1. The March Of The Varangian Guard

The sun rose over the wasteland
As far as the eye can see
Sand fills the vast plains of Serkland
It's vultures jeering at me

But they can circle until they drop dead
I have not come this far
To end, but to pursue my own thread
To join The Varangian Guard

Guards of glory and of might
Red as blood and black as night
Flies our banner as we march
In the East, for the king of the Greek

There's men of the cross and the hammer
A few of the moon crescent
Men simply searching for glamour
Some concealing their royal descent

The axe-bearing foreigners they have aptly named us
All we've come from afar
Diversity is what unites us
We are The Varangian Guard

Guards of glory and of might
Red as blood and black as night
Flies our banner as we march
In the East, for the king of the Greek

Miklagard, in the second indinction, in the 6542 year of the world

To Holmgard and beyond
This is where the winds have us guided
For fame and for gold
We once set sails for these lands unknown

Guards of glory and of might
Red as blood and black as night
Flies our banner as we march
In the East, for the king of the Greek

2. Take The Day!

Long is the hour for the waiting man
The front line is to be ours, awaiting the command
Some sit silently on the floor, bemused and empty-gazed
I go through my gear once more, already knowing all is in place

And as the bugle call goes blaring
We know that this might be our final call

From the line, you have had your rest!
– Rising! Fighting!
When the going gets tough they send in the best
– Lightning! Striking!

The wait is over, we are taking the head
– Bring it on we are not afraid!
Keep your head clear or you'll end up dead
– Blood's left no room for rust on our blades
– Take the day!

Scattered remains of our own troops, we meet as we advance:
"Turn around while you can fools, you won't stand a chance"
But deep within their eyes you see, hope mixed with respect
They're here, the men from beyond the sea, the fight is not over yet

And as the bugle call goes blaring
We know that this might be our final call

From the line, you have had your rest!
– Rising! Fighting!
When the going gets tough they send in the best
– Lightning! Striking!

The wait is over, we are taking the head
– Bring it on we are not afraid!
Keep your head clear or you'll end up dead
– Blood's left no room for rust on our blades – Take the day!

3. Hunting Pirates

Full sails ahead, oceans painted red
When the soldiers of fortune hunt for pirates
No questions asked, we fulfil our task
Tones all turn grey after sunset

Slaying a man, taking what you can
What is right, what is wrong, who can answer?
Sailing the seas, we do just what we please
Emperors, pirates; all cancer

Hoist the sails!? Wipe them out now
Kill them all!? Let them die
Scum they are!? Foe of mankind
Clear the sea!? Show no ruth

We have no choice, it's you who are the bad guys
You've taken it all and yet you still dare to fault
Who are you to judge and condemn us
Underneath the paint your flag is still black

Hoist the sails!? Wipe them out now
Kill them all!? Let them die
Scum they are!? Foe of mankind
Clear the sea!? Show no ruth

Yes we can, and therefore we do so
Please understand, that there's nothing you can do
The world has changed, your justice is outdated
What is right, is what is right to me

Full sails ahead, oceans painted red
When the soldiers of fortune hunt for pirates
No questions asked, we fulfil our task
Tones all turn grey after sunset

Slaying a man, taking what you can
What is right, what is wrong, who can answer?
Sailing the seas, we do just what we please
Emperors, pirates; all cancer

Share the wealth, your holdings should be ours
It's all a smile on our sunny bright kolkhoz
Where's the crime, when no-one's really losing?
Out of cash? Why don't you print some more

Full sails ahead, oceans painted red
When the soldiers of fortune hunt for pirates
No questions asked, we fulfil our task
Tones all turn grey after sunset

Slaying a man, taking what you can
What is right, what is wrong, who can answer?
Sailing the seas, we do just what we please

Emperors, pirates; all cancer
Both we are but selfish chancers
Taking what's there

4. Venetoi! – Prasinoi!

Ladies and gentlemen! The main event of tonight:
On chariots of fire!
The Greens! The Blues!
Open the gates!

Dust fills the air, stallions cry under the whip
Cars come crashing in the turn
Dragged by the reins around the track, of poor man
Thundering hooves to seal his fate

Venetoi! – Prasinoi!
The partisans drive
Venetoi! – Prasinoi!
The crowd cheering wild

5. Stand Up And Fight

The pouring rain,
Sticks my hair to my face,
An empty gaze is all I have left,

The stars that once lit my way have dimmed,
The sky turned grey,
The path once so clear
Faded away,

Blessed are the days when life is intent and clear,
No falter or doubt,
I know the way,

They are the days, I hoped,
I have never stepped from this road,
The spark I once had,
Seems to have died,

Stand Up and Fight,
Stand Up and Look Into The Light,
Pushing the clouds away...
Stand Up and Fight,
Stand Up and See The Sky Turn Bright,
Fight for a better day...

What a relief it would be to end this all,
How easy to fly the white flag and give up,
But would I run today just to die another day,
Give up now and every fight has been in vain,

Stand Up and Fight,
Stand Up and Look Into The Light,
Pushing the clouds away...
Stand Up and Fight,
Stand Up and See The Sky Turn Bright,
Fight for a better day...

GET UP
YOU'VE MADE IT THIS FAR
NO LOSER YOU ARE
ONE MORE TIME
ONE MORE TRY

The pouring rain,
Sticks my hair to my face,

Stand Up and Fight,
Stand Up and Look Into The Light,
Pushing the clouds away...
Stand Up and Fight,
Stand Up and See The Sky Turn Bright,
Fight for a better day...

