Lair of the Lamia

Thulak the minotaur had never seen a lamia. Or even heard of one. Supposedly they were half-woman half-snake, which sounded completely preposterous to him. Though upon further consideration he felt that was somewhat ironic given that he was a creature that shared traits of both man and bull.

Regardless, he had defeated many a great beast in the past, but never something that fit that particular description. And the problem with hunting something new was that it was almost always a more challenging experience. There were simply too many unknown variables, and Thulak did not like unpredictability.

Still, he wasn't about to dismiss the bounty given to him by his mercenary company's leader. A job was a job, and he prided himself in always getting them done, one way or another. He would find this so-called 'lamia' and kill it, collect the payment, and return to camp.

The earthen ground practically thundered beneath the hooves of Thulak as he took slow strides through the forest. He left behind large hoofprints embedded in the dirt and did not show any particular concern for moving stealthily or covering these tracks. After all, he was in his element. He had yet to meet something that frightened him, and a part of the minotaur even hoped that some poor misguided creature would dare try and attack him just so he would have an excuse to use his trusty battle axe.

Thulak was a prime example of a minotaur who looked like they meant business. Thick, ebon black fur covered a heavily built body showcasing broad shoulders and limbs, defined muscles that seemed to surround other defined muscles, and a puffed-out chest exuding a sense of pride.

His face shared much in common with that of a strong bovine, one that wouldn't hesitate to gore a threat with the two curved, tawny horns jutting from his head. He had a bull's muzzle, dark beady eyes, and a thick brow that almost always seemed to be perpetually tightened with irritability.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

One hoof led the way into another, slowly carrying his hulking form forward to his destination. He had no need to rush, so long as he could reach the spot described by his leader before nightfall. It was said to be the ruins of an ancient temple, tucked into the wall of the mountain and long forgotten about. But clearly, it contained some semblance of value if his company of mercs had been hired to rid it of the lamia settled there.

Apparently, the lamia had killed four of the group of six men who had gone to investigate the ruins, and was described as being 'very fast and deadly'. But Thulak had little regard for the combat prowess of a handful of weak humans... no doubt their idea of a tough fight was akin to the likes of hunting a wild boar for dinner. Whatever this lamia was, he felt confident that he could dispose of it and be back at his mercenary camp in time for tomorrow's lunch.

Lunch?

Thulak realized at that moment just how hungry this long trek had made him. Slipping a hand into the hefty backpack over his shoulders, he rifled it through his provisions. A chunk of dried meat was pulled out, and he raised it to his mouth before biting a sizeable chunk off it. The sound of noisy chewing filled the air as he continued walking while constantly glancing about for signs of anything that might want to pick a fight with him.

The remainder of the salty snack vanished inside his mouth quickly, and his bovine tongue ran over his wide lip for the final remnant of its taste.

A few minutes of walking later, a clearing had appeared before Thulak, just beyond a thick row of verdant shrubs. He shoved past them and was presented with what he determined had to be his destination.

Just beyond the grassy clearing, a long set of timeworn stone stairs led up to the remains of a partially-crumbled entranceway with an archaic door. It had huge pieces broken off from it, leaving the interior of the temple unguarded from the outside elements. What was once a grand structure embedded into the mountain had been reduced to a tan mass of ancient rock collecting moss and dust.

Thulak had found the supposed lair of the lamia... and right before nightfall, as he had predicted. The grey sky above was drifting into darkness, and he didn't have long before the natural light wouldn't be there to assist his endeavors.

It was his first order of business to take a quick peek inside the temple and get a sense of what to expect. Striding up the stairs, the stone clacked under the weight of each of his hefty hooves. At the same time, his hand reached back to pull the mighty battle axe resting in its shoulder-slung holder. His head remained facing forward to scan the area for approaching danger.

Thulak always gained a certain sense of comfort from holding the weighty haft of this particular axe. It had been used to slay so many of his foes that it often felt like a natural extension of his arms.

The distance closed between Thulak and the entrance. He poked his head beyond the stony archway and gave a sniff, eyes darting about. The place smelt musty and wet... a natural scent that was not entirely unpleasant, but not exactly alluring either.

