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This was once published under a different name, but nonetheless this is my story. Although ... this is an ancient story I never finished. But.. it does end at a good place, and it represents too much pain for me to continue with, I think. But.. we shall see. Perhaps some people out there might like it, and I will have to continue.

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Finding Home

-Part 1- -Chapter 1- -Reminder-

"This damned, cursed cold is killing me".

Livius snapped out of his daze. He had been staring into the night for what he realized may have been an eternity. The hills seemed almost unreal in the dark, yet they offered him the freedom of dreaming what lay beyond. He knew, of course, what did lay beyond. His past.

With a few blinks, and a graceful turn, he was fully in the moment once more, turning to his old friend; Archmage Skender, who was shivering from the cold. He was adorned in the finest robes this evening, no doubt to celebrate the pointless and barbaric victory that the Empire had befouled the world with.

But away with such thoughts, Livius thought to himself. This is a night that makes many people happy. Livius forced a warm smile, but found himself overwhelmed by the sincerity of his emotions. After all, an old friend was present. They hadn't met properly since Livius had returned home to the Empire, and that was only roughly sixteen months ago.

"Skender... my dear, sensitive Skender.. where I see magnificent hills and glorious nighttime activity, you only sense the cold. Ever the pessimist."

"Did you just call me Skender? Simply my name? No title? I don't believe this ... informal? You?" Skender said, looking truly baffled. "I didn't think I would live to see the day.", he said with a smile.

"A man can change his nature, but it takes extraordinary events for it to happen. Most of them... are internal", Livius said, poking his skull with his index finger, sporting a bizarre grin on his lips.

Skender just stood there for a moment, but then he burst out in laughter. Together they walked back to the settlements, where the Empire's grand war tents attempted to pierce the dark skies above. As they walked, Livius thought not so much about the impending partying with all of his fellow countrymen, but rather that he was once again back in the Empire. His old home, with all the old routines. He would need to appear as if he loved it all, but a seed within him had started to grow. A realization that made him conscious about his distance to himself.

The realization was of a malicious nature; one that made him feel cold inside. It made his years away from all this seem like an antidote to a venom that had just started being injected again. Would this old venom kill him, or would it merely make him enthralled - like he was back then, prior to all those years when he got to know that other home... a home so different from what the Empire could ever be... Only the other night, there had been a bloody battle against minotaur forces near the minotaur town of Xarsen. It had been a milestone in military history. With the new, amazing rifle constructions and dark magic, the minotaur forces had been eradicated. It was just beyond Livius how that could ever happen in his lifetime. He had been safely back at the camp when the fighting took place, but in his mind; he knew his contributions. The dark, foul magic that coursed in the belly of those deadly bullets were partly due to his efforts. At least, he thought that was probably true. Back then, all those years ago, it had seemed a blessing. Using foul tools to overcome a seemingly impossible-to-beat enemy. But those days were far away. His plans, his designs that he wrote back then, shared a great resemblance with the new tools of today. Somehow he wanted to believe that was a coincidence, but the similarities were too many.

"How was your time as a slave to the minotaurs?", Skender suddenly asked. It was too sudden a question, and it made Livius quiver with mixed emotions. His brain froze and he just opened his mouth and stared at Skender, trying to force an answer; a diplomatic one.

But wait, no... not diplomatic. That would make me seem like a traitor to the Empire, Livius thought to himself. He could sense thought patterns in Skender's mind. It was like snakes slithering. Dark thoughts, suspecting Livius of secretly longing to return to the minotaurs... but it seemed to be erratic thoughts; like twisting currents in the river. Skender did not truly believe that he longed back, Livius guessed. But it was hard to tell. Skender's mind had always been harder to read than most people's. Odd that.

"I must admit it was interesting to see the complexity of their society, the luxuries they could afford themselves, the splendor of their bath houses and so forth.... but their beastly ways? Their conniving ventures down murky paths of schemes, rituals and backstabbing? Their uncivilized and hedonistic lifestyle? Barbarians. I am glad we have new tools to eradicate them with." Livius felt like biting his own tongue, but he continued; "..once we've won this war, however, we are free to make use of their vast resources."

Livius managed to look stern. He knew that he had made that impression at least on Skender. He felt the thought patterns change their courses and slipped into silence and contemplation. Livius smiled at the usefulness of his unusual talent.

It would be most unfortunate if anyone, even his allies, found out about Livius extraordinary ability; signature, the minotaur mages called it. Magical traits or strange peculiarities that all mages latently radiated onto the world at all times - unique effects from any given mage. He remembered how he had been told that they are mostly a distraction or nuisance. While he would agree that it could be annoying, it had turned useful beyond words in his career.

Livius particular signature was that he could copy ... not thoughts, exactly, but rather thought- and nervous system processes. He drew it from all living creatures around him. It was like basking in sunlight, except the "rays" of these processes would enter his mind, arrange themselves, making themselves comfortable, and then he would know things he hadn't known before. It was like he vampirically reproduced others knowledge in his mind.

The only downside was that it tended to make those around him somewhat confused, sometimes at a loss for words. Those who already were confused by nature could sometimes be almost impossible to converse with, unless he actively tried to suppress his own signature, which he had learned to do most of the time.

He could not usually get knowledge of the future, like plans or intentions; and thoughts, emotions and memories of the past would still occationally be blurry to him; he wasn't a mind reader after all, not really... he would mostly just learn new things, new techniques, new spells. At least provided that the wielder of the knowledge was sufficiently skilled. It had to be knowledge that was worked so well into the brain and nervous system of the transmitting individuals, that it came more or less as second nature for them to perform whatever action or thought process they may be performing. The less familiar to them, the more Livius would have to magnify his signature to copy the knowledge from them. He was like a knowledge thief, trading mass confusion around him for skills deeply encoded into brains and nervous systems. Practical indeed.

Still, even to this day, Livius had never told a living soul about his talent, or his signature, and he felt certain noone knew about it. There could be grave danger in sharing that with others, even his own colleagues, who had always been astounded at his ability to learn skills quickly.

The General's war tent was huge, by most standards. It could fit hundreds of men - and tonight; it was crowded. As Skender separated the heavy cloth walls of the tent, Livius was amazed at the state of most men inside; drunken, loud savages. It was chaotic. Livius and Skender shoved their path through the inibriated crowd, and eventually found their places near the General himself, who gave a slight nod as he noticed them sitting down. Livius pushed away a few glasses and plates that had sullied his place with messy stains, and then he heard the General's voice bellow out, dwarfing the already loud volume inside the tent.

"Fine! Listen up all you louts! We are not just here to waste ourselves beyond our senses, we also have a future to plan!", General Ionatan proclaimed. It was impressive to see the effect it had on the soldiers. Livius turned to his sides to see all of the men, except maybe the most drunk ones, neatly correcting themselves and sharpening their ears. The table at the General's banquet did not normally have room for the common soldiery, but on this night it seemed as if they were all allowed to socialize with their betters.

What followed was the General's boring recapture of the last few years, a nostalgic speech about overcoming great odds through great sacrifices, a roundup of the future movements and summary of the logistic situations. Livius tried to stay awake, but he felt his head was getting heavier and heavier as the words became more and more like a lullaby.

Then suddenly he heard:

"We have one surviving minotaur prisoner, too. We are.... unsure what to do with him." Could this be? A surviving minotaur? Livius was sure he had heard that there were no official survivors. Yet he very much doubted that the General would tell a lie, especially on .....

The sounds. Hooves! It was hooves connecting with ground! It had to be!

The cloth wall behind the General was separated, and nearly a dozen men entered, all wearing ceremonial armor and spears. Some of them held chains, leading to the ankles, wrists and neck of a huge, brown minotaur, clad only in torn undergarment pants. It was presumably part of his former armor. His facial area was mostly white, as were the lower regions of his muscular legs. The tone of brown had a gradient change from the delicate white to the powerful depth of dark brown, and the whiteness that framed his muzzle and face made him seem almost... kind? The horns were small. Short, but pretty sturdy. He would have to be a soldier, this minotaur. His pronounced muscles over the shoulder and torso area made it seem like there was unlimited potential in his strength, and yet..... he seemed dead to the world. His head hung low, he didn't seem to register the rough treatment to his body as he was respectlessly pushed forward by the soldiers of the Empire. There were deep cuts in several places of his hide, and it was obvious that walking was a huge strain for him.

As the soldiers came closer, Livius tried in vain to look casual. His throat locked up, he held the table as if he had cramped up. He could hear Skender whisper to him; "Don't be so worried, he cannot harm you". Livius felt relieved over the fact that Skender had gotten such a wrong impression over his behaviour. Livius was not afraid of the minotaur. He was stunned to see one again.

As the minotaur brushed by the men sitting ahead of the two mages, Livius made an effort to lean close to the minotaur as he would be lead past him. He could see the expression more clearly now; there was fear in this minotaur's eyes after all. His nostrils flared extensively, and warm air pushed out. For only a fraction of a second, the minotaur lifted his head, thick veins painted on the canvas of his beautiful neck. Scared, questioning eyes met Livius own, for a brief moment. Minotaur eyes - seemingly asking the questions "Will I die tonight, in this horrible place? Where are my friends?".

Looking almost like he was high on drugs, Livius leaned closer as the men passed by with the chained minotaur, and out of the blue; he caught it, briefly:

The scent. Myriads of memories and feelings crowded Livius mind. It was like standing on a beach, overlooking an ocean of past experiences. The scent was there with him once again. I didn't realize I would ever inhale anything like it again.

Musky, rich and so incredibly familiar in his nose; he felt like he was taken back to the period of his life when he himself had lived with these minotaurs. He felt a warmness growing inside him, but then something disturbed that wonderous calm that usually settled; there was a hint of fear in the scent, which ruined the experience for him. It was like having salt poured in open wounds.

In a daze, he turned to see the minotaur being led to a pillar of some sort. No doubt placed there specifically for him. As Livius watched the minotaur being shackled to the stone pillar, he only briefly realized that he was somehow outside the social network of his brethren. He saw spit flying through the air, landing on the minotaurs wounded pelt. He heard words, horrible words, being thrown at the minotaur; both in latin and in unconvincing greek.

"Shackle him nice and tight, boys!" "Kill the freak!" "Fucking animal...."

It stung so hard to hear all this, but Livius looked as composed as ever despite not partaking. He knew he had to be cold to give the right impressions to the brothers he had been reunited with.

With brazen and confident motions, the soldiers stepped away from the now chained minotaur. There was no way for him to escape his fate, and he did not even try. Livius noticed that, over time, the minotaur's chest heaved more frequently, and his nostrils flared rapidly to fill him with more and more air. He must be close to passing out.

"It is undecided yet, what we are to do with him", General Ionatan said in a low, conversational volume to one of the officers next to him. They seemed to whisper some words between them, but Livius found it impossible to make out just what exactly those words were. It was clear however, that they were on their way to reach a similar conclusion. Their ravenous smiles indicated some sadistic fun to be had.

"I heard of the battle. Apparently some minotaur mage tricked us with an illusion spell, and ... are you listening, Archmage Livius?".

Livius woke up from his thoughts, and faced his friend Skender, who had been whispering to him. Amidst the chaos of motion behind Skender, he could vaguely make out various items still being flung to hit the minotaur, but it was out of focus. Sacrificial lamb to the slaughter, Livius thought to himself before devoting his attention to his friend, who had now begun to arch his eyebrows to gain attention, and indicate how socially distracted Livius seemed to him.

"Skender, the minotaurs are cunning creatures. I am amazed it was not foreseen by our own magi that such methods would be anticipated. Still, I also heard that diplomatic negotiations were cut off by one of our own men, which led to the illusion being exposed. Such things reflect badly on the Empire, I am sure you understand."

Skender seemed uncomfortable, and corrected himself somewhat in his chair. He then raised his hand to object.

"Yes well, had it been myself or ... or indeed you; I am sure no ruffian from the common soldiery would have braved the initiative of an attack, but ..."

The voice of the Archmage was interrupted by another bellow from the slowly rising, and highly intoxicated General, now visibly happier than ever before.

"All right, men!" he shouted and then attempted to hide his chuckles while looking down at the officer at his side. He had a look of searching affirmation in his expression, and the officer nodded approvingly to his General. The General continued:

"I have been informed that the official number of surviving minotaur slaves is an exact one; ZERO!"

To this, the crowd of drunken soldiers roared and cheered. Livius cast a discreet look over the tent, not to eye the state of the various levels of consciousness found in the soldiers filling it, but rather to gain at least a second of focus on the minotaur. It seemed the minotaur watched the General in chocked disbelief. He knew what was coming, Livius could tell.

"And so it is with great joy that I announce that the brave men who brought the minotaur into our tent will now be given full freedom to end his life in any way they see fit, so long as it amuses our weary eyes and ears!" "- and indeed, noses!" someone from the deep end of the tent screamed. Livius didn't first realize the implications, but as he turned to the overwhelming laughter of the inibriated crowd, he noticed that the minotaur had peed himself in fear. Urine was dripping down from the torn remains of his pants, and the minotaur looked at the General with ears hanging low, lips trembling. His eyes were both as open as the sun itself, glistening with a desire to instill the possibility of mercy for his newly condemned soul. It seemed as if he wanted to talk, but his trembling lips and shaking legs made it impossible for him to produce more than broken sobs.

But... isn't this minotaur a warrior? Livius thought to himself, stunned by the extremely fearful reaction of the minotaur. For a fraction of a second, Livius nearly caved in to the urge of expressing pity and uninhibited forgiveness and love at the minotaur, who was in emotional need of a friend, but Livius used these very emotions bubbling within himself to instead burst out in a cruel and mocking laughter. Skender jumped at the sudden outburst from his friend sitting beside him, but after that initial reaction, Livius had no clue as to how his friend behaved: he was far too busy convulsing in laughter, tears filling his eyes. This is madness.

He thought of the ecstatic fury and destructive desires of the soldiers (beasts?) surrounding him, almost wanting to give in to the cruelty and sadism that resided in these war-torn souls; joining them in their dance with insanity. These individuals, who had lost their identities to the savagery of war. His tear canals burned within him, his face a flush of red, veins pushing out from his neck and throat from the roaring laughter that nearly took over his body. He was no longer sure what to feel.

Do I care anymore? A sound of a spear reaping thick hide of its splendor started to revolve inside Livius ear.

Do I have compassion, or have I replaced it with genuine hatred, genuine antagonism? A guttural howl of pain from a throat that wants to express desperation, that wants to beg to live. Livius hears it, or does he imagine it? If only I could brave myself to open my eyes. Livius decided not to, but the thoughts raged on.

Do I want my past, my feelings to be destroyed by this night, and its escapades with death? Did I truly ever feel anything for the minotaur, whether it be their species... or even just this one, poor soul? Is my laughter a lie or is it my true nature? Something heavy connected with something fairly soft. Could it be the sound of a hammer crushing bones? It seems to be followed by the rumbling low, rabid scream of panic; rustling of chains who will not break. What are they doing to him? If only I could open my eyes. If only I could stop laughing. This isn't me, is it?

The sounds suddenly felt more real. He wasn't imagining. But he heard cries from the minotaur now, that sounded almost surreal. A mixture of pure horror, pain and a yearning to beg for his life, once more. It was not imagined. He heard anger too. Rage. But it was way back, far below the rusty low frequencies of a seemingly dying minotaur throat that was throwing out its last desperation to the world.

Is this who I have become? Is this who we all have become?

Clinging to his chair with his hands, he saw the world through a misty haze as he slowly opened his jammed-shut eyelids. There it was; the sight that laid before him, the cause of his erratic and paradoxal behaviour - a giant beast (beauty?) being impaled by ....

Oh my god, they are killing him. This is really happening Livius, old boy. Are you going to let it happen? Will you trade your soul for madness, just for its simplicity?

Madness subsided. Livius wiped his face from the tears and sweat. Only Skender's back greeted him when he glanced his friend. Skender, like most others, attended with fascination the scene before their eyes. The bloody torture and impending execution of the last surviving minotaur. What could be done to prevent this?

A sudden realization struck Livius with something akin to the clarity of the mad. I will have to gamble with this one...

"WAIT!!! STOP!!!" Livius roared. He flew from the chair like a falcon in flight, and he dove towards the soldiers, arms flailing vividly. With feeble attempts to stop the weapons from penetrating the minotaur, Livius continued; "There are traces of dark magic in him!".

That seemed to do the trick. The drunken laughter ceased. The soldiers froze. The soldier who stood closest, and who now had his spear held by Livius aswell, gave a look of bewilderment and confusion to the stressful mage.

Livius realized that he had set this in motion, and there was no backing out now. This ruse would come at a high price, and it would likely end the credibility of a lot of mages. Do I really care? Livius thought to himself briefly, but the answer was just a second away; No.

As his thoughts went through his mind like a whirlwind inside a house with open windows, time appeared to slow to a crawl. Livius realized he had stared at the soldier for quite a while, and the spear he held in his hands had become sweaty from his own clutching palms and fingers. It felt slippery in his hands. His focus drifted slightly over to Skender who half sat, half stood up, in something that looked almost like a frozen state. It was as if his friend had cramped up. His eyes were locked on Livius own, and what they wanted to convey was not subtle. They were questioning. More than that; they seemed to declare Livius insane, unfit... anything but correct.

"Dark... magic? As in .... our dark magic?" Skender eventually exclaimed. His voice was quite low, but the incredible stillness and quiet that had settled in the tent made it seem like a lion's roar. It did make Livius snap out of his uncharacteristic and statue-like stance however. Livius harkled and corrected his magnificently woven blue robe. The torchlight made the finer threads seem incandescent in their golden and contrasted glow, as they were moved by his delicate hands. He quickly rose to his full length, sporting a grim and highly determined facial expression, befitting a mage of his stature.

"The very same kind of dark magic, I am afraid. It seems this ... monstrosity here.. ", said Livius and pointed crudely at the terrified minotaur, ".. has somehow survived the impact and dire consequences of our weapons. Not just the bullet, but the magic too. It is a mystery to me; both how he has survived and... actually, also how this phenomena has gone unnoticed."

Skender's face seemed to twist into a wrinkled prune, as if he had tasted something rotten. He appeared furious, and Livius sympathized, but did not show it.

"Unnoticed?!?", Skender shouted.

"I have spent the better part of yesterday tending to minotaurs, they have all dropped; one by one. We didn't expect anyone to survive, and I recall *distinctively* that this one had *absolutely* no wounds that would suggest the entry of a bullet! There were simply no other surviving minotaurs with his facial ... blotch.... so I am sure I wouldn't confuse him with someone else. I am thorough in my testing! Archmage Livius; do you contest my analysis? Publically?"

Livius tried his best to look weary, but not overly dismissive. He needed to express just a hint of superiority to make it clear that he is the one in control. The General eyed him from top to bottom, he could sense it. He gave a smirk that, ever so slightly, appeared patronizing, but not to such a degree that it could be interpreted as mockery. With both hands raised reassuringly into the air, he gently spoke.

"Skender, my dear friend. Like you have said, you spent a lot of time working yesterday - no doubt from morning to nightfall, and with all those beasts to examine, well... all minotaurs look alike; unusual patterns or not. You simply missed it, anyone would have. He has quite a few newly acquired wounds too as you can see, so it is naturally impossible to determine points of entry *now*, but if you would just be so kind as to come here and sense for yourself; the dark magic is lodged into him, I sense it well. I was, after all, one of the *designers*. You of all men should know that."

There was a hint of disbelief in Skender's eyes, as he tilted his head analytically to glance into Livius eyes. Livius felt something forming in his eyes, it had to do with psychological training. He is analyzing me to see if I am lying to protect the minotaur... clever bastard.

"Truly, you do not believe I am jesting, dear friend? I am, after all, far more experienced than you are in this field of magic. Your affinity for the arcane differs greatly from my own, and without diminishing the extraordinary value of your competence; we both know I am better configurated aswell as trained for these particular instances of magic use. But please, do come here, examine him for yourself."

Livius felt confident, and as Skender approached, he smiled gently at his friend, trying to gain his trust even more.

Skender focused. The tent was silent. Livius felt it like a warm sensation, first on his eyes, then covering his scalp like a helmet of light. It was an old spell that Skender used. Old but effective. He's become better. But not good enough.

"What do you feel from him?", Livius asked kindly. As his friend turned to him to talk, Livius focused on his talent, his signature. He expanded his sensory skills, covering the air and ground like an ocean wave covers the beach. He picked up so many things from those around him, but he also knew the effect it would have on Skender, who had begun to open his mouth, but couldn't speak. He just didn't find words. It would only be temporary of course, so the time to act was now. Before anything would escape Skender's lips, Livius approached the minotaur himself, holding a hand near the chest of the shaking prisoner. The desire to signal something to the minotaur to give him comfort was overwhelming, but Livius knew that such a short term effect, which would potentially even be without gain, was far too risky.

"There is an incommensurable stream here, almost like cold lava on a watery surface, do you sense it? The monotonous blaze of our dark magic, that would normally feed on the biological processes of the victim, has somehow nestled itself into a loop inside a vacuum. I sense this entropy derives from the very nature that had the dark magic confined. Within him. Sort of like an ... immunity. Do you concur?"

The General and all the soldiers looked at Skender with blank eyes, awaiting a reply. The effect that Livius had placed on Skender seemed to do wonders.

"I feel.. concur? No. But there is something. I feel ... nothing... Nothing on him? I don't know... what is happening?". Skender looked as if he was about to panic, but when his words failed him, he started to grunt and whip his arm towards the minotaur. The General looked at the mage in disbelief, then turned to Livius. Livius noticed that the General was shrugging his shoulders and spelled out some words with a mute mouth, indicating that he was wondering what was wrong with the blabbering mage.

Very odd... Skender behaves far more erratic than I had anticipated. Why is his mind so dysfunctional? It is almost as if he is already under other mind effects? Maybe he is ill, or depressed? It shouldn't have such a strong impact on him. Livius felt a great concern over the mindstate of his friend. A ruinous consequence indeed. He realized he had better stop using the amplified signature on Skender, it seemed to actually harm him.

While Skender tried to find words to object with, Livius devoted his attention to the General.

"General, I realize the supporting mages have all moved on to their respective locations and duties, and since I am the highest ranking mage present; I would advise that you join my chain of thoughts here...". The General perked his ears and lowered his brow. Livius had his attention. It was clear from his body language that he did not like Livius, and that he anticipated a boring speech.

"It would be of great, bordering on unfathomable importance, that we assess all data we can regarding deviations from our expected results. These minotaurs are not supposed to survive the dark magic we have placed within the bullets. The potential situation at hand is seemingly that a certain, unknown percentage of minotaurs may in fact be immune to the effect. In order to perfect the strategical effectivity of our newly developed weapon, we need to ascertain that even the resilient victims are guaranteed a swift death. I would consider it a tremendous honour if you were to meet with me privately about the details of procuring a location where I would be free to study this specimen. I need to make sure that we are capable of producing just that type of weapon in the future."

With this, he turned to Skender as he minimized the span and magnitude of his signature's effect. "Do you concur, my old friend?" he asked in a slightly less formal and loud tone. Skender simply sighed and nodded. He then said, "I concur."

The General only nodded and waved his hands to the soldiers. "So be it. Boys, bring the minotaur to the infirmary; he may be of some use after all." The commotion amongst the formerly entertained soldiers began only as a low murmur before the General continued; "Yes, I do know this means we will be derived of some entertainment, but there is still plenty of booze to go around. Drink's 're on me!"

The soldiers released the minotaur from the pillar, and he fell to the ground like a sack full of heavy stones. As he collapsed, he instinctively parried the earth with his bleeding hands, and he screamed as he connected clumsily. The front row of soldiers were showered in small dots. Livius looked at the soldiers, as they beheld themselves in disgust. Their clothes and armor had been adorned with minotaur blood from the heavy fall. It had sent the blood flying through the air.

Livius left the commencing stupor with Skender, some soldiers and the minotaur in tow. He walked up to the General and they all left the tent, heading off into a dark passage that led towards the night and the stars. Music began to play, but it was quickly muted as the cloth fell behind him. With a confident grin, he followed the General who had a muttered debate with some officers before him. Livius knew that the General would agree to anything he desired; if there was one thing the General could not afford now - it would be to get entangled in an arcane issue with the circle of magi. Very likely, Livius thought, he just tried to save what little remained of the soldiers spirit, by quickly siding with this irritating Archmage, and get the matter dealt with relatively smoothly. Mages were a pain in the ass to men of swords and honour.

The night was calm. Livius began to notice the sounds around him as they walked. Metallic sounds of armor as the soldiers walked, the soothing frequencies of muffled debate ahead of him, and of course the heavy impact of hooves on the soil. Oddly heavy? Livius noticed that the minotaur had trouble keeping the pace. His limping made the steps less precise, and heavier on their impact. Livius began to slow down his own pace, and forced the soldiers to do the same by initiating tedious conversations about the interesting design of the ceremonial armor they wore. As they began to speak quite enthusiastically, Livius caught a glimpse of the minotaur and noticed he could walk more easily. There was a hint of relief, but only ever so slightly. As the discussion went on, Livius forced some attentive nods every now and then, but his mind was elsewhere; focusing on the watery eyes of the scared minotaur. On occation, his glances would be returned. Livius tried to imagine what the minotaur was thinking, but there was no indication. Only fear.

With a disappointed frown, Livius head sank as he was bent on removing his gaze from the minotaur. Suddenly his head snapped back into place though, once more staring at the minotaur. How is he able to walk at all?, he thought to himself, with even more fear in his eyes than the minotaur himself had the strength to visibly show.

The blood left a trail behind him, and suddenly it dawned on Livius just how big he was, containing so much blood. One of his legs seemed almost mangled, and as a result; his limping. As Livius focused his eyes on the crippled leg, he clearly saw a bone pointing out. His hooves seemed almost diagonally broken from side to side. The pain has to be inhuman. The chest was torn on so many places, it seemed almost like the remains of a rag doll thrown to an overgrown dog, and the leaking blood seemed almost pitch black, casting only light reflections from the light of the moon. As the chest heaved, raspy clutches of air ventilated from his lungs along with fresh blood. His breathing sounded so heavy, so painful, like coughing nails. His thick neck exhausted with tension from all the pain, as his milky eyes conveyed the proximity and fear of death. It would have to be near.

Livius slowly retracted his head to scout the path ahead. He had become too tired of seeing the horrible sight of the battered, scared minotaur soldier. As he took a few steps, his thoughts had begun to circle around the concept of contentment. Being happy with what one has got. After all, here he was, in near perfect health, and it could all easily be .....

A loud snap, like a fresh breaking of a twig covered in thick liquid, only deeper. A thunderous, deafening scream. What in the heavens and hells?

The minotaur had fallen, and the soldiers had begun to pummel him with the blunt ends of their spears, screaming for him to get up. Livius saw the leg that had seemed broken moments ago, it was more or less clean cut in half from the ordeal of simply walking. The... the hoof... it is hanging free, flopping around the destroyed leg. It is more or less completely separated from his fantastic, white coloured lower leg... no... What god permits this?

The minotaur looked at the sky with desperate eyes, seemingly losing his consciousness. The dry mouth a rigid statue, depicting ungodly pain. Tongue twitching uncontrollably at the lack of being able to scream more. The pain was choking him. Livius approached the soldiers with haste, to talk with them. He halted in his flight as a final howl filled the night. The minotaur bellowed his first word in broken latin:

"MERCY!"

The soldiers somehow stopped, and they looked down, puzzled, at the sobbing minotaur. The minotaur suddenly started crying. His throat opened, his muzzle opened, and the chasm of his mouth and his bleeding teeth made no attempt to hold back his horribly frightened cries. Behind eyelids that had clutched together entirely, like two black lines on a white, furry surface, his tear canals formed streams of pained, salty rivers. They streamed down his muzzle, dripping onto the ground along with his dignity. He kept on crying, like a child who had fallen and hurt himself, and Livius suddenly got images into his brain. He felt .. My signature... I am sensing something from within him... Oh by the gods in heaven, am I picking up *memories* from his life? That is so unusual, I wonder if ....

Bright shock slammed Livius brain. An irredescent glow painted up a new world within another person, and the flood filled Livius mind with vivid pictures, sensations, smells, voices... Livius shivered and pictured the minotaur as a young boy; a playful and curious calf, who had wandered into a forbidden playground, hurt himself badly, and wanted the comfort of his understanding father. Who wanted to return... home.

Home - where it all made sense. Where a glass of warm milk, familiar scent of home and of his father would accompany him alongside the soothing talk by the fireplace. The gentle, low rumble of his father's comforting words would mingle symbiotically with the crackling of the fireplace he loved so much. The fireplace that he had helped his father to build. His first achievement in life that he felt proud over. His father blinked an eye at him now, and his smile made the small minotaur calf's field of vision misty with happiness. How the big figure in the chair could bring a smile back to his saddened face seemed almost ... miraculously easy. The small calf would cup his clumsy hands around the much too large glass, looking up at his father with adoring eyes and a broad smile. He was looking at his role model. His father, who smelled of safety... who smelled of infinite love.

Livius stood frozen, and began to breathe shallowly, quickly.

Had he experienced such days in his life? Will I ever know? And.... why wasn't I there by his side? Despite all my magic knowledge, I cannot make that one dream come true.

Livius was baffled at his thoughts, the cruelty of life, and had an immensily hard time holding back his own tears. He needed not interrupt the soldiers however, they had subsided their attacks and stood patiently, looking at the minotaur with eyes that almost seemed to reflect... pity?

Livius threw himself to the ground, kneeling beside the pained minotaur. He looked into his fatigued eyes that no longer seemed to care about anything. "Pleasing... own mercy... " the minotaur slobbered in improper latin, almost swallowing his own tongue from the intense attempt he just had made to speak. Livius eyes teared up, and he gave a smile that would make the sun itself seem pale and bleak. He held a hand on the sore chest of the minotaur, who gave only a slight jerk at the strange sensation of a kind human touch on his tattered body. The heart within this giant beauty beat like a war drum, but it spread a glow within Livius that could not be replaced with any fireplaces in the world; past or future. With flawless greek, Livius spoke to him with a kindness that lacked borders.

"You brave soul. We will give you mercy. You will not die this night. Not on my watch." Livius bit his tongue before continuing, because he felt himself losing control over his voice from the emotional volcano that had begun to erupt within him. "We will carry you to the infirmary, and I will not rest until you are fully healed and the pain is all gone. Then you will get to sleep, and you will be fed. Trust me on this." Before he let go off the chest, Livius tilted his head and allowed his tears, hopefully unseen by the soldiers, fall down on the face of the minotaur. "Please stop crying, you have nothing to fear from me". Livius lips began to tremble, and he had to close his eyes and try to steel himself before getting up from his knees.

The minotaur looked as if he had been struck by lightning, he arched his eyebrows and Livius looked straight into his eyes, who had more questions within them than a seminar of academics. Oh my god, his eyes are so beautiful. Clear blue eyes, watery with tears, yet so subtly warm. He must be a saint, there is so much kindness in his eyes... what beast I seem to him.

"On your feet, soldiers of honor! Here lies a soul that has endured more hardship than any of you. Pay your respects to him by carrying him to the infirmary. Give him at least that one last tribute. He has suffered enough on this night, has he not?". Livius hadn't looked more serious in his entire life as he spoke those words to the soldiers around him. His eyes were fires from the core of the Earth itself, and no soldier objected. They didn't even dare go about their duties lazily. With impressive might, they all struggled together to lift the minotaur up, as Livius concentrated on the obliterated streams of nerves, blood vessels, bones and muscles within the minotaur's frame. He decided quickly that healing would have to come later, but there was another thing he could do.

Livius went up to the minotaur, grabbed his head with both hands, near the horns. He looked straight into his eyes, but yet saw not the confused face and wandering eyes. His attention was first focused within himself, letting out streams of luminous, spiritual gas. It was as if the warmth of his own body melted into the body of the minotaur, and he felt how the liquid heat flowed into him, like waters given to plants. The pain signals, that worked busily throughout the near wasted large body suddenly ceased to flutter about. A serenity settled within the nervous system, and the pain washed away. The minotaur moaned excitedly as his pain ebbed out. He opened his eyes fully and looked at Livius with a starving expression on his face. The quivering eyes trembled with some kind of joy, and the slowly moving mouth worked with newfound strength to try and form new words which he would bring to Livius like a gift from the stars.

But no words came. There was thankfulness in his face though. Livius smiled as the soldiers, who questioned nothing from the fear of annoying the Archmage, began lifting the minotaur up the last remaining bit. They began to carry him, holding him upright from beneath his huge armpits.

The infirmary proved to be relatively simple, just a long, rectangular tent with various tables and stools, and some crude medical devices that would perhaps serve as some aid, but there was nothing here that would suffice to treat major wounds. It was all plain to see as Livius approached the tent, that had more and more people entering it. The heavy cloth wall revealed more and more of the simplicity inside as Livius came closer. There was blood on the tables, blood under them, and some meaty remains here and there. Right before Livius entered the tent, he halted as an unsettling sight caught his eye: burning of corpses. Apparently not all of the dead minotaurs had been burned yet, but he noticed them in the distance. Pitch black smoke rose from the crimson fire, and crispy remains filled the pile. A severed head of a minotaur seemed to look at him, judgingly. His tongue hung out, eyes were dried up. Horns were covered in charcoal of fallen friends. Livius felt gall moving up towards his throat, but he suppressed the sensation and entered the infirmary.

As Livius eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could make out shapes that went around lighting torches. Some people cleared a large table while the General talked with the officer from before. They laughed and were in good humour. General Ionatan noticed Livius and went up to him.

"Ahh, there you are, Archmage Livius".

"Please General, just call me Livius". The brightness from the torches made Livius lift a hand to shield his eyes. He was a bit tired, but he knew it was going to be a long night. The minotaur stood by the edge of the table, two soldiers held him up. The heavy and rapid panting made it seem as if it was hard to support the weight. The minotaur sank a bit, like he was about to faint. He still had the energy to look at Livius though, clearly expecting a clarification.

"Really? I have been told, on rather good authority too, that you are of the ... shall we say, old school? Formal type, they said. Not that I mind, I like it that way. People are getting more and more ... informal. It is all well and good on a night of celebration like this one, but under normal circumstances: I take formality and discipline over chaos, any day of the week!". The General managed to produce a hefty smile, and he looked warmly at Livius, who knew it was a fake smile, albeit a good one. He must be used to licking boots, it is clear he fears the Circle of Magi. Maybe that is wise, though...

"Well, this day is, like you said, special.... so ... with that in mind... do treat me informally.."

Livius tried to make it clear to the General that his mind was elsewhere, demonstrating it both with his dull voice and lack of eye focus on the General himself. He didn't wish to appear overly rude though, so he decided to turn his attention fully to Ionatan to convey his (hopefully) final words to him.

"It is imperative that I be left alone in this infirmary. I will need to concentrate on the use of magic, and if I am distracted, something might go wrong. Horribly wrong. Therefore, I need you to tell your men to leave. The minotaur, once placed on the table, will be of no danger to me. I will suppress him with spells. On the morning, I expect that you, being a man of honor, will show me the courtesy and generosity that you are famous for... I will need only a few soldiers, a caravan escort to a safe location, and perhaps some sustenance. Will this be possible to arrange?"

The General, oddly enough, kept his high spirits up as he replied.

"Absolutely. I will provide you with food, water, an escort and ... shall we say.. three soldiers? I already know of a location, you see. An old minotaur farmstead, now abandoned. They should have storages with food left unpillaged, and more than enough room for the lot of you. After maybe a week or so, you will be given leave to meet with me and some other higher-ups to deliver a report on your progression, then we can take it from there. I suspect the Circle of Magi would expect to meet with the elusive minotaur, but that is only my guess. This solution should work out fine, yes?"

Livius smiled and nodded at the General. They shook hands as Livius gave him an enthusiastic "yes" as a reply. Perhaps he expected trouble where there was none to be had. Smooth sailing, was the thought that first entered Livius mind, but then he was reminded that he still had to make sure that the minotaur didn't die before his plan would be set in motion, making the whole idea collapse on its own.

"Right!", Livius exclaimed and approached the minotaur, who appeared to calm down a bit as he came closer, focusing his eyes on Livius only. Once Livius was only a meter or so away, however, it was clear to him that the minotaur was not at all less calm. It was just that the shaking was more evident from afar for some absurd reason. At least it seemed that way - the minotaur was absolutely terrified, and his wet eyes seemed large as plates as they locked on Livius, red blood vessels trailing off in all directions from the iris' fluttering center. Livius was probably the last twig of hope that the minotaur could cling to, but the warmness that such a notion induced was covered with a thick layer of icy reality; there was so much work to be done. Firstly - the comforting. I think I should go with "confiding doctor"... Livius looked at the soldiers and adressed them plainly.

"I will have to explain the procedure to the minotaur in his own language. When I am done, you can place him on the table and then I need everyone in the room to leave, as this healing will take.... all my efforts. Hopefully, it isn't too late."

With that, he approached the minotaur as the soldiers did their best to hold him up. He spoke in greek:

"I am going to heal your body from all injuries. I am, as you may or may not have guessed, a mage. More than that; an Archmage. I am the best chance of survival you may have and I am the reason you are here now, rather than burning away at a pile of corpses. I will ask the men to place you on this table, and then you must remain as still as possible. It is not going to be painful, but it may feel funny on occation. I will also use magic to make sure you will not move too much, or you risk permanent damage..."

Livius noticed that the minotaur was shaking terribly, and his eye focus on Livius felt desperate, like he was about to pass out. He tried to nod, but he was just so afraid. Livius sighed, but not in displeasure, rather out of compassion.

"I realize this might frighten you, and I will leave your muzzle free to move, so you can focus on your breathing, and if necessary; talk to me. If you become too afraid, I might be able to interrupt the process, but I would prefer if you could brave yourself through the whole ordeal. It will take me hours to heal you from all the wounds, but in the morning, believe it or not; you will be fully healed. Your hoof will be intact so you can walk again, without pain. Your bones will be set right, your skin and hide will not be wounded, nor aching. Scarred, maybe, but you will have full sensory capacity, and your blood loss will rejuvenate too. Do I have your permission to go ahead with this and save your life? It feels impossible to you now, but tomorrow it is my belief that I will have been able to restore you fully. You can walk, smell the air, enjoy food, water, and all other sensations again. There will be no more torture, no death. You will be treated well. So... do I have your permission?"

The minotaur gave a deep nod. Livius in turn nodded to the men that held him. Two more soldiers approached, and all four helped carry the stiffening minotaur up onto the table. His deep braying sounds echoed through the tent as they lifted him, but he didn't lash out. They pinned him down to the table and his eyes were beginning to show panic. Despite this, Livius waved at the soldiers to release him and leave. The General wished Livius good luck, mentioned something about returning in the morning, and then they were all off. Livius was alone in the tent with the minotaur. Alone at last... under different circumstances, this would be a lovely experience.... as it stands, I feel like a serial killer about to cut up his frightened victim, while trying to convince him that I only do what's best for him.

Despite the gravity and complexity of the situation, Livius approached the minotaur very carefully, and gently placed his hands on the stomach, spreading his fingers across the warm bed of sweaty fur and stroking the area slowly. The muscles beneath softened a tiny bit, and the minotaur's eyes - still piercing Livius own with their unasked questions - even seemed to be weighed down by slowly descending eyelids. Livius smiled at him.

"I will soon begin.. now, is there anything you want to say before I begin the procedure? I assure you, you can and will be healed. I am only here to help you, nothing less. If you would prefer, I can make you sleep during the procedure. It may be easier for you that way. What do you think?"

Livius looked with serene eyes into the minotaur's. He lay there, panting a bit lighter, focusing on various places of Livius body with searching gazes. At first he didn't speak, then he swallowed deeply. It seemed to hurt doing so.

"I... I'm ... afraid.", he said, gasping for air.

Livius smiled warmly at him, remembering the image of the minotaur's father from the memory he picked up. Lacking a muzzle, it was hard to reproduce it, but he did what he could to look comforting.

"I know you are. Anyone would be in your situation, whether they be human or minotaur; king or pauper. I know there is no way for me to give you comfort, and you are naturally fearful of all humans, but I swear to you on my life; I am only here to heal you and make you feel good again. It was my initiative that brought you here, and I will explain why to you - but right now, I don't want to waste time. Suffice to say I will not just heal you and leave you alone. I will follow you, and you will follow me. I will keep you safe."

Livius noticed that the minotaur's eyes and his expression was filled with a sudden disbelief, and it dawned on Livius that perhaps he had been a bit too forward, a bit too emotional. Maybe he's starting to wonder if I am insane? I have to try and move more slowly, or I will never get him to trust me.

"Can I make you go to sleep? It will not be as comfortable as an ordinary sleep, but it will make your heart rate easier to manage for me. You will still breathe as you should and... well, perhaps it would feel nice to be relieved of the pain and fear for a while."

The minotaur nodded. Livius nodded in return. He felt the urge to place a kiss on the minotaur's forehead, but he heard heavy cloth being pulled aside. In the corner of his eyes, he noticed Skender rushing in. The minotaur began to turn to see what the commotion was all about, but Livius spell trickled into his mind, snatching his consciousness in a soothing caress of dark. The minotaur was sound asleep.

"Did I not express clearly enough that I was to be left alone, Archmage Skender?"

Skender walked up to the other side of the table, looking at Livius with rage in his eyes.

"It is not for you to decide where I reside. I am an Archmage, just like you pointed out, and despite your pretty words to the General, you do not outrank me. Not here, anyway! I demand to know what is going on!"

Livius looked up and displayed calmness as he spoke in a soft tone of voice; "You are free to remain and observe, but we both know your arcane specialization is not in healing. I stole valuable healing spells from the minotaur lands, and I am better equipped to do this. Once he is healed up, I shall examine the dark magic myself. I have already secured a location, and once my results are complete, the Circle of Magi will have to examine him themselves. I cannot leave this experimentation upon myself alone, after all. I want second opinions."

"But not my opinions?"

"You know I value your input in most, if not all, issues. But ... you cannot even feel the dark magic within him. From your standpoint, it is meaningless to argue against an occurance that you do not even perceive. You are free to remain and observe though, as I said."

Livius began to feed the minotaur regenerative and rejuvenating magic, it was like a stream of living water flowing from his fingers into the sleeping creature.

"From what I already see, you have gotten significantly better.." Skender said with a curious tone. It was obvious that the magic that Livius worked on the sleeping minotaur was an interesting distraction. Skender was no longer as aggravated, though it was clear he hadn't gotten all the answers he sought.

"This is unfortunately only the beginning, it is going to get considerably harder as the night progresses. I just don't want to stress his body with too rapid a change."

Skender laid his hands on the minotaur and nodded approvingly. "Delicate use of magic, I must say.. I am not entirely without affinity, but it is dawning on me that I will be of no real use here..."

Livius looked at his old friend, who had begun to look slightly depressed.

"You have done so much for the Empire, Skender my old comrade. I will have to work day and night for the rest of my life to approach the same level of dedication that you have put into your work here. Don't forget that you worked in this very tent arduously for what must have seemed like an eternity; I know that. It is now my turn to work - and only on one particular minotaur. If we're lucky, the dark magic I sense may even be something else, and then we will simply put him to death. Look, I ... I don't have all the answers, Skender. Perhaps I only desperately seek to redeem myself to the Empire that I love so much... I hope I am doing the right thing here, and....well... time will show."

The humble tone seemed to work wonders on Skender, who lit up considerably from those words. He looked with confidence on Livius, and patted him on the shoulder.

"I was foolish to contradict your judgment. The Empire rests safely in your hands, and ... I am tired. I will retreat to my tent. Hopefully, we will see each other in the morrow. Otherwise, we can hold an open communication from a distance. Good luck, Livius."

"Thank you, Skender. Good night", Livius replied. Skender left the tent in high spirits and it was impossible and meaningless for Livius to suppress a smile. The joy was short-lived though, as it dawned on him just what lay before him. The life or death of a minotaur. A life that had shared a part of its splendor with Livius. He had been invited to share a memory with this soul, and now this very life; this individual with a whole universe inside him waiting to be explored, depended on a tired human mage to save him.

I went into his world briefly. It is now up to me to save him.... will he ever let me in again, and ... will he do so willingly?

He felt the streams of magic within the minotaur, but he also felt the tissue and bone damages... the task ahead was monumentally larger than anything he had experienced before, with the sole exception of...

