The Astral Dogma

Belial eventually arrived at his apartment complex and descended silently onto the balcony of his personal unit. The noise of the urban environment was dulled at this altitude, yet he couldn't shake off a feeling of discomfort as he pushed aside the glass door. After spending many hours looking for his beloved hair clip, he returned to a horrifying sight.

The apartment was a mess, with flames dancing along the walls. The air was filled with dense smoke, causing difficulty in breathing. In every direction he turned, he noticed cyborg components strewn throughout the room, as though they had burst from the inside. Belial's heart was racing while he attempted to absorb everything. This was the only location where he was meant to be secure.

He carefully crossed a stack of rubble, the sound of shattered glass and bent metal crunching beneath him. The intense heat caused sweat to trickle down his face. While passing through the living room, he observed that the walls were adorned with burn spots and significant scratches. The furniture in the room was so damaged that it was hard for him to identify. Belial felt his heart drop as he discovered that his home had been ransacked by an intruder.

"Xin!" Belial yelled out as he frantically searched the room for any signs of his friend.

Belial felt a sense of fear as he hurried through a poorly lit hallway on his way to Xin's room. He raced to find her, his heart pounding and mind overwhelmed with endless questions. Even though he was terrified, his main concern was finding Xin.

Upon arriving at the door, Belial briefly stopped before he pushed it open. He quickly looked around the room, hoping to find his friend. However, there was no one in the room.

His heart sank.

"Xin?" Belial called out, 

his voice trembling with worry. However, there was no reply. He moved cautiously ahead, glancing around the room, looking for any hints that could clarify Xin's absence.

That was the moment he caught sight of it.

A small puddle of blood on the ground, only a short distance from where he stood. Belial was shocked when he realized what had occurred, his eyes widening in surprise. Xin was the victim of an attack by someone.

Belial immediately ran to the injured person on the ground, feeling a mix of fear and anger in his racing heart. He kneeled next to his friend, gently supporting Xin's head with his hands.

"Xin, what happened?" Belial asked, his voice shaking with emotion. "Who did this?"

Xin's eyes fluttered open, yet he lacked the strength to utter a word. The throbbing pain in his head was so severe that he couldn't say a single word. He had difficulty seeing clearly and his mind was confused. He attempted to shift position, but found his limbs burdened by an unseen force, making movement difficult.

While he was lying there, trying to come to his senses, he heard footsteps getting closer. His attempt to concentrate on the noise was hindered by his cloudy thoughts. The sound of footsteps increased in volume, and then abruptly ceased.

"Xin, can you hear me?" a deep voice asked.

Xin recognized the voice but couldn't place a face to it. He merely shook his head, indicating that he didn't know who had attacked him.

"Damn it," the voice muttered.

Xin felt a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched at the sudden contact. He tried to move away, but the hand held him in place.

"Easy, Xin. It's me, Belial," the voice said.

Belial? The name sounded familiar, but Xin couldn't remember where he had heard it before. He looked up at the figure standing over him, but his vision was still too blurry.

Belial's eyes quickly darted around the room, taking in every detail. His gaze then fell upon a cyborg that looked eerily familiar.

"Kingpin…" Belial growled through gritted teeth.

He quickly gathered Xin in his arms and made his way outside, to safety. Belial's heart was racing, and his mind was clouded with anger. He couldn't believe that Kingpin had gone this far.

Belial needed to act fast. He pulled out Xin's hunter card and ripped it in half, sending a signal to the guild for backup.

"I notified the guild, they should be coming soon. Get some rest, Xin. I'll handle this," Belial said, his voice unwavering.

Xin nodded weakly, his eyes closing as he drifted off to sleep. Belial laid him down gently and scanned the area, making sure that they were still safe.

He couldn't shake off the anger that was boiling within him. Kingpin had gone too far this time.

Belial's eyes glowed. He instinctively focused his energy. It only took a moment before he locked onto the energy signature. He could feel the energy pulsing through his veins, as he leaves to go after the enemy.

A few moments passed, and a fiery circle with ruins had appeared. The rescue team had arrived on the scene, with Leah at the forefront. She quickly assessed the situation, taking in the damage around her.

As she looked around, Leah noticed the burnt debris and the scorch marks on the walls. The air was thick with the stench of smoke, and she could hear the distant sound of sirens. Her heart raced as she thought about what could have happened.

She noticed Xin lying on the ground, his back against the wall. Without hesitation, she sprang into action.

"Hey! Kid!" she exclaimed as she rushed towards Xin, her eyes scanning his body for any signs of injury. She quickly checked his pulse and breathing while barking orders to her team. 

"This is bad". She said as she bit her nail

 " You two, get him on a stretcher! The rest of you, secure the perimeter and make sure there's no one else here."

