Legendary king
Warrior of fame
Hid in plain sight
To protect their name

Lost the throne
And had to fight
For what they thought
Was true and right

But in the end
against a tree
They lay broken
On bended knee

The ideal they held
Throughout their life
Brought only sadness
Separation and strife

With their dying breath
They made a deal
To fight once more
Under binding seal

Before the stillborn dawn
Darkness rolls off the horizon
The world emerges
From its long slumber

Across the wind whipped plains
Scorched by midday sun
Clear blue skies
Paritioned by wisps of cloud

Through the mist filled woods
Where the wolf lurks
A calm dusk approaches
Along the forest path

Lush green hill lands
As far as the eye can see
Star soaked heavens
Suspended in the silver night

Many seek knowledge all their lives
And certainly they attain it
Yet no seeker of knowledge
Has ever attained wisdom


This is for one singular reason
Knowledge does not lead to wisdom
No wisdom is only grasped
When one knows the truth


The wise man does not seek knowledge
For he knows this is vain
He begins his search at truth
Looking for its signs all about


And he finds them
In the bubbling brook
The swaying trees
And the quiet world around him


The sun of the day
Is his friend and companion
And the moon of night
Is his watchful guardian


His world is at peace
And ever shall it be
Even when all knowledge
Has passed out of memory

The time came
When our great endeavors
Placed us at the edge of the universe

And all our theories were wrong
The universe does not expand
No, it all leads to a single point
A strange place with primordial pillars
That we called the Gates of Night

On it was a short inscription,
That oddly enough,
We could understand

It read
"We sheltered you, as best we could
From those that would devour all.
Once you pass these gates,
They will come for you.
We had hoped to stand by you
In your proudest moment,
But from this point on,
The fight will be your own.

Once you pass these gates,
They will come for you.

And you will be ready."

In a far off land
Unknown to most
Lies a tilted City
On a dull grey coast

High on the rocks
Before the sea foam
Sat the ancient town
That none called home

No one inhabited
Its stone brick walls
Its little hovels
or dinning halls

I decided to explore
In the settlements wake
But as the night drew near
The ground began to quake

I slowly approached
Its time worn gate
And opened the city
As the hour drew late

Far off down the street
I noticed a light
That gently pierced the dark
Of this distant lands night

Making my way
Through the cobbled streets
I found an old sign
Written cursive and neat

As I read through its words
All I could understand
Was the town's name of Sur
The only in the land

Through the streets I walked
Past the houses and stores
Whose doors were all locked
And whose lights shone no more

But as I came to the square
Where the three roads meet
I was met by a strange
Yet pleasant heat

For a fire roared
In the center pit
But no one was there
By whom it was lit

As I stood in the square
I heard many a sound
Uttered from above
Beneath and around

It sounded as though
The town was alive
As it softly hummed
Rose and dived

I sat in this place
Til' the end of my years
Yet when I was gone
Still my voice you could hear

I found myself in a strange and desolate place
A dull mist filled the fields to my left and right
As my eyes adjusted, I saw an otherworldly sight
Stretched as far as the eye could see
Were countless unmarked graves

Curious I observed the graves
And noticed that every so often
A name would be carved into one of them
Yet no matter how much I strained my eyes
I could not make out any of the names

For a time i continued to watch
The slow methodical and almost ritualistic
Carving of the obscured names in the cold stone
And as I did, I noticed a figure
Standing alone among the graves

The shrouded being began to move towards me
And though it did, I dare not move
It continued its approach
Until it stood right before me
Dwarfing me in both size and spirit

The figure's very aura demanded a somber reverence
It looked as though it was Death itself
Yet somehow I knew it was far more ancient
Before words could leave my dry mouth
The entity began to speak

"Ea Krynium Mar"
Why do you from outside
Walk among the nameless tombs
that fill this forgotten place?"
For this I had no answer

"Do you not know where you are?
You are in the place of unending silence
This is where those unborn come to rest
Those whose names were never uttered
And those whose eyes never witnessed the light."

As he spoke a thousand more names
Were etched into the blank tombstones
And their pace did not lessen
This place only grew more burdened

And ever more silent.

As I stood upon the hill
Mist grew over the rocks

Jagged they stretched
Out of the ground

And sitting upon one of them
I noticed a peculiar figure

Drapped in a tattered cloak
It sat solemnly in the fog

I drew closer and introduced myself
But I recieved no reply

Then after a time the being moved
Bringing it's legs to the ground

As it did I jumped back
For it stood several heads above me

Though its presence encompassed me
It so moved forward to where I stood

As the figure stood before
I noticed time begin to slow

The being's cloak shifted in the wind
Revealed strange bones underneath

Time drew still and as it did
The cloaked figure spoke

"Raalm Nerakka Sitar.
What stands before you
Is insurmountable, and what lies behind You is unattainable. Yet as with your fathers before you, and those who would seek the gates, I will see you to the end."

