In a country far away from here and some time ago there once lived a Bartender. The bartender tended to the people of his bar day after day and night after night. He worked into the late hours of the day. As the years passed the bartender was not content with his situation. He loved serving people. The social interactions with his customers were the highlight of his weeks. Still he felt there must be more to life. Only serving people drinks day after day and year after year did not make his heart content. That is when he decided one sunny autumn day to sell his bar and go on adventure.

After negotiating a good price with a young excited lad they settled on one gold coin and two silver coins. From the gold coin he bought equipment for his adventure.  After he bought his equipment he decided to take a small stroll around the town. There he noticed two old people sitting on a bench. They looked very much in love. Quietly talking to each other. He looked up and saw some birds fly around. Flying from tree to tree and chirping their songs to attract other birds. He knew right there this was the moment to start his journey.

The bartender made the decision to head north and follow the road out of town. He crossed the fields bordering the town and the further he went the smaller the town seemed. He looked at the beautiful flowers in the fields and the cattle grazing next to them. In the distance he could hear some roosters hackling. A while later the bartender noticed that the sun was about to set and looked around for shelter.  He looked around. On his left close to him not far away was an immense forest. On his right there were some fields. He thought to himself "I probably wont get any protection against the elements in the field. If I make a shelter in the forest that would be better".

After entering the forest the bartender  had to walk for at least a kilometer before he found a place he deemed suitable. When he arrived he took the actions needed to make a camp. The first thing he did was gather wood for an fire. The fire helped to keep the forest animals at bay and to provide warmth for the bartender. The warmth provided a welcome source of heat against the cold. He knew during these autumn days the nights and mornings could be very cold especially in the forests and fields.

Once the Bartender had all his supplies he started his fire with his flint and steel. The fire roared louder and louder and once it had a steady burn, the bartender decided to look for water. He walked northwards to see if he could spot a river nearby. He was unlucky and was unable to find anything source of water. He headed back to his camp but did not give up just yet. He wanted to try one more time. He choose east and walk for what seemed an eternity. Still nothing the only thing he could hear were birds in the distance. The birds stopped chirping as he approached. Without the chirping he could hear not far away the flowing of a river.  He headed in the direction in which he thought the sound was coming. A few moments he clearly could hear the sound louder. After reaching the river the bartender stopped and drank the water. He could not believe his tastebuds. The water was the best water he had ever tasted. He wondered where this great tasting water came from. This would become his mission he decided. Nothing would stop him to find the source of this great tasting liquid.

When he had returned back to his camp, he ate some of the food he had bought that morning. The fire was still blazing. Till deep into the night the fire provided heat for the bartender untill he eventually fell asleep. As the morning broke the Bartender woke up. Surprised to see he was completely surrounded by fog. It was like something he had never seen before.

The bartender was completely baffled and did not know what to do. He knew he could not stay in the forest for a long time. The fog could last for many hours or even days and his rations were dwindeling. Next to that there were dangerous creatures that were hiding in the forest. They could make that impossible. Normally this would not be a problem. The creatures were just as afraid of humans as humans of them. Now with the thick fog if he bumped into one of these creatures they would already be too close. Possibly acting in very unusual ways to defend themselves.

The fire had died out and the wood he had gathered the previous day had become too moist to light. The bartender decided the best thing he could do was to go to back to the river since he still wanted to find out where this tasteful water originated. Leaving his camp he headed into the direction he thought he had walked the previous day and had seen the river.

As faith may have it the bartender got completely lost in the fog. He was unable to find the landmarks he had seen the previous day. The fog made it so that the bartender was completely lost. He had no clue how long he had been going through the fog. He estimated a few hours but it could have been most of the day already. Suddenly in the distance he heard movement. The fog still made it impossible to see what made the sound. Hungry by now and afraid the bartender pondered what to do. Weighing the risk he decided to overcome his fear and approach the place he thought the movement was coming from. Slowly sneaking to the place he was only a few metres away. As he set his last steps he stepped on a twig which made the loudest noise he could imagine.

"WHO IS THERE" yelled someone still camouflaged by the thick fog. Startled by this sudden yelling the bartender gasped. After a few seconds when the bartender had calmed down a little he yelled back " I am lost, could you help me? ".  An ominous looking man slowly moved out of the fog into the sight of the bartender. "Who are you?" said the bartender. "Who I am does not matter. It seems you are in some need of help" replied the figure.

