Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

The silence that followed Lysandra’s question didn’t last long, but it wasn’t broken hastily either. Kael didn’t answer immediately; instead, he looked away from her and began walking through the clearing, as if the answer wasn’t in words, but scattered there, among the bodies, the blood, and the traces of what had happened.

He passed one of the men working, completely ignoring the brief hesitation he caused as he approached, and stopped beside one of the most damaged bodies. He knelt down unceremoniously, as if it were just another technical detail to be analyzed, and not something that would make any ordinary person recoil.

His eyes scanned the wounds attentively.

Without haste.

Without revulsion.

He turned the body slightly, observing the angles, the depth of the cuts, the absence of certain patterns that would normally be there.

He ran his fingers close to one of the marks, without touching it directly, just following the shape in the air, as if he were reconstructing the movement that had caused it. Then he stood up.

And walked to another.

And another.

Irelia watched with her arms crossed, supporting her weight on one leg, following his movements with an attentive gaze, while Lysandra remained where she was, but clearly focused on every reaction, every microexpression he displayed.

After a few seconds—or perhaps minutes—Kael stopped.

In the center.

Amidst all of that.

And he let out a sigh.

A heavier one this time.

"This here is a vampire."

He said, finally, his voice calm, but full of certainty.

There was no doubt.

There was no "maybe."

It was an affirmation.

Irelia raised an eyebrow slightly, while Lysandra kept her gaze fixed on him, absorbing not only the conclusion, but the confidence with which it was said.

Kael ran a hand through his red hair, slightly ruffling the strands as he looked around once more, as if it was starting to truly irritate him.

"I’m fed up with this vampire crap."

The sentence came out unfiltered.

Without elegance.

But completely honest.

Irelia let out a small sound through her nose, something between a suppressed laugh and silent agreement, while Lysandra only tilted her head slightly, not offended by the tone—on the contrary, she seemed to consider it... useful.

"The attacks have increased by more than forty percent in the last few weeks."

She said, resuming a more analytical tone, taking a few steps closer to him, but still maintaining a comfortable distance.

"Not just here. Trade routes, isolated villages, even armed outposts."

She crossed her arms slightly.

"They’re more active. More aggressive."

Kael let out a low "hm," glancing at one of the more distant bodies, as if connecting it to something he already knew.

"A few days ago I cleared an entire forest."

He commented casually, as if talking about something trivial.

"Full of them."

Irelia turned her face toward him quickly.

"You did what?"

But Kael continued, completely ignoring her reaction.

"And even so..." he made a small gesture around with his hand, indicating the whole scene, "more appeared."

Lysandra narrowed her eyes slightly, thoughtful.

"So it’s not an isolated group."

She murmured.

"It’s a movement."

Kael didn’t answer immediately.

He just looked.

Again.

Deeper.

And then shook his head slightly.

"No."

The answer came calmly.

But firmly. He took a few steps until he stopped beside a body that was still partially intact, bending down again, this time observing the neck more closely.

"If it were just hunting..." he began, his voice lower now, more focused, "this would be different."

Lysandra moved a little closer, leaning slightly to observe as well, while Irelia uncrossed her arms and took two steps forward, curious.

"Humans are no match for vampires."

Lysandra said, returning to her more straightforward logic.

"Even trained soldiers have difficulty. In the end... everyone becomes food."

Kael let out a small sound of denial.

Almost a dry laugh.

"No."

He said simply.

Then he looked up at her.

And pointed slightly at the body.

"This is not food."

There was a short pause.

Heavy.

"This is revenge." Silence returned, but this time heavy with something different.

Lysandra frowned slightly.

Irelia tilted her head.

Kael continued.

"No prey marks."

He turned his face slightly, indicating other bodies with a discreet gesture.

"No complete drainage. No attempt at organized feeding."

He stood up again, running his hand along his arm as if pushing the subject away, but without truly disconnecting from it.

"They weren’t hungry."

Another pause.

"They were angry."

