In a dark room..... silent.... still, was a large forge, unlit, unused, abandoned. The soft pats of footsteps could be heard and a man defended from the stairs carrying a flaming torch. Sweeping side to side to remove cobwebs with arms strong from use, the figure walked up to the large metal seal. A short brush with his fingers brought forth a dust storm, forcing him to cough.
“Didn’t think that through” he smiled to himself. A deep breath, then a sweep of his arms forced the dust off the seal. On it’s engraved, intricate design he laid his hand. A pulse of light, and a mighty sound of locks becoming undone echoed, and his smile grew larger. He stroked his thick beard and smirked.
“I didn’t have this last time I was here.” He mused, a short, deep chuckle echoed in the room, revealing his mirth. He brought the torch close to the seal, revealing a design of a serpent.....it was the symbol of his own unique design. He pulled the door open, revealing a large heap of coal, drenched in oil. With a smile still etched onto his face, he threw the torch in, closing it before turning and leaving the room.
As the seal closed once more an orange glow began to emanate from the room, giant cogs in the corners of the ceiling, before unseen, began to turn, shifting, slowly warming up. A table in the centre of the room held two objects, an open book and an hourglass, with the final grains of sand just falling through the gap. Written across the right page of the book in cursive, it said:
“As I had promised to myself long ago, I would be back, once my other duties are complete, and the grains of time have finished flowing, I return. Now the forge of creation is alit once more. - John”
