[The Dude]

Hamsel had seen many things in his life serving as a soldier for Lord Bamnus. Some he wished he hadn't but what he was witnessing from his hiding spot behind a rock within Black-Top would be burned into his mind."I hope you remembered what I told you when we first met." The Robed figure stepped forward. Lord Bamnus' legs were shaking as he neared the edge of the valcano. He glanced behind him and saw the river of magma below him. There was no where to run. The robed figure spoke with a whisper as he stood face to face in front of the king but his voice was only thing the king could hear. "Learn to swim..." The figure placed a boot to Bamnus' chest and pushed him to the lava below.

"My lord!" Hamsel screamed, the figure turned and gazed at the hidden scout. Hamsel's heart nearly stopped from what he saw. The figure wore a blood red vest almost as dark as the black robes he wore. He wore a black mask, black voids where the eyes should be but the most striking features were the red lines coming from the eyes and mouth. As if the figure had drank and cried blood. In his hands, twin dark and gruesome blades. Hamsel's only reaction from the site was the most basic of human reactions. Fleeing. As he started running he thought he had heard the figure speak to him. "You will not escape."

Hamsel had never run so far or so hard in his life, he didn't slow down as he descended down Black-Top's slopes. He didn't stop running as he traveled through the vent fields that surrounded Black-Top and he didn't stop though he nearly fell twice into the cracks and crevices that cover the Ash Lands that would have sent him into the magma below. He didn't stop as he neared the great gate and passed by his comrades bodies who had succumbed to the poisonous winds.

Hamsel didn't stop until Arumin was in view. The reason he stopped was not to catch a breath but of horror. A great eye made of flame loomed over Arumin. The kingdom itself was set aflame.

Hamsel didn't hear the screams or the shouts. As people ran passed him, he walked towards the burning castle as if in a trance. He looked up at the great eye, which now seemed to be staring directly at him. The figures words were the last thing he would hear. "You will not escape"

Several centuries later...

Lensen cursed himself. Here he was in the dead of night working in his fields for sleeping in late. Work that he should have done early in the morning that he would have to do again in several hours. He was thankful that there was moonlight to help guide him. As he worked he suddenly noticed a shadow pass over him. He looked up thinking at first it was a cloud but the night sky was clear and the moon loomed over him. He looked out thinking it was a bird but then stared at the direction the shadow was traveling. Out towards the east, the Obelisk stood yet for centuries it had been dark, now a bright light shined from its top. Lensen ran into his house, locked the doors and shut the windows.

The shadow passed over the the mountains guarding the Ash Lands, it passed by the surprisingly quiet Black-Top and towards the Obelisk. Within center of the structure stood the light source, sand from an hourglass that now rested at its bottom. From the table where the hour glass rested were four obsidian pillars, each with an hourglass on them with different colored sand all resting at the bottom of them. The structures rested within a circle of runes that was now glowing. Four dark hallways stretched out from hour glasses.

The sound of soft footsteps could be heard from each of the hallways as Four Figures emerged and stood infront of each of their Hourglasses.

"So it begins again." The first one spoke.

"The Cycle of Judgment" Another replied, he wore a dark robe of the courts that had green fastenings. Green swirlying lines covered his mask that had an angry depiciton.

"A different beginning" the third one spoke, wearing dark robes depicting a nomads travel cloak, his mask depicting great hunger.

"But it ends the same" the final one spoke, he wore tattered dark blue robes. His mask depicted death, a single unblinking eye was the only opening of the mask.

"So it shall be..." The first one spoke again. When he finished they all reached out and turned their hour glasses. The hourglass then sank into the pillars and the sand of the central houglass was suddenly at the top, descending down. The bright room was dark and empty once again. The four figures had disappeared in the darkness.

Three weeks later...

The Vindrel township was bustling with activity which was surprising for most. The small town sat near the entrance to the marshlands and was close enough to be infected by the plague winds that blew in from time to time. Because of its location it was mainly a leper colony for the empire that had become deeply divided amongst the people living there. The lepers were shoved into one section of the town to prevent any disruption to the activity and those that traveled into the area were forced to completely cover their bodies in robes or whatever they could find.

In the center of the town sat a lone robed figure on a bench in front of a fountain. People passed by him without noticing. From his mask he stared at a chain watch as the seconds ticked away. "Late. As always... he spoke in a whisper. He closed the watch and slipped into a pocket in the robes and stood up. As he started to walk, an arm grabbed him on his shoulder. "Where are you going leper?" a voice called out to him. He turned to find two soldiers eying him. "I have no quarrel with you." He spoke in a whisper. "Now leave me be."

"You know you're not supposed to be out here leper." One of the soldiers replied. "Now we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way." As he spoke, the other soldier's hand was already on the hilt of his sword.

Are you threatening me? The robed figure spoke. the wind caused the robes to rustle around the hilt of a hidden blade...