Battle Priestess
By Wyldewood

She was well known among several cultures and several races, she could change her appearance at will to appear as one of them and was known by various names, but in each and every one of these people there was no mistaking the fact that she was the Goddess of War and Battles. Even now as she stood in a great hall that served as her home and looked out a magically enchanted window down at earth and the many cultures there, those about her could see she was bored, very bored, and rightly so.
It had been close to three millennia since any kind of war had occurred among the gods, a war where she could and would willingly enter and fight with the full force and fury that was hers by divine right. She has had to settle instead for watching and occasionally using her influences down on earth to stir things up among the mere mortals, mostly to amuse her and partially to check on her own ability to be the supreme fighter for one thing she did always worry about was the possibility that she might lose her edge as a fighter in hand to hand fighting.
Even now as she was looking down on earth, a small smile touched her lips as she focused in on one culture, one of her favorite ones in fact as they began the preparations for the monthly hand to hand fight among the priestesses that served her to see who would serve as her high priest the next month. It had been her own decree to them that the high priest position must be earned in monthly combat to prove herself capable in combat as well as in her priestly duties. Sixteen war priestesses had once again gathered from the various temples that served her to fight in elimination matches with the loser of each fight eliminated, and the next level up harder to win until only the two best met in a grueling final fight to determine who the high priestess was.
Rather than watch this time from afar as she usually did, the goddess who in this culture was known as “Syf” decided it was time to take an active hand in this tournament, and not just watching it there in the form of her avatar, this time she decided it would be fun to create a mortal form of herself with mortal limits and pass herself off as one of the priestesses selected to enter the fights. Considering all the high priestess who had served for the last several years, Syf started to create herself in a human form selecting appearances, traits and skills from eight of them at random, and satisfied with her appearance set aside most of her godly abilities so as to ensure a fair fight and entered her creation and in that mortal form sent herself down to earth.
Appearing in a dense woods not too far from the temple of the high priestess, she waited by the side of the road patiently knowing full well that several of the arriving priestesses used this road to get there. It would not take too long before one such came along and stepping out on the road, she issued a formal challenge to hand to hand combat. As a priestess of war, she knew this one had to accept the challenge refusing such a challenge was considered a mark of cowardice and the priestess quickly accepted. Dismounting from her horse, the two stepped away from the road and the fight quickly began. Syf usually played fair when it came to a fight, but not this time, she planned to be in that tournament and that meant removing one of the priestesses first. Barely had they locked themselves up in combat when she invoked some of her remaining divine abilities to render the woman unconscious and then implanted within her the memories of having been in a memorable first round but losing in it and awakening her in a daze sent her back to her own temple. She would be safe for the next hour or so by which time she would emerge from that daze fully believing the memory she had been given and return as she had been commanded.
Her own position in the upcoming fight for high priestess now assured, Syf returned to the road, her path leading to the temple just a few miles away, and a smile on her lips as she contemplated the fights for the first couple rounds.
For the young priestess Ember, this was a time for nervousness and rightly so. She was young, had just turned eighteen less than a year ago and had competed locally for the right to try for the position of the high priestess. In fact she had already done so twice before since she was old enough to make the attempts. Her level of success however had been less than good; both attempts had seen her rendered unconscious in the very first round where single round elimination matches would reduce the field by half, and despite the fact she was very toned and athletic, she had been one of the quickest to be taken out each time, and that had been a personal point of shame for her, now she was back the third time after winning the local fights yet again, and proving her worth to try for the High Priestess position. She had been training hard for this fight, but the previous two losses still preyed upon her mind despite her best attempts to put them behind her and had left her in a state of nervous anticipation.
Even now as the women all approached the elimination pits that circled the main raised platform where the advanced fights she looked down half in fear and half in excitement. Eight of these pits surrounded the platform of the High Priestess and the first round would take place here in these pits. Eight feet deep and square in shape measuring sixteen feet on a side, the floor and walls were solid marble of the traditional blood red color and in here the first round would be fought. It was straight forward, one round, no weapons, no time limits, no rules and no surrender; all fights were to a knockout. As the high priestess descended from the upper platform, she bore a ceremonial helm in which eight pairs of colored marbles rested. Each priestess would reach in and blindly draw a marble, the high priestess taking the last herself for she too had to fight to retain the right to serve another month and then all would display their marbles at once and those who matched marbles knew who they would fight to advance to the next rounds. Little did Ember know that the Goddess Syf was standing right next to her and just a bit behind her taking her own marble just like the rest but that was exactly how the goddess wanted it, she was here to fight and win fair and square. On the command of the high priestess, all showed their marbles and Ember revealed one the color of brown wood and saw her opponent not too far away looking at her and her marble and scowling. She was a bit older, taller and heavier than her and definitely formidable looking and without a word further she turned and headed towards one of the pits marked on the edge with the same color ready to fight.
Ember had not had a chance to fight this particular priest before, though she had seen her at the previous tournament, her name was Breen and the last time she had made it to the second round where only eight were left to fight and the contests harder. She stood at 5’7” and close to 150 lbs of good solid muscle on a medium body frame; her hair a jet black and straight was typically cut short to limit its use as a possible weapon against her. That compared to Ember’s own shorter 5’2” and 145 lbs. The bigger difference between them was her own larger boned body giving her a stocky look that also hid her natural strengths. Ember’s own hair was a deep red, a bit longer but still on the short side barely covering the back of her neck. As Ember stepped to her own side of the pit ready to drop down on the signal she took a better look at Breen and realized that her complexion was decidedly ruddy and the scowl was more a sour look and realized that her opponent might be sick. If so, it may take a bit away from her fighting ability but, even if she was sick, she was in the tournament and had to fight regardless until she either won or was eliminated. Moments later Ember’s world closed down to just her foe and the pit below as the herald and a panel of five judges on the raised platform gave the signal to begin and she dropped instinctively to the floor below and charged her foe even as she landed moments later.
It was a matter of mere moments to close the distance in the limited space, and Ember timed her approach just right as Breen had dropped partially to her knees and had straightened up in time to see Ember pivot and strike with a roundhouse kick that smashed across both breasts getting a howl of pain and an involuntary grab at her own breasts to protect them. It was the opening Ember needed as she spun a second time and delivered a sharp mule kick to the open and exposed stomach. It had the desired effect and it also confirmed her suspicion that Breen may be sick as she dropped to both knees gagging and retching suddenly.
