It shocked Baun. It was something that he couldn't have imagined, a minotaur carrying a corpse, dragging it like it was a rug. The mere image of it sent shivers down his spines, it being in front of him, a reality, made his legs weaker. Baun waited. The minotaur was approaching with slow sloshing steps, the ground beneath them sinking under pressure, hooves sunk into wet soil. The storm had grown darker. Night was calling them, it showed them a deeper darkness concealing its large frame.
Baun gestured toward the minotaur. "We must run." He looked for an escape, "We have to run!"
There was an edge to the Superior Guard's eyes. That was God's chosen. But it warped and deformed, divinity harshly stomped into it. Koat lips formed a harsh frown, his hand tensed around his spear, his instinct told him to run. But pangs of religion made him think hard against it, they were supposed to fear god, so isn't the fear they felt natural?
Heiti did not fear. They walked toward the minotaur, their eyes washed with awe and faith. "Chosen, we greet your arrival."
Steam emits from the large frame, rain still pouring, hard. No response.
It approached, its gigantic hand wrapping around the dark trees, trudging forward with uneasy steps. It looked like awkward stumbling. Whether it had difficulty walking in the mud or it hated the feeling of the mud, they didn't know. What they did know was that the Minotaur's head cocked curiously at Heiti, and when he approached, he towered. The closeness of their bodies, now only a foot away. It made the creature more easily seen, blood and stone covered it, staining their chiseled humane upper body, and matted their coarse dark fur.
"Ah… Chosen, we fear you." He gasped. His boldness choked in his throat. He tried to graciously lower his head, but it turned out inelegant, like a dog to their master. "We fear with grace, and learn to bow in your presence." The effort was laborious. There was fear in his eyes, there was only fear. The dark being that loomed over him, clouded by the mist of rain and its twisted steam.
The Minotaur's blight like breath came close to his face. Baun was unable to hear what the Minotaur had said to Heiti, but all the color had drained from his face. He whipped around, arm outstretched, terror etched onto his face, a horrid scream coming from his mouth. "Run!" He screeched. The Minotaur responded in booming laughter. He caught his quarry straight in mid screech. Arms outstretched, both crumpled into fists. They all heard the crunching of bone. Heiti's head had been smashed together, brain and skull fragments splattering over their hands.
Baun recoiled in horror, and he ran. The ground reverberated with the pounding of their hooves as he fled from the minotaur. He saw that Koat was in front of him, and he felt the stones weighing down each of his steps, his body bargaining coarse limps and terrible cries ached with reaction. Baun fought against it. His hooves tearing the ground from the earth.
His thoughts were in disarray as terror crawled up his back. He could not think of what kind of beast it was, but when he gazed back, eyes filled with terror. He swore its teeth. It was like knives crashing against each other, its mouth contorting into a cow-like grin. That was an unholy being. A demon.
He did not want to think what would happen if it caught him. He could not help it as he saw the gap between Koat widening, and, as he watched Koat turn around, he heard the coarse grunting of the minotaur behind him.
The stones and tied hands made his effort worthless. He could feel the steam on his back. He wanted to dodge. His body ached even more. "Please!" He rasped in a roar. "Please, help me!" His begging turned into a hacking cough.
His eyes locked with Koat, their eyes wide. Baun threw himself to the ground, and with demonic strength he felt his body thrown into a tree. He heard the minotaur's roar, and after his back slammed into the tree. He saw the minotaur's fist deep in the ground. The mere swing of his fist was so strong. He took in every detail of the scene: its strong arms, which were twice his size; the ground it had broken that threw dirt and stone everywhere.
He had almost died and his mortality gripped his limbs with every fiber of his being.
The riot of the storm veiled sound and the minotaur's mouth was moving, it was a crooked smile, and he could only hear the rumble of their throat. The Minotaur approached him, and he felt his stomach drop.
Koat's spear flashed like a beacon of light, stabbing into the minotaur's arm. The Minotaur did not flinch, the spear fell, and as it slowly moved to strike him. Koat flipped forward, and unsheathed his short sword, his eyes fierce with tension. The Minotaur nodded and he appraised the warrior with calculating eyes.
