It was a sunny day, and the light filtered through the colorful stained glass windows of the castle. Inside, King Arthur paced back and forth, worried. 

“What do we do about this, Merlin?” Arthur wondered as he stroked his short beard. 

“That’s a good question, Arthur. If the sword falls into enemy hands, it would be our end,” replied the wizard Merlin, rising from where he had been resting. 

“What if we hide it?” Arthur asked. 

The wizard pondered for a moment, until his eyes sparked with excitement. 

“Eureka! I know where to hide it!” he exclaimed. Arthur jumped and looked attentively at Merlin, who continued explaining. 

“There is a place known as the Forest of a Thousand Dreams, a magical forest full of traps and challenges. No one would be able to enter!” 

“If no one can enter, how do we do it?” Arthur doubted. 

“Percival de Carpenter,” Merlin answered. 

“The explorer?” 

“Exactly! He has explored thousands of places and survived thousands of adventures. He surely can enter and leave!” Arthur stroked his beard again. 

“Very well! If you think he can do it, let him do it.” Arthur ran out of the room, ready to personally tell Carpenter his mission. 

To keep this mission a secret even from his Knights of the Round Table, Arthur communicated with Carpenter under a code name: the Last Great Hero. 

The bell rang loudly, indicating that class was over. 

“Well, I guess that’s it,” Robert Select concluded, looking at the time on his phone.

“Phew, thank goodness, I was tired of hearing that stupid story,” protested one student. 

“And I’m tired of failing you on exams, but I know it won’t change,” a mischievous smile formed on Select’s lips after his response. The student fell silent and embarrassed while his classmates laughed. Select was the most beloved archaeology professor, probably thanks to his knowledge and, above all, his wit and irony. However, there were also people who found him unbearable, although there’s one thing that no one can deny, and that is his kindness. Select would sacrifice himself without hesitation to save a person. 

His students left the classroom until it was almost empty. I say almost because one person remained inside. 

“Max, are you still here?” Select asked, surprised. 

Max Powers, a slender and frail young man, approached the professor. 

“Yes, sorry, I was wondering what happened to Excalibur and Carpenter,” Select observed the student carefully. 

“It is said that Carpenter reached the Forest of a Thousand Dreams. At least that’s how this story ends,” Select replied. 

“But what if the story is real?” 

“Real?” Select hesitated. 

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“Well, you never know… Maybe it truly existed.” 

“Max, I like that you wonder if it’s real, but there is no evidence that Camelot or any of this ever existed,” Select explained. 

Max hesitated for a moment. 

“Yes, I suppose you’re right. See you tomorrow,” he admitted. 

Then, he left the classroom, leaving Select with the question, could it be real? 

As Max walked through the hallways, he wondered if the story of Excalibur could be real. Max has always been obsessed with adventure and treasures, and he is truly passionate about everything related to it. Max hopes to earn enough money in the future to undergo a gender transition treatment since he has never truly felt like a man. His father has never understood her and never will, but she no longer cares about his opinion. Select always said that nothing should ever interfere with dreams. 

Select sat in the now-empty classroom, thinking about what Max had said. 

“I have been pondering that same question for years,” Select said to himself. 

“Could it truly exist? There are rumors of a diary written by Percival de Carpenter… Hidden somewhere among the journeys he made,” he thought.

If that diary was anywhere, she could find Excalibur. The boost she needed to boost her career.

“Select!” someone shouted from the door.

Select turned her head to find the University director.

“I need you to take over for Edward Smith, he’s gone on an important expedition,” he informed her.

Select was surprised, that clown on an expedition?

Edward Smith was a prestigious archaeologist, but also unpleasant. Select and Smith hated each other, and Select didn’t trust him at all.

“I’ll take note,” Select replied.

As the director left, Select quickly headed to Smith’s office.

Once there, Select opened the door with a lockpick, very patiently. 

“I hope they don’t see me…”, he thought nervously. 

He began to rummage through papers and papers for some information, until he ended up at Smith’s own computer, which had no password. 

“Who doesn’t put a password on their university computer?” Select wondered, surprised. 

Inside, he found an email to an unknown person:

Dear Mr. Boss,

I have received your message and I will be delighted to accept your offer to search for Excalibur. I am impressed that you know where the diary is, and I thank you for considering me.

Best regards, Edward Smith.

“Excalibur! What a coincidence…” thought Select. 

After closing the computer and tidying everything up, he left the place. 

“It is clear that Smith is not planning anything good, he never has,” he told himself.

Arriving at his office, he wondered how he could find out where Edward was. 

“I need to know where Edward is, but… how do I do that?” 

While pacing in his office, an idea occurred to him. 

“Maybe Max can help me…”