The Priestess of the Night

Then, he heard the door of his cell and in front of him was his mother Mirlya. She was carrying a plate with food and water in a mud glass, the door closed behind her and she kneeled over him.

"I'm sorry, my dear son. I never thought this could happen, let me help you..." she said after leaving the dish and glass on the floor and extended her hands to sit him down in the floor.

"Don't... fucking... touch me," Dogannu said with anger.

"Please, forgive me. I was scared... I thought you were leaving Ashtaroth, leaving me alone..." she said as excuse but he screamed.

"I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU, FUCK YOU!!"

"Dogannu... for-for-forgive me... ple-please..." she begged crying but her son was out of control.

"AARRGGHH!! I WANT TO KILL YOU!!" he yelled out.

He kept screaming and cursing for a while, and moving without control. Mirlya got away, crying and shivering, Dogannu broke the glass with water and the dish, spreading as he could the food over the floor. His mother knocked the door and someone from the other side opened it and she ran away.

For about one hour he screamed and cursed his mother, his stepfather, and the gods. Suddenly, he felt thirsty and he calmed down; the ropes in his wrists were hurting him more, so he decided to keep calm but with the ropes on, his skin would feel sore. He began to feel hungry, and he regretted wasting the food and water his mother brought, but there was no point of feeling sorry now. When he wondered when the time of his sacrifice would take place, the door opened again and Edrok came in.

"Are you here to pick on me?" Dogannu asked.

"Oh really?" Edrok said with a naughty smile.

"End this quick," Dogannu said.

"Oh, poor wicked one... you thought nobody would catch you, but I did. You know, I really want to open your chest with my knife, to see your insides and feed my pet with your bowels..." Edrok confessed and sighed when he said that.

"Then just do it here and now," Dogannu challenged him, but Edrok laughed.

"With real pleasure I would do it, to avenge the gods. However, your verdict has been changed, I disagreed the idea, but I must obey," Edrok said and Dogannu felt curious for the very first time.

"What do you mean?"

"You will learn to respect and worship the gods, again..." Edrok said cryptically and he turned around and left the room.

The man smiled for the first time. He cried, the joy was so big in his heart, he would not end sacrificed after all. He thanked El and rested his back against the wall, sleeping for a while; until the door was opened again and a young ebony woman, with food and water came in. The slave sat down in front of him and fed him with fresh fruits and good meat, Dogannu ate so desperately that he almost choke in couple opportunities with the food and water. After feeding him, she cleaned his face with a perfumed handkerchief, stood up and left the dungeon.

Once again, Dogannu continued alone in the dungeon. He wondered why such attention, but not for so long, he had been really hungry to think any double intentions from his captors. The time passed on, and heat increased; he thought Sun was burning high in the skies, burning his town with his fire, he sweated a lot and with his hands tied up it was very uncomfortable to dry the sweat in his forefront. Dogannu fell asleep and he woke up suddenly when he heard the door of the dungeon, his mother was there and she came in with fear. He watched her but lowered down his head, Mirlya, with redden eyes, sat down in front of him; she saw her son and shyly extended her hand to his, at first Dogannu thought of moving his hands away, but he kept them on his legs and Mirlya grabbed them tenderly.

"Ple-please, forgive me..." Mirlya begged.

The feelings and emotions overwhelmed Dogannu and tears slid down his cheeks, Mirlya began to cry either and she encourage herself and embraced her son. There was nothing else for them, she caressed her son's hair and face, then Mirlya grabbed him by the neck.

"Mother... what will happen to me?" Dogannu said when he recovered his breath.

"I'm not very sure... but... I have to meet with Priestess Diamnith in a while. She said it's important," Mirlya replied when she calmed down a bit.

"Will you come back?"

"I will try, but Edrok's fanatics are watching my steps... so I need to be careful," Mirlya assured.

"El is protecting you, I am sure..." he said and Mirlya smiled a little.

"Edrok is pissed. He wanted to sacrifice you... however, goddess Ashtoreth spoke to a priestess and the High Priest Hatimekh changed your sentence," she informed.

"At least I'm not going to die... but with Edrok I can't be so sure," Dogannu affirmed.

"Don't worry. I will consult the gods tonight, and I will pray them for your life," Mirlya promised and he lowered down his head, "Trust in the gods, Dogannu. It's the only way," she said and kissed him in his forefront. Mirlya stood up and left the cell, she closed the door behind her and Dogannu breathed deeply.

