[Intro — Low electrical hum, distant metallic pulse] [Graves — Male spoken] Ironjaw. The inner line held. [Vex — Female spoken] Tell them the rest. [Heavy riff enters] [Verse 1 — Vex, female rhythmic lead] Posts in the dirt where the border stood, Two small Dryos tucked behind the wood. Three shadows gone, no trail pursued, But Anvil's right side's bleeding through. Don't give me “strong.” Don't give me “brave.” Give me the part that the shouting can't save. The clearing is quiet. The wound isn't closed. Don't call this finished Because they chose to go. [Pre-Chorus — Vex, rising clean vocal] You can make the words sound iron, You can make the speakers shake— But there's someone here beside us Who should not have to wait. [Chorus — Vex, powerful female lead] NO VICTORY SPEECH! No crown for standing here! Say the line was broken. Say we need somebody near. Don't bury what it cost us Under one more roar of pride— If you're reaching for the microphone, Tell the truth this time. [Verse 2 — Graves, low male lead] I marked the edge. I made the call. I watched the timber, Not the small. You saw the two behind my back. Anvil took the narrow gap. I don't get to change the words To make that sound like what I planned. I can give the next report Without pretending I command The blood to stop, The night to clear— [Anvil — Male, quiet] Then tell them where we are. I'm here. [Breakdown — Guitars cut between phrases] [Vex — Female harsh lead] NOT A SYMBOL! [Graves — Male bass] Anvil. [Vex] NOT A HEADLINE! [Graves] Wounded. [Vex] NOT AN ENDING! [Graves] Help needed. [Instrumental — Eight bars, heavy half-time riff] [Bridge — Drums stop] [Graves — Male spoken, measured] Ironjaw outpost. Inner clearing, behind the roots. One wounded. Bite high on the right side. Still bleeding. Two Dryos sheltered with us. Outer boundary broken. We need help. [Static] [Vex — Female softly] No answer yet. [Anvil — Male quietly] Stay where I can hear you. [Vex] I'm here. [Final Chorus — Vex lead; restrained Graves harmony] NO VICTORY SPEECH! Let the open channel hear. There's a wound inside this clearing, There's a reason we're still here. Through the dark of Titans Maw, Past the broken outer line— We are asking for assistance, Not a story that sounds fine. [Outro — Sparse bass pulse] [Graves — Male spoken] I'll repeat the location. [Vex — Female spoken] I'm staying with Anvil. [Two low drum hits] [Unresolved guitar chord] [End]
