I walked around this very large room with moving paintings, telling me what place in time it represented. It was how I started my dreams for the months that followed the revealing of the Knights Templar treasure. I didn't know which one of the paintings to go to.

"Might I suggest one for you to see?"

"What are thinking of, Alex?"

He paused. I wasn't sure what was going on, but there was something he failed to mention to me. One of many things he failed to mention to me.

"There's something I've been meaning to show you for a long time."

He took me to an old stone painting and pulled me through it. We stood in the middle of an endless meadow. Out of nowhere, large groups of darker skinned people approach me from different sides. They didn't see Alex, but that was probably because he wasn't a past seer. At least, not a live one.

"Who are you?"

Alex, any thoughts?

"Don't say your normal name. They won't understand what you're saying."

Then what do I say?

"Your name is Little Star and you are a traveler and mean no harm."

Anything else?

"For the moment, no."

I moved up a couple of steps. The people held spears and weapons in their hands, not afraid to use force. I put my hands up in defense.

"My name is Little Star. I am a traveler and mean no harm."

"From what tribe are you of?"

"I have no tribe. I am part of no people."

"So you are alone?"

"Yes. I have no loyalties except for all that is holy."

The clouds parted in the sky. A soft, unnoticeable beam of light came upon me. The people around me stood in awe at the sight. I looked at what I was wearing, shocked and soundless.

A pure white Native American dress clothed my body and gold jewelry adorned my legs and arms. My feet were covered with small moccasins of white deer hide. I reached my hands up to my head to feel a feathered headdress on top of my braided hair. The headdress, though small, felt significant in some manner.

All of the people around me were on their knees as I stood before them. One of them approached me.

"Please come with us to our city, Little Star."

I could only nod my head in reply. I was guided on the plains to the city they told me of. A lake awaited in the mountains we climbed up. I followed the tribe into the cave that would go into the mountain. Water rushed into the tunnels as we got closer and closer. I gasped at the sight of a city made entirely of gold. I didn't know that such a place existed. People moved about, talking to the other about gossip. All chatter stopped the moment I entered the city. Everyone's eyes were on me as I descended the gilded stairs. All of the citizens fell onto their knees and bowed to me. I hated such attention. At the top, a man dressed in rich clothes stared at me.

"Who is this woman that you have brought before me?" he asked in a loud voice.

"She told us that she is called Little Star and that she is a traveler, belonging to no tribe."

"Bring her to me."

I was pushed forward and I climbed the stairs to the man atop the shimmering pyramid. I was frightened at what he could possibly want with me. I lowered my head out of respect.

"Raise your head so that I may see your face."

I looked up. The man before me was a little older than the Alex I fell in love with. He was dressed richly, beads and gold around his neck and body. A well decorated headdress embellished his head. He took my chin in his hand.

"Such a beautiful face and warm eyes," he murmured.

"Th-th-thank you."

Oh, great. I just stuttered in front of a very attractive young man who appears to be the chief.

"I am Firelight, the chief of these people. Who was your leader?"

"I did not have one. I do not even know who my parents are."

His eyes grew larger. I had to be a really good liar to make him do that.

"You were raised by the gods. Perhaps the Moon Goddess herself. Tell me, what is your purpose?"

"I-I-I-I don't know, to be honest. But I am sure fate has something planned for me."

"Yes, fate always has something planned for all of us. Please. Join us for a fest tonight."

"I would be most honored to have one in such a magnificent city."

"This city, my dear, is Cibola."

Cibola. Where have I heard of that before?

The night was long and I partied pretty hard for a 17 year-old. But all was well and good. I stayed awake as I was in a dream already. The morning came and the first thing that grabbed my attention was the sound of a horn.

"The enemy has arrived! Ready the warriors for battle!"

I frantically looked around as the people moved around quickly, readying for a blood bath. I heard whinnying and rushed to the sound. A pure white horse came to my sight, wild and free. I straddled it without hesitation.

"Hiyah!"

The horse whinnied and I rode her into the battlefield. I stood atop a hill, the sun shining on me and the horse. All of the warriors stared at me, the ones I stayed with and the ones that were going to attack us. I really felt like a goddess with such power coming over me.

"Cease all attacking and return to your homes!"

They hesitated for a long time, but eventually they went to their respective lands. I rode back to Cibola where the people cheered for me. Firelight came up to me.

"Little Star, we shall have a memorial in your honor to commemorate the miracle of peace you have bestowed upon us."

"I am grateful, but also humble. There is no need for you to do such an honorable thing."

"Nonsense! We shall have the story of your visit etched into the blocks that built Cibola for you have saved it."

"I am honored. I'm afraid that I must be going."

"To where?"

"Wherever the wind takes me."

I winked at Firelight.

"Hiyah!"

I rode off into the plains once again. Alex came to my side on a mare.

"You must go east, now. The story is not over yet."

"What will I find in the east?"

"Something familiar. We will be traveling at least 500 years into the future, but still be in the past."

I followed him east. The land changed greatly. The grass grew taller and yellower. Houses made of bricks and wood appeared in the forests we traveled in. I looked down at my clothes as they changed with the times. I was wearing petticoats again.

