It all still baffles me...the keepers, the trickster, the mage’s and the hammers all ancient peoples of this earth span back before time was recorded, were all in league once, watchers if you will upon the well being of other planets and civilisations, ever watching and recording events.

Maybe my actions long ago against my brother and the dawning of my rebirth here along with my evil brothers soul, give way to a chain reaction...a panic amongst this world. That’s why long ago the trickster was banished by the hammers & mages and the talismans were created to hold his power, and the keepers went into silence and watched the world as events unfolded with a clear and astonishing foresight into the worlds future cataclysms. The fall of the ancient city known as the "Lost City",the eventual return of the trickster who sought revenge, and the arising of the splinter faction spawned by the hammerite order that was fuelled by Karras and was known as the mechanist order. The keepers looked upon their glyphs and said "yes" this will happen as it was written, and so it did. Now another cataclysm is about to happen the rise of Xerczes a god from another world, intent on destroying this world in order to accomplish what he failed to do on Earth.

Walks through dark and rainy mountain paths growing further away from the mage towers, the moon glaring behind the structure silhouetting him against the dark blue horizon

Where could Xerczes have gone??..where would he go to gain strength and to grow strong? A place which would be able to store his power? Aha! The Xerczes chamber back in the city...the mansion I looted that started all this when I found that godforsaken chamber. He’s there I know it.. I remember when I took the sword his will forced me and my mind to do such actions. He needed me to touch the sword and wear the Aroborus ring that were his possessions in order for his soul to be transported to them and then put back into one of his statues where his soul would reunite and make the statue come to life, he couldn’t use the statue in the mage towers as it was a copy of the real statue in the Xerczes chamber back in the city. But when his soul was whole again he could transport his-self back to the original statue, to accomplish his rebirth and transformation. I hope I‘m not too late.....

Stops walking and turns round and faces the mage towers, the towers were engulfed in flames, the walls crumbling and falling, embers shot into the air and mages ran scattered around the grounds in desperation. The flames lit the dark sky an orange tone

Hmmm they wont be much help...they are running around like headless burricks. I need some transport on foot it’d take at least 2 moons to reach the city, by then it would be too late. How can I get there?

Looks upon the increasing fall of the towers, he sees 6 or so horses running around outside the gates, on of which is tethered to a tree nearby its a travellers horse who had seen the fire and had gone to help, at this he sees the traveller approach the mages to offer help

Oh boy that guy is in deep shit. The mages will not take kindly to visitors at this time and will reject his help with a nasty leaving note.

At this one of the mages emits a red flash and the traveller is incinerated in seconds

Hmm. That guy wont be needing his horse anymore.

Runs to the tree the horse is tethered to, its about 100 ft away from the mage towers safe distance from the angry mages, unties horse mounts and rides back through the mountain range from where he entered this place

Ahaha no sweat ill be there in two ticks of a mechanist eye lense..erm yeah.

The horse gallops faster and faster through the wet and cold canyon through the mountains, the cold air rushing into Xerczes face and the damp dripping off his forehead into his eyes, the horse panting and huffing through its steamy mouth and nose, soon enough the city is in view

There she is!! what a nice sight, the city looks so calm from here, OH shit!!!...what’s that??

A bright light flashes from somewhere in the city and a pulse of energy is shot from the source, shattering windows and cracking walls, the horse disturbed at this rears up and Xercezs is thrown to the ground

AHHH! That hurt I landed on my money purse and it went right up my arse. ouch.

Sat on his back end lifted up onto his hands Xerczes loos at the light from his location, another burst of light and energy shoots a large column of light vertically into the air and disappears into the clouds

Whoa that some light show, I bet the people of the city are wetting their beds...or sacks as the case is for many of the inhabitants. He hehe. Including me.

Xerczes God:- Ahahhaa ive done it...after all this time I am free from that pathetic little arse known as my brother. He will regret his actions against my crusade on earth, my marvellous legacy will continue and I....will reign supreme amongst these people and this planet, they shall all kneel to me. Let the horror begin. I will judge all.

