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

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”