Dedicated to those friends, past and present, who make the journey worthwhile......

Now, at last, this battle's done,
Another campaign complete.
And so I journey home again.
My heart is light, as are my feet.

For soon I will be with my Love
After all this time gone by.
At the thought of these last weeks apart,
I cannot help but cry.

But Lo! I see the hills of home,
The dark forest 'round our lands.
And once again my spirits rise,
Our reunion close at hand

Above the trees I see the smoke
That from our chimney creeps.
One last turn, almost there!
My heart begins to leap!

Faster now, I begin to run.
I can no longer wait
To hold my Dearest in my arms,
To see my soul's True Mate.

As the last few trees begin to part
I stop dead in my tracks.
Our home's a fiery ruin,
Smoke belching through the cracks.

With a roar my blade leaps to my hand
As I race into what was home,
But though the fire burns and sears my flesh,
There is no sign of she I left alone.

I stumbled out as the walls collapsed.
I fell, the flamed burned here and there,
And through the smoke and fire I saw
The visage of Urrem'tier.

The god gazed upon me - I looked away
So awesome was the presence here
And the thought arose - I die alone -
With none to shed a tear.

"Awake!" he commanded.
And that voice there was no denying.
"'Tis not yet your time, so on this day
You will not be a-dying.

"The one you love is with me - but it is not yet your time.
Even the gods have laws.
I cannot take your soul away
Until I have just cause.

"But souls I want - aye, even yours,
So if you want to play my game.
I'll return your love if you should win -
else your soul too I claim."

"Yes! Anything!" I cried.
And my heart did leap in hope.
But as the god chuckled, a chill I felt,
As if the noose closed round my throat

"You may ask me questions three
To learn more 'bout my game.
Anything you can think to ask,
To me its all the same.

"But after that, a task you must give
That I cannot do,
Or else a question you must ask
That I cannot answer true."

I pondered for a moment
Then the first thing I did say.
"Is there anyplace you cannot go?"
He only laughed, as if at play.

"I am a god, you foolish man.
Place and time, they are no bounds.
I can circle the stars, quick as a flash,
Past and future, lights and sounds."

"Are there limits to your knowledge,
Any topics you are weak?"
He only laughed again in glee,
Then reached out my nose to tweak

He made a single gesture,
and my love she did appear,.
And the thought of her welled up inside
As my heart was clenched in fear.

"Is there any place that you can go
From whence you cannot return?"
Then I saw the sparkle in his eyes
Where the light of victory burned.

"No prison can contain me, sir,
No shackles I have known.
Your questions three you now have asked.
'Tis time our game was done."

My heart did wail. He was a god!
What was I to do?
Knowing I had failed my love,
On my lips a final insult grew -

- And froze there on my lips
As I thought about the cost..
But then I smiled and said, "Here is your task!
Urrem'tier - get lost!"

His eyes grew wide, and his head arched back,
Then let loose a fearsome cry,
And in a cloud of pitch black smoke,
Vanished into the pale blue sky.

I leapt to my feet, and rushed to my Love,
Then took her in my arms,
And as she came out of her trance,
Her eyes showed her alarm.

"My love!" she cried,
"How can this be? I was told that you were dead!
I could not bear to be without you,
So I chose Death instead."

I touched her face, then kissed her lips,
Then said, "My love, I'm home.
And never more shall I follow war
And leave you all alone."

'Tis been fifty years since that day,
And we are together still.
But I know the day will come when the god and I
Will renew our test of will.