Hello again, readers!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to answer my questions. I am really grateful. I took everyone's opinion into account, but I had to go with the majority decision, so apologies to anyone who I dissapoint.

OK, I think that's all for now. Here's the chapter. Hope you like it!

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

'He's going after the Eyes of the Falmer.'

The words echoed inside my head, as if a thousand tiny, evil voices were trying to drive the message home. The Eyes of the Falmer. The jewels that Gallus and I had risked our lives to find. The jewels which had nearly caused my death. The jewels that might well have been responsible for my finding out how Gallus felt about me.

I stood there in stunned silence, staring at J'shana. The Eyes of the Falmer. The words were being roared inside my mind by something invisible and quite suddenly I was no longer standing in the Cistern.

I was down in the darkness of a crumbling, ancient ruin. The darkness was menacing and almost unbroken. The shadows that I trusted so well were no longer my friends, but my enemies. I could not trust them here.

Everywhere I turned, there were creatures who wished for nothing more than to kill me. Given the chance, they would sink their blades into my body and laugh as my life's blood stained their hands. They would take delight in my agony. To them, I was an intruder, an enemy, a thief. And maybe I was. I was there to steal. But I did not wish to fight these creatures, and I wished to kill them even less. I could not forget that they were people once, in a lost time long ago.

But I was not alone in my fear. I could feel his steady, comforting presence beside me. His eyes were wary, cautious, scanning the darkness for foes, and his grip on his sword was tight. He felt the same way as I- I could tell. He, too, could not be at ease in a place where the shadows could not be trusted.

We moved forwards slowly, cautiously, aware of the malevolent blind eyes that watched us from every corner. Our footsteps sound like the beating of a drum, no matter how softly we try to move. And suddenly, without warning, the uneasy stillness was shattered. They leaped forwards, coming from every direction, falling over themselves to reach us. Their hisses and shrieks echoed off the walls of the cavernous chamber, and they waved their weapons in the air like crazed, rabid animals, their pale skin streaked with dirt and blood, their faces twisted with hatred.

We stood together as they came for us. His sword blade gleamed, my arrows flew. One by one, our foes fell to the sound of his blade slicing through the air, my bowstring singing out again and again. But for every one we killed, two more ran forwards take their place, and we simply could not stop them. They kept on coming, and coming, and coming. They were closing in, surrounding us, pushing us back. And I had but one arrow left.

One of the creatures broke ranks. I saw his maddened, sightless, bloodshot eyes burning with rage and bloodlust. I fired, but the arrow did not strike, falling uselessly off his shield. And suddenly he was onto me, his greater weight throwing me to the ground. I landed hard, struggling to fend off his sword thrusts with my dagger. I lunged, parried, blocked, and lunged again, slashing at him with all my strength, but I could not land a blow. He pulled back his arm, ready to drive his blade into my heart, exposing himself to me. I needed nothing more. I drove my knife upwards, seeking out his heart, and thrust into it with all the power I possessed. His blood ran down the blade, onto my silver-black gauntlets, like a sticky red river. He stared at me in astonishment, with the disbelief that all living creatures know as they realise that their death is at hand. Then he slumped forward, over my body, able to keep himself up no longer.

But with the last of his strength, he struck.

I knew instantly that there was no blocking this blow, no avoiding it. I could only watch helplessly as it smashed through my armour and sunk into my flesh, sending agony like nothing I had ever experienced before burning over my body. Triumph gleamed in those evil eyes for one more moment. Then something slipped away from him, some force, some power of nature, and he was no longer living. Only an empty shell. His life had fled him.

And I knew that soon, my life would flee from me. I felt so tired. The world was dropping away, bit by bit, as if it were made of ice that was slowly melting. The pain was lessening… no, I was losing my hold on my body, and I could no longer feel the pain. It existed in a separate part of me. I was falling, falling down into Oblivion.

Someone pushed the limp corpse of my fallen foe from me, and I felt arms around me. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of a pair of beautiful, deep, soulful brown eyes. And then all was darkness.

'Karliah!' I could hear him, calling to me, trying to call me back from the grip of death. 'Karliah! Karliah!'

'Karliah? Are you all right?'

