Land of the minotaurs

Chapter 7

Ganth's words echoed through Kaz's head as they made their way back to The Bloody Axe. Hecar had killed a ranking priest? That hardly sounded like Helati's brother. Hecar was no murderous fool, forsaking all sense of honor to strike down one of the state clerics. True, Hecar had little love for them, but even he would not have attacked one without strong cause.

Ganth insisted there was evidence of the incident. Kaz assumed his mate's brother had acted in self-defense. For some reason, they must have set on Hecar and tried to take him into custody. He had been warned about such happenings. Hecar might have resisted, knowing that his arrest was false, and in the struggle with the guard accidentally killed the cleric.

That made some sense, but did nothing to ease Kaz's anxiety. A prisoner who was accused of such a monstrous crime would be heavily guarded. The high priest would want to make a prime example of Hecar… which made the fact that Hecar was still alive all the more puzzling.

Not for the first time did Kaz feel like an absolute stranger in the land that had given birth to him. Nothing made sense anymore.

Things had at least partially quieted in the neighborhood near The Bloody Axe. That suited Kaz; the less who noted his presence, the better. He was hoping he could get away before the nosy innkeeper spotted him.

"Do you have things up in your room?" asked Ganth.

"Yes, and it'll make for less curiosity if I take everything. If I leave some things, they'll wonder what I'm up to. Someone might start asking questions."

"Then let me clear out your room while you take care of your mount. Just tell me where to find the stuff. I'll leave a few coins for the proprietor so he doesn't bark about your sudden departure."

Kaz gave Ganth directions, then he and Delbin headed to the stable. It would take his father only a few minutes to return with his things, so Kaz needed to hurry. He hoped there would be no one in the stable. The less talk, though, the better.

It was hard to see in the darkened stable, causing Kaz to momentarily flounder around. Delbin immediately pointed out the animal. Once again the minotaur was impressed with the kender's keen eyesight.

"Help me with the saddle, Delbin. It'll be quicker if both of us pitch in."

"Okay, Kaz."

They completed their work in short order despite the dim light. Ganth had not yet returned, so Kaz decided to take the horse outside. He had just maneuvered the horse round when a voice near the entrance called out, "Hold right there!"

"It's all right. This is my mount. I can easily prove that."

Only after he had spoken did he notice there was more than one shadowy form blocking his path. The owner of the voice was now flanked by two others, and at least one of them carried a glittering blade.

"Kaziganthi de-Orilg, you will surrender yourself and your companion to us in the name of the emperor, the circle, and the Holy Orders of the Stars."

The State Guard. Kaz snorted, wondering how the guardsmen had tracked him so swiftly and, more important, why they wanted him in the first place. He had done nothing wrong… but then, he doubted Hecar had, either.

"There must be some mistake. Why would you want me to surrender? I've done nothing to merit your attention."

"You will surrender now," insisted the leader. "Throw the magic axe to the ground and step away from it. Do it now."

They were determined to arrest him. No amount of protest would deter them. Interesting that they knew about the axe and its abilities. Few minotaurs in the homeland knew. It could be no coincidence; the same power that had sent the hunters in the woods had also dispatched these guards… but who was it? The circle? The priesthood? The emperor himself?

Hecar had killed a high-ranking cleric. That couldn't be a coincidence either. The priesthood must lie at the heart of the conspiracy.

The warriors began to stalk toward him, swords raised. Kaz took hold of his axe and confronted his dark adversaries.

"Put down your weapon," commanded the leader, a little uncertain.

"I've done nothing wrong. I'm certainly no danger to our people. Why do you want me?"

The guard leader did not answer. Behind the trio Kaz saw two more figures. Here in the crowded stable, Honor's Face would be limited. The stalls, the posts, and the horses would confine his abilities. Kaz didn't mind risking his own life, but there was also Delbin's to consider.

"The kender is of no consequence to you. Leave him be," Kaz demanded.

They ignored him. A sixth figure appeared some distance behind. The odds mounted against him.

Raising his free hand, the guard leader signaled the others. The figure in back suddenly let out a loud cry and charged into the others from behind.

Taken by surprise, most of the guards were pushed aside. Weapons went flying. One warrior managed to charge Kaz, who met him axe to blade. The close quarters prevented Kaz from making full use of his weapon, but Honor's Face still presented a respectable threat.