A darkened interior looked just as dilapidated as the outside would suggest, though it certainly looked larger on the inside. There was a narrow, very tall hallway ahead of him, and its tan walls were laced with the same green moss on the outside. Breaking the darkness at the end of the hall -- a lengthy distance away -- there was a faint flicker of orange light, one that was very much like that of an open flame.

Thulak was intrigued, gazing down this hall. He felt a slight urge to press onward toward the light, and maybe even be so bold as to attempt to finish the bounty early. But that, he determined, would be a reckless move given his current state. Walking through the forest for most of the day had been a tiring affair, and he knew that a good night's rest was invaluable to any warrior heading into battle. The last thing he wanted was to be strained by fatigue during the upcoming fight. Especially against an unknown foe.

His eyes scanned the interior one more time for any sign of immediate life, but other than a diminutive spider... there was none. So without further delay, he spun back and retraced his path down the long stairs.

Head shifting left then right, he deliberated on the best spot to make camp. Ultimately, there weren't any remarkable locations to use nearby. The tall trees blanketing the area offered a decent amount of cover but weren't ideal for providing a spot to sleep. Though one flat area -- a few dozen feet away from the stairs -- was partially obscured by a huge boulder, and looked like a fair enough place for him to rest tonight.

Setting up an area for the night's rest was always a painless task for Thulak. He was quite used to sleeping on very hard surfaces, which most often was a grassy floor beneath an open sky. Even back at the mercenary encampment he called home, he slept upon a wide, stiff cot that barely fit him, and he had no qualms with doing so.

He slung his robust backpack from his shoulder onto the ground and set his axe down next to it. His huge hands came down to root through the pack for the two essential pieces for his makeshift camp. The first was his bedroll: an ugly linen mat that could only partially accommodate the minotaur's sheer size.

The second thing was an old canvas sheet wrapped in rope. This would serve to keep any potential rain from immediately drenching him. More of a precaution than anything, since he usually had a good sense of when rain was coming and the conditions today did not seem appropriate for it.

Thulak had no issue with tying the canvas to a tree branch hanging over the boulder and angling it so any rain would be diverted from his sleeping form. He had done this simple setup dozens of times before throughout his many solo expeditions. Doing it himself was the way he liked it.

There had been one previous instance where he had been partnered with another mercenary named Lila, who had tried to set up the canvas on her own... only to fail spectacularly. The rope hadn't been properly secured which led to the entire thing collapsing upon them both in the middle of the night. Since then, Thulak had demanded to the company leader that he complete all future assignments alone.

With the canvas in place, he draped the bedroll across the grass beneath it and sprawled himself along its length, hooves sticking out from the end of the cloth. He gave a deep exhale of relief at the sensation of finally relaxing after the day's hike. Though Thulak was seldom truly 'relaxed' in the wilds. Many a dangerous foe lurked beyond civilization, and they were prone to preying on those that let their guard down.

His trusty axe was within arms reach though, and he was hidden enough behind the boulder that any predator making their approach would be easy to detect. Overall the camping spot wasn't bad in terms of its natural defensive qualities.

One of Thulak's digits idly reached up to scratch at the muscled slab that was his furry chest. He turned his head about, and simply listened for anything remotely suspicious. There was an audible, gentle breeze that made some leaves rustle, but other than that it was pleasantly quiet in the forest. Certainly nothing that was a cause for alarm. Perhaps he would get a good sleep tonight.

Thulak felt his eyelids droop before he finally allowed them to shut and surrendered himself to the call of sleep. A minotaur had exceptional hearing, and he knew that his ears wouldn't let him down if something dared try to sneak up on him.

-----

A few hours had passed, and the blanket of nightfall had cloaked the area in darkness, save for the soft light of the crescent moon above. A few crickets and an owl occasionally let their presence be known, but otherwise, there was nothing but silence.

A silence that didn't last.

Suddenly, there was a brief whistle of something spiraling through the air toward the sleeping minotaur, culminating with a loud shatter of glass striking the side of the boulder near his head.

