The entire news of the Thieves Guild destruction hit them harder than they thought: Vex, Thrynn, Sapphire, Etienne Rarnis, and Dirge, and all the merchants in The Ragged Flagon were dead; Delvin was so badly injured he might not be able to steal anymore, and Vekel had lost an arm. Maul, Dirge's brother, came down to warn them when the dremora were attacking the city, helped the thieves fight off the demon horde, but was killed. They even went up top to find Jarl Laila Law-Giver and her entire court dead; Maven Black-Briar had been caught at her family's meadery and was killed too. Most of Riften had been exterminated, but a handful had survived: a priest of Mara, two beggars, one child who lost her parents, two injured guards, Bolli and his wife, Nivenor, and Asbjorn Fire-Tamer, the blacksmith's assistant.

After helping the best they could, Macayla explained the plan Nocturnal had come up with. They would comply with the dremora and open a gate; as soon as the prince of destruction stepped through, they would attack. Actually bringing back Mehrunes Dagon made Brynjolf and Karliah queasy. They had set out to prevent him from coming, and now they would invite him in. But they really didn't have a choice with Aadalyn's life on the line. Macayla had to reassure them that they could send him back; with Meridia and Azura's help, Nocturnal believed they could.

Vjenaar was an old ruin located far outside of Morthal. Most of the Hjaalmarch Hold consisted of swampy marshlands, making it constantly shrouded in fog and generally avoided. The eeriness made it ideal for vampires or dark magick practitioners to set up their lairs away from prying eyes. Out of all the places in Skyrim to open a gate to Oblivion without interference, the dremora chose the right place.

Macayla never let go of Brynjolf's hand as they trudged through the stagnant swamps for Vjenaar—he held her hand just as tight. They were terrified for their daughter. All of them knew the dremora had no plans of handing Aadalyn back over to them, hence them pretending to do what they wanted, then catch them off guard by attacking Mehrunes Dagon. No mortal could stand against him, but they had three Daedric princes helping them. The dremora would be so focused on protecting their master, Aadalyn would be safe.

Nocturnal made Macayla repeat this over and over so she wouldn't lose her nerve. She knew the Night Mistress did this as well to steady herself, too.

Bandits had originally laid claim to Vjenaar, but the dremora had no problem wiping them out. Their bodies littered the entrance to the underground ruins—even those caught inside had been carelessly tossed out.

The Nightingale Trinity paused before the blackened iron doors. Macayla squeezed her husband's hand.

"We can do this; we have the backing of three Daedric Lords."

"We wouldn't be able to even dream of doing this without them," Karliah said.

Brynjolf gave a dry chuckle. "You're right there, lass."

"Nocturnal wouldn't be confident if we hadn't had gotten their support." Macayla took in a breath. "So, there's no point in making Aadalyn wait in fear; let's go."

Brynjolf held the door open for the two women and they went in. Vjenaar had been built for ancient Nords to hold extravagant ceremonies and forbidden rituals in the bygone era and became a burial ground. Large but crumbling amphitheaters remained as proof of the ancient Nordic observation for the dead. As the three friends descended ever deeper, they passed by open sarcophagi and dead draugr—more victims of the dremora killing spree, they presumed.

After descending for a long time, they came into the final chamber: a large room with tall columns in a semi-circle holding nothing, completely open to the high ceiling. At the top of a few steps was a wall with foreign words engraved on it. Macayla didn't recognize the letters, but knew what they said because Nocturnal did: this revered place linked Tamriel to the plane of Oblivion. With a Daedra prince's artifact, a gate could be opened here.

This was how the dremora would open a gate for Mehrunes Dagon—they needed the Skeleton Key to do it.

Standing between two black and red-skinned dremora was Aadalyn, wide-eyed and scared but unhurt. It could be seen in her eyes that she desperately wanted to run to her mother and father, but one of the dremora had a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in place.

"We sense the Skeleton Key," one said. "Bring it forward."

"We want your word first that you'll let our daughter go if we do what you want," Brynjolf said.

"When our master gets here, you can have her back."

Probably dead, though, Macayla thought. Nocturnal helped her restrain her urge to lash out at the dremora and rip Aadalyn out of their clutches.

"Open a gate. Now," the other growled.

