The Midden dark, a fitting name for a fitting place, everyone thought this way all except for one. A blonde nord named Nickulas Spellcaster, he wore his own custom made blue and yellow mage robes, college boots and mystic tuning gloves. He walked down into the midden, staff of Magnus in hand, in search of his friend who resided down there.

He took a left and saw a door, he looked around in suspicion in case someone or something was following him. He opened the door and entered a room. It was mainly empty except for the large basin with dark blue water in it. The room began to shift as a blue light appeared out from the basin, a light commonly known as the Augur of Dunlain.

"Nickulas, you return to my dwelling", the Augur said with an omnipotent voice. "I trust you have completed the task".

"Yes, although standing atop the highest peak of the throat of the world on one leg was a challenge, I pulled through", he responded blowing a strand of hair out of his eye.

"Well the task is done I shall, give you what you sought", he said.

A wave of magicka began to sweep out from the basin and form a shape in the air, the shape of a key. Nickulas looked upon this key with astonishment. He reached out his hand to grab the key. He took it in his hand and looked down the side and saw wording. To the untrained eye just a strange arrangement of lines and circles, but to someone trained in this, it was something different.

"Keep it safe, do not let anyone take it, there are certain people who want to keep this key as far away from anyone who knows what it unlocks", the Augur said with a warning tone. "Swear to me that you will never let this key out of your sight".

"I swear by my families honor", he said placing his hand on his chest.

"Good, now go you and your allies have a long journey ahead", He said as he disappeared back into the basin.

Nickulas looked at the key cautiously then left the room, out to the cold outside.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nickulas opened the hatch and excited back out into the cold. He got out and brushed the dirt off his robe. He began to walk to the Hall of Attainment when something diverted his gaze. The Archmage, Tolfdir. A quick flashback of when he gave the position of Archmage to Tolfdir because of his lack of experience returned to his mind. However something seemed off he was running towards him as fast as he could.

"Quick, you need to come to my office at once", He said breathing heavily.

"Why?", he questioned.

"No time to tell you, but the other members are there", He said

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Each member of the college stared down at what was before them. Two unconscious women, one was a Nord with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, the other was an Imperial with curly purple hair. They laid peacefully on the Archmages bed as that was the only place they could spare with enough Magicka to prevent them from not waking up.

Nickulas entered the room with Tolfdir not to far behind. Nickulas was shocked at this.

'What happened to them', he thought.

"we're lucky that J'zargo and Onmund found them when they did or who knows what could have happened to them", said Nirya. "Also one of them was wearing this strange hat".

Nickulas took this hat in his hand and began to inspect it. Upon completion he looked up to the others and spoke up.

"Does anyone know how they ended up like this?", Nickulas asked.

"As far as me and J'zargo know, there was a bright flash and, poof, there they were", Onmund revealed.

"What do we do with them when they wake up", Brelyna said.

"J'zargo says that we let them go", J'zargo suggested.

"I agree with J'zargo, we helped them while they were unconscious, is it really necessary to keep them here when they wake up?", Faralda questioned

"We can't do that", Drevis Neloren spoke up.

"Oh yeah, and why not?", Sergius Turranius asked.

"Because it's morally wrong", Drevis responded.

"And if we do that it'll count as murder", Brelyna said.

"How so?", Nirya asked.

"Because we would be leaving them to die", Brelyna said.

"It would be our fault if they were eaten by wolves", Phinis Gestor added.

"Or if they find that dagger and think that it's smart to hit the warped soul gem with it, like certain other member of the college we know", Drevis said with disdain.

"It's called Keening you idiot, and anyway Nickulas keeps it on him at all times, don't you?", Faralda insulted.

Nickulas face palmed. "Please don't bring me into this", He muttered.

The two sides bickering over time escalated into an argument. During this time they failed to notice the Nord woman get up. She looked around at what was transpiring. She began to nudge her friend to wake her up. After that failed she picked her up and quietly began to carry her, however while doing this she noticed that Nickulas's attention was drawn to the like moths to a light. Upon seeing this the Woman ran faster.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rarity eyelids began to open as she felt the cold air and snow brush against her skin. She looked around and saw she was being carried by something tall. She began to panic.

"Unhand me you -".

She was cut short when the figure looked back at her revealing her familiar green eyes and long blonde hair.

"Oh Applejack it's you, sorry about that", she apologized to her cowgirl friend. "what happened to your hat?".

These words seemed to almost petrify Applejack, she reached for her head, dropping Rarity.

"Mah hat, ah left in that room where all them strange ponies were arguing", she panicked.

"Well let's go back and get it", Rarity said.

"Can't one of 'em noticed me", she responded.

"Looking for this?", a voice called from behind them.

They turned around to see a blonde bipedal figure wearing blue robes and carrying a staff, a key and...

"Mah hat", Applejack exclaimed.

"Sweet Celestia, what in Equestria are you wearing, it looks as though you bought it from the one bit shop", Rarity questioned.

"I made this myself", he said insulted. "And who's Celestia, what's Equestria and what is a bit, is it some form of currency".

"Well to answer your questions, Celestia is the alicorn princess who raises the sun each day and resides in Cantelot, and she watches over the ponies who reside in the land", she answered.

A confused expression grew on his face.

"And Equestria is the country where Princess Celestia and Luna and all the other ponies live in", she continued.

He became even more confused.

"And lastly you are correct about bits being currency, it is only used in Equestria not in the Griffon kingdom or Minotaur planes". She said.

He looked at them as if they were growing second heads until finally he spoke up.

"Are you on Skooma?", he said.

"What's Skooma?", Applejack asked.

"Doesn't matter anyway what're you names?", he asked.

"Applejack", She said.

"I'm Rarity", Rarity said.

"Hm interesting names, quite unique, I'm Nickulas Spellcaster", Nickulas said. "Anyway here's your hat".

Applejack moved close and grabbed her hat back from Nickulas.

"You're welcome", He said when she didn't thank him. "So is there anything more I can help you with".

"No", Applejack said quickly.

"Well", Rarity responded.

"Rares what're you doing", she whispered pulling her friend in closely. "We don't know if we can trust it".

"Applejack don't be so rude, it's a him not an it", Rarity corrected.

"Well as far as ah know it's an it", she responded.

"Well he could be the only way of finding our friends", She said.

"Do you really trust it?",

Her question fell on deaf ears as Rarity turned to Nickulas.

"We need to find our friends, Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rainbow dash and Twilight's assistant, a baby dragon named Spike, can you help?", she asked.

'There again with the names', he thought. "Of course I can help".

"Great", Rarity exclaimed.

"I'll just tell the Archmage and we'll be off", he continued.

"Thank you", Rarity said.

"Yeah thanks", Applejack grumbled.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Garzug and Zenieth waited upon their horses, with their fellows waiting restlessly. A black haired Breton soon broke the silence.

"Alright that's it I'm going by myself", he snapped.

"If you go I'll personally use your head as an example to others to show what happens when you lose patience", Garzug spoke harshly.

A ruffle in the bushes in the left drew their attention. A small red haired Wood Elf emerged from the bush. He mounted his horse and rode it towards his master.

"I found them their in the forest, seven miles west", he reported.

"That explains why he took so long", Zenieth muttered.

"EVERYONE WE RIDE NORTH", he yelled.

Each rider soon had a large grin, grow on their face.

"CHARGE!", he yelled as every horse began to ride towards their unsuspecting prey. Next Chapter: where are we? Estimated time remaining: 31 Minutes