17 The Doctor Opens His Heart

Aster and his runaway gang had been staying in the cave for the past three days. They had some difficulty finding the path as it's been a long time since that incident happened. And most of the forest was burned due to the fire that those armoured mages created causing it more difficult to recognize the spots. However, they did find the way. Eventhough, the doctor and Hogman had doubted Aster's credibility, Amelia stood on Aster's side. She had made it clear that the other two could leave if they wanted to but she would follow Aster. The doctor and Hogman had no way but to give in. They couldn't defy Amelia's strong words. Amelia had got them enchanted with her words. They left the car there and chose to go on foot as taking the car anywhere near the mountains could expose them to the outside world.

They walked miles and miles before they reached the forest. They had no supplies of food and water. This made their journey more difficult. Amelia got tired and fell on the ground in between. Afterwards, it was Aster who carried her on his back. She woke up after some time. She regretted, forcing her brother to carry her. The rest of the journey went smoothly. They did feel thirsty, but Aster assured them that he knew a water source near the cave. They frequently lost their way inside the jungle. Hogman got irritated each time they lost the path. He wanted to give up. Amelia gave him an angry glare. Hogman turned to fight with Amelia but Dr.Schwann stopped the unnecessary argument. Finally Aster could find the right path.

They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the mist. They advised Aster against going into the mist. But, Aster walked in fearlessly. Amelia was confident about her brother and she followed him fearlessly. Dr.Schwann and Hogman followed as they had no choice. They were surprised to see the hidden cave too. They turned the cave into a place for their free use. Aster hadn't revealed to them the secrets of the cave. He had not told them of the hidden chamber either. He wanted to tell Amelia but, she was too outspoken. She might give them away during a fight. He did not let Hogman and Dr.Schwann go into the inner passages.

They split up their jobs. Cooking was Amelia's arena. No one interfered at that. But it were the others who took turns to collect food materials and firewood. Amelia was never left alone in the cave. She was a woman afterall. They couldn't risk it. Aster and Amelia shared a common chamber to sleep. Hogman and Schwann took another. Aster always assured that none of the others ventured into the inner parts of the cave. On the second day of their arrival in the cave, a discussion on going into the inner passages arose. Aster strongly resisted. Hogman wanted to go in. When he heard Aster's rebuke he wanted to know the reason why Aster said so. Amelia defended Aster as she knew her brother wouldn't do a thing without a reason. Then the tension shifted to Amelia and Hogman. They never got along together. Dr.Schwann intervened again and took Amelia's side. Hogman knew that it was a three against one fight and that he couldn't win even if he tried to. So he dropped the plan to go in. Amelia had started to have a hunch on Schwann's behavior to her. He always took her side in fights. She had begun to doubt it.

The next day it was their third day in the cave. Amelia's doubts were confirmed. It was Dr.Schwann's turn to sit with her in the cave when Aster and Hogman went out to collect food. The doctor sat in a corner of the cave watching Amelia intensely. Amelia had not noticed had in the beginning. But when she did, she started feeling weird. She wanted to rush out of the cave. She had some raw mushrooms, which tried her level best to transform into something edible. When she saw the doctor's stare, she couldn't concentrate.

"What is it?" She asked irritated.

"Nothing." The doctor replied, trying to hide something.

"Then, stop looking at me like that."

"Ok."

He turned away his gaze. Amelia could see the doctor's ears clearly. They was red. He was ashamed of something. That's was all she wanted to confirm her hunches. She did not talk anymore and co tinued her work with the mushrooms. It's been three days since they came there and one fact still amazed her. She could see in the darkness. The cave had magical properties. She also wanted to ask her brother how he knew this place and why he asked then not to go in any further. She was lost in thoughts of her own. She thought of her mom and dad, her friends, her college, everyone and everything she left behind three days ago. A soft whisper broke the eerie silence of the cave.

"Amelia, why do you trust your brother?" It was Dr.Schwann. It was the first time he had called her by her first name. He always called her Ms Brown. She was expecting this, but still was surprised. But this was not the question that she had expected.

She turned her head towards Schwann and said with a smile, keeping her once low.

