The Ruby Empire

Briefsteinn the Minotaur

Male Monster x Female Fae

I wake up from a dream, well, not so much a dream as a nightmare. I'm young again and I'm helping my family on the farm. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. The wind chimes on the porch that mom made are tinkling and singing. The next thing I know I'm staring at my father dead on the ground. The Gnolls are burning down my home and the windchimes are shattered on the ground. I can hear my mother screaming. No. It's me screaming.

I sit up, holding my head in my hands as I sit up in bed. This recurring nightmare is a pain in my ass. Why won't it go away? Every time I see the faces of those slimy Gnolls the anger gnaws away at my stomach. I get a drink, something dark and strong and I stare out the window. It's been years now since I've been on that farm. I can't even remember where it was now. Is there even a Minotaur country anymore? I was once considered one of the most beautiful back then, strong and witty. I had inherited my mother's freckled coat and my father's cream and brown coloring. Then the Gnolls came and they dragged me away. They broke off one of my horns and used me for whatever sick purpose they desired. They had no idea of the anger they invited into their lives.

I've made it my mission as a pirate lord to sate my anger. It has never gone away and I doubt it ever will. As long as I continue to have this dream I will never allow the Gnolls a moment of peace. Even now my men are stalking one of their ships.

There's a pounding on my door. "Sir, are you awake?"

"Unfortunately, Glabber," I growl as I open my door to my first mate. "What is it?"

He nods his head. "We're ready, sir."

I smirk, "then so am I." I toss on my coat and follow Glabber out on deck. I can see the Gnoll's ship ahead of us. "You know the drill," I growl to Glabber.

"Take prisoners," Glabber replies. "Bring the Gnolls on board to your feet and report any loot taken."

I sigh. "You make my job so easy Glabber."

"You don't mine, sir."

I stare down at the dwarf. "What was that Glabber?"

He smirks at me. "You heard me, sir but I love ya all the same."

I grin at him and laugh. "Get to work, you arse."

How I love to hear Gnolls scream. Their panicked and desperate pleas are like music to me. They never listened to my crying but oh, how I relish in theirs. My men take the ship with ease, and like most Gnoll ships there are indeed slaves onboard. People who are must like me when I was young. Scared and shaken, taken from their homes and loved ones. My crew take them and get them to the ship where they are fed. The Gnolls, on the other hand, are first brought to me.

The Gnolls have been busy lately, I've taken several ships this month alone. Their haughty Empress must be up to something and I have no stomach for it. I usually toss the Gnolls brought to me overboard, I have little to no care for them at all. I just like to hear them beg for their lives first. Jokes on them, I usually wait to toss them overboard where there are signs of land. My friend Autry has a chain of islands that I like to dump them near. Autry has as much vicious hate for the Gnolls that I do. He's a friend, I like to give him presents.

After such a dumping my crew and I head home, to my own chain of islands. We'll drop off our new passengers where they will be taken in and cared for until they can safely return to their own homes. If they have nowhere to go they are given residence by me and my crew. It may not be the home they knew, but at least they'll have one.

We're close to home, I can smell it on the breeze. A few more days and I'll be able to rest up, even with the nightmares. Glabber comes to me, alerting me to a strange chest found onboard the Gnoll ship.