2920 , vol 11 - Sun ' s Dusk A part of the twelve volume set " 2920 " . Contents . " 2 Sun ' s Dusk , 2920 Tel Aruhn , Morrowind " A man to see you , Night Mother , " said the guard . " A Kothringi tribesman who presents his credentials as Lord Zuuk of Black Marsh , part of the Imperial Garrison of Gideon . " " What makes you think I ' d have even the slightest possible interest in seeing him ? " asked the Night Mother with venomous sweetness . " He brings a letter from the late Empress of the Cyrodilic Empire . " " We are having a busy day , " she smiled , clapping her hands together with delight . " Show him in . " Zuuk entered the chamber . His metallic skin , though exposed only at his face and hands , caught the light of the fireplace and the lightning of the stormy night from the window . The Night Mother noted also that she could see herself as he saw her : serene , beautiful , fear - inspiring . He handed her his letter from the Empress without a word . Sipping her wine , she read it . " The Duke of Morrowind also offered me an appreciable sum to have the Emperor murdered earlier this year , " she said , folding the letter . " His payment sunk , and never was delivered . It was a considerable annoyance , particularly as I had already gone to the trouble of putting one of my agents in the palace . Why should I assume that your more - than - generous payment , from a dead woman , will arrive ? " " I brought it with me , " said Zuuk simply . " It is in the carriage outside . " " Then bring it in and our business is complete , " smiled the Night Mother . " The Emperor will be dead by year ' s end . You may leave the gold with Apaladith . Unless you ' d care for some wine ? " Zuuk declined the offer and withdrew . The moment he left the room , Miramor slipped noiselessly back from behind the dark tapestry . The Night Mother offered him a glass of wine , and he accepted it . " I know that fellow , Zuuk , " said Miramor carefully . " I didn ' t know he worked for the old Empress though . " " Let ' s talk about you some more , if you don ' t mind , " she said , knowing he would , in fact , not mind . " Let me show you my worth , " said Miramor . " Let me be the one to do the Emperor in . I ' ve already killed his son , and you saw there how well I can hide myself away . Tell me you saw one ripple in the tapestry . " The Night Mother smiled . Things were falling into place rather nicely . " If you know how to use a dagger , you will find him at Bodrum , " she said , and described to him what he must do . 3 Sun ' s Dusk , 2920 Mournhold , Morrowind The Duke stared out the window . It was early morning , and for the fourth straight day , a red mist hung over the city , flashing lightning . A freakish wind blew through the streets , ripping his flags from the castle battlements , forcing all his people to close their shutters tightly . Something terrible was coming to his land . He was not a greatly learned man , but he knew the signs . So too did his subjects . " When will my messengers reach the Three ? " he growled , turning to his castellan . " Vivec is far to the north , negotiating the treaty with the Emperor , " the man said , his face and voice trembling with fear . " Almalexia and Sotha Sil are in Necrom . Perhaps they can be reached in a few days time . " The Duke nodded . He knew his messengers were fast , but so too was the hand of Oblivion . 6 Sun ' s Dusk , 2920Bodrum , Morrowind Torchlight caught in the misting snow gave the place an otherworldly quality . The soldiers from both camps found themselves huddled together around the largest of the bonfires : winter bringing enemies of four score years of warring close together . While only a few of the Dunmer guard could speak Cyrodilic , they found common ground battling for warmth . When a pretty Redguard maiden passed into their midst to warm herself before moving back to the treaty tent , many a man from both armies raised their eyes in approval . The Emperor Reman III was eager to leave negotiations before they had ever begun . A month earlier , he thought it would be a sign of good will to meet at the site of his defeat to Vivec ' s army , but the place brought back more bad memories than he thought it would . Despite the protestations of Potentate Versidue - Shaie that the rocks of the river were naturally red , he could swear he saw splatters of his soldier ' s blood . " We have all the particulars of the treaty , " he said , taking a glass of hot yuelle from his mistress Corda . " But here and now is not the place for signing . We should do it at the Imperial Palace , with all the pomp and splendor this historic occasion demands . You must bring Almalexia with you also ; and that wizard fellow . " " Sotha Sil , " whispered the Potentate . " When ? " asked Vivec with infinite patience . " In exactly a month ' s time , " said the Emperor , smiling munificently and clambering awkwardly to his feet . " We will hold a grand ball to commemorate . Now I must take a walk . My legs are all cramped up with the weather . Corda , my dear , will you walk with me ? " " Of course , your Imperial Majesty , " she said , helping him toward the tent ' s entrance . " Would you like me to come with you as well , your Imperial Majesty ? " asked Versidue - Shaie . " Or I ? " asked King Dro ' Zel of Senchal , a newly appointed advisor to the court . " That won ' t be necessary , I won ' t be gone a minute , " said Reman . Miramor crouched in the same rushes he had hidden in nearly eight months before . Now the ground was hard and snow - covered , and the rushes slick with ice . Every slight movement he made issued forth a crunch . If it were not for the