Destiny Fulfilled

by slef

Sequel to Snippets of Destiny and Destiny Revealed. We meet young Zigo Sunnysto on his quest to find out who and what he is. And we visit Shadow and Lume on the way.

Destiny Fulfilled

By Leoni Venter

A sequel to "Snippets of Destiny" and "Destiny Revealed"

Based on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, by Bethesda Softworks

Chapter 1

i

If Zigo had known what he was, he might have known what to do with his life. But that was the whole problem: no-one had a clue. He was found abandoned on the steps of the Bruma Chapel, snugly wrapped and packed up in an old shoe box. His absconding parents had left him a name, written on a tag around his neck, and an inheritance in the form of a golden amulet of obvious antiquity.

Zigo Sunnysto thus became a ward of the Order of Talos, who did their best to see to his needs and to educate the boy. As he grew, he realised that he was different from other people. There was no way to hide his short stature, and no point in hiding his wings.

They were the finest of gossamer, translucent and shining in all the colours of the rainbow. Spread wide, they were twice as wide as his outspread arms, with a fine net of capillaries visible if one looked closely. He could fold them neatly to lie flat on his back, and, wearing specially modified shirts, he had no problem with flight.

Flight! Zigo loved to fly. When he was still small (not that he ever got very big), he used to flit about the rafters of the chapel, playing in the sunlight pouring through the enormous stained glass windows. The monks finally put him to work washing the windows and dusting the hard-to-reach places. Zigo did not mind the work. He was grateful for a chance to pay his way.

One day a lady visited the chapel. She was carrying a small bundle in her arms, and at her side walked a tall man, proudly but supportive. Zigo watched from a rafter as they presented their child at the altar, gripped with an intense, and surprising, longing to be part of that ceremony – to have someone caring for him the same way they cared for each other.

Old Brother Althius, the attending priest, brought out the register for the couple to sign. "You need two witnesses," he said apologetically. "I can stand as one, but…"

The couple looked around in consternation. Then the man laughed. "I'll find someone outside," he said and turned to go.

Zigo did not even think about it. He simply fell off the rafter and glided. "I can help," he offered as he came to a soft landing in front of the man, who gaped at him in astonishment.

"Ah, young Zigo," Brother Althius exclaimed. "Yes, you're old enough now to do quite well."

"Really?" the man asked, as his lady came to stand by his side.

"Yes, sir," Zigo said staunchly. "I've been a ward of the Order for sixteen years."

The man's eyebrows rose, but he merely gave a small bow. "My thanks, then."

They all turned back the huge old book and Zigo duly witnessed the fact that Hope, daughter of Ebel and Lume Septim, had been presented at the chapel of Talos.

He gazed in awe at the tiny features of the baby, who was sleeping through the whole procedure, safe in her mother's arms. "She's beautiful," he whispered, and Lume graced him with a lovely smile for that.

Then the Septims gravely shook his hand and thanked him and the priest, and left the chapel. As the door opened, the sounds of morning rush hour poured in, only to be cut off and banned from the peaceful chapel as the door swung shut again.

Zigo sighed, glad to have been part of the ceremony after all, and sad because he had not really been a part; rather an outsider needed for a moment, and then cast back into his lonely life.

That night, as he replayed the events of the day in his mind, he suddenly realised what had been nagging at his subconscious for hours. The name, Septim… Had Talos not been the Emperor Tiber Septim? Zigo had been told the history of the chapel often enough. But it must just be a coincidence; there were no Emperors any more. Perhaps these people had changed their name to Septim for some reason. Zigo shrugged, pulled the covers higher over his shoulders as a chill breeze sneaked in under his door, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

ii

"What an extraordinary child that was," Lume said that night. "I've never seen anything like him, have you?"

Her husband Ebel, also known as Shadow, shook his head. "No, I can't begin to think what he is. Those wings!"

"A mutation?" she wondered.

"I've never heard of such a perfect mutation," Shadow said after a moment. "Nothing so amazing. It's strange that I've never heard of him, living in the chapel for so long."

It was indeed strange, because Shadow, as head of the TBI's Intelligence Section, eventually got reports on his desk of everything strange and noteworthy in the country.

Lume nodded. "But you know, I'm kind of glad the scientists haven't discovered him. Can you imagine the life he would have if they were testing him and experimenting to find out how he came to be that way?"

