Slipping through the armies’ camps in silence and disguise
paying no attention to the colours of their eyes
all he had to do was let his prince’s empire know
the battle now was over, he’d defeated his true foe
The journey had been long and hard but every step was real
filled with hope and purpose like he always longed to feel
life had not been perfect but with luck and friends to spare
everything would turn out right, if fate was still as fair
In the distance he could almost hear the music play
as he drew much closer to the capital one day
from a distance he could see the front line of the fight
the humans were defending his empire with all their might
The walls around the capital were weathered from attack
but still the empire bravely stood its ground while fighting back
the prince’s flag was waving just above the western wall
there he’d meet his friend and end the war once and for all
He waited til the battle lulled when day was almost done
and snuck behind the city walls unseen by anyone
again among his human allies, he removed his hood
excited to bring news that now the war was done for good
No one recognized him, covered head to toe in mud
covered in new scars and wearing rags all stained with blood
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but when he found the prince’s room, announcing he was there
his voice was carried by the wind to soldiers everywhere
Rumours spread in moments that the hero had returned
it flattered him but then confused him when the hero learned
they seemed to think that he’d been fighting demons all along
and all at once they started singing one new hero’s song
Standing at the prince’s door a crowd of men appeared
looking at him as if at a god they loudly cheered
“you’re back from your long mission, which can only mean one thing
now we need not fear the resurrection of their king”
He wasn’t sure what they believed his northern quest had been
he wondered what the resurrection of their king could mean
“I’ll explain so hurry and come in and settle down”
the prince was now behind him, and he wore a bitter frown
The hero quickly entered and the two men were alone
the prince sat down upon a chair too humble for a throne
his face was just as weathered as the armour that he wore
looking nothing like the prince the hero knew before
“It doesn’t matter why you chose to come back here right now
we need your help if we’re to ever end this war some how
to keep morale from falling when you left, I had to lie
convincing them that if you didn’t leave that we’d all die”
“What was all that talk of northern kings that resurrect
lies don’t win a war, if I’m not being too direct”
“you left us in our time of need to chase a selfish goal
if they knew, it would have taken far too great a toll”
“That’s the point, I’m here to say the war’s already won
I discovered where true evil lay, and now it’s done
there’s no meaning in this war with tribes of elves and such
end this war before it costs your great empire too much”
The hero thought his news might make the weary old prince smile
but instead he sat in silence for a little while
he closed his eyes and breathed as if the air was sharp and cold
listening in silence to the tale the hero told
“I found an evil greater than imagined by mankind
with the help of northern tribes, they weren’t so hard to find
we did away with them, but now we must return to fight
we all must become allies and denounce the war tonight”
The hero’s optimism filled the room with energy
he felt his words were finally in line with destiny
but he was not expecting what became his friend’s reply
“if you ever speak of this to anyone, you die”