Kael’s smile lacked warmth.
It wasn’t satisfaction.
It wasn’t amusent.
It was... confirmation.
Sothing falling into place.
"Ah... that’s good," he said, his voice low, almost too soft for the scene before him.
The four vampires remained motionless, trapped by the ice that still dominated their limbs, their bodies tense between pain, fear, and the desperate need to understand who—or what—was before them. The cold didn’t lessen, but it didn’t advance either. It was an imposed limit. A silent reminder that their lives were suspended by a decision.
Kael walked slowly among them.
Without haste.
Without worry.
His footsteps echoed softly in the empty street, contrasting with the vampires’ ragged breathing.
He stopped before the one who had spoken.
"Start from the beginning," he said. "And choose your words carefully."
The vampire swallowed hard. His throat was already beginning to stiffen with the cold. "...The king lost control," he said with difficulty. "After the queen’s death... everything changed."
Kael didn’t react.
He just listened.
"Executions began," the vampire continued. "At first... discreetly. Lesser nobles, servants... those who were considered... ’problematic’."
"And then?" Kael asked.
"The number increased," another replied, to the left. "Without criteria. Without trial. Just... accusations."
"Impure blood," a third added bitterly. "That was the justification."
Kael tilted his head slightly.
"And who defines that?"
Silence.
An exchange of glances.
"He says he feels it," the first replied. "That he can perceive the corruption in the blood."
Kael let out a small sigh.
"Convenient."
No one disagreed.
The vampire continued, now faster, as if speaking was the only thing keeping him whole.
"But this isn’t natural," he said. "The king can be cruel... he can be rigid... but he wasn’t irrational. Not like this."
Another nodded, the movent minimal because of the ice.
"He’s being guided," he said. "Or... distorted."
Kael crossed his arms.
"You believe the queen was murdered."
"Yes," they answered almost simultaneously.
Without hesitation.
Without a doubt.
This made Kael narrow his eyes slightly.
"Why?"
The vampire took a deep breath.
"Because there’s no body."
Silence.
"There was no funeral," he continued. "No farewell. Just... an announcent."
"And orders," added another. "Orders to eliminate anyone who questions."
Kael was silent for a mont.
Processing.
This wasn’t just instability.
It was narrative control.
Cleanliness.
He took another step forward.
"And the princess?" he asked.
This ti, there was hesitation.
Not fear.
But weight.
"She disappeared around the sa ti," said the one on the right. "Right after the queen’s death."
"So say she fled," said another.
"Others... that she was taken," added the third.
"And the king?" Kael asked.
"The king declared her a traitor," replied the first, with evident bitterness. "Said she was... impure."
Kael was silent.
For a second.
Two.
Then—
"Elizabeth?" he asked.
The reaction was imdiate.
The four vampires looked at him at the sa ti.
Shock.
Hope.
Tension.
"Yes!", one of them said, his voice faltering. "Elizabeth! That’s her na!"
"Do you know where she is?", another asked, unable to hide his urgency.
"Is she alive?" — the question ca out almost as a whisper.
Kael observed the four for a few seconds.
Assessing.
Weighing each reaction.
Fear.
Yes.
But not of losing power.
Not of failing a mission.
It was fear... for her.
He let out a small sigh.
"She is under my protection."
Silence.
Total.
As if the world had stopped for an instant.
The vampires’ eyes widened.
Disbelief.
Relief.
"...What?", one of them murmured.
Kael maintained his calm tone.
"I found her wounded," he said. "Exhausted. On the verge of collapse."
Their eyes changed.
Pain.
Anger.
Guilt.
"But she’s okay now," Kael continued. "Treated. Fed."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Asleep, probably."
The air seed to escape from all four of them at once.
As if they had been holding onto it for days.
Without realizing it.
One of them closed his eyes.
Another let out a weak, incredulous laugh.
"She’s alive..." he murmured.
"Thanks to you..." said another, his voice heavy.
Kael didn’t answer.
He just watched.
"You... didn’t hand her over?" asked the first, still suspicious, still testing.
Kael raised an eyebrow slightly.
"If I wanted to hand her over," he said, "you’d all be dead already."
Silence.
And then...
They understood.
Completely.
The ice still held them.
The pain was still there.
But, at that mont...
They relaxed.
Enough.
Real relief.
"So there’s still a chance..." one of them murmured.
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly.
"It depends."
They looked at him.
"On what?" the oldest asked.
Kael took a step forward.
His eyes grew colder.
More focused.
"On who’s really behind this."
Silence returned.
But this ti... heavy.
"If you’re right," he continued, "then this isn’t just an internal crisis."
He looked at each of them.
"It’s a power grab."
No one objected.
Because, deep down...
They already knew.
"And if soone was able to manipulate the vampire king..." Kael said, "...then we’re not dealing with just anyone."
The wind swept through the street again.
Cold.
Cutting.
"You want to protect the princess," he said.
They nodded.
Even imprisoned.
Even wounded.
Without hesitation.
Kael watched them for another mont.
And then—
The ice... receded.
Slowly.
Controlled.
Without causing further harm.
Freeing them.
But not completely.
