Seven Gates

The first gate opened wide, a river made of gold Mountains of stolen wealth, a story centuries old Reach out your hand, they said, and take what you deserve But every coin I touched would burn and crack and curve The second rose in smoke, a throne of iron and bone A crown upon the altar, a kingdom mine alone They whispered "rule them all, their will beneath your fist I saw a thousand kings who crumbled into mist Seven gates, seven sins, seven ways to lose your soul Seven truths behind the lies, seven prices for the whole Walk alone, shed your name, leave the ghost of who you were Only shadows walk with you through the corridors of her The third gate smelled of silk, a perfume dark and sweet A figure on the altar, temptation in the heat She promised me a love that never fades or dies But when I looked inside I saw only hollow eyes The fourth was carved in blood, a sword still dripping red The faces of my enemies, the ones I left for dead They said "avenge the past, let fury be your blade But vengeance is a cage where all your debts are paid Seven gates, seven sins, seven ways to lose your soul Seven truths behind the lies, seven prices for the whole Walk alone, shed your name, leave the ghost of who you were Only shadows walk with you through the corridors of her The fifth shone like the sun, a hall of endless praise Statues raised in my name, the songs, the crowds, the haze They told me "you are god, immortal and divine" But fame is just a mask on a man who lost his spine The sixth was cold and dark, a pit with no below A silence so complete it swallowed every woe No voice, no chain, no choice, just nothing to believe I almost stayed for good… but something made me leave Seven gates, seven sins, seven ways to lose your soul Seven truths behind the lies, seven prices for the whole Walk alone, shed your name, leave the ghost of who you were Only shadows walk with you through the corridors of her The seventh had no door, just a mirror in the dark I stared and saw the man I was before the final spark He asked me one last question as the glass began to crack Was there a version of your life where you don't turn back? Seven gates, seven sins, I faced them all alone Not gold, not blood, not glory – just a mirror and a stone I walked through fire, walked through fear, walked through the man I was And now I stand with nothing but the truth and all its scars Seven gates Seven sins One soul to save Or let it in I chose to see I chose to stay I am the man I walked away He walked away