The Egg of Immorality Ch. 13

The life of a Mygelan, visitor or otherwise, starts early in the morning.

To start at the beginning of The Egg of Immorality, find chapter 1 here. To start the Thirst for Power series fresh, please look for Enchanted. Thank you for reading and please look up my profile page if you have any questions, concerns, or wish to reach out to me.

The sun broke the edge of the world and bathed the trampled dirt agora with light. Bronetta called out her first order. John did his best to follow Calista's lead as she moved in near perfect synchronization with the rest of the inhabitants of Mygela. The exercises flowed without respite, moving from one stretch to a series of movements designed to put different parts of the body under tension. The smooth transition from one to the next reminded John of an elaborate dance or performance. Until he began to run out of breath and found he was sweating excessively.

He struggled to keep up and considered calling on his infernal reserves for reinforcement. He had more than enough, but he held back. His encounter with the Archon last night had been... odd. He'd been exhausted afterwards an unable to think on it then. Waking up early had been unwelcome too. Thankfully, seeing all of these fit women pushing themselves through exercises wearing only loin cloths roused him.

John hadn't established a connection with Calista. Unlike every woman he'd ever seduced since being reborn in Beytrixxa's service she remained a mystery. His magic could affect her, but he couldn't infect her. He couldn't get past the shell of her body into her soul, no matter how aroused and welcoming she'd been. Something was protecting her... was she a wizard too? Or was she like him?

John called on his magic then and shifted his perception of the world around him. He fell behind the routine and heard a few whispered snickers around him. He ignored them and focused on Calista. Not on how the sweat made her skin glisten in the morning sun or how her full breasts swayed and jiggled with each exercise. He looked past the flexing and relaxing of her thighs, hips, and butt that the simple loin cloth failed to cover. He made his eyes lose focus on her, as a person of great beauty and substance, and instead studied the energies within and around her. How her aura interacted with her and with the world around her.

"You made it further than most for your first time," Calista said, startling him out of his research.

John pulled his focus back. There was something there, some power that was merged with her, but it was not hers. He wasn't quite sure what sort of magic it was due to how subtle it was. "What? Oh... I... sorry, I was distracted."

"By me?" she asked with a knowing smile.

John chuckled and realized the calisthenics had stopped. "Well, I admit, I'm impressed."

"With me," she asked and then made a sweeping hand gesture, "or with all of this?"

"You... and this," he said. He glanced around again to make sure that he was still the only man in the crowd of women and asked, "Are the men standing guard?"

Calista smiled. "Lord John, you are the only man on Mygela."

John's eyes widened. "I... the only one? But... you're all women?"

"We have had men visit before, but they never last," she said.

"What man in his right mind would... would leave a place of such beauty?"

Her lips twisted up in a grin at his hesitation and choice of words. "The type of men we find worthy often find themselves unable to sustain themselves with the responsibilities they are saddled with."

"Oh really? What sort of responsibilities are those?" John asked.

"A full workload as fitting any citizen of Mygela," she said. "As well as fulfilling the special needs many of Mygela's citizens hunger for."

"Oh," John said. "Special needs... I can only imagine."

"You can," she agreed and then winked. "And you did."

John grinned. Without his magic to confirm he had only her words and behavior to reassure him that she'd enjoyed their tryst as much as he had. A commotion amongst the gathered women pulled him out of patting himself on the back and he found they were passing spears and shields through their ranks.

"What is this?" John asked.

"You may step out now," the Archon said. "Please, find a place nearby to watch. We're done warming up, now we drill."

"That was a warm up?" John gasped.

She winked at him again and took the spear and shield offered by the next woman in the formation.

John moved to the edge of the agora and saw the source of the spears and shields that were being distributed. They came from the open buildings around the courtyard. Shields stacked in piles and spears loaded in barrels that were grabbed in bundles and passed down the orderly lines.

"This is amazing," Roxanne said as she jogged over to join him.

Helleen was right behind her. Sadie and Arika approached from his left, with Sadie arriving last. She was red-faced and her hair was plastered to her. She glared at him as she walked up.

"Amazing is one word for it," John agreed.

"They've got quite the society here," Helleen agreed. "All these women and no men though... I'm not sure I could do it."

"I could," Roxanne said. "They really know what they're doing."

"Rox! You can't just abandon Lord John!"

Roxanne snapped out of her dreamy gaze. "What? No! I would never. I swore my service to him... even if we didn't have... you know..."

"The contract?" Helleen pressed.

"Yes, that," she said. "Still, this would be a nice place to maybe settle down one day."

"Do you really prefer the touch of a woman that much?" her sister asked.

Roxanne blushed and then shrugged her shame away. "When they're as talented as these women are? I could definitely swear off men. Not you, Master, I mean other men. Normal men."

Sadie rolled her eyes and let out a huff.

"You having problems, Sadie?" John asked her.

She shuddered and asked, "Did they demand you sleep in the same bed with your hostess too?"

John nodded. "That's standard, apparently."

She scoffed. "So I was told. And she insisted I sleep naked too!"

"Wait, did you?" Roxanne asked.

"No!" Sadie snapped at the gladiator. "I don't... I can't-- I'm not like you, Roxanne."

Roxanne winked at her. "Maybe you should try it sometime, you might like it. I'd be happy to--"

Sadie put her hands up to stop her. "No thank you!"

Roxanne laughed.

Sadie gestured at the women that were naked save for sandals, loin cloths, and shield and spear. "And look at them now, dressed like savages! No sense of propriety or modesty."

John fought to keep his own grin off his face. "Learn anything else interesting?"