Pain struck Livius from the recollection of the past. It was like having a knife lodged into his brain. In an instant, Livius froze and could not move. His breathing intensified, and he closed his eyes. First it was black, but out of the desired oblivion came the image of flames reaching the sky with their scorching, beak-like fingers; leaving the heavens stained with blackness of smoke. Ashes flying all over the place. He remembered that his master asked him to find someone to heal in the blazing fires. Livius failed in doing so. In the turmoil, only one option laid before him; fleeing. He didn't even have time to collect anything. With his torn toga, he headed for the unknown.. he walked for days before he would meet the scout patrol sent from the Empire. They had brought him back to this... this home. Where he was now. In the Empire.

With a deep sigh he released the tears that had gathered up in his eyes from remembering what once was his ... other home... far away, in times past. A home that felt more like a home than any other had.

He placed a greater pressure on the chest of the minotaur, making the tongue fall out and extend further from the gaping maw.

Livius lifted his face towards the stars. The confines of the tent escaped his mind with ease, and though his eyes were still closed he could clearly see the flames, as if they had been burnt onto the black canvas of his shivering eyelids. "It seems I finally found someone to heal for you after all, my former master...", Livius said to himself in the hollow tent, as he let loose the streams of healing.

As Livius reached into the minotaur with his energy flows, he felt what he needed to feel. There was a lot to heal, a lot to set right. He had learned potent healing magic during his time in the minotaur lands, so he felt prepared to use the spells again. Perhaps even more so on this day, as his fatigue almost made the heavy task ahead of him seem distant somehow. He felt as if he was sitting inside the head of someone who was doing the work.

As he reached into the minotaur and sensed, guided and corrected all of the minute details of the inner activities of the body; the sinews, blood streams, muscles and nerves of the tormented minotaur - he discovered that his mind began wandering... Skender had worried him. I wonder how he perceives me? It is clear that he is suspicious about my loyalty, and he should be. I haven't got the first clue where I stand in that issue, myself.

As Livius began to place the bones right, letting the incandescent threads of healing tie together that which had been severed, he looked at the beautiful hoof. As it moved closer to the leg, it reflected the torchlight in an almost poetic way. It slowly gained hold of the leg, and through vessels of energy it seemed to steady and mend itself quite well. The sundered was slowly transformed into something magnificent again. Livius felt the leg and hoof uniting quite well, and the muscles of the lower leg gave off a welcoming twitch as the hoof had been set in place. As the skin melted together, it was hard to make it perfectly symmetrical, but eventually, Livius managed to get it working. Only a slight bulge hinted a previous injury now, and it would not even be painful. Just a reminder. This night has been a constant flow of reminders, Livius thought to himself.

He thought back on the time where he had been reunited with the Empire, after the fires and flames in the home of his master. So strange, Lord Shade is the only one I choose to call "master"... I wouldn't dream of giving anyone else that status... I am clearly a traitor to the Empire. Livius smiled somberly at his own thoughts, knowing it was both honest and yet... amusing. Perhaps ironic.

A grunt from the minotaur made Livius turn to him and focus on the present. Muscles all seem to be in place.. no fractures remain, blood stream is back to normal... I feel some slight disturbance in the nervous signals, but that is to be expected. After all, even healing is in itself a traumatic experience. Takes a lot of getting used to... like being in the Empire again.

Livius looked at the cloth wall on the other side. It was quite a few meters away. The cloth was moving slightly by a soft breeze from the outside.

He remembered stumbling in the dark one night. That night, he saw an encampment, and as he approached it, armored scouts had grabbed him rather brutishly and carried him forth to some young, spoiled brat in fancy imperial clothes. He had a weird smile, and he would soon begin interrogating, as if Livius would be able to speak coherently despite his malnutrition and dehydration. It took the combined effort of several guards to verbally beat through the thick layers of that kid's skull that perhaps the "timing was a bit wrong", and that it "would probably be wiser to let the man sleep a bit". It was a strange day. Apparently that youngster had been some higher-up with a distinct plan and a privileged background.

It dawned on Livius the next day that he was a mage; not only some adept, at that. Livius would learn that, as they entered familiar gates many, many days later. Through the whispers in the hallways they would arrive to eventually, as they had reached the capital of the Empire, it was made obvious that the youngster was some sort of genius. A prodigy. An expert on finding people through magical means. Seems they really *were* searching for me..

Livius suddenly snapped back to the present again. He was so tired.. so thirsty. He began to work on the exterior of the minotaur. It felt as though he saw everything through a mist.. how long had he been doing this healing? For ages, it seemed. Still... time flew by quickly, and the minotaur's breathing was getting increasingly steady. Pulse was less erratic too...

The interrogations were hopelessly long, and tedious. In the polished, but soulless chambers and rooms of the estate in which the Circle of Magi would confer, he had been examined like an exotic animal. It was a lengthy process for them to find Livius fit to once more serve the Empire. "He is too valuable" was the constant refrain. How ironic, once more. Apparently Livius was a phenomenal actor. They had all bought it, and now he was once more in the fray, serving as a "battle mage". His new robes looked more or less exactly ... Livius glanced them. Yes. They looked more or less the same. The patterns on the arm were.... fading? No. Just a bit blurred. Why?

Suddenly Livius realized he could barely stand up. Was that sunlight breaking through the opening of the tent? It was.

The minotaur... why wasn't he being healed? How long had he been in here? Suddenly Livius remembered things that happened hours ago. He didn't seem to acknowledge the events then, but ... it must have happened. Didn't a soldier come in, asking if Livius wanted water? Didn't he say ....

Oh there it is. A glass of water. Livius recalled that he must have drunk from it too, as it seemed half full, and the edge around the spherical mouth of the glass had a misty coat placed on it. I must have received that glass hours ago? It was warm in here. So warm.. Maybe it is the sunlight coming in? Or the ... breath... or skin.. of the minotaur?

Livius placed his hand on the body that lay before him. So warm was the sweaty, thick skin of the minotaur. Livius suddenly remembered that he had healed him while going back into his memories. There was nothing that remained to be done. I did it? Yes... I did it!

The hours had flown by so delicately, but the price to pay would likely be high. Livius felt exhausted, and could barely stand up. He was seeing double, and his field of vision had white freckles (stars?) dancing about, as the tent and all of its inventory became darker. It was clear he was nearly about to pass out.

Was his eyes playing tricks on him again, or was the minotaur suddenly making an effort to lift himself up? He probably was. His elbows held up his upper torso and head, while the rest of his body was still horizontal. His legs twitched slightly, and that seemed to make him upset. Or did he look pleased? Livius had a hard time focusing, but he felt happy - like there was a very gentle bee swarm inside him that sort of ... tickled him pleasantly.

"Errr.. that...leg thing... the .. spasms. Yeah. They are to be expected" he said in greek to the minotaur, who turned to face him with a concerned look on his face.

"I feel.. funny. There is still some pain and I feel as if I have pins and needles on my skin, but... oh god. My hoof. You ... you fixed my hoof? And my ... body. And.. oh, by the makers, I am alive". The minotaur looked in amazement at his body, and he began tracing his powerful fingers over the old wounds. Only scars remained.

Livius felt like explaining some more, but it was getting increasingly hard to focus, what with all the strange colors eating his view. Eventually he forced himself to make an effort.

"The scars, I'm afraid, will probably always remain... and the hoof might always be a tad bit more swollen than the other one, but it shouldn't bother you in any other way than purely...aesthetically. It was hard to heal you aswell as make everything look perfectly untouched, but.. I am pleased with the result. You can walk, run and .. err.. function normally in every way. Eventually. Just don't ... exert yourself too early, you should rest the next few days to rejuvenate and let your body adjust to the changes and ... well, to regain blood and ... all that.. "

The room started spinning a bit, and the minotaur suddenly seemed to cramp up. Nerve signals could still send out the wrong messages to the brain after a healing session. It was natural for the mind to believe it was still hurt, but it is of course a frightening state to be in. Especially if you're not aware of the phenomenon. Livius was about to explain it to his bovine patient, but his lips just wouldn't open. He heard anguished braying from the minotaur, and he thought he saw him clutching his hands around his chest in pain. Suddenly the chest was white. Actually, the whole minotaur was white, it was ... Lord Shade? From the minotaur clan? Can it be? So strange that he would be here now... or am I still there?

Livius approached the white minotaur laying on the bench. His staring was returned with an equally confused stare, and Livius felt overwhelmed. His eyes showed him the most magnificent colors and he was overjoyed! Life was fantastic! Euphoric! I must clearly be back in House Shade!

"Oh by the gods, it's *you*!" Livius said and threw himself against the frantically moving minotaur. It seemed as if he was cramped up and hurled himself from side to side in something similar to a state of pain, now why would he do that? Silly minotaur.

Suddenly Livius felt aroused. His eyelids sank down, giving him a dozy expression. "I bet you want to be pleased, master".

Livius thought he saw a very questioning look on the minotaur's face for a moment. Rubbish. He loves this stuff, and so do I!

As Livius' lips had found themselves wrapped around the sturdy right nipple of the minotaur, he began to suckle with glee on it. He closed his eyes, moaned lowly and embraced the muscular chest of the minotaur with both hands, trying to cup and squeeze their inviting shapes gently in his loving grips. Livius erection connected with the wooden bench, and he kneaded against it with dry, humping motions as the wet, hard nipple and chest was thoroughly explored by his desperately thirsty tongue. Livius right hand travelled down the tensing stomach, and found its way under the loincloth with ease. The warm, holy sac of the minotaur filled his trembling hand with its steaming hot presence, and the taste of the sweaty chest made Livius almost delirious. He gently rubbed the testicles and moaned loudly.

Livius felt his nose trickling with delight, but an odd metallic taste filled his mouth. Blood was probably leaking from his nose. What do I care?, Livius thought to himself and continued massaging the firm, yet soft orbs in his hand. His tongue traced the outskirts of the minotaurs chest, its curvy landscape offering beads of sweat to be soaked up and tasted. Delicate, salty fluids gave life and spirit to Livius' mouth, and sent shivers down his spine.

"Oh god.... master, you taste like a pagan song" he blurted out, but then something registered in the dark recesses of his confused mind.

Livius felt a strange chain of thoughts inside the minotaur. Looks like my signature is picking something up.... but it's so odd... why would he be thinking about a punching technique?

It all happened in a split second, but that second made Livius clear-sighted. Suddenly he realized he had become high from lack of sleep, and that he had been behaving very inappropriately. The nervous system process he had picked up from the minotaur was potentially dangerous, and he lifted his head from the minotaur's huge chest and saw a giant fist rapidly accelerating towards his nose.

"Oh, shi ... " was the last thing Livius managed to convey before a sharp pain was followed by a thick darkness. Unconsciousness hit him shortly after the ground did, and the backpain felt like sugar and honey as they derailed all thoughts of staying awake. Oblivion, here I come...

The darkness had enveloped him with obtuse walls, thick with their powerful *nothing*... and yet somewhere beyond the veils of black, he heard armored, human feet clanking, and worried voices shouting. There was also some cloth being pushed away, sounds storming in to the tent... and ...

....was someone screaming "Kill the minotaur"?

-Chapter 2- -Lost in dreams- ~

Livius smelled grass. It wasn't just an ordinary scent of grass, but more that kind of scent you get when spring has changed into summer, and it's growing along everything else with a radiant intensity. The sort of grass you dream of laying your back against, gazing lazily at the clouds while the cool breeze from the wind gives you well needed sanctuary from the otherwise almost-too-warm sunny weather. Livius found himself in a white toga, and all around him were familiar hills, green with life. He turned around and saw a collection of stone buildings, all carefully constructed around graceful, yet simple gardens. An alleyway of fantastic oak trees paved the way to a streaming river, with shimmering reflections from the sun on its calm surface. Livius released a sigh of joyous relief, and prepared to begin his walk towards the path that lead to the houses in the distance.

"Where do you think you're going, wanderer?", resounded a low, soothing voice. Livius didn't need to turn to the source. He knew exactly who it was. It was Lord Shade. Livius closed his eyes and listened to the thumping sounds of the heavy hoofs, as Lord Shade closed in on him from behind. As he opened his eyes, he noticed that the grass in front of him was slightly darker, as if it was .... shaded. But as Livius inspected the dark area in front of him, the shadows of two horns appeared at the border of the sunlit grass and the recently darkened patch; towering above that which had been shaded. Livius smiled and turned around.

Lord Shade looked like he always had. Big, white and delightfully clad in a loose toga. He was still overweight, but it fitted him so well; lushious, round cheeks and always a smile on his face. His small, thick horns framed his head so fantastically, and his deep, brown eyes looked lovingly at Livius, who was at a loss for words. He could only return the smile.

"What exactly do you plan to do here, my little heartmage?", asked Lord Shade.

"I remember when you called me that. It was so unfair of you.. if anyone on this planet deserved the title, it was you, my beloved master".

Lord Shade chuckled heartily, his big shoulders creating funny shadows from the sunlight as they shook from his laughter.

"No, no, my dear, sweet human. You put a spell on my heart, and you know it. You always made me happy. But I wonder, what exactly are you doing here now? This is no longer your home. You have somewhere to be, someone needs you now. You don't remember I told you to save a young soul?"

Livius looked around and cringed a bit, troubled by the strange rejection. "Well, I was sort of hoping I could come back here, and be with you again. There are so many things I want to do with you, so many things I want to talk to you about. I didn't even get to read you my poem that I wrote for you..."

Lord Shade tilted his head and changed his smile into one more mischievous. "A poem for me? That is very sweet of you, but you know you shouldn't be here. This is a dream, Livius. And as much as I would love to welcome you back; someone needs you. They're killing him as we speak, you know. What heartmage of mine would let that happen?"

"Killing him?", Livius asked. Lord Shade lifted his left arm and pointed at a location far away. Livius followed the imaginary arrow shooting from Lord Shades index finger, and he saw a hill, far away. It was such a dark hill, with looming shadows cast on it from above. The dark clouds made it harder to see, but as he focused, his eyes seemed to gain telescopic powers. Suddenly the dark hill was all he could see, but ... it was just so difficult to make out any details. Was there a minotaur there? Did he look afraid? Were there humans... rushing... into a ... tent?

Livius turned around to ask for some answers, but where Lord Shade recently stood; there was a massive, dark wolf. He wasn't snarling: he did not appear threatening really, but his burning, yellow eyes pierced Livius own very intensily. Stepping back a bit, Livius made sure not to look away from the wolf. The strange situation made his feet clumsier, and he stumbled while trying to find his balance as he was backing away from the beast.

"Lord Shade? I mean Philon ... where... where exactly are you? What is this wolf doing here? What is he?", he shouted into the air, and strangely enough the echo of his voice resounded oddly throughout the valley, as if the echo wasn't natural. Lord Shade gave a booming, omniscient reply; his voice seemingly clashing over Livius as though it was called out from all corners of the world in one instant. The answer sent shivers down his spine.

"A guardian to some, a bane to others", was the vague reply. Livius spun around to pick up where the voice was coming from, but it was pointless. He lost track of his position, and saw the world as a blur twirling around his reality. The minotaur was out there in the distance, being threatened by humans, he just knew it - but where? Livius thought he could see him now, but something was running towards him aswell, and it was a frightening distraction. It was the wolf. It was suddenly very close, and it leapt towards him. It was flying closer with insane speed, and now: It fell upon him. Claws and fur connected with Livius, dove into him, and ...

~ Livius saw a horizontal line being drawn across the universe. Only it wasn't the universe, it was his slowly opening eyelids. The diffuse glow of the world around him had no details, it was mostly monochromatic contours, with some strange random colors filling in gaps that barely seemed to be there. It was all flickering intensily, but his memories returned. He had been knocked out cold by the minotaur after... Oh gods... did I ravage him? I am sure I heard voices... *soldiers*!

Livius gained a lions strength in an instant, and tried to rise from the floor. He stumbled up on his unsteady feet and beheld a line of soldiers with pikes pointed towards someone close to Livius. As Livius turned to his side, he noticed the minotaur kneeling quite close to him, with hands held protectively in front of his face. The soldiers advanced shakily when they noticed they had a chance; seeing how the minotaur made no attempt to resist, or be a visible threat to Livius.

"Stop!", Livius exclaimed with frantic arms waving. The exertion made him light-headed, and he felt the need to fall down onto his knees aswell, in order not to pass out. His face was aching something terrible, probably from the blow received by the frightened minotaur. The soldier who stood closest to Livius had wild eyes that switched between the perceived target and victim, and he demanded to know the situation.

"Sir, I cannot stop. Not without explanation. Were you not attacked by the savage beast?", he roared in an upset voice. Sweat was already leaking down his tense face.

"For heavens sake, I have everything under control! Can you not see him? He is healed, he is sitting beside me and he poses no threat to me. I behaved unfamiliar to him and it triggered a defensive response. He hit me right in my face, and I deserved it, I messed up. He was scared and wanted to defend himself, that's all. Can you honestly say you wouldn't react the same if you were surrounded by your enemies?". Livius panted heavily and allowed the words to sink in. It seemed to work, at least for the moment. When he felt strong enough to breathe regularly again, he looked once more at the soldiers, who were all still at the ready.

"Relax, trust me, and by all that is holy: lower your weapons.." Livius said in a calmer, tired voice.

"Ask the minotaur to lie face down on the ground, arms on his back. Then we may... consider your request".

"Fine". Livius turned to the minotaur, who was breathing quite excitedly, still looking down on the ground with his hands still held in front of his face. Every muscle seemed tense. Livius began speaking very slowly and gently in greek.

"Listen to my voice now. These men will not kill you; I have explained that you did not mean to hurt me... even though perhaps you did. To the best of their knowledge however, it was all an unfortunate accident and I have persuaded them that you are not dangerous to them or myself. They want to see this proven by your willingness to lie down on the ground, facing the floor. They also want you to place your arms on your back, so you are not in a position to hurt anyone. Is this acceptable? Can you do this?"

The minotaur said nothing at first, he just kept in his kneeling position. Ever so slightly, he began by carefully lowering his hands, all the while looking at Livius as if he expected the instructions to change. He had a very anxious expression on his face, which baffled Livius somewhat at first. I suppose he has mixed impressions of me... no wonder, it's my own fault..

After a moment had gone by, the minotaur; realizing nothing else had been said, slowly adjusted himself according to Livius' prior words. He complacently laid his hands against the floor, and began sinking his weight downwards, all the while staring with arched eyebrows at the insecurely smiling Archmage. It took nearly a minute, but eventually he lay as instructed and Livius slowly rose to an upright position. He lowered his arms, and the soldiers lowered their pikes.

"There we go... ", Livius said and panted with relief. "There we go..."

Livius managed to stand still despite the lack of blood and oxygen going to his head. The dizziness had begun to shake his senses quite vividly, but the stoic (illusory?) self-image worked wonders in allowing him a somewhat confident stance. The soldiers managed themselves around, investigating what must have seemed like a crime scene to them. Livius paid little attention to the murmurs of their muffled voices, his attention was locked at the minotaur on the ground, with pike ends hovering above his thick, sweaty skin. The chest seemed to expand like a balloon as he filled his lungs frantically with air.

An unfamiliar sound broke through the tent walls, placing itself like a magnet of attention in the dead center of the room. Livius knew his realization was delayed, but it couldn't be helped. He was expected to react differently, he knew it. In the back of his mind it was now clear what the seemingly unfamiliar sound was: thick plate scraping against chainmail armor. It must have been Ionatan. As Livius elevated his drowsy eyes, the dim figure confirmed his suspicions.

"What in the various versions of Hell is this? I am sitting in my tent, enjoying a quiet morning tea - when all of a sudden, a soldier in panic storms in, screaming something about an out-of-control situation with the minotaur prisoner?!"

It was clear to Livius that the General was aggravated, but somehow it didn't feel entirely convincing. More like a reaction that was expected out of him. Livius just knew he didn't truly care enough about the situation to be genuinely upset. This facade was probably just an impressive ruse.

Or maybe I am completely bloody wrong... I can't even think...

"General, with all due respect...", Livius began.

"No need to explain yourself. It is clear to me that the situation is now under control. Clearly, the urgency for me to rush here was exaggerated. I have more pressing matters to attend to, and yet here I am wasting my time and the precious time of my soldiers. We are already two hours late.. we are needed on the second front, and I will be damned before I show up late."

The General appeared to stare at one of the nearby soldiers, who hung his head in shame. Without warning the General approached Livius and put his hand on Livius' shoulder.

"You seem pale...". His voice was almost compassionate. "I can imagine you must be exhausted from the ordeals of the night, and I will not press you further. The carriage is waiting for you outside, just a few rows from here. I have three men to join you to the farmstead, and I believe the journey will be short. Once you arrive, you are free to organize things any way you see appropriate for the .. precarious situation. You will be given authority to order my men around as you please, but you should run the orders through my senior commander, Julius". A grey-haired man with a pleasant, albeit wrinkly face, gave a discrete nod towards Livius as the General glanced in his direction. "I would hate to see the chain of command broken, you see".

A look of bemusement fell upon the General's face. "Speaking of chain of command... not that I want to pry, but ... shouldn't you somehow notify the Circle of Magi before you set off on this wild goose chase? Are you truly bestowed to take these matters into your own hands? I mean, I can only relate to martial expeditions; but even being a General, I am hardly privy to step outside the confines of rules and regulations. I find it odd that you have such freedom to act on your own when it comes to issues clearly arcane - hence dangerous and important. Do you not have to await further instructions before you undertake missions of this magnitude?"

Livius had hoped to mask this issue with an aura of mystique. Arousing suspicion in the heart of a General might spring a trap too deadly to escape, later on. Livius' eyes looked a bit dead, but he sported a lively smile nonetheless as he replied to the General, narrowly escaping the initial words transforming into a yawn.

"General, I am certainly bound by countless rules and regulations, as are we all. I do not act on my own in issues of great importance, but you must understand this falls under no such thing. It is merely a routine checkup. If he should prove to have developed an immunity to the workings of our dark magic, then, and only then, does this whole ordeal turn into a grand issue indeed. Until that time may come though, I act discretely at my own professional leisure."

"Very well. I will leave you to it. Best of luck to you, Archmage!"

Livius nodded his head and composed himself as the General went back to the tent entrance. A few orders were given, and consequentially set in motion. Some lifted the minotaur and led him out of the tent; some people cleaned the table on which he had lay; some just observed Livius. It all felt slightly surreal, but the turbulence was soon replaced with serenity as most of the men had soon left. The tent was quiet for a few seconds, but Livius noticed that Julius was still present.

"Ready to leave, Sir?", he asked with a kind voice. Unusually kind for a hardened soldier. Livius gave a slight nod and tried to not vomit as he started walking. The traumatic blow to the head and the immense exhaustion had begun to take its toll. He made it outside and felt sunshine on his dry skin. The air was magnificently fresh at least. As they walked on by the tents of yesterdays feasting, Livius made no real attempt at listening to the banter that probably attacked his ears from the soldiers around him. His goal was clear; just make it to the wagon. That's it.

Eventually they arrived. It was pretty far from impressive, but its sturdy look gave Livius the impression that it was built to last a century. Four strong horses would bring it forward, presumably at a somewhat limited speed due to the minotaur, who had already been placed within the carriage, making it sink a bit closer to the ground.

"Heavy fucker, isn't he?", a young man's voice inquired. At first Livius had a hard time placing where the voice came from, but as he looked up towards the roof of the wagon, he saw a dark figure preceding the extremely bright sun that shocked the retina of Livius' eyes. He shadowed his face with a trembling hand, and saw the confident face of a young soldier on top of the roof, pike in hand. Sitting at the front of the carriage, holding the steering ropes, was a stern-looking man in his late thirties. He had a vicious scar crossing his face from brow to chin, and cold eyes planted deep inside a weathered skull.

"Looks like you're joining him inside the carriage", the old man Julius said. Livius looked at him and smiled for a while, then he realized the implications. Oh... he means *me*...

A sudden flood of shame and fear struck Livius. Could he spend the whole ride inside the carriage, sitting in front of the minotaur... alone? Last night he behaved horribly inappropriate, and it would be most embarrasing to be sitting so close to him for hours on end.

"I ... are you sure, I mean... ", Livius began but noticed he couldn't quite decide what to say. Julius merely returned a calm smile and walked towards the carriage, chuckling some along the way. With unexpected swiftness he jumped up and placed himself beside the scarred soldier and looked at Livius with a map in hand.

"Someone needs to steer, someone needs to keep watch, and as for myself: I need to guide the way. You, on the other hand, are an Archmage. There is nothing that chained-up minotaur inside can do to hurt you. Do not worry".

The cheerfulness was biting, but Livius knew that what he said was true. He had no choice. He swallowed a few times and then realized he hadn't packed his bags. He raised his hand and started to wander towards his tent, but he didn't even manage a single step until the old man interrupted him.

"Your things have already been packed, courtesy of General Ionatan and Archmage Skender. Maybe they are anxious to get rid of us?", he said with a sarcastic voice, and continued, ".. unless there's something they missed? Do take a lot if you feel worried they neglected something."

Livius nearly tripped as he adjusted himself to once more face the wagon, only to again be interrupted by another, quite familiar voice.

"Livius!", exclaimed Skender from afar. While approaching, Livius sensed trouble. Something in his walk indicated restlessness.

As he approached, Livius had prepared himself with a facial expression that indicated stress, in the hopes of ridding himself of further conversation. Skender took no notice, or maybe he did not care. At any rate, Livius found time to overlook the packages crammed into the compartments of the carriage, and to his great dismay, not a single item was left out. Damn.. that means I have to get into the carriage as soon as I have dismissed Skender.

"I feel as though we are not entirely clear on some.... issues", Skender said, glancing the minotaur who sat silently in the carriage. With an icy look, the minotaur glanced back briefly, but soon corrected himself to not appear hostile. He faced the floor once more.

"I would be most pleased if you could keep an open line of communication. I realize we will have to overcome certain distances, but the far-reaching spells never were a problem to you, were they?".

Perhaps he expected a reply, but Livius simply shook his shoulders as if that would be the only answer that Skender could possibly want from him. The haunting silence that followed was hard to endure, but it seemed necessary to clearly convey that Livius didn't believe anything remained to discuss. Skender appeared to grow increasingly impatient with this, and Livius timed his reply perfectly - right when Skender was about to add something of his own.

"I trust you will enjoy an enriching journey, Skender. I am tired as you may understand, and I have plenty of work ahead of me". Livius made his first stumbling attempt at the steps leading into the carriage. With one hand on the support grip, he managed to drag himself fairly close to the small door leading in. He opened it, but was interrupted by Skender.

"Livius... I am serious. I will need to hear reports from you. This is such an unconventional situation and last night ... well, it felt as though I didn't get to discuss a whole lot. It is irrational that you take this matter into your own hands without the consensus of the Cirle, and frankly ... ".

"..frankly, I have everything under control. It is only a routine analysis, and you know perfectly well we need no documents from the higher-ups when it comes to such trivial matters. Nonetheless, the situation is delicate, as you have expressed. I am well aware of that, and will keep you notified."

Livius turned and waved his hand at the old man sitting in the front of the carriage, who returned an understanding nod. As Julius shouted out his order to depart, and the wagon slowly started to move, Livius smiled and looked at Skender as the wagon trailed off. Skender held his mouth open, not knowing what to say. Livius broke the silence with a heartfelt salutation.

"For the Empire!"

As he swung himself into the carriage and closed the door behind him, it almost seemed as if the world was dimmed from the inside, looking out. He made his way to his seat, but it was quite cramped due to the minotaur taking up most space. While it was definitely a pleasant experience to grind his relatively frail body against the rock hard muscled body of the chained minotaur, courtesy and traumatic fatigue disallowed him to indulge in the sensations, and he awkwardly apologized for the inconvenience. Once seated, he looked outside the window and saw the military settlement disappear behind him, slowly. The tents carefully shrunk into the distance, Skender was nowhere to be seen, and after a few minutes; mostly countryside stretched the world around the carriage. Livius smiled, he was feeling fantastic. He felt how his back and his legs relaxed against the wooden seats, and his troubles melted away with the notion that he was finally leaving the military tents behind him. Did he truly hate it that much? He concluded that he probably did. At least it somehow felt as if the morning had passed by rather quickly. The confrontation with Skender had made Livius aware of the dangers looming ahead though. It was clear he had to deal with a lot of problems, and he couldn't keep on pushing them ahead of him; some day he would have to face them. But right at this moment, beautiful autumn landscapes swept by the bumpy road. Livius had so longed for such a peaceful sight. The sunshine competed with distant sounds of birds in a competition of which could be the best tranquilizer. Wonderful day. With a broad smile, he turned forward and .... suddenly the smile was gone.

Damn. Forgot about the minotaur.

Livius decided he needed to focus on that ominous presence; the minotaur that sat in front of him. Livius had brushed past his muscular form to sit on the opposing seat as though he wasn't there. Perhaps he had mentally blocked him out due to his feelings of shame, or perhaps he had just been tired. But now, recognizing his presence was inevitable. The minotaur had noticed that Livius observed him, and he began to look in different directions to avoid eye contact. He had a difficult time trying not to drive his horns into the roof above him, but they scraped the surface, sending wooden dust down on his muzzle. He shook some to get it off.

"Do that again, and I will sink my pike into you, beast!", the young soldier shouted from outside and above. Livius opened his mouth to say something, but he fell silent. There was no point in shouting or screaming now. The minotaur seemed to understand what it was all about though, as he froze in his motions. He hung his head and looked at his hands, clutching his knees with them. Livius tried to focus on his face, see if he could determine what he was thinking about. He leaned in closer to the minotaur, wondering what ... Oh. Now he's looking at me. Livius realized he must look ridiculous, and so he coughed and corrected himself, leaning back once more; looking out the window. Wow, how inconspicuous that must have seemed, Livius, old boy, he thought to himself. Deep down, he knew he had to break the silence eventually. He looked back at the minotaur, who was still semi-glancing him, but quickly retracted his eye focus to his hands once he noticed Livius' renewed attention towards him.

God those eyes are beautiful, Livius thought. Trying his best to look relaxed, he leaned back to the seat and sprawled his legs apart. The arms uncomfortably fell to the sides in an effort to look as if he had no care in the world. Instead he looked obtuse. The elbows supported his unbalanced weight with unconvincing illusion of ease, and he quickly decided that he probably looked forced and strange rather than relaxed, so with yet another none-too-discrete cough, Livius sat up straight and tried to appear confident and calm. He felt sure it didn't work.

"Are you feeling comfortable?", Livius asked in greek. His voice trailed off in all possible sonic directions, since his throat was a bit sore. Livius bit his tongue; the question was as stupid as his forced smile, he felt, but at least it was a start. The minotaur however, only nodded ever so slightly in return. Well...So far, so good.... sort of, Livius thought.

"Look, I ... I am so sorry about last night. What took place... I ... there is no excuse for my actions, but ... I just want you to know I didn't mean for that to happen".

The tensing of his shoulders made it clear to Livius that this particular subject made the minotaur uncomfortable. That makes two of us. But I have to make sure he doesn't believe I am a complete lunatic. Livius let off a heavy sigh, and felt he didn't know how to approach the subject lightly.

"Are you mad at me?", he began slowly, leaning in a bit closer. He felt he was truly sorry, and it probably showed in his face. I probably look kind enough, he hoped somewhere in the recesses of his mind, but this conversation was too important to divide between words and stature. Livius felt he showed his emotions well enough without focusing on his body language. Better to just let it come naturally.

The minotaur slowly lifted his head. It was a bit hard to determine whether or not it was due to the bumpy road or if it was a conscious decision on his part, but it seemed deliberate, albeit slow and reluctant. His eyes first sought to find a place to rest on. It was apparently still with great unwillingness that he looked straight into Livius' eyes. Eventually he did though.

"I am not sure how to adress you... Sir. But I am very thankful for all you have done, Sir... Master? Lord?". It was troubling to see him like this. After speaking, he now restlessly wrenched his body, looking very unsure of himself.

"Livius. My name is Livius. Just call me that". The smile was very heartfelt, and it was probably necessary to make the prisoner feel somewhat more calm. A small nod came as a reply, although he looked massively perplexed.

"Are... are you not entitled to ... to a title? I thought you had more authority?".

"I *do* have authority, I am an Archmage. But I will let you in on a little secret... "

Livius used his hand to urge the minotaur to lean closer. It was with great uncertainty that he did so, but it did happen. The giant head was quite close now. Resisting the urge to touch him, Livius simply leant forward a bit closer to his furry, soft-looking ear, which stood up in attention.

"I am just a man, like all the others. Titles earn me no greater worth on its own". The minotaur looked at him with a somewhat terrified expression. Or maybe it was simply shock? Livius smirked and leant back against his seat.

"I am sorry if that was an unexpected statement, but I just don't believe in titles anymore. I am tired of it. I am tired of organization, I am tired of paperwork, chain of commands, all this .... idiotic management. It is just a way to sustain the illusion of control. Establish values. Determine what is desirable contra what is not. I once thought it was so important... these days, I find it sort of pathetic. Every person has a world of their own within them, and that is where such judgments, such opinions are formed. Adapting to societal norms can be ... so limiting. Especially when it only seems to lead to war. Ideas versus ideas. Cultures versus cultures".

Cringing a bit in his seat, the shackled prisoner tried his best to look neutral, but it was obvious he was a bit shaken.

"Do I surprise you?"

"You could say that, Sir.. I mean Livius", was the low, rumbling answer. It took him long enough to reply. He didn't really seem to agree with what Livius had said. Livius kept his smirk, and decided to relax his hands behind the back of his head. Suddenly he made a recollection.

"Oh dear, I haven't even asked you your name? May I know it? I have been so full of myself that I have completely forgotten to ask how you would like to be adressed".

The minotaur made no attempt to hide his lack of understanding. With searching eyes that narrowed themselves down to small blue dots, he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He shut his jaw and looked out the window, as if he was looking to see if someone was listening in on them. He turned back to face Livius and raised up his head. He shifted his lower jaw forth a bit, pushing the lower lips ahead of the upper. It gave him a weird expression. He was pouting his lips while looking diagonally upwards, as if he was kissing something ahead of him while observing a detail in the roof. This is what he must look like when he ponders something. It's terribly cute.

"Sir, I don't know what you want me to say? Why don't you just call me 'Slave' if you haven't decided what to call me?". He had his head tilted as he spoke, and he looked very careful. It was clear he was afraid to say the wrong thing. Livius sank a bit, releasing some breath with a smile. It was hard to balance emotion with reason in situations like these, that much was made apparent.

"Well, I hardly think that's what you want, is it? Would you be offended if I simply called you by your birth name?".

"No.. I suppose ... I mean of course you can, Sir. Livius. It's Matteus. My name is ... Matteus".

Livius smiled. It felt as though he had reached a milestone here. "It's a beautiful name, Matteus. Very, very beautiful". Below the horns, the eyes shone like blue crystals. The sunrays from the outside gave them added sweetness, but it was hard to determine what he was thinking. Without even realizing it, Livius had placed his hand on top of the minotaur's. It was clear now, that the expression in his eyes was confusion. Livius felt the wonderful warmth of the huge hand, but he quickly retracted once he understood what he had done. "Oh!", he exclaimed. "Sorry, I .. didn't mean to touch you... against your will, that is".

"I am a prisoner. Why do you keep excusing yourself for how you treat me?", asked Matteus. It was apparent that he was still unused to speaking this plainly and openly, and he wasn't very willing to do so. Something about the way he moved indicated another even less amusing fact; he did not like being touched.

He may have said that he finds it strange that I do not treat him as I see fit, but at the same time - he doesn't like the prospect of me doing so.

"Prisoner? Look... I don't consider you that. I consider you to be a person. One I hope to get to know better. One I hope will get to know *me* better too ... Is it so strange that I want us to communicate as equals?"

Of course it is, Livius, you dumb bastard, Livius thought to himself.

"Well... maybe it is, after all. Hmmm... I realize it's hard for you to believe me, but I really do care about your wellbeing."

"You saved my life. That much I know, and I am grateful for it. I don't know why you did it, but I was in great pain and I ... thought I was about to die. You saved my life. Thank you S... I mean... thank you Livius".

He is not telling me the whole truth here? These words feel forced to me... a bitter taste is left in my mouth.. something about the way his thought patterns register doesn't sit right with me... he may be ... suspicious? He is grateful but... he is suspicious.

"Look, I will explain to you what we are doing. We are going to a farmstead right now, and officially we are going there in order for me to experiment on you magically".

This made Matteus repel from Livius with fierce speed. In a split second, pure fear entered his eyes and his muscles abruptly dragged him back against the confines of his seat, which squeaked loudly from the heavy impact of a frightened minotaur. He stared at Livius with wide open eyes and a slack, wide gaping mouth. The horns nearly broke a plank as they landed on the wooden outskirts of the roof, but it didn't seem to awake the attention of the young soldier above them. Livius understood the fear, and regretted his choice of words.

"No, no please - please, don't be afraid! I will *not* experiment on you! Absolutely not! Like I said, that is the official reason we are going to that place!". Livius knew his words were a bit too loud, and he didn't want to awake suspicion amongst the soldiers outside. They could be listening, and while Livius was certain none of them knew greek, he didn't want to plant any seeds of mistrust in either of them anyway.

"Look, I just wanted to save you from a horrible fate. I saw you in chains, and they were about to kill you. I couldn't let them, so I made up a story. I told them you have dark magic in you, and that I intend to find out why it doesn't kill you. It is all fabricated though, it's all a lie. You do not have dark magic in you, and I will not experiment on you. It's just... I do not know what to do. I haven't really thought this through."

The minotaur looked at him like a prey watches a predator's every move, in order to determine when they can best time an escape. His breathing wasn't as intense, but he didn't look at ease either.

"Why... why would you care if I live or die?"

The question felt horrible to Livius, and his pained grimace spoke better than any words right now, as Livius had no idea what to say.

"Because I am tired of war, tired of death and I am tired of misery - be the victim man or minotaur".

Matteus eyed Livius from head to toe while sitting awkwardly still in his seat. He did not seem convinced, and the thoughts inside him raged.

"I know you have mixed impressions of me, and I understand that you cannot afford to trust me yet. I just hope it will come in time. I haven't slept for ages, and saving you... using my healing magic on you an entire night and morning... it was exhausting. Perhaps there's no way of knowing for you; but magic drains a person very much, when used. So when I ... did that unappropriate thing to you.... I was so exhausted that I had begun to hallucinate. I am so sorry for what I did, and I am so sorry if I have scared you even more now but... please try and trust me? I really do want what's best for you...."

Livius felt he was more or less about to cry, but the minotaur made no change in his expression. He just nodded a bit, but it seemed a reflex more than anything else. Give the monster what he wants, is what he's thinking...

The rest of the ride was endured in silence. As the day passed, Livius watched the sinking sun, and saw the fields turn red from its distant glow. None of them spoke, and most of the time, they even avoided eye contact. When they finally arrived at the farmstead, Livius had fallen asleep. A cheerful voice and a light shaking on his shoulder woke him up. It was Julius, looking slightly estranged by the fact that Livius had fallen asleep.

"Heavy sleeper? Well, at least the minotaur seems docile enough. I don't think he will cause too much trouble."

Livius ground his fingers against his face to gain some degree of energy. As he looked outside, night had fallen. The moonshine lit up Matteus as he stood in his chains by the guards. He looked at Livius for a second, and it made Livius smile. He was such a beauty. Towering one minotaur's head above the rest, his frame with all its delightful muscles made the tracing of the moon's silvery glow along his form a delight to behold.

Livius stepped out of the carriage and the soldiers gathered up around him.

"Right. There's work to be done".

Livius had a stern look upon his face, but he still felt optimistic, although there was no real reason to be happy. At least not for these men, or the minotaur. Livius however, had begun to lighten up slightly. Maybe it was due to this new place, the new prospects. It was as though he had opened a door of opportunities to live a new life outside his old, unwelcome routines. Gaining Matteus' trust though, would likely take some hard work. The men looked in different directions, completely astray. Matteus just hung his head, but observed the others with watchful eyes. He didn't move an inch. Julius stepped forward a bit, just a bit. Clearly not to impose but rather just make it clear to Livius that he was there.

"This farmstead, while big and sturdy, still may need some work in order to accomodate four humans and a minotaur. We should get started on some practical work. Anything in particular you would like us to start with, Archmage Livius?", Julius inquired.

" See to it that the men prepare this place for the night. We need to find rooms that can be used as sleeping chambers if there aren't enough in there for all of us as it is, and we need to find a method to chain the minotaur in a room fitting for me to use".

"You want him in your room then, sir? Are you sure that's wise?".

"I can handle myself. Like you said prior to our departure; I am an archmage. Now.. I will need a large room, in which I can sleep, study and perform examinations on him at my leisure."

"Affirmative".

Livius smirked to himself as the old soldier went to the others and gave them orders. It felt strange to have such authority again. Where he had been, just a bit over a year ago; authority was a meaningless word and an alien practice to impose on others.

It wasn't too long until the soldiers had prepared the various rooms in the farmstead. Turns out it was a very large place indeed, and that it contained several bed chambers. Many more than required in fact. Livius was more or less just going through the motions when the others showed him around the facilities. The main building housed luxurious rooms, most with splendorous views over the natural vistas that kept the place in its lushious, green embrace. At least during the day. Right now Livius had to use his imaginations as the moonlight painted treetops and grassy banners from the waving ground. There were a few other buildings close to the main house aswell. There was a big, mostly-empty stable, a huge storage locale filled with various food products and plowing equipment, and finally a fantastic bath house more or less adjoining the main building. All in all, it was an amazing place, but Livius had a hard time showing his enthusiasm. There was simply too much on his mind.

Eventually Julius, the old soldier, tired of filling in Livius with all his thoughts and ideas about potential uses and functions for all the various implementations and resources the household kept, and opted to show Livius to his quarters. Livius was led up the stairs to the top floor, and with a simple hand gesture and some warm and welcoming words, Julius showed him the grandest room in the house. Julius shone with something akin to overly excited enthusiasm, but Livius had a feeling it wasn't fake. Peeking in, it became obvious that it was clearly a pleasant enough room though. Livius had noticed the guards commenting on the large scale on everything, from the height to the ceiling, to the spaciousness of the furniture. Livius felt no need to make a comment on any of it; for him it was familiar to see such big furniture once more, even though it probably felt odd to the others. Very likely, they hadn't even thought about the fact that minotaurs, being larger than humans, obviously demands larger furniture to grant comfort.

Livius soon had his room filled with the various items loaded from the carriage, and by the huge desk in front of his bed, he could roughly prepare a working study, or at least something that would pass for a study should the soldiers be suspicious about his intentions. Upon entering the room, all of the furniture was placed in the right wing, by the only window. The rectangular, empty space directly by the entrance was remade to hold the minotaur chained to the wall. At first there was a concern whether or not the wooden material would hold the chains in case the minotaur tried to thrash himself free, but Livius made it clear that he would cast a spell to make sure it wouldn't break, even though Livius didn't really know any such spell.

Suddenly Livius became aware that the minotaur was observing his chains. It didn't seem to be in order to assess their flaws or anything like that, but rather it seemed like a motion that would typically indicate boredom. It struck Livius that he was an extremely patient prisoner. All throughout the night, Matteus had said nothing. He hadn't even looked once at Livius or the others. It was clear he was inside his own mind. It was impossible to decipher what exactly he was thinking, but Livius could pick up many strange emotions and thoughts from within his skull. Guilt. Sadness. A feeling of... betrayal? Towards his... brother? Father? No. Both.

Something else struck Livius; he was only wearing a loincloth now. It was fairly big, but it still only roughly concealed the outlines of the impending goods beneath. Livius mouth was suddenly watery, but he tried to hide his thoughts.

"Why is the prisoner wearing only loincloth?", Livius asked Julius. He noticed the young, cocky soldier smirking somewhat at the question, but he immediately stopped once he noticed he was the only one doing it.

"The pants, for all they were worth, simply were too torn and bloody to be used anymore. We tried to patch them up, but we couldn't, and the loincloth was actually all we could find that could be of use".

The scarred soldier gave a cold grin.

"Also, it's easier to strike directly at the main artery located at the inner thigh if his musculature is visible. One quick strike there and he's dead within the minute", he said with a raspy voice. There was no emotion in his face as he said these words. Clearly, he had done those things before. Livius nodded as a reply.