Hammerite Grand Cathedral

High Priest:- It has begun...he is free, the god has awoken brethren, let us smite his power and overcome his evil, for the builder will protect us, is it not said that "he who builds his house and raises walls to protect him, and lights his fires to warm him, crafts tools for his use, shall not let another destroy what he has made" Let us go forth brethren, he who hath doubts say nay, but let it be known after our actions are determined and your choices are final, let us be judged by the builder as children of faith in his eyes, all who disappoint him will be judged and smited as failures to the cause, let us all go in holy rage and utter the builders prayers as we face our enemy.

Hammerite soldiers:- YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!
Let us march forth!!!!

Keeper’s Hall

Keeper Annals:- so it has happened the day has come to light, the birth of a god. Our glyphs were true, the prophecy was correct.

Mayar Third keeper:- Our destiny is to watch and sight our prophecies, keepers are destined to watch and to keep, the time has come to let our glyphs and writings become second best, our objective is clear.... The god Xerczes must be stopped, for it is written that his brother shall not succeed this time in defeating him the god Xerczes. We must act fast.

Keeper Annals:- The sly eagle hides it talons, this statement is true to our beliefs. But the time has come to protect our writings, to protect our world, nothing after this event has been written. Anything could unfold. Let our balance be right and our sight be clear, our minds unclouded and our hearts at peace. Let us go forth with clear insight into our destiny’s. Keepers:- We will follow, this has been written. The weights of the world have been unequal, the balance is lost, the balance must be restored once again. Let no follies cloud our judgement, and our paths will be clear.

Mage Towers

Mages:- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FIRE!! FIRE!!!

Mage’s High Council

Grand Mage:- The towers have been lost, Xerczes the god has escaped. The mages powers have been diminished, many casualties have been suffered. Our cherished talismans reclaimed after the tricksters death have again been marred, the stones have cracked and the power in each lost. The talismans are of no use. Today is a day of sorrow, but we shall prevail, we shall never look down, we shall face our enemies and use our ancient magic against them. Never loose hope our powers are unmatched and all enemies have fallen before. Talismans or not we shall prevail!!

Mage In Blue Gown:- Let the water purify and cleanse our enemy, let the water refresh and rejuvenate us, we shall flow as it does and wash away our fears.

Mage In White Gown:- Let the air lift and praise our courage, and blow away our doubts, the wind will refresh our power and help us against the evil menace. The ever present air will supply our powers.

Mage In Brown Gown:- The earth shall let us walk on it, and nourish our efforts, the earth will replenish our trust and hold steady our fight, its awesome power shall swallow our enemy and become one with our faith, the faith of the mages will become as hard as stone. We shall not bleed until the earth dies.

Mage In Red Gown:- The fire inside us is bright and hot, we are fuelled by it, we are drawn by it, let us not reject its wise aura and let us have faith In its beauty as we smite our enemies with licks of flame and lights of heat. We shall purify in its wisdom and its eternal warmth. Our enemies shall not escape its fiery judgement.

Grand Mage:- Let it be done my friends!!

Pagan Sanctuary

Pagan Leader:- Our god the trickster is long dead. But our efforts against this new menace shall not be in vein, the tricksters power flows through our bodies. His ancient knowledge passed down to us through each generation. His valiant efforts of eternal earth shall not be wasted through our ignorance. We shall fight, and fight for him we will. For eternal earth and prosperity of our mother seed, and our father forest.

The sky darkens and the rain stops, the pagans look up and a bright light can be seen hovering above they’re trickster temple

Pagan Women:- Ahhhhh look, look!!! Its Xerczes the god, run children run!!!

Pagan Child:- What’s a Xerczes god mom??

Xerczes appears out of the light and with a slight of hand a energy ball is sent hurtling towards the temple which on impact gets blown to shit rags

Xerczes the god:- You are all fools for worshipping a false god!! He never wanted the best for you!! He only wanted to have his own little world full of plants and fairies!!! He was a disgrace to the gods and should have been known as the botanical god! What a fool!! Now all of you shall bow to me and swear allegiance to my cause ! Or you will die! your choice humans!

