Darak 1 - Smoke and Flame: Part 1

CHAPTER 9

For three weeks, Kiev and Darak held pleasant conversations as well as made love every so often.

The minotaur would go off into the early morning. Hunting deer and bringing the carcass back for Kiev to cook over the large firepit, which took center stage in their new home.

"You've given me the best life I could have asked for, Darak. I thank you for that."

The beast nodded, chewing on the leg of his most recent kill.

The flames illuminated the entire cave, the walls of rock glowed of orange and red. The smell of cooked meat wafted through the Mountains of Madness.

"I've always preferred cooking and cleaning from fighting. I know for a man to say that is rather odd, but I can't help who I am, I suppose." Kiev ate daintily, looking over Darak's brown furry body. Admiring his light blue eyes, which seemed to light up in darkened areas. Oh, how handsome he was. This bull of great magnitude. Not majestic at all, but big, and naïve mentally. But that adds to his charm. Thought Kiev.

The sound of clanking metal and heavy boots was drawing near.

Kiev swiftly grabbed his sword, heart thudding even before a single slash had been made.

Darak swiped his trusty golden ax from the floor. He immediately stepped out in front of Kiev protectively.

"D-don't die because of me, big guy." Kiev swallowed hard, knowing full well the evilness of Adina would be never-ending in her fiery rage.

"Darak will never die." The minotaur spoke, looking over his broad shoulder, heading for the gaping entrance of the cave.

Rain pattered lightly upon the two as they met the soldiers.

The minotaur and knight stand in the middle of a grassy field. Behind them, their mountainous home stood.

The wind blew hard, the surrounding grass swayed left and right. The battlefield was gray, muddy, and slippery.

Darak's brown fur turned dark as it became wet. His leather kilt was now shiny and his large, hoofed feet muddy.

Kiev stepped to Darak's side, glancing at the minotaur to see his eyes narrowed in anger.

From the crowd of knights approaching across the empty grassland, a large white horse trotted close to the two warriors.

Sixty soldiers on one side, a minotaur, and knight on another side. Battle ready. Looking at one another with disdain.

Adina was on her mare's back, the saddle expensive. The queen's battle armor was gold. She held a long spear in one hand and controlled her mount with the other. Her hair is down, eyes black with dark magic.

Adina stepped out from the rows of soldiers, looking down at Darak and her brother.

"My brother. You really thought you could evade me? You've only made my job easier; you do realize that don't you? Once I bring you to your knees, I will also have that beautiful minotaur at my side. A gorgeous beast he is."

"Darak is the name. Bitch." The minotaur had heard that word in conversation in town, and only guessed it was an insult. The tall beast snorted from his big nostrils. One leg scrapped the muddy ground beneath him.

Rain dripped from his horns. Thunder boomed in the distance.

"He is his own man, Adina. If he doesn't wish to fight for you-he won't." Sighed Kiev. Finally stepping up to his obnoxious brat of a family member, watching her perform an annoying smirk. She then turned her horse around to go to the back of the two rows of soldiers.

"I HATE YOU! You were NEVER my sister!" Kiev yelled viciously; the rain only fell harder.

General Codd stood at the front of the row of soldiers now, his long hair drenched. His red battle paint-stained his forehead and cheeks. The metal of his black armor gets pelted with large spits of water.

"Ready your weapons, men!" All drew their swords. Sixty swords drawing at once sent a chill down Kiev's spine.

"Knight! Minotaur! This is your final warning. Go with your queen. No blood needs to be shed." The orc said rather calmly. Yellow teeth exposed.

"I would rather die than let my evil, vile sister ruin my life any longer." The young man sneered, readying his sword with two hands.

All the soldiers yelled and charge the two.

Had Darak been the size of a normal human, this battle would have been pointless. Sixty against two. It wouldn't be a battle. It would be a slaughter. But the tough exterior of a minotaur shouldn't be tested by the hand of mortals.

Darak yelled a primal yell from his chest as he swiped three soldiers at a time with his ax. As the bodies glided through the heavy rain, limbs and blood flew in many directions. Helmets were knocked off, armor broken.

Two soldiers tried to stand back and fire arrows at the beast. Aiming for his heart.

Stomping towards them, they both nearly shit their trousers as the minotaur swung his ax upward, the impact landing roughly in their chests, sent them both flailing and screaming.

From behind, two soldiers stabbed at Darak's large back, causing slight bleeding.

Darak huffed and, with a single swing, two heads flew into the sky, their severed necks spraying bright, thick, red liquid onto the beasts' fur.

Kiev was taking two men at a time. Most of the men were focused on Darak, who was obviously the stronger of the two.

Breathless, the knight evaded attacks from two soldiers. His sword struck flesh repeatedly.

Adina dismounted from her horse, and while Kiev was focused on two men, found an opportunity.

She unsheathed a dagger from the holster hooked onto her leg and slammed the serrated blade into the back of Kive's exposed neck. He inhaled deeply, dropping his sword to the wet ground. He fell to one side. Time moved in slow motion as he collapsed, lying on his back looking up at his sister and the gray clouds which moved about.

"If I can't have you, no one can." She kneeled to Kiev's body, with a swift movement, sliced his throat. He felt warm blood surround his head. He saw tiny speckles of red splat upon Adina's pale face.

She had won in the end. All the sibling rivalries, all the bullying. All the pain Kiev had endured had ended with his sister cheating. One last time.

With fur mangled and caked in blood, Darak walked briskly to Kiev's blood and rain-soaked body. He watched Adina walk away. He had no time to catch her, for General Codd appeared from one side, swung his hammer, and sent Darak crashing against the mountainside.