The Priestess of the Night - Night 03

Well, after part 1 and 2, always comes part 4. Why? Because... because... any suggestions about why? Things might escalate quickly or not in this chapter, check the previous parts to (not) understand this one, better not. Some characters will (not) show their motivations, memories and plans, and it will (not) take us to the big question: what's the meaning of Dogannu's dream? Is Aalyat the incarnation of Evil or trapped in someone else's plan? Why are the Priests (not) moving fast to save Dogannu? Who's the stranger that (did not) appear at the end of Ch.02? Well, time to find out...

PD: Too many (k)not's, I know. Edited by my friend FelixRyder *thumbs up*

The next morning, Dogannu woke up a bit confused, tired, and less sore than the previous night. Once again he had that strange dream and again he couldn't talk at all to the mysterious naked woman. But he was sure about one single thing, her voice and her entire body were very beautiful like she was out of this world. He got up and grabbed an old tunic to use in his shower. Mirlya was already up and preparing bread on the fire with the last of the flour she had kept safe, held by two flat dishes made of bronze.

His thoughts returned to Aalyat and he couldn't avoid letting escape a lonely tear. He remembered her as a sweet and good girl from his childhood, his love at first sight, more precious than the air he breathed and all the good in his world but he didn't recognize her the first night. Last night, after the ritual and noticing her face and smile were so familiar he asked his mother if she was the same Aalyat daughter of Elanya and Kebok and granddaughter of Ishalyat. When she nodded, his world crumbled. With a different look and heart, she wasn't the same woman he met, and now she was back after many years to punish his body and soul. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny that their last encounter was way more pleasant than the first one, and once again that strange dark feeling invaded him.

''This is not right, stop thinking about her. Maybe she forgot you after all these years,'' he thought.

A mix of anger, compassion and lust were fighting inside of him but also intrigue, because he knew that his strange dream had some meaning but as he couldn't leave his house, he couldn't consult with a priest or a prophet, and he wasn't sure about opening his heart to his mother.

Meanwhile, at Priest Hatimekh's house, Edrok was doing silly and filthy things to his mattress made of straw and protected by lots of wrapped cloth. He pretended his mattress was Aalyat, and he was delivering hard thrusts over and over until he was sweaty and breathing heavy, thinking how it would be to fuck her asshole.

''What are you doing, for the gods' sake!?'' Priest Hatimekh yelled when he opened the door of his room carefully, after hearing his groans.

''Father! I-I... I was...'' Edrok mumbled but he was ashamed and had no excuses.

''When you finish with your insane... perversion, I'll be waiting for you,'' the priest said and walked away.

Edrok turned around and tried to recover his breath again, his abdomen was moving up and down fast after the short and furious action he performed to his bed. He changed and picked a beige tunic to give a break to his large collection of white tunics. When he was ready, he left the room and went to the meeting with his father.

Meanwhile, Aalyat opened her eyes and yawned. She had a great headache and when she looked to the table next to her, she saw a strange black glass with perverse silhouettes, full of a black liquid; she opened her eyes wide and then she felt different. She forgot to drink it after fucking Dogannu last night. All her memories and her soul belonged to her once again.

''Gods, I think I'm free! After many years,'' she thought.

The light of the sun was bright and she got up, her naked flawless body leaving the sheets. Aalyat distinguished her fine black transparent tunic over a small table close to her bed. She closed her eyes whilst her skin felt the delicate touch of the tunic sliding over her body; it was an intoxicating sensation that made her smile. The hot priestess sighed and Dogannu came to her thoughts.

''My dear Dogannu,'' she mumbled but she couldn't reprimand a guilty feeling when the flashes of the last days came to her mind.

Grabbing a golden bracelet, she adjusted it on her left wrist and left her bedroom. Accompanied by her bodyguards, she headed to Dogannu's house; people in the street kneeled when she walked in front of them. After walking most of the main street, Aalyat turned to the right, into a small street with two-floor houses that was a side route to the town market; finally, she stood in front of the house of Priestess Mirlya and her guards called out.

The woman came out when she heard someone calling her and she saw Priestess Aalyat with her guards. She became a bit nervous. Aalyat's gaze was severe and tough.

''Priestess Aalyat! It's an honor... what brings you to your humble servant's house?'' Mirlya said.

''I've come to see your son, Mirlya,'' she answered.