For a few indecisive seconds Ember held back half not wanting her to throw up on her as well but then the heaving subsided and Breen rose upright to her knees and started to rise. Sick or not, she was still looking to fight and Ember was ready as she closed and launched a classic drop kick one foot to the breasts the other to the stomach and as close to the wall as she still was when she first dropped in to the pit, the impact slammed her hard to the wall and she dropped again to her knees gagging once more. Ember scrambled to her own feet and closed grabbing the short hair to partially draw her up a few inches, it was all she needed really as she launched a hard knee lift that connected solidly to the jaw and put Breen down for the count.
It had not been much of a fight given the sickness of her foe, and for a few seconds Ember just stood there as she let go and watched her foe drop limply and not move before she realized she had won the round and struck a victory pose over her causing one of the judges to drop in to the pit and check on Breen and then declare the victory as Ember’s. Exalted and happy to have won the fight, Ember had the right to humiliate her foe but seeing her laying there in her own heavings made her decide she had suffered enough and she followed the judge as she clambered from the pit and healers climbed down to minister to the loser.
Not too far away in the second pit from where Ember fought, Syf was in her own fight, and doing a lot of damage to her foe. She was herself for her mortal form a good 5’10’ and close to 160 muscular pounds. Her first opponent was 5’9” and close to 150 lbs and almost as muscular in appearance, but she did not have the skills the goddess had and within a few minutes, the goddess had weakened her up with a series of vicious blows, kicks and throws around the pit leaving her opponent hard pressed, rattled and finally stunned long enough for Syf to straddle her stunned body and seizing and crossing the legs and locking them under her arms, grabbed the wrists and drew her in to a swinging backbreaker that had her screaming in pain as she was swung back and forth, each swing had Syf pull up the arms a bit higher, tightening the arch in to a back breaking pose the finally grew too much and the priestess passed out from sheer pain. Unlike Ember, Syf was not about to pass up the humiliation she was allowed, and she immediately went to work on her roughly slapping her awake and then trapping her in a combination body scissor and breast smother as she kept her breathless for several agonizing minutes before finally smothering her out cold again.
Barely waiting for the formal call from the herald, Syf climbed from the pit she was in and watched the other fights as well, noting the various fighter’s styles and making her own plans as the fights ground to a close as one by one the winners emerged from their pits leaving an unconscious priestess behind. With the field narrowed down to just eight of them, it was time to draw the marbles once more. This time the fight was going to be a best two out of three rounds the first round had to be by a submission which was something that caused serious embarrassment to any priestess as any kind of surrender was something to be avoided by all means necessary. The second round was to a knockout, but the fight terms called for the knockout to be by some kind of hold or lock, any kind of knockout from a blow would not only not count, but would cause the loser to win the round instead.
This time, when Ember drew her marble it was a brilliant silver color and saw her opponent not to far away and she half shuddered, she had fought and lost to this one the first time she had entered these tournaments and her mind went racing back to the event trying to find strengths and weaknesses she may have. With a grimace, she realized that she could not recall any but then that fight had lasted almost as long as her own first one had this day before she had be knocked out so there had been not much time to see her style, turning along with the other seven women still in the fights, she went to the red marble stairs leading upward towards the raised platform, even as the judges and the herald climbed to the third and highest one to look down as the four pairs each took one side on the raised platform. The fight area was a bit smaller this time, barely 12 feet from the wall that was part of the high platform to the edge and a 20 foot drop to the ground below, or more if you went off at the wrong point and plunged in to the fighting pits, those who fell all the way seldom survived the fall, and that was an expected risk in the fights, the other way actually ran for 36 feet the middle 12 being the formal fight area but an additional 12 feet formed corner blocks and if a fight spilled over in to either corner area, the fighters from around that corner had the option of joining the fight possibly turning it in to a four way free for all.
As the signal was given to start the fight, Ember’s foe gave a formal bow to an equal to her and a smile twitched her lips, you could sense she was half mocking her for she also remembered the easy win she had with Ember and then she charged forward and the two locked up. Her foe was closer to her this time in height and weight, but no less fierce than before when the fought and her first move was to try and whip Ember face first in to the nearby wall as she had done the first time. That time she had been caught out and slammed in hard, this time she was ready and thrust her arms out to slow her and block the impact and quickly rolled to one side expecting the attack from behind and was right as her foe had been right behind her charging and leaped her knee aiming for the small of her back.
This time however, the back was not there and she slammed with her full weight on to the knee as it found the marble wall instead and with a howl of pain, she dropped to her knees and howled a second time as her knee took the second impact. Rising up, she lurched and it was clear that she had done damage to the knee and was having trouble supporting herself now with that leg. It was an opening to not be ignored and Ember closed the distance to hand to hand and feinted with a blow to the face and then spun catching the injured leg with a leg sweep and toppling her foe right in front of her. Giving her no chance to lash out with either leg, Ember seized the injured leg and spun it around her own knee in to a step over leglock and threw a good deal of her own weight in to it twisting it deep and getting a scream of pain from her foe. Moments later to the surprise of Ember her foe screamed her submission out as her knee apparently gave out on her almost completely. Ember realized she had won, and wondered if perhaps the knee had been injured already in an earlier fight, maybe even the first round down in the pits. It was a win however, and she released her foe and stepped back to allow her to rise and start the second round. Now her foe needed a submission to keep fighting while Ember needed a knockout to end the fight and advance to the semi-finals.
The rules here was there are no breaks between rounds, if Ember had wanted to she could have continued her attack with the same hold that won the submission, though traditionally in these fights as a courtesy to one another the hold was released and the loser allowed to rise before the next attack. This Ember gave willingly, but as soon as she was up, that courtesy evaporated like water on a hot frying pan and she charged her foe slamming in to her and used her body to drive her back in to the nearby wall.
