Luna of the Beastly Lycan King

Chapter 6. The ritual

☉FENRIR

A large bonfire burned in the middle of the ritual field. The moon glowed bright and eerie, darting in and out of the passing dark clouds. The fire was so huge, that its bright flames seemed to reach the skies.

Towards the bonfire was a path lined with candles, their flames flickering in the breeze. At the edges of the field stood a crowd, dressed in similar dark fabrics that showed a lot of skin, male and female alike. Many of them bore animal gifts, ancient antiques, enchanted stones, and healing vials. According to Andras, it was tradition to bring a token for the new Alpha King.

In front of the bonfire, stood a lone female figure. She was swathed in black robes, with her face half-covered by the hood. Only her blood-red lips were visible, with a white line dividing her lips down to her chin. A huge silver orb stone hung around her neck, glowing brightly as it fed on the power of the moon.

The moon priestess looked nothing like I had imagined… and my imagination was milder, less dark. But I was coming to the realization that Cynthros was a place of strong ancient traditions and beliefs, despite their modern prosperity.

“Come forth, Finarfin of House Tyrune!” She raised a hand towards me. “Bravery and strength you have displayed, honor and power shall now be bestowed upon you.”

It all fell silent.

I began to walk towards her, through the path of candles. I was barefoot and shirtless, as was required for the ritual. As I reached her, I bent down on one knee. Some drums began to beat, howls echoing off into the distance. She picked up a bowl, and handed me a blade.

“Spill your blood.”

I cut my palm, holding back my wince of pain, and watched as my blood flowed down into the bowl. She mixed some substances into the bowl, until the mixture turned black and oily. Incantations and chants poured from her lips, mixing in with the rising cadence of the drums.

With her fingers, she ran the mixture along my skin, painting peculiar marks along my shoulders, chest, and back.

“You have a very powerful spirit.” She observed, “One I never knew you possessed.”

I held my breath, wondering if she had somehow noticed that I was not their Prince Finarfin. However, that was all she said before she finished painting my body. Moving back to the bonfire, she extended her hand to one member of the Elderly council. He placed a bright red vial into her palm.

“This,” She said loudly, raising it to the fire, “is the sacred elixir passed down centuries from the powerful Lycans and Werewolves that ever ruled this land. It contains a drop of blood from every sworn Alpha. Take a sip.”

I leaned my head back, and let her tilt the vial above my mouth. The liquid landed on my tongue, sour and burning. Immediately, I was knocked back by some reaction of my body to the liquid, letting out a roar that seemed to come from the bowels of my chest cavity.

I rested both hands on the ground, trying to shake off the disorientation that had consumed my vision. Like a blazing heat, the essence of the vial spread down my throat, to every crevice of my body.

Once I was finally able to see properly again, my vision had taken on a reddish hue. I blinked, but the slight red tinge remained.

“Rise, Alpha Finarfin of the Lycans, the initiation is complete!” She shouted. “Feast, and make merry! Indulge in wine and pleasures for tonight, we celebrate another addition to our great lineage!”

A deafening cheer rose from the audience, howls and chants going up into the night sky.

“Alpha Finarfin!”

“Alpha Finarfin!”

Amidst the noise, I straightened up, and she held out her hand to me. I placed my hand in hers, and she stuck a pin on a finger, collecting a single drop of blood into the sacred vial.

“Your blood now joins the others, for the Alphas to be initiated long after you.” She said softly, a smile curving her lips.

The feast was wilder than anything I had ever seen. Sultry dancers dressed in silk scarfs that did nothing to conceal their nakedness twirled around to the beat of the drums. Wine flowed down the tables like rivers, meat was in abundance. Excited maidens danced around the bonfire in reckless abandon, laughing and singing to the moon.

Courtesans seductively draped themselves on the arms of men, baiting them into the cover of darkness. There was open debauchery among mates, with no one blinking an eye at their indecency.

Gold coins spilled over tables, gamblers greedily claimed their spoils. People showing off their wealth lavishly, as I realized, was the norm in the city of Cynthros. Young maidens also watched me in every corner, sniffing out the new Alpha and plotting their move to secure me as a mate.

