Caesar rematerialized into human form after stepping through the window of time. As he crouched on a high ravine, he saw a huge lake below and a small, almost Neolithic village surrounding it. Shepherds dressed in animal skins to protect against the bite of winter winds lined the edge of the lake, watering their flocks. Other men fished nearby.

Caesar felt a strong presence close to him. Four otherworldly beings, two on either side of him, beckoned him to walk with them toward the village.

They appeared tall and slender, with long strands of blond hair and piercing blue eyes. They spoke to Caesar without moving their lips, projecting their thoughts. It’s time for you to see through our eyes.

Caesar realized, with a sudden burst of shared knowledge, that the four men were the Ancients, come to visit the Earth after the First Cataclysm. As they walked down the hillside toward the lake village, Caesar felt as if a veil were lifting. He began to recall memories that were not his own, memories of a time before time, a time he had never lived.

The two beings on his right merged into one. He was startled and looked to his left. The two beings there also merged. His body felt frozen, yet his legs carried him toward the village. The two sentient apparitions accompanied him. As they approached the edge of the lake, the Ancients, now in spirit form, began to enter Caesar one by one, until all five beings occupied one body. Suddenly, he understood—he understood it all.

The villagers had noticed something and began drawing together, murmuring among themselves as they watched the stranger with light skin and curious clothes approach. Village men picked up tools made of bone and wood, and others retrieved daggers chiseled out of stone. The shepherds marched tentatively toward Caesar as he walked along the edge of the water toward huts made of twigs, leaves, and mud. Caesar knew they were frightened yet willing to die to protect their women and children. Caesar reached out with his mind, speaking to them in a universal language that all would understand.

Do not fear me. I am here to guide you to your future. I am known as Caesar Guevara.

The villagers were silent. Finally, one of them, a wraith-thin man with a young daughter clinging to his side, asked in his native tongue, “Are you a god?”

I am not a god. I am here on behalf of the four Ancients.

Upon hearing these words, the tribe dropped to the ground and bowed before Caesar.

Caesar rebuked them.

Do not worship me! I am here to tell you that the Ancients are not gods, and you should not worship them, either. They were once men like you. But their race destroyed this world. For the sake of your tribe and thousands of others, the four bonded together, determined to live on and pass to you the knowledge you need to rebuild and not make the mistakes of the past. You must not worship them. They are your friends and brothers. That is why I am here.

The villagers stood up and looked around at one another, confused and frightened.

“What is it that you wish of us?” the tall, thin man asked. “Yes, yes, please tell.”

Your tribe has been chosen as the builders and protectors of the gateway to all knowledge. You will travel this world for hundreds of years building altars and temples dedicated to the survival of the human race. I will spend a short time with you here, and together we will choose five leaders who will work with me to build the first altar, close to this lake. After I leave, your tribe will spread out across the world, covering uncharted waters and lands to do what is required of each of you. Once your tasks are complete, you will take your wives and children and rejoin with one another. You will live and rebuild your community in a new land.

“Caesar Guevara, my name is Alialebequeuizionaciousaleaster. I am leader of this tribe. I tell you that we are merely mortal. We cannot live for hundreds of years to complete what you ask of us. No, no, this is not possible.”

From this day forward, I shall call you Ali. I tell you, Ali, that it is possible. As long as you work toward completing the task, you’ll never age and your tribe will be given temporary immortality. Once the tasks are complete, you will be allowed to live your lives and pass in peace.

Ali’s eyes grew wide at this news. “We can pass on, yes, yes?”

All except for the chosen few. The five leaders who will be known as the Pentax will never age. They will be the protectors of the Scroll of the Ancients, which bears the source of all knowledge. Though the Pentax will never age or become sick, they can be killed by mortal hands, so one from among you will be chosen as protector of the Pentax. He, too, will not age.

Ali bowed his head and accepted their fate. “As leader of the tribe, I offer myself as one of your chosen. I must do what is asked of me to protect my people.”

For your sacrifice, I appoint you protector of the Scroll. You will go forward after we have finished here to find land suitable for your people to live in comfort and pleasure. This land will be found only in the depths of a vast body of water.

“But how will we find it, and how can we live in a body of water?”

Your questions will be answered in time. First we must choose four more from among your tribe.

Caesar lifted his hands to the sky. Clouds blotted the sun and darkened the heavens above them. Streaks of lightning snapped through the air and the waters of the lake rippled. The ground shook as Caesar’s eyes began to glow. The villagers dropped to the ground again, not in praise, but in fear of the elements. When Caesar returned to consciousness, he called out four names.

