Heart of Netis

Chapter VII: Netis

She was floating. Floating on air. She could feel the wind breeze blowing through her tangled hair. Her mind hovered on the edge of consciousness, and waves of darkness rolled over and over in front of her closed eyes.

When she finally came to, she was lying on a makeshift bed of moss in a tall cavern, the ceiling dripping with stalactites. Netis pushed herself up into a sitting position, and took in her surroundings. She was nestled in a small niche in the cavern wall- on her left was solid rock. To her right, she observed there was a large, glittering pool of water at the far end of the cavern, and carved from the wall, facing the only doorway, stood a throne of crystal rock. The only light source was the few rays that reached through the doorway, reflecting off the pool and the stalactites. As she took a second scan of the vast room, she realised that she was the only person there.

She jumped to her feet and made a beeline for the doorway, cutting the undersides of her feet on the sharp rocks, but she didn't care, because she had to get out.

Netis did not get past the doorway.

As soon as her set her foot over the threshold, an invisible maegial barrier slammed into her, sending her flying. A drawling voice spoke up.

"Did you really think you could get away that easily?"

Netis shivered on the ground, too weak to rise. She tried to heal her cuts, but only a few golden sparks crackled from her fingers. The voice gave a malicious laugh.

"Aren't you more intelligent than that? That maegial barrier on the doorway not only stops you from getting out, but it also drains your powers. You're helpless." he sneered.

A tongue clicking. "Now, now, Dhase. Is that how we treat our guest? She is an Idian Royal." a female voice scolded.

"Who's there?!" Netis demanded.

Nobody answered.

A soft glimmer broke the darkness. It hovered close to the ground, flickering weakly. As the seconds ticked away, it began to pulse, like a glowing golden heart. It grew brighter, and brighter, and then it was so bright that Netis could not have forced herself to fix her eyes on it without them burning.

One final, blinding flash.

Standing before the Idian Princess was a female-looking being, the likes of which Netis had never seen. She certainly had extraordinary beauty. Instead of hair, two large green snakes grew from her head and cascaded down her back. Her eyes were multicoloured, changing from red to orange to yellow to green to blue to purple to pink with every blink. Her skin was a pale gold, which made it seem like her whole body was glowing softly. Her long, gleaming white nails looked razor sharp, and hard as diamonds, and Princess Netis made a mental note to never get into a fight with her. She wore a long, thin, silvery spider-silk dress, and where her feet would have been were powerful mare's hooves. A string of astrophyllite hung glittering around her neck.

"Your Highness, Princess Netis of Idia. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Prophetess Ectilea."