Hooking her arm and with a violent twist, Ember executed a near perfect hip toss that flipped her foe heads over heals and dropped her hard on her back and with a war cry leapt up and came down flat and hard on the length of her body the weight driving the breath from her in an explosive gush of air. Her foe though partially stunned and gasping for the air she just lost was no slouch at fighting and strong of arm and she used it now snapping her arms up and around Ember in a prone version of an inverted bearhug and rolled hard forcing Ember underneath her to use her own weight to an advantage. Undaunted by the attack on herself, she responded to her position and snapped her arms around in a similar bearhug and returned the damage crush for crush seeking to drive the air from her and weaken her enough to set her for a finishing hold, even as she forced the roll a second time to briefly regain the top position before the fight began to degenerate in a slowly rolling fight of it’s own both women equally determined to stay on top where the advantage was.
Ember’s foe however was not yet out of tricks and even as they were both struggling, she shifted her grip lower down on the waist and dragged herself down a ways. Then clamped hard around the waist rather than around the chest apparently trying to switch to a back weakening assault rather than the original one of crushing the breath from each other’s lungs. It was making it harder for Ember to maintain her own lock around her foes chest where she felt she had the better advantage and her grip lost some power from the angle she was forced in to, but then her foe reached even further down and dragged herself even further down and her real planned assault was revealed as she partially twisted and her thick thighs looped around Ember’s head and closed in a fierce scissors. ‘Two can play at that game bitch’ was Ember’s thoughts and she shifted her own grip down and pulled hard stretching them out a bit and getting her own legs within reach of her foes head and seconds later despite an attempt to duck the legs she was ensnared as well and Ember poured it on in turn. The low moan from her foe a quick testament to the power in her thighs soon became sharp gasps of pain as Ember began a series of sharp pelvic thrusts to the scissors and she tried to return the favor in kind and gave a half strangled cry of alarm as she could not. Her legs injured from the earlier round had reached their limits and had suddenly faltered, the actual crushing pressure lightened up considerably, and realizing the opening, Ember abandoned the less useful bearhug and thrust hard at her foe’s knees and gasped in relief as her head popped free and Ember moved to capitalize, shifting her body away to a ninety degree angle to her foe evading her legs trying to recapture and once at that angle she recrossed her ankles to tighten the scissors and poured on the pressure.
Getting desperate now as the pressure increased to her skull, she began to franticly claw at Iris’ legs trying to break the terrible hold, but Ember caught the one arm and stretched her out limiting her movements and then used the captured arm to slowly draw her head deeper between the thighs until it reached the crotch and the pressure was at it’s greatest. Ember leaned back seeking the best leverage and threw all she had in to the scissors and her foe went frantic for several long seconds and almost as suddenly went limp. A judge immediately dropped down to check the woman and ordered Ember after several seconds to release her and doing so, she stood up and looked as well. Her foe was out cold, crushed by the power of Ember’s thighs and she had won the fight in two straight rounds and was now heading for the semi finals.
A mixture of surprise and shock ran through her as she looked down on the woman who had so easily beaten her the last time and now had fallen in turn, and then at the signal of the judge she went to the ladder like steps carved in the wall and ascended to the top platform. From here she could wander across it looking at the other three sides and the fights going on there, as well as survey this platform herself tomorrow, there would be just four of them left to fight for the high honor and it would be here on this raised platform where they fought in front of all who watched from the ground below. Never had she reached this far up the fighting areas that actually made the outer walls of the temple that lay within, but here she was now, and after looking around up there, she turned her attention to the remaining fights in progress one of those women she would have to face in the morning shortly after first light.
One fight in particular caught her eye as two of the fights had become one, the fight in which Syf was involved had shifted from the center wall segment and crossed the line that marked a corner slab, and once in there the fighters from around that corner were lawfully allowed to join the fight as well, and they had done so and the four of them were fighting each other shifting from one opponent to another with no regard to who it was in an attempt to eliminate each other. The fight had swirled around the 12x12 area and come dangerously close to the edge several times as the fighters risked being knocked over the edge to fall below and probably be injured for the rest of the fight, and then it happened, one of the woman was badly stunned and two of the others grabbed her by both arms and hauled her to her feet even as Syf backed up a couple of paces and then charged forward launching herself in a near picture perfect dropkick her feet smashing hard in to the chests and breasts of the held woman. Even as the blow landed the others let go the same moment and the victim flew backward, fell hitting on the edge of the ledge and then with a startled yelp disappeared over it dropping to the area below. The several yells from below suggested she did not land well, and rushing closer to see herself, Ember could not see the fighter and then realized several were lowering themselves in to the pit, it had been a bad fall indeed, she had dropped close to thirty feet, if she was lucky, she might survive the fall, but probably would not. That was confirmed seconds later as one of the people emerged from the pit and looking up towards the judges gave a slashing motion across the neck, the universal sign that someone was dead.
The remaining threesome however were too busy with their own fight as the two standing had when Syf landed from her dropkick seized her legs and spread eagled her and were systematically trying to tear her apart at the crotch and she was yelling in both pain and anger at the two on one and doing her best to escape major damage. The break came when one of them tried with the other hand to grab at Syf’s swinging hand to capture it and twist her body as well as spread the legs and Syf caught her wrist instead and jerked hard throwing her off balance and losing her grip on the leg she had. Like an angry rattlesnake, Syf wasted no time or motion as her freed leg came back and lashed out catching her tormenter square in the groin and doubling her over in pain, it didn’t last long as the leg drew back and lashed out a second time slamming hard in to her face and sending her stumbling back half stunned and she literally stumbled back right off the edge of the platform and fell, essentially eliminating her from the fight unless she managed to land without injuries.
Moments later Syf was on her feet fury on her face and she attacked the remaining woman only to be called off by the judge seconds later declaring them both winners as one from each pair had been eliminated. Unable to finish her fight as she had hoped to, Syf stalked to the edge of the platform and saw the last one she knocked off standing and somewhat alright and dropped down herself. She had eliminated her from the fight and if she can’t finish the fight up there she wanted to, this one was hers for humiliation by law, and she was going to take it!
Noting that she was nursing her chest, that became her target and she caught her former foe in a massive bearhug that quickly drained her of any strength and air until she was all but limp. Dropping her, she reached down and roughly stripped her top off and then her own and dragged her to her feet and again in to the bearhug this time deliberately grinding her breasts against the all but out of it woman crushing them against hers without mercy until they wilted under the attack and were soon all but pancaked flat under the pressure.
