The Journey of Azmaroth

The Journey of Azmaroth

When Pelligrana, apple of Urdan’s eye
and Chief Defender of the Gate,
fell in love with handsome Arbet, Prince
of Erith, and the lovers fled
to escape the mage’s wrath,
only Azmaroth, unbidden, rose
to accept the quest pressed
by Urdan’s thirst for vengeance.
Dark bounty hunter shunned by all,
Azmaroth took the road to Erith.

By night and day she journeyed on,
her eldritch eyes piercing the trail
clear only to her wisdom,
she sensed the war that came to Erith
long before the smoking skies
announced its vile destruction.
Pure by chance, Bagdaniel,
leader of the dread horde of Urk,
had ravaged the once fair city.
The hunter found dead Arbet at the gate.

Azmaroth the Unbidden,
alone and ever wary,
drifting through the shadows
of the Halls of Erith,
came at last to the still form
of slain Pelligrana,
high valkyrie of Urdan,
and settled to wait the passing hours
as the mage’s charm commenced
to recall his errant Defender.

The tortured remains of Erith’s clan,
chained in half-life contemplation
to the walls and
held in dreadful awe,
observed the scene impassive
while dark Azmaroth in silence
gazed upon her quarry,
tainted, now fallen, warrior
of Urdan’s elite
Defenders of the Gate.

And when the hand of Pelligrana,
in answer to its master’s call,
the spell of mighty Urdan,
stirred as life returned obedient,
reaching for lambent valkyrie sword,
Azmaroth rose unhurriedly,
stooped to gather the weapon
and dragged Pelligrana to her feet.
Thus they left the echoing hall,
the patient bounty hunter and her prey.


Line Count: 50
Free Verse
For A Story-Poem Contest, July 2020
No prompt