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"Well, I'm somewhat glad to have this piece back," looking over the top of the amulet, Niria Lorelus looked at Gellos.

"Somewhat?" Gellos replied without looking away from his book. He was walking alongside the altmer, who carried the amulet he and Alaver had retrieved from the bandit camp the day before.

"You didn't risk your life for this, did you?" she glanced at Gellos again.

"No," he paused now, looking up from the book in his hands. _Examinations of Magical Talismans _was on the front cover, and Gellos had been absorbed in the book for the past thirty minutes or so. "It wasn't hard to get back," he said before going back to the pages.

"Good," said Niria. She dropped the necklace into Gellos' book, and the imperial looked up the altmer, "If your lucky then, Viarim might let you just destroy this," she said, "We have a plethora of magical amulets, rings, and the like around the Castle here. The addition of one more is hardly needed."

Gellos tried to keep a scowl from his face, but as Niria raised an eyebrow, he took the amulet from the book, closed the book, then said,

"Thank you, Lady Niria," before turning and walking from the library.

Down an aisle of books and around a corner, Gellos walked down set of stairs, then went down a hall that lead to the left. He tucked the book under his arm and looped the amulet through a loop on his belt. Through a window the streams of sunlight drifted through the air and ran across his face as Gellos walked. He had woken up early than desired that morning, being pulled from sleep by an unfortunately reoccurring dream. The same dream that had woken him up more than once when he was young. A hallway that lead to a doorway. In the dream the door would open, and a hooded figure, carrying a staff with a glowing green orb at the top, would turn to face Gellos. And always, the face under the hood was his own. It hadn't ever scared him when he was younger. In truth, it had always mystified him. He had read more than one book on the subject, but never found anything useful.

Down the hall and around a corner, Gellos moved through the Grand Hall. It was populated with Initiate mages, Spell Casters, a few Mages, and one Master who sat at a table with two elves of the same rank. Gellos walked through the hall, the amulet tapping his thigh, then turned halfway down the hall and went to the left. He went past a few tables then through a doorway that would lead to the east corridors. Down a hall where two Initiates walked, Gellos walked until he reached the end of the corridor, then went right.

The hall was empty as Gellos walked its length, turned left, and went down a set of winding stairs. It was quiet as he moved down the stairs, then came to a door. He knocked once, then heard a click from the other side. The door cracked open, and Gellos pushed it open the rest of the way as he stepped inside. The door gave way to wide room that was quiet, with windows that let the soft glowing sunlight stream to the floor. Shelves of books lined the back wall, save for a spot where a door was. The door was open, Gellos saw, but as he looked at the room the door swung shut with a thump. He stopped, reaching back a hand to touch his staff, but relaxed when he saw Viarim, standing next to a desk.

"Gellos," said the high elf.

"Viarim," Gellos nodded. He took his hand from his staff, and pulled the amulet from his belt. He walked up to Viarim's desk, his boots echoing softly off the stone walls, then held out the amulet to the elf.

"Ah, good," Viarim took the amulet, looking at it, then looked at Gellos. "You had no trouble then?" he asked.

"None," Gellos shook his head.

"Good," Viarim nodded, then sat down behind his desk. He set the amulet on the desk in front of him, then waved his hand. To Gellos' left a chair appeared from seemingly thin air, and Viarim held out a hand. "Sit down, Gellos," he said.

Gellos nodded, sitting in the chair, then glanced at the book in his hand. He glanced at Viarim who waved his hand again, and Gellos set the book on the elf's desk. Gellos tapped the book, thinking briefly of his room in the Mages quarters, then gave the book a flick. The book moved as it was about to jump from the desk, then vanished in a small flash of grey smoke. Viarim smiled where the book had been, then said,

"You've grown fond of that teleportation charm I see."

"It has it's uses," Gellos nodded. He glanced at the amulet on the elf's desk again, but as he opened his mouth Viarim said,

"You want to know if we're going to keep this artifact," and Gellos closed his mouth.

"I was wondering, yes," he said.

Viarim only shrugged, then said, "I don't see much need for another artifact powered by magic," he said, "and while I'm glad you brought it back to us, it doesn't seem like it'd be useful to us, what with all the magic we have in this room alone," he waved his hand through the air behind him now.

