Chapter 9: The Black Gem

The sun had set by the time they reached the large gate into the city. This would be the first city Nightshade had ever entered besides the Imperial one. She was awake, unlike Ice who was half asleep. After she slapped him in the side he woke up.

The guards glared at them. "Who are you?"

"Travelers," Nightshade said. "We've come from the mountains near Bruma."

"You don't look like you're from Bruma," the other guard growled. "Shouldn't you be wearing furs and stuff?"

"Stop being stereo-typical," Ice snapped, "And let us in."

"They don't look like assassins. Fine," he said, "but no trouble, you hear?"

They entered through a large, wooden gate with the Cheydinhal emblem. She was in awe at the seal, and stared up at it as they went through.

"Come on, let's find the Guild Hall," Ice tugged at her arm and led her through the quiet streets. Everything seemed closed and few people walked around; most of them stared as they went past. The buildings were designed with triangular roofs, wooden frames, and white starch or cement. The yards were small, but filled with grass trampled on and flowerbeds of grassland flowers were under windows, neatly blooming. They passed a large building with red and black banners with its own emblem. "The Fighter's Guild," Ice explained, and then said, "Here it is!"

Right next to it was an equally large building with blue and green banners with an odd eye in the middle. Ice ran up the steps, his robe swishing by his black shoes, and used an odd-shaped key to open the front door. Nightshade watched and then followed him inside.

They entered a dark room, large in size, with four sets of stairs. Two led down into two rooms on either side of them, while the other two led up. Ice bit his lip. "Hello? Anyone here?" He decided to use the same spell he used to get them through the dark: a light spell that lighted him and cast long shadows over the counters and tables.

Something missed Nightshade's ear and hit the wall behind her. She took out her sword. Ice took out his daggers, and a light came from the small room to the right.

An Argonian woman glared back, her green and blue scales shining in the light, her lizard-like face was tired, one hand lighting a candle on a table, the other in a fist pointing at them. "I'll fire another lightning spell if you don't tell me what's going on."

Ice put away his daggers and Nightshade let her guard down slightly. "Are you the guild hall leader?"

"Yes, for now. I'm Deetsan. Who are—"

"I'm Ice Enangui, the new associate. All I need is your recommendation to become an apprentice," he bowed to her swiftly.

She snorted. "Bit late, aren't you?" Deetsan looked at Nightshade. "And you are?"

"Nightshade. I'm not in the guild."

"Look, we need a place to stay for the night. You can give me the recommendation tomorrow—"

"Oh no," she shook her head. "The only available bed was the recent Branch leaders. I doubt you want to sleep there, let alone in the same bed."

She had read Nightshade's mind. "What happened to him?"

"Falcar? He was a Necromancer. Killed two associates before we found the two black soul gems in his drawer. He disappeared after that."

"Black soul gems?"

"They're soul gems used to trap human souls necromancer's use," Ice muttered.

Deetsan sighed. "Well, there's an inn near the front gate, but you'll have to pay. You two are Dark Elves, you'll fit in. And I do have a task you can do," she looked at Ice. "There's rumored a necromancer is currently lodging there. Get rid of him, kill him if you must."

"Why so—undecided?"

"They say he's not from Cyrodiil. They're a little more lax in other countries about necromancy. He may not understand. Make sure he does. Now leave. I'm loosing precious sleeping time. Without sleep, it stresses my scales…" she muttered to herself as she carried the candle back down into the room and into the basement. Ice groaned.

"Great."

They left silently and went back towards the entrance. "I say we sleep outside so it'll be free."

"Don't be stupid," Nightshade said. "I'm not spending another night in a sleeping bag. Can't you spare some coins for a good night's sleep?"

After a fickle debate they entered the inn. It was small, but had a little area where it was loud with many Dark Elves. They stopped to look at him. Ice smiled sheepishly, and they went back to talking.

"Excuse me, can we have two rooms?" Nightshade pushed her way to talk to a thin, tall Dunmer woman who was slightly tones with muscles. She looked at her, checking her. "Twenty drakes."

"Deal," she handed her the coins. "Here, another three for a bottle on wine," Ice shoved his arm forward. She frowned and gave him the cheapest she had.

"Wine? What for?"

