(Book 1) The malediction of the Undertaker

Chapter 50: Blood pact

Death, cold and pandemic are still in the fortress, women have lost their children, children have lost one of their parents, the carts with the dead bodies of people make paths to go into the river to burn them. Kinsey takes the bowl of chocolate Pat hands her to give to Diana who is lying among the sick, she takes the back of her head to help her drink but Diana refuses. "Come on Diana, drink this, you'll be fine, you won't die." Kinsey says reassuring her friend who is coughing hard and struggling to breathe as she holds Kinsey's hand. "I don't want to die like this..." Diana said harshly, silent tears running down her eyes thinking that she probably wouldn't see Taker return to the castle. Kinse looks beside her hearing cries of sadness when one of the doctors announces the death of a child to a mother. She looks the other way, seeing Pat rubbing the back of his head, head down, not knowing what else to do to save Taker's people who are dying of disease. Everything has been tried but nothing has worked. All they hope for now is the return of the Majesty, the sick want to see him one last time before they die and many have not had that chance.

~!~

Taker looks far ahead and smiles when he sees the top of his fortress tower. "We're almost there, Ana." He announced as Anastasia woke up having fallen asleep against Taker's back. She noticed in the distance a kind of tower and a black flag with a purple T symbol and two kinds of sword sticking in the letter. "Welcome to Araneolus Shire, to the Calaways Home." He said turning his head, looking at her. Markus drops off Taker and Anastasia at the entrance to the fortress which looks...empty. They advance into the fortress with Anastasia's bags and the bag of provisions he had taken before leaving. They look around, puzzled, wondering why there is no one there, as if the fortress has been abandoned. There were footprints that led to the castle, wagon wheel tracks that also led to the castle. He opened the door of his castle, making a loud noise and looked in surprise at all those white sheets with dead bodies underneath that looked like they were ready to be transported to the river. what happened? Taker thought.

A door opens that leads to the great hall and Pat sadly walks out of the hall then stares ahead, looking up thanking the heavens for bringing Taker back here. "Damn! Taker! Finally you're here!" Said Pat going towards him, in sweat, almost with tears in his eyes looking at Taker who looks annoyed to see all this, not understanding anything at all. "What happened here?" He asked raising his voice a little to Pat who doesn't know how to tell him. "I..there's an epidemic, people are getting sick, headaches, they're having trouble breathing. They're all dying one by one Taker...I've tried everything...powers, healing books ...Everything!" Said Pat panicked, Anastasia stays behind Taker who doesn't seem to know what to do then she has an idea. "I could make a potion to try and save them all.." She suggested, Pat looked at the old woman he had never seen before, wondering where Taker had been to find this woman here. "Okay Ana, do what you do best. A cauldron will be at your disposal." Said Taker looking at the old lady who nodded before following Pat into the great hall to see how many sick people are left.

He watched the various men, women and children stretched out trying to stay alive. They are all happy to see the majesty that has returned, one man even passed away after seeing Taker, having held on long enough to see the one he honored before he died. Then his gaze wanders off to a woman, blonde, lying next to Kinsey who is holding her hand, sadly watching her sleep. He notices that it is Diana who is lying down, he walks quickly towards her then kneels next to her, Diana's breathing is slow, her heart is weak, he touches her forehead and her cheek. She's cold..she doesn't have..she doesn't have much time left...Taker thought.

~!~

He looks behind him, doctors supposed to treat the sick, he gets up and walks towards them before putting a strong hand around their neck. " Listen to me ! If there's one more death here, you're going to be Markus' dinner!" He dangerously warns the two doctors, Pat approaches Taker, touching his shoulder. "Taker, calm down, they tried everything." Pat reassures, Taker looks at him dangerously leaving his hands firmly around the neck of these assholes. "No Pat!! If they had tried everything, there wouldn't have been so many deaths!" Said Taker refusing to listen to Pat who understands his friend's pain seeing all this on his return. Taker drops them on the ground then grabs them by the shirt, forcing them to look at him. "Leave before I kill you out of madness!" He said before letting them go and the two men fled as quickly as possible from this fortress.

~!~

Taker is sitting in his room by the window and looking outside when Pat enters the room to chat with his friend. Wanting to talk about what happened before he left. "Do you have two minutes to speak?" Asked Pat who takes a chair to sit facing Taker who is against the wall, his forearms resting on his knees still looking outside. "I know..I know you're upset with..with what my grandfather did.." Said Pat trying to find the right words not to upset Taker who is quite upset with what is happening in this moment. "But...I...I can assure you that I didn't know...I always believed that our families were one." He added while looking at Taker who ended up looking at Pat and noticed that he was sincere in what he said. "I just want you to prove your friendship to me." Said Taker looking at him, Pat smiled sadly knowing that Taker knows he's proven his friendship many times before but still wants more. Then pulls a knife out of his pocket and cuts the palm of his hand, Taker frowns at what he's done. "I promise you with my blood. I'll prove it to you until you know for sure..." Pat says, his hand open then takes Taker's hand and squeezes it with his bloody hand for the deed of promise that he is ready to make. "...Until death." He added smiling at Taker before looking towards the bedroom door having heard a knock. "Taker, it's ready." Anastasia said passing her head, Taker nodded to her before looking at Pat. "Don't disappoint me, that's all I ask of you." He said before getting up and joining Anastasia for the potion.