After reassuring the soldiers that they weren't needed any more, he begun unpacking and arranging his various inventories. The room was certainly big enough to allow for all the tools of his trade, aswell as providing a lot of extra space that would be suitable for absolutely nothing but added luxury of movement. Livius looked outside and gladly noted the black blanket of night drawn across the land. What a day this had been, and what a night. It was remarkable to see the soldiers work so effortlessly with the room, adjusting it to make sure it would hold a minotaur prisoner chained up against a wall. Looking at Matteus, it was still clear he had plenty of room to move. It shouldn't be far too uncomfortable to sleep there, except the floor was a bit dirty and he had nothing to lie down on.

"Would you care for some pillows and sheets? I am sure I saw plenty of extra mattresses and cloth somewhere around here..", Livius began, twisting frantically to locate the elusive items of comfort. As expected, the minotaur said nothing, but at least he looked up at Livius. His heavy brow tilted forward a bit, with an even heavier looking head hanging low as he was crouching on the floor, picking his chains with large hands. An overwhelming sense of sadness fell over him, and Livius was visibly concerned.

"Are you all right, Matteus?".

There was no reply from him, other than a dismal effort to nod. It held no meaning though, no intention. It was an empty jest from an empty soul.

"I realize this has been an overwhelming and heart-wrenching experience for you. I hope you will feel better in time, my bovine friend. I suppose you miss your family? Your father? Maybe you had .. brothers?"

A sudden cringe made the shoulders look as though they were ready to collapse from exhaustion. The question had hit him hard, most likely. The bottomless pits of his irises seemed to grow darker yet, and he started breathing a tiny bit faster. He was still pretty masterful at concealing his emotions, which is rarely a healthy trait.

"I wont dig too far into that. Here, some pillows and sheets - it's all I could find..".

Livius tossed all the spare pillows, sheets and cloth he could find before the minotaur, who passively collected them and made a mound out of them. He lay down and rested his large body against the comfort they provided him with and quickly fell asleep. At least that's how it seemed. Livius did not believe he was truly asleep. With a sigh, Livius felt compelled to start organizing his own bed, and found it to be delightfully big and luxurious. Fantastically well balanced mattress, and a tint of minotaur scent remaining on the warm sheets. He dove into the cloth of the pillow and dragged in the landscape of scents offered to him. His imagination painted fantasy images of what manner of minotaur that had occupied this bed prior to his declaration of forced ownership. After a while, he decided that no image of his own would ever compare to reality. And with that in mind, he opened his eyes to observe Matteus sleep.

It was a pleasant sight to behold. He just lay there, shifting himself slightly in the odd streams of moonlight that bereft the room of complete darkness. Gentle palettes of silver outlined his brown, muscular form. And he was beginning to breathe deeply, too. Livius felt fairly sure he was sound asleep. It had to have been a very exciting few days, for better or for worse. It sure had been to himself. The minotaur seemed a tiny bit uneasy, causing his chains to sound their presence with his minute movements.

Livius knew what he could do. He could help him sleep better. With careful motions, Livius removed the sheet from his body and silently placed his feet on the floor. It was warmer than he expected it to be. Carefully allowing most of his body weight to be centered around his newly planted feet, he pushed himself away from the bed, gaining some leverage as he found his balance. It was an awkward task to sneak like a cat, when exhausted. Matteus just lay there though, as he came closer and closer to him. He was probably exhausted, and very likely he wouldn't notice anything. When Livius was only a meter or so away, he began to conjure a spell. Reaching inside the body of Matteus, he found pressures, streams and flows that the body balances whilst sleeping. There was a clear indication that some of the processes could use some manipulation, to create a deep, effective sleep. Livius pulled in with his astral hands and made the necessary alterations. He moved some streams, pulled and pushed until he was content, then retracted from the inner workings of Matteus precious body. Fine tuning the minotaur to a perfect sleep. No field surgeon can do this.

As the minotaur began to sink even more onto the cushions and sheet, seemingly melting out all over the colorful field of satin and silk, his mouth opened slightly. Livius couldn't help but observe the tongue and the glistening layer of saliva on its slippery surface. The calm, gentle eyes seemed to have found peace at last.

Livius crouched by the giant form, and began to stroke the head. His hand was so incredibly small in relation to this massive, sleeping body. The heavy breathing resounded, like a distant crumbling mountain, in Livius ears. It was a soothing symphony, a force of nature. His fingers quickly found themselves at home around the horns, kneading the base around them. As time went by, he began massaging the back of the head, down towards the neck. With circular motions, he could feel how Matteus tensions disappeared, and a sweet, powerful minotaur scent filled the room. Livius released a sigh as he recognized it, and didn't even afford an attempt of quelling the tears that formed in his eyes. It was a different scent from his former master, but hardly less appealing. It was stronger in a sense, deeper. Not as light.

Livius was smiling, but something had started to feel strange about this whole experience. While pleasant, something was stirring inside the mind of the minotaur, and now his body had begun to twitch. Livius hadn't noticed it at first, but it was becoming increasingly evident that the minotaur was dreaming. Even though Livius was at first thrilled by the idea, something about it made him morose. An emotion was placed inside him, like a strange seed. And like a flower seed, it grew - into something familiar. I have felt this before... from him. Inside his mind. Can I reach it once more perhaps?

Livius closed his eyes and attempted to magnify the leaking magic of his own signature, touching and enhancing its core ability. He gained access to the mind of the minotaur and was somehow summoned before something huge. A black mass of shadows that trickled away, leaving him with an image of himself, standing on an ominous field. He pictured himself before a gateway. It was a strange, big gateway. It seemed to reach ten meters up into the sky, and its scrawny metal bars were like demon claws, praying on the souls of the dead, for there were minotaur corpses lodged onto their twisted edges. The bars even seemed to move, like cats claws retracting around a caught mouse. Echoes of screams filled the air, aswell as packs of vultures hovering mindlessly above patches of blood and body parts. The skyline was dark blue, and it cast an unholy light on everything - except the ground, who seemed to contain details of its own, independent of the strange nighttime glow. Dead grass bathed in blood, and worms crawled all over, twisting and turning in the thick, red pools on the dark soil. The gate suddenly swung open with a fierce crash that made Livius jump in fear. Livius now understood he was about to enter Matteus mind in his sleep. Its very core. A dream. Is this a dream I wish to visit?

~

Walking through nightmarish tracks, seemingly leading nowhere, the air was increasingly thick with tension, blood mists and screams. It was so hard to breathe here. Waving his hands, Livius attempted to control the dream, as though it was his own, lucid dream. It seemed to partially work, as he coerced the demons of the night to scatter. He suddenly saw Matteus. He was wounded, lying on the ground. Livius felt as though he weighed a ton as he ran towards the minotaur, shouting. His shouts were muffled though, stolen by the desperation of Matteus nightmare scenario. He was an invisible guest here, and Matteus did not know about his presence.

As Livius came closer to the minotaur, he was suddenly rooted to the ground. The very earth swallowed his feet and he was unable to take even a single step. Settling for observation, he noticed that Matteus was chained to the ground aswell, with casts of steel intertwined around roots from the earth. He seemed to be looking at something down the road. Livius turned to see.

The cries from before suddenly made ghoulish sense, as they all appeared to come from one source alone; a small minotaur calf, covered in blood. He was crying, holding a toy sword made of wood with one hand, and his wet muzzle with the other; trying to dry his tears. Crouching before him was a large, friendly minotaur who tried to cheer up the small minotaur child. Livius instantly recognized him as Matteus father. But who was the sad little calf? It wasn't Matteus. Still holding his toy sword, he looked at the minotaur before him, and after a moment of thoughtfulness, he began to speak.

"Dad? When is my brother coming home? I miss him so much!", echoed his ghostly voice.

A disturbing sob from the right made Livius flinch. It was Matteus, who was crying, trying to bellow out to the small calf, who couldn't hear him. The calf, aswell as Matteus father, seemed almost translucent. They were ... ghosts?

"You must try to be patient, son. Please be strong for him now, he needs you to be strong. Can you be that for him?"

"How can I be strong, when I can no longer be his big brother?", the calf asked between his sobs.

"You will always be his big brother, not even death can change that fact. And one day, you will meet him again... I promise".

The smile that was given to the calf from his father was heartbreaking. Something about this whole field changed, almost as if daylight found its way to this unhallowed place. In an attempt to return the smile, the minotaur calf wiped the last few tears from his wet chin and looked at his father. Livius felt how he lost control over the dream. He wasn't wanted in here, that much was obvious. He had to know more - but he couldn't stay. The dream world was slowly fading. He looked at Matteus, trying to get him to take notice. It still seemed as though he was a prisoner to the ground beneath him, but for some reason he raised his head and turned to Livius. For what seemed like an eternity, Livius stared into his eyes, and there was no doubt that he had never seen a more perplexed minotaur in his entire life. A sound broke the magical moment however, it was the youngling who had started to jump excitedly on the ground, as though he was thrilled over a future prospect.

The minotaur calf was still looking up at his father, eyes full of questions. He probably asked a million of them, but Livius heard only a few before he was forced away from this place.

"Can we play when I meet him again, daddy? Can we listen to your stories by the fireplace? Can we celebrate all of the birthdays we never got to celebrate in life?"

As they disappeared into darkness, Livius heard the voice of the father figure repeat a number of reassuring words to the small minotaur boy. ~ Livius exhaled as he opened his eyes. He was back in the top room of the minotaur farm. Sweating profusely, he regained his calm quickly when he noticed that Matteus was still sleeping, and sleeping well at that. There was a smile on his face, and tears had been running all over his ivory muzzle. The grizzled hide of his battle-scarred body made him almost seem like a rag doll, resting on a child´s bed. But he was at peace now. Maybe the dream changed into something nice after all?

Livius discovered his own fatigue, tugging at him like rough weights inside the skull. It was time to sleep. He barely made it to the bed before unconsciousness struck him like a hammer, and he fell down into a long, devastatingly powerful sleep.

He dreamt of minotaur boys playing on a field, and there were no corpses. Only sunlight, sweet summer grass... and two brothers who played with wooden toy swords.

-Chapter 3- -No more chains-

Morning did not come gentle. A loud banging on the door made Livius jump up from his bed. He was startled, but now wide awake. Matteus was still on the floor, bathing amongst the pillows and sheets. He made some low rumbling, almost whining noises. He was seemingly reluctant to get up, although he was seemingly awake at least.

"There's no need for you to get up just yet. Just lie there and rest some, you've deserved it", said Livius reassuringly to the non-responsive minotaur. With a smile and a shrug, Livius went to open the door. He was promptly met by Julius, who smiled gently. Beside Julius was the scarred, silent guard. He looked as stern as ever.

"Glad to see you're up! I will.. err... give you some time to prepare yourself, I would suppose?", Julius said.

He was obviously hinting at Livius wild hair, pointing in all directions; aswell as the lack of proper clothes.

"Yes. I will let you know when you can collect us. I trust everything else is in order?"

"Everything is just fine, Archmage Livius. I personally inspected the territory roughly an hour or so ago, Sir. Nothing dangerous afoot. Well, apart from the minotaur, of course. Has he been a burdon to you, Sir?"

"If he would have been, I would have informed you earlier. You needn't worry. Also, I would much prefer it if you would be so kind as to simply call me Livius. That will be all, soldier."

Julius didn't look as surprised as Livius had first suspected. Perhaps he had given this nominal directive to him before? With all confusion, sleeplessness and impressions that the last few days had brought him, he wasn't sure of anything anymore - other than the fact that he felt far more focused today than he had done so far, unfortunately during very crucial events. Time to patch the wounds he had inflicted... if possible.

Julius smiled and instructed the other guard to move out. They walked off and Livius closed the door behind them. I will have to put a spell on this room, so nothing from within can be heard on the outside... I will also need to put a spell on the door, so that it cannot be opened by normal means. At least not from the other side.

Livius turned and noticed the minotaur on the floor, who in an instant made an effort to place himself in a kneeling position. He was visibly tired, but seemed so much more well rested than the day before, at least. Livius himself felt the same blessed state in his mind. He could actually think coherently today! What a miracle that was. Praise the gods for small wonders.

"No need to correct yourself, Matteus. You seemed so comfortable, just lie down if you want to, while I dress in my formal robes. It is bound to take some time for me, while you only wear a loincloth". And by the heavens above, do you wear them well. Gods, if I could just dive in under those... , Livius thought to himself, but halted his brain. The last thing he needed now was a raging hard-on. Pretty bad for new impressions on a scared-shitless minotaur slave who's already been abused by a seemingly insane mage of a scary, strange species.

The heavy cloth of the undergarment was one thing to put on, but the damned robe and all the weird accessories were a hassle without a mirror of some sort. Livius improvised dearly and put one ceremonial ribbon over the other, and ....

"I dreamed of you..."

Livius froze in his motions. That booming, but gentle voice, was not imagined. It was Matteus. Livius slowly turned his head to look at him, but was a bit disheartened to find that the minotaur still wasn't looking at him. Perhaps he had, while he was starting his sentence, but somehow regret and shame made him turn away again. Still, too late now - he has begun to speak, and he is probably too polite to stop once he has summoned enough courage to initiate a conversation, Livius thought to himself.

"Please, go on. You dreamed of me?"

"Yes, Livius".

It was obvious that Matteus did not enjoy being this informal. He almost cringed every time he felt compelled to say Livius name rather than title.

"I suppose it's inevitable, isn't it? I am constantly near you, for better or for worse. You are bound to get stuck with me even in dreams, sooner or later. May I ask... what the dream was? Did you get to kill me and run home, or something?", Livius said, trying his best to sound humouristic. Matteus looked mostly startled at the question.

"No, nothing like that.. it's just.. it didn't feel like an ordinary dream. I was looking at... some persons I knew... and there you were too. Nothing big. But it felt strange.. as if it wasn't a dream. I am sorry for bringing it up, it isn't important. I don't know why I started talking about this... Please forgive me, Livius, Sir."

Hanging his head real low, eyes constantly battering the different locations of the room, Matteus was anything but calm. Once more, he had managed to get himself quite excited, but this time, Livius felt there was something he could do about it. It felt as though this time, unlike the other times - it was Matteus own initiative. He wanted something out of this.

"You say it's nothing important, and yet you feel the need to talk about it. You have barely spoken with me until now, and never without asking permission or somesuch before. I do realize I have already informed you that I wish no title, and that you may speak freely, but I also know you aren't the type who would easily do that despite my insisting upon it. So this dream.. it must have been important to you."

A deep, profound silence hung in the room like an overgrown bat, ready to take flight, holding its breath. Livius could feel his own heartbeat, and the pulse was fairly high. This was obviously important to him, aswell, or he wouldn't feel this intensily about the situation. But he had to handle these things delicately. He did not want to invoke more suspicions and fears by telling Matteus he had ventured into his mind in dreams.

"Well, no matter what the dream meant, we both deserve a nice breakfast, wouldn't you agree?".

Livius noticed a nod that seemed more heartfelt than earlier ones. It was natural to assume that the minotaur was overwhelmed with hunger after all this time that had gone by. Livius went up to the door and motioned Matteus to join. Matteus got up on his hooves, but did not advance. Livius had one hand on the door and was just about to motion Matteus once more to join him, but he desisted once he realised that it was not possible for the minotaur to move. He was chained to the wall.

"Oh bloody hell, I forgot about the chains.."

Matteus raised his eyebrows, looking oddly at Livius. It took some time before Livius registered this, but then it felt obvious. Of course.. he wonders how I could possibly have forgotten about the chain, as if chaining him up wouldn't be the most crucial thing to do in any situation when you have a minotaur prisoner in the Empire...

The door swung open and Livius shouted for the guards. Only a few seconds later, a guard appeared. The stern looking one with a scar across his face.

"You called, Archmage Livius", said he.

"I would dearly prefer if you just call me Livius, mister... oh dear. I seem to have forgotten your name?"

"You never asked for it", came the reply with a biting cold attached to it.

"It's Adrian. What would you have me do?"

"Well Adrian, I would like you to unchain the minotaur and lead us to the dining room. We haven't had breakfast yet, although I am sure the rest of you have already enjoyed it?"

"Indeed we have, Sir. Lots left for you though."

"And the minotaur?"

At first, Adrian looked a bit confused. He then nodded his head slightly before he headed inside the room, grunting "him too" as he brushed past Livius to collect the enslaved minotaur. Adrian promptly went to a window and leaned out.

"Elias! Get in here, I need your help!"

It didn't take long before the young, cocky soldier had entered the room. Livius was slightly glad that he wouldn't need to ask him for his name now, at least. Elias firmyl held his pike, and it was frighteningly close to the minotaur's face. Adrian skillfully and quickly unchained Matteus, lacking any kind of empathy as he pushed and prodded in order to make him move. Due to the spacious rooms and halls, it was a small task to move about though, even with a prisoner on tow. Once they had reached the ground level, they all headed into the dining room, which had been set up in a simple, yet functional way. All chairs were placed around a very large wooden table. Upon the table cloth a myriad of various dishes were prepared, although it was very evident it had all seen recent use; crumpets and stains colored the cloth with its atmospheric, yet graceless presence. Julius appeared in a doorway leading into the large kitchen.

"I realise you are used to far better lodging, Archm... sorry, Livius. I just recalled you prefer to leave titles out of this. However, I am indeed sorry about the state of this place. We recently dined, you see..."

"This will do just fine. Adrian, please make sure the minotaur is seated, I will sit on the opposite end. You will not need to stay and guard though, it is imperative I show him that he must not always be guarded by men at arms."

Adrian looked truly puzzled for the first time that Livius had ever seen.

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"My intention is to see whether or not he is compliant enough. It would even serve a great purpose should he try to escape, for then he will know the precision and might of my arcane powers, to which he is entirely defenseless. After such teachings, he is sure to never disobey again".

"I see".

Adrian gave the minotaur a rough shoving into a chair, and decidedly left the room with a clear disliking. Julius observed the whole thing, but just shook his shoulders.

"If you don't my saying so, Livius, you certainly have a very original take on things. I do not necessarily believe you are doing the right thing, but at the same time I believe there is a reason that you hold the title that you do. I trust you know what you are doing".

Livius smiled and nodded, and once Julius had finished up in the kitchen, he headed off to secure the perimeters outside. By the time he left, Livius had gathered a vast amounts of food products and was just about to dig in when he noticed that Matteus had only taken a single loaf of bread and chewed on it quite uninspiringly. Livius looked around to make sure they were truly alone, then he leaned forward. Matteus didn't raise his head, but he looked up to focus his eyes on the prying mage.

"Did you understand any of my words to them?"

Matteus cringed a bit, then took on what Livius had previously assumed his 'thinking position'. His lips pouting and his eyes distantly exploring the space above, he pondered the question for a while.

"Not much. I don't know a lot of latin. My brother... "

And with that, he fell silent for a while. There was a hint of emotional distortion in his face, but he soon composed himself.

".. my brother tried to teach me, but I didn't get to learn a lot." He gave a short sigh, "I figure they aren't too pleased you are alone with me?"

"Exactly right! I told them it was a test to see how well you would behave, and I also said that I would use magic should you try to escape", Livius said while snickering fiendishly.

"And by telling me this, you are indirectly threatening me?"

"What? No! How do you figure that?"

"Well, I am sure you intended to just let me in on the conversation, but at the same time - why even mention your powers if you don't trust I will behave?"

Livius smiled. Mostly due to the fact that Matteus at least talked with him now. It was certainly progression, of some form.

"You are right. It may have come out wrong. I do trust you will behave".

"Why?"

Livius relaxed, sank into his chair and looked at Matteus searchingly for a while.

"Because I believe you have a kind heart. Much too kind to be in a war".

Matteus sighed and fell silent, once more. He picked up his loaf once more and took a small bite from it. His slow chewing seemed intentional, as if he wanted the taste to last.

"Matteus, you have to be starving! Why only settle for a piece of bread? Look, we got all kinds of things here, take whatever you want!" Matteus sat still for a few moments, then swallowed whatever he had stored in his muzzle during Livius strange food proposal speech. With a curious look, he began to shift the weight of his head around a bit, scouting for various food items that lay present. With immense caution, he moved his hands around to collect a few more things from the table. Livius laughed, and it made Matteus motions slow to a crawl. He looked at Livius as though he had done something wrong, but Livius only returned a smile.

"Oh, look at you. Bashful and polite. Here, have some of this!", Livius said while serving the perplexed minotaur various vegetables, a bowl porridge, eggs and all other assortments of food products that Livius could get his hands on. Soon enough, Matteus end of the table was overfilled with culinary delights, and while Matteus probably felt a bit compelled to eat the lot of it, it was very clear that he didn't mind it either. He gave Livius a very strange, and quite forced smile. At first he ate very modestly, but gradually Livius detected a hint of the minotaur's liking for some of the foodstuff, and he observed as Matteus began picking out more of it and began chewing with a gradually increasing gusto.

Livius face sank into his palms, elbows resting on the thick, wooden table. With a sensation of overwhelming peace, the Archmage took great pleasure in observing the minotaur eat. Even looking at his naked torso as he gathered things was incredibly rewarding. How his not-so-dormant muscles would seemingly erupt from tiny valleys to splendorous hills on the coat of his hide whenever he moved his arms, his chest expanding and contracting as it was animated by intent and motion. Glistening coats of saliva on his big, prickly bovine tongue, so delightfully rough.. and he always closed his eyes when he chewed his food. At first, Livius didn't register it, but it soon became hypnotic. The centrifugal motions of the thick teeth and tongue as Matteus ground his food with contentment. Eyes reduced to small lines on his giant, ivory colored face, as he gnawed his way through more and more breakfast treats with slow, drawn-out jaw motions. Livius had often seen grazing cows, and he remembered some from his own childhood - how they could lie on a field, chewing grass with wide open muzzles, eyes closed. Not a care in the world. Just enjoying their food. They looked almost majestic as they would lay there, basking in the sun, in the company of their fellow cows. Matteus looked so much like them right now. Maybe in his mind, he is at home now, and there is no war. He is just closing his eyes, enjoying his food, and he is feeling safe and happy?

Livius didn't even notice his own pleased sigh that he eventually let out, but he did notice that Matteus opened his eyes and looked directly at Livius. The minotaur would lower the pace of his eating, and eventually stopped chewing. His hands and arms were now as statues of stillness. Seconds passed, and it felt like eternity. The minotaur suddenly looked like a mix between agitated and questioning, but Livius didn't really think about it at first, he was too busy sporting a stupid grin as he looked at the beautiful minotaur across the table.

"What?", Matteus suddenly asked with his low, booming voice. It burst the silence of the room, and Livius suddenly realised how he must have looked. He blushed a bit while adjusting himself in his seat, and honestly did not know what to say.

"Sorry, I just love watching you eat. You look so peaceful and ... I just... you looked so cute. Sorry if I interrupted you".

Matteus, a picture of bemusement and surprise, harkled and looked about. He felt embarrassed and did not know what to do or say. Livius had turned red in color, being equally embarrassed, and quickly excused himself from the table, leaving Matteus to dine alone.

Stepping out of the dining room, Livius was startled by a sudden sensation, a fluttering in time and space. It was a familiar spell and the familiar voice that followed was none other than Skender, communicating from afar with a telepathic spell. Untimely as it was, Livius activated their communication line by completing the spell on his end.

"Livius, this is Archmage Skender, and I recently contacted one of the Grand Overseers from the Circle of Magi. You know whom I speak of. Augustus. He is most interested in hearing from you, and just how you are able to motivate your spontaneous flight to an unmarked cabin in order to perform what he called 'reckless experimentation' on a minotaur prisoner?"

"It is no more reckless than it was for him to send his errand boy to fetch me in the desert. This is a routine assignment. I have the authority to assign those, and I assigned it to myself".

"I am not the one you need to convince... yet. I spoke with Augustus and made sure he was up to speed on your discovery".

"You defended me, then?"

"In a manner of speaking... yes. I also made it clear I hadn't found any traces of dark magic myself, and that it was unusual for you to rush off like you did".

"Hah.. with that in mind, you might aswell have told him you suspect me of high treason!"

"Rubbish. You know I do not think that of you. Needless to say there is little we can do about it now, given the circumstances".

Livius was unsure how to interpret what he heard. Skender sounded awfully vague, and likely for a reason.

"What circumstances?"

"More conflicts with the minotaurs. We are in a war, if you remember? Augustus has given me authority to send a small delegation to collect you, or rather, confer with you. They wont arrive now though. Likely, you have a week or so to spend with your research. Should be far more than sufficient".

In the distance, a howl of anger attenuated. Likely from one of the nearby buildings.

"Will you keep in touch, then?", Livius inquired.

"You have my word. Be fortuitous in your findings".

"Gods watch and keep".

As the spell dissipated, a trampling of feet outside invoked caution in Livius. He popped his head around the door to make sure Matteus was still seated. As he turned inside, he saw the minotaur with ears perched, looking past Livius.

"Trouble?"

Livius shook his head reassuringly, "unlikely. I will go and have a look though. If you would be so kind as to .."

"... sit still?"

"Indeed".

Livius turned and prepared to depart.

"What if it's something dangerous?", Matteus asked, to which Livius felt compelled to retort. -"Would you defend me?", he said with a hesitant smirk, and Livius went off before the minotaur could reply.

Outside it was surprisingly mellow. The air was cool, red leaves were blowing in the wind. Wind tugging the cloth, but not roughly so. Livius looked around to find the source of the turmoil, and became instantly aware of the commotion, near one of the external facilities - more likely; what might be the bath house. Walking in that direction, the source of the ruckus became clear. It sounded as if the soldiers all had a disagreement about something. Stepping into the crude hall, Livius found rather delicate adornments and sculptures placed about. It was indeed the bath house, and it was in good shape. Certainly not like the more extravagant ones he had seen when he lived in the minotaur clan, but it was larger than he expected, stretching very far in every direction once you got into the actual pool area.

"Well, no matter how it works, you are doing it all wrong!", scowled Julius to Elias, who marauded the pipes leading out from a metal box.

As Livius entered, they all stopped bickering, and shamefully turned to face him. Julius looked a bit like a small boy who had been caught in the act of pilfering apples. For a while, only the silent squalping of water accompanied the silent men.

"Sorry that you should stumble upon this, Sir. I thought we were going somewhere with the damned thing when.... "

Scanning the area wildly with his head, Julius suddenly looked tense.

"Where's the .... "

"Oh, he's safely inside. Wont run", Livius said. Adrian peeked up from behind a metallic construction and looked slightly hopeful.

"You've been amongst them, right? You know how this thing works? What heats the water?"

"Sadly, I have no idea how these things operate. I was just a pleased user, not an engineer. We could ask Matteus."

Julius looked like a confused prune.

"Matteus? Who is ... ohhh...."

Livius merely shrugged, "he ought to know... in fact, I'll go fetch him!"

Strolling back to the main house, he noticed Julius stepped out and watched Livius from behind as he walked. Glancing over the shoulder revealed the weathered soldier in a tense stance, crossing his arms and leaning his head over on the side. Maybe he was pondering something? At any rate, the wooden door was quickly opened, and in a fit of impulse, Livius decided to rush into the kitchen, acting excited.

"Matteus! We need you, it's a crisis!"

The minotaur seemed to have eaten a lot, and was patiently leaning back against the chair, holding his hands over his full belly, when the mage stormed in to the dining room. At the command, he leaped out of the chair, and hit his knee against the table with a thunderous crash. He moaned slightly, but recuperated quickly enough. With a bewildered look on his face, he stumbled up to Livius, looking down on the comparably small human.

"What? What's happened?"

"No time to explain, come with me!"

Rushing out and heading for the bath house, the minotaur followed up behind him, and it was obvious he had to restrict his motions so as to not get ahead of the significantly slower mage, who wore a strange smile as he paced. Julius dropped his guard down when he witnessed the odd couple from afar, and took a few steps in various directions, not knowing where to go or what to do. He was clearly confused about the unchained minotaur following the mage blindly.

"What is... what is happening?!?", Julius shouted as they approached.

Livius calmed down and started laughing in between his gasps for air. "I am clearly not all that young anymore", he exclaimed once the exhaustion from the short run had settled.

Julius and the minotaur looked at Livius, and each other, and seemingly competed in who could look the most confused. Matteus eventually leaned forward and arched his head, trying to get eye contact with the still fatigued mage.

"Sir, why did you need me here? You said there was a crisis?"

"Crisis??", Julius yaulped.

Livius snickered. "I am sorry Matteus.. I couldn't help myself. It's just the bath house. We couldn't get it working, and so I thought maybe you knew how to handle it?"

Matteus looked stunned, and couldn't shut his widely opened jaw. After a few moments of confusion, he scratched his head, "I .. I suppose I can have a look, if you want, Sir?"

Julius pointed into the bath house and said with perfect greek - "Meet up with Elias and Adrian in there. Tell them you were sent in to fix the damn thing".

Livius and Matteus stared with plate sized eyes at Julius. He can speak greek? Oh dear... I wonder if .. and indeed what... he has heard me speak with Matteus about... This I did not foresee.. not even with my signature have I managed to pick this up.

Matteus had a sad look on his face, -"I don't know latin very well, Sir.", to which Julius gave a slight nod.

"I shall inform them you're coming in to fix it, then", he said, stepping in to the bath house. While waiting outside, Livius and Matteus met eyes only briefly, and Livius shrugged his shoulders and made a face indicating that he was just as clueless as Matteus when it came to Julius linguistic abilities. After only a short moment, Julius materialized again, and walked up to Matteus with confident steps, "You can go inside now, they know you are coming".

Nodding, the minotaur set off towards the bath house, and entered it. Only slight audible commotion was heard from inside once they'd noticed his arrival. It settled soon enough, and Julius had a concerned look on his face as he turned to Livius, who no longer sported a boyish grin. It had been replaced by a confused glare.

"You run the risk of endangering our lives if you keep this strange behavior up. Would you mind if an old captain such as myself humbly asked for a piece of your mind?"

"You worry too much, though I suppose it's part of your job. I can agree though, that I have felt very impulsive and .. childish almost, lately. I don't know - maybe it's the cool autumn air? By the way.. I ... didn't realize you knew greek?"

"Oh yes. I do", was the short reply preceding a long silence. Julius broke the silence eventually, with a serious expression on his face.

"There are rumors, Sir, that you ought to know about. Rumors circulating about you, in fact. I am not sure it would entirely please you to hear them, but I fear it's my obligation to share them with you, if you wish?"

A morouse look fell upon Livius. He anticipated what he would hear, and very likely, this captain had seen things in Livius behaviour that would be better kept in the dark. Hard to know. Focusing his signature in on the captain, he found only trace patterns of old-and-worn social skills, nothing truly coherent, and nothing of any potential use. As it seemed now, at least.

"Go ahead, Julius. Naturally I want to hear about anything you may have heard".

"I am not a person that normally applies too much.. weight.. to rumours. But I must admit these particular ones intrigued me. Is it true that you were a slave to a minotaur?"

"Yes, that is correct, Julius. I was. I was sent out along with a scout party for some... reconnaissance mission of sorts. All were slain except for me. The minotaurs that attacked us died too though. I killed them, but it was a close call. Afterwards, I was fatigued and the camp wouldn't keep me safe forever.. a bit foolish perhaps, but I decided to venture back on foot. Didn't realise how far it was, nor how tired I had gotten from the exertion of battle. I passed out and was found and saved by a minotaur mage, who took me home and kept me as a slave. I spent quite some time there, with him.. it was something I had to endure, but it was certainly a very effective source of information. I learned a lot about them. When fortune struck, I managed to escape from his home during a strange, internal clan conflict of sorts. I was lucky enough to be discovered wandering the plains, by an imperial search party no less. After I was found, a long period of interrogation followed, but I was eventually reinstated into services of the Empire. As an archmage, once more."

Julius pondered it, and had an absent look on his face for a long time. He didn't speak, but still seemed inclined to. Livius gave him an inquisite glare after a few moments had passed.

"What of it?", Livius asked, to which Julius appeared to awaken from his passive form.

"Oh sorry. Well, I don't know, Sir. I myself have once been a captive to the minotaurs and it was a very .. interesting experience. What I suppose I am trying to say is that... perhaps I can relate more than you might believe."

"You've been captured by minotaurs?", the shocked mage cried out. I wonder what his experiences were like?

"Only briefly. It lasted less than a week. I was captured after a very unsuccessful attack on one of the clans near the border. Pure slaughter on our part. I survived and was captured until our forces sent ambassadors to parley. At least that attempt was successful. They took well care of me during my short incarceration, although I did not like their respectless tone with me. Called me feral. I called them the same, which was apparently unheard of before."

"I can imagine".

"Needless to say, I know what it's like to have rumours spread about you, behind your back. I will support your cause, Livius. I have heard some rumours that you seemed to like it over there, that you behaved differently after returning. I am sure it was all just shock. You do seem to treat the minotaur quite well, though, but I think nothing of it, personally. The fact that you treat them well is just a sign you have risen above their methods, and the methods practiced by many of our own, aswell. No point in mistreating a fellow soldier, be they human or minotaur. I mean, we all shed our own blood for a cause, right? And none of us decided on which side of the border we were born, eh?"

"I must say, I am surprised at how you view these things. With remarkable tolerance, I should say. Not quite what I expected"

"Well, my experiences as a prisoner to the minotaur humbled me, but I would not expect the other soldiers here to show you the same understanding. In fact, they have uttered some pejorative terms once or twice so far about their seething suspicions. It's strange enough to them how you behave; you're unusually impulsive, energetic and ... boyish... for a mage. And on top of that, you treat the minotaur with a loose and.. dare I say liberal approach. It stings in their eyes, you know. Just... tone it down, will you? Friendly advice, that's all. From an old fox to a young buck".

Livius smiled and put his hands on Julius shoulders. Despite the cold breezes, there was a lot of warmth here, he felt. "I am very thankful for your advice and your support, friend", he said, as they slowly began walking towards the bath house - "Now let's see how they are doing in there".

Upon entering the small entry hall, crudely leading into the bathing area, the air was warm already, its moisty web clinging to the skin. As they got in and spotted the others, the gusts of steam had embraced them thoroughly, like a sticky blanket, emulating the sensation of sweat effectively. Oh god.. steam.. Lord Steam.. this takes me back..., Livius thought as he waded through the mist. The last person on this planet I would want to meet here...

"Sorry Sir, the steam is so intense due to the cold I suspect. It should settle soon". It was presumably the voice of Elias, but it was hard to make out his form in all this. An unmistakingly strong odour of bovine ascended as the mage came closer to the tiled floors' sudden slope that made out the bowel of the basin. Looking into it, Livius noticed the minotaur. He was sitting there - immersed in hot water. He was clearly enjoying himself, and had his arms stretched out along the edges, framing the pool below.

"Who gave you the right to sit in the pool?", Livius asked with a low voice, slowly raising his finger and arm; pointing accusingly at Matteus. Although it was a bit hard to see from the position he was in, it was evident the minotaur was now frozen solid, maybe even trembling a bit. Even the clucking sound of wavy water ceased. Adrian slowly approached Livius to adress him.

"Sir, what's the matter? What did you say to him? I don't know greek".

"I just asked him who gave him the right to sit in the pool. I am just messing with the creature", Livius replied with a smirk, but the cold truth ached inside him; all the vile things he needed to do, in order to maintain the illusion that the minotaur was just a prisoner.

Matteus was quick in his effort to break the short silence that had followed.

"I.. I .. I was told to step into the water to make sure... it wasn't too hot.. for ... for humans.. for you I mean... Sir. They.. I ... thought it would be best to make sure you wouldn't scold yourself".

Livius looked at the other soldiers (humans...just humans..) and made it very clear, with his facial expressions, that he had only messed around with the prisoner. Chuckling somberly and walking towards the opposing edge of the relatively small pool that Matteus was in, Livius seemed in the best of spirits. In his mind however, he felt shamed - but the grins on Elias and Adrians faces were priceless. They thought it was funny as hell.

"Oh gods, so sorry to have startled you like that. I have a poor sense of humour, that's all - I am not mad at you, Matteus. Thank you for fixing the bath!"

Matteus frowned and released a deep sigh. It was hard to tell if it was a sigh of release or perturbment, or maybe a mix. He did at least sink down more into the pool, seemingly more relaxed. Livius looked content as he looked about the place. The air was a bit more clear now, so visibility was far better than before.

"Seems he did an amazing job. We would have gotten around to it even without his help though, no doubt", Livius said to the soldiers.

Adrian nodded at the statement, "it was in truth not hard to understand once he showed it. Ingenious design though, I must say".

"Let's hope the owners don't come back to claim the bath house, then", Livius said frolically, though Adrian's reply left him feeling cold - "They can't. They are dead".

As Elias snorted appreciatively at the answer, Livius noticed Matteus shyed away a bit, but it was subtle. He probably understood that, even though it was in latin...

The minotaur quickly composed himself. Perhaps he has gotten used to death and the horrors of war? It was unrelenting, the strife to hide one's emotions. It is not easy to stow away your fear from your enemies, and it is sometimes excruciatingly hard to know who your allies are. The ambivalence occationally thrives, and this knowledge was especially tough for Livius to bear in a situation like this. Delicately balancing the need to appease both his allies (enemies?) and his enemy (ally?).

"Elias, Adrian. Both of you, good work. Patrol the area now! Although the owners may be dead, and the battle of Xarsen is over; we can't know for sure if we are to expect trouble. I will stay in here with Livius", Julius suddenly said with an unusually stern voice. As the two soldiers left, Julius shone a mischievous smile at the mage.

"I have a sneaking suspicion you want to be left alone with the prisoner, Livius, so I will gracefully depart aswell. I noticed a back door leading out. I will return shortly though, don't want to risk the others raising more questions than needed"

Livius looked very confused, "you're leaving?"

"Well, I just think that maybe you need to talk with him about your time as a prisoner to the minotaurs. Might even make him more accessible and calm? Who knows? I wouldn't mind talking to him myself, later on, if that's ok? I have some questions about their methods and ways of reasoning... and I think that whatever happened in the minotaur cells, stays in the minotaur cells. Wouldn't want to pry into your memories, they are your own. I trust you show me the same respect, Sir?"

"Absolutely, and consider it done, Julius".

"Then I will be off".

And with that, the old, gray soldier saluted and left for the cold outside, choosing the backdoor for his departure. I wonder what he is thinking about me.. and the minotaur? Does he suspect something?

Letting the clothes fall off, one item at a time, Livius decided to not even bother sorting them out and placing them on any furniture. Instead they came to land on, and decorate the wet tiles, and eventually they had soaked up so much water that they became darker blue in color, and a multitude times heavier to carry. Now naked, he begun to dip his feet into the vast basin below. It was horrendously warm, but Livius bit his lips and made an effort to look unaffected. The odd squeal that slipped out killed the effort though, and he instead decided to just slide into the searing chasm and get it over with. Painful as it was, it still meant that he was now sharing the same deep waters as Matteus found himself bathing in. He is in the water, and undoubtedly floating in the water; parts of him. And now - those parts of him, in all their musky minotaur glory, are upon my body, my skin. I already believe I smell better from it, but it's probably imagination.

The warmth had settled now, and was more than bearable. More than palatable. It was downright pleasant. The scent of bovine fur, bovine muscle and bovine sweat enchanted Livius and took the enjoyment from the pool to new heights. Not a single muscle was tense now, and his nostrils were fishing for more details in the air; the fragrances, the nuanses of all things emanating from Matteus. He had to face him now.

Looking across the pool - the curious face of Matteus stared back at him with wide eyes. Once he realized he was being watched, he began to nervously grind his hooves against the bottom of the pool, which Livius couldn't even reach; too deep. He heard the hoof scrapings as a thick carpet of sounds bulging in the recesses of the dancing waters below, and the sound was almost hypnotic.

"Please don't be so alarmed - once more, I am sorry for the bad joke. I am not mad at you, I just.. well.. the truth is I just wanted to appear confident to the soldiers. How are you feeling, dear Matteus?"

Lowering his head, the horns protruded elegantly, revealing a multitude of diminuitive cracks running along its sides. Livius hadn't noticed it before, and wondered if perhaps it was something he had failed to fix during healing.

"Do you want me to try and mend the horns? I am not sure I can do much, but if you want to, I can try?"

Matteus shook his heavy head, his muzzle grinding as though chewing. The bright, misty veils of air around his skull danced in all directions from his powerful movements. He had been in deep thought up until now, but the interruption of Livius' unexpected question had phased him a bit. His obligation to answer made him sound slightly unenthusiastic. "It's nothing. Old wounds. Had them since childhood, and actually.. I would prefer to keep them. As a reminder."

"Something else is bothering you then? I can tell something is weighing hard on you. What is it, Matteus?"

His bovine eyes evaded Livius' concerned face as much as it was possible without seeming deliberately rude, and unsure of what to say and how to word it, he cringed and heaved, upsetting the water levels. The slight waves' smooth caress on the mage's skin was welcome, but it was hard not to be saddened by Matteus' refraining from opening up emotionally. Beneath the stirring watery surface, his growing winter pelt was evident from the long, hairy fur on his wet legs, unresting in their nervous motions.

"I don't know how to say things without making you upset in some way. I may end up sounding disrespectful or .. demeaning. But... I don't know much about your culture, and so far I have found your way of treating me very confusing. I suppose your intention is to interrogate me, but I don't know why you don't just ask me things plainly. You don't have to behave as if we're friends. I am just a prisoner of war, and this ruse is making me feel very insecure. Is that part of you plan?"

"Ruse?". Livius suddenly felt as though a tight knot had materialized in his throat. His heart sank, and his head felt cold. Ruse. He thinks I am lying to him, acting, to gain his trust. He.. he doesn't want me as his friend? Livius didn't notice that Matteus had now taken on a concerned look, as the human went paler and more absent, eyes drifting off.

"Are you feeling well? Sir?"

The low voice resounded as if it were a distant echo, in Livius' mind. It was hard to fight the swelling sensation within himself, the sensation of hopelessness, and it soon dawned on Livius that he was close to tears. Hardly respect-inducing. He had to snap out of it. He looked at Matteus, who felt compelled to explain himself.

"Look, I am sorry if I said something that upset you. It's just... I don't have any information that you could use. You've truly developed impressive methods to make me confide in you, and would I know something about battle plans or strategy or the likes, I would tell you all about it. I am not a hero. I ... I am not even a real soldier..."

"You're .. not a soldier?".

Of course... it's all so obvious now.

" You are not a soldier. Somehow that makes sense. You don't act very authoritative and you certainly don't seem very .. warrior-like. Please don't take offense.. I just.. never believed you were a soldier. It is as I suspected, then."

Livius had regained some of his color, but he still felt thorned by earlier remarks. Matteus just hung his head.

"I don't care if you are a soldier or not. I don't give a dirty copper or two if you know everything there is to know about all things martial. Even if you were the clan leader of Ourobouros himself, I wouldn't demand a single thread of information about war plans or strategy. I am completely uninterested in interrogating you about such things, or even talking about it."

For a moment, Matteus looked shocked. It was hard to tell if he was relieved or not, but within a second it didn't matter, as his expression became heavy once more. Frightened, even, but hiding it well under a tremendously overpowering aura of disillusionment.

"Then it's true... you intend to use me for magical experimentation.."

The statement left Livius feeling baffled, and he was at a loss for words. A few seconds of silence passed, and then in an instant; Matteus face had twisted into a pained and sorrowful expression. He was now staring at Livius with desperate eyes, saliva dripping thick as he continued;

"Please don't, I beg of you. Please just kill me. If you have mercy to spare for me, just end my life! I can't stand you treating me like this when I know you have something horrible planned for me! I don't know anything about magic, but as a child I heard so many stories about what humans do - please don't use magic to deform me!"

Livius felt as if he was shattered from within.

"Oh by all the gods in Elysia... Matteus... oh dear. Is this what you believe? You think I saved you and brought you here, promising rose gardens and salvation - all serving as an elaborate means of mesmerizing you, before torturing you?"

Letting the questions sink in, Livius offered no chance for the stunned minotaur to retort. "No! That is not the case! For goodness sake, I have already told you that I will not do anything of the sort! I would never lie to you, ever. You do know I have a certain status, right?"

Matteus nodded slightly, but his breathing was pretty heavy.

"As such, I have certain responsibilities and virtues to uphold, just like lords in the minotaur clans do. No lord would ever lie, especially not to someone with what they consider a low standing, right? It would utterly devastate their credibility and honor! The same applies to lords in human societies, and I am a lord! I do not lie to you Matteus. Please, try and show me respect by trusting what I say! Look, I do not want information from you, and I will not use your for magical experimentation. Whatever you were told as a calf... it was just pure fantasy and imagination, likely spawned to instill more fear into the hearts of would-be fighters!"

