Jaden and Zaria followed the old man and climbed the spiral stairs leading to the upper floors. Their steps echoed within the dark, empty tower.

As they climbed, Jaden questioned, "Why not just add an elevator?"

The old man continued his steps as he answered with a scoff, "Why don't I just pick you up in my arms instead? Rather, why don't I move you myself? We cannot have your noble feet touch the ground now, can we?"

Jaden turned silent at his sarcastic response and did not ask further. On the other hand, Zaria had covered her mouth with both of her hands as she struggled to hold back the laughter.

Their steps continued, and they soon reached a wooden door. The old man pushed it open, and a hallway with wooden doors lining its walls came into view. He pointed towards the door at the far end of the left wall and muttered, "Zaria, that is yours."

Zaria nodded shyly and waved to Jaden before hurrying toward her dorm, her cheeks flushed.

The old man looked at Jaden and continued his steps as he spoke, "Let's go."

Jaden nodded and began his steps.

Soon, they reached another door, and the old man pushed it open. He pointed at the third door and muttered, "That is your dorm room."

Jaden looked at the door leading to his dorm room and nodded before questioning something that was tugging at his thoughts, "Why are there no students?"

The old man nodded at his question and stroked his white beard before responding, "All of the students are in their dorms... Shadows do not like to stay in light, after all. Also, those with the mark of Shadow usually like to stay alone, which is why you don't see any clan or holy land related to shadows. They are an eccentric bunch."

"Don't you also have the mark of Shadow?" Jaden questioned with furrowed brows.

The old man scoffed at his words and began to descend the stairs as he answered, "Why else do you think I am sitting in this tower then?"

Jaden stared at the slightly hunched back of the old man as he thought, 'Damn, old man.'

He turned toward his dorm room door and walked over. As he walked, Whitey and Blacky peeked out of his arms and looked at the other doors beside his. But they did not let out any noise, scared that the old man might hear them.

Jaden pushed open the door and looked inside. Just as he did so, a small hallway leading to three doors came into his view. He stepped inside and closed the door behind himself.

"So it's not a single room, huh," he mumbled before looking into the room at the right. Which turned out to be a bathroom.

He looked into the room to the left—a bedroom with a comfortable bed in the left corner and a wooden wardrobe at the front. The pups suddenly jumped from his hands and climbed onto the bed before falling asleep.

He shook his head at them and pushed the last door and stepped inside. It was a study room with a table and a chair at the centre, a cabinet on the left and bookshelves on the right.

He walked further in and opened the window at the far end. He saw that there were a few books placed within the bookshelves. He stepped closer to them, picked up a book and read its title.

"Marine's Theory on the Connection Between Soul, Shadow and Memory..." just as he finished reading, his expression turned dark.

He picked up another book and read its title.

"Psyche Break," his expression darkened further as he picked up another book, but this one was unrelated to memories; instead, it was related to magic.

He checked each of the books one by one, and none of the other books were related to memories or the soul in any way.

He did not know when, but he was already sitting in the chair placed beside the study table. The two books were placed on the table as he stared at them with a grave expression.

"What is the meaning of this?" He muttered with a lost look on his face.

The books hinted at possibilities that he did not even want to think of. That was how dreadful it was.

"I knew that I would lose my memories before entering the dream realm... But how?"

He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling with hollow eyes as he thought back on everything he had been through till now.

He sighed, rose to his feet, and gave the books one last look. He turned around and left the room. A soft clank resounded within the silent dorm as he closed the door behind him.

He walked towards the bedroom with slow steps and a distant expression. He stepped inside and fell onto the bed. The pups jumped back and looked at Jaden with tilted heads before pressing closer to him.

All three entered the embrace of sleep; two were tired, while the last one was trying to escape the dark thoughts that were clawing at him.

What an irony it was.

The study room, which was brightened by the sunlight streaming through the open window, until the shadow of a large bird darkened the room.

An owl's cry echoed through the empty room as it hopped down from the window and stalked toward the bookshelves. It was an owl with black feathers.

It tapped at the corner of the bookshelf on the left, and a hidden compartment opened. The owl used its beak to pull out a diary and a picture from it.

The picture was of a young man and an owl. The young man was, of course, Jaden. While the diary bore a unique mark. It was a snake eating its own tail.

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Goals

• 100 power stones = extra 1 chapter.

• 100 golden tickets = extra 1 chapter.

• 100 collections = extra 1 chapter.

• Golden Castle = extra 5 chapters.

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