Stella: “Who do I believe? What can I believe? What should I believe?”   These questions have haunted Stella’s mind ever since she had abandoned the valley plagued by famine, illness, and death. Hope was fading along with the number of stars in the sky, the last glint of light in Paradiso Somniorum. Stella sat on a snowy hill overlooking the valley. The tower stood tall in the distance, its glory and strength contrasting the despair below. Her eyes were fixed on the tower, the place she needed to go in order to carry out her plan with the Awakened. Her attention was then drawn to the ring she held firmly in her hands. The ring had always been with her… its polished golden surface reflecting what little light remained from the nearly faded moon. She pondered its presence often, as though it were a key to unlock her hidden memories. However, her moments of reflection in solitude were always in vain, her mind a blank dead end. Feeling despair and longing, she looked up to the sky in search of an answer in the darkness that had engulfed Paradiso Somniorum…

Search for answers in the stars Her past feels so far Deep within hides a dreadful scar Unsure of their destiny March in unity Loneliness is her purgatory Chorus: The foundation of identity Is built up from your memories Just like how society Rests on the arch of history Can you really tell what’s reality When you’ve been wiped of your memories Adrift in an endless sea Past life lost to eternity Those words, echo in her head Again and again A burden to carry t’il the end The words, on the manuscript Show what lies ahead What other hope is there left for them? Chorus: Solo Chorus:

Tower standing tall, right before their eyes Evil lurks within, cold and lifeless halls Knowing they must fight She’s their guiding light Hopeful battle cries, echo in the night Thoughts of victory, under blackened skies Songs of liberty, mask the agony Chorus: There’s a glimmer of hope Awakened unite Spirits alive! (Awakened rise) Flood of memories, helped them wipe away Curses of the beast, freed from slavery Liberated souls Minds revitalized Sharing memories, stories from the past Hearts are filled with joy, bonds will ever last With the will to live Spirits are alive Chorus: Solo Chorus:

All perception of reality was lost…there was only Nomarius and the tower. Darkness, destruction, and sexual desires sustained him. Once power had consumed his mind, he never questioned Nomarius’ motivations, desires or obsession with him. A child had been conceived through the fruits of their lust. He was unaware of the presence of this new life form. His conscience was blinded by unending desire. He unknowingly gave up a bit of his humanity with each descent into carnal lust… He had no perception of reality, his senses were impaired…until he realized both were gone…

The Beast: So here I stand before my weak and pitiful form A pathetic shell unfit for cruelty and vengeance The crimson blade shall rid this world of this fragile soul Humanity will ooze out of this undivine form Chorus: The Gryphon and the Beast (Battle in the sky) Fear and rage collide (Hear their war cries) The Beast: Nomarius the name fueling my hate and my rage Her blood will be spilled before the child’s innocent eyes She’ll watch the child drink her blood in her last dying breath The crimson blade shall reap and vengeance will be mine Chorus: The dark winged beast awaits in the sky Watching the victim’s blood stain the lands A wounded soul must fight its dark side The Gryphon will now take to the skies To the skies! Solos Chorus: The Gryphon and the Beast (Battle in the sky) Fear and rage collide (Hear their war cries) Strike to the heart (Victorious cry) The Gryphon succumbs, and falls from the sky!

Stella and her companions had watched the great battle between the Gryphon and the Beast unfold before their eyes. The dark winged Beast uttered its victorious cry, as the Gryphon tumbled from the sky into the tower below. The tower crumbled upon impact, burying the Gryphon deep beneath the rubble. The Beast spread its wings and flew over the remains of the tower before letting out another triumphant cry. Its thirst for vengeance was overpowering, and the projected hate burned the villages in the valley to a cinder. From the flames arose his army of demons, with the purpose of quenching the Beast’s thirst. Nothing stood in their way as they marched out of the valley, leaving all but a trail of destruction behind them… The group watched in hiding as their enemies departed from the valley. A presence beckoned Stella from beneath the tower ruins. Summoning her courage, she guided the Awakened and descended into the valley to seek their final hope…

Deep beneath the rubble lays a wilted soul Devoid of hope, tears or any life Grief fills the air, an abyss of light The soulless eyes hold the prophecy Guardians of Dreams: "I am the Guardian of Dreams, the one who left you the message in the chest. The King and his lover Nomarius have sealed me away, allowing the land to be engulfed by darkness. I use the last of my powers to speak through this vessel, which was once your king. Nomarius corrupted his soul which no longer inhabits this vessel. This corruption has manifested into a another form threatening to destroy this world. A portion of this man’s true soul may be hidden away in the child, even though it was conceived through sinful acts. It may be enough to inhabit this vessel once more and restore the world. Go now. Follow the corrupted beast and his demon horde. They will lead you to Nomarius. Time is running short.” Beneath tower ruins their fate was unveiled Hurricanes brew in her memories Hidden secrets, puzzles of the past Escape the storm, be their guiding light Chorus: The world’s fate, in her hands Save this land Light the way to a new day Hear their cries The dark’s demise Hear their cries Awakened rise! Solo Beneath tower ruins silence filled the air Do answers lie in the soulless eyes? Beyond her reach an end to the maze Can only words help them carry on? Chorus:

