He may have massive strength, but it slowed him down when he attacked. Because of his huge size, she could easily get around him. She taunted him to the point of madness and attacked him mercilessly with her two-handed sword.
The anti-paladin attacked whenever she could and dodged most of the time, infuriating the massive beast. Yet the Minotaur wasn't as dumb as he looked.
He always seemed to evaluate his opponent. She may have been weaker, but she was faster than him.
He feinted as she attacked and her momentum carried her past him. He slammed his fist onto her back as she collided with the ground. Before she could roll out of the way, he grabbed her leg and flung her against the bars.
She rolled to her feet and snarled, looking up into his blood-red eyes. With a bellow that shook the whole place and maybe all the town, he swung his boulder-sized fists at her.
"Come on, you over-sized cow!" Valdara taunted.
The Minotaur glared at her, reading her it seemed, before he dropped to his knuckles and charged, his flaming breath fanned out before him.
Valdara rolled away from the raging beast as a horn passed over her.
As the large bull man flew past her, she swung her sword downward. His bellowing roar shook the room.
He charged and - twisting around - he slammed his hooves into the iron wall. Thunder rolled through the room which was met with the cheering patrons slapping the table.
"You can do this!" Jinx screamed.
Somehow she had to help her friend.
"Do nothing!" Valdara said.
Her friend knew her too well.
The Minotaur caught her with his horn, ripping her plate chest piece off, slamming her into the wall. The crowd went wild.
"You're getting beat up!" Jinx said, standing up, pounding her fist into the table.
"If anything happens, you can help. If not, stay out of this!"
The Minotaur charged, thinking that he had his prey trapped. Valdara somersaulted over him and brought her sword down on his back. His bellowing pain-filled roar made the whole place shudder.
He kicked out as she toppled off his back, crashing to the dirt. Before she rolled out of the way, his fist pummeled her.
"Kill her! Kill her!" The crowd chanted.
Jinx saw an odd, blue flash coming from the beast's eyes.
"Stop him!" Jinx rushed to the iron-barred pit, leaped over and toppled to the ground.
The crowd laughed, filled with blood lust. They wanted to see death in the worst way possible. He would tear her to shreds in a few seconds if she did nothing.
Valdara was out cold.
Staggering to her feet, she cast Demon Fire on the gigantic beast who was ripping and tearing her friend to shreds. He lifted his mighty head and glared at her as he ran his tongue over his fangs.
He snorted fire as he rose to his feet. His deep growl rumbled over her, causing her to shake in fear.
"Leave her alone." Jinx said in a cold tone of voice, but to her ears it sounded like she squeaked it out like a mouse.
The Minotaur rose to his full, terrifying height as Jinx felt her knees knock together. She cast another spell, which blasted the monster and he growled again.
An ear-piercing scream shook through her like an earthquake. Her demon leapt in front of her, with eagerness radiating from him.
Surprise filled the Minotaur's eyes as he looked at the demon. With a cautious snarl, he slammed into Azhar.
No matter how hard he pushed and shoved as he tried to throw the demon, it infuriated him that he couldn't.
The bull-man curled his lips in a silent snarl, slammed into the demon, attempting to push him into the bars. Azhar dug his feet into the ground, not willing to give an inch.
They shoved and pushed, neither willing to move. Their muscles were taut and shook with exertion.
Jinx stood and cast her spells and dots. They ate through the Minotaur's large pool of hit points.
Azhar drove his mace down on the Minotaur's neck and head. For all his strength, the demon barely scratched the Minotaur. Grabbing him by the horns, he lifted the huge man beast and hurled him through the room, crashing him into tables and scattering the patrons.
People screamed and leaped out of the way to avoid being hit by the Minotaur as he flew past them. He slammed through the wall and out onto the street, where people ran screaming to their homes or any place of safety.
Jinx stood there with her mouth agape, wondering how strong Azhar was. No wonder he was the leader of his own pack.
The Minotaur sprung back into the bar and charged at him, so enraged that he was glowing red.
"You're nothing but a little, baby calf." Azhar laughed.
The monster rammed into his shield, slamming him into the bars. Azhar pushed back as Jinx cast her spells, causing him to grow weaker.
"Halt!" A man's voice commanded and the monster’s collar glowed with electric shocks, stopping him in his tracks.
The Minotaur backed away, lashing the air with his horns. He turned and walked toward the man and stood by him as Azhar wanted to continue the attack.
Jinx stopped her attacks upon the beast and called off her demon.
"Get out of here." He spoke in a calm, civilized voice, but she could read the fury in his eyes.
"You didn't tell my friend that there would be a Minotaur in which she couldn't fight, much less win against." Jinx spoke in a cold voice of contempt.
She knew there was something up, but what was it?
"Your friend signed the agreement without her being forced." He spoke, his voice calm, his eyes as hard as diamonds.
He withdrew the paper Valdara had signed.
True, she hadn't been forced to sign the paper. She'd been too cocky and would pay for it by becoming a minion, working for someone else.
"Then let me buy her. She'd take a few days to heal and get on her feet, anyway." Jinx said, wondering if the offer would be taken by the man.
