The Two Visitors

To the east of the province, a new community had settled, making a living mainly from cattle ranching and agriculture. These were few in number, but it meant that the surrounding area was slowly witnessing the emergence of new settlements.

However, they were still miles away from the castle.

Inside the forgotten fortress, the elegant sculptures and decorations of bygone eras still remained, but in a decadent state. The gardens, halls, passages and other places were in the same shape.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps was heard inside the place. The echoing sound was as if someone was walking quietly inside the premises.

Entering through one of the doors of the main hall of that castle, the shadow of a person was reflected on the floor and walls. In the distance, a silhouette could be seen walking around the place.

His appearance was that of a young adult wearing a long white coat that matched his hair, which was of a similar color. Yes, he was an albino whose neat presence contrasted with the emaciated terrain.

His face wore a smile, though somewhat sad, but gentle, and his lapis lazuli blue eyes expressed nostalgia accompanied by a bit of joy.

- It is sad to see how everything ends up being forgotten ... and this place is no exception. - commented that young man while he observed that great room.

The young man continued walking without stopping; he passed through some exterior passages that seemed to be like a walk that would lengthen his stay.

He went up to the second floor of the castle and rested at a window. He remained for a few minutes observing the outskirts, for the windows were large and spacious.

- What a nice view it must have been hundreds of years ago I suppose ... I wonder if those who lived here would have been just as nice? - he commented aloud with a slightly sarcastic tone.

The male spoke as if to himself, for he understood that the place was abandoned, or so he thought.

A sudden voice was heard throughout the place as if the echo had traveled to where the young man in white was resting.

- Surely not, you know what history says, the vast majority of them were just bastards who fitted the rope tightly around the necks of commoners ... so they could secure their place well for generations, isn't that right? - replied a voice with a confident tone regarding the young man's questions.

The albino male took a close look at the mysterious person entering from the opposite side to where he was.

A man, perhaps a couple of years older than the other, appeared before him.

He wore a long beige jacket, a black shirt and dark dress pants. His appearance seemed to represent someone who lived carefree in life, but, at the same time, somewhat nosy.

- Oh, I see. - replied the white-haired young man with an indifferent tone as he turned to continue looking out the window.

- Is that how you greet an old friend ... How many years has it been since we haven't seen each other? - in a comical and childish way, added to the conversation that man with the beige coat and wavy hair as he approached.

That wide passageway with large columns where these two men had met was full of light because it had several windows in its wall facing the outside.

In front of the window where one of them rested, there was a staircase of elegant design with golden skirting boards and red carpets. It seemed to be that the male in white intended to climb that way before he had met his 'old friend'.

- Friends? ... Please don't talk like that. Others may misunderstand you. - stated the nostalgic-looking young man disinterestedly.

- Come on, Jhosep ... we were 300 years together and now you play dumb. - again comically expressed the relaxed looking man as he screwed with his finger the head of the other young man who was slightly shorter in height than him.

- Cut the game out, Russell. I told you it can be misconstrued. - kept patiently affirming the young man who was referred to by the name Jhosep.

The two young men continued to talk while looking at the view through the wide window. Making jokes, remembering things from the past and catching up.

- Russel ... Jhosep ...- suddenly a serene voice was heard from far away to where they stood.

The two men were stunned at the voice calling them.

The sound of footsteps slowly intensifying was a sign that the two young men were not the only ones in that castle. Little by little they could hear the sound of the footsteps getting louder and closer to the two of them.

But the men wondered where the sound could be coming from; that is, where the footsteps were coming from.

Within seconds, the two visitors reacted and realized that the sounds were coming from that staircase behind them. The sound was almost as if it was right next to them, the floor of the staircase showed the shadow of an adult person slowly descending.

The feeling of their initial surprise changed to that of hopeful amazement, for it seemed that both Jhosep and Russel were not stunned to hear the voice itself, but were looking to see where it was that the noise was coming from.

The outline of that shadow came into view. The figure of a male similar to the age of the other two appeared from the top of the stepped passageway.

That young man descending was followed by long, straight, woman-like hair, a rather handsome face with a serene, but sharp gaze. Besides that, he possessed a dark suit with a golden embroidery, a light inner vest with a shirt and pants with dark high boots, finally he had on over all this a black cloak a bit messy on the part of his neck. His whole appearance looked as if he was the portrait of an old-world European aristocrat.