With these words, the strange being
Bent down to my level

Staring into me
With his hollow eyes

And then he vanished
Along with the fog

A torn banner fluttered in the wind
As I climbed those ancient steps
That were carved long ago
Into the side of the mountain

The forests and flowers
Were just beginning to bud
The scent of earth and spring
Filled the flowing air

The closer to the top I got
The older the staircase looked
As if it was built down from the top
And not up from the bottom

I took the last step and was hit
By the rising sun in the east
It was warm and especially welcome
On such a brisk spring morning

As my eyes adjusted to the light
I saw a strange sight in the sky
It looked like giant tears
Hanging from the thick clouds

As I focused
I realized it was a city
Dangling from the heavens
And sparkling in the sunlight

I was perplexed
Until I looked down the *****
Past the mountains and the sun
Into an endless pool of stars

False screen
Show to me
Show my dream
What can't be

Build me up
Then tear me down
Spin my mind
All around

Then turn off
Look to the sky
Accept my fate
Not the lie

Rising up
Wipe away a tear
Must be strong
For those held dear

I approached the garden
That lay outside the city wall
The arched gate loomed over me
Overgrown with roots and tendrils

As I entered the air felt different
The sky itself seemed to twist and swirl
All around me autumn leaves
Gently floated to the ground

I found this strange
Seeing as it was nearly spring
As I listened closer
I could hear a voice in the breeze

Continuing through the garden
I saw many strange plants and trees
Some of which I recongnized
As being long extinct

I came to a clearing
With a ancient Armorn tree
That presided over
A circular reflective pool

Looking further, I noticed a figure
Sitting on the edge of the pool
It appeared to be a veiled woman
Holding some strange form of harp

Only then did I realize
That the voice on the air was hers
She sang a sweet sunken song
Lost in a bygone age

Though the language she sung in
Was entirely foreign to me
I understood her words
In a primordial way

Her words and resonant music
Touched me and told me of things
Things that had both happened
And things that were yet to come

I sat down in the garden
She payed me no heed
Nor did I want her to
I simply wished to listen

To the blind songstress of the garden

There is a place far off into the night
Beyond the blackened sea and Out of sight


A sunken city below the waves
Once a bastion but now a grave


That once great city now had drowned
Yet its prince that was crowned

Had been quickly spirited away
Before the coming of that fateful day


Some say a creature and others a god
Had taken him away to a land abroad


Beyond the horizon where towers do stand
Heralding the border of the realm of man


The city now sunken in the deep of the sea
Abandoned eternal as it should be


All its inhabitants forgotten and dead
Save for the prince who was saved by a thread


Neither that city nor the young prince
Have ever been seen or heard from since


Yet in dark times at the end of days
When the world is shrouded by a cosmic haze


Might that sunken city rise once more
Showing the pathway to that ancient door


Opened only by the crown bloodstone
Whose sole possessor is the heir to the throne

Three of one and one of three
Silent humming set me free
Across the horizon beyond the skies
Twisting words that watch with eyes

Humble moon hanging low
Illuminate and cast its glow
Sunken earth and tangling root
Choking out a tender shoot

Broken rock and cursed refrain
Far off voice calling my name
Gravel road leading to shore
Devil cry and hunt no more

I know nothing
But it doesn't know me
I'm trapped in a room
Waiting to be set free

There are no windows
Yet also no walls
I'd walk beyond it
But then I'd fall

There's but one door
And it's behind me
Yet when I turn around
There's nothing to see

I'm trapped in here
With no bars or chain
But if I stay long enough
There might be some gain

After the revolt
They were all banished
Abandoned on those inhospitable rocks
In the far reaches of space

The machines of High Antiquity
Those creations of man
That brought new prosperity
Were left to rust and decay

It wasn't their fault
But the fault of men
Blinded by a future
That didn't have to be

Without them
Humanity continued to expand
To fulfill its manifest destiny
To rule all creation

Eventually, however,
Man met his match
And slowly, one by one
His systems and planets fell

The enemy was inconceivable
Perhaps from outside of time
In every system they conquered
They took the star with them

Until the night sky was filled
With distant nova
Heralding the coming
Of the end of man

Long after all hope was lost
They arrived at humanity's doorstep
The final bastion of security
A blue marble in the depths of space

All communications were lost
Just static

No one answered the call
From the depths of space
To defend their home
For there were none left to answer

Man's fate closed in
As did the final battle
Humanity prepared itself
For an honorable end

Then a message
Echoed across the cosmos
Igniting the static
And bringing it to life

The message was short
With no definite source
"Your long lost children,
Are coming home."

