*Zelda discovery sound plays* Oh my it appears I'm back? Where was the chapter yesterday? Frankly I was quite caught up in a game called monster hunter 4 ultimate. No Ragrets and all that jazz, but seriously? I AM sorry guys I did the outline for this chapter days ago but I had a bit of trouble writing it. So I sat down, chilled with my bros, and bounced ideas off of them. CHAPTER 12, CHAPTER12, CHAPTER 12, YOUR ART, MY STORY. THE TOP THREE SUBMISSIONS GET A ONE WAY PASS TO NAME YOUR CHARACTER TOWN. SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TO [email protected] Hey there pals! You like the story? Wanna see more? Easy peasy fam, just rate/review the story and tell me what you did and didn't like! It really helps me write chapters, and it also helps others find this story on their own.

================================================

[Bran's POV]

   So I woke up chained to a post. All around me was gold, gold coins, idols, I think I even saw what looked like a golden monkey. Wherever I was, it was some pretty nice digs. I could really go for some water and food though. My lips were pretty dry and cracked, my nose felt broken, and the gold did nothing to keep this room warm.

ACHOOO!

"Who goes there?" A deep bellow rang out.

   I stayed completely silent. It appears that while goblins couldn't see or hear me this thing can. If I follow logic it can probably also touch me. I thought back to Astarte. She must be worried sick. Maybe if this guy can talk I can trick him as well? That voice doesn't exactly sound intellectual though. Deciding that maybe sitting here tied to a post waiting till it found me wasn't that great of a plan I rattled my chains and called out.

"Um, my name is Bran and I'm kinda chained to a post?" I called out nervously.

   A deep rumbling laugh filled the air, it was like standing next to a giant speaker, or a motorbikes engine. Then I heard some clopping getting closer. Wait, if the first thing I met was a dragon, does this mean I'm going to meet a unicorn? I smiled while not entirely pure of heart, at least it wasn't some hulking monster with an axe. It probably just made it's voice sound like that to scare people off. What a softie, I could probably ask for directions. The clopping got closer and I could see it round the mountain of gold coins. All thoughts of directions left my head immediately.

   It was huge. Not only was this room probably ninety feet tall the pillars were the size of redwoods. There was only one word that came to mind when I looked at this thing. Minotaur. How could I be so stupid! What is the most famous monster that lives in a labyrinth? The minotaur! He, and I'm assuming that from the fact he only wore a loincloth. Looked at me and laughed once more. This time I could feel my insides rattle with the vibrations.

"Well then, I'm glad the dungeon shades brought me another. I was getting quite bored waiting around for challengers." He smiled as he said this. There was no way he meant a battle of wits. He probably didn't care about words I knew, or machines I could lie about knowing how to make from another world. He threw a small dagger at my feet.

"Oh cursed chains release thy grasp, this one shall pay for crimes in blood."

   The chains released me. Well, that didn't sound ominous. What were those chains anyway? Were they magic? Could I use them to lock him up? I don't even think they were big enough to wrap around him. He was just huge. He started to look annoyed.

"Pick up the dagger. This will be your one and only warning." He pretty much growled it at me. He also snorted like an enraged bull. Makes sense considering that he was half bull, half man.

   I stalled as I walked towards the dagger, pretending to stretch my arms and legs. Now what did I know about minotaurs? They were supposed to be stupid animals, no intelligence to them but if he could talk... I looked him up and down. He was almost a T-Rex in size. I then remembered something. It would give me a chance, not much but a small one. I always was good at gambling. I then looked him up and down and promptly spat on his hoof while my neck craned to glare at him.

"Man you're big huh? For such a big guy, why do I get the feeling your brain is so small? Maybe I could teach you a thing or two about how to fight? I AM world renowned you know?" I said it as much like a snob as I could. Giving him my most disgusted look.

"I will grind your bones to powder and bleed you dry like the ticks humans are you mortal!" Hoo boy. He shouted that last bit, at least I got him angry. Hopefully he was just angry enough. He reached behind his back and pulled out an axe that Paul Bunyan would be too small for and grinned maniacally, he looked satisfied at the brief hesitation I made upon seeing it. No doubt that thing had cleaved mortal in half more than once. Luckily for me I had a plan.