Pagan Leader:- We will never join you !! We are followers of the great trickster of merchants and his aid victoria!!

Xerczes the god:- Ahhhh yes the plant lady!! A bit wooden but good for firewood!! kept me warm all last winter ahahaha!! now die fool!!

Xerczes holds his hand in front of him fingers stretched out and palm showing, he then grins and a fireball emerges from his palm and shoots towards the pagan leader

Pagan Leader:- "We all jumps in triumphs, with us the woodsie lord danced the foolsie man, rose the storms in shouty glee,the darkness in feary gloom’s, the fires in happy greed, danced we away, and fed the sad stringsie man-fool to their devourings for our thanks"

A glow flashes all around the pagans who stand in a line formation, the fireball hits the glowing transparent shield and bounces off and blows up a tree

Xerczes the god:- Hmmm what sorcery is this, nothing I have seen before this is....very good pagans your god pulled through for you, left you a trick he did, but he is dead and his power cannot exceed my own!!!! Enough of this play I must go and finish my errands!!

Xerczes pulls out his sword and swipes it in front of him, a temporal distortion in the very fabric of reality scythes through the advancing pagan troops and diminishes them in one foul swoop, then with ease Xerczes sends fireballs every which way destroying the pagan homeland, the once dark and quiet forest is filled with the orange light of fire and the screams and shouts of dying pagans, nor women or child was spared

Xerczes the god:- Let that be a lesson to all that oppose me!! For I am infinite! But pagans do not be ungrateful, at least you wont be cold this winter ahahahahahaahah!!

Outside The City Entance

Xerczes:- Whoa what the hell was that sound??

Looks over to the right and the sky is once again lit with the orange glow of fire and the dark plumes of thick black smoke from burning bodies and buildings

No...the pagans...they must be all dead, they were to few in number as it was...but now they are an extinct race of believers and ancients, their beliefs and knowledge die with them.... That god damn brother of mine, NO!! shall not call him brother for no brother of mine would kill so coldly and devour such places.

Runs towards the city gates and enters, most of the buildings are unharmed though much older buildings have been damaged by the initial pulse of power when xerczes the god was released, all the windows in the city have been smashed

City Warden:- Please evacuate the streets return to your houses and stay indoors, close window shutters and stay down, further notices will be passed through me.

Xerczes:- Hey what’s going on here??

City Warden:- Please sir go inside, there is an abomination on the loose, the power of 50 burricks it has. Every area warden in the city is announcing messages that are passed directly through us from the city police station. Every guard at disposal is posted at strategic points around the city, of course the nobles have private guards to protect them.

Xerczes:- ~Whispers~ Hmm those guards wont be much help, and I’m sure Xerczes the god is stronger than 50 burricks!!

City Warden:- What was that lad??

Xerczes:- Oh nothing warden....I must go be careful ok you taffer.

City Warden:- Oh ...ok lad bye now....erm what did you call me??

Xerczes runs to the mansion that he looted 2 days ago

Ahh here at last...whao!! This place looks like hell!! that Xerczes destroys everything.

Xerczes inspects the mansion grounds, the mansion itself is in ruins, xerczes spots the two glowing red orbs scattered amongst the rubble of the mansion

Hmm these orbs, what are they? They just glow is that all they do? But they have destiny and Xerczes written on each one....what does it mean?

Whilst holding the orb his hands sinks into its once solid shell and the ball begins to glow a blinding red light, the orb dissolves and Xerczes stands wielding a long thin silvery coloured sword, the handle is solid red ruby, the blade and hilt are made out of what seems to be a foreign material

Erm......Wow.

The second orb is picked up the same happens again except Xerczes stands wearing a gauntlet which has a spherical shape attached to the end, it looks like the top of a round stool. About 100 inches in diameter

What the hell is this strange contraption?? Ah well I best keep this stuff, it might prove useful against Xerczes the god. I hope...I just hope.

keeper:- you are right Xerczes...they will aid you in your quest...