"Away with you!" roared Ganth, his tall figure looming over the pack of warriors trying to regroup. Ganth pulled one up and struck him in the jaw, sending the minotaur falling to the earthen floor.

Two minotaurs faced Kaz's father. Another warrior joined the one already dueling Kaz. Against both of them he was hard pressed, unable as he was to fully employ his axe.

Beyond his attackers he could hear swordplay. Ganth laughed and said something, but to Kaz the words were unintelligible.

One of his adversaries suddenly shouted in pain and hopped away. Something brushed Kaz's leg. Delbin, he realized. The kender had something long and sharp in his hands. Kaz identified the shape as a pitchfork the stable hands must have left behind. A brave, loyal companion as always, Kaz thought. It inspired him to fight that much harder.

Thanks to Delbin's diverting action, he was able to press forward. Ganth, too, looked to be pushing his pair back.

A shout came from outside. The entrance to the stable was filled with more armed figures, one of which barked out commands. Reinforcements had arrived to help the beleaguered soldiers.

There was no hope of Kaz and his father escaping now, but there was a slim chance at least one could be saved. "Delbin! Get out of here! Run and hide! The southern gate's only a short distance from here!"

"But, Kaz-!"

"Do it! I'll keep them occupied! Do it for me!"

The kender had more of a chance on his own. The small figure was clever and agile. "Go!" Kaz shouted again.

Delbin dropped the pitchfork and obeyed, not even looking back. The minotaur fighting Kaz turned and tried to seize him, but Kaz thrust and caught him in the side with the upper edge of the axe blade. Grunting, his adversary slumped to his knees, hands covering his wounds.

Angry shouts informed him that Ganth was now under assault. Suddenly Kaz himself had three more warriors pressing him. He was backed into the stall. As he was pushed back near his horse, the animal reared up and, whinnying, struck out at the nearest member of the guard. The unsuspecting warrior was flung backward by the blow, but almost immediately two others moved to take his place.

Again the horse kicked out. Although he missed this time, the stallion prevented anyone from reaching his master. The reprieve was a temporary one at best, but Kaz was grateful to the loyal animal.

"Get back!" commanded a new voice.

Kaz's opponents retreated. Someone brought a torch into the structure. Kaz found himself facing a minotaur with a scarred visage. It was another familiar face, not Angrus, but a more intelligent opponent.

"Surrender now, criminal."

He was all too familiar, but Kaz was more immediately concerned with the bound figure four members of the guard were dragging forward. It was Ganth, still struggling. He was bleeding from minor wounds on one arm and his chest. There was also a patch of blood on his face, but it did not appear to be his own.

"Surrender, Kaz, or I may be forced to execute this old one here and now."

Something in the voice made him remember. "Scum!"

"Captain Scurn of the State Guard, Kaziganthi de-Orilg." The way Scurn pronounced the clan name made it seem a vile curse. "And you'll surrender now. Understand?"

To emphasize the point, one of Scum's men brought the tip of his sword up against Ganth's throat. Kaz's father snorted in contempt. "No honor in the guard anymore, Lad?"

Scurn pretended not to hear him. "What's it to be, Kaz?"

Lowering his axe, Kaz stepped forward. "All right. I yield to you."

"Bind him."

As two of his warriors seized Kaz, Scurn looked around. "Who has the blasted kender?" When he received no response, he grew angry. Scum's eyes took on a reddish glow. In the flickering light of the torch, his eyes looked wild. "Fools! You let a kender sneak away into the city? Search the area at once!"

Nearly half the patrol immediately departed the stables in search of Delbin. Two others began prodding the corners and the piles of hay in the possibility that the wily little fellow was hiding.

"Lose something?" Ganth asked with a touch of mockery.

"Not as much as you'll lose, Old One, after His Holiness is finished dealing with you." He indicated Kaz. "Harboring a fugitive is a criminal offense."

"Now what would the high priest fear from my little boy? What danger could he be?"

"That's not for you to know." As Scurn replied, however, Kaz noted his brief look of annoyance. Evidently, Scurn, too, would have liked an answer to that question. He obviously was not important enough to have earned the right, though, and for someone like Scurn, that fact had to be bothering him.

"Not in here, Captain," announced one of the pair searching the stables.