"Am I going to the American Revolution again?"

"No, but it will be another war. One that Ben is remembering quite well in the present."

It made no sense until we passed the Appalachian Mountains. I saw men dressed in blue point their guns at men wearing gray. My heart stopped and my throat clenched at the sight of blood and horror.

"No. Not this war."

"Essie, we must press forward. We are almost at our destination."

I continued to ride near him. Night came and we rode into a town with lights everywhere. People were cheering. The men in blue marched through the streets, their expressions cold. War changes people. I should know because I had been involved with battles over the years. I got off the horse and wandered the streets.

"This way, Essie. You have at least an hour before you see the event I've been meaning to show you."

I followed him into a bar. Men were sitting at tables, drinking away their worries. Some of them reached out to grab me. I dodged them quickly and continued to the back. A man sat at table covered with papers, alone. A boy watched him work, anticipating the result. The man looked up from his work.

It couldn't be. It can't be!

"May I help you, young miss?"

"Yes. Um, you wouldn't happen to be Thomas Gates, would you?"

"And if I was?"

"I was wondering if I could learn the trade of a decipherer."

He sat up and looked at me with curiosity.

"I normally don't teach young ladies."

"Perhaps you can make an exception, Mr. Gates."

"I suppose. Let me create a cipher and see if you can solve it."

So he gave me many tests to see what skill I had. I was troubled a little along the way, but I managed to solve all of them once I got the hang of it. Thomas was impressed. Little did he know that he would die very soon. I learned as much as I could, sitting next to him, until a pair of men came up to the table.

"Are you Thomas Gates?"

"Yes."

"We got something that we'd like you to take a look at. I hear you're quite good with puzzles and riddles."

Booth. Not good.

"It's a coded message."

"It's a Playfair cipher."

"Playfair cipher?"

One of the earliest codes we learned in the Society.

"Can you decode it?"

"Cipher's impossible to decode without the key."

"What do you mean by 'a key'?" the man asked.

"A keyword or phrase."

"I believe what you need is right there," Booth replied, pointing to the phrase in the diary.

The debt that all men pay.

And the boy… It's Charles! That means that this is the moment that Charles tells Patrick when he comes around. And the same moment that Patrick tells to Ben!

"It'll take some time."

"I'll assist him as best as I can," I replied quickly.

"And you are?"

"My newest apprentice. She is very helpful and can make this go faster."

I paid attention to the cipher as well as the assassins of Lincoln.

"Go on. I'll take your diary. I'll meet up with you later."

Booth left and the other man sat down at the table.

Alex. Could you-

"Way ahead of you, Essie. I'll let you know exactly what he's doing."

I kept my eyes on the cipher as Alex went on recon to keep an eye on Booth.

"He's entering Ford Theatre… Booth is going backstage… He's now at the door to Lincoln's box… Lincoln's been shot!"

And that's when all hell breaks loose: the moment the president is shot.

"Sic semper tyrannis."

Thus always to tyrants. I never understood what Booth meant by that, but I didn't plan on it. In only a few short moments, Thomas would die. He was just about to put the pieces together.

"Temples." He circled the word.

"Gold." He circled the word.

"Cibola? This is a treasure map."

Thomas looked up to the man in front of him to notice the gold pin on his jacket.

"KGC? You're Knights of the Golden Circle. You're a traitor. You're all traitors."

I heard the gun under the table cock. I controlled my breathing and readied my hand to reach for my sword if I needed it. In the distance, people were shouting and screaming, paranoid and panicking.

"President Lincoln's been shot!"

The man still had that reptile gaze on Thomas and me.

"I'd much appreciate it if you'd finish deciphering that code now."

Thomas refused to do so in his body language. Once the opportunity came, he leapt out of his chair, ripping out the pages he worked on, and headed to the fire. The man shot him.

"Dad!"

Thomas clutched his heart, trying to stop the bleeding.

"The war is over."

He threw the pages he ripped into the fire.

"No!"

The man raced to the fire to pull out what was left of the pages. I stood by Thomas, guarding him. The man held his gun at me and looked at Thomas one last time.

"You're wrong about that. The war has only just begun!"

He left quickly. Thomas took Charles' hand, giving his last breath.

"Charles. The debt that all men... men pay. The debt that all men p..."

"Dad! No, please!"

Thomas gave up. I closed my eyes, holding back the tears that so desperately wanted to come out.

"Come back. It's not fair. Help! Somebody help, please!"

I left the room, unable to accept what happened. Had time travel really existed, I would've prevented the whole ordeal. But no. I can only observe time and affect it in my sleep, never in reality. Except for that one time with Alex…

The horse I rode on came up to me. I mounted her and rode into the mountains, north to the harbor I longed to be at. I ran to the boulder, crying my heart out. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.

"I know, but you must understand why you have this, Esther."

"It doesn't help me, Robert."

"Try, my dear. Try to understand."

I stayed silent. The sun rose and I hurried to the boat that would take me out of the dream. Out of the nightmare. Out of the terrible reality of my gift.