I

What a good nap, I was comfortably numb in a good dream, don’t even bother of my duties, my work tomorrow, it was a calm and pleasant feeling, like I’ve sensed it before, like I’ve returned to some kind of place where nothing really matters, a part from the wellbeing sensation of stillness.
Then, I saw a light shining strong from a certain distance. It became closer, like a force, like a great lantern, until I’ve almost touched it, and suddenly, this dazzling light absorbed me, as it has taken all the comfort that I was feeling, and suddenly I saw a blue immensity. I’ve looked in another direction and there was light again, but now, it looked like a burning sun, so I’ve redirected my gaze to another way, and saw three giant objects in the sky.
“What is it? It looks like three moons or something, in the middle of this huge blue sky.” Then, I realized I was laid down on the ground, but the ground was soft. I’ve raised my hand only to see sand passing through my fingers.
“A desert?”
I stood up and started walking.
“Is this the real life?... Or just fantasy?”
I walked and walked but nothing seemed to change in the environment, only sand, a blue sky, the sun at a fixed position, three big rocks like satellites, or maybe moons in the sky.
So, will I be thirst to death or something? Is there any hope for me in this desert? For the first time, I’ve realized that I’m in my jammies. A shirt and my underpants, luckily it resembles a little short.
I don’t even have a proper apparel for these blazing hot temperatures. I figured out that I may just die in this dry desert without doing anything at all. After a tone of time that seemed like hours of walking without a destination, I’ve stumbled in the sand and felt from a dune. It was a huge dune, so it looked like I fell for 20 minutes or so. At the bottom, I let myself go and passed out.
“Hey newbie!”
“A-what!? Am I late for work or something?”
“You have funny clothes, fella!”
The first thing I noticed is that I wasn’t at the end of the dune, I was seated in a sort of transportation wagon. The second thing was that I was chained up. Both feet and both hands in a rustic metal cuffs, the feet were connected to a long chain that connected to someplace else, and my hands were tight together but weren’t attached to anything else.
“Where am I?”
“Here is the slave wagon of the Imperial Vallenfort Army.”
“Vallenfort? Is it a city or something?”
“Are you crazy? Vallenfort! The capital!”
“Oh... sure thing!”
It was a jail, we were trapped in a metal box with bars like a cage low enough that you couldn’t stood up but not narrow enough so that it had two rows, where two men can sit one in front of the other. That guy mocking me was in front of me and our legs were almost touching.
Next to me, to my left, was an old man, and in front of him was a young woman, that had a hood, so I couldn’t see her face, but she looked like a pretty looking girl, with fine traits.
“I got lucky, you see? I’m a slave with an old man to give me wisdom, a hot chick to give me pleasure, and a funny dressed young fella to make fun of!”
“Dafuck?”
“What did you say?”
“Slave huh, now am I a slave? The last thing I remembered was falling from a huge dune, now I got a jackass, a young girl, and a stunted old man. Escaping is impossible with these circumstances, so I think I might take a nap.”
“Yeah, you should not be thinking about escaping. If you see here, the guard on the right has two blades in his belt, the other one is guiding a 5 felokin lizard and also has two swords. And you?... Ha, ha, ha! You’re a young lad with a big mouth, shitty clothes and a dark hair.”
“Dark hair? What’s the problem with that?”
“The color of the hair shows in which cast your in. You see? I have green hair, I’m almost a slave, I am a garbage collector. This girl, have brown hair, she could be a dancer or a gypsy, that old man has gray hair, so his old and disposable. And you? What can I say, I’ve never seen such a dark hair like yours.”
“And what is the color of hair of royalty?”
“White, followed by golden, then red, then...” That guy gave me a huge list of hair colors that, right now, doesn’t seem useful, but later, I realized it is.
“Yeah, yeah, cut off the crap, I just want to take a little nap right now.”
“But I’m interested, what a black hair do?”
“Well me? I’m a writer.”
He opened his eyes wide open as some kind of surprise.
“Did you say writer?”
“Yeah...”
“What a writer is doing in the middle of the desert?”