"Then get outside and help the others. I don't want you back until you have that little vermin… and don't kill him! The high priest might want him since he rides as companion to this one. Anyone who fouls up will be speaking to His Holiness personally."

That was warning enough for any minotaur. The pair ran outside, leaving only Scurn, the torch-bearer, and the soldiers holding the two prisoners. Kaz's old enemy walked past him, eyeing the axe, which now lay on the ground, and then the war-horse. "Don't worry about these, Kaz. I'll keep them for you until you need them back." He laughed, then picked up Honor's Face. In the light of the torch, the axe gleamed. Scurn held it high, admiring the workmanship, especially the mirrorlike finish of the head. "I'll keep them both safe, all right." A grunt of surprise escaped the captain's lips. He glanced at Kaz. "It reflects the torchlight, but there is only a vague image of me in this blade! What sort of trickery is that?"

"A minor one," Kaz returned. And not surprising, either, he thought, to find that you've so little honor left in you, Scurn. He was tempted to tell Scurn the truth, that only those with honor were reflected in the axe face, but decided better of it.

"I'll examine this oddity later." He noticed the pouches hanging on the belt of Kaz's kilt. "What have we here?"

Kaz squirmed, but could not keep Scurn from taking not only the pouches, but also Kaz's knife. The captain put the blade in his own belt, then inspected the contents of the pouches. One bag he tossed away with disgust, no doubt having located nothing of value. From the other he removed several coins and, lastly, the medallion that Delbin had brought to Kaz from his dream.

"So, a souvenir of greatness." Scum snorted in disdain. "Don't know why you kept this. You never cared about it much."

If Scurn expected a response from Kaz, the prisoner was more than willing to disappoint him. Kaz watched his captor pocket the medallion. Then Scurn commanded, "Bring these two. The high priest wants to see them."

"What would the high priest be wanting with simple folks like us?" asked Ganth, still maneuvering for some information.

"You… nothing. Him…" Scurn used Honor's Face as a pointer, thrusting it at Kaz. "He's been in the high priest's eye for some time now." The disfigured minotaur snorted with laughter. "When I was told that Hecar was coming here and that I should arrest him, I was glad to do so, even if I didn't know why. Now I know why… You were baited, Kaz, baited like a fool of a fish."

One of the searchers came up to them as they departed the stables. He saluted Scurn. "No sign of the kender yet, Captain. It's as if he vanished. No one's seen him. We're questioning everyone nearby."

Kaz brightened at this news. Grinning, he said, "Looks like the high priest might be a little annoyed with you, Scurn. You let a kender slip out of your grasp and escape into the city. Nethosak will never be the same."

Scurn spun and struck Kaz with his hand, sending the prisoner staggering back. "It might be that he'll be annoyed about that, but we'll find the little pack rat. He can't escape Nethosak." To the warrior who had reported, Scurn commanded, "Return to the guard. Get another squadron out. I want the entire southern part of the city searched from top to bottom. He'll try for the gates at some point, probably before daylight. I want him."

"Aye, Captain."

When the warrior had departed again, Scurn studied both of his captives, giving special attention to Ganth. "Now I remember you, Old One. I thought you were dead."

"I have a way of coming back."

"Not this time. Not you or your son." Scurn grinned at Kaz. "Now you'll answer for everything you've done."

"The past is over. It was settled long ago. I don't understand you, Scurn. I don't understand you at all. You still think about the past, even now?"

"You betrayed the dream, Kaz. You turned your back on our destiny. That's the greatest of your crimes in my eyes. No one can turn their back on our destiny. You're a coward. You have no honor."

"Funny," interjected Ganth, "but I was just thinking the same about you."

Scurn looked ready to lash out, but chose not to. Instead, he turned on his men. "Well? What're you waiting for? The high priest wants to see them both right away. Move!"

As they were dragged off, Kaz quickly looked around, searching for some sign of the kender. He saw none. Paladine, hear me, Kaz thought. Let him be careful if he flees to Helati.

There had to be a spy among those in the settlement. That was the only way they could know so much about him. One, possibly more, of the refugees was an agent of the guard. If Delbin went there, the high priest would hear of it. Kaz knew they would stop at nothing to satisfy the high priest… even if it meant destroying the settlement itself and everyone who was a part of it.

