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May 24, 1740 EQ,  Cah Bel, Andril Region of Epi 

He lifted his right hand over his head.  The stone bench he sat on melted back into its original shape with the control panel overhead.  He pulled it down and forward and it came to life with a low rumble of an engine.  Dozens of jewel encrusted geometric designs joined by flowing ribbons of gold ivy adorned the table.  To one who had not used such a device before this would look like a form of art, but to his experienced eyes, the symbols and jewels were powerful tools.  He pressed a few and a soft female voice came from the control panel in an ancient language, “Hyper-jump activated.”  The air filled with an electric hum. 

“Now, where to next?  He pulled the scroll out of the inner pocket in his cloak and looked at it.  Ancient words surrounded a hand drawn map that represented the continents of Epi though the mapmaker could use a lesson in proportion.  Seven stars dotted the map, somewhat evenly spaced across the globe. 

He lifted up his head in a short prayer asking for guidance.  Then he pointed to one in the western hemisphere near Cah Bel.  “That one.  An old friend awaits his destiny.”

The humming had grown and divided into harmonic beat patterns.  It turned into a high pitched whine and the vessel shook a little.  With a couple more adjustments on the table he sat back and smiled.

“Not a bad morning’s work.  It was sure good to see the old place again.”

The dome shaped exterior of the POD reformed and the wind stirred.  The hum increased in pitch and the POD faded into an outline.  It whipped fallen leaves into little swirls.  The wind grew, gathering the little swirls into a larger whirlwind around the silhouette of the POD.  Sparks of light jumped between the flying debris.  The silhouette shimmered and disappeared.  A high pitched noise faded with a lingering pulsating beat.

The leaves settled.

All was as it had been in the beginning except for the unconscious Shadow Knights lying among the ruins of Cah Bel.  The ruins, like a silent witness to all that had transpired, fell asleep once more.

Scroll 1: History's Mirror                                                                                    Chapter 1: Treasures from the Past