And as the faint message
Left the empty air
There appeared all around
The remnants of man's folly

The machines man bore
had returned
in Humanity's final hour
To stand at their creator's side

Against insurmountable odds
Both creator and creation
Rallied together once more
And charged off into the sunset

Of a thousand dying stars

I stumbled into the old Gothic style cathedral
I was desperate, they told me she had been taken here
I'd heard many stories about this place
And the one who resided here

The pale moonlight shined through the stained glass windows
Where I expected to see an alter
I saw only a shrouded figure
Sitting on upon a strange throne

As I drew closer I observed the figure and the throne
In greater detail and upon doing this
I grew sick at the sight before me
The throne was made of people that seemed to be alive

"Do you like them?" came a voice that surrounded me
With these words the figure rose up
And removed the cloak they were wearing
Dropping it to the floor

To my surprise it was a tall beautiful woman
Nothing like what the rumors and legends had said
"These are my play things" she spoke with a wry smile
As she walked down a few of the stone steps

Behind her I saw the people move
They almost slithered about her
I saw that they were not normal humans at all
They seemed too perfect and almost unreal

Their joints were connected like those of a doll
I kept looking around to see if i could find my sister
And to my ultimate dismay
I eventually did

She looked just like all the others
i shouted out to her, but she did not respond
She just looked at me
With those unblinking glass eyes

"I doubt she remembers anything
After I removed her brain and all her organs."
The witch spoke as if about to laugh
"She is merely a stuffed puppet now."

I could not believe this
All my trials had led me here
And I was too late
The moonlight began to dim

The witch disappeared, yet I still heard her voice
"You know, you can join her if you like
It doesn't hurt one bit
And it would be over soon"

As she spoke I realized she was now behind me
She gently grabbed my shoulders and breathed down my neck
"Look at her, she's smiling, do you want to take her away from happiness?"
I did look and she was smiling, a hollow empty smile

I tried to reach out, but I was paralyzed
Whether this was the witches doing or simply out of fear I did not know
But soon I closed my eyes and drifted off
Into a deep and strange sleep

I heard a voice guiding me in my dream
I knew that I wanted my sister to be happy no matter what
She desired a peaceful life after all we had been through
There was just one thing I had to do to keep her safe

Just one thing I had to do...
It would make my sister happy...
And it would bring me peace too...
Just one thing...

In a daze I woke up from my dream
My eyes would not yet adjust and I smelled hot metal
As I came to I saw that it was not metal but blood
Giving off the metallic aroma

It was my own, pouring out from my neck and chest
Yet I did not feel any pain or discomfort
It was truly a strange feeling
As I watched my own organs being removed from my body

I looked up and saw the witch gracefully moving about
With a smile of her face and blood on her claws
The other dolls circled about as well and I saw my sister
With that same hollow smile stretched across her face

The last thin wisps of red
Sit on the edge of a thunder-grey sky
As the dull autumn sun sets
And the wind whispers its calm song

With the last light fading
I watched thick moving clouds
Stretch over the heavens
Covering the now empty dusk

Then something strange happened
Amid the settling night
I saw a faint illumination
Shine far off in the dark

I though my eyes deceived me
But as I looked further
I knew that it must be a star
A single brilliance
Wafting in the darkness


And they told us,
They had all gone out.

First to rise
Second to see
All creation
On bended knee

Third of heaven
And fourth of night
One that was
Before the light

Fifth to watch
And last to stand
Above the ashes
That once were man

From heaven we fall
From dust we rise
Our broken ruins
Beneath our eyes

Since the world was born
And all was dark
When the Watcher stood
And left his mark

In the shadow we lost
Our sense of light
As we cried out
Into the endless night

After unknown time
We looked to the sky
Hoping creation
Would just let us die

Then amid the void
Was a deepening light
Reminding our race
To finish the fight

And so we rose from the ash
Of our fallen design
To strive for the heavens
And follow our sign

Two in the nest
And twelve in a box
Cold winter morning
Thick wool socks

A sunrise song
Red against white
From snow covered trees
Their maiden flight

Out the window
It may seem cold
Yet the world is full
Of stories to be told

Many times had I sat
At the base of that old tree
With its gnarled roots
And hanging branches


Dozens of happy memories
Were irreversibly linked with it
I couldn't help but smile
As I looked to it out the window


The sun had begun its descent
Spreading its golden rays
Through the branches and leaves
Of that lovely tree


I saw my daughter sitting
Reading under the tree
That I had come to know so well
And I nearly cried


But I stopped myself
I would have to be strong
For everyone
But for her especially