Blood, soaks the barren lands Life, drained from all that was Death, has left its mark again Ash, thick carried by the wind Smoke, another village burns Flames, light the path of hate Pre-Chorus: Follow the flames To the distant horizon (Follow the flames) Follow the flames Find the child of light (Follow the flames) Chorus: Down the road to hate The demon horde awaits Down the road to hate It’s time to face their fate Solo Blood, all they have left behind Life, the demon hordes are near Death, the price of their revenge Ash, covering the hillside Smoke, fills the sky with hate Flames, where the hordes aggregate Pre-Chorus: Chorus:

Break the silence Question your fate Is it worth risk? Is it worth lives? Will all return to what it was? Will loved ones come back from the dead? Will all who perished in the flames rise again? Will all their sacrifices be in vain? Break the silence Question your fate Is it worth all? Even their last hope

Chorus: Unveil a secret tonight Leave room in her mind for light Lift a weight from her frail heart From purgatory she’ll part War in this world and her mind There’s no escape Choice, give up or carry on Where is the proof? Words to calm internal storms She brings them hope Thoughts, hidden secrets she keeps Is she an outcast? Chorus: War in this world and their minds There’s no escape Choice, give up or carry on She has the proof Words settle storms in her mind They give her hope Thoughts, share secrets to relieve She’s not an outcast Chorus: She unveiled her secret of forgotten memories Her private burden, her separation from their joy and sorrow Open arms instead of cold stares now greet her The fear of being forsaken, no longer tearing her apart The awakened now understood her plight, further strengthening the bond they share Solo Chorus:

The valley was far behind the Awakened and the demon horde now lurked in the ever-changing desert before them. These sands were created by Nomarius, not only bring the dark winged beast and his demon horde to a halt, but also to lure Stella. Stella’s internal struggles were Nomarius’ true interest. They could be manipulated to induce great pain and suffering. This would be much more pleasurable to Nomarius than facing a predictable enraged beast. The demon horde charged towards the Awakened as they entered the desert. Stella’s contribution to the battle was brief. She found herself progressively separated from her companions. She had fallen into Nomarius’ trap. The battle in the distance seemed to have been frozen, as a circular wall of sand formed around Stella. Before she could call for help, the wall of sand collapsed and she started falling into a dark abyss…

Nomarius: “What a fascinating subject…so many turbulent emotions…a vast improvement over the previous soul I had shattered.” “My existence was so stagnant with him. He was such a predictable subject, filled with vengeance and hate. Oh please! It’s SUCH a shock he’s trying to kill me and murder the child before my eyes. How disappointingly predictable!” “You on the other hand, Stella, would make a much more interesting puppet. Rather than dying foolishly like your companions in the battle against the dark winged beast and his pathetic demon horde, I decided to set aside an extra special challenge for you! You will have to face some of your deepest and darkest fears alone! Yes! You, all alone, with your nightmares and phobias! Isn’t that exciting!” “Here are the rules. If you somehow make it through the challenge, the child is yours. However, if you succumb to your deepest and darkest fears, which will be certainly the case, then you will spend eons here in my domain, all alone! Your darkest fears will satisfy me for all eternity! “Well, enough time has been wasted already, so let’s get right to it, shall we? Stella, I welcome you, to your nightmare!”

Look in the fog, the blue haze fills the empty void Death’s in the air, projections form all around her Mist begins to, change it’s feeding from her aura Nomarius, waits the outcome of her nightmare She’s bound by chains in a dark room A bright light crawls beneath a door Footsteps approach the other side Her fate lies in a stranger’s hands Must abide to his desires Or take one more strike from a whip There is no more humanity She’s just a slave, to his lust! A man gives a young girl a ring But her smile is torn off her face She’s thrown into an alleyway Too young to face the city demons She is pushed right into the ground Giving up dignity at gunpoint The price to pay for survival She’s just a slave, to their lust! What is the purpose of these images? There’s no fear, not even a tear Stella’s puzzled by the projections Can she decipher their significance Assembling the pieces of a story The horrible fate of a young girl A wave of sadness passed over her No child should ever have to suffer like this again! Blue mist is fading, the nightmare is crumbling Will they be freed, from their agony Powers are draining, Nomarius waning She’s lost it all, time for her downfall Back in the desert, the sands have unfrozen There is no time, she must be their guide Desert is caving, the vortex is sucking Darkness will fall, and the light shall rise Stella and the Awakened watched in awe as the demon horde fell into the pull of the vortex. The dark winged beast spiraled down from the sky, crashing into the sand. It struggled to escape but before it could fly, its wings were sucked into the depths of the mist, dragging its body beneath the desert. The vortex closed, trapping the Beast in the abyss, or so it seemed…

