Bal-Sagoth - The Splendour Of A Thousand Swords Gleaming Beneath The Blazon Of Lyrics

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Artist: Bal-Sagoth
Bal-Sagoth Author

Song Title:	The Splendour Of A Thousand Swords Gleaming Beneath The Blazon Of
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[ALTARUS:] Gaze deep into the mists with your spirit-eyes, Xerxes... look far,

and tell me what you see.

[XERXES:] I see a land far to the north... a vast empire of dark endless moors

and snow-crowned mountains... a land of brooding citadels and warrior-kings

who hail to grim gods.

[ALTARUS:] Look well, Xerxes, for enlightenment hides within the fog-swathed

vales of Hyperborea...

[The King's Dream:]

Bythe onyx sceptre of my forefathers, the air is churning with auguries

ofdethronement...Impendingdreadthus prophesized! In a dream I was bade

ridetheargent-eyedunicorntotheRing of Stones... There a torrent of

viscidslimeassailedme,aspipesandhornssangtheclarionof my

dissolution...And the usurpation of my ancient azure throne. Assassins stalk

thenightedhallsof my palace... poisoned blades and chalices surround me.

Ithirstedfora balm, but my thirst was slaked by an envenomed draught. My

swordarmshackledby tendrils of sloth... enthralled by the chasmed gloom...

Borneuponwings of labyrinthine dread... I awaken! I shall seek the counsel

ofthe sorcerer, keeper of the ancient scrolls of wisdom, and the Crystals of

Power...

[The Words of the Sorcerer:]

My liege, great and regal king... the mists disclose their secrets... you

aredestinedtowielda great dark power. Drink deep of the potions of the

apothecary,forupontheenowIbestowa shard of the mystic Crystal of

Mera... sacred artefact of the At lantean mages, won in battle by our legions.

Myliege,theCrystalof Mera shall unveil the truth lurking hidden in thy

most fever-haunted dreams...

[The Voice of the Harbinger:]

Thelandawashwithspilledblood,andviscera torn forth from the

sundered dead... Gorge the earth with flesh darkened with the claw and fang of

war... rent open the ravenous maws of worms...

[The King:]

TheCrystalilluminesdarksecrets,the truth is known... a dire and

ancientthreatis ranged against me. Hearken, the clarion is upon the winds,

nowthecalltoarms is upon us all, Grim warriors, take up thy spears and

honethy gleaming swords. Archers, string thy bows, brave knights, saddle the

steedsof war, The glory of battle is nigh at last, our banner shall fly this

day in victory!

My warriors, a legacy shall this day be wrought by our blades, decreed by

the gods, Blessed by the blood of vanquished foes. Our destiny beckons...

[Lord Angsaar, Dark Liege of Chaos:]

Come,greatkingofHyperboria,marchagainst me with your splendid

legions and shimmering swords. I, the Bane of the Atlantean Kings, the Scourge

of Lemuria, Archfoe of the Immortals of Ultima Thule, shall Crush you! I shall

visitathousand plagues upo n your realm, and wreak untold havoc and bloody

carnage until I have your throne... and your soul!

[ALTARUS:] And thus, flanked by the splendour of azure banners, a vast army

marchedforth from the great walls of the Imperial City of Hyperborea, and at

theforefrontofthe mighty legions, astride an ebon war-stallion, rode the

king,sunlight glinting up on his splendid armour... compelled by dreams, and

guided by the Crystal of Mera...

[XERXES:] Where? Where did the king's path take him?

[ALTARUS:]The king was compelled to lead his forces to the shadow-haunted

Mountainsofthe Dead, a grim and brooding place steeped in dark and ancient

legendry.Alone he rode into the gaping maw of a huge cave hewn into the side

ofthe tallest mountain co untless ages past by unknown hands. For three full

daysandnightshedid not emerge from the cave... until, at last, he rode

forthfromthe eldritch mountain once more, a terrible knowledge shadowed in

hisicyeyes,andbearinginhisgauntletedfist a huge black sword, a

magnificentebonbladewhichnohumanblacksmitheverforged. Fearsome

sorcerouspowercrackledwithintheyard of black steel, dancing upon its

searinglyhoned, glyph-scored blade... and its bejewelled, dragon-carved hilt

did whisper arcane secrets to the king in a strange, elder tongue.

[XERXES:]But master, what powers did this blade possess? What secrets did

it hold?

[ALTARUS:]Manycenturiesago,beforeevenwerewaged the Great Wars

between the ancient kingdoms of Atlantis and Hyperborea, Lord Angsaar did rise

fromhischarnel-tomband do battle with a powerful immortal warrior-shaman

over the possession of the elder Crystals of Mera, mystic gems of unparalleled

magicalpotency.Angsaar,hispowerswelled by forces from the vast Outer

Darkness,didsmitehisfoetothe brink of destruction... but, with his

fadingsorceries,the immortal mystically transferred his li fe-essence into

hisgreatblacksword,and scattered the magic crystals across the galaxy,

leavingAngsaarwith a hollow victory and forcing him to return once more to

hisdarkChamberofSlumber. The sword was lost for centuries, as were the

crystals,untiltheonegemto remain on this world was discovered deep

beneaththenorthernseasby an ancient Atlantean wizard. And the sword...

legendsspokeofhowitsfinalrestingplace would be made known by the

sorceries of the last crystal only when the bl ade's power would once again ne

needed to battle the Chaos-liege. This was the immortal's final, most powerful

spell...uponthe reawakening of Angsaar, the sorcerous energies and undying

lifeforceencasedwithintheblade would be transferred to its wie lder...

aye, the one who discovered the Shadow-Sword would be imbued with the power of

theimmortal, and by the art of elder spellcraft, he would do battle with his

ancient nemesis once more...

[XERXES:] Then there looms such a cataclysmic battle!

[ALTARUS:]Andso, from his Black Citadel, the Chaos-liege did send forth

his Horde of Wraiths to engage the army of the king...

[THE KING:]

Behold,alegionof undead fiends meets us upon the field of war. Face

me,ScourgeofLemuria, I wield thy bane, the Shadow-Sword... (and darksome

sorceriesnow empower me with thunderous might!) Hearken, the clarion is upon

the winds, now the call to arms is upon us all, The glory of battle is nigh at

last, into the fray we ride!

[XERXES:]Theoutcome,master...who left the field victorious? Did the

king prevail?

[ALTARUS:]Themistsbegin to disperse... for now, the images fade. That

tale shall have to wait 'til another day...

[Lyrics: Byron]

[Music: Jonny Maudling]

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