The Minotaur

The ascension through the cave had been quick and unnerving. The corridors had been littered by the corpses of the seventeen orcs that had reached the cave before them. Kuma and Sir Richards went first. Behind them walked sir Michel and Davina, holding up the rear was Lucille and Daniel. The cave walls were wet from the water that rippled quickly on each side of them. The floor was smooth, and the air was damp. The corpses from their predecessors gave obvious testament to the fighting force that must lay before them. An orc raiding party in full retreat, that was something new. Judging from the cuts the wildlife from last night was ruled out. No this foe wielded a sharp weapon and must be quite the force to reckon with. It was then, when they started to se an opening in the corridor leading upwards that they could all hear it, a heavy and slow breathing.

The cave opened up from a two-person breath to a big room. In the middle stood the beast that had singlehandedly taken on a pack of orc warriors and stood victorious. Kuma hade no time to react before it turned towards the new intruders. The three-meter-tall half bull, half human charged them with a huge twohanded axe thrusting forward. In a matter of seconds the first sweep came down on Sir Richard and Kuma. With a loud thump the axe seemed to bounce of some barrier that enveloped Sir Richard who hadn’t manage to get out of the way. The axe continued it’s path towards Kuma who threw herself backwards, avoiding the weapon by an inch. The adrenaline kicked in and Kuma realized she couldn’t block the entrance to the fight, not if they hoped to take the minotaur down. How many more hits would the shield Lucille had placed on herself and sir Richard take? She quickly moved sideways, following the wall to the right in order to make room for Sir Michel. As she positioned herself to surround the beast she caught a glance of Sir Richard doing the same on his front. This gave Davina the possibility to engage and engage she would. Kuma realized by that two-hand-grip and the narrowing of they eyes that Davina wasn't going to back away, she was reading herself to go all-out. That’s when the second strike from the bull came. The giant axe came down in a great sweeping motion. In it’s way stood Davina and Sir Michel. The later took a carefully measured step backwards but Davina was already on the attack. As the axe moved in on her flank she gave up the war cry of the order and flew herself against the monster. With two quick strikes she cut across the bulls chest with sounded like deep and forceful cuts. But before her series of attacks could finish the enemies axe had tasted her flesh. With an awesome force it cut through her chest plate and blood gushed out from Davina’s torso. 

Kuma focused her stance and readied herself to counterattack. The monster was to big, she would have to go for the leg. It’s left leg was closest and so Kuma made two quick cuts. With the first she aimed for the bulls hollow of the knee. She swept down and low with the falx but misjudged the distance and was nearly caught by the backswing of the axe as she spun closer to the backside of the enemy. However the attack was already in motion and without knowing whether or not she had hit with the first she pressed on and finished the spin with another slice from the falx. Her blade made a grand arc as it followed her pirouette and could finally cut up the backside of the monsters left thigh. As Kuma ended the move she saw how Sir Richard had used the moment in the fight in an equal opportunistic manner and battered the beasts right flank with his now blood dripping axe. As they all once again readied to assessed the adversary’s next move they could all in relief se how it knelt down and fell over with a loud thud. The beast was down.

Loot!

After the meeting and report they had some items to sort through and some things to get straight. Lily raised the question about the dead.
"One of them seemed to have hurt himself and bleed out abit in the cave, the other obelisk seemed to glow red when there was blood close by..."
"Could some magic been activated and killed the three?"
Max looked horrified and said "If that is correct Lily, I'm not going to be cloose by to test it."
Adelia looked some what sceptical and stated "I would rather guess that they have been lured down as a trap, for the poison to take effect, and they will be away so they couldn't get help..."
At the same time Edward mumbled back "I don't care about the dead bodies, but that medallion should be mine!"
That peeked Arthurs reaction and he exclaimed "And why would you need a medallion of courage?, Courage? Would i be better Use for me so next time we face a demon i don't have to be afraid and cover behind a bar, yes yes, not one of my proudest moments..."
Edward simple answered "But you see Mr Schwarz the medallion should belong to me, it would be best for all of us. I can trade it for a potion of courage instead. You know courage is to overcome fear, not to be without it."
Arthur looked rather sceptical at Edward: "Are you serious, trade a single use potion of courage for a medallion? Why do you even need it?"
Bosco, clearly tired of the discussion, mumbled "If it's that important we can sell the other stuff and buy another one..."
In the middle of the rising argument Adelia chipped in: "Well if you're willpower and courage fail while casting magic a demon can tear out of your chest, like the one you mentioned at the bar Mr Schwarz, or something like that i think i read some where in a book..."
Arthur looked a bit sceptical but at the same time shocked: "Is it true Edward, that better courage and will make you better to deal with this magic stuff?"
Edward, a bit annoyed, answered "Yes! Or well better..."
Arthur sceptical frown turned into a smile while he interrupted Edward "Well great! Settled then, then you actually have a need for it and don't just WANT it. Damn man why didn't you just say so! Sometimes it seem that Miss Adelia here knows more about magic than you but you are the one casting the spells... Are you reading the right books?"

