He stood there at the lip of the canyon
and stood there unwavering like the stones which sat and watched.
He stood there on the edge
feeling the wind as it gently blew
because it had the feeling
because it knew.

The wind had seen this before
from all corners of the Earth
a man who played with life
and knocked on Death's Door.
She has seen this all before.

The man stood there, the sun long set
he waited for his old friend
to place one more bet.

The moon was high
showing all that crept and crawled
it revealed what the sun could not
but the man was not appalled.
He stood patiently
the wind still gentle and kind
she waited to see what fruits would appear
from the corners of this mind.

So a lone cloud gave cover of the moon
and casts a shadow on the land
covered in its shroud.
Darkness had come
so too did Death
silent and faint.
He nodded to this man
an old friend to reacquaint.

The man nodded to Death
paying his humble respects that were long overdue
but he had another bet
one he had to renew.

Death listened to the bargain
curiously he stayed
it was when the bet was made
did Death first blink, he had been swayed

An offer so enticing
could it possibly be true?
Death took a moment more
and knew.

The moonlight returned and stunned the man for but a moment then
where Death once was, was empty again.
Death had agreed to the poor man's bet
the day was set.

Death would not have him
not today
Not yet

But in trade Death would have the others he was promised,
this was the Warrior's Bet as he walked back with a newfound light.
This man, this warrior, picked up his sword and ran back into the fight.