"You're right, my dear," Shadow said, hugging her close. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone, least of all such an amazing young man."

The next morning Shadow discreetly tried to find out about young Zigo, but apart from the fact that he was a foundling, he could turn up nothing. Since it seemed that Zigo was safe and happy at the chapel, Shadow decided to not to interfere with the young one's life there.

iii

On the seventeenth anniversary of the day he had been found, Brother Althius presented Zigo with a golden amulet. "You had this with you when we found you," he explained as Zigo examined the intricate patterns on the amulet. "I know you've not said much about it, my boy, but you must be curious about your origins."

Zigo nodded, tearing his gaze away from the fascinating amulet. "I am, of course, Brother Althius. Do you know anything else about me?"

The old priest shook his head sadly. "I do not, but I believe that you will find what you need to know, eventually."

"Find? You mean I will have to go look, out there?" He cast a wary look towards the door of the chapel. It was a startling thing to consider – he had almost never been outside. His size and his strangeness were both deterrents to venturing into the chaotic world outside the chapel.

"It's true, you will have to leave here if you want to find your destiny," Brother Althius said sympathetically. "But remember, you can always come back." He looked down kindly at Zigo's upturned face. The boy's head barely came up to his shoulder. "The world outside is a dangerous and unpredictable place, but I think you will be fine."

Zigo slipped the amulet's chain over his head, and it swung down to hang on his chest as if it had always been there. Suddenly he believed Brother Althius. He would go out into the world, he would find his destiny, and he would be fine.

iv

The crowd hushed as the lights dimmed. Music swelled as a group of acrobats trotted onto the circular stage. Then spotlights turned on and the group started their act. Working in fantastic synchronisation, they dived through turning hoops, landing and rolling back to their feet only to jump and tumble in even more acrobatic feats.

As a finale, they built a pyramid, standing on each other's shoulders. Using a small seesaw, two of the group launched the others into the air, where they would flip over before landing on top of the growing living pyramid. When all but the two launchers where standing on the swaying structure, there was still a vacant spot right at the top. The launchers looked around, and unexpectedly motioned to a young man sitting in the front row to join them on the stage. He refused, and they went on asking until the crowd started shouting encouragements. He finally agreed, and, seemingly reluctantly, ascended the stage.

With lots of miming and exaggerated sign language, the launchers explained to the young man that he should step on one end of the seesaw, make a complicated flip and tumble, and then land on top of the pyramid. Looking very sceptical, he climbed on the seesaw. The music swelled ominously as the two tumblers climbed on the scaffold. The crowd held its collective breath as the tumblers jumped from the scaffold onto to the seesaw's other end. The youth shot into the air, high, too high! The crowd gasped in horror as he shot over the pyramid, and then gasped again in complete astonishment as glittery wings unfolded and he flew. He made a wide turn over their heads before coming back and neatly landing on top of the pyramid. Then, mischievously, he stuck his tongue out at the two acrobats down below.

To thunderous applause the pyramid disbanded, tumblers jumping down, rolling and landing and coming back to their feet. Above them the extraordinary youth still hovered, until they all stood in a circle along the edge of the stage. Then he gently glided down and landed in the centre of the circle.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the ringmaster boomed out. "The Cyrodiil Tumblers… and Zigo Sunnysto!"

Zigo made his bows with the rest of the group, then folded his wings and dropped down a hatch that opened in the stage floor. He pushed past stagehands and props and made his way to the dressing room, where half the performing crew were gathered around a monitor, watching the action.

"Great job, kid," Paulo the contortionist said, giving Zigo a slap on the shoulder that had him reeling. As the others echoed Paulo's praise, Zigo made another bow, and smiling modestly, grabbed his bag and left. He exited with the crowd, catching a bus downtown to his apartment.

On the way he reflected that he had been with the circus long enough – five years – that they should not call him "kid" anymore. Especially not Paulo, who was two years younger than Zigo. But his size just made everyone treat him like a teen. Take the apartment, for example. He paid the rent, but had to share with someone of "adult" stature simply to be left in peace. So he provided lodging for visiting members of the Order, who were at least peaceful company when they were there. Zigo's latest guest, Brother Lex, worked at a local homeless shelter and only came in for a shower and a nap once a day. Zigo saw very little of him.

