Part One
You open your eyes to find yourself in a new world.
A red sun sets ahead of you. The mountains lining the horizon have a purple hue in the oncoming dusk. The air is crisp and cool, like a breeze in the mountains, fragrant with the smell of trees, grass, and wildflowers. You feel the chill on your cheeks and on the back of your neck.
You stand on a dirt trail cutting through a vast meadow. It’s a well-worn trail, one that has been walked countless times by countless people, whether they realized it or not. Save for the breeze moving through the tall grass, the world around you is silent.
There are only two directions you can take on this path. Two journeys open to you.
The Path to the Right
The path continues up a slight incline into a grove of tall aspen trees. A cabin stands just within the trees with candlelight glowing out of a single window. It looks as if the cabin was built completely by hand using trees felled right there in these woods. Simple, but comfortable and safe from the elements.
Within the cabin, it is rumored there is a book that contains the answer to any question you could possibly think of. A wealth of knowledge, but a burden all the same. For with each secret of the universe uncovered, you might also learn something you wish you hadn’t. But such is the burden of the Seeker.
The Path to the Left
The path leads down into a dense forest, beyond which is a tall white mountain. What lies beyond the borders of the forest? What lies beyond the mountain? There’s only one way of knowing. This path leads to the unknown. You could find your worst fears realized or your greatest dreams come true. There is the possibility of seeing sights and trotting upon places that no other soul has ever before seen. You might find that connection to the world around you that you’ve longed for. There is even the possibility of true love and enlightenment.
If nothing else, you’ll become well acquainted with that sense of peace and contentment beside a campfire under the silent stars. But as is always the case for anyone who steps into the unknown, the way is treacherous, and you may become lost forever. But such is the burden of the Wayfarer.
Which path do you take?
Remember, this is not a choice between what path you think you would take, or hope you’re the kind of person to take. Don’t think. Close your eyes and let your instincts take the first step.
The Path to the Wilderness, the Path of the Wayfarer
The Path to the Cabin, the Path of the Seeker