Story - Shadow Walker: Man or Monster?

I was asked to tell a story, so here you go:

The Minotaur was said to have the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man. It was also said that he had the cunning and wisdom of a man with the strength of a bull. You???ll hear of his strength, but never of his cunning. The Minotaur was an amazingly intelligent person. I refuse to refer to him as a monster or a beast, as others do, for he was neither. He was not at fault for his bad parenting. His mother was the queen of Crete and his father was a perfect white bull. King Minos didn???t want his people to know of his stepson and Queen Pasiphae didn???t want to be connected with want she saw as a monstrous creature, so Minos had an inventor build a huge maze. The Minotaur was then placed into this Labyrinth. In the story you know, every year seven young Athenian men and women were thrown into the Labyrinth, where the Minotaur ate them. This went on for years, until the prince of Athens, Theseus, was thrown in. The stories say he killed the Minotaur and made it out of the maze with its head. Of course, you can???t always believe everything you hear.
I came to Crete a few of years after the Labyrinth had been built. It was a fascinating structure, and I decided to explore it. The way light and shadows played with each other was a slight to behold. I wasn???t paying much attention to anything else when I stumbled upon the Minotaur. From the looks of him, he hadn???t eaten in far too long and seemed to be allowing himself to die. This was no terrifying monster, merely a man who had been wrongly cursed by the gods. His eyes were closed, and he seemed as though he didn???t notice my approach. My heart went out to him. Cautiously, I stepped towards him.
???Who are you????
He looked up, pain and sorrow written on his face. He just stared at me for a few minutes, making me wonder if he was capable of answering. Finally, in a soft hollow voice he stated, ???My name is Asterius, though those who know of me call me the Minotaur. Have you been thrown in as a sacrifice as well????
I looked at his surprised. ???Sacrifice? Nay, I am Shadow Walker, and I have come here of my own free will.???
His eyes seemed to bury deep into me. ???Then you have come to kill me.??? It was not a question, simply a statement. ???No one comes into the Labyrinth without reason. I am here because it is my prison. The king would not have his wife???s sin known.???
I shook my head. ???Kill you? On what grounds? Have you done a crime? Did you do something worthy of death????
He slowly stood up. I was amazed by this, for he did not look as though he had the strength left in him. ???Look at me, man who comes of his own will. I was born, that is crime enough.???
???Who would dare say such? By that thought all men deserve death.???
He wavered slightly and sank back to the ground. ???Not all men are born a monster.???
???A man is not to be judged by appearance alone.???
He was silent for a while after that. He didn???t seem to know what to make of me. If my guess was correct, those who saw him ran in terror and screamed beast. I do not think he had ever had someone talk to him as though he were human. After some time he asked, ???Why are you here????
???I was passing through Crete and saw this place. It looked interesting, so I came to explore. I was not expecting to find anyone in it.???
He closed his eyes again and leaned his head back against the wall. ???How did you get passed the guards????
???I control the shadows. They could not see me.???
???Then you are a god????
???Yes.???
He took a deep breath. ???I had thought the gods had given up on me. What god would want to be known as aiding a monster???? I was about to say something, but he continued. ???I have never been able to properly worship you or yours, but I would be so bold as to beg a boon. Kill me. What little food I have found here I have eaten look ago, and I will not eat those the king throws in here.???
I looked at him for a long time. ???I could get you out of here. I could find you a place where you will not be harmed.???
He gave his head the tiniest shake. ???I do not believe there is such a place. If I thought for a moment I could live without being scorned and hated I would have left here by now. I have lived in this maze for years; I know where everything is. Of course, leaving would also mean I???d have to kill the guards. I will not kill them for obeying their king. No, I have no hope of leaving. It would be far more merciful to just kill me.???
???And they call you the monster???? I did not try to hide the disdain in my voice. ???You are far more of a man than those who keep you trapped in here. You deserve better than this place.???