Five years out in the world had, as Brother Althius had predicted, not been too bad after all. For sure, Zigo had had some bad moments in the beginning, but he always seemed to get through them unscathed. People noticed his size, and most assumed he was a teenager. And although they saw his wings, and even saw him fly, no-one ever said anything about it. His circus act was a prime example. During each show the crowd went wild when he flew, but no review in any newspaper every mentioned it.

Something acted to keep him anonymous, and Zigo had decided that it must have something to do with the amulet that he always wore. Without it, he felt vulnerable, while he had no such qualms when it rested on his skin. Somehow, it gave him confidence, while also protecting him from the notice of people. Zigo accepted such help as the legacy of his unknown parents and was grateful for it, as life would have been a lot more complicated without it.

But, even though he had a well-paying job at the circus, and even though he could get around well enough in Cyrodiil City, he still had no idea what his destiny could be, and what he was supposed to do with his life. And let's face it: he was the loneliest creature on the planet, the only one of his kind. Zigo trudged into his lonely apartment, dumped his bag, slumped down on the couch and moped.

Chapter 2

i

When Hope was very small, her Daddy would tell her stories of her uncle Martin who could turn into a dragon, and of her two missing uncles that her Daddy was looking for. She never could understand why her Daddy was looking for her uncles in shiny rocks, but most evenings he would bring home a handful of rocks and study them for hours on end. That was just the way it was.

Then when she was bigger, she found out that her uncles had somehow been trapped inside some of those rocks – soul gems, her Daddy called them. And that had happened very long ago so no-one knew which gems her uncles were in. When she played in the garden at Cloud Ruler she always checked every pebble, but she never found even one soul gem.

It made her sad, to think her Daddy had been looking for so long and he could not find them, so she decided to be very good and learn all her lessons well so that she could one day help him, like the other people that worked for him. She learned about history and geography and how to use her computer. She loved maps, and would look at the place names and wonder what it would be like to live there. She learned about the many races that made up the population of Tamriel, and about their legends and their beliefs. She loved to learn everything she could.

ii

On her eighth birthday, Shadow and Lume took Hope to see the circus. They all enjoyed the clowns and the contortionist and the man on the bicycle. The girl with the skipping rope made Hope decide that she wanted to learn skipping as soon as she got home. Then the tumblers began their act and they all watched amazed as they jumped and rolled. But the flying boy was the most wonderful thing Hope had ever seen.

"There's Zigo!" Shadow said, astounded once more even though he expected it.

"Yes," Lume said. "I wonder if he would remember us."

"Do you know him, Daddy?" Hope asked, jumping up and down. Zigo had landed and was bowing to the applause. "Can we go see him, Daddy, please?"

Shadow laughed and Lume shrugged. "We can try, I suppose."

As the crowd filed out, they made their way to the stage entrance where Shadow knocked. "Could we please speak to Zigo?" he asked when the door was opened at a crack. "He might remember us from Bruma Chapel."

The still-made-up face stretched in comic disbelief. "Bruma Chapel? You've got to be kidding! I'll ask, I'll ask," he relented and closed the door again. A few minutes later the door opened. "Alright, come on in. Mind the balloons!"

They had to pick their way carefully as the passage was strewn with hundreds of balloons and streamers. "It's for tomorrow's show," their grease-painted guide explained. "This way, and there you are." He indicated a door, nodded at their thanks and disappeared into the room opposite, which was filled with costumes, props and equipment. Hope let out a sigh of wonder at this chance to see behind-the-scenes at the circus. Then Shadow knocked politely and opened the door.

Hope bounded inside and came up short when she realized the 'flying boy' was not a boy at all. "I'm sorry," she said and stepped back to stand behind her mother.

Zigo smiled at her. "Is this young Hope?" he asked. "How time flies!"

"You remembered us?" Lume asked.

"Of course," Zigo said. "I actually recognised you in the audience tonight, so I'm glad you came to say hello."

Shadow was shaking his head. "One meeting and eight years later you recognise us in a crowd. I could wish my agents were so observant."

"You must have made a good impression on me," Zigo laughed. "Now let me look at the little lady… She's still as beautiful as when I saw her last." He winked at Lume. "She must get that from her mother."

Shadow laughed. "I agree."

"Can you really fly?" Hope asked shyly.

"Why, do you think it's just a circus trick?" he asked in return.

"No, I saw your beautiful wings…" She stepped around him. "Those wings!"