"Are you going to destroy it then?" Gellos asked. Viarim looked back at the imperial, then put his hand to his chin.

"Your welcome to try it, if you'd like," he said.

"Me?" asked Gellos.

"It's not hard," Viarim stood up now, walking to the side of his desk. Gellos stood up with him, and Viarim picked up the amulet, holding it out to Gellos.

The imperial took the amulet, then turned and looked at the rest of the room. It was all stone, save for the stretch of rug that lead from Viarim's desk to his door. Gellos set the amulet on the floor, away from the rug, then held out his hands. He put his palms over the amulet, then quietly said,

"Incinerate." He hadn't ever used to spell before, but understand how it worked.

Under his hands, the amulet jumped like the book had, then burst into flames. The fire surround the amulet, and the metal string and the rubies twisted as it was burned by the conjured fire. Gellos took his hands away from the amulet, and the fire faded. The amulet steamed, then shriveled, turning to ash as if it was just paper. Gellos watched the amulet vanished, the ash laying in a small heap on the floor. He put a hand over the ash, then swept, as if swatting a bug. The ash was swept into the air, then slowly vanished. Gellos watched it go, then looked at his hand. It wasn't hot, and as he looked at Viarim, the elf nodded.

"Good," he said. He put a hand to Gellos' shoulder, then went back around his desk and sat down again. He looked at the imperial, putting a hand to his chin, then quietly said,

"You like doing that, don't you?"

Gellos looked at him, his light golden eyes looking at Viarim's equally light eyes. "Doing what?" he asked. But he knew what Viarim meant, even as the elf said it aloud.

"Making things disappear," he said. "Destroying them, to be blunt."

Gellos looked at the elf, then back at his own hand. On his back, his staff shimmered with a soft blue light. But as he looked away from his hand and back to Viarim, he said,

"A part of me does. I," he paused, resting a hand on the back of the chair, "I don't know how to explain it. It's like some kind of quiet," again he paused, "monster inside of me. I don't like calling it that, because it feels wrong to say it like that. It's a quiet kind of energy I feel, when I do it."

"Have you done it before?" Viarim asked.

Gellos glanced at the altmer, then looked away from him to a window. He looked at the streams of sunlight that came to brush the floor, and didn't immediately reply. He had done it before. Destroyed something with his hands, and his mind. He had been young, only four, and it had been a small table. He hadn't ever liked it or seen any use for it, and one night he had waved his hand over the table. The flames had come up a moment later, sweeping over the table like ink running down a page. That had been the only thing that had slightly scared him, but the fear subsided with the flames.

"They got mad at me for it," Gellos said quietly.

"They?" Viarim's voice made Gellos looked back to the elf.

"My caretakers," he said, "There wasn't just my guardian. We were staying with a family she knew, and it was their table that I set fire to."

"Is that the only other time it's ever happened?" Viarim asked.

Gellos nodded. He sat down in the chair in front of the elf's desk, then said, "Is it bad, that I can do this?"

Viarim immediately shook his head, holding out a hand. "It's not at all," he said. "I've known more than one mage who could manipulate things with just their minds and a wave of their hand, and not have to use any added artifacts or weapons," he nodded to the staff on Gellos' back. "I considered it a gift, personally."

"Right," the imperial nodded.

Viarim was quiet a moment, then said, "There's more to sending you to get back that artifact, Gellos," he said.

"What?" asked the imperial.

Viarim sat up in his chair, then said, "I sent you because I've know you for many years now, and I know what kind of abilities you posses. I've watched you grow from a boy to a young man," he said, "and I think your ready to know what I'm really here for."

"What do you mean?" Gellos asked.

Viarim rested both his hands on his desk, and said,

"I've been with the Order for twenty-four years now. I was introduced to the Order as a young boy, probably the age you are now, by my father. He was more than proficient in manipulating the magics, like I am, and he taught me almost everything I know. I acquired my position in the Order as Master of Artifacts eight years ago, when the old Master was killed during combat," he paused, then continued with, "As it turned out, that man was my father, unfortunately, Gods rest his soul. He left behind this office, and all the Artifacts that the Order had collected and deemed safe over the years.

