crimson 2

• edge of sanity 1996'da yaptığı gibi yine aynı isimli parçanın 2.versiyonunu single olarak çıkarmıştır,tek farkı şarkının haggard'daki gibi chapter halinde bölünmüş olmasıdır. sound olarak ilkinden çok farklı,hissedilir biçimde sert melodilere ve death vokale sahip. sözleri;
  
  let no man breach the gate to this most blasphemous of halls
  lest bitterness and chaos be the harvest they wouldst reap
  he must n'er become a slave to this child's beck and call
  for she must never waken from her crimson sleep..
  the monastery stood towering above the ruined city
  it shadowed all the new emerging settlements and homes
  to look down on the ruins was to sympathize and pity
  all the suffering and heartache, all the graves and broken bones
  for buried there a testament to the evil of a queen
  a misery that spread across a weak and stricken land
  the crimson birth that swamped the earth in dark and deadly dreams
  and all mankind did bow beneath the power of her hand
  
  and in the monastery garden sat a woman with a book
  a manuscript that lay within her frail and trembling arms
  she looked around her nervously as guilt rose in her heart
  but the sway of curiosity had drawn her out too far
  
  she wavered on the threshold of a dangerous decision
  for this dark tome was no for human eyes to ever read
  the pages dripped with legions of persuasive words and visions
  so the volume had been hidden well, but now it had been freed
  
  for no apparent reason had the woman been drawn in
  perhaps it was a twist of fate, an absence of real thought
  she wandered to a room that before she'd never been
  and all at once the interest of her senses had been caught
  for no apparent reason had the women been drawn in
  where rows of dusty books lay in an ominous display
  
  but one ancient leather binding had the grain of human skin
  and seized with curiosity she stole this book away
  
  and now she sat alone in the concealment of the night
  she was hungry now to liberate the writings from their cage
  the glimmer of a feeble moon provided her with light
  as she opened up the cover and began to read the page
  fly, soul, the body's guest,
  upon your impish arrant
  let none be guiled by false confession
  truth shall be your warrant
  fly soul for your body must die
  
  but for those who seek eternity
  for those who yearn prosperity
  from this single act of sanity
  will raise you far above humanity
  
  oh willing host who doth not know
  the full desire of this prisoner
  you walk where angels fear to go
  thou shalt soon embrace the reckoner
  thy halo of glory, hope's true gage
  may prove to be an evil pilgrimage
  
  something had happened beyond her control
  a moment of madness unfettered a soul
  that would relish a freedom denied once before
  by a desperate nation with it's back to the wall
  within a split second of reading this text
  the spirit was free and had fled from its nest
  it was eager to grow from this sudden reprieve
  and thus in the woman a life was conceived
  from the beginning the world was misled
  as a baby was born in a monastery bed
  the miracle happening here on this earth
  was perceived as a glorious new virgin birth
  
  from the moment in time that baby was born
  the sun did now rise on a new crimson dawn
  and the creature just bided its time undiscovered
  so safe in the cradling arms of the mother
  
  but for those who seek eternity
  for those who yearn prosperity
  from this single act of sanity
  will raise you far above humanity
  
  secure from the world, the child remained hidden
  a serpent disguised in the garden of eden
  and all who looked down on this newly born babe
  were ignorant now of the path this would take
  the people were blind to the subtle control
  that was exercised daily upon every soul
  with no room to question this delicate life
  all fears would be drowned and all doubts would be stifled
  
  but one single mind did stand out from the crowd
  though quiet at first - with hardly a sound
  the mother superior harbored suspicion
  brought to her heart by three simple vision
  
  the first was a planet engulfed by the sea
  no dry land in sight, not a mountain or tree
  no rock jutted out from the endless horizon
  or flowers to mark out the changing of seasons
  
  no animals dwelt in the forests or fields
  all life was extinct; its fate had been sealed
  
  by the curse of a violent unstoppable flood
  mankind had been drowned in an ocean of blood
  