Zigo spread them, a bit nonplussed. No-one ever talked about his wings. And here the little girl and her parents stood examining them, commenting on the colours and the fine veins and the span… something was different about these people. He stood for a while and then folded his wings back, uncomfortable with all the attention.

Shadow stepped back immediately. "We've kept you long enough. Thanks for seeing us; it's made Hope's day."

"But," he protested, not wanting them to leave.

Lume laid a hand on his arm. "Won't you come visit us, Zigo? If you want to…"

"I'd love to," Zigo answered before he even thought about it.

"We're at Cloud Ruler, just north-west of Bruma," Shadow said. "Just ask for Shadow or Lume at the gate, any time."

"I will," Zigo said. "Wasn't your name Ebel, though?"

"Good memory, too," Shadow muttered. "It's a long story."

"Daddy tells good stories," Hope told Zigo earnestly. "About dragons and stars and caves and gems…"

"Then I will certainly come hear them," Zigo assured her. "I like good stories."

With that they said goodbye and left, Hope daintily skipping over balloons on her way out. Zigo watched and waved when they turned to look back from the door. Then he took his bag and left for home, a bounce in his step and a strange excitement in his heart. He could not think why, but he felt happy.

iii

Zigo struggled for almost two weeks against the urge to go and visit the Septims. It made no sense to go, he told himself. He would just be a curiosity and the whole thing would be awkward. It was not as if they had anything in common with him except those few shared moments. Common sense dictated that he keep to himself and not complicate life with forced friendships.

Then a letter arrived for him at the circus, a letter from Hope, which read: "Dear Zigo, when are you coming? I want to show you my castle!" Zigo gave in at that point and common sense got demoted to the back of his mind. Even so, he could not go immediately or even the next day. The circus had several shows a day and he could not get off very easily. He had to point out to the manager that he had never missed a show in all the years he had been with them, and that there were surely applicable labour laws, before he was grudgingly allowed a few days off.

A taxi dropped him in a cul-de-sac at the foot of a long uphill-winding road, closed off by a security gate. A guard came to ask his business when he approached.

"I was told to ask for Shadow or Lume," Zigo said. "I'm Zigo Sunnysto."

The guard consulted a notebook, and then called for confirmation in his two-way radio. He opened the gate. "It's a long walk up," he said. "We don't normally get guests on foot."

"Don't worry," Zigo smiled. "I don't mind." He walked through as was proper. "Thanks." The guard closed the gate and Zigo walked until the guard had gone back into the guardhouse. Then, grinning, he flew the rest of the way.

The road ended at another gate, standing open. A long flight of steps led even higher until Zigo emerged in a garden filled with trees and flowers. Walkways extended around the garden to form battlements overlooking the city. Through the trees, Zigo could see the front porch and roof of a large house, built in the ancient Akaviri style. He walked up to the door and knocked, already feeling awkward.

A very old man, bent with age almost to Zigo's level, opened the door and let him in. "Master Zigo," he greeted. "I am Garvian, the butler." He showed Zigo into a huge central room. "Please wait here for a moment." With that he disappeared through a doorway leaving Zigo to look around.

The room was cleverly divided with furniture and screens into three distinct areas. Nearest to the entrance was a comfortable reading area with bookshelves and seating. On the opposite side there were more chairs, arranged around a large television screen mounted on the wall. Further back was a huge old fireplace and in front of that was a large dining table as well as more places to sit. It looked as if a small army could comfortably fit in the place.

Zigo idly looked at the books, the television and all the chairs. Nothing happened and he felt more and more as if he had made a mistake in coming. "Why am I here?" he muttered to himself.

"Because you need to be," a voice answered.

He turned around to see Shadow approaching. "I beg your pardon?"

"Don't you feel it?" Shadow asked. "There's something about you…"

"Sure," Zigo laughed sarcastically.

"I'm not referring to your wings or anything obvious," Shadow said. "But we need you to be here, we all felt it."

Zigo frowned. "I don't know about me, but you people sure are different."

Shadow smiled. "That we are. Come along upstairs, Lume is in the living room."

"This isn't the living room?" Zigo asked, indicating the huge room.

"No, this is… well originally it was the mess hall, I suppose. It's too big to be cosy so we use it for receptions and things, but we have our own private apartment too," Shadow explained, leading Zigo through a door and up some stairs. "The place used to be much smaller, of course. They added to the original structure through the centuries. The other wing contains the offices and staff quarters; this side is all ours."

