Lying alone amongst the glowing flora within the Lamia Priestess's chamber, Aria slowly came out of her deep trance—a wide smile still spread across her face. Not until the sluggish maiden climbed to her feet did she realize that she was nude and missing memory of how she ended up asleep beside a massive, black-barked tree. Panic quickly took hold. Had she passed out from the heat? What happened to her ceremonial gown? She couldn't possibly meet any of the priestesses like this! But wait... had she met a priestess already? No... no, she'd remember that... right?
Just as her anxiety, confusion, and frustration started to get the better of her, Aria felt a tickle grace the side of her neck. She instinctively reached her hand up, running her fingers over the puncture marks left behind by the Lamia Priestess's venom-drenched fangs. Instantly, Aria's eyes began to spiral wildly, her mind brought back into the lamia's trance.
When her hand dropped from the mark on her neck, Aria once again lost all memory of the priestess and their encounter. However, Aria's worries had vanished, and the questions that were just puzzling her had suddenly been answered. She didn't need to think about any memories she was missing or will be missing in the future. And she didn't need that stuffy gown. The priestesses wanted her exactly as she was. All she needed to do was keep moving forward, deeper into the temple.
Aria hadn't the slightest clue how she knew all of this, but it didn't bother her. In fact, she was thankful. Everything was so much clearer now. So simple without those silly worries... those silly thoughts. With her purpose restored, Aria did the only thing she could: move forward.
Beyond another winding passageway, Aria discovered the temple's second chamber. Illuminated by a single ray of light shining from a hole in the ceiling high above, the chamber was largely barren. A shallow sea of sand covered all but a triangular, stone platform situated at the chamber's center. From the moment she entered the chamber, her sights fell onto what occupied the platform—a golden-plated sarcophagus standing upright, sparkling brilliantly under the light.
Aria crossed the warm sands and stepped onto the platform to inspect the sarcophagus in greater detail. It was sculpted in the shape of a woman. Magnificent gems of all kinds adorned her frame. "
Perhaps this held the mummified remains of an ancient priestess,"
she thought.
While a small part of Aria was curious to learn what truly rested within the sarcophagus, she wasn't about to open it to find out. So, she started off for the passageway that led deeper into the temple.
But, just as her bare feet touched the sands once again, a whisper echoed through her mind, causing her to freeze in place.
"Return to me, young maiden,"
said the whisper.
With her hair standing on edge, Aria turned back to the sarcophagus. Although the voice seemed to echo from everywhere, she somehow knew it was coming from within the coffin.
Aria opened her mouth to speak but was instantly silenced by the voice, repeating in that eerie whisper,
"Return to me..."
Aria blinked, and suddenly she was standing before the sarcophagus. She gasped, looking around frantically. "Wh-What? How?" she uttered, her body shaking.
"Open..."
Aria found herself reaching for the sarcophagus. No matter how much she willed herself to stop, her body followed the voice's command and slid open the stone lid.
Wide-eyed, Aria gaped at the woman she found resting inside. While she had some wrappings looped loosely around her otherwise-naked frame, she looked like anything but a mummified corpse. She was stunning. Her bronze skin hadn't a single wrinkle. Nestled atop her dark hair was a gold tiara embedded with a single, flawless diamond.
While her mind struggled to process what she was seeing, Aria slowly backed away. Then the woman opened her eyes, revealing golden irises that gazed hungrily at Aria. The maiden yelped. As she was just about to turn and flee, the diamond on the woman's tiara cast out a blinding, white light. The flash left Aria stunned—her body frozen in place. All she could do was stare in terror as the woman grinned and those golden eyes drank in every inch of her.
Without uttering a word, the woman began speaking to Aria once more, whispering directly into her mind.
"More than satisfactory. Yes... your priestess is pleased, young maiden..."
"P-Priestess? Y-You—"
"Listen to me now,"
she said, rendering Aria silent,
"I am Hasina. Your priestess. And as your priestess, I command you... spend the coming night with me... in my embrace... taking in my essence... and with it... my blessing..."
"W-Wait... what? N-No!" Aria shouted, finally wrestling back control of her body. Running on pure adrenaline, she spun around and took off, wishing only to get as far away as possible.
She, however, only managed two steps before she felt something pulling her backward. She looked down to find one of Hasina's wrappings looped around her waist. Desperately, Aria pulled at the wrapping, but she quickly learned that it was adhered to her skin by an inky, black substance. No matter how hard she pulled, the ink wouldn't relinquish its grip.
Meanwhile, Hasina remained in her sarcophagus, calmly admiring the young maiden's struggle against her bindings.
"You resist..."
she whispered,
"yet, I know the truth... you can't hide your desires from me... I feel your arousal... your lust to submit... but please... do struggle if you must... I will take pleasure in watching your will crumble before me..."
In the midst of her fight, Aria found her energy fading quickly. The ink wasn't just stuck to her skin. It was seeping through her pores, spilling into her bloodstream.
A second wrapping snaked around her, this time gripping her right arm. And with it, more and more ink found its way into her body.
Aria's breathing was slowing, and movement grew more difficult. Furthermore, she couldn't help but notice that the ink was starting to feel good, sending cool tingles throughout her body. She bit her lip to regain her focus. "No... I've got to keep... keep..."
Another wrapping claimed Aria's left arm, greeting her with a strong wave of soothing tingles. "K-Kuh... keep... uhh..." she muttered, her head lolling. Aria could no longer move. She only had the strength to keep herself standing. Hasina's snare seemed to stop pulling at her. Instead, it just kept taught, hugging Aria firmly while it sank more of its delectable poison into her.
Aria heard thoughts whisper in her mind.
"What are we doing?"
asked the whispers,
