The Cephalo City, Volume IV

By Quintillius Trebates, Imperial Scribe

I stood by the window of Aseshi's shop, and watched as the ash-goblins tore what they could off the buildings in the marketplace. The majority of the stalls lay on their side with all of the produce left behind taken. A group of the goblins were fighting amongst themselves over a bundle of books and a bag of ash yams.

I posed a thought to Kaatesh when she joined my side. "I wonder what the Dunmer of old would think if they saw their most holiest city like this? I read stories back in the Imperial City about a living god who resided here for thousands of years, who even became friends with Tiber Septim himself. Look at the city now. A ruin, hosted by a race they were once taught to hate."

Kaatesh shrugged her shoulders."The Firestone said that the Grey Ones got what they deserved for worshipping false deities."

I gave a confused look to Kaatesh. "The Firestone?"

She nodded her head. "When the Scaled Ones handed over what remained of Vivec City to the Cephalo, we discovered a jagged rock that was darker than Larkhaaj's blood and the size of a Velothi Giant inside the ruins of a great temple. The Clever Ones were summoned from their isle and were asked to share their infinite wisdom. They studied the rock for many phases of the moons, and speculated that it must have been a part of the Stone of Untruths that had survived its impact with the city. They said that it was cursed and ought to be destroyed. The Clever Ones offered to take it back to Artaeum, but as soon as this was suggested a great bolt of lightning came down from the sky and cast the rock ablaze with a bright blue flame. The Clever Ones disappeared and the rock spoke to us. He called himself the Firestone, and that he would help us exact revenge on the Grey Ones if we protected him from the Grey and Golden One."

I scrunched my face in confusion. "What would Vivec want with a talking rock?"

"At first, the Cephalo were skeptical like you, so he granted us a vision of our greatest dream; he showed what the land would be like if the Grey Ones were no longer there. The Red Mountain would stop billowing ash, the level of the water would rise and the Cephalo would be at peace until we all leave to the Sar Khazar."

"And if the Dunmer try to reclaim Vivec City, do you think he would protect your people, as you are protecting him?"

Kaatesh nodded in agreement. "The Firestone said that many moon phases ago he had tried to save us from the clutches of the Grey Ones, but was unsuccessful. He calls us 'his children', although how literal the Cephalo should take that we do not know. Some of the Elders say that we should stay cautious and to trust our spears over the word of the Firestone, but he has done no wrong to the Cephalo so far, so my father and I will remain following his teachings."

"Things are a lot simpler in Cyrodiil."

"We are a complex people kroki, I would not expect you to understand our way of thinking. Look, the ash-goblins seem to have gone. Come, we shall go to to Iyna and see the Grey and Golden One."