Let There Be Nothing

Only recently I failed, and yet I bore no punishment So here's the tale, a battle lost - the fields beside Callinicum The Persians swept into our lands, (and) on Easter Day we came in range The men were firm, they wanted blood on this, a day meant for the Lord But bound to fast, we tired quick And so the Persians rolled us up Awoken from the mist of haunted, dim-lit daydreams, I sharply snap back into focus Our ally Hilderic in former Roman Africa has been imprisoned by (a) usurper Ocean waves slap the hull Sunbeams yonder pierce the clouds Our destiny, the liberate our kinsmen who, as of now, face persecution O stavros nika, oh let there be light! I'll bear my cross of guilt and walk up to the mark O stavros nika, oh let there be light May I redeem myself from Callinicum Our mission is holy, as the Vandals permit piracy and persecute the orthodox This isn't vainglory, but rather just reconquest So Gelimer, your time is nigh! Ocean waves slap the hull Sunbeams yonder pierce the clouds On either side, my wife and godson stand proud And back at home, our daughter waits O stavros nika, oh let there be light I'll bear my cross of shame and march on through the mire O stavros nika, oh let there be light May I redeem myself from Callinicum Golden rays crack the clouds Shimmering shoreline smiles Oh my God, hear our prayers Condescend out of mercy Give us strength, give us courage Let us fear you evermore And my wife, Antonina May she be ever be my side

Submitted by Celtic Frost — Apr 25, 2025

We'll play it smart, no brash attack We'll land (from) afar and close the circle again So keep in mind the spirit here We're liberators, not conquerors The sun, its rise is gradual yet fills the sky And we, alike the sun, will rise and dominate the land below Kill, maim, burn! I push, grind! Here confusion reigns Kill, maim, burn! We crack, drive! At Ad Decimum Outside Carthage, my good friend John (the Armenian) - he smashed the Vandals and killed the king's brother When Gelimer, the Vandal king, came on the scene, he fell to his knees "My brother, he lies so broken, torn, and glassy-eyed" The sad king, he stopped his army there to bury Ammatus John pursued the king of (the) Vandals for days while I marched and took Carthage Open arms greeted us at the gate Tomorrow's sun will rise again on African Rome

Submitted by Finntroll — Apr 25, 2025

Tomorrow’s sun has come and sets behind the western sands A messenger approaches and says that John is gone A stray arrow brought him down Belisarius, he chokes on his own tears “Who is responsible? Who let this happen?” The messenger reports it was one of his own Killed by friendly fire, his dying words were “Punish not the man who killed me by mistake” Is this injustice? I feel powerless There’s no one for me to jail or execute (I’ll) erect a shrine for him, I’ll pay the price For years hereafter I will take good care of him My only solace – my loving wife Dear Antonina, please comfort me A disgruntled slave brought chambermaids to kneel before me and tell me what? It never rains – it pours on me The blood within me boils Sing hallelujah! They say they saw my wife lay with my own godson How could they sin against me? Sing hallelujah! Am I not just? I have the right, the right to have her killed Sing hallelujah! Am I like Christ, who so forgave the adulteress from stoning? Sing hallelujah! If I forgive her, Antonina, what can be said then for Theodosius? She came from the streets and worked as an actress, but my dear godson should have known better I gave him a life, and now he betrays me Nothing could stop me – think of the ways I could inflict pain It’s coming down, down to the wire Time to decide how I should I should proceed from here How I can feel that she is hurting How I can see that she’s not proud of herself And life is lonely, always apart And yet I have managed to be loyal to her Rumors begin to gather traction, and I am regarded as a pawn of my wife A great commander, but a puppet to her It’s not surprising; virtue seems strange to the world The might of Africa will fade, and all our monuments dissolve There’s nothing here that will remain, and yet our lives somehow resound Our fleeting lives are meaningful Nothing you do doesn’t matter Every choice you make moves this world toward hell or paradise

Submitted by Nargaroth — Apr 25, 2025

Sand that once was held in Roman hands slipped through their fingers Now, their second chance is in my hands We’re reuniting Rome March! Join in the new crusade Hail! Take up your old mantle March! After the darkness fell, Roman light is returning March! Join in the new crusade Hail! Standing at Naples’ gates March! This is your time to choose – glory or decay Nothing numbs the pain for me I try in vain to carry on Autumn of souls! Nothing frees my heart from her This tether is hooked into my core Autumn of souls! Death, before and on Naples’ walls Weeks gone by to no avail We need a break, for time is short And winter is on the horizon March! Join in the new crusade Hail! Standing at Naples’ gates March! Needing a safe way in – now we may have found it March! Into the aqueduct Hail! Sappers are digging deep March! Clearing a path for men to slip into the city March! Join in the new crusade Hail! This is your last warning March! Open the gates or else we will sack the city March! We have a way inside Hail! No need for more to die March! I’d rather this be bloodless, but Naples will be ours