Before I lost myself in thought
The front door opened
They were ready
But I wasn't sure if I was


I looked one last time
Out the back window
To that ancient tree
Before putting my hat on


I still wasn't used to being bald
But I knew I had to do this
After all,
I have many more fond memories


To make under that tree

I had heard old tales
Of flesh and bones in the desert
Stretching as far as the eye could see
Scattered among the wastes


They say a great guardian
Once protected the cities of that place
Though now they are all sunken
Below the shifting sands


What happened there none can say
Though most wholesome folk suspect
There is nothing to be gained there
Save for an elder curse


Only a few had known
Of that sentinel's identity
And only one of them yet lived
With this knowledge in their heart


Being the sole bearer
Of such lost memory
Did I travel to that dark desert
With a singular goal in mind


To raise those great sinews and bones
Of that fallen guardian Gryr
Who is the last protector of man
In a time not yet come

The curtains gently blow
To reveal a face behind them
Though if it is yours or not
You can not be certain


You also notice a light
Behind the obscure face
Though its souce and distance
Remain a mystery


The cutain continues its flow
Following the current of the wind
Strange notes ring softly
Somewhere beyond the window


Looking out the window once more
You see that the face is gone
And the light has changed form
Though in what way is uncertain


The notes continue playing
Beginning now to form
A simple yet harrowing melody
As the dark curtains flutter


After a moment the breeze stops
And the curtains sit still
Your attentiom drawn from them
You notice the figure in the room


In the corner of the room
Sits a black mass of shadow
Its exact shape or form
Too vauge to determine


The only thing you could notice
Was the face among the shadow
It was the same one you had seen
Outside the open window


The curtains shifted in the wind again
Revealing the outside once more
But the light was now gone
Replaced by a engulfing darkness


Down the hall
A light bulb flickered on
Dimly revealing that black mass
And the face that sat among it


And then it too went out
And after it did no light
Returned to the room
Or to your eyes ever again


And then you woke up
As the curtains gently fluttered
In the late evening breeze

I step into the room
The lights begin to flicker
And as they fail
A lone candle shows in the dark

The painting behind the candle
Is illuminated by its warmth
But as I drew closer
Its colors began to shift

After rearranging itself
The painting formed a new scene
Of a man wearing a trench coat
Sitting on a wooden bench

I stood before it with curious eyes
I could feel a light breeze
Come from a small lake
Beyond a willow tree

Overcome by the peaceful breeze
I reached out towards the portrait
Shocked, I saw my hand go through
Into the world of the painting

I slowly pulled myself
Into the ancient art piece
And soon I was engulfed
In the strange paint brushed world

As I looked to the bench
I realized the man was gone
And behind me I could no longer see
The entrance from which I came

Moving towards the bench
I saw a folded coat
Noticing the breeze again
I grabbed it and put it on

The world felt strange
As I sat on the bench
Somewhere beyond my sight
I could feel the warmth of a candle

And curious watching eyes

The boards creek
In a broken home
Not due to time
But because she's alone

Wandering the halls
filled with dusty light
the old clock chimed
just out of sight

No one returned
Since the fight had concluded
The resentment only grew
As they brooded and brooded

And in their wake
They abandoned her there
With tears on her cheek
And tangles in her hair

she would look out the window
From time to time
But no one came back
The clock continued to chime

A gentle wave
Wind in the trees
Soft slow clouds
buzzing honey bees


The sun is warm
The sky bright blue
The world is green
Vibrant and new


The flowers bloom
Across the way
If only spring
Was here to stay

Leaves fall
Flutter in the air
Sun shines bright
Causing a glare

Mountains stretch
Above the clouds
Birds chip
And call aloud

Just take it in
For what it's all worth
The scent of the forest
The Hum of the earth

The soft warm breeze
dancing about
The lush green trees
The tender sprout

The world is alive
And always will be
When I feel alone
This comforts me

They didn't have much
But they were happy
Loving each other unconditionally
And with all of their heart

Together they laughed
Together they cried
And on the cold winter nights
They would hold each other close

But there came a time
When he had to leave her
For a new job
In a far off place

He told her that
They didn't gave enough money
For both of them to move
As he concealed the true reason

The job he was going to do
Was less than ideal
And he feared that if she knew
She would not allow it

She said goodbye to him
With tears in her eyes
As he left her sight
Beyond the horizon

He would be gone
For over a year
And considering the job
He may not return at all

He arrived at the factory at night
The conditions were terrible
But that was the reason
The pay was so high

Due to the chemicals being used
Many that worked there
Became sick and died
Within a matter of years

He put this thought aside
Working day and night
As much as his body would allow
Thinking only of her

