Drifting Soul

Drifting Soul is Disc 2, Track 19 on the Xenoblade2 Original Soundtrack and Disc 7, Track 19 on the Xenoblade Chronicles Original Soundtrack Trinity Box.

It plays after the first phase of the and  boss battle at the Olethro Ruins, and in the cutscene between the phases of the final boss of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Drifting Soul (Violin Version) is a variation of this track with the vocals replaced by a violin, and with a shorter ending. Kaleidoscopic Core and Nia - Toward the Heavens from the music of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 are remixes of this track, and uses it as a motif.

While ACE composed and arranged the song, its lyrics were written by Tetsuya Takahashi and translated by LYSSA and Castro Satoshi. Vocals were sung by Jen Bird. The lyrics are as follows:

English version
Among the mist I see a stretching path, reaches out so far, beyond what I can see How far would I be walking 'til I reach the end, the end of the path that's to be seen? I would keep thinking and questioning to myself why do I have to walk this path, oh why? I can't seem to find the real meaning to this path that I take, fate to accept, and my goal seems so far away

So tell me why I'm here and what's the reason I am here today If I recall it was you, you wish that I would stay No matter how much wind will blow against me I will keep on, oh oh I will keep moving on, to find the answer to I'm lost in search for you

I'm tired from the constant carry on shouting that I can't I see away ahead The words would fill the mist so gently in the air, and it melts as time just passes by When I look back there is no trace of my path I cannot find my way to the past And it's just too late, time has elapsed there's only now that goes on here on out, my eyes see ahead

So tell me why I'm here and what's the reason I am here today If I recall it was you, you wish that I would stay No matter how much wind will blow against me I will keep on, oh oh I will keep moving on, to find the answer to I'm lost in search for you

When you stop and look ahead and face up to the blue above The Jacob's ladder will come down and check me up If I could climb up to the top, would you be waiting at the top? Will this mean, I search no more?

I'll try and reach for the ladder that's there Far away the distance I hear the voices Was this what I've expected I don't even know, oh oh Is this the real me I've longed for, wish that was the case I know I'll let go of the ladder that's there I will start walking from this point on... I'm not here at all, I don't exist here at all I gotta search for me I wish that I find myself soon I need to find myself, myself

Original lyrics
霧の中　一本の道が　はるか彼方へと延びている どこまで歩けば　この道は終点に辿り着くの？ 僕は考える　僕はなぜ歩かなければならないのかを この果てしなく終わりのない道を　そこに運命や意義なんて見いだせやしないのに

僕はどうして　こんなところにいるの？ あなたが望んだからここにいるの？ どんなに強い向かい風が吹こうとも 答えを探して僕は歩き続けるんだ あなたを探して僕は彷徨うんだ

歩き疲れしゃがみ込み　もう無理だと叫んでも 言葉は静かに宙を舞い　霧の中へと拡がり溶けていく 振り返ればそこに道はなく　もうあの頃へは戻れない もう遅いんだ　時は過ぎ去って　僕の前には一つの道しか残っていない

僕はどうして　こんなところにいるの？ あなたが望んだからここにいるの？ どんなに強い向かい風が吹こうとも 答えを探して僕は歩き続けるんだ あなたを探して僕は彷徨うんだ

ふと立ち止まり　蒼を仰ぎ見れば ヤコブの梯子が　僕の前に振りてくる これを登れば　あなたの側へと行けるの？ もう歩かなくてもいいの？

僕は　梯子に手をかける 遠くから誰かの声が聞こえてくる それが僕の望んでいた事なのかと それが本当の僕なのかと...

わかっているんだ　だから僕はーー 梯子から手を離してまた歩き始めるんだ 僕はここにないから　ここに存在していないから 僕を見つけないといけないから そう　僕は見つけるんだ　僕自身をーー

Trivia

 * In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, when recruiting Nia as a Hero with Japanese voices, Nia hums a section of this piece to herself (corresponding to "The words would fill the mist so gently in the air") before noticing the party. (In English, she hums Torigoth/Night instead.)
 * Although the track is most strongly associated with Nia due to its use in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the original Japanese lyrics use male pronouns.

Drifting Soul (karaoke)
Drifting Soul is a playable track in Karaoke JOYSOUND for Nintendo Switch. It is a MIDI version of Drifting Soul with no vocal line. In-game, there is the option to include a voice pitch guide that plays the melody on top of the piece; notably, this melody has some minor differences from that of the original Drifting Soul and of Drifting Soul (Violin Version).

Credits
Vocals: Jen Bird Music: ACE (TOMOri Kudo, CHiCO) Original Lyrics: Tetsuya Takahashi English Lyrics: LYSSA & Castro Satoshi