By the end of the twenty first century came the real forward, as human scientists discovered the hyperspace drive, allowing manking to spread out from its original overcrowded homeworld, Planet Earth. In the last four centuries, more than 300 planets were successfully colonized and brought together under the protection of the newly founded Human Confederation. During this expansion, first contact was made with a mystical, advanced and apparently peaceful species known as Va'adians and friendly relations where established with them. In this golden age, economy, art and sciences were flourishing, while war became but a distant, bad memory. However, this golden age is now over, it ended thirty years ago when the Va'adians attacked our border worlds, thus plunging the known universe into war.Streaking through space we were sent out to investigate

Streaking through space we were sent out to investigate To sneak into the giant star base Why aren't they answering, are their communications failing ? We're wondering as we're landing Undetected, we set foot and make for the bridge But still no living soul in sight Had the Va’adian overrun the HCS Liberty, The jewel of our fleet ? (Break: Symheris / Douchan & Symheris) At last we fall upon a man who is wandering free, We come closer to interrogate him When without warning, he fires and shoots one of us dead And not understanding we fire back, And manage to blast him right in the head, The impact tearing his skull to shreds Uncovering a strange device implanted inside, We realize it’s some Prosthesis placed in his brain For his inner will to tame How many others still live, With the same destiny arranged ? Cybernetic Wars Human captives feeding the Enemy Launched against us This tragedy must come to an end (Cybernetic Wars) In the stars rages a cruel war And we are the ones we will take it away Suddenly the alarm rings out, we are compelled to flee To run for our ship and our lives As we hear the whole Va’adian army swarming out To prevent any escape And after a few skirmishes we finally reach the hangar We climb aboard and take off, Closely followed by an armada of fighters behind, So we would not be able To reach our star base in time, So we make for the planet nearby Hoping to find other clues So we would discover the truth Cybernetic Wars Human captives feeding the Enemy Launched against us This tragedy must come to an end (Cybernetic Wars) In the stars rages a cruel war And we are the ones we will take it away (Solo: Douchan / Symheris / Douchan) Reaching out to the surface, A bluish-white landscape welcomes us We’ll dive and hide in a ice cave And so we’ll shake off their lots Now we’re trapped in this world Far from our homeland the earth But we will find a way to survive In this hostile land Cybernetic Wars Human captives feeding the Enemy Launched against us This tragedy must come to an end (Cybernetic Wars) In the stars rages a cruel war And we are the ones we will take it away (End solo: Douchan)

Finally regaining consciousness We found our spaceship useless Out from the windows we’re watching The white desert surroundings I would like a real life And not this life of hell Redefine and realize You’ve left a world behind For all is lost ! (Solo: Fabio) Despair is a strange state of mind Deprived of reasons to find Movement prevented by helplessness While stillness causes distress I would like a real life And not this life of hell Redefine and realize You’ve left a world behind For all the ones we love And all the things we care for Are lost to us as we are lost in here Beyond hope of recovery (Solo: Symheris) This white desert undermining strength Determination is gone Heavy dark clouds are rolling on In the skies, in my head I would like a real life And not this life of hell Redefine and realize You’ve left a world behind For all the ones we love And all the things we care for Are lost to us as we are lost in here Beyond hope of recovery I will try again To find a way back home May we escape, may we one day regain The brighter path we have lost

Drifting in my memories, reaching far within A past once so promising, short of antagonizing A greater mind reproved, by weak and fearing fools The perfect scientist, this scientist is me. I’ll bury you And I’ll retrieve my due Vengeance’s being sought It lives forever more Antique ethics shall live no more, Pure science will rule them all I’m the herald of a new day The bringer of modern ways They tried to counter me, pleading morality These so-called scientists altered my destiny All my dreams of glory were shattered by my peers Now you will think like me, or die if you resist ! I’ll bury you And I’ll retrieve my due Vengeance’s being sought It lives forever more Antique ethics will live no more, Pure science will rule them all I’m the herald of a new day The bringer of modern ways (Lead guitar: Symheris) They accused me of insanity Denying my humanity Within, a fire, a fever’s consuming my brain A burning will, an attitude, a deeper concern for my kin Antique ethics shall live no more, Pure science will rule them all I’m the herald of a new day The bringer of modern ways and I swear Antique ethics shall live no more, Pure science will rule them all I’m the herald of a new day The bringer of modern ways

