Across the border – Book I - 16 Chapter

Peter felt like he was being traveled to some other planet. The place was fully covered in ashes and nothing else! There was a man who was sitting above the ash pile and ashes were flowing out of his body. He pulled him towards the place where he was sitting.

“I have been waiting for a long time now, Peter. I was even losing hope thinking about whether I would even be able to meet you or not. My life is almost over, so all I can do now is give you life.”

He picked little ash from his heart and gave it to Peter and said, “Eat this! The poison in your body will be destroyed. This is only a small gift from me as I expect you to do me a favor. Once you are awake, do not trust other than your mother. I have given a book to your mother for safekeeping, remember no one must know of its existence other than you and your mother. No one!”

Peter looked at him with a feeling of uncertainty but also he felt worried about this unknown person.

“Who are you? Why are you helping me? And why does your body have ashes flowing out? Are you sick? Can I do anything to help you feel better?” Peter asked many questions to the man in front of him.

“Peter, if I only met you before! Now listen, Peter, I am dying and you cannot do anything to save me. I am just a replica that was created by Lord Ashes before he went to serve as the king of Asher. Listen carefully, I ask you for this one favor, please promise me you would do it for me!”

“I promise”, Peter said.

“Peter, my child! Take care of yourself until you meet Ashes Lord, You need to promise me that when you see Ashes Lord you would forgive him and help him out of his misery. Please give him some hope in his life”

“Why should I forgive him? Did he do something wrong?”, Peter asked.

“You have to figure out all the details yourself Peter. But remember your promise well…”Before the man could finish his sentence, Peter drifted away.

As Peter woke up from his dreams, he saw Robert lying on the floor. He looked around his surroundings, everything looked completely different. He tried to get up but he felt too weak and fell down on Robert.

Robert woke up with a jolt and saw Peter lying on him while struggling to get up. He helped him up and made him sit on the military cot.

“Peter! You are finally awake!” Robert hugged him tightly which made Peter gasp for air.

“Let me go, Robert! Let me go. You are holding me tight, release me.” Peter hit Robert’s shoulders.

“I will go to inform dad and Elly. oh, yes! I forgot to mention, your aunt Linda is here” Robert ran outside while shouting everyone’s name.

When they all gathered, they realized Peter had changed! His hair had turned grey, ashes color and he looked a bit mature than before.

“What happened to you? Why do you look changed? Even when I left you seconds before you were fine!” Robert exclaimed!

“I don’t know,” Peter said.

When he woke up he saw that he was not actually cured and the poison was still there in his body. When he saw the ashes in his hands, he realized that that dream he saw was actually real! He ate the ashes and he felt some changes in him.

He now felt like he had got some visions. He was able to feel and see the differences between each individual. At that time, he saw his aunt Linda and asked, “who are you?”

“It’s your aunt, Linda. You haven’t met her in a while, so you might have forgotten.” James said.

“No! She is not my aunt Linda! Who are you? You are not one of them. I can see it”, Peter moved closed to her while standing guard against her.

Everyone turned and looked at her. They did not see any difference but why was Peter saying she is not his aunt.

“That’s correct! I saw her turn her head towards me without turning her body but when I told everyone they laughed it off” Draven shouted from behind.

“Where is my aunt Linda?” Peter asked while his eyes turned dark red and blue flames raised from his body.

“So you met that coward, he could not fight with us, so went to hide but I know for sure that he gave you his powers, then that means he is already dead. Hahaha…” Linda laughed and disappeared into the air.

“Everyone started searching the area, find her at all cost” James shouted.

But whoever tried to move even an inch felt like they were sinking into a deep pit. Many of them fell into the pit and nobody could help them out. Even the one who tried to pull them up went along with them instead.

“Stop moving! She turned the whole place into a deep hole and if you fell down there, then there is no coming out” Peter said.

After analyzing the area, Peter found out that nothing was happening to him. He realized that this magic is actually from Ashes itself and because of that he was not affected and instead he like he is home.

“We need to create several portals and send everyone out using that. I will try to move everyone out using my power but I don’t know how much it could work as I am more surprised myself than anyone here.” Peter said.

Robert felt his friend was not his friend anymore. He not only looked different but he behaved differently. Did the poison roast his brain and make him smarter and sharper?

Should he have taken the poison instead? Then he could have become like him as well and he would not feel like left alone by himself. He could have also helped Peter now.

Once almost everyone had left on the portal, only Elly, James, Robert, and Draven stood in that area.

Peter asked Elly, “Elly, I need you to be brave and go with uncle James and Draven to save our aunt Linda. Will you do that for me?”

“But Peter, what are you planning and why are you not telling us anything? What are you hiding, Peter?” James asked.

He was worried something was wrong with Peter and he did not understand why Peter would ask Elly to go with them on such a dangerous operation? Isn’t he supposed to worry about her safety?

Normal Peter would never send his own sister into danger. He even came here all by himself to rescue his sister but now he is sending her back? Why? He just could not understand this Peter anymore.

“James, Elly knows in and out of the witch’s place and she can help you locate Linda. It would be much better with help rather than going there blindly and trying to fight her” Peter said.

Even though what Peter said made sense, still James could not bring himself to take Elly with him. But before he could oppose the idea once more, Peter shouted, “It is an order”

James automatically replied, “Yes sir”

Once they left, Robert looked at Peter with a worried look along with fear. His face looked funny as he changed it between fear and worry simultaneously.

“I am sorry if I frightened you. I will just send you back along with them.” Peter said and tried to move towards Robert.

“No! No! It’s fine. It is just that this is all too much to take right now”, Robert said.

“I know! Even though I don’t know what came over me right now and why did I talk to everyone like that? I know one thing for sure, all this which is happening is related to the guy I met in my…Aaahhh” Peter held his heart and kneeled on the ground.