One Signed Under the Cross

Sunrise! Over the vast, city, of Jerusalem!
The holy, the sacred, the city of christ! Reclaimed by the forces of crusaders might!

Martyrs and soldiers and pilgrims we fight, for salvation our sins are forgiven in time
Much blood we will shed in the name of the cross, forgiven, our crimes, through sacrifice lost

In Acre, baptism by iron we learned, the enemies of god must be vanquished and burned
Heathens and heretics, in all but name, how many Christians were captured, enslaved?

The forces of Saladin ride in from the east, with swords and with arrows we drive back these beasts
Burning with heat from the Judea sun, with steel we meet until battle is won

One signed by the cross, we fight for our faith! One signed by the cross, what price have we paid?
One signed by the cross, we give our own lives, for land and for church, we leave none alive!

In the heat of the battle, flesh impaled upon my blade
When my sword tasted blood, I knew this was my way!
Took up the blade, left those I loved, vowed to take up arms, for heaven above!

One signed by the cross, how far have we gone?
One signed by the cross, our journey yet long?
One signed by the cross, the battle rages on!
In the name of all of Christendom, we fight to save the city of God!

Would you know when you’ve been conquered? Pushed back to the gates of hell
We fight for more than home and country, for eternal salvation, from mortal damnation
The burning fields, a no-mans land, from wild forests to desert sands
This brutal world, cold and dark, crusader might will make its mark

One signed by the cross, how far have we gone?
One signed by the cross, our journey yet long?
One signed by the cross, the battle rages on!

Over countless years of conquest, I have wandered, fought, brought the sword
But a few years of peace out of decades, and what for?
The sieges never end, dismantling walls, stone by stone
Vanquishing the Saracens, we cut through flesh, we smash through bone

We offered protection to the pilgrims, for the defenseless, on their holy journey
To protect their wealth and riches, and to guard their passage
The barbarity of the world is often cruel and senseless, wanton, rampant
We vow to protect the innocent, we protect the whole of the masses

Desert passage, guide my way, ancient secrets, hidden demons!
Desert passage, our knowledge deepens, dogmatic prophets slain!

Sermons of shame, preaching visions of doom! Denouncing the common man, for his inaction
Looking down from the castle bastion! Leading the masses to their carnal tombs!
Led astray, from their normal lives, took control of their superstitions
Their fears extolled, their thoughts surmised, some joined for glory, some joined for riches

Holy preachers, guide our thoughts, keep the sheep confused, forever lost
Tongue of fire, twist our words
Burn our freedoms, let your lies be heard

Scheming Kings, denounce the whole of the masses
Wage your wars of conquest - no matter the cost
Let the people suffer, let the fields burn
Use the texts of the holy, let the pages turn

To my homeland I finally return, having fought through and travelled through foreign places
To come back to enemies, wearing familiar faces
For the cause we have fought for is lost, has not brought us salvation but brought us ruination

With the devil a game of chess, for no man can live within the face of emptiness!
Macabre dance of death! “What will your move be?”