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

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  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.