The shifting stars above began to slow their frantic dance. They settled into their proper places, forming the familiar patterns of the winter sky. The howling wind died down to a gentle breeze, and the sense of disorientation passed.
He reached for the heavy, knurled crown at the top of the device. He unscrewed it carefully, feeling the precise click of the internal mechanisms. He pulled the crown out to its full extension, and the digital display began to pulse rapidly. "Now or never," he muttered. 440-2838-008.jpg
The wind howled through the narrow mountain pass, carrying the scent of impending snow. Master Elian pulled his heavy wool cloak tighter around his shoulders, his breath fogging in the freezing air. He looked at the device secured to his wrist, its brass housing gleaming faintly in the dim light of the setting sun. The shifting stars above began to slow their frantic dance
He turned the crown clockwise, setting the coordinates for the temporal anchor. The numbers on the display blurred as they spun through countless calculations. He felt a sudden wave of vertigo as the ground beneath his feet seemed to shift, a side effect of the device interacting with the local space-time continuum. He reached for the heavy, knurled crown at