As Aethyr stood before the Dremora, the chamber cracked and crumbled around them. The air was thick with tension, but he could feel the weight of his decision pressing down on him.

"Velehk Sain, I release you."

The Dremora’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as a dark mist swirled around its massive form. "There’s a smart lad," Velehk Sain rasped, his voice dripping with malevolent glee. "Take the map," it said, tossing a tattered scroll at Aethyr’s feet. "The loot’s hidden there. It’ll show itself when you get near. And remember… I owe you a debt."

With a final, mocking laugh, the demon’s form began to shimmer and fade, vanishing into the swirling shadows. The temperature in the room dropped noticeably as the unnatural presence left, leaving Aethyr standing alone amidst the wreckage. The chamber was quiet now, but the weight of his pact lingered in the air, heavy and foreboding.

Aethyr knelt and picked up the map, his thoughts racing. The demon was gone, but not forever. Velehk Sain was now bound to him, though what that meant, Aethyr couldn’t be certain. He had unleashed a dangerous ally, one he couldn’t trust, yet one that might prove useful in the future. But for now, he had to hide the truth. No one could know.

He took a deep breath and surveyed the ruined chamber. The once pristine and arcane space had been reduced to a battlefield. The walls were scorched, cracked, and riddled with deep gashes from the Dremora’s brutal attacks. Shattered stones and debris littered the floor, and parts of the ceiling had collapsed, letting in thin streams of light from above.

The ground trembled beneath his feet again, not from the demon’s power, but from the weight of footsteps descending into the Midden. He could hear voices—urgent, commanding—and the faint hum of magic as wards were cast to stabilize the damaged structure.

"Quickly, this way!" a voice called, echoing through the tunnels.

Aethyr knew what was coming. The College’s masters had sensed the disturbance—there would be questions, accusations, and consequences. He could feel the reverberations throughout the College as students and teachers alike scrambled to figure out what had happened. Panic was spreading; the ground had shaken violently during the battle, and now it was up to Aethyr to make sure no one discovered the full truth.

The door burst open, and several senior students and instructors, led by Master Tolfdir, rushed into the chamber. They came to a sudden halt, their eyes wide as they took in the devastation. The ground where the battle had taken place was scarred, blackened by dark magic, and the air still crackled with the remnants of energy from the fierce combat.

Tolfdir, usually calm and wise, looked both shocked and furious. His eyes locked onto Aethyr, standing amidst the ruin, bruised and bloodied, but very much alive.

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"Aethyr!" he barked, his voice echoing with authority. "What in Oblivion happened here?!"

Aethyr was silent for a moment, his gaze downcast. He felt the weight of his actions, the secret of his pact burning in his chest. He had trespassed into a forbidden area, battled a demon, and made a deal with it—a deal no one could know about. There was no justifying what he had done, but he owed them a version of the truth.

"I found something in the archives—an old record about missing students," Aethyr began, his voice steady but low. "I traced the clues here, to the Midden. I thought I could… stop whatever happened to them. But I was wrong."

"You released something, didn’t you?" one of the senior students muttered in disbelief, glancing nervously around the chamber as if expecting another entity to emerge.

Aethyr shook his head, controlling his expression. "No. I fought it. There was a relic, a dark artifact… it was cursed. I destroyed it, but not before it nearly destroyed me."

Tolfdir took a deep breath, his face hardening. "Do you realize what you’ve done? Not only have you violated the College’s strictest laws, but you’ve endangered yourself and this entire place."

Aethyr nodded, his face somber. "I know. But I couldn’t leave it. I thought I could fix it."

Before Tolfdir could respond, the door behind them slammed open again, and this time, the Principal of the College, Archmage Elandril, strode into the chamber, his robes flowing behind him like a storm. His face was grim as he surveyed the destruction, his eyes narrowing on Aethyr.

"This area was sealed for a reason," the Archmage said, his voice cold as ice. "What possessed you to come here?"

"I thought I could fix what went wrong years ago," Aethyr said, forcing confidence into his voice. He had to stick to his story—he couldn’t let them know about Velehk Sain.

"Fix it?" Elandril repeated, his voice rising in fury. "You’ve defied every rule this College stands for, and now look at the result! The ground shook—students and faculty are in a panic because of your actions."

The chamber grew silent as the Archmage’s words hung in the air. Even the other students and instructors stood back, eyes wide, awaiting the inevitable judgment.

"You will be punished," Elandril declared, his voice final. "For trespassing into forbidden areas and for endangering the College, you will be held accountable."

Tolfdir’s face softened slightly, but even he could not argue against the Archmage’s decision. "You’re a talented student, Aethyr, but you’ve made a grave mistake."

Without resistance, Aethyr allowed them to bind his wrists with enchanted shackles. His heart was heavy, not because of the punishment, but because of what he had set in motion. Velehk Sain was free, and though they had made a pact, Aethyr knew demons were never trustworthy. He had made a dangerous ally, and while it could bring him power, it also put him at immense risk.

As they led him out of the ruined chamber, the ground still trembled from the lingering magic, and the whispers of those who had witnessed the aftermath followed him. The College was scarred, and so was he.

But Aethyr’s thoughts were elsewhere. Velehk Sain’s map was hidden in his sleeve, and he knew that one day, he would need to find the treasure the demon had spoken of. And when that day came, the bargain would come full circle.

For now, no one knew about the Dremora’s freedom or the secret pact between them. And Aethyr would make sure it stayed that way. But the danger was far from over.