A dense fog swirled and danced around the sixth floor of the time-worn apartment building which its history was well hidden by its antique façade walls. Inside, Old Lady Turtle observed Alice quietly from the dining room, her gnarled hands tightly gripping on a steaming mug of tea while her eyes brimming with a hint of intense anticipation. When the hot tea eventually cooled down slightly, Mother Turtle gave it to Alice to hold in her hands, the herbal smell of hot tea with a scent of mint helped clear Alice's stuffed nostrils right away.
The kitchen bore the marks of regular usage, with cluttered piles of bowls and dishes strewn about in different corners. And an old black and white photograph hung on the wall, a young couple standing close together, with faces smeared by time.
Old Mother Turtle's eyes and lips curled into a benign expression as she regarded Alice. Her English was fluent but ran thick with an accent that had been layered and deepened over years. "Young soul, in your world, people are divided by material things. In my world, it's our souls that set us apart. The world is so much bigger than you think – some things that you don't see doesn't mean they don't exist or aren't important."
Alice held her tongue, myriad questions buzzed around her mind like a swarm of bees, clamoring to be answered.
The old woman paused, taking a thoughtful sip of tea before continuing. "My people come from a culture that has lasted for centuries on this planet – our traditions passed down through generations remain vital to us today…though some were lost, some changed for the better, and some for the worse. But we all have one thing in common: we humble ourselves to great powers beyond the physical world that can't be seen in nature; the spirit world." Her voice carried the weight of countless years, the secrets of a lifetime etched into her every word.
She paused again, her eyes searching Alice's face as if gauging her understanding. "In the spirit world, some practice with holy purpose, some with ways of demons," she said ominously. "Before I found you, three evil spirits had you under their watchful eye – you might not be able to see them, but they can certainly see you."
"What do they want of me?" Alice was terrified now and wanted nothing more than to call her brother Travis. Her fingers twitched involuntarily, as if longing to reach for the reassuring weight of her phone.
"Let me explain. The tension between the heavenly and demonic realms had been mounting for millennia, until a barrier was erected between them to keep the repercussions in check. Unfortunately, it held firm for only a few centuries before something happened—something that irrevocably changed everything. An epic betrayal of a warrior shattered the balance." Old Mother Turtle paused; her eyes distant as if recalling a memory from long ago and raised her teacup to her lips before continuing. "He was tasked with guarding the gates of heaven and hell when a beautiful girl sent by the demons tempted him. They fell madly in love, they became inseparable."
Alice, despite her fear, found herself entranced by the tale. "What happened then?"
"As usual, fate separated them and left only sorrow in its wake. The young warrior was grief-stricken, so he tore down the walls and gates between heaven and hell—thus beginning one of the most catastrophic massacres in all spiritual history. Great tragedies spilled into the physical world as well; entire nations were thrown into warring chaos, corrupting not just humans but animals, land, even the very air we breathe. With the holy heaven subdued, evil spirits ran rampant, leaving behind a trail of destruction marked by disease, famine, and strife…" The old woman's words seemed to hang in the stale air of the room, repeating with dread consequence, her eyes clouded with the shadows of the past. "That young warrior went missing for many lifetimes afterward, taking his story with him—until recently, only a select few senior priests and sorcerers knew his name."
Alice reeled in disbelief, her fingers unconsciously twisting a loose strand of her hair. She was an ordinary girl, her life a mere shadow of the great calamity going on around her.
"It was said by a wise man, the Gatekeeper who was called Nomad by the outsiders—was once a sinner who brought hell upon this world—will return to end the reign of evil and bring peace." Mother Turtle's voice was hushed, as if she feared the very walls might hear her tale.
Alice eyed the old woman warily, her heart pounding in her chest. "What does this have to do with me?" The only reason she had come here was because of her beloved dog, a creature that had been her constant companion and confidant.
Mother Turtle continued, her eyes alight with the fire of a legend. "The young girl from the West will find him - you, Alice. Those eyes which watched you from afar were not normal eyes. You were lucky that my Sikkim spell of Rain worked and chased them away."
As Old Lady Turtle spoke, Alice felt like she had been left in a dark forest, where the shadows lengthening and deepening in response to the ancient. The old woman's voice, though soft, rang with an authority that Alice could not deny. She had been thrust into a world that had existed on the periphery of her understanding.
"An old folklore says when the west meets east, the curse will break and the gates will seal, merging heaven and earth as one," Turtle was told by pundit. "And I know that since childhood you have seen things beyond our realm…"
"How do you know?" No one knew about Alice's dreams or visions, beside her doctor and her family. How did this old lady know so much?
"You are in danger here, Alice. Although you are hope to many people, in this empire of demons, you are not safe. Tomorrow you shall meet someone who will watch over you for a time."