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first book'?”
    “Legend says that in the ages before us the gods lived among us and ruled as our kings. As a dispute broke out, one of the gods wrote down the secrets of the universe in a book. It was the first book that people knew, because before that they were not entitled to know of the knowledge of the gods. The anger of the other gods and the defilement of their secrets would lead to a war, which would in its end bring upon the fragmentation of the planet and the creation of the world we know today. Over the centuries many scholars wrote down the contents of this first book, in order to protect them, and this is a part of a larger palimpsest.”
    “A palimpsest? So you mean a roll that has been overwritten several times?”
    “Exactly. I believe that your father left a message on this palimpsest, a reference to the place where the rest is located. This is why he sent you this crystal,” he said and held the small metallic rod into the air.
    “This is a crystal? It looks more like a lump of coal,” I exclaimed and amused the young Isaac.
    “I would like to show you how it works, but chemical processes are unfortunately not my area of expertise. We have to wait for my father to take care of it. Maybe in the meantime I could explain to you what this transformation means.”
    We took a big risk, but it seemed as if Jasper Lawrence had in the end really encountered what he had sought for all his lifetime. What an irony that he had to pay for it with this very life.

Chapter 7: Sulphur, Salt and Mercury

    Isaac leaned back into his chair and put his glasses on the table. He pulled off the ring which he wore on his right hand, and placed it next to them.
    “This ring is very old. It is said to have been in the first alchemist’s possession, but I believe that it is a direct connection to the ancient gods. The symbols on it represent the four elements: earth, water, fire and air. They are connected through a pentagram, which illustrates the interplay between them. Legend claims that this planet was once ruled by the ancient gods and the sources of their power were the elements that were given to them by the creator of the universe itself. Only he was capable of creating something truly new, whereas everything else could only be changed and rearranged.
    The creator granted the fire power over the air and so he created the sulphur. The air worked with the water creating the liquid silver, Mercury. This way the water hit the earth and brought forth the salt. But the earth had nothing left to use and thus the last place in this pentagram remains vacant. The first alchemists had the theory that there is a fifth element - the truth. Mankind was only allowed combining sulphur, salt and liquid silver to create things, because the elements themselves remained a mystery to us.
    Nature provides us with three basic rules, rules which each alchemical formula follows. First of all: the act of resolution and concentration, which says that nothing is completely destroyed or newly created. Secondly: the law of equal exchange, which says that the sum of any reaction is balanced. And thirdly: the law of truth, telling us that he who finds the last element will be granted the power of the creator overcoming every other law.
    The three cornerstones of our existence are thus sulphur, liquid silver and salt. We gave them the name of the body, soul and spirit. 
    The search for the last element, and thus the power of the creator himself is also called the opus magnum - the greatest work.”
    When Isaac had finished his explanation, I had to take a small drink from the bottle, which was still on the table before me.
    “What kind of power are we talking about here exactly? Something like you? To be able to transform?” asked Lucia full of curiosity and it appeared as if she just accepted everything he told us.
    “Apologies, I had of course meant to tell you what it was that you have seen. Thirty years ago this was a beautiful property. My