The Greatest Monster Slayer

The village didn’t question Silas when he told them the stories.

His mother was a storyteller, you see, and she would gather the children around the bonfire with a bottle of cherry ale in one hand, and tell them all about the way her husband - Silas’ father - used to defeat the demons plaguing the Great Forest. The children sat and listened in awe, flames reflected in their wide eyes as she told of the monster slayer’s feats. Silas listened too.

When his mother became ill with the fever that had claimed his father, she said to him, “Silas, you must tell the stories. Let them know of your father’s victories.”

He promised he would.

That was his first lie.

“I took my silver dagger and sliced it across the giant’s ankles. He yelled with a mighty roar and toppled to the ground before my feet!” The men at the bar roared at Silas’ triumphant finish. Silas had become familiar with the way he spun his tales. Not ‘my father’ but ‘I’; he would be the greatest monster slayer. Silas took a silent vow as he began the next story.

Meanwhile, inside the kingdom’s castle sat a troubled king. King Theodore was out of ideas.

What was the cause you may ask, the root of King Theodore’s problems took the form of an eight-legged, hairy-bodied, venomous demon creature that was currently spending its nights hunting the villagers that lived close to the forest. Soon it would grow tired of peasant flesh and come looking for royalty.

He’d tried everything from expert hunters to his own royal knights.

Each time the creature managed to live, even taking several men with it. This was his last hope. He had heard rumours of a monster slayer by the name of Silas, a great man who had even defeated giants.

The heavy throne room doors swung open as two of his guards ushered a slight brown haired boy who looked barely 16 years of age.

The kingdom was doomed.

“You are the demon slayer Silas?” King Theodore sounded uncertain.

“That is what I’m known as Your Majesty.” Silas bowed deeply and awaited the king’s response.

“Can you defeat the spider creature?”

“But of course Your Majesty.”

“You do not appear to possess such gifts such as sorcery or witch craft, nor are you stronger than any of my men, how do you propose to kill the monster?”

Tiny beads of sweat began to form on Silas’ brow and he carefully wiped his hands on the back of his trousers

“Have faith Your Majesty! It will be done.” Silas’ smile felt tight across his face as if a clown had pulled his cheeks back to reveal the frightened imposter.

As soon as the sun dipped behind the mountains and the sky grew old and dark, he set out towards the forest. King Theodore had insisted he take his strongest fighter, a knight called Pembrook who stood several inches taller and was at least three times heavier than Silas himself. The king had promised a substantial sum of money for the head of the creature; enough to feed a village for a year.

The gears in Silas’ head turned at a rapid speed as he concocted his plan to take on the beast.

A low hissing sound followed by several clicks stopped them in their tracks Pembrook drew his sword. The air was foggy and not even moonlight illuminated the shadows around them. Silas made a quick decision and said,

“Sir Pembrook wait here while I go confront the beast, if I should require your services I will shout thrice.” Pembrook nodded and Silas squeezed his small body through the thicket of trees with white webs that clung to every branch.

Who dares enter my forest?

“It is I Silas. I have an offer to propose”

A deal? What have you to offer?

“If you agree to stop eating in the villagers, in exchange I will give you the kingdom's strongest and best knight” Silas’ voice barely trembled as he faced the darkness.

What's to stop me from killing you now young boy?

“I am your bargaining chip, I can bring you more men. Everyone here respects me, even the king!” There was a slight pause in the hissing as the monster considered the offer.

Very well, I agree, but if you don’t return with what you promised, I will find and kill you.

With a tight feeling in his chest Silas called out three times. Swift as the rivers they had crossed, Pembrook burst through with his sword gleaming in the moon light. He faced the beast, ready. Silas crept behind him and with a sudden force, thrust his weight into Pembrook’s back, towards the open jaws of the creature. After swallowing what was left of the poor knight, the creature spoke,

That was not enough to satisfy me, I will require two more.

Silas nodded feeling a small lump in his throat.

As promised, he was permitted to leave, and with a final bow, he began his journey back to the king.

“And what of Pembrook?” The king’s eyes scanned the court for his best fighter.

“Your Highness, I bring grave news,” the back of Silas’s neck began to tingle, “we were not able to defeat the great monster. Even as we speak, the brave knight Sir Pembrook keeps the beast at bay.’’

“I thought you said you could defeat this beast?”

“Your Majesty of course, I have simply returned to request two more knights as this is my most difficult battle yet.”

King Theodore sighed. With a tired look in his eyes, and a feeble wave of his hand, two knights stepped forth.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.’’ And with a bow Silas began the journey once more.

Do you have what I want?

“Of course I do, I am a man of my word. So you must keep your end of the deal as well.” A hiss and several clicks echoed around them.

Hmmm, but I am not satisfied, bring me three more and we shall see.

By this point, Silas had begun to grow fearful. The king would surely question the loss of six knights, Silas could not afford to go back a third time.

“Oh powerful creature, I have brought already three of the strongest knights in the kingdom. I have seen with my own eyes the other men of the king’s court and they are not worthy of your time. Alas, I have heard rumours of the knights from the neighbouring kingdom. All forty-more big and strong as the rest, perhaps it would be wise to venture west.” A silence fell across the darkened woodlands as Silas held his breath in wait.

West you say?

Silas let out his breath in quiet relief

‘’Yes Great One, west over the hills and river.’’ He pointed out into the distance past the cluster of branches, ignoring the string of cocoons that hung from the canopy above.

You must lead the way, for I am not from here.

Eager to make the creature leave so that he may collect the money which the king still held, Silas agreed too quickly.

“Why of course, I will take you there myself.”

Silas marched forward confidently, forgetting that behind him, was still in fact, a deadly monster. Before he could react, a sharp pain began to spread from his stomach. He looked down blinking through the dim green light that now began to cloud his vision, to see a spindly, barb laced with venom had gone right through him.

“You lied! We made a deal!” Silas cried out as the monster lifted him towards the nest of suspiciously large cocoons.

I am a monster, it is in our nature to lie.

As the creature began to wrap Silas up into his own sheathe of steel-like silk, he shouted,

“You cannot kill me, I am the greatest monster slayer there ever was!”

That was his last lie