From the very back of the warehouse, sobs started to come out from Xin's mouth. Tears had formed in her eyes and her body was shaking but only ever so slightly. Her body didn't even have the appropriate nutrients to warrant the reaction of feelings she wanted to express.
An overwhelming well of emotions had hit her after hearing Apollo's words. Him saying sorry? Did it matter what words he said, if he felt sorry, then how could he even let things get to this situation.
Yet, she wasn't able to say these words. The fight, it had to be over now. She lifted her head and could see in the distance that the other three that had entered hadn't made much progress, and a wall of Altered awaited them.
Not only that, but Apollo was still in good condition to fight. For her, Zin had fought by Austin's side once, she knew how strong he was, the strength he had, and for Apollo to have bested him this way, she didn't expect the others to have much of a chance. She had underestimated his strength and the whole situation.
Now biting her bottom lip, guilt was starting to fuel her entire body. Guilt that she for a moment thought that maybe, these people could save her and bring her out of this situation.
The situation she had put them in, and the situation that the others were now suffering because of her. It pained her heart greatly.
Apollo stood in front of Xin looking at her face, looking at her condition and the tears barely falling down onto the ground.
'My family were heads of their own gang, and were saved by Harvor… they were absorbed into his group.' Apollo thought to himself. 'And eventually I got to this position. I lived my whole life walking down the dark path.'
'My fists have seen blood, they have killed for the sake of an order. So why out of all of these times now, do I feel the worst that I have ever felt?' Apollo thought to himself.
As images of Gary continued to enter his mind at this moment.
"NO!" A voice was heard.
Apollo lifting his head, could see Xin's tears had started to accelerate down her cheeks. She was shaking her head as she continued to scream.
"No! No!" Xin cried out. "What are you doing… Don't get up! Don't!"
A desperate, weakened strained voice, there had to be a reason for it, and when Apollo turned around, he could see Austin standing up once more. His arms dragging down by the side of his body, his knees slightly bent, and blood dripping out from his mouth.
"I can't… lose." Were words that had barely left Austin's mouth.
Flashing through his head, as he stood there were the memories of his life. He guessed it was true what they said, that one's life really did flash through their eyes before they died.
From those memories they were key ones that stuck out to him. Throughout school, the teachers he met, his parents and more, all said the same thing to him.
That he was hopeless at studying, that he was thick and he would never amount to anything. There were two places for people like him, prison or hospital. Never once did he receive praise.
Until he started to use his fists. His powerful, strong fists that were able to shut up those that said bad things about him. People around him, people in the school, they all started to talk about how strong his fists were.
So he felt like he could only go down one path, a path where he needed to use the strength of his fists, but what work could one do with that? To become a criminal, a gang member, these were the only options.
And then, Austin had met Gary, from there things started to change. It was because of his fists that he was able to help, but he was doing it in a way that made him feel happy.
To protect those that he called friends, to make a change in this world, to his city and to the Howlers. It was the first time he felt purpose through something he was good at, fighting.
Lastly, there was one more memory that stuck out, and it was with Gary himself. Before leaving for the AFC, Gary had called Austin for a private talk in the Wolf's Pool Club.
"Austin… I want you to go on the mission to save Xin, it has to be you, it can't be anyone else." Gary said.
"Don't you think it would be better if I was by the ring, what if the same thing happens as last time?" Austin replied.
Gary placed both hands on top of Austin's shoulder as he shook his head.
"Austin, I'm asking you for this favor. I'm asking you because it's you. Elijah, Kanu, Ice are strong, but not like you. I can't trust them."
"Honestly, without you, I don't know how far the Howlers would have gone. Xin is important to me, and I need her to be safe no matter what. Which is why you have to go, because you're the only person I trust… please." Gary said.
At the time, Austin was reluctant to agree, but he had done so. Because the person who had changed his life, had asked him, and had asked him because he put his trust in him.
"HE trusts me!" Austin said as he opened his mouth shouting the words specks of blood coming out. He placed both hands by his side. "He trusts me, so I have a job to do!"
As his hands stayed by his side, Austin's face started to transform, and steam started to come out from his body. It covered him from head to toe and the entire area.
Austin felt his heart thumping louder, shocking through his body, as he tried to change into his Altered form. He wasn't growing in size like he usually would.
Eventually the steam started to swirl around Austin's both arms that were covered in a brown substance, and encased the outside turning them grey.
Then growing out from the top of his head, Austin's horns grew further in size and started to swirl down, until they had almost reached the bottom of the floor and swirled upward.
A complete change had occurred in Austin's Altered form, as Apollo just stood there watching.
"He's… evolved." Apollo said.
***
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