Satisfied at last, she dumped the woman and she laid writhing and coughing weakly, blood at her lips suggesting possible internal bleeding was now taking place and the healers moved in quickly in an attempt to save her life. By time Ember had torn here eyes off the spectacle, the final fight was over as well, the victor as well as the one who escaped the wrath of Syf already at the top and awaiting Syf before they were all declared the winner. In the morning, they would draw a final time to see who they fought and this time it was again to a knockout, but with the clause that there was no surrender or submission and the loser had to beg the winner to end the fight with a knockout, any knockout that came before that would not count towards the win, and if a priestess erred in such a manner twice, putting her foe out before she begged, she would lose the fight as well. This would be no easy fight for any of them for it was not just their fighting skills being tested this time, but their desire to win, none of them would willingly admit they were so badly beaten as to beg for the final hold to put them out and lose the fight, as a war priestess, this simply was not acceptable. The two women who emerged from that fight would face off the next day in a match that could end only in total domination of one over the other. All four women looked warily at each other, none really knew any of the others and could only guess what the next fight would become, as they were dismissed to go to a small private room in the temple to rest and be taken care of by the healers Ember had to suppress a shiver at the idea of fighting one of the women under those fight conditions. Her luck had been so far good enough, would it hold out?
The four women were led inside the temple to the area known as the Champion’s Quarter where a short hallway with four rooms, two each side sat and would serve as their resting area for the night. Each of the rooms was very large and roomy close to sixty feet on a side and held not just a sleeping area but also a workout area where they could warm up or limber up in the morning, or do just about anything else they wanted to. The four had free access to almost all areas of the temple except the one area reserved for the high priestess herself, and while Ember was happy to just unwind in her room and eventually go to sleep, the other three were taking advantage of their elevated status. Two of them going out almost at once and returning with one of the priestesses they defeated and had claim to for their personal pleasures until the tournament was over. The final being Syf took that claim to the max, not only claiming both women she defeated who were still alive, but then going out and using her ways demanded a few of the first round losers also come with her and become her means of pleasure. In the end she finally closed the door of her chamber with five in all, and the night was oft punctuated with screams and moans from within, and a lot of them were decidedly not the type one associated with pleasure but rather with pain.
Dawn came around soon enough, and for the remaining four the battle that lay ahead was apt to be one of the most grueling in their lives. Again the ceremonial helm was brought forth, this time by a herald rather than the high priestess for she had been among those eliminated the day before, four marbles remained, the two gold ones would fight that morning, the two silver ones would fight afterwards. Ember reached in and drew her marble second and when all had drawn them they revealed it. She had drawn one of the golden marbles and would be in the first fight, and looking at the others she saw Syf was holding the matching one and scowling at her. Without any words, Syf immediately walks towards one of the corners where she turns and waits, even as Ember slowly backs towards the opposite one, her eyes set firmly on her foe, and remembering how this one had been very rough during the first rounds yesterday.
The two remaining fighters who would fight later as well as the herald and two of the three judges also head to the one side and locate the steps down and quickly disappear from view leaving just the two women and a single judge to preside over the fight. The top level here is flat and wide open now, no walls to be slammed in to and a mere dozen feet across before it drops to the level about a dozen feet below, but unlike the other fights, while the fight can start up on the top level, it is no longer limited to just that area, if one of us goes over the side by accident or deliberately the other must follow one way or another and continue the fight until the loser was forced to beg. The judge herself, a tall and heavy woman who looked powerful enough to take us both on made it short and sweet, “You know what you must do to win this round, it ends when the loser begs, no other way short of disqualification is allowed, begin.” And she stepped away from between us and Syf moves forward away from the edge towards the center and Ember did the same a moment later, unwilling to be caught near the corner where a fall is likely.
The size and weight difference was definitely noticeable between them, Syf at 5’10” and 160 pounds against Ember at 5’2” and about 145 pounds but Ember if she had noticed it apparently seemed unwilling to pay attention to it and she lunged in and the two locked up, pushing and shoving in an attempt to take the other down. Syf managed the first move as she captured the head in a vice like side headlock, but surprisingly Ember quickly broke it with a hard shove forward the slid her head free though it also cost some hair and delivered a sharp kick to the back of Syf’s legs that make her stumble and almost fall. She was quick to recover and spun just in time to lock again with Ember as she closed and the two swayed back and forth trying to bring the other down. Groping hands seeking a grip on each other’s wrist found themselves palm to palm and instinctively fingers clasped and grasped locking together and both women paused a moment to note the grip and Syf let go the other hand she had around Ember’s neck and offered it fingers open daring Ember to lock the other hand in the classic finger lock test of strength.
Whether Ember had been gaining confidence from her first two wins, even though she felt the first was not a real one, or it was her training as a Priestess of Battle and War, or perhaps a bit of both, Ember neither flinched, hesitated or backed down from the implied challenge and her own hand came up and locked moments later and barely had they settled grips than they threw themselves in to the duel of the hands determined to bend the other’s wrists back and drive her to her knees where she would be vulnerable to a new attack. Easily a head taller that Ember, Syf leaned in and her voice pitched low said “Give it up, you can’t beat me and you will suffer if you don’t! I won’t be afraid to hurt you and hurt you bad, this is war after all.” Ember’s response was just a silent scowl at first and then between clenched teeth her reply was firm and sure of her self. “You want me you’re going to have to take me! I’m not going to fall victim like the others who fell to you yesterday!” To the surprise of Syf, Ember seemed to draw from the demand new strength and her legs suddenly quivered and she started to sink to one knee before she rallied herself and brought more of her strength to bear focusing in on their locked hands and heard Ember gasp and her own knees began to buckle one knee actually touching but then she rose as well, slowly it was, but she rose none the less and then pressed in hard, their bodies actually contacting each other even as their hands were forced to either side.
The two both now straining, Syf’s height with the arms spread out like this worked against her and her arms starting to tremble from her exertions she could actually feel Ember starting to gain the edge over her as she started to use the finger lock to force her hands and arms back behind her. In an effort to shift the fierce duel in her favor Syf tried to raise their hands so they were fully up and her height would let her drive downward on the grip. There was a brief point where she started to succeed but then Ember howled almost like a wolf with a battle cry, and the sound startled and distracted her and her concentration. It was a bad move as the partially raised hands faltered and Ember shoved hard with her own arms forcing the arms not just back but upwards as well at a particularly painful angle. Syf gasped at the sudden pain and a sharper jerk upwards by Ember and the fingers of Syf involuntarily released the grip and the duel between them and it left Ember able to capitalize on their position.
