Saint Bezeck and the Beast of Lapolis

No town in the outer country was ever as cursed as the city of Lapolis. Lapolis stood on a hill. High above others. Once a place of wealthy merchants where they would dwell in ease and comfort. Lapolis the great. Lapolis the cursed. For the shining city had a curse. A fearsome, rusted beast was walking past Lapolis long ago and saw the people and their wealth and their care free lives. The beast became greedy. Attacking the town with an unmatched fury, it devoured the metal troops of Lapolis defending their glorious city, but to no avail. The beast picked his teeth and patted its belly full of its attackers. When no more came to fight, the beast ransacked the town. It took until his greed was satisfied and hid in a cave away in a nearby hill.

The people of Lapolis prayed that the beast had its fill and would not come back to terrorize them again. But exactly one year later, the beast emerged from his cave and attacked the city and took the riches it lusted after. The merchants that survived moved their possessions and families to far away places free from the beast's doom. Lapolis fell from greatness when trade there ceased.

As the decades passed, many brave, machine warriors from surrounding lands dared challenge the Beast of Lapolis. Some were crushed instantly. Some put up a mighty fight. But all perished. The beast laughed and continued his annual plunder until there was hardly anything to take. This did not stop the beast for he was happy knowing that he alone made the city uninhabitable. The people of the land wondered if the once great city would rise back to it's former glory. They wondered who would be able to best the beast in combat.

A traveling group of robots heading for the capital city made camp in the near-deserted city of Lapolis. Among them was Bezeck, a tall machine hired to protect the caravan from highwaymen and monsters. He spotted a citizen of Lapolis sneak out from their home and creep over to him and his fellow travelers. The frightened citizen told them that the beast would be coming to make its yearly raid on Lapolis early the next day. Bezeck was moved to action by the pure terror in the frightened machine's voice. Bezeck asked where the beast's cave was. Grabbing his sword, he headed to the nearby hills.

To the side of the deep crack in the hill that was the Beast of Lapolis' lair, Bezeck waited. He waited until the sun came up on the day of the beast's annual raid of the town. Finally when the light of the sun barely peaked over the distant mountains, something inside the cave stirred. Sword in hand, Bezeck was ready. The monster trotted out into the morning light expecting nothing but the same routine as every year. Bezeck swung at the beast, severing one of its legs. The beast was shocked. Bezeck struck again and again, delivering deadly blows to the stunned, metal monster. When the beast came to it's senses, it made fearsome attacks at the hero, but all in vain. The beast soon realized that he had met the only warrior who could stand up against him, so the creature pleaded for his life and offered Bezeck some of his wealth. Bezeck was not so easily swayed, knowing well the the monster's wealth belonged to Lapolis. With one last damning blow, Bezeck swung his sword up through the beast's jaw. The beast fell limp and breathed no more.

The exiled people of Lapolis heard the news that the beast had been defeated. They returned to their old homes and celebrated the hero Bezeck. The people offered him the best of their riches, the landlords offered him their finest houses, and fathers offered their daughters' hands. But Bezeck wanted none of it and continued his life of guarding travelers for pay. His humble deed spread all across the lands. Though the story changed as many times as it was told, Bezeck was always the hero.

Bezeck was killed in his sleep several years afterward at the hands of a petty thief. A thief who had never heard the story of Saint Bezeck and the Beast of Lapolis.

-The End-

If you read that whole thing. You get a high five. I've been reading folklore and folklore inspired things lately so this seemed easy enough to write. Though when I read it in the morning it'll probably a piece of crap. Traditionally inked, colored on Photoshop. Made it for a contest over at

Saint Bezeck/Drawing/Story © Me