DISCLAIMER: This is a unauthorized poem using characters that are (c) & TM by Marvel Comics. No profit is being made. The poem is (c) Tilman Stieve (Menshevik@aol.com). You can download this and copy it for your entertainment, but don't sell it for profit, or Marvel will set their lawyers on you. Please do not archive this on your website without informing me first.
A familiar story told from a different perspective in 222 lines of alliterative verse. I think the format is rather appropriate to the story and the narrators.
Tilman
(who evidently enjoyed his Old English courses and read way too much Tolkien)

by Tilman Stieve

Moonstar, young rider, from Midgard thou camest,
scion of warriors from westwards of Vinland,
raven-tressed maiden of marvellous power,
Death-daring Dani the daughter of Lonestar.

Captured and curbed, carried to Asgard,
by fate thou wert sundered from friends, left alone.
Laufeyson willed it, Loki the schemer
ordered his lackey, the lady of demons,
Fair-faced Amora the false Enchantress,
to bring ye bound to a black pit of pain.

Up rose Illyana, iron of purpose,
her own spell she wrought, stout-hearted comrade,
freeing her friends from fearful prison.
But base Amora bested the young mage,
shut her in shackles and shamefully hurt her,
wove murky magicks and marked her with scars.
Dazhbog's fair daughter from dungeons had saved them,
in her anguish now needed the aid of her friends.

All over the Nine Worlds her allies were scattered,
days would be over ere their duty they'd do.
Karma the eldest, eastern mind-steerer,
in a desert was stranded, where death from thirst threatened,
her way she found out, and wondrously grew lighter,
aided a Norn-child and was aided by her.
Douglas tongue-master at table had to serve,
in King Harald's castle the kitchen was his lot.
Innocent Rahne the rust-haired wolf-maiden,
thy soul's closest sister, thy Scottish companion,
by giants pursued in Jotunheim's forests
met with a wolf-prince who wooed her so sweetly.
Warlock the star-born strange metal warrior
spoke words with the Death-Queen in the dark realm of Hel.
Sunspot the charmer, the strong-sinewed jester,
of hue black in battle but beer-brown at rest,
vanquished brash Vigdal, prevailed in an inn-brawl,
dallied with wenches and Warriors Three startled.
A feast was waiting for firesoul Amara
but eating the elf-food did evilly change her.
Valiant Samuel, from Vinland like Moonstar,
to caverns accustomed, a coal-miner once,
entered the dwarf-realm where Eitri housed him;
Kindra the king's child cared for his wounds.

Meanwhile young Moonstar by magic hurled far
wended her path on a plain of green grass,
Danielle was not daunted, the daughter of sunset
the steed-road strode with strong heart and legs
til one fine day a trapped horse she spied,
a cloud-coloured stallion most cruelly entangled.
Not fearing the fen-pit forward went Moonstar
freeing the wing-steed from his web of barbed ropes.
Grateful was Brighteye the grey of Valhalla,
Moonstar he chose as a chooser of slain.
But trouble threatened, the trapsters returned,
Hela's fell servants, their hearts hard as flint.
The young girl they challenged "yield us the stallion,"
she faced their horde and hurled out defiance,
up came their champion charging to kill her,
speedily riding, his spear sharp and long.
She gripped the shaft and grounded its point,
sent the man flying and flung him to earth then,
the helm-bearer's ears rang as his own ash-wood struck.
"Thus we count coup," she cried out, "we Cheyenne!"
Still nine dour riders around her converged.
Moonstar was found thus by Mist the shield-maiden,
who caught a war axe and cowed the foe-men,
she bade Dani welcome, brought her to the aerie.

So thou didst join us, Jord's fearless daughter,
soon thou rod'st with us, the sky thy new road.
A winged helm we gave thee, thou worest it gaily,
gauntlets of buckskin, a bow of strong yew
and a keen long-knife to arm thee for battle --
from thy belt of blue stone-links this blade's sheath now hung.
Thy stay was short only, thy search could not wait,
and thy heart dreaded the duties of thy calling.
Born by proud Brightwind bravely thou sett'st out
to seek out thy friends and find a way home.

So did they also, the search bore first fruits:
Douglas and Warlock met a dread wight in battle --
Amora had made it from Magik's darksoul --
barely they 'scaped her, the boy and the star-child.
In deep Nidavellir doom threatend too:
Black-elven raiders would ravage the dwarf-realm,
Amara their thrall had to melt their way in,
bravely the dwarfs fought, their bright blades upraised,
they threw back the throng, the thrall they held back.
Thus were Sam Guthrie and the girl reunited.
Robert at the ale-house ran out of luck,
the Enchantress's demon chained him with a foul spell,
his spirit imprisoned in a suit of eldritch armour,
and like befell Rahne the russet-furred werewolf.
This done, the fell horde its dark quest continued,
dwimmer-warriors in the darksoul-wraith's train.
They spied three friends on a sparkling brook's bank,
Douglas the shy with Shan and with Warlock.
With malice fell on them Amora's fierce bloodhounds,
the three from Midgard were mightily outnumbered,
now all seemed lost, but at last there came help:
First flew in Samuel, the fight he would join,
bearing on his back into battle Amara.
Moonstar came next mounted on Brightwind,
she aimed her bow and arrows sent down
they hit the head-wight but harm they could not do.
Much swayed the strife, the struggle seemed endless,
now the wraiths triumphed now they were down,
many were the trials of Moonstar and her friends,
but they came through the clash and carried the day.