"I am looking for the source of the river, can you tell me its origin?". The old man replied "Well that is the greatest mystery of the region". The man put a frown on his face the bartender could see him digging deep down in his memory.  Some time passed and the man continued "Well I could point you in the right direction of where you need to go from here". "Although I would need a small favour in return" replied the man. "Anything for me to reach my goal" said the bartender. Still a bit shook by the event the bartender started to follow the man. Whom seemed to know the path through the thick fog.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the fog little by little cleared. A big open space cleared up and as the bartender looked up he could see a small cabin on a hill nearby. Still following the man he said "Is this where we are going?" The man still unidentified, nodded and made a sound to confirm.

After having reached the fence that stood in front of the cabin a woman walked out. The old man told the bartender that this was his daughter. She would guide him to the source of the river after he had helped them with a small task.

The task was rather plain. Winter was coming and the old man and his daughter had a shortage of wood for the fireplace. Due to the terrible harvest last year they had to trade their horse to pay the taxes. The wagon to transport the wood was too heavy for the daughter. So she could not help pull the wagon. The old man could not muster the strength to pull the wagon to the cabin because of his old age.

The bartender choose to perform the effort. It was his duty to help his fellow countrymen out. Next to that there was no-one around to guide him to his ultimate goal to find the source of the river. Luckily when the bartender started there was plenty of sunlight left to execute the task. The old man had already stockpiled a vast supply of timber the days before and loaded them on the wagon. It was there that he discovered that he had grown too old to pull off the journey.

The daughter guided the bartender to the place where the already loaded wagon stood. The operation seemed daunting considering the windy roads they had travelled on prior. After a long day of hard labour and plenty of twisting curves in the road they returned back to the cabin. A great deal of the day had passed while performing the undertaking. After unloading the wagon the bartender accepted the invite for dinner. He passed the night in the shed outside since the cabin was too small. The next morning, the daughter shows the general direction of the river. She tells him to move northwards once he has reached the river. Northwards the source of the river will reveal itself. Succeeding saying goodbye the bartender carried on his expedition to reach his goal.

What seemed like forever the bartender reaches the river at high noon. The sun has already set low. After inspecting the options to get to the source he notices that there are three ways to get to the source. Using a dangerous mountain route north of him. Risking the crossing of the river to walk the easier path to the source or try to find an easy path downstream. Contemplating what he should do the bartender decides to risk crossing the river. He thinks of making a device or a raft to do so. Unfortunately he can not find any resources on this side of the river. Out of his luck the bartender decides to swim across.

The current of the river is strong. The water cold. The bartender underestimated the undertaking and hardly makes it to the other side. All exhausted and with his last energy he collects some small twigs and manages to make a fire. Tired and moist he falls asleep besides the fire. Next morning he wakes up to the sound of chirping birds. The fire has turned into some smoldering ashes and coal. All dried up from the heat of the fire yesterday evening and with replenished energy. The bartender decides to walk upstream to continue his journey. Half of the morning has already passed when the bartender decides to take a break on a fallen tree. He decides to eat the last remains of the food that the old man and his daughter have given him. All of a sudden he hears some voices in the distance. From the sound the bartender gathers it must be serious since the voices are very distressed. Swallowing his last bite of food he walks towards the direction of the sound.

In a twist of the road in the shadows he finds two teen girls with a horse. "The horse seems injured" the bartender thinks to himself after taking a closer look. It seemed the horse has broken his leg, a part of bone exposed to the elements. "What happened?" the bartender asks the girls. The girl startled from the sudden appearance of the bartender let out a gasp. After examing the bartender with care the girls decided he was not a threat and calmed down. Having calmed down they explain how they were on their way to their help their sick father. During the long journey they had an accident last night. The horse had stumbled into a hole and lost it weight. Resulting in the broken leg. The girls did not know what to do since it was their only mode of transportation. The wagon it had been pulling stood there lifeless. Initially they were with three. One of the girls had taken the initiative to find help. She had yet to return and they worried something had happened to her. The girls wondered if the bartender could help them.

As he had with the old man and his daughter he could not let his fellow country men down. The girls told him about the village nearby. They had visited it the previous day. They pointed downstream. "Darn it" the bartender thought to himself that is the wrong way. Nonetheless the bartender persevered and headed in the direction of the supposed village.

Of what he presumed was halfway to the village, he met the third girl with a man. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the dirt path. "Strange, there was only one other girl, right?" he thought to himself. The man's presence seemed unexpected, but his demeanor was friendly and inviting. As they exchanged greetings, The man introduced himself as a miller from the nearby town, his voice carrying the hint of a rustic accent. Together, they walked back along the path. Once returned the miller diagnosed the condition of the horse. The miller concluded that the horse was badly injured. It could recover but needed time to do so. The miller proposed two options to the girls the horse could be slaughtered. The miller would pay them a good price for the meat. They also could leave the horse with the miller for recovery. He would take care of the horse. He would trade them his old donkey to pull the wagon.

