Although my main occupation is as an actress, I do some work outside of that. The Dragon Council has employed me to find ancient artifacts. Mostly, such things are swords, but other times, the items are books or jewelry. I have no idea why they thought I would make the best candidate, but they had chosen me. Now, bear in mind, I'm not a full time relic hunter, but I do it more as a hobby. A dangerous hobby.

Years ago, I was looking for a special sword. It was long and tapered, a beauty to look at. The handle was Dragon gold, a gold so well forged that it is as hard or harder than steel. The handle also has an emerald in the handle, on the very top. My best guess is that it was at least a 25kt gem. I had been tracking it for quite a while, and I had finally gotten a lead.

Apparently, the sword had been taken underground by the Greeks during a war. The Greeks found a cave in which they could easily defend and call home. They made great pillars and halls, rooms upon rooms. The cave was soon more elegant than any palace their people had ever known. Close to the cave entrance was a small plain. Many rabbits and small creatures lived their and provided the people with food. There were even wild oats that grew there. Soon, youths wanted to see what else was in their home. On the edge of the plain was a forest, filled with deer, bear, berries, and many other foods. A strange race also lived there. Creatures that were very tall, and rather imposing looking, but kind hearted. They were centaurs. Their torso and other features above the waist were human, but the rest of their bodies were horse-like. They showed the Greeks how to find the best spots to hunt deer, and other means of finding food in the lush forest. The two races lived in harmony for many years. But time changes things, and disease came to the land. The centaurs were relatively unaffected by the sickness, but their human friends perished. They mourned the passing of their neighbors, but some good did come of it. A few brave youths who hadn't ever seen a human wanted to explore the caves. They found rooms and halls, not as grand as when the Greeks had lived there, but still grand. Gradually, centaurs moved into the halls and made them their home.

Years passed swiftly and many generations lived there. Everything was good. Until a cloaked stranger came. When guards saw him approach the entrance, they asked why he had come with no suspicion. Enemies were few and far between, so they allowed him in. Visitors were also scarce, so he was welcomed with joy. He stayed, feasting with them, talking with the elders, and mixing with all the people. Most found it strange that in all the days he had spent among them, he would not remove his cloak. After a full week of getting used to his presence, no one really suspected anything. Except Snake. Snake was a tall, muscular male centaur. His tail was as black as a raven, and his horse-like body was a rust that looked almost like blood in the sunlight. No one knows his actual name, but he had a tattoo of a snake on his right arm, and the name stuck. Snake got a shiver down his spine every time the visitor passed, like he had a very evil intent. But he though it would be unwise to share his opinion. Being the youngest member of the "village" council, he was held in rather high esteem, but there were also those who thought he was a fool and not fit for leadership. If he was wrong about the visitor, he would be ashamed to have insulted an innocent person, and would probably be replaced by someone who was "wiser".

That night, the guards were found dead. Some thought that they had just had too much wine to drink, but on their shoulders was a small mark, just a tiny cut from a sharp blade. A murmur ran through the halls, that their was a poisoner in their midst. Some thought it best to look for the culprit, while others satisfied themselves by keeping a weapon close at hand.

The children fell asleep, and everyone started to relax. But then, there was a commotion outside the front gate. The guards could be heard yelling, trying desperately to call for help, but their cries were quickly silenced. The main doors opened slightly and then shut. Then the bolt could be heard as it was set in place and a ripple of fear ran through them all. A tall, cloaked figure stood in front of the door. Everyone calmed down a little, seeing as it was just their guest, but then the cloak dropped from his shoulders. It was easy to see that he was a minotaur, a foul creature whose wickedness was unmistakable. There were gasps of surprise, but the minotaur spoke, cutting them short. "All of you are fools! You let me in your gates, and welcomed me into your homes. You showed your weaknesses to me, and now, it is that same foolishness that will enslave you all!" His human face lit up in a horrible grin, one that sent mothers running to protect their children, and fathers to protect their families. Some of the males had their weapons and charged, thinking that the steps would limit his mobility, but they didn't. He took out a battle axe that was sharp enough to split a hair three different ways, and killed all of the men who charged at him. More tried to get to him, just to stick a knife or spear in him, but all failed. If they weren't decapitated, they would fall, even if the injury was slight. It was a bloody night, and many lives were lost. Many children were left fatherless, or orphaned.

