Second Book of the Orchids

The Second Book of the Orchids
Secunda Liber Florae

First Verse

First came the sea on the shore of the world
Then came the Mother of All
Then Mandorallen with standard unfurled
And Ilass, who fell in the fall
Last came the Orchids, that sealed the world's fate
Long before the first isle e'er rose
Which will seal shut the book when they touch and they mate
And bring all of our tales to a close

Second Verse

But the close is not yet, and there's much to be said
'Ere the crack of that ultimate doom
All the deeds of the heroes, both living and dead -
And the words upon Utas's tomb
Tie together the stories, and lead to these tales
On through chapters, suffus?d with light
Doomed to darkness, no doubt, but at least ere it fails
It'll put up a heck of a fight

Third Verse

Once again the sun rises, and Tineon's charge
Lifts the spirit of Earth with its rays
Glowing fiery and red o'er the swamp's misty marge
As it's glowed for its millions of days
Like a hand, its rays beckon for tales to be told
And my mind's full of stories to tell
Tales of war and renown in the ages of old
That tie into the present, as well

Fourth Verse

Where was I? My course on the river of Time
Has always a penchant to stray
When one sings of a matter so strange and sublime
It can scarcely be fit in a day
I believe when I stopped all the gods that remained
Unto Calaspir's plane had ascended
Having fled from their home when their dominance waned
And I now shall begin where I ended:

Fifth Verse

When the last of the gods from their tragic defeat
Had discovered the alternate plane
In the great hall of Aeon they gather and meet
And see who of their number remain
With the Timelord presiding, they call on their band
Asking each god his presence to show
That the size of their loss they might then understand
And assess the extend of their woe

Sixth Verse

First Tineon Firelord spoke of his flight
From his fiery forge in the sky
He departed the world, which was then left in night
And to Tirlar besieged hoped to fly
But he heard a great cry from that ill-fated land
And the voice of his brother call "Flee!"
But was ready, when needed, to help make a stand
And recapture the lost victory

Seventh Verse

His story was mirrored by the Shaper of Seas
And by She who sends clouds through the sky
And by Salio Gemsmith, who loudly decrees
"I am ready to fight and to die
If but I can strike with a well-deserved blow
At the horrible sinister heart
Who in battle to beautiful Tirlar would go
And defile the core of our art!"

Eighth Verse

Thus the Irdia spoke with one voice and propose
To return with the cloak of surprise
To descend unexpected, and slaughter their foes
'Ere the blood of the last battle dries
But Aeon the Timelord here quiets their call
And declares that no war will take place
'Ere his census was done, and had knowledge of all
Who were left of the heavenly race

Nineth Verse

The Irbegdia now make their company known
And the brood of Rianna, the Stars
But of those of Laguna, fair Celen alone
Has escaped with the gods from the wars
Onton and Osik are not to be seen
Nor are Annor and Anira found
And they mourn for the loss of the line of the Queen
And tears, shock, and wailing abound

Tenth Verse

At the thought of Laguna all faces arise
But alas! She is not in the hall
And Aeon stands up, but does not meet their eyes
But he stares at the floor and the wall
At last, he reveals "It is not as you fear
The Mother of All is not dead
But I bear with me news you will not want to hear
But I think that it has to be said

Eleventh Verse

Alas! In the chaos and slaughter of war
Laguna was pierced through the eye
By a razor sharp spear-point, and never before
Has the world heard the like of her cry
And I cried to her servants: 'Fly! Bear her away!
Ere fierce Lest deals a finishing blow!'
Here I found her unharmed, but her tale and her way
To my fortress I yet do not know."

Twelfth Verse

Thus Aeon the Timelord concluded his speech
And far-seeing Ardescit rose
"It is I, and one other, he thus did beseech
To rescue the god from her foes
I am Ardescit Soundsenser, brought here by fate
Named Gardexscatilbisc (friends call me Gar)
With permission from Aeon, I now will relate
How Laguna was brought from afar

Thirteenth Verse

Now two hath Laguna as servants and friends
Myself, and a colleague called S?n
I hear every sound, to the Earth's very ends
He sees all beneath sun, Stars, and moon
Now together we brought Her to Ennabruk's side
And looked off, at Carama's bright bay
When myself and my colleague ('tis strange to confide)
Spent hours debating the way