"It's very nice," Zigo said, not knowing what else to say. And it really was nice, neatly decorated with minimalist art and Akaviri-style screens and wall hangings. The living room looked friendly and inviting. So did Lume, who rose when they entered and then startled Zigo by hugging him like an old friend.

"You've finally come," she said. "I'm so glad."

"Um, thanks," Zigo said as she released him. "Where's Hope?"

"Still in school," Lume said. "She'll be back in a little while. Do you want anything to drink? I'm going to make some tea for Shadow and myself."

"Just some water, please," Zigo said. Shadow sat down and motioned to Zigo to do the same as Lume left for the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Shadow," Zigo started. "But I am feeling very confused. Why are you treating me like this? We don't know each other."

"Well, apart from simple hospitality to a guest," Shadow said. "Lume and I have tried to keep an eye on how you're doing ever since we met you that day. I'm sorry that we didn't get back in touch sooner, but we didn't realize how lonely you were."

Zigo went from feeling awed that someone cared, to being angry that they dared to analyse him. "What do you care if I'm lonely?" he snapped. "I get along fine on my own."

Shadow sighed. "I know you do. But tell me honestly; is there anyone you know that you can unconditionally call your friend, being the way you are? No, don't get angry at me," he forestalled Zigo's outburst. "I don't know how you do it, Zigo, but there are no records of you anywhere. People see you, but they don't notice you. I'm surprised that you could even get the circus job, but perhaps they think it's just a trick. The fact is that we may be the only people in the country who know you for what you are."

"How do you know all this?" Zigo asked with a sigh of his own.

"It's my job to know things," Shadow replied. "And there's nothing to know about you, according to everyone I've asked. But personally I know differently, so there's a discrepancy between the world view and my own. And I think for you, stuck in the world view, it must be very lonely."

"And why is it that you know differently?"

"It's the Dragon blood," Lume said from the door, carrying in a tray and putting it on the table. "The Septims can see what other people can't."

Zigo gaped at her for a moment before turning to look carefully at Shadow. "Dragon blood? Who are you?"

"It's a very long story," Shadow said. "But yes, I really am descended from the Emperor's bloodline."

"And Lume?" Zigo asked. "Surely she's not of Dragon blood either?"

"That is Lume's special gift," Shadow said. "She illuminates the truth." Husband and wife looked at each other so tenderly that Zigo looked away, embarrassed.

"Sorry Zigo," Lume apologised. "We just remembered part of Shadow's long story. Here's your water."

"Thanks," he said. "So you're saying that you can ignore my amulet?"

"What amulet?" Shadow asked, sitting up.

"This one," Zigo said, pulling it out from under his shirt. "Apparently I had it with me when they found me on the chapel steps. The priests gave it to me when I turned seventeen. I think it's what makes people not notice me."

"Can I look at it?" Shadow held out his hand.

"Sure." Zigo slipped it over his head and handed it over, feeling more vulnerable immediately. "That's another thing. I think it boosts my confidence or something. I feel naked without it."

Shadow studied the amulet closely. It was fashioned from finely worked gold with peculiar whorls and patterns woven around a greyish central stone. "I wish Hassildor was here," he said to Lume. "He'd be more use than I am. I'm no expert on magical items," he continued, speaking to Zigo. "But whatever this amulet does, I don't think it has any constant effect on yourself or anyone near you. As far as I can tell, the enchantment will allow you to cast certain spells, but it isn't active at the moment."

Zigo did not understand much of that. "You mean it isn't the amulet doing all that stuff?"

"I don't think so," Shadow said.

"Then what is?"

"You are," Lume said. "Consider that we had never heard of you living in the chapel for sixteen years. That was even before you got the amulet. And you had confidence enough, then." She winked at him. "I'll never forget how you fell out of the air that morning, just when we needed you."

Zigo was shaking his head. "I really don't understand any of this. Magic? What's that? I certainly can't do any."

"Does it really matter?" Lume asked gently. "You do what you need to in order to survive, instinctively. And perhaps your instinct is telling you to trust us, and that is why we can see what a special person you are." She sat down on the arm of Shadow's chair and the two of them looked benignly at Zigo as he thought this through.

"I guess so," he said finally. "So what'll I do with the amulet?"

"Keep it," Shadow said, handing it back. "It's a good place to start looking for leads to where you come from, wouldn't you think?"

"I couldn't find any leads so far," Zigo sighed. "There has never been anything like me in the books."