Livius ground his teeth as Matteus panting slowly subsided. Both gradually became calmer as the course of time crept its slow marathon. After about a minute, both were just sitting there, on opposite sides of each other, allowing their respective bodies to attune to the brittle illusion of stalemate in the frantically battling notions they both defended with various degrees of willingness. In Matteus case, some of his fears had settled. In Livius case, some of his pride had begun to reshape itself.

"I just want what's best for you, and I promise to keep you safe from all harm!"

This time, Livius couldn't hold back the lines of tears that began streaming down his face. The vapour mist of the pool would provide a screen shielding Matteus from noticing though. Or at least, so he thought.

After his tears were absorbed by the warm, dewlike blanket of steam, he released a deep sigh. Unsure on how to change the subject, he just ceased talking.

The bath house was untouched by the sound of words, but the heaving sounds of water, both liquid and gasseous, sung its incessant lullaby. Hypnotized by the small movements of the minotaur's hooves and legs underwater, with long curtains of fur joining the motions in their gracious dance, Livius felt a sudden notion of peace overwhelming him. Time passed by slowly, thankfully, and gave lots of space for thoughts on home. The other home. How Lord Shade used to ... leave home for war.

What? He never left for .... oh wait. It's not my memories. It's Matteus', and I feel them.. almost.. see them. His brother was so similar to him, except he had a lot more blotches on him, all over his body. Just like in the dream when he was a calf except grown up. He is waving to Matteus, heading off to war. Matteus is ...

Crying. Livius suddenly lost touch with the memories, but noticed Matteus on the other side. He was crying, although it was very tranquil, almost invisible. He was a master of disguise, showing no evident signs of sorrow, but Livius had been inside his mind, and it was a desolate wall of despair.

"Matteus?"

There was no answer at first, but bovine eyes inspected concerned human eyes with an almost childlike look of grief. Matteus moved his muzzle but couldn't say anything. The slight trembling on his thick lips, and his pleading eyes, revealed that he would likely not be able to sound dignified if he attempted to speak. Livius understood.

"Would you like to head back to your room and get some rest?"

Matteus nodded patiently, looking almost like a boy despite his size and stature. His body language was easy to translate, as it shone with evident insecurity.

As Livius lifted himself up on the ledge, Matteus did the same on the other side. Wet streams of warm water descended on its plunge toward the ground, leaping and streaming along the perfect body as it experienced its unavoidable journey. Livius felt intensily jealous of the water streams, wanting to replace the gentle caress it made with his own tongue. Livius fantasized about approaching the minotaur as he stood there, so still. He would get down on his knees and look up into Matteus kind face, begging to give him pleasure. Matteus would smile and hold his giant hand on Livius head, guiding it towards his crotch. Livius would lick and kiss the ominous testicles, and the texture of its surface, steamed-up and soft from the immersion of water, would make Livius go crazy. He would hold them, the holy lifegiving orbs, and he would circle his tongue around the tip of the sheath, with all loose hide building a clumsy fort as it awaited the ascent of the shaft, that would slowly bulge out to be tasted by Livius. The taste he had waited for, for so long.. gently rubbing the muscular thighs as ...

Oh holy shit. I am fully erect, Livius thought. Ashamed of himself, he turned away from the minotaur, who was watching with curiousity. Turning around and walking towards his clothes, the mage discovered how insanely heavy they now were from all the waters they were drenched in, and he released yet another sigh.

Livius channeled torrents of magical energies, enwrapping the clothes, draining them from moist and wetness. It was a relatively complex spell for him, but practicing it was relieving both on his mind and his body. He was soon blessed with an absence of impractical erection aswell as the burdon of having saggy clothes. Soon enough, he wore all his clothes just as he had before he entered the bath house, and he turned and walked towards Matteus, circling the basin.

Matteus stood with bitter heart, lightly scraping a hoof against the hard floor, staring down. He wore his loincloth, once more.

"I am sorry you saw that.. I .. can't help it. You are incredibly attractive."

Matteus looked embarrased, yet strangely inquisitive.

"Forgive me for asking, Sir, but are you aware of such a thing as how.. minotaurs influence humans?"

"Ha ha, yes my dear Matteus, I know all about that. It wasn't the influence though, that made me aroused. It was you, and your body. I am not superficial but ... you look so incredible."

"All I meant is that maybe you.. felt what you did... due to .. "

"No. Trust me. Your influence is not that strong. The guardsmen are not too keen on jumping in bed with you, right? I was attracted to minotaurs long before I even met one, mind you."

"Jump into.. bed with me?". Matteus sported a very surprised look on his face, as he eyed Livius from top to toe.

"I wouldn't hesitate a second, if you'd want me to. But you don't and so I wouldn't do it. Don't worry. Given what you've lead me to believe regarding your opinions of me, you have no doubt already started forming worries that I might use magic to subdue you and then rape you - I will not. I will once more remind you that I want what's best for you and I want you to feel as free as you can with me, under the circumstances."

The air was no longer as misty, and cool winds from outside shathed Livius skin with its rough presence. Julius had returned and nodded discretely. Livius replied with a subtle nod.

"We should go back. Let's go, Matteus"

With the minotaur in tow, Livius and Julius made their way back to the house. Once the other soldiers understood the bath house was now available for them, they leapt out into the cold, running like children towards the establishment. Although Elias seemed more joyous, it was evident they had both longed for the chance to be immersed in warm water - without a minotaur to join them. Madness, thought Livius.

Upon entering the main entry hall, Livius sighed. He would have to arrange his damned room in order to fabricate reports, and he would have to do it thoroughly. Muttering about it somewhat produced an interested facial expression on Julius, and he felt unsure on what it meant. As Livius took his first steps on the stairway, Julius broke the silence.

"Would you mind awfully if I spoke with Matteus some, while you arrange your room?", he said.

Livius paused for a long time, completely baffled.

"Would you feel safe on your own with him?"

Julius chuckled and looked at Matteus from top to bottom, -"You wont harm me, will you? You're much too polite!". Matteus nodded in return but looked terribly chocked, not knowing what was expected from him. Julius was quick to translate it all to greek though, and Livius proceeded up, towards the room, in order to unpack and arrange all things magely in order to construct fake arcane science reports on his so called "findings".

It was harder than he thought to find order in the chaotic turmoil that was the contents of his bags and packages. Cursing loudly, he unravelled the more fiendishly disarranged trinkets of use and set up a working, albeit crude laboratory. After he had managed to get most instruments and papers in a somewhat fitting order, curiousity begged that he would listen in on the conversation that was bound to take place somewhere in the building. But there'd been a remarkable stretch of time since he parted ways with them. Over an hour, he estimated. By most standards not overly long, but consider it's Matteus...

As Livius walked towards the door, muffled voices broke through the planks and walls. Heavy hooves tested the foundation outside of his room. As he opened the door, he found himself face-to-face with a happy Julius and a normally morouse Matteus. If anything, at least his shoulders didn't seem as tense as when he left him.

"Thank you for letting me borrow him, Livius! He is very eloqent and polite. We spoke to great lengths about his culture and martial practices. I have a greater understanding of their perspective now. He is all yours."

He turned to walk, but reminded himself of something mid-step.

"Oh lords, how could I forget! The chains!", he exclaimed, and lead Matteus into the room. Livius went off to his desk to finish his paper arrangements while the gray soldier chained Matteus up as per usual. With a slight nod, he then departed - reminding Livius that dinner would take place in roughly three hours.

As the door shut into place, Livius walked up to lock it. He turned over to Matteus, who noticed he was observed and rose his head to meet eyes with the mage.

"I am sorry about that.. Julius, he ... it came as a shock to me aswell, his desire to speak with you privately. I hope it went well?"

Matteus had an indifferent look, as he usually did. The tone of his voice had slightly changed though; he sounded a bit more intrigued, more curious and attentive.

"It went fine. He doesn't speak greek as well as you do, but we managed to understand each other at least. We spoke mostly of differences in our cultures, regarding martial traditions and how we treat prisoners."

Livius nodded, and noticed that Matteus was unsure on how to continue. He made some stumbling attempts to begin speaking but fell short a couple of times. In the end though, he went on;

"I don't think I will ever understand your ways. It is so different, back home.. humans are so ... different there".

"Oh yes, they certainly are", Livius replied, and was met by a strange and twisted minotaur face. Matteus had wrenched his entire face into a contorted mess, which made Livius laugh out loud. - "It quite clearly shocks you to know I have experienced it, yes?"

Relaxing a bit, Matteus shook his heavy head and shoulders some and then looked a bit more composed at the human before him.

"You have mentioned you've been over in my lands, that you were... with someone there?"

"Yes. A minotaur lord, a mage. Lord Shade. He saved me from certain death and I stayed with him for ... quite some time. I thought it would last forever but.. sooner or later you've got to wake up".

As though the air supply itself had been strangled, silence fell upon the room. Outside the sunset coloured skies and clouds basked in dying light. It was a season that had little tolerance for luminance. Matteus understood that he couldn't pry too much, but Livius still seemed to await further questions.

"How were you treated?"

"Oh, it was divine there. He had... unconventional views on how to treat his slaves, I'll give him that. It's a discussion for another day. Hard to summarize. I can say, though, that I do not particularly care for the way most minotaurs treat their human slaves"

As if he'd touched a nerve, Matteus gave a slight cringe. It was obvious he didn't agree, but he said nothing. Livius looked intrigued.

"You disagree?", he asked with a pleased grin.

"Well.. hrrm.. It's just that ferals.. I am sorry, rogue humans.. or.. humans.. seem so violent and.. at a loss for purpose. Humans need guidance and protection from minotaurs. It's in your nature."

"I beg to differ. We have a fully functional society all of our own, and needn't be coddled by sweet and serene minotaur influence. While it is a viable way to lead your life, and one I would personally prefer, it is far from the only 'right way'. For myself, I only want that life because I have lead such a fulfilling and enriching life prior to the possibility of settling down. Humans are capable of taking care of themselves, and intoxicating tranquility is not a loving substitute for personal freedom and integrity, both of which are severely comprimised should the individual human not have a say in the matter. Minotaurs rarely treat humans as anything but children or pets, and it is degrading to an unnecessary level, which my time with Lord Shade proved to me. Not because he treated me that way, but because he showed me an alternative to it".

With his shoulders and head drooping low, Matteus looked almost cowering. He was standing upright, but lacking any semblance of confidence. He held a very submissive stance for a minotaur that big. At first he was reluctant to speak, but in time he did so nonetheless.

"I wont argue with you. I have seen what your military is capable of, and I have already lost everything I ever had to humans... evidently, you can handle yourselves without minotaurs. I guess I just don't like what you've done.. "

"It's a war. There are no winners in wars. Only losers. We all lose something.. or someone".

"... or everyone", sighed the minotaur.

"Everyone?"

In an instant, the horned head shivered and rose slightly from its crooked position. Tilting his head upwards to face Livius, his burning, black irises met the mage's. For the first time ever, Livius saw pure hatred in Matteus' eyes. As if the whole room was filled with a stout, thick gas, a sensation of pressure and warmth clasped around the human. The influence through scent, thought Livius. Something had made Matteus terribly upset, and his body was fuming with testosterone and musk. His rounded nostrils flaring and snorting, exhaling a near transparent mist in copious amounts, he bore clenched teeth, visible under his slowly retracting lips. He towered above Livius, who now felt a slight hint of fear in the presence of the bovine captive. With muscles tensing profusely, Matteus seemed a stalwart foe. As it were, he was not keen on attacking, that much was still clear. After amassing enough willpower, he eventually made a somewhat disheartened effort to calm down.

"Everyone... My brother... and my father. They are both dead, due to humans and your detestable war machine..."

"Matteus.. please calm down.. I didn't kill them. I wouldn't want to. I am not your enemy, so please settle down. You're scaring me."

Giant hooves clopped impatiently as the minotaur was wagging back and forth, accompanied by sounds of chains and his bitter snorting. After a while, he felt much calmer, and moved less erratically, save his eyes which were in constant vigil; searching Livius face and body vividly. Soon enough, he hung his head, horns in tow.

"It's not you that I am angry with. I was just .. upset."

"No worries. I understand you. I would be mad too. I myself haven't really lost any .. traditional family members in this war. I was born and raised as a mage serving the empire. I know only martial life and warfare. It is a grim life, one with a different reality to the life you've no doubt lived. I recall you mentioned being a farmer. Your brother and father.. they were killed by humans? I am so sorry.. I am not responsible for their death, but ... I cannot help but admit I am partly to blame for the tools that made us win the battle at Xarsen. It haunts me, and will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life, I believe. It turned out to be utter slaughter, and I would have no part in it, could I have known.. I have caused much suffering. Indirectly perhaps, but I am still responsible."

After a few moments of silence, Livius raised his left arm very slowly, and moved his open palm closer to Matteus. Flickering his eyes between the hand and Livius face, Matteus felt uneasy. He shuddered a bit and tried to shy away from the touch, but stood still despite the obvious hesitation. Livius placed his hand on Matteus' warm shoulder. He began to rub it gently, tending a large area stretching down to Matteus chest. The scent from the huge, muscular bovine was pleasant to say the least, and it felt as though the minotaur actually did relax as time went by. However, Matteus still bore a slightly troubled, even suspicious look on his face.

"I am sorry for your loss, Matteus".

Livius sighed and returned to the seat by his study. He began sorting some papers and some of them fell on the ground with a loud dissonant sound. Livius glanced the scattered papers, they had travelled all over the room, many of them even lay near Matteus now.

"Never mind those, just shove them aside. I will pick them up later."

Livius was mute for a moment, frozen in a motion. Originally, he intended to pick up the papers, but suddenly he felt no compulsion to do so. Instead, he sat down on the chair. Matteus sat down aswell, on the ground. With his hands, he began to uninspiringly push some papers away from his immediate vicinity. He spoke monotonously as he did so.

"My brother died in a battle against humans. Before Xarsen. He was the soldier, not me. Keen on going to war, to prove himself. He was so strong.. but he never returned. Took some weeks before we learned of his death. My father.. he couldn't handle the news. He was out one day to gather firewood, up by the cliffs near our home. I found his body by the streams, he had fallen. Maybe he was distracted, wasn't paying attention.. something must have made him fall". Matteus went mute for a while, just staring at his hands as he clenched and turned them, looking at them from different angles. He sighed heavily, after a while. "And now he's gone too. I was left alone in that house... I couldn't take it. All I had was a lust for revenge. I wasn't a soldier, but I managed to lie and sneak my way to Xarsen, to the Ourobouros. I needed to fight, and they needed willing soldiers. It wasn't hard to convince them to let me fight. In the end, I killed noone, and I was captured by our enemy. Humans. Your army. I was tortured, and I was terrified; crying like a child. What a hero I turned out to be. I sought to avenge my family, but instead I shamed them, and I shamed my clan. I have failed everyone that ever meant anything to me. I am nothing."

Livius looked sincerely at the heartbroken minotaur. Feelings of compassion swarmed him, but he was unsure on how to convey them without imposing too much. "You are not 'nothing'. Hell, you ventured off into battle in spite of lacking military training. That's devotion! That's.. passion. It's madness, too, but hey; I understand why you did it. I would have too. We're all prepared to do a lot in love and in war.. you've been through a lot, and you've seen it through".

"From what I gather, you've done quite a bit yourself...", Matteus said between his teeth; his tone of voice a mix between anger and hesitation.

"How do you mean?"

"Well.. You said yourself that you are responsible for the outcome at Xarsen.."

A sting of guilt hit Livius. "Not fully responsible, of course. Like I said, I am partially to blame for the magic used in those... bullets". Livius got up from his chair and walked towards the window. He stood there for a while, overlooking the forests in the distance. "We did a lot of research back in those days. Designing new weapons aswell as developing magic to go with them. Deadly combination indeed. The minotaurs at Xarsen were chanceless. So few were even in shape to be carried to the infirmary, and I saw the consequences of my work firsthand. I am so glad you survived, Matteus", said Livius, turning to the surprised minotaur. He was still sitting down, with his characteristic hunching, a clear indication of low self esteem. His eyes were big, unlike before, so Livius assumed it meant he was listening intensily. "When I worked for the Empire in the past, prior to my capture, I would have handled the sights that met me on the field. These days though, I can not handle it. I don't know if I have grown softer, or if I have grown stronger. I would like to think the latter. That I am so strong these days that I dare open my eyes and heart; to feel. To care, rather than shut down my emotions. We need to find creative solutions instead of incessantly waging wars. I am not sure why these wars perpetuate themselves, or which faction is behind it all... if any... but the war needs to stop. Too many victims, on both sides".

The room fell in silence, with Livius staring at the scenery outside, and Matteus just sitting still, staring at the floor. For what seemed like an eternity, neither of them spoke a single word. Matteus soon decided to lay down and rest, and Livius sat down once more, to write reports. Gnawing at the back of his mind, the demands placed on him to report to the council, the magi that needed his updates on a project nonexistant. Angst had gotten hold of him, its prying claws sinking deep into his body. Am I mad to do all this? What am I going to do? Just run off and start a life anew in minotaur lands, with a prisoner who hates me? How ludicrous is this? Perhaps I am doing all this because I feel homesick, or maybe not even homesick but rather... longing for the exotic life I was denied. Maybe I really am under minotaur influence? Sniffing the air, Livius decided that the alluring scent was sweet, not overpowering. His desires to be close to Matteus were present, but hardly enthralling him. How sweet he did look though, as he was lying there on the floor. Huge, strong and yet so unfathomably delicate somehow.

After finishing some reports with false data that seemed fairly credible and believably accurate, Livius tried to muster the discipline to pick up the papers he had dropped before, but found himself unwilling to do it. He got up from his chair, and was just about to approach the mess on the floor, when the door knocked. "Come in", said Livius. Julius entered the room and had a friendly expression on his face, as he usually did.

"Food is prepared. Sorry about the late hour"

Livius had to look out the window once more, and it was indeed pitch black outside. "Oh heavens, didn't notice how dark it had gotten".

"Time moves fast during autumn season", said Julius and motioned the two guards into the room. Matteus was beginning to wake up, and he composed himself as the guards freed him from the chains. Once they were done, he already stood up, ready to depart.

The dinner was rather light, and only the guards seemed eager to speak. Livius and Matteus both showed a lack of interest in participating in any conversation, and the only conversations that took place were in regards to the luxury of having a working bath house, aswell as the occational crude sex joke delivered by Elias. Dinner was followed by the routine processes of walking to Livius room, and chaining Matteus to the wall. Livius sighed once the guards had left the room, and once more walked up to the window. Leaning against the window frame and looking out into the chill night, Livius felt some hope that Matteus would be open to a more heartfelt talk. "Did you enjoy the food?", Livius casually asked.

"Mmmm...", mumbled the minotaur. The sound of rustling papers suddenly became evident to Livius, who did his best to shun it. "Who is Philon?".

The rustling sound continued, but Livius was frozen stiff. How on Earth could he know that name? I haven't mentioned... Suddenly Livius realized what Matteus had found. He turned towards him and found the minotaur sitting on a pile of pillows, reading a very familiar piece of paper that must have fallen onto the ground earlier during the day. Matteus seemed very curious, but quickly looked at Livius once he realized the human was facing him.

"That.. he.. Philon is Lord Shade. My Lord Shade."

"What is this, then? It's.. a poem?"

"That it is", said Livius and approached the minotaur with haste, nimbly and quite forcefully snatching the paper from insecure minotaur hands. "I did not give you permission to read that", he stated in a slightly aggrevated tone.

"I .. I beg your forgiveness, Sir. I did not know".

Livius cooled down quickly, reminding himself that this was not a crisis. "Of course I forgive you. You did not know. I never disallowed you reading my papers, and I didn't expect you to find my poem. It's the only paper in greek that I keep. It must have fallen to the ground along with the other papers, earlier today."

Matteus suddenly gave Livius an odd expression, and for some reason appeared almost inquisitive, but he seemed to hold his tongue. "Is something the matter?"

The minotaur's head sank a bit, eyes still fixed on Livius. Maybe it was the angle, but it seemed as if Matteus was angry about something. "I don't know, Sir. I am glad you're not mad at me for reading your poem. I would think it's normally the sort of thing a master would deny his slave. I honestly do not know why I decided to read it, but the words were of a familiar language, so I guess I must have thought it might be for my eyes. I was curious as to why a paper with greek words landed in front of me before.. but.. I don't know, Sir.. I just can't shake the feeling that all of this was somehow ... deliberate".

"Deliberate?", Livius asked with a confused look. What is he talking about? - "Speak plainly if you please. I would hear this".

"Well.. it's just.. you have gone great lengths to make me feel comfortable. At first I felt sure it was a cunning interrogation tactic, but your sincerity struck me as honest when you said you acted out of empathy". He inhaled deeply, hesitated for a moment, then looked Livius deep in the eyes. "But this? It's just too much. A poem? To a mage lord? Such a thing is unheard of. I don't wish to accuse you of anything, but I get the feeling that maybe.. this poem was written to make me feel confident that you like minotaurs.. that you wrote this to make me feel even safer with you".

"You believe my love for Philon.. Lord Shade.. is a lie? That it never happened? That I constructed a false persona and feigned love towards that persona.. just to convince you I am to be trusted?!"

Maybe it was due to the blatantly obvious rage in the mage's eyes, but Matteus fell silent and began looking all over the room, desperate to evade the piercing eyes of the human. Suddenly the minotaur felt ashamed, and did all he could to show it with his body language. With genuine distress, he placed his hands on the ground and knelt down as much as he could. "I am sorry, I didn't .."

Matteus was cut off by the mage, who went past him and out of the room, slamming the door.

Striding down the stairs and brushing past Adrian without a moments notice, Livius entered the night. As he got outside, he was instantly gripped by talons of biting cold, despite his robes, which seemingly didn't help much with preserving warmth. Livius felt as though he was about to burst with rage. The nerve of that insipid minotaur! He had a hard time focusing. The cold winds brought sounds of battling leaves, and in the distance; vague howls from wolves. Livius began to pace back and forth, paving a small path with his trampling feet. How callous, disrespectful and rude! How dare he accuse me in such a manner? Livius thought hard about Matteus, the poem, and the conversation that had followed. It wasn't strange that Livius had reacted like he did, in his mind he knew this: but perhaps the initial reaction now had to be tempered with reason and logic. It was crucial to not conjure a set image of emotional ambivalence in the minotaur's mind, or else he would never feel safe. He would have to explain his feeling and his behaviour to Matteus.

Sounds of snapping twigs and distant panting stirred Livius' attention. What was that? He looked around, searching for signs of life in the dark. He found serenity. Tranquility. The night was a picture of depth and beauty. Showering in the blue hues of midnight skies were the treetops, kissing the luminance of the moon. And in the distance, posing gently as bulging scalps of giants; the far away hills championed the nearby forests with their nightscape adornments. No sounds could be heard, save the occational gust of wind and the slightly unnerving noise of Livius' leather encased feet grinding against the cold soil. The sounds came from the forest.. I know I heard something.. unless I have gone mad.

He stared into the forest closing in on the house. Black walls of nothingness crept as shy assassins between the looming presence of the stout trees. In the dark, the form of these trees stood out as mysterious generals, parading with their not-so-distant troopers, gallantly swaying in the wind in the form of shadow-stained bushes and plants. In the midst of the nighttime flora, a burning pair of eyes emerged. Livius stared into them, hypnotized by their ominous glow. As if they were the only thing in the world that existed, perceived reality crawled slimmer; trees and plants around the yellow eyes seemed to transform into a savage's maw, slowly shutting their lethal set of teeth around their victim. White dots erupted at the edges of his field of vision, like a myriad of peepholes from distant gods, peering into his brain. Heartbeats resounded in his eardrums, until they reminded him of the horrible gunfire at Xarsen, effectively muting out the vibrant panting his accelerated breathing mustered forth from his cold lips.

Yellow. Burning. Eyes. They were searching him, undressing him. Commanding his limp body to be apathic. Livius tried to cry out, but found his tongue weighed a ton. This isn't magic.. why can't I scream? What is this fiend, and why do I recognize... the dream! It is the wolf from my dream!

Yellow, burning eyes. And just like that, they were gone.

Livius felt dislocated from the world around him. He was a flat note in the symphony of the night, and as if he was now a statue gone self aware, any thoughts on movements felt unnatural and even frightening to him. He had seen the form disappear into the forest whence it came, but a thought struck Livius: What if that wasn't a wolf? Could it have been... a wolven? Livius had never seen such creatures, only heard of them. It felt unlikely that they would inhabit these lands, and once he had managed to collect his thoughts, he considered that the height of the creature in question was radically different from what he had heard about wolven. Of course he had seen a wolf. But why did it get to me so much? Something about that wolf felt.. unusual. Powerful. Familiar?

Livius set aside all of those irrational notions and looked about. Still a bit on the unbalanced side, his motions were obtused by the afterbirth of shock. At least the night was still, once more. It struck him that the night was still all along, it was just in his mind that a brief chaos reigned, and he had let it do such. Weakness. Not good. I must not let this happen again. I have seen wolves before, how come I allowed the sight of a mere stray affect like that? I must be suffering from sleep deprivation.

Livius backed up against the wall of the house, and sank down on the ground. His thoughts raged, and he had a hard time subsiding them all. The cold made it hard to think clearly, so he decided to release and form heat around himself magically. Once he had established the spell, it was easy to maintain it, and his mind started to wander. At first, his thought were relatively coherent; but as time went by, his thoughts became a vague lullaby, sinking him deeper and deeper into a profoundly deep sleep.

It wasn't until hours later that he woke up. He thought he had heard a strange sound, but it may just aswell have been a dream. With stiff legs, he got up. It was severely cold now, as the spell was no longer sustained.

Perhaps the sensations of cold had been magnified by the recent and highly unexpected confrontation, and once Livius felt sure that the wolf he had seen before was long gone, he could safely assume that it was unlikely to return. Livius went into the house.

Standing in the main hall, right before the stairs, Livius shook off the cold from outside. It was considerably warmer inside. Julius came from the dining room and chuckled once he saw the mage. "A bit cold out there, eh?"

"Certainly is. The season is changing, we'll soon have snow upon us aswell."

"Indeed a possibility."

"Where are the others?"

With a look of uncertainty, Julius changed stances somewhat unfomfortably. "We had a few drinks, Sir. I hope you don't mind. We find some liquors in the storage room and felt that we .. could.."

"No worries, friend."

"Well, it's just that.. Elias had a few too many I think. Adrian is like a bottomless pit when it comes to alcohol, he can drink without even getting affected as it seems. He is currently patrolling the area since he heard strange sounds. He said he suspected wolves". Livius grinned somewhat at that statement. ".. as for Elias, he had to prove himself to Adrian. Kept drinking more and more. He is really quite drunk now, and he started to ask me about greek words".

"Greek words? I didn't realize he was interested in that?"

"Nor did I .. he asked for strange words too".

"Strange, how?"

"Quite... belligerent words."

"With what inten....", Livius abruptly disrupted himself when a thought occured.

"I am quite sure he's only..", spoke Julius as Livius ran up the stairs. The words ebbed out as he got further up the stairs. He paused deliberatly once he reached the second floor, and approached his room with silent feet. He picked up Elias drunken speech inside the room, where Matteus was. It was difficult to make out the words being spoken in there, but there was a sound; like deep and uncomfortable snorting, and it had to have come from Matteus.

Rushing swiftly towards the room, various words could be deciphered, although without a context. ".. I will remove them" was violently uttered in lousy greek, right before Livius went around the doorway and entered the room. The sight came as a shock; Matteus seemed to exhaustively hang loose in the air, his arms extended like slightly crooked arrows towards the sky. Leaning forward, with his head hanging low, the ceiling fought hard to withstand the pressure of all that minotaur weight. His legs were more or less entirely laid out on the floor behind him, with his hooves only partially upholding some of his body to counter the weight that challenged the roof. Livius realized that the chains must have been shortened for this purpose, and new grips had been inserted directly over Matteus head in order to keep him upright this way. Someone had been busy.

That someone seemed to be Elias, who disparately parried the ground with his unstable feet, seemingly fighting hard to even stand. He seemed drunk out of his mind. In his right hand, a bloodied cane. His left hand was concealed by his wobbling frame, but it was evident he held something against the minotaur's crotch. Matteus hadn't noticed Livius appear in the room, and he sobbingly inhaled small pockets of air, in a sloppy attempt to avoid drool from dripping to the floor. "Please.. don't ... cut them off", was his muffled plea. Livius was too baffled to understand at first, but stepping slightly to the side once his suspicions arose, he quickly spotted something shimmering beneath Matteus' loincloth. It was a knife.

There was something about Matteus voice that puzzled Livius. While it was clearly filled with horror, there was also an unhealthy air of receding emotion about it; as if Matteus had settled in on his fate. Something in the minotaur's eyes spoke of hopelessness, bordering on a desire to just end it all. As if he'd seen his own death play out before him, he had gone apathic. There were no prospects of joy, no pursuits of dreams, nothing at all. How long has this been going on?, Livius wondered. The dry blood on the cane spoke its clear language; this had indeed been going on for a while, and Matteus exhaustion and desperation had drained him of everything. It was as if he was already dead. He just didn't have the energy to dread a future more vile than his present.

Rage fueled the magical energies filling the space arounds Livius, and though normally great focus would be required, control was now attained by passion rather than stillness, as great forces streamed up into the center of Livius body. Empowering the flow with subtle commands, he managed to sustain his magic long enough to release them into a gargantuan ball of arcane winds, dancing its vibrant form between the eager hands of the mage. As he flung his arms towards Elias, he bellowed a lion's roar. A great frosted tidalwave of air catapulted from the restrained ball of explosive energy that had been summoned, and hit Elias from behind, slamming him against the wall with merciless force. It was impossible to tell whether the loud crack that attenuated in the room came from Elias newly thrashed body, or if it came from the wall, who instantly received a great crack running from top to bottom due to the heavy impact. For a moment, Livius worried that he had caused irreparable injuries to the young, drunken soldier. His body lay as an immovable heap on the ground, moaning loudly. Eventually though, he rose and got up on his feet, albeit with great pain. Nothing seemed broken though.

With something akin to a berserker's rage, Livius ran up to the stunned soldier and grabbed him by the throat, pushing him up against the wall he recently flew into. "Don't you dare touch my property again, you worthless runt!", screamed Livius with rabid fury.

"Just wanted to show who's boss. I'm...", began Elias. He was silenced by Livius tightening grip. He was then promptly led out of the room, and Livius sent him crashing down on the floor with a brutal kick to his back. As Elias turned around to face Livius, he saw only the door, slamming shut. As he slowly made his way downstairs, he could hear the key turning, locking him out from the room.

Panting for a few brief seconds, livius was shaking with rage as he stared at the door.

"Property...", whispered Matteus from behind him, in a pained voice. He said it in greek, so it had to be a word he had picked up in latin. Livius teared up, and immediately ran up to the minotaur, who still hung more or less lifelessly in chains that polluted the soundscape with their metallic, unforgiving ringing and clanking. Livius lifted the bovine head with both hands and looked into his wet eyes.

"You are noones property."

As Matteus struggled to stand up on his hooves, Livius examined his body. There were plenty of bruises and lash marks on his hide. Some blood, but nothing serious. It looked painful though. "Oh, poor you. Look at what he did..", Livius exclaimed with a worried voice. "Did he.." began Livius, carefully interrupting himself to look at Matteus who just seemed confused. Approaching the minotaur, Livius looked reassuringly at Matteus. "I am just going to make sure he didn't .. cut you", he said while gently sliding his hands under the loincloth. His hands met the smooth skin of Matteus' sac, and there were no signs of any cut. Livius couldn't help but lovingly stroke the heavy balls before retracting his hands. "It seems fine".

"He said he would cut them off.. He said he would eat my body like he eats the meat from oxes. He said so many things.."

"It will never happen... and if he says any more words to you, or lays his hands on you again, I will feed him his own intestines."

"Would you eat me if I died?"

Livius was dumbstruck by the question, but Matteus had such a serious look in his eyes. It was heartwrenching to bear witness to his notions about human nature. "I would never in my life do such a vile thing. I don't eat meat at all, to begin with, and if you died.. no. I would give you a burial worthy of a king. But let's not talk about this, you're not going to die Matteus. Not here, at least."

"How come you act so differently..."

"What?"

"There seems to be genuine good in you... why? The others can't seem to wait for new opportunities to torture me, and you don't ... why? Humans.. aren't like you. You've been moulded in the same form as the others, it's against your nature to act like you do. Is it because you spent time with minotaurs? Is that the reason? Are humans without minotaurs insane? Was I correct all along?"

"Nature does not dictate the framework of social upbringing and values we hold. It merely shows the colors available for the painting. Some cultures endorse certain values that other cultures dismiss. And even with all that, you still have individual parameters to take into account. Elias will never harm you again. He is a sadistic sack of shit, but not all are like him. For example, you've also met Julius. He is a gentle person, as you know; and he's spent no considerable time with minotaurs. Yet he would never hurt you."

Matteus did not reply at first. He just hung his head, speechless. "I am tired of not knowing whom to trust", he suddenly said.

"What can I do to make you trust me?"

Matteus was silent. He just kept on hanging his head. From the outside, the winds were howling. All was quiet, and slow, trickling trails of thick blood ran down Matteus leg. Livius felt exhausted. So tired. Woozy and light headed, he even had a hard time keeping his eyelids open. Suddenly he heard Matteus let out a loud, short chuckle. He saw him elevate his head to look at Livius. With sarcasm dripping like poisoned honey, he said "Unchain me. Permanently."

Livius lingered a few seconds on the prospect, then simply shook his shoulders. "As you wish", he said with a calm voice.

Matteus smiled absently, but his smile dissipated when he realised that Livius went to collect the keys at his desk. "What are you doing?", rumbled his perplexed voice.

Livius went up to the minotaur and unlocked his chains, smiling as he did so. "I am surprised you've already forgotten", was the sarcastic reply he offered. Livius reached around the minotaur, helping him sit down on the ground. He was heavy as hell, but luckily still able to support himself quite well despite his inevitable fatigue from the horrible torture. Matteus gaped widely as he beheld Livius kicking the chains away with his feet once they had landed. He managed to get the chains piled up in the corner of the room, and then promptly returned to sit down in front of Matteus, who still appeared to have been struck by lightning. Livius took Matteus by his hands, and looked deep into his eyes. "No more chains for you. Ever again".

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you asked me."

Matteus looked surprised, but also dubious. "Is it your intention to use magic to subdue me then, instead of chains?"

"No."

Matteus sighed a deep frown, as if he'd given up on trying to understand the human in front of him. Suddenly a look of guilt befell him, and it correlated with pulling his hands back, releasing himself from Livius gentle hold. At first, this made Livius feel quite sad, but it was obvious that Matteus felt bad about something and wanted to adress it.

"I am sorry about .. the accusation. I believe your story about Lord Shade. I behaved so poorly, and I felt I deserved the punishment." Matteus looked at Livius, and awaited a reply.

"The punishment? You don't seriously think I was behind the torture?"

"No", said the minotaur, sincerely. "I realize you were not behind this... treatment. I was sitting alone in here, feeling ashamed I caused you such distress with my stupid and reckless words. After a while, that young human came in. He seemed to be very drunk. At first I thought he was sent in here to put me in place, but he soon revealed his own intentions. I understood it was on his own behalf, and that you were unaware of it. I don't think he meant to take it this far though. I believe he just wanted to scare me. But as it got worse and worse, I somehow felt i deserved it."

"No! No, no no!", cried Livius and grasped his hands around Matteus head. "You stubborn minotaur! You do not deserve pain, you will never receive pain by me, and you are not worth less than anyone else here, me included. Your chains are gone now, all that remains are the chains you've given yourself in your mind." Livius watched the minotaur, who blinked a few times. "Not so easy to lose them, perhaps. Still - I am not mad at you, nor would I ever want you hurt. I can only beg your forgiveness that I was not here in time to protect you sooner."

"You.. beg forgiveness? I see. You believe your position as a master has been compromised because you were unable to defend your slave? You.. couldn't know he was coming. I don't think you owe me any apologies".

"You are not my slave. I am not your master. I hope I will one day be your liberator, but I hardly give myself too much credit for even that, considering the things I have done in my past". Livius sighed deeply. "I beg your forgiveness, Matteus."

Matteus did not know what to say, and the couple were silent for a while. Livius eventually rose and walked towards the door.

"I.. ", Matteus began. Livius halted immediately and turned to look at him. "I accept your apology. Do you accept mine?"

Livius brightened up considerably. "I certainly do, and I am glad you accept mine. I will get you some water", he said, leaving the room. It didn't take long before he returned with a large canister of water, and a sizeable glass to go. He poured water into the glass and gave it to Matteus, who gladly took it and drank it down. The taste was sweet indeed. Matteus then beheld the human as he moved his arms in strange patterns, standing right in front of the closed door. He appeared to be focusing on whatever he was doing. Matteus had soon drunk all the water from the canister, but Livius was still busy with his spellcasting. Once he was done, he sat down in front of Matteus again.

"I am going to explain to you what I have done now, and the options that lay before you..."

Matteus was made attentive by the presence in Livius' voice. He was seemingly dead serious now.

"I have cast a spell. A magical ward. It is active only in this room. Noone on the outside is able to hear what we do in here, and nobody from the outside can enter, by any means. You and I, however, are both capable of leaving the room at will. This has a few implications, as you no doubt understand."

Matteus tilted his head slightly. "No.. I am not sure I do?", he said.

"I am going to bed, Matteus, to sleep. I am very tired. In fact, I can barely stand. No doubt you are tired too. However, you are unchained now. You are free to act on your own behalf. If you want to, you can simply walk out that door."

Matteus looked at the door, then turned back to look at Livius, with a highly concerned look on his face.

"In fact.. once I am asleep, you should have no trouble killing me, should you want that."

Matteus opened his muzzle wide, and was frozen in stunned disbelief.

"I have no magic to protect myself with. You are free to do as you please. You can kill me, or let me live. You can stay, or you can run for it. Who knows? Perhaps you'll even make it. In case you decide to flee, all my hopes and prayers will go with you." Livius stayed his tongue for a while, and momentarily his face showed a hint of hopefullness. "Or.. you can stay the night. Sleep in this room with me, and wake up at my side. Maybe not literally, but rather; as an ally. If you stay until morning, I promise to protect you and help you flee." Livius paused a bit, then continued. "In fact..", he began, looking less self secure, "..if you will have me, I might even come with you.. as your slave of course."

"Slave??", the minotaur exclaimed. It seemed he was about to burst with confusion.

"Certainly."

"You would humiliate yourself in such a manner just to flee the consequences of being a traitor to the empire?"

Livius let out a heartfelt chuckle, and shook his head. "Humiliate myself? On the contrary, my dear Matteus. It would be immensily wonderful to serve as your willing slave. In fact, emotionally, I can no longer afford to believe in a future where I do not own the privilege of calling you my master."

Matteus eyes were now larger than plates, and his eyes danced wildly about, unsure on where to place their focus. Shocked at his own statement, Livius sank a bit and harkled discretely. He suddenly blushed profusely, as he hadn't expected to talk so openly about his feelings with Matteus. "Well.. ehmm.. anyway, I should.. get to sleep. I ... I hope to see you in the morning. If there's anything... well.. you know where to find me".

And with that, Livius went up to his bed and dove right into it. In just a matter of seconds, he felt as if gentle streams of warm water filled his body, and a blanket of dark comforted his mind. He was so terribly keen on sleeping. Unconsciousness gently soothed him into a dreamscape almost in an instant. He dreamt he was lying beneath a tree, with Matteus next to him. In the distance, a trickling river roared like thunder as he beheld the familiar minotaur at his side. Matteus was smiling.

---

Matteus sat on the floor, chains no longer shafing his wrists. He was in a state of emotional chaos. The human had told him strange things indeed, and it was puzzling to be the target of so many different feelings and goals. The young human from before reeked of alcohol, and his disgusting mouth had whispered horrible things into Matteus ears. The stench from his breath was almost unbearable. He was stronger than he looked too, which Matteus had learned from the angry whipping that had been dealt out. Matteus' skin was still sore, and a pulsating ache was constantly reminding him of the night. If that human mage hadn't entered in time, he would have castrated me, he thought to himself, slowly feeling his balls to make sure they were still intact. But he did enter, and he did chase away that whelp... and all of the things he said to me... are they true?

Matteus slowly got up on his hooves. He felt unstable at best; very tired and not motivated to do much at all. He glanced the chains on the floor. They lay as defeated soldiers in the corner of the room, and the moonlight made them look even more metallic than he had thought them be when he wore them. Trying his best to sneak across the room, he managed to reach the window without waking up the human. As Matteus glanced at him though, it was clear that it would take a small miracle to rouse him from his sleep. He had even begun to snore as he lay there, more or less melting into the satin.

Matteus looked out the window and wondered how far away from home he really was. Strictly speaking, he was in minotaur lands, although technically they were close to the border where legions of humans would await. Savages. They slaughtered my brother, and they would jump at the chance to slaughter me. Except for ... this one. Matteus approached the sleeping human. He seemed more or less comatose in the bed. What a strange little man he is. I wonder ... is he protected by magic? He has to be. It would be madness if he wasn't, since he probably can do such things. Why would he leave himself open like this, knowing I can kill him? Is that what he ... wishes? No.. he said he wanted me here if he wakes up.

With trembling hands, Matteus braved himself to touch the human. He prodded his shoulder quickly, expecting bolts of lightning to erupt vividly from the human in question. Nothing happened. Matteus pushed once more, this time a little bit harder. He was surprised at how incredibly light the human was. He was lying on his side at first, but only by pushing lightly with his finger, he was now on his back. His body had flipped over entirely. How can he be so frail, and yet so extremely powerful? Without his magic, he is nothing. Matteus sniffed the human mage all over his face, but stopped instantly when he heard a strange sound. It was from the human. After a few seconds of deduction, Matteus realized the human had been giggling at the sniffing. He was still asleep even though the minotaur had managed to suck strands of the human's hair into his nostrils while inspecting. Peculiar scents indeed on this one. Livius face was now covered in thin beads of snot from the explorative nose. Matteus felt guilty, and tried his best to gently pad it away with his hand.

Suddenly the human kissed his hand. Matteus froze. He heard a content sigh from the human, who had now taken the hand into his own and nuzzled against it with his face. Matteus observed Livius, who's smile perplexed the minotaur; he was seemingly ecstatic in his sleep. I wonder what he is dreaming about? Does he have a wife maybe? Some woman who ..

"Matteus..", fled the human lips. Like a dreamers hopeful song, the name was pronounced with such warmth, such passion, that it made the minotaur gasp. Is he dreaming about.. me? It can't be. I am a minotaur, and .. I remember what he told me, but surely he couldn't .. with me. He must have said those things to make me happy, surely. I am hardly a good looking minotaur. And to a human... what beast I must seem to him.

He pulled his hand out of Livius grasp. For a moment he stood there, in stillness, watching over him. He looked at the door, knowing that it was very late. Likely, he could make a run for it, and leave this... human. But what happens when he gets up? Maybe then he will regret his actions. Very likely he will turn desperate, realizing he let me go so easily. Maybe they'll chase me. I bet the mage can track me with his spells. If he's alive..

Matteus pondered many things. He eventually leaned forward, grabbing the human by the throat. No spells stopped him, nothing stopped him from ... tightening the grip. The human's throat was now compressed, and it made strange sounds. Just a little harder pressure now, and he would be dead.

Matteus looked once more at the door, then he looked back at the human.

Decisions, decisions....

-Part 2- -Chapter 4- -Domus recedentia absentis pridem-

All that could be seen was a big "something" fluttering above him. It looked like still reflections from the moon upon watery layers, seen from below. The surface world was gone, and had been replaced by the blackness found beneath the ocean. Livius knew, in his mind, he had fallen asleep. An odd pressure formed around his throat. It felt strangely physical. Like an embryo cowering from his own birth, Livius now pressed against the conscious, and he was unwilling at first to slip into the unknown. It had to happen eventually though, but he felt so worried.. would this be his last night? Would he wake up and look into Matteus' eyes, or would he ...

Livius lost all ability to think, and sank down into a comatose sleep. He dreamt of the past. A past he knew all too well...

