The Crying City

"Master Meroe. We will be able to view Vivec in a minute's time." Peerha opened his eyes for the first time that morning. He'd been having such a good dream. Dreams of Elith. Sweet Elith. How he missed her. It was this inspiration that made him bolt out of bed and gather his possessions. Dressed and ready to depart, Peerha sat down on the bench beside the Silt Rider. The aged Dunmer spoke, "Here she is. Vivec, looking her-"

The Silt Rider failed to say anything anymore. His eyes had looked upon the city, and grief had taken him. The holy city was in ruins. Great smoke was still rising from the smoldering Cantons, and not a single one had been left untouched. Along the road were numerous survivors, or worse, bodies that had been placed here, as there was no room for them anywhere else.

"What has happened?" the Rider asked.

"Can this insect go faster?"

"No."

"Then I'm getting off now."

Before the Rider could argue that the fall would kill him, Peerha leapt off the back of the thirty foot beast. Just as he landed Peerha tucked into a roll, but that wasn't enough to stop the blunt and numbing pain that shot through his legs and jarred his spine. Shaken but unbeaten, Peerha sprinted down the road, past weeping Mothers, past crying Babies. He simply ignored all of it. Within a few minutes of relentless sprinting, Peerha came to the destroyed gates. A heavily armed Ordinator lifted a Broadsword in Peerha's direction, and he finally came to a stop.

"What's the hurry?"

After catching his breath, Peerha replied, "That's a bit of a stupid question isn't it?"

"State you're business." the Ordinator said, his face flushing with color.

"I am looking for my wife. Elith."

"How am I to know?" Peerha started to argue, so the Ordinator quickly said. "Ok look, if you're really so desperate, go to Healing Site. They have a list of the deceased. If she's not on the list, then she'll be alive and well."

"Or they haven't found the body yet." muttered the other sentry. An awkward silence followed.

"I need to see you're list of the deceased." Peerha said, finally catching a healer who was not too busy. "You'll have to get in line like everyone else. Damn those cultists..." The woman walked away from Peerha, leaving him nothing left to do but get in line. He took his spot behind a weeping woman, and the wait was on. It took many tens of minutes, but finally, it was his turn. He scrolled down the list as quickly as possible:

Dreesh Sha'ruzuur ---K7712

Dren Kren --K7713

Dariin --K7714

Ebsaarha Ahrsaab -- K7715

Eldafire Vahn -- K7716

Elone K7717

Elith -- K7717 /i

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"Ahh, Freden, good to see yer Inn hasn't been destroyed!" laughed a burly Nord. Patrons of the Crossed Skullingtons looked up at the man with a look of disbelief. In all the devastation, this man was beaming with absolute positivity. "And I see business has picked up too." he added.

"This is dark times Setther." replied Freden, who was pouring a drink of Firewhisky. "In case you hadn't noticed, Vivec has been attacked. The Black Hand struck again, killing indiscriminately. Man women, children, cripples, elderly, you name it, they're all dead. This was the only Inn that survived, and so everyone is coming here to drown out there sorrows. Take this poor soul for example." Freden said, jerking his thumb.

'He only arrived to Vivec this morning. He hasn't seen his wife in three years. He was expectin' to see her again, be with her again. You know how he met her? Cold and lifeless, nailed down in a coffin, her body mangled and brutalized. And that's not even the worst of it. So for your sake Setther, I'd suggest keeping your foolish lips tightly sealed before these fallen individuals come together and lynch you.

"Whoa, whoa, there's no ill will to these fallen individuals intended. In fact, I am here to help them." Setther said, lifting his hands in submission. The Tavern fell quiet, quieter than it had already been, but not out of the patron's silent mourning. For this time, they'd fallen silent in order to hear exactly what Setther's point was.

'These people have all lost their valuables, their friends, their family, and their loved ones to the Black Hand."

"By the Gods Setther, how can you recruit such desperate people at such a time?"

"Those cultists came in and ravaged the place. This is not the first case either. They've attacked and attacked Vvardenfell island for too long. It's time a stop was put to it!"

"Setther, I will not allow you to recruit these men and women for you're mad revenge on the Black Hand! The Legion is on their heels, and the raids will come to an end. If you continue, then you will be thrown out!" Freden said, poking an accusing finger into Setther's chest.

But it was too late. Setther's intentions had been fulfilled, and people were now rising from their seats to back the Nord. They'd had a beast growing inside of them, only held back by chains of sorrow and despair. Setther had brought with him a skeleton key that had unlocked their chains, releasing the beasts within. And these beasts were made of the stuff called revenge, hatred, wrath, and death. Setther had unlocked the beasts within these devastated people so he could their dark properties, and employ them in his own maddened revenge against the Black Hand.

"Are you ready to join together and destroy the Black Hand?" Setther roared.

"YES!" thundered the mob.

"Ready to avenge those you lost?"

"YES!"

"Good! I will see you outside the walls of Vivec, where we will march to war!" Setther roared. The crowd cheered with him, and then returned to their seats as Setther left the Tavern.

"I noticed you were the only one who didn't get riled up." Freden grumbled.

"No need." Peerha replied.

"Don't you wish to get you're revenge too? You've lost just as much."

"Indeed I have. And indeed, I will get my revenge. But revenge is a powerful thing. If you cannot control it, then it will claim you're life. I fear that Setther will not be able to control his revenge. It will lead to not only his demise, but the demise of all the Men and Women who follow him. I cannot let this happen. I will follow him for as long as he remains stable."

"And what if he becomes unstable?" Freden asked.

"Then I will lead these Men and Women."

"Hold on a minute Peerha. I've known Setther along time. He's quite the warrior, and has led many battles before. He will not simply give you his troops. He will die first."

"Then he will die." Peerha finished.