Dawn of Glory [The Quest]

Chapter 6

Theme: The Underworld, 2

They walked further into the tunnel. All around them, the squealing of rats and the sound of birds could be heard. If Darius Rucker had any choice, he would turn back and find another path. But he had no choice.

Kira isn't taking it easy with him. In other words, she was frustrating him. All his life, Darius Rucker had never thought that he would be governed by a woman. Worst of all, it was someone he hadn't seen before. If he had his power here with him, he wouldn't hesitate to burn her.

Though he had been in the underworld many times without numbers. Darius Rucker didn't remember this tunnel. Let's just say he hadn't been here before. It's strange. Everything about the tunnel is bizarre. All those sounds and liquid moisture are irritating him. It was like they were walking in a trench.

He tried to follow in Kira's footsteps again, but it didn't end well. His legs slipped as they made contact with the liquid moisture. Lord Darius went tumbling inside the cave and hit his head against the hard boulder. It was like a sledgehammer was used to hit his head. It's so painful. It was a fatal bang that Darius Rucker felt a great headache in his brain.

A loud, painful groan escaped from Darius Rucker's mouth. Still sitting on the dark tunnel floor, he stared at Kira, who had also stopped. Half of his body expected her to say sorry. Or better yet, help him up. But she avoided his gaze immediately. She didn't spare him a glance.

Well, he already knew that is what she would do. This is the third time he will be hitting the dark tunnel floor. And each time, she didn't say sorry. She's just too proud. Darius Rucker hates her. He felt like smothering her to death. But he had no choice. Darius Rucker controlled his temper. He knew full well that he was helpless.

It wasn't her fault, was it? It's the keeper's fault. He neglected him. It wasn't even the keeper's fault. He was at fault. He was so careless that he couldn't smell the betrayal amidst his people. He had relied on his power so much. That's what led to his downfall. He was too proud. Darius Rucker had finally realised that pride precedes fall.

Not wanting to appear like a weak being in front of Kira, he gathered all the strength that was left in his body. He summoned them and raised them to his feet. He could still feel Kira's eyes gawking at him. Darius Rucker could feel the scorning face she was giving him. Rapidly, he felt pity for himself.

Letting out a hissing sound, Kira said. "I was wondering when you would become wise." She stepped toward Darius Rucker and grabbed him by the neck. She doesn't even care that he was naked. She was too mean. That made Darius Rucker wonder who trained her. He wondered where she gained so much strength.

Still clutching tightly to Darius Rucker's neck, Kira said, "Listen to me, old man." with a phlegmatic face. It was like she was talking to her fellow women. She didn't even care that Darius Rucker was naked. "This isn't your realm. This is the keeper's realm. You must follow every order that has been given to you. Because you sold your soul to him doesn't mean you can behave anyhow."

Slowly, she released her grip on his neck and faced the lone, dark path ahead of her. She took in a deep breath and stared at Darius Rucker for the last time. "For now, you are under my command. That means you will listen to everything I tell you." She said this with a stern voice and resumed the journey into the dark tunnel.

****

After walking for what seemed like forever, Darius Rucker and Kira came to a halt at the end of the tunnel. Darius Rucker stared at Kira's face in shock, wondering what she was trying to do.

They stand at the edge of the edge for several minutes, staring at each other's face. Yet, none of them made a speech to each other. Darius Rucker was getting impatient. He was hoping it wasn't what he was thinking. If not, he would slowly turn back and walk away.

He couldn't imagine himself jumping from such a height. Apart from the fact that it was very dark, he couldn't see the depth of it. It was creepy. He could feel the strange, dark, death aura that was radiating from the depths. He wasn't ready to follow her again. He wouldn't allow a strange, ordinary, useless girl to control him.

Immediately after Darius Rucker finished thinking this, he felt Kira staring at him again. That's when he remembered that she could hear and read his thoughts. Darius Rucker watched as she let out a great smirk, which meant nothing but evil. Slowly, she-cat walked toward him.

Kira stood a few hair's breadth away from Darius Rucker and examined him from head to toe. "If you aren't going to hop, then the Minotaur will be pleased to feed on your body." She said, and Darius Rucker raised his brow in confusion, wondering what she was talking about.

