The 22nd

After two days travel in brazen stride,

Daron reached the end of the countryside.

Before him stretched the camp of Elitron Crew

And it bustled with the fragments of hope anew.

Of awe and glory it would instill,

And his father’s legacy he would fulfill.

Twenty-one men came forth will ill consent.

Who was this boy of strange intent?

Skepticism now in the air abound,

Resonating as murmurs’ unwelcome sound.

How does one replace a legend’s gleam

As the 22nd cog in a war machine?

But it was clear, with father gone,

His spirit now would carry on.

And soon thereafter, saw the men,

That his old man’s spirit dwelled within.

Uniting what once was torn,

A loss is nothing to mourn.

For blood runs thicker than tears,

And nothing runs thicker than beer.

The brotherhood, now not at odds,

Thus raised their pints and drank with gods.

With battle chants the men gave thanks,

For this young man had joined their ranks.

They told the tales of feats before,

And feasted, drank, and sang of war.

Their pact now sealed, none would oppose

To charge into battle and slay their foes.

Their leader, Helveti was his name,

Now raised his sword and did proclaim,

“The evil Republic, their name we shun,

We'll join The Rebellion and fight as one.

So find your courage, raise your blade,

And fight The Republic in our crusade.

For on the 'morrow, we ride to war,

But for now raise your pints and drink some more!”

Their pact was now sealed, task now understood,

Now sown the seeds of brotherhood.

Where once was twenty-one, when that night was through,

Now stood a band of twenty-two.