Chose my path...or it chose me...

The time of choosing had come upon me quickly...I was unprepared and unsure of which path I should walk upon. So in true youthful form I decided to wander the land for awhile and meditate upon life.

I was quickly joined by another solitary traveller who seemed intent on accompanying me wherever I went. I spent many weeks travelling to many places but found myself no closer to my choice. I had long since confided in my companion the reason for my journey and he seemed pleased to accompany me.

One day however he said that his time was grown short and that my time must also be growing short. I agreed and said I should have chosen many weeks ago. He suggested we bed down early and perhaps I would be shown my path in a dream. True enough, no sooner had I fallen asleep when a presence entered my dreams and spoke to me. The voice said "My child, you have absented yourself too long from your brothers and sisters. Perhaps you are not meant to be a priest." I bristled at this and shouted back "I am a priest and I will make my choice now." The voice responded to me "Good, then choose."

Suddenly in my dreams I saw 3 doors before me, all with images emblazoned upon them. On the first was a deadly beast but he was chained and under the control of the man holding the leash. On the second was the image of a woman holding forth a blade of flames. I thought I could actually see the flames moving. On the third door was a young man clothed in glowing armour. Again the voice uttered that single word "Choose."

I reached my hand out and pushed through the door of the flaming blade. Once past the door I saw a table before me with 4 items on it. The voice said once again "Choose." The items were an acorn, a crystal ball, a charm bracelet and a preserved corpse. I asked "What do they represent?" The only answer I got was that single word "Choose."

So looking once again at the table I pondered then picked up the acorn. The voice inside my dreams started to shout at me "Awaken, awaken!" Slowly I climbed out of the deep trance to find that it was actually my travelling companion screaming at me to awaken. The reason was clear...all around us a battle raged. My companion looked at me and calmly asked..."What should we do? We could attack the leaders of the armies. We could call down lightnings on all the armies. Or we could begin tending the wounded."

I looked around at the carnage and decided "Let us tend to the fallen". My companion smiled as the warring armies faded out of existence. "You have chosen. Your path is set." With a smile and a blessing he vanished into the wind. A soft female voice entered my mind, one that would forever reside and resound within me. It spoke to my very soul and uttered the words that I will never forget. "I am Life. I am Morike. Serve me my faitful one and never will I desert you."

I felt a ripple of power pass over me, changing my grey robes into white and giving me a peace of mind and soul that until then I had not known I had craved. Thus it was that I set forward on the path of light, forever serving Morike until she leads me unto Galan.

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Inscribed by: Khazadhum -- May 17, 1998