"The population is nothing more than a marionette, devoid of strings.  The government, religion, idols, money, and other men can become the strings.  But it is the fool who thinks that he alone pulls them.  That task is reserved by God."
            - Pope Ezra I (d. 2030) in a letter to the Bishop of Cantabury, World Council of Churches

A pale green light is slowly cast over the courtyard gently pushing the darkness before it.  A figure stands in the center of the court with the hilt of a two‑handed sword placed purposefully against his forehead.  The blade of the sword rises majestically over him.  The greenish light emanates from the sword.  A the light strengthens, two other objects shadow into view.  The sil­houette of a tall, thin man solidifies behind the sword‑wielder and a large pillar filters into view in front of the sword‑ wielder.  Whispered urgings bounce off the courtyard walls cautiously intensifying.   The sword‑wielder becomes a blur as he lunges, sword arching down, at the pillar.  He is back in posi­tion as sparks cascade down from the side of the pillar.  Before the first flame of rock touches the courtyard soil, the sword‑ wielder attacks the opposite side of the pillar.  He returns to position as quickly as before.

The thin man raises his hands and the pillar flickers with movement.  The sword‑wielder drops to his knees as the pillar bends to confront him.  Now on the defensive, the sword‑wielder spins and brings the now flashing sword upwards.  The sword leaves a ghostly trail of light as it speeds toward the closing head of the pillar.  The stone resists the fiery contact and continues to push at the fighter.  The swords trail of light is the only way to track the fighter as he rolls away, stand over the pillar like an executioner and brings the sword down on the head of the pillar.  The pillar diffuses from view and the sword buries itself deep into the ground.

Night has fallen

The time of which I speak has happened long ago, or is still far, far away. For you, -the reader,- it is your changing position in time that makes placing what you are about to hear in a specific local of the clock irrelevant. So, I shall not. For time is fluid, like water; it can be moved, shaped and even frozen in stasis. But time still remains the same. As water always finds its level, so does time. Obstacles are only temporary and soon water/time proceeds on its destined path. Therefore there is no harm in releasing this information to those whose future this maybe. For they may slow or divert time, but they will never, ultimately, stray time from its appointments. And these so called changers of the future, unwittingly become pawns of the game and therefore prove themselves the cogs they are and not the gods they wish to be.

So read on intrepid one and see the secrets unfold, unfolding like a new dawn....

Casper Johnson had definitely been in better situations. Hanging upside down, chained to the ceiling by his ankles and to the floor by his wrists, he pondered his position.  A bar ran from wrist to wrist keeping his hands apart prevented any possibility of picking the locks.  He also had everything of use to him removed those many days ago.  Nourishment was anything he could eat with his mouth off a plate provided twice a day.