24 Mysterious Cavern: Is It Dangerous?

He walked towards the forbidden chambers of the cave. Eren and Sienna followed his lead.

Their eyes searched through the walls of the cave. They could find unclear writings on the hard, stony walls of the cave. Something that Aster couldn't recollect before now. As they went deeper into the cave, Sienna and Eren were surprised with the magnificence of the chambers. They appreciated the cave paintings.

Aster felt the walls with his hands. He could feel a strange sensation. He felt that something was pulling him deeper into the cave. His heart and brain wanted answers to all the questions he had. But, his soul was elsewhere. His soul was leading him. It was his soul that led the path. He felt that his soul already knew the answers. He could feel the answers himself. But he just didn't recognize it. Whatever his soul spoke was unclear to him.

Sienna and Eren was lost in thought. They couldn't understand how Aster knew the path to the chamber. Eventhough he said he had visited the cave once, it was long ago. How could someone remember something so clearly. Moreover, it happened years ago. Little did they know that Aster was led by his soul. The soul which now possess the answers to all the mysteries of the world. The ultimate power source was linked to his soul.

The trio walked clearing the cobwebs in their path.

Aster took a deep breathe as the trio reached a point where the chamber split into two sub-chambers. He remembered seeing the same paths before. A smile widened on his lips. He was on the right track. Aster turned to move to the right. He suddenly halted, hearing Eren's voice from behind him.

"Wait." Eren said. He look deeply stressed and nervous. His eyes were fixed on the two chambers ahead of him. It was too dark to see what was inside the passages.

"What?" Aster asked.

"How do you know which one to take?" Eren asked, his eyes still fixed on the paths ahead.

"I've been here before. I had taken the right one back then."

"How are you so sure? Wasn't it a long time ago?" Eren was afraid to go into the passages.

"I'm sure, Eren. That was the path I had taken. I mean the one to the right."

Eren was not convinced.

"What is it? Are you afraid to go in there?" Aster teased Eren with a mischievous smile.

Eren felt bad when he heard Aster's question. He could feel his knees shivering. He did not have any issues dealing with a problem, whether it be a duel or a fight. But, now he felt that they were jumping into trouble.

"Yes. I'm afraid. Don't you see it? The cave's so dark. Why should we jump into troubles? We don't even know if it is dangerous."

"It's not dangerous in there. I had told you, hadn't I?" Aster asked.

Eren ears were reddening. He did not want Aster, Sienna and himself in danger.

"The things in there might have changed. What if some monster decided to live in that cave after you left? I don'twant you people in danger."

Sienna couldn't control her laughter at this comment. She started off with a small giggle. Then she clutched her stomach with her hands.

"Y...you believe in monsters?" She made it still clutching her stomach.

Aster smiled at the comment. But, he knew that his friend was sincerely nervous. Sienna had not thought of it.

Sienna's laughter made Eren real, red angry. He couldn't control his anger. On one side concerned for his friends' safety. While on the other side his friends were laughing at him. He felt bad. Really bad.

"I DID NOT BELIEVE IN DRAGONS EITHER. BUT DIDN'T YOU SEE THOSE CREATURES WITH YOUR OWN EYES. I DID NOT BELIEVE IN MONSTERS EITHER. BUT NOW I BELIEVE IN THOSE. FURTHER MORE, I EVEN BELIEVE IN GHOSTS. WHY? ANY PROBLEMS? " Eren shouted. His voice echoed in the cave, making Aster and Sienna shiver a bit.

Aster tried to remove the tension. He got nervous when he heard his friends words. Whatever Eren told was true. The appearance of those dragons was enough for anyone to believe in the most strangest of things in the world.

"I'm sorry. I..I d...dragged you in here. W..We can go back. I...I don't mind."

"I'm sorry Eren. I just..." Sienna said, realizing that she had hurt her friend.

Eren cooled down a bit and said, "Aster will you come back here alone if even if we go back now?"

