Feature Writer: InayaChase
Feature Title: THE RAVEN WILL COME
Published: 07.12.2024
Story Codes: Erotic Fiction, Demonic
Synopsis: Persian spies and their guide are hunted by a demonness
Glossary:
- Acinaces – A common type of sword used by the Persian army in this time period
- Daeva – (Old Persian) In Zoroastrianism, the religion of ancient Persia as well as of many today – a lesser god inclined to chaos and evil
- Dub-Lalmakh – (Sumerian) A temple adjacent the ziggurat
- Egish-shirgal – (Sumerian) The Temenos of the city of Ur, where the ziggurat, various temples and palaces were located, as well as the residential area of the noble class, separated from the rest of the city by a wall surrounding it
- Eresh – (Sumerian) “Queen”
- Ereshkigal – The Babylonian goddess of the Underworld – similar to Hades of Greek mythology
- Galla – A type of demons of the Underworld who dragged humans to the Underworld
- Habibi – (Aramaic) “My beloved”
- Huzarapatis – (Old Persian) The captain of a Persian Company, which comprised of 10 soldiers
- Irkalla – The Babylonian Underworld
- Marduk – The Babylonian king of the gods in this time period
- Ninkasi – The Mesopotamian goddess of beer and brewing
- Pack of Dogs – A popular board game of the time in Babylon – players used the knucklebones of an ox and a sheep as dice to advance their pieces across the board in a race to get all their pieces “home”. Bets were often placed as part of the game to gamble. Today, this ancient game is better recognized as “The Royal Game of Ur”
- Shuqa – (Aramaic) A marketplace or bazaar – places in a city where numerous vendors would sell food, clothing, household items, etc.
- Simurgh – (Old Persian) An ancient Persian monster with the head of a dog, the body of a peacock, and claws of a lion
- Sin – The Babylonian god of the moon and patron deity of the city of Ur.
The Raven Will Come
SPRING, 542 BCE
I will tell you of the Beast, the south wind crushing on mankind under her weight. I will tell you of the She-Devil of the people of what was in the nights of ancient days. I have seen her in the flesh; and I have lived to see the morning. Since the night I first saw her, I have feared to utter her wicked name, fearing that she would come to me in the night and drag me to Irakalla. But now I am the last, and I can already hear magnificent Ereshkigal calling for me; beckoning me to allow her galla to bring me to her. The demoness has marked me for death. What have I left to fear from her foul name, or the evils that I saw when I crossed paths with the Devourer of Men’s Flesh. I am Sin-Uballit, a citizen of illustrious Ur, the great city of old: and with my final breaths I tell my account of Lamashtu, the demon-goddess of Sumer and Akkad.
I was a humble merchant in the great city of Ur. I was not alone in opposing Nabonidus’ religious reforms: his blasphemous attempt to soil the holy name of Sin[i] by claiming he would overthrow the great Marduk. We all knew he would anger the gods because of this great sin and incur their terrible wrath – and many of us in the city agreed it would bring disaster to all of Sumer and Akkad should he be successful. This is why, when I received word that Persian spies of Cyrus were infiltrating the land of the south, I agreed to meet with them in the ancient cemetery of Umma. Cyrus had his eye on Babylon, to conquer it. If these Persian spies could convince the men of Ur to support the Persians, he could gather support in the southern cities and wage war on Babylon from the south, with the combined forces of Persian and our own troops. Babylon wouldn’t stand a chance. I come to report the situation and guide the spies to Ur to assess the situation.
I approached the campfire at the Umma cemetery with apprehension, not knowing with any certainty whether I would find myself aiding in changing the world for the better and be blessed by the gods or be slaughtered for merely speaking with these foreigners who had eyes set on the glorious Gate of Babylon. As I surveyed the men, I found 10 profound men of strength and cunning who to my surprise who dressed as proper Babylonian merchants like me. One of them hastily approached me and growled as he reached for his hidden sword.
“The palace: one day a mother giving birth,” he growled at me, hand at the ready to draw his sword. It was a test – seeing if I was who they were expecting to meet, or if he needed to kill me on the spot. I smiled a friendly grin.
“The next day a grieving mother.” I responded, gently grasping his shoulder. “You must be Katana, the Huzarapatis of this fearsome company. I see you’ve all already dressed the part.”
“Quiet, fool!” he snarled in return. “Do you want to alert all of Babylon who we are?! As far as anyone is concerned, we are Babylonian merchants, and you will do what is required to make sure everyone suspects no less!” I nodded understandingly, and he took me to meet the camp.
“This is my company – Manu, Derafsh, Vidarna, Araxa, Farheng, Haxamanis, Majidi, Sasan, and young Naudar – the newest and youngest among us.”
I introduced myself and sat down among the warriors of Persia. After the usual formalities and some drinks, we began discussing our plans and how I would be involved.
“We came here under orders to assess the situation in your city of Ur. While fighting Croesus in the east, a messenger came from Susa saying that he had been in contact with some traders out of Ur, who told him that your people were ready to revolt against Babylon. Is this true?” Katana asked after I had given them some information about who I am.
“Revolt? Gods, no. There is much complaining about Nabonidus, but the hearts of Ur’s men have turned to jelly. Things in Ur have not been easy since the king restored the temple. A number of prophets have spread messages of doom for the city, saying that the river will dry up, that the city will be abandoned and fall to ruin. They say that Ur has abandoned Sin and have invited his rage against the city. Certainly, this is all just an attempt to squash any talks of rebellion; but it’s enough to stay the peoples’ hands. Their hearts are filled with fear of Nabonidus’ soldiers, or worse yet. They need… persuasion–They need something to rally around that will ensure their prosperity. Can you give them reassurance? Perhaps if King Cyrus can…”
“The King of the World will do his will as he chooses, Babylonian! But our way is not like yours or the kings of your past. I make no specific promises, but I can promise that when he conquers Babylon, he will take care of his subjects, will ensure your city’s prosperity. What is good for Ur is good for his kingdom. And as for your god, we do not care what you worship – you will, at the very least, be able to worship whatever you wish in peace. If you are helpful in aiding the Great King’s campaign, he will reward your city abundantly – and he will also reward you, Sin-Uballit.” I nodded in gratitude, and asked Katana what the plan was.
