The battle had become a scene of chaos, rage, and fear

with dawn came understanding that the end was nowhere near

the empire’s army hadn't seen an enemy so strong

even their great hero’s duel had gone on far too long

In the sea of swords and spells the hero struggled still

the demon lord was far to skilled a foe to quickly kill

their battle opened up the rough terrain and shook the ground

every strike would deafen thousands with its awesome sound

The demon lord’s impressive power came as no surprise

but there was something curious about his blood red eyes

the more the hero saw of them the more he felt them strange

the feeling bothered him throughout the violent exchange

He couldn’t read the demon’s face no matter how he tried

it might have been a look of pity, or a look of pride

but when the mighty demon noticed how the hero stared

he closed in on the hero and he quietly declared

“The souls of all who see that deathly shadow have these eyes

you have seen it too, although you may not realize

the enemy you seek is that which death itself rejects

the shadow lord who makes a slave of all that it infects”

The hero’s mind went blank as he recalled the shadow’s smile

he swung his sword in fury hearing laughter all the while

the frantic hero couldn’t break the demon’s magic shield

even though his every blow could shake the battlefield

In anger he put all his strength into one great attack

and finally the demon lord’s great shield began to crack

he wondered if his knights witnessed this monumental deed

but when he glanced behind him he was cured of all his greed

While he had been busy fighting with the demon’s king

the humans had been pushed to the brink of surrendering

thousands of the empire’s finest soldiers fought with pride

but every time a demon fell, a dozen humans died

The hero almost panicked at the state of his empire

but then within the hero’s eyes appeared a raging fire

he looked back at the wounded king and couldn’t hide his grin

now he’d have to do whatever it would take to win

The human army seemed as though it didn’t have a chance

pushed against the forest by the demon’s quick advance

but then the prince declared so all surviving knights could hear

“look, before our hero their own king retreats in fear”

The battle lulled as all around looked on in disbelief

the demons looked in horror and the humans in relief

the hero’s will and perseverance overwhelmed his foe

but time to save whatever knights were left was running low

Fire and ice erupted in a nightmarish display

countless lives were lost as they were caught up in the fray

the hero’s power surged until the wounded demon fell

but on the demon’s face was not a fear of death or hell

The hero stood with pride above the dying demon lord

but celebrations weren’t a luxury he could afford

the thought that such an epic fight was over made him sigh

as he walked away he thought he heard the demon cry

“Hero, there are evils in this world you do not know

I bear no grudge and hope that when you face them down below

you do not fail as I have to protect the ones you love

now you must bear the weight of something you know nothing of”

The hero didn’t care to hear a demon’s last request

he’d already found his last and most important quest

although at last he’d slain the demon lord and saved the day

the endless demon army was already on its way

The hero could defeat the demons one by one with ease

but thousands of them had already run into the trees

frantically he hunted them but they were moving fast

however many he could stop, so many more had passed

It didn’t take him long to see what all the demons planned

why they’d slipped through his army’s defense like dust and sand

now they headed south to take revenge against mankind

the hero had no choice and left the battlefield behind

The prince’s faction struggled to survive the demon wave

him and many others had retreated to a cave

he told the hero he would have to carry home the news

and in the moment he could find no reason to refuse

He ran as fast as possible to beat the demons there

to warn the empire of the war while they could still prepare

though he couldn’t stop the hoard of demons on his way

he was still much faster and was home in just a day

The story that he told brought many nobles to their feet

with promise of new land to claim, they didn’t fear defeat

all the nobles celebrated, ready for a fight

racing to the northern hills with all the empire’s might

The empire made an army of whoever it could find

so many soldiers marching north to leave their homes behind

glad to hear the news that there was land for them to claim

all they had to do was take it in the empire’s name

The demon lord had already been taken from the fight

the emperor and all the nobles knew the time was right

but now there was a single man whose fear had settled in

the hero wondered if it was a battle they could win

The hero wouldn’t lose to any demon that he met

but he was just a single soldier, that was his regret

he didn’t have the power to defend each knight that fought

he didn’t dwell on how this was a battle he had sought

Either way his duty still was to the war at hand

and victory was still assured as fate had surely planned

the hero led another army to the northern war

content that he would soon achieve what he was fighting for

No matter how much longer it would take for them to win

he’d be ready any time a battle should begin

although the sacrifice of many lives would give him pause

he smiled when he recalled the hero’s just and noble cause

~