  the next revelation was vivid and cruel
  it depicted two swordsmen engrossed in a duel
  the one held a sword that was silver and pure
  the other a sword that was red to the core
  
  they fought as the sun rose high in the sky
  their fight would not end until one of them died
  no room did they have for an error to make
  for the future of life was the trophy at stake
  
  but one of the warriors flouted the rules
  and with cunning and guile had the other one fooled
  as he held up his hands in a gesture of peace
  the silver opponent allowed this retreat
  
  then the man with the red sword attacked from behind
  left the silver sword fighter defeated and blind
  then carnage ensued that no man could condone
  as the bloody red blade sliced through sinew and bone
  
  all day did the swordsman attack without halt
  though the other lay dead from the frenzied assault
  until by the twilight and all that remained
  were the echoes of death and a fresh crimson stain
  
  and so came the third of these unyielding visions
  a picture of war and ferocious divisions
  an army of saviors marching as one
  aware that the end had already begun
  
  they arrived in a field, which was wide and expansive
  they waited in silence both ready and pensive
  the grassland was strewn with small crimson petals
  their fragrance was sweet with the stench of the devil
  
  and slowly but surely they fell into sleep
  their consciousness gone as they slumped in defeat
  and there they still lie bereft of their willpower
  brought to their knees by the strength of a flower
  
  the three visions, the mother superior bore
  a bitter forewarning of what was in store
  this infant so frail must not grow to be strong
  the world was at risk if she waited too long
  so veiled by the blackness of night she did creep
  and enter where mother and child were both asleep
  and onwards she moved to where the crib lay
  she leant over the baby and started to pray
  she prayed for forgiveness for what she would do
  she prayed that the knife in her hand would aim true
  but all of a sudden she was now paralyzed
  the baby daughter had opened her eyes
  
  and into those eyes, the woman gazed
  the look in her face was both haunted and crazed
  she was smothered and swamped in confusion and sadness
  the first to be gripped by this foul crimson madness
  this brutal psychosis could not be explained
  no one single cause was suggested or blamed
  but no one could think that a child was involved
  and the mystery illness remained unresolved
  
  so all seemed as normal for seven short years
  a veil of deception dissolved any fears
  but there was one lapse in the child's disguise
  and that could be seen in the depths of her eyes
  
  the message could clearly be discovered there
  in the glimpse of the universe found in her stare
  her gaze hypnotic, unbearably strong
  suspicions were growing, it wouldn't be long
  oh willing host who doth not know
  the full desire of this prisoner
  you walk where angels fear to go
  thou shalt soon embrace the reckoner
  
  now and then a question would be raised
  strong misgivings threatened to be voiced
  but these were judgments wiser not to say
  to doubt the child could prove to be a rash and deadly choice
  by now the crimson reign had proved too much
  the monastery was shadowed under dread
  but fear decreed that hostile thoughts be crushed
  for the creature had the power to crawl inside your head
  the mother in her darkest moment knew
  the time had come for action to be taken
  
  a journey must be made to hidden truths
  she must return and read again the book she had forsaken
  
  this tome presented many further views
  essential rules of power were revealed
  and thus the pages offered up one clue
  the child bore one significant archilles heel
  should the crimson queen be blinded, then powerless she'll be
  bereft of piercing vision, her victims will be free
  
  salvation lies in banishing this creature to the dark
  let not your hand be hesitant or death will be your mark
  lest regained sight should speed her flight away from burning hell
  a steady heart must seal her back within her crimson cell
  
  and thou who didst release this most vindictive enemy
  must serve to be her warder there for all eternity
  
  one quiet night the lady traveled out beyond the monastery
  her quest was one of urgency and human preservation
  she traveled with companions to reach the ruined city
  where lay the means to save her kind, a path to their salvation
  when there they searched for evidence of where the queen once slept
  and came upon a gateway, which was tightly closed and barred
  a stark inscription warned them of the risk of their next step
  but choices were no more; they had already come too far
  