I blinked, and my head jerked up, meeting the concerned, confused stares of my friends. J'shana's amber eyes were alight with worry and anxiety, but there was perplexity in them too, as if she could understand how her words could have affected me so much. Brynjolf's gaze was stunned, shocked. I could see he knew why I had reacted the way I had. He had been there the day Gallus and I had left for Irkngthand. He had seen us return, me half dead from exhaustion, Gallus so tired it was a miracle he was still standing. He had heard of how I had nearly died in the darkness there. I could see on his face that he understood my horror.

'The Eyes of the Falmer?' My voice almost squeaked like a child's, and I had to pause and swallow in order to control it. 'You're sure?'

J'shana nodded. 'He'd drawn a statue, and he'd written a name. Irkngthand. I think it sounds like a Dwemer ruin.' Her whiskers twitched. 'Is that… is that bad?'

'That's bad, lass,' Brynjolf told her grimly. 'That was Gallus's pet project.'

'They're gemstones, right?' J'shana was frowning.

I nodded. 'Perhaps the most valuable gemstones in the world,' I hissed, struggling to get the words out.

Brynjolf clenched and unclenched his fists. 'If he gets his hands on them, you can be certain he'll be gone for good and set up for life.'

I gritted my teeth. Brynjolf's words were all too painfully true. If he could get the Eyes, and the money that would come with them, we would never find him. He could go anywhere on Tamriel, and we'd never know where he was. He would have the money to build himself an entire new identity.

'Ok. That's bad.' J'shana's tail lashed. 'If that's the case, we have to stop him.'

'Agreed,' Brynjolf growled, folding his arms. 'He's taken everything the Guild has left, and to go after one of the last greatest heists is just an insult.'

'He's mocking us,' I snarled. 'He's trying to prove that he can do anything he likes and we can't stop him.'

J'shana's hand tightened around the hilt of Gallus's sword. 'Then it's time to prove him wrong.'

I nodded. 'Brynjolf,' I said, turning to the Nord, 'the time has come to decide Mercer's fate. Until a new Guildmaster is officially chosen, the decision falls to you.'

Brynjolf glanced quickly at J'shana. For a moment, I wondered if he would choose this moment to reveal his plans for her, but instead he placed his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes. 'Aye, lass… and I've come to a decision.'

There could only be one option. We all knew that. If we were going to stop Mercer from escaping us forever, if we were going to safeguard our Guild, if we were going to avenge Gallus, there was no other option.

'Mercer Frey tried to kill both of you,' Brynjolf continued. 'He betrayed the Guild, murdered Gallus, and made us question our future.' His eyes narrowed. 'He needs to die.'

I couldn't resist allowing a small smile to flit over my face. So, it was decided. Mercer would die. We would hunt him into Irkgnthand. He could run from us, but there was no refuge for him in the shadows. We would find him. And I would kill him.

'I agree,' J'shana said, her ears flat back against her head. 'While Mercer lives, all of us are in danger.'

'We have to be careful,' I warned them. I took a deep breath before continuing. 'Mercer is a Nightingale, an Agent of Nocturnal. He may have broken his Oath, but he still possesses his power.'

Brynjolf whistled slightly in amazement. 'Then it's all true… everything I heard in the stories. The Nightingales, their allegiance to Nocturnal, and the Twilight Sepulchre…'

It didn't worry me that he knew the names, especially since I knew he didn't understand their meanings. But maybe the time had come for him to learn them. I looked from him to J'shana, at the grim, determined faces of the Nord and the Khajiit, and made my decision.

'Yes,' I said finally. 'That's why we need to prepare ourselves and meet Mercer on equal footing.'

J'shana looked hard at me, clearly intrigued, while Brynjolf's brow creased in puzzlement.

'Just outside of Riften,' I told them, 'beyond the southeast gate, is a small path cut up the mountainside. At the end of that path is an old standing stone. I need you two to come there with me. There's things I haven't told you… things I can't tell you. But I promise, all your questions will be answered.' I closed my eyes. 'You just need to trust me.'

J'shana and Brynjolf glanced at each other, their gazes curious and bewildered. The Khajiit chewed on her lip in a thoughtful manner, then nodded.

'I trust you,' she said simply.

Brynjolf dipped his head to me. 'So do I.'

I felt like my heart would break right there and right then. To be hated so hard for so long, and then, after so much pain and suffering, to have two people turn to me and tell me right to my face that they believed in me, that they were willing to place their lives in my hands… it was a feeling almost too unexpected and incredible to bear.

