Dominic's gaze lingered on Damien for a few more seconds, then drifted outward, toward the ripples in the room.
Or rather—the absence of them.
Nothing stirred anymore.
No pulses.
No leaking tension.
No atmospheric warping around Damien's presence.
The silence was just… silence now. Still, clean.
Controlled.
Dominic exhaled slowly, then gave a final nod, more to himself than anyone else.
"…It's gone."
Damien glanced over, brow raised.
"Your bloodlust," Dominic clarified. "You've sealed it."
He stepped once around Damien again, noting the faint shimmer in the ambient graph. Flat. Even. No anomaly spikes.
"No fluctuations. No leaks. No pressure drag."
He turned fully toward his son.
"You've finished the first stage."
Damien didn't respond right away. Just rolled one shoulder back, relaxed. Like it was already natural.
