[Intro: solo gusle, fire, female folk calls] (Ой-е-е... ой-е-е...) (Ай-лай... ой, ай-лай...) [Verse 1: low female contralto, slow drums] He stalked the frozen timber, a phantom in the snow, Hunting for the blood-witch where the bitter winds blow. A killer sworn in secret to the Lord of Fear's command, The shadowed god of nightmares who rules the blackened land. He crept into the thicket to claim his fated prize, And stood before the maiden with the crimson in her eyes. [Gusle transition: 4 bars, drums build] [Verse 2: driving gusle and drums] She never fled the clearing, though the frost began to bite, She faced the prowling hunter like a predator of night. He never drew his weapon, nor did what he'd come to do, An ancient, chilling instinct pierced his marrow through and through. [Pre-Chorus: whispered female lead, sudden silence] The roots beneath him trembled, as if warning of his fate: "Hound of the dark, beware before it's too late!" [Chorus: heavy folk metal, female call-and-response] (Ой, суналкан! Ой, ой!) Hunter of the shadows, to whom did you bow? (Ай-лай, ай-лай! Ой, ай-лай!) To the Lord of Fear! To him I made my vow! (Ей, ей! Ой, суналкан!) Hunter of the shadows, what prey drew you there? (Ой, хела! Ой, хела!) The daughter of Fear, whom I sought to ensnare! (Ой-е-е-е! Ай-лай-е-е!) [Breakdown: half-time guitars, tribal drums, bowed gusle] (Ой, суналкан... ой, суналкан...) (Ай-лай! Ай-лай!) [Gusle transition: fast rising melody] [Verse 3: fierce female lead, chugging guitars] The winds howled the god's name; the hunter bent his knee, For the maiden bore the mantle of the god he longed to see. He drew no silver blade; no life was torn apart, Only heavy, choking silence weighed upon his heart. The soul he'd come to sever, the blood he'd come to take, Became the very sovereign he'd follow in her wake. [Chorus: full female choir, soaring gusle] (Ой, суналкан! Ой, суналкан!) Hunter of the shadows, to whom did you bow? (Ай-лай, ай-лай! Ала Калван!) To the Lord of Fear! To him I made my vow! (Ой, ой! Ей, суналкан!) Hunter of the shadows, what prey drew you there? (Ой, хела! Ой, хела!) The daughter of Fear, whom I sought to ensnare! (Ой-е-е-е! Ой, ай-лай-е-е!) [Instrumental: 8 bars, gusle and guitars in unison] [Gusle Solo: 16 bars, virtuosic folk bowing, rising drums] [Stop: silence, crackling fire] [Bridge: whispered female lead, solo gusle to doom metal] He bound his wretched spirit to the daughter of Fear, And swore to be her vanguard while his soul remained here. (Ой, хелаву... ой, хелаву...) He no longer hunts her, nor seeks her demise, He walks a step behind her, her guardian in disguise. (Ой, ай-лай... ой, суналкан...) From stalker to her servant, his bloody past undone, The hound who guards the daughter of the shadowed one. (Ой, хелаву! Ой, хела!) (Ай-лай-е-е! Ой-е-е-е!) [Final Refrain: a cappella female choir, lone gusle] He chose to stay because she stood. (Ой, хелаву... ай-лай...) Because she stood... [Outro: fading gusle, distant women's folk calls] (Ой, суналкан...) (Ой-е-е... ай-лай-е-е...) (Ой, хелаву...) [End]