'Thank you,' I told them. 'Thank you.'

J'shana smiled at me, but her face quickly grew serious. 'We don't have much time,' she said grimly. 'Mercer came back to Riften, then probably went straight to Irkngthand. We had to go to Winterhold and back. He's got several hours on us. We can't waste any time.'

Brynjolf nodded. 'She's right.'

I felt touched, encouraged, by my friends, by their faith. I felt something shining deep inside of me as I looked into those eyes, green and amber, filled with determination and courage. And I knew in that moment that we were ready. They were ready, and I was ready. Suddenly, I no longer feared Nocturnal, and I definitely no longer feared Mercer Frey.

I looked them both in the eyes.

'Let's go.'

At noon, we arrived.

The standing stone shone in the light of the sun, its smooth surface glowing until it looked as if it were made from diamonds. A group of birds- pine thrushes, I realised with a smile- took off from the trees as we neared the base of the cliff, their wings flashing in the bright golden rays of the sun. J'shana, ahead of me, pulled gently on the reins of her horse, a spirited palomino stallion named Frost- who she had, apparently, stolen from Maven Black-Briar, and who she'd sent on ahead of her from Winterhold- and slowed from a canter to a trot. 'Is this the place?' she called, twisting around in the saddle to look at me.

I nodded and drew to a halt. 'We're here.'

My steed snorted and tossed her head. With Dusk dead, Brynjolf had been forced to find me a replacement horse- and to my joy, he had revealed that Ebony was still alive. She was a smooth ride, and hardly ever tugged too hard on the reins or shied away from my touch. But then, of course, it had been Gallus who had trained her, and he had almost certainly inspired the same trust and obedience in his horse as he had in his Guild.

Brynjolf cantered up beside us and tugged on Bryony's reins until she stopped. 'All right, then, lass. What now?'

J'shana was already tying up Frost with quick, deft movements. 'Yes, what now? What's the significance of this place?' She looked up at the tall monolith, taking in the symbol carved at its tip.

I dismounted and led Ebony over to a tree, tethering her to the trunk. 'This is the headquarters of the Nightingales, cut into the mountainside by the first of our kind,' I told them, remembering what Gallus had told me, all that time ago. 'We've come here to seek the edge we need to defeat Mercer Frey.'

I don't think I was imagining the trace of fear in J'shana's eyes as she bent down to stroke Meeko. 'What kind of an edge?'

I stroked Ebony's muzzle and turned to the young Khajiit. 'If you'll follow me, I'll try to explain on the way.'

I started walking towards the door to the Hall. All my fears had come flooding back now. What if Nocturnal simply destroyed me the moment I stepped inside? It was well within her power to do so. What if she refused to restore my Nightingale status? What if she simply turned away from me again, or never answered when I called to her at all?

As I made my way over to the door, I heard the whispered conversation of my companions behind me. 'Well, this is enough to make your head spin, eh?'

'You've said it.' There was an edge of trepidation in J'shana's voice. 'I don't like not knowing what's going on.'

'Well, we'll know soon enough.' I could feel Brynjolf's gaze burning into my back. 'If Karliah ever stops with all the secrecy.'

J'shana's voice was low and serious as she replied. 'I think there's a reason for all the secrecy, Bryn. I don't know what it is any more than you do. But I'm willing to wait for the answers.'

Brynjolf murmured something unintelligible. I slowly approached the small wooden door and reached out for the handle. For a moment, I feared that it would not move- but it turned smoothly in my hand, and the door swung open.

I gathered all the courage I possessed and stepped inside.

The passage beyond was just as dark and gloomy as I remembered it, and I wished I'd had the foresight to bring a torch. Brynjolf stopped as he entered and blinked a few times in order to become accustomed to the darkness, but J'shana simply strolled forwards as if she were in bright daylight. I'd always thought that, despite their natural stealth and agility, it would be awful to be a Khajiit- all that fur to keep clean- but I changed my mind as I saw how easily she moved through the shadows. My night vision was as good as any Dunmer's could be, but I envied the ease with which J'shana could see through the murk.

'So,' Brynjolf said, looking around the passage with awe as I took the lead. 'This is Nightingale Hall. I heard about this place when I joined the Guild, but I never believed it existed.'

