Chapter 344: Isabella's Condition

Kael sat in his mansion, a cup of water in his hand. The residence was quiet. He had sent all his servants to his Starfall territory before the Void Realm expedition, and the staff had never been recalled.

He didn’t mind the silence. After weeks of screaming, begging, and the wet sounds of torture, silence was a luxury he intended to enjoy.

He wore simple robes of dark grey, loosely tied, his hair still damp from the medical pod’s regenerative fluid. His body ached in places he didn’t know could ache. The Void Sovereign Physique had healed the physical damage, but the residual strain on his spiritual foundation lingered like a bruise on the soul.

He sipped the water.

KNOCK.

Kael set down the cup. “Come in.”

The door opened. Sophie Mann stepped inside.

She looked exactly as he remembered. Dark hair falling past her shoulders.

She saw him. Her breath caught.

“Kael.”

She crossed the room in four strides. Kael set his cup down and caught her as she reached him, her arms wrapping around his neck, her face pressing into his shoulder. Her body trembled from relief.

Kael’s arms closed around her.

He pulled her onto his lap as he sat back down. Sophie gasped—her body settling across his thighs, her hands bracing against his chest. Kael didn’t give her time to compose herself. His hand caught her chin, tilting her face toward his. He kissed her passionately. His lips moved against hers.

His hands slid from her chin to her neck, then down to the curve of her waist. They continued upward, tracing the line of her ribs, heading toward her—

“Cough. Cough.”

Sophie’s body went rigid. She shot off Kael’s lap. Her face was flushed crimson, her hair disheveled, her lips still swollen from the kiss. She smoothed her dress with frantic hands.

Cassandra stood in the doorway. Her arms were crossed. Her expression was the emotional equivalent of a glacier.

“Am I interrupting something?” Cassandra asked. Her voice could have frozen the atmosphere.

Sophie immediately waved her hands, her face burning. “No! No, not at all. Kael was just—I was just—he just woke up and—”

Kael smiled at Cassandra, completely unbothered. “My lovely sister. You’re one to interrupt my fun.”

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed. “My horny brother. You haven’t even been awake for more than an hour and you’re already jumping on the closest lady.”

Kael raised his hand with a grin. “Come on, sis. Give me a break. I’ve been through quite a lot. Plus, I’ve changed so much. Mind you, I’m sure I look more charming after two years in the Void Realm.”

Cassandra snorted. “The only change I can see is that tongue has gotten even sharper.”

She walked into the room and took a seat across from him. She looked at Sophie.

“Sophie. Leave us.”

Kael reached out and caught Sophie’s hand before she could move. He looked at Cassandra.

“Is there something you can’t say in front of her? Sophie knows everything about me. There’s nothing you could tell me that would shock her more than what she’s already seen.”

Cassandra’s eyes flicked to Sophie. She held his gaze for a moment.

“The horns and—” She paused. “Do you want me to complete it?”

Kael’s smile faded. He looked at Sophie, then back at Cassandra. “Alright. Sophie, please give us a minute.”

Sophie squeezed his hand once before releasing it, “Alright”.

She stood, smoothed her dress, and walked toward the garden exit.

Cassandra reached for the teapot on the side table. She poured herself a cup as she sipped.

“Oh, you think I didn’t see?” Cassandra said, her voice carrying an edge of dry amusement. “At this moment, even the elders will be able to sense the demonic energy within you.”

Kael leaned back. “Aren’t you curious what happened?”

Cassandra sipped her tea and nodded.

Kael sighed. He kept it brief. “I was infused with a demonic bloodline by force. The intent was to use my body as a vessel for the bloodline, but instead of rejecting it or dying, my body integrated it.”

He unleashed the bloodline briefly. His hair turned white, the dark horns curving from his temples. The demonic energy pulsed outward, subtle but unmistakable. Then he retracted it just as quickly as his hair turned back and his horns receded.

