Many moons ago in the land of Greece, you might find an undersized village nestled between to towering mountains. If you stopped your journey in the age of the heroes (Belleraphon and Theseus), you may also find a mossy forest with a scenic stream trickling through the calm meanders that led it.

The village was an impoverished place with few hard – working citizens. Belonging to the town was a large group of hunters that would search the budding terrain for the resource that kept them town alive: rodents and small wild animals. One of these men was a particularly skilled hunter called Orpheus.

Everyday Orpheus would thrust his spear into a helpless animal from the emerald grasses of the forest, and although he was a skilled hunter, he never took more from Artemis’ kingdom than he needed. At the end of every successful hunt he would share his meat with his elderly neighbour whom was too frail to hunt for himself. They would eat the evening meal together but he was always conscious to reserve at least one deer for the shrine of Artemis that he visited on a daily basis.

Life was good for Orpheus and the villagers, which was until a ferocious beast swept in from the West and demolished the once quiet town.

This beast was terrible the size of an elephant and the shape of a toad, dark blisters swollen with infectious bear flesh. Bearing his razor sharp fangs and swallowing anything blocking its path in one threatening gulp.

The citizens of the village were petrified. They feared the beast but what they feared most was the thought of them being cut off from their food source. There was, however, one glimmer of hope: Orpheus was brave man. He knew he had to do something, so he went to the one place he always went to when he was feeling troubled: the shrine of the wild god (Artemis).

He offered his last deer (from the days work) to Artemis and prayed all he could until he fell into a deep slumber.

As the first rays of sun kissed the peeks of the mountains. He awoke and found a beautifully-crafted Speer laying in the doorway of the shrine. He picked it up and could feel an unmistakable power: this was a tool forged by an immortal.

Filled with power of the gods, Orpheus set off to meet his destiny: for good or for ill.

Striding through layered ferns, his head held high, he searched the hollow trees. Suddenly he heard a low bellowing roar. Hesitantly he turned around as if wishing he had not come. The beast’s vile breath wrapped itself around Orpheus like a blanket that had never been washed. Astounded Orpheus thrust the polished spear into the flesh of the vigourous creature.

Down, down, down the monster fell hitting the Earth with a courageous force resulting in the land to shake. As if a whole crowd was watching, Orpheus lent his right leg onto the now dead beast and held his speer high in his hand.

The citizens cheered.

The village had been saved and the name Orpheus echoed through the paths and hills of the land. Orpheus smiled and offered a silent prayer to the gods.

The weeks rolled by and the traumatised town had been rebuilt of the disastrous events of the previous monster.

Orpheus was the only one left with any bravery and bought in the towns food supply. Initially he had refused any payment for his meat, but the citizens had insisted that they pay him. The noble hunter had got used to having, a lot of money. Before long Orpheus began raising the price. One day his assistant remarked, “you will give the shrine meat for free, won’t you?” ”We will make the priests pay”, Orpheus answered.

“What?” the assistant sounded shocked. “ Yes, you heard me.”

Soon Orpheus ran the village, at first it was  okay, but soon enough Orpheus was taking it too far: wearing his best clothes everywhere, hunting bigger meat and worst of all he replaced the only the shrine with a meat market.

At this Artemis was outraged she knew she had to do something. She went to her favourite tree and layed down on the elegant ornament. Finally she had her sheme plotted and was ready to set it in place.

It was the very next day and Orpheus was on a hunting trip until he spotted a dark figure. “Hello?” Orpheus asked his voice shaking with nerves. “ You should not disturb the wildlife or mock the gods, ”the figure replied. As Orpheus rolled his eyes the strange figure disappeared into an Ora of smoke.

It just so happened that while Orpheus was hunting he spotted Artemis’s favourite animal: half squirrel and half badger. The Squadger. Although he knew that Artemis favoured the Squadger he was too overcome with boldness to even consider the thought.

Artemis was distraught her lips curled into a deep dangerous snarl, her eyes squinted as if staring at the sun.

Artemis was filled with triumph and with a tug of her bow, she released.

Orpheus was dead.