Why had he taken his prosthetic off to show them his wound? Why had he told them about his rise and fall? Why had he told them his father had named the city after him?

Why had he moved to injure Samael? Why had he called his ex-wife, a woman he hated with the deepest depths of his heart, his promised one?

Why was he even talking?

Kael was a quiet and pragmatic man.

He did not talk, he did not negotiate, and he did not beg.

He decided, then he acted.

If he wanted answers, then he’d tear their minds apart and take them from their souls. He wasn’t the type to dabble in dynamics of intimidation and such.

Nor was he the type to feel anger, happiness, madness, and such.

He was the epitome of self-control and sharpness.

"Ah, too bad." Uriel sighed.

TAH!

Kael felt something snap within his head, and he finally regained control of himself.

He looked at Uriel with abject horror, an emotion only reflected by a very slight frown—so slight his expression seemed more neutral than anything else.

"You’re very sly," he said slowly as he floated back down.

He flicked his hand, finally ridding himself of Samael’s blood.

"Not sly enough, it seems."

Kael nodded as he clasped his hands behind his back. He took a moment to gather his thoughts.

His mind smoothly went over all that had happened since he entered the cell, and he began to formulate a plan of action based on what he had unknowingly given away and what he had garnered.

As he calmed down, the specks of gold in his eyes faded, and they returned to a cool emerald hue, as unreadable as it was deep.

He exhaled a breath. "Korynth, what is the price you have?"

It sounded foolish for him to ask such a question again. After all, with Uriel and Samael already imprisoned and Korynth incapacitated, what could she demand of him?

All he had to do was kill her, then carry out his plan with the two boys. It was simple.

But the truth was that it wasn’t. It was as he’d said while his mind was unstable—Ascendance had rules, and all were bound by them.

And Korynth knew this.

"I...want you to give me a drop of your true blood," Korynth finally said. "And a blank talisman compiler."

Kael didn’t react when he heard her request. His gaze flickered with countless thoughts and controlled emotions, and then he nodded.

He waved a hand, and from thin air, a thick tome appeared alongside a tube containing a golden droplet of blood—the items surged toward Korynth, then sank into her body.

Kael turned to leave. "You’ll stay in custody until we confirm your words about the boys. After that, we’ll let you go."

His steps paused. "Or perhaps, if you desire it, you’ll be reinstated."

A shadow beside Kael shook, and from it, an emerald-robed guardian surged, instantly lowering to a knee in front of him.

Kael looked at the guardian. "Transfer them to the omega layer. Have them ready for later this evening."

Kael’s figure faded into the dark reaches of the dungeon as he walked away.

"Handle them with care and use soul-protecting array wards while handling them. Make sure that—"

Kael paused again.

He turned, his gaze landing on Uriel, whom he had been entirely ignoring, even in spite of the mental attack he had launched.

In truth, Kael didn’t believe it to be a true attack. To him, the fact that Uriel had been able to somehow influence his mind was just a byproduct of his Soul Panacea status.

Rather than enraging him, it confirmed Korynth’s words and made him rather satisfied. If not for this, he would have most likely reacted...differently.

But now, something strange happened again.

"What are you doing?"

Kael spoke to Uriel, and everyone present in the dungeon looked at him in confusion.

Uriel wasn’t doing anything. In fact, he seemed half-asleep, barely paying attention to what was happening.

Kael stepped toward Uriel and spoke once more. "What are you doing?"

The feeling of unease bubbling in the depths of Kael’s soul was getting too strong for him to ignore.

Originally, he had been enthralled, so he hadn’t noticed, and even after that, he had been in a bit of a daze with his senses dulled.

But now, he could feel it. Uriel was doing something.

But he could see that he wasn’t.

"...?" Uriel stirred, fully opening his eyes and meeting Kael’s sharp ones. "Hm?"

Kael floated to meet Uriel. "I will not repeat myself again."

Uriel smiled. "I’m not doing anything, your highness."

Kael’s face twisted just the slightest bit, the feeling of unease turning into something he hadn’t felt in so long he barely remembered it.

He felt...anxious.

He didn’t know why. But he simply did. And he knew Uriel was the source of that anxiety.

Uriel’s powers were sealed, his body was broken and paralyzed by the pike running through him, and he was barely alive, and yet Kael still felt it.

SHOO!

The air shook as Kael’s palm wrapped around Uriel’s neck and pulled slightly. Uriel’s flesh squirmed and tore against the sharp lance in his body, his bones grinding against it and shattering as Kael pulled more and more.

It was as if he was slowly being cut in half.

His blood splattered and flowed without end, his face paling by the second. But as his face paled, Kael’s own only grew darker.

’My...mind. What’s...’ He felt like he could barely think about anything other than the anxiety Uriel gave him.

His mind was madly obsessed with that thought, as if his deepest instincts knew that the moment he thought of something else, he’d lose—and it would be over.

KIH!

Kael’s hands fought against Uriel’s shell and body, digging deep, as if he were trying to tear his trachea out of his body.

Uriel flashed a bloody smile.

"..."

Uriel mouthed a sentence, but because he couldn’t breathe, no sound came out. It was evident. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

And yet, Kael leaned in close, as if that would help him hear Uriel’s words.

"..."

Kael leaned in again, his ear practically pressed to Uriel’s mouth.

On the side, both Samael and Korynth stared at the scene with pure and unbridled confusion.

What the hell was going on?

"..."

Kael clicked his tongue. He pulled back, then shook his head as if he were an idiot.

How could he hear Uriel if he kept his mask on? As long as he kept it on, he wouldn’t be able to hear anything. It was obvious.

CLICK!

Kael took his prosthetic off, the golden worms and swimming blue eyes as foul as ever. Then he leaned in once more, and this time, he finally heard Uriel’s words.

"It is too late."

BANG!