Luyện nghe bài hát The Splendour Of A Thousand Swords

ALTARUS: Gaze deep into the mists with spirit-eyes, Xerxes... look far, and tell me
you see.
XERXES: I see a land far to the north... a empire of dark endless moors and snow-
mountains... a land of brooding citadels and warrior-kings who hail to grim gods.
ALTARUS: well, Xerxes, for enlightenment hides within the fog-swathed vales of
Hyperborea...
The King's
By the onyx of my forefathers, the air is churning with auguries of dethronement...
Impending dread prophesized!
In a dream I was bade the argent-eyed unicorn to the Ring of Stones...
There a torrent of slime assailed me, as pipes and horns sang the clarion of my
dissolution...
And the usurpation of my ancient throne.
Assassins stalk the nighted of my palace... poisoned blades and chalices surround
me.
I thirsted for a balm, but my thirst was by an envenomed draught.
My swordarm by tendrils of sloth... enthralled by the chasmed gloom...
Borne upon of labyrinthine dread... I awaken!
I shall seek the counsel of the sorcerer, keeper of the scrolls of wisdom, and the
of Power...
The Words of the
My liege, great and king... the mists disclose their secrets... you are destined to
wield a great dark power. deep of the potions of the apothecary, for upon thee now I
bestow a of the mystic Crystal of Mera... sacred artefact of the Atlantean mages,
won in battle by our legions. My liege, the of Mera shall unveil the truth lurking
hidden in thy most dreams...
The of the Harbinger:
The land awash with spilled blood, and torn forth from the sundered dead...
Gorge the with flesh darkened with the claw and fang of war... rent open the
ravenous of worms...
The
The Crystal illumines secrets, the truth is known... a dire and ancient threat is ranged
me.
Hearken, the clarion is upon the winds, now the to arms is upon us all,
Grim warriors, up thy spears and hone thy gleaming swords.
Archers, thy bows, brave knights, saddle the steeds of war,
The glory of battle is nigh at last, our shall fly this day in victory!
My warriors, a legacy shall day be wrought by our blades, decreed by the gods,
Blessed by the blood of foes. Our destiny beckons...
Lord Angsaar, Dark Liege of
Come, great king of Hyperboria, march against me with your legions and
shimmering swords. I, the Bane of the Atlantean Kings, the of Lemuria, Archfoe
of the Immortals of Ultima Thule, shall Crush you! I visit a thousand plagues upon
your realm, and wreak untold havoc and carnage until I have your throne... and
soul!
ALTARUS: And thus, flanked by the splendour of azure banners, a vast army
forth from the great walls of the City of Hyperborea, and at the forefront of the
legions, astride an ebon war-stallion, rode the king, sunlight glinting upon his
splendid armour... compelled by dreams, and by the Crystal of Mera...
XERXES: Where did the king's path take him?
The king was compelled to lead his forces to the shadow-haunted Mountains
of the Dead, a grim and brooding place steeped in dark and ancient legendry. he
rode into the gaping maw of a huge cave hewn into the side of the mountain
countless ages past by unknown hands. For three days and nights he did not emerge
the cave... until, at last, he rode forth from the eldritch mountain once more, a terrible
knowledge shadowed in his icy eyes, and in his gauntleted fist a huge black
sword, a magnificent ebon blade which no blacksmith ever forged. Fearsome
sorcerous power within the yard of black steel, dancing upon its searingly honed,
blade... and its bejewelled, dragon-carved hilt did whisper arcane secrets to
the king in a strange, tongue.
XERXES: But master, what powers did this blade What secrets did it hold?
ALTARUS: Many centuries ago, before even were waged the Wars between the
ancient kingdoms of Atlantis and Hyperborea, Lord did rise from his charnel-tomb
and do battle with a powerful immortal warrior-shaman over the possession of the
Crystals of Mera, mystic gems of unparalleled potency. Angsaar, his power
swelled by forces from the Outer Darkness, did smite his foe to the brink of
destruction... but, with his fading sorceries, the immortal transferred his life-
essence into his great black sword, and scattered the crystals across the galaxy,
leaving Angsaar with a hollow victory and him to return once more to his dark
Chamber of Slumber. The was lost for centuries, as were the crystals, until the one
gem to remain on this was discovered deep beneath the northern seas by an
ancient Atlantean wizard. And the sword... spoke of how its final resting place
would be made known by the sorceries of the last crystal only when the blade's
would once again ne needed to the Chaos-liege. This was the immortal's final, most
powerful spell... upon the reawakening of Angsaar, the energies and undying
lifeforce within the blade would be transferred to its wielder... aye, the one who
discovered the Shadow-Sword be imbued with the power of the immortal, and by
the art of elder spellcraft, he do battle with his ancient nemesis once more...
XERXES: Then looms such a cataclysmic battle!
ALTARUS: And so, from his Black Citadel, the Chaos-liege did send forth his of
to engage the army of the king...
THE
Behold, a legion of undead fiends us upon the field of war.
Face me, of Lemuria, I wield thy bane, the Shadow-Sword... (and darksome
sorceries now empower me thunderous might!)
Hearken, the clarion is upon the winds, now the call to arms is us all,
The glory of battle is at last, into the fray we ride!
XERXES: The outcome, master... who left the field victorious? Did the king
The mists begin to disperse... for now, the images fade. That tale shall have to
wait 'til day...
Lyrics:
Music: Maudling