With the suns coming down, we’re catching the sight Of a crystalline city glimmering in the light Of the field of stars, anxiousness is leaving And our hearts are lifting for hope can still last Leaving the wreck behind, Onward we’re marching, on through the night The snow storm is raging on, But still we are heading towards our goal The cold winds are clawing at us, The deep snow is slowing us down We are weary, yet we will walk on, Until we reach the alien town Well we have lost our way (Lost our hopes, lost our faith, but for now we are striving) Now we’re striving for our own existence (Never stop, just walk on, and try to escape from this unknown) On this unknown god-forsaken blight (Far from home, far from all, we're alone but we're together) Together, we will march towards the light As the night still goes on, the city’s now clearer Revealing a dome which is covering it all, Obviously Va’adian, we find out we are heading Straight to the jaws of our sworn enemies As the dome is getting closer, A growing sense of danger, Is urging us to hide, To return from whence we started, Still we’re pushing ahead, Regardless of the traps lying in wait We'll banish our own fears, Survival the only thought we would heed Well we have lost our way (Lost our hopes, lost our faith, but for now we are striving) Now we’re striving for our own existence (Never stop, just walk on, and try to escape from this unknown) On this unknown god-forsaken blight (Far from home, far from all, we're alone but we're together) Together, we will march towards the light When all around, they come out of the ground And they begin to surround us all Our hearts start to pound, as we knew we had been found, Expecting them to kill us on sight Now what’s the attitude, what’s the path we’ll choose, As these Va’adians stand against us, dazed and confused Will we stand aside, or commit xenocide Will we stand our ground, will we run and stumble on our pride Yet no weapons in sight, no violence in their eyes, Their arms pointing down, to their holes, inviting us inside Should we follow them, should we try to learn, Should we simply go wherever they might bring us (Solo: Douchan / Symheris / both / Symheris) (Alternate lead breaks: Symheris / Douchan (x4)) Not the warlike creatures We had been described They welcomed us into their hide Deep in the ground, a huge city lies, Lit by a faint artificial light, And swarming with life We were promised shelter inside, Why are those so different From the ones we knew, So peaceful, and the others so cruel, We wondered before Exhaustion and sleep claimed us all I am drowning in a sea of stars, Consciousness expands so fast Where am I, why am I caring For a life I sigh, not breathe Nightly darkness is a friend of mine Sworn to hear my silent cries You, the sun who’ll now pierce it through, All my hate is just for you.

Lying awake in this empty space My mind wanders back To moments I’ve shared with you Some I try to forget Some I want to recall Although they burn my soul, They crave to pour down In wet and salty trails Still you live within me In my thoughts, in my dreams Visions of you raise me on a high… (Solo: Douchan) For so long you’ve been missing, So long since I’ve left myself In your care I’ve thrown my pride at your feet, Stripped off my armour and shield, Here I am, alone, My conscience exposed, Opening myself to the void But I can perceive your soul It’s beckoning from above, It flickers with mine like some distant stars… In my dreams, I am dreaming I am floating in space And you are at my side, Feeling of pure delight Our memories embraced, bathing in the light… We are one, my eyes locked with the black suns of your skies (Solo: Douchan) Oh where will you stand when our world comes to die ? Will you stand with me, In my joy as in my grief ? Will you stand by me, And thus melt our destinies ? To plant the seed of a world And live our mad dreams of rebirth Out of time and outside this plan, To carry our love to a world where reality fails… (Solo: Douchan)

(Va'adian Lorekeeper) So you've decided to come to find the final answer Well if it's truth you have sought, it crawled under so many lies Go! The time for reflecting is short Indecision's a bliss you can no longer afford Safety breached, the line you were holding is gone A trial by fire and war, you are alone (Va'adian Breeder) Don't you say you might wait for another day (Va'adian Defender) Act before the time has passed and it's too late (Human soldier) Adversity, in crimson-stained times I will fold just before I might break through sorrow, fear and despair Freedom, hope that soon it will come, dismantling this breeze of loss (Va'adian Lorekeeper) Go! The time for reflecting is short Indecision's a bliss you can no longer afford Safety breached, the line you were holding is gone A trial by fire and war, you are alone (Va'adian Breeder) Don't you say you might wait for another day (Va'adian Defender) Act before the time has passed and it's too late (Human soldier) Heed the prophecy of crimson-stained times Invading my mind (Solo: Douchan / Fabio) (Va'adian Lorekeeper) When the Sun, the Northern Star, the Moon and the Earth are aligned He will come with the desire to reign beyond the light Cold and dark, he will try to wreak havoc onto the Earth Thus destroying the alignment in order to rejoin our Gods But it might not be too late, you might think his plans cannot be unchallenged But his back is weak and his massive army only exists by his will So come with me, I'll lead the way, and I'll show you through Reveal the words, expose the secret as I was taught once before The way ahead is now clear, you will have to find your own way into the dome Make your way out and cross the universe to defend your homes (Va'adian Lorekeeper) Run ! The time for reflecting is done Indecision's a bliss you can no longer afford Safety breached, the line you were holding is gone A trial by fire and war, you are alone (Va'adian Breeder) Don't you say you might wait for another day (Va'adian Defender) Act before the time has passed and it's too late (Human soldier) Heed the prophecy of crimson-stained times It rages in my mind