There was still stiffness.
Pain.
Consequence.
"Then you will work with ," he said.
It wasn’t a request.
It never was.
The four looked at each other.
And, for the first ti since the beginning—
There was no doubt.
"...Yes," the first replied.
Kael nodded slightly.
"Great."
He turned away.
As if the conversation were already over.
As if the decision were already sealed.
"Because, from now on..." he said, without looking back— "I think I’m going to beco a vampire hunter." As soon as he finished, a huge ice spell surged over him. "Sorry guys, but you’re being followed."
As soon as Kael finished speaking, "Ice Spears." He said, and thousands of ice spears flew in one direction.
The spell responded.
Thousands.
Not dozens.
Not hundreds.
Thousands of ice spears materialized in the air above him, long, sharp, translucent, each vibrating with an absurd pressure of mana.
And they shot.
The sound was deafening.
The air was torn.
The spears advanced like a storm, crossing the street in a fraction of a second, piercing walls, destroying structures, exploding wood, stone, and iron as if they were paper.
And then—
Impact.
Screams.
Blood.
The shadows hiding in the surrounding buildings were ripped away.
Figures erged.
Vampires.
Nine.
They had been there all along.
Hidden.
Watching.
Waiting.
But Kael already knew.
Always knew.
Two spears pierced one of them before he could even react, piercing his chest and pinning him against the wall behind him. Another dodged by milliters, only to have his leg ripped off by a third spear that exploded against the ground.
But the others—
They reacted.
Quickly.
Experienced.
Dangerous.
"Ambush!" one of them shouted, his eyes glowing intense red.
They advanced.
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
Vampiric speed.
Explosive.
Four of them ca directly at Kael.
The others scattered, trying to flank, trying to eliminate the four vampires who were now beside him.
But Kael...
Didn’t move.
Not yet.
One of the enemies appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye, claws going straight for his face.
Another ca from below, a short blade aid at his abdon.
A third appeared behind him.
Synchronized.
Lethal.
And then—
The ground froze.
Not slowly.
Instantly.
A layer of black ice spread beneath their feet, like a solid shadow, gripping their movents, slowing their reflexes for just an instant.
But an instant... was all Kael needed.
He moved.
Not like a human.
Not like a vampire.
But like sothing... more.
His hand rose.
And caught the face of the first attacker.
Impact.
The ice exploded.
Not from the outside.
From the inside.
The vampire’s skull froze in an instant and shattered in Kael’s hand, fragnts of ice and blood scattering through the air.
Before the body fell—
He turned.
The second attacker was already there.
The blade ca.
It stopped.
Kael’s hand caught his arm mid-swing.
The cold spread.
The vampire opened his mouth to scream—
But his entire body froze.
Kael didn’t hesitate.
He pulled.
The arm ca out.
Whole.
Frozen.
It shattered in mid-air.
The third ca from behind.
Quick.
Precise.
The blade descended—
And found... nothing.
Kael was no longer there.
He appeared beside him.
His hand touched the vampire’s chest.
Just that.
A touch.
And then—
Explosion.
The ice expanded from the inside out, destroying the body into crystallized fragnts that scattered across the floor.
Silence for a split second.
And then—
Chaos.
"Now!" shouted one of the four allies.
They advanced.
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
One of them appeared before an enemy and hurled him against a wall with brutal force, the impact cracking the structure. Another advanced low, knocking a vampire down by the legs before sinking his claws into its neck.
The third... was more direct.
He grabbed one of the enemies and threw him against the ice spears still embedded in the walls.
The body was pierced.
Imdiately.
But the enemies were not weak.
They were not simple.
They were hunters.
One of them appeared behind one of the allies and sank his fangs into his shoulder, tearing flesh. Another advanced with absurd speed, landing a direct blow to another’s face, throwing him several ters back.
"He’s not human!" shouted one of them. "Kill the conjurer!"
Two of them changed direction.
Straight toward Kael.
But he was already watching.
Waiting.
The first one arrived.
Direct attack.
Quick.
Fierce.
Kael dodged with a minimal movent, letting the blade pass inches from his face. His hand rose—
And touched the vampire’s neck.
End.
Ice rose instantly, swallowing the entire head.
Kael continued the movent.
And ripped it off.
The body fell.
Headless.
The second attacker hesitated.
For a second.
Fatal mistake.
Kael was before him before he could even retreat.
Their eyes t.
And for the first ti—
Fear.
Real.
Kael held his face.
And smiled slightly.
"You should have run." The ice advanced.
Slowly this ti.
Intentionally.
Climbing up his face, entering his eyes, his mouth, his skull—
The vampire froze... conscious.
And then—
Kael squeezed.
And his head shattered.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Unreal.
Of the nine...
Two remained.
Wounded.
Breathing with difficulty.
The four allies were around them.
But they didn’t attack.
They didn’t need to.
Kael took a step forward.
Calmly.
No hurry.
The ice still spread across the ground, covering everything, transforming the street into a frozen field of bodies and fragnts.
"Last chance," he said.
The two vampires retreated.
Instinctively.
But there was nowhere to run.
"Who is behind this?"
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