Battle Out Of Time
By Dwight V. Swain
Burke knew of the ancient Bronze Age and
its legend of the dread Minotaur. But he didn't
know he was about to become a vital part of it!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
August 1957
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
An utter dark lay upon the hills outside the palace now, moonless andwith clouds drawn heavy all across the Cretan sky.
Wind, too, had come with the night, rising till Burke found himselffearing for the shutters. The lamps flared on their stands with eachnew gust and draft. Light flickered orange and yellow on Ariadne'slovely face, eddying through the shadows so that the tentacles of thefrescoed octopi on the walls seemed to writhe and twist and turn....
Burke laughed without mirth. It was that mad a moment.
And that dangerous.
For while he might find temporary cover here with Ariadne, in theseprivate quarters beyond the Queen's Megaron, death yet bayed at hisheels.
Already, bearded King Minos himself no doubt paced some other palacehall—thirsting for Burke blood; raging in jealous fury that anyoutlander should dare aspire to his lovely daughter.
That slavering Greek lecher, Theseus, too—it was lucky he lay deaddrunk there in the corner. Sober, and confronted with a rival, he'dkill just to salve his wounded ego.
And then, as if that were not enough of peril, there was ... the other.
Involuntarily, Burke shuddered.
What chance did a mere human have, pitted against the dark craft of thealien? Where could he hope to find the strength and skill and insightto win over the strange horror from beyond the void?
Yet with Ariadne's life at stake, Earth's whole future in the balance,how could he turn back?
No; he had no choice but to press on; seek out and challenge the mightof that nightmare monster men called the Minotaur.
He couldn't help find it surprising, though, that in the face of suchhe still had it in him to notice the play of light on decorativemotifs. Truly, the strange twist of mind that seemed to pervade thisweird Mediterranean realm had claimed him for its own!
But to dare the Labyrinth, the Minotaur....
Almost without thinking, Burke rested a hand on the worn Smith & Wessonin his belt; then, bleakly, laughed again.
Ariadne moved uneasily beside him. Her words came halting anduncertain: "You—you are amused, my lord Dionysus...?"
Irritation boiled up in Burke—quick anger that he should have lethimself forget even for a moment the desperate urgency of his task.How could he play the fool so—here, now, at a time when every breath,every second, brought inevitable disaster closer?
It added up to tension that had to find an outlet. Savagely, he lashedout at Ariadne: "For the hundredth time, girl: I'm not Dionysus, not agod. I'm Dion Burke, that's all. A man, like any other—"
Hurt came to the great dark eyes. A tear-mist veil blurred the glow ofawe and adoration. The soft lips quivered.
But only for a moment. Then, contritely, the girl bowed her head.Jet ringlets glistened in the lamplight. Bringing up slim hands, shecrossed them upon the firm young breasts that she wore bared in thetraditional Minoan style. "Your pardon, my lord