XXXI.

I fled, through manic paths that twist and split,

Abandoned my friend, demented astray,

And found a chamber, dim- by fissure lit,

A voice bid welcome, but in shadow stay.

With hooves supine, metallic arcane clay,

Hind thus bound profane with torso atop,

His years if long or few, I could not say.

'A centaur, I’m half-cut without a drop!'

'As man as you am I, but death with lore will stop.'

XXXII.

'Blood of mine? From before the shadow fell?'

'As long as man will strive, it will exist.

Given as tide to turn, no wizard’s spell.'

'Then you once did banish the leaden mist?'

'Drops will hollow stone if one will persist.’

'I cannot. Should I fail - I dare not learn.'

'In despair, forget not friends to assist.'

'Why the bother, will not the fog return?'

'Yes, but heroes rise and a flame will always burn.'

XXXIII.

Courage in heart, I faced the gloom anew.

A whimper - there Vincent laid, curled in prate.

'A knight? Nay, the jester am I. It’s true!'

'Up!' I heaved. 'Alone, I can’t bear the weight!'

His locket - 'For your lady! Ere too late!'

'I know her not, is this longing I feel?'

'Aye, there’s the spur!' One last pull stood him straight.

Hilt in hand clasped, I took his master’s steel,

'Forwards! Together we may suffer this ordeal.'

XXXIV.

The path coiled about a vast cavern pit,

From the edge, the black chasm spanned past my sight.

Our steps so poised as our feet would permit,

Within our souls descent, the heart of night,

And stumbling blind towards that wink of light,

Through silence wading, an unfathomed pool.

The call of fire, my hand tremors to write,

Nor fear of what did wait in shadow, cruel.

Yet we marched. Stood abreast, the jester and the fool.

XXXV.

To the depths, the subterranean pith,

There the beacon, that wept but would not hiss,

Before my eyes, what once I set to myth.

A meagre flare in truth, yet tender kiss,

Against the dark it shielded gentle bliss.

Then shudder through me passed, loth to believe,

That we were not alone in this abyss.

Not a yard before me could I perceive,

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Nor horrors beyond my reckoning to conceive.

XXXVI.

Vincent rushed ahead, 'but tarry!' I cried,

And scales illumined, fixed, I watched in awe,

Articulate scutes of drab woven hide,

Arranged in rank along a slouching claw,

From void emerged a serpent’s hulking maw.

I backed away, only for light to show,

Where hovered one head, joined another more.

To fear or worship, my bones did not know,

No mist could blot the echoes of man’s ancient foe.

XXXVII.

An ember’d glow arose from core to snout,

Each gullet harboured inferno within,

But I was pushed just from the blazing spout!

A surge of heat thrashed red against my skin,

The blackened knight in place where I had been.

Yet still he stood, 'Pick up thy blade!' he called,

And stumbling forth I made to smite a twin,

But my arm lacked the strength that he enthralled,

I was a jester, and this beast would not be fooled.

XXXVIII.

I bumped into a figure, his flesh charred,

In his agony preserved, turned and fled,

To run I mused, but came to disregard,

And placed my cap upon his ashen head.

'Let the lubber strike, use your mind instead!'

With arms waving I drew it’s evil gaze,

It followed and to Vincent’s sword I led,

Where as it lunged, he cleaved it seven ways,

But in his work, the second caught him in a blaze.

XXXIX.

In fits of rage, the wyrm remaining roared,

And Vincent fell to his knees where he stood,

With but myself to turn, I raised the sword,

As father long had said I never would.

But gone was he who donned the jester’s hood

I scaled its hide and hugged a wilted wing,

It clawed and snapped at everywhere it could,

I leapt atop its crown and with one swing,

The fall of Caduceus, this old fool did bring.

XL.

Vincent! I hurried to his side and wept,

I took his hand, and raised his helm upright.

'We’ve done it my friend, your oath has been kept',

'I see it! Flame, O flame! So small a light...

I fade, but this lamp will shine ever bright.

Leave no doubts in your heart, for I had none.'

With that, he stilled. 'Rest now with peace, good knight.'

His sword I placed in hand, 'Your work is done.

You knew me well to finish what you had begun.'