Ascend - Act I — Scene Two - Old Stone

[The Story — New Meridian, 2091. Cael Morrow rises from the Lower Grid to lead a revolution called The Ascending, seizes the Governing Council, and slowly becomes the very thing he overthrew. His oldest friend Lyra watches the drift. His enforcer Sable runs further than he authorized. And the people eventually sing his own words back at him as an indictment.] [Voss — Bass-Baritone Solo] [Intro] [Instrumental – slow deliberate piano, low strings enter beneath] [Verse 1] [Male Vocal – deep, measured, no urgency] I've seen them before The ones with fire in their voice The ones who climb to the top of something broken And call it a stage I've seen them rise on the warmth of an angry crowd Watched them burn like a signal in the dark And then I've watched them fade [Chorus] Because stone doesn't move for weather Stone doesn't bow for rain Every revolution finds the wall eventually And the wall — remains [Verse 2] [Male Vocal] You want to talk about the people? I've given my life to the people Thirty years of decisions they'll never see That kept this city breathing You want to talk about the future? I am the future — I'm the only one Who knows the cost of what he's asking for Before the damage is done [Chorus] Because stone doesn't move for shouting Stone doesn't bleed for blame Every fire burns itself to nothing in the end And the wall — remains [Bridge] [Spoken – quiet, to himself] Let him speak. Let him gather his beautiful believers. Let him learn the weight of what he wants. I was him — once. I remember the feeling. The stone remembers too. [Outro] [Instrumental – single piano note fades to silence]