He awoke in a split second with a grunt, body jerking upwards, hand snatching the axe from the ground and holding it raised above his head. He bore his teeth, nostrils flaring and giving an intimidating deep growl to this unseen threat.

But as his head whipped around to seek out the danger, he did not spot any creature or person. What he found instead was a shattered vial on the ground, the remains oozing a purple liquid that seeped out from the shards and coated the grass.

Thulak did not recognize the unusual colored fluid. Perhaps it was some form of acid, and the assailant had missed him? He moved a finger down towards the fluid when it suddenly sizzled and burst into a sizable puff of purple smoke, the cloud enveloping the minotaur's face.

He snorted and shook his head back from the smog, but it had already begun to take effect. His eyes began to water, vision becoming blurry as he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. The hand which had previously clutched the axe went slack, dropping his weapon to the dirt while he collapsed onto his back with a heavy thump.

Thulak's eyes struggled to stay open, but before they shut entirely he noticed the shadowy silhouette of a serpentine creature gliding across the clearing toward him. Something about its movement haunted the minotaur -- it was imposing, yet graceful. It was too dark to make out its features properly, but he knew in his gut that it had to be his target: the lamia.

This creature would be the end of him. A cowardly death, succumbing to it in his sleep. This was Thulak's final thought before he fell unconscious, at the complete mercy of whatever this serpentine enemy had planned.

-----

Time passed. Hazy visions washed through Thulak's mind. One such vision was that of the lamia as she pulled him across the grass, carrying him inside a structure. She was taking him somewhere, hauling his great body along with a singular clawed hand.

Was he still alive? He couldn't be certain yet. And it felt so much easier to just go back to sleep than deal with the burden of these pesky thoughts...

-----

Eventually -- and with great confusion -- Thulak awoke again, sometime later, in an unfamiliar place. His eyelids lifted open with some degree of difficulty, his vision gradually becoming clear.

He slowly realized that he was facedown on some kind of stone table, illuminated by the glow of a nearby torch. Judging from that and the familiar damp smell, it reminded him of the temple he had briefly checked out earlier. Was that where he ended up? There wasn't enough to confirm his suspicions just yet.

Thulak gave his arms and legs a test movement, keeping it simple to check for injuries. They ended up feeling functional, albeit a little sore. Though with enough of one pull in a single direction, he felt the unmistakable hold from a resisting object.

He cast his sight to his limbs. Each of his arms and legs was bound to the table, encircled by a metal cuff and an accompanying chain; he was stuck there.

"GRRRAH!" A powerful roar echoed from his throat, echoing against the walls of the temple while he bucked and strained his muscles against the bindings. But as powerful as the great minotaur was, they did not succumb to his strength.

Though while twisting about on the table, Thulak made another disturbing realization: the armor he had previously worn had been removed from his body, leaving him in only his lower garment: a simple brown leather loincloth, which -- while primitive -- was effective at protecting his upper legs and groin in battle. He was thankful that at least he hadn't been deprived of all of his dignity by being stripped entirely nude.

A set of yellow, slitted eyes appeared in the shadowed corner of the small room and caught Thulak's attention instantly with their glow. He considered that this might be his captor and the lamia he was hunting. And if it was, then she had taken him off-guard; being so bold as to leave her lair and capture him. Perhaps he underestimated what she might be capable of.

"Finally awake, hmm?" Her voice was surprisingly soft and didn't sound anything like the horrific monster Thulak had pictured. It reminded him of a particular sultry woman who had tried to seduce him in a tavern. He had ended up ignoring her of course, but her tone was certainly easy on the ears.

Thulak found himself just glaring at those glowing eyes. Maybe if he pretended he couldn't talk she wouldn't press him for information.

"Such a big minotaur..." The yellow-slitted eyes swept up and down his body. "And a strong warrior, undoubtedly. But stuck on that table and so helpless, mhmm..." She was clearly proud of being in control of the situation, each of her words laced with self-assured smugness.