Fourteenth Verse

I was chanting the Spell that would open the Door
To the Castle and Keep far away
But old S?n dared to question the depth of my lore
And corrected each word I would say
Every sigil I wrote in the fire-filled air
He erased, and a variant drew
Every rune that I carved on the stony ground there
He would cancel, and carve it anew

Fifteenth Verse

Twice an hour we sat there, debating the path
'Til our charge gave a piteous groan
And the sound lit within me a fire of wrath
And I knew then what had to be done
I looked on my colleague, still scratching the ground
And rewriting a well-written rune
I know not where the courage to do it I found
But I turned, and spoke thusly to S?n:

Sixteenth Verse

"I cast ye from Tirlar! Yea, you and your breed!
The Witch and the Child and the rest!
You abandoned Laguna in all of her need
You are loyal to Ilass and Lest!"
Then I summoned my strength and I gave a great shove
There, where Tirlar gives way to the skies
Down he fell, 'til his screams left my ears far above
And his aspect was lost to my eyes

Sevententh Verse

And I trembled, but trembling completed the spell
And opened the Door to the Keep
And departed with speed from that Heaven turned Hell
With Laguna, still fevered in sleep"
Thus Ardescit Soundsenser finished his tale
And the gods thought the story appalling
And some asked to know more, and demanded detail
But Aeon went on in his calling

Eighteenth Verse

Now Elwynn was called and (praise be to the Powers!)
She was safe in that far away hall
By the Timelord snatched up from the City of Towers
Next did Mordicc respond to the call
Now Carding and Baccostaab made their flight known
And others, the friends of the gods
Who by Aeon's swift servants had lately been shown
The way to his far-off abodes

Nineteenth Verse

But where one of the gods was accustomed to sit
There was no god or man to be found
And some who were present were baffled by it
And thus vainly they looked round and round
But the Timelord was sad, and his aspect was grave
As he gazed at lost Utas' seat
And though all looked untowards him in all the great clave
There was no one whose gaze he would meet

Twentieth Verse

Then spoke Carding: "Alas! For that seat nevermore
With our brother and friend shall be filled
In the clashing of arms and the tumult of war
The brave Utas collapsed and was killed
And an hour may come when our pain-stricken hearts
Have the leisure to sit and to grieve
But now I propose to set forth from these parts
And make terrible war, given leave

Twenty-First Verse

And every great god, with a single voice cried
"Let us go! Let us go to the wars!
Let not our desired revenge be denied
Let us go! Ere time closes our scars!
Let us go! Let us go in late Utas' name!
In the name of the Mother of All!
And do deeds, to be ever remembered by Fame
Let us go! We can no longer stall!

Twenty-Second Verse

And they all rose at once, and they reached for their arms
For their spears and their daggers and swords
And their rune-inscribed talismans, magicks, and charms
And the standards were raised by the lords
But Aeon the Timelord remained in his chair
And he beckoned for all to stand tight
And he asked for a night and a day to prepare
And to get into shape for the fight

Twenty-Third Verse

Now the others were filled with a smoldering rage
And they barely obeyed the command
And some murmured to leave him there, due to his age
And a number continued to stand
But the Timelord arose, and he went through a door
Rune-inlaid, at the end of the hall
'Twas exceedingly strange - for a moment before
There had not been a door there at all

Twenty-Fourth Verse

And behold, as he entered, the door disappeared
And the others were struck with affright
At the loss of their lord in a manner so weird
And they look for a day and a night
Yea, for all of a night and a day did they look
Every hall, every room - every stone
Every passage and door, every cranny and nook
But old Aeon the Timelord was gone

Twenty-Fifth Verse

Yea, they looked, and in looking despaired, but at last
At the hour appointed by fate
When a day and night over Calaspir passed
Ancient Aeon returned through his gate
And his face had the aspect of wizards who gaze
Unhealthily long at the sun
'Till their eyes become blinded by Tineon's rays
Which most mortals dare not look upon

Twenty-Sixth Verse

His wrinkled old flesh had an aspect so pale
That all wondered what ghosts he had seen
His legs, which had always been trembling and frail
Were more weak than they ever had been
And from all of the gods there assembled there came
A wail of impotent despair
And their hopes to their powers and towers reclaim
Melted down, and dissolved into air

Twenty-Seventh Verse

Thus their anguish-but wait! From the rune-inlaid gate
To wherever old Aeon had been
Came a pounding of footsteps (O strange to relate)
That made echoes off chambers within
And a form high and mighty began to take shape
Like to Aeon, but hardly the same
And the gods, their eyes wide, and their mouths all agape
Stared in awe at the form as it came

