Sami's power surged instinctively, a faint tingling sensation spreading through him, causing the creature's clawed hand to pass right through his chest. Sami's form flickered like a heat haze as the creature recoiled, its crimson eyes widening in momentary confusion.
"You...," it hissed, its voice raspy and filled with rage, "You are not like the others that came to this cave before." It sounded loud, not caring for an answer.
Sami couldn't respond as his body was still frozen from the earlier roar. The creature began to gather the shadows in the room, a deeper growl rumbling in its chest as it glared spitefully at Sami.
Its mind was upset with being woken from the slumber it so cherished. Now, with an undying hunger that hadn't been sated in years, it decided that this boy would be its first meal.
Once the creature's hand was covered in a dark, shadow-like substance, it reached out to grab Sami. Its touch seared his throat as its hand began to sizzle from the energy coursing through Sami's body. Something unexpected happened; the ring on his finger began to glow, enveloping both of them in a sudden, bright light. The creature let out a huge hiss, its claws scrabbling as it tried to move, but it was stuck.
Sami's mind went blank once the dark force invaded his body. At first, his magic fought back, but then it felt as if his own magic was the one keeping him from moving, a terrifying paralysis.
Seconds felt like hours as he patiently waited, a knot of fear tightening in his chest, hoping that he could fight off the paralyzing attack. Suddenly, Sami's body began to fill up with energy, making him start to feel uncomfortably warm.
The creature decided to fight back, greedily absorbing the light emanating from Sami to fuel more of its abilities. Both bodies began to glow brightly, Sami's aura flickering from white to a vibrant orange as it unknowingly drained the creature's energy, a strange taste blooming in the back of his throat.
The creature, in turn, began draining the bright light, its main ability to convert light and magic into its own energy source activating. After a minute of this intense exchange, the creature finally realized the boy copied its ability. Now it was too late as both were charging each other, neither gaining a clear advantage.
The resulting collision of energies was explosive, filling the chamber with a blinding white light that left spots dancing in Sami's vision. When his vision cleared, the creature was sprawled on the ground, its glow diminished, its form flickering unsteadily.
Sami's head throbbed, a dull ache behind his eyes, his body still tingling with residual energy. As he looked at the creature, a wave of understanding washed over him, a sudden clarity.
He could see its essence, its power, its very being. And in that moment, he knew that he had somehow absorbed this creature's energy. It was like something clicked in his head as words began to fill it.
Without warning, Sami pointed his hand at the creature, shouting, "Vincula Ferrea!"
An orange circle opened around the creature, and chains erupted, wrapping its body. Just like with the Gbahali, the more the creature struggled, the more the chains forced it back down.
"I... I... just," the creature hissed, its struggling intensifying as it tried to escape. "You woke me from slumber, I just wanted to rest."
Sami tilted his head at the creature. "Did you just say that I woke you from your slumber?" he asked, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
"Yes," it answered, its voice weakening slightly. "I made this place because I was tired, the world... the world turned its back on me."
As Sami thought about the creature's words, the creature itself stopped struggling. It began to weaken further without the extra energy absorbed from Sami. The creature finally noticed Sami's aura. Before, it was a pure white, a sign of a healer. After absorbing its essence, the aura now pulsed with an orange hue.
"My beloved," the creature muttered, a single dark tear fell to the damp ground as fragmented memories flashed through its mind. A face obscured by shadows, but you can feel the joy radiating from it.
Looking even closer at the boy, it saw the ring on the boy's finger, radiating as much energy as the boy now held. That ring was familiar, a nagging sense of recognition at the edge of its fading awareness. The creature's mind was as weak as its body from the lack of nutrients over the years.
"Is there a way…," Sami started, a sense of unease growing with the distant tremors that could be felt in where he stood.
"I want to make an accord," the creature interrupted, its voice gaining a desperate urgency. "That sound... we need to hurry! We don't have time to discuss things!"
Before Sami could answer, the room began to rumble, the vibrations growing stronger. With each thump! Loud, heavy stomps could be heard moving closer to the room, each impact shaking the very stone.
Rocks were falling from the ceiling, and each stomp caused a mini-earthquake. The creature began to panic within its chains, its eyes wide with fear as it felt the room shake.
"What the hell is that?" Sami demanded, glancing at the creature still bound in his chains.
"Boy, listen well!" the creature declared, its voice frantic. "I want to become your familiar in exchange for access to my spells and grimoire."
Sami was even more confused now as he stared at the creature. Walking closer, he knelt near what he assumed was the creature's face. The way the creature was trembling was almost childlike in its terror.
"You seem almost scared," Sami deduced, his brow furrowed as he observed the creature.
