How to Pickpocket a Pickpocket

Chapter 29

As told, Artis and Brynjolf met Karliah at the standing stone at the early break of dawn when the sun hasn't risen yet. To say that the wait for the Dunmer to arrive was awkward was an understatement. The two barely spoke a word to each other until Karliah showed up.

"I'm glad you're here." She sounded relieved that they came.

"What is this place?" Artis looked up at the standing stone with a faint Nightingale mark carved in at the top.

"This is the headquarters of the Nightingales, cut into the mountainside by the first of our kind. We've come to seek the edge we need to defeat Mercer Frey." Karliah explained as she walked towards an opening in the mountainside.

Artis frowned, "What kind of an edge?"

"Follow me and I'll explain everything." Was all the Dunmer replied.

Brynjolf stole a glance at Artis and saw her already following Karliah. He quickly caught up to her and decided to remain close. The Dunmer stopped at a hidden door before pushing it open and letting them enter before her. Artis glanced around the new place. After speaking to Sapphire the previous night, she did some research of the Nightingales herself. She learned that the Nightingales protected the temple of Nocturnal, a place known as the Twilight Sepulcher, a word she also heard a lot the past few days and had no idea what it meant. She also learned that Nocturnal is the mistress of night and darkness and the patron of every thief in Tamriel and chose her agents in trios. Thus, without Gallus the trio was down to two and with their plans to kill Mercer, Nocturnal would need two new agents. Artis figured that that was the whole reason why Karliah wanted them to meet her here.

"So, this is the Nightingale Hall." Brynjolf spoke as they walked deeper into the mountain, "I heard about this place when I joined the Guild, but never believed it existed."

"What's wrong, Brynjolf?" Karliah asked as she led them through the tunnels, "I can almost hear your brow furrowing."

"I'm just trying to understand why I'm here, lass." He answered, "I'm no priest and I'm certainly not religious. Why pick me?"

Artis clenched her jaw when hearing him call Karliah 'lass'. Wasn't that her little nickname from him? She wondered why the sudden jealousy was bothering her. One, she was still mad at him and two, she doubted he would ever have a thing for Karliah. She was Gallus' lover and technically ten years older than him.

"This isn't about religion, Brynjolf." She told him, "It's strictly business."

"What about you, lass?" he asked her, "You have any thoughts on this?"

Artis inhaled and nodded, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I understand that if you're planning on making Nightingales out of us, we'll be serving Nocturnal in life and in death. Not to be blunt or offensive towards the Daedric Prince of Thieves, but I always thought about going to Sovngarde after I die."

And that was a problem, yes. Nocturnal's realm wasn't what anyone who has been there can say, sunny and beautiful. It wasn't referred to the realm of shadows and darkness for nothing.

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice if you want Mercer dead. Sorry, Artis." Karliah sounded truly sorry but stopped when they reached a large room in the mountain, "This is Nightingale Hall. You're the first of the uninitiated to step foot inside in over a century. Please, proceed to the armory to don your Nightingale armor so that we can begin the Oath."

Artis walked towards Karliah was pointing with Brynjolf following right behind her, "This is enough to make your head spin, eh?"

She nodded, "I suppose. Though it doesn't beat a haunted house with Molag Bal urging you to kill a man."