“I have been given the authority to see for myself what the situation is in Ur, to gather anyone willing to aid in the King’s victory, and–if necessary–take any action to encourage rebellion against the Babylonian king, Nabonidus. If the men fear their god’s wrath more than they do Marduk’s, then we will burn the temple and make sure they believe Marduk has done so to disarm Sin in favor of Cyrus’s might. However, I have been ordered that this mission must be covert. No one must know what we are doing here. It must look as though the Babylonians themselves are revolting of their own accord: so we must remain in the shadows–unseen, unheard, unnoticed. Persians were never here. Do you understand?” I nodded in agreement, and then Katana turned to the oldest of his men, Farheng, and nodded.
“At dawn, we’ll head south to Larsa and stay in the city.” Farheng began to speak as he knelt to the ground and drew a crude map of the area on the ground. “The tavern there should give some entertainment, and some information about other cities who may be willing to join our cause. The next day, we’ll make our way to Ur separately – two or three of us at a time getting separate rooms in the inn there to keep from any suspicion of our activities. Sasan and I will begin our work in the–Hormaz avaya!!” Farheng suddenly stopped his drawing, and like lightning jumped up to his feet in a crouch, snapping his hand to grab a viper near where he was drawing. In one continuous snap of his arm outstretching itself to the snake’s body and back again that my eyes could barely register, he threw the beast into the fire.
“For an old man, your reflexes haven’t lost their touch, Farheng! Too bad your aging face can’t keep up to speed.” Sasan snorted a boisterous laugh. Farheng grinned devilishly.
“Too bad your mother nursed you with dog’s piss instead of her breast. Your wife might have had something better to look at than your mangled grin.” The entire troupe lit up in raucous laughter. Suddenly, flames burst out from the campfire in a blazing roar, startling the men. A terrible shrieking noise crashed through the night air, and blue flames began to jet upward from the fire. As if the inferno had given birth to an evil unknown to this world, a great mass formed from within the blazes and gave shape to a hideous figure standing over the campfire. I was slightly taller than a man, but had the body of a woman with large, round breasts hanging from its chest. The skin of its body was a shade of blueish gray, like impure lapis lazuli. Its feet were the talons of a giant thunderbird with razor-sharp claws protruding from the tips of its talons. And its head – it was the head of a fearsome lion! It had hands with long, scraggily fingers, each adorned with blades for fingernails like sharp daggers. With another terrible shriek, it unfurled enormous wings from its back that spanned the length of two men, then looked over the company of men with a hatred that chilled the bones.
Suddenly, it sprung out its powerful arm and ploughed through Farheng’s torso, who was nearest the fire. We could see the spear-like claws of the beast sticking through his pierced back, soaked in his scarlet blood. The demon lifted his mangled body high in the air before flinging it away from the camp and into the darkness like a scrap of rotten meat. It roared victoriously and I was filled with dread. I knew what this awful creature was.
Vidarna was the first to draw his sword. He lunged at the hideous creature with a battle cry, sword raised in an attack position. The creature evaded the swipe of his acinaces, and used its elbow to deliver a powerful blow to Vidarna’s face, disorienting him before using its other arm to knock him backward through the air a few feet. Manu was next to strike. He ran to the monster silently, his acinaces held inversely against his arm for close-quarters combat. He leapt through the creature’s attack, and quickly spun around, using the edge of his blade to cover his arm and slit the creature’s leg as he punched forward. The creature screamed in pain before making a mad swing at Manu’s head with its deadly claws. Manu dodged the attack, and flipped his sword forward to strike again, but the demon used its back talon to grab Manu’s leg and pull him, face to the ground. As Manu quickly got up, the monster gripped his neck and pulled him up to its face, legs dangling in the air, before snapping its jaws around his head and snatching of his head from his mandible up. Blood sprayed out in all directions as the creature quickly spit the top of Manu’s head out of its mouth, then flung his corpse to the ground nearby. The soldiers all watched for a moment as his arms twitched and flailed in the body’s shock of suddenly being without a head.
Derafsh and Sasan cried out a shout that boiled the blood and sprang towards the monster simultaneously. As Sasan attacked first towards the legs, Derafsh swung at the creature’s neck. The brute dodged both swords, and used its wing to knock Derafsh, back to the ground. It pivoted towards Sasan and used it immense talon to grip his head, snapped it back to break his neck, then crashed it to the ground, dust flying in the air from the impact. With a shriek, the monster slammed its talon down on Sasan’s head, crushing his skull. Blood, brains, and fragments of bone jetted out from under the thing’s talon. Derafsh flung his sword upward from behind, slicing the back of the demon from hip to shoulder. The demon screamed, then again used its talon to reach underneath and grabbed Derafsh’s foot. It pulled it out from under before the monster sliced at his upper body with its claws and roaring furiously. Derafsh stood there in shock as blood began to pour from the five gashes in his torso, and his organs began to fall from the wounds. He dropped to his knees and fell face down in the dust. The monster roared a final shriek, then before anyone else could attack, it lifted its massive wings, and flew off into the night, shrieking as it flew.
“Wha…What the hell was that?!” Naudar finally broke the silence, trembling.
“It was a Simurgh.” Araxa said softly, unsure of his senses. Majidi whipped his head toward Araxa.
“A Simurgh?! Bullshit! They don’t…”
“It was an ancient evil, from before the creation of men. In the oldest tongue, she was called Dimme. In the common tongue, she is known as Lilith. But the priests call her Lamashtu.” I pronounced as I slowly tottered toward the soldiers. The soldiers all looked confused, so I continued. “She is a demon-goddess of old. At night, it’s said that she walks through the streets, looking for newborns to devour. She is the bringer of nightmares and likes to lure men to their deaths – to drink their blood and eat their bones. She is the most feared of all creatures on the earth.” The soldiers turned white with fear. I couldn’t hardly keep my wits myself. Of course, I had heard the tales of Lamashtu. I had kept the amulets when my children were born, and had even been present during exorcisms, when the priests would display images of Pazuzu the fierce demon that even Lamashtu feared and heard them utter the incantations to invoke him to chase her away. But I had never before seen her, nor did I know anyone who had. I had come to believe these were just stories told to fill the priest’s purses and to strike fear into the hearts of women at night. Yet I believed now.
“We are not safe here. If we have intruded on Lamashtu’s grounds, she will not relent until we’re all dead or leave. Myself, I would rather keep my life. Please, let’s leave this place!”
