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Quest for the Lost Empire: Reunion

Part #2 of #3

Part: 2 Section I - The Party's Current Situation

The attempt to conquer the city of Hamlet was a bad decision, and it would haunt them for the rest of their life. The damage that had been done to the four of them was greatly devastating.

"Maxim has been captured and now we are being hunted down like monsters!" Maria exclaimed as a tear trickled down the side of her face.

"Calm down, Maria! We will find him. No better yet, he will find us!" Shirley expressed as she thought about what had happen in the garden.

"Yes! He will find us. He is too strong to die now. He made a promise to Medusa and I am pretty sure he will keep that promise. He has a strong willed spirit. I can sense it and I'm pretty sure you can too!" Shirley stated strongly as she looked over to Maria. "You're right! I can feel it. I can feel his life energy. He is not too far away from us." Maria replied as she looked at the other two.

The Minotaur turned his head in disbelief as he read the inscription. "No! This can not be. I have let my own self down. How could I have been so foolish?" He thought as he recalled Shirley's request for him to leave the city.

As he thought on this, he smelled something very familiar. He had been reintroduced to the smell of burning flesh, blood and the musk of death.

"Ah! I smell you Death. I welcome your presence." He thought as he smelled the strong scents.

The horse drawn prison carriage slowly stopped as it reached six rows of jail cells. The guards were at first hesitant to carry the Minotaur to his cell.

"Fear me, not! I will not try to fight. I am much too hungry." The Minotaur stated as he looked over the six guards.

"I am glad to see that you are cooperating! We can do it the easy way, then." The Captain stated as he sluggishly loosen the handcuffs.

The Minotaur clenched his fist and opened them back up to get the blood back to circulating through his hands. The Minotaur was guided to the last cell on the fifth row. They opened the door of the cell and guided him into the cell and spirited to the door. "Thank you! You just made my day a lot easier. I will get you some food very soon." The guard told the Minotaur as he closed the door.

III - Mesotempia

Mesotempia had been claimed by most of the citizens to be a very important asset to Hacotameia. Mesotempia was surrounded by a thick forest and a very dense mountain range. Fires were always burning and the pots over the fires were at all times filled with stuff. This stuff was the remains of the victims that had lived in the camp. The constant smell of death and burning flesh told of the many lives that had been lost. The cells that contained the prisoners were harsh on the health. The prisoners had no rights. They could not go use the restroom, so they had to do their business in the cells. They could not go wash or anything like that. The only good thing about this prison was the food. They always provided you with a lot of it. You would never go hungry. In their eyes you were just too much of a meal to pass up. They treated you like livestock until it was your time to become their meal. Mesotempia was used by Hacotameia as a death camp for those that defied Hacotameia's absolute rule. Cannibals had complete control over Mesotempia as a result of their loyalty to the empire during The Great War of the Empires. Since the Cannibals had complete control of Mesotempia, they decided that everyone that enters Mesotempia should die. It was not a regular death. They would die first and then be eaten by the Cannibals. This was the fate that had been bestowed on the Minotaur and he knew it.

IV - Maxim meets Nightseeker

Maxim remembered the stories his mother had told him about Mesotempia. As he laid in the cot he heard a familiar voice.

"Mother is that you?!" Maxim questioned as he dreamed about Mesotempia.

"No, you are having a nightmare." A strange voice commented as it shook the Minotaur. Maxim slowly opened his eyes and looked at the strange figure. It was a Vampire/Elf looking creature.

"What are you? Get away from me, now!" Maxim exclaimed as he tried to back away from the figure.

"You have nothing to fear! You can stop trying to get away from me. Don't worry I'm not going to bite you." She stated as she licked her fangs.

"What is your name, what are you, and is there anything else I should know?" Maxim questioned the creature.

"My name is Nightseeker. I am 1/3 Vampire, 1/3 Elf and 1/3 Werewolf and all of the guards are Cannibals. I did the same thing you do. I revolted against the empire. What is your name?" She stated.

"My name is Maxim." He stated as he looked at her.

He gave her a puzzled looked and short chuckle. She stated at him with a confused look. "Okay! Here are some rules. Don't try to suck my blood and don't try to kill me." Maxim suddenly uttered.

"Is that why you gave me that puzzled look? Oh I understand you think I am a ruthless person, huh?" Nightseeker questioned the Minotaur.

