Characters
The Dreamer (1952 -)
The main protagonist
The Rose (1953 – 1974)
The Dreamer’s deceased wife
The Illusionist (1897 -)
The creator and keeper of the Lullaby
The Lily (1965 -)
The Dreamer’s close friend; in love with him
The Dreamer’s Requiem (Prologue)
The year is 1989, and it’s a day like many others. The sun is beginning to set as The Dreamer rides the train home, his mind restless—unsure of how he feels about his day. He met someone close to him, and it felt like they had a pretty good time, just as they always do. It was nice… but something keeps holding him back from truly enjoying the memories from just a few hours ago. As soon as it was over, everything went back to normal.
Once home, The Dreamer experiences a sense of déjà vu. Maybe it’s the author on TV who seems to be speaking directly to him. Or maybe it’s just the feeling of returning home after another day lost to routine. A message awaits him—a missed call. He knows it’s her. She must have arrived home before he did. Her voice sounds the same as always—so optimistic and hopeful about life. A feeling that once felt familiar to him, yet now seems so distant.
It’s getting late as The Dreamer wrestles with his thoughts, trying to make sense of his meeting with The Lily earlier that day. He can tell that she cares deeply about him. But he is unable to open up, unable to truly connect with anyone. Because the name he whispers before falling asleep… is not hers.
Empty Days
It’s a new day—or just another one. Another day of isolating himself from others. An entire night has passed, yet he still finds himself trapped in the same thoughts as yesterday.
There are things in his life that should bring him joy. Yet he is unable to hold on to those fleeting moments of happiness and, even more so, unable to find peace. He can’t deny that spending time with The Lily is better than his usual solitude. She is, after all, the sweetest person he knows. He’s aware that she hopes for something deeper than friendship, even though she has never told him how she feels. But knowing this only makes things harder for The Dreamer.
Because of his inability to let people in and open his heart, he can’t determine whether or not he feels something more for her in return. He feels guilty—afraid that he might be giving her false hope. Yet, he still enjoys spending time with her and deeply cares about her as well.
But somehow, his relationship with The Lily is perhaps more of a way to relive a past love—a past life—and to cling to the desire of reuniting with The Rose, who passed away fifteen years ago. This lost soul—the great love of his life—haunts him, leaving him empty. The same emptiness he carried long before he met her.
When Shadows Call
The Dreamer wakes up drenched in sweat from a nightmare—something that, unfortunately, has been a common occurrence for years. But this one feels heavier than before. Without hesitation, he rushes outside into the misty morning. As he stops by a bridge, memories flash before him, replaying the nightmare in his mind.
Standing on the edge, he closes his eyes and considers ending it all. It’s an internal battle between reason and wishful thinking. A part of him wants to believe that by jumping, he may finally reunite with The Rose in the afterlife. Yet, at the same time, his instincts fight to save him, overwhelming him with fear—fear of the only darkness deeper than the present.
Then, suddenly, The Dreamer hears the lost soul of The Rose calling out to him. Her voice is clear, tangible—he can feel the connection. She calls for him, pleading for a reunion, igniting in him the belief that she still lingers somewhere within the realms of reality. Desperate, he searches for a way to reach her, though fear keeps him from stepping over the edge. Instead, he clings to the hope that one day, when his final season arrives, he will see her again.
He prays to God that she still exists—somewhere, in some form. That there is a place beyond this life where they can reunite, where their love and their souls can remain immortal.
Scent of a Rose
Memories consume The Dreamer as we are taken back to 1971, where a young Dreamer was already struggling with fundamental issues. Ever since childhood, he had felt profoundly alone. He battled feelings of isolation, unable to find people who truly understood him. While others bonded effortlessly, forming deep connections, falling in love, and sharing laughter, he remained on the outside, watching. He never saw himself in those couples strolling down the streets, joking and living their lives together. He longed for that connection—not just with a lover, but with anyone. Envy gnawed at him, but with it came an overwhelming hopelessness, as if such a change in his life was impossible.
Then, one day, everything changed.
Standing in an art gallery, he found himself drawn to a particular painting, unable to look away. Something about it spoke to him, reflecting emotions he could not put into words. Then, from nowhere, a young woman appeared beside him, commenting on the artwork—sharing his admiration for it. Her words startled him, but even more surprising was the bond that instantly formed between them.
She was his opposite—full of energy, vibrant, and effortlessly social. Yet, despite their differences, something between them just clicked. For the first time in his life, he felt an instant connection, a feeling more profound and exhilarating than he had ever imagined. And, incredibly, the feeling was mutual. This realization gave him the courage to open up to her—to The Rose.
