Here is the next chapter of my amazing story. Don't worry, just a few more chapters and the gang will be off again. They just have to get out of their latest predicament first! Enjoy!

Sly Cooper and the Space Thieves

Chapter 15- The Conspiracy

Everyone stood still in silence and shock at their latest situation. Sly knew that something was up with Volroth the moment he saw him. 'He has been working with Dark Wolf all along! Sure didn't see that coming.' Sly thought as he turned to the king, who had the most shocked expression on his face he ever saw. His shock quickly turned to anger. "Revenge! What are you talking about? And why is that monstrosity standing with you!"

Volroth looked at the king with the utmost hatred in his old face. "That monstrosity is my half-brother, you fool!" Now the whole gang was really shocked! For a few moments no one spoke, except for the baby crying the whole time. Volroth then broke the silence. "Yes, it is true. Varu here is my half-brother." Beowulf asked, "Varu?" "Yes; that is his real name. Only I know that. Everyone else calls him "Dark Wolf" because of the color of his fur and his "nature"." Dark Wolf looked at him briefly before turning back to the others.

Cecilia interrupted him. "How could he be your half-brother? And what does this have to do with your treachery?" Volroth turned to her. "If you will allow me, I will explain… before you all die at our hands." Isis was going to say something, but Beowulf stopped her. "We need to know why he is doing all of this. Let him speak." She nodded, and told everyone to be not let their guard down. Volroth then began to tell them of his deceit.

"It all started during the time Beowulf's grandfather was ruling Crystala. I was a young adult at the time, and as Beowulf said, I was by his side as his royal advisor. I served him faithfully and without question. But one day, everything changed. I have received a letter from my mother. She was dying from a terrible illness, and she told me to come to her before it was too late, for she had something very important to tell me.

"I asked the king if I could see go see her. He sympathized with me and allowed me to be with her. I found her in her death bed at her house in a neighboring city. I asked her what was so important that she had to tell me before she died. She looked into my eyes and said to me: "Volroth, you have a half-brother. I was his mother as well as yours, but you two have different fathers. I met another wolf sometime after I lost your father, and we fell in love. We had a child together, but right after he was born he took him from me, and I never saw either of them again since.

"I was so angry for what he did to me. I didn't tell you any of this earlier because I don't want you to be vengeful and murderous; that is not who you are. Please, do not be vengeful…" That was the last thing she said before the life left her eyes. I felt both sad and angry that day; for I had a brother somewhere and his father took advantage of my mother just to have his own child. I could not forgive him for that…" He paused for a moment. Sly and Beowulf couldn't believe what they were hearing; Volroth's dying mother wanted him to not be a vengeful person, and yet that's exactly what he had become! And Dark Wolf's father used his mother just have a child of his own and then he left her, taking the baby with him!

Volroth continued with his story. "I decided that despite my mother's last words, I will find the father of my half-brother and make him pay for what he did to her. I used the magic I've learned from an old sorcerer to find who I was searching for. I finally found him in a city 50 miles east of Iceica. I journeyed there and found his home. Both he and his son were there. I knocked the door down and put my claws around his throat. He asked me why I was attacking him. I gave him this answer: revenge. I then chocked him to death, right in front of his son, who somehow was asleep during the whole time.

"I decided to put him in a foster home in Iceica, where I could check on him from time to time. I did not tell any of this to your grandfather, Beowulf, for he would have punished my most severely. One day I learned that…" Carmelita interrupted him. "Wait a minute, you fleabag! You are saying all this in front of your shaggy brother there, and you're not afraid he will turn on you someday?" Volroth gave her an understanding look. "That is correct, young lady. When he was old enough, I told Varu everything that happened since his birth. He was very upset at me at first for what I have done, but in the end he knew that his father deserved to die.

"As I was saying before you interrupted me, I learned one day that Varu's foster family had declared that when the time was right, he would marry Isis, who was a baby herself at the time. It was sort of a tradition for his foster family; to arrange marriages between two children of different families. This was years later, long after Beowulf's father took the throne. Varu was a young wolf then, and he was acting just like the beast his father was despite the way he was raised by his foster parents. It wasn't long before he became known as the "Dark Wolf."