Back in the Temple of Sun, Priestess Diamnith was speaking with some of her priestesses, when Aalyat arrived to the Sanctum Room, escorted by two men. Aalyat was wearing her black tunic and golden collar, her hair perfumed with fragrant scents, with a hand gesture Diamnith invited Aalyat to sit down, which she did.

"Welcome, Priestess Aalyat. Here are some of my priestesses, as you requested," Diamnith said.

"Did they met the requirements?" she asked.

"Yes, all of them are experienced in every ritual and mystery of the gods..." Diamnith guaranteed.

"Perfect. Now I need to ask you, do you know about Dark Ashtoreth's forbidden rites?" Aalyat asked.

All of the Sun Priestesses swallowed saliva, nervous. Diamnith's hands shook when she heard Aalyat's words, "Dark Ashtoreth?" she repeated, alarmed.

"Yes, Dark Ashtoreth. I need to tell you a secret... my father doesn't know I serve Dark Ashtoreth. Personally, I feel more... identified... with her. She told me what to do with The Wicked One," Aalyat confessed.

"B-but... you said Ashtoreth talked to you..." Diamnith reminded to her.

"Well, there's almost no difference between them. Just like all the Baals in Canaan, just different attributions," Aalyat asserted.

"Different attributions? She is depraved, for a good reason her rituals are forbidden!" Priestess Kesri said indignant.

"The Wicked One is an immoral trash, even more," Aalyat affirmed and she giggled, "I will claim his body either, after Dark Ashtoreth punish his insults to the gods," she said.

"You can't do that. Only Priest Hatimekh has the authori..." Diamnith said when she stopped talking, with a simple cold gaze from Aalyat, Priestess Diamnith felt dizzy. The daughter of Priest Kebok was really a heartless woman, even though from the outside she looked as a good tender girl.

"I said, I will claim his body. As everyone agrees with this point, my second question; have you heard about the Samikhred Usim rite?" Aalyat asked.

A general chorus of shouting was heard after Aalyat's question. Priestess Diamnith covered her mouth with her hands, scandalized, "So this is what you pretend to do, an excruciating ceremony to demolish that poor man? Priestess Kesri said.

"This is Dark Ashtoreth's will, are you telling me you are against the will of Ashtoreth, aren't you?" Aalyat said.

Kesri didn't answer, and considered very carefully the wrath of Dark Ashtoreth, so she shook her head and Aalyat grinned, "Good, because I thought you were against the will of a goddess..." she mumbled.

"Eh... Aalyat... to realize that ceremony, you know, the Main Priest must do it," Diamnith admitted.

"Yes, you are right. But, there's no problem with that; since I am the Main Priestess..." she revealed while playing with her fingers.

A tense silence took over the room, the other priestesses were really scared to death, but none of them raised their voice. Aalyat gave them some other instructions, concerning Dogannu and the temple to consummate the rite, the Temple Of The Night. She stood up, and followed by her guards, she left the temple. Diamnith and the others sighed in relief, but not for too long; Priestess Kesri said what all of them were thinking.

"Should we tell Mirlya?"

"I'm not sure if we should... we could break her heart," a blonde woman said, called Priestess Lamysh.

"If this is the will of Dark Ashtoreth, there's nothing she or we can do. We must accept it," Priestess Kesri argued.

Diamnith stood up, and looked each one of her sisters with a solemn gaze, "This has to be done. I feel sorry for Mirlya, but Kesri is right. I just... never expected to be part of this rite... again," she declared.

"Did you participated in a Samikhred Usim?" another priestess asked, named Regda.

"Yes... there's no words to describe that cursed ritual, but one: Inhuman..." she confessed.

The Sun Priestesses discussed for a while until Mirlya arrived to the temple. When she knew Aalyat's intentions about his son, she had a crisis. Her sisters consoled her and told her it was the will of a goddess, no human could change a divine judgment, then all of them substituted their normal tunics to serve Sun, and wore the black tunics brought by Aalyat; and they left the temple, following Diamnith out of Ashtaroth to prepare the Temple Of The Night for the rite.

With some guards watching, three slaves showered Dogannu in his cell. They cleaned him very well, the man thought that at least being a prisoner wasn't that bad. He felt a little awkward when the slaves rubbed his penis and ass, cleaning them lots of time. After the shower, the guards tied his hands and took him out of the cell, naked; Dogannu felt really embarrassed and humiliated for such conduct, they guided him back to Priest Hatimekh house. In the Main Room another slave dressed him with a white and short tunic, when he was ready; Edrok came into the room.

