Chapter 9-The Maze
The land of Arkhos was like a world all by itself, where heroes and monsters lived side by side performing acts of greatness that would be spoken about for generations. Unlike the monster-neutral nation of Britannia and the monster-friendly lands of Kaladesh, Arkhos was a land where one's species mattered not, rather their deeds decided whether they should be feared, hated, or adored. These were the individuals legends were born from, and it was from one such legend that two figures made their names in history...Theseus and Astrea.
The hero of our story, Theseus, was born to a middle-class family who lived in a town on the edges of Meletis, one of the city-states that composed Arkhos. He had a father, a stepmother, two little sisters who were beautiful and strong, and a dog. They may seem like an ordinary family, but Theseus was someone more, thanks to his birth mother. Theseus was a Nephilim.
Nephilim were the offspring of human men and angels. It wasn't too uncommon to have Nephilim born from the union of men both in and out of the theocratic Order, but Theseus's father had copulated with a powerful angel, Uriel, the angel of war. It was because of this that Theseus inherited his mother's inherit battle prowess, natural fighting skills and superhuman abilities. It's what led him to a life outside his family's farm, away from home.
By a quirk of fate, Theseus was brought under the tutelage of the former centaur warrior Brea, who trained him in the usage of his abilities. She taught him to use his weapons and words for the good of others, to use his abilities to protect those who deserve it, not for their species or birth. Together, with his childhood friends, he embarked all over Arkhos, working as heroes for hire and sending some of the money back to his family.
It was an eventful life Theseus led, and one he didn't want to trade for anything in the world. However, nothing lasts forever, and his easy life as a hero reached its conclusion when he got a request to meet a client in the city-state Meletis. It was on that day that his life took a major turn down an unexpected path.
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"I hate this place."
"You hate every place that worships Hemera, Diana."
"I know, but this is different. I hate this place because it's so damn depressing."
Theseus and his partner Artemis sat in a wine bar near the edge of the city of Minos, named after the ruling king. The two were here waiting for their potential client to arrive with the details of their request, while trying not to get drunk off the tasty wine that they bought for themselves. There were a lot of people in the tavern, but it wasn't like they were hard to spot.
Theseus was a tall man, standing around 6 feet with tan skin, short black hair and a muscular body that somehow didn't hinder his agility. His eyes were the only hint of his angelic parentage, sporting bright amber gold eyes that burned like suns in the shadows. He looked like an average man who did regular exercises and combat training, but one couldn't tell that he was stronger than most of the men in the building. All he wore was a thin red and white shirt and a black leather battle skirt with sandals.
Artemis was a human woman with short dark brown hair with a feather pinned to her bang. She wore a tight fitting brown vest, matching gloves and a short leather skirt with ankle boots and a large bow strapped to her back. She was the adopted daughter of the centaur who trained Theseus in his youth and had went along with him to
"What's so depressing about it?" Theseus asked, taking a long, slow sip of his wine with a blissful moan. "Damn, that's good. I mean, it's a festival, right? At least it's not a sacrifice."
"It feels like that town we went to that made an annual sport of hunting gorgons." Artemis growled.
That killed Theseus's mirth. Neither of them liked to think of that despicable town that thought they were doing the goddess's work by hunting down the local gorgons in the area. It was a sick practice of beheading the monsters and hanging their heads above their doorways to ward off evil. Artemis alone was able to put the fear of Nyx into them before Theseus beat every man who took part in the depraved celebration of theirs and promised that he would return to finish the job if they ever committed such atrocities again.
A month later, he learned that the town was wiped out by a flood and no one survived. Some people spoke of a winged woman having been spotted over the town just an hour before, but that was still up to speculation.
"Think it has something to do with the bull motif going on around here?" He asked.
"Probably, but it's not like that town. There aren't any corpses being paraded through the streets or heads mounted on walls." Artemis crossed her arms and sighed. "It's one of those subtle dangers that feel more unsettling than the blatantly obvious ones.
Theseus frowned and patted his friend and fuck buddy on the land to calm her nerves.
"Excuse me, are you Theseus?" Someone asked behind them.
"Depends on who's asking." Theseus turned to address the speaker. Even under the heavy cloak, he could see the figure of a woman, most likely human, but her face and dress was mostly obscured from prying eyes. "You friend or foe?"
"I'm someone in dire need of your services." The woman leaned forward and let her face be shown to the two warriors. The beautiful face that lay hidden underneath belonged to the famed Princess Adriane.
"...Friend it is, then." Theseus said after a moment of silence.
The disguised princess quickly sat down next to the pair and leaned forward so her words could only be heard by them. "I'm sorry for all the deception and suspicion, but you both know the uproar it would cause if anyone saw me here."
"No need to explain, you're secret's safe with us." Artemis said softly.
"Yes, an important one. It has something to do with the upcoming festival." Adriane's expression tightened as she gave her request. "Please, I need you to save my sister."
"Your sister?" Theseus raised an eyebrow. "Is she in trouble? Kidnapped? Prepared to be sacrificed?"
"In a way, but not the manner you're thinking about." The princess took a deep breath and began her tale, and at that moment, everything changed for Theseus.
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The next morning, Theseus gathered with the other citizens of Meletais in the city square, where the king was giving his announcement. Hundreds of people were already gathered together under the podium in front of the palace where the king would give his address, with guards posted in every inch of the courtyard.
"Presenting his Highness, the glorious King Minos, and his beloved daughter, Princess Adriane!"
The crowd clapped and cheered for their king and princess as they stepped up to address their subjects, though one couldn't help but think that the praise was more for the princess than her father. King Minos was a man somewhere between his forties and fifties, though time hasn't been very kind to him. He looked lanky and a bit haggard, like he didn't get much sleep, and the crown he wore barely fit him. His daughter, on the other hand, looked splendid, wearing a deep red dress with a simple ruby encrusted band for a crown. She didn't need to wear much to make herself look good, for she was already beautiful.
"People of Meletis!" King Minos bellowed, his voice surprisingly deep and loud that echoed throughout the courtyard. "We come here today to celebrate our annual Festival of the Bull. For those who are new to our city, this festival is both a celebration and a challenge. We honor our human nature by separating ourselves from the monsters who seek to subvert our control of this land, and all the world, and together, through this festival, we show that we are strong united and brave."
"I'm already not liking this." Theseus muttered.
"Every year we hold a harrowing challenge of bravery and skill. There is a maze outside the borders of this state, a place where monsters roam hungry and savage. At the heart of this maze is a ravenous minotaur who had once terrorized this city, and my family. Whoever can find their way to her and bring me her head will be granted anything they desire, even the hand of my daughter, your future queen." Minos said. "Fail, and you'll never leave the maze at all. Who here is brave enough to face this challenge?"
There were a few men who raised their hands, around a dozen, and then Theseus stepped forward and loudly said, "I will do it."
His loud voice caught the haunted gaze of the king, who narrowed his eyes at the newcomer. "I do not recognize you, stranger. Who steps forth to enter our city's noble task?"
"I am Theseus, son of the archangel Uriel." Theseus said, earning surprised gasps and whispers from the crowd. He could feel their curious gazes on him, but his eyes were focused on Minos only.
"A Nephilim graces us with his presence!" The king smiled devilishly. "Perhaps you may be the one who shall complete this challenge and bring me the beast's head."
