The Wind Shall Remember

So goes the tale for those who'll hear it told

There stood a fort as old as time itself

None left who saw it come into our world

Long years of war and battle it withstood

Blood soaked its stone and death lived in its wood

Dark stood the tower in winter and summer

Its halls and its stones drank all fear and all sorrow

It consumed sound of war and the sharp clang of sword

And those who did dwell there first beheld in their dreams

Dark murmurs, old whispers, and soft echoes of screams

Deep in the tower a dark mind had stirred

Crimson it's thought filled by anguish and wrath

It whispered in dreams and made itself heard

And the lips of its dwellers carried its voice

Abiding its biddings, never making the choice

'Till Egthon the Bloody, with marauders in tow

Assaulted the tower, under moon's glow

Its whispers and words bewitched Egthon's thought

Lord and his bandits bloody deeds wrought

And the tower once more with crimson was bought

Dawn cast its warmth on the tower's dark walls

Where Egthon the Sleepless meandered the halls

Thought bent on his reign that he yearned to expand

The tower's dark mind had its bloody right hand

And its will now had means to ravage the land

Each night Egthon's mind wrestled the tower

Drawn was his face and his countenance dour

His thoughts ever darkened and anger did grow

Fear bloomed 'midst his allies, and spread like disease

His kingdom did shake 'neath his bloody decrees

Folk of the land lived in fright of his madness

His rule brought to them nothing but sadness

To spirits they prayed for relief of their plight

They sued for a hero to cleanse the dark fort

To relieve them of Egthon, their ruthless lord

Yet for many a year their pleas were ignored

'Till first day of spring, two score years in his rule

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

There came a man with the dawn at his back

Wind bore his words over walls and through stone

Oh Egthon the Sleepless, I seek you alone

O'er the rampart the guards sneered and mocked

Begone ye poor fool, bother not our great lord!

Blue cloak hid his face yet his voice clearly sang

Egthon the Bloody, descend from your throne!

Guards cried in one voice, flee fool, you're alone!

He paid them no heed and a third time he spoke

Egthon the Vessel, mindless hand of the fort

I shan't wait for long 'afore invading your court

Atop the fort's walls guards seethed and enraged

Their lord's honour abused, battle they waged

Shining mail, clanging sword, and cries - for our lord!

Then a silence befell and the gate gravely groaned

There stood Egthon the Bloody, in crimson adorned

Blemished crown 'pon his brow, a contemptuous mien

Grating voice shook the air - who dares intervene!

Then the blue mantled man lowered his hood

Frost filled grey eyes, framed by ebony mane

Seized lord and guards and showed them their bane

The tower then shook and guards fell to their knees

But their lord stood unbent, resisting with ease

I am the Scion of the northern wind

The comfort to thine land’s despondent pleas

I’ll cleanse the stone and wood of the old fort

Leave now - free, and of your own accord

The man in blue called to the bloody lord

The great lord’s visage then twisted and soured

Grim laughter boomed and in anger he howled

Guards trembled in fear and fled from the men

I shall suffer no wind, and neither her hen

Begone, blithering fool - never come here again

Adarsara’s Scion stood fast - undeterred

The bloody lord’s words his courage had spurred

Once more he cried out in a mightier voice

I know your measure, I have my mission

Begone from this land of your own volition!

Malevolent malice took hold of the lord

With white-knuckled tension he clung to his sword

A hideous snarl warped and twisted his face

He surrendered to bloodlust and hailed her embrace

And longingly welcomed the tower’s dark grace

Hear me, dark mind, crimson soul of the fort

Spur my hen-hearted guards - ‘tis my last resort

Then a Ghastly green glow boiled forth from the wall

It grasped for the guards - ‘till green their eyes shone

Filled by a dark will, and relieved of their own

Adarsara’s scion knew the thoughts of the fort

Halt thine dread will - to the spirit he called

Untangle your tendrils from mind and soul

Relieve them of memories - not yours to control

Egthon, thine vessel shall suffer their toll

Eghton’s mad laughter resounded once more

The fort shan’t obey the fool at its door

Yet horror and shock - the green glow abated

It yielded his guards, their courage deflated

Then Egthon did scowl at the scion he hated

Thrice you shall hear my guidance - oh Egthon

Be gone from this fort, ‘tis your final hope

Cried the scion, unyielding ‘neath Egthon’s gaze

The frenzied lord was deaf to his appeal

O’rtaken by black will - full of crimson zeal

The blue mantled man knew Egthon’s intent

But the scion’s great will was not to be bent

It swept through the land whose colour it drained

Barring Egthon’s green light - which had remained

Thus the fort’s bloody will its vessel had chained

Filled by crimson lust, Egthon blindly charged

The Scion evaded and raised was his blade

It sundered the tendrils, their clutches unmade

I free thee, poor vessel, your toll is thus paid

Absent his chains, on the ground Egthon laid

The Scion turned away from the poor lord

And raised his mighty sword to the old fort

Luminous grey eyes beheld its bloody soul

I broke my word, yet mercy was the goal

Fourth warning - leave now, ended is your role

Indignation and shame burned in his breast

Deaf to the world, by revenge thus possessed

He squirmed ‘pun the earth and dagger he drew

The bloody lord lunged and his vile blade plunged

His credulous foe was thus surely expunged

Piercing blue light spilled forth from the wound

Its power and might struck Egthon aside

His mind overwhelmed, he lay ‘pun the earth

Henceforth he was known as Egthon the Mad

Though vile last deed, completed he had

Adarsara’s Scion was mortally struck

Life he did forfeit to accomplish his task

He then flung his sword, last effort of will

True flew his blade at the heart of the fort

The scion then kneeled, and colours returned

Shook then the fort with an agonized scream

Gone was the dark soul and too its regime

Naught but ruins remained of the once mighty fort

None saw again him who vanquished its court

Forgotten by time, for its grace is quite short

But the wind shall remember.