NOVGO.NET Chapter 68 Feast of disasters.
Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Feast of disasters.
Luna watched as Ethan’s hands worked their magic on Adrain’s wound. The glow that emanated from his palms was soft at first, then grew brighter, more intense, until it slammed directly into Adrain’s stomach.
"Arghhhhhhh!" Adrain let out a scream of terror that echoed through the entire house. It felt like fire roasting him from the inside out. His body arched off the couch, muscles tensing, veins bulging in his neck.
Kai, who had been watching from the doorway, felt his stomach turn. The gore of it all—the way the wound lurched and twisted before slowly closing at the edges—made him close his eyes tightly.
"Thanks very much, Miss Luna," Kai muttered, his voice strained. "Now I’m not sure I will be able to eat anything again."
He grimaced as he watched the wound seal completely, the torn flesh knitting together until the skin was fresh and smooth. The mark that had been there moments ago was completely gone.
Finally, the area was sealed entirely.
Ethan stood up, expecting to feel the usual weakness that followed his healing abilities. But it never came. He moved his hands in the air, clapping them together experimentally. Nothing. No exhaustion. No drain.
"Oh my god!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder. "I don’t feel weak."
Adrain sat up slowly, pressing his hand against his stomach where the wound had been. The pain that had been burning through him moments ago was completely gone. He flexed his muscles, twisted his torso, and felt nothing but strength.
"This is crazy," Adrain breathed, his eyes wide. "But thanks so much for that. Now I’m much better."
He looked down at his stomach, at the unblemished skin, and let out a shaky laugh.
Luna watched them both with a satisfied smile. Then she pointed at Adrain.
"When would the healing be done?" she demanded, her tone sharp.
Ethan rolled his eyes, dusting himself off from the invisible streak of dust that clung to his clothes. He walked toward Adrain, grabbing his shoulders.
"You know, at least don’t make it obvious you don’t like me that much," Ethan scoffed.
Luna glared at him, but there was no real heat in it.
Meanwhile, the others had been busy in the kitchen.
Kai emerged first, carrying a plate covered with a lid. His expression was hopeful, almost childlike. Behind him came Miles, his own dish in hand. Rowan followed last, looking distinctly unimpressed with whatever he had been forced to contribute to the meal.
Luna looked at the three of them, then back at Adrain and Ethan.
"Let me get this straight," she said slowly, her eyebrow arching. "Your priority is not your safety, but food? You made portions of food from each person? Like, are you kidding me?"
Her question wasn’t met with an answer. Instead, all three of them stared down at their respective dishes, suddenly looking self-conscious.
"Okay, drop it at the dining table," Luna instructed, waving her hand toward the large wooden table in the next room. "Then we have a feast upon us. And I hope it’s good?"
Ethan let out a nervous chuckle. Earlier, he had been so confident in making the dishes. But now that it was presented to Luna, with her judgmental eyes scanning everything, he didn’t know what to expect.
"And you two," Luna said, turning to Kai and Miles. "Aren’t you going to drop it at the dining table?"
Kai nodded hurriedly and moved along. Miles didn’t wait to be told—he was already heading that way, his long strides carrying him quickly across the room.
With everyone scampering all over the dining area, Luna was left with both Rowan and Adrain.
She turned to Adrain, studying him carefully. "You’re getting better now? The sickness isn’t in your body again, I assume."
Adrain nodded, still confused at Luna’s sudden moment of care for him. It seemed so out of place, so unlike the cold, dismissive woman he had come to know.
"Yes," he said quietly. "I feel fine now."
Luna stared at him for a moment longer, then nodded. She stood up, and both Rowan and Adrain followed her behind as she made her way to the dining table.
The table had been arranged with the help of Miles. Apparently, Kai had been doing a very shoddy job at it. Luna noticed immediately that he had separated the table from the chair, and she realized that really, he was a rich boy. Only a rich person could be this clueless about basic household tasks.
Luna took her seat at the head of the table. Rowan sat to her right, and Adrain to her left. The others took their places, each one looking nervous.
"Okay," Luna said, clapping her hands together. "What are we eating first?"
Kai rushed forward, bringing his own food to the center of the table. He removed the lid with a flourish, revealing a brown, muddy liquid that looked more like swamp water than anything edible.
Luna stared at it.
Rowan gave a placid look, then an irritated gaze at the content, before looking back at Kai.
"We wouldn’t be shitting ourselves when we are done eating, right?" Rowan asked, his voice dripping with skepticism.
Kai’s face fell slightly. "It’s... it’s good, I promise."
Adrain picked up a spoon and leaned forward, trying to scoop some of the mysterious substance. But before the spoon could reach his lips, the smell hit him.
"Oh no," Adrain said, recoiling. "Sorry, Kai. We all love you here, but I can’t stand the smell of that. And what in the world is that supposed to be called?"
Kai made a dejected look immediately, pouting all along with a pitiful face that would have made a lesser person feel guilty.
"Pudding," he said quietly. "I decided to make pudding. Not knowing that you all wouldn’t like it. I am so sorry."
Silence descended on the table.
Then Luna began laughing so hard that she almost fell off the chair. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her stomach.
"Damn it, Kai," she wheezed. "That’s pudding? That shit right there?"
Kai nodded miserably.
Luna wiped her eyes, still chuckling. "Okay, okay. Let’s see what the rest of you have brought."
She turned to Ethan, who nervously slid his plate toward her. He removed the lid with trembling hands, revealing a small, burnt, sponge-like thing sitting alone in the center.
Luna looked at the plate, then at Ethan. She looked back at the plate, then back at Ethan.
"I can’t find the dish," she said slowly, her eyes scanning the plate for the remaining thing that was meant to be there. But all she saw was the tiny sponge-like object.
"Taste it," Ethan encouraged, his voice bright with false confidence.
Luna paused, looking at him. What was it with the guys here and making weird dishes? They had spent all that time in the kitchen, and this was what they had produced?
Still, she picked up her fork and dug into a piece of the sponge. She brought it reluctantly to her lips and took a bite.
Everyone watched her chew.
Her face shifted through a series of emotions—confusion, surprise, irritation, and then something strange and unreadable. Finally, her expression settled into a placid mask.
Ethan gulped. He didn’t know whether to be scared or not, but he decided to be neutral.
"So good, right?" he chuckled nervously. The others hadn’t eaten anything yet. They were waiting for the best, and with Luna’s expression, it almost seemed like the one they were looking at was gradually taking the worst position.
Then, out of the blue, her face brightened.
"It’s excellent," she announced. "Nice cooking, Ethan. I just don’t understand—where are the rest?"
Ethan began scratching his head sheepishly. "I kinda burnt it all, and this is what survived."
Everyone gaped at him.
"So the one I gave you to eat," Luna said slowly, "is the last surviving one. The rest are gone."
Ethan nodded miserably.
Luna stared at him, then at the others, before finally turning to Miles.
Miles brought his own plate forward, and with great ceremony, removed the lid.
The plate was filled with dead frogs. Small, brown, clearly deceased amphibians stared up at them with glassy eyes. They were arranged in a neat circle, as though Miles had taken great care in their presentation.
Luna screamed so loudly that the windows rattled. She shot up from her chair so quickly that she fell backward, her arms flailing in the air.
As she fell, time seemed to slow down.
Rowan lunged forward, his arms reaching for her. But Adrain was closer. He caught her just before she hit the ground, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her against his chest. She landed safely, but his waist paid the price.
"Fuck my waist!" Adrain screamed, his face contorting in pain.