Chapter XXIII: Lock And Key
My talks with Maven went on well past midnight, we went over all of the necessary details of what I wanted her to do and how my own people could help her out, exactly how far she was to push without getting discovered, and which contacts were to be trusted.
I also asked her about any information she had on the Dark Brotherhood, just in case, and seeing as she did betray them she immediately told me all she knew about the gang of murderhobos. Apparently, the organization was as small as I remembered it to be, the cult left unable to recruit and get contracts in their traditional manner had them taking far more risks than usual and thus their current destitute state. Maven was unfortunately unaware of the exact location of their lair so I would have to rely on my own methods whenever I decided to visit whatever was left of them.
The final part of the conversation was about the Jarls aligning themselves with Stormcloak, their agendas, and weaknesses. Maven knew a surprising amount and I quickly wrote everything down for later confirmation.
All in all, she was not too unpleasant to talk to after a while... we were both scheming little shits after all so we kind off clicked even with the unfortunate way in which we met.
Then again I did make sure to stretch the talks for as long as possible just so I could enjoy the ever-increasing discomfort on the infamous businesswoman's face. I held no doubts that she did far worse to many people far less fortunate than myself so indulging in a bit of petty torment was a must.
I did cave at the end and sold her a regeneration potion, overpriced to high heaven of course, as her hand started to swell and her dying of an infection was not beneficial to either of us.
As we left the Black Briar manor, no doubt to Maven's great relief, I felt Nightshade looking at me with apprehension.
"Something the matter?" I ask patiently.
She remains silent for a while, her lack of skill in Tamrielic forcing her to take her time whenever she speaks "Why give power to someone you obviously dislike? Is she not one of the reasons the city is in such a state?"
I nod to myself "A good question indeed, why not just replace her with someone of a greater moral fiber? Or better yet someone I can control with ease?" I ask aloud "The answer is both simple and unfortunate. She has all the connections and know-how needed to make the transition as smooth as can be reasonably expected. If I were to, say, insert an agent of mine and give them all of the resources at my disposal, they would not be able to work at even a tenth of Maven's efficiency."
"...And so many more people would end up suffering, no?" The Falmer finishes for me.
"Indeed" I smile at her "You learn quickly."
She sighs "Sometimes I miss the caves, they were far simpler."
I snort "No you do not."
A chuckle leaves her as she shakes her head "No... no I do not."
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I knock on the door a couple of times and it is swiftly opened by a very pissed off looking Karliah, she glares at me and hisses "And what took you so damn long? I had to knock him out twice already!"
I shrug, completely ignoring her fuming anger "I got caught up chatting with dear Maven..." She looks ready to blow up and I quickly add "Also had to burn a Dark Brotherhood vampire to death."
The glaring lessens and she sighs and wipes her forehead in an attempt to calm down "Alright... fine, just get in here."
Inside the dark room awaited two of my agents, dutifully on guard, and sat between them, with a sack over his head, was a unconscious Brynjolf.
I take a seat and as everyone gets at least reasonably comfortable, quickly hiding any recognizable items in the process, I command "Wake him up."
Without a hint of hesitation the agent to our guest's left simply kicks him in the shin causing the Nord man to yelp and start struggling in his bindings, the same agent quickly removes the sack from his head causing him to start looking around frantically.
"Good evening mister Brynjolf." I greet with overexaggerated cheer.
His eyes take on a calculating glint as he realizes his situation and he calmly asks "Alright, who did I offend to end up in here?" He is pretty damn good but I can already see through his attempt at stalling, already his hands were twisting and turning as he tried to unbind himself.
A light tug of telekinesis tightening the ropes quickly put a stop to that.
"You have offended no one, you are merely in the position to be of use to me." I explain bluntly.
He sighs "Look man, whoever you are, I already told you fuckers that I am not killing anyone for money so you can go and shove your thre-"
I snap his mouth shut with a flick of my hand and sigh "Do actually listen to me before mouthing off, I do not have all night." I signal for Karliah to approach and once again speak up "If you shout I will start breaking fingers, blink twice if you understand."
He does so and I remove my spell just in time for Karliah to emerge from the shadows. The two stare at each other for a while before Brynjolf starts breathing heavily, anger almost taking over his honed survival instinct and almost costing him a couple fingers.
He takes a deep breath and asks through gritted teeth "What are you doing here?"
She stares at him for a long while, likely reminiscing about her past, before answering "I am here to right past wrongs and bring Mercer to justice."
He looks ready to blow up once again but impressively keeps his voice down "And what gives you the right to talk about justice, traitor?" Sheesh, the vitriol in his voice could melt through steel.
"I am not the one who betrayed!" She snaps "Mercer is the one-"
"Mercer is the leader of the Guild" Brynjolf interrupts "And you should have-"
"Alright let me just cut in right here before the two of you decide to just murder each other in this childish attempt at diplomacy" I interject, my voice firm and bursting with my fear aura "Brynjolf, tell me, has your guild been experiencing a... string of bad luck?"
"Why should I tell you anything about the guild?" He glares in my general direction.
"Cease your petty attempts at wasting my time, you are useful but not necessary" As the words leave my mouth both of my agents point crossbows at different vital parts of his body.
He sighs and after a short pause nods "Yes, it is almost as if we are cursed."
"Indeed" I say with a tinge of mockery "And you never questioned this... supernatural state of affairs?"
He shrugs helplessly "And what could heave the guild possibly done to cause us such bad luck?"