"No. But if you do want to buy her, I want you to go in this cave and find a few things for me." He said with a note of finality in his words.
"Where is it? And what do you want me to retrieve for you?" Jinx was concealing her eagerness.
"I'll mark it on your map. It's dangerous, but I'm sure a powerful warlock such as yourself can make your way through it alone." He said.
Jinx didn't completely trust him, but she would not let Valdara become a minion. She needed her and more than that, they had been friends for so long she wouldn't allow it.
"Make a list of the items you'll need and I'll get them for you." Jinx promised him. The man turned and strode back into the pens with his pet following behind him as docile as any cow.
A few moments later, he returned and shoved the list in her hands. Jinx turned and walked out, determined to free her friend no matter the cost.
She walked down the road heading toward the location. Exactly where it was marked on her map, she found the small entrance to the cave covered with moss and overgrown vines.
She tried the heavy stone door and it moved easily at her touch. Jinx paused as she cast her orb spell and the small ball of light went a few feet in front of her and she peered in the cave.
The tunnel was narrow, but at least her demon could walk down the tunnel without bending over. She motioned him ahead of her.
The hard dirt had roots creeping down the narrow walls. It seemed like the walls were pressing down upon her and she suddenly felt very claustrophobic. The dusty scent tickled her nose, making her sneeze as they made their way through the cave.
The only thing visible in front of her was Azhar's muscular back as he inched along like a lion stalking his prey. Jinx felt as if she were being buried alive as they moved further into the tight, cramped cave.
Dripping water filled her ears as they came upon a fork in the road. There were three corridors leading in different directions. All led into the darkness that surrounded them, attempting to devour the small glowing light.
She glanced at t
he list. There were three quests:
* Capture 5 goblins.
* Gather 10 mushrooms.
* Bring him 8 large rats.
"Which way?" Azhar inquired, his deep voice echoed off the walls.
"Straight." She didn't know if that was the correct path or not, but they wouldn't find what they were looking for dithering around here.
Azhar strode forward while she followed a couple steps behind. The hallway grew wider as they walked along until it opened up into a room.
It was a large, cavernous room with glowing mushrooms growing along the walls. Off in the corner was a small pool of water. There was nothing in the room she could see, but she sensed that she was being watched.
A ghost?
She went to the small pond of water and saw glowing fish swimming at the bottom. Looking around the bare room, she noticed scribbles on the wall.
Running her finger over the markings, she wondered what they said. Was it goblin? She understood the language of the small people, but not the writing if that's what it was.
There were mushrooms in the corner and she gathered them. There were only three and when she picked them, the words floated across her HUD.
One mushroom out of 10 gathered exp 40 x 2 = 80 xp.
Two mushrooms out of 10 gathered exp 40 x 2 = 80 xp.
Three mushrooms out of 10 gathered exp 40 x 2 = 80 xp.
The blue glowing mushrooms looked beautiful as she sensed that they contained some sort of magic. That brought her mind to the subject of professions.
What did she want to do? What was she interested in? What were the professions she could use to make money or for personal enjoyment?
A small clinking sound drew her attention away from her thoughts as Azhar grunted and motioned with his head in the direction of the sound. She nodded and followed him to another hallway, which spiraled deeper into the earth. The steps were so small it seemed like a child had made them. It could only be goblins or Troggs working in the depths.
She recoiled with a sickening twist of her stomach when she noticed large cockroaches skitter away from her light into the darkness.
The pinging sound grew louder. There was a dim glow of crystal light further down the hallway. As they drew closer, they heard a sharp, high-pitched voice.
She pushed past Azhar and peeked around the corner. There, in a large workroom, were small goblins that looked like bats without wings with a large orc spouting out orders. None of the timid goblins chained to heavy duty tables uttered a word. They didn't even glance at her.
They continued to work, shivering like dogs that have been beat too much, as the orc snapped a whip overhead
Jinx placed her hand over her lips when she saw two large rats the size of Great Danes. She was supposed to kill rats that big? They couldn't be real!
She looked at her demon who stood, slack-jawed, at the sight before them.
She glanced down the hallway and saw there were more orcs and goblins carrying on with their tasks. The orcs were far enough away from each other not to attract attention if attacked.
What about the screaming goblins?
"Pull the orc alone to us and we'll take him out here. Then we can deal with the three of them." She pointed to the gigantic rats. "On my mark." Jinx whispered, hoping the rats wouldn't hear them.
They waited until the orc had walked down the hall, then returned, marching toward them. The goblins stayed working, too scared to do anything else.
Jinx saw the orc had 150 hp and his rats had 80.
"Now!"
With an echoing battle cry, Azhar leapt from the shrouding darkness and slammed into the mighty orc, causing 8 hp of damage.
She blasted him with Demon Fire, then used Keylos, knocking him back for 15 more.
The stunned orc was down to 127 hp before he even knew what hit him.
Azhar attacked the stunned orc, gaining aggro. Jinx blasted him with her spells, taking 15 from him and her dot chewed through another 8 hit points.
