(Book 1) The malediction of the Undertaker

Chapter 47: A strange woman

"Majesty?" "Taker?"

Night begins to fall and the entire fortress searches for Taker. Pat wanted to talk to him thinking he was in his room but he was talking into nothing since he wasn't in the room. They've searched everywhere in the fortress and Taker is nowhere to be found. Some men went into town to search the area but when they returned without Taker, Pat became very worried. He realizes that the plan of Mendal Castle is no longer in the office and immediately thinks that Taker has left to find the castle without anyone. "Markus isn't here either, boss!" said one of Pat's soldiers, so he left with his creature, alone. All eyes are on Pat wondering what they will do without Taker, the one who has always protected his people until now, wondering if Taker doesn't return, what will become of the fortress?

~!~

Taker walks in the dark of night with Markus fighting the cold of the night. The bottom of his black dress blows away because of the wind, his black hood obstructs his view that he has to hold it to keep his head a minimum out of the wind. Markus helps his master to walk from time to time with his paws by pushing him lightly. Taker sees a cave where he could spend the night, he checks if there is anyone there and enters with Markus. He lights a fire to warm himself, Markus shakes himself off the snow on him. "How are you bro?" Asked Taker to his creature seeing a little that his creature was shivering with cold. Cold.

Taker smiled sadly then summoned a large blanket to put over Markus' big body. "We have had snowstorms but this one is much stronger." He chuckled nervously as he tied the blanket around Markus' furry neck.

Markus tilts his head aside looking at his master, Taker lowers his eyes then goes to sit on the tree trunk near the fire warming his hands. "Markus...what could be the simple thing to do to control the curse?" Taker asked before taking the silk bag and throwing a meat near Markus for him to eat and take a meat for himself as well. what do you mean?.

Taker eats his meat, the juices from the blood of the meat running down his chin going into his goatee. "I mean...Scott told me that one simple thing could get me to control my curse, do you have any idea what it is?" Said Taker looking at Markus who is also eating. Destroy the book?

Taker shook his head knowing that he already tried but it didn't work, he takes his water bottle to drink. "Already tried. Tried everything" Taker said rubbing his hand through his dark hair thinking about what he could do. Maybe a gesture?

Taker looks at Markus wondering what he means by "a gesture", Markus washes his head with his front paws looking at his master. "A gesture to break the blackness of the curse? But from whom and what?" Asked Taker patting his heart, knowing that this curse makes him look like a monster, he can't control his emotions and gestures when it's a full moon. He becomes a half man, half spider. Don't know.

Taker gets up, walks towards his creature before taking his hairy head in his hands. "You...you know right?" He asks Markus, his creature has sensed for a while that his master has something for Diana and Markus thinks she may be the key to his master controlling his curse. Markus doesn't think this human is an ordinary human, she healed his wounds, easily manages to make herself understood by Tigress. She didn't know her mom and maybe her mom wasn't just a human. Something draws his master to her and it's no coincidence.

~!~

The inhabitants of the fortress get up early to try to find the Majesty. The men went into town asking people if they had seen Taker passing by while Pat pondered what Taker had told him about his family. So... my grandfather killed Jeff... that's why he didn't write anything in the book... thought Pat. Kinsey walks into Pat's room looking sad and confused, she puts the plate on the table before rubbing her hand on his back. "I understand Taker's pain. I...I don't blame him..." Pat said quietly, Kinsey wrapping her hands around his muscular arm. "Prove to him that you are not like Dimnitro, I think the Majesty wants deeds." Kinsey said, Pat smiled at her then looked behind her when the door opened.

"Pat, we couldn't find anything." Said one of the soldiers sadly, Pat and Kinsey come out of the room to find everyone in the village yard. Everyone looks at Pat sadly, feeling like they've all been left behind. There are those who think that Taker decided to abandon them, that they were a burden on the Majesty, but Pat doesn't think that Taker abandoned them all. "Listen to me!" He started to say, speaking loudly so that everyone could hear what he had to say. "I know you all think Taker gave up on you, but that's not the case." He assured, looking at all the women, men and children. "I'm sure he'll come back with answers" he said trying to be reassuring. I hope you will come back. Pat thought sadly.

~!~

Taker wakes up, sitting in the cave against the sleeping Markus. The snow has stopped falling outside, they can continue on their way. He gets up and stretches before waking Markus up and leaving the cave. They cross a city that looks dead, Markus feels stressed. "Becareful." Said Taker rubbing his hand on his creature's hairy back, cracking noises were heard but no one seemed to be here. Taker gets off his creature's back and decides to walk carefully next to Markus.

"So, are we venturing alone?" a dozen soldiers with their creatures come out of the rubble of the city. Taker and Markus go into attack position seeing that it's Mendal's men. "Additional food? why not?" Said Taker smiling before throwing one of his axes in the face of an enemy. Markus starts attacking creatures as he can while Taker also defends himself as he can. He takes a blow in the knee but that does not stop him, he prefers to give his best in fight and to die without regret than to collapse. He shakes the earth by banging his fist against the ground to throw everyone off balance. He could see Markus using his sharp steel prostheses to kill enemy creatures and soldiers.

Suddenly, Taker takes a big ax in the back as hard as the ax hangs on his back but he doesn't stop to defend himself. He casts fire spells to repel creatures and enemies on his knees feeling that he is starting to have no more strength. Some enemies scream as they turn around, Taker tries to face what is happening, he could hear magic killing all the enemies. He could see, someone moving forward killing Mendal's men and creatures, the person is dressed in a robe much like Taker's but in white. As soon as this person has destroyed all the enemies, she advances towards Taker who is watching her, on his knees, weak from standing. He notices that it is not a man but a woman when she removes the hood from her head, he immediately notices that this person looks strangely like Diana. Her blond gray hair, her purple eyes, her facial features are similar, she slowly approaches, keeping an eye on the creature behind Taker. Don't comes closer!!!

"Don't worry, I just want to help you." She said assuring that she's not here to kill but to help, Taker frowned noticing that she understood what Markus said. She gets on one knee uncorking a vial and hands it to Taker "Drink" She says, Taker looks at her trying to read her eyes, he takes the vial, smells it before drinking. "It will give you like anesthesia for me to remove the ax from your back." She said going behind Taker and pulling the ax from his back, she notices that Taker's back is badly bruised, he has a lot of scars. The man must have suffered enormously. She thought, she pulls a vial out of her bag and pours it on Taker's open wound which instantly closes. "Who...who are you?" Taker ask before he is feeling is body weak and he fall asleep on the ground.