Xerczes spins around to face the voice

Xerczes:- Keepers huh? what are you guys doing here? just leave me alone and get on with your own business, if that so happens to help me or fight Xefczes the god also, then so be it, just stay outta my way! U’ll only hinder my progress.

Keeper:- So it shall be, but remember this, ones friends can prove useful in a hour of need, but ones anger can neglect to see their friendship. So beware Xerczes don’t refuse help so blindly.

Xerczes:- Oh man...if I need your help then ill say so. But my run in with your kind has not particularly been nice or friendly. So ill choose my friends ok

Keeper:- The wise eagle does not kill at whim, think before you act and your balance will be right to go on. Think hard about your circumstance, for it is written that you will not win....after that everything is uncertain.

Xerczes:- I must go. Farewell.

Xerczes runs and jumps over the mansion wall and disappears into the darkness of the silent abandoned streets, his footsteps growing further away as he runs through the wet cobbled streets

Keeper:- His heart is pure and his head is strong, but his balance is lost, maybe due to the death of his beloved Imogen...He is destined to fail a second time around, too much hate clouds his judgement, yet we will try to equal the weights of destiny. Come keepers lets go.

The keepers slip through the perimeter hedge in the opposite direction to Xerczes and vanish into the cold dark night

Damn keepers interfering as usual, that guy garrett must get pretty sick of them, last I heard garrett wanted to learn more about what the keepers know, after the mechanists reign, wonder what he found out.....well obviously this event was written and garrett knew about it. But where is he? Shouldn’t the renowned master thief be stealing the light and having a piece of the cake? Anyhow who cares about him, well....I do, I’m second best after him..in thievery anyway.

Well where the hell will Xerczes the god next move be? Hmmm??

Hammerite Grand Cathedral

Hammerite guard:- Its...its him..........die fowl abomination!!! Dare you enter the builders paradise!!!? urghhhh ahhhhhhhh

Xerczes the god:- Stupid fools!!!

Hammerite guard:- I shall smite thee foul villain, thou shalt not walk amongst the builders children!!!!!

Hammerite Guard:- Call our brethren Isaque and we shall form a column to smite this creature, the strength does not come from the whole but from the sum of its parts...as it is read In the builders guide!!!

Hammerite guard:- There are things that the builder did not intend to walk this earth villain and thou art it!!!! Fall under my hammer demon!!! urrrrrghhhhh ahhhhh HELP!!!

Xerczes the god:- Ahahahaha you are whelps!!! how can u believe to defeat me??

Xerczes the god, slices his way through the hammerite guard faction and enters the main hall where the sacred hammer and high priest lay protected by thousands of hammers

Xerczes the god:- My my.....quite a welcoming committee we have here...what is next ? Song and dance? Ahahahahaha. You will all regret your choice to oppose me!!!

Xerczes the god walks closer to the hoard of hammers they all jeer and cry out war cry’s and start to attack, hammers from above jump the god Xerczes and cling to him like shit to a rag

Xerczes the god:- Get off me whelps!! You are annoying me, you don’t want to try my patience!!

With a flash of high intensity light the hammers that cling to the god float aimlessly and helplessly in mid air around the god. Then what seems to be shear psychic energy blasts them against the walls of the halls, and with a stare from the gods eyes 50 or so hammers charging towards him burn up in violent blasts of flame

Xerczes the god:- Join me or perish you foolish humans....I ask you do you wish to die or to live and serve a new master and cause a new belief!!!?? Now answer me whelps!!!

Hammerite guards:- We shall not yield to thee demon nor anyone else, we shall serve the builder so we say nay to your offer foul creature!!

High Priest:- A circumstance that can prove uncomfortable and tries one’s faith can be seen as a pot hole in the road. This hole can be made worse by ones own greed and unfaithfulness towards his beliefs, So we say nay and we shall fill In the hole that corrupts the faith!!!!!!! And that is you Xerczes the god...that is you.

Xerczes the god:- Then........you shall all die.

*To Be Continued* Part 5