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1. |
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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
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2. |
Behind the Mask
04:16
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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
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3. |
Fields of Vanaheim
04:23
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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
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4. |
Dominion of the Sword
02:54
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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
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5. |
Valhalla
03:30
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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
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6. |
Winter Has Fallen
01:41
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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.
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7. |
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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
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8. |
White Horses
04:37
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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
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9. |
Mistletoe
06:19
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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?
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10. |
Heroes of Vanaheim
04:01
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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.
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11. |
True Love
09:23
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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.
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