King Edward , Book XII Summary . This book is part of a twelve - part series on King Edward , as follows : Content . The dragon had paused , so Edward interjected , " Mother and I have been discussing the nature of the gods recently , Akatosh , and she thinks that poetry would be a godly activity . What do you think about that notion ? " " I am not so certain that one can attribute anything to the gods , Edward . They are another example of an unbounded problem , of course , but also , their characteristics are just not very well known to us . " " But surely one can determine things about any being that is a god ? " Akatosh replied , " I do not think that we can , at present ; they are not like the Daedra , who have a nature that is with them at their birth . That is , the Daedra capabilities are inherent in them , and not are the result of any changes that have occurred to them . " Willow interrupted : " Akatosh , we can determine that the gods have a few basic characteristics , can ' t we ? " Edward added " Of course , Akatosh - they are powerful beings who can perform acts that are incomprehensible to us . That in itself must signify their difference . " Akatosh nodded and replied " I understand your point of view , but to a farming community on Tamriel in our southern lands , that could also describe how they would perceive me . Perhaps this is attributable to the fact that they seldom see a dragon nowadays , but it also does not mean that I am a god . . . neither does it mean that I am not a god . " Willow giggled , and said " Of course you ' re not a god , Akatosh " and Edward , smiling , nodded agreement . Akatosh replied " How do you know , Willow ? I can understand that you would guess that I am not a god , particularly since I am a dragon . " He grinned , and then continued " But how can you know that I am not a god ? " Edward scoffingly replied " Well , I know that I ' m not a god anyway . And I ' ve certainly never seen you perform any godly acts , Akatosh - you also don ' t seem to have any worshippers about either . " The Companions were smiling and generally agreeing with this , but Akatosh responded " But that does not mean that I have no worshippers , nor does it mean that I cannot perform any godly acts - it just means that you have not seen either of these . I am not yet certain that gods and goddesses require worshippers to maintain their existence . And as I said , I can perform magic that would look like ' godly acts ' to many Tamrielians . " " But the gods must have worshippers , Akatosh " said Aliera , " That ' s how they get their . . . sustenance , or whatever it is that allows them to continue . . . to be godly . Husband , you must know more about this subject . After all , you made a god of your brother S ' ephen . " " I did no such thing ! " Moraelyn responded , with a touch of indignation . " His godhood is between him and his worshippers , among whom I am numbered . I did establish a temple cult in his memory . Anyone with the worldly means could do as much for anyone , living or dead . That alone is not enough . Maybe it helps - - facilitate matters , but I think it ' s not really necessary . I know no more of it , but if you want my opinion - - " he paused politely for confirmation that it was indeed still solicited , as elven etiquette demanded if one were giving opinion at length . He continued . " There must be something , well , godly , in the person ' s soul or essence or whatever part it is that does not die with the body . I know not whether that capacity is innate in the person , from birth or conception , or quickening . . . whene ' er it is that soul and body are wedded for a life span , or whether great deeds and great generosity might breed it , enlarging the soul and transmuting it , so to speak . We all change and grow with each passing day , with every breath , some more than others . What else is life about ? " He went on without pausing for an answer to his rhetorical question , probably for fear that he might get one . " In other cases , gods seem to arise from a locality , a mountain , or a spring , or wood , or a collection of localities , such as Tamriel itself . Places , like persons have souls , some greater than others . This place might produce a god or a daedra - - or maybe it already has one or more . As it changes , so do its gods and daedra , I think . Maybe they can choose to resist the change or aid it , if propitiated . " He looked at Akatosh inquiringly . The dragon had stopped fighting the new gods , he said , but would he go so far as to worship them ? " That speaks to the question of whence gods arise , but source is not nature : of that I know as little as the rest of you , maybe less , since the question does not truly interest me . The gods are ; my worship of them benefits me and mine . It is sufficient . " Akatosh did not respond immediately and Aliera refused to be distracted , " But suppose such a cult were established and worshippers provided for one of small and mean spirit . Would that spirit not become a god ? " " I suppose it might be done , if one were determined enough and had a sufficiency of means