Not knowing where to go, I decided to go toward the south, into in the thickness of the forests that had survived the Man's Fourth Age, before the rebirth of the pure magic.

On the ancient texts conserved on the Tower's library I read about numberless spirits and powerful creatures of strange and sometimes unpronounceable names that inhabited to the south of the river of the Black Waters, or "Curicó" in the language of the Ancients, to all the wide of the territory among the high mountains of Inti to the east and the old Ocean of the South to the west. Was said of this creatures that they liked to live in almost inaccessible places men, places of indescribable beauty and charged with such a mysticism that of the few humans that once went there, only the most powerful on the magic, known as Machi ( Magi?), could return to their people, but none of them wanted or could tell something about the things seen there.

With these thoughts in my mind, and discovering every day something new about this new ability of understanding the animals, the weeks passed, and before I could realize, I reached river of the Black Water, a stream of crystalline waters, completely opposed to the indicated by its name. I headed toward the west, following the river while looking for a bridge or a ford where to cross the wide waters, or a town where I could rest my bones.

I arrived this way to a village enclosed in all directions by endless vineyards. There was not an inn, because there were not many travelers who wanted to cross the river and the merchants didn't like to stay so close to a land full of sorcery and unknown beasts, and of people not very friendly. even dangerous for those who came closer to their towns. However, there's not a city, town or village where there's no a tavern where to satiate the thirst, and there's not a tavern in the world where a few silver coins are a poor argument to get some food and a something more, even a room.

During the day I went through the vineyards and watched the people. For the night I drank some wine and the poeple watched me. Only humble and simple persons inhabited the village, just peasants and a few miners.. They knew many histories that they tell with pleasure to the warmth of a good wine, and its wisdom hidden behind the mask of stories that the old ones tell to its grandsons, confirmed what I had read in the Tower.

After some days, people understood that I would not return by the way I came from, and that neither I would stay more much time. A young boy, a couple years younger than I, that have talked to me a couple times came to me and offered to guide me to an old bridge, a few days following the river to the east. The only condition - of course there would be one - was that he will go with me until we find the first town to the south of the river. That was not a bad deal, because some company would make the trip a little more cheerful. But there would be a problem explaining the conversations I used to have with Arod, Hasufel and the Owl.

Soon after of the dawn, once again I was in the road, leaving the village with my new companion. The trip, that brought us every time closer to the mountains was calm, without a problem. Furthermore, I discovered with joy that my guide, Guille was his name, had some understanding, somehow, of what the horses talked to me, so seeing that I could trust him, I told him about the Order of the Blue Flame and about the reason why I decided to ride to these lands.

When four days had passed, we reached the bridge. It was a very old construction made of steel and stone, but now it was completely covered with bindweed, what gave it the appearance of a huge tree laid over the waters. Also, it was almost impossible to distinguish it from far to those who didn't know it, because in both ends of the bridge grew a dense fence of wild blackberries that could only be penetrated through a small and stealthy tunnel, by which hardly passed the horses.

We begin to cross with caution, because none of us knew which the true condition of the bridge would be. When arriving toward half of the river bed we stopped unexpectedly, because from the side where we was going to came a strange roar, like the one of a cat, but powerful and terrifying. However, I didn't perceive fear or anger, only distrust. It was not a challenge, but a warning.

After the roar, everything around us was in silence, excepting for the incessant song of water under our feet. Not knowing what to do, we decided to take advantage of the shade that the bindweed proyected over us to take a rest and enjoy a good meal.. After this pause, and without a word, we resumed the trip. When we went out of the blackberries fence on the south end of the bridge, the air around us was filled again with a tense calm. Looking in all directions for a menace, I was able to see, retreating to the thickness of a near apple grove, an enormous golden cat, notoriously muscular, and as all the cats, extremely agile. He gazed me for a moment as if he knew me, and with a leap, disappeared among the trees and the herb.

After that incident, nothing else perturbed our day.

Little before the evening, we decided to camp near to a lagoon surrounded by enormous and old trees of thick and knotted trunks. Guille knew many of the names of these native trees: the Boldo of penetrating aroma; the Peumo of little and lustrous leaves; the Canelo, the sacred tree of the first inhabitants of these lands; and many other. But now it was possible see, mixed with these ancient lords of the plants, some strangers well adapted to their 'new' homes: eucalyptuses, pines, and firs everywhere, accompanied by blueberries and raspberry and many other bushes brought here by the merchants and missionaries in their trips in ancient times. Even this way, the landscape was sublime, with the last sunbeams reflecting on the greenish transparency of the water, giving almost elven tinge to these grounds where the Beautiful People never dwelled.

