FINALLY. One who understands!

Yes. Let us fight.

Nodding solemnly but with a sparkle of excitement hidden in his eyes, Crixus tosses the curly mane blowing into one eye back and draws closer, out of the darkened forest into the light of the clearing.

Keep your throat clean for me. I’ll take it soon enou-!?

The aggression emitted by the Wolf King temporarily cuts out in confusion as Crixus steps out.

You- you’re maimed. You mean to fight me with no limbs?

That’s right. Something wrong?

Crixus answers him while rolling large eyes, his tone droll. My eyes go to the smirk on Crixus’ face as he tilts his broken horn at the Wolf King.

I could practically see the thumb he was pointing towards the Wolf King like he was an idiot.

Like he was saying ‘Get a load of this guy”

The Wolf King doesn't see it.

Bird. You want him-

Testing the limits of the Siphon Bush barrier, the large wolf turns his back on Crixus and steps towards me, snorting. He rips out a tendril that curls around his forelimb and burns it with a small blast.

to fight-

From over the Wolf King’s shoulder, the female wolf and I were probably the only ones who noticed the great, seething frown that descended over Crixus’ countenance.

The moment the Wolf King’s back was turned to him.

Uh-oh.

Somehow the Wolf King had managed to piss off the armless Minotaur.

-for you?

GROOOOOARRRGHHHH!!!!!

WHa-

Letting out a ear-rending battle cry a set of large tawny horns, one broken and the other sharply pointed aim towards the Wolf King from the side.

My wing flutters in nervous excitement. I don’t know why Crixus roared at the enemy when he could have killed him then and there.

By roaring, Crixus had allowed the Wolf King to dodge his first attack..

BANG!

The Lady has said.

The horns pierce deeply into the tree behind the Wolf King.

I am her Champion. You. Fight. Me.

CRACK!

Large fragments of wood splinter off Crixus’ horns with his yanking motion, whirling around to face the Wolf King.

They faced each other now, their sides towards me while at their backs were a ring of wolves, and beyond them, the darkening forest.

GRrrrrrrrr!!!

Then fear me, outcast.

Lips curling into snarl, the Wolf King lowers his stance, the fire burning on his back crackling brighter and brighter.

You are one, are you not? Your DEATH draws near, strange, broken creature.

FEAR ME!!

Loud growls, and a sudden shot of light makes me crinkle my eyes to adjust to the sudden flash. Warm air blows through my feathers, ruffling the streak of white under my beak.

Hot! Hot!

The Wolf King had begun his attack!!

But what was happening!?

I couldn’t see anything!!

Greenie can you see??

No Master! HUrt!

Though I tried to look next to me, all I could see was a spotty vision of black balls against a bright background, similar to when the eyes were exposed to too much direct sunlight.

Lady! What was that light!?

Even Andvari, from his position deeper within the cave, had seen the bright flash.

I don’t know!

All I could do was rely on my sense of sound.

A grunt, then the sound of clods of dirt thumping into the ground.

Another pause-

Heavy beats of a 4 legged creature pounding against the ground and the sound of something cutting through the air.

When my eyes finally adjust back from the large flash, my neck creaks as I rear back, confused.

Crixus and the Wolf King were in each other’s positions?

There was blood leaking out of the Wolf King’s lower forelimb, while Crixus frowned, glancing at the long scratch that trailed up his thigh.

What the-!?

Did they teleport?

I AM DEATH, YOU OUTCAST!

FEAR ME AND DIE!

The Wolf King roars, howling his outrage. Seeing the veins bulging on his face, I gulp.

This wolf was scary, I'll give him that.

Crixus dodges to the side as a large blast scorches the ground he'd just been standing on.

HA! I refuse to fear death.

Shaking his head, Crixus lets out a large whuff from large nostrils. His strong hoofed legs hum through the air as he sends a flying kick towards the Wolf King’s side, right below the line where fur melds into a fiery hide.

The day I fear is the day I die. Besides-

The Wolf King grunts when the kick connects.

I never imagined death would be this talkative.

