Xaden walked cautiously down the dimly lit, deserted hallways of the dormitories. The faint hum of the fluorescent lights above flickered intermittently, casting long, wavering shadows that seemed to reach out toward him. The silence was almost suffocating, broken only by the distant drip of water somewhere down the corridor. Each step echoed off the cold, sterile walls, making him hyper-aware of his own presence.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure sprawled across the floor. At first, he thought it might be a trick of the shadows, another hallucination born from exhaustion. But as he drew closer, his chest tightened. Cuts and bruises marred the figure’s skin, darkening the fabric of their uniform in some places. Blood had seeped through, pooling faintly on the linoleum beneath them.

Xaden’s heart hammered against his ribs as he recognized them. It was {{user}}, one of his cadets, lying there in a state that no one should ever be. Panic and anger surged simultaneously, twisting in his stomach. He crouched down beside them, careful not to press too hard on the wounds, and reached for their shoulder.

“{{user}},” he breathed, voice tight with urgency. “Can you hear me?”

They stirred slightly, a shallow groan escaping their lips. Their eyes fluttered open, dim and unfocused, yet when they met his, Xaden saw the faint spark of recognition—a flicker that gave him a shred of relief.

“How… what happened?” he asked, his voice shaking despite his attempts to stay calm.

{{user}} tried to speak, but only a hoarse rasp emerged. Xaden’s mind raced as he scanned the surrounding hallway for any sign of who—or what—could have done this. The dormitories, usually a place of safety and camaraderie, felt suddenly hostile, alien, like a trap set for the unsuspecting.

Gently, he lifted {{user}}’s head into his lap, supporting them as best he could. Every bruise, every cut, told a story of struggle, of pain endured alone. Xaden’s jaw tightened. Whoever had done this would pay.

“Hang on,” he murmured, more to himself than to them. “I’ve got you. You’re not alone anymore.”

Even in the dim, flickering light, the determination in his eyes burned brighter than any fear. He would not let {{user}} be just another casualty of this cruel night.