Katana stood there, expressionless. “No, we cannot leave until dawn. This creature has retreated in fear of us. We have nothing left to fear. We will take turns at watch while each of us rest a little before our difficult journey to Larsa tomorrow.” I tried to argue a little more, but stopped when I saw that Katana was not going to change his mind. Katana took the first watch as the rest of us set up our camp and laid down to rest for the night. It was difficult to sleep though, after that harrowing encounter. I laid there, switching between gazing at the campfire that birthed Lamashtu and watching Katana, who never took his eyes from the dark horizon of the wilderness. Before I realized how long I had been lying awake, I saw Vidarna get up and gently put his hand on Katana’s shoulder. Katana nodded and made his way to his bedding while Vidarna took watch. As I watched him in his motionlessness, my eyes became heavy, and I drifted off in slumber.
I woke up to the horrid sounds of shrieking in the night. My eyes shot open to the sight of Vidarna, acinaces drawn in his hand. His knees were bent, and he was in a defensive position. I rose to find all the soldiers were up, surrounding the camp with their backs to the fire so they could guard the perimeter.
“He’s finally awake! I would have thought the first scream would have aroused him!” I turned my head to Majidi, who was now striding towards me with a second sword in hand. As I rose to my feet, he handed me the sword. “Take this, Babylonian. If what you said is true, you’re going to be needing it tonight. Your demon is calling out to hell to prepare for us!”
I gripped the sword and took a position around the camp. Peering out, I saw nothing but plains and darkness. Then another shriek bellowed across the wilderness. Then another, towards Majidi’s position. We all turned to face Majidi’s spot. Then it came from Naudar’s direction. She was everywhere! She was playing games, luring us in every direction she chose.
“Hold position! Steady your heads forward! We won’t be distracted and taken to hell by this creature!” Katana bellowed. Suddenly we heard a whoosh and Naudar yelped and thudded to the ground. We saw nothing; but heard a loud flapping of wings as we turned and saw Araxa jump to Naudar’s aid. Suddenly I heard a thud to my right, followed by a gushing sound and a whimper from Haxamanis. I turned to find Haxamanis dropping his acinaces to the ground and slowly retracting his arms upwards towards his shocked face. His throat had a huge gash from ear to ear, and blood was pouring out and jetting forth from it. Behind him, Lamashtu towered over his bleeding flesh, a wicked grin on her face as she stared furiously into my eyes. I felt the fear of the gods sink into my chest as she glared even for a moment before spreading her wings and flying away. She knew what I was here for.
At the very break of dawn, we packed our things and began our journey to Larsa. I was glad to leave the cursed place. The morning light breaking through the eastern horizon offered refuge from the terrors of the night. Now that we would be safe in the city by nightfall and had left her domain, Lamashtu would surely leave us alone now.
Shamash, the god of the sun, was harsh on us that day. I could feel the heat of his glory on the top of my head, even through the black wig and linen cloth I had on. We continued southward for five long hours before we stopped for a meal. None of us said much as we ate. None of us laughed or made jokes about another. When we were finished, we continued our long journey to Larsa.
We arrived in Larsa in the early evening. The crowds in the Shuqa were beginning to thin, and some of the sellers were already packing up for the day. We came to the inn, and I spoke with the innkeeper and got us two rooms, three men for each. The rooms were on opposite ends of the inn, but they were all that were available. Katana said this was best, to keep suspicions down – even if we were here only for a night. I took a room with Araxa and Majidi; while Katana, Vidarna and Naudar took the room on the other end.
That night we all met at the tavern, got our drinks, and spread out to mingle in the crowds. After we got our beers, Majidi came with me to sit and play a game of Pack of Dogs with a couple of the local palace guards. I played first, and took on one guard, Uppulu while the others watched to play the winner. I was in a favorable position early on–my Swallow landed on the first rosette from the house ahead of it.
“Ha! Looks like it will be a woman’s love for those who stay here late! I don’t know about you boys, but I plan on sticking around for a while!” I bellowed gleefully, placing my Swallow in its place. After a few more rounds, I gave my opponent a serious look.
“My Raven is in the sixth house. If it doesn’t land on the rosette, it will mean starvation for the pack.”
Uppulu gazed back at me. “If Nabonidus doesn’t return to the rightful place, we all will face starvation.”
“Uppulu! Mark your tongue!” scorned the other guard, Balath. “It’s not wise to speak of these things in public to strangers!” I smiled a friendly grin.
“Don’t worry, my friend. We’re all in agreement here. There is no need for fear. Let’s place our bets then and see what the gods have decreed.”
I have played Pack of Dogs since I was a boy and am very, very good. I can throw the knucklebones just so, so that they have a fair chance at landing how I want them to. It has given me a rewarding victory often in Ur. I threw the knucklebones to the table, and Uppulu’s face dropped as they landed. My Raven had to leap past the rosette.
“This is a bad omen” was all he could muster to say.
“Fools! Did I not warn you?” barked Balath. “You bring bad omens against the emperor tonight with your loose tongues! Now we will have to spend the night making offerings and prayers for the gods to relent of this. I wanted to be drunk off my ass and my cock in a woman tonight! Dammit, Upullu!” Upullu looked at me, face full of concern.
“And what of you, Sin-Uballit? You’ve marked you and your friend with death.” I chuckled light-heartedly.
“Don’t worry about us, friends. We have plenty of provisions and will be home and happy in Ur soon. But what of King Nabonidus? What of the empire? Prayers are good and well, but what if they are not enough to sway the gods?” As we continued the game, we continued to dance around the idea of preventing the fate I manipulated for the Babylonian kingdom in the game. The more we talked, the closer we got to Uppulu and Balath admitting that, if the opportunity arose, they would join forces against Nabonidus. After a while all my pieces were home, and I had won the game easily.
“A rematch?” Upullu looked at me, hopeful that I would say yes.
“Not now, Uppulu!” Balath sneered. “We have to start those offerings. I want to get some rest before our watch tomorrow!” Reluctantly, Uppulu nodded and rose from the table, wished us luck on our journey, and the two guards trudged out of the tavern. I looked up at Majidi at my side. He was smiling devilishly. The rest of the Persian troupe gathered around our table, and Katana sat where Uppulu was, slid a fresh beer across the table to me.
