Once again he led an endless sea of infantry

forces long held in reserve all marching gallantly

they met the demons at the northern borderlands to fight

but once again the humans couldn’t quite believe the sight

The demon army in their thousands came on like a flood

singing songs of cold revenge and spilling human blood

and when the humans first engaged and battle lines were drawn

after just one day of fighting, all their smiles were gone

Nothing was quite like they had expected it to be

they didn’t know they’d face so strong and brave an enemy

and though the demons’ power was nothing they could disregard

the faces worn by every demon caught them all off guard

Some did have more fur than any human they had seen

some had pointed ears or noses, some looked strong and mean

but nothing else about them was too different from themselves

most of them looked similar to humans, dwarves, or elves

Many were confused by almost everything they saw

though no one dared suggest the empire’s plans contained a flaw

they wondered when the legendary demons would appear

the faces of their enemies were cause for little fear

They had to worry more about the way the demons fought

than how much more the demons looked like humans than they’d thought

the demons were an equal force to all the empire’s men

and any army to attack was driven back again

But still they followed him toward their destiny that day

the hero was a light it seemed would never fade away

the hero never rested and he fought with all his heart

though every time he won a battle, dozens more would start

No longer did he hear a word of protest from the prince

the hero saved him from the cave and he’d been loyal since

together they made war against their northern enemies

enduring countless losses while they sought out victories

The prince’s brothers all were killed quite early in the war

but they died proudly with their men and knew what they fought for

the emperor had made an army of the whole empire

it seemed the world itself was rushing straight into the fire

Many bonds were forged in the division of the land

humanity united by the swords in every hand

but such was also true of all the enemies they faced

now that any chance of peace was utterly erased

Weeks of fighting turned to months and fear gave way to rage

cultivating hatred and a grudge that grew with age

bitter cold of winter and the summer’s heavy heat

never in a year of war did either side retreat

The hero never had a moment off the battlefield

the demons never rested but the humans couldn’t yield

and while the hero longed to see his wife and three young sons

his place was where the blood of any evil monster runs

The drunken prince beside him now became a royal knight

his strength and wisdom grew with every unforgiving fight

he learned his share of magic but he used the royal sword

and for his efforts strength beyond his dreams was his reward

He fought beside the hero and he led his men with pride

no longer did he fear the hero fighting at his side

he grew to understand the way such power changes things

the weight that comes with every single choice that battle brings

Something like a friendship even started to emerge

the hero and the prince against the endless demon scourge

but in the end the prince could never match the hero’s might

he couldn’t shine beside someone who’s power burned so bright

Still his power wasn’t all that grew throughout the war

his army wasn’t full of new blood like it was before

and for the first time since the war began they pushed ahead

the demons would now have to defend their homeland instead

Through the plains and to the northern woods they pushed them back

gaining confidence and ground with every fierce attack

the demons couldn’t match the spirit of the new empire

the prince could boost morale just like the hero summoned fire

The prince was growing stronger every day in sword and soul

even as the battles took an ever heavy toll

but he wanted nothing more than to be stronger still

like the hero, fighting with an unwavering will

The prince gave everything to war, but longed for it to end

he felt himself grow weary as he fought beside his friend

his nights were filled with awful dreams of all the blood he shed

he spent less time surrounded by the living than the dead

He wondered how the hero had survived this life so long

he came to see a darkness dwelling in the hero’s song

he’d long heard all the music sung for all the hero’s deeds

but now he saw the shadow of the life a hero leads

He asked the hero one day as they huddled in the snow

planning where the battlefield was likely next to go

“how have you held on to your convictions for so long

how is it your will to win this war is still so strong”

The prince looked for a while into the eyes of his comrade

looking for some secret to the cold resolve he had

but there was no reaction in the hero’s eyes at all

his rugged face was like the snow continuing to fall

“I fight because a hero fights, there is no other way

the hero does a hero’s work, there’s nothing more to say”

though the answer seemed simple, the prince was still confused

but knew if he demanded more he’d only be refused

He wondered if the hero missed his home or family

but in his eyes a raging fire was all that he could see

whatever might have been behind the mighty hero’s eyes

they were less revealing than the winter’s stormy skies

In the hills the winter proved too cold for them to fight

all that either side could do was make it through the night

efforts to advance despite the weather were in vain

as if the sky itself was tired of all blood and pain

As disappointing as it was to wait the winter out

they’d regain momentum in the spring without a doubt

the armies then became two kingdoms hidden in the snow

living off reserves in quiet with nowhere to go

The restless hero struggled with the lack of work to do

but his army’s foe was now the icy winds that blew

and in the long dark nights of the worst winter they had known

the hero had far too much time to think of fate alone

He simply sat and waited for the endless snow to melt

the cold did nothing to dispel the fire the hero felt

but even he was powerless to challenge winter’s force

but fate would guide his sword, so he’d let nature take its course

~