Pariah sits in wait of his release
by firelight with single guard on him.
He's taken time tonight to think a course
and hath decided for himself on what
he means to do when finally uncuff'd.
The fire crackles and it pops in sparks
as th'one who guards him stokes the dying flames
and places yet another log atop
to keep the light and heat it doth provide
as he is falling into slumber there 10
upon the bedding whereon he is sat;
Lieutenant comes to him and offers tea,
so both of them assemble over flame
a rack on which they place a pot of tea,
and whilst it heats Lieutenant goes to fetch
two cups for them to pour their flavour'd drink;
of course Pariah knows that one of these
contains the sleeping drug as just they plann'd,
so when the tea is steep'd Lieutenant pours
first into one and hands it to the guard 20
before his own which seemingly he fills
to only half to exit speedily.
The man accepts and sips it ignorant
of its effects on him somniferous,
and so the two of them enjoy a drink
before Lieutenant takes his leave for bed.
And soon the drowsy guard begins to slump
and snores an awful grating type of noise
that signals to Lieutenant that his drug
hath work'd its magic on the sleeping man. 30
Returning to the scene Lieutenant pulls
a key out from his pocket which he holds
just out of reach of outcast's outstretch'd hand
before he slips it back into his coat
and draws a knife, revealing other plans:
"I've thought of our arrangement and have come
to better a conclusion than we two
did yesternight, when in excited mood
I listen'd to thy version of a plan;
but now I see more clearly that I don't 40
require thee to do the deed at hand,
for only do I need to make it look
as though thou kill'd our Leader in escape,
and so I'll kill thee first and stab then him,
and then I'll leave thy corpse beside his bed
to make it look as struggle had ensued
and both of ye found death at th'other's blade."
Lieutenant makes to stab Pariah's chest
but quickly doth he jump to get away;
he scrambles in the dust before he's chok'd 50
by leash Lieutenant grabs to quell escape.
He yanks Pariah near and slashes down
at him, so pull'd toward his hands and knees,
but outcast wraps his chains around the wrists
of his betrayer, and the two now fight
a wrestling match, but th'other man is large
and overpowers outcast easily;
he frees himself from chains and pushes him
upon the ground, his head now brushing on
the sleeping guard who dothn't hear a sound 60
or even stir at struggle happening
beside him, for the drug is far too strong.
Lieutenant wraps the leash around his hand,
approaching our Pariah scrambling back;
he reaches for a tool that he can use
to swat the bigger man away from him,
who grasps his neck with th'hand of coiled chain
and raises knife above in order to
deliver lethal strike with sharpen'd blade.
But in this final moment of the fight 70
Pariah's fingers find a hilt to grasp;
out from the belt around the sleeping guard
he draws a dagger, stabbing it inside
Lieutenant's temple for a fatal blow
which fells the man and drains upon the sand
a liquid thick and red out from his skull.
Pariah leans above the corpse to reach
within the pocket of its coat and pulls
the key as teas'd before when still this man
was living foul, corrupting th'Earth with his 80
detestable existence undeserv'd.
He twists the key within the holes of these
grey shackles and the collar round his neck,
which come undone, to which he sighs relief
before he plucks the dagger from the corpse
and slits the sleeping guardsman's open throat.
Once this is done he marches to a horse,
untying Leader's—for it's likely best
in quality of speed and stamina—
and leads it through the camp whilst stabbing men 90
he passes sleeping, on his way toward
the Leader at the centre of the band;
but voices rise and though it's dark he knows
his presence hath been noted through the camp;
it's probable that Leader's loyal man
which he did mention during light of day
to Pilgrim—whilst Pariah trapp'd within
did listen to the conversation had—
was listening awake this night as well
and now hath notified the bandit crew 100
of outcast's lurking purge upon their blight,
which complicates this mess beyond repair
and causes our Pariah to decide
to mount this horse and ride away by dark
with only Luna lighting with her rays
of weaker grey the road that lies ahead
and hoping that this lead he hath on them
will be enough for Pilgrim to maintain
when outcast loses pilot of their form. 109