Death's Successor Completed.

Chapter two The welcoming ritual

The door opened. Someone entered Luna's room in the early hours of the evening. They stared down at her sleeping form. Water trickled down from above. Splashing on her unsealed wounds, Luna stirred lightly, her eyes fluttering, trapped within a dream. She awoke. Icy droplets of water creased her skin, slowly sealing her wounds closed.

She glanced around her moonlit room, startled by Cole's appearance by her bed. She inhaled, remembering to breathe.
Cole smiled. 'Glad you're awake. I have a surprise for you. I suggest getting dressed. I'll give you some privacy.' The fireplace cast a warm glow over the room. She sat up, getting out of bed. Someone conveniently dressed her in pyjamas. She yawned, trying to break out of her sleepy haze.
She opened the bathroom door, getting inside the shower, letting the boiling water cleanse her healing wounds. She dressed, conjuring a long-sleeved dress. With flowing sleeves in hues of teal and blues. Black boots peaked out underneath the fabric. She brushed her wild hair, leaving it down.

Cole leaned against the wall when she came out of her room, thankful the dress covered her wounds. He rose his eyebrows at her outfit.
'Well, you look enchanting, you definitely know how to dress for a party.' Cole whistled. Heat filled Luna's cheeks. She silently followed Cole downstairs.

She could hear the faint sounds of violins and other musical instruments echoing from somewhere down below. Cole brushed her hand, sending her a smile, allowing her to enter the massive dining room first.

The chandeliers bathed the room in a soft golden glow, reapers playing the hypnotic and haunting songs bowed in greeting, reapers began piling into the room, soon filling the massive space with a cacophony of laughter and idle chatter. The men dressed as formally as the women, wearing clothes from different time periods and wearing religious symbols.
Some reapers smiled or bowed to Luna in greeting, others glanced at her confused, whispering in their circles, sending odd looks her way.

Luna tried to ignore their stares. She wasn't an alien, just a new face. The aromatic scent of red and white wine filled the room. Crystal glasses sat on silver trays, carried by walking skeletons with bewitched garnet eyes.
She grabbed a crystal glass smelling of sour cherries. She took a drink. Her stomach growled. More skeletons set the table with fine silver dinner sets. sat along the red-wine table were trays of different glowing orbs, the aromas of spices laced with perfumes filled the space. The reapers took their seats. Luna sat next to Cole.

'They have selected exceptionally powerful souls, this evening, since it is a special occasion, after all. Oh right, you have never seen a soul before, have you Luna? There the only food source we ingest, apart from liquids.' He chuckled at her frown.
He plucked a golden soul from the pile. 'These taste like honey, depending on the soul and the colour, reapers will experience a wide variety of effects, for example, the honey ones, give us night vision.'
Cole picked out a few souls, popping them on her plate. 'Holy fuck! They eat the souls which they collect. Luna thought, feeling sick to her stomach.'

Luna picked up the brown soul. The orb was squishy and warm; she inhaled spiced mince. She popped it in her mouth, chewing the taste of spiced minced filled her mouth; she tried not to think of who the soul once belonged to.
She tried the golden one. Honey stuck to the roof of her mouth. She washed the substance down with red wine. Her body tingled energised. The dining tables centred on a black alter, the chatter settled down, when an aura of death invaded the room.

David entered with the grace of an immortal. You could hear a pin drop within the room. He held four garnet stones and a crystal goblet of wine; he approached the alter, ravens fluttered into the room preaching on the shoulders of nearby reapers.

'Thank you for attending this evening. We organise this celebration this evening to welcome Luna Cater to our ranks and to give thanks to the phantom queen. Now everyone please rise and join me.'
Everyone rose from their seats, heading to the dance floor.
Death held a ceremonial dagger. 'Cole, bring Luna forward please.' Death ordered.
Cole gently took her hand, standing her beside death. He gently grabbed her finger, holding it above the crystal glass filled with red wine. He pricked her finger with the dagger, drawing blood.