EPIC: The Cyclops Saga (Original Concept Album), by Jorge Rivera-Herrans (2024)

1.

OVER HERE.LOOK AT ALL THIS FOOD!LOOK AT ALL THESE SHEEP!I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS CAVE HAS ALL THIS FOR US TO KEEP!I’VE GOTTA HAND IT TO YOU BOTH;THIS IS QUITE THE TREAT.THERE ARE ENOUGH SHEEP HERE TOFEED THE ENTIRE FLEET.IT’S ALMOST TOO PERFECT…TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE…WHY WOULD THE LOTUS EATERS PASS UP ON ALL THIS FOOD?WHO ARE YOU?!HEY THERE!WE’RE JUST TRAVELERS… WE COME IN PEACE.… YOU KILLED MY SHEEP…MY FAVORITE SHEEP…WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO DEAL A PAIN SO DEEP?DON’T YOU KNOW THAT PAIN YOU SOW IS PAIN YOU REAP?TIME TO DRINK YOUR BLOOD OVER WHERE YOU STAND.YOUR LIFE NOW IS IN MY HAND.BEFORE I’M DONEYOU WILL LEARN THAT IT’S NOT SO FUN TOTAKE… YOU CAME TO MY HOME TO STEAL.BUT NOW YOU’LL BECOME MY MEAL.A TRADE, YOU SEE?TAKE FROM YOU LIKE YOU TOOK FROM ME.THERE’S BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING.WE NEVER CAME HERE TO STEALBUT NOW THAT I SEE WE’VE DONE SOME DAMAGEMAYBE YOU AND I CAN MAKE A DEAL:I’LL GIVE YOU OUR FINEST TREASURESO LONG AS WE LEAVE ALIVE.YOU CAN KEEP THE WORLD’S BEST TASTING WINE.WINE?HAVE A DRINK!ONE SIP AND YOU’LL UNDERSTANDTHE POWER THAT’S IN YOUR HANDS.A WINE SO FRESHYOU’D NEVER WANNA EAT HUMAN FLESH AGAIN!THEN WE SHALL BE ON OUR WAY.NO BLOODSHED IN HERE TODAY.A TRADE, YOU SEE?A GIFT FROM YOU AND A GIFT FROM ME.AHH… I’D LIKE TO THANK YOU.STRANGER, WHAT’S YOUR NAME?MY NAME IS NOBODY… NOBODY… NOBODY…NOBODY,FOR YOUR GIFT I’VE ONE TO REPLY.I’M SO GLAD WE SEE EYE TO EYE.YES. YOU SHALL BE THE FINAL MAN TO DIE.…WHAT…WATCH OUT!!!

2.

MY BROTHERS!THE REST OF OUR FLEETTHEY WAIT AT THE BEACH.AND IF WE’RE DEFEATED THEY’RE GOOD AS DEAD.STRAIGHT AHEAD! THAT IS WHO WE’RE FIGHTING.NO BACKUP.NO CHANCE FOR SUPPORT.SO DRAW OUT YOUR SWORDS.OUR FOE MUST BE THWARTED RIGHT HERE AND NOW.SHOW ME HOW GREAT IS YOUR WILL TO SURVIVE!SIX HUNDRED LIVES AT STAKE!IT’S JUST ONE LIFE TO TAKE!AND WHEN WE KILL HIM THEN OUR JOURNEY’S OVER!NO DYING ON ME NOW!DEFEAT IS NOT ALLOWED!WE MUST LIVE THROUGH THIS DAY SOFIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!SURROUND HIM!SURROUND HIM!ATTACK FROM BEHIND!KEEP DISTANCE IN MINDAND STAY IN HIS BLIND SPOTAND STRIKE HIS HEELS.STRIKE THE HEELS!SHOW HIM THAT WE’RE DEADLY! EXHAUST HIM!EXHAUST HIM!DON’T LET HIM GET CLOSE!HE’S STRONG BUT HE’S SLOW!HE CAN’T LAND A BLOW IF WE’RE OUT OF REACH!FIND A BREACH!STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR YOUR LIVES!!!SIX HUNDRED LIVES AT STAKE!IT’S JUST ONE LIFE TO TAKE!AND WHEN WE KILL HIM THEN OUR JOURNEY’S OVER!PUSH FORWARD!!!!!NO DYING ON US NOW!DEFEAT IS NOT ALLOWED!WE MUST LIVE THROUGH THIS DAY SO FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!… CAPTAIN…ENOUGH.… HE’S GOT A CLUB!! HE’S GOT A CLU–WHAT ARE OUR ORDERS??CAPTAIN!?CAPTA–… YOU’VE HURT ME ENOUGH.SIX HUNDRED LIVES I’LL TAKE.SIX HUNDRED LIVES I’LL BREAK…AND WHEN I KILL YOU THEN MY PAIN IS OVER.YOU’RE DYING HERE AND NOW.ESCAPE IS NOT ALLOWED.YOU WON’T LIVE THROUGH THIS DAY NOWDIE! DIII-III-II-IEEE…

3.

