"I once heard tales The fires burning and lighting the path Shadows stretching under a white hot gaze So oppressive yet so beautiful A blade in the back that warms the heart Or so it would appear to be Life giving and stealing both What yearning I have had to quell What hardships I have faced in the Light of this torment so branded me What lifetimes I would have given for that sun To kiss my face My darkened faced so pale from the depths in which I stood And from those depths I carried this spark This spark granted me in dreams I could not fathom These dreams that carried me forth A charge that lifted my soul Beyond the drudgery of those below Safe inside their walls And what mountains I have bested What kingdoms laid bare This obsession granted me strength to find what? A garden so wilted and shamed beyond rebirth A wasted aeon granted what? A spark from me given unwilling?" What light exists for me? What gardens tales have promised me A fruit in trees, light dappled leaves There's more this stone yet hides from me But I cannot know The dusting of this daily bread Devoid I rest my weary stead There's nothing, there's something, there's nothing said This silent Eden surrounds me yet I promised, I promised, I promised me You promised me You promised me What archon calls for me? Cut cloth and paved the way for me? Here I stand awaiting his decree This pounding silence will not cease For I cannot know I have done all he asked of me And here broken - I'm left wanting There's nothing, there's something, there's nothing left This silent Eden surrounds me yet I promised, I promised, I promised me You promised me You promised me

"A temple stands for you, sojourner When light decays and dreams awake and naught may stand in the way Come carry the weight of dismay and hopes laid bare for the archon who calls Hie on, dear sojourner, child of eternity Whence ashes fall and alight the earth, bells tolling for the path laid out before you This seed I plant in you that you may hear that you may listen and know Sojourner in silence, break thy voice Stillness kept soft need shake and tremble" What wonder calls? The voice deiphic Speaks to me with clarity In dreams I wake awaiting My fortune laid out before me A mountain calls, a kingdom stands Dilapidated Oh, the wonder of the voice that calls Echoes in my heart Could this be The very reason I have sought? The words to guide me Through the ashes and bones That I've made of my home? The dream must surely be The answer I have sought An angel calls, and here I answer: I am ready Angel of Dreams, I hear you calling Wingless I'll Fly for you Mercy I Beg for this, my journey Come the red sun I'll reach Reach into oblivion Eyes toward the sun The clarion call ringing Sweet within my ears The horizon in the distance It reaches for me, beckoning A pillar I'll be, a way for light A consummation From the dregs below with banners raised, Their falsity defined From this dawn I make my way for divinity Cut from cloth of such prophets Incarnate, such is mine Angel of Dreams, I hear you calling Wingless I'll Fly for you Up from this soil The smoke has cleared I am want for nothing Come the red sun I'll reach Reach into oblivion But in my dreams Am I more than just a counterpart Have I corrupted Light Am I the Truth or just a work of art What comes of a martyr When honesty prevails When the ashes fall Will I be standing or come the release? Oh, But I know She came to me, beckoned me And conquered my heart So that I may be the one to see When ashes fall And alight the earth What must I become My hands, they tremble Come what may on this path These darkening skies I shall stand no reprieve As above, so below, I trust I'll not let fear misguide me When wonder calls for me So I shall see The voice deiphic Came to me with clarity I cannot ignore the way No matter what may befall me The first step Holds the heart in ice so break it Shatter that which holds you so fast The temple's waiting Come what may, thy will be done I choose, I choose this sojourn Come the end I can't be wrong An angel called, and I am ready Angel of Dreams, I hear you calling Wingless I'll Fly for you Mercy I Beg for this, my journey Come the red sun I'll reach Reach for my angel of Dreams, I hear you calling Wingless I'll Fly for you Up from this soil The smoke has cleared I am want for nothing Come the red sun I'll reach Reach into oblivion

