Threads of the Soul

Chapter 431 - 431: The Imposter

One of the Russian leader's subordinates, a man with short trimmed black hair and slight stubble on his chin caught the the bracer out of the air. He focused on the runic words written on its golden surface. He chuckled softly to himself, nodding as if he was thinking deeply about what he was seeing before raising his head.However when he did so his form shimmered. The clean cut Russian soldier disappeared, his face melting into oblivion to reveal it was nothing more than an illusion. In his place stood Loki, with the same pale blue skin and regal golden horns sprouting from his forehead.

Yet it seems that the man in question did not notice his transformation. As when he spoke, it was not with the voice he had used when they previously met him. Instead it was with a thick Russian accent.

"Yes, Everything seems right. He has directed us to the place the device shows. But It must be a trick to trap us! Why else would be bring us here and... Why are you staring?"

Loki frowned softly, tilting his head in confusion as everyone had completely frozen. Their eyes were wide in horror and surprise, utter bafflement filling their expressions while some of their faces completely paled. No one answered him, most of them barely had the wherewithal to remember to breathe.

He lowered his gaze to the bracer resting in his hand, However this time that hand was blue, not the pale while of the Russian he should be. He turned it over, inspecting his hand with raised eyebrows before looking up at everyone else.

"Ah... Well..." His accent slipped away, being replaced by his usual uptight tone that was tinged with embarrassment as he laughed nervously.

"It seems this item is enchanted... It's another one of his tricks! Really... If you just give me a moment to explain I can-"

"NOW!"

Corvus pointed behind Loki, shouting at the top of his lungs as he issued his order. The pale blue God whirled around, drawing a dagger from his waist... yet there was nothing but open meadow behind him. Blue grass innocently swaying in a playful wind, with no intent on following the order Corvus had given.

By the time he realised his mistake, a hand was already clamping around his throat as he was forced backwards. His back slammed into one of the stone trees before he was lifted off his feet, his face wincing slightly as his horns scraped across the stone bark.

Corvus clenched his hand, tightening his grip around Loki's throat so that he was starting to crush his windpipe. Not enough to kill them, especially at their level. But it was enough to hurt and restrict breathing... Well, it would be if they had the same biology. Even still, it was going to hurt. In fact...

"Arrghh uhh!"

There we go, just a little extra pressure, just to make him properly regret his decision. Corvus smirked at Loki's wheezing and pained groans. He tilted his head, examining the God of Mischief like he was nothing more than a specimen to be dissected, before muttering idly.

"You were right my Queen, he really was an imposter."

Astra chuckled, brushing her hair from her face and gave him a cocky smirk.

"Of course I was. Really, you should know by now never to doubt me. I'm always right. It's all in the eyes. That little hint of the mind not being fully there. Don't think I also don't know when you are elsewhere just because you hide your eyes.

I know all of your tells for when you are leaving me on my own. Like you did earlier, for instance."

Corvus coughed in embarrassment, shooting her a look over his shoulder. Astra didn't need to be able to see his face to know what kinds of expressions he was making, nor did she need to see his eyes to know he was asking her very sweetly to behave. This was his big tough moment, not for her to embarrass him.

She, however, didn't consider it for a second and simply shot him a glare back. A glare that sent shivers down Corvus' spine as he knew exactly what it meant. 'We will talk about this later.'

He was definitely in trouble... But how could he be blamed for that? Was it his fault that so many of those fights had been boring?

The other leaders stirred from their baffled stupor, blinking softly. Naturally, it was the Russian only known as the Captain that spoke first.

"What have you done to my man?"

"Me? Really?" Corvus sighed, rolling his eyes. "I haven't done anything to him. Best guess he was killed and replaced by this imposter popsicle. Either in the chaos of the attack... or he was an imposter the entire time.

After all... They had to have some way of finding that meeting. The French already had a signal of some kind, something that linked him to these traitors. Who's to say that you didn't bring him along knowing he'd be able to bring in his big friend.

It all just seems far too... convenient, doesn't it?"

"English is not my first language, but I know more than enough to know what you are trying to imply boy. Think carefully about your next words."

The Captain stepped forwards, giving Corvus a death glare as his hands grasped at the air. Yet whatever he was expecting to happen never came to pass. Everything remained as it was, causing the Russian to look at his hands in confusion.

"How do you even know its the real him?"

A nervous woman from the crowd asked, the sole Nordic person remaining judging by the accent.

"An excellent question. I'm sure you've all felt that strange feeling, haven't you? That suffocating feeling, especially those with wider or better senses. Didn't you wonder what that was? It's simple. I have a way of taking out your powers.

All of your magic, gone. Just like that."

"Of course... I should have known it was a Voidli-"

Loki began to speak before he was promptly cut off by Corvus clenching his hand around his throat more. The other leaders naturally checked his claim, becoming even more wary and panicked at the realisation that he was right.

Some of them had no doubt already noticed it, so there was no harm in exposing its existence. He just didn't need them knowing it was Woe. Even if they suspected the boy, most would assume it was an item he had given Woe, who had demonstrated other abilities with his partial transformation.

He was, after all, the man who could make Requitals. If they didn't know how he did it, then they would be less likely to attack him in case it didn't work. That was his hope at least.

However there was one small issue with his 'method'. Beneath his hood, Corvus glanced at Woe. The boy was being subtle in his use of his ability, but he was beginning to pale. Sweat droplets dripped down the side of his head as he was reaching the edges of his limits.

Woe didn't just cancel out abilities, he absorbed the energy they were using. He was a walking black hole specifically for Mana.

It fed him as well as powered his advancements, as he couldn't produce any mana himself. He was like a parasite, feeding on others to improve himself. The more people tried to use their abilities, the more it would feed him.

At a certain amount of feeding, it would start his transformation into the form he gained from becoming transcendent.

Yet there was a downside to it. Just as any person could not gourge themselves on food with no ill effects, Woe could not absorb mana endlessly. Especially when it was a buffet of such rich mana, not just in quality but in sheer quantity.

With so many Celestial individuals here, especially with some constantly trying to use their powers, he was reaching his limits. To Woe, it felt as if he had eaten an entire superstores worth of food in one ten minute sitting.

Bloated hardly began to describe it.

At a subtle signal from Corvus, Woe finally retracted his bubble and resisted the urge to let out a groan. As for Corvus, before the trickster could stir up another Illusion or make use of whatever mutations and abilities he had been granted, Corvus turned his free hand into its soul form and thrust it into Loki's chest.

He grabbed hold of the God's soul, causing the God to pale in horror and dreadful pain he had never experienced before,

While he was still reeling from the experience, Corvus yanked his hand back and thrust his foot forwards. With one swift kick to the chest, Loki was sent out of Corvus' grasp as he crashed through the stone tree.

Rubble crumpled to the ground as Loki bounced a few times, before stopping dead. Yet as everyone watched his body with apprehension and suspicion, he never rose to his feet again.

How could he? As his soul was resting in the palm of Corvus' hand.