Although what stood out the most, even with the remarkable contrast of his light skin with respect to his dark clothing, were his eyes that possessed a deep crimson color comparable to that of an emerald.

The two witnesses of that man were surprised to recognize his appearance. Immediately they bowed to kneel before him. And with a solemn salute they presented themselves before the man in black.

- Russel Corvino and Jhosep Argent present themselves before you, master. - The two young men expressed this greeting according to the order in which the previous voice had called them.

The young man in black stared at them for a few seconds, while the two kneeling ones did not dare to move for any reason.

- Stand up, there is no need for you to kneel. - expressed that long-haired man serenely.

That being so, the two young men slowly stood up and set their gaze again before the one who stood before them. Although it could be believed that their gazes were a little indifferent to each other, certainly the atmosphere was quite nostalgic with a hint of joy.

This was further heightened when that man they referred to as a teacher commented. 

- Really, it is good to see you again. - this prayer was expressed with great kindness and brotherly love, for what he said was certainly what was in the heart of that man in black.

Suddenly, water-like drops fell to the floor; tears began to flow from the eyes of those visitors who quickly tried to wipe them away. The man in black looked at them tenderly as if he were a father looking at his children.

- How long has it been? - asked the young master somewhat sadly.

The two young men were silent for a few seconds and then tried to answer, but with some uncertainty.

- It has been about 1200 years. - answered Jhosep.

- But we became aware of it 50 years after you actually disappeared. - added Russel.

- I see. - the black-cloaked man answered indifferently as he walked out of that place to the outskirts of the castle as if he longed to see the fields and nature.

The other two followed him silently until they came out into the garden outside.

The young master asked again.

- Is there any news or anything I should know?

The two young men were still silent, but soon after they answered.

- Actually, several things have happened ... as you know, the outside world has always been in constant change and, more so now, human technology has advanced too much. - replied Jhosep.

- We will tell you about the current scenario ... but we may be delayed for a while. - Russel added.

The hours passed and the young man began to assimilate what had happened in the hundreds of years he had been absent. 

When evening came, the group finished their conversation and entered the castle. At no time did those young men ask their master about the reason for his absence or any other information that they believed to be personal; it was as if they were waiting for him to share with them what had happened to him.

They began to dine and, although they had neither lunch nor breakfast, the dinner spontaneously prepared by those two visitors was enough to satisfy their hunger.

During dinner, Jhosep, having been silent for some time, dared to ask, with some fear and concern, if this castle was the place where he had been staying for more than a thousand years.

That young master who showed a reserved and quiet personality, and this was known even more by those two young men, answered after a few seconds.

- I don't know exactly ... but, the truth is, I just woke up and it was in this place.

- That means ... you've been sleeping all this time ... for over a thousand years? - opined, Russell, with surprise and disbelief.

- A thousand years ... there seems to be a lot to see. - added the young master.

Jhosep and Russel understood the way their master tried to change the conversation; therefore, they did not ask any more questions about it.

When dinner was over, the two young men asked what their master was to do now, for they thought it would be convenient for the young man to go and live with one of them.

However, to the surprise of both, their proposals were rejected. The young man in black expressed his wishes to stay at the castle for a while and that he would later go to the capital where Russel resided.

The two men understood and did not object to their master's wishes, and proceeded to bid him farewell.

It was about 8 o'clock at night when the pair, without any concern for their safety, returned on foot the way they had come, leaving the young long-haired man alone again in the castle.

Watching from afar as the pair disappeared hidden by the trees and fields, the man in black began to walk around the outside of the fortress as if he longed to stroll and observe the panorama once again.

This little stroll actually lasted until the morning of the next day; however, the young man did not show any fatigue after having been walking around the place and slowly moving away from the castle. 

Returning from his walk, the young man tried to find the entrance to the place, but, for some reason, it seemed to be difficult; until after almost half an hour he found a different entrance whose doors were half open.

The young man began to head towards it when suddenly he glimpsed a strange shadow near the entrance that was slowly growing.

- You... who are you? - A voice, coming from nowhere, was heard.