Chapter 5: The Minotaur

“I… I think he's the best choice…” Cheeks flushed red and legs grinding together, Hailey pointed towards the lone Minotaur.

“Him? Really?” Sure he looked tough, but he was all on his own. Would he work well with the team?

“Y-yeah… he looks… big…”

“You're right, he's definitely the strongest guy here. He must be twice as big as me.”

“More.” She said. A statement of fact. I looked at her and there was something going on with her eyes. Surrounding her irises was this pinkish glow.

“Woah, are you using a spell?” This was awesome! If she could figure out how to use her magic, we might not even need another party member!

But my outburst seemed to interrupt the effect. The colour fading away as Hailey blinked, embarrassment rushing over her face.

“N-no… or, umm… yes?” Hailey stammered out. “I knew with magic, but I… I don't know how…or why…”

“Don't worry about it.” I put my band on her shoulder, giving my best reassuring smile. “You'll figure it out!”

That mostly calmed her down, but she was still a little fidgety. Her knees and thighs grinding back and forth while she stood still.

Her character sheet hadn't mentioned anything about a skill that let her know how tall people were. Maybe it was something new? Or maybe the sheets only covered important skills? Sizing people up might have been too weak a skill to matter. I sure couldn't think of a use for it.

“Well then, let's go introduce ourselves.” I took her hand and started walking over to his table. Trying to look friendly and approachable.

When we were a few feet away, he stood up. Pushing the entire table forward, the wood scraping against wood. He loomed over us, his hand on the axe but not picking it up yet. Like the bull he half was, he huffed and snorted. Powerful enough that I could feel the air hit me from this distance.

All eyes in the tavern were on us now. The newcomers stupid enough to approach the obviously socially challenged big scary beast, and said beast. Staring each other down.

He wore a dark blue loin cloth around his waist, with a large leather belt strapped around it. A sash of cloth crossed over his chest, only covering about half of his huge rippling muscles. Leaving his hulking arms exposed. His chest was a light brown and looked smooth to the touch, almost like human skin but not quite. His arms were a much darker brown and more furred. With lighter skinned patches marking his battle scars.

He stared down at us with a face that almost, but not quite made it into the uncanny valley. Brutish bull nose and ears that were far wider than mine. Small, but piercing eyes and wavy, messy hair. Topped with two sharp horns that curved forward and then pointed upwards, he was an imposing figure. There was no decoration on his horns, like Myla had with her antlers, which made me think they were more for function than for form…

“Hi…” I stood firm. Not aggressive but not backing down. A battle hardened warrior would respect a move like that.

I hoped.

“Mmhhmm” He grunted. Scraping a hoof on the floor. I didn't know his customs, but his body language was clearly screaming ‘Go Away’.

“Okay, well we'll leave you alone and-”

“I'm Hailey!” Pushing in front of me, Hailey let go of my hand and approached the Minotaur. Standing halfway between me and him.

“I'm a priestess! And… and our party needs a tank! Someone strong… and so muscled and, and b-big…”

Her voice trembled. She must have been so scared of him, but she persevered! Here I was, ready to give up, but my Hailey wasn't a quitter!

“Hay- Leigh?” The Minotaur chewed on the word. His deep voice rough and intimidating.

As quick as he rose, he crashed back down onto his chair, which surprisingly didn't break. He pulled the table back in and threw his head back. Inviting us to sit down?

“Sandor.” He said as Hailey pulled a chair to the table.

“Lovely name! I'm Hailey. Oh! I already said that, didn't I? Hehhh~”

Maybe it was nerves, but she sounded off. Almost like she was drunk? Our drink hadn't been alcoholic though, and drunk didn't quite fit…

My mind flashed back to Vance's earlier comment

‘Minotaur dudes caught your eye?’

‘Thinking about what they might be packing are you??’

I dismissed the intrusive thoughts as quickly as they came. She wasn't like that. She was just nervous.

“Nice to meet you Sandor! I'm-”

Sandor glared at me as I tried to sit down with them. Fuming and snorting so hard I swear I could see it.

“I… I'll just stand then…” I took a step back and he relaxed. I hated not being by Hailey's side when she was nervous, but I trusted her. She could handle him.

“You want me?” He asked without emotion. Only the inherent deepness and coarseness of his voice.

