A Ballad of Samurai

The Undoing of the Wizard

Read in Landscape!!!

About the fortress many came unherald though in mass
With great resolve to end a rule and wizard down to cast.
Uncomely lot they all yet stood with forks and torch in tow,
But such a thing does only add to fearsome sight behlold.

Outside the wooden fortress walls with army peasants met
Who will of ancient warlock master long had past abet,
But seeing horde approach the gate reminds the men to fear
A strangest sense they had not felt in many passing years...

The peasants marching sudden splay, opening up like wings
And standing still in midst of all the man who saber brings
Of distant fame and ancient craft yet forged so long before
And left inside a magic trap for many aging score.

Above his head the curving blade the warrior raises high
A sight that caught the breath in throat of all who blade now spied.
A magic weapon forged for greatness wrought in former age
That let this meager peasant folk against their masters wage

This war though war before was futile made at any time
Until this man his warring boon had set about to find...
Then sudden came a martial scream from figure stood alone
The one who magic saber wields, and edge does current hone,

"Behold, Chidori!!!"

And sudden through the teeming mass of both the sides their raised
A quickened pace along with look that spoke men now crazed.
The serfs no longer fearing death for sake of better life,
And soldiers fearing death for first of times in all their strife

Began to move and hedge about to try and hem their foes
By using little craft they knew to try and other goad.
The lack of practice frustrates both for diff'rent reasons give
For one because of station served and lowly service bid.

The other group the lack of need to prove their warring ways
In service give to wizard's home no strife did enter days
They worked at feet warlock's throne and went about his task
Not ever 'fore their eldritch liege had such an effort ask,

The lack of fear in past and present terror men now felt
A hardy work against the warriors' planning efforts delt
As men by peasants' forks and goads are force to near the blade
The only thing in all the world that grants them sure the grave.

In ready stance Naegi stood with bated breath in throat
Before with hasty leap he went and warring men then smote
A single swipe and five would fall before the warrior's blade
And great the fear did fall among the men by wizard bade

To go about and face this foe though weapon's give by death
To claim the ones for long and great that wench was left bereft.
So skill of hand and magic honed inside it's famous steel
Across the mass of warring man yet even greater deals

Result of craft for which it's made yet more than normal works.
For mundane blade on mundane flesh would seldom do such hurt
As carnage wrought across this field upon that very day
When man against enchanted foes had set himself to slay.

And warlock's men begin to falter one by one at hand
There dying quick by daunting sword as maid and man had planned.
As all astonished look upon the teeming mass dispersed
By sword that's charmed for peasants' work by being greatly yet cursed

And many men forgot themselves the station held in life
The ancient code that conduct bids when waging any strife.
Engrained in such a way that life that's long will fail deprive
Yet any man of rules he learned or laws that thing decried.

Yet men who fight a many lives unjustly lived for selves
Enough that any honor fled from hold in which it dwelled
So many seeing thing that comes at end of warring line
Do turn and flee from ancient mass another path to find.