Triumphant over the dark winged beast and its demon horde, Stella and the Awakened briefly celebrated their victory. The nearby cry of an infant caught their attention, reminding them that their mission was not yet over. A brilliant white light emanated from the child…it was their beacon of hope. Upon their return to the tower ruins, Stella brought the child to the soulless vessel and held it in front of its empty eyes. Its mouth opened, and the child seemed to be sucked in. Before anyone could react, the dark winged beast came crashing down into the tower ruins. It flew off with Stella, believing her to be Nomarius in disguise. At that moment, the eyes of the soulless vessel began to glow. Wings grew out of its back as it slowly transformed into a golden gryphon. With the crimson blade held in its beak, it took to the skies in pursuit of the dark winged beast…

The Beast: Your disguise won’t fool me, stop trying to hide I know who you are, just reveal yourself You left without a trace, you’re going to pay Your games have come to an end, time for revenge REVENGE! Stop being pathetic you’re insulting me You’re stronger my only worthy enemy If you don’t abide to my desires I’ll make you a victim of my bloody lust BLOODY LUST! Chorus: Now, the Gryphon’s soaring through the sky The Beast utters its battle cry The light and dark will collide Will this be, the time to bring the dark’s demise? Will the Beast fall from blackened skies? Fate lies in battle over tower ruins Conform, to all my desires or you’ll have to pay for your deception Your blood, will become one, with the bride’s essence, smothered in these sheets Solo Just as Stella was about to be tortured, the Gryphon stormed into the dark winged beast’s lair and pierced its outer shell with the crimson blade. The Beast uttered an agonizing cry. Though critically wounded, it still retained enough power to pursue the Gryphon into the skies, where they would fight once more. Chorus: Now, the Gryphon’s soaring through the sky The beast utters a deathly cry The light and dark did collide This will be, the time to bring the dark’s demise The beast is falling from the skies Fate lay in battle over tower ruins

Stella escaped her torture and led the Awakened to safety, just before the dark winged beast came crashing down from the sky. Light returned to Paradiso Somniorum and its barrier was open again, allowing reality and fantasy to return to where they belonged. Some returned to their past lives while others, fearing to never see each other again, decided they would start a new life in the valley. Although the battle for light was over, Stella’s internal war was still being waged. The Gryphon landed gracefully at her side. In his new form, the Guardian of Dreams said: “The answer to your past lies in the ring, the object you carried since the beginning of your journey.”

Golden ring, relic of her past A key unlocking memories Her life was shown in the blue mist The victim of a wretched fate Chorus: Time to calm, raging storms in her head Inner battles will end A bright future lies ahead Time to solve, the puzzles of her past Escape the maze at last No more questions left to ask Who’d return to atrocity Just be free, escape savagery What about all the helpless souls Predisposed to live the same fate Chorus: Solo Chorus: She calmed Raging Storms in her mind She solved Puzzles Of her past life

After solving the puzzles of her past, Stella decided to remain in Paradiso Somnorium. Despite wanting to assist others who had suffered the same fate as she had, before her journey in the paradise of dreams, going back to her past life would mean abandoning everything she fought for, everything that had built the foundation of her identity. She would be returning to the life of abuse in the streets showcased in Nomarius’ Nightmare, a life that she could not escape from easily. She joined the other members of the Awakened, who had gathered around the Guardian of Dreams. He explained that the message he had sent them beneath the tower ruins was at the expense of the Guardians of Unconscious Projections’ vital energies. They had technically used their remaining powers to send the original message in the chest, the catalyst to the Awakened arising and conquering the darkness that had engulfed the dimension. The Guardians of Unconscious Projections had therefore sacrificed themselves in order for the Guardian of Dreams to convey the final important message through the soulless vessel. Without this message, Stella and the Awakened would not have gone on a mission to defeat Nomarius and to retrieve the child, their Beacon of Hope. The child’s life force was key to restoring the Guardian of Dreams’ powers, enabling him to return and defeat the dark winged beast in the form of a gryphon. This form represented the only good that remained from the vessel’s previous occupant. The rest had been corrupted and perished along with the dark winged beast. The remaining members of the Awakened were asked to become the new Guardians of Unconscious Projections. They would be given the responsibility of protecting the dimension of Unconscious Projections, the place where human “dreams” are conceived. They all accepted, as Nomarius was defeated, their purpose was lost and they sought a new, more fulfilling life. The Guardian of Dreams warned them that Nomarius would rise from oblivion one day to fulfill the role she had before the merging of reality and fantasy. However, she would never return to her full form again, as the Guardian of Dreams would ensure that the barrier to dimension was never opened again. The Awakened could now enjoy all the paradise of dreams had to offer. Stella and her companions walked side-by-side through the valley once more, celebrating their victory and discussing plans for the future. The possibilities were endless…anything could happen in the Land Beyond Dreams.