to pay worshippers to perform rituals without - - spirit - - behind them . Maybe that ' s where small , mean gods come from , wife . Or maybe daedra ? Maybe I ' ll raise a cult to thee and see what happens . " " Are you calling my spirit small and mean ? " Ali glared at him . " Only by comparison - - you don ' t fancy yourself a goddess , do you ? You might make a daedra , though . The experiment might be a bit too chancy . Could I just mourn you for a century or two instead ? " " Mm . I ' ll think on it . What about you ? You ' ve deeds enough already to qualify for godhood , surely . . . although if you plan on many more such you may not outlive me . " " I ' m doomed to be R ' Aathim , living and dead . It ' s godhood of a sort , but what a sort ! Don ' t begrudge me my long life span . Think of me doomed to eternity in the gloomy Ebonheart council chamber listening to the eternal wrangles . . . small wonder the dead R ' Aathim pulled the place down on the live ones twenty years ago , thus causing my brother and my mother to join their number . The dead R ' Aathim must have welcomed the century and a half of respite while the Nord s held Ebonheart . " " But your brother S ' ephen was killed too , as well as your brother King Cruethys , and S ' ephen wasn ' t R ' Aathim , being your mother ' s son and not your father ' s , if I have the story straight - - that ' s why he got his own temple , " Edward said . " So why did they kill him , too ? The story sounds very daedric to me . " " You ' d have me justify the ways of the gods to you , would you ? I think they act for ends we cannot see , and slay the just and the unjust together - - not that I ' d label any of my Kin as either - - not altogether . We see only the means - - how can we judge ? Gods too face choices ; I do not think their power supreme . They can overrule nature on occasion , as can any Mage , yet they , like Mages , are in the end bound by it - - and their overrule must answer other rules still - - and in those rules , whate ' er they be , I think lies the answer to your questions . I think it ' s not something men and women may know while living . " Akatosh smiled and replied " It is not so easy to describe the gods , is it ? This is true even though , myself included , each of us thinks that we have a mental picture of what godliness means . On the other hand , the gods and goddesses certainly do exist - and I also believe that there is a connection of some sort between them and the Daedra , and another connection between these entities and the power associated with performing magic . " " The priests of Julianos have been calling this power ' Magicka ' " said a stranger who had joined the group . Akatosh replied " Greetings bard . Please allow me to introduce . . . Geoffrey , a . . . wandering poet who has been visiting our village for these last few days . " The Companions greeted the wood elf newcomer , some rising to their feet to do so according to their individual customs , and then all resumed sitting ( actually sprawling about ) and conversing . " A number of priests are theorizing that the gods and goddesses live on another plane , as do the Daedra - there is some debate amongst these priests as to whether they share the same plane of existence , or whether each has their own . And some of the Alessian priests are claiming that we can visit these alternate planes in our nightly dreams " added Beech . Edward asked " Why doesn ' t someone just ask a goddess or a Daedra about this ? " Geoffrey chuckled and replied " Most of us are not able to be so thoughtful when confronted by one of these beings , Edward . Also , there is a common belief that the gods and Daedra are as reluctant to discuss their own natures as dragons are to reveal anyone ' s True Name . " Edward looked quizzically at Akatosh , but Beech stated to Geoffrey " Well said , Bard " . . . and that pair shared the slightest of smiles . Beech then said , " Do you know what the Resolutions of Zenithar has been saying about the gods and magic ? This magic power , or Magicka , is just the power generated by the existence of , well , existance itself . When it becomes focused by living beings through natural processes , then it becomes accessible to the gods and goddesses as worship power , which is the next level of Magicka . After receiving some from their worshippers , the gods can then concentrate it up to god - level power - the true Magicka . The gods themselves can ' t generate the mid - level Magicka , since they are dependent on it for their own existence , but they can ' convert it ' to Magicka , which can then be used by mortals to cast spells . This Magicka is usually dispersed widely across the planes but there are areas of greater and lesser concentration due to interferences with the dispersion process . " " When a goddess loses worshippers , her inflow of mid - level Magicka is decreased , so she in turn produces less god - level Magicka . With less Magicka under her control ( for providing to worshippers , or dispersion ) , her influence is decreased in the mortal planes - of course the converse is also true . In the extreme , she