We were summoned in silence from different lands;
the witch and the wizard, two lovers in lore;
the warrior with glittering knives in his hand;
and I, the survivor, completed the Four.

We set out as the harsh sun rose high at our backs
to avoid the night pouring of poisonous rain
The hot wind blew fiercely, obscuring our tracks
as we trekked on the face of this blasted terrain

I took the lead, as I'd done so before
seldom turning to look as the warrior stole
furtive glances at those in the party who bore
fearsome magic unknown to the warrior soul

The blanket of dark found us walking through rubble
of buildings once mighty; we stopped for the night
The mages' soft, chanting songs summoned a bubble
of magic protection; it glowed soft green light

The fighter and I, having faith in our skills
made our own makeshift tent to protect from the rain
I watched as the scarred, hardened man from the hills
stared with smoldering fear at the masters arcane

I lay down with my pack rolled to pillow my head
and looked sideways through openings torn in the tent
at the dim nighttime skyscape the color of lead
where the stars hid their glow since the world was rent

I awoke as a scream split the cold morning air
and beheld the dark wizard, slick hands coated with blood
Saw the witch, her throat torn out, his hands in her hair
her life and his tears turning dust into mud

Though I rushed to his aid, it was plain she was dead
the wound of her neck gaping wet in the light
she was already cold, blood turned sticky, brown, red
and the warrior savage was nowhere in sight

The mage grimly claimed all her items of magic
he stood, turned, walked onward; his face chiseled stone
he wordlessly left her to lie as a tragic
reminder that all in this land die alone

By noontime we journeyed, the wizard and I,
to a forest of death; all the trees withered black
gnarled spikes of bare branches thrust up to the sky
begging mercy from gods who did not answer back

We trod through this landscape of grey colored gloom
our eyes constantly darting toward shadows that danced
through the trees blown by ill-smelling, foul winds of doom
the darkening sky held our souls in its trance

A chorus of sharp, wailing howls met the moon
as it rose; and I felt my blood curdle and freeze
laid my hand on my sword not a moment too soon
as a wolf pack - a nightmare - burst out from the trees

The wizard erupted in fierce, blue-white flames
as I slashed about wildly at mutated forms
I heard him call demons by shouting foul names
summoning lightning in crackling storms

But even between us, we could not prevail
the monsters rushed over their fellows that fell
and both of us knew we were destined to fail
when we suddenly heard an air-splintering yell

From behind the dark mass, leaping into their midst
flew a huge, looming shape dealing sharp steel and death
The warrior savage, a sword in each fist
great billowing clouds streaming out on his breath

"Flee!" cried the wizard, and flew like a streak
of blue hellfire, escaping this treacherous place
but I, the survivor, cried blood with a shriek
a grin of insanity twisting my face

So I and the savage lay into the horde
fighting circles of wolves from the dark hells beneath
and when the dark savage lost both of his swords
he did rip out their throats with his fierce, bloody teeth

The black, bristling bodies formed piles at our feet
we danced on the wet clods of gore on the ground
as I thoughtlessly slashed through the foul smelling meat
something struck me, I fell, and went down.

I awoke with a cold, heavy weight on my chest
pushed it off me and climbed up to sit on a heap
of dead monsters, I breathed and I looked to the west
saw a body, so still, as if deeply asleep

I limped to the savage, and leaned on my sword
I knelt at his side, heard him whisper and choke
on the threshold of death, gone to meet his dark lord
gasping blood as he lay, he his final words spoke:

"We are brothers in blood now, heed well what I say
beware the dark wizard--he murdered his bride
in the greed for her soul stripped her powers away
Beware my last friend," croaked the savage, and died.

I bound up my wounds as the sun dimmed its fire
then I hacked at the trees in the last rays of light
lay the savage atop the black funeral pyre
the flames of lost courage rose into the night

In darkness the black wizard came like a breeze
too evil and cold for the brightness of day
I watched as I hid in a close grove of trees
as he stalked where he thought my quiet, sleeping form lay

In the darkness his eyes flashed, he drew out his knife
and stabbed at my clothing, my bed, and my pack
before he could cry out I finished his life
standing naked while gripping the sword in his back

Of the four who set out on this treacherous path
Alone I survive, though my soul has been bled
I will walk in the grim face of destiny's wrath
but I think I see mountains ahead.