As he was so surprised, I’ve thought of two possible scenarios: The first one is that writers were weak and could not walk or do exercise or do any kind of long trip. The second, that could take me out of this pain in the ass jackass. Writers were something like scholars or directly related to the court by doing royal writings, such as religion books, official documents and so on.
“You shouldn’t be here! You should...!” As the green haired man was saying, the old man held his arm and gave a smile. That smile. They want to take advantage of my situation as a writer? Or the old man caught my situation as a lost person in the desert? Or did he know that I’m not from here?
The girl was looking straight into my eyes for the first time. She had penetrating violet eyes.
“Writer, boy? Couldn’t you just tell the truth? You’re worse than a peasant. Worse than a slave! A scum! Black hair means only one thing! Outcast!”
The other two looked at the girl, confused.
“Hey, hey, I’m not an outcast, I have a job, I write every day, work hard, I have friends...”
“Friends? You think you’re going to make friends here? With this black hair? Forget it!”
“Maybe is this gypsy knowledge, and not a common sense?” I’ve looked to the other two, but they were facing the desert, the old man was facing left and the green haired looked over my head, as he is taller than me. “Ok, I would teach you how to read and write in this mean time, I see that you don’t interact with black haired people, I see...”
The three looked at me with serious looks, suspicious looks, interesting looks, but at the same time, they feared. They feared deeply.
“It easy, you connect the symbols and the words come out!” It was my last attempt, but they were afraid of everything I’ve done for the next six or seven hours, were I’ve tried to sleep, but couldn’t.
“This is the writer.”
I was thrown at the guard’s feet.
“Writer, you say? With black hair? That’s unusual.”
“Yeah, I can read I’m write so well, but I can’t play the guitar just like ringing a bell!”
“And say these nonsenses? Wearing these strange clothes?”
“Yeah, I can write something to prove to you if you want.”
The other guards put their hand on their swords.
“De-attach him.”
A guard came and with a key he freed my legs, so I steadily stood up.
The other slaves, the green haired jackass, the old man and the woman were still in the cage, but they weren’t looking at all this situation, not even a glimpse.
“Show me. Your writing.”
“Well, if you give me a stick or a feather, it will help.”
“Why would you need that?”
“For writing, we need a pen, or something! Writers don’t write with their bare hands!”
“Is that so?” The guard plucked a feather from his petticoat and gave it to me.
“Ok, I’ll write my name.” On the floor of compacted sand and clay, I’ve written.
“Here, you see? Thomas Howard, that’s my name!”
“That’s not magic! You said you’re a writer!”
“What writing have to do with magic? It is a way of non-verbal communication!”
“I’m taking this black-haired so-called writer. It must be seen by the authorities.”
“Wow, wow, hang there, tiger! Or I’ll start using my magic, I’m already with my feather in hand, aren’t I? I’ll come quickly! I’m hungry like the wolf!”
“Put the feather down! Come with me.”
“Can you promise that you won’t kill me, you’re with your sword in hands.”
He laid the sword on the ground, but he didn’t raise his hand, maybe that's not the custom here.
“I will not kill you. You may or may not have the power of writing magic. We need to ensure that.”
“That’s okay, I’ll come with you.”
We passed through an outstanding gate and there was a corridor, full of people who were chained.
“Are all of these people slaves?”
“Aye.”
At the end, a metal and sturdy door was opened, and the guard led the way.
“So am I no longer a slave? I’m not at the corridor...”
“Be quiet, I’m not the one to judge that.”
We walk through a dark chamber and go out of it, and an incredible and remarkable city-like environment unfolds in front of my eyes.
There were merchants, there were soldiers, guards, mercenaries or so, peasants, beggars, gypsies, maybe prostitutes as well? A lot of different people do different sorts of tasks.
As I was amazed by the street dynamics, the guard kept going, real fast, so I needed to be cautious, stick close to him and try not to gaze at a dangerous fella in the eye.
“Here, we need to go up this tower.”
“For sure, me first?”
He grabbed me on the neck and threw me inside the door, and there was a narrow staircase.
“Up you go. You’re no longer my concern. Have a good service to our lord.”
“Ah!... Okay! Thank you, good man!” The door closed firmly.