The orc roared and lunged at the demon, his eyes glowing bright red with the fury contained in his heart. His two battle axes slammed against the demon and his shield.
Holy cow! One of his of his two swords slashed him for 50 hp, bringing him down to 20.
One rat leapt on him and got hit by his shield, but the other ripped into his leg. It caused 10 hp of damage.
Jinx popped her trinket and healed him for 50 hp. Azhar smiled as he attacked the orc with a shield-slam that stunned him and took some health from him. He was frozen for one round.
The rats attacked him again, but both of them luckily bit into his shield. She cast her dots and spells on them. She was thankful that she had Azhar taking the blows that she couldn't.
Azhar finished off the orc, then turned his undivided attention to the rats. The demon made short work of them and she gained 150 xp which was doubled.
The goblins cowered when they entered the room.
She'd killed 2 of the 10 rats. With practiced ease, she looted the orc and rats. The orc had 20 silver in his leather pouch. He also had a nice chest piece.
"Can you use this?"
He took and inspected it, then nodded. "I can. It needs to be fixed, though."
"It will be." Jinx promised.
She also discovered a gem that looked like a fire opal. It was so beautiful and she could imagine it being set on a necklace or ring she could wear. Maybe she could have someone imbue it with magic, giving her some extra spell power.
"Don't worry. You belong to me now." She said, looking over the three trembling goblins. "Azhar, free them."
Once they were free, she placed the small leather collars around their small necks. She motioned for them to follow her. They trudged on behind her without protest.
Jinx needed two more goblins, six rats and seven more mushrooms. She'd get them. The wall is down here? To her it looked like a mine.
"What are the orcs having you do?"
"Mistress...they are having...us break up copper." A goblin whimpered, running his stubby fingers through his filthy hair.
It was a mining project and maybe the copper was for trinkets and such. Did orcs have a way to make coins or necklaces? She just had to find out what was going on here. Orcs were deemed unintelligent creatures, according to elves, humans and Dwarves. But she wondered about that.
They attacked a few more orcs, gathered more mushrooms and killed a few more large rats until the quest was complete. She was racking up the experience points and her experience bar was almost to the next level.
Did she get a new spell at 8? She didn't know, she'd have to check her spell book.
She'd completed all the quests and gathered up the bits of copper tools and other items that she thought would sell at the merchant's.
As they walked along the mineshaft where the goblins had been working, she asked them many questions. One and sometimes another goblin would answer her inquiries about the customs and traditions.
She could see the confusion in their eyes when she asked them. They weren't used to having masters who wanted to learn about their culture.
At the end of the tunnel where the goblins had been working, pounding away on the copper, was a chest with a large, powerful lock on it. She had no clue how to pick locks, nor did she wish to learn.
"Azhar, break it." She commanded, wondering what was in the chest.
He slammed his spiked mace down upon the lock with such force it rattled and broke, falling to the floor. She bent down, inspected the lock and made sure that there were no needles or poison darts.
After carefully inspecting it, she could see nothing out of the ordinary.
Opening the trunk-like chest, she gasped at the chunks of copper, some tools, gems and one minion collar. Scooping out the treasure, she was just about to close the chest when her eyes caught a sparkle of red.
A ruby? She turned her attention to it. It was a potion with question marks over it.
She couldn't identify what was in it, so she
shoved it in her pack. She'd have it identified later. Maybe it was a healing potion.
Turning back and following the path by which they came, they re-entered the room with a little pond with the glowing fish. She then took the other path.
The walls glittered with a slimy substance. She didn't even want to touch it. Who knew what it was?
She wondered if an alchemist would know or maybe an architect who studied caves and such would know.
Following the dank tunnel as the humidity grew, she wondered what was down the hall. When they entered the next room, she stopped and studied the subterranean depths.
It was a room filled with water and more of those glowing fish swimming around. All sorts of mushrooms and other plants she couldn't identify made this lair their home.
On the other side of the room, she saw a door cracked open and rotting with the passing of time. Curiosity urged her feet forward.
Through the squishy muck and water, she scattered the glowing fish before her rippling footsteps. The goblins swam behind, whimpering among themselves about the fearsome monster that lived here.
Climbing the steps to the door, she cautiously pushed it open, causing it to squeak on rusty hinges as she peered into the inky depths.
Her glowing orb illuminated only a fraction of the cavern. The darkness seemed to devour its light and it struggled to cast its light down the hall.
"Mistress! Don't go in there!" Squeaked a blue-eyed goblin, shivering as he fell on his knees. His large eyes bade her not to go.
The dank smell of rotten seaweed mixed with eggs that had sat too long in the sun, caused her agree with the goblin. However, her curiosity was getting the better of her.
What was down here? What type of monster would live down here, anyway? Maybe there was a swamp thing here? She'd never know unless she took advantage of this opportunity.
"You guys wait here. I'll be back." She said, marching forward with Azhar beside her.
They nodded as they fearfully looked at her as she turned around and crept down the tunnel. The walls were jagged and covered with that strange glowing goo. She heard nothing but the dripping of distant water and their own footsteps that echoed off the walls.
Demons of the Dark Online Part 1 Page 13
