Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

The group wasted no time after the response. As soon as the first vampire turned, the others followed with almost perfect precision, as if they all shared the same internal rhythm, the same sense of direction, the same silent reading of their surroundings. There was no need for words between them, nor visible signals—just coordinated movement, too natural to be rehearsed.

They advanced along the darkened road without looking back.

But they weren’t ignoring Kael.

They were trusting that he would come.

The carriage remained still for only a few seconds after they departed, as if the world itself were awaiting the final decision, but then the coachman, noticing Kael’s earlier gesture, gently pulled the reins, and the horses began to move again, still reluctant, still uncomfortable, but obedient.

The wheels creaked softly against the uneven terrain as they followed behind the vampires.

The distance between them was calculated.

Not too close.

Not far enough away to lose sight of them.

Kael watched everything in silence, his eyes following each step of the group ahead, registering how they moved, how they dodged obstacles before they even became evident, how they avoided certain areas of the road without even needing to discuss it amongst themselves.

There was a pattern there.

There was experience.

But there was also... caution.

They weren’t relaxed.

Even in their own territory.

That, in itself, said a lot.

Kael rested his elbow on the window frame, resting his face in his hand as he continued to observe, completely attentive despite his seemingly carefree posture.

"They’re tense." He commented, more as an observation than a question, without taking his eyes off the road ahead.

Exelia raised her gaze slightly, following the vampires’ movements for a moment before replying, her voice calm and controlled as always.

"They are." She confirmed, crossing one leg elegantly again while keeping the clipboard resting on her lap. "And it’s not because of your presence."

Kael let out a small, almost inaudible "hm," as if he had already reached the same conclusion before she even said it.

If it were only because of him, the behavior would be different.

More hostile.

Or more submissive.

But this...

It was warning.

It was fear.

Of something bigger.

The road began to narrow as they advanced, the trees closing in more around the path, their twisted branches forming a kind of natural tunnel that further blocked the little light that remained. The ground was uneven, marked by old passages, some deeper, others partially erased, as if the flow there had diminished... or changed.

The silence had also changed.

It was no longer just the absence of sound.

It was... restraint.

As if the environment itself were holding something back.

Kael slowly uncrossed his arms, leaning forward a little more, his eyes now more attentive, scanning not only the vampires but also the sides of the road, the trees, the ground, every little detail that might indicate something out of place.

"This isn’t normal." He murmured, more to himself than to Exelia, though he knew she would hear.

Exelia didn’t respond immediately.

But the slight narrowing of her eyes indicated that she had also noticed.

The vampires ahead slowed their pace slightly.

It wasn’t abrupt.

But it was perceptible.

One of those further back turned his head slightly, as if checking the carriage’s position, and for a brief second, his eyes met Kael’s again.

There was something different there now.

Less formality.

More... contained urgency.

As if they too were beginning to sense something they couldn’t ignore.

Kael held her gaze for a moment before looking away, returning to observe the path ahead, his body remaining relaxed, but his presence... completely active.

He let out a small sigh through his nose, distractedly running a hand through his red hair.

"Great." He murmured, a slight trace of irony creeping into his voice. "I haven’t even properly arrived and something’s already going wrong."

Exelia offered a small, wry smile, though her eyes remained alert.

"You really have a special talent for arriving at... interesting moments." She commented, slightly adjusting her position in the carriage.

Kael shrugged.

"I don’t choose." He replied.

A brief pause.

"I only show up when things have already gone wrong."

Ahead, the vampires finally left the more enclosed path, leading the carriage into a slightly more open area, though still enveloped in the constant darkness of the dome. The terrain there was flatter, but there were clear signs of recent movement — footprints, tracks, signs of passage in greater numbers than expected.

Kael noticed immediately.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"They’re moving more than they should," he commented.

Exelia followed his gaze.

"Yes," she replied, more serious now. "This doesn’t just look like a patrol."

The vampires ahead finally stopped.

This time, clearly.

The group leader raised his hand slightly, signaling to the others, and then slowly turned to the carriage, waiting for it to approach completely before speaking.

Kael didn’t move.

But his gaze was completely fixed on him now.

Attentive.

Direct.

Waiting.

The carriage stopped.

Silence settled in again.

Heavier.

More present.

The vampire took a step forward.

And then spoke, his voice still controlled... but now carrying something different.

"From here on... the territory changes." There was a brief pause.

His eyes fixed on Kael.

"And not just geographically."

Kael tilted his head slightly, as if this had been the most predictable thing in the world.

"Finally." He murmured.

Then he slowly opened the carriage door, descending with a calm movement, slightly stretching his shoulders as if he were just beginning.

But his eyes...

Were completely focused.

"Then continue." He said, looking directly at the vampire. "I want to see how far this goes."

The group resumed moving soon after the brief pause, but the pace was now different—more attentive, more calculated, as if each step was being measured not only by distance, but by the possible consequences of advancing further into that clearly uneven territory. The carriage was left behind this time, abandoned without ceremony, since the path ahead no longer seemed suitable for something so visible and slow, and Kael continued on foot, showing no discomfort with the change, as if it only made everything more straightforward.

The vampires advanced ahead, making their way naturally, dodging exposed roots and more unstable patches of land as if they already knew every inch of that region, but there was still tension in their movements, something subtle but constant, like a rope stretched too tight, about to vibrate at the slightest wrong stimulus.

Kael walked a few steps behind them, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed, but with his gaze always moving, absorbing everything—the environment, the muffled sounds, the changes in the terrain and, above all, the behavior of the guides themselves. Exelia came right behind him, light, almost silent steps, the clipboard still in hand, but now more as a habit than a real necessity.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, the vampire leading the group slowed slightly, as if waiting for the right moment to speak, before finally breaking the silence without looking back.

"My name is Carter."

His voice was firm, controlled, but there was something about it—not nervousness, exactly, but caution. He continued walking as he spoke, as if stopping would be a bad idea.

"We’re nearing the border."

Kael raised an eyebrow slightly, but didn’t interrupt.

Carter continued, now with a slightly more serious tone.

"Soon... we’ll enter the central territory. The true Kingdom."

He paused briefly, dodging a low branch before proceeding.

"And there..." his voice became a little lower, more restrained, "there are vampires everywhere."

The group behind him remained in absolute silence, as if this information wasn’t new, but still deserved respect.

"Patrols. Nobles. Hunters." Carter continued, finally turning his face slightly, just enough for Kael to see part of his expression. "The chances of us being intercepted increase considerably."

Kael listened without changing his pace.

Without altering his expression.

Without even seeming particularly interested.

When Carter finished, there was a brief silence, as if the atmosphere awaited a more... strategic reaction.

More cautious.

More sensible.

But Kael simply shrugged.

"Okay." He replied, with the same nonchalance as someone commenting on the weather.