ASRAN SERIES- ACROSS THE BORDER

Chapter - 7

“So, if Nameless could make the portal a little bigger and keep it open for some time, then I can use that to bring Peter and Robert safely back to us,” David said to Brenda.

Before Brenda could say anything, Sussan interfered and said in a worried tone,

“But Nameless is still unconscious… Also, he is too weak to perform any strong magic that would be required to create a portal big enough for you to use. David, I think we should find some other way to reach them instead of using Nameless.”

Sussan suggested after checking the pulse on Nameless’s wrist. It was very weak and she almost thought he was gone as his face turned purple all of a sudden. 

“What is happening to him? Why is the color on his face changing so abruptly? Is Robert in some kind of trouble?” Brenda asked Sussan and continued to rub Nameless's hands to warm him up.

“David, why don’t you take over and see if you can do something? I think he is experiencing some sort of attack.” Sussan moved away to let David do the check-up.

David looked at the boy on the ground and hesitated. Still, to satisfy his wife, he squatted on the ground and checked his eyes. The minute, he touched him, Nameless woke up and darted away from them.

“Nameless!” Brenda exclaimed and went after him.

Nameless shivered when he saw so many people near him and he gripped his hands together.

“You are fine! Thank goodness… I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to you too…” She hugged him and made Nameless feel terrified.

As he was not familiar with being in close contact with anyone, he felt awkward and uncomfortable. He wanted to push his mom away but then Robert warned him to not expose himself. 

'Since their mom already called him ‘Nameless’, it seems like they had already found out about us. What should I do now? Should I pretend to be Robert or tell the truth?’ He wondered and looked at Sussan and David with wary eyes.

.......

“Are you sure we are going the right way? I feel like we have been walking for several miles now and I think we might have got lost. I am pretty sure as per the maps there is supposed to be a small tribal village near the border,” Peter looked around him and asked Robert with doubtful eyes.

“Don’t you worry, as per my sixth eye we are right on our way to find Elly faster using this route?” Robert joked.

When Peter gave him an intense stare, Robert chuckled and said, “Relax! I am taking you on a different path. Did you forget that militants currently roam near the border village area much more than usual due to the war? So, it’s better and also important to go a little away from the main path to reach our destination without getting caught by them.” 

Peter gave a light punch on Robert’s shoulder and said, “For the nth time I am saying this, you don't have a sixth eye and there are only five eyes on your face.”

“Hehehe… I meant my knowledge of wisdom and enlightenment as my sixth eye…” Robert stated and punched Peter back on his shoulder.

Peter growled at him and hit him on his stomach. Robert tried to return the punch but then he held his chest and sat on the muddy desert.

“Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” He struggled to breathe and coughed a lot.

“Stop acting, I only hit on your stomach and not on your chest. If you are going to make me feel guilty then at least do it properly,” Peter commented and kicked his legs.

As he did not get any reaction from Robert, he then moved behind his back and booted on his butt cheeks playfully. Robert laid down on the ground and moaned in pain.

“Aren’t you being a little overreacting for such a light punch and kick? Get up, Robert. We have to leave this desert before it turns dark…” Peter told him.

When Peter still did not get any response from Robert, he too sat on the ground and turned his friend’s face towards him. He saw Robert’s face had slightly turned purple and all his five eyes had become darker in color. 

He hurriedly took out a bottle of magical healing liquid from his sack. As he finally understood the seriousness of the situation, he made Robert drink the rose-colored essence in the bottle.

Peter didn’t expect that his kicks were so powerful that it could make such a strong person like Robert suffer so much. He was tormented for making his friend experience such intense pain.

“What happened, Rob? Please open your eyes and do not frighten me… I am sorry… I am sorry… I will never hit you again… Why did you not tell me that you were not feeling well?” Peter asked him while tears covered his eyes.

Robert suddenly woke up as if nothing happened and said with a smile on his face, “Ok, six more times left… If we calculate the duration of the attack I think we will have to return home before my fifth attack.”

“Let’s hurry, I don’t have much time to waste… We have to calculate our journey matching the attacks and be prepared…” He said and checked his hands and legs for any external injury.

When he noticed none, he said, “I am all good for now… What are you doing sitting on the ground with teary eyes? Get up… Did you not hear what I just said? We don’t have any more time to waste… Hurry! Hurry!”

“No! I want you to go back to the campsite right now. I don't want to risk losing you and Nameless. I know we had planned it well but right now, I am not confident anymore… We don’t know how long it’s going to take to find my sister.” Peter stopped talking and took a deep breath.

He then continued to say, “Also, these attacks were not so violent when we used to try it before. I think you are experiencing severe pain as the distance between you and Nameless has increased a lot compared to the times when we tested the separation,” 

Peter said with a face that meant no arguments were allowed on that topic. But Robert was not someone who could get intimidated by his scary look. So he smirked and said, 

“No way! This is our adventure and you promised that you would let me come with you. Are you going to break that promise now?” Robert asked him.

“I am not breaking any promise I made you. Also, when did I ever vow something like that to you? I only assured Nameless that I would bring you back safely to him. Moreover, I did not give you my word to let you come with me when you are feeling so sick.” Peter argued with him and then said,

“You can give the map to me and I can go by myself to find my sister, Elly. I want you to return and tell my mother that I am doing ok and not to worry about me. Also, tell her that I will be back soon with Elly,” Peter told him.

He then pulled the mapping device from Robert’s hand and tried to download the content into his digital system. But Robert took it back and hid the device behind him.

“Hell, no. I am not giving anything to you. Do not forget all these devices belong to me. I am the one who stole it from my father’s study before coming out of our home. Also, how could you even think of dumping me when the mission had just started?” Robert questioned him.

Peter did not reply to him, instead, he tried to take that device away from Robert’s hands. Robert immediately hid the device inside his backpack and spoke sarcastically to Peter.

“First of all, you can not even go to the bathroom alone without anyone’s help. You are so frightened to take a step out of your home in the dark and now you are saying to me that you want to go alone on this adventure? Who do you think you are, Great Maple?” Robert asked him.