I moved onwards through the passageway. Despite my impaired vision, it was comforting to be surrounded in the deep shadows again. I felt like a true thief once more. 'The assumption that the Nightingales were just a myth was seeded within the Guild on purpose,' I explained. 'It helped avert attention from our true nature.'

'Which was?' I heard J'shana murmur, so quietly that she clearly didn't expect an answer. Brynjolf made no reply, but I didn't need to have to turn around and look at him to know his confusion.

'What's wrong, Brynjolf?' I asked as we rounded a corner. 'I can almost hear your brow furrowing.'

He shrugged. 'I'm trying to understand why I'm here, lass,' he said, with a mixture of confusion and earnestness. 'I'm no priest, and I'm certainly not religious. Why pick me?'

I smiled, remembering how Gallus had explained the same things to me. 'This isn't about religion, Brynjolf… it's business. The powers a Nightingale receives improves their skills in almost every way. And we use those powers to serve our Guild.'

'That sounds… promising,' J'shana said softly. 'But Mercer had those powers too. And he used them to murder and steal.'

'Mercer's a traitor,' I replied simply. 'He abused his power.'

J'shana sighed. 'Power,' she murmured. 'Sought by so many, used rightly by so few.'

We walked on in silence, until we emerged into the central chamber. 'Here we are,' I announced, gazing around at the crumbling walls, dusty bookshelves and steadily trickling river that I remembered so well. 'This is Nightingale Hall. You're the first of the uninitiated to set foot inside in over a century.'

J'shana stared around in wondering rapture, her fire-coloured eyes wide. Meeko huddled closer to her, as if he sensed and feared the ancient power of the place. Brynjolf looked around with a mixture of admiration and bafflement. I allowed them a moment to take in the sight, before moving onwards to the armoury. The three armour stones stood as if they had been waiting for us, still emanating their powerful, magic-filled aura. Suddenly I ached to lay my hands on my stone again, to feel the rush of freedom that came over me as my Nightingale armour took form on my body, to feel the forged darkness cover me once more.

J'shana ran ahead of me as she saw the stones. She bent crouched down beside the centre stone and sniffed it, breathing in its scent. 'Magic,' she murmured. 'Daedric magic. I can smell it.'

I nodded. 'These are the armour stones. I'll show you.'

I laid my hands again on the stone on the left. My whole body tingled, and the dark light began to swirl around me, as it had so many times before. That familiar sensation of ice-cold water being poured over me slowly flooded over my body, and as it faded, and the black shadow that surrounded me gradually melted away, I was standing in my Nightingale armour once again.

I turned to my companions, suddenly feeling like a new elf. It was as if I had drawn some lost strength from the armour, or as if a part of me that had been forgotten for years had been awakened once more. Brynjolf and J'shana stared at me, their amazement and awe plain on their faces. Even Meeko looked reverent.

'Shor's beard,' Brynjolf whistled. 'That's some fancy armour.'

He jogged up the steps to the rightmost stone, the one Mercer had always used, and tentatively rested his hands on it. I watched as the armour slowly covered him, cloaking him in darkness and shadow. He held up an arm in front of himself and ran his other hand down the gauntlet that covered it, flexing his fingers in an approving sort of way.

I noticed that J'shana was hanging back. 'J'shana?' I asked.

She was still gazing thoughtfully at the stone. 'Sorry,' she said quietly. 'I was just thinking. About… what all this means.'

She stepped up to the stone- the centre stone, Gallus's stone- and closed her eyes as she let the armour cover her silver-grey fur. 'By the twin moons,' she murmured as the black glow faded. 'It's like wearing shadows.'

Brynjolf inclined his head to her. 'Couldn't have put it better myself, lass.'

We stood there for a moment; then I turned and led them along the corridor, into the circular room just before the main cavern. I stopped, waiting for them, and Brynjolf looked at me inquisitively, fingering the hem of his night-coloured cape. 'Okay, lass, we've got these getups on… now what?'

I gestured to the passage ahead of us. 'Beyond this gate is the first step in becoming a Nightingale.'

'Whoa there, lass.' Brynjolf held up his hands slightly. 'I appreciate the armour, but becoming a Nightingale? That was never discussed.'

'But it was pretty obvious, wasn't it?' J'shana muttered, a slight grin sparkling in her eyes.