"To drink, what else? There's a party going on and I want to be apart of it." He happily trotted to an empty table near the far wall. Nightshade followed.

"You know, drinking that much wine can't be good for you, especially at your age."

"It's only a bottle," he took a drink. Behind Nightshade was a fireplace blazing, but before that was another table, made for two, but someone was sitting in it.

"Uh, Nightshade, look."

She turned around to see a person with a black hood over his head and his eyes face them. His arms were folded and his head seemed to tilt slightly downward. He wore a dark blue cloak, almost black, and wore a gold band with a black stone shining on his right ring finger.

"Is he looking at me?" she whispered and turned around to face Ice. He shrugged, and then grinned. "Hey, I dare you to go tell him off."

"What? Why? That's rude," she folded her arms in a similar way.

"Dude, if you don't, who knows what might happen. Just say I didn't warn you."

She stared down at the table, thinking, and then said, "Fine. I'll do it."

He smirked. "Alright, do it."

She got up and walked towards the person under the hood. "Hey, err, sir, ma'am, can you—you're sort of giving me the creeps."

The person just stared off and was now looking at Ice, who had raised an eyebrow. "Err, hey—"

She had poked him slightly. He moved, grunted, and then looked at her, or appeared to be. "What do you want?"

"You're freaking us out at the other table."

He took off his hood to reveal a Dark Elf face. He had sky-blue skin, or maybe darker, with black hair that touched his shoulders gently. His red eyes squinted up at her, and then he yawned. "How? I was only sleeping…"

Ice had started to laugh at the other table. Nightshade grew red with embarrassment. "You—you weren't staring at us?"

"No."

Ice laughed harder and pounded on the table with a fist. The other people were starting to look, but didn't stop talking.

"Oh, you thought I was watching you?" he laughed softly, almost raspy. "I'm sorry if I seemed that way. I must've dozed off. It gets boring in here sometimes."

He looked at her. Nightshade, through her embarrassment, saw he must've been at least ten years older than her, maybe more. He noticed how embarrassed she was.

"It's ok, it's an honest mistake," he thought for a minute. Ice hadn't stopped laughing. "My name is Crow Asawyaka," he held out a gloved hand.

"I'm Nightshade. Nice to meet you."

He looked at her oddly, like he was analyzing her, and then smiled. "Same here." They shook hands. "Why don't I treat you to some food? You look famished. And bring your friend, too."

They both got up. Crow went to the counter while Nightshade went to the still-laughing Ice. "He's invited us to his table," she said darkly. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, yeah," he breathed, and they went back to Crow. "What do you want to eat?" he asked.

"A nice steak!" Ice seemed slightly tipsy even though he only had a few swallows of wine.

"I'll have some bread and cheese," Nightshade said. Crow looked at her. "Ok. I'll have some fruit."

They sat back down and dug in. Ice was in very high spirits. "So, what was your name again?"

"I'm Crow Asawyaka. I'm from Vvardenfell."

"So am I!" he laughed. "I'm an Hptilu."

"I thought you said your last name was Enigui," Nightshade looked disgusted.

"Enigui, that's it, forgot for a moment," he stopped eating. "You're a native, huh? I can tell by the name. I didn't know they gave kids Imperial language names."

"I translated it when I left my camp," he muttered. It was plain he didn't want to talk about it. Nightshade changed the subject.

"So, do you know anything about a necromancer in town?"

He looked at her. "No. Why? Is there?"

She nodded. "We're supposed to find him for a recommendation," Ice hiccupped.

"How do you know it's not a girl?"

"Girls don't take up necromancy."

"Says who?"

"Ok," Crow intervened. "I'll tell you one thing: Cheydinhal is filled with shadowy characters due to the rumor that the Dark Brotherhood hideout is here. But there was one man. Diminutive he was; I think he was a bosmer, and he was creeping around last night under my window of my room. Don't know what he's up to, but it's pretty suspicious to me."

"Cool!" Ice sprang up. "All we have to do is go to bed and he'll be sneaking under our windows. Thanks, Crow, see you in the morning!" He grabbed Nightshade's arm and pulled her out of the room. "Uh, see you later!" she called. Crow watched, and then sipped his drink.

Nightshade shivered under her blankets, the cool night air blowing through her open window. Ice had insisted she should leave it open so she could hear the footsteps, but now she contemplated on closing it.