Darius Rucker tried to reply, but he felt his tongue sticking to his mouth. "Don't stress yourself, Darius." Kira teased him. "When I'm talking, you shouldn't reply. Unless I ask you a question." She elaborated and walked away from the edge of the tunnel.

"You know what? I was thinking of cutting that dick of yours. But on second thought, I decided against it. The Minotaur will do me that favour." She muttered.

The tunnel shook violently earlier than she had talked. Fast approaching footsteps could be heard. It was so loud that it echoed throughout the cave. That's when Darius Rucker finally understood what Kira was trying to say.

A massive beast emerges from the corridor of the tunnel. It looks exactly like the Erymanthian boar. It was half-human, half-bull. It had the head of a bull and two big, coiling horns on its head. The biceps of the creatures sent a cold fear down Darius Rucker's mind.

In all his life, he had never encountered such a beast before, not when he always visited the keeper. He could now remember Kira's words when she first met her. "My name's Kira. Because you would need my help." Without being told, Darius Rucker knew Kira had set her up.

That girl is a bastard. He cursed in his mind. Darius Rucker felt like strangling her to death. But that's impossible. She's about thirty feet away from him. Besides, he was standing at the edge of the tunnel.

She took a glance at Kira, and she could see her smiling softly. This irritated him a lot. He was being heckled by a young girl.

"I warned you earlier, didn't I?" Kira said with a small giggle. Darius Rucker sizzled inwardly and decided to prove himself worthy. He was a fighter. He won't allow himself to be limited by a strange girl. He had killed different beings that proved to be invisible.

Darius Rucker evaluated the creatures that were approaching him with an elegant step. It was as if those creatures knew there was nowhere he could go. It's a monster shaped half like a man and half like a bull.

Though Darius Rucker isn't a fan of myth, he had read about the Minotaur in his history book. Furthermore, he was older than they could ever visualise. He had once heard from Edgar Allan that all the Minotaur were confined in the labyrinth built by Daedalus for Minos, and were given a periodic tribute of youths and maidens as food until they were slain by Theseus.

It was the offspring of Pasiphae, the wife of Minos, and a snow-white bull sent to Minos by the god Poseidon.

Many questions started racing across Darius Rucker's mind, like what's the Minotaur doing in the underworld? How long has the keeper been in existence? How much power is he wielding? How was he able to control the huge, wild beast?

Darius Rucker had heard about the speed, agility, strength, and power of the Minotaur. That's when he also remembered that he couldn't access his power. That he was dead, killed by Bildad Joy. However, he didn't want to believe that. He wanted to show Kira that he was a man.

He didn't want to call her name as she had predicted. He wanted to disgrace her. He examined Kira's face for the last time, and he could still see the evil smile that was still plastered on her face. She's the devil's daughter.

"You want to form a strong man, don't you?" Kira said, with a smirk still plastered on her lips. She holds onto her waist and inches toward Darius Rucker. "Go ahead," she encouraged him. "Let's see what a great man like you can offer." She said this with a seductive voice.

She stood a foot away from Darius Rucker, moved her lips to his neck, and used them to bruise it softly. As her lips came into contact with Darius Rucker's neck, it sent a cold shiver down his spine. That made him realise that he hadn't had intercourse since centuries ago.

"The Second Darius Rucker of the Middle Land," Kira called softly and rubbed his chest with her palm. "Don't forget that you are naked." She reminds him, followed by a wild giggle.

Instantly, Darius Rucker knew what she meant. He had forgotten that he was naked. He took a glance at his manhood, and he could see it rising. In shame, Darius Rucker quickly covered them. Then she remembered what Kira had said earlier. Kira had told him that he would cut his ball, but she left it on purpose.

She was trying to make the Minotaur eat his dick. "Bitch," Darius Rucker cursed, and Kira only giggled again. "I will kill you with my bare hand." He said with gritted teeth.

With a wild smile, Kira said. "Come for me after you beat all the Minotaur." With that, she stepped aside for Lord Darius.

Lord Darius looked at the incoming armies of Minotaur, and he gulped in terror. Some Minotaur had a sickle in their hand, while some had a long, sharp claw. They were walking together, just like a pack of wolves.