Years passed, and The Dreamer became a changed man. For the first time, he had found both love and peace within himself. The Rose was his salvation, his anchor, his reason to live. They were devoted to one another, bound by a love so deep that nothing else mattered. They vowed to be together until their final days.
But memories, no matter how beautiful, carry their own kind of torment.
As The Dreamer immerses himself in the past, he finds a fleeting sense of calm, reliving their time together. Yet, inevitably, the memories always lead him to the moment he lost her. No matter how vividly he recalls their love, the pain of her absence will always overshadow it.
Oct. 5, 1974: Past Remorse
We go back in time—fifteen years to be exact—to the memories The Dreamer has desperately tried to repress. It is 1974, and he has been with The Rose for a little over three and a half years. On this fateful day, an argument erupts between them—nothing unusual, just the kind of fight that can happen in any relationship. But there is no time to resolve it. Still upset, she leaves for work, her emotions clouding her mind.
Tragically, she never makes it there.
A phone call shatters The Dreamer’s world. The words barely register—an accident, the hospital, critical condition. His hands tremble as the receiver slips from his grasp. In a daze, he rushes to the hospital, his heart pounding with fear and regret. But when he arrives, it is already too late.
Lying on a hospital bed on this cold autumn day, The Rose slips away, never having regained consciousness. There are no final words. No goodbye. Only silence.
Shock numbs him, but only for a moment. Then the grief sets in. Then the rage.
He blames himself. If they hadn’t fought, she wouldn’t have left in that state of mind. If she hadn’t been upset, she would have been more careful. If only… if only… The thoughts tear through him, unrelenting, merciless.
The drive home is a blur. He screams in agony, his hands gripping the wheel, his vision blurred by tears. When he steps through the door, their home—once warm, once filled with love—becomes a prison. A fortress of solitude, where he will spend the years to come drowning in regret.
He cannot forgive himself. He cannot move on.
Because as far as he is concerned, The Rose was the only one who ever truly understood him.
Invitation
We return to the story’s present time—1989. The Dreamer is having yet another rough emotional night, something that has become a recurring event ever since the passing of The Rose. To ease the pain and lift his mood, he enters a bar to drink, trying to reconnect with The Rose’s voice once more, whispering out loud as if speaking to her.
Hearing The Dreamer’s mourning, an old man approaches him and learns about The Dreamer’s situation. This man, The Illusionist, listens patiently to The Dreamer’s story and offers him a solution. He hands him a music box, said to be a key to a world where she could be found. The Illusionist explains that the box contains a melody he created, simply named “The Lullaby.” He tells The Dreamer that by listening to this song, he will transcend to another dimension—a world where everything is shaped by the listener’s dreams and deepest desires.
The Illusionist, being very old, offers not just to lend the box, but to give it to The Dreamer. In return, he asks The Dreamer to continue his work, though The Dreamer doesn’t fully understand what he means. Skeptical, yet desperate, The Dreamer decides to accept the gift.
The rain starts pouring as The Dreamer takes a cab back home. Once there, he lays down on his bed with the box next to him. He opens the box and closes his eyes…
The Lullaby
While lying on the bed, he hears the first notes of “The Lullaby.” His surroundings slowly begin to fade as the music lulls him to sleep. His heartbeat slows, and he feels more relaxed than he ever has before. The melody continues to carry him deeper, guiding him toward the world The Illusionist spoke of—the dreamlike realm where she might be waiting.
Elysium
Soft light begins to touch The Dreamer’s eyelids as he slowly awakens, surrounded by greenery. He opens his eyes and finds himself lying in a vast, sunlit field, filled with beauty and warmth. Standing up, he takes in the vibrant, colorful view—unlike anything he’s ever seen.
As he wanders through this peaceful place, he notices a woman standing at the edge of the field. She seems to be waiting for him. As he draws closer, he recognizes her. It’s truly her… It’s The Rose. Without hesitation, he runs to her, and at last, they reunite. The Dreamer is overwhelmed—not only can he see her, but he can touch her, breathe in her scent, speak to her. It all feels so real, too real to be just a dream.
Everything in this world seems perfect, exactly as The Dreamer had hoped, exactly as The Illusionist had promised. Together, they walk to a house nestled within the field, reminiscing about memories from long ago. Their conversation gently turns into a kiss. As they lie down, they make love once more, after fifteen long years apart. It is just as beautiful as The Dreamer remembers… and it still feels as real as anything he’s ever known.
An Ancient Tale
It’s time to travel back in time once again—this time, even further—to the year 1922.