Came the next morning, Amora arose,
she did not wot of the worsting of her servants.
Merrily she looked down on Moonstar and her friends
who marched through the gate like manacled prisoners,
but 'twas a ruse: reckoning had come --
the sudden onslaught her slaves dismayed,
fists sent them flying, with fear they were struck.
Moonstar's spells made a spectre of Odin
rise from the earth amidst red-golden flames
(that is her power: to pick people's fears
and make them seem real in their minds and hearts.)
Stunned were the troll-guards, they trembled in awe,
those who ran not were routed by Samuel,
by Wolfsbane and Sunspot, by Warlock and Douglas.
Karma crept down to the dungeons of bondage,
Illyana she sought, her young friend from Rus.
Drawing her sword Shan slashed her way down,
holding the harpy that housed Magik's darksoul.
Her soul's two halves to a whole reunited,
Illyana was freed and the fight she now joined.
Not much longer it took: the Lady Amora
was at last overcame and in Limbo imprisoned;
and now rejoiced the nine friends from Midgard,
together again and glad of their victory.

The respite was short, ruin still threatened,
Loki the crafty continued to plot,
the Enchantress' humbling hindered him little,
he set in motion his mischievous scheme.
All-Father Odin from Asgard had vanished,
and artful Loki aimed for his high-seat.
Ororo the tall his tool was to be:
the former wind-rider, a friend of the nine,
seized with the others but sent straight to Loki
who clouded her mind with magic and lies.
Storm was deceived by the son of Farbauti,
his lust for her as love he disguised.
To Eitri he went to order a hammer
for the fist of Ororo the fair wind-rider,
so with her he'd replace his hated half-brother,
the mighty Thor, Mjolnir's wielder.
The dwarf-king dared not say nay to Loki
and set to work in the smithy at once.

In secret worked Loki his strike to prepare,
but forgot to prepare for a foe who used stealth:
From Nornkeep Karnilla the Norns' queen watched,
against his schemes swift steps she took.
Her spell was so little that Loki ne'er felt it,
the dreams of Magik to Midgard it sent
to trouble the sleep of slumbering Kitty,
and fill with foreboding the friend of Illyana.

Dream-startled Kitty called her companions,
they hurried to her bedside to help solve the riddle.
Loki's treachery no longer was hidden;
the fellowship vowed to free their friends:
Ororo Wind-Rider, Rahne and Illyana,
Amara and Warlock, Moonstar, Roberto,
Douglas and Shan and doughty Sam Guthrie.
And onward to Asgard the angered crew started.

Scott Summers the slim the stalwart band led,
the fire-eyed quiet fearless captain.
Bold raucous Logan the brawler called Wolverine,
he loved the smell of smoke of leaves burning.
Blue-skinned Kurt Wagner, valorous, long-tailed,
this hero could capture the heart of all women.
Piotr Rasputin, from Rus a Colossus,
Magik's big brother, a brave son of Jord.
Kitty the youngest of the crew was with him,
closest to Illyana, clear-witted Shadowcat.
Auburn-maned Rogue, an enemy once,
a true friend now who her trust had earned.
Flame-headed Rachel, from the future had come,
sliding to our days on Skuld's thread of fate.
These seven set out to save their comrades,
with Arkon's magic bolts to Asgard they came.

They faced great perils: two fearsome gods,
devious Laufeyson and death-goddess Hela
sent their dark minions the mortals to pursue,
to hinder their quest and hasten Loki's plan.
The warriors from Midgard marched their hard road,
from the other Aesir no aid they could find
for gallant Balder and the god of thunder
had set out to Hel with the host of Valhalla.
The seven newcomers slowly found the nine,
they let blood in battle and broke Loki's traps.
But at the meeting of heroes in the Hall of Odin,
the son of Farbauti seemed to have won.
He handed Ororo the hammer of Eitri
banefully enchanted to bind her to his will;
the battle now began and his bidding she did,
felled strong Logan with a lightning-strike.
Now her eyes were opened to see:
Loki's treachery at last lay bare.
She returned to her friends and took up their fight,
though Loki was proof 'gainst the prods of the hammer.
Loki nigh succeeded, but saw himself foiled
by Midgarders' valor and the Valkyries' coming.
So he relented and laid aside his scheme;
the battle was ended, those bound were set free.

Seventeen heroes were sent back to Midgard:
White-locked Ororo, Warlock the star-child,
Scott the silent, Samuel dwarf-friend,
Shan the long-walker, Shadowcat Kitty,
Illyana, her friend, and fearless Piotr,
swashbuckling Kurt, Sunspot Roberto,
wolf-maiden Rahne and Rogue the strong,
Rachel the Phoenix, fireheart Amara,
Wolverine Logan, word-wise Douglas
and Dani Moonstar, our dear companion.
For Loki forbade thee to linger with us,
or all thy comrades in Asgard must tarry.

So fare well, Moonstar, maiden of Vinland
fare thee well Brightwind, bound to Danielle
with ties of friendship freely chosen,
mount and rider in Midgard fare well!
In hall and stable for thy stallion and thee
we'll keep your places prepared for ye two.

Note: Dazhbog (or Dabog) is an ancient Slavic sun-god. The Song of Igor describes the Russians as his grandchildren.
This is a retelling of New Mutants Special Edition #1 and Uncanny X-Men Annual #9, which were written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Art Adams.

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