A girl wearing a large witch hat walked towards Leviticus, who was now being surrounded by the commoners with equal sentiments. It was, after all, an absurd decision to make. It was one-sided, like giving someone the permission to control whatever happens to you. And in this case, letting them decide whether you pa.s.s the exams or not.

"There won't be accountability, Levi. They're . . . n.o.bles! You know how that works, don't you?"

"I know that, Stella." Leviticus answers.

"If we rely on them, and let's say, we pa.s.s—they'll look down on us for the rest of the school years!"

"And if we don't pa.s.s, we can't blame them because they're . . . well, n.o.bles!"

Leviticus had been one of the most approachable students in the academe. He had come to Magierstadt several days ago, making friends out of everyone. Now he was a familiar face, and some already considered him as a friend.

"Look, I know and understand all of you," Leviticus said. "But disagreeing wouldn't do any resolve. Two leaders won't work together. One has to give way for the other to s.h.i.+ne. At least, that's what I realized base on experience."

"Then . . . we'll just let them boss us around?"

"No, Mich.e.l.le. We won't let that happen." Leviticus corrected. "What I did was for precautionary actions."

"Precautionary actions?"

"You'll know soon," Leviticus whispered.

"So!" Anakin exclaimed, calling the attention of Leviticus and commoners. He walked towards them with his chin held high. "We've strategized!"

"Alright," Leviticus stood up, "so what's the plan?"

Anakin chuckled. "Oh, what was it? Leviticus? Don't worry about it. We got it all covered."

Leviticus frowned, "yeah . . . so? What's the plan?"

"The plan is made. All you have to do is follow." Anakin smiles. "No need to discuss it with you . . . after all, you guys will only have to follow."

**

Faustina couldn't stop glancing back to Leviticus' group following from behind. There was still a considerable distance that divides the commoners and the n.o.bles, similar to that of oil and water. There was a clear tension between the two groups. And undoubtedly it had manifested ever since she had set foot to the dark castle.

The Dark Castle first had a large bridge they needed to pa.s.s through before going into its actual entrance. Below them was sheer darkness, and what looked like gloomy fog surrounding the grimy waters. Their staves were their source of light; through the dark, a broken gem wasn't noticeable. At least it wasn't because there were more pressing things at hand.

Faustina kept thinking about what the professor told them. About the monsters they will be meeting. One thing that Faustina learned to sharpen whilst living in the forest was her intuition. In hindsight, she was perfectly able to avert b.u.mping into bears and wolves because of it. Faustina had the same feeling now—having to think about the Undead Royals lurking about the castle were sending s.h.i.+vers down to her spine.

The sound of owls, the cowing of crows, and the flapping of bat wings made Faustina lift her head to look at what seemed like the sky. The moon was being covered by the large branches and the silhouette of bats whilst the place was devoid of stars and shrouded by a thick mist of darkness. One can barely see anything from such an obscure shawl.

Faustina hears the sound of a beak digging into flesh, and that's when she notices a vulture eating what seemed like . . . another vulture.

"Ew,"

"Gross . . . cannibals."

Faustina stopped to her tracks, looking down at the bird continuously digging its beak to the flesh of the dead vulture. It looked nothing but a mere cannibal, but for Faustina it mirrored someone. The person that had taken her master's dead body.

The Forsaken.

"Faustina."

Faustina blinked, snapping back to reality. She turned to the one who had called her—

"Oh . . . Leviticus." She exclaimed.

The crowd was still moving forward, with Leviticus and Faustina stalling to the vulture. Faustina took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Leviticus asked.

Faustina nodded, "yes."

"This is normal for the s.p.a.ce harboring only darkness," Leviticus says. "But pay no heed to them. They're not real, living beings. They will get resurrected over and over again."

"Like an endless loop?" Faustina asked.

Leviticus paused briefly, "yes."

"Like an endless loop."

"KYAAH!!!"

A scream made Leviticus and Faustina stop to their tracks, seeing the whole crowd equally surprised as them. Faustina's eyes widened as she beheld the spectacle.

"Get down!" Leviticus exclaimed, pulling Faustina to the ground as they ducked.

A swarm of vultures had begun to attack them, flying in a h.o.a.rd as they form a fog dark enough to take a person with them. Faustina's eyes widened as she sees one of the students were taken by the vultures, their claws digging to her clothes and ripping her robes. The vultures then began to dig their beaks to her skin.

"No—NO!"

Leviticus stood from the ground and then with a loud thump from his staff to the ground, a magic circle appeared, "Repellere!"

The vultures let go of the girl with the hit of a sudden force coming from the Leviticus' spell. The girl then fell to the bridge; however, although barely, a hand found its way to keep her from falling down.

"Hold on!"

Leviticus caught the girl's arm as she dangled below. Her large witch hat fell to the grimy waters, which was then devoured by what seemed like a creature with razor-sharp teeth. The girl gasped and tightened her grip around Leviticus' fingers as he began to pull her back.

"Hold on, Mich.e.l.le!" Leviticus says, and then called for a.s.sistance. "help me pull her up!"

But before anyone could even go towards Leviticus, another swarm of vultures began to attack him. Leviticus recapitulated to cast spells that deflected the creatures, but they were too many. Soon the vultures swarmed them like a thick black smoke descending to the students. It was impossible for the commoners to go and help Leviticus.

"Anakin!" Faustina screamed, "you're the one closer! Help him!"

Faustina saw fear in Anakin's eyes, and before she could ever say anything--

"No!"

"The gates . . .!"

The gates of the dark castle began to close with a loud creak.

Faustina darted her eyes to Anakin, who had now taken a step forward, ignoring the vultures swarming Leviticus and Mich.e.l.le.

"E-everyone!" Yells Anakin. "The gates are about to close! Let's go!"

Faustina's eyes widened as she sees the students rus.h.i.+ng towards the castle which doors are impending to close, pa.s.sing over Leviticus as if they weren't even seeing him.

"Ah! Lady Feuerlon!" Anakin worriedly goes towards her and then pulls her to her feet. He then walked faster as she gets dragged by him to the closing gates. Faustina sees the commoners helping Leviticus and Mich.e.l.le,

Whilst the n.o.bles ran in panic inside the doors of the dark castle.