A Thief's Temptation

7- It's not Honor

"Are you alright, Lass?" Brynjolf asked as we made our way to Irkngthand. "I've never been in Dwarven ruins, but I know what's down there," I frowned, "I've heard stories. Terrible, terrible stories." "You will be okay. I promise nothing's going to happen. We're thieves, Riseki. And you won't have to go anywhere near a Falmer, because you have great marksmanship."

"I did learn from the best," I smiled, looking at him. "We will be fine, it's not the Falmer I'm worried about... I don't want you hurt by Mercer. As much as I'd love dying with his blood on my blade, your safety comes first," He said, and I frowned. "His life is mine to take," I said. "Fair enough," He smiled.

Brynjolf and I fought the bandits as we made our way to the main entrance of Irkngthand. I gasped as we saw all the dead bandits around a main campsite just inside the entrance. I frowned. I bent down next to one and moved him a tad. "Brynjolf, they were asleep when they were killed," I said.

"I know," He said, "But we don't have the time to focus on it. Their deaths will be avenged when we catch up to him and kill him?" "You're right," I sighed moving the dead bandit back.

We fought a few dwarven machinations before reaching a lever to a dwarven elevator. Mum was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs that the elevator took us to. She looked at us, "Mercer's been here... I hope we're not too late." "Those bandits back there..." "I found them like that, too," She frowned, "We have to catch up with him before it's too late."

"Alright, let's go," She said, and we walked down some hallways. We entered an area with a huge barricade. Behind the barred barricade was a large room with falmer guarding it. In the distance, I saw something creeping up behind one and killing it. "Wait a moment... what's that?" Mum asked, "It's Mercer! Look... down there!" She said.

"I'm on it, lass!" Brynjolf said trying to find a way through or over the barricade. I did the same, too. And out of frustration knocked against the bars. "Dammit!" I groaned. "There's no way through," Brynjolf frowned. "He's toying with us. He want's us to follow," Mum said. "Aye, lass... and we'll be ready for him. Let's keep moving," Brynjolf said. I took the lead for a bit, going further down the hallways, until we reached a chasm.

"Looks like we can take the low road or the high road across this chamber, your choice," Brynjolf said. "You're asking me to choose?" I frowned. "Yeah. You'd know the best," He answered. "I know, but- but- I don't want to make the wrong choice," I frowned. "You won't. We can make it either way," He assured.

"We'll take the high road," I said pointing to a small pathway leading behind a tower. "Alright," He said as the three of us snuck their way around the tower. The suits enchantments allowing us to be extremely quite, so the Falmer stalking the halls couldn't hear us. As we made our way through the area, and up a ramp.

The ground began to shake violently, and a tower began to fall on to the ramp at the end of the area. The ram we all happened to be on. I frowned as I lost my balance and fell off of it. Brynjolf tried to catch me, but I'd already fallen past his reach. "Riseki!" He yelled. I hit the ground and rolled on my back, just in time to see the tower falling towards me...

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The moment happened too quickly. Brynjolf and Karliah were lost in what had happened. A friend, lover, and fellow Nightingale had fallen off the ramp, and the tower fell on top of her. Brynjolf fell to his knees at the base of the door that would hopefully lead them into the rest of the ruins.

They took a moment, for Riseki. Hoping that maybe she'd made it. But once the dirt and dust settled, she was nowhere to be seen. A small golden object caught his eyes, "Wait!" He said just before Karliah was ready to move on to getting Mercer. He made his way back down to the fallen tower. Grabbing the small golden object, and finding it to be the necklace he'd given her.