He came at me from nowhere
In a mirror or a dream
Purpose etched upon his face
Summing up the scene

On his chest a patterned tabard
Scabard on his back
Unsheath the cold and flashing steel
And enter the attack

Feel the seconds turn to minutes
The swordsman's blade draws near
A ritual begins
That preys upon your primal fears

There's no time to run for cover
From this stark visitation
As the senses quicken
Into damage limitation

All motion ceased
Still the clouds fly forward
To another world

The heart released
Pounding onward
Tributaries unfurled

A meeting pre-ordained
Or a chance kink in the curve?
The red river flows
The red river flows

Suspended on a ledge
Spectacles unfolding
The red river flows
The red river flows

Coughing up the numbers
It's all sevens in the end
The red river flows
The red river flows

Divine with introspection
A cut without convention
The red river
Stops