Their bodies essentially chest to chest but Ember being shorter and her arms already partially around Syf her next move came naturally as the fingers unlocked and she finished swinging her arms around Syf and locked her in her own fierce bearhug and poured on the pressure. Now Syf was in trouble, only yesterday she had managed to win and used her own bearhug as a form of humiliation as she crushed her foe after she won the fight and that priestess was even now fighting for her life from the injuries sustained, now she was trapped in a bearhug no less fierce than her own and worse, Ember’s shorter position had her arms level to the rib cage and she had drawn her in for the best possible pressure, a pressure that had all but stopped the breath of Syf and she realized that it was deliberate, Ember could have put more pressure on and stopped her breath fully, even broken her ribs where she had her and her ribs were creaking dangerously as a testament to the power Ember had, but the priestess knew she could not stop the air at least not now, if Syf went out before she begged she would have one of two strikes against her that would forfeit the match, so she was working to drain her strength and stamina by denying her most of her air, allowing just enough to keep her awake.
It was working too, within a minute, gasping and wheezing Syf was rocking in the hold and desperately trying to break free by slamming her knee in to the groin of Ember. The first one had succeeded and for a moment the fierce crushing pressure slackened before she tightened up again, after that however, Ember was ready for her and one of her own knees rose with Syf’s to block and deflect the attempted groin smash and she continued to be drained. Unable to stop her from below, Syf went for the head instead and her hands sought and raked the eyes, the cruel nails partially blinding the priestess and she screamed in rage at the pain and suddenly let go and thrust Syf away as she pawed at her eyes trying to desperately restore sight to the tearing blur that almost blinded her view now. Syf staggered from the push back and caught her self and glanced back, another two steps and she would have gone over the edge. Anger rose in Syf and she charged the partially blinded Ember planning to use the same stunt she had yesterday of drop kicking her foe off the edge. Ember could see Syf charge her, mostly as a blur, her sight not yet cleared and saw the speed and read it for an attempted tackle and responding, she threw herself to the side, her legs seeking her foes legs to trip her and bring her down even as Syf launched her dropkick. For Syf, she had a brief second of airborne space between her and her foe before she disappeared from in front of her feet and she mentally shouted a ‘NO!’ as she missed her target and hands clawed desperately for some kind of hold on the figure of her foe and missed, then she hit hard the red marble of the ground and on its smoothness slid the couple extra feet and then felt open space below her as she ran out of platform and then fell, the twenty feet to the platform below.
Ember had turned as Syf had sailed over her and watched as she hit and went over the edge even as she struggled to her own feet. She could easily go after the woman who probably was hurt right now but she chose instead to wait as she continued to wipe and clear her eyes for several more critical seconds to clear it. Her eyes finally cleared enough, Ember went to the edge and looked and saw no sign of Syf, a slight sound from behind and she spun and saw Syf rising from the corner having come up the ladder like steps and as she stepped forward she winced, and favored her right foot, even from a dozen feet away, Ember could see the area around the ankle swelling badly, she had either twisted the ankle or broken it on the impact but Syf was not quitting and she came across the square even as Ember hastily shifted away from the edge and towards the center.
As they closed, it became immediately apparent that Syf was abandoning the wrestling style that had prevailed so far and went instead to plain old fashioned brawling as she started swinging at her foe slamming fists to the body and head and rocking Ember and staggering her and driving her back towards the edge. Realizing what Syf was trying to make her fall and having a hard time getting past her furious swinging herself, Ember made a choice of a tactical retreat and went for the edge and half rolling herself, and half swinging herself she dropped down and holding the edge went over the side holding on briefly as she dropped down so she dangled her feet down to the lower level and then let go. With just a dozen feet between her feet and the lower level she hit hard and collapsed but rose to her feet and quickly realized she took minor damage at best while from above Syf howled her frustration and turned to hurry as best as she could for the stairs, she was not about to repeat the roll and drop with her ankle like it was and had to use the ladder steps to get down to where her foe was.
Ember hoped she would, her own mind forming a bit of a cat and mouse game and as soon as she saw Ember heading for the steps, and was out of sight, she ran the other way to the opposite side where a second set also led up to the top level and quickly climbed back up. The climb down the ladder was sheer pain with each step for Syf and she was determined to extract it from her foe and as she rounded the corner didn’t see her and swore as she thought she had to chase her around the level and then from above came the taunt of Ember as she stood directly above her on the top platform again.
With a curse, Syf hobbled back to the steps and started to climb back up, but this time Ember was ready for her from about six feet away and as Syf’s head and chest rose above the floor line, she launched herself in a slide much as a baseball player would slide in to home plate to score only this time the plate was Syf’s chest and she connected solidly and knocked the woman off the steps to fall back to the level below again. A scream of pain announced the impact and as Ember rose and looked down Syf was rising with a black look of berserker fury on her face. The goddess had never been in a situation before where so many of her moves had been backfiring on her and worse she was the one taking the worst of the damage and in front of the many witnesses who watched from below as the fight progressed. For a few brief seconds she toyed with restoring her god like powers but settled for just a boost in her strength and partially healed her injuries, but her berserker anger was also clouding her thoughts and she wanted vengeance now on the smaller priest and she went for the ladder a second time, wincing even as she went, not only was her ankle broken, though she muted some of the pain but she had dislocated her one shoulder on that last impact and she had used her godlike abilities to put the shoulder back in place though it still pained greatly. She left it so, so she could extract equal pain from her foe when she got her hands on her.
This time when her head popped over the top floor it was more cautious and she saw Ember ready and set for her from about halfway back for another of the slides and used her remaining and improved strength to defeat the move swinging her body deftly up to the side like a gymnast might on a vaulting horse and up on the top floor and then rolled desperately as Ember made her move and this time it was Ember who misjudged and went to the platform below landing hard and all the wind knocked from her and a rib snapping from the impact possibly a second one cracked as well. Syf saw her rolling and clutching her chest and correctly read the signs of the ribs damaged and didn’t wait for her foe to recover and ignoring the pain as best as she could, she climbed down to the next level and closed with Ember returning to the battering of her fists and targeting the rib cage in particular, The incessant pounding was pain amplified by the extra strength the goddess had granted herself ad she began to drive Ember back again to the edge planning to send her to the ground level where all the onlookers could see them up close as she extracted her revenge.