At the Egyptian National Library in Cairo, we find a young Illusionist, deeply inspired by The Great Book of Music written by Al-Farabi (872–950). Fascinated by the power of music, he becomes particularly interested in its use in therapy and spiritual healing. Driven by this passion, he composes a melody and builds a music box, hoping to create something that will ease his own pain. This creation becomes “The Lullaby.” Upon listening to his finished work for the first time, he experiences his first journey into a dream world—much like The Dreamer would years later. In his dream world, he is reunited with his son, who had died at the age of four. Seeing his son once again, he is overwhelmed with joy as he holds him in his arms. Satisfied with the result of The Lullaby, The Illusionist returns to the real world with new purpose. Realizing the power of what he has created, he becomes eager to help others heal using his invention.
One day, while rushing through the busy streets of Cairo, The Illusionist is involved in a minor accident, colliding with two strangers. In the chaos, he accidentally drops the music box, which ends up in the hands of two scientists named William and Thomas. They call out to return it, but The Illusionist has already disappeared into the bustling crowd.
Curious, the scientists bring the box back to their lab, where they soon discover the incredible powers of The Lullaby. Intrigued, they conduct several experiments. William ventures into the dream world while Thomas observes from the outside. Thomas finds it fascinating how the person in trance seems to move and speak in the real world exactly as he does within the dream world.
However, through repeated experiments, the two encounter unsettling results. They realize how difficult it becomes to escape the dream if one grows desperate for something encountered within it. William eventually becomes trapped, unable to wake up—lost in longing. It’s only through Thomas’s efforts, and a narrow brush with death, that William finally snaps out of the dream after having stopped breathing for a dangerously long time.
Shaken, they decide The Lullaby is too dangerous to continue experimenting with. Together, they agree to dispose of it.
But unbeknownst to them, The Illusionist eventually tracks them down. By chance, he locates the two scientists and retrieves his invention before they can destroy it. He overhears enough to realize they planned to break the box—but not the reasons why. He remains completely unaware of the dangers they discovered during their experiments.
Still convinced of the power of The Lullaby to heal, The Illusionist continues on his path, determined to help others. He travels the world, offering people peace by guiding them into the dream world and vanishing before they awaken—never knowing what effects the dream may leave behind.
For all those he helped prior to The Dreamer, The Illusionist’s role was always the same: to play the melody and leave as soon as they crossed into the dream. Getting them there was enough. He never stayed to see the aftermath. And because he never lingered himself, he remained blind to the potential dangers the dream world posed.
Finally, in 1989, as covered in Invitation, The Illusionist passes the music box to The Dreamer—making him the last person he seeks to help. He hopes, perhaps, that The Dreamer will carry on the tradition, passing The Lullaby to others in need, just as he once did.
When Liberty Calls
We return once again to the present time—back into the dream world, and back to The Dreamer’s perspective. The Dreamer begins to question whether he should ever return to the real world. Everything in this alternate dimension feels perfect, tailor-made for him, and he can’t find a reason to leave. Here, he can be reunited with The Rose, and together they can remain immortal forever. Or so it seems…
The feeling of freedom is too tempting. The Dreamer finds himself drawn deeper, considering the possibility of staying in the dream world forever. Without much hesitation, he makes his decision.
Disconnection
The Dreamer has made his decision: he will not return to the ordinary world. This choice triggers a disconnection from reality, causing his soul to separate from his body, leaving his physical form motionless—“lifeless.” Suddenly, The Dreamer collapses in the real world. The Lily, who is with him, panics and calls 911 as The Dreamer’s body slips into a coma-like state.
Meanwhile, consequences begin to unfold in the alternate dimension as well. The lush greenery surrounding him starts to wither, the light grows dim, and The Dreamer himself feels weaker, as if something is draining away. Most distressing of all, The Rose begins to fade. He can no longer touch her, no longer hear her voice. She becomes unreachable, a ghost slipping through his fingers.
Here, it becomes clear that the dream world created by The Lullaby is entirely dependent on reality. While a person resides in the dream, their real, physical self mirrors their actions—walking, speaking, touching. What The Dreamer doesn’t realize is that while he was with The Rose in the dream world, he was unknowingly interacting with The Lily in the real one.
The Lullaby works by connecting the listener’s reality with their innermost desires, translating real-world interactions into the illusion of the dream. The sense of touch, conversation, and presence all stem from that tether to reality.
But now, having severed that connection, The Dreamer can no longer feel The Lily’s touch. As a result, The Rose begins to fade—revealed for what she truly is: a fragile illusion, held together only by the bridge between reality and desire.
Dark Dimension
The Dreamer quickly realizes that everything around him is continuing to change for the worse. The once-beautiful world has lost its color and warmth. Most painfully, he notices that he can no longer touch The Rose—she slips through his fingers like mist. Yet, he doesn’t fully understand why.
