Annie paid no attention to what Faralda and that mage, Arniel, might be thinking behind her. She ran straight from the College of Winterhold's magical bridge to the magic well in the central courtyard, then to the entrance of the Hall of the Elements, where she found Tolfdir and Mirabelle looking completely at a loss.
"Mirabelle!"
"How's the evacuation going?"
"Almost done!"
"Urag wanted to move some more books just now, but I talked him out of it. He's evacuated with the other mages now!"
"What about the students?"
"I got them out right away. It's just us two left!"
"Good..."
"!!"
"Wait! Maybe it isn't just us two?"
Mirabelle, the senior wizard, had been talking face-to-face with Tolfdir when she suddenly froze. Then she shrugged helplessly at her colleague.
She'd spotted a familiar little girl in a pretty blue-and-white snow outfit, huffing and puffing as she ran in from outside the College castle—and charging straight toward them without a hint of fear?
"!!"
"Annie? Why are you still here?"
"Actually, I mean, this place is dangerous. Why aren't you staying outside with everyone else, in the town of Winterhold?!"
Seeing the girl run toward them, Mirabelle naturally stepped forward and held out a hand to stop her.
That Thalmor bastard, Ancano, had taken over the College's lecture hall and the entire main castle, including the Arch-Mage's quarters, the quarters for visiting scholars, the library, and the roof! With the powerful magical shield released by him and the Eye of Magnus under his control, they were completely unable to do anything to him. They couldn't even get into the Hall of the Elements, and even staying outside was becoming more and more dangerous.
There were the dangerous magical anomalies that appeared from time to time, of course, but even the