Golden energy swirled around Xin, radiating outward in brilliant waves, expanding until it touched the walls of the monstrous chamber. The moment it made contact, a violent tremor shook the ground beneath them. The pulsating, fleshy walls of the creature convulsed, its grotesque form shuddering as if writhing in agony. A deep, guttural roar echoed through the space—one last, ear-splitting cry before the golden light consumed everything.
And then, silence.
A heartbeat later, Xin felt himself falling.
The warmth of the golden light vanished, replaced by an overwhelming cold. His body hit the ground with a hard thud, the impact jarring his broken ribs. Pain flared, white-hot and blinding, but the sensation of solid rock beneath him was grounding. Real.
For the first time since the fight began, he could breathe again.
The grotesque, living chamber was gone.
ㄴSecret Dream stage complete!ㄱ
ㄴYou have earned a new Legendary wepon!ㄱ
Xin ignored the voice.
He groaned, rolling onto his back, his breath coming in short, labored gasps. He blinked, his vision adjusting to the dim light. Jagged stone walls loomed overhead, slick with moisture, the air thick with the scent of earth and dust. They were back in a cavern—a real one—not the warped, monstrous prison they had been trapped in before.
Beside him, Raven lay sprawled across the cold floor, unconscious but whole. No longer twisted by the dark force that had possessed him. His chest rose and fell in steady breaths, his gauntleted hands slack against the ground. He looked… normal again.
Xin exhaled shakily, pushing himself upright with his good arm. His body protested every movement, but he forced himself to sit up. His entire frame felt drained, like something had been siphoning his very essence. He was used to exhaustion, but this was something deeper—something that tugged at the core of his being.
A sharp intake of breath pulled his attention away.
Belial was there.
The dark-haired hunter stirred, sitting up a few feet away. His violet eyes flickered open, his expression unreadable as he looked between Xin and Raven. Then, without a word, he moved.
He was at their side in an instant, kneeling between them, his gaze scanning their bodies for injuries. He hesitated as his hand hovered over Raven's chest, then let out a slow breath of relief.
"He's okay," Belial muttered, then turned his attention to Xin.
Xin just huffed, leaning back against the cavern wall. His limbs felt like lead, his head pounding, but at least he was alive.
"That was…" Xin exhaled, running a trembling hand through his sweat-dampened hair. "That was Horrofying."
Belial let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Of course it was." He looked at Xin, his expression softening. "But it's because of you that we're alive right now."
Xin blinked at him. Because of me?
The memories flooded back—the golden energy, the wave of power that had erupted from the disk the moment he touched it. It hadn't just destroyed the monstrous chamber—it had freed them.
And Raven.
Xin's gaze flickered toward his unconscious friend. His chest tightened at the memory of the thing Raven had become—the hollow, inhuman look in his eyes, the sheer ferocity with which he had fought.
He almost lost him.
Xin swallowed hard, shaking the thought away. Now wasn't the time.
Belial sat back, crossing his arms as he exhaled through his nose. "You remember when we were talking in the cave?"
Xin turned his head slightly. "Yeah."
Belial's golden eyes flickered.
Xin frowned but nodded.
"This is what I meant."
Belial gestured toward the golden disk—no, the weapon—that now lay beside Xin. Its surface, once pulsating with unnatural energy, had settled into something more stable, more controlled. The intricate carvings along its edge shimmered faintly in the dim cavern light.
It seems my hunch was right
"That," Belial continued, "is a Regalia."
Xin frowned, glancing at the object. "Regalia?"
"A special kind of weapon," Belial explained. "Rare. Extremely powerful. Only certain people can wield them." He glanced at Xin meaningfully. "And it looks like you're one of them."
Xin's gaze lingered on the weapon, something clicking in his mind. The way the energy had surged through him, the way the monstrous chamber had collapsed in on itself… it wasn't just any power.
It was his.
A sudden realization dawned on him. "Wait…" He traced the carvings along the weapon's surface with his good hand. The script was unfamiliar at first, but as his mind pieced the symbols together, recognition struck.
Belial furrowed his brows. "What?"
