Destined Bower (Part V): The Bard's Dire Tale

And thus were the characters poised in this tale so dire,
The Magus, the Lady, her Lord, and fell Darkness’ ire.
"Beloved Lady, flee now, for the Wood must you run!"
"Nay dear Lord, Lights are we apart, yet Glory in union!"

Recognizing Her resolve and Her strange faithful mirth,
He cast himself down, smiting with Light the dark earth.
Fearing yet the power of the Lord's loving resolve firm,
The minions of darkness made grave assault onto wyrm.

Even as the Lord and Lady loving united back to back.
Darkness clawed terribly upon the ancient wyrm's wrack.
Despite mythic strength and a maw of conflagration,
The drake was yet ravaged, thrown down to damnation.

Ancient wraiths of clawing evil encircled and threatened,
Vengeance strumming a dirge that cloyingly deafened.
Darkness savored Its triumph while drawing the noose,
Hoping for despair to signal the moment Its kin to loose.

But the Lady had wisdom in ensuring love's conjunction,
For while creatures of taint maintained shallow assumption,
Twinned souls of the Lovers in resplendent deep harmony
Were weaving in essence a hymn of glorious euphony.

But sensing of sudden something strange and awry,
Darkness pounced toward the Two with discordant cry.
And then did the Magus, martyred for Lady's flight,
Redeem Man from an evil they themselves helped wright.

Though slain had he waited at the edge of the night,
Secure from the darklings but biding moment to fight,
And thus as did Darkness charge so too did he strike,
Wrestling the greatest of shades toward beckoning Light.

Into this struggle came the spirit of Dragon,
Flayed and despoiled but far from soul beaten.
Thus in death they fought stalwart, the Magus for ward,
And the wyrm in allegiance to his mighty Fae lord.

So vengeful was Darkness the act took but moment,
Grim focus 'pon Lovers barring wards It might foment.
And thus into resplendence and cleansing rebirth
Was cast by Man and Dragon the prime evil of earth.

Seizing upon confusion 'midst the ranks of the wraiths
The Lovers stormed forth a rhapsody upon the shades,
A tempest of rapture forged righteous bane versus hatred,
And before such bright onslaught were the darklings abated.

So honored audience my dark tale quatrains to end,
And glorious culmination shall I no longer suspend.
The Lord of the Forest swept up His beauteous twin,
And 'pon wings of the Craft essayed woodland dominion.

From first blessed footfall into Her forest of dreams
Was She welcomed by the leaves, roots, and streams,
Chanting and rustling a hymn to their new Queen,
All taint and loss of the eve smothered by sylvan green.

Beneath gentle moonlight shone from the mother Goddess,
The Lord took His Lady in peaceful realm's progress,
And at the Heart of the Forest did the Lovers commend
Through life, death, and reunion a troth without end.

In gentleness and moonlight this Queen did He shower,
And took Her down into bed of soft grass, joy, and flower,
At last to achieve vowed communion of spirit and power,
The Lady's rapturous release wrought in Her destined bower.