"Nothing of use. They live simple lives and have little in the way of amenities, but they seem okay with it."

"What do they need?" Roxanne asked. "No men to primp for. It's a simple society that works. Work hard, play hard, enjoy the simple pleasures of life."

"Like multiple orgasms?" Helleen teased.

Roxanne giggled and then composed herself. "Yes, but that's just me being... me. Being naked is not sinful or immodest, it's natural. We make it seem wrong because that's what we're taught. Who teaches us? Men teach us. Men that have kept us locked in kitchens and homes while they explore the world and make their riches."

Artesia approached, walking slowly and watching the women go through drills with spear and shield. She stopped when she reached them and glanced over everyone quickly before returning her attention to the assembly.

"Woah, I've never heard you like this before," John said. "I didn't know you had such concerns... In fact, it kind of goes counter to some of the things you've said-- and done-- with me."

Roxanne's mounting anger faded but did not disappear. "My Lord, you have respected me from the first. Yes, I have certain cravings and you can satisfy my urges like no one else can, but you always value me as more than just a servant you can demand ale, food, and a fuck from. Even now, you're showing your interest in what I think and how I feel. I'm sorry, but you are not an example of a normal man."

John winced. He had many of his memories of his former life back now. A life where he had been focused on power and fame and riches. With those perks came women. Lots and lots of women. Women he used for his pleasure and not theirs.

"You're more right than perhaps even you know," John admitted. "There are good men out there though."

"I'm sure there are. You're one," Roxanne agreed.

"I'm trying to be," John said. "I wasn't always. The men that run much of the world are exactly as you say though. Their wealth and power allows them mastery over anything money can provide. And money, I can assure you, can provide almost anything."

"Another reason this place is so refreshing," Roxanne pointed out. "It is not rich with gold, but rich with simple pleasure and with life. There is an abundance of happiness and that is all they need."

"Happy and simple or not, this place is doomed if they cannot replenish their numbers," John said. "I suspect what men they do find are used as breeding stock."

"What a terrible fate," Roxanne mused.

"Perhaps," John said, making her smile wither. "Calista told me that--"

"Calista? Is that the Archon?" Sadie interrupted. She shook her head and said, "Of course you're on a first name basis with the Archon already."

John chuckled. "I am, but she offered it willingly. There is something amiss here, something that prevents my powers from working like they have in the past."

"Perhaps it's not all bad then," Sadie ventured.

John ignored her dig and picked up where he left off, "The Archon told me that the men that do come here always end up leaving after a while. She also pretty much admitted that those men are expected to..."

"Fuck the women?" Helleen asked.

John sighed. "Yes, but I wouldn't have put it quite like that."

"Of course you wouldn't, My Lord, Helleen said. "That's what makes you a gentleman and the rest of us your servants."

Sadie snorted but kept her thoughts to herself.

"Artesia, what of you? What did you see and learn?" John asked the woman.

"I... I was treated with respect," Artesia said.

Sadie's eyes widened. "Did they try to bed you too?"

She hesitated and then nodded. "Yes, I shared a bed with Bronetta. She respected my privacy though. We had a good talk... I didn't learn much that would help you though, my lord. I'm sorry."

"It's been one night, don't worry," John assured her.

"They are superior soldiers," Artesia offered while watching them move and shift through tactical formations. "I would put these women up against any army I've seen and be confident."

"Really?" John asked and turned his attention to the citizens of Mygela. He watched a few minutes and had to admit, they knew what they were doing. He tried to put what Artesia had taught him about fighting to use to find holes in their tactics but he couldn't. They protected each other and were always able to strike with their spears.

John turned to Arika. "What of you, how was your night with the Oracle?"

Arika grinned. "Her name is Sildae and she is wonderful!"

"Wonderful?" John asked.

"Did you-- of course you did," Sadie answered her own question.

Arika tilted her head as she looked at Sadie and then turned back to John. "Master, she is kind and wonderful and is going to teach me so much!"

"That is good," John said. "Is she as pleased with you as you are her?"

Arika nodded. "Yes, Master. Would you like me to tell you what I did for her last night?"

"No, that's not necessary," John said.

"I wouldn't mind," Roxanne offered.

John shot her a look that made her lower her hand. It didn't erase the grin on her face though.

"She's taking me to the shrine this morning and promised to teach me of their ways."

"Excellent. Learn from her, Arika. Keep her happy and serve her well," John said.

"Yes, Master," she said and bowed her head.

They continued to watch the Mygelans practicing for several more minutes until Bronetta shouted out a halt. They remained in formation and standing ready while she broke tradition and called for Artesia.

Artesia glanced at John with wide eyes.

He fought the urge to smirk and nodded for her to go.

Artesia turned and jogged along the side of the formation until she reached the front. John and the others followed behind at a slower pace. They made it in time to see Bronetta girding herself with a hard boiled leather cuirass and matching greaves and bracers. She slipped on leather gloves and wrapped a armored skirt made of hard-boiled leather strips that fell to her knees. She went without a bow but hung a short sword from her hip and then took up spear and shield.

Artesia drew her sword and offered a salute to the woman.

"What are they doing?" Sadie hissed.

"Sparring," Helleen answered.

"This is a bad idea," the priestess muttered.

"They do this every day. The woman will break apart into pairs and groups and do the same. Bronetta gets to pick someone first to spar with in front of everyone. Besides, if someone gets hurt you can help them," Roxanne reassured her.

Sadie frowned. "I would prefer no one got hurt."

Artesia dipped her spear to the ground so the blade touched it. She raised it up.

As one, the women of Mygela shouted, "Fight!"