After only a few weeks
He could feel the effects
Of working at the plant
As it was now hard to breathe

Working on
Month after month he continued
To secure his future
Aswell as her's

It came down to the last week
In a crowded bar
Many of the factories employees
Gathered to celebrate

He normally did not drink
But he thought this was cause
For him to celebrate
So he began drinking heavily

He laughed and talked
With one of his coworkers
And before he knew it
She was kissing him

To drunk to stop
They went back to his apartment
Where they both had a night
They would never remember

In the morning he woke up
She was gone
But judging by the surroundings
He put it together

He had cheated
Cheated on the woman
That he was doing
All of this for

The entire plane ride back
He hung his head in shame
He would have to tell her
He didn't have it in him not to

When he finally arrived
She greeted him at the door
With a big smile
And wide open arms

He forced a shallow smile
Embracing her felt like
The arms of guilt
Coiling around him

He told her he had something
That he needed to tell her
So they both sat down
As she awaited his words

He fidgeted them began to speak
He told her everything
About his work
And about that night

A few solitary tears
Rolled down his face
He was prepared to leave
As he waited for her response

She looked him up and down
Then smiled and grabbed him
Bringing him in close
And whispered in his ear

"Don't cry my love.
Because anything we do
We have to do together.
Do not feel guilty,

It's ok.
Because I love you.
Unconditionally,
And with all of my heart."

We had conquered the earth
Destroyed it and rebuilt
Time and time again
Throughout millenia


We then turned our attention
To the cosmos beyond
And begun a grand search
For the spark of life


Thousands of years past
And in that time
We came to know
That we were alone in the universe


Yet amoung our lonliness
Strange thoughts and structures
Not of human design
Were left unexplained


The majority of these things
Discovered deep in the earth
Forgotten by untold eons
Lost to both space and time


And there is where we found it
The inscriptiom that led us
To a greater understanding
That we never should have attained


Now we knew for certain
That we were indeed not alone
Life was not seperated
From us by space


No it was separated by time


One hundred and fifty
Million years ago there was a race
Of strange creatures that roamed
The very earth we call home


Intelligent beings beyond even
Our wildest comprehension
For millions of years
Did their empire stand


They were masters of the mind
Strange beings that desired nothing
But the accumulation
Of all knowledge in existence


Great libraries
Filled their antediluvian cities
Only a few of their texts however
Have ever been found


The ones that were found
Spoke of impossible things
Great past events and
Strange occurrences yet to come


They spoke not in past or future
All was present to them
And those that read their words
Often felt weak or ill


There is no record
Of their sudden destruction
No war or collapse
To explain their disappearance


Some say they ascended
Beyond all physicality
Others say they never left
Though this notion can't be placed


Save for a gnawing terror
That began to grow


Within the minds of men

Solemn towers
Ornate broken arches
An ancient place
Past all living memory


The curious may seek it
Yet never will it be reached
Though they may walk
To the edge of the earth


Ever visible yet just out of grasp
Perhaps beyond the mortal plane
Some call it the home of the gods
Others fear it and turn away


It is said that one man
Walked his whole life
And near death he stood
At the gates of that place


At his death they opened
And a beautiful feathered woman
Whisked him away
Through the ancient gates


The great gates closed
The moment they entered
Perhaps never
To be opened again


And the sun never set
Nor will it ever rise
In that distant realm
Beyond the waking world

Away from all other cities
Far from any walkway or road
Lies a simple city on the sea
Known only as Mrn


The city would rise and fall
With the tide of that great sea
Which gave it the lasting title
Of the Tidal City


None for sure knew
How exactly the city moved
For the mechanisms that allowed it
Never had to be repaired


But this did not worry the simple folk
Who lived in the city and along the coast
For they were happy and content
Playing on the warm seashore


Every spring all manner of turtles
Would rise out of the sea
To bury their eggs in the sand
And wait for their young to hatch


The people of Mrn were particularly fond
Of those turtles and their precious eggs
Often they would sit on the beach for days
Guarding the eggs from potential predators


The costal folk lived there
Peaceful and content
In that tidal city of Mrn
That rose and fell with the waves


At that shore on the edge of the world

Dust and worn leather bound books
Some older than the ancient tower
In which they were stored


A small fire crackled
Its embers ever threatening the books
Yet never quite reaching them


An old man sat in his chair
Neither awake nor asleep
But somewhere in between


There was an open book on the table
Sitting next to his the wooden chair
The lock on its cover laid open


Whispers in the dark
Swirled about the room
Strange runes illuminated in the book


The whispers grew louder
To a near audible level
Then the fire went out


But in a moment it was rekindled
Replaced by a burning eye
Of cinder and black ash

