Chapter 26 - this will eat out my heart

Everyone heads inside to the banquet area. Connected to the ballroom, there was music playing. The banquet hall was decorated with white and lavender sashes flower arrangements of lilies, babies' breath and lavender on the table lavender tablecloths golden candles. In the center of the ballroom there was a crystal chandelier. It refracted light creating rainbows on the floor. It was utterly beautiful to look at. You can tell no expense was spared. People were dancing and the musicians were playing upbeat music. The different clan members were actually laughing and mingling with each other. It showed Orion and Theo that all of this was for something and that something really could work. They could heal their people. Their land. Their home.

There was a buffet table filled with an array of different foods. There were leafy greens, and different fruits like berries, dragon fruit and star fruit. There was fish and boar. A dessert table that had a cake as the center piece it was a large three layer masterpiece. It was decorated with stars and suns drawn on to the cake. Little trays of cookies and puddings. It was a masterpiece to look at.

It's truly amazing how the queen and Lady Evanstorm was able to put together in a matter of days. One could wonder what hey could do if they had a few weeks.

Surprisingly the event so far has gone without incident between any of them clans. Well, nothing but a few arguments, no violence being the main point of concern..

People approach the newly wedded couple

with well wishes and congratulations. Bringing gifts of gold and silver, porcelain and money for the future King and Queen of Elysium.

Theo and Orion head to the ball room after they spent 2 hours receiving peoples blessings. They begin dancing. People were drinking and laughing it was going wonderfully.

And then the hairs on the back of Theo and Orions neck rose. The guards seem to notice too putting their hands in their sheaths. And then someone screamed "He's got a knife!"

The guards drew their swords.

"We will not bow to a High Elf Queen! Never Again!". Several elves came forward pulling swords from their clothes. They were dressed as guests and the women had stored weapons under their skirts. And then coming from the doors and balconies were more elves armed with bows. Drawn and ready

"We refuse to accept another white haired bitch as our queen " a man with brown skin and blonde hair walked forward, a Sun Elf. And a fair skinned red-haired man, a Wood Elf.

Orions brothers and the royal guard were ready if a fight broke out. Her mother the queen was already giving orders with her eyes.

Theo steps forward "call my wife a b*tch one more time. Before I have the chance to take your tongue." People now move back away from the man speaking. Leaving only their followers standing in their place.

Orion shocked she's never been threatened by a person before. Like a real threat.

Snapping out if it she realizes. He just called her a b*tch!

"Excuse me, you mean to come into my home. Eat my food. Drink my wine. And then throw a dagger at me and call me a b*tch?" Orion chuckles. "I don't think so."

"F*ck you whore" the man spits on the ground and with that Orion pulls a dagger from under her dress. Poised to throw it.

"You are so fucking hot for that

ya know?"

Theo said mesmerized by her. He couldn't believe his bride had a dagger hidden in her wedding gown. If this didn't say he married the right woman nothing, not even a mark would.

"Kill that B*tch" someone yelled from the crowd. A knife is thrown through the air flying between Orion and Theo's faces. Someone let an arrow slip shooting a guest in the shoulder.

All hell broke loose in the ballroom.

The room was in complete chaos.

Guests, caught in the crossfire, hid behind pillars or fled in panic as spells and arrows flew past

The smell of blood filled the air. Pools of it on the floor.  The air crackles with magic as the clans unleashed their fury.

The room echoes with the clash of steel

and the cries of the guards, as elven garments are torn and blood covering the

gems adorning the ballrooms.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours as the fighting continued.

Soldiers fought tooth and nail,  they pushed against the opposing ranks. Spears and swords thrust forward.

Her brothers swinging their swords with a whirlwind of slashes, the blades slicing through the air with deadly precision, she looked over at the elf being stabbedbthrough the chest, it was Emmery. Orion slicing and stabbing and throwing her daggers. She hurdles over bodies laid out on the ground. She kneels beside Emmery holding him in her arms. He was bleeding out all over her wedding gown.

He reaches his hand up blood spilling from his mouth as he coughs up more "my sisters is the most beautiful bride." His voice staggered and faint. Barely above a whisper. He touches her face, gently pressing his hand to it and smiles with tears in his eyes. "Tell Winnie…" and his hand drops from her face onto the floor. His eyes still open glazed over but the life from eyes had left in.