“YES!” Hailey blurted out. Then, glancing back at me she added. “W-we want you… for the party! To… to do a quest!”

“Payment?”

“A fair share of the reward. And you can even pick out the quest we do! We're not picky, ha.. haha…”

Her hands were buried in her lap under the table and she was twitching more than ever now.

I was feeling it too. Recruiting a guy as tough as him was a nerve wracking thing, but to make it worse he wasn't giving us any idea of how interested he was.

Sandor seemed to catch a scent. Sniffing deeply a few times, and then finally giving off a smile.

A very sly and twisted looking smile, but maybe that was normal? It probably wasn't a good idea to put my human standards for body language onto a hulking real life Minotaur.

“Agreed.” He stood up, without knocking the table this time. Brushing past me as he walked over to the quest board that was by the bar.

“Huh… that was easy.” I said to Hailey, who walked past me as well to follow Sandor.

“Wait up!” I tried to hold her hand again, but as I put my fingers on hers I felt something wet.

“Uhh- I.. I'm..” Hailey's hand jolted off of mine the moment we made contact.

“It's alright, I'm sweaty too after that. But you did really good! I think we can handle any quest with him on our team!”

“T-thanks…” Hailey didn't seem to genuinely take the complement. It could be so hard to convince her of her strengths sometimes.

Sandor stood with his back facing us staring at the notice board with rows of flyers nailed to it. Standing next to him let me fully take in his size. He was a big dude, towering over us, but I wasn't sure he was ‘more than twice my size’? Maybe her magic counted his horns in his length or something?

I scanned the available quests that I could see. Each one only had a small description, a number of skulls which was the difficulty rating I guess? And, in the biggest font, the quest reward.

There was simple stuff, like foraging the deep woods, looking in caves for gems, scouting the badlands. Then there were the quests with the meatier rewards.

Killing an Alpha werewolf, sounded dangerous but if it was one on five how bad could it be? Protecting a merchant caravan, an easy gig but it would take us too far away. And then, written on a golden leaflet, there was the perfect quest!

Saving the lord's daughter from bandit captivity! Rescuing princesses and damsels in distress was perfect Hero material! The opening act of a legends story! The reward was amazing as well, twice as much as any other quest. Plus this lord guy would be thankful, maybe even give us access to a library or introduce us to someone that can answer all our questions!

“I've got it! That one right-”

“This one.” Sandor ripped a quest off and shoved it into me. It felt like he had just punched me in the chest, but I think he was just trying to pass it to me.

“Unhh, this one? But what about that golden-”

“That. One.” He stood right in front of me, my face just barely coming up to his belt.

“Y-yeah sure! I bet you picked out a great one…” I tried not to fall backwards as I leaned up to look at him. Deciding it was very much in my interest to not pick a fight with the Minotaur who's biceps weighed as much as I did.

“Go. Hand it in.” Sandor tilted his head in the direction of the barkeep. Walking past me and grabbing Hailey by the arm, dragging her off.

“Wait. Where are you two going?”

Sandor stopped dead in his tracks. Looking back at me over his shoulder.

“She's a priestess.” He said. I wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question

“I am!” Despite being pulled away by a twelve foot talk hulking beast, Hailey looked fine. Almost…happy even…

Probably just because this was going so well… yeah… that was it…

“Then she needs to take care of me. Before battle.”

And with that, the two walked off to the stairs. Hailey's tiny pale hand slipping over Sandor's toned back and resting on his waist. Sandor letting go of her arm and instead placing his firm hand on her slender shoulders.

Nobody was saying anything, but everybody watched. Hailey’s plump white ass covered only by that tiny cloth, shaking side to side as the dark strong Minotaur took her up to the rooms…

I could see the looks on their faces. What they were all thinking. What this looked like.

I knew her better than all of them. Hailey wasn't the type to get swept up by a guy's looks, or how strong he was. She was a shy girl, who needed time and gentleness to open up.

She… she was a priestess! What was it her character sheet said about them? A supportive class with little offence? It only made sense for her to buff our tank before battle, but all these people thought it was something else. It made me so angry that they all had the wrong impression about her! But there wasn't anything I could do about that, so instead I just went to go accept the quest.

“Um, hi! I don't know how this works, but I'd like to accept this quest for my party!”