Ember for her part saw at least part of the attempt to drive her off, and was not going to let it happen again, this time she took a chance and risking possible knockout blows that would have cost Syf a round she charged in and got a hand around Syf’s neck and the other between her legs and jerked her up and off her feet over her head. Moments later, Ember dropped to one knee the other outstretched and brought Syf down hard stomach to the knee and the breath exploded in a fierce gust of wind and then se flipped her over on her back, the hand clamped around the neck choking the other hand singing claw like in to the womanhood of her foe. Ember had just about had enough of Syf’s brutish attacks and dirty fighting and she was going to give her some of it back now.
Again the hands of Syf went for the eyes, but Ember saw them coming and jerked her head out of the way and then the hands dropped and sank claw like in to her breasts instead and closed with no mercy and with a startled scream of pain, Ember rose losing her backbreaker like hold and dropping Syf to the ground but also in the process breaking Syf’s claw to her breasts. It was enough for Syf however and with her good leg she kicked at Ember’s knee cap and connected solidly and toppled the woman on top of her and worse right between her waiting legs which clamped solidly in a crushing scissors. Syf groaned as she tried to lock her ankles and the injured one rebelled but she had power to spare now and she used it trying to weaken Ember enough to turn her on her side and once she got her legs across those ribs of hers. . . .Syf was certain she would soon have Ember begging for mercy and to be put down once that happened.
It may well have worked, but Ember was fuming mad herself by now and facing her foe, she saw the probable attack and was going to resist it and fight back. Since Syf still wanted to fight dirty she would oblige her and her hands lashed out and sank deep in to Syf’s own breasts gripping the cloth there and with a jerk she tore the top free exposing the breasts themselves and the hands sank deep in to them nails digging deep and Ember started to twist and turn without mercy getting sharp cries from Syf and she began a series of sharp pelvic thrusts with the scissors to break the grip to her breasts and try to drain her foe even faster. Grimly Ember hung in her grip firm on the breasts and started to struggle first to her knees and then once there to her feet and pushed forward trying to roll Syf in to a tight ball and crush some of the breath from her in turn. The move seemed to be a partial success as Syf’s breath started to come in short gasps and with a sharp grunt she thrust her legs out breaking the roll up as well as getting the claws from her breasts. Ember though was not done fighting and lunged in again still trapped in the scissors and again Syf thrust her out and this time tried to twist as well to topple the stubborn woman and let her control her again from the ground where she could finish her foe off and make her beg.
Syf made a critical error though with the second thrust and attempted turn as Ember’s arms denied her goal and feeling the attempt to topple her grabbed the legs around her waist and then turned with the attempt by Syf. Too late, Syf saw her error and grabbed desperately for the legs of Ember to block the counter but too late as Ember continued her twisting attempt and literally stayed on her own feet bit rolled Syf face down and stepping over her back dropped down and deep and set her legs before thrusting back for a very deep Boston Crab that arched the goddess in to an agonizing position.
Ember by now was beginning to relish the fight, she had taken a fair bit of damage but she had dealt a good deal as well against her adversary, and this latest hold was perhaps one of her best, her smaller height and heavy weight meant when she was set low and deep as she was, she could arch her foe deeply and her center of gravity was so low to the ground that most attempts to power thrust her off with the legs were doomed to failure. It was a hold she had discovered and developed carefully at her own local temple and now she was going to try and force the woman to finally yield the fight and beg for it to end. Syf was trapped and she did indeed try to thrust free of the hold but discovered quickly what Ember already knew and could not throw her off. Using her strength that she could feel sluicing away as she struggled she tried to push up and take the strain off her back, but again Ember’s weight helped her and with a fierce thrust drove her beck to the ground again and the pressure mounted even more to her back. Time and again Syf tried to thrust free or raise herself up, and each attempt Ember countered and each further attempt took longer and longer to try. Syf was close to the point where she would do what to her was impossible, she was being forced to beg. In a desperation move, Syf started to claw to the right against the stone and slowly shifted the direction the two were facing as this was one thing Ember could not control set as she was, and then in a move that seemed totally crazy started to push herself towards Ember increasing the arch on her back and forcing Ember to slide forward a bit to not have the arch go so critical that her foe passed out too soon before she begged for it and then Ember saw the cunning trap she had been set for. Syf had got them turned to the point where she now faced the ledge and was being forced towards it, she would either have to go over the edge or make Syf pass out prematurely at the slow pace Syf was driving her backwards. By small feet the two went closer and closer to the edge, Ember seeking to make her foe beg and Syf determined to either force her over or be put out to win free of the terrible hold on her back. Ember refused to release the hold she knew she was steadily draining her foe, and of the two options, the edge seemed the better because if Syf went out, then she would gain a much needed rest and the fight would be almost starting anew except for the injuries they both sustained.
The edge came, and Syf seeing she was going to go over made the final push confident that the injuries her foe took would reverse the struggle and she would again dominate. With a startled cry, the feet of Ember slipped and she disappeared over the edge and then Syf cried in alarm as Ember held on to the legs and she slid suddenly for the edge as well and felt herself go over the edge, her sharp wits making her grasp at the smooth edge in a desperate bid to save herself, and screamed in agony as she held on and the weight of Ember jerked her arms hard almost out of her shoulder sockets again, but then the weight faded as Ember let go and fell the rest of the way.
It wasn’t much of a fall for Ember though the extended length of Syf and Ember was such that the ground was just a couple feet below Ember’s feet and she released her foe and dropped lightly to the ground before looking up and seeing her foe hanging there, leapt up, her arms snapping around Syf’s knees before she could try to pull herself up and kicked at the wall thrusting them both away from the wall and breaking Syf’s tenuous grip to the edge bringing them both down.
The impact did no damage this time to Ember and only knocked the wind from Syf but her whole body screamed from the impact to the various injuries she had sustained and as Ember rose up, she kicked at the knee trying to bring her back down to close in range. Ember took the blow and staggered but this time she also reached and caught the offending foot and stepping over it wound it around her legs and then reached for the other leg, the injured one and securing it, she locked Syf in to a figure four leglock. Ember had just about had it with the priestess she was fighting, and the last attempt had almost sent her in to the deep pit that laid just a couple feet away, it was time to use the pits herself but not the way Syf had intended it.
