1. |
Which Witch Won?
04:01
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Sparks fly, flames erupt
Sands stream and sting in sudden gales
Dazed and displaced by torrents abrupt
As two witches clash to see who will prevail
Kat, 14, a prodigy- noble, but a bit naive
Astrid, 16, gives it her best- no moment is spared for rest
Light radiates from within balled fists
The gems that bring their powers to exist
All five elements, nature's full force
Through these girls such powers course
A grin extends Kat's face, bright as the crescent moon
Astrid more zeroed in, her movements well attuned
Their gemstones' energies nearly fully consumed
Something has got to give, the scale must tip soon
Lightning explodes from Astrid's hand
Rampant, lethal, charges no man could withstand
But Kat has her own electric stone
Neutralizes the bolts as they are thrown- skill well honed
Kat blasts gusts robust to render her foe prone
And pin her down with gravel summoned from her earth stone
Fireballs soar through the air, roar toward their target square
A sudden surge of water leaves nothing there
Once-precious stones cast aside as they go grey
Lest they be grabbed by mistake and thus betray
Like night and day they trade..
"That's enough- well done, girls"
Ghael calls off the friendly feud
"Hey, I've got money riding on this!"
Grub jokes and adds "how rude!"
"Awesome as always" Kat says
Astrid agrees, "I nearly had you too!"
Ghael says "I'm quite impressed
Now quickly rest, you've more yet to do"
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2. |
Legend of the Light Gem
03:35
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Ghael gathers the gang
“So girls, do you recall
The legend of the light gem?
The heroes who wielded them
And conquered utter mayhem?
Hundreds of years ago..”
Grub adds “when Ghael was just a teen!”
Unamused, she continues
“Elluryah was faltering
“But a young kobold, with a pure heart
Unlike our friend Grub here
Produced a shimmering white gem
That evil learned to fear
The legendary knight and witch
Battled with sword and spell
The blade bright and blasts of light
Banished the baneful back to hell!”
The virtuous, the valiant
Those who refuse to corrupt or dissent
“So light gems are the strongest of them all?” Kat ponders aloud
Astrid answers “sure, if you keep your head up in the clouds!
Volt gems turn baddies into paper weights just fine”
Ghael says “light gems are not benign-
They destroy the depraved by design
“And rumor has come my way of a light gem bona fide
Likely fiction, but inaction I simply can’t abide
A kobold in Shinrin town to the east
Claims to have bore the stone
In the midst of some other dissonance
To me currently unknown
“Shinrin is in a state of dismay
And if we don’t help it may stay that way
Find the antagonist, show him defeat
Help keep others like us out of the streets”
Kat can’t wait to save the day
Make new friends and show them her way
Despite Astrid’s assertion, Kat longs for a light gem
As strong as a volt stone but not fickle like them
Astrid’s been itching for her next real fight
She’ll prove to Ghael the true extent of her might
Grub, the girls’ own kobold friend
Will guide them til the very end
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3. |
Another Adventure
04:05
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The group ventures through the woodlands towards Shinrin
Pursuing peril to replace with peace once again
Ghael once moved mountains
But how years have slowed her down
Grub and her pupils are now her feet on the ground
The forest is scoured as Kat finds two flowers
“For Grub blue, and yellow for you, each of your favorite hues!”
Astrid smiles, says “it might be a while, but I’ll
Find a purple one and and we’ll compile our styles”
Cold colors concur, but the yellow stirs
Of them, the only stem that’s studded with spurs
But Ghael’s trained hand readily withstands
Her wise eyes infer that such colors can blur
So onward they press from dawn
Towards an unknown dusk but
However far from home, never alone
Even when long gone
No need to be withdrawn since
They have each other to lean on
The group hears a haunting roar in the distance
“Don’t worry girls” Grub says and preps his battle stance
Grub knows no magic- even Kat has him outsized
A grin extends her face and Astrid rolls her eyes
“Here, for you! I found some gifts too!
