Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

152 2. THE ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER 2: DAGGERFALL
"I'll go; I will go. But High Rock and Morrowind are so far from here. And how can I leave
my children? Surely, I am entitled to children? And my woman..."
"You could have arranged matters as I did," said the green clad ranger. "Now it's too late for
that. Matters have gone too far. We trusted you. It was a simple assignment. Yet we should
have watched him." This last sentence was addressed to the black knight.
"I did watch him," the knight snapped, waving his sword, which Josea now saw was actually a
part of his arm. "Yet alone I could do nothing! I'd few devotees in either High Rock or
Morrowind. Once I realized I knew I had to find the rest of you; alone I could do little. What I
could, I did. They're halted for now, yet the damage must be repaired, and he who caused it
must do the fixing, Tinker! It won't be easy. You'll have to avoid the Skyrim folk altogether
for a couple of hundred years, I think."
"No! My Lord Ebonarm, no!" The cry was wrenched from Lucky's heart. "I cannot. I implore
you. Do not ask it of me...leave me something of my own! Why must I always give it all to
others? I'm tired of it! You promised me a life, and what you gave me, that endless
wandering, was not a life!" The black knight Ebonarm scowled back at Lucky.
"We are a gentle folk," the wood elf bard said in his musical voice, "yet Zenithar can no
longer be restrained. And if he wars against you, the other elven gods stand with him! If the
gods war, Tamriel itself may be destroyed. You may find daedra to stand with you; they love
chaos. But I think you will find that not even Springseed, Ebonarm and Mara will fight for
you if you defy them further."
"Jephre speaks truth, as ever. Let us not speak of war among ourselves, my friend. We wished
your folk no ill. We deeply regret what has happened and will labor to repair our fault. I regret
our long absence, yet it was necessary. Raen and I were needed...elsewhere." Mara said. "And
not even a god, or a goddess, can be everywhere at once."
"As for you, Sai," she said, turning to Lucky, "One night a year with your woman and your
children I will grant you. But not in the flesh. The temptations are too strong for you, I see. It
was a mistake to let you hold the flesh so long. I apologize to the rest of you. Now, go and
make your farewells. You are dismissed."
The knight and ranger vanished, but the elves remained. The golden skinned one spoke to
Mara, "Watch these new folk of yours more carefully, Lady Mara. We are a patient people,
and kindly disposed to other sentient races, yet there are limits to our patience. Take
warning." Then the elves too were gone.
Lucky fell to his knees, clutching at Mara's robe, his face a mask of anguish, "Lady, wait! I
implore you. Am I never to feel again? Never? It is more than I can bear. The rest of you can
assume mortal form on occasion. Better I should have died naturally, and gone to rest," he
added bitterly.
Mara considered, frowning. "Others have paid dearly for the life you have stolen. Their spirits
are not at rest; they too will exact payment. And yet...very well. If you will labor to repair the
damage you have done, then you may on occasion assume bodily form, but not as human.
Wolf shape shall be yours, in return for the kindness you showed Grellan."