Cleaning a mug with a dirty cloth behind the bar, was the bartender. Severely overweight, short greasy hair, big pudgy fingers. Everything I would have expected really, except…

“Oh yeah? Squeak. Let's ave’ a look then.”

He had the whiskers, nose and teeth of a mouse. And that was it. No other defining features really. Just the mouse nose, teeth and whiskers. He would have passed for a normal dude in a shift costume back home.

“Ahh, Gooblen Ex-term-in-ation. Squeak. Been waiting for some saps to take this one up. Think ya can handle it?”

“Yeah we can handle it.” The bartender reached under the table and dumped a huge chest onto the bar. It was filled with forms and papers. No organisation at all. “Wait… what did you say the quest was???”

“Gooblen Ex-term-in-ation.” He repeated verbatim. “Thought I was clear the first time. Squeak.”

He handed me some papers that had more details on them and frantically looked them over. A nearby Goblin nest. Needs full extermination. Particularly aggressive clan…. This was my nightmare. There was no way I was going to accept this! Sandor could threaten Mr all he wanted, I'd had more than my fill of Goblins.

“Let me just.” The bartender grabbed my hand with a surprising swiftness. Pressing my thumb into an ink pad and then pressing it onto the papers. “S'all yours now. Squeak. Don't fuck it up.”

“Wait, no! I didn't mean to grab this one!” This wasn't happening. No. I wouldn't let it happen!

“Sorry lad. Squeak. Rules be rules. Got your print on the paper things there, so the quest be yours.”

“What?! So I'm **** to do it??”

“Yup.”

“But…why?!”

“Rules be rules. Squeak.”

I stared dead at him and he stared right back. What had I done to deserve this? Did the universe just hate me?

“Fine, whatever. At least the payout is good.”

“Yes indeed. Squeak. And with a fine specimens like that Mine-O-taw with you, you'll make quick work of ‘em. Squeak.”

“Do you have keep saying that?” It was probably rude to point out. But saying the word ‘Squeak' over and over again was such a weird habit.

“Waddya mean? Squeak.” He stared blankly at me. Tiny mouse nose twitching.

“Nevermind…”

I was done dealing with him. And feeling decisively less enthused about this quest. Why did it have to be Goblins? I didn't want to go near another one while I had that ‘Goblin enthusiast’ skill. Of all the damn quests to pick from…

Well, no sense sulking about it all day. I had to stay positive. That first encounter was just a fluke. I didn't know what I was doing, didn't even have a weapon.

Speaking of, lying next to his table was Sandor's weapon. The simple metal axe standing taller than I was, just about. Mostly the shaft, but the head of the axe was still impressively huge. Maybe three or four feet long?

I was starting to think Sandor wasn't going to be a good fit for us. Not only was he hard to work with, but how forgetful could you be to leave your weapon behind? This seemed like a tight knit community here, but still. Anybody could just steal it.

I had nothing else to do now, so I decided to make myself useful. I'd carry the axe over and see some of Hailey's magic in action. Maybe Sandor would lighten up a little if I helped him out.

I tried to pick up the axe, and very quickly realised just how heavy the damn thing was. My attempt to pick it up only pulling it forward a little, tilting it off its balance and sending it crashing into me.

“Ughh” I grunted. The weight of the axe pinning me to the ground. A heard a few stifled laughs from the other tavern patrons, but they had the good sense not to stare when I looked at them.

This was a humiliating start. I wanted to be the Hero who saved the Lord's daughter and had songs written about him! Not the loser who couldn't even pick up an axe, and who's girl was…

I didn't finish the thought. It wasn't even worth contemplating.

Slowly but surely I dragged and heaved the axe across the tavern floor. Lifting it up the stairs one at a time. I had no way of keeping time but it felt like it took ten, maybe twenty or thirty minutes to get it up those stairs. I was completely exhausted by the end of it, and didn't even know which room was the right one.

There was a long hallway with a red rug running its length. Four doors on each side, with small tables that had floral displays on them. Pretty nice, but it didn't help me in finding them.

“UuUghhhhh Fuu… Fuuaaaaa~”

Echoing down the halls was a woman's screams. No, not screams, moans. A blissful cry that was muffled by the walls but amplified as it echoed down the hallway.

