A face resolves in the darkness, stepping into the light. It’s Niki. The camera pulls back to reveal she stands in a doorway, blinking in the sudden light.
Heaven bend to take my hand
the camera pulls out further and pivots to show a profile of the doorway. Her clothing is black and somber where all other clothing in the crowd is bright.
And lead me through the fire
Niki emerges from the door, and slides into the crowd.
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight
A pair of children wriggle past, heading for a vendor selling pastries; a couple argues on a doorstep. Nexus is awake. Niki slides through the crowd, no destination in mind, taking in the bustle. She seems tired and a little lost.
Truth be told I've tried my best
As the music pauses, Niki stops, is pulled from the crowd by a mother and three huddled on the side of the street, begging; refugees, still coming in, hopeless and cold...
But somewhere along the way
Niki reaches into her pocket, finds the few jade there; a paltry sum. She looks up the street toward her home and the wealth and comfort she could provide.
I got caught up in all there was to offer
Then she looks up the street, and as the music pauses we see the rows and rows of widows begging.
And the cost was so much more than I could bear
Her face tightens, and the camera falls on jade bits tricking from her fingers into the woman’s hand. And Niki, shoulders hunched, walks away. Camera dark.

Though I've tried, I've fallen...
Niki’s face, screaming, filthy blood streaked down one side of her face.
I have sunk so low
She swings her blades wildly in a tight battle, leaving death I her wake.
I messed up
Niki wakes, sweat pouring across her skin.
Better I should know
A dagger is clenched in her hand, pulled from beneath her pillow. She stares at it as if seeing it for the first time. Hen she looks out the window. The camera moves out, pans down to see what she must be seeing in her mind; the widow huddled and shivering just beneath her window.
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
The camera moves up and out, pulling back into the sky to reveal an arial view of Nexus at night. Huge smokestacks billow and the camera moves into one of them--

(as the violins play a deeper note)
Coming out into the much smaller smokestacks of Brynne’s forge.
We all begin with good intent
Camera travels through the smoke, down under the trees and flashing through the woods until you see a golden haze…
When love was raw and young
Which reveals itself to be Byrnne’s anima, a cloud of little mechanical birds swirling around her like oven-nest birds.
We believed that we could change ourselves
The past could be undone
One of the birds lands on her palm cocking its head, and she smiles at it, totally at peace. The bird suddenly evaporates in a dust of shining gold, and a shadow appears above her in the bright forest.
But we carry on our backs the burden
Time always reveals
The camera pans up and back from the close-up as she turns around, looking up to see her war anima, which gazes down with a mournful expression. It lowers its head, and as she raises her hand it touches it with its nose.
In the lonely light of morning
Jubie, doing his morning exercises; the camera is slowly spinning around him.
In the wound that would not heal
Change. We are in a dark cave lit by candlelight, and Jubie has dark hair and dead eyes. He wears robes. He still holds a blade but it is soulsteel, not wood--
It's the bitter taste of losing everything I've held so dear.
And as the camera pans, as the music rises, we see that he holds the blade pointed at Niki, Brynne, and Typhoon.

I've fallen...
Under swirling waters dyed red with blood
I have sunk so low
As cymbals strike, a pair of bodies splash into the water. They are struggling.
I've messed up
The bubbles dissipate somewhat to reveal Brynne and a monk. Brynne pulls back, golden light bringing both of them—as well as the other bodies floating in the water—into sharp relief.
Better I should know
The brightness swells to overpower the camera, then suddenly fades and reveals the monk stabbing Brynne. She screams, face upraised, bubble escaping,
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
The camera follows the bubbles as they rise to the surface, exploding from the water. All that is visible of the conflict are the lights that play beneath the surface. The camera continues up to reveal all the bodies floating in the water, all the smoke coming from the decimated battlefield...
camera dark.

(guitar solo)
We see images of the entire group together. Everyone is gathered around the table in Jubie and Ukyo’s house in a rare moment of peace. Camera angles are warm and intimate. Katina looks a bit tipsy, and Haladin is teasing her. Jubie with Ukyo, who is talking animatedly with Brynne. The whole scene is very peaceful. Fade to black... and stay black for a second or two. Cleanse the palette, build anticipation.

Heaven bend to take my hand
The camera brightens again but only slightly; this is a dark room.
I've nowhere left to turn
The light is just bright enough to make out a curled form, bent over his knees. Long black hair drapes over one shoulder, showing the pale skin of his back slicked with what looks like blood.
I'm lost to those I thought were friends
The camera follows a trembling hand as it reaches out, hovering over an oily black sword lying on black silk.
To everyone I know
The hand clenches convulsively around the blade and stops trembling as blood runs between the fingers.
Oh they turned their heads embarrassed
Pretend that they don't see
New scene: Profile of Jubie in dark robes. He stands in a dark room with rough walls. Candles provide illumination. The black sword is bare in his hands. The camera slowly pulls out...
That it's one wrong step one slip before you know it (guitar ping)
to reveal that it rests at the throat of Brynne, wearing a peaceful expression at odds with her battered and panting body.
And there doesn't seem a way to be redeemed
The screen goes black, showing only the sword falling through darkness; to what end we can’t see.

Though I've tried, I've fallen...
Jubie too is on this battlefield. His mantle glows around him, forcing enemies back even as it drives his allies forward.
I have sunk so low
But next to him, a young man falls to a sword strike. He yells something, swings and slays the offender, but the press is too much.
I've messed up
Better I should know
Jubie pushes his way to the worst of the fighting, but the men around him are dying one by one. He turns to save only to have the man fighting at his back die—staying blow aimed at him.
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
Jubie continues to fight, and the crowd of living and dead closes about him...

I have messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
Panning view of a memorial in a huge city that seems to be entirely composed of them. The massive structure seems almost lost among the other monuments, but one figure, shrouded in a black cloak, stares directly at it. The camera moves over the figure’s shoulder to see the statue, a group of five proud people standing in a pose of camaraderie. A glimpse is given of the inscription, but the camera quickly pans to the figure’s eyes. A voice rough with emotion emerges from the cloth. "A fair likeness." The figure turns and melts into the darkness of Siijan as the music fades...