“Drink with us, friends!” he bellowed loudly. Then he whispered to me, asking for what I’d heard from the guards. I told the men that like the men in Ur, the guards spoke of unrest about Nabonidus, but felt powerless against the emperor. But they were willing to fight if they felt there was a chance for victory against Nabonidus.
“Each of us have mostly found the same word. If we can convince the men of Ur to fight, others will join from Larsa, and probably more elsewhere” Katana replied. I grinned.
“Then we will have to make sure the knucklebones land as we desire.”
After a short time, Katana, Naudar, and Vidarna decided to head back to the inn for the night.
“Linger here a while before leaving. We don’t want the townsfolk to suspect our collusion tonight.” The men bade us goodnight, and we all laughed heartily together, clinking cups and slapping each other farewell as if we had just met. The trio then fumbled out the door as if they were drunk.
“A wise decision, handsome traveler” a soft, almost cooing voice spoke from behind me. I turned to see the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. She had light skin, hair as dark as the night sky, and those eyes. My gods, those eyes were so deep and warm I could thaw my bones by them on the coldest nights! She wore a silky red robe that was so thin I could see the outline of her figure underneath. My heart skipped a beat or two just at the sight of her.
“I…I didn’t see you come in.” I uttered nervously, and sheepishly as if my thoughts had lost their way to my tongue, being lured in all directions by the thought of her right nipple between my lips. Araxa cleared his throat and spoke up in my stead.
“You’ll have to excuse my friend, miss. His manners are that of a dog. I on the other hand, am…”
“A perfect gentleman of eloquent speech, I have no doubt. Mmm… and such a handsome face, too. I am Ahati-Waqrat, the most desired of women whose money can buy in Larsa. And I see you three boys are left without a warm embrace. May I make a proposal?” The three of us only looked at each other, and before we knew it we were paying the tavern owner for our drinks, then we left the tavern and went to the inn with Ahati-Waqrat.
We all climbed into the room together. Araxa, Majidi and I all turned to face Ahati-Waqrat. She stood at the door with a sultry look on her face, slowly shutting the door behind her, and laid her large bag on the ground beside her.
“Safe words, gentlemen” She ordered enticingly.
“Bull” Araxa bellowed proudly.
“Lapis” followed Majidi.
“Eresh” I replied. Ahati-Waqrat looked surprised for a moment before collecting herself. “You speak in the ancient tongue.”
“I picked up a few words from a friend among the scribes in Ur. If I ask you to stop, I will do so by humble request, addressing you by title, my queen.” She nodded gracefully. We all looked to her with expectant faces. She gave a wicked grin.
“My word shall be Serpent” She pronounced. She seductively sashayed her way to me, drew her arms up around my shoulders and gently twirled the hair of my wig around her fingers as she whispered softly.
“You will be last, Habibi.” She kissed me, first with her supple, scarlet lips. Then her tongue parted my lips and met mine. My head was filled with a fire I couldn’t quench. Her embrace filled me with sensation and excitement. She stirred something in me that bewildered me and left me breathless. Araxa strolled towards us, and he touched her hip gently, inviting her to him – and they kissed passionately. Then she turned to Majidi, stroked his powerful chest above the neck of his tunic, leaned forward and lightly flicked his lips with her tongue before kissing him.
“Delicious” she moaned. “Now, you two.” She motioned to Araxa and Majidi. They looked at each other tenderly, embraced, and kissed each other as if they were finally dropping all defenses, all excuses, and all propriety for the first time. It was a beautiful sight to behold, this breaching declaration of affection for each other. Ahati-Waqrat smiled with a moan of delight, and slowly removed her silken robe from her elegant shoulders, and let the gown fall gently to the floor. She was exquisite–a goddess of ecstasy and fiery passion. Her skin was silken and light. Her shining obsidian hair flowed down her shoulders to her breasts. Her breasts were large and firm, with full, dark, delicious nipples that announced her arousal and begged the lips’ caress. Her legs were long and shimmering in the candlelight. Her vulva was… My eyes must have been misleading me. For a moment I was shocked, and then I was grinning with delight. It was not a vagina at all.
“You’re Assinu…” I moaned in sultry desire. Araxa and Majidi stopped their passions and turned to her, entranced looks on both their faces at the sight of Ahati-Waqrat’s hard member, fully erect and beautiful as the rest of her. She smiled and let out a satisfied giggle.
“Do I please you, Habibi?” A perfect response that tantalized my mind. I didn’t say a word, but lowered myself to my knees, slowly crept to her on all fours, then brought both hands to touch her feet. My hands leisurely glided their way up her sleek legs to her thighs and her luscious hips. I gazed up into her eyes as I took her in, her tip penetrating my lips. As my whole tongue grazed her delicate skin, she slid further into my mouth until my lips reached her base. I closed my eyes as her form filled my mouth. I slid back, using my tongue to caress every measure of her inside me. I savored her flavor of honeyed pomegranate as the fires flashed through my head and over my whole body. I opened my eyes to find Araxa and Majidi on either side of her, fully erect with longing. Araxa was at her lips, drinking in her luscious charms through her mouth as he slipped his finger down the crease of her back cheeks. Majidi was grazing her supple nipple with his tongue, teasing it, flicking it, and nipping it with his pink lips. Ahati-Waqrat let out a gentle moan, her whole body shifting and moving in a trance of desire. I closed my eyes and slowly rocked my head back and forth, relishing every motion and flicker of fire pulsing through my body. My cock was firm and was throbbing in need to the brink of being painful. Ahati-Waqrat brought her hand to my crown, removed my wig, and wrapped her fingers into a fist on my scalp, bunching my hair in her grip. She pulled me away from her feminine member, looked down at me with a moan, and temptingly demanded:
“Tell me, who’s your queen tonight, Habibi?”
“You are, my Lady. I am your slave tonight, and at your mercy.” I truly was hers, in the moment of that fire and passion. She granted a devilish giggle, then guided my head back to her firm clit.