That was only the beginning of his merciless reign. All of the inhabitance were forced to be slaves, and anyone who resisted him was killed. There were very few temporary exceptions to his iron clad rule. There was at least one instance of a woman, heavy with child, irrately telling him that he had no right to be within those walls. He raised his axe, as if to behead her, but slowly lowered it. The woman left, and a month later, after her child was born, he found her and beheaded her. All the young children were pressed into service to him. Everyone was soon under his control. Except the council. The council was very important to them. Even as the old and weak were killed, the members of the council, most of which were very advanced in years, were unharmed. When the minotaur had hoisted the oldest council member off of his four feet, all of the centaurs got very angry. They crowded around the minotaur in an ominous silent threat: harm one of the council members, and have a full scale revolt on your hands. For the first time the minotaur had been there, he had a look of fright in his eyes, knowing that they would carry out their silent threat, even if it meant death for themselves. He set the old centaur down, and moved on, hitting some of the youths that were in his way with his hand, a mighty paw. They resented it, but did not retaliate. That was the way it was for many, many years. They, a free tribe of centaurs, were forced to be slaves in their own home. Of course, some young males took it into their heads that they could defeat him, but when they did get their hands on a knife or any other weapon, all of which were forbidden, they would try to attack him. When their attacks came close to him, he merely smiled. As the blow came down, he would brush it away, and stand very still, almost daring them to try again. As they would try again and again, he smirked and smiled. Then, when he was through with their little game, he would remove his axe, and remove the lad's head, all in one fluid motion. Then he would stand over the body and look very triumphant. The next moment, he would snap at the closest slave, "Clean up that thing."

As I was looking for the sword with an emerald in it, I came across some information that pointed to the Greeks. I asked around with my many contacts, and finally got some results. It appeared that the sword was last spotted in a forest where the Greeks once lived. I was ready to go right there and then, but my contact warned me that there might be centaurs guarding it. I thanked him and got started as soon as possible. Now, I've seen many centaurs in my life time, so it doesn't really bother me to be close to one. What I found in that cave entrance was a different story.

As I approached, I thought that the cave entrance was empty. "Easy enough", I thought to myself. But then, out of the darkness stepped two centaurs, both bone-thin, their skin stretched so tightly that I was slightly surprised that it didn't rip as they walked. "Who goes there?" asked the one on the left side. I looked at him, and was about to answer him when he backed into the shadows. I assumed that he didn't like my disapproving glance. "I'm a traveler" I said, "and I'm looking for shelter." I realize that that was only part of what I was here for, but you can't go telling everyone that you're looking for an artifact. That's how to get killed... Well, one of the guards (the one on the right I think) started speaking in another language. He then opened then door and said, "Follow the girl in the doorway. She'll take you to the Master." The girl—who was hardly 15 by my guess, but with centaurs, it's always hard to tell—led me across six flights of stairs, down three hallways, and through two fearfully led me into thethird door as if she expected something bad to happen. The door opened to a room that was lit by candles. The walls were a tan color with hunter green accents. Definitely a guy's room. As I was shown in, the occupant of the room glared at the girl and looked just about ready to say something nasty to her, but when he saw me, he stood up at very impressive 7' 2" (I'm 6" exact) and smiled warmly. He welcomed me and asked me if I had eaten. I told him I hadn't, and he suggested that we have some dinner. As he politely ushered me out of the room, I noticed something very strange. He wasn't a centaur, but he wasn't human either. His legs were long, very human-like, but they were covered in black hair like a bull's and ended in split hooves. I must make it very clear that I've been around centaurs for years, and hardly anything startles me about them, but that guy was just plain weird! His body made something in the back of my mind go off, but I couldn't figure out just what it was. He certainly looked like a mythological creature, but I couldn't place just what species.

We had a lovely dinner in one of the suspended halls, that is, halls that look like they're suspended in thin air. It over looked one of the main rooms where the Greeks once conducted business, but now was a place for "slaves" to gather. As the two of us talked, I couldn't help but notice how thin all of the centaurs looked. They weren't as thin as the guards, but still very thin, like a famine had been here for years. But, my host didn't quite fit with that assumption. He looked very well fed, almost plump. I try not to judge people on first glance, but my gut feeling was that he was the cause of the famine.

