Rachel watched as the blocks hovered above the temple, but then slowly were placed around it. She frowned.

“Did she run out of strength?” Rachel pursed her lips. “I see. She blocked the doors.”

 

*****

 

“Empress.” Lena’s eyes blazed as Solange held her gently. She didn’t look at anything in particular, but a spot on the wall. Her focus was far from there.

 

*****

 

“I see, my Empress.” Rachel grinned. The tendrils, or Kyarhi, lifted braziers filled with burning oil and charcoal, and dropped them on the roof.

The gigantic stone blocks had sealed all the entrances, and exits. Not a single window could be seen.

 

*****

 

While priests played with their ‘toys’, and female acolytes only wished for the end of their misery, someone looked up at the ceiling.

“Hey, is there anyone in the loft?” A priest called out from one of the pews. The padded benches were a favorite place to break in the newly acquired temple slaves as it didn’t ruin the bedding in their quarters. It was also preferred that the slaves were taken back to their cages after they were used.

These priests have been so far from holiness for such a long time, they could no longer see right or wrong.

“What loft? That’s the ceiling.” Another priest looked up, and paled. Now he understood what the first priest meant when he asked if anyone was upstairs.

“The temple is on fire!” The entire ceiling was in flames. The male priests rushed towards the exits, while they left the female acolytes behind. The doors wouldn’t move when they pushed.

“They won’t open!” One cried out. The Head Priest looked at the altar, and the woman tied to it. Her naked flesh had excited many priests over the years, but now her scars were too many to count, and her beauty has long faded away. Even her eyes looked vacant as if she were a broken doll.

“Sacrifice that useless thing to appease the anger of the gods!” The other men frowned.

Since when did any of them acknowledge the gods above, and not the gods of gold they worshiped each night?

They didn’t have any time to respond though. The Empress drilled through the granite wall, and knocked down the wood timbers that held up the roof.

The temple that housed many corrupt priests, was burned to the ground.

 

*****

 

‘It’s time to come home, little one.’

The woman chained to the altar blinked. She saw the flames all around the temple.

‘You have suffered. The goddess now waits for you in Haven. She will care for you. Will you go to her willingly?’ The soft gentle voice was almost too much for the scarred woman to bear as she had never felt the warm touch of a mother’s arms to comfort her. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

She was a slave from birth, a daughter of the priests who abused her regularly.

‘Please.’ She whispered. As the heat rose in the temple, and the screams of the priests echoed all around her, the voice soothed her.

‘Listen to their cries of pain, little one. That is what happens to those who hurt the ones I am fond of. Now I send you to my mate, my goddess, and she will care for you.’ A transparent tendril rose in front of her eyes, then lightly caressed her cheek.

‘Will it hurt?’ She asked inside her mind, where the voice spoke.

‘It will be a quick one. Through your heart. The flames will not have a chance to burn you.’ True to her word, the pain was barely a flash, and the Offering was done.

 

*****

 

‘Rachel.’ Rachel tilted her head as the goddess spoke within her mind. ‘Retrieve my offering chests from that place. They no longer have my blessing of life from death. Just my blessing of death.’

Rachel agreed. The blessing of death was a release from a life of torment, and torture. Since the Empire of the Digalla had assimilated the Asmarians centuries ago, the worship of the goddess was just a show in the Capital.

Even among the Asmarians in the east, worship of the goddess that used to be a way of life, was now a show for the ones fearful of the government’s persecution, and without meaning. Like the Digalla, they worshiped many gods, and all were worshiped to show the masses their piety.

The acolytes were the children of those who were abused and molested by the nobles and priests. The children were never claimed, so they remained without rights in the empire. They were doomed to an endless cycle of abuse until they became too unsightly to use in the temple. They would then be sacrificed, and not cared for in the least.

The fall of this empire would free many from a future that they would rather die then live through.

‘Yes, goddess. I’ll go now.’ Rachel said with a smile. ‘After all, your mate should be provided with a proper dowry.’ She grinned as she felt Kyrie’s smile widen.