STAND UP AND FIGHT!

FIGHT FIGHT
STAND UP AND FIGHT

6. The Great Escape

Word I bring? from far up North
Songs I sing? from you nephew's court
Convened Ting? on the death of Harthacnut
Proclaimed king? and the Danes salute

End you exile? Your claim to the throne is strong
Svein's your ally? The Swedes will fight along

Norway awaits me? It's time to cross the north sea
First I must break free? We could ask Constantine?

I'm needed elsewhere...? No way, my troops I can not spare!
This seems quite unfair...? Can't you hear? My answer is NO!

My Basileus, my Emperor
I have honourably served this kingdom
Sand have I won, and furthermore
Blood of Saracens have flowed by my work of sword

My Basileus, my Emperor
You have left me no choice but to escape
Taking my men, and from the Horn
We are breaking our way out after nightfall

"This is insane, we're trapped in the sound!"
Row for all you're worth, despair to mirth!
"The chain will not break, there's no way around!"
Over we shall go! So, hasten now, from stern to bow

Tilt the galley over, for no emperor nor chain will stand in my way!

Man the oars! Out to the sea!
Bid farewell and wave goodbye
Because gentlemen, we are heading home!

Rising, a new rising
New kingdoms await
New lands there to take
Your son's heading home

He's a viking, the last of The Vikings
With chests full of gold
Great tales to be told
Your king's heading home

7. Fear The Fear

Bravery
As we've all seen on TV
Explosions and swords
Hot girls in reward

And in the games you play
You are the hero of the day
But outside that land
Your head's in the sand

And you think you are bold, and you think you are brave
When push comes to show, you know it's a feign
You're better off if you choose to abstain
Your fear is your true grave

Turn your head
From all the things you dread
It will keep you alive
At least for a while

And all your sympathy
Is like flowers and tea
Sent by the man
Who betrayed your clan

You have covered your eyes, you have covered your ears
So easy to hide from confronting your fears
Sooner or later it will all end in tears
The cry that no-one hears

Good morning world, this is your wake-up call
It's not your war you say, while you turn your head away
A thousand deaths for you to die before you fall
Mayday, Mayday, S.M.S.? Save My Soul, forget the rest

Good morning world, this is your wake-up call
? Those who stand for nothing at all, for anything are bound to fall
A thousand deaths for you to die before you fall
? Your lame excuses you can spare, they only live who dare!

Coins you toss
Weighted by your fear of loss
Both sides are heads
The tails between your legs

And just as well as I
You know what you should do and why
But just falter on
And hope it'd gone

And you think you are bold, and you think you are brave
When push comes to show, you know it's a feign
You're better off if you choose to abstain
Your fear is your true grave

Good morning world...

Die! Die you sucker die!
Let me go! Let me free motherfucker!
Die! Die you sucker die!
Let the coward die!

Time stands still
For you to write your will
What's left behind
No way to rewind

8. End Of An Empire

The time is here
Time to be brave, while others fear
Fear the stars, the moon and the Holy Ghost
It's what lurks in the dark that scares us the most

You're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't
What tomorrow brings is still the unknown
But can you condone? How to atone?

I'm so alone
How can I know I won't bemoan?
Every tale, needs its star and knave
Which part I play is yet to be unveiled

History: just what's agreed
Yet it will judge both you and me
Shield and swords, will win you wars
But in the end, the battle's for our hearts
Fought by bards

You look back in time
No-one heard the bells chime
You wonder how
How could they this allow?

Exactly the same
Are the questions aimed your way
When looking back on today

The time is here
Time to be brave, let others fear
We know the walls will fall
But out of the ashes a new day will dawn

We've enslaved the world
We have slaughtered, we've burned
All, in the name of our faith

Only a fool would except
Others to settle for anything less
The tide is about to turn

The sea has pulled away
Like small children we play
What is this?
Come take a look at all these fish!

As long as you spend
There is more for you to lend
Someone always saves us in the end

The time is here
Time to be brave, let others fear
We know the walls will fall
But out of the ashes a new day will dawn

We've enslaved the world
We have slaughtered, we've burned
All, while knowing what is best

Might take a year or ten,
Generations of men,
We've passed the point of no return

Fifty-three days in fifty-three
Fifty-three steps for you to acknowledge your defeat

The last in line: Ultimus Romanorum
Evolution through revolution
A frozen river, enough to tip an empire

Stalingrad, Waterloo, Bastille, Poltava, Stamford Bridge,
At Manzikert? it all would end.

Tough are times ahead
With care you tread
Before you know
Out we need to bow

Enjoy it while it lasts
Soon forgotten in the past
Our time here ended so fast

Open your eyes
Yourself apprise
All empires find their demise
The taller they are, the harder they fall
The snowball
Is on the roll

Open your eyes
Yourself apprise
New powers are on the rise
So strong is our faith, (in that) the world stays as is
Until it hits, like shattering glass to bits

How did this happen? How could this happen?
How could the empire fall?

9. The Bosphorus Freezes Over

So there it was, the thing we dread the most.
Time had caught up with us.
The thread ended.
I felt betrayed and disappointed.
Was that really it?
And looking down at myself lying on the ground of Piraeus harbour, snowflakes
falling down on me... The night the Bosphorus froze

We watch the sand trickle, anxious about its steady flow.
But what we really fail to see is, that any minute, the glass might just burst
into pieces.
You see, it's not about what you take with you, it's what you leave behind.
And there, on the side of a lion, this story found its end.

[Hakon Halfdansson – appr. 1043]

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