Prolog: The End

-Today was supposed to be fun, my boss said... It's just a quick trip he said... Fuck you old bastard!- I think feeling my body being evaporated by an explosion.

Now let us better start at the beginning...

''My name is Heinrich Fischer and I am holding this lecture replacing Prof. Rad just for today...'' I tell the students filling the three-story high lecture hall while standing on the stage.

''... as some of you know I am Prof. Rad's assistant, normally leading the tutorial Mondays for this lecture...'' I say taking a sip of cool water, opening up the first foil of the presentation, showing a red-haired and bearded man.

''... Now let's recall what we have learned about Emperor Friedrich I. Shall we?'' I ask the students, finding a forest of eager students, ready to answer my question.

-Only first years can be that eager to please.- I think to let a young man with piercings and glasses speak.

'' Frederick I (German: Friedrich I., Italian: Federico I; 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick Barbarossa (Italian: Federico Barbarossa), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 2 January 1155 until his death. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 1152. He was crowned King of Italy on 24 April 1155 in Pavia and Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV on 18 June 1155 in Rome.''

''Nice quote from Wikipedia...'' I comment, letting everyone laugh before getting serious. ''... Yea, yea you guys laugh about him for using Wikipedia, but please remember that this information is the unquoted foundation for your homework assignment. We expect you to know this. If you know it from Wikipedia, so be it. You never have to quote these thinks anyway.''

A few laughs and many foils later the lecture comes to a close.

''That's all for today's lecture. Next time you will talk about Emperor Henry VI. I hope you liked it and I hope to see some of you in the tutorial on Monday.'' I say closing the lecture. Powering up my phone, while disassembling my presentation set up and answering some basic questions some students have, I find one SMS from Prof. Rad.

Reading the text message when returning the laptop I just used I read it.

-Oh. Sorry Heinrich, nearly forgot to ask you to transport a manuscript from a private estate to the museum. Could you please go to XXXXX street at 12 and get the codex for me. I owe you.-

''Shit. It's already 11.'' I curse seeing the time in the right corner of my cell phone. Sprinting to the tram stop, I can only hope to be punctual.

Using the tram I arrive at the Oetner estate in the outskirts punctual at 12 o'clock. I am greeted by a butler that on the doorstep hands me over a thick leather-bound codex. Surprised by the uniqueness of the experience I open the book, reading the first few lines when sitting in the tram on my way to the museum I have to dump it.

-Testament Salomon

1. Testament of Solomon, son of David, who was king in Jerusalem,

and mastered and controlled ' all spirits of the air, on the earth and under the earth'. By means of them also he wrought all the trans-

cement works of the Temple. Telling also of the authorities ' they wield against men, and by what angels these demons are brought to naught.

Of the sage Solomon.

Blessed art thou, Lord God, who didst give to Solomon such authority. Glory to thee and might unto the ages. Amen.

2. And behold, when the Temple of the city of Jerusalem was

being built, and the artificers were working thereat, Onias the

the demon came among them toward sunset, and he took away the half

of the pay of the chief-deviser's little boy, as well as half his food....-

Seeing the text as an English translation, I mentally date it back to the 12th century or early 13th. Remembering some bits and pieces about it I think that the earliest version of this text dates back to the which is dated to the 4th century. -The content of it, written in Greek is the Solomonic temple. It begins with the handing over of a runic ring from God to Solomon, with which he can control every demon. Solomon commands a series of demons, asks them about their attributes, and chooses most of them to help build the temple. However, the temple construction serves primarily as a framework; the lighting of the demons is the focus.- I remember a lecture of Prof. Rad talking of the European view when concerning Jerusalem in the first crusade.

Sitting like that in the tram, I notice a drawn picture of a ring on the bottom of the first page. It looks just like a signet ring.

Before the further investigation, I have reached my station and jump off the tram. A short walk and I reach the steps of the national museum where I will drop of the codex.

Just when I am about to reach the reception I see some suspicious looking man drop some backpacks onto the floor. Thinking nothing about it and not wanting to be racist because some of them look like your typical movie terrorist, I ignore them.

The next thing I know when reaching the reception desk, I hear a deafening explosion from behind me and a warm shock wave envelopes my body with a hellish heat.

-That the end of me and I didn't even finish my paper about Henry VI...- I think while having my body being evaporated by the explosion.