As Baurus figured it, they didn't have long before the cult got wind that Gwinas had no intention of making the meeting. On the other hand, both he and Carolara greatly needed rest, yawning back and forth all the way back to the Boarding House. Her sleeping arrangement was handled by her superior, thankfully so, for all she had on her were the couple of coins that technically were still on loan from Martin. It was all that remained after shelling out for the meal earlier. She didn't care what he'd said, she'd pay him back one day, if for no other reason than for the sentiment.

While she lay trying to drift off to sleep her mind often went back to Cloud Ruler Temple. Carolara had absolute faith that her fellow Blades were doing their duty, and yet she still worried. Images of Kvatch and the hellish world inside the Gates would materialize from the darkness behind her closed eyes and jolt her back to awareness just as things were getting foggy. Remembering her previous nightmare didn't help either. It would take a trip down to the tavern area and a couple of stiff mouthfuls of brandy to finally put the Breton out that night.

She woke rather late. Baurus seemed like he'd been up for hours already, reading through and taking notes on the new Volumes they had obtained. Though, as he reported with disappointment, he wasn't any closer to deciphering the hidden meanings. They knew now for certain that they needed all four.

After a day spent resting and generally taking a break from one another's company, they met up again when the sun had gone down. Baurus led them through back-streets and gardens, eventually prying open a metallic door behind a large rock that led down into pitch blackness, and the two descended.

There was some scrambling to get the lantern lit; he almost dropped it into the water right at the beginning and the tinder-box was nearly lost too as it exchanged hands with the owners blind. Once all this was corrected and the lamp began to glow countless rats and other creatures scurried to escape back into the darkness. Both Blades frowned to each other, but pressed on in silence.

Baurus appeared to know his way around the seemingly endless maze of the Imperial City sewer system like he'd memorized the map, which was one possible guess. Carolara followed behind wondering how he could tell all the corridors apart; to her they all looked the same. When he stopped at last she almost collided with him in surprise.

It was here he snuffed the lamp and set it down against the wall. The only light now was the moonlight shining down through a small grate above them, and it took Carolara's eyes a moment to see anything more than pitch blackness. They stood outside a door, and the Redguard was leaning in close in order to be heard in very, very low tones.

"Well. I always wondered who put that table behind this door; now I know. Alright. I think I better handle the meeting, but I happen to know if you go up those stairs-" here he gestured behind him, the edge of stone steps visible in the meager light, "-there's a nice vantage point where you can get a clear shot nearly anywhere in the room. That's where I want you."

A stiff nod. "Yes Sir."

"No matter what happens," Baurus said slowly, solemnly, "Get that book."

Carolara ascended the stairs moments before her superior opened the metal door, stepping through. There was no door up where she was; rather it led to a long narrow bridge that crossed the room from above. She stayed off of that for now. Too visible. Rather she lingered in the shadows of the tunnel and pulled her cloak around herself, hooded face barely peeking out.

Baurus entered the empty room and had a look around, putting on a ruse of light nervousness, fidgeting a bit with his hands once seated at the table. Only a single weak candle served as illumination in here, but that would work in his favor, less likely he would be recognized. The Breton wondered for a moment if she should have objected to someone who's already been targeted meeting with the Sponsor, but shook it off as a childish insubordinate thought. She just had to hope that her fellow Blade knew what he was doing, or in the worst-case scenario, that the book came out before chaos broke loose. The gate on the opposite side of the room stirred, and her heart pounded.

The tall, thin frame and pointed ears suggested an Altmer, hood sitting back on the shoulders of his crimson robes. There was no mistake this time; these were the robes of the Mythic Dawn. Composed, he entered the room, joined hands hidden in his massive sleeves.

"Ah, another has come to us." The elf's voice was strangely melodic. "We have had so many new novitiates in recent days; it fills my heart with joy. So, you want to become one of the Chosen of Mehrunes Dagon?"

Baurus lied well, a believable anxiousness to his voice. "Of course. The Master's writings have changed my life... I can't just keep going on with my normal job now that I've glimpsed the Truth."

The robed man chuckled appreciatively. "The Path of Dawn is difficult, but the rewards are great. I have the book you seek. With it and the Master's three other books you will possess the key to enlightenment..."