The way she spoke to him made Thulak's temper begin to boil. She didn't seem threatened by him at all. Or even scared of his appearance, which made most people tremble at first sight. If he could only break free, he would show her who's the better combatant in a fair fight. Wiping away her smug attitude would make that victory even sweeter.

His original intent to keep quiet was dismissed by his newfound rage bubbling up.

"So you're that lamia who killed those men!?" Thulak had a deep, baritone voice, one that almost always commanded respect. Though with his body tightly restrained against the table, his words and appearance were much less awe-inducing.

The glowing eyes flicked back up to his bovine face, half of which was pressing into the table's surface.

"Excuse me? They barged in here like a bunch of savages and attacked me first!" She snapped. "It was really quite rude. This is my home... and I wasn't going to give it up to a bunch of little men waving about their pathetic swords."

If there was any hint of deception within her words Thulak couldn't find it. Maybe she wasn't a cruel monster after all. She actually did manage to sound more like a victim.

There was a short pause before the lamia cast her gaze downward to the darkness and continued speaking, reciting words off of something Thulak couldn't see.

"Contract. Five thousand gold pieces to the slayer of the lamia at the ruins north of Ganswood forest."

The eyes flicked back up to meet his.

"Did you really come here to kill me, minotaur? Because I must say I'm a bit disappointed your visit couldn't be under more pleasant circumstances."

Thulak gave a low grunt. "I don't ask questions. I just get the job done, get paid, and go home." He hesitated before adding, "And truthfully your little story doesn't change my mind."

She laughed, the melodic sound reverberating against the walls. "My my! He has a cold heart! Even when I could slit your throat where you lay, you aren't afraid to speak your mind."

The shadowed silhouette of her snake-like form moved closer into view, and Thulak became able to see the outline of the body that went with the yellow eyes. Her upper body had the defined curves of a woman, and her lower body was unmistakably that of a snake. A very large snake.

He simply gaped at her striking appearance, at a sudden loss for a decent response.

"But don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you," She continued, "Quite the opposite, really! I plan on taking very good care of you. Every... last... inch." Her eyes flicked down to his sweeping tail protruding from a hole in the back of his loincloth.

Thulak snorted, narrowing his eyes at his captor. "I'm not in the habit of trusting the word of vile monsters..."

She moved closer again, this time properly into the dim light of the torch. This allowed Thulak to finally get a proper good look at his target.

Her appearance was once again stunning, though not for the same reason as before. She was surprisingly attractive, and he had to take it upon himself to purposefully feign disinterest.

Half-woman, half-snake. The description given to Thulak rolled through his mind again. But he had never expected it to look quite like this.

Her upper body was that of a gorgeous woman, with pale skin, immaculate long brown hair, and a pair of perfectly plump breasts tucked beneath a narrow, wrapped copper-colored cloth. The simple binding appeared to be strained, and both the top and underside of each creamy, curved mound spilled out from it. Below that and the hourglass shape of her exposed, taut belly, her body transitioned into that of a very sizable serpent. The scaly underside was a tawny white, while the sides and back were an intricate swirl of chestnut and orange. It coiled and curved across the ground before trailing off into the shadows behind her, a lengthy mass of thick flesh.

The slitted, snake-like eyes were now clearly a part of her slender, feminine face, and still seemed to emit a light glow. Below, a cute nose and pair of plush pink lips served to nicely counterbalance the ominous nature of those eyes.

If she had any glaring physical imperfections Thulak didn't manage to find one. He was rather taken aback by her looks. He had expected a monster and instead was presented with an attractive creature that seemed to tug at his more primal urges... ones that he forced himself to keep buried. On the occasional tavern visit during his travels, he would often be visited by a few brave women who clearly made it known that they wanted to sleep with him. Or at the very least they expressed a strong interest in catching a glimpse of what he was hiding between his tree-trunk-like legs. But he always brushed them off, usually with a snide remark. It was a firm belief of Thulak that feeding into lust was a direct path to weakness. And so he preferred keeping the opposite sex at a safe distance. Aside from that, minotaur females were his personal preference, and they certainly weren't very common.