Chapter 1
The old hospice stood on a high, rocky hill overlooking the city of Altdorf, the Imperial Capital. Once a fortress built by evil marauders, the Order of the Goddess Shallya now used the building as a place to care for the mentally insane. The facility was operated solely by the female members of Shallya’s cult, as the men usually had the more dangerous job of tending to those wounded on the battlefield.
With a new Emperor just crowned, things were at last looking better for the Empire. Chaos had been routed from many of its hiding places, peace once again prevailed across the land, and new heroes had won the people's hearts.
As a cult of healing, the Order of Shallya had been relatively unaffected by the recent wars. Now they would be busy healing those hurt in the terrible violence.
This evening, rain poured down onto the hospice. Two horses pulled an old wagon back down the hill towards Altdorf, it’s driver trying his best to shield himself from the downpour.
From inside, Sister Joanna watched the miserable man with a frown on her face. The old woman was faced with the unpleasant task of what to do with a particularly unruly patient. The position of High Priestess had its disadvantages. With the help of her cane, she moved her wrinkled body to her desk and slowly sat down. Pulling a quill from the ink bottle, she stared at the parchment in front of her and the blank space for her signature.
Several days prior a patient, named Hanz, had broken free from his cell. Before he was captured and properly sedated, he had attacked a priestess and ruined her vow of chastity to Shallya. Since he was without any hope of rehabilitation, Sister Joanna was about to sign the paperwork that would place him in the castle dungeon as a criminal, not a mental patient. Reluctantly she put her signature on the parchment and sealed it with wax. Tomorrow morning Hanz would be on his way to prison. It was a hard decision, but she would not have any more priestesses being assaulted.
Late in the evening, the storm increased in ferocity. Lightning and thunder seeming to batter the hospice for hours, until finally, the eastern watch tower could no longer withstand the force of the wind and collapsed, crashing down into the cellar beneath it. The loud disturbance woke up everyone at the hospice.
Soon Sister Joanna and several priestesses stood amidst the remnants of the destroyed tower, looking down into the debris-filled cellar. After their shock at the sudden destruction, one thing attracted all of their attention. The light of their lanterns revealed the collapse had caused a portion of the cellar floor to fall away, opening up a hole that led down into complete darkness.
"What's down there?" Sister Teresa spoke the unasked question. "This place was once a fort. That secret tunnel could lead anywhere."
"It is too late for dungeon delving tonight," said Sister Joanna. "I don’t think we have anything to worry from a deserted tunnel that has been closed up for centuries. We’ll see about it tomorrow. Now, let’s all get out of this rain and back to bed."
The storm continued to rage, only slightly abated from its earlier strength. In her bed, Sister Joanna tossed and turned. A terrible, yet wonderful, dream was taking place in the depths of her psyche..
...The twenty-year-old Joanna sat in the center of a pentagram. The dark cavern was lit by five black candles, one at each point of the symbol painted on the floor. Several people concealed in robes knelt just outside the pentagram, as smoke began to rise in front of Joanna. Her body began to strangely heat with lust as the smoke took form, becoming more corporeal with each passing second. Soon, a tall demon stood before her, its hoofed feet clacking on the stone floor as he stepped close to her. Looking up she could see an evil smile cross it's bull face, nestled between thick horns extending from its forehead. It's left arm was powerfully muscled, but it's right arm had been mutated into a snake, as was sometimes the way of Chaos.
Untying the front of her robe, the young Joanna let it slide off her shoulders, exposing her nude torso to the audience around her. The demon lowered its bull-like face to hers and ran a thick tongue up her neck and cheek, causing Joanna to shiver at its touch. Joanna was forced onto her back while the demon fully removed her priestly robe.
She stared up at the demon in awe, trying to comprehend its incredible power. It's snake-arm wrapped around her waist and then the snake's mouth latched onto her left breast. Joanna gasped at the sensation while the snake suckled on the soft flesh.
As though she could sense what the creature wanted, she spread her legs, placing her feet to either side of the demon's black hooves. His five-fingered hand stroked his cock, causing it to grow as the demon knelt between her legs. Joanna stared in anticipation, sweat glistening off her skin. The demon positioned the bumpy head of his red cock at her entrance, nudging her nether lips apart.
"Yes!" Joanna tilted her head back and screamed as the demon pushed his erection into her.
The candles on the pentagram flared up and the robed people in attendance began to chant. Joanna stared lustfully at the demon’s red face above her while his cock explored the depths of her womanhood. Her hips gently rocked, yielding to the powerful thrusts of the demon. Joanna was barely able to speak, whispering another "Yes" as barely more than a hiss. The demon's normal hand clutched at her right hip, preventing her from sliding about as he continued to thrust into her.
