Two Song Series: Monster and Mercenary

...
"Take care of him, please...he meant the world to me."
...

"He meant the world to me";
That's what you said before you died.
Even as I look upon him,
I only see why you love him,
Why you're so fond of him...
Why you would go as far as to die for him...

It only makes me hate him more,
As my heart turns to iron!
Don't you know how fond I was of you?
Don't you remember everything I did for you?
I want to just pick up his heart,
And shatter it to pieces,
Just like you did to mine!

"Take care of him, please";
I followed your last wish, as I cry
And while he seems confused about my tears,
I simply reassure him, telling him
That he should have no fear,
Simply because you are with him in one world,
And I am here with him in this reality.

...
"Big sister?"
"Yes, little one?"
"I love you."
...

My hatred began to swell,
As my heart turned into iron!
The one who had taken your affections
Now expected mine in return~!
If only he could understand my agony,
The confusion I am feeling now!
My idol's murderer and love...
Begging for my own heart!

...
"Big sister? Big sister? What's wrong?"
"He DIED for you!"
"Big sister!"
"HE DIED FOR YOU AND TOLD ME TO TAKE CARE OF YOU!"
"Big sister, be careful!"
"AND NOW, YOU TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME!"
"...Big sister, what has happened to you?"
"What do you mean, you little-"
"Your body...it's just...it's been getting weirder-looking..."
-pause-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
...

He said that my body was growing strange!
Ah! Ah! I place my hands over my ears and scream.
It doesn't hurt, it never did, not my iron body.
Only my heart ached, only my heart aches,
And soon even my heart will shatter!
Even as he runs, my hatred isn't upon him...

...
"You cursed me. You knew I would hate him..."
...

Upon that mountain, I swore upon myself
To find you and rid myself of this curse
Before my fragile heart shatters.
For even if I must bring you back
And kill you once again for myself,
I will return my body to flesh,
And leave you with the remembrance
That an iron heart could only bring vengeance.

...
"He DIED for you!"
"Big sister!"
"HE DIED FOR YOU AND TOLD ME TO TAKE CARE OF YOU!"
"Big sister, be careful!"
"AND NOW, YOU TELL ME THAT YOU-"
...

I wake up to starry skies,
Sweating, panting, scared.
I don't want Big Sister to find me,
Not when I want to find you first,
And warn you of her demonic rage.
With a strangled laugh,
I pack my bags and begin anew.
I guess I can't sleep,
Not with Big Sister tormenting me.

...
"Ah, the demon has recently passed this way."
"Demon?"
"Yes, the demon with an iron body."
"And you say she passed this way?"
"Yes, and headed to the town in the north."
"So I will go south."
"Hey! Hey, wait, mister!"
...

The south is as hot as the rumors say,
But Big Sister had gone to the north!
I unwrap my pack,
And look at the last thing you gave me:
A bright blue pendant,
With a bright silver chain,
With several diamonds in the center.
I have a feeling that if I give this back,
We can stop Big Sister's rampage!

Aaaaaaah!
I look behind me to see Big Sister,
A cruel grin frozen upon her face.
I quickly hide the pendant,
But it looks like she knows of it;
She picks me up with one arm,
And talks to me in a rough tone.
Her sounds, meant to be endearing,
Are nothing but mere grunts
That pretend to be human!

...
"So, you have a nice little trinket, don't you? Why don't you show me, little brother?"
"I can't, big sister."
"Give it to me, or I'll rip your heart from your chest!"
"You might be able to destroy my heart, but you will never have my soul!"
"So be it...DIE!"
*gunshot*
*scream*
...

A gunshot from nearby causes her to drop me,
As she turns to face the newcomer.
I stand up and begin to run,
Running everywhere and nowhere,
Running anywhere but here.
My tears are falling from my face,
Like tiny diamonds from my soul.
Ah, will there ever be an end
To our suffering of trials?

...
"I made it. I finally made it..."
...