Cassandra’s cup paused halfway to her lips. Her eyes widened. She recovered quickly, setting the cup down.

Kael continued before she could question further. “My body had already been adapting to demonic energy.”

The truth was that even though he trusted Cassandra to some extent, there was no way he was going to tell anyone about his Astreon bloodline.

Cassandra nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s possible. A physique already adapted to one form of demonic energy could theoretically accept a compatible bloodline infusion.” She paused. “But find a way to suppress that demonic bloodline and energy of yours. Father is back.”

Kael smiled. “The old man seems to have quite the impeccable timing of showing up.”

“He wants a full report. I’ve already given him the overview, but he’ll want to hear from you directly.” She sipped her tea again. “But that can wait until you’ve stabilized.”

She set the cup down. Her expression became heavy.

“There’s something else. The Vorn forces recovered Isabella from the House of Crimson’s operation.”

Kael straightened. “Isabella? Where is she? Is she—”

“Her body is alive,” Cassandra said. “But her soul is missing.”

The words hung in the air. Kael’s expression went still.

“The healers have confirmed that Isabella is not dead in the conventional sense. Her soul was extracted and is being held somewhere outside her body. Her body functions—heartbeat, breathing, basic cellular activity—but there’s no consciousness or awareness. We’ve preserved her body in a stasis chamber. But without her soul, there’s nothing we can do for her.”

Kael was quiet for a long moment. His mind worked through the implications.

The Clown.

The creature who had tried to insert his soul into Kael’s soul space.

“It’s the Clown,” Kael said. “The one from the House of Crimson. He’s a high-level soul cultivator. Probably Peak Soul Condensation or higher. He demonstrated the ability to manipulate, consume, and project souls. He likely holds Isabella’s soul.”

Cassandra’s eyes darkened. “The Shadow Vatican and the House of Crimson are getting more and more dangerous. To even dare to do this to a Vorn.” She paused. “We also have confirmation from Brody’s report that they have a member of the Devouring Spirit Clan working with them.”

Kael nodded. “That’s probably Claude. The one in the black mask. He could devour my energy. He nearly killed me in the Void Realm.”

Cassandra absorbed this without visible reaction, but her grip on her teacup tightened.

“The Clown likely possesses Isabella’s soul,” Kael continued. “Perhaps alongside the souls of other victims.”

Kael became unusually quiet. His hands rested on his knees. Isabella was one of the few siblings he genuinely trusted. She had helped him when no one else would.

He refused to treat her condition as an acceptable loss.

“What about Sebastian?” Kael asked with a cold expression.

Cassandra’s expression hardened. “Sebastian has been missing from the clan for over a month. He’s currently being searched for.”

Kael looked at her. “Sebastian was working with the House of Crimson inside the Void Realm. He was present when I was captured. He was involved with the group that handed me over.”

Cassandra already suspected some of this from her investigation, but hearing the details from Kael gave the matter greater weight. Her eyes went cold.

“How involved?” she asked.

“He was with them,” Kael said. “I cannot confirm that Sebastian knew every detail of their plans, but his participation is undeniable..”

Cassandra was silent for a moment. “Sebastian’s betrayal contributed directly to Isabella’s suffering and the loss of her soul.”

“He was compromised,” Kael said. “Either by manipulation, by fear, or by ambition. The Sebastian I grew up with was bitter, petty, and weak. But he wasn’t a traitor. Whatever the House of Crimson offered him—or threatened him with—it was enough to make him cross the line but he will still have to suffer by my hands for what he did to Isabella.”

“Father will want to know this.”

“I know,” Kael said. “But let me handle Sebastian. When the time comes.”

Cassandra studied him for a long moment. Then she nodded.

A few minutes passed. They spoke of smaller things. Then Cassandra leaned back.

“Are you going back to the academy for your third year?” she asked.

Kael shook his head. “Nah. The academy doesn’t have anything to offer me right now.”