[Intro: distant stone grinding, low choir, single tolling bell] Ten thrones. Ten names. Ten sigils carved into the hall. That is what the records say. [Pause] Then why is there dust Around something that isn’t there? [Verse 1: low clean vocal, sparse heavy guitar] I walked the circle after midnight When the others had gone still Ten seats beneath the vaulted ceiling Ten names written into will Solvar Vaelune Morvane Aestra Kaelor Serathiel Nythra Orun Velkara And mine Perfect symmetry Almost [Pre-Chorus: tension building] Because between the stones Where nothing should remain There is a mark beneath the marble And I know that shape [Chorus: huge, ominous melodic metalcore] THERE WAS AN ELEVENTH THRONE I know what stood beneath that light You can scrape the name from history You can swear I lost my mind Ten are written Ten are known But the hall remembers what you don’t THERE WAS AN ELEVENTH THRONE And someone made it disappear [Verse 2: heavier rhythm] I pulled the dust from ancient flooring Found a circle cut below Same dimensions Same foundation As the other thrones in rows Four anchor points beneath the stonework Channels made for sacred flame A socket where a banner rested But no symbol And no name [Pre-Chorus 2] They didn't simply take the throne They cut it from the room Then rebuilt everything around it Like absence could become truth [Chorus] THERE WAS AN ELEVENTH THRONE I know what stood beneath that light You can scrape the name from history You can swear I lost my mind Ten are written Ten are known But the hall remembers what you don’t THERE WAS AN ELEVENTH THRONE And someone made it disappear [Interlude: low piano, whispers moving across the stereo field] [Whispers] Ten. Ten. There were only ten. [Fenrir] Then explain the foundation. [Silence] [Verse 3: restrained, increasingly disturbed] I brought Serathiel to see it He stared longer than he should Asked me where I found the fracture Then said: “You misunderstood.” Morvane wouldn't cross the doorway Orun counted ten and left Vaelune touched the empty stone And somehow looked bereft Nythra leaned against the pillar Smiling like she always knew And when I asked her who sat here She whispered: [Female whisper] “You do.” [Music cuts] [Fenrir] What? [Breakdown: crushing half-time] [Harsh vocal] DON'T TELL ME TEN I FOUND THE SCAR I FOUND THE PLACE WHERE THE ELEVENTH WAS [Gang vocals] WHO SAT HERE? [Harsh vocal] WHO WORE THE CROWN? WHO MADE YOU TERRIFIED ENOUGH TO TEAR IT DOWN? [Gang vocals] WHO SAT HERE? [Harsh vocal] WHY WON'T YOU SPEAK? WHY DOES EVERY GOD I ASK LOOK AT ME? [Instrumental: dissonant strings, pounding drums] [Bridge: almost whispered] I went back alone. There was writing beneath the throne. Not carved. Burned. One sentence. [Pause] “WHEN HE REMEMBERS, DO NOT LET HIM SIT.” [Long silence] I read it twice. Then the stone beneath me moved. [Final Chorus: enormous, desperate] THERE WAS AN ELEVENTH THRONE Now I know I wasn't wrong There was something in this circle They have hidden all along Ten are written Ten remain But someone cut the eleventh from the chain THERE WAS AN ELEVENTH THRONE And now I understand the fear They didn't erase it Because of who sat there [Music drops] They erased it Because they thought I'd come back here [Outro: stone grinding open beneath the floor] [Low clean vocal] Ten thrones above me. One beneath. [Whisper] And it fits.
