Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 290: Humans Lifetime. (The End of book 1)

Chapter 290: Humans Lifetime. (The End of book 1)

Wedding hall.

Thirheria.

************

Suddenly,

The grand hall of the castle, once a picture of opulent celebration, had taken a sudden and dark turn. The air, previously filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses, was now thick with a sense of impending dread. The focal point of the revelry had shifted to Adele’s father, whose intoxicated state had rendered him both boisterous and reckless.

He started swaying slightly on his feet, had risen from his seat with an air of false grandeur. His cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, not from the joy of the occasion, but from an excess of alcohol. His once-proud demeanor had become a slovenly display of inebriation. With a hiccup and a loud, slurred voice, he began to boast about his new position, his words punctuated by erratic gestures.

"I have done it!" he declared, his voice echoing through the hall. "The kingdom’s future is brighter than ever, thanks to my new title! And those trolls, oh, what fools they are. They thought they could outwit us with their gifts. Look at them now, so pitifully eager to please!"

His remarks were laced with disdain for the troll kingdom, and each disparaging comment seemed to fuel the growing tension in the room. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd, their initial surprise morphing into discomfort as Lord Barion continued his tirade.

A few guests, unable to hold back, began to laugh. The laughter, though initially light, soon turned into a cacophony of nervous guffaws. The contrast between Aldridge Baron’s slurred boasts and the crowd’s uneasy reaction created an unsettling atmosphere. When he paused and asked, "What is so funny?" his voice slashed through the murmurs, amplifying the growing sense of unease.

It wasn’t long before the laughter faded into a chorus of moans and groans. The room, once filled with the sounds of festivity, now resonated with the painful cries of the guests. The situation had taken a horrifying turn; the honey from the troll delegation had been laced with poison, a cruel twist that transformed the celebration into a nightmare.

Adele, who had been sitting in stunned silence, began to notice the grim signs of distress among her guests. Their faces, once jovial and bright, now contorted in agony. The once-rich aroma of the feast was now overshadowed by the stench of fear and sickness. Guests clutched at their stomachs, their bodies writhing as the poison took its toll. The air was filled with the sounds of retching and gasping, as if the very essence of the celebration had been turned against them.

The realization hit Adele like a tidal wave. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her vision blurring as she took in the scene around her. The elegant gowns and tailored suits of the guests were now marred by the horrors of the poisoning. The once grand banquet hall had become a scene of chaos and suffering.

Her father’s voice, now a desperate plea for help, was lost in the sea of agony. He had trusted the trolls’ gift, blinded by his own greed and stubbornness, and now his misjudgment had led to this catastrophe. His boasting had been a cruel irony, his arrogance a stark contrast to the unfolding disaster.

Yet, again.

Adele’s heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to make sense of what was happening. The poison, merciless and fast-acting, was wreaking havoc on the guests. Their intestines seemed to be tearing apart, their bodies convulsing in pain. The once-celebratory rum was now a vehicle of death, and the revelry had turned into a grim tableau of suffering.

Adele’s own body betrayed her as she tried to breathe. The air felt thick and suffocating, her chest tightening with each shallow breath. The shock of the poisoning left her feeling faint and weak. Her pallor deepened as she clutched at her gown, her mind racing through a haze of disbelief and horror.

In the midst of the chaos, she felt utterly helpless. The dream of a perfect wedding had been shattered, replaced by a nightmare of pain and despair. The joyous occasion had turned into a scene of agony, leaving Adele to grapple with the devastating reality of her father’s actions and the tragic consequences that had ensued.

The grand hall that was filled with laughter and celebration, erupted into chaos with a deafening sound that shattered the festive atmosphere. The doors at the back of the room burst open with a thunderous crash, drawing the horrified gazes of the guests. Two enormous trolls, their faces twisted in rage, stormed into the hall. Their massive forms loomed ominously, their eyes burning with a fierce intensity that made the festive decorations seem trivial in comparison.