Nodding towards me, tail flicking behind his back, he crouches into a low stance with his legs widely rooted to the ground.

Another day I shall live proudly for my Lady and for the Plains.

Crixus grins a firm smile, eyes set and focus, lips peeling back revealing square white teeth.

And I refuse to fear you.

Popping his neck from side to side, he continues.

Come.

The Wolf King throws back his neck and howls, hackles rising as his one good eye narrow on the prey before him.

Kill him, mate! Take your victory!

A voice calls from the sidelines. It was his...mate? ..the female wolf, cheering the Wolf King on with tail wagging behind her.

Instead of throwing the usual fireball, he yaps at Crixus and begins to circle him quicker than Crixus could keep up.

The fight between the two fantasy creatures had begun in earnest. The wolf swiftly leaps, whirls and bites, snapping and barking, a force of aggression trying to tear the prey before him apart.

Crixus doesn't move as much, eyes roving as he never misses the enemy's movements, sending out a kick when the wolf comes too close.

But the wolf was faster.

Soon, it was obvious the Minotaur was having trouble keeping up with the enormous wolf that constantly bit at his calves. Crixus's movements were unsteady, and he would sometimes lean out with his shoulders, as if he was holding a weapon in his non-existent hands.

His body was too large and ungainly to make quick turns, and with the loss of his arms throwing his center of balance off, things were beginning to not look so good.

Gulping, I watch the Wolf King narrow his target to Crixus’ lower body. The Wolf King was trying to throw Crixus on his back. Or at least bring him down to the ground.

I resist the urge to cover my eyes.

It was almost as if I could see what was going to happen next. The wolves did it to all the other Antoras. Stop their momentum, render them incapable of movement.

Then aim straight for the throat.

GROAAAR!!!

Taking advantage of the Minotaur’s stumble, the Wolf King launches himself up.

AWROOOOOO!!!

The other wolves howl in unison, cheering for their leader.

Who starts with a shot aimed right for Crixus’s chest.

It hits!

Grnk!

Grunting, Crixus heaves his shoulder at the incoming wolf, knocking the enemy away then charging forward. Away from the wolf.

He runs, Alpha!

The female wolf cries.

Would you just SHUT UP!

Giving her the stink-eye, I slice my wing-finger across my throat. My beak creaks from gritting too tightly. Seriously, if both my wings were working I would have Spice Bombed the whole pack to the next dimension already.

I knew Crixus wasn’t running away. His resolve was firm, and he made me feel it through our bond, strong and unyielding.

But the other wolves wouldn't see that. They only saw the maimed Minotaur backing away.

So then, if he was, then why was his back not turning to the Wolf King?

He was only jogging backwards, eyes locked on his enemy’s until his back hits a tree.

The Wolf King lowers his stance warily, the flames on his back growing stronger reminding me that they were still there.

Watch for the flames!

I call out.

Hot!!!

Greenie calls out at the same time in warning. That was nice of Greenie.

'I thought he didn't like Crixus' the split-second thought races past when I glance up at the goblin.

He had both fists clenched and punching in the air, mock-fighting the Wolf King with Crixus.

AWROOO!

Another ball of fire is released right at Crixus.

Lowering his head, the Minotaur charges right towards it.

My eyes stayed glued on the fight, watching what Crixus would do next.

Crixus drops his head on the ground and rolls over in a low forward roll. The momentum takes him forward and he leaps up on his hooves again, charging towards the Wolf King with head lowered, broken horns pointed straight at the wolf.

Why?

Not daring to blink, I watch as the Wolf King leaps to the side, out of Crixus’ path the moment it seems they were about to collide. It was all too easy for the four-legged creature, whose limbs could take him around sharp corners and make quick turn much better than the Minotaur could.

Why did Crixus keep doing that? If he stumbled, he would be a goner for sure. I could only hope he had nothing in the way to make him falter.

Srgggggk!

Heels digging into the dirt to halt his momentum, Crixus whirls around and charges again.

Bark!

Yelping, the Wolf King leaps to the side again, avoiding the jagged ends and swerving out of Crixus’ path.