A plain of corpses rises from the land,
More hearts that had been shattered from war.
Ah, if you can see me now,
Walking amongst friend and foe,
Crying for both groups as I search for you.
Ah! I find your body alone.
It looks like you'd been wounded to the heart.
Wait...

...
"Ah! It looks like the pendant would fit in that crevice."
...

Your body accepts the pendant,
As flesh covers it.
First the chain becomes veins, oh my!
Then the blue sapphire turns into a heart, oh wow!
And finally,
The diamonds are transforming into bright lights,
Bright lights that enter you and make your eyes open...

...
"I really like you, you know."
"I know."
"So why don't you love me? Why?"
"Don't cry, please...my heart...is with another. You will always be my sister, nothing more."
"And you expect me to take this...this offense against my very soul? Who is your lover?"
"...I think you know."
-pause-
"Sister, please, don't be like that."
"What, I'm supposed to just watch as you two happily embrace after the war? Drop dead."
...

B:
The realization shoots through my mind,
An arrow of pain, oh my!
I am about to cry for you,
For me, for Big Sister.
You take my hands and look into my eyes,
As you say, "I know it hurts...
But I'd rather have your heart with me,
Than her heart always angry at my own."
But you are grateful, so grateful...

...
"Sister..."
"No! Please, don't die!"
"Ah, but it was inevitable..."
"No! No no no no!"
"Sister..."
"What?"
"Please, take care of him...he means the world to me."
"...NOOOOOOOOOOO!"
...

S:
There's no pain,
There's no life,
There's no heart,
There's no soul,
Not so long as my bitterness against you
Still remains, unquenched.
My body lumbers after the shooter,
Even as she runs away with wide eyes.
I pause only to roar out in rage,
Before freezing in place.
Oh, my heart!

...
"Her heart will shatter soon."
"What? Then we must save her!"
"No. She has done this to herself."
"She acts like you'd cursed her!"
"...She only cursed herself, love."
"Then...she will kill herself?"
"In time."
"...Big Sister, I'm so...I'm sorry!"
...

B:
You told me that Big Sister's heart
Would shatter soon, so soon.
Oh, the heartache I feel!
I love both you and her,
And you can tell, can't you?
I'm crying now, bright tears...
You embrace me and tell me lies.
"Everything will be all right..."
No, it won't be all right!

...
"That...that jerk! He...was the one who did this to me! He turned me into a monster, and now he'll kill me!"
"Big Sister!"
"Ah?"
"I'm right here, Big Sister. Come...come and get me!"
...

S:
Why does he call out to me?
He knows that I will die,
For why else do the tears fall,
Like tiny diamonds in this desert?
My shooter is watching intently,
But oh! I do not care.
Instead, another target is placed,
So I realize with wide eyes.
And so I walk to him,
To my lover's murderer,
To the one who sought my heart.

...
"What do you want, little one?"
"I want...I want to save you, Big Sister!"
...

B:
I embrace her as tears continue falling.
Ah, ah, it hurts, don't you see?
I mean to save her, even as I know...
She'll reject my love again,
Even unto death she would loathe me
Because of the love she had for you.
I babble nonsense about what I'd do for her,
Even in her monstrous, demonic form.
Ah, will she reject me?
Ah, will my efforts be for nothing?

...
"Save me? From your little lover?"
"From yourself, Big Sister...please, I'm sorry..."
"...I hate you!"
...

S:
He babbles nonsense,
Even as I throw him aside.
I know I'll die,
I know I'll lose,
But that won't stop me...
Nothing will stop me from my...
Ah! The pain!
Ah! The agony!
My heart, again!

...
"Revenge!"
"Sister!"
"He must die...they must all pay for this...! Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Big Sister!"
...

B:
She lurches again, and oh!
She is in pain, so much pain.
She's screaming at the top of her lungs,
Of revenge and hatred and payment.
Ah! The grin, once frozen,
Begins to change, yes!
Changing into an expression of pain,
Her face is no longer smiling.
Her eyes are wide, oh no!
I cannot save her now, ah...

