Well gotta put up with it if I wanna get to my apartment!

Walks through lonely streets lulling over what just happened

Well thinking about it wont help, it seems the memory's come back spurred by a familiar voice, scene, smell. Whatever those memory's are I don't want them, I have a living to make as thief, if I let my senses go ill lose work and get myself killed. The last thing I want is to end up in that damn "Cragsleft" prison with a bunch O lunatic fanatic's guarding my ass! I hear they search you in the region's where u'd only let toilet paper reach!

Jump's up onto a wall and then swiftly up onto a roof ledge, which He with ease lift's up to

Ah ha!, I'm so nimble.......I'm so full of myself..he he.

As I rear a corner I can see my apartment, my room is visible from this point.

Stops and looks up at apartment

This is my home..?

isn't it? Why do things have to be so complicated, I was just settling down. Man why did I leave that place I need more answers, but I just wanted to forget about what I was remembering, the thoughts were so painful. Anyhow, I can go back there tomorrow night. I have yet to case the place, well more like search it there is nobody there to spy me. A good nights sleep is what I need. This friggin sword keeps chaffing my ass, ill have top get some cream for that.....he he.

Walks towards apartment door, then looks over shoulder to check nobody has followed him

No taffer's on my tail, to be quite honest I expected an ambush or some taffer waiting here to kill me. Looks like ill be ok.

Enters door, and goes up a dimly lit flight of wooden stairs. As he nears his apartment door the wind blows and he hears the chimes of the woods again

This is my home......im.. ho..me.

Enters door and switches light on. The musty smell of wood and damp hit him

Well I must get an air freshener for this place, "Odour De' Burrick" should do the trick.

Walks to bed and lays his loot bag on the sack like covers, half moth-eaten and damp

Man I gotta sort this place out, my beds startin to look like the forest floor, and the wildlife to go with it!

Takes painting of back and leather pouch holding the statue of his belt and lay's them both on the bed

Oooooooo boy ive got a lil bundle here! This will keep me going for a while. O yeah that sword...what do I mean oh yeah that sword?? Its bloody heavy enough and my arse is red raw, it looks like my landlords face when I dont pay the rent...he he.

Takes sword out of stealth suit, lays it on the bed also

Whoa this things huge, what's it made out of?? the blade is transparent...weird. Well this sword is gonna be mine from now on, I dont want to sell it. It looks cool, kinda my trademark.

Puts all the loot in the loot bag into a secret compartment under his dresser. And puts the statue on the mantle piece along with the painting hanging above it. The sword is put under the bed

Well the best place to hide a letter is on the mantelpiece. So they will stay there til I find a buyer.

Feel's tired all of a sudden and stumbles to bed, and lays down and falls to sleep

Where am i?.....Is this my dream?......WHAT ARE DREAMS XERCZES.....i...i dont no..pieces of your life?.....THEY ARE MORE THAN THAT..THEY TELL YOU THINGS..YOU JUST HAVE TO LISTEN.....tell me things?....like what?...THEY SHOW YOU HOW YOU ARE MEANT TO BE..HOW YOU WAS DESTINED TO BE.. WHO YOU WAS DESTINED TO MEET.......really.?...yes, I see it now...Imogen Is here...she's looking at me...im holding her in my arms.....LOVE IS STRONG..BUT LIFE IS STRONGER......yes, without life there is no love, no feeling's no nothing....how sad..THE TIME IS GOING TO COME WHEN YOU HAVE TO PROTECT LIFE XERCZES.....but how, im only a thief, living in a run down apartement..im no use...YOU WILL SOON SEE...........................BECAUSE YOU ARE-.....I am what..?...hello....don't go....

He awakens, a bright shaft of light is shining into his room, the birds whittering and in song outside, the clouds are thin and sparse in the deep blue sky

Well that was weird, that voice again...Imogen was there too. But where is she?? Well time for breakfast, ill go down into the market place for some good grub! I cant wait.

Knock at the door

Hmm, who could that be..?

Well better check.

Spies through hole in his door

Damn its the worst thing ever out there!!!

Its my landlord, and he's wielding a salad spatula!..he he.He must want the rent.