"No. I have heard various stories, Minotaurs that are not normal anymore because of Vampires, Great warriors that are now Vampires. I am truly sorry if I offended you." Maxim replied as he lowered his head and looked down at the ground.

"I understand why you don't trust Vampires. I don't blame you at all but I am different. I will not try to kill you." Nightseeker answered back as she placed her hand onto his chin and stared into his eyes.

"Since I am not a full Vampire, I can not change you into a Vampire. Besides we need to worry about getting out of here." Nightseeker notified the Minotaur.

"I shall not leave until I find Amicus." Maxim retorted.

V - Maxim, Amicus and the Guard

The door squeaked as it opened. The guard walked in and looked over at the Minotaur. He cautiously walked into the cell and brought a plate of food in. The food had a yellow color to it and the smell was disgusting. It seemed like something was skimming the surface of it.

"I was told that you are a gentle Minotaur." The guard informed as he placed the food on the ground. Maxim's stomach growled and the guard looked down at the Minotaur. "Hungry?" The guard queried the Minotaur.

Maxim slowly crawled over to the bowl of food. He had no choice, he was hungry and he knew. Maxim placed a finger into the watery substance and tasted it. As he did this the guard reached down and started to stroke the Minotaur's horns and back. He knew that it was the Minotaur's weak spot.

"Very good, eat I want you big and strong for our feast. I can already taste your flesh. You and the other Minotaur will taste very good." The guard informed the two as he showed a large pair of vampire fangs.

"The other Minotaur", Maxim questioned.

"Yes the other Minotaur. His name is Amicus." The guard replied.

Maxim burned a death stare into the guard's eyes. The guard walked out the door and locked it back.

"I have finally found him and now I am going to die." The Minotaur retorted as he remembered what the guard had said.

The same guard walked in again and looked at Maxim and licked his lips.

"What I said earlier is very true, you will taste very good!" The guard exclaimed.

"Could you bring Amicus over here? I would really like to meet him." Maxim notified the guard.

"Yes I can. I will be back with him, shortly." The guard responded.

The guard went to go Amicus and Maxim kissed Nightseeker on the forehead.

"I will meet him!" He informed Nightseeker.

The guard pulled the body of the Minotaur into the cell.

"What is wrong with him, is he dead?" Maxim queried the guard.

"No he is not dead; I had to use a tranquilizer on him. He is not as gentle as you, besides I don't understand why you are so calm. I thought all Minotaurs were powerful." The guard commented as he caught his breath.

"Well you see I am powerful. You just have to hit the wrong button. Soon you will see how powerful I am. You will see very soon." The Minotaur replied.

The guard gave a puzzled look to Maxim as he gave a shot to the other Minotaur.

"This will revive him. It will take about two minutes to work. I will be back with some more food." The guard told Maxim.

The guard shut the door and Nightseeker looked at the Minotaur.

"Guess what?" Maxim questioned Nightseeker.

"What?" Nightseeker continued.

"We will be able to leave now. I know where the other three are." Maxim advised Nightseeker.

Amicus regained conscience and looked at the other two.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Amicus interrogated as he looked at both of them. An expression of anger sudden appeared on his face as he looked at them.

"I am Maxim and this is Nightseeker, do you know Shirley?" Maxim inquired the Minotaur.

"Yes, where is she? I need to know." Amicus answered sharply. "

He looks a lot different." Maxim thought.

Amicus had been in the camp for about a year. Amicus was 8 feet tall; he had brown fur and small white horns. He was muscular but he was nothing like Maxim and he wore a red loincloth.

"She is fine. We are going to find her, very soon." Maxim assured Amicus.

Amicus gave Maxim a puzzled look and looked over to Nightseeker.

VI - CeCe and the Death of the Guard

The door swung open again as Maxim said the last of his words. CeCe and the guard walked in and the guard handed Maxim another bowl of food.

"Hi my name is CeCe and you must be the gentle Minotaur. What are you hiding? I know that you are being gentle and innocence for something. I will find out why." CeCe warned the Minotaur.

Maxim looked over to Nightseeker and Amicus.

"Get ready. One, two, three, get them." He informed them as he motioned them.

Maxim grabbed the guard, Amicus grabbed CeCe and they each muffled the mouths of the two. Nightseeker brought out a knife from her boot, and handed it to Maxim.

