C51

Awake and Asleep

As Diga raced through the wilderness in the depths of the night, many uninviting thoughts were popped into her head. The way that everything around her stood at this stage. She couldn't believe she had been placed into the care of the Dark Brotherhood of all places. Who in their right mind would be stupid enough to do that? Syndia of course.

But something felt off, felt wrong and impure but she couldn't sense what it was.

The air had shifted in this time and within the general tone of Syndia's words. It gnawed at her.

Diga.

The name Diga.

She hadn't heard that in such a long time. A name she'd chosen to forget and forget she did.

Besides that nonsense, her dreams were filled with something fierce, but she couldn't believe she would have slept that long. That was impossible. She'd recalled the events in Solitude, the way the dragons had attacked it. Maybe that was why reality felt different. The power she'd absorbed...shared amongst the banks of her knowledge.

But that wasn't it.

Still she had to make do with what progress she had, riding this hellish horse to the northern lands. She'd forgotten why she wanted to go there in the first place. No matter, if speaking with the Augur of Dunlain was going to help her get somewhere, it was going to be worth the sacrifice.

She hadn't put her entire trust in Syndia just yet, but to go up against the whole Brotherhood wasn't entirely wise. Diga should know all the well that words can be better than fists and swords. But the world certainly felt different. It's unclear why...but she carried on nonetheless, despite that it wanted to poke at her at every free moment.


The snow fell down softly as she rode in her travels upon the northern parts past Windhelm. It was also oddly quiet, apart from the occasional howl upon the wind. Some time later, she then came across a random horse on the side of the roads on it's lonesome. She slowly rode past and saw body on the ground, nestled in the snow and covered in flakes. It was dark but the scent of the body was familiar to her.

She got off Shadowmere and squatted down beside it and rolled the body over. Diga's eyes widened. She knew that olive skinned woman anywhere.

"Chell?" She muttered in disbelief, her face paused for concern.

Without delay, Diga checked her body for any wounds. Luckily, she did not appear to be injured in any way. She was alive and breathing, thankfully, but why had she been knocked over? Diga whiffed the air twice. No odd smells to be wary of. She seemed to have a lot of gear with her as well. She couldn't see any sign of a struggle as nothing looked like it was taken. Diga became suspicious of the circumstances that caused this, but had to make sure the girl was out of harms way first. She could worry about that later.

"I'm glad you're not a rotting corpse at least. I tell you that. Out of all the odd things..."

The Dragonborn simply sighed, then picked up and strapped Chell back on her horse. It was too cold to settle down anywhere here, especially with Chell's condition and they weren't that far from Winterhold. She took another strap and attached from Shadowmere to Chell's horse. If Diga can get her back to the College...

She rode on and kept an eye on the other woman until they arrived.


Once in Winterhold, she'd taken Chell off her horse and carried the poor girl on her back. She figured Chell wouldn't mind. It was repayment for all the times Chell's unceremoniously helped her. Diga smirked. Though, she could have woken at any moment and punched Diga in the face. That had a small chance of happening as well.

As she walked passed the Frozen Hearth, an Altmer had incidentally exited the building, recognising Chell on Diga's shoulders.

"Good lord...what...what in Oblivion happened to her?" The elf asked, anxious and surprised.

Diga could see it was Enthir. The infamous Enthir from the college. Acquirer of the rare and strange. Though, so was Chell.

"Have no idea. Found her on the side of the road like this. She's not hurt though, strangely enough...just with all this junk."

Enthir nodded. Though, Diga made the connections once she caught a whiff of him. No doubt that although minor, he didn't smell like a elf. She was glad that he wasn't a Thalmor patsy. Or else he would have ended up in her stomach. However, if he did have clear connections to the Brotherhood, that could change. Enticing, but no.

"Bring her inside. We'll talk more. Since we may need your help as well with something."

Diga paid Dagur handsomely for a room for poor Chell and laid her on the bed. The Dragonborn felt a bit off put if she rummaged through her things. But she had other things to do. She knew how defensive Chell would get if she even tried.

Enthir stood against the door frame, confused.

"She seems to have gotten we needed...I hope. Any chance we can wake her up?"

Diga rubbed her chin. Ah so Chell was on official business. Made sense.

"I'm no expert on these sorts of things. There's been a lot of strange things happening in Skyrim lately. This is the least of it. I'm certain Chell will be able to...or at least imply. Not sure at this point."

Enthir nodded.

"But we need the documents. I guess you can search her...if that's the way you do it. We're kinda desperate."

