wyrdwind

Honor Killing

Once was a samurai,

a lord among men. Won

divine armor, the most skilled

among them. His highest achievement

yet.

Helmet Invulnerable, Breastplate Impenetrable,

Sword Unbreakable. Fields

of fallen warriors. What

was it all for?

The Moon King

named him a threat.

Ordered this Hanzo’s death.

One foe ahead of the rest, brightest

star of heaven, so very strong

of magic. Fiercest opponent

he’d ever met. Lost in her eyes, said,

“You are my quest.”

They took to bed.

Would make a people

in her image.

But her family mourned her perfection,

pure power without warmth of companion,

and a fallen daughter

they wouldn’t forgive.

The Song We Couldn’t Write

Oh how the world

finds a way to make shame

a woman’s business. The Three

must defeat it, comes down to demons

and who makes them. The power

of song

and these knives they found.

Duty and perfection expound,

got a problem? Keep that shit

to yourself. But this time around,

our main girl needs help.

Her cords skip out,

fumbles at the finish line,

and the fairest demon boy

finds her just in time.

Clocks her stripes in the middle

of a fight. Her fractures.

His own the mirror of hers.

From her teammates he covers,

and something like romance ensues.

Turns out her mama loved a demon too.

She didn’t choose

her patterns, did no wrong

but be born. The care

of a woman whose tenderness

was scorn in disguise.

Her real mother died.

How is a mystery.

Reverberate,

did mommy love me?

Through his loneliness she sees

the man he was in life.

Offers a place close

at her side. She’s immune

to the Demon King’s voice.

Hope comes down to choice.

For a moment

he believes he can rise.

But that Demon King reminds.

His Voice. And his choices.

He didn’t confide them, that version

unsightly. How precious to think

his dream

could yet come true. Hope

is unbecoming of you.

Our girl

hits the bottom,

a well of betrayal. Abandoned

by all she’s known.

And so

there’s one way left to go.

Breaks that barrier herself,

it all comes out.

Different kinda mouth to mouth.

He’s a terrible wall of fire

and she’s ready to be Loud.

Allows her whole self to be seen,

she squares up with the Demon King.

Her former team rejoin as she sings,

but there’s just too many. Face to face,

stripes turned to light, just a demon girl

and her trusty blade.

He finds her just in time.

Eternity between their eyes.

Heroes they’re not,

but this once, for sake of song,

and for love, he’ll be her sacrifice.

Consumed by flames.

Amplifies that gleaming blade,

turns the tide of battle, and gives

the strength to strike

a death blow.

Evig Hus

A woman

vibrant and warm

decided it time to settle down

so set about building her house.

No detail too small, broke ground,

pored every wall, every fixture,

window to shadow,

all that was in her.

They never met though.

Drown at sea in a storm,

the house woke only to mourn,

couldn’t make sense of his form.

Inorganic. He was never alive.

Where do you put it,

love that can’t die?

He drove them away,

shut everyone out. This

was a one woman house.

No other would do. Mischief,

skullduggery ensued. Very rude.

He thought he found Her,

warped by his grief, clutched

tight a firebird so great his need

smothered. Stuck

in his mirror dimension, willed

they would be one.

Her friends struggled, efforts all burned.

But for one.

It took some time, unsure

she would come.

Darkness wrought

in Her name, damage

undone.

Bloated and limping, mangled,

things growing

from the bottom of the sea,

shambled from her peace.

No beauty she.

He knew immediately.

She was all he could see.

Relinquished his host

right in her arms, free

to go home. Both.

Origin media and relevant tracks: Kubo and the Two Strings, “Monkey’s Story” by Dario Marianelli and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by Regina Spektor; KPop Demon Hunters, “Free” by Rumi and “What It Sounds Like” by HUNTR/X; SurrealEstate S2 finale, “Luke & Megan” and “A Day of Goodbyes” by Spencer Creaghan.