Irelia let out a small "huh," taking a few more steps to one of the bodies and crouching down as well, analyzing it more practically, less technically, but still attentively.

She turned the body of one of the soldiers slightly, observing his condition, the wounds, how everything seemed... excessive.

"There are marks of loss of control."

She commented, glancing at the cuts.

"Like... when someone doesn’t stop even after they’ve already won."

She looked up at Kael.

"Extreme anger."

Kael nodded slightly.

"Exactly."

Lysandra remained silent for a few seconds, absorbing it all, connecting the pieces quickly and precisely.

Her eyes moved again across the clearing.

But now... seeing something different.

Not just what happened.

But why?

"So they’re not just hunting."

She said, more to herself than to the others.

"They’re responding."

Kael let out a small sigh.

"Or provoking."

He corrected.

Irelia crossed her arms again, looking between the two.

"Okay, but that still doesn’t explain why they’re freaking out like this."

She said, with a slight hint of irritation.

"Vampires are already problematic normally, but this..." she gestured broadly around, "this is another level."

Kael was silent for a moment.

Thinking.

Then he ran a hand through his hair once more.

Clearly bothered.

"Maybe someone started something they shouldn’t have."

He murmured.

Lysandra glanced at him.

"Someone like you?"

The question came lightly. But he wasn’t innocent.

Irelia’s eyes widened slightly.

"Hey—"

But Kael didn’t react defensively.

He just shrugged.

"Possible."

He replied.

Simple.

Direct.

As if he had no problem considering it.

"I’ve killed many of them recently."

He looked around again.

"But this here..." he paused briefly, "this here isn’t just a reaction."

Lysandra watched him more closely now.

More interest.

"So?"

She asked.

Kael took a second longer this time.

As if he were carefully choosing his words.

Or perhaps deciding how much he wanted to share.

"Someone’s organizing this."

He said finally.

The sentence landed heavily.

Irelia frowned.

"Organizing... how?"

Kael gave a small, humorless smile.

"Like someone who wants to send a message."

Lysandra didn’t say anything immediately.

But her gaze shifted.

From analysis...

To strategy.

Because, at that point, it wasn’t just about what had happened.

It was about what would come next.

The silence that followed Kael’s last statement wasn’t empty—it quickly filled with implications, possibilities, and a kind of tension that didn’t need to be spoken aloud to be understood. The clearing no longer seemed just a place of massacre, but a warning. A message left with enough care to be understood by those who knew how to look.

Lysandra was the first to move.

She took a slow step to the side, her eyes still scanning the bodies, but now no longer searching for answers in the past—but rather patterns that pointed to the future. Her mind had clearly shifted, leaving analysis behind and entering something more strategic.

"A message..."

She repeated, in a low, almost thoughtful tone.

Her fingers lightly touched her own arm, an unconscious gesture as she organized her thoughts.

"So this wasn’t just about killing soldiers."

She looked up at Kael again.

"It was meant to be seen."

Kael nodded slightly, as if it were obvious.

"It was meant to be understood."

He corrected, with his usual calm.

Irelia snorted softly, clearly bothered by the direction the conversation was taking, crossing her arms more tightly this time as she looked around again.

"Okay, great, so we have murderous vampires sending messages." She made a vague gesture with her hand. "A message for whom exactly? For us? For you?" She looked directly at Kael as she said this.

Kael didn’t answer immediately.

But he didn’t look away either.

His silence was already answer enough to leave it hanging in the air.

Irelia narrowed her eyes.

"...Ah."

She murmured.

"Of course it’s for you."

Lysandra didn’t interrupt.

But she observed.

Attentively.

The small details.

The reactions.

The way Kael didn’t deny it.

That said much more than any direct explanation.

"If that’s the case..." she began, refocusing on her reasoning, "then this isn’t random. It’s deliberate."

She took a few slow steps across the clearing, as if mentally drawing an invisible map.

"They knew where to attack. They knew who would be here. They knew the impact it would have."

She paused.

And looked at Kael again.

"And they knew it would draw your attention."

Irelia let out a small, irritated sigh, running a hand over her face.

