A Prologue (of sorts)

Upon the shores of eternity, I found myself. It was an interesting predicament, me not knowing completely where I was and happening upon myself. It makes one wonder whether dopplegangers exist, since I was faced with my own.

He opened his mouth and spoke: "You have come, child."

To which I replied, "Where?"

"The beginning and the end of a journey, my child. Look."

As he pointed me out toward the cosmos, suddenly I saw pictures of my life. Visions of me at dawn, asking questions of my mother and enjoying the innocence of youth. Then of me in the afternoon, raising my only family and the joy that comes with being called 'father'. Finally, I saw myself at dusk, lying in a hospital bed surrounded by the faces touched by time.

Then I saw my death.

"Why are you showing me this?" I asked.

"I am only showing you what you want to see," he replied, "and what you need to see."

"What I need to see? I don't get it."

"You will."

This being cryptic was getting on my nerves, but I figured that if I knew something that I didn't I'd purposely withhold it from myself if I wanted me to find it out by myself.

"You are entering a time of change," he said. "Go forth through the gates of horn and ivory and see."

I followed his instructions and went through...