receives nothing , and is relegated to a state of Stasis , barely existing from the ordinary Magicka generated by her few remaining Consecrated lands , zones of influence , and so on . " Beech continued , " On the other hand , Daedra receive very specific , or ' modified ' mid - level Magicka from a few mortals with specific areas of interest , and these Daedra are normally tied to very specific circumstances . Because of their nature , they gain much more power from their small worship base , but the gods , with their much broader base , generally have greater overall power , even though the amount of concentrated worship that they receive from any one source is much less than a Daedra ' s . Most of the Magicka that the gods ' process ' is dispersed into and throughout the universe , no longer under their control , thereby making it available for everyone . It ' s not really something they do consciously , but as a natural process that happens automatically - in other words . . . just because they are divine . " Aliera said , " I would think that Magicka is simply available to sentient beings , although the gods and Daedra could facilitate its usage . I would think that the gods and Daedra have other influences on us as well , because not everyone has spellcasting ability ! Maybe in those ' alternate planes ' it ' s actually existance , and not sentient entities , that radiates Magicka , just as the stars give off light in our dimension . I just assume that Magicka is ' out there ' in the ether , or maybe sentient consciousnesses automatically tap into an alternate plane as they sleep . I think that everyone has some supply of Magicka , but most don ' t know how to use it very well , or else they adopt a way of life that inhibits or forbids its use . Maybe certain gods and Daedra serve as facilitators for the entire process ; that is , both obtaining and using Magicka ? But how do priests heal and cure and bless ? Is Magicka involved at all or do they invoke their goddesses directly ? " Ssa ' ass said , " I am not ssssure that Magicka isss usssed ; perhapss there isss yet another capability involved here . Thisss capability would be unknown at thisss time , and maybe even unsssenssssed . . . but I feel fairly certain that sssomehow it is a godly ' force ' that they are employing . " Then Geoffrey responded : " Ssa ' ass , I believe that Magicka fills the universe of planes . All things are infused with Magicka to one extent or another . In this regard Magicka is attracted to some people and things over others , and some people with talent or training can control and even release Magicka in new forms . There may be other sources of Magicka available by tapping into alternate and otherworldly planes . There is also the possibility of alternate planes that are entirely void of Magicka . Regardless , certain beings of great power , such as the gods and Daedra , can not only control Magicka , but can see , absorb , and transfuse Magicka to and from objects and people . By employing this ability , worshippers of these beings are sometimes capable of greater acts of Magic than they could accomplish otherwise . Also in this way , some items sacred to powerful beings can be said to be holy , with additional amounts of directed Magicka provided by gods or goddesses . " " Magic items fall into two main categories by definition . Items that draw on the surrounding Magicka to create spell - like effects , and items that hold Magicka in reserve for their own internal effects . Normally magic items which absorb Magicka , giving increased abilities to their wielders , only affect themselves and are considered to use internal Magicka . In some areas where great amounts of Magicka have been used , the surroundings may be completely devoid of it . This of course negates the ability of beings to produce magic effects in these areas , although gods and Daedra carry their own supplies of Magicka , as do magic items that do not depend on the use of surrounding Magicka . " Aliera said , " We ' ve been investigating some rumors and stories concerning something that might be called anti - Magicka . I think the presence of a powerful Daedra with whom you weren ' t in ' tune ' could cause interference with spellcasting - maybe even cancel out existing spells . Perhaps particular Daedra simply favor thief or warrior types . Or some goddesses , and their priests , might frown on ' competing ' magic in certain areas , for example in locations dedicated to them . So then unauthorized spells could interfere with their rituals . " Willow asked , " Can Daedra supply Magicka ? And how about both a god and a Daedra being nearby ? - wouldn ' t they sort of nullify each other ' s powers ? This might be the cause of the anti - Magicka effect . " " I ' ve experienced an anti - Magicka zone myself " inserted Mith . " It felt a lot like the effect of casting a spell like Dispel Magicka . At the time , I thought that a truly powerful spellcaster could still effectively cast spells , but their resulting power would have been much reduced . I didn ' t get a chance to test this out though " added Mith with a smile . " We can