***
The high table was much as he had left it and so was the seating arrangement. The guardians sat around the edge and he stood in the middle. They had ordered him back to ask more questions. His claim to come from another realm had been taken seriously by some even if others thought it totally ridiculous.
The chancellor began the proceedings.
'You put forward the proposition that the various realms are different futures of a common past, Professor. My colleagues would like to indentify the point in time when our two realms split apart.'
He waved his baton and a map appeared in front of Tom. It pictured an island that was known to him as Great Britain. Much of it appeared to be devastated but towns were marked and some were quite big.
'Do you recognise anything, Professor?'
'I recognise the island where I lived in my former realm, my lord. But it is a far more prosperous place than the one you show here.'
Another map appeared. It showed an island covered in large cities but they were not the cities Tom knew.
'This is our island before The Fall,' the chancellor announced gravely.
'Our realms would have separated well before this,' Tom said. 'Did your people ever live in fortified hill villages?'
'They did, Professor.'
The chancellor waved his baton and another map appeared. It showed hill forts similar to those Tom knew but, again, in different positions.'
'Did they bury their dead inside round mounds?' he asked.
'No. Professor. Our distant ancestors were buried in long mounds.'
'And did they raise stone circles?'
'Yes. Professor. They were sun worshippers.'
Another map flashed up.
'Stonehenge!'
Tom pointed a finger.
'That's what they call it in my old realm. But your Stonehenge is more complete than ours and slightly different. I can tell you now that the separation of realms occurred while it was still in use.'
'Proof! Show Proof!'
The chancellor leant forward.
'Can you do that, Professor?'
'I know what you will find if you dig beside certain stones.'
'Very well, Professor.'
A look of satisfaction appeared on the chancellor's sallow face.
'Tonight is full moon. We gather at this time of the month for feasting just as our moon worshipping ancestors once did. They had various forms of entertainment and we have enhanced them through the use of modern technology. We had intended that you would provide the Grand Finale for tonight's proceedings. One way or another, that is going to happen.'