Crusaders Part 21

Present

The duo walked in to the labyrinth and marked the directions they took with the chalk they carried. The Baron holds his broadsword in his hands and peek at every corner. We must had walked for hours when we came to the what may appear to be a small square. It ahas three more entrance to walk beside the one which we are standing at. That was not concerned ourselves with but the figure of the half bull and man. They named such creature as the Minotaur. The Minotaur is taller than me and almost twice my frame. The beast carries a long handed battleaxe in the hand. The beast snorts his irritation on my presence here. It must the place of guard by the beast and we just intrude on its ground.

"What manner of Man would dare to intrude into this labyrinth?" The beast howled in rage.

"Its only me of No-Man but a warrior of the Son of Lights. My name is Baron Helmut of Bavaria. I am not here to intrude on you but also to challenge you." Helmut stood in front of me and faced the beast. "And you are not my first beast I have to fight with but this time you would not run like the last time."

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Twenty two years

The village of Mangily lies near the border of Bavaria but this past months the villagers stayed behind the the confines of their village in the day and their house in the night. The Baron rode with his men which also include the heir of his. The group of seven riders stood their stead at the Church. The group was met by the priest who told them of the trouble they faced.

"We will ride to the mines now." The Baron dismount at the mines alongside with his men. He walked towards his son who travels with them. "Helmut, you stay by my side at all time."

"But father, I have practiced long enough. Let me prove myself. Stop me not. Let me be the man I am to be." Helmut was eighteen then and he wants to sample his real kill on a beast.

"Helmut, there may be more than one here. If you cannot fight, run for cover or far. Do not be a hero." With those words, the group of seven brave men armed with shields and swords marched into the mine. Its not a long walk but the time to cover the distance was long. Soon we came to the end of the tunnel and the Baron paused. He drew the cross from his neck chain and kissed it. The he kiss the sword he holds in his hand' its a broadsword that once belong to his father.

They walked into what may be called a large cavern but it housed a number of buildings all around; some on the higher ledges and some on the ground. Its like a small village but this one housed many demons. According to the local miners, the so called village appeared one day in the mines. Some fo them explored the place and never come back. Since then the mines has been avoided by the villagers. But they claimed that the inhabitants of the place come out at night to their village; livestocks has been taken and signs of blood seen in the ground. They feared the worse but they are afraid to act.

"Janus, you take two men with you and explore the building on the right. I would take the rest and explore the left ones. Shoot to kill." Janus is the Baron's righthand man and he carries a mace in his hand. His large frame and buildup allowed him to swing the mace with deadly impact. The man once stopped a raging bull with a blow of the mace on the head of the bull.

The boy followed his father holding a broadsword his father gave him some years back to practiced on. Since then, he has discarded the pistols and rapiers to focus on this heavy handed sword, His mentor was a old warrior who served in some old wars and has the scars to prove it to the young apprentice. His mentor taught him many good techniques including how to hold his shield as a defence and also as an offensive weapon.

The group led by the Baron went into the first building. They had come in to a large rectangle hall where a long table is placed in the middle. The table is filled with food and drinks while at the head of the table sits the half man with the beast of a Bull. To his side sits another similar abnormal creature but this one has the head of the goat complete with the goatee.

"Welcome, Baron. Please be be seated as we have prepare for your visit. Do not hesitate as much works had been done to prepare this meal." The man with the Bull head invites the group to feast. The goat head also nodded to us but we just ignored his motion.

"I will not dine with demons. I am here to evict or destroy you if possible. So tell me your answer so that we can get underway." The Baron is a man of few words and those he just utter are more than his usual statement.

"Impatience! Those are your nature, Man. You called us unrefined brute or beast but yet you showed us your uncouth behaviour in our homes. I have to admit, my kitchen would be disappointed at your refusal of their cooking." It was then they heard the clanging of metals and howling of creatures. "Your other group is already engaging my fellow beasts as we speak. So we can cut the preliminary and get down to the actual fight."

The beast complete his statement and he signaled the rest of his army. From within the dark corners and hidden doors, the place was soon filled with numerous beasts. They come in all shapes and looks but the main one who addressed us looks to the biggest threat.

"Let not the look deceived you for they are as formidable myself." The man beast now stood up with his hand holding onto the great battleaxe. He raised it up and brought it down on the long table tearing it into two parts with the food and drinks all strewn about.

"We shall not yield" The Baron and his men all charge at the array of beasts who has joined them in the hall. The Baron is seen swinging his hand while holding to the broadsword. Where the sword comes into contact on some beasts, large splatter of blood can be seen in the air or on the flooring, with the injured beasts howling in pain. The young heir was also proving his worth in battle as he slash and plunge hid sword into the fighting beasts. Soon he come to faced with the main beast himself; the Minotaur.

"The young one and he seeks me. I am not against killing young ones especially when they involved your kind." The Minotaur was to fight with me but his goat headed friend decided to intervened. The goat head did not speak but he held out his front paw to block his leader. "You want him, Goatee. So you shall and I would avail myself to the father's soon."

The goat headed beast came at the young lad with a sword and shield. Young Helmut went forth and challenged the goat head with his heavy broadsword. The two clashed and after some repeated blows, the young heir to the Baronage was gaining ground. He saw the Minotaur clashing with his father but he need to win his own battle first. He saw the opening on the goat head and took it. His sword slash at the beast left side and cut his way up the ribs and bones. The goat head left off a loud bleat before falling down dead.

"Goatee! No!"; the Minotaur saw its friend falling down to its death, and he swung the battleaxe at the Baron. The wide swing of the battleaxe parried by the Baron's sword but not sufficient to slowed it swing. The battleaxe followed on its swing to land at the Baron's right shoulder causing him to dropped the sword. The Minotaur followed through with his strength on the battleaxe to sink it deep into the Baron's flesh.

"No!" the young lad shouted on seeing his father collapsed at the feet of the Minotaur. The Minotaur on seeing the objective achieved, pulled out his battleaxe form the dead body and ran off into the rear of the dining hall. The young lad pursued but was stopped by his father's weal voice.

"No, don't. Come here, my son." The lad kneel down beside his father and put aside his sword. "The Von Kluck has been the warriors of the Church to purge all the demons and beasts from this physical world. Your grandfather and his father alongside with me have been doing it for decades now. Now that I am to leave, you are to carry on. I wanted to give you more time but the Heavens called for my soul now. Be brave, my son and be true to the cause. Let no evil sway you and let no emotion overcome you. You are to be the next one to carry on the tasks that began generations ago."

The older man died but before he drew his last breath, he passed to the son the sword he has held in his hands.

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