''Sure... sure, he is inside, eating. If you can sit and wait I can tell him you are here,'' Mirlya detailed, and Aalyat nodded. She told her guards to stay outside and she followed Mirlya inside her house.

Pointing to a chair, Mirlya told her to sit and wait, then she went back to tell her son about Aalyat's presence. Aalyat checked with curiosity at all that surrounded her, from the tools in a corner that belonged to Hanoth to the several sculptures of the gods in the other corner. It was a small room and it didn't have a lot of objects or goodies, but Aalyat liked it, simple and familiar. Mirlya returned and told her Dogannu was willing to meet her, so the young priestess stood up and followed Mirlya.

''Dogannu is outside, but if you wish, you can tell him to talk in his room,'' Mirlya suggested.

''It's ok, thanks for everything, Priestess Mirlya. I know this is inappropriate from me,'' Aalyat excused herself for her unexpected visit.

''Don't say such things. It's an honor to have you in my house,'' Mirlya said with a smile, but thinking the opposite and being alert, just in case Aalyat came with other intentions.

Aalyat left the table for food behind and reached the backyard of the house. Dogannu was sitting on a wood box, and close to him there was another; she sat down and looked at him. Her gaze adopted a tender look and she sighed.

''Why are you here?'' he asked with a slight roughness in his voice.

''I came to see you,'' she said with a humble voice.

''Oh... that's great,'' Dogannu said in a harsh sarcastic voice. ''Now I'm not the Wicked One, am I?"

She remained in silence, looking at him. She was desperate, feeling a burning sensation in her soul. She had to say it but an evil inner sense returned to block her; she anguished, knowing it wasn't easy to be free but she had to try.

''I'm sorry,'' she muttered.

Aalyat felt relief when those words came out of her mouth. Dogannu was speechless, as he didn't understand what Aalyat was pretending.

''You are sorry?''

''I know you will not believe me, but I didn't have another choice,'' Aalyat said.

''Of course you had another. Instead, you acted like the gods,'' Dogannu muttered with hate.

He saw her for a while, and something didn't make sense for him. Her gaze was different, out of arrogance and coldness, and he lowered down his guard.

The Priestess of the Night looked to the sky and then at him, and breathed.

''I like you,'' she confessed.

From all the things she said and her gazes, this one caught Dogannu. He stared at her and he knew she wasn't playing with him.

''You have a strange way to show your love,'' Dogannu said.

''Dogannu... I still remember the first time I saw you when we were children, do you remember it?'' Aalyat said with a soft voice.

Like his memory was part of a glorious whirlwind of colors and emotions, he closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he saw a cute tender girl walking next to her mother. It was Aalyat... pale skin and long blonde hair like her mother. In a matter of seconds, their gazes crossed for the first time and the young girl smiled at him shyly. Dogannu waved his hand in response until Aalyat's mother noticed the situation and after dedicating a cold gaze to the kid, she pulled her daughter's arm to the other side and walked away. But the girl looked back and waved her hand as well.

After that vivid flashback, Dogannu returned to the present, and Aalyat was sitting in front of him.

''You were so different... but now, after refreshing my memories, I can detect your mother's gaze in yours,'' he affirmed.

She didn't refute his comment.

''I want to tell you so many things... but I can't,'' Aalyat said.

''You can't expect me to believe you then, the only relation we have now is a merciless rite,'' Dogannu said.

''I'm trying to be as gentle as I can,'' she excused herself.

''Really!?'' Dogannu shouted, offended. ''YOU ALMOST KILL ME THE FIRST NIGHT! And now you are telling me that you love me!? What kind of heartless woman are you?'' he yelled possessed by uncontrollable wrath.

She didn't answer immediately and Dogannu saw a lonely tear sliding down her cheek.

''You didn't complain too much last night,'' she said with an affected voice.

That was true... despite her being a bit rough, he could bear the whole ritual without receiving a lot of pain from her and he also delivered pain to her, not only that; but at the end of it, Dogannu even grinned because he liked what they did. Something dark and strange inside him woke last night as well and he admitted he liked the experience.

''It's not me, it's like... like a dark shadow... and then I lose control,'' she mumbled and buried her face between her hands, without being able to contain her tears.

Now Dogannu didn't know what to do. He saw her crying in silence and then he stood carefully and moved closer, posing his hand over her shoulder. Aalyat calmed down and raised her head up, looking at his face; her beautiful grey eyes were reddened and the tears were ruining her dark make up.