After dinner, I felt my traveling starting to get the better of me. My eyelids drooped and I tried to hold back a yawn for quite a while, but trying not to yawn is an impossible thing to do. When my small, ladylike yawn was noticed, my host said, "Ah, forgive me. We don't have much company here. I'll have one of the servants show you to your rooms. I hope they're expectable." So I allowed myself to be led to a beautiful room with antique rose walls, and an atmosphere so charming that I couldn't help but smile. The "servant" told me that breakfast would be brought to my room unless I wished otherwise. I replied that it would be fine and crawled into the soft four-poster bed and slept like a hibernating grizzly on sleeping pills.

Morning came and went, and I slept through it. The only thing I remember when I woke up was looking at a plate of cold hash browns, toast, and scrambled eggs. I wolfed down my breakfast, took a quick shower, and headed towards where I thought my host was last. As I tried to remember, I bumped into a centaur who was walking through the hall. He didn't look as scared as one of the slaves, but he was cautious and wary. I apologized for bumping him and turned to go down the hallway when I saw his tattoo. It startled me a bit, thinking that there was a snake in my face, but I calmed my over-active imagination and realized that it was his arm. I felt kind of stupid for assuming that a snake was loose when I heard a voice behind me. "He's not in his study, you know. He went to the balcony on the north terrace." I turned around rather quickly to look at the person who had spoken and saw only tall, dark, and tattooed. He smiled and gently shook his head. "You aren't very good with directions, are you," he said. I raised my eyebrows at him—I do that when I'm slightly irritated—and was about to stalk off when he offered to show me the way. I thought about it for a moment, then accepted his offer. He introduced himself as Snake. He told me about the council, the "servants", and the inner workings of the palace. He also let loose a little venom when the subject turned to the "master" of the place. It was very obvious that Snake just plain didn't like the guy. Just as we were about to enter a carved marble arch, Snake held back. I looked at him questioningly, to which he replied, "His feelings towards me are mutual." "Ah!" I thought. "Now we're getting somewhere!" I entered the arched entry way and found my host reclining in a chair. As soon as he saw me, he stood up and greeted me, asking polite questions such as, "Did you sleep well?"

Lunch was a light meal, and quite enjoyable. Some mead, good food, and, as I thought at the time, good company.

Days passed and the ebb and flow was quite the same, day in and day out. I would eat breakfast in my room and then all other meals eaten with my host. In the back of my mind was the sword and I thought that my host just might have some information about it. I was walking to the balcony where we usually talked, and stopped right in the doorway as a heard an angry voice. I gathered my courage and walked in, not knowing what I might face. The minotaur was standing up, and I had a feeling that something had irritated him quite badly. As I looked closer, I saw a little lad. He was quivering with fear, probably knowing what would come next. When my host saw me, he straightened up and tried to look like he hadn’t just been caught threatening a child. My gaze was on the lad, his skinny form shivering in a corner. “Why is he in trouble?” I asked. It took my host a few moments to calm his already flaring temper.“The boy is a thief,” he snarled. He glared at the lad, more than likely trying to figure out what to do with him. I know that it may not have been the smartest thing I've ever done, but I picked up an apple that had been sitting on the marble table, and handed it to the lad. "Here you go," I said. He looked up at me with beautiful brown eyes, then scampered from the room as fast as his four little legs could carry him. I smiled at the sight and then turned to my host. I'd already talked to Snake enough to know why all the servants were so thin, the history of their servatiude, and the knowlege thatdeath waited for those who disobeyed the slightest rule or order, but scaring a five year old? That was beyond what I could take. My expression started to match my mood, showing a frown of disappointment. "You scum," I said. "Having slaves is bad enough, but treating them like rubbish, and threatening children? I thought that no one could be that cruel. But you just proved me wrong!" I stared into his eyes, waiting for a response. He caught me off guard."You know nothing of how things should work. Centaurs are a lesser race, below the minotaurs, who should rule over them. I never thought much of humans, but I see potential in you. Take back what you said, and I will forgive you for saying such a foolish thing, Amethyst." I glared at him, even madder. Centaurs are intelligent beings, just like humans or dragons. He had taken it way too far. I had a mind to bolt to my room and grab my sword, but I knew he was faster. "Never, you scum!" I hissed. He suddenly got very angry and grabbed me, his right hand around my throat. He carried me all the way down the stairs to the main gathering place. As he walked, I could see with my peripheral vision the centaurs move like a tide. They looked shocked that he would turn on me, but they did nothing to help. Suddenly, he stopped. I could hear Snake's voice. "You've taken our village as slaves and killed many of us. Why kill her too? She's done nothing except hurting your pride." The minotaur just snarled and pushed past him. Just as suddenly as he had picked me up, he threw me to the ground. It hurt, but nothing was broken. "Run," the minotaur growled, "and try to get out. If you do, I might just let live and be my servant. Otherwise, you'd make a lovely wall hanging..." With each word, he moved closer, his hooves pounding the cold stone. I scooted back as well as I could, trying to stay away from his feet, but he had backed me into a wall. Then he leaned over and opened a door, revealing a maze of stone that the Greeks had built many long years ago. He shoved me one last time and I found myself in pitch black as he slammed the heavy stone door shut, barring it with a slab of granite.

