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The Battle

by Dave Malloy

on Ender's Game (Original Motion Picture Score) (2013)

[CHORUS]
Let us recount
What occurred there that night in that mead-hall.
What brought that beast down in that mead-hall.

[HROTHGAR]
That great fight!

[CHORUS]
Okay, you see,
Here are the steps:

[HROTHGAR]
Three, two, one!

[CHORUS]
[Intercom] Step One:
Grendel, The Devil Beast!

[Intercom] A:
Clashes and crashes
Mead-hall architecture

[Intercom] B:
Upturns tables and chairs which-

[Intercom] C:
Upsets the man!

[Intercom] Step Two:
Grendel, The Devil Beast!

[Intercom] A:
Finds first victim-
Munches on mad warrior!

[Intercom] B:
Leaves man boiled and lifeless

[Intercom] C:
Limb torn from limb

[Intercom] D:
While Beowulf looks on
And studies his foe!

[Intercom] Step Three:
Our God

[Intercom] A: Beowulf incarcerates arm monster in armlock.
Beowulf moves

[Intercom] Step four: A
They circle like whirlwind
[Intercom] Which causes B
The hall shakes like mouse in castle
[Intercom] Then C
Both wrestlers crash off walls and great chairs
[Intercom] While D
They slap at each other
It is noisy
Flesh slapping flesh

[Intercom] Step 5: A
Armlock
Armlock
Which causes B
Armlock
Step 6: A
Armlock
Which causes B

Yet more great pain

[Intercom] Step 7: A
Which causes B
And C
While D
Step 8: A
A tearing

(Violent piercing music)

[Intercom]
Sinew split
And arm skin ripped
And muscle, pus, ball joints twist and slip

Sinew split
And arm skin ripped
And muscle, pus, ball joints twist and slip
Sinew split
And arm skin ripped
And muscle, pus, ball joints twist and slip

[Intercom] Which causes B
And great scream!

[GRENDEL]
Gyah!

[CHORUS]
[Intercom] And C
Blood and white stuff oozes out

[Intercom] While D
Arm in hand

[Intercom] Step 9
Faint faces
Arm in hand
End of battle

[Intermission]