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 handUnauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

　　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

　　~