Submitted by johnmansley — Apr 25, 2025

Sixty years have come and gone since Rome did fall Since glory reigned, since Rome was ruled by Romans By invitation of the pope we took it back Not as conquerors, but as their liberators Gloria – Galloping homeward Gloria Gloria – Valiant general He’s charging desperate, shattered Light of light, heart of hearts While he’s gone – there is nowhere that I can call home Light of light, heart of hearts Where he’s gone – there is no guarantee he’ll come back Hearing word that Ostrogothic armies were near Belisarius led his elite guard to see Ambushed from the rear, a foe soon recognized him And told the Ostrogoths, “Fire on the white-faced horse” Light of light, heart of hearts Arrows fall like a torrent of rain from the sky Light of light, heart of hearts Protects him from a single of a myriad of deaths The Roman guards can hear them pleading “Open the gates, it’s Belisarius” Gloria – They don’t recognize him Gloria Gloria – They won’t open the gates And still the Goths are encircling Gloria – The general turns ‘round Gloria Gloria – Dying in glory They faced the Goths in a last charge Light of light, heart of hearts Seeing them charge the Goths with such savage success Light of light, heart of hearts Then they knew, these were allies at least – let them in Most blessed, most high Antonina runs to embrace her husband again

Submitted by The Void — Apr 25, 2025

Failure follows every step And here’s the last leap that I took Again, no punishment, just like Callinicum For months we’ve withstood Gothic siege We’re hanging on by a thread All of these new recruits we’ve pressed, they are not prepared And yet I saw it fit to try to test their mettle Blessed am I, standing aright Gazing upon the fields below So many times I could have died Why am I preserved? Cursed am I, turning away Gazing upon the streets below I see her once again with him Antonina smiles I call the men to arms and shout, “O stavros nika!” We sweep into the fields beyond The battle is raging The new recruits had pushed them back, but chose not to pursue Instead they chose to loot the camps This cost us victory Amber dusk Again, it happened once again It burns, shredding my heart, oh it burns Again, I’ll have to blame the men Report they pressured me into the fight Now recalled to Syria, he took upon himself a new restraint With shepherd-like protectiveness he’d guide his men to fight the Sassanids His young step-son Photius meanwhile was stationed in the capital And there he saw his mother and Theodosius renew their love affair O spider mother, while you’re at play Belisarius fights off invaders And yet you soil your husband’s bed with another man I’m yours no more Photius rode to tell the man who took him as a son that he had been betrayed The rolling hills of Syria are black against the glorious, ember-laden sunset Step by step he strode and knelt before the man There I spoke it all, and after, silence fell After much endured, the man had finally broke As darkness falls Belisarius turns ‘round to face his step-son As darkness falls His heart is hardened – no more could he now endure As darkness falls The two embraced and swore to uproot the decay As darkness falls The two declared this mire of sin would be drained

Submitted by VladTheImpaler666 — Apr 25, 2025

You shall take the task of capturing sly Theodosius Wait for me to kill him I shall wait for my wife to return, and then I’ll see to it That she is arrested Squirming, writhing pleasure consumes the two lovers Their shadows dance upon on the marble walls The revelation of the human heart unfurled A gaping maw that howls and whirls You’re fighting the wind to keep yourself from falling back It never stops until you’re dead Step by step I descend from the heights that once upheld me Living life so virtuous Step by step she backs away from me This is the last time you will so betray me Kicking, screaming terror consumes my lovely wife Her shadow thrashes against the prison walls The revelation of the human heart unfurled A gaping maw that howls and whirls Your fingers are holding on to every crack and jag It never stops until you're dead Photius swiftly captured him, my doglike godson And for a brief time I was clear, justice had been served But then the empress heard the news and called us to their court Could this be providence of God? – Resist Him! Trembling, furious maelstrom within the general’s heart This would be his last chance to assert control The revelation of the human heart unfurled A gaping maw that howls and whirls I’ll capture and murder the bastard – no remorse! It never stops until you're dead

Submitted by Sexy Gargoyle — Apr 25, 2025

Turn my heart into a stone, let me sink I've turned my suffering into a cause for hate By his decree we were compelled to reconcile You cannot force my love I'll hold onto my pain The power to choose who lives and who will die is not my right In doing so I kick the Lord off His seat of rightful judgment over man God knows I've tried to fight off sinful thoughts The crown you wear It burns your hair and sears your skin You cry aloud, "Let there be light? Let there be nothing!" As master I came, yet now my tone is changed They've torn out my guts and held me down to bleed But that left me empty and open to the light Forgive me now, I trust Your providence Meanwhile, Photius was captured and tortured The empress restored my godson to my wife What can I do? The emperor's against me Grant me only the power to change my perspective The crown you wear It digs into your precious flesh You cry aloud, "Let there be light? Let there be nothing!" Father, designer, instiller of fear Not long thereafter my wife's lover died No longer writhing in pleasure and joy Writhing in agony in his own filth Father, commander, a shepherd of men I could not go down this dread path of sin Combat the demons with fasting and prayer Flush out the swamp of filth in your own heart Ever marching on I feel...

Submitted by Dahmers Fridge — Apr 25, 2025