“Then be filled with the returns of my delight in you.” I continued to take her in, sucking and shaping my tongue to tantalize her in my mouth with every lurch and retreat. With both hands now, she gripped the back of my head and thrust her hips forward, hungerly. I choked as she slid to the opening of my throat and tried to penetrate deeper. I could feel the movement of her firmness glide through the thin tissue of her womanhood against my tongue and lips with every thrust. With a euphoric scream she gave a final, powerful thrust and clenched my head until my face was buried in her center and her length sank down into me. She began to throb and pulse throughout my mouth as my mind went blank in the fires of her passion. My entire body matched her throbbing, and I felt wave after wave of desire and need as her clit twitched and convulsed in my whole mouth. She pulled back just a little, so that her tip rested on the middle of my tongue. She gushed into me. Her climax was warm and tasty, and the fires that spread through my body became an inferno of ecstasy. I drank her down deeply and drew every drip of her nectar until she pulled herself from me by my hair. Gods, I didn’t want to stop. I wanted more of her to fill my mouth again and again. But I wanted even more of her still. I wanted every last measure of her body.
She released my head with a pull that knocked me back until my hands caught my fall before I hit the ground.
“Good boy, Habibi” she spoke commandingly. “You know well how to please your Mistress. Now watch her be taken by your friend.” She walked over to the table that was near the doorway to the room. On her way, she picked up her bag, and pulled out a bottle of fine oil.
“Come, Araxa.”
Araxa obeyed like a soldier, following her as his cock stood firmly from his muscular body. Ahati-Waqrat poured a little oil onto her hand and began stroking Araxa’s sword while she temptingly looked into his eyes and curled her lips, biting her bottom lip gently, and moaned wantonly. Araxa grabbed her shoulders and violently spun her around and bent her over the table, her luxurious skin jostling from the impact against the table. He poured some oil onto his fingers and used his powerful hands to spread her cheeks apart enough to view her opening. He began gently circling her sheath with his finger before slowly gliding it into her. Ahati-Waqrat gasped in pleasure, then cooed as she turned her head downward towards him lustfully.
Majidi and I stood there motionless: jealous for her desire. Araxa continued to finger her with one hand while the other stroked her cheek and slapped it till it was red from his handprint. With every strike, Ahati-Waqrat whimpered in exquisite agony. He withdrew his finger and brought his face to her, and massaged her skin with his tongue, then circled her sheath before penetrating her again, this time with his thumb. She whined as he carefully slipped inside her, then withdrew again. He stood on his feet, gripping his strong cock and bracing her shoulder before bringing his tip to her opening. He pierced her gently, slowly. Ahati-Waqrat gasped as he filled her and slowly glided inside her to the hilt. She grasped both ends of the table and lifted her hips so he could take her deeper. Araxa began moving his hips back and forth, slowly while Ahati-Waqrat gasped and whimpered in wicked bliss. Her sounds only made him wild with hunger, and he began to thrust faster, more violently. The table screeched as it skidded against the stone floor, echoed by the sounds of Ahati-Waqrat’s pleasures.
Majidi looked at me and grinned mischievously. He stepped my way and stroked my cheek in his palm as he stared delightfully into my eyes. He leaned forward and kissed me lasciviously and reached for my hard cock behind my skirt. He removed my belt and unwrapped my skirt before he knelt down and untied my loincloth. His face took a gleeful smile and looked up at me.
“You’ve been hiding a gifted secret, brother.” He guffawed. He fisted the base of my cock and wrapped his beautiful lips around me, dipping forward to swallow my cock whole. My head rocked backwards as I closed my eyes. I focused on the feel of Majidi’s lips and tongue massaging my cock hungrily and the sound of Ahati-Waqrat’s cries, and I felt weak in the knees. I looked over to them. Araxa had Ahati-Waqrat pinned to the wall as he fucked her violently with his hand gripping around her throat. He turned her around as he kept fucking her ass. Her lush breasts jostled with his pounding. The skin around her hips showed the force of his powerful thrusts. His hand fisted her length, and he stroked it as he pounded into her. Her hands gently grasped the arm he had to her throat, and she stared at me, screaming in elation. I found myself strangely jealous of Araxa. I wanted to take her like that.
My hands found their way to Majidi’s head as it bobbed against my body, and I began to thrust in time with the thrust of his head. Suddenly I felt a wave come over me, and my cock pulsed in his mouth. He used the flat of his tongue to massage my firmness until I burst into him, coming ferociously while he drank me down.
Araxa began to grunt loudly as he pounded into Ahati-Waqrat’s round ass. Her cries were now becoming screams of passion, when he abruptly stopped, gave her one last thrust in a thunderous roar. I watched as her cheeks jounced from the force of his plunge. He looked like he would collapse as he filled her. Ahati-Waqrat laid there for a moment as his cum dripped out of her, catching her breath. Then she sat up after cleaning herself with a nearby cloth and turned to me.
“Time to for you to submit to your queen, Habibi.” She commanded. “Lie on the bed and assume your fate.” Wanton desire washed over me at her words, and I crawled onto the bed and lay before her. She crawled over me and glared into my heart as she elegantly arranged herself on top of me. Her hand grazed down my chest and further to my stomach before she grasped my cock with her soft hands and tenderly massaged my purse underneath. She gripped her length and spread the precious oil over it before she teased my opening with both her oiled finger and the tip of her clit. Then she gently guided her womanhood into me. My mind lost all senses as the fires of her touch coursed throughout me. She filled me, stretching me from all angles inside me. I was in paradise as she tenderly glided into me until she reached her base. I thought my head would burst from all the sparks flying throughout me.
She was the fire inside me and the fountain of all my desires. She began to rock her hips against my powerless body, and all I could do was submit to her will. She caressed my lips with her fingers and kissed me deeply as she pressed into me, riding me like a queen’s favorite mare. My head turned to see that Araxa had his face buried in Majidi’s center, his head bobbing as Majidi groaned in pleasure. My whole body jounced as Ahati-Waqrat pumped into me. I gazed into her eyes longingly. I wanted her. Truly, I wanted to be here with her forever: to never leave her side. I could love her and submit to her love all my days if she let me. My mind then went blank as the fires of her love consumed me. My cock hardened again, and she began to stroke me with her oiled fingers as she slipped and retreated inside me.
My hands reached out for Majidi, but he wasn’t there anymore. He positioned behind Ahati-Waqrat and slid himself into her with a groaning exhale. She gasped as she laid her head to my chest, her hips never breaking rhythm in me. I could feel her lips curl against my skin and the heat of her breath as Wajidi invaded her gently. My fists gripped the bedding beside me as I gave in to the feeling of both his and her jolting against my body. Ahati-Waqrat lifted her head and looked at me as she whimpered, her eyes filled with a look of girlish desperation — a plea for release.
