[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/221005/7d7c778891f3387ab231a2bbd26f2d1e.png[/img]

[b]Word Count:[/b] 1,133
[b]Level 9 Ganondorf:[/b] 23/90
[b]Exp Gained:[/b] +2
[b]NEW EXP Balance---[/b] 25/90

[h3]College of Winterhold - Library of Negated Words[/h3][/center]

Ganondorf grunted and grumbled as he pushed himself to his feet, his mood very much not improved by his sudden change in location. He didn’t know how or why he had been brought here, but whoever or whatever was responsible was about to learn the hard way that he was not one who could be contained. And it didn’t take the warlord long to notice that he was not alone in this library. In addition to the somber watchman, there were two headless abominations seemingly living in the upper reaches of the library.

Ganondorf rumbled a low sigh of exasperation. Somehow it always seemed to be him that ended up having to deal with such abominable creatures. In fact this stirred a memory or two of The Under that he would rather have forgotten about, [color=797979]”Tch, fine.”[/color] He finally said to himself in a curt tone, having no doubt that the headless monsters would provide no real challenge to him.

Reaching the headless chamberlains would require climbing a series of ladders scattered at the edges of the floor levels, and after ascending the first the warlord quickly started to see what it was he was dealing with. Once he started climbing, the lower of the two chamberlains conjured floating heads that began flying down toward Ganondorf, likely intending to crash into him and force him to fall. But they had no idea that Ganondorf was well-equipped to stop their imminent collision. Without even needing to release his grip on the ladder, his four back tentacles grew out and lashed at the heads to swat them aside and seemingly kill them with ease. They retracted into Ganondorf’s back once again when he reached the first upper floor.

Once on the first upper level, Ganondorf drew his swords - Litania and the Acidic Curved Greatsword and advanced toward the first headless chamberlain. It continued to try to send heads at the warlord, but between his blades and his back tentacles not a single one was able to deter him from reaching the abomination. The acidic bite of one sword and the blessed prayer of the other one made quick work of the headless chamberlain as Ganondorf managed to hack and slash it down with relative simplicity. It seemed as though the creature was better suited to obstructing an attacker they climbed toward it then fighting directly.

And then Ganondorfed sheathed his weapons and mounted the next ladder to climb higher. As before, the second headless chamberlain sent flying heads down to try and knock Ganondorf from the ladder. But once again his back-tentacles proved to be rather effective at swatting them away, both on the ladder and on the upper level itself once Ganondorf began his advance toward the chamberlain. The second headless chamberlain proved no more difficult to neutralize than its brother on the lower level, and Ganondorf stood victorious in the end.

As he descended back to the ground level, Ganondorf scooped up both their spirits and tucked them away. He could do something with them later. For now, the priority was figuring out where he was and how to get out. And there was a watchman down below who he assumed could tell him these things.

[color=797979]”You there.”[/color] Ganondorf said to the watchman after he was on the bottom level once again, [color=797979]”I need to know where I am, and how to leave.”[/color]

When confronted by Ganondorf, the watchman just seemed to stare past him, if there were indeed any eyes within his shrouded head to stare. After a brief moment, though, Diosdado replied in a low, raspy voice, as if whispering. "...The Library of Negated Words." Slowly, he turned the brim of his hat toward a set of double doors. "A way out...of the Library...but not of...Winterhold. How to leave...I know not...I merely keep...the keys."

He flinched, then bowed his head. "The sound...does not cease. It creeps on these...forgotten walls, and no one....can determine its origin...or its obscure destiny. For the love of the High Wills...silence it...for I have long yearned for it."

From the reply, Ganondorf assumed he must be inside the structure they saw on the outside. But the watchman's word about not knowing how to actually get out of the building was concerning. Ganondorf should have guessed it wouldn't be as simple as just going through the door. When were they ever that lucky? That meant Ganondorf would have to try another room and hope some other clue about getting out would present itself there.

But there was also the second thing the watchman spoke of. The sound that he described, which Ganondorf had not heard a single bit of thus far. Was he simply crazy and imagining things? Or was there more to this Library than meets the eye? [color=797979]”If I were going to silence that sound, how might I go about finding it?”[/color]

Diosdado continued to glare at the floor. "Look," he replied. "Listen. As you wander...not in this Library, but in another room, somewhere..." After a moment, his head slowly rose. "Silence that noisome sound, and I will part with whichever key you need."

[color=797979]”Then I’ll try to return when I’m finished.”[/color] Ganondorf said. He couldn’t make promises since it sounded like wandering these rooms was going to involve a bit of luck, but that wouldn’t stop him from keeping his ears open for whatever that sound the watchman wanted silenced. And a choice of any key from his collection could prove useful in navigating this place. With no other business to attend to in the library, Ganondorf approached double doors and pushed them open.

[center][b]The Pool[/b]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/ahLWtoo.jpeg[/img][/center]

This room wasn’t as big as the library. It was small, and square. Its only real feature was the pool of clean water in the center of it, bearing steps that led down into the water should one wish to swim or bathe, presumably. The only items of note were a bucket, a shovel, and a rope of connected objects that the warlord presumed were flotation devices intended for use in the pool. But then the other important thing he noticed was that the other set of doors in this room appeared to have been opened already. Beyond them he could see a glimpse of a [url=https://i.imgur.com/zTDGe3f.png]tall stone auditorium[/url] housing a large floating spherical crystal that he could clearly sense a great deal of magic emanating from.

[color=797979]”Hmph, now where to begin…”[/color] Ganondorf murmured. He glanced around the pool but he kept drawing his gaze toward the next room over. Something about the sphere was very… tempting to him. And he had half a mind to ignore the pool room and investigate that instead. Eventually his temptation and curiosity got the better of him, and the Gerudo crossed over through the open doors into the auditorium room.