The Monster Multiverse

[align=]Chapter 9-The Maze[/align]

The land of Arkhos was like a world all by itself, where heroes and monsters lived side by side performing acts of greatness that would be spoken about for generations. Unlike the monster-neutral nation of Britannia and the monster-friendly lands of Kaladesh, Arkhos was a land where one’s species mattered not, rather their deeds decided whether they should be feared, hated, or adored. These were the individuals legends were born from, and it was from one such legend that two figures made their names in history…Theseus and Astrea.

The hero of our story, Theseus, was born to a middle-class family who lived in a town on the edges of Meletis, one of the city-states that composed Arkhos. He had a father, a stepmother, two little sisters who were beautiful and strong, and a dog. They may seem like an ordinary family, but Theseus was someone more, thanks to his birth mother. Theseus was a Nephilim.

Nephilim were the offspring of human men and angels. It wasn’t too uncommon to have Nephilim born from the union of men both in and out of the theocratic Order, but Theseus’s father had copulated with a powerful angel, Uriel, the angel of war. It was because of this that Theseus inherited his mother’s inherit battle prowess, natural fighting skills and superhuman abilities. It’s what led him to a life outside his family’s farm, away from home.

By a quirk of fate, Theseus was brought under the tutelage of the former centaur warrior Brea, who trained him in the usage of his abilities. She taught him to use his weapons and words for the good of others, to use his abilities to protect those who deserve it, not for their species or birth. Together, with his childhood friends, he embarked all over Arkhos, working as heroes for hire and sending some of the money back to his family.

It was an eventful life Theseus led, and one he didn’t want to trade for anything in the world. However, nothing lasts forever, and his easy life as a hero reached its conclusion when he got a request to meet a client in the city-state Meletis. It was on that day that his life took a major turn down an unexpected path.

XXXXXX

“I hate this place.”

“You hate every place that worships Hemera, Diana.”

“I know, but this is different. I hate this place because it’s so damn depressing.”

Theseus and his partner Artemis sat in a wine bar near the edge of the city of Minos, named after the ruling king. The two were here waiting for their potential client to arrive with the details of their request, while trying not to get drunk off the tasty wine that they bought for themselves. There were a lot of people in the tavern, but it wasn’t like they were hard to spot.

Theseus was a tall man, standing around 6 feet with tan skin, short black hair and a muscular body that somehow didn’t hinder his agility. His eyes were the only hint of his angelic parentage, sporting bright amber gold eyes that burned like suns in the shadows. He looked like an average man who did regular exercises and combat training, but one couldn’t tell that he was stronger than most of the men in the building. All he wore was a thin red and white shirt and a black leather battle skirt with sandals.

Artemis was a human woman with short dark brown hair with a feather pinned to her bang. She wore a tight fitting brown vest, matching gloves and a
short leather skirt with ankle boots and a large bow strapped to her back. She was the adopted daughter of the centaur who trained Theseus in his youth and had went along with him to

“What’s so depressing about it?” Theseus asked, taking a long, slow sip of his wine with a blissful moan. “Damn, that’s good. I mean, it’s a festival, right? At least it’s not a sacrifice.”

“It feels like that town we went to that made an annual sport of hunting gorgons.” Artemis growled.

That killed Theseus’s mirth. Neither of them liked to think of that despicable town that thought they were doing the goddess’s work by hunting down the local gorgons in the area. It was a sick practice of beheading the monsters and hanging their heads above their doorways to ward off evil. Artemis alone was able to put the fear of Nyx into them before Theseus beat every man who took part in the depraved celebration of theirs and promised that he would return to finish the job if they ever committed such atrocities again.

A month later, he learned that the town was wiped out by a flood and no one survived. Some people spoke of a winged woman having been spotted over
the town just an hour before, but that was still up to speculation.

“Think it has something to do with the bull motif going on around here?” He asked.

“Probably, but it’s not like that town. There aren’t any corpses being paraded through the streets or heads mounted on walls.” Artemis crossed her arms and sighed. “It’s one of those subtle dangers that feel more unsettling than the blatantly obvious ones.

Theseus frowned and patted his friend and fuck buddy on the land to calm her nerves.

“Excuse me, are you Theseus?” Someone asked behind them.

