Twilight of the Warrior
In halls of glory, tales once told Of Aldric, warrior fierce and bold His sword a blur of silver light His shield a bastion in the fight
Through countless battles, years of strife He carved his legend, risked his life No foe could match his mighty swing His name did make the war drums sing
But time, relentless as the tide Has worn away his youthful pride The hero's arms, once strong and sure Now tremble, weary and unsure
His trusty blade, once swift and keen Now heavy hangs, its edge unseen The shield that broke a thousand spears Now bows beneath the weight of years
In quiet moments, Aldric sees The ghosts of fallen enemies Their whispers haunt his restless nights Echoes of long-forgotten fights
The fire that burned in Aldric's heart Once drove him to play the hero's part But embers cool, and smoke grows thin The warrior feels death closing in
No more the clash of steel on steel No more the thrill of battle's peal The warrior's spirit, once a flame Now flickers, never more the same
He gazes at his callused hands That shaped the fate of many lands And wonders was it worth the cost? The peace, the love, the life he lost?
As twilight falls on glory's stage The hero bows to creeping age His battle cry, a muted sigh As memories of conquest die
The sword now rests, its duty done The shield laid down, its battles won And Aldric, legend of his time Fades gently from his tale sublime
In annals of heroic lore His name will live forevermore But mortal flesh cannot sustain The weight of myth, the hero's pain
So ends the saga, bitter-sweet Of one who knew not how to retreat A warrior born, by battle bred Who finds at last, his final bed
The fight is gone, the day is done And Aldric's final battle's won Not against foes of flesh and bone But time itself, and time alone