Just as Ember was about to drop back, she made her choice about the pits and scooping both arms under the locked legs, she partially lifted and swung Syf towards the pit and then dropped down herself finishing the lock. An unearthly scream echoed from the pit as Syf fell in to the pit with her upper body but the figure four lock and Ember was on and the end result was Syf was tapped in the hold her lower legs in the lock on the ground above while the rest of her body hung upside down against the pit walls all her own weight now also resting on the leglock as well as the pressure being applied by Ember above.
The crowd had surged forward, held back only a decent distance by the heralds, judges and some of the remaining priestesses as the scene played out and Syf twisted and writhed trying desperately to break free some how, for her part, Syf didn’t even try to add pressure to the hold when she realized Syf’s weight was doing all the damage, and even if Syf did pass out, it would be because of her own twisting and could not be held against her if she was not doing anything at the moment so she laid back, her arms to either side to stabilize her position and waited as the minutes started to pass. Even someone like Syf had to yield and the goddess realized after nearly three minutes in the agonizing position that she had but two choices left to her, either beg and lose the match or else restore her goddess abilities to break free and reveal herself for who she was to all assembled there, and if she did that and a human had managed to make her lose essentially the damage would be great especially when the other gods heard of it, and she was sure some of them at least were watching even now. Tears in her eyes from the pain and the humiliation she cried and began to beg for the fight to end. “I yield you are the better woman, end this fight and put me out to end my misery!” she cried and the judges all heard and declared the fight all but over but for the final part.
For her part, Ember could just let her hang there until it became too much even adding pressure from above, but that would take time, and her own legs were tiring as well and she called for help from the priestesses to pull Syf from the pit and back to level ground. This they were willing to do but then they stepped back, to let Ember finish what she must do to advance. Surprisingly, Ember unwound the hold but she wasn’t about to free Syf and knew she had to be put out and in style. Whatever Ember chose, Syf knew she had to allow it and take it at this point and watched sullenly as Ember straddled her waist and growled at her. “If you had fought cleanly I would have fought the same way as well, but as you noted, this was a war, and you have lost it, now receive your final hold as only a woman can do it!” With that she leaned forward and dropped heavily on top of Syf her arms wrapping around her head and forcing her face deep in to Ember’s cleavage and tightening for a classic breast smother finisher. It was humiliation as well as knockout all rolled in to one, and Syf rebelled within at the cruel twist of fate handed to her and knew she would at a minimum be challenged when she returned home by at least some of the other female goddesses after this. Her breath denied her she could do nothing except wait as her breath failed her and she finally went under, her lungs were already filled with the white fire of air gone bad, and she could see from the corner of her eyes the judge watching and waiting for her to pass out, and then Ember’s voice came to her ear, and it was clear and meant for the woman under her and the judge to both hear. “By rights you may not fight this but I grant you a warrior’s finish if you want it, your arms are free and my body exposed, think you can crush the air from me and make me pass out before you succumb to the smother?”
Syf was startled and it reflected in her eyes as she sought, found and locked with the eyes of Ember and saw no trickery or treachery there. ‘Warrior’s finish’ was allowed but rarely invoked especially at something like this, but if Ember was willing to accept the risk of the right granted. . . .
Syf’s arms snapped up and around Ember and closed with all Syf still had in her and she set her mind in to crushing her foe with no remorse or mercy. From around them, cries of alarm rose and several started forward to break up the counter attack, but the judge there raised her hand and loudly proclaimed “Ember has offered Warrior’s finish and named the terms, the offer was accepted, this attack and final struggle is lawful!”
It stopped those approaching cold and they watched as the dangerous struggle continued. All knew what would happen as a result, If Ember continued and rendered Syf unconscious with the smother, she would advance to the final fight tomorrow, if Syf however succeeded, she still was out of the contest, but so would Ember for offering and then losing the offered ‘Warrior’s Finish’ and the new high priestess would be decided by who won the other fight instead this day. It was a dangerous move too because Ember screamed at one in sheer pain as the arms tightened and her broken ribs rebelled but then her head dropped down and the two bodies quivered as they fought to outlast each other, within seconds Ember’s own breath became labored and then stopped as well, Syf had managed enough pressure to keep her from breathing and they were both denied now the breath to survive. A minute passed and a second and then almost as suddenly as it began it ended as Syf’s arms unlocked and fell limply to either side, and Ember slowly lifted her own head, eyes half blank from her own lack of air and started to breathe once again and with a half grunt slowly rolled off of Syf while the judge formally checked her foe and declared her unconscious the fight was over and Syf would advance to the finals in the morning against whoever won the other fight.
By rights, Ember had full claim to Syf and could humiliate her then and there, but she was herself exhausted, the struggle had taken much from her and she weakly told the judge she declined the right of public humiliation but retained the right of private claiming, this the judge in turn proclaimed loudly to the crowd that got a few growls and mutters, especially from those who lost to Syf, but Ember made her choice and they had to accept it like it or not.
Within minutes, Syf revived and realized she had lost when she saw Ember standing not too far away from her talking to the judge and then joining the others as was her right as a finalist to climb to the top level and watch the other pair fight, a fight even now under way now that the excitement of Ember’s match was over with. Slowly she rose to her own feet and dusted herself off and placed her top back on, it having been off since the clawing attack. Not that Syf was ashamed, she was proud of her form, but it was a simple matter of style, then she also climbed to where Ember stood by the judge and touched her arm. Both Ember and judge turned and the judge said severely, “You have no right up here you lost the fight.” Syf accepted that but her attention was on Ember and she made it short and to the point, “I wish to discuss a personal matter with you in the private training areas.” She then turned and left heading for the temple entrance, and Ember sighed and suppressed an irritated growl, she wanted to watch the fight there and try to pick up on the style of both women as she would fight one of them tomorrow. Syf’s words were not lost however on her, however politely worded they were, Syf had just invited her to come to the private training rooms for an one on one fight, and as a priestess of war and battle, Ember could not refuse, especially if issued by another priestess of the order. Turning, she started the climb down and followed the same path Syf took in to the temple.