Saliva from the demon's mouth dribbled on her chin and cheeks. She licked the demon's wetness from her lips and opened her mouth to capture more. She could feel the demon quivering and getting excited, arousal building within as his red eyes widened. Soon its seed would fill her...
...Sister Joanna cried out, "Goddess!" and bolted upright in bed. Her frail aged body was hot and wet with sweat.
More than a little disturbed by the dream, she decided to go to the kitchen and shake off the dread she was now feeling. She donned a robe and took the stairs to the kitchen. She poured a mug of fresh well water and tried to relax. After twenty minutes, Sister Joanna felt calmer and slowly walked back to her room. Taking off her robes, she once again prepared to climb into bed.
"By the name of Shallya, how can this be!" gasped Sister Joanna, her eyes widening in surprise.
Propped against the wall next to the headboard of her bed was her walking cane. She had been using that cane for at least ten years, and there was no way she should have been able to walk down the stairs, and back up, without it. But she just had! And without the slightest difficulty!
Before she could further ponder the situation, her eye caught a thick black smoke filtering into the room through the crack under her door. She stood paralyzed in fear for several seconds while the smoke curled and moved as if it was alive. The black smoke gathered together into the shape of a large humanoid.
The smoky humanoid spoke! "Do you enjoy the taste of renewed youth?" Its voice deep and soothing, like rolling waves crashing into a sandy beach.
Sister Joanna stumbled backward, falling onto her bed. "What...?" The confusion was obvious in her voice.
"When you took to bed, you had the body of a eighty-year-old crone. Now you have the body of a sixty-year-old. After midnight tomorrow, you will be another twenty years younger," informed the smoky figure. "All you need do is enjoy yourself and give in to the pleasures that Slaneesh can bring to you."
With that, the smoky figure dissipated, gone in an instant.
Sister Joanna's mouth was agape in disbelief. How could a servant of the perverse God Slaneesh, corrupt this place of healing? Of all the terrible Gods of Chaos, she found Slaneesh the most vile - tempting people into performing sexual acts of perversion. Slaneesh was depicted with one half of his body that of a man, and the other half a woman, allowing him to perform sexual acts of both.
First thing in the morning she would contact the government in Altdorf and have this monstrous servant banished and the hospice consecrated again.
The rest of the night crept by slowly, as Sister Joanna sat up the whole night, too terrified to fall back to sleep.
"Sister Joanna. What are we doing about the damaged cellar and the tunnel below?" asked Sister Anya, an eager young woman only recently inducted into the Order of Shallya.
Sister Joanna sat silent for several seconds. After last night's encounter, her first thought had been to banish the evil servant that had tempted her. During the long sleepless night, however, she'd begun to have different thoughts, shamefully she would admit.
She'd used the cane today, but only for appearances, as she was strong enough to walk without it. She felt endless energy, and her body was healthier and more vibrant than it had in years. A glance in her mirror had revealed that her short-cut hair was still white, but now contained numerous darker streaks, and she was certain the wrinkles on her hands and cheeks skin were less severe. In her youth, Sister Joanna had been proud of her beauty. She'd long ago accepted that the ravages of age were inevitable, and slowly she realized that the idea of being young again was difficult to resist.
But right now the younger sister wanted an answer to her question.
SisterJoanna wavered for another instant, then, pushing thoughts of the consequences to the very back of her mind, she reluctantly came to a decision. "I was thinking of letting yourself and Sister Teresa explore the tunnel," Sister Joanna said to Sister Anya. "I know of your enthusiasm in studying the history of this hospice. And this would be an excellent opportunity for you put that youthful energy to good use."
Sister Anya strapped on belt and ropes they would use for safety, with the aid of Sister Teresa. Both had changed out of their robes and into breeches and shirts and boots that were more appropriate for the exploration.
Sister Teresa could be well described in one word, brutish. She was a square-faced thirty-seven-year-old who could probably beat most men in a contest of strength. She bore a wide girth and strong muscles, and excessive facial fuzz complimented her gruff voice and surly disposition.
Sister Teresa grunted, "You young ones need to learn to take care of yourselves," tightening the rope on the younger sister's belt.
Sister Anya said nothing, but a look of disapproval crossed her face. She sighed in relief when Sister Joanna announced that it was time to gather and bless the explorers.
After the simple ceremony was completed, the two sisters began their descent into the newly exposed hole in the cellar floor.
Sister Joanna looked on intently. None of the other sisters noticing the look of guilt in her eyes.
Continued in Chapter 2
The Corruption - Chapter 1
Next Story:The Corruption - Chapter 2
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