"Helati…" he whispered. No one would have any notion of the danger they were in, and Kaz could do nothing to warn them.

Delbin ran out of the stables, darting past a minotaur occupied with trying to subdue Kaz's father. He felt terrible about leaving both of them, but Kaz had said he had to leave, and he always did what Kaz asked… even if he usually changed his mind later and did the opposite. Delbin was determined to rescue his friend, but first he had to make certain he lost any of the bad minotaurs who were dogging his heels.

I'll rescue you, Kaz. You'll see! Kaz was a true friend, the nearest thing to a family Delbin really had. Kaz always got uncomfortable when Delbin mentioned what a good friend he was. Yet the minotaur understood him better than other kender did.

Behind him he heard a minotaur shout. The shout was far away and probably didn't even concern him. Delbin started thinking about where he should go next. The minotaur city was so fascinating that he kept wanting to stop and look at things, but he knew that Kaz was in trouble, so he had to hurry.

I have to do something to help him and Ganth! He liked Ganth, too, in great part because the elder minotaur treated him almost like a grandson. But what could a kender do?

"This way!" roared a deep voice, this time definitely a lot nearer.

Delbin looked behind him and saw an enormous shape closing in. They were very near, all right. He had the advantage of being small, which made it hard to see him in the dark, but he was unfamiliar with the area. It would have been nice to set a few traps for his pursuers, but he was in a hurry. Maybe he'd even have to kill a few of them, albeit in self-defense. Kaz would be proud of him if he did.

"Cover that street!" shouted the voice.

They were even closer now. Delbin spotted a darkened alley ahead of him and giggled. Like all kender, he was good at playing hide-from-the-bad-guys, a game all youngsters of his race learned in their childhood, just in case. The alley looked as if it led to another good hiding place. There were all sorts of good buildings in which to hide.

Delbin giggled again, then shook his head and whispered to himself, "You should be quiet, Delbin, because if you don't, those soldiers might hear you, and then they'll catch you before you can kill a few…"

He squeezed down the alley, then slipped through an even more narrow opening between two buildings. The minotaurs could certainly not follow him here. Delbin cracked a smile as he darted around another corner. This was actually fun. He just wished Kaz could be here to enjoy the game.

"Don't worry about that!" Delbin whispered, reminding himself. "Find a good place to hide, then come up with a plan to rescue Kaz!"

He was certain he would think of something. He had always been a clever fellow. Had not Kaz said so? Delbin had helped him against the dark elf Argaen Ravenshadow and those nasty ghosts down in the cold south. He could certainly help his friend against a few stupid minotaurs.

"I'll come up with a real good plan, Kaz. You'll see! I'll save you and Ganth and Hecar, and then we'll all ride home together. I'll make it a really good plan that you'll be proud of and all the other minotaurs will be surprised about!"

Delbin, of course, was blissfully unaware of how Kaz, not to mention the others, would have cringed at hearing any plan of his. A kender plan was more likely to backfire on those involved than it was destined to succeed. Of course, to kender, that was part of the fun.

They just could not understand why others never seemed to see it that way.

Their captors dragged Kaz and Ganth to the temple, where the high priest awaited them. Inside, the acolytes were very attentive. One of them guided the party through the temple. He led Scurn and the others to two great doors. There, two more acolytes opened the doors, then stepped away. Scurn paused at the entrance, giving Kaz a moment to study the place in detail. The artwork did not concern him at all. What he wanted was some way out should the opportunity arise.

His eyes drifted to the carvings. Most, especially the faces of Sargas, were familiar to him, since copies appeared on structures throughout the empire, but the dragon was something uncommon. It was startlingly real. It unnerved him almost as much as the thought of facing the high priest.

"Your party may enter, Captain Scurn."

The voice echoed throughout the nearly black chamber and caused the hair on the back of Kaz's head to stiffen. Like all minotaurs, he had been raised with a healthy respect for the high priest. But, just standing there, he felt an unreasoning terror. This is nonsense, he told himself.

The cleric's as mortal as anyone else here. An axe in the hand will cleave him in two just as easily as it would Scum.

Nonetheless, it was all he could do to keep from quavering when they pulled him forward.

Torches suddenly blazed, revealing not only the immense chamber, but the dais ahead of the party. Seated at the desk atop the dais was the high priest, who stared down at them.