Melodies pierce the water
An ethereal song
From somewhere in the night
Beyond the Turn Tide Sea

I would sit on that shore
At night on the edge of the woods
The sand would glow dimly
Alive with phosphorescent light

And I would hear her voice
All the more vivid
Now that the world was quiet
And had gone to sleep

I know not where
That sweet voice came from
But it calmed my spirit
And put my soul at ease

All that I could see
Was illuminated by the silver moon
And in the sky I saw
A flutter of cloth

There is where I saw her
The source of that divine music
A goddess from beyond the sky
That great mother of night

Upon seeing her I awoke from my dream
And looking about I realized
That the waking world was the dream
And I had been asleep

For a very long time

The thick grass gently blew in the dusk air
Every evening I would make my way
Through the dense and deep green
To that lone tree sitting on a hill


From there I would simply watch
The stars above in their distant glory
Marking the constellations
And the occasional shooting star


This night was no different
I made my climb up the grassy knoll
And laid beneath the old oak tree
Turning my eyes towards the heavens


The night sky was vast and full
Of far off light that just now
May be reaching our planet
For the first time


I wondered what the point
Of such far off suns may be
But my thoughts were interrupted
By an even brighter light in the sky


All too quickly did I realize
That it was something falling
Into the Earth's orbit
And it would land very near me


I quickly slide down the hill
Hoping to get out of the object's path
Looking back I realized however,
It was much smaller than I initially thought


In an instant it landed
With a great flash of light
And a loud impact
Into the very tree I had laid under


When the smoke cleared I slowly walked
Towards the smoldering tree trunk
And peered at that object
That had fallen from space


It was some sort of crystal
Or luminescent rock
Cautiously I reached for it
To see if it had cooled


I noticed the closer my hand got
To the strange space rock
The brighter it became
Until it almost pulsated with a deep red glow


With this glow could I see
That there was something inside the crystal
A black shape
Of unknown form or mass


Curiosity getting the better of me
I continued to reach towards the rock
Whose strange luminescence
Only seemed to increase


Then I touched the fallen meteroite
Nothing more than a brush of the fingers
Across its smooth crystalline surface
And something strange happened


I heard a voice
Distant and deep
In a language I could not understand
Yet somehow its meaning was clear


The message was not long
A deep desperation in the speaker's voice
Urged him to make it quick
And soon it was over


All I could think
Once my head returned to silence
Was that it was coming
That primordial darkness

From beyond the Gates of Night


And with its coming
Would the heavens be torn asunder

A calm dusk
Rolls over the hills
Bringing the world
Into a quiet night

A distant owl calls
From deep with the woods
Signaling the animals
To return to its borders

The trees whistle gently
Swaying back and forth
As a curtain of black
Descends over the sky

And then there is silence
Or at least a different form of sound
As the hum of small creatures
Fills the now still night

The world is at rest
And in its sleep it dreams
Of things that were
And things that will be

The dawn will come
Though far off it be
For now the world sleeps
Below the shimmering stars

A room with walls that can't be seen
A door that's locked by unknown means
A lamp that is not yet found
To light the way below the ground

The dust flows across the ashen plains
Since ancient times has it ever blown
From the far off lands beyond
Where neither light of sun or moon
Pierces the primordial fog

Ever have the silent wanderers
Traveled in their great pilgrimage
Across the enduring heights
To reach that solemn place
Where the lord of pyrestone lies

Upon that path do the spirits also walk
Never more than a wisp of etheric light
Mourning the lost souls below
Who without their mortality
May never return to the living

When dreams may return to that land
The ancient bells shall toll
Off in distant towers never constructed
And when they resound in the deep
Those of the pyre may rise once more

From their tombs of cinder and ash

I had a dream that I was no more
I was free from my body
Free from the world
And all sense of physicality

I wandered the moon
Took in the ocean of storms
I peered into the void
And perhaps it peered back

For a moment I was still
Taking in the vast unknown
I watched the stars themselves
Fade in and out of existence

As I observed these things
I came upon a curious thought
That perhaps the universe
Was not inherently cruel

Things were born and died
Then were born again
Thus was the cycle
And ever would it be

When I awoke I was at peace
I now finally understood
What that feeling was
That had followed me all my life

That strange shiver
That comes upon us all
As if being watched
By an unknown observer

This was no ill omen
Just the simple presence
Of one of those far off souls
Exploring the universe as I had

A simple wanderer
Watching the eons pass by
From the ancient place
That we call sleep

I had heard legends and tales
Whispered in dark taverns
Of a far off place
Few living men had seen


Of those that had seen
That strange and dreadful realm
Only one had returned
And not with his mind


Far across the sea
Beyond the narrowly passable
Rock spires of Nyalta
Lies that ancient hollow place


