Alice strolled through the school grounds, her usual confident stride softened by the lighthearted banter between her and Michael. Aliyah walked beside them, giggling at one of Michael's sarcastic remarks about the Amazons, who had been unusually quiet recently.
"You know," Michael teased, "I think the Amazons are plotting their next grand failure. They can't seem to handle losing to Alice."
Alice smirked, rolling her eyes. "Let them try. I've got time for another lesson."
As they walked toward the far edge of the school, where fewer students ventured, Alice suddenly noticed something unusual—a faint shimmer in the air, almost like heatwaves. Her curiosity piqued, and she stopped in her tracks.
"Do you see that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
Michael followed her gaze, his expression turning serious. "Yeah. That's... odd."
Before anyone could question further, Michael's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and sighed. "Principal's calling me. Probably something about dragon politics again."
"Dragon politics?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow.
Michael shrugged. "Boring stuff. I'll be back in a bit. Stay out of trouble."
With that, he walked off, leaving Alice and Aliyah behind.
"I'm guessing we're not going to listen to him, are we?" Aliyah asked, noticing the glint of mischief in Alice's eyes.
"Absolutely not," Alice replied, stepping closer to the shimmering space.
As they approached, Alice noticed intricate runes faintly glowing in the air, forming a barrier. It felt ancient, pulsing with power. Aliyah hesitated, grabbing Alice's arm.
"Wait! This is some serious magic. We shouldn't mess with it," Aliyah warned.
Alice tilted her head, intrigued. "You know what this is?"
Aliyah hesitated. "No… but I've seen barriers like this in my mother's books. They're meant to seal something important, or dangerous."
Alice studied the barrier. "Dangerous, huh? Guess there's only one way to find out."
Before Aliyah could protest, Alice reached out and touched the shimmering surface. Instantly, the runes flared brightly, but instead of pushing her back, they shattered with a loud crack.
"Alice!" Aliyah hissed, wide-eyed.
Alice shrugged. "What? It wasn't that hard."
The air around them shimmered, and a portal-like doorway appeared. Beyond it lay a strange, otherworldly realm filled with dark mist and eerie silence. Tentatively, Alice stepped through, with Aliyah reluctantly following.
The realm felt like it belonged to another world entirely. The air was heavy, charged with an unnatural energy. As they ventured further, they came across a massive, foreboding gate made of black stone and covered in glowing red symbols. Above the gate, the word Baal was etched in sharp, fiery letters.
"What is this place?" Alice whispered, her voice barely audible over the oppressive silence.
Aliyah's breath hitched. "The Gate of Baal," she said, her voice trembling.
Alice turned to her friend. "You know about this?"
Aliyah hesitated before nodding. "My mother told me stories... old legends about a demon named Kael who opened this gate a thousand years ago using the blood of a mermaid. It led to the destruction of her people and nearly unleashed chaos on the world. My mother said the gate was sealed, but..."
She trailed off, her gaze fixed on the gate.
Alice stepped closer, noticing a frozen figure standing in front of the gate. It was a woman with long, rainbow-colored hair, her body encased in crystal-like ice. Her expression was peaceful, yet there was a strange energy radiating from her.
"Who is she?" Alice asked, moving closer.
Aliyah grabbed her arm, panic in her voice. "Alice, don't—"
But it was too late. Alice reached out and placed her hand on the frozen figure. The moment her fingers touched the icy surface, the woman began to glow, her frozen form cracking and releasing waves of light.
Aliyah gasped, pulling Alice back. "What did you do?!"
"I don't know!" Alice replied, equally stunned.
The glowing figure faded slightly, but the ice didn't fully break. The realm around them began to quake, and the gate pulsed with a deep, ominous red light.
"We need to leave. Now," Aliyah said firmly, pulling on Alice's arm.
"Wait, who is she? What's happening?" Alice protested.
Aliyah's voice was urgent. "I'll explain later. If anyone finds out we're here, we'll be in serious trouble. Let's go!"
Reluctantly, Alice allowed herself to be dragged away. As they exited the realm and the barrier re-formed behind them, Alice glanced back, her mind swirling with questions about the gate, the frozen woman, and the strange feeling of familiarity she'd felt when she touched her.