(Book 1) The malediction of the Undertaker

Chapter 4: The girl in the woods

16 years later...

Since the disappearance of Lucius, everyone has started looking for him in every corner of the castle and the surrounding area but no trace except that they found Lucius' creature, Dead a few meters from the shore. Betty had her husband's creature buried in the cemetery where all the Calaways are buried with their creature in front of their grave. For 16 years, Betty's son has become another man, he can't smile, no more emotion passes on his face.

During his coronation, he renamed himself Undertaker, everyone had to call him that now, his mother refuses to call him that. He was tired of everyone taking him as his father, an ignoble monster who killed people in cold blood. Even though he changes his name, he has the blood of a Calaway, a bloodline power.

The first time his dark form appeared was on a full moon night, he started aching all over and spider legs came out of his back, very dark black eyes obscured the green color of his eyes, sharp teeth. He couldn't even control his emotions and actions, he killed more than 20 people. Only Markus can stop him, his creature enveloping him in a thick spider's web, suspended 30 feet off the ground, with Markus hiding to watch him.

~!~

Taker is in his room, looking out the window at the horizon, his hands behind his back dressed in his big black dress. Taker has been changing physically for some time, he has been building muscle, running and lifting heavy bags, he has tattoos up and down his arms, long black hair with a goatee as a beard making his appearance more demonic. Several of his allies said he looked like the first Calaway with this look.

His gaze rests on the village of his court, at the beginning of his reign, he removed certain rules that his father put and made change in the castle. He built houses, shops, farms in the fortress for humans who have no place to live. At first, the humans weren't too sure about trusting him, but Taker was able to earn their trust.

The door of his room opens and Betty, his mother, enters, her face marked with wrinkles due to old age, her gray hair but the love for her son has not changed despite his change of behavior and his curse. She walks over to her son who is still with his back to her, looking out the window, putting her arms around his son's arm, Taker looks beside him and sees his mother. "Why don't you go out for some fresh air?" She asks her son, Taker turns his attention to the window. Betty smiled sadly when her son didn't answer her. "I know what you're thinking Mark. You want to find your father but you have to come to terms with the idea that he's dead." She says calmly but Taker remains silent, watching the children playing outside on this sunny day.

He knows his father is not dead, he can feel it. During all these years, with each battle he fought, he hoped to find his father but in vain. Until he saw his father's body with his own eyes, he wouldn't believe his father was dead. "I'm going to feed Markus." He said leaving his room, leaving his mother.

~!~

Taker goes to the creature food supply, picking up a large bag of meat and bags of blood before heading into the forest. He walks a few minutes before arriving at the place where all the creatures are. He deposits the bags near the hole where Markus is normally but no spider. Taker frowned and looked around, he saw more creatures of some soldiers but not Markus on the horizon. Suddenly, he feels something behind him, feels the sound of leaves cracking as if something heavy has landed behind him. He dodges the paw that was going to hit him in the waist, turns around then dodges Markus' attacks before casting a thunder spell with Markus wrapping the thunder ball in a web of spiders and throwing it back at Taker too quickly that he failed to dodge.

Taker gets knocked to the ground as Markus stands on top of him and watches. Taker catches his breath looking at his creature then smiles. "You..you got me. Well done" he said before getting up, brushing the dust off his heavy coat.