"Well I told you I was strong, but you will not be able to see my strength. CeCe will see it though." Maxim retorted as he chuckled.

"I thought I tamed you." The guard replied in disbelief as he remembered rubbing the Minotaur's horns and back.

"You know I think of a lot of things. Thinking and doing are two separate and different things." Maxim commented.

"Please don't kill me. I don't want to die. I can help you." The guard pleaded as he looked over to CeCe and started to struggle.

"I do not understand, you want to see power but yet you don't want to die! Since you want to feel power I will take pleasure in ripping your body apart! I will let all of you see just a portion of power!" Maxim advised in a deep harsh voice as his eyes turned a blood red color. His anger and hatred was forcing him to make an example out of the guard. The guard gave a shocked expression as he heard the Minotaur state his words.

"See my power! Prepare die!" He exclaimed as he kneeled down and held the guard over his head.

The guard started to cry as the Minotaur's grip grew tight. Tears of pain dripped down from the guard and hit the Minotaur's muzzle.

"Begging for your life? I thought you were a Vampire." Maxim stated as he felt the tear hit his muzzle.

The Minotaur looked up to the guard and looked at the other three.

"Please don't do this. I can help you, really! I want to keep my life." The guard pleaded more.

A low snarl came from the Minotaur as he heard the guard's pleads.

"I have nothing more to say." Maxim expressed as he looked up to the guard.

The guard gave another shocked expression. He knew that he was going to die.

"Please don't do this." The guard commented.

Maxim's veins popped out and show everywhere on his body. His arms, chest, legs, throat and face showed his veins and the power he was getting ready to exert. He grabbed the guard by the chest and both of his legs.

"I will enjoy this. You taste a whole lot better than me!" Maxim exclaimed as he stared at the other three.

He roared loudly as he ripped the body apart, blood spew from the body as the skin, bones and muscles were pulled apart. The sound of the flesh, muscles and bones being ripped apart horrified the other three. The blood squirted on every one of them. The Minotaur's body was covered in blood and he looked over to the other three with his bright blood red eyes. He snickered as he dropped both parts of the body down to the ground. The guard's upper body landed beside CeCe and the guard's eyes looked at her, she begun to cry at the sight.

"You are nothing more than a monster! You get enjoyment out of killing everyone." CeCe retorted to Maxim as he stood up and gave them a demonic stare and smile. Nightseeker and Amicus looked at him in amazement. He gradually walked over to Amicus and looked down at CeCe. He kneeled down and grabbed her by the wrists.

"You will be most interesting. You will not be killed if you do what I tell you but, if you don't I will have no other choice. I will kill you and feast on your body. It is your decision. You must feast with me." Maxim informed her as the blood dried on him.

He stuck his tongue out at CeCe and gently licked her on the side of her face.

"What are you doing? Stop that and what do you mean by feast? Feast with what? No, I am not a cannibal." CeCe replied as she looked over to the upper half of the body.

Maxim stopped licking her and looked at her with puzzlement, and the blood red eyes. "No. We will not eat him. He does look tasty. I must know are you going to help me?" Maxim queried.

"Yes! I mean my life is at risk. You have no remorse for anything. You are bloodthirsty and you know." She commented as the Minotaur turned to face Nightseeker.

"Maxim, I had no idea that you would do something like that. What is you're problem? She is right, you have no remorse." Nightseeker commented as she looked at the Minotaur.

"Well the beast is finally out of the cage!" Amicus exclaimed to the other three.

"What are you talking about and what do you mean by the beast is finally out of the cage?" Nightseeker asked.

"He is the one that will set us free. He is the one that will destroy the last empire. He is the beast that has been caged up. He is now free, and he will free us from persecution. He made a promise to Medusa and he will stick to that promise. It is his destiny to destroy the last empire." Amicus answered.

"That's right. I made a promise and I intent to keep it." Maxim added on as he looked at the other three.

Nightseeker looked at Maxim and looked at CeCe and Amicus.

"This is too good to be true. This is all too wonderful." She thought.

"CeCe that feast will have to happen later. We must break out now! We are going to find the other three." Maxim informed as he got ready to ram the wall.

"Are we ready?" Maxim queried the other three.

"Yes." They answered.

"Let's go!" Maxim exclaimed. Maxim broke through the wall and they all escaped into the forest. They were now on their way to find Maria and the others.

VII - They meet Ra.

