Kenil told Sirocco all the knowledge he could gather, but said there were some within his head that he would not remember until he saw them on Morrowind. At any other time, Sirocco might have considered this to be a lie, but under the effects of the truth serum, he believed the dumner. Kenil was saved.
"I see," said the cyrodil, "and they understand common imperial slang?"
It came to Kenil while he nodded along that the Cyrodiil knew very little of the going-ons in Vvardenfall.
"And do you recognize this?" Sirocco pulled out a map of Morrowind. On it, several obvious marks indicating mysterious things stood out clearly.
Kenil for a while did not recognize the marks, "Yes sir, I do. That, I believe is where the Hiaalu keep their treasure. And that is the opening to Red Mountain."
"Very well! I was not wrong to pick you! You recognize both Ghostgate and the stronghold of Azuir."
Kenil nodded, "But sir, why are they important?"
"The stronghold of Azuir? It would be where our friend would most likely be if he was indeed trapped on Morrowind. Ghostgate, too, is a heavily defended place, and I was told there are treasures stored there."
It was at this point that Kenil understood that a friend was not all what Sirocco was after. He saw it as another business attempt, and there was money to be gained. "Ghostgate is far inland, and the trek to it is many days on foot, where no horses can find footing!"
"Yes, but no doubt, because of this "house" war many of the guards posted no longer exist… posted. I see you disagree. But nevertheless, we will venture there." And that was that.
It was here, too, when Kenil realized the shortsighted but irrepressible greed among men.
The boat rocked while the ocean intermixed with water streaming out of the Odai. The shore of morrowind appeared nearer second by second, even as the boat rocked back and forth by the waves. The river above the sea, the black river, enlarged when the boat carrying Kenil neared. The line of dark expanded far from the left, and curved away into the right, with the middle at greatest width – there in the center of it all stood a great mountain. 'Red Mountain.' It was called. 'The last battle stand of the legendary legions of House Daggoth.' Kenil remembered those honorable names taught to him. The stories surrounding the mountain were told in myths, most of which happened during the years prior to the first imperial era, where there were no empires. Even now, some of the eldest elves could remember those days, even though the humans had already come and gone through a dozen generations.
The crew at last met the shores. They climbed out resiliently around the trees, pulling the boat through shrubs and native greenery. Finally, they found a place beneath the canopy of several trees, not too far inland. They tugged and tugged until their presence was well hidden. Kenil recognized the place. It was on the west side of the island no doubt, for they had debarked from Rake, called the Bitter Coast. Lathered with marsh and shrubs, Kenil knew he was not wrong. 'Everything centered around Red Mountain.' In the north was the Sheogorad islands and barren rocks and deserts, east was Azura's Coast and Zafirbel Bay, and south was Vivec located within the Ascadian Isles.
Celebrating mildly, the crew gathered to from a circle. In the center stood Sirocco holding a map and sending directions. An Alkaviri named Slither stood besides him with a noble bow. Kenil could see that the Alkaviri was armed to the thick. Next to Kenil was another Alkaviri, and on the other side stood several well-armed mercenaries. Lastly, there was present a cyrodil much like Sirocco himself, whose origins Kenil also did not know.
"Ve shuld' sitch her…" said the Alkaviri beside Sirocco.
But there wasn't time, for the next second they were attacked by a knife that imbedded within the reptilian's neck and made the spitting of its tong into a gaggle of its throat. Kenil quickly turned, but was flung down by the Alkaviri next to him, who pressed onto him a knife just as soon as another imbedded into one of the mercenaries. "Gahh!"
"Get back to the boat!" Cried Erectus Sirocco to those left alive by the continuing wave of throwing knives.
Kenil ran and dodged and fled through the forest. He had not seen anything behind them the entire time except the thud, thud of knives as they imbedded themselves onto trees. When they had managed to flee towards the boat, he could see Sirocco's bloody arm motion for the three of them (for the last mercenary and the other cyrodil had vanished) to level the boat back onto the water. It was at this time that Kenil saw some dark shadow from within the cloaked confines of the trees, a slither, before Kenil braced the boat onto the water and was protected by the outer edge. As they rowed away, the sounds of Thud, Thud kept constant, as knives flew besides them and onto the boat's wooden hull…