Stolen Knowledge

9th of Sun's Height, 4E 205.

It was raining a chilling steady drizzle that crept in everywhere. Harry was on his way to Lakeview Manor. After Tofdir had sent him to speak to the Arch-Mage, he had been asked to gather information. Unfortunately, the books he needed had been stolen so now he was headed to Lakeview. He was hoping that either Naya or Rashall would be willing to help him find them. At least, Urag, the keeper of the Arcanaeum, had known where he needed to look. The one who had stolen the books was named Orthorn. No one was entirely certain why he had left, but Urag was quite irate that he had dared to take books from the library. To calm the angry keeper of knowledge Kato had asked if there were any other books he could look for while he was at it. Both Remanada in Falkreth Watchtower and a copy of Shalidor's Insights in Understone Keep were books Urag knew about but had yet to get his hands on. How he knew where to find the books, Harry had no idea. He wasn't going to ask either.

He dismounted Kahzii as they reached the manor. He took his time tending to her before heading inside.

"Hello I'm home," Harry called out as he closed the door. He was not going to go looking for them. He knew someone was home since the door was unlocked. He looked at the basement door. They could be down there and he did not want to walk in on them again.

"Las yah nir," Harry whispered. There was no one downstairs. That meant he was going for a bath.

Steam rose around Harry. He yawned and relaxed in the hot water. The door to the upper floor opened, and someone came walking downstairs. "Ah, Harry-do you are home," Naya said as she saw him.

"Hey Naya-ko," Harry said. Then his eyes moved from her to her companion and he was slightly surprised. He had expected the second person to be Rashall but it wasn't. "Hello Tara-la," he said.

"Mind if we join you?" Tara asked.

"Go ahead," Harry said.

"Harry-ko is back early. College didn't suit you?" Naya asked.

"I don't mind the College that much. They insist on keeping me with the Novices which is frustrating but apart from that it's fine. I met Rhavaniel a while ago and she is nice as long as you don't disturb her," Harry said.

Naya chuckled. "Rhavaniel-dra can have very short temper sometimes," she said.

Harry nodded. "I'm here because we found a strange magical artefact and we need a specific book that was stolen from us by a student," he said.

"Want company?" Tara asked.

"It would be nice," Harry said. He rubbed his face. "The Thalmor at the College is a complete asshole. I don't think he understands that he is still alive only out of respect for the College. He thinks we are scared of him."

"This one could take care of that," Naya said.

"I know, but I think it will take care of itself in time. Rhavaniel and I can handle it," Harry said.

"This one does not doubt that," Naya said. She entered the tub with Tara right behind her. "Harry-do knows where to find the books?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have locations for all of them," Harry answered. "The closest one is over in the Falkreth Watchtower. I don't know what it is doing there, but I thought I'd pick it up for Urag."

"Where else do you need to go?" Tara asked.

"Fellglow Keep," Harry said.

"Naya and Tara will go with you there," Naya said. "We should let Katla-do know."

"Sure," Harry said. He sank further into the water and rolled his shoulders. He listened on half an ear to Naya and Tara as they spoke of Brotherhood business. He knew he probably wasn't supposed to hear any of that.

Eventually, he left the ladies in the tub to go upstairs and make them all supper. Tara cosied up to him when she got upstairs. "I've missed you Harry-do," she said.

Naya rolled her eyes. She needed to get her cousin a good cat so she would leave Harry alone.

12th of Sun's Height, 4E 205.

Harry, Tara and Naya were on their way from Whiterun. They had informed Katla and Balgruuf that they would take care of the mages by Fellglow Keep a problem that had been nagging at Balgruuf, but he didn't have the men to deal with. He was grateful that it would finally be taken care of, and Katla wished them well, but she was busy at the Skyforge so she couldn't come along.

The sun stood high in the sky when they arrived at the Keep. Harry drew his bow and placed an arrow on the string. "They have a flame atronach," he said. "I'll take that out. Remember to not get too close to it even after it has fallen. They explode." He hid as Naya and Tara made their way around the mages so they could attack from behind. He had left Kahzii in Whiterun so she wouldn't get hurt, but also so she wouldn't give them away.

