Save Your Valediction (Final Fantasy IX - Rose Of May, Sword Of Doubt, Protecting My Devotion)

Arranging, Writing, Production, Lyrics by Roph
Opening "Sword Of Doubt" Arranged by Harpsibored

Harp played by Harpsibored (    / harpsibored   )
Flute played by SableProvidence ( https://linktr.ee/SableProvidence )
Vocals sang by Dawnaria (   / dawnaria1   )

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Originally made for Dwelling Of Duels May 2022 "Battle Month", in which this track was one of the winners! 🏆
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This is easily the most monumental project I've ever undertaken, and I can't thank Harpsibored enough for the initial idea and unending motivation, both to keep making music and to see projects like this through to the end.

This began as a very different and much simpler "Rose Of May" cover in a different (wrong) key and joined onto an FFII arrangement I was writing.

When Dwelling Of Duels' May theme of Battle Month was revealed, we decided to work together on a "Sword Of Doubt" and "Protecting My Devotion" mashup/medley, since both are battle themes and Devotion features Beatrix's Rose Of May theme heavily.

Later on I wrote out the interlude one night (inspired by Ludovico Einaudi) as an instrumental break, and later still got the crazy idea to try writing lyrics for it. So began a search for a vocalist and we eventually teamed up with newcomer (to VGM, but not to singing!) Dawnaria.

This was incredibly challenging to work on from a production standpoint getting everything fitting well together, I've certainly learned a lot and the revision you're hearing is somewhere in the high 30s. I had to learn new video editing techniques to make a video more deserving of a track like this too.

I certainly hope you enjoy this song and also give some love to the other artists who contributed!

FLAC download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/3lb5bq...

Bonus, Harpsibored's "Sword Of Doubt" arrangement solo: https://www.mediafire.com/file/w20rto...

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Lyrics:
Though this may be our final fateful night
Against endless hordes of relentless mistborn evil blight

I know I'll live somehow and I'll uphold my vow with you now
At my back my ally, under wings in the sky, I know how

All this decay, but we must stay, into the fray, we'll be ok, see another day
But as fire pours forth, from the black dragon's maw, have we zeal?

Crimson red eye, up in the sky, is this now why, people must die, naught but you and I?
No regrets from this threat, I will never forget how I feel..

I always knew, that when it's true, I'd obey
My heart craves you, but I never knew how to say

That I will always be your one and only rose of may

And I promise you'll never see
The loss of me

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JP Lyrics Translated By @sujiniku On Twitter:
今宵は、私たちにとって最後となるかもしれない宿命の夜
霧から無数に生まれる邪悪なものと、熾烈な防戦が続いている

何があろうとも生き延びて、今のあなたと交わした誓いを守りましょう
背中を預けた空にあるのは、私たちを護る翼だと知っている

全てが崩壊する。だが、私たちが退くことはない。この戦いに身を置いて、私たちなら乗り越えられる。今日を超えて、また出会える
だが、黒い竜の口から吐き出される紅蓮の炎を前に、私たちは闘志を胸に燃やし続けられるだろうか？

空に浮かぶ真紅の瞳が、なぜ今、あなたと私以外の人々を死へと誘うのだろうか？
この脅威にすら、悔いはない。私はこの思いを、決して忘れはしないでしょう

いかなる時も、それが真実であるなら私はそれに従うまで
私の心があなたを求めてやまないことを、伝える言葉が見つからなかった

私はそう、5月の薔薇、その花のようにあなたの心に咲く唯一無二の存在であり続けたい

だからこそ、私はあなたに約束します。未来永劫、あなたが決してその光景を目にすることは無いと
私を、失うということを