Carolara's attention was snapped away from the conversation by the sound of another metallic gate coming open. This time, it was right across from her; two more robed figures were about to come across the bridge and trip over her hiding spot. She glanced over her shoulder; if she tried to back away they would see her move by the moonlight. The Breton had to think fast; they would be on her in mere moments. She spared a glance back down into the room and saw the robed man revealing a tome hidden in his huge sleeves. No more time to wait.

The first man went down without a cry when the arrow went through his forehead, but she couldn't nock another arrow fast enough to shoot the other before he yelled out, "Ambush!" Carolara gave him a poisoned one to the back as he tried to run, but the damage was done.

"I told you to come alone!" the Altmer snarled at him, his voice losing all its false honey. Baurus dropped all pretense and drew his katana, and the sight of the curved weapon of the Blades seemed to infuriate him more. From his hands he threw lightning that lit up the whole room, shocking the weapon right out of the Redguard's hand.

While her fellow Blade lunged for his weapon, Carolara fired a shot that halted the elf's magical offensive; as he held his hand out, charging up the spell meant to end his target, it was pierced straight through. In rage he spun about and glared up at the source, who barely ducked back behind the stone in time to avoid a blast of fire magic from his still-good hand.

When the cultist looked down to see the tip of a bloodied katana coming out the front of his robes, he just smiled. The Breton came out of hiding, seeing the fight clearly won, dropping off the high bridge and landing catlike on the floor. Baurus pushed the cultist, still alive but bleeding out quickly, from his blade and onto the floor. The last gurgling word the elf uttered sounded very close to 'Paradise'.

"I didn't shoot to kill," Carolara felt the need to explain, "Because I thought we might want to question him."

"Fair enough," Baurus nodded at her, having a look around for more enemies but sensing none. "That could have gone better but nice work anyway, I just don't think he would have told us anything. They don't fear death." His gaze shifted to the table. "We got what we came for."

Sure enough, Volume Four lay there, and Carolara scooped it up. "Finally."

Her superior Blade wiped his sword clean on the cultist's robes, partially out of spite she guessed. "What's more, they didn't see your face. The longer we can keep it that way, the better."

"Why's that?" The Breton inquired, leaning down to check for a coin-purse and smiling when she not only found one, but it was quite fat. All that holding back from stealing from lackadaisical shoppers in the Imperial City had come to be rewarded.

Baurus just shook his head at her, ignoring it. "I'll tell you once we're out of here." Once a thief, always a thief, he figured, but he gestured for them to start going back the way they came. One last check of the room didn't reveal anything new so out they went, eager to get out of the stagnant stench of the sewer.

"I've been pondering this for a while," he said as they finally stepped into the fresh nighttime air. "You think well on your feet and while you aren't the best-disciplined Blade I've ever worked with, you've got real talent for subtlety. Since the cult knows my face, I was considering sending you to infiltrate them once we find them."

Carolara blinked at him, slowly putting away the coins. "You're sure about that? You should know the thought terrifies me."

"Rightfully so. We have every reason to believe this Shrine is their main headquarters. I'd be sending you into the lion's den. There's no sugar-coating it."

A sigh from the Breton, hands tight around the book. "Well, I wish you would just a little."

"Try to think of it like a theft," Baurus said after some time. "You would get in, blend in, find the Amulet and when the time is right, disappear with it."

"Stealing to save the world." She chuckled dryly.

"Something like that."

"Well," Carolara ponderously said, "I suppose it isn't my place to deny an order from my superior. And even though it sounds frightening, I think I can pull it off. But first," she patted the tome, "We have to figure out where that Shrine is."

"Naturally. I'm going ahead to the Arcane University's library with this one," Baurus took it from her. "You go back to the Boarding House to get the other three and meet me there."

She glanced at the sky, then back at him, "It's the middle of the night."

"Dawn's only a couple of hours away," he explained, already walking away. "Tar-Meena gets up pretty early so we'll already have notes for her when she does."

Carolara shrugged and headed back to the Boarding House to pick up not only the books, but some ale and cheese to raise her spirits, wondering why she wasn't more used to sleep deprivation by now.