On an old, dying world at the edge of the universe, an explorer perseveres through a dense and thorny wood, a crumbling castle, and a seemingly endless spiral staircase to reach the Beauty of the Night. Legends say that this woman, who sleeps now under a "timecurse" only able to be broken by a kiss or touch, was so beautiful that men would go mad upon seeing her.
When the explorer finally reaches the woman, she is indeed as beautiful and untouched by the years and decay around her as legends have said. But when he kisses her and she awakes, scarcely a moment passes before the years catch up to her and she screams as her body falls apart. The explorer, backing up, falls endlessly down the spiral staircase.