I call for Antithiosiusteasocious, Oriolandeausotiouscious, Eliacaleazueoraicousius, and Loleiosonusciosunonscious. Step forth beside your brother Alialebequeuizionaciousaleaster.

Four men walked forward with blank expressions and surrounded Ali.

You five are the chosen ones. You are the Pentax.

The weather outside Juigalpa Airport, in Nicaragua, was bleak the morning that Galton, Fiero, and Adelaide landed. A heat wave had roasted the area the day before, and a thunderstorm had drenched it all night and into the morning. Now, as the airplane taxied to the gate, hailstones as big as baseballs hammered its wings and fuselage, hitting and bouncing in a clattering cacophony.

The captain made an announcement. “Good morning, passengers, this is your captain speaking. I am sorry to inform you that, because of the freak hailstorm, we’ll have a slight delay in disembarking from the plane this morning. For your safety, we ask that you be patient as we wait for it to pass.”

“Wonder if I could get another drink while we’re waiting,” Galton muttered.

“I’ll never understand how you put up with so much flying,” Adelaide said. “All these delays and long flights are sorely testing my patience.”

“You get used to it,” Galton said. “Anyways, it ain’t usually like this.”

Fiero got out of his seat, stretched his legs, and walked to the lavatory. He splashed water on his face and told himself to be strong for Caesar. He pulled the Scroll necklace from under his shirt and rubbed it for good luck. A second later the plane lurched and began to shake. Fiero ran back to Galton and Adelaide. People were screaming as doors on overhead bins fell open and luggage spilled into the aisles. After a moment, the shaking stopped.

“Quake,” Galton whispered as he looked at Fiero. The screams died down, replaced by sobs and prayers. Some passengers began to talk about the end of times.

A man who was listening to the news through a headset began shouting. “Saint David’s Island, Saint George, Hamilton, and Bermuda Island are all gone!”

“Was it the Fire Woman?” someone asked.

“Meteors,” the man said. “Happened last night. But the news guy said there were reports of the same weather anomalies that have been associated with Fire Woman sightings.”

“She’s getting closer,” Adelaide whispered to her companions. “I can feel her. We need to get to Peru.”

“It don’t look like we’ll be flying there,” Galton said. “We’ll have to drive.”

“Won’t that take days?” Adelaide asked.

“At least two.”

“More like three, jefe,” Fiero said. “With roads washed out and earthquake damage, it might even take four.”

Galton sighed. “I guess I better call El Capitán.”

The villagers of Aqualasia looked skyward, toward the protective bubble, and saw the waters churning. The young girl known as Tiree had seen it time and time again as the world above was destroyed by the elemental destruction of the artifact. She wished her father were there with her, and she wondered where he was. Ali had been gone for weeks. Tiree, who was thousands of years old and the protector of Aqualasia, still yearned for the Pentax to return and provide guidance.

The waters lit up with fire as a glowing whirlpool descended the depths of the ocean and headed toward their protective bubble. It passed through, revealing a tornado of fire that floated down onto the beaches of the lagoon. The fire died and revealed a beautiful, transparent woman with black, flowing hair and eyes as dark as ravens. Tattoos flowed wildly about her body.

“The Scroll,” the people whispered, but they knew only legends and tales. Tiree knew that never before—not in thousands of years—had the Scroll been made flesh. She worried that the end was near.

Annie walked toward Tiree as the tattoos swirled, begging to be released, hissing as they moved about her body. Tiree took a defensive stance, prepared to defend her people.

Annie looked at the girl, confused for a moment. The girl reminded her of someone she once knew, once loved, but she was uncertain. Too many voices filled her head, whispering of the evil deeds of humans, exposing their greed and corruption. Her smile faded as she approached the little girl, and the sense of familiarity faded. Annie screamed, “Liars, you’re all liars!” until her demonic voice shook all of Aqualasia. The beach split apart, swallowing the Aqualasians who had been standing near the crevice. The survivors scattered before the shrieking demon voice. Tiree stood her ground, prepared for death. She didn’t have long to wait. She heard a sound like the ocean and looked up to see the protective bubble caving in on the island, destroying their paradise, and drowning them all.

