The forgotten land

The journey the young couple attempted started with a simple visit to the mountains. Little did they know, they were going to get lost... they weren't prepared for what was in store for them. They had been dreaming and hoping for an adventure like that, yet they never expected it to actually come true. One horse, one man, one woman and a little bit of camping gear... Lost in the mountains. Rocks to the left, a peak to the right. They seemed to be surrounded.
   -Are you sure we're walking in the right direction- asked the female. She wasn't very tall, had long curly red-ish hair, a teenage face, but a fully developed body.- This doesn't look like the way we came from...
   -I'm pretty sure we came from around here. It's the only path we can take anyway- was the response of the man. Tall, with curly dark-blond hair, shoulder length. A beard covering his jaw, making him look older than he actually was. As a matter of fact, he was younger than Valkyrie, his girlfriend.- We don't really have anywhere else to go, unless you want to go climbing.
   -Oh, you...- She pinched his cheeks, covering up her worried expression with a smile.
   -Oww!- rubbing his cheek, Iinodwoe carried on, leading the way.

A couple of hours walking in what seemed like the only path between two mountains, they were both worried and insecure. None of them recognized the path they were walking on. And so they continued walking down in silence, until a beautiful sight appeared in front of them:

There was a castle in the wilderness, seemingly abandoned, due to all the vines and moss covering its walls.
   -Whoa~ They both excitedly exclaimed, as they both spend a minute or two just enjoying the scenery, the birds, the fauna, the waterfall.
   -Maybe there's someone in there we can ask for directions, don't you think?- she asked, without looking away.
   -It looks abandoned though...- he muttered
   -What?
   -Oh... Well, it's worth a try, lets go in and see, it looks abandoned though...
They head over to the side, entering trough the front gate, which seemed to be eaten by termites. A wooden gate, which was moldy all around, some of it was eaten off, and when they both entered the castle, they were mildly surprised by the state of things...


Everything was overgrown, but what was more surprising was the fact that it all looked inhabitable. Strangely enough, the fauna hadn't ruined the structures. It was unnerving how in tact it seemed for the time it must have spent unattended. The serenity of the scene is broken by a manly yell
   -Hello~? Anybody here?
The words echo for a while, as the silence continues.
   -Hey, what do you think those tracks are for?- Valkyrie has long forgotten they were lost, and now so very intrigued to explore those... ruins? But it was all still in tact.
   -It looks like they were used to transport groceries around, and probably people. Maybe gear and ammunition during a siege- He replied looking for signs of humans around.
   -Doesn't look like anyone's around~She playfully looked at him
   -No...- he looked at her, reading her expression and asked with a smile- Wanna go exploring?
   -Yes!- with a childish smile, she drags Iinodwoe further into the city.
The day expires, as the couple spends the rest of the day exploring. Running around, laughing, hugging, taking pictures of this and that. She was collecting flowers, he was climbing a tree, as Valkyrie stared at him from below with a judging face, scared that he might fall on the inside, hugging him as tight as she can, when he finally comes down.
At the end of the day, they decide it's time to spend the night, finding what looks like an archaic apartment complex:

   -This looks promising- Iinodwoe takes his backpack off, and looks at Valkyrie with a happy expression on his face
   -It has a roof at least...- was the response of his tired companion.
   -You got tired from running around all over the place, didn't you?
   -No!- she pouts.
But it's too late, he now has his head between her legs, picking her up, forcing a surprised scream, as Valkyrie grabs his head and squeezes her legs trying to stay up right.
   -Hey!- she yells surprised.
   -Hehe, don't worry, I've got you. Let's go see what it's like on the inside hm?- he asks as a childish smile brightens his face
   -Idiot...- she mumbles to herself, as he marches forward into the building

   -Ah... Well, it looked like it had a roof from the outside...
   -What now?
   -Let's see what's up ahead, maybe one of the rooms would be suitable- he walks forward, as she leans forward
   -Mind letting me go... I can walk on my own...
   -Gaw... But I like it like this...- he complains, but stops and lets her off.
   -Thank you~She fixes her dress, and then hugs him, granting him a kiss for the effort.
They continue down the corridor, surprised at what was on the end of it:

   -What now?-Valkyrie stands on the edge, looking down.
   -It looks deep enough.
   -Deep enough for what?-she asks, as a backpack flies down and hits the pavement.
Before she can ask what was that, Iinodwoe jumps from the edge, and splashes in the water, taking his time, before he swims to the surface.
   -ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!
   -Come on, Jump down~he splashes some water her way.
She just looks at him disapprovingly, and disappears, reappearing in the side entrance a couple of minutes later. He is now sitting on the edge of the pool, splashing water with his feet, like a little kid. She walks behind him, he turns around all wet and smiling like a fool, and gets slapped...
   -What was...-He stops half way, as Valkyrie hugs him- hey...
   -You scared me! Stupid! Don't do that, what if it wasn't as deep as it seemed!-She is shaking, and it is now his turn to hug her, holding her.
   -Relax, Val, it's okay. Nothing happened, I'm fine, see?- he lets her go, and spreads his arms, revealing his wet clothes- a little cold, but that's it.
   -Idiot...- She smiles, and picks up the backpack on the ground- Come on, we need to start a fire or you'll freeze once the sun sets.
They set off to find a shelter for the night, where they would start a fire, eat dinner, discuss how amazing the place is, probably argue about how reckless Iinodwoe was, then sleep, and move forward with their lives, as their short break from the world we know is over. The next time someone finds this place it will still be uninhabited, and people would be able to relax from the technology that surrounds their everyday life, forgetting their worries, allowing for a little bit of recklessness.

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[deng]

All the illustrations are made by http://jonasdero.deviantart.com/ Go visit him for some amazing art, if you like them~