“Alpha,” Andras appeared in front of my table. “I have to remind you that at the end of the ceremony, you will be required to pick your Beta. The finest warriors in Cynthros are here tonight solely for this purpose.”

I arched an eyebrow in thought. “Who do you suggest I pick, Andras?”

“Someone you can trust, one that will remain loyal in the face of adversaries.”

“Do you have someone in mind?” A feminine voice butted in.

We both turned to see Danika, smiling as she sidled closer. Her red hair fell down her shoulders in soft waves, with ceremonial pearls woven in a tiny braid tucked behind her ear. The flames of the bonfire reflected in her big blue eyes, and on her pale skin. She looked so delicate, it annoyed me to supreme levels.

Ignoring her, I grabbed my goblet and took a sip.

Andras was kinder, “I believe we'll find that out soon.”

“Are his eyes red because of the vial he drank from?” She turned to Andras, since I was barely paying her any attention. “I'm afraid I don't understand much of Cynthros’ traditions.”

That caught my attention. From the way she spoke, I could conclude that she was foreign. But I could not directly ask how exactly she came to be here, without bringing further attention to my unfortunate position.

“Yes, but the color will fade soon after the ceremony.” Andras inclined his chin slightly, “Excuse me, I should get back to my post.”

Once he was gone, she turned back to me. There was silence before she asked softly, “Are you alright?”

Surprised, I scowled at her, “Why wouldn't I be?”

“Nothing.” She quickly straightened up, and walked away, leaving me staring after her.

Once it was time for me to appoint my Beta, the entire place quieted. I did not have to ponder much, because my eyes slid directly to the man that had attacked me the moment I woke up in this body. The man with brown hair, tan skin, and amber eyes filled with a silent rage. He stood among the crowd, while I took the position he had been fiercely fighting more.

“Who do you appoint as your Beta, Alpha?” An elder asked.

There was no hesitation, “I appoint my last opponent in the battle of rites.” I gestured in his direction, “He put up a good fight. That is a useful skill I would want from my second-in-command.”

Gasps, surprise, and looks of shock spread through the entire audience. I could see all of the questions at the tip of their tongue, but they dared not utter them. It was forbidden to question their Alpha, after all. Their concerns were not invalid. Who in their right mind would place a rival in a position of power?

But I believed in keeping my enemies close. He obviously did not like me, not just because I defeated him, but because there seemed to be deep resentment that went beyond my limited knowledge. I would have to find out from Andras, after all, I had already learned a lot from him about this place in such a short time.

“Step forward, Fergal of House Gathmore!” The elder called, “You have been bestowed the honor and responsibility of Beta!”

He stepped forward, barely hiding the shock and anger in his eyes, going on one knee before me. He placed his blade at my feet, “I am honored, Alpha.”

Should he try to do anything against me, it would be easier to eliminate him as I kept him close.

☆☆☆

“I believe we should reopen the silk trade routes through the mountains!” One of the council members exclaimed, “We could dispatch a unit of the Kingdom’s warriors to deal with the bandit problems, and get things running smoothly just in time for the coronation!”

Murmurs rippled across the table, and a woman in bulbous robes shut up from her seat. She launched into her own contribution and opinion. The discussion seemed to grow even more fiery, as another man stood up to add his two cents.

I could care less about the preparations for the coronation, but Andras advised me to attend, along with my Beta, to push the council into doing better in the course of impressing me. The coronation was in two weeks, and I had barely gotten any rest after the initiation ceremony two days ago.

As Alpha, I had many things to take control over, while secretly learning as much as I could about Cynthros. It was tiring, and the workload would definitely increase once I was crowned King. For a slight moment, I cursed the goddess for bringing me back into such a miserable position.

However, I knew I had an immense opportunity on my fingers. As the council discussed, I was lost in my own thoughts.

I would use my position as King of Cynthros, to go back to my pack, and raise hell upon them for everything they did to me. The urge burned in me every waking moment.

Archibald and Tahila had to pay for all they did. And being king of such a powerful kingdom, gave me a solid enough foothold for my revenge plan.

If death could not even stop me, then this was my destiny.