Maria and the others had just finished a large battle when it happened. They felt Maxim's presences once again.

"He is coming to save us!" Maria exclaimed happily.

"Well not in this weather. We need to find some shelter." Shirley warned the other two. "Let's go there. I am sure they will help us." Homer prescribed as he pointed to a large pyramid.

"This is unusual. A pyramid in the middle of nowhere, this can not be good. Okay I will need everyone to be on heavy guard that means I will need you to watch your back. This could be a trap." Shirley advised the other two.

They all walked up to the door of the pyramid and walked in.

"Welcome. It has been a while since I have company." A strange voice told the three.

All of a sudden the room came to life with the light. There before Maria and the others stood Ra. Ra looked like a normal human. He stood about 5' 2'' tall, wore Egyptian clothing and a beautiful Egyptian necklace. He had guards all around him.

"What can I do for you?" He question as he stared at Maria.

"We would like to know if we can rest here." Maria answered back.

"Why yes! Yes indeed, I would greatly appreciate the company." Ra replied.

"Good. Thank you." Maria commented.

"Besides I know you are searching for a Minotaur. He must be really dear to you, huh, Maria?" Ra inquired.

"What? Are you working for the empire?" Maria questioned as she was puzzled at him. "No I work for no empire. I am Ra, the great inventor and magician." Ra answered. "Look at this wall, and watch what happens. This is how I know you. I have been watching you for a long time." Ra informed them as he motioned them to the wall.

The wall had hieroglyphics all over it until Ra's hand touched it. It was like a crystal ball, but only bigger. It showed Maxim, Nightseeker, Amicus, and CeCe.

"Well I don't believe it. He found Amicus!" Shirley exclaimed.

"How far are they from here?" Maria questioned Ra.

"Well calculating right now they should be here in about five to ten minutes." Ra answered back.

"Good." She thought as she wondered who the other women were.

"Don't worry. They are just there to help you in your war against the empire." Ra insisted as he walked back to his throne.

Five minutes had passed and the other four walked in the pyramid to find Maria and the others standing around.

"Well, it is about time. Who are these people and what is wrong with your eyes?" Maria queried the Minotaur.

VIII - Prophecy

"Well this is Nightseeker, this is CeCe, and this is Amicus. Anger has changed them." Maxim explained as he introduced them to the others.

"I don't believe it. The beast is finally out of the cage! The toccata is in the blood!" Ra exclaimed in disbelief as he walked over to the Minotaur.

Ra circled the Minotaur and looked at his every detail.

"What do you mean by that?" Maria questioned as she looked at Ra.

"He is the one. The prophecy is about to be fulfilled. He is the beast. Have you noticed that is not normal? I mean did you not realize that the tranquilizer really didn't have an effect on him, his eyes are completed different or the fact that he is a lot bigger than Amicus? I watched him and it was not long before he was back up and walking around, that tranquilizer didn't do anything to him." Ra informed them all.

"So that's why he's so big. Is he too muscular for his own good? Mister umm...?" Shirley asked Ra.

"My name is Ra and no. He is a lot stronger than the Emperor but if he doesn't use his powers right, darkness will consume him. He will help the Emperor, and then the Emperor will kill him." Ra prescribed to all of them. "Did he do anything that involved death?" Ra queried Nightseeker and Amicus.

"He ripped a body part. If he didn't need CeCe he would have ripped her apart too. There was something that he said that I am still puzzled at. He said to CeCe that you will be most interesting." Nightseeker answered as she pointed to CeCe.

Maxim gave a short chuckle and gave CeCe a demonic stare.

"You will be most interesting!" He said as he echoed Nightseeker's words.

Maxim opened his mouth and hellishly let his tongue hang out. The Minotaur's tongue was very long and big. All of them watched in disgust as the Minotaur's salvia dropped from his tongue. The Minotaur sucked his tongue back into his mouth and licked his lips. "Well that is the most amazing display of a tongue I have ever seen." Ra replied as he saw what just happen.

IX - The Burning Question

He paused for a minute before asking Maxim, "What do you mean?"

Maxim slowly advanced toward Ra and stood before him. His body heat was intense and his musk quickly filled Ra's nostrils. His towering form made Ra gulp before Maxim replied to the question.

"Well, CeCe you know what I told you. You should know what it means, tell them. Why did I give you the tongue?" Maxim answered in a very harsh voice, as he stared directly into her eyes.

