I’ve been on a run of pretty straight-ahead sci fi stories, and I wanted to try something different this week. One thing I’ve always loved is stories that are artifacts from other worlds. Borges is the master of this, but lots of people have copied him and done amazing things. What’s so great is that it doesn’t have to explain itself, because it’s not trying to be a complete picture. This is a marching song for an army in a fantasy world, like something they would sing together on their way to war. The inspiration for this is that I literally thought of a cool magical/medieval-sounding name and an opening line, and then I started trying things. This is the result. Enjoy!
Marching Song of Asterion
Once more for the Watchtower of Asterion!
Call blades for the Storm and the Stag
From the Beddimer Heights on the long winter nights
Waves the stone-grey Asterion flag.
Inside lives our King with his magic
The deep imbued power of stone
From the depths he will come like a welcome spring sun
In winter when all hopes have flown
From his fingers will rain down the boulders
That Asterion summons at will
Not an army can stand ‘fore the force of his hand
When the rocks come a-rolling down hill
*
Once more for the Watchtower of Asterion!
Sing blood for the Rose and the Dove
Just his good name will make all our enemies shake
As the rumble comes in from above
Then our Stone King will tear all asunder
With earthquakes shot out of his eyes
The ground from below the black boots of our foe
Send them hurtling to their demise
But the House of Asterion knows mercy
So those soldiers who fall to their doom
He will give a rebirth upon pillars of earth
Not enclose in terrestrial tomb
*
Once more for the Watchtower of Asterion!
Eat shields for the Witch and the Hare
Excepting out to sea there is nowhere to flee
For a man cannot live in the air
And on dry land we always will find you
By army or raw magic might
Then his power to rattle or ours in a battle
Will make you wish you’d been more contrite
But by then too late will be the hour
For Asterion’s pity will fade
When the battle’s occurred you’ll all be interred
A most rocky end to your crusade
*
Once more for the Watchtower of Asterion!
Piss arrows for the Moon and the Boar
Let their heart disappear as they look up in fear
At Asterion’s great iron door.
Let them pray that portal will not open
And reveal King Asterion’s wrath
’Tis a bad enough fate might a soldier await
To be caught in our dread army’s path
But if that iron maw should swing open
And Asterion emerge like a tongue
No mouth living can say the whole price they will pay
When the last quake and boulder are flung
*
Once more for the Watchtower of Asterion!
Paint fire for the Glass and the Eel
Of the earth there’s no part that’s immune from his art
Not one people who can’t his power feel
For their food too is grown on his homeland
Their houses are built on his clay
So too their pigs and sheep not one thing can they keep
For their own out from under his sway
Show grace to this Army of Asterion
We will leave you alive as we pass
But stab us in the back with some foul sneak attack
Our King will turn your farms into glass
*
Once more for the Watchtower of Asterion!
Spin souls for the Lute and the Fox
When for our King we roam our eyes always look home
To our iron gate set in the rocks
When our task is complete we will turn there
To our mountainous fortress abode
Then our fight-weary feet will gladly retreat
By the nearest available road
To the feasts our Stone Sovereign will throw us
Meat cooked in the fire of the deep
And the stories they tell of how we dine in hell
Have us laughing till we fall asleep
END
Hope you enjoyed that! Have a great week, and I’mm be back next week with (probably) a live-blog of another sci fi classic that I haven’t seen before. In the meantime, you can help me out by liking, commenting, or sharing this post. Thanks!
Great story-sonnet Owen!