“Come, my queen. I am yours to fill.” I whispered through my pants. I felt the moment she surrendered all restraint over her body. She tensed all over. Her tender hands gripped the bedding on either side of me and clenched. Her toes curled, and her eyes clamped shut as she screamed and pressed her womanhood deep as she could into me. Her clit began to throb and pump, and I felt her wetness gush deep into me, warm and silky. I screamed as she did, the inferno of our love overcoming me. I saw lights before my eyes, and my thoughts gave way to sweet nothingness as she filled me with her love. Majidi began to join our elation with the cry of a conqueror as he filled her the way she did me. Ahati-Waqrat and I gazed at each other as she was filled with Majidi’s cum. She looked majestic: like a satiated lioness who had just had her greatest feast in the wilderness.
Majidi collapsed to the floor, and Ahati-Waqrat slipped out of me before she lowered her sweet lips to my cock and wrapped them around it. As she sank into me, my body trembled and quivered in pleasure. The inferno only raged on in me, threatening to engulf me in a fiery release as she dipped and sucked and gorged herself in a frenzy. Her mouth took me in to the end, and the inside of her mouth was sleek and wet around my cock. She sucked greedily with every retreat, and I felt the pull of it around my entire length. She began to caress my purse as she took me with her delicate mouth. Her finders stroked deep into my purse, pressing into me as she massaged the inner wall of my length inside me. Her tongue danced and squeeze around my cock as she took me in and tried to swallow me. I could hold it no longer. I tried to pull back, but she gripped my hips and pulled her face deeper so that my length sank deeper into her throat as I came. Fires consumed me as I surged and gushed my cum into her eager throat. She didn’t gag or cough, but only looked up at me with satisfaction and lust as she drank me down. The fires of my passion overcame me. I felt light-headed and lost all my senses before everything went black.
…
I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for a moment. The white plaster reflected the brilliant light of Shamash. It was morning. I groggily sat up and scratched my beard, yawning. Gods, I must have slept the entire night after I passed out. I wonder how much I missed. I looked around me, and everyone was gone. I hope Araxa and Majidi paid Ahati-Waqrat well. She was marvelous. I thought they must have gone to the other room to discuss plans for the day’s journey to Ur.
I climbed off the bed. Everything hurt. Memorials to good memories, I chuckled to myself. Painfully, I stumbled to the window and opened the shade doors. It was not long after the dawn. I hadn’t slept in too late. The Persians would have to have awoken me before they left for Ur: they never would be successful in their agenda without me. I quickly dressed myself and affixed my wig in its place before leaving the room to join the Persians on the other side of the Inn.
When I got to the room, I knocked confidently. The door creaked open. When prompted, I gave the code as before. The door opened, and Vidarna stood there.
“Where the fuck have you been, Babylonian? We’ve been waiting for two hours!” he growled.
“It was a long and… eventful night, as I’m sure the others have already told you.” I cracked a wicked grin.
“The others? They’re not with you?” I paused, confused. I burst through the doorway past Vidarna in a hurry and looked around the room for Araxa and Majidi. There weren’t there–not them, not their belongings, not even their clothes. “They didn’t come here?” Katana and Naudar both shrugged from their chairs on either side of the table. “We saw a woman leave before the dawn, but none of you have left your room until we heard your obnoxious knocking at the door.”
I left them in the room and went back to mine, Vidarna following behind. I rushed through the door of my room and as I saw before, there was nothing there but my things. I opened the closet door. There, on the back wall of the closet, written in blood:
THUS DEATH WILL COME FOR YOU — THE RAVEN
I stumbled back in shock, hand pressed to my lips. Vidarna barreled in after me and saw my expression. Looking confused, he came over to me, saw my gaze and turned his head, then gasped.
“Araxa and Mejidi’s acinaces’! What happened here?!” He gripped my tunic and pinned me to the wall. I sobbed and pleaded with him that I didn’t know. It took some time, but I eventually calmed him down and we headed back to the other room. After I could calm my nerves, I sat with the three Persians and explained all that had happened the night before and this morning.
“It was that demon!” Vidarna exclaimed. “That Daeva bitch! She’s murdered Araxa and Majidi in the night!”
“We’re all dead men…” Naudar uttered.
“Enough!” Katana interjected before Naudar could finish. “We don’t have time for this. We must make way to Ur before nightfall. There we can defend ourselves against this devil, gather support from any sympathizers to our cause, and accomplish our mission. Much hangs in the balance, far greater than this…demon. Let’s leave this place and be on our way.”
We all agree to continue the mission as planned, gathered our things and made our leave of the inn. I was grateful to see the city gates of Larsa behind me. I thought, if I never see those streets again, I’ll consider myself fortunate. I could see Naudar was disheartened. I tried to encourage him, but the youth now seemed a man who expected his doom. This defeated heart wouldn’t be good for our cause. We couldn’t let the men of Ur see him in this state.
We journeyed for hours. Ur is about the same distance from Larsa as Larsa is from Umma, and we were leaving much later. We minimized our pauses for rest; only stopping for a single meal all day. We arrived in Ur at dusk, just in time to check in at the inn. Since there were now only the four of us, we got a single room and stayed together inside. As soon as we climbed into the room, Vidarna shut the door and locked it. None of us slept that night, despite how exhausted we all were from the day’s journey. We all just sat on the beds, silent; our acinaces’ drawn in hand and at the ready. We expected Lamashtu to erupt through the door and slaughter us all at any minute. But she never did. Daylight broke through the cracks of the window shade. It was finally morning. Katana was the first to speak.
“Morning at last! Let’s get some beer, begin our work and be done.” We all hid our sheathed swords under our tunics, went to the tavern and drank beer. The gift of Ninkasi refreshed me from my fatigue and felt ready to finish our mission. Each of us went out on our own to avoid any suspicion, and we agreed to meet back at the tavern by late afternoon, long before nightfall. Vidarna and Naudar both went to the Shuqa in different areas of the streets of the shopkeepers. Katana took to the streets of the southern quarter of the residential area, the farmers’ quarter. My home was in the merchants’ quarter, surrounding the Egish-shirgal. I had friends of nobility and scribes, and through them I able to gain access into the Egish-shirgal under the guise of selling some special imports from Meluhha and Magan for the nobles that I had collected for months in preparation for this mission.
