Korinthia Koire

I listened, fascinated, "The door from my vision. What is behind there?"

"Hard to be certain." Domitia tutted, "But we believe that could be the hidey hole of none of than your Mother herself, returned to this world, tinkering away at her experiments and preparing her new race. You can have your city, Pithos, we'll make you the heireiai if you like." She then gave me her eagle glare, "But we want her. Aid us with your visions, help us locate this door, and we shall grant you anything you desire in turn."

I considered, uncertain, "My curse. And Mormo..."

"Mormo shall only ever treat you as a toy, mormolykeia are like children with dolls. Once bored she will toss you aside for another. As for your curse," she moved close to me, the breasts behind her thin gown pressing against mine. Despair and shame began to flood me as she took my hand and put it between her legs. I was surprised when I felt the phallus there, "One taste of my seed and I can make you mortal again, if that is your wish." She leaned away, freeing me from the sickening emotions, "Or, perhaps you would rather see your daughter safe?"

My head snapped up. I was about to issue a threat when a servant wandered in, bowing stiffly, "Heireiai Mormolyce is here my lady, apparently she has come to collect her servant and is grateful you found and ensured her safety."

Domitia gave a lilting laugh, "Inform her it was no trouble at all." she swivelled her head like a bird to me, "Think carefully on my words empusa. For now, farewell."

When I was in the shelter of Mormo's litter I related everything to her. She snarled, "She is trying to cause upheaval amongst us, do not let her words poison you."

"She is a he." I corrected.

Mormo nodded, "Drink of that seed Pithos, and that self-loathing you feel from her touch will never go away."

I agreed, there was something off with Domitia, not that I could pin point what exactly. Preventing the Mother from ending the race of men sounded noble, yet my instincts told me there was more to it than that. I took a deep breath, "Mormo, do you trust me?"

She eyed me for some time, "Yes."

"Then help me trust you. Show me the door."

Her lips went into a tight line, "Alright."

8. Confession

Varying hues of flesh, upon which are various intricate splatters of white. That is about as far as it comes for an empusa with regards to an appreciation of art. This much I learned when watching Nedjet and Oiran at their work, they could discuss the beauty of the phallus or compare the loads upon their breasts endlessly, try to discuss the latest erected statue, or the most popular ballad, and their eyes will grow dull with boredom, they will slink away to their hidey holes to continue their futile efforts at satiating their loins.

Aberration that I am, I had somehow retained enough of my mortal mind to admire beauty through both the mindset of an empusa and a woman. So I walked through the streets of Korinth now, taking in the beauty and wonders of this city through eyes made wise by Mormo's guidance. In the dark alleys I saw not just fellow pornai, sometimes I glimpsed the Kobaloi, squat little creatures with enormous phalluses, running between shadows and playing mischief. In the gardens I sometimes espied ancient trees shift to consider me, dryads who had made their home here for centuries. In the city stables I once tasted a centaur, he grinned at me as he quaffed ale and offered me coin to pleasure his inhuman member.

When the nobles deigned to be seen amidst the rabble, I would glimpse the silenos, or the lamiae or mormolykeia amongst them, their existence dependent on that lofty gaggle of peacocks. To the mortals many of these creatures would be seen as evil, to be eliminated without mercy, but I knew them to be no more evil than the lion is to the antelope. Korinth was a magical wonder, and if something was not done, it would be wiped from the earth, its like never to be seen again.

The door had been similar but not exactly alike that of my vision. Through a secret portal in her chamber, Mormo had led me down the stairs, past the springs in the bowels of the akrokorinth, until I beheld an huge door depicting a woman. She was bound not by chains but by serpents, her legs spread to reveal not a vulva but a keyhole, through which one could see only blackness. Mormo confessed she had no idea what lay beyond, it had been sealed for centuries, all attempts to pry open or dig round it thwarted in some unusual way. When I placed my hand against it, however, I felt my womb tremble, felt it begin to grow pregnant with something foreign. The vile yet oddly pleasant sensation stopped only when Mormo gently led me away.

