This is the rough language of warriors. Men who speak loud and bark their laughs.

Men who boast loudly over their victories, and rail at their failures, As though their opponent had betrayed conventional rules of combat, Though they themselves set no stock in these principles Lest they lose. An honorable few hold true to the etiquette of combat, And in overcoming or defeat, they live by these precepts. These diamonds are too few and too scattered in The coalmines of bold words and acts to be mentioned Or even considered. But these are the rough few through with polish and fortune, make heroes. Warriors are men who seek the fray at every turn. The warrior understands that Every victory is an achievement that builds their credibility and worth. And will take any victory, great or small to stack up Their victories for the masses to take note of. The losses, they will learn in time mean nothing. The masses will ignore them and raise the warrior ever higher in status Toward legend.

This is the rough language of legends. Men who speak loud and laugh gregariously. Men who are easy to attract company, With a small and silent crew in the center of the crowd. Men who boast over their victories, and are somber of their failures. Men who stand proud on the bodies of their enemies

And their fallen allies, The numbers of their enemies are skewed By the sheer volume of the hill they stand upon. The silent crew they stand with are the heartiest of the allies. The ones who survive through strength and cunning Usually recruiting new allies to better use as shields in future conflicts. The legend is only as strong as the throng of disciples he attracts. The acts of legends is marred by the mountains of the fallen When weighed next to their deeds and is usually wholly inaccurate. Legends usually lose more than they win, and when popularity reigns, The numbers of their victories overshadow their losses, Until their defeats have been wiped clean and remade victories In the discourse of news bringers.

This is the language of heroes. Men who speak softly, and laugh heartily. Men who embrace the silence and start in the din Their senses alight, their muscles coiled. Men who shy from the crowd But long after warriors have fallen And legends have taken shelter from the raining rage of the enemy, The heroes still fight the cause, And rally the men back to the line To press the wall and beat the flash fire Of the advancing army back into running retreat.

These are men with no stomach to stand for the clamor of the crowd Or throngs of followers. These are the men who walk with the beaten, and carry the wounded. They will not be missed The warriors will stand on the mountains they made And take their new place as legends.