raucous songs of the combined Morrowind and Imperial army gathered about the bonfire , he would not have dared creep this close to the Emperor and his concubine . They were standing at the curve in the frozen creek below the bluff , surrounded by trees sparkling with ice . Carefully , Miramor removed the dagger from its sheath . He had slightly exaggerated his abilities with a short blade to the Night Mother . True , he had used one to cut the throat of Prince Juilek , but the lad was not in any position to fight back at the time . Still , how difficult could it be to stab an old man with one eye ? What sort of blade skill would such an easy assassination require ? His ideal moment presented itself before his eyes . The woman saw something deeper in the woods , an icicle of an unusual shape she said , and darted off to get it . The Emperor remained behind , laughing . He turned to the face of the bluff to see his soldiers singing their song ' s refrain , his back to his assassin . Miramor knew the moment had come . Mindful of the sound of his footfall on the icy ground , he stepped forward and struck . Very nearly . Almost simultaneously , he was aware of a strong arm holding back his striking arm and another one punching a dagger into his throat . He could not scream . The Emperor , still looking up at the soldiers , never saw Miramor pulled back into the brush and a hand much more skilled than his slicing into his back , paralyzing him . His blood pooling out and already crystallizing on the frozen ground , Miramor watched , dying , as the Emperor and his courtesan returned to join the camp up on the bluff . 12 Sun ' s Dusk , 2920 Mournhold , Morrowind A gout of ever - erupting flame was all that remained of the central courtyard of Castle Mournhold , blasting skyward into the boiling clouds . A thick , tarry smoke rolled through the streets , igniting everything that was wood or paper on fire . Winged bat - like creatures harried the citizens from their hiding places out into the open , where they were met by the real army . The only thing that kept all of Mournhold from burning to the ground was the wet , sputtering blood of its people . Mehrunes Dagon smiled as he surveyed the castle crumbling . " To think I nearly didn ' t come , " he said aloud , his voice booming over the chaos . " Imagine missing all this fun . " His attention was arrested by a needle - thin shaft of light piercing through his black and red shadowed sky . He followed it to its source , two figures , a man and a woman standing on the hill above town . The man in the white robe he recognized immediately as Sotha Sil , the sorcerer who had talked all the Princes of Oblivion into that meaningless truce . " If you ' ve come for the Duke of Mournhold , he isn ' t here , " laughed Mehrunes Dagon . " But you might find pieces of him the next time it rains . " " Daedra , we cannot kill you , " said Almalexia , her face hard and resolute . " But that you will soon regret . " With that , two living gods and a prince of Oblivion engaged in battle on the ruins of Mournhold . 17 Sun ' s Dusk , 2920 Tel Aruhn , Morrowind " Night Mother , " said the guard . " Correspondence from your agent in the Imperial Palace . " The Night Mother read the note carefully . The test had been a success : Miramor had been successfully detected and slain . The Emperor was in very unsafe hands . The Night Mother responded immediately . 18 Sun ' s Dusk , 2920 Balmora , Morrowind Sotha Sil , face solemn and unreadable , greeted Vivec at the grand plaza in front of his palace . Vivec had ridden day and night after hearing about the battle in his tent in Bodrum , crossing mile after mile , cutting through the dangerous ground at Dagoth - Ur at blinding speed . To the south , during all the course of the journey , he could see the whirling red clouds and knew that the battle was continuing , day after day . In Gnisis , he met a messenger from Sotha Sil , asking him to meet at Balmora . " Where is Almalexia ? " " Inside , " said Sotha Sil wearily . There was a long , ugly gash running across his jaw . " She ' s gravely injured , but Mehrunes Dagon will not return from Oblivion for many a moon . " Almalexia lay on a bed of silk , tended to by Vivec ' s own healers . Her face , even her lips , was gray as stone , and blood stained through the gauze of her bandages . Vivec took her cold hand . Almalexia ' s mouth moved wordlessly . She was dreaming . She was battling Mehrunes Dagon again amid a firestorm . All around her , the blackened husk of a castle crumbled , splashing sparks into the night sky . The Daedra ' s claws dug into her belly , spreading poison through her veins while Almalexia throttled him . As she sank to the ground beside her defeated foe , she saw that the castle consumed by fire was not Castle Mournhold . It was the Imperial Palace . 24 Sun ' s Dusk , 2920The Imperial City , Cyrodiil A winter gale blew over the city , splashing the windows and glass domes of the Imperial Palace . Quivering light rays illuminated the figures within in surreal patterns . The Emperor barked orders to his staff in preparations for the banquet and ball . This was what he enjoyed best , more than battle . King Dro ' Zel was supervising the entertainment , having strong opinions on the matter . The Emperor himself was arranging the details of the dinner . Roast nebfish , vegetable marrow , cream soups , buttered helerac , codscrumb , tongue in aspic . Potentate Versidue - Shaie had made a few suggestions of his own , but the tastes of the Akaviri were very peculiar . The Lady Corda accompanied the Emperor to his chambers as night fell . The Year is Concluded in Evening Star .