A Journey Beyond Machu Picchu

While I was sitting, the strange being approached and sat beside me. Unintentionally, I started telling him about what had happened to me, but he interrupted, saying, "I know everything that has happened to you." I responded in astonishment, "How did you know that?" He replied, "It doesn't matter; what matters is that I will help you again." I smiled despite my tears and thanked him. We continued our journey without uttering a single word, crossing long distances, through plains, plateaus, mountains, and all the adventures and difficulties that accompanied this path.

We continued our trek until we found ourselves standing beside towering mountains, blocking our view of what lay beyond them. The only way to cross them was by climbing, despite their height. We began climbing step by step, searching for a place to plant our feet and grasp the mountain with our hands, gradually moving away from the ground. My feet and hands were injured, draining my energy, but I remembered a phrase that provided me with positive energy: "The road to the summit is tough and challenging, but the view is beautiful." I imagined that I would find the virtuous city behind the mountain, giving me patience and strength.

We continued climbing, and the adventure became difficult for me, especially after I suffered a deep wound that made my feet bleed profusely. I tore a piece of cloth from my clothes to dress the wound, slowing the bleeding, but I couldn't continue climbing. I stretched out on a rock on the mountain to rest, gathering some energy before continuing the journey, which was still long, and its end was unknown to us.

I slightly healed my wounds and regained a new sense of strength. We continued climbing, and suddenly, we encountered a group of snakes and scorpions, and there was no way around them. Fear and panic overtook me, thinking this might be the end, but the strange being, without saying a word, carried me on his shoulders and made a great leap, yet he couldn't surpass the snakes and scorpions. He tried again and succeeded. Yes, we had overcome their obstacle.

At that moment, hunger struck, and our supplies were depleted. We searched without hesitation for herbs and plants to satisfy our hunger. After eating, extreme fatigue overcame us, and we sat down to rest. Unconsciously, we fell asleep, only to wake up surrounded by a group of predatory animals on all sides. Fear and panic overcame me, and I began to hide behind the strange being, who remained silent and motionless. Suddenly, a deer ran by, and all the animals, from tigers to lions, chased after it, engaging in a fight over who would win the deer. Astonished, I sat on my knees, and the strange being, still standing silently, held me and began running swiftly on the mountain.

After a considerable time, not a short one, we approached the summit, exerting more strength to reach it quickly and finish an adventure that lasted for days and days, hoping to emerge from it with minimal damage. Finally, we reached the summit, and the first thing that came to my mind was that the road was tough and challenging, but the view was stunning. I could hardly believe my eyes; we were overlooking Machu Picchu, the Lost Citadel, one of the Seven Wonders of the World that I had read so much about. It's the city located in Peru between two mountains in the Andes range, at an altitude of 2340 meters above sea level. I was mesmerized by the breathtaking view and by the adventure of leaving it behind.

I pondered the possibility that this might be the virtuous city I was searching for. As the city nestled among the mountains, we descended from the summit towards its foothills. The descent was much easier compared to the ascent; this road didn't take much time. We arrived at the city, and the first thing that caught my attention was its beauty, cleanliness, and the multitude of visitors due to its status as a tourist city. At that moment, I considered myself a tourist who had traveled a long distance to enjoy a tour of the Lost Citadel.

While strolling around, I was also trying to ascertain whether I had indeed arrived at the virtuous city. But as I was on the verge of confirming and ending a lifelong journey, the noise of the bustling city, teeming with life, disturbed me. I thought to myself that the virtuous city should be absolutely serene; I was searching for tranquility.

At that moment, disappointment overwhelmed me. Tears flowed heavily as I knelt down. The strange being, who hadn't left me throughout my journey, approached me and patted my shoulder in a comforting manner. After a while, I gathered my belongings and thought to myself, "It's alright; the road is still long." We continued our path, walking a long distance until we distanced ourselves from the city's bustle. Looking ahead, I saw mountains surrounding us from all sides, and between two mountains, there appeared a narrow path filled with rocks and stones, covered on the sides by dense trees under which a river flowed. The sight looked magnificent, like a painting crafted by the hands of a nature-loving artist, yet as beautiful as it was, it also appeared frightening, resembling a dark tunnel.