VALGRAM - Route one

The night was dark and cold, even with the full moon there was a very dense fog that did not allow to see a span in front of your face. In recent weeks there has been a rumor that strange creatures roamed the forest of the Valgram kingdom during the night. In the distance, there was a sound, an echo of beats on the ground, with the wet land of the serene, the sound of a gallop, the vacuum of hooves in the mud, and each time it hit the sound it increased, as if something or someone approached. Then, with a strong sound of branches hitting and breaking, a being appears at a gallop on a beautiful black stallion.

The man wore an overcoat that hid his face, his clothes wet with the recent rain gave him a macabre appearance and at the same time imposing, the overcoat was black skin, most likely mountain wolves, adorned a sword, with the blade it was a little rusty and wrinkled, but it wasn't in the scabbard, but wrapped in totally dirty and muddy fabrics, in some places it even had drops of blood. Just behind him came another, mounted on a beautiful dark brown mule, which in turn wore a very likely brown bear cape, which hung an arch of almost two meters adorned the back, several times he murmured something like "sleeping. .. "or" hungry… ". finally, in a long and tired gallop, a small figure appears, which on the tip of the feet is no more than five feet, he was an old man, with a soggy straw hat, with a kind of very thick fabric like clothes, he seemed to have about 65 to 70 years old, his beard reached the abdomen, he had a scar that cut his right eye, therefore blind, and the ends of his clothes dripped mud when the strident spotted battle steed galloped.

The boy behind, suffocated by the absurd silence of that place, took off the hood that covered part of his face, took a deep breath and said: "when will we get to the capital, master?" Then, abruptly, the old man replied: "probably ... a month ... more or less ..." in a tired and hoarse voice, the old man continued to murmur things, lower and lower. The second boy took off his hood and pressed the spur on the mare, who squeaked a little, and hurried his pace, until he matched his friend, took a deep breath and said in a very audible whisper that only an old deaf man would not hear: "Hi Francis" and continued "the master is too old, don't hurry". Francis, who was a boy with blue-black hair, eyes as blue as the sky and had a goatee going up over his chin, besides not being over eighteen or nineteen, replied by pulling on the shirt sleeve that covered his right hand: "damn gauntlet is hurting me again, if I don't find an experienced blacksmith who has the magical skills to loosen that gauntlet, I'll end up crippling, so let me ask how much I want, okay Henry?"

a gauntlet in his right hand, slightly rusty in cyan, with sapphire attached to the metal surface, which over time had merged with his skin. Henry, who was a boy of about 18, had blond hair but was so blond that he looked white and they reached his his eyes were light brown, almost honey-colored, and he had a small scar on his cheek.

For a while, they galloped down a dirt road, rain dripping on their heads. A few hours passed and they came across a small tent, with two men sitting by the fire almost going out, both looked drunk, when the older one got up and said: "friends ...! Join us .. ... and drink some of that wine! My weak friend and I are going to a tournament in the capital, only the best warriors will have the chance to win two thousand gold coins ..." and continued "Join us and have the chance to lose to me! Start in a month, sleep here with us and let's go tomorrow! In the morning!" The old man, hearing what the drunk had to say, replied: "I have no interest in the tournament, but if you know where I can find a good blacksmith, thank you! "the man then frowned and replied:" I don't know about the blacksmith, if you are stupid go, but if you want money, come stay with us "then said the old man:" I appreciate the proposal, but I will have to refuse, friend. " As Francis walked away a little, he said and desperately "why don't you accept the knight's proposal?" Henry then replied "they were looters". They get you drunk, expect you to sleep and steal your money. Francis then said "wow, I didn't know ... So, are we going to that tournament? Henry, curious, looked at the master and he replied:" I don't see knights here, I just see myself, and I'm not old enough to participate in tournaments. "Francis, indignantly, looked at the master and murmured" well ... one more reason to become knights "the old man replied then" you are not yet ready for this task. "Henry, trying to change the subject, asked the old man, who already had a sore throat," well, what was your knight's name, master? "the old man replied with pride" white crow! ", then Francis replied" I wanted a knight name ... "the master, already angry, answered harshly" but he can't! Only named knights can! Francis replied "one more reason to be a knight" and the old man shouted in a hoarse voice "Enough! YOU ARE NOT READY!" Francis then shut up.

When galloping for an hour, the full moon was already above, the night was lighting up, clouds appeared in the sky and the sound of animals was more than audible. Suddenly, the old man pulled the horse's reins and said in a low voice, "Let's sleep here tonight" was a tall, old shed falling apart, with an old and broken sign written "tavern".

While the others slept, Francis was awake, watching the stars through a hole in the ceiling, he was watching well, and a shooting star fell, he then thought, "I wish this old man would make us knights soon!"