Chapter 11 – Epilogue

Ah-Mazia’s funeral in Gnaar Mok was well attended by the residents of the small fishing village. It seemed that although many of the villagers knew of his dark past, they had also accepted it and grown to know the Argonian as a close friend.

As well as the villagers of Gnaar Mok, four other people attended the service. Jee-Na, his old friend from the Thieves’ Guild. Delphine Jend, the expert Destructionist, who had fought alongside him in a raid on Vivec Guild of Mages. And of course, Lando Armitage and Alaina Winterstar.

As the group stood around Ah-Mazia’s open grave, Lando stepped forwards.

“It has always been said that Argonians are often reclusive, but are fiercely loyal to those who they see as friends. When I first met Ah-Mazia and freed him from slavery, we became friends. And when I met him again a few weeks ago he had not forgotten this. Throughout the struggle against the terrorist threat he did not once leave my side. He may have a shadowy past, but this is surely the act of a good friend”

Lando looked down into Ah-Mazia’s grave and remembered his conversation with Miriane, the Morag Tong healer. He took a scroll from his pocket which had been delivered to him in his room at the inn in Torch the previous day.

Dear Mr Armitage,

I’m afraid I could not keep the promise I made for you. I have simply not had the time, as all healers in the land have been ordered to Torch to aid those injured in battle. However, I have discovered that what you are looking for resides in the Daedric shrine, Maelkashishi, west of Gnisis.

Kind regards and best of luck in your future endeavours,

Miriane

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The Forgotten Galleries of the Daedric ruin of Maelkashishi vaulted up into darkness. Enormous shadows projected by rocky outcrops were cast by Lando’s torch.

“This is it” Alaina said. “It should be up near the top somewhere” She produced an amulet from her robe and handed it to Lando.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“It’s a Slowfalling amulet, in case you lose your footing”

Lando placed the amulet around his neck and walked over to the wall. The cavern had been cut roughly from rock and many natural handholds and footholds could be found in its surface.

“You’ve got five minutes of light, then” Alaina called. She produced a glass bottle and smashed it on the floor of the cavern. There was a bright white flash and the cave was illuminated as bright as daylight.

Lando began skilfully free-climbing up the wall of the cavern, moving from side to side to avoid outcrops, checking each outcrop as he passed it for what he was looking for.

Down on the ground, Alaina scanned the cavern. One of the outcrops near the roof of the cavern was larger than the rest, and encircled by an ornate stone wall, around a foot in height, decorated in the same style as the Daedric architecture surrounding the cavern.

“Try that one” Alaina called up to Lando, pointing to the outcrop. Lando climbed until he was slightly above the outcrop, but on the opposite side of the cavern from it, and leapt backwards from the wall. The Slowfalling amulet took effect immediately and he glided gently onto the large outcrop. On the surface of the ledge were a worn wooden chest and a skeleton, and in the skeleton’s hands was what they had come here for.

“I’ve found it!” he called down to Alaina. He walked over to the skeleton and took the longbow from its hands. He held it up in front of him and admired it. It was crafted from ebony but imbued with the spirit of a lesser Daedra, and was ornately decorated with red jewels and Daedric runes.

The finest longbow in Vvardenfell.

The End

Lando's story continues in The Last Winter, found in the Oblivion section.