Story so far
With the Ash Lord dead and the battle won, Apollonius au Valii-Rath comes to collect on Darrow's bargain, tapping the bomb still ticking in his skull. Darrow, choosing this day to be a man of his word amid all his ruin, deactivates the brain-bomb and grants him Venus—'yours, if you can take her.' But when Apollonius demands the Carthii and Saud hostages he was promised, Darrow reneges—the Republic needs them to escape the planet's guns—and slams the shuttle ramp shut, leaving the Minotaur staring after him in rage. Master of his homeworld once more but cheated of his prize, Apollonius is loosed upon Venus, a wild card in the war to come.
Appearance
A towering Gold in battered baroque purple Minotaur armor, tawny skin, coiled golden mane, hot-coal eyes; blood-streaked from the battle, the surgical scar on his skull now inert.
Role
Darrow's freed war criminal; the Minotaur granted Venus but cheated of his hostages, loosed enraged upon his homeworld.
Relationships
Darrow — The Reaper who frees him and grants him Venus but reneges on the hostages, earning his rage.
Ash Lord — The enemy he helped destroy, his vengeance complete.
Tharsus — His brother and the remnant of his house, as he reclaims Venus for Valii-Rath.
Sources — 8 recorded facts, by chapter
Chapter 27
- The magnificent, monstrous 'Minotaur of Mars,' a war criminal of terrifying strength whom Darrow frees from Deepgrave as his key to Venus.
Chapter 33
- The remade, monstrously eloquent Minotaur, betrayed by his brother and bound to Darrow's Venus coup by a brain-bomb and the promise of revenge.
Chapter 44
- Returns to Venus a living legend, reclaims his father's island and loyal centurion, and confronts the brother who sold him to the Ash Lord.
Chapter 45
- Breaks his traitor brother with cruelty and theatrical mercy, sparing his life to rebuild their house—and turns the coup toward raising an army.
Chapter 52
- Rallies the last 911 of his legion with a thunderous speech and leads them into the Ash Lord's guns as the decoy that opens the fortress.
Chapter 53
- Storms the Ash Lord's tower to save Darrow from a scalping, annihilating the guard four-to-one and embracing the Reaper as a fellow legend.
Chapter 59
- Reveals he secretly poisoned the Ash Lord years ago, savors the withered warlord's ruin, and burns him alive at the end.
Chapter 64
- Freed of the skull-bomb and granted Venus, the Minotaur is left enraged when Darrow keeps the noble hostages he was promised.