  let no man breach the gate to this most blasphemous of halls
  lest bitterness and chaos be the harvest they wouldst reap
  he must n'er become a slave to this child's beck and call
  for she must never waken from her crimson sleep:
  
  with fresh resolve the women carried on towards their goal
  and found themselves a cell where crimson shade were scattered
  a sight so dreadful it chilled their very souls
  the cell had long been drained and all around the glass lay shattered
  
  a movement in the shadows
  a flash of blazing light
  the child stood before them
  with murder in her eyes
  the women ran towards her
  to try to stem the tide
  of purse and crimson anger
  there was nowhere left to hide
  too slow was their reaction
  they were thrown back off their feet
  their throats were filled with panic
  as they stared as harsh defeat
  too weak was their protection
  they couldn't staunch the trail
  of vitriol and vengeance
  meted out for this betrayal
  so the mother's brave compatriots
  consumed with damning pain
  died writhing in the dirt
  they were bleeding and insane
  they'd looked into the child's eyes
  and crumbled in despair
  from images too hideous
  for human minds to bear
  salvation lies in banishing
  this creature to the dark
  let not your hand be hesitant
  or death will be your mark"
  but there was still one single hope
  no room for fear or doubt
  the mother knew there was no choice
  she had to end this now
  
  she crawled across the bloodstained ground
  her eyes averted from the steely glare
  but secretly she knew she'd found
  a way beyond this nightmare
  
  a few more seconds spanned the path
  between success or damnation
  mankind would face the aftermath speed
  of this deadly confrontation
  got to strike for the eyes
  leave the monster running blind
  go to cross the line
  got to strike for those unforgiving eyes
  
  she veiled herself with trivial thought
  a mask of insignificance
  her daughter failed to see beyond
  the fabric of irrelevance
  
  for a moment they were face to face
  no sign of what was soon to be
  but still her mind refused to break
  those thoughts must not be seen
  got to strike for the eyes
  leave the monster running blind
  go to cross the line
  got to strike for those unforgiving eyes
  
  striking hard, striking fast in desperation
  the world around is filled with shades of red
  forced to stand in weak anticipation
  as rivulets of blood run down the child's head
  the chamber fills with screams of violent rage
  of petulance and impotent frustration
  consumed with frenzied tidal waves of hate
  the princess falls to earth in dark sedation
  
  her blindness stunts the growth of nascent power
  that grows within her like some poisonous flower
  the blade of darkness strikes her to the hilt
  and so the flower inside begins to wilt
  but time is short for action to be taken
  no chance to dwell on pity or mistakes
  no chance for dark excuses to be found
  the moment of salvation must be now!
  
  cast me to the crimson flames
  thou hast the power should i be blind
  to overthrow my wicked reign
  and throw me to the pit of time
  cast me to the crimson flames
  thou shalt bar the doors of hell
  incant these words of sacred rule
  seal me in my crimson cell
  
  and thus was read the incantation
  voices echoed round and round
  the woman smiled in weak elation
  mesmerized inside the sounds
  
  and with these chants of higher lore
  so mortal flesh began to fade
  soon child and mother were no more
  their earthly bodies now decayed
  
  cast me to the crimson flames
  thou shalt bar the doors of hell
  incant these words of sacred rule
  seal me in my crimson cell
  
  and still inside the chamber stands
  a single cell with crimson hue
  resealed by spoken word of man
  imbued with power from spiritual truth
  two souls imprisoned for eternity
  light and dark forever bound
  two souls that never can be freed
  a pathway back will not be found
  for trapped beyond some foolish reach
  and far away from prying eyes
  
  no channel now to lead or preach
  no chance to influence or guide
  the final sacrifice she took
  ensured the hope of the human race
  and thus she holds the sacred book
  a captive in her crimson space
  
  lest bitterness and chaos be the harvest they wouldst reap
  for she must never waken from this crimson sleep...