Midnight.
The stars and moon had vanished, and the night was pitch-black.
The enormous, ancient Castle lay beneath the dark night like a giant beast, guarded on all sides by its four towers—quiet and steadfast.
A vast number of patrol Golems moved soundlessly through the darkness, silently protecting the students' safety.
Yet shadows still twisted now and then in the corners by the walls, like writhing worms. They avoided every Golem's gaze and prowled through the Castle.
Dark had a dream that night.
He dreamed of dense black fog, an enormous golden door, and the endless staircase that came into view after he pushed open that golden door.
He stepped onto the stairs forged from gold and climbed upward, level by level.
As he climbed, his consciousness gradually cleared, and an awareness akin to that of a lucid dream emerged in his mind.
But he did not wake up.
The thought of "waking up" never even crossed his mind. He walked along the stairs, advancing upward one step at a time.
The golden staircase behind him had already been swallowed by the dense black fog, while the golden staircase ahead still showed no end.
But he never looked back. His eyes held only the road ahead. Naturally, he could not see the darkness and despair behind him.
The stairs ahead were always lit, brilliant golden light filling his entire vision.
And so, he kept walking upward.
Tirelessly, without knowing how much time had passed.
Until, at some sudden moment, he jolted awake in struggle and discovered exhaustion crashing over him.
As if he had truly walked that incredibly long road. "What time is it...?"
The Magic Spirits beside him were roused by the commotion he made. One after another, they opened their bleary eyes. Seeing that he was still lying