"So come hence towers of ivory A crown of thorn upon heads plated in gold Piercing not and bleeding none Falsifiers all Where yet these pilgrims weep and pray None answer but these men of cloth In robes stained with flowers since wilted How can men in good conscience Claim rights with hands so pristine?" What spoke to me Held me in such firmament A quoin on which to build myself My strength on which to draw I know in truth What these houses yet lack In honesty and love they see But filth and defilement And how can these men In accountancy be held When flocks are running circles Nosed in the shit of them? I see, I see the truth What choice have I? This vessel carries forth Tattooed in the light They'll see, they'll know Run the walls red Run the walls red For emptiness conquering Cups overflowing with nothing Bread and wine fattening and sickening Guts of pestilence overhanging Falsity craves falsity When dregs are where they deserve to be If swords hang delicate Then cut the threads, marry steel to their flesh May the bells chime What love is this When fear makes a mouse of men In robes once white Now stained in flowers yet to bloom Come all ye faithful Come all ye fearful I condemn you, men Witness mockery writ large On ivory pedestal With blade become the meek The fearful kept upon their knees Come all ye faithful Come all ye fearful So mote it be done So mote it be done For emptiness conquering Cups overflowing with nothing Bread and wine fattening and sickening Guts of pestilence overhanging Falsity craves falsity When dregs are where they deserve to be If swords hang delicate Then cut the threads, marry steel to their flesh Wrap the stole Hang judgement for all to see Bear the fruit In gardens you've lain Whoever sows To please the flesh From flesh will reap destruction Bear the marks Of the martyr you claim to be Deep in hands No longer pristine Cut the chords No longer a hymn to sing The swelling choir sings beauty to me Come child of light and see Where honest pilgrims march These bones become your path Blood becomes your wine Take from these gutless men What you must carry forth Come sojourn on your way Silence be their names For emptiness conquering Cups overflowing with nothing For emptiness conquering Cups overflowing with nothing Bread and wine fattening and sickening Guts of pestilence overhanging Falsity craves falsity When dregs are where they deserve to be If swords hang delicate Then cut the threads, marry steel to their flesh Run the walls red and Marry steel to their flesh

These mountains mock me I hear them Whispering in their false tongues Forked as each trail They know my path But they lead me astray at Every moment Hie on, she said to me And carry on I have Through fields and rain These wilds they speak, forbidden Glacial tongues that grip me Oh, ennoble my facade Apotheosis of these heathen claims They beckon But carry naught but decay in their wake Come chimes, I pray for thee Whence comes the dark I fear What could be birthed from that gaping void A face I know approaches What choice? I cannot retreat Why do you carry my facade? Come, I beg, steel my flesh again My heart, it shakes in this wood that listens Come, angel, guide my hands again When crack these masks, their faces will show Incarnation of sin, what right have you to my fall? I claim this right for thee, I beckon And triumphant I'll stand o'er bodies of dust and bone Come, false deities, I beg you and I Name you Ash and Stone Sojourner, shake and tremble Feel the fire in your heart wither Gods more ancient than you know Call this realm home And will not be swayed by yours With earth and stone you will fall With dust and air you will choke Your countenance raised will see no light Only roots and earth that bind Oh, angel of dreams Aid your paragon Surely your grace is so blinding Surely these horrors cannot stand Call your victor, Sojourner Call your winged excuse It matters not for thee Thy will is not to be done With soil and smoke you will fall With ash and darkness remain The bitter fruit you bear No lips will ever again stain Oh, but I know I am more than just a counterpart Angel they'll feel our light We are the truth, we are works of art Angel of this sojourner's dreams Know we not your journey Our battle concerns you not But no choice were we given With ash and stone we are named With ash and stone you have failed Sojourner, cast thy weapon aside And tend thy wounds Come, I beg, steel my heart again My hands, they shake in this wood that listens Come, angel, guide my light again When crack this mask, my tears they will flow Incarnation of sin, what right have you to her fall? I claim this right for thee, I promise And triumphant you stand o'er bodies of light and blood Come, false deities, I beg you and I Name you Ash and Stone

I once dreamed of you Lay we in the sun Our fingers crossed as our souls Days careless as our hearts Come dear Hold your head high, love Won't you please Carry on for me We once dreamed of us Our days in the sun Smiles playing on us as we Whispered secrets to the stars Come dear Hold your head high, love Won't you please Carry on for me I can't I'm breathing water Let me go Carry on Come dear Hold your head high, love Won't you please Carry on for me I can't I'm breathing water Let me go Carry on

