14 October 2012
As the young man roused to his senses, he saw beings in worn-out, hooded, dark cloaks float over him, towards the source of the light. Hurriedly, he rose to his feet and retrieved his sword, only to watch the sky turn red. Then he was hit by another mysterious vision; 'Help me brother!' a voice said to his mind and he saw his sister.
"Sophia?" He whispered. "Sophia! I'm coming!!" He screamed and ran down the trail, determined to save his sister from the hooded beings now encircling her. Thunder roared answering his called, lightning flashed and the sky shed its blood. Even as each red droplet hit the forest floor, the young man heard a song being sung. The song stopped him in his tracks and like magic he was removed from the trance.
"Sophia?" He said, realising that it wasn't his sister and the creature's true form began to emerge. It let out a hair raising screech, followed by a horrid laughter and it swallowed the hooded beings. Boils began to form all over his sister's skin and she contorted herself into impossible positions. The boils began to merge and a green puss oozed, setting fire to the ground beneath and the sweet song he heard ceased.
The young man watch transfixed in horror as something emerged through the merged boils on his sisters skin, then he saw his sister explode and something more malign emerged; while bits of flesh littered the surrounding forest floor. The creature was huge, as large as the tallest tree in the forest, with green scaly skin that oozed green puss. It had three long necks that it stretched forth, beyond the limits of the canopy and three heads sat upon each neck. It lowered its heads, shifting its large bulk; each head was different and yet similar in the terror they gave.
The young man felt his heart race and his hands felt clammy, he felt stifled and trapped within the suit of armour; and even though he had thoughts of fleeing, he remained. He wanted adventure, a heroic tale and now he had found one but his fear buried his courage. As though reading his thoughts, the creature laughed a deep rumbling laugh, which the young man felt rush through his body. The creature reached forth with its clawed hands and the young man screamed the words of protection; the lightning heard his call and struck the beast.
Courage replaced fear and the young man raised his sword and ran towards the beast, silently speaking words of fire and his sword was engulfed in it. If it feels pain then maybe he could slay this vile beast, or so the young man thought. And so he swung a wild arc across the beast's front, only to have it's hand knock him to the side. Then he knew what this creature was, such things were far from the divine and enemies of the forests. It was a creature that was well known and feared, the demon of the forest, which had slain many; including the young man's mother.
With new conviction he used a forbidden spell and was filled with an essence, the essence of the fallen. He became a new being, a creature of war and of violence, and he cut a swift, steady arc, removing the creature's arm. It shrieked and swung a slimy, scaly tail but the young man sliced it away, and then he launched himself into the air and lopped off all three of its heads. The creature was dead and lay unmoving on the forest floor, the rain changed colour and the sky returned to normal.
He had searched for a quest and realised that he could change his destiny, his fate was his choice. He realised that all ways were simply extensions of himself, while using the tools of the ways; he could do anything he wanted, it was all a matter of choice. Why couldn't a man of the cloth also slay demons as a Knight... The young man sheathed his sword and considered how he would carry his quarry but then he saw the Knight in charge of the trial of the blade, the Knight dismounted all the while watching the young man.
"What have you done?" The Knight asked. "I faced a demon and won." The young man replied with conviction. "Had it been that was so, then you would be named Demonslayer but instead you took a demon into yourself." The Knight said with sadness heavy in his voice. "You are Demontaker and so you shall be called." The Knight continued and mounted his steed. "Go now Demontaker for you are no longer welcome in our city. When you have removed the demonic essence within you then you may return and take your true name." The Knight informed the young man. "Your fate was your choice. I bid you adieu, Demontaker." The Knight said and his steed carried him into the forest.
The young man had passed his trial and had now become a man but he wondered, if it was worth the effort. Could he have defeated the beast another way? Perhaps, but this was what he had asked for, a quest to call his own. And so Demontaker continued down the trail towards the next city, hoping to find a way to remove the essence he had taken into himself.
© 2012 by Marcellus Amadeus
Heroic Quest Pt. 2 (Conc.) • Opuss № I