[Intro] (A single heartbeat-like 808, distant wind, soft piano note) (Stuttering vocal sample: shadow… shadow… face me…) (Ad-lib: I'm not running anymore) [Verse 1] I've been chasing ghosts through the Necropolis But the one that's been hunting me is the one I miss It wears my face, it speaks my name, it knows my fears It's the echo of every time I drowned in tears It's the version of me that almost didn't make it out The one who sat in the dark and filled his mouth with doubt I see him in the mirror when the neon flickers low And I know before I rule, I have to let him go [Pre-Chorus] But "let him go" don't mean I push him to the floor It means I take his hand and say, "I see you, I want more" Why am I so scared of the boy I used to be? Because he's still inside me, and he's asking to be free [Chorus] This is shadow work, this is the deepest cut I'm not fighting my demons, I'm learning how to love Every scar, every flaw, every night I almost broke Is a piece of the king that the darkness never stole Shadow work, shadow work, I'm holding my own ghost The part of me that suffered, the part that hurt the most Why am I still crying? Why does it feel like birth? Because the only way to heaven is to walk through hell on Earth [Verse 2] I sat him down beside me in the ruins of my mind Said, "I know you felt abandoned, I know you fell behind I know you tried to numb it with the poison and the pain I know you thought the storm would never let you see the rain But I'm here now, I'm listening, I'm not leaving you alone We built this kingdom together, and we're finally coming home" He looked at me with hollow eyes, then he took my hand And the shadows in the room began to understand [Pre-Chorus] "Let him go" don't mean I push him to the floor It means I take his hand and say, "I see you, I want more" Why am I so scared of the boy I used to be? Because he's still inside me, and he's asking to be free [Chorus] This is shadow work, this is the deepest cut I'm not fighting my demons, I'm learning how to love Every scar, every flaw, every night I almost broke Is a piece of the king that the darkness never stole Shadow work, shadow work, I'm holding my own ghost The part of me that suffered, the part that hurt the most Why am I still crying? Why does it feel like birth? Because the only way to heaven is to walk through hell on Earth [Bridge] (Stripped back, piano and a single 808, delivery raw and shaking) I used to think the shadow was the enemy within But it's just the little boy who never got to win The one who carried all the weight, the one who held the shame The one who kept me alive when I forgot my name So I wrap my arms around him, and I whisper through the tears "Thank you for surviving, thank you for the years We're not broken, we're not cursed, we're not lost, we're not alone We're the king and the shadow, finally on the throne" [Final Chorus] (Full energy, the beat explodes, layered harmonies and screaming ad-libs) This is shadow work, this is the deepest cut I'm not fighting my demons, I'm learning how to love Every scar, every flaw, every night I almost broke Is a piece of the king that the darkness never stole Shadow work, shadow work, I'm holding my own ghost The part of me that suffered, the part that hurt the most Why am I still crying? Why does it feel like birth? Because the only way to heaven is to walk through hell on Earth [Outro] (Piano fades, stuttering vocal sample: shadow… I love you… we are one…) (One final heartbeat 808, then silence)
