Light’s Last Stand

Lyrics

Thomas Light examines the small music box in the filtered half-light and carefully tucks it inside his overcoat. He sets his tattered notebook on the bench and hurries down the stairs and out into the morning air, thick and heavy with smoke [Verse 1: Light] Well, this city’s on fire and you can’t put it out cause boys catch onAnd the girls, they know This wasn’t the way the night was supposed to go And there’s one way out but I can see they're betting it all on one machine With a still beating heart From a dream they can barely rеcall before it all fell apart [Chorus: Light] But I know hе’s not coming back to save them Cause I watched him walk away, even now as we drown in the dark And my heart is buried underneath the weight God, I swear even now I can still feel the sun on my face [Lyric Note 2] The streets are empty, except for the few standing near a fire burning at the edge of the trainyard. Thomas hears them speaking about the night before—the victory, the celebration, the return of their young leader, the meeting she'd called later this morning to tell them what she'd learned in the mountains of the north. He steps onto the tracks to begin the same long journey he'd made the day before, this time with one detour... [Verse 2: Light] I’ve seen this before and I know how it ends when it all goes wrong And a hero will fall But if I stand a chance, it’s cause I’m no hero at all And I can’t look back Cause I know what’s there, a hell that’s all my fault And a beautiful girl And a dream, a dream that I lost when I wouldn’t let go of this world [Chorus: Light] And I know she’s not coming back Cause I let her slip away Emily, after tonight I swear I will walk away from all of this and run to you [Lyric Note 3]The sun is just coming up when he finally steps through the iron gatesIt has been years since he'd last been here, but his feet carry him to the spot without thinking. Here, at the far end of a long row of simple stone markers, he kneels down. He gently presses his trembling hand to the ground and closes his eyes. He feels her hand on his shoulder and reaches back to take it. He sits frozen in silence, his eyes clenched tight, knowing that when he opens them, she'll be gone once again. He begins to sob, trying to find the words he wants to say to her now ...[Saxophone Solo] [Bridge: Light] Oh, Emily! Oh, oh, oh I made a promise to you And there’s just one more thing that I have to do [Lyric Note 4] Meanwhile, back on the southern side of the city the unrest is gathering steam. Thomas can tell by the even-toned voice on the loudspeaker outside the cemetery gates. It always lets on more than it intends, if you know how to sift through the doublespeak. Citizens are warned to remain in their homes and report any disturbance to the nearest patrol Wily is rattled Thomas makes his way easily through the deserted streets, avoiding the robots when he can and shutting them down when he must [Verse 3: Light, Choir ] (We can hold out through this endless dark) (All a fire needs is a single spark) One more night to get it back, make it right (One more night to take back)Show this city what they are fighting for (What we’re fighting for)Shine a light, take it back (In the light we'll see)Oh, Emily, that’s worth dying for (If it’s all worth dying for) All the city’s awake, they have waited for so long for this day (Wake the city) I can feel their beating heart ( We will not be silent) Pumping blood through their veins ( Death won’t scare me ) Reaching up to climb out of the graveHands of skin, hands of bone and a voice like a fire (We will not keep quiet) [Verse 4: Light, Choir ] I know what I’ll do, I’ve made my choice (I’ve made my choice) I’ll make my stand (I’ll make my stand) I may not be the hero they need, but, God, I can still be your man (God, I can still be your man) Oh Emily, look down on me, I know that I was wrong (I was wrong) I’ll make it right (I will make it right) And as sure as the stars in the sky, we will be together tonight (We’ll be together tonight) [Chorus: Light, Choir ] Cause I know I’m not coming back Cause there’s nothing left for me, whatever I had (Left for me) I know that it has to be with you tonight (Has to be tonight) Emily, this is my chance to make it right [Outro: Choir] No matter how dark it gets The day will rise even now We will live on, the dawn will come There will be light [Lyric Note 5] Dread battling hope, he finds himself once again in the shadow of the great skull-like complex. Slipping through the gate, he makes his way to the large concrete stairwell he'd entered just one day before. He hesitates, eyes fixed on the path down to the lower levels, before pivoting to the staircase going up. To the control tower. To Wily. He begins to climb As the elevator doors close on the lowest level of the compound, deep beneath the tower's control room, Albert silently questions his decision. He knows the machine he's been working on is not yet ready. Previous iterations have proven unreliable or worse... dangerous. However, the thread of full-blown insurrection has left him with no other choice