PART I - INTO THE REINTEGRATION COMPLEX Taking a forgotten passageway, crossing under the dome Reaching into the glass city, its desert alleys and vacant homes We’re entering the large and strange spherical structure nearby Assaulted by the acrid stench of bodies opened yet still alive (Solo: Fabio) Thousands of helpless human bodies are secured to conveyor belts, Streaming along weird machinery, the metal straps too hard to break Ahead, surgeon bots in action, using their scalpels and lancets Trepanation then implantation, turning free men into slaves Mass surgery to ensure our defeat, Forced conversions meant to finally turn men against their own Anger burning deep inside, vengeance erupting in out minds And we swear this crime won't remain unpunished and undone Striding along, we make for the level above We just can't believe our eyes, as we're witnessing the sight Of Va'adian captives, implanted as men before And a computer processing it all, We pale as we read on the screen Some instructions typed in our language (Solo: Sly) Rob Wilkins, a scientist, the greatest surgeon in his prime He had devised a plan to end violence and crime With implants suppressing our darkest side He must have come here after his works were denied Was he scheming against us all this time Frustration slowly corrupting his mind Pride, the greatest trait of mind Yet the monster which turned a brilliant man Into a betrayer to his kind A dark focus in sight A megalomaniac god to himself Intent on destroying his own race For thirty years, humans and Va'adians alike Had blamed each other for having drawn the first blood And while chaos ruled, his army silently grew Waiting for the day he would unleash them upon the Earth PART II - TARGET: EARTH (Solo: Symheris) Out of reach, in our sight, close to the Earth A giant wormhole opens wide Vomitting an incredibly huge swarm of ships Creating a glitch so we can't Call back our forces abroad Who are they, what the hell have they come from Will they try to face our lines? Splitting up, now they turn, heading our way Speakers scream to TAKE OFF, FORM UP AND ATTACK! And from all surrounding outposts and bases Warships are taking off to answer the call to arms Today I swear no offender Shall pass before I die Now, Defenders of the Earth Let us show them how valiant we are We don't care for wealth nor for glory We will fight for our lives and our kind We know that we stand alone That none of our distant armies will come And behind the Liberty's finally coming We'll have to face the weapon we've built Added up to the strength of their fleet Now the battle is raging, and the death toll is rising As we're engaging the fight The first enemy ship I'm facing is touched by one of my missiles And explodes in a great flash of light But for each one I destroy, three others will come Outnumbered and outmatched yet we'll stand up to these odds Our numbers are dwindling, yet their vanguard won't break in But why won't their main force join in? Deception or mistake, whatever the case We don't have a choice yet we might have a chance We'll never give up, we'll never give in Let's bleed the bastards to the core! Now you will feel the fire While space is exploding around (Solo: Douchan) PART III - A WAY BACK HOME (Solo: Onov) Running away from insanity And the horrors of this dull factory We come out into a small spaceport bay With a few heavy fighters still there Now let us fly, to return to our skies To join in the fight that probably has already begun Let's pray we won't be too late That we still might have a chance To repel the threat And be the grain of sand that turns the tide of fate Shrouded by vital thoughts so far Now my past's coming back To haunt me one more time And as I recall the mission that I failed I wonder: "Will I be up to burden laid upon my hands" PART IV - ASTRAL VAULT (INSTRUMENTAL)

