"Bonds of Starlight: The Price We Pay"

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One fateful day, as our heroes ventured into yet another harrowing scenario, Paul decided it was time to act. He turned to Dokgak, his loyal subordinate, and spoke in hushed, venomous tones. "Dokgak, it's time we remind them of their mortality."

Dokgak, a sinister Dokkaebi with a twisted sense of loyalty, nodded in agreement. "What do you have in mind, Paul?"

Paul grinned wickedly. "Let's increase the difficulty of the scenarios. Throw monsters at them they can barely handle. Make them sweat and bleed."

Dokgak's eyes gleamed with malice. "Consider it done."

As the scenario unfolded, the once manageable challenges escalated to nightmarish proportions. Monsters swarmed our heroes, their relentless onslaught pushing them to their limits.

Kim Dokja, always at the forefront, fought valiantly. He shielded his companions, his determination unwavering. But in the chaos, a monstrous creature struck him with a ferocious blow to the chest. He staggered back, clutching the injury.

Blood trickled from the wound, staining his clothes crimson, but Dokja refused to let the pain show. His friends were still battling, unaware of his injury. He couldn't burden them with his pain. With a grimace, he forced himself to carry on, pushing the agony aside.

The battle raged on, monsters falling one by one, but the cost weighed heavily on Dokja. The wound in his chest throbbed, and he felt his strength wane with every passing moment.

Finally, as the last monster was vanquished, the group regrouped. Their weary faces were etched with exhaustion, but they wore triumphant smiles.

Unbeknownst to them, Dokja's strength was waning rapidly. He tried to maintain his composure, to ignore the searing pain in his chest. He had faced gods and monsters, but this injury, seemingly minor in comparison, threatened to undo him.

But they couldn't stay in the scenario forever. The night was settling in, and they had to return to their camp. As they began the long walk home, Dokja's steps grew unsteady. Dizziness overwhelmed him, and his knees buckled.

(Kim Dokja's Perspective):

The pain in my chest had intensified with every step, but I couldn't stop. I was determined to hide my suffering from my companions, no matter the cost. As we walked through the darkened forest, the dizziness that had been gnawing at the edges of my consciousness grew more pronounced. My vision blurred, and the world spun around me.

I couldn't let myself collapse. Not here, not now. I clenched my teeth, summoning every ounce of willpower to stay upright. But it was a losing battle. The ground seemed to sway beneath me, and my knees buckled.

I was falling.

But before I could crash into the unforgiving earth, strong arms caught me. It was Han Sooyoung, her face twisted with concern as she struggled to hold me up.

"Dokja! What's wrong?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with panic.

I tried to speak, to reassure her, but my words came out as an unintelligible mumble. My head felt heavy, and I was losing consciousness rapidly.

Yoo Joonghyuk was by my side in an instant, his eyes scanning me for injuries. "Dokja, answer us!"

But I couldn't. My strength had abandoned me, and I succumbed to the darkness that had been creeping at the edges of my vision.

The last thing I heard before everything faded into blackness was the frantic voices of my companions calling my name

(Han sooyoung's Perspective):

As we continued our journey home through the dark forest, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Dokja. He had been unusually quiet, and his steps were unsteady. It was as if he was hiding something from us, and my instincts told me that I needed to keep a closer eye on him.

My heart raced as I approached Dokja, my worry mounting with each passing moment. I couldn't afford to ignore this nagging feeling. He was our leader, our friend, and I couldn't stand the thought of something happening to him.

Just as my suspicions grew stronger, it happened. Dokja stumbled, his body swaying dangerously. Without thinking, I lunged forward and caught him just in time, preventing him from crashing to the ground.

"Dokja! What's wrong?" I exclaimed, my voice tinged with fear and concern.

But Dokja's response was incoherent, a garbled mumble that sent shivers down my spine. It was clear that something was seriously wrong.

Yoo Joonghyuk rushed to our side, his expression mirroring my worry. He examined Dokja as best as he could on the spot, but the severity of the situation was evident.

"Dokja, answer us!" Yoo Joonghyuk urged, but it was futile. Dokja's eyes were glazed over, and he was slipping away from us.

As panic threatened to consume us, Lee Seolhwa stepped forward. Her role as a doctor among our group made her the most qualified to assess the situation. She quickly examined Dokja's condition and delivered her verdict.

"He has a severe wound, and he's lost a significant amount of blood," Lee Seolhwa announced, her voice steady despite the gravity of her words.

The weight of her diagnosis hung heavy in the air. Without hesitation, we made the unanimous decision to rush Dokja home for proper treatment. We couldn't afford to waste any more time.

We worked together to carry Dokja back to our camp, our steps hurried and our hearts heavy with worry. Once we arrived, we wasted no time in administering the care he so desperately needed. The sight of Dokja lying unconscious on his bed, bandages covering his chest and drips connected to his arm, was a stark reminder of our leader's vulnerability.

The next morning, Dokja stirred in his bed. His eyes fluttered open, and we could see the confusion and exhaustion in his gaze. But what tugged at our hearts the most were the children, Shin Yoosung and Lee Gilyoung, who had slept by his side, their eyes red from crying. Biyu, the baby Dokkaebi, lay peacefully nearby.

As Dokja woke the children, he asked them questions, trying to piece together what had happened. It was a bittersweet moment as we watched them interact, relieved that Dokja was awake and aware.

Soon, the news of Dokja's awakening spread throughout our camp, and one by one, his companions gathered in his room. The worry and anger were palpable in the room, and Han Sooyoung couldn't contain her frustration any longer.

"Why did you hide your injury, Dokja?" she demanded, her voice sharp with anger and concern.

Dokja's gaze dropped, and he hesitated for a moment before he spoke, his voice filled with guilt. "I didn't want to worry any of you. We were in the middle of a fight, and I... I just forgot."

Han Sooyoung's anger seemed to abate slightly, replaced by a mix of emotions. "You idiot," she muttered, her voice trembling. "We care about you, Dokja."

Dokja's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and he swallowed hard. "I'll tell you everything if it's really bad."

We exchanged glances, torn between relief that Dokja was finally being sincere and frustration that he had hidden his pain from us. Still, there was an unspoken understanding that we were here for each other, no matter what.

In the days that followed, Dokja's recovery was our top priority. We took turns caring for him, making sure he didn't overexert himself. Slowly but surely, he regained his strength, and the darkness that had briefly threatened to consume him began to recede.

Our bond as a group grew stronger, forged in the crucible of adversity. We knew that we could rely on each other, that we were a family bound by something deeper than blood.

And as Dokja's laughter once again echoed through our camp, we couldn't help but feel a sense of hope that the worst was behind us.

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