By Andy Ashcraft
I
Perhaps the tale began, as once this teller said,
the day a secret thing was born, the sum
of Heav'nly scorn and of a Demon's bed.
Now, I believe that Artifice, struck dumb
in council by his vows and ill-advice,
promoted him in haste, a need to sire
successors.
Crafts was doomed, he knew, and twice
created others from his forge and fire;
Mirage and her twin, 'Science', to keep alive
a god of Crafts and Knowledge once he died.
A sword he made and in return, said "I've
a need for Children."
"I'll be one." Skulk lied,
'cause demon-boy had seen Miranda's smile.
For Sword and Dream, he answered Havoc's bile.
II
Destruction felt the blows and fell, for three
Times Skulk took aim (although the rules were bent.)
To Artifice's forge, he skulked to see
if demon blood could boil away, be wrent
awry by Craft-Lord's tools and skills.
But no.
The demon blood remained. A darker side
of Artifice now lurked in Heaven's glow.
For ev'ry Knowledge found is learned with pride.
And walls are built to 'prison one inside.
Of course, Miranda's love was what Skulk locked
up tightly, chained and hidden.
Skulk would bide
his time 'til he and she fled Ragnarok
- alone -
Then suddenly Miranda wed!
To HIM! A feral BEAST!! Skulk lost his head.
III
Before old Artifice was dead and gone
our Skulk had hatched his evil plan:
He'd build
an Ark, a capsule, made by Gods and on
Demesn-ed ground, Serapis' souls would fill
the thing then Skulk would lure Miranda in
to bless it while Judge 'blossom locked the door.
Then Lucifer, (although his disguise thin)
or Byron, who was constantly at war
with Twins, would launch the relic through the Void:
Miranda would be Skulk's forever more!
Alas, impatient Council grew annoyed
at Secret's work and from him life they tore.
"From now on," Skulk cursed, "dreams are secret needs!",
"And winter's Gale will blow Destruction's seeds!"