The Wolf Who Waits - The Next Winter

[Intro – Whispered Ritual | orchestral drone] (low choir, distant horns, wind) He waits beyond the firelight… Beyond the names… Beyond the years… [Verse 1] Under frozen cathedral skies Where the northern darkness never dies A shadow moves through falling snow Silent as the graves below No rage within those ancient eyes No hunger left to glorify Only patience carved in bone The kind that comes from dying alone [Pre-Chorus] Every kingdom turns to frost Every oath is paid in loss [Chorus – orchestral, mournful] The wolf who waits beside the night Does not hunt — he watches time He hears the mountains slowly break He sees the faith in men decay The wolf who waits beneath the stars Knows how small our empires are And when the final fire fades He will remain [Verse 2] The snow remembers every war Every son not coming home The trees stand black against the white Witnesses that speak to none We built our altars out of fear Called it truth for countless years But silence walked beside us still Cold enough to bend the will [Pre-Chorus 2] No crown survives the winter sky No god descends to hear us cry [Chorus – larger orchestration] The wolf who waits beside the storm Outlives every fragile form He carries centuries in breath A hymn composed of ice and death The wolf who waits beyond the veil Hears the oceans, hears them fail And in the silence left behind Only his howl survives the night [Bridge – Dark Ritual / Spoken] (deep orchestral drones, low drums) Spoken voice: We feared the beast in the forest… But never the beast within ourselves. We called conquest destiny. We called ruin progress. And all the while — The wolf waited. (choir rises) Waiting… Waiting… [Final Chorus – massive choir & orchestra] The wolf who waits when worlds collapse Will walk among the ash at last No throne, no flag, no sacred name Will outlive frost, will outlive flame The wolf who waits in endless white Will see the last electric light And when humanity is gone The snow will carry on [Outro – fading orchestral lament] (solo horn, distant choir) He waits… Still waits…