Not wanting to look like a coward, Darius Rucker hid his fear with an angry look. Letting out a great battle cry, he charged at the Minotaur. He might not have his power or be able to channel it. Yet, he still has one thing. He still had the skills to fight. With concentration, Darius Rucker believed that he could beat these dozen packs of Minotaur.

Darius Rucker leapt up, spun his body to avoid a sickle from one of the Minotaur, and kicked him in the chest. The Minotaur staggered back a little. Darius Rucker didn't allow the Minotaur to rest. He grabbed its horn and then used it to drag the Minotaur forward. With inhuman strength, he flings the Minotaur away.

As he did this, the Minotaur went flying across the tunnel. It begins with ten feet, then twenty, and then thirty feet backwards. With a loud thud, it collided with one of the tunnel walls, followed by the painful roar that escaped from its mouth.

Darius Rucker himself couldn't believe it. He didn't believe that he still had his super strength. He thought that it had vanished with his power. That means he still has some slight power. Darius Rucker knew that they were the ones that were granted to him when the strange man touched him.

Though the keeper had taken the power he granted him when he sold his soul to him, he still had the strength, agility, and reflexes. With this, Darius Rucker knew he stood a chance against the Minotaur. He had a fifty percent chance of defeating them all.

Darius Rucker ducked aside to elude the slashing of a Minotaur and leapt up to avoid another fatal blow from behind. He kicked a Minotaur on the ribs and bent low at the same time to avoid a blow from behind. Still, in motion, Darius Rucker wheeled back, grabbed the hand of the Minotaur that slashed at him from behind, and brandished the sickle with his hand.

Without turning back, he raised his leg and used it to kick a Minotaur. His leg collided with the beast on the jaw, and the animal roared in irritation. Darius Rucker twisted the hand of the beast that was holding the sickle, then jabbed it in the throat. The beast gagged, and Darius Rucker seized the opportunity to snatch the sickle from his hand.

In the blink of an eye, he slashed the beast into two. With this, Darius Rucker knew he stood a chance against them. The odds were now in his favour. He took a glance at Kira, and he could see the surprised look on her face. That boosted Darius Rucker's courage.

He wanted to show Kira that, even without his power, nor his body, he was a warlord. He wanted to prove to her that he might be dead, but that didn't mean he was useless. Letting out another guttural cry, Darius Rucker charged at the remaining Minotaur.

He twirled the sickle, then slashed a Minotaur into two. He slid down and stabbed another in the abdomen. He leapt up and then swivelled his body in midair to avoid a blow. As he docked on his feet, he used the momentum to propel his body upward again, and he whacked down the head of another Minotaur.

A beast dashed at Darius Rucker from behind, but he had already seen the beast from the corner of his eyes. He waited for the last seconds before he dashed out of the way. The beast stabbed its partner in the gut, and Darius Rucker finished the incoming beast.

He threw himself into the heart of the remaining Minotaur. He started whacking them down left and right. He swung his blade all around, left and right, dropping their heads and peeling them down. Despite the speed, agility, and skills of the Minotaur, they couldn't beat Darius Rucker.

He was faster than any of them. He was skillful. He didn't even care about his nakedness. His torso was dancing along with his body. He was indeed a lord. In the next few minutes, all the Minotaur's were dead. Brown blood filled Darius Rucker's body, and he licked it. He had just killed dozens of packs of Minotaur without nurturing a wound.

He walked toward Kira, and growled at her, exposing his bloody teeth. "I might not have access to my power," Darius Rucker said with a smirk. "Yet, that doesn't make me a lazy man. I'm a lord. " He clarified.

Suddenly, a bright light emitted out of nowhere and illuminated the tunnel. Everywhere started rearranging itself, and it was replaced with a chamber.

A floating throne appeared in the chamber, and a male figure was seen sitting on the throne. The light that was emitting from the throne made it impossible for someone to see who was accompanying the throne.

Surrounding the floating throne are six beings. They were clad in black, long robes with wings behind them. The wing was covering their eyes, bodies, and faces. They were the six pillars of the underworld.

A thick voice spoke out of nowhere. "Welcome back home, My son, Bildad Darius."

T. b. c