Whoever this girl was, she was getting the railing of a lifetime. By a big dude probably… his grunts were as loud as hers, and deep…and rough sounding….

No. I had to stop myself. It wasn't what I was thinking. All those people downstairs, and stupid Vance. I was letting them get to me. None of them knew Hailey like I did. She was fiercely loyal. Dependable. I trusted her more than I trusted myself.

It was a ridiculous idea anyway… Sandor was so much bigger than her… the idea of them together… it… it just wasn't possible…

I turned around and went back to the staircase as the moans got more intense. There were still more floors above, probably dozens more rooms. They probably weren't even on this floor…

“Sup dude. Love the Axe.” Waking up the stairs with Myla in tow was Vance. Holding a big burlap sack over his shoulders.

“Oh… Hi guys! You're back already…”

“Yup! We got everything Y'all could need! And more!! Don't worry ‘bout the payment… Vance already covered it.” Myla giggles like a schoolgirl. Twirling a finger around the point of her antler.

“That's… great…” I kept standing in front of them. Blocking their way. I don't know why I felt like I should… nothing was going on…

“Did you guys get a fifth?” Vance asked.

“Y-yeah… we got someone…”

Right on time I heard the hooved footsteps of Sandor. Walking out of a room, looking just like he did before. Clothes all in the same place… which, of course they would be.

He took his axe from me without comment or thanks, looking at the two new arrivals.

“Your party?” He asked me.

“Yep, meet Vance and Myla.”

“Hey big dude.”

“Hiya Sandy! Looking forward to seeing you fight again!”

So Myla knew him? Well, that wasn't surprising. What did surprise me was that nickname… I don't think I could make it out in one piece after calling him that..

“Days wasting. Let's go.” Sandor walked off and Myla followed him the two catching up, which mostly meant she babbled at him.

“What's Hailey?” Vance asked. Giving me a puzzled look.

“Oh she's… she'll be right down!” I flashed a smile. “Go wait downstairs and I'll grab her!”

“Uh huh… sure thing buddy…”

Vance walked off, leaving me alone in the quiet hallway… the… the quiet… when had those moans stopped?? Was it after Sandor had left the room… or before…

After. Definitely after. One hundred percent.

Absolutely…

I approached the cracked door and hesitated. The smell was something feral… and potent… which.. which didn't mean anything… it was a Minotaurs room, that made sense…

Before I could build up the courage to go inside, Hailey emerged. Stumbling out into the hall and almost collapsing. I had to catch her and hold her in my arms.She looked exhausted, legs so weak you might have thought she ran a marathon and drenched in sweat.

“I… I…” She was still catching her breath. “I… did it…”

“Did what?” I asked.

“The… the ritual… my magic…”

That was good news, but she looked so sad. The scrunched up look on her face she had when she was mad at herself. I could see it even with her new face.

“I didn't… I had too… do you… do you hate me?”

“What? Why would I hate you?”

“Because I… with another man…”

“You did the ritual?” My blood was cold. Heart stopped. She took a moment to day anything, and each second was agony.

“Yes… the ritual.” She said, and I instantly felt lighter.

“Just the ritual?” I asked, to be sure.

“It… it was all a part of it… but-”

“Then there's no problem.” I caressed her cheeks with my hand. Staring into her eyes. “You can't do your magic with me, so of course you can do it with other guys.”

“I… I can?”

“You should! Keeping the team in top condition is the job of the support! And you got him on board in the first place. You're doing so good.”

For a moment she looked stung by the compliment, but then it seemed to really sink in and she looked much happier.

“The magic… it…” She started to say something, but stopped. Pausing for a second and then starting again. “It took a lot out of me.”

“Yeah I can tell. You're being a big help, thank you.”

Hailey was the kind of girl that anybody could read like a book. Her emotions weren't just on her sleeves, they were all over her. Even with a new body, a new face, I could tell when she was lying. No matter how hard she tried.

If she told me nothing but the ritual happened, then I believed her. There wasn't a hint of deceit on her voice.

“Now let's get you up.” I pulled her up, letting her steady herself on me. Standing together like this, close to one another, it reminded me. Filled me with ease even knowing the task ahead. “We've got a full party waiting downstairs, and a nest of Goblins to kill! Let's venture forth!”

When we were together, we could do anything.