Hey guys, here is the next update of this fanfic. Hope you enjoy the read.

Chapter Cover: Minotaur seating upon a throne with a grin upon his lips.

Chapter Nine

Labyrinth

The two traveled through the night with Shinji guiding their stead and Aesyr hanging on behind him. The young woman was feeling the effect of transportation again as her stomach was feeling as squirmy whenever she was riding on something like transportation. She doesn't really understand when this has, if she was honest with herself.

During the entire war against the Dragons, she rode on vehicles and even flew with Elassan whenever they were deployed to fight, and not once she had ever felt like such. It was during her boat ride to Atlasia that her motion sickness had started to show itself. She dealt with it as best as she could, thought it always happens whenever she was riding upon something.

"Hey you okay back there?" Shinji asked as she groaned loudly.

"I…I'm fine…," she answered, "How long it will take to get…where we going?"

"We're already almost there," Shinji answered her.

Aesyr was surprised.

"I'm shocked," she said, "H…How did you know…?"

"It's not like Minotaur try to hide where he set up shop," the young man said, "He knows that there is no one in this part of Atlasia that is stronger than he is. Of course, in the past, they were some who tried to attack the place…it didn't end well for them."

Aesyr feel her stomach swirl again and she pressed her forehead against his back as if to steady herself. She felt the young man glance back toward her.

"Don't worry," he said, "Just hang on there…we just need to get there a little further."

"I just wish I knew why I am suddenly…like this," Aesyr mumbled to herself.

"Huh? You mean you weren't always like this?"

Aesyr shook her head.

"No…of course not," she said, "I used to travel all the time back in Dragnov…at least, before the Dragon wars…it was only recently this motion sickness is starting make itself known."

Shinji let out a small hum at that.

"That's weird," he said.

"You tell me," Aesyr mumbled.

It's strange that I managed to get something like that, she thought to herself, Well, nothing I can do about it now…I just have to power through it…

Then, Shinji pulled their ride to a stop.

"We'll stop here," he said.

Now that they were no longer moving, Aesyr can feel motion sickness dissipating away. The young woman glanced around herself for a few moments taking in the area they were in. it was a forest, and the moonlight shone down from in between the tree branches that towered above them. Shinji descended from where he was seating, pulling on the animal's reign.

"Why are we stopping here?" she asked, jumping down.

"We have to keep our presence hidden," the young man told her, "However, we only have to walk for a short while before we reach where we need to go."

Aesyr sniffed the air lightly around her taking in the scent. With her Dragon like nose, the numerous scents of the forest were familiar since she had trained in a place like this when she was with Elassan and learning Dragon Slaying magic. However, there was the scent of humans close by something that drew her attention as she turned her gaze at the direction it was coming from.

"We're going that way, right?" she asked pointing.

Shinji nodded.

"Yes, we are," he said, "We need to find exactly what we'll be up against."

The two of them set off together, with Shinji leading and Aesyr following after him. the young woman had both of her hand behind her back as she walked with him, a light frown upon her features.

"What exactly was your plan if you were going to come here alone?" she asked.

Shinji let out a small hum.

"I didn't have one yet," he said, "However, I have been thinking on our way here. If we can disguise ourselves as one of their foot soldiers, maybe we can get access to the place and find Yael before anyone could realize we were there."

Aesyr let out a snort.

"You do realize that it's not going to be that easy right?" she told him, "If that Minotaur guy had been searching for that girl, I doubt he will let her be far from him."

Shinji glanced at her.

"If he isn't going to be far from her," he said, "Then you think we'll have to fight against him to get her out of there?"

Aesyr nodded.

"There is a good chance of that happening," she said.

The two reached an open part of the wood, giving way toward a valley. There was a river running through it and it led all the way down toward what looked like to be a castle that was slapped on the side of the cliffs. It was big, even in the distance it was in meaning that the real thing was probably enormous.

"…I don't see why it looks like a Labyrinth?" Aesyr said tilting her head.

"It's the caverns that were found in the cliff," Shinji told her, "They form a large underground network…thought no one knew just what exactly made them…hence they call them the Labyrinth Caverns and the people just started calling this place Labyrinth."

"I see," Aesyr said, "Then I'm guessing Minotaur didn't build the castle then."

"of course not," Shinji said shaking his head, "It had been there long before he was even born…probably in this country Old days. He just moved in and took over the place for himself…. now, no one come here anymore and it was renamed Minotaur's Labyrinth."

The young man shook his head.

"C'mon, let's go," he said, "We need to get closer and find someone to get inside the area."

Meanwhile

Minotaur was standing there looking down at the man in front of him. Karmer had been absent these past few days and had even missed the plan of attack for Hyades Village. While he had never really worried about anything else but now, the man had returned and this time, he was staring at him with a frown, not registering what he was saying.

"You…you were defeated?" he repeated.

Karmer looked afraid of speaking as he should be. He was one of his Commander damn it and there was no way he would have lost to anyone here in this side of Atlasia. He damn made sure of it when he took them in and made them his Commanders. They weren't meant to be defeated.

"Karmer…do you know why my name is feared in these lands?" he asked, glaring down at the man in front of him.

"But sir…I have a good excuse…," he blabbed.

"It is because I am never defeated in battle," Minotaur yelled out, "Whenever the pathetic people hear my name, they tremble in fear because my reputation had never been tarnished by something as pathetic as defeat…and my Commanders should have the same reputation."

Magic was swirling around the man as his anger continued to grow and Karmer was sweating bullets as the two glowing eyes of Minotaur stared straight into his soul.

I…I'm going to be killed…

"And now…you come here…To tell me that you have been defeated by some no name wizard," Minotaur shouted cracking the ground with the magic power that was growing around him.

"It was a foreigner," Karmer screamed out, "She...?"