“Depends on who’s asking.” Theseus turned to address the speaker. Even under the heavy cloak, he could see the figure of a woman, most likely human, but her face and dress was mostly obscured from prying eyes. “You friend or foe?”

“I’m someone in dire need of your services.” The woman leaned forward and let her face be shown to the two warriors. The beautiful face that lay
hidden underneath belonged to the famed Princess Adriane.

“…Friend it is, then.” Theseus said after a moment of silence.

The disguised princess quickly sat down next to the pair and leaned forward so her words could only be heard by them. “I’m sorry for all the deception and suspicion, but you both know the uproar it would cause if anyone saw me here.”

“No need to explain, you’re secret’s safe with us.” Artemis said softly.

“Yes, an important one. It has something to do with the upcoming festival.” Adriane’s expression tightened as she gave her request. “Please, I need you to save my sister.”

“Your sister?” Theseus raised an eyebrow. “Is she in trouble? Kidnapped? Prepared to be sacrificed?”

“In a way, but not the manner you’re thinking about.” The princess took a deep breath and began her tale, and at that moment, everything changed for Theseus.

XXXXXX

The next morning, Theseus gathered with the other citizens of Meletais in the city square, where the king was giving his announcement. Hundreds of people were already gathered together under the podium in front of the palace where the king would give his address, with guards posted in every inch of the courtyard.

“Presenting his Highness, the glorious King Minos, and his beloved daughter, Princess Adriane!”

The crowd clapped and cheered for their king and princess as they stepped up to address their subjects, though one couldn’t help but think that the praise was more for the princess than her father. King Minos was a man somewhere between his forties and fifties, though time hasn’t been very kind to him. He looked lanky and a bit haggard, like he didn’t get much sleep, and the crown he wore barely fit him. His daughter, on the other hand, looked splendid, wearing a deep red dress with a simple ruby encrusted band for a crown. She didn’t need to wear much to make herself look good, for she was already beautiful.

“People of Meletis!” King Minos bellowed, his voice surprisingly deep and loud that echoed throughout the courtyard. “We come here today to celebrate
our annual Festival of the Bull. For those who are new to our city, this festival is both a celebration and a challenge. We honor our human nature by separating ourselves from the monsters who seek to subvert our control of this land, and all the world, and together, through this festival, we show that we are strong united and brave.”

“I’m already not liking this.” Theseus muttered.

“Every year we hold a harrowing challenge of bravery and skill. There is a maze outside the borders of this state, a place where monsters roam hungry and savage. At the heart of this maze is a ravenous minotaur who had once terrorized this city, and my family. Whoever can find their way to her and bring me her head will be granted anything they desire, even the hand of my daughter, your future queen.” Minos said. “Fail, and you’ll never leave the maze at all. Who here is brave enough to face this challenge?”

There were a few men who raised their hands, around a dozen, and then Theseus stepped forward and loudly said, “I will do it.”

His loud voice caught the haunted gaze of the king, who narrowed his eyes at the newcomer. “I do not recognize you, stranger. Who steps forth to enter our city’s noble task?”

“I am Theseus, son of the archangel Uriel.” Theseus said, earning surprised gasps and whispers from the crowd. He could feel their curious gazes on him, but his eyes were focused on Minos only.

“A Nephilim graces us with his presence!” The king smiled devilishly. “Perhaps you may be the one who shall complete this challenge and bring me the beast’s head.”

“Just show me where to go and I’ll get it done, your Highness.” He replied.

The king continued to heap praise and joy upon managing to attract the famous Nephilim hero whose tales were told across Arkhos. Theseus traded a discreet glance at Adriane and they traded little nods that no one noticed.

XXXXXX

A minutes later, the men who volunteered were escorted to the other side of the city, to where the mountain looming over the area sat like a giant hand. The infamous maze the king spoke of was built into the mountain, with the doors leading to the interior built into the base of the mountain. Theseus looked up at the doors and grimaced at the detailed stone bust of a bull sitting over the doors.

‘This place looks more ominous than I thought.’ Theseus thought. He hoped Artemis could keep herself occupied while he was inside.

“Theseus.” Adriane walked over to him with a bundle of cloth in her arms. “Take this, it’s to keep you warm.”