‘Good idea. Make sure you get the Others to help you empty the Palace treasury as well.’

‘Should I conceal one chest and send a message to one of the invaders?’ Rachel asked through their private connection.

‘What message?’

‘Whoever is first to invade the Capital, and impales the Emperor at the front gate, gets rewarded with the chest.’ Rachel sucked in her breath and shivered as Kyrie pushed an image into her mind. A highly erotic image that Lena had already thought of, but wasn’t sure if the Others would enjoy.

‘Do it. I’ll whisper in the Empress’s ear tonight. You are so going to love what she does to you.’

 

*****

 

‘Report.’

“Empress.” Solange was at her side. “Lydia took a squad to the west and destroyed the ports of Vosoka, and Vousovu, as well as all their shipyards. Vosoka was the largest port of the Digalla, so they flee towards the Capital.” Lena grinned a bit.

“Ayn took another squad and went to the east. She destroyed the port town of Gasina, their ships, and their docks. The nobles flee back to the Capital. The peasants stay put, as my sisters have no reason to target them. All Digallan nobles will be routed from the Asmarian cities as they move toward the Capital.” Solange thought for a moment. “Do you want Ayn to remind them of their duties to the goddess?”

‘Yes. My goddess has been patient enough. The Offerings have stopped. The Death Squad and less than a thousand Asmarian female warriors came north. That is it. I am not happy that they have let their beliefs falter.’ Lena grimaced, while Solange had to control her breathing.

As Lena’s pain flared, the Kyarhi slid up Solange’s thigh and began to play with her. It was the only way Lena could gain some relief from the relentless aches within her body.

‘Send a few of the Others to the suppressed kingdoms. Destroy the occupied outposts. Kill the Digallan nobles and soldiers. Tell them that the goddess will not interfere in their business, as long as there is not endless war, and her temples are not polluted, or obstructed.’ Lena growled a bit, which made Solange chirp. The Kyarhi gripped her breasts firmly under her robe.

“T-the temple in the Capital is destroyed. Their records show that the Digallan nobles replaced the priestesses at the orders of the Second Emperor of the Digallan Empire, Emperor Gerzan, of the Gerzan Dynasty, while Viomur, his father, of the Vomurian Dynasty, was responsible for the initial invasion. Gerzan united the people, while Viomur oppressed, and tested the patience of the goddess. They sold the rights of the Seer to the temple, and she became a traditional prize at an annual auction.” Solange groaned as the tendrils tightened again.

‘Slaughter them all, Sol. Raze every polluted temple and begin fresh. Anywhere my acolytes have been raped and abused must be erased. My acolytes must be pure so they can be Offered properly to my mate.’ Solange could feel the anger roll off Lena’s slender frame.

“What do we do with those who have been polluted?”

‘Determine if they wish to be purified and eventually Offered. It’s my job to ensure her Offerings are proper, and willing. She’s my mate, and deserves the best. My acolytes will always be the best.’

 

*****

 

“Do you hear her, my Others!” Kyrie’s smile was wide. “Do you hear your Empress?” Kyrie tilted her head, then jumped up eagerly. She disappeared from the throne room, and went to the gate.

“Where is she going?” Ayn tilted her head, then smiled. “I see. The Empress has already acted.”

 

*****

 

“Where am I?” The girl looked around at the tall black gate in front of her. The thick doors opened, and a beautiful slender woman walked out.

“I see that the Empress sent you to me.” Kyrie’s eyes glowed, and she nodded. “She plucked you right from the altar, and sent you to me willingly. Excellent.” The girl’s face showed her shock.

“Goddess?” She whispered. “She said the flames wouldn’t burn me. That you would care for me.” Kyrie smiled softly.

“She didn’t lie, little one.” Kyrie held open her arms and embraced her gently.

“She touched my cheek. She was so gentle.” The girl said as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Would you like to see the Empress? The one who freed you from the pain?”