Where we stand Many have stood before us, Watching the dawn rise above their heads. And they stood ready to die For the place that they call home. Now we watch that fateful dawning, Ready to die for where we call home. We've kissed goodbye to our loved ones And left them all safe at home As the sun shines way above us, We see them come out of the dawn When they come we'll not be afraid We'll stand our ground till the day is done Never the more shall most of us See the sun rise above our heads Where we stand we may fall But we know we fought as one Where we stood, many will stand after us, Watching the dawn rise above their heads And they'll stand ready to die For the place that they'll call home Where we stand, where we stand Where we stand, where we stand

There was a time when I was just a man of Sicilijar Spent my time on mysteries and lore Lent my services to my companions in distant Norsca Then Tatterdemalion called me before him I lost myself in a dark sea of different faces The cunning of an Ancestor took hold Different masks for different times and places L'Arlequin was painted on my soul CHORUS: I want to show you the truth behind the illusion Find pleasure in a world of such confusion Anything you need to know, just ask I want to show you the man behind the mask And then I met with an old friend, V'Ar the Beastkin He told me of a beautiful Elven maid She was seeking to meet the man called L'Arlequin Loyal to my master, I obeyed CHORUS Her name was Thalla and her beauty left me breathless Her piercing eyes looked through my soul Her voice held devastating power and emotion And I was utterly enthralled CHORUS So she removed my mask to see the man behind it And my true face was then revealed The love I felt, the Avatar could never hide it And through that love I became freed CHORUS

Spring comes to Kirrie, all the world’s in bloom Winter is forgotten now, fooled by April’s broom Kirrie, oh Kirrie, you were once my home til Vanya’s bloody purpose hit its aim CHORUS: But the snow returns in Autumn when the wind rakes the trees And the summer lies forgotten in it’s cold bed of leaves When winter begins, mind aye Vanya, it wasn’t only thine Who lay slaughtered on the fields of Vanaheim Healer, oh healer, leave me with the pain Save your power for others who will surely rise again Healer, oh healer, leave my blood to pour Let it drain into the bitter clay once more CHORUS Daughter, oh daughter, listen now to me Never wed a soldier or a widow you will be Daughter, oh daughter, it will doom your lad to die If he catches the recruiting sergeant’s eye CHORUS Vanya, oh Vanya, war was all your game Battlefield your table, Norscan throne your aim Vanya, oh Vanya, we both lived the same Training laddies not to fear the battle’s flame CHORUS x2

Lay by your pleading, the law lies a-bleeding Burn all your studies, and throw out your reading. Small pow'r the word has, and can afford us Not half so much privilege as the sword does. It flusters your masters, it [Bm]plasters disasters, It maketh the servant more [G]great than his masters. It ventures, it enters, it [Bm]seeks and it centers, It sings out the truth 'twixt the [G]loyal and dissenters It talks of small things, but it sets up all things; Now this masters money, though money rules all things. It is not the season to talk about reason, Nor say that it’s loyalty, when the sword says it's treason. It conquers the crown too, the grave and the gown too It raises the Godi and then pulls him down too No thulur can guide it, no law can decide it In temple or state, 'til the sword sanctified it He that can tower, or he that is lower, Would be judged a fool if he laid down his power. Take books and rent 'em, who can invent 'em, When all that the sword says "Negator argumentum" Your brave college-butlers must stoop to the sutlers; ‘Cos there's not a library like to the cutlers'. But the blood that was spilt sir hath all of the guilt, sir And thus have I run my sword up to the hilt, sir

Look now amongst us, the proud men of Norsca See how we hold up our heads with great pride At our families in Midgard, the heroes in Asgard The friends and the fighters we knew ere they died Always too many who fell by the wayside And though we miss them with longing and pain We can always find comfort in the joy of their memory And we all know that one day we will meet again CHORUS: Land one more blow in the halls of Valhalla Drink one more horn at the table of Thor Smile once again as you look down upon us In our hearts you will live ever more They fearlessly marched into danger and malice Preparing to fight to the very last man As the waves of our enemies broke on their shieldwall Trapped and outnumbered they made their last stand CHORUS They lay down to rest on some far battleground Cut down in their prime by the Enemies' hand They fearlessly died for the one thing that matters Protecting our lives and our laws and our land CHORUS Now drinking and feasting, rewarded for valour In the halls of the All-Father, champions all Their hearts hold no sadness, no grief can disturb them for we'll be reunited when the Valkyries call CHORUS

Your face is pale, Your skin is cold to the touch, Your lips are grey and still. Still, you are so beautiful, Like a statue carved from marble, Every single detail, just so. So, I'll go on loving you, As days turn to years, And time fades the vision of my mind's eye. I'll not see the joy of Spring, Nor feel the Summer's sun, My heart will stay hard and cold. Because Winter has fallen, For the very last time. My world is colder than Vetrheim. Nothing left to do but avenge this crime. Winter has fallen, Winter has fallen, Winter has fallen for the very last time.

The gates stand open, banners still. The bright sun slowly swings around An empty courtyard. Goblets spill The red, red wine across the ground Beside a swiftly toppled chair. And in the dusty stillness there The crowded echoes softly die And darkness claims the lonely sky CHORUS: Upon a distant, wasted land My kinsmen died for me Drink up the wine, here brothers all; Drink up, their many names recall; Drink deep, as one by one they fall To keep Erdreja free. Beyond the tavern, tables bare; I trace the fading battle call, Still haunting trampled footsteps where They lead away towards the hall, And through the star-lit cavern door Into the Void Gate's gaping maw. They went with cheeks flushed, courage high Eyes closed, I watch them pass me by CHORUS No heroes less the living, for Each soldier gambled everything. But to the honoured dead we pour The blood-red wine and praises sing, That, in some foreign field, they hear Our distant voices calling clear To bring their ragged patterns home And raise them up on glory's throne. CHORUS

Gazing out at the white horses As they gallop to the strand Bring her back to me, white horses Set her down upon the sand Guard her from the heartless sea Treat her kindly, keep her free I’ll be waiting patiently White horses I was just a jewellery maker Bringing my wares to the Gathering of Men And that was when Saw her on the dock with a crew of bondmen Cajoled and bartered, watched her for a while And then she smiled And I blushed Just like a child Gazing out at the white horses As they gallop to the strand Bring her back to me, white horses Set her down upon the sand Guard her from the heartless sea Treat her kindly, keep her free I’ll be waiting patiently White horses Then we had the whole summer Never so much as a minute spent apart She owned my heart Every day we knew the time was coming The season would end and then she’d have to cross the sea Away from me But she’d return Eventually Gazing out at the white horses As they gallop to the strand Bring her back to me, white horses Set her down upon the sand Guard her from the heartless sea Treat her kindly, keep her free I’ll be waiting patiently White horses Gathered up the finest amber And set it in a gold and silver pin With my love bound in I took it to the Western shoreline And sang to the waves until the sun went down And her ship came aground We were lost And now we’re found Gazing out at the white horses As they gallop to the strand You brought her back to me, white horses And set her down upon the sand Guarded from the heartless sea Treated kindly, and kept free I was waiting patiently White horses Gazing out at the white horses As they gallop to the strand You brought her back to me, white horses And set her down upon the sand Guarded from the heartless sea Treated kindly, and kept free I was waiting patiently White horses

You're Yggdrasil, the pillar of the world To star-filled skies your canopy ascends You tower over all, your leaves unfurled The Norns themselves will nurture and attend With beauty, you their services entice (As) they rule upon the destinies of men The All-Father chose his own sacrifice To see your truths, much more than fools can know Your secrets bared... but at what awful price? If you're the World Ash, I am Mistletoe Nothing but a hungry parasite Weighing down your limbs the more I grow Usurping your great gifts to steal your light I need you, I cannot exist apart Your stature is how I gain my own height I'm poison - desecration is my art And after all the damage I have done Will I burrow... My way into your heart? If I am Mistletoe, then who are you? If I am Mistletoe, what should we do? If I am Mistletoe, then who are you? If I am Mistletoe, what should we do? You are Baldr, joyous summer sun With kindness and with courage, you enthrall Your shining talent cannot be outdone Surefooted, smart, so you can never fall The whole world holds you in such high esteem In fact it's true that you are loved by all But lately you've been plagued by anxious dreams Of violent rage designed to overthrow Your life to end… In some murderous scheme If you are Baldr, I am Mistletoe The product of an unintended slight I never promised not to bring you woe A weapon forged by jealousy and spite By one who wants to tear this world apart and wielded by a blind man without sight Rushing now to you, this shameful dart To end your song, to stop all of the clocks I wonder - am I doomed to pierce your heart? If I am Mistletoe, then who are you? If I am Mistletoe, what should we do? If I am Mistletoe, then who are you? If I am Mistletoe, what should we do? You are the Wordsmith, never once outfoxed Your rhymes precise, your verbiage refined You are your muse's muse, you paradox You are your art, your words and heart entwined You leave your audience thirsty for more Many here would like to "do your mind" In life, your words have opened many doors And there are many more through which you'll go But there is one… man you are waiting for If you're the Wordsmith, I am Mistletoe Transformed by Frigg to harbinger of love I hang like Odin as you wait below You show your cards as I watch from above You hope that I am soon to play my part Wishing for a fit like a... Foxglove The question that you posed right from the start Not daring to believe it could be true Will I one day… Come to win your heart? If I am Mistletoe, then who are you? If I am Mistletoe, what should we do? If I am Mistletoe, then who are you? If I am Mistletoe, what should we do?

When the clouds lift from the shore, And the hills come into view, The Vanaheim longships slide into the bay. The people of the town, Light the beacon on the headland, The horn's call of welcome sends darkness away. As we're tying up the boats, Carry off our fallen comrades, The women in silence send prayers to the gods. Will they recognise a face, Or the armour of a loved one, Has their cherished Norseman defeated the odds? So the skalds relate the tale, Of the battle for the island, The brave men of Norsca the valkyries chose. How they charged into the fray, Broke the engines of the White Hand, Then fell to the cold ground to enemy blows. As the night falls on the bay, And the people line the dockside, Two bright painted longships are made into pyres. With our voices raised in song, Lift the longships to the headland, And honour the fallen with bright burning fires. As the winds fill up our sails, And we hang our shields alongside, The headland of Vanaheim fades from our sight. We are answering the call, Loyal to the king of Norsca, Heroes of Vanaheim enter the fight.