"That doesn't mean they don't exist," Lume said. "Perhaps they all have the same abilities you have so no-one made any mention of them."

"Then they're still around, somewhere," Shadow said. "Would you allow me to help you find your people?"

"I never thought I might have people, you know," Zigo said. "I would appreciate any help you can give me."

"Good," Shadow said. "And here comes the heir to the Septim throne now," as thundering footsteps came up the stairs and down the hall.

"Zigo!" Hope yelled. "You came!"

iv

Zigo found himself taken on a whirlwind tour of Cloud Ruler, starting with Hope's cluttered room, then down to the sauna and swimming room in the basement, then outside around the battlements and finally up a boulder, onto a wall and up onto the roof of the great building. Hope led him to the highest part where they both sat down and looked out over what seemed to be the entire continent.

"This is my favourite place in the whole world," Hope said.

"I can see why," Zigo replied. "It's marvellous."

"I've never shown this to anyone else."

"Not even your mom?" he wondered.

Hope giggled. "She wouldn't climb up here, silly! Dad might, he can do anything."

"So why haven't you shown him?"

"Maybe I will, some day," she said, stretching. "But today I wanted to show you."

"I'm honoured," he said, meaning it. It was a novel feeling, being accepted by this family. Strange but nice. They sat for a while in companionable silence, watching the shadows lengthen as the sun went down behind the snow-covered peaks. "Well, I've got to get going now," he said finally. "I still have to go back home."

"Aren't you staying over?" she asked. "I thought you would."

"I don't know about that," he said.

"Let's ask my parents," she suggested, and led the way back over the roof and down to ground level.

It did not take much persuasion from Shadow and Lume to convince him to stay over. They spent the early evening playing games and asking riddles. After dinner he told them about life in the circus and Shadow started telling him bits of his long story, which seemed to be a history lesson more that anything else. Hope fell asleep on Lume's lap, and Shadow carried her to bed. Later they showed Zigo to his room and said goodnight.

As he lay there thinking of the day, he realised that he had finally relaxed and felt perfectly comfortable in their company. Just as he fell asleep he thought he heard someone call his name but sleep claimed him before he could decide if it was real or not. It was much quieter at night in Cloud Ruler than in the city so Zigo slept very well.

Chapter 3

i

Over the next few months Zigo became a frequent visitor at Cloud Ruler. For the first time ever he felt as if he had a family, albeit an adopted one, and considered his time there as a wish come true. Although Shadow could not find any information about Zigo's people, Zigo was content to be patient until something came up. Meanwhile it provided an excuse to spend time at Cloud Ruler, where he felt more and more at home.

Then the circus went on tour through the provinces and of course Zigo went along. Spending two weeks at each tour stop turned it into a four-month trip. Zigo loved seeing the new places and took photos like any tourist to show to Hope when he got back home.

It was during the last week of the tour that the trouble started. The first incident occurred while he was walking back to the hotel after an evening show. The sky was cloudless and he was admiring the stars, more visible in a small town than in the City, when he suddenly heard a voice clearly saying "Hail, Zigo!" He looked around but there was no-one near him. After that he heard his name spoken everywhere, incessantly. Close by or further away, he could tell by the loudness. Far away it was a constant whispering rustle, while close by he heard voices of differing tone and timbre. It was driving him mad, but there was nothing he could do about it. It did not help to stuff plugs in his ears, either. He just had to endure and hope it would go away once he got home.

ii

When Zigo stumbled into his apartment, exhausted by frayed nerves, he was glad to notice that the voices seemed softer and further away. He gratefully slept a few hours until an insistent calling woke him. It nagged at him, subliminally. He tried turning over and pulling the pillow over his head but it was no use. Grumbling, he finally got up and dressed. It was 3am.

"Now what?" he muttered.

The call came again, stronger, so he opened the window and flew out into the night. It drew him north, to the mountains, so it was not too much of a surprise when he landed on the roof of Cloud Ruler just as dawn broke. His arrival was met by a positive clamour of voices greeting him, but he sensed that the author of the call that drew him was yet further on. He could, however, not fly another stroke. He was too tired. So he sat on Hope's favourite spot and watched the sunrise.

Below him he could hear movement in the house as the staff arrived. The Septims did not make use of private servants, but Cloud Ruler was much more than just a residence. It housed an entire branch of the TBI and had a staff complement of almost a hundred people. Most of them stayed in and around the Bruma area and arrived early each morning for their day's work.

