The fading sun began to set,
Its rays dyed red by smoke.
The first raccoons came seeking shards,
For they had just awoke.
Survivors roamed in fields of death,
Of shards and shredded forms.
The rumbles of the warring gems
Did sound as distant storms.
Up steep a slope limped Pearl with leg
All tattered, broken through,
The last revenge of great a foe,
The last of foes she slew.
When Pearl collapsed upon the crest,
Her face in twists of pain,
She searched for Rose, for allies near,
But searched for them in vain.
Both Amethyst and Garnet, though,
Approached her stealthily,
Both hoping to avoid the gaze
Of any enemy.
For Amethyst a bandaged hand
Was all the damage done,
But Garnet who with both arms fought
Now used but only one.
"Come Pearl," said Amethyst as they
Approached their ally's perch.
"We're headed down, we hope to find
Our leader if we search."
With shake of head, poor Pearl replied,
"You see I cannot walk.
Perhaps it's best to leave me here,"
She coughed, could barely talk.
With right arm useless, badly maimed,
Strong Garnet could not lift
But wouldn't leave her friend to fall
Into doom's ugly rift.
So Amethyst, though not so strong
As Garnet, snatched her friend
And carried her while Garnet watched,
Prepared to all defend.
The trio faced exhausted gems
With injuries like theirs,
But three were they and enemies
Came single or in pairs.
A leader soon the trio found,
But not their general.
The three all froze in awful dread
At Black's marauding call.
The three were badly hurt while she
Who faced them bore but cuts.
With vigor Black through bodies plowed,
Ignoring rocks and ruts.
"Another three I'll count as kills;
The number's rather high.
Come here my worthless gems and learn
How traitors go to die!"
The three, their faces grim, prepared
To face the frightful Black.
Compared to her in strength, in health,
The three had great a lack.
Though bear in build, cruel Diamond Black
Was none too slow to strike.
She moved with lightning speed, a fiend
As few had seen the like.
The three fell back against a cliff
And there they made their stand,
With Pearl who lacked one graceful leg
As Garnet lacked one hand.
With whip, with spear, with flying rocks
They struck at Black's great head,
But forward still cruel Diamond Black
With deadly purpose sped.
With axe she cast pale Pearl aside
And made to strike the blow
But found that Garnet grasped her arm
And forced the strike to slow.
With roar she Garnet flung aside
And turned to kill her first
But Amethyst tripped Black with whip.
The diamond sprawled and cursed.
Upon her feet within a flash,
Cruel Black struck Amethyst
Across the face full force, but not
With axe but rather wrist
So Amethyst collapsed to lie
Unconscious, deathly still.
Black turned to finish Garnet first,
Her twin gem's shards to spill.