The area was dominated by towering figures hunched around a massive, roaring fire. Their silhouettes were imposing, even from a distance, but as the group cautiously approached, the details of these figures became clearer.
Minotaurs.
These were no ordinary creatures. Each Minotaur stood nearly twice the height of a man, their massive, muscular bodies rippling with strength beneath coarse, dark fur. Their legs were like those of a bull, ending in cloven hooves that dug into the earth with every movement. Their chests were broad and powerful, each rise and fall of their breath like the shifting of tectonic plates. Their heads were crowned with immense, curved horns that jutted out menacingly, catching the firelight and casting long shadows across their faces.
The Minotaurs' faces were a terrifying blend of beast and man, with eyes that burned with an almost feral intelligence. Their nostrils flared as they breathed in the night air, and their lips pulled back to reveal rows of sharp, yellowed teeth. Each Minotaur clutched a massive weapon—a variety of crude, yet brutally effective swords and axes. The blades were enormous, easily as long as a man was tall, and they bore the scars of countless battles. Deep nicks and chips in the metal gave the weapons a serrated appearance, as though they had been used to tear through flesh and bone with savage abandon.
The ground around the campsite was trampled and scorched, with the remains of past skirmishes scattered about—broken weapons, pieces of armor, and the charred bones of unfortunate creatures that had crossed paths with the Minotaurs. The air was thick with the scent of burning wood and something else, something darker and more unsettling—an acrid smell that spoke of violence and bloodshed.
Kairos held up a hand, signaling his cousins to halt. They obeyed instantly, their eyes fixed on the Minotaurs as they whispered among themselves, their voices barely audible over the crackling of the fire. The tension in the air was palpable, every sense on high alert as they tried to assess the situation.
"Minotaurs," Kairos whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "And there are a lot of them. We need to be smart about this."
Lysandra, her gaze never leaving the beasts, nodded in agreement. "We can't just charge in there. They're too strong, and their numbers... We need a plan."
Kairos glanced around, his mind racing as he considered their options. The Minotaurs were dangerous—legendary for their brute strength and near-impenetrable hide. A direct assault would be suicide. But they couldn't just stand there and do nothing.
Then an idea struck him. He reached into his pack, pulling out the bow and the quiver of explosive arrows he had spent the previous night enhancing. He handed them to Lysandra, who looked at him in surprise.
"I made these for you," he explained, keeping his voice low. "These arrows are special—they're sensitive to impact and will explode on contact. We can use them to our advantage, but we have to be careful."
Lysandra's eyes widened as she took the bow, her fingers brushing against the smooth wood. "You made these… for me?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of gratitude and astonishment. She looked at the arrows, each one glinting ominously in the dim light. "How do they work?"
Kairos pointed toward the camp. "You need to shoot them so they land in the middle of the camp. The impact should be enough to take out most of them in one go. But be precise—if we miss, we might just make things worse."
Lysandra nodded, her expression serious as she nocked an arrow and drew the bowstring back, the wood creaking under the strain. She took a deep breath, aiming high above the camp, and then released the arrow. It sailed through the air with a soft whistle, arcing gracefully as it descended toward the Minotaurs.
The entire group held their breath, watching as the arrow struck the ground near the center of the camp. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the ground erupted in a blinding flash of light and a deafening explosion. The force of the blast sent a shockwave through the clearing, flattening everything in its path. A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky, and when the dust settled, the Minotaur camp was nothing more than a smoking crater.
The group stared in stunned silence at the destruction. Lysandra's hands trembled as she lowered the bow, her eyes wide with shock. "Did… did I do that?" she whispered, still trying to process what had just happened.
Kairos smiled, his heart pounding in his chest. "Yeah, you did," he said, catching the bow as she dropped it in disbelief. "But remember, this isn't a toy. These arrows are powerful, and we need to be careful how we use them."
Before they could move forward, something impossible happened. The air shimmered around the crater, and before their eyes, the camp began to reassemble itself. The fire rekindled, the tents reappeared, and the Minotaurs reformed, their bodies solidifying as though nothing had happened.
The group took a collective step back, their eyes wide with disbelief. "What in the world…?" Caelum muttered, his voice barely audible.
Orion clenched his fists, his mind racing. "This isn't just an ordinary camp. It's some kind of illusion or enchantment. We're going to need a new strategy."
Kairos nodded, his mind quickly shifting gears. "We'll have to get past them without fighting. If we engage, we'll just get stuck in a loop. Orion, you're good at stealth. Any ideas?"
Orion's eyes darted around, taking in their surroundings. "If we can't fight them, then we'll have to sneak through. It's risky, but it's our best shot."
Kairos quickly pulled out mana crystals and began inscribing runes on the soles of everyone's boots, infusing them with the power of Stealth Step. "These will help muffle our footsteps," he explained as he handed the enchanted boots back to his cousins. "Move quietly and stick together."
With their boots enchanted, the group moved forward, their footsteps eerily silent as they navigated the edges of the clearing. The Minotaurs remained oblivious, focused on their endless, repetitive actions around the campfire. As they slipped through the shadows, Kairos couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease.