A Believers Dream

Along the sunset beach he walked the maiden called his name,

He knew not who she was or from where she came.

Her lingering voice held steadily in his mind her image became quite clear,

It was enough to know she was a lady that held so much fear.

How could he help? He did not know nor which direction in which to travel,

Unfortunate was he no job, no purpose, no family, his own ills to unravel.

Yet on she continued calling his name even in his sleep,

His heart in pain her anguished voice cut extremely deep.

He could stand it no longer traveling at dawn of the new days light,

Seeking his answers, searching for the maiden sympathetic of her plight.

Armed only with a sword, his wits and his mighty silver shield,

Traveling ever onward over mountains and wildflower meadows and fields.

The night of the fullest moon under a cascading fall he slept,

An eerie feeling upon awakening he felt the tears she wept.

Through the moons glow a tormented face in the darkness of the skies

Silver tears formed in the oval surface transforming into a pair of eyes.

Golden yellow the color of wheat shimmering in a sun drenched field,

Hair the color of honey only a hint of darkness revealed.

A gentle touch upon his cheek hands soft as the lightest breeze,

Time past, time future, time now, a harsh wind through the trees.

He must find her this he knew for time was ageless never more,

Unattainable his quest did seem but he would find what he searched for.

Clues was his need but where to begin this he did not know,

But in his dreams that night the way was plainly shown.

Shaped as the maiden's tears a golden firefly captured his soul,

And through its blazing wings a map of the direction he should go.

Traveling east day after day weary and all alone,

So many times he wanted to quit but the firefly urged him on.

The village of Araginia unseen surrounded by an unnatural thick black fog,

Approaching cautiously met by a pack of mystical dogs.

Fangs the size of an elephants tusk balanced against the ground,

The sharpest of claws upon their hands and their heads turned round and round.

A thunderous roar and throughout the land vibrated a deadly pitch,

To and fro, back and forth, aye and it had to be the witch.

Riled she was no doubt to make the earth tremble so,

And in the one room school the council set forth to vote.

Princess Tarashina should be sacrificed aye thats why the witch appeared,

Give her up I say and the darkness will disappear.

We cannot leave were surrounded by her underlings,

And what of tomorrow?What other horror does it bring?

To the east her dogs but not ordinary oh no, her special breed,

Unearthly wolves if thats what their called, never before their kind seen.

A whispered voice then another and soon many more,

Till one after the other thought of the day before.

Outside help they were needing if this long siege was to be resolved

Liraso volunteered and for his trouble had his head chewed off.

Blown in by a turbulent wind it came then was quickly gone,

Was his skull or the little left but the witches spine chilling whisper lingered on.

Yes, yes I agree. He's right it is our only recourse,

Why we cannot even escape from her over the hills to the north.

The dragons one breath of their fire eats away at the skin,

And their eyes discharge flames, and shivering he said, Yes we should turn her in.

So it was decided and agreed upon the witch should decide the princesss fate,

The villagers gathered, lit torches in hand invading the castles gate.

A bloody battle the castles guards had not the slightest chance,

Pushed back by flames of torches burning bright each time they advanced.

She did not scream as they led her away she no longer wept her tears,

Fate had foretold of a true champion his presence would be welcomed here.

He could break this hold bring peace throughout the land,

But this she knew; only alone could he stand.

Only he could remove the village curse and this was no mortal deed,

Her people were traitors and this made her tender heart bleed.

So little faith in a kingdom that had once thrived,

For two thousand years through faith they had survived.

But then the curse. Anira, plain and simple, buckteeth and eyes of dull gray,

Stumbled across Vinirias tomb and couldn't or wouldn't pull away.

A witch of the past buried in a cement pit beneath the old church bell,

The villagers all believing they were safe because she was in hell.

Not so. Only a temporary sense of reprieve,

For the right person could free her soul if only they believed.

Anira feeling sorry for herself sat on a boulder the loneliness eating away,

Talking softly to the wind for no one else would listen to what she had to say.

Free me, free me, Over and over the words like a chant they were said,

Release me from this cement grave release me from the dead.

Aniras eyes shot deadly flames the mayors house ablaze,

Body and soul no longer her own she inherited the witches gaze.

So the princess was loved by one and all well she would see about that,

Her skeletal fingers pointed towards the earth and before her appeared a massive black cat.

No words were needed it knew exactly what it should do,

And with a mighty rumble it split the village in to.

It leaned back on its haunches lightning of steel escaping its teeth,

The smell of flesh, human blood, licking its lips over fresh meat.

Her spirit flew over enjoying the destruction she wrought,

This was not even the beginning of the revenge she sought.

Ah yes they had the princess surrounded a sacrifice pleasing to her,

Their fear out weighed their loyalty and with a vicious grin stroked her cats fur.

For all to see high on the mountain with a flash of light she appeared,

Even the bravest of men shook from a heart gripping fear.

One lone sole stood apart from the crowd battered and bloody as well,

He had braved the witchs wolves and survived her makeshift hell.

The underworld maze through the poisonous swamp, her hide and seek with walking skeletal remains,

So weary was he, so hungry and cold but he continued for she called his name.

The witch spied him invisible hands grabbed and held tight,

He could not move though he struggled with all his might.

On ravens wings he flew through the air landing at the witchs feet,

The thought ran through his mind with such power how could she be beat

Close your eyes, close your eyes and hold them tight,

Think, think, concentrate with all your might.

It was his companion the little firefly the one that helped him along the way,

But what now, what could she mean for the invisible hands held him at bay.

A protective force as he closed his eyes tighter and tighter still,

Power filled his body and blue flames flew from his shield.

He was surrounded by light though her darkness still prevailed,

Fire flew from her lips and she unleashed a banshee wail.

Terror struck the villagers as darkened flames ravaged their homes,

Acrid smoke filled the air and mythical creatures come above to roam.

Words spoken from where they came he did not know,

But from his lips with such ease they began to flow.

"Creatures I fear not for in them I do not believe,

They come in the night haunting believers dreams.

Go ye away never darken these lands again,

For I have seen where I will go, and remember where I have been."

The blue flames from his shield became much more intense,

And the protective light grew more immense.

The witch moaned in agony as she slowly faded away,

Only a true wizard knew the right words to send her too her grave.

A calm peace settled once again over Araginia the princess restored to her throne,

Anira tossed and turned awoke in a sweat in her bedroom at home.

The morning sun shone brightly gleaming off the old church bell,

All memory erased of the villages journey through hell.

Upon the road he traveled no direction to ease his mind,

He wandered aimlessly onward letting fate guide him to a find.

The firefly glowed pointing him to the barren valley out west,

On too another adventure, another battle, another quest.

Cynthia Clark

2002