Read in Landscape!!!

At edge of strength the time in life when just before it fades
A final kindness student gives and seeks his master's grave
That man had chose in dying days on foreign mountain side
To serve as final resting place where body might be lied.

Behind him goes a little cart that holds a chest alone
Inside the box a bed is made that carry's elder's bones.
So lonely trek a swordsmen makes that's beat by wind and rain
Across the lands when bleached by sun he worked and distance gains.

A sadly sight to all who see him going forth alone
With handles grasped inside his palms he many miles did roam.
His form unkept as one who holds a burden deep in heart
Though still convicted well to go and play this noble part.

The dusty roads his sandals wore and beat about his clothes
Yet still he turns himself about and ever on then goes.
So long this tragic form then wanders all of Nihon's holds
To find the place his master bid where man might lay him low.

His plodding feet are wearied still at time of end of day
And scrape the ground with lonely sound along the path he stays.
The sweat on head does solid bead and run about his face
That speaks of deep intent to keep this ever plodding pace.

Ungive to any beat of rain or natures other blights
That tries to stir the man from course and alter still his plight.
But other forces hold a plan that stands against his will,
And marching path the man below would work to further still.

As bandits hid in brambles spy the foreign man now come
Along his lonely road and course with little cart that runs
The chest behind him slowly drug, a suspect sight to see
What things inside it holds the boards, what riches chance decrees?

Then chief of thieves does turn aside and speaks to rest of men
Convincing now like times before to give themselves to sin.

"Fall of rain in deepest drought
Riches found along our route
Gather men and down we'll go
Down to place where warrior bodes

Surely chest he takes so bold's
Filled with many gems and gold.
Gather soon and downward cant
Down to road our time be scant."

So all in silent malice stood from place they current kept
And went with skill for many years they hone and made adept
To set upon the man they found inside the hold they claim
Though knowing little things he holds it's good they still yet deign

To claim whatever comes about for good does seldom work
To wind it's way across their path and give itself to hurt
Through bushes men do silent pass with shade of midday trees
In hopes to hide their sight from man to more than aptly grieve

The one who current tows their boon and take with thieving deed
A wicked tact to gain what's good they ever on do heed.
Their sordid means a worthy way for ones whose honor's gone
With morals weak they set to prove their bodies much too strong

To long defy or short dispatch so given well they still
Do onward go to road below the warring man to kill.
From forest shadows men do come before the meager man
Behind and straight in front of path the bandits present stand.

Against the one who carries cart along with master's bones
Unknowing stood the lot of men with all their weapons honed.
But man remained unmoved and gazed not up at face of men
Who came about this road to take and gain for selves with sin.

His eyes at ground are downward cast his body still unmoved
Now thinking staying hand from task might sure his will behoove.
Then out there came the bandit chief and spoke abroad of will
In hope that words with which he taunts a greater fear instills.

"Lonely trek and cart you tow
Makes me wonder wealth bestowed.
Men I rule for long have want
Hunger great their forms yet haunts.

Let us see your chest perchance
Gaining well with little glance
All we need for nightly keep
Role then on for thing you seek."

The warrior stood unmoved and spoke no single word to man
To try and bring or stay his will no sign of any plan...
Yet lonely man's with stony eyes to road were downward cast
That showed no sign the man would go performing bandit's task.

And slowly anger grows then great inside the heart of chief
Who thinks the stranger works some way to try and grant him grief.
With sudden shout he loudly cries to try and startle man
But gazing down unspeaking still the warrior current stands

"Price of pride's a hefty tole
Grant us men what's still our goal
Surely goods inside the cart
Stand not great as man's own heart

Give your goods and keep you life
Turn aside this daunting strife
Only chest you hold we seek
Go then far when grant is meet

Any way that man so wills
Owning life you keep yet still."

But still the warrior stands unmoved and dares not far to wilds
To let these men his master's bones to ever dare defile.
Unflustered still he gazes down not moving far from place
Though quick he sets the cart on ground at sudden stooping pace.

Then heart of bandit chief does grow and dares to try aspire
And reach the cart that warrior held not knowing thing is dire.
Yet holding hope the man relent's if given little choice
Then surely bandits will and ways they'll force assent to voice

The lonely man yet meager stood in midst of lonely road
Then surely forth to give his good the wicked men may goad.

"Steady hand and even breath
Go I forth not fearing death
Learn yet still the course you'll take
Bidding man to meet his fate

Only death not ever life
Man will gain by waging strife..."

So slowly bandit goes to cart to lift the lid of chest
And see what current lays inside and whether things behest
Would grant him take his thieving leave and gain for men the wealth
The thing by which they lonely all had kept themselves in health

Inside the spreading forest far from any other men
And all for fact they seldom fear to wage their angry sins.
The chieftains hands toward the box now slowly falling seek
So bandit's hand the wealth inside may quick yet hasty meet.

Then sudden flash and garbled scream across the land did fall
On top the ears of all the men a sudden yell is called.
With flash of light and spray of blood the bandit chief did lay
Onto the ground in deathly mass his mortal form is slain

And warrior rest with head still tilt, unmoved he stoic stands
Except for blade he cryptic holds in tightly grasping hand.
The rest astonished backward run but dare not long aspire
To hide from man who earned their wrath by ancient sabers ire

But slowly men regain themselves approaching aloof man
Who current fails to meet their eyes or even show a plan.
Toward the man they crowding go now knowing force he meets
Can grant the whole of men a death with sure and hasty feat

But also knowing numbers held by whole of bandit clan
Can turn aside yet any wrath and cease his killing plan
They nearer come to man the blades they've drawn yet fierce and high
And ready still the will of thieves to work a wicked crime.

