Chapter 13: Dawning Problems

Shit. Nightshade hated this.

Owyn had grabbed her throat, pushing her up against the stone wall behind the Gambler, who watched with his hands on his hips. The middle-aged Redguard was clearly angry.

"How dare you fucking return! I knew you were nothing but vermin. Here, I thought you would die, but it turns out you're the Hero of Kvatch. Why didn't you just die?" He spat in her face, causing her to turn away.

"I wouldn't come back to you even if you paid me a thousand gold pieces," she choked. Owyn slapped her and she staggered sideways, leaning against the wall. She looked at the men behind him, recognizing the Khajiit, but not the Nord and Breton. They stood, ready to attack.

"Traitor," he snarled, "you deserve no bloody mercy. Tear her to shreds."

The Nord ran at her first. She ducked and dived where she almost got hit with the Khajiit's mace. Quickly, she unsheathed her sword and blocked the axe of the Breton.

Shit, another problem to add to her life, only this one was fatal. Dodging and blocking the best she could, three against one was hardly fair. It didn't take long for the Nord to knock her to the ground with his own hands. The Khajiit returned his mace to his belt and pulled a short-sword from a hilt on his back.

Owyn grinned. "Now, to finish your sorry life. I always knew you'd amount to nothing." The Khajiit wasn't looking at her, but at the ground as he put the blade to her throat. She shook, scared, and closed her eyes. Out of everything, she never thought Owyn (or his workers) would kill her. What an unexpected ending.

So why wasn't she dead yet?

She opened an eye, confused, to find the Khajiit no longer faced her, but behind him, as were the other two. Owyn was on the ground, a sharp tip of a knife pointed straight at his throat, and a young Dark Elf held its hilt.

"Miss me?" Ice grinned. "I'm gone for one day and you're already in trouble. I thought you'd last at least two days."

Nightshade was lost for words, half because of shock, and half because of anger.

"So, you lot, back away from Nightshade or your boss gets it, right in the middle of the street."

The Nord and High Elf backed away, but the Khajiit didn't move. His sword was still on Nightshade's neck, but he wasn't paying attention to her. She scooted backwards on her knees, trying to reach her sword, but it was too far away. Then she remembered the book, the Destruction Book Lyze had given her.

As she was trying to remember the words, the Khajiit was in combat with Ice. They clashed blades and fought fiercely. Ice was throwing taunts and mocks, but he didn't respond to them. He continued to attack with full force.

Owyn was edging away, going in the same direction as Nightshade, trying to reach the katana, for he was weaponless. She stood up and recited the incantation for a standard fireball.

It was larger than she expected, especially since she was a beginner. It flew straight at Owyn's hand. He recoiled and swore while she ran to retrieve the Akavari Sunderblade. Quickly, without realizing it, she had grabbed Owyn's hair and held the sword to his throat. "How does it feel to be at death's door, just like I was?"

Her voice, it was darker, eviler, and angrier. The Khajiit and Ice stopped and looked at her.

"Nightshade, put the sword down," Ice was trying to persuade her. "I might've done it, but I wasn't actually going to kill him—"

"Shut up!" she snarled. A tear ran down Owyn's cheek. "How dare you talk! You, who deserted the people that needed you; you deserve to die as much as he does."

"Oh, so this is what it's about. This isn't about your past in the Arena, but about me leaving you? I don't get it. I told you I wanted to join the Thieves Guild in the beginning and hanging around you seemed like a good opportunity for me."

"But you acted in selfishness and vanity, a sin unforgivable, no?" her eyes, they had changed, just like her voice. The pupils had become smaller. Uncontrollable rage, Ice thought.

"Nightshade, if you won't let Owyn live for me, let him live for Elyon and Crow and Martin. Do you want them to see you as a murderer, be scared of you? Do you want people to say the Hero of Kvatch killed the Arena blade master?" Ice had started to look at the floor. "I may deserve to die, just like you said, but please, think about everyone else."

The clang of her sword seemed to break her daze. She had slowly been absorbing everything Ice had said, and he was right. Killing Owyn would lead to nothing good. It was no longer in self-defense, like when she killed the fake Jauffre, or the scamps, or all those wild animals she has met on the road. This was revenge for making her life miserable for fourteen long years, but it was time to leave it behind. "I'm…. sorry…" she whispered and let go of Owyn's hair. He fell on his face, but got up and eyed the sword. He was too late to do anything, though, for she picked it back up and sheathed it. "I have to find Elyon and Crow," she muttered, and walked away.

"Wait!" he ran after her, leaving the Khajiit and Redguard in confusion.

Ice caught up, skidding in front of her. "I want to apologize for leaving you guys. I… Shit, I don't know how to say this… felt guilty about leaving you guys on your own." When she didn't stop, he switched tactics. "I found out I don't have to spend every minute actually doing guild stuff. I can just steal whenever I see the opportunity. I… I want to help. You were right, if I don't try, then the world might get destroyed. I'm a jerk, I know. I want to help." He stopped walking, and so did she.