I couldn't resist a smile. 'To hold any hope of defeating Mercer, we must have Nocturnal at our backs,' I explained. 'We need the power she can offer us. If she's to accept you as one of her own, an arrangement must be struck.'

Brynjolf's eyes narrowed, though the gesture was barely visible behind the shadow cast by his hood. 'What sort of arrangement?' he asked warily, like a fox uncertain of whether or not to pounce on its prey. 'I need to know the terms.'

I sighed. Of course I hadn't been expecting Brynjolf and J'shana to simply accept everything I told them, and take the Oath without questioning its consequences. But I had been trying to avoid telling them all this. Partly because it was so hard to explain. Partly because I felt so guilty about determining their fates for them.

'The terms are quite simple, Brynjolf,' I told him. 'Nocturnal will allow you to become a Nightingale and use your abilities for whatever you wish. She will favour you over other mortals, and guide you when you need her.' I bit my lip, knowing that the next part would be the hardest for them to accept. 'And in return, both in life and in death, you must serve her as a guardian of the Twilight Sepulchre.'

Brynjolf chuckled ruefully. 'Aye, there's always a catch. But at this point, I suppose there isn't much to lose.' He nodded his head in a final manner. 'If it means the end of Mercer Frey, you can count me in.'

I felt a burst of relief inside me. I had been almost certain that Brynjolf would prove the hardest of the two to convince, and he had agreed. But J'shana was still remaining silent, and I turned to her with trepidation. 'What about you? Are you ready to transact the Oath with Nocturnal?'

J'shana looked at me uncertainly. 'What would happen if…' She frowned, and went on hesitantly. 'What if… your soul was already- promised- to someone or somewhere else?'

'Is it, lass?' Brynjolf looked at her in a puzzled manner.

Her tail curled nervously. 'I… I'm not sure. It might be.'

My brow creased worriedly. This was a complication I hadn't foreseen. I could see in J'shana's eyes, though, that she was not going to offer any more explanation. 'Then we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope that Nocturnal will accept you. If you're willing.'

She raised her head and lifted her tail slightly. 'I'm willing.'

'Then it's time,' I said, and even as I said the words, I was gripped by fear once more, so much so that my whole body trembled and my heart beat against my chest as if a bird were trapped inside it, fluttering its wings to try and break free.

J'shana's eyes narrowed. 'You're worried she won't accept you.'

I nodded. 'I failed her, and she doesn't forgive easily.'

J'shana looked bewildered. 'How did you fail her?'

'It doesn't matter,' I said quickly, turning away and walking over to the gate. 'Not at the moment, at least. You'll find out soon.'

They both hesitated a moment before hurrying after me. I yanked on the pull chain and the barbed spears slid down into the ground, opening the way into the cavernous chamber beyond. I heard Brynjolf's sharp intake of breath and J'shana's gasp as they looked upon the sight that lay before them, but I felt nothing but fear.

'Stay there, Meeko,' J'shana murmured to her dog, and strode forwards into the chamber. 'Where do we go?'

I knew that I would have to take the centre circle, as the one who would call to Nocturnal. 'Brynjolf, you take the eastern circle. J'shana, you need to stand on the west.' For some reason, it felt important that J'shana should take my old place.

Nord and Khajiit nodded and walked forwards over the stone bridges. I followed, heart hammering, my whole body tense and numb. I knew that this was the moment we either succeeded or failed. Nocturnal would either help me, or she would cast me into Oblivion.

I drew in a long, deep breath and turned to face the centre circle. I had no choice. We had come too far to turn back now.

I had to stay strong. I had to believe in myself. Trust myself, just as my mother had always told me. I was afraid, but I would see this through. I just needed to have courage, and all would be well. It had to be.

I spread out my arms, looked to the ceiling, and called out, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

'I call upon you, Lady Nocturnal, Queen of Murk and Empress of Shadow… hear my voice!'

There was dead silence for a moment, and I saw Brynjolf glance at me uneasily, J'shana curl up her tail anxiously. Time seemed to freeze and for a terrible, terrible moment I thought that she had not heard, or else did not want to hear-

But then the room darkened, just as I had known deep within me that it would, and the pale, purplish mists began to swirl over the central platform, and that invisible presence was suddenly there, watching us all with an eagle's eyes, seeing right inside us, knowing all our secrets and looking right into our hearts and minds and souls. Brynjolf stiffened, and J'shana gasped again, but I simple stood still and waited.