CAPTAIN… CAPTAIN!CAPTAIN! … CAPTAIN!!!!WE MUST MOVE QUICKLY…WE DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME.HE DIDN’T NOTICE I MIXED LOTUS IN HIS WINE.MARK MY WORDS NOW…THIS IS NOT THE END.BUT CAPTAIN, WHAT’LL WE DO WITH OUR FALLEN FRIENDS?REMEMBER THEM.WHEN THE FIRE BEGINS TO FADEFOR THE FALLEN AND AFRAID,WE ARE NOT TO LET THEM DIE IN VAIN.REMEMBER THEM!WE’RE THE ONES WHO CARRY ONTHE FLAMES OF THOSE WHO’VE GONE!AND OUR COMRADES WILL NOTDIE IN VAIN…I NEED ALL OUR HANDS ON HIS CLUB…THIS IS HOW WE’RE GETTING OUT OF HERE:USE YOUR SWORDS TO SHARPEN THE STUBAND TURN IT TO A GIANT SPEAR!LET’S KILL HIM!HIS BODY IS BLOCKING THE PATH!IF WE KILL HIM, WE’LL BE STUCK INSIDE!CAPTAIN, WHERE DO WE ATTACK HIM?WE GOTTA STAB HIM IN THE EYE!YES, SIR!!!REMEMBER THEM!WHEN THE FIRE BEGINS TO FADEFOR THE FALLEN AND AFRAID,WE ARE NOT TO LET THEM DIE IN VAIN.REMEMBER THEM!WE’RE THE ONES WHO CARRY ONTHE FLAMES OF THOSE WHO’VE GONEAND OUR COMRADES WILL NOT DIE IN VAIN!NOW!!!!AAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!!SCATTER!AAAAGGGHHH!!!!WHO HURTS YOU? … THERE ARE MORE OF THEM?WHO HURTS YOU? … HIDE.WHO HURTS YOU? CAPTAIN, WE SHOULD RUN!WAIT…WHO HURTS YOU? CAPTAIN, PLEASE!WAIT!IT WAS NOBODY! NOBODY! IF NOBODY HURTS YOU, BE SILENT!DON’T GO!LET’S GRAB THE SHEEP AND AWAY WE GO!HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE LESSONS I TAUGHT YOU?HE’S STILL A THREAT UNTIL HE’S DEAD.FINISH IT.NO.NO?WHAT GOOD WOULD KILLING DOWHEN MERCY IS A SKILL MORE OF THIS WORLD COULD LEARN TO USE.MY FRIEND IS DEAD!OUR FOE IS BLIND!THE BLOOD WE SHED,IT NEVER DRIES!IS THIS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WARRIOR OF THE MIND?DON’T!HEY CYCLOPS!WHEN WE MET I LED WITH PEACEWHILE YOU FED YOUR INNER BEASTBUT MY COMRADES WILL NOT DIE IN VAIN!REMEMBER THEM!THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU DARE CHOOSE NOT TO SPARE,REMEMBER THEM…REMEMBER US…REMEMBER ME!!!I’M THE REIGNING KING OF ITHACA!I AM NEITHER MAN NOR MYTHICAL!I AM YOUR DARKEST MOMENT!I AM THE INFAMOUS…ODYSSEUS!

4.

YOU ARE RECKLESSSENTIMENTAL AT BEST.THAT’S NOT A TEACHING OF MINE.YOU’VE GROWN SOFT.YOUR DEAD FRIENDS CAN ATTEST.HEY!PUT YOUR EMOTIONS ASIDE.YOU’RE A WARRIORMEANT TO LEAD THE REST.I DON’T KNOW WHERE I WENT WRONGBUT I WARNED YOUAND YOU FAILED THE TESTSO NOW I’M GONE.THIS WAY YOU’LL KNOW WHAT YOUR PLACE IS.THIS WAY YOU CAN’T CROSS THE LINETHIS WAY WHEN ALL IS OVER,YOU’LL KEEP YOURS AND I’LL KEEP MINE.THIS WAY YOU WON’T DISAPPOINT ME.THIS WAY YOU WON’T WASTE MY TIME.THIS WAY I’LL CLOSE THE DOOR.CONSIDER THIS AS MY GOODBYE.THAT’S JUST LIKE YOU.WHY SHOULD I BE SURPRISED?SELFISH AND PRIDEFUL AND VAIN.UNLIKE YOU,EVERY TIME SOMEONE DIES,I’M LEFT TO DEAL WITH THE STRAIN.WHAT’S A TITLETHAT A GODDESS COULD LENDIF I’LL NEVER SLEEP AT NIGHT?I’LL REMIND YOUI SAW YOU AS A FRIEND.BUT NOW WE’RE DONE.THIS WAYYOU’RE OUT OF MY HEAD NOW.THIS WAYYOU WON’T PLAGUE MY LIFE.THIS WAYWHEN ALL IS DONE,YOU’RE OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND.THIS WAYYOU GET WHAT YOU WANTED.THIS WAYYOU CAN SAVE YOUR TIME.THIS WAYYOU CLOSE THE DOOR ANDHAVE YOUR DAMN GOODBYE!YOU’RE NOT LOOKING FOR A MENTOR.I’M NOT LOOKING FOR A FRIEND.I MISTOOK YOU FOR A GENERAL!WHAT A WASTE OF EFFORT SPENT!AT LEAST I KNOW WHAT I’M FIGHTING FORWHILE YOU’RE FIGHTING TO BE KNOWN!SINCE YOU CLAIM YOU’RE SO MUCH WISER,WHY’S YOUR LIFE SPENT ALL ALONE?YOU’RE ALONE!ONE DAYYOU’LL HEAR WHAT I’M SAYING.ONE DAYYOU MIGHT UNDERSTAND.ONE DAY BUT NOT TODAYFOR AFTER ALL YOU’RE JUST A MAN…THIS DAYYOU SEVER YOUR OWN HEAD!THIS DAYYOU CUT THE LINE!THIS DAYYOU LOST IT ALL!CONSIDER THIS AS MY GOODBYE!OH!!!CONSIDER THIS AS MY GOODBYE!OH!!!THIS IS MY GOODBYE!OH!!!CONSIDER THIS AS MY GOODBYE!OH!!!THIS IS MY GOODBYE!