I was frightened and momentarily crazed. Being half dragon, adrenaline affects me differently than most. My mind races and I get hyper beyond belief, so I've learned not to get hyped-up too often, but it's not easy when you've just been thrown into a labyrinth. I looked around in the darkness for something to light and use as a torch, but my eyes weren't properly adjusted for the darkness, so I was quite blind. Thankfully, dragons have excellent night vision, so after a few moments, I was seeing quite well. I knew I was a goner because I hate mazes, even though I have a knack for them. I slumped against a slime and moss covered wall, wonder what I was going to do. Then, the stench of the labyrinth wasn't as bad. I could smell fresh air coming in from the north, so I followed my nose and watched my step, wary of booby traps that could be hidden in the dirt. It felt like hours before I got to the entrance.

The light almost blinded me as I squinted, trying to find a safe place. When my vision cleared up, I saw what I was up against. The minotaur was standing in the center of what seemed to be an arena. I looked up to examine the walls only to see worried faces gazing down at me, pitying me. The minotaur looked as sour as grapes. "So," he said, "you managed to make it out. Since that's the case, then I get to have a little fun finishing you off!" With that, he drew his battle axe, a beauty made of carved steel, a full 5 feet across, and started swinging it. I just barely managed to dodge the first stroke when I remembered something from a conversation with Snake. He had told me that the axe was tipped with a deadly poison, one that could kill within seconds of cutting the skin. I was unarmed, so I could only dodge and duck, moving with grace and speed. I was scared out of my mind at the time, so my instincts and self-defense training kicked in. It was a full five minutes before I had an opening. The minotaur had loosened his grip on the axe ever so slightly. I took that opportunity to grab the axe. I swung it in an arc, trying to pierce the skin. Since the axe weighed at least 400 pounds, I could only manage one swing. "Huh," the minotaur snorted, "you missed!" He leaned towards me, trying to grab the handle of the axe. "No. I didn't miss." Then he placed his hand on his cheek and felt a small trickle of blood as it came down. His breathing suddenly became labored and heavy, and his eyes looked startled. Then, his body fell backwards, his face towards the roof, as he breathed his last. When the centaurs saw that he was dead, there was a deafening shout of joy. They were free from the minotaur, and I was a hero. Centaurs crowded around me, thanking me and cheering. I was a bit tired from the fight, but I smiled. I was a hero, and I'd have a wonderful story to tell to my friends when I got back home. If it hadn't been for the crowd supporting me from every side, I would have fallen down as my legs turned to jelly.

To make a long story short, there was a feast held, in honor of their regained freedom. I sat with the elders at the feast, as was fitting of a hero. During the meal, I was able to ask about the sword. They looked very surprised that all I wanted was the sword, but they gave it to me, as well as many invitations to come back.

It's funny how a little thing, like looking for a sword, can become such a good and grand thing.