The trolls wasted no time. With brutal efficiency, they began to attack the guests, their powerful limbs swinging with terrifying force. The once-gilded ballroom was now a scene of bloodshed and terror. Guests screamed and scattered, their elegant attire stained with the dark crimson of their blood. The once-cheerful melodies of the musicians were replaced by the clanging of metal and the screams of the dying.

Adele’s father, Lord Aldridge, stood frozen in disbelief. His face was a mask of shock and horror as he saw the carnage unfolding. He began to shout in frantic denial, "No! This was not the plan! This was not supposed to happen!" But his words were lost in the chaos. The trolls continued their rampage, their rage unrelenting.

The knights, summoned by the commotion, engaged the trolls in a desperate battle. Swords clashed, and the air was filled with the sounds of metal on metal. Among them was Holden, who fought valiantly to protect the guests. His ebony hair flew with every swing of his blade, his expression grim and focused as he battled to hold back the trolls.

In the midst of the chaos, Holden’s gaze found Adele, who was cowering in terror. With fierce determination, he rushed to her side, his presence a shield against the onslaught. He stood firm, his sword raised to defend her from the deadly blows of the trolls.

It was then that Theodore, his face etched with a mix of frantic worry and anger, burst into view. His eyes darted around the hall, desperately searching for Adele. When he finally spotted her, he ran to her with all the speed he could muster. Without hesitation, he gathered her into his arms, his hold both protective and desperate.

"Adele!" Theodore’s voice was a raw cry, filled with panic and fear. "What did you take? Why did you do this?" His eyes searched hers for answers, his heart pounding with dread.

Adele’s gaze met his, her eyes filled with a profound sadness that spoke of her shattered trust and the crushing weight of betrayal. She held his gaze for a fleeting moment, her expression a mixture of love and profound sorrow. Then, with a final, whispering breath, she murmured, "Why..." before her body went limp in his arms.

Theodore’s world seemed to collapse in that instant. The woman he loved, the woman he had just married, was lifeless in his embrace. Her once-beautiful face was now pale, a haunting contrast to the vibrant life she had shown just moments before. The realization of her death hit him with the force of a crushing blow. The betrayal and the tragic turn of events felt like a suffocating weight on his chest.

He caught a paper between fingers and as he read it, his eyes widened. No!

Theodore’s mind reeled, his eyes met Noah’s for a brief, painful moment. But the fleeting connection was abruptly severed when a troll, driven by rage and a desire for vengeance, approached Theodore from behind. The troll’s powerful hand wielded a weapon with deadly precision. In a swift, brutal motion, it sliced through Theodore’s side, the cold steel carving a path of agony.

Theodore’s breath caught in his throat, the world around him spinning into darkness. The pain was sharp and searing, a stark contrast to the numbing despair he felt as he clutched Adele’s lifeless body. The once-celebratory hall was now a maelstrom of violence and death, and Theodore found himself at the center of it all, paralyzed by the weight of loss and the cruel twist of fate.

As the chaos continued to unfold around him, Theodore’s vision blurred, and he struggled to stay conscious, his body and soul overwhelmed by the tragedy that had befallen him.

Everything the sorcerer told him became a blur, he didn’t know what to do anymore, if Adele didn’t wish to be with him now because of the lies she must’ve heard then he could do nothing, he has lost her forever and he doesn’t wish to reincarnate anymore.

If this was what the sorcerer meant when he said the next life would be different then he didn’t want it. He didn’t want a lifetime where she wouldn’t exist, an existence that lacked her presence was an existence he didn’t desire.

He laid surrendered, no longer interested in fighting, he wrapped his arms around Adele and waited for death to meet him.

There was no coming back or so he thought as the troll king’s hand swung a sword for his head, ending him.

Little did Theodore know, nature had more in store for them, and they met again in Critic Arley, did he also know that their love would be incomplete yet again?

No, he fell short again.

Humans have four lives: the life of planting seeds, the life of watering the seeds, the life of harvesting the products and lastly the life of cherishing the harvest. This is where you love, eat and enjoy the gift of life.

Could one say that Theodore has finished loving, eating and enjoying the gift of life?

Could one say that Gooseberry no longer wanted to be Gooseberry?

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