By D. R. DiFrancesco

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Cloven hooves and scaly wings,

Fire and brimstone my eyes it stings.

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The stench, burned flesh and rotting corpse,

This quest undertaken without remorse.

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To avenge my love of many years,

With sword and pike to steady my fears.

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So young and innocent in the talons clutch,

A life destroyed, she suffered much.

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This beast,a devil must surely die,

With head on stake and raised most high.

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The path to hades on unsure foot,

I trudge and stumble through knee deep soot.

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Gagging and choking on horrid smell,

Anxious that I’ll perish in this demon’s hell.

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Not before I slay my dragon foe,

I vow to persist ‘til my last breath dost go.

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The earth is scorched as I journey the peak,

The wind, a roar, guides me to the butcher I seek.

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The sound and stink of his putrid breath,

I grit my teeth in the face of death.

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Courage in the shadow of terror I must muster,

Sharpened point, razors edge, sabre’s glint in silver luster.

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The cave the den, path to hell in linesight,

The smoke and sulfur eclipse the sunlight.

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Flames erupt and singe the landscape,

I refuse to retreat, with night comes darkness drape.

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Hidden in shadows I inch my way onward,

Sword in clenched fist should I have to thrust forward.

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In shock and surprise the beast my scent hast sensed,

I lunge behind boulders as my lifes only defense.

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A roar as if from hades cracks the whistle of the gale,

Trembling in fear, his beating wings shedding monstrous scales.

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Flames nearly blinding, the heat my flesh boils,

I must run, change my course, before my quest he doth foil.

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As he draws in a breath for his next volley of fire,

I sprang from my hideout and circled much higher.

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In murderous rage the devil turned to give chase,

A discarded scale as a shield did I hoist in great haste.

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The torrent of fire my shield did repel,

Though I stumbled and fell how I survived and cannot tell.

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Another deep breath the dragon he drew,

Without a thought for my safety the pike through air flew.

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A ghastly howl filled the night as the pike hit it’s mark,

As flames filled the air piercing the obsidian dark.

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With head drawing down his roar from hell thrown my way,

With courage I filled, destined to live another day.

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Like a rabbit I jumped from behind makeshift shield,

With sword in clenched hand I swung what I wield.

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As his head it approached and our eyes surely meet,

With a leap I did plunge, blade to hilt landing on both feet.

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With a yell I withdrew bloody blade from the beast,

Pike still impaled to redeem my maiden, his feast.

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With sabre raised overhead to swing with all my might,

His crimson life draining along with his demon charged fight.

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A strike to his throat though armored it may be,

Shattered scale, flesh and tendon razored blade exposed he.

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He dropped to his knees spewing flames so erratic,

Moaning and crying in demon’s voice traumatic.

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With a thunderous tumble the mountainside shook,

As the monster’s death imminent the last breath he took.

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Elated I raised sword for one final blow,

Swiftly and grunting off with his head it did go.

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Exhausted I dropped to one knee and did weep,

Thanking God for His strength and His blessing bade me sleep.

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My darling revenge is now in my firm clutch,

I slay your cowardly killer helped by God’s mighty touch.

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Dragon’s head on the pike still my heart it does break,

No solace is found though serpents life I did take.

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Sadness eternal where my destiny lie,

“Til when unite and I mercifully die.