The Gold Must Fall
It is said that the Grim Wanderer, known as Mormekar the Deliverer to some, and only as Death to others, cares for nothing. As the Last Guide, he neither relishes his duty nor hates it, but simply performs it, for it is his duty to bring death to all dying things, and renew those chosen to be reborn.
But those who seek deeper truths know that there is one thing for which Mormekar cares. Those who examine the world in autumn, when all things change from fair to dark, know what moves his heart: love for Morwyn the Merciful, his wife.
Yet this is love must be stymied every year. Long ago, when Mormekar first appeared in the world, when Terak and Tinel murdered one another and destroyed Eliwyn, the Grim Wanderer came to love the Queen of Heaven, whom men call Morwyn. Together they begat a son, Maal, who was the first child ever born of a womb, and is now the Judge of Souls. In those days, death was rare, and Mormekar was not so icy in temperament. But Terak was reborn, and he had won Morwyn’s heart long before the arrival of Mormekar. She took Terak as a husband as well, and she made him King in Heaven, not Mormekar.
Indeed, who could blame the fair Queen, for Mormekar is dark and grim. He laughs not, and knows little joy. Their bridal bed was never warm, nor were there many delights in their household, even when Maal was young and playful.
It was not long before Morwyn could no longer manage of a hall with two husbands. For when she smiled to Mormekar, Terak grew wrathful, and when she showed affection to Terak, Mormekar grew miserable. After some time, she told her two husbands that she would spend half of each passing year with them in turn. For six months, Mormekar would be her husband, and for the following six, it would be Terak. This suited all three, and ended much conflict.
Yet the first time Morwyn left Mormekar and took Terak back to her side, the Grim Wanderer grew more miserable than he had ever been. It was as though his heart had been cleft in twain, and he walked the world in sorrow. At last, love-struck madness consumed him; he began destroying the most beautiful things he could find. At the time, Korak the Hammer Hand had been sent on his impossible tasks by Thellyne, to prove his love for her. Korak had coated all of the leaves of all of the trees in the world with a thin layer of gold, and as Quiet Mormekar wandered from place to place he saw his sorrow mocked by trees’ shining beauty.
So, Mormekar touched the trees, and made their golden leaves fall, and thereupon turned to other wondrous living things, to give them the embrace of Death. Soon, all the animals of the world fled from him, for they feared his terrible touch. In that time, many fantastic creatures fell to Death’s touch, and have never been seen again, like the cat with a thousand heads and ten thousand tails, and the snake Korak had made, which had grown so large it surrounded a mountain, and gnawed on its own tail. The whole world hid away from Mormekar the Shadow, and even Alimus, who pulls the sun around the world each day, ran away, leaving the world
covered in ice, snow and darkness.
Would that Mormekar’s fearful sorrow possessed him but once. Sadly, it overcomes him every year. Just when the leaves of the trees begin to change themselves to gold in memory of Korak, Morwyn leaves Mormekar for Terak, and the Wanderer begins his journey through the world, changing autumn to winter, and all grow cautious, for Death has no mercy, then.
But when Morwyn takes her first husband back spring comes, and Death has Mercy at his side once more.