Theseus nodded his thanks and took the offered bundle. Glancing at the guards, Adriane leaned in close and whispered, “Your sword is inside this cloak, but the maze is not so easily conquered. There are monsters down there in addition to the minotaur, monsters that were starved to make them more viscous in their pursuits. I also gave you a spool of thread. Tie one end to the door of the maze. It will guide you back to safety.”

She leaned in closer so that her lips were right against his ear. “When you find the minotaur, say my name. She will know who sent you.”

“I will, my lady.” Theseus said.

Adriane smiled and stepped back as he walked through the entrance of the maze. “Good luck, son of Uriel.”

Theseus gave her a parting smile as the doors shut behind him and cloaked him and the other men in darkness.

XXXXXX

The maze was a dark, cold place, where the only light present came from dim torches that could barely light a corridor. As soon as the doors slammed shut behind them, Theseus had told the men to wait at the entrance and tied the thread around the door handle. Slowly unwinding the spool, he went down the center path, sword in hand, with and the thread in the other.

As he got deeper into the maze, Theseus could now understand why no one could properly find their way through it. The maze itself was massive, the entire cavern carved from magic and the walls laced with barrier spells to keep anyone from climbing over them. There were numerous dead ends and smaller chambers that led to monsters kept down in this dark place for who knows how long.

“My father hates monsters, Theseus. He had his own court magician create the maze almost ten years ago and every year he captures monsters to place inside, letting them starve and slowly go mad before throwing foolish men inside to satiate their hunger for only a few days at a time. He’s turned this into a sport, and neither man nor monster is safe from his abuse of their personal rights.”

In the distance, he could hear the echoing moans and screams of the other men as they ran into the captured monsters, raped on the spot and probably
wouldn’t see the light of day again. He couldn’t blame them, for the monsters were as much victims of Minos’s madness as the humans fooled into attempting to kill the minotaur.

“How long has it been since she’s seen the sun?” Theseus asked himself, looking up at the vast cave that hung above him. Even he would go insane if he was stuck inside this depressing place for so long, and he was a Nephilim, a child of light.

It was fortunate that he had his powers to help him navigate the maze. Theseus was able to sense large concentrations of demonic energy, which proved very useful when searching for or trying to avoid powerful monsters. The large cluster of agitated demonic energy swirling in the center of this place was probably where he needed to go.

“All this is just some sad, elaborate way for my father to punish what he sees as his greatest sin. This is his excuse to play off his own weaknesses, blaming it on the wiles of a monster and not his own lack of love for her. The fact that the rest of the state, even his closest supporters, haven’t supported his anti-monster crusade just shows how shallow and pointless it all is.”

After what felt like hours, Theseus made it to the heart of the maze, which was a wide, open pit illuminated by glowing white lightstones that sprouted from the ground. Gripping his sword, Theseus cautiously entered the large area, which started to look like some naturally formed arena the longer he stayed there. The air was dense with demonic energy, the kind that belonged to a strong monster who had a lot of energy built up over a long period of time. Monsters like that were highly dangerous and violent, even with their lovers.

“Come on, monster. I know you’re there.” Theseus whispered, his eyes scanning the other three corridors leading to the chamber. “You can smell me, can’t you? I bet my energy feels nice compared to the shit you’ve been stewing in.”

He heard an angry snort behind him and spun around just in time for a large fist to hit him in the chest. Theseus grunted and skidded back, slamming into a stone pillar, nearly knocking it over. A large form charged at him and he dived to the side to avoid it, cursing as his attacker smashed right through the stone.

“Holy shit.” Theseus coughed. That blow would’ve broken a couple of ribs, if not killed him on the spot. “You’re a mad fucker, aren’t you?”

Large hooves stomped the ground as the monster girl turned to face him. She was a tall woman, standing around 2 meters tall with long dark brown hair that reached the middle of her back and hung over her eyes, which were a beautiful shade of indigo blue. Her body was muscular but did not take away from her feminine curves, and from the waist down she had the legs of a bull, her black fur matted and wet, just barely clean. She was the minotaur of Meletis.

Theseus quickly stood up and held up his arms. “Hold, minotaur, I’m not here to hurt you!”

His sword glinted in the lightstone’s glow and caught the minotaur’s attention. She snorted and growled, getting into position to attack again.

