Quest of the Heart: Chapter Two
Brave Shadow Mane
Falling free at a tremendous velocity
Cursing my decision for acting in haste
Through clouds and frozen rain I could not see the ground
Losing consciousness, in my mouth blood I could taste
Now this was indeed a most desperate time
“Luna,” I cried, “I beg thee come I have need!”
“I fear for my Love and what mayest become of her,”
“If I am come to and end and canst not intercede!”
Covered with ice descending painfully fast
I struck something that swept upward saving me
I could not see it for my eyes were frozen shut
Before I passed out I thought it whinnied softly
I awoke with the sun shinning warm on my face
To a “whooshing” sound as if that of a great bird
I sat up and found I could open my eyes
And nearly lost my seat when I saw what I heard
‘Twas my noble steed, my old companion Shadow Mane!
Who I gave up for lost at the base of the keep
He was reborn with beautiful grey and white wings
A younger version of my old friend strong and sleek
This was a true miracle and a good omen
“Shadow Mane!,” I cried out and hugged my old friend
He returned in kind with a nod and a whinny
By Luna I was spared a cruel fate once again
I looked down and saw that we flew above the clouds
I thought Shadow Mane knew something that I did not
We were flying in a spiral pattern straight up
Still directly above the Black Keep’s evil lot
‘Twas growing colder and the air rather thin
Light was fading dim and stars were appearing
Yet ever-upward Shadow Mane made for some place
My heart knew the Dark One’s realm we were nearing
A singular glow gathered in the distance
Shadow Mane veered off and headed to cross its path
I guessed we were come upon our destination
Where I would bring down the fullness of my wrath
The distance to the light closed in an instant
It looked as a swirling mass of colour alive
Shadow Mane made no hesitation in purpose
I steadied my hold as we flew straight through the eye
All presence of time fell out of perception
My mind’s compass spun wild no direction would hold
Chaos took reign as we hurled through the madness
Then done as it began, and what did we behold?
A bleak, dark frozen landscape wind whipped and torn
Conceived in blackest ice and snow by evil hands
With trees bare, bowed and broken, no signs of life
The dreadful lord’s domain, a dead wretched land
As we flew over the iced-covered desert
We fought our way through the stinging frozen rain
The sky glowed dim in swirling change of colour
We could barely see ahead as we made our way
On Shadow Mane’s back I did not feel the cold
But I did feel my anger, sorrow and fear
Welling within my heart as we drew closer
My will was being tested, he knew we were here
Shadow Mane never made motion to falter
For he appeared to know where and how far to go
Ever on we went for many hours and miles
My faith started to fade in the black of the snow
Then appeared before us a castle escarpment
At the very top of a stark mountain range
My faith returned as I looked down upon it
The unholy fount of my family’s bane
With thoughts of my Fair Gennifer all doubts fell back
I refocused my mind on the task at hand
Dwelling on what was sufficient to the moment
I set my mind on the design of a plan
I would presently secure my Lady’s release
I would dispatch the Evil Lord back to Hell
I would rid this world of his destructive hold
Poets would set these great deeds in tales to tell
The element of surprise I feared lost to us
We approached the castle walls with stealth and great care
Indeed, the game was up as we reached the battlements
Ominous shadows arose from an unseen lair
“To the wall at once, Shadow Mane!” I yelled out
“To do battle I needeth footing on which to wage!”
‘Twas then revealed what struck my heart with much dread
The shadows were creatures of a long gone age
A nearby Pterodactyl took a swipe at us
A huge ancient reptile of prehistoric times
On wing they came by my count five and twenty
I was at the ready, Wolven Stave by my side
Brave Shadow Mane bit down on the wing of one
Tearing arm and all from the shoulder blade free
Fearless he charged forward head long for the wall
As the serpent spun towards the ground and eternity
We alit on top of the parapet’s edge
I jumped from his back to enlist Grey Bane’s aid
With a mighty blow Shadow Mane kicked in one’s head
And covered the rock face in blood, bone and brains
I steadied my footing and turned to do battle
Taking hold of his hilt I drew forth from Wolven Stave
‘Grey Bane the Punisher’ burning bright blue with rage
In first heat of battle he sent five to their grave
Shadow Mane held his own at the front of the siege
Sending three more to death by his hooves and his teeth
While I at the rear dealt blows of equal success
One sly beast caught my friend unaware from beneath
Seizing hold Shadow Mane by the neck with his jaws
The fiend fell full upon him claws rending his hide
They fought violently tumbling to the cliff’s edge
In a deadly embrace toppled over the side
“SHADOW MANE!” I screamed at the top of my lungs
Watching in horror I could not break away
As this painful event took the life of my friend
But I would avenge his noble death this dark day
My mind spun with rage as I hacked and I sliced
Grey Bane tasting their blood as each mark he found
“For Shadow Mane!” I cried as the last serpent fell
A bloody mess of body parts littered the ground
Tired and spent I walked to the edge of the wall
In memory of the charge of honor he kept
Fighting by my side to the end Shadow Mane fell
I bowed my head in grief for my dear friend and wept
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