(Harmony) -In separate songs, this piece is where both will start babbling nearly the same lyrics when put together-
B:
Even as she attempts to stand straight,
She roars in pain, like a lion,
Like a lion wounded in a forest.
Even as I try to be the mouse,
I know that this story is changed,
For oh! The lion, once so great,
Refuses the kindness of one so tiny,
And she will lose herself to death!

S:
Even as I attempt to stand straight,
I cry out in pain, like a mother,
Like a mother bleeding on a street.
Even as he tries to be the savior,
He knows that this story is changed,
For oh! The mother, shunned by reality,
Refuses the love of a murderer,
And I will lose myself to death!
(End Harmony)

...
"SISTER!"
...

B:
Her body collapses onto the ground,
A pile of iron that was once flesh.
I feel myself running to her body,
Embracing it and whispering,
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Ah, I feel my heart shattering,
Even as I know you are behind me...
My first love had been killed,
My first love had killed my second,
My first love had killed my heart.

...
"...I hate you..."
"I'm sorry to hear that, love."
"You killed her! You killed her, you killed her!"
"No, she killed herself."
"Quit lying to me!"
"I am not lying."
"I HATE YOU!"
...

B:
I lie near her body and cry,
Wishing that I could raise her,
As I'd done with you.
I'd thought you could help her.
Oh! I was so wrong, so dumb.
The monster wasn't the one of iron...
No, it is the one who made her that way,
Who simply cursed both of us to die.

...
"Big Sister...I am joining you."
"Love, do you realize how foolish-"
"Don't call me that! I will never love you again! Ever!"
"...But it is foolish to kill yourself for a monster."
"No...she was no monster...she was angry, yes, but a monster...? No, I didn't see that. I saw someone who was wanting to cure herself. When
I look upon you now...I find myself feeling the hatred she felt for me. Good-bye, love."
"No!"
...

...
"No...she was no monster...she was angry, yes, but a monster...? No, I didn't see that. I saw someone who was wanting to cure herself. When
I look upon you now...I find myself feeling the hatred she felt for me. Good-bye, love."
...

Confusion wreaks through my heart,
Whenever I think of what he said,
The day that Sister had died.
She had brought it upon herself,
And yet he blamed me for it.
He had attempted to show his love,
But ah, she had rejected it.
Even still, he had killed himself,
For her, for her, for her.

So I am now like the walking dead,
For he had raised me out of love,
But kept me alive in hatred.
The only difference between
A zombie and myself...
I do not smell of rotting flesh,
But of broken hearts and self-hatred.

...
"Revenge!"
"Sister!"
"He must die...they must all pay for this...Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Big Sister!"
...

Pain brings havoc upon my heart,
Whenever I think of her oath,
The day that she had died.
She swore revenge on me,
Although she had destroyed herself.
She had rejected his love,
Even as he attempted to show it.
But still, she had killed herself,
For me, for me, for me.

Even as I am like the walking dead,
She, unknowingly, raised me out of hatred,
And kept me alive with revenge.
The only difference between
The devil and myself...
I can never enter into Hell,
But remain here in this world.

...
"What do you want, little one?"
"I want...I want to save you, Big Sister!"
...

Jealousy speaks unto my heart,
Whenever I think of their embrace,
The day that they had died.
I had watched from a distance,
And she, for a moment, gave in.
She had nearly embraced him back,
Before she had seen me there.
But still, they had died,
For her, for me, for him.

But while I am like the walking dead,
They raised me out of mixed feelings,
And kept me alive in their hatred.
The only difference between
Those two and myself...
They believed two different stories,
While I have always known the truth.

...
"Sister, please, don't be like that."
"What, I'm supposed to just watch as you two happily embrace after the war? Drop dead."
...

