Dragonborn Saga

Chapter 662: Who Dares?!

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Jon made a very big fuss inside the Guild and it started to echo through its walls.

A former member offered a tribute of 10,000 Gold Coins. The members of the guild knew it was nothing too big for him but he claimed that these Gold Coins aren't your normal everyday Septims.

These were mostly Maormer Coins (Maormer: Sea Elves) from the far continent of Pyandonea, a place that is currently unreachable and anything from it is considered a rare commodity. If this treasure is indeed from these lands then its exchange rate and value will soar to the sky once proven to be collector items.

In truth, this treasure is something that Jon acquired through the Coffer of King Orgnum, an artifact that he stole from the Worm Cult in Hammerfell.

The Coffer itself is a tool that can (as claimed) generate infinite gold coins. With the whole thing being unreal, Jon discovered that this Coffer collects coins from all parts of the oceans and summons them in its storage. Thanks to that, Jon had a very large surplus of foreign and rare currencies, most of which were Maormeri.

In normal cases, no one would acquire such a large amount unless it was stolen from Pyandonea.

If it was stolen, the Guild would accept it. It is not like they won't accept a handout but making them fall into this misunderstanding is probably for the best.

"Should we wait for Mercer to deposit this in the vault together?" Brynjolf asked while rubbing his eyes as he was being forced out of his drunkenness and hangover by Jon's Magic.

"When did you guys become Mercer's bitches?" Jon asked, "I thought you were your own dogs."

Being told like that, none of Delvin's faction felt like trying to argue with Jon but…

"Rules are Rules." Delvin said, "The Guild Master is the only one that can open the vault for us with his key and mine."

"I see." Jon made a face that doesn't seem to care, "I am sure the rumor about the Vault having two keys that are carried by the Two Senior thieves is true after all. Not that it is a third secret key held by someone like Brynjolf or anything."

His words were quiet enough for only those around him to hear them. They all looked at him and he smirked.

Of course what he said is true. It is a well-kept secret but Brynjolf is the keeper of the Third Vault Key.

The Vault of the Thieves Guild is secured by a mechanism that requires two keys so just in case one of the two went missing, they would still be able to access the vault with the third.

"You knew?" Delvin asked Jon then looked at Brynjolf.

"I didn't tell." Brynjolf shook his head in terror.

"Heh!" Jon smirked, "I've known a long time ago. The fact that Gallus Desidenius ordered the third key to be passed to Brynjolf before he disappeared."

Gallus Desidenius, now that name struck the old thieves badly.

Why?

Gallus Desidenius was the former Guild Master, a man that was considered a legend in Skyrim's Guild. He was loved by all and after his death, the guild suspected his killer to be his lover, a Dunmer woman known as Karliah.

After Karliah escaped, one key was with Delvin and the other was the Guild Master by default. The third key was passed between some members secretly but it was mostly kept by Brynjolf.

"We don't open the vault without the Guild Master's permission." Delvin stood up and approached Jon saying those words in complete strictness, "No matter who says it or whatever reason comes up, we don't break this only rule."

"Woah!" Jon raised his hands up against Delvin's attitude with the rules and smiled, "There is no need to look at me this way, I was only insinuating the thought."

Jon's smile didn't just grow wider, but the look in his eyes gave Delvin the creeps.

"Speak, boy." Delvin slammed his hand against the table, "What are you insinuating?"

"I really gave you this chest of rare coins just because you need it more than me." Jon said, "Once you deposit it into the vault, you will realize something very important, Delvin."

"And that is?" Delvin didn't want to admit it but something at the back of his mind was completely provoked by Jon.

"What you will realize is…" Jon said lazily before suddenly holding Delvin closer by his shoulder and whispering some words to his ear.

Paleness and shock, that was what was seen on Delvin's face.

For a while there, his head felt so light that he would pass out and heavy that he would have his thoughts crawling against each other in his brain.

"WITH ME! ALL OF YOU!"

Delvin woke from his daze and immediately rushed deeper into the Ragged Flagon. The top brass of the Guild looked between Jon and Delvin in shock before finally deciding to follow Delvin.

They didn't even bother to carry the chest of Maormeri Gold that Jon gifted them.

"I guess we have to follow them, then." Jon turned to Serana and spoke.

"That thing that you told him…" Serana said, indicating that even her superb vampire senses caught on a few words from what Jon whispered to Delvin.

"I said that wouldn't it be impressive to open a two-keyed lock with just one key?" Jon said with a wide grin.

"From what I hear, it is not that popular of a trick." Serana said.

"Delvin is as smart as a fox. He figured out what I meant." Jon said and carried the chest inside with him.

The interior of the Thieves Guild was surely something secretive but as Serana was Jon's follower, the group didn't care about what was going on, especially with the situation erupting from inside the Guild.

