ASRAN SERIES- ACROSS THE BORDER

Chapter - 46

“Victor, are you ok with this decision?” Wallace asked Victor once again as he noticed that his face was still not content. 

“I am ok with that decision leader. But, I would like to stay behind and wait here along with you,” Victor informed Wallace.

Wallace widely smiled and asked him, “Who said anything about staying behind? I am going to meet the Ashes Lord. It's been one of my life goals to meet the great lord from when I was young. I have heard several stories about him and after my death, I never wanted to go to Asran and live a comfortable life. Instead, I wanted to go to Ashes to meet Ashes Lord and be his discipline.”

He patted Victor’s shoulders and said, “That’s why when they said elderly should stay behind, I spoke against it. I argued with them that they should let us decide what we need to do. I am in no way going to miss this once in a lifetime chance.”

After seeing Wallace's enthusiastic sparkling eyes, Victor smiled at him and said, “Good luck, Wallace. I hope that your prediction is correct and we did indeed find the Ashes Lord’s territory…”

“Ok, Let me know who wants to come along with me for this adventure? Do know that I cannot guarantee your life and neither can I promise that I could protect you. But if you want to be the first one to meet the Ashes Lord then you can follow me,” Wallace announced and stood in front of his team.

The old man did not think that anyone would be willing to come with him. So, just when he was about to leave on his own, almost everyone except Victor followed him.

He turned back and looked at them in surprise. As he did not presume that so many people would be interested in meeting the Ashes Lord.

After waving his hand at Victor, Wallace went forward with exciting fast steps. Victor watched them until their figure turned very thin and at one point disappeared from his view.

He then squatted next to a rock and started to wait for someone to reach him. At the same time, Sussan asked Brenda’s team to investigate as they could not reach the fifth team at all.

Just when they were about to form a search team for the missing member, they noticed a person from the fifth team rushing towards them.

“Hello Sussan, I am Raphael from the fifth team. We have found a weird location where the land had turned golden. A part of our group had decided to move further while a few members of our team must be waiting near the place where the color change of the land occurred. I was sent to inform the leaders about this matter,” He informed them.

“Do you think it is him?” Brenda whispered near Sussan’s ears.

“I am sure but possible,” Sussan said and then looked at Raphael and ordered, 

“Raphael, bring us to that location. I will investigate personally…” Sussan said.

“Wait! Let us first send a few members from our team to check if the perimeter is safe or not,” David suggested.

“Why? We can go check it ourselves,” Sussan argued but then what David said made her hesitate.

“Sussan, I know you don’t like to impose on others. But trust me! The militants need your powers right now. If it was the work of the militants then they might be waiting in the ambush to capture you. So, please listen to me this time. If you want, I will go by myself and do the checks. Once I make sure everything is fine, then I will inform you to come and join us,” David told her.

Sussan wanted to disagree but she couldn’t after looking at his eyes that showed pleading in them. She half-heartedly nodded her head and then gazed at Brenda for help.

Brenda did not look at her, instead, she glanced at David in wonder. She could not believe that David would use such a silly excuse to stop Sussan from meeting the Ashes Lord.

Everyone from the young to the old knows that golden color always symbolizes the planet Ashes. It’s the same color that resembles fire, which is a part of that planet.

‘Why is she so against letting Sussan meet the Ashes Lord? Is there something he is hiding from us?’ Brenda wondered.

As Sussan did not get any help from her best friend, she couldn’t help but agree with him. Still, she tried to negotiate a little as she did not want to miss out if it was really the Ashes Lord’s territory.

“Alright, I won’t go with you. But I would like to stay near that area instead of entering, just in case if anything happens to the team, we will be there to protect you all. I cannot allow my team to suffer on my behalf but as a leader do nothing about it,” Sussan said.

“I think what Sussan said is correct and I agree with her. We should stay nearby, in case you need our help,” Brenda told him.

“Fine! But you both are not entering the yellow field,” David said and signaled his team to follow him.

“Isn’t he being a little moody from some time now?” Brenda mumbled and stuck her tongue out.

Sussan looked at his back and said, “He must be worried about his family. After the decree, no one is happy. Moreover, even though he instantly agreed to come with me, I still think his best interest is across that border and not with me.”

David’s team who went forward had been instructed to come back within twenty minutes if they could not find the people on the golden land. They did not want them to go far away as it would be difficult to track them later.

But to the shock, in five minutes the team which was sent to inspect the area that was used by the fifth team rushed back. They informed them that they did not see much difference but they did notice an astonishing thing. 

Victor came forward and introduced himself to David. Then he leaned near David’s ears and whispered something. David’s face darkened after hearing what he said and then he turned around to look at Sussan who was standing very far from them.

“I will inform Sussan and Brenda. You all stay here,” David ordered and ran towards the eagerly waiting Sussan and Brenda.

When they saw David coming back towards them with hurried steps, Brenda asked Sussan with a thumping heart, “Do you think they found the Ashes Lord?”

“Hope so!” Sussan said while gripping Brenda’s hands tightly. 

Once David came near them, he pulled her hands and said in a hurried voice, “You must see this.”

“What?” Sussan exclaimed but before she could get any answer, David had already brought her near the foggy area.

“Go in,” David said and pushed Sussan and Brenda forward.

They walked a few steps and then turned around to wave at David. David stared at them but did not wave back at them. The sudden fog covered and made the visibility difficult any further.

“What’s going on? Are they unable to see us because of the fog? But we are still very close to them,” Brenda said to her.

“Alright now, you go outside and check if you are able to see me or not,” Sussan urged Brenda and pushed her outside the golden line.

Once Brenda was outside the golden land, she could not see Sussan at all. She tried to call her but did not receive any response, even though Sussan was shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Sussan! Sussan! Are you there?” Brenda asked her.

“Brenda, yes… Are you able to see me?” Sussan asked her.

“Sussan, Sussan!” Brenda shouted her name once again.

At that time, Sussan understood that whatever people say from inside the golden land, it cannot be heard by the people on the other end. And neither could they see the people who were standing on the golden land.

“We need to examine this area thoroughly. He is here… We cannot miss him,” Sussan mumbled and stared at the fog in front of her.

At that moment, Brenda came inside again and asked Sussan, “Why did you not reply to me? I have been shouting at the top of the lungs."