Before the light was scarce, and while Guille prepared the meal and our beds, and while the horses were delighted in the near medic meadows, and the Owl was getting ready to his night raids, I decided to check the annotations that I made from the texts that I read in the Tower's library to search something about that beautiful cat that received us when entering the Lands of the South. I just found a vague reference of a guard with the strength of a tiger and the agility of the panther that keeps a forgotten temple high in the mountains, beyond the origin of the River of The Seven Cups. But, who or what was this guard, and what was inside of the temple? I shouldn't have found the answer in the books and parchments, because there was nothing in my annotations, so that now I have the same questions and much more curiosity. After talking about this with Guille, Arod and Hasufel, I went to sleep with the image of that big cat and the name 'Puma' around my dreams.

With the cold dawn of the first day of autumn, the Owl came back with some news to tell us. He heard from some creatures some warnings about the Puma, the Hunter and Guard of the Mountains, who appeared in the valleys after many years. Many voices had even given him for dead, however, a couple weeks ago the Pume let hear his roar and the hunters (men and beasts) trembled and escaped, and the creatures that usually are the prey ran toward their safest shelters. That was what animals have to say, excepting for a last warning: stay away from the Seven Cups if you want to keep your life and your soul...

So the day didn't start in the best way, but we decided that the best was to go back to the road as soon as possible, because there were many places to explore yet and many leagues to ride before finding a town. Thus, we continue heading to the south, because logic indicated that the old bridge that we crossed the day before was a part of an old road that soon or later would lead us near to a city, inhabited or not. We haven't ridden much when we find a narrow path with clear signals of recent transit. The marks of heavy boots and horse shoes made evident the fact that some well armed horsemen were nearby. Maybe the guards of the northern frontier of this territory. But without another guide, we doesn't have another option but to follow this path until we met somebody who could tell us how to find a town near here.

I was amazed that the birds and animals around us were not disturbed for our presence, what indicated that they were habituated to the people. And this was the reason why we didn't notice when the horsemen surrounded us. There was ten of them, dressed with light armors and they wore bows, daggers and hunting knifes. Using signals they indicated us that we should go with them, and for the moment we haven't objections. Also, seemed they thought we were just an scholastic and his assistant, because they don't even registered us.

For two days we went into the forest that grow in density, height, brightness and beauty while we advanced to the south. In all this time, our "guides" didn't say a word, and although we didn't lack food neither drink, we hardly stopped three or four times to rest. There was not hurry at all, but seemed that our time was hardly enough for some reason, and this awakened my curiosity.

With the sunset we reached a cleared where there was a large camp where there must be at least 50 men. There's no need to say the we immediately abandoned all idea about escaping, because although I could use a couple spells, at least one of us wouldn't escape. Anyways, we had a little advantage they didn't notice: the old Owl that all this time was out of our captor's sight and that had already made friends among the local birds of prey.

We were taken to a tent where we were indicated to wait. The tent was so comfortable as it could be, with food and wine in abundance and campaign beds. Everything was very nice and the treat was good, excepting when Guille tried to go out...

Thus, prisoners and with nobody directing us a word, we were near a week, and obviously I was growing impatient. However, one night, little before the dawn, we were wakened up by noises that indicated that a great agitation had taken possession of the camp. Quickly we get ready for any eventuality and we sat down to eat something of the food that remained of the previous night, to distract us of the tense wait. In little time three men dressed up with soldiers' uniforms, quite different - and much more luxurious - that those used by the group that had captured us, entered to the tent They were not very tall, their backs were broad; and their dark hair hang till their shoulders, and their brown, inexpressive eyes didn't reflect evil from their hearts. One of them, the tallest and the one with nobler factions, sat took a seat next to us.

-Welcome to the Land of Arauco - He said. - I'll introduce myself. I'm Rodri, captain of the Frontier Guards of the King. I welcome you to our Kingdom and I beg you to excuse the treatment that you have received up to this moment, but the law dictates that all foreigner that enters without invitation, although it is in peace, should be treated as prisoner until the same King or a member of the High Council, designated by him, decide its situation-.

-Being this way, the excuses are accepted, the same as the welcome, although at least your men, captain, could have had the deference of directing us the word at the moment of our capture - it was my answer, bothered as I was.

Short, after the first formalities a conversation begun, so interesting and profitable for both, as an "inquiery" can be. But in spite of the frankness with which our host acted and spoke, it was notorious that something was hiding and that something was planning for us. And I didn't want to stay enough to see what it was...

Several hours, when the night fell on the camp, the Captain left us, and the custody on our tent was increased But I thought, it was our last chance to leave the camp and I said it to Guille. But he told me that he knew that before making anything to us they would take us to the nearest city, and as that was his goal, he would stay with the soldiers. So I left the Owl with him, entrusted him that looked for me when he knew which would be the the fate of Guille, and I threw a spell that made the guards fell asleep, and with the help of the darkness, I went away from the camp, taking my horse Arod and a few items with me.

While I rode in the night heading for the mountains, I thought of the luck that Guille could have in the hands of this people of warriors who distrusted of all the foreigners... But my fate was far away from his.