David lay on the floorboard of the boat, his eyes fixed on the full, radiant moon above. "The moon is so beautiful tonight," he said, almost to himself. "And those stars look at them, sparkling like tiny jewels around it. I wish I was a cosmologist. Then I could read the stars, maybe even figure out the direction out of this place. But, of course, I'm not. What a pain, huh?"
He trailed off, realizing James wasn't listening. Turning his head, he saw James idly tossing a pendant around his fingers, seemingly lost in thought. "Hey, James. Who's on your mind?"
James blinked, snapping out of his trance. "Oh... it's Lilith."
David raised an eyebrow. "Lilith? Wait, you mean that blonde girl from McDonald's?"
James grinned. "Yeah, that's her. We got engaged a few days ago."
"What?!" David shot up, sitting cross-legged. "You guys got engaged, and you didn't tell me? When did this happen? That's huge! I'm so happy for you!"
James chuckled, leaning back. "It was just a few days ago. You know, it's been my dream to build a life with her, and now it's real. I guess... I'm figuring out how to juggle it all, life, journalism, everything in between."
David leaned back, still smiling. "Well, James, how the hell did you convince Lilith to let you take off on this wild journey? Because any new engaged bride will not let that happened
James smirked, spinning the pendant between his fingers. "Smith and Snake charm, my friend. I just told her it's my dream, you know? That it meant everything to me, that going on the journey was my destiny, but it will never come between me and her, and she made ms promise her to come back alive and in one piece.
David laughed. "Well, you need to come back in one piece and very much alive. But I'm genuinely happy for you, man. It's not every day you meet someone who believes in your dreams as much as you do." He paused, glancing at the stars. "Hold onto her, James. She sounds like a keeper."
James nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. But before he could reply, the air shifted. The wind grew still, and an eerie silence that fell around the boat, was interchange with voices of birds singing from a distance. David sat upright, the hair on the back of his neck prickling. "Do you feel that?"
The mist that had enveloped them for hours suddenly began to dissolve, the dense clouds above parting to reveal the clearest night sky they'd ever seen. As the fog lifted, their eyes widened. Beside them, an enormous highland stood besides its slopes covered in towering trees with glistening fruits. The air smelled fresher, alive, almost too good to be real.
"James..." David said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We've left the Vale of the Wreck, haven't we?"
James nodded, gripping the side of the boat as he stared at the highland. "Yeah, and it looks like it's welcoming us. Let's steer toward it. Who knows what we'll find?"
The two exchanged a glance, a mix of fear and excitement in their eyes, as they adjusted the boat's course and drifted closer to the mysterious highland.
The boat drifted to a stop at the edge of the golden shore, the soft sand crumbling beneath their steps as David and James climbed out. They stood in stunned silence, taking in the highland that stretched before them. It was breathtaking, almost unreal.
Towering trees reached for the sky, their branches heavy with fruits in colors that they have not seen ever the since the shunning sea.
David turned to James, his voice barely above a whisper. "Have you ever seen anything like this? It's... perfect."
James shook his head, his eyes fixed on the towering trees. "Not in my wildest dreams. Look at those carvings," he said, pointing to intricate patterns etched into nearby rocks. "This place has history... stories."
The air smelled fresh, rich with the scent of blossoms and earth. The soft hum of birdsong and the distant trickle of the stream filled their ears, blending into a melody that made the place feel alive.
David let out a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across the scene. "If heaven's real, it looks like this."
James chuckled softly but didn't reply. For once, words weren't needed. They both knew they'd stumbled upon something extraordinary, but too good to be true.