Regret brings a sting unto my heart,
Whenever I think of the truth,
Of what had happened before they died.
My master had told me of strange magic,
Influenced by the victim's feelings.
I had hoped to increase her power,
But something had gone terribly wrong.
They had gone and died,
For my terrifying mistake.

And while I am like the walking dead,
They had completed two of my spells,
Even as their eyes were blinded.
The only difference between
God and myself...
Is that I am on the earth,
Paying for my crimes.

...
"Do you know what you have to do, child, to rid yourself of your curse?"
"I wasn't aware that I was cursed."
"Ah, but putting your soul back in your body has many risks...You are practically immortal."
"Practically?"
"You can still be killed. Tell me about the pendant you'd made."
"Ah, it was bright blue, with a silver chain and diamonds in the center."
"You must be killed by gold, rubies, and coal."
"Coal?"
"In other words, you must find a castle of gold and rubies, and burn it down...with yourself inside."
"But you say 'must'. Why?"
"If you continue to live, people will die, one by one, in unusual circumstances, ones that will make your failed spell look harmless."
...

Sapphires, silver, and diamonds...
Rubies, gold, and coal...
I know that to live will cause death,
But I know I must survive, too.
But my master is insistent;
"You must die, or there will be wars.
The possibility that they might return,
Return for revenge for your acts,
Is also too high to be ignored."
Ah, what a foolish master.

And like the devil I have become,
I wait until my master is inspecting
The large gold and ruby castle we "needed".
The only difference between
My master and myself...
Is that I no longer share
A human's pitiful morality.

...
"What are you doing? What have you done!"
"I am locking you in here, of course, and then killing you."
"No! Don't you realize that if you do this, you are no better than what she had become?"
"Much better, really. Her heart had shattered, due to her own raging anger. I, on the other hand, am immortal. So, good-bye, master...you
fool."
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
...

Success speaks unto my heart,
As I watch the castle burn down
And hear my master's screams.
My love had killed himself,
And so I have no more cares.
Sister had killed herself,
And so I have no family.
My love had raised me,
And so I have no heart.
I had killed my master,
And so I take no orders.

And like the monster I have become,
I smile as I turn away from the ruins,
The resting place for my master's bones.
The only difference between
Sister's monstrous form and my new self...
Is that I have lost my heart,
And my soul itself is corrupt.

Everyone speaks of him, oh dear!
The monster that kills with his presence,
Who has arrived in our small village.
The women are afraid,
The men are made cowards!
But I have not met this menace.
No, I just work for my mistress.

But aren't I a pretty girl?
My mistress tells me so each day.
My skin is ivory,
My eyes are jewels,
My lips are rubies,
My hair clips are gold.
The only jewelry I wear,
Given to me by my mother before her death,
Are my gold hair clips
And a bracelet made from coal and string.

Mistress tells me to go buy eggs,
For the chickens have not laid.
As I pass the church,
I hear the Father say,
"God knows when the monster will fall,
But until then, your services are his."
I simply walk on and buy the eggs.

"My, aren't you a pretty girl?"
A mysterious man tells me so right now.
My skin is ivory,
My eyes are jewels,
My lips are rubies,
My hair clips are gold.
The only jewelry I wear,
Given to me by my mother before her death,
Are my gold hair clips
And a bracelet made from coal and string.

As I speak with the strange man,
I tell him about my parents.
My father had gone out to war,
While my mother had died
When I was about eight.
He tells me that my father had died.
When I questioned him,
He said that my father had killed him.

I am a pretty girl, aren't I?
My father had always told me so.
My skin is ivory,
My eyes are jewels,
My lips are rubies,
My hair clips are gold.
The only jewelry I wear,
Given to me by my mother before her death,
Are my gold hair clips
And a bracelet made from coal and string.

The man is the monster, I realize.
I pretend to act casual as I say,
"Well, you don't really look dead to me."
He tells me that nobody can kill him,
For they would need gold, rubies, and coal.
Before I could ask him more,
I heard a scream from my mistress's house.
I immediately know who it is,
And yet I begin running back.

