| Out of
kindness, and more than a bit of pride, Saccus showed
Hazadir how, by contrast, things should be done in a real
professional armory. The Argonian acted as an apprentice
to Saccus, helping him refine the ebony ore, and to pound
it and fold it when it cooled. Over the next several days,
they worked together to create a beautiful dai-katana
with an edge honed to a keen sharp enough to trim a mosquito's
eyebrows, and a suit of armor of bound wood, leather,
silver, and ebony to resist the winds of Oblivion.
On the day of the battle, Saccus, Hazadir, and Phandius
finished polishing the armor and brought in Raphalas
Ëul for the fitting. Hazadir left only then, realizing
that Nandor Beraid would be at his shop shortly to be
outfitted.
The two warriors met in the arena in the Imperial
City with an audience of the Empress and the Imperial
Council two hours later. From the moment Saccus saw
Ëul in his suit of shining ebony and dai-katana
blazing and Beraid in his collection of dusty, rusted
merchandise from Hazadir's shop, he knew who would win.
And he was right.
The first blow from the dai-katana lodged in the soft
shield, as there was no metal trim to deflect it. Before
Ëul could pull his sword back, Beraid lashed out
with his long sword at the weak points in the armor,
it was the perfect weapon to perforate the joints. Ëul
retrieved his sword and slashed at Beraid but his armor
was scaled and angled, and the attacks rolled off like
water. When Ëul's armor began to fall off, the
Empress and Council, out of mercy, called a victor.
Hazadir received the commission and thanks to his
knowledge of Argonian battle tactics and weaponry and
how best to combat them, he designed implements of war
that brought down the insurrection in Armanias. Katariah
won the respect of Council, and even, grudgingly, that
of Thane Minglumire. Sirollus Saccus went to Morrowind
to learn what Hazadir learned there, and was never heard
from again.
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