''Look, I know you might feel remorse, but that isn't love,'' Dogannu said.

Aalyat stopped crying and cleaned her face with her tunic.

''So, what do you think it is?'' she asked firmly. ''This is what I feel for you, how I can show you I am not lying?''

She stood and looked at him, she was so close. Dogannu didn't have any idea because he never imagined this situation could ever happen but Aalyat did not hesitate. Giving another step forward, she was a few inches away from him and breathing closer; she put her arms around Dogannu's neck and kissed him.

He didn't push her away and embraced her body. Mirlya was looking at them behind the kitchen wall, and she couldn't believe what Aalyat and her son were doing. The Priestess was burning with desire and wishing that moment could last forever. After some minutes kissing slowly and passionately, they separated and both were breathing heavily; their foreheads made contact and they stayed like that, looking into each other's eyes. Dogannu was confused but he didn't want to go away.

''I wish you could love me as I love you,'' she whispered. ''I thought the first night you would recognize me, but you didn't. I recognized you but I was... I wasn't me that first night. And during the rite, I just unleashed my frustration but it wasn't me, I swear it for all the gods.''

''You went away for some years, and your hair changed. When my mother told me it was you... that broke my heart,'' Dogannu confessed.

She caressed his hair slowly and fought her dark side to tell more things to him.

''If I could end this, I would. But that would mean my...'' she stated and then stopped.

"That would mean what? Just be honest with me if you love me,'' he said, trying to find out her plans.

''I can't... you have no idea what I suffered when I was out of Ashtaroth... my only hope was to see you again and tell you the only truth of my heart. My mother had many secrets, and she always believed the prophecies of the rise of Dark Ashtoreth... a new order is about to come, and I want you to be by my side,'' she concluded.

''What do you mean by that?'' Dogannu asked.

''This world is going to change... but you won't need to worry if we are together,'' Aalyat said and kissed him quickly.

The Priestess of the Night rested her face on his shoulder, embracing Dogannu really hard. Mirlya showed up and they separated.

''Mother!'' Dogannu yelled, startled.

''Oh... I thought the Priestess was gone... well, I will... go back inside,'' she apologized and left them alone.

Aalyat got close again and hugged Dogannu. He didn't have any idea what to do but he wrapped his arms around her, having a storm of thoughts but he couldn't express any of them. The Priestess put her mouth close to his left ear and whispered.

''I'll see you tonight... Dogannu.''

She gave Dogannu one last kiss and left him alone. He was confused but at the same time a small joy invaded his anguished soul. Everything was so twisted and out of reality, but he kept all doubts to himself.

Aalyat crossed paths with Mirlya inside the house and ignored her farewell. Waving her hand to her guards, they escorted her back home.

At Priest Hatimekh's house, a secret council was taking place. Led by Hatimekh, there were other priests with him, all of them wearing large white tunics but Edrok, who wore a beige tunic. Themeon, Pellek-garok, Asded-abu (the Priest of Dagan), an old bald man with a big nose who was a friend of Hatimekh and Edrok. The only people missing were Diamnith and Kebok.

''Are we expecting someone else?'' Asded-abu asked when he noticed Hatimekh was impatient.

''Priest Kebok and Priestess Diamnith should be here,'' Hatimekh replied.

Pondering beginning without them, Hatimekh walked all over the Main Room and his son Edrok was fantasizing about Aalyat. A knock on the front door warned Hatimekh and he stopped walking in circles.

''It must be them,'' Themeon affirmed.

''I hope so,'' Hatimekh mumbled.

''I will make sure of it, father,'' Edrok commented.

The old priest nodded and Edrok walked to the front door. Seconds later he returned followed by Priestess Diamnith. She seemed nervous and sweaty.

''My apologies, priests. I was so busy worshipping Sun that I... totally forgot our meeting,'' Diamnith said. She breathed heavily three times, trying to catch her breath.

''Are you ok, Priestess Diamnith?'' Priest Hatimekh asked.

''Sure... I just... came as fast as I could, that's all,'' she affirmed.

''Good, now where's Priest Kebok?'' Asded-abu wondered.

''I think we should wait, what do you think, Priestess?'' Themeon asked.

Diamnith, distracted by her thoughts, reacted late and the priest repeated his suggestion.

''Yes... I mean, it's a good idea,'' she pointed. But there was something rare in her behavior because it was like she wasn't present with them.