But all that was irrelevant now. He sat on the roof and wished with all his heart that someone would come fetch him off it, because he was not sure he could make it on his own. And after a while, against all odds, Shadow's head appeared over the rim of the roof.

"Zigo?" he asked, squinting against the sunlight. "It's the strangest thing. I thought you would be up here… why are you up here?" He climbed all the way up and came to sit next to Zigo.

"I think I'm losing my mind," Zigo whispered.

"Tell me," Shadow said simply.

So Zigo told him about the voices. "They never give me a moment's peace," he concluded. "What lies over there?" he asked, pointing weakly northwards.

"More mountains," Shadow said. "And then Skyrim, you know that." He rubbed his face with his hands, feeling inadequate.

"This is closer than Skyrim," Zigo said softly. "But I can't… I can't go there now. I've never flown so far before."

"You flew all the way from your apartment? That's almost from the west coast!" Shadow exclaimed. "No wonder you're beat. Come inside and have some breakfast."

"But the calling…" Zigo protested.

"Whatever it is can wait until you have rested and eaten," Shadow said decisively. "Come on down."

He helped Zigo get down from the roof, supporting him when he faltered. As they rounded the corner of the building and entered the main garden, the voices picked up in intensity and excitement until Zigo could stand it no longer.

"Shut up!" he yelled. "Just shut up!"

The clamour faded with a distinct sense of embarrassment. Zigo looked around in astonishment, meeting Shadow's concerned eyes. "They've stopped. I don't believe it."

Shadow stifled his own reaction. "I'm glad, Zigo. Now come on in."

Enjoying the first respite he had had in over a week, Zigo allowed Lume and Shadow to fuss over him. They fed him and put him to bed like a small child, and for once he did not mind at all.

iii

Zigo left Cloud Ruler before Hope got home from school, not wanting to worry her. Shadow and Lume saw him off from the battlements as he flew northwards, following the call that still came to him even though the other voices had faded to a mere whisper. The air turned colder as he flew higher to cross the mountains, and he wondered if he would be able to go very far in such conditions. But the sense of distance decreased and the call became ever stronger so he carried on.

He finally saw a huge of fir tree, growing high above the tree-line on an exposed mountain ridge, standing magnificently against the elements in defiance of all natural laws. He felt something twist inside him as he looked at the tree, and was filled at once with both great joy and great sadness. He landed on the ridge and walked the last few steps to the tree, looking up through the branches at the sunlight beyond. Then he placed his hand on the trunk.

"Hail Zigo," the Tree said in a great rustle that expanded to contain all the trees in the world. "We have waited long for you." Seemingly from the trunk, three winged individuals appeared. Although they were short, they filled Zigo with awe as he looked into their eyes and saw the wisdom of ages reflected there.

iv

It was a very thoughtful but quietly elated Zigo that entered Cloud Ruler late that afternoon. He had spent hours in communion with the Council of the Tree, and understood his place in the scheme of things much better now.

"Well, the good news is that I am not crazy," he told his hosts.

"We never thought you were," Lume said.

"I did," he responded. "But in the end, all I heard were the voices of my people greeting me. I'm a bit of a celebrity, it seems."

"Your people?" Lume and Shadow asked simultaneously.

"Yes," he smiled. "Apparently my people are of a race that has been obsessively shy through the millennia. They tend the trees of this world, and they can become invisible to escape detection."

"Sort of like dryads?" Hope asked from where she sat at the table building a puzzle. "I read about them in story books."

"Perhaps these dryads were based on my people, I don't know," Zigo replied. "My race is known as the Elwen."

"Why did they abandon you?" Shadow wondered.

Zigo grinned. "I was chosen to become an ambassador of my people to the rest of the world. They felt it would be easier for me to communicate with "big folk" if I had grown up amongst them. When I turned twenty-five last week, I finally came of age to them and they all started talking to me, but I couldn't see them." He pulled the amulet out. "This thing was supposed to give me spells to help me with that, but I never had any magic training – who does, these days? – and they never considered that in their plan."

"Amazing," Shadow said. "But why do they want an ambassador now, if they had been happy to remain unknown all this time?"