Open's door

Xerczes:- Hello Mr Rice.. how's the day for you good sir? that herb I gave you for your piles working ok?

Mr Rice:- Don't you hello me you scum, that damned herb made my arse itch like a dog at a flea market. I cant sit down!

Xerczes:- Oh too bad I must have give you my itching powder by accident -smirks--. Well it'll soon clear up don't you fret.

Mr Rice:- Ill fret alright, ill fret you if don't pay your rent this instant!

Xerczes:- Ah the rent...hold on...--delves into purse in secret compartment-- Here you go Mr....Pice

Mr Rice:- Its Mr Rice you idiot!! Mr Rice and don't you forget it or ull be sleeping with the rats and the burricks in pagan land. --leaves quickly in a huff-

Well that old fart can kiss my ass, coz I aint sucking up to his taffer ways, anyhow's making him mad is what I do best, its the form of entertainment for my day. Right to the market I go.

Leaves apartment happily

Walks down through the streets to the market place passing various shops, that supply the market with goods

Ahhh the fresh smell of bread in the morning is so wonderful. I think ill have a loaf for my trip to the market, and a mineral water.

--Approaches a bakery, the fresh smell of dough and bread is overwhelming-

Xerczes:- hello sir may I have one of your fresh loafs please?

Baker:- Yes here you go that'll be three silver pieces if you would be so kind.

Xerczes:- Yes there you go, thank you this smells gorgeous, soft too.

Baker:- I only bake the best and use the best ingredients, y I started off when I was.....

Xerczes:- Yes all very interesting I'm sure old m....I mean sir, but I must be away, things to do people to see. -Whispers-- places to case. Good bye

Baker:- oh, well yes pardon me young lad, just an old man telling story's, thank you for coming bye now.

--Continues walk-

What a nice chap, a bit senile, but....well cant help it can they. Poor man has probably been baking bread his whole life just to make ends meat. Every one has a profession, honest or not, we still have to make money. That's all that drives us......or is it? Life is precious isn't that all that matters??

-- Reaches the market--

Ahhh here we go. There's a lil, place to sit.

Sits in a market stall which has seats and a canopy, hot meals and drinks are served, the sign reads :- Morog's Fantastic Meals.

Lets test what the sign promotes then shall we stomach urgle-bugrpp ill take that as a yes then.

Calls over an assistant and orders a tanked of tea and a meal consisting of, burrick steak, fried rat tail, chicken leg, potatoes, duck egg's and toast

Mmm yum yum this should taste good.

--half an hour later-

BLEEEEEHHHHHURGGGHHHHHHHHHH......damn breakfast, ill sew the damned place, that stuff made me puke URGHBLEHHHHGGGGG.Ohhhh I feel ill.drinks mineral water

Ah I feel a bit better....ill get them back. I think it was that burrick stake it tasted like a rat that had been ran over by a horse and cart and left on a pagan village track for three moons! .....a bit like the usual I eat then he he.

Lifts self out of gutter and continues walk through the market place

I am such a successful thief yet I eat slop and live in poor standards, well it hide's my identity and keeps people off my case, and keeps thief's stealing from me. How ironic if that were true, a thief robbed by a thief. Ah aahaha. That'll never happen if I keep my profile down.

Now...i must find a buyer for the loot I snatched last night.....but who?

That chap "Constantine" turned out to be a god called the "Trickster" so not him.

Hmm my usual has no need for statues or paintings. Ill sell the gems, tapion, and iron ore to the jewellers down the main high street. The paintings ill sell to a chap called "Morrid" who lives in the nearby tower. Seems he's into art and fine antiques. His place is littered with the damn things, ahahaha I think ill pay his tower a visit when I'm stuck for cash ahahah...yes well...that would be funny.

3 hrs later

Ah yes this gold and silver is well worth the painting and statue I looted. Whoa this bag is heavy never knew art was worth so much, I normally go for the obvious choice, gems, gold the usual. I might look into this art malarkey.

The suns draws behind the clouds, and the wind picks up, storm clouds can be seen afar

Hmm looks like a storm to me, better get back to my place with this money I have made. This little stash will be saved for a more important use......when the need is near.

