Darak 1 - Smoke and Flame: Part 1

CHAPTER 7

Kiev leaped onto the giant Clydesdale the minotaur had provided.

Both travelers were in their armor. Kiev had his sword by his side. Darak had his ax.

Taking the reins, Darak gently kicked the horse with his heel.

Kiev wrapped his arms around Darak's waist, getting a good feel of his six-pack abs.

The robust stallion clip-clopped outside the town of Sitka, past the buildings and homes, and aimed for the gorgeous mountains beyond.

Both Kiev and Darak needed a place to hide from Adina's men. Somewhere less populated, somewhere peaceful. Peace was what they wanted, but horror is what they would receive.

As Kiev grew more tired, he found that his head was slowly inching closer to Darak's soft shoulder. The young knight didn't feel entirely comfortable using a minotaur as a pillow, so he swiftly shook his head back and forth and looked straight ahead.

Hopping from the horse, the man and beast looked in awe of this hole in the mountain's side. Obviously man-made, this wasn't a natural phenomenon. Someone lived here years ago, it would seem.

From a small sack Kiev carried, he lit a lantern and handed it to Darak, who stepped in front of Kiev like a mother protecting a child from dangers.

Their footsteps echoed as they walked deeper into the caverns. The human and minotaur followed a long dirt path. The light from the outside slowly disappeared, leaving them with a lantern that showed the way.

Unlike the outdoors, the cave felt cool. Kiev didn't dare remove his armor. He'd rather sweat than remove it and risk injury.

"Someone lived here long ago, Darak. This dirt path proves it. Looks to be littered with old footprints and maybe wheels of a carriage." Kiev smiled slightly, looking around at this impressive structure. Staying behind his new protector.

Darak was distracted, looking at the smooth rock walls of this seemingly endless tunnel.

The ceilings were full of dripstone, Kiev's hushed voice bounced off the walls.

"Someone else here." Darak stopped in his tracks, sniffing the air. His nostrils moved with every huff. "Orc flesh." He narrowed his eyes.

Darak then quickly led Kiev to a dark corner and blew the lantern out quickly.

"Darak? What's happening?" Kiev looked at the beast with terrified confusion.

Within the dark halls of the mountain, they heard unfamiliar voices. Kiev held his breath.

They hid in a deep trench on the pathway's side.

Five orcs walked quite close to the two, but saw no sign of them. All were tall, dark green, muscular, with long black hair and pointed ears.

The alpha of the orcs was much taller than the rest. Standing a 7ft tall.

"I smell human." Said the head orc, moving his head back and forth, the torches they carried giving off a distinct smell of oil and ash.

"Ezra. You dragged us out here from slumber. I hope you smell human!" whined one of the five orcs.

Ezra was in shock as before him stood the tall buff minotaur, blocking his way.

Kiev was still in the hole, sword drawn, less than a mile away from the five orcs and the dirt path.

"Minotaur. I must say you look quite good. But I could swear there is a human here." The large-nosed orc smiled, reaching his arm out towards the minotaur. For Darak, it was too close for comfort.