"The Wicked One... how do you feel?" he asked with a burlesque tone.

"Much better, I'm still surprised," Dogannu answered.

"Are you?" Edrok said cryptically. His face went from white to red in no time.

"Yes, I think so. Food, shower, new clothes..." Dogannu enumerated and Edrok laughed wildly.

"Oh Wicked One, I hope you can say that later... hehehe," Edrok commented with a sadistic gaze.

"Then tell me now,"

"I don't think so, Wicked One. I will just show you the path... the rest is out of my control. I hope you enjoy it as much as I will," Edrok said and left him alone with the guards.

Dogannu wondered what was all that. "I will just show you the path... the rest is out of my control," Edrok's words echoed in his head. Will that had a special meaning, or was just fruit of Edrok's paranoia? Dogannu thought, then the last thing about enjoying, he didn't found any sense to that. "Probably he's already nuts," he concluded and stayed in silence with the guards close by. Long time passed and Dogannu sat down in the floor to rest his legs, and he admired the egyptian divan of Priest Hatimekh.

Edrok returned with a black tunic, waved his hands and the guards raised Dogannu from the floor and guided him out of the house. Edrok's gaze was really happy, something Dogannu didn't like. It was late night, the streets were empty and he walked in the middle of the main street, escorted by the guards and Edrok, who was playing with his knife and Dogannu feared the worst. Where did they were going, he thought, the High Priest's son began to sing a holy anthem, the same he sang the night before, but Dogannu didn't knew it.

The group of men left the town and Edrok guided them out of the principal road, they walked across an abandoned field, full of dry plants and roots. In no time, the pebbles under their feet were plunging in their sandals and harming their feet; this lasted about ten minutes of walk. The environment changed and led them into a small forest, the pebbles disappeared and the moss replaced it, Dogannu felt much better went they entered the forest, in part because of his feet.

But again, the incognita came to his thoughts, so Dogannu asked Edrok where did they were heading to. Edrok, cryptically as usual and with a curiosity tone replied, "I don't know, let's find out...". Of course, Dogannu knew he was lying but he had no choice but to follow him and hope it wasn't something bad. The moss path ended abruptly and the forest led them to an open field, and Dogannu observed something that almost stopped his heart.

Three miles away, he watched an ordinary hill, at first sight. However, in front of it, there was a crack, and two men were outside carrying torches, he panicked and kneeled in front of Edrok.

"Please Edrok, don't do this," he begged.

"Oh Wicked One, there's no way to escape..." Edrok answered. He had a triumphant gaze and his eyes were wide open.

"You told me my verdict had been changed!" Dogannu exclaimed desperate.

"Oh did I?" he answered in sarcastic tone and laughed at him.

Dogannu crawled to Edrok's feet, humiliated and trying to find a chance to skip his sacrifice, "Please, I beg you, don't do this. Don't be such a bastard and let me go!!" he screamed. Edrok, numb, and laughing at his disgraceful destiny, stepped away from him, "Wrong words, Wicked One. Now time to learn to respect the gods," he said and ordered his guards to carry him.

They got close to the hill and some minutes later they stepped in front of the men with the torches. Dogannu was still crying but one of the guards kicked his stomach so he stopped. Edrok saluted the men in front of the cave and they stepped aside, the group came inside. It was a dark but spacious natural cave, but with some evident marks of human's presence (some pillars in the cave walls with torches, to provide light). They moved forward and Dogannu noticed a dark vessel with emerald flames.

Surprised by the supernatural fire, he got paralyzed and just another kick from a guard forced Dogannu to walk again. The cavern path turned to the right, getting deep inside the hill, and then to the left; the bunch saw another sacred vessel with blue fire, once again Dogannu felt amused but he didn't stop walking this time. The stalactites and stalagmites appeared after leaving the second vessel behind, so they moved prudently in order to avoid any accident.

The pillars containing the torches were old, and presented some strange symbols that Dogannu wasn't able to recognize, at least from a far look. Once again, Dogannu asked Edrok where were they at, but got no response from him; and he started to desperate. He was inside an unknown hill, tied up and with a dangerous man who had bad purposes for him, sinister purposes; the fear to die increased inside of him, Dogannu was hopeless, Edrok was willing to sacrifice him, no matter what the gods have said.