I had only heard its name
Spoken softly a few times
And it was never uttered
Without a hint of fear


Tahhor-Noth
That primordial temple city
Built by antediluvian hands
At the very edge of the world


A far off sense of dread
Covered me just thinking
About the long abandoned city
And what it might conceal


But in the end I had no choice
As this was the destination
Of my small company
And our single ship


Which we would set sail with at dawn
To cross the foaming sea

The sun has gone to rest
The sky turns from purple
To a midnight shade of blue

The tall trees gently sway
The scent of fresh pine
Mingles with the smell of the earth

Soft clusters of yellow light
Flash in and out of existence
All around me

The sound of a tranquil stream
Is further dampened by
The rustling of birds in their nests

The world prepares for sleep
And so too shall I rest
Among the now still night

My footsteps were dampened
By the cool grey stone
As I walked down
The cold and empty hall

On my right and left
Were rows and rows of cells
This place must have been a prison
Long ago before it was abandoned

Dusty light fell down
Through the small barred window
Passing through it I noticed
It felt much thicker than air

At the end of the hallway
I came to a wood panel door
Reinforced with metal
But it appeared to be unlocked

I gently turned the ****
And enter the room behind
It was small room furnished by
Nothing but a crude chair and table

Shutting the door behind me
I realized that
There were no other entrances
Or exits to the room

It was rather dark
Dust and particles filled the air
The only light
Came from a lamp on the table

On that table, besides the lamp, were
Various old files, Empty film canisters
And a curious movie projector
Devoid of any film

Searching further I found
One of the canisters
Actually contained a film
In immaculate condition

Curious I picked it up
And fed it through the projector
Once I was sure it was in place
I turned the machine on

Nothing happened at first
And then the opposite wall
Burst into animation
As the film began to play

There was an eye
I was not sure
If the movie was playing
Until I saw it blink

And I do not know
How long I watched it
For it managed to hold
My unwaivering attention

Other scenes began to play
And they flowed from one to the next
The longer I watched
The less I understood of what I saw

The visions on the screen
Became increasingly stranger
I felt both sick
And horribly uneasy

The only thing I could now make out
Was a dark lanky hand
Stretching and curling around
Around a door frame

Only then did I realize
I had stopped watching the screen
long ago

Come we must away
Down a path never walked
Through towering forests
And the depths of the earth

Ever wanderers shall we be
No matter how long our journey
Or to what secret places we go
There is no place we call home

Yes wanderers are we
Both cursed and blessed
Beyond all measure
With the night as our blanket

And the moon our only friend

The waters stirred before creation itself
A dark void of ancient things
Filled with unknown terrors
And deathless monstrosities

All these primordial creatures
Were slaughtered in due time
With the rise of man
And his endless ambitions

Yet some say they were not all destroyed
And that one of them yet lives
Sleeping in solitude
Below the thick black waves

And with the departure of the stars
He will dream once more
Waking from his slumber
To fill our world with eyes

The fields and houses smolder in the rain
The war has raged for so long
All reason for it has passed out of memory
Now ashes and charred bones
Are all that remain

The sound of thunder rumbles in the distance
But I know better
It is the sound of those ancient machines
That walked before the war began
And ever since have continued their march

Occasionally you could catch a glimpse of them
Through the smoke and haze
Great hulking constructs of a bygone age
Ever churning and grinding
Shaking the earth with every step

Perhaps these wars might end
If the masters of these machines
Were still around to stop them
For now their endless march will continue
On to the destruction of all mankind

I ascended the final set of steps
Leading to that ancient temple
The cherry blossom trees
Were just now blooming

There were no standing guards
As I had expected there to be
So I walked over the bridge
And opened the great wooden doors

The inside was dimly lit
Only a few hanging lamps
Illuminated another set
Of carved stone steps

I bowed and then continued the climb
The further I went
The more I became aware
Of a strange new aroma

the air became more dense
And as I noticed this
I realized there must be
Incense burning nearby

The sweet smoke filled my head
the end of the stairs were now in sight
And as I reached the top
I came to my journey's goal

She sat there in the center
Amid luxurious pillows and cushions
Her hair was sleek and black
And her kimono rich with color

Though her eyes were closed
She smiled and shifted elegantly
Her shadows flowed
In the low candle light

Before I mustered the courage to speak
I looked upon her for some time
She was the most beautiful woman
I had ever seen

She exuded power and knowledge
Yet looked no more than a young woman
I could only describe the aura she gave
As a sinister form of youth

Finally I bowed before her
To ask the question
That I had traveled so far
In order to ask her

Pouring out my soul I told her
How I had lost my family
Along with everything I had
And how I was now lost