I hate to outdo, but it’s what I do, ha!”
Grub gives the girls a rotten fig and a twig
Astrid chuckles a bit, but Kat’s laugh is big
Grub’s wooden sword is more board than blade
Lest he gore himself, real steel is forbade
And the battered shield that he often wields
Would bust into dust on a real battlefield
Grub points upwards as a crow- white as snow- flies by
Stunning to be sure, perhaps a reflection in the sky
Girls abandoned as children, and a duty-bound kobold
Redefining what it means to be what they are called
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4. |
Silver the Sinister
03:10
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The sun finds its destination before the group finds theirs
They set up camp for the night and postpone their affairs
The girls’ flame gems spark a campfire-
Their water gems stave away thirst
They’ll rest but Grub decides it’s time to tell a scary story first
“So girls, do you recall the legend of Silver?
The demon known as Silver- evil in breathing form
Our anguish keeps it fed; our hatred keeps it warm
It curses us to die slow, and feeds on our despair
It lusts to be stronger and in our pain we take it there
“The scariest part of all, you may have already guessed
Silver stays right here in Forsyth Forest!”
As Grub’s story crescendos, he darts off into the shadows
Not for dramatic effect, rather his tightening neck
A poorly timed gemstone suddenly makes its presence known
He heaves, adds to his supply- darts back with a
“Now where was I?
Oh yeah, we’re all gonna die!
“Pawns pursue the grand soul
Those desperate or heedless
Die needlessly, it’s grievous”
Kat can’t help but intervene
“I bet Ghael could beat that thing!
She can blast three entire stones
At him at once- he’d be gone!
“The match would go without a hitch
Can’t beat the world’s strongest witch!”
“As long as Silver didn’t get into her head” Grub agrees
“Ghael would come out on top- the demon would be dead
The grand soul would grant an extra chance at life
A great prize but it’s an all-or-nothing fight”
Astrid declares “someday, I’ll blow Silver away”
Grub adds “okay, but let’s say, that’s a few decades away
Silver’s terrain is the only place where he’ll attack
Best to just stay away, in fact
The only reason that we had to camp out overnight
Is because we took the long way to avoid that very fight”
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5. |
Discord Explored
03:18
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So the conflict begins as the gang enters Shinrin
A short search reveals the discord within
It seems most everyone in the town
Is on edge about the ongoing showdown
Ulric- the name has been dragged through the mud
A blacksmith who now has some bad blood
With Larv- a local kobold laborer
Who’s esteemed enemy ensured an uproar would occur
Due to his local renown, the gang easily tracks Ulric down
“I am a blacksmith for the king’s royal army
A shaper of steel, just as Larv used to be
“But my skills far surpassed his, he became redundant here
Now he tries to tarnish my trade, so it appears
But I am far too revered!”
The group tracks Larv down for a word
They’ll chat with him as he works- as he prefers
“Ulric’s unfaithful to the king he serves
Many of his products go to a side reserve
“He should keep our great Elluryah safe with his profound skill
Instead he sells to scoundrels to keeps his pockets filled
I have produced a light gem- unreal but it’s true
To prove my rectitude I’ll show the stone to you!”
Grub and the girls aren’t sure what they should believe
It seems that to some end they are being deceived
Kat says both seem so honest, Astrid says they both tell lies
The townsfolk are on edge but cannot spot the guise
The gang will take Larv up on his offer to inspect the gem
They decide it wise to bring Ulric along with them
The foes meet face to face
Their claims they’ll have to stand up for
But before progress is made, a gang of bandits kicks in the door
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6. |
The Sandstorm Sudden
03:10
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“I don’t know who y’all are- don’t care, get out our way
The Shifting Sand is putting Larv in the ground today!”
