Dawn steadily approached and the sky became smeared with brushstrokes of yellow and violet. The sun 's warmth blanketed the outside of the old stone walls of the Scout Regiment 's Headquarters, and its rays of light filtered through the castle 's hundreds of windows, casting dusty bands of gold across faded rugs and deteriorating furniture. One such piece of furniture, an armchair scarred with small patches of torn upholstery and the distinct smell of old age, supported a sleeping Levi, whose right fist was pressed firmly against his cheek. His legs were crossed, and it wouldn 't be until he awoke a short moment later that he would discover that the foot firmly planted against the floor, his good foot, had become numb and tingly, its circulation cut off by the pressure of his other thigh.

A strip of dawn 's light came to rest across Levi 's face and his brow creased with irritation as it stirred him awake. He hadn 't had a good night 's rest. Again.