Panic sets in. Desperate to stop her from fading, he tries everything he can to hold onto her, to keep her from disappearing. But nothing works. She is slowly dissolving into the fog, becoming one with it—out of reach, out of sight.
As the world darkens around him, The Dreamer begins to piece it together. He starts to realize the consequences of his choice—to sever his connection to reality. Regret and fear overwhelm him. All he wants now is to wake up from this nightmare, this illusion crafted by The Corrupted Lullaby.
In a moment of sheer desperation, he cries out for The Lily. Deep down, he knows she is the only way back. He understands that he must find a way to return to reality, to escape this crumbling dream—and, ultimately, to save his own life.
The Dreamer’s Escape
At the beginning of the song, we hear The Illusionist whispering a line about learning from your dreams. That is what The Lullaby offers. But there’s also a warning—it’s important not to get trapped within the dream, because it can be just as addictive as any drug.
In this chapter, The Dreamer is desperately trying to wake up. He envisions himself lying in the same position he was in when he first entered the dream world, the moment he first heard The Lullaby. What he doesn’t realize is that, in the real world, The Lily and the doctors are doing everything they can to revive him.
Inside the dream, The Dreamer runs aimlessly, searching for a glimpse of light, panicking, unsure where to go. Meanwhile, his physical body grows weaker, bringing him dangerously close to death.
Eventually, he sees it—a white light, the tunnel leading to the afterlife. As he races toward it, The Rose appears within the light. She gently stops him, explaining that the world of The Lullaby is nothing more than an illusion—a reflection of how he wished things to be.
In that moment, The Dreamer finally understands: the version of The Rose he’s been clinging to was never truly her. She tells him to stop, to not enter the light she stands in. If he does, he will sink even deeper into the dream, slipping further away from reality and into complete darkness, trapped forever.
She reassures him—it is not his fault that she passed away. She urges him to let go of the guilt, to stop carrying remorse. She tells him he must live his life, look toward the future, and no longer be afraid to open his heart to love again.
In truth, The Rose’s words represent realizations The Dreamer has buried deep inside for years—truths he’s always known but could never fully accept.
At last, as the dream crumbles, he hears both The Rose and The Lily calling out to him: “Wake up.” And with that, The Dreamer breaks free.
Leaves of Fall
After The Dreamer’s realization and his escape from the grip of The Lullaby, he finally breaks free from its curse. He regains consciousness in a hospital bed, with The Lily sitting beside him. But soon he realizes he cannot move. He can hear everything happening in the room—the quiet conversations, the dialogue about his condition—yet he is unable to open his eyes or move a muscle.
In these final moments, he learns the greatest lesson of his life: to not live in regret, to always look forward, and to keep going no matter the pain. Because otherwise, we all risk falling into our own version of The Corrupted Lullaby.
The Dreamer’s choices have taught him something important. But it’s too late for him to recover. Just before his final breath, he finds the strength to open his eyes. The Lily notices, and their eyes meet one last time. With the little energy he has left, he tells her that his time is short. He urges her to move on, to not let the memory of him hold her back from truly living. He knows she has spent years hoping to win his heart—and he doesn’t want her to end up trapped in the same place he did. In freeing her, he finds peace.
The Dreamer passes away on an autumn day, just as The Rose did fifteen years before.
At the end of the song, a hidden track plays. We hear The Lily having a quiet conversation with her young son as she tucks him into bed. It’s now eight years after The Dreamer’s death. Her son, about seven years old, asks her about his father—whether it’s true that he’s in heaven. Caught off guard, she replies that she doesn’t know. The boy then asks if he’ll ever get to meet his father in heaven. The Lily pauses and gently tells him that… there may be other ways to meet him.
This final scene reveals the hidden truth: The Lily’s son is also The Dreamer’s son. During the events of Elysium, when The Dreamer believed he was with The Rose in the dream world, he was in reality with The Lily—and she became pregnant.
After The Dreamer’s passing, The Lily found The Lullaby in his home. Out of instinct, she listened to it, uncovering its secrets and understanding its powers. She realized that The Dreamer’s fate must have been tied to the melody’s influence. Recognizing the dangers, she quickly learned not to lose herself to the dream world as he did.
In the years that followed, The Lily understood that The Lullaby could still be used safely—if approached with the right mindset and, ideally, under supervision. Because her son has always dreamt of meeting his father, she has kept the music box hidden away, waiting for the day when she might allow him a safe journey into the other world.
And so, the story of The Corrupted Lullaby lives on…