“So tell me what this ritual cleansing entails?” Nox asked.

“Well we’ll go to the cleansing chamber where we’ll wash ourselves and then step into the cleansing pool where the high priestess will bless us and then we’ll get out dry off and put on the ceremonial robes,” Elaine replied.

“I can’t imagine Annabelle doing all this,” Nox said.

“She didn’t,” Elaine replied.

“Hold on what?” Nox asked.

“She refuses to bathe with us so the high priestess just blesses her before the ritual starts,” Elaine replied.

“That’s an option?” Nox asked.

Elaine stopped and turned to face her.

“Do you not want to go through with the cleansing?” She asked.

“Oh no I’m fine with doing it, it’s just that I didn’t know I had a choice,” Nox replied.

Elaine laughed.

“This is the one place in the world where every woman has a choice,” she said.

Nox laughed.

“Oh right,” she replied.

They made their way to the cleansing chamber where Victoria, Lilly, and Mother Ruth waited for them.

“You look awful Master Nox,” Mother Ruth said.

“I’ve had trouble changing my sleep schedule Ma’am,” Nox replied.

“You should have said something sooner!” Mother Ruth said.

She gestured for Nox to come closer and put her hand on the elf’s face when she did. A warmth flowed through her body washing away the fatigue she’d felt for the last few days.

“There, no need for you to suffer,” Mother Ruth added.

“Thanks,” Nox replied.

“Now then let’s get started,” Mother Ruth said.

They undressed and walked over to the fountain where they poured buckets of water over each other. They washed and then Mother Ruth went to the pool and waded in, she gestured for them to follow once she stood in the center of the chest-deep water. Elaine was the first to walk over, she waded into the pool stopping in front of the high priestess where she bowed her head. Mother Ruth put her hand on Elaine’s chest and the two women glowed for a moment before she pulled her hand away. Elaine looked up and then turned to walk out of the pool standing on the opposite side. Lilly was next followed by Victoria, when it was Nox’s turn she cautiously stepped into the pool the warm water making her skin tingle slightly. She waded into the pool as the others had and stopped in front of Mother Ruth where she bowed her head. The old woman placed her hand over Nox’s heart and a rush of head blew through her body feeling like she’d just stepped into a dwarven forge. She gasped involuntarily and took a step back. When she looked up she saw Mother Ruth grinning at her.

“First time receiving a high blessing?” She asked.

“Yes Ma’am,” Nox replied.

“First time’s always something, no real way to explain it either,” she said.

“Yeah,” Nox replied.

“Well come let’s get dressed,” Mother Ruth added.

They walked out of the pool and headed over to a bench where they dried off and put on simple white robes and wrapped a small silver cord around their waists. They left the cleansing chamber when everyone was ready and made their way to the ritual chamber where Seth and Earl waited.

“Go and fetch the first sacrifice,” Mother Ruth said.

“Yes Ma’am,” Seth replied.

The eunuchs left the ritual chamber heading off to retrieve the first man of the night. They returned moments later with a tall handsome man with dark hair and grey eyes. He had an utterly defeated look in his eyes as the eunuchs dragged him over to the structure and strapped him down. She walked over and crouched down after they finished and examined his crotch for a moment. He had an average member with large balls that hung low in his scrotum dangling down between his legs.

*At least this will be quick.*

She picked up the clamp and pulled his member through the cutout before placing the jaws around the base of his balls as she’d done with forty other men in the last few days. She closed the latch on the clamp and started to turn the screw tightening the jaws until she felt them do their work. Once they had crushed the cords that connected his testicles to his body she picked up the razor and severed them from his body dumping them into the bowl Victoria was holding before tossing his empty scrotum on the floor. Elaine healed the man quickly and Nox removed the clamp placing it back on the tray next to her. The eunuchs unstrapped the man and dragged him out of the room. The eunuchs returned with man after man who were strapped down and then castrated with the same quickness as the first had been filling the offering bowl once more.

When the last man was finished the eunuchs dragged him away, Victoria handed the bowl to the high priestess and they filed out of the ritual chamber heading for the temple’s main chamber. When they arrived in the main chamber they walked to the statue of the goddess where the high priestess held up the bowl of testicles for a moment before dumping them into the huge offering vessel where they joined the rest of the offering. The high priestess placed the bowl down next to the larger one and then turned around and clapped her hands. Priestesses started to file into the room each one arm and arm with one of the gelded men. They created a semi-circle around the statue and stopped facing the high priestess. She heard footsteps coming from behind her and turned to look over her shoulder. The eunuchs were carrying a huge metal brazier, they brought in front of the statue and placed it a few feet away from the huge offering bowl. The eunuchs walked to either side of the high priestess where they stood with their arms folded over their chests. The high priestess clapped twice and the priestesses reached up and undid clasps on their shoulders allowing their robes to fall to the ground before kicking them towards the center of the semi-circle. The now nude priestesses put their hands on the shoulders of the gelded men standing next to them and pushed them to the floor where they kneeled down as if they were worshiping the statue. The high priestess clapped three times suddenly a yellow-white flame burst from the brazier causing several of the gelded men to gasp.

The priestesses turned to the left in unison and then began to walk around the semi-circle heading for the statue. When the first arrived she turned to face the statue and held her hands together and bowed her head saying a soft prayer before reaching into the offering bowl and taking two of the organs out, one in hand. She held them up as if to show them to the goddess and then turned around and walked towards the brazier where she kissed each one before tossing them into the flames. The organs were vaporized the moment they touched the holy flames and when they were gone the priestess held her hands together again and bowed her head once more before turning and walking away from the brazier. This was repeated another forty-nine times with the final priestess tossing two large balls into the flames before returning to her position next to one of the gelded men. Once she was back in her place the high priestess turned to face the statue once more.

“Oh great goddess bless grant your blessing to all womankind!” She said.

A warmth spread out from the statue wrapping around the female participants indicating the goddess had heard the high priestess’s prayer. The old woman turned back around and then clapped four times. The woman walked away from the gelded men heading towards the center of the semi-circle where they paired off. The woman smiled at each other for a moment before they began to kiss each other softly. Soon they embraced which turned into gentle caresses, some of the women gasped as the caresses became more intimate, and before long they were making love in earnest. She watched as it devolved into an orgy before losing interest and looking around the room. Several of the gelded me were squirming making it clear that while they had lost their manhoods their bodies still yearned for a woman’s touch.

*Sorry boys I don’t think that’s going to happen.*

The orgy lasted for hours, much to Nox’s dismay, finally ending when the high priestess clapped five times. The women helped each other up and returned to their respective gelded me. They reached down and pulled the men up and wrapped their arms around the men’s in the same fashion as they had when they had arrived earlier that night. Nox noticed that many of the men were still sporting throbbing erections and smirked at them.

*Better rub those out while you have the chance.*

The priestesses led the gelded men out of the room and when the last one step through the opening the brazier suddenly went out.

“And that’s the end of the winter ritual,” Elaine said.

“So what now?” Nox asked.

“Now you can go home or stay here the night it’s up to you,” Elaine replied.

“You should stay we always break out the good wine after rituals,” Lilly added.

“I’ll have to pass I’m afraid I don’t swing the same way you all do so I’d just be weird,” Nox replied.

Lilly shrugged.

“Your loss,” she said.