 

Nora had found that there were many Nords who weren’t prejudiced against outsiders. Of course, there were also many who were. She thought it a real shame since all of the various peoples of Tamriel fascinated her.

 

“We might have to talk later,” she told the smith, touching his forearm while giving him a wide smile.

 

Nora found Falion in the Thaumaturgist’s Hut, talking with the Alchemist, Lami. He was obviously trying to get her to go upstairs with him but she was turning him down.

 

“Master Falion. Could I speak with you?”

 

“Of course, Master Adams,” said the Redguard, frowning at Lami, then walking toward the Dragonborn.

 

“Lami. I have a list of ingredients Lydia gave me. Could you fill it for me while I’m away?”

 

The two mages made their way to the upstairs of the misnamed Hut, which was really a two-story house of decent proportions. There were several beds upstairs in a couple of rooms, and Nora wondered about the arrangements here.

 

“Well, what did you want to talk about?” asked Falion, taking a seat at the small table in the room.

 

Nora looked into the blue eyes of the handsome mage, licking her lips and wondering why she had been so damned horny lately. Because I’m always horny, thanks to that damned serum made from Lorenzo’s Oil. It was a two-edged sword. She loved sex, and anything that motivated her to have more was welcome, mostly. Sometimes it could be much too distracting, like now, when she had important business on her mind. She cleared her throat and got to the point.

 

“I heard from Phinis Gestor that you left your position at the College due to an argument with Aren over soul trapping.”

 

“Barbarous practice,” growled Falion, shaking his head. “What we do to the essence of intelligent creatures is horrible, and we should be ashamed of ourselves for doing so.”

 

“What about animals?”

“I really don’t like taking their souls either, but we do need the energy. But the souls of men and mer? You know what happens to them when we use their souls to enchant objects.”

 

“They go to the Soul Cairn,” said Nora, nodding her head. “A terrible place where they languish for eternity. A veritable hell.”

 

“Most don’t have any idea,” said Falion, clearly impressed. “While I might agree that some souls belong there. those of murderers and necromancers, most are just the essence of innocent people taken by those who really don’t care anything more about them than the energy they provide. Can you imagine. You live a good life, treating people well, obeying the laws of your community, harming none. And some mage comes along and casts a spell on you, then kills you, ripping your soul from your body and trapping it in a gem. After some time they use the gem to enchant a weapon, armor or piece of jewelry, and the part of the energy that is you ends up in an awful place. Your good life doesn’t matter. You are trapped in a hell.”

 

“It is awful,” said Nora. “Unjust. And something I want to stop.”

 

“Good luck with that,” scoffed Falion, shaking his head again. “A nice thought though.”

 

“What if we found a way to condense animal souls into a grand gem, giving mages an energy source as powerful as a black soul? Wouldn’t that satisfy most enchanters.”

 

“I think it would,” said Falion, smiling. “And something I have been working on for several years, ever since I left the College. I think I’m on the verge of a breakthrough.”

 

“And the spell to pull the soul energy from enchanted objects?”

 

“You heard of that from Gestor as well? He laughed at the idea, and he had some reason, since it really does the essence of the person trapped in the Soul Cairn no good. They’re still trapped.”

 

“Still,” said Nora, thinking over what the man had said. “It’s a step in the right direction. I balked at studying conjuration, but if you are doing such work, I would like you to train me in the discipline.”

 

“I can do that,” said the Redguard, laughing. “And I have no doubt that you can gain Master’s status in record time. After all, you did it with the other four schools.”

 

“I’m not that advanced in Enchanting, though Eldawyn keeps pushing me to advance.”

 

“And how is the Altmer? She came through being freed from a possession in good shape?”

 

Nora nodded, thinking of what she had done for her friend. Similar to what she wanted to do for all the people trapped in the Soul Cairn.

 

“I can train you some in Enchanting as well. If you don’t mind being in close proximity to a despised Redguard.”

 

“I am not a Nord, Master Falion,” said Nora, reaching over and running a hand down his forearm. “In fact, I find your people beautiful. Unlike any of the races of my planet.”

 

“You don’t have dark skinned people on your Earth?”

 

“Oh, no. We have many races. Some with black skin, some with brown, even some with red or yellow tints that you don’t have here. But none with the combination of blue eyes and brown skin that your people have.”

 

“And are you coming on to me? Or am I imagining it?”

 

“You are not imagining it. If it’s okay with Lami, I would have you right here. Right now.”

 

“You know, sometimes Lami sleeps with me in her room,” said Falion in a distant tone. “Not often since she really doesn’t have that strong a sex drive. And it’s just sex.”

 

“That’s all it would be between us as well, Falion. I have a sex drive that would drive most women mad, and I like variety. But if you are willing to put up with that I can give you more sex. At least while we are working together. No use playing that there is no attraction there when it would be a lie.”