This is a story about how easy it is to stray from the right path. It's a tale of love, death, and maybe some more love. But this story - This story is true. This tale begins like many others in the world It starts along the lines of boy meets girl But here's a question to ask ourselves: Why is it love on which we dwell? In stories and poems, songs and rhyme Love’s nothing special, it happens all the time When Fate allows, and the stars align When lips caress, and hearts entwine Sure, the words are pretty, but love's nothing new But this love - This love was True. Love can be messy, or tragic, or vain It can all end in recriminations and pain Too many distractions, or too many lies But love - True Love - True Love never dies. So, the boy: Well, he was a knave An adventuring type, and what he craved Was the glory of battle, and chivalrous acts Dreams of carving a legend with a sword or an axe And although he was only an apprentice to a knight He could handle himself well enough in a fight And so he found himself adventuring one day Followed the tracks of a beast to the mouth of a cave As he peered inside, he could smell the beast's breath Hot and rancid, full of hatred and death Eyes like fire, and teeth like swords A stone for a heart, daggers for claws One two! One two! And through! And through! His vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. But the beast's head was not the only thing that was brought back by that knave He'd heard a quiet sobbing in the shadows of the cave A damsel in distress! Someone he could save! He rescued her from the beast's maws, so vicious and depraved. And what a girl she was - a majestic wood elf queen! She was The most beautiful thing that he had ever seen Trembling, they each held the other so tight It was love - True Love - at first sight When Fate allows, and the stars align When lips caress, and hearts entwine The trees whisper, and the forest sighs Because love - True Love True Love never dies. Forged in battle, sealed with a kiss They married, and lived in absolute bliss They wanted for nothing, they lived as one soul Alone, they were nothing. Together, they were whole. It was paradise, more than words can say And I wish I could tell you that was how things stayed But there's a cruel irony to tales told this way The marriage lasted twelve months and a day See, the boy's adventuring days ended when he won the maiden’s hand But other adventurers roamed through the land And into their forest rode an arrogant knight A paladin, in fact, all shiny and bright With a mighty sword and a mighty steed He saw the girl, and he decreed “She is the most beautiful I have yet seen! I shall win her in combat! I shall make her my queen! You! Boy! I challenge you to a duel! If you think you can win then you're a damned fool!" Well, the boy had no choice but to reach for his sword And protect the honour of the woman he adored But the paladin laughed, and the paladin roared And the boy was left lying, broken and gored A darkness descended as he lay in the mud His wounds were serious, he was losing blood "But I can't die", he said "This is not how I go because I know something this knight doesn't know" When Fate allows, and the stars align When lips caress, and hearts entwine The trees whisper, and the forest sighs Because love - True Love True Love never dies. The boy sprang to his feet, with a new lease of life It was surely his destiny to save his wife! But as it turns out, the boy was wrong He'd been cheated by destiny, lied to by songs His wife had climbed up onto that horse Had her arms around the paladin. Why not? Of course! Her love was not true. Her love was a lie! Some new shiny hero had caught her eye And they rode off into the sunset; she didn't look back And the boy's heart became broken, and black. They say time heals all wounds, but that's not true of a heart So viciously broken, and sundered apart It's the worst pain of all, his spirit destroyed He tried all he could think of to fill that void He gathered wealth, and he gathered fame But they just made him lazy, and spiteful, and vain He turned to his faith, but it grew dark as he practised He followed the fire, but just found ashes and blackness He stole, and he murdered, despoiled and devoured He made deals with demons, drunk on ale and power But nothing could fill that void in his breast In despair, he plucked his heart out of his chest. There was nothing to live for, nothing to try But even without a heart, this boy did not die Because he'd tasted True Love, and although it was gone The scars remained, and the scars live on The trees grew twisted, the forest cries But love - True Love True Love never dies. The boy became a monster, all hatred and lust His food turned to ashes, his drink became dust He married again, but love played no part How could he love again with no heart? He became the kind of beast that he used to fight as a knave A husk of pure corruption, vicious and depraved He stalked through the forest, the trees all burned and black Until one day - One day his One True Love came back. She hadn't chosen the paladin all those years before She'd seen her husband butchered, broken on the floor She couldn't bear to see her Love run through before her eyes So she'd let herself be kidnapped, so her husband might survive. She endured years of captivity, acts I will not commit to words All the time wondering why her True Love had not returned In the end she’d killed the knight, with a needle in his eye And escaped into the world, but a part of her had died Her heart grew hard, and she grew cold, as the leaves fell from the trees She became a pirate captain, feared across the seas. She searched for years for her True Love, and found him at long last But both were tainted by the mistake he'd made all those years past He'd thought her love was not true, he'd thought she could be bought And the years that grew between them were filled with the chaos that he'd wrought And now they have to find a way to undo what has been done To reverse two lives filled with mistakes, so they can become one It all seems insurmountable - where can they even start To find a way to rebuild two shattered hearts? So hate me if you like, for what I have become Your hate means nothing to me, because I have the love of one Hate me for not singing that funny song you like So long as the audience is laughing, who cares how the clown feels - right? I know what True Love feels like, and what it feels like when it's gone I know that everything I ever chose to do was wrong I know what it feels like to have it in my grasp again And I know that I'll probably ruin it all again But when Fate allows, and the stars align When lips caress, and hearts entwine The trees whisper, and the forest sighs Because love - True Love True Love never dies.