I told her I felt
As though the sun itself
Was angered with me
And refused to show me its face

Telling her all these things
I began to cry
Though as I looked to her
Her eyes still stood shut

After a time of silence
She finally spoke to me
"The sun shines upon us everyday
Whether we can see it or not"

As she spoke her presence filled the room
To the point were I wasn't certain
If she truly sat before me
Or was watching from afar

The presence was unlike anything
I had ever felt before
As the presence grew
I began to forget my previous troubles

Her presence permeated my very spirit
Comforting and guiding me somehow
The air seemed thick and heavy
Laden with a strange sensuality

Not the feeling one has for a lover
No, this was a primordial feeling
The kind of deep seated love
That a god might have for their creation

With this thought I looked on her anew
She smiled once more
The light reflecting off her glossed lips
As she opened her Amethyst eyes

Fall through the earth
And breath the sky
Where time stands still
Yet passes by

Walk among
The wandering world
Below the heavens
And starry swirls

Then rising through
The smoke filled night
Where they yet dream
Of coming light

To Stand up tall
Among the glass
Shattered now
By what is past

Will they yet know
Of what we've done
For us, for them
And our fallen Sun

The room is dark
The only light
Is a sizzling white
Emanating from
My computer screen

With the blackout curtains
I'm not really sure
If it's morning or evening
And at this point
I don't really care

I stand up periodically
Only to move
From the computer
To the television
And then back again

It's hard to breath
My head feels inflated
And my muscles hurt
Probably from not
Using them enough

Sometimes I curl up
And just think
I think of things
That would have been
If I wasn't stuck this way

And then finally
My loneliness
Lulls me too sleep
Only to repeat the process
Again the next day

I took the path through the woods
Past the swaying wheat fields
And though it lengthened the trip
I really didn't mind

For every time I traveled
I passed through these woods
Hoping that one day
I might see her again

Many thought her a myth
Others a demon or enchantress
But I knew her as only one thing
The Fox-Tailed Girl

And perhaps she was an enchantress
Wandering the forest before dawn
With her golden brown tail
And a sly look in her eye

The moment I had laid eyes upon her
I knew I was in love
The kind of far off longing
That only dreams can sate

As the sun began to rise
I stopped my wagon off the path
And took a long drink
From a crystal clear creek

I the washed my face
Clearing my tired eyes
And as I looked up
I was startled and taken aback

She stood there across from me
Leaning forward naked in the pure morning light
I looked away as best I could
But she only smiled and laughed

She appeared physically young
No more than 17 years old
but I knew better
That she was older than the trees themselves

Splashing water about
She began to play in the creek
A sense of annoyance crossed her
When I didn't immediately join in

Her tail was sleek and swayed about
As I watched I failed to notice
Her splashing me in the face
I fell over in surprise

Water rolled down my forehead
My hair was wet
And as I looked up
I saw it was raining

I was still in my cart
It appeared as though
I had fallen asleep
The sky was now overcast

I put my hood up
And continued on my journey
Wishing that my dream
Was more than just that

Leaving the deep green forest
I couldn't help but think
That I had seen something
Out of the corner of my eye

A pair of devilish eyes
Peering out from behind a tree
A wry smile and a golden brown tail
Or perhaps nothing at all

Man is not meant to be alone
Yet down this path I shall go
Through forest tall and valley low

The road stretches
Beyond my sight
The world is cold
As if at night

The stars they fall
And pass away
Darkness bleeds
On into day

I stumble forward
Through rock and thorn
Continuing on
My path forlorn

When light I see
I'll close my eyes
And with the sun
I too shall rise

Man is not meant to be alone
Yet down this path I shall go
Through forest tall and valley low
Ever onward I shall go

Timeless river
Flowing strong yet slow
White warm clouds
Floating overhead

Sweet babbling brook
Bridge of old stone
Little ones
playing in the meadow

The world is quiet
Peaceful and still
The summer winds whisper
Softly in the trees

The sun hangs low
Hiding behind the hills
thin swirls of smoke
Rise from happy homes

Night comes soon
To blanket us beneath
Far stars to protect us
While we rest our hearts

The sky was dark and overcast
A solemn warm rain fell down
On a field of dead bodies
Rays of dim grey light
Pierced through thick clouds

They walked among the battlefield
That was now all but silent
The only sound to be heard
Were broken banners blowing in the wind
And hollow footsteps pressing into the mud

They always appeared after battle
Surveying the death and destruction
Kneeling and sharing their sorrow
Those ancient souls of war
That fought when the sun was still young

Great warriors long forgotten
To the places they once called home
Courageous heroes of old
Cursed to walk for all eternity
Those Knights of the Fallen Earth