"You're such a pretty girl";
My mistress will never tell me so again.
My wet skin is ivory,
My bloodshot eyes are jewels,
My quivering lips are rubies,
My hair clips are gold.
The only jewelry I wear,
Given to me by my mother before her death,
Are my gold hair clips
And a bracelet made from coal and string.

My mistress's body was found today;
It had only been three days ago.
The monster is gone, but I know,
I know that he killed her.
I go to a blacksmith and say,
"I need a light suit of armor,
And a sword I can carry;
Put some gold, rubies, and coal
Into the new blade,
Because I will kill that monster."

"You're such a pretty girl";
The monster's killer had told me so.
My roughened skin is ivory,
My hardened eyes are jewels,
My bright lips are rubies,
My hair clips are gold.
The only adornment I have,
Given to me by my mother before her death,
Are my gold hair clips
And a bracelet made from coal and string.

Can you hear the tales of the people?
They call me a heroine,
A champion for the peasants!
Ah, but if they knew my feelings...
I still feel like a peasant,
I still don't feel like a hero,
And I want nothing more
Than to return to my old life.

My old life had my mistress,
Who loved me like her child.
My old life had my friends,
Who would play with me.
My old life had my heart,
With its friendly atmosphere.
What I would give to return
To that old sweet life!
But I know that I never can
Become a peasant once again,
Even once the monster dies.

Even as I practice with my blade,
Tears stream down my cheeks.
I know my mission, to kill,
But it never calms me down...
The only way I will return home
Is if I kill the monster,
The devil whose presence kills man.

I am greeted by mercenaries,
The so-called scum of the earth,
The ones who agree to my mission.
They idolize me, it seems,
Because I am like them,
But I am worshiped by all.
A map is rolled out and
Our party is ready to leave.

To the left is a young boy,
Whose weapon is his mind.
To the right is a young girl,
Whose eyes can see through lies.
In the center is a man,
Whose blade is thin but impressive.
Next to me is a woman,
Her guns and wiles a deadly match.
And finally, there is me,
A hero amongst so-called villains,
Who only wishes to kill her prey.

Even as I agree to their help,
My hands are shaking.
I know my mission, to kill,
But they will help me through...
The only way we will save man
Is if we kill the monster,
The creature made of magic.

We journey for several days,
Practicing our crafts as we go,
And saving lives as well.
The monster is to the north,
And so we go down the path,
As it grows colder each day.
We slowly grow closer,
Our hearts together by
A bond of death and revenge.

Even as we practice our crafts,
Our minds are uneased.
We know our mission, to kill,
But we don't know what he'll do...
The only way we will save ourselves
Is if we kill the monster,
The foe who changed us all.

We soon reach the monster's cave,
Where the firelight leaks from.
I decide to go in first,
And lo! There he is,
Warming himself near the fire.
He speaks to me in a friendly voice,
Inviting me to join him.
Temptation attempts to take
My already fragile heart,
But then I see my mistress's face,
And plunge the blade into his chest!

He looks up at me,
His eyes wide in shock,
His mouth open in agony,
The wound pouring liquid diamonds.
He speaks only a few words:
"This story has ended...
But perhaps another one has begun."
With that, his body is limp,
And so I take the blade from him,
And turn to my new friends.

Even as I smile at them,
Our hearts are burdened.
Our mission was a success, a win,
But his words disturb us...
Our story is beginning now,
When we killed the monster,
The man who started our tale.

The monster is dead, thank goodness.
We silently go back south,
Back to warmth and praise.
When the first beams of warmth
Grace our cold and weary skins,
The heroine turns to us and speaks:
"Do you wish to return to your old lives?"
Ah, I had never thought of that life,
With the rogues and underhanded deals.

My mother had been a nun,
My father had been a reformed thief,
My two brothers had died,
Leaving me the outcast,
Leaving me the mercenary.
No, I would not return to it,
For this new life is better.
I happen to like being a hero,
With all its praise and love.