The Guild Hall was located in a circular drainage tunnel that turned into the main chamber of operations. There were a few doors leading to other rooms but only one was small and made of refined Moonstone that is known to be very durable against magic.

"Delvin! You've gone mad!?" A Thief shouted, "The Guild Master isn't here and you think you can simply open the vault."

"Back off, Vipir. There is one thing that we need to confirm and if it is true and you keep pestering me, be ready to bear the consequences." Delvin replied in a threatening voice.

"I swear if anything goes out of the vault that isn't supposed to go out, I'll make Mercer flay the lot of you alive…" Vipir said but the moment he spotted Jon walking behind Delvin, he realized that something much worse than a simple rebellion was going on.

"Deal!" Delvin said and walked past Vipir hitting his shoulder against his.

Vipir was one of Mercer's boys. With the distrust running deep into the guild, Mercer seemed to have managed to surround himself with the scum of the earth just to make a front for his own against the old members. Mostly former bandits and thugs.

As Delvin reached the vault, he took out his key and stood against the right side of the door while Brynjolf took the left. With their keys, they opened the vault.

"Hmph!" Jon smiled as he knew exactly what would happen.

"It's… empty!"

These words… they made all the Thieves in the den turn pale.

The Vault of the Thieves Guild was a very secured room that was only opened a few times a year. Not all the members can just barge in but those who can are the ones that have the real authority in this guild.

But now that it was emptied, with barely nothing but wooden chests left inside, the realization that hit everyone was suspecting the current absent Guild Master.

"WHERE IS HE?" Delvin shouted.

His anger, his pain, it was all visible.

"WHERE IS MERCER?!" Delvin walked out to the Thieves that used to run for Mercer Frey and held Vipir by the collar of his shirt.

Vipir was a Bosmer which makes him small-bodied by default, but even with Delvin being small-bodied Breton, the murderous intent in his eyes was something else.

"I don't know!" Cried Vipir, "He left at dawn! He didn't say anything… we don't ask!"

Delvin threw Vipir away and moved back and forth inside the vault fuming with rage.

"Mercer! Mercer Mercer Mercer! The day I will put my hands on him is finally here… but our gold… OUR WORK! OUR MONEY!"

Delvin was angry beyond sense and so were all the Thieves.

Every Thief had a cut from the vault. Insurance of some sort to support them when they decide to leave or retire. That was calculated from their merits in the guild and other success factors.

This meant that not only they are broke, but they are broke, betrayed, and cursed. This may as well be the last day for them as a Thieves Guild.

Jon saw that and the calmness on his face was barely hidden by a facade of sympathy.

"For now, you will have this for funding." Jon said and placed the Gold Chest inside the Vault by walking in himself.

He even made sure to reveal it so that the Thieves know that they have something now.

"You!" Delvin turned to Jon with anger in his eyes, "You take us for fools?"

"Actually, I do." Jon said.

"Don't think for a sec…" Delvin wanted to continue but halted for a second, "You do?"

"Yes, your entire business operation can be dramatically overhauled. Instead of the petty thievery you're so busy with, you should have evolved into some real organized crime syndicate. Well, that is off the point so let us keep on finding Mercer."

"How?" Brynjolf spoke, "How did you know the vault was emptied?"

"I had Jullanar stationed here for a while. I wanted her to watch Maven's interests and movements in Riften and she noticed that Mercer was acting suspicious lately. She then told me that he has a certain artifact with him so I researched until I figured it out." Jon said.

"What artifact, boy?" Delvin said, "And where is that fucker Mercer?"

"As for Mercer, Jullanar and I decided to lead him to a trap near Winterhold, once he is captured, he'll be brought here. As for the Artifact…"

"HELP!"

But that time, a voice rang inside the guild, and to everyone's dismay, two Dunmer ladies were at the leading in the Guild Hall.

Jon expected them but not like this.

The first Dunmer woman was Karliah, the suspect behind the murder of the previous Guild Master of the Thieves Guild. Jon has met her before in Mournhold since she also was in service of the Old Woman of Mournhold. In fact, Karliah is the granddaughter of the Old Woman, Barenziah.

As for the second Dunmer, she was Jullanar.

The two ladies looked roughed up pretty badly but Jullanar…

She was injured!

Her hair was a mess, her expressions in great pain, multiple arrow wounds on her left arm and shoulder, and burn marks on her arm and back.

*RUMBLE*

The storm hit inside the den of thieves nearly everyone aside from Karliah and Jullanar was blasted away from Jon.

The Magicka thickened to the point where some started to suffocate and even see hallucinations.

It was just a single breath from him and the situation was like that. There were those who fell down and those who hit the walls as they literally flew off.

Serana barely managed to dig her claws in the ground and brace herself while Delvin and Brynjolf were hiding under a table.

Jon was staring at Karliah with eyes that can kill the bravest of men and his words were murderous and insane.

"Who Dares?!"

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