The whole Magical realm shook violently although, from Ariel and Neta's facial expression, it seems like it happens often.
The grew stronger after a while began to settle. Ariel checked her watch.
"It is a bit longer." She said to Neta still staring at the pocket watch.
Neta ,did not move. Her eyes remained fixed ahead like she already knew what caused it while chains around her wrists rattled softly.
"The veil is weakening faster than before." Ariel added this time looking away from the watch as she puts it back.
Neta finally turned fully toward her.
"I know."
The room fell silent for a moment except for the faint humming sound coming from the glowing symbols drifting around the ceiling.
Neta suddenly stepped away from the mirror while the chains attached to her wrists stretched tightly behind her, glowing faintly as she moved.
"I need to see it myself," Neta said firmly.
She raised her hand slightly toward the chains around her wrist.
Ariel's eyes widened instantly.
"My Queen, no." This time on guard.
Neta ignored her. The chains began loosening slowly.
"Ariel," Neta called out coldly, "if the veil tears completely, both worlds will collapse into each other, we will loose our world and earth will be flooded with magic."
"And if you remove those chains," Ariel added begging "you will make the tear worse."
Neta paused.
The chains stopped glowing.
Ariel stepped closer gently.
"You sealed part of your power into the veil yourself. As long as you are connected to it, there wont be a of effect but if you break free now, the pressure shift alone could destroy what is left of the barrier."
Before Neta could reply, the doors burst open. Someone entered in a hurry, dressed in a full amour like he was coming from a war. A dark cloak rested behind him while a long sword hung against his waist.
He matched over to Neta, dropped to one knee.
"My Queen."
Neta lowered her hand from the chains.
"What is it, Alex?"
The messenger raised his head slightly.
"The Council has deployed a Special Force to Earth."
"Why?" Ariel asked surprised. "I didn't leave traces."
Neta's expression darkened slowly.
"They did what?"
"What I heard is that they found the Princess and they want to investigate some use of magic on earth" Alex added.
He hesitated before continuing. "They said if they find her they would conduct the sacrifice."
Neta's eyes glowed bright silver instantly.
"No."
Power burst from her body violently which made the curtains in the room to rise sharply into the air while the chains around her wrists pulled tightly against the walls.
Ariel stepped forward immediately.
"My Queen!"
Neta looked furious now.
"They dare touch my daughter?" she said, voice echoing slightly with power. "After forcing me into this prison for eighteen years to hold a veil?"
"Well, he is …...he is your husband." Ariel said avoiding eye contact with Neta.
The chains around her began breaking apart slowly.
Ariel grabbed her arm immediately.
"You break the chains then you will have to sacrifice your daughter yourself."
Neta froze.
Ariel's voice softened slightly but remained firm.
"Don't be foolish, my Queen."
For a moment,
Neta looked torn between rage and fear. She folded her fist as tears rolled down her tears. Then slowly…the glow in her eyes faded and chains stopped breaking.
Alex remained kneeling quietly, he wont dare to interrupt.
Neta turned away slowly.
"Those fools," she muttered. "They think killing Gabrielle will permanently seal the veil."
"And if they fail," Ariel added quietly, "I think you know the your husband better than I do."
That made Neta look up immediately.
"What do I do now?" Neta asked thinking aloud.
Alex nodded.
"We intercepted whispers from the lower realm. They are searching for the Princess too."
Neta closed her eyes briefly.
Then opened them again.
"Alex."
"Yes, my Queen."
"You will go to Earth."
He lowered his head deeper.
"It will be an honour my Queen"
"You will protect Gabrielle with your life."
"I swear it."
Alex hesitated slightly afterward.
"But… I do not know what the Princess looks like."
Ariel stepped forward immediately.
"I'll show him."
Neta looked toward her carefully.
"You trust yourself enough to return there?"
Ariel smirked slightly.
"Not the human world that worries me."
Neta almost smiled but she held it in, her expression turned serious again.
"Bring my daughter back to me safely."
Alex placed his fist against his chest.
"You have my word but if she can not wield magic she wont be able to come. She would not make it."
"You kept her powers hidden, remember?" Ariel said to remind her of the past.
"I released it when I heard her made a wish."
"What?" Ariel asked so surprised.
"Go to earth first." Neta commanded.
Ariel stretched her hand outward, a blue light appeared around both of them slowly, swirling like smoke.
They vanished instantly.
Neta turned slowly toward the floating mirror.
Gabrielle's reflection still showed inside it, laughing softly with Joan completely unaware that entire worlds were beginning to move because of her.
Neta stared at her daughter for a long moment.
Then whispered quietly,
"You were never supposed to carry this burden."
The next day at the, Gabrielle stood up after turning off her alarm multiple times.
However, at the university, students moved through the hallways lazily while different voices filled the atmosphere. Some discussed assignments, others gossiped loudly while a few rushed toward classes before the next bell rang.
Inside a large class, Joan sat at her usual seat in front of Gabrielle while Gabrielle arranged her books quietly on the table.
"You still look tired," Joan said turning slightly toward her.
"I barely slept," Gabrielle replied giving a honest look to a plain lie.
"Well, you better survive today because I'm hungry already."
Gabrielle laughed softly then plugged in her ear piece.
"It's literally morning."
Before Joan could reply,
the classroom door opened.
Freddie walked in first with his mouth leading the way.
"Good morning future failures," he announced proudly then laughs like a maniac.
A few students laughed immediately.
Then Eadlin entered behind him.
