The sun that shone over them was harsh and for some reason, the temperature seemed to be higher than what it was in Aquilo making them perspire and huff with every step that they took.
Easy to say that they had been finding the outside world more unappealing with every passing second.
"How much more do we have to walk?" Aksel groaned as they made their way on the slight uphill that lay ahead of them. They had been walking for more than fifteen hours now and the exhaustion of this strenuous effort had been taking a toll on their body. Not to forget the heat from the sun and the weight of the bag that they had to carry was only adding to their misery.
Their hoodie had been providing them with some comfort but because of the slightly thick material, the sweating that followed had been causing them to guzzle down their supply of water quite quickly. Neither of them had been used to this kind of conditions both climatic and economic and their bodies though fit had started to give up on them.
"I am sorry but I can't walk anymore," Yve huffed sitting on the ground and placing the staff that she had been using to help her walk beside her down as she contemplated drinking some water. The dirt and dust that had been spread like an endless sea everywhere swirled up at her movements and coughing as she inhaled some of it in she tried to gather her composure.
She had never thought that she would be the first one to give in but her legs felt like they would snap from their knees and fall off any moment now.
Aksel sighed and poking her with his shoes he willed her to get up again. Staying in the sun wasn't going to help them but when she didn't listen he took hold of her hoodie and started dragging her with him, with great difficulty.
"Hey, don't do that. Just give me two minutes and I will walk," Yve snapped not liking his help and realizing that no matter what he did she was going to stay in that same position Aksel let her go after a few more steps and looked ahead.
He couldn't believe his eyes at what he saw and without moving his gaze away he called out to Yve.
"Yve, look there," Aksel said making her grunt from where she was sitting on the ground. Aksel's shadow over her had provided some relief to her burning skin but it still wasn't enough and she didn't dare to even try and look up at him only to hurt her eyes by the strong rays of the sun.
When he didn't get any response from Yve he moved away from her and started walking a few steps forward with a vigor that he didn't know he could still muster and his sudden excitement didn't go unnoticed by the redhead who groaned and got up to check on him.
The sight that greeted her was more than welcomed by her eyes and catching up to Aksel she asked, "You don't think that it's just our minds deceiving us, do you?"
As she said this a breeze blew past the two and the cool air that it carried threw away any suspicions that they had out of the window.
"This is the first time I am seeing so much greenery in my life," Aksel said and though he wasn't sure about his past there was no such place like this in Aquilo or his memories.
Tall trees reaching all the way to the sky were thickly growing together. The land surrounding the trees was covered in fresh green grass and there were bushes with colorful flowers visible from even this far away.
It looked like a forest that seemed to have no end and extended for miles and miles on either side and even deeper to the far end.
"Let's go," Aksel nudged Yve with his elbow as he started walking towards it as if he was being lured towards it by an unknown power. They had finally reached their sanctuary after walking for more than half a day and what a delight it was!
"Do you think it's safe?" Yve asked even though she herself found herself walking towards it with an excited bounce in her steps. Nature in itself had been such a beautiful and rare gift to people of this era that they felt like they had found a hidden treasure trove.
"Even if it isn't, I feel like it would be much better than getting blisters in this killing heat and ultimately dying of dehydration in this barren land," Aksel answered seriously looking back at the place that they had just walked through.
Now that they were in a heightened place they could see the dusty barren land stretching far and wide. They must have walked further than they had realized because the city of Auquilo was no longer visible to them. Or could it be that it was hidden behind a holographic shield?
Whatever it was Aksel didn't want to think about it for the first time in a while as he focused on the world that he had discovered. The dream of living a free life would now be fulfilled finally.
Looking around at the different plants and trees Yve tried finding any other life form or on a more specified note humans but there was nothing as such at all.
"Do you think that the normal people, unbranded people, live in such jungles? Or do you think they have an advanced city-like structure like that we had in Aquilo? Since we can't be sure how much of our memories are correct but if we go by them then no humans should be found living in the jungles even if we go back a thousand years back in time."
Yve's words made sense, if there was one part of the earth, like Aquilo that was advanced enough to have holograms, drones and superhumans then the rest of the world should be equivalent to at least one-tenth of that civilization.
"Yeah, you are right but if that is true then our search hasn't finished yet we might need to walk more," he mused looking up at the tall trees, and then quickly turning to look at her he added, "But not today, let's just rest and celebrate our first milestone of reaching here."
Yve nodded and after a few more steps they felt the grit and dust that they were walking on turn into soft grass that grew thicker and thicker below their feet. Finally reaching the nearest tree Aksel examined its bark by touching it, making sure that what he had been seeing wasn't just a hologram or an illusion.
The stiff and slightly rough material sent joyous energy through him and lying down on the ground, on the lush grass under the shade of the tree he stared up at his temporary paradise.
"You look weird with that expression on your face," Yve chuckled watching him roll around on the ground like an animal.
A sudden movement from near Aksel's head caught Yve's attention and noticing the leaves rustling Yve grabbed onto her staff but before she could react something jumped out from there. It was still in mid-air when Aksel caught hold of it in his hands and sitting up straight he looked at what it was.
"Is that a frog?"
It was the first time they had ever seen it and besides the fireflies, it was the second animal species that they had come to know.
They didn't know whether they had been correct in their assumption but the green slimy frog with big eyes peered at him and suddenly it stuck out its tongue and struck it at Aksel's cheek. Anybody would have let the reptile go from the disgust but the reason Aksel had to leave it was because the spot burned where he had just been touched.
The frog immediately jumped away and went back into the bushes but Aksel cussed as he wondered if he should rub it with his hand or not.
"It's gone red," Yve told him as she came forward to take a closer look at his wound. It didn't look like much had happened except for a red spot appearing on his cheek.
"Do you think it was poisonous?" Yve asked slightly worried and shaking his head Aksel sighed as he said, "The pain is slowly going away I think it was more like an elastic welt on the skin."
The two still didn't want to take any chances and getting up Aksel muttered, "We need to be more careful from now on, and also let's find some water to first wash my hands and face."
By the watch that Yve had brought with her they could tell that they still had some time before nightfall but who knew how much time it could take them to find a safe place to stay, especially now that they were aware of other creatures being present in the forest, besides them.