The team sprang into action, working efficiently and swiftly to stabilize Xin and transport him out of the dangerous area. As they lifted him onto the stretcher, Leah took a quick look around the room. The apartment was in shambles, with debris scattered everywhere. She could see that a fierce struggle had taken place, with furniture overturned and walls damaged.

"What the hell happened here?" 

she muttered to herself, her mind racing with the possibilities. Was this a random attack, or was Xin targeted for some reason? She made a mental note to investigate further once they were all safely out of harm's way.

As they prepared to transport Xin, one of the medics spoke up. "Ma'am, the circle is ready."

Leah acknowledged, her focus on Xin's condition. She felt reassured when she noticed his pulse had steadied and his breathing was regular. However, she was aware that it was crucial for them to bring him to the guild promptly. She entered the circle alongside the team, with their bodies engulfed in flames, they were all transported to safety.

Suddenly, they materialized inside the guild, creating a stir among the spectators who whispered and muttered while the rescue team hurried past. The team hurried to the emergency room, led by Leah whose aura shone with a vibrant green light.

As they entered the room, Leah gestured to one of the medics, "You, plug in an IV line," her voice calm and steady despite the urgency of the situation. She immediately got to work, her focus solely on healing Xin. Her hands moved swiftly over his body, her power coursing through her and enhancing the healing process.

Leah's attention was drawn to the numerous burn marks and precise cuts on Xin's body. She could feel her anger growing, knowing that whoever had done this to him was not playing around.

For several moments, the room was silent except for the beeping of the machines and the sound of Leah's breathing as she concentrated. She could feel the strain on her body as she poured more and more of her energy into the healing process. But she refused to give up.

As time passed, Leah's aura began to fade, indicating that her healing was coming to an end. She stepped back and looked at Xin, her heart heavy with worry. She knew that it would take time before he woke up, but she had done all she could for him. She turned to the team and gestured for them to move Xin to a recovery room.

Suddenly, Xin stirred. Leah looked up, surprised. "He's waking up," she exclaimed. She quickly checked his vitals and saw that his heart rate was stabilizing.

As Xin began to stir, Leah took a step back to give him some space. She watched as he groaned, his eyes struggling to focus.

"Easy there," Leah said, moving closer. "You're safe now."

Xin tried to sit up, but the pain was too much for him to bear. He winced and fell back onto the bed, gasping for air.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Leah hesitated, unsure of how much to tell him. "You were caught in the explosion. But don't worry, we got you out in time."

Xin's eyes widened as he remembered what had happened. "Belial..you have to stop him!" he exclaimed, his voice growing more urgent. "He's going after the kingpin!"

Leah's heart sank as she heard the desperation in Xin's voice.

"Xin, listen to me," Leah said, her voice firm but gentle. "Belial dosent seem like the one to go after for revenge. It will only lead to more violence and bloodshed."

Xin looked at her, his eyes pleading. "But he's doing this for me. This is my problem. I'll handle it on my own, and the kingpin is too strong for Bel to handle on his own," Xin replied, his voice strained with pain."

Leah sighed, her heart heavy with concern. She knew her friend, Xin, was stubborn, but she also knew that he couldn't do this alone. She looked at him, his face set in determination, but also bearing the marks of battle, with burns and cuts scattered over his skin.

"Tell me what happened," Leah said gently, hoping to convince him to change his mind.

Xin took a deep breath before he began to speak. "I had just finished taking a shower, but when I came out, he was gone. I thought he went out to get food or something, so I waited for him for a bit. But as I was dozing off to sleep, I heard an explosion. I barely avoided it, but there was a horde of cyborgs. I defeated all of them, but as you can see, I didn't make it out unscathed," he explained, pointing to his wounds.

Leah nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. She knew that Xin was a skilled warrior, but even he couldn't take on an entire horde of cyborgs by himself. She turned to Pacey, her other friend who was leaning on the doorframe.

"I'll help," Pacey said with a confident grin.

Leah turned to him, surprised. "Are you sure? It could be dangerous," she warned.

Pacey shrugged. "I've never been one to shy away from danger, besides hes one of us now." he replied, a hint of excitement in his voice.

Leah smiled, grateful for the help. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

"I can't come help personally, but i can bring you backup," Leah continued, turning back to Xin.

Xin nodded, his face serious. "I know where The kingpin is. We'll have to be careful, though. He's got traps and guards all around it," he explained.

Leah furrowed her brow, deep in thought. She knew that they had to be smart about this. They couldn't just charge in blindly and hope for the best. She paced back and forth, her mind racing with ideas.

Xin looked down on his blanket And clutched it, "but the problem isn't the army, it's his hax abity.."