End Of An Empire

(album: Stand Up And Fight - 2011)

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?