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The Word was Light - the Light was Life The Gods found them Good and Gold Nothing Good or Gold Can Stay In ancient times we trod our paths Our lives were hard - our lives were short Heroes were born and lived great lives Even great heroes must someday die In death we all became one race All rivalries gone - all strife set aside We were set within our caves of stone We were given our likeness for the new world to come In our own ignorance many would dwell Some stayed asleep - some would arise Those who came to their senses were welcomed Heralds of the Gods urged us to go on We walked to the Black River, one and all Kings with their peasants - friends with their foes The Ferrymen came to take us away In their reed boats we were ferried to a far shore The Ferrymen took us away from our world As we were taken from life - we were taken from light The Black River went down deep into the earth Not all the passengers survived the long journey The river stretched on, black league upon league The way was hard - the way was unsure At the end of this journey was the Underworld's City At long last we beheld the city's front gates The gates were strong, and hid the City behind them Divine Aita stood by one side - Great Persepini stood by the other Each one of us had to walk between these two Gods Not all those who tried were allowed to pass on After these ordeals we had one last remaining This was the most terrible - this was the most wonderful Each one of us had to kneel before Dread Charun Not all those who did were allowed to rise Dread Emperor Charun to whom was given the dead Wise Charun who led us - Dread Charun who judged us All the Gods knelt before him and spoke of their deeds As the Gods did, so did we, and then we were judged. On his black throne Emperor Charun listened to all They spoke of their lives - they spoke of their deaths They told of their deeds and begged to be his subjects Some he spared, the others he destroyed Those who yet remained were bade to stand Dread Charun had judged them - Wise Charun had judged them Those who yet remained were deemed fit to serve Paradise awaited them beyond the black throne There in the Underworld a garden stretched out It was the size of the city - it was hidden by its walls All there who dwelled did so with glad hearts All dwelled there forever, as Emperor Charun's subjects So did these things happen for ages untold So it was in the beginning - So it was assumed to be for all time But sometimes what is meant to be is not what the Gods would wish Sometimes what is to be is not made plain until it occurs |