"The God of War"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sounds of death surrounding me,
The lack of light, I cannot see.
My comrades' bodies on the forest floor
All slain, save me, by the God of War.

My heart pounds loud, my head is light,
My orders demand I stay and fight.
"How could I stay?," I would have said,
"When all around, my friends lie dead?"

This place, this forest, my private Hell,
My cries of' 'Why?' ring in the ears of those that fell.
My comrades' bodies on the forest floor
All slain, save me, by the God of War.

It should not have happened, no, not like this,
Our massacre here among fate's dark twists.
Our assault was planned, secret, shared with few.
But some way, somehow, this monstrosity knew.

There was no warning, no mercy shown.
Why, I ask, How could it have known?
My comrades' bodies on the forest floor
All slain, save me, by the God of War.

I stood and I stared, and I stared and I waited,
Surely this creature must feel my hatred.
I swear on my life, it shall not kill again!
The loss of life shall not be in vain.

A chill wind blows on this dark night,
I will not run, I choose to fight.
There is no past, no future, no turning back,
I am at peace with my choice as I turn and attack.

My body is pierced, I fall to the ground,
I try to shout, there is no sound.
Had I not seen it, I would never have known
That I was cut down by one of my own.

Around me they rise, not friend, but foe,
They are no longer the ones I know.
The God of War, it controls the dead!
A puppet army, the abomination at the head.

It wants the knowledge of which I would never speak,
It grabs my head, and it starts to seek.
I feel it touching, invading my mind,
Seeking the armor we prayed it would not find.

And now it knows, and I know why,
The frustration alone could make me cry.
The knowledge I now have, the lives it may save!
But it won't be shared, it comes to my grave.

We tried to fight it, we fought our best,
But now we've joined its terrible quest.
My comrades' bodies no longer on the forest floor
All slaves, like me, to the God of War.