“Well, up I go!” It was dark, there was no light, only the shady staircase, so I almost climbed it with my feet and hands, because I’m afraid of stumbling or somehow falling.
At the end of the super high staircase, there was a table, a well ornamented table, a hooded man, a dim light in a small, vaulted room.
“Who are you, black-haired man?”
He was in a hood, so I couldn’t see his hair color. I’ve tried to remember the color ranking that the green-haired jackass told me.
“I’m Thomas Howard. I’ve been sent here because I can read and write.”
He narrows his eyes in a dubious stare.
“Show me.”
“Do you have any instruments so that I can write with?”
“Oh, it is like swinging a sword, to write you need a weapon?”
“No, no, quite the opposite. While swinging a sword you cause death and misunderstanding, by writing you may cause forgiveness and mutual understanding.”
He looked full interest in my words.
“Here, you can have this little knife. Be careful, if you try something, I may kill you, quick and painless.”
“There is no point, as I said, by writing we agree, we connect, we don’t try to kill people by writing. Can I have that wooden shield on the ground?”
He lent me the shield.
“So, when will you write some magic for me?”
“Just a second.”
After 15 minutes I’ve wrote “Vallenfort” in the shield.
“Here, I’ve written Vallenfort in this shield, in means it’s a Vallenfort property.”
He looked at the carvings on the shield, he passed his fingers in the wooden marking and he said:
“Will it give me strength or protection? Which kind of magic did you cast on this shield?”
“None, is just an identification mark.”
“And what is the point of that?”
“Sir, what is your name?”
“Ruk, the tower keeper.”
“I will write something on this shield again.”
After some time, I’ve written into the shield “Ruk of Vallenfort.” As I said this to him, he was amazed, I’m almost turning this guy to my side! Perhaps? Better to be careful.
“You need to speak with the counselor.”
“Who is he?”
“Be careful, you need to show all your respect around important nobles. Here is the commander of the slave pit and plays an important role in this district.”
“Ok, can you come with me to talk to him?”
“No. I will show him this shield; you wait here. It might take some time.”
The slender tower keeper went downstairs. Nobody was looking, so I’ve had a good rest on his chair. I was asleep as I heard fierce steps on the staircase. I’ve left the chair and kneeled with my two legs trying to show respect.
First, I saw Ruk, then, I’ve seen the counselor. He was a remarkable individual. He had a thick beard, some royalty clothes, with red as its main color, fine fabric. A dagger on his belt, a royal symbol on his chest. He looked like he was 20 or something, so he is almost my age. And a well-built posture, with his silky red hair. I’ve instantly remembered. Red hair is the third most important hair color, according to the jackass’ ranking.
I’ve thrown my head to the ground.
“Raise your head.”
I’ve raised but couldn’t look at him in the eye. I was still kneeling on the ground.
“A black-haired, just as you said, tower keeper.”
“What may I help you, my lord.”
“I’m not a lord, I’m a counselor.”
“So how can I treat you properly, I shall not disrespect you.”
“That’s good manners. Call me, Sir Vellden.”
“Sir Vellden, I’m Thomas Howard. I'm here to help you. If there's anything I can do for you, sir, just let me know.”
“Were you the one that crave this shield?”
“Yes, indeed, sir.”
“So, you can write?”
“Yes, I can write in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, a little bit of Italian, and also some prayers in Latin.”
“That doesn’t say anything to me. I don’t know any of these so-called languages.”
“Aren’t we speaking in English?”
“No, we are speaking Falk, the Vallenfort official language.”
That gave me some hope. Is there some kind of filter or translator that is helping me to understand this language? It opens two possibilities. First, I can only understand Falk. The second, I have a sort of intern translator I automatically translate every language spoken to me into English. I really hope this is the second option.
“That was a mistake, I’m terribly sorry.” And almost deepened my head on the ground.
“You should stop prostrating yourself, the ground is dirty, this is no good manner, it is foolish costumes. I don’t know where you are from, but you can’t prostrate like that anymore, not here in Vallenfort.”
“I am very sorry.”
“Have you had experience in writing magic?”
“I’m a translator. With a focused study I can manage translating any known language.”
His eyes straightened.
“I see. Come with me, black-haired.”

