(Book 1) The malediction of the Undertaker

Chapter 23: Taker's sacrifice

Diana looks around in fear, holding Taker's muscular arm, the burrow is very scary, there are evil spiders in the holes watching them. She looks behind her and sees Markus and Tigress looking stressed to be there. They arrive at the heart of the burrow, there is plenty of cobwebs, meat, bones. "Arag, we are here." Taker screamed for Arag to hear, suddenly a big spider a bit bigger than Markus comes out of a wide hole, Diana wraps her arms around Taker's arm being very scared. Taker looks at Arag, rubbing the human's arm reassuringly. "Markus, come!" Arag tells Markus who walks slowly in front of Taker, the creature is in front of Arag, so close that Taker is about to push Markus away if Arag tries to attack him.

"So it was for this human that you stole a creature from me?!" Arag yelled at Markus, Taker could hear the conversation but Diana couldn't hear the voices of the two creatures, not knowing how to communicate with them. She saved me Said Markus trying to run away but Arag is not happy at all. "You should know that humans should not be in contact with us!!" Arag cried, Taker watches as Tigress steps forward a bit in front of Diana and crouches down to reassure her creature by sensing that she is stressing over Markus. I wanted to do well. Said Markus to Arag, Arag looks behind Markus, sees his little creature slowly advancing towards them. Dad... i'm fine. The creature could hear Tigress talking, Tigress doesn't want to go back to the burrow, wanting to stay with her. "You go home", Arag ordered his little creature.

"Tell her goodbye Diana. You have no choice." He said calmly to Diana, she has tears in her eyes, she got attached to Tigress, she walks towards her creature to take its in her arms. "You made me happy since yesterday, you repaired my heart from the loss of my father. I love you very much." she said to her creature, hugging her very tightly, letting tears flow. I wouldn't give up on you. Tigress said even though Diana couldn't hear her. Taker frowned upon seeing this, feeling he was doing something stupid. He could feel the friendship that Tigress and Diana have, the creature will always stay close to her no matter how unhappy Arag is, it's too late for Tigress to return to the burrow. "Your act must not go unpunished Markus." Said Arag looking at Markus who lowers his head. "Wait Arag!" Taker finally said after observing what was happening. Arag looks at Taker who walks forward leaving Diana and Tigress behind him.

"I know that Markus needs to be punished and that..." Arag advances dangerously towards Taker who does not move, not afraid to take a blow from him. "Markus will be punished as well as the creature for following him and the human for accepting something to which she has NO RIGHT!" Arag said dangerously, Taker frowned not liking him and didn't see why the three should be punished. "Wait, the human didn't do anything! She just accepted a gift from Markus without knowing the creature was stolen!" Said Taker walking slowly and dangerously towards Arag, their heads are inches apart. Diana is still crouched next to Tigress watching Taker who looks like he is arguing with the spider and who looks like he is defending her. "I know what is good or bad Arag! and this human here may not have the abilities that I have but she took care of your creature! the creature goes well with it! look yourself!" Said Taker pointing to Diana and Tigress so that Arag could look at them, Markus came back behind Taker near the wall feeling the tension that had just arisen between Taker and Arag. Arag never accepted that the creatures were close to humans because Lucius always told him that humans were less than nothing. The creature was able to see the friendship between the creature and this human, Arag looks at Taker who still looks angry looking him in the eye.

"Okay, but on one condition...you sacrifice yourself for them, they must be punished! After all...you agreed to your creature giving one of my daughters to a human!" Says Arag, Taker looks behind him, Diana who is confused, not understanding what is going on, Tigress who is stressed and Markus who is surprised by Arag's proposal. "I agree to sacrifice myself for them but do not hurt them." Said Taker looking Arag in the eyes, Diana is shocked, sacrificing himself for them?, what will happen to him? Markus became tense, squealing not wanting his master to sacrifice himself for his nonsense. "I will be okay Markus, don't worry." He reassured his creature before removing his belt with his axes, taking off his shirt and going with Arag near the wall. He puts his hands against the wall, leaving Arag to stick his hands together with cobwebs so that Taker doesn't move his hands. Arag turns to Markus who is rubbing his paws with his chelicera. "Do it first." the creature ordered Markus, wanting him to hurt his master for the mischief that had done. Markus steps back not wanting to hurt his master, Taker looks at Markus giving him encouraging looks. "Go ahead Markus, I won't blame you." Taker says to his creature, Markus walks slowly towards his master's back, Diana is still with Tigress, tears are streaming down her cheeks seeing that Taker, the Majesty sacrifice himself for them.

Sorry Mark. Markus apologizes to his master before planting his chelicera in his back, Taker tries not to scream in pain. He could feel the pain all over his back, the spines from Markus' paws digging into his skin making open wounds. Taker is very brave to sacrifice himself for a human and two creatures, he decided to sacrifice himself because he taught Diana how to take care of a creature, teach her the different things in order to have her creature's trust. He realized too late that Markus stole the creature, now he has to sacrifice himself for them and at the same time he also has to be punished. Another spider walks over to the Majesty to do the same while Taker tries not to scream in pain, blood running down his back.

~!~

As soon as Arag decides that Taker has had enough pain, he kicks Taker in the back so hard that he unties Taker and he collapses on the ground next to Markus, his creature checks to see if his master is fine, he opens his eyes, his breathing is difficult as if he had just made a physical effort. "I hope this is a lesson for all of you, now GO!" Arag said before going into his hole as Taker struggled to get up using his creature, his back bleeding needing to close his wounds before it got worse. Taker looks at his creature who is worried about his master's health. "It'll be fine.." he reassures before using Markus' legs to walk, Diana walking towards Taker helping him to walk as well. "Let's go.." he said heading for the exit of the burrow while walking with difficulty.