Chapter 375: The Golden Cage

Clink... Clink...

The dark chains rattled softly as Astrid shifted against the cold, cracked floor of the nursery. Her breath came in ragged, panicked gasps, her eyes darting frantically.

Kael walked toward her slowly as he sheathed shadow slayers keeping them back in the system’s storage.

"This will only take a while, Your Majesty," Kael said, his voice smooth and chillingly polite.

Astrid swallowed hard, her pride warring with her terror. She lifted her chin, refusing to cower entirely. "What do you want to do to me?" she demanded, her voice trembling despite her best efforts. "Are you one of those men who enjoys tying up women? Do you get your sick pleasure from conquering queens and humiliating them in their own homes? If you think I will beg, you are sorely mistaken."

Kael paused, tilting his head as if genuinely amused by her assumption. A soft, dark chuckle escaped his lips. "Tempting as that sounds, Your Majesty, I have far more pressing matters than your dignity."

He stepped behind her, and before she could react, his left hand pressed firmly against her forehead.

Astrid flinched, squeezing her eyes shut. Is he going to kill me? Rape me or crush my skull?

But Kael’s right hand was already moving, weaving a series of rapid, intricate hand seals. Snap. Snap. Snap. Dense, violet soul power gathered at his fingertips, condensing into a complex, glowing rune.

BZZZT!

He pressed the rune against her skin.

"AHHHHHH!"

A blood-curdling scream tore from Astrid’s throat. It felt as though her very soul was being branded with a white-hot iron. The rune hissed and sizzled, burning its way through her flesh and sinking directly into her spiritual core. Squelch. Tears streamed down her face as she convulsed against the chains, the agony blinding her.

And then, as quickly as it began, the rune vanished into her forehead, leaving no physical scar.

Kael removed his hand, wiping a trace of blood on his dark robes.

Pant... Pant... Astrid slumped forward, gasping for air. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of dread and confusion. "What... what did you do to me?"

Kael stepped in front of her, a cold, predatory smile spreading across his face. He reached down and gently touched her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"My little slave," he murmured.

Astrid recoiled as if struck. "Slave?!"

"And just to be sure," Kael added, his eyes flicking toward the bed.

Void Step.

WHOOSH!

He vanished, reappearing instantly beside the sleeping twins. A seal formed on his hand, glowing with the same sinister violet light.

"NO! DON’T TOUCH THEM!" Astrid shrieked, thrashing wildly against her chains.

But it was too late. Kael pressed his hands against the foreheads of both children. Sizzle. The runes burned into their skin, and though they were unconscious, they whimpered, their small bodies shuddering as the soul brands took root.

Astrid’s vision went red. She lunged forward, destroying the chains with a blast of her rule power, intent on tearing Kael apart with her bare hands.

COUGH!

But the moment she channeled her mana, a devastating pain tore through her chest. She hacked up a mouthful of dark, clotted blood. Splat. It splattered across the floor. Her body went limp, the chains catching her before she hit the ground.

Kael turned around, waving his index finger mockingly. "No, no, no, no. That’s not it, Your Majesty. That’s a slave rune on your forehead."

He walked back toward her, his hands casually slipping into his pockets.

"Of course, this planet might be too primitive to understand the mechanics of a Rank 5 Soul-Slave Rune," Kael continued, his tone conversational. "Even if you somehow found a way to break the rune—which, of course, you can’t—but just know, I have your kids too."

He stopped directly in front of her, his smile turning cruel. "With a snap of my finger... well, actually, I don’t even need a snap. Just a mere thought, and their souls will shatter. They’ll go bye-bye."

"You... you monster," Astrid choked out, tears of sheer helplessness spilling down her cheeks.

Kael leaned in closer. "Come on, you should get a better description for me. For the most part, I find myself to be rather lovely."

He crouched down to her level, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look into his cold, silver-flecked eyes. "Now, when the time comes, you’re going to do a little favor for me. And maybe, just maybe, by then, I might consider letting you and your brats go."

He bent closer, his lips brushing her ear. His voice dropped to a barely audible whisper.

Astrid listened, her eyes widening in absolute horror. The blood drained from her face, leaving her as pale as the snow outside. Her breath hitched, a deep, visceral terror settling into her bones.

When he pulled back, she was trembling violently. "You... you demon..." she breathed, her voice barely a whisper.

Kael stood up, a satisfied smile on his face. "Well."

SNAP!

He waved his hand, and the violet runes on the walls, the floor, and the ceiling instantly dissipated. The isolation formation shattered, leaving the room in silence once more. The only evidence of the battle was the wrecked furniture and the blood on the floor.

"You better ensure everything that happened here remains between us, Your Majesty," Kael warned, his eyes flashing with a final, silent threat. "If the King finds out, well... you know what will happen."

Void Step.

WHOOSH!

Kael disappeared, the shadows swallowing him whole. He slipped out of the shattered window, landing silently on the icy rooftops of Snowfall, leaving the broken Queen weeping in the dark.

The Next Morning, Snowfall.

The blizzard had subsided, leaving the capital blanketed in a thick, deceptive layer of pristine white snow. The sun, a pale disc behind the auroras, cast a cold, unforgiving light over the city.

Inside the grand residence, Kael sat at the head of the dining table, sipping a cup of steaming, dark tea. His Pillar Knights stood before him.

"The Fifth General has been neutralized," Kael announced calmly. "She won’t be a problem anymore."

Soren and Caelum exchanged a glance. "The Fifth general?"

And the King, My Lord? When should we make a move?" Soren asked.

"He’s isolated. Paranoia has consumed him. Half his army is freezing at the Britannia border, and his nobles are in our pockets," Kael replied, setting his cup down with a sharp Clink. "Now, we wait."

"For what, My Lord?" Garrick asked, confused.

Kael smiled, a dark, calculating expression. "For the pieces to fall into place. A cornered, paranoid beast always makes the most foolish mistakes."

He stood up, walking toward the massive window that overlooked the frozen city.

"The Kingdom of Dawn is already mine," Kael murmured, his reflection staring back at him. "Now, just one last step."

Knock. Knock.

A Shadow Hound entered the room, kneeling. "My Lord, the spies report that the King has called an emergency council meeting. He is demanding the immediate execution of all Britannian diplomats in the city."

Kael’s smile widened as he said, turning away from the window. "And now, let the bloodbath follow."