“Please, I’m not here to fight!” He pleaded.

It fell on deaf ears as she charged at him once more at him. Theseus tossed his sword aside and met her charge with one of his own. They clasped hands and grappled, pushing against each other with physical force few humans could match. Theseus’s muscles bugled and strained against the minotaur’s push. The muscles in her arms also tensed and bulged, and her red hazed glare made it clear she wasn’t thinking in her right mind. He didn’t want to, but if this went on, he might have to rough her up a bit.

Suddenly the minotaur broke the deadlock and wrapped her arms around his waist, lifting him off his feet (which actually made Theseus yelp, though he’d denying it later on) and throw him almost three feet across the chamber into the wall. His impact actually cracked part of the wall as he slammed into it, and he crumpled to the ground, wincing. The minotaur lunged at him, but he rolled aside to allow her sharp horns to stab into the rock, the force of her charge burying her horns deep into the wall.

Unfortunately, that didn’t hold her in place for long, as she ripped her head free, tearing off a piece of the wall in the process. Theseus backpedaled as she broke the rock with her bare hands and ran at him again. This needed to stop!

“Stop! I come in the name of Princess Adriane,” Theses yelled. “Your sister!”

The minotaur’s fist stopped inches from his face as she froze before him. Some sanity returned to her azure gaze as she heard the name of her beloved sister. “A-Adriane?”

Seeing his chance, Theseus focused his power, charging his body with holy energy as he grabbed the minotaur by the arms and dragged her over to a boulder to bend her over it. Pushing one hand down on her back to keep her down, his other hand caressed her rear, squeezing and slapping the lightly furred rump. Disoriented, she gave no resistance as he got into position behind her, tensing up as he tore off his loin cloth to expose his eleven inch cock to the cool air of the maze.

Theseus grabbed her hips and pressed the tip of his bulbous cockhead against the minotaur’s pink opening, causing her to let out a sharp squeal as her barely used cunt got a jolt of pleasure from just that small amount of contact. Taking hold of her swaying tail, and with one hand on her firm ass, he pushing himself in farther until his large, pulsing cock was hilted in her constricting cunt. Squeezing her tail tight, he rolled his hips and pushed against her, his heavy balls pressed against her firm ass.

The minotaur shook and quivered violently underneath the man, gasping as pleasure shot through her. Her hands gripped the boulder beneath her, her fingers digging into the stone as her nostrils flared, struggling for air.

Theseus withdrew his cock from her snatch until only his head remained inside her. Then he gripped her ass tightly with one hand and pulled her tail back roughly with the other, forcing her ass back towards him while at the same time thrusting forward into her. The minotaur groaned, her face melting into a look of undeniable pleasure as a bit of drool began to leak from her mouth.

He started to hump wildly into her. His cum filled balls slapped against her sensitive clit as his dick drilled and pounded into her pussy at amazing speeds. He called upon the energy that he inherited from his mother to strengthen his muscles and grant him unlimited stamina for a short period of time. Most of this holy energy he channeled into his cock, waiting to be deposited into the monster he was fucking nonstop. Theseus coated his hands in holy energy and slapped both palms onto her furry ass, giving those jiggling gluts an electrifying jolt that made her throw her head up and shriek loudly. The feeling of this man’s cock pounding into her as he slapped her ass like jungle drums sent her over the edge.

A shock raced through her body and she quaked and quivered as her pussy squirted its juices out onto the Nephilim’s balls and thighs. Arching her back, she cried out as she came hard against his throbbing cock, before falling limp onto the boulder, her large breasts mashed against the rock and her scrambled brain struggled to regain its wits. Her exhausted body felt every vibration as Theseus continued to hammer his cock into her mercilessly.

“Prepare yourself, minotaur.” Theseus grunted. “For you’re about to know what true pleasure feels like!”

The minotaur was in no condition to reply, as her head remained planted against the boulder with her pink tongue lolling out of her mouth as she panted with each thrust, groaning as she felt another energized slap on her ass.

Theseus grunted and groaned as his climax neared, hips pounding against her taut ass. He gripped her ass tightly with both hands, nails digging into her skin and even drawing blood. He pulled her hips towards him and buried his cock deep into her spasming hole, bouncing her body forward with the force of his thrust. Groaning, he grasped her tail and pulled on it as he came inside her, balls churning as his hot, sticky cum surged out of his shaft and into her stuffed womb.

