The Seven Wonders of the World

41. Master Shijin

The soldiers would gather together, as they would form a line behind Shijin and Emrun, with their shields in front of them to help protect them. They would then prepare for the minotaurs to attack, their faces determined and ready for the coming fight.
The minotaurs would soon start to circle the vehicle, their imposing figures becoming more visible the closer they got. They would growl and roar menacingly as they approached the soldiers, their muscular bodies and massive spears making for an intimidating sight. It was clear that this was going to be a tough fight.
The soldiers would remain steadfast and determined, refusing to back down from the challenge laid before them. They knew that this was a risky fight, but they were confident in their abilities and had full faith in each other.
Suddenly, Shijin would speak up, his voice commanding and authoritative as he ordered the soldiers to prepare themselves for battle.
“Stay at your positions!” said Shijin. “Do not be intimidated!”
The soldiers would nod their heads, as they would stand their ground and remain in formation. They would not let themselves be intimidated by the minotaurs’ size and strength, as they were determined to fight to the bitter end if necessary.
“They are almost here!” said Shijin, his voice still filled with authority as he warned the soldiers about the approaching minotaurs. The soldiers would nod in response, their eyes widening as they watched the minotaurs draw closer and closer towards the vehicle.
The minotaurs were almost right beside the vehicle now, as they would roar and growl menacingly at the soldiers. Their massive bodies were almost like a blockade to the vehicle, preventing the group from escaping. It seemed like a fight was inevitable at this point.
The minotaurs would slowly start to circle the soldiers more and more, their spears making them look like an impregnable shield of spikes. The soldiers would stand tall, not letting the minotaurs' size or strength get to them. They would keep their swords firmly in their hands, ready to fight whenever the minotaurs made the first move.

Shijin would speak up, his voice calm but firm as he spoke to his soldiers. “Do not strike first!” he said, “Wait for the minotaurs to make the first move. When they do, strike with caution but with power.”
The soldiers would nod their heads in response, as they would continue to watch the minotaurs slowly circle around them. They looked confident and capable, but there was still a hint of worry in their eyes as they watched the minotaurs continue to approach.
The soldiers would stay in a tight formation, keeping their shields up and their swords ready to strike at a moment’s notice. They would keep their wits about them, as they knew that one wrong move could result in serious injuries or even death at the hands of the minotaurs.
Suddenly, the Minotaur that was closest to them decided to take a swing, as it slammed its fist right into the shield, denting it heavily as the soldier collapsed from the impact.
The other soldiers watched, as the other minotaurs began to come closer and closer, as Shijin was shouting, “Do not be afraid! Fight! Fight!”
But Shijin's courage was to no avail for these soldiers, as one down eventually led to many going down as the seconds went by, causing the numbers to go down and the soldiers being outnumbered.
The remaining soldiers ran inside of the vehicle for cover, clearly intimidated by the minotaurs as one of them attempted to punch right through the vehicle's material, albeit they only made dents, it was still enough damage to strike more fear into them.
The soldiers would start to panic as the minotaurs began to overwhelm them, with each of them falling one by one under the force and strength of the mighty beasts. Shijin would shout out to them to stay strong, but he could tell that his advice was not working. The sight of the minotaurs smashing through their shields and inflicting injuries upon them was causing his soldiers to become more frightened and disoriented, making it even harder for them to organize a proper defense.

With the soldiers in such a panic and disarray, Shijin knew that he had to take action if they had any hope of surviving this encounter. He was a veteran soldier with plenty of experience handling situations like this, but he had never expected that fighting minotaurs in the wild would prove to be so difficult.
“Master Shijin!” said Emrun. “The soldiers clearly can't handle the minotaurs, what will we do?”
“Courage is very little amongst our ranks,” said Shijin, “which is a shame, as we see someone who is bigger and stronger than us we assume they are going to beat us. But they are wrong if we do something about it.”
He seized Emrun's arm. “Are you ready?”
“For what?” said Emrun.
“For we are going to fight!” said Shijin, kicking the door down as the minotaur swayed its head towards Shijin.
Shijin stepped out, drawing his sword as he stared at the minotaur. “I am here,” said Shijin, “a servant of the sacred five, wielder of the sabre of the dreadlord, the darkness you come from will not intimidate me nor my batmen ever!”
Emrun watched in awe as Shijin confronted the minotaur with such conviction and confidence. Even though he knew that the minotaur was a dangerous opponent, Shijin showed no fear or hesitation as he brandished his sword and stared down the creature. Emrun felt inspired by Shijin, as he witnessed the old man's commitment to the fight and his refusal to back down despite the odds being stacked against them.
The minotaur would growl and roar angrily as it saw Shijin come out with his sword drawn. It stepped forward aggressively, clearly ready to engage in a fight.
“Bring it on!” shouted Shijin, standing his ground as he prepared to fight.
The minotaur would rush forward, slamming into Shijin with its huge frame as it went to swing its massive spear. Shijin would quickly dodge out of the way, barely avoiding the attack.
The minotaur would growl as it swung its blade again, this time aiming for Shijin's head. Shijin would manage to dodge again, but he would be forced to give ground.
The minotaur would slowly begin to corner Shijin, as it kept up the pressure with its attacks and seemed to be gaining momentum. Shijin was starting to get fatigued from the constant dodging and defending, as he would start to slow down a bit and become less agile.
“Master Shijin!” said Emrun.
“Stay back!” said Shijin. “I may be a bit old but I can handle this beast myself!”
Shijin got up, looking at the Minotaur with a death-esque stare, as the Minotaur swung once more, Shijin dived between its legs and slashed the minotaur's left leg, forcing it to shriek as Shijin came out the other side.
Shijin’s attack landed true, as he managed to take out the minotaur’s limb in one swift stroke. The monster would shriek in pain and fall down to one knee, and Shijin would take advantage of this vulnerable state to strike again. He would run forward suddenly and drive his sword straight into the minotaur’s heart, killing it instantly. The other minotaur saw this and would retreat into the woods, knowing that their leader was dead and that they were now outnumbered.