The ruins are substantially more well-preserved past that point. In particular, they no longer have to wonder about the corpses, because the spell separating this place from the rest of the dungeon has sufficient strong stasis properties that the skeletons are still littering the floor.

No draugr here, no draugr there, the skeletons aren't rising up in a revolt...

Yet.

It'll happen, he's sure of it.

After a bit of exploration Tolfdir catches up to them again. "That barrier was ingenious," is the first thing he says. "It's not only meant to prevent people from coming in, it's also just an expansion of an inner barrier that had been here all along and which also prevents decay. What makes no sense is how it's still there, something of that scale should've run out of power hundreds of—oh, what have we here...?"

Tolfdir is like a goldfish, Ruby decides as he watches the man forge on ahead, tempted by some sort of magical signature Ruby can barely sense. He gets distracted by a shiny thing and then he... gets distracted by the next shiny thing and immediately forgets about the previous shiny thing.

Anyway, regardless of how much of a goldfish he is, he's still an incredibly powerful wizard and out of a pure sense of self-preservation Ruby follows.

Tolfdir stops inside a room that's lined with three obsidian coffins and nothing else. When Ruby catches up with him he's peering at one of the coffins intently.

"Find something interesting?"

"Yes, I believe there's more than just a draugr inside this one. I'm not sure what, it seems like—"

And then he freezes.

"...Tolfdir?"

In fact, everything freezes. Tolfdir himself, Erandur, the Dremora. It seems like time itself has stopped.

And then there's a distortion in space, as if it's getting pinched and then... pierced? And suddenly a man wearing intricate red-gold robes appears from it as it snaps back into normality. "Hold, mage, and listen well."

Ah, there it is. The plot.

"Know that you have set in motion a chain of events that cannot be stopped," the man continues. "Judgement has not been passed, as you had no way of knowing. Judgement will be passed on your actions to come, and how you deal with the dangers ahead of you."

"Okay, no, hold on, mysterious time-stopping guy. How have I set a chain of events in motion, why does plot keep happening to me?"

The man fixes a piercing gaze on Ruby. "You are now Dragonborn, though you were not born it. Through your actions has Akatosh, dragon of time, blessed you with his power. As it has been, so it will continue to be; your task is to safeguard the realm from the perils you once prevented. You have but delayed the inevitable, and it is your responsibility to end it."

"...I now have additional questions."

    "The Psijic Order believes in you, and so it is that we pass you this warning. Steel yourself for what awaits you. You are not alone, Dragonborn, but it is on your shoulders that rests the burden of preventing disaster." And then the space distortion again and he vanishes.

"—what was that?" wonders Tolfdir. "There was a flash of powerful magic I've never seen before but now I can't sense anything!"

Ahahahahahahah what the fuck is going on.

"Would you happen to know anything about a—"

And that's when the draugr inside the three coffins kick the lids of the coffins open to attack them.

"Finally, a challenge!" cries the Dremora, immediately going after them.

Three mages and a summoned Daedroth are more than enough to make short work of the draugr, though.

    "Disappointing," says the Dremora.

"Oh, so you are willing to use destructive magics against draugar?" wonders Ruby.

"Yes. Like many others, Mara finds the necromantic arts which animate draugar an abomination, and it is a prayer unto her to deliver those souls to their final resting places."

"Reasonable." And back to Tolfdir: "Anyway, do you know anything about a 'Psijic Order'?"

"...yes, yes I do, why do you ask?"

"Some guy from it just stopped time and delivered a whole speech."

"—fascinating. The Psijic Order hasn't been seen in over a hundred years. They are an ancient order dedicated to the study and manipulation of reality and magic itself, the school of Mysticism. They do not typically interfere with worldly affairs except in situations of great historical importance. What did he say to you?"

"He said I 'set in motion a chain of events that cannot be stopped'. He also said I once prevented a great danger that I will need to deal with, that I am 'Dragonborn though I was not born it', and that Akatosh the dragon of time blessed me in reward for my actions."