I stand divided This cannot be, this cannot stand Tell me, how could this be? How could a perfect being cease? Archaic fools Without reason, without love My heart is in my hands My soul is glass and tempered into sand But now where go I? Cavernous silence fills me Empty cacophony of naught Is all I know and I am afraid So tempt me, path ahead Dismal and without sincerity I feel no love no light No certainty in my footsteps again If I could fly If only I could find my way Come clouded skies Release my light and set me once again "You can't do this to me, no" The poetry of my heart has ceased Words no longer come and I feel afraid She’s left me so These dappled rays belie her fate What could become of such a being? What soul rests inside her? Forever wilted her flower dies And I am left in fields of misery Angel, cross this border Please just promise me you’ll be safe What god could birth such a light And give it no chance for eternity? Your feathered wings so soft in my hands Such purity the world will never know Martyr, hear this promise Her name will be a blade in your teeth If I could fly If only I could find my way And so I’ll try I won’t stop until you’re staring back at me Oh, but you Martyr, stand Far from death No sword above to cut What purpose is this gift When it stands so delicate To shatter in these wringing hands Left to the promises of our faith But what can faith do That iron cannot, what does it serve? To be broken again and again When we clearly walk alone Why let me dream? Why let me feel, why let me love? I am broken glass I am all that's left, I am alone "She could have been here with me She was my guide and all I had And all I have to show is this body That I carry for purposes I know not yet A trail of feathers behind Could lead me home if I had the wit But, Martyr, look at your child How she lays limp upon these tired arms I am without a purpose Without a light in these dark paths Darker still by her absence And what say you to this? What answer do you have for me? Please, just look Just look at what you've done" This trail of blood behind me Shall be the pedestal for me That which raises me up on high To seek the answers to my fate I am the faithful I am the fearful But this sky is out of reach Angel please forgive me My hands, they tremble The hammer of my heart in my ears I know what must be done These paragon hands no longer pristine You were my gift And so I claim you as mine These wings that carried you Deliver me to my place in Eden And so I’ll fly This gift of wings she gave to me And so go I Come, Martyr, still your breath and wait for me Come face your child With wings given in death to me No longer white Now soaked in red I come to meet you face to face

"Eternity lay before me Casting cold its eyes upon the dregs below. The whips and scorns carried night and day When freedom effervescent lilts just out of reach. And you, my martyr, my sacrificial child of light Gaze so empty at it all. Why do your eyes not turn? How do you see this burning rage And let it be? Surely these archons can't hold you so fast While ashes alight in perpetual motion To grace brazen wings meant not for flight But to greet innocent souls to the earth. This deity that called me can be no longer my god When truly no thoughts consume For those below, wracked in terror, Weighted in fear for the eyes of that child Which turn naught for them, naught for the promised light, Naught for the atrocities committed by mine own hands. Yet here we stand, I before you, for what? Tell me, martyr, what was it worth? How can a soul carry forth in the name of light, For profane truth writ large in cascading towers for a name No mortal can utter, I demand you answer. Voices of children, cracked and weeping fill my ears, And will you not turn? Lives cut short for the price of their teeth fill my ears, And will you not turn? The cries of a world blinded by an eye for and eye fill my ears, And will you not turn? Here in mine own twilight I stand before you, And I demand you turn your eyes to me, snake. Answer my sins, they are compounded by your own, And tell me Just tell me what it was worth?" Tell me my (Son) Martyr Which of us suffers more blasphemy? (Sojourner) I listened so faithfully (Repudiate) When whisper you to my ears You could not be the one (No) And I have Done all you asked of me (Listen) Yet here I stand (Falsified) Still but a slave to your charge An echo of self (Vitiated) And here I find Eden empty My child you know Culpa tua est So sets your sun Somnus, fili No, martyr I will not embrace that (Me) Moment of death (Promised) Interrupt me not I am Waiting for your honesty (Always) Sever yourself (Cease) But you cannot You are incapable (Anything) You hold no love (Everything) This was a burden to my heart I wash my hands of you My child you know (sever yourself) Culpa tua est (you cannot hold me accountable) So sets your sun (sever yourself) Somnus, fili (no) Let the scarabs eat my heart And this mountain eat my bones Let the carrion replace my eyes with stones These doors of the horizon Have always stood closed Child perpetuate your fear no longer Never was there a call for your hands to be so Kneel before me, my son, and lift your eyes to mine I forgive you I forgive you No I refuse A liar cannot forgive No I will not Your words are as empty as you Fathomless wretch But what of these broken wings? No What of this broken heart, Martyr? What say you to this? Why have you no words for me? Your eloquence escapes you at my expense does it not? Oh, but you know This was never more than in your heart And you corrupted light My child this is art What sins of confession Have you braided in your tale? To hide your transgressions Behind featherless wings "I once heard tales Of the fires burning and lighting the path Shadows stretching under a white hot gaze So oppressive Yet so beautiful And I have felt that light Or so I thought In trials and suffering at hands cleaner than mine own If what you say is to be believed The horizon stands before me As adrift between sight and dream As my own actions are to me And I ask myself how my actions could be any other than mine alone And here I find the truth of the matter Stories told spoke to me in lifetimes ago Of glory and wonder and I made them as malleable as the gold I beheld in my mind Life giving and stealing both My confessions will not serve to save me when it cannot undo what I have done So face me into this horizon, Martyr, And be done what must be so that my suffering may find a place to rest And please I just want to see something beautiful before the end"