Rage.

Orion felt raw rage. And then everything went black.

Orion just looked at Emmery. Her heart

ached deeply. And something cracked inside her.  She leaned her head up and let a lot scream. The remaining windows were shattered at the sound and a wave of energy blasted from Orion jerking her upward. Her body limp in the air and her scream echoed shaking the walls and the floor. She turned a dark shade of purple. Her eyes glowing almost black. Her aura was purple fire raging from her.

She closed her mouth and looked down at

her brother's dead body; her black eyes scanning the room. And narrowed on her

target.

The entire room at that point had stopped fighting and were just standing with mouths gaping eye drowning in terror and horror watching as Orion underwent an ascension. She transformed into something magnificent standing before them all. Power so bright she looked like a star in the ballroom. A burning hot star.

She locates her target and as she stretches out her hands she speaks in an ancient tongue. And shadows unlike the ones she called before, these were much blacker as and they pulled themselves from the ground, giving themselves a 3-dimensional form. Purple fire was falling from her fingers crisscrossing on the floor mixing with the blood and shadows. Holding the remaining invaders by their legs dragging them into the floor. In seconds, the shadows had swallowed the man up; he was dragged by the shadows back to Orion. The shadows recede down his face revealing it.

"You took something from me" the voice sounded deep, primal, raw and angry.

"And now I will take something from you"

She shoves her hand right through his chest. His heart still beating in her hands. As you see it from his back side. She rips his heart out of his chest. Still alive she takes his heart and shoves it in his mouth.

"This will eat at my heart the rest of my life and so will it for you" Shoving his whole heart into his mouth. She has her shadows let go of him dropping him 25 feet breaking the man's legs. He died choking on his own blood and heart. His body mangled and bloody on the floor.

T: Orion. Orion. Please Orion. Can you

hear me? Orion. Little Bunny follow my voice and come back to me

Orion zeroing in on the person invading her thoughts.

She moves effortlessly through the air to where Theo stood with the man, who called his wife a whore, his neck in Theo grasp.

T: Orion

Staring at him her glow finally fades and her shadows retreat releasing the remaining  survivors from the attack. They stumble and fall back. The guards come arresting the remaining traitors. Theo clenches the man's throat as tight as he can.

"I told you I was going to rip out your throat your treasonous little prick Maximus." Theo whispered to him. "I will take your body home with my beautiful wife and I will personally nail your naked body to my palace walls for every elf to see."

O: Theo?

Suddenly she collapsed mid air falling. Theo dashes to her sliding onto the ground to brace her fall.

***

Orion

I saw was man thrust his sword into an elf and when he pulled his sword and turned.

All I saw was Emmery stumbling backwards holding his stomach. He'd been stabbed. I ripped my dagger through some and shoved some down as I jumped on some and over others.

I had to get to Emmery now.

I get on my knees, and I hold him close to me.

He reaches up and touches me face.

He whispers to me about how beautiful I am. As he was asking for it when he died.

He just died

In my arms.

He was dead

No.

No.

 NO, a voice deep within her said. She felt her fury and she let it take over. Surrendering to the power inside her that had been screaming to let it out.

I was falling into the blackness. But this time I didn't fear it, wasn't consumed by it. No, this time I consumed the darkness. Blasting through it I could feel the Netherworld coming to me.

My world.

With the realization of this I felt myself drawing from the land pulling from it.

The rage rolling over me

I am death

He took for me. Death was mine to control and he took what was mine.

He took my brother. MY Emmery.

My heart. He was so much of my heart.

I will take his heart in return. His death is mine to have.

The coldness of death filling my body, I could feel the world itself come through me I was transcending.

The world was me and I was the world.

Shadows my shadows come to me. I am you

your master. I drown these elves who harmed my brother. And bring me the elf who has his blood on his sword.

The shadows spread holding those who

wished me harm hostage.

There he is. The man who will know what

it feels like to have your heart ripped out.

 "This will eat at my heart the rest of my life and so will it for you" Shoving his whole heart into his mouth.

He will live the resting life eating his own heart.

T: Orion

Who is calling my name?

T: Orion

It's Theo.

My Theo.

I could feel the Netherworld pulling itself back.

I close my eyes and let myself drift back from the darkness.