Part 1: The Quest
In ancient times, there was a man. A simple man, but he would come to start an epic battle to the death between a monster and a hero. Before today, his story has never been told. He has been perceived as a criminal, liar, and thief. He however, is none of these things. His tale is not pretty, but it needs to be told. The truth needs to be revealed for all to bask in the courage of the man named, Oslavado.
On the tip of Sweden, there was a small village named, Blithe. The streets were a cold, gray slate, and the houses were uniform in size and appearance. Blithe was dull, and its people poor. It was considered a good year when less than a dozen people died of starvation. The ground was very frozen and rocky, nothing grew there. So the people of Blithe had to depend on other neighboring towns to survive. As a law, all able-bodied men of Blithe were required to work in the mills to pay for the food for their town. Therefore, there was no time for fun, merry-making, or even imagination.
One dark and stormy night, a baby boy was born in the village. They named him Oslavado, The King of the Forest, and they hoped that one day the rocky, frozen, tundra of their backyards would become a lush forest and Blithe would finally prosper. It was a foolish thought, but the village needed hope more than they needed food. His mother thought that his name would be a great change from the boring names of Blithe.
Oslavado grew up to become a strapping young man. He was kind and compassionate. He helped his mother tend to the sick and the wounded of the village. Oslavado was very close to his mother. He was not the strongest man in the world, but he was one of the smartest. He created many inventions that bettered the lives of the townsfolk of Blithe.
Oslavado's name rang true. He was the hope of the village. Everywhere he went, lively warmth radiated from him. He reintroduced the music and laughter to the town. The townspeople were happy.
The king was not. He liked it when the townspeople were nothing more than cowering mice in his cold presence. With a dying and decrepit town, no one started problems and the King had absolute rule. No one would even question his power or decisions. With Oslavado, the people had... hope. The King feared that the people would overthrow him. He decided to put Oslavado in his place, along with all of the other scum in the village, in the mills.
Oslavado received his summons to the King's chambers while he was helping an old man fetch water from the well. "What could the King possibly want with me?" he pondered. Having a premonition that his altercation with the heartless King would not be a good one, he made sure to say goodbye to his mother and give her all of the money he had saved. He did so discreetly, as to not alarm her to his anxiety towards the King.
When he set out to find the King, it was snowing heavily. By the time he got to the castle, Oslavado could not see three feet in front of his face.
"Who goes there?" a gruff voice called from atop a tower
"It is I, Oslavado, son of Violeta. I have received a message that the King wishes to have an audience with me," he yelled to the guard.
"Very well, " the guard said as the gate screeched open. To Oslavado, the castle seemed even colder than the air. Every nook and cranny radiated darkness and the cold. He made his way into the dimly lit hall where the king was sitting. The hall looked more like a dungeon than a hall to Oslavado.
"So boy, come sit by me. No need to stand so far away," the King said. He reminded Oslavado of a snake, the deadly kind. Oslavado sat in the chair next to him. "So how are things in the mills Oslavado?" the King said politely.
"I would not know sir," Oslavado replied, "I do not work down there. I help my mother tend to the wounded and helpless."
"Well, isn't this interesting. The boy who could do no wrong in the eyes of the people is actually committing a crime every time he helps people," the King chuckled.
"I do not understand what you are saying Great King," Oslavado murmured very confused.
The King sprang out of his chair screaming, "You boy are under arrest for directly disobeying the laws of your King! As punishment, you will be hanged!" The King's eyes were glowing with excitement from seeing Oslavado turn whiter than the snow. He was sure now that Oslavado would no longer be a threat to his power!
Oslavado knew how vain and prideful the King was. He had a plan. "Wait! I have a wager. To save my life, let me go on a quest for you. If I succeed, then my life will be spared."
"How will I know you will not cheat me?" the King sneered, unable to resist the challenge.
Oslavado took a deep breath, "If I do not return within a years time, with a successful quest, you can take the life of my mother."
The King pondered this for a moment. "I agree to this wager. Your quest is to find... the Holy Grail." The King then fell on the floor laughing, knowing it was an impossible task.
Oslavado put a fierce and determined look on his face and said, "Its a deal."
He then left without another word, through the snow, to the land of the Danes. It was a land
of many travelers and story-tellers. Somebody must know where the Holy Grail was
hidden.