The Beast Corporation, ZENTHRA.
Its reach extended across the Skyglass Heights, controlling access to mystical Entropic Rifts that held Interstellar Beasts within.
Their power kept the chaos and potential dangers contained, to the point where most Glassbloods living there felt completely safe.
One of their main headquarters in the Skyglass Heights was exactly where Damian needed to infiltrate—for no reason other than to gather information.
He looked at Anastasia, feeling the need to say what was on his mind.
"This infiltration mission... it'll be the last dangerous thing I do for a while. If we really can access their servers and dig up info on Vex Talon, the Beast Masters, or anything from that day that hasn't been wiped... I want to use it to understand. To see just how strong an Interstellar Beast Master is, and what kind of power I'll need to take him down. After that, we'll need to find a way to make Kitsuul and me stronger."
He spoke with bright eyes, looking valiant and full of purpose.
But Anastasia stared into those eyes—eyes that held no trace of fear even while he talked about going after one of the most powerful Interstellar Beast Masters in Ebonreach Metropolis—and forced herself to ask.
"Are you... not scared of everything we are doing? Are you not scared of the Drunken Butcher?"
…!
Was he not scared?
The question slammed into Damian's mind like a brick wall, freezing his thoughts.
He turned to Anastasia, as if weighing whether to be honest.
But then he thought of the Drunken Butcher.
He thought of his dead wife...
He shook his head, his voice dry, a self-deprecating smile curling his lips.
"Am I not scared? Anastasia, I'm fucking terrified."
…!
His words made Anastasia's eyes go wide, like she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.
Terrified? This was the same guy who fought off monstrous things in a blood-soaked arena like it was a gym workout. The same guy planning to infiltrate ZENTHRA and challenge one of the strongest Interstellar Beast Masters alive in the future.
But... he was terrified?
She shook her head in disbelief as Damian kept talking, his eyes shaking as they fixed on the messy table of food between them.
"I'm terrified of the man who flew in on a massive Rhino-Bat Interstellar Beast and killed people like he was shredding paper. I'm terrified of the videos I've seen of him 'rescuing' others. I'm terrified I'll stand in front of him and not even scratch his skin, while his Interstellar Beast just looks at me and breaks everything I've built. I'm terrified and traumatized from that day...but I'm also so angry, Anastasia."
…!
He stared down at the table between them.
His eyes were hazy. Tears slipped out, silent and heavy, like they'd been trapped inside for too long.
"I'm terrified, but I'm also filled with rage, Anastasia. And rage is the only thing that pushes me past the fear. It was rage that got me into the Rustblood Circuit Arena—the one I'd only ever watched from the stands or on TV. It was rage that let me charge at an Enforcer without freezing up. Between fear and rage... I'll pick rage every time. Because until the one who caused all this grief is gone, the rage won't go anywhere."
"So even though I'm scared of him... even though I'm scared of what we'll find in ZENTHRA... even though I believe this infiltration should be manageable, part of me keeps asking—what if I'm wrong? What if there's an Interstellar Beast that can see through Kitsuul's cloaking? One wrong move and I'm exposed. Dead. And Ilyana... she gets no justice. No vengeance. I know all of that. But still... I have to do it!"
…!
"I have to know how big the gap between me and the Drunken Butcher really is. I have to learn the secrets of the Interstellar Beast Masters and how to grow strong enough so that this fear—this weight—can at least be bearable. Because then, I'll know what I need to do."
The tears stopped.
The fear in his chest was shoved deeper, swallowed by rising flames of rage.
He wasn't some robot or cybernetic with suppressed emotions.
He felt fear more than anyone. Truthfully, he was still haunted by that day when the Drunken Butcher obliterated everything in sight. Nightmares every night reminded him of it.
If the day ever came when he stood face to face with that monster... he didn't know if he'd freeze from fear or ignite from rage.
But he would still move forward. He owed at least that much to his wife.
The love of his life... deserved that much.
He had to set everything else aside.
And when the time finally came—when he faced the Butcher and all that terrifying power—he hoped he'd at least be able to look him in the eye and not falter.
"…"
Silence settled in the room.
Anastasia stared at Damian, stunned by the raw honesty in his voice.
Then her tears began to fall.
She realized something.
Maybe—just maybe—she wasn't alone.
"Damian... I... I haven't been able to sleep!" Her voice cracked as she almost seemed to be sobbing.
"Every night, I have nightmares. That Rhino-Bat… it's always there, chewing on my bones! The rider tears me apart, again and again! Every corner of my apartment—every shadow—feels like a bat's about to leap out and kill me. I haven't slept in a week. Even when I do... I need pills. Fucking pills to the point that I am starting to feel like an addict. I—I...!"
Her tears flowed freely, and her eyes looked shattered.
She'd been holding it together for so long. But hearing even a sliver of Damian's truth broke her.
Damian stood and walked around the table to sit beside her.
She leaned against his shoulder, sobbing freely, while he glanced at Kitsuul—who looked at them, confused—before softly saying.
"You can sleep at my place tonight. I'll stand guard. Keep the nightmares away. I've got this little beast now, see? You can hold her while you sleep. And I'll stay at the door all night. Okay?"
…!
She hadn't slept in a week. Maybe longer.
He knew he was wrecked from what happened, but he hadn't realized how much worse it had been for Anastasia.
And if they were really going through with infiltrating ZENTHRA, she needed rest. No mistakes. No early deaths.
She wiped her tears and removed her glasses. She couldn't even look at Damian, but she gave him a small nod.