"You said that if I didn't help you, you would eat me." CeCe replied innocently.

Ra looked back at the Minotaur and stared into his eyes.

"You are a monster. You have no remorse. How are you just going to kill her, huh?" Ra commented in a defiant, negotiably voice.

"What? That was just one of the things I said. Tell them CeCe." Maxim insisted sharply as his face grew an angry look, his voice growing harsher than ever and his eyes growing dangerously narrow.

"I have told them everything that you have told me." CeCe answered back.

Maxim charged toward CeCe and kneeled down in front of her, his eyes growing redder. He grabbed CeCe by the wrists and looked into her eyes. "Tell them. You must you know what it means. What have I always done to your cuts and bruises?" Maxim queried as he brought his tongue close to CeCe face.

"Oh, you wanted me to tell them that? Well, why didn't you say so? It means that I will be very tasty!" CeCe exclaimed as she gave the Minotaur a hug.

She pushed the Minotaur's head into her breast and his horns trapped her into the hug. She grabbed his horns and started to stroke them. The Minotaur closed his eyes, giving a large sigh of pleasure and Maria looked at him in disbelief.

"Don't worry. I just love the taste of her skin." Maxim commented as he opened his eyes and licked her face.

CeCe laughed as his tongue softly caressed her face. Maria looked closely at Maxim's eyes.

"Maxim! Look everyone! Look at his eyes, they are not red anymore!" Maria shouted as she ran over to the Minotaur.

"Maxim you're back!" Maria exclaimed as she grabbed onto the Minotaur's back and started to cry.

X - Proposal of Marriage

Maxim grabbed her from his back, laid down on his back and placed Maria on his abs. He motioned for CeCe to come over and sit on him. CeCe walked over to him and sat on his chest.

"Well, two beautiful women! I want you to know that I love you all. I didn't intend to get involved in any love relationships but, it appears it happened anyway! As Ra pointed out already, it appears it is my destiny to fight the Emperor. He has said that I will kill him, if I am correct." Maxim stated as Maria wiped the last tears of joy from her eyes.

"The reason I am telling you this is because I need to know if I can have both of you as my wives. I need to know if you two will get along with the fact that you will have to sharing me amongst yourselves." Maxim finished as he looked at both of them.

CeCe and Maria looked at each and embraced in a warm hug.

"We will get along just fine." They each replied.

Ra and the others watched as Maxim and the three embraced in a hug.

CeCe and Maria got up off the Minotaur as he got up off of the floor.

"Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long and boring day. Ra, where can we sleep?" Maxim questioned as he looked around.

"Have no fear. Watch this." Ra answered back as he pointed at different sections of the pyramid.

The beds started to come out from the floor.

"Have a good night." Ra insisted as he walked up the stairs.

Maxim and the others each got into their beds and went to sleep. CeCe and Maria cuddled close to the Minotaur. He gentle grabbed them and placed them on his chest. "Good Night." He whisper softly in their ears and then to everyone.

XI - Nightmare

As the night moved on, Maxim dreamed about the destiny that Ra had told him about. "This is my destiny? Wow! I am very special!" He thought as a smile creep across his face.

The happy dream suddenly turned into a nightmare as he dreamed about his confrontation with the Emperor. He was there in front of the Emperor ready to fight him. They started to fight and he punched the Emperor in the mouth. The blood started to drip from the side of his mouth.

"Very good I will enjoy eating your corpse!" The Minotaur exclaimed as he licked the blood off of his fist.

"I don't think so but I will enjoy some Minotaur meat. I have always wanted to try some." The Emperor retorted as a smile crept across his face.

He rubbed his stomach in response to the smile. Maxim looked at the Emperor in disgust. "You fool; I will take pleasure in making you my slave. I will torture you to your last dieing breath." Maxim informed him.

The Emperor started to laugh and looked straight at the Minotaur with glaring red eyes. "Death is too good for you. Maybe this will cheer you up or maybe hurt you!" The Emperor advised Maxim as he continued to laugh.

The Emperor disappeared and Maxim started to look around.

"Where are you? I don't believe this I thought you wanted to fight? You are just playing a game of hide-and-seek." Maxim commented as he searched for the Emperor.

The Emperor appeared behind Maxim and poked him in the back.

"Hello there!" The Emperor commented as Maxim turned around. "Here. Take this and enjoy it." The Emperor said as he cut the Minotaur across his right eye.