Harry moved out from his hiding spot and fired at the atronach drawing it to him. The great lady of flame did not reach him, however. His arrows flew fast and took her down before she could get near him. The two mages that had stood with her were laying on the ground in a pool of blood.

Harry walked after Naya as she headed to the nearest door.

"Locked," Naya said as she pulled at the door. She bent down and checked the lock. "This one cannot open this. They have made sure lock picks will not work," she said.

"Then I guess we need another way in," Harry said.

"Over here," Tara called from one of the towers. "There is a hatch."

Naya and Harry walked over to her, and Harry was the first one down the ladder. Water splashed as his feet hit the ground. "Sneaking will be hard," he said softly.

"We'll manage," Tara said. She moved on ahead slowly.

"This one needs to keep an eye on her," Naya said. "She gets excited."

They walked through the dungeons and found a mage with several frostbite spiders. "Eww, spider!" Tara exclaimed.

Harry rolled his eyes as he moved past her and burned the spiders. Naya rushed up to the mage and his blood flowed out in the water colouring it red.

"This one does not appreciate the wet feet she is getting," Naya said irritably as she glared at the water. She looked up the stairs before them and sighed. "One would think they knew how to drain it. It isn't that hard."

"They are necromancers and other decrepit mages," Harry said. "They don't care about a bit of water. Besides, they probably haven't done a day of honest work in their lives. At least we know what it is like to dig a ten-meter trench."

Naya snorted. She still thought they could put their stupid backs into it and fix this mess. Harry walked around a trap that Naya and Tara walked right over. They headed upstairs and downstairs before arriving in a prison.

"Vampires," Tara hissed. She did not like vampires much. She could stand Babette, but that was about it. "We should end their misery," she said.

Harry sighed. He didn't like that, but he knew he would like releasing them even more. It was better than letting them starve to death he told himself as he sent bolts of lightning through the cages killing every single vampire there.

Naya placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It is okay to feel bad about it. It just means Harry-do is human," she said.

Harry nodded. "I wished there was a cure," he said.

"Maybe one day there will be. Rhavaniel-dra could make one," Naya said.

"Maybe she could," Harry agreed. He would ask her the next time they spoke.

Harry covered his face as they entered the next room. He could see how both Naya and Tara's ears lay flat on their heads. They had entered a torture chamber. Blood was smeared everywhere and it wasn't fresh. Rotting corpses of Nords and Khajiit hung from cages in the ceiling.

Harry set them all aflame. It was the best he could do for them.

"Monsters," Tara hissed. She stood over the body of a young Khajiit who had been opened up so the mages could look at their insides. By the pained expression on the child's face. They had still been alive when they did it. Harry reached her and placed a hand on the Khajiit's head as the fire spread between his fingers. "They will be remembered," he said.

Tara nodded. She had tears in her eyes and anger bubbling in her chest. She would hurt the people who did this. She would tear them to shreds; she would rip them apart piece by piece.

The next room was another prison filled with cells.

Tara tore through the room and pounced upon the unsuspecting mage. Her sharp claws dug into his face and ripped it off. She was breathing heavily as Harry walked up behind her. "Better?" he asked.

"Not until they are all dead," Tara said.

"Will you open this?"

Harry looked towards one of the cages. "Ah, Orthorn, I presume," he said.

"Yes, yes! Did Arch-Mage Aren send you?" Orthorn asked. "He sent you to rescue me, didn't he?"

"He did not," Harry said. "Urag sent me to retrieve the books you stole, but I don't mind rescuing you on the way."

"What? The bo... Oh," Orthorn hid his face in his hands and groaned. "Oh, dear. I shouldn't have taken them, I know! It was stupid. I was stupid. It won't happen again. Help me get out of here, and I'll help you find them. Please!"

"Why are you in this cage anyway?" Tara asked as Harry went to open the cage up.

"They threw me in here until they were ready to use me in one of their experiments. This wasn't supposed to happen. I thought they wanted my help, not to use me as a test subject!" Orthorn said.

"This one thinks you deserve what you got," Naya said. "Be glad I do not decide your fate."

The cage door opened and Orthorn crawled out and stood up. "Thank you, thank you! I promise I'll help. And then I'll go back to the College and I'll beg them to let me back in," he said.

