The Esticad

They travelled out of Avalon,

the city of white towers and the kingdom of beautiful trees,

into the land of Chaos,

where sand dances through the ruins of homes.

There, they became soldiers in Sicke's army

so they could approach him unexpected,

and when they gained renown as great heroes

they travelled beyond the desert

to the Cloudforest,

where the elves still talk to trees.

In the temple of that forest,

they expected to find Sicke in meditation.

Cover Image: Francisco de Goya, "Plate 5 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'And they are like wild beasts' (Y son fieras)." Spanish, 1810.