Roger and the girls strolled through a long stone corridor from the giant entrance, where torches stammered the pathway on columns in reddish and yellow light. It looked ancient, although the stone structures appeared to be fresh, as if the underworld builders had constructed it yesterday. Whoever maintained the Hall of Judgement could be using magic for all Roger could know.

“Who controls this place?” Roger whispered.

“King Minos,” Labda answered, “the stepfather of the Minotaur.”

“How did he become in charge of the hall?”

“He is the son of Zeus. Although evil, his father requested Hades to give Minos a job instead of going to the Tartarus. Hades needed someone to judge the dead, and Minos proved to be suitable.”

“Do all children of the gods get passes?”

The Cerberus shrugged.

“Sometimes, but regardless, Zeus loved his offsprings,” said Labda. “We’ll do the talking to Minos. He will let us through.”

Roger hoped so, but he never believed the people should give a tyrant power. He knew King Minos sacrificed many people to the Minotaur before Theseus killed the monster. For his crimes, the daughters of King Cocalus killed King Minos by boiling him alive in his own bath. Was Zeus so soft, he never watched one of his children committed evil acts against innocent lives? The Greek gods must be a family of complicated beings.

Toward the end, Roger and the Cerberus women stopped inside an enormous chamber. A tall marble desk stood at the center in front of them, surrounded by three pathways. A golden saucer bowl with flames hung over the desk beneath the domed ceiling. Indeed, this was the chamber where all souls get judged for their goodness or crimes.

“King Minos!” Katina shouted. “Hey, buddy! Where the Hades are you?”

“He’s not here,” a deep voice echoed from behind the desk. “I took care of him.”

Katina growled. “Show yourself!”

The voice chuckled as a seven feet tall human form with a bull-shaped head marched into the light, holding a two-handed ax. His top half was bulky and fuzzy, with a mass neck of muscles. He had a snotty nostril with a gleaming brass ring, cruel yellow eyes, and horns sharp as an electric sharpener. Only a leather skirt was the only thing the monster wore.

Roger took his battle position after he instantly recognized the creature to be the Minotaur from stories he heard about. And based on the creature’s glaring face, he knew the Minotaur wanted blood.

“What have you done with the judge of the dead?” Cilla exclaimed.

The Minotaur laughed. “My bastard father is rotting in the Tartarus, thanks to King Acrisius. I am now in charge here. None shall pass me!”

“Are you insane?” Labda exclaimed. “Without Minos, the souls cannot pass without judgment! They will spread everywhere like a flood, unbalancing the Underworld!”

The Minotaur spat on the floor. “Punishing my father for torturing me in the labyrinth was the only matter to me. If anyone desires to get through, they will need to fight me.” He grinned. “Do you accept my challenge?”

“Oh, heck yeah!” Katina shouted with joy and drew out her swords. “We’ll turn you into ground beef for supper, bitch!”

The Minotaur chuckled in amazement. “Then let your judgment begin.”