In this short scene, the audience is introduced to a number of characters who have been introduced in the previous two chapters. The first person introduced is Alphonse, who has just returned from the Crusades. He tells the audience that he and his companions have found a silver pendant with a date carved into it. The pendant is inscribed with the words "resha" and the date "September 9th, 2000" . This is a reference to the day that resha was killed by King Fua in the Battle of Thermopylae, which took place on September 9, 2000