Encounter at the Ball

 “I am going with someone to the ball!” Adelia said while the tailor was adjusting the dress.
“What?” Lily quickly turned herself towards her friend. The unexpected movement made her own tailor flinch. Who narrowly avoided to put the needle in her customers back.
“Please, madame could you hold still?”
Lily however was to preoccupied to notice.
“Who is it? He better not hurt you or I will break his neck!!” She said in a rather protective voice. Adelia however just gave her a mischievous smile.
“Well you will find out soon enough aren’t you?”
Lily looked like she was about to say something more when a rather flamboyant dressed Arthur entered the room.
“Ahh, my ladies you looking radiant as ever!”
Lily’s mouth fell open, was it possible to have so many plumes and feathers in one hat?
“Well thank you Arthur, you’re looking rather dashing yourself!” Adelia said smiling broadly.
Arthur beamed and made a deep bow.
“So what’s the next stop ladies?”
“I need to go to the wig maker, I could need the opinion of your both. Since I never bought a wig before... but I don’t want to be recognized!” Lily said the last somewhat hesitantly.
“Ooh, who are you hiding from?” Adelia asked curiously, Arthur also looked on with a peeked interest.
Lily dragged out the answer before sighting and answering.
“My cousins!”

Memories

 Julian was driving thorugh the city on his mono-bike. During the nighttime the traffic didn't seem as dense as during the day, but it was still there.
Nowadays the cities seemed to never sleep, always to be busy...
Well one good thing with had been the notice that the robotic archive had been installed in the warehouse.
Vespian had been busy but Julian had at least managed to get Mehred out and to meet him at his warehouse.
The feel of combining the old books, all the old knowledge and to preserve it with new technology almost made Julian feel young again.
Getting out of the most busy areas and the worst noise Julian activated the most basic heightened senses and speed up the monobike. While he himself moved faster it seemed like the world around slowed down. All the stress and bustle melting away, somehow returning back the the old slow tempo. Sometimes he missed the old times...

The Knight And The Tree

"Oh poor sir Michael hit a tree, hit a tree
And fell on the ground on the ground!"
The atmosphere in the great hall was getting more and more rowdy the more beer that was drunken and the later the hour got and by that the more somber guest was dropping of one by one.
Which also  affected creativity of the verses, such as
"What shall we do with the unhorsed knight?"
...and...
"The brave sir Michael charged an oak and fell off his horse!"
"To bad it was an orc he wanted to hit with his big stick!"
The last one made the merry knights to nervously glance around to make sure that the brave sir Michael himself was not within earshot....

The Challenge

Seventieth floor and then further up with another elevator. The group walked through the garage hall with silver between them. Deco's thoughts were focused on the target and the group of guards in front of the elevator door he had only reflexively observed, appreciated and continued to monitor, without actually devoting a thought to them. It all happened on a routine while the thoughts played around what scenarios they might need to be prepared for when they reached the top of the spire. Without really reflecting, he made a confident comment to the others in the group that they would not kill anyone who was not Beastmen, a statement that he himself was surprised when he thought about it.
And then all of a sudden he was face to face with the one who seemed to be the leader of the gang. The man looked unthreatening and his gang, albeit armed, Deco dismissed as a real threat. A rage went through his body, as if the last thought had gone a strange and unnatural path, as if the phenomenon of dismissing any threat was new at all. The group's security and backing was so strong and the thoughts at the end of the trip so pressing that Deco ignored his warning bells and instead met the man's gaze. Assured of Hatchet's powerful figure, Ratman's combat experience and tactical thinking, Dai-Kau's lethal efficiency and Loric's quick trigger finger, he did not doubt his group for a second. This was a trial, an insult to him and the group. The men standing in front of them thought they were more powerful and more entitled to the means of transport than they were.
The anger shifted and changed to a loud warning alarm on all frequencies but it was too late now, Deco and his opponents had locked their horns in each other and this could not end with him giving up. They would learn what it meant to stand in the way of "the Birds of Prey". 

Commander's Conundrum

"Still no response?"
"No, commander," responded the neuronav.
"Keep sending anyway."
"But why won't they answer?" asked lieutenant Loreli. "From all readings it's a Union ship."
"Because they can't hear us."
"Uh, there are no problems with the communications servers, sir," said the neuronav.
"Not with the servers. They are jamming us."
"What? Why?" asked Loreli.
"Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps they are just passing this sector and wants to keep their presence a secret from other ships which might hear us. Perhaps there is someone onboard they want to get hold of."
"If that where the case, why haven't they contacted us for a transfer?"
"Perhaps its someone they know we wouldn't hand over?"
"Sir?" Loreli looked puzzled. "Who onboard would warrant a battlenac for capture?"
"I don't know. It's merely a possibility. Pilot!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Prepare defensive measures and generate a starting code for all phoenix avars. And scramble the pilots."
"Yes, sir!"
"You think they will -attack-?" asked Loreli with disbelief in her voice. "Wouldn't be much use for us to do anything - they could disintegrate us without a sweat."
"Indeed. And the fact that they haven't already done so suggest that there is something else that they want. So I intend to be prepared."