Koat slid back, slashing the ropes tied around Baun's ankles, and tearing off the enhanced rope with a pull of his hand. "Run!" he said.
Baun did not thank him; losing the reason for why he had saved him. He just stood up and began running. Koat followed closely behind, and he could hear the minotaur following behind, its sloshing steps announcing its presence. There were sudden outbursts of anger, and they would hear a tree fall. The direction they ran was of little concern to them. They needed to run, if the village was behind them, they could not run to it. If the village was to their side, they'd be tackled to the ground, they could hear the Minotaur catching up to them. They only hoped the village was in front of them.
Baun was going downhill, and the rain turned it into a mudslide. He had stumbled rolling down the hill, and mud and dirt slammed onto his face. He did not have seconds to waste, he pushed himself off the ground, and he felt a rough pull, fearing it was the minotaur, he strove to punch what touched him. Only to feel them throw them forward. Koat shouted, "Run! Don't you stop!"
A rush of adrenaline gave him another fine burst of speed. The thought that Koat would be the first to die gave him the extra strength he needed to run faster. He flew over a broken tree, and turned his head around.
He regretted it. Koat flew past him, and the Minotaur's strong arm stumbling in the rain, like a claw punched into the tree above his head. It cracked, and crashed to the ground. Baun threw himself forward, rolling on the ground, his chest pounding. A large hand picked him up. He struggled. He knew how to fight better than anything else. He could kill. His skills were second to only the top village guard. But he was filled with fear, and courage nor strength could free him. The minotaur was absurdly strong, and restrained him like he was a baby. He saw his view get higher, and he felt his legs dangling. He was twisted to face the minotaur.
The figure of Koat suddenly charged forward. Thrusting their short sword at the minotaur. The black furs densely around him, each from a hunt, flew in the air like a furious beast. Only to hear a harsh steel clash. What was that?
Was that its skin?
Baun couldn't have heard it earlier, they were too far, but so close… he heard it clearly. A clank. Baun was thrown away, and he hit the tree in a harsh thud. He was thrown with little force. He knew that from the gesture, like it was throwing away trash. But the numbness he felt in his arms, and his vision that flew from him, looking at his body like it was an external being, begged to differ.
He numbly could see Koat's desperate struggle. A short sword, desperately thrown at the minotaur. The Minotaur ignored the strike. It strode forward, and Koat hesitated as he knew punishment was soon to come.
Koat charged at him, pushing his entire weight into its gut. The Minotaur reached out to grab him. Catching his cape, and tugging him into the air. The force of the tug jostled him. It brought Koat up to its maw and it opened its mouth. It whispered. Baun could see Koat's eyes widen. He screamed, he punched, he kicked. Clawing at him as if sent into a wild frenzy. The Minotaur with a grin threw him to the ground, hard, and Koat's body bounced.
Baun could feel his hands move, as the creature approached him, leaning down to pick up Koat's short sword. It threw it at its feet.
It challenged him? Baun couldn't believe it. What sort of sick game was it playing? The thought of it enraged him, but the rage choked against his overwhelming fear. Did he have to play its game? When the Minotaur moved forward, Baun couldn't think of another option.
He reached out picking up the short sword, and struggling to his feet. He felt numb, and his body ached. His bones weren't broken so he could stand. That was all he needed. The ability to stand. The pain didn't matter… Maybe, he could survive,
The Minotaur loomed over him. Its twisted face filled with mockery.
Baun short sword trembling, charged at the monstrosity in front of him. His eyes filled with desperation. The Minotaur did not move, it merely chortled, and steam bellowed from it. Baun did not expect it to surge at him, his short sword striking its muscular chest, a definite clanging being heard. It's movements were slow in response, it struck with a fist.
Baun felt it necessary to duck, but it exploded with violence. Its arm whipped around, snatching him from place, and throwing him high into the air. He crashed into the ground, with his entire body broken, the air in his lungs robbed away from him. The rain poured into his open mouth choking him, dirt splashed and soiled his eyes. He could not see.
He heard. He heard it's robbing footsteps slam deep into the mud, and he felt its rancid breath growl against his face.
"Don't you worry." Its baritone voice was heard. "I have more things planned for you."