I remember everything like yesterday.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you have everything you need?", Skender shouted in the midst of the rainstorm. All the bags had been packed and Livius glanced the carriage so as to confirm he did indeed feel convinced he hadn't forgotten something. The men were still carrying things on top of it, and some had settled in already. Weapons everywhere. Livius felt eager to join them and hop into the fray. Finally some damn action.

"I only need my magic. Don't worry so much."

"It will be pretty damned dangerous, Livius. We wont be able to communicate over this distance!"

"It's all right. It's just recon. We will return swiftly, hopefully covered in minotaur blood, haha!"

"You're insane. Most recon troops don't want to be found."

"We probably wont be", Livius said with a frown and wrapped his coat around him. His face was freezing in this cold. It felt as though hard nails slit his skin open. "I only wish we had been given more resources by the damn council. Those pencil pushing bastards never allow themselves to risk more in order to gain more."

"You know it's a military cloak and dagger operation. The circle of magi rarely send mages along with spies. I never understood what you hope to attain with this mission. Going into minotaur lands as a recon .. mage? Are you mad? The circle council was right to deny you more resources."

"By more resources I hope you mean more mages. I had hoped you would join me"

"Livius, you're like a brother to me; but .. like an annoying, brazen and rather stupid brother who always gets into trouble. I would rather boil myself in oil than go with you!"

"You will miss me", said Livius with a sarcastic grin.

"Nothing good can come off this. What do you hope to achieve?"

"New information on their formations, movements... just about anything. With me on board, the recon team can go further into the minotaur lands. I will use my magic to obscure our presence."

"Well, good luck to you! I will make sure to read your favourite poems on your funeral."

"You mean poems I wrote? I haven't written my best poems yet. I plan to write a love poem about you one day.", Livius said with a smug grin on his face.

"Oh yeah? I thought you said you'd never write a love poem in your life."

"Well, maybe you'll be the one that makes me do it. You are kind of cute, perhaps my heart will eventually melt for you?"

Skender laughed intensily while Livius swung aboard the carriage, donning a self confident smile. His friend looked angry with him, but also genuinely worried. As they departed into the strange lands, Livius thought about the furious council, who had thought him mad to go. They wanted to send a younger, less valueable adept. Livius had persuaded them that it would be pointless to send an inexperienced mage for such an important task. His confidence was unlimited.

And so they rode into the night, across the borders, into an unknown future.

Several weeks had passed, and finally the scouts reported a perfect spot on a cliffside. It would be an ideal camp. As the tents were raised around the uneven rocks and hard soil, and boxes were unloaded all over the place, Livius approached the senior scout. He stood like an imposing scare crow; viewing the wide plains beneath.

"No minotaur sightings yet. Are you certain we are not too far away?", Livius asked.

The man looked weatherbitten and stern. His eyes never left the horizon. "I think we are being followed. The other scouts disagree with me, but they haven't seen the type of minotaurs I have. Some of them are subtle on top of being ferocious. The most dangerous type."

Livius felt a chill all over his spine, and he glanced the chasm below. The cliff was steep indeed, and in the darkness, it was easy to imagine phantom shadows sneaking across the rocks. A fall from this height would surely spell his doom.

With his eyes, the scout searched Livius thoroughly from top to bottom. "Sorry for imposing, Sir, but do you really think it's wise to carry your robes in these lands?"

Livius didn't understand at first. He looked at his clothes; it was his traditional robes, signifying his arcane proficiency. Blue, fine silk with detailed adornments. "Why wouldn't I wear these?"

The scout spat into the chasm before grimly continuing; "Those robes might be your undoing. And I am not talking about death, either. If minotaurs fall upon us and we are unable to fend ourselves, they will want survivors to interrogate. The fancier clothed, the better. If a minotaur gets his hold on you; it's all over. Do you know how they treat humans?"

Livius shook his head. He had certainly heard tall tales, but nothing that would remotely pass for real information.

"They make you their slave. They rape you, beat you and torture you at their leisure. Savage monsters, they are. Malnutrition, agony and despair; that's all they offer. Should you ever get the chance to kill yourself before they get a hold of you - take it."

"I am not sure that .. "

"Do you know greek?", the scout interrupted, his face emotionless in the coolness of the night.

"Why, yes. I do."

"That means you're easier to interrogate."

With big eyes, Livius withdrew. Returning to his newly arranged tent, he quickly installed himself. Rearranging the various items that had been randomly spread around by the soldiers, his thoughts inside him raged. His expectations about the whole expedition had been crushed on several occations. So far there had been no real excitement as far as encounters go, but he admittedly felt shaken up about the whole imprisonment ordeal that the scout mentioned. Unpleasant, to say the least. Looking out of the tent, Livius spotted nothing out of the ordinary. Some of the men carried things, others were in conversation. The night was quiet, and the tent was fairly warm. Livius went to bed.

Sounds of screaming broke out. Violence had ensued, and Livius felt a surge of adrenaline as he flew up from his bed, hitting his head against a metallic bowl of incense that he had hung on a string inside the tent. Incense flew like burning fireflies across the tent as he collected himself, listening in on the bustling chaos outside. He was already clothed, luckily. Heavy thumping clouded as thick assaults on the eardrums; either a lot of people were out there, or maybe.. a few heavy ones? Minotaurs?

Livius went up to the tent entrance, and separated the cloth to look outside. Someone fell on his back right in front of him. A gush of warm blood whipped across Livius' face, making him turn away in shock, letting out a short cry as his vision was stolen by the spatter. Quickly, he wiped the blood from his face, and once he could see clearly again, he realized that the soldier on the ground by the tent was still alive, eyes fixed on Livius. "S.. Sir.. run! Run away from here! Run like Hell!", he shouted with a detereorating strength in his voice. Livius didn't know what to do. Confusion snarled its thick rope around him, and he gasped for air, trying his best to stop the soldier from bleeding. It was pointless. Livius hadn't learned to properly heal with magic, and certainly not in the midst of combat. He decided to leave the tent, and wanted to run elsewhere. About 15 meters away from his position, he could see commotion. There were humans there, but also... A minotaur! He was larger than Livius had anticipated, and substantially faster. Three soldiers were attacking him. He appeared to wield something akin to a greatsword, except larger than any Livius had seen before.

The minotaur bellowed loudly as his sword was swept horizontally, with unnatural speed. The senior scout that Livius had been talking to earlier was running towards the giant creature, and just as the minotaur's sword landed inside one of the younger soldiers, more or less cleaving him in half, the scout descended upon the minotaur and sank a gladius deep into his chest. The minotaur gave a hideous howl, and was soon overwhelmed by one of the other soldiers who had flanked him. He jumped up onto the beast, driving his shortsword into the neck.

Livius panted excitedly, not sure what to do about the whole ordeal. The soldier on the ground in front of the minotaur looked very young. He was seemingly trying to put his intestines back into his obliterated body; his face a flush of shock and deathly paleness.. There was nothing to do about him.

Livius turned to his right, as he was damn well near stunned by a fearsome roar. Another minotaur, this one facing Livius. In the corner of his eye, he noticed the first minotaur had fallen. Although he couldn't confirm it, out of fear of losing his focus on this second minotaur, Livius believed that the old scout was rushing to his aid, based on sounds of steps.

Just as the minotaur was about to charge, he stopped. He looked at something behind Livius. When Livius turned to look, he noticed the body of two other minotaurs further away. We've killed three of them? Impressive, thought Livius. Then he noticed something else, as his eyes had partially adjusted to the fairly absent moonlight; half a dozen human bodies. Only four of us left. His heart began beating very fast. He noticed how awkwardly and clumsily he was placing his feet. Unbalanced at best, almost ready to fall over. The heat of battle was entirely new to Livius, who immediately began signalling defeat with his waving arms.

The minotaur snorted a white mist from his flaring nostrils, and noticed the other humans rushing towards him. He leapt forward with incredible speed, and gripped his weapon with both hands to gain momentum; driving the pommel of his sword upwards to break the face of the first arriving human, who happened to be the senior scout. The sound was horrible; a low, deafening crack that reproduced its muffled horror in surreal clarity across the cliffside camp. The impact sent the experienced veteran to the ground with a cataclysmic crash. His face was now a mush, and blood has sprayed in tiny dots, all of which had landed neatly on the wild minotaur, who continued his motion after knocking his opponent down. He seemingly transformed the pommel strike to an acrobatic dance move; spinning around 360 degrees, gaining far more momentum into his second strike, which had now been developed into a giant lunge that impaled the follow-up soldier.

With a gasp, Livius witnessed the blade of the greatsword protrude swiftly from the back of the soldier that had been impaled. It barely even slowed down as it went through, and the color of the blood was nearly black, indicating that a kidney or the liver had been destroyed on the way. The minotaur didn't seem to be able to remove the sword though, and as the soldier fell onto his knees, it became increasingly hard to struggle the sword out of the body. The minotaur placed a hoof on the face of the kneeling human, and gripped anew the hilt of the blade with his tense hands. As he pulled with all his might, he also pushed his hoof into the face of the human, who gargled incoherently from pain of having his face pressed in. An eyeball eventually erupted, hanging loosely from his face, and the sword had broken through a few ribs on its clumsy way through the body, effectively sawing its way diagonally up. It was still stuck inside the human though, and the minotaur continued to struggle.

The last human soldier approached from the flank, slowly, his face covered in sweat. The minotaur noticed him and grabbed the gladius from the human in front of him, letting go off his greatsword. This made the now-dead human fall over obtusely, like broken furniture. His final sigh echoing in Livius ears. The mage was stiff from fear, and felt impotent in every regard. The gladius shimmered in the minotaur's hand, and it seemed small and light as a feather when he drove it into the young, human soldier's throat and twisted it around. Livius had once heard someone break the neck of a chicken, and this sounded no differently, except louder. The human's eyes were beacons of terror as he looked into the eyes of the bovine beast, seemingly praying for mercy. He received none. With another quick twist and pull, his neck broke off entirely, and cascades of blood fountained the twitching human body as it slumped to the cold, unforgiving ground, which would now be his grave.

Livius stuttered in panic. He could not move. Not speak. This is not how I imagined it would be.. not at all.. I want to go home! I am afraid!, Livius thought as he urinated himself. The warm streams presented a welcome contrast to the chill of night. It wasn't even a cold night, but fear had made it the heart of winter itself. Livius was frightened out of his mind.

With sweat steaming from his huge body, the minotaur turned to Livius, who began stepping backwards slowly. "No, no.. don't ... peace! I surrender! I will do anything, just don't kill me, I beg you!", Livius said in greek. Only a few steps later, he lost his stance entirely, toppling himself over, at a collection of small rocks that lay about. From the ground, he pleadingly looked up at the minotaur, who was now more or less right before him, like an immovable tower of muscle and horns.

"You're wise to surrender, scrawny one. If I get to keep you, I shall name you 'Twig'.. pray you don't break in my grasp", the minotaur furiously whispered, his voice like an ominous humming in Livius ears.

Livius looked around and quickly established he was the only seemingly living human, and there were no more minotaurs either. "Please, let me... get up on my feet. I will do whatever you say, I am harmless. I cannot fight."

The minotaur let down his guard a bit. "Take your time, feral", he grunted as a reply. He looked around casually while Livius began to move. But he didn't get up. Instead, he reached into one of the pockets within his robe and subtly pulled out a plant when the minotaur wasn't watching. He shoved it into his mouth, ground it down with his teeth, and swallowed with haste, gaining focus nearly on instant. The foul taste was most unusual. Livius had heard rumours that this rare breed of flora would be useful in small amounts. It was far from beneficial to the body, and it was highly addictive, but Livius was desperate. As the strange sensation of warmth and control settled in, it seemed to also wash away his fears completely. He suddenly felt amazing.

Livius quickly assessed what powers he could muster, forming them quickly into a link between the minotaur and himself. He felt intense organic energies moving inside the minotaur. Big body, good. This should make for quite a ride, unless I fuck up. Reaching inside himself, steering arcane energies to interconnect his own energies with the static electricity found in the minotaur's body, he managed to create a conflicting flux between their bodies. Knowing the potentially disastrous outcome should the spell fail, Livius continued slowly even as he noticed that the minotaur begun realizing that something was wrong. The spell was hard to control, and Livius concentrated as much as he could in order to not cause his own death.

Creating an arcane pulse beam, he aimed it at the center of the enemy and unleashed it. What followed was a sudden explosion of magnetic and electric energies, and the minotaur was sent flying, as if pushed by an unusually strong battering ram. The spell had charred the minotaur's chest, making it ignite in the air. The minotaur appeared to be unconscious aswell. Livius only felt the effects of the spell as a fairly heavy push, slamming him into the ground. As Livius did his best to quickly crawl back up, he observed the apparently lifeless minotaur descending over the ledge. His fall would inevitably spell his doom.

Livius fought hard to stay awake, but his ability to stay focused had begun to slip once he realized that he was in no immediate danger. He listened carefully, and picked up almost no sounds. Only the wind. It seemed death had no sound. With that final thought, Livius passed out.

~ Livius woke up, but he did so in a mist. He saw no tents, no corpses of minotaurs; only corpses of humans. They were piled up, thousands and thousands of corpses on every side of him, forming unholy pyramids of death in the outskirts of the mist. It was barely visible to the human eye, but still the looming presence . The sounds of wailing filled the air, and Livius discovered he was bleeding. He began to frantically feel all over his body, trying to establish where he had been hurt. Then a booming laughter caused him to freeze. He looked up and noticed the minotaur he had repelled earlier. He was back, his greatsword gleaming like a diamond. The scorchmark was still on his chest, and it was still burning. "Time to pay your dues, little twig", said the minotaur and raised his giant sword. Livius looked in fearful disbelief as the sword was mercilessly thrust into his stomach. ~

Livius woke up with a scream. Sitting upright, he grabbed his belly with both hands. Intact. No blood on him. It had all been a nightmare. His sigh was only partially made out of relief, for all around him was carnage. The battle, unfortunately, had not been a dream.

Livius walked around as if in a daze. He tried to collect all valuables and food items, while searching for survivors. They had all died. For the longest time, he studied the body of one of the minotaurs. He was amazed at how big and muscular they were. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that he found them to be very... attractive. Even... sexy. For shame, Livius old boy.. you must have knocked your head pretty damn hard against those rocks before. Disturbed at his thoughts, he noticed the lifeless tongue hanging out from the muzzle. It had turned blue. His dry, dead eyes stared into the sky with a surreal sense of disconnection. Suddenly Livius felt violently sick, and all of his previous arousal was gone. He walked away from the body.

After having scavenged the tents on all supplies he could carry without tiring himself too much, he began to search for maps of the area. The one he found indicated that he was surrounded by vast, dry plains on all sides. Walking to various lookout points at the camp, he discovered it was indeed true. Even the small exertion involved in traversing the camp had made Livius sweaty and nauseous. He sat down at the center of the camp and began making a fire. He needed to prepare a meal, and drink.

The first few days were uneventful, but the corpses had begun to stink. The stench had developed into something unbearable, and Livius felt he needed to do something. He went into his tent to dip his handkerchief into incense. When the scent was strong enough, he carefully placed the handkerchief as far up into his nose as possible and went out to push the corpses off the ledge. The humans were fairly easy, although they had stiffened up. It was a macabre experience to move the bodies of men who had lived only a few days ago. The state they were in now, puffed up and pale, and non-moving; it was all so hard to grasp. Livius would sometimes have to sit down and push with both legs to get the corpses to move, as some wore quite heavy armor, and Livius was reluctant to try and remove it prior to pushing them down. The stench had broken through the tissues in his nose, creating a strange mix of rotting flesh and incense. It was disgusting. After having pushed a few down the cliff, Livius started crying. He felt desperate to escape this place, but didn't know how. The animals that once pulled the carriages had long since fled. He sobbingly approached the corpse of one of the minotaurs and tried his best to move it. It didn't work. Not even pushing with both legs helped. The corpse just kind of wobbled a bit. He gave up soon enough, and headed towards the rock where he had spoken with the senior scout only a few days ago. Standing on the cliffside, he wiped the tears from his eyes. The heat was intense, burning at his forehead. Branches of dead trees clutched around this whole vicinity like talons near a prey.

Suddenly Livius saw something in the distance. Movement. Large individuals. Minotaurs! Of course. Either it's a routine patrol or maybe even a search party. Whatever the case, they're on their way here, and once they find this camp, with all dead minotaurs and humans; they will confiscate all items and probably try and track me, arrest me and ... Panic struck Livius like a hammer. I have to get out of here, now!

Livius ran back to the center of the camp, where he had placed the packs. He quickly loaded as much as he could carry on top of himself and ran recklessly down the path they had arrived, which was on the opposite side of the slowly approaching minotaur party. He paced fairly steadily and kept his speed sustained for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually he was on level with the plains he had seen earlier, and they seemed to stretch to the edges of the world. He took a deep breath and started to walk into the unknown.

The barren landscape never seemed to end. In the horizon, only carrion birds made the scenery alive amongst the steep cliffs and dead trees. The dry earth was patterned with deep cracks, running its random web as far as the eyes could see. The heat was a heavy foe, strangling all endurance from Livius' tired body. No water remained in the satchel. No food in the pack. Livius was starving, thirsting and dying. He had no idea where he was. For days now, he had been travelling, the view hadn't changed much. It was like walking in a circle, in hell. Through the use of magic, Livius had been able to summon water into his satchel, but he relied on moisture from the air, and the effort made him tired. Ultimately, it wasn't worth it in the long run. And a long run, it had been. Livius had little to no strength left, and he prepared himself for his impending death. Under the unrelenting blaze of the sun, he fell down on the ground. For a while, he tried to keep his eyes opened, as if he expected a miracle. Nothing happened. Soon enough, his willpower subsided, and he allowed himself to drift into a deep state of relaxation. It wont be long now... goodbye, cruel world. I hope Skender picks a good poem...

And with that, he closed his eyes. The world was now black, and his only company was his own panting. Slowly, even that died out as his warm body appeared to melt, sensations disappearing into oblivion.

As if the world consisted of only pressure and pain, all notions of survival were washed away. It was impossible to focus on anything, and the blinding heat was no longer seen by opened eyes. Yet it was as if the sunrays had burned themselves through the closed eyelids and had established a curtain of golden canvas within the mind. Burning sensations on the skin was slightly dimmed out by some prickling sensations. Maybe the dryness had bitten through the layers of skin and dulled the nerves. Worse yet was the swollen, lifeless tongue. Livius felt as though he was eaten from the inside by a sensation of desperation. He could literally kill for water.

Strangely, it felt as though he was suddenly shielded from the warmth. Maybe just a light breeze, but it somehow made the yellow desert world within the dying eyelids turn slightly less saturated. Something similar to thick, wooden poles slid under his body; but it had to be imagination? As if someone carried him, he felt as though he levitated from the ground. Trampling the borders between being awake and being unconscious, Livius fought to leap into a state where he could do anything but moan and drool. Would he be in less pain, he would feel embarrassed. As it were, all he felt was nausea. He was placed on something hard and unstable, as if whatever he was placed on was moving. Clearly it was all a part of his imagination. It had to be. Perhaps he was dying, and these odd sensations were his last; a sign of his descent to death?

Something broke between his dry lips, forced itself in. Are the worms already feasting on my body? Am I a carcass already?, Livius thought. An unbelievable gush of wetness filled his mouth, and lay itself gently and smoothly on his tongue, wrapping it in life. The taste was divine. Fresh water? Impossible. I must be mad from exhaustion, but I don't care. If this is my last sensation, at least it's a grand one!

The sensation didn't stop for a long time. Livius drank the fluid like an infant being breastfed. How could it be this amazing? It all felt so convincing. Livius could actually feel his belly being filled, his strength returning. He would have to try and open his eyes.

The strain was still overwhelming, and even opening the eyes slightly made the impact of light seem like a spear in the face. Shuddering from the sharpness of pain, Livius renewed his attempt after a minute or two, and it wasn't as hard once he had gotten used to the fatigue. So annoying that even something as trivial as lifting his eyelids now seemed like carrying a ton of bricks. The world slowly made it's way to his brain again, although out of focus. Someone was clearly feeding him water through a water skin. Livius heard some low frequencies resound gently in his ears. Must have been a snicker or something. It made him feel safe. Strange smell though. Very strong. Pine-like. Upon re-opening his eyes it was made clear to Livius that he was inside a compartment of some form. Maybe a carriage. It seemed like an unusually big one though, but it didn't matter; Livius felt small anyway. Something wasn't right though. Hard to place what was wrong. Maybe it was part of his imagination, but he was slowly feeling more and more sure that he wasn't in the presence of someone human. That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever thought. Who else would be here? Except for maybe ....

With eyes fully opened the nightmare was confirmed: A minotaur sat in front of Livius, feeding him water. Still a bit blurry from the misted eyes, it was obvious. They had found him!

Horns and white (gray?) fur displayed their presence, moving slowly but with severe might. As he regained focus, he noticed that the minotaur was wearing a toga even whiter than his fur. He was huge. Fat, even. It was obvious though, that beneath the slightly excessive fat, there were muscles playing forth ripples on the thick skin as he moved his arms around Livius field of view, donning the skin of water. Extremely big muscles, in fact. This minotaur could crush Livius without even trying.

"You're awake?", the creature rumbled with a horrifyingly low voice. Judging by his voice alone, he didn't seem threatening. He seemed to ask the question with genuine empathy. Strange voice coming from a minotaur, it made Livius unsure about the intentions behind the facade. Looking at the minotaurs face, Livius was amazed to find a very odd expression. A twisted, odd muzzle and open, intelligent eyes that seemed searching and... gentle? That twisted muzzle.. was he smiling?

Livius made an attempt to speak, but only slurring noises came out. He was instantly embarrased, and felt undignified. It dawned on Livius that his future was now erradicated. The remnants of a life he would now live would be in a shattered state, being the plaything of a giant minotaur. What fiendish games would he have him play? Lock him up in a cellar, beat him senseless? Put him on piedestals for other minotaurs to see? Livius found he had lost all will to live, all strength was gone. Why couldn't I just have died in the plains?, he thought to himself. As much as he tried to hold the tears back, eventually he couldn't. He sobbed and broke out in tears. The final insult. I bet he's soaking all this up with glee, the fat bastard. If I could only..

"Oh look at you, dear human. Don't cry. It's going to be all right. You are safe now", said the minotaur, his white frame approaching Livius, kneeling down by his side. Livius froze in shock as the minotaur's giant hand stroked his hair. Eventually he pulled Livius head into his embrace, holding it against his chest. For a moment, Livius could do nothing. Then he started crying, and for some screwed up reason it felt good.

"Let it all out, there'll be no room for any tears of pain or sorrow in House Shade", said the minotaur gently. His warm hand on Livius neck soon felt like a blanket as they travelled by carriage, and Livius didn't even notice how the day turned to night. By then he was already sound asleep.

A gust of wind coated Livius' skin with a pleasant tingling sensation, and his weary eyes opened slowly. The door to the carriage had swung open, and he glanced nighttime grass peacefully dancing outside. The blades were lit softly by moonlight. It looked very serene, and not at all like the dead, dry plains he thought would be his grave this morning.

Suddenly a pattern emerged in Livius brain, it was familiar but different. A spell was being used. A spell that was used to close the door. Observing as the door to the carriage was being closed, a realization hit Livius; the minotaur was a mage. He is powerful.. this was a simple spell, but the intricacy of how the spell was woven, the pattern I picked up from his brain.. it is masterful. He is a better mage than I am, probably by far. Livius felt conquered. This was the final inch of hope being stomped; he would have no chance against a powerful minotaur mage. But perhaps I can learn from him.. whenever he uses magic, I am able to learn new techniques. It may be useful, provided I can hide that I am a mage from him. Maybe if I pretend I am a human who lost his former minotaur master or something? I just hope my greek is convincing enough...

"I didn't mean to wake you, so sorry about that. I will keep the door closed until you are ready to walk. A nice meal and a warm bed awaits you when we get inside", said the minotaur.

Clever bastard, he is speaking Latin. Maybe as a test? - thought Livius. "What?", he replied in greek.

The minotaur looked confused at first, then he broke out a mischievous smile. "I see. I didn't realize you couldn't speak latin."

"Why on Earth would I speak latin?"

"You forgot to adress me as 'Sir', human"

Livius tweaked his brow ever so slightly. Minotaur customs would obviously be a huge problem to overcome, as he wasn't sure about them.

"I am sorry, Sir. I must be confused from the exhaustion... Sir!"

"Indeed you have to be!", the minotaur said and chuckled gleefully as he opened the door to the carriage and stepped out. ".. one does not easily forget they are an imperial mage wandering around in minotaur lands". With his arms, the minotaur motioned for Livius to step out and join him.

Livius was made rock solid from the statement. "How.. what makes you think I am ... that? Ehh.. Sir?"

"Why, your imperial mage robes, of course.. and the fact that you recited poems in Latin in your sleep. Are all imperial poems equally dark and moody, I wonder?"

Livius looked at his robes and fearfully realized this minotaur was very well educated. Not even all imperial soldiers recognized the robes for what they were. This spelled trouble. He looked up at he minotaur once more and felt pale as snow. The minotaur chuckled again.

"Sweet human.. no need to be so afraid! I can practically hear your heartbeats from here. Didn't I tell you before; you are safe here. Now come out here and join me, will you? I promised you a nice meal and a warm bed, didn't I? What manner of host would I be if I neglected such a well travelled guest such as yourself?"

Livius carefully made an attempt to sit up in the compartment. It wasn't as hard as he imagined it to be, much of his strength had indeed returned. He felt a bit nauseous and weak, but it was not unbearable. With slow, careful movements, he trod down the steps. The night was warmer than expected, and sounds of crickets caught Livius' attention. He looked out over the dark landscape. A small stream ran amongst lushious hills, and a collection of stone houses lay close by. Humble buildings, but spacious and somehow elegant in their simplicity. Torches illuminated small, pitoresque pathways between the houses, made up of carefully laid out shales and pebbles.

"Welcome to House Shade", said the minotaur. "I am Lord Shade, but you can just call me 'Sir' if you're used to such behaviours". The minotaur looked at the nodding human for a while, before snickering. "You have.. no experience with minotaurs at all, do you? Have you ever spoken to one?"

"I.. no. No I haven't", Livius said quietly. "..Sir!"

"Then I am the first! What an honor!", exclaimed an overjoyed minotaur. Livius wondered if there was a sinister reason for his excessive happiness.

"I would prefer if you simply call me 'Philon', to be honest. All that formal stuff is ... not really necessary here. Philon is my name. Would you mind terribly if I asked yours?"

"No.. no of course not. My name is Livius"

"..and may I call you Livius?"

"Well.. certainly. I mean.. I am your prisoner, why ask for my permission?"

"Prisoner", snickered the minotaur. "I can understand you would think of it as such, and were it another minotaur to have found you; you would be exactly that. Here, however, you are a guest"

"If I am a guest, doesn't that mean you would could simply let me .. leave?", Livius asked with smug grin on his face.

"Certainly", answered Philon, "although I insist you eat first. You must be starving!"

Sneaky of him.. he knows I can't just wander off into the wild unknown without risking death, so obviously he can claim I am a guest, to make me feel safer. I wonder what his plans are?, Livius thought to himself.

He nodded and followed the huge minotaur as he walked towards the largest of the buildings. The minotaur opened a gigantic oaken door leading inside, and Livius could only briefly glance the wonderful carvings on its polished surface; lots of different creatures dancing together around various flora. Upon entering the main hall that stretched far and wide with lots of room on both sides, the minotaur took an immediate right into the nearest room, which turned out to be very large indeed. As he entered, he went to sit on a rather comfortable looking chair by a small, round wooden table and waved Livius to join him. The room was full of books and in the furthest end, a very large desk. A fireplace spread warmth across all the four walls, and the windows revealed the magnificently still stream by the hills, all of it surprisingly well lit under the stars. Livius sat down on a chair on the opposite end of the minotaur, the small table reaching only to the creature's knees.

As Livius settled in on the way-too-large chair, another human entered the room. He was clad in a formal fashion, donning very extravagant robes to accentuate his forms. His expression was every bit as formal as his clothes.

"Will you be enjoying a late dinner, Master?"

"Absolutely! Could you please prepare some of that.. you know, the salmon thing you do so well? And do bring some for my guest aswell", said the minotaur and then looked at Livius. "Wine?", he asked, to which Livius gave a slight nod. "Wine for two, please".

The servant took a deep bow and then left the room. Philon gave off an almost inaudible chuckle to himself. "He is amazing, that one. You may call him Cook, he refuses to be called anything else. He had another master prior to me, and he was .. much more strict. But Cook likes it that way, you understand. So.. bear with him".

Livius nodded and forced a smile. Not for a moment did he believe the servant's name to be willingly chosen.

"So, what brings you to these lands, then? Warfare? Espionage?", asked Philon casually.

Livius was so baffled at the direct question that he couldn't speak at first. "I ... ehh.. well..", he began. The minotaur just looked at him, expecting an answer. He was smiling, which made Livius feel even more stupid. "I.. we .. were sent out here.. to investigate. Yes."

"Learn about your enemy, then?", the minotaur inquired gently, tilting his horned head.

"Well.. yes. What.. what do you plan to do with me?"

"Dine".

"Die... kill me?"

"No, human. Dine. D-i-n-e .. eat food with."

"Oh", said Livius. "What about.. after that?"

"Can I ask you a question, Livius?"

"Yes, of course"

"How do you intend to understand an enemy you haven't even spoken with? You come here collecting information about our troops, establish pattern on how we move and organize, no doubt - maybe even assess weak points in our formations and such.. and yet, you have never once sat down to speak with one of us. I just find it a bit curious that you try to understand us, in the capacity of being your 'enemies', despite never having spent a single intimate moment with one of us. Nature of this odd war, I suppose. No opportunities for such things... still, I wont hold it against you. Nor do I consider you an enemy, just a pawn in a grander scheme of things. But the pawn is removed now, isn't he?"

"I .. what do you mean?"

"You are, as of now, relieved of your services to the Empire, yes? Maybe you consider yourself a prisoner right now. Eventually, you will come to know that you are in fact a guest. A welcome one. One who will not be punished simply for being born on the other side of the fence, in a body different from my own, with a set of cultural values spoon-fed to him from birth. Here, you are not an enemy. Therefore, after we've dined; what happens is entirely up to you."

Livius tried to act as though he was relaxed. Partially, it might have been a success, as it seemed to soothe the minotaur mage across the table. He is lulling me into a false sense of security. I will pretend to bite the bait. His magic will prove useful to both me and the Empire alike. I have to stay close to him. Be his little slave, dancing to his tunes. Suck all his .. , Livius couldn't help but glance at the minotaur's crotch. Beneath the white cloth, he could see the bulging outline of huge minotaur genitalia. Livius regained his focus and quickly reminded himself to not even dare think such foul thoughts... Suck all his.. knowledge.. into myself. Oh yes. His knowledge will be mine.

The servant from before made his appearance known once more, with a subtle harkle. Livius responded by ceasing to slouch over the table, which he realized he had been doing. The servant professionally placed plates of food, cutlery, glasses and a bottle of wine on the table. How he managed to carry all of it was a mystery to Livius, who decided to smile pleasantly at the man. There was not a hint of emotional response in the servant's eyes, though, and he continued instead to pour up wine into both glasses. He then took a deep, elegant bow, and promptly left the room. Livius inspected the glass, which was finely crafted indeed. The limited light of the room shimmered gracefully on the surface, like dancing reflections of wisps.

"It's not poison, Livius, I assure you", said the minotaur. He looked almost hurt.

"Pois.. oh no! I was just admiring the craft!"

"Sure you were", said Philon with a hint of sarcasm.

"No, it's just.. we don't have glasses like this in the Empire, that's all. I am sure you wouldn't poison me", Livius replied and immediately took a sip from the glass to show his trust. He smiled, expecting a pleased minotaur to smile back. Instead he noticed that Philon's lips frowned and his ears drooped.

"I wanted to propose a toast.. ", the minotaur host rumbled disappointedly.

"Oh.. and I ruined it", said Livius with a feigned look of shame. "I just wanted to .. show.. that I ... well. The wine is fantastic though. How about a toast now?"

"A toast to friendship across borders!", exclaimed Philon and raised his glass. Livius did the same and took a deep gulp of the wine. It was exquisite indeed. Livius smiled a fake smile, and watched the minotaur carefully as he invited Livius to dig into the food. Friendship.. I have seen how your kind treat humans, minotaur beast.. savages cleaving us like weeds to a scythe. Your friendship is as real as a child's dreams.

Livius began eating the food. Salmon and salad, and a marvelous sauce to go with it, aswell as garlic dipped bread. Livius came to the conclusion that he's never enjoyed better food or wine in his entire life. He knew it might have been due to his hunger and thirst, since in truth he's never been this starving, but even disregarding that; he found it hard to believe he has ever tasted anything like this before, even as a mage serving under the Empire. He was privileged back at home, yet this seemed like luxury. Provided he doesn't torture me, I could learn to live like this for the time being. As soon as I have all the information I could gather, I will be off, and he won't be the wiser.

The plate was soon empty, and Livius felt the desire to sink into the chair. He couldn't quite let go off the minotaur with his eyes though. The giant bull-man was still chewing his food, carefully. Slowly. Deliberately enjoying every bite with almost excruciating patience. His eyes half open, dim with pleasure. The gyrating jaws working the food between thick teeth and large tongue. Silent sounds of delight. Livius looked in envy, as he realized he's never once taken the time, no - never found the time, to enjoy anything in life that much. Especially not something as simple as mere food. His empty plate was now a reminder of another sensation he had let slip by. Get a grip, Livius old boy.

Once Philon had finished his meal, he smiled for a while, eyes closed. "You sure eat fast. Feral tradition?", he asked.

"Feral?"

Philon instantly opened his eyes and clumsily swallowed the last bite. He looked .. embarrased?, thought Livius.

"I beg your forgiveness, Livius. It is a strange and rather ignorant term for humans lacking minotaur supervision. We minotaurs are used to keep humans as slaves. These humans have lived their whole lives with minotaurs as their masters, and are therefore used to being pampered and submissive. In a sense, they are considered to be 'lesser' by .. well, most minotaurs. Not often in a negative sense, though.. it's just that most minotaurs do not believe humans are capable of living independently, without minotaurs to .. guide them. Care for them."

Livius looked baffled. He had heard rumours about these sorts of things, but had dismissed some of them as mere jokes. Maybe there was more truth to it than he had suspected?

"Of course, I do not agree with my brethren regarding that. It is a ludicrous notion. You obviously have a working society on your own, after all", he said reassuringly. "Nor do I consider humans to be 'lesser' in any way. . In fact, I have questioned many things as of late. My father was a philosopher and I have always nurtured those faculties myself. Him and I, we've had our fair share of debates and .. talks. I began doing things differently only a few years ago, and I have been reluctant to.. share that aspect of my life with other minotaurs. They would be hard pressed to understand, let alone relate.. to my methods"

"Might I ask what you mean by that? What .. methods? What do you do differently?"

A sly grin fell upon Philon's face. "Autonomy!", he proclaimed proudly, and Livius understood nothing. In fact, he looked like he had just suffered a stroke to his brain.

"I began asking myself how I would want to live with other people around me. Would I feel loyal and happy if I served someone unreachable, a self proclaimed demi-god; or would I feel loyal and happy if I was free to do what I wanted, serving not some holier-than-thou Lord sitting on a high chair, but rather all of those living under the same roof? What if they all did the same? Could you imagine? Lots of souls living in harmony together - serving, helping and pleasing each other out of their own free will and desire to do so? Noone is the master, noone is the owner, everyone has equal worth and say? Wouldn't that be fantastic? Wouldn't that mean everyone feels happy and safe, and self-fulfilled?"

Livius' face had now turned into a mushy canvas of twitching skin. It is official; he is completely bonkers. It's only a matter of time before he flips and eats my flesh or ... worse. This is not some twisted way of making me feel better; he actually means what he says. Too much passion to be hollow words.

"But.. that.. servant?", Livius inquired.

"Like I said, he refuses to abandon the teachings of his old, former master. It is like it has been imbued into him. It is entirely up to him though, that's the whole idea of our philosophy here in House Shade! He is happy living like this, and we are happy that he is happy! Everyone does what they can and want to do around here, and everyone benefits!", Philon said.

For a moment the minotaur remained silent, observing Livius' reaction. He chuckled heartily at the human's strange expression. "I realize it's a strange notion, surely even to someone like you. But as hierarchical, even hegemonial, as human society appears to be, we minotaurs are inclined to be even more conservative and restrictive when it comes to issues like rank and status. What I propose here is a system that would likely cause great distrust from other minotaurs, which is why I must be subtle about this. In truth, I could even potentially endanger the safety of all wonderful souls living here, were I to be exposed."

Livius was very tense by now. All of this had to be a ruse, or maybe he was already drunk from the wine, but surely there was no way that ..

"Do you know what you are doing right now?", asked Philon. Livius had a look of confusion on his face, and the question enhanced it.

"I.. "

"You are hardening your muscles around your shoulders and neck, cutting off the blood circulation and causing pressure trauma to your sensitive nervous system in your cervical area. From where I am sitting, it appears to be primarily the second and third vertebrae. Do you often feel nauseous and dizzy? Get a lot of headaches?"

Livius was struck with the genuine look of concern on the minotaur's face. Such compassion he tried to show. What an actor he is!

"Well.. I get by. Do you .. practice medicine?"

"I was a masseur prior to the tutelage I enjoyed under my Master; the greatly missed Lord Twilight". For a moment, Philon seemed nostalgic. As if reminiscing to himself, he looked out the window and sighed. "How I do miss him at times. He was a great teacher, and a great bull.."

Suddenly Philon broke out in laughter. "..he would have a fit, though, if he found out how I run things here!"

Livius smiled a bit, unsure on how to react. Obviously there was a great bond between master and pupil, that much he understood.

"Perhaps he is watching me from beyond? He always bit his own tongue when he was angry, so perhaps there is a minotaur ghost out there, biting his tongue.. wondering how his student could sink so low... oh my Lord Twilight...", said Philon. There was a hint of a tear in his eye, or maybe it was a reflection from the moon outside. Livius felt compelled to break in, though, to keep the conversation going.

"Lord.. Twilight. And you are .. Lord Shade? Why these names?"

"Titles", corrected Philon with a gentle nod, as he returned his focus to Livius. "Every mage leaks magic into their surroundings. We call it 'signatures', as every mage has a unique effect associated with them. Some are not even aware of what it is. I myself seem to cloud up an area around me, as though it was placed under the shade of a large tree in the summer time. My former Master, Lord Twilight, would bring about a strange light phenomenon around his person, sort of making it look as though there was a twilight forming around him. Maybe you know your own signature? I can't seem to figure it out, sadly."

Livius knew. Oh yes, my 'innocent' bovine friend.. My talent is to steal your knowledge, unbeknownst to you. I am a skill thief. Pretending ignorance, Livius shook his head.

"Oh well, I am sure you will find out one day. I am worried about your tensions, though.."

"Don't be. It's probably just old habits speaking. You used to be a masseur, after all."

"Used to be? Actually, I never gave up that practice."

"You didn't?", Livius retorted in amazement. "Why on Earth not? It is a lesser craft than sorcery. Spells can heal what no simple massage in the world can remedy!"

Philon sat quietly for some time, and Livius was unsure on whether he had misspoken or not. The minotaur didn't look angry though, just.. amused. Suddenly he got up on his hooves, and began walking towards Livius, who froze up like a statue in winter. "What.. ", he blurted out.

"Shhh.. don't move. Relax. I want to show you something", said Philon. He took a firm grip around Livius' shoulders, and the human mage was now hyperventilating. Oh heavens, now he has to prove himself. He's going to crush me!

"It's.. really not... necessary.."

"Then think of it as a gift of repayment from me to you. I did call you 'feral' before, and that was unfair of me. Let me make it up to you."

"I would rather.. not.. you.. ", Livius began. But then he couldn't speak any more. The grip of those huge minotaur hands made him stop. They were so insanely warm, strong and.. gentle? As if he was a boy in his father's embrace once more, Livius crumbled like a sack of cloth. He groaned loudly as a new feeling spread inside him, directed by the movements and pressure from exotic minotaur hands. They found and manipulated points and tensions with extreme precision, and the treatment made Livius ecstatic. His muscles moved pleasantly beneath his skin, and the sensation sent ripples of warm flows all over his body. It was like warm waterfalls flushing inside and outside his pores, his veins. All thoughts disappeared, and every conceivable emotion erupted like volcanoes inside the muted mind of the now speechless human ragdoll. Oh gods.. Oh gods of all Elysia, it's so wonderful.

Livius leaned in on the hands, danced with their almost erotic motions, and he didn't even mind the odd sounds that fled his limp mouth and nose. Nothing rational remained of the once so controlled mage. He was reduced to a slowly declining cliff under sunlight; eroding gently under the clashing waves of a powerful ocean. What a creature he is, what power.. he.. ohhh..

And then; a new sensation. A scent. Philon's scent. Powerful minotaur musk, filling his nose, cleansing his brain. How can he smell so divine? The scent came from inside the minotaur's entire being, and now; from his bovine hands, it was passed onto Livius' skin, almost making its way inside. He could almost imagine how this.. minotaur essence.. was sinking into his body, as if he wasn't impenetrable to such vague energies, but rather an absorbant of them. Livius suddenly realized he was fully erect, and the arousal beckoned him to be the lusting property of this ... minotaur?! Are you mad, Livius, old boy? How can you... oh god... it's so good. It has to be hypnosis, or a spell.. I won't fall under his... strange influence... but.. I am sure I can just.. enjoy myself.. some more.

Before long, Livius was more or less asleep, half comatose with pleasure. Long after Philon had ceased to give him massage, he began to regain something akin to a dignified posture again. As he sat up, he was panting from the exhaustion of being the recipient of these never-before experienced sensations. He felt reborn.

"How.. what did you do? What was that?"

"It was massage, nothing more. No spells, no magic. You see.. I believe there are some things magic can't do. There are places magic cannot reach. You can cast a spell to heal a wound, sure.. but you can never replace touch. When someone who cares about you touches you, there is something far stronger than any spell at work. No mage can emulate that connection by cauterizing a wound, or mending a bone with his magic. The magic I speak of has a different origin than the arcane craft, whose practicioners perpetually seek to attain a state of divinity. The magic I speak of is divinity. It is a connection between souls. Empathy."

Livius was stunned, and couldn't say anything. He just looked at the minotaur and knew one thing for certain; his gleaming eyes had no match. Livius had simply never seen eyes more radiant, more caring. Perhaps he isn't a psychopath, after all?

Almost as if he'd read Livius' mind, Philon smiled a huge, twisted minotaur smile, and Livius couldn't help but smile too. This time, a genuine smile.

"Would I be terribly rude if I asked you a favor, Livius?", the minotaur said, still smiling. Livius had lost himself in the minotaur's eyes, and when confronted with this question, he became aware of this. Livius lost his smile and became a bit erratic as his attention suddenly kicked in again.

"Yes.. I mean no! Of course you can! Ask away."

"Could you be so kind as to .. rub the base of my horns?", the minotaur said. Livius grinned a bit, expecting himself to be the butt of some strange, tasteless joke. It soon dawned on him, though, that it wasn't a joke. "I always seem to swell up there, for some reason, and it feels so wonderfully nice to have human hands stroking that area."

Livius continued to grin, but his eyes began to wander all over the place. What am I supposed to say?, Livius thought.

Philon noticed how Livius felt, and seemed to be ashamed of himself. He hung his head. "What a lousy host I am, asking these things from my guest. I beg you a thousand times for your.. "

"No, no, it's quite all right", Livius interrupted, instantly regretting it. He forced an insecure smile at the minotaur, who shone like the sun as he heard Livius interjection.

"Really? Oh, you kind, wonderful human! Are you sure it wouldn't be any trouble?", Philon asked.

"Not at all", Livius replied, trying his best to look comfortable with the alien concept.

Philon nodded gleefully and got down on his knees right next to his estranged guest. He carefully placed his heavy head in Livius lap, which made the human cringe a bit from the insecurity of the situation.

Trembling a bit, Livius placed his hands around the base of Philon's horns. So hard, the surface. This has to be a trap. What will he.. what will he do? Will he gore me with those horns? I have to watch out for sudden movements, thought Livius. Reluctantly, he began rubbing, staring out into the spacious room around him, refusing to watch the minotaur. He felt like a rape victim, glaring into nothingness to try and imagine he is elsewhere. This whole situation was the embodiment of awkwardness.