She sighed. "I should really just walk away from you right now. I must be crazy, but, we need all the help we can get. And I'm not forgiving you, either. You're not my friend. You've lost my trust. I'm doing this for Cyrodiil. Follow me, shit-face."

The pair of them walked in silence to the Market District. They met Crow first at the First Edition where he had bought two books. He pocketed them as they walked in. "Hi, we should get going, I—" he stopped at the sight of Ice. "What are you doing here?"

"I figured you could use some help. I won't turn my back on you guys just yet." Ice didn't see Crow's look of suspicion. Crow looked at Nightshade, who shrugged, but she looked angry. He frowned. "Fine," the tone wasn't the same, "we'll find Elyon and then explain to you what's going on. We're running out of time."

Elyon had reacted in a similar way. She was walking around, looking through windows of shops. The backpack she had before had disappeared. However, she seemed to be displeased by Ice's return, just like everyone else, and a mutual agreement silently spread through the three.

As they walked through the sewers, they didn't speak. Ice seemed confused, and even as they killed a few sewer goblins, rats, and crabs, he didn't get it.

Crow climbed down first into the deeper sewer where they were supposed to meet the man Crow had spoken with. He jumped down the ladder and signaled for them to follow.

"No sign of anyone," he whispered, almost inaudibly. He pulled his hood farther down his face; Elyon took a left passageway along the wall, sticking to the shadows, and Nightshade and Ice headed for a nearby bridge.

Crow looked around to see a small, wooden chair. Cautiously, he sat down, and a few seconds later a High Elf came walking through a door straight in front of him. His yellow and red skin covered his full, oval face. His oily, brown hair was held upward in a narrow bun. He looked at Crow with an expressionless face.

"So, you're interested in joining us, the Mythic Dawn? Humph, it's much more than killing things, dunmer; it's about obeying rules and worshipping Mehrunes Dagon! You may have worshipped other Daedra, but Mehrunes Dagon commands total obedience! You disobey him, and you will be punished greatly. The Mythic Dawn—"

Ice rolled his eyes. "Why can't we attack yet?" he whispered fiercely.

Nightshade hissed, "We need information. Now shut up."

The Altmer suddenly frowned. "You did come alone, right?"

Crow nodded. "No one came with me."

"You weren't followed?"

"If I was, I probably killed them up in the sewers. It's hard to tell apart humans and goblins."

Suspicious, the lecture shifted to an interview. "So, what's your name?"

"Ashen Kinaswlaki. I'm from Morrowind."

"Really? And what's your history?"

"I was worshipping in Vvardenfell, but it didn't come to my standards. See, I like a lot of sacrificing and blood with chanting and stuff like that. Wasn't good enough there. So, a friend of mine told me about Cyrodiil and how they have all sorts of crazy cults—no offense. And then when I was in Cheydinhal, I overheard someone talking about the Mythic Dawn. Well, I was interested."

Elyon had ascended further across the narrow pathway and was in the sight range of a guard that had appeared through another archway. Another had appeared across from Ice and Nightshade, on the other side of the bridge, and the last was downstairs where Crow was.

"So, who are you? I feel that I should at least know who's judging me," Crow slyly asked.

"I'm Raven Camoran, part of the Camoran clan, and a leader of the Mythic Dawn. My family founded the cult a few generations back."

"Why Mehrunes Dagon?"

He scowled, the suspicion rising. Crow switched tactics. "Just so I know all there's to know. I don't want to be picked on just because everyone else knows something I don't."

Camoran cracked his fingers. "Are you prepared to sacrifice yourself for the greater good?"

Greater good? These people had a sick conscience. Nightshade looked over at Elyon, expecting her to give some sort of signal. She was watching Crow, fists clenched just in case.

Crow crossed his legs nonchalantly and started to examine his nails. Nightshade didn't know he was such a good actor.

"Camoran—may I call you Raven?" He snorted in displeasure. Crow continued, "Don't I need the fourth book before I do anything with you people? I mean, I'd be joining like a blind bat would enter a cage. I don't feel right just walking into this."

He stood there, staring at him for a while, before approaching him closer. "Dunmer, why don't I trust you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe I'm just naturally good. I'd be perfect for an undercover agent, wouldn't I? I wouldn't be suspected."

Camoran turned and walked back, his hand behind his red robe until suddenly he shot a frost spell at him. He countered with a powerful swipe of his arm, glittering purple, but it did damage. He took out his sword with his right hand, unable to use magic with that hand very well, and started to slash. The guard below with them charged, but Nightshade jumped feebly down in front of him. She was knocked down, but she wasn't defenseless with her Sunderblade. Elyon fought the guard on the ledge and also to keep her balance. Ice struggled to fight his opponent, but he was strong.

