Faint visions appeared before disappearing again. Visions of fire, smoke and a chorus of flesh, a booming sound was beating in the background. A strange smell permeated the air and stung at her senses.

She tried to speak but felt a tug.

Her eyes opened to see herself bound and gagged.

What?

She then looked forward and gasped.

She wondered for a moment if this was a dream. She focused her eyes again and realized to her horror that it wasn’t. She was awake and to her right was Sera similarly bound, only her eyes were open not in confusion but in terror.

They were in some sort of cave as far as she could see. The walls were dimly lit by the flickering light of multiple bonfires and shadows danced amidst the faint crimson light. And on it the strange engravings of letters, beasts and figures all etched in red appeared to bleed to life.

But that was the least of her worries. For before her lay a scene far more visceral and infinitely more obscene.

She couldn’t make out their numbers, it seemed to be over a dozen. Nor could she discern their faces or voice for it was all washed by a chorus of moans amidst heavy breathing.

Before her was a mass of people, all naked and sweating. Some having were doing the deed standing while others were feasted upon multiple hungry lovers. They moaned and writhed on top of one another, for moments it looked as if they would meld into one.

One women was astride man, kissing and caressing the breasts of another who was astride the man’s face. In another case two men were simultaneously engaging in coitus with one woman. They were of all ages, young, middle aged and even old, all swimming in a pool of obscenity. Several were covered in blood

What on earth is this!

Sasha couldn’t process the shock, the dense smoke permeating through the cave stung at her nostrils, making her mind heavy and her body light.

What is going on? How did I get here and who or what are these people?

The last thing she remembered was riding through the silver forest. They galloped without direction or destination. She had wanted to throw off Silat and his men who would certainly pursue them. But then something happened.

Our horse hit something and crashed. Both us then fell into the mud. After that I can’t remember anything.

She anxiously moved her head around until her eyes fell on Sera She tried to communicate to the girl but Sera wasn’t looking at her at all. Her eyes were fixated forward in abject horror; she couldn’t even glance at anything else. Sasha followed her eyesight to the center of the chamber.

Spirits save us!

In the center of the chamber was a large altar encircled by four men. They were all bare chested and muscled, holding cleavers and knives they were in pointy black executioner masks that obscured all but their eyes. Beside them was a large steel pot with a large fire beneath it.

A boiling liquid sent streams of white vapor towards the ceiling. But that wasn’t what scared Sasha.

On the altar lay a loose cover of what could only be human skin. Small bits of muscle and fat dangled from it. The cleavers and knives on the butcher’s hands were all red.

Sasha’s mind went completely blank, the beating drum, the moaning women, nothing got to her anymore. Then as her bladder loosened and her pants soaked, she slowly came to.

Is this a heretic feast?

She thought as she realized that the orgysts were all more or less covered in blood. Blood was splattered around their mouth.

It can’t be…thought Sasha as the blood drained from her face.

This can’t be real…this can’t be happening to us…this must be a nightmare…

They heard many rumors, mostly in whispers or tavern gossip, about the various heretic cults that were taking root throughout Aedirn. A secret heretical sect of the Aedirnian faith that was rumored to be rapidly gaining ground, particularly among the Ariya and lower Aedirnians.

She had always thought that the whole thing was some story the faith concocted to extort peasants and prosecute enemy nobles but…

But this is real, this is no tavern story…

The drums were beating on faster and the moans and screams of ecstasy grew louder.

Does this mean?, her mind raced back to the village tailor Paku,.

So it was true?

But the implications of that made Sasha’s hair stand up. For the knights of the order claimed that the heretic fests involved cannibalism and blood sacrifices.

She now looked at the melting pot again and shivered.

Oh no, mother no!

Despite being born a woman, Sasha lived life without fear. Her father raised her to be brave and she put many a man to shame. She had been determined since childhood to never make her father feel the absence of a son. Thus she always carried herself with strength and fortitude.

But now it could not be helped. Despite her best efforts, drops of tears formed in her eyes as a feeling of helplessness engulfed her.

We don’t belong here, we don’t deserve this

Streams started running down her eyes. She shut her eyes hard to try and stop for them to flow with greater speed.

Papa save me!

Her eyes then fell on the vapor rising from the pot and caught on it. She couldn’t tell if she was seeing things or it was due to the vapor but she certainly saw it.

Or her?

In the dense vapor above the pot a figure appeared for a moment. An ethereal apparition, the body of a woman with wing like features. Scale like protrusions adorned her face and dark hollow eyes. She extender her arms toward the ceiling in longing.

What is that?

The figure lingered only for a moment before vanishing into a mist. A woman now stepped in front of the altar and raised her hands in prayer. Sasha couldn’t make out her face but she was of milk white skin. It along with her aquiline nose stuck out amidst the arcane red markings on her face.

She was tall, with a slender and voluptuous figure; she first muttered some words in prayer that Sasha could not make sense of. The she spoke, in the standard Aedirnian with a mellow voice that pulsated with ecstasy.

‘Now brethren, let us resume the feast! ‘

A thunderous roar erupted along the chamber.

No!

She looked at Sera only to find her in tears. Muffled screams went out as she thrashed about in her bindings. Two men now came in front of Sasha.

NO

She struggled to get loose but four muscular arms clenched her like steel vices. She shrieked in pain but they were merciless. They dragged her towards the altar. She kicked one on the foot but it barely seemed to register.

The priestess in black robes now motioned at the altar. She raised her hands towards the writhing masses and exclaimed in a high pitch voice, ‘Rejoice my brothers of the soul for the time of redemption is at hand. The greatest of all transgressions, the most profane of all sins. The one that shall bring us closest to His soul and transcend beyond the cattle of this plane! ‘

The crowd howled with a bestial fervor, flapping like beasts in the puddle of blood and lust beneath them. Sasha was dragged close to the altar, she struggled vainly as they walked right past the priestess.

She couldn’t clearly see her face, but she did see her lips. They were full, luscious and red as blood with a small mole to the right of them. The naked men and women were looking deliriously at her, smiles cracking on their faces. Her skin crawled.

The men pinned her onto the altar. The black butchers loomed over her. But the corner of eyes she caught something high on the ceiling.

Is that a face?

As the butcher raised his knife, Sasha started to shake uncontrollably,

No! Who will make dinner for daddy now?

And then just as it about to fall, a voice erupted across the cavern.

‘STOP! ‘

The cleaver stopped half way and the butcher looked up. Sasha couldn’t see.

‘Everyone there are soldiers outside! ‘