Time passed, and Livius began noticing the profound minotaur scent once more. Maybe it is a reaction to my touch? Livius began feeling at peace with the surreal nature of the situation, relaxing a bit more as he kneaded the gently squirming head who weighed his legs down. He decided to look down at his odd patient, but in the back of his mind he was still fearful of having his face run through by horns.

Nothing happened. There, on his thighs, lay the head of a minotaur who was at rest. His peaceful eyes were closed, but even his eyelids were given a benevolent character when combined with that tranquil smile he wore so well. The giant muzzle and skull stretched all over Livius' lap. It was huge and white, but it seemed almost gray from the effect of his signature. Lord Shade... Livius massaged the protruding area around the horns to the best of his ability, and eventually his hands travelled down along the side and back of the head. I can't believe it.. I am .. touching a minotaur. And I like it... I don't understand.

Livius felt conflicted deep inside. This is something he wasn't trained for, and all of his previous life had revolved around training. Discipline. Loyalty to the Emperor. This was all he knew. And now he was stroking a minotaur. More than that - I seem to be pleasing him. I am.. giving pleasure to a minotaur? I don't even do these things to my fellow countrymen. What is all this?

The hide was thick, but it still sank delightfully easy when Livius decided to put more force into his strokes. The minotaur sighed deeply as Livius did so, spurring him to continue doing what he did.

"How can I be so lucky, to have found someone like you?", said Philon drowsily. It seemed to come out of nowhere; these words, tinged with warmth.

Livius didn't understand his feelings. Like a zombie, he stared out the window and tried to feel something other than what he felt now. Anything, as long as it was familiar to him. Above all, he wanted to feel lost. He wanted to feel as though he didn't care what the minotaur had just said to him. He wanted to feel like escaping from this place. But instead, he felt no disconnection. No yearning to escape. For the moment, he wanted only to please the gentle minotaur, who rested his head on Livius' lap... Livius suddenly felt morouse, but he didn't know why. For some reason, he suspected that part of what he felt was guilt. He knew his involvement in this war, and this strange, kind minotaur didn't seem capable of violence. Livius still believed it could all be a ruse, he could not let his guard down entirely just yet. But somehow, he did feel something for this minotaur. Perhaps he was under the effects of a carefully woven web of deceit, perhaps it was all an illusion; but right now, none of that mattered. His life had been saved by this ... person. This person, who appeared to think the world of him.

"I am no saint.. I have done terrible things in my days."

The minotaur opened his eyes lazily, but kept his smile. Slowly, he raised his head from Livius' lap, and suddenly the sensation of blood flow manifested itself as a thousand prickling needles, as the weight was lifted from weary thighs. Philon got up on his knees and raised his head to level with Livius, and he looked straight into his eyes. It was an overwhelming sight; this ominous minotaur only inches away, his enormous head more or less occupying the entire field of view. Yet despite all that, Livius no longer felt fear of him. He had begun to believe that he wouldn't be harmed; that he was safe.

"Nonsense", the minotaur voice boomed. "A person with death in his heart cannot channel life with his hands. But you just did"

"I.. I have never given anyone massage before. I doubt it was half as nice as you make it out to be."

"I assure you, it was fantastic. Granted, I am very easy to please", Philon said with a grin. "But if it's inexperience you suffer from, I will make sure to bless you with a remedy. I may call upon your hands plenty of times, should you want to. Love is not a talent one wishes to see atrophy"

"L.. love?"

"Love is not a curse word, Livius. Love is everything that is good in this life. You may not love me, but it was still some kind of love that made your hands touch me like they did. Like you did. That much, I could feel. I think there is more good in you than you might have allowed yourself to believe."

"You....", said Livius, but was unable to continue. He was at a loss for words.

Philon shifted his weight around to gain some momentum, and then he lifted his heavy body, standing upright. Livius felt puny as he looked up at the minotaur, but the expression that was reflected somehow made Livius feel that he wasn't regarded as such by Philon. It was an odd feeling to shake.

"I think you must be very tired by now, Livius, and I would be a very bad host if I didn't leave you to your own peace. It's been a turbulent day, and hopefully the chaos inside you will settle soon, but you need sleep for that. Would you be kind enough to join me?"

Livius stood up. He was a bit light on his feet, but it wasn't too hard to find balance. Livius couldn't remember the last time he'd been this tired. The minotaur began to walk, slowly, to the hallway. In fact, 'slowly' was an understatement. Considering how quickly someone of his size should be able to pace about, he must have made an effort to slow his speed down to a crawl, so as to not leave Livius behind.

They arrived at the hallway, and the corridor continued far away and disappeared around a corner. Philon only walked past a few rooms and stopped by the entrance to a door on the left. Livius suddenly noticed something odd about the door.

"No locks?"

"There are no locks of any kind in House Shade", Philon said casually.

As he opened the door, Livius glanced into the room. It was a bed chamber, pleasant and large. In it was the largest bed that Livius had ever seen. Upon it lay pillows of finest silk, and the wood construction seemed oaken, with intricate carvings of minotaurs and humans running across its vividly designed bed ceiling and borders. As Livius looked closer he noticed that some of the figures in the carvings had ... intercourse?! That's.. no? It has to be something else. Perhaps they are just.. holding each other. Except most of the time, when you hold someone, you don't shove your ...

"This is my bed room", Philon said. "Not that I truly consider any room to be solely my own, as everyone is free to live here as they please, but I usually end up sleeping in here, at the very least. If you wish, you can join me in bed, although I will have a room prepared for you on the other side of the hallway". Philon pointed out the door, and Livius dutifully stepped out into the hall to take a look. He found the room and looked into it. Very spacious and cozy, it contained nothing more than a fairly large bed, a large cupboard, one small table by the bed, and several windows overlooking the currently pitch black garden and river outside.

Livius returned into Philon's room, and noticed the minotaur preparing his bed. Once done, he shamelessly removed his toga, which made Livius blush something fierce. In a matter of seconds, the minotaur was completely nude, yet seemed to have no care in the world about that fact. Livius fought manically not to stare between Philon's legs, but the struggle was in vain. It was simply impossible not to, the eyes were drawn there automatically. I have to get a grip, what am I doing? How can I behave like this, I am not interested in human males, so why would I be interested in minotaur.... males...

Livius interrupted his train of thoughts as he observed the big, rounded testicles. They hung like heavy stones in the meaty sac between his muscular thighs. And above them, his thick, potentially juicy sheath was blessed with an abundance of soft skin that swayed elegantly as the minotaur moved about, arranging his bed with satin, cover and pillows. Livius made sure he wasn't observed as he peeked. He felt embarrassed and confused. With infernal angst, he suddenly felt himself hardening. Livius tried to stand in an angle where it wouldn't be evident to Philon that he now sported a royal erection. His face was strawberry red as the minotaur turned to adress him, pausing as he noticed Livius' expression.

"Are you all right, Livius?"

"Yes..", whimpered the blushing mage.

Philon observed him for a while, then he began to chuckle. "You have never seen a naked minotaur before, I take it? Maybe I should have warned you before I undressed. Here in House Shade it's commonplace to be nude, but you come from a different culture. I beg your forgiveness, once more."

"No, no.. it's.. all right. It's your house, your rules"

"It's your house too now, if you want"

"What... do you mean?"

"Well, being a guest here was never really your choice. But now, you can choose to leave, or you can choose to stay. Even as a permanent resident. As family."

"Family..", whispered Livius, almost to himself. He didn't understand.

"Certainly. The choice is yours, and yours alone. I cannot dictate what you want to do, or who you want to be, or even where you want to be. All I can do is welcome any choice you make with open arms, as long as you do no harm. For now though, maybe you should just sleep, and let decisions be made once you are well rested?"

Livius stood in silence for a while, letting it all sink in. The minotaur grabbed a book and laid himself down on his bed, but still kept his eyes on his guest, awaiting a reply.

"What if I decide to flee?"

Philon smiled and shook his head. "You can't flee, Livius."

"I.. can't?"

"No. In order to flee, you first have to be restrained or bereft of freedom. You aren't. I would never in my life hold you prisoner, Livius, no matter what you've done in your past. It is your present I care about, and your future. If you find your future lies elsewhere, you are free to leave. I won't stop you. But you are also welcome to stay. I suggest you look around, make yourself comfortable. Feel free to walk around and settle in, I will make sure someone prepares your room. Or, if you prefer, you can sleep here with me."

"Sleep .. with you?"

"Yes, certainly. I understand it may sound strange, even preposterous, given your perspective. But nonetheless, you are welcome to sleep here with me. Should you want to, we can even explore each other. Enjoy the delights of giving each other pleasure."

Livius harkled distinctly, and felt how his face started to blush up once more.

"No pressure, dear human. Every choice is yours to make", said Philon with a snicker. "I would recommend that you explore this house first, though. No room is restricted. I am glad to have you here, and I will pray for your safety if you decide to leave. I will not impose myself more on you tonight, out of respect for your desire to enjoy your personal space."

Livius nodded, turned and walked. As he set his foot outside the room, he halted, and let loose a sigh. He turned once more to Philon, who looked concerned the moment he noticed that Livius wore a somber expression.

"I am really not a good person, Philon. I have done things.. I am.. I am glad you don't know what I have done, but... I don't deserve your kindness", said Livius. For the strangest reason, he felt guilty, ashamed. He was confessing to the proposed enemy, feeling no hostility towards him at all. Only gratitude. What a magnificently odd beast he was, this minotaur host.

Philon smiled and set the book aside. "Livius, sometimes what we do and who we are clash like tidal waves against the rocks, but we still allow it to happen. Culture often erodes that which nature has carved in stone, but the stone will always remain. I just hope you will one day find your carvings beneath the dust, because I see them clearly; and they are beautiful carvings, dear Livius. But no mirror in the world has been built yet, that will let you see what I see. You will have to find it yourself. Who knows? Maybe you might even find it here in House Shade? Such are the hopes of this old bull."

"Heh.. ", Livius exclaimed. He was terrified to say anything else, as he felt his emotions bubbling within. He had to leave. Nodding at Philon, he departed.

With a beating heart, and shaking hands, he stood alone in the corridor. Where would his path lead now?

The moon was full. Livius hadn't noticed that before. White, ethereal lines were drawn across the edges of the rising waves in the still stream. Livius was sitting in the grass outside the entrance to House Shade. He had been staring at the surroundings for hours now, but he hadn't noticed that the moon had been full all through the night. Was it the same moon, at home? In the Empire?

He had run. Prior to sitting here inactively, he had run from House Shade. He tried to flee. The minotaur said I couldn't flee.. So.. I guess I tried to leave, then? He had taken some food from the kitchen, noone seemed to care. In fact, they even helped him pack. All these... human servants of the minotaur Lord. Willing. Loyal. Free. They helped me pack my bags for my departure and they all wished me well. Now I have returned. What must they think of me?

It wasn't even the terrain, that had made Livius stop and return here. No, the terrain was mild, easy to traverse. He'd been helped by Cook - odd fucking name - who had given him a map over the local area and possible routes leading back to the Empire. Livius didn't need to make it all the way, just enough to send for help through communication magic. It was a long road ahead of him though.

As he had begun walking, every step felt heavier and heavier, and his decision somehow made less and less sense. When House Shade was but a small flicker of light in the horizon, it had seemed like a lost beacon of hope to Livius. His lighthouse on stormy seas. And for all his hopes of returning home to the Empire, it suddenly felt like it wasn't a good home to return to, at this point. He realized that deep down, he missed the minotaur. Maybe he was just intriguing, but there was something there. Something to him. Livius had started to think about the prospects of learning his magic, his political and martial plans. Those things had been his original goal, not shy of half a day ago, but now they somehow felt like they were a subordinate clause. Livius did his best in trying to convince himself that it would be in the best interest of the Empire, if he returned to steal the knowledge of the minotaur mage. He would not return because of his interest in the minotaur. Absolutely not, ridiculous to even think something like that. I return for the knowledge, for the Empire. That's it. Empire above all.

But now he was back at the house, and he hadn't dared enter. He'd been sitting out in the cold for hours. The moon was still full. Crickets still disturbed the air by bursting the bubbles of silence with their repetitive singing.

"Second thoughts?"

Livius turned around. Strangely, he hadn't been frightened by the sudden voice of a human behind him. It was a young man from the kitchen personell. Or maybe not, noone seemed to have specific duties here, after all. He looked peaceful, non-judging, as he stood there polishing a rather thick glass. The question had clearly not been asked to make fun of the returning prisoner. Prisoner? I am not sure I am a prisoner, after all. No guards, no magic. Noone stopped me. I just left. They even helped, knowing full well that I could have, theoretically, made the trip in good health.

"Yes.. I ... suppose so. Too tired tonight. I ... thought I might stay after all", Livius replied.

"I see. Your room is ready. When we saw you sitting outside, we decided to prepare it for overnight sleep. Do you want help, finding the room?"

"No, it's all right. I remember the way."

"Would you like something, Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering if there's something you would like? Something to eat, drink?"

"No, no.. it's all fine. I was just wondering... "

"Yes?"

"What does he expect from me? What does he want me to do?"

The young man interrupted his polishing of the glass and had a look of confusion on his face. "Who?"

"Why, Philon of course"

"Oh", said the young man, but still looked confused. "Well, I suspects he expects nothing, demands nothing. Why would he?"

"I just can't get my head around it... why would he let me stay here if he wants nothing from me?"

"When I asked him the same thing once, he told he that I asked the wrong question"

"What did he say was the right question?"

" 'What do you want to do?' "

Livius just snorted approvingly and smiled. So typical of that minotaur. Typical? I sound as if I know him. I don't.

"I must admit, I didn't believe minotaurs were like this..."

"They aren't"

Livius looked up at the youngster. "They.. aren't?"

"Oh no. Certainly not. I used to work for Lord Twilight, back when he was alive. He lived not far from here, actually. Me and Cook, we were part of his staff, and he made us work damn hard. I suppose you could say he was a typical minotaur. Strict. Hierarchical. Demanding. Not unkind, never raised a fist or even his voice at his human slaves, but.. very strict. You had limited freedom and no say in any matter. It took a long time for me to get used to Lord Shade once he took us in. I must say I love this freedom he's given us". The young man once more took up polishing the glass, then suddenly interrupted it again. "Cook hates it though", he snickered.

Livius smiled and nodded.

"Except the sex of course"

Livius stopped nodding. "What?"

"I said.. "

"No I heard what you said but.. what do you mean?"

"I can tell you're a feral... I mean... that you've never been in minotaur lands before. We need minotaurs, it's just how we are made. I suspect they might need us to, in a sense. They have an influence on us though. We get addicted to being in their presence, for lack of better words. And trust me; sex with them is ... something you will come to desire. Lord Twilight wasn't very sexual though. He was the silent type, and rarely showed us any passion. Shade is like passion itself, love in concentrated form. Sex with him is like.. uniting with the divine. And he always shares himself with anyone who wants it. He is like a bottomless well."

Livius shook his head and slurred an insecure laughter. "I.. guess it's a feral thing .. to ... not understand this. As strange as you seem to me, I must seem every bit as strange to you. I understand if my presence is.. unsettling. Threatening."

"Not at all. Philon always says to us that we should never judge another person; for if we would have lived their lives, we would have understood their perspective and their choices."

"He is... really something, this Philon, isn't he?"

"Unlike anyone you will ever meet.", said the young man with unshakeable certainty. He then nodded and went inside, leaving Livius alone in the moonlight.

Livius pondered what the young man had said. Influence. It is certainly not a spell, at least. I picked up no such thing from his mind. Therefore, it has to be natural.. the makers must have made it so. With this knowledge though, I might have an easier time shielding myself from becoming ... infatuated.. with him.

Livius was appalled at his own thoughts. Or was it .. feelings? He knew that the minotaur might have some biological effect on him, but ... more than that, it was his demeanor. His way, his methods. It was intriguing. Empathic. Kind. It was hard not to ... like him, Livius concluded. Livius felt it was time to sleep. He would have to see for himself what tomorrow might bring.

He went inside, took his clothes off, and fell upon the bed. It was warm, soft and delightful. But something was missing. What could it be? Oh yes. The scent of a minotaur...

Livius couldn't bear the fresh air, it was too.. empty. After pulling the sheets above his head, throwing them aside, thrashing about in bed.. he eventually decided to sneak a peek. Tip-toe, he snuck out into the corridor. Distant sounds of muffled laughter revealed nighttime activity, but it sounded like it was far away, maybe outside. Perhaps another building. Livius felt almost perverse, sneaking around in his underpants. He should be asleep... and ashamed of himself.

The door was open. Loud noises of snoring minotaur amused Livius' ears, it was very soothing music indeed. He stepped closer and was now right by the giant minotaur, as he lay on his side, facing the wall on the opposite side. He was in deep sleep. Livius touched the base of his left horn, rubbing it slightly. The minotaur resounded a thankful moan, and turned over on his back, leaning into the strokes. His chest was fully exposed, with rippling muscles dancing to the touch of human hands. His sheets covered everything below the stomach. This has to be rectified, thought Livius and took a firm hold of the sheets, pulling them away. He beheld the nude body of the huge minotaur. As the sheets had been pulled away, the masculine scent of his genitals fumed Livius nose in a powerful gust of its erotic wind. Under the sheets, his thighs and calves had become all sweaty from the absorbed air pocket. Livius was envious of the silk, being in a position to constantly cling at the minotaur's body. Livius slowly allowed his head to descend, aiming at the crotch. His heartbeats made his chest ache, but curiousity forced him forward. Hovering above the dark colored, massive testicles, he observed the glistening pearls of sweat upon them, making them look firmer and somehow smoother than he had imagined them to be.

Livius could no longer tell if he was afraid of being discovered, or if he was hopeful about it; but he squinted his trembling lips, and laid them upon the balls of the minotaur. As he assumed the pressure of a lover's kiss, the sweat from his musky genitals appeared to be absorded by Livius lips. The testicles were hard, to be sure, yet somehow just enough squishy to be pleasantly shapeable by human lips and hands. And so incredibly firm and lean. He kissed them again, this time harder. As he could hear Philon's unconsciuos moaning, he let his tongue out, to soak up the taste of the minotaur's most sacred, holy parts. This is what a minotaur tastes like.. this is .. so powerful..

Livius felt compelled to explore more. Philon had laid his arms behind his heavy head for the moment, and Livius was drawn to the scent of his armpits, for some reason. They were drenched in minotaur sweat. Pinelike, profound scent suffused the air, and Livius drew his face closer. He expected to be disgusted by the smell of an armpit, but this was no ordinary armpit, clearly. It was far from disgusting. It was alluring. The scent alone was from the heavens themselves, and .. he had to lick. His tongue traced the warm pits with childish delight, and he swallowed the sweat like it was mother's milk. He began to lick along the shoulder, then down the chest. He stroked his face lovingly against the muscular chest, and felt so inhumanly safe. Then he noticed the stiffened nipples, and he had to suck them. He could almost pick up a taste of .. something? Unfamiliar though. Damn good taste.

The minotaur was still asleep, and Livius rose up, planning to walk away. He had to stop this behaviour. In the motion, he noticed the sheath, where his penis was bound to emerge from, should he get excited. It seemed so soft, thick and cozy.

He had to rest his cheek against the strange sheath. Just for a while, thought Livius. Without expecting it, he noticed how it started to swell. Livius raised his head and saw Philon becoming erect, the thick penis getting wider, harder, as it slithered out like a swelling, wet snake along his belly. Although there was some excessive fat on his body, his shivers of pleasure drew forth hills of muscled undertone, and painted themselves as erotic maps across the thick hide. Livius stared at the huge penis, and felt desire washing over him like summer rain. How does it taste.. his thick, experienced penis.. it's given so many people lots of pleasure no doubt.. I guess I would be.. amiss.. if I didn't know.. it's ... taste... all in good science of course...

"You can taste it, if you want..", boomed a minotaur voice. Livius turned to Philon's face, very slowly, expecting the voice to be a trick of his brain. It wasn't - Philon was awake, smiling at him. Livius eyes were open, wide as could be. He didn't know how to respond. He just nodded, and looked back at the erect penis. It lay there, patiently awaiting his attention.

Livius once more leaned down close to the minotaur, and noticed small flows of precum all over the surface of the magnificent shaft. The tip of the penis was especially swollen, and pulsated an erotic rhythm, hypnotizing Livius into approaching it, and encasing it with his obedient mouth. No words could describe the taste, as the swelling tip filled the skin inside Livius' mouth, pleasantly rubbing and kneading against the tongue. Livius looked at the length of the penis, quaking with a will to orgasm as it jerked in ecstatic spasms from the heat of Livius' sucking. Livius was beside himself with insane excitement. He had never lusted as much, and the sounds of the increasingly loudly moaning minotaur drove him to suck with more force and pressure. He could see the balls bouncing in the distance, as Philon paced and kicked with his gigantic legs, his hips thrusting the throbbing penis deeper into the human throat. Livius grabbed the soaking wet balls, rubbing them greedily as Philon moaned even louder, and pounded his hip faster and faster. Small stretches of veins bulged as improvised hills on the shaft, forking into new roads all over the penis, which was on the brink of its eruption.

With a loud sigh of pleasure, Philon tensed his thighs, showing how amazingly muscular they were. His hooves pressed themselves against the silk, and he released his seed into the lusting human. It quickly flooded Livius' mouth, but he hungrily swallowed what amounts he could muster, the rest poured out and streamed down the minotaur's beautiful belly. Livius felt the whole situation was surreal, and he felt how the penis slowly went limp in his mouth, the length retracting into the sheath with infinite patience as time had slowed down to a crawl. The tip soon slid out of Livius' mouth, gaining leverage from saliva and seed as it fell down with a wet 'smack' onto the heavy minotaur skin. Livius saw how it followed the commands of the sheath, shrinking and being dragged back to its holy cave.

Livius got up on his knees and looked at Philon with an expression of guilt and ... wonder. "I.. I ... I didn't ..."

"Livius.. it was wonderful of you. I am so glad you did this for me. What a fantastic gift."

"But I ... this.. "

"You have done nothing wrong. This was a holy moment that we shared together, and I look forward to plenty more. You were just curious, and I assure you I am too. Don't feel bad about this, Livius. I realize it has to feel strange, even awkward for you. We will talk about it tomorrow. But right now I suggest you try and get some sleep. And once more - you have done nothing wrong"

Livius felt like he was about to pass out from the swirling chaos in his mind. He walked back into his room and crashed upon the bed. He was certain to not find sleep due to all his conflicting thoughts, but like a raven in flight, his consciousness disappeared. He slept like a baby within a matter of seconds, and was sent into a dream of looming plains that went on forever. In his dream he looked down and noticed he wasn't walking, but rather; he was being carried... by a colossal, white minotaur.

-Chapter 5- -"Wishing to stay here, eternity long..."-

Intense brightness radiated Livius' dreams asunder. As his eyes were opened , he felt a wave of disorientation hit him across the face. Where am I?, he thought. The most basic of questions. It took him a few minutes of lying in bed, staring at the unfamiliar room, to finally accept the transgressions and events of yesterday. It had been the most intense day of his life, even more intense than his first and so far only battle, which took place not even a week ago. But now, he was here, in House Shade. Yesterday he had been intimate with... Oh no. Did I .. No. I didn't... not with... a minotaur?

Livius felt traces of a taste in his mouth; it had to be minotaur semen. And even his skin smelt of minotaur. It had not been a dream. Suddenly his ears registered something else; music. Harp music. It came from outside. Livius got on his feet and approached the window. He was met with an overwhelming sight; lushious gardens, rich with flowers, trees, and adornments. Skillfully crafted statues of minotaurs and humans amongst carefully laid-out stone paths, and a wonderful river running slowly by wonderful hills where grazing cattle roamed free. His hands had already become warm from the combined effort of the sunrays and the heated stone he rested on, by the window frame. Livius had only seen the whole place through the filter of night before, and he never imagined it to be this beautiful by day. And that harp music..

Livius noticed that someone had placed a big vat of water, aswell as a large porcelain tub, in which to stand, in the middle of the room. No doubt intended for his use. It was a fantastic sensation to clean himself with such clear and fresh water. From the outside, fresh summer winds made the hair on his skin stand on edge; goosebumps. He felt more pure than ever. Once done with his cleaning, he noticed that his robes were placed and folded on top of a chair. They had been washed and steampressed, and practically looked as good as new again. He dressed himself in the robes, and looked out the window once more. He would have to go outside.

As he got out into the corridor, he momentarily glanced the doorway leading into Philon's room. Livius shivered a bit, ashamed of himself. He didn't dare risk the minotaur being in there, so he quickly rushed outside instead.

It was warm. Very warm. The air was thick with humidity, but pleasant breezes swept the garden and made it all bearable. More than bearable, divine. Livius went around the corner, following a path leading into a large collection of scattered exotic plants. On his left, he could glance into the room he just had left. The vat was empty, the tub full of dirty water. Upon the floor, some of the water he had soaked himself with lay glistening in sunlight. As he continued walking, he noticed some people tended to gardening duties. One by one, they all stopped to wave and greet Livius as he explored the garden. It was a strange thing to be welcomed by unknown people in such a kind way.

Livius suddenly noticed a large avenue, with mighty oaks on both sides, towering like protective giants. Not knowing where it would lead, he decided to walk amidst the proud trees, following the path. Livius looked up as he walked towards the unknown destination, and beams of light broke through the randomly constructed umbrella of leaves, like arrows funneling their path through rusty shields. The music gained volume as Livius walked closer to its source, and all of a sudden, farther away between the cover of the trees, he could see him in the distance; Philon.

He was lying peacefully in a large hammock, seemingly knitted out of hemp or some similar material. Livius was amazed at the fact it supported his weight. He looked so relaxed, lying there, his tail swaying about in the air, along with the long strips of cloth from the loincloth he wore. Apart from that garment, he was entirely naked. A few meters away from him, another minotaur sat down, playing an enormous harp. He was remarkably skilled, and had his eyes closed, clearly passionate about the music he created. Livius had to spend a few moments to ascertain he wasn't hallucinating, as it seemed to him that the minotaur was blue. Stepping closer, he saw it was indeed so; ranging from summer day skyline to dark sunset, the hues of blue played remarkable tricks to the eye. Just like Philon, this blue minotaur wore only a white loincloth, and he was remarkably muscular. He was nowhere near as big as Philon, but his body had more tone and less fat. His horns and his hooves shone bright as ceremonial armor in the sun, causing Livius to believe he's had them waxed. Perhaps minotaurs can be vain too?

Livius soon became spellbound by the music; the notes being plucked and thrown out into the air like seeds from flowers riding the breeze. The song was uplifting, spirited, and it gave Livius a sensation of endless hope and wonder, as it everything was possible. He never wanted the song to end. Once it was over though, it felt as if his whole body was somehow lighter. Should I ever decide to make songs out of my poems, I want this minotaur to be the composer, thought Livius.

"Thank you so much for your fantastic harp play. It is such a privilege to enjoy the miracles you so gladly offer an old bull like me."

"You are too kind, my Lord Shade", said the blue minotaur. His voice was surprisingly light for his body, and it had a very gentle tone.

"Would you please excuse me for a moment, my dear friend? I need to speak with Livius here."

"Certainly. I will retire to your west wing. One of your servants offered me a massage, and I would be mad to take a pass on that, given the reputation of House Shade"

"I am pleased to hear such rumours are still flourishing. Hopefully, you will enjoy the treatment."

"No doubt I will!", said the minotaur minstrel. He took a deep bow, first towards Philon, and then he turned to bow at Livius aswell. Shocked by this, Livius bowed clumsily in return. As the blue minotaur walked off, Livius felt a sudden surge of hesitation to be alone again in Philon's vicinity.

"Come here, Livius", said the white minotaur as he smilingly waved at the human to approach. Livius obediently ushered himself forward. The big minotaur took a firm hold of Livius' shoulders and pulled him close, into a loving embrace. "Sweet human", said Philon and placed a huge kiss on Livius' forehead. The lips were like heavily stuffed cushions. It was hard for Livius to deny that he liked it, but he still cringed away and slipped out of the minotaur's embrace. Philon looked sad for a moment, but it still seemed he was prepared for the human's reaction.

"Look, Philon, I ... Last night.. I didn't mean to.. "

"Calm down. We have all the time in the world. This is House Shade. Stress is for the rest of the world, it wont be allowed here."

"I just didn't mean to ... sneak into your room and ... touch you. I don't know what came over me. I really meant to leave, but.. then you woke up and invited me to... oh gods.. this is hard for me"

"I can understand that it is. You didn't believe this situation would ever present itself, and you feel confused and ashamed for acting against what you perceived to be your agenda, am I right?"

"Well... yes? Yes, you are."

"It's not the mystery you make it out to be. Not to me, and not to yourself. This new place, this strange culture, these new values and individuals... all of it offer new perspectives for your perception of reality, and your old perspective still clings to your brain, whispering not to let it fade. Your old self, from only a few days ago, still begs you to listen to the notions that have seemingly always reigned. But with these new sets of feelings and thoughts you are assaulted with, your perspective is beginning to feel forced to adapt; to open up. Question things. Question yourself."

Livius nodded and stared at the ground. Philon's words rung true, but it was hard to face him.

"In fact, I have a question for you...", continued the minotaur.

"Yes?"

"Disregarding all the confusion, fear, shame, guilt, regret... disregarding all that which you believe you should feel; did you like it?"

"Did I like... what happened last night? What I did... with you?"

"Yes."

Livius had to pause and think for a while. If he would be limited to mere reflexes, his instinctive response would have to be "yes", but where does that leave him? Once again, Livius felt very conflicted. It couldn't be as simple as that. There had to be a conspiracy or something. How could he just like being around the very ones he's always been told to be the enemies? It had to be a method, some sinister plan.

Livius used his signature power, enhanced it to stretch deep into the psyche of the white minotaur. Nothing. Still nothing that indicates any spell, any technique, any skill... nothing dabbling with coercion or subterfuge. Nothing. The only thing Livius picked up were emotions; kindness, empathy, genuine desire to make the human feel comfortable and happy. How can this be?

Livius needed to be honest. Honest with Philon, honest with himself. No matter how painful and confusing it was.

"I... yes. I liked it, Philon. No wait..", he began. He looked up at the white minotaur who wore a troubled look on his brows. Big eyes trying to convey safety.

"The truth is ... I think it may have been the best moment of my life."

Livius temporarily lost control of his body. That's what it must have been, because he suddenly felt... relaxed? Was it the confession that brought that sensation, and if so; due to the words or their actual meaning, the honesty behind the words? Could it be true? It was out in the open now, in a sense. To Livius, it felt like a huge step to say these things aloud. The minotaur seemed to be overjoyed, and somehow that magnified the emotions in Livius. He felt relieved.

In the air was only stillness. Scent of exotic plumage was carried on summer wind. And in his hammock, Philon lay smiling.

"I am very glad that you feel that way. I am not certain you're sure of what you're saying though. It may have been your most intense moment, but surely it wasn't your best?"

"I have lived a secluded life, as a mage in service of the Empire. I have never been keen on women, and when it comes to men... no. I haven't gotten around to enjoy any form of sexual contact with men, I have .. simply not found time. And I suppose.. well the truth is that I haven't really found men all that interesting either. I guess you could call me a little bit of a ... virgin. I guess."

Philon smiled, he didn't seem judgmental or surprised. "No shame in that. But you were very keen on me, I could tell. Have you always been attracted to minotaurs?"

"To what used to be my great shame; yes. Of course, it matters little here, doesn't it?"

"It should matter little anywhere, whatever you happen to desire. So long as there is no harm, what's the foul? Without victims, there are no crimes."

"Where I come from, it is unthinkable to be attracted to minotaurs. It is considered a perversion, and it is indeed a crime in our culture."

"Criminalize feelings of desire and lust? Barbaric. Lust and desire can be interwoven with love and compassion, and bonding of all those forms help this world thrive. It is not a perversion, it is healing - the bridge between the gaps. Enjoying pleasure with one another is the greatest thing there is, never feel ashamed about your nature, Livius."

Livius had no words to contribute with. He just tried to look approving, and nodded stiffly as a compulsive reply. Philon could probably tell it wasn't sincere, and with a booming laughter, he got a hold of Livius by wrapping his arm around the human and pulling him close, to his own body.

Livius made nasal sounds of discomfort, taken aback by the sudden contact with the minotaur. His body was so warm, and the soothing scent was so exceedingly different from a human's, but it was a strangely good thing. Philon gently pulled him closer to his chest, and Livius made no attempt to resist, as it would be bad manners. He saw beads of sweat on the approaching surface. Philon had begun to perspirate in the sun. Livius couldn't help but expect the experience of diving his face into all that sweat to be anything but pleasant. But out of politeness, Livius decided to not begin a struggle even at this point.

As his face connected with the thick hide, landing softly against the warm wetness upon the muscular torso, he discovered that continuing to appear polite would instead become a growing problem, as it turned out the experience he feared would be unpleasant turned out to be unfathomably wonderful. Just like the night before, he found the aroma sublime. He felt insanely safe, and desires began to once more swell in him. The chest that his head now lay on was so exquisitely hard, yet the skin so responsive, so mouldable, and well-scenting. His face was now moist with minotaur musk. He couldn't help but sigh with relief. Thoughts inside him raged, he wanted so badly to press his lips against the nipples, suckling them. He wanted to taste everything he had tasted last night. He fought like a beast to feel ashamed. He had to stop enjoying himself! "I can tell you are conflicted, Livius. What is holding you back so much? What is stopping you from enjoying yourself?"

"Sin. It's a sin. I just can't get it around my head... I mean, the.. to do .. it.. with another man. And a minotaur? Unthinkable..."

"We just talked about this, Livius. I can understand it must be hard to absorb. But try and listen to me; I loved what you did last night, and you loved it too. We were two individuals who loved sharing moments of pleasure with each other. How can that ever be a sin? Two souls, in their unique bodies, making love to each other? There is nothing wrong with that. Those who have dictated the rules of life to you, the moral values, did they ever give you a reasoning to go with their ideals, or did they just speak matter-of-factly without basis? As if they owned the truth? I wonder, since they obviously condemned love; what did they instead preach as high morals? Killing others?"

"It is.. unclean to make love with those who.. cannot procreate with you. It is .. sinful lusting. Decadence."

"Tell me something, Livius. What is the bigger sin: two souls with desires for each other, who please one another no matter if a child is the outcome or not; or two souls in battle, where one end the life of the other against that person's will, berefting the possibilities of these two people to share each other's perspectives with one another, learn from the other? Ending the future of a soul with equal right to live?"

Livius suddenly started thinking of the battle. He remembered the sounds of turmoil, dust and sand, in the air and in his lungs, as he tried to breathe in the cold air. The horrible sights, watching his friends die. Sending the minotaur to his death. What if they needn't have fought? What if they could have been... friends? In an alternate life, could they even have been... blood brothers? Strange scenarios started to conjure in Livius' mind - images of himself laughing and cuddling up with the minotaur that he instead sent to his death. Livius began feeling emotional, but at the back of his mind, he was trying to convince himself that the notion was ludicrous. Such utopic images have no place in a soldier's mind. But am I a soldier? I am doing the very thing I would never have thought myself capable of doing. I *am* cuddled up with a minotaur right now, and.. there's no place I would rather be... no place..

Livius teared up. He knew there was no way to beat Philon's logic. He pressed his face harder against the minotaur chest, buried it deep in there. Hopefully he would be able to quench and silence his pathetic sobs, but it was soon pointless, and his salty tears streamed down aswell. He was reduced to nothing. Weak! Weak, pathetic fuck! You are useless! You will never be an adequate servant of the Empire, he thought to himself. He was outraged aswell as unfathomably sad.

"Let it all out, Livius. I will never judge you. I know you have killed, and I know you have seen death. Aren't you tired of it all, though? It is not weakness to deny destruction. Creating and preserving life and love, now that takes power. That takes strength. Ending it takes nothing. In the void, you find no strength."

"I.. have killed.. and seen death... and I was told that it .. was.. for the glory of the Empire.."

"A banner showered in bloodstains never represents a strong faction. It represents the end of opposition, the end of questioning what's wrong. But you are beginning to do just that, Livius. Breaking free from the shackles of a country that produces units, not people. The values you have been fed since birth, you see it all from a distance now. Is the stench of blood really so inviting as to found the ideals of a nation on them? Wouldn't a nation that encourages the will of many be even stronger? Last longer? Provide more joy for all its inhabitants?"

"I am just one man... one who has done a lot of harm. What can I do to change the world?"

"Much. Noone has the right to judge another so casually as we judge ourselves. If I would have walked my life in your shoes, all that which I might find detestable, would suddenly appear acceptable. That which was intolerable, becomes tolerable, and all the choices and feelings and thoughts that I would find strange from the perspective I have now, would make sense and be clear. It is so easy to judge, so easy to not see. So many different cultures, and ways, and ideas.. but there is one universal law we can all adhere to.."

"What is that?"

"Do no harm. All is fine, as long as there is no harm. Can you imagine a nation built on that principle? A banner without stains of blood?"

"I... can't.. and I don't know a life without war. I have honed my skills to conform to one purpose: defeat my enemy"

Philon smiled warmly and held up Livius' head, which was soaking wet by now. He looked intently into his eyes. "There are no enemies for you to fight here, Livius. But that's all right. Because I will school you in other things. I will teach you to heal, and to love."

Livius had a will to reply, but found no words. He just looked into the eyes of his bovine saviour, perplexed by his borderless understanding and empathy.

"Would you like that, Livius?"

A nod. It was all he could muster.

"Then I will teach you all I know. You will be a student of love, and of healing. And you will excel. You will learn strength and power beyond all that which you've been told, and it will be real power, not a pale substitute; no instrument of hatred. It will be pure. I look forward to teaching you."

Philon's smile broadened before pulling Livius close, and suddenly they were kissing. It wasn't Philon forcing himself upon Livius. It was mutual. A shared moment, and Livius wanted nothing else in the world. His tongue was intertwined with the thick bull tongue, their saliva mixing. Their respective sensory organs of taste sending signals across the worlds they came from - across the oceans of differences, reaching each other's alien shore, finding peace on the opposing beach head. The experience was divine. And not a single atom in Livius' body told him that this was in any way wrong. Time passed, and Livius continued sucking on the strange tongue. Its surface was fairly coarse, but the taste was sweeter than wine. It was a strange sensation, to be kissing a minotaur, who's head was ill adapted for a human to interact with it like this. But somehow, it worked out just fine. Livius began to grope the muscular chest while they kissed, and Philon used his enormous right hand to massage the human along his back and neck. Livius felt himself getting harder, but the combined pleasures of this loving session, and the heating rays of the sun, made him drowzy. After a while, his tongue slipped out of the muzzle, and slid wetly down along the minotaur's neck. Soon enough, Livius was lying on top of Philon as a human blanket, approaching a state of deep sleep. He could still feel the fantastic moving of his muscles and skin, shivering and quaking along the back from the pressure applied by the bovine giant. A deep, vibrating sound undulated inside Livius' ears. At first, he figured it to be his unconscious playing tricks with his mind, but he eventually figured out that it had to be the minotaur, who was humming a strange tune. It was soothing, to be sure. Livius began to slip in and out of consciousness, scarcely aware of his own senses or his surroundings. He only knew he was ..

"...safe."

Suddenly Livius realized that the word had indeed slipped his mouth, and his eyelids broke open like trap doors of a well guarded fort. Embarrasment came cascading in over his face, and flooded his capacity to think. He could only pray that Philon hadn't heard, but the sounds produced by the jolting torso of the minotaur beneath him indicated otherwise. The shame that settled was an uninvited guest, and the odd snickering from below sounded certifiably content.

"Don't feel ashamed, Livius. I am actually glad you feel safe here with me. Nothing will happen to you"

".. unless the hammock crashes from our combined weight", Livius filled in.

"Oh, don't worry. It's stronger than it looks... just like you"

"Ever the charmer, eh?"

"Always", Philon said and kissed Livius' forehead. "It's time I show you around".

With those words, Livius could feel the body beneath him shifting around. Quickly, he got up on his feet and tumbled down on the ground with clumsy effort. Philon swung himself off from the hammock in a move that revealed experience, and then he stood up. He motioned Livius to join him as he began walking towards the estates. As they walked across the lushious gardens and Philon spoke passionately about the various breeds of flowers and plants that grew there, aswell as how to best tend to them in order to see them grow effectively, Livius was astounded by the evident lack of guardsmen, soldiers or defensive fortifications. Quite clearly, this minotaur lived according to his philosophy. It wasn't just empty words. Livius felt compelled to ask about it, but he didn't want to interrupt the passionate speech, even though he found it to be boring. He wasn't a flower man. Philon eventually noticed and chuckled.

"You don't have to pretend, Livius. If you're not interested in these things, just say so and I wont waste your time"

"I don't consider a moment here to be a waste of my time, to be honest. But.. I just wonder how you manage to stay safe when you have no guards?"

"The political climate amongst the minotaur clans are always in turmoil, but I am blessed in that I belong to a small, close to insignificant clan. We have very few mages, and I am therefore respected enough to benefit from protection around the borders, and along the paths leading here. I feel no need to maintain soldiers of my own, to the great surprise of the clan's council", Philon said and let out a troubled sigh. "They often invite me to various political meetings and such, and they want me to engage more resolutely in this idiotic war and the various interdomestic clan issues. But I don't like partaking in those things. I prefer to stay here."

Livius felt.. well not stunned. Nothing could shock him anymore when it came to Philon, as it felt, but he was still a bit taken aback by the lack of interest in something as crucial as politics. He bit his tongue. No point in mentioning anything. It is Philon´s decision and if wants to ignore the ... No. I have to mention this.

"Philon... ", began Livius, his face slightly red and his body full of energy all of a sudden. "How can you *not* care about politics?! It is the lifeblood of any society, the conductor through which values and systematic organisation for everyone's benefit is directed. It is all we have, and we can cling to, in times of despair and disillusionment. Without politics, we are nothing! It is the essence of large scale communication, and it can be a great tool for peace aswell, if that's what you need to hear. It's ... I mean... "

Livius didn't know what else to say, he stuttered and tried to give words to his thoughts, while flailing his hands and staring all over the place, trying to find the correct way to instigate an interest in the stubborn minotaur. Suddenly Philon laughed.

"I didn't realize you could be so passionate about something so boring. But I guess you see things differently. Obviously it's not boring to you... Very well, I will try and take an interest. With your guidance, maybe I can even learn to like it, who knows? But tell me something, Livius.."

"Yes?" Livius replied in a baffled tone.

"How come you, as a representative of the Empire, show such dedication and willingness to teach me the benefits of politics, speaking so warmly about a participation that might indirectly contribute to our chances of quelling the human armies in war? Politics is, after all, a lot about dichotomizing and subduing through means of war. Especially in these times. Are you slowly switching sides, I wonder?"

The grin on Philon's face would have been priceless if it wasn't for the fact that Livius knew he had a point, and it made Livius speechless. What am I doing, honestly? I am trying to make him interested in fighting for his own people. I am trying to help him understand the mechanisms of his side of the political fence. Which ... which side am I on?

Livius eventually shook his head and couldn't help but shuckle. "I don't know left from right anymore, I guess.. Well.. for some reason I want to help you and... well I guess I .. I guess I want to stay here, and that does mean I will have to understand your politics and.. since you don't appear to be overly well versed in it, it's only logical we .. learn together. I guess... is that switching sides, I mean.. yes maybe it is? In a sense. I don't know. All this is so ... confusing"

Philon smiled a confident and calming smile and placed his arms around the smaller human. "No need to worry. Let it all take it's time. If you want us to study politics then by all means, let us do so. It's more fun if someone is passionate about it, might even be contagious". Suddenly Philon halted, and his eyes widened. "Oh! But I also have to teach you spells! You have to see my study!"

Although he nodded and smiled, a part of Livius felt something sinister arise. His original mission was to gather intelligence, learning new things. If he would return to the Empire with arcane spells that he had learned from a minotaur mage.. No. I don't want to return. They can go fuck themselves. I would rather stay here until I grow old and gray, Livius thought to himself jokingly. Or was it jokingly? Livius just didn't feel so sure about that anymore. One day he might have to return to the Empire, but.. maybe not? Maybe he could indeed stay here. Would he want to? Right now, it felt as though he would.

The notion was strange to Livius, but it felt honest. As they walked to the study, he looked around the place, the surroundings; it was all divine, tranquil. The people who lived here had a serene aura about them, and Livius felt genuinely safe here. In fact, he even felt... loved. It was an entirely new sensation, one that sent ripples of desires in him to explore it even more. It was his new drug, and no other place could offer it.