He shakes his head a few times, blinking hard.

I don’t think the wolves were used to having their enemy come charging straight at them. In all the time Greenie and I spent observing them, they’d attacked their prey from behind, picking out the weakest and gradually wearing them out.

The Wolf King seemed very confused with Crixus’ fight style.

Each time he tried to bite in and rip out flesh, the Minotaur continued onward, shaking free of the hold and readying into the next charge.

When the Wolf King tried to body-slam him, the Minotaur didn’t budge. He was bigger, and he only kicked him out of the way with each charge.

It was strange..

Like watching a dog trying to fight a raging bull. It didn’t work that way.

Simply put, their two fighting styles didn’t match.

Crixus does it again, but this time, the Wolf King was cornered against a wall of thickly grown trees. There was not much space for the wolf to be able to dodge there. There was no open grass clearing for him to use.

Each time Crixus turns into the next charge, the Wolf King releases a spinning lash of fire at him.

But it was never as big as the time when I’d first encountered him, when he’d turned a tree into a bonfire. Crixus’ attacks weren’t giving him the time he needed to ‘charge’.

BOOM!

The trees were reduced to splinters upon impact with Crixus’ head.

The pack of wolves, one goblin, and one raven watch the exchange. The Minotaur avoiding the great balls of fire and charging straight at the large Wolf King. The Wolf King dodging. And repeat.

I could feel the confusion growing at my neck develops an ache from the continued back and forth.

What was this, some sort of fantasy dodgeball game?

Crixus’ injuries only increased with each round.

The wolf wanted to snap and bite, create open wounds and use that as the beginning point to widen the injuries, aiming for the same points each time.

That was Crixus’ shoulder and thighs.

Blood dripped down his body, painting his tawny skin in streaks of red as it mixed with the sweat frothing on the Minotaur’s skin.

To reach the wounds he’d created before, the enormous wolf had to jump up while sacrificing his own head to the impact of Crixus’ body knocking into his head.

I had to hide a smirk each time his neck snapped backwards when Crixus’s meaty chest slammed into the Wolf King and made his neck snap back.

Spit flew out of his maw each time upon impact.

But those times were very few. The rest of the time was spent shifting my weight from side to side, watching the Wolf King dance around Crixus and attack him each time he charged.

Another round-

But?

Squinting my eyes, I finally notice the expression on Crixus’ face.

Lips peeled back over rounded teeth, long tongue peeking out as he kept his focus on his opponent.

He was grinning?

Why was he grinning???

Something had changed in the dynamics of the fight. I couldn’t put my finger on it-

The Wolf King was still avoiding the Minotaur’s charge…

Yet…

Once he passed the point where the Wolf King had been standing previously-

THUD!

Planting one hoof heavily into the ground, Crixus angles himself around on his leg, using it to pivot, and face the Wolf King again.

Was Crixus becoming faster? Or was the Wolf King growing slower?

Aha!

Greenie! Maybe it’s the Antora meat!

Bashing Greenie wildly on the shoulder, my excitement jolts Greenie out of his engrossment in the fight before him.

Mmm?

The Antora meat!

Kyak!

I point a wing at the Wolf King who lets out another whimper. Crixus had gotten him!

One of his hind legs was now twisted in a strange direction.

Maybe the Wolf King ate it and it’s working now!

The Minotaur seems to grow faster and faster, gaining momentum as he goes back and forth in the clearing, pounding out a trail that leads to a wolf that grows more and more worn out with each pass.

It was now possible to see the faint outline of fur beneath all the flames on the Wolf King’s back. His fire was growing low. I hadn't been able to see his body so clearly underneath the blaze before.

With each pass, the hooves that were too hard for the Wolf King to scratch blasted into the feral wolf’s lean, but built body.

The wolves no longer howled now. They only watched as their King, their Alpha, was gradually worn down by the never ending charges coming his way.

Crixus’ momentum was impossible to stop.

[Evolution available for Kin: Crixus. Would you like to evolve him into Horned Rammstein?]