Richard Knaak - Kaz the Minotaur

All that work would be for naught, however, if Kaz lived.

Of course the minotaurs had expropriated the ogre’s weapons. Now there were other choices, however, for some of the horned ones, in their rebellion against Scurn, had laid aside their own weapons. Molok simply had to lay his hands on the proper one…

As strong and skilled as Scurn was, he had not faced nearly as many challenges in his life as Kaz had. Experience finally began to show as the latter struck more and more telling blows. The scarred minotaur backed away, shaking his head, but Kaz would not let up. He caught Scum’s arm while it was still raised in defense and twisted it inward, forcing his opponent to turn with it or have it broken. As the other minotaur turned, he came in line with Kaz’s knee.

Kaz bent his leg and swung the knee upward. He did not strike Scurn in the face, as some would have, but rather on the unprotected neck. His kneecap caught Scurn directly in the throat, and the younger minotaur choked. While his adversary fell to his knees and tried desperately to breathe, Kaz put both hands together and hit him squarely in the lower jaw. The first blow, combined with his other injuries, stunned Scurn. He sat back and tried to focus on Kaz, his breathing labored.

Everyone waited for the final blow. It was all Kaz needed to vindicate himself in the eyes of his fellows. He raised his clenched hands high… and then lowered them, unclenching them as he did.

He stared at the other minotaurs. “No more! To continue would be dishonorable. I will not strike down a defenseless opponent.”

“No!” Scurn croaked, but he could do no more than shake a fist. Kaz’s knee kick to his throat had been the deciding blow; he could barely breathe. “Kill me! I’m shamed!”

Kaz snorted in disgust. “That’s your problem.” He turned his attention back to the rest of his people. “Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me? Have I proven myself? If so, I-”

There was a commotion to his right, and Kaz whirled to see Helati standing there, a grim but satisfied look on her face. In her hand, she held a knife. Little more than the handle was visible, for the entire length of the blade-and minotaurs use extremely long blades-was buried in the chest of the ogre, who stood gaping at Kaz with hateful but dying eyes. A short sword, hidden between the ogre’s massive arm and chest, slipped to the ground.

The ogre, gasping uselessly, collapsed.

Minotaurs and humans turned, stunned and uncomfortable. Bennett swore as Kaz had never heard him swear, surprising many. In the excitement of the ritual combat, no one had paid attention to the ogre. No one had expected a lone ogre to attempt anything, surrounded as he was by countless armed humans and more than a few minotaurs.

Helati wiped her blade off on the ogre’s corpse. “I thought he was moving around to get a better view. I didn’t think even an ogre could be so suicidal. He really wanted you dead.”

“I should have known not to give an ogre the benefit of honor,” Bennett interjected. “Their kind could never know anything but killing.”

“Less than six years ago, Bennett, you would’ve said the same thing of me.” Kaz studied the face of the ogre, still twisted in hate despite death. His eyes widened in rueful surprise. “In the case of this one, however, I think you’re justified. Their ugly faces are all pretty much the same, but I think this ogre and the one I’m supposed to have murdered are blood kin. There are clan markings that look familiar even after all this time.” He grunted ruefully. “I’d no idea that ogres had such loyalty to one another.”

“The truthcrystal-” one of the minotaurs started to mutter.

Kaz shook his head at the simpleness of a race that prides itself on its supposed superiority. “If the rest of you had seen as much sorcery as I have, you’d have long ago realized that any good mage could create one with a false image.”

No one replied, but Hecar nodded. Kaz was glad to see that there was at least one reasonable mind among them. He looked down at Scurn, who was still kneeling in the dirt. Now that he had fought Kaz and lost, he seemed not to have any purpose anymore.

“I take it I’m free to go,” Kaz finally said. No one contradicted him. Kaz looked down at Scurn one last time. “Someone see to him. He fought a good battle. His death would’ve been a waste.”

Without another word, he turned and walked back to the tent, stopping only to retrieve his battle-axe.

His friends, seeing the set expression on his face, said nothing. Even Delbin remained quiet.

Only when he was back in the tent, alone, did Kaz relax. Exhaling sharply, he threw his battle-axe on top of the mat where he had slept and, smiling tiredly, whispered to himself, “At last!”

Bennet was staying in the south to coordinate things with the keeps in that general region, cleaning up what little resistance remained and resupplying Vingaard with both men and materials. He had chosen Darius as his liaison. Tesela remained with the knights as well. There were injuries to heal, she explained to Kaz, but he knew that she and Darius shared a mutual interest in one another.

Bennett wanted to provide Kaz with an escort to Vingaard Keep, where he swore that his uncle would honor the minotaur with the highest decorations an outsider could receive. Kaz thanked him, but declined that offer and others, except Bennett’s offer of strong horses for each of the minotaurs.

As for his own people, Kaz saw them off the very next morning. Scurn was in no condition to lead the party; he was one of those who had lived believing in his invincibility, and with that illusion shattered, he seemed to have nothing left. The others were surprised when Kaz refused to return with them. They had grown accustomed to thinking that the only reason he roamed throughout Ansalon was to escape his shame. Only two of them could understand his desire to travel and live among the “lesser” races.

Hecar and his sister Helati were staying behind as well. Kaz was pleased to have them, especially Helati, who attracted his eye. The smiles she returned gave him hope for the future.

At the moment, Kaz walked with Bennett toward where the other two minotaurs were preparing the mounts. Kaz and Bennett had talked much during the morning, and there was a deeper respect, a deeper friendship between the knight and the minotaur, than there had ever been before.

“Where will you go next?” Bennett asked.

“I don’t really know. I think I’ll let them decide,” Kaz replied, indicating the other two. “As long as it’s peaceful, that’s all I ask.”

Bennett smiled slightly. “You would get bored in a matter of days. You live for challenge.”

Kaz grunted. “Maybe, but not as much as I used to. I’ve had enough to last me for some time.”

Helati looked up, saw Kaz, and smiled. He could not help but smile back.

“Is she… pretty?” the knight asked quietly, almost reluctant to broach such a personal matter.

“One of the most beautiful females I’ve ever seen.”

“Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, then.”

“We’re ready,” Helati called out to them.

“Mount up. I’ll be with you in a moment.” He reached out and shook hands with Bennett. Kaz gave him a toothy smile. “May Paladine watch your backside.”

“Yours as well, Kaz.”

“Kaz! Wait up! I think I’ve got everything, but people keep asking me to return things that don’t belong to me even though I don’t know how they got into my pockets and where they-”

“Take a breath, Delbin.” The kender, leading his pony by its reins, hurried over to the others.

“You’re taking him with you?” Bennett’s expression showed relief at the prospect of the kender leaving his camp, but puzzlement that anyone would want to travel with one of Delbin’s race.