The arcane study lay like a rounded beacon of wonder amongst networks of interconnected trees, and wonderful plants tangled the whole place, whether it be tree, ground or structure. It was almost as if nature had been given freedom to play around as it saw fit, yet somehow there was a subtle feeling that it was all controlled. Shaped, even, by a conscious being. Livius couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt confident that the whole thing was planned in minute detail; as if there was a message hidden in the chaotic reign of flora clasping its colorful hands around the large, white dome. Without hesitation they entered, and the lofty building seemed to almost expand as they did so. Livius believed it was the light that helped create that strange impression. Somehow the convex roof appeared nearly translucent, or perhaps it somehow magnified the sun's rays without making the room any hotter. Not that it wasn't hot to begin with; the air was moist and sticky, but it still seemed as though it should be even warmer where they were. Yet it wasn't. The whole room they were in bathed in intense light, and Livius even noticed vines and branches from strange plants climbing the walls, even inside the house itself. Like rattlesnakes, they crept along the white surface of the structure, and nimbly hid behind large wooden shelves, keeping tomes and books in their wake. Philon approached and started rummaging the various shelves for literature, while humming a strange melody. Livius kept observing the interior of the house, almost expecting something miraculous to happen, like maybe the furniture coming to life and dancing about; but nothing happened. After a while, Philon had gathered quite a collection of books, and he jovially dumped them all on a sturdy table near Livius.

"Food for the mind", said the giant minotaur, beaming his smile at the absent-minded human.

"What.. what is all this?", Livius asked. He couldn't believe how incredibly forward his host had been. This was the ultimate sign of trust and approval in Livius mind; the mere thought of introducing a student to magical lore as quickly as this felt alien at best.

"Arcane literature. Not merely a catalogue of spells, but also a lot of documents covering the basics of our history and customs aswell. Pretty much everything and anything you might want to know. Or need to."

".. and you want me to read this?"

"Well, yes. Certainly. If you want to? I just think it's for the best, if you want to grow as a mage. I am sure the Empire creates fine mages, but it always helps to learn more."

"You do realize that I am from the Empire? Giving me this information...it's .. I mean... it's basically ...."

"What? You are from the Empire??!", Philon suddenly exclaimed, a shocked look of feigned disbelief on his face. He was clearly jesting, and quite soon the dramatic expression changed, as Philon let out an overwhelming chuckle. It was evident he found his own joke to be very amusing.

"Very funny...", Livius said in a barren tone of voice. It took quite some time before Philon settled down, but eventually he did; his massive body ceased to hectically dance from the rhytmic laughter. His face was livelier in color as he turned to Livius in an attempt to get more serious.

"I am sorry, Livius", he snickered. "- but as you probably know by now; I don't consider you an enemy. What you choose to do with the knowledge you receive here is entirely up to you. Besides, I doubt you can use it to do any harm; I don't teach such spells, nor would I ever use them."

"It's a mystery to me how you manage to survive with such pacifistic notions. Surely, you are aware that the rest of the world doesn't share your views? I myself still find all this hard to digest, but I am beginning to see how you've organized your life, and your philosophy.. well.. I would be lying if I didn't admit that it's starting to grow on me.. ", Livius said with a calm smile. Philon nodded and looked pleased, and Livius felt compelled to continue. "However, you do live in a secluded haven, with war raging all around you.. and although I am no expert on minotaur politics, I would assume there is a lot of that going on too.."

Philon nodded once more, this time with a hint of troubled weight upon his brow. It was evident he disliked the subject. "I am fully aware of the rest of the world. However, I am construed in such a way that I withdraw from obligations regarding the traditions we are supposed to cling to. It simply holds no interest to me. The oceans of warfare and politics remain unchartered for me. Instead, I put my efforts in staying here, perfecting my gardens and deepening the relations I keep with all individuals living here. That is what holds meaning in my life."

"But you can't escape fully, can you?", Livius asked. It was impossible not to be stunned by the lifestyle Philon had chosen for himself and his servants. No wait.. not servants.. inhabitants, Livius corrected himself in an instant. Still, this remarkable exception to the minotaur standards would not go by unnoticed for very long, or had it perhaps effectively done so? Livius felt himself growing increasingly curious.

"Your assumption is sadly correct. I have been lucky enough to know tranquility for a long time here, but I know it can't last forever. Many years ago, I partook, albeit rarely, in meetings and gatherings with my own and other clans, and I quickly made a reputation of being largely uninterested and unable to contribute on a satisfactory level; it was a fragile guarantee for me to escape future involvement. Fragile in that it would not last during volatile times such as these. I have dismissed many invitations to various parleys and discussions from convoys and emissaries sent here, but I am running out of arguments to be left alone. I am one of the few mages of note that this clan is in possession of, and so I have duties that seem unavoidable". Philon released a deep, and displeased sigh. Even talking about these things seemed to dampen his spirit. This otherwise so powerful and composed minotaur had a weakness after all.

"Well, I told you I would help out in such affairs, and I am not backing out now."

Philon smiled. "I do recall that, Livius. And I promise that I will listen to you that horrible, fateful day when we have to talk politics. But first - let's have some fun! Magic is fun, for instance, and I have sworn to teach you all I know. Now come here, and let's see what to work on first..."

With a chuckle, Livius joined Philon further into his study. He once more found himself amazed by the sheer amounts of notes, papers and books the building held. Some were disparately littered across the ground, others were perfectly organized in shelves. In front of a podium, symbols were painted on the floor.

"Please stand right there", Philon said and pointed at the center of the plethora of symbols. With a loose stance, Philon placed himself behind the podium, looking at his human student with proud eyes. His smile broke out like a flower, and the lessons began.

Livius had never experienced any day in his life go by as quickly as this; Nighttime came creeping around the corner, clad in silken garments of serene darkness. She was there seemingly in an instant, to invite them both to cease practicing and go to sleep. They both reluctantly accepted the offer.

---

The seasons passed mildly at House Shade. That much dawned on Livius, as time sailed its course over ever-changing waters. Some days passed by so quickly that Livius was barely able to comprehend when they had ended, even as his head lay upon the pillow. Other days, the sands of time seemed to crawl to a halt. Those days were initially few and far between, but as the seasons changed, and autumn changed for spring, spring for summer and once more back to autumn, Livius found himself at a loss for a plan ahead. His head was filled with knowledge of minotaur Houses and customs, habits in political games, honor codes and ways to adress minotaurs and how to behave properly in public and private spheres. Simply put; how to be a human in minotaur lands. Still, those rules and regulations meant nothing in House Shade. This was a sanctuary from requirements, demands, duties, obligations - and yet it didn't lack them, but all such initiatives were devoid of orders or chains of command. It was like a family. One that Livius had begun to feel he belonged to.

Philon was an eager teacher. He could go on for hours on end, either talking or showing, and together they spent what seemed like ages in the library and arcane crafting chambers. Livius learned new spells all the time, and Philon was in awe over the fact that his human student was learning so fast. Livius kept the secret of his signature to himself, painful as it was. That one principle, he could not afford to part with, taxing as it was to his conscience. As the months flew by like the birds in the sky, so did Livius intentions of taking notes and gathering knowledge for his old allies. What he learned here, would stay here, as he would too.

He would often find himself staring out into the night, leaning against his window sill until the wee hours dragged a carpet of light into his room. He was trying, desperately, to unravel the mysteries of his own heart. It no longer belonged to the Empire. It belonged to a giant, two-legged bull with a huge smile and an endless supply of warmth in a world grown cold. As little sense as it made, Livius knew he was no longer a servant of the Empire. He was an adept of love instead, and looking down at his feet, he could picture himself seeing imaginary chains being broken apart and slowly dragged away by the spirits of his once fears. He knew that he had finally found the one thing he never truly had in his past:

A home.

---

The rustling of the wind and the crackling sound of fallen leaves scattering over a hard surface woke Livius up from his deep sleep. As he opened his eyes, he realized he was lying on the stone floor inside the adjacent dome-like structure where the library and arcane study was located. He'd been up all night reading books, and eventually he had fallen asleep, near the entrance. There was drool on the floor, and a few books lay randombly about; some opened, some closed. Livius chuckled at the bizarre situation. This casual approach to living and working would have been unacceptable at his old home, yet here it was praised like a virtue. Just to celebrate the vast differences between the cultures, Livius made sure to enjoy every second of his peculiar awakening. In truth, it was very easy to do so. The autumn breeze from outside bred multiple fresh gusts that lingered on the doorstep, before their climb yielded an abrupt descent upon the space shared by Livius, his books, the dust and the stones. Livius snickered as the cool air spattered grain and specks of the dust upon his face, and as he rose from the ground, the blood gently rushed like a sensation of pins and needles across his tired skin. Dawnlight outside was on the brink of transformation; from the deep blushing scarlet skyline, to the golden bows bordering the blue and white depths crouching over the planet like a painted visor of the gods. Livius was in heaven, and although he didn't feel he deserved it, he had no worries anymore. Nothing could harm him.

Looking down for a brief second, Livius noticed a book he hadn't seen before. Since he was on his way out, he had no intention of halting his steps, but the title of the book caught him off-guard and forced him to do so. "The Proper Training of Humans", by a certain Maelar of Ourobourus. With a suspicious look on his face, he picked up the book and let his eyes wander over page upon page with fascinating descriptions and images of minotaurs treating humans in various demeaning ways. It appeared to be an old, and quite pedagogic instruction manual on how to treat human slaves. It was quite graphical. But why was it here? How come Philon had such a book in his possession? At first, Livius felt worried. For a fairly long period of time, as he was flipping through the pages, he felt a growing sensation of looming evil. Had it all been a conspiracy? Was this something that would await him? He attached his vision to an almost surreal image of a minotaur assaulting a human to the brink of death, allegedly for the "grievous crime of disrespecting his master and/or questioning his superior opinion".

He closed the book and stood still. As time went by, his form was like a statue in a long deserted ruin, but in his mind the cogwheels were grinding. Then, out of the blue, he laughed out loud. It struck him that even the thought of Philon harming anyone was so ludicrous that it became a living, breathing paradox. Livius eventually got tears in his eyes from his incessant laughing. The scenario was just so bizarre, and seemingly impossible. As Livius calmed down and regained his posture, the gravity of the realization struck him: it had been nigh impossible for him to imagine this minotaur he lived with of ever being able to inflict harm upon a living soul. Minotaur. The enemy. The beastmen. The mantras he heard as a child suddenly became a parody as his thoughts drifted towards Philon and his contradicting ways. Looking back at the book though, he knew that Philon was a clear exception. Some minotaurs truly were as vile as... man. We certainly would have treated minotaurs in the same way... if not worse. And with that thought, Livius got a sinister idea in the back of his mind, and he instantly left the library in pursuit of his minotaur host, with the book in tow.

Walking across the gardens, Livius spotted Philon through one of the windows. It seemed the minotaur had withdrawn to one of the smaller rooms, adjacent to a large living room. He appeared to be eating his breakfast by himself in there, occationally glancing out the window to observe nearby flower arrangements. He did not notice the quickly pacing human with a book and mischievous grin. After Livius came around a bend and entered the mansion from the side, he made his way past the rooms, just barely able to contain his impending snicker. He was about to pull a prank on his saviour, but it was hard for him to focus on the act. As he approached the final room, he suppressed his smile and instead feigned an aggravated and irritated expression. He launched himself around the corner and managed to appear profusely upset. Philon raised his head and was seemingly prepared to welcome Livius as he came in, but once the minotaur noticed the expression on the human's face - he froze.

"Is something the matter, Livius?", asked a very shocked Philon, to which Livius sported a bitter face.

"Oh, don't act so innocent. Don't think for a second that I don't see right through you. I have found some hidden sources in your library, Philon, so now I know how things are supposed to be! Therefore; I refuse to put up with how you run things here. Your era of abuse is over. It is time you start doing the right thing for once. I wont stand your treatment any longer!"

After a short pause, Livius leaned forward and looked Philon straight into his eyes. "I am so disappointed in you, master!"

Philon's ear sank as his eyes widened. He looked genuinely clueless and couldn't speak a single coherent word at first. He just looked at Livius with endless sorrow and shame in his eyes, his boggled brain entangled by confusion.

"I.. I.. I don't understand, Livius? What.. what's happened? What did I do? What have I done?", pleaded the minotaur.

Livius raised the book high into the air, as if he was a vicar preaching to the masses. "You've been lazy, that's what! This is how you're supposed to be runnings things, master!", proclaimed Livius as he authoratively placed the template for assorted teaching methods at Philon's table. The baffled minotaur looked, firstly at the book, then back to Livius' barren face, then once more back to the book. He grasped it and looked through the content, and it took him quite a few seconds until he even registered what book it was. When it finally dawned on him, he started to smile ever so slightly, returning his look at Livius, who found it hard to keep up the act. Together they broke out in a hearty laughter, and Livius sat down at the opposite end of the table.

"You certainly had me there for a moment, my dear, sweet heartmage.. ", chuckled Philon. Livius merely nodded as a reply, his smile honest and wide. It had been both devastating and hysterically fun to watch his master's struggle. "Of course, you realize this is no joke to those humans who live like this even to this day?", he continued, subtly tapping at the cover of the vile book.

"I can imagine that humans would be no different, sadly. Not that I have witnessed it myself. I have only seen battle. But that was in the past. Now I will no longer have to endure sights like that. I will never have to watch humans mistreat a minotaur, ever again."

Philon nodded and set the book aside. "You probably won't, Livius. But you never know. And some minotaurs may deserve ill treatment, at times. Especially those who force other minotaurs to partake in political debates", Philon said with a sigh.

"Something on your mind?", Livius inquired with a gentle smile. He could tell that something was awry.

"It seems I have to take you up on your offer soon, Livius. You see, an envoy is on its way here. It is Lord Steam. He is a mage, like me, although we are highly different; both as mages and as .. persons. I am sure you understand that I will be forced to maintain the illusion of minotaur standards when he arrives.."

"Then perhaps this book can serve as a guide?", said Livius with a sly grin.

"Heaven's no! Nothing that extreme!", exclaimed Philon, to which Livius gave a sudden laugh.

"I was just joking. But I understand the need of blending in, you don't want to appear radical to the others."

"Precisely. It is imperative that he does not notice something that raises suspicion, or he could potentially cause problems in the long run. If he is subjected to something he feels compelled to report back to the council, I might be put under scrutinizing eyes - something I would prefer to avoid."

"Do you think ... I mean, is there real danger here?"

Philon smiled and shook his head. "I doubt that, Livius. Although Lord Steam is very formal and stern, I have no reason to believe he is unreasonable or over-zealous. Nevertheless, it is important that you and the other humans behave according to the standards he is used to. We will practice before his arrival."

"Sounds like fun", Livius said and rolled his eyes.

"Well, everything can't be fun all the time, you know", chuckled Philon. "Sometimes, there are duties to be performed. Even here at House Shade"

"I suppose you're right. I never thought I would get to be this spoiled. So.. when do we start the practicing?"

"There is no need to stress. Is there something you would like to do before we get started with the tedious work?"

Livius smiled and looked at Philon. The muted white complexion of his hide reciprocated so well with the lighting in this room, and the heavy shadows worked as a pleasant contrast on his body, accentuating his muscled tone. He wore nothing on his upper body, and only a loose, kilt-like apparel from his waist down to his knees. The muscles on his calves rippled some from minor movements. Livius felt a sudden craving. One he hadn't felt since his first night, which ended with his unplanned nighttime visit in his master's chambers. That time felt like a mistake. But now - Livius knew what he wanted, and he did not feel anything remotely akin to shame in admitting it to himself, or to Philon.

"I can think of a few things.. ", Livius said with a suave voice and gave Philon a very seductive glare. He didn't feel sure that Philon got the hint, since human expressions differ from minotaur ones. At the same time, this particular minotaur was probably very used to human communication by now, even subtle approaches.

Philon smiled and rose from his chair, approaching the sitting human very carefully and majestically. He placed himself behind Livius and crouched slightly, leaning his muscular and warm chest against Livius head. His huge left arm grasped Livius' hand and lifted it, steering it backwards until Livius could feel it connecting with the minotaur's huge, strong thigh. Livius gasped with delight and decided to steer his own hand by himself, and he soon managed to dig it under the warm cloth of Philon's loose garments. He gently grasped the rounded testicles. They were steamy hot, and made the palm of his hand sweaty from the touch. Thick, bovine lips hovered near Livius' ear, and with a warm cloud of musky air, Philon whispered; "I am your humble servant.. "

Livius stood up and turned around to face Philon. Swelling with emotion, he pressed against his stout form and continued to knead and rub the massive genitalia. It was astonishingly wonderful, but in the midst of his enjoyment, some dark thoughts had begun to dig their way into unwelcoming caverns of the brain. It took only a moment before the thoughts had clawed their way past all defenses, and then; overshadowing Livius' desires, came a sudden pang of shame and guilt. The feelings derived from a great notion of inadequacy. Livius could only feel it was justified, he was sexually inexperienced, and now he was here; in a haven of liberation from all things restrictive, not least sexual exuberance. The realization was startling in its effectivity to kill Livius' certainty, but it hadn't gone unnoticed by Philon, who instantly laid his hands as comforting supports around Livius' chin, and raised his head. As the eyes of the two met, Livius felt as though the minotaur could look right through him. It always felt like that, but in a good way, for the most part. At this moment, Livius wasn't so sure.

"What's the matter? I can tell something's wrong..", boomed Philon's whisper in its soothing fashion.

"I .. I don't think I have much to offer you.. in terms of ... you know... prowess. I am .. well.. the closest I have ever gotten to anything remotely sexual with someone else was... when I ... with you... ", stuttered the hesitant Livius. He was blushing rather profusely, but that felt like a minor detail in the turmoil of emotional distress that he was forced to endure. He composed himself after a few seconds and felt compelled to speak more, in the absence of a reply. "In the theater of sex, I am barely even a spectator.."

Philon smiled and waited until Livius could muster the will to look into his eyes. Once he did, Philon spoke. "In this theater, all participants are both audience and actor at the same time, and pleasure is never a competition, Livius. There are only winners in this particular play. Whether or not you perform like a sexual veteran, or an insecure neophyte, it is you that I choose to perform with, and this moment is ours alone. How it plays out will be unveiled as it happens, and there is no such thing as a failure in this particular theater."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because love allows no failures. It is just not possible, Livius. If sex is just a meaningless physical ritual, or performed without heart, it can probably be measured in terms of success or failure. But I love you Livius, and therefore; what we do in our attempts to pleasure each other can never go wrong, because we share what we give and receive from an eternal source."

"You mean ... love?", asked Livius.

"Yes Livius. Love. The neverending source, and the purest power I know. What we share, what we delight in - no matter how things turn out, cannot ever go wrong. Unless you don't love me back. Then the line is broken. Do you love me, Livius?"

Livius had difficulty respiring, but had no road blocks hindering his instinctual reply from reaching the air outside his mouth. "I love you so much that I ... ", Livius began. He just understood what he had said openly, and it made him pause for a while to collect his thoughts. ".. I am sometimes afraid of going to sleep, in case my time with you proves to be nothing but a dream that I can't ever allow myself to wake up from. I want to spend eternity with you. I .. love you."

Philon's smile was in no way exaggerated although it seemed wide. It had a confident and pleased look to it, and he soon leaned in to kiss Livius, who couldn't close his eyes as he observed those big, thick lips wrapping around his own. The sight was too enticing. He enjoyed every second of the deep kiss, and switching his attention between the bovine tongue and the lips, his thoughts ran a marathon inside his own head; ideas and prospects of what they could do, what they could share, not only in bed - but in the forever that would follow this day. When the kiss was over, Livius looked into Philon's eyes, searching their intent.

"Then let's share a moment of pleasure, in the undying name of love".

Livius could only nod as he was lead into Philon's sleeping chamber. They were soon once more inside the room where his affection had once taken start. Now though, they were both awake and very aware of what they wanted. Philon lay himself on the bed, and sprawled across the sheets. With a longing glare, he invited the human to join in. Livius was no longer overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, nor any shame, guilt or hesitation. He was filled only with feelings of lust and longing. And he knew it derived from the everclear pool of love and affection.

While his shaking hands slowly removed the loose clothes from his frail human form, he felt as though he was caught in a dreamlike mist of several conflicting attributes. There was no mistake that he wanted this, and the arousal came from deep within, lingering like a vapour around his whole being. It was a holistic delirium. At the same time, he felt a sense of disconnection too, as if this experience wasn't real; yet it was. He was here, in the present, and damned it all if he couldn't get that into his self-sabotaging mindstate. As he stood naked before his lord, his hands began wandering over his own body, almost to ensure he really was there. Moist, sticky skin met the fingertips with a texture that felt familiar even though the situation was alien. Still - it mattered not. He was about to change that fact. He could devote the rest of his lifetime to becoming a champion of handling sights like this. Smiling warmly, he slowly walked towards the huge bed, drawing closer to the magnetic core; the minotaur master, whose groin had begun to bulge out the restraining form of the cloth he wore; the shield between the holiest imaginable part of his body and the longing human, eager to indulge in all it could offer. Livius wanted to make the moment last, there was no need to rush.

He placed his hands around the hooves. He was amazed to find them so warm, on top of being hard as stone. Leaning down towards their unhumanlike shape, he began kissing them, while he eagerly caressed the muscular calves of the trembling minotaur. The soothing grunts of appeasement became an erotic melody in Livius' ears, and he initiated a trail of kisses along the wonderful, furry leg. Every new kiss he planted felt softer on his lips than the previous, and straws of fur remained on his lips after he raised them to transport farther along the intended path. From his perspective, he could see the contents beneath the cloth of the minotaur, although it was dark from the shade. He could almost make out a mist trickling under the concealed area; the warm air of arousal in a confined space, soon to be explored by yearning lips and tongue. But he wasn't there yet, he was only at the knee so far. The smooth hill that was the muscled approach to Philon's thigh was pleasant to bathe the face into. The bulging hide yawned over the cap of the knee, but wasn't too compact for Livius' lips to mould in his lover's kiss, while grasping his hands around the massive form of the thigh. In some sense, he felt like a lost boy, clinging to a fallen tree to find some comfort. As he kept kissing, his hands greedily rubbed and fondled along the intoxicating form, musk rising like morning dew from the grayish body of the massive minotaur. Livius dragged the aroma into his nostrils, and found the very scent itself to be like ethereal snakes crawling into his being, coiling around the tempest of the heartbeats, breaking lose its chains to commence a foray of lust into the quaking soul of the human slave; this mage turned vigilant in the service of love. Passion bringing joyous tears as every new kiss along the thigh condensed his mind further into willful obediance and saturating desires. The top of Livius' head was strangely tickled by the presence of heavy cloth, which parted a collection of his hair as he moved into it. He had approached the holiest conceivable area, and he slowly removed the loin cloth, basking in the rising warmth from Philon's massive genitalia, as it lay invitingly hard and moist in full view. He observed the thick skin and ropey veins, painted with dots of male sweat upon its silky yet leathery surface. Trying to quench his lust to dive into this buffet of sexual delight was proving harder and harder by the second. Livius looked at Philon, and in the minotaur's half-closed eyes glistened comfort and expectations, mirroring Livius' own feelings. Philon's thick, bovine tongue hung out ever so slightly from his jaws, and he lifted his giant hand and placed it on his human's cheek, slowly guiding Livius' head down towards his crotch.

Livius tried to keep the focus clear as his face landed on the aromatic surface of the firm shaft, but he was now so closely embedded against it that he only saw blurry outlines of its shape. His chins almost seared, although delightfully so, from the contact of the warm skin. He felt so hard now, that he was nearly about to burst, yet his desire to please the minotaur far outshone the desire to relieve himself. He extended his tongue and let it engulf the delicate shaft, feeling up on the rises and falls of the various jutting veins, suckling his path on the magnificent and rock hard meat as he moved his mouth closer to the flaring and swelling tip. Once he got there, he opened his mouth wide to take it all in, and the familiar taste of the minotaur's breeding organ satiated Livius profoundly and quickly. The tip of the bloomed penis was almost like a miniature stump, albeit with a fleshy texture, leaking juicy precum down the human gullet. And how eagerly he let it do so. By kissing and grinding his lips harder and firmer, the squirts grew in intensity, and Philon moaned louder. Soon the throbbing almost quenched Livius tongue, disabling it from moving as nimbly across the holy region, but he didn't stop trying. While sucking, his hands held the enormous, sweat covered balls, rubbing and massaging them as the scent of arousal formed like a thick mist in the room. The bovine lord seemed to clench his jaws together, and his eyes looks glazed-over and watery, saliva slowly trickling down his quilted lips. Livius felt the cascade-like convulsions of Philon's impending orgasm whip against him like tidal waves of pressure, and the thrusts from minotaur hips sent him bouncing against the magnificent body upon which he lay. He could feel the stirring of the cock increasing, shivering almost.

With a sudden moan, Philon unloaded his seed. The orgasm made him shake, and Livius did all he could to milk every drop from the large cock, the taste sweeter than nectar. It felt as if the balls sank into the body, working as hard as they could to spray all that they contained into the yearning human slave, who was deliriously overjoyed from the continued currents.

Soon the minotaur opened his muzzle, and lay panting on his back, his seed covering large portions of himself, streaming elegantly from the pools newly formed. Livius rectified by licking up as much as he could, and once he reached the face, he licked the tongue of his master. It wasn't long before they locked into a lengthy kiss, and Livius felt the strong minotaur hands travel all over his body. His arousal made him quake a bit from desires to relieve himself, and Philon soon noticed, and smiled.

"Time for your treat", he gently rumbled and lifted Livius off of himself. Livius observed as the giant body turned and placed itself on all four, with the behind facing him. The large bovine head turned to look back at Livius, and his smile was as warm as ever. "I know you've never been inside someone before, but if you feel like it, I would love to be your first.."

Livius smiled back and nearly felt his heart exploding from lust and joy. "I couldn't have found a better first time partner.. I love you, master. I have never felt this way with anyone before.. I just wish.. I mean with us.. if we ... -"

"I love you too, Livius. But don't worry", Philon interrupted. "We will have plenty of opportunities to do this, whenever we feel like it. Just do what you want with me, take your time to explore.."

Livius knelt behind Philon, and with his hands he explored the large, powerful calves. The bulging muscles rippled along the thick hide, and with infinite patience, Livius lifted the firm tail. As it rose by the will of his hands, he could see straight into the cupping cavity under the tail, revealing the anus and the surrounding, massive muscles of the bovine buttocks and thighs. Livius kept on stroking along the pillar-like legs as his face approached the entrance. Gently, he kissed the opening and the adjacent, soft skin. The tail was now laying on top of his head, and it traced along his back like a warm serpent. He felt like entering this sacred body, before he would drive himself insane from lusting to do so. He kept kissing his way down, along the carnal delights of the bovine body, until he eventually reached the skin of the ballsac. As he gathered up the soft skin with his lips, he could see the testicles move up and down further below, like two heavy orb-shaped anchors within the sac. He cupped them from below with his hand, and leaned down to plant a kiss along their forms, before elevating his head up above the buttocks once more. He beheld his lover's back, which ran like a canyon before his eyes, and at the end of this pleasant sight, the two horns rose like towers, moving only slightly in the distance. It struck Livius just how big Philon truly was, this giant minotaur who was now at his service. Existing only for his pleasure, at this moment. Livius' erection brushed against the back of a minotaur thigh, and he adjusted his position to make his penis slide in under the massive bovine balls, gently rocking himself back and forth in delight from having their weights upon his shaft, while kneading the buttocks on the sides of the awaiting cavity below the tail. The gaping mouth of the anus was framed by slightly protruding edges. Wonderfully meaty, gray colored borders they were, pulsating with arousal, inviting Livius to partake.

Livius grabbed Philon's sides further up along the torso, and managed to pull himself up a bit, until he was finally in a position where he would be able to penetrate the minotaur. He shifted himself slightly to get to a comfortable stance, and placed his hands on the sides of the buttocks, as he gently pushed against the giant form. Livius could feel his penis pressing against the meaty anus, pushing the soft edges aside as he entered. He could feel himself slide nimbly into the large body, and he was awestruck by the warm sensation that overwhelmed his sensitive organ. It was like being massaged by a steamy mist. The experience was so soft and pleasant that it was barely possible for Livius to initially understand that he was inside Philon at all. Yet the erratic movements within, the micro tensions of muscles from the minotaur, soon made it clear to Livius that it was indeed meat surrounding his yearning member after all. He felt his organ overwhelmed by poweful layers of muscle, moving like waves over his shaft aswell as his glans. It was insanely stimulating, and the sensation and excitement was beyond words. Livius was unable to control his desire to pump thoroughly into the meaty cavity, shaping and pressing around his cock with wet warmth. Philon's breathing increased, and Livius began stroking the palms of his hands over as much of the minotaur body as possible, feeling the subtle shifts between states of tension and relaxation on the bovine pelt. The realization of being inside someone he loved dawned on Livius, and something as simple as sensing his lover's skin upon his hands became a miraculous revelation. This was a holy moment, if ever there was one. Livius' pulse skyrocketed, and he began pounding harder and faster, holding on firmly to his master. His panting and Philon's rumbling moans joined together in the misty air, clouded by the sweat of both human and minotaur alike. Livius was delirious from the ecstacy of it all, having never felt anything like this before. He could feel it wouldn't be long before he would orgasm. From the very first seconds of entering, it felt as if he was about to burst, and now his very being screamed for release, praying he could fill as much of his lover as possible with his seed.

Suddenly he felt the spasms of climax emptying him from within. His seed flowed into the rear of the minotaur, and he could feel some of it streaming out aswell. He let loose a prolonged gasp, unable to think coherently due to the deafening orchestra of orgasm. Breathless from the excitement, Livius' body sank and seemingly melted onto the firm back of his lord. He lay there panting, observing the horns further away. They had become blurry from his fogged eyes, but he could clearly see them turning, as Philon looked back at Livius. For some reason, it all seemed to be a bit like looking at a display through heavily condensed windows, and even the sounds had begun to appear muffled. Livius felt a bit like he was about to faint from the exertion of it all.

"That was wonderful, dear Livius. I truly hope you enjoyed it as much as I did", trailed Philon's voice in a ghostly fashion. Livius had become so drained, both physically and emotionally, that this whole situation felt more or less surreal now. He smiled and tried to reply, but instead slipped into a dreamless sleep, his mind sinking like a ship in deep waters.

Livius awoke abruptly next morning, his face perceivably boiling from heat. Opening his eyes, he quickly had to squint them due to the striking intensity of bright light. It took him a good few seconds before he realized that he shouldn't be in a room where sunlight could shine through. In fact, he clearly felt the caress of a subtle breeze on his skin. He had to have been outside. Once again, he attempted to open his eyes, flickering his eyelids while shading his face with a clumsy hand. He turned his head and found that he was indeed outside, laying on top of Philon. They were lying together in the hammock. The smiling face of the minotaur was unmistakable as it appeared in Livius' field of vision.

"Awake?", Philon asked gently.

"Seems so.. how did I end up here? Did you carry me?"

Philon nodded casually. "I felt we could use some sunlight. When I woke up you were still sound asleep, and in the spur of the moment I decided to move us out here. I hope you don't take offense to that, my beloved heartmage?"

"No, I.. Heartm-..?", Livius stumbled. He let out a chuckle before continuing. "Of course not. How could I? This is ... great. And last night was beyond divine. I have never experienced anything like it."

Smiling even wider, Philon leaned in closer to kiss Livius. The thick, bovine lip taste was a welcome morning gift, and their respective tongues soon slithered around one another in a symbiotic dance. For the longest moment, Livius was convinced he was in heaven. When the moment was over though, Philon suddenly appeared eager to go elsewhere, as if he had a sudden realization.

"I am sorry, Livius, but I have to go and prepare. We have a very special guest visiting us today."

A startled look fell upon Livius, as he grasped the implications. "Lord Steam? Is he coming here today?", he asked in a perplexed tone. Philon nodded, and looked almost apologetic in doing so.

"I got the news just before you woke. I didn't expect him this early to be honest, but now it seems we have to prepare for his arrival. If I have understood things correctly, he has a very small entourage. Don't worry, it will work out fine. You are good mannered and well versed in our ways. There is nothing to fear".

With those words, Philon's grip around Livius hardened ever so slightly, signalling for Livius to get down. He instantly rose and climbed down the hammock and Philon soon followed. Livius joined his master in a brief walk towards the main complex, soothed by the humming of the minotaur, who clearly inspected the flora as he strolled without a care in the world. Livius smiled at the calmness displayed by his master, his lover; his everything. But deep down, he couldn't help but feel the slight tingling of anxiety brooding. What if something would go wrong?

-Chapter 6- -Shackled in Memory Lane-

"Things would have been so very different if Lord Twilight was host, that's all I am saying...", muttered the exhausted Cook, while carrying trays out into the garden alongside Livius, who merely smiled at the grumpiness displayed by the old gentleman. All morning, they had been working on the last details concerning the outdoor reception of Lord Steam and his entourage. It was a task that had befallen any of the volunteering residents, and every single one had shown up, as expected. Naturally, the conservative Cook was best clad of all, wearing a suit made of the finest silk. There wasn't a whole lot of work to do, but it was fairly disorganized and impulsive, which is exactly why Cook was agitated. He wanted things orderly and done in advance. This was the very opposite, and all morning he had complained. Although the summer had passed, it was an unusually warm early autumn, and while dead leaves were scattered about, the gentle wind brought no cold in its wake.

"Oh come now, you love it here. These formal occations are few and far between, so there is no point in getting distressed. Besides, it's good to step out of your habits once in a while", Livius jovially replied. He was met with a cold glance, and what sounded almost like a subdued growl.

"Every day here is a breach on my habits, Livius. I was hoping that this day would prove different, given its official decree. But I suppose it is pointless to complain. It's always like this. I just wish he could do things properly for once. And to have us prepare dinner out here in the garden? Unthinkable. It is as if he truly seeks to spite the visiting mage. Lord Twilight would have none of it!"

It wasn't that Livius couldn't see his point. This whole arrangement had been pretty haphazardly devised, especially considering the rank and status of the visiting bull. Lord Steam was known throughout the region for being a very accomplished mage, aswell as the owner and keeper of a very renown and large estate. According to hearsay, he was strict and conservative in his view on humans aswell as most anything else, making him stand out slightly to the others in the clan. There was apparently nothing he loathed more than interacting with Lord Shade during council meetings, due to him being the polar opposite in just about any issue. Then again, since Lord Shade rarely presented himself during such gatherings, there had only been a handful of occations where the two mages had met in person.

Livius approached the table with the tray he carried. Although he had decided to wear a rather long, grayish robe for the occation, in order to blend in better with the other humans, he was still able to move rather nimbly despite its inhibiting design. He smiled when he saw Philon farther away, seemingly awaiting the carriage that would bring the visiting bull. Livius could clearly see him in the distance, waving one of his arms, but something was strange about the sight. It took Livius a good second or two to realize what was wrong in the picture, but then it mercilessly dawned on him - a realization that struck him like lightning:

Philon's head was missing. In it's place, a vivid spray of blood spurted from the animated and still-standing body, which kept on waving it's supposedly dead arm like nothing had happened. Livius felt his pulse rise rapidly, and with shaking hands he quickly set the tray down into a pool of blood upon the table. It didn't immediately register to him as something out of the ordinary, but before he could set off running towards his master, he halted in recollection of what he had just seen. Looking down at the table, he saw it was filled to its brim with chopped parts of humans; entrails and limbs alike, twitching their pale dance of death amidst the blood, falling down along the edges of the long table. At the center was Philon's head, his tongue hanging out lifelessly, swimming in his own blood aswell as the blood of his human servants. Even before Livius could react to what he saw, the severed head was twisted into an expression of purest pain, as the hinges of its jawbones bent over until they cracked in an anguished scream towards the heavens, eyes popping out from an invisible, demonic pressure that could not be explained.

---

In a swirl of a black vortex, Livius found himself drowning, or perhaps he was flying? The nauseating feeling of turbulence and pressure gnawed at his bones with black wires of misdirections, as if an unknown force tore at him. Piercing rays of brightness tore through the veil, and the shadows beneath him dissipated, almost as if they had been eaten away. Slowly the confines of reality began to disappear. In a flicker of what must have been a twisted variation of consciousness, his eyelids allowed themselves to partially open to a waking world, but it wasn't House Shade any longer. Instead, a blurry mess greeted him, and the distant muffles of his own drowzy voice trickled like manifestations of drowned confusion, as he babbled nonsensically to the air. Was he even awake, or had he been transported into a merciless, ghostlike dream through a dark and cruel spell?

A form appeared before his eyes. Suddenly he remembered a minotaur from another time and place, another life almost.. a brown minotaur. But who was he? Livius tried to remember, but couldn't make sense out of the situation, which felt alien to him. Livius could almost make out a deep voice in the estranged room, clearly belonging to the entity that was very likely that other minotaur that was supposed to somehow mean something to him.

"Go back to sleep, I will stay.."

Sleep? Stay? What is happening? Have I gone insane?, thought Livius. His mind was almost burning from a vivid barrage of questions that could not be answered. Why wasn't he at House Shade? Was this a spell, or was it all symptoms of an episode of a psychotic breakdown? What was truly real and what wasn't? With the gentle caress from a big, strong hand across Livius' face, the human sank, once more, into a deep basin of darkness.

---

Livius found himself at House Shade once more. It was daytime, just like it had been recently. Perhaps he had managed to shake off the illusions (psychosis?), but a notion remained lodged in his mind. It was something sinister that he could not rid himself of; a vague emotional concept lingering, an obscure idea that appeared like a manifestation of someone elses memories, trying to trap him in a state of constant repetition, a flow of reminders haunting him forever of what was once that person's everything. It was odd though, that the other person's memories were so much like Livius' own. As if the memories truly were his own. It felt even more odd that his present time here, at House Shade, felt like it was a memory too. Wasn't this happening now? Where had he been recently? And then that dark room with a brown minotaur named... named...

"Livius?", asked a wellknown voice.

"Huh?", Livius replied with a startled jerk. He turned to his side and noticed Philon. He was standing beside him, slightly ahead of the table, and Livius no longer held a tray.

"You seemed a little unfocused, my dear tray bearer. Just wanted to make sure you're still with us".

Livius noticed Philon's smile as the big minotaur panned his head back to watch farther ahead of him. Livius was still a bit shaken, wondering what was dream and what was reality. Looking back quickly at the long table, he could see that it was all set and fine. His tray had been carefully placed there amongst the others. There was no blood, there were no victims. It all looked resplendant, in fact. Why then, this sensation of impending disaster looming in his mind? Had this happened before, or was it about to happen? Was it a memory or a premonition? It was as if he had been transported to an alternate universe, with a new outcome waiting to be realized. Could all that once transpired in another state of existence somehow be changed in this current one? Although the thoughts should appear insane to him, they made perfect sense in a fashion begging to be indescribable, yet wasn't.

"Oh look, there he is!", exclaimed an excited Philon, to which Livius gave an immediate turn. Glancing quickly at his master to make sure he really was there, he looked past him and down the fields farther down.

There was indeed a small entourage approaching House Shade. They had begun their walk from a gathering of several parked wagons. Perhaps a dozen minotaurs moved in tow behind a very large, ebon black one. The minotaur followers had to have been guards, Livius deduced, as they wore various layers of heavy cloth padding, and ringmail armor with some heavy plates on top of that. While they had weapons, none were unsheathed. The intricate attire of the preceding minotaur could be seen even from this far away, as the minotaur mage towered above even his own guards when he walked steadily along the path. Although his mostly deep blue attire appeared very luxurious, it was also quite close to skimpy in its adornment, leaving very much of his chest and arms to be seen. As they came closer, Livius was astounded by how immensily attractive the minotaur truly was. His heavy body heaving and rotating its toned muscles in the sunlight as he majestically paced towards Lord Shade and his reception. It dawned on Livius why he was called Lord Steam. An involuntary effect of his magic, it was as if he constantly had steam evaporating from his thick skin, as though he was constantly sweating and had musk rising from his pores. It was hard to remain unaffected by the sight of this imposing yet striking bull, who had almost arrived within greeting range.

"Welcome to my humble home, Lord Steam. I trust that you had a safe journey, and that you will be able to recuperate here, as it is quite a marvelous day!", Lord Shade jovially half-shouted. As could almost be expected from the body language of the arriving mage, the reply was quite far from heartfelt. It was in fact bordering on cold, but Lord Shade appeared to not give it any notice.

"It is a day, plain as any other. But I give you thanks for your courteous welcome, Lord Shade..."

When Lord Steam finally arrived, he halted before Lord Shade. Livius was quite confounded to notice that he had instinctively stepped a few paces back. He had subconsciously come to the realization that minotaurs did not typically behave like his master, and this one looked intimidating to say the least. Livius could tell, by a subtle glance exchanged with the pitch black bull, that he reacted ever so slightly to the evasive maneuvre performed by the human, but he didn't appear to make a big deal out of it. He merely snorted and looked back at Philon, his frown getting heavier every second.

Livius felt an awkward sensation of unwelcome arousal creeping in on him. He wasn't even sure why that was. Perhaps it was somehow connected to the grand stature of this magnificent lord. His posture and body language was significantly more regal than anything Philon could ever muster. It was impossible, even, to picture Philon as anything but loose in his demeanor, and in contrast, this minotaur oozed of charismatic power. He had his head held high as his stern, piercing eyes were beautifully framed by the huge horns, forking at the skies. But most notably; the surreptitious layers of steam, trickling along the bulging veins of rock hard minotaur muscles, tantalizing all the vibrant senses of the beholder with its lucent presence. Livius was aware of a thought that refused to go away; he was envious of the steam, wishing to trade place with it briefly, in order to be in a constant position to be licking along that body. It suddenly struck Livius that the steam emanating from his form; all of his form, was also bound to rise from his probably already musky genitals. The idea buried itself deep into his psyche, and the yearning to see what lay beneath the cloth made Livius fully erect. This forced him to awkwardly re-adjust his position into a far less balanced one. Hopefully, noone noticed his unbecoming cringing. At least the robe is spacious, thought Livius to himself.

"I must say, this is a rather homely, yet whimsically planned estate. It is as if the locations of plants and buildings alike were designed on impulse rather than careful planning. Befitting someone of your reputation, I would reckon."

"And what reputation is that, if I may ask?", Philon inquired with a sly grin on his face. He was seemingly unaffected, even amused, at the ominous and highly frictional presence of the black minotaur. Lord Steam appeared to trade his former irritation with a fresh display of superiority, merely smiling sarcastically at the question, squinting his eyes a little.

"I am fairly certain I do not need to remind you of your lackluster attendance at the clan council meetings, nor the nefarious reputation you have subsequently spawned. It is, however, your own devices that fault you in this case, not the ill-will of other clan members. Matters of great importance are repeatedly shunned by your near impeccable level of blissful ignorance, but the world is constantly changing around us, Lord Shade. Humans encroach our lands like vine ranks no doubt cling to various walls on your facilities. How you manage to stay uninterested in this has become an issue that can no longer be ignored."

"And is that why you've come, Lord Steam? To instill a sensation of reassuring calmness regarding my intentions in the hearts of our dear council members?"

"Not only amongst those who recide there, but to myself aswell. I am not about to conceal the fact that I hold great suspicions against you, my Lord Shade. It was due to no small amount of my own insistence that the council was brought to the unanimous conclusion of sending me here to ..... investigate. Aswell as speak with you, of course."

The tone in Lord Steam's voice had become darker, as had his belligerent eyes. Livius swallowed saliva repeatedly, as it felt as if a big lump was stuck in his throat. He looked at Philon, who managed to somehow retain his calm. It was almost surreal to behold, but the effect on Lord Steam was clear; it made him more irritated. Perhaps a strategical choice, Livius thought to himself. After all, Philon knew this mage well enough to know how to handle him, most likely. Still a desire to interject overwhelmed Livius, but he managed to suppress it. Jesting or acting as an intermediate to his peers would only awaken more suspicion and potentially more anger from Lord Steam.

"Then we shall speak", said Philon rather indifferently and took a slight bow, his arms administrating polite directions towards the dining table. "But not on empty stomachs! I am sure you and your guards alike are bound to be hungry after such a long journey, so I beg that we all partake in the delights prepared for us by my wonderful... slaves. How about it?"