By the end of the day, I had found the nobles were of a similar disposition to my merchant friends – sympathetic, but fearful. When I returned to the tavern, it was nearing the evening hours. The Persians were all sitting together at a table in the back corner, drinking beers and quietly discussing things. I sat down with them and relayed the intel I had gathered from the day. Each of them had similar responses, which was no surprise to me.
“Alright then, it’s settled.” Katana quietly pronounced. “We sneak into the Egish…the Egish-kur…Dammit, the nobles’ quarter, and make our way to the temple beside the ziggurat. We’ll bring bring a large vat of oil which we will place in the corner of the storeroom for the priests as one of Sin-Uballit’s sales to the temple. At nightfall, we’ll slay any priests and guards in the way, then bring the vat to the summit dressed as the priests we killed, act as though we are returning before we break, sneak behind the priests and slay them. You Babylonians use bitumen as mortar. The bricks may resist the flames, but the bitumen will be consumed, and the fires will be hot enough to burn even brick. By the next morning, the entire summit of the ziggurat will be ablaze.” I nodded in agreement.
“I have friends among the guards to the E-GISH-SHIR-GAL…” I grinned as I pronounced it. “…I can bribe them to let us in.” They all agreed, and we decided to gain entrance in the morning after a good night’s rest. We’d follow the crowds up the steps of the ziggurat in the daytime and hide away in the common shrine. Then, after nightfall, we would sneak up to the summit and set the temple ablaze. But we would need to find common men who could sneak with us to the common area. I knew three merchant sympathizers to the cause. They would surely help us. Katana agreed, and I left to send them word. They all agreed to meet us in the Shuqa the next morning.
I made it back to the inn just before dusk, and Vidarna bolted the door behind me. We took shifts that night again: one stood watch while the others rested. The night was uneventful, thank the gods.
In the morning, I woke up feeling quite refreshed despite my tossing and turning. Through the night my mind was filled with burning images of passion and sex and Ahati-Waqrat, and with terrifying images of death and blood and Lamashtu. For hours I laid in bed, pondering the events of the past few days, and the prophecy in the game of Pack of Dogs. I fought away any thoughts of doom that invaded my mind.
Once the Persians were all awake, we prepared ourselves for the mission and headed out the door to the appointed place in the Shuqa. We arrived, but nobody was there. We waited for some time before the Persians grew impatient. I then took them to the merchants’ quarter and to one of the men’s’ home. When we arrived, his wife was speaking to some soldiers. We quickly hid ourselves around a nearby corner when we saw them, but I could hear their conversation. The wife was sobbing and wailing in mourning. She told the soldiers that the night before, her husband had gone to the storeroom to get oil for their lamps. She heard a cry and came just in time to see his squirming body being dragged off by his feet around a street corner, screaming. When she turned the same corner, there was nothing. He had disappeared into the night. I motioned the Persians to follow me down the adjacent street.
“No doubt your other friends met the same fate. I am sorry for you, my friend” Katana said as he clapped my shoulder. “The plan has failed. This creature has a mind to thwart all our plans and put an end to our mission. We cannot allow it to succeed. But if it does, we need to send word to the King telling what has happened here.” He looked to Naudar. “Naudar, my young friend: I will depend on you to accomplish this. Take this silver and buy the fastest horse in Ur. I will prepare a tablet with an account of all that has happened here and advise the king accordingly. You will take it and ride west as fast as you can to Susa. Wait for us there for four days. If we do not meet you by then, this monster has been successful. Send the tablet to the King immediately.” Naudar acknowledged the order and set off to find a horse as we went to another tavern there in the merchants’ quarter to discuss a new plan.
“When I’ve finished the tablet, we’ll immediately head into the… the nobles’ quarter and make our way to the commoner’s shrine and hide there. We’ll just have to do it without the aid of townspeople. The rest of the plan doesn’t change.” Vidarna and I agreed, and we discussed the details of our mission before Katana went to the tablet house for clay to write his message.
It was about noon by the time we arrived at the gate to the Egish-shirgal. It was costly, but the guards finally accepted my bribe, and we were allowed in. We calmly made our way to the Dub-Lalmakh walked up into the storeroom. Katana and Vidarna bore the vat of oil with them. When we arrived in the storeroom, we placed the vat in the corner and hid away inside one of the other rooms of the structure.
Nightfall came and it was time for action, and we climbed out of our hiding spots. Everything was stiff from the long hours cramped in such a small space as the large chest I found. We made our way through the hallways of the Dub-Lalmakh with great stealth and the two Persians grabbed the vat of oil. We had brought a number of small containers and wicks with us, and we filled them up, sealed them, divided them among us and put them in the satchels we carried. Then we began heading to the steps of the ziggurat. It was late in the evening – long past midnight, and the guards were minimal. We donned the clothing of the a few priests we killed and hid their bodies, then slowly we made our way up the steps of the ziggurat, the way that priests stride up every night. We reached the summit, and there were two guards at the top of the steps. We passed them, and before they could speak, Vidarna and Katana slipped behind them, held their mouths, and tripped them to the ground before they pierced their throats so they couldn’t make sound. The Persians removed their blood-stained robes and quickly moved to the walls on either side of the entrance to the shrine.
I strolled into the shrine proudly, with a bowl of oil in my hands that I’d carried from the storehouse to make it look like I was going to make an offering. There were four priests in the shrine – two near the altar in the center and two filling the lamps with more oil on opposite ends of the shrine. I piously walked up to altar, then dropped my bowl to the ground. Before it hit, I had my acinaces in hand at the ready. I swung it to the right and slight the throat of one priest, then pivoted my feet and spun leftward before lunging at the second, tackling him to the ground. I sprung up with my hands and flung my legs out from under me so that I was straddling the priest. With a snap of my elbow, I had my sword up at level with my head, pointed it to the priest, and plunged it into his throat.