   You see while the mighty tyrannosaur was huge it had one main weakness, it's footing. This guy's ankles were tiny compared to the rest of him, so I could maybe make him fall. As I picked up the dagger I saw the other fatal flaw of his. While unbearably strong, it was mostly upper body. His biceps were so big I doubted he could reach all the spots on his back. All I had to do was either get on his back or make him fall somehow before going for  his vitals. I was a little shocked at how ready I was to kill this thing. He was probably doing his job guarding the treasure and such before I came here. While the chance of me winning was slim, I still wasn't sure if I could without hesitating. I reached down and picked up the dagger. Only one way to find out.

"Ah I see you don't just want to talk the pretty words towards me, do not worry mortal, when I am done there will be nothing left for the cleaners to remove from the labyrinth." He smiled wickedly as he said this. His nostrils flaring as he seemed to get bigger, and angrier by the second.

   I got into a ready position next to the pillar I had been tied to. Maybe the room was reinforced and the backlash from the axe hitting it would be the chance I need.

   He charged me so fast I barely had time to jump to the side. Where I was standing seconds ago was a crater, Pillar included. Okay scratch that idea then. Time to go on a wild goose chase. I dove into the piles of gold coins next to me. Pushing through them until I came to an air pocket made from swords and armor. It seemed like a safe room for now. I took a breath as I started to push my way through again. The gold seemed to almost flow around me, as if to unhinder me. As a hand came down to grasp me I nearly sighed. Of course, I couldn't have one thing, could I?

   He brought me before his face laughing as I tried to stab the meaty fist holding me.

"For such bravado I had thought you might be a challenge." He gloated.

   I threw the dagger at his eye. It sunk in deep. Yes! Score one for me! As his howls filled the room he started slamming his fist into the ground. His other and rubbing his eye desperately. He eventually gave up and looked at me howling as he did.

"How dare you do this to me? I am the gold keeper, if I must be blind then you must die!" He screamed out and clenched his fist tight around me.

   I tensed as I waited for the crushing pain. I kept waiting. I waited some more. I opened my eyes and saw the minotaur standing there trying to squeeze me with both hands. If it wasn't so terrifying I might have laughed. It didn't feel like he was trying to hurt me at all. In fact it almost felt like I was being held by a cherished lover. His good eye was bulging as he strained harder and harder to crush me. I sat there waiting for the end. For him to break through whatever it was and crush me. A vein bulged on his head and pulsed erratically, he was getting more and more angry by the moment. I then heard a snap. I looked at where I had heard the snapping form and nearly vomited. Fortunately I hadn't eaten in awhile,

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

So all that happened was a gag and deep regret. What had once been a fully functional and beautifully furry minotaur hand now looked like minced hamburger. Blood was freely flowing, some of it hitting my shirt and pants. I was quite afraid at this point. Popeye, one of the adventurers had knocked me out, so how was it this guy couldn't crush me like I was a bug?

   I'm quite stunned. Maybe I've become a mutant. Awakening all my dormant genes, I was probably indestructible now. It was a bit lame as far as super-powers go but beggars can't be choosers. In fact this is pretty much like those manga I used to read so much back home. Just when the hero is about to lose, he gains a sudden power-up and wins. The minotaur finally screamed in pain and let me go falling back onto his behind and cradling his hand. Meanwhile I fell about ten feet into a pile of hard, gold coins. What I mean to say is I dived into them, trusting in my new mutant powers to keep me safe.

   Note to self, don't ever trust in anything good again. I had freely fell forward ready to live out my scrooge fantasies when I collided with the coins. Hard. It turns out, this new super-power was a fickle one, and I now had a giant goose-egg on my head. Rubbing it tenderly I looked at the minotaur and stared. For a half-bull, half-man he wasn't half bad looking. Or at least I thought so, not that I really knew what good looking was to other minotaurs. He had giant pecs, killer abs, and judging from his overall size, he could please whoever he wanted. He returned my stare, with only one eye of course, the other was still weeping tears. He spoke as he looked at me, while wiping his tears away with his good hand.

"Tell me mortal, the name of the one who bested me. Tell me of you, and your powers. I cannot hurt you so I'm sure you could probably take whatever you wanted anyway." He appeared almost sad and mournful as he said this, tears starting to leak from his other eye a bit.