With kindness in their hearts, the girls decided to let the horse recover. They paid the miller some money to cover the expenses of the horse's recovery and traded it for the old donkey. They knew they had to continue their journey since their father was still sick. The donkey, though not as strong as the horse, would still help them carry on. Once the horse was fully recovered, they planned to return to the miller's place to retrieve it. It was a tough decision to leave behind their faithful companion, but they knew it was for the best. The girls resumed their journey. Their determination fueled by the urgency of their father's illness. The road ahead was uncertain, but they held onto hope, knowing that they had made the right choice for the horse and for their family.

As they said goodbye, the miller provided directions to the source . He described the two routes:

The perilous path through the dense forest that was rumored to be haunted, and the longer, safer route that stretched through vast fields and rolling hills. The bartender, now known for his bravery could not resist the allure of adventure and chose the forest path. All alone again the the bartender continues his journey. Not scared of anything he decides to step into the dangerous forest.

Entering the forest, the bartender's steps were accompanied by the rustling of leaves and the distant hoots of owls. The vegetation grew denser, casting shadows that danced in the moonlight. A strange noise echoed through the trees, causing a shiver to run down the bartender's spine. His pulse quickened as he realized he was not alone. The forest was alive with creatures both seen and unseen. His heart raced, but his curiosity got the better of him. Determined he moved toward the source of the noise, stepping deeper into the heart of forest.

The bartender's lantern cast a flickering light as it illuminated the heart of the forest. Revealing a man in a state of disarray. He was huddled in a fetal position, his ragged clothes barely covering his trembling form. His eyes, wide with a mixture of fear and confusion, darted around as if trying to make sense of his surroundings. It was clear that the man had become completely detached from reality. The bartender's voice, gentle yet firm, slowly drawing him back to the reality. After what seemed like an ages the man calmed down and introduced himself as Igor.

The bartender was in luck. Igor knew how to navigate this forest. As Igor began to navigate his way through the bewildered forest several hours passed. With the only view of vegetation on either side. What seemed like an eternity a glimmer of hope. The light filtered through the leaves in the distance. Emerging from the shadows, a city was visible. It was Akrabat, known for its cursed fate.With caution, approached the city. As the bartender approached the city, he noticed the atmosphere was heavy. Intrigued, he spoke to the locals in the city, eager to unravel the mysteries of Akrabat. Overhearing quiet conversations, he learned about the witch who had cast a curse upon the city.

The witch's wrath was ignited by the betrayal of Akrabat's inhabitants. Making her to cast a spell that trapped the city in eternal twilight and a time loop from which it could not escape. Shocked by discovering this the bartender looked for Igor but could not find him anymore.

The bartender decided to continue to his destination alone.Venturing where the wild call of water leads, the bartender embraces the unknown to conquer the mountain. At its summit, a lake cradled by ancient stone appeared. Having undertaken the venture the bartender all exhausted but still cautious drinks from the lake. It even tastes better than before. He can not believe himself about the delicious taste.

"Ah, what a journey it's been, venturing into the unknown. This lake, cradled by ancient stone, holds a beauty that defies words. And the taste of this water... it's beyond anything I've ever experienced. It's like every drop carries a piece of the mountain's soul. " said the bartender. Lost in thought, he takes another sip

Emerging from a cabin behind the bushes, the witch appears and asks " Who is there?" her voice echoing "Whoa! Oh, I didn't see you there. I apologize, I didn't mean to intrude. I'm just... enjoying the water." the bartender replied.

The Witch smiles and says " Indeed, the water is delicious. The lake is no ordinary water. It's the elixir of eternal youth, the source of the irresistible taste you've savored. The mountain bestows its gift upon those who dare to venture. And I see that the lake has touched you as well. You may drink from it, if you wish. But be warned, once you partake and depart, there's no return."

The bartender hesitates torn between fascination and caution "No return? But... the taste, the vitality it brings. It's tempting beyond belief. " the bartender thought to himself. The choice was made swiftly. He drank deeply, feeling vitality surge through his veins until youth reclaimed him. As he stood by the lake, gazing at his reflection, he knew his path. With a heavy heart, he left the enchanting land behind, heading homeward.

Back in his hometown, surrounded by familiar faces, he found contentment. The allure of adventure remained, but the embrace of loved ones now held greater sway. The bartender had discovered not just the fountain of youth, but the wellspring of what truly mattered—connections woven through time.