Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

The forest seemed different now that it wasn’t empty.

Where before there had only been heavy silence and the metallic smell of death, now there was movement—men positioned at strategic points, forming an almost perfect perimeter around the clearing. Discreet armor, dark cloaks, attentive gazes. It wasn’t disorganized, nor improvised. It was control. It was the presence of a family that knew exactly how to deal with tragedies... and how to protect what still remained.

Kael paused for a moment as soon as he crossed the last line of trees.

His eyes scanned the environment slowly, analyzing every detail, every position, every breath held in that space. There was discipline there. There was preparation. But, above all... there were too many people.

He let out a small sigh through his nose, almost inaudible.

"There are too many people here."

The observation came out low, without direct criticism, but loaded with that neutral tone he always used when something didn’t completely please him.

Irelia, walking a step ahead, didn’t slow her pace, but turned her face slightly toward him, as if she had already anticipated that comment.

"It’s because of my mother."

The answer came simply, directly, almost automatically.

She continued walking, naturally dodging two soldiers who made way as soon as they recognized her.

"When she leaves the main mansion... half the people think they need to come along."

There was a slight tone of resignation in her voice, but also something close to familiarity. This was clearly nothing new.

Kael let out a low "hm," more as an acknowledgment of the information than a real interest in delving deeper.

But his eyes remained attentive.

Observing.

Memorizing.

The soldiers began to perceive their presence more clearly as they advanced. Some turned their faces away, others adjusted their posture, but all reacted the same way upon seeing Irelia.

Immediate respect.

One of the men closest to her stepped forward, tilting his head slightly.

"Miss Irelia."

She nodded back, not stopping completely, but slowing down enough to answer.

"Where is she?"

The question came directly, without unnecessary formality.

The man didn’t hesitate. He simply raised his hand and indicated a direction more towards the center of the clearing.

"There, coordinating."

Irelia followed the gesture with her eyes.

And nodded.

"Thank you."

She resumed walking without wasting time, and Kael followed her in silence, maintaining the same comfortable distance as before. As they advanced, the scene became more... clear. Closer. More impossible to ignore.

Even for someone like him.

The bodies were being arranged now, but that didn’t lessen the impact. It only made what had happened more visible. Men working in silence, some covering what they could, others identifying, others just... avoiding looking for too long.

Kael didn’t look away.

But he didn’t react either.

He just watched.

Until he saw.

A figure.

With her back turned.

In the center of it all.

She stood there with impeccable posture, shoulders aligned, a firm presence even without apparent effort. Her blonde hair fell elegantly down her back, catching the soft light filtering through the trees. There was something about the way she stood there that didn’t need a voice to impose authority.

But she spoke.

And everyone listened.

"The recognizable bodies must be separated immediately."

The voice was clear, firm, but not aggressive. It was the kind of command that didn’t need to be repeated.

"I want complete identification before transport. No mistakes."

She took a small step forward, observing the work being done with attentive eyes.

"And make sure all family members receive adequate compensation. Gold. Not promises."

There was a brief pause.

"They served well. They will be treated with respect."

There was no explicit emotion in her voice.

But there was... consideration.

Weight.

She wasn’t just organizing.

She was taking responsibility.

Irelia slowed her pace.

And then stopped.

For a second, just observing.

Something in her expression softened almost imperceptibly.

Then she called.

"Mother."

The word cut through the air with a naturalness that didn’t match the scene.

The woman stopped.

Not immediately—but long enough for the movement to be perceived.

And then she turned.

Slowly.

Without haste.

Her serious, focused face, still carrying the weight of the situation...

It changed.

Not abruptly.

But clearly.

Her eyes met Irelia’s first.

And softened.

But then...

They moved.

To Kael.

And there was a pause.

Short.

But significant.

As if she were assessing something she had never seen before... but already knew from context.

Her gaze wasn’t hostile.

Nor overly warm.

It was... precise.

Observant.

And then, slowly, a slight smile appeared—restrained, elegant, laden with something that mixed curiosity and recognition.

Lysandra took a step forward.

Her presence, now face-to-face, was even more striking. Not only because of her beauty—which was evident, refined, natural—but because of the way she occupied the space effortlessly, like someone who didn’t need to prove anything.

"So..."

Her voice was soft.

Different from before.

But still firm.

"...you are Kael."

It wasn’t a question.