"Now where are the books?" Harry asked as he returned.

"Oh, yes books," Orthorn said. "The Caller has them. She was most interested in one of the volumes. Although not interested enough to keep me from being locked up."

Harry rolled his eyes. The fact that this guy thought that renegade mages would be interested in him as anything but fodder was sort of ridiculous. "Keep close and don't do anything stupid," he told the mage.

"Okay I can do that," Orthorn said. "You won't regret it." He gave Naya a wide birth. She scared the crap out of him.

In the next room, they stopped right at the door so Naya and Tara could sneak inside and position themselves. Harry turned invisible and summoned Kali. She drew the mages' attention. Harry rushed forward and drew his sword. At the same time he, Naya and Tara slit the throated of the three mages.

"Talos you guys are insane," Orthorn said. "These guys don't stand a chance." Now he was sure he didn't want to mess with these people. They would kill him if he so much as moved wrong. He swallowed thickly.

Harry led the way through the rest of the dungeons. Necromancers blocked their path at one point, but they quickly dealt with them. Then they finally left the wet dungeons behind.

Harry picked up a strange pink gem that he threw over to Naya. "Rashall-dar wants that," he said.

"Rashall-dar has many of these," Naya said. "Someday he will have all he needs."

"Someday," Harry agreed.

"Let me and Cousin Naya sneak in as you open the door," Tara said. "We'll get around this bitch and take her out. You keep her busy."

Harry nodded. "Sure thing," he said. He didn't mind being bait. He threw the door open and summoned Kali again.

"So, you're the one who barged into my home and laid waste to my projects. How nice to meet you," the Caller said.

"Thank you," Harry said. "Now where could you possibly have the books that Orthorn stole from the College?"

"So you're just one of Aren's lackeys? That's disappointing," the Caller said. "You show real promise. You come here, kill my assistants, disrupt my work... You've annoyed me, so I don't think I'll be giving you anything."

"Oh, don't worry," Harry said as he summoned an ice spear. "You don't have to give me anything. I'll take what I came for."

"Are you attempting to threaten me? After I've been so hospitable?," the Caller said. "Well, then you won't be leaving here at all."

"You think too highly of yourself," Harry said. He smirked as she summoned two atronachs: one fire one storm. He sent the ice spear he was holding towards the fire atronach and then he sent Kali at it while he dodged a blow from the storm atronach.

"You talk big little one," the Caller said. "But this will be your grave."

"Nope," Harry said as he defeated the storm atronach. Kali tore the fire atronach and Naya appeared right behind the Caller and stabbed her in the heart while Tara jumped out in front of her and dug her sharp claws into her neck. A strangled scream was the last thing that left the Caller's lips.

"Well, everything worked out nicely, didn't it?" Orthorn said nervously as he entered the room. He watched as Harry, Naya and Tara spread out and found the stolen books.

"Looks like I have what I came for now," Harry said.

"Yes, you certainly do. You'll be going back to the College, then?" Orthorn asked. "I, uhh... I think perhaps I'll wait a bit before venturing there myself. Let this whole thing blow over, you know. Give certain parties a chance to forget what I may have done. Still, you've gotten me out of that cage, and I won't forget it. Thank you again, and good luck to you."

"Take this, it will get you out," Harry said as he threw over the key to the front door.

"Eh, thanks," Orthorn said. He blacked out of the room quickly and started running as soon as he felt it might be safe enough. He wanted as far away from these people as possible.

Harry watched him go with a confused look on his face.

"He couldn't be gone fast enough," Tara said.

"Apparently," Harry said. He packed the books into his backpack before looking around once more. "Las yah nir," he whispered just to check if they had missed anyone. "We got them all," he said. "Let's head out of here."

"Yeah," Tara said. "Let's." She was not happy. This place had shown her some disgusting humans and elves. She was glad she at least knew some decent ones. She took Harry's hand and squeezed it. She needed to do something rose for a bit. Take on some kills from the Brotherhood for example. She leaned over closer to Harry and whispered in his ear.

"You sure?" Harry asked.

"I'll hurt you otherwise and I don't want to," Tara said.

Harry smiled. "If that is what you want," he said. He wrapped an arm around her.