Iron and Stone

You stand at the precipice of a high cliff, overlooking a dark and serene sea. The water, black in the moonlight, laps at the cliff face. As you stare out, you begin to feel a pounding in your head as surely as the waves pounding against the shore.

As the tide ebbs, the pounding becomes too intense to handle. You clutch your head, trying to cover your ears from the crash of the waves. As you fall to your knees, the ground beneath you crumbles and you fall down down into the water.

At first you shut your eyes tight and cover your mouth to deny releasing a single breath, but soon you can't hold out and gasp deep. As you do, you're stunned to find yourself floating perfectly in an endless void. A voice calls out to you, but it's too muffled to make out.

Three object appear before you, but they're out of focus. The voice calls again, and you can almost hear the words this time. A tiled floor raises up beneath your feet and the objects begin to focus into view on a small wooden table, just short of reach. The floor streteches out for miles and miles.

The voice is clear now, ringing in your ears. On the table are a small length of silver chain, a silver watch, and a silver goblet full of silver liquid.

"It is time to choose, young one. Take one of these gifts I have bestowed and sow my havoc."

Your hands begin to shake, but still you reach out toward the table. Three gifts, three choices, infinite possibilities.