Mumbling his displeasure, Eerik agreed to go on, hoping it will last one hour and not four.

Three days later, they still were pacing in the fog. Eerik could barely distinguish the grey mule in the grey fog in front of him. He was worry to never see colors again and even if he would be able to see them. the felt stoned by the grey, haggard, walking like a zombie toward a goal out of reach. He started to have visions of big monsters standing in the mist, afraid that they would come to life and eat him. It was like walking in a living nightmare. He couldn't think straight anymore and started missing the infinite sight of rocks, thinking it would be less terrifying than all that grey. The only thing he can relied on was the misty grey mule.

The fourth day, they suddenly stepped out of the mist, like if the fog was restained by an invisible and intangible wall.

Eerik was so released he could cried. Or kiss the rocks as some old friends he had been missing. But he managed to keep his dignity.

- We are not far from destination, told Bjorn pointing to the pass in front of them.

The treasure hunter felt a burden disappearing from his shoulder and smiled with relief.

- Tomorrow ? he asked.
- Yes, tomorrow.

The certainty in the guide's voice was sweet to Eerik’s ear. He thought that hunting treasures was not as easy as he thought. And almost regretted uncooperative outlaws. But as you need many outlaws to reach the fortune of one treasure, all the difficulties he crossed were worth the pain. He was so tired by the fog he fell asleep as he reach his blanket and slept all night without thinking.

The following day he was glad not to feel the rope on his waist and to see the whole mule instead of only the shape of her butt. They climbed the hill on a small rocky path that was used by wild animals.

- Here we are, said Bjorn. Now you need your map to find the exact location of your treasure.

They were on a plateau with stones emerging here and there. Eerik took the map from his coat and started checking the area.

He found the spot matching with the X. It was indicated by a small pile of rocks high to his knee. His hands shaking, he removed the stones. Under the last and bigger one, there was a hole in the ground. The treasure ! Except the hole was empty. Eerik went to the mule, grab a shovel and started digging into the hole.


20 Treasure.png