As he seeded her womb, his semen, which was laced with potent holy energy, entered her womb and began revitalizing her body. The scars and dirt and ugly buildup of clustered energy slowly faded away, cleansing her as she was healed of the hardships she had faced since being dumped down here to die. The more cum Theseus pumped into her, the more energy she absorbed, which meant that the healthier she became.

The minotaur, who was named Astrea, released one massive howl that could be heard all over the maze, and even outside.

XXXXXX

The next day, King Minos, Princess Adriane, and the people of Meletis all gathered outside the maze, having heard the thunderous roars of the minotaur. They thought they were cries of pain, but only Adriane knew otherwise. The king looked sickeningly eager for the victor to emerge from the maze, wanting to see the severed head of the monster that shamed his honor and bloodline.

Everybody froze as the doors were slowly pushed open, and the half-blood mortal, Theseus stepped out into the big, bright world, looking tired and a bit haggard, but still alive and strong.

“I have returned, King Minos.” He said, bowing his head.

“Yes, well done warrior, but the minotaur, did you slay it?” Minos asked eagerly. “I want to see its head! Did you bring it’s head?”

“I have, my King. She’s right here.”

Theseus stepped aside and everyone gasped as the tall form of the minotaur stepped out of the dark maze, with an assortment of other monsters that were thrown into the maze, and stood tall before the gawking humans. The fur on her legs and her hair was still matted and dirty, but her sanity had returned and now her angry gaze was focused on Minos, who looked whiter than a corpse.

“You!” Minos exclaimed in fright.

“Hello, father.” Astrea sneered.

“Astrea!” Adriane abandoned all sense of decorum as she ran to her half-sister, wrapping her arms around the minotaur in a big hug, which Astrea returned. “You’re back!”

“That’s right, I’m back and I’m here to stay, little sister.” Astrea said. “Thanks to this noble warrior.”

“Just doing my job.” Theseus grinned.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Minos roared. “I told you to kill the beast, Theseus! To kill her!”

“If you knew anything about me, then you would’ve known that I am no monster hunter. I bring humans and monsters to justice equally, and I’m not going to slay a minotaur born from your blood for no reason other than because she represented your lack of restraint.”

“But how…” Minos turned his enraged gaze onto Adriane, who stared right back at him. “Adriane, how could you? How could you side with that creature instead of your own father?”

“I side with the sister who’s always protected me and helped me grow into the woman I am today. Even after all the abuse your reaped onto her she still stayed by my side until you threw her into that horrid maze!” She said.

“Astrea here was born from your little one night stand with the minotaur bandit queen, Epona. Adriane told me that you were bewitched by a Baphomet you had insulted and hunted down the minotaur in a lustful haze, fucking her for three days and nights.” Theseus said, stepping forward. “When Astrea was born, you hunted down her and Epona, killed her mother and dragged her back to Meletis to show people that you were somehow strong for beating up a minotaur child.”

“There’s a reason people don’t like you, father.” Astrea grinned.

“What’s even worse,” Artemis said, walking forward to stand beside Theseus. “Is that when you saw how close Astrea and Adriane were, you threw Astrea into the maze out of spite, unable to handle that your daughter loved a monster more than you. Hunting down monsters to trap down there was just to hide the fact that you were constantly embarrassed at being bested by a monster for insulting her family for no good reason.”

“How many men and monsters died in that maze to cover up your own stupid failures?” Astrea growled. “How many people died in each other’s arms, never seeing the sun again, because you just couldn’t be bothered to let things go?”

“I will not be scolded by a bovine bitch like you! I am King Minos of Meletis and my word is law!” Minos turned to his guards. “Kill them all!”

To his surprise, none of the guards even moved from their position, and some were even glaring at him. “G-Guards? I gave you an order, kill them!”

“Here’s something you didn’t know, father. Most of the soldiers in Meletis, a good number of the scholars in the libraries and even some peasants have monster wives and daughters of their own. No one’s happy hearing you insult their loved ones and threaten anyone who supports them.” Adriane said. “You’re a danger that clearly needs to be removed, and only then can Meletis live in peace in Arkhos.”

