Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

Chapter 43 Return to the Journey.

Kael walked down the narrow path, the map his mother had given him earlier in his hands as he focused on the road ahead. The sky was beginning to lighten, signaling that he was finally leaving the dark forest behind. Umbra floated beside him, as curious as always, watching him with her glowing eyes.

"So, where exactly are we going, young master?" Umbra asked, leaning over to look at the map, though it was clear she had no idea how to interpret it.

"Azalith," Kael replied without taking his eyes off the scroll. "It's a city south of here. I'm going because I'll be enrolling in the Azalith Academy."

Umbra placed a finger on her chin, thoughtful. "Azalith... sounds familiar. Is it a big city? Full of noisy humans?"

Kael shrugged. "I'm not sure how big it is, it'll be my first time there too... but there'll probably be a lot of noisy humans, yeah... and many other races. My mom says it's a diverse city with no racial territory, so all races are allowed."

"Hmm, humans have really changed, huh? Back in my time, coexistence like that didn't really exist," she asked, spinning around him in the air.

Kael stopped for a moment, folding the map before tucking it into his backpack. "My mom says it's probably one of the safest places in the world right now, because it's a city created by all the factions together, and coexistence is the core of making it work."

Umbra smiled intriguingly, the soft light of her presence floating around Kael as she watched him with curiosity. "Sounds like... a utopia, doesn't it? Humans and other races really living in harmony. Hmm, it'll be interesting to see what's left of that 'paradise'."

Kael raised an eyebrow, glancing at her sideways. "You don't seem very optimistic about it."

She let out a soft laugh, almost melancholic. "It's just that I lived in different times. When factions united, it was always to fight, to conquer, to subjugate. Never to coexist peacefully. But who knows... maybe you're right. Maybe this is the beginning of something new. Or maybe it's a façade waiting to crumble."

Kael stopped abruptly, feeling a chill run down his spine. The word "bitch" echoed in his mind in a way that made him question Umbra's tone and seriousness. He looked at her, trying to read her expression, but she was still floating beside him, wearing the same mischievous look, although the energy around her had subtly shifted.

"What do you...?" Kael began, his voice quieter, more suspicious.

Umbra seemed to notice the shift in his posture, and her eyes glowed with an unsettling light. "You don't know, do you? About your grandmother... Eleonor Scarlet. It's no surprise, considering how much you still have to learn about this world and your lineage." She looked at him with an enigmatic smile, a smile Kael couldn't decipher.

He felt a wave of frustration mixed with confusion. He didn't know whether she was teasing him or if there was something more serious behind Umbra's reaction. "What about her? Don't give me these cryptic hints."

Umbra scoffed, clearly entertained but also laden with palpable tension. "Oh, you're a fine one, Kael. But the truth is, your grandmother... well, she's not exactly a good person, if that's what you want to know. She didn't gain the power she has with good intentions. And yes, she may be your grandmother, but she has a history. A history you might want to look into later, when you're ready to face the consequences."

Kael stood still, processing her words. He had never really questioned Eleonor Scarlet's past. She had always been a distant figure to him, a legend he had only heard about in stories told by his mother. But now, Umbra's words began to reverberate in his mind, and he wasn't sure what was more disturbing: the possibility that his grandmother had a dark past, or the fact that Umbra seemed to know more than he had ever imagined.

"So that's it? You know something I don't about her?" Kael asked, trying to keep calm, though his gaze was now intensely fixed on the floating entity beside him.

Umbra simply laughed. "Oh, yes. I know a lot. But that's a burden you'll have to bear on your own. All I'll tell you is this... The true nature of your grandmother and what she really wants goes far beyond what you're imagining right now. And one day, you'll see that what she did in the past, and what she's still capable of, has implications for your future, my young one."

Kael took a step forward, his thoughts spinning. "Well, looks like I've got a lot to learn. But I won't let this get in the way for now. I've got my own goals."

"Of course, of course..." Umbra said with an enigmatic smile.