Kat and Astrid ready stones, Ulric draws a longsword
The kobolds take shelter from this vicious horde
Astrid dashes, Ulric slashes
With an earth gem blast Kat bashes
Disabling foes in droves in hopes to dispose of their composure
The fray is a blur, the gang frayed like amateurs
Elemental beams agleam
Seems three now stream out from the team
These girls may be young but they sure as hell ain’t green
They blast the most impressive spells
These thieves have ever seen
Astrid’s dexterity and technique give her foes trouble
But they’re awed and appalled
That Kat’s magic output is doubled
Kat’s happy to explain while dishing out the pain
“Witches shoot energy that they draw from stones arcane
Into the off-hand, through the core
The main hand then releases rays
But I was born ambidextrous
In me energy runs both ways!”
Ulric- stern as can be- says “I told you to leave this town
If you plan to walk away, you’d best put your weapons down”
The thieves look mighty confused- and not a lick amused
But they aren’t up to argue all beaten and bruised
They drop their weapons and flee, declare that they’ll be back
Ulric says that it’s done- no need to pursue and attack
Astrid hasn’t had enough
Kat says these thieves should be in cuffs
Ulric says this gang plays rough
And few in Shinrin are too tough
“Let the desert dogs scurry on home to lick their wounds
Having been bested, once they’ve rested
Thoughts of us will resume”
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7. |
A Confounding Find
03:09
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The Shifting Sand dispatched
Larv says “that wasn’t the first match
They’ve been harassing folks around town
Came here once- threatened to put me down”
Ulric laughs and says “another lie!
If they’d wanted you dead, then you would’ve died
I have to go- I have a shipment tonight
You kids be safe- stay out of trouble, alright?
The gang decides to crash at Larv’s for a while
To ward off any intruders vile
He shows them the light gem, but won’t let them touch
Says they’ll have to build up just a bit more trust
Grub chats with Larv, tries to see through his eyes
Meanwhile the girls share gossip outside
They find where Larv’s raked up a huge pile of leaves
And take turns jumping in from a nearby tree
Later Grub confesses “Larv seems an honest guy
He’s never sold a stone, instead he toils away to get by
Like me he disagrees with the standard kobold crowd
Embracing the snobby lives that our stone’s prices allow
A kobold worthy of being proud
“In fact he donates all of his stones
To our old friend Phoebe - to your first home”
“So we probably used them as kids,”
Says Kat “That’s awesome of him- can’t deny that!”
With much to ponder, the group calls it a day
Then take their well earned rest with little delay
But Astrid’s the exception, now she will make her move
In darkness and silence, since Kat wouldn’t approve
Astrid sneaks, she stalks the stone,
Picks the lock, checks the gem on her own
She finds what she expected and feared-
There is no magic here
Upon further investigation
A find that defies explanation
A sizable pile of weapons spans
Which strongly resemble the Shifting Sands’
Astrid decides not to confront him
And in the morning fills her allies in
Grub is hurt, says he hates that it’s so
Kat says there must be something they don’t know
And word has made its way around
That today Garth makes his way to town
Seems Larv’s rumors have spanned the land
And now the king has sent in his right hand
The gang has knowledge that it’s only right to admit
They decide in the meantime they’ll pay Ulric a visit
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8. |
Rematch / Dispatch
03:03
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The gang heads back to Ulric’s forge and home
Outrage resounds from round back- Ulric is not alone
He is taking a stand- his foes making demands
The gang rounds the corner to see the Shifting Sand
“'You’ll get your weapons soon as Larv is in the ground'
So you said, then you slapped my boys around"
“Your boys are idiots- there were witnesses!
If I didn’t step in, how could I feign innocence?"
“So why not kill them all?” “Because I’m not like your lot
Petty crime is not the only thing I’ve got!”
The puzzle yet incomplete, but Ulric’s guilt now confessed
Grub says “What better time than now to make the arrest?”
