Changing of the Guards

16 years (16 years) 16 banners united over the fields (over the fields) Where the good shepherd grieves Desperate men (desperate men) Desperate women divided Spreading their wings (spreading their wings) 'Neath the falling leaves Fortune calls (fortune calls) I stepped forth from the shadows, to the marketplace (marketplace) Merchants and thieves hungry for power My last deal gone down (last deal gone down) She's smelling sweet like the meadows Where she was born (where she was born) On midsummer's eve, near the tower The cold-blooded moon (cold-blooded moon) The captain waits above the celebration Sending his thoughts (sending his thoughts) To a beloved maid Whose ebony face (ebony face) Is beyond communication The captain is down, but still believing that his love will be repaid They shaved her head (shaved her head) She was torn between Jupiter and Apollo A messenger arrived (messenger arrived) With a black nightingale I seen her on the stairs (seen her on the stairs) And I couldn't help but follow, follow her down Past the fountain where they lifted her veil I stumbled to my feet (stumbled to my feet) I rode past destruction in the ditches With the stitches still mending 'Neath a heart-shaped tattoo Renegade priests (renegade priests) And treacherous young witches Were handing out the flowers that I'd given to you The palace of mirrors (palace of mirrors) Where dog soldiers are reflected The endless road (endless road) And the wailing of chimes The empty rooms (empty rooms) Where her memory is protected Where the angel's voices whisper To the souls of previous times She wakes him up (wakes him up) 48 hours later, the sun is breaking Near broken chains (broken chains) Mountain laurel and rolling rocks She's begging to know (begging to know) What measures he now will be taking He's pulling her down and she's clutching On to his long golden locks "Gentlemen", he said (gentleman, he said) "I don't need your organization" "I've shined your shoes" (shined your shoes) I've moved your mountains and marked your cards But Eden is burning (Eden is burning) Either get ready for elimination Or else your hearts must have the courage For the changing of the guards Peace will come (peace will come) With tranquility and splendor On the wheels of fire (wheels of fire) But will offer no reward When her false idols fall (false idols fall) And cruel death surrenders With its pale ghost retreating Between the king and the queen of swords