"Great. Perfect. Wonderful." She murmured with slight sarcasm. "Now we have vampires with strategic sense and free time."

Kael ignored the tone.

His eyes were more focused now.

More attentive.

As if something was slowly falling into place.

"It’s not just strategy."

He said.

Softly.

Lysandra tilted her head slightly.

"Then what is it?"

Kael hesitated for a second.

Then he answered:

"It’s personal."

The word fell with more weight than any other before.

Irelia slowly uncrossed her arms.

"...Guys?" she repeated.

Kael nodded.

"They didn’t just kill."

He gestured slightly around.

"They overdid it."

Lysandra observed the bodies again.

Now with this new lens.

And, in fact... it made sense.

The excess.

The unnecessary brutality.

The lack of food efficiency.

Everything pointed to something beyond necessity.

"Directed rage..." she murmured.

Kael finished:

"Someone wants me to see this."

Silence returned.

But this time denser.

Clearer.

Irelia lightly ran her tongue over her lips, thoughtful.

"Okay... so someone wants your attention." She looked directly at him. "Congratulations, you’ve got fans."

Kael let out a small sigh through his nose.

"I prefer normal enemies."

"It’s a bit late for that," she replied dryly.

Lysandra let out a soft, low laugh.

Not loud.

Not uncontrolled.

But genuine.

And that, in that scenario, was almost strange.

She shook her head slightly, regaining focus.

"Regardless... this puts us in a complicated position."

She crossed her arms again, her posture firm.

"If they’re trying to lure you in, then this isn’t going to stop here."

Kael nodded.

"It won’t."

Simple.

Direct.

Irelia looked between the two, clearly realizing that things were escalating too quickly.

"Okay, so what’s the plan?" she asked, more direct now. "Because ’waiting for them to attack again’ doesn’t seem like a very good strategy."

Kael was silent for a moment.

Thinking.

Then he replied:

"I’m going to them." The answer came as naturally as it was dangerous.

Irelia blinked.

Once.

Twice.

"...You’re going to what?"

Lysandra didn’t react with surprise.

But her eyes narrowed slightly.

Intrigued.

"Explain."

Kael shrugged.

"If you want my attention... you’ve got it."

He looked around once more.

"Then I’ll finish this at the fountain."

Irelia brought her hand to her face.

"Of course," she murmured. "Obviously. It makes perfect sense for you to go alone to a place full of angry vampires who clearly want to kill you creatively."

Kael tilted his head slightly.

"It worked last time."

She turned her face slowly to him.

"...That doesn’t help."

Lysandra let out another small laugh, this time a little more noticeable, though still restrained.

But then she became serious again.

Very quickly.

"You’re not going alone."

The statement came firmly.

No room for immediate debate.

Kael looked at her.

Expressionless.

"I will."

"You won’t."

Her tone didn’t rise.

But it gained weight.

Authority.

Irelia looked between the two again.

"...Okay, this is going to be interesting."

Kael crossed his arms slightly, analyzing Lysandra more closely now, as if recalibrating how he saw her.

"This isn’t your family’s problem."

He said.

Lysandra didn’t hesitate.

"Now it is."

She replied.

Directly.

Without beating around the bush.

Her eyes didn’t leave his.

"They attacked my men. In my territory. Under my responsibility."

A short pause.

"This involves me."

Kael held her gaze for a few seconds.

Silent.

Assessing.

And then he let out a small sigh.

Not of irritation.

But of partial acceptance.

"So you’re coming."

He said.

As if he were yielding... but on his own terms.

Irelia gave a small, sideways smile.

"Ah, great," she murmured. "Family outing."

Lysandra didn’t react to the comment.

But a slight glint in her eyes indicated that she wasn’t exactly unhappy with the situation.

On the contrary.

She seemed... ready.

"Then let’s stop reacting."

She said firmly.

"And start hunting."

The wind swept through the clearing again.

Lightly.

But now carrying something different.

No longer just the weight of death.

But the beginning of something new.

And possibly—

Much worse.