I step beside her and say,
"I prefer this new family to my old;
This one has a strong bond,
And nothing shall cut it."
The other three agree with me,
And so we continue on.
Our return is hailed by praise,
And we tell our tales of strength.
Eventually we come to a church,
Whose people give us food and shelter.
A nun walks to us, looking familiar.

My mother had been a nun,
My father had been a reformed thief,
My two brothers had died,
Leaving me the outcast,
Leaving me the mercenary.
The nun's eyes show no hatred,
But tears pour from them
As she embraces me and whispers,
"Welcome to my home...darling."

As we talk about the past,
I attempt to recognize her.
She was not my mother,
But she seemed to know me well.
She sees the blankness in my eyes,
And says that it is all right;
It had been years since we last met,
For our first and last time.
I ask her to remove her veil,
And she smiles and obeys.
Hair like mine pour down her shoulders.

My mother had been a nun,
My father had been a reformed thief,
My two brothers had died,
Leaving me the outcast,
Leaving me the mercenary.
The nun looks into my eyes,
And speaks with a shaky voice:
"Your father left me on the street,
But you had fed me and helped me walk."

I insist that she come with us,
But she shakes her pretty head.
"The church is my home now,"
She says quietly and confidently.
I had promised myself that
I would never desert this new life,
Yet a shade from the old
Would constantly torture me with guilt.
I ask the heroine for three days,
And she, understanding my heart,
Gave me six days instead.

My mother had been a nun,
My father had been a reformed thief,
My two brothers had died,
Leaving me the outcast,
Leaving me the mercenary.
Those six days are slow,
But they give me time to think.
As I watch the nun's life,
I come to my decision.

On the night of the fifth day,
I call the nun to my room.
"I cannot stay here with you,
Because we had only met once
So very long ago as children.
I have a bond to these people,
Because we have faced danger
To kill a threat to man."
With tear-filled eyes,
The nun looks up at me,
And says she understands.

My mother had been a nun,
My father had been a reformed thief,
My two brothers had died,
Leaving me the outcast,
Leaving me the mercenary.
The nun gives me one last embrace,
Before we part yet again.
My new family comforts me
As we continue down the path.

I wonder if they understand
The torments of my heart.
Jealousy had struck me in the church,
Because of that bright nun.
Eventually, we found they were siblings,
Only by their father's acts.
The man, with his blade, was like
A knight who needed no armor,
A mercenary whose heart was healing.

I appear to be quite dangerous,
But inside I am fragile as glass.
Even as we walk down the path,
I risk a few sidelong glances.
Ah, if he knew of my heart...
Perhaps we can fuse them together,
As a blacksmith merges two iron pieces.

We enter a new and strange village
Who has heard of our mighty deeds.
They praise and treat us like gods,
And some of the children call us so.
One of the men ask me for my name,
And says that he has fallen for me.
A twinge of disgust happens upon me,
For he is missing several teeth,
And smells like a pigsty.

I appear to be quite dangerous,
But inside I am fragile as glass.
Even as my disgusting entertainer speaks,
I risk a few sidelong glances
In an entirely different direction.
Perhaps he can help me away,
Away from the one who says he loves me.

The one I love sees my distress,
For he walks over and calmly says,
"I believe that you are bothering
My good friend and fellow mercenary.
If you know what is best for you,
Please do not bother her anymore."
The ugly man glances between us
Before scurrying away from us,
Like a mouse who had seen a cat.

I appear to be quite dangerous,
But inside I am fragile as glass.
Even as I blush a deep scarlet,
I risk a few choice words:
"Ah, if you knew of my heart right now,
You would be ashamed,
Ashamed of your dangerous comrade."

He goes to the heroine and says,
"We have to leave right now;
I hope you understand, but
We shall speak of it later."
The heroine pauses before
She sees my face, still red.
With a nod, she says clearly,
"Then we shall be off.
Thank you and good-bye, friends."