Diga rolled her eyes. He really didn't her at all. But, Diga, being the ever thoughtful hero, would take upon that chance if it meant she wouldn't hurt anyone else.

"Look I'll try but if she stabs me..."

The elf chuckled.

"Oh by all means. I forget not everyone checks the merchandise in secret."

She knew exactly what he meant. Sneaky bastard.

"I'll show you..."

She didn't like her at first. A girl filled with potential that had gone down the wrong path. She was brimming with mystery and arrogance, but Diga came to begrudgingly respect her skills. Besides, Wheatley wouldn't forgive Diga if anything happened to Chell. She could tell from her bright and heavy eyes that she'd been through Oblivion and upon those throes, was a steel-determined woman at that. The rates of survival aren't as hopeless if you've been near death before.

Diga examined her briefly before she reached down at one of Chell's pockets, only for a hand to snatch at Diga's arm and a pair of light blue eyes leer at her. She was back. Dazed, but back.

Diga smiled at Chell, who seemed perplexed at Diga's appearance.

"Haha...should have known that would wake you up, my silent friend." Diga announced in humour.

Chell let her arm go as she sat up and rubbed her head. Diga sat on the bed itself and smiled. She was beginning to understand the mute a bit better. You just had to know where you stood. She couldn't keep trying to maim her, however.

"Trust is hard to come by Chell. I'll continue to savour that trust. Point is...will you?"

Chell looked down. The former test subject felt woosy and uncertain at all things considered. Too early to make promises. She never really boded well with those in authority either, especially those who threatened to kill.

Diga snuffed and patted Chell's hands. At least the Dragonborn could be managed.

"Come on, I'll get Enthir to fill me in."


Enthir took the girls downstairs into the cellar. Diga was confused about the Dunmer woman who was slouched over a desk over a particular book. She wasn't entirely enraged, but she wasn't entirely happy about it either. The woman looked at Diga, the looked at Enthir. Another elf...she wondered if a lot of elves were stuck in the dirty business.

"I recall you saying you wanted the Dragonborns help on this previously Karliah. Chell's back with what we need to translate the journal...and figured someone else would eventually find their way. Somehow. And I don't even believe in fate all that much."

Diga crossed her arms.

"Sheer coincidences make strange bedfellows."

The mute promptly handed the sheets of paper to Enthir who walked over and stood beside Karliah.

Karliah herself nodded, stumped for the fact she actually had the Dragonborn in her presence. The look on her face amused Diga greatly.

"Oh good. I'm glad you're here. Look, I know this all seems strange to you. But here's the facts. As Enthir would have told you, odd things are going right now and we aim to get to the bottom of it."

The Dragonborn agreed wholeheartedly. She was doing the same exact thing.

"Tell me about it. I'm still confused about the whole matter myself. The Brandobaris, Aperture. All of this nonsense seemed to start when I met up with some ranting ball of nonsense and went downhill from there."

Karliah faced Enthir.

"I'm certain Enthir will be able to finish the translation, but here's what we know so far... my name is Karliah, and I once thought I was digging deep into one problem, turns out, there's a lot more than I had once realised...Have you heard of the Trivergence Event?"

Diga and Chell exchanged glances and made faces that already Karliah the answer.

"I'm not surprised...not many people do. Pardon me if I'm being ambiguous in all of this, but I'm theorising Chell, judging from her history has an understanding, is included in some parts of the story involving the Thieves Guild. It happened at least more than two decades ago. It was a described as a bright spark that enveloped the land. I was still with Gallus, I saw it as well, like everyone else so I can at least confirm that. While I was on the run after Gallus was murdered, as well as trying to take down Mercer but continued to elude the hostility of the Thieves Guild, I started asking questions. Some years later the ones you call the Brandobaris popped up, an unusual group, head started the search for the infamous Promethean Artifacts, strange objects with a peculiar symbol on them. Word must have gone around fast about the Dunmer girl searching for answers regarding these items. I'd had to avoid close calls but eventually I met up with a courier who often fed me information. Your technology seems to indicate that you're connected. Well, the last note I had received was regarding the event in question."

Karliah brought out a bag and dropped books and sheets and paper on the table.

"I found this on my exploits. I couldn't decipher them and neither could Enthir. I'm hoping Chell can have a look for herself."

The mute nodded as she and Diga shuffles through the myriad of paperwork.

She could see documents that wouldn't be out of place...noting the signature Aperture symbol on each

She decided to then look at a book, brown, labled, Diary of Cave Johnson. A name she had heard several times before back in the facility.