They waited some time but Hatimekh, impatient and nervous, decided to speak. Exposing his fears and arguments, Priest Hatimekh suggested the only way to stop Aalyat was killing her, otherwise, the ritual would be completed and Dark Ashtoreth would return to unleash her wrath upon men.

''But Priest, how do you think we could get close to Aalyat? Slowly but steadily more fanatics of Dark Ashtoreth are arriving here, and tonight it's going to be clear that we don't have the numbers to make such commitment,'' Priest Asded-abu affirmed.

''Not only that, Priest Hatimekh. If the rite continues, it will only increase the strength of Dark Ashtoreth inside her; I think she knows that,'' Themeon analyzed.

''Father, when you say the strength of Dark Ashtoreth grows inside Priestess Aalyat, what exactly do you mean by that?'' Edrok asked, intrigued.

''Son... by the time the rite is completed, Priestess Aalyat will not exist and the goddess will... control her body, essentially destroying her spirit,'' Priest Hatimekh explained.

''That's why we need to stop her before the rite is over,'' Priest Themeon added.

Hatimekh nodded and then sat down in his elegant divan, trying to think. With the new waves of fanatics arriving at Ashtaroth, it meant they would need to act discreetly, so the only way to kill Aalyat was in her own house.

''I have an idea, but we need Priest Kebok so we can coordinate it. Where the fuck is that man, for El's sake?'' Hatimekh said impatiently.

''Admirable Priest, you can't forget the guards she has,'' Pellek-garok reminded. Hatimekh sighed, frustrated.

''We should send someone to see if he is fine and what happened to him,'' Asded-abu said.

''Send a servant to Priest Kebok's house, Edrok,'' Hatimekh ordered to his son.

He walked out of the Main Room and returned followed by one of his father's servants. Diamnith was looking to the roof while Edrok was crossing the room to head to Priest Kebok's house but then a big bump sounded from the front door. A man emerged wearing a warrior outfit, followed by other soldiers.

Kneeling in front of the priests, the warrior made an announcement, ''Priest Kebok is dead. A farmer found his body hidden in his stable.''

Everyone in the room was shocked after hearing those words. Diamnith covered her mouth with both hands, Priest Hatimekh seemed disturbed and clearly without hope; the only one who looked a bit normal was Edrok because of his unnatural hate for human life.

''For El's sake, you must be lying!'' Priest Hatimekh shouted desperately, but the warrior shook his head.

''I can confirm it, Noble Priest,'' the warrior said.

Suddenly, all the plans they were elaborating on crumbled and faded. Without Priest Kebok, it was nearly impossible to get close to Aalyat... unless a desperate enough solution was suggested.

''This is it... we have no hope,'' Priest Pellek-garok muttered.

''We cannot give up just like that, we must do something!'' Priest Themeon barked, anguished.

''Then what can you suggest, Priest?'' Pellek-garok said harshly.

''We can't fight between each other, we need to focus and try another solution,'' Diamnith commented.

''You are right, Priestess Diamnith,'' Priest Hatimekh asserted.

The silence reigned again in the room, only interrupted by Edrok and his melodious anthem. Diamnith looked at him with anger, because she knew Edrok didn't care about Kebok's fate, and she focused on a possible plan to share that with the other priests. The warriors that brought the information remained in silence, guarding the priests.

''I have an idea!'' Asded-abu shouted happily.

''Go on, Priest...'' Hatimekh said in expectation.

''We will need Priestess Mirlya and her son, they must be here,'' Asded-abu confessed.

''It will be risky to bring them here, but we need to try it. Soldier...'' Priest Hatimekh mumbled to the warrior.

''I will bring them here, my lord,'' the warrior assured and he stood, followed by his guards and left the house.

Later on, the news about Priest Kebok and his death spread all over Ashtaroth. At home, Aalyat was in her bedroom walking in circles with no idea about what to do, when she felt the temperature decreasing in the room. She began to breathe faster.

''Oh no, not again... just leave me alone!'' she shouted, desperate.

After some minutes, the cold invaded her body and the priestess closed her eyes firmly. A knock in the door interrupted the inner demons that were fighting inside her.

''Priestess... erm, you have a-a... a visit,'' the servant mumbled nervously.

''Ok... I'll wait here,'' Aalyat said.

The poor girl made a shy reverence and abandoned the room. Encouraging herself, Aalyat waited until the visitor stepped in front of her. It was the unknown person with the black hood.