"The Backdrop" by Scott burt

Into the early 21^st century mankind continued as it had for the last 100 years. Peace was almost world wide, very few things changed until August 13, 2017. On that day the aliens, the Chagram, arrived. Recognizing the United states as the only possible threat, although not a big one. They attacked there first and continued to destroy the human race, performing an act of genocide against humans. The human race could not stand up to the Chagram technology. Hope was lost in all but one small research lab in far northern Canada, a group of scientists had a glimmer of hope, almost suppressed by what they proposed to do. The group was researching the possibility of time travel. They had reached a stand still, they believed they could do it but to prove it once and for all they were going to try it. With the coming of the aliens they proposed to travel back to 1200 A.D. teach the people our level of technology and let technology evolve for another 800 years so that when the Chagram came in 2017 the human race would have technology good enough to resist them. And so the question was asked, what is more important, 800 years of history or the survival of the entire human race? They made their choice and made the trip back in time.

After arriving they quickly set about accomplishing their plans. At first no one would learn but a few whose curiosity was stronger then their fear. The next 100 years came to be known as "The Learning", when the technology of the other 21^st century was spread around the world. The scientists learned too. Magic was real, a learned skill, the skill had died out over the centuries but was alive in the 13^th century. They kept magic alive encouraging it's use and development, it would be another weapon against the Chagram. The Feudal system used for government at this time period was heavily weighted towards combat and so the group encouraged it and the world evolved into dozens of warring countries. In only a few countries were peasants oppressed and life was, for the most part, good. Countries had heroes and villains and Nationalism ran rampant. Middle Europe became a battlefield and the people there formed their own country that had no territories. But even after centuries of technological improvement and war one thing had always remained. The group of scientists, called the Enlighteners in legend had spoke a prophecy.

"Eight centuries from now the human race will face an enemy of great power, we must all be ready to join together and banish it from our world. All that we hold dear is in the balance"

When the year 2017 came the Chagram arrived. They again struck at North America. They conquered it with much difficulty, meeting stiff resistence. And when they continued into Europe and Asia they met the combined might of all the world and were thrown back. Never before had they met any race able to best them in war.

And now in the year 2030 the Chagram have not given up and the world has turned some of it's attention away from the Chagram to their neighbours....