"No. This can not be. How dare you!" Maxim stated as he commended the Emperor's actions.

The Emperor looked at the blood covered knife and wiped the blood onto his finger. He tasted the blood and smiled at Maxim.

"Very good, you will taste very good." The Emperor remarked. Although he had been cut across the eye, it was not a deep cut.

The Minotaur wiped the blood away from his eye and stared into the Emperor eyes.

"Okay this is it. You will die. For tonight I will feast on your body and I will claim this empire to its rightful owner, no one. Yes that's right. The rightful owner is nobody. Feast on this." Maxim yelled as he eyes changed a blood red and he charged for the Emperor. The Emperor tried to dodge the oncoming attack but it was just too much. Maxim forced his fist into the Emperor's abdomen until it went through his body. Maxim's fist made a very large hole in the Emperor body.

"No. This can't be. I have been defeat." The Emperor called out as he felt the Minotaur's fist rip through his stomach.

"Yes that is right. I have defeated you. For tonight I will feast on your heart, organs and the rest of your body. I will clean the meat from your bones. In fact I will start now!" Maxim explained as he grabbed at the Emperor chest.

The Minotaur ripped the Emperor in half and started to devour his flesh and clean the meat from his bones. Maxim woke up from the dream and looked around.

XII - Maxim Meets Gaia

He found CeCe and Maria staring at him.

"What's wrong?" Maria queried as she looked at the Minotaur who was rubbing his right eye.

"Nothing, I just had the weirdest dream." Maxim replied.

"I know all about it. Destiny is making you see these things. You may have thought it was just a nightmare but it was more than a nightmare. We will talk about this over breakfast. The sun is already out. So go ahead and get up the others." Ra stated as he walked down the stairs.

Maxim walked to the front door and looked outside. Maxim looked in amazement at the landscape. He had thought that it was a regular forest but it was not. He was in the middle of a rain forest. The exotic trees, vines and various plants made him think of many things. "I thought I had just escaped from a slave camp. How did I get here? I wonder how far away from home I am? This is wonderful." He stated as he walked around outside.

"It is beautiful. I am very glad that you noticed the beauty of nature. I mean after all, are we not all apart of nature." A mysterious feminine voice commented on the Minotaur's statements.

"Who are you? Where are you? Show yourself, now." Maxim demanded as he looked around.

"Here I am." The voice replied as it showed itself.

The female was very beautiful, very hard to resist. She wore no clothes for nature was her dress. She had very long dark black hair, dark brown eyes, and she was just too hard to resist.

"I am Gaia, the mother of all and the creator of everything. I am happy that you enjoy my creations." She continued.

Maxim looked at Gaia and back at the forest.

"Very impressive, I love your work. What is this, the Garden of Eden?" The Minotaur retorted in a sarcastic voice.

"Yes it is." Gaia responded in a normal soft voice.

Maxim looked at the forest in disbelief.

"Ra and his boys know about the Garden of Eden, how?" Maxim queried the deity.

"I can trust him. I know all about you and your friends, so I guess I can trust you and the others with this secret, I guess." Gaia replied to Maxim's question.

"Yes you can. You can trust me. I will not tell a soul about this place." Maxim assured the Goddess.

"You are really strange. A Minotaur that is willing to keep a secret that most people would kill for. I don't understand you. I thought all Minotaurs will just attack, kill, destroy and plunder everything in sight. Instead you are the complete opposite. You rely on logic and morals to justify your actions and look at you. You are very large compare to most Minotaurs." Gaia commented on the Minotaur's statement in disbelief.

"That's what Ra said. Since you're a deity, could you please tell me what he means by, the toccata is in the blood?" The Minotaur requested as he looked at Gaia.

"I don't believe it. You are the one. That is why you are so different from the other Minotaurs. I will let Ra tell you what that means but I will help you through out your journey. Just call me when you think you need me. Until then may the Gods and I bless you with the strength and the endurance, to defeat the empire." Gaia stated as she looked at the Minotaur and disappeared into the forest.

XIII - Ra questions Maxim about Gaia

Maxim walked back to the pyramid and walked in.

"I suppose you met Gaia." Ra stated as he sat at his throne.

"Yes. Yes I did." Maxim answered back as he still looked outside.

"Well how did the forest look? Did it fulfill your dreams of the Garden of Eden?" Ra questioned more.

