The Grave, My Soul Lyrics - Within The Ancient Forest - Paramaecium

In the distance, my falcon flies, circling above a clearing in the 

forest. Suddenly, I hear its cries as it falls to the ground to its 

death. Leaving Destiny, I rush in the direction of its final cry. I 

enter the clearing and stop in sudden horror as I view an 

unnatural spectacle of ancient fallen trees. 

This is a fossilised forest, silent and calm, with no sign of 

movement save for the stain of my form. The spell of age has 

woven its evil intent upon this hallowed ground as beneath the 

grey clouds the forest was rent. Moving slowly, in deliberation 

and respect for the dead, I am revulsed by the scene played out 

before me. How these giants have fallen. Their majesty, their 

power, and all that they were are as dust to the soil and returned 

to the earth. I know not why. 

I plead with Destiny for an answer as she arrives and she explains 

it thus; "It pays tribute to the accursed rains for of all that was, 

little remains. These grey flowers you see are but a poor 

reflection of what's left of humanity. They spoke the laws of old 

yet chose to disoblige the Ancient, holding such decrees in 

contempt by their works. The bane of mankind is that all that he 

is until the day that he dies is a pawn that's expected to live by the 

lies of tradition. The human condition, it seems, is to reduce all to 

tradition." 

I wander amongst the fallen trunks as though drawn, and find my 

fallen friend, my falcon forlorn. Lifeless, I hold his body hoping in 

some way he's free. Whilst clutching him, I notice something, now 

what can this be? 

Embedded in chalcedony within an aged oak is the semblance of 

an ancient warrior sword. To suggest that this had aught to do 

with the legend was a dream but to ignore the possibility I could 

not afford. I grabbed a nearby rock and began to smash away 

the quartz as crystal shards, they flew and cut into my flesh. The 

golden sword hilt exposed, I pulled with all my might as it was 

loosed at last from its chalcedonic grave. And I held the sword 

aloft for all the land to see and I was filled with power beyond my 

darkest dreams. 

Destiny, with a smile, approaches saying, "The Garensword holds 

the power to bequeath life as well as death" as I watch my falcon 

take wing to wind and soar high above the forest once again. 

Following the bird, leaving the clearing behind us, we enter into 

the forest and instantly I am startled. The sword has affected my 

sight, enabled me to see things which I have never noticed before. 

There are thousands of graves amongst the trees; a cemetery for 

the living. Headstones with no names, overrun with wild grey flowers.