“Thank you Ruk! I’m most grateful to you!”

Ruk gazed at me as he saw a visionary or something, surprised. I followed Vellden down the stairs. When we got to the ground floor, there were royal guards waiting for the counselor.

“Come, we will have an audience.”

He didn’t say with whom we would have an audience, so I thought it would be a scholar or a meister. I couldn’t be more wrong.

“Entering! Sir Vellden!” All the guards struck their spears on the ground, and suddenly a huge imponent door opened.
I was amazed, we went to a huge and impactful castle, bigger than a wordily building, it was so huge and imponent, like it resembles past eras and carries a remarkable cultural story.
Sir Vendell walked firmly, every stomp loudly and incisive, I went behind him, with my cuffs.

It was the greatest hall I have ever seen. In fact, it was the Throne Hall of Vallenfort, something no simple black-haired could ever enter.

“My lord.” Sir Vendell kneeled in one knee. I, right after him, kneeled with my two legs.
In the top of a 50 stairs narrow staircase was the most wonderful chair I have ever seen, was a beautifully ornamented throne, as it resembles the past, present and to be governors of Vallenfort.

At the top of the staircase, the imponent Emperor, on his lone throne.

“What brings you here, Vendell?”

“I found a so-called writer. He said he can translate any known language.”

For the first time, the Emperor, with his black cape, and a noble and refined red armor, with his sword leaning against the floor, hanging from his right hand. With the left hand, he was resting in the left throne’s armrest. But he was leaning forward; his back doesn’t touch the backrest of the throne.

“You. Black hair. Present thyself.” Said the Emperor.
“I’m Thomas Howard, I work in the Dark Horse Company, I translate text from different languages. I also write stories of my own. I can learn any language, and I like to delve into ideograms and unknown languages. It’s my working job. At your service, my lord.”
I’ve changed from two legged kneel to one leg kneel.

“I see. You’re a scholar.”
“I have a master's degree in languages, I have 7 years of experience in translating, more than 15 years creating my own stories and fiction.”
“So you are a master? Master Howard of Dark Horse Company?”

“Sorry to interfere, my lord, you can call me Howard, I’m not a doctor yet, so we don’t need to be formal. I’m at your service.”

“Doctor? You cure diseases as well?”