I appear to be quite dangerous,
But inside I am fragile as glass.
Even as we begin our journey anew,
I risk a few choice words:
"Thank you for everything,
But I have a confession to make...
I really love you a lot."

The two lovers are like birds,
Constantly at attention for all.
They treat me and my brother
Like children they could never have,
Because we all know that we can never
Simply stop journeying and settle.

The others always make it a point
To speak the truth no matter what.
But, ah, I am different.
I am full of half-truths,
And sometimes outright lies.
Isn't it ironic...?
I am a liar who sees liars.

My brother draws a picture in dirt,
A great castle with a large gate.
"We are going here next,"
He says with a downcast face.
"We are going to face a tyrant,
And remove him from his throne."

The others always make it a fact
That they speak the truth.
But, ah, I am different.
I am full of half-truths,
And sometimes outright lies.
Isn't it ironic...?
I am a liar who sees liars.

We meet some travelers on the road;
They claim that they are makers
Who craft mirrors from fine glass.
They are speaking the truth,
That much I can tell from their words.
They give me a mirror and I scream.

For I see what the others don't:
A reflection of my true self,
So human, but, ah, so different.
She is full of lies,
Dressed within innocence.
Isn't it ironic...?
The liar has seen the biggest liar of all.

I break the mirror at my feet,
Screaming that these men are demons.
As the men attempt to protest,
I look at them and say clearly,
"My power is to see liars,
And I have caught you with my eyes."

The others always make it a point
To protect each other no matter what.
Even as the men die for truth,
I have protected my identity:
A girl who always lies.
Isn't it ironic...?
The liar gets away with another lie.

A glance at my sister tells me
What I already know from the start:
She has lied yet again,
And cost those men their lives.
I don't speak the truth,
Because she had good reason.
No, we must go on, go on
To the castle who hides a tyrant.

Ah, I know that the tyrant,
Like me, myself, and I,
Is a one-eyed man in a city
Of the awful, pitiful blind.
Everyone knows, of course,
That the one-eyed man is king,
In that city of the wretched blind.

We enter the gates, and lo!
We are greeted by the handmen
Of apprehension and wariness,
And the handmaidens three
Of anxiety, fidelity,
And a dream only a fool dreams.
I can tell, even as they smile,
That we are not welcome to the dream.

Ah, I know that the tyrant,
Like me, myself, and I,
Is a one-eyed man in a city
Of the awful, pitiful blind.
Everyone knows, of course,
That the one-eyed man is king,
In that city of the tormented blind.

The heroine demands to see the king,
And so we are ushered off,
Off to a large castle to the north.
Built upon the ruins of another,
The castle hides a tale,
They tyrant sits upon a throne
Made from the castle's materials:
Gold, rubies, coal, and bones.

Ah, I know that the tyrant,
Like me, myself, and I,
Is a one-eyed man in a city
Of the awful, pitiful blind.
Everyone knows, of course,
That the one-eyed man is king,
In that city of the desperate blind.

The tyrant offers for a game,
A game in which our possessions
Could mean freedom or servitude.
My family turns to me, knowing
That I am the only winner already.
I ask for two conditions only:
I should do my turn first,
And the loser serves the winner.

Ah, I know that the tyrant,
Like me, myself, and I,
Is a one-eyed man in a city
Of the awful, pitiful blind.
Everyone knows, of course,
That the one-eyed man is king,
In that city of the dreaming blind.

The tyrant agrees to my conditions,
And he explains the rules:
If he does not have something I have,
He loses immediately, no questions.
If he does have what I have,
It proceeds to his turn,
Where he would obviously win,
Because of his fine riches.

Ah, I know that the tyrant,
Unlike my fine self,
Is a blind man in a city
Of his awful, pitiful fellows.
Everyone knows, of course,
That the foolish man is placed
With the others of the stricken blind.