I felt Nocturnal's full attention on me immediately. Ah, Karliah, her voice said mockingly. I was wondering when I'd hear from you again. Lose something, did we?

For a moment, her words infuriated me. I almost lost my temper there and then, nearly screamed at her with all the rage that the years of suffering had sparked inside me. I wanted to shout, yes. Yes, you heartless Daedric filth, I have lost something. I've lost everything. I've lost my lover, my home, my family, my friends, my whole world. Is that enough for you?

But I didn't. I took another deep breath and lowered myself onto one knee, keeping my head bowed. It was only half out of respect. I was afraid to look at her.

'My Lady, I've come before you to throw myself upon your mercy and to accept responsibility for my failure,' I told her, trying hard to keep my voice steady.

She laughed; a scornful, derisive sound. You're already mine, Karliah. Your terms were struck long ago. What could you possibly offer me now?

I swallowed hard and lifted my head, forcing myself to stare into that unflinching gaze. I opened my hands, gesturing to Brynjolf and J'shana. 'I have two others who wish to transact the Oath, to serve you both in life and in death' I told her carefully. 'We have come to rebuild the Nightingales; to bring justice to the one who betrayed us, and to return the treasure I failed to protect.'

The contempt was still clear in her voice as it sounded again. Tell me, Karliah, why have you risked my anger in returning? Did I not tell you, twenty five years ago, that your Nightingale status was gone, that you were nothing to me any longer, that you were not to return… on pain of death?'

I felt like an injured bird that cannot fly away must feel before a cat pounces upon it. 'I know, my Lady. I failed, and I have come to seek forgiveness.'

'Hold on a moment!' My head jerked around in surprise as J'shana's indignant voice came from my right. 'How did she fail you? How can she have failed by not knowing that Mercer was planning to kill Gallus? How can that be her fault?'

I sensed the unseen gaze turn away from me, and from the way J'shana' shivered, I could tell that she was focused on the Khajiit now. Why, you have sprit, mortal. There was a hint of menace in her tone. But very often, spirit can be just another word for impertinence.

J'shana lifted her head and gazed ahead at the shimmering mist. Her fear was clear in her eyes, but I could see the fur on her tail bristling, and I knew that anger had made her bold. 'You banished her and destroyed her life in doing so,' she hissed. 'What right do you have to condemn her because of something she couldn't prevent?'

'J'shana, no!' I hissed. Speaking like that to a Daedric Prince could be fatal.

But Nocturnal seemed more amused than angry. There is fire within you, Khajiit. In more ways than one.

J'shana gasped slightly. I gave her a searching look. What could Nocturnal mean?

I felt Nocturnal's power concentrate on me once again. Do you deny your failure, Karliah? Or do you truly accept responsibility?

I nodded. 'I do.' I bit my lip. 'If we are to defeat Mercer Frey, the traitor Nightingale, then the trinity must be restored. My pride is unimportant now.'

Indeed. But for twenty five years, you have fled from your past, your responsibility, the acknowledgement of your failure. Why now do you come back to me? You surprise me- the offer you have made me is definitely weighted in my favour. What do you seek in return?

'I seek only vengeance for Gallus,' I replied, and I could hear the loathing and fury in my words. 'My appetite for Mercer's demise far exceeds my craving for wealth, your Grace.'

Not that I ever craved wealth in the first place, I thought bitterly. I became a thief because it was the right path for me to take, not because I sought a fortune. I served my Guild because I loved them. I became a Nightingale because it was what I was born to be.

Revenge? How interesting. Nocturnal's focus turned away from me, and I could tell from the way Brynjolf suddenly tensed that it was he who was now under her scrutiny. And you, Nord? You've been very quiet. Who might you be? What do you have to offer me? Why do you seek the sacred name of Nightingale?

I saw Brynjolf swallow and take a moment to compose himself. 'Name's Brynjolf, ma'am. I'm here for my Guild.' he announced carefully.

Ma'am? I thought, amused. That's new. But he was hardly going to call her 'lass.'

Is that so? The invisible entity's words rebounded off the walls, and Brynjolf looked even tenser.

'Mercer betrayed the Guild, stole the wealth we'd been creating for years, and murdered Gallus. Our leader.' The burly Nord shuffled his feet slightly. 'I'm here because my Guild is in danger, and they're relying on me to help them. If that means becoming a Nightingale…' He shrugged. 'If I didn't do this, I couldn't face them again.'

