Chapter 273: Absolute Pandemonium
[Music recommendation: PIXIE-T - Ritual]
.
.
Unfortunately... they were a second too late.
Cora had already finished the chant.
Around the dining hall, dozens of chairs scraped across the marble floor as every mind-controlled guest rose in perfect unison.
The playful atmosphere vanished instantly.
One by one, the guests slowly turned their heads toward the six intruders.
Their eyes remained empty, yet eerie smiles stretched wider across their faces as they began advancing in complete silence.
Andrew stared in horror. "What the fuck happened?"
"Oh no," Jade muttered, her voice filled with that same dread.
Gwen, taking in what was about to take place, cackled through the linen napkin clamped over her mouth. "Uo... re...coud!" (You’re so screwed)
Everyone gave the madwoman a blank look as she tried to taunt them through her gag.
Aliana was not nearly as patient.
Grabbing a fistful of Gwen’s hair, she yanked her back so hard and huffed. "Oh, shut up!"
She slowly retreated a few steps, keeping a tight grip on Gwen while the horde closed in on her and Gavriel.
Cillian turned around and offered a casual observation. "That doesn’t look good." He looked down at the unconscious Cora and muttered, "Maybe I shouldn’t have hit her that hard."
"What do you mean by that?" Jade demanded, grabbing another silver serving tray from the table as she fell back beside Andrew, raising it like a shield.
"Only the one who issued the command can stop them," Gavriel replied calmly, casting a pointed look in Cillian’s direction.
"What?!" the entire group shouted in unison.
Their eyes snapped from Gavriel to a distinctly guilty-looking Cillian, who simply shrugged. "My apologies."
Right then, the guests charged, and all hell broke loose.
The pristine dining hall instantly transformed into absolute pandemonium.
Jade didn’t hesitate.
With a battle cry that would have made a barbarian proud, she swung the silver tray straight into the first man’s face.
Clang!
The guest stumbled backwards, dazed but still smiling.
"Why is he still smiling?!" Jade cried in horror.
Meanwhile, Andrew found himself face-to-face with an elderly businessman who had probably spent more time in boardrooms than gyms.
"I am so sorry about this!" he yelled as he landed a punch squarely on the man’s face, only to turn and find himself staring at an elderly woman advancing towards him instead.
"Oh, come on!"
Andrew snatched up a loaf of bread from the table and instinctively smacked her across the face.
The loaf exploded into crumbs... but the woman simply turned back to look at him, still wearing that same empty smile.
"They don’t feel pain!" Andrew panicked, ducking under a flying champagne flute. "Why don’t they feel pain?!"
Cillian effortlessly sidestepped an incoming attack before grabbing a chair and sweeping three guests off their feet in one fluid motion. "I’d recommend something heavier."
Across the room, Gavriel drove his fist into another attacker’s stomach before sending him crashing straight through the dining table, refusing to let a single person get anywhere near Aliana.
Keeping a firm grip on the bound Gwen, Aliana looked towards the others.
"We don’t have time for this!" she shouted over the chaos. "We need to get down to that temple before they finish the ritual!"
Just then, another man suddenly lunged for her throat.
Before he could so much as lay a finger on her, Gavriel appeared in front of him, seized him by the collar, and hurled him clear across the room as though he weighed nothing.
"Then I’ll go," Gavriel said, his voice remaining calm despite the chaos unfolding around them.
He turned his gaze to Aliana, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You stay here with Cillian, Jade, and Andrew. I’ll go down alone."
"Like hell you will!" Aliana snapped, ducking beneath a stray wine glass hurled by one of the women. "If things go wrong down there, my powers might be the only thing capable of freeing Cedric from that blood bond!"
"It’s too dangerous," Gavriel growled, catching a punch from an advancing middle-aged man before casually hurling him straight into Jade’s path, making her yelp.
Cillian ducked beneath a flying silver candelabrum, his sharp eyes darting between Gavriel and Aliana.
He knew exactly why Gavriel was refusing.
If Aliana went down there, Gavriel wouldn’t be able to unleash his true powers in front of her while constantly worrying about her safety.
Yet looking around at Jade and Andrew barely holding the line, Cillian knew they couldn’t keep these brainwashed guests at bay forever. One of them was needed to stay up here to keep them from being torn apart.
Besides, Aliana really could prove essential if Gwen refused to undo the bond at the altar.
"Gavriel, I think you should take her with you!" Cillian shouted over the chaos. "Aliana’s suggestion makes sense! We have witnessed her free Rose’s soul before. She is the best chance Cedric has if things go sideways!"
"Cillian," Gavriel warned, his jaw tightening.
"I’ll stay behind and hold them off with Jade and Andrew!" Cillian called back without missing a beat, swinging the chair hard enough to block two more advancing guests. "The prisoners are most likely beyond saving... but these people aren’t."
Another wave of guests surged towards them.
"We’re running out of time!" Cillian shouted. "Once Cora wakes up, I’ll force her to undo the command, and then we’ll come after you. Now go!"
Gavriel looked around the room.
Jade was already fighting off three guests using what remained of a broken chair leg, while Andrew had somehow armed himself with two ceramic dinner plates.
"Fine," Gavriel replied in frustration. He snatched Gwen by her collar, hauling the struggling woman forward. He then turned to his wife, "You stay close to me. When I tell you to run, you run. Do I make myself clear?"
Aliana picked up a heavy brass candle stand and smacked a man who was lunging at her from behind. "Crystal clear," she answered cleanly.
A flicker of reluctant approval crossed Gavriel’s face.
Gripping her hand tightly, Gavriel pulled her behind him. "Let’s go."
Just then, Cillian rushed over and drove a smooth kick into an approaching young woman, sending her sprawling across the floor and clearing a path to the doorway.
"I’ll catch up with you two," he called over his shoulder. "Stay safe."
With a firm nod, Gavriel led the way out.
As they ran through the opening, Aliana glanced back and shouted, "Try not to kill anyone! They’re under mind control!"
"We’ll try!" Jade called back as she smashed another guest across the face with the broken chair. "You two just make it back in one piece!"
And just like that, husband and wife disappeared into the corridor with their captive in tow, racing towards the underground chamber where an even greater challenge awaited them.