"You don't understand, boy! The creature I placed to watch this tomb… His sole purpose is to hunt!" the creature rambled on, its voice rising in pitch. "His magic allows it to trap others inside of a labyrinth. A big trap with no exit; to leave, you have to kill it."
"Um, like the Minotaur?" Sami questioned, a flicker of recognition in his eyes.
"Exactly!" the creature replied, relief momentarily flashing across its features. "I sealed it with runes in this part of the forest in case people wanted to release me from my slumber."
"Which I accidentally did," Sami answered, a wry smile touching his lips. "Why did you set a monster like that to guard you?"
"It was necessary!" the creature insisted, its voice strained. "It was destroying the kingdom, so I decided when I sealed myself away to bring it with me."
He stopped in front of the door in the room as a chill went up Sami's spine. A giant man with a bull's head stood in front of the doorway. Its entire body was muscled, its legs were hairy with only a loincloth covering its privates. Curved horns were on top of its head. In its giant hand was a giant club filled with metal spikes, with some dried blood on it.
"Knock, Knock," Minotaur said in a booming voice.
"Shit, shit," The creature said as it began to freak out.
"Please tell me you have control over that thing," Sami squealed.
"HAHAHAHA! She doesn't, at least not anymore, do you, Onyx?" the Minotaur shouted aloud with a twisted smile on his face.
Sami looked at the creature and asked, "Your name is Onyx?"
"Now is not the time," the now-named Onyx interrupted.
"Also, you're a girl? You look like a whole shadow creature. It's really weird," Sami continued.
"Boy, seriously, it's not the time!" Onyx yelled out, glancing at the Minotaur who was just standing in the doorway.
"Oh, please, don't stop on my account," the Minotaur replied as he leaned on his club. "See, once you're done talking, I'm going to kill you, Onyx. Then I'm going to have fun having my first chase in years with the boy. Finally be free of this place and of you." His voice took a cruel tone at the end.
Sami began to run his hands on his neck, "I'd rather not be chased," he stated nervously.
"Oh, don't worry, it'll be a fun game," The Minotaur implied cruelly.
"FOR WHO?!" Sami screamed back.
"For me," the Minotaur answered back, finally picking his club off the ground. "Time's up, weakling, say your goodbyes."
Red eyes looked at Sami as the Minotaur began to kick its legs back as if to challenge Sami. Sami stood shocked, not from how big the Minotaur was, but how evil the energy that came off of it. Even Onyx behind him, smelling dried blood, still had a good aura. The Minotaur, tired of the standoff, took off at Sami, its speed covering the distance fast.
Quickly, Sami unsummoned the chains to scoop up Onyx in his arms. The creature let out a loud yelp as Sami ran at the Minotaur, quickly rolling out of the way of the Minotaur's club swing. As he came to his feet, keeping one hand wrapped around Onyx, the other he pointed at the club.
"Vincula Ferrea!" Sami shouted, snatching the club out of the Minotaur's hand. The club hit the ground hard with a thud. Some dust kicked up in the air.
"Oh, crafty boy, ain't ya?" The Minotaur laughed as he gave up the club. "See, I like using my hands to rip my prey apart anyway." As he charged at Sami once again, this time his hands reached out to grab him.
Sami, thinking quickly on his feet, decided to meet the Minotaur's charge head-on. Unlike before, Sami was like an almost different person. He chose not to run away. Though Onyx wasn't happy with this decision as she glared angrily at Sami.
"What are you doing? Why are you charging right at it?" Onyx demanded.
"Just trust me," Sami replied. As he kept rushing at the Minotaur.
Onyx just crossed her arms. "Hmph, your funeral," she sarcastically stated.
Sami ignored Onyx in his arms as he began to concentrate on the energy in his body. The ring glowed in response as he kept rushing at the Minotaur. With a roar, the Minotaur reached out to grab Sami.
Sami's form flickered as he went through the Minotaur, completely dodging the creature's grab. Onyx in his arms and Sami were both safe as the Minotaur looked confused at his hands, wondering why he couldn't touch his prey.
"YOU COWARDS, GET BACK HERE!" The Minotaur screamed. "I WILL HUNT YOU, ONYX. YOU CURSED ME TO STAY IN THESE WOODS. I WILL KILL YOU AND THAT BOY HELPING YOU!" As he began breaking the cave looking for them.
Rocks began to fall as the cave collapsed. Each loud stomp of frustration from the Minotaur caused even more tremors in the ground. The anger was almost overwhelming as he smashed everything he could with his hands.
Sami didn't look back as he heard the Minotaur roar in frustration as he made his way out the cave back into the woods he was before. Looking at Onyx in his arms with a quizzical look, wondering what happened between her and the Minotaur.
Sami kept his powers activated as he dodged the falling rocks and hoped to use the forest to hide, as he tried to come up with an idea of how they can get out of this alive.