Trapped

When Krystal was finally conscious. Her eyesight was pretty blurred and she was feeling dizzy and above all she felt like she had puke stuck in her throat. She tried to get up and when her muddled head finally cleared, she saw that she was in a cage and her surroundings were similar to the inside of a mountain. The place was pretty hot and she was sweating buckets. Right outside the cage were two well trained dogs whose breed she wasn't familiar with. They seemed aggressive but like humans say barking dogs seldom bite. She inched her hand slowly to pet one of them and it bit her. Holding back tears, she held her bleeding hand tightly. Unlike how she had read in the medical books, the dog bite stung. Her wound would get inflamed if this continued. A nearby worker saw the commotion and ran away. Krystal gripped her hand tighter and scooted over to a corner in the cage. A group of people came over and one of them took a closer look at Krystal and commented rudely saying, "She got our lady banished? I don't think so she seems dumb. Even a dumb person would be sane enough not to touch the dogs. Plus she even followed our lady back and got caught just how is she even a single aspect better than our lady? Just sheer dumb luck I guess."

"Shut it Finn" said a strangely familiar voice. A lady covered in black robes and a hood walked out. Lifting her hood she said, "Hello there, baby sister" Krystal was trying to put up a brave front. She acted disinterested. "Wondering why your powers don't work here? It's one of our researches. We can change our energy flows as we wish to, I guess you found that already, didn't you? We're a lot more advanced than you are little lady your powers, silly tricks talismans and all? They don't work here. Each and every research of mine was done specifically to defeat you or destroy you to your very own dirty core. The years I've lived here, each one of them was dedicated to you. "Amira said."Open the cage" An old lady interrupted saying, "It's dangerous my lady! We know what she is capable of. Please rethink your decision"

Without batting an eyelid Amira slit the old lady's throat."I don't need a coward. Take her away" Turning towards the cage, she walked closer and opened the cage door, walked in and went closer to Krystal who reflexively backed off. The closer Amira was to Krystal, the more powerless Krystal felt. Yanking Krystal by her injured hand, Amira dragged her out of the cage. Shoving her in the back of a wagon, Amira drove off. A few minutes later she stopped in front of an edge which seemed like the end of a cliff. "Get off" Amira ordered. Krystal opened the door meekly. She stumbled out of the wagon. Amira caught up to her and dragged her to the back of the wagon. There laid a portrait of a beautiful lady.

The portrait was that of the late empress!