And warrior raises eyes at men who ever nearer draw
To ready self to meet their force in high and mighty brawl.
But sudden whistling sound is heard and down upon his back
Yet laid a deadly bandit fiend the closest one's attack.

Then all the mass did stop and stare including warring man
At forest wide about them stood they all did start to scan.
Another fell unto the ground a bruise about his head
Another one to right now laid yet surely rendered dead.

Then panic spread the whole of mass from cart they start to back
And draw away from warrior stood by strangest hidden wrack.
But warrior picked his moment well and lept yet forth with blade
And laid a many men yet down inside a tomb and grave.

Around the whole their numbers start to dwindle still at feet
And more and more now lay aside by either thing they meet
Till only few remaining men now flee away from man
But fall as whistling sound yet broke and killed them where they stand.

The man now cast his gaze along the trees of forest tall
Around the whole of rest of world the green that ever sprawled
To see who stood amongst the trees and whether good or ill
That hidden foe now sought to make with strangest killing skill

He comes to stump and lowers self and issues faintest cry
To bid whoevers hid in woods to come and meet his eye
So man may thank surprising aid he's given great this day
Or know yet whether stranger holds some other obscure way.

"I would thank him who aided my path and fended my feet from my foes
So please I ask the stranger from the forest come abode,
And meet me fair so man may thanks yet show to his friend
The one who kept me safe and did guard my way to the end

If fear would hem the man from my thankful deed I give
Then stand apart and draw your arm so this warrior bids.
No need has man to render self at mercy of man
Who long this dusty road has kept as his begotten plan.

So come I ask you friend and yet meet me face to face
So man bestows his parting words and grants to you his grace
Bushidos code does bid me thank whoever worked
To bring the bandit clan to heel and grant to them this hurt.

Deprive not man of honor who of many thing's deprived
I promise now to aid you course as code forbids my lies."

Then silence fell on forest low no movement any made
Or any sign to warring man assent by stranger's gave.
Then sudden rustle off to side does fill the warrior's ears
And head of man to bramble bush by sound is quickly steered.

As boy emerges quick from dark a sling he hold in hand
The thing he surely wielded well to kill these many man.
For time they both are still and calm not daring move yet near
The boy the one of both the pair that holds the grater fear.

But still he nearer drew to man though leery holds he self
And ready stands to run away to save his life and health,
But man does make no hasty move against the boy who's come
Now knowing well he's quick to flee at even little thrum

Or stir of feet against the boy will send him far in flight
So sets he still and waits he long as man's own bidden plight.
To ease the efforts child is gave though thing is easy made
Yet still the warrior knows for best his hand must still be stayed.

Then sudden boy does speak his words and tells his daunted thought
Of skill with which the man had struck and speed at which it's wrought.

"Of great suspect I hold who trods
On forest ground that's fearsome laud
To deep and dark to journ' inside
Where bandits lurk and time yet bide.

What purpose holds he come yet forth
And many dangers found yet courts
Is thing you seek your heat inspire
Than fear by place so greatly dire?"

Then warrior smirks and tells his tale to ease the childish fear
In hopes that boy once hearing thing would draw a little near.

"On final journey with my master does his student go
And leaves the side of my clan in which I long abode
To take this set of bones to a foreign resting mount
As master bid when his days did linger low in count

The living wish the dead to please or so our stories go
Inheriting their journey gave when down in death they bode.
So think not long on chore for the thing is but a simple task
Of men we call the Samurai are not many such yet asked?"

Then boy a little less now leery shifted well his stance
And up and down the warrior's form the child did long yet glance.
Then spoke his words at thing he saw to seek this stranger's will
And offered help the little child so quest be quick fufilled.

"A noble reason man has gave
To seek for master's vaunted grave
And grant him final thing he ask
A truly good and rightful task."

Then drew he near to speak yet more and say another thing
As many do in face of death in hopes to comfort bring.

"The roads imperiled the way you seek
With many dangers fell you'll met
Not just of men but magic guards
And makes the way so very hard

For any man who knows not paths
Will face a fell and ancient wrath.
I bid the well enjoy my help
For long these ancient lands I've dwelt

And know the safest course to chart
That saves the stranger battle part."

And hearing words the warrior nods not fearing forest threat
But knowing still it saves him time and trouble great bereft
To take the hand that's lent in aid and follow through on course
What fears to hold him back from thing and change it well for worse?

"A little ways is of no mind to the man at present set
I would take you on the thing you give and let your ways abet
Till we've passed from forest deep to the end of trail
Where I'll leave our present course and then seek the mountain vale."

So boy did nod at elder and bid him take along his way
The coffin master's held inside to end of all the days.

"A little ways we pair ourselves
A little ways we'll forward delve
No trouble think you things on friend
This road does also make my end

Where long I've dwelled in peasant's hold
At end of course where serfs abode
So think not long on thing you ask
I'll go about as man as tasked

And count it little cost to self
For thing deprives not time or wealth
This child does hold so take no heed
Of helping man of ancient creed."

And on they wind their way through lands and journey far
Now deemed by both the wondering pair a battle little hard.

Hey guys do you like the new Character? Are you excited for the third and final act?