Fire, Lightning, and... Healing?(6)

                                    

                                          
Onmund hadn't seen or heard any sign of Elyzyn returning the night before, or when he got up the next morning, but he realized that seemed to be normal for her. Unless she was traveling with someone like Brelyna, she tended not to make her comings and goings known. He told himself she may have just gotten back late and not wanted to disturb him, but he was still a little disappointed she hadn't come to find him.
                          
After getting cleaned and dressed for the day, he hauled himself up to the dining hall for some breakfast. Then he headed over to the Hall of the Elements to practice his spells.
                          
The strange orb Elyzyn and Tolfdir had found in Saarthal was floating in the center of the hall and Tolfdir was already in there staring at it in fascination.
                          
Onmund tried not to outwardly shudder. Tolfdir and the Arch Mage were excited and fascinated but the thing, but Onmund had a bad feeling about it. Whatever magic was coming off of it felt... otherworldly. He didn't like it.
                          
Tolfdir didn't even seem to see him come in and Onmund expected they still wouldn't be having regular lessons. He made his way uncomfortably to the side of the hall where he could practice out of the way, and put one of the columns between him and the huge, ominous orb.
                          

                          
 

                          
He'd been practicing his shock and lightning spells for about an hour when he was suddenly interrupted by a hissed whisper from the shadows...
                          
"Onmund!"
                          
It was Elyzyn's voice, but he hadn't heard or seen anyone in the hall besides him and Tolfdir, and Tolfdir had left half an hour ago.
                          
He almost misfired the lightning bolt he'd been about to cast as he turned to see Elyzyn step silently out of the shadow of the column beside him.
                          
"Sorry," she smirked, but then glanced nervously around them, "Faralda warned me Ancano was looking for me so I've been trying not to be seen."
                          
Onmund raised an eyebrow curiously as he saw her more fully. She wasn't wearing her apprentice robes now, but an outfit of supple looking black leather with a long black cape and hood. There was a soft looking black cowl around her neck that she seemed to have just pulled down to reveal her face.
                          
"You seem to have pulled that off," he commented quietly, looking around for eavesdroppers as well. "How..." he cleared his throat, "how long have you been there?"
                          
She smirked a bit more and seemed to relax slightly. "Long enough to see you seem pretty good with shock spells," she replied.
                          
Onmund's heart jumped and he felt his cheeks reddening in embarrassment.
                          
"I... am proficient with all of the apprentice level destruction spells," he confirmed, "and I can cast some of the adept ones in the shock category," he added. To his relief, Elyzyn nodded, looking impressed.
                          
"Do you think you could," she paused to look around again to make sure no one would overhear her, "could you sustain a shock spell long enough to... say, take down another mage?"
                          
Onmund's eyebrows rose in surprise. For a brief moment he wondered what he might have gotten himself into when he offered to help her, but he considered her question seriously...
                          
"If it was an apprentice mage my level or lower, certainly," he answered with a confident nod, "if their skill's a higher level than mine, I'd probably have to resort to my fists or a weapon, but I'm no stranger to a fight."
                          
"You're comfortable with a weapon?" She asked looking mildly surprised.
                          
"Sure," Onmund said with a slight chuckle, "I was taught to swing a sword and shoot a bow like any typical Nord."
                          
Her face lit into a relieved looking smile that made Onmund's heart jump even more.
                          
"Have you ever fought other mages?" She asked hopefully.
                          
"Not many," he admitted, "occasionally necromancers would try to set up in the forests where my father would take me and my brothers hunting, but they were mostly novices I think."
                          
Elyzyn nodded thoughtfully. "And... do you think you could—"
                          
She cut herself off and spun around as the main doors opened and Ancano walked in. Onmund heard her mutter the quietest curse under her breath before looking pleadingly back to him.
                          
"I'm not here!" She hissed softly as she pulled the cowl back up to hide her face.
                          
If Onmund had blinked he would have missed it; with a slight hand gesture she crouched down and appeared to literally blend into the shadows.
                          
Onmund hardly had time to register what had happened before he had to tear his eyes away from the spot so as not to risk giving her away. Ancano spotted him rather quickly and headed grumpily over to him.
                          
"You, Nord," he barked at Onmund with a disdainful sneer, "I'm looking for your Breton classmate. Where is she?"
                          
"I couldn't say," Onmund shrugged, hoping he sounded convincing, "she's been rather scarce lately. Last I heard she had some kind of special assignment from the Arch Mage."
                          
Ancano glared suspiciously at him for several uncomfortable moments before rolling his eyes and turning away, grumbling something rude to the effect of, "of course the Nord doesn't know anything."
                          
Onmund turned back to practicing his lightning bolts, pretending to be indifferent but wishing he could use Ancano's head for a target.
                          
A few moments later he heard the gratifying sound of the Altmer tripping, stumbling into the door, and swearing loudly before storming out of the hall, slamming the doors behind him.
                          
Onmund looked eagerly around then, trying to figure out where Elyzyn had gone, and what Ancano might have tripped on...
                          
"I can't stand that jerk." Elyzyn's voice came from beside the door Ancano had just slammed, and a moment later she was stepping into view again. Then she reached to pick up a small gemstone from the floor.
                          
Onmund couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he realized that that little stone must have been what had tripped Ancano— likely after a well-timed toss from Elyzyn. She smiled back at him, looking amused with herself.
                          
By the Nine he liked seeing her smile... he'd help her fight anyone she asked him to.
                          
"Um... you were about to ask me something," he reminded, hoping he didn't sound awkward, "what do you need?"
                          
"Oh, um..." she looked around again, "follow me?" She asked hopefully.
                          
"I'm right with you," he agreed. And he didn't even mind that he still had no idea what he was getting himself into.