"Don't be sad big guy. My name's Bran and I'm probably the strongest human out there!" I puffed out my chest, hiding my shudder as I thought of the adventurers slaughtering those poor creatures.

"Well at least I was beaten by the best of the best, though I doubt I'll be allowed to keep my job now." He dejectedly sighed.

"What do you mean job? Come to think of it, why do you even guard the treasures here?" I quizzically asked him.

"It provides a home for my family. It isn't easy raising a kid when you're as big as I am and everyone wants to kill you." He was very clearly depressed at this point. The minotaur clearly wasn't in his best shape and the fact that he had one swollen eye, a mincemeat hand, and was looking dejectedly at his crossed legs wasn't helping.

"Who hires minotaurs to guard treasures anyways?"

"How did you make it this far and manage to avoid the Stone of the Conquerer? His room is before this passage." He gave me a suspicious look now.

"Ah, you know the usual way." I deflected the question.

"Come to think of it you know the dragon's tongue. What sane dragon would sit by a human and teach them? It would clearly be planning for suicide."

"I picked it up on my travels from a passing... merchant. A draconian one." I replied, thinking on my feet.

"Well mister minotaur I think I know what treasure I've decided to take." I looked at his face falling and started to laugh. He looked at me, fear showing on his face.

"I misjudged you Bran, I took you for a mortal with a heart. Fine then, take any treasure you want. When my family and I die from the humans outside, know that it is your hands stained with our blood.

"Calm down big guy the treasure I want is to see your family. I've never seen a minotaur before and would greatly value the experience." I lied and smiled as his face went from shock to confusion. He looked at me once more and spoke.

"You are a strange one indeed Bran."

   He then called out to his family in what seemed like a series of grunts and huffing. Soon to more sets of clopping could be heard. It didn't take long to hear the strange snuffling language again as two figures rounded the corner. One was about my size and had a small dress on. She had long auburn hair, a sweet smile, and a girl-next-door kind of face. As soon as she saw the cross-legged minotaur she burst into a sprint her hooves clopping against the ground. It was almost like coming face to face with a female satyr. Completely normal from the waist up, other than some gnarly horns in her hair. The other figure looked much the same, like an older version of what I assumed was their daughter. She was a lot more toned though, her biceps bulging almost as much as her husband.

   The daughter ran towards her father, the towering figure giving her a big toothed cow-grin and perched her on his shoulder with his good hand. They smiled at each other until an earth shattering bellow filled the room. I looked forward in time to see the lady minotaur charging at me. Not wanting to trust my dodgy super-powers I moved out of the way as fast as I could. Not fast enough though as I twirled when she grazed my shoulder, the momentum spinning my body.

   I held onto my surely bruised shoulder gently and watched as the furious wife was picked up into her husbands hand. They seemed to argue for awhile before he gently put her down. She gave me the scariest bovine glare I've ever seen and proceeded to ignore me.

"Sorry about that. The last time she saw a human and me in the same room, I was about to die." He smiled at her and brushed her cheek as he said this.

   It sure was weird just how human all of the monsters here were. From the goblin's final words, Astarte's thoughts, and the minotaur families actions, I wondered what the humans were like. If this world had some weird role reversal that would explain the sadistic adventurers. Either way I had seen my fill, and while it would've been nice to take some gold coins back for when I left this place, I don't think Astarte would appreciate me stealing treasure from one of the places she was guarding.

   I said my goodbyes to the family and made my way as directed to the entrance. It was a door the size of a skyscraper. I looked at it and how the ceiling seemed to, like the door, stretch infinitely higher. I checked for the knob and found a convenient entrance  built right into the door. It was a regularly sized door. What luck! I immediately opened it and stepped through.

   Stepping into the inky black chamber made my heart stutter a little, and I hope my new super-power had activated just in case. I had barely made it five steps along the wall before the lights turned on and I heard what sounded like a synthesized voice say something.

"Fool. Did you think I wouldn't notice the signature of one of my labyrinth's treasures moving? Today will be the day you die mortal!"

   And with that I looked above me at the giant crystal floating in the air. I watched as what seemed like an endless amount of icicles floated there. All of them pointed at me.

--------------------------------

Heyo there guys! Just a quick reminder that if you liked the story... review it! It doesn't have to be lengthy or giant, just a small blurb about what you liked and didn't like will help out a lot. Thank you pre-emptively!