A Rise to Darkness
Prelude
Nyassa stood silently beside Azul-tahamen, her long robes flowing besides his. Her hands were folded in front of her covered by her long sleeves, sweating so much that they dripped with perspiration. She would peer up slightly at Azul to ensure she was mimicking him correctly. Azul did not even look at her once. He stared down into the large pit and began to chant. The ring of robe figures encircling the large pit also began to chant repeating the words of Azul. They were on their knees their faces planted on the ground their hands stretched out in front of them palms down. Behind her on the altar was her young hand maiden Sianna. She lay nude on the cold hard rock of the sacred altar. She would occasionally let out a moan as the purple concoction Azul gave her coursed its way through her body. Nyassa could smell Sianna in a rush of the honey and lotus oils that filled the air with every breath she took. The fact the Sianna was to die did not disturb her; it was an honor to be chosen by the Arch-Priest Azul. Many girls would come and throw themselves on the stairs or the temple every summer solstice hoping to be the chosen. Azul would select one and the rest were given to the temple of Derketo to serve as vessels and serpent carriers for the festival. Sianna however was chosen for a particular purpose. Nyassa knew that the Arch Priest was trying to make a point and trying to make sure that Nyassa remained alone. Only he did not know that she was never alone.
When Azul moved to walked behind the altar she moved as well following him in unison around to the back between the two brazier that looked like grand serpents holding large bowls of fire on their hoods. She stood beside him, her head rising no higher than his waist and faced him with her hands out. Azul looked down at her, staring angrily into her eyes and for a second it was as if he wanted to pull the blade out of his sleeve and rip it across her throat. The very thought of that brought several snakes to her side they to stared up at Azul waiting to see if he would move to strike her. He slowly pulls the shiny dagger from his sleeve and gripping it tightly. She could see the way his hand held it as if he intended to use it the weapon. She did not flinch instead she only held her hands out waiting to either receive the weapon or be struck by it. The flat dagger was wide with an onyx hilt and a thin silver snake coiled around the hilt. Azul held the dagger; the hooked blade leveled at her throat and slightly shifted his grip. By now five snakes encircled him, their heads reared up around him showing their fangs and swaying to the chants. Moments passed as the two stared at each out her teacher and her rival. From the crowd behind the wall in the viewing chamber a huge guard grabbed as this blade and began to stride forward but Jacenta put her hand out to stop him. Whispering in a soft hypnotic voice "let him try if she is all he says she is then we have nothing to fear" The guard stood down relaxing his stance and stepping back behind the Derketo High Priestess. Before another word could be uttered the dagger was in Nyassa hands. Azul shrunk back conceding to the young girl of only ten summers. What had he done? He asked himself. Why had he not put her to the altar when she first came to the temple? But now it was too late.
Nyassa climbed up on the altar and straddle Sianna resting on the girl's thighs dagger in hand. She did not look once at Azul he was no longer of any consequence for after today she would bet the only High Priestess the Temple of Set would ever allow into its fold. Nyassa held the dagger out in front of her whispering Sianna, Sianna in a low voice that no one could hear. Then she called out the name of her secret friend using the ancient Acheronian tongue that the whisperers taught her then plunged the dagger into Sianna chest and pulled it down ripping the girl open. When she had reached the area just above her naval she put the dagger down beside Sianna still writhing body and reached in side the open wound. For a second she rummaged around in side Sianna as if she were looking for a lost item hidden inside a old sack. Sianna eyes opened at first lovingly at her young charge then anxiously when she realized what she was doing. Suddenly the look of confusion changed to one of terror as Nyassa found what she had been looking for and began to tug at it. Sianna screamed as Nyassa pull the girls heart free from her body and held it out in front of her. Sianna face went slack and her eyes softened then all movement stopped. Nyassa reached out with her free hand and gentility closed Siannas eyes then leaned down and kissed her for the last time.
Nyassa then dismounted Sianna and climbed down off the alter heart still beating in her hand. She walked to the pit and looking intently tapped two of the kneeling priest on the shoulder one at a time. They both looked at her then without so much as a single word threw themselves into the pit. A loud cracking thudding sound rose up out of the pit when they finally reached the bottom. Then with a few chants that were nothing like Azul had ever heard or been taught Nyassa threw the heart into the pit. Then she stood still looking back at a scowling Azul. He look at her angrily this is not what he has taught her. No imps would come from the pit if the ritual was not followed to the letter he told her. He would be ruined the other priest would have him on the altar before the summer solstice ended. He wanted to jump over the altar and choke the life out of the young girl. Who would stop him now she had broken the sacred summer solstice ritual she must be punished. He uncoiled the short whip he wore about his side, his hand lightly brushing the metal teeth that were bore into it and began to advance on her. When he reached her he grabbed her by that are and whispered “You have failed me you will pay with your life”. He pulled the small robe off the young girl exposing her nude body and took a step back into striking range.
He was rearing his hand back when he heard the loud inhuman growl coming from the pit. All the chanting stopped. The kneeling priest raised up to see what could make such a sound. Then they heard it climbing its way up the pit calling and moaning hungrily. Azul dropped his whip before it hit the ground the demon burst up out the pit. It stood twelve men tall and had skin red as blood. It reached out grabbing a priest and biting his entire upper body off before flinging the remains into a nearby wall. Then it grabbed another taking a deep bite into his chest ripping out muscle and bone and again tossing the remains aside. Then it stopped as if it were frozen. it looked around the chamber and saw Nyassa then began to advance. Azul scramble back out of reach and place his back against a nearby wall. The beast was closing in on Nyassa though she did not move she merely began to chant that strange language that she had some how learned on her own. When the beast face was close to her it began to sniff her curiously. She merely stood there letting the robe drop to the floor. Finally it back away and let out a loud sound unlike anything every heard before. Nyassa reach out her hand confidently. The beast dropped to the floor and moved close allowing its head to rest under her waiting hand.
Jacenta made gasping sound from behind the viewing chamber wall, then thought to herself I must have her.