Twenty-Eighth Verse

He was covered in mail, from his head to his toe
Neither copper nor iron nor steel
But the purest of adamant, forged long ago
'Ere the thoughts of the gods were made real
In his right was a sword wrought with infinite care
So its sides formed an apex so sharp
That the sound that it made when it flew through the air
Was like strings softly plucked on a harp

Twenty-Nineth Verse

In his left was a shield with a blazing device
Of a tower set high on a hill
And a great bolt of lightning curled round it thrice
And a sentence of runes, writ with skill
Said "Behold! This is Ennabruk! Look at it shake!
As it never has shaken before!
Its legitimate master has come to retake
Its high towers through terrible war!"

Thirtieth Verse

And they shook, yea, they shook - and so shook the whole world
At a prophecy cast and fulfilled
For here stood Mandorallen with standard unfurled
After Utas and hope had been killed
After powers and towers in fallen from high
After cities' and deities' ends
Now the Power Undreamed from the Infinite sky
At long last its great champion sends

Thirty-First Verse

Now the armies of Calaspier gather together
In a courtyard outside the great hall
And they shown with a power divine; I doubt whether
Any force could withstand them at all
For the Irdia, Faldia, servants, and guards
Were assembled, with Elwynn there too
For a battle so great that the poets and bards
Sing it still - as I now will to you

Thirty-Second Verse

Now the Earth-Goddess Salio forged from the stone A great isle that floated in air And could hold the whole army, and move on it's own In an hour, it flew them all there And it rammed into Ennabruk, making a sound That echoed through infinite space And the hosts disembarked, and prepared to surround The whole town, and encircle the place

Thirty-Third Verse

From the towers within came the armies of Lest And cursed Ilass herself took the lead By her right hand stood Yetal, supporting her crest All alone, shunned by e'en his own breed And the ranks were of demons - from some starless pit They were called by their master - and came And dark creatures from lands that the sun never lit Without shape, without speech, without name

Thirty-Fourth Verse

As they swarmed from their barracks, exuding with hate Mandorallen broke rank from his host And stood like a mountain, unspeakably great And he called to his rivals this boast "Come one from your number, come any who may Let us settle this quarrel alone Let a combat of champions determine the day And make vanquished and conqueror known"

Thirty-Fifth Verse

But none from their number would go on ahead And do battle with Aeon's strange son And the ranks of the Dark One first shuddered, then broke And it seemed that the battle was won When out of the tower, a form draped in black Came to answer the champion's call And in terror, the dark armies all slithered back Lest their general punish them all

Thirty-Sixth Verse

He was shrouded in darkness, from head unto toe Neither fabric, illusion, nor spell But the blackness that came from the Void long ago Ling'ring still in the dark pits of Hell His right hand held a mace strewn with prickles so cruel That the air fled before them in fright And they clanged as their master came forth to the duel In his raiments of Stygian night

Thirty-Seventh Verse

But while the Bright Champion awaited his foe And with iron grip clutched to his sword The great Paradox, born from the Void long ago And the Ending that Fate had assured Leapt again to the forestage, and Elwynn leapt out Of the ranks of the armies of light And from all of the warriors came forth a great shout As she ran toward the Child of Night

Thirtty-Eighth Verse

Now the Champion started, and ran toward the child And the armies unraveled in fear And with fear of the Doomsday dread driven wild Massive chaos and tumult appear But at last Mandorallen, as fast as the stars When they fail and fall down from the sky Attained her; and there, in the midst of the wars Stood silent, and held her up high

Thirty-Nineth

Then Carding, the Loremaster, fastened a spell Out of things he had brought for this need A black powder, ground out of the pillars of Hell Crystal sphere, comet hair, mandrake seed After chants, invocations, and wonderful song On the tip of his wand came a fire Long he sang, and the flames grew unbearably long And so hot, they gleamed blue like sapphire

Fortieth Verse

"BY THE POWERS UNDREAMED, LET IT BE!" he then yelled And the fire waxed high and burned bright Then collapsed to a spark, which the wand then expelled Toward the struggling Child of Light With a final convulsion, her struggling form Was engulfed by the radiant power For a second, there thundered the fiery storm Then subsided, revealing a flower