He opened his eyes and looked at me. It felt like he was trying to look into my soul. ???I deserve nothing but death. And my death will be the only thing that???ll make me leave here.??? After a moment, he looked away. ???And maybe with my death, the king will stop killing innocent men and women. If I were to die, he would have no man-eating monster to sacrifice them to.???
???You would rather die than let someone else die???? The more we talked, the more I wanted to free him.
???Yes.???
???If I were to start bringing you food, would you eat it????
???Why should I prolong my life????
???If you die here, now, no one but I would know. The king would continue to throw people into here because he would think you were alive. If, however, one were sent into here that could bring back evidence that you were dead, the king would have no choice but to believe.???
He thought for a moment. ???You are right. I will eat and I will go to the entrance. I will allow the next group to kill me and bring back my body as proof to the king.???
I looked at him sadly. ???You wish for death that much????
His eyes burned with a life I did not think they had anymore. ???No. I, like any other man, wish for life. But I can never truly have life because of what I am. Therefore, if my death will let others live, I will gladly give it.???
His answer gave me a certain amount of hope for him. If he had no wish for life, I could do nothing for him. But he wanted to live. He wanted to live without people calling him a monster, wanted to live without causing harm to others. If I could find some place for him to live I was sure he would take it. ???What do you eat????
???Plants mostly. I have tried meat and found it not to my liking. Plants, fruits and vegetables are what I prefer to eat. It is what is best suited for both my human and bull side.???
???I will bring you back the best that I can.??? I left and returned as quickly as I could with fresh figs and other fruits. He ate hungrily. I let him finish before I began to speak again. ???If there was a way to convince the king that you were dead and get you out of here, would you take it????
He shook his head slightly. ???And where would I go? I cannot picture men acting much differently towards me elsewhere.???
???I have traveled much of the world. There are lands that men have never touched. I could take you to such a place. You could grow a garden, have all you???d ever need.???
He looked at me for a moment. ???It does sound nice. But I do not believe you could find a way to do such. It???s not every day you???ll meet someone who looks like me.???
I smiled slightly. ???Oh, I???ve got some ideas.??? He had the head of a bull. If I could talk some would be hero into going into the Labyrinth and bringing out a bull's head, the king would probably believe his so-called monster to be dead. And I was not overly worried about finding such a man. All I had to do was find out the where he got his victims from and talk to one of them. I was sure any would jump at the chance to become a hero and save his and who knows how many other lives.
I left the Labyrinth and headed for the castle. I decided to stay in the shadows and watch instead of roaming as a cat. I figured I???d be able to learn more that way. I had been wandering through the shadows for a couple of weeks, making sure to bring food to Asterius regularly, when I heard the king???s daughter, Ariadne, talking to her father.
???Father, must you send the ship. It has been years since my brother died in Athens. And those your men kidnap had nothing to do with it. Why must you continue to kill people who are not at fault????
???Hold you tongue. All of Athens is at fault. I will not stop until they have suffered as I have, until their king knows what it???s like.???
???But father, one man died in Athens. You take fourteen every year.???
???A hundred of their men could not match up to my son. The ship leaves today.???
???But father??????
???Silence! I will hear no more.???
Ariadne fled from her father in fear. It caused her great distress that he would not be reasoned with. I followed her back to her room. She closed her door and fell on the bed sobbing. I stepped out of the shadows.
???Peace, fair maiden, stop your tears.???
She jumped up and looked at me in terror. I felt bad for scaring her but needed to talk.
???I will not harm you. I could not help but overhear you speaking to your father. I think I know of a way to put an end to this. But I may need your help.???
???Who,??? her voice trembled slightly, ???who are you????
I bowed to her. ???I am merely a shadow, no one of importance. You, however, are the king???s daughter. You may know more than most. What can you tell me of the Labyrinth????
???What are you going to do to me????
???To you, fair maid? Nothing. But I wish to put an end to what your father is doing. If you can tell me anything, it would be a great help.???
???How are you going to do that? My father is a powerful man.???
