Nyana is an artist and an apprentice priestess. Her works of art are inspired by the gods and bring the temple a lot of gold coins. When she produces a gloomy painting that is not what she usually creates, it shocks her. It had the face of a beautiful man amidst a dark and dreary landscape. Wanting to destroy it is not an option. The goddess stops her.
The goddess discloses to her the meaning of the unusual painting, and Nya is shocked even more when she learns the gods have chosen her to go on a quest. It is a mission to save the prince of Engilia, who has been sleeping for nearly thirty years.
With the help of the goddess Orelia, Nya escapes from the temple to fulfill her quest to release the prince from his long slumber and save Engilia from an all-powerful evil entity.
What Nya had thought to be a long row of boulders, large grayish rocks, were not. They suddenly moved and rose. Huge round bodies set atop long spindly hairy legs began to move toward her. “Giant spiders!” she shouted and looked from left to right and back again but saw no way of escape. Behind her were more of the beasts. They stood as tall as the temple, towering over her.
“What do I do?” she yelled.
Watch out! Orelia shouted next to her.
Nya reacted instantly as a long stinger flashed forward, about to stab her in the stomach. But she was faster, jabbing at it with her talons, imagining the venom entering its body.
The creature screeched and backed away. Nya was too busy fending off several other attacking beasts to see what happened to the ones she had stung with her talons.
After what seemed like forever, but in reality, had only been minutes, the swarm began to back away, leaving their fallen comrades behind.
Now! Run! Orelia yelled.
Nya saw an opening between the seemingly dead spiders and dashed for it. She ran as fast as she could and kept running until Orelia told her to stop.
They have retreated. You’re safe again.
Nya took a deep breath, willing her heart to calm down. She turned to survey the scene behind her. The last giant spiders she had punctured with her talons lay writhing on the ground. Slowly, their huge bulbous bodies began to shrink as if someone had punched a hole in them and let the air out. Within a minute, there was nothing left except a mass of leathery skin and hairy legs. Puffs of smoke spiraled up from the remains, which slowly disintegrated.
“I did that?”
You did. You defended yourself remarkably well for a girl who has led such a protected life.
“I guess it was instinct. They disguise themselves well. I thought they were large boulders.”