"When Varu told me that Isis had disappeared on their wedding day years later, I was surprised. I thought that Isis would be the perfect one for him; a wolf of light married to a wolf of darkness. I was even more surprised when Beowulf's father told me that his son was keeping Isis in the palace; he told me what his son told him of Isis' situation with "Dark Wolf" and agreed to keep her safe in the palace. I kept the existence of my brother a secret from everyone, even the king. I learned later the most shocking news I've ever heard: Beowulf had asked Isis to marry him, and she accepted!

"I secretly met Varu that night and told him the news of Isis. He roared with outrage and felt hatred towards Beowulf for taking his future wife away from him. He wanted revenge, and I would help him get it. I tried to tell him how, but he was so furious he wouldn't listen to me. When he asked me when the wedding will take place, he told me he will attack and kill Beowulf for stealing what was rightfully his. He also asked me not to help, for he didn't want to risk his connection to me exposed.

"And you know what happened that day, didn't you Beowulf and Isis? As we all know, Varu tried to kill you and he failed. He swore to you he will get revenge for his humiliation. And he did, with my help…" Everyone looked confused about that. Isis asked, with fear in her voice, "What did you do?" Volroth turned towards her to answer, but Dark Wolf beat him to the punch. "I'll tell you what he did, my love," he said with the most evil look on his face. "My brother told me you and Beowulf here were expecting a baby. We came up with a plan to get my revenge on your husband; by taking what he treasured the most; you."

Both the king and queen both looked more shocked than they have been 10 minutes ago. Beowulf then spoke with anger and outrage in his voice. "You mean… It was YOU who told Dark Wolf about my child with Isis! We trusted our baby's safety to no one but you, and you betrayed us!" "That's right," said the old wolf with a sneer. "The night that Dark Wolf took Isis from you, I used my magic to put all of the guards to sleep and disable all traps protecting your bed chamber. I also made sure you and your wife were asleep when my brother took her.

"It had worked; Varu got inside your bed chamber without any trouble, he took Isis and disappeared before my spells were lifted. Remember me telling you that I had to visit my brother for a few weeks? That was just an excuse to leave the palace and assist my brother. I used my magic to send both of them to that underwater cave beneath the frozen lake; the one no one can reach without magic. Our next step to the plan was to wait until Isis had her child, and then I would place her and her child under a powerful spell, one that would make them think that Varu was the father. He would raise the child with Isis by his side, just like it should have been in the first place. As for me, I was to help my brother and the child to overthrow you from the throne. Then my brother would rule Crystala, with me as his advisor and guide."

Beowulf, Isis and the rest of the group looked pretty much pissed off at this point. The child's cries became more intense; as if he understood everything that was being said by the one who betrayed his parents. Then Volroth changed his gleeful expression to a look of complete disappointment. "Unfortunately, there was one snag in our plans to dethrone you, Beowulf." He then turned to Sly's group with anger in his eyes. "It was the work of these outsiders! They have ruined everything! I do not know where they came from, but they should not have interfered.

"I came to check on my brother and Isis a few hours ago, only to find that he was asleep on the job and Isis was gone. I knew that you were there Beowulf, because I detected your scent. I also knew that four of those outsiders were with you in the cave. I couldn't believe it myself. I smelled the air a bit more carefully, and then I realized that one of the outsiders used magic to free Isis. Tell me, which one of you can use magic? And more importantly, which of you is the leader of your little band?" Sly then decided it was his turn to finally say something.

"I am the leader of these "outsiders." The name is Sly Cooper, and the one with the magic would be my friend Guru over here." Sly said this with pride as he pointed out the wise mystic with a walking stick. "Because of us, your little plan to make your mongrel of a brother to take the throne has been crushed. It is one thing to take what isn't yours, but to take the lives of people that my friend, Beowulf, loves the most is another story." Carmelita brought out her pistol and pointed it at the two evil wolves. "I agree with Sly here. I think it is time to teach you low lives a lesson!"

At this point, Beowulf and the gang prepared for the big showdown. The king then turned to his wife. "Isis, stay back and protect Little Sly. We will handle these villains." Isis agreed and ran to a nearby pillar to hide herself and her son behind. With his wife and son safe, Beowulf brought out his sword and ordered everyone to attack. Volroth stepped back a little, while Dark Wolf charged at the good guys with every intention of killing them all, one by one…