Brynjolf looked over at Macayla; she headed out toward them, pulling out the Skeleton Key to draw their attention. Even though she could only see two dremora, Nocturnal sensed many more watching from the shadows.

One raised his hand to stop her from ascending to them. "Lay the Skeleton Key down and step back."

She did as instructed and stepped back to join her husband and Karliah.

The speaker stepped forward as the other and Aadalyn moved over to the side. He raised his hands and spoke in some foreign tongue—not the guttural language of his kind, but that carved into the walls behind him.

Macayla felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as he worked some dark magick. The Skeleton Key reacted to his words, floating high up, turning around as if controlled by an invisible hand, and came down, slicing through the open air. As it trailed down, the air opened where it tore a hole and fell open like paper. Once the hole became tall enough, the Skeleton Key clattered on the ground; a dark red portal hung before them—a gateway into Oblivion.

Barely a second passed by before an extremely tall and large, red-skinned creature with six horns stepped through it. One of his hands held a club the height and width of his leg. Mehrunes Dagon.

The room trembled as he chuckled; Macayla almost became paralyzed under the power in his throaty laugh.

"You have done me well, children. Tamriel will finally be mine."

He took notice of the Nightingale Trinity and looked down at them. "And who are you, foolish mortals? Come seeking your death instead of running like the rest o—"

Macayla shot a hand out toward the Skeleton Key; it soared into her hand—closing the gate—and she pointed it at the Daedric prince of destruction, unleashing a mass of black, blue, and purple energy.

The attack struck Mehrunes Dagon in the chest; caught off guard, he toppled backward, smashing the stone steps.

Silence took over the room before the dremora howled in rage and launched at the three Nightingales. Brynjolf unsheathed Dawnbreaker and fended off the attackers on the left, the creatures bursting into flame when the sword made contact. Karliah pulled out Azura's Star, directing it at the nearest dremora; they'd limply drop to the floor as their soul was sent back to Oblivion without a body.

The diversion worked as planned—through their blind fury, they left Aadalyn alone. Macayla soared through the shadows over to her daughter; Aadalyn jumped back in fright at her mother's sudden appearance.

She quickly hugged her daughter, then urged her to get off the platform. "Stay out of sight; don't come out until we're done."

Aadalyn scurried away as Macayla turned to see how things were going. Dawnbreaker suddenly flashed blindingly; when she could see again, a blonde angel in flowing robes soared through the air, slicing off dremora heads. The center of Azura's Star glowed blue, and a tall form shot out of the light: a female Dark Elf who had dremora turning into ash, turning on another, or lifting their bodies to go flying through the air. Meridia and Azura had arrived.

Mehrunes Dagon's eyes located her as he rose back up to his feet.

"You are a trickster, mortal. You believe the Daedric princes make you strong, but they are weak compared to me, and so are you; all of you will burn!"

With a sweep of his hand, flame blazed toward her; Macayla melted into the shadows to appear behind Mehrunes Dagon and his wall of flame. She pointed the Skeleton Key at his back and the energy struck him in the back. He stumbled again and whirled around with his club to hit her, but she had already vanished into the darkness.

She re-appeared near three dremora; they turned their attention on her and attacked. She threw a hand out and a flurry of ravens flew at them, distracting them and cut them with their beaks or talons. Nocturnal's anger welled up inside her and the shadows reacted to her power: invisible tendrils wrapped around the dremora and yanked them back; the demons yelled as they disappeared into the darkness.

Macayla turned her attention back to Mehrunes Dagon. In a flash of light, Meridia would soar by him, inflicting deep slashes with the sword in her hand. He couldn't catch her as she flew around. Azura would keep the top bright to blind Mehrunes Dagon so he couldn't see the prince of infinite energies, and dark at his feet so Macayla could teleport through the plentiful shadows.

She had the thought that they were holding their own remarkably well against the feared Daedric Lord. Surprisingly, Mehrunes Dagon began to laugh.

"You fight for no purpose. Only one can defeat me, and Akatosh will not come with no Dragonborn to call him. You three Daedra will die with your mortals!"