A third vessel with dark purple fire was seen, Dogannu conjectured how it was possible to create such fires; but he didn't had time to imagine how because he almost fell down when he stepped on a skull, but the guard on his left avoided it, he began to cry in silence, tears slid down his cheeks. The natural pillars ended and the floor of the cave became more irregular, Dogannu was exhausted, he was not able to determinate how much they walked after leaving Ashtaroth; but surely was a lot.

The path turned to the right again and more pillars were illuminating the way. That cave was massive and Dogannu thought it was a divine lair, but which? They walked forward for couple minutes until they reached the end of the tunnel.

A few steps away, there were two vessels (one in the left and the other to the right) with golden fire; and the expansion of the tunnel could be seen. The bunch crossed the vessel passage and Dogannu observed for the very first time the Temple Of The Night. It was a circular complex, done with the hard work of thousands of slaves, the cave roof was at 8 feet from the ground, the sharp forms of the rocks could be easily noticed. In the left arc, just as the right, stone benches for the people to attend the ceremonies; so the center of the temple was below the floor level but the very center was filled by a circular flat stone with some small stairs, that was really close to the first level of benches so no one would have visual problems at the time of the ceremony.

The guards left Dogannu and Edrok alone, and went to the superior benches and sat down. Both Dogannu and Edrok descended the stairs to reach the circular platform, around the platform some women and men were waiting for them. To his disgrace, he recognized most of them; his mother was there between Diamnith and Kesri, the three were dressed with black tunics. Also Lamysh, Regda, Akimaah and Pholyshaah (Priestess of Sun) were with them, also were High Priest Hatimekh, Priest Pellek-garok and about thirty people he didn't know, but probably they were ordinary people of Ashtaroth.

The son of the High Priest left him in front of his father, and he retired with the other people and sat down in the lower benches. Hatimekh grabbed Dogannu's left arm and they turned to the spectators, he cleared his throat and Dogannu tried to convince him that he was innocent, "Please High Priest, do not sacrifice me..." he whispered. Hatimekh looked him with sorrow before replying, "You will not die, but I can't do anything for you. It's the will of the gods...". He thought that if he wasn't going to die, what will it happen to him?

"Welcome, people of Ashtaroth. Tonight, we are going to be observers of a divine judgment. This man next to me, Dogannu of Ashtaroth, betrayed us. He insulted the gods with his incredulity, wickedness and indifference. Because when our town was suffering and our brothers and sisters were dying, he never opened his mouth to confess his faults and avoid the disaster that came upon us," Priest Hatimekh resumed and the people insulted Dogannu, "The wrath of the gods devastated our land, all because of one man. The eternal law of the gods demand their wrath must be satisfied, but it will be satisfied by the person who is guilty," Hatimekh illustrated and made a pause, "Tonight, Dogannu of Ashtaroth, you will satisfy the wrath of the gods so our curse can be removed... Dark Ashtoreth has spoken, and she dictated your punishment... The Samikhred Usim!!" he exclaimed loud.

A deathly silence invade the temple, Dogannu felt a horrifying sensation in his stomach when he heard the words Dark Ashtoreth and Samikhred Usim. He never heard of them, so the fear to the unknown made him tremble, Priest Hatimekh called the Priestess of Sun and they began to strip down his tunic and sandals, "Stop, don't do this!" he begged. His mother helped them but she was crying when doing it so, Mirlya kissed her son, who was scared and powerless against the seven priestesses, "I love you, Do-Dogannu..." she mumbled and Diamnith took her away.

The Sun Priestesses surrounded the altar and kneeled down, Dogannu tried to run but his legs weren't responding, he was naked and feeling dizzy. From the shadows, and behind him, a tall woman came out, it was Aalyat. She was carrying a saucer with a red liquid, she walked slowly to the altar and stopped just before reaching the first stair of the platform. Aalyat drank all the liquid and drop the saucer, then she climbed the stairs and stood on the altar.

Dogannu heard the noise made by the saucer, and turned around slowly. He saw a gorgeous woman in front of him, dressed with a black tunic, and a golden collar resting on her breast. Her hair was black and short, up to her neck, her eyes were grey and shining with an evil spark; her skin was white, pale, but really beautiful. Her body was exquisite and sinuous, her tits were like a nice pair of melons, juice and round; her belly was all flat and her silhouette, fit and curvy. He couldn't notice her round bubble butt, but saw she had no sandals, her feet were terribly white but pretty. Dogannu thought she was the most beautiful woman he ever seen, but just for a few seconds.