"Now though, it falls to me to finish what he started. I will be honest with you, and with that honesty, I'll say that you may not like everything that you hear," he paused, then said, "I'd also like it if you could keep this conversation between the two of us."

Gellos looked at Viarim, and after a moment of silence the elf said,

"Then, if you've no objections, let me start by telling you about _my _order. I represent the White Order on the surface, but within I come from an older order. For years, my order has been home to those proficient in both magical and non-magical combat. The members of our order that aren't as well versed in magic, like the actual mages, aren't seen as lesser. Everyone is seen as an equal, regardless of their prowess with spells, or a sword. We call ourselves the Knights of Kell. Kell was a spellsword, someone who could wield a sword with one hand as well as he could cast magic with the other.

"Kell is long since dead, being the founder of his Knights, and over the past forty years we have done our best to uphold his principles and ideals. The leader of the Knights," he paused looking at Gellos, "is a high elf named Elder Vux. Vux has lead the Knights for many years now, although he grows old. And while I have no plans to take his place, I would like to make sure that place is taken by someone who can think as Vux does. This isn't anything that will concern you, rest assure.

"My assignment by the Knights was to acquire an artifact that can, if rumors hold true, manipulate time...."

"Manipulate time?" Gellos repeated.

Viarim looked at the imperial, then smiled. "I've got your attention now, I see."

Gellos looked at Viarim, his mouth slightly open, then closed it. In truth he had been listening from the start of the elf's talk. His words were more than intriguing, and a part of him wanted to hear all that Viarim had to say. The other part of him wanted to stand up and leave. But if he did leave, where would he go, and who would he talk to? So as he looked at Viarim, he quietly said,

"I'm listening."

"It may seem contradictory to you, yes," Viarim nodded, "because you've grown up here. It's, in a sense, all you know. You've been raised with the Order's principles and ideals, so any other thinking will seem strange to you."

"Your not wrong about that," Gellos nodded.

Viarim nodded, "Do you see why I'm telling you this, Gellos?"

The Imperial hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded again. "You want me to see a different way of thinking," he said. He thought about it now, then said, "and because you need my help."

"Yes," Viarim nodded, folding his arms over his chest. "I hate to admit it because normally, I'm more than capable of completing an assignment on my own, but this time is apparently different," he paused, looking at the Imperial, "but yes, I need your help. But I must ask you, because I'm curious, why do you seem so willing to help me?"

Gellos looked at Viarim, then said, "I know that I'm only a young boy. But I feel like, ever since being introduced to the Order, I feel like I can be more. Like I have some kind of," he moved a hand through the air, "some kind of power that's inside."

"Really?" Viarim rubbed his chin.

"Yes," Gellos looked away from the elf, at the window. "I know that may sound selfish, but I feel like I could be much stronger than I already am."

"That's not an uncommon thing to hear," said Viarim. Gellos turned back to him, and he said, "All who come to the Knights seek power, in some form or another. If it's power your seeking," he paused, "You can certainly be of help to me."

"Can I?" Gellos heard the sudden note of excitement in his own voice, and glanced away from Viarim.

"You could, now that I think about it," the elf leaned back in his chair, putting a hand to his chin. He looked out the window, then said, "But it looks like our conversation has already talked down the sun. If you'll come back to my office tomorrow, the same time as now," he looked back at Gellos, "I'll have more to tell you."

Gellos looked back at the elf, then nodded as he stood up. He bowed to Viarim, then turned to go. Before he got far though, Viarim called out,

"Gellos," and the boy turned around. The elf waved his hand, and behind him a few books came from the shelves, and moved through the air. They came at Gellos, but then as Viarim snapped his fingers, they vanished in puffs of grey smoke. The Imperial blinked, and Viarim said, "I've sent those to your quarters. Give them a read before you come see me, won't you?"

"Of course," Gellos said immediately. He bowed to the elf again, and turned to the office door. Up the stairs and down the hall, Gellos let his mind drift slightly with the thought of what awaited him within the pages of the books.