What description! This first chapter is truly beautiful, but what more, so exciting! You display an excellent handle on imagery (vivid and engaging), character (I really look forward to learning more about Aliana, and what she'll do now that she's been so forcefully propelled from her safe zone. That was a brilliant initiating incident, by the way. It's as though it's showing how any fictive character should be forced from their safe zone, their temple of Arkustrata, into the main story... but my apologies, I'm rambling) and action. (Oh, I'm paraphrasing LionHarted! I just realised. Well, to be succinct, I concur with his remark ^^)

Anyway, excellent work. I look forward to reading more!