A few days later, war was declared upon Rome. As Mormo had predicted, Orestes announced new regulation from the senate that further weakened the Arcahean Leagues independence, causing further outrage amongst the populace and increasing anti-Roman sentiments. A month later I stood with the increasingly fretful Mormo, watching Critolaos lead the army out to meet the incoming Roman force. Rose petals rained down amidst the cheering throng as they applauded the brave men. Mormo could only tut, "They are outnumbered two to one, more than that on cavalry, they march to their deaths. But what choice do we have?" She gave me a resigned look, "You are free to work the city tonight Pithos, I shan't tie you to the temple any longer." She took my hand, "The end is coming, I can feel it, I ask only that when does, you be there with me."

Unnerved by her increasingly fatalistic mood, I made a bold suggestion, "There is a way out of this, give the Ishim what they want. What do we care what is behind that door? If it's the Mother herself so be it, I care not for her, only for you and this city."

"Ah, still so naïve," she sighed, "They would never be content to let us be. Sooner or later they will come, they will wipe us out so they can ensure the health of their flock, their own foodsource. Deals with them never work out, trust me."

Perhaps not, I thought, but as I wandered through the city that night, watching with child-like wonder at all the unusual beings that call Korinth their home, I decided that such a deal would at least afford us all a better chance than none at all. Resolved, I went behind Mormo's back in search of Domitia to offer my services along with the door's location.

But she was nowhere to be found. With the declaration of the war and a complete collapse in negotiations, all the Roman ambassadors had left. With them gone I had no means of contacting the Ishim. I could only wait and pray to the Mother that somehow Critolaos would be victorious.

******

Late one night I returned to the temple, thirsting. With the city drained of fighting men business was quieter than normal, leaving us empusa struggling for decent seed. That night had been particularly unsuccessful, giving up I had made the ascent back, hoping to at least hook a few insomniac pilgrims at the temple proper.

It was there Nedjet accosted me, "Sister, may I speak with you privately?" She looked feverish, her eyes darted about.

"Of course." I led her outside into the cool night air, to the crumbling tomb where I had first had us all meet, "What ails you?"

"I must confess to you," she began, her head jerked as though she saw something in the darkness, then she faced me once more, "I have been spying for the Ishim, they know about you because I relayed it to them."

I was shocked more than stunned by the revelation of her betrayal, shocked that a typical empusa would be able to perform such espionage, "Why sister?"

"You are unlike us sister." She said, her eyes still darting, "You do not dream. When Oiran and I sleep, we glimpse our fate, we see the world where our predecessors now languor."

It was true, we empusa slept only for a few minutes every few months. However where my slumber was dreamless Oiran and Nedjet spoke with trembling voices mixed in fear and excitement of a realm beyond this one. A realm of horror and wonder, paradise and pandemonium as one, "Such is the nature of our being, or so you both say. What of it?"

"That is the Mother's world. In it I glimpsed creatures reaching for me, amongst them are goat headed creatures, all vying for my body. Do you understand?" When it was clear I did not she growled, "We are failures! Those beings are creatures made from the semen I have been collecting, the goat headed ones are the result of that collected from my...rituals. They are, in a way, our children. When it becomes clear we are not going to bring forth the perfect race our Mother desires, we are cast to them, to be threshed by our sons or for eternity."

My vulva twitched, reacting in delight to such a fate even as my mind recoiled. I indicated her own glistening thighs, "Looks to me like that is what you want, what any typical empusa would want. Is that not what you have been doing anyway these past several years?"

"Several decades. Being threshed in this world is not the same as being threshed in that one, if you dreamed you would understand." Nedjet then nodded, "My body craves it more and more, but my spirit longed for the realm of Banebdjedet, longed to be pierced eternally by his mighty phallus, I know now that it is not to be. Everyday I see them now sister, my children, even now I can see them peering at me from the recesses. They reach for me, sometimes they touch me. At first I passed right through them but now I can vaguely feel them, their intangible hands are caressing me even now. They whisper such things to me. Eventually, they shall be solid enough to drag me to their realm."

I looked over her and around her, trying to see these eidolons she spoke of, but I saw only her. I could only shake my head as I took all this in, "Why are you telling me this? Why not Oiran, or the heireiai?"