"I just trust him."

"Why? Is there no reason?"

"He's my brother. Afterall he's innocent. He didn't even know that he was strong."

"Mm.... But, there's something you need to know. Have you heard of the legendary imperial stone?"

"Yeah! I had run a whole debate over that topic when I was in high school."

"Do you believe in that?"

"What? The legend? I didn't." Amelia said.

"Didn't means? Now you do?"

"Mmm.... Because I trust my brother and according to his description it was the imperial sword that he was holding. But, why are you asking me this now?"

"How would you feel like if Aster was the imperial mage?"

"I don't know, to be exact. I mean, if he was the imperial mage, he would possess a lot of powers. But, if those powers drag him into danger..." Amelia bit her lips, confused what to say next.

"I don't want him to be in danger either." Dr Schwann said. "But, the world gets nasty Amelia. He is the imperial mage. He was chosen by the stone. I knew that since the day I became a guardian. But, he do not know how to use his powers. He has unlimited powers stored in the depths of his soul. His soul is now bound to the imperial stone. All the powers of the stone, flow through his veins. But, he will have to master his skills. Whatever powers came out on that day was just a part of his actual capacity. He can do more. But, that will need training. The training, I can give him. But, I need your help. He has to cultivate his skills. Otherwise, the next time those mages attack, no one, not even Aster may be able to stop them."

Amelia listened everything intently. Tight lipped. She couldn't utter a word. How could she? She just heard that her brother was the master of ultimate powers but could not use them. Here, this man, knew more about Aster than Aster himself did. She was ready to help, if it would do good to her brother.

"I will help. But, you said you were a guardian. What guardian are you? A guardian of my brother?"

"Oh! No! I'm one of the guardians of the dimensions."

"Means?"

"There are two dimensions in total. Each dimension has one guardian each. In simple words, our duty is to prevent unnecessary travels of citizens of one dimension to another. In one way, we guard the dimensions."

"How did you know that Aster was the imperial mage?"

"The Imperial Mage becomes the master of the dimensions. So once he is chosen, it is our duty to protect him. We will get impulses. But I do not knowhow he became one."

"Impulses?"

"That's what we call those signs. I have told more about us than I should have. Anyway, I'll tell you one more thing. Don't ask me for more. Tania is the other guardian. She is a citizen of the planet calked Depcod."

"This Tania... Is she in danger?"

"She would be hiding for now. But, for how long, I cannot say. Her parents were killed. They were killed by the master of those armoured mages. She want to avenge their death. But, that's impossible for her to do alone. That one who killed her parents, he is strong. He was the one who sent those mages here to capture Aster."

Amelia let out a deep sigh. She had heard enough. Her brother was tangled in a hude web. It was not easy to escape out of it. He has to face it. Amelia would be on his side through anything. She had decided.

"Don't worry. I'll be on your side." The doctor said assuring her.

The doctor was more noble than she thought he was. She had started liking him. She was no more angry with him.

Suddenly they heard some footsteps outside the cave. They thought that Aster and Hogman had returned. But, the footsteps stopped at a distance. Blood drained from Amelia's face. She could feel sweat forming in her palms and forehead. Doctor Schwann walked towards Amelia and stood next to her. He could hear his heart pounding too. 'Where they discovered?' The thought hit them like a storm. Schwann took Amelia's hand and asked her to stay behind. He walked towards the mouth of the cave. Amelia stayed where she was. He tried to see outside the cave, still remaining hidden in the dark. Aster and Hogman was not there. They didn't need to hide. It was someone else. Doctor couldn't risk going out of the cave and checking. He started hearing footsteps again. He couldn't see who it was. He guessed that the trespassers were moving closer to the cave.

Inside Amelia couldn't breathe. She was almost frozen. She tried hard to move. She moved closer to Schwann. She could hear the footsteps clearly now. They held their breaths in the darkness of the cave. Schwann felt that it was going to end there. He wanted to let it out.

"I love you." He whispered in Amelia's ears.

Before Amelia could reply, she saw two long shadows. Two people. They were walking into the cave. Amelia breathed heavily.