"I'll show you," Zigo said. "Come outside for a bit." He led them all to the battlements where they looked out over the City. In the deepening dusk the lights spread out as far as the eye could see. "Look at that," Zigo said. "Every day the City expands, and more trees are cut down. Unknowingly, the "big folk" are pushing my people out of their homeland, forcing them up into the mountain valleys where there are still wild trees remaining. Oh," he held up a hand. "They live in your gardens, of course, but the fact is that their entire race is being smothered by progress. They're not saying you should stop, but they do want a say in how it proceeds from now on."

"I see your point," Shadow said. "But I'm afraid that just the one of you is not going to persuade anyone."

"I know that," Zigo said. "They'll stop being so painfully shy once I've done some promo work."

"How will you manage that if no-one notices you?" Lume asked.

"Yeah, well," he smiled. "You were right about that. I can switch the effect on and off as needed. It's an innate ability all Elwen have. The main thing will be to get used to being noticed."

"Don't worry about it," Shadow said. "We'll break the news slowly to the world. I'm not in charge of Information for nothing."

"I was hoping you would say that," Zigo said. "Let me try something, though." He walked amongst the trees in the garden and concentrated, sending a mental as well as vocal call. "Come on out, guys. These big folk would love to get to know you."

After a few moments the Septims saw someone slide down from a branch to the ground, followed shortly by five others, dressed in coarse homespun tunics, decorated with flowers and leaves. They clustered around Zigo, keeping wary eyes on Shadow and Lume who towered above them.

Hope, being shorter, soon joined them. "Have you always been here?" she asked.

After a moment one spoke up. "For as long as these trees have grown here, yes. I watched you growing up." He winked at her. "I'm Nelvor."

"Was it you who sang lullabies to me when I fell asleep in the garden?"

"That was my wife, Caela," he said, pulling the small winged woman closer. "She always said you are the sweetest child she knows."

"Oh, thank you," Hope said. She turned around to face Shadow. "Daddy, if Zigo came to live with big folk to learn about us, shouldn't one of us go to live with them too?"

Shadow considered the question gravely before answering. "That is a very good idea," he finally said. "What do you think, Zigo?"

Zigo nodded. "It would certainly help with mutual understanding."

"Can I do it, Daddy?" Hope asked.

"I'm not letting you go off for the next several years," Lume protested.

Zigo laughed. "It won't come to that, Lume. She could interact well enough with them right here. And perhaps you could bring some more kids here, too."

"I have no objections, then," she said and Shadow nodded too. "But all this is going to take time and I'm getting hungry. Can I offer dinner to you all?" She indicated the Elwen still standing around Zigo.

They quickly conferred and then all but Nelvor and Caela disappeared. "They said thank you but they would rather wait for another time," Nelvor told Lume. "But we would be happy to join you."

"Then be welcome," Shadow said and led the way into the house.

Zigo followed, silently marvelling at the turn his life had taken. He now knew what he was, and what to do with his life. He had people, and friends, and a destiny to fulfil. It would not be easy, there would be many obstacles, but the future would be interesting and rewarding, and worth living.

Epilogue:

There was a knock on the door, and Shadow looked up expectantly. One of his agents entered, carrying a package.

"This just arrived from the Elwen Ambassador's office, sir," he said, placing the package on Shadow's desk.

Shadow thanked him and he left. Shadow carefully unstuck the wrapping to reveal a box with a note taped to the top.

Dear Shadow, it read.
I'm sorry I can't be there to give this to you personally, but as you know I'm travelling all over the place these days and I didn't want you to wait any longer. My people found these in an old crater; it looks like some old building somehow fell from the sky centuries ago. Perhaps they are the ones you've been seeking.
Hoping to see you soon,
Zigo

Shadow opened the box and contemplated the two scarred soul gems lying there. They glowed with an inner light, indicating that they contained souls, but were they the right ones? He reached into his pocket and drew out a plain golden ring - given to him in Aetherium - and slipped on his finger. Taking a deep breath, he touched the ring to a gem and hoped...

The End.

Disclaimer:

The world and the places and the emperor belong to Bethesda Software.This is a work of fan-fiction and no profit is made of it. The characters of Lume, Shadow, Zigo and others belong to me, as does the story. Although it is based on "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion", this story takes place long after the events of the game and has no direct relation to anything in the game, except some place names.

I wrote most of this story in a few days, and then finished it months later by adding a few sentences at the end. Could have done that long ago. This is me chickening out of writing the next several years of Zigo's life. And who knows what Hope's destiny might be?