The five leaders gathered around Caesar as he knelt before a pot of red powder. The powder had the texture of flour and was used to dye their clothing and for ceremonial makeup. Caesar buried his hands deep into the large bowl and closed his eyes. The metabolism of the elements ignited once again, bringing forth winds, lightning, and heavy tides on the lake as the ground shook. Caesar’s body lit up bright blue as the villagers stared in awe. Lightning struck Caesar, setting him aflame. The fire flowed into the dye, and it began to glow. Thunder rent the air, and the villagers covered their ears. The sound faded. Caesar removed his hands from the bowl of powder. One hand held a black vial, the other, a black leather-like pouch.

Ali looked at the bowl, and his jaw dropped. The bowl was completely empty. “What is this magic, yes, yes?”

In my hands I hold the root of knowledge, transferred into your world through something tangible that will allow me to pass the knowledge you’ll need to complete your tasks. This powder will act as a conductor to transfer to each of you memories of knowledge lost. With this knowledge, you will live as immortals and complete your tasks.

Caesar stood before the five men and dipped his hand into the pouch. The red powder in his hand looked no different now than it had in the large bowl, but they all knew that there was nothing else like it on all the Earth. Caesar took a deep breath and blew the powder in the direction of the men. All five inhaled deeply. Ancient memories, mathematical equations, and skills of carpentry, stone masonry, and alchemy filled their beings. Their minds were open to understanding languages, and Caesar spoke to them in his own tongue.

“It is time,” Caesar said. “Gather your people, your belongings, and your flocks. Our destination lies to the southwest, a day’s walk away.”

The villagers gathered and set off for their new home, a lush land with verdant hills and rivers that teemed with fish. In a few thousand years it would turn to desert, but for them it was abundant and pleasant. They spent a year with Caesar, and he instructed them in the ways of the Ancients. He showed them how to manipulate the powers of the elements to help them build magnificent structures. And he prepared them for journeys to the far reaches of the world.

The five leaders worked together, ordering their tribe to clear the lands and begin tunneling into the Earth, until one day Caesar ordered them to stop. On that day, Caesar stood alone at the bottom of the long, shallow shaft that opened into a tiny cavity. Staring at the rock wall before him, he removed his pouch and blew a puff of powder onto the stone surface. The rock wall came to life, and lines began to trace the outline of a door. The door metamorphosed from stone to copper, and glyphs of the Ancients appeared on its surface.

Caesar pushed on the door. It swung open effortlessly, unencumbered by friction. In the center of the room beyond, a black circle marked the stone floor. Caesar placed his pouch on the circle, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. The space around him came to life as a blue radiance filled the room. The black circle began to expand across the floor, like spilled ink spreading relentlessly. It covered the surface and then spread to the walls and ceiling. Once the room was covered in midnight, the original circle began rise up out of the floor, changing and molding into a distinct form, as though shaped by a skilled potter. It reached a height of four feet and took the form of an altar.

Caesar grabbed the pouch off the top of the altar, and replaced it with a small black vial that he retrieved from his pocket. Failsafe, he thought. Oh, Annie, what have we done? Caesar turned, walked out of the room, and shut the door with his mind.

He placed his head against the door and silently repeated an incantation that sealed it shut. He finished by saying aloud, “You shall not open until your time has come. No thing or person may open you but the appointed time itself.” Then he turned and walked back to the surface.

Ali stood at the top, surrounded by his people. “It is done, yes, yes?”

“It is done, my friend,” Caesar said, smiling. He had grown close to the tribe over the past year and was sad to be leaving. He turned back to the hole in the hillside and waved his hand. Stone grew over the covering like moss, concealing the tomb.

“It is time for me to leave,” Caesar said. “It is also time for your people to travel to new territories and begin to build again.”

“Will we ever see you again?” Ali asked.

“You will see me many times through the eon, but more so over the next few hundred years. Once you’ve reached your destinations, I will appear and help you begin your tasks. Then it will be many millennia before you will see me again. Do not fear, you each have the knowledge to get to your destination. Whether you travel east or west, by land or by sea, you will be protected. Good luck, my friends. I will see you soon.”

Caesar splintered into billions of bright blue particles, and the lands disappeared from his sight. Once again he stood with the Fire deity.

I’ve spent a year with them, grown to love them as friends and care for their children, yet I was here with you only seconds ago.

Time is an illusion, a creation. Nowhere is that more clearly understood than here, in this realm. Do you know what you must do next?

I do.

When you are ready, we will send you back again so that you may guide your Pentax with each task you’ve presented them. Your work will be done through our eyes. Then you can decide whether the Scroll may continue along her path or be forced to choose another way.