My scream painted sin
Across the summer sky
The world
Wobbled on its axis
Paused
Held its breath
The trees trembled
Samson knelt before me
And prepared to die
“Scarred Man” he began
His lips quivering
“They came in the night”
“The Chorus and I drew sword”
“”She bade us hold”
“And left with them”
His hands twisted in rage and shame
Yes
He would die for her
I let him live
My breaths came in ragged gasps
Her voice
Suddenly
Came to me
As it had for three years now
And my eyes squeezed
In vain
To stem the tears
That washed my scarred face
She was alive!
I moved to my horse
Samson and other members of the Chorus
Eyes gleamed
And followed
Their blood lust
Palpable
I winced
Men who
Once coaxed
Beauty
And Life
From Dirt
Would become
What I have always been
The enemy had much
To answer for.
“Samson”
“Double the guard”
“And prepare to move”
It was as if I struck him
“But…”
I never gave orders twice
My horse wheeled
As I methodically approached the castle
My body was strewed with arrows
I couldn’t die
Until she told me
I could
The berserker was upon me
My sword screamed
And Sang
In the key of rage.
My blade glowed incandescent
Its white fire
Unquenchable
Blood hissed and splattered
My hated essence blazed
Who would dare touch her?
Those who stood before me
Died
The rest fled
Three witch word singers
Hurled arcane verse
At me
Just before there heads
Came to rest on the floor
I stormed the room that I knew held her
Five men died
Quickly
There
She was
The Last Poet and a Word Mage
Were engaged
In eldritch incantations
Her hands were bound
Impeding her
From verse flow
He was not
Nor could he ever
Be
A match for her
I almost laughed.
But decided to kill him
Instead
The Word Mage eye’s widened
Hurled
Death verse at me
His words crumbled and howled
In useless fury
“I am already dead fool”
I flung the Word Mage out the window
And watched
As his body tumbled
Cursing
That I could not hurt him
More.
I gathered her in my arms
“You know
You really have to stop doing that”
She curled up in my arms
And the world was
Once again
Tolerable
Hope
Was
Alive
A bird sang