3.51 The Final Feast

Tonight, the Villa dining room looked magnificent, the table was beautifully dressed, ornate gold and velvet chairs flanked a seamless white silk cloth. A large golden tray commanded the center, vases of red roses splashed either side with color. Flames danced from the crystal chandeliers above, the light sparkling off the silver dishes promised of a fantastic Final Feast. As the gods gathered in the lounge for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, aromas of gravy snails and lobster tails drifted in from the kitchen, whetting the appetites, helping to bringing the mood back up.

         "Sit!" The king gestured to the dining table, each place labeled with their names.

         "What are we going to do about Bakkon?" Hedena gestured to the empty seat beside the king.

         "Bakkon is no longer one of us!" Atalon assured, swaying now in favor of the Elopement Theory. He sat down at his seat, bitter, now unable to ignore the intolerable void, poisoning the atmosphere of the Final Feast. "We shall simply replace him!"

         Eyes darted around the table, no one dared ask, let alone volunteer. Atalon eyed them all, one by one…

         "I think Bella the Thief will make a fine replacement, don't you?"

         Bella stared at the king in disbelief. The table gasped in disbelief.

         "Bella, take Bakkon's seat!"

         Everyone was speechless, feelings were being confirmed, Atalon really had lost his mind. The gods exchanged concerned glances, none of them really knew Bella, she hadn't even proven herself, nor had she taken any Blood Oaths. The offer of an outstretched hand was a lifesaver. Torus, the only one navigating the rapids with an open mind, helped Bella out of her chair and led her to Bakkon's seat, right beside the king. Tensions calmed again as the servers brought in the appetizers, dish after dish was placed neatly around the table, but the large gold tray gleaming in the center was still empty.

         "What are we going to do about the main dish?" Halki finally dared to ask.

         "We can't just eat Gravy Snails!" Medena chimed. "This is the most important feast in history!"

         Eden felt her cheeks heat up as the burn of Hedena's laser beam eyes scorched her skin. Her usual ease of feigning smiles had sailed away with the god of Death that day, no longer was everything the way it had been before, now she seemed cursed with ill fate. Had her encounter with the Grim Reaper brought her demise after all?

         "How about Eden?" Hedena was still bitter. "Eden's fine flesh could perhaps provide a slight dent in the mountain of forgiveness we're begging for this evening."

         Atalon eyed the guilty goddess with ruthless scrutiny. It was a good idea, she had certainly poured salt on his wounds lately.

         "What an excellent idea!" he snapped. "Get on the table!"

         "I'm sorry, you can’t have her" Malodon stood up, he wasn't going to allow it. "We've lost too many Gens, she’s one of the best, we need her in the Lab."

         "He's right" Seton agreed.

         Angrier, Atalon let his eyes feast on the featured goddess for a moment, his brothers were right, Eden was one of the most beautiful goddesses ever designed.

         "Very well then…" He returned to the remaining faces seated around the table. "In that case it will have to be.... Miss Bella the Thief!"

         Bella couldn't believe her ears, she felt sick, surely she had been drugged, was she hallucinating? She gripped the tablecloth with her fists beneath the table, terrified inside, what was this nightmare she had walked into?

         "But you just basically gave her a position in the Firmary!" Halki argued.

         "Exactly!" Atalon replied. "That qualifies her as a Menu Item for a Final Feast!"

         Medena didn't like where this was going, he was sounding insane.

         "Are you sure you want to part with her? She'll make a good Breeder too, we need to preserve her bloodline, only 1% of the Gens have any red in their hair."

         A Breeder? Bella reached for her goblet of wine and hastily she took a mouthful but the taste and texture was shocking, gagging in disgust she coughed suddenly, spitting it out all over the white tablecloth.

         "Ha-haaa!" Atalon clapped loudly. "See? Her blood is lit up just at the thought of it, she's terrified! Ha-haaa!"

         "SHUT UP!" Torus rose to defend her, fists clenched, angered by his mocking tone.

         "Very well then" Atalon scanned her details again with narrowed lenses, there weren't many goddesses left to choose from. "Red head wins immunity challenge. We'll feast on BloodWine and snails. Fill me up!" He snapped for the server. "Fill them all up!" Atalon waved his arm, ordering another round.

         Everyone was speechless again as the servers topped up their wine and plates, the Final Feast was definitely heading in a downward spiral, it wasn't a good thing at all.

         "How about Mika?" Medena offered, wishing he would just pick on the generic slaves a little more instead of wasting her best Designer Products all the time.

         "Mika?" Atalon studied the Golden Goddess, sitting sheepishly in Dena's spot, her makeup was smudged, he wasn’t impressed. "Are you asking me to eat Gen garbage? Are you really actually asking me to eat a CHEAP, GOLD PAINTED LOCUST for the most IMPORTANT FEAST IN HISTORY?"

         "Mika's a fine Golden" his outspoken sister dared to joust, still bitter from his condescending remarks towards her work. "And after the torture she was subjected to today, you might even het high from eating her too."

         "Don’t EVER sell me GARBAGE!" He snorted, angered by the suggestion. "You had better watch out little sister" he growled, wagging his finger. "You're lucky your blood is so blue, you're looking ESPECIALLY fat and juicy tonight, I'm getting high just THINKING about eating YOU!"