"I knew you weren't alone!" Camoran hissed, withdrawing his own weapon, a large dagger. The two clashed swords and the whole sewers must've echoed with the sounds of fighting.

The struggle ended with the three guards dead and the four surrounding Camoran in a circle. He was cut up badly and couldn't stand.

"Ok, we'll let you live if you tell us about the Mythic Dawn and give us the last book," Crow held out a hand, but Camoran tried to spit blood into his face. He shrugged and faced Elyon. "Should we kill him?"

"I'd rather die than tell you anything! You'll see; the awesome power of Mehrunes Dagon will crush everyone, including the Nine themselves. You'll be sorry, for I'll be in Paradise and you'll all burn in Oblivion for eternity!" He ended his dramatic speech with a last cough of blood, and flopped down onto the hard, mossy stone floor.

"Poor devil," Elyon muttered. She knelt down and searched his red robes for anything. A couple of gold pieces, a broken key, and a book with a red cover lied on Elyon's knees.

Nightshade's face was faced down, slumped on her shoulders. Again, they had traveled through the night. Silver was sleepwalking with Richu draped across her back like a sack. Elyon was trying feebly to keep awake by stretching every now and then. It was hard to tell if Crow was awake or not, for his hood covered his eyes. Ice's eyes were bloodshot from staring blankly; he had run out of things to talk about hours ago.

"Open… up…" Nightshade pounded on the gates of Cloud Ruler Temple weakly. The fort opened and they woke each other up.

"Rather late," Baurus rubbed his eyes as they entered the Main Hall. Martin sat at a bench, slouched, and immediately jolted up at the sound of their footsteps. "I'm not a scamp," he muttered, and then looked at them. "Oh, hello."

The four waved in unison. Richu, who had jumped off Silver's back when she was being taken to the stable, was already asleep.

Jauffre, unlike last time, was in a nightdress with a matching sock cap with a tassel at the end. He held a candlestick. "What goes on?"

"They're back—I mean, we're back," Nightshade handed Jauffre the last book, and without another word, the group dispersed and slept.

Nightshade woke up when the sun was almost at the peak of the sky. She started to play with the amulet on her chest. She had forgotten about it, its black gem glittering back at her. It reminded her of Crow's ring—

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Baurus poked his head through her doorframe. "Jauffre's holding a meeting right now."

She bolted up and, already in her armor and clothes, she followed him. She took her Akavari Sunderblade and let the amulet rest on the chest of her armor.

"Ok, we have all four books," Jauffre continued, following Nightshade with his eyes as she took a seat next to Martin and Elyon. They were in the library so no one could really listen in. "Martin's read over all of them, but we can't find anything. So, now's a chance we train up and rest awhile until we figure this out. Meeting over."

"That was a pathetic speech," Ice, who sat next to Martin and across from Elyon, said as the Breton left. "And of course you know by 'we' he means you, Martin, right?"

Martin nodded. "Yep."

"Well, I need to go brush up," Elyon yawned. "Good luck."

Nightshade looked at Martin. "Need help?"

"Of course I do, but there is nothing!" Martin banged his head on the round table in front of them. "I've read them at least twenty times and it's all the same nonsense! Why the hell would someone write commentaries and have it be nothing I'll never know!"

"Maybe Nightshade should read it," Ice grinned. "She's rather magical lately. You should've seen her fireball. Was that your first try?"

She scowled. "Yes, but that hardly makes a difference."

Ice picked up a book and looked at it. "Hmm…. Can you even read?"

"Yes," Nightshade was getting annoyed.

"Then prove it."

She picked up the first volume and started reading. She messed up a few times. Ice stood up and behind her, reading over her shoulder to see if she was saying it properly. When she started the second, he walked over to the rows of bookshelves and started to look for a book. Before she finished, he slammed a large book in front of Martin.

"Look, I've found something interesting."

Martin raised an eyebrow. "'Code-breaking for Spies'?"

"Yeah. Look at it. Codes. That's what they are. There's a hidden code in there saying different things." Ice opened it to page ten. "'The most common codes are numbers meaning letters, but an experienced code master will mix up the numbers, like 2 meaning U. Other codes involve letters meaning different letters, or words meaning different words. But other times the answer is right in front of your nose. First letters or last letters could all add up to a word.' See?"

"No."

Ice rolled his eyes and grabbed the first volume. He skimmed for a while before grinning brightly. "Look! 'GO TO GREEN E.' The first letter of every paragraph is the code!"

"Genius!" Martin seized the second volume with a rush of adrenalin. "'MPERORS WAY WHEN'!"

By the time they read through them all, Nightshade wrote the letters down on a spare piece of parchment. She read it off. "'GO TO GREEN EMPERORS WAY WHEN THE SUN IS HIGHEST IN THE SKY'."

"Brilliant!" Martin clapped his hands and smiled. "Finally, the answer to our question!"