“Not that kind of doctor. In my country, we have different kinds of rankings. First, you have common formation, then, you can graduate into a university, and by doing so, you can perform the profession you studied for four years. After, if you want to specialize in yourself, you can do the master's degree, then you have more recognition. After you become a master, you can become a doctor. That is the topnotch level of specialization. After it, there is also a post-Doctor degree.”
“So, indeed a scholar. I appreciate well versed subjects. Tell me. What do you know about this world?”
“Sincerely? Anything at all. I’ve appeared in a desert, all of a sudden, I don’t even know how, but I’ve spawned in the middle of the desert after a pleasant sleep. The only thing I know right now is that every hair color marks the cast of people.”
“Hum... You are a summoned one. That’s interesting.”
“Summoned?”
“By the way you talk, you must be of an adjacent realm, your condition, your knowledge, it is not from this realm.”
“I’m a regular worker at a company, not much of a great person.”
“In your realm. Here, your perspective changes. Say, Howard. Do you serve me in a particular quest?”
“Which quest, my lord?”
“Here.”
A book appeared in his hand, and he threw down the stairs, I almost caught it, but some kind of magic halted the fall.
“You can analyze this book for me.”
“Oh, what beautiful runes! Such delicate calligraphy! Oh, it is a work of art! I can feel every rune, every letter, the passion of the one who wrote it!”
“This is a grimoire.” The book vanished from my hands and landed on the Emperor’s hand, like it had teleported. “A book full of magic runes. It cast different kind of spells.”
“Oh! So that’s why everyone thinks that a writer can do magic?”
“Indeed.”
“Can I most humbly ask you something, my lord?”
“Yes.”
“What is your name, my lord?”
“I’m Engrish Fyerhurst, the Vallenfort Red Dragon Emperor.” His white hair and yellow eyes, his red armor and rune sword, all of that give strength to his affirmation.
I’ve shivered.
“And now, I shalt give thy quest!” He struck the sword on the floor next to the throne.
“I’m your humble servant; I’ll do as you command.”
“Take this book.”
Again, a book appeared, then suddenly halted next to me.
“Your job is to chronicle your experience through Vérsia. Only comeback when this book is full. I’m looking forward of receiving these chronicles.”
“But, do I write in my own language?”
“As you please. The only needed task is to the document, then read it to me, in front of my court.”
“It would be a pleasure.”
“For your quest, take this dagger.”
A dagger appeared and halted next to me. I need to get used to this.
“This, dagger, my lord, you can’t let this black-haired...”
“Silent!”
Vendell bit his lower lip.
“You, guard, give him a fitting light armor and water, some bread as well, and let him have a good horse.”
“Aye, my lord!” He struck the spear on the ground and came towards me.
“Uncuff Howard.”
He broke the cuff with a single strike of his spear, next, he turned to the door.
“Came this way, sir.”
“I’m not a sir...”
I followed him out of the great Throne Hall, kind of victorious; a great quest awaits me. Or so, I thought. What will I find in this so called Vérsia? In one hand, the dagger, at the other hand, the book, I’ve took a look and it was a simple clear book, filled with blank pages.
“I need a pen and ink.”
After he gave me light armor that fit me, it was a difficult task. Why is everyone way bigger than me in this... “realm”? I asked him:
“Can I have a feather and some ink?”
“What is ink? Feather, here, you can have it from my helmet.” He took a single red feather from his helmet. It was a pretty good, high-quality feather.
“Ink, well, do you know how fabric is made? We need to die it in red; they are originally white. I need the pigment that turns it red.”
“Oh, I see, I'll take you to our personal tailor.”
“Thank you very much.”
At the tailor’s office, there were many people working. The guard led the way to the main office. There, a beautiful woman was seated on a chair and looked impatient. She must be in her 40’s.
“What an old woman like me can do for you, black-haired man?”
“I need pigment. The Emperor gave me a quest to write in this book a chronicle of what I see in this world and after completing this book, I must return and present my chronicle to the court.”
“Yes, this book has the royal sign, you aren't telling lies.”
“Yes. This is my quest.”
“Sure thing, do you care for company in this journey?”
“I don’t mean to bother you; I just need some ink so I can write.”
“What if it ends? You need an artisan to help with it, and he could teach you basic information.”
“He? I thought you were going to join me or something...”
The guard and the woman laugh hard.
“You’re funny black hair. Kelld, came here please.”
“Yes, miss Yondrel!” A shout came from the tailor’s workplace next to the room where they were.
“So your name is Yondrel.”
“Aye.”
“I am Thomas Howard.”
She just looked at my face, as it was nothing.
“Kelld. You will accompany this black-haired man through his adventure. He needs to fill this book with everything he sees in Vérsia and then, he needs to present these stories at the Throne Hall. You will help him with anything he needs, and also, make pigmented ink for him every time he needs it. Take what you need and meet us in the tailor’s office main door in 5 freks.
“Freks?”
We were at the door waiting for Kelld. He showed up with a big bag and cheap armor, I couldn’t believe that mine was a good armor, but comparing, mine looks like a lower noble armor, while his armor looks like Don Quijote’s armor, but with less metal.
“You go, Kelld, and you, black-haired. Good luck to both of you.”
“Thank you, Yondrel.”
“Aye, miss Yondrel.” We said in unisonous.
We went away, then I saw the guard and Yondrel whispering. I think was something like “They won’t last a day.” But then, the guard came with us. “My last task is to give you a fine horse, as the Emperor commanded.”
“Nice to meet you, Kelld, I’m Thomas Howard.”
“The pleasure is mine, sir!”
“Cut it, I’m not a superior, we are both at the same boat.”
He didn’t seem to understand.
“We are partners, Kelld. We are going to go through this adventure together! We are like adventurers, together we will face whatever this realm has to give!” And I put my hand up. I think he would find it lame, but when I looked at him, he was so amazed, like he listened to a folk hero talking, or something.
“It will be a pleasure, Sir Howard!”
“Just Howard, from now on, Kelld. I’m no sir.”
“Yes, Howard!