Flipping through several pages, she found one page and skimmed through it. It rose an eyebrow as she nudged Diga, pointing at the text.

Diga took the book and looked at Karliah.

"Hey, Chell found something..."

Karliah put a piece of paper down and looked at the Dragonborn.

"What is it?"

Dear Journal.

Todays the day we're going to enact the project. Been many, many years but I'm hoping it's worth it. I've been stuck in this primal land for far too long. Far too long. Daryn, my elven assistant, is a determined coloured fantasy who's brought me far more results than anyone has. It gets technical as always, but the science of it is staggering and yet even with all our resources it's never enough.

Daryn's told me that I still need more pieces to the puzzle however. I've sent John Glidewell back to retrieve something for me, as Daryn believes that these two pieces are crucial, a third piece. Well...more on that later.

Diga's eyes lit up.

"Daryn..." She whispered with utter contempt.

Karliah crossed her arms.

"Sounds like someone you know it's in the middle of it as well. From reading the transcripts, Cave was in charge of this so called company and many of it's offshoots. Nearly all of it is so incredibly confusing to read."

Diga agreed. She's never heard of this John Glidewell fellow though.

"So this Cave worked with Daryn in order to retrieve something. Do the journals tell us what they are in greater detail?"

Karliah shrugged.

"Some pages were torn as you can see. You may be able to work out some texts but some of the others are smudged."

The Dragonborn was highly curious as to what he the more on that later part meant. From what's been read he claimed to have been constructing something...but what that something was required the help of Daryn and one John Glidewell...who ever he was.

"The only one that can really get us any real answers is probably Doug. All this? Runes, numbers and graphs? We'll need to find him to get a good idea."

"I may have found something too..." Enthir revealed, finishing up his translations.

"What does it say? Anything about the...Nightingales?" Karliah spoke nervously.

"In a sense. The journal details about Gallus looking into Mercer's unusual behaviour and spending large amounts of coin. Part of it was funding the...Brandobaris?"

Chell rolled her eyes. Part of that did not surprise her, already knowing Mercer had betrayed the Guild.

"Also details on how Mercer desecrated the Twilight Sepulcher...what ever that is..."

Karliah froze, earning Diga's ire.

"Something up?" She wondered.

Karliah sighed. She was notably distressed.

"I kind of figured Mercer would have done a stupid act like that. It explains a lot. I'm not allowed to go into too much detail. But it'll be what I need for now. It'll require me and Chell to head back to Riften with all of this...but who knows...we don't know if Mercer will be there."

Diga scratched her head. Sounded like the Thieves Guild had a lot on their plate. Not to mention it appeared to be akin to a internal affairs problem.

"So this Mercer's just a massive ass after all? Heh. If you need anyone to take him down, I'm your gal."

Karliah smirked.

"I'll consider your offer if you want to honour yourself and your soul. Tell me, how are your sneaking skills?"

She rose an eyebrow at Karliah. She's done sneaky work before. Nothing like Guild work but it counts.

"Decent. I've worked with bows and I can move at a stealthy pace if needed."

Karliah gave it thought.

"But is it enough?"

She better hoped it was. She didn't like working with the Thieves Guild as is.

"Hmmm we'll need a thorough plan on this. While Mercer appears to be an obvious threat, I'm not at all a hundred percent convinced on you thieves. I'm not a fan of such trickery that I'll get back stabbed..."

Karliah frowned. Such emotion for a thief!

"You're not going to. You'll have the Guilds back on this I'm certain. If they learn you of all people have liberated them, then they'll see you in a different light. There's many benefits that you can have by having the Guild at your back."

Diga had enough from Chell, as well as risking her reputation as is by even remotely dealing with the Guild. Perhaps some sacrifices could be made.

"We'll see. But you're right. We do need a plan. But we both agree that what ever nasty stuff the Guild is going through, will have to deal with it on it's own. I can't trust you yet. But I'm willing for Chell."

Chell looked at Diga strangely, confused about her words.

Karliah crossed her arms.

"As odd as it sounds, We'll help you then. Then you have to help us afterwards. Deal?"

The Dragonborn smirked and put out her hand.

"Deal."

The two shook hands and discussed the plans for going beneath the Midden. Diga had only been told so much about it. She was definitely walking into the unknown. Enthir only told them so much as well, only that it's filled with Gods-know-what. That certainly helped.

The girls prepped themselves for action, unsure of what would happen next.