"The deal I made with the Ishim." Nedjet gasped, I had to wait a moment as she composed herself, "They said if I helped them they could ensure I would be taken by Banebdjedet, that I would not share the fate of the other empusa. I know they have spoken to you, I'm telling you all this now so you are aware, they lie. They lie with truth. Banebdjedet's realm is the Mother's realm."

I considered this, Mormo had suggested pretty much the same. But what did we have to lose? Korinth would be doomed either way, "Nedjet, before you get taken I need you to relay a message to the Ishim. Tell them I wish to speak with them."

She gave me an angry look, "Have you not been listening sister?"

I gripped her shoulders, "Trust me, I have. Will you do this for me?"

She looked at me a long time, then nodded.

9. Battle of Korinth

"Critolaos is dead, slain in battle, his army massacred." Mormo said, kneeling beside me. I could not answer because my mouth was stuffed balls deep with a devotee's phallus. The devotee was so consumed with lust by my aura that he did not even notice and continued on. Never had Mormo disturbed me in the middle of work, she found our acts distasteful, it spoke volumes about her increasingly dour state. I could only offer a wet, choked sound as a greeting.

Hands gripped my head, the member slid in and out of my face, my body flushed with pleasing warmth at performing its duty as empusa. Still, I managed to divide my attention enough to drink in Mormo's words.

"I remember when I was first brought here as a ditsy young mortal. I was disgusted by all you harlots rutting like animals in the open, I was eager to pay my respects to Aphrodite and be away. But as my parents took me to see various delegates I saw the heterae, oh how they mesmerised me! There I was, waiting to be married off to some benefactor and I saw those free birds. They were not just whores, they were artists, singers, performers, scholars, whatever they wish to be. They entranced men with their wit and intellect, not just their lust. My parents were horrified when I announced my intentions and scolded me endlessly, so I ran away and came here.

"I was accepted with open arms, learned their ways eagerly and became noticed by the heireiai of that time herself. When she revealed herself as lamia to me I did not flinch, and accepted the task of being her successor. She had expected me to become one of the lamiae, I had the traits for such apparently, she was so shocked when I became what they would call the mormolykeia..."

I gagged as the devotee began thrusting faster, he was close to finishing. Mormo went on heedless, "The mortals speak of bad omens, they sense defeat is coming. There is talk of trees moving away from the city, of impish creatures flitting through the gates, of young men waking to find their wives gone. They are all fleeing Pithos. But I cannot, I am heireiai, and I must see it through."

My body shuddered in unsatisfying orgasm as the devotee ejaculated down my throat. His own lust satiated for a time, his glazed eyes regained their focus. He realised who was beside me and went pale, he retreated, stuttering apologies. I frowned at the exaggerated reaction as I wiped the spit and cum from my face, then looked over to Mormo.

She was covered in blood.

I leapt up, fearing she was injured as first, then realised what had really happened. "You imbecile!" I hissed, "Are you not even feeding discretely anymore?" She just laughed and shook her head.

She limply accepted my weight as I helped her up and led her to her private quarters. The other priestesses who saw us gave exclamations and offered to send for the priests from the Asclepieia. I calmed them as best I could and had them fetch hot water for a bath. When alone with her I undressed Mormo, setting the ruined garments aside to be burned and had her dip into the steaming water. I proceeded to clean her as best I could as she continued to babble mindlessly about how Diaeaus would be elected, how the League would fall, and other political issues I had no mind for just then.

Eventually, she grew quiet as I scrubbed her, her copper eyes meeting my own. She blushed and suddenly blurted, "Empusae are capable of love you know, only extremes of love though, that is what it takes to break through their lust, that is why their relationships are usually incestuous..."

"I'm an aberration, remember?" I broke in, then kissed her.

******

Quietly, slowly, I broke from Mormo's sleepy embrace and patted quietly into the main chamber. I walked around the gleaming statue of Aphrodite, looking for Nedjet, checking her usual favoured areas. Not finding her, I began checking every crevasse, every nook, for a good hour I searched, but to no avail. I needed to meet with the Ishim and it needed to be soon.

I came across Oiran, she was against a pillar, legs spread, playing with herself as she waited impatiently for the next worshipper, "Sister, where is Nedjet?"

She looked up at me, smiling, "Gone, to that realm...getting rammed by rams probably. If things don't pick up here soon I might as well join her."

