For days Alvis and Floris walked through the swamp, leaving everything they knew behind them. They were lost and they both knew it, but they pressed onward knowing they couldn't go back. Day after day, night after night, sunrise to sunset, the two boys traveled as far as they could each day, hunting what they needed on the go and cooking it when they set up camp for the night. Traversing the swamp was a slow process and they both grew more and more nervous with each passing day. However, they also grew more excited as well. Based off what the trader had told them, they both had visions of what the world waiting for them would be like. Buildings made of stone, settlements with thousands of people in them...it was hard to imagine which made it harder for both of them to contain their excitement. However, their broken hearts were still being healed after leaving their village and all the people they knew behind, but at least the sickness had been left behind for the time being.
It took the boys three weeks to travel to the edge of the swamp, which was enough time for them to leave any feelings of guilt or remorse behind them. What had happened was in the past and there was no getting around that fact. It was time they took Ajenna's last words to heart and keep their eyes focused on the horizon ahead of them instead of dwelling in the past. It was time to find their true selves and discover what fate had in store for them. As they approached a large opening, a strange structure low to the ground caught their attention and piqued their curiosity.
"Well, it looks like we're finally coming out of the swamp," Alvis said as he looked around at their surroundings.
Floris nodded, "Yeah. The trees are starting to spread out a bit and it looks like we're approaching some kind of...something or other. It looks manmade to me, but I could be wrong."
The two boys stepped onto the structure and kneeled down on it to figure out what it was.
"Well, this is odd." Alvis said as he kicked at the strange surface of the structure, "It's made of...stones...and they've been somehow...connected to each other? I don't understand this."
The structure they were standing on was made up of an uncountable number of rocks and stones that formed a smooth surface on the ground.
Floris tried digging into the surface to try and grab one of the stones, but the surface was hard and there was no way of getting his knife under the surface. This puzzled him greatly. However, what was more puzzling was when he followed the trail of stones with his eyes and saw that the trail disappeared over a hill to the North. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the trail continued to the South for as far as the eye could see. He stood to his feet and stared off to the South for a few moments, then looked back
North. "What a strange use of rocks and stones. Thousands of them make up this...this...whatever it is and they've been placed in perfect alignment. Why would someone go through the trouble of making this thing?"
Alvis shook his head, "I haven't got the first clue. Do you think it could be some kind of ruin or something?"
Floris turned to look at Alvis, "A ruin from what, though?"
"How the heck would I know? You're the smart one here." Alvis said.
Floris looked down at the structure again, then followed it North where it disappeared over the hill, "Not anymore it seems. This world has plenty of mysteries for us to encounter and it seems its first mystery for us to solve is this...this...rock...thing."
The two stood in place for a while just trying to figure out what they were standing on. It was obviously meant for something, but what, exactly? Neither of them seemed to be able to come up with any practical use for it and it puzzled them both greatly. However, it was starting to anger Floris a little.
"I never thought I'd be outsmarted by an inanimate object! This is beyond frustrating to me." Floris said in an agitated voice.
"For once, I think I know what you mean without having to explain it to me." Said Alvis.
Suddenly, there was a loud commotion behind them and the two boys turned just in time to see a large animal sprinting at them. They both dove out of the way, letting the creature pass. But as the animal passed by, Floris could see it was a horse. A brown horse with a black mane and tail and some white on its face. The horse was being ridden by a man who slowed his pace and turned around to look at them. Now that Floris could see clearly, he got a good look at the mans' rather ridiculous looking outfit.
"What in the world?!" Floris thought as he tilted his head to the side with a funny look on his face. He looked at Alvis to ask him something, but he realized Alvis had his head tilted as well, but with an even more confused look on his face.
The clothing the man wore was colonial. He wore a light brown-colored overcoat with a darker shirt under it and matching pants with black buckled shoes. He wore a large black hat with a red handkerchief around his neck.
"Are you boys okay? You sure dove out of the way pretty quickly." He stopped talking when he saw what the two boys were wearing, "You're not from around here, are you?" He asked.
The two boys stood to their feet and dusted themselves off, then Floris looked at the man again, "No, we're from a village called Two-Creeks deep within the swamp. We were forced to leave due to some kind of spreading sickness; me and my friend here are the only two left."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is there any place you're looking for? Maybe I can help." The man said in a friendly way.
"Thanks, mister! We're looking for a town called Mist City. We were on our way there, but we got a little distracted by whatever the heck it is we're standing on. I don't suppose you'd know, would you?" Alvis asked.
The man stared blankly at the two boys but could see they were actually confused by it. "Um...that would be a road, boys."
Floris and Alvis looked at each other with blank faces, then looked in both directions the road went in, "This is a road?!" Alvis asked.
"Wow! A road...made from actual stones! This is...amazing!" Floris said.
The man on the horse only stared at the two boys, his expression getting weirder and weirder the more the two boys went on and on about how amazing the road was.
"Um...yes, it's quite a piece of work. Anyway, if you're looking for Mist City you'll want to catch a boat from Swamp Watch. It's a town a ways to the North and offers transportation across the lake via boat travel. It'll save you two a lot of hassle, I'm sure." The man said.
Floris nodded in understanding, "So, we just follow the road North and we'll eventually come across this town?"
The man nodded, "Mmm-hmm. It's not too far. If you hurry you might get there before sundown."
"Okay! Thanks, mister! We'll be on our way." Alvis said.
The man nodded then turned around and started riding the way he was going.
Floris and Alvis turned to look at each other, then started walking to the North.