Karliah thought she had panicked when Macayla got hurt, but Brynjolf was more so. He never once left her side when they made camp in a close cropping of trees away from the ambush site. She kept reassuring her husband that she was alright, but his watchfulness didn't lessen much. Once he felt sure that she could walk, they started again for the mountain south of Winterhold.
As they trudged their way up the mountain to Azura's shrine, Karliah kept repeating what her mother had told her about the Daedric Lord. Azura is the Goddess of Dusk and Dawn, and can see into the Twilight of the future and guide her followers through it. The only artifact that she knew was paired with the Daedric prince was Azura's Star. What it could do was hazy to Karliah, but how could it help them?
A colossal statue appeared as they crested the top and grew bigger and bigger the closer they got. The statue of Azura holding a sun in one hand and a crescent moon in the other was far larger than Meridia's. She didn't stand atop a temple but on the mountain itself, with steps twisting and turning up to reach her.
They headed up the steps to stop at the actual shrine and a woman in hooded robes praying at it.
Macayla looked at Karliah; with a quick swallow, she stepped forward.
"Umm, excuse me?"
The woman's hands lowered and turned to face them; she was a Dark Elf.
"Greetings; I am Aranea Ienith. Azura has seen your coming, travelers. It was not curiosity, but fate, that has led you here."
Understanding dawned on her. "You have the gift of foresight."
She nodded. "Indeed. Azura has given me that gift. I had a vision of you three walking up the steps to this altar long before any of you were born." Aranea looked directly at Karliah. "But you, you have been chosen to be her champion. I know it is unexpected, but do not worry. It will all unfold as she has predicted."
"What does Azura need?"
"You must go to a fortress endangered by water, yet untouched by it. Inside, you will find an elven mage who can turn the brightest star as black as night." She gave an apologetic smile. "It is cryptic, I know, but Azura's signs are never wrong. I believe the fortress may refer to Winterhold. Ask if they know this elven enchanter."
They left the priestess to head to Winterhold.
***
Knowing inns were great places to pick up rumors, they headed for The Frozen Hearth. The memory of the last time they were here flashed through Karliah's head: discussing Gallus' journal with Enthir; their trip to Markarth; Macayla and Brynjolf kidnapped by Edvar Clear-Blood; his death, and Enthir translating Gallus' journal, bringing Mercer Frey's crimes to light. She bet the others were having flashbacks as well. She wondered if Enthir would be inside...
They took a moment to get warm by the fire and to look over the patrons for an elven mage; no one was an elf or dressed like a mage. Since this was her mission, Karliah headed over to the innkeeper if he knew one; he pointed over to a side room to find a Nelacar.
Inside, they found a seated High Elf dressed in mage robes with the hood up. He watched their approach with shrewd eyes.
"Are you the mage who studies stars?" Karliah asked.
His eyes narrowed. "Who sent you? Was it the College? The Jarl? We agreed there would be no more questions."
"A priestess of Azura sent us."
"You're working with the Daedra? Right," he said sarcastically. "Now tell me the one about the Argonian Maid and the lusty baron."
"We don't have time for games," Brynjolf said. "Talk."
Nelacar balked at the heat of Brynjolf's order. "Alright. Just calm down; I'll tell you everything." He took a breath. "What do you know about soul gems?"
"Soul gems? Why are you asking?" Macayla asked.
"That's what caused all the trouble. Soul gems are used in enchanting, but they break afterwards. Except one." His eyes shot to the open doorway; Brynjolf shut it for his peace of mind. "Azura's Star. A Daedric artifact that allows any number of souls to pass through it."
Now Karliah remembered what it did; but how would that help them?
"When I was at the College, some of my fellow classmates wanted to find out how. I was working under Malyn Varen, then. If only we knew what he was really planning..." he trailed off.
"What did Malyn do?" Karliah asked to bring him out of the past.
"Malyn wanted to alter the Star. He was dying. Disease. He thought he could store his own soul inside. Become immortal." Nelacar shook his head. "It drove him mad. Students started dying. Eventually, the College exiled him. He took a few loyal disciples to Ilinata's Deep and vanished."
Ilinata's Deep was an almost submerged ruin in Falkreath Hold. They had a long way to go.
"Look, I don't care who asked you to find the Star, but don't take it back to Azura," Nelacar began. "The Daedra are evil. They're the reason Malyn went insane."
