High Risk High Return

Bufengach City was famous for its high mountains and, of course, its brave people. Bufengach people were firm like its mountains in a way that Olthaman people had talked about them at least once.

People who lived in this city remained undefeatable for many years. History says that two of the popular Maldytos lived in this city, clearly showing its historical value.

Bufengach was located in the center of Olthama between two huge mountains. Like the other parts of the land, a dry forest existed beside it, and even animals didn't live there anymore.

Since the phoenix had stopped flying in the Olthama's sky, people's moods also dried up along with its curse. The people famous for their chivalry and humility were now in poverty and starvation, and poverty and hunger would bring theft and crime.

Bufengach, like other cities, had its own king under King Foster's watch. Although King Foster tried to salvage his people from these miseries, some towns still struggled with poverty.

The ruler of Bufengach was a gluttonous and selfish man named Hector Barker. All the foods sent from Gradass were given to him, and he had to divide them justly between his people.

But he had never done such a thing, so the people had lost their trust in King Foster, and each was seeking wealth somehow to buy food from the palace.

A family of four was living in one of the faraway houses of Bufengach. Two young brothers, along with their disabled father and old mother, were living in that house.

Two years ago, these two brothers had lost their seven-year-old sister due to a lack of food and indigestion. Because of that, they no longer had hope in the king and started working on their own.

They would go to the mysterious places of the land rumored to have treasures and buy food from the palace by bringing back the wealth.

One day before starting a new adventure, Brad and Isaac were sitting in the city's tavern. They were listening to stories of the drunks. Most would tell a tale farfetched from reality, and they only had an entertainment aspect. For example, one of the oldies said:

"When I was young, I fought with a snake-like monster whose hot lavas would be thrown from his mouth and would burn people with its eyes!"

"Shut up, Michael; no one cares about your ridiculous stories!"

Isaac gulped down the ale:

"Moooore!"

"It was your seventh glass, Isaac! You're not supposed to get yourself killed!"

The drunk Isaac tied his long-black hair:

"Little brother…you always are overprotective; live the moment!"

Brad was more cautious than his brother and was always vigilant. He was a little short in height and with short black hair. Unlike his brother, he wasn't very talented in magic, but he was smarter.

Brad and Isaac would listen to other's stories and choose their next adventure according to them. 

"Look at that old man…I'm sure he doesn't know what he is saying himself," said Isaac.

Michael Andrews, the always drunk old man of the tavern, said after finishing his drink and wiping his mouth with his shirt sleeve:

"There is a legend of a forest…"

"Someone shut this old man up!"

The tavern owner took Michael Andrews by the hand and led him outside. Michael shouted:

"It's real…I swear. My grandfather was there, it's full of jewels,"

"Waaait!"

"Let them throw him out; none of his stories are true," Isaac told Brad.

"I feel this one is real. Just wait a minute,"

Brad went to the old man:

"Was your grandfather really there?"

"I say it from the beginning; he saw the forest with his own eyes," the old man said while drunk.

"Come with me; I want to hear the whole story," said Brad.

"Speak," He took the old man to Isaac.

"I will tell you the whole story. Of course, if you buy me a drink," said the old man.

"See?! I told you he is not sober," said Isaac.

Brad did the old man's request. The two brothers were busy watching the old man gulping his ale for ten minutes. He started talking after he finished:

"When I was a child, my grandfather would tell me stories about a forest, a beautiful one with many riches…he had the dream of finding it, he would say that forest is filled with gold and jewels,"

"Get to the point. Do you know where the forest is? How are you sure it is real?" said Isaac.

"It is real," the old man said with determination.

Then he lowered his head and continued calmly:

"My grandfather found it sixty years ago! When my grandfather returned from a one-month trip, he looked like a maniac, but his bag was filled with gold and jewels. He even had the map of the way to it,"

"Wasn't he saying anything about the forest?" asked Brad.

"Sometimes, he would suddenly start talking and describing that place. For example, he was saying there were rivers with gold nuggets in them, gazelles whose feces were valuable pearls, and rains with diamond and emerald drops,"

"How do you know your grandfather hadn't found the riches elsewhere?"

"You can't find diamonds and emeralds the size of a snowflake, at least not many!"

The two brothers were fascinated by the greatness of the forest; they could possess it and become rich. None of them were thinking about the old man's words being true or false anymore because if this story was correct even for one percent, they could live their remaining life comfortably. An adventure, a danger, and a king-like life in case of success. 

"Give us the map," said Isaac.

The old man laughed:

"That map is my family's

 inheritance; I can't do that. At least not for free,"

"How much," said Brad.

"Two…no, three hundred golden phoenixes," the old man said after a little pause.

"Did you take us as a fool?! Three hundred for a map which is not clear to be true or not!!" Isaac said with anger and laughter.

"Deal, I give you the three hundred,"

"Brad, have you gone mad?!"

Brad had hope in the old man's words as the Andrews family was poor in the past and suddenly became rich. Exactly after Michael Andrews' grandfather went crazy. A family won't get rich overnight unless they find a treasure.

"Bring the map tomorrow and get your money," said Brad.

"I won't give you the original map, just the copy," the old man smirked, "God knows if you return alive! As I heard, only a few have returned, which, of course, they also gone crazy,"

The two brothers said with determination:

"We will come back,"