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Vengeance

by Lyceum

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1.
Empire 05:02
Silent came into the world with a steady hand Cursed by brothers, and by blood disavowed He ran beneath the desert sun past stalls and stands From roof to wall he leapt - fleet shadow upon the sands The Governor’s pearl dagger clutched in his hand Out of sight from the King’s Guard searching, running for his life Yet they caught him in the market Brought before the judge Fatherless, motherless, jailed, under providence Unheard of Three years sentenced, he was near its end When fortune offered his life back to him Forced into the fighter’s pit countering blood for blood He trained with diligence, and found new strength within Patronage of the officers granted him position to serve And he was freed by the violence of his sword His locks were shorn Brought to his knees, carved into a killer Reborn, a scout and soldier of the King Far beyond the vanguard rode, the owl and the hawk Who bears the word and tides of war Now the commander of most fearsome men, and loved by them Returning knighted, guardian of the ark High general, bearer of first flame in the dark He mustered the legions of the east to the courts of the capital - Breathe deep the dawn of war - And as he rose between the colonnades before the gathering arms Silence fell “My soldiers, The light of the Emperor shines bright upon us all But he will need us now. It is a time of darkness Amidst a sea of foes we stand alone, they break upon our shore Make haste across frozen seas, shadowed wastes, and doom. To the shore And to the greatest deeds our lives will ever know.”
2.
Armada 03:48
“In battles of the east we’ve earned our names Victorious their towers wreathed in flames The walls of the world will bear the lion’s mark Empires rise and fall to dust with the passing of our march We are the golden horde, the shield of iron, mask of the beast, ride far Who led by him, stalk the plains Engulfed in the fire of the dark We go beyond my brothers, far beyond But I promise you that soon we shall return From deep horizons to seas unknown Our enemies of the dark So set your scarlet sails a flight with hatred in your hearts Like the arrow from emerald bow We will strike them from this world And the tyrants will fear our names.” And with brave words the ship set sail carving through the silver bays Beneath the wheeling gulls and cormorants that day Following the northern star, where ice like dragons teeth Had long guarded the ancient strongholds of the enemy Bound to the mast, a sailor, a traitor, will guide But on each shuddering night the shadows returned as he closed his eyes Their lives were only his to lose, his lantern was their comfort in the night. “We go beyond my brothers, far beyond But I promise you that soon we shall return From deep horizons to seas unknown Our enemies of the dark So set you scarlet sails a flight with hatred in your hearts Like the arrow from emerald bow We will strike them from this world And the tyrants will fear our names.”
3.
Storm 04:12
Deep within the shrouded mists A lantern dims as the bow sways A figure walks beneath the sails, cold falls the gathering rain As the armada rolls through the dark waves ”The winds whisper, the clouds conspire in the shade Heed not their poisons, deny their treachery We sail deep into the ice flows as we round the cape By dawn we may yet sail into the west” Lightning flashed as the black hulls dipped and rolled like bulls among the waves ”Hold” he screamed “lower the sails, We have come too far to fail.” Terror, thunder From the lashing rains and wrath of the howling winds Flames spread through the fleet And as men screamed and died he was smote from the bow, cast into the sea.
4.
Dominion 05:29
Riding quick upon the grey fields, hooves beat down upon scarred earth Steam arises from rider and horse as they thunder down the watchers road Gates open before him as he passes under the arch of the Victor The crowds parted before his path, on the mount the tower looms In darkness he awakened to cracking whips and oaken oars Gaunt faces stare through the gloom As callous hands pulled him from the black Worn and enslaved he was taken from the waves From high above the northern wastes The overseer gazes upon her dominion The wind cries through the night as flames guide their blades One thousand slaves from foreign lands clear the forest with axe and chain Backs bent while wheels turned, and machines roared From the towers she gazed, enshrouded and malign Beheld the shadow of the queen in the fading light. The messenger strides up the marble stairs, footsteps echoing down the hall Advisors and guards line the throne, weary with somber voice he spoke “My lord, at the towers of the northern channel the Mark of the Lion was seen off our shores” The advisors warred, the crowd in uproar, one hand raised in silence The hall was suffocated and all eyes followed the king rising to the crowd “One does not cross one’s enemy without declaration of war. If the East has risen beyond their barren confines we will restore balance with rivers of blood.” “Send out the riders of the throne, they will seek the lions crest throughout our lands And I shall await their word”
5.
Vengeance 03:45
Cold dawn greets the toiling crew In the heart of winter’s reign A guard’s dagger close to the hand of one chained Sudden violence, blood upon the path Alarms piercing rang, the maelstrom swept through the barracks As one by one sentries fell Black smoke rising above the fortress walls Frenzied slaves gather at the tower’s base The Queen’s Guard emerge through the searing flames High upon the tower she turned from the sight, ordering swift retribution As the battle raged he crept through the doors, blade running red, Ascending the stairs to her In a darkened room she waited, sheltered He tore into the entrance way, dragging the Queen down into the bloodshed below Engulfed by the ravenous crowd Her screams of terror rose above the cries of rebellion The city burned brightly behind him, the blackened gates in ruin From the harbor of the fallen Queen, setting sail upon the cold waves
