Northbound Pilgrimage II

Chapter XCII - Where the Shadows Loom

"Tell me, has either of you ever heard of the order of Nightingales?"

Karliah's voice, slightly muffled by the black mask, still echoed through the empty halls as the three of them continued marching through the corridor.

Brynjolf and Bishop still knew nothing about what was to come, but she promised gifts and explanations. There was nothing wrong with that.

"No," Bishop shrugged. He had never heard of anything like that.

"Aye," Brynjolf nodded, much to Bishop's surprise. Didn't Karliah say that it was some obscure ancient order? How did he know it?

"You have?" Karliah sounded just as surprised. "What did you hear?"

"Not much," Brynjolf shrugged. "Some old legends – master thieves, capable of anything, that sort of stuff. The stories said that they could steal the most guarded artifacts on Nirn."

"Aye," Karliah chuckled a bit. "All that with just a little bit of luck and skill."

They continued through the hall silently for a few more seconds before she stopped them all in front of another chamber – it was very dark inside, but they could still make out the outline of a circular platform there.

"These halls belong to the order of the Nightingales," she spoke again with that reverent tone in her voice. "Thieves of legend, shrouded by the darkness. There were always three, chosen ones, the Trinity, to carry the title, but there were other disciples training here under their tutelage, ready to take up the mantle should one of them fall."

"'Disciples'?" Bishop scowled briefly. Maybe he was overthinking her words, but he really disliked all this talk of 'orders' and 'disciples'. It only made him think of all the fucking zealots he knew throughout his life, starting with his family.

"Come," instead of answering, Karliah gestured to them and stepped inside the shadowy chamber.

They followed, expectant, walking across the platform towards the center. There were three adjacent circular platforms there and, in the middle of the central one, there was that symbol again – the large bird with its wings spread.

"I want to restore the order to its former glory. To pass on the techniques and blessings of the Nightingales," Karliah's voice reverberated through the room. "Blessings of... my order. I... I have been a Nightingale for a long time. As was Gallus. And... Mercer," she let out a mournful sigh.

"What does that even mean?" Bishop shook his head at her in confusion. He still didn't really get it. This was about some thieving techniques, right? Why was she being so weird about this, couldn't she just give them the shiny armor and teach them what she wanted?

"It means that... it means that they were given the honor of reaping the benefits, but... Mercer did not follow our code, did not uphold our values. I have chosen you because I know that you will. The Trinity needs to be restored again and the order needs to prevail."

"Lass," Brynjolf sighed. "We have our own code, our own values. If you have techniques to teach us, then do, but what is all this? Why the performance?"

"There are simply some rituals that need to be upheld. Oaths," Karliah said that so matter-of-factly, but it only served to unnerve Bishop more.

"'Oaths'? Why would we need to swear some oaths to you? Just for some armor and whatever else?" he scowled at her. This was just getting weirder by the second.

"Not just... no," Karliah shook her head. "Think about what you need. The knowledge and skills of the Nightingales protect us, give us an edge. How many times have you almost got killed because of a misstep, because of a broken lockpick at the wrong time or because of a change in plans that threw you off? Being a Nightingale or being a disciple, it gives us... luck. It gives us a chance. Against all of this. It will protect you. It will protect the Guild," she turned her head towards Brynjolf meaningfully before she looked at Bishop instead. "It will protect everything and everyone you care about."