He suddenly shot three of his arms up—one of his hands closed around Meridia. She screamed in pain as he squeezed. Brynjolf swung Dawnbreaker up in an arc and a thick line of golden light raced up, cutting into the hand holding Meridia. Mehrunes Dagon snarled and threw the angel down at Brynjolf; they collided and tumbled away.

As this happened, two other hands cast fire down at the floor—tall flames surrounded him. A lash of flame came out and whipped across Azura. She stumbled back with a cry; more whips snapped at her before one encircled her waist and hurled her away.

Macayla used the shadows cast by the flames to dart away from the tongues of fire that tried to snag her. She shot the Skeleton Key's dark energy at Mehrunes Dagon every chance she got.

A large and dark blot suddenly emerged through the fire; Mehrunes Dagon's club smashed into her, lifting her as it swung, and threw her into the air. She hit the ground hard and rolled a few times before she stopped.

It took her body a moment before Macayla felt the pain. She couldn't feel either leg, the searing pain in her right arm would've had her screaming in agony if she could breathe, she recognized the sharp pain in her torso to know some ribs were broken, and her face—and entire chest, for that matter—burned and felt numb from being hit. She tasted the rust of blood as it pooled in her mouth; it left a wet line as it trailed down from her lips.

A panicked Brynjolf suddenly appeared at her side; Karliah kneeled right beside him. Both were bruised and bloody—most of it, thankfully, wasn't theirs. He grabbed her face with tears brimming in his eyes. "Macayla, lass, stay with me!"

She still hurt tremendously, but Macayla could feel her body start to heal because of Nocturnal.

Mehrunes Dagon laughing brought their heads up. "Mortals always try to prevent their deaths, but it is pointless to fight it. Say your goodbyes."

A brilliant golden light smashed into Mehrunes Dagon, staggering him. After gaining his footing, he angrily turned to his right. A golden portal had opened and before it sat a golden dragon. Akatosh.

Mehrunes Dagon actually looked fearful.

"Mehrunes Dagon, yet again, you have sought to bring destruction and chaos among Tamriel. This cannot happen again." He had a resounding voice that shook Macayla's soul.

Akatosh stood up on his back legs and, with a flap of his wings, blew a powerful gust of wind at the prince of destruction, disarming him, extinguishing the fires, and forcing him to stumble to a knee. The chief deity of the Divines rose up into the air and dove at Mehrunes Dagon, biting into his neck. With a twist of his long neck, he hurled the Daedric Lord into the portal.

After a silent moment, Akatosh turned to face the Nightingale Trinity. "You three have done much to ensure the safety of your world. You deserve great praise for your invisible efforts; you will not gain it from Tamriel but know you have it from me."

His eyes lifted to look at Meridia and Azura—both were bruised, but the angel had a broken wing and the Goddess of Dawn and Dusk had multiple burns. "You Daedric princes deserve recognition for your actions here to save Tamriel—a world that does not view you as true Daedric Lords." His eyes turned to Macayla. "Even you, Nocturnal. I will have that changed among us Daedra, and it will be reflected in Tamriel.

"Now, I have the unpleasant responsibility of destroying a fellow Daedra. Do not fear another return of Mehrunes Dagon, mortals; soon, he shall no longer exist." Akatosh turned for the portal to his plane when he looked over to his left. "Come, child." He then stepped into it and was gone.

Aadalyn stood to the left of the portal, looking tiny but not shaken. "He said for him to come, the Dragonborn must go with him. I'm sorry Mama and Papa; I just wanted to save you. I love you." She turned to step into the portal.

"Aadalyn!" Brynjolf yelled as he ran at her. She put one foot into the portal, and he lunged. Aadalyn disappeared, and the portal closed as he reached it. Brynjolf landed on his chest, empty-handed.

Her body had healed enough where Macayla had risen on an elbow to see the whole scene. She just stared at where Aadalyn had disappeared; her daughter was gone.

She screamed. Tears streamed down her face as she continued to scream, calling out Aadalyn's name and Akatosh to return her. Nothing answered her. Her screams turned hysterical as her daughter refused to show and she cursed Akatosh for taking her only child.

Her throat turned raw and ached at her cries. Brynjolf came back to hold her against him, raging at the air. He tried to soothe her, but his words did nothing to bring their daughter back.

Still in pain and utterly spent at her screaming, Macayla passed out.