Epic

Of greater feats than most can dream I sing,
And ask Melpomene to hear my plea -
Come fly to me on tattered silver wings,

And bring such lyric poetry to me,
That I may tell a tale so true to thee.

~*^*~

The stranger reached the town at Midnight's stroke,
A dagger resting on one hip so lean,
Gaunt body shrouded in a travelling cloak

That wisped about as he surveyed the scene.
He wandered to a tavern, where he stayed
Within the corner, 'til, with uncouth mien,

A townsman called, "What brings you so dismayed
To our small town? Is there a one you seek?
Or have you turned and fled your home, afraid?"

The stranger turned to he, so far from meek,
And spoke, "I've fled, 'tis true; but there is much,
Before you judge me cowardly or weak,

You need to hear of me. My tale is such
That into every word, my soul I touch."

~*^*~

"I've journeyed far and wide through many climes
With one intent - my soul I shall redeem,
For now, I suffer through the end of times

That many men have never had to see.
I've fought in wars while under monarch's reign,
Faced terrors you shall never have to dream.

I've journeyed wide, through weather fair and rain;
Yet you accuse me of a fear so plain?"

~*^*~

"I journeyed first to seek revenge so true
On one who cursed me e'er to walk the night,
Who took my life and left me one anew.

I travelled, seeking kin who fled the light,
To find a cause of how I came to be,
To take my vengeance, end this cursed plight.

I sought the one who used to stand by me,
My one and only, but she saw the dark
Had claimed my soul, and all she'd ever seen

In me, but still would beat my shattered heart -
I sought my nemesis through many years
And cursed the day this curse tore me apart.

I found him, and I realized all my fears
Were crashing 'round, cascades of iced-glass tears."

~*^*~

"I sought him many years, a thousand nights
Of Autumn's pouring rain, of Winter's cold,
As every star lost every dying light.

'Twas then I knew, my soul I would have sold
Just for a life in which I had a life
Instead of hell-clocks which forever tolled.

'Twas victory could end this solemn strife,
Yet when the time had come to face my foe,
I fell beneath the claws and common knife.

I fled the scene in trembling, anguished woe,
To build my strength, to bide my time, allow
My hatred, rage, and power yet to grow.

For I could see that only this was how
I'd triumph over he who sealed my fate;
To spend my life on this, I then did vow.

Yet every year, my doubts would recreate,
That ne'er would I escape this chilling state."

~*^*~

He paused, to stare into his frothing glass
Of ale untouched by lips so thin and cold
To think on all the plight he'd now surpassed.

"Hey, fellows, let you all this sight behold,"
A townsman cried with voice so loud and keen -
"This one who stops before his tale unfolds!

So carry on, and tell us where you've been!
Or is the memory to much for you,
And would you care to stop - that what you mean?"

The stranger shook his head; "I've bid adieu
To everything that made my fears accrue."

~*^*~

"I hired myself; a mercenary’s path,
To gain experience in combat arts
And know that soon, my foe would face my wrath.

For when we live immortal, time departs -
We have no sense of urgency, you see;
Time wearies not our hands, our heads, our hearts.

I knew that with my choice I disagreed,
But oft, our strengths are born from that we call
That undeniable force - necessity.

For not in all those years did once I fall -
Despite the times I battled by command;
Despite that I was more or less a thrall.

I travelled over many monarchs' lands
To fight for them, to hone my fledgling skills
And vanquish he who cursed me, by my hands.

Humanity in me was quelled by kills,
By thoughts of vengeance, honourable and true
That into warmest hearts, darkness instils.

Alone with all my thoughts, oft I'd review
And ask myself what I was doing here,
And why one goal I'd endlessly pursue

Despite the fact I'd sought it many years.
But soon my weary heart and soul agreed
That my revenge was more than it appeared.

For, should I find my foe, and then succeed,
I would be free to roam, to live my nights
And then no more would every memory bleed

Through remnants of a thousand glorious fights
And boiling angst. So I could only think
And lose myself in battle every night.

And every thought, each instinct, interlinked
With fears of my own swift-impending doom
Until I felt that I was on the brink

Of strength, of victory - my passion bloomed
As all my prior vengeful thoughts consumed."

~*^*~

"So when I quit my own bloodthirsty path
And once more did pursue my bloody goal,
I felt the thrill of tangible cold wrath

Begin to burn my heart like fiery coal
And once again I hunted down my foe
To quell this rage I never could control.

And when we met again, my rage aglow,
We fought, and one of us did overthrow."

~*^*~

The stranger stopped his tale of hate and rage
And set his untouched drink upon the bar -
"The trials I've faced, I'm sure you cannot gauge.

I've travelled long, I've travelled from afar
And fought to keep my very life, my soul
Or what remains - from salvation, I'm barred."

"But wait!" cried one, a townsman unconsoled
By tales unfinished - "who won in the end,
And triumphed, heeding not the angels' calls?

Did you succeed, and let your soul to mend,
Or did he strike you down and laugh again?"

~*^*~

The stranger smiled - "It matters not to me,
And I can sense it matters not to you,
For endings aren't important, you'll agree.

What matters most is that my overdue
Redemption debt matters to me no more -
For now my plight is over, done and through."

He stood, and as he made towards the door,
A young man cried, "So where do you seek now?
A life of peace, or one of blood and war?"

The stranger placed a hand upon his brow
And smiled - "I have already planned my fate,
And I can't break most personal of vows."

He left the inn - the night was growing late
And rays of dawn were peaking in the sky;
He stood in day, his posture strong and straight.

And as his ashes swirled to clouds on high,
The townsmen swore they heard a peaceful sigh.