Enters apartment block and then enters his room, the musty smell is there still, the rain starts patting lightly on his window, the dark shadows cast by the clouds dance around the room, the wind blowing leaves at the window pains

Well the weather can change so rapidly, I better light the fire, and heat up the stove for a tanked of tea. Ill use the gold tanked I stole from "Lord Baffords" manner last month, seen as I never treat myself in using such ornamental appliances. Poor "Lord Bafford" every thief in the city steals from that fat git! Ahaahaha..

Fetches gold tanked and poor's the ready made tea into it,

lights the fire and the stove, places some timber on the fire and puts the tanked on the stove heat plate, the smell of the wood burning stirs his mind and soul, the memory's of past nights and adventures flow into his head

Man ive led a decent time whilst ive been here. My thieving is second to none, my skills are so adept, deep and natural, sometimes it bewilders me where I get such skill from, how I no how to use the shadows, the wind the weather to my advantage. The night holds so much meaning to me. The day brings me so much life and rest. I am at peace, yet I still have a cloud hanging over me.

Stirs the tea and pokes the fire

Last night ...what was it all about??? So many thoughts rushed through my head when I was in that mansion, looking at those red orbs, the statue, the sword....ah yes! The sword I have it.

Fetches sword from under the bed

This little beauty is what made my body feel weird, stronger, more swift, lighter. I felt kinda invincible when I touched it. It calls my name, how can that be? What sorcery his held within it?

--Looks into the transparent blade to find his reflection--

WHAT THE !!!! AHHHHH!!

--Drops sword and kicks the tea off the stove, which flies into the fire and makes it hiss and sizzle . The tanked falls to the floor and rolls and hits the hearth--

I ...i.. what is it??? I saw the ..the devil man in the reflection, but how? y? I saw it I definitely saw it, he was there looking at me, his eyes, the eyes, they flashed my life in front of me, two deep white pools of memory's!! The devil man who is he? he seemed very much alive in the reflection, but that cant be....it must be an illusion..

Peers cautiously into the sword blade...

Ah ha I knew it, it was my imagination, there is my reflection now. How weird is that? Well this sword makes me feel weird its going back under my bed.

Puts sword under bed and picks tanked up, then puts the tanked back away and douses out the fire

Ahh just enough time for a quick nap before I go on my night patrol of the city to make sure the nobles arnt getting too rich, and if they are. Then they get a visit from me, ill help them clear all that excess gold away he he he.

Falls asleep in the chair near to the now depleted fire

again..??...where am i?....YOUR WHERE YOU WANTED TO BE........im..im with Imogen?..........YES....IF YOU WILL IT.....IT WILL HAPPEN............i will it.....THEN IT WILL BE YOURS.....Imogen is that you.....speak to me, tell me it is you that stands before me...it is me xerczes....i have lost something will you help me find it?.........yes I will...what have you lost??............i...i...have lost you....why did you leave me?.......i had no choice, the battle was....battle?..you didnt need to die!!!..i was waiting for you, but you never returned to me.....if I didnt die then all of you would have suffered....my heart told me to die...so I did.....then it is all over..........unless........unless what?....talk to me, speak let me hear your voice....

Opens eyes

I'm.. I'm awake again, what time is it?? the sky is dark... I must go...

Equips himself and readies for thievery .He takes the mysterious sword with him

I'm ready!

Scales the side of a grey stone building and climbs gracefully onto the thatch roof, the soft woven thatch cushioning his weight, the sound none existent, the local Hammerite cathedral towers above the city buildings and the spire to which it has, even more so rises

Ahh what a glorious site.

The sun just disappearing over the horizon lighting the clouds lightly with an amber coloured light, flocks of geese fly towards the sun silhouetted by the light, thin streams of smoke from nearby houses flow straight up, the wind gently blowing them away

The weather is calm again.

Oh Imogen..... last night I had a dream about you, In this dream I'm standing right beside you, it looked like we were having fun, the kind of feeling ive waited so long, the feeling was right so I put my arms around you, you felt right so you put your arms around me. I don't no what to do, I wish these dreams would come true,

I Know What To Do I Shall Make These Dreams Come True.

Part 1 / Part 3