Forty-First Verse

Yea - where Elwynn had been, there was naught to be seen But an orchid - the first, long ago Its leaves were a vibrant and pulsating green With one flower in bloom, white as snow Yea - the first of the orchids, to seal the world's fate Although flowery and snowy and pure It would seal shut the book - it would join and would mate And then nothing could hope to endure

Forty-Second Verse

But her brother was filled with a terrible wrath And he ran through the ranks of his host With his mace and his spells he created a path To respond to his enemy's boast Mandorallen's sharp sword glowed with light like a wand Like a firefly flits through the brake And the cruel mace of Lest, in its haste to respond Made the Earth and the Universe quake

Forty-Third Verse

Then the battle begun, and I shudder to tell Of the strength and the wrath of the Two Of their frenzy, that nothing but murder could quell Of the blows that their weaponry blew Of the clash their debate sent to Earth down below Of the skill of the warriors' style Of the wonder and fear that the horrible row Made the spectators feel all the while

Forty-Fourth Verse

But at last Mandorallen, that newly-born Lord Of the battle and all of its skill With his adamant shell and his adamant sword Gained a hold, and moved in for the kill And he struck the cruel mace from the Dark Child's hands Thus completely disarming his foe And it flew out of Heaven, and fell to the lands Of the desolate Earth, far below

Forty-Fifth Verse

Then he held Lest aloft, and he turned to the god Who kept the mysterious Way And Carding, the Loremaster, gave him a nod There was nothing he needed to say For Fate had decreed, 'ere the battle begun What the Mage was determined to do And the spell which a moment before he had done He prepared to accomplish anew

Forty-Sixth Verse

Once again through the air shot a fiery line From the wand in the hand of the god Once again a great flame and a radiance divine Spiraled forth from the rune-studded rod Once again, where a god and a child had been There, in front of the gods' highest tower In full baleful bloom grew by all to be seen An unmoving, but dire black flower

Forty-Seventh

Then the forces of Lest with a singular groan Fled wherever the vanquished could flee Some fell over the edge and were crushed on hard stone And still others flew into the sea The battalions of monsters, so doleful and proud Just a couple of moments before Had finished the span that their fates had allowed And could trouble the races no more

Forty-Eighth Verse

Then the gods in their triumph marched into the town And into the innermost tower And the Champion mounted the high Crystal Throne And all Ennabruk throbbed with his power And the Irdia and Faldia retook their abodes And then gathered together again "Hail the great Mandorallen, the King of the Gods!" They exclaimed. "Powers bless him! Amen!"

Forty-Nineth Verse

But alone on his throne the high War-Captain sate Many matters revolved in his mind The traitors, who joined with the Child of Fate And the cowards, remaining behind So he took off his armor, his helmet, his shield Donning robes of a judge in their places And abandoned his weapon, the gavel to wield And prepared to give Law to the races

Fiftieth Verse

First Anton and Anira before him were called All the gods had been sure they were dead When they learned the real truth, they were yet more appalled They had joined with the Dark One instead Mandorallen judged thus: for the horrible crime Of deserting their land and their birth They were stripped of their minds and their spirits sublime And were sent down below to the Earth

Fifty-First Verse

Before the throne Onton and Osik were beckoned They had never selected a side But their crime was still great (so the Champion reckoned) For the their failure to rightly decide He banished them Earthward, to never behold Evermore the bright town in the sky And he doomed them to wither away and grow old And 'ere even a century, die

Fifty-Second Verse

But Laguna, the pity-filled Mother of All (Despite all, she continued to trust us) With a kiss, blessed all her children, in spite of their Fall And seasoned with mercy dire justice For she swore that our banishment someday would end And our chains to the Earth would dissever And the soul, after death, would to Tirlar ascend And would dwell with Laguna forever

Fifty-Third Verse

Thus, the blessing and curse of far-fallen mankind Were doled out in equivalent shares Thus our portion was blessed with an undying Mind And was stricken with infinite cares Thus Laguna gave hope to her unworthy brood After Mandorel took it away Thus the Gods temper even their curses with good Whether blessing or curse - who can say?

Fifty-Fourth Verse

Not I - I've said enough, as I'm sure you'll agree And my voice is beginning to go I'm afraid any more of this singing would be Like the Fall I've just told - cause for woe So I'll leave you to wonder on Heaven and Death And the Wisdom that reigneth above Which can damn us, and then, in the very next breath Can redeem us with heavenly love

FINIS!