[Verse 1 - Elara, cold and direct, to WAR’s face] You wore the name like you had earned it Draped yourself in everything I lost You gave my people to the slaughter And called it destiny - I call it cost
You stood behind the church’s orders You let them raise me as their blade You watched them build a war machine from nothing And handed them the tools that they had made
[Pre-Chorus] So I am here now And I want my answer How many fell so you could keep your throne? Tell me how it justifies the ruin Or face me with nothing Stand alone
[Chorus - battle pace, driving] Flame of retribution I bring it down on you Flame of retribution For every name they never knew You are not a horseman You are not a cause You are just the excuse they gave For everything that fell before Flame of retribution Coming for you now Flame. Of. Retribution.
[Verse 2 - WAR speaks, something off about his defense] You want someone to carry all this blame? I wore the armor - but not by choice There are hands above the ones you’re hunting There are orders given without voice
I lit no torch that was not handed to me I drew no line that was not drawn before You think that I invented all this carnage? I am just the name they gave to war
[Pre-Chorus 2] I don’t care whose orders I don’t care whose mandate The blood is real no matter whose the word Excuses die as easy as their makers Your reasons will not save you from my sword
[Chorus] Flame of retribution I bring it down on you Flame of retribution For every name they never knew You are not a horseman You are not a cause You are just the excuse they gave For everything that fell before Flame of retribution Coming for you now Flame. Of. Retribution.
[Bridge - the killing blow] She strikes. He falls. One breath left.
“The real enemy…” “…is not me.” “We follow orders.” “Just like…” “…everyone else.”
[Final Chorus - key lift, she has absorbed it] Flame of retribution I brought it down on you Flame of retribution And now the name is mine to choose I am not a horseman I am not a cause I am the one who stopped making excuses For every war Flame of retribution Done with you now I. Am. War.
[Outro - quiet, the seed planted] We follow orders. …Who gives the orders?