Tyre’Negoth:A Conversation between PhilosophiesII

But enough of law and crime’s debate, our eyes now turn,

To Acumenius who sat near a smaller fire he had made,

Gimnal slept in spasmodic fits as Acumenius pondered

The words that Gimnal had uttered at the dining hall.

So deep in thought was he, he was oblivious of Eldin who,

Marched up and tossed his bow right beside, startling

Acumenius from his book, Eldin laughed at his prank.

“What if some beast had eyes intent on your pretty head?

You’re so deep in book that you’d assuredly be dead!”

Acumenius smiled for there was no harm in Eldin’s joke,

“Good prank, my hunting fellow, a good lesson taught

To me, for I admit that I have never been on adventure,

Thus, as any wise man knows, I have much still to learn.”

Eldin, for his dislike of wizard-folk agreed in mind,

That this wizard was far better than most he’d met,

With that he came and drew near the dying fire,

“Tell me, why does a man whose skill is words and reason

Join a soldier’s mission? My mind’s been seeking answer.

Do you believe tactics are key to outwitting the beast?

Or perhaps you think your parlor tricks shall confound

Tyre’Negoth? It seems a foolish gesture if you believe

That your books will serve to slay the demon dragon.”

Acumenius looked up from book, no emotion in his eyes,

“If there’s something that I know is constant on Earth,

It’s the lesson that all things in the world have worth

In every situation and every walk. My role I don’t know

But I believe that it does exist, for every single foe

Has weakness, and the poor prophet Gimnal gives us clue,

Thus I shall solve the puzzle and pray it helps you.”

Acumenius then returned to reading and Eldin, in silence,

Laid back, drifting off as he pondered Acumenius’ words.

The faithful warrior, who was called Serat, prayed,

But his mind would not focus for it was bothered by

Boneshredder who knelt staring out into the shadows.

“Come now man,” whispered Serat, “do you not have prayer

Within your pagan horde? Has not the civilized man spoke

Upon God and faith and the angels of heaven who serve

To watch over man and shine their love down on us all?”

Boneshredder did not turn but his head to gaze at Serat:

“I hold no such belief in the being that you call ‘God.’

How is it ‘enlightened’ man believes that a loving thing

Of massive power, serves his love with death and plague?

You all seem hypocrites in my ‘untutored’ eyes,

For generous and trusting merchants are robbed blind

While priests abuse and rape and steal, servants of God!

And all shall be served in the end is what you then say,

Then why have courts for the likes of crooks and fools?

You are two-faced in your ways, thus I decide to follow

My own decency and serve the common good without malice,

I do not lash out in evil nor steal nor lie, yet you say

That I’ll go to the infernal pits of hell, anyway,

While if I were to slay a thousand children and believe,

Ask whole-heartedly for forgiveness, I would receive

God’s right hand to lift me up into the white clouds!

I apologize for distracting you from your prayer,

I shall move away where you will not be so disturbed,

But don’t preach about my values being the ones absurd.”

Boneshredder rose and nodded kindly to the stunned Serat

Who watched him wandered out into the deepest shade,

“Pagan ghoul, all his horde, to think that God is fake!

He exists of this I’m sure, yet he speaks in ignorance.

Man must govern for evil lurks around every corner!

Plagues and wars occur because of all the unpure souls,

Yet I’m sure the thick-headed ox would never listen

To all the reason in the world, but I shall preach again

And perhaps save his soul from the fires of hell.”

With his self-directed sermon done, Serat turned back

To his prayer and soon after finished, fell asleep

While out in the darkness the barbarian king stared

Towards the forests two day ahead, a darkness loomed

Within the dense woods, and he need by ready for battle,

Thus he marched back to the sleeping camp and rested.

Night wore on and the Curians took their turn at watch,

Unnoticed, another pair of eyes did not rest that night,

The outcast watched from the oak, thinking on the past.