Desolate, yet beautiful.
The Wanderer brought his horse to a stop near one of the small shrines that dotted the landscape, taking in the vast landscape that he traveled upon. It was always day here, the sun never moved from it's position in the sky, it's rays beating down upon the earth relentlessly. Yet the grass was not parched of water, the stone walls of the temple or the massive bridge were not cracked and ruined, and the temperature never rose above that of a late spring morning.
There was no life here, save for himself and his horse, and he was not quite sure if the Colossi could be considered living or not. There were birds, yes, but they never perched on the trees, didn't search for insects upon the ground, they always headed northwards, following the bridge back to the lands of his people.
He dismounted, and strode towards the small shrine.
Then there were the ruined cities, the crumbled archways, and the massive pillars that rose into the air like monoliths, holding up inaccessible bridges that he would never walk upon. Who built them? They were obviously the signs that his people, or at least, A people, had once lived in this empty land. He reached the shrine and knelt before it, mumbling a near silent prayer to the heavens, then turned and laid his back against the stone, letting the motionless sun warm his body.
Then there was the case of the Colossi. What were they doing here? Why did they confine themselves to small areas when they had an entire land to journey across? Could they be the reason why this land is cursed? If so, why were there no mentions of them in the old stories? The obscure hieroglyphics that covered some of the structures provided no answers.
His horse walked away from the shrine at a lazy pace.
It had to have been days since he came here, yet he felt no hunger, no thirst, yet he showed no signs of weakening. The same was with his horse, which did not graze upon the grass, which did not drink from the crystal waters of the lakes and streams. How was it possible? Surely not even the gods could hold back the needs of the human body? There were things about this land that puzzled his mind, and troubled him to his very soul.
He glanced at the sword hanging off his belt. It was shining, reflecting the eternal light off to the west, where he was sure the next Colossi waited for him, sleeping, walking aimlessly in a circle, or waiting patiently for someone to challenge it. So many there were, each one more challenging than the last, each one bringing him closer and closer to death. Was it all worth the trouble? Was it worth whatever price he might have to pay?
He got to his feet and whistled for his horse, which whinnied and trotted towards him.
The breeze ruffled his tunic slightly as he stared towards the massive temple in the center of the land.
Yes.
Yes she was.