The air within the airship had become suffocating, a thick, cloying weight pressing down on Tomoya's chest. He bolted, fleeing the confined space as if pursued by unseen hands. The cuts and scratches across his stomach, souvenirs from the monstrous encounters, throbbed with renewed anger, a constant, burning reminder of the chaos they had just endured. It felt almost mocking to see the first streaks of sunlight paint the horizon, the sun rising with its usual, unwavering punctuality. As if the island hadn't been plunged into the depths of terror just hours before. The world outside seemed oblivious, utterly indifferent to the horrors they had faced.

He found himself on a deserted strip of beach, the sand cool beneath his bare feet. The waves rolled in with a rhythmic, almost hypnotic calm, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within him. He sank down, his knees digging into the soft sand, his gaze fixed on the endless expanse of the ocean. A low, guttural roar echoed in his head, a phantom sound that mirrored the beast that lurked within him, a beast he struggled to keep chained.

The letter burned in his palm, a physical manifestation of the dread that had been gnawing at him since he'd received it. With a trembling hand, he tore the envelope open, his breath catching in his throat. The words inside hit him like a physical blow, each syllable a hammer blow to his already fragile composure.

I told you I would come for you. Didn't I? I took your mate. Didn't think he'd be a pretty elf with emerald eyes and copper curls. Interesting. He's quite... fragile. I wonder how long he'll last.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Tomoya dropped to his knees, the letter fluttering to the sand. It felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest, leaving a gaping, agonising void. The casual cruelty of the words, the blatant disregard for Isaac's life, the chilling reminder of Akihiro's unwavering obsession... it was all too much.

A cold dread washed over him. This wasn't just a threat; it was a promise. A promise delivered with a chillingly intimate knowledge of his life, his connections, his vulnerabilities. The casual mention of Isaac, described with such unsettling detail, sent a shiver down his spine. Akihiro had been watching. He had been waiting.

The truth hit Tomoya with the force of a physical blow, a brutal awakening from a carefully constructed dream. He had been searching for an escape, a sanctuary, a place to finally belong. He had grasped at the Aetherwing Brigade, at Bayu, Isaac, Kai... clinging to the fleeting illusion that he had found it. He had believed in Kai's relentless kindness, his unwavering faith; in Bayu, who had coaxed him into the bathhouse waters, offering a moment of unexpected warmth; in Isaac, whom he had marked with his own teeth, drawn blood, drunk from, and who had still offered forgiveness. He had dared to believe he belonged. But it was a lie. They didn't belong to him. None of it ever had. Not really.

-END-