A sinking feeling came at the pit of my stomach as I realised my only line of communication with the Ishim was now gone.

10. Being Shadow

I need not have feared, for I would soon meet them.

The festive mood in the city was snuffed out, growing despair rose and people began fleeing eastwards, aware the Roman legions would be upon us soon. Rather hastily, the Archaean League elected Diaeaus as the new strategos. Again Mormo took me with her to watch the swiftly assembled replacement army march to fend off the invaders. Although cheers and applause were given to the brave men, there was no hiding the sombre mood that tainted the air, it was not helped by talk of visions of a blood covered heireiiai walking the streets.

I stood, hand in hand with Mormo on the balcony, as yet more men filed out of Korinth, more seed denied to my womb. I considered arguing with Mormo again, pleading with her to leave with me, but she would not have it. Korinth was in a panic enough without the heireiai fleeing and leaving her people. For good or ill we were staying.

I was in the now quiet streets later that same day, I had just been sodomised behind the temple of Apollo after a long time failing to gain a client. I rounded the corner, somewhat refreshed for having drank, albeit rectally, where I encountered a group of armed men. A familiar scarred man addressed me, "The Lady Domitia would speak with you."

Surprised that she was even in Korinth, I had them lead the way. It was as I approached her quarters that something remarkable happened.

We approached a villa which had belonged to one of the lamiae of Korinth before they fled. As I got near I could sense the fornication occurring on the top floor, wafting from the window left open in the heat of the day. As if on instinct my vulva shivered, my heart leapt, and I became shadow.

For a delicious instant I became incorporeal, the world was twilight around me, and then I was back in the material once more, only I was on the balcony of that window. I heard exclamations behind me, the men confused by my sudden vanishing act. I heeded them not, I allowed myself to marvel at this ability I had not been aware of for only a moment before I entered the room.

On the bed, amidst tangled sheets, was Domitia. She was on top of someone who matched her in blonde hair and blue eyes, only he was clearly of masculine form. Domitia was taking his cock inside herself, working her hips back and forth as she gleefully spoke to him, "When we present her before the Thrones, they will have no choice to but grant us ascension to the higher ranks."

I leaned a hip against the nearby dresser and made the sound of clearing my throat, not that I have needed to do so in years. With a start, the two Ishim leapt up, the masculine one quickly clothing himself whilst Domitia glared at me, "How?"

"I wish to make a deal." I said before they could call the guards, "Let us be honest here, you will not spare Korinth. Once you have whatever's behind that door you will find some way to renege on the deal and wipe us out."

The masculine one frowned, looked to Domitia, who made no attempt to clothe herself, indeed she seemed to flaunt her hermaphroditic body defiantly, "Then you know nothing of us Ishim. We are incapable of lying."

That took me back only for an instant, before I understood, "Indeed, that may be the case, but you are like the Roman senate. You do not lie, you tailor and reveal truths as it suits you. As I said, you would find some way to renege. But it doesn't matter, you can have what's behind the door, and you can have Korinth."

"Oh?" She said, intrigued.

I held up two fingers, "When it is over, I ask only that you spare two people. My daughter is left alone, naturally, and Mormolyce. You let her go when Korinth falls." I smiled, "You have no doubt pieced it together as I have, somehow I am the key to opening that portal. I will work with you to see it done, but you must grant me this in turn. Do so and I am yours."

Domitia laughed, "A mortal and a mormo for the Mother of Abominations and a city? You have yourself a deal pornai. You give us this and you can take your heireiai and go back to sucking dicks for a pastime." She ran a hand down the masculine Ishim's chest, "Now if you don't mind, I was in the middle of an important affair. Exactly how did you get past-"

I saw her eyes widen for a moment as I became as shadow once again and flicked away from them.

******

I sat beside Mormo on the hill overlooking the city, placed a hand in hers as the sun began to set, "You've had news?"

She nodded, "The legions crushed them, they say Diaeaus has fled north somewhere. The legions will be upon us come the morn. They are being led by Consul Lucius Mummus, whose wife is the Lady Domitia." Seeing my look she smiled sadly, "Ishim can twist the memories of their flock, as far as they and even Orestes are concerned they have always been married. She is no doubt advising them to make an example of us even now."