Kormakr's Debt

Verse 1

I was nine winters old when my father went still to Iceland's south

The chieftain at Hlída said he'd keep the farm — that was the truth

I came back six years later, armor strapped from neck to knee

Atli Gunnarsson standing in my door like a debt owed me

Six of his men were waiting behind the fence line

Said I had something coming — said the land still wasn't mine

I gave him names instead: told him who to kill for every promise broken

Watched him count the bodies one by one before he'd speak it — the debt unspoken

The wind came up that night, the gatepost shook like a hand on fire

Atli's men went running in, Atli stayed behind, said this was his hire

Said I owed the land before I owned my name

I stood him down instead of standing still for shame

Pre-Chorus

He spat at my boots and called me son to the wolf that feeds us all

I turned my back first — watched the frost bite where a chieftain would have bled —

Why pay in gold when you can trade the blood they fear?

Chorus

Kormakr's debt I'd rather own than owe again today

Watch the fire eat what you can't burn away

Land for land, not silver on a shelf

Atli came to claim it — learned how men defend themselves

Verse 2

Three years since that gate and Atli still runs free in Iceland's hills

Built a hall bigger than mine at Hlída by the river's bends

Still he sends his sons north with shields emblazoned 'for my father's name

I know the shape of every face he'd bring — I trained them, named them, watched the weight

One summer, Atli rode through Keldudal alone

Pretended peace was his plan when he could not show it — cold as stone

I called him out at dusk — said the debt don't end in a letter —

Pay me blood or pay me frost — choose how you will weather

Atli chose the latter, rode into the ice-sheltered bay below

Came back six days later with a beard like Atli's own

Said he'd crossed my river — said it was his to name and hold —

Watched him turn around — watched the frost eat all he'd brought home —

Pre-Chorus

He spat at my boots — I caught his arm — said no more standing still for what's owed —

Atli's sons are hunting now — they're hunting me, not a wolf that's owed

Chorus

Kormakr's debt I'd rather own than owe again today

Watch the fire eat what you can't burn away

Land for land, not silver on a shelf

Atli came to claim it — learned how men defend themselves

Bridge

I'm not built for the hall now — never was — never will be —

Every winter's harder — every winter's mine to keep —

I don't build my name by burning down what I borrowed

That's a debt that keeps you standing in the snow, the wind, the borrowed

Outro