A gasp left Aether's lips as his eyes shot open. His heart hammered wildly in his chest, his senses reeling as if the nightmare still gripped him.   It was a dream. Just a bad dream.   But the image of Lumine's dead body still lingered in his mind, making his blood run cold.   He was sweating, his body trembling. Just breathe, he mentally coached himself. The familiar surroundings of his small yet cozy dorm room slowly sank in, reminding him that he was safe.

As Aether's heart rate gradually slowed, he ran a shaking hand through his messy hair, sitting up against the headboard. The lingering images of his nightmare still vividly etched on his mind.

Taking a deep breath, he let the exhale shudder past his lips. This wasn't the first time he'd had the same nightmare, but it always had the same effect—leaving a deep, lingering sense of unease and anxiety.

He glanced at the clock. 4:30am.

He considered trying to go back to sleep, but knew it was futile.

The room held a quiet stillness, the early morning darkness lingering outside. Taking another deep breath, he silently pushed back the covers and got out of bed.

As quietly as possible, he made his way to the small wardrobe and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Since he couldn't seem to shake off the nerves of the nightmare, he decided a walk might help clear his head. And perhaps, if he was lucky, it would wear him out enough to get some sleep upon his return.

He grabbed his keys and wallet, making sure to keep the sounds to a minimum. He glanced at the second bed in the room. His roommate, Chongyun, was a light sleeper and he didn't want to risk waking him, especially knowing how irritable he could be in the morning.

Aether quietly opened the door and slipped out into the hallway. The dormitory was quiet, the only sounds being his footsteps and the faint sound of snoring from other students.

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