It was a confirmation.

Her eyes calmly analyzed him, taking in details without haste, as if she were assembling a complete image from already known fragments.

Irelia crossed her arms slightly, looking between the two of them.

"...First time you two meet."

She murmured, almost like a comment thrown into the air.

Lysandra didn’t take her eyes off Kael.

"It took you long enough."

She said, with a slightly amused tone.

But there was something more there.

Something deeper.

As if, behind that momentary lightness...

She had already understood that this meeting wasn’t simple.

And that he... wasn’t either.

The silence that followed Lysandra’s words wasn’t uncomfortable, but rather charged with a specific kind of attention—as if the atmosphere itself recognized that this moment, despite its superficial simplicity, held a greater weight than it appeared.

Kael didn’t respond immediately.

He held her gaze with his usual calm, unhurried, undeterred by the implicit expectations surrounding him. His eyes analyzed, not invasively, but precisely, like someone accustomed to understanding people before even deciding how to react to them.

Then he took a small step forward.

It wasn’t a grand gesture.

But it was intentional.

Enough to make it clear that he recognized her presence as something that deserved... formality.

"Kael."

He said, simply.

Without titles.

Without embellishment.

But there was respect in the way the word was spoken.

It wasn’t disregard.

It was a choice.

Lysandra observed this attentively, the slight smile still present, but now more subtle, more restrained. She inclined her head slightly, as if accepting this direct form of introduction without any problem.

"Lysandra Ainsworth."

The response came with more structure, but equally elegant, each syllable pronounced naturally, without exaggeration or unnecessary imposition. The name carried weight on its own, and she didn’t seem to need to reinforce it.

She brought one hand slightly forward, not in an exaggerated gesture, but enough to indicate formal courtesy.

"I imagine you’ve heard of me... albeit indirectly."

Kael inclined his head slightly in response, a small gesture, but enough to indicate that he was matching her level of respect.

"A few times."

He replied, in a neutral tone, but without indifference.

Irelia, standing beside them, watched in silence, her gaze shifting between the two with a curious mixture of expectation and slight tension. This wasn’t a typical interaction for her—not because it was too formal, but because it involved two people who, in different ways, occupied important positions in her life.

And they were both... sizing each other up.

Not in a hostile way.

But clearly.

Lysandra took another step forward, now subtly reducing the distance between them, still maintaining a respectful space, but enough to make the conversation more direct.

Her eyes analyzed Kael once more, this time with less superficial curiosity and more genuine attention.

"You don’t seem surprised."

She commented, tilting her head slightly.

"Neither the scenery... nor me."

The observation wasn’t accusatory.

It was... genuine interest.

Kael maintained a relaxed, but not careless, posture. His shoulders were loose, but his presence was firm, stable, like someone who didn’t need to adjust to the environment—just exist within it.

"I’ve seen worse."

He replied.

Simple.

Direct.

No dramatization.

Lysandra’s gaze shifted almost imperceptibly.

It wasn’t shock.

But recognition.

She nodded slightly.

"I imagine so."

There was a short pause.

And then, this time, she adjusted her tone.

"And yet... you came."

The sentence carried more meaning than it seemed.

It wasn’t just about physical presence.

It was about choice.

Kael answered without hesitation.

"Irelia asked."

He said, glancing slightly in her direction for a brief moment before returning to Lysandra.

"That was enough."

Irelia was slightly surprised by that, even though she tried not to show it. A slight warmth rose to her face, but she quickly looked away, crossing her arms as if it were nothing.

Lysandra noticed.

Of course she noticed.

And a slight, amused glint passed through her eyes, but disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"Good reason."

She commented.

Then, the air around them seemed to adjust again, gradually returning to the weight of the situation surrounding them. The sound of the men working, even if low, returned to permeate their perception, reminding everyone that this meeting was happening in the midst of something much larger.

Lysandra finally looked away for a moment, observing the field once more before returning to Kael.

"You must have already realized..."

She began, her tone returning to what it had been before—serious, focused.

"...this wasn’t an ordinary confrontation."

Kael didn’t respond immediately.

But he nodded.

Slightly.

"It wasn’t."

The confirmation came briefly.

But sufficiently.

Lysandra’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Then let’s save time."

She said, direct now.

"I want your opinion."

There was a short pause.

And then she finished:

"Are those who did this really vampires?"