Studious features were half-shadowed by the cleric's hood. Kaz had met this particular minotaur before, but he could not recall when. Was his past out to destroy him? It seemed that everyone he had ever met was turning up in his life again, wanting to dispose of him.

Scurn led the prisoners up to the dais. Kaz was pleased to note that his captors seemed nervous, too. Everyone was afraid of this high priest.

The high priest leaned forward, studying the two prisoners. His eyes raked Kaz, then Ganth, almost as if he intended to dine on their corpses. The hooded figure studied them for a moment or two longer, then turned his burning gaze on Scum.

"There was a kender, too, was there not? Where is he?"

Steadying himself, Scurn replied, "The guard is still out hunting him, Holiness. He escaped in the confusion when these two resisted."

"A kender, a lowly kender, escaped a squadron of the guard? Are you becoming that incompetent? The kender should have been the least difficult of the three."

"We weren't expecting this one," protested Scurn as he pointed at Ganth. "We were told to watch for Kaz, not the old one."

"And who is he?"

"I am Ganthirogani de-Orilg," announced Kaz's father, standing proudly. "I'm a loyal son of the empire, which is more than I can say for these bits of flotsam. You should know me-"

"You will not speak again unless spoken to," intoned the high priest, cutting off Ganth. He leaned back and studied Kaz again. "Kaziganthi of the clan Orilg, we have watched your activities for some time. Your reputation is both a credit and a shame to the minotaur race. You have fought bravely against great foes, but you reject the destiny of your people. You act as an independent when you must play your part in the great plan. Your place is here, working for the future that is to be ours, but you rebel, fomenting discord among your own kind. Because of your past, you could be forgiven, but now you return to the empire, attempting to increase your power at a time when all minotaurs are needed for the grand conquest."

"That's ridiculous!" snapped Kaz, surprising himself.

The high priest ignored his effrontery. "What you have achieved is admittedly admirable in many ways, but it cannot be allowed to go on, I'm afraid. For the sake of the future, a settlement such as yours cannot be tolerated. The minotaur race cannot be divided so. We must be one strong axe arm ready to cleave all foes in our path. No minotaur can be allowed to act alone."

"I always thought we prided ourselves on our fairness," Kaz returned, more defiant than fearful now that he had heard the high priest's exalted words. "We are the race where anyone may become emperor, where males and females are equal, and where honor is individual."

The high priest visibly checked his anger. Putting on a smile as false as his words, the hooded figure shook his head. "This is a time of sacrifice, my son. In the name of the Great Horned One, we must put aside some of our freedoms so that we can sooner claim the world for him. The time is ripe. The unity of the race is now paramount, greater than the personal desires of one rebellious minotaur. You should understand that."

"I understand much."

"Do you?" The high priest shifted. "I make you an offer, Kaziganthi. Talent such as yours should not be wasted. There is room for you in the empire, but only in service to the empire. What you have achieved in the wilderness could be put to good use here. Commanders who compel such respect and loyalty from warriors are always invaluable to the cause. You could be the greatest commander since Mesonus, who led the attack against the elves even though he and his warriors were outnumbered three to one!"

"Mesonus lost that battle, however glorious it's been proclaimed since," Ganth returned, snorting.

"You will be still, Ganthirogani. Think of it, Kaziganthi. Legions at your command. You are respected by humans. You can be feared by them in the same way. You understand their tactics better than any of our present officers. Your service to your people could lead to the throne itself before long, you know."

"I've no desire to sit on that piece of abused marble."

"Consider carefully. This offer is not made lightly."

Kaz snorted. "That's no offer. That's a threat. I want nothing to do with your coming debacle."

At a slight nod from the cleric, Scurn abruptly turned on Kaz and slapped him with the back of his hand, causing his head to rock to the side.

The high priest eyed him quietly for some time, then glanced at Scurn. "Captain, the criminal Kaziganthi is guilty of endangering the integrity of the state. He has become the focus of dissension and has undermined the authority of the emperor himself. The patriarch of Clan Orilg has already agreed that there is a debt of honor here so great that it can only be judged in the circus."

"What's that?" Ganth snarled. "Even he wouldn't agree to such nonsense! You can't mean that! What could have gotten into you, Jo-"

A member of the guard struck Kaz's father. Ganth clamped his bleeding mouth shut, but continued to glare at the high priest.

