I enter the cistern, completely preoccupied with other thoughts and I nearly fall into its waters. Elwyn grabs the back of my curiass and saves me from my swim, my foot does end up submerged though despite her attempts to prevent it. The sudden dousing of cold water brings me crashing back down to Earth, and I take a good look at my surrondings. The rounded walls of the cistern closely resemble the walls of the tunnels, and on the far side of the cistern a makeshift tavern does rather prosperous business.
Voices echo across the room, carrying the sounds of an arguement to us. Elwyn and I navigate our way around the cistern as Brynjolf appears to argue with the other guildmembers. "I'm telling you, this one's different." He declares.
"Those times are past Brynjolf, you and Delvin are relics from an age past." The bartender says skeptically.
"You think so?" Brynjolf asks derisively. "Then whats that?"
Everyone but Brynjolf glances up in surprise as Elwyn and I step onto the wooden floors of the tavern. We approach Brynjolf, who sits back and watches us with a satisfied smirk. "Make it here all right lad?"
"More or less." I respond, purposely glossing over the fighting we had, so as not to demean Brynjolf. "Nice outfit you have here."
"Outfit? This is a familiy lad. We watch each others backs." He wraps his arm around my shoulders and leads me to a table at the side of the cistern. "Whos the girl?" He asks sliding easily into his chair.
"A friend. We're a package deal." I slide into a chair across from him and Elwyn takes a chair next to me.
"We didn't agree to that." Byrnjolf scowls angrily. He gives Elwyn a once over, and turns back to me. "Is she any good?"
"I could preach her skills, but you wouldn't believe me." I reply easily. "Give her a job. Let her prove herself."
"Vale..." Elwyn whispers warningly.
"I think I will lad." He looks at Elwyn appraisingly. "We've been having problems getting some of the local shop keepers to pay their dues. Naturally, we can't have that can we?" He pauses, waiting for a response from Elwyn. When none is forthcoming he continues, "I want you to convince them to pay. Can you do that?"
"Easily." She replies. I grin as I recall how she stopped me from taking on Whiterun single-handly. Elwyn rises out of her chair, and charges out of the cistern. I start to follow her, but Brynjolf shakes his head. "Its her task lad, if you interfere it doesn't count." I glance at the door uneasily remembering the servant we fought, and settle back down into the chair to wait.
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She returns maybe an hour later carrying three small pouches of gold. She tosses them onto the table, and reclines in her chair. "Theres your money, and all three have agreed to be more timely in their payments."
"Looks like you were right lad, well lets take you to see Mercer. He'll induct you into the guild." We leave the table, and he leads us into a back tunnel. At the end of the tunnel next to the door he pulls open a cupbroad. He glances back at us with a smirk, and presses a hidden panel, which causes the back of the cupbroad to swing open revealing another tunnel. We all cross through the cupboard, closing the door and the false panel behind us. We follow him through another door and into central chamber of the guild. Light spills down from a hole in the center, giving light to the events of the room. At the center to bridges meet halfway across the central pool. At the point where it meets, a man in the dark armour of the guild waits impatiently.
"Well Brynjolf? Is this the one you've been talking about?" The man paces forward and throws his words with impatient almost bordering on hostility. "Whose the girl?"
"Everyone asks that..." Elwyn mutters.
"Yes, this is the one. The girl is his partner." Brynjolf answers, ignoring Elwyn.
"This better not be another waste of the Guild's resources, Brynjolf." Mercer snarls. He turns towards me, his entire stance fruaght with barely controlled impatience. "Before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. You break the rules and you lose your share. No debates, no discussions... you do what we say, when we say. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." He seems satisfied with this answer, and Elwyn nods in agreement.
"Good. Then I think it's time we put your expertise to the test." Brynjolf starts at this and interrupts Mercer before he can continue.
"Goldenglow? Are you sure? Not even our little Vex could make it in."
"You claim these two possess an aptitude for our line of work. If so, let them prove it." Mercer turns away from Brynjolf and address Elwyn and I. "Goldenglow Estate is critically important to one of our largest clients. However, the owner has suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson. Brynjolf will provide you with the details."
"Mercer, are you forgetting something?" Brynjolf asks dryly.
"Oh, right. Since Brynjolf assures me that you'll be nothing more than an asset... your in. Welcome to thieves guild." Mercer says this with a mock bow, and retreats to the other side of the chamber.
"Alright you two, Goldenglow is a critical asset to our one of our clients, but lately they've decided to cut us out of its operations. And if they've cut us out, that means they've cut out our client as well. So, what you need to do, is teach them a lesson. Your to infiltrate the estate, clear out the safe, and burn down three of its hives. No more than three however, any more than that and putting the place back on its feet will be overly difficult for our employer, thus if you burn more than three you lose your cuts. Got it?" Byrnjolf asks eagerly.
"What about the owner? Can we expect trouble from him?" I ask quietly.
"Aringoth? Not likely, but if he does you have permission to kill him." Brynjolf waves his hand dismissevly. "Talk to Vex if you have any questions about the manors layout."
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We begin the infiltration under the cover of night. We seperate immediately and target different areas. I go after the hives, while Elwyn sneaks into the manor. When she first suggested that we split up, I was rather relucant to agree but she pointed out that she's actually much better at this kind of thing than I am.
I do my best to cross the Island by moving from shadow to shadow, but by the time I've reached the hives I've nearly alerted the entire mercenary force. I rest behind a hive for a moment to catch my breathe, once I'm certain I've calmed myself I extend a hand towards one of the hives and try to find the power at my core. For a moment nothing happens, but finally a burst of flame leaps away from my hand, and ignites the hive with a woosh. I set the next few fires easily enough, and I'm gathering myself to leave the hives when a ear-shattering crash echoes across the island.
Sorry about the massive delay between chapters. I had a hard time deciding whose perspective to write this one from, and deciding how to portray Mercer and Brynjolf. Well I hope you've enjoyed.
