Page 28 of Taurus's Quest
“I’m sorry.”
“Why? They made their choices. They chose crime over working hard.” A harsh condemnation, and yet understandable.
“You never saw your family after you got chosen?”
He shook his head. “Seemed better not to, as I might have felt obliged to do something about their injurious actions.”
“Do you like being a Zodiac Warrior?”
He took a moment to reply. “Yeah, even though it’s hard at times.”
“Seems like an understatement, seeing as how you’re expected to put yourself in danger.”
“That’s actually the easy part. If I can fight, then I can put a stop to what’s causing harm. The difficulty is when the hunt for the culprit takes too long and innocents are hurt because I haven’t done my job.”
“Spoken like a true hero,” she murmured. That kind of selflessness had become rare in a world where people catered more to their personal needs than those of others.
“Seems to me you’ve got a bit of it too.”
“How do you figure?”
“Despite those mocking, you’ve continued to try and make people see the truth. You didn’t give up.”
“That was more me trying to save my reputation,” she scoffed.
“Proving your information was correct, though, and would have made the difference between humanity living or dying.”
“Wish I’d done a better job because, at this point, even if anyone did believe me, it’s likely too late to muster a counter to the asteroid.”
“Which is why our quest is so important.”
“You truly think we can stop the impact.”
“I don’t just think, I know. This is what the Zodiac Warriors were created for. Pitting ourselves against impossible odds for the good of all.”
It sounded so noble until she remembered they thought a true copy of the Antikythera mechanism, along with some kind of rock, would solve the asteroid problem. It sounded ridiculous. However, what other choice did she have? Return to the observatory and the frustration of seeing the coming disaster that no one would take seriously? Or trust this man imbued with a magical power?
“Guess I might as well give your crazy idea a shot.”
“That’s the spirit!”
She snorted. “So long as we’re clear, I’m the brains, and you’re the brawn. If we do locate the Labyrinth, I expect you to handle the monsters.”
“With pleasure.”
“At least the minotaur that used to guard it should be dead.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Legends have a way of surviving.”
“That’s not reassuring,” she muttered.
“Bah. Pretty sure I can handle a bullheaded man.” He winked at her, and she couldn’t help but smile.
The man might not have made the best initial first impression, but the more they spoke, the more she found herself enjoying his charm.
“Look, a shooting star!” he pointed. “Make a wish.”
Easy.