Kat steps in, requests forfeit- of course they will not abide
These Sands are stronger now and Ulric’s on their side
Despite the splendid skills the girls display when they spar
When they combine forces, a force is what they are
Astrid pushes Kat hard to reach for the highest bar
When they combine forces, a force is what they are
Blasts of gravel pelt the men,
Then strong winds blow and throw them prone
Waves of water drench their garb
Weighing them down like heavy stones
Focused fire forces their foes to follow foreknown footing
Kat condemns volt gems lest these guys be reduced to pudding
Grub cheers and jeers from the sidelines
Til a Shifting Sand lackey
Chases him to the lush green
But Kat knows he runs quickly
The Shifting Sand is chased away
Kat hopes they’ll change their ways someday
There’s no denying Ulric is tough
But his best efforts aren’t enough
Grub even bested his foe
By his account a disgrace
“As he chased I bent a branch
Then let it whip his big, dumb face!”
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9. |
The King's Right Hand
02:41
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A crowd gathers as the gang drags Ulric into town
He is a criminal- this is his new renown
It isn’t long before Garth arrives
With the deadeye Wade and two other knights
Garth thanks the gang for everything they’ve done
“Despite his ties he’ll serve his time the same as anyone else”
Kat says she hopes that it helps
“He could do great things, if he’d behave himself!”
Garth’s gang heads back through
Forsyth Forest dragging Ulric along
They’ll dump him into the Bristol dungeon where he belongs
Wade looks him in the eye and says “don’t try anything dumb”
“Like fight the king’s right hand
And get crushed by a single thumb?
Oh, I already know the outcome
"Against the man who carries a hundred pound warhammer
And wears armor that assures every assault is deterred
The man who stopped a thug that tried to escape on a horse
Lifted both man and mount and threw them with unnatural force
That fight I can’t endorse”
That option rejected, Ulric inspects his chains
He hides his excitement, it seems that hope remains
The shackles that he wears
Are themselves worn and have now cracked
When the timing is right, he’ll break free and double back
He hears his own heartbeat
The knights’ attention divides as a snow-white crow flies by
Ulric manages to slip away from their watchful eyes
From afar Garth’s tremendous strength is nullified
But an arrow from Wade’s bow scrapes the bone in Ulric’s thigh
He knows his end is nigh
Garth stomps over to his prey, now left with no hope to escape
“You betrayed our king- with your life you’ll pay
I’d hoped that in those broken chains
You’d think that you had found your recourse”
Ulric’s spirit is crushed
Just before he becomes a crumpled corpse
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10. |
Ghael the Grey
04:43
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“Although our search for a light gem was a dead end
We chased that gang away, and made some new friends
Ulric is behind bars by now- I know he’ll come around
Good people make mistakes, but he will restore his renown
“And Larv finally came clean- admitted he’d forged the stone
He didn’t know how else to face the Shifting Sand alone
Only one pure of heart could have produced that gem
So to earn Shinrin’s trust he lied to them”
Grub interrupts
“Kat’s right- Larv told some lies, but he did take action too
He stole some steel that’d sold to those stupid sandy dudes
If more kobolds were like us, we’d have a better rep
Just like you gals as witches, we’ll just go step by step!”
Ghael says “well done girls, your spells surely excel”
A grin extends Kat’s face- and Astrid’s as well
Just then someone begins banging on the door
“Come out, come out” he says “let’s play some more!”
Ghael kicks the door open, three gems fill her left hand
Seems the gang was tailed by the Shifting Sand
Ghael protects Elluryah, long has and still today
She has a hero’s heart, but she has her own way
Witches are often seen as roguish heretics
Ghael follows her gut and cares not for politics
The gang believes that stigmas will be erased
The gang achieves- even small steps can win a race
With eye contact and shoulders back Ghael says
“The girls you’re after are students of mine
You think you’ll bother them? You’ve lost your minds!
I am Ghael the witch! Be gone before I blow you away
And I don’t mean with a wind gem, no
You won’t live to see another day”
With wide eyes, the men apologize
They bound away, clearly afraid
The word “student” echoes in Kat’s mind
Astrid does her best to leave the thought behind
Accepts how she’s defined
So they’ll fight on!
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Unicorn Hole Lexington, South Carolina
Uhole is a nintendocore band from South Carolina, since 2007
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