Jonas and Dilo walked on the desolate Tundra.
Simon had been gone from the monastery for seven full days and hadn't returned. Jonas didn't plan to wait in vain; waiting felt terrible.
He had to find his teacher—a simple idea, not deeply or rationally considered. Jonas intended to find Simon for no particular reason. Yet, it was hard to say he didn't feel a sense of confusion alongside his determination.
Dilo exhaled a puff of mist, white and hazy, rising like a light veil before him, obscuring the harsh mountains of Skyrim. Or perhaps it was fog clinging to the mountains. At this moment, distance made no difference until Dilo continued forward, his face breaking through the mist, and the mountains on the horizon remained the same mountains.
"Hey, Jona, is this where you first met Mr. Baishan?"
"Yes, we still have a ways to go. We first met in that stone house."
"This is far from Winterhold, isn't it? So you really met once a week?"
"Yes, Mr. always arrived early. Before he made his motorbike, he would set off a day in advance, traveling for a long time. Back then, we were just starting to delve into magic; everything was just beginning. But very quickly, Mr. learned things that would take ordinary people decades to master, and then he started creating on his own." Jonas smiled. "He's really amazing. I can hardly think of any problem that could stump him."
Dilo saw his friend's hidden worry and echoed, "Mr. Baishan will definitely be fine. Maybe we'll see him when we return to the monastery now."
Jonas shook his head. "I left a letter at the monastery. If Mr. sees it, he'll know. If he's safe, that's best. If he's trapped in Oblivion, I'll do everything I can to get him back."
"Then how will you know if Mr. is okay?"
"We'll stay at the College for a month. If Mr. is fine, he'll naturally come looking for us."
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for him?"
"Nothing is certain now; we're just doing what we should."
"That makes sense." Dilo nodded, no longer asking questions.
…
Simon looked at the two letters in his hand: one from Jonas, the other from an old friend.
Jonas's letter said he was going to the College to find a way to enter Oblivion and rescue Simon, and so on. The wording was steady, bringing a knowing smile to the reader's face.
The second letter was from Isran. He said he had left the Vigilants of Stendarr and, with a few friends, planned to establish a professional Vampire extermination organization to protect the people of Skyrim, and so on. They had now gone to Dayspring Canyon in The Rift, where there was an ancient, historic castle, the former base of the Dawnguard. If Simon was interested in fighting Vampires, he was welcome to join.
Simon scratched his bald scalp, feeling a bit emotional. The familiar plot was beginning.
The Dawnguard originated in the First Era when the Jarl of The Rift built a castle and gathered Guards to watch over his son, who had become a Vampire. Later, the upkeep of the fortress became too expensive for the Jarl, so he abandoned his plan. However, the Dawnguard organization had already been established, and these people voluntarily stayed to fight Vampires.
A thousand years flowed by, and the Dawnguard remained the first line of defense against Vampires. They were so exceptional that people gradually forgot the danger of Vampires, and the Dawnguard's actions began to be misunderstood by the world, eventually leading to their reluctant disbandment and the gradual decay of their grand fortress.
Isran's decision to rebuild the Dawnguard was a courageous act. Simon already respected the man's character and had a good impression of him. Although he had no intention of joining, he could still lend a hand.
After bidding farewell to the four Greybeards, Simon rode his vehicle to Winterhold first.
…
Faralda stood on the stone bridge, playing with a fireball in her hand. The thumb-sized, azure fireball emitted no heat. In fact, it wasn't a traditional fireball formed by fire magic. This was one of Faralda's research topics, exploring the shaping effects of different types of magic. What she was actually using was Oakflesh, only the spell's visual form was a fireball.
Simon walked down the streets of Winterhold. Familiar residents greeted him, and the Guards gathered around at the sound.
An Imperial soldier laughed, "You're the Foodie of Winterhold, aren't you! Your reputation has spread throughout Solitude, even the great High King has heard of you. They say your food is exquisitely beyond imagination. I must try it sometime!"
The other Guards also chuckled, urging Simon to get to business.
After some relaxed small talk, the crowd dispersed, and Simon walked onto the stone bridge. Faralda nodded to him, "You're back? When are you opening your shop?"
"Not anytime soon. By the way, has Jonas returned?"
"Not yet. Why, I heard you went to the Greybeards' monastery. Did you gain anything?"
"Of course. The Way of the Voice is a profound magic."
"Magic?"
Simon leaned against a pillar and spoke freely, sharing his views on the Thu'um and its mysteries, which made Faralda, a master of Destruction magic, nod repeatedly in awe.
Academic problems require brainstorming. Faralda, with her keen mind, proposed a new casting method: using Illusion to control mental fluctuations. This self-deception would be more natural than forced disruption, making it less likely to cause a Thu'um shock.
Simon's research into Illusion was limited to rote application. Faralda recommended a few mages at the College who specialized in Illusion, suggesting they could experiment together on the feasibility of this plan if the opportunity arose.
Simon naturally agreed wholeheartedly, planning to formally join the College after resolving his mother's memory issues.
[Quest: Rest]
Quest One (Completed): Summon Mother's Spirit
Quest Two (Completed): Go to the Temple of Mara in Riften
Quest Three (Unfinished): Find the Daughter of Coldharbour
[Quest: Path of the Master]
Description: The mysteries of magic are infinite, and human wisdom is limited. Joining the College is a good thing for me. Whether or not I can find the ultimate answer, at least this is a path full of knowledge and power.
Quest One (Unfinished): Join the College of Winterhold
Simon left a letter, entrusting Faralda to give it to Jonas, saying he had some personal matters to attend to and that the boy should focus on his studies at the College and not worry.
"I'll take care of it. Are you leaving?"
"Thank you. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
…
Simon couldn't remember the exact location of the Daughter of Coldharbour, Serana's, resting place in the game, only that it was in a high mountain cave in The Pale. However, he had his own method: go to a Vampire lair, ask any Vampire he met, kill them if they couldn't tell him, someone would know eventually. Even if they didn't, it would just take a bit more effort, and he could preemptively slaughter these cannibals. Rejoice, rejoice.
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