She had dozed off for about an hour or two when the cold woke her up. The sound from downstairs had died off and the whole building was silent. The only sounds were distant snoring and the trees rustling.

"Damn," she couldn't take it anymore. She sat up and was about to approach the window when she heard it: footsteps leading towards her window. They were light, but leaves and dry grass blades crunched, making them slightly louder. They were slow and stealthy. Nightshade, which always slept with some clothes on, ran quickly to the window, ignoring her feet's cry of coldness.

She looked out, her red hair messy in a ponytail. Her black face blended in with the night. She called out softly, "Anyone there? I've had enough attacks for one day."

The leaf-crunching immediately stopped. She wished there was some way to wake up Ice without leaving the window. She called out again, "If you come out now I promise I won't hurt you."

Nothing responded. She sighed. "Then you force me to come out into the cold."

Nightshade climbed out the window clumsily, but dropped down into crunching, frost-covered grass with both her legs. Determined, she took her sword with her, her new Akavari Sunderblade, and gripped it tight with both hands even though it was a one-hand blade. With light steps, she advanced towards Ice's window in the moon-lighted night. She saw nothing move, or heard any other footsteps but her own, and knocked on the ledge underneath Ice's window. When no answer came, she poked her head through. "Hey, lazy, get up."

He grunted and turned away in his bed. In anger, she hit the hilt of her sword on the window sill hard. "Get up you lazy bastard! This was your idea!"

He grumbled and rolled out of bed, his blankets forming a cocoon around him, and he fell to the floor. Nightshade snickered while Ice muttered, "It's not nice to swear at sleeping people."

"Just get up already."

Ice wore his robe when he untangled himself from the bedspread. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, and before Nightshade grabbed him and pulled him through the window, he grabbed his daggers from the nightstand.

"I heard him over there," she whispered, pointing towards her window. Ice frowned, but followed, their footsteps loud in the night. And then Nightshade saw the outline of the figure, hunched over a flowerbed.

"Freeze!" Ice shouted, and a few seconds later he made a light spell. "Don't try to run or we'll hurt you!"

Crow was right. A meek Wood Elf with his knees shaking had turned violently and held his hands up. "I did—didn't mean t—to do i—it—"

"Shut up, filthy necromancer!" Ice pointed his sharp dagger at him. "You don't deserve mercy!"

"Ne—necromancer?" The bosmer looked confused. "Me? N—no."

"Shut up!"

Nightshade heard it before Ice had started talking. Something was in the trees above them. "Uh, Ice—Ice, look out!"

A person jumped down, his black robe looking like a parachute from above, and landed in front of them. "Wait! He's not who you want!"

Ice looked surprised. Nightshade didn't. "Figures it would be you."

Crow held his hands up, seemingly defensive. "I'm the necromancer. He's just a petty thief whose jealous of everyone's flowers he's been stealing them for himself."

The Wood Elf waved, but Ice glared at him, daring him to try and run for it, so he stayed put.

"Look, I knew the Mage's Guild would want me out and find out what's going on, but I swear I haven't practiced necromancy in years! I've never practiced necromancy on Cyrodiil soil. I've never killed an innocent person for a body. I swear on Hiricine's eye I'm over with the necromancy!"

Ice put his daggers down. Nightshade looked at him suspiciously.

"You can search me and my room; you won't find any necromancer stuff."

Ice shrugged. "Deetsan said she wanted the necromancer gone. That doesn't mean we have to kill him." He turned to Crow. "You need to leave Cheydinhal."

"I've got nowhere to go." Crow looked at the ground and put his hands in his pockets.

"You—you can come with us to the Imperial city." Nightshade felt almost reluctant to ask, but something inside her told her to. He had given up necromancy, after all. "But no funny business."

He smiled. "Ok. Deal."

"Finally, let's get some sleep," Ice yawned, and didn't notice the Wood Elf had disappeared into the night. "Good night, people."

Nightshade hadn't fully trusted Crow yet, so she said, "Good night," and walked up to her room window while watching him out of the side of her eye.

Crow watched her leave. "It's finally begun," he muttered, his breath starting to show as a cloud in the air. "May the gods be with us and may the future be brighter." His ring shined in the moonlight as he looked at it. "I will avenge you."