Xin's lips parted slightly. "I know what this is." He glanced up at Belial, his voice firm despite the lingering exhaustion. "It's the Dharma Wheel."
Belial blinked. "The what?"
Xin exhaled, leaning his head back against the stone wall. "In Elven script, 'Dhara Chakra.' It's a sacred relic—one of balance, righteousness." He turned the weapon over in his hands. "It makes sense now."
Belial studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Well, whatever it is, it's yours now."
Xin's gaze darkened slightly. "And what exactly does that mean?"
Belial ran a hand through his hair. "Regalia are different from normal weapons. When untamed, they're constantly trying to feed on something—your ether, in this case." His voice dropped slightly. "They also release miasma as a way to protect themselves."
Xin's eyes sharpened. "Wait. The oasis—"
Belial nodded. "That was its effect." His expression grew serious. "Miasma doesn't always appear as poison or corruption. Sometimes, it warps reality—creates illusions, entire environments meant to keep intruders away or to lure them in."
Xin stared at the Dharma Wheel, his mind racing. The oasis—the strange pull, the unnatural calmness—it was all a lie.
Created by the very weapon now resting in his hands.
A chill ran down his spine.
For a long moment, silence hung between them. Then, Xin's gaze drifted back to Belial, something nagging at the edge of his thoughts.
How does he know all this?
Belial spoke of Regalia and miasma like he had studied them his whole life. Like he had seen them before.
Xin wanted to question him—really question him—but then he remembered.
Don't trust anything.
Maybe that applied here, too.
Maybe you shouldn't trust the smug bastard either
So, for now, he let it go.
Instead, he exhaled and let his head rest against the cold rock, his fingers still wrapped tightly around the Dharma Wheel.
Whatever this was—whatever he was now—he would figure it out.
One way or another.
Belial shifted, sitting down beside Xin with a heavy sigh. The crystalline terrain around them glittered faintly, reflecting the dim light of the cavern. The air was cool, almost soothing, a stark contrast to the oppressive heat and chaos they had just escaped.
"You know," Belial began, his voice low and measured, "I had a feeling you'd be the one to break us out of that mess."
Xin turned his head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? And what gave you that idea?"
Belial smirked, though there was a hint of something deeper in his golden eyes. "Call it intuition. Or maybe just the fact that you've got a knack for it."
Xin snorted, wincing as the motion tugged at his injuries. "Yeah, well, it's not like I had much of a choice. That thing—" He gestured vaguely toward the Dharma Wheel. "—was practically screaming at me to do something."
Belial chuckled, leaning back against the cavern wall. "Still, not everyone could've done what you did. That miasma… it wasn't just an illusion. It was a trap. A never-ending loop designed to keep us stuck, feeding off our energy until there was nothing left."
Xin frowned, his grip tightening on the Dharma Wheel. "And you knew that?"
Belial hesitated, his expression flickering with something unreadable. "I had my suspicions. But even I didn't have the natural smarts to figure it out completely. Not like you did."
Xin studied him for a moment, his gaze sharp. "You're not exactly giving me a lot of reasons to trust you, you know."
Belial met his eyes, his smirk fading into something more serious. "Well everyone has their own secrets so do i, I didn't forget my promise. "
Xin exhaled slowly, leaning his head back against the wall with a faint smile on his face. "Fair enough."
For a while, they sat in silence, the only sound the faint drip of water echoing through the cavern. Xin's mind raced, trying to piece together everything that had happened. The Dharma Wheel, the miasma, the way the energy had surged through him—it was all connected, but the bigger picture still eluded him.
Belial broke the silence first. "You should rest. You've been through hell, and that thing—" He nodded toward the Dharma Wheel. "—isn't exactly easy to wield. It'll take a while to et used to it."
Xin glanced at him, his expression wary. "And what about you? You don't look much better off."
Belial shrugged, though the motion seemed to cost him. "I've been through worse. Besides, someone's gotta keep watch."
Xin didn't argue. His body felt like it had been run through a grinder, and the weight of exhaustion was pressing down on him like a lead blanket. He closed his eyes, letting the cool air of the cavern wash over him.
As he drifted toward sleep, one thought lingered in his mind:
What happens now?