Meanwhile, the other two priests began to shout, but barely got a sound out before they met their demise at the hands of the Persians. Vidarna bolted to the nearest priest and swung one arm as he stepped in front of him and wrapped it around the priest’s waist, then took another step and simultaneously took his other hand, covered the priest’s mouth and then smashed his head against the brick wall. Before the priest could regain his wits, Vidarna unsheathed his sword and plunged it down the old man’s throat through his mouth. Katana barely made it through the entrance before he flung his acinaces and struck the last priest through the chest. The priest was knocked back from the force, and fell, back to the ground. He struggled to inhale but managed to get enough to begin to scream. I jumped up from the priest I’d slain and ran to the other. As I neared him, I fell to my knees and slid the rest of the way to his upper body, lifted my sword and used all my upper strength to bring it down to his neck. Before he could get loud enough for anyone outside to hear, blood spurted in all directions as his head rolled off in a trail of crimson.
I rose to my feet, my priestly tunic covered in blood. I removed it and threw it, crumpled, on top of the priest’s corpse. We gathered together and we each opened our satchels. We unsealed each container of oil, then inserted the wicks. Katana told us where each one was to be placed.
Suddenly, the altar flashed in a rage. Blue flames leapt up high, and then a dark gray and blue smoke rose from the altar and trailed up, then looped in front of it to the ground. As the smoke dissipated, there stood the form of Lamashtu–only she was different than the night before! She was the stunningly beautiful image of a woman, but her eyes shone red like hot coals. Her skin was a light blue with tones of dark gray in shadowy places. She was entirely nude – her breasts and abdomen glared in the firelight of the shrine. She had the most alluring, hairless vulva I’ve seen. And her legs – from the knees down…they were giant, strangely formed bird’s legs, with sharp talons.
“I’ve been waiting for you, boys” she spoke in a sultry, breathy tone. “You’ve angered the gods, and so have angered me. You would dare defile the holy Sin’s shrine and try to cause it damage? This is the House of Sin! What have you to say in your defense, Persians?”
“Nabonidus would make a mockery of Sin by soiling his holy name!” I retorted.
“Hush, traitor! I know you, Sin-Uballit, merchant and traitor of Ur! I will deal with you soon enough!” her voice became a thunder and boomed against the walls of the small shrine.
Vidarna raised his sword and lunged at her in a flash. She evaded his attack and spun around to face him. He ran, dropped to his knees and slid to her, swiping at her feet, but she leapt forward and jumped over his attack, landing with a graceful roll before rising to her feet again. She turned and lunged towards him and with the razor claws on her fingertips, she scratched his face deeply. He let out a growl and cradled his face, his blood dripping between his fingers. Lamashtu spun around to him again and gripped his face with one of her vicious talons. She leapt upward with her other leg and spun, never releasing Vidarna’s face, and with the force of her spin, his neck broke. He fell to the ground dead as she landed on both feet. Katana’s face became stone.
“Daeva whore! You have slain every one of my mighty men, but you have already lost! Tonight, my messenger rides to Susa! The King of Kings will come here with force and his army of thousands will destroy you and your senseless gods of myth!” Lamashtu laughed heartily.
“Men… So quick to claim victory. So easy to outwit. I met your young soldier in the Shuqa this afternoon. I lured him and gave him a potion to make him… very susceptible to my will. I took his tablet and changed its words, then made him forget all but the order you gave him, then sent him on his way. In a short time, your king will receive word that Ur will not support your cause, that the men of the city have killed your spies, and it will advise him not to enter the marshlands. He will leave this place alone.”
“But…why?!” I demanded. “Why would you do all this?! Nabonidus will defile this temple more than any Persian could! Cyrus will at least leave this city alone and honor Sin!”
“Naïve fool” She answered condescendingly. “There are no gods. You fight over imaginary things of your own creation. But this place… It is sacred to me. It’s all I have left of… her. And you–you would burn it? You men and your destruction and death – you would take EVERYTHING from me! You take, and you destroy, and you kill! Not here! Here you will die instead!” With that she flung out her arms and smoke enveloped her, then she was gone.
I gazed at Katana, but his expression was cold, yet intense. His acinaces in hand, he scanned the room and turned around frantically. Finally he went wild: howling and cursing and sweeping his sword about, attacking the empty air. With his sword, he violently scraped the altar clean of the burnt ash and flames atop it, then began striking the hard stone with his sword repeatedly.
“Whore! Come out and face me! I will wrap my bare hands around your demon throat! I’ll thrust my blade through your belly and slice through your gut from your insides!” He began lighting the wicks in the oil bottles and throwing them against the walls. He threw one towards the entrance, and it shattered as it fell on the ziggurat steps. “FACE ME, DAEVA!!”
Suddenly, a pillar of dark smoke jetted out from behind him, and a clawed hand burst through his chest, spraying blood all over my face and torso. As he looked downward in shock, the smoke behind him cleared, and there stood Lamashtu in her monstrous form, her head that of a lion’s with massive fangs protruding from her mouth. She growled and roared, then slammed her fearsome jaws over his head, swung his mangled body from side to side before snapping her jaws shut and flinging his headless, lifeless carcass out of the shrine entrance and among the small flames from the broken oil bottle outside.
Gripped with fear, I let out a cry, dropped my sword and ran out to descend the steps. I don’t know where I was going or how I hoped to escape. I was delirious with terror. But as I flew down the steps, I saw the soldiers rushing up to the shine. As soon as I reached them, I flung myself into the arms of one of them.
“Get up, man! What the fuck is wrong with you?! What’s happened here?!” He exclaimed. I couldn’t think straight.
“Demon! Death! Murder!” I wailed hysterically. “Save me from her! She’ll kill us all! Lamashtu awaits us all! We’re going to die, everyone! She’s marked us all, and death will come for us!” I began laughing like a madman, crazed from panic at the memory of her words on the wall.
“Get off me, lunatic!” the soldier replied, and he threw me to the others behind him. “Bind that madman in iron and throw him in the dungeons! We’ll see what all this is about!” The other soldiers bound and gagged me, then marched me down the ziggurat steps. Before we reached the bottom, I heard the shouts of the soldiers above as they saw the horror scene in the shrine. I wondered if Lamashtu would kill them as she did the Persians; but all I heard was the orders of the men in the temple.
That was the night before this night. I was charged with defiling Sin’s Temple, murder, conspiring with Persian spies to destroy the temple, and killing the priests. I am now waiting to be executed at dawn by burning by the oil we carried in our satchels. They would make a public spectacle of me. But she won’t give them the opportunity. She has marked me for death. She is coming for me. Already I can hear the shrieks of Lamashtu coming for me. I’d rather a quick death in this dungeon at her hand. She draws nearer with every shriek — She is coming.
THE END