also assume that certain powerful spells , creatures and even magic items might actually drain the surrounding area of Magicka , " replied Geoffrey . " This could be extended to places where great amounts of magic energy were once gathered and expended , for example in ancient temples where great spells were cast , or battlefields where powerful mages contested . Perhaps certain metals or stones could act as absorbers of Magicka , allowing for whole structures of anti - Magicka zones . If so , you might be able to wear a amulet made out of anti - Magicka material and gain a good advantage against spellcasters . Perhaps the purity of the material used would allow for better and better magic resistance " . Akatosh spoke : " Dragons have long been interested in the anti - Magicka effect , naturally enough . We have found some amulets that appear to act as Magicka absorbers . They might contain something like Negative Magicka , in which case they would attract any ' stray ' Magicka floating free in the local area . They are made of a stone , or mineral , resembling marble - it is very rare , but could be extracted , and shaped by skilled craftsmen . For example , I ' m sure that the dwarves could have worked with this material . They might have made these amulets - or even that statue that I once saw . . . it was taller than any of you humanoids . Regardless , in these mountains we have found deposits scattered throughout the halls and tunnels at random , sometimes deep within the walls . Consequently , one appears to go in and out of these anti - Magicka zones of varying intensities , with little or no warning . I have been imagining that this material works almost automatically ; it seems to ' reflexively ' absorb Magicka if given a chance to . However , we cannot rule out the possibility that they have been magically charged somehow - perhaps this happened long ago , but the charge has somehow remained . " Moraelyn asked , " Would the amulet affect its wearer , or would he be immune ? " " Maybe a blocking spell could be developed , and then cast , to shield the wearer from the effects of the substance . " Moraelyn then asked , " But Akatosh , getting back to our earlier discussions - what do you think of the speculations concerning the connections between the gods and goddesses , Daedra and Magicka ? " Akatosh replied , " I think that there are many truths that we do not know , and perhaps there are some truths that we are not meant to know . " Moraelyn asked with a smile , " All right then , I ' ve always wanted to know this - considering the shape of your mouth and teeth , how do dragons manage to speak the humanoid languages so clearly ? " Akatosh paused , and then carefully responded , " Why , in much the same way that we can fly , even though our wings are not naturally strong enough to support such heavy torsos . " " Speaking of dragon flight and sunsets . . . " Mith said , rising to his feet and squinting into the red - gold eastern sky , " We have a vistor , Dragon Lord . That ' s not a bird . " Akatosh ' s head came up and he too scanned the sky . Tension grew in him , and one by one the Companions rose , watching as the distant dot grew nearer and resolved itself into the largest dragon they ' d seen yet . " Ma - Tylda ! " Akatosh exclaimed , " She deigns to bestow her presence on us ! " His wings lifted and unfurled , and the Companions broke and ran for cover as he took flight . The two dragons wheeled through the sky , spouting great gouts of flame against the purpling sky . " They ' re fighting , " Edward cried , " what does it mean . Who is Ma - Tylda ? " " I don ' t know who she is , son , " Moraelyn replied , " but they do not fight . You behold a dragon greeting ceremony . " The pair alit beyond a rock outcropping out of sight . " Should we go greet the stranger , too ? " Edward asked . " Nay , " Mith said . " They ' ll let us know if our presence is wanted - - look , even the other dragons stay away . " It was true . Dragon heads had poked from the caverns to witness the event , but none of them had taken wing , and now they were retreating to their hoards within . The Companions ambled back into the meadow together and built a fire as a chill wind had sprung up . The elves sang an evening hymn to the stars , deftly weaving the dark elf version with the wood elf form . Aliera added her voice to theirs , but Mats and Edward and Silk and Ssa ' ass sat listening silently . They couldn ' t manage elven music of this kind . Geoffrey had a particularly clear sweet voice , Edward thought . Akatosh returned presently , smiling in satisfaction . " Ma - Tylda ' s going to join us here , at least for awhile , " he said . He was actually glowing in the dusk , each scale giving off a golden radiance . " Is she your queen ? " Edward asked , feeling very small and human . " She - - just is . Maybe she ' ll want to meet you all some day . I hope so . Until then , well , I don ' t talk about other dragons , you know . " To which Edward blinked in surprise and then surmise , and the discussion dissolved into jokes and songs for the remainder of that clear and beautiful evening .