Perhaps traveling for weeks, our group was watching but inexorable. The initial enthusiasm was kept step by step now that the noise of the fauna were increasingly radiated.

"Are you sure to go in the right direction?" He asked the old man by looking around with nervous doing.

"Now do you have any second thoughts?" I mutted it "The place you are looking for is close, almost too easy to find ... did you really need me? And then why are you so imposed? Didn't you go to the body this morning? " I caused it amused.

He did not answer, and there was no trace of his impertinent attitude.

“Hey, can we stop to rest? We have been proceeding for hours and my belly begins to complain. " He was one of my travel companions. Madido di Sweat, he dragged a cart full of barrels and boxes with the provisions.

"Good idea!" said the other "I think it will be the last stop before you arrive, I say right?"

"Yeah, enjoy this meal gentlemen, it could also be the last!" He said laughing the third man as he was preparing to disassemble the curtains for a quick camp.

“Do not be there with your hands in your hand you want! I saw a stream a little while ago, go to get water and aromatic herbs if you don't want to go to bed fasting "his woman was his. Unthinkable to reply to his request.

I and the old man looked at each other and decided that it was better to move quickly.

The dense night air was silent and patiently endured the blazing whims of summer insects. The full bellies and a arranged bed allowed everyone to sleep peacefully.

In the morning he arrived quickly and when I woke up, the others were already intent on loading the horses.

"This morning we will have a packed breakfast, we have to get to our destination before the sun falls," said the old friend by leaving a small bag.

I nodded, I dismantled the tent, and went back to concentrating on the path to follow.

"There is very much, on this side"

After a few hours I mentioned others to stop. I looked around and pointed my finger towards a large path. “A few hundred meters, on that side. Our half is there "..." Then we are almost there ... stop all then. I have to tell you a few things ”the old man seemed amused while sitting on a large strain of a dead tree.

"I knew there would be complications, it was all that easy!" He blurted out one of my companions.

"Are you already trimming about the Old Owl lies?!" The woman said dangerously bringing the hand to the belt from which a glittering dagge was hanging.

“Ohohoh! No my friends! Nothing so melodramatic "laughed the man" I just have to explain how to enter the Dragon's den without being devoured! "

The atmosphere suddenly became silent, I only heard one of my companions nervously swallowing me.

“We will find six gems set at the entrance of the den. Each of us will have to support the palm on one of them at the same time. Easy right? Ah ... and clearly I suggest you do little noise when we enter ... you don't want to be so rude to wake up the ancient, right? " The old man played with a stick while he spoke to us and in the ground he absently sketched a kind of archaic symbol.

began an animated discussion among all the remaining members of the group: who accused that they had been deceived, who would have wanted to pull back, who asked greater clarifications, those who claimed to know how the booty would be divided.

“At this point every conjecture is useless. I say to proceed and see with our eyes what awaits us. And then we will evaluate, ”I said.

The others muttered with each other, and after a few moments they said: "We will follow you guide, but your responsibility to keep an eye on our friend"

"Forza then, my jailer, make us way!" and the old man exploded in a warm laugh.

The one we found ourselves in front of the eyes shortly after we could not even call "entry". It seemed to be the same side of the mountain.

shrubs and lichens made their best to decorate the cold and threatening dark stone. A lizard, sonnecchiante, lay on an shapeless spike of bluish rock. "Well! You found the first entrance gem! Come on, find the others around here! "

"This red thing could be the one you are looking for old?" said one of my companions.

"And this green is definitely another stone," said the other.

When everyone was in position, the old man said: “To my three, touch your rock with the left palm ... ready? One, two eeeee three! "

We heard a deaf and aggressive noise. The side of the mountain complained, and suffering committed himself to favor a passage. Immediately a pungent smell reached my nostrils. I understood that that place had to be closed for years.

My companions, still between the incredulous and the dismay, were discussing submessically when the woman reached me and said:

"Wasn't you yours the task of keeping an eye on the old owl?!"

I turned off ... and there was no trace of him.