“About these powers then,” Brynjolf said, deciding to change the topic onto something less contentious. “If we're going to spend eternity in Evergloam, I want compensating.”
Karliah rolled her eyes and explained about the three powers, of Shadow, Subterfuge and Strife and how by standing on the relevant moon symbol, you could choose one.
“Traditionally, we'd have a different one each for balance, but we can have the same one as another if we want. But we only get one each. That was what Mercer stole – with the Key, he had all three for himself and the rest of us were locked out. But now we can have them back if we want.” So saying, she stepped on the symbol for the power of Shadow.
Sapphire wasted no time but selected the power of Strife. Leaving Brynjolf with Subterfuge. It would do, he supposed. He'd always been good at influencing people.
“Back to the Sepulchre then,” Sapphire said, looking at Brynjolf.
“Back home,” Brynjolf confirmed, but before he could head over to the portal, someone emerged out of it. Gallus strode into the Ebonmere, holding his arms out to Karliah, who went to him joyfully.
“Gallus, we did it!” Karliah cried. “We took the Key back!”
“So I see,” Gallus laughed. “I knew you could do it. Well done, my love.”
“Thank you,” Karliah whispered. “Nocturnal forgave me! She said I came good in the end.”
“Of course you did, I'd expect nothing less,” Gallus said with a smile. “And now you've restored the conduit, I can finally move on. Nocturnal said my contract's been fulfilled. I can go to the Evergloam, be one with the Shadows at last.”
Karliah looked proud, but also more than a little bit sad.
“Will I ever see you again?” she asked. Gallus nodded.
“Yes. Yes of course. When your count of days is done and your Oath fulfilled, you'll join me in the Evergloam and we'll embrace again. But in the mean time... Karliah, you mustn't mourn me any more. Don't blame yourself for anything that happened, I walked into that trap with my eyes open. None of it was your fault – in fact if you'd not followed in secret and seen the whole thing, been able to retrieve my journal and get it translated, no one would ever have known the truth. You avenged me and you've helped make it possible for the Guild and the Nightingales to rise again. So don't wallow in guilt any more.”
“I won't,” Karliah whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks but she was smiling through them. “I love you, Gallus.”
“I love you too,” Gallus murmured back. “And if loving you was a mistake, I'd make it again and again a thousand times over. But Karliah... you are young and your life will last centuries, Shadows willing. Don't mourn me all that time. Don't save yourself for me. Time has little meaning in Evergloam, but it will seem an eternity in Mundus. I don't want you to be lonely. You get out there and you let yourself love again. Maybe not just yet... but in time, you'll meet someone and I don't want you holding back on my account.”
“Gallus!” Karliah cried, but he just smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
“Live your life, Karliah. Walk with the Shadows... and good luck. I'll be watching over you.”
“Gallus,” Karliah whispered... but he was gone, fading into the portal to Evergloam. Silence and then Sapphire was there, holding on to Karliah as she sagged in her arms.
“Are you alright?” Sapphire whispered. Karliah nodded, clinging on to Sapphire.
“I don't know. I can hardly believe it's all over,” Karliah whispered. “The Key, Mercer, all of it. Now what?”
“Now,” said Brynjolf, coming to put an arm around them both, “now we go home.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 23.7
Date: 2014-02-09 09:36 pm (UTC)Karliah rolled her eyes and explained about the three powers, of Shadow, Subterfuge and Strife and how by standing on the relevant moon symbol, you could choose one.
“Traditionally, we'd have a different one each for balance, but we can have the same one as another if we want. But we only get one each. That was what Mercer stole – with the Key, he had all three for himself and the rest of us were locked out. But now we can have them back if we want.” So saying, she stepped on the symbol for the power of Shadow.
Sapphire wasted no time but selected the power of Strife. Leaving Brynjolf with Subterfuge. It would do, he supposed. He'd always been good at influencing people.
“Back to the Sepulchre then,” Sapphire said, looking at Brynjolf.
“Back home,” Brynjolf confirmed, but before he could head over to the portal, someone emerged out of it. Gallus strode into the Ebonmere, holding his arms out to Karliah, who went to him joyfully.
“Gallus, we did it!” Karliah cried. “We took the Key back!”
“So I see,” Gallus laughed. “I knew you could do it. Well done, my love.”
“Thank you,” Karliah whispered. “Nocturnal forgave me! She said I came good in the end.”
“Of course you did, I'd expect nothing less,” Gallus said with a smile. “And now you've restored the conduit, I can finally move on. Nocturnal said my contract's been fulfilled. I can go to the Evergloam, be one with the Shadows at last.”
Karliah looked proud, but also more than a little bit sad.
“Will I ever see you again?” she asked. Gallus nodded.
“Yes. Yes of course. When your count of days is done and your Oath fulfilled, you'll join me in the Evergloam and we'll embrace again. But in the mean time... Karliah, you mustn't mourn me any more. Don't blame yourself for anything that happened, I walked into that trap with my eyes open. None of it was your fault – in fact if you'd not followed in secret and seen the whole thing, been able to retrieve my journal and get it translated, no one would ever have known the truth. You avenged me and you've helped make it possible for the Guild and the Nightingales to rise again. So don't wallow in guilt any more.”
“I won't,” Karliah whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks but she was smiling through them. “I love you, Gallus.”
“I love you too,” Gallus murmured back. “And if loving you was a mistake, I'd make it again and again a thousand times over. But Karliah... you are young and your life will last centuries, Shadows willing. Don't mourn me all that time. Don't save yourself for me. Time has little meaning in Evergloam, but it will seem an eternity in Mundus. I don't want you to be lonely. You get out there and you let yourself love again. Maybe not just yet... but in time, you'll meet someone and I don't want you holding back on my account.”
“Gallus!” Karliah cried, but he just smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
“Live your life, Karliah. Walk with the Shadows... and good luck. I'll be watching over you.”
“Gallus,” Karliah whispered... but he was gone, fading into the portal to Evergloam. Silence and then Sapphire was there, holding on to Karliah as she sagged in her arms.
“Are you alright?” Sapphire whispered. Karliah nodded, clinging on to Sapphire.
“I don't know. I can hardly believe it's all over,” Karliah whispered. “The Key, Mercer, all of it. Now what?”
“Now,” said Brynjolf, coming to put an arm around them both, “now we go home.”