Minotaur eyes grew even colder.

"SHE?"

Seeing the man anger growing even stronger, Karmer blurted out the only thing he knew would keep him alive, throwing his arms over his head to keep protect himself.

"She said she fought against Dragon and had some weird scales upon her body."

The magic around Minotaur suddenly disappeared. Karmer had both of his arms over his head waiting for the blow that will end his life but it never came. When he removed his hand, he found Minotaur staring down at him with surprise upon his features. It wasn't often that the man looked surprised by something.

"Dragon…you say?" he said.

Karmer nodded.

"Yes," he said, "And her magic was weird too. It was strong enough to even break my barriers and there is no magic apart from yours that was able to accomplish that."

Minotaur had a light frown upon his face as he was thinking about something.

"I heard the rumors," he said, "But I never imagined…"

Karmer blinked in confusion.

"Sir?"

Minotaur started to laugh.

"Well this is starting to get interesting," he said, "To think that one of them will be here in Atlasia. Tell me, where exactly did you meet with this woman?"

Karmer revealed everything to him and as he was speaking, Minotaur could feel his grin growing even larger at the words that were coming to him.

"Good," he said, "Send words to our soldiers to remain vigilant and to be on watch for intruders."

"Intruders?" Karmer said shocked, "But that's impossible…no one would dare attack here."

Minotaur laughed.

"Maybe," he said, "But give them enough motivation, and people are willing to do anything."

Shinji knew something was wrong.

The young man and his companion where hiding behind a wall as they were looking at the numerous soldiers that were around them. They were all wearing similar armors with the symbol of the Minotaur upon their outfit to tell anyone who they worked for.

"They seem to have more people than I expected," Shinji said softly, "Trying it this way it's no good."

Aesyr let out a small hum.

"They seem to be worked up about something," she said, "From what I can hear, they are tightening their security."

Shinji stared at her in shock.

"How do you even know that?" he asked.

"I have really good hearing," she said, "But I don't think they know we are here yet."

Shinji nodded.

"Good, let's keep it that way," he said, "It's a good thing we came here at night. The darkness will make a good cover for when we're sneaking inside this place."

Aesyr nodded at him and the two sneaked through an empty hallway of the Labyrinth castle. It was a pretty normal castle with large hallway. They were not many people patrolling this side of the castle and since they have no idea where they're going, Shinji had simply decided to go upward after all, if Minotaur really was in this place then he would be on the top of it.

"If Yael is really in this place," Shinji said as they rushed up the stairs, "Then it would be good to say that she will be placed at the top, near where Minotaur is."

"Right," Aesyr told him, "Wait stop…?"

Her warning fell on deaf ears as Shinji threw open the door and they all found themselves in a large room filled with soldiers. The group all turned around toward them in surprise at how they entered the room and Shinji find himself stopping as he stared back.

"…they are people on the other side of that door," Aesyr finished lamely.

Shinji let out a curse.

Shit, he thought.

"Intruders," one of the soldiers yelled out aiming a spear at their direction.

Suddenly Aesyr launched forward aiming straight toward the group of soldiers.

"Wait…,"

"Silver Dragon, Explosive Wings," she yelled out.

The blast of magic from both of her hands blew everyone away from her as she landed in a crouch like position with many of the soldiers flying away from her, sliver glowing all around her body. Shinji stared at her for a few moments, shocked at how quickly she moved and at how many of them she just took down with just a single attack.

"I don't think we have time for a new plan," she said straightening herself up, "We need to take care of these guys quickly before they raise the alarm."

Shinji nodded realizing that she was right. They can't let their presence be know so quickly and if the enemy knows that they are here then it won't be long before Minotaur himself come after them…

Damn it all…just wait a little longer Yael…

He drew his sword, which glowed with magic power as he came to stand beside Aesyr.

"Let's take them down," he said, charging.

Aesyr let out a small smirk before charging as well.

The duo launched themselves into the fray as they tore through the group of enemies that were around them. Shinji was expertly cutting down any one that was around him with his magic sword. On the other side of the room, Aesyr was kicking and punching anyone that was near her, moving like a tornado with both of her hands glowing with magic power.

Shinji stepped back and then ended up back to back with the silver haired girl.

"These guys are not as challenging as I was expecting," she said.

"They're just fodders," Shinji said, "Not a real challenge unlike the Commanders."

Aesyr raised both of her hands.

"Then let's take them all down and get moving."

Shinji's sword glowed yet again.

"Sword Magic, Sword Might," he yelled tearing through another group with ease.

"Silver Dragon, Flaming Spinning Claws," Aesyr yelled, destroying another large group of enemies.

Soon after, it was only the two of them standing in the large room filled with unconscious soldiers all around them. Shinji glanced around himself for a few moments before placing his sword back into his sheath.

"Let's go," he said, "Someone will have probably heard all of that."

Aesyr nodded at him.

The two ran together leaving the room behind as they rushed up the stairs once more. It spun in a circular motion as they climbed, giving way toward a corridor that stretched on their right. Both Shinji and Aesyr rushed forward once more until the girl suddenly placed a hand in front of him to stop him from going any further.

"What's up?" he asked.

"We're not alone," she said.

The sound of footsteps reached Shinji's ears as he suddenly glanced forward finding a man walking toward them, dressed in a white coat. He had blue hair and both of his hands were behind his back as he approached them and recognition surged through Shinji.

"I was wondering what was causing all that racket downstairs," the man spoke out, "I never expected someone would be so foolish to attack us directly anymore."

He then stared up toward the duo in front of him.

"But…it would seem that only you would be that bold, Dragon Knight Shinji."

"Saul," Shinji said.

The rescue plan goes awry...face to face with a powerful enemy...

Next Time: The Commanders of Minotaur

Jacques0 out.

R&R