6.
Conquest 05:23
A tribe of unwanted, cast into the deserts of scorn Cruel and unwilling to die in shame The destitute footfalls of a lineage reviled Bloodied and weary they first saw the seas Amongst the rocks they made their homes Born into violence, carved by the waves A new Empire By their swords the lesser and weak were enslaved Led by the God Emperor, whose will was enshrined in the Ark. They grew in power, raising great citadels Might far from the distant horizons Conquering all Vengeance was wrought upon the ancient lands Led from their homes unto the farthest holds And from across the streaming tide Sails threatened from the unknown They turned their wrath to the King beyond the Sea.
7.
Exiled 04:43
As night fell, wandering far A light off the trail Fire and voices within, welcoming in the dark Over him the white sun rose As he departed for the mountain pass Many days he traveled into the windswept heights On the seventh day as the sun passed the northernmost peak He descended unto the forsaken city Between boulders of rock and rubble he strode A black shape appeared above Sword drawn an assassin fell upon him, crushing him to the ground Entangled in cloak and flashing blades, Two men struggled in the shadow of the crags The gravel below them shifting As they rolled towards the ledge Sword ringing down the abyss Suspended over the precipice A dagger rose and fell The defeated foe cast down Broken upon the rocks “Keeper of the Golden Crown, Warden of the Gate Guardian of the Heaven Door, Enemy of Hate Mountain guard, O’ blackened loam Forests still and silent home Keep your knowledge long untold, guard it as the gold. Man is but a breathless runner, A deer fleeing from the sound, Stay still and calm, O’ Faithless Wonder In your silence, song resounds.” With swift winds at his back Landing on the kingdom’s shores He drew shelter along the outer paths Alone in the realms of the enemy, exiled
8.
Sentinel 05:08
On a perilous hillside steep Blackened rock upon the sea A wolves den, enshrouded keep By the waning of a lantern’s light By the glow of a silver moon He threaded his way through the watchful and darkening avenues Disappearing into the endless crowds A new name and a new past, a thief once more he became Endlessly plotting his path to the crown Preparing to fulfill the will of his emperor Vigilant, through the streets, dark eyes followed him As he passed beneath the bright tavern lights A hooded figure rose A shadowed watcher hidden by the night Endlessly the forest reached before him Unceasingly he rode, leagues from the throne He rarely slept, sensing a presence in the gloom At last the trees parted, dark and foreboding the lands opened Long walls and palisades in the distance Banners and pillars casting far shadow Regal and calm in the night Emerging from the trees an arrow flew past Gaining quickly, sounds of hooves rising, riders closing The towers grew slowly, too far to ride He wheeled his mount to them, four riders storming from the forest He charged with sudden rage at the nearest Who raising his shield in haste, lashed out as he fell Casting the warrior to the ground One remained with bow drawn as two dismounted Circling as he rose As his guard wore down, an arrow pierced his side Collapsing in pain yet defiant Seized, taken to the capital to face judgment
9.
Judgment 06:00
Led to the darkness A deeper shadow in the night An ignoble end in silence Forgotten to all but the blade In the midst of council the King sat on oaken throne The riders swept into the hall, faces hidden in shadow They released the warrior at the foot of the stairs “We have found a conspirator against the throne” “I have been watching the movements of the East Ships were sighted in the northern seas A shield bearing the Lion’s Mark was brought to me Our northern fortress consumed in flames and the Queen has not sent word One of my riders was found dead in the mountains You are captured bearing his dagger And now you are disguised before me Reveal yourself and receive judgment.” “I am the shield of iron, the mask of the beast, the fire of the dark I am a general of the east, loyal to my emperor in life and in death.” “Know that you will await him in the afterlife From the abyss of death you will watch As your empire crumbles before my legions Convene the council of war. Lead this soldier to his doom.” Led to the darkness A deeper shadow in the night An ignoble end in silence Forgotten to all but the blade
10.
Execution 05:09

about

Vengeance is the story of a hero from his youth to his death. He begins as an orphan who rises from poverty to become the general of an invasion force sent to conquer the lands of a malevolent king. His army is destroyed and he is enslaved, but he escapes and seeks to murder the king on his own. Despite his unwavering bravery and skill he is captured and executed; his true nature, his dedication, and his courage are only known to himself in the end.

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released May 9, 2017

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Lyceum Concord, California

Lyceum was founded in early 2010 by the former members of three Bay Area metal bands.
The name Lyceum refers to the academy of Aristotle, the teacher of Alexander the Great, dedicated to Apollo Lyceus, pivotal in the history of western aesthetics, education, and philosophy. ... more

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