???I cannot do much on my own. I can, however, aid someone in killing the Minotaur. If someone were to bring the king its head, would that put an end to this madness????
???Can that be done? The Minotaur is a vile, evil beast. It is said to be stronger and faster than any man. And should someone actually kill it, how would he make it out of the maze? It is said to be impossible to escape.???
???The Minotaur has its weaknesses, like any other creature. The maze may be trickier. Do you not know of anything????
She thought for a moment. ???There is a way. When the Labyrinth was built, my father had a special thread woven. All a man has to do is tie it to a stone at the front of the maze and let it trail behind him. It will lead him back to the entrance.???
???Is there a way you could get this to someone????
???Father made sure that those of importance had some of it, just in case. But how can I trust you? How do I know you will not just take it and run????
???You need not give it to me. Once I leave here, I am going to Athens to find a hero who can kill the Minotaur.??? I felt a little bad for lying to her, but I knew Asterius would be safer if everyone thought him dead. ???You can give the thread to him the night before he is thrown into the Labyrinth. But again I must ask, would it actually stop your father from going to Athens for more people to kill????
She looked down, deep in thought. ???He might. If the man were to return to Athens my father might be too afraid to go after him. But I could not say for sure.???
I nodded slightly. ???It is the best we can hope for. Take care, fair maiden. I must reach Athens before your father???s men do.??? I did not wait for her to say goodbye before I walked back into the shadows. I realized this was going to be a little more difficult than I had originally thought. I would have to find someone of a bit more importance than the normal person. This man would have to be someone the king would fear. I hurried to Athens as quickly as I could.
I was in for a pleasant surprise when I got there. The king of Athens long lost son had returned to the city but a week before. Theseus had gone through many trails before reaching Athens, and the people were celebrating him as a hero. This was good news for my goal. Theseus was already thought of as a hero, and he was the king???s son. King Minos would surely delight in throwing him into the Labyrinth. And I was sure that should Theseus return, Minos would leave Athens alone. I waited until he was alone to speak to him.
???Son of the king,??? I questioned from the shadows, ???are you aware of the plight of your people????
He looked around startled. ???Who???s there???? he asked, drawing his sword. ???Are you a coward, that you would hide from me????
???Who I am is of little importance. Who you are, however, is what matters. So again I ask, are you aware of the plight of your people???? I moved from shadow to shadow, preventing him from pinpointing me. I needed to make him believe I had power, to be sure he would follow my instructions.
???What are you babbling about? Just who are you????
???Then you do not know things you should. Every year the king of Crete takes seven young men and women from this city, where he sends them into a maze called the Labyrinth. He believes that they are eaten by one he threw in there when it was first built. Instead, they wander lost until they starve, for,??? I paused for half a second before deciding not to use his name, ???the Minotaur would ne???er do such.??? I paused a moment, letting this sink in.
???You lie. My father would have told me if such were true.???
???You are said to be a hero. If it were true, would you not go to the aid of your people and put an end to this????
???Of course I would.???
???And that is why your father did not tell you. He did not wish to lose you right after you returned to him. But what I say to you is true.???
???What business is this of yours, even if it were true????
???I wish to free both the Minotaur and the people of Athens. I could easily save the Minotaur, ???I felt a little bad, not calling him by name, but I figured it would be better this way. ???But if I were, King Minos would continue to kill your people. If a hero from Athens were to enter and leave the Labyrinth with the head of the Minotaur, Minos would have to think twice before returning to Athens.???
???But you said you wished to free the Minotaur. How can I bring Minos his head and still free him????
???The Minotaur has the head of a bull. None would know the difference if you were to bring back his head or that of any bull. If he is believed??????
???You would save a monster???? His outcry angered me.
???He would sooner die than cause harm to another. How can you claim that to be a monster????
???But if it has the head of a bull.???
???He,??? I put emphasis on the word, ???is not at fault for how he was born. He is far more a man than King Minos.???