Aster remained silent. He wanted answers to his questions. This cave was the answer key. He very much wanted to go into the chamber and get his answers.

"Aster, will you?" Eren asked again, deep concern reflecting in his voice.

Aster remained silent. If he said he will, then Eren and Sienna would follow him in there. They may even inform Amelia and the others.

"You will, won't you?" Eren asked finally.

Aster nodded in approval as he did not want to lie to his friends.

Sienna gasped. She knew that it was dangerous to go deeper into the cave. It was dangerous for the three of them to go in together. Now Aster says that he will come back here alone. Sienna glanced at the chamber and gulped. She wanted Aster to be safe.

"We can go in together." Eren said. "If something happens to you in that chamber, we would be guilty. We want you to be safe."

Aster's mind was too conflicted for now. He couldn't decide. He hadn't thought about these dangers when he came in. Now, when Eren told this, he felt that he was pushing his friends into danger.

"You both go back. As you said, it might be dangerous." Aster said.

"And you? You would go in without us and get yourself killed, won't you?" Sienna asked, a little too concerned.

"I will go in. That's sure. But, you guys do not have to take a risk. Just go back." Aster said.

Eren and Sienna nodded to eachother.

"No. We are coming. Anyway, you have gone in there before. If nothing has changed since then, we are safe." Eren said.

"But..." Aster tried to protest.

"No its and buts. If going in, all of us will go in together. No one will be staying here." Sienna finalized.

Aster wanted to dispute, but he knew that it was of no use. He couldn't win against them. It was a two against one match. Aster's eyes were filled with tears seeing the concern of his friends.

He pulled Eren and Sienna close and hugged them hard. They were shocked by his actions. They froze in their place. Hot tears of gratitude flowed from his eyes. After their emotional hug, they took a deep breath.

They followed Aster's directions and followed the passage to the right. The walls of the cave were painted. There were cave paintings, drawn with a deep red stain. All the paintings had a story to say. They watched the paintings with awe. They did not see any dangers on the way. That felt relieved as Aster was right. There were no dangers. Eren's doubt of monsters inhibiting the cave was cleared too. There were no monsters in the cave.

They moved further in to see a big chamber. A very large one. There was a golden table in the middle of the chamber. He could see a bowl full of water and a plate full of food. The aroma of the food tickled their noses. The cave paintings were magnificent. It was not painted with just a red stain. But there were a variety of stains used.

A small smile appeared on Aster's lips as they walked into the chamber.

"Is this the place?" Sienna asked in a hushed tone.

Aster nodded as he went towards the table laden with food. He began to eat from one of the three plates on the table.

"Aster, it can be dangerous." Eren warned.

"No, it's not. Come and eat. There's food for you too." Aster said this and put the first grape into his mouth.

Eren and Sienna doubted for a while. Sienna heard a weird sound from her stomach. Aster laughed hearing the sound.

"So.... Come and eat. You're hungry." Aster said playfully.

"Was that loud?" Sienna asked with reddened cheeks.

"Yeah... yeah..." Aster said.

"Is that safe?" Sienba was still confused.

"Eat if you want. I'm not the one with a growling tummy." Aster laughed saying this.

Sienna ran over to the table. She gazed at the food for a while. It was perfectly cooked, no flaws and the aroma... It was irresistible. Within moments she started eating too.

"Eren, it's tasty." Sienna said munching the fried potatoes,

Eren came upto the table and glared at the food. His mouth watered at the sifpght of properly cooked food. It's been some months since they ate proper food. He was too hungry to resist.

They ate all they wanted.

Then, they started inspecting the chamber. Aster gazed at the paintings. He remembered seeing something. But he didn't remember what he had seen.

"Uhh... Aster..." Sienna called out.

Eren and Sienna walked towards her.

"What is it?" Aster asked, not noticed what Sienna had seen.

"Look!" She said pointing down.

Aster looked where she pointed, and saw a small hole in one of the rocks. He saw what was inside the small whole.

Aster inhaled deeply.