Taking off - leaving the day Light of the suns - fading away Our mind is set - a shortcut we’ll take To meet our fate – don’t hesitate! Watch out! Our final stand is dawning The astral plan is shifting The faint white hole is growing Inside we dive, We pierce space from side to side Ahead, the Northern Star is shining bright So bright! Lines of white - the stars are passing by Speed of light - on through the night To save the Earth - we are rushing We’ll attack their fleet without warning Watch out! Our final stand is dawning The astral plan is shifting The faint white hole is growing Inside we dive, We pierce space from side to side Ahead, the Northern Star is shining bright So bright! (Solo: Symheris) I will lead this war, Make it a personal aim I am the chosen one The one who failed And who will rise again Let it come, the final fight That will break the spell Unfold our lives once again Hyperspace, the path to glory Our only light The white trail of our galaxy We’re so far from the Earth… (Solo: Douchan / Fabio) Watch out! Our final stand is dawning The astral plan is shifting The faint white hole is growing Inside we dive, We pierce space from side to side Ahead, the Northern Star is shining bright So bright!

Forth, my children, my servants, my slaves Our holy forces will prevail The time for justice and vengeance has come Today I’ll become a god We’ll blow this planet to smithereens We’ll feast on their final defeat Our advance guard had weakened our foe Our main force will destroy them all No love, no fear control our minds Through war and bloodshed the free world must die You puny moralists and former colleagues, Don’t even think you can resist Your dreams and feelings, your pathetic flaws Will be the end of you all No love, no fear control our minds Through war and bloodshed the free world is dying I had wanted to help To eradicate crime Before it’s planned By implanting men (Lead breaks: Symheris & Fabio / Douchan & Fabio) So you said my ethics don’t match with yours, I’m not one of you anymore And then you showed me the door You did! When I fled to Va’adian territories, To pursue my experiments, I swore you’d pay for this, And now you will! No love, no fear control our minds Through war and bloodshed the free world will die Die !

(Intro Solo: Douchan & Symheris / Douchan) We're surging into the fight as the Liberty’s coming To blow our planet and slaughter us all Emerging behind it we feel our hearts pounding For the lust of battle is filling our souls Planet destroyer, life annihilator Giant metallic ship nearly unseen Hovering, watching, waiting for our fighters To defy its so-called invincibility Don't let your fear take control of your fighter This base must be destroyed at all costs Arm your missiles and trigger your lasers Attack it and turn it into dust! This battle might end with our fall With the destruction of all we have known But as long as we breathe, we will fight We're the light against the dark As we get into their range, turret guns are raging We have to fly low to get through their net My teeth are clenching as I hear the blood-freezing Cry of agony of an unlucky comrade Three by three, their fighter are coming To send us crashing, exploding in space You cannot blast them, just focus on flying To find the weak point of the giant starbase Don't let your fear take control of your fighter This base must be destroyed at all costs Arm your missiles and trigger your lasers Attack it and turn it into dust! This battle might end with our fall With the destruction of all we have known But as long as we breathe, we will fight We're the light against the dark (Solo: Symheris) Here you are, fiery heart In a battle of light through the eternal night You're rolling, you're turning to keep from crashing Using your skills to reach for your goal (Solo: Douchan) Here it comes, the so-vital target This airshaft leads to the antimatter drive Just lock on your radars and fire your rockets And make your way far from the blast The great battle is over and our homeworld has been spared The insane scientist is dead, his victims come back to their senses, Today Va’adians and Humans stand together hand in hand again

We have fought and we have earned the right To dispose as we wish of our lives Dusk has come and the two suns have set And on the quay a great white ship awaits For us to sail… I remember my youth When I lived on my blue planet Surrounded by fools For whom I will feel no regret I’m longing to go To sail away beyond this shore And meet the unknown Across this wide starlit ocean And if one day, the seas have no more to hide I’ll turn to the stars and fly away to their light But it was only a dream All is not as it seems Blinded by infinity My mind wanders free (Solo: Symheris) As I stare into the infinite sky Strange memories drift back into my mind Some are sweet and those are calling me home But most bring me back to the worst times that I’ve known How can I endure the pain When so much turned out to be so vain Is this real, or could we have been mistaken Is this the way we have to live and learn ? I had no part to play in this game I asked for nothing, and nothing now remains Self-confidence and Trust its travelling mate Have lost me forever and won’t find me again (Lead break: Douchan) We won’t ever go back to our dirty tasks And be sent to another war Repeat the same story after we have shed So many tears for so many lives And from this day we will retire Our goals achieved we had no more plans We’ll build ourselves another life Far from our world, far from our kind (Solo: Douchan) We have found a place where we can stay No matter what happens, we’ll face it ourselves And when our time finally comes We’ll depart with the sun in our minds