At the stables.
“Here, take this horse.”
“What his name?”
“This horse has no name.”
“Am I going through a desert with a horse with no name?”
“See, Howard, is a male horse.”
“I will call you LocCezar!”
“Good name, Howard!”
“Yeah, take this horse and be gone, black-haired.”
With a horse, me and Kelld left the castle.
I’ve looked at Kelld and he is brown-haired, so maybe he is a gypsy. He had blue eyes. Different from that violet eyed gypsy on the wagon. He looked like he was fourteen, so young, filled with acne, weak, and looked like Yondrel wanted to dispatch him or something. I hope he can be useful.
“Kelld, can you cook?”
“Yes.”
“Can you swim?”
“No.”
“Can you fight?”
“No.”
“Can you work with fabric?”
“Yes.”
“Can you write or read?”
“No.”
“Knows something about magic?”
“No.”
“What do you like to do?”
“Work and listen to troubadours and poems.”
“That’s nice, I’m a poet myself.”
“Is that true? That’s amazing, mister Howard!” By declaring myself as a poet, I suddenly became “mister Howard”.
“Yeah Kelld, in less than 5 minutes I can create a poem!”
“Minutes? What is that?”
“A short period of time.”
“That’s cool!”
“How do you count time?”
“There are days, each day has 40 forfs. Every forf has 100 freks. Every frek have 100 friks.”
So I tried to memorize it. It is all based on a hundred, different from hours and minutes; they don’t use 60 minutes, but 100 minutes! And the day is 40 hours! Each with a hundred minutes, and each minute has a hundred seconds! That’s way too much time! That’s why it is still bright outside.
“What time it is right now, Kelld?”
“20 forfs.”
“At what time comes the night?”
“At 30 forfs.”
“And when does it end?”
“At 8 forfs of the next day.”
“There is 18 hours of night?”
“Hours?”
“So, it’s 18 forfs of night and 22 forfs of daylight?”
“Never imagine it like that, but it is pretty much like it.”
That’s a crazy world.
“And above the days, there are weeks?”
“Aye.”
“Above weeks there are months?”
“Aye.”
“How many months?”
“15.”
Oh crap, time took so long here, I’m going ever get used to it?
“So we must leave now, as it we still have sunlight.”
“There is no hurry, we have 10 forfs of sunlight still.”
“We need to go the further we can in this first daylight. Someone could be following us or something.”
“Oh, i see.”
“Do you have any fabric with you right now?”
“I have some bandages, for wounds.”
“We need to cover our hairs.”
“Why?”
“In this world, it shows your status, and black hair is an unusual color.”
We both covered up our heads with bandages and went through the city’s gates; it looked like they wish we got out the soon as we can.
I was on the horse and Kelld on foot.
“Here, grab my hand.”
“For what, mister Howard?”
I took his hand and with all my strength I’ve putted him next to me over LocCezar. We spurred faster than I could through the main road.
Every one that passed us found it strange, to see two people on the same horse.
“What are you doing mister Howard? Two people on the same horse? That’s obscene!”
“We need to move quickly. What do you know about this forest?”
“It is the royal forest; it is a blessed forest that grew in the middle of the desert. It is a blessing for the Red Dragon Emperors.”
“And where does it lead us next?”
“City of Vellohorst.”
“What’s there?”
“Merchants. A full market full of goods and merchandise.”
“I’ve just realized, Kelld...”
“What, mister Howard?”
“We are broke, I don’t have any money.”
“I got my full salary with me.”
“We need to be careful, as it is our only financial support. We will only buy food and water.”
“But if we find something that could aid our quest?”
“NO. I prohibit any other thing that you would like to buy.”
“That’s harsh, mister Howard, I’ve never been to Vellohorst, I would love to see the market.”
“Money for nothing, chicks for free. We are almost escaping; we can’t do silly things like that.”
“Escaping? Your personality changed suddenly, mister Howard...”
“I don’t care; I need to be careful. We mustn’t stand out; we need to use Vellohorst as our way of blending and escaping.”
They spurred through the blessed forest of Vellanvalt. What does destiny wait for Thomas Howard and his faithful companion Kelld? What adventures will they experience? And what will they find in Vellohorst? Only time can say.