Some girls sat up properly almost immediately while others whispered quietly to themselves. Eadlin however looked completely uninterested in the attention. His eyes moved across the class once then landed on Gabrielle. He walked toward her row calmly while Freddie followed behind him greeting those who were on his way with a handshake. They stood beside Joan.
Joan frowned immediately.
"Wait… why are you people here?" she asked suspiciously.
Freddie dropped his bag dramatically on the desk.
"Because destiny brought us together," he replied proudly in a flirty tone.
"You failed your former class?" Joan said teasing.
"Added an extra course," Eadlin corrected calmly then smiled revealing his dimples.
"Cute dimples." Joan complemented.
"This is not your first time seeing it." Eadlin replied unimpressed.
"So, if I had dimples, would I be cute." Freddie asked but instead of getting a response, Joan smirked and then turned away from him.
Eadlin sits beside Gabrielle and Freddie beside Eadlin. He tapped her gently on the shoulder.
"You transferred?" she asked loudly due to the fact that she is still plugged. Some of the student turned to their direction.
"You….are plugged." Eadlin said demonstrating.
Gabrielle removed it laughing. "Sorry about that" She said while Eadlin nodded.
"Unfortunately," Eadlin replied.
She laughed softly.
For a second,
the atmosphere between them felt strangely normal.
"Hi," Gabrielle said after a moment.
"Hi," Eadlin replied simply.
Before anything else could be said, the classroom door opened again, the lecturer walked in but she wasn't alone.
Someone was beside her was impossible not to notice.
Very tall.
He had broad shoulders and a naturally muscular build that stretched perfectly beneath the fitted black shirt he wore. His brunette hair fell slightly over his forehead carelessly like he did not even try to look good yet somehow still did. His skin carried a soft dark tan like someone who spent too much time beneath another kind of sun. Sharp jawline. Confident posture.
He looked like a character formed from fantasy or a romantic comedy.
Although he did not smile but he got quite a number of the girls in the classroom smiling including Joan.
She sat upright too fast.
"Oh my God," she whispered.
Freddie looked offended.
"Am I invisible?"
"Nobody is talking to you," Joan replied without taking her eyes off him.
The teacher smiled slightly at the class reaction.
"This is Alex," she announced. "He is a new in town and I so hope everyone makes him feel welcome and help him adapt to this environment."
"You're welcome."
Freddie rolled his eyes immediately.
"Traitors."
Alex smiled politely.
Even that alone caused another round of whispers.
His gaze slowly moved across the room, then stopped at Gabrielle.
"You can sit behind Gabrielle," the teacher instructed.
Alex nodded once.
"Thank you."
He walked toward the empty seat behind Gabrielle calmly.
Joan watched him shamelessly the entire time.
Gabrielle turned slightly as he sat.
"Hi," she said politely.
Alex smiled.
And somehow,
his smile looked brighter than normal.
"Hello."
For the rest of the class,
Joan barely listened to anything the teacher said.
Freddie noticed and he sank in jealousy.
"You're smiling too much," he whispered to her.
"Mind your business." she replied rudely.
However, while all this was going on, someone at the back, last row, with a black cap on watches, From a distance, he looked so suspicious.
"The Queens messenger is here." He said talking to someone.
The bell finally rang.
Students immediately began standing up noisily and began to leave in a hurry like they have been afflicted.
Meanwhile, before Eadlin could speak, Alex leaned forward slightly toward Gabrielle.
"I'm new here," he said smoothly. "If you don't mind, can you show me around a bit?"
Gabrielle shrugged casually.
"Sure."
She turned slightly toward him.
"I'm Gabrielle by the way."
Alex smiled again.
"Gaby… it is my Princess."
Gabrielle blinked flattered.
"What?" She said blushing,
"I …" he cleared his throat. "I am Alex."
Joan narrowed her eyes immediately staring at them. Then Alex leaned slightly closer toward Gabrielle.
"I am Ariel's brother. We need to talk."
Gabrielle's eyes widened instantly.
"How is she?" she asked immediately, excitement entering her voice.
Alex glanced around the class briefly.
"Come," he said quietly. "Let me show you something."
Without thinking much,
Gabrielle stood immediately and followed him out of the classroom.
Joan stared after them after a while, stood too though quietly.
"I'm definitely following them," she muttered.
Freddie looked confused.
"Following who?"
But Joan had already left.
Outside, Alex led Gabrielle toward the back of the school where fewer students passed.
Gabrielle looked around curiously.
"So where's Ariel?"
Alex stopped walking, he raised his hand slowly. As he did this, the air around them shifted slightly. The wind that came with it, though mild but circled around something.
Gabrielle stepped back immediately.
Blue light gathered around Alex's fingers slowly before spreading outward like smoke….
Ariel appeared.
Leaning casually against a wall.
"Finally," she sighed dramatically. "Do you know how uncomfortable teleporting with him is?"
Gabrielle's face lit up immediately.
"Ariel!"
Behind one of the nearby walls,Joan, she covered her mouth in shock. Her breathing was uneven and her heart beat became unven.
"What…?"
She stared at Ariel completely frozen.
Magic.
Joan shifted backward slightly in panic, she accidentally hit a metal bucket beside the wall.
CLANGGG!!!
The loud sound echoed immediately.
It caught all of their attention, Ariel expression changed, while Alex turned sharply and Gabrielle froze.
They walked over trying to trace where it came from as they got closer, Joan panicked tried to escape but ends up causing another mess.