The Astral Dogma

The early morning sun peeked through the wispy clouds, casting a warm golden light over the city streets. Xin adjusted the straps of his hiking vest, the orange fabric of his shirt standing out against the neutral tones of his gear. His black trousers were well-fitted for the rough terrain they were about to traverse. Beside him, Belial walked with a sense of urgency, his light brown hiking clothes complemented by a hat. They made their way briskly down 490 Roselia Street, Xin struggling to keep up with Belial's determined pace.

"You know," Xin said, slightly out of breath, "if you're going to drag me along on this, the least you could do is walk at a human speed."

Belial glanced over his shoulder but didn't slow down. "The site isn't going to explore itself, Xin. Keep up."

The mission was straightforward: document any new information discovered and return with tangible findings to exchange for guild credits. It was the kind of low-priority task often overlooked by seasoned adventurers, who sought glory in more dangerous quests. But for Belial, it was an opportunity to earn something small while keeping his mind off recent events.

The notice had been pinned to the board in the guild hall, its edges curling with neglect. A "D-ranked mission" scrawled in faded ink, it had clearly been there long enough to become an afterthought. Guild members barely glanced at it as they passed by, their eyes drawn to the more glamorous assignments that promised riches or fame.

Belial stood before the board, his arms crossed, scanning the postings. He was no stranger to the lower-ranked jobs. In fact, this one had nearly been discarded when he plucked it off the board.

Originally, Belial had wanted to undertake this exploration alone, but the guild had flatly refused. It was Leah, primarily, who had insisted he not venture into potentially dangerous ruins without support. Xin, to Belial's mild annoyance, had been the first to volunteer. 

As they arrived at the designated site, a short, stocky beastman with a wiry tail and twitching ears stood waiting for them. Pacey, their peculiar and overly annoyed third companion, glanced as they approached. His small stature was deceptive; he was surprisingly fast and strong, traits that often made him invaluable on missions.

"You two are late!" Pacey said, his voice high-pitched and full of anger. "I've been standing here for twenty minutes. Do you know I could have just left you right?"

Xin smirked, shaking his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. Someone"—he shot a pointed look at Belial—"doesn't believe in starting the day with breakfast."

Belial ignored the jab, his eyes glistening focused entirely on the looming ruins ahead. "Let's get moving."

The ruins were sprawling, with crumbled walls and arches hinting at a grandeur long since faded. Shadows danced across the cracked stone as the three entered, their footsteps echoing in the hollow silence. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something faintly metallic, a reminder that this place had seen violence long ago.

Belial took the lead, his eyes scanning every corner with precision. The faint hum of Oracle in his mind provided additional insight, highlighting areas of interest and feeding him data on the structural integrity of the ruins. Xin and Pacey, meanwhile, busied themselves with the more surface-level findings—broken pottery, worn-out tools, and bits of faded parchment that hinted at the lives that once inhabited the space.

"Not much here, is there?" Xin commented, holding up a rusted metal trinket. "Guess I'll take this back for the contribution points. Better than nothing."

Pacey darted around, sniffing the air like a curious animal. "There's gotta be something better than that junk. I can feel it. My treasure sense never fails!"

Belial said nothing, but his focus was elsewhere. As they moved deeper into the ruins, his gaze fell on a pile of shattered bones half-buried in the dirt. A dark aura clung to them, faint but unmistakable. These weren't ordinary remains. Demon bones. 

He crouched down, careful to shield his discovery from the others. The bones were barely recognizable, broken and withered with time, but Oracle's interface allowed him to reconstruct their original structure. 

So they were here... demons from the war. 

Belial's mind raced as Oracle began cross-referencing the bone structure with his extensive knowledge of the demon clans. The results came quickly. 

"The more human one..." he muttered under his breath, "...Blood Fiend Clan." His lip curled slightly. The Blood Fiends were better known as vampires in to humans, a proud and cunning clan that had been instrumental in the demon realm's wars. This one, however, had not belonged to the demon king's forces. It hailed from another nation, yet they had fought side by side in the conflict.

He turned his attention to the other set of bones. These were unmistakably from a Sombra—a soldier who had been infused with the demon king's power. Belial's expression darkened. He despised the demon king, yet he bore no hatred for the Sombras who had served him. They were loyal soldiers, victims of the king's oppressive rule. 

How many of my kin were forced into this war? How many didn't have a choice? 

Belial felt a pang of guilt as he studied the fractured remains. These demons had been wiped out, their lives lost to a senseless conflict. He wanted to explore further, to see if there were more remnants of his people hidden in the ruins, but he couldn't risk Xin or Pacey finding out his true intentions. 

"Find anything interesting?" Xin's voice jolted him from his thoughts. 

Belial quickly stood, brushing dirt from his gloves. "Nothing of note. Just some old wethered bones." 

Xin raised an eyebrow, his sharp eyes glancing at the spot where Belial had been crouching. "Old bones, huh? You seemed pretty focused for something that's 'nothing.'" 

Belial met his gaze, his expression calm and unreadable. "Just a habit. I document everything, even the mundane. Better to be thorough than miss something important." 

Pacey appeared at Xin's side, holding a dented metal plate. "Well, if you're done being thorough, maybe help us look for something cool, maybe something to report back with. This plate isn't gonna get us any coin." 

Belial forced a chuckle, masking his unease. "Sure. Let's spread out and cover more ground." 

As they continued, Belial's mind remained on the bones. He needed more time, more privacy to uncover the truth of what had happened here. But with Xin and Pacey around, his options were limited. 

I can't let them find out, he thought. Not yet. Maybe never, They wouldn't understand. 

Xin, meanwhile, kept stealing glances at Belial. His friend's behavior was off—too careful, too deliberate. He didn't press the issue, but the seed of suspicion had been planted. 

By the time they regrouped near the entrance, the sun had risen higher in the sky, casting long shadows across the ruins. Pacey had a small collection of trinkets, and Xin had a handful of odds and ends, but Belial's findings remained conspicuously absent. 

"So," Xin said casually, "what do you think? Worth reporting back to the guild?" 

Belial nodded. "It's a start. These ruins might hold more if we dig deeper." 

Pacey groaned. "Deeper? We've been here for hours!"