I return the book to the Altmer at the mages guild and inform her of the phantom.  She knew his name by reputation, an Arch-mage of the first era whom she held in high revere and spoke of as if I should know his name.  I was never an ardent student of the histories, especially when it concerned mages.  It’s not that I don’t respect mages or the powers that they wield.  It is just that from experience I have found many to lack the self-control, and discipline to be counted on as reliable allies upon the battlefield. 

I have witnessed first-hand a mage use nought but sorcery and spell to single-handedly rip down the wall of a stone keep, only to be skewered moments later on the pitchfork of a farm hand because he was all spent.  Self-discipline is as important a trait to a mage as it is to a front-line foot-soldier, and upon it an army will either stand or fall.

In the end without self-discipline, even the most powerful of sorcerers will eventually be just an old man with a stick.

S.K