Despite what had happened to his sire, Kaz remained silent. He listened carefully to what the cleric said.

"They will be brought to the circus, there to face a chosen adversary against whom they will be allowed to regain some portion of the honor they have squandered."

"Yes, Holiness." Scurn looked at his former opponent with some satisfaction. "You heard. Come with us willingly or be dragged, Kaz."

Kaz smiled slowly, allowing both the high priest and Scurn to digest the smile. "Let's go, then."

His attitude disconcerted not only Scurn, but, much to his satisfaction, even the high priest. The cleric was quick to recover, however, "Remember, my sons, you will be fighting to recover your lost honor. Dwell on that thought."

And at the same time, remember we're not supposed to survive, honor or not, Kaz thought. He snorted at the hypocrisy.

"Come on," growled the captain.

"One more thing, Kaziganthi," called the hooded figure. "It is always possible for you to avoid this sentence if you see the error of your ways. Not simply you, but also those close to you."

"I'll try to remember that."

The high priest turned away from them.

As they were taken from the audience chamber, Ganth muttered, "I can't believe what's become of that lad! He's turned into a foul creature, he has!"

"What're you talking about?" asked Kaz, only partly paying attention. He had been thinking that despite their predicament, this was still an opportunity. Hecar would be in the circus also. This would be a chance to speak to him. Kaz knew the circus well, including the underground passages and gates. Once they located Hecar, he could see a possibility of the three of them escaping. Honor's Face would prove invaluable there. Scurn might have it for now, but it would turn up when Kaz needed it. It always did.

"It's him! Jopfer!" Ganth hissed. "He sailed on Gladiator when Hecar did, then went to work for a member of the circle. He was a studious boy who should've been seated in the circle by now. How, by old Sargas, did he come to be the high priest… and why does he act as if he doesn't know us?"

"Jopfer?" Slowly the name brought recognition. That was why the high priest seemed familiar. Kaz had a memory for faces, even ones he had seen only once, but that had been years ago and Jopfer was much older now. "He was one of Hecar's best friends, once." Hands shoved both of them forward. "Pick up the pace and stop talking!"

Kaz grunted, wishing his hands were untied. To Ganth, he finally muttered, "Well he's not one now."

With some concern, the high priest watched the two prisoners depart. Kaziganthi was a minotaur of impressive personality, the type that could be a great asset to his plans if only it were possible to make the prisoner see that his best hopes lay in cooperation, not defiance. A minotaur like this one, however, would be hard to break, much less bend. The techniques that could have been employed would leave him a shell. Someone like Kaziganthi would grow only more stubborn under torture. The high priest knew that. He had spent lifetimes studying the race.

No, Kaziganthi and his equally recalcitrant sire were best left to the circus for the time being. If, in the end, the former could not be convinced to join, not even for the sake of his companions, then the master cleric would see to it that their deaths would make them sterling examples of what happened to those who defied the destiny he had worked so long to impress upon the minds of his children. Their deaths would spell the end of Kaziganthi's settlement. There would be no more desertions. The plan he had worked on for so long, first for her, and now, astonishingly enough, for himself, had to proceed. There would be a master of Krynn, and it would be he.

I will let neither a rebellious minotaur… nor a potentially volatile infant… destroy what I have worked centuries to build, he thought. The minotaur will die in the arena if necessary, and the female… my female… will remain my permanent guest. So it will be.

Thinking of the other, the one who was most important to his continued existence, the high priest decided it was time to visit again his secret guest. If the fools who followed his commands only knew what she was, they would have fled from the citadel in outright fear. Fortunately, even she did not truly understand the truth.

By the time she did, she would be his puppet. By then, Kaziganthi de-Orilg would also be his to control… or dead and burned, a memory of ashes soon to fade from the minds of his children.

However, there was one matter with which the hooded cleric still had to deal. He reached to his side and pulled an almost invisible cord. A few moments later, one of his chief acolytes appeared.

"Yes, Holiness?"

"Tell the emperor I wish to see him… now."

"Yes, Holiness."

The high priest ignored the acolyte's departure; his thoughts returned to the future. His future.

I will not let this opportunity escape me. The world is ripe for my picking… and the minotaur, if he will not obey, is expendable in the end.