(Book 1) The malediction of the Undertaker

Chapter 11: Pat Cassiopeia

The ceremony ends as soon as the rafts are completely gone, Taker and Betty pass to return to Araneolus Shire. They all walk behind Taker and the queen in silence, each wanting to rest and put this mourning behind them. Taker notices scorpions in the distance walking with people heading towards his fortress. When Taker got into a fighting stance, the soldiers did the same, the creatures climbed the trees. "All in position, attack when I say. Others, hide." he ordered in an authoritative voice. Betty and Taker walk discreetly behind these strangers.

"HEY! let us in! we want to talk to the Majesty!" A man shouted ahead, Taker frowning wondering what he would like to talk about. The man knocks three times on the large wooden door of the fortress, wearing a large gray animal skin cape. He looks shorter than Taker, he has short brown hair, the man puts his hands on his hips waiting for an answer. "What are we doing honey?" Asked Betty to her son, they are all hiding behind the bushes watching the men and creatures in front of the fortress. "They don't look like they want to fight." He whispered to his mother looking curiously ahead of him, he decided to get out of the bush and the others followed Taker but still in attack position just in case. Suddenly the scorpions begin to stir, turning backwards, the men in front get into attack position just in case. "No! no! no one is doing anything!" Ordered the man with the gray cape running behind to get in the middle. Taker is ready to attack, one of his axes in one hand, a large electric ball in the other ready to cast his spell. "Majesty, we don't want to fight. We want to help you." Said the man looking at Taker trying to convince him. Help us? Taker thought. For what ?

"First tell your men and creature to relax." Ordered Taker still in position, the man turns to his allies then raises his hand ordering to stop the attack position while Taker did the same with his. "Why do you want to help us?" Asked Taker wondering why scorpions want to help the man who scares everyone just by name. "Because we have a common enemy." The man says throwing a necklace which Taker grabs, he looks at the necklace and is shocked that it's the same necklace he has that belonged to the red eyed man's men. But how did he know that they are an enemy to me? Taker thought. He locks the necklace in his fist then looks back at the man. "Okay to talk but your men stay outside the fortress." He finally said, the man smiled and nodded, then took the bag that one of his soldiers held out and walked in with the Majesty and his men.

~!~

Taker and the man enter a room in the castle, since Taker has decided not to look like his father, he offers some mead to his guest who thanks him. "So, I want to know, your name, where you're from and why you want to ally with me." Said Taker looking at the man who was drinking his drink, not trusting this man, he has short brown hair, a neat beard, yellow eyes. "My name is Pat Cassiopeia, I am the Lord of the Kuvira Scorpio realm, my name and your name have worked together in the past." Said Pat before taking a sip of his drink looking at the evil Taker who had his arms crossed, sitting against the windowsill. "Really?" Asked Taker raising an eyebrow having never heard of any alliance with other species in the past. Pat reached into his bag and pulled out a brown book with black embossing.

"I knew you weren't really going to believe me so I took my family history book with me, your name is mentioned, Scott Calaway is your ancestor right?" Asked Pat who opens the book to the relevant page, Taker walks towards him looking at him then looks at the book. I met a man with chilling eyes named Scott Calaway. An alliance that has turned into friend and brother, he is a man of his word, a great man with principles. His death devastated me, I had lost my greatest friend. He was different from me but he was a great friend. Surround yourself with people like the Calaways, they will never betray you. wrote the first Lord Guts Cassiopeia. Scott made an alliance with someone else? why didn't father tell me? did he hide it from me? Taker thought.

 "Is there any other mention of my name?" Asked Taker looking at the pages of the book. "Your name still appears briefly during battles that your family helped us conquer lands all the way back to my great grandfather." Said Patt pointing to the name of his ancestor Alfred Cassiopeia. Taker doesn't know what to make of it, he's never heard of the name Cassiopeia until now. But Pat doesn't seem to be lying and the writings look old, why would he bother lying if it was all made up? "Okay, tell me what you know about these people?" Asked Taker pointing to the medallion of their enemy in common, Pat takes his pint to drink then looks at Taker.

"Their Lord's name is Mendal, he's a vile guy who likes to kill for a yes or a no, his creature is a spider creature called Orok, who has red legs, his spikes at the end of his legs is black , very sharp, the back is striped red. They already attacked my fortress some time ago so they know me" Pat says explaining to him while Taker listens to him, gently touching his goatee. "Have you ever seen this Mendal?" Taker asked walking to the right looking at himself in the mirror, he looks at Pat who shakes his head no. "No Taker, that's why I'm asking for your help." Pat said looking at him with his arms crossed, Taker laughs nervously then looks at him smiling.

"You trust people quickly, don't you? Who tells you that I'm not like my ancestors? Have you ever heard the rumors that have been swirling around me and my family for some time? We are the most dangerous family" Asked Taker in walking dangerously towards him, never smiling but Pat doesn't move. "I trust my ancestors and I know who you are but something tells me you are not like others might think." Said Pat looking into Taker's cold eyes, Taker feels that Pat didn't have nervousness in his voice, he's not afraid of anything, not even of him when he knows what he is. "Let's make an alliance." Said Taker finally reaching out to Pat who willingly shakes his hand, very happy to have convinced Taker.