Slaying the Vampire Conqueror
64 pages • 2-hour read
Carissa BroadbentSlaying the Vampire Conqueror
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Symbols & Motifs
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of cursing, religious discrimination, ableism, graphic violence, addiction, substance use, child abuse, child death, sexual content, illness, and death.
The Threads
The threads of life and fate serve as a motif of Disability as a Source of Power. For Sylina and the Arachessen, this magical network replaces eyesight, allowing them to perceive auras, intentions, and the very fabric of reality. Early in the novel, Sylina confidently dismisses physical vision, stating, “Sight was an inefficient way to perceive the world around you. […] What I was given instead was far more useful” (1). Sylina’s mastery of the threads grants her skills in combat and navigation that far surpass those of sighted individuals, making them foundational to the novel’s portrayal of disability as a source of unique power.
The threads also connect to the theme of The Tension Between Indoctrination and Personal Morality because they represent the will of the goddess of fate, Acaeja. Initially, Sylina accepts that the threads dictate what is right, but her journey forces her to question whether divine will is the only valid moral compass. The threads themselves do not change, but Sylina’s interpretation of them evolves as she shifts from a rigid acceptance of fated paths to a nuanced understanding that she has the agency to choose which threads to follow and prioritizes her own conscience over the Sightmother’s supposed divine mandate.
The Blindfold
Sylina’s blindfold also functions as a motif of Disability as a Source of Power and The Tension Between Indoctrination and Personal Morality. The blindfold is a constant reminder of her identity as an Arachessen assassin because the Sisters wear them at all times. The willing sacrifice of her eyesight for power over the threads is a core tenet of Sylina’s indoctrination. The Arachessen philosophy is summarized in the promise made to initiates: “Close your eyes, child, and you will see an entire world” (9). This statement frames the blindfold as a key that unlocks a superior reality, directly engaging with the theme of disability as a source of unique power. By rendering Sylina physically blind, the blindfold forces her to rely on and master the threads, giving her an advantage over those dependent on sight.
The motif’s meaning evolves as Sylina’s personal morality begins to conflict with her training. The blindfold comes to represent the dogmatic ideology that separates her from genuine human connection and vulnerability. Her decision to remove it for Atrius near the end of the novel is a pivotal moment of liberation: “The little strip of silk fluttered to the ground. I opened my eyes. […] I could see Atrius. Barely—just a little. […] And yet, it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever witnessed” (320). This act signifies her rejection of the Arachessen’s teachings and her decision to trust her own experiences and embrace the parts of herself that her indoctrination sought to erase.
Atrius’s Horns
Atrius’s horns are a powerful and constant symbol of his trauma. As a physical manifestation of the goddess Nyaxia’s curse, they are an inescapable reminder of his painful history. From his first appearance, the horns define Atrius as an exiled outsider: “Black as night, protruding from his upper forehead and curling back. They were like nothing I'd ever witnessed before. The product, surely, of some dark, unknown magic” (6). Sylina’s observation establishes the horns as a symbol of the cursed warrior and outcast’s history of suffering. Although the horns mark Atrius as “monstrous” to the outside world, they become a point of connection for Sylina. As a fellow survivor marked by trauma, she can see past their intimidating appearance to the pain they represent. At the end of the novel, Nyaxia doesn’t remove Atrius’s horns when she breaks his curse, and their permanence reflects Atrius’s identity as a survivor of trauma who chooses to strive for healing.
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