There was an awkward silence as Lord Steam inspected Lord Shade. After a few moments of his no doubt deliberately searching stare, he looked back at his guards and gave a slight nod. Then, in an instant, they all started walking towards the dining table with powerful steps. Lord Shade quickly joined in and started jogging slightly to get ahead of the entourage as they began their hasty walk towards their destination. Livius found it very hard to keep up the pace, but he did his best to do so without looking overly agitated at the uncivilized behaviour of the newly arrived guests.

"You've placed the dining table outside, in the hopes that the wind, mosquitos and various other bugs will pester us, I assume?", asked Lord Steam casually, as they closed in. Livius could see Cook standing at attention by the dining table, masking his emotions exceptionally well, with that serious, flat face of his. Livius envied that ability at a time like this.

"Your investigatory ambitions are widely known, Lord Steam, but your skills appear to fail you on this day. Unless of course, you meant to hurt my feelings by being rude? But no.. a Lord of your standing succumbing to such petty behaviour? Perish the thought. Naturally, I chose to place us outside since it is far more tranquil, and far more beautiful. I am sure that the potential presence of other living beings will not ruin the atmosphere that your esteemed presence greatly contributes to. In fact, I believe it shall be marvellous."

Livius tensed his fists around the cloth of his robe as he was pacing beside the minotaurs, throwing quick looks over his shoulder to make sure nothing horrible transpired due to the highly venomous words being traded. Lord Steam appeared to take the insinuations rather well, he didn't appear overly bemused. It dawned on Livius that perhaps this really was the way that the two minotaurs handled each other normally. Vile implications, disguised insults and sour remarks. It made him feel very uncomfortable, but after a few seconds of careful deliberation, he realized that this was pretty much how he used to interact with Skender back in the days. Perhaps the differences between man and minotaur was not such a huge leap after all.

"I didn't realize that you were a comedian, Lord Shade. I look forward to hearing your witty explanations in response to the various questions I have for you. I am sure it will be a class act."

Upon arriving at the extensive dining table, Lord Steam and his guards quickly arranged themselves in a pattern, with six guards to the Lord's left side, and six on his right. Lord Shade chose to position himself on the other side, directly ahead of Lord Steam. With a subtle nod, Lord Shade then gestured for his guests to sit down, which all of them did once their host had settled upon his chair. On Philon's side, there were only a handful of "slaves" that chose to sit down. Standing a few paces away from the table, Livius felt he was malplaced, and didn't know what to do. Philon was busy smiling at his newly arrived guests, and since Livius had no direct instructions to follow, as per usual, he felt a tiny bit uncomfortable, causing him to fidget nervously. Suddenly, he spotted Cook, briefly appearing at the entrance to the building that kept the large kitchen. Along with him, a translucent carpet of steam rolled out like a lizard's uncurling tongue. He waved at Livius to come over to him, in a manner that appeared more stiff than usual, before he hastily disappeared back into the house.

Livius turned to look at his master, who returned a warm smile at him before once more lending all his attention to the inquisitive Lord Steam, who had already begun to launch an array of complicated questions regarding Lord Shade's willingness to accept proposed changes to his daily, non-existant routines, in the form of some suggested implementations of travelling schedules. While Livius no doubt appeared to pay a bit more attention to it than Philon did, he made the decision to join Cook in whatever task he could help out with. All that he could pick up as he walked away from the adjourning Lords was that there would likely be many more meetings at other places in the future, and it was probably not possible for Philon to escape those duties. Will he take me along?, wondered Livius as he entered the warm entropy of the kitchen.

"Move faster!", hissed Cook from inside. He was awkwardly crammed between various pots and pans and hard-working people, brushing him past in preparation of more food items to be carried outside. While Cook had originally presented himself in exquisitely luxurious clothing, he was now pouring with sweat, and he was sticky all over. Still he managed to look every bit as formal and proper as before, which made Livius smile for a second, before he noticed that Cook was pale, and definitely not emotionless in his facial expression. Something appeared to genuinely frighten him. As Livius approached, Cook took his hand and lead him outside into an adjacent hallway, where they could speak uninterrupted and privately.

"What's the matter?", inquired Livius with a concerned look. It took the startled servant a good few seconds before he had collected himself enough to begin speaking coherently, which was definitely a very unusual sight to behold on this experienced veteran of housekeeping and mannerism, normally unbothered by almost any mishap or unfortunate eventuality.

"I am sorry to be a nuisance, my good sir, but I suddenly remembered.. your robe, sir... your robe...did you remember to put it away this morning?"

Livius gave his robe a quick inspection and didn't know how to respond. Clearly his robe was currently worn by him, and on top of that; it was flawlessly untouched by any dirt or stain. Maybe Cook meant that it was the wrong sort of robe. In trying to remember various codes of conduct, Livius could not remind himself of any specific context where a robe such as the one he wore would be considered inappropriate, unless perhaps it was some subcultural practice that was only understood locally. But even before he could ask, Cook continued.

"Not that one! The one in your room! The one you wore when you first arrived!"

One heartbeat passed before Livius had any clue which specific robe that was being referred to, but then in an instant, he figured it out: Cook was talking about the old Imperial mage robe. It still hung innocently on a hanger, on the outside of the large closet, and could easily be spotted from where Lord Steam was sitting right now. In fact, his seat would be in a direct line of sight to the window of the room in question. If he happened to notice the robe and recognize the pattern...

Livius face became of flush of deathly pale, and the heartbeats that followed felt like ice breaking out from a sensitive sack of skin within a hollow body. Immediately, Livius ran with full haste towards his room, hoping that it had all gone unnoticed. The blazing journey past corridors and rooms, and possibly even other humans, all went him unnoticed by, as Livius was high on adrenaline. It felt like time itself had slowed down to a crawl, even though he could clearly tell that he had never before been running as fast as he did. The images of blood and entrails had begun to trail back into his subconscious, trying to convey their grim tale once more. But then, over a period of mere seconds, the images were altered and suppressed, fading into black. A soothing sensation dawned in the form of a sound, attenuating slowly into a barely audible whisper.

"It wasn't your fault, my dear heart mage..."

Livius did not understand what the voice meant, but still it made his eyes tear up. Was that something he had heard Philon say before, and if so; in what context? Around a bend, he could see the opening of his room from afar. His race stopped abruptly though, when he saw someone step out of it.

This 'someone' was clad in his mage robe, and he walked - no, stumbled - as if he had been severely wounded. The cloth was covered in dry blood. Even though the corridor was brightly lit from the outside, the blood looked like dark oil, but Livius somehow knew it was blood, and not oil. Furthermore, thick specks of dust and ashes were baked into the very fabric of the robe, as though it had meltet into it like a scar that wont heal. Along with the physical presence of the person walking out of the room, a numbing sensation came adrift, like invisible smoke. It voicelessly bellowed its ruinous ability to seemingly choke all life in its corrupted, intangible form. Livius instinctually believed that what he felt stirring in the air was the essence of Death itself. The person he saw was its seemingly unwilling harbinger. As the person turned towards him, Livius could see that it was his own face staring back at him, albeit more scarred and emotionally broken. Surely it had to have been a mirage, or a creative subterfuge, birthed by some illusive plan. The figure bore an angry face, and with streaks of dried tears he glared, pointing an accusing finger at Livius. "Don't you look at me like that... you know damn well what happened here. You went down this road before, and you can never undo it. There is no second chance!", said the ashen doppelganger, his finger now trembling with ferocity. Livius was frozen, couldn't move. Then, unbidden, a terrible memory flooded him:

Blazing fires across a landscape of crumbled houses and dead bodies.

He had lived here once, in House Shade. But he couldn't possibly be living here now. Whatever state he was in before, in that room with a brown minotaur... that must have been reality. This, then, had to have been the dream - the illusion.

Livius fell to his knees. Around him, walls appeared to gradually deteriorate, as if his surroundings were fast-forwarding through time, showing the damages done with unnatural speed. He saw how the ages would alter the look of the lost House Shade. He saw how time forgot a place once so alive. Without a chance to stop its course, his once life brutally disappeared around him; first washed by the unforgiving flames, then left smoldering in ashes. After that grew chaotic whirls of plants and trees in their attempts to rise over the unmarked graves, as if hundred of years passed by, leaving him and his look-alike ghost stuck in place as it all unfolded before him. The ghost screamed at the top of his lungs. Livius closed his eyes and prayed to all of the gods he had ever heard of, in the pointless hope they would hear him and bring him mercy.

After a while, he hesitantly opened his eyes.

Before him was the corridor, and he was just outside his room, on his knees. The air was still, the corridor bright. His unholy twin was nowhere to be seen. Bless the gods, I have been given a second chance, thought Livius and rose from his knees. In his mind, he still kept on praying silently that he had indeed arrived to an alternate universe in order to set things right, and he even afforded a small hope that he had arrived a day earlier than the dire events which would take place, or at the very least before Lord Steam had arrived in the morning. That would surely give him enough time to stop the impending disaster.

He ran into his room, and leapt towards the hanger, fumbling violently with the heavy attire as he grabbed it and stuffed it into his closet. When he turned around, looking outside the window, he caught the prying expression of Lord Steam, instantly locking his gaze upon Livius' terrified eyes - he had been spotted. With a shallow gasp, Livius knew that he had been unable to conceal the robe in time, and there was no question whether or not Lord Steam had understood what it was. Those eyes were like searing hot charcoal as they observed his every move.

Livius started walking towards the window, and Lord Steam rose up with such force that it caused the chair he was sitting on fly a few feet away. From his lips resounded something akin to a snarling sound, and he raised both his hands into the air, clearly hell-bent on producing some form of spell. As Lord Shade swiftly stood up, along with Lord Steam's guardsmen, there was a tense yet silent standoff between the opposing mages. Livius started climbing out the window, only capable of wishing to steer the situation into a difference course from what has happened in another past, another life. He felt restrained by how stiff his joints and muscles were, as he came down on the outside of the window, and yet he was confounded that such petty details were even noticed by him at a crucial time like this. Perhaps he was too nervous to be able to think straight or focus on his priorities. That thought made him determined to regain his control over his emotions, even though it seemed an impossible task.

"Be still, imperial scum!", Lord Steam roared aggressively, with strands of saliva whipping out from his muzzle. Livius rigidly obliged, cramping up in such a way that he looked like a statue in winter. He tried to speak, but found he couldn't do anything at all. He wanted to believe it was due to a malevolent spell, but deep down he knew that it was just his nerves acting up on him. Lord Shade was seemingly fully prepared to counteract, should Lord Steam initiate an attack, yet he still looked very relaxed.

"My Lord, highly esteemed colleague and dear friend, please stay your wrath. You are amongst kin, dutifully serving the same cause that you hold dear. I beg for you to respect the peace that I so highly treasure on my grounds and in my home", Philon said. To most observers, his voice and body language would connotate calm insurance of full control, but Livius knew him too well; he could hear a slight hint of fear. Things were indeed starting to get out of hand.

"You had better explain yourself, Philon. I just saw the robe of an imperial mage hanging inside your house!"

Philon bit his lips and his eyes grew a tad bit fiery, something Livius had never seen before. "You will adress me as Lord Shade when you are a guest at my home in an arrend such as this. Since this meeting is official in its nature, I am primarily to be considered a Lord, and humble host secondary."

"I am afraid I cannot. You are, as of now, relieved of your rank and status, pending the results of my investigation. It is with the authority granted by the council that I call upon your title to be temporarily revoked. Any resistance or use of magic from your part will be deemed an act of treason, which is punishable by death", announced Lord Steam. He was now like a beacon of fire, restless and blind to all reason. There wasn't even a hint of friendliness, or mercy, to be found.

"Please, my Lord Steam. I beg you to see reason. Whatever you think you saw is out of context, and will be explained, but please do not frighten me or anyone who lives here. We are peace-loving and seek no form of violence to be wreaked here. To that end; how can I assist you, my beloved Lord Steam?"

"Do not dare use that vile tongue of yours to spout false proclamations of love! It tastes like adder to me! Stand back, and let the slave approach first and foremost! I must inspect him."

Livius shivered noticably, as he started his slow walk towards the agitated minotaur, who cropped up as an ominous sight, with an imperturbability that almost appeared to be rooted into the ground, his fixed stare piercing into the soul like refulgent arrows of despair. Looking at Philon briefly awarded him a slight sense of reassurance and hope, as his Lord and lover - his everything - nodded solemnly, as if to convey that it will all be resolved amiably. Swiftly and brutally, a colossal minotaur hand grabbed around Livius' arm and pulled him in close. It was one of the guards who had apparently rushed forth from nowhere, and in a flash, Livius found himself standing before the mage Lord. Dwarfed by his immense size, Livius felt genuine fear striking at his heart. This towering, ebon black minotaur reeked of rage, it was unmistakable. While a desire to give in entirely to the will of this hulking antagonist nearly overwhelmed him, he managed to compose himself relatively well, quaking only slightly as Lord Steam grasped his hand rather violently. After a few seconds, Livius felt a stream of magic entering him, searching. There was no way for him to escape detection; the mage already knew.

"This human is gifted with magic. And no doubt the robe belongs to him too. You have a human mage from the Empire living in your home, Philon, and you would have me believe, perhaps, that you knew nothing of it?"

"On the contrary, Lord Steam. I know all there is to know about him, and I wish that you will too. Rest assured that he is no longer serving his former allies. He has resigned from any previous factions to spend the rest of his days here with us."

Snorting precipitously at the remark, the bovine mage lowered his horns as he spoke. "Only a naive fool such as yourself can believe in such empty promises from a feral human".

"Please.. let me -...", Livius started to whisper with a hoarse voice, eyes tearing up as he looked deep into the cold, barren eyes of Lord Steam. Suffering an unexpected, mighty punch to his chest, Livius lost all air in his lungs. A muffled cracking sound broke free from his bones and trickled in his ears, while a speckled white-out phenomenon blinded his sight temporarily. Sinking down to the ground in agony, he coughed and gasped for air in panic, hoping that he wasn't mortally wounded.

"Speak when spoken to, slave!", yelled Lord Steam, eyes flaring with hatred. Livius mustered all strength he could to resume looking into the Lord's eyes as his palpitating hand impinged upon the minotaur's thigh, making it flinch a little before settling. Livius feared he would be struck again, in retaliation for this intimate contact, but somehow Livius was convinced that a miniscule hint of sympathy had found its shaky way into Lord Steam's eyes. Since he wasn't immediately beaten, Livius believed that he had assumed correctly, but he was not prepared to risk things further. He had to appeal to the giant Lord's heart, without crossing the line; something that would very likely prove difficult, if not impossible. With a very subtle squeezing motion, Livius massaged the minotaur's thigh gently while looking pleadingly into his eyes.

"Please..", repeated Livius, this time without being struck. Lord Steam snorted once more, this time a lot louder and with a taint of irritation.

"Speak then, snake. But I shant digest your words with the same level of credibility as those of even a lowly traitor. In my eyes, you are worse. Do not expect to be deciphered as anything but a liar."

"Great Lord.. I beg of you.. I want no bloodshed, and I vouch for Philon's words as the truth, even though you find me detestable and unworthy of being called a person that can be trusted. But I did come here from the Empire. I confess that much gladly and without the need to lie about it. I came here to spy on your soldier's movements, in fact.."

Lord Steam clenched his teeth together in apparent anger, but Livius didn't stop. He had to try and talk sense to him, and in order to do so, he needed to tell his story. "Sir, my scout patrol was eradicated and I fled into the wastes, where I nearly died. Philon.. Lord Shade collected me and brought me here and kept me alive, and taught me his ways. I am forever in debt to him, and want nothing more to do with the Empire, or any other war machine for that matter. The only thing I want is to live here until I die of old age..."

Livius looked up at the behemothic observer. His heart sank when he noticed the indifference seeping from every inch of the profoundly mighty being. He stood there, breathing heavily, as if he couldn't wait to crush anyone and everyone who he saw as a potential adversary. But there had to be a penchant for a peaceful resolution. After all, Lord Steam had known Philon for a long time, and it was unlikely that he wanted to split the clan by enforcing too much upon one of its more renowned mages. Still, he appeared adamant in his demeanor. Livius realized that he would have to offer himself to still his bloodlust. "...But if you can't grant me that privilege, Sir, at least take my life; and only mine. Spare the others. I beg for your mercy with all my heart. Please, Great Lord Steam, please.. I will do anything you want, just let my dear friends live! They have done nothing more than shown their great hearts by saving even the life of someone that would normally be considered an enemy. They are wonderful, empathic souls, and the world needs more like them!"

Livius' hand slid down Lord Steam's thigh, and he collapsed onto the ground from exhaustion. His tear-laden face twisted in a sorrowful grin, he desperately fell into an almost lethargic state, unable to keep talking. He had spoken his mind, and surmised that the minotaur mage should be able to find some degree of clemency in his heart.

"Their actions are not merely inadmissable and unbefitting the superintendence of a clan mage; it is in direct violation of our martial laws! Furthermore, apart from aiding and harboring an unusually powerful enemy asset, I have reason to believe that they have effectively been manipulated by you into becoming proselytes of the imperial army! The corrupting schemes of human mages know no boundaries, and I cannot allow the risk of sustaining any harmful elements within my clan! This place must be cleansed!"

"Please, listen to yourself!", Philon shouted. "We are not a threat to anyone, and we are certainly not mind-altered! Such a spell could easily be spotted by someone as accomplished as you! I know that you have always glared at me for approaching the treatment of humans in a way that stands out to most, but our philosophical differences must not cloud your judgment! Not when lives are at stake! Please, my Lord Steam, I just want this madness to end!"

"Then you do not object to the immediate execution of this human slave?", hissed Lord Steam, grabbing the hair on Livius' scalp in an incontrovertible manner, raising his other hand as if to strike. Over the course of a mere second, the hand now soaring above the minotaur's head caught magical fire, and burned like a visceral torch in the still autumn air. Trailing by like calm ducks in a pond, the luminance of the clouds in the distant background made for a surreal backdrop to an impending demise, and Livius wondered if it would indeed be his last sight.

"I object!", screamed Philon in a voice that appeared to tangent that of a panicky state. "There will be no blood on my soil, not as long as I live, anyway! Let him go so we can talk instead!"

"But Philon, he has already given his consent to this. What trickery of the mind could ever possess you to disallow me from following the laws set by our betters?"

Livius looked at his would-be dispatcher and noticed a sarcastic grin on his face. Did he truly believe that House Shade was under the control of a lone human mage, or was it an excuse to finally rid the clan of a mage he hated?

"I beg you to see reason! Let's talk about this like civilized authority figures, and not as spiteful avengers - seeking to redeem themselves by flinging accusations and causing the death of innocents! Let him go!"

"Philon, no, if I can -", Livius tried. It was pointless, as he could not possibly drown out the voice of the agitated minotaur who furiously held him and roared a reply.

"Never! I have long suspected that something foul was afoot with you and this place! You, yourself, lack the reasoning of a proper bull, and you have never shown interest in clan issues! I believe the manipulation took its sweet time to thoroughly bite into, and gradually transform your mind. That explains why it was impossible for me to discover what was going on, until I set foot here, in your very back yard! I can see clearly how this demonic ruse has infected our clan, and my intent is now carved in stone! You must die, and the rest with you! I shall mourn this day as the most horrible day I have lived through, but I swear that I will honor the memory of the real Lord Shade, whom I never got to meet before he was swallowed by corruption!"

As if a lance made of coldest ice impaled itself through Livius skull, and down the spine; petrification struck. His mind cavorted through a thick blanket of fear, dreamingly presenting him with various scenarios of the past, future and present behind its ghoulish, veiled surface. Hell was only a few paces away, but in his heart, it had already taken over. Lord Steam roared and prepared a spell, and even without looking, Livius knew that the guards were already unsheathing their weapons, ready to attack. He felt as though he was a prisoner in the hour glass of the gods, as they twisted the sands of time to invoke a scenario that had long since transpired and ended. Was this a punishment? Would he remain stuck here, never able to change what was seemingly about to happen once again?

Deep within Livius - determination shot forth; he pushed his feet into the ground and sprung backwards with all his might, miraculously escaping the harsh grasp of the minotaur, even though he was severely fatigued. Philon bellowed something, but it was made incomprehensible in the ensuing pandemonium: for while Livius had made the jump, both Lord Steam and Philon had unleashed spells simultaneously, resulting in a deafening roar as the effects of their respective arcane streams clashed against one another like tidal waves of power. Livius landed fairly close to Philon, and stumbled clumsily until the distance was closed. At his master's side, he turned to look at the opposition, which appeared to be encased in something. As his eyes flickered around the premises, it took him little time to deduce that -they- were in fact the ones being encased, not Lord Steam. It appeared as if Philon had cast a shielding spell, covering a vast area around his own center. Outside of it, Lord Steam's body blazed of flames, and a torrent of impossibly hot fire spewed forth, testing the strength of Philon's barrier. It wouldn't hold up forever.

"Round up as many as you can, get them to safety!", Philon said without diverting his eyes from Lord Steam. There was a surprising amount of serenity in his voice, but sadly also a substantial degree of exhaustion. Livius beheld his master, and felt tremendously helpless. Sweat was streaming down that magnificent minotaur hide, and his arms were tense, and shaking furiously. It was an inescapable consequence of his endeavor to uphold the spell. Livius glanced at Cook, who had already begun to collect the others, and they appeared to be heading away from the violence. Livius decided to believe that they would in all likelihood be led to safety even without his contribution. And as a mage, he felt his duty was not to fuzz about with the others anyway; he had to assist Philon, no matter what he had been told.

Livius closed his eyes and concentrated on the energies around him. The tenacious currents of the arcane swirled vigorously yet stealthily, and he was surprised to spot nuances within nuances, where he had assumed there would be none. What had initially appeared to simply be a chaotic burst of wild magic, was indeed a great deal more subtle than he had anticipated. Delving into this would require all his focus and confidence.

Extending his senses until he felt as though he was swimming among the raging winds of magic, he partook further by allowing his own magic to slip in, in order to support Philon's spell. At first, it was a bit like pouring water onto an already watery surface, generously granting more content and weight. Then it all changed. After a while, Livius could feel a separation between his own magic and the magic formed by Philon. Suddenly it wasn't like water added into water, but more like oil floating above the surface of the water, except it was slightly mixing into the other stream, adding friction and clumsiness to the balance of the flow. He hadn't managed to help. Instead, he realized that he had done something horribly wrong. Confused, he tried his best to withdraw his own spell from Philon's. He couldn't believe that he wasn't able to add more strength to the spell. Obviously the magic had been too advanced for him; he hadn't grasped its composition. What had started as a willingness to aid, had turned into an unintentional catastrophe. He slowly ceased his magical flow, and turbulance began tugging at his skin as he did so. Hopefully, it would work out well. Livius thought he heard an upset roar from his master, but it faded fast, as everything turned white in an unspeakably loud explosion.

---

Everything in his body was thumping rhytmically, sending sharp cracks of pain all over his very being. He was numb, yet aching all the same. As Livius opened his eyes, slowly, he was convinced that his nerve endings and muscles inside him were being dragged and pulled out to their breaking point, ready to snap should he move too quickly. Everything looked overexposed as he scanned the surrounding area. He couldn't make out any details, just an excruciatingly blinding coruscation, travelling across his retina like a nagging ghost, stealing color information and replacing it with a censored sheet of burning white. It all caused him to suffer pounding migraine, aswell as a profound sense of desolation. Grains of sand rolled peacefully against Livius' face. At least he thought it was sand. When his field of view had decided to settle a bit, he started to realize where he was and what had happened, but he could still not see clearly enough to establish anything noteworthy.

He started to move a bit, but it felt heavy. It wasn't just the pain and fatigue, he was in fact weighed down by something. Breathing a bit too heavy for his own liking, he decided to wait a few moments before he would try and remove whatever lay on top of him. It seemed, though, that resting was more or less made impossible due to his awkward position and the rocky surface upon which he seemed to lay. It soon dawned on him that he would probably never become well rested in a predicament like this, and that he might aswell make an attempt to get away.

Moving his arms, he felt them connect with several hard objects of irregular shape. He moaned loudly as he pushed, he cleared his torso from all dead weight. As the items fell, the sound reminded him of rolling rocks. Looking down on the ground, he saw that it was indeed rubble and various building materials that had landed there, and as he turned to look at it, an abundance of gravel fell down from his robe. He was covered in all sorts of stuff. With a painful grimace, he rose from his uncomfortable, would-be sepulcher. Standing on two feet was a chore, and it wasn't made easier by the uneven winds, lashing grit against his sensitive skin, which he noticed was exposed in several places where it shouldn't be. The robe was a torn mess of blood, grain and what appeared to be ashes. Upon scouting the area, Livius felt he was in complete disarray. Philon was nowhere to be found, nor anyone else. It was a dead, apocalyptic place now, showering the vistas with ashes and despair, but little else. Debris covered the nearby vicinity, and partially crumbled buildings seemed to disguise themselves as broken tombstones, sinking into unhallowed soil.

Another disturbing sight was the gloomy skyline, now substantially darker in tone; it was evidence strong enough to indicate that several hours must have passed since...

The deathly white light.

He remembered the explosion, and although undoubtedly it might have had the capacity to fling him several paces back, it appeared as if he was standing close to where the kitchen once was located. Could he have flown that far?

Farther away, thick smoke was rising over a ledge. There was no way of telling whence it came, as some fires were still going strong, and others had begun to die away, with dark vapors rising like flags from scorched spots of black. In fact, that's what the world was reduced to now: black and white. The fires had produced noxious fumes that drowned out all color, obtusely drawing reality in abrupt contrasts rather than chromatic nuances.

A stone's throw away from where he stood, Livius saw what must have been people. He clumsily limped his way towards them, hampered by his nearly broken body. As he came closer, he was able to make out the shape and movement patterns of the people; one was lying down and another stood above him, trying to help. Vague snippets of human frequencies could be heard as faint attenuations across the collapsed landscape, but it was too hard for Livius to hear what they said. He walked on, hoping to find more survivors in the shadowlands of what was yesterday a safe haven. It was all so surreal, yet bitingly real.

All of a sudden he heard heavy clomping sounds, and instinctively he dove towards the ground. With a crude slam, he landed, but kept his head held high to see what was going on. Some of the smoke dispersed as a giant, horned figure stormed into view. Livius was now able to discern more details; it was in fact Cook who was lying down, and standing above him was one of the younger servants. He was doing everything in his power to try and lift Cook, but to no avail. As the silhouette of the advancing minotaur appeared through the clearing amongst the scattered wilds of condensation, the servant stopped trying to lift his friend, and instead fell down onto his knees, hands held high. It looked like he was pleading for his life.The minotaur, seemingly armed with a large sword, severed the head of the defenseless human with one fell sweep. Livius was barely able to comprehend what he had seen, until it had transpired. Without as much as a hint of hesitation, the minotaur moved up towards Cook. As he stood above him, he grasped the hilt of his sword with both hands, the blade poised at the bare throat of the fallen gentleman. With a stalwart thrust, the sword was rammed into the neck of Cook. One brutal twist later, the sword slid out, joined by a stark gush of blood. The minotaur walked on, but the desperate sounds of Cook's bubbly gargling noise remained in the air, mirroring the constancy of death spreading like a plague all over the remains of House Shade.

Even though Livius wanted to linger on the traumatic events that had unfolded before his eyes, he knew he couldn't. The minotaur guard was pacing in his direction, and Livius had to come up with something. He knew they were specifically looking for him, and there would be no problems for any of Lord Steam's lackeys to recognize his robe. An illusion might work, he thought to himself.

Livius remembered a trick he would sometimes play on his beloved Philon. He would lie down on a spot where he knew that his master would soon appear, and use illusion spells to make it seem as though he was mortally wounded. The first few times, he had nearly managed to give poor Philon a heart attack. But the old bull was a quick learner, and it didn't take long before Livius was subjected to his own prank, which gave Livius nightmares for weeks to come. With the recollection came a flood of emotions, and many more memories - playful memories, happy memories.. they seemed almost tangible, yet; what did they mean here? What currency could they be converted to in this infernal place?

Livius couldn't dream himself away, he had to stay focused. Now, instead, was the time to make the old trick of the past useful in a new way. He had to make it convincing and pretty extreme, so the guard would not need to investigate further by stabbing into his body, in order to make sure he was truly dead. He had to move fast. The minotaur was closing in on him.

With a focused mind, he reached into the ambient luminosity surrounding him, rearranging its composition and reflections. It was a bit like abstract painting, except he did it with his mind. He knew two ways to approach the complexity of illusion spells: either he could attempt to enter the mind of the subject in question, and alter the way they percieve reality, or he could change the way that light represents color in a local area. Normally he would try breaching the mind of the target, as it was generally far more reliable, but it was also a great deal riskier in a scenario such as this. After all, he knew that he wasn't fully prepared, and he wasn't in full control of his emotions or thoughts. Failing an attempt at this stage would mean that the minotaur would know that someone was trying to get into his mind in order to tamper with it. Altering light and color information was normally not the most convincing technique though, as it was generally rather hard to make things appear lifelike and authentic to the senses, but Livius figured that the concealing nature of this heavy smoke would work in his favor, at least in that respect.

Livius tried to make it look like he was a pale corpse with a severed head, and a fully exposed ribcage protruding from his slit-apart torso, its naked entrails sullied by the dirt on the ground.

The minotaur walked up fairly close to Livius, his heavy hooves halting near the face. Livius could hear him respire heavily. No, he was snorting, even - sniffing the air aloud. No doubt expecting a heavy scent of blood from the carcass. Livius wasn't sure he could emulate that well enough for it to appear realistic, but the minotaur appeared to turn around anyway. He must have noticed the robe and figured that the smell of blood was drowned out by the smoke and flames, for now he was walking back whence he came. Wherever that was.

A good few minutes passed before Livius found the courage to cancel the effects of the spell. He got up quickly and set off towards his fallen comrades. He decided to not even inspect the servant, whom he knew had to be dead. Still a glance fell upon the headless body, a trail of blood leading to the skull. The face contorted into a fearful expression, yet with eyes that had no emotions whatsoever. Flaccid lips, allowing a wet tongue to slide out from its confines in a manner befalling only the dead and gone. Livius writhed with angst as he turned from the unbecoming sight, and instead ran towards Cook. Perhaps there was a chance he could have survived long enough to be saved. Livius saw the white face of his former friend as he descended onto all fours, looking to see what could be done. Nothing.. too late, he thought as he observed the still stern-looking eyes. They had dried up already, and so had the blood, but it was obvious that he had met death adamantly, and without fear - as could be expected from such a respectable man. Livius nodded at his former friend, as a final farewell.

At this point, Livius began to shake with frustration. All these people, and he couldn't save a single soul? And where was Philon? Surely, he would not have allowed any of this if he was still ..

..alive? He has to be... he can't be dead...

Livius ran anew, as fast as his crippled body could carry him, and although it wasn't fast, it was fast enough - for he didn't really wish to see what lay beyond the next layer of smoke. He knew he was getting close to where he stood earlier, with the master he had sorely failed. Secretly praying for an arrow to pierce his throat or heart, he walked into the dissolving webs of dim anonymity, like he was diving through clouds, expecting to crash into the deadly surface of a mountain wall on the other side.

There was no crash, nor any arrows. As the drifting clump of smoke flew by, he saw Lord Steam in the distance. Kneeling. It wasn't the stance of a triumphant hero, nor was it the pleased demeanor of a villain who had pulled off a great heist. In contrast to all that, Lord Steam seemed a broken shadow of the mage who had ordered the destruction of House Shade. Heaving his body in sluggish fashion, he slowly got up from whatever he had been sitting by, and walked away along with his guards. Livius stared for the longest time, contemplating an attack, knowing it would end his own miserable life. He felt like a coward for not doing it, angered at himself for not going berserk. He began clenching his fists, grinding his teeth. How could he just let them all walk away from this? As in a daze, he witnessed them all getting into their caravans and setting a course into the horizon, leaving a graveyard behind. Here, there shone no sun, there were no voices reproducing in the air. Life had departed - ruins and shambles stood in its wake.

Livius looked back at where his mortal enemy had been kneeling. Everything around him was still in black and white, due to the cascades of ashes still thickening his field of view. It was hard to make out anything at all. Then suddenly, he saw two cone-like outlines in the dark. The wind made the smoke disperse somewhat, but its irregular motion made the two strange objects appear as if they were fluttering in a disfigured, rippling dance. As the breeze swept the landscape, clearing a temporary space bereft of smoke, it introduced a vivid color scheme to the preceding tints of only shadows and highlights. Livius saw the twin objects for what they were; horns. A minotaur was lying there, amongst the rubble.

Philon!

Energy suffused Livius' very being, and he started to sprint despite his agony. At that point in time and space, nothing but one purpose existed; reaching the goal laid out before him. The jittery tunnel vision he experienced was shaky from the intense running, and it revealed nothing but a blurry, grayish contour of a minotaur - but it had to be Philon, who else could it possibly be? In his mind, he was naively trying to conjure up images of his lover rising from his supine position, brushing himself off casually - but it didn't happen. Still, Livius was sure that he saw his dearly loved Philon move. Maybe he wasn't dead. Maybe he could be saved, and this nightmare could end before he would once more wake up in a world where death had taken everything from him. Maybe this time, he would break the downward spiral and win over destiny.

He flew down on all fours at the instant he arrived, crouching protectively over his master. It was indeed Philon who lay there, his body ragged and in tatters. He was still breathing though, and he was conscious. Livius felt a slight surge of hope flowing through his veins, his heart beating furiously fast. A quick surmising of the injuries done revealed a lot of trauma though, and it was so much to bear, so painful to see. Almost immediately, anguish filled Livius' heart. Randomly placed all over his lovers stomach and chest were deep lacerations. It appeared as if they had managed to slice and impale him with sharp objects. The wounds were deep. The once so wonderfully soft hide along the side of his belly, and down along his thigh, now consisted entirely of singed flesh curled up as withered paper, burnt to black and fierce, crisp ember. The stench was nauseating. Livius could not believe how anything belonging to the body of the most magnificent creature and person he had ever met, suddenly made him cringe and feel ill. But with some degree of joy, he discovered that parts of the chest, aswell as the arms and face were unscathed. He decided to not look elsewhere right now, for it was evident that the wounds were too severe. Even though he was a more accomplished mage than ever before, due to his tutelage under his master, he could not heal these wounds. The snake of Fate had bitten its own tail once more, and the poison had begun to seep in. There is nothing to be done...

He did everything that stood in his power to mask his emotions as he faced Philon's glance, but the very second that he saw himself reflected in his lover's eyes, he started to cry. The tears came unhibited, and there was no way of stopping them. Philon's eyes were so tranquil, no signs of pain - he only looked tired beyond belief, yet happy to see the face of someone he recognized and loved. Livius knew that he must have been mustering all his strength to remain alive long enough for his poor, foolish human to find him before death would.

"Ph- .. Philon, my love... I am so sorry, I .. I.. oh god, Philon. Don't die. Do you want me to.. what do you want me to do? Should I try and heal you? Can - .. ", Livius stuttered in between his sobs. Philon merely smiled, looking as gentle as the first day he had seen him, all those months ago.

"Don't cry for me, Livius. Not when that face I love so much has such a beautiful smile... please smile for me instead... and try to find someone that you can save... some young soul...", said Philon, his voice raspy and encumbered with pain.

"There are no survivors. They are all dead, and it's my fault. How could I possibly smile? I can't save them, Philon. I can't save anyone. I failed!", cried Livius, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face and neck.

"There is always someone that needs help, Livius. There is always someone you can save. Maybe not here, but somewhere, somewhen. And please... try and be happy for me. I finally discovered your secret. Your signature."

Livius shook his head and looked at Philon, puzzled.

"..you put a spell on sensitive hearts...", said Philon, and stroke a giant finger across Livius' wet cheek. "...like mine.."

With a final, pleased look, Philon's eyes grew distant as light faded from his sight. The lips sank slowly, preserving the rough riminiscence of his once so radiant smile.

"No.. no, don't go. Don't leave me here, alone... please.. please.. my love. Please..", Livius begged in vain. His tears obscured his vision, and his chest hurt from his sobbing, which had drawn large amounts of ashes down into his lungs. He started to wipe some of his tears away when he noticed something changing. It was an odd phenomenon; Philon changed his colors. In desperation, Livius watched as the minotaur mage lost the shading effects of his signature, along with his pulse. Almost as if a companion cloud, that had always been hovering over him, had decided to drift away and leave him for good, his grayish tone turned to ivory white. Now Livius finally saw his master's true color, but at a price that his heart could not possibly afford.

As the realization struck him - Philon is dead - he screamed in sheer panic and repeatedly pressed his hands against the body, trying to get the heart pumping once more. He would give anything to feel it start beating again, smell the breath from his big, bovine lungs. Now he was met with nothing, save the sounds of the wind. And soon, even those sounds abandoned him. He looked at his dead savior, hoping that soon, his chest would rise, and sounds of his voice would call for him. But silence crept like a merciless shadow, and it would eventually only be broken by trembling hands unraveling a paper.

And under unforgiving skies, in the dark recesses of history long since forgotten; a lone human spoke heartfelt words aloud. He was reciting a love poem, with words written for his lover who lay before him. Yet those were words that his lover could no longer hear.

---

Engulfed in blazing sand storms, the dark figure of a human stumbled forth. There was no direction in his steps, no decisiveness in his walk. It was a man alive only in the strictest sense. To the world, he was present, but in his own world, he had died and gotten lost in the afterlife. Yet he knew all the same that he was not dead. His wretched heart was still beating, and unfairly so. This was the curse that traitors such as he would have to carry.

He didn't know how far he had walked, nor for how long. It didn't matter now, and it didn't matter then.

Then.

Livius remembered his past. He wasn't truly in it now, somehow he knew that for a fact. It was never a second chance that he had been bestowed, just another visit down memory lane. A place full of terrors and scenarios that he had attached a lot of "why's" and "what if's" to - even though it had gotten him nowhere and given him nothing but pain. Somehow, he couldn't let it all go in spite of knowing that. The dream of changing his past had turned out to be a dream of seeing it all come true again, like a cursed downward spiral of death knocking brutally at his forehead, forcing its way inside to never let him leave its swirling dance. The allure of sinking into it and let it all go was overwhelming, as it always had been. Yet a feeling had begun to tickle him from the outskirts of this perceived reality, as if the desert was just a small brick, shrinking... it's edges closing in on him. Beyond this place was something else, a meaningless existence no doubt - he remembered nothing of his waking life, but he assumed that this dream would soon be over. There was a vague memory of him walking through the desert, and that he would eventually be found by troops sent out by the Empire. They would take him.. home... only it wasn't home. But where were the troops? Would they appear sometimes soon?

He refused to think of the events that would follow this trek. All he could think about was his present, here in this slowly disappearing state. But there was no purpose to the dream anymore, and he knew he would not get a second chance. House Shade was destroyed, Philon was dead, and he could not save anyone or anything. Livius started to curse loudly, damning himself for having been so stupid as to think he could undo what had happened, so long ago.

"But that's not why you are here...", trailed a booming voice.

Livius spun around, looking in all directions. He didn't have a clue where the sound was coming from, who it belong to. But.. it was so familiar, that voice. Everywhere he looked, there was only sand. But no storms. It had all subsided. Earthly dunes rested peacefully along the sprawling, featureless landscape, and the sky could be seen. Livius spun again - saw a figure - halted his motions.

Before him stood Philon. Around him and upon him was the gentle cloudiness that Livius had gotten so used to. He was once more shaded. There were no wounds on his body, and he wore a toga, clean and in perfect condition.

"My dear, beloved heartmage..."

Livius ran. His arms extended and his tears searing, he fell into the strong arms of his lover, his master - his everything. The embrace was every bit as lucid as it had been in ages past. He began kissing the chest and neck of his bovine lord, and climbed on his body in order to reach his muzzle and face, showering them with more kisses. Philon laughed, and the music of that laughter drowned the trembling sensation of his dream slowly fading. Right now, nothing else existed. For what seemed like an eternity, they held each other, and passionately indulged in the ecstacy that all of their senses could offer by this act alone; miracles that had once been mundane and part of the daily routine. The scent of Philon's bovine hide, touching and kneading his arms, diving headlong into his chest to kiss it.

After a while, Philon placed Livius at arm's length, observing him with a smile. Livius smiled back, all the while fearing it would all soon be replaced by something he did not know or understand. Philon saw the fear behind the smile, and his own expression changed into something far more serious.

"You know you are in a dream, but you don't know why. I wish I could tell you everything that you would want to hear, and I wish that you and I could live together again, in the home far away that we both miss so much. But I can't tell you that, and I can't make that happen, my beloved Livius. I can only tell you that you were not sent here to change your past, but to accept it."

"How can I accept something like that, Philon? How can I ever forgive myself for what I have done? What we had was something extraordinary. It was the best time of my life, and it's my fault that it ended!". Livius felt a biting cold inside his stomach, a part of him wanted Philon to hate him for what he had done. But Philon merely smiled.

"House Shade no longer burns, my beloved. It only burns like a flicker of an image, permanently engraved in your heart. But it doesn't belong in there, Livius. It is not a picture you should keep. It is a set of shackles to confine you, and leave you with sores. It is now time to remove those shackles."

Livius looked at his hands and feet, expecting to only see skin, but he saw the dense confines of iron shackles, sending electrical impulses of pain up throughout his spine from their tight grip. His fingers were shaking a bit from his emotional state. He had no words of wisdom to share, and no protests to interject with. He just did not know what to say or think.

"Everything ends, my love, and everything changes. An end is also a beginning, and while all that we had was a wonderful dream of a life that could be, that life is no longer part of the path you are on. Who knows, perhaps in an alternate universe, you and I are still lying in a hammock, enjoying the sun. Perhaps there, the meeting went well and we still live in peace."

Livius was reminded of the sensations intimately connected with all that Philon described. It was like nectar to his soul. He wanted those things to be true, here and now.

"..but in that life, you will face other hardships, and learn other lessons; lessons unlike the ones you are meant to learn in this life. But in order to learn, you must also live - something that you do, and I do not. Do not think that you can wear the vest of death for me, Livius, I wear it myself. And it greatly differs from yours. Your vest is one of burdon and stagnation, mine is the vest of change, for even death is change, just as life. Celebrate our life by living yours, in a world painted with the colors you picked from our time together."

Livius stared blankly at the apparition of his lover, thankful for this last encounter. Whether or not it was real, Livius could not decide. Perhaps it truly was Philon, reaching out to him from another life, another universe. Livius had no way of conveying all that he wanted to say before the moment would pass him by, but having the moment was more than enough. If only it could last longer. Tearfully, he beamed an insecure smile at his once lover.

"I love you Philon. Are you going to leave me again?"

The minotaur smiled warmly as a black whirlwind began to swallow the walls of this hypnagogic reality. A maelstrom of tingling vortexes bubbled on Livius' skin, reminding him to appreciate the seconds he had left before Philon would forever be passed to darkness in his life. Somehow, Livius knew that. He had enjoyed the privilege of Philon's last real visit, as a ghost, saying goodbye.

"I never left you to begin with, heartmage, and I never will. You put a spell on my heart. Some connections can never be broken. One thing you will learn one day, when your mortal body gives up, is that everything is connected. I will watch from afar, with joy, as you save that young soul I asked you to save, so very long ago....he has more to teach you than I ever got the chance to. One love never rules out another, it only makes every love stronger."

As Philon was consumed into particles, spreading like fireworks into the omnipresent space that was no longer a desert, but rather more like a black ocean depth, his voice lingered briefly.

"...goodbye, my love", whispered Livius, while hearing Philon repeat the same words simultaneously. At least he believed he heard so. Looking once more at his hands and feet, he saw that there were no shackles there. In fact, there was only nothingness - oblivion.

He ...

---

... opened his eyes.

He was back in the room where he had fallen asleep only yesterday. Outside the window, dawn must have been breaking, because the crimson light reflected beautifully against the large head of a brown minotaur, who looked intensily at him. The eyes of the minotaur looked very concerned, and his stance was quite insecure, as if he had been unable to sleep, weighing decisions against one another all night. Perhaps he had been doing that, and perhaps he had chosen to stay with the strange human mage who had saved his life. Livius remembered it all. The young soul had chosen to stay with him. He wanted to be saved, and so did Livius. The human opened his lips, and as his first word was spoken, the minotaur flinched his ears. But then, after a few seconds of contemplation, he drew a hopeful smile at the human who had just called out his name.

"Matteus..."