[Zizz Zelan]

Just a little something I knocked off while thinking about Layonara. It's hastily written and unrevised, but then, what do I write that isn't? Comments are welcome.

"Ballad of the Unnamed Hero"

Sing, spirits, sing and hear my story,
Hear it on this mourning misty morn!
Hear my tale of strife and glory,
Of one now dead, and one never-born!

A hero was he, with eyes of fire,
Strong of arm, with lightning steel.
He rose to fight at Toran’s ire,
A fight not his his fate did seal.

Four days it’s been forth he went,
Four days of trials and travails fierce,
Four days before my sad lament,
Four days before his heart lay pierced!

Forth he went, four days before,
To mete the great god’s wrath.
Armor bright, and shield before:
Faith and Iron to guard his path!

He fell in val’rous battle with
A foe that never drew breath,
Fell and died on sword-thrust fifth
Straining 'gainst the grim undeath!

And when he fell five sword-strokes in,
The lich-lord cackled on the moor,
“Fear not, your new life shall begin,
Soldier now mine, paladin poor!”

The hero managed a bloody smile,
And spoke through broken teeth,
“If die I must, thou creature vile,
Thou diest too, upon this heath.

“I stood steadfastly through five thrusts
Before my quest was done.
You forget, in your blood-lust,
I stood long enough to see the sun.”

The lich, forewarned, turned to flee
As a shy and startled fawn,
But the fighter’s fight doomed him to see
The white-hot light of dawn!

In the light the lich changed shape
Flesh appeared and breath was drawn,
Cap and clothes and even cape
Appeared in the light of dawn.

The change was done, a man now stood
In the lich-lord’s place.
He cried and screamed and wished he could
Turn back time’s heady pace!

But the hero spoke to the new-wrought man
Words fit to end his strife:
”I was sent here by Toran,
To deal not death, but life.”

Spirits sing, and hear my story!
A hero lies this morning mourned!
In the earth, bereft of glory,
His new-dug grave, unadorned!

Heed me spirits, and heed me man,
For as along as I draw breath,
I shall sing his praises when I can:
He who delivered me from death!