Guilliman was best at traveling.
Early the next morning, although he didn't know the way to Winterhold, the stableman outside the city did. To hurry, he directly paid double the fare, then took the stableman as a guide and set off on Roach.
As expected of a good horse that could travel a thousand li in a day, it only took half a day to bring the two of them near Winterhold.
Compared to the dilapidated towns outside, Winterhold, this mage's castle, appeared both beautiful, exquisite, and grand. It truly was the territory of mages, a group of wealthy individuals.
Guilliman first admired the castle from the outside. Buildings from different worlds indeed had their own architectural styles. Unfortunately, he wasn't an art connoisseur, so he only looked at the appearance.
He was about to enter Winterhold to inquire if there was a way to deal with Mephala.
However, just as he stepped onto the stone bridge, he was blocked by a woman in a mage's robe.
This was a woman in her thirties, with a serious expression and an above-average appearance. She introduced herself as Faralda, the guide for the College of Winterhold, responsible for testing new apprentices for magical talent.
"The College is currently in its enrollment period and temporarily does not welcome those without magical talent."
Hearing what the female mage said, Guilliman found it difficult to force his way in, but he didn't turn to leave. Instead, he asked with interest:
"Madam, I also happen to want to test my magical talent."
"May I ask, how do I test it?"
He remembered that becoming a mage apprentice at Winterhold in the game was quite simple. If one was a Dragonborn, a single Dragon Shout was usually enough to join directly.
Alternatively, even without magic, if one was eloquent enough, they could persuade the female mage to join Winterhold.
The most common method was to use magic in front of her, proving one's ability to cast spells.
Guilliman felt that if he could join Winterhold and become an apprentice there to learn spells, it would indeed be a good way to improve himself.
After all, Winterhold was a somewhat open organization, even accepting Werewolf apprentices, and wouldn't have any strict requirements for its students.
And the magic in the Elder Scrolls world didn't seem to have very high demands on talent; many commoners could use a little.
Even simultaneously cultivating multiple schools of magic was not a problem.
To some extent, the magic here was not as strange and twisted as the chaotic magic in the Witcher world. It was much more stable in terms of safety, and thus more suitable for widespread use.
Unfortunately, the magical properties of the two worlds were ultimately different. Although there were some similarities, people from different worlds might not be able to learn it.
Since he was here, Guilliman decided to give it a try. Whether successful or not, it was better than not trying at all. He would first get through the entrance test.
Indeed, Faralda pointed to a stone statue next to the stone bridge and said:
"Use your magic to attack that stone statue, and then I will determine whether you are qualified to join the College of Winterhold."
Faralda was clearly a rather serious female mage, and her speech was not very smooth.
But Guilliman didn't mind. He looked at the stone statue a few meters away, gathered magic in his hand, and unceremoniously unleashed the Igni Sign.
Instantly, a sheet of blue flame, covering an area of over twenty meters, burst forth, not only engulfing the statue but also looking like a cloud of fire, quite spectacular.
Faralda was clearly startled. The Flames spell used by ordinary mages at most covered one or two meters. She had never heard of it being able to project twenty or thirty meters, not even for Arch-Mages.
Her face showed shock; she was clearly intimidated by the power of the Igni Sign.
Although Guilliman's current magical repertoire was small, each spell was incredibly powerful, making him quite a formidable mage.
"What magic is that you're using? Is it still Flames?"
Hearing the female mage's shocked inquiry, the Witcher casually replied:
"This is an improved version of Flames, which I acquired during an adventure."
"May I ask, Madam Faralda, have I passed my entrance test?"
The female mage composed her shocked expression, but her gaze still couldn't help but scrutinize Guilliman up and down. She was not ignorant; the quality and power of the Evil Dragon Armor were apparent to any discerning eye.
Faralda nodded somewhat reservedly, then said:
"It seems you are a powerful adventurer. Welcome to the College of Winterhold."
"You are qualified to be an apprentice here, but to officially become a student, you still need the Arch-Mage's approval."
"Please go inside. Keep walking straight, and someone will tell you where the Arch-Mage is."
Seeing that he was indeed qualified to join the College of Winterhold, Guilliman's mood, which had been troubled by Mephala, unconsciously improved.
He bowed slightly to Faralda and then said:
"Excuse me, Madam Faralda, I have something I need to attend to first."
"May I ask, in which direction is Azura's Shrine?"
"I have a bit of trouble and need the goddess's protection."
Faralda pursed her lips at his words, a trace of displeasure on her face, but she still pointed towards a nearby mountain peak and said:
"Azura's Shrine is over there. Her statue is very majestic; you should be able to see it once you get closer."
"Sir, the enrollment period for Winterhold is limited. Please deal with your matters as soon as possible. If you miss this time, you will have to wait until next year."
"Of course, if you encounter any trouble, you could also try joining the College first and then seeking help from the instructors."
"Perhaps you can find a solution from them."
Faralda was probably someone who was tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Knowing Guilliman was in trouble, she still advised him to join Winterhold early.
The Witcher smiled and nodded at her, indicating that he understood.
Then, he bid farewell to the lady. After he had walked a distance, a long-distance teleportation instantly brought him to the mountain peak Faralda had just pointed to.
The mountains of Skyrim were always covered in snow, and this place was no exception.
Guilliman summoned his phantom horse, Roach, again. With the help of his agile companion, it didn't take long to reach Azura's Shrine.
This was a statue at least forty to fifty meters tall, depicting a graceful and very beautiful woman.
In the legends of the Elder Scrolls world, Azura was called the Queen of the Night Sky, Queen of Dawn and Dusk, Mother of Roses, and so on. In short, she was a very benevolent goddess who was willing to offer protection to mortals.
Correspondingly, this deity's power was quite strong, and she was worshipped by many mortals.
Despite being a snow-capped peak over a thousand meters high, when Guilliman arrived at the altar, he still saw many offerings. Clearly, many people had come here for help.
Previously, he had inquired from the priests that the more precious the offering to a deity, the more likely it was to gain the deity's attention.
This was probably the same in any world.
And the choice of offerings should ideally be related to the deity's domain.
Unfortunately, Guilliman didn't have any treasures related to the night sky, but he heard that soul gems filled with souls were always favored offerings by all deities, whether good or evil.
So, to ensure his success rate, Guilliman gritted his teeth and directly took out three giant soul gems filled with souls, placing them as offerings on the goddess's altar.
He had gathered these yesterday by eliminating several giants, mammoths, and some troublesome monsters in the wilderness. Even calculated by soul power, they amounted to a full six hundred points.
He believed that with the strength of ordinary people in this world, very few could offer such a level of tribute.
Then, following the offering ritual he had inquired about, he lit candles, recited prayers, and then stated his request.
After going through the entire process, it wasn't long before Guilliman felt a peculiar and powerful force emanating from the nearby statue, then enveloping him.
"Please, Great Goddess, protect me, free me from the gaze of Mephala, the Daedric Prince of plots and betrayal, and free me from her entanglement."
As the powerful force enveloped him, the Witcher reiterated his request.
After about ten seconds, a gentle and pleasant voice softly entered his ears.
"You are a powerful warrior, and indeed you should not be entangled by plots and betrayal."
"I like your offerings very much."
"I grant your request."
As the voice faded, the three giant soul gems Guilliman had offered had disappeared at some point, leaving only a golden crystal pendant.
Clearly, this was the protection Azura had granted him.
------------------------
There are already 70+ chapters available on my Patreon!
The story will continue to update 1 chapter per day on Webnovel,
while early access chapters are posted on Patreon.
Maybe it's not worth it today but it could be later
[email protected]/Kazenova223
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"