I t did not take too long to reach the area, it was a short hallway about 20 feet long and at the lowest levels of the temple, three doors two centered on opposite walls and the final at the end, each led in to a square red marbled room 20 on a side, named ‘private training area’ it did sometimes serve that purpose but everyone knew it was also where priestesses went to settle a private dispute more than anything else. A young acolyte was at the entry to the hallway as a guard of sorts and keeper of the rooms and Syf already was there waiting and as Ember approached Syf asked for a room to be prepared for them. The young acolyte immediately took a torch and went to the end chamber and entered and soon light was seen through the open doorway as she lit lanterns set high on the walls and then left the room and formally asked, “The room is prepared, do you wish the high priestess to be notified of it’s use?” Syf looked at her and there was stiffness and anger in her voice as she said, “You are forbidden to speak to the high priestess of this or to anyone else unless one of us grants you permission, otherwise you do not acknowledge we even came here, is that understood?” The young acolyte looked surprised but acknowledged the demand however strange and Syf turned and walked down the hall and in to the room, Ember followed seconds later after a quizzical look at Syf’s back as she walked to the room and shrugged her shoulders.
As Ember entered she saw Syf near the far end of the room and she looked at her and said “Close and bar the door this is between you and me only.” Raising her eye brow at the near imperious command Ember obliged her and then turned back towards Syf and there was a scowl on her face now. “Alright, you called me here, lets get this over with, what kind of fight are you seeking?” To the surprise of Ember, Syf actually smiled and then said “You fought well, and I want to thank you and reward you for your ability to defeat me?” That caused Ember’s scowl to fade and a partial look of confusion to replace it, and she asked even as she tensed half expecting treachery from the woman, “And how do you propose to reward me, by attacking me here and now?” Again Syf smiled and then laughed and it was a clear laugh with no sign of anger or rancor, and she then replied “This is how you will be rewarded. . .” and the air rippled around Syf and then Ember dropped to her knees and then went prone as Syf revealed herself in her true goddess form. Ember was trembling now and in her mind she was going “Oh my goddess she’s going to kill me now for defeating her out there or make me wish I was dead!”
The amused chuckle from Syf made her dare to raise her eyes enough and then she said “Stand Ember and face me as a true warrior priestess should, not even to me should you ever prostrate yourself, you are a priestess of battle and war and you should fear no one, not even me.” That was enough to get Ember to her feet and she bowed anyway as a sign of respect not knowing what else to do and asked, “What do you wish of me, command and I will obey” If anything Syf seemed even more amused and she made a small gesture and it seemed to Ember as if every injury she had taken had vanished, she felt fully rested her strength and stamina restored as well.
“As I said” Syf said, “You fought well and in my mortal form I assumed you were able to defeat me fairly and even offered me the Warrior’s Finish, something few would have dared knowing the stakes and your injuries, I was impressed. My reward in part was the restoration of your health, but I want to reward you even further, surrender your chance as high priestess and come with me back to my halls and serve me instead, you have proven a worthy fighter and I need a woman to fight and train against to recover my fighting abilities and you would be perfect for such, will you accept?” Of all the possible things that Ember had expected, this was not one of them, but then she had never expected to be fighting a goddess either even if in a mortal form that would allow her to be hurt as she had been. The honor was almost too much and she felt the strong urge to go to her knees again had not Syf forbidden it just a minute or so ago.
A decision and a choice came to Ember and she decided to accept and did so but with a twist to it. “My goddess, I will accept with pleasure but only conditionally!” It was a bold declaration, Syf had expected her to accept with thanks and humbleness, but she was also curious as to what the conditions were and she replied, “And what conditions do you have in mind?” Ember felt sure of herself now, what she would ask the first two at least seemed proper. “The first condition is that we train with you in your mortal form, as a mortal against an immortal such training would be worthless due to the unequalness.” Syf considered it and nodded in agreement, “You show wisdom in your request, what else?” Ember continued saying “I request you grant me the ability to change my shape and form, to best serve you I must compete against you in different heights, weights and builds so you can be best against all forms.” Again Syf found herself nodding in agreement Ember’s words rang true, and such a request she could bestow on her if that was what was needed, and she agreed to it again complimenting her wisdom.
Ember took a deep breath now, she was certain of the first two but the third and final provision she suspected the goddess would refuse her as would be her right of course, however she had earned a certain right out there and taking a deep breath she plunged ahead. “I have a third provision; it is a very personal one. You are my goddess indeed, but I did fairly defeat you and by the rights I have claim to you for humiliation or anything else I desire, will you acknowledge that debt to me even though you have revealed yourself for who you truly are?”
That definitely got a frown from Syf, this she had not expected and she said as much, “You seek to rise above your station to punish me your goddess?” Ember didn’t back down however, her experiences with Syf had taught her to be bold and brazen and also to speak her mind. “You entered the contest knowing the rules and you took your own share of humiliation, will you now declare yourself above the rules and laws that you yourself had established!” Syf frowned and then she sighed, “A condition for a condition, I agree you have the right but it must be claimed here and now, and never spoken to anyone of what transpires in here except to me, do you accept that in turn?” Ember nodded acceptance, she could see the why of it and was willing and she agreed verbally. “Any more conditions?” asked Syf and Ember shook her head no and the deal was made, Ember would return with Syf and serve as her trainer.
The air shimmered around Syf and she reappeared in her mortal form complete with the remaining injuries she had ready to meet her own lawful obligation and a fierce light lit in Ember’s eyes and she called Syf to come to her. “You have the ability to change your shape and form as you wish and you said you can do the same for me, would you as a part of this agreement be willing to do so now? Syf nodded she could and began to wonder what she had in mind. Ember revealed what she wanted and the eyes of Syf widened and she looked at her new trainer with something akin to deep respect before she made a gesture and in place of the injured Syf, a duplicate of Ember stood before her, the request was unusual but Syf found herself wanting to try what Ember had in mind as much as she wanted it. In her form as Ember’s duplicate she was to fight her one on one there in that chamber as if they had both reached the finals, the requirement was total domination of one over the other and Syf was forbidden to use any of her goddess powers to help herself in the course of the fight. For several seconds tension seemed to surround the two as they looked at each other, silent threats made and accepted and then they lunged for each other. . . . . . .

To Be Continued?