I know most are, but I don't think Azura is, Karliah thought. She fought to keep her eyes from shooting to Macayla. They didn't answer—only nodded—as they left. They wouldn't bring it back to Nelacar; they needed Azura's support, so they would do what she wanted.
***
They purchased horses for the week-long journey to Ilinata's Deep. Once close enough, the Nightingale Trinity hid the horses among some trees and walked the rest of the way.
Ilinata's Deep used to be a fortress; the earth beneath it gave way to the lake and now it mostly sat underwater. The tallest tower sat dry, leaning high above the water; another tower had sunk but its top just skimmed the water. It held the entrance into the ruin, a wooden hatch. Brynjolf held it open and came in last, after the women had descended.
Water lapped at their calves as they crept in; they met a skeleton still bound to a pillory. The sound of dripping or spewing water sounded all around them. More water tried to force its way in through cracks and where parts of the fortress had collapsed.
"There is dark magick here; be ready for Necromancers," Nocturnal warned through Macayla.
With her warning, Karliah and Macayla pulled out their bows and Brynjolf unsheathed Dawnbreaker. It emitted a pulsing glow, like in warning.
"Something undead is here too," he whispered.
Karliah prayed it wasn't dremora again—she hoped she would never meet another one.
They went further in, more cautiously than before. As the husband and wife had both predicted, Necromancers and patrolling skeletons occupied Ilinata's Deep. Macayla and Karliah handled the Necromancers and Brynjolf took care of the skeleton-slaves—when he slashed through them, they'd burst into flame like the dremora did.
Their opponents weren't that difficult when taken by surprise. Macayla used the Skeleton Key once against a Master Necromancer. When Dawnbreaker returned to a steady glow, Brynjolf announced no more enemies lay ahead of them.
They followed a spiraling staircase up to a room with many skeletons, multiple bodies of what looked like Bandits, and blood splattered everywhere. All remains were bunched up near another skeleton sitting in a chair on a platform. Lying on its lap was a dark and large object with wavy lines branching out, like a sun. Azura's Star.
Karliah walked up to the skeleton of Malyn Varen. She took the Star off his lap to look at it: she expected it to be bright, but it was dark and cracked with many fissures streaking through it. It looked like it had been forced to take in something that didn't belong.
"At least we don't have to worry about killing him now," Macayla said.
"Not here," Karliah corrected.
"You think he's in there?" Brynjolf asked.
She turned around with Azura's broken Star. "Yes. I think he found a way by forcing it to take him in." Karliah looked down at it. "I have a feeling I know what my trial will be to gain Azura's favor..."
"Go into the Star to kill Malyn Varen," Macayla stated.
"Not alone, right, lass?" Brynjolf asked. "We can go with you, right?"
Karliah shrugged. "I don't know; we'll be told when we get this back to Aranea."
***
Aranea Ienith was praying again when the Nightingales ascended behind her. She felt their presence this time and turned; her eyes widened when Karliah pulled out Azura's Star.
"Azura's Star! I knew the Lady of Twilight had sent you for a reason." She stretched out her hand. "Hand it over to me; I will ask Azura to restore the Star to its original purity."
Karliah gave it to her; she placed it on the altar and lifted her hands up to the statue again.
"Azura. Mother of roses. Goddess of Dusk and Dawn. Your chosen champion has returned your Star to you."
Aranea remained quiet as it looked like she listened to something. With a nod, she turned to face them again. "She wishes to speak to you herself. Place your hands on the altar and you will hear her voice," she told Karliah.
She stepped up to the altar and did as instructed.
"Greetings, mortal. You have followed my guidance through the veils of Twilight and rescued my Star from Malyn Varen." Azura's voice was soft and pleasant to listen to; unlike Nocturnal, her pleasure could definitely be heard in her voice. Karliah also felt pride swelling—she had honored the Mistress of her people.
"Is there any way to cleanse the Star?" she asked.
"No, only one option remains. I will send you inside the Star. You will banish Malyn's soul there."
"My friends can't come with me?"
"No; only one can go. Do not worry Karliah; you were born to do this."
She removed her hands to turn to Macayla and Brynjolf; she told them what Azura told her. They weren't happy with the news, but accepted it that she had to do this alone to become Azura's champion.
After a steadying breath, Karliah placed her hands back on the altar.
"I'm ready, my Lady."
"Have faith, Karliah. I will be watching over you."