Maxim turned around and faced Ra.

"Yes, I guess it did. She was beautiful, she was very irresistible. The forest was very fulfilling and she said that you will answer my questions." Maxim responded.

"Yes, I will answer your questions. Breakfast will soon be ready. I know you are hungry." Ra told the Minotaur as he looked at his flat stomach.

The Minotaur's stomach started to growl as Ra stated his words. The chefs all told Ra that breakfast was about done and that it was time to get ready to eat.

"Come on and let's eat." Ra informed the Minotaur as he walked up the stairs.

XVI - Questions and Answers

Maxim followed Ra up the stairs to a very beautiful room. The room had a table filled with food and the flowers were everywhere. The others were seated at the large table.

"What do you like flowers?" Maxim queried Ra.

"Yes. I love them. The food is here now, so let's eat. I am very hungry." Ra informed Maxim as one of his servants filled his plate with food.

Maxim looked at the others while his plate was filled food.

"Well Gaia told you that I will answer your questions, right?" Ra queried as he chewed on some of his food.

"Right, she told me that you will explain everything to me. She was actually kind of excited that she met me." Maxim informed everyone.

"Who is Gaia? What did you do outside, Maxim?" Maria interrogated the Minotaur as she looked at the others.

"Gaia is the creator of all. Gaia and I had a short conversation. She told me that she would help through out my search for the empire. You and the others should go see the outside it is very beautiful." Maxim answered Maria as he looked at the others.

"I will tell you the meaning of the prophecy, now." Ra stated as he looked at Maxim and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Here it goes. There was once a prophecy that a Sphinx told the rest of the people. She told of this prophecy before the Great War of the Empires. The Sphinx told of a Minotaur that would destroy the last empire. She described him as being taller and stronger then any other Minotaur that had ever existed. She said that he would hold different beliefs than the rest. She said that he would be kind and that his parents would die in the struggle for freedom. She said that his eyes will turn red once he had been enraged and that I would meet him. She also told me that he would talk Gaia and that he would come from a slave camp." Ra explained as he looked at Maxim.

The others stared at Maxim as he held his head down in.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of. Finally, she told me that I would teach you a few magical spells. I also remember the war, and I heard of your parent's death. I just want you to know that I would like be your friend, Maxim. Amicus can you make your eyes turn red?" Ra recalled the prophecy as he posed a question to Amicus.

"No. I can not." Amicus answered as he looked at Maxim.

"That dream you had, it was no nightmare. Maxim, you was shown that dream because, it is your destiny. The Fates are calling you. The Fates have told me of your power. You will kill the Emperor and eat him. That dream will change as you grow stronger and you learn magic. The sphinx told me to teach you magic and that is exactly what I am going to do. I will help you and together we will destroy the last empire before it is too late, if we do not Medusa will die." Ra prescribed to the Minotaur.

XV - The Metamorphosis

Maxim looked up at Ra. Ra noticed a change in the Minotaur's appearance. "What is happening to me?" Maxim queried as he looked at Ra.

Ra noticed the growth of the horns and the overall change of the Minotaur. Maxim's horns had grown about twice as long as they were before and his muscles twice as big. His voice became harsher than ever. His eyes changed from normal to a pitch black.

"Oh no, It has happened we must start the training now before its too late. The metamorphosis has begun. If we don't start now we will loose him." Ra told the others as he watched Maxim kneel down on the ground.

"Oh it hurts, so bad! Please make it stop, make it stop!" Maxim exclaimed as he got down on his hands and knees.

Maxim gave out a loud painful shriek before he finally collapsed on the ground.

CeCe and Maria walked over to the motionless body of the Minotaur.

They both started to cry as they looked the Minotaur over. Nightseeker and Amicus got up and also looked the Minotaur over. Maxim's body rapidly changed. The Minotaur's horns grew longer and longer until, there were five times the original length, he grew taller until he was six times his original height and finally his muscles grew until they were about three times the original size. All of them watched as Maxim got up and looked at all of them. Maxim looked very different; they all noticed the differences of his features.

"Well let's start." Maxim stated as he looked at the six.

"Okay you will be hard to teach. I really never imagined that you would turn out like that." Ra stated as he looked the Minotaur over.

Now Maxim will start his magical training and grow stronger. The Fates have something good in store for the Minotaur, but what is it.