[Intro – soft ethereal strings + distant low drums] [Female soft ethereal] The dead answer only to me… [Male deep baritone] And I was sworn to keep their master breathing… [Verse 1 – Male deep baritone] I was the shield between the steel and her trembling hands Every time the corpses rose, my holy fire answered the command They named her Death’s Bride, cursed, unclean, the king’s last sin I was ordered to guard the witch whose army wins Around the fires the soldiers whisper through the night “Burn the necromancer before the dawn takes light” I turned my blade on men who once fought at my side Because the walls still stand on the backs of those she revived I hated the cold that followed every spell she cast Hated the faces of brothers wearing death’s mask But duty bound me tighter than any sacred vow Until the battlefield taught me to watch her instead of the clouds One breach came too fast, my shield arrived too slow An arrow found her shoulder and she sank into the blood and snow I nearly let the light die, nearly let the line give way Because the thought of losing her turned every prayer to gray [Chorus – Both, male deep baritone + female soft ethereal layered, rising choir] We were never meant to burn Sword and shadow, light and bone I defend the one I should condemn She wakes the dead I swore to own When the war is finished they will call for her life And I will be ordered to step aside or strike Death’s Bride and the Paladin A love no morning light will leave alive [Bridge – soft, intimate, sparse strings then building drums] [Female soft ethereal] You stood between the knives and me… [Male deep baritone] I would have razed the camp to set you free… [Both] But crowns and gods remember longer Than every stolen hour we took among the dead [Final Chorus – Both, full low choir + war drums and horns] We were never meant to burn Sword and shadow, light and bone I defend the one I should condemn She wakes the dead I swore to own When the banners drop and the victory bells cry They’ll count the graves she emptied as the reason she must die Death’s Bride and the Paladin Enemies the second peace arrives [Outro – fading strings, single soft female line over quiet male] [Female soft ethereal] If they come for me at last… [Male deep baritone, quieter] I will still be standing in their path…