Karliah felt a tug on her chest as Azura pulled her soul out of her body; everything went white... Until her vision cleared and now she stood in a foreign place. It looked like ice spikes had clustered or fused into one another. Strange translucent shards floated in the air. There wasn't any other color except for blue or white. A path stretched on before her and a Dark Elf in Necromancer robes stood on it, facing her.
Malyn Varen grinned wickedly. "Ah, my disciples have sent me a fresh soul. Good. I was getting... hungry." His smile suddenly vanished as he sensed something. "Wait. There's something different about you..."
Karliah pulled out her bow. "You can't escape your fate, Malyn."
"And who are you to challenge me? I have conquered mortality itself. I've spat in the eyes of the Daedric Lords. This is my realm now. I've sacrificed too much to let you take it from me!" He turned and ran; Karliah's arrow drove into the ice spike where he had been standing.
She gave chase after him; the sound of him summoning something from the plane of Oblivion followed by familiar, guttural voices threw her to a stop.
Karliah trembled at the sounds of the dremora searching for her and hid behind an ice spike. She didn't have Macayla or Brynjolf this time; she didn't have anyone to support her. Macayla had Nocturnal in her and the Skeleton Key; Brynjolf had the mighty Dawnbreaker—she had a simple bow. She wasn't powerful like them; she wasn't strong. How could she face them alone?
"You are smart and have determination," Azura whispered to her.
When she was running from the Thieves Guild and Mercer Frey, all she had was her smarts and the determination to survive. She could rely on it again. Her grip tightened on her bow.
Keeping as low as possible, Karliah poked around the ice spike to locate the dremora. Malyn Varen had only summoned two of the black and red skinned creatures. She aimed at one's head as they crept closer to her; she let the arrow fly, then jumped behind a cluster of ice spikes.
She heard a thud, a grunt, and a roar of rage. Karliah hurried away from her entrance into the ice spikes as she heard them running. Once she found an opening, she poked out to look around, then fired at them again. She wound in and out of the ice spikes, and shot at the dremora every chance she got.
Some of the ice reflected her image like a mirror. So she would purposely walk across those ice patches to draw their attention; they'd race after her image in the wrong direction and she would emerge to shoot them in the back. Eventually, one fell, dead.
Enraged, the last one began to shoot fireballs at the ice spikes, shattering them. With her tricks disappearing, Karliah boldly emerged to shoot at it. When it turned and shot fireballs at her, she'd duck behind an ice spike for it to pass, then stepped out to shoot again. It didn't take too much longer for it to die, too.
She could celebrate killing two dremora after Malyn Varen was dead. Karliah went searching for the Necromancer, careful to stay behind ice spikes as she looked.
He stood at what looked like the end to Karliah, for the path stopped where he stood; the ice spikes created a wall behind him. Malyn faced the only way to him, already in a defensive stance with fire burning in his hands, ready to burn her alive once she came into view.
Karliah pulled back and headed for the way she saw to creep through the ice spikes and appear behind him.
"I know you're out there, girl!" Malyn Varen shouted. "Come on out!"
She quietly stepped out behind him and released an arrow; it drove through the back of his neck. He stumbled forward, and she heard him gurgling, struggling to breathe, but Karliah quickly notched another arrow and released it. The arrow buried into his back and Malyn Varen fell forward to lie still, dead.
As soon as his body hit the ground, everything shook and tremble.
"The Star is free to purify itself," Azura suddenly spoke. "Don't worry, Karliah. I will return you before you are cleansed."
Her vision brightened again until it grew white. She felt like being sucked into something; then she blinked and was back in her body, hands still placed on the altar like nothing had happened. Azura's Star still rested beyond her hands—it was no longer dark and broken, but whole and emitting a faint blue light.
"My Star has been restored and Malyn's soul has been consigned to Oblivion. You have done well, Karliah. As was destined, you are free to use my Star as you see fit."
Karliah reached for it. "Thank you, my Lady, but how do I use it?"
"You mean, how will it assist you in what you three have set out to do? Do not worry; it will help you protect those you love by eliminating those you once feared. When your need arises, direct it at that filth and their souls will be stripped of their bodies and sent back to Oblivion—there, they will become defenseless and roam endlessly with no host."
"Thank you again, my Lady."
"Farewell, Karliah. Know that Azura will be guarding over the threads of your fate in the Twilight."
With the disappearance of Azura's voice, Karliah turned to the others, waiting. She explained what had happened and how the Star could help them; they bid farewell to Aranea and headed down the mountain.