“I will not be overthrown by my own blood, much less a woman! I’ll gladly kill everyone in this city to show what happens to traitors to their own kind!”

Minos drew two swords, both weapons etched with magical runes to channel magic-fueled electricity through them. He ran at Adriane, intent on killing her and then his bastard daughter as well.

It wasn’t that surprising that he barely had a chance to raise his weapons as Artemis fired an arrow into his knee, making him stumble. Theseus smacked one of the swords from his hand while Artemis shot another arrow into his left arm, making him drop his other sword.

Even still, he continued limping for his daughter, muttering how much of a traitorous cunt she was how she should’ve died with her mother in the plague. So focused he was on Adriane that he didn’t notice Astrea march up to him until he saw her fist heading for his face.

The last thing he saw before his skull was caved in were Astrea’s dark blue eyes, the eyes of the minotaur that birthed her into the world, the minotaur that humiliated him.

XXXXXX

“I can’t thank you enough for your help, Theseus.” Princess Adriane bowed low to Theseus and Artemis. “I owe you everything.”

Theseus smiled and shrugged. “It was nothing, just doing my job. Hearing your story certainly motivated me to do something about this mess.”

With King Minos dying at the hands of his minotaur daughter, Adriane was to be made queen of Meletis. She had prepared herself for this day for years, and so the transition wasn’t too jarring for her. Her father’s death hardly bothered her, because she never had that good a relationship with him in the first place. All Minos cared about was preserving his legacy, and thought that he was doing mankind a service by killing monsters like animals. That kind of thinking contaminated too much of Europa already, there was no need for Arkhos to suffer through that too.

“What’ll happen to the freed monsters?” Artemis asked.

“They’ll be given citizenship in Meletis. There are plenty of apartments for them to live in until they can get their lives back…or start new ones.” Adriane sighed. “There are still a lot of supporters of my father in both the military and the civilians. Rooting them out will be hard, convincing them will be
harder.”

“After a display like that at the maze, I’d say you’ll be fine.” Theseus said. “I can think you can manage just fine with most of the people on your side.”

“Thank you, Theseus.” Adriane smiled.

“Sorry I’m late!” Astrea ran over to the city gates, hefting a large sack on her shoulder. She looked healthier now, her hair neatly groomed (for a minotaur) and now wearing a thick leather vest with cotton pants that hugged her lower body. You’d never think she spent three years stuck in a maze. “You guys waiting long?”

“No, you’re just in time.” Artemis smiled.

Adriane stepped up to her half-sister and smiled sadly. “Are you sure you want to leave, Astrea? We’ve just reunited, and there’s so much to show you.”

“Sorry about suddenly leaving you here by your lonesome, sis. It’s just…I don’t feel too comfortable here, you know? Too many bad memories.” Astrea said. “Doesn’t mean I won’t visit though. And I’m sure the other monsters will keep you company too.”

“I suppose.” Adriane and Astrea hugged each tightly, not wanting to let go. “I love you, Astrea.”

“Love you too, Adriane.” Astrea whispered back. Once they broke the hug, Astrea walked over to Theseus and threw a long arm around his shoulders, hugging his head to the side of her left breast. “You ready to go, stud?”

“Of course I am.” Theseus smiled at his new lover, who had found herself attached to him once everything calmed down. He wasn’t expecting to suddenly walk out of Meletis with a girlfriend, but if that’s what fate decided for him, who was he to judge?

“Theseus, I’m placing my sister in your care. Take good care of her and we won’t have any problems, understand?” Adriane said sternly.

“Adriane, not in front of hubby.” Astrea whined, earning a laugh from Theseus and Artemis.

And that’s the story of Theseus and the minotaur of Meletis. The noble Nephilim and his human partner now had the liberated Astrea as part of their ranks, and within the year, Theseus and Astrea were wed in Astrea’s birthland. Even after their marriage, they continued to journey across Arkhos, providing help to those who need it. A trait that was passed onto their daughter, Io, who would make a name for herself in a land far from Arkhos.

Arkhos was a land of heroes, and whether they were man, monster or Nephilim, they were heroes in even the most unlikely of places. For not everyone was destined to live a normal life. If the gods ordained it, you were given one of adventure, and possibly find love along the way.