 

Nora stood up and unbelted her sword, then undid the ties to her robe, letting it fall to the floor, leaving her in bra, panties, and boots. Falion sucked in a breath as his eyes took her in. Then he was on his feet undoing his own robe, while Nora undid the stay on the bra, then slid her panties down and off.

 

“You are very beautiful,” said Falion, his cock already standing at attention. It was a respectable member, probably nine inches long and thicker than average.

 

“So are you.” said Nora, coming close, pressing a kiss into his lips as she reached down and stroked his cock. It actually thickened under her touch, and Nora felt herself growing wet in anticipation.

 

Falion picked her up, grunting in surprise. “You’re heavier than you look.”

 

Nora laughed. “I’ll explain later. Right now I want you to pleasure me, and me to pleasure you.”

 

Falion nodded and laid her gently on her back on the bed, then knelt down, pushing her knees apart and lowering his face into her groin. An agile tongue danced over her labia, taking minutes to bring her to the edge of an orgasm, avoiding her clit for the moment. After he had taken her to the edge several times he flicked his tongue over her bud, pushing her past the point of no return. Nora gasped out, her thighs quivering, the taunt muscles clenching, unclenching as the pleasure rose through her body.

 

“You cum fast,” said Falion, looking up at her with Nora’s juices on his face.

 

“Hopefully, you don’t.”

 

Falion laughed as he worked his way up her body, stopping for a moment to pay attention to her naval, then working on a hard nipple. Nora gasped again, shivers of pleasure running through her. He kissed her, and she tasted her juices on his lips. Reaching down she grasped his cock and maneuvered the tip to her entrance.

 

“Take it slow, at first. Once you are completely in me do what you want.”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” said Falion, pushing his cock into her folds an inch at a time. “You are so tight. But also very wet. Perfect.”

 

Nora continued to gasp as the mage fed her his cock slowly, until he was all the way in, his groin meshed with hers. There was a slight discomfort as the head lodged into her womb, past her cervix. She knew she would grow used to it, and the slight pain would be a distant memory as he worked his cock in and out.

 

“Now fuck the hell out of me,” she hissed, her deep blue eyes looking into his intense blue orbs.

 

Falion complied, thrusting in and out slowly at first, letting her adjust, then speeding up. Every time his groin slammed into hers she cried out, while he grunted in return. His lips came down on hers, their breathes shared while they fucked.

 

“You feel so damned good,” he hissed, sweat falling from his face onto her breasts. “I’ve never felt a pussy like yours.”

 

“Your cock feels great inside me,” said Nora. She wasn’t going to lie and say she had never felt a cock like his. It felt really good, and she wasn’t about to rate it in the middle of sex. Better to just enjoy it for what it was, and it was a fine cock, stretching her out perfectly, hitting all the right places.

 

Nora rode a pair of orgasms, her vaginal muscles clenching around his cock both times. She was surprised he was holding out this long, especially if he was as sex starved as he said.

 

“I don’t think I can hold on much longer,” he said, as if reading her mind.

 

“Cum in me, lover. Let yourself go.”

 

Nora felt the cock swell up inside her, growing larger. The head was in her womb when she felt the first spurt, followed by eight more, filling her cunt with creamy semen. Falion didn’t stop, continuing to thrust, his cock softening slightly for a moment before firming up again.

 

“That’s quite a talent you have there,” said Nora, smiling up at the man who was continuing to work in and out of her pussy. She could feel the semen flowing out of her with each upstroke, and wondered how much had been in his balls before they had started. It was obvious he had been without for too long, and she was happy to have provided him with release.

 

Nora rode three more orgasms before Falion came again, once more flooding her pussy with his copious seed. He tried to pull out after his second cum, but Nora’s strong arms held him in place.

 

“Stay in me for a moment. I love to feel my lover’s cock soften, then fall out on its own.”

 

“As you wish,” he whispered, trying to get his breathing under control.

 

Later they lay beside each other, sweat slicked bodies touching, their hands roaming over their lover’s skin.

 

“That was amazing,” said Falion, kissing her forehead. “How did you get so much control of your body.”

 

Nora spent the next hour telling the man about her world, about the Supersoldier serum that had changed her body and mind. He listened, an amazed expression on his face.

 

“I think I might be falling in love,” he finally said.

 

Nora placed a finger on his lips to shush him. “None of that talk, lover. I can’t settle for one man, no matter how good he is. It’s sex, plain and simple. If you can accept that we can keep on doing this while you are training me. If not, then we will stop.”

 

“I’ll have you on your terms,” he said, taking her again in his arms. “In fact, if it’s okay with you, I will have you again right now.”