Alara sighed, she was out of options. Her stock of wyvern blood had just run out and she had a huge potion order due soon. The only person who would have the quantity she needed on such short notice was Archmage Jalens. Unfortunately the archmage was not one to welcome visitors, sealing his laboratory away behind a magical maze.
Tossing her bag over her shoulder, Alara grabbed her spell book and staff and stood in front of her door. A short invocation and the edges of the door glowed a faint lilac. Opening the door revealed a damp hallway, the entrance to the maze. Resigned, she stepped in, the door slamming shut behind her.
Staff glowing, she made haste through the corners and turns of the maze. She was beginning to doubt the dreadful tales of the unbeatable labyrinth. It had taken barely half an hour before she stood at a large wooden door. There was no handle, but this was obviously the exit. The light on her staff turned violet as she swept it over the door, revealing the sigil barring her path.
Alara was so absorbed studying the sigil before her she barely heard the hoofbeats before it was too late. She threw herself out of the way as a towering shape slammed into the door. She got to her feet as the dust cleared. Towering over her was a minotaur. Easily nine feet tall and covered in black fur, it huffed and lowered its head, pawing at the ground as it prepared to charge.
She braced herself to meet the charge, and runes on her staff blazed as she held it aloft. The minotaur charged but was stopped short as it slammed into an invisible barrier. The force of the impact knocked Alara backwards, feet sliding along the ground as she fought to keep her stance. Enraged, the minotaur brought its heavy fists down again and again, slamming into her shield.
Straining under the assault, Alara knew she had to try something, she couldn't hold him off much longer. Seizing her moment as he pulled his fist back, she dropped the shield and struck. Fist-sized balls of energy shot from her outstretched hand, slamming into the minotaur's chest and exploding in a burst of violet sparks. As the light cleared, her heart sunk The minotaur still stood. Shaking its head it roared and swung a heavy fist toward her. Alara panicked and tried to raise her shield but it was too late. The fist collided with her shield, then pushed through as the barrier shattered with a soft pop.