Dedication? Duty? Fascinating… Brynjolf relaxed a little, but J'shana shivered again and I knew that now Nocturnal's gaze was fixed on her. And you, the fiery, feisty one?

J'shana wrapped her tail around her legs in a defensive manner. When she spoke, her voice was hesitant, wary, as if she was picking every word with the greatest care.

'I am J'shana, daughter of Ri'khan, child of both Elsweyr and Skyrim,' she said slowly. 'And I am willing to make this Oath because of the people who are here to take it with me. It was Brynjolf who brought me into the Guild. He trained me, and he gave me a home when no one else would. And Karliah…' The Khajiit shot a swift glance at me. 'She saved my life. She didn't do it for any personal gain, only that I might live. And the Guild, all of them, even the ones that I don't get one with, they're my friends, my family. They're all I have. I have to do this. For them.'

I sensed that Nocturnal was about to speak, but to my surprise J'shana carried on. 'And I know there's something more to this whole business. I knew Mercer's more dangerous than he seems. It's not just the Guild that's in danger if we fail; it's all of Skyrim, all of Tamriel, maybe even all of Nirn. I don't know how I know that. I just know it. And I'll die before I see one more innocent slain at the hands of Mercer Frey.'

We were all silent as she finished speaking- so much so that it seemed that even Nocturnal was impressed by J'shana's speech.

Devotion? Very quaint, she said finally. Vengeance, honour and loyalty. Those are all worthy reasons. There was a slight pause. Very well, the conditions are acceptable. You may proceed.

Relief was not a strong enough word for what I felt in that moment. It was as if I had been carrying the weight of a mountain on my back for the years of my exile, and suddenly that weight was gone, shattered into pieces.

'Lady Nocturnal,' I announced, getting to my feet and placing one hand over my heart, 'we accept your terms. We are ready to dedicate ourselves to you as both your avengers and your sentinels. We will honour this agreement in both life and death until your terms have been met.'

Very well. The feeling that I was being stared into increased. Have you made certain that your associates understand the terms of this agreement?

Not completely. But as well as I can, without telling them too much, I thought. 'I have,' I declared, remembering how Gallus and Mercer had once promise the same about me.

Do you swear to offer them any help and guidance that they require as they embark on the path of the Nightingale?

'I do.'

And are you prepared to guard your fellow Nightingales with every ounce of strength that you possess, and, should the need arise, to give your lives in order to save theirs?

I did not hesitate for a second. 'I do.'

Good. And now, all of you. Do you swear to defend with your life the Twilight Sepulchre and the treasure it contains, as well as the secret of your existence, no matter what might befall you?

I had never thought that I would ever get the chance to make this vow again, to restore my Nightingale status and receive Nocturnal's blessing once again. 'I do,' I proclaimed, and the voices of my friends echoed me only a heartbeat later.

And do you vow to protect the lives of your fellow Nightingales with all of your strength and honour, and, if necessary, your blood?

We spoke together, our voices ringing out clear and strong. 'I do.'

And do you accept that from this moment forth your life is bound to mine, and that in both this world and the next, you must defend my sanctuary and the Skeleton Key- whatever the cost?

My heart clenched. The Key. The others did not know about it. What if they demanded to know more? But to my surprise, while I hesitated, J'shana spoke up fearlessly. 'I do.'

I repeated her words, as, after a moment's pause, did Brynjolf.

Three shafts of purple light surrounded the three of us as Nocturnal spoke again. Then, J'shana and Brynjolf, I name you Nightingales, and I restore your status to the same, Karliah.

I felt joy burst inside me. I had not realised how much this had meant to me. My last hopes had been torn away with the loss of my calling as a Nightingale. And now they had returned once more.

And in the future, Nocturnal added warningly, I'd suggest you refrain from disappointing me again.

The light faded, the room lightened, and we were left standing alone, the three new Nightingales, Nocturnal's last words echoing in our ears.

Fair fortune, Nightingales. Eyes open. Walk with the shadows.

Most people seemed to want me to edit the ceremony. It was a lot harder than I expected. I sat in front of the computer for a long time going 'um...' but eventually I just let it flow. This is the result- I hope you enjoyed it. :)

See you next chapter! Walk with the shadows!