The origin of the Shala is unknown. Their most recent appearance was over 500 years ago when they fought against invaders seeking to conquer Sandala. After a successful defense, the Shala retreated to their secret homeland, nestled in the huge crater of an extinct volcano. In time, legends emerged about the strange emergence and subsequent disappearance of their benefactors. The only factual evidence of their existence is the Prophecy contained in the Ancient Scrolls. Each of the five rulers is entrusted with a copy of the scrolls, passed down by the previous  monarch.

As centuries passed, some rulers grew to doubt the existence of the Shala, believing instead that they were the creation of fertile imaginations of old warriors hunkered down around dying campfires. This is the situation when an old enemy sails a vast armada to Sandalese shores. The Surmese, holders of the world's largest empire, seek to finally subdue the rich lands they have coveted for so long.

As unrest spreads throughout the land, the rulers begin to wonder, "will the Shala rise and once again come to the aid of humankind?"