There was an item once lost. An item of staggering power, and responsibility. It was once the instrument of kings, and the tool of fools. It toppled kingdoms and brought solace to the lowest tiers of humanity. A device with the power to freeze time like a river. To hold even the most powerful of men in eternal stagnation. To lock within itself the very existence of a man for future generations to gaze upon and judge. And know. And understand. It was the glory of a lost time. A lost place. A forgotten realm tread by heroes now forgotten.
And it waited. This frightening device that had hidden in secret, reclusive and illusive, waited deep beneath a mountain. Waiting, and judging each who passed. It waited for one uncommon person. A person it had already chosen, yet still unborn. In patience it waited, as if dead, for the moment. It lie, for close to a decade, in the dusts of memory. Waiting to be free.
And then they came for it. A child, in innocence, passing through the mountain, opened the lid on a small box and revealed that which had been lost. For a moment neither moved. Then the shining object was pulled free of its tomb, and brought to life. The mechanical wheels and servos of the machine’s heart began to wheeze and spin. A Journey was once completed. Now a new journey had begun.
The child, patiently learned of the powers and the historical significance of the camera she now held. Quickly discarding her favorite doll, she placed the treasure in a small baby blanket and placed it next to her bed. When she awoke in the morning, she would carry it with her and explore the world through its tiny mechanical eye. Her life began to be archived in the heart of the machine. The device had chosen wisely. And already, the rivers of time were beginning, once more, to freeze.
Where Are We Here? 