"Not the guild, its leader." I say with an unseen smirk.
His mouth snaps shut as his mind is plagued by possible answers, after a while he looks in my direction again and sighs "Just tell me what he did."
"Stole an artifact of Nocturnal, one of immense power and danger that could very well be used to fuck the entire world over." I answer bluntly, causing even Karliah to look at me weirdly.
"How could the key even do any of what you say?" She asks.
"I believe it is far better if you did not know the answer to that question" I say firmly and she quickly agrees with a nod.
"So what exactly did you grab me for?" Brynjolf asks after a beat of silence.
"A minor favor to clear Karliah's name" I point at said Dunmer flippantly "And you likely have information of Mercer's movements and bases, so catching the idiot would be far easier with your help."
He nods a couple of times before looking at Karliah "You doing this I can understand" Then he turns to me "But what do you get from involving yourself in this?"
"Daedric politics, do not ask." I shut him down.
He blinks "Alright." He moves his shoulders a bit "I'd love to show you around but I can't really do much like this."
I snap my fingers and my agents start untying him "Attempt to run and it won't be just you I will hunt down."
"Yes of course, oh mysterious scary man, I won't be running." He snips.
"See that you don't" I agree with a hint of humor.
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(Mercer Frey's POV)
Another great heist.
I smirk as I twirl Chillrend before sheathing the blade.
Soon my manor comes into sight and I carefully scout the entire area before approaching my gate guard "Evenin' Frodnar, everything good?"
The dumb fucker I hired to serve as a decoy guard nods and mumbles something in his usual idiotic language. I shake my head and enter the hidden passage to the side leading into my actual home.
(Reyvin's POV)
My agent disguised as the gate guard signals us that the area is clear and we quickly walk up to him. As we pass the silent Mephalan I hear Brynjolf mutter "Bloody uncanny..."
The hidden passage soon comes into sight, my sight quickly telling me it is magical, something I quickly relay to my partners in crime.
"How do we get in then?" Brynjolf asks "I can deal with locks but I don't know a hint about magic."
I snort and summon my staff, quickly pressing it into a spot where the runes of the passage converge, causing it to open on its own.
"Never bloody mind then" The thief rolls his eyes "Damn show-off." he mutters.
I chuckle and twirl my hand toward the dark passage while looking at Karliah "Ladies first."
(General POV)
Mercer Frey, the most infamous thief in the underground circles of Skyrim, was relaxing in the only place on Tamriel he could feel safe. Ever since he had stolen the key and slain his once friend and the previous Guildmaster, it seemed as if the world itself tried to kill him at every opportunity but his skill and grit always lead him away from danger.
He groaned tiredly as he took a seat in his favorite armchair, the tension of the day slowly leaving him. He started humming a relaxing tune as his eyes began to close... and just as he was about to dose off all of his honed instincts screamed at him to move, something he did with expert reaction speed.
An arrow, most likely poisoned, whizzed past where his shoulder was mere moments ago, yet even as he rolled across the ground more attacks started peppering his position. He quickly observed the room and found signs of six attackers, yet that is all he got before he was forced to dodge more bolts, arrows and ice shards coming at him from every angle.
'How did anyone find me here?! I made sure that no one knew where I lived!' He snarled in his mind as he tried to jump out of a window, only for it to slam shut with invisible force and sending into the path of a crossbow bolt.
Luckily for him he was only grazed by the projectile, not enough for any poison to enter his bloodstream. Thinking quickly he tossed a smoke bomb onto the ground, blinding his attackers.
He stumbled around the place and seemingly by sheer luck nearly bumped into what looked to be an unarmed figure wearing expensive looking clothes 'Likely the one who ordered the hit, damn idiot wanted to see it himself eh?' Mercer smirks as he sneaks behind the man.
He grabbed his target and pressed his sword against their neck, quickly hissing at the man to remain quiet as he dragged him into a corner of the room. As the smoke cleared he came face to face with his attackers and nearly killed his hostage out of sheer frustration "Brynjolf?! Karliah?!" He snarled.
(Reyvin's POV)
"Ah, to be so easily forgotten" I sigh and I feel the man holding the blade against my neck stiffen at my near-demonic voice.
"You be silent now, don't want any accidents do we?" He threatens patronizingly.
"No, I don't think I will." I state and snap my fingers, a cloak of wind surrounding me immediately. As Mercer threw himself away, leaving blood everywhere, his blade pressed against my neck slightly and if I wasn't covered in ironflesh and under the effect of my mask he would have no doubt nicked an artery... not that it would have done anything.
Before the arch-thief can compose himself two crossbow bolts slam into his vital areas, sealing his fate.
Brynjolf glares at my agents but then just sighs in defeat.
Karliah stares at the corpse in wonder "So many years of exile and he died... just like that."
"Amazing what a bit of magic can do, eh?" I snark and quickly start searching the body.
"At least let him cool first damn it." I hear Brynjolf mutter.
Moments later I find the skeleton key and after making sure it is the real deal with every mean available I smirk in victory. As I stand up Karliah perks up "Did you find it?"
I show her the key and nod "Indeed, this is definitely the artifact."
The Indoril descendant shivers in wonder and... zealous joy? I am unsure, and asks "How long do you need to keep it with you? I would like to return it to its resting place as soon as possible."
"Oh I won't take a moment" I snark, and before she can ask for clarification I focus on the key's power and ram it straight into my heart.
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The key opens many paths, your stones are already mine.
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