I agree to his condition,
And pull an item from my bag.
It's a cup with several cracks,
From our old home far away.
It was the only thing left
From the war that made us mercenaries.
He calls upon some of his servants,
And begins the search for cracks.

Ah, I know that the tyrant,
Unlike my clever self,
Will lose this fine game,
And become like his fellows.
Everyone knows, of course,
That only the clever man
Can take the throne and keep it.

After an hour of searching,
His servants return to us.
"Ah, Your Highness, we're sorry,
But we cannot find a cup
With any cracks at all."
The tyrant angrily demands
That they search once more.
But my sister rises and speaks:

"Ah, but I can see that you,
Unlike my bright brother,
Will not end this fight,
And return to being a peasant.
Everyone knows, of course,
That a true king would never cheat,
For that renders him a true fool."

With that, I call the guards,
Who betray their so-called king,
And place shackles upon him.
I tell him quietly,
"You will serve the next king;
Be fortunate that it is not me."
And so we spend several days
Selecting the new king.

Ah, I know that the old tyrant,
Unlike a true and fine king,
Had already been stricken blind,
By his greed and ambition.
Everyone knows, of course,
That we are the heroes,
For we have saved another town.

We leave the town's praise,
And move on down the path.
The heroine seems troubled,
By what, I wonder?
I do not ask, of course,
But she answers for me:
"We will return to my old home."
And so our next journey begins!

My heartbeat is quick and troubled.
Ah! I want to return home.
As "home" calls upon an animal,
So it calls upon me, the heroine,
Through homesickness and memories.
My sword is still sharp,
But ah! My heart and soul are desperate.
Is this what life is like,
Destroying what you hold dear,
Only to call you to return?

My parents are dead,
My mistress is dead,
And I am the only one left.
I love my new family dearly,
But my home calls me,
And so I will return once more.
Even as I know I cannot remain there,
I know I will be satisfied.

We enter the village to strange sights;
The people I once knew shrink away,
Except the blacksmith,
Who had made me my armor and sword.
Ah, but why are they scared?
The blacksmith answers my question:
"They think you have become a monster,
By associating with mercenaries,
And thus becoming no better
Than the monster who killed your mistress."

My parents are dead,
My mistress is dead,
And I am the only one left.
I love my new family dearly,
But my home had called me,
And so I returned once more.
Now I know that I cannot remain here,
But I must clear my name.

As the others begin to protest,
I raise an arm and hush them.
Turning to the people,
I begin to speak clearly.
"Look upon me, my village!
I have done no wrong to you.
Do you judge me by my company?
These mercenaries were once like you,
But the monster had taken their families,
And left them alone, like myself."

My parents are dead,
My mistress is dead,
And I am the only one left.
I love my new family dearly,
But my home had called me,
And so I returned once more.
Even as I know that they rejected me,
I know I must clear my name.

Ah, but my words are not enough.
For look! The parents shield
Their children's eyes and ears,
And the shop owners are protective,
And the young women shiver.
I turn to the blacksmith and say,
"You have spoken the truth,
But you do not fear us at all.
For that, I am too grateful."

My parents are dead,
My mistress is dead,
And I am the only one left.
I love my new family dearly,
But my home had called me,
And so I returned to madness.
Even as I know that they rejected me,
I do not blame them for it.

I attempt to return the sword,
But the blacksmith simply says,
"You have paid off the debt,
Far too long ago for me to demand.
The monster had taken many lives,
And so those lives being avenged
Are worth far more than gold.
I am sorry that you came to this,
But I bless you, as your father would."

My parents are dead,
My mistress is dead,
But I am not the only one left.
I love my new family dearly,
And my home had called me,
But this blacksmith gave me a gift.
I will forever treasure this gift,
The gift of a father's blessing.

And so we do not stay for long,
But merely say good-bye.
We look upon the path to sunset,
And declare that our journey
Shall never be completely done.
For lo, can you not see?
A hero's career is never done,
And so our fate lies there,
There deep in the sunset.