???I cannot believe that. And I will not aid such.???
I was a little surprised to find that I wanted to strike down Theseus, but I was able to keep my anger in check. Just as I could not fault Asterius for being what he was, I could not fault a man for fearing him on sight. ???Then you are condemning your people. None can make it out of the Labyrinth without the aid I can give. Listen to me, Theseus. I am giving you the chance to save your people and a hero who will be sung about for ages to come. All I ask is you bring back a false head and allow the man who is trapped there to go free. People for generations to come will believe you killed the Minotaur and freed your people from King Minos. Only you, I, and the Minotaur will know he is not dead. I am giving you the chance to be more than you are now, to do more than you could alone. Do not overlook this chance.???
Theseus stood there in thought. I could tell he did not like the thought of letting Asterius go free, but he also seemed to want the fame I was offering him. Finally, after some time he stated, ???Fine then. I shall do this. But if I find that that beast has harmed any of my people I will kill it.???
I knew that was the best I could hope for. ???Fair enough. When the men of Crete arrive, you are to state that you are one of the men to go. Once in Crete, you will talk to Minos. Tell him who you are, and make a deal that if you bring back the head of the Minotaur he will leave your people alone. After that deal is made, you will be introduced to his daughter, Ariadne, who will give you what you need to escape the Labyrinth. From there, I will meet you in the Labyrinth with the head. Are we clear????
???How do I know you will keep to your end? How do I know you will not just leave me there to die????
I narrowed my eyes and his shadow leapt from the ground and wrapped around him. Struggle as he might, he could not break the hold. ???If I meant to kill you, I would have done so already. This is the last time I will ask. Will you do as I said????
His eyes went wide with fright. ???What manner of??????? I used the shadow to squeeze him just slightly. ???Alright, alright. Yes, yes I???ll help you.???
???And one last thing,??? I said, releasing him. ???I was ne???er a part of this. The only one who helped you was Ariadne; you defeated the Labyrinth and the Minotaur on your own.???
I vaguely heard his chorus of yeses as I left the room. I had not wanted to resort strong-arm tactics, but he would not hear anything else. I hurried back to Crete, wishing to talk to Asterius and Ariadne before Theseus arrived. I found Asterius quickly, told him of my meeting with Theseus, and warned him to stay out of sight. He agreed, and I went to the palace to speak to Ariadne. I told her the man who would kill the Minotaur was named Theseus and he was the son of the king of Athens. She agreed that she would get the magically thread to him. I also requested that she not mention me, which she also agreed to. I then simply waited in the palace for Theseus and the other Athenians to arrive.
When they arrived, Theseus followed the first part of my instructions to the letter. I smiled from my hiding spot. As much as Theseus left a bad taste in my mouth, I had to admit he was a good talker. And King Minos fell for the bate better than I could have hoped for. Minos was so pleased at the thought of Athens losing their prince and so sure of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth that he readily agreed to the terms. Theseus was even able to convince Minos to put Theseus into the Labyrinth alone, so that he could prove he was the one who killed the Minotaur. Once the prisoners were thrown into the prison for the night, I helped hide Ariadne so she could give the thread to Theseus. Their exchange surprised me a little though.
???You are Theseus, prince of Athens, are you not???? Ariadne asked as she closed the prison door.
He looked at her in surprise. ???Yes, I am. And you are????
???Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. I,??? she glanced to the shadow she thought I was in, ???wish to help you and you???re people. But I have one condition.???
I was more startled by this than Theseus was. I didn???t know what I would do if he did not agree.
???You have but to name it.??? Theseus was looking at her with an odd expression. It took me a moment to realize that he must have been struck by Cupid???s Arrow.
???Take me back to Athens with you,??? I stared at her in disbelief from my hiding spot, ???as your wife.??? Had I been so blind as to not notice Cupid?
Theseus took her hand and kissed it. ???How could I refuse such beauty? Even if you were not to aid me, I would be more than happy to take you with me.???
Ariadne smiled and pulled out the magic thread. ???Here brave hero. Tie one end near the door and unwind it behind you. The thread will never break and all you need to do is follow it back to the entrance. Take this as well,??? she said, handing him a dagger. ???I know it is not your sword, but it is better than nothing.???
He took both gifts with a smile and a bow. ???My fair rose, I shall return if for no one else than you.???
A cough was heard from outside. ???I must go,??? she said softly. ???If I am found here, both are lives we be forfeit. Good luck, brave hero.??? She quickly walked out the door and closed it just as a guard turned the corner. Luckily I was faster and hid her in the shadows before she was seen. I wanted to question her as to why she had done what she had done. I wanted to yell at her for being a fool and tell her she could have lost what I had been working hard to accomplish. But I held my tongue. I had learned during my travels that people did foolish things when struck by Cupid???s Arrows. To yell at them would only push them away. Besides, both were still going along with my plan; she had simply added an unexpected twist.
When I returned her to her room, she turned to me. ???I???m sorry if I startled you, Shadow, but you did ask me not to mention you. If Theseus believes I have aided him because I have fallen in love with him than he should not wonder if I have others reasons. And going with him will give a chance to be out from under my father???s control. You have seen the kind of man he is. Can you truly blame me????
I smiled. ???You are wise, fair maiden. Wiser than your years.??? I bowed. ???But now, I must be off. There is work that I must get done.???
She nodded her head. ???Fair thee well, Shadow. And thank you for all you have done.???
I gave her one final bow, then melted into the shadows. I had almost wished I had told her the truth about Asterius, but I knew the fewer who knew the truth the safer he would be. I spent the night trying to find a bull???s head that would be a close enough match to fool everyone. Shortly before Dawn showed her first rays I found a good match from a herd so large no one would notice it missing. I killed the bull, taking its head and dividing the rest of it to many of the poor people of the city. I had heard whispers later of a kind spirit who blessed those most in need with more food than they could ever hope for. With the head I made my way to the Labyrinth. I arrived shortly before Theseus was thrown in.
I let Theseus wander about for a little while. I wanted to make sure he was far enough away from the entrance that we would not be overheard and that enough time had passed that people would believe his story. When I felt he was far enough, I stepped out of the shadows. ???You've done well thus far. I trust you shall finish it as I asked.???
Theseus jumped back, startled, and pulled out his dagger. He stared at me for a few moments, then cautiously stated, ???You are my informant????
???Yes.???
He looked around. ???So where is the Minotaur? Don't I get to see it????
I pulled out the head. ???This is as close as you're going to come. Now take the head and leave.???
???Wait, I can't even meet it? You'd think I'd have at least earned that.???
???The fact that you still refer to him as an it shows that you have not. Now take this head, follow the thread out of here, return to the palace and tell the king and everyone else how you killed the Minotaur.???
???But...???
???No more buts,??? I interrupted. ???The Minotaur will be dead once you bring that head to the king. The one who will be freed will never have to be called 'Minotaur' again. Take this, take you're new bride, and return to your people a hero.???
For a moment longer he looked like he was thinking about protesting, but then decided against it. He took the head from me. ???If I hear of such a monster killing anyone I will hunt both you and it down.???
???You shall not hear such. Now take your prize and go.???
He turned and followed the thread back to the entrance. I watched him go and shook my head. I almost felt pity for him and his inability to see anything more. I turned and left to find Asterius. I smiled when I did. ???Well, Asterius, seems a great hero came into the Labyrinth and killed the Minotaur. Looks like you're free to go.???
He smiled. ???You mean that? I am actually free of this place????
I nodded. We decided to wait till nightfall before leaving, just to be safe. Once we exited the